ANDHRA PRADESH

· New policy: Liquor sales in Andhra Pradesh dip in October

ð Liquor sales in the state have come down by over 40 per cent in October 2019 compared to October 2018.

ð The decline can be attributed to the new excise policy rolled out by the state government on October 1 which aims at implementing a complete ban on liquor in a phased manner. The government’s efforts to implement the liquor ban has started to show positive results and is vindicated by the decline in sales.

ð The new excise policy was one of the poll promises of the YSRC government. Under the policy, keeping more than three bottles of liquor or six bottles of beer is a punishable offence. The government has also reduced the number of wine shops in the state by 20 per cent with the APBCL taking over the functioning of the rest.
The government has maintained that it does not consider the excise department a source of revenue and the policy will help people quit the habit. De-addiction centres will also be set up at government hospitals across the state to curb liquor consumption.

INTERNATIONAL

World’s first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange in Singapore
Singapore-based AirCarbon Pte launched the worlds’ first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange.

This will allow airlines and other corporate buyers to buy as well sell tokens backed by carbon offset credits approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The company is applying to the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a recognized market operator license and targets for the exchange to be fully operational in 2020.

The AirCarbon Exchange will finance the registration costs of some carbon-mitigation projects at no charge to developers to help generate credits to trade.

· World Bank to fund USD 6 bn annual lending support to India

World Bank, the multi-lateral funding agency, has announced that it is to continue providing a $6 billionannual lending target for Indiato support infrastructure development and alleviate poverty. The announcement was made by President of World Bank David Malpass during his visit in the backdrop of the recently released World Bank report on Ease of Doing Business 2020.
As of now, around 97 projects are being currently executed in India with loan assistance from the World Bank. For the 97 projects,it has provided $24 billion. It is expected that the program will continue and reflect on the projects and reforms that were going on in India.

NATIONAL

· Rajnath Singh to represent India at SCO heads of state meeting

Defence Minister Rajnath Singhwill represent India at theShanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of state meeting, which is to be held in Uzbekistan on 2 November. Mr. Singh is to embark on a three-day visit to Uzbekistan from 1-3 November.

Exercise Dustlik-2019, a joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan, is to be carried out from 4-13 November at Chirchiq training area in Uzbekistan. The exercise will focus on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in mountainous, rural, and urban areas.

Disabled, people over 80 can vote through postal ballot

The people over 80 years of age and Persons with Disability can now cast their votes through postal ballot.

However, such voters will have both the choices available either voting through postal ballot by following due procedure or going to the polling station on polling day for voting.

On the recommendations of the Election Commission, the Ministry of Law and Justice has amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, allowing senior citizens and person with disabilities in the absentee voter list.

Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde appointed as 47th CJI

Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde was appointed as the 47th Chief Justice of India.

Justice Bobde will take oath as the CJI on November 18th, a day after incumbent Ranjan Gogoi demits office.

He will have a tenure of 17 months and would demit office on April 23rd, 2021.

He was appointed as the chief justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on October 2012.

In April 2013, he was elevated to the Supreme Court.

The first femalejustice in the court was Fatima Beevi

Leila Seth was the firstwoman judge on the Delhi High Court and she became the first woman tobecome Chief Justice of a state High Court.

Justice H J Kaniawas the first Chief Justice of India from 1950 to 1951.

National Workshops on Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan scheme began

The National Workshop onPradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY)began on 30 October. The workshop will be held on 30-31 October. The workshop was addressed by Shri Pravin Krishna, MD, TRIFED.

The workshop was organized with an aim to take stock of all the activities under the program and to plan future steps. Participants: Candidates from 25 States are participating in the workshop, along with the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED)

TRIFED has requested the State Nodal Departments or State Implementing agencies to nominate a nodal person and a teamfrom their end. It is expected that they could coordinate and update the Van Dhan Dashboard on a regular basis.

· Ladakh Literature Festival began on 29 October in Leh

Ladakh Literature Festivalbegan on 29 October inLeh for the first time ever. The three-day fest will conclude on 31 October 2019. It will culminate on the day when Ladakh would formally become a Union Territory (UT) on 31 October. The festival will mark the official separation of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Local artists, historians, musicians, poets, literary personalities, and writers from various parts of the country are participating in the event.

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