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1. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports awards 2018-2022 broadcast rights of Khelo India School Games to Star Sports

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge) Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore said, “After careful deliberation and following a transparent bidding process, we are delighted to announce that KHELO INDIA SCHOOL GAMES 2018 will be partnering with Star Sports for the broadcast of event. It will be the first time that school games will be broadcast LIVE simultaneously on TV and digital platform. Star Sports and HOTSTAR, with their vision of fostering a comprehensive, multi- sports ecosystem in India will be our ideal broadcast partners to help us realize the dream of transforming India into a global sporting powerhouse in the coming years.”

He added, “With Khelo India, we seek to bring back active playtime in the lives of our children. Parents and teachers need to embrace sports and ensure that it is as essential a part of the everyday life of children as educational curriculum.”

2. Consumer Price Index For Industrial Workers (CPI-IW—November, 2017)

The year-on-year inflation measured by monthly CPI-IW stood at 3.97 per cent for November, 2017 as compared to 3.24 per cent for the previous month and 2.59 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. Similarly, the Food inflation stood at 3.91 per cent against 2.26 per cent of the previous month and 1.66 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year.

3. Projects Focusing on Revamping an Identified Area (Area Based Projects) Estimated to Cost Rs.1,52,500 Crore-- Investment of Rs.1,91,155 Crore Proposed by 90 Smart Cities

Informing the Members present, the Minister informed that “The selection process of Smart Cities is based on the idea of Competitive and Cooperative Federalism and follows a Challenge process to select cities in two stages. A two stage selection process has been followed. In the first stage, total number of 100 smart cities has been distributed amongst the States and UTs on the basis of equitable criteria. The State/UT subsequently have shortlisted and potential smart cities on the basis of preconditions and scoring criteria. In the second state of the competition, each of the potential 100 smart cities had prepared their Smart City Proposal(SCP) which contained the model chosen (retrofitting or redevelopment or greenfield development or a mix thereof) and additionally include a Pan-city dimension with smart solutions.

In Stage 1, all States/UTs shortlisted 98 potential Smart Cities to participate in Stage II. Further, on the basis of requests received from States, 12 new potential Smart Cities (left out capital cities and equal scoring cities) have also been included to participate in All India Competition (Stage 2) of the Smart City Challenge Process. In Stage II, 90 cities (20 cities in Round1 in January 2016, 13 cities in fast track round in May 2016, 27 cities in Round 2 in September, 2016 and 30 cities in Round 3 in June 2017) have been selected so far. The other 10 cities are expected to be selected in this financial year (2017-18), the Minister further informed.

4. 9th High Powered Review Board Meeting of Brahmaputra Board Held

The 9th meeting of High Powered Review Board of Brahmaputra Board was held at Borgos, Kaziranga in Assam on December 30, 2017.

The meeting was chaired by Sri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. It was also attended by Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister, Assam, Shri Keshab Mahanta, Minister, Water Resources, Assam, Shri Chandra Mohan Patowary, Minister, Transport, Shri Atul Bora, Minister, Agriculture, Assam, Shri Letpao Hopkip, Minister, Water Resources, Manipur, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, Chief Secretary, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and other dignitaries and senior officers from basin states.

Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari also launched the Mathematical Model Study prepared by IIT, Guwahati called Brahma-ID on this occasion. This project has been sponsored by Brahmaputra Board for an amount of Rs. 3.00 crore.