A2Z February 2019 Current Affairs PDF www.aspirantszone.com
A2Z Current Affairs PDF for upcoming exams February 2019
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MOU/Agreement Countries
India and Bangladesh inked 4 MoUs and agreements as new Bangla Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen met his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on his maiden trip abroad a little over a month after the re-election of Hasina government. India’s Environment Ministry signed an agreement with the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry for an initiative seeking to combat marine pollution. MOU Industry/States/Others
State-run power giant NTPC said it has signed an agreement with HDFC Bank for a Rs 2,500 crore loan to part finance capital expenditure. The UNICEF in Maharashtra has joined hands with Goa Women and Child Development(WCD) to focus on and support in the area of child protection in the State. World Bank, UN Women, and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have joined hands to launch a new social impact bonds exclusively for women, called Women’s Livelihood Bonds (WLBs), with an initial corpus of Rs 300 crore. The Reserve Bank of India and Bank of Japan have signed an agreement for Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) between the two countries. The BSA was negotiated between India and Japan during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tokyo last year. It provides for India to access 75 billion in US dollars while the earlier BSA provided for 50 billion dollars. India can access 75 billion dollars for its domestic currency, for the purpose of maintaining an appropriate level of balance of payments or short-term liquidity.
Appointments and Resignations
Name Post Union Minister Arun Jaitley resumed charge as finance minister. Shri Sailesh Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs Pradeep Kharola Civil Aviation Secretary Radheyshyam Julaniya Union Sports Secretary RK Shukla CBI Director Pramod Chandra Mody Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Sushil Chandra Election Commissioner Govind Prasad Sharma Chairman of National Book Trust (NBT) P V Bharathi CEO of Corporation Bank Justice Uma Nath Singh First Lokayukta of Nagaland Ashwani Lohani Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India Dr.G C Anupama President of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) Justice (Retd) P S Teji Chairman of Police Complaints Authority Justice DK Jain First ombudsman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Mary Kom Brand Ambassador of German sportswear brand Puma Anirban Mukherjee Chief Executive Officer of PayU India
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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh President of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad and Asima Ali (Indian) Vice President of Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Punit Goenka Chairman of Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) Nilambar Acharya Nepal’s envoy to India Chandramouli Ramanathan United Nation’s Controller Professor Faizel Ismail Director of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance William Barr US Attorney General Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi Chairman of the African Union Mohamed Tahir Ayala Prime Minister of Sudan Nayib Bukele President of El Salvador Muhammadu Buhari President of Nigeria
Awards and Recognitions
Award Name Person/Institution Extra Knowledge Seoul Peace Prize 2018 Prime Minister Narendra Modi Swachhata Excellence awards 2019 Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh municipal corporation K.Veeramani Award for Social Justice P.S. Krishnan 2018 Aegis Graham Bell Award 2018 (Data YES Bank For its ‘Yes Engage Enrich Excel Science Innovation Award) (EEE)’ project in data science. Global Future of Nature Award Dr Divya Karnad Second Indian and the first woman to win the award Officer of the Legion of Honour, François Laborde France’s highest civilian honour Israel’s prestigious Dan David Prize Sanjay Subrahmanyam (Indian Historian) EY Entrepreneur Of the Year for 2018 Siddhartha Lal Lifetime Achievement Award at the Mahesh Elkunchwar (Playwright) prestigious Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) Lifetime Achievement award at the G.R. Karthikeyan FMSCI annual awards function Lifetime Achievement Award by the Deepa Mehta (Indo-Canadian Mehta, best known for her Academy of Canadian Cinema and filmmaker) Elements Trilogy – “Fire”, Television “Earth” and “Water”. Martin Ennals human rights prize Abdul Aziz Muhamat, a Sudanese refugee The Maharashtra government has bestowed the ‘Shiv Chhatrapati Lifetime Achievement Award’ on mallakhamb coach Uday Deshpande for 2017-18. The (Shiv Chhatrapati) lifetime achievement award is being conferred upon Uday Deshpande of Samarth Vyayam Mandir, who has dedicated his life for mallakhamb. National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) of India has been selected as Winner under the Miniratna Category (Category II) by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
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Bradley Cooper (American actor) has been awarded the ‘Oscat’ by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The animal rights organisation awarded Cooper “for his enlightened decision to cast his own canine companion in ‘A Star Is Born’ rather than using one supplied by a notorious animal exhibitor”. Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, has conferred the royal honour of OBE (order of the British empire) on Indian-origin Dhruv Patel for voluntary service to Britain’s Hindu community and social cohesion. Railway’s ticket booking mobile application and the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Khanij online’ are among 14 such IT projects that have been chosen for this year’s National e-Governance Awards.
President Ramnath Kovind gave away the Gandhi Peace Prize for four years from 2015 to 2018. Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, got the award for 2015 for their contribution to rural development, education, development of natural resources. For 2016, it has been jointly given to Akshaya Patra foundation for its contribution in providing mid-day meals to children and Sulabh International for improving the condition of sanitation and emancipation of manual scavengers. Ekal Abhiyan Trust has won the award for 2017 for their contribution in providing education to rural and tribal children in remote areas, rural empowerment, gender, and social equality. Goodwill Ambassador of the World Health Organisation for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa has been honoured with Gandhi Peace Prize for 2018 for his role in leprosy eradication.
Oscar Awards 2019 Winners List
BEST PICTURE – Green Book ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – Olivia Colman, The Favourite DIRECTING – Alfonso Cuaron, Roma ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – Mahershala Ali, Green Book ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY) – BlacKkKlansman WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY) – Green Book FILM EDITING – Bohemian Rhapsody, John Ottman CINEMATOGRAPHY – Roma, Alfonso Cuaron PRODUCTION DESIGN – Black Panther | Hannah Beachler (Production Design); Jay Hart (Set Decoration) VISUAL EFFECTS – First Man | Paul Lambert, Ian Hunter, Tristan Myles and J.D. Schwalm COSTUME DESIGN – Black Panther, Ruth Carter MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING – Vice | Greg Cannom, Kate Biscoe and Patricia Dehaney FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM – Roma | Mexico; Alfonso Cuarón ANIMATED FEATURE FILM – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) – Black Panther, Ludwig Goransson MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG) – “Shallow” | Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt SOUND EDITING – Bohemian Rhapsody | John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone SOUND MIXING – Bohemian Rhapsody | Paul Massey, Tim Cavagin and John Casali SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) – Bao | Domee Shi and Becky Neiman-Cobb SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) – Skin | Guy Nattiv and Jaime Ray Newman DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) – Free Solo | Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes and Shannon Dill DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT) – Period. End Of Sentence. | Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton
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BAFTA Awards 2019 Winners List
Best Film: “Roma” Outstanding British Film: “The Favourite” Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: “Beast” — Michael Pearce, Lauren Dark Film Not in the English Language: “Roma” Documentary: “Free Solo” Animated Film: “Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse” Director: Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” Original Screenplay: “The Favourite” Adapted Screenplay: “BlacKkKlansman” Leading Actress: Olivia Colman, “The Favourite” Leading Actor: Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody” Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite” Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali, “Green Book” Original Music: “A Star Is Born” Cinematography: “Roma” Editing: “Vice” Production Design: “The Favourite” Costume Design: “The Favourite” Makeup & Hair: “The Favourite” Sound: “Bohemian Rhapsody” Special Visual Effects: “Black Panther” British Short Animation: “Roughhouse” British Short Film: “73 Cows” EE Rising Star Award: Letitia Wright
Grammy Awards 2019 Winners List
Alicia Keys, who is a 15-time Grammy winner, hosted the award ceremony in Los Angeles.
Record of the Year: ‘This Is America’ – Childish Gambino Album of the Year: ‘Golden Hour’ – Kacey Musgraves Song of the Year: ‘This Is America’ – Donald Glover and Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino) Best New Artist: Dua Lipa Best Pop Solo Performance: ‘Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)’ – Lady Gaga Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: ‘Shallow’ – Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: ‘My Way’ – Willie Nelson Best Pop Vocal Album: ‘Sweetener’ – Ariana Grande Best Dance Recording: ‘Electricity’ – Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo and Mark Ronson Best Dance/Electronic Album: ‘Woman Worldwide’ – Justice Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: ‘The Emancipation Procrastination’ – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah ‘Steve Gadd Band’ – Steve Gadd Band Best Rock Performance: ‘When Bad Does Good’ – Chris Cornell Best Metal Performance: ‘Electric Messiah’ – High On Fire Best Rock Song: ‘Masseduction’ – Jack Antonoff and Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent) Best Rock Album: ‘From The Fires’ – Greta Van Fleet Best Alternative Music Album: ‘Colors’ – Beck
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Best R&B Performance: ‘Best Part’ – H.E.R. Featuring Daniel Caesar Best Traditional R&B Performance: ‘Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand’ – Leon Bridges, ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ – PJ Morton Featuring Yebba (Tie) Best R&B Song: ‘Boo’d Up’ – Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai) Best Urban Contemporary Album: ‘Everything Is Love’ – The Carters Best R&B Album: ‘H.E.R.’ – H.E.R. Best Rap Performance: ‘King’s Dead’ – Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake, ‘Bubblin’ – Anderson .Paak (Tie) Best Rap/Sung Performance: ‘This Is America’ – Childish Gambino Best Rap Song: ‘God’s Plan’ – Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake) Best Rap Album: ‘Invasion Of Privacy’ – Cardi B Best Country Solo Performance: ‘Butterflies’ – Kacey Musgraves Best Country Duo/Group Performance: ‘Tequila’ – Dan + Shay Best Country Song: ‘Space Cowboy’ – Luke Laird, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves) Best Country Album: ‘Golden Hour’ – Kacey Musgraves Best New Age Album: ‘Opium Moon’ – Opium Moon Best Improvised Jazz Solo: ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ – John Daversa, soloist
Conference and Summits
Summit Place . Extra Knowledge World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) New Delhi Theme - Attaining the 2030 Agenda: 2019 delivering on our promise 20th Bharat Rang Mahotsav New Delhi . Symposium on “Creativity and Freedom” New Delhi . 2019 Asia LPG Summit New Delhi The event focused on ‘LPG – Energy for Life.’ India is the 2nd largest consumer of liquified natural gas (LPG) in the world. Parmanu Tech 2019-Nuclear Energy Conference New Delhi . CREDAI YouthCon -19 New Delhi Theme - Next Generation 1st LAWASIA Human Rights conference 2019 New Delhi Theme - State Power, Business and Human Rights: Contemporary Challenges International Conference on Unani Medicine New Delhi Theme - Integration of Unani System of Medicine in main stream healthcare Economic Times Global Business Summit 2019 New Delhi 3rd Indo-German Environment Forum New Delhi 5th India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative New Delhi Committee Meeting 4th India ASEAN Expo and Summit New Delhi 4th Global Digital Health Partnership Summit New Delhi National Conference on Logistics Policy: Context, New Delhi SAFAR Mobile App launched
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Issues & The Way Forward International Conference and Exhibition on New Delhi Energy and Environment – Challenges and Opportunities (ENCO-2019) 5th meeting of the Island Development Agency New Delhi (IDA) Conference on Future of Indian Banking New Delhi NITI Aayog organized it. 14th Agricultural Science Congress New Delhi Theme - Innovations for Agricultural Transformation Rising India Summit 2019 New Delhi Theme - Beyond Politics: Defining National Priorities Aviation Conclave New Delhi Theme – Flying for all 4th Agri leadership Summit 2019 Ganaur, Sonipat Theme - Entrepreneurship & Agri- district, Haryana Business; Agri Allied – A Promising Sector and Agri Service- Direct Marketing 13th International Oil and Gas Conference – Greater Noida, Uttar PETROTECH – 2019 Pradesh Early Ed Asia 2019 (Asia’s largest conference on Jaipur, Rajasthan Early Childhood) 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Gandhinagar, Gujarat To be held in Feb 2020. Convention on the conservation of migratory The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will species (CMS) be its mascot Krishi Kumbh Motihari, Bihar 79th Indian History Congress (IHC) Bhopal, Madhya (After Pune University allegedly Pradesh backed out) 16th edition of BioAsia Hyderabad, Theme - Life Sciences 4.0 – Disrupt Telangana the Disruption 2019 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Mumbai, Maharashtra 8th World CSR Congress Mumbai Dr Soumitro Chakraborty won CEO of the year award Regional Maritime Safety Conference 2019 Mumbai Theme - Safeguarding the shores and promoting India-Asean trade along the sea route International Vision Zero Conference Mumbai Words Count Festival Pune, Maharashtra International Spice Conference 2019 Hyderabad, Telangana 5th International Dam Safety Conference–2019 Bhubaneswar, Odisha Dharmapada Samvaad-Skill Saathi Youth Bhubaneswar, Conclave Odisha 12th edition of “Aero India 2019” (Asia’s biggest Bengaluru, Karnataka defence exhibition show) 4th International Conference on Pharmaceutical Bengaluru Theme for India Pharma 2019 is
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& Medical Device sector ‘Enabling Quality Affordable Healthcare’ and that of India Medical Device 2019 is ‘Med-Tech India: Gearing up for Ayushman Bharat’. 44th International Advertising Association (IAA) Kochi, Kerala global summit 4th edition of ‘Science at the Sabha’ Chennai, Tamil Nadu 2nd ASEAN-Inda Youth Summit Guwahati, Assam
World Government Summit Dubai, UAE NATO’s next meeting of Heads of State and London, UK To be held in December 2019 Government
International News
2019 announced as The International Year of The Periodic Table by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Pakistan Army successfully test-fired the short range surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Nasr’ which it claimed can defeat any ballistic missile defence system now available in the country’s neighbourhood or any other system being developed. The government of Thailand has approved the proposal to name Siamese fighting fish as the National Aquatic Animal. The Indian government has proposed the construction of Lower Arun Hydropower Project in Nepal with a capacity of 400 Megawatts (MW). A month-long ‘Festival of India’ began in Kathmandu with the objective of familiarising the new generation of Nepal about the similarities between the Himalayan nation and India. The country formerly known as the Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia, on paper ending a decades-long dispute that should pave the way for NATO membership. A total of 229,068 cases of measles were reported in 2018, nearly double the number of infections contracted in the previous year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). US investment bank JP Morgan has created a crypto-currency to help settle payments between clients in its wholesale payments business. JPM Coin is the first digital currency to be backed by a major US bank. Argentina became the 72nd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Saudi Arabia became the 73rd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Irani President Hassan Rouhani has unveiled the first Iranian made semi-heavy submarine, ‘Fateh’. AntBot, the first walking robot that navigates without GPS in London. According to the Australian government, a small brown rat ‘Bramble Cay melomys’ which lived on a tiny island off northern Australia is the world’s first mammal known to have become extinct due to “human-induced climate change.” World’s first AI female news anchor unveiled in China.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India Korea startup hub in Seoul, South Korea. A team of researchers spotted the world’s giant bee which is as big as a human thumb, in Indonesia for the first time since 1981. The team has spent years studying the bee and slogged around in humid Indonesia forests for days before stumbling upon one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in South Korea’s premier Yonsei University and said the occasion assumes greater significance in light of Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani flagged off the first Afghan cargo from western Nimroz province that will be exported to India through Chabahar Port in Iran which was inaugurated in 2017. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir has declared a national state of emergency, dismissed the federal government and sacked all state governors. Zimbabwe launched new, discounted currency RTGS or real-time gross settlement Dollar National News Following the Pulwama (District in Jammu and Kashmir) terror attack, India withdrew the ‘most-favoured nation’ status to Pakistan, a move which would enable India to increase customs duty on goods coming from the neighbouring country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated India's National War Memorial adjoining the India Gate in New Delhi, nearly 60 years after it was mooted to honour the fallen soldiers after Independence. Spread over 40 acres in the India Gate complex, the has been executed at a cost of Rs 176 crore and its design was selected through a global competition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Gorakhpur. PM-KISAN scheme, announced in the interim Budget, will provide Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares. The amount will be given in 3 installments of Rs 2,000 each. The head of state of Monaco, Prince Albert II arrived in New Delhi on a week-long visit to India. Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri arrived in New Delhi on a three-day India visit. Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrives in New Delhi on a two-day visit. The Election Commission has launched a Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP) for verifications of voters’ names, new registrations, changes or corrections in the Voter Id Cards for the upcoming General Elections. The Commission has also set up Contact centres in all the districts and the Voter Helpline number is 1950. A ‘PwD App’ to enable Divyangs for new registration, change in address and others details was also launched. India’s first ‘fulldome 3D Digital Theatre’ at the Science City in Kolkata was inaugurated by Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma. The ‘fulldome 3D Digital Theatre’ at the Science city was the first of its kind in India having a 23 metre titled dome to offer a fully immersive experience to the visitors. 8000 Health and Wellness Centres have become operational in 35 states and Union Territories Govt. The government has set a target to set up nearly 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres by 2022. Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have released more than 6.23 crore LPG connections under the Scheme across the country as on January 28. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by the government May 2016. Initially launched with a target to give 5 crore connections by March 2019 , the government later raised it to 8 crore connections by 2021.
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Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App has been launched on Google play store. Ayushman Bharat Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is a centrally sponsored scheme; which was launched in the year 2018, under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Khelo India Mobile App at the Youth Parliament Festival in New Delhi. Developed by the Sports Authority of India, the App helps create awareness about sports and fitness, especially among youngsters. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has been renamed as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade with a mandate to deal with matters related to start-ups, facilitating ease of doing business among others. The government approved a proposal for setting up of 12,000 MW of solar power projects by state-run producers. Focussing on its mission to empower women, social networking giant Facebook launched a digital skilling and mentorship initiative across 5 states in India that would encourage tribal girls to become village-level digital young leaders for their communities. To mark the second annual National Cleft Day, Smile Train India has officially launched the country’s first toll-free national cleft helpline – Smile Train India Cleft Helpline. The helpline 1800 103 8301, is accessible to people throughout India who are looking for information about cleft treatment. February 8 is observed as National Cleft Day by the Indian Society of Cleft Lip, Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies and cleft charities in India. The top revenue-generating monuments during 2015-18 include Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma informed Parliament. Along with these monuments the others in the top 10 include Sun Temple Konark, group of monuments in Mamallapuram, Ellora caves, group of monuments in Khajuraho, and the Ajanta caves in Aurangabad. Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik launched the e-AUSHADHI portal, for online licensing of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and related matters. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs,CCEA has approved the Credit Linked Capital Subsidy and Technology Up-gradation Scheme (CLCS-TUS) with a total outlay of 2900 crore rupees. The scheme aims at improving the competitiveness of MSMEs by integrating various ongoing schematic interventions aimed at up-grading technology through Credit Linked Capital Subsidy (CLCS). Moving a step ahead towards ensuring optimum use of National Waterways, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a new portal LADIS – Least Available Depth Information System in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the maiden run of India’s first semi-high speed train ‘Vande Bharat Express’ from New Delhi Railway Station. Vande Bharat Express can run up to a maximum speed of 160 kmph and has travel classes like Shatabdi Train but with better facilities in a bid to provide a totally new travel experience to passengers. It left Delhi for Varanasi on its first commercial run. The train, which has been designed and built in India, is running between New Delhi and Varanasi via Kanpur and Prayagraj. It will cover the distance between New Delhi and Varanasi in 8 hours. Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep S Puri said the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban (PMAY- U) Mobile App will allow beneficiaries to capture and upload high resolution photographs of completed houses along with their families. Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal from Chandigarh scripted history by becoming the first Indian Woman Flight Engineer to be inducted by the Indian Air Force.
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In view of women’s safety, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Maneka Gandhi jointly launched a single pan India number ‘112’ for any emergency in 16 States and Union Territories. In addition, Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal were also launched. The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) has been launched in Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Jammu and Kashmir. The government approved the Rs 11,814 crore phase-II of Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme. The phase-II is meant to achieve cumulative capacity of 40,000 megawatt (MW) from rooftop solar (RTS) projects by 2022. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved two schemes for promotion of solar power one for the agriculture sector and the other for rooftops. The long-pending KUSUM scheme (Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) was approved by the CCEA. The scheme aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022. The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme during the extent of 14th Finance Commission ending in 2020 and beyond, sanctioning Rs 2,055 crore for 60 projects under the scheme to be completed by December 2019. Union cabinet approved a 3 per cent hike (9% to 12% now) in dearness allowance (DA) for central government employees and pensioners which will cost the exchequer Rs 9,168.12 crore. The Union Cabinet approved the construction of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), a first-of-its-kind, covering a distance of 82.15 km at a cost of Rs 30,274 crore. PM Modi flagged off the world’s first Diesel to Electric Converted Locomotive at Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) campus in Varanasi. The country’s second-largest IT services firm Infosys announced the launch of ‘InfyTQ’, a digital platform to offer learning and engagement experiences to engineering students in the country. A 110-feet National Flag was hoisted at Raipur railway station in Chhattisgarh as a tribute to 40 soldiers martyred in last week’s terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. The Central government approved recapitalisation of 12 public sector banks with an infusion of Rs 48,239 crore. Corporation Bank gets the highest infusion of Rs 9,086 crore while Bank of Maharashtra gets the lowest at Rs 205 crore. Government has launched Operation Digital Board on the lines of Operation Blackboard to provide better digital education in schools. Keeping in line with the government’s initiative to ensure empowerment to the common man through technology for access to justice, the law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a tele-law mobile application that is integrated with a dashboard and an application called Nyaya Bandhu. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu launched SWAYATT on Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and reiterated the need to support and strengthen such initiatives and enterprises which constitute the backbone of the Indian economy. Boosting the country’s efforts in tackling cybercrime, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and LG Anil Baijal inaugurated the state-of-the-art National Cyber Forensic Lab and Delhi Police’s cybercrime unit ‘CyPAD’ at Dwarka Sector 16, New Delhi. Ace shuttler PV Sindhu flew in Made-in-India Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at the Aero India air show being held in Bengaluru.
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After withdrawing the most favoured nation (MFN) status and slamming a 200 per cent import duty, India decided to stop the flow of its share of water from the three eastern rivers –the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej to Pakistan. Construction of a dam had started at Shahpur-Kandi on Ravi river. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new park which houses the replicas of seven wonders of the world at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi. The park, which is called the ‘Waste to Wonder Park’, was built by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has approved the construction of 560695 more affordable houses for the benefit of urban poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). The approval was given in the 43rd meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee in New Delhi. The cumulative number of houses sanctioned under the scheme is now over 79 lakh. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal launched Rail Drishti Dashboard in New Delhi. The Dashboard has been launched to keep people informed about the work going on in the Railways across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a giant Bhagavad Gita, running into 670 pages and weighing 800 kg, at the ISKCON temple in New Delhi. Dubbed the ‘Astounding Bhagavad Gita‘, and measuring 2.8 m by 2 m, it is billed as the “largest principle sacred text ever to be printed”. The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry in collaboration with the National Skill Ministry and Labour and employment Ministry collaboratively has launched SHREYAS- Scheme for Higher Education Youth for Apprenticeship and Skills. In a bid to promote digital transactions, the Indian Rail Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched its much awaited payment aggregator system ‘IRCTC iPay’. The exclusive digital payment gateway will provide better digital experience and improved online digital payment convenience to rail passengers availing online travel-related services through the website.
UNION BUDGET 2019-20 ANNOUNCED
Click here to download the Highlights of Union Budget 2019-20 in PDF Form
State News
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched the second phase of Pasupu-Kumkuma (Turmeric-Kumkum) scheme and welfare pensions. Under the second phase of the scheme, women who are a part of Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA) will be given Rs 10,000 in three instalments. Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal commissioned Godavari Mega Aqua Food Park at Tundurru Village in Bhimavaram Mandal, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 9000 each to the farmers with less than 5 acres land under Annadata Sukhibhava scheme 2019. Farmers having land more than 5 acres, will be given Rs 10,000. Tabreed, a UAE-based international cooling provider has entered into a 30-year concession with Andhra Pradesh government to build, own, operate and transfer India’s first district cooling system in the state’s new capital Amaravati.
Arunachal Pradesh
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PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Sela Tunnel Project in Arunachal Pradesh. Once completed, the project would provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang and forward areas. PM declared 100 per cent electrification of all households in Arunachal Pradesh. He laid the foundation stone for the construction of Greenfield Airport at Hollongi. PM launched the DD ‘Arun Prabha’ Channel in Itanagar. The Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated its fortnight-long Boori Boot Yollo festival. Boori Boot Yollo is observed in the month of February every year to welcome spring and a successful harvest. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani launched the Integrated Large Scale Eri Farming in Arunachal Pradesh under North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) in Itanagar.
Assam The government of Assam has announced a new scheme called Arundhati to provide gold at free of cost to the brides. Under the scheme, the government of Assam aims to provide 1 Tola Gold to brides belonging to all such communities of Assam where it is customary to provide gold at the time of the wedding. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the PRANAM Commission, a panel set up to look after the issues concerning a Bill brought in for protection of parents of state government employees. The National Institute of Design has been inaugurated at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Jorhat in Assam.
Bihar Bihar government has announced a universal old age pension scheme – Mukhyamantri Vridhajan Pension Yojna- MVPY for all people above 60 years of age. The scheme will come into force from the 1st of April this year. Except those senior citizens who have retired from government service, all will be eligible for 400 rupees monthly pension irrespective of caste, religion or community. Bihar has become the first state in the country to have raised a special dog squad to detect liquor consignment.
Delhi In a first, the government of Delhi launched its pilot project of creating the national capital’s first ‘zero fatality corridor’. The capital city witnessed over 1,600 road crash fatalities in 2018 and this project is aimed at curbing that number. India will soon have its first Centre for Textiles Trends Forecasting to be set up in Delhi. Union Minister Smriti Irani laid the foundation stone for a ‘Hastshilp’ complex in New Delhi which will provide better accessibility to handicraft artisans from across the country and SAARC nations. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a new park which houses the replicas of seven wonders of the world at Sarai Kale Khan in New Delhi. The park, which is called the ‘Waste to Wonder Park’, was built by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC). A three-day Working Group Meeting, organised jointly by the Ministry of AYUSH and WHO, to review the WHO document “Benchmarks for Training in Yoga” held in New Delhi. 16 yoga experts reviewed the draft document of whom, 11 are from the US, UK, Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Australia and Malaysia.
Goa NBCC to construct Ayurveda and Naturopathy hospital in Goa. (NBCC is a Navratna enterprise under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.)
Gujarat
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Centre allocated Rs 59 cr for Asiatic Lion conservation in Gujarat
Haryana Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurated the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Badhsa, Jhajjar, in Haryana.
Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh’s economic growth is expected to be 7.3 per cent this fiscal and its per capita income is estimated at Rs 1,76,968. The economic growth was 6.5 per cent in the previous fiscal, the highest in three years. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Cremica Food Park, which is the first mega food park of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh will collaborate with the World Bank and the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund for developing agro climatic zone-based municipal solid waste management strategies. Monkeys have again been declared vermin for the next one year in 11 districts‘ 91 tehsils and sub-tehsils of HP.
Jammu & Kashmir The Jammu and Kashmir administration under Governor Satya Pal Malik approved creation of a separate division of Ladakh, comprising Kargil and Leh districts, by carving it out of Kashmir division. The state thus far had two divisions- Kashmir and Jammu, Ladakh being part of the former.
Jharkhand Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das launched the first phase of the Rs 100-crore Sweet Revolution Scheme under which 1,207 farmers will be given Rs 1 lakh for bee keeping.
Kerala In a first, the Kerala government has set up a price monitoring and research unit (PMRU) to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices under Drugs Price and Control order. Kerala has emerged an achiever in the State Investment Potential Index 2018, based on the six pillars of land, labour, infrastructure, economic climate, political stability and governance and business perception. The Kerala- specific findings of the survey, conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research, titled ‘NCAER- State Investment Potential Index 2018’ (N-SIPI) were released at ASCEND KERALA 2019 in Kochi. CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) in Thiruvananthapuram. A first of its kind research institute that is linked to the Global Virus Network (GVN). Thiruvananthapuram will host the Attaukal Ponkala festival which is considered as one of the world’s largest religious gathering of women on a single day. Embarking on the much-coveted road towards automation, India has launched its first humanoid robot cop in Kerala, ‘KP-Bot’.
Madhya Pradesh MP announces Rs 1 crore for sportsmen participating in international events. The 100-day urban job guarantee scheme a first in the country and the brainchild of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath is offering over 40 jobs, covering a broad spectrum from cattle grazer to accountant and photographer, as the government aims to cover as many beneficiaries as possible, regardless of their educational qualification.
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The National Institute of Design has been inaugurated at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh and Jorhat in Assam.
Maharashtra Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani launched the India Size project in Mumbai. A first-of-its-kind project in the history of the country, India Size aims to arrive at a standard Indian Size for the ready-to-wear clothing industry, on the lines of the standardized sizes available in countries such as the USA and the UK. Reliance Realty will develop Maharashtra’s first and largest smart fintech centre in Navi Mumbai.
Meghalaya The Meghalaya Cabinet has decided to rename the Dikkibandi stadium in Tura town after former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma.
Odisha Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the new ‘KALIA Chhatravritti Yojana’, which is a scholarship for the children of farmers who are the beneficiaries of Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme. The Odisha cabinet approved Khushi scheme to provide free sanitary napkins to school girls across the state. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled a scholarship programme for the children of the beneficiaries of the KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme. In Odisha, Oil Marketing Companies will engage more than 10,000 rural women as ‘Ujjwala Didis’ to act as grassroots energy ambassadors across the state to ensure sustainability of LPG use. The Odisha government launched the boat ambulance service to help patients reach hospitals in remote areas cut off by rivers, at a cost of Rs 5.40 crore. The first boat ambulance was launched at Batighar in the Kendrapara district.
Punjab Punjab Government Approves ‘Smart Village Campaign’ Worth Of Rs 385 Crores. Indus River Dolphin declared Punjab’s State aquatic animal Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced setting up a high-powered committee to boost dairy sector for supplementing farmers’ income in a result-oriented manner. Punjab government announced 6 per cent dearness allowance (DA) to government employees and pensioners, with effect from February 1, 2019.
Rajasthan Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani inaugurated the ‘Titanwala Museum’ in Bagru that showcases the Chhipa community’s hand-block printing.
Sikkim Microsoft India entered into a pact with the Sikkim state government to improve the education system in the state by boosting digital literacy and the knowledge of new-age technology among students and teachers in government schools.
Tamil Nadu ‘DigiCop’ mobile App of the Chennai police department at the Commissioner’s office launched. Using the App, people can track the status of stolen two-wheelers and cell phones.
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said a multi-disciplinary animal husbandry park will be set up in Salem district. Bandicoot, a drainage-cleaning robot, has been introduced for the first time in India at the Kumbakonam city corporation as part of efforts to rid of manual scavenging at the cost of Rs 18 lakh in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Necessitated by frequent issues pertaining to fishermen, Tamil Nadu became the first state in the country to get a second Coast Guard district headquarters – Thoothukudi. The first district headquarters is Chennai.
Telangana Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) integrated Pink toilets named “She Mart and Loo’s” in order to provide women with safe and hygienic toilets. Two new districts, Narayanpet and Mulugu were created in Telangana taking the total number of districts in the state to 33.
Tripura Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Tripura’s last ruler, Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya (reigned 1923-47), at the airport which was renamed after him in July last year. He unveiled the 7.5-foot-high, fibre glass statue, designed and built by the faculty and students of Tripura government’s Art and Craft College at a cost of Rs 5 lakh. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated Sikaria Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd at Village Tulakona in Agartala. This is the 17th Mega Food Park in the country and first in the state of Tripura. Union Minister D V Sadananda inaugurated a centre of the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) in Tripura. The CIPET in Tripura would produce 1500 skilled workers per annum.
Uttarakhand A Himalayan Cloud Observatory has been set up in Tehri district in Uttarakhand to receive forecast and monitor cloud burst incidents in the Himalayan region and help minimise the damage. The Centre has decided to set up a national law university in Uttarakhand. CM Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a helpline at the IT Park in Dehradun for quick redressal of public complaints. People can call on the helpline number 1905 to lodge their complaints.
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off 33 ‘Sarthi Sandesh Vahini’ vehicles in Gorakhpur. The ‘Sarthi Sandesh Vahini’ is a mission started by the state family welfare department with an aim to spread awareness regarding family planning in urban and rural areas. PM Modi inaugurated a Virtual Experiential Museum (VEM) at Man Mahal, a centrally-protected observatory under the Archeological Survey of India in Varanasi. PM Modi during his visit at BHU in Varanasi recently inaugurated Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Hospital and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Lahartara. In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Scheme for Adolescent girls. The scheme focuses on girls aged between 11 to 14 years who have left studies and will take steps for proper nutrition and special care for them. The state government also decided to observe Adolescent girls day on 8th of every month at Anganwadi centres across the state.
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West Bengal A World Heritage Centre housing ‘spiritual camps’ of 45 countries would be set up at Mayapur, the global headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), in Nadia district. West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee inaugurated a web portal, which is set to provide real-time data on state-run and aided schools. “The portal, Banglar Shiksha (banglarshiksha.gov.in) will address many issues, including attendance of students and teachers. Finance and Banking News
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) withdrew the 20 per cent limit on investments by FPIs in corporate bonds of an entity with a view to encourage more foreign investments. The Reserve Bank of India has exempted Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra and Oriental Bank of Commerce from PCAF (Prompt Corrective Action Framework) following improvements in their capital position and asset quality in the December 2018 quarter. Next, RBI also removed Allahabad Bank, Corporation Bank and Dhanlaxmi Bank out of the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to raise the criteria for ‘bulk deposits’ for banks to Rs 2 crore from the current Rs 1 crore, to provide more operational freedom to lenders to raise funds. Banks have been given discretion to offer differential rate of interest on the bulk deposits as per their requirements and asset-liability management (ALM) projections. The Reserve Bank’s restructuring package for small businesses announced last month will help recast Rs 1 trillion of loans for 700,000 eligible micro, small and medium enterprises. To boost liquidity in the farming sector, particularly among small and marginal farmers, the RBI announced increasing the limit on collateral-free agriculture loans to Rs 1.6 lakh from Rs 1 lakh. State Bank of India said the Reserve Bank of India has slapped Rs 1 crore penalty on the country’s largest lender for violating norms. RBI “in exercise of powers conferred under Section 47 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 has levied a penalty of Rupees one crore on the bank for not monitoring the end use of funds in respect of one of its borrowers. State-run Bank of Baroda has tied up with Germany’s KfW Development Bank for funding of USD 113 million to refinance solar projects. The tie-up is part of an Indo-German Solar Energy Partnership signed in 2015. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has announced the launch of ‘KisanSuvidha loan’ for small and marginal farmers. The collateral-free loans can be used by farmers for both agriculture and allied activities. Pallavan Grama Bank and Pandyan Grama Bank will be merged to form Tamil Nadu Grama Bank. The integration will be effective from April 1. The new Tamil Nadu Grama Bank will be under the sponsorship of Indian Bank with head office in Salem,Tamil Nadu. Originally the Pallavan Grama Bank was sponsored by Indian Bank and Pandyan Grama Bank by Indian Overseas Bank. Fino Payments Bank (FPB) has announced the launch of a sweep account facility in association with Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB). The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has merged 3 categories of NBFCs- asset finance, loan companies and investment companies into one new category called NBFC-investment and credit company (NBFC-ICC) to ease operational flexibility of these institutions. Bank of Baroda said the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with itself would be effective from April 1 as per the scheme of amalgamation approved by the government.
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Srei Equipment Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance, has tied up with state-owned Syndicate Bank to jointly provide financing for construction and farm equipment. Business News The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has bought a 14% stake in micro-financier Annapurna Finance for Rs 137 crore Paytm has launched hotel bookings on its platform and acquired NightStay, which offers deals on last-minute bookings at luxury hotels. Online food delivery start-up Swiggy has made its first acqui-hire in the deep technology space through an AI start- up Kint.io IndoStar Capital Finance Ltd (IndoStar) , a non-banking finance company, has signed a binding agreement to acquire the CV finance business of India Infoline Finance Ltd (IIFL Finance), a subsidiary of IIFL Holdings Ltd. In an attempt to enable users shop better using Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, Facebook has acquired US- based virtual search start-up, GrokStyle, at an undisclosed amount. Google announced that it will acquire Silicon Valley data migration company Alooma to grow its cloud business service. To facilitate secure payments and financial transactions on its platform, Amazon launched “Amazon Pay Unified Payments Interface (UPI)” for Android users in partnership with Axis Bank to issue UPI IDs to its customers in India. HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India’s third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, announced the launch of ‘Trip Protector’ insurance policy, a pioneering policy in the non-life insurance segment in India. Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) launched a new micro insurance plan ‘Micro Bachat’ plan. IT czar and Wipro Chairman Azim Premji unveiled the new plant of Wipro-Kawasaki joint venture to manufacture hydraulic pumps and motors for the construction machinery at Bidadi, about 40 km from Bengaluru. Thomas Cook India Group announced its acquisition of a 51% stake in Digiphoto Entertainment Imaging (DEI).
Economy News The GST Council lowered the tax on under-construction residential properties to 5 per cent from 12 per cent to boost the realty sector. The new rates will be implemented from April 1. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) on affordable housing properties without input tax credit (ITC) has been reduced to one per cent, while effective GST of 5 per cent shall be applicable without ITC on residential properties outside affordable segment, as was decided by the GST Council at its 33rd meeting. The new rate will be effective from April 1, 2019. The government informed Parliament that loans worth Rs 7,277.31 crore of public sector banks under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) have turned bad at the end of March 2018. Loans extended under PMMY from inception of the scheme up to March 2018 by all member lending institutions (MLIs) were Rs 5.71 lakh crore. In order to meet additional expenses, the government has decided to raise additional Rs 36,000 crore through dated securities taking the total borrowing through the instrument to Rs 96,000 crore in the remaining period of the current fiscal. Central Statistics Office (CSO) : The government revised the economic growth rate upwards to 7.2 per cent for 2017-18 from the 6.7 per cent estimated earlier. The finance ministry expects economic growth to accelerate to 7.5 per cent in 2019-20 from 7.2 per cent projected for FY20. The growth was 8.2 per cent in 2016-17.
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Second Advance Estimates of National Income : India is estimated to grow at a slower pace of 7 per cent in 2018- 19, down from the 7.2 per cent attained during the previous financial year. The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 7.2 per cent in 2017-18. India’s unemployment rate rose to a 45-year high during 2017-2018. The assessment by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted between July 2017-June 2018, showed the unemployment rate stood at 6.1 per cent, the highest since 1972-73. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for January have crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark and is expected to be Rs 103,000 crore. Union Minister KJ Alphons has said that the country’s tourism sector fetched 234 billion US Dollar revenue last year, registering a growth of over 19%. He said the country is ranked third in the tourism sector, according to the 2018 report of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). According to the data furnished by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), India’s budgetary fiscal deficit for the April-December period stood at Rs 7.01 lakh crore or 112.4 per cent of the budgeted target of Rs 6.24 lakh crore. Global unemployment levels fell one percentile to a steady 5 per cent in 2018, the lowest figures since the economic crisis that wreaked havoc on labour markets, the International Labour Organization said in a report published recently. The Reserve Bank will pay an interim dividend of Rs 28,000 crore to the government, a move that will help the Centre keep fiscal deficit in check. Banking Secretary Rajeev Kumar said the PSU banks have recovered Rs 98,000 crore in the first three quarters of the current financial year. The provision coverage ratio (PCR) of the banks for bad loans have also risen to 70 per cent from 46 per cent after the asset quality review (AQR) last year. The PSU banks have recovered Rs 2.87 lakh crore since 2015. The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) increased interest rate for 2018-19 to 8.65 per cent as compared to 8.55 per cent in the previous year.
Sixth bi-monthly monetary policy
Repo Rate: 6.25% Reverse Repo Rate: 6.0% Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate: 6.5% Bank Rate: 6.5% Cash Reserve Ratio: 4% Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): 19.5% Inflation: 2.5%
Science & Technology India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-31 was successfully launched from the Spaceport in French Guiana. Blasting off from Kourou Launch Base at Kouro, the Ariane-5 vehicle-injected GSAT-31 into the orbit in a flawless flight. Weighing about 2,535 kg, the GSAT-31 will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites. GSAT-31 is India’s 40th communication satellite which is configured on ISRO’s enhanced ‘I-2K Bus’, utilising the maximum “bus capabilities” of this type. Along with GSAT-31, the Ariane 5 vehicle (Flight VA-247) also carried Saudi Geostationary Satellite 1/Hellas Sat 4 satellites.
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India successfully test fired a quick reaction surface to air missile (QRSAM) off the coast of Odisha. The NGARM (next generation anti-radiation missile) was fired from a Su-30 aircraft successfully at a radar station and it took out its target successfully. NASA has lost touch with the first mini-spacecraft that ventured into deep space, according to the US space agency which said that it is unlikely the twin CubeSats will be heard from again. US space agency NASA has unveiled a new space telescope, SPHEREx, that would begin a two-year mission in 2023 to look for life’s ingredients and probe how the universe evolved. The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) mission is a planned two-year mission funded at 242 million USD. Israel successfully launched its first privately-funded Moon lander from Florida in the US, becoming only the fourth nation to make a landing on the lunar surface.The lander, Beresheet, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Defence News India test-fired its helicopter-launched version of one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons from the Odisha coast. Helina, the helicopter-launched version of the Nag anti-tank guided missile with a hit range of 7-8 km, was launched from an Army chopper. The Indian Air Force (IAF) demonstrated its full spectrum combat and fire capabilities during ‘Exercise Vayu Shakti- 2019’ in Pokharan firing range close to Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan. The annual multinational maritime exercise ‘Cutlass Express’ was held in Djibouti. The five-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN-19’, in which 46 nations are taking part, commenced near the coastal city of Karachi. The 38th annual ‘Cobra Gold’ exercise held in Thailand The second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based missile system was successfully flight tested in Odisha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Jaipur based Sapta Shakti Command of Indian Army conducted a two- day Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Exercise “Exercise Rahat” in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Sports News
Tournament Winner Other Info Hero Gold Cup title Myanmar Beat Nepal. Held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar 9th Senior National Men Hockey Railways Beat Punjab [Held in Gwalior, MP] Championship 2019 9th Senior Women Hockey National Sports Authority of India (SAI) Beat Chandigarh [Held in Hisar, Haryana] Championship 2019 85th Ranji Trophy title Vidarbha Beat Saurashtra Irani Cup title Vidarbha Beat Rest of India Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 4 Haryana Hammers Beat Punjab Royals. Held at Gautam Buddha University indoor stadium in Greater Noida Pro Volleyball League Chennai Spartans Beat Calicut Heroes
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EGAT Cup (in Thailand) Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Indian Weightlifter) Makran Cup Deepka Singh (Indian Boxer) Held in Chabahar, Iran won Gold Kochi Area Boat Pulling Regatta INS Dronacharya 2019 Senior National Title (Badminton) in Saina Nehwal Beat PV Sindhu women’s singles final Senior National Title (Badminton) in Sourabh Verma Beat Lakshya Sen men’s singles final Cannes International Open (Chess) Abhijeet Gupta Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis France’s Corentin Moutet tournament Sofia Open title (Tennis) Russian Daniil Medvedev Asian Cup Title (Football) Qatar Beat Japan Seattle Open (Squash) Ramit Tandon Qatar Open (Tennis) Belgium’s Elise Mertens Beat Simona Halep (Romanian) Laureus World Sportsman of the Novak Djokovic (Tennis) of Year Serbia Laureus World Sportswoman of the Simone Biles (Gymnastic) of Year US Laureus Sport for Good Award Yuwa, a Jharkhand-based NGO
Sports
The government hiked the sports budget by Rs 214.20 crore for the financial year 2019-2020, which also includes an increase of Rs 55 crore in funds for the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Indian cricket team grabs 2nd spot in ICC ODI rankings. The Indian football team slipped out of the top 100 in the latest FIFA rankings – ranked 103. India captain Virat Kohli remained on top while teammate Cheteshwar Pujara managed to hold on to his third position in the latest ICC Test Cricket rankings. Actor Randeep Hooda won the silver medal at the National Equestrian Championship (NEC) held in Mumbai. Sunil Chhetri (footballer) honoured with the first ever Football Ratna award by Football Delhi The Asian Hockey Federation (HQ - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) has honoured Indian skipper Manpreet Singh with the 2018 Player of the Year award. Suresh Raina has become the first Indian batsman to cross 8000 runs in T20 cricket. Mithali Raj became the first-ever women cricketer to play 200 one-day internationals. Smriti Mandhana has rocketed to the No.1 spot in the latest ODI women’s batters rankings . Indian opener and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma became the first man from his country to smash a century of sixes in T20I cricket. Vani Kapoor became the first Indian to earn a card for the Australian Ladies PGA Tour (LPGA) Rohit Sharma became the 14th Indian to play 200 one-day internationals Indian women’s hockey team midfielder Navjot Kaur completed the milestone of playing 150 international matches. Nikhat Zareen and Meena Kumari Devi became the first Indian women boxers to win gold medals at the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
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Former Pakistan women’s cricket team skipper Sana Mir became the first Asian woman cricketer to play 100 T20 international matches. Australia Women wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy has set the Guinness World Record for the highest catch of a cricket ball. Nepal’s Sundeep Jora became the youngest cricketer to score a half-century in T20 Internationals. Jamie Chadwick from England made history by becoming the first female driver to win the MRF challenge title Netherlands’ Eva de Goede and Arthur Van Doren of Belgium were named as the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Players of the Year for 2018. Chris Gayle breaks Shahid Afridi’s record for most sixes in international cricket. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan (Afghan Cricketer) became the first bowler to bag four wickets off successive deliveries in Twenty20 Internationals. Sri Lanka became the first Asian side in the world to beat South Africa in their home conditions. In a major setback for India, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended all Indian applications to host future Olympic-related events until New Delhi guarantees in writing the entry of all participants. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a five-year global partnership deal with beverage manufacturer Coca-Cola Company until 2023. 13th edition of Men’s Cricket World Cup will be played in India in 2023. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) organized the Hero Gold Cup, a four-nation competition, from February 9 to 15 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Federation International De Volleyball (FIVB) to be held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from February 28 to March 3. Australia will host the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Athletics Series event for the first time in 25 years. Derrick Pereira was named head coach of the India U-23 team for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Qualifiers slated to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from March 22. Meghalaya’s state animal Clouded Leopard will be the mascot for the National Games 2022 coinciding with the 50th year of the creation of the state. Australia spin legend Shane Warne was named as the brand ambassador of Rajasthan Royals for the upcoming Indian Premier League. Veteran Indian footballer Mehtab Hossain announced that he will retire from club football after this season. Australia’s Greg Chappell set to retire from Cricket Australia Former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum has announced his retirement from Australia’s domestic Twenty20 tournament – Big Bash League (BBL). West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle will retire from One-Day Internationals after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which is to be held in England and Wales. Malaysian Nicol David has announced she will retire at the end of the 2018-19 squash season. Veteran UAE Based coach Irfan Ansari has been banned from all forms of cricket for ten years after the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching three counts of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Sanath Jayasuriya was banned from all cricket-related activities for two years after the former Sri Lanka skipper admitted to breaching Articles 2.4.6 and 2.4.7 of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code
ISSF World Cup held at the Karni Singh Shooting range in Delhi Apurvi Chandela won gold in women’s 10 metre Air Rifle category. Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in the men’s 10 metre air pistol category. Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary clinched the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event.
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International Cricket Council CEO: David Richardson (former South Africa cricketer)
Committee
Head of Committee Purpose Vivek Pandit The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to review various schemes being implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state. The government has constituted a committee under the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) to explore prepaid payments by state electricity distribution companies to power plants. Rankings
Index India’s Rank Other Information International Intellectual 36th 1st – USA Property Index 2019 Inclusive Internet Index 2019 47th 1st – Sweden. Index prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for Facebook Passport Index of 2019 67th 1st – UAE. Ranking based on their Visa-Free Scores and their ranking according to the UNDP human development index
Study conducted by San Francisco-based online payment processing firm Stripe: Singapore and Hong Kong are the number one countries when it comes to online companies doing business abroad. Indian Online Companies rank 11th
Rankings (Persons,Cities,Organisations and Others)
Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has been named the “highest ranked” Indian think tank in the “2018 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report. ORF is ranked 118th in the “Top Think Tanks Worldwide” (US and non-US) category. US-based Brookings Institution is the highest ranked think tank globally. Assam occupied the top slot in the ranking of best practices followed by states in the Budget formulation, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, as per a survey by Transparency International. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani topped the Hurun India Philanthropy List 2018. Hurun Global Rich List 2019: Mukesh Ambani has become the first Indian to enter the global top 10 (got 8th position) richest billionaire list complied by Hurun Research. 1st - Amazon chief Jeff Bezos India-based global audio and music streaming service JioSaavn announced that it has secured the first rank India- wise and 28th rank globally in the 2019 list of “50 Most Innovative Companies”. JioSaavn is the only Indian company that made it to the list, published by US-based business publication Fast Company. Chinese on-demand service platform Meituan-Dianping overthrows Apple as the world’s most innovative company in the same list. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been recognised as a global top employer for the fourth consecutive year by the Top Employers institute, and is the only company among the top 10 IT services brands to receive the certification.
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Loans from Banks
From To Amount Purpose World Bank Himachal $40 million To help provide clean and reliable drinking water to the Pradesh Greater Shimla area which has been facing severe water shortages and water-borne epidemics over the last few years.
Deadlines/ Important Dates
India’s new e-commerce policy came into effect on February 1, 2019 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) extended the deadline for selection of TV channels by both cable and Direct-to-Home (DTH) subscribers till March 31. In a relief to e-wallet companies, the Reserve Bank of India extended by six months the deadline for compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, for prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers. The earlier deadline was February 28 and now is 31st August 2019. Books
Book Author Other Info Undaunted: Saving The Idea of India P Chidambaram (former finance minister) Let’s Talk On Air: Conversations with Radio Rakesh Anand Bakshi Presenters What Marx Left Unsaid Malay Chaudhuri, Arindam Chaudhuri and Che Kabir Chaudhuri Simplicity & Wisdom Dinesh Shahra He is famous industrialist and philanthropist Quality, Accreditation, and Ranking – A Dr. H Chaturvedi Silent Revolution in the Offing in Indian Higher Education The Fate Of Butterflies Nayantara Sahgal
Obituaries
Name Profession Other Info Ko Channabasappa Veteran freedom fighter and noted Kannada writer Namvar Singh Hindi Author Won Sahitya Akademi award for literary criticism in the year 1971 for ‘Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman’. Pratik Choudhury Bengali Singer Mahesh Anand Bollywood Actor Ramesh Bhatkar Marathi Actor
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Kodi Ramakrishna Tekugu Filmmaker Vijaya Bapineedu Telugu film director-producer Raj Kumar Barjatya Film Producer Priyanath Dey Noted freedom fighter and former Odisha MLA Harihar Karan Politician Ladu Kishore Swain Politician Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP from Aska Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha Francis D’Souza Politician Formaer Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Vishnu Wagh Politician Veteran writer and former deputy speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Dara Dotiwalla Cricket Umpire (Former) Hiten Bhaya Former IIMC director and Planning Indian Institute of Mass Communication Commission member (IIMC) – New Delhi Andrea Levy British Author Author of books like ‘Small Island’ and ‘The Long Song’, Bruno Ganz Swiss Actor Manfred Eigen German Scientist Chemistry Nobel Prize Winner Wallace Smith Broecker US Scientist A climate scientist who popularized the term “global warming”. Gordon Banks England Footballer William E. Butterworth III American military veteran and novelist W.E.B. Griffin (his pen name)
Important Days
Date Day Extra Info 2 February World Wetlands Day Theme 2019: "Wetlands and Climate Change" 4 February World Cancer Day Theme 2019: "I am and I will" 4 Feb – 10 Feb National Road Safety Week Theme 2019: "Sadak Suraksha-Jeevan Raksha" 6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
10 February National Deworming Day 10 February 1st World Pulses Day The Year 2016 was celebrated as International Year of Pulses to highlight the contribution of Pulses to sustainable food production and towards food security and nutrition. 11 February International Day of Women and Theme 2019: "Investment in Women and Girls Girls in Science in Science for Inclusive Green Growth " 11 February World Day of the Sick 12-18 February National Productivity Week Theme 2019: "Circular Economy for Productivity & Sustainability "
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13 February World Radio Day Theme 2019: "Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace " 20 February World Day of Social Justice Theme 2019: "If You Want Peace & Development, Work for Social Justice " 21 February International Mother Language Theme 2019: "Indigenous languages as a Day factor in development, peace and reconciliation " 24 February Central Excise Day (76th ) 27 February World NGO Day 28 February National Science Day Theme 2019: "Science for the People, and People for the Science "
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