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Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Union government signed a tripartite agreement with the Tripura government and The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, popularly known as Tipra Motha, for a “time-bound” and “honourable” solution to “all issues” related to the state’s indigenous people.
Under the pact, it was agreed to amicably resolve all issues of indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land and political rights, economic development, identity, culture and language.
Along with this, it was agreed to constitute a joint working group/ committee to work out and implement the mutually agreed points on all the above mentioned issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an honourable solution.
In order to maintain a conducive atmosphere for implementation of the pact, all stakeholders shall refrain from resorting to any form of protest/ agitation, starting from the day of signing of the agreement.
Express Network
Shah launches umbrella body for urban co-op banks (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah Saturday inaugurated the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Limited, an umbrella organisation for urban cooperative banks.
Shah said after 20 years of struggle, NUCFDC has been established, which was a necessity of time and marks a new beginning for self-regulation. The organisation, he said, will boost development of urban cooperative banks.
On NDA government’s initiatives to develop the cooperative sector, Shah said efforts are being made to transform cooperative movement into a people’s movement.
He said a major role for the umbrella organisation is to prepare small banks for compliance with the Banking Regulation Act.
He said cooperative banks have a “significant” strength of 11,000 branches of 1,500 banks with deposits of Rs 5 lakh crore. He said urban cooperative banks have reduced its net NPA to 2.10%, which needs to be improved.
After 30 years, India to make Penicillin G (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
The common antibiotic penicillin will be manufactured in the country for the first time in 30 years, with the government supporting the manufacturing of 41 critical bulk drugs — the active ingredients used in medicines— through its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme.
The production at a Hyderabad-based plant is likely to start as early as March. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made the announcement at the inauguration of 27 bulk drug parks and 13 manufacturing plants for medical devices.
The projects are aimed at reducing India’s dependence on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients and medical devices.
Mandaviya said the last manufacturing unit of Penicillin G in Ahmedabad shut down nearly 30 years ago, with the locally manufactured API not being able to compete with the imported ones.
Economy
WTO talks ends sans decision on key issues (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The talks at the WTO’s ministerial conference ended with no decision on key issues such as finding a permanent solution to public food stockpile and on curbing fisheries subsidies, but the members agreed to further extend the moratorium on imposing import duties on e-commerce trade for two more years.
The 13th ministerial conference (MC13) also managed to get at least five more outcomes such as new disciplines on domestic regulation for services, formal joining of Comoros and Timor-Leste as members of the WTO, and least developing countries continuing to get the benefits of LDC even three years after graduation.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said it is a “good outcome and we are completely satisfied”.
Progress was made on several contentious issues which have not been closed for many years but forward movement is always a sign of possible closure going forward.
World
US begins Gaza airdrop amid fears of famine (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
The United States military carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Saturday and aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave as Israel pressed on with its offensive.
Three C-130 planes delivered more than 35,000 meals into a territory where the United Nations says one quarter of the population is one step from famine, and Palestinians posted videos on social media showing boxes of aid being dropped.
The White House has said the airdrops will be a sustained effort, and that Israel is supportive of the operation. With doubts surrounding the resumption of ceasefire talks in Egypt, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said at least 11 Palestinians were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent in Rafah, where people are seeking sanctuary from Israel’s military offensive.
The Gaza health ministry said another 50 people were wounded in the strike next to a hospital in the Tel Al-Sultan area of Rafah. One of the dead was a medic at the hospital. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.