19 September 2020: News Headlines

September 19, 2020

Parliament passed a bill to reduce for one year the salaries, allowances and pensions of MPs by 30% “to meet the exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic”
Parliament passed a bill to reduce for one year the salaries and allowances of ministers by 30% “to meet the exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic”
PM inaugurates 1.9 km long Kosi Rail Mahasetu (Mega Bridge) in Bihar
Union Narendra Singh Tomar to hold charge of Food Processing Industries following resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Provide gadgets, Internet pack to poor students for online classes: Delhi HC to schools
J&K: LG Manoj Sinha launches National Generic Document Registration System
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attends virtual meeting of top security officials of BRICS
India’s Udit Singhal (18) named by UN to 2020 cohort of young leaders for SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) by UN; is founder of Delhi-based Glass2Sand
Ayurvedic specialist P. R. Krishna Kumar (68) dies in Coimbatore; awarded Padma Shri in 2009
Ashok Gasti, BJP Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, dies at 55
Fashion designer Sharbari Dutta (63) dies in Kolkata

Lok Sabha passes Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020
Lok Sabha passes Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020
Rajya Sabha passes Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020; Central Council to regulate homoeopathic education and practice
Rajya Sabha passes Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020; Indian medicine system includes Ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy
India amends govt procurement norms: reciprocal participation, local content requirements upped
FDI limit in defence sector increased from 49% to 74% under automatic route & beyond 74% through govt. route
Foreign exchange reserves at USD 541.660 billion in the week ended September 11
Kia Motors India launches SUV Sonet priced between Rs 6.71-11.99 lakh

Pakistan: Gilgit-Baltistan to be elevated to full-fledged province
Former U.S. President Barack Obama announces ‘A Promised Land’ as title of his forthcoming memoirs in November
Global economic recovery may take five years: World Bank chief economist Carmen Reinhart
Winston Groom, who wrote ‘Forrest Gump’ that was made into a Tom Hanks-starrer, passes away at 77
First International Equal Pay Day celebrated on September 18; seeks to end gender pay gap
World Bamboo Day observed on September 18.