Ministry of I&B Made Significant Revisions to the Cable Television Network Rules of 1994
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued a notification amending the Cable Television Network(CTN) Rules of 1994. Moreover, a new provision has been added, enabling Cable Operators to share infrastructure with Broadband Service providers.This amendment introduces a formal procedure for the renewal of registrations for Multi-System Operators (MSOs). This significant change updates the rules which previously only allowed for fresh registrations.
Key Points:
- Following are the amended rules:
- MSOs will be required to submit their registration or renewal applications online through Broadcast Seva Portal of MIB
- Registrations for MSOs will be approved or renewed for a duration of ten years.
- A processing fee of Rs. One lakh will be applicable for the renewal of registration
- Request for the renewal of registration must be made within seven to two months prior to the expiration of the current registration.
- The Ministry has provided a dedicated helpline number and email address (sodas-moiab[at]gov[dot]in) for any necessary assistance
- This initiative ensures continuity of services for cable operators without interruptions, enhancing the sector’s appeal for foreign investment.
About Broadcast Seva Portal
Launched By – Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
It is a centralized platform where multiple stakeholders and applicants submits their requests for various activities issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in the field of broadcasting.
About Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Union Minister – Anurag Thakur (Lok Sabha – Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh)
Minster of State (MoS) – Dr. L. Murugan
India retains 40th rank in Global Innovation Index 2023: Innovation in the face of uncertainty
- The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an agency of the United Nations, published the16th edition of the Global Innovation Index (2023). India retains 40th rank among 132 economies. While Switzerland secured the top spot in the rankings, with Sweden and the United States of America (USA) following closely
- NITI Aayog, in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and WIPO, has hosted the virtual India Launch of Global Innovation Index (GII) on September 29, 2023.
- India was also highlighted as the top innovation economy among the lower-middle-income countries, followed by Viet Nam and Ukraine.
- India, the Republic of Moldova, and Viet Nam continue to set records by being innovation overperformers for a 13th consecutive year
About World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO):
- It is the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information and cooperation with 193member states (As of 30 September 2023).
- Establishment– 1967
- Director General– Daren Tang
- Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
India, Argentina sign Social Security Agreement for Professionals
Social Security Agreement (SSA) was signed between India and Argentina to ensure professionals and workers retain benefits and contributions made toward social security, promoting easier mobility between countries
Key Points:
- This SSA covers Indian laws on old age, survivor’s pension and permanent, total disability pension for employed persons, and includes Argentina’s contributory benefits under their Social Security System
- The agreement grants temporary overseas workers and their families full rights to contributory benefits such as cash allowance for retirement or pension, rent, subsidy or lump sum payments, without reduction, modification, or suspension.
- It establishes the legal framework regulating insurance period i.e., period of services credited with contributions, contributory benefits and export thereof, in respect of detached workers, including crew members of airlines and ships.
- It sets the legal framework for insurance period, contributory benefits, and export rights for detached workers, including airline and ship crew members detached workers, i.e., employees working in another country on a temporary basis.
About Argentina:
President– Alberto Angel Fernandez
Capital– Buenos Aires
Currency– Argentine Peso
ADB Capital Management Reforms Bring $100 Billion Benefits Over Next Decade toAsia-Pacific
Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced the approval of capital management reforms that are set to release approximately USD($)100 billion in fresh funding capacity over the next decades for financing projects in Asia-Pacific region.
People in Asia and the Pacific, especially those who are poor and vulnerable, are facing severe challenges due to escalating and interconnected crises.An estimated 155 million people, or 3.9% of the region’s population, lived in extreme poverty as per the report in 2022.
Key Points:
- This funding is intended to tackle significant Asian challenges, notably climate change
- These reforms were implemented by updating the ADB’s Capital Adequacy Framework (CAF).
- These reforms significantly enhance the bank’s capacity for new commitments, allowing it to commit to projects and initiatives totaling more than USD 36 billion annually
- This represents a substantial increase of approximately USD10 billion, which representing about a 40% rise in the ADB’s capability to fund various projects, initiatives ,infrastructure, and other essential sectors in the Asia-Pacific region
- ADB’s strategic measures enable $360 billion financing for member countries and private clients. Safeguarding AAA credit rating, they ensure affordable, long-term funding, sustaining developmental support for member countries.”
About Asian Development Bank:
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters – Manila, Philippines
Establishment – 1966
Members – 68 members (49 from Asian and the Pacific and 19 outside)
President of India Presents National Service Scheme Awards for the Year 2021-2022
President of India, Droupadi Murmu presented the National Service Scheme Awards for the year2021-2022 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, Delhi. The award was given to 52 persons to recognize their outstanding contributions towards voluntary community social services.The awards included 3 categories namely Universities/+ 2 Council (2 Awards); NSS units and their Programme Officers (10 NSS Units + 10 Programme Officers); and NSS volunteers (30 Awards).
About National Service Scheme (NSS):Director– Pankaj Kumar SinghHeadquarters– New Delhi, DelhiLaunched on– 24th September, 1969The Motto or watchword of the NSS: “NOT ME BUT YOU”
2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize awarded to Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang
Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) Ramanujan Prize for 2023 will be awarded to Ruixiang Zhang of China, Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the United States of America(USA) for his contribution to Mathematics from analytic number theory,combinatorics, Euclidean harmonic analysis to geometry.
The Prize will be conferred at the International Conference on Number Theory, which will be held from 20 to 22 December 2023 at SASTRA University in Kumbakonam(birthplace of Ramanujan) of Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu.
Key Points:
- In 2022, he was awarded Sloan Research Fellowship, one of the most prestigious honors given to early-career scientific researchers for 2022-24.
- His work has appeared in Inventiones Mathematicae in 2019.
- In 2008, he received a gold medal at the 49th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held in Madrid, Spain.
- In 2008, he received a gold medal at the 49th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held in Madrid, Spain.
MoS Dr Jitendra Singh Launches IGMS 2.0 Public Grievance portal & Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard Portal of DARPG
Union Minister of State (MoS) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions,launched the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System (IGMS) 2.0 Public Grievance portal and Automated Analysis in Tree Dashboard portal of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).He also launched the Swachhata Special Campaign 3.0 and released the Precedent Book (e-book) prepared by DARPG.
Key Points:
- It will focus on field/outstation offices responsible for service delivery or having public interface, in addition to the Ministries/Departments and their attached/subordinate offices
- DARPG introduced 300 Best Practices for all Ministries, emphasizing a ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Science’ approach, in Special Campaign 3.0.
International Translation Day 2023- September 30
- United Nations (UN) International Translation Day (ITD) is annually observed across the globe on 30September to recognise and honour the invaluable contributions of translators and language professionals, who facilitate communication between nations strengthening global peace, cooperation, understanding, and development.
- The day is observed by the Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs/International Federation of Translators (FIT) to highlight the significant role of translators all across the world.
- Since 1991, FIT has celebrated ITD, creating an annual theme as the basis for the celebrations
- The 2023 theme of ITD is, “Translation unveils the many faces of humanity“
Tripura Became 4th State in Indiato Introduce E-Cabinet System
- Tripura Chief Minister(CM) Manik Saha launched an e-cabinet (electronic cabinet) system at Agartala, (the capital of) Tripura to promote digital infrastructure development and digitization of government services and information.
- With this, Tripura has become the 4th state in India (after Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh) and 2nd state in northeast to implement the ecabinet system
- It is modelled on the e-cabinet system of Uttarakhand.
- The move is aligned with the Digital India initiative.
- The shift will increase transparency, efficiency and accountability of the state government
About e-cabinet system:
- The e-cabinet system is a paperless system of conducting cabinet meetings.
- All cabinet ministers and bureaucrats will use tablets to access the system, which will contain all the necessary meeting materials, such as agendas, presentations, and cabinet notes.
- Since the process is paperless, this reduces the carbon footprint and environmental degradation.