TODAY NEWS ON 14 APRIL 2022

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India projected to grow at 8% this fiscal: World Bank

India is projected to grow at 8% over the current fiscal year (April 1- March 31), and 7.1% over the next (FY 2023-24) fiscal year, the World Bank said in its twice yearly South Asia Economic Focus Reshaping Norms: A New Way Forward, released on Wednesday, in the run-up to the World Bank IMF Spring Meetings.

U.S. State Department’s human rights report on India flags curbs on free speech, civil society

In its 2021 Human Rights Report on India, the U.S. State Department has flagged concerns over arbitrary arrests and detentions, extra-judicial killings, violence against religious minorities, curbs on free expression and media, including unjustified prosecution of journalists, “overly restrictive laws” on funding of NGOs and civil society organisations, and “government harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations”, and noted that a “lack of accountability for official misconduct persisted at all levels of government, contributing to widespread impunity”. Most of these concerns had been raised in previous reports as well.

Brooklyn subway attack: Suspect Frank James arrested, charged with terror

The man accused of shooting 10 people on a Brooklyn subway train was arrested on April 13 and charged with a federal terrorism offence after a daylong manhunt and a tipster’s call led police to him on a Manhattan street.

Human rights in India not discussed at 2+2 meeting: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said that there was no discussion on human rights in India during the India-US ‘2+2’ foreign and defence minister dialogue in Washington on Monday.

Amid Russia-Ukraine crisis, India looks to rev up grain export

The Russia-Ukraine war has created challenges the world over in terms of food grain supplies and the Government of India is looking to step in with a likely export of 100 lakh tonnes of grains this year, with the first quarter itself resulting in orders for 35 lakh tonnes.

Sri Lanka seeks India’s help for funds

Ahead of the World Bank(WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring meetings in Washington next week, Sri Lanka is seeking India’s assistance in garnering at least $3 billion in “bridging finance” from the international community. In a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda thanked India for its provision of $2.4 billion in credit lines for food, fuel and medicines, as well as a debt waiver for the first quarter.

Government lays down norms for quota in promotions

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked all departments of central government to collect the data on inadequacy of representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Castes before implementing the policy of reservation in promotion in government offices.

House panel on Bill to raise marriage age holds its second meeting

The Parliamentary Standing Committee tasked to study the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2021, which proposes to raise the age of marriage for women to 21 from 18 years, held its second meeting on Wednesday.

Court defers order on CBI’s revision plea challenging withdrawal of LOC against Aakar Patel

A special CBI court on Wednesday deferred the order on the investigating agency’s revision plea challenging a magistrate order withdrawing a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against former Amnesty chief Aakar Patel to Saturday.

Supreme Court seeks Centre’s response on POWs in Pakistan since 1971 war

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the government’s response to a plea made by a woman whose husband, like many other Army personnel, are prisoners in Pakistan since the 1971 war.

OBC entrepreneurs own nearly 30% of India’s MSMEs

Other Backward Classes (OBC) own nearly 30% of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the country. As on March 31, 2022, the number of MSMEs owned by OBCs was 23.31 lakh units, out of a total of about 80.16 lakh units in the country.  Of the OBC-owned units, around 41% are located in three States — Tamil Nadu (14.5%), Maharashtra (14.4%) and Rajasthan (12.4%), according to a perusal of the data furnished by the Office of the MSME Development Commissioner exclusively to The Hindu.

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