Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari today inaugurated and laid the foundation for 18 highway projects in Rajasthan through video conference.

The virtual function was attended by Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot,  Union minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other Union Ministers from the state.

AIR correspondent reports that the length of these road projects is about 1127 km, involving expenditure of Rs 8,341 crore.

11 projects costing Rs 6,427 crore were inaugurated today, with a total length of 821 km.

These projects also include construction of Jaipur Ring Road, which will reduce the traffic pressure in Jaipur city.

Similarly, the foundation of 7 projects of 305 km length of 1 thousand 913 crores have been laid today.

These projects will boost tourism in the state, reduce accidents and provide better connectivity to armed forces and villages.

Addressing the program, Gadkari said that 52 projects worth 30 thousand crores have been completed by the Ministry of Roads and Highways in the last six years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 'SEHAT' - Health Insurance Scheme for the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on 26th of this month to cover the remaining One crore population which was not covered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Under Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), eligible beneficiaries were covered under Health Cover of Rs 5 Lakh. 

Under the PMJAY scheme, 30 lakh people are being covered in J&K. With the launch of the 'SEHAT' Scheme by the Prime Minister on December 26,  J&K will be among the first in the country to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
 
Programs will be organized across the UT and the distribution of Golden cards will be started on the same day. Around 16 Lakh registrations have been done as of the date and the registrations for the rest of the beneficiaries are underway. 


Meanwhile, J&K Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo reviewed arrangements put in place for the effective role out of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Sehat Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir by the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday proposed to create a library of traditional Buddhist literature and scriptures adding that India would be happy to host the facility and provide appropriate resources for it. Speaking at the India-Japan Samwad Conference, the Prime Minister also thanked the Government of Japan for its "constant support to samwad".

"Today, I would like to propose the creation of a library of traditional Buddhist literature and scriptures. We will be happy to create such a facility in India and will provide appropriate resources for it," PM Modi said. Its (the library's) research mandate will also include examining how Buddha's message can guide our modern world against contemporary challenges, PM Modi said further. The Prime Minister said that the library will collect digital copies of all such Buddhist literature from different countries. "It will aim to translate them, and make them freely available for all monks and scholars of Buddhism," he added.

President Ramnath Kovind will attend the 60th Goa liberation day to be held in Panaji today. Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule of around 450 years on the 19th of December 1961. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many other dignitaries have greeted the people of Goa on this occasion. Our Goa correspondent reports that   Goa is saluting today all the freedom fighters and martyrs who fought bravely to free Goa from Portuguese rule. Year long programmes will begin today.

President Ramnath Kovind will arrive at Azad Maidan Panaji to lay a wreath at the martyr’s memorial. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari,  Ayush Minister Sripad Naik,Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will also be present. President Kovind then will leave for the state organized function at Campal. President is in Goa on two days visit.

In the meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant unfurled the tricolour flag in Panaji today morning. He appealed Goans to build a self sufficient Goa with united efforts. With Tushar Jadhav, Mukesh Thali, for Air news from Panaji Goa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the keynote address at ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020 tomorrow morning through video conferencing. Prime Minister will also present the ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award to Mr Ratan Tata, who will receive the award on behalf of the TATA Group.
 
ASSOCHAM was established in 1920 by promoter Chambers representing all regions of India. Having in its fold over 400 Chambers and Trade Associations, and serving over 4.5 lakh members across India, ASSOCHAM has emerged as the fountainhead of knowledge for Indian industry.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved assistance of three thousand 500 crore rupees for sugarcane farmers. Briefing the media in New Delhi after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said, Cabinet has taken the decision to help farmers directly by depositing money of subsidy into their accounts. It will benefit five crore farmers and five lakh workers.  

Mr Javadekar said, CCEA also approved revised cost estimate of North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project for six States for strengthening of the Intra-State Transmission and Distribution Systems. He said, the projects reflect government's commitment to the total economic development of North Eastern Region and to strengthen the Intra-State Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure in the Region.
 
The Cabinet also approved auction of spectrum in 700 megahertz, 800 megahertz, 900 megahertz, 1800 megahertz, 2100 megahertz, 2300 megahertz and 2500 megahertz frequency bands, for validity period of 20 years. Talking to reporters, Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, a total of 2 thousand 2 hundred 51.25 megahertz is being offered with total valuation of 3 lakh 92 thousand 3 hundred 32.70 crore rupees at reserve price.

The Indian Space Research Organisation will launch communication satellite CMS-01 on board the launch vehicle PSLV-C50. A 25-hour countdown for the launch began yesterday afternoon at 14:41 hours, ISRO said.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV's 52nd mission is scheduled for lift-off at 15:41 hours today from the second launch pad at the spaceport of Sriharikota 'subject to weather conditions', ISRO said.

"PSLV-CMS-01 Mission: Countdown for the launch of PSLV-C50/CMS01 mission commenced on Wednesday at 1441hrs from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR Sriharikota," ISRO said.

CMS-01 is the 42nd communication satellite of the space agency and it is envisaged for providing services in Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum covering India, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.

PSLV-C50 is the 22nd flight of PSLV in 'XL' configuration (equipped with six strap-on motors), and today's launch would be the 77th launch vehicle mission from Sriharikota, about 120 km from Chennai.

It follows the successful launch of PSLV-C49 (EOS-01) earth observation satellite and nine customer spacecraft on November 7 which was ISRO's first mission of the year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today's launch would be the last launch of 2020 for ISRO.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at National War Memorial this morning on the 50th-anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war. On the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled the logo for 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh' to mark the anniversary of the war.
 
Vijay Diwas is observed every year on December 16 as a mark of victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that also led to the creation of Bangladesh.
 
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today saluted the bravery of Indian Army on Vijay Diwas. In a tweet, Mr Singh said the soldiers wrote new chapter on bravery. He said their sacrifice evokes inspiration in Indians and nation will always revere them.

A new rule for cheque payments is all set to come into effect from 1st January, 2021. The new rule has been designed in order to check banking fraud. The Reserve Bank of India has decided to introduce from January 1, 2021, the 'positive pay system' for cheques, under which re-confirmation of key details may be needed for payments beyond Rs 50,000. 

Availing of this facility would be at the discretion of the account holder. However, banks may consider making it mandatory in case of cheques for amounts of Rs 5 lakh and above.

Positive pay system: What it is? How it works? All you need to know

- Under the positive pay system, the issuer of the cheque will be required to submit electronically, through SMS, mobile app, internet banking or ATM certain minimum details of that cheque like date, name of the beneficiary, payee, amount to the drawee bank.

- These details will be cross-checked before the cheque is presented for payment.

In case any discrepancy is flagged by cheque truncation system (CTS) to the drawee bank and presenting bank, redressal measures would be undertaken

- The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will develop the facility of positive pay in CTS and make it available to participant banks.

- Banks, in turn, shall enable it for all account holders issuing cheques for amounts of Rs 50,000 and above.

- While availing of this facility is at the discretion of the account holder, banks may consider making it mandatory in case of cheques for amounts of Rs 5,00,000 and above

- RBI has said that "banks are advised to create adequate awareness among their customers on features of positive pay system through SMS alerts, display in branches, ATMs as well as through their website and internet banking".