National
Family Courts (Amendment) Bill 2022
⇒ Parliament has passed the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill 2022 with the Rajya Sabha approving it on 04 August 2022. The Lok Sabha has already cleared the Bill.
- It seeks to amend the Family Courts Act, 1984.
Key Points:
- The Act allows state governments to establish Family Courts. The central government is empowered to notify dates for the Act to come into force in different states.
- The governments of Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland have set up Family Courts in their states under the Act. However, the central government has not extended the application of the Act to these states.
- The Bill seeks to extend the application of the Act to the state of Himachal Pradesh with effect from 15th February 2019 and to the state of Nagaland with effect from 12 September 2008. The establishment of Family Courts in both states will be retrospectively valid from these dates.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program
⇒ Skill India launched Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program in Delhi to upskill 75,000 workers in NDMC jurisdiction.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has initiated a project to recognize the prior skills of 75,000 people between the age group of 18-45 years and upskill them in association with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
- National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the strategic implementation and knowledge partner of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Aim:
The project aims at certifying them to increase their relevance in the volatile job market and encourage them in contributing toward nation-building.
Funded and implemented by:
The initiative will be funded by NDMC and SANKALP (World Bank Project under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) and implemented by NSDC.
About RPL:
- The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)/Upskilling program will be implemented in three phases through Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and their empanelled training providers.
- The training commenced on 05 August with an aim to upskill 25,000 workers in the first phase.
- Moreover, there will be two modes of implementation — RPL through Camps, under which industrial and traditional clusters will be targeted and RPL at Employer’s premises which will be carried forward in partnership with industries and employers for orientation and training at the employer’s location.
‘Karnataka Ratna’ award
⇒ Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on 05 August 2022 said that Kannada film star Puneeth Rajkumar, who died last year, will be conferred with the ‘Karnataka Ratna’ award posthumously, on November 1, which happens to be Kannada Rajyotsava, the state’s formation day.
- He will be the 10th recipient of the state’s highest civilian honour.
Past Award Winners:
- The Karnataka Ratna was last awarded to Dr Virendra Heggade for social service in 2009.
- Interestingly, Puneeth’s late father Rajkumar is among the first recipients of Karnataka Ratna award in 1992, along with poet Kuvempu.
- Other recipients of the award are S Nijalingappa (Politics), CNR Rao (Science), Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty (Medical), Bhimsen Joshi (Music), Shivakumara Swamiji (Social Service), and Dr J Javaregowda (Education & Literature).
Digital version of ODOP gift catalogue
⇒ Union Minister of Commerce and Industry; Consumer Affairs; Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal unveiled the digital version of the ODOP gift catalogue.
- The digital launch took place during the meeting with Export Promotion Councils and Industry Associations at Vanijya Bhawan on 5th August 2022.
» The ODOP gift catalogue includes a wide range of products like Fragrances and Oils, Indian Spirits, Home Décor products, Fabrics, and Silks and Shawls.
ODOP Background:
- The ODOP Initiative is aimed at achieving the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to foster balanced regional development across all districts of the country.
- The idea is to select, brand, and promote One Product from each District (One District – One Product) of the country for enabling holistic socio-economic growth across all regions.
- The range of chosen products under ODOP, from all 761 districts of the country, spans multiple sectors, Ministries and Departments.
MoU between Indian Navy and ISRO
⇒ Indian Navy on 05 August 2022 signed a MoU with the Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad on data sharing and cooperation on Satellite based Naval Applications in Oceanology and Meteorology.
- This MoU is an extension of previous MoU signed in 2017 and will further the collaboration between two organisations.
About MoU:
With this initiative, both the organisations will have a common platform of mutual cooperation, wherein the scientific advancements by SAC would be synergised into the Indian Naval efforts to keep the nation’s defence in step with rapid development in the field of Satellite Data retrieval and applications.
The broad area of cooperation includes sharing of non-confidential observational data, operation exploitation of SAC generated weather products and provisioning of Subject Matter Experts (SME) towards processing of satellite data towards development of new tools, calibration and validation of ocean models.
International
China successfully launches pilot reusable spacecraft
⇒ China successfully launched a pilot reusable spacecraft with its Long March-2F carrier rocket on 05 August 2022.
The unidentified spacecraft, which was launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, will return to a planned landing site after operating in the orbit for some time to provide technical validations for reuses.
- This is first attempt from China at reusable spacecraft.