
RAJASTHAN
- With 22% ‘girls only’ colleges, Raj tops women education
- Rajasthan government has taken a major leap in girls’ education. Once infamous for its poor female literacy rate, the state today has the highest number of dedicated educational institutes for girls. 22% of colleges in Rajasthan are ‘girls only’ which is the highest percentage in any state.
- Of the 133 government colleges, 30 are for girls with almost one in every district, while the rest are both for boys and girls. The state relies on these institutions as a powerful medium for girls education.
- Upbeat over the girls enrollment percentage 50.07% surpassing boys at 49.93% for the first time, the state has announced to establish similar girls colleges in all divisional headquarters.
- The state has opened a first of its kind girls college in Kota where both teaching and non-teaching staff are all women. It means that from peons to a principal and from security guards to sweepers, all are women.
- In the past 10 years, the state has established 48 new colleges, including 12 only for girls. “Opening up girls’ colleges should not be seen a regressive move. On the contrary, it has proved to be successful as enrollment of girls has increased. The state is heading for a meaningful women’s empowerment,” said Kiran Maheshwari, higher education minister. She argued that by providing girls institute at district and divisional level, the rate of dropouts can be reduced.
INTERNATIONAL
- Google most trusted Internet brand in India: Report
- Online search engine Google is the most trusted Internet brand in India, followed by Facebook, a report said.
- With 1.2 trillion searches per year, Google has become the first port of call for all things on the Internet.
- According to the report, e-commerce major Amazon ranked third among the most trusted Internet brands in the country and e-Bay ranked fourth.
- India’s GDP to grow 7.3% in FY19: Fitch
- India’s economy will grow 7.3% in the current financial year and gain pace to 7.5% next year as the “temporary drag” from demonetisation and the goods and services tax fades away, Fitch Ratings forecast.
- The rating company reaffirmed India’s ‘BBB-’ rating with a stable outlook as it pointed to India’s growth potential and lauded the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary management.
- Fitch said GST is an important reform that would support growth in the medium term when teething issues dissipate.
NATIONAL
- 15th World Rural Health Conference held in New Delhi
- The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the 15th World Rural Health Conference held in New Delhi.
- He said that approximately half of the global population lives in rural areas, but those areas are served by only 38% of the total nursing workforce and by less than a quarter of the total physician workforce.
- Its Theme is “Healing the Heart of Healthcare: Leaving No One Behind”.
- Kerala CM launches Pravasi Pension Scheme
- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally launched the Pravasi Pension Scheme of the Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board at a programme.
- The programme was organised by the All India Malayalee Association (AIMA), Telangana unit.
- The scheme gives those hailing from Kerala but living outside the state or country, a pension of Rs. 2,000 a month.
- People over the age of 60 years are eligible for the pension.
- Van Dhan Scheme launched by PM
- The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi launched the Van Dhan Scheme of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED at Bijapur, Chattisgarh.