Rajnath Singh warns of change in N-policy

India is “firmly committed” to its ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons policy but future of the security doctrine will depend on the circumstances, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in remarks which came in the midst of rising tension between New Delhi and Islamabad over Kashmir. Singh made the comments after visiting Rajasthan’s Pokhran — the site of India’s nuclear tests in 1974 during Indira Gandhi’s regime and in 1998 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister. “Pokhran is the area which witnessed Atalji’s firm resolve to make India a nuclear power and yet remain firmly committed to the doctrine of ‘no first use’. India has strictly adhered to this doctrine. What happens in future depends on the circumstances,” Singh tweeted.

India suspends Thar Link Express to Pakistan 

The railways on August 16 cancelled operations of Thar Link Express that connects Jodhpur in India to Karachi in Pakistan, a development that temporarily snaps all rail links between the two countries, as the services of Samjhauta Express have already been suspended. The weekly train departs from Jodhpur’s Bhagat Ki Kothi railway station on Saturdays and reach Munabao, the last station on the Indian side of the border. At the zero point on the international border with Pakistan, passengers change trains. And a train from Pakistan then takes them to Karachi. The Thar Express has been running between Jodhpur and Karachi since services resumed on February 18, 2006 after a 41-year suspension. The train service was not suspended even after the deadly terrorist attack in Pulwama on February 14 which sent the tension between the two countries soaring. According to estimates, over four lakh passengers have taken the train in the past 13 years.

Landline services partially restored in Kashmir

Restrictions on the movement of people were eased and landline phone services restored in some areas of Kashmir Valley on August 17, even as stringent security arrangements remained in place, officials said. They said the restrictions have been relaxed in 35 police station areas of Kashmir, while 17 telephone exchanges, out of the total 96, have been made functional. More than 50,000 landline phones were operational now, the officials said, adding that the services will be restored in other areas in a “calibrated manner”. Security forces continued to man barricades on the roads but allowed people to move after checking their credentials, they said. Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said primary schools across the Valley will reopen on August 19 and government offices will also be fully functional from then.

Trump asks Imran to reduce tensions with India 

US President Donald Trump conveyed the importance of India and Pakistan reducing tensions through bilateral dialogue during a phone call with Prime Minister Imran Khan, the White House said. The phone conversation between Trump and Khan took place before the closed door consultation of the 15 members of the UN Security Council on Kashmir. “The President conveyed the importance of India and Pakistan reducing tensions through bilateral dialogue regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” an official statement said. The White House said Trump spoke with Khan to “discuss regional developments” and to follow up on latter’s visit to Washington, DC, last month. Meanwhile, another report said the US slashed the aid to the cash-strapped nation by nearly $440 million, bringing down its commitment to just $4.1 billion.

Chhattisgarh CM announces hike in OBC quota

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel announced to increase the reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Castes (SC) in government jobs and education. Now, the total reservation in the state will cross 70 per cent. He also announced the creation of a new district — Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi — out of Bilaspur, taking the total number of districts in the state to 28. Baghel said the STs, SCs and OBCs have been raising issues about their rights in a peaceful manner and it is the government's duty to protect their constitutional rights. “Taking a major step in this direction, today I announce that now 27 per cent reservation will be provided to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 13 per cent to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 32 per cent to the Scheduled Tribes (STs),” he said. Till now, the OBCs and SCs were getting 14 per cent and 12 per cent reservation, respectively, in educational institutions and government jobs in the state, while the STs had 32 per cent quota, an official said.

Tirur betel leaf, Mizo Puanchei get GI tag

Kerala’s Tirur betel leaf and two other products have been awarded Geographical Indication (GI) tag, the Commerce Ministry said on August 16. The two other products that received the tag are Tawlhlohpuan and Mizo Puanchei from Mizoram. Tirur betel vine from Kerala, which is mainly cultivated in Tirur, Tanur, Tirurangadi, Kuttippuram, Malappuram and Vengara block panchayaths of Malappuram district, is valued both for its mild stimulant action and medicinal properties. Even though it is commonly used for making pan masala for chewing, it has many medicinal, industrial and cultural usages and is considered as a remedy for bad breath and digestive disorders. Tawlhlohpuan, a medium to heavy, compactly woven, good quality fabric from Mizoram is known for warp yarns, warping, weaving and intricate designs that are made by hand. Tawlhloh, in Mizo language, means ‘to stand firm or not to move backward’. Mizo Puanchei, a colourful shawl/textile is considered as the most colourful among the Mizo textiles. 

PM Modi reaches Bhutan on two-day visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a red-carpet welcome as he reached in Bhutan on August 17 on a two-day state visit during which he will hold talks with Bhutanese leaders to further deepen the bilateral ties. This is Modi’s second visit to Bhutan and the first since his re-election. Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering received Modi at the airport. Later, the prime minister headed for the capital Thimphu. In his departure statement issued in New Delhi, the prime minister said his visit to the Himalayan nation in the beginning of the current term reflects the high importance his government attaches to New Delhi’s relations with Bhutan — a “trusted friend and neighbour”. During the visit, Modi would hold talks with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his Bhutanese counterpart on the entire gamut of bilateral relations. 

SC clears Chardham highway project

The Supreme Court has cleared the decks for the Chardham highway project, which will connect four holy places in the hills of Uttarakhand through 900-km all-weather roads, by modifying an NGT order to constitute a fresh committee to look into environmental concerns. It ordered the ministry of environment and forest to form the high-powered committee (HPC) by August 22. NGO Citizen for Green Doon had petitioned the apex court, after the National Green Tribunal on September 26 last year gave its conditional approval to the connectivity project in view of larger public interest, saying the project would cause an irreversible damage to regional ecology. Hearing the NGO’s petition against the project, the SC bench only modified the September NGT order by constituting a fresh high-powered committee.

Ebola outbreak spreads to 3rd province in eastern Congo

Congo’s year-long Ebola outbreak has spread to a new province, with two cases, including one death, confirmed in South Kivu, according to the government health ministry. Two new patients tested positive in the Mwenga area of South Kivu, adding to North Kivu and Ituri provinces where there are confirmed cases of the disease. The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has killed 1,808 people out of 2,765 confirmed cases, according to the new report. The current outbreak, which started on August 1 last year, is the second largest in history. The spread of confirmed cases to a third province shows that health workers have struggled to contain the outbreak, despite the use of a vaccine.

PSBs to seek ideas to streamline banking sector

The finance ministry has asked public sector banks (PSBs) to initiate a month-long consultation process with officers at branch level to seek suggestions on streamlining banking sector to help the country achieve $5-trillion economy in five years. The suggestions emanating from a month-long campaign will be used as inputs to prepare a road map for the future growth of the banking sector. According to a communication by the ministry to the heads of PSBs, it will be a bottom-up consultative process from the branch level onwards which will involve discussions at the branch or regional level, state level and national level. The consultation process is aimed at aligning the banking sector with national priorities, stimulating ideas and inculcating a sense of involvement among bankers at the branch level, it said.

Newsmaker

Ravi Shastri was re-appointed as head coach of the Indian men's cricket team by the Kapil Dev-led Cricket Advisory Committee. Shastri has been reappointed for a two-year period, ending with the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.