One Election Scheme:
- One Nation – One Election Scheme is in practice in 7 countries including South Africa, Germany, Sweden and Belgium, said a research committee on ‘One Nation – One Lottery’ scheme in its report.
- The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High Level Committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind on the ‘One Nation – One Election’ scheme to conduct simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state legislatures.
- The Central Committee has studied the issues involved in conducting simultaneous elections to the various democratic assemblies of the country in comparison with foreign countries.
- In that way, it is reported that lottery is being held simultaneously in 7 countries namely South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Japan, Indonesia and Philippines.
- In South Africa, elections for both the Parliament and Provincial Legislatures are held simultaneously. But municipal elections are held separately every five years.
- Elections for parliament, county and municipal councils are held simultaneously in Sweden.
Indus Water Treaty Review:
- The Indus Waters Treaty was signed on September 19, 1960 to share the waters of the Indus River between India and Pakistan.
- The then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Mohammad Ayub Khan signed it.
- The World Bank signed this as the third witness.
- The agreement established a mechanism for cooperation and exchange of information between the two countries on the use of waters of transboundary rivers.
- India has sent a notice to Pakistan to review the Indus Water Treaty.
- India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads for a long time regarding the Kishanganga and Ratle Hydroelectric projects.
- The Indus River has its source in the Tibetan Plateau near Mount Kailash.
- River Chenab is the largest tributary of river Indus.
- The Chenab River originates in the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh and flows through Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab to join the Indus River in Pakistan.
Vatsalya scheme for parents to save for children’s pension:
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the NBC Vatsalya scheme in Delhi for parents to save for their children’s pension.
- It is an extension of the already existing Child National Pension Scheme.
- In this scheme parents can open a pension account in the name of their children.
- Parents can save pension fund for their children under 18 years through bank, post office and online.
- Vatsalya Retirement Account can be started by paying Rs.1,000.
- After that a minimum of Rs.1,000 per year must be paid into the account.
- There is no maximum amount limit.
- On attaining the age of 18, they are allowed to withdraw from the scheme or continue to join the National Pension Scheme.
- This allows parents or children of earning age to continue saving, and after reaching the age of 60, the pension starts.
Plan to set up research station in space:
- The Union Cabinet has approved various space programs including Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan.
- Chandrayaan-4 aims to explore the Moon and collect samples from the Moon to return to Earth.
- An allocation of Rs 2,104 crore has been made for the Chandrayaan-4 project.
- Gaganyaan, a dream project to send Indians into space, has also been approved.
- An additional Rs 11,170 crore has been earmarked for the Gaganyaan project in addition to the funds already allocated.
- A total of Rs 20,193 crore has been earmarked for the Gaganyaan project.
- In 2028, the milestone of Indian space research is to establish a space research station named ‘Bharatiya Antariksh Station’ for India’s space research missions.
September 19: Pirates’ International Speech Day
- International Pirate Speech Day is celebrated annually on September 19.
Important Facts:
- The June-August quarter of this year has been recorded as India’s second warmest period since 1970, according to a US-based ‘Climate Central’ report.
- The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was awarded the ‘UN Inter-Agency Task Force Award’ for its outstanding work in the control of communicable diseases.
- An MoU was signed between Monash University in Australia and Gati Shakti Vishwa Vidyalaya, a central university under Indian Railways in Vadodara, Gujarat, to promote engineering research and education related to the railway sector.
- A tourism fair called ‘IFTM Top Reza-2024’ is being held in Paris, the capital city of France, in which the Tamil Nadu Tourism Hall has been opened.
- Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage and Harshita Samarawickrama won the ICC Player of the Year award.
- India boycotted the referendum on the resolution brought by Palestine which demanded that Israel, which has illegally occupied Gaza, withdraw within a year.