Draft Passenger Charter Notified
Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, notified draft passenger charter on May 23, 2013, defining rights for air passengers. The purpose of the charter is to improve hassle-free air travel experience of air passengers in the country. Passengers will be...
TRAI Releases Draft to the Telecommunication Interconnection Regulation
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released draft amendments to the telecommunication interconnection regulations on May 9, 2018. Most amendments deal with the point of interaction (POI) among different telecom operators. TRAI has come out with certain...
Sand Mining Framework to Check Illegal Extractions
The Union Minister of Mines, Narendra Singh Tomar, launched the Sand Mining Framework at the third National Conclave on Mines and Minerals in New Delhi on March 20, 2018. It was launched to help states deal with the sand mining issues such as demand supply deficit and...
Private Sector Participation in Defence Equipment Manufacturing Approved
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the implementation of strategic partnership guidelines on July 30, 2018. It is a major decision that will encourage private sector participation in domestic defence manufacturing. The Strategic Participation (SP) model...
Government Sets up Committee to Regulate News Portals
After a month-long discussion with National Broadcasters’ Association and PCI, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on April 5, 2018 constituted a committee to regulate online portals such as news websites, entertainment sites and media aggregators. The...
Plea to Make Sexual Assault Gender Neutral Dismissed
A petition seeking to make sexual assault offences, such as rape, stalking, etc. gender neutral was dismissed by the Supreme Court in February 2018. The bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra stated that it is up to Parliament to revamp the colonial penal code after...
Law Panel Recommends Legalising Sports Betting
On July 6, 2018, the Law Commission submitted its report, titled ‘Legal Framework: Gambling and Sports Betting including Cricket in India’. The Commission recommends legalising betting and gambling in India. It suggests various ways to regulate the betting market. As...
UGC to be Replaced with New Higher Education Commission
According to the draft released on June 27, 2018 by the human resource development ministry, the University Grants Commission will be replaced with a new regulator for higher education in India to improve academic standards and put a check on bogus institutions. The...
The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Act 2017
The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Puri, on December 22, 2017. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 27,...
Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Act 2018
The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill 2017, introduced on July 18, 2017 by the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan in the Lok Sabha, was passed by Parliament and received Presidential assent on January 5, 2018. The Act is...
Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Act, 2018
The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017, introduced in Lok Sabha by the former urban development minister, M. Venkaiah Naidu on July 18, 2017, after being passed by Parliament, received the presidential assent on August 9, 2018....
NITI Aayog and Google Collaborate on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ecosystem
Google has collaborated with Niti Aayog to focus on fostering growth of India’s nascent artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) ecosystem. The partnership also aims to work on a range of initiatives to help build AI ecosystem across the country. There...
Green Licence Plates for Private Electric Vehicles
The government approved green licence plates bearing numbers in white fonts for private e-vehicles and yellow for taxis in order to promote electric vehicles in India. India, currently, has four kinds of number plates—white licence plates with numbers of black font...
National Sports University Act, 2018
On July 23, 2018, a Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to replace the National Sports University Ordinance, 2018. Both Houses of Parliament had passed the Bill by August 2018. The Act was modified on...
Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Act, 2018
On July 23, 2018, a Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State, Ministry of Ayush to replace the Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. It has now become an Act. The Bill amends the Homeopathy Central Council Act, 1973...
Kerala Floods
In 2018, southwest monsoon unleashed floods and landslides in Kerala, the magnitude of which has rarely been witnessed in recent past
ILO: World Employment Social Outlook Trends, 2018
In January 2018, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) released the World Employment Social Outlook Trends
IMF: World Economic Outlook, 2018
In April 2018, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its World Economic Outlook
US Lists 12 Demands for Iran Deal
The US government announced a list of 12 demands on May 21, 2018 for inclusion in a nuclear treaty with Iran, to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in perpetuity
Childhood Trauma and Psychotic Disorders are Linked
Researchers have found out a link between childhood trauma and schizophrenia that could open new paths of treatment for people diagnosed with the disorder