Road Transport and Highways Ministry has issued draft notification related to Motor Vehicles Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility Amendment Rules 2022. These amendments lay down the procedure for establishment of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility.

The notification states that registered vehicle owners shall apply digitally for vehicle scrapping. Road Transport and Highways Ministry said, all applications for vehicle scrapping shall be submitted digitally and Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility will act as facilitation centres to help vehicle owners. 

Government will select hundred start-ups across the country to empower sustainable economic growth and generate employment opportunities in the water or used water sector. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said this at the launch of ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Challenge’ in New Delhi on Saturday. Mr. Puri also added that his ministry will select start-ups through this Start-up challenge and provide twenty lakh rupees to each start-up as funding support as well as mentorship.

On the occasion, Mr. Puri emphasized on the important role being played by the Start-ups, and assured them of full and active support from the Government. He said that the Start-ups are the flavor of the season, as the number of Unicorns in the country has jumped, by leaps and bounds.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said that automobile companies will start manufacturing flex-fuel vehicles within six months. Addressing a Global Business Summit, he said, most vehicles in India will soon run on 100 percent ethanol. Flex-fuel or flexible fuel is an alternative fuel with a combination of gasoline and methanol or ethanol.

Government is enabling the use of various alternate fuels in an effort to shift from fossil fuels. Automobile and auto components of flex-fuel engines have been included in the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. NITI Aayog has formulated the roadmap for ethanol blending for the period 2020-2025 to accelerate the introduction of flex-fuel vehicles. Mr Gadkari also said the government is working to encourage the use of green hydrogen and other alternative fuels.

Communication Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today inaugurated a seminar on 25 Years of TRAI Act: The Way Forward for Stakeholders in New Delhi. TRAI Act was enacted in 1997 to regulate the telecommunications sector in India.

It also provided for a mechanism of dispute resolution among the stakeholders of telecom sector. 

Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Antyodaya and inclusive development is the first and foremost philosophy behind the decisions and initiatives of the government and with this thought the government wants to narrow down the digital divide in the country. He said, Aatmanirbhar Bharat is the second dominant philosophy guiding the strategy and approach of government. 

Ayush Minister Sarbanand Sonowal has said that India is well positioned to become global leader in Yoga and traditional medicine. Mr Sonowal today inaugurated Yoga Mahotsav 2022, an event to commemorate 100 days countdown in run up to 8th International Day of Yoga 2022 in New Delhi.

He said, it is an opportunity for a mass movement to promote health, wellbeing and peace across the globe. The Minister said that as WHO’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is being established in India, which is equipped with deep wisdom of yoga and traditional health practices. He added that more than 250 million people are practicing common yoga protocol developed by Ministry of Ayush. Mr Sonowal said, his Ministry has taken initiatives to make yoga an Indian brand for world peace and also to promote motto of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat.

India Book of Records have awarded certificates in respect of creation of a record for Highest Quantity of Bituminous Mix laid for road construction in 100 hours. In a series of tweets Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari informed that longest Length of Flexible Pavement road construction in 100 hours was awarded to PNC Infratech Ltd. The Minister said this incredible feat was achieved by PNC Infratech Ltd at the Construction of 8-Lane access-controlled expressway starting from a junction with National Highway -47 near Bhamiya village and ending at a junction with State Highway -175 in Baletiya village in Panchmahal district of Gujarat.

The Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, has released the date sheet of the second term Board examination for class 10th and 12th.

In a circular issued on Friday, the board has informed that the board exam will start from 26th of next month and will conclude on 15th June of this year. 

Keeping in view the learning losses by the students during the pandemic,  the board has set more gap between the two examinations in almost all the subjects of both the classes. Other competitive examinations, including JEE Main have been taken care of while preparing the date sheet. 

The Supreme Court on Friday appointed its ex-judge A.K. Sikri as Chairperson of the High Powered Committee, which would consider the cumulative and independent impact of the Chardham project on the entire Himalayan valley. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant accepted the resignation of Professor Ravi Chopra as Chairperson of the Committee after he wrote a letter in January wishing to relinquish his post.

Attorney General K.K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre said that since Justice (Retd.) Sikri has already been appointed by this court as Chairperson of the oversight committee to look after environmental concerns and other issues related to the Chardham project, it would be better if he is appointed as Chairperson. The bench agreed to the suggestion and appointed Justice (Retd.) Sikri.

As many as twenty-four eminent writers, playwrights and novelists have been conferred  Sahitya Akademi Awards- 2021 in New Delhi on Friday. These awards have been provided for best writings in twenty-four Indian languages. Sahitya Akademi president DR. Chandrashekhar Kambar gave away the awards to them and handed a cheque of one lakh rupees, a shawl and memento to each of them.

Those awarded with the Sahitya Akademi Awards are- Eminent Assamese novelist Anuradha sarma for her novel- Iyat Ekhan Aronya Asil, Bengali writer Bratya Basu, Bodo Poet Dr. Devakanta Ramchiary,  Dogri Fiction writer Raj Rahi, English writer Namita Gokhale, Gujrati Poet Yagnesh Dave, Hindi playwright Daya Prakash Sinha and many more.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry has said that more than forty thousand farmers across the country benefited from the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela held from 9th to 11th of this month. It said that 41 Innovative awards have been given to farmers during the festival including 36 awards in the valedictory session on its concluding day.

The mela has been organised by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) on the theme 'Self-reliant farmer with technical knowledge' in New Delhi. The Ministry has said that during the festival, IARI gave live exhibitions on drone technology, precision farming, wheat varieties, fruits, vegetables, flowers, different agricultural models and farmer advisory services to them.