Adoption Regulations, 2017 becomes operational on 16 January 2017. 
●    The new set of regulations seeks to further strengthen the adoption programme in the country by replacing the Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children 2015.
●    They were notified by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
●    The regulations are in tune with the Hague Adoption Convention to which India is a signatory.
●    Any orphan or abandoned or surrendered child, who is declared legally free for adoption by the Child Welfare Committee is eligible for adoption.
●    The prospective adoptive parents shall be physically, mentally and emotionally stable, financially capable and shall not have any life threatening medical condition.
●    No child shall be given in adoption to a couple unless they have at least two years of stable marital relationship.
 

Delhi Police and budget carrier IndiGo in January 2017 launched ‘Akhiri Ahuti’ a humanitarian initiative under which the bodies of the North-east residents who die in Delhi will be carried to their homes.
●    Under the initiative, the Gurugram (Gurgaon) based airline will ferry the bodies to their homes, without levying any charge. 
●    The service would be available only on the recommendation of the Delhi police.
●    The initiative was ideated by Robin Hibu, a joint commissioner of Delhi police and the nodal officer for Northeast people after he faced several incidents in which people from the North-eastern states were cremated or buried in Delhi in absence of their family or friends.
●    Financial constraints of the relatives of the deceased didn’t allow them to take back the body or come to Delhi and cremate the body.
●    At present, Indigo flies to five airports in North-East India from Delhi and they are Dibrugarh Chabwa, Dimapur, Guwahati, Imphal Municipal airport and Agartala.
 

The number of unemployed people in India is expected to rise by 1 lakh in 2017 and another 2 lakh in 2018, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
●    The ILO predicted that the number of jobless will increase from 17.7 million in 2016 to 18 million by 2018 even though the country’s unemployment rate is expected to go down from 3.5 per cent to 3.4 per cent in 2017.
●    Globally, the ILO reckons that the number of jobless people will increase by 3.4 million in 2017, in its report on World Employment and Social Outlook for 2017 released late Thursday, with projections based on econometric modelling carried out in November 2016. 
●    The global unemployment rate is expected to rise modestly from 5.7 to 5.8 per cent in 2017 as the pace of labour force growth outstrips job creation.
●    Vulnerable forms of employment, which include contributing family workers and own account workers, are expected to stay above 42 per cent of total employment. 
●    About 1.4 billion people are likely to be engaged in such employment in 2017, with the number rising by 11 million per year, with Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa being the most affected.
 

The Supreme Court (SC) on 10 January 2017 directed the Union Government and the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) to complete auditing of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisation) and voluntary organisations and submit its report by 31 March 2017.
●    The ruling was made by a bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and justices NV Ramana and DY Chandrachud. The court rebuked the government over its failure to work out a regulatory mechanism to monitor the public money that is given to the 32 lakh NGOs, societies and voluntary organisations in the country.
●    The bench ruled that 'mere blacklisting' of these organisations cannot be sufficient. Moreover, civil and criminal action should be initiated against these organisations for misappropriation of public money received by them from the centre.
●    The government was also directed to explain the manner in which it will maintain the accounts, conduct the audit, the process of recovery and methodology of recovery of the amount in case of misappropriation and criminal proceedings. 
●    It directed the competent authority to come out with guidelines for a regulatory mechanism by March 2017. The bench also asked whether General Financial Rules 2005 were complied with or not as the Rules 210-212 provide for a regulation mechanism for NGOs.
 

Shri ThaawarchandGehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment inaugurated the Silver Jubilee celebrations of National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), a Govt. of India Undertaking under the aegis of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, here today. Shri RamdasAthawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Latha Krishna Rao, Secretary, M/o SJ&E and many dignitaries were present.
●    Shri Gehlot distributedthe performance Awards to the Channel Training partners of NBCFDC and launchedthe pilot of Loan & Employee InformationAutomation Project (LEAP) system. He released a short film “HamariKahani” based on the experiences of beneficiaries of NBCFDC and a book entitled “Safalata Ki Kahaniyan” brought out by NBCFDC on the success stories of the beneficiaries on the occasion.
●    In his address, Shri Gehlot said that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working through channelizing agencies and banking institutions in all States for the welfare of Backward classes. He said that all Corporations under his ministry are working very effectively in the service of needy persons. 
●    M/o Social Justice and Empowerment organizes Job Fairs regularly through its Corporations for providing Jobs to the youths of these classes. He opined that Training improves the personality. He said that without “People’s participation”, such schemes can’t succeed. He called upon people to take advantage of various schemes of these corporations of Ministry of social Justice and empowerment.
 

Government has decided to revoke the suspension of deemed recognition of IOA with immediate effect in the light of the corrective action taken by them in reversing its earlier decision making Shri Abhay Singh Chautala and Shri Suresh Kalmadi, Life Presidents of IOA. 
●    Since IOA has admitted the faux pas committed and regretted the inconvenience and embarrassment caused to all concerned, it is expected of IOA that it will uphold the highest standard of probity and ethics in its functioning in future.
●    In the light of the above developments and keeping in view the larger interest of promotion and development of sports in the country, the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has revoked the suspension of deemed recognition of IOA, imposed on 30.12.2016, with immediate effect.
 

The Joint Armed Forces Veterans’ Day shall be commemorated tomorrow acknowledging the selfless devotion and sacrifice by Veterans of the Services. 
●    Over 1500 Veterans of the Army, Navy and Air Force are likely to attend the function which will be addressed by the Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre, who will be the Chief Guest at the function. Serving and retired Chiefs of the three Services will also grace the occasion as Guests’ of Honour.
●    The event is being organized all across the nation and military stations. In the national capital the event will be held at Harbaksh Stadium, Delhi Cantonment from 9:30 AM onwards. 
●    Exclusive counters by Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) & Ex Servicemen (ESM) Helpline, ECHS, AWPO, Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), Comptroller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Canteen Services Directorate and Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) will be set up to disseminate information on different facets of Ex-Servicemen welfare.
●    A medical camp will also be established to provide on-site health screening.

Government has decided to revoke the suspension of deemed recognition of IOA with immediate effect in the light of the corrective action taken by them in reversing its earlier decision making Shri Abhay Singh Chautala and Shri Suresh Kalmadi, Life Presidents of IOA. 
●    Since IOA has admitted the faux pas committed and regretted the inconvenience and embarrassment caused to all concerned, it is expected of IOA that it will uphold the highest standard of probity and ethics in its functioning in future.
●    In the light of the above developments and keeping in view the larger interest of promotion and development of sports in the country, the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has revoked the suspension of deemed recognition of IOA, imposed on 30.12.2016, with immediate effect.

Shri ThaawarchandGehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment inaugurated the Silver Jubilee celebrations of National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC), a Govt. of India Undertaking under the aegis of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, here today. Shri RamdasAthawale, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Smt. Latha Krishna Rao, Secretary, M/o SJ&E and many dignitaries were present.
●    Shri Gehlot distributedthe performance Awards to the Channel Training partners of NBCFDC and launchedthe pilot of Loan & Employee InformationAutomation Project (LEAP) system. He released a short film “HamariKahani” based on the experiences of beneficiaries of NBCFDC and a book entitled “Safalata Ki Kahaniyan” brought out by NBCFDC on the success stories of the beneficiaries on the occasion.
●    In his address, Shri Gehlot said that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working through channelizing agencies and banking institutions in all States for the welfare of Backward classes. He said that all Corporations under his ministry are working very effectively in the service of needy persons. 
●    M/o Social Justice and Empowerment organizes Job Fairs regularly through its Corporations for providing Jobs to the youths of these classes. He opined that Training improves the personality. He said that without “People’s participation”, such schemes can’t succeed. He called upon people to take advantage of various schemes of these corporations of Ministry of social Justice and empowerment.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired the 29th meeting of the Standing Committee of Voluntary Agencies (SCOVA) here today.The SCOVA meeting is organised by the Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoP&PW), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and the last such meeting was held on June 27, 2016.
●    During the meeting, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that today’s interaction was very meaningful and stimulating, thus reflecting on the working of DoP&PW. The Minister said that there are about 50-55 lakh pensioners in the country and almost 88 percent of pension accounts have been seeded to Aadhaar. He further said that minimum pension has been increased to Rs. 9000 per person and ex-gratia amount has been increased from Rs. 10-15 lakh to Rs. 25-35 lakh.
●    Dr. Jitendra Singh said that we need to put in place an institutionalized mechanism to make good use of the knowledge, experience and efforts of the retired employees which can help in the value addition to the current scenario. Dr. Jitendra Singh said the retired employees are a healthy and productive workforce for India and we need to streamline and channelize their energies in a productive direction. We should learn from the pensioners’ experience, he added. The Minister also said that the DoP&PW should be reoriented in such a way that pensioners become a part of nation building process. 
●    In the meeting, discussions were held on the action taken report of the 28th SCOVA meeting. Further many issues related to pensioners were discussed threadbare, such as revision of PPOs of pre-2006 pensioners, Health Insurance Scheme for pensioners including those residing in non-CGHS area, Special "Higher" Family Pension for widows of the war disabled invalidated out of service, Extension of CGHS facilities to P&T pensioners, issue relating to CGHS Wellness Centre, Dehradun etc. The Minister directed for the prompt and time bound redressal of the grievances of the pensioners and said that we should have sympathetic attitude towards them.
●    The Secretary, DoP&PW, Shri C. Viswanath and other senior officers of the department were also present on the occasion. The meeting was also attended by the member Pensioners Associations and senior officers of the important Ministries/Departments of Government of India.