Budget approved for an Indian Manned Space Mission.

  • An amount of 10,000 crore was approved by the Union Cabinet for the first Indian manned space mission.
  • The project will be called Gaganyaan Project and aims to send an Indian to the space by 2022.
  • The mission aims to carry three humans to the space for a period of seven day.

POCSO Act amendment approved by the Cabinet

  • The amendments were proposed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to protect children against sexual offences during the time of natural calamities. 
  • The amendments were necessitated after a report showing rapes of young women in the aftermath of Kedarnath floods.
  • The amendments include severe punishments including death penalty for sexual assault crime on anyone below 18 years old.

Indian Railways to build a new bridge connecting Rameswaram to the Mainland

  • The new vertical-lift bridge will replace the existing Pamban bridge.
  • The bridge will allow ships and steamers to pass without creating any obstacle.
  • The project is expected to take 4 years to finish.
  • The Rameswaram town on the Pamban Island will be connected to the mainland via this bridge.