Table of Contents
Ministry of Tourism
- MoT compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) & FTAs
on e-Tourist Visa on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received
from Bureau of Immigration (BOI). - The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FTAs on eTourist
Visa during the month of December, 2017: Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs): - The number of FTAs in December, 2017 was 11.76 lakh as compared to
FTAs of 10.21 lakh in December, 2016 and 9.13 lakh in December, 2015. - The growth rate in FTAs in December, 2017 over December, 2016 was
15.2%, compared to 11.9% in December, 2016 over December, 2015. - FTAs in the year 2017 were 101.77 lakh with a growth of 15.6% over
2016, compared to FTAs of 88.04 lakh with a growth of 9.7% is 2016 over 2015.Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
- Khelo India Anthem
- Endeavor: To encourage mass participation and promote excellence in
sports the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports here today unveiled the
Khelo India Anthem Commencing on January 31, 2018. - The Khelo India School Games will be the first programme to mark the
beginning of Khelo India, a category defining, holistic sports
development programme. - The anthem is conceptualized by Ogilvy, composed by Louis Bank and the
film has been produced by Nirvana Films.Ministry of Home Affairs
- The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the
International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) here
today. - The two-day workshop is being organised by the National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations
Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). - It creates opportunities for economic growth and is at the core of
sustainable development. - “The way we build our infrastructure today will either build risk or
resilience for the future generations. We need to bring to bear
tremendous foresight and rigour to ensure that all our new infrastructure
is built to withstand the hazards of the present as well as the future.” - Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda, outlined during the Asian Ministerial
Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) held in New Delhi in
November 2016. - To give a sense of urgency to the implementation of Sendai Framework
for DRR. - “The infrastructure that we will build in the next twenty years will be
more than what we built over the last two thousand years. - At the global level, by 2040, to adequately meet the infrastructure
needs of humanity, we will need nearly $100 trillion. - By 2030, Asia alone will need $26 trillion in infrastructure investment,” he said.
Ministry of Defence
- 70th Army Day
- Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Sunil Lanba and Air
Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa paid tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti in Delhi
this morning on the occasion. - The Army Chief also reviewed the parade at Cariappa Parade Ground in Delhi
Cantonment. - He presented 15 Sena medals including five of them posthumously.
- Army will never allow anti-national forces to succeed at any cost.
- Pakistan is continuously flouting ceasefire violation norms adding that the
Indian Army is giving a befitting reply - Army Day is celebrated on this day every year to commemorate the day
when General (later Field Marshal) K.M Carriappa took over the
command of Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British
Commander-in-Chief in 1949 and became the first Commander-in-Chief
of Indian Army post Independence. - President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have
greeted all soldiers, veterans and their families on the occasion.
President’s Secretariat
- His Excellency Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel,
called on the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, at Rashtrapati
Bhavan today (January 15, 2018). - Welcoming the Israeli Prime Minister, the President said that his visit to
India is a culmination of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. - Our warm and friendly ties are growing stronger.
- In a little over two years, the two countries have exchanged Presidential
and Prime Ministerial visits. - Political understanding, security cooperation and technology
partnerships are key pillars of strategic engagement between India and
Israel. - He emphasised that collaboration in newer areas such as space,
cybersecurity and innovation will add depth to our partnership. - The President said that opportunities lay before the two countries in the
fields of investment, manufacturing, services, start-ups and technology.
He appreciated the presence of Israeli companies in India especially in
the water, defence, technology and pharma sectors. - He urged them to partner India in its programmes such as Make in India,
Clean India, Smart Cities and Digital India. - The President said that India appreciates Israel’s cooperation in the field
of agriculture. - A prominent example of India-Israel cooperation in agriculture was
evident during today’s call-on. - The olive tea that was served to the Israeli Prime Minister at Rashtrapati
Bhavan was produced in Bikaner by Rajasthan Olive Cultivation Ltd, a
joint venture between the Government of Rajasthan and Israeli partners. - Cyber Security
- Oil and Gas
- Air Transport Agreement
- Film-co-production
- Homeopathic Medicine
- Space
- Invest India and Invest in Israel
- IOCL and Phinergy Ltd.
- IOCL and Yeda Research and Development Co Ltd
New Passport Rules
- India is changing, so must its rules.
- The Foreign Office’s decision to exclude the parents’ name from the
passport will no longer worry children of divorcee/separated parents,
orphans and even those born out of wedlock. - The online passport application form too would require the name of only
one parent. - Supreme Court: Earlier ruling which did away with mentioning the
father’s name on the birth certificate. - Delhi High Court had ruled in 2016 that mother’s name is sufficient for
issuing a passport - The new rules are not born out of a vacuum but stem from a tangible
societal need. - Single-parent friendly passport: a progressive step in consonance with
the fast-evolving social ethos where single parent families are not
unusual. - Single parents face numerous challenges while bringing up their children.
- Especially a single mother, is not easy.
- Government regulations must lessen, rather than add to that burden.
- Social expectations demand new thinking and new rules