current affairs feb 2015 datewise

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CURRENT AFFAIRS – FEBRUARY 2015 – DATE WISE NOTES

1 February 2015

Novak Djokovic Won Australian Open Men’s Singles Title

Novak Djokovic (Serbia) won the Australian Open Men’s singles title. He defeated Britain’s Andy Murray in the final on 1 February. Djokovic had earlier won the Australian Open titles in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013. This was his 8th career Grand Slam title.

Leander Peas – Martina Hingis Won Australian Open Mixed Doubles Title

India’s Leander Paes and his Swiss teammate Martina Hingis have won Australian Open mixed doubles title on 1 February. In the final they defeated Canadian-French team of Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic, in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-3. With this win Leander Paes clinched his 15th Grand Slam title.

Sergio Mattarella Elected As New President of Italy

Italy’s parliament has elected constitutional court judge Sergio Mattarella as the country’s President. He will Italy’s 12th president and succeed Giorgio Napolitano who had resigned earlier in January 2015 citing reason of poor health before his 2020 expiry term.

2 February 2015

Nandita Chatterjee Takes Over As New Secretary of HUPA

Nandita Chatterjee on 2 February took over as the new Secretary in the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA). Her last assignment was as Member-Secretary, National Commission for Women(NCW). Nandita Chatterjee succeeded Anita Agnihotri who was posted to other Ministry on 31 January 2015.

Pakistan Successfully Test Fires New Cruise Missile Ra’ad

Pakistan on 2 February conducted a successful test-fire of the Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) named Ra’ad. The Ra’ad Missile, with a range of over 350 km, has been developed exclusively for launch from Aerial Platforms.This

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missile system has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic standoff capability on land and at sea.

Arvind Kumar Jain is new UP Police DG

Arvind Kumar Jain was appointed as the new Director General (DG) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police. He will serve the post for just two months as he is due to demit the office on 31 March 2015. Jain succeeded Arun Kumar Gupta who retired as the DG Police of Uttar Pradesh on 31 January 2015.

World Wetlands Day was Observed On 2 February

World Wetlands Day was observed across the world on 2 February. The theme for the world wetland day 2015 is Wetlands for our future. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands also called as Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. For first time, WWD was celebrated in year 1997 and since then it is observed every year.

3 February 2015

Sergio Mattarella Sworn In As Italian President

Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge, has been sworn in as Italy’s new President on 3 February. He is the 12th President of Italy since the country became a Republic after World War II. Sergio Mattarella was elected as the President of Italy on 31 January 2015. He succeeded Giorgio Napolitano, 89, who stepped down from the post in January 2015 citing signs of fatigue.

Indian Author Sengupta Shortlisted For Hayek Prize

Indian Journalist-writer Hindol Sengupta’s book Recasting India: How Entrepreneurship is Revolutionizing the World’s Largest Democracy, has been shortlisted for the U.S.’ prestigious Hayek Prize, 2015. His book on entrepreneurial ventures in India is among the six books in race for this prestigious award.

Haryana Govt Launches Statewide Online Registration Of Land Deals


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Haryana, the Manohar Lal Khattar government on 3 February launched online registration of land deals in all tehsils of the state. Initially, the facility was offered in only eight tehsils. After the successful implementation of the pilot project during past more than a month, the facility will be available in all 130 tehsils and sub-tehsils of Haryana. Under the new system, documents for land registration have to be submitted at e-Disha centres, where a helpdesk will provide information regarding stamp duty and collector rates. The help desk will fix the appointment date of applicants with tehsildars for registration of sale deed.

Dr.Zakir A.Naik Won 2015 King Faisal International Prize

Dr. Zakir A. Naik, president of the Islamic Research Foundation of India, won the 2015 King Faisal International Prize (KFIP) for Service to Islam on 3 February. King Faisal International Prize is an annual award presented to dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive difference and sponsored by King Faisal Foundation.

4 February 2015

Mary Mc Gowan Davis To Head UNHRC Gaza Probe

UN Human Rights Council has appointed former US judge Mary McGowan Davis as the new head of a UN inquiry into the 50-day Gaza conflict last year, replacing William Schabas who quit this week after a controversy. Earlier, McGowan Davis had served as a justice on New York’s Supreme Court, and chaired the UN follow-up committee to probe into the 2008-2009 war between Israel and Hamas.

Ajay Shukla Takes Charge As New Member (Traffic) In Railway Board

Ajay Shukla took over charge as the Member (Traffic) in the Railway Board. The post had been lying vacant since the retirement of D P Pande on January 31.Currently, Ajay Shukla is an Additional Member (Commercial) Railway Board. Ajay Shukla is senior officer of 1979 batch of Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS).

World Cancer Day was Observed Across The World

World Cancer Day was observed across the world on 4 February. The tagline for the WCD 2015 was Not beyond Us. The tagline signified that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach.The


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WCD 2015 explored how we can implement what we already know in the areas of prevention, early detection, treatment and care so as to impact the global cancer burden for the better.This day is observed to raise the collective voices for improving the general knowledge around cancer and dismiss the misconceptions about the disease.

JK Group Chairman Gaur Hari Singhania Died

JK group Chairman Gaur Hari Singhania was died on 4 February in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was 80. Singhania was also the President of J K Organisation and a Promoter Director of JK Cement Ltd since its inception in 1994. A sports lover, he was also the chief patron of Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association’s (UPCA), he opened Sir Padampat Singhania Bridge Academy to promote bridge as a sports. In the field of education, he contributed to various universities and had opened a university at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

5 February 2015

Kolkata Becomes First WiFi-enabled Metro City

Kolkata, West Bengal’s capital city, has become India’s first fully WiFi-enabled metro city. Reliance JIO is reportedly providing the services. The WiFi services will be initially free of charge. The services inaugurated by the West Bengal chief minister, Mamta Banerjee have been first made available at Park Street. It will be next available in the Ghariahat-Gol Park area of South Kolkata and accordingly by the end of April 2015, the whole city will be WiFi enabled.

LC Goyal Takes Charge As Union Home Secretary

LC Goyal on 5 February took charge as the new Union home secretary replacing Anil Goswami who had resigned on 4 February. Anil Goswami was given the marching orders after he admitted that he had called up CBI officers to dissuade them from summoning former Union minister Matang Sinh in the Saradha scam. Goyal, a 1979 batch IAS officer belonging to the Kerala cadre, was secretary, rural development ministry. He has earlier served as joint secretary (internal security) in the home ministry from 2002 to 2007. He will have a fixed tenure of two years.

Gujarat Handloom Corporation To Launch E-comm Portal

Gujarat State Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation (GSHHDC) will soon launch its own e-commerce portal under the ‘Garvi-Gurjari’ brand


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to reach out to a bigger customer base and boost sales in overseas markets. GSHHDC, a Gujarat government undertaking which owns ‘Garvi-Gurjari’ stores across the country, has also signed an MoU with global e-commerce giant eBay and plans to tie up with domestic e-commerce majors such as Flipkart and Snapdeal.

6 February 2015

Dr.M.O.Garg Assumes Charge As Director General of CSIR

Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun, Dr. M.O. Garg, has assumed charge as the Director General of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).He will replace PS Ahuja who had held this post since May 2014. M.O. Garg is a gold medalist in Chemical Engineering from Nagpur University and has M.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur. He also has completed PhD from University of Melbourne.

Micromax Appoints Shubhajit Sen As new CMO

Indian smartphone maker Micromax Informatics has appointed Shubhajit Sen as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). His appointment seeks to boost its marketing efforts as it looks to further improve its position in the surging smartphone market in the country. As the CMO, Sen will be leading all marketing efforts for the company across markets while strengthening the overall brand communication.

Marathi Novelist Bhalchandra Nemade Chosen For Jnanpith Award

Eminent Marathi litterateur Bhalchandra Nemade, whose 1963 novel Kosala(Cocoon) changed the dimensions of Marathi novel, was on 6 February selected for 2014 Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour in India, by the Jnanpith Selection Board.Nemade is the 4th Marathi writer to receive the honour and is the 50th recipient of Jnanpith award.

7 February 2015

Second Prototype Of Naval Version Of LCA-Tejas Tested Successfully

Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) on 7 February successfully tested the second prototype of naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas in Bengaluru, Karnataka. This successful maiden flight is considered as


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significant milestone in the India’s indigenous carrier borne aircraft development programme. NP2 in its successful flight test showcased its arrested landing and ski-jump take off.

UN appoints Nickolay Mladenov as new Special Coordinator for Middle East peace

United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Nickolay Mladenov of Bulgaria as new Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority. He will replace Robert Serry of the Netherlands and oversee the ongoing UN-backed reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

Reliance Jio Infocomm President Sumit Dutta Chowdhury Resigned

Telecom operator Reliance Jio Infocomm President Sumit Dutta Chowdhury on 7 February resigned to start his own venture. He joined Reliance Jio in September 2012 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for one year and then moved into business leadership role.

8 February 2015

Veteran Marathi theatre Artist Atmaram Bhende Died

Veteran Marathi theatre artist and film actor Atmaram Bhende, considered the doyen of Marathi experimental theatre, was died in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 91. He was considered the doyen of Marathi experimental theatre and had graced the Marathi stage for more than six decades. Atmaram Bhende was born in May 1923. He was affectionately called as Bapu by colleagues and coworkers. Between 1954-60s, he was the Joint Secretary of the Marathi Natya Parishad and was first to introduce the concept of revolving stage in Marathi theatre. In his 6 decade long acting career, he has acted in various Marathi, Hindi films and also in TV shows. He also had appeared in English plays and had translated two of the American playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder’s plays into Marathi.

Anirban Lahiri Won Maiden European Tour Title In Malaysia

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri secured his breakthrough European Tour title by overhauling Austrian Bernd Wiesberger in a dramatic final round of the


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Malaysian Open. In the final 4th round he defeated Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger by one shot at the Kaula Lumpur Golf Club and Country Club.

PM constituted 3 Sub-groups of Chief Ministers within NITI Aayog

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has constituted three sub-groups of Chief Ministers within National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog. The decision was made after the first meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog. * First sub-group- It will study the 66 centrally-sponsored schemes and recommend which schemes should continue, which should be transferred to states, and which to discontinue. * Second sub-group- It will focus on skill development and creation of skilled manpower within states. * Third sub-group- It will decide on the institutional mechanisms to be evolved for Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, so that cleanliness becomes a part of life in perpetuity.

9 February 2015

Vodafone India Appoints Naveen Chopra As Chief Operating Officer

Vodafone India has appointed Naveen Chopra as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Prior to this appointment, Chopra was Director of Vodafone Business Services (VBS). He will succeed Sunil Sood, who earlier was elevated to post of CEO in the company. His appointment will come into effect from April 1, 2015.

M Ravindran Takes Over As Chairman of Indraprastha Gas Ltd

M Ravindran has taken over as the Chairman of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL). He has replaced K K Gupta, Director (Marketing) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), who has relinquished the charge upon completion of his two-year tenure.

Union Ministry For Health & Family Welfare Launched National Deworming Initiative

The Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri J P Nadda launched the National Deworming initiative on the eve of the National Deworming Day at JaipThe initiative is aimed at protecting more than 24 crore children in the


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ages of 1-19 years from intestinal worms. This initiative aims to target intestinal parasitic worms among the children to achieve status of being Worm-free. According to WHO estimates, nearly 24 crore children in India in the age group of 1-14 years are at risk of intestinal parasitic worm infestation.

10 February 2015

ICICI Bank Launched India’s First digital bank Pockets

ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, has launched India’s first digital Bank on mobile phones, Pockets.This digital e-wallet can be downloaded from Google Playstore. Pockets, the digital e-wallet uses a virtual VISA card that enables the users to transact on any website or mobile application in India.

Delhi Assembly Elections 2015 Results Declared

Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared the results of Delhi Legislative Assembly election 2015. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headed by Arvind Kejriwal secured absolute majority in the assembly by winning 67 seats in the house of 70 seats. The AAP won 54.3% of the popular votes while BJP got 32.2% and the Congress 9.7%. 2015 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections were held on 7 February 2015 to elect 70 members of the Sixth Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Economist Amartya Sen Won John Maynard Keynes Prize 2015

Economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has won the newly instituted Charleston-EFG John Maynard Keynes Prize 2015. He was chosen for this award for his ground-breaking work that has profound impact on the formation of development policy worldwide and outstanding contribution to society. Amartya Sen will receive £7,500 to commission a work of art. He will also give the annual Charleston-EFG Keynes Lecture on the topic The Economic Consequences of Austerity at the Charleston Festival on 23 May 2015.

11 February 2015

West Bengal Government Launched Micro Business Credit Card To Boost MSMEs


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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 11 February launched a Micro Business Credit Card which will give a boost to MSME sector in the state. This would facilitate small and medium business entrepreneurs in the state. With the help of this card, the small and medium entrepreneurs will be able to avail the cash credit or loan up to 5 lakh rupees for their business activities, even without collateral security.

Adani Enterprises To Set Up Country’s Largest 10,000 MW Solar Plant In Rajasthan

The Rajasthan Government and Adani Enterprises Ltd., signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for developing solar parks with a capacity of 10,000 MW in the next ten years. The MoU was signed by Adani Enterprises CEO Vineet Jain and Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Managing Director B. K. Dosi in the presence of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Adani Enterprises, the flagship company of the Adani group, will develop solar parks having a capacity of 10,000 MW in the next ten years. Of these, solar parks of 5,000 MW capacity will be developed in the next five years. Adani Enterprises will set up solar power projects of 5,000 MW on its own as part of these solar parks in addition to solar manufacturing units and power evacuation system.

Four New Fish Species Discovered In Kerala

Four new fish species named Puntius nelsoni, Puntius nigronotus, Systomus chryseus and Systomus rufus have been discovered in Kerala.They were discovered by Mathews Plamoottil, a zoology professor at Baby John Memorial Government College in Kollam. These new fishes have been deposited in the museum of the Zoological Survey of India at Kolkata and Kozhikode.

12 February 2015

Gurpreet Singh Receives NSF Career Award For Nanotechnology Research

An Indian American researcher at Kansas State University (KSU), Gurpreet Singh, has been given a $500,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award, which will help him further his research on nanosheets, and help organize educational activities for high school students and teachers. Singh will use the award to develop ultrathin metal sheets that can help produce better rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors and catalysts for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production.


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SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Successfully Launches From Cape Canaveral

An unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a space weather satellite has successfully launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on its third attempt. This satellite will be used by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor the Sun.The satellite will collect the information on solar storms and will monitor changes in solar wind and provide warnings on hazardous outbursts from earth to warn forecasters. It will also help forecasters to predict changes which affect satellites, power grids and communication systems.

Odisha Chief Information Commissioner Tarun Kanti Mishra Resigned

Odisha Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Tarun Kanti Mishra resigned from his post on 12 February. A 1975-batch IAS officer, Mishra is also is associated with several cultural activities besides discharging his duties and responsibilities as an administrative officer. Mishra retired from the government service in August 2010. Post-retirement, he was appointed at the state level selection committee meeting chaired by chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. On 15 November 2010, he was appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner of Odisha by replacing D.N. Padhee. Mishra has also written several books and compilation of short stories. He was also awarded with the prestigious Odisha Sahitya Academy Award for his significant contribution to Odia literature.

13 February 2015

US Names Russian Nuclear Power Plants for India, Iran Best Projects of 2014

The Russian-backed Iranian nuclear power station Bushehr and the Kudankulam Indian nuclear power plant projects were named projects of the year 2014 by the US Power Engineering magazine in the “Nuclear energy” category. The editors claim that these projects represent global nuclear trends as the modern technologies they use produce cleaner and more effective sources of energy.

Chhetri and Bala Devi Presented with 2014 AIFF Player of the Year Award

National men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri and National women’s team striker Bala Devi were awarded with the All India Football Federations (AIFF) 2014 Player of the Year trophy in men and women category, respectively.


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MCX appoints V Balasubramaniam as new MD and CEO

Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), India’s largest commodity derivatives trading platform, has decided to appoint Balasubramaniam Venkataramani as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will replace then MD & CEO Manoj Vaish.

World Radio Celebrated Across The Globe

World Radio Day was celebrated across the globe on 13 February 2015. The theme for World Radio Day 2015 is Youth and Radio. The day is a global celebration of radio as a forum for entertainment and information, as a bridge of communication for remote communities and its role in empowering people.United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) annually celebrate the World Radio Day by planning activities with broadcasters, organizations and communities around the world. UNESCO at its 36th General Assembly on 3 November 2011 proclaimed 13 February as World Radio Day. The first World Radio Day was officially celebrated in 2012.

14 February 2015

Arvind Kejriwal Sworn In As 8th Delhi Chief Minister

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal was sworn-in as 8th Chief Minister of Delhi on 14 February 2015 in Ramlila Maidan, Delhi. Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung administered the oath of office and secrecy to Kejriwal. In 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP staged a historic victory by sweeping 67 of the 70 seats. This will be Arvind Kejriwal‘s second term as Delhi Chief Minister. Earlier in February 2014, he had resigned after running a 49-day government with the support of Congress.

India Successfully Test Fired BrahMos Missile From INS Kolkata

India on 14 February successfully test-fired its 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy’s newest destroyer INS Kolkata. The launch off the Goa coast was flawless and the missile met all its designed parameters. INS Kolkata, which was commissioned by the Indian Navy on August 16, 2014, has the capability of firing the highest number of BrahMos missiles. While a ship normally has the capacity to fire eight missiles, INS Kolkata can fire 16 BrahMos missile in salvo mode. This is the first ship of this class, with two more in the pipeline.


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3-D Vaccine Adds New Dimension To Cancer Research

Researchers recently developed a new 3-D vaccine that may be crucial to using the body’s immune system to defeat cancer and infectious diseases. The vaccine is composed of nanoscale silica rods, which are administered via injection. Once inside the body, the rods group together into a scaffold-like structure. This structure is then able to draw in immune cells and teach them how to take on threats to the body. Rather than introducing a weakened version of the disease in order to expose the immune system to it, this works on the immune cells directly.

15 February 2015

Virat Kohli Becomes First Indian To Score Century Against Pakistan at World Cup 2015

Virat Kohli on 15 February returned to form in the high-stake game against Pakistan. In the process, he also became the first ever Indian cricketer to score a hundred in this ICC World Cup fixture between two arch-rivals. He reached the milestone with a single off Shahid Afridi in the 42nd over. Kohli scored 107-run off 126-balls at the Adelaide Oval, Australia.

Usain Bolt To Retire After 2017 Worlds Championships In London

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt announced that he will retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships in London. The 28-year-old six-time Olympic gold medalist also said that he will focus on the 100metres in 2017. Usain Bolt is widely regarded as the fastest person ever. He is the first man to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time measurements became mandatory in 1977. Usain Bolt’s Honours :- * Six Olympic gold medals – 100m, 200m & 4x100m – Beijing 2008; 100m, 200m & 4x100m – London 2012 * Eight World Championship gold medals – 100, 200m & 4x100m – Berlin 2009; 200m & 4x100m – Daegu 2011; 100, 200m & 4x100m – Moscow 2013 * One Commonwealth Games gold medal – 4x100m – Glasgow 2014 * World records – 9.58secs (100m); 19.19secs (200m).

Tessy Thomas and Geeta Varadan Selected For Dr.Y. Nayudamma Memorial Award 2014


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The prestigious Dr Y Nayudamma Memorial Award 2014 will be conferred on Dr Tessy Thomas, Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, DRDO and Geeta Varadan, Director, Advanced Data Processing Research Institute, ISRO. The award is being conferred on them jointly for their significant contributions in the fields of missile technology and remote sensing.

16 February 2015

India and Sri Lanka Signed 4 Agreements Including Civil Nuclear Cooperation

Sri Lanka’s newly-elected President Maithripala Sirisena on 16 February held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and the two sides inked four agreements, including one on civil nuclear cooperation.

Nagesh Kukunoor’s ‘Dhanak’ Honoured at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival

Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor’s film “Dhanak” has bagged The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the best feature-length film and also received a special mention at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival. He was also endowed with euro 7,500.

Chhattisgarh Govt. Won Award For Renewable Power Development

Chhattisgarh was felicitated for emerging as one of the best performing states in the renewable energy segment. Principal Secretary of Chhattisgarh’s Energy department, Aman Singh was presented this award by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the first Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet (RE-Invest) 2015 held in New Delhi. The state was adjudged this award on the basis of criteria fixed by 13th Finance Commission headed by Vijay Kelkar.

17 February 2015

Delhi Airport Ranked Best In ACI award

Delhi Airport has been adjudged the best, among the world’s most performing airports in the 25-40 million passengers per annum category by the Airport Council International (ACI), with Mumbai Airport also figuring in the top five list. Indira Gandhi International Airport won the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award, which recognises and rewards the best airports in the world based on Geneva-based ACI’s ASQ passenger satisfaction survey. Both Delhi’s IGI and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International (CSI) airports are


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operated under a joint venture between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and private firms. IGI is run by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a joint venture between the AAI and GMR Group-led consortium, while the CSI is run by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), a joint venture between the AAI and GVK group-led consortium.

HTC appoints Faisal Siddiqui as new South Asia President

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC has appointed Faisal Siddiqui as new regional President of HTC South Asia. He succeeds Jack Yang, who is leaving HTC for personal reasons and will move into an advisory role during this transition of the South Asia business. Currently, Faisal Siddiqui is Vice President and head of HTC India.South Asia region includes, India, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and emerging markets in Asia.

Punit Renjen Appointed as CEO of Deloitte’s Global Operations

India-born executive Punit Renjen was appointed as the Chief executive officer (CEO) of accounting giant Deloitte’s global operations.Punit Renjen belongs to Rohtak in Haryana. He will take over as Deloitte’s global operations CEO from 1 June 2015 and will replace Varry Salzberg. Deloitte is U.S. based accounting giant which is present across 150 countries including India and employs over two lakh people. It is among the four largest audit firms, popularly known as “Big-Four”. Other three firms of this “Big-Four” group are PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG and Ernst & Young (EY). With his appointment, Renjen, thus becomes the first Indian to lead a ‘Big-Four” audit firm.

Javed Usmani Sworn In As New CIC of Uttar Pradesh

Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Jawed Usmani was sworn-in as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Uttar Pradesh.The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Ram Naik at Raj Bhavan, Lucknow.He was sworn-in to the office after he took voluntary retirement as Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Revenue.

18 February 2015

Noted Film Producer Daggubati Ramanaidu Died


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Dada Saheb Phalke award winner and Padmabhushan award recipient Daggubati Ramanaidu died on 18 February in Hyderabad. He was 78. Basically a Telugu Cinema producer, Ramanaidu made films in almost all Indian languages. He holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most films produced by an individual, as he has produced more than 150 films in 13 Indian languages. In 1960’s he started Suresh Productions and in 1964, made debut as producer in film Raamudu Bheemudu. In 1980’s he had established Rama Naidu Studios in Hyderabad. He was conferred with the Dada Saheb Phalke Award (2009) and Padma Bhushan (2012) in recognition for his contribution to Telugu cinema.

10th Aero India Show Begins In Bengaluru

10th edition of Aero India show has begun at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Aero India is a biennial event. It comprises of aircrafts, aviation products, aero technology and air shows. The organizer of Aero India is Defence Exhibition Organisation (DEO), an arm of the Ministry of Defence and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The first edition of Aero India was held in 1996. Since then, the event has gradually earned international recognition, and has seen increased participation from exhibitors. Aero India 2015 will be the 10th edition of this event and its main theme is ‘Make in India’, the new Indian refrain that invites defence and civil aerospace manufacturers to think of manufacturing in the country.

Snapdeal.com Acquired Fashion Portal Exclusively.com

Online shopping portal Snapdeal.com has acquired premium and luxury fashion site Exclusively.com for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Snapdeal.com aims to further strengthen its fashion business and reach 2 billion US dollars in gross merchandise value in the fashion category in 2015. It will also complement Snapdeal’s existing ecosystem and provide it with a consolidated offering for the luxury and lifestyle shopper, making it India’s first online luxury mall.

19 February 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Launched ‘Soil Health Card’ scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the centrally sponsored nation-wide ‘Soil Health Card’ (SHC) scheme on 19 February in Suratgarh town of Sriganganagar district, Rajasthan. The Soil Health Card under the scheme will carry crop-wise recommendations of nutrients\fertilizers required for farms of different soil types, will make it possible for farmers to improve


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productivity through judicious use of inputs. The cards under this scheme will be issued to all 14 crore holdings across the country in three years. The move will help the farmers in identifying “health of the soil” which will go a long way in improving productivity through judicious and selective use of fertilizers and water. A computerized system is being developed to allow local agriculture science centers across the country to keep details of ‘soil test’ results.

Union Government Launches Single Window e-biz Portal

The Union Minister of Finance Arun Jaitley launched a single window eBiz portal for 11 Central government services to bring transparency and ease of doing business in the country.The 11 Central Government services that will be catered by the portal include four services of Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), two services of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), two services of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), one service each from Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO).

Anil Kumble and Betty Wilson To Be Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Anil Kumble, the former India captain and one of the most versatile wrist-spinners to ever play the game, and Betty Wilson, one of the greatest women’s cricketers of all-time, will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 match between India and South Africa at the MCG on 22 February. Kumble, with 619 Test wickets, is the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708), while his 337 wickets in ODIs ranks him in ninth position on the all-time list of most successful bowlers in that format. Kumble captained India in 14 Tests between 2007 and 2008, winning three and losing five. Betty Wilson, a former Australia batter, played 11 Tests between 1947 and 1958 in which she scored 862 runs at average of 57.4 and took 68 wickets at 11.8 per wicket.

20 February 2015

Scientist Tapan Misra To Head ISRO’s Space Application Centre

Eminent scientist Tapan Misra has been appointed the Chief of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad Gujarat. He will succeed A S Kiran Kumar, who was appointed as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in January 2015.


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Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi Resigned

Jitan Ram Manjhi has resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar on 20 February. His resignation was accepted by Governor of Bihar Keshri Nath Tripathi. He resigned before the trust vote. Jitan Ram Manjhi was 23rd CM of Bihar, elected in May 2014 by the Janata Dal (United) Party legislators.He was appointed as CM following the resignation of then CM Nitish Kumar, who had resigned from the post taking the responsibility of his party’s (JDU) dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Union Government Approved Various Highway Projects

Union Government has approved various highway projects in states of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh worth over Rs 8,600 crore. The work for these approved road projects will be under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-V.This decision was taken by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

21 February 2015

Chrishantha de Silva Appointed as Sri Lanka Army chief

Former Chief of Staff of the Army Major General Chrishantha de Silva has been appointed as the 21st Commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) by President Maithripala Sirisena. He will succeed Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake with effect from 22 February 2015.De Silva had joined the Sri Lanka Army as cadet officer in 1980 and has served in many regions including operational areas.

Rashad Hussain Appointed As US Special Envoy and Coordinator

Indian-American Rashad Hussain has been appointed Special Envoy and Coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications in the United States (US). Hussain is currently the Special Envoy of the US to Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and will hold both the posts. As Special Envoy he will lead a staff from a number of U.S. departments and agencies to expand global engagement and partnerships of the US to counter violent extremism.As part of new role, he will also coordinate, orient, and inform government-wide strategic communications focused on violent extremists and terrorist organisations.


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International Mother Language Day Observed Across The World On 21 February

International Mother Language Day (Bhasha Divas) was observed across the world on 21 February 2015. This day is observed with an aim to promote awareness of linguistic, multilingualism and cultural diversity. International Mother Language Day was announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999 and was formally recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages. It celebrates cultural diversity and commemorates the “language martyr” students of 1952 Bangladesh. In 1952 four students were killed on 21 February 1952 because they campaigned to officially use Bengali as their mother language in Bangladesh instead of Urdu. These students are honored by the encouragement of multiculturalism and the promotion of protective measures for endangered languages. Current International Mother Language Day events include multicultural festivals which promote the hearing of all voices, and display social cohesion, cultural awareness, and tolerance. The unique nuances and subtleties of linguistic communication which connect individuals to culture and personal identity are valued and encouraged.

22 February 2015

Indian-American Purnendu Dasgupta Won Prestigious Chemistry Award

Purnendu Dasgupta, an Indian-American has won 2015 American Chemical Society (ACSs) Division of Analytical Chemistry J. Calvin Giddings Award. He was awarded this award for his special contribution in the field of analytical chemistry. The national award recognises a scientist, who has enhanced the professional development of analytical chemistry students, developed and published innovative experiments, designed and improved equipment or teaching labs and published influential textbooks or significant articles on teaching analytical chemistry.

Union Government Launches Portal ‘Madad’ To Redress Consular Grievances

Union Government has launched Consular Grievances Monitoring portal named MADAD (Help). MADAD an e-portal will help Indian citizens living abroad to file consular grievances online on the services offered by the Indian Missions and Posts abroad. The portal ‘Madad’(Help) was launched at the Ministry of External Affairs or MEA headquarters in Delhi by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.


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Nitish Kumar Sworn In As CM For Bihar For 4th time

Janatal Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth time. Governor of Bihar Keshri Nath Tripathi administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at the oath taking ceremony held on 22 February at Raj Bhawan in Patna.He succeeded Jitan Ram Manjhi, who resigned from his office on 20 February 2015 before the trust vote wherein he was supposed to prove majority in the 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly.

23 February 2015

87th Academy Awards

87th Academy Award, popularly called Oscar Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on 23 February. The award ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The Oscar Awards were presented in 24 categories. They are :- * Best Picture – Birdman * Best Director – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Birdman * Best Actor – Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything * Best Actress – Julianne Moore for Still Alice * Best Supporting Actor – JK Simmons for Whiplash * Best Supporting Actress – Patricia Arquette for Boyhood * Achievement in Costume Design – Milena Canonero for The Grand Budapest Hotel * Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling – Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier for The Grand Budapest Hotel * Best Foreign Language Film – Ida ( Poland ) * Best Live Action Short Film – The Phone Call * Best Documentary Short Subject – Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 * Original Screenplay – Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo for Birdman * Achievement in Sound Mixing – Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, Thomas Curley for Whiplash * Achievement in Sound Editing – Alan Robert Murray Bub Asman for American Sniper * Achievement in Visual Effects – Ian Hunter, Scott Fisher, Andrew Lockley and Paul Franklin for Interstellar * Best Animated Short Film – Feast directed by Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed * Best Animated Movie – Big Hero Six 6 * Achievement in Production Design – Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock for The Grand Budapest Hotel * Achievement in Cinematograph – Emannuel Lubezki for Birdman * Achievement in Film Editing – Tom Cross for Whipalsh * Best Documentary Feature – Citizen Four directed by Laura Poitras * Best Original Song – Glory (Selma)


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* Best Original Score – Alexandre Desplat for The Grand Budapest Hotel * Best Adapted Screenplay – Graham Moore for The Imitation Game

Takahiro Hachigo Appointed as new President and CEO of Honda

Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co has appointed Takahiro Hachigo as its new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He replace Takanobu Ito, who had stepped down from the top most post in an unexpected move on 23 February 2015.

Ram Niwas Goel Elected As New Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Ram Niwas Goyal was elected as the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. In recent Delhi Assembly election, Goel was elected from Shahdara constituency located in north Delhi. While AAP legislator Ms. Bandana Kumari, was elected Deputy Speaker of the House.

24 February 2015

Chris Gayle Hits First-Ever World Cup Double Hundred

Chris Gayle of West Indies made history on 24 February after he became the first-ever cricketer to score a double century in an ICC World Cup match. He made this record by scoring 215 runs off just 138 balls in a Pool-B match against Zimbabwe held at Manuka Oval stadium in Canberra, Australia. Till now Gary Kirsten’s 188 not out against UAE (in 1996) was the highest score as far as World Cup is concerned. Chris Gayle broke this record by a significant margin as he went on to score 215, which was the first-ever double century in ICC World Cup. He hit 16 sixes and 10 fours in his 147-ball innings and was out on the last ball of West Indies’ innings.

IPCC Chairman RK Pachauri Resigned

Dr Rajendra K Pachauri has stepped down as Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with effect from 24 February. Pachauri is suspected to be involved in a sexual harassment case with a woman employee of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the environmental-think tank that he heads as its Director General. Apart from proceeding on leave from TERI, he announced his resignation as Chairperson of IPCC.


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Ex-Pakistan Chief Justice Bhagwandas Died

Rana Bhagwandas, the first Hindu to serve as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,was died in Karachi, Pakistan. He was 72 year old. He was the first Hindu and the second non-Muslim to head of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. First non-Muslim CJP was Alvin Robert Cornelius (He was Christian). Rana Bhagwandas was appointed as a judge of the Sindh High Court. In 2005 for first time he was appointed as acting Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for few days and again in 2006 during the absence of then CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry. During the Pakistan’s judicial crisis of 2007, he was again appointed as acting Chief Justice. After his retirement from Supreme Court, he was appointed as the chairman of Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) of Pakistan. In 2009, as chairman FPSC, he had headed the interview panel for the selection of Pakistan’s Civil Servants.

25 February 2015

Ravi Chaudhary Appointed As Executive Director at FAA

Indian-American Ravi Chaudhary has been appointed as Executive director for Regions and Center Operations at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a key federal aviation post of United States (US). As Executive director of FAA,Chaudhary would be responsible for executing a $288 million operating budget and would lead more than 2,100 federal employees in the nine regions.

Union Cabinet Approved NTPC’s 15,000 MW Solar Power Projects

The union cabinet on 25 February approved state-run power producer NTPC Ltd’s plans to set up 15,000 megawatt of grid-connected solar projects, which would be completed in three tranches. The rapidly falling cost of solar power has ignited interest in its potential in Asia’s third-largest economy, which relies on coal for three-fifths of its energy needs while solar supplies less than 1 percent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to make India one of the world’s largest renewable energy markets, targeting 100,000 MW of output by 2022 from just 3,000 MW currently.

D K Pandey Appointed new Jharkhand DGP

Senior IPS officer D K Pandey was appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand. He is a 1984 batch Indian Police Service (IPS)


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officer. He succeeded Rajeev Kumar who was posted as the DGP (Training). Kumar is an IPS officer of 1981 batch.

26 February 2015

Railway Budget 2015-16

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the Railway Budget 2015-16 in the Lok Sabha on 26 February 2015. In his first Railway Budget, Prabhu outlined a plan to invest over 8 lakh crore rupees over 5 years. The size of the Plan Budget has gone up by 52 percent from 65789 crore rupees in 2014-15 to 100011 crore rupees in 2015-16. Highlights of Railway Budget 2015-16 :- * No increase in railway passenger fares. * Passengers can book tickets 120 days in advance instead of 60 days which was available till date * ‘Operation 5 mins’, wherein passengers travellling unreserved can purchase a ticket in 5 minutes. * Bio toilets and airplane-type vaccum toilets in trains. * Surveillance cameras in select coaches and ladies compartments for women’s safety without compromising on privacy. * The speed passenger trains across nine corridors will be increased to 160-200 km from 110 km * Wi-fi will be available at 400 railway stations * Facility of online booking of wheelchair for senior citizens. * Satellite railway terminals in major cities. * Centrally managed Rail Display Network is expected to be introduced in over 2K stations over the next 2 years. * All india 24/7 helpline – 138 from March 2015 ; Toll free No.182 for security. * 917 road under-bridges and over-bridges to be constructed to replace 3,438 railway crossings; at a cost of Rs. 6,581 crore. * Four Railway Research Centres to start in four universities. * 24 to 26 coaches in certain identified trains, more general class coaches, ladders to be replaced. * 17000 more toilets to be replaced by bio-toilets. * The facility of e-ticketing will help railways to go paper less. * SMS alert services for passengers to inform them about arrival and departure of trains. * Modern facilities for disabled citizens, senior citizens, patients through IRCTC. * Rs 8.5 lakh crore will be invested in Railways in next 5 years. * Cleanliness in Railways highest priority under Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat. * Surveillance cameras on select mainline and ladies compartments. * A1 category stations will be given the facility of Wi-Fi. * Freight rate for cement, coal, others hiked by up to 10% * More General class coaches to be added.


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* On-board entertainment on select Shatabdi trains. * A new department to keep stations, trains clean. * Collision Avoidance System to be installed on select routes.

Six Indians Among Forbes’ 50 ‘Power Businesswomen’

Six Indian women CEOs and Managing Directors, including State Bank of India head Arundhati Bhattacharya and ICICI CEO Chanda Kochchar, have been named by Forbes magazine in its 50 ‘Power Businesswomen’list. The Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen list showcases a year of accomplishments by the region’s female entrepreneurs and executives. Included in the list are women CEOs and founders who are active in the upper echelons of the business world in Asia, wield significant power and have access to robust financial resources. Apart from Bhattacharya and Kochchar, the Indian executives on the list are Akhila Srinivasan, MD/Non-Executive Director of Shriram Life Insurance/Shriram Capital, Biocon Founder, Chairman and MD Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Axis Bank CEO and MD Shikha Sharma and Life Insurance Corp. of India MD Usha Sangwan 56 (India).

27 February 2015

Kshatrapati Shivaji Takes Over As new CMD of SIDBI

Kshatrapati Shivaji, a 1986 batch IAS officer, has taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Shivaji was appointed on deputation basis for a period of three years. Shivaji is currently Principal Secretary (Expenditure), Finance Department in Maharashtra government.

Acclaimed US Actor Leonard Nimoy Died

Acclaimed US actor Leonard Nimoy was died on 27 February in Los Angeles. He was 83. He was best known for his half-human, half-Vulcan character of Mr Spock in the cult sci-fi series Star Trek. Leonard Nimoy was born in 26 March 1931. In 1950s, he started his career in teaching acting classes at Hollywood and making minor film and television appearances. In 1965, for first time he appeared in rejected role in Star Trek as pilot The Cage. From 1966-69, he played the role of Spock in original Star Trek series. The character of Spock had a significant cultural impact and had garnered Nimoy three Emmy Award nominations. He also had appeared in multiple films, television series and video games.


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Economic Survey 2014-15

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Economic Survey for 2014-15 in the Parliament on 27 February.

Following are the highlights of Economic Survey:-

Economic Growth :-

* Economic growth at market prices is expected between 8.1 to 8.5% during 2015-16 (based on the new GDP calculation formula)

* Growth rate in 2014-15 is estimated at 7.5%

Fiscal Deficit :-

* Union Government will stick to fiscal deficit target of 4.1% of GDP in 2014-15

* Country needs to meet its medium-term fiscal deficit target of 3% of GDP

Current Account Deficit (CAD) :-

* Current Account Deficit (CAD) to decline to about 1 per cent in 2015-16.

Inflation :-

* Consumer inflation in 2015-16 likely to range between 5 to 5.5%

* Inflation likely to be below RBI’s target by 0.5 to 1% point

* Inflation shows declining trend in 2014-15

* Decline in inflation by over 6% points since late 2013

Foodgrain Production :-

* Foodgrains production for 2014-15 estimated at 257.07 million tonnes; will exceed last 5-year average by 8.5 million tonnes.

Subsidy :-

* Food subsidy at Rs. 1,07,823.75 crore during 2014-15 (up to January 2015), an increase of 20% over previous year.

28 February 2015

National Science Day Observed Across India On 28 February


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India on 28 February 2015 observed National Science Day to mark the discovery of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman). In 2015, the theme of the day is “Science for Nation Building”. This year’s theme has been chosen for the purpose of raising public appreciation on scientific issues for the development of nation. This day is celebrated every year on this day to spread a message about the significance of scientific applications in the daily life of the people. The National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) in 1986 asked the Government of India to designate 28 February as National Day. Raman Effect is also termed as the Raman scattering and it speaks about the change in the wavelength of light (inelastic scattering of a photon) when it passes through a transparent sample of a chemical compound. This change in the wavelength is caused due to deflection of the molecules. The Raman Effect was discovered by CV Raman and for this discovery he was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. The American Chemical Society in 2013 designated Raman Effect as an International Historic Chemical Landmark. In 1998 the Raman Effect was designated as a National Historic Chemical Landmark in recognition of its significance as a tool for analyzing the composition of liquids, gases and solids.

International Rare Disease Day Observed On 28 February

Eighth International Rare Disease Day was observed globally on 28 February 2015. The Rare Disease Day annually takes place on the last day of February. To mark the day, hundreds of patient organisations from more than 80 countries and regions worldwide carried-on awareness-raising activities around the slogan Day-by-day, hand-in-hand. The day is observed to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The Rare Disease day is coordinated by European Organization for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS) and the main objective of the day is to raise awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives.The Rare Disease Day was launched by EURODIS and Council National Alliances in 2008.

Union Budget 2015-16

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented Union Budget 2015-16 in the Lok Sabha on 28 February 2015. Highlights of the Union Budget 2015-16:- * No change in personal Income Tax * Health Insurance Premium deduction hiked from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000; for senior citizens to Rs 30,000 * Transport allowance exemption hiked to Rs 1,600, from Rs 800 per month * Additional 2% surcharge on people earning over Rs 1 cr; to fetch Rs 9,000


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cr * Rs 50,000 deduction for contribution to New Pension Scheme * To lower Corporate Tax to 25% over next four years * GAAR implementation deferred by 2 years to April 2017 * Service Tax rate hiked to 14%, from 12.36% * Tax free bonds for roads, railways, irrigation projects * 2015-16 growth between 8-8.5%, double digit growth feasible * Retail inflation close to 5% by March, room for monetary policy easing * To achieve fiscal deficit of 3% of GDP by 2017-18 * Fiscal Deficit target 3.9% in 2015-16, 3.5% in 2016-17 * Revenue Deficit to be 2.8% in 2015-16 * Current Account Deficit for 2014-15 to be below 1.3% of GDP * To introduce comprehensive law to deal with black money * Benami property transaction bill to tackle black money transaction in real estate soon * 100% deduction for contribution to Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga projects * GST to be put in place by April 1, 2016 * Internationally competitive direct tax regime to be put in place to incentivise saving * Incentivise use of credit, debit cards; disincentivise cash transaction to curb black money


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current affairs feb 2015 datewise

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