BIHAR
- Forest department for creation of new ecotourism wing
- The state environment, forest and climate change department has recently sent a proposal to the government, seeking the creation of a separate ecotourism wing for promoting this sector and development of unexplored sites for tourists.
- At present, there are only 25 ecotourism sites in the state which are accessible to tourists. Nearly 50 other sites have no facilities for tourists.
- Ecotourism is believed to be an increasingly important sector to facilitate local economic development as well as conservation of forests and environmental resources.
- As far as the ecotourism wing is concerned, the department has mentioned in its proposal that the wing will be headed by a chief executive officer and two Indian Forest Service officers — conservator of forest and divisional forest officer.
INTERNATIONAL
· Saudi Arabia appoints first female ambassador to United States
- Saudi Arabia has appointed Princess Reema bint Bandar, a former business executive and philanthropist, as its first femaleambassador to the United States.
- She replaced Prince Khalid bin Salman, amid fallout over journalist Khashoggi’s murder.
- She has been a leading advocate of female empowerment in the kingdom.
· Zimbabwe Starts Trading New Currency RTGS dollar
- Zimbabwe started to trade its new currency, the RTGS dollar,two days after the central bank announced measures to try and resolve a chronic monetary crisis.
- The bank unveiled a foreign exchange trading system that effectively devalued its quasi-currency, the bond note, which was officially pegged at parity with the US dollar.
NATIONAL
· M.P. launched Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana
- TheMadhya Pradesh government launched its flagship scheme ‘Mukhyamantri Yuva Swabhiman Yojana’. It was launched by the Chief Minister Kamal Nath.
- This scheme guarantees 100 days of employment every yearto urban youth from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The youth under the scheme would be imparted skill development training. Each youth enrolled under the scheme will get total Rs.13,500 for the 100 days period.
· GST on under construction flats cut from 12 percent to 5 percent
- Under construction properties priced over ₹45 lakhwill attract 5% GST (Goods and Services Tax), instead of 12%.
- A residential propertypriced at ₹45 lakh or below will now be defined as “affordable” and taxed at 1%, from 8% earlier.
- The new rates will be effective from April 1, 2019.
· Tamil Nadu Becomes First State in mainland to get 2 Coast Guard Districts
- Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit inaugurated the second Coast Guard district headquarters at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
- Tamil Nadu is the first state in India to get a second Coast Guard district headquarters.
- The first district headquarters is Chennai.
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