Daily News Notes

· The CBI today arrested mining baron and former Karnataka minister G. Janardhan Reddy and B.V. Srinivas Reddy. Government today said that it has no role in the CBI investigation against the Reddy brothers. Corporate Affairs Minister M. Veerappa Moily today said that arrest of Reddy brothers is a step in a right direction though a delayed one. NDA convener Sharad Yadav today welcomed the CBI investigation against the Reddy brothers.
· The Government today said the states have been encouraged to undertake decentralized procurement so as to enhance procurement of food grains as there has been a marginal decline in procurement of rice for Central Pool compared to the procurement during 2008-09 Khariff Marketing season.
· The Committee on Allocation of Natural Resources (CANR) has underlined the urgent need to have a comprehensive national legislation on water either done through bringing water under the Concurrent List and then framing an appropriate legislation or by obtaining consensus from majority of the states.
· Government has announced defense procurement policy, which contains stringent provisions for ensuring highest degree of probity, public accountability and transparency, early this year to achieve greater self-reliance in the defense production.
· International Sea Board Authority has approved in July this year, China's application for deep sea mining exploration license. Thus GOI is keeping a constant watch on all developments concerning India's national security and commercial interests.
· The President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil today asserted that the Teachers have a crucial role in inspiring young generation in the areas of education, intellectual capacity and caliber to meet new challenges and requirements of a developing nationand thus inculcate values of honesty, fight against corruption and corrupt practices.She said, teachers will have to pay more attention to students in rural areas.The teachers in the villages normally teach those students whose parents were illiterate. There are those students who are first in their generation going to schools.The President called for increasing the enrollment ratio at the school level which is at 73 percent at present. The Lok Sabha also paid tributes to all Teachers for their contribution to the society.
· Country's first weaponised chopper, 'Rudra' one of the names of Lord Shiva who is worshipped as the destroyer of enemies,(built by HAL) is all set to be inducted into the Army Aviation Corps. Rudra is an armed variant of the ALH Dhruva chopper, armed with an array of guns, rocket pods, air-to-air and anti-tank guided missiles, the fleet of the weaponised helicopters has been approved for induction as part of modernisation and capability development efforts by the government.The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is also in the final stage of developing a Light Combat Helicopter which will be inducted in both the army and the Indian Air Force soon.
· During PM’s visit to Dhaka, India and Bangladesh are likely to sign an extradition treaty, which would pave the way for Bangladesh to hand over Anup Chetia to India, which will be important for the on going peace process in insurgency infested Assam. Also, an agreement for sharing of waters of Teesta and Feni rivers is also set to be signed.