NEWS 21-08-2019. NEWS FOR 23-AUG (FRIDAY) A .HIGHLIGHTS OF PM MODI’S 73RD INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH 1. Water Management: Jal Shakti Ministry has been set up. A total of ?3.70 lakh crore will be spent to conserve, recharge and make water available in every household. 2. Infrastructure: A total of ?100 lakh crore will be spent for building infrastructure like roads, railways, bridges, ports, hospitals etc. 3. Post of Chief of Defence Staff will be created for better coordination of defense forces.4. $5 Trillion Economy: Between 2014 & 2019, the country added $1 trillion to the existing $2 Trillion economy thus becoming a $3 trillion economy. Now, in the next 5 yrs, the country is looking forward to becoming a $5 trillion economy. This is likely to happen because, the present Govt is stable, policy system is predictable and the fundamentals of our economy are strong. 5. Clean India: Doing away with Single - Use Plastic by Oct 2. 6. Tourism: PM talked about creating 100 tourist destinations in the country. 7. Article 370 and 35A Abrogated: Now India is One Nation, One Constitution 8. Control Population Explosion: An idea has been floated, which in due course of time will become a movement.B. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved major proposals regarding re-organisation of Army Headquarters Following were the approvals: (i) Separate vigilance cell under Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) with tri-services representation has been setup – Currently, the vigilance function is conducted for the COAS through multiple agencies and there is no single point interface. The independent vigilance cell will be set up under the Chief of the Army Staff and ADG (Vigilance) will be placed directly under the COAS for this purpose. The composition of the vigilance cell will include three Colonel-level officers, one each from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and IndianNavy. (ii) An umbrella organisation under Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) for enhanced focus on human rights issues has been established. This will be headed by ADG (Maj. Gen rank officer), directly under the VCOAS. This is to ensure high priority to observance of human rights convention and values. (iii) Re-location of 206 Army Officers from army headquarters to formations/units of the field army has been approved to make them available additionally to the formations/units of the Field Army. C. Chandrayaan-2 has successfully entered the Moon's orbit D. Government of India issued an order that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel will now retire at a uniform age of 60 years. E. PM Modi on his visit to Bhutan inaugurated the 720 MW Mangdechhu hydropower plant which will provide electricity to Bhutan as well as the states of Assam, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal. < < Back