CAG to undertake audit of demonetisation fallout

• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India will soon begin an audit ofvarious aspects of demonetisation announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 last year.
• The huge amount of data generated by banks and the Income-Tax Department in the wake of demonetisation would also be covered.
• The CAG said he had conveyed to the government his stand on the recent move of the GST Council to delete section 65 of the preliminary draft that authorised CAG to audit GST (Goods and Services Tax).

WikiLeaks reveals CIA files describing hacking tools

• WikiLeaks published thousands of documents described as secret files about CIA hacking tools the government employs to break into users's computers, mobile phones and even smart TVs from companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung.
• The documents describe CIA efforts - cooperating with friendly foreign governments and the US National Security Agency - to subvert the world's most popular technology platforms, including Apple's iPhones and iPads, Google's Android phones and the Microsoft Windows operating system for desktop computers and laptops. Some technology firms they were evaluating the information.
• Microsoft Corp. said it was looking into the report, while the maker of secure messaging app Signal said the purported CIA tools affected users' actual phones and not its software design or encryption protocols.

Shri Rabi Ray

• The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the passing away of veteran Socialist leader and eminent Parliamentarian Shri Rabi Ray.
• A freedom fighter, veteran Socialist leader and eminent Parliamentarian, Shri Ray served the nation in various capacities including as Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Speaker of the Lok Sabha. In his death, the nation has lost a leader who was always in touch with the grassroots of society.

• Teacher training center to be set up under the aegis of Ambedkar University
• Allocation to education sector in Delhi Budget 2017 increased from Rs 10,690 crore in 2016 to Rs 11,300 crore in 2017.
• Government proposes support of Rs 7,571 crore to local authorities, that makes up to 15.8% of the Budget.
• Ten early childhood education centres to be started in Delhi; 156 government schools to have nursery and KG classes.
• Demonetisation has badly affected the economy of the state in the last four months, says Manish Sisodia. But despite this, as compared to country's GDP (7.1%), Delhi's GSDP (at 8.26%) has increased from Rs. 5,51,963 crore last year to Rs 6,22,385 crore this year.
• Delhi Government has initiated the integration of Aadhar, Pan card, identity proof into a single unit.
• Establishment of mohalla clinics across Delhi has been one of the greatest achievements, Manish Sisodia claims. Twenty six lakh people of Delhi are getting the benefits of 110 mohalla clinics, he says.
• Nine vocational colleges were given nod which resulted in addition of 2,700 seats for higher education.
• Delhi's AAP Government has increased the salary of guest lecturer from Rs 17000-Rs 21000 to Rs 32000-Rs 34000.
• Quality education, health facilities to rich and poor sections of the society has been the major focus of Delhi Govt.

• 190 cities will get WiFi facilities in next financial year.
• Villages with population of more than 5,000 will be developed as smart villages.
• Rs 100 crore allocated to establish district hospital in Dholpur.
• 14 districts in Rajasthan will get new screening facilities for breast cancer, Rs 3.36 crore allotted for this.
• Rs 1,399 crore allotted for higher education in the budget, Karauli and Bharatpur will get new engineering colleges.
• Admission in government schools to be increased by 32%, smart labs will be set up in schools.
• Self defense training will be provided to 3 lakh 60 thousand girls in state schools.
• New sports policy will be released, Bharatpur district to get wrestling academy; Volleyball academy will be established in Jhunjhunu.
• Rs 5986 allocated for social justice department in the budget.
• Economical weaker students from the General Category who get admissions in medical colleges, IITs and NLUs will get Rs 25,000. Those selected for administrative services will get Rs 50,000.
• Rajasthan Budget 2017 makes provision for 1,000 women milk societies in the state.
• One lakh farmers will get soil health cards, announces Vasundhara Raje in her third Rajasthan Budget 2017 speech.
• Rs 88 crore allocated to promote tourism as Rajasthan witnessed 17.31 % increase in the number of tourists in 2016-17. Rs 36 crore to be spent in developing tourists facilities.
• Entrepreneur centers to be set up at Vardhaman University and Jai Narayan Vyas University.
• Vasundhara Raje said 2039 villages will have drinking water facility. Safe drinking water to reach 41,00,000 people. Over 1480 Reverse Osmosis plants will be installed in the villages.
• One lakh new rural electricity connections will be provided to the farmers. Budget allocates nearly Rs 16 crore for maintenance of air strips in the state.