PIB and AIR News 1st June, 2019

Today's News:

1. India responds to US decision to withdraw India’s GSP benefits

The Generalized System of Preference (GSP) is the decades' old trade preference programme which allows designated beneficiary countries to export goods to the United States without paying duties.
GSP was instituted on January 1, 1976, by the Trade Act of 1974.

2. Assam govt hikes parental income limit under fee waiver scheme

• Assam government has waived admission fees for students taking admission up to Post Graduate level whose parental income is less than 2 lakh rupees per year
• Gunotsav - an initiative of Govt. of Assam for ensuring quality with learning outcome
• It is a quality enhancement initiative of the State for bringing about improvement in learning levels of students at Elementary level

3. World No Tobacco Day- 31st May

• To create awareness about the negative impacts of tobacco consumption on human health
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) awarded Rajasthan government’s Medical & Health Department its Tobacco Control Award for year 2019 in recognition of Rajasthan’s achievements in the field of tobacco control
• Theme of the national event was: "Don't Let Tobacco Take Your Breath Away - Choose Health Not Tobacco"

4. Indian writer wins USD 100000 global book prize

• Indian writer Annie Zaidi was announced as the 2019 winner of Nine Dots Prize.
• The 100,000 US dollars award is a prestigious book prize created to award innovative thinking that addresses contemporary issues around the world.
• Mumbai-based Zaidi, a freelance writer won for her entry ‘Bread, Cement, Cactus' - combining memoir and reportage to explore concepts of home and belonging rooted in her experience of contemporary life in India.

5. Government  forms new ‘Jal Shakti’ Ministry

• By merger of Ministries of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation along with Drinking Water and Sanitation. The move will bring all aspects of water management and regulation under one department.

Ambit:

•  As promised in BJP’s vision document in run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the ‘Nal se Jal’ scheme to provide piped drinking water to every household will be a component of government’s Jal Jivan Mission. 
• The ministry will roll out government’s ambitious plans to provide piped water connections to every household in India by 2024. 
• It will also address international and inter-states water disputes and the Namami Gange project which is the flagship initiative to clean the River Ganga, its tributaries and sub-tributaries. 
• The Jal Ministry’s priority will be to provide clean drinking water to everyone.

6. Admiral Karambir Singh is 24th Chief of Indian Navy

He took charge from outgoing Admiral Sunil Lanba

7. Allocation of portfolios