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The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of the Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and Georgia. The Agreement is based on latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) template keeping in view of developments in Civil Aviation sector. Its objective is to improve the air connectivity between the two countries. Presently there is no ASA between both countries. ASA is the basic legal framework for any air operation between the two countries.

The Union Cabinet has approved MoU between India and Bangladesh for fairway development on two stretches. They are Ashuganj-Zakiganj stretch of Kushiyara river and Sirajganj-Daikhawa stretch of Jamuna river. It will be implemented mainly in the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route by undertaking necessary dredging jointly by the two countries. The MoU will considerably help to reduce the logistics cost of cargo movement to North Eastern states of India. It will also reduce the dependence and congestion through the narrow Siliguri Chicken’s Neck corridor.

The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France to implement Technical Cooperation Program in civil aviation sector. It was singed between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and its French counterpart, Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), France. The Technical Cooperation Program will be beneficial for enhancement of skills and expertise of AAI’s officers. It will be also beneficial for imparting training of engineers, technicians, managers etc.

The Union Cabinet has approved MoU between India and Bangladesh in the field of judicial sector cooperation. It aims at developing, promoting and strengthening mutual cooperation between judiciaries of the two countries. It will also facilitate promoting mutual interaction among judges and officials at various levels of judiciary through exchange visits, training and academic programmes. It will also encourage mutual exchange of information on latest developments in field of law and justice. It will enable exchange of knowledge in infrastructure and information technology (IT) in this field.

The Union Cabinet has approved MoU on passenger cruise services on the coastal and protocol routes between India and Bangladesh. It will facilitate starting a regular movement of passengers and tourists in water crafts between the two countries. The MoU will promote people to people (P2P) contact and cooperation between the both countries in respect of economic, social and cultural advancement. It will also generate employment opportunities for the people of both neighbouring countries.

The Union Cabinet has approved closure of the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY). The scheme was launched in 2012 to address the social security-related issues of the Emigration Check Required (ECR)-category workers going abroad for employment to ECR countries. The scheme was closed because subscription under it was very low and no new subscription was received for more than a year. The closure of the scheme will obviate the avoidable recurring administrative and record-keeping expenditure.

Renowned playback singer, actor and music director S.P. Bala Subramanyam was awarded the NTR National Film Award for 2012. Besides, Hindi film actress Hema Malini was awarded the same award for the year 2013. The NTR National Award is an annual award that recognizes individuals for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Cinema of India. It is an honorary Nandi Award in the honour of film Actor, director, producer, and politician (late) N.T. Rama Rao who also had served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. It carries a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and a citation.

Noted author and filmmaker Ajey Jhankar passed away. He was 67. He was known for his novels such as Sarkarnama and Drohpar. The movie ‘Singularity’ by filmmakar Roland Joffe was based on his novel ‘Drohparv’. He was the co-screenwriter for the film. He was also known for his marketing venture ‘Market Missionaries.

The Union Government has appointed Girish Shankar, Secretary of the Department of Heavy Industry as chairman of newly constituted National Board of Electric Mobility (NBEM). NBEM aims to promote electric mobility and manufacturing of electric (& hybrid) vehicles and their components. It examines, formulates and proposes short- as well as long-term plans and contours of the mission programme on electric mobility, its objectives and roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders. The NBEM will propose and recommend policy guidelines, interventions and possible strategies needed for promoting electric mobility and for encouraging manufacture of electric vehicles in the country.

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli was honoured as the Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2016. Besides, he already has been declared Wisden India Almanack’s Cricketer of the Year for the second time in its 2017 edition. Apart from him, Ellyse Perry from Australia was named for Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World for 2016. The Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World is an annual cricket award selected by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.

The India- United Arab Emirates (UAE) cultural celebrations festival was launched at Abu Dhabi with a tribute video featuring both Mahatma Gandhi and late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.  The programme supported by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, UAE and the Indian Business and Professional Group. India-UAE Cultural Celebrations celebrates the long-standing relationship between the two countries and looks to strengthen existing cultural and economic ties.The initiative proposes to bring some of the diversity of India to the UAE by bringing artists from both the countries on the same platform to work and collaborate.

The 2017 National conference on Communicating India was held in New Delhi. It was organized by the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) in collaboration with the India Media Centre, University of Westminster, London, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) with the association of Prasar Bharati. The three main themes of the conference were ‘Telling India’s story to the world’, ‘Communicating via Journalism’ and ‘Dialogue with Diaspora’.