1. Cabinet approves funding for railways, e-buses, Digital India. Key points
2. PM Modi meets US lawmakers, hails strong bipartisan support
3. Boeing starts production of Apache attack helicopters for Indian Army; delivery in 2024
4. US: Khalistani protests fizzle out amid tight security, Tricolour unfurled at India House
5. Govt’s draft SOP seeks restraint from courts in summoning officials

What Else

6. USA designs one-year master’s program for Indian students in line with NEP
7. Ashoka University: Another professor quits, faculty members threaten exodus over research paper row
8. Mob vandalizes several churches, homes in Faisalabad over blasphemy allegations
9. Regional stability a shared interest, says US
10. China snubs Canada as it lifts travel bans, blames ‘hyping up’ of foreign interference claims

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Cabinet approves funding for railways, e-buses, Digital India. Key points

• The cabinet, chaired by PM Modi on Wed, approved a slew of decisions, including the Vishwakarma Yojana announced a day earlier by him in the I-Day.
• Additionally, the cabinet announced the launch of the PM e-Bus Seva Scheme and allotted billions to Indian Railways and for the Digital India initiative.
• During a briefing, Union Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw said 7 railway projects worth $3.91 billion to improve connectivity and mobility across 9 states had been approved.
• States such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have been included in it.
• Vishwakarma Yojana: The scheme is aimed at improving the grade, ranking and reach of products and services of artisans and craftspeople and incorporating them with the domestic and global value chain.
• Under the expansion, 525,000 IT professionals will undergo upskilling while 265,000 people will be trained for cybersecurity.
• The mobile-based Umang application will get 540 more services, up from the current 1,700.
• PM e-Bus Seva announced: Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur conveyed the approval of the PM e-Bus Seva for which nearly $7 billion will be spent. (here)

PM Modi meets US lawmakers, hails strong bipartisan support

• Bipartisan support from US lawmakers is instrumental in bolstering the India-US strategic partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wed.
• Modi made the remarks on Twitter after meeting a delegation of US lawmakers who visited the country at the invitation of the MEA to attend the I-Day celebrations.
• The delegation included lawmaker Ro Khanna, the Democratic co-chair of the India Caucus, Mike Waltz, the Republican co-chair of the body, and Reps Rich McCormick, Ed Case, Kat Cammack, Deborah Ross, Jasmine Crockett, and Shri Thanedar.
• Welcoming the delegation to India, Modi conveyed his appreciation for the “consistent and bipartisan support” of the US Congress for bilateral relations.
• He also recalled his recent state visit to the US at the invitation of President Biden.
• Modi recalled his state visit to the US in Jun, during which he had an opportunity to address a joint session of the Congress for a 2^nd time, the PMO said in a statement.
• He and the US delegation highlighted that the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership is based on “shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties”. (here)

Boeing starts production of Apache attack helicopters for Indian Army; delivery in 2024

• American defense and aerospace giant Boeing has commenced production of the Apache AH-64E attack helicopters for the Indian Army in its facility in Mesa, Arizona.
• In 2020, Boeing completed deliveries of 22 Apache E-model helicopters for the Indian Air Force and undertook the contract to manufacture six AH-64E for the Indian Army.
• The delivery of the Indian Army’s Apaches is scheduled for 2024, the company said.
• The AH-64E is the contemporary version of the Apache AH-64A, which was delivered to India in 1984.
• More than 1,280 Apaches are in operation and they have accumulated over 5 million flight hours, which includes 1.3 million flight hours in combat. (here)

US: Khalistani protests fizzle out amid tight security, Tricolour unfurled at India House

• Security was tightened outside the Indian embassy in Washington in the wake of protests called out by Khalistani supporters.
• According to a report on Tue, police personnel were seen deployed outside the embassy along with makeshift barricades.
• The pro-Khalistani groups planned to stage protests outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC amid a scheduled Independence Day celebration on Tuesday.
• A report by Livemint said that on Tue morning, a small group gathered near the embassy but it was outnumbered by the presence of security personnel.
• India’s ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu unfurled the Tiranga (Indian flag) at the India House on Tuesday.
• This is not the first time that Khalistani supporters have attacked Indian missions.
• Many such incidents have been reported not just in the US, but also in the UK, Australia and Canada. (here)

USA designs one-year master’s program for Indian students in line with NEP

• The US State Department has curated an educational program that is in line with India’s New Education Policy (NEP).
• The program will allow Indian students to pursue a one-year professional master’s degree with an industrial specialisation in American universities.
• The program has been developed by Akhilesh Lakhtakia, a Jefferson Science Fellow at the State Department’s South and Central Asia (SCA) bureau.
• Lakhtakia was roped in from Penn State University where he was serving as a professor of engineering science and mechanics to study India’s NEP.
• The State Department wanted him to come up with a program that is beneficial to the students, govts as well universities of the two countries. (here)

Govt’s draft SOP seeks restraint from courts in summoning officials

• Govt officials should be summoned by courts only in “exceptional” cases and not as a matter of routine, according to a draft SoP prepared by the Centre.
• The draft SoP also suggested that courts maintain restraint while commenting on the dress, educational or social background of the concerned official appearing before it.
• On April 20, a top court bench headed by Chief Justice allowed the Centre to file the SoP after it stayed an order of the Allahabad HC in a case concerning 2 state officials.
• The high court had ordered the arrest of two officers over non-compliance with a decision to provide facilities to retired high court judges. (here)

Ashoka University: Another professor quits, faculty members threaten exodus over research paper row

• The controversy surrounding a private university over the controversial research paper is refusing to die as another professor has quit, sparking a strong response from other faculty members who have threatened to quit en masse.
• According to reports, P Balakrishnan, an economics professor, put his papers on Tue in protest against the varsity’s decision to accept the resignation of Sabyasachi Das, whose research work suggested voter manipulation in the 2019 elections.
• Following Balakrishnan’s exit, his colleagues have written to the university’s governing body threatening a faculty exodus if Das is not reinstated.
• The English and Creative Writing departments have also extended their support to the demand, reports PTI news agency.
• The university had earlier distanced itself from Das’ research paper “Democratic Backsliding in the World’s Largest Democracy” after came under criticism. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Mob vandalizes several churches, homes in Faisalabad over blasphemy allegations

• Multiple churches were attacked on Wed in Jaranwala tehsil of Faisalabad over blasphemy allegations.
• Media reports stated that a mob of over 100 people stormed a local Christian neighborhood and set ablaze at least 1 church, the Salvation Army Church, the oldest in the area.
• The United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church, and Shehroonwala Church situated in Isa Nagri were also reportedly ransacked.
• Locals accused the police of standing by as spectators as hundreds of people, armed with sticks and batons, vandalized the churches besides ransacking and even burning homes
• As panic spread in the area, traders shut down shops and a strike was called.
• The situation remained tense despite policemen led by the Jaranwala SP being present on site.
• The mob also blocked the area surrounding Cinema Chowk. (here)

Regional stability a shared interest, says US

• The US has a shared interest with Pakistan in combating threats to regional stability, the State Department has said.
• “We have a shared interest with Pakistan, quite candidly, in combating threats to regional stability and remain ready to work with Pakistan to combat militant and terrorist groups,” State Department said on Tue.
• The US official was responding to a question about enhanced militant activities in the
• Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US said that the banned TTP and other militant groups were using weapons left behind by US troops for attacking targets in Pakistan.
• According to US media reports, when the US pulled out its forces from Afghanistan in 2021, it left behind around $7 billion worth of military equipment and weapons.
• Washington says it supports Islamabad’s efforts to combat terrorism, ensure the safety of its citizens (here)

China snubs Canada as it lifts travel bans, blames ‘hyping up’ of foreign interference claims

• China – a major source of outbound tourists – has left Canada off a list of countries now approved for travel by tour groups, its embassy in Ottawa said on Wed, due to anti-Beijing saber-rattling by Ottawa.
• Last week Beijing lifted a Covid-era ban on group tours to dozens of countries including the US, Germany, Japan, and Australia, but not Canada.
• There are currently 138 countries on the list.
• The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said in a statement that the reason behind the snub was “the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called ‘Chinese interference’.”
• In 2018, nearly 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada, spending an average of US$1,922/visitor, or a total of C$2 billion – out of C$22 billion spent collectively by all foreign travelers, according to a report by the Canada China Business Council. (here)