RAJASTHAN
- 300 government schools in Rajasthan to operate on PPP model.
- The Vasundhara Raje cabinet on Tuesday cleared the Policy for Public Private Partnership (PPP) in School Education-2017, paving way for government schools to operate on PPP model.
- In its first phase and on a pilot basis, 300 in the rural areas would be put up to be run on PPP mode. These are among the 9895 secondary and higher secondary government schools across the state. The policy does not extend to those located in cities, district headquarters and the Aadarsh Vidyalayas. Schools, which have recorded poor results, would be handed over to private partners.
- The government teachers and non-teaching staff presently working at these schools would be accommodated at other schools.
INTERNATIONAL
- India and Japan to step up Defence Cooperation
- India and Japan agreed to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual-use technologies.
- Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera signed the agreement during India-Japan annual defence ministerial dialogue in Tokyo.
- The two countries resolved to ramp up overall military engagement under the bilateral special strategic framework.
- The countries agreed to commence technical discussions for research collaboration in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics.
- India planned to buy theUS-2 ShinMaywa aircraftfrom Japan for its navy.
NATIONAL
- NHAI awarded its First International Project in Myanmar to Punj Lloyd-Varaha.
- The National Highway Authority of India awarded its first international project in Myanmar to a joint venture of Punj Lloyd-Varaha.
- This is for the up gradation of the Yagyi–Kalewa section in Myanmar to two lanes with the earthen shoulder in the engineering, procurement, and construction mode.
- Punj Lloyd Varaha’s bid was identified as the most competitive among four qualified bidders. It was at Rs. 1,177 crores.
- NITI Aayog launches National Nutrition Strategy.