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01 February 2016

Archana Ramasundaram is SSB chief

Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram on 1 February 2016 was appointed Director Generalof Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the first woman to head a paramilitary force. Ms. Ramasundaram,a 1980 batch officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, is currently Special Director, National CrimeRecords Bureau. She has been appointed to the post till the date of her superannuation September 30, 2017.58-year-old Ms. Ramasundaram is the first woman police officer to beappointed chief of a paramilitary force. The SSB is entrusted with guarding the countrysfrontiers with Nepal and Bhutan. The other four paramilitary forces are the Central ReservePolice Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force and IndoTibetan Border Police.

India, Afghanistan ink pack for visa-free travel by diplomats

India and Afghanistan on 1 February 2016 inked a pact for visa-free travel by their diplomatsfollowing Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullahs meeting with Prime Minister NarendraModi during which they discussed key bilateral and regional issues including securitycooperation.

Saroj Kumar Jha appointed as Director in World Bank

An Indian Origin Saroj Kumar Jha was appointed as the Senior Director for the Fragility,Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank on 1 February 2016. Earlier to this, he was theWorld Bank Regional Director for Central Asia based in Almaty, Kazakhstan since February2012. He also worked as the World Banks Global Manager for Disaster Risk ManagementPractice. Jha is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

Hamid Ansari leaves for Brunei, Thailand

Vice-President Hamid Ansari on 1 February 2016 embarked on a trip to Brunei and Thailand.The visit is expected to yield a number of agreements in the field of security, health andeconomic cooperation. Mr. Ansari is being accompanied by four MPs and Minister of State forHome, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary. In Brunei, Mr. Ansari will hold consultations withSultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Bilah, apart from holdingmeetings with the influential members of the Indian community. On February 3, the Vice-President is scheduled to deliver a lecture on India-Brunei relations at the Brunei University


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campus. Arriving in Bangkok on February 3, Mr. Ansari will hold delegation-level talks at theGovernment House of Bangkok. India and Thailand are expected to sign crucial security-relatedagreements during the trip.

02 February 2016

WHO declares Zika virus global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 2 February 2016 announced that the explosivespread of the Zika virus in the Americas is an extraordinary event that merits being declared aninternational emergency. The WHO convened an emergency meeting of independent experts toassess the outbreak after noting a suspicious link between Zikas arrival in Brazil last year and asurge in the number of babies born with abnormally small heads. The last such public healthemergency was declared for the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which killedmore than 11,000 people.

Sixth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2015-16

On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation, on 2February 2016 RBI has been decided to:keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.75 percent;keep the cash reserve ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demandand time liability (NDTL);continue to provide liquidity under overnight repos at 0.25 per cent of bank-wise NDTL at theLAF repo rate and liquidity under 14-day term repos as well as longer term repos of up to 0.75per cent of NDTL of the banking system through auctions; and continue with daily variable raterepos and reverse repos to smooth liquidity.Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF will remain unchanged at 5.75 per cent, andthe marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 7.75 per cent.

India, Brunei discuss South China Sea dispute

Brunei on 2 February 2016 held discussion with an Indian delegation led by Vice-PresidentHamid Ansari on Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea which has the potential toaffect free maritime traffic in Southeast Asia.The pact is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted energylanes between India and Southeast Asia. Bruneis main port, Muara one of the main ports inSoutheast Asia through which the bulk of the countrys oil and gas exports to India take place


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is in the South China Sea region and will become a major component of Indias growingmaritime partnership with Brunei.

World Wetlands Day observed on February 2

The World Wetlands Day was observed across the globe on February 2 every year. Wetlandsplay a number of roles in the environment, principally water purification, flood control andshoreline stability. Since 1971, the Ramsar Convention is observing the day. This year, the themeof the day is Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods. Mentioning a study conductedby SPARSO, there was 130 acre of wetland in Dhaka in 1968 and it was found only 63 acre in2001.

Afghanistan boy of 5 can get chance to meet Messi

A 5-year-old Afghan boy, Murtaza Ahmadi made a splash on the Internet by wearing ahomemade Lionel Messi jersey, might get the chance to meet the Barcelona great. The AfghanFootball Federation has said it is planning to set up a meeting between Messi and MurtazaAhmadi, who was pictured wearing an Argentina jersey made from a plastic bag with Messisname and number on the back.

03 February 2016

Balram Jakhar passed away

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar passed away on 3February 2016 in New Delhi. He was 92. Jakhar served as Speaker of Lok Sabha from 1980 to1989 during which he contributed to the establishment of Parliament Museum. He also served asAgriculture Minister in the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. Jakhar also servedas Governor of Madhya Pradesh from June 30, 2004 to May 30, 2009. Jakhar also served asDeputy Minister Cooperation, Irrigation and Power in Punjab between 1973-77 and then Leaderof Opposition in the Assembly between 1977 and 1979. Jakhar was a four-time MP in Lok Sabhastarting from his election in the seventh Lok Sabha in 1980. He was again elected in 1984, 1991

and 1998. In 1980, he became Lok Sabha Speaker and served till 1989 for two terms duringwhich he was instrumental in automation and computerisation of the House works.He workedextensively for promotion of Parliament Library, smartening the reference, research anddocumentation system of the House and streamlining information for the members. Jakharheaded Business Advisory Committee, Rules Committee; General Purposes Committee; andStanding Committee of the Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies in India.In the


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party, he became General Secretary All India Congress Committee in 1990 and from 1992 hewas member, Congress Working Committee.

Major General Jai Shanker Menon appointed as UNDOF Head

Major General Jai Shanker Menon of India was appointed as the Head of Mission and ForceCommander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Maj Gen Menon succeeds Lt Gen Purna Chandra Thapa of Nepal, whowill complete his assignment on 7 February 2016. Till now, Menon was Additional DirectorGeneral Equipment Management in the Indian Army. From 2012 to 2013, he was GeneralOfficer, Commanding an Infantry Division. The UNDOF was established on May 31, 1974 byUN Security Council following the agreed disengagement of the Israeli and Syrian forces in theGolan. Menon held a number of command positions in the Indian Army, including Commandantof Regimental Training Centre, Brigade Commander and Battalion Commander. He also served

at the international level, including in the United Nations as a Military Observer in the UnitedNations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) in 1993 and United Nations Interim Force inLebanon (UNIFIL) from 2007 to 2009. He holds a Master of Management Studies degree fromOsmania University in Hyderabad, a Master of Defence Studies degree from Madras Universityand a Bachelor of Arts degree from Jawahar Lal Nehru University.

Hamid Ansari concludes 3-day visit to Brunei, leaves for Thailand

Vice President Hamid Ansari 3 February 2016 left for Thailand for the second leg of his two-

nation visit after concluding his three-day trip to Brunei during which he held talks with the topleadership of the Brunei and oversaw signing of three agreements.The three agreements with Brunei are:The MoU on health seeks to upgrade the health care, medical education and research co-operation between the two countries. The MoU on defence will enable the two countries toconduct joint military exercises and improve co-operation between the defence industries of bothnations. The MoU on youth and sports affairs seeks to facilitate the exchange of expertise incoaching, sports management and administration.This is the first visit by an Indian Vice President to Thailand after a gap of 50 years. AnsariThailand schedule is:He will deliver a speech at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on From Look East to ActEast: Indias Partnership with Thailand and ASEAN. He will have a one-to-one meeting withThai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who will host a banquet in Ansaris honour. Talks onenhancing counter-terrorism and defence co-operation are expected to be held.

President Pranab confers honorary General rank on Nepalese Army Chief


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President Pranab Mukherjee on 3 February 2016 conferred honorary General of the IndianArmy rank to Nepalese Army Chief General Rajendra Chettri who is on a six-day official visitto India. The honour was given for his military prowess and immeasurable contribution tofostering Nepals long and friendly association with India, at a special investiture ceremony heldat Rashtrapati Bhavan. Chettri began his visit to India on February 1. It is his first visit abroad

after assuming the top Army post in September last year.Since 1965, both the armies have beenconferring the honorary rank of General on each others army chiefs in view of the close militaryties shared by the two neighbours.

Kerala won the 61st National School Athletics Championship

Kerala has won the 61st National School Athletics championship which concluded in Kozhikodeon 2 February 2016. This is for the 19th consecutive time Kerala becomes the champions in theevent. Tamil Nadu came second. Kerala, the host of the championship got 306 points winning 39

gold, 29 silver and 17 bronze medals. Tamil Nadu, who came second, got 116 points winning 11gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze medals. Maharashtra with 101 points gained the third position.Kerala won 10 meet records out of 20 records which were reported in the meet.

SC appoints panel to sell PACLs assets

Supreme Court has appointed a committee under former chief justice RM Lodha to sell assets ofPearls Agrotech Corporation Ltd (PACL) and refund 49 thousand crore rupees to the investors.A bench headed by justice Anil Dave also said that the title deeds of various lands belonging to

PACL should be handed over by the CBI to the SEBI. SEBI will accordingly take appropriatesteps to ensure their sale. It also directed the PACL not to accept any deposit from the public andrestrained any court from interfering with sale proceedings. The bench posted the matter forfurther hearing on August 2, 2016.

04 February 2016

International Fleet Review 2016 Visakhapatnam

The International Fleet Review 2016 is being held at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh from 4to 8 February 2016. The main theme of IFR 2016 is United through Oceans. A fleet review is aceremonial and stately inspection of naval warships by the supreme commander of the armedforces, President Pranab Mukherjee. This is the second time an IFR is being held in India, thelast being held off Mumbai in 2001 when APJ Abdul Kalam was the president. Twenty-ninecountries had participated in that event. 50 navies, 90 ships, including 24 warships, and over 70


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aircraft are participating in IFR 2016. In addition, ships of the Indian Coast Guard and mercantilemarine would also be participating. Indian presidents have since reviewed Indian Navy fleetstwice, in 2006, and 2011. The Indian Navy fleet for the IFR will comprise of over 75 frontlineships and submarines. The list of participating navies includes the United States of America,China, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Canada, Russia, South Africa, Japan, South

Korea, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Brazil.

Arun Jaitley inaugurated the India Investment Summit 2016

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 4 February 2016 inaugurated the two-day India InvestmentSummit 2016. The Summit is to showcase and discuss the huge long term infrastructureinvestment opportunities in India. This summit seeks to attract long term investors includingSovereign Wealth Funds and Pension Funds across the globe. SBI Caps is partnering with theDepartment of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Finance) in organizing this summit.

Worlds First Zika Virus Vaccine Made In India

Bharat Biotech on 3 February 2016 announced that it has two vaccine candidates in developmentfor fighting the Zika virus, against which the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared aglobal emergency. Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of the Hyderabad-based firm,has made announcement stating his company had already applied for patents for both inactivatedand recombinant versions of the vaccine, named as ZIKAVAC, in July 2015. Bharat Biotech hadstarted research work on Zika virus in 2014-end, and work on the inactivated vaccine has

reached the stage of pre-clinical testing in animals.

12th South Asian Games to begin in North East India

The 12th South Asian games to held in Guwahati and Shillong from 5 February 2016. Over fourthousand players and officials from eight countries will take part in the event. Prime MinisterNarendra Modi will attend the inaugural program at Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati on February5. All steps taken for the smooth conduct of the first mega sports event of North Eastern region.

05 February 2016Mudra Founder AG Krishnamurthy Passed Away

AG Krishnamurthy, the founder of Mudra Communications passed away on 5 February 2016. Hewas founder Chairman and Managing Director of Mudra Communications. Born on the 28th of


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April, 1942 in Vinukonda, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Krishnamurthy graduated inHistory at the Andhra University. In 1968 he joined the Calico Mills, a big textile name in the60s and 70s, to assist Giraben Sarabhai. In 1972, he moved to their Advertising Agency, ShilpiAdvertising as an Account Executive and then joined Reliance Industries in 1976 as theirAdvertising Manager. Four years later, on 25th of March, 1980, he founded Mudra

Communications. In March 1991, he set up Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad(MICA), the only advertising institute of its kind in Asia. MICA was set up to feed the growingIndian advertising industry with trained talent. He retired from Mudra on 31st March, 2003, andwas The Chairman of AGK Brand Consulting.

Narendra Modi inaugurated gas cracker project, wax producing unit in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 February 2016 inaugurated the Rs.10,000 crore gas crackerproject at Lepetkata in Upper Assams Dibrugarh district and and a wax producing unit at the

Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Golaghat district. The gas cracker project was envisagedby the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 and given shape by Rajiv Gandhi as primeminister in 1985 at the end of the six-year- long anti-foreigners agitation. The prime ministerManmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the project in 2007. The petrochemical projectwill use naphtha and natural gas from the states oilfields to produce ethylene for manufacturingpolymers.

US General John Nicholson appointed NATO Commander in Afghanistan

Army Lieutenant General John Nicholson has been appointed as the commander of the NATOforces in Afghanistan on 5 February 2016. He succeeded US General John Campbell who hasbeen leading the Afghan operations for nearly 18 months. At present, Nicholas was US Armycommander of NATO land forces. Earlier, he had served in multiple capacities like chief of staffof operations for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and US Forces Afghanistan, director of Pakistan/ Afghanistan Coordination Cell for the Joint Staff, and deputycommander Stability of ISAF Regional Command South. North Atlantic Treaty Organizationis an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on4 April 1949. NATOs headquarters are located in Haren, Brussels, Belgium, where the SupremeAllied Commander also resides.

06 February 2016

Sushma Swaraj inaugurated Rise of Digital India Exhibition in Colombo


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The External Affairs Minister Ms Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the Rise of Digital IndiaExhibition in Colombo,Sri Lanka on 6 February 2016. The Rise of Digital India exhibitionshowcases the initiative of Indian government to take the benefits of Information Technology tothe common man. India is ready to set up an IT Park in Sri Lanka to attract investment in thissector. The exhibition is a part of six month long Festival of India celebrations in Sri Lanka.

Swaraj was on a two day visit to Sri Lanka to co-chair the 9th session of the India-Sri LankaJoint Commission meeting along with her Sri Lankan counterpart, Mangala Samaraweera.

Cartoonist Sudhir Tailang passed away

Cartoonist Sudhir Tailang who was suffering from a brain tumour passed away on 6 February2016 at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon. He was 55. Born in Bikaner, Tailang came out with hisfirst cartoon in 1970. He started his career with the Illustrated Weekly of India in Mumbai in1982. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004 for his contribution to the art of cartooning.

Shane Watson became the most expensive player in the 2016 IPL

Shane Watson became the most expensive player in the 2016 Indian Premier League(IPL)auction when Royal Challengers Bangalore snapped him up for Rs 9.5 Crore. Pawan Negicontinued to have a golden period as he became the most expensive Indian player at Rs 8.5Crore. Yuvraj Singh, with Rs 7 Crore, Mohit Sharma with Rs 6.5 Crore and Ashish Nehra with5.5 Crore.

Indias first fully solar-powered educational institute in Puducherry

Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education, Puducherry has become Indias first fullysolar-powered educational institute. The institute generates thrice the electricity it consumesthrough solar power plants installed on the roofs of the dining room, primary school, library andhigh school in the campus. The institute has been self-reliant in energy since September 2014.

Project Sunrise launched to control HIV in North East

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda on 6 February 2016 launched ProjectSunrise for prevention of AIDS in the eight North-Eastern states. The project is funded by theCentre for Disease Control of the United States. The Project will be implemented in the NorthEast, in addition to the existing projects of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).The AIDS prevention special programme for the North-East will be implemented in 20 districts


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of the eight states including four districts of Manipur- Imphal East, Bishnupur, Ukhrul andChurachandpur. North Eastern States like Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram account for highestadult (15-49 years) HIV prevalence in the country. National average for prevalence ofHIV/AIDS among drug addicts is 7.14%, whereas in Manipur it is 12.9% and in Mizoram it is12%.

07 February 2016

Yasir Shah suspended by ICC

Pakistans leg-spinner Yasir Shah was on 7 February 2016 provisionally suspended for failing adope test by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The test, conducted on 13 November 2015,was found to contain the presence of chlortalidone, a Prohibited Substance which appears inSection 5 of the World Anti-Doping Agency list (in the category of Specified Substances).Shahhas so far taken 76 wickets in 12 Tests and became the fastest to complete 50 wickets in nineTests a record for Pakistan. He has also played 15 one-day internationals and two Twenty20safter making his debut in 2011.

Sapna Devi clinches gold in Wushu Taolu; Anjul Namdeo gets bronze

Sapna Devi won a gold in the 12th South Asian Games (SAG) womens Wushu Taolu(Changquan) competition held at the Rising Sun Sports Complex in on 8 February 2016.Sapna scored 9.45 points to emerge as the winner while the silver went to Susmita Tamang ofNepal who had a score of 8.72. Pakistans Nazia Parvaiz took the bronze with a score of 6:30points.In the mens competition, Sri Lankas PLH Lakshan scored 8:86 to win the gold medal whileBijay Sinjali of Nepal earned silver with a score of 8:80 points. For India, Anjul Namdeo wasforced to settle for bronze after scoring 8:66 points.

North Korea launched the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 7 February 2016 successfully launched

a Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite. The earth observation satellite launched from the Sohae SpaceCenter in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province. DPRKs top leader Kim Jong Un signedthe order to launch the satellite on 6 February 2016. The satellite is going round the polar orbit at494.6 km perigee altitude and 500 km apogee altitude at a 97.4-degree angle of inclination, witha cycle of 94 minutes and 24 seconds.


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Narendra Modi inaugurated Paradip Oil Refinery in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Paradip Oil Refinery in Odisha on 7 February

2016. It is 11th refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. This was dedicated to the nation byPM Modi. The foundation stone for the Paradip Oil Refinery was laid by ex-prime minister AtalBihari Vajpayee on 24 May 2000.The refinery was expected to start production in the third quarter of 2013. Due to delays the costof refinery project has increased by 2.5 per cent. The cost of the refinery is 34555 crores.

08 February 2016

Renowned Urdu poet Nida Fazli dead

Renowned Urdu poet and Bollywood lyricist Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli, died in Mumbai on 8February 2016 due heart attack.He was 78. Fazli was awarded the prestigious Sahitya AkademiAward in 1998 and conferred with the Padma Shri in 2013. Born in a Kashmiri family in Delhiin October 1938, his parents migrated to Pakistan after Partition, but he chose to stay back inIndia. He came to Mumbai in 1964 hoping to make a career in Bollywood and also wrote forcertain top Hindi magazines of that era and later started penning lyrics for Hindi film songs. Hissoulful ghazals include the evergreen Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahan nahin milta (Ahista,Ahista), Tu is tarha se meri zindagime shamil hai (Aat To Aise Na The), Hoshwalon kokhabar kya (Sarfarosh), Aa bhi jaa, (Sur). He also penned for films like Razia Sultan,Nakhuda, Harjaee, Yatra, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, Tamanna and many others.Fazlipublished collections of poetry which include Lafzon Ke Phool, Mor Naach, Aankh AurKhwab Ke Darmiyan, Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi, Khoya Hua Sa Kuchh and Duniya Ek

Khilona Hai.

India-Nepal military exercise begins in Pithoragarh

A 14-day 9th India-Nepal combined military exercise, named Surya Kiran IX", commencedat Pithoragarh on 8 February 2016. The exercise will culminate on February 21. The Nepal armyis being represented by officers and troops of the elite Shree RudraDhoj battalion while aninfantry battalion is participating on behalf of the Indian Army. The combined battalion-levelexercise is being conducted under the aegis of the Panchshul Brigade of the Central Command.

During the combined training, emphasis will be laid on upgrade of tactical and practical skills bysharing each others experiences and also on enhancing inter-operability in jungle warfare andcounter terrorism operations in mountain terrain. The role and importance of Armed Forces indisaster management in both the countries has assumed increasing significance in the recentyears. Therefore, focus will also be laid on humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations,including medical and aviation aspects.


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Iran awards medals of honour to nuclear deal negotiators

Iran awarded medals of honour on 8 February 2016 to its nuclear negotiators who helped clinch a

landmark deal with world powers last year. President Hassan Rouhani awarded the Medal ofMerit to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Medal of Courage to DefenceMinister Hossein Dehghan and Vice-President Ali Akbar Salehi, who is also the countrysnuclear chief. The historic July 14 agreement brought about the lifting of international economicsanctions in January after the United Nations certified that Iran has met all its commitments tocurbing its nuclear activities.

Indian wrestlers won 14 gold medals in SAG

Indian wrestlers won 14 gold medals out of a total 16 on offer as the wrestling competition in the12th South Asian Games ended here on 8 February 2016. India won gold in all the eightwomens categories, while their men counterparts won six gold and two silver. Pakistan won twogold medals.In the 2010 edition, India had won three gold and a silver in mens wrestling whilePakistan had won two gold and a silver.

India sweep cycling gold medals on third day

In womens 40km group time trial final, the Indian quartet of T Bidyaluxmi, Rutuja Satpute, G.

Manisha and Chaoba Devi bagged the gold in a time of 59:23.5 secs. Sri Lanka and Pakistantook the silver and bronze respectively.

In mens 70km group time trial final, the estate group of Arvind Panwar, Manjeet Singh, DeepakKumar Rahi and Manohar Lal Bishnoi took the gold in one hr 29 mins and 37.840 seconds.Pakistan and Sri Lanka won the silver and bronze respectively.

For Bidyaluxmi and Arvind, todays gold were their 2nd overall. Bidyalaxmi possessed won thegold in the womens 30km personal time trial event while mens 40km personal time trial Arvindwon gold medal.

09 February 2016Former Nepal PM passed away

Former Prime Minister of Nepal Sushil Koirala passed away on 9 February 2016. Koirala waselected as a Prime Minister of Nepal on 10 February 2014 and resigned as PM in October 2015


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after parties failed to forge a consensus amid continued protests and blockade of a key bordertrade point with India over the countrys new Constitution.Born on 12 August 1939 in Banaras,India, Koirala was the cousin of former PMs Matrika Prasad Koirala, Girija Prasad Koirala andBishweshwar Prasad Koirala. He entered politics in 1954 and was in political exile in India for16 years following the royal takeover of 1960. Koirala also spent three years in Indian prisons

for his involvement in a plane hijacking in 1973.

Punjab National Bank Q3 net profit plunges as bad loans surge

Punjab National Bank, Indias fourth-biggest state-run lender by assets, reported on 9 February2016, its fiscal third-quarter profit fell 93 percent as provisions for bad loans jumped. Its sharesfell more than 6 percent after the results. Net profit tumbled to 510.1 million rupees ($7.5million) for the three months to December 31 (Sep-Dec 31) from 7.75 billion rupees a yearearlier, the lender said in a regulatory filing. Analysts on average had expected a net profit of

7.07 billion rupees, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters. Gross bad loans as apercentage of total loans were 8.47 percent at end-December, compared with 6.36 percent in theprevious quarter. Provisions, including for bad loans, more than doubled from a year earlier to37.76 billion rupees.

Chettinad cotton saree won India Handloom tag

During the first week on February 2016, the Chettinad cotton saree won the India Handloom tagfor its unique designs and identity. After checking different quality parameters stipulated by the

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), The Textiles Committee, Union Ministry of Handloomsand Textiles, Mumbai, registered the Chettinad cotton saree under the India Handloom BrandScheme. The Ministry authorized the Amarar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Weavers CooperativeSociety, which produced the sarees, to use the brand and logo for marketing the product.Chettinad cotton saree, also known as kandaangi.

10 February 2016

National Deworming Day

India observed the first National Deworming Day in schools and preschools (anganwadis) on 10February 2016. The main theme of Deworming day is to combat parasitic worm infectionsamong school and preschool (anganwadi) age children. This albendezole 400 mg chewabletablets are provided to children at government, government-aided, and private schools, andanganwadis with free-of-cost.


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UP minister Kailash Yadav dead

A senior Samajwadi Party leader and a cabinet Minister in the present Akhilesh Yadav

government in Uttar Pradesh, Kailash Yadav died on 9 February 2016 Medanta Hospital inGurgaon. Kailash Yadav, MLA from the Jangipur constituency in Ghazipur. Mr. Yadav held thePanchayati Raj portfolio in the Akhilesh cabinet. Born in 1951 in a village in East UPs Ghazipurdistrict. He was a Minister of State for Revenue and Industrial Development under the MulayamSingh regime 2003-07.

Abu Dhabis Crown Prince arrived to India

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived to India on 10

February 2016. This is Sheikh Mohammeds 1st state visit to India.The two countries willdiscuss ways to enhance ties in a range of areas including energy, economy and security and areexpected to sign a number of agreements in sectors like oil nuclear energy, IT, aerospace,railways and electronics. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited UAE in August,2015, the first by an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of 34 years, and Al Nahyan had receivedhim at the Abu Dhabi airport.

Mukesh Bansal resigns from Flipkart

Mukesh Bansal has resigned as head of commerce and advertising business at Flipkart and willbe moving to an advisory role, just weeks after a top-level restructuring that resulted incofounder Binny Bansals elevation as the CEO of Indias largest online retailer. Chief BusinessOfficer Ankit Nagori, too, has resigned. Mukesh(40) will continue with Flipkart until the end ofMarch, while Nagori will stay on for three months.

Hindu Marriage Bill approved in Pakistan

The Hindu minority community in Pakistan will soon have a marriage law as a parliamentary

panel has unanimously approved the Hindu Marriage Bill. The National Assembly StandingCommittee on Law and Justice on 9 February 2016 passed the final draft of Hindu Marriage Bill2015, where five Hindu lawmakers were specially invited. The committee adopted the billunanimously after making two amendments to fix the minimum age of marriage at 18 andmaking the law applicable to the whole country, Dawn news reported. The bill will now betabled in the National Assembly where it has fair chances of being passed as the ruling PakistanMuslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party is supporting it.


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India won 1000th gold medal at the South Asian Games

India, the overall champion over all the 11 previous editions of the South Asian Games, on 10

February 2016 crossed a historic milestone of winning its 1,000th gold in the Games.The hostwhich entered the fortnight-long competition with a tally of 900 gold medals, crossed thelandmark when swimmer Veerdhawal Khade won the mens 50m butterfly title in Gawhati onFebruary 10.India had won 44 golds in the inaugural edition at Kathmandu in 1984 followed by61 (Dhaka, 1985), 91 (Kolkata, 1987), 61 (Islamabad, 1989), 64 (Colombo, 1991), 60 (Dhaka,1993), 106 (Chennai [then Madras], 1995), 102 (Kathmandu, 1999), 103 (Islamabad, 2004), 118(Colombo, 2006) and 90 (Dhaka, 2010). The host is also likely to overhaul its best ever tally of118-59-37 achieved in Colombo 2006 with five days remaining.

11 February 2016

Abhinav Bhushan appointed as South Asia regional director at international arbitration

court

Indian lawyer Abhinav Bhushan has been appointed the regional director for South Asia in theInternational Court of Arbitration, which is under the International Chamber of Commerce(ICC). The first Indian to be appointed as deputy counsel of the ICC earlier, Bhushan will bebased in its Asia offices in Singapore and will take on part of the role of the outgoing regionaldirector, Sylvia Tee. Bhushans appointment also follows the creation of an Indian ArbitrationGroup of the ICC, established as part of ICC India.Singh, a Member of Singapore Parliamentfrom 1988-2006, is appointed to the leadership of one of 13 policy commissions under the ICC,which forges international rules, mechanisms and standards used across the globe. It brings

together more than 300 members from 40 countries, representing multi-national companies, lawfirms, trade associations, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

India Launches National Framework For Malaria Elimination

JP Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), launched the NationalFramework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030 in New Delhi on 11 February 2016,which outlines Indias strategy for elimination of the disease by 2030. The objectives of theNFMEare to: 1) eliminate malaria from all low (Category 1) and moderate (Category 2) endemic

states/UTs (26) by 2022.2) reduce incidence of malaria to less than 1 case per 1000 population in all States/UTs and thedistricts and malaria elimination in 31 states/UTs by 2024.3) interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in all States/ UTs (Category 3) by 2027.4) prevent re-establishment of local transmission of malaria in areas where it has been eliminatedand to maintain malaria-free status of the country by 2030. The milestones and targets are set for


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2016, 2020, 2022, 2024, 2027 and 2030 by when the entire country has sustained zeroindigenous cases and deaths due to malaria for 3 years and initiated the processes forcertification of malaria elimination status to the country.

The NFME 2016-2030 also defines key strategic approaches such as programme phasing

considering the varying malaria endemicity in the country; classification of States/UTs based onAPI as primary criterion (Category 0: Prevention of re- introduction phase; Category 1:Elimination phase; Category 2: Pre-elimination phase; Category 3: Intensified control phase);district as the unit of planning and implementation; focus on high endemic areas; and specialstrategy for P. vivax elimination. An enabled environment and necessary resources would remaincritical to realize the objectives in the pathway to malaria elimination.

Uttar Pradesh Land Revenue Act, 2015 came into effect

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) Land Revenue Act, 2015 came into effect from 11 February 2016. Thenew code that unifies many Acts replaced at least 39 old land revenue acts. The new revenue actalso replaced the pre and post British era British era Land Revenue Act of 1901 and ZamindariAbolition and Land Reform Act 1950. The Act will enable Dalits of the state to sell their land tonon-Dalits without approval of the administration. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on 6 February2016 launched this new revenue code booklet at a programme in Lucknow.

India, UAE sign nine agreements

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 11 February 2016 signed nine agreementscovering cooperation in the fields of currency swap, culture, investments in the infrastructuresector, renewable energy, space research, insurance supervision, cyber security, skilldevelopment and commercial information sharing.Sheikh Mohameds is the second highest levelvisit to India from the Gulf region after the visit of the emir of Qatar in March 2015. The UAE isthe third largest trading partner of India after the US and China and also the sixth largest sourceof Indias crude oil imports.

12 February 2016

BJP leader Visheshwar Ojha shot dead in Bihar

BJPs Bihar vice-president and Bhojpur leader Visheshwar Ojha, 53, was shot dead on 12February 2016 at Sonbarsha village in Ara. This is the second BJP leader to have been killed inthe last 12 hours. This morning another local BJP leader Kedar Singh was shot dead in Chapra.


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Indian-origin woman to be new Australian high commissioner to India

On 12 February 2016, Australia appointed veteran woman career diplomat Harinder Sidhu as itsnext high commissioner to India, the second Indian-origin official to serve as the countrysenvoy to India in less than five years. Sidhu, whose family hails from Punjab, will be the second

Indian-origin Australian high commissioner in India, after the former diplomat Peter Varghese,who served in India from 2009-2012. She will replace the outgoing High Commissioner PatrickSuckling. Sidhu, a senior career officer with the department of foreign affairs and trade, has beenalso serving as First Assistant Secretary of the Multilateral Policy Division. She has previouslyserved overseas in Russia and Syria. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economicsdegrees from the University of Sydney.

Peacock, Indias National Bird, Could Be Termed Vermin In Goa

The national bird of India Peacock will be termed a vermin in Goa. They cause brutal damage tocrops like monkey and wild boars and therefore declared Vermin. The Agriculture Minister ofGoa, Ramesh Tawadkar declared Peacock as Vermin. Peacock is a protected species under theSchedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The step is taken by the government aftercompiling the record of the complaints received from farmers of crop destruction by theseanimals.

Canada, US, Mexico to cooperate on climate change

Canada, the US and Mexico signed a deal in Winnipeg, Canada, on 12 February 2016 to tap intoenergy cooperation among the three countries. Under the memorandum, the three countries willcollaborate and share information in key areas such as low-carbon electricity, clean energytechnologies, energy efficiency, carbon capture, use and storage, climate change adaptation, andreducing emissions from the oil and gas sector, including from methane.They will also worktogether to increase policy alignment and ensure that the North American energy sector isdeveloped responsibly, effectively and efficiently. During the meeting, the three ministersdiscussed the importance of trilateral cooperation and the continental approach to energy.

13 February 2016

Renowned poet ONV Kurup passed away

Renowned Malayalam poet-lyricist and Jnanpith Award winner O.N.V. Kurup passed inThiruvananthapuram on 13 February 2016 following a cardiac arrest. He was 84, was also arecipient of Padma Shri in 1998 and Padma Vibhushan in 2011, from the Government of India.In addition to his valuable contributions to Malayalam literature, he was one of the leading


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Air vice marshal RD Mathur promoted to the rank of air marshal

Air Vice-Marshal Rajiv Dayal Mathur, who was Assistant Chief of Air Staff in charge of the airwarfare strategy cell, has been promoted to the rank of Air Marshal. Commissioned into thefighter stream of Indian Air Force in June, 1982, the officer has over 5,000 hours of flying

experience in a variety of operational and training roles. Apart from the air warfare strategy cell,Mathur also led its space and cyber wings. He had earlier served as Air Defence Commander ofEastern Air Command and commanded a front-line air force station and a fighter aircraftsquadron. He had been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2003 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in2014.

West Indies won U19 World Cup

West Indies defeated three-time champions India by five wickets at Dhaka (Bangladesh) on 14

February 2016 to clinch their first ICC Under-19 World Cup. Batting first, the Indian team wasbowled-out for a paltry 145 runs off 45.1 overs. West Indies successfully chased the winningtarget in 49.3 overs for the loss of 5 wickets. It is worth mentioning that India was the onlyundefeated team in the tournament.

15 February 2016

Biggest military Exercise North Thunder

On 15 February 2016 north Thunder has begun at King Haled Military City (KKMC) in SaudiArabia with 20 countries from Arab, Islamic and friendly countries to Saudi Arabia. NorthThunder involves fighter jets of different models, a wide range of artillery, tanks, infantry, airdefense systems, and naval forces. The main aim of military Exercise is to preserve peace andstability in region and world.

India, Seychelles joint military exercise LAMITYE 2016

On 14th Feb 2016 the 7th edition of joint military exercise LAMITYE 2016 was begun inVictoria, Seychelles between Indian Army and Seychelles Peoples Defence Forces (SPDF). It is14 day joint exercise conclude on February 28, 2016 at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA),

Victoria. The India and Seychelles joint drill Exercise Lamitye are started from 2001 with theaim of enhancing military cooperation and interoperability between the two countries.

Mysuru gets cleanest city tag


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In Swachh Bharat Rankings for 2015 Released by ministry of Development, Mysuru to becleanest city in India followed by Chandigarh, Tiruchirapalli, New Delhi Muncipal Council(NDMC), Visakhapatnam, Surath, Rajkot, Gangtok, Pimprichinchwad, Greater Mumbai etc. AndVaranasi was dirtiest city with slow mover less than 50% score compared to previous rankings,NDMC of New Delhi moved from rank 7 to 4. The survey is made in 476 Firttier cities In two

parameters how minimal open defecation in cities and the municipalities with solid wastemanagement systems. The purpose of rankings is to encourage cities to fix their sanitation andsewerage infrastructure.

Domminic Thiem won ATP Argentina open title

On 14 Feb 2016 world No 19 Dominic Thiem won the Association of Tennis Professionals(ATP) Buenos Aires tournament by defeating Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (4).ATP is an world Tour 250 series event. In 1970 to 1989, it is a part of the Grand Prix tennis

circuit and a Grand Prix Super Series event (197071).

16 February 2016

India Successfully test fired Prithvi-II

India Successfully test fired Prithvi-II missile from Chandipur of Odisha on 16 February 2016. Itis a medium range missile capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and liquidpropulsion twin engines. In the trail it strike at range of 350 km. It is the first missile to bedeveloped by DRDO under Indias Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).It was introduced into Indian armed forces in 2003 before Prithvi-II was successfully test firedon 26 November 2015.

58th Annual Grammy Awards of 2016

The 58th Annual Grammy Awards distributed on 16 February 2016. Taylor Swift first womenwho won second Grammy award album of year 1989. The top awards are Edsheeran song of theyear for Best Pop Solo Performance Thinking Out Loud, Mark Ronson Best Pop Duo/ GroupPerformance for Bruno Mars Uptown Funk, Mux Best Rock Album for his Drones,Alabama Shakes Best Alternative Music Album for his Sound & Colour, Angclique Kidjo

Best World Music Album Sings, Skrillex and Diplo Best Dance/ Electronic Album for theirSkrillex and Diplo Present Jack U, The Record of year for Bruno Mars, Best New ArtistMeghan Trainor, Kendrik Lamar Best Pop Album for his to pimpa butterfly.


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PF Interest Rate Raised to 8.8 % from 8.75%

The Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya announced an hiken interest rate on EmployeesProvident Fund (PF) to 8.8% for 2015-16 from 8.75% previous.

Central Government announced 0.25% cut in Interest Rate for short term deposits

The Central Government on 16 February 2016 announced 0.25% cut in interest rates for shortterm post office deposits and Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) & it is not applicable for long termdeposits like Monthly Income Scheme, PPF, Senior Citizen and Child Schemes. These newinterest rates for small saving schemes will be applicable from April 1, 2016. The compoundingof interest rates in case of 10 years National Saving certificate are discontinued since december2015, five year National Saving Certificate and Kisan Vikas Patra will be done on annual basicsfrom April they will no longer earn 0.25 percent higher interest than Government securities of

similar tenures.

17 February 2016

Ringing Bells launched the Worlds cheapest smartphone Freedom 251

Domestic handset maker Ringing Bells launched Indias most affordable smartphone for Rs 251on 17 February 2016. The launch is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision forempowering India to the last person, transforming Indias growth story. Defence MinisterManohar Parrikkar launched the smartphone Freedom 251. Bookings for the Freedom 251 openon 18 February 2016 at 6am and close on 21 February at 8pm. The company says deliveries willbe completed by 30th June 2016.

Nepal PM Sharma Oli will visit India

India and Nepal hope to begin repairing ties as Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli makes his firstofficial visit to India on 19 February 2016. But as Mr. Oli lands in Delhi on the six-day visit, thetwo sides are unlikely to dwell too much on the past few months of strain, choosing instead tofocus on the earthquake reconstruction effort, Indian power projects in the pipeline and futurecooperation. Oli is also likely to travel to Mumbai to have a meeting with the top business

leaders.

Global teacher prize for Robin Chaurasiya


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An Indian teacher who runs a not-for-profit school in Mumbai for girls from the citys red lightareas was named in the top 10 shortlist for a global prize for teachers on 19 February 2016.Robin Chaurasiya, founder of Kranti, will compete with teachers from the U.K., U.S., Nairobi,Palestine, Japan, Finland, Australia and Pakistan to win the $1 million Global Teacher Prize2016. The top 10 have been narrowed down from 8,000 nominations and applications from 148

countries from around the world. The prize will be announced at a ceremony in Dubai on March13.

Thirty-million-year-old fossil flowers found

Scientists have discovered the first-ever fossil specimens of an asterid a family of floweringplants that gave us everything from the potato to tomatoes, tobacco, petunias and our morningcup of coffee.The two 20-30 million-year-old fossil flowers found perfectly preserved in a pieceof amber came from the dark side of the asterid family they belong to the genus Strychnos,

which ultimately gave rise to some of the worlds most famous poisons, including strychnine andcurare.

Sri Lankas North Governor Cooray takes charge

Reginold Cooray took charge as Governor of the sensitive Northern Province on 16 February2016. Widely regarded as a moderate leader of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA),progressive and left-wing thinker in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Mr. Cooraysucceeded H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, who had held the post for a year.

Ex-UN chief Boutros Ghali dead

Former United Nations secretary-general Boutros Boutros-Ghali died at a hospital in Cairo on 17February 2016. He was 93. A former Egyptian foreign minister, Boutros-Ghali was the first Arabto serve as UN chief.He took office in 1992 at a time of increasing influence for the world bodyfollowing its decisive role in the Gulf War, serving a five-year term.Born on November 14, 1922into a Coptic Christian family in Cairo, he was educated at Cairo University and in Paris.He laterstudied international relations at Columbia University in New York and became Egypts foreign

minister in 1977.After leaving the UN, Boutros-Ghali served from 1998 to 2002 as secretary-general of La Francophonie, a grouping of French-speaking nations.In 2004, he was namedpresident of Egypts human rights council, a body created by then-Egyptian President HosniMubarak. Ghali resigned in 2011, the year Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising.

18 February 2016


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Eminent vocalist Abdul Rashid Khan passed away

Eminent Hindustani classical vocalist Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan passed away at a privatehospital in Kolkata on 18 February 2016. He was 107. A recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2013and Sangeet Natak Akademi award, he was a resident guru at the ITC Sangeet Research

Academy in the city for the past 20 years.

Barack Obama signed a new law imposing sanctions against North Korea

United States (US) President Barack Obama signed off a new law imposing new sanctionsagainst North Korea on 18 February 2016. The new law is titled North Korea Sanctions andPolicy Enhancement Act of 2016. The new law prescribing sanctions is aimed at punishingNorth Korea for its provocative recent nuclear test and rocket launch. The law was passed by theUS Congress on 12 February 2016 after North Korea refused to stop its nuclear programme.

Eastern Command won Raksha Mantris Trophy for Best Service Hospital

The Defence Minister presented the Raksha Mantris Trophy and citation for the Best ServiceHospital in the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) to Command Hospital (EasternCommand), Kolkata, on 18 February 2016. The trophy for the Second Best Hospital waspresented to INHS Asvini, Mumbai, which was received by its Commandant Surgeon RearAdmiral AA Pawar. The Raksha Mantris Trophy was instituted in 1989 to create a healthycompetition among the Command Hospitals of the Army and its equivalent hospitals in the Navy

and Air Force.

Sikkim Govt. introduce the One Village One Crop

Sikkim Govt plans introduce Contract farming in the State for making the agriculture morelucrative. The State Government also plans introduce the One Village One Crop Schemewhere one identified potential crop will be cultivated in each village.

19 February 2016

US imposed new sanctions on North Korea

U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law a piece of legislation passed by Congress imposingnew sanctions against North Korea for testing a nuclear device on January 6, 2016 and launchinga satellite on February 7, 2016 using ballistic missile technology.


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Harper Lee passed away

Author Nelle Harper Lee has died at the age of 89. She won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1961

for her book, To Kill a Mockingbird. .Lee was born April 28, 1926, in Monroeville. On July11, 1960, Lees novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published by J.B. Lippincott & Co..

Five new hot Jupiters discovered

Scientists have discovered five new Jupiter-like planets that are similar in characteristics to oursolar systems biggest planet and orbit very close to their host stars. Researchers from KeeleUniversity in the United Kingdom used the Wide Angle Search for Planets-South (WASP-South)instrument an array of eight cameras observing selected regions of the southern sky, to study

five stars showing planet-like transits in their light curve. The newly discovered planets weredesignated WASP-119 b, WASP-124 b, WASP-126 b, WASP-129 b and WASP133 b. Theorbital periods of the planets vary from 2.17 to 5.75 days, and their masses range from 0.3 to 1.2the mass of Jupiter, with radii between one to 1.5 Jupiter radius.

Obama first US President in 80 years to visit Cuba

U.S. President Barack Obama is to make a historic visit to Cuba next month the first sittingAmerican president to go to the island nation in 80 years . The trip is planned for March 21-22

before the president flies to Argentina,. Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, who is ofCuban descent, slammed Obama for his planned trip to Cuba.

Modi to attend summit of EU, India in Brussels

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Brussels for the EU-India summit on March 30,which is being held after a long gap of four years that have also seen the suspension of talks onthe Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA). PM conduct one more meeting on theFree Trade Agreement (FTA) on March 30 at the level of Commerce Ministers on the sidelines

of the his visit. Indias import duty on cars range from 60-120 per cent as against the EUs 10 percent.

Nepal PM Sharma Oli arrives on 6-day visit


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Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli arrived in New Delhi on 19 February 2016 on a six-day visit during which he will hold extensive talks with the Indian leadership with a major focuson mending ties hit by issues relating to the Himalayan nations new Constitution. Unionexternal affairs minister Sushma Swaraj received Mr Oli,. Mr Oli and Prime Minister NarendraModi will hold extensive talks on a range of issues on 20 February 2016 following which both

sides are expected to sign a number of pacts to step up cooperation in several key sectors. It isexpected that India will ask Nepal to complete the unfinished task of making the Constitutionmore inclusive to address the concerns of the Madhesi community which share close family andcultural ties with Indians. Meanwhile, the two Armies are also strengthening defence ties. TheNinth Indo-Nepal Combined Battalion level Military Training Exercise Surya Kiran is beingconducted at Pithoragarh from February 8 to 21, 2016, under the aegis of Panchshul Brigade ofCentral Command.

20 February 2016

Faustin Archange Touadera is new President of central African Republic

The former Prime Minister of central African Republic Faustin Archange Touadera was declaredas president after winning the second round of presidential election announced by NationalElections Authority (ANE). He served as Prime Minister to central African Republic fromJanuary 2008 to January 2013.

India, Nepal signed Seven Agreements

India, Nepal signed Seven Agreements at a summit meeting during Nepal Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli six day visit to India. They signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) on post-earthquake reconstruction assistance, strengthening of road infrastructure in Nepal, in field ofperforming arts, on Transit routes, on Rail Transport, Inauguration of Muzoffarpur Dhalkebartransmission line and establishment of Eminent Persons Group (EPG). India granted 250 millionus dollars to Nepal for post-earthquake.

Amendments to Delimitation Act, 2002 approved by cabinet

The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its assent to Amendments ofDelimitation Act, 2002 on February 17, This is 100 Amendment in Constitution Act, 2015 and itallows introduction of election was amendment bill in 2016. The important pact signed betweenBangladesh and India on 31st July 2015 as agreed to exchange 51 Bangladesh enclaves with 111Indian enclaves by this cooch behar district in Bengal was altered. Now by this act the election


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commission of India will carry out delimitation on both parliamentary and assemblyconstituencies and enable 1400 voters of Indian enclave to poll their votes and provide votingrights for 921 citizens who are from Bangladesh.

21 February 2016

Vinay Kumar Singh appointed as MD of NCRTC

Indian Railway Officer Vinay Kumar Singh has been appointed as Managing Director ofNational Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). Prior to this appointment, he wasworking with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a railway PSU involved in the study of highspeed rail corridors. He was appointed by the search and selection committee through aninterview process. The committee comprised of Urban Development Secretary, official from theDepartment of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Railway Board Member (Staff) and expert fromWorld Bank.

PM Narendra Modi launched the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 February 2016 launched the ambitious Shyama PrasadMukherji Rurban (rural-urban) Mission from Chhattisgarhs Dongargarh block.The aim of thisproject is to draw an investment of over Rs 5,000 crore in three years to transform rural areas toeconomically, socially and physically sustainable spaces..Under the scheme, 300 clusters wouldbe developed across the country in three years .

Sujan R. Chinoy appointed as Indias Ambassador to republic of the Marshall Islands

Sujan R. Chinoy has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to theRepublic of the Marshall Islands with residence in Tokyo.Sujan R. Chinoy, from Gujarat Cadreof 1981 batch of the Indian Foreign Service. Presently Chinoy is serving as Ambassador of Indiato Japan.

PIB clears India Posts 800 Crore Proposal for Payments Bank

The Public Investment Board (PIB) on 21 February 2016 cleared an 800 crore porpsal for apayments bank by India Post.The proposal will be placed in front of the Cabinet for finalapproval shortly.The PIB whets investment proposals by state run entities.The department is alsoin the process of selecting a suitable consultant for the payments bank to be set up by the postaldepartment.It has shortlisted six consultants but only three of them have shown interest.The pilot


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payments bank is scheduled to start in January 2017 and will start full fledged operation byMarch in the same year.

Dr.Ketan Shukla appointed as the new High Commissioner to Republic of Botswana

Dr.Ketan Shukla (The 1986 IFS batch officer) is appointed as the new High Commissioner to theRepublic of Botswana.

Malayalam film Ottal named best childrens film at Berlin International Film Festival

Malayalam film Ottal was named the Best Childrens Film at the 2016 Berlin InternationalFilm Festival in Germany. It was honoured with the Crystal Bear Award in the Generation K-

Plus section.The film, directed by Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair, is about the story of an oldfisherman and his grandson. The movie is an adaptation of Anton Chekhovs short storyVanaka.Earlier winners were Killa 2014 and Dhanak 2015.Ottal bagged the NationalAward for best film on Environment Conservation/Preservation and it set a record at 20thInternational Film Festival of Kerala by sweeping all the top awards.The 66th annual BerlinInternational Film Festival was held from 11 February to 21 February 2016, with Americanactress Meryl Streep as the President of the Jury. The Honorary Golden Bear for lifetimeachievement was presented to German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus.

Punjab Warriors won Hockey India League title

Jaypee Punjab Warriors won Hockey India League (HIL) title after defeating Kalinga Lancers 6-1 in a lop-sided summit clash in Ranchi on 21 February 2016. The Punjab Warriors were thirdtime lucky as they had finished runners-up in the last two editions. They lost to Delhi Waveridersin 2014 and to Ranchi Rays in 2015.

New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum scored fastest test century

New Zealand cricket team captain Brendon McCullum scored fastest test century on 20 February2016 . McCullum scored the century in record 54 balls against Australia on the first day of the2nd match that was played for Trans-Tasman Trophy in Christchurch, New Zealand. To scorethe fastest and the 12th test century, the 34-year old player took 2 balls less than West IndiesViv Richards and Pakistans Misbah-ul-Haq who jointly held the previous record.


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22 February 2016

Swachh Paryatan Mobile App Launched

Swachh Parayatan Mobile App was launched by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State(I/C) for Tourism & Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation in New Delhi on 22February 2016 under the Clean India Clean Monuments. This project is being implementedby the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India through DeGS and NIC. This Mobile App isavailable on Google Search Engine as Swachh Paryatan and initially it is available on AndroidPhones and very soon it will be available on Apple and Microsoft also. This mobile app shall bemonitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry ofTourism.This mobile app enables a citizen to take photograph of garbage at the monument andupload the same along with his/her remarks. The application then sends an SMS to the ASINodal Officer concerned with the monument upon receipt of which the Nodal Officer gets thegarbage cleared/removed.

Mahamaham festival was held in kumbakonam

The nine-day Mahamaham festival, known as the Kumbh Mela of the south, concluded inTamil Nadus Kumbakonam on 22 February 2016, with conduct of the most important eventtheerthavari, witnessed by lakhs of people.The theerthavari event is considered the most sacredto take a holy dip in the Mahamaham tank. Since February 13, more than 25 lakh people havetaken a holy dip as part of the festival, which falls once in 12 years.

Nicole Kidman won best actress prize at WhatsOnStage awards

Nicole Kidman has won best actress in a play honours at Londons WhatsOnStage Awards forher depiction of a real-life scientific heroine in Photograph 51. Kidman played RosalindFranklin, one of the team that discovered the double helix structure of DNA, in Anne Zieglersdrama, which also was named best new play.Benedict Cumberbatch was named best actor in aplay for Hamlet, which was also named best revival. Judi Dench was named best supportingactress for The Winters Tale. Musical performance prizes went to Imelda Staunton forGypsy and Matt Henry for Kinky Boots.The awards are sponsored by websitewhatsonstage.com and decided by public vote.

Four Bengali sweets to get GI tag


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The West Bengal government is planning to get Geographical Identification (GI) tag for fourtraditional sweetmeat delicacies of the State to help protect them from imitations.The foursweetmeats are Moa of Jainagar, Sarpuria of Krishnagar, and Sitabhog and Mihidana ofBurdwan, said Jayanta Kumar Aikat, Director of Food Processing Industries.A GI tag is given toproducts that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are

due to that origin.

Justice Vineet Saran appointed as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court

President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Justice Vineet Saran as the Chief Justice of Orissa(Odisha) High Court on 22 February 2016. He will take oath on 26 February 2016.Prior to thisappointment, Justice Saran was working as a senior judge of Karnataka High Court. The post ofOrissa (Odisha) Chief Justice was vacant since 15 February 2016 as Justice D H Waghela wastransferred be the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.

Empowered Group of State Transport Ministers formed to suggest measures on transport

sector

Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on 22 February 2016 formed an EmpoweredGroup of State Transport Ministers. An announcement in this regard was made at the 16thMeeting of National Road Safety Council by the Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkariin New Delhi.The group, chaired by the Rajasthan Transport Minister Yunus Khan, will suggestmeasures to boost the transport sector, improve the public transport system and minimise road

accidents in the country. The formation of the group is in tune with the Union Governmentsconcerted action plan to reduce road accidents by half by 2019.

24 February 2016

Rajendra Singh is Coast Guard DG

The government on 24 February 2016 appointed Rajendra Singh as the Director General (DG) ofCoast Guard, the countrys coastal protection force. This is the first time an officer from withinhas been promoted as its Chief which was traditionally headed by a three-star Naval officer. TheAppointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the appointment of Singh as the DG. Mr.

Singh joined the Coast Guard in 1980 and is currently the Additional Director General. He willreplace Vice Admiral HCS Bisht who has been promoted as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command. He was awarded the Tatrakshak Medal (TM) by thePresident on August 15, 1990. In recognition of his distinguished service, he was awardedPresidents Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) on Aug 15, 2002.


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Former Union Minister P K Thungon convicted in 1993-94 graft case

Former union minister P K Thungon, who is in jail in a graft case, was convicted by a Delhi

court for his alleged role in a scam relating to allotment of government shops in New Delhiduring 1993-94 on 24 February 2016. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, however, acquittedtwo other accused in the case Lhakpa Tsering and Krishna, who were facing trial in this casealong with Thungon, then Urban Affairs and Employment Minister Sheila Kaul, and one TulsiBalodi. Thungon was, in July 2015, awarded a four-and-a-half year jail term in a 1998 graft caserelating to misappropriation of central funds. A case was registered by the CBI in 1996 againstKaul, Thungon, Tsering, Krishna and Balodi for allegedly hatching a conspiracy in allottingshops and stalls in 1994.

Beijing overtakes New York City as Billionaire Capital

Beijing is the new Billionaire Capital of the World. According to the latest research morebillionaires now live in the Chinese capital of Beijing than previous titleholder New YorkCity.There are now 100 billionaires living in Beijing according to Hurun, a Shanghai-basedcompany that releases yearly data on the worlds rich and their spending habits. By comparisonthere are now only 95 billionaires living in New York. Beijing took the title from New Yorkafter minting 32 new billionaires last year, while New York gained four. Moscow came in thirdplace, with 66 billionaires, while Hong Kong and Shanghai came in fourth and fifth with 64 and50, respectively.

Indian delegation to visit Colombo

A delegation of officials from India will visit Colombo on March 4 to hold talks with Sri Lankanofficials regarding the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).During the discussion, the two countries would exchange their draft. The new pact would coverareas such as financial services, promotion of trade and investment, e-commerce and tourism.

India adds 27 new billionaires

India added 27 new billionaires with Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries (RIL),emerging at the top with a personal wealth of $26 billion, according to Hurun Global Rich List2016.Cumulative Indian billionaires wealth stood at $308 billion, registering a 25 per centgrowth over last year. Mr. Ambani, who is ranked 21st globally, was followed by Sun Pharmapromoter, Dilip Shanghvi, with personal wealth of $18 billion.India is home to 111 billionaires


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and most of them are from Mumbai. Indias e-commerce leaders, Sachin Bansal and BinnyBansal of Flipkart, with wealth of $1.4 billion, were ranked amongst the 69 billionaires under theage of 40. Globally, 99 new billionaires were added to the list in 2016 to take the total billionairerich list to a record of 2,188, 50 per cent more than 2013.

Maheshwari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court

Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was sworn-in as the chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court on 24February 2016.Governor V Shanmuganathan administered the oath of office to the Chief Justiceat a ceremony in Raj Bhavan. Maheshwari replaces former chief Justice Uma Nath Singh whoretired on January 14. Maheswari was earlier a senior Judge of the Allahabad High Court. AfterJustice Singhs retirement, Justice T N K Singh took over as acting chief justice till hisretirement last month. Since then, the Meghalaya High Court has been functioning with only oneJudge, Justice S R Sen who was also serving as the acting Chief of the high court.

Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis enter quarters in Qatar

Indo-Swiss top tennis pair Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis entered into the Qatarquarterfinal.This is their 41st successive win. Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis defeated unseededChinese pair Yi-Fan Xu and Saisai Zheng with 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 at Khalifa International Tennis andSquash Complex on 23 February 2016. Sania and Martina, who got a first round bye, have notlost a single match this year, having won four tournaments earlier in Sydney, Brisbane, St.Petersburg and the Australian Open in Melbourne.

25 February 2016

Railway Budget 2016-2017

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu presented the railway budget for financial year 2016-17 on 25February 2016, detailing the projects that he wishes to undertake in the next financial year. Heannounced a capital plan of Rs. 1,21,000 crore for 2016-17.Highlights of Railway Budget:

1. No hike in railway fares.2. Two dedicated freight corridors by 2019.3. Rs. 50 crore for providing innovation grants to start-ups.4. 33% sub-quota for women under all reserved categories.5. Indias first rail auto hub to come up in Chennai.6. Special purpose vehicle for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speech corridor registered this


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month.7. Coolies will be called Sahayaks.8. Weve introduced Sarthi Seva in Konkan Railways for help to senior citizens; will expand thisservice.9. Include e-ticket facility for foreign debit and credit card holders.

10. Open cancellation facility through 139 helpline number.11. Planning to introduce bar-coded tickets on pilot basis to tackle menace of ticket less travel.12. Long distance super fast train Antyodaya Express for unreserved passengers.13. Introduces Deen Dayal coaches for long distance trains for unreserved passengers.14. CCTV network has been provided at 311 railway stations.15. Enhanced capacity of e-ticketing system from 2000 tickets/min to 7,200/min.16. There is an increase in seat quota this year; 50% up for senior citizens.17. Introduced 1,780 ticket-vending machines.18. Swacch Bharat: 17,000 bio-toilets and additional toilets to be provided by end of this FiscalYear.19. North-East India, especially Mizoram and Manipur, to be connected through broad gauge

soon.20. New freight corridors announced: Delhi-Chennai, Kharaghpur-Mumbai, Kharaghpur-Vijayawada.21. LIC has agreed invest Rs. 1.5 lakh crore over 5 years on extremely favourable terms.22. By 2020, eliminate all unmanned level crossing.23. To generate revenues of order of Rs.1,84,820 cr next year, 10.1% higher than revised targetof current year.

Lok Sabha Passed Election Laws (Amendment) Bill,2016

The Lok Sabha passed Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 on 25 February 2016. The billseeks to amend the Delimitation Act, 2002 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950.TheseActs regulate allocation of seats to the national and state legislatures, and delimitation (that is,fixing boundaries) of parliamentary and assembly constituencies. The Bill aims to empower theElection Commission to carry out delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies inCooch Behar district of West Bengal that were affected by the enactment of the Constitution(100th Amendment) Act, 2015. Under the Constitution (100th Amendment) Act- 2015, 51Bangladeshi and 111 Indian enclaves were exchanged between India and Bangladesh on 31 July2015. Enclaves are territories belonging to one country that are entirely surrounded by anothercountry. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister for Law and Justice, DVSadananda Gowda, on February 24, 2016. Earlier, Union Cabinet approved the amendment tothe Delimitation Act, 2002 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950 on 17 February 2016.

Govt appointed 3 info commissioners to CIC


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The Government appointed three retired civil servants as information commissioners on 24February 2016.This will be the first time that all the information commissioners except a lawprofessor are from the government or the public sector.An official announcement on February25th named former IAS officers, Bimal Julka and Amitava Bhattacharyya and a retired IPSofficer Divya Prakash Sinha. Julka had retired as information & broadcasting secretary,

Bhattacharyya was chairman of the Staff Selection Commission and Sinha, a counter-terrorveteran was secretary (security) at the Cabinet Secretariat.The three information commissionerswill hold the posts till they turn 65. The CIC had started out with five commissioners in 2005. By2008, it had eight. In 2011, there were as few as five and in 2012, there were only seven of them.

Former DRDO chief Dr Avinash Chander received the prestigious Astronautical Society of

Indias Aryabhata Award

Dr Avinash Chander, former scientific advisor to the defence minister and ex-DRDO chief

received the prestigious Astronautical Society of Indias Aryabhata Award on 25 February 2016.He received the award from Dr R Chidambaram, principal scientific advisor to government ofIndia, and Dr A S Kiran Kumar, chairman ISRO, at ASI-ISRO Awards function held at SpaceApplications Centre in Ahmedabad. The Aryabhata Award, named after the fifth century Indianastronomer and mathematician and also in commemoration of the first Indian satellite,Aryabhata, is presented annually to an individual for outstanding lifetime contribution to thepromotion of astronautics in India. The award consists of a citation and Rs 1 lakh in cash.

26 February 2016

E-Tourist Visa Facility Extended To 37 More Countries

The central government announced the extension of e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) facility to 37 morecountries on 26 February 2016. With this the total count of countries under the scheme will reach150. The 37 more countries included in the e-TV scheme are Albania, Austria, Bosnia &Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cote dlvoire, Croatia, CzechRepublic, Denmark, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Iceland, Lesotho, Liberia,Madagascar, Malawi, Moldova, Namibia, Romania, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia,South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Trinidad & Tobago, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The facility was launched on 27 November 2014. Sixteen Indian airports have been designated

for providing e-TV service. An e tourist is a visa issued electronically, which allows tourists andshort-term travelers to get an Indian visa quickly and easily on-line. Before travelling to India,visitors must have a valid Indian visa. Since the launch of the service more than 7.50 lakh visashave been issued under the scheme. At present on an average 3,500 e-TVs are being granteddaily to foreign nationals.


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Govts LED drive to save over Rs 45,000 crore

According to the Economic Survey 2015-16,Governments plan to change 77 crore conventional

bulbs and 3.5 crore conventional street lights with LED range would save Rs 45,500 crore byreducing 21,500 MW electricity demand. National LED programme will also facilitate Indiascommitment towards reducing its emission intensity per unit of GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030under its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC). It is estimated that the nationalLED programme will result in annual electricity saving of about 109 billion units. By March2019, the government is planning to replace 77 crore incandescent bulbs with LED underDomestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) and 3.5 crore conventional streetlights withenergy-efficient LED lights under the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP).

India has 3rd largest base of start-up firms

According to the Economic Survey 2015-16,within a year, the number of technology start ups inthe country has grown by 40 per cent to over 4,200, making India the third largest base oftechnology start-ups in the world.This has further helped create about 80,000-85,000 jobs during2015. The survey added no less than 2000 of the start-ups have been backed by venturecapital/angel investors since 2010, of which 1005 were created in 2015 alone.Indian start-upsraised USD 3.5 billion in funding in the first half of 2015, and the number of active investors inIndia increased from 220 in 2014 to 490 in 2015.

Garudachar passed away

B.K. Garudachar, the legendary pre-independence cricketer and skipper of Mysore passed awayon 26 February 2016. He was 99. Born on 13 January 1917 in Chikmagalur .His full name wasBindiganavile Krishnaswamy Iyengar Garudachar. He was Indias oldest living first-classcricketer. He was all-rounder, he played a crucial part in Mysores first ever win in Ranji Trophyagainst Hyderabad in 1941-42 accounting for a match-haul of 11 wickets and 62 runs.In the nextmatch against Madras, which Mysore won by 22 runs, he scalped 14 wickets in all. Garudacharended with a career tally of 1,126 runs at 29.53, with one century and seven fifties, and 100wickets at 26.20.

Gianni Infantino of Switzerland won FIFA presidential election

Gianni Infantino of Switzerland won FIFA presidential election with 115 votes on 26 February2016. Infantino, the general secretary of European governing body UEFA, is the second straight


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FIFA president from the Valais region in the Swiss Alps. Infantino is from Brig and replaces the79-year-old Blatter, who was born in neighbouring Visp. Infantino will be president throughMay 2019, completing the remainder of Blatters term. Blatter was forced out by the pressure ofAmerican and Swiss investigations of corruption that hit FIFA two days before the previouselection in May.

27 February 2016

President launched Keralas Muziris Heritage project

President Pranab Mukherjee launched countrys largest conservation project and Keralas firstgreen project at Trissur in Kerala on 27 February 2016. Muziris, the hub of the spice route andthe bustling port of the first century BC that drew legions of Arab, Roman, Greek, Chinese andJewish traders from across the seas, is all set to come alive again through this ambitious projectof tourism department of the state government.The project gains added significance due to itsclose link with the Spice Route initiative launched by Kerala Tourism with the support ofUNESCO to revive Keralas age-old trade ties with 41 countries of the world.

13th World Spice Congress begins in Ahmedabad

13th World Spice Congress Begins in Ahmedabad. The theme of the biennial event is Target2020: Clean, Safe and Sustainable Supply Chain. The 3 day event seeks to hammer outactionable road map to further push the growth of spices industry. Spices constitute the onlyIndian exports where the country controls almost half of world trade.Out of the total productionof spices in India, 15 per cent is exported.

Prezelj elected Chairman of IAAF Athletes Commission

At the IAAF Athletes Commission meeting in Monaco on 27 February 2016, Rozle Prezelj waselected as the new Chairman. Prezelj represented Slovenia in the high jump at three Olympicsand four IAAF World Championships. A European under-23 champion in 2001, Prezelj set anational record of 2.32m in 2012 before retiring in 2014. He takes over as Chairman of thecommission from Frank Fredericks with immediate effect. Britains marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe was nominated Vice Chairwoman of the commission.

President declared Kerala as the first digital state


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President Pranab Mukherjee on 27 February 2016 declared Kerala as the first digital state of thecountry.The Kerala government has launched digital literacy campaign, which will play animportant role in digitally empowering the people of Kerala, between the age group of 30 to 60years.After successful completion of this campaign Kerala would become a fully digital society.

President inaugurates Muziris Heritage Project

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Muziris Heritage Project at Kodungalloor on 27February 2016. The implementation of the project is done by the State Government with thesupport of the Central Government. The Muziris Heritage Project utilizes at a global level thepossibilities of a region, which lost its glory centuries ago. This region forms a part of theheritage tourism circuit between North Parur and Kodungalloor in Kerala. Muziris is an ancientport town in Kerala.

Per Capita Income in India Jumped 7.3 Per cent

The per capita net national income of the country at current prices for the year 2015-16 isRs.93,231. Per capita income jumped 7.3 per cent from Rs 86,879 in 2014-15. The per capita netnational income at constant (2011-12) prices for the year 2015-16 is Rs. 77, 431.

President Inaugurated Indias first Gender Park in Kerala

Gender Park, Indias first gender equality convergence center was inaugurated by PresidentPranab Mukherje. President Inaugurated Indias first Gender Park in Kerala. It is an initiative tobring together the state and civil society on a common platform to address the gender issues. Itwould focus on learning research and capacity development in ensuring an inclusive society. Itwould cover issues pertaining to all three genders.

28 February 2016

AITUC re-elects Ramendra Kumar & Gurudas Dasgupta

Ramendra Kumar and Gurudas Dasgupta were re-elected as President and General Secretaryrespectively of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). They were re-elected at the end ofthe four-day 41st national conference in Coimbatore that concluded 28 February 2016.


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Vinod Rai appointed as Chairman of Banks Board Bureau

Former Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG), Vinod Rai has been selected as Chairmanof the recently formed Banks Board Bureau(BBB). His appointment was done after PrimeMinister Narendra Modi approved the proposal of the department of financial services for the

constitution of the Banks Board Bureau. Vinod Rai, a 1972-batch IAS officer from Kerala cadrewas honoured with Padma Bhushan last year. He is famously known for exposing financialirregularities relating to the 2G spectrum allocation and coal mines allotment in 2009. Rai asenior Indian Administrative Service officer has served as CAG between January 2008 and May2013. In 2014 Rai was noted as the most powerful IAS officer in the country and the mostinfluential man among the bureaucrats.

National Science Day observed

In India February 28 is celebrated as the National Science Day i.e. Rashtriya Vigyan Diwasevery year. The aim of Science day is to impart scientific temper in the minds of people of allage groups. The theme for year 2016 is Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation thataims at raising public appreciation. This day is celebrated as science festival in the entire nationby organising science exhibitions, seminars, workshops, symposiums and many other activities.The National Science Day is celebrated to mark the epoch-making discovery of Raman Effect byIndian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman) on 28 February 1928. Thisdiscovery was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. In 2013, the AmericanChemical Society designated the Raman Effect as an International Historic ChemicalLandmark.

2016 Dubai ATP tennis titles

Stan Wawrinka from Switzerland has won the 2016 Dubai ATP Tennis title in the mens singlescategory. In the final match played in the United Arab Emirates, he defeated Marcos Baghdatis(Cyprus) by 6-4, 7-6 (15/13) score. It was his ninth straight final and overall 13th title of hiscareer and second of the 2016 season after winning Chennai Open.

Womens Singles Sara Errani (Italy) won the 2016 Dubai ATP Tennis title in the womenssingles category. In the final she defeated Barbora Strcov of Czech Republic Barbora Strcov

by 60, 62 score.

Mens Doubles Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andreas Seppi has won the 2016 Dubai ATPTennis title in the mens doubles category. They defeated Feliciano Lpez and Marc Lpez pairfrom Spain by 62, 36, [1412] score.


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Womens Doubles Chuang Chia-jung (Chinese Taipei) and Darija Jurak (Croatia) won the 2016Dubai ATP Tennis title in the womens doubles category. They defeated French pair of CarolineGarcia and Kristina Mladenovic by 64, 64 score.

29 February 2016

Rahul Sachdev won India Open snooker title

Former National 6Reds runner-up Rahul Sachdev clinched his maiden title by winning the 1stAll India Open Invitational Snooker Championship in Aurangabad. In the final, Rahul defeatedcurrent national 6Reds no.4 Pushpender Singh of Railways 5-3. Since last five years, Rahul hadachieved the highest by reaching the National 6Reds final in the year 2013.

Alok Verma as Delhis New Police Commissioner

Senior IPS officer Alok Kumar Verma took charge as the new Commissioner of Delhi Police on29 February 2016. Mr Verma succeeds BS Bassi. Mr Verma, a 1979 batch IPS officer of theAGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre, was serving as theDirector General of Tihar jail. Mr Verma, who had joined as DG of Tihar on 6 August 2014 afterserving as Special Commissioner of Police (Administration), is set to retire after 17 months. Heserved Delhi Police in number of positions, including Deputy Commissioner of Police, SouthDistrict, Joint Commissioner of the Crime Branch, Joint Commissioner of Police, New DelhiRange, Special CP (Intelligence) and Special CP, Vigilance. He had served as the InspectorGeneral of Police in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Director General of Police (DGP) ofPuducherry.

Union Budget of India 2016 -17

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget for year 2016-17 in Parliament on 29February 2016.This was the second full term annual budget presented by Finance Minister, ArunJaitley.

Highlights of Union Budget of India 2016:

Agriculture and farmer welfare: Ensuring double income of farmers, which would include Rs35,984 crores investment, new infrastructure for agriculture, manure, animal husbandry andirrigation. 25.8 lakh hectare to be brought under irrigation. 23 projects under the scheme to beaccomplished before 31st march 2017. 14 crore farm holding under fertilizers scheme. E-market


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for 585 pre-regulated retailers for easy and transparent accessibility to farm products. Rs 38,500crore to be assigned to MNREGA.

Rural employment and social sector: Funds allocation to Panchayats to develop block. Roads and

infrastructure to be the

february 2016 gk capsule by newstechcafe

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