This year IITF through its Digital India Theme is aligned to fulfil the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The theme assumes special significance in order to transform the entire ecosystem of public services through the use of information technology.
●    The Government has launched the Digital India programme with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has also emphasised on bringing transparency and accountability in all its activities. Few of them are signing of GSTN MOU, creation of EXIM Analytics Dashboard, etc.
●    As part of Digital India programme, ITPO has shown how fair as big as IITF having 7000 participants spread over 1 lakh Sqm exhibition area can be made digitally. ITPO for the first time introduced online space booking system. The system enabled participants across countries and states to seamlessly book space of their choice by paying online through use of payment gateways. Further, till last year purchase of online tickets was for business days only, however, online sale of tickets has been mainstreamed for all days of IITF 2016. Introduction of online sale of tickets facilitated visitors to purchase of tickets conveniently and quickly without standing in queues. Many visitors have opted for purchase of tickets through online this year. The number of online ticket sales has increased from 2896 to 15574 till 21.11.2016. 
●    ITPO has also developed Mobile Application for IITF 2016 which is user-friendly and provide trade fair information available on finger tips. The mobile app is a fully enhanced catalogue in user’s pocket which provides contact access to exhibitor list, generation information, floor plan, search facility of product display, facilities to visitors and navigation facility.
●    The demonetization process further gave a fillip to Digital India initiatives. To assist small scale enterprises, artisan and Exhibitors/ participants ITPO tied up with SBI, AXIS bank, Paytm and Free-Charge for enabling cashless transactions by the visitors. Till 21.11.2016, SBI and Axis Bank, provided 292 nos. and 55 nos. respectively of swipe machines (POS) and Paytm and Free-Charge enabled 700 nos. and 370 nos. respectively of e-wallets.

Over 100 journalists from across the country, representing various media organizations came together on a single platform at the second ‘All India Women Journalists’ Workshop’ organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in association with Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in New Delhi today. The first ‘All India Women Journalists’ Workshop’ was held in June this year. Today’s workshop was inaugurated by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi . Minister of State, WCD , Smt Krishna Raj was also present along with other senior officers of the Ministry.
●    Women journalists from print, electronic and online media from the length and breadth of the country including small and regional media organizations participated in the conference.
●    Addressing the journalists, Smt. Maneka Gandhi said that the workshops are being organised by the Ministry to empower the women journalists so that they can act as agents of change especially in matters pertaining to women and child development. The effort of the Ministry is to connect to the journalists from the grassroots to make them active participants in the process of change, to receive feedback from them and also to receive ideas from the grassroots which will benefit the women and children, Smt Maneka Gandhi added. Journalists should also try to highlight success stories and find role models to enable the Ministry to give recognition to genuine people, especially to women contributing to community building in the field, she said.
●    Smt. Maneka Gandhi made a comprehensive presentation on the issues taken up by the WCD Ministry in the last two years. Smt. Gandhi highlighted the numerous ‘firsts’ of the Ministry of Women and Child Development including Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, setting up of One Stop Centres for women in distress, Mahila e-Haat, panic button on mobiles, guidelines for matrimonial websites, 33% reservation for women in police force, gender champion scheme, unique initiative with railways for missing children, comprehensive adoption reforms, junk food guidelines and many more such initiatives.

The Government has taken a new initiative to create a Film Promotion Fund to promote Indian cinema in the International Film Festivals. This initiative would help independent filmmakers to promote their work across the globe. The Government efforts to project India as a soft power and Filming Destination has been a win-win situation so far, in terms of attracting global stakeholders from various quarters of film industry to India as well as Indian films, expertise and talent being accepted globally at international festivals. The announcement to this effect was made at the curtain raiser Press Conference for IFFI 2016 in Delhi.
●    The Film Promotion fund would provide financial assistance to the films which would be selected in any competition section of an International Film Festival of repute or being India’s official nomination to the Academy Awards under Foreign Film Category for promotional activities. Directorate of Film Festivals has been designated as the nodal agency for implementing this initiative based on the recommendations of a panel of experts constituted by the Government.
●    The 47th edition of IFFI would screen three films for specially-abled children with special audio described technology under the Accessible India Campaign/ Sugamaya Bharat Abhiyan. This screening would take place in collaboration with UNESCO and Saksham.
●    Inspired by the Government’s Clean India Drive, IFFI 2016 will showcase a special package of 20 award winning short films based on the Swachh Bharat theme. These 20 films were short listed from 4,346 entries and awarded at the ‘Swachh Bharat Film Festival’ organized by National Film Development Corporation on 2nd October in New Delhi.
●    Another initiative is Centenary Award for Best Debut Feature of a Director. IFFI would recognize young talent under this new competition section. This section would showcase some of the outstanding directorial debuts of 2016 from across the world of cinema. The winner would be honoured with a Silver Peacock and a cash price of rupees ten lakhs.
●    2016 in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television and Audio-visual Communication (ICFT), Paris and UNESCO would also present the “ICFT- UNESCO Gandhi Medal” to a film, which reflects the ideals of peace, tolerance and non-violence.
●    IFFI 2016 is introducing a new laser based phosphor wheel projector from Barco Electronics, used for the very first time in any film festival across the globe.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda Deemed University, Nalanda is going to celebrate its glorious 65th foundation Anniversary on 20th November, in which Shri Ramnath Kovind, the Governor of Bihar would be the Chief Guest. 
●    Prof. Lokesh Chandra, a renowned scholar of Indology and Buddhism and the President of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi will be the Guest of Honour, who will deliver the Special lecture on “Genesis of Nalanda Mahavihara (University)”. 
●    The Vice Chancellor Shri M. L. Srivastava will distribute certificates of excellence to the students for achieving ranks in the various events of the university like sports, speech completions and regular examinations. 
●    On this occasion two books one, written by Dr. Shriknat Singh, titled “Interface Between Buddhism & English Literature” and two, Dr. H.K. Tiwari, titled “NaiKavita : VividhParidrishya ” will be released by the Governor of Bihar. 
●    Inaugural programme will be followed by a cultural programme to be performed by the students of the Mahavihara.

In a first, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed a team of 135 women commandos in anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand.
●    The 135 women commandos belong to the 232 battalion’s Delta company. At present, they are undertaking operations under the guidance of the CRPF’s 133 battalion near Khunti on the outskirts of Ranchi.
●    The 135 women commandos will be equally capable of neutralising Naxals in par with men commandos.
●    They hold expertise in carrying out all types of anti-Maoists operations and will play important role in tackling women Naxals.
●    They have been trained in several case studies and carry out their operation in a perfect manner.
●    They are also equipped with modern weapons and software to assist them in executing their plan.
●    The Central Reserve Police Force is India's largest Central Armed Police Forces.
●    It functions under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
●    Its primary role lies in assisting the States/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and counterinsurgency.
●    It came into existence as the Crown Representative's Police on 27 July 1939.
●    After the Independence of India, it became the Central Reserve Police Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28 December 1949.
●    With 235 battalions and various other establishments, it is considered country’s largest paramilitary force and has a sanctioned strength of 308862 personnel.

The Union Government has declared Zakir Naik’s NGO, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), as an ‘unlawful organisation’ and banned it for five years on 15 November 2016. 
●    ‘Unlawful organization means any organization that conducts or gets involved in any activity deemed punishable under Section 153A or 153B of the Indian Penal Code. These two sections are provisions that deal with threat to social and communal harmony.’
●    The ban was imposed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after a final go-ahead at a Union Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A formal notification for the same will be soon issued by the Home Ministry. 
●    Provocative speeches by Zakir Naik: In many speeches compiled by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Naik can be heard praising Osama Bin Laden, justifying suicide bombings and making objectionable comments against Hindus, their religious places and gods. 
●    Naik’s suspicious relationship with Peace TV:  A lot of the International Islamic Channel, Peace TV’s content is formed from Naik’s hate speeches. 
●    Criminal cases filed against Naik: FIRs have been filed against Naik and other members of IRF in two police stations of Mumbai, one in Kerala and two in Sindhudurg under Section 153A or 153B of the Indian Penal Code.
●    Large amount of money transfers have also been detected from Naik’s UK-based charity IRF International to Peace TV. 
●    An educational trust run by Naik, is also under scanner and has been prevented from receiving any foreign funding. 

The Union Cabinet gave its approval for creation of a ‘special committee’ in accordance to an order passed by the Supreme Court in 2012 for inter-linking of Indian rivers.
●    The approval was given in a Cabinet council session headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 November 2016. According to the government, this move will help in monitoring the projects that are to be carried out under its National Perspective Plan, 1980. 
●    It is a proposed project that aims to link all Indian rivers by the creation of a network of canals and reservoirs in order to reduce the problem of continuous floods in some parts of India and water shortages in others. 
●    The project has been divided into three parts:
●    Northern Himalayan rivers inter-link component 
●    Southern Peninsular component 
●    Intrastate rivers linking component 
●    India’s National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under Ministry of Water Resources has been given the responsibility of managing the project. 
●    The project was proposed by NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Maharashtra on 15 November 2016 became the first Indian state to adopt Fly Ash Utilisation Policy. The policy will pave way for prosperity by creating wealth from waste, and environment protection.
●    The decision to implement the policy was taken at the weekly cabinet meeting chaired by state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
●    As per the policy, 100 per cent of fly ash generated from thermal power plants and biogas plants will be used for construction activities.
●    This fly ash will be used to make bricks, blocks, tiles, wall panels, cement and other construction materials.
●    The policy also allows usage of fly ash within 300 kilometres of the power plant. Earlier, it was allowed to  be used within 100 kilometres radius.
●    The policy will create new employment opportunities in the power plant areas.
●    It will also make available raw material for construction at low cost to help Housing for All projects.
●    Fly ash is one of the coal combustion products.
●    It is composed of the fine particles that are driven out of the boiler with the flue gases.
●    In modern coal-fired power plants, fly ash is generally captured by electrostatic precipitators or other particle filtration equipment before the flue gases reach the chimneys.
●    Fly ash includes substantial amounts of silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide and calcium oxide.

At the initiative of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, as an unprecedented milestone mega exercise, involving the entire organization at all levels, Indian Railways is organizing a 3 day Rail Vikas Shivir (Rail Development Camp) at Surajkund near New Delhi, from 18th November 2016 to 20th November 2016 with a view to generate numerous innovative yet practical ideas across most critical areas of Railway Operations for substantial progress of this sector. This is for the first time in the 163 year of Indian Railways that such a Brainstorming and planning exercise with multistage and multidimensional dialogue at this large scale is taking place involving all Railway Employees from gangmen to Railway Board Chairman, cutting across hierarchies. This Shivir is significantly different from other Railway conferences in the sense that here not only external speakers are sharing what Railways should do but rather Railway Employees belonging to all levels themselves are also being encouraged to contribute to present new ideas and to be part of the decision making process. This Shivir will help in creating a vision for Indian Railways that every employee relates to and will reflect business aspirations and societal commitments of Indian Railways. 
●    The Shivir is being hailed as a watershed in the history of Indian Railways and its outcome are likely to take Indian Railways on the rapid path of rejuvenation, transformation, modernization, efficiency and productivity not seen before with a view to make Indian Railways a world class Railway system. 
●    The high point of the Shivir will be when the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi himself will speak up his mind on the rail sector for country’s economic growth on the first day of the Shivir and give his directions and guidance setting the agenda for this mega event. The address of the Prime Minister will be done through video conferencing between PMO New Delhi and the Shivir venue at Surajkund. Prime Minister will be present personally again to have a detailed interaction with the participants on the concluding day of the Shivir. 
●    Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, who has in the last two and half years undertaken slew of major reforms, restructuring, initiatives, innovations and paradigm system improvement to fulfill the Prime Minister’s vision on Railways, is spearheading and guiding the organizing of this momentous Shivir along with his colleagues, Minister of State for Railways & Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha and Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain. 
●    Many from the Union Council of Ministers have also been invited on the concluding day of the Shivir. The other invitees on the concluding day include some select Secretaries to Government of India, senior officials from Prime Minister’s Office & Cabinet Secretariat and senior officials of NITI Aayog. The Vikas Shivir is aiming at the following aspects
 

The Supreme Court directed the Centre to appoint a nodal agency to monitor Google, Yahoo and Microsoft websites, and asked them to “delete” within 36 hours advertisements pertaining to pre-natal sex determination in India.
●    Advocate Sanjay Parikh, representing petitioner Sabu Mathew George who sought the court’s intervention in light of the decreasing sex ratio, claimed that the advertisements remained on the websites despite the apex court’s orders.
●    The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 was enacted to stop female foeticides and curb India’s declining sex ratio. 
●    It had also banned pre-natal sex determination.
●    Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was representing Google India, along with the counsel for other search engines said they had complied with the earlier order passed by the apex court and taken steps to block such advertisements. 
●    However, they said the matter requires further debate.