VAID’S ICS LUCKNOW B-36, Sector-C, Aliganj, Lucknow Cont.9415011892/93

FEBRUARY, 2016

Vaid’s ICS Lucknow B-36, Sector –C, Aliganj, Lucknow Ph: 0522-2326249/ Mob: 9415011892/93 website: www.vaidicslucknow.com

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VAID’S ICS LUCKNOW B-36, Sector-C, Aliganj, Lucknow Cont.9415011892/93

Content

Pages 1. National Events 3

2. International Events 6

3. Science & Technology 11

4. Economy 14

5. Environment 23

6. Sports 27

7. Awards 31

8. Appointments 34

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phase; Category 2: Pre-elimination phase; NATIONAL EVENTS Category 3: Intensified control phase) • District as the unit of planning and Union Health Minister launched implementation National Framework for Elimination • Focus on high endemic areas of Malaria 2016-2030 • Special strategy for P. vivax elimination Union Health and Family Welfare Minister An enabled environment and necessary Jagat Prakash Nadda on 11 February 2016 resources would remain critical to realize the released the National Framework for Malaria objectives in the pathway to malaria elimination. Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030at New Delhi. The framework outlines India’s strategy for Expectations from States/Union Territories- elimination of the disease by 2030. NFME document defines goals, objectives, • By the end of 2016, all states/UTs are expected strategies, targets and timelines to eliminate to include malaria elimination in their broader malaria from the country. It will serve as a health policies and planning framework roadmap for advocating and planning malaria • By the end of 2017, all states are expected to elimination from the country in a phased bring down API to less than 1 per thousand manner. population The objectives of the NFME are to- • By the end of 2020, 15 states/UTs under category 1 (elimination phase) are expected to • Eliminate malaria from all low (Category 1) interrupt transmission of malaria and achieve and moderate (Category 2) endemic states/UTs zero indigenous cases and deaths due to malaria (26) by 2022 • It is also envisaged that in states with relatively • Reduce incidence of malaria to less than 1 case good capacity and health infrastructure, such as, per 1000 population in all States/UTs and the Gujarat, Karnataka and Maharashtra, accelerated districts and malaria elimination in 31 efforts may usher malaria elimination sooner - states/UTs by 2024 within two to three years • Interrupt indigenous transmission of malaria in • As per the targets under the 12th Five Year all States/ UTs (Category 3) by 2027 Plan, the country is to achieve API<1 at state • Prevent re-establishment of local transmission and district level by 2017 and pave way to of malaria in areas where it has been eliminated malaria elimination in subsequent years and to maintain malaria-free status of the country by 2030 Results of Swachh Survekshan 2016 The milestones and targets are set for 2016, announced; Mysuru declared cleanest 2020, 2022, 2024, 2027 and 2030 by when the city in India entire country has sustained zero indigenous Union Urban Development Miniser M cases and deaths due to malaria for 3 years and Venkaiah Naidu on 15 February 2016 initiated the processes for certification of announced the results of Swachh Survekshan malaria elimination status to the country 2016 survey. Under the Swachh Survekshan 2016, 73 cities The NFME 2016-2030 also defines key were surveyed for cleanliness and categorized strategic approaches such as- based on the marks scored by each of them. Out of the 73 cities, while Mysuru in • Programme phasing considering the varying Karnataka was adjudged as the cleanest malaria endemicity in the country city, Dhanbad in Jharkand was adjudged as • Classification of States/UTs based on API as the least clean city. primary criterion (Category 0: Prevention of re- The survey was conducted for total marks of introduction phase; Category 1: Elimination 2000 and the cities were divided into the 3

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following four categories based on their What is Delimitation? percentage of marks. Delimitation means the act or process of fixing • Leaders (> 70 percent): 15 cities limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies • Aspiring Leaders (60 – 70 percent): 20 cities in a country or a province having a legislative • Acceleration required (50 – 60 percent): 18 body. The job of delimitation is assigned to a cities high power body. Such a body is known as • Slow Movers (< 50 percent): 20 cities Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission. Amendment to the Delimitation Act, In India, such Delimitation Commissions have 2002 and Representation of the People been constituted 4 times – in 1952 under the Act, 1950 approved Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in The Union Cabinet on 17 February 2016 gave 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and in 2002 its approval to amend Section 11 of the under Delimitation Act, 2002. Delimitation Act, 2002 and Section 9 of the The Delimitation Commission in India is a Representation of the People Act, 1950. high power body whose orders have the force of This approval will enable the Election law and cannot be called in question before any Commission to carry out limited delimitation of court. Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal. This became necessary consequent upon the PM Modi released guidelines for exchange of 51 Bangladeshi enclaves and 111 Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana at Indian enclaves respectively between India and Kisan Mela in MP Bangladesh with effect from 31 July 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 18 February This is in pursuance of the Constitution (One 2016 launched the guidelines for Hundredth Amendment) Act, 2015 and also operationalization of thePradhan Mantri Fasal allows for introduction of a Bill, namely, the Bima Yojana (PMFBY). The guidelines were Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in issued at a farmers’ convention in Sherpur Parliament. village of Madhya Pradesh. Background- The PMFBY is a path breaking scheme for In a historic pact between India and crop insurance and was approved by the Union Bangladesh, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves Cabinet on 13 January 2016. (Chhitmahals) in Indian Territory and 111 The Yojna will come into force from the 2016 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh territory were Kharif season (from June to October in India). It exchanged with effect from 31 July 2015. aims at boosting the agricultural sector of India The move altered the geography and and envisages a uniform premium of only 2 demography of the district of Cooch Behar in percent to be paid by farmers for Kharif crops, West Bengal. and 1.5 percent for Rabi crops. The premium for With a view to carry out consequential annual commercial and horticultural crops will geographic and demographic alterations vis-à- be 5 percent. vis the electoral mosaic of the affected areas, the On the occasion, the Prime Minister Modi also Election Commission requested to amend presented a trophy of Krishi Karman Award to Section 11 of the Delimitation Act, 2002 and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. On the Section 9 of the Representation of the People other hand, Modi was conferred with Kisan Act, 1950. This will enable them to carry out Mitra and Kisan Hiteshi Samman on behalf of limited delimitation of constituencies in the Madhya Pradesh government for his historic affected areas before the ensuing State decisions in the interest of farmers’ community. Assembly elections in West Bengal.

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Union Government nod for building of Yojana (Urban), the government has targeted 82000 houses for poor in urban areas assisting construction of 2 crore houses for of 163 cities urban poor in 4041 statutory urban local bodies in the country. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban

Poverty Alleviation on 18 February 2016 sanctioned construction of around eighty two PM Narendra Modi launched Rurban thousand houses for Economically Weaker Mission in Chhattisgarh Sections (EWS) in urban areas of 163 cities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 February The cities are in West Bengal, Telangana, 2016 launched Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Bihar, Mizoram, Rajashtan, Jharkhand and National Rurban Mission. The mission was Uttarakhand. State wise number of houses launched from Kurubhat village in Dongargarh sanctioned block of Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh. • West Bengal - 27830 houses The Rurban Mission seeks to develop smart • Telangana – 22817 village on the line of smart cities and reduce the • Bihar – 13315 burden of migration to the cities through • Mizoram – 8922 adopting ‘cluster approach’. • Rajasthan – 6052 Under the Mission, Murmunda village cluster • Jharkhand—2337 in Rajnandgaon will cater 16 village panchayats • Uttarakhand – 484 - Kurrubhat, Bhagwantola, Bhandarpur, According to the Ministry, the construction Haransinghi, Jamri, Jatkanhar, Khallari, will involve an investment of over four thousand Matketa, Medha, Mudhpar, Murmunda, crore rupees, of which, the Union Government Nagtarai, Pinkapar, Pipariya, Rajkatta and Raka. will provide an assistance of 1226 crore rupees. In the first stage, four districts - Rajnandgaon, These 1226 crore rupees will be provided Dhamtari, Kabirdham and Bastar of the state under the Prime Minister's Awas Yojana will be covered under the scheme. These (Urban). clusters will be developed at an investment of The proposals on sanctioning houses for EWS 120 crore rupees. in urban areas by seven states was approved by Besides, the prime minster also launched Jan an inter-ministerial Central Sanctioning and Aushadhi Medical Store project under which Monitoring Committee, chaired by HUPA 100 generic medicines stores will be opened at Secretary Nandita Chatterjee. government district hospitals and community health centres. These stores will help people to How the constructions will be done? buy medicines at cheaper rates. Further, he also laid down the foundation • Of the total houses, 58456 houses will be built stone of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – under the ‘Beneficiary Led Construction’ Housing for All (Urban) at the Naya Raipur, component. Under this, beneficiaries will build the new capital of Chhattisgarh. The Yojana was new houses on their own land with assistance launched on 25 June 2015. from the central and state governments. Modi also felicitated Kuwar Bai, 104-year-old • Rest of the houses will be built under the woman of island-like Barari village of Dhamtari Affordable Housing in Partnership’ component district, for building toilets. Bai sold off her under which state governments will provide land goats to build toilet at her home and inspired the and the central government will give an whole village to build toilets at Dhamtari assistance of 1.50 lakh rupees to each district. beneficiary. With this decision, the Government has so far sanctioned over five lakh houses in different states. Under the Prime Minister’s Awas 5

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affairs, and resolution of disputes through INTERNATIONAL peaceful means. • Israel-Lebanon conflict: It called upon Israel EVENTS to withdraw from the remaining occupied

st Lebanese territories and to immediately end all 1 Ministerial Meeting of Arab-India its violations of the Lebanese sovereignty by Cooperation Forum held in Manama land, sea and air. The 1st Ministerial Meeting of Arab-India • UAE-Iran conflict: The sides expressed their Cooperation Forum was held on 24 January support to all peaceful efforts, including the 2016 in the Bahraini capital Manama. efforts of the United Arab Emirates, to reach a The meeting, which was opened by Bahrain’s peaceful solution to the issue of the Islands of Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Greater Tunb, Smaller Tunb and Abu was attended by Minister of External Affairs Musa with Iran through bilateral negotiations and Overseas Indian Affairs Sushma Swaraj, and in accordance with international law. foreign ministers of Arab States, and the • Terrorism: They supported the efforts of the Secretary General of the League of Arab States UN Counter-Terrorism Committee [CTC] and Nabil Elaraby. adoption of the Comprehensive Convention The meeting reviewed the achievements of the on International Terrorism [CCIT], at the Arab-Indian cooperation since the establishment earliest. of the Arab-Indian Co-operation Forum in New • Syria: Both sides affirmed the need for the Delhi in 2008 and adopted the Manama establishment of a transitional governing body Declaration. in Syria in accordance with the Vienna The declaration called for enhanced Statements of October and November 2015 cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issued by the International Syrian Support issues including terrorism, Palestine, Syria, Group and the UN Security Council Resolution Arab-Israeli conflict and reforms in the UNSC 2254 (2015). by expanding its permanent and non-permanent • Iraq: It strongly condemned crimes committed membership. by all terrorist organizations, especially those committed by ISIS terrorist organization against Highlights of the Manama Declaration- all Iraqi people. • Arab-Israeli conflict: A comprehensive and • Libya: The leaders welcomed the Sokhirat permanent solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict Agreement on political solution to the crisis in should be achieved on the basis of UN Security Libya that was initiated by most Libyan political Council resolutions 242 of 1976 and 338 of forces in July 2015, and appreciated the efforts 1973, Madrid Peace conference of 1991 and the of the Kingdom of Morocco in facilitating this 2002 Arab Peace Initiative in Beirut. agreement. • Palestine issue: It called on Israel to end its • Yemen: The leaders supported the legitimate occupation of the Palestinian Arab territories it Government in Yemen represented by the seized in 1967 and implementation of the two- President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and state principle on the establishment of an condemned the unilateral procedures by the independent and sovereign Palestine State with Houthi group as it undermines the transitional East Jerusalem as its capital. political process in Yemen. • Arab-Iran conflict: They further emphasized • Sudan: They welcomed the National Dialogue the importance that cooperative relations Conference which was launched in Khartoum between Arab States and the Islamic Republic of and called upon the armed movements to stop Iran be based on the principles of good fighting and engage in this National Dialogue, in neighbourliness, non-interference in internal response to the initiative of Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, the President of Sudan.

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• Somalia: Both sides supported the African NATO, EU signed agreement on Cyber Union’s effort to assist Somali’s peace and Defense Cooperation security through the African Union Mission in The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Somalia (AMISON), as well as the Somali (NATO) and the European Union (EU) on 10 National Army. They supported the State of February 2016 signed an agreement to improve Kuwait's orientation to organize a Donors’ cooperation in cyber defense. Conference for education in Somalia in 2016. The technical agreement signed at NATO • They welcomed the granting of the headquarters at Brussels, Belgium will help the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding Award two in countering the modern forms of hybrid to Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of warfare. Bahrain, in recognition of his contributions in The deal establishes a framework for promoting meaningful dialogue in the region. emergency response teams from the NATO and the EU to exchange information and share best Pacific Rim nations signed Trans- practices. Pacific Partnership agreement The new agreement will facilitate information- All twelve Pacific Rim countries on 4 sharing to improve cyber incident prevention, February 2016 signed the US-led Trans-Pacific detection and response at both the EU and Partnership (TPP) agreement in New Zealand. NATO. This is one of the biggest trade deals in history. Since Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, The ceremonial signing event on the pact was NATO and the EU, which have 22 member led by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key countries in common, have accelerated and US Trade Representative Mike Froman at cooperation in a number of defense-related Auckland's Sky City Convention Centre. fields. The trade deal looks to facilitate investment India, UAE signed nine agreements including between 12 countries across the Pacific Rim, renewable energy and finance which together account for about 40 percent of India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 11 the global economy. The agreement was signed February 2016 signed nine agreements. The by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, agreements covered a wide range of sectors like Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the sphere of cyber security, infrastructure, Singapore, the United States of America and renewable energy and finance. Vietnam. The pacts were inked after talks between The TPP was agreed in October 2015 after visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh five years of negotiations and multiple missed Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime deadlines. The signing of the pact ends the Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in process of negotiation but the member countries New Delhi. have two years to get approval on the deal at The signed agreements were home. • MoU on Technical Cooperation in Cyber- The deal was signed even after the US is Space and Combating Cyber Crime: The struggling to get the pact ratified in Congress. agreement signed between the Ministry of The US-led initiative is a key part of President Interior of the United Arab Emirates and the Barack Obama's so-called pivot to Asia but has Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of proved to be a controversial issue ahead of the India MoU provides for technical cooperation in US elections in November 2016. Obama has Cyber Space and in the area of Combating barely a year left on his term and his Cyber Crime. administration warns that the US economy will • MoU on Establishing a Framework for suffer if politicians don't ratify the TPP Facilitating the Participation of UAE agreement. institutional investors in Infrastructure Investments in India: The MoU aims at 7

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establishing a framework for facilitating the signed between Dubai Economic Council (DEC) participation of UAE institutional investors in and Export-Import bank of India. It provides for Infrastructure Investments in India. both parties to exchange information on trade • General Framework Agreement on and business opportunities and to further the Renewable Energy Cooperation: The goal of facilitating procurement of Indian goods framework agreement provides for bilateral and services by Dubai Government. cooperation through extensive projects, • MoU on Indian Rupee (INR)/UAE Dirham investments, cooperation in R & D in renewable (AED) Bilateral Currency Swap and clean energy. Knowledge sharing platforms Arrangement: The agreement between Reserve could also be enacted. Bank of India and Central Bank of the United • MoU on Cooperation in the Exploration and Arab Emirates promotes bilateral financial use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes: It relations through currency swap arrangement was inked between Indian Space Research between the RBI & Central Bank of UAE. Organisation (ISRO) and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency and establishes a Syria approved humanitarian access to framework for cooperation in space science, besieged areas: UN technology and applications including remote United Nations on 16 February 2016 said that sensing; satellite communication and satellite the Syrian government has approved based navigation. humanitarian access to seven besieged areas. • MoU for bilateral cooperation in the field of According to the UN, almost half a million insurance supervision: The MoU between people live in besieged areas. Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDA) The seven areas are those deemed by the 17- and the Insurance Authority of UAE aims at member International Syria Support Group to be promoting cooperation between the concerned most in need of relief. These seven areas are- authorities in the field of insurance supervision • Deir el-Zour, a city in the east under siege through a framework for cooperation and by from so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria increasing mutual understanding through the (ISIS) exchange of regulatory and relevant supervisory • Foah and Kefraya, in northern Idlib province information to ensure compliance with their that is besieged by rebels respective laws and regulations. • Madaya, Kafr Batna, Muadhamiya, and • Executive Programme for Cultural Zabadani, all in rural Damascus area that is Cooperation (EPCC) between India and under siege from government forces UAE: The Cultural Exchange Programme 2016 The move comes following the agreement – 2018 follows from the existing bilateral reached between the world powers in second cultural agreement (1975) and provides for a week of February 2016 that sought a nationwide range of cultural exchange activities under the cessation of hostilities and to accelerate and new EPCC. expand aid deliveries. • Letter of Intent on Cooperation for skill development and recognition of India, Nepal signed agreements qualifications: It was inked between the Ministry of Skill Development and including utilisation of Indian grant of Entrepreneurship (MSDE), India and The 250 million US dollars National Qualifications Authority (NQA), UAE India and Nepal on 20 February 2016 inked and provides collaboration on skill and exchanged seven agreements and developments and mutual recognition of Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to qualifications. boost the bilateral cooperation. • MoU for exchange of information on trade The agreements covered utilisation of Indian and business opportunities: The MoU was grant of 250 million US dollars to Nepal for

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post-earthquake reconstruction and another on • Letters of Exchange on Rail Transport - the improving of roads in Terai region. areas include- These agreements were signed during the state i. Rail transport to/from Vishakhapatnam visit of Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli ii. Rail transit facility through Singhabad for to India. Oli is on a five day visit to India (19-24 Nepal’s Trade with and through Bangladesh February 2016), which was his first foreign visit This Exchange of Letters would allow for rail after assuming office in October 2015. transport to and from Vishakhapatnam to Nepal. The signed agreements/MoUs were This Exchange of Letters would help • MoU on utilization of 250 US dollars million operationalise rail transit facility through Grant component of India’s Assistance Singabad in India for Nepal’s trade with and package for Post-earthquake reconstruction through Bangladesh. assistance – the grant will be ustilised in four • Inauguration of Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar identified sectors and they are housing, health, transmission line [Initial supply of 80 MW, to education and cultural heritage. be augmented to 200 MW by October 2016 i. In housing, 100 million US dollars would be and 600 MW by December 2017] - The Nepal utilised for construction of 50000 houses in 14 portion of the 400 KV Muzaffarpur-Dhalkebar severely earthquake affected districts. transmission line is being implemented by ii. 50 million US dollars each would be utilised Government of Nepal, under an LoC of 13.5 in health, education and cultural heritage sectors million US dollar. in 31 earthquake affected districts of Nepal. 80 MW power would flow immediately • MoU on strengthening of road through this line, with an initial charge of 132 infrastructure in the Terai area of Nepal – KV. Thereafter, it will be augmented to 200 This MoU will enable speedy implementation of MW in October 2016 at 220 KV, and then to remaining work on 17 Roads in Package 2, 3, 4, 600 MW by December 2017 at 400 KV. 5 and 6 of the Terai Road Phase-I project, • Establishment of Eminent Persons Group - totaling 518 kms. Two roads in Package 1 At the third meeting of the India–Nepal Joint totaling 87 kms have already been completed. Commission held at Kathmandu in July 2014, it • MoU between Nepal Academy of Music and was decided to establish an Eminent Persons Drama and Sangeet Natak Academy - This Group (EPG). MoU aims to enhance relations between India The EPG comprises eight members with each and Nepal in the field of performing arts through country nominating four members, preferably a exchanges of experts, exponents, dancers, parliamentarian, a lawyer, an economist and a scholars and intellectuals. civil society activist. • Letters of Exchange on Transit Routes - the The EPG has now been constituted. Its routes include mandate would be to comprehensively review i. Transit between Nepal and Bangladesh bilateral relations and recommend measures through Kakarbitta-Banglabandh corridor including institutional frameworks to further ii. Operationalization of Vishakhapatnam Port enhance bilateral ties. This Exchange of Letters between India and Nepal would result in simplification of Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities modalities for traffic of goods between Nepal in Syria to come into effect on 27 and Bangladesh while transiting through India, February through the Kakarbhitta (Nepal) and United States and Russia on 22 February 2016 Banglabandha (Bangladesh) corridor. This announced to have reached an Agreement on Exchange of Letters would provide for transit Cessation of Hostilities in Syria that will come facilities for Nepal through the Vishakhapatnam into effect on 27 February 2016. port. The announcement was made by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign 9

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Minister Sergey Lavrov as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ceasefire Taskforce. The agreement said that the group would work to "develop procedures" to ensure those abiding by the deal are not attacked by Russian armed forces or a US-led coalition both of which are carrying out air strikes in the country. It also said that the truce did not include so- called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Thus, the air strikes by Syria, Russia and the US-led coalition against ISIS, Nusra and other terrorist organisations designated by the UN would continue. The agreement was welcomed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who said that, if respected, the agreement would constitute a significant step forward in the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015). The Resolution 2254 gave the UN an enhanced role in shepherding the opposing sides to talks for a political transition, endorsing a timetable for a ceasefire, a new constitution and elections. So far more than 2 lakhs 50 thousands Syrians have been killed in the conflict which began in March 2011. Meanwhile, Syria's government led by President Bashar al-Assad has called for a parliamentary election on 13 April 2016. Assad issued a decree, which included seat allocations for each of the provinces in Syria, which last held parliamentary elections in May 2012.

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• Pregnant women who have been exposed to SCIENCE & Zika virus should be counselled and followed for birth outcomes based on the best available TECHNOLOGY information and national practice and policies. Longer-term measures- WHO declared Public Health • It calls to intensify an appropriate research and Emergency of International Concern development efforts for Zika virus vaccines, over Zika virus outbreak therapeutics and diagnostics. World Health Organisation (WHO) on 1 • In areas of known Zika virus transmission February 2016 declared Public Health health services should be prepared for potential Emergency of International Concern over the increases in neurological syndromes and/or explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika congenital malformations.’ virus, which is linked to birth defects in the Americas. Zika Virus- The UN health agency convened an Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the virus emergency meeting of independent experts in family Flaviviridae and the genus Flavivirus, Geneva to assess the outbreak of the virus. The transmitted by daytime-active Aedes meeting was convened after noting a suspicious mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti. In case of link between Zika's arrival in Brazil in 2015 and humans, the virus cases mild illness known as a surge in the number of babies born with Zika fever (Zika or Zika disease). It has been abnormally small heads. occurring since the 1950s within a narrow This was the first meeting of the Emergency equatorial belt from Africa to Asia. Committee (EC) convened by the Director- In 2014, the virus spread eastward across the General under the International Health Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia, then to Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005). Easter Island and in 2015 to Mexico, Central Recommended Measures- America, the Caribbean, and South America, After the meeting a broad list of precautionary where the Zika outbreak has reached pandemic measures were recommended and they are: levels. • Surveillance for Zika virus infection should be Earlier in last week of January 2016, WHO enhanced, with the dissemination of standard estimated that there could be up to 4 million case definitions and diagnostics to at-risk areas. cases of Zika in Americas by 2017 but no • The development of new diagnostics for Zika recommendations didn’t issued travel restriction virus infection should be prioritized to facilitate or trade. surveillance and control measures. • Risk communications should be enhanced in India successfully test-fired countries with Zika virus transmission to indigenously developed Prithvi II address population concerns, enhance missile from Chandipur community engagement, improve reporting, and India on 16 February 2016 successfully test ensure application of vector control and personal fired its indigenously developed Prithvi-II protective measures. missile from the Chandipur, off Odisha coast. • Vector control measures and appropriate The medium range missile is capable of carrying personal protective measures should be 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is thrusted aggressively promoted and implemented to by liquid propulsion twin engines. reduce the risk of exposure to Zika virus. As part of a user trial, the missile with a strike • Attention should be given to ensuring women range of 350 km, test was carried out from a of childbearing age and particularly pregnant mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the women have the necessary information and Integrated Test Range (ITR). It uses advanced materials to reduce risk of exposure. 11

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inertial guidance system with manoeuvring beached due to the nitrogen ice being especially trajectory to hit its target. shallow. The first missile to be developed by DRDO The image was obtained by New Horizons’ under India's Integrated Guided Missile Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) Development Program (IGMDP), Prithvi-II was instrument and it measures a little over 500 inducted into India's armed forces in 2003. kilometers long and about 340 kilometers wide. The last user trial of the surface-to-surface It was obtained at a range of approximately Prithvi-II was successfully conducted on 26 16000 kilometers from Pluto and about 12 November 2015 from the same test range in minutes before New Horizons’ closest approach Odisha. to Pluto on 14 July 2015.

NASA’s New Horizons mission spotted Bharat Biotech unveiled first vaccine floating hills on Pluto candidate Zikavac for Zika Virus NASA’s New Horizons mission on 14 July Indian biotechnology company Bharat Biotech 2015 spotted the nitrogen ice glaciers on Pluto on 3 February 2016 claimed that it has achieved appeared to carry numerous isolated hills which a breakthrough in developing a vaccine to fight are likely to be the fragments of water ice, as per the mosquito-borne Zika virus. the press release of NASA on 4 February 2016. Bharat Biotech developed world’s first, two As the nitrogen-dominated ice is dense than promising candidates ZikaVac vaccines for water ice, it is believed that newly found Zika infection. water ice hills are floating in a sea of frozen The company is probably the first in the world nitrogen and resembles icebergs in Earth’s to file for global patent for the two vaccines. Arctic Ocean. These hills individually measure One of the possible vaccines is recombinant, one to several miles or kilometers across. which means it is created by genetic These hills are another example of Pluto’s engineering, while the other was inactivated, fascinating and abundant geological activity and and will enter pre-clinical trials in animals in are likely to be fragments of the rugged uplands two weeks. and smaller versions of the large and jumbled The company announced that it could make mountains on Sputnik Planum’s western available the inactivated vaccine in two years if border. the Indian Government fast-tracked the Chains of the drifting hills are formed along regulatory approvals once the pre-clinical trials the flow paths of the glaciers. proved to be successful. When the hills enter the cellular terrain of While the recombinant vaccine might take central Sputnik Planum, they become subject to time, the pre-clinical testing of the inactivated the convective motions of the nitrogen ice and vaccine in animals will be completed in five are pushed to the edges of the cells where the months. hills cluster in groups reaching up to 12 miles Key facts related to the breakthrough- across. • Bharat Biotech developed the vaccine and pro At the northern end of the image, the feature vaccine candidates. informally named Challenger Colles which are • It filed a patent in July 2015. The company is honoring the crew of the lost space shuttle probably the first in the world to file for global Challenger appears to be an especially large patent for Zika Vaccine candidates. accumulation of these hills, measuring 37 by 22 • The company has been working on Zika miles or 60 by 35 kilometers. vaccine for more than 15 months. This feature is located near the boundary with • The company was able to develop the ZikaVac the uplands which are away from the cellular vaccines because it had earlier successfully terrain and represent a location where hills are developed vaccine on vector borne

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Chikungunya disease which is also transmitted effort to develop a big cryogenic engine to fly by Aedes mosquito similar to Zika virus. satellites of up to five tonnes. About Cryogenic Engine- India's first Ayurvedic anti-diabetic • It uses Hydrogen as fuel, stored at minus 253 drug, BGR-34, launched by CSIR degrees Celsius and liquid oxygen as oxidizer at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research minus 193 degrees Celsius. (CSIR) on 3 February 2016 launched the BGR- • The CE-20 has been developed at the Liquid 34, the country's first anti-diabetic ayurvedic Propulsion System centre (LPSC) in drug for Diabetes. BGR is acronym for blood Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. glucose regulator. • It can develop the thrust needed in the final The ayurvedic drug BGR-34 was launched at stage of the rocket to put satellites, weighing Kozhikode, Kerala by CSIR's Senior Principal two tonnes or more, into a geosynchronous Scientist Dr AKS Rawat as part of the Global orbit. Ayurveda Festival in the city. • It will also give boost to India’s interplanetary BGR-34 is designed for type 2 Diabetes probes and manned space missions. mellitus, has been scientifically validated for its • It is essential to master this technology for any efficacy and safety. Priced at 5 rupees per tablet, space power as launching heavier satellites the medicine is now available at all major requires cryogenic engines even in the lower chemist counters of Kerala. stages of the rocket. The drug works by controlling blood sugar Background- level (anti-hyperglycaemic property) and India has been on a long arduous journey to limiting the harmful effects of other drugs and is develop an operational indigenous cryogenic not toxic in nature nor carries any side-effects. engine which began around 30 years ago. The drug was developed by CSIR in The first success came in January 2014 when collaboration with National Botanical Research India successfully launched GSLV-D5, marking Institute and Central Institute for Medicinal and the first successful launch of a vehicle with an Aromatic Plant. It was developed as diabetes has indigenous cryogenic engine. But at present, become a major threat in the health sector and India can only launch satellites of up to two about 6 crore of adult Indian population has tonnes. been found to be diabetic and there is no effective solution for the disease yet.

ISRO successfully tested high-thrust Cryogenic Engine CE-20 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 19 February 2016 successfully tested high-thrust cryogenic engine CE-20 at its Propulsion Research Centre in Mahendragiri,

Tamil Nadu. The successful hotbed test lasted 640 seconds and paved the way for the first developmental flight of the GSLV Mark 3 in December 2016. The GSLV Mark 3, the biggest rocket made in India, will be capable of launching 4-tonne satellites into geosynchronous orbit. So far India's GSLVs were being powered by cryogenic engines given by Russia. But this development marks a milestone in the country's 13

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ECONOMY BHEL commissioned 270 MW unit of GVK power plant in Punjab State-run equipment maker Bharat Heavy Union Government granted Miniratna Electricals Ltd (BHEL) on 18 February 2016 Category-I Status to HSCC commissioned a 270 MW generation unit at the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Goindwal Sahib Thermal Power Project of Nadda on 1 February 2016 awarded the private producer GVK Power & Infra in Punjab. certificate of Miniratna Category-I status to Thermal sets of 270 MW rating are in-house Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (I) improvisations of the 210/250 MW sets supplied Ltd (HSCC). The honour was awarded to its by the company earlier, which currently form CMD Gyanesh Pandey at Nirman Bhawan in the backbone of the Indian power sector and New Delhi. have been performing much above the national It got the status for its consistency in excellent average as well as international benchmarks. performance in top and bottom-line growth All the operational sets of 210-270 MW class along with its turnover, particularly for the last in Punjab have been supplied, erected and five years. These status are granted by the commissioned by BHEL, i.e., six units of 210 Department of Public Enterprises under Union MW at Ropar, 2 units of 210 MW and 2 units of Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public 250 MW at Bhatinda, besides 270 MW Unit at Enterprises. Goindwal Sahib. HSSC is a Public Sector Enterprise under the BHEL has earlier commissioned four hydro Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare sets of 82.5 MW each at the Alaknanda Hydro since its inception it has been a profit making Power Project in Uttarakhand by the same organisation. As a result, it attained the developer. Miniratna-II status in 2002. About Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd- Criteria to award Miniratna Status- • Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is a Those CPSEs that have shown profits in the power plant equipment manufacturer. last continuous three years and have positive net • It is owned by the Government of India. worth can be considered eligible for grant of • It was established in 1964. Miniratna status. • Heavy Electricals (India) Limited was merged These are divided in two catergories – I and with BHEL in 1974. II. • It is India's largest engineering and Miniratna Category-I manufacturing company of its kind. CPSEs should have made profits continuously for the last three years otherwise, it should have Union Cabinet approved Trade earned a net profit of 30 crore rupees or more in one of the three years. Facilitation Agreement The company boards are entitled to invest up Union Cabinet on 17 February 2016 approved to 500 crore rupees or equal to their net worth, Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the whichever is lower without seeking government World Trade Organization (WTO). It approved permission. the Notification of Commitments, its ratification Miniratna Category-II and acceptance of the Instrument of Acceptance CPSEs should have made profits for the last of Protocol of TFA to the WTO Secretariat. three years continuously and should have a India is the 71st country to give nod to the positive net worth. agreement that seeks to ease customs procedures The company boards are entitled to invest up to boost commerce. to 300 crore rupees or up to 50 percent of their As per the Trade Facilitation net worth, whichever is lower without seeking Agreement adopted by the WTO on 27 government permission. November 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland, the TFA shall enter into force for the notified 14

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members (107 countries) upon acceptance by • Anticipated growth of real GVA at basic prices two-third WTO Members. in 2015-16 is 7.3 % against 7.1 % in 2014-15. The TFA contains provisions for expediting • The sectors which are likely to register growth the movement, release and clearance of goods, rate of over 7.0 % are financial, real estate and including goods in transit. professional services, trade, hotels, transport, India decided against signing WTO's Trade communication and services related to Facilitation Agreement broadcasting, and manufacturing. It also sets out measures for effective • The growth in the agriculture, forestry and cooperation between customs and other fishing, mining and quarrying, electricity, gas, appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and water supply and other utility services, customs compliance issues. construction and public administration, defence These objectives are in consonance with and other services is estimated to be 1.1%, India’s “Ease of Doing Business” initiative. 6.9%, 5.9 %, 3.7 % and 6.9 % respectively. National Committee on Trade Facilitation • The per capita income in real terms (at 2011- (NCTF) 12 prices) during 2015-16 is likely to attain a Besides, Union Cabinet also approved the level of 77431 rupees as compared to 72889 constitution of the National Committee on Trade rupees for the year 2014-15. Facilitation (NCTF). NCTF will facilitate both • The growth rate in per capita income is domestic coordination and implementation of estimated at 6.2 % during 2015-16, as against the provisions of the Agreement and it will be 5.8 % in the previous year. set up under the Joint Chair of Secretary, • The wholesale price index (WPI), in respect of Department of Revenue and Secretary, the groups - food articles, manufactured Department of Commerce. products, electricity and all commodities, has risen by 3.0 %, (-)1.3 %, 4.4 % and (-)3.0 %, CSO released Advance Estimates of respectively during April-December 2015-16. National Income 2015-16 • The consumer price index has shown a rise of Central Statistics Office (CSO) under the 4.8 % during April-December, 2015-16 Ministry of Statistics and Programme • GDP at current prices in the year 2015-16 is Implementation (MoSPI) on 8 February 2016 likely to attain a level of 135.67 lakh crore released the Advance Estimates (AE) of rupees, as against 124.88 lakh crore rupees in National Income for the financial year (FY) 2014-15 showing a growth rate of 8.6 %. 2015-16. • The nominal Net National Income (NNI), also It also released the Quarterly Estimates (QE) known as national income (at current prices) is of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the likely to be 119.62 lakh crore rupees during third quarter (Q3) of the FY 2015-16. 2015-16, as against 110.08 lakh crore rupees for the year 2014- 15. Main highlights of Advance Estimates- • In terms of growth rates, the national income • The growth in GDP during 2015-16 is registered a growth rate of 8.7 % in 2015- 16 as estimated at 7.6 % as compared to the growth against the previous year’s growth rate of rate of 7.2 % in 2014- 15. 10.8%. • Real GDP or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) • The per capita net national income during at constant (2011-12) prices in the year 2015- 16 2015-16 is estimated to be 93231 rupees is likely to attain a level of 113.51 lakh crore showing a rise of 7.3 % as compared to 86879 rupees. rupees during 2014-15 with the growth rate of • Real Gross Value Added (GVA) or GVA at 9.4 %. basic constant prices (2011-12) is anticipated to • In terms of GDP, the rates of Private Final increase from 97.27 lakh crore rupees in 2014- Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) at current 15 to 104.38 lakh crore rupees in 2015-16. 15

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and constant (2011-12) prices during 2015-16 Economic Survey of India 2015-16: are estimated at 59.8 % and 55.6 %, respectively Highlights • In terms of GDP, the rates of Government Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on 26 Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE) at February 2016 presented Economic Survey of current and constant (2011-12) prices during India 2015-16 in the Parliament. 2015-16 are estimated at 10.7 % and 10.0 %, The Economic Survey reviews the respectively developments in the Indian economy over the • In terms of GDP, the rates of Gross Fixed previous 12 months, summarizes the Capital Formation (GFCF) at current and performance on major development programmes constant (2011-12) prices during 2015-16 are and highlights the policy initiatives of the estimated at 29.4 % and 31.6 %, respectively government and the prospects of the economy in • The GFCF is expected to register growth rate the short to medium term. of 3.6 % at current prices and 5.3 % at constant prices. Main Highlights-

Advance Estimates of GVA at Basic Price by GDP Growth: The growth rate of GDP at Economic Activity (At current prices) constant market prices is projected to increase to Industry Percentage over 7.6% in 2015-16 from 7.2% in 2014-15. previous year Real GDP growth for 2015-16 is expected to 2014-15 2015-16 be in the 7% to 7.75% range. Agriculture, forestry & fishing 4.9 4.4 Twin balance sheet problem: Resolving the challenge of twin balance sheet problem – the Mining & quarrying 2.8 3.7 impaired financial positions of the Public Sector Manufacturing 7.6 8.1 Banks (PSBs) and some corporate houses would Electricity, gas, water supply& 12.9 10.5 require 4 Rs:Recognition, Recapitalization, other utility services Resolution, and Reform. Construction 7.8 0.6 Energy: 2014-15 witnessed the highest ever increase in generation capacity of 26.5 GW Trade, hotels, transport, 13.3 6.4 communication and services compared to the average annual addition of related to broadcasting around 19 GW over the past five years. Horticulture: The percentage share of Financial, real estate & 13.3 7.0 professional services horticulture output in agriculture is more than 33 per cent. The share of plan outlay for Public administration, defence 17.3 12.5 and Other Services horticulture, which was 3.9 per cent during Ninth Plan, has increased to 4.6 per cent during GVA at Basic Price 10.5 6.8 the Twelfth Plan. Quarterly GDP growth rates for 2015-16 at Over the last decade, the area under constant (2011-12) and current prices horticulture grew by about 2.7% per annum and Growth rates of GDP annual production increased by 7% Constant Price Current Milk Production: Production of horticulture (2011-12) Prices crops have outpaced the production of food Annual 2015-16 7.6 8.6 grain since 2012-13. (Advance) India ranks first in milk production, Q1 2015-16 (April – 7.6 8.7 accounting for 18.5% of world production June) achieving an annual output of 146.3 million Q2 2015-16 (July – 7.7 6.4 tonnes during 2014-15 as compared to 137.69 Sep) million tonnes during 2013-14 recording a Q3 2015-16 (Oct- Dec) 7.3 9.2 growth of 6.26%. 16

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Per capita availability of milk in India medium term growth potential of 8-10 percent increased from 176 grams per day in 1990-91 to will require rapid growth of export. 322 grams per day by 2014-15. To achieve trajectory similar to China, India’s Food Security: According to the data of the competitiveness will have to improve so that its 66th round of the National Sample Survey services exports, currently about 3 percent of (2009-10), the average dietary energy intake per world exports, capture nearly 15% of world person per day was 2147 Kcal for rural India market share. and 2123 Kcal for urban India. 57 % of Trade deficit declined to 106.8 billion US households had calorie intake below 2160 dollars in April-January 2015-16 from 119.6 Kcal/Consumer unit/day. billion US dollars in corresponding period 2014- India has the second highest number of 15. undernourished people at 194.6 million person (FAO, State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2015) which warrants immediate attention. Fiscal Management: Fiscal Deficit target of 3.9% for 2015-16 seems achievable. The total expenditure for 2015-16 was estimated at Rs.17.77 lakh crore which was 5.7 per cent higher than the revised estimates of 2014-15. A growth of 25.5 per cent was envisaged in capital expenditure, reiterating the focus on quality of expenditure. Direct taxes grew by 10.7% in the first 9 months of 2015-16 while indirect taxes were also buoyant. The aggregate capital expenditure of the government increased by 0.6% in 2015-16. This occurred both in the centre and states, with the former contributing 54% and the latter 46%. Services: Services Sector remained the key Public Debt: At the end-September 2015, driver of economic growth contributing almost India’s external debt has remained in safe limits 66.1 percent in 2015-16. as shown by long term debt accounted for Services Sector continues to be the key driver 82.2% of India’s total external debt, vis-à-vis of India’s economic growth and it accelerated to 82.0% at end-March 2015. 10.3 per cent in 2014-15 from 7.8 per cent in The proportion of short term debt to total 2013-14 and it is expected to be 9.2 per cent external debt decreased from 18.0% at end- (constant prices) in 2015-16 as per the advanced March 2015 to 17.8% at end-September 2015. estimates. This is due to lower growth in Public External debt to GDP ratio of 23.7% and debt Administration, Defence and other Services. service ratio of 7.5% in 2014-15 are at Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): There has comfortable levels, it adds. been a rising trend in FDI equity inflows to the Human Capital: Increasing investment in services sector in the first seven months of human capital is a key requirement to improve 2015-16 with FDI inflows growing by 74.7 per productivity of the population says the cent. Economic Survey. The total expenditure on Trade: Overall exports declined by about 18% Social Services including Education, Health, in the first three quarters. Realizing India’s Social Security, Nutrition, Welfare of SC/ST/OBC etc. during 2014-15 (RE) was 7% of GDP while it was 6.5% during 2013-14. 17

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According to Annual Status of Education budget of the Narendra Modi-led NDA Report (ASER) 2014, there is sharp decline government and the second railway budget for between 2007 and 2014 in the number of Suresh Prabhu. children in Standard V who can read a textbook Railway Budget 2016-17: Highlights of Standard II, in both government and private The major statistical highlights of the Budget schools. encompassing Financial Performance 2015-16 The expenditure on health as a percentage of and Budget Estimates 2016-17 are given below: total expenditure on social services increased Financial Performance 2015-16 from 18.6% in 2013-14 to 19.3% in 2014-15 • Net reduction in Gross Traffic Receipts by (RE) and 19.5% in 2015-16 (BE). 15744 crore (Revised Estimates) in 2015-16 The ‘under five mortality’ has declined from compared to the Budget Estimate (BE) target of 126 in 1990 to 49 in 2013. 183578 crore rupees. Passenger earnings scaled Employment: The proportion of economically down keeping in view the persistent negative active population (15-59 years) has increased growth trend since 2013-14 both in the suburban from 57.7% to 63.3% during 1991 to 2013, as and non-suburban non-PRS segment of travel. per Sample Registration System (SRS) data for • Freight earnings impacted mainly on account 2013. of low demand from the core sector resulting in The employment growth in the organized resetting the target in RE 2015-16 to 111853 sector (Public and Private combined) increased crore rupees. by 2% in 2012 over 2011, while it increased by • Stringent economy and austerity measures only 1% in 2011 over 2010. adopted to contain the Ordinary Working The annual growth rate of employment for the Expenses (OWE) due to which budgeted private sector was 4.5 % in 2012 over 2011 Ordinary Working Expenses of 119410 crore whereas the public sector registered a marginal rupees decreased in the Revised Estimates 2015- growth of 0.4 % in the same year. 16 to 110690 crore rupees that is by 8720 crore According to the Labour Bureau during the rupees. period January 2014 to July 2014 has shown that • BE provided for an appropriation of 34900 the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is crore rupees to the Pension Fund. However, 52.5 % for all persons. based on trend, the pension outgo moderately The LFPR for rural areas stands at 54.7% decreased to 34500 crore rupees in RE. which is much greater than that for rural areas • Internal resource generation diminished and i.e. 47.2 %. appropriation to DRF moderated to 5500 crore The LFPR for women is significantly lower rupees in RE from the BE 2015-16 provisioning than that for males in both rural and urban areas. of 7900 crore rupees. Excess of receipts over The Unemployment Rate is 4.7 % in rural expenditure in RE 2015-16 stands at 11402.40 areas and 5.5% in urban areas. The total crore rupees. unemployment rate reported is 4.9% as per the • Plan size for 2015-16 is currently estimated Labour Bureau Survey. at 100000 crore rupees. National Sample Survey Office (NSSO, 2012- 11) reported unemployment rate of 2.3% for Railway Budget 2016-17: Major Initiatives rural areas, 3.8% for Urban Areas and 2.7% for Budget Estimates 2016-17 India as a whole. • Gross Traffic Receipts kept at 184820 crore rupees. Passenger earnings growth has been Railway Budget 2016-17: Statistical pegged at 12.4 percent and earnings target Highlights budgeted at 51012 crore rupees. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 25 • The freight traffic is pegged at incremental February 2016 presented the Rail Budget 2016- traffic of 50 million tonnes, anticipating a 17 in the Lok Sabha. This was the third rail healthier growth in the core sector of economy. 18

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Goods earnings is accordingly proposed at • Law will be enacted to confer benefits on 117933 crore rupees. deserving sections on Aadhar Platform • Other coaching and sundries projected at 6185 • Government to work for passage of insolvency crore rupees and 9590.3 crore rupees and bankruptcy laws respectively. • Incentive for deepwater gas exploration will be • OWE provides for the implementation of the provided 7th Central Pay Commission. • Government to enhance expenditure for social, • Pension outgo budgeted at 45500 crore rupees rural and agricultural sector in 2016-17. • 28.5 lakh hectares will be brought under • Higher staff cost and pension liability impacts irrigation under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi the internal resource position of the Railways. Sichai Yojana • Appropriation to Depreciation Reserve Fund • A dedicated long term irrigation fund will be (DRF) from revenue placed at 3200 crore rupees created in NABARD with a corpus of 20000 and that from Production Units at 200 crore crore rupees rupees. • 35984 crore rupees allocation done for the • A withdrawal of 3160 crore rupees from DRF farm sector on net basis proposed though the gross • Agricultural credit target of 9 lakh crore rupees expenditure to be met from DRF in the Annual • Unified e-platform for farmers to be Plan estimated at 7160 crore rupees. inaugurated on Ambedkar's birthday • 5750 crore rupees proposed to be appropriated • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana to bring 5 to the Capital fund. With a draw-down of 1250 lakh acres under organic farming crore rupees from previous balances in the fund, • 300 rurban clusters to be set up under Shyama plan requirement of 7000 crore rupees for Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission repayment of principal component of lease • 38500 crore rupees allocated to MNREGA charges to IRFC met. • Quantum jump of 228% in grants to gram • Railways are preparing a Plan size of 121000 panchayats and urban local bodies in accordance crore rupees in 2016-17. with FFC recommendations • Allocation to PM Fasal Bima Yojana for Union Budget 2016-17: Highlights 2016/17 is 5500 crores rupees Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley on 29 • 87765 crores rupees for rural development as a February 2016 presented Union Budget 2016-17 whole have been allocated in the budget in the Lok Sabha. This was the second full year • 100 % village electrification to be achieved by Budget of the NDA government and the third 1 May 2018 budget of Jaitley. • Allocation of Pradhanmatri Gram Sadak Yojna The finance minster announced nine pillars of to be increased to 19000 Crore rupees the budget and they are Agriculture and farmers' • 65 eligible habitats to be connected via 2.23 welfare, rural sector, social sector including lakh kms of road healthcare, education, skills and job creation, • 300 'rurban' clusters will be developed infrastructure, financial sector reforms, ease of • As per recommendation of 14th finance doing business, fiscal discipline, tax reforms to commission, 2.87 lakh crore rupees will be reduce compliance burden. given as grants-in-aid to village panchyats and municipalities to boost rural economy. Highlights of the Union Budget 2015-16- • Government to spend 850 crore rupees in a • Agricultural policy will be reorganised to few years on animal husbandry, cattle and double farmer income in five years livestock breeding • For gas connections, new scheme to be • Four schemes for animal welfare announced launched for BPL families • States will be encouraged to take up decentralised procurement of food grains

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• 5500 crore rupees allocated for crop insurance • Small shops should be given the choice to scheme remain open on all 7 days a week • Hub to support SC/ST entrepreneurs • In the power sector, the government is drawing • National dialysis service programme under up a plan for 15-20 years to augment investment PPP model to come up in nuclear power. 3000 crore rupees per annum • LPG connection for women members of rural for this. homes to be provided • 1700 crore rupees to be spent for setting 1500 • Health insurance of up to 1 lakh rupees per multi-skill training institutes family, top up of Rs 35,000 for people above 60 • 1500 multi-skill training institutes to be years opened to train youths under Skill Development • 3000 generic drugs stores to be opened programme; for this 1.7 thousand crore • Two schemes for digital literacy for rural India earmarked to cover 6 crore households in the next three • 8.33% will be paid towards employee pension years fund • 9000 crore rupees allocated for Swachch • Shopping malls to be allowed to open on all Bharat Abhiyan seven days of week; a model shops and • 1700 crore rupees allocated for 1500 multi- establishment bill to be circulated to states skill development centres • Abolition of permit law will be medium-term • 10 public and 10 private educational goal in public transport institutions to be made world-class • RBI Act to be amended to set up monetary • Digital repository for all school leaving policy committee certificates and diplomas • 100% FDI through FAPB route in marketing • 1000 crore rupees provided for LPG of food products produced and manufactured in connection to rural households in name of India women; scheme to go on for 2 yrs to cover • 8000 crore rupees provided for Sagarmala 5crore BPL households project • 500 crore rupees allocated for Stand Up India • Department of Disinvestment renamed as scheme Department of Investment and Public Asset • Certain parts of dialysis machines to be exempt Management from all forms of customs duty; national dialysis • Direct Benefit Transfer for fertilizers service programme to be launched in all districts • 25000 crore rupees sanctioned for • At least one crore youth to be skilled over next recapitalisation of public sector banks three years • General insurance companies owned by the • 62 new Navodaya Vidyalayas to be opened in government to be listed in stock exchanges next two years • Amendments to boost Asset Reconstruction • 160 airports and airstrips to be revived at a cost Companies to manage NPAs of public sector of 50-100 crore rupees each banks • To enable entrepreneurship in the road • A bill on targeted delivery of financial services transport sector, Motor Vehicles Act to be using Aadhar to be introduced amended • Amendment to the Companies Act to ensure • Total outlay for infrastructure is at 2.31 lakh speedy registration and boost start-ups crore lakh rupees • 900 crore rupees for buffer stock of pulses • 97000 crore rupees sanctioned for all roads • To boost stagnant domestic output, • Total outlay on roads and rails will be 2.80 government considering providing calibrated lakh crore rupees, under which 10000 km of market freedom to new gas production from national highways in 2016-17 and 50000 km deep sea, ultra deep sea state highways to be converted to NH roads.

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• A Public Utility Resolution of Disputes Bill to • In 2016-17, credit target of 180000 crore be passed to solve problems in infrastructure rupees set up through Mudra bank contracts, PPP and public utilities • Tax holiday for startups for three of five years • Duty drawback scheme widened and deepened of setting up the company. Tax holiday for to include more products and countries startups for three of five years of setting up the • A new credit rating system for infrastructure company. Start-ups to get 100% tax exemption will be developed for 3 years except MAT which will apply from • More FDI reforms proposed in insurance, April 2016-2019 for creation of jobs pension, asset restructuring companies and stock • Lowering of Corporate IT rate for companies markets not exceeding 5 crore rupees turnover to 25% • Relief will amount to 3000 rupees per annum; plus surcharge 1 crore tax payers to benefit • 100 crore rupees sanctioned for Deendayal • Ceiling of tax rebate for tax payers with up to Upadhyay's birthday celebrations and Guru Rs 5 lakh annual come to be raised to 5000 Gobind Singh 300th birth anniversary rupees from 2000 currently • Classification of expenditure as plan and non- • SEBI Act to be amended to provide for more plan to be done away with benches for Securities Appellate Tribunal • Fiscal deficit at 3.5% of GDP in 2016-17 • SEBI to develop new derivatives products as • Service Tax to be exempted on general well as products for corporate bond market insurance schemes under NIRMAYA Scheme • RBI Act to be amended to provide statutory • Target delivery of financial, other intermediary backing for monetary policy framework and services to be introduced using Aadhar monetary policy committee (MPC) • 1% service charge on purchase of luxury cars • A comprehensive bankruptcy code to be over 10 lakh rupees and in-cash purchase of enacted as part of financial sector reforms goods and services over 2 lakh rupees • 100 percent FDI will be allowed through FIPB • Additional exemption of 50000 rupees for in marketing of food products produced and housing loans up to 35 lakh rupees, provided manufactured in India cost of house is not above 50 lakh rupees • Policy for strategic sale of CPSE assets to be • 40% of withdrawal at the time of retirement brought under • To benefit those living in rented houses, • Long term capital gains period for unlisted deduction for rent paid will be raised from Rs companies to be reduced from 3 to 2 years 20000 rupees to 60000 rupees • DBT to be used to transfer subsidy on fertilizer • The Banking Boards Bureau will be in select districts on pilot basis operationalised fiscal year 2016-17 • Service tax on single premium annuity to be • Presumptive income tax scheme to be reduced to 1.5 percent from 3.5 percent extended to all professionals with income of 50 • For ease of doing business and enabling lakh rupees with a presumption of 50 percent registration of companies in a day, Bill to amend profit Companies Act to be introduced • Consolidation roadmap for public sector banks • Fiscal deficit target for 2015-16 and 2016-17 to be spelt next year retained at 3.9%and 3.5% respectively. • Government is open to reducing its stake in • Plan to spend 19.78 lakh crore rupees in 2016- PSBs below 50% 17 - 5.5 lakh crore rupees under plan head, • Accelerated depreciation to be limited to 40% 14.28 lakh crore rupees under non-plan head w.e.f. from 1 April 2017 as part of phasing out • Revenue deficit target improved from 2.8 %to of exemptions to industry 2.5% in current fiscal • ATMs, micro-ATMs to be increased in post • Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management offices in next three years (FRBM) Act to be reviewed and for this purpose a committee to be constituted

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• New manufacturing companies incorporated • Rate of securities transaction tax to be raised after March 2016 will be given option of being from 0.017% to 0.05% taxed at 25% plus cess plus surcharges • 0.5% Krishi Kalyan Cess to be levied on all • Clean energy cess increased from 200 services rupees/ton to 400 rupees/ton on coal, lignite and • Excise 1% imposed on articles of jewellery peat excluding silver • High level committee headed by Revenue • Pollution cess of 1% on small petrol, LPG and Secretary to oversee creation of fresh liability CNG cars; 2.5% on diesel cars of certain using retrospective tax legislation specifications; 4% on higher • One-time dispute resolution scheme introduced • 15% surcharge on income above 1 crore for retro tax cases, payment of tax arrears to lead rupees to waiving of penalty and interest • New grading system of imposing penalties to • Plan and non-Plan classification of Budget will be introduced for under-reporting or be done away with from Fiscal 2017-18 concealment of income • Levying heavy penalty for non-payment of tax • Tax on black money declared will be 30% plus has led to high litigation, thus Proposes to 7.5% penalty and 7.5% surcharge modification in penalties scheme proposed • One year limit provided for disposing of • 13 different cesses levied by various ministries income tax cases relating to waiver of interest with collections less than 50 crore rupees a year and penalty to be done away with. • 11 new benches of Customs & Excise Services • No Service Tax for houses built in less than 60 Appellate Tribunal to be introduced square metres • Customs baggage rules for international • Excise duty on tobacco increased by 10-15 travellers to be simplified percent. • Government to pay interest of 9% if there is • Committed to stable taxation regime and for delay in giving effect to an appellate order that reason no more retrospective amendments to be introduced • 4% high capacity tax for SUVs • Limited period compliance window for domestic taxpayers to declare undisclosed income • Declarations to have immunity from prosecutions • No changes have been made to existing income tax slabs • Infrastructure and agriculture cess to be levied • GAAR (General anti-avoidance rule) to be implemented from 1 April 2017 • Tax exemption given to Braille paper • Service tax exempted for General Insurance Schemes under Niramaya Swasthaya Bima Yojana • Dividend in excess of 10 lakh rupees per annum to be taxed at additional 10% • TDS provisions to be rationalised. Non resident Indians providing alternate documents will not be subject to higher tax rate.

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but these pictures have provided the first ENVIRONMENT tangible evidence of their existence. Besides capturing the snow leopard, the pilot Storm Imogen lashed parts of Britain project also helped in capturing other mountain Storm Imogen on 8 February 2016 battered wildlife like rare pallas cat, blue sheep and the parts of southern Britain with heavy rain and Tibetan argali. It has also provided visual winds up to 96 miles per hour (mph). It forced documentation on free-ranging dogs and the the environment agency to issue multiple flood areas they move in. warnings requiring immediate action for parts of the south west, south east and Wales WWF-India’s work on snow leopard- Isles of Scilly (81mph), Pembrey Sands (84 To understand the snow leopard’s status and mph), Carmarthenshire (84 mph) and The distribution in India, WWF-India has been Needles off the Isle of Wight (96 mph) were the working in Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal worst affected areas. Pradesh and Sikkim since 2006. The work was More than 5000 homes were without power in started to fill the vast gaps in knowledge on south-West England, south and mid-Wales and snow leopards from this important snow leopard the Midlands. The storm also disrupted the Rail habitat. services, some cross-Channel ferries were Its work of setting camera traps in Sikkim cancelled and drivers urged to take extra care. began in 2015 under the project Conservation MET department issued a yellow warning and Adaptation in Asia's High Mountains. with an amber warning "be prepared" for Wales, The project aims at developing climate smart south-west England, London and south-east snow leopard conservation plan. Large part of England and says coastal areas could see giant the project is funded by USAID in six Asian waves and localised flooding. snow leopard range countries. Storm Imogen is the ninth named storm to hit the UK this season. In Britain, the 2016 storms About Snow Leopard- are being names by Met Office and Met • Commonly referred as ‘Ghost of the Eireann. This exercise is an effort to increase Mountains’, these species are the public awareness and safety. They were named undisputed monarch of the high altitudes. by public ballot but there are no names for the • The snow leopard, a flagship species of the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z. high altitudes, is a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Protection Act of India. Snow Leopard spotted for the first • The animal is listed as endangered by time in North Sikkim the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. WWF-India on 27 January 2016 claimed that • Information on its distribution is scanty they spotted the endangered snow leopards for because its current range is poorly mapped the first time in the North Sikkim Plateau. The mainly due to the high and inhospitable terrain. elusive snow leopard was found during its pilot • Snow Leopard, scientific name Uncia uncia or project in which they installed camera traps in Panthera uncial, is the state animal of the region to understand the occurrence of snow Himachal Pradesh. leopards in the region. The camera traps helped them to yield results What’s making snow leopards scarce? with the first photos of the species at four Habitat loss, poaching and increasing conflict different locations in North Sikkim. with communities have seen over a fifth of the Earlier, presence of snow leopards in the high world’s snow leopards disappear in the last 16 altitudes of North Sikkim area were provided years. And climate change is now putting the only by the yak herders, known as ‘Dokpas’, future of their mountain home at even greater risk.

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Marine Museum inaugrated at Marine • It got around 17 regional centers across the Aquarium and Regional Centre in country and one among them is Marine Digha Aquarium and Regional Centre (MARC) in Digha, West Bengal which completed 25th The Marine Museum was inaugurated on 3 years of service to the nation on faunal February 2016 at the Marine Aquarium and inventory and research. Regional Centre (MARC) of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Digha, West Bengal. It was inaugurated along with one day National Air Quality Indices for 24 National Seminar on Coastal Zone Management cities released by Central Pollution and Marine Biodiversity at East Medinipur Control Board district of West Bengal. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the first week of February 2016 Features of the Marine Museum- published National Air Quality Indices • The newly constructed museum that is thrown (NAQI) for 24 cities. The AQI published with a open to the public contains Fish gallery, Coral colour code and a numerical value will help in gallery, and Molluscan gallery with more than comparing pollution levels in each cities. 500 marine species display. The NAQI is determined on the basis of • The species include fishes, sea snakes, concentration of eight pollutants, including molluscs, corals, crabs, prawns, lobsters, Particulate Matter (PM2.5 fine, respirable echinoderms, horse-shoe crabs etc. particles), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen • It displays several awareness posters related to dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone marine life, marine biodiversity and (O3), ammonia (NH3) and lead (Pb). conservation. • It would help the students and public for the Main highlights- purpose of awareness on marine biodiversity • Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Muzzafarpur in conservations as well as serve as a platform for Bihar topped the list and were coded as ‘severe’ the students having interest on marine biology in terms of air pollution in January 2016 with an from all over India. AQI value of 409 points each. • These two cities are followed by Faridabad About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)- (399), Patna (388) and Agra (372) at 3rd, 4th • It is a premier Indian organization in and 5th position respectively. zoological research and studies. It was • The national capital Delhi stood at the sixth established on 1 July 1916 to promote the position with 362 points and was coded as ‘very survey, exploration and research of the fauna in poor’. the region. • Earlier in December 2015, Delhi was coded as • The activities of the ZSI are coordinated by the ‘Poor’ in AQI with 293 points. Seven other Conservation and Survey Division under the Indian cities were ahead of it and rated as ‘very Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and poor’ and they were Agra (342), Faridabad Climate Change. (345), Kanpur (347), Lucknow (353), • It acquired the Zoological collections of more Muzzaffarpur (400), Patna (373) and Varanasi than a century old from former Museum (1814 - (366). 1875) of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and • In November 2015, Delhi was ranked at third Zoological Section of the Indian Museum position with a score of 360 with Lucknow and (1875-1916) in Calcutta. Patna at top two positions with 374 and 366 • The expansion programme of the survey was AQIs respectively. initiated with the increasing interest in the life • In the months of September 2015 and October sciences and with the advent of country´s Five 2015, Delhi was at the top of air pollution chart. Year Plans. 24

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Comment- Spotlight on developing nations- As per the World Health Organization • In the field study coordinated by FAO, (WHO), Delhi is the most polluted city in the scientists compared 344 plots across Africa, world in terms of air pollution. In fact, air Asia and Latin America and concluded that crop pollution in Delhi is 12 times higher than WHO yields were significantly lower in farming plots standards. that attracted fewer bees during the main However, NAQI shows that other major cities flowering season than in those plots that like Lucknow, Faridabad, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, received more visits. Agra and Varanasi continue to show alarmingly • When comparing high-performing and low- high air-pollutant levels – 10 times higher than performing farms of less than two hectares, the WHO standards making air pollution truly a outcomes suggest that poorly performing farms national emergency. could increase their yields by a median of 24 per In 2014, the WHO released a list of world’s 20 cent by attracting more pollinators to their land. most polluted cities, 13 of which were in India. • The research also looked at larger plots and According to the Global Burden of Disease concluded that, while those fields also benefited report, air pollution is estimated to be the fifth from more pollinator visits, the impact on yields deadliest killer in the country. Each year, almost was less significant than in the smaller plots. It six lakh Indians die prematurely due to air was probably because many bees have a harder pollution. time servicing large fields, far from their nesting Although Delhi government launched Odd- habitat. However, a diversity of bees, each with even scheme on 1 January 2016 for 15 days to different flight capacities, can make the curb pollution levels and that showed some difference. improvements but this alone cannot be enough. Unstudied facts- In the absence of strong measures, the problem • Pollinators, such as bees, birds and various is not likely to go away anytime soon in Delhi types of insects that fly, hop or crawl from one and other major Indian cities. flower to another, have for centuries been the invisible helpers of farmers worldwide. Bees can help boost food security of • Different types of bees have distinct tastes and two billion small farmers at no cost: roles to play in the food system. For example, FAO Bumble bees are one of the few types of bees that can successfully pollinate tomatoes. The United Nations Food and Agriculture • Honey bees are important because they are the Organization (FAO) on 19 February 2016 least picky in their choice of flowers. brought to light the publication of a new study • The study shows that for smallholdings, crop that quantifies how much crop yields depend on yield increased linearly with increased visits to the work of bees that unknowingly fertilize the flowers that were being tracked. plants as they move from flower to flower. • Pollination was the agricultural input that The FAO also stated that bees may have a contributed the greatest to yields, beyond other pivotal role to play in improving the production management practices. of some two billion smallholder farmers Tricks to attract bees- worldwide and ensuring the food security and • The report also found that attracting pollinators nutrition of the world’s growing population. to farms is not as easy as planting for the season The paper, published in the magazine Science, and waiting for them to arrive. makes the case that ecological intensification, or • Maintaining habitat and forage resources all boosting farm outputs by tapping the power of year long is the key to attracting pollinators and natural processes, is one of the sustainable keeping them on the land for longer periods of pathways toward greater food supplies. time.

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• Maintaining flowering hedge rows around the Fiji is an island country in Melanesia in the farm and mulch on the ground that bees can hide South Pacific Ocean about 1100 nautical miles under apart from reducing the use of pesticides. (2000 km; 1300 mi) northeast of New Zealand's • The key to getting the best yields probably lies North Island. in a mix of managed pollination services. For example, installing bee hives in plots at flowering time and wild pollination.

Tropical Cyclone Winston lashed Fiji killing scores of people

The tropical cyclone Winston lashed Fiji with winds up to 330 kilometers per hour on 20 February 2016. The cyclone that was accompanied with torrential rain and strong winds killed at least 29 people. The cyclone did a considerable damage across the main island Viti Levu and the island of Koro, which were directly hit by strong winds. The Winston, a category five storm, is thought to be the biggest to ever hit the Southern Hemisphere, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake while moving west away from Fiji. The cyclone left many cities without power and running water. It also destroyed homes and flooded the low-lying areas. In the wake of Winston, the Fiji government led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced a 30-day state of natural disaster giving extra powers to police to arrest people without a warrant. Meanwhile, officials have been working urgently to assess and address the damage in maritime regions amid a nation-wide curfew that was lifted after 5:30am local time on 22 February 2016. The relief work was hampered due to power outages, fallen phone lines and blocked roads. In lieu of damage caused by Winston, India has extended a package of one million US dollars as immediate assistance to Fiji. Winston's estimated winds over Koro Island, Fiji, were equal to the estimated winds at landfall of the infamous Labor Day hurricane of

1935 in the Florida Keys and stronger than Hurricane Camille's winds at landfall in 1969, though Camille's eyewall destroyed wind instruments along the Gulf Coast. 26

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38-year-old Vidya, it was her ninth national SPORTS title. The women’s billiards title was won by 19- Kidambi Srikanth won Men's Singles year old Keerath Bhandaal by defeating Arantxa title of Syed Modi International Sanchis of Maharashtra 3-1. Keerath is a student Badminton Championships 2016 of Economics at the Jesus and Mary College in Ace Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth on 31 Delhi. January 2016 won the Men's Singles title of the Syed Modi International Badminton 2016 South Asian Games concluded; Championships 2016. In the final played at India finished at top with 308 medals Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, 12th South Asian Games (SAG) 2016 Srikanth defeated China's Huang Yuxiang, 21- concluded on 16 February 2016 at the Indira 13, 14-21, 21-14. Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Sarusajai of This was Srikanth’s fifth title overall, the Guwahati, Assam. The game that saw 228 other four titles include Thailand Grand Prix events in 23 sports disciplines was held from 5 Gold, China Super Series premier, Swiss Open February to 16 February 2016. Grand Prix Gold and India Super Series. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Other results of the Championships are Sarbananda Sonowal declared the Games closed Women’s Singles: Korean Sung Ji Hyun at a colourful closing ceremony. The main defeated Sayako Sato of Japan, 12-21, 21-18, attraction of the closing ceremony was different 21-18. bands played from the north eastern region, Men's Doubles: Malaysian pair of Goh V Shem namely Still Waters (Sikkim), The Soul Rebels and Tan Wee Kiong defeated Pranaav Jerry (Arunachal Pradesh), Salvator (Manipur), Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar of India, 14-21, Boomarang (Mizoram) and Purple Fusion 24-22, 21-8. (Nagaland). Women’s Doubles: Korean duo of Jung Kyung Eun and Shin Seung Chan defeated Eefje 12th South Asian Games inaugurated in Muskens and Selena Piek of Netherlands, 21-15, Guwahati 21-13. The event saw participation of about 2600 Mixed doubles: Indonesian pair of Praveen athletes from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Jordan and Debby Susanto defeated Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Puavaranukroh Dechapol and Sapsiree Maldives. It was co-hosted by Guwahati, Assam Taerattanchai of Thailand, 23-25, 21-9, 21-16. and Meghalaya capital, Shillong. The games were conducted in 26 venues across the cities of Guwahati and Shillong. 17 venues were in Aditya Mehta won 83rd Senior Guwahati and 9 venues were in Shillong. National Snooker Championship India finished at the top with a record 308 Aditya Mehta on 31 January 2016 won the medals - 188 Gold, 90 Silver and 30 Bronze, 83rd Senior National Snooker Championship in which put to shade its previous best of 214 Indore, Madhya Pradesh. medals at the 2006 Games in Colombo. To win the title, he defeated Manan Chandra Athletics, Shooting, Archery, Wrestling, 6-3 in the final that was held as part of the Boxing, Weightlifting and Swimming were the National Billiards & Snooker Championship events that witnessed the Indian master-class. 2016. Medals Tally In another event, Vidya Pillai won the Countries Gold Silver Bronze Total National Snooker Championship in the women’s Medal Medal Medal category by defeating Amee Kamani 4-2. For India 188 90 30 308

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Sri Lanka 25 63 98 186 Earlier, to reach the final, the Railways team Pakistan 12 37 57 106 beat its counterparts - Odisha, Gujrat, Air-India, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, Airport Afghanistan 7 9 19 35 Authority of India, Tamil Nadu and Delhi - in Bangladesh 4 15 56 75 the championship that began on 8 February Nepal 3 23 34 60 2016. Maldives 0 2 1 3 Indian Railway team was represented by the following chess playersfrom different Zonal Bhutan 0 1 15 16 Railways India made clean sweep in Boxing (won 10 1. Karthikayan Gold medals at stake), tennis and kabaddi (won 2. Deepan Chakkravarthy both men and women gold). Besides, Shooter 3. Rathnakaran Chain Singh’s 6 Gold, new Games records by 4. Arghyadip Das swimmers Sandeep Sejwal and Sayani Ghosh, 5. Swapni Dhopade and magical performances in track and field are India won three-match T-20 series some of the moments that Guwahati and Shillong will remember for many days to come. against Sri Lanka, 2-1 And, not to mention, Sri Lanka, the one India on 14 February 2016 won the three-match country that made India toil hard, and even beat T-20 series against Sri Lanka, 2-1. In the third them on several occasions. Its swimmers, and final Twenty20 match played in at notably Mathew Abheysinghe, and track athletes Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India defeated made the headlines with some flawless Sri Lanka by nine wickets. performances. In a nutshell, it was all India at Winning the toss and electing to bowl, India the Games, and, it was the country’s flag, at the bundled out the visitors for 82 runs in 18 overs end, on which the closing credits rolled. in the series deciding encounter. In the second Ei Prithibi Ek Krirangan was the theme song innings of the match, India chased the paltry of the 12th South Asian Games, which literally target of 83 runs in 13.5 over at the loss of ne translates to "The world is a playground". It was wicket. written by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, an Indian lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker The series win also helped India retain its from Assam. Games slogan was ‘Play for Peace, numero uno position in the ICC T20 rankings. Progress and Prosperity’. Series Report- Tikhor, a one-horned rhino that represents st endangered fauna of Assam found in Kaziranga 1 Match: The match was played at National Park, was the official mascot of the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune event. on 9 February 2016. Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets 13th South Asian Games will be held in (with 12 balls remaining). Kasun Rajitha (Sri Kathmandu, Nepal in 2019. Lanka) was declared the Man of the Match. The match saw debut of two players of Sri Lanka, th namely Kasun Rajitha and Niroshan Dickwella. Indian Railways won 36 National 2nd Match: The match was played JSCA Chess Team Championship International Stadium Complex, Ranchi on 12 Indian Railways on 14 February 2016 won the February 2016. India won by 69 runs. Shikhar 36th National Chess team Championship in Dhawan (India) was declared the Man of the Bhubaneswar, Odisha. For the Indian Railways Match. team it was the first ever title. 3rd Match: The match was played at Dr YS To win the championship the team defeated Life Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Insurance Corporation (LIC) team in the final. Stadium, Visakhapatnam on 14 February 2016.

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India won by 9 wickets (with 37 balls Hockey India League (HIL) title in the fourth remaining). Ravichandran Ashwin (India) who edition of the six-team tournament at the Birsa claimed four wickets for eight runs was declared Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand. the Man of the Match. The match saw debut of The Punjab Warriors were third time lucky as Asela Gunaratne from Sri Lanka. they had finished runners-up in the last two editions. They lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 West Indies won maiden ICC U19 and to Ranchi Rays in 2015. Cricket World Cup Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das The West Indies on 14 February 2016 lifted presented the winner's trophy to Jaypee Punjab their maiden ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Warriors captain Sardar Singh and Mark title. In the final played at Mirpur, West Indies Knowles. defeated three time champions India by five The Player of the Tournament Award of 50 wickets. lakh rupees was awarded to Rupinder Pal It was the first major title for the West Indies Singh of Delhi Waveriders. at any level since Darren Sammy’s senior team Mark Knowles of the Punjab Warriors was won the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in awarded with the Man of the Match Award, 2012. which carried 50000 rupees. The Goal of the Earlier put in to bat, India team was bowled Match award of 50000 rupees was awarded out for 145 in 45.1 overs. The Caribbeans to Armaan Qureshi of the Punjab Warriors. achieved the target in 49.3 overs. The Emerging Player of the Match award of West Indies’ Keacy Carty grabbed the Man 25000 rupees was awarded to Armaan of the Match title whileMehidy Hasan Qureshi. Miraz from Bangladesh was declared The Dhruv Batra Maximum Goals award of the Player of the Tournament. 20 lakh rupees was awarded to Kalinga About 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup- Lancers' Glenn Turner. The Ponty Chadha • The 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Upcoming Player of the Tournament award of was an international limited-overs cricket 20 lakh rupees went toSumit of Ranchi Rays. tournament held in Bangladesh from 22 January to 14 February 2016. About Hockey India League- • It was the eleventh edition of the Under-19 • Hockey India League (HIL), known as the Cricket World Cup, and the second to be held in Coal India Hockey India League for sponsorship Bangladesh, after the 2004 event. reasons, is a professional field hockey league in • The World Cup was contested by the national India. under-19 teams of sixteen ICC members, and all • The league is organized by Hockey India, the matches played held under-19 One Day governing body for the sport in India. International (ODI) status. • Hockey India League was founded in 2013 as • On 5 January 2016, Cricket Australia part of Hockey India's attempt to get an announced that the Australian squad had pulled International Hockey Federation sanctioned out of the tournament, citing security concerns. league after the un-sanctioned and non-Hockey Ireland was invited as a replacement for India tournament, World Series Hockey, began Australia. in 2012.

Punjab Warriors defeated Kalinga Mumbai won Ranji Trophy for the Lancers to win 2016 Hockey India 41st time League Mumbai on 26 February 2016 won the Ranji Trophy with an innings and 21 run victory over The Jaypee Punjab Warriors on 21 February Saurashtra. It won the trophy for the first time in 2016 defeated Kalinga Lancers 6-1 to clinch three seasons. 29

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With this, they have 41 titles in 45 finals with 10 of them being an innings victory. Karnataka stands second in the overall Ranji standings with eight titles. It was a repeat of the 2012-13 final where Mumbai had made short work of Saurashtra with an innings and 125-run victory. Mumbai made 371 runs in 82.2 overs in their first innings and in reply Saurashtra managed 235 and 115 runs in first and second innings respectively. Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur shackled opposition batting in the second innings and claimed five wickets for 26 runs in 13.2 overs to took his match tally to eight. Shreyas Iyer was named man of the match for his 117 runs in Mumbai's only innings of the match. He ended the season as the leading run- getter with 1321 runs at 73.38 including four centuries and seven fifties. In 2015, the trophy was Karnataka which was their eighth title. In the final, Karnataka defeated Tamil Nadu.

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AWARDS About Infosys Prize 2015 Winners- Engineering and Computer Science: Won Prime Minister Shram Awards 2014 by Prof. Umesh Waghmareof Theoretical announced Sciences Unit, of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Union Ministry of Labour and Employment Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), announced the Prime Minister Shram Awards Bangalore. for the year 2014 on 9 February 2016. Humanities: Won by Prof. Jonardon There are nine nominations for the Shram Ganeri, Global Network Professor of Bhushan Award, Nineteen nominations for Philosophy, New York University and Recurrent Shram Vir or Shram Veerangana and twenty six Visiting Professor, Department of Philosophy, nominations for Shram Shree or Shram Devi King’s College London, UK. Awards. Life Sciences: Won by Dr. Amit Sharma, Even though, the total number of Shram Group Leader, Structural and Computational Awards is 32, the number of workers receiving Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic the awards is 54 which Included 3 women, as Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New some of the awards have been shared by Delhi. workers and/or teams of workers consisting of Mathematical Sciences: Won by Prof Mahan more than one worker. These include 36 Mj, Professor of Mathematics, Tata Institute of workers from the public sector and 18 workers Fundamental Research, Mumbai. from the private sector. Physical Sciences: Won by Prof. G Ravindra Shram awards were set up by the Union Kumar, Professor in the Department of Nuclear Government in 1985 to recognize the and Atomic Physics (DNAP), Tata Institute of outstanding contributions of workers in both Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. public and private sectors. Social Sciences: Won by Dr. Srinath SHRAM RATNA- Raghavan, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy This is the highest award (one in number) Research, New Delhi. among the Shram Awards and carries a cash About the Infosys Prize- award of 2 lakh rupees with a Sanad. For the • The prize was established in 2009 and is given year 2014, this prestigious award was not in six categories. awarded to any one as screening committee did • The six categories are - Engineering and not consider any nominee eligible for the award. Computer Science, Humanities, Life Sciences, SHRAM BHUSHAN- Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Total number of these awardees is nine. It Social Sciences carries a cash award of one lakh rupees and • The Infosys Prize is awarded under the aegis a Sanad. Nine nominations were found suitable of the Infosys Science Foundation, a not-for- for the award for the year 2014 in respect of profit trust instituted in February 2009. Public Sector Undertaking and Private Sector. • The prize for each category consists of a purse And Shram Veer/Veerangana awards carry a of 65 lakh rupees, a 22 karat gold medallion and cash prize of 60000 rupees and a Sanad. Shram a citation certificate. Shree/Devi Awards comprise of a cash prize of 40000 rupees and a Sanad. 69th British Academy Film Awards announced President Pranab Mukherjee The 69th British Academy Films Awards conferred Infosys Prize 2015 (BAFTAs) were announced on 14 February President Pranab Mukherjee on 13 February 2016. The award ceremony was held at the 2016 conferred Infosys Prize 2015 on six Royal Opera House in London. winners in New Delhi. 31

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The awards were announced to honour the Language best British and international contributions to Make Up and Hair Mad Max: Fury Road film in 2015. Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Original Music The Hateful Eight accolades were handed out for the best in Production Design Mad Max: Fury Road feature-length film and documentaries of any Sound The Revenant nationality, that were screened at British Special Visual Effects Star Wars: The Force cinemas during 2015. Awakens The nominees were announced on 8 January

2016 by Stephen Fry and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Wilderness drama The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, won the Best Film Indo-British Asif Kapadia won 2016 Award. Brooklyn was named the Outstanding Grammy Award for Best Music Film British Film while Inside Out won the Best Indo-British filmmaker Asif Kapadia on 15 Animated Film. Amy won the award in Best February 2016 won Grammy Award for Best Documentary category. Music Film for his documentary Amy. The award was presented at the 58th annual awards Complete list of winners: ceremony that was held at the Staples Center in Award Winner Los Angeles, the USA Amy is a 2015 British documentary film that Best Film The Revenant depicts the life and death of British singer- Outstanding British Film Brooklyn songwriter Amy Winehouse. It was directed by Adapted Screenplay The Big Short Asif Kapadia. Original Screenplay Spotlight Earlier, on 14 February 2016, Amy won the award in Best Documentary category at the 69th Leading Actor Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant British Academy Films Awards (BAFTAs) in London. Leading Actress Brie Larson for Room The film is also nominated for an Oscar in the Supporting Actor Mark Rylance for Bridge of Best Documentary Feature category which will Spies be announced on 28 February 2016. Supporting Actress Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs Best Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Fashion designer Manish Arora Revenant conferred Knight of the Legion of Outstanding Debut Naji Abu Nowar Honour, France’s highest honour (Writer/Director) Rupert Fashion designer Manish Arora on 16 Lloyd (Producer) February 2016 was awarded with theChevalier Animated Film Inside Out de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the British Short Animation Edmond Legion of Honour), France's highest civilian honour. British Short Film Operator French Ambassador Francois Richier Cinematography The Revenant presented the award to Arora for his renowned Costume Design Mad Max: Fury Road and critically-acclaimed contribution to the fashion world. Documentary Amy About Manish Arora- EE Rising Star John Boyega • Manish Arora is an Indian fashion designer Editing Mad Max: Fury Road based in New Delhi. Film Not In The English Wild Tales • In early 2011, he was appointed creative director of the womens wear collection of the 32

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French fashion house Paco Rabanne. However, Bureau for consistent high cultural he left the company in May 2012. programming. • In 2000, he participated in the first-ever India • In 1999, he received the Premier's Award for Fashion Week held in New Delhi and developing and promoting the arts and culture represented India at the Hong Kong Fashion sector as an economic enterprise in the South Week. African province of Mpumalanga. • In 2004, he was awarded the Best Women's Prêt Designer at the first ever Indian Fashion About Knight of the Order of Arts and Awards. Literature- • In May 2005, he participated in the Miami • The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Fashion Week where he was presented with the Arts and Letters) is an Order of France, designer's choice for Best Collection Award. established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and its supplementary status to the About National Order of the Legion of Ordre national du Mérite was confirmed by Honour President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. • The National Order of the Legion of Honour • Its purpose is the recognition of significant (Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) is a contributions to the arts, literature, or the French order established by Napoleon propagation of these fields. Bonaparte on 19 May 1802. • The Order is the highest decoration in France and is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer),Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) andGrand'Croix (Grand Cross). • The order's motto is Honour and Fatherland.

Indian-origin playwright Ismail Mahomed conferred Knighthood by French Government Ismail Mahomed, an Indian-origin art lover and playwright in South Africa, on 22 February 2016 was conferred Knighthood by the French government for his lifelong devotion to the promotion of arts. Mahomed was bestowed with The Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature) by French Ambassador Elisabet Barbier in Johannesburg.

About Ismail Mahomed- • Currently the Artistic Director of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, Mahomed has received numerous other awards in his 30-year career. • He has also been honoured with Merit Honour Award from the US State Department's Africa 33

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present, Nicholas was US Army commander of APPOINTMENTS NATO land forces.

Archana Ramasundram became 1st Earlier, he had served in multiple capacities woman to head paramilitary force like chief of staff of operations for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Tamil Nadu Cadre IPS officer Archana and US Forces - Afghanistan, director of Ramasundram on 1 February 2016 was Pakistan/Afghanistan Coordination Cell for the appointed as the Director General of the Joint Staff, and deputy commander - Stability of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that guards India's ISAF Regional Command - South. frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan. Rajendra Singh became first non-navy officer With this appointment, Ramasundram became to head Indian Coast Guard the first woman to head a paramilitary force. 58- The Union Government on 25 February 2016 year-old Ramasundram is currently the Director appointed Rajendra Singh as the Director of National Crime Records Bureau. General (DG) of Indian Coast Guard, the An order issued by Department of Personnel country’s coastal protection force. This is the and Training (DoPT) said that she has been first time an officer who is not from the Indian appointed to the post till the date of her Navy has been elevated to the position. superannuation, that is, 30 September 2017. The director general's post has so far only Besides, IPS officer K Durga Prasad was been held by officers who were commissioned appointed as Director Generals of Central in the Indian Navy. Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Another IPS The Appointments Committee of Cabinet had officer K K Sharma will be new Chief of the cleared the name of Singh as the next DG, with Border Security Force (BSF). They will take the Department of Personnel and Training over after the incumbent chiefs of these forces issuing an order. retire on 29 February 2016. Singh will replace Vice Admiral HCS Bisht Paramilitary forces in India are Sashastra who has been promoted as the Flag Officer Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Command. Industrial Security Force and Indo Tibetan About Rajendra Singh- Border Police. • Rajendra Singh had joined the Coast Guard in

1980. US General John Nicholson named • He is currently the Additional Director NATO commander in Afghanistan General. Army Lieutenant General John Nicholson About Indian Coast Guard- was appointed as the commander of the NATO • The Indian Coast Guard protects India's forces in Afghanistan. His nomination to the maritime interests and enforces maritime law, post was confirmed by US Senate committee on with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of 4 February 2016. India, including its contiguous zone and He succeeded US General John Campbell who exclusive economic zone. has been leading the Afghan operations for • It was formally established on 18 August 1978 nearly 18 months. by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament The powerful Senate Armed Services of India as an independent Armed force of India. Committee confirmed Nicholson's nomination • It operates under the Ministry of Defence. during a Congressional hearing on Afghanistan • The Coast Guard works in close cooperation where the outgoing commander US General with the Indian Navy, the Department of John Campbell testified before the Senators. At Fisheries, the Department of Revenue (Customs) and the Central and State police forces. 34

VAID’S ICS LUCKNOW B-36, Sector-C, Aliganj, Lucknow Cont.9415011892/93

Justice HL Dattu retired from the post of Chief KN Vyas took charge as Director of Justice of Supreme Court on 2 December 2016. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre He was Chief Justice of India from 28 Distinguished Scientist KN Vyas on 23 September 2014. February 2016 took charge as Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Christine Lagarde appointed as MD of He took it over from Dr Sekhar Basu, who is IMF for second term the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission The Executive Board of the International and Secretary to the Union Government, Monetary Fund (IMF) on 19 February 2016 Department of Atomic Energy. selected Christine Lagarde to serve as IMF Before taking the charge, he was an Associate Managing Director for a second five-year term Director for Reactor Projects Group in BARC. starting on 5 July 2016. Lagarde, the only candidate nominated for the About KN Vyas- post, was backed by the UK, Germany, China, • He joined Fuel Design and Development and her home country, France, to stay on for Section of Reactor Engineering Division of another five years. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre after getting In her first term as MD of IMF, Lagarde has graduated from the BARC Training School. overseen an easing of Europe's sovereign debt • He had a vast experience of 36 years in design crisis and has implemented changes to give and analysis of nuclear reactor fuels. greater influence in the Fund to emerging • He has worked extensively in thermal markets including China and Brazil. hydraulics and stress analysis of critical reactor About Christine Lagarde- core components. He has also participated in • Christine Lagarde is a French lawyer and design and analysis of the Test Blanket Module Union for a Popular Movement politician who planned to be installed in ITER, France. has been the MD of the IMF since 5 July 2011. • Previously, she held various ministerial posts Former CJI HL Dattu selected as in the French government. She was Minister of Chairperson of National Human Economic Affairs, Finance and Employment Rights Commission and before that Minister of Agriculture and Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Handyala Fishing and Minister of Trade in the government Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was selected as of Dominique de Villepin. the next Chairperson of National Human Rights • She was the first woman to become finance Commission (NHRC) on 23 February 2016. 65- minister of a G8 economy, and is the first year-old Justice Dattu will have tenure of five woman to head the IMF. years. *** The post was lying vacant since 11 May 2015, when KG Balakrishnan demitted office after five-year term. Justice Cyriac Joseph had been functioning as the acting chairperson since then. In accordance to Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, President appoints the chairperson and members of the NHRC. The chairperson is appointed on the recommendation of the high- powered committee headed by the Prime Minister.

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