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1. Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurates online portal ‘NARI’ for women empowerment ,

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana to become fully operational this year: WCD Minister

NARI will provide information to women on issues affecting their lives. There are tips on good nutrition, suggestions for health check ups, information on major diseases, tips for job search and interview, investment and savings advice, information on crimes and against women and reporting procedures, contacts of legal aid cells, simplified adoption procedures and much more. It will endow women with the power of information to build their life skills and facilitates them in taking full advantage of the services provided by the Government for them.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that for the first time ever since Independence, women of the country will be able to access information about benefits being provided to them by the Government. The portal contains information about schemes being run by both Central as well as the States Governments. The WCD Minister also gave an overview of the agenda of the WCD Ministry in the current year 2018. The Minister said that the new National Nutrition Mission will be launched in January, 2018 and will be operationalized in 315 districts across the country. About 50.7 lakhs women will be given Conditional Cash Transfer under maternity benefit scheme Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) this year, the Minister explained. The bill on Trafficking, which has been referred to the GOM, will be finalised and presented in the Parliament in the Budget Session. Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that the deadline mandated by the Supreme Court for registration of Child Care Institutions expired on 31.12.2017. There will be very sharp focus on linking of the Child Care Institutions to the adoption system in 2018.

2. Record production of Horticulture Crops at 300.6 Million Tonnes which is 5% higher than the year 2015-16

Productivity for horticulture sector increases by about 3.45% in 2016-17 (Final Estimates) as compared to 2015-16. Fruits productivity increases from 14.3 Tonnes/Ha in 2015-16 to 14.6 Tonnes/Ha in 2016-17(Final) Vegetables productivity increases from 16.7 Tonnes/Ha in 2015-16 to 17.4 tonnes/ha.

Production of fruits is estimated to be 93 million tonnes which is 3% higher than previous year. Record production of 178 million tonnes of vegetables which is about 5% higher than the previous year.First Advance Estimate 2017-18 and Final estimate 2016-17 for area and production of Horticulture Crops.

3. Secretary (DADF) directs procurement of all Milk being produced by Milk farmers in flush season

Secretary (ADF) directed that a target of 255 MMT of Milk Production by 2022 has been set by the Department so as to double the farmers’ income in line with achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of doubling the farmers’ income. The total share of milk procurement by cooperatives is to be increased from existing 10% to 20% of milk production by 2022. This will ensure better returns to dairy farmers. The States and Cooperatives are to prepare their plans accordingly. Rs.10,881 crore of financial assistance is being provided under Dairy Processing Infrastructure Fund (DIDF) to Milk Federations/Unions for the purpose.

Further, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has issued an advisory on 15.12.2017 to States to include milk in the Mid-day Meal Scheme, Anganwadi Scheme etc. Department of Food and Public Distribution were requested to consider inclusion of milk in the PDS system. Ministry of Women and Child Development was requested to include milk in the Nutrition Mission like Anganwadi Scheme. This will increase the consumption of milk and subsequently better returns to dairy farmers even in flush season as well.

The cooperatives have also been advised to set a target 2% share in the World Trade by 2020.

4. 196 companies faced penal action in FY 2014-15 for non-compliance of CSR norms; Maharashtra tops in CSR expenditure in FY 2015-16

With a view to increases awareness and improve compliance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provisions among companies, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued clarificatory circulars and Frequently Asked Questions, and also organiSed various workshops /seminars /conferences in collaboration with the Professional Institutes & apex Business Chambers on the subject. In addition, penal provisions under section 134(8) of the Companies Act, 2013, have been invoked for non-compliance of CSR provisions. Till date, Ministry has accorded permission for penal action against 196 companies for the financial year 2014 - 15.

Section 135 of the Act commenced with effect from financial year 2014 -15.

5. Excavation work, boundary wall and construction of toilet block being taken up at Kesaria Stupa site in Bihar: Culture Minister

Excavations have been carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India at Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Areraj and Kesaria Stupa from time to time. Rs. 15.00 lakh has been allotted for scientific clearance and preservation of Kesaria stupa during 2017-18. Development work, such as construction of boundary wall and toilet block at Kesaria is being undertaken. The estimated cost for construction of boundary wall and toilet block is about 1.65 crores and Rs. 55 lakh respectively. The Excavation Branch-III, Patna has been directed to take up further excavations at Kesaria stupa to expose the remaining portion. The said monuments are in good state of preservation. Virar Raman Temple at Kesaria is not a protected monument of ASI.

6. Proposal for grant of classical status to Marathi language is under active consideration of the Government: Culture Minister

Six languages i.e. Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia have been given status of classical languages. The Criteria adopted by the Government to determine the eligibility of a language for granting classical language status, are as under:

i. High antiquity of its early texts/ recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years;

ii. A body of ancient literature/ texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers;

iii. The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community;

iv. The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

7. National Health Policy, 2017

The process of the National Health Policy, 2017 entailed wide consultations with multiple stakeholders, regional consultations, approval of Central Council of Health & Family Welfare and Group of Ministers. The Policy envisages raising public health expenditure progressively to 2.5% of the GDP by 2025. The State Governments, have also been requested to increase their budget outlay for Health. A draft implementation framework has also been devised to implement the National Health Policy, 2017. The Government has also requested all the concerned authorities for implementation of the health policy.