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01-04-2017

Priti Patel awarded

Priti Patel, Britain’s senior-most Indian-origin minister has received the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Samman’. The award is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians and Patel has been awarded for her “exceptional contribution to national and international politics, her role in strengthening UK-India relations. The award is presented annually at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

ICFMD inaugurated

Union Agriculture minister Radhamohan Singh inaugurated the International Centre for Foot and Mouth Disease (ICFMD) at Argul in Khurda district in Bhubhaneshwar. This centre will conduct research on how to control foot and mouth disease of cattle. This centre will serve as a regional resource laboratory for countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Arunachal Pradesh permitted to use ALGs

Defense Ministry has given permission to Arunachal Pradesh government to use the functional Advance Landing Grounds in the state for civilian purpose. The ALGs across the state have been developed by the Defence Ministry and are under the direct control of the Indian Air Force. Operations from Ziro, Mechuka, Walong, Aalo, Pasighat and Tuting Advanced Landing Grounds are being permitted.

Japan to assist India for infra projects

Japan has committed an official development assistance of 371 billion yen under 2016-2017 for various infrastructure projects, including the dedicated freight corridor, in India. India and Japan have had a long and fruitful history of bilateral development cooperation since 1958. In the last few years, the economic partnership between India and Japan has steadily progressed

Conference of World Parliamentarians

A mega conference of world parliamentarians has started in Dhaka promising to focus on ways and means to end political and economic inequality and uphold democracy and human rights. Around 687 members of 131 national parliaments around the world are expected to join the 4-day event organised jointly by the Geneva-based Inter Parliamentary Union and Bangladesh’s Parliament the Jatiya Sangsad.

2 ILO conventions approved

The government has approved ratification of two fundamental conventions of International Labour Organization to address concerns related to child labour. They are Minimum Age Convention and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention. India would join majority of countries who have adopted the legislation to prohibit and place severe restrictions on the employment and work of children.

Rail routes declared as Green Corridors

The North Western Railway has declared the Barmer-Munawab and Pipad Road-Bilara rail routes in Rajasthan as Green Corridors. With this total number of green corridors has increased to three. The Green Corridor ensures zero toilet discharge on rail tracks as part of its commitment to clean environment under the ‘Swachh Rail-Swachh Bharat’ initiative.

El Salvador bans metals mining

El Salvador became first country in the world to ban metal mining nationwide. The law imposes broad prohibition on the extraction of minerals to protect the nation’s allegedly quite fragile environment, water reservoirs and reduce social tensions. According to UN, El Salvador is one of the most densely populated countries and second-most environmentally degraded in America after Haiti.

India becomes associate member of IEA

India has become part of IEA Association that will allow the country play a more “visible and influential” role in the global energy landscape. India’s engagement with the International Energy Agency has enhanced over the last two decades and the “Association” status would facilitate it to participate in meetings of the standing groups, committees etc.

IIT Madras signs MoU with Indian Army

The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and Indian Army have signed a MoU to identify the critical technological areas that can be enhanced in the armed forces. The MoU will facilitate IITM to achieve a better understanding of the critical technology requirements of the Indian Army through seamless interaction between the Army officers and IITM faculty.

Interest rate on PPF, KVP lowered

Returns on small savings schemes, including public provident fund , National Savings Certificate and Kisan Vikas Patra, will be lower from April 1. Interest rates on all nine small savings schemes will be lower by 0.1%. The government moved to a market-linked interest rates system for these instruments last year but also reserved the right to review them quarterly.

Peggy Whitson creates record

American astronaut Peggy Whitson made history when she floated outside the International Space Station(ISS) breaking the record for the most spacewalks by a woman. Whitson is making her 8th career spacewalk, surpassing the record of 7 previously held by Sunita Williams. The goal of the spacewalk is to continue upgrading the ISS for the arrival of commercial spaceships in the years to come.

Suresh Prabhu launches book on Railways

Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu released the book titled “Indian Railway- The weaving of a National Tapestry”. The book is written jointly by Bibek Debroy, Sanjay Chadha & Ms. Vidya Krishnamurthi. The theme of this book is the historical development of railways in India, organized into chapters dealing with different periods of development in chronological order.

Kotak Mahindra Bank launches 8-11 app

Kotak Mahindra Bank announced the launch of 8-11, a completely digital and paperless account opening system, that can be used anytime, anywhere. The number 811 is inspired from Narendra Modi’s cash ban that was implemented on Nov 8. The app can be used to open accounts, get account details etc.

Mobile apps to report traffic violations

The government has launched two mobile apps, echallan and mParivahan, that provide access to various services and information, and enable citizens to report any traffic violation or road accident. eChallan is an integrated enforcement solution to manage traffic violations through an Android-based mobile app and mParivahan is used to access various services, information etc.

Mega Power Policy 2009 amended

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved amendments to the Mega Power Policy 2009. The CCEA approved 25 Provisional Mega certified project for Mega Policy benefits in proportion to the long term PPA tied up, as permitted under the Mega Power Policy, once the specified threshold capacity of the project, gets commissioned.

Axis Bank ties up with Wells Fargo

Axis Bank has tied up with Wells Fargo to offer real time remittances from the Indian diaspora to their relatives back home. Under the arrangement any member of the Indian diaspora with an account with the Wells Fargo will be able to transfer money to their relatives back home and there will be no transaction fee. ​The bank has its head office in Mumbai and Registered office in Ahmedabad.

Cabinet approves new Urea Policy

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved amendments to the New Urea Policy–2015. The said amendments will protect the production beyond re-assessed capacity by the urea units and are expected to boost indigenous production. After the amendment, the projects will be allowed to avail tax relief for 120 months from earlier 60 months.

SBI to enter ‘Top 50 Global Banks’

Following the merger of 5 associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank with State Bank of India, the latter will enter the league of ‘Top 50 Global Banks’ with a balance sheet size of Rs 41 lakh cr. With the merger the bank now has 2.77 lakh employees, 50 crore customers, and more than 25,000 branches and 58,000 ATMs. Further, SBI’s market share will increase to nearly 22% from 17%.

Motor Vehicles Bill amended

The government has approved changes to the motor vehicle bill. The amended motor vehicle bill proposes a hefty penalty on auto companies caught manufacturing faulty vehicles, statuary guidelines for cab aggregators and a 10% annual increase in penalty for traffic violations. The government has also proposed specific timelines for processing insurance claim.

02-04-2017

China bans beard, veil in Xinjiang

China has introduced new restrictions in the far-western region of Xinjiang in what it describes as a campaign against Islamist extremism. The measures include prohibiting “abnormally” long beards and the wearing of veils in public places. It will also be illegal to refuse to watch state television and listen to state radio, or prevent children from receiving national education.

ISRO embraces private sector

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the private sector are now working shoulder-to-shoulder with government engineers to create a new satellite. ISRO is engaging for the first time a private sector industry to make a full multi-crore, heavy duty and full navigation satellite. ISRO has an experience of almost 150 missions and three decades of space faring.

Centre gives nod to Khurja Power Project

The Centre has given a green nod for setting up 1,320 MW coal-based supercritical Khurja Thermal Power Project at a cost of Rs 9,747.5 crore in Bulandshahar, UP. The proposed project is to be implemented by state-run THDC India (THDCIL) along with the UP government. The proposal is for setting up two units of 660 MW and the power generated from the project will then be evacuated.

India seeks $2 billion from BRICS bank

India had placed a request with the New Development Bank (NDB), or BRICS Bank, to fund $2 billion in various projects. India would work with the NDB to develop projects in smart cities, renewable energy, urban transport, coal technology, solid waste management and urban water supply. The NDB has signed its first agreement for providing a loan to finance district roads in Madhya Pradesh.

World Autism Day today

The world is observing Autism Day on April 2. According to a study by AIIMS, at least one in 89 children aged between two and nine years have been diagnosed with autism in India. Autism Spectrum Disorder is an umbrella term for persons living with developmental disorders that impair communication—speaking, gesturing and listening—and make them have limited interests or repetitive behaviour.

Chandra X-Ray Detects Cataclysmic Event

A mysterious flash of X-rays probably resulting from a “completely new type of cataclysmic event” in space has been discovered by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. There are 3 main possibilities to explain the X-ray source, according to scientists. Two of them are explained either by the collapse of a massive star or by the merger of a neutron star with another neutron star or a black hole

China announces new economic zone

China has said that it will set up a special economic area in a province neighbouring Beijing. The move is said to be a part of a strategic move to advance the coordinated development of the adjoining areas and integrate them with the national capital. The setting up of the Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province is also aimed at reducing congestion and pollution.

Indian-made vaccine for rotavirus

A new vaccine manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India has shown 66.7% efficacy against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis among infants. The low-cost oral vaccine can help in the global war against the deadly virus that kills about 600 children a day. Serum Institute of India is the world’s largest vaccinemaker, producing and selling more than 1.3 billion doses every year.

TN replaces ration card with smart card

Ration cards in Tamil Nadu are all set to go fully digital with. The state has launched a smart family card scheme to replace 1.89 crore cards in the state at a cost of Rs 330 crore. Consumers can continue to buy commodities at PDS outlets by using their existing ration cards till such time they received the smart cards.

Indians develop first male contraceptive

Sujoy Guha, the 76-year-old biomedical engineer is on the cusp of launching a male contraceptive. It has the potential to win as much as half the $10 billion market for female contraceptives worldwide and cut into the $3.2 billion of annual condom sales. It could also ease the burden on the 225 million women in developing countries, who the have an unmet need for contraception

Dalai Lama arrives in Assam

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, arrived in Assam on Saturday. The spiritual leader arrived in Assam on Saturday to deliver a lecture organised by a local media house, the Assam Tribune Group of newspapers. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit different places of Arunachal Pradesh from April 4 including Tawang, which China often claims as disputed territory.

Chenani Nashri tunnel inauguration today

India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional highway tunnel is set to be inaugurated today. The Chenani-Nashri tunnel is 9.2 km connecting Chenani in Udhampur district with Nashri in Ramban district. The tunnel is specially significant as it would reduce travel time on National Highway 44 between Jammu and Srinagar by almost 2 hours.
Transaction fee for each equity trade

BSE will start charging transaction fee on per trade basis from tomorrow, which is expected to attract a larger number of big deals. Under the new system, it will charge Re 1 per trade for up to 5 lakh transactions in a month; 70 paise for 5-10 lakh; 60 paise for 10-20 lakh and 30 paise for over 40 lakh. Earlier, the exchange charged Rs 275 per crore on a gross turnover of Rs 1 crore.

India adds 5,400 mw wind power capacity

India added over 5,400 MW of wind energy capacity in 2016-17, beating its own target of 4,000 MW. The leading states in wind power capacity addition during 2016-17 were Andhra Pradesh (2,190 MW), Gujarat (1,275 MW) and Karnataka (882 MW). Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana and Kerala reported 357 MW, 288 MW, 262 MW, 118 MW, 23 MW and 8 MW wind power capacity.

Trump signs orders targeting ‘cheaters’

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking a review of the massive trade deficit totaling more than USD 500 billion with 16 countries, including China and India. He also signed a second order that seeks to strictly enforce anti-dumping laws. The announcement is widely seen as targeting China. The US has a massive trade imbalance of USD 347 billion with China.

Healthcare, education exempt from GST

Education, healthcare and pilgrimages will continue to be out of service tax net even under the GST regime. Centre is against giving any shock in the first year of the rollout by bringing in new services. Currently, there are 17 items in negative list of services on which service tax is not levied. The GST Council has approved a four-rate tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent.

ED conducts searches on shell firms

ED has conducted searches nationwide as part of its major crackdown on 500 shell companies suspected to be generating huge amounts of black money. In one instance, the agency found Rs 20 crore deposited in a bank account of a dubious operator. The agency said it searched a Mumbai-operator who ran 700 shell companies with 20 dummy directors and had converted Rs 46.7 crore for Chaggan Bhujbal.

Foreign investors pump in 57,000 crore

Foreign investors pumped in a record Rs 57,000 crore in Indian capital markets in March. With the latest funds mobilisation, net investment by FPIs in the capital markets reached a little over Rs 49,000 crore in 2016-17. The latest inflows follow a net investment of Rs 15,862 crore in equity and debt in February. FPIs had pulled out over Rs 80,000 crore from October to January.

Leander Paes wins first title of season

Leander Paes won his first title of the season, combining with Canadian Adil Shamasdin to lift the Leon Challenger Tour. With this win, Paes clinched his 20th ATP Challenger title. Paes has now won at least one title every year for the past 26 years. Paes’ last Grand Slam in the men’s doubles event came in 2013 with Radek Stepanek at the US Open.

Motor Vehicles Act made more stringent

The penalty for drunk driving is being raised five times to Rs 10,000. If such driving results in the death of another person, the driver can be booked for a non-bailable offence with imprisonment up to 10 years. In case of accidents, such drivers will not be booked under provisions of negligence but their action will be considered as pre-meditated commitment of crime.

03-04-2017

Turkey concludes Operation

Turkey has officially ended Operation Euphrates Shield it launched in Syria last August. Turkey had sent military equipment to support Free Syrian Army rebels to fight the ISIS terrorists. Turkish troops are still stationed in the secured regions and along the border, which amounts to nearly 2,000 sq km of Syrian territory.

Eclipses of binary star system

A team of scientists from Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru and University of Delhi for the first time have seen indications of a massive planet orbiting a low mass X-ray binary star system. The system MXB 1658-298 is an X-ray binary and a part of the constellation Ophiuchus which is nearly 30,000 light years away. The planet is 8000 times the size of earth.

Myanmar becomes 7th member of SASEC

Myanmar became the 7th member of South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program of Asian Development Bank. Myanmar’s membership comes in advance of the first SASEC meeting of Finance Ministers that will be held in New Delhi on April 3. Prior to becoming member, Myanmar was having observer status of SASEC since 2013.

19th commonwealth forestry conference

Scientists and experts from 49 member countries of the Commonwealth will gather here on April 3 to participate in a five-day forestry conference. The conference will be held at Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute. The event will witness 4 plenary sessions and altogether 21 technical sessions.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

“Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana”, a ‘Scheme for providing Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens belonging to BPL category’ was launched in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The govt will provide devices to help the senior citizens to overcome their age related physical impairment and to lead a dignified and productive life. The scheme is expected to help 520000 senior citizens.

Tendulkar launches cricket-centric app

Sachin Tendulkar has launched a mobile phone app called, “100MB”. The app is conceptualised and developed by JetSynthesys and has been envisioned by Sachin himself. The app will feature Live Chat and discussions on cricket along with a fan wall where you can share your thoughts with Sachin and the community.

Lithium Battery Technique

ISRO has developed lithium ion battery for satellite and launch vehicle applications. 4 types of batteries have been developed – 1.5Ah, 5Ah, 50Ah and 100Ah. Out of these, 1.5Ah & 50Ah have been used for space applications and 5Ah & 100Ah batteries are qualified and is ready for induction in space applications. Lithium ion is a type of rechargeable battery.

India 170th for anemia among women

India is ranked 170th in terms of anemia among women as per the Global Nutrition Report 2016 and 114th in terms of prevelance of under-five stunting. Health Minister JP Nadda said Global Nutrition Targets were set for 2025 in 65th World Health Assembly 2012 for stunting and wasting in under-five children and anemia in women of reproductive age group.

AP Chief Minister bags award

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been selected for another prestigious award. The US India Business Council has selected the CM for award of ‘Transformative Chief Minister’ and Naidu would be receiving coveted award at second annual West Coast summit which to be held in California on May 8.

Navrang Saini appointed member of IBBI

Navrang Saini has taken charge as a Whole Time Member of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). He would look after Registration & Monitoring wing at the board. Saini has served in the Corporate Affairs Ministry in various capacities and his last assignment was Director General at the Ministry.

All India Institute of Ayurveda

All India Institute of Ayurveda(AIIA) established at New Delhi at a cost of Rs. 157 crore. It is a 200 bedded referral hospital and shall impart PG & Ph.D degree courses in Ayurveda. 1st Batch of P.G. course has been started in 2016. The institute has started OPD & IPD facility with major specialties in Ayurveda. Presently AIIA is functional.

Drug resistant superbugs

Scientists from the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University in the UK have new way of removing antibodies from the blood stream. Scientists had used a process known as plasmapheresis that is somewhat like kidney dialysis. It involved the removal, treatment, and return of blood plasma from circulation. This method has potential to reduce chronic infections.

1 GBPS internet speed in Hyderabad

Bengaluru-based Internet Service Provider ACT Fibernet announced the launch of 1Gbps wired broadband internet services in Hyderabad. The company has been working for over a year and a half to launch these services in Hyderabad and has invested around Rs 100 cr. In Hyderabad, the 1 Gb plan will be offered at Rs 5,999 per month.

2nd annual meeting of BRICS New Dev Bank

The second annual meeting of the New Development Bank was held in New Delhi from April 1-3. Speaking at the event, Jaitley said global growth is moving upwards and is expected to improve further in 2017-18. NDB president K V Kamath said focus of the bank is sustainable development.

Joyciline Jepkosgei creates 3 records

Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei broke the world half marathon record as well as the 10km and 15km marks at the Prague Half Marathon on the way to winning the IAAF Gold Label Road Race in 1:04:52. The 23-year-old, who was competing in just her fifth half marathon, clocked splits of 30:05 and 45:37 to improve the 10km and 15km world records.

Sindu wins India Open Super Series 2017

PV Sindhu produced a brilliant performance to clinch the India Open title after beating Olympic champion Carolina Marin. The tournament took place in Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi, India from March 28– April 2, 2017 and had a total purse of $350,000.

2017 Miami Open

Gabriela Dabrowski and Xu Yifan won the 2017 Miami Open in women’s doubles category. They beat Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova. Mirza and Strycova have been in five finals since they paired up last summer, winning two of them. Sania Mirza was playing in the Miami Open for the 15th time this year.

Karnataka Bank and SBI launch card

Karnataka Bank and SBI Card announced their collaboration to launch co-branded credit cards for customers of Karnataka Bank. Through this alliance Karnataka Bank and SBI Card will launch two variants of the co-branded credit card – Karnataka Bank Platinum SBI Card and Karnataka Bank SimplySAVE SBI Card.

Rs 5 cr tax evasion to be non-bailable

The government has decided to make tax evasion of over Rs 5 crore under the proposed Goods and Services Tax regime as a non-bailable offence. The earlier threshold for treating tax evasion as a cognizable and non-bailable offence was proposed to be at Rs 2.5 crore. In a revised set of FAQs on GST, the CBEC said other offences under the act are non-cognizable and bailable.

EC set to buy new EVMs

Election Commission is set to buy next generation Electronic Voting Machines that become inoperable the moment attempts are made to tinker with it. The ‘M3’-type electronic voting machines (EVMs) are also equipped with a self-diagnostic system for authentication of genuineness of the machines. The move comes after reports of tampering in recent elections.

04-04-2017

First bio-gas bus in Kolkata

A city based company has claimed to have launched the first bio-gas fuelled bus in Kolkata keeping a flat fare of just Re 1. All buses will have a flat fare of Re 1 irrespective of the distance, even in excess of 40 km. The first bus will run a distance of 17 km between Ultadanga and Garia. The bus service will be run by Phoenix India.

Kishori Amonkar passes away

Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar passed away at the age of 84. Born on April 10, 1932 Amonkar was recognised as one of the foremost singers in the Hindustani tradition and as an innovative exponent of the Jaipur gharana. In recognition of her contribution to the arts, she received many awards, including the Padma Bhushan (1987) and Padma Vibhushan (2002).

IISc ranked best educational institution

The IISc, Bengaluru was adjudged as the best Indian university in the 2017 National Institutional Ranking Framework released by Union HRD Ministry. This year it is 2nd edition NIRF survey and was released as part of the India Rankings 2017 for the Educational Institutions. Seven IITs have also made it to the list of the top10 educational institutions, the other two being BHU and JNU.

Fungus that eats plastic

Scientists from Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified a soil fungus Aspergillus tubingensis that uses enzymes to rapidly break down plastic materials. The new discovery in an advance can help to deal with plastic waste problem that threatens our environment in safer and more effective way. The plastic-eating fungus was found Islamabad, Pakistan.

Rajiv K Chander becomes UN Ambassador

Rajiv Kumar Chander has been appointed as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations Offices in Geneva. He is currently the consul general of India in Vancouver since August 2015. He was the deputy permanent representative with the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, Geneva, between 2006 and 2009.

New Chief Justice of Madras High Court

Justice Indira Banerjee, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. She will sworn in as Chief Justice on April 5. Indira Banerjee will succeed Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who was elected to the Supreme Court on February 18. She is the 2nd woman to hold the post after Kanta Kumari Bhatnagar.

New Ecuador President elected

Ruling Party of Ecuador, Alianza PAIS candidate Lenin Moreno won the Ecuador’s presidential election. He defeated Guillermo Lasso. Out of 94% of voting acts counted, the National Electoral Council declared Moreno has defeated Lasso by 51% to 49%.

ICICI Bank offers access to DigiLocker

ICICI Bank announced the integration of its retail Internet banking with ‘DigiLocker’, an online repository on cloud. DigiLocker is an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. ICICI Bank is offering this service free of cost.

No NHL in 2018 Olympics

The National Hockey League(NHL) will not take part in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The decision brings an end to years of tense bargaining between the International Olympic Committee, International Ice Hockey Federation and the NHL over the league’s continuing participation in the Winter Games. The NHL had participated in every Winter Olympics since the 1998 Nagano Winter Games.

Bajaj Allianz General CEO appointed

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance announced the appointment of Tarun Chugh as its MD and CEO. He replaced Anuj Agarwal, who has moved overseas within the Allianz group. Chugh has over 22 years’ experience in financial services, including over 12 years life insurance sector. Meanwhile, Tapan Singhel, was re-appointed as MD and CEO for Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for 5 years from 1 April.

Haryana becomes kerosene-free

Haryana has become kerosene-free as the supply of the fuel has been stopped under the Public Distribution System from April 1. With an aim to provide smoke-free and healthy environment while cooking, the state government had decided to provide free-of-cost LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. As per the report of oil companies, 272949 gas connections have been made.

African Development Bank Meet

With Africa taking the centre-stage in terms of trade and investment, India will host 5-day annual meeting of the African Development Bank in Ahmedabad. The 52nd annual meeting will be held on May 22-26. India joined the African Development Bank in 1982.

Rice scheme for tribal families

Nearly 70000 families of Jharkhand’s primitive tribal groups will get foodgrains at their doorsteps with the state government launching the “PTG Dakia Yojana”. Under the scheme, employees of Food and Civil Supplies Department would deliver a packet of 35 kg. The scheme was formally launched in Godda, Sahebganj and Palamu districts.

Sci-fi forest to track CO2 levels

Scientists have developed a sci-fi outdoor laboratory in the UK to find out how forests will respond to the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide expected by the middle of the 21st century. The industrial-scale experiment in a Staffordshire forest encircles trees with 25 metre masts gushing high levels of CO2.

Subsidy for mild hybrid vehicles removed

The Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has withdrawn subsidy given to mild hybrid vehicles under FAME India scheme. A mild hybrid vehicle has an electric motor, which on its own cannot run a vehicle but assists normal engine by using recovered energy stored in a battery and helps save fuel. FAME India was launched in 2015 to promote eco-friendly cars.

Dawit Isaak awarded

Dawit Isaak, an imprisoned Eritrean-Swedish journalist, has been chosen to receive the 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Mr. Isaak was arrested in a crackdown on the media that occurred in September 2001. The $25,000 Prize is named in honour of Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was assassinated in 1986.

New Indian Consul General in Dubai

Indian diplomat Vipul has taken charge as the new Consul General of India in Dubai. He succeeded Anurag Bhushan. Before joining the Consulate at Dubai, he was working at the office of External Affairs Minister of India, Sushma Swaraj. He had also served at the India’s diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka and Egypt.

CIRT now authorised body

Pune based Central Institute of Road Transport has, for the first time, become an authority to certify vehicle engines for their emission standards. Earlier, such tests could only be carried out at Automotive Research Association of India. Operating under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, CIRT recently signed an MoU with FEV India — a German company in the automobile sector.

Government launches PowerTex India

The Union Ministry of Textiles has launched PowerTex India, a 3 year comprehensive scheme for Powerloom Sector Development. The scheme aims to boost common infrastructure and modernization of the powerloom sector in the country. It was launched at Bhiwandi and also in all powerloom centres across the nation, including Erode in Tamil Nadu through video conference.

CIRDAP Centre in Hyderabad

The govt approved the establishment of a unit of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific at national rural development institute for exchange of best practises with other countries in the areas of rural development. As per the agreement a CIRDAP centre will be established at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad.

05-04-2017

Bharat Stage emission standards

Bharat stage emission standards are emission standards instituted by the GOI to regulate the output of air pollutants from IC engines and Spark ignition engines equipment, including motor vehicles. The standards, based on European regulations were 1st introduced in 2000. In 2016, the Indian govt announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms altogether and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020.

Change in e-visa policy

The window for application under e-visa scheme has been increased from 30 days to 120 days. Duration of stay on e-visa increased from 30 days to 60 days with double entry on tourist and business e-visas and triple entry on medical e-visa. With the double-entry benefits, tourists can visit neighbouring countries like Bhutan and can return to India within the stipulated time.

India ranks 3rd in WADA doping charts

India has been ranked third for the third year in a row in a doping violation report published by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 2015 with 117 athletes. India followed Russian Federation (176) and Italy (129) at third spot in the doping violation chart released by the WADA. All the dope violations by the Indians came from urine samples.

TN leads MHRD’s top-100 colleges list

A whopping 37 colleges in Tamil Nadu have made it to the rankings released by the Ministry of HRD, with three TN colleges coming in the top-10 list. Delhi’s Miranda House has the top spot in the list. Chennai’s Loyola College came in the number two spot. A total of 535 colleges have been ranked in this first-time exercise.

‘Pax’ for cross-licensing of Android

Google has announced Pax, a new licensing agreement group for patents across Android devices. Google is calling it ‘Pax’, which means peace in latin, in the hope of creating some peace around patents and licensing terms. Google’s Android is already an open-source OS, with licenses being free for all manufacturers or anyone really.

Rs.40,000 Crore Expressway Project In NE

The first express highway project in the northeast region will be developed along the Brahmaputra river in Assam at an estimated investment of Rs. 40,000 crore. 1,300 km-long express highway is likely to incur an investment of Rs. 40,000 crore. The Centre will dredge the Brahmaputra river from Sadia in Upper Assam to increase navigational channels up to Chittagong port in Bangladesh.

National Board of Electric Mobility

The Centre notified the constitution of the National Board of Electric Mobility (NBEM). It also nominated six members of eminence and expertise from the automobile industry into it. The Board will be chaired by the Secretary, the Dept of Heavy Industry. The NBEM will examine, formulate and propose short- as well as long-term plans and contours of the mission programme on electric mobility.

West Bengal gets 22nd district: Jhargram

West Bengal govt declared Jhargram as the 22nd district of the state. It was formed on 4 April 2017, after splitting from the Paschim Medinipur district as the 22nd district of West Bengal. The west bengal govt also announcd that April 4 will now be celebrated as Jhargram Diwas.

Seawater into drinking water by Graphene

Researchers have developed a graphene-based sieve capable of removing salt from seawater, an advance that may provide clean drinking water for millions of people. When immersed in water, graphene-oxide membranes become slightly swollen and smaller salts flow through the membrane along with water, while larger ions or molecules are blocked.

‘Grassoline’ may power future flights

In the quest of more sustainable energy sources, scientists have developed ‘grassoline’ a bio-fuel derived from grass that could one day power aircraft. Researchers investigated methods that can disintegrate and treat grass until it can be used as a fuel. The current process is very expensive, and engines should be adapted to this new kind of fuel.

Android to become worlds most popular OS

Android has become the most popular OS, snatching the 1st place from Windows for the 1st time, according to web analytics firm StatCounter. Look at combined usage across desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile, Android usage climbed 37.93%, edging out Windows’ 37.91%. StatCounter only measures internet-connected devices, which will exclude a small number of desktop PCs used for specific tasks.

Govt seeks opinion on changes in RTI Act

The govt has proposed that proceedings related to an RTI query will automatically stop if the applicant dies while the appeal is pending before the CIC. Clause 1 of Rule 12 states that an appellant may withdraw an appeal after giving it in writing to the CIC. But there can be no withdrawal of appeal after the matter has been finally heard or an order or decision has been pronounced.

SBI cuts lending rates by 0.15%

The country’s largest bank, State Bank of India has reduced its benchmark lending rate by 0 0.15%. Base rate or the minimum lending rate of the bank has been reduced from 9.25 per cent to 9.1 per cent. Base rate is the minimum rate set by the Reserve Bank of India below which banks are not allowed to lend to its customers.

Glaciers, forests ‘living entities’

HAVING declared the Ganga and the Yamuna as “living entities”, Uttarakhand HC has now declared glaciers, forests and lakes also as similar “biologically living” entities. The bench said that like human beings, they also have a right to exist, persist, maintain, sustain and regenerate their vital ecology system. These are scientifically and biologically living.

AERA exempts RCS flights

Tariff regulator AERA has ordered all major airport operators, including those run under the defence min., to exempt flights operated under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) from landing and parking charges. Under RCS, UDAN, fares have been capped at Rs 2500 for 1-hr flights. The scheme also provides for various benefits including no airport charges and 3-yr exclusivity on the routes.​

Change in MWPSC Act

The govt is mulling bringing legislative changes to remove the monthly ceiling of ₹10,000 on the maintenance paid by children to parents. At present, children need not pay more than ₹10,000. If the proposed amend. to the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act come through, the maintenance amount to be decided by senior citizen tribunals for the neglected parents.

Waives farm loans up to Rs. 1 lakh

The UP govt, at its first Cabinet meeting announced its decision to waive farmers’ loans worth ₹30,729 cr, writing off all farm loans up to ₹1 lakh. The govt will also settle around ₹6,000 cr of NPAs of 7 lakh small and marginalised farmers. The double decision , will benefit over 86 lakh small and marginalised farmers, who had taken loans until March 31, 2016.

5D ultrasound system to detect cancer

Amaravati-born Nishikant Deshmukh claims to have developed the world’s first 5D ultrasound system that will help surgeons in detecting cancerous tumours. The 33-year-old Indian developed the 5-D technology as a part of his PhD thesis. His research findings were 1st presented at the 2015 Information Processing in Computer Assisted Interventions.

Gujarat gets its 1st woman police chief

Geetha Johri was appointed in-charge police chief of Gujarat. The minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja announced the decision while stating that Johri has been given the additional charge as she is the senior-most IPS officer in the state. With this Johari has become the first woman IPS officer to be appointed for the top job in the state.

Technology park in Andhra Pradesh

A Malaysian company has agreed to help set up a technology park in Andhra Pradesh that’s expected to attract private sector investment of $100 million in the first phase. MTN, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), will provide consultation in the areas of feasibility, planning and development of the park.

06-04-2017

Virat Kolhi- Wisden’s Leading Cricketer

India cricket team skipper Virat Kolhi was named Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016. Kohli scored 1215 Test runs at a brilliant average of 75.93 last year. His 10 ODI appearances fetched him 739 runs at 92.37, while he scored 641 T20 International runs at 106.83. Only six batsmen have ever scored more international runs in a calendar year

Aditya Birla Group to open payments bank

Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank becomes the 7th entity to receive a final licence from the RBI to set up a payments bank. Except Vodafone M-Pesa Ltd, all payment bank licence holders have received the final approval. Among payment bank licence holders, two entities namely Airtel Payments Bank and India Post Payments Bank have started operations so far.

Rail Development Authority

The Union Cabinet has cleared approved setting up an independent rail regulator, named Rail Development Authority (RDA). It will be based in Delhi and will be set up through an executive order.It will act within the parameters of the Railway Act, 1989. It will only make recommendations to the Railway Ministry.

Conference on ‘Communicating India’

The Vivekananda International Foundation organised a special function to acquaint the world with India’s rich cultural heritage in New Delhi. The aim was not just to spread the concept of India but to also highlight India’s growing strength on the global stage. A number of issues were brainstormed upon such as ways to increase the potential it has.

Sugarcane to power future cars

Sugarcane can be genetically engineered to produce oil in its leaves and stems for biodiesel production. The modified sugarcane plants also produce more sugar, which could be used for ethanol production. The dual-purpose bioenergy crops are predicted to be more than five times more profitable per acre than soybeans and two times more profitable than corn.

Govt. introduces two bills for new NSEBC

The Government introduced two Bills related to the move for setting up of a new National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NSEBC). It will replace the two-decade old National Commission for Backward Classes. While the first Bill will ensure setting up of the new commission, the second Bill seeks to repeal the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

Padayani Dance

Padayani festival was recently celebrated in Kerala. Padayani is a traditional folk dance and a ritual art from the central portion of the Indian state of Kerala. A ceremonial dance involving masks, it is an ancient ritual performed in Bhagavati temples. Padayani was performed by magico-medicine men of Kerala to heal the illnesses not amenable to medical modalities of intervention.

CAG to audit UN Secretariat in New York

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India will audit the UN Secretariat in New York, a job which till now was the exclusive domain of developed countries. It will be done by Shashi Kant Sharma. The CAG is the external auditor of several UN organisations and Sharma presently is the Chairman of the UN Board of Auditors.

Kharat is new Indian Bank chief

Kishor Kharat has assumed charge as the Managing Director and CEO of Indian Bank. Prior to this, he was MD and CEO of IDBI Bank. During the tenure, he also served as the Chairman of IDBI Capital Market Services, IDBI Asset Management and IDBI Trusteeship Services. Kharat was also on the Board of Directors of IDBI Federal Life Insurance as well as Exim Bank.

Doctors artwork in Guinness Book

A fingerprint painting, created by a group of Indian doctors as a symbolic representation to end frequent attacks against the fraternity, has found place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds largest such artwork. Titled “Ray of Hope”, the painting was made up of 15 lakh finger impressions of doctors from different parts of the country, collected over a period of four months.

2016 Global Slavery Index

Nearly 46 million people live under conditions of slavery across the world, with 18 million (39%) of those in India. Globally, modern slavery includes child workers in African mines, deforestation crews in the Amazon or people trapped in commercial sexual exploitation in Europe. In India slavery is banned as per the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976.

UTI MF first to bring IPO

UTI Mutual Fund has become the first domestic asset management company(AMC) to bring an IPO. The listing plan of the country’s sixth-largest fund house had hit a block, with the SBI and the Life Insurance Corporation of India trying to wrest control over the AMC. The UTI MF had average assets under management of Rs 1.37 lakh cr in March quarter.

Malvika Sinha appointed RBI ED

The RBI has appointed Malvika Sinha as Executive Director following the appointment of B P Kanungo as Deputy Governor. As Executive Director, she will look after foreign exchange department, department of government and bank accounts and internal debt management wing. Sinha had joined the Reserve Bank in 1982.

Rashid Khan-First Afghan player in IPL

Rashid Khan Arman created history by becoming the first player from the war-torn Afghanistan to play an Indian Premier League match. He will play for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rashid was bought by Sunrisers for Rs 4 crore making him an overnight star in his country.

Belmont Forum Secretariat

The government has given its approval for signing of the Collaborative Agreement with French National Research Agency, France. The MoU will be signed for supporting the Belmont Forum Secretariat from January, 2015 to December, 2017 at a total estimated expenditure of 40000 Euros. The Forum aims to improve the environment through research and co-operation.

Tree-dwelling crab found in Kerala

Scientists from the University of Kerala have discovered a new species of long-legged, tree-dwelling crabs named Kani maranjandu in Western Ghats of Kerala. The new species named Kani maranjandu after the Kani tribe in Kerala. This is the first report of its kind to offer a record of an arboreal crab — a species that lives in trees.

Ayesha Aziz to fly MIG-29 fighter jet

Ayesha Aziz is all set to become the youngest Indian woman to fly a MIG-29 fighter jet, after getting her commercial pilot’s license. Ayesha plans to fly the aircraft at Sokul airbase in Russia. Her training to become a pilot started while she was in school and Ayesha got her student pilot licence from the Bombay Flying Club when she was 16.

Toni Morrison honored

Toni Morrison is scheduled to be presented with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Emerson-Thoreau Medal. The prize was established in 1958 and is awarded to individuals to recognize a lifetime of literary achievements. Morrison will receive the award on April 6 at the Academy’s headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Panel formed for Gomti River Project

The Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member panel under chairmanship of Justice (retd) Alok Kumar Singh for the Gomti-River Channelisation project. The other two members are retired IIT-BHU Professor U K Chaudhary and IIM-Lucknow Professor A K Garg. The committee has been asked to submit its report in 45 days.

Japan recognizes Bitcoin

Bitcoin has finally gained the recognition of a mainstream currency along the lines of other fiat currencies. The privilege follows the implementation of a new law in Japan which categorizes Bitcoin as a legal payment option within the country. The much-awaited law went into effect on April 1. With the law’s implementation, it will come under regulatory scrutiny.

07-04-2017

World Health Day

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization. In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly and decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The theme for 2017 is, ‘Depression: Let’s talk’.

64th National Film Awards

Sonam Kapoor’s hijack drama Neerja bagged the Best Hindi film for the year 2016. Akshay Kumar was also among the big winners grabbing the Best Actor award for Rustom. Marathi film, Kasav, won the award for Best Feature Film. Amitabh Bachchan’s Pink got the Award for Best Film on Social Issues. Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak grabbed the Best Children Film.

Deendayal Rasoi Yojna launched in MP

Madhya Pradesh is all set to join the league of those states which have launched populist subsidised meal scheme for poor with the opening of canteens that provides wholesome food at Rs 5. The scheme was launched in 49 districts. This scheme is named after the BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhya.

National Children’s Film Festival

Children’s Film Society, India will host the extension of its India’s largest Children’s Film Festival in Visakhapatnam from April 7. The three-day film extravaganza for the children of Andhra Pradesh will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu. The opening film of the NCFF 2016 will be “Shanu – The Optimist” directed by K.N.T.Sastry.

Rajasthan announces cow cess

Rajasthan government has imposed a 10% cow cess as surcharge on stamp duty for protection and propagation of cows in the state. The surcharge will be applicable on non-judicial instruments. The Rajasthan government’s finance department released an order for the cow cess on March 31.

India’s growth to accelerate to 7.4%

The Asian Development Bank said that India’s growth rate will improve to 7.4% during 2017-18 and go up further to 7.6% in the next financial year. India recorded a growth rate of 7.1% during 2016-17, notwithstanding the fears of demonetisation. The report further said that South Asia would remain the fastest growing of all subregions, with growth reaching 7% in 2017 and 7.2% in 2018.

Appointment of Foreign Coaches

Keeping in view the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the sports ministry has approved Athletics Federation of India proposal to appoint two foreign experts—one each in race walking and 400-metre sprint. Australian Dave Smith will take charge of the national race while Galina P Bukharina will oversee the national 400-metre squad.

India 7th in tourism economy

India’s travel and tourism sector ranks 7th in the world in terms of its total contribution to the country’s GDP, according to a new report of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). According to data, the travel and tourism sector generated Rs 14.1 trillion ($208.9 billion) in 2016. Additionally it created 40.3 million jobs.

World’s largest solar plant

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI launched the fourth and final stage of Noor Ouarzazate, the world’s largest solar plant. The Noor Ouarzazate IV power station in the southern province of Ouarzazate, spanned over an area of 137 hectares (1.37 square km), will be set up with over $75 million with photovoltaic (PV) technology. The plant will start operations in 2018.

India, Israel sign defence deal

India and Israel on inked mega defence deals worth over $2 billion for advanced surface-to-air missile systems. The second deal to be inked was for a similar SAM system to be fitted on board the 40,000-tonne indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant being built at the Cochin Shipyard. The deals are part of the bilateral strategic partnership ahead of PM Modi’s visit to Israel in July.

India, UK to setup fund for green energy

India and UK decided to set up a 240 million pound fund to finance clean energy projects. The Green Growth Equity Fund will be a sub-fund of NIIF. India had in 2015 set up the Rs 40,000 crore National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) to finance greenfield as well as brownfield projects.

FMCG highest paying industry in India

Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are the most lucrative ones to work for in India, according to the findings of a survey by human resources consulting firm Randstand. With an average annual cost-to-company for talent across all levels and functions at Rs11.3 lakh, FMCG industry’s employees get the highest pay in India

RBI keeps repo rate on hold

The Reserve Bank of India decided to keep its policy rate on hold in its first bi-monthly monetary policy review for 2017-18, citing the challenging inflation outlook. The RBI’s stance on the policy rate was widely expected as it works towards achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index inflation of 4%. RBI has kept its policy rate unchanged at 6.25%.

Free legal aid in triple talaq cases

Women in Kerala divorced through the Islamic tradition of triple talaq can now receive free legal aid sponsored by the state government. Kerala’s minority commission constituted a special committee under retired judge PK Haneefa to provide legal assistance to divorced women. It also set up a toll free helpline number (0471-2315122).

Online tax filing portal for GST

Online tax filing portal ClearTax.com announced that it has developed a technology platform to help businesses comply with the provisions of GST law. It’s a multi GSP (GST Suvidha Provider ) taxation solution and it helps to monitor one billion invoices which will be generated once the GST comes into action.

Geo tag for RKVY assets

The government has decided to geo-tag all assets like farm ponds, soil testing labs and seed godowns created under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) for their better utilisation. A MoU regarding this was signed between the National Remote Sensing Centre and RKVY. NRSC officials said that it will complete the geo-tagging process of all assets of RKVY by end of 2017-18 financial year.

India, Japan steel dispute

The WTO’s dispute settlement set up a panel to resolve the dispute between Japan and India over imposition of safeguard import duty on iron and steel products. Japan in December dragged India to the WTO against certain measures taken regarding iron and steel products. In September 2015, India imposed a duty of 20% to protect domestic companies.

12% free power for states

As much as 12% of electricity generated in a power project is given to the host state free of cost and the government has no plan to change the rules. When a power plant is set up in a state, the state government provides land and other logistics to facilitate its successful installation. Host state of a power plant will continue to get 12 per cent free power.

India’s first transgender SI of police

K Prithika Yashini has become the first transgender to become sub-inspector of police. Yashini, who had fought a long legal battle to join the police, visited the officer of the superintendent of police in Dharmapuri and submitted her joining documents. Prithika was born and raised as Pradeep Kumar in Chennai. She underwent a sex change surgery and became Prithika.

Germany to launch cyber command centre

Germany is the first NATO state to launch a “self-contained” cyber command unit designed to shield IT and weapons systems from growing attacks. The Bundeswehr’s Cyber and Information Space (CIR) boasts a status equal to that of the army, navy, and air force. CIR will start off with 260 IT specialists, but will grow to 13,500 military and civilian personnel by July.

08-04-2017

Smoking causes over 11% deaths

More than 1 in 10 deaths globally was caused due to smoking in 2015 and over 50% of them took place in just four countries, one of which was India. Over 11% of 6.4 million deaths worldwide was caused by smoking in 2015 and 52.2% of them took place in China, India, USA, and Russia. The estimates are based on the Global Burden of Disease study published in medical journal The Lancet.

Family court judge breaks world record

The principal judge of a family court in Muzaffarnagar has set a Guinness World Record by disposing of as many as 6,065 cases in 327 working days. The name of judge is Tej Bahadur Singh. The judge said that his move was aimed to reduce the number of pending cases in the court and provide justice to the litigants.

Malala-youngest UN Messenger of Peace

Malala Yousafzai is to become the youngest United Nations Messenger of Peace. Yousafzai will be appointed on April 10 by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and will help promote girl’s education around the world as part of her new role. She came to prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on her school bus in 2012 as punishment for campaigning for girls education.

Shyam Kumar wins gold in Thailand Int’l

Indian boxer K Shyam Kumar (49kg) clinched a gold medal at the Thailand International Tournament in Bangkok without even stepping inside the ring for his summit clash. Shyam, who won a gold at the 2015 edition of the event, was to take on Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in the final. He however pulled out after an injury.

“Bharat ke Veer” web portal

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the web portal and mobile application named “Bharat ke Veer” on April 9. The portal is an IT based platform, with an objective to enable willing donors to contribute towards the family of a braveheart who sacrificed his/her life in line of duty. The amount so donated will be credited to the account of ‘Next of Kin’.

North India to get DNA bank for wildlife

North India is all set to get its first DNA bank for wildlife. Scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly are in the process of collecting DNA samples of all wild animals to set up the bank. At present, the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) in Hyderabad

Book on Draupadi

A book on Draupadi written by senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily was released by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 7. Published by Rupa, Flaming Tresses of Draupadi is an English translation by D A Shankar of Moily’s original work in Kannada. The book traces the life and journey of Draupadi from her birth to her marriage with the Pandavas.

Bengal gets 23rd district

West Burdwan district was carved out of Burdwan by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, making it the 23rd district. The new district comprises Burdwan Paschim, Asansol and Durgapur. With the division, the agrarian parts of Burdwan now fall under East Burdwan, while the industrial hub will come under West Burdwan, which has two sub-divisions – Asansol Sadar and Durgapur.

Govt launches Cyber Physical Sys prog

Department of Science and Technology has launched Cyber Physical Systems programme dealing with self-driven cars, autonomous unmanned vehicles and aircraft navigation systems. Rs 3000 cr has been has been conceived for it and it will first take root in some of the IITs. CPS deals with the deployment of computer-based systems that do things in the physical world.

Aerial survey to detect minerals

An aerial geophysical survey to detect presence of minerals was launched across four mineral blocks in the country from Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur. Undertaken by the Geological Survey of India employs low-flying aircraft fitted with various equipment to detect the minerals. The aircraft is built by by McPhar International, EON Geosciences Inc and Kiwi Air Ltd.

Govt to revive North Koel project

The Centre has decided to revive the North Koel Irrigation project, envisaged nearly 40 years ago, to address water requirements in Jharkhand and Bihar. When completed, the project, estimated to cost Rs 1600 cr, is expected to irrigate 1 lakh hectares of land in the two states. Though 90% of its works, costing nearly Rs 800 cr, was completed by 2007 it was stopped to clearance issues.

Govt ties with Google for net security

The government has collaborated with Google India for raising awareness about internet safety among consumers. The National Consumer Helpline has tied up with 230 companies for faster redressal of consumer grievances and complaints. Two mobile applications have also been developed to redress consumer grievances.

India, ADB sign loan

India and the Asian Development Bank have signed a loan agreement to improve the country’s solar power transmission system. India and ADB have signed a $175 million loan agreement to support construction of high-voltage transmission systems to evacuate power generated from new mega solar parks to the interstate grid, and improve reliability of the national grid system.

Indian internet economy to hit $250b

            Mobile internet users in India are estimated to touch 650 million by 2020, up from about 390 million now. The report was published by Boston Consulting Group and The Indus Entrepreneurs. Fueling the internet economy will be data consumption, which by 2020 could potentially increase 10-14 times.

IOA grants affiliation to BFI

The Indian Olympic Association has granted affiliation to the Boxing Federation of India, ending a long-standing impasse between the two bodies. The affiliation ends a logjam that goes back to September last year when BFI took charge of the sport after elections conducted in the presence of International Boxing Association and sports ministry observers.

1st NIMCARE World Health Day Summit 2017

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit 2017 in New Delhi. The slogan of the first NIMCARE World Health Day Summit is, ‘Unite for a Healthy Mind’. He also launched the eCAP & SOL’s Telepsychiatry application for the rural and urban population in need of mental health consultation.

India 9th in business corruption

            India ranks 9th among 41 countries in bribery and corrupt practices in businesses, according to the findings of a recent survey. Nearly 78% respondents queried in the country said that bribery and corrupt practices happen widely in businesses here. The report was published by the EY Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey 2017.

Device to protect astronauts

NASA scientists have developed a new device to monitor harmful radiation exposure, which may help keep astronauts safe during deep-space missions such as the manned mission to Mars. The Fast Neutron Spectrometer is designed to detect and measure the energy of neutrons, which are known to be specifically harmful to humans.

India rises to 101 in FIFA rankings

India have climbed an unprecedented 72 places in the Fifa rankings in two years. India is now ranked 101, the highest since 1996. India’s highest on the Fifa list was 94th in February 1996. India are now ranked 11th in Asia above Jordan, Oman, North Korea, Iraq and Thailand. They are two slots below China and one behind Qatar.

India rankings 2017

The President Pranab Mukherjee, will be releasing the India Rankings 2017 report on April 10 at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He will also present awards to top-ranked institutions i.e. top 10 in overall category & toppers in the stream-wise categories -Engineering, Management etc. The National Institutional Ranking Framework was introduced in 2016 to rank Indian Universities


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