Jharkhand
- Assembly ratifies GST Bill after JMM ruckus.
- The Jharkhand assembly on Thursday tabled and passed the State Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, unanimously through a voice vote. Jharkhand became the fourth state after Telaengana, Bihar and Rajasthan to clear the bill, paving the way for GST being rolled out nationally on July 1.
- The state government convened a special one-day session of the assembly in which the ruling BJP made all efforts to get the support of the opposition and was successful in getting the bill passed unanimously.
INTERNATIONAL
- Microsoft Launches ‘Project Brainwave’ for Real-Time AI.
- Software giant Microsoft announced its ‘Project Brainwave’ deep learning acceleration platform for real-time artificial intelligence (AI).
- The ‘Project Brainwave’ uses the massive field-programmable gate array (FPGA) infrastructure that Microsoft has been deploying over the past few years.
- Real-time AI is becoming increasingly important as cloud infrastructures process live data streams, whether they be search queries, videos, sensor streams, or interactions with users.
- Android Oreo released by Google
- Google launched its version 8.0 of the operating system as Android Oreo.
- The Oreo boasts of a two times faster boot speed, autofill option, and a longer battery life.
- The new update comes with a Picture-in-Picture feature that allows the user to see two apps simultaneously.
- Google is also making it easier to log into different apps, extending the autofill feature currently available on the website, to apps. The much-awaited Android instant apps, which can be accessed right from the browser without requiring installation, are also set to take off with Android Oreo.
NATIONAL
· Union Cabinet renames SAMPADA Scheme as PMKSY
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the renaming of the new Central Sector Scheme- SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) as “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)” for the period of 2016-20 coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission cycle.
- The new scheme was approved by the Central Government in the month of May.
- The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri-Waste.
- The implementation of PMKSY will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
- It will provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country.
- It will help in providing better prices to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers’ income.
- It will create huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas.
- Karnataka ties up with Microsoft to develop India’s first Farm Price Forecasting Model
ð Karnataka Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with software giant Microsoft India to develop a unique price forecasting model.
ð The proposed initiative is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind in the country.
ð The farm price forecasting model will use latest IT tools in a bid to help farmers, administrators, and other stakeholders to understand market behavior.
- Coast Guard Ship ‘Varuna’ Decommissioned.
- Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Varuna’ decommissioned with full armed forces honours after an illustrious service spanning about 30 years, in a traditional military ceremony held at the naval base,Kochi.
- The ceremony was presided over by Inspector General K R Nautiyal, Commander, Coast Guard Region (West).
- ICGS Varuna was fourth of its series, known as Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) and built by Mazagaon Dock, Mumbai.
- Odisha Government launches Rooftop Solar Project.
- Odisha Government launched a grid-connected rooftop solar programme through the net-metering system at the State Secretariat in the capital city of Bhubaneshwar.
- The program mainly aims at harnessing renewable solar capacity through people’s participation to further strengthen the grid and reduce power losses.
- The program is being implemented by Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency(OREDA)