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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Gujarat to have India’s first disabled-friendly beach
The Tithal beach in Valsad district of Gujarat have India’s first disable friendly beach in the country. This project will provide proper infrastructure in public places to the disable people.Government will provide Rs.5 crore in the first phase.
- In the first phase of the project 1 km beach stretch will have disabled-friendly food courts, washrooms and entertainment area.
- In the second phase, a 2-km-long stretch will be made disabled-friendly.
Health Ministry initiated “National Framework for Malaria Elimination”
On the sidelines of India’s proposed action for the elimination of Malaria by 2030, Union Health & Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda has instigated the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) 2016-2030.
- Abolishing of Malaria will not only brought down the burden of disease but also reduce healthcare cost on diseases control programme.
Elephanta Island to get electricity from Independence Day 2016
Elephanta Island will soon get completely electrified by Independence Day 2016.
- Elephanta Island is Famous for its Hindu cave sculptures depicting the cult of Shiva.
- It is an electricity grid project worth Rs 25 crores.
- Elephanta Island is UNESCO world heritage site.
- It is a popular tourist destination designated since 1987.
- It is also known as the ‘City of Caves’
- The power cable network between mainlands Mumbai will be layed by government.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Titanic II will set sail in 2018
Titanic II replica of the ship hitting an iceberg in 1912, killing 1,503 people, is being built for a whole new journey across the Atlantic.
- The Titanic II project is the motivated idea of Australian billionaire Clive Palmer.
- It is build to meet the modern safety standards.
- It will have a welded and not riveted hull and four yards wider.
- It will have first, second and third-class tickets for sale.
Pakistan launched $500 million projects for Afghanistan
Pakistan had launched projects worth $500 million in Afghanistan covering different sectors including education, health and infrastructure.
- As per the project Pakistan has offered 3,000 scholarships to the Afghan students in different universities.
- The project is a joint relation between the two nations.
Keys
- Capital of Pakistan – Islamabad
- Prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif
- President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain
- Currency of Pakistan Pakistani rupee
- Capital of Afghanistan – Kabul
- President of Afghanistan – Ashraf Ghani
- Currency of Afghanistan – Afghan afghani
BANKING & FINANCE
Electronics Development Fund (EDF) to be launched in “Financial Capital”
Department of Electronics & IT (Deity) in a company with Canbank Venture Capital Fundis all set to initiate the Electronics Development Fund (EDF) in Mumbai.
- Domestic companies in the field of electronics manufacturing will get benefitted by the EDF as it will act as their financial back and encourage sectorial innovation.
Reserve Bank tells banks to set aside more for stressed loans
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed to set aside more for stressed loans.
- The central bank had aimed to increase the provisioning by 2.5 per cent every quarter.
- Public sector banks have seen a sharp rise in their non-performing assets in the last three years.
- Public sector banks had share an unequal burden of the stress.
Keys
- Governor of RBI– Raghuram Rajan
BUSINESS
India’s gold demand up by 2.5% in 2015: WGC
India’s demand for gold recovered to increase by 2.5% in 2015 as reported by The World Gold Council (WGC).
- Investment in gold is turn down by 6% year-on-year in volume terms, jewellery demand expanded 5.3%.
- Gold demand was valued at Rs 2, 02,910 crore.
- Total gold recycled in India in Q4 2015 was 20 tonnes.
- The value of jewellery rise by 41% to Rs 40,595.36 crore
- Total jewellery demand for Q4 2015 was up by 6.39% at 173.1 tonnes
Coca Cola stops manufacturing in 3 Indian Plants
Coca-Cola India had stopped manufacturing in three Indian Plants.
- These three plants are located in Jaipur, Vishakhapatnam and Meghalaya
- It operates around 54 plants in India out of which 25 are company owned, 24 are franchisee plants and five are copackers.
- Coca-Cola India is a soft drink company.
- It was the fastest growing brewage company.
- Coca Cola is the US biggest beverage company.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
EY Entrepreneur Award conferred upon Lupin CEO & MD
Pharmaceutical company Lupin‘s CEO and MD bestowed with EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 award in recognition of their efforts in the company’s glorious growth and for creating value for stakeholders.
- Vinita Gupta, chief executive officer and Nilesh Gupta, managing director of Lupin have received the award and will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Monte Carlo from June 7.
Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of the Year award conferred upon Lahiri
In an online poll, India’s Anirban Lahiri has been voted as the Hilton Asian Tour Golfer of Year. In 2015, the world no. 40 became the first Indian to feature at The Presidents Cup and won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
- During 2015 Presidents Cup, he represented Team International against Team USA and also won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
Tamar Hahn took charge of Director of United Nations Information Centre
Tamar Hahn of Israel appointed as the Director of United Nations Information Centre in Buenos Aires by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
- Currently Hahn was the Regional Adviser for Resource Mobilization and Partnerships at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Panama City, Panama, since 2013.
About United Nations Information Centre :
The United Nations Information Centre is any office in at least 60 locations around the world which serve as regional couriers of information from the United Nations to the local public.
- HQ – Buenos Aires
Justice Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela appointed as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court
Justice Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela appointed as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
- Currently the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, Justice Waghela has been asked to assume charge by February 16 after the retirement of Justice Mohit S Shah in September.
Ramesh Abhishek named new DIPP secy
Former Forwards Markets Commission (FMC) chairman Ramesh Abhishek has been appointed secretary in the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), making him responsible for implementation of “Make in India” and “Start up India”.
- He succeeds the high-profile Amitabh Kant, who will head to Niti Aayog, as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
About Ramesh Abhishek :
- Abhishek, a 1982 batch Bihar cadre Indian Administrative Service officer, will take over after Kant’s retirement on February 29. He will move to DIPP with immediate effect as officer on special duty till February 29.
- Abhishek is currently posted as secretary at the performance management division in the cabinet secretariat.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
Kedaara-partners JV to buy Au housing finance for Rs 950 Crore
Kedaara the local private equity firm partners with American fund Partners Group JV to buy the Au housing finance for Rs 950 crore.
- It aims to strengthen the capital base of the small finance bank.
- It was the first to report the interest of the two PE funds in Au Housing Finance.
- The small finance bank capital around Rs 2,000 crore.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Scientists detect gravitational waves for first time
An international physicists association had detected gravitational waves for the first time in the world. The association includes physicists from many Indian institutions.
- This was a massive achievement as we know that the gravitational waves are very hard to detect.About 3 billion years ago the signals about the waves were generated by two colliding black holes.
INS Viraat to be developed as tourism centre
INS Viraat an Airrcraft carrier will be developed as a tourism centre in the Navy, Andhra Pradesh.
- This proposal was given by the defense Ministry of India
- It aims to take awake the tourism-related activities on the warship.
- The enhanced importance of the port city also enhance the tourism in the state
- INS Viraatis a Centaur-class aircraft carrier in service with the Indian Navy.
Keys
- Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh – N Chandrababu Naidu
SPORTS
McCullum plays record 100th consecutive Test
Brendon McCullum skipper of New Zealand cricket team had played recode 100th consecutive Test before him the record was named to the South African player de Villiers.
- Before the McCullum last match the record was holed by the South Africa’s AB de Villiers who had played 98 successive tests from debut.
OBITUARY
Pulitzer winning composer Leslie Bassett passes away
Leslie Bassett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer known for his lush sonorities and ecumenical instrumentation, died in Georgia. He was 93.
About Leslie Bassett :
- He studied composition with Homer Keller at the University of Michigan.
- He was a member of the Gamma Pi chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at California State University-Fresno, 1942.
- Bassett received the Pulitzer in 1966 for “Variations for Orchestra,” which had been given its United States premiere by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy the year before.
Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa passed away
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad died at the Army Research and Referral (RR) Hospital in Delhi .Three days after he was rescued after being buried in ice and snow for six days in Siachen Glacier.
- Koppad was the lone survivor among 10 soldiers buried by an avalanche on Siachen on February 3.
About others
- Of the ten soldiers who died during avalanche in Siachen on Feb 3, three were from Karnataka,Other four were from Tamil Nadu, one each from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Soviet football legend Anatoli Ilyin passed away
Soviet football legend Anatoly Ilyin died at the age of 84 here on Thursday.
About Anatoli Ilyin :
- Striker Ilyin was capped 31 times by the then Soviet Russia between 1952-59 and scored 16 goals. He played for the Spartak Moscow club for the majority of his professional career (1949-1962).
- He won the Soviet Top League with his club five times (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958 and 1962)
- He was the league’s top scorer twice, in 1954 (11 goals) and 1958 (20 goals).
- He also participated in the 1958 World Cup.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Book titled A Kingdom for his Love launched by Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha has launched its first romance title “A Kingdom For His Love” the fiction co-authored by Vani Mahesh and Shinie Antony is a retelling of a Sanskrit play ‘Swapnavasavadattam’, by one of the earliest and most celebrated playwrights Bhasa.
About the book:
- The story explores the timeless romance of King Udayana and princess Vasavadatta from rival kingdoms set in an ancient era.
- Udayana, the ruler of Kausambi renowned for his magical Veena, Ghoshavati, which when played by him can subdue even the wildest creature is tricked and captured by members of the rival kingdom Ujjaini.
