Current Affairs – February 2016
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 completes ten years of implementation.
WHO declares Zika virus outbreak as International Emergency. Aedes mosquitoes are the vector of it. It is closely releted to Dengue virus.
The Union Government has issued detailed guidelines to tackle the outbreak of Zika Virus Disease in the wake of reported cases in Americas. These guidelines were issued by Union Health Ministry and comes after World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared this outbreak as Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Former RBI Deputy Governor S S Tarapore passes away.
Indian filmmaker Kanu Behl directorial film ‘Titli’ has won the Best First Foreign Film Award conferred by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics 2016 (FSCC).
Alphabet Inc overtakes Apple as world’s most valuable company.
RBI rates unchanged in 6th bi-monthly monetary policy review
Repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF): unchanged at 6.75 per cent.
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks: Unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demand and time liability (NDTL).
Union Government has appointed senior IPS officer K Durga Prasad has Director General (DG) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundram (58) was appointed as the Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). With this, she became first woman police officer to lead a central police force that guards the country’s international borders. She will be in office till the date of her superannuation 30 September 2016.
Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundram (58) was appointed as the Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). With this, she became first woman police officer to lead a central police force that guards the country’s international borders. She will be in office till the date of her superannuation 30 September 2016.
Japan’s ShinMaywa Industries is planning to set up manufacturing plant of US-2 amphibious aircraft in India under ‘Make in India’ initiative to cater to international demands. The move comes as Indian Navy plans to procure 6 such aircraft between 2017 and 2022 by signing a government to government deal i.e. initial purchase being off the shelf.
The 30th edition of Surajkund International Crafts Mela has begun at Faridabad in Haryana after it was formally inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Telangana is the theme State of this edition of Mela and the two focus countries are China and Japan.
Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth won the 2016 Syed Modi International Grand prix Gold Championship Title of Badminton in men’s singles category.
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of Union Government has given its final approval to Kerala Government’s approval to set up India’s first Defense Industrial Park at Ottappalam.
World Number One tennis player Novak Djokovic from Serbia has won the 2016 Australian Open Title in the men’s singles category.
Sarangi maestro Pandit Ram Narayan (88) has been chosen for the prestigious Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Classical Music Award for 2015-2016.
Former Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala passes away.
India-Nepal Combined Military Exercise Surya Kiran IX begins at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
12th South Asian Games begins in Guwahati
India’s ace squash player Joshna Chinappa has won the gold medal in women’s individual category at the 12th South Asian Games (SAG).
Sapna Devi wins gold medal in women Wushu Taulu competition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC’s) new state of the art refinery at Paradip in Odisha to the nation. It is overall IOC’s 11th refinery to be set up and has installed capacity of 15 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA).
For the first time, border troops of India and China have held their first joint tactical exercise code named Sino-India Cooperation 2016 in Chushul-Moldo in Jammu and Kashmir. This exercise is complement to the Hand-in-Hand series of India-China Joint Exercises and the recently conducted joint exercise in Sikkim.
International Fleet Review 2016 kick starts in Visakhapatnam
The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, an international military exercise hosted and conducted by Indian Navy was inaugurated in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Theme of this edition on IFR is “United through Oceans” and its objective is to enhance mutual trust and confidence with neighboring navies by inviting their ships to participate in the event.
Key facts
Total 11,000 guests are expected to attend the mega naval exercise including members of foreign delegations. It is perceived to be the biggest exercise conducted in India so far.
Naval ships from 50 countries and various dignitaries will also participate in the event and close to 4000 sailors have participated in the fleet review.
The 4 day review (from 4 to 8 February) aims at assuring the country of the Indian Navy’s preparedness, high morale and discipline.
For the first time Chinese navy called as People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) is also participating in the event. In this edition of IFR special emphasis is given to Make In India on three dimensions — indigestion, innovation and ingenuity.
Indian Navy’s ships participating in this event includes, INS Vikramaditya- India’s biggest aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, destroyers INS Mysore, Kolkata, frigates-Satpura, Shivalik, Teg amongst others. The last IFR conducted by the Indian Navy in 2001 in Mumbai, Maharashtra in which navies of 29 countries from across the globe had participated.
CPCB releases National Air Quality Indices for 24 cities
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has released National Air Quality Indices (AQI) for 24 cities across India in the month of January 2016.
In the list Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) and Muzzafarpur (Bihar) were on the top with an AQI value of 409 points each and were coded as ‘severe’ in terms of air pollution in January 2016. Key facts Faridabad (Haryana), Patna (Bihar) and Agra (Uttar Pradesh) were placed at 3rd, 4th and 5th position with 399, 388 and 372 points respectively.
The national capital Delhi was placed at the 6th position with 362 points and was coded as ‘very poor’ in terms of air pollution. Earlier in December 2015, it was coded as ‘Poor’ in with 293 points.
Earlier in September 2015 and October 2015, Delhi was at the top in the AQI i.e. in terms of air pollution chart. The World Health Organization (WHO) also had earlier termed Delhi as one of the most polluted city in the world in terms of air pollution.
It is determined on the basis of concentration of 8 pollutants, including Particulate Matter (PM 2.5, PM 10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), ammonia (NH3) and lead (Pb).
Rajendra Kumar Pachauri has been appointed as Executive Vice Chairman of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The post of Executive Vice Chairman was recently created in TERI and Mr. Pachauri becomes person first person to hold the post.
India’s first Aviation Park to come up in Gujarat.
India ranks 37/38 on USCC’s 2016 Intellectual Property Index. USA on top of it.
UAE’s ADNOC to store crude oil in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves The UAE’s national oil company Abu Dhabi National Oil (ADNOC) Company has agreed to store crude oil in India’s maiden Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs) storage.
It will be first of its kind deal in which India has partner with other country for storing crude oil in the SPR storage for emergency purpose.
Strategic Petroleum Reserves: India is building underground SPR storages at Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes capacity), Mangalore (1.5 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes) to store about 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil. These SPRs will act as a valuable buffer against short term oil supply disruptions and global price shocks as India is 79 per cent dependent on imports to meet its crude oil needs.
Union Government has sanctioned about 580 crore rupees for Agartala-Akhaura railway link Project to connect Kolkata (West Bengal) with Tripura via Bangladesh. The sanctioned fund will be used for the laying of the five km railway track up to Bangladesh border from Agartala. It is Agartala-Akhaura Railway Link Project.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on 11 February 2016 released the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030 at New Delhi. The framework outlines India’s strategy for elimination of the disease by 2030.
CSO released Advance Estimates of National Income 2015-16
The growth in GDP during 2015-16 is estimated at 7.6 % as compared to the growth rate of 7.2 % in 2014- 15.
Karnataka Mobile One m-governance model wins gold at World Government Summit.
India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed 9 bilateral agreements covering cooperation in the various sectors
Cyber Space and Combating Cyber Crime
Infrastructure Investments
Cyber Space and Combating Cyber Crime
Infrastructure Investments
Renewable Energy Cooperation
Exploration and use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes
Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement
Bilateral Currency Swap Arrangement
bilateral cooperation in Insurance sector
Executive Programmer for Cultural Cooperation (EPCC)
Letter of Intent for skill development and recognition of qualifications
Scientist for the first time have discovered Gravitational Waves (GW) that were hypothesized by Albert Einstein in 1916.
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) founded by Freedom fighter Pt Madan Mohan Malviya has turned 100 years on 13th February 2016.
Former IAS officer Ashok Chawla has been appointed as Chairman of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
He was selected by the Governing Council of TERI and shall succeed noted scientist B V Sreekantan. Besides he also has been appointed as Chairman of TERI’s Governing Council Ashok Chawla is former Union Finance Secretary and former Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). He was IAS officer of 1973 batch of Gujarat cadre.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Make in India Centre in MumbaiPrime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Make in India Centre at MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
On this occasion, Finland Prime Minister Juha Petri Sipilä and Sweden Prime Minister Kjell Löfven were also present along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Make in India Week is the flagship event that seeks to provide greater momentum to the Make in India initiative and to promote India as a preferred manufacturing destination globally.
In this event, government delegations from 49 countries and business delegations from 68 countries are going attend it.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has banned Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf for five years after its Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of corrupt practices. It was announced by BCCI president Shashank Manohar who had headed the Disciplinary Committee.
West Indies for the first time has won the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup by defeating three time champions India by five wickets played at Mirpur (Bangladesh).
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has been awarded with the ‘Pride of Kerala’ Award by the World Malayalee Council and Kairali TV.
69th BAFTA Awards 2016
The 69th British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held at the Royal Opera House in London. This year the BAFTA awards were conferred for the outstanding performances in films and documentaries screened at British Cinemas in 2015.
Best Film: The Revenant.
Best Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant).
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant).
Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room)
The 7th edition of India, Seychelles joint military exercise LAMITYE 2016 has begun in Victoria, Seychelles.
Mysuru city from Karnataka has been ranked first in terms of cleanliness for second time in row among the 73 surveyed cities in Swachh Sarvekshan 2016.
It was announced by Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu during the Swachh Survekshan 2016 award function held in New Delhi. Key facts The rankings of the Swachh Survekshan Survey 2016 were conducted by Quality Council of India (QCI) as part of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.
The survey was conducted to measure the impact of efforts under Swachh Bharat Mission for solid waste management, construction of toilets and service delivery level.
Top 10 cities are: Mysore (1st rank), Chandigarh (2nd), Tiruchirappalli (3rd), Delhi (4th), Visakhapatnam (5th), Surat (6th), Rajkot (7th) and Gangtok (8th), Pimpri-Chinchwad (9th) and Greater Mumbai (10th).
10 Least clean cities: Dhanbad (73rd), Asansol (72nd), Itanagar (71st), Patna (70th), Meerut (69th), Raipur (68th), Ghaziabad (67th), Jamshedpur (66th), Varanasi (65th) and Kalyan Dombivili (64th).
India’s first indigenously developed lightest revolver (gun) Nidar weighing merely 250 grams was successfully launched. It has been designed and manufactured by the state-run Rifle Factory Ishapore located in West Bengal giving boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative in small manufacturing sector. Key facts Nidar is much lighter than ‘Nirbheek’ (500 grams) revolver which was exclusively designed for women.
Union Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation of Sweden have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector.
State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned a 101 MW (Mega Watt) gas-based Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) at Monarchak (near Agartala) in Tripura.
Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali passed away in Cairo, Egypt. He was 93. Mr. Boutros-Ghali was Egyptian politician and diplomat who had served as sixth UN Secretary-General from 1992 to 1996. He was United Nations’ first secretary-general from Africa.
Commemoration of Tatya Tope’s 200th birth anniversary.
Sindh became the first Pakistan province to adopt landmark Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015 in order to allow the minority community to register their marriages. This is for the first such a law is being passed since formation of Pakistan in 1947 to safeguard rights of Hindus, a second largest religious minority community in the country.
Prithvi II missile successfully test-fired from Chandipur
Prithvi-II missile Prithvi-II missile is the first missile to be developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program). Range: It is surface-to-surface medium range ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km.
First Silk Road train arrives in Tehran from China
The first long distance cargo train connecting Iran and China has arrived in the Iranian capital city Tehran after starting its journey from China. The train had started its journey from China’s eastern Zhejiang province and it took 14 days to reach final destination. It had covered around 9,500-kilometre distance and passed through two Central Asian countries Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Henceforth such trains will run between both countries once in every month and the frequency will be increased if necessary. These trains will be run by private companies using existing routes.
Japan has successfully launched ASTRO-H space observation satellite to probe mysterious black holes.
Renowned Indologist David Shulman awarded Israel Prize
Renowned Indologist Professor David Shulman has been selected for the prestigious Israel Prize for his breakthrough studies in fields like philosophy and religion. He was chosen for this award for his studies on the religion, literature and culture of southern India and has command over Indian languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam.
West Bengal government launches Utkarsh Bangla Scheme
West Bengal government has launched the Utkarsh Bangla Scheme with an aim of providing vocational training to school dropouts. The scheme was launched by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. On this occasion, she also released a book on Utkarsh Bangla.
Union Cabinet on 17 February 2016 approved nomination of the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog as a part-time member of the Telecom Commission. With this decision, Amitabh Kant will assume the role by virtue of his position as the NITI Aayog CEO.
ISRO successfully test cryogenic engine of GSLV Mark 3 rocket
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted hotbed test of the indigenously developed high-thrust cryogenic engine (CE20) of the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM3) rocket for the upper stage.
GSLV Mark 3 rocket is the biggest rocket made in India and capable of launching four-tonne satellites into geosynchronous orbit. India is sixth spacefarer after US, Russia, the European Space Agency (ESA), China and Japan to develop a cryogenic engine.
Christine Lagarde appointed as MD of IMF for a second term
Christine Lagarde (60) from France has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund for a second five-year term.
About International Monetary Fund (IMF):
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 188 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, facilitate international trade, secure financial stability, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty around the world. Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Kalikho Pul sworn-in as the 9th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
Kalikho Pul has been sworn-in as the 9th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh after Governor JP Rajkhowa used his discretionary powers to appoint him.
Prasar Bharati signs historical MoU with EBC in Brazil
Bharati has signed a MoU with Empressa de Brazil Communicacao (EBC) in connection with several broadcast related activities including exchange of news, programmes and co-production. This MoU is being described as historical as it is the first agreement that Prasar Bharati has signed with any South American country. It was signed between Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jawhar Sircar and EBC Vice President Mr Mario in Brasilia, Brazil.
Amit Mitra appointed as Chairman of GST committee of State FMs
West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has been appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was elected at the meeting of State Finance Ministers that was also attended by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He will succeed Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani who had to resign in November 2015 over corruption charges.
India, Myanmar conduct fourth coordinated patrol IMCOR
The fourth edition of the India-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) was successfully undertaken from February 13 to 16, 2016. It was conducted by navies of the two countries along the strategically significant International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. In this edition IMCOR, Indian Navy Ships Saryu and Bitra along with Myanmar Ships Aung Zeya and FAC 563 participated. Navies of India and Myanmar are conducting bilateral IMCOR along the Maritime boundary since 2013 as part of the ongoing India-Myanmar defence relations.
Make in India Week concludes in Mumbai
The Make in India week concluded in Mumbai, after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2016. The week-long event has secured investment commitments worth 15.2 lakh crore rupees across the country. The host state Maharashtra alone accounted for 8 lakh crore rupees investment in diverse areas.
Key facts
The Make in India was country’s biggest show of manufacturing sector that had successfully brought manufacturing, design and innovation to the centre-stage.
102 countries were represented in the mega expo and more than 8 lakh people visited the expo and other events. A total of 150 events were organized under the banner of this event and more than 25 thousand people had participated in seminars. Make in India Week also provided platform for nearly eight thousand Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Government (B2G) and Government-to-Government (G2G) meetings.
17 Indian states and 3 countries – Germany, Sweden and Poland had their own pavilions in the Make in India Center.
Google’s Project Loon begins its operations in Sri Lanka
Google’s Project Loon began its operations in Sri Lanka after first helium-filled balloon landed in Pupuressa area in Gampola town.
Some facts:
Sri Lanka was the first country in South Asia region to introduce mobile phones in 1989 and also first to roll out a 3G network in 2004. It was also the first in the region to unveil a 4G network in 2013.
A team of scientist in US led by an Indian-origin Ashutosh Tiwari has discovered Tin Monoxide (SnO) conductor to replace silicon
SnO is a new kind of 2D semiconducting material for electronics that opens the door for much speedier computers and smartphones that consumes less power.
Cabinet gives nod to BRICS MoU for cooperation in Science, Technology and innovation
The Union Cabinet has apprised signing of BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and innovation (STI). The MoU seeks to promote of cooperation in the field of STI among BRICS countries by means of mutually agreed S&T events and activities.
Union Cabinet gives nod to Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002. In this regard, Government is going to introduce Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament in pursuance of the Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015. These amendments will give voting rights to people who became Indian citizens following the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh.
Amendment of Delimitation Act, 2002 will enable Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out limited delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal.
Background:
The historic land boundary agreement signed between India and Bangladesh had altered the geography and demography of the district of Cooch Behar in West Bengal. Under this agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (Chhitmahals) were added in the Indian Territory and 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory. Since the newly acquired area has become the part of Indian territory, it was necessary to make delimitation exercise within the limited constituency area of Cooch Behar before the ensuing 2016 West Bengal State Assembly elections.
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to notify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
India remains world’s largest arms importer
India continues to remain the world’s largest arms importer, accounting for 14% of the global arms imports in the 2011-2015 time-frame. It was revealed by report on international arms transfers released by a global think-tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Key highlights: Top arms importers are: India (14%), China (4.7%), Australia (3.6%), Pakistan (3.3%), Vietnam (2.9%) and South Korea (2.6%).
Haryana is set become the first state in the country to complete aquifer mapping for its groundwater resources by May 2016. Aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing rock from which groundwater can be extracted.
Union Government launches Swachh Paryatan mobile app to keep tourist places clean. It was launched by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma in New Delhi.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Exports to boost trade and explore business opportunities.
Malayalam film Ottal named best children’s film at Berlin International Film Festival
Four Bengali sweets to get GI tag
West Bengal government is planning to get Geographical Indication (GI) tag for four traditional sweet delicacies of the state. These four traditional sweet delicacies are
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has launched ‘Swachh Himachal – Padhai bhi, Safai bhi’ campaign in Dharamsala. With this unique campaign, HPCA became the first cricket association in the country to work towards Swatch Bharat Abhiyan initiated by the Union Government.
Faustin Archange Touadera has won the 2016 Presidential election of Central African Republic (CAR) held on 14 February 2016.
India, Nepal ink seven Agreements
India and Nepal have signed seven agreements for cooperation in various fields like Post-earthquake, road infrastructure, performing arts, Rail Transport, Eminent Persons Group (EPG): It will comprise 8 members with each country nominating 4 members. Its mandate would be to review bilateral relations and recommend measures including institutional frameworks in order to enhance bilateral ties.
Ex-CJI HL Dattu selected as new Chairman of NHRC
Naval Exercise IBSAMAR 2016 between India, South Africa, Brazil kicked off in Goa
India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant passes deep sea tests.
The 42nd edition of world famous Khajuraho Dance Festival began at Khajuraho in Chhatrapur District in Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho Temple: It is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh build by Chandela Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. They are UNESCO World heritage Site.
Pakistan Parliament becomes first in world to run entirely on solar power.
Union Cabinet approves $150 million Credit for Chabahar Port Development in Iran
The Union Cabinet has approved 150 million dollars credit for Development of the strategically important Chabahar Port in Iran. In this regard, the Union Ministry of Shipping had forwarded the proposal for provision and operationalization of credit from EXIM Bank.
Yes Bank wins inaugural Green Bond Award in UK.
Union Cabinet gives nod to India-Maldives double taxation Agreement on airlines
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of an Agreement between India and Maldives for the avoidance of double taxation of income from international air transport. This agreement provides relief from double taxation for airline enterprises operating between the two countries.
Union Cabinet approves establishment of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and SETU in NITI Aayog
The Union Cabinet as given its approval for establishment of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Self Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) in NITI Aayog.
ISRO gears up for launch of India’s first solar mission Aditya-L1
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the country’s first solar mission called Aditya-L1. It was announced by Union Minister of State (MoS) in PMO Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha.
Its primary objective will be to study the solar corona and the chromosphere in different wavebands, dynamic nature of the sun’s outer most layers, and collect data about Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).E-Tourist Visa Scheme extended to 37 more countries
The Union Government has extended e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries. With this, the total count of countries under the scheme will become 150.
Rajendra Singh appointed as DG of Coast Guard
Goverdhan Mehta awarded Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit
Chemical scientist and well-known researcher Goverdhan Mehta has been conferred with Germany’s prestigious Cross of the Order of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz) Award.
SBI Launches SBI e Smart SME to offer Ecommerce Loan
India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has launched SBI e-Smart SME to provide a working capital loan for sellers on e-Commerce platforms. It was launched by SBI in partnership with ecommerce platform Snapdeal in the presence of bank’s chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya and Snapdeal CEO Sri Kunal Bahl. About SBI e-Smart SME Sellers on e-Commerce platforms can apply for the loan online and get instant sanctioning of the loan with KYC documents.
Lalita Babar named as the Sports Person of the Year for India.
Scientist for the first time have discovered Gravitational Waves (GW) that were hypothesized by Albert Einstein in 1916.
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) founded by Freedom fighter Pt Madan Mohan Malviya has turned 100 years on 13th February 2016.
Former IAS officer Ashok Chawla has been appointed as Chairman of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
He was selected by the Governing Council of TERI and shall succeed noted scientist B V Sreekantan. Besides he also has been appointed as Chairman of TERI’s Governing Council Ashok Chawla is former Union Finance Secretary and former Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). He was IAS officer of 1973 batch of Gujarat cadre.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Make in India Centre in MumbaiPrime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Make in India Centre at MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
On this occasion, Finland Prime Minister Juha Petri Sipilä and Sweden Prime Minister Kjell Löfven were also present along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Make in India Week is the flagship event that seeks to provide greater momentum to the Make in India initiative and to promote India as a preferred manufacturing destination globally.
In this event, government delegations from 49 countries and business delegations from 68 countries are going attend it.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has banned Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf for five years after its Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of corrupt practices. It was announced by BCCI president Shashank Manohar who had headed the Disciplinary Committee.
West Indies for the first time has won the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup by defeating three time champions India by five wickets played at Mirpur (Bangladesh).
Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has been awarded with the ‘Pride of Kerala’ Award by the World Malayalee Council and Kairali TV.
69th BAFTA Awards 2016
The 69th British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held at the Royal Opera House in London. This year the BAFTA awards were conferred for the outstanding performances in films and documentaries screened at British Cinemas in 2015.
Best Film: The Revenant.
Best Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant).
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant).
Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room)
The 7th edition of India, Seychelles joint military exercise LAMITYE 2016 has begun in Victoria, Seychelles.
Mysuru city from Karnataka has been ranked first in terms of cleanliness for second time in row among the 73 surveyed cities in Swachh Sarvekshan 2016.
It was announced by Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu during the Swachh Survekshan 2016 award function held in New Delhi. Key facts The rankings of the Swachh Survekshan Survey 2016 were conducted by Quality Council of India (QCI) as part of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.
The survey was conducted to measure the impact of efforts under Swachh Bharat Mission for solid waste management, construction of toilets and service delivery level.
Top 10 cities are: Mysore (1st rank), Chandigarh (2nd), Tiruchirappalli (3rd), Delhi (4th), Visakhapatnam (5th), Surat (6th), Rajkot (7th) and Gangtok (8th), Pimpri-Chinchwad (9th) and Greater Mumbai (10th).
10 Least clean cities: Dhanbad (73rd), Asansol (72nd), Itanagar (71st), Patna (70th), Meerut (69th), Raipur (68th), Ghaziabad (67th), Jamshedpur (66th), Varanasi (65th) and Kalyan Dombivili (64th).
India’s first indigenously developed lightest revolver (gun) Nidar weighing merely 250 grams was successfully launched. It has been designed and manufactured by the state-run Rifle Factory Ishapore located in West Bengal giving boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative in small manufacturing sector. Key facts Nidar is much lighter than ‘Nirbheek’ (500 grams) revolver which was exclusively designed for women.
Union Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation of Sweden have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation in Rail Sector.
State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned a 101 MW (Mega Watt) gas-based Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) at Monarchak (near Agartala) in Tripura.
Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali passed away in Cairo, Egypt. He was 93. Mr. Boutros-Ghali was Egyptian politician and diplomat who had served as sixth UN Secretary-General from 1992 to 1996. He was United Nations’ first secretary-general from Africa.
Commemoration of Tatya Tope’s 200th birth anniversary.
Sindh became the first Pakistan province to adopt landmark Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015 in order to allow the minority community to register their marriages. This is for the first such a law is being passed since formation of Pakistan in 1947 to safeguard rights of Hindus, a second largest religious minority community in the country.
Prithvi II missile successfully test-fired from Chandipur
Prithvi-II missile Prithvi-II missile is the first missile to be developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program). Range: It is surface-to-surface medium range ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 km.
First Silk Road train arrives in Tehran from China
The first long distance cargo train connecting Iran and China has arrived in the Iranian capital city Tehran after starting its journey from China. The train had started its journey from China’s eastern Zhejiang province and it took 14 days to reach final destination. It had covered around 9,500-kilometre distance and passed through two Central Asian countries Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Henceforth such trains will run between both countries once in every month and the frequency will be increased if necessary. These trains will be run by private companies using existing routes.
Japan has successfully launched ASTRO-H space observation satellite to probe mysterious black holes.
Renowned Indologist David Shulman awarded Israel Prize
Renowned Indologist Professor David Shulman has been selected for the prestigious Israel Prize for his breakthrough studies in fields like philosophy and religion. He was chosen for this award for his studies on the religion, literature and culture of southern India and has command over Indian languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam.
West Bengal government launches Utkarsh Bangla Scheme
West Bengal government has launched the Utkarsh Bangla Scheme with an aim of providing vocational training to school dropouts. The scheme was launched by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. On this occasion, she also released a book on Utkarsh Bangla.
Union Cabinet on 17 February 2016 approved nomination of the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog as a part-time member of the Telecom Commission. With this decision, Amitabh Kant will assume the role by virtue of his position as the NITI Aayog CEO.
ISRO successfully test cryogenic engine of GSLV Mark 3 rocket
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted hotbed test of the indigenously developed high-thrust cryogenic engine (CE20) of the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM3) rocket for the upper stage.
GSLV Mark 3 rocket is the biggest rocket made in India and capable of launching four-tonne satellites into geosynchronous orbit. India is sixth spacefarer after US, Russia, the European Space Agency (ESA), China and Japan to develop a cryogenic engine.
Christine Lagarde appointed as MD of IMF for a second term
Christine Lagarde (60) from France has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund for a second five-year term.
About International Monetary Fund (IMF):
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 188 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, facilitate international trade, secure financial stability, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth and reduce poverty around the world. Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Kalikho Pul sworn-in as the 9th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
Kalikho Pul has been sworn-in as the 9th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh after Governor JP Rajkhowa used his discretionary powers to appoint him.
Prasar Bharati signs historical MoU with EBC in Brazil
Bharati has signed a MoU with Empressa de Brazil Communicacao (EBC) in connection with several broadcast related activities including exchange of news, programmes and co-production. This MoU is being described as historical as it is the first agreement that Prasar Bharati has signed with any South American country. It was signed between Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jawhar Sircar and EBC Vice President Mr Mario in Brasilia, Brazil.
Amit Mitra appointed as Chairman of GST committee of State FMs
West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has been appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was elected at the meeting of State Finance Ministers that was also attended by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He will succeed Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani who had to resign in November 2015 over corruption charges.
India, Myanmar conduct fourth coordinated patrol IMCOR
The fourth edition of the India-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) was successfully undertaken from February 13 to 16, 2016. It was conducted by navies of the two countries along the strategically significant International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. In this edition IMCOR, Indian Navy Ships Saryu and Bitra along with Myanmar Ships Aung Zeya and FAC 563 participated. Navies of India and Myanmar are conducting bilateral IMCOR along the Maritime boundary since 2013 as part of the ongoing India-Myanmar defence relations.
Make in India Week concludes in Mumbai
The Make in India week concluded in Mumbai, after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2016. The week-long event has secured investment commitments worth 15.2 lakh crore rupees across the country. The host state Maharashtra alone accounted for 8 lakh crore rupees investment in diverse areas.
Key facts
The Make in India was country’s biggest show of manufacturing sector that had successfully brought manufacturing, design and innovation to the centre-stage.
102 countries were represented in the mega expo and more than 8 lakh people visited the expo and other events. A total of 150 events were organized under the banner of this event and more than 25 thousand people had participated in seminars. Make in India Week also provided platform for nearly eight thousand Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Government (B2G) and Government-to-Government (G2G) meetings.
17 Indian states and 3 countries – Germany, Sweden and Poland had their own pavilions in the Make in India Center.
Google’s Project Loon begins its operations in Sri Lanka
Google’s Project Loon began its operations in Sri Lanka after first helium-filled balloon landed in Pupuressa area in Gampola town.
Some facts:
Sri Lanka was the first country in South Asia region to introduce mobile phones in 1989 and also first to roll out a 3G network in 2004. It was also the first in the region to unveil a 4G network in 2013.
A team of scientist in US led by an Indian-origin Ashutosh Tiwari has discovered Tin Monoxide (SnO) conductor to replace silicon
SnO is a new kind of 2D semiconducting material for electronics that opens the door for much speedier computers and smartphones that consumes less power.
Cabinet gives nod to BRICS MoU for cooperation in Science, Technology and innovation
The Union Cabinet has apprised signing of BRICS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and innovation (STI). The MoU seeks to promote of cooperation in the field of STI among BRICS countries by means of mutually agreed S&T events and activities.
Union Cabinet gives nod to Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend section 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002. In this regard, Government is going to introduce Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament in pursuance of the Constitution (One Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015. These amendments will give voting rights to people who became Indian citizens following the exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh.
Amendment of Delimitation Act, 2002 will enable Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out limited delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal.
Background:
The historic land boundary agreement signed between India and Bangladesh had altered the geography and demography of the district of Cooch Behar in West Bengal. Under this agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves (Chhitmahals) were added in the Indian Territory and 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory. Since the newly acquired area has become the part of Indian territory, it was necessary to make delimitation exercise within the limited constituency area of Cooch Behar before the ensuing 2016 West Bengal State Assembly elections.
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to notify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
India remains world’s largest arms importer
India continues to remain the world’s largest arms importer, accounting for 14% of the global arms imports in the 2011-2015 time-frame. It was revealed by report on international arms transfers released by a global think-tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Key highlights: Top arms importers are: India (14%), China (4.7%), Australia (3.6%), Pakistan (3.3%), Vietnam (2.9%) and South Korea (2.6%).
Haryana is set become the first state in the country to complete aquifer mapping for its groundwater resources by May 2016. Aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing rock from which groundwater can be extracted.
Union Government launches Swachh Paryatan mobile app to keep tourist places clean. It was launched by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma in New Delhi.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Exports to boost trade and explore business opportunities.
Malayalam film Ottal named best children’s film at Berlin International Film Festival
Four Bengali sweets to get GI tag
West Bengal government is planning to get Geographical Indication (GI) tag for four traditional sweet delicacies of the state. These four traditional sweet delicacies are
- Moa of Jainagar,
- Sarpuria of Krishnagar, and
- Mihidana and Sitabhog of Burdwan.
PM Narendra Modi launches National Rurban Mission in Chhattisgarh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Rurban Mission (NRM) from Kurubhat in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. The mission also dubbed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission (SPMRM) aims to spur social, economic and infrastructure development in rural areas by developing a cluster of 300 Smart Villages over the next 3 years across the country.
Punjab Warriors wins 2016 Hockey India League
Swachh Himachal Padhai bhi, Safai bhi campaign launchedPrime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Rurban Mission (NRM) from Kurubhat in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. The mission also dubbed as Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission (SPMRM) aims to spur social, economic and infrastructure development in rural areas by developing a cluster of 300 Smart Villages over the next 3 years across the country.
Punjab Warriors wins 2016 Hockey India League
Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has launched ‘Swachh Himachal – Padhai bhi, Safai bhi’ campaign in Dharamsala. With this unique campaign, HPCA became the first cricket association in the country to work towards Swatch Bharat Abhiyan initiated by the Union Government.
Faustin Archange Touadera has won the 2016 Presidential election of Central African Republic (CAR) held on 14 February 2016.
India, Nepal ink seven Agreements
India and Nepal have signed seven agreements for cooperation in various fields like Post-earthquake, road infrastructure, performing arts, Rail Transport, Eminent Persons Group (EPG): It will comprise 8 members with each country nominating 4 members. Its mandate would be to review bilateral relations and recommend measures including institutional frameworks in order to enhance bilateral ties.
Ex-CJI HL Dattu selected as new Chairman of NHRC
Naval Exercise IBSAMAR 2016 between India, South Africa, Brazil kicked off in Goa
India’s first nuclear submarine INS Arihant passes deep sea tests.
The 42nd edition of world famous Khajuraho Dance Festival began at Khajuraho in Chhatrapur District in Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho Temple: It is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh build by Chandela Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. They are UNESCO World heritage Site.
Pakistan Parliament becomes first in world to run entirely on solar power.
Union Cabinet approves $150 million Credit for Chabahar Port Development in Iran
The Union Cabinet has approved 150 million dollars credit for Development of the strategically important Chabahar Port in Iran. In this regard, the Union Ministry of Shipping had forwarded the proposal for provision and operationalization of credit from EXIM Bank.
Yes Bank wins inaugural Green Bond Award in UK.
Union Cabinet gives nod to India-Maldives double taxation Agreement on airlines
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of an Agreement between India and Maldives for the avoidance of double taxation of income from international air transport. This agreement provides relief from double taxation for airline enterprises operating between the two countries.
Union Cabinet approves establishment of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and SETU in NITI Aayog
The Union Cabinet as given its approval for establishment of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Self Employment and Talent Utilisation (SETU) in NITI Aayog.
ISRO gears up for launch of India’s first solar mission Aditya-L1
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the country’s first solar mission called Aditya-L1. It was announced by Union Minister of State (MoS) in PMO Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha.
Its primary objective will be to study the solar corona and the chromosphere in different wavebands, dynamic nature of the sun’s outer most layers, and collect data about Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).E-Tourist Visa Scheme extended to 37 more countries
The Union Government has extended e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries. With this, the total count of countries under the scheme will become 150.
Rajendra Singh appointed as DG of Coast Guard
Goverdhan Mehta awarded Germany’s Cross of the Order of Merit
Chemical scientist and well-known researcher Goverdhan Mehta has been conferred with Germany’s prestigious Cross of the Order of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz) Award.
SBI Launches SBI e Smart SME to offer Ecommerce Loan
India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has launched SBI e-Smart SME to provide a working capital loan for sellers on e-Commerce platforms. It was launched by SBI in partnership with ecommerce platform Snapdeal in the presence of bank’s chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya and Snapdeal CEO Sri Kunal Bahl. About SBI e-Smart SME Sellers on e-Commerce platforms can apply for the loan online and get instant sanctioning of the loan with KYC documents.
Lalita Babar named as the Sports Person of the Year for India.
Shri K. N. Vyas, Distinguished Scientist and Associate
Director, Reactor Projects Group of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
took over yesterday as Director, BARC from Dr. Sekhar Basu, Chairman, Atomic
Energy Commission and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of
Atomic Energy.
Ex-DRDO Chairman Dr Avinash Chander received
Aryabhata Award 2013
Former Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister
and ex-DRDO chief Dr Avinash Chander on 25 February 2016 received the
prestigious Astronautical Society of India's Aryabhata Award 2013.
He received the award from Dr R Chidambaram,
Principal Scientific Adviser to Union Government and Dr A S Kiran Kumar,
Chairman ISRO, at ASI-ISRO Awards function held at Space Applications Centre
(SAC) in Ahmedabad.
Katni
in Madhya Pradesh will have India's
longest railway bridge, 14 km on the up line, almost three and half times
longer than Vembanad rail bridge in Kerala that connects Edappally and
Vallarpadam in Kochi and is 4.62 km long. Project received clearance from Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)
President Pranab Mukherjee declares Kerala as first digital state
About Banks Board Bureau (BBB)
Functions:
Resul Pookutty becomes first Asian to win Golden Reel Award.
Twitter launches Position of Strength Campaign to Empower Women
Micro blogging site Twitter for first time has launched #Positionofstrength campaign in India to empower women to raise voices against any form of discrimination. The campaign seeks spread awareness to bridge the gender equality gap online in India and inspire the of women leaders next generation to have an influential voice in society. It was launched by taking cue from a study showcasing a prevailing male dominance over both online and offline space.
Dinesh Sharma has been unanimously elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Council of International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ranveer Singh chosen for 2016 Dinanath Mangeshkar Award
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Ranveer Singh have been chosen for the prestigious 2016 Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award.
The award was instituted in 1999 in the memory of Dinanath Mangeshkar, father of Lata Mangeshkar. Since then it is awarded annually to persons for their outstanding contributions to music and movies.
Feb 2
World Wetlands Day
President Pranab Mukherjee declares Kerala as first digital state
This declaration was made considering the rapid digital strides of the state which has achieved 100 percent mobile connectivity, 75 percent e-literacy, maximum digital banking, broadband connectivity upto the Panchayat level, linking bank accounts with AADHAR cards and e-district plan in all districts.
President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated India’s first Gender Park at Kozhikode district of Kerala. It is also the first of its kind gender equality convergence centre in Asia.
Current Affairs – February 2016 Mumbai wins Ranji Trophy 2016
Mumbai has won the Ranji Trophy for a season 2015-16 by defeating Saurashtra. With this victory, Mumbai clinched Ranji title for record 41st time.
Gianni Infantino elected as President of FIFA
Gianni Infantino (45) of Switzerland has been elected as new President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), a global governing body of football.
13th World Spice Congress begins in Ahmedabad
The 13th edition of World Spice Congress (WSC) will begin in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The theme of the three-day biennial event is ‘Target 2020: Clean, Safe and Sustainable Supply Chain’.
ISRO to set up Satellite Centre for in ASEAN countries in Vietnam
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is working to establishment of a Satellite Tracking & Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility for ASEAN Member countries in Vietnam. ISRO will set up this satellite centre at the behest of Union Government as part of Space Cooperation between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha.
India, UK institutions ink agreement for collaboration in Crop Sciences
India, UK institutions ink agreement for collaboration in Crop Sciences
Department of Biotechnology in the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has signed a MoU with a consortium of top United Kingdom (UK) research institutions for joint India-UK collaboration programme in crop science. The consortium UK research institutions included representatives from Cambridge based National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB), John Innes Centre, Norwich based University of East Anglia and Rothamsted Research Institute.
Vinod Rai appointed as first Chairman of Banks Board Bureau
Former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai has been appointed as the first Chairman of Banks Board Bureau (BBB). His appointment comes after Prime Minister has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services for the constitution of the BBB.
About Banks Board Bureau (BBB)
BBB will be a super authority (Autonomous Body) of eminent professionals and officials for public sector banks (PSBs). It will replace the Appointments Board of Government. The bureau was announced by the Union Government in August 2015 as part of seven point Indradhanush Mission to revamp the PSBs.
Functions:
- Give recommendations for appointment of full-time Directors as well as non-Executive Chairman of PSBs.
- Give advice to PSBs in developing differentiated strategies for raising funds through innovative financial methods and instruments and to deal with issues of stressed assets.
- Guide banks on mergers and consolidations and also ways to address the bad loans problem among other issues.
- Currently, there are 22 state-owned banks or PSBs in India including State Bank of India (SBI), IDBI Bank and Bhartiya Mahila Bank etc.
- Government wants BBB to restructure business strategy of PSBs and also suggest way forward for their consolidation and merger with other banks as they are grappling with a huge problem of bad loans and high collective gross NPAs (Non-Performing Assets).
The Oscar Awards for the year 2016 were presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 24 categories
Indian Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra made her debut on the Oscars red carpet and presented the award.
The list of winners of 88th Academy Awards
Best Picture: Spotlight
Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu for The Revenant
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
Best Actress: Brie Larson for Room
Twitter launches Position of Strength Campaign to Empower Women
Micro blogging site Twitter for first time has launched #Positionofstrength campaign in India to empower women to raise voices against any form of discrimination. The campaign seeks spread awareness to bridge the gender equality gap online in India and inspire the of women leaders next generation to have an influential voice in society. It was launched by taking cue from a study showcasing a prevailing male dominance over both online and offline space.
Dinesh Sharma has been unanimously elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Council of International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ranveer Singh chosen for 2016 Dinanath Mangeshkar Award
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Ranveer Singh have been chosen for the prestigious 2016 Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award.
The award was instituted in 1999 in the memory of Dinanath Mangeshkar, father of Lata Mangeshkar. Since then it is awarded annually to persons for their outstanding contributions to music and movies.
Feb 4 World Cancer Day;
Theme: "We Can, I Can"
Feb 13 World
Radio Day;
Theme: “Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster”
Feb
20 World Day of Social Justice
Feb 21 International Mother Language Day
(Bhasha Divas);
“Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes”.
Feb 28 National Science Day– ‘Raman
Effect' by C.V Raman (1928)
Theme: “Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation”
Theme: “Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation”
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