Indian Polity - Current Affairs for March, 2016

Mehbooba Mufti was elected unanimously as the PDP legislature party leader with the senior leader indicating she is PDP nominee for J&K’s CM post. 56-year-old PDP president was elected as leader of the legislature party at a PDP meeting.

India and International Energy Agency based in Paris, France have signed an agreement to increase cooperation in the field of energy forecasting and data. Statement of Intent for stepping up cooperation in energy forecasting and data was signed by NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. IEA-India agreement will push forward work for the energy system of India including work for the Agency's flagship publication, World Energy Outlook (WEO), as well as modelling, forecasting and identification of data needs.

Odisha government and international grant making organisation Bernard van Leer Foundation have signed 2 MoUs which have the states objective of making life better for children aged 1-8 years with socio-economic disadvantages. One MoU has stated that BvLF will invest 1.5million euros and work alongside Ministry of WCD for 2016-2019 to better practices in mother tongue based early childhood education in over 6600 anganwadi enters. This caters to 2,50,000 children in 12 tribal districts of Odisha. Future efforts will be on to encourage replication for an additional 1.1 million tribal children under the age of six and across the state to non tribal children as well. Second MoU involves urban mandate with focus on children friendly city design and planning.

Union Textiles Minister, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar launched the first edition of e-newsletter of Ministry of Textiles which will share important news regarding its functioning and developments to empower and engage stakeholders and bring governance closer to the people.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to set up of a Society, "36th International Geological Congress", under the Indian Society Registration Act, 1860 for organising 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) in year 2020 and promoting geoscience in Indian subcontinent. 36th IGC has the following theme: “Geoscience-the Basic Science for Sustainable Future”.

National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council has been wound up by PM Shri Narendra Modi led CCEA as it has fulfilled the mandate it was constituted for. NMCC was established as part of CMP and conceived in 2004.