IWAI Launches Portal ‘LADIS’ 

• Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a new portal ‘LADIS’ for real time data on available depth on stretches of National Waterways.
• Least Available Depth Information System (LADIS) will ensure real time data for ship and cargo owners on which they can undertake transportation 
• The information will help better planning for movement of vessels

Further Reading

Banned Punjabi Poem ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ to be Published after 99 years

• The banned Punjabi poem ‘Khooni Vaisakhi’ on the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre will be published in English.
• It was written by Punjabi writer Nanak Singh, who is known as the ‘Father of Punjabi Novels’ in 1919, and was banned by the British.
• This poem was rediscovered and was translated to English
• 2019 marks the 100^th year of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Further Reading

SC Directs States to Sensitize Cops about Scrapping of Section 66A of IT Act

• Section 66A of IT Act criminalized sharing offensive contents in internet. It was scrapped by Supreme Court on March 24, 2015.
• Sensitizing the police will reduce unnecessary arrest of people under their provision.
• Terming liberty of thought and expression “cardinal”, the top court had on March 24, 2015, scrapped the provision.
• Section 66A (Scrapped): Online offence included
  • 3 years jail term for posting offensive comment on the social media
  • SC also clarifies the liberty of thought and expression as the three forms of Discussion, Advocacy and Incitement
  • Rights to be protected no matter how unpopular for a particular cause
  • May be curbed only when it reaches to the level of incitement

Further Reading

Minimum Education Qualification for Civic Polls Scrapped in Rajasthan

• As per the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill 2015, a candidate must have passed class X for municipal elections, class VIII for panchayat pollsfor the post of sarpanchand class X for Zila Parishad elections.
• Rajasthan Assembly amended the related acts in order to do away with the currently existing minimum education criterion for panchayat and civic poll candidates.
• Many states have criteria of exclusion like two child norm, household toilet for civic polls.

Further Reading

Sanskrit becomes the Second Official Language of Himachal Pradesh

• A bill was passed in the Himachal Pradesh assembly to make Sanskrit the second official language of the state.
• Uttarakhand is the first state to make Sanskrit the second official language.

Further Reading

India’s First-ever “Football Ratna” Awarded to Sunil Chhetri 

• India and Bengaluru FC skipper Sunil Chhetri was conferred the first ever Football Ratna honour by Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran.
• He was also named as the 6th Indian Footballer in the elite Padma Shri list.
• He is India’s all-time leading scorer in international football.

Further Reading