Daily News Notes

· An expert committee set up by the Planning Commission has recommended removal of plan and non plan distinction in the Budget. The high level committee has recommended that public private partnership of any ministry or department must be treated as capital expenditure.
· The Country’s export grew by over 81 percent for the month of July this year compared to the corresponding month last year. Imports grew by over 51 percent in the same period, driven by non-oil products which registered an increase of over 58 percent.
· The Sports Ministry will prepare of a new draft of the National Sports Development Bill, also bring the Indian Cricket Board under the ambit of RTI, and prevent any more scams like those during the recent Common Wealth Games.
· Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Krishna Tirath has asked the Uttrakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal to expedite the pace of implementation of the scheme of SABLA and Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana, IGMSY in the State. The SABLA scheme aims at empowerment of adolescent girls while the objective of IGMSY is to improve the health and nutrition status of pregnant, lactating women and infants by promoting appropriate practices during pregnancy, safe delivery and lactation.
· Yoga guru Swami Ramdev and his trusts including the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, Divya Yoga Mandir Trust and Bharat Swabhiman Trust, in Haridwar have been booked by the Enforcement Directorate, ED in a case of alleged foreign exchange violation under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
· In Kerala, the IT enabled round the clock public grievance redressel cell in Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's office began functioning from today to ensure speed and transparency in administration. No call will be left unattended and a token number will be issued for each complaint.
· A Parliamentary panel looking into the issue of depleting ground water levels has urged the Centre to build national consensus on putting water in either the Union List or Concurrent list of Constitution and prepare a comprehensive plan for its conservation. While water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments and storage fall in the State List, issues like development of inter-state rivers come under the Union List.
· August was the deadliest month for the U.S. military so far in the decade-long war in Afghanistan is concerned as 66 U.S. troops died last month. More than 390 international troops have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year.
· India's Tintu Luka has entered the women's 800m semi-finals of the World Athletics Championships at Daegu in South Korea.
· The 10-day long festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi began today across the country. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has organised 163 mobile immersion tanks in and around Bangalore for immersion of idols.
· Two Indian philanthropists Harish Hande and Nileema Mishra were presented with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards in Manila yesterday.
· The Supreme Court today reserved its orders on the maintainability of the Centre's plea for recall of its July 4 order appointing an SIT to probe the black money issue.
· In Kerala, a special orientation programme for members of the legislative assembly has been launched by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The three day programme aims to impart better awareness to members on legislation, proper utilization of question hour and rules and procedures of the house.