February 2020: Monthly Current Affairs

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February 2020
Monthly Current Affairs
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Table of Contents
Banking.............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Economy ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5
National ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8
International .............................................................................................................................................................. 14
State.................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Sports .............................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Agreements ................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Schemes ........................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Appointments ............................................................................................................................................................... 28
Awards ............................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Ranks & Reports ........................................................................................................................................................ 33
Important Days ........................................................................................................................................................... 35
Summit & Conferences ........................................................................................................................................... 38
Science & Technology ............................................................................................................................................ 42
Defence ........................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Books & Authors ........................................................................................................................................................ 45
Miscellaneous............................................................................................................................................................. 46
Obituary .......................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Person in news ............................................................................................................................................................ 50
Insurance ....................................................................................................................................................................... 52
India & World ............................................................................................................................................................... 53
Environment ................................................................................................................................................................. 55
Apps & Portals ............................................................................................................................................................ 57
Acquisitions & Mergers ......................................................................................................................................... 58
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Banking
1. RBI Introduces ‘Low KYC’ To Help Fintech Companies Retain Customers
RBI has agreed to allow non-compliant KYC accounts to continue making payments through mobile wallets.
This will be done by a mechanism giving customers an option to convert their ‘minimum KYC’ accounts to
the RBI’s newly introduced ‘low KYC’ PPI accounts.know-your- customer (KYC); Prepaid Payment
Instrument (PPI).
2. RBI Announces the roll out of a New Digital Payment Index
Reserve Bank of India has announced the creation of a digital payments index (DPI) by July 2020. The index
will assess and capture the extent of digitalization of payments effectively. DPI has been conceptualised as a
composite scoring system.Fiscal deficit is budgeted to decline to 3.5% of GDP for 2020-21
3. RBI not to print more notes to fill fiscal deficit
According to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the central bank has no plans to monetise the rising fiscal
deficit. This is the third consecutive year that the government has revised its fiscal deficit target. The budget
has pegged fiscal deficit at 3.8 %. RBI Headquarters location: Mumbai
4. German digital bank N26 quits UK 'due to Brexit'
German digital bank N26 has announced it is pulling out of the UK, saying it will no longer be able to
operate in Britain with its European banking licence. The bank launched in the competitive UK in Oct 2018
and rolled out its services in the US last year. The capital of Germany is the city state of Berlin.
5. Lending from CRR buffer to get 5-year exemption: RBI
The RBI has said that the special lending window with Cash Reserve Ratio exemption will be open from 14th
of February for six months ending 31st of July, and incremental loans disbursed under this facility will have
CRR exemption for the next five years. Net Demand & Time Liabilities is calculated as of 31 January.
6. Odisha Govt Signs MoU With HDFC Bank to Boost Start-ups
Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department under Odisha government signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the HDFC Bank to provide smart banking solutions to Start-ups
in the state. HDFC Bank CEO: Aditya Puri.
7. CREDAI and SBI organise three-day Double Assurance Realty Expo
CREDAI Bengaluru & SBI organized double assurance Realty Expo on Feb 14-16, 2020. The expo
showcased projects approved by RERA from different trustworthy builders under different categories &
provided the buyers with double assurance from CREDAI & SBI. Confederation of Real Estate Developers
Association of India.
8. Govt to infuse Rs 1,300 Cr in Exim Bank next fiscal
The government has decided to pump Rs 1,300 Cr into state-owned Exim Bank to fund its business growth.
Last year, the government doubled its authorised capital from Rs 10,000 Cr to Rs 20,000 Cr. Exim Bank is
the principal export credit agency in India. EXIM Bank was established in 1982.
9. HDFC Bank, Mastercard, SAP Concur join hands to manage spending in corporate sector
HDFC Bank, Mastercard and SAP Concur have joined hands for spending management services for the
corporate sector. The corporate credit card will enable seamless integration of all business-related spend into
SAP Concur offerings. SAP Concur, a travel, expense, invoice management solution provider
10. IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Central Bank seek RBI nod to exit PCA framework
IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, and Central Bank of India have approached the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
seeking permission to exit the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework. The LIC-owned IDBI Bank has
met all but one of the criteria for coming out of PCA. IDBI Bank MD & CEO Rakesh Sharma.
11. Axis Bank inks pact with Max Life to raise stake
Axis Bank, and Max Financial Services signed a confidentiality & exclusivity arrangement to explore the
possibility of the private sector lender entering a long-term strategic partnership with Max Life Company
Ltd. HQ: Mumbai; Virtual Bank asst: Axis Aha!
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12. RBI directs banks to link all the new floating rate loans to medium enterprises with external
benchmark
RBI has directed banks to link all the new floating rate loan to medium enterprises (MEs) with external
benchmark. Move is aimed at further strengthening monetary policy transmission so that benefits of
reduction in key lending rate can be passed on to MEs. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Founded: 1 April 1935.
13. FM Nirmala Sitaraman launches EASE 3.0 to enhance Ease of Banking
FM Nirmala Sitaraman launched Enhanced Access and Service Excellence (EASE 3.0) along with the annual
report of EASE 2.0 at a function organized by Indian Banks’ Association. Aim of EASE 3.0 is to make
public sector banking technology enabled & smart. EASE-Set of banking reforms to ensure better banking
experience.
Policy/Exchange rate & Reserve ratio Percentage
Repo rate 5.15%
Reverse Repo rate 4.90%
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate 5.40%
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4%
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 18.25%
Bank Rate 5.40%
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Economy
1. Economic Survey 2020 tabled in Parliament; projects growth at 6 to 6.5% for the next fiscal
Economic Survey 2019-20 has projected economic growth at 6 to 6.5% in fiscal year starting 1st of April this
year. It has put current fiscal growth at 5 per cent & said the fiscal deficit target for current fiscal may need to
be relaxed to revive growth. Industrial sector registered a growth of 0.6% in 2019-20.
2. FM emphasises on building ''caring society'' in budget
On the 2020-21 budget, FM emphasised on building a caring society by including a slew of measures for
social welfare, climate change & improvement of culture & tourism. She allocated Rs 4,400 Cr to encourage
states to implement plans for cleaner air. Govt allocated Rs 3,5600 crore for nutrition-related schemes.
3. Budget 2020: Rs 99,300-crore blueprint to take education to next level
Presenting the Budget for 2020-21, FM said Rs 99,300 Cr has been allocated for the education sector and Rs
3,000 Cr for skill development for the next fiscal. Steps will be taken to attract external commercial
borrowing and FDI in the education sector. National Universities for Forensic & Police were proposed.
4. Budget 2020: Sixteen Action Points for Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development
A total of Rs. 2.83 lakh crore has been allocated in the union Budget 2020 for the Sixteen Action Points for
Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development. Rs. 1.23 lakh crore has been allocated for the Rural
development and Panchayati Raj projects. Broad measures for 100 water-stressed districts proposed.
5. Budget 2020 proposed Rs.6000 Cr for Bharatnet programme in 2020-21
Policy to enable private sector to build Data Centre parks in the country to be brought out soon. Fibre to the
Home connections through Bharatnet to link 100,000-gram panchayats this year is in plan. 6000 Cr has been
proposed for the programme in 2020-21. Allocation of Rs. 2500 crore for 2020-21 for tourism promotion.
6. Fiscal deficit hits 132 per cent of Budget Estimate till December
The government's fiscal deficit touched 132.4% of the full-year target at December-end mainly due to slower
pace of revenue collections. In actual terms, the fiscal deficit was Rs 9,31,725 crore as per the Controller
General of Accounts (CGA) reports. Government's revenue receipts were 58.4% of the 2019-20 BE.
7. Budget 2020: Indian Railways' operating ratio for FY20 at 98.41%
Operating ratio is a measure of the portion of revenue that goes into meeting the expenses. Hence, the lower
the number, the better the performance. In FY 2019-20, Railways spent about Rs 98.41 to earn every Rs 100,
according to the Union Budget 2020. Projected operating ratio in FY20-21 is around 97.30%.
8. Budget 2020: Plan to hike FPI limit in corporate bonds to 15% from 9%
The government plans to increase investment limit of foreign portfolio investors in corporate bonds from 9%
to 15%. In her second Budget presentation, the finance minister Sitharaman said certain government
securities will be open for foreign investors. 22,000 Cr had given to infrastructure project pipeline.
9. India raises import tax on crude palm oil to 44%
India has raised import tax on crude palm oil to 44% from existing 37.5%. The hike in import duty on palm
oil could prompt buyers to increase purchases of rival edible oils such as soyoil and sunflower oil. India is the
world’s biggest palm oil importer. Under ASEAN agreement, the concessional rate is 37.5%.
10. Budget 2020: Centre to allow NBFCs to extend invoice financing To MSMEs
The govt will allow NBFCs to extend invoice financing To MSMEs, FM announced. Centre has asked the
RBI to mull extending MSME recast window by one more year. MSMEs account for about 45% of
manufacturing output, more than 40% of exports & over 28% of GDP. Indian MSMEs have physical capital
valued at less than 10 Cr.
11. Budget 2020: Task force to be set up for recommending marriageable age for women
FM announced that a task force will be set up to recommend marriageable age for women. Rs 9,500 crore has
been provided for senior citizens and Divyangs, while Rs 35,600 crore has been allocated for nutrition related
programme in FY21 in the budget 2020. Rs 85,000 Cr has been allocated for SCs & OBCs in the Budget.
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12. Budget 2020 increases the National Calamity Contingent Duty on cigarettes
The Union Budget 2020-21 increased the National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) on cigarettes
anywhere between 212% to 388% depending on the cigarette stick sizes. The imposed NCCD duty is
expected to witness price rise of 7% in the sales of cigarettes. The NCCD duty was introduced under Finance
Act, 2001.
13. GDP growth of 5.5% in FY 2021 & 4.9% in FY 2020: Moody’s
Moody’s has put real GDP growth during the current fiscal ending March 31 at 4.9%, slightly below the
government's forecast of 5%. For the next fiscal, it estimated real GDP growth of 5.5%, lower than 6-6.5%
projected by the government's Economic Survey. Budget expects GDP growth of 12.6% & 12.8% in FY
2022 & 2023.
14. RBI Monetary Policy: MPC keeps repo rate unchanged at 5.15%
RBI Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep repo rate unchanged at 5.15%. It also decided to continue
with the accommodative stance as long as it is necessary to revive growth. In December also MPC kept rates
unchanged when economists had forecast a cut. RBI pegs GDP growth for 2020-21 at 6 percent.
15. Cooperative banks to come under RBI watch
The Union Cabinet approved an amendment to the Banking Regulation Act to bring multi-state cooperative
banks under the watch of the central bank and prevent a repeat of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank-
like crisis.
There are 1,540 cooperative banks with a depositor base of 8.6cr
16. RBI extends debt recast window for small borrowers by 9 months
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the deadline for a one-time restructuring scheme of small business
loans by another nine months to 31 December. It also mandated banks to use an external benchmark to price
loans to medium-sized enterprises from 1 April. RBI was set up in 1935 under the Reserve Bank of India
Act,1934.
17. I-T dept launches e-calculator to compare due tax under new, old regime
I-T Department launched an e-calculator for individuals to estimate their tax liability if they opt for the new
tax slabs, without claiming deductions & exemptions, for ITR filing as stated in the Budget. 5% tax is levied
on an annual income of 2.5-5 lakh. Tax rises to 10%, 15%, 20% & 25% for every Rs 2.5 lakh addition.
18. SEBI issues guidelines for alternative investment funds benchmarking
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued guidelines for benchmarking the performance
of alternative investment funds (AIFs) with a view to streamlining disclosure standards and helping investors
in assessing scheme performance. SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi.
19. 15th Finance Commission Forms Panel for Separate Defence and Internal Security Fund
15th Finance Commission constituted a 5-member group on Defence & Internal Security. The panel will
examine whether a separate mechanism for funding of defence & internal security ought to be set up, & if so,
how such a mechanism could be operationalized. The chairman of the commission N.K. Singh will head the
group.
20. Banks' loans rise over 7% in two weeks to January 31: RBI report
According to Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) weekly statistical supplement, Indian banks' loans rose 7.1% in
the two weeks to January 31 from a year earlier, while deposits increased 9.9%. Bank deposits rose Rs 1.98
trillion rupees to Rs 133.24 trillion. Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India.
21. Reserve Bank of India re-draws its financial year
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will align its financial accounting year with that of the central government
with effect from 2020-21. Fiscal 2019-20 will end on June 30, 2020 while fiscal year 2020-21 will begin on
July 1, 2020 but ends on March 31, 2021. Accounting year was changed to July-June in March 1940.
22. Moody's cuts 2020 GDP growth forecast to 5.4% from 6.6%
Moody's Investors Service has cut India’s 2020 GDP growth forecast to 5.4% from 6.6%. At the same time,
it has cut the 2021 GDP growth forecast to 5.8 percent from 6.7 percent. In the second quarter of the current
fiscal year, GDP growth fell to 4.5%. The government has pegged GDP growth at 5 percent in FY19.
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23. Cabinet Approves amendment of DTAA with Sri Lanka

India’s Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement
with Sri Lanka, aimed at curbing tax evasion. The existing DTAA between the 2 nations was signed on 22
January 2013 & entered into force on 22 October 2013. Under the amendment, an anti-abuse provision is to
be included.
24. India's sugar export may cross 5 million tonne this year
India's sugar export may cross 5 mn tonnes in the marketing year ending September 2019, on higher demand
from overseas amid a global deficit of 8-9 mn tonne, ISMA said. For the current year, the govt has allowed
export of 6 mn tonne of sugar under MAEQ. MAEQ-Maximum Admissible Export Quota.
25. Exports from Special Economic Zones achieve USD 100 Billion mark
SEZs continue to take the lead in expanding the exports for the country. Even in the midst of volatile global
economy, SEZs in India have shown resilience and have achieved 100-billion-dollar worth of exports in FY
2019-20, as on 17th February 2020. 241 SEZs are operationalizing in the country as of now.
26. Centre releases Rs 19,950 Cr as GST compensation to states, UTs
Central Government has released 19,950 crore rupees as GST compensation to states which gets to a total of
over 1.20 lakh crore rupees paid by the government towards GST compensation to the states during current
fiscal. Minister of State Finance: Anurag Singh Thakur
27. SEBI redefines ‘pledge’ to protect client securities
Securities & Exchange Board of India has amended the SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations by
including an additional explanation that states that ‘pledge’ would also refer to ‘re-pledge of securities for
margin or settlement obligations.’ SEBI Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
28. Forex reserves rise by $3.091 bn to record $476.092 bn
Country's foreign exchange reserves swelled by $3.091 billion to a lifetime high of $476.092 billion mainly
due to a rise in foreign currency assets, according to the RBI data. Country's reserve position with the IMF
declined by $9 mn to $3.590 bn Gold reserves rose by $344 million to $29.123 billion
29. Govt pays over Rs 50,000 crore to farmers under PM-KISAN scheme
Centre has disbursed Rs 50,850 crore to farmers so far under its scheme PM-KISAN, enabling them to meet
farm input cost & household expenses. The agriculture ministry shared the progress made under the scheme,
ahead of its first anniversary.PM-KISAN launched on Feb 24, 2019 by PM Modi at Gorakhpur
30. US surpasses China to become India's top trading partner
United States surpassed China to become India's top trading partner. According to the Commerce Ministry
data, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at nearly USD 88 billion in 2018-19 FY and India's
trade with China was at USD 87.1 billion. US is one of the few nations with which India has trade surplus.
31. PM to launch 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations
PM Modi will launch 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations all over the country from Chitrakoot, UP. He
will also lay the foundation stone for the Bundelkhand Expressway at Chitrakoot. Government had
announced setting up of Defence Industrial Corridor in UP. India has defence requirement worth over $250
billion by 2025.
32. Bengaluru continues to record highest number of digital transactions
Bengaluru accounted for the highest number of digital transactions in India in 2019, followed by Chennai,
Mumbai & Pune, while United Payments Interface was the most preferred mode of payment, said a new
report by online payment processor Worldline India. UPI is followed by debit cards, IMPS & credit cards.
Organization/Parameters Rate/Figures
Economic Survey 2019-20 (Growth Rate Forecast) 6 to 6.5% (FY 2020-21),5% (FY2020)
Economic Survey 2019-20 (Industrial Sector Growth) 0.6% (FY 2019-20)
Budget 2020 (Indian Railways' Operating Ratio) 98.41% (FY 2020)
Budget 2020 (GDP Growth Rate Forecast) 12.6% (FY 2022), 12.8% (FY 2023)
Moody’s (GDP Growth Rate Forecast) 5.4% (FY 2020), 5.8% (FY 2021)
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National
1. First Banana Container Train sent to JNPT for Exports
Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), along with Andhra
Pradesh and one of the largest member exporter of banana, dispatched the first shipment of 890 MTs of high-
quality bananas from Andhra Pradesh to JNPT in Mumbai. Banana clusters were built in Anantpur & Kadapa
districts of AP.
2. Union Government plans to raise funds through LIC IPO
FM Nirmala Sitharaman said that govt plans to sell a partial stake in LIC through IPO. The union budget
proposed that the government will sell its stake in IDBI Bank to private investors & also amend the Banking
Regulation Act to strengthen co-op banks. LIC owns 51% stake in IDBI Bank, while government holds 46%.
3. IRCTC's 3rd private train to run on Indore-Varanasi route
The third private train of the IRCTC would run between Indore and Varanasi route. The overnight train
would have the same rakes as those of the Humsafar Express. IRCTC has started operating private trains on
two routes, Delhi-Lucknow and Ahmedabad-Mumbai. Railway Board Chairman- Vinod Kumar Yadav.
4. Ministry of Labour & Employment launched Portal Santusht
‘Santusht’-Implementation Monitoring Cell (IMC) has been constituted in the Office of Minister of State
(I/C) for Labour & Employment in January 2020. Its aim is to promote effective delivery of public services
& implementation of policies of the ministry. CPGRAM portal is already functional for public grievances.
5. Creation of New Department of Military Affairs
Dept of Military Affairs with Chief of Defence Staff as Secretary was created to facilitate optimal utilization
of resources & promote jointness. Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence comprises Army,
Naval, Air & Defence Staff Headquarters. Act-2nd Schedule to GOI Allocation of Business Rules 1961.
6. CCI approves proposed combination between Yum Restaurants & Devyani International Limited
CCI approved the combination between Yum Restaurants India Private Ltd & Devyani International Limited
involving acquisition of certain equity shareholding & sale of certain KFC restaurants. YRIPL runs
restaurants under 3 Brands-KFC, Pizza Hut & Taco Bell. DIL is a public company incorporated in India.
7. APEDA-CFTRI Sign MoU for Liason Office in Guwahati
MoU was signed by CSIR-CFTRI (Central Food Technological Research Institute) with Agricultural &
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority to set up an Office in Guwahati, to provide
technical support to the food industries in the NE region. CSIR-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
8. DST launches SATHI Initiative for building strong S&T infrastructure
To address the need for building professionally managed & strong Science & Technology infrastructure in
the country which is readily accessible to academia, start-ups, industry and R&D labs, the Dept of Science &
Technology launched a scheme called SATHI. SATHI- Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes.
9. Transfer of BHEL-EML, Kasargod plant to Kerala Government
Kerala Govt has agreed to take over BHEL’s 51% stake in BHEL-EML. As per the laid down procedure in
General Financial Rules & the extant guidelines, transfer of assets is being processed. An agreement was
signed by GOI, Kerala Govt & Instrumentation Ltd. Instrumentation Ltd is transferring Palakkad Unit to
Kerala.
10. SC directs states to issue notification for establishing 'Gram Nyayalayas'
The Supreme Court has directed the states, which are yet come out with notifications for establishing 'Gram
Nyayalayas', to do so within four weeks, and asked the high courts to expedite the process of consultation
with state governments on this issue. Parliament passed an act in 2008 to set up ‘Gram Nyayalayas’.
11. NTPC signs 750 Million Dollar worth of the largest single foreign currency loan ever
State-run power giant NTPC said that it has become the top company in Asia to raise the largest syndicated
Japanese yen loan worth USD 750 million. The loan has been raised under the automatic route of RBI's
external commercial borrowings regulations. Facility has door-to-door maturity of 11 years under 2 tranches.
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12. Cabinet approves setting up a new Major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra

Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for setting up a Major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra. A Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be formed with JNPT as the lead partner with equity participation equal to or
more than 50% to implement the project. Vadhavan port will be developed on ‘landlord model’.
13. More than 22 crore Soil Health Cards distributes to farmers till date: Agriculture Ministry
More than 22 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers till date. The scheme also provides for
the analysis of soil composition by the State Governments once in every two years so that remedial steps can
be taken to improve soil nutrients. The Soil Health Card scheme was launched in 2015.
14. Cabinet approves to confer the status of Institution of National Importance to 5 IIITs
Cabinet gave its approval to confer the status of Institution of National Importance to 5 IIITs. The bill will
declare the remaining 5 IIITs along with the existing 15 IIITs in PPP mode as Institutions of National
Importance with powers to award degrees. It also approved introduction of IIIT Laws Amendment Bill, 2020.
15. MPEDA proposes Rs 2500 crore project to modernise fishing harbours
MPEDA with the assistance of the Centre will take up the upgradation and modernisation 25 fishing harbours
in the country at a proposed outlay of Rs 2500 crore. The project will start with two harbours namely
Thoppumpady in Kochi in Kerala & Nizampatnam. Marine Products Export Development Authority
(MPEDA)
16. Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Campaign gets underway across country
An 18 day long focused Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Campaign gets underway from 10 February. The
campaign, being organised by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, will continue till 28th of February.
Every State & UT is paired with another state or UT. Ladakh is paired with Jammu and Kashmir & Tamil
Nadu.
17. DGT Proposes to Issue Digital E-Credentials or E-Certificates
Directorate General of Training, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship proposes to issue digital
e-Credentials/e-Certificates which are freely portable for candidates but continue to allow print and other
visual forms for human consumption. e-Credentials: Describes credentials in machine-readable format.
18. Top 20 Smart Cities to help bottom 20 as Sister Cities: Urban Affairs Ministry
Housing & Urban Affairs Ministry has paired up 20 best performing cities with the 20 bottom cities & they
will work as sister cities. Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Tiruppur ranked 1st,2nd & 3rd respectively as the best
performing cities, as per the internal rankings. Varanasi is paired up with another holy city Amritsar.
19. Patnaik inaugurates BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise in Bhubaneswar
CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurated 7 Nation BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise-2020, which will take
place from February 11 to 13. The exercise is being organised by the National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) in Odisha, on behalf of the Government of India. Bhutan and Thailand are not participating this
time.
20. Jitendra Singh to launch CPGRAMS Reforms at the National Workshop on e-Office in Delhi
Jitendra Singh will launch the CPGRAMS (Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System)
Reforms at the National Workshop on e-office in New Delhi. Extension of implementation of e-office in
Subordinate offices of ministries will be discussed. e-Office Mission Mode Project (MMP) was launched in
2011-12.
21. Pralhad Joshi launches web portal for star rating of coal mines
In order to promote green, safe and sustainable mining practices using technology as a tool, the Ministry of
Coal has launched a web portal for star rating of coal mines. Union Minister for Coal & Mines Shri Pralhad
Joshi launched this portal in New Delhi. The highest-scoring mines in the country will be awarded.
22. Ministry of Agriculture to initiate Kisan Credit Card Saturation Drive
To enable universal access to Concessional Institutional credit, Govt has initiated a drive i for saturating all
PM-KISAN beneficiaries with KCC. This will help farmers to get short term loan for rearing at a maximum
interest of 4% on timely repayment. The drive will be carried out for a period of 15 days.
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23. SNA to compile National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) is collaborating with Zonal Cultural Centers of Ministry of Culture, for
preparing a list of ICH elements for National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Aim is to document at least
20 new elements in ICH list every year. At least 100 elements will be documented by March 2020.
24. MeitY grants Rs 44 lakh to 8 Warangal start-ups under TIDE scheme
Warangal-based tech incubator SRiX has disbursed grant-in-aid worth Rs 44 lakh to 8 start-ups under the
Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) 2.0 scheme under the aegis of the Union
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. SR Innovation Exchange (SRiX) is a designated TIDE
2.0 centre.
25. Union Cabinet approves Pesticide Management Bill 2020
Union Cabinet has approved the Pesticide Management Bill 2020.The legislation will promote organic
pesticides in the country. It has also given in-principle approval for capital infusion of 2,500 crore rupees in 3
Public Sector General Insurance Companies. Three Companies are Oriental, National &amp: United India
Insurance.
26. ACI rules amended for making arbitration user friendly
The government has amended the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to make arbitration process user
friendly and cost effective. This will also ensure speedy disposal and neutrality of arbitrators. The
Amendment Act was effective from 30.08.2019. Arbitration Council of India (ACI), was established in 1965.
27. Union cabinet okays changes in 'Vivad se Vishwas' Bill for faster resolution in direct tax litigation
The Union Cabinet approved changes in the 'Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Bill, 2020' with a view to increase
its scope to cover litigation pending in various debt recovery tribunals (DRTs).The Bill was introduced in the
Lok Sabha earlier this month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the cabinet meeting.
28. ICAI to set up Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
ICAI will set up a Sustainability Accounting Standards Board to help companies in achieving sustainable
development goals. With the proposed standards, there would be disclosure requirements for companies in
terms sustainable development goals of the UN. ICAI is Chartered accountants' apex body.
29. Govt renames two institutes in honour of Sushma Swaraj
Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a cultural centre reflecting India's connect with its diaspora, was renamed Sushma
Swaraj Bhavan in honour of the late foreign minister. Foreign Service Institute has also been renamed the
Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service. Current Minister of External Affairs is Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar.
30. ESIC hikes confinement expenses for maternity services to Rs 7,500
Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has decided to increase confinement expenses paid to
pregnant women for getting maternity services from other hospitals, to Rs 7500 from the existing amount of
Rs 5000 after factoring in higher cost of living. Union Labour Minister-Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
31. Mizoram, Bihar paired under EK Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme
Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat programme aims to establish cultural exchanges between people of different
regions to further human bonding & a common approach to nation building. Mizoram is paired with the State
of Bihar for the year 2019-20 under the campaign. Mizoram Capital-Aizawl, Bihar Capital-Patna.
32. PAN will become inoperative after March 31 if not linked with Aadhaar: Income Tax dept
Permanent Account Number will become inoperative if it is not linked with Aadhaar by March 31, 2020, the
Income Tax department has said. The deadline for linking of PAN & Aadhar has been extended several times
& the current deadline ends on March 31, 2020. PAN is a 10-character alphanumeric number.
33. “Apiary on Wheels” launched: A Unique Concept to achieve National Honey Mission
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises launched “Apiary on Wheels'. It is a unique concept
framed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission. The main aim of “Apiary on Wheels” is to make
migration easy. It is a platform to carry 20 Bee Boxes. Apiary on wheels is an approach to make beekeeping
simpler.
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34. New World Bank project to improve groundwater management in select states of India
India and World Bank signed a USD 450 million loan agreement to support the Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY)-
National Groundwater Management Improvement Programme to arrest the country’s depleting groundwater
levels and strengthen groundwater institutions. Programme will cover 78 districts of selected states.
35. SEBI decides to permit the use of regulatory sandbox
SEBI has decided to permit the use of regulatory sandbox, a system that will allow live testing of new
products, services and business models by market players on selected customers. Sandbox is intended to
serve as a testing ground for new business models. SEBI was founded on 12 April 1992.
36. FC constitutes High Level Expert Group on Agriculture Exports
The Fifteenth Finance Commission has decided to constitute a High-Level Expert Group on Agriculture
Exports to recommend measurable performance incentives for States to encourage Agri exports as well as to
promote crops to enable high import substitution. Chairman- Sanjiv Puri, Chairman & Managing Director of
ITC.
37. Govt to facilitate doubling of milk processing capacity by 2025
Govt will facilitate doubling of milk processing capacity from over 53 million tonnes to 108 million tonnes
by 2025. In India, milk production is growing by 6.4% during the last 5 years & increased from over 146
million tonnes in 2014-15 to over 187 million tonnes in 2018-19. About 54 per cent of milk produced is
marketable surplus.
38. Cabinet approves formation of 22nd Law Commission, PMFBY reforms, and Assisted
Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill
Cabinet has approved of the formation of the 22nd Law Commission. Now farmers can enrol in the Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) on a voluntary basis. The Cabinet also approved the Assisted
Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill 2020. Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani
39. Govt approves Rs 4,558cr scheme for the dairy sector: Prakash Javadekar
The government approved a Rs 4,558-crore scheme to promote the dairy sector which will benefit about 95
Lakhs farmers. The Cabinet has also decided to raise the benefit under the interest subvention scheme from 2
per cent to 2.5 per cent. Information and Broadcasting Minister: Prakash Javadekar.
40. Union Cabinet approves constitution of 12-member 'Technology Group'
The Union Cabinet has approved the formation of an empowered "Technology Group". The Cabinet-
approved group will consist of 12 members with the Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India
serving as its Chair. Professor K. VijayRaghavan is the Principal Scientific Adviser.
41. Govt to formulate national action plan on business and human rights
Corporate Affairs Ministry is undertaking "rigorous consultations" with stakeholders for formulating a
National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. The ministry, which implements the company’s law, is
steering the process of formulating the plan. UM for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman.
42. Indian Railways launches new mobile app HRMS for its employees
The app will help lakh of railway employees to check their employment record during the tenure of their job
in the Indian Railways. The HRMS Mobile App was launched by Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar
Yadav. App designed & developed by Centre for Railway Information System.
43. Indian Railways launches joint research initiatives with University of Birmingham
The programme that has been launched leads to dual M.Sc. that would see NRTI students obtaining two post
graduate degrees from both institutions, after spending a year studying at each institution from academic year
2020-2021. National Rail Transport Institute was set up in 2018 at Vadodara.
44. RBI clears appointment of Sunil Gurbaxani as Dhanlaxmi Bank MD
RBI has approved the appointment of Sunil Gurbaxani as Managing Director and CEO of the Bank for a
period of 3 years from the date of taking charge. Dhanlaxmi Bank was removed from the RBI PCA
framework. Dhanlaxmi Bank Headquarters: Thrissur
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45. Smart City Mission: Centre devises 20:20 model to boost laggard cities
Centre has devised a 20-20 model to pair the top 20 cities with the bottom 20 and help the laggard cities to
kick-start the smartening up process by borrowing technical know-how and financial studies before the 5th
anniversary of Smart City Mission. No.1 Ahmedabad has been paired with Chandigarh, ranked 81
46. Department of Telecommunications launches '5G Hackathon'
DoT has launched ‘5G Hackathon’ in association with government, academia and industry stakeholders.
Aimed at shortlisting India's focused cutting-edge ideas that can be converted into workable 5G products and
solutions. Minister of State for Communications, E&IT: S. Shamrao Dhotre.
47. Railway customers can now converse in Hindi through 'ASKDISHA' chatbot
In order to resolve queries of railway passengers, the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation
Limited (IRCTC) has now powered voice enabled 'ASKDISHA' to converse with customers in Hindi
language. Railways had introduced AI-based 'ASKDISHA' chatbot in 2018.
48. Govt aims to make Chhattisgarh a steel hub of the country: Dharmendra Pradhan
Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the government aims
to make Chhattisgarh a steel hub of the country. Steel industry has an important role to play in making India
a five trillion-dollar economy by 2024.
49. First anniversary of National War Memorial being observed: February 25
The first anniversary of the iconic National War Memorial is being observed. The memorial is a fitting
tribute to those heroes who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty during various wars and internal security
challenges since Independence. PM Modi dedicated the monument to the nation last year.
50. CCEA approves Creation of National Technical Textiles Mission
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved setting up a national technical textiles
mission with a total outlay of Rs 1,480 crore. The mission will have a four-year implementation period from
FY 2020-21 to 2023-24. Indian technical textiles segment is estimated at 16 bn. dollars
51. Cabinet approves exemption of Indian Ports Global from DPE norms
The government approved the exemption of India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) from the department of public
enterprises (DPE) guidelines for speedier development of Iran’s Chabahar Port project, which India sees as a
gateway to landlocked Afghanistan. In 2016, India & Iran signed a pact for developing Chabahar port.
52. Arjun Munda launches ‘Capacity Building Programme for ST Representatives’ & ‘1000 Springs
Initiatives’
Minister Arjun Munda launched ‘Programme for capacity building of ST representatives in local self-
governments’, ‘1000 Spring Initiatives’ & an online portal on GIS-based Spring Atlas with hydrological &
chemical properties of the Springs in Bhubaneswar. Arjun Munda is the Union Tribal Affairs Minister.
53. Narendra Singh Tomar chairs 91st Annual General Meeting of the ICAR Society
Addressing the 91st Annual General Meeting of the ICAR, Narendra Singh Tomar said budgetary provision
has been made to provide each FPO a sum of Rs. 15 lakhs for all farming related activities ranging from
sowing, harvesting to distribution & marketing. ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
54. Cabinet Approval: Occupancy rights to Scheduled Tribes of Lakshadweep
The union cabinet approved amendment of the Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands Land Revenue and
Tenancy Regulation, 1965 to confer occupancy rights to the ST population in Lakshadweep. The Occupancy
right is the right to occupy and use tribal area.
55. Union Power Minister dedicates 11 REMCs to the nation
Union Power Minister R. K. Singh dedicated 11 Renewable Energy Management Centers (REMC) to the
nation at a function in New Delhi, placing India among a league of few nations, which have state-of-the-art
management centers for renewable energy integration. Government of India target 175 GW RE Capacity by
2022.
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56. Mansukh Mandaviya commissions Indian Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Vessel ICGS Varad
Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C) and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya commissioned
Indian Coast Guard’s OPV ICGS Varad in Chennai. Varad will enhance Coast Guard’s capability to monitor
& maintain vigil of Indian maritime borders. Varad is propelled by 2 diesel driven engines of 9000 KW each.
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International
1. Nepal creates Guinness World Record for highest altitude fashion show event
Nepal has set an all new Guinness World Record for the highest altitude fashion show event ever held. The
Mount Everest Fashion Runway, organized by RB Diamonds & KASA Style in support of Nepal Tourism
Board, was held at 5340 metres height at Kala Patthar. The event was part of the Visit Nepal Year 2020
campaign.
2. Brexit: Britain formally leaves European Union after 47 years
After 47 years of sitting at the European Union’s top table, UK exited the 28-member group. It is the 1st time
a member-state has left the group whose origins lie in efforts in the aftermath of the 2nd World War to
counter impulses of extreme nationalism. European Economic Community formed in 1958 became EU in
1993.
3. Coronavirus declared as global health emergency by WHO
WHO has declared novel Coronavirus (nCoV) as a global health emergency during the second meeting of the
Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) regarding the outbreak of novel
coronavirus 2019 held in Geneva, Switzerland. nCoV is a new strain of the virus.
4. New Reserves of Natural Gas found in UAE
UAE, a leading OPEC producer, announced the discovery of huge gas reserves, saying the find would help
the Gulf state achieve self-sufficiency. Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) said about 80 trillion cubic feet
of shallow gas resources were discovered. It is found between the emirates of Dubai & Abu Dhabi.
5. Bhutan to impose fee of Rs 1,200 per day on Indian tourists
Bhutan has passed a legislation that makes it mandatory for tourists from India, Bangladesh & Maldives to
pay a fee of Rs 1,200 per day for developing its tourism facilities. It came after an increase in the number of
Indian tourists visiting Bhutan. New fee will come into effect from July 2020.
6. China starts clinical trial for remdesivir medicine in coronavirus treatment
China has started clinical trial for remdesivir medicine in coronavirus treatment in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital.
A 68-year-old male patient with serious symptoms was the first to be given the drug. Newly confirmed cases
rose by 3 thousand 143. Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, a novel nucleotide analog prodrug.
7. United States-India Strategic and Partnership Forum held in Washington
US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum in Washington has said that bilateral trade between India and the
US has got momentum in recent times and it is moving in favour of Washington. Forum is a top India-centric
American trade & strategic advocacy group. India-US trade was 160 billion US Dollars in 2019.
8. WHO names disease caused by new Coronavirus: COVID-19
WHO announced a new name for the Corona Virus "COVID-19". It comes after the death toll from the virus
passed 1000 & many people have been infected from this. The word coronavirus refers to the group of
viruses it belongs to, rather than the latest strain. International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses name:
SARS-CoV-2.
9. India out of US’ developing nations list for trade benefits
Ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit on February, The United States Trade Representative removed
India from its list of developing countries that are exempt from investigations into whether they harm
American industry with unfairly subsidised exports. India’s share in global exports was 1.67% in 2018.
10. BioAsia Summit 2020 to be held in Hyderabad
Telangana is hosting Bio-Asia Summit 2020 in Hyderabad 2020 February 17-19. The main objective of the
summit is to explore the capabilities of Life Science Companies and their investments. They will focus on the
needs of the evolving Life Science industry. Theme- Today for Tomorrow, Country Partner - Switzerland.
11. Bangladesh to sign Free Trade Agreement with Nepal
Bangladesh and Nepal have agreed to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to enhance the trade between the
two countries. Bangladesh has also agreed to allow Nepal to use the Saidpur airport located in its
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northernmost district of Nilphamari close to Nepal. Bangladesh exports commodities worth $38 million to
Nepal.
12. CBRI Roorkee organises workshop on post-earthquake reconstruction at Kathmandu
Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee organised a workshop on the post-earthquake reconstruction of
schools & other educational facilities at Kathmandu. Workshop was aimed to provide best practices for
delivering End to End construction management. India helps the renovation of 70 schools & 1 library in
Nepal.
13. ICC bans Oman player Yousuf Abdulrahim Al Balushi from all forms of cricket for 7 years
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Oman player Yousuf Abdulrahim Al Balushi from all
forms of cricket for seven years for his involvement in trying to fix matches. Al Balushi accepted four
charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. ICC Chairperson: Shashank Manohar; Headquarters:
Dubai, UAE.
14. 3,000 Km long power grid from Myanmar-Thailand to India: BIMSTEC
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical & Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is working on
connecting about 3,000-kilometre long power grid from Myanmar-Thailand to India. Grid connectivity
would ensure better capacity utilization by countries. Countries had signed a MOU for forming a power grid
in 2018.
15. UNSC renews its sanctions regime on Yemen for another year
UN Security Council renewed its sanctions regime on Yemen for another year, after tense negotiations
between Britain & Russia. 13 countries eventually adopted the London-drafted resolution on the sanctions,
which now are in effect through February 2021. Russia and China abstained the resolution.
16. India to attend signing of Peace Deal between US & Taliban in Doha
India's Ambassador to Qatar P. Kumaran will attend the signing of the peace deal between the US & the
Afghan Taliban. The deal would allow for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. The US has lost
over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001. The Qatar government has invited India for the ceremony.
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State
1. Madhya Pradesh: 3-day Narmada Mahotsav to be held from 31 Jan to 2 Feb
In Madhya Pradesh, three-day Narmada Mahotsav is being started from 31 January in the picturesque plains
of Amarkantak on the occasion of Narmada Jayanti. Local tribal art and culture will be duly demonstrated
during Amarkantak Narmada Mahotsav-2020. Narmada is a major source of drinking water for MP and
Gujarat.
2. Mumbai's favourite arts festival Kala Ghoda kicks off
Mumbai's favourite arts festival Kala Ghoda kicked off on 1 February. In its 21st edition, this year the annual
arts extravaganza is packed with a bigger selection of vibrant events. It will be held for 9 days. Festival will
extend till Cross Maidan. Contemporary artworks, music & theatre will be its part.
3. Rajasthan looks to revive rural employment through Khadi
In a bid to encourage artisans & workers the Rajasthan government is looking to tie up online platforms for
branding & marketing of Khadi and generate more employment. 2-day International Conference on
Globalisation of Khadi held at Jaipur, Rajasthan. Rajasthan & CII jointly organized the conference.
4. India's biggest rural technical festival Antahpragnya 2020 concluded
M Prashanthi, District Collector of Nirmal, inaugurated National Level India's Biggest Rural Technical
Festival 'Antahpragnya 2020' in Telangana. The 3-day technical fest with the theme 'Spot and encourage rural
tech innovators' will have over 200 events. It showcased 300 plus prototype working models.
5. 7 projects worth Rs. 594 Crores sanctioned for J&K and Ladakh under Swadesh Darshan and
PRASHAD Schemes
In order to provide an impetus to tourism, the Ministry of Tourism, under its schemes of Swadesh Darshan &
PRASHAD, provides financial assistance to State/ UTs. The ministry has sanctioned 7 projects worth Rs. 594
Cr for J&K and Ladakh under these schemes. PRASHAD fund is for the development of Hazratbal in
Srinagar.
6. Intivadhakey Pension scheme covered 94% of beneficiaries: Andhra Pradesh
The 'Intivadhakey Pension' programme-started as a door-delivery pension-was launched in 13 districts of the
state on February 1. The scheme has covered 94% of about 60 lakh pensioners within a few days, said the
Govt. This is the 1st of its kind in India. For the month of February, Rs 1,320 Crore has been released.
7. Bodo Peace Accord 2020: PM Modi announces Rs 1500 crore package for Bodo areas
During his first visit to Assam following the signing of tripartite Bodo Peace Accord 2020, PM announced
1500 Cr package for Bodo areas of the state. Bodo Peace Accord 2020 was signed between All Bodo
Students Union (ABSU), NDFB & the Assam Government. NDFB-National Democratic Front of Bodoland.
8. Uttarakhand’s First Heli Services under UDAN flagged off
Civil Aviation ministry operationalized the 1st ever helicopter services from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara
helipad to Gauchar, and Chinyalisaur under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik.
This will boost the tourism sector in this region. Ministry operationalized 260 routes under UDAN till now.
9. UP govt to launch internship scheme for school college students
UP govt will introduce an internship scheme for students of class 10 & 12 as well as those pursing graduation
to brighten their employment prospects. Each youth who will do internship for 6 months & 1 year will be
given Rs 2,500 as honorarium every month. Central share-Rs 1500, State share- Rs 1000.
10. Hunar Haat inaugurated in Indore, Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, Governor Lalji Tandon has inaugurated Hunar Haat in Indore. It is an exhibition of
handicrafts and traditional products made by artisans from the Minority communities. The Hunar Haat is
organized by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Union Minister for Minority Affairs- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
11. Rajasthan to create separate identity card for the transgender community
A major initiative by the Gehlot Government to connect the transgender community with the mainstream
society has been undertaken. Now, separate identity cards will be issued for transgenders in the state to get
the benefit of government jobs & schemes. The number of transgenders in the state is more than one lakh.
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12. AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated first Disha Mahila Police Station
CM Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy launched the first Disha Police Station of the state at Rajamahendravaram,
Andhra Pradesh. Government plans to set up a total of 18 such police stations across the state to exclusively
deal with crimes against women and children. These will be upgraded versions of women's police stations.
13. Andhra Pradesh signs MoUs with 11 institutions to help agriculture sector
In a bid to bring reforms in the agriculture sector, AP signed MoUs with 11 reputed institutes in the country
as knowledge partners in the presence of CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Objective of the MoUs is to impart
technology & knowledge transfer to farmers. Farmers will be trained in organic and natural farming.
14. Amazon Web Services to invest USD 1.5 billion for two data centres in India
The US e-commerce major Amazon’s cloud computing arm AWS (Amazon Web Services) is reportedly
investing about USD 1.5 billion to set up two data centres in India. These data centres will come up in
Hyderabad, Telangana where it already has a huge presence. Last year, it opened an office at Gachibowli,
Telangana.
15. UP cabinet approved Ground Water Act, 2020
Uttar Pradesh approved the Ground Water Act-2020. The act aims to improve ground water level. It makes
the registration of submersible pumps & rainwater harvesting in all private schools & colleges mandatory.
The farmers need not pay fees to use the pumps. Boring companies have to update their data every 3 months.
16. Odisha govt forms state panel for Backward Classes
The Odisha government constituted State Commission for Backward Classes under the chairmanship of
former High Court judge Raghunath Biswal. IAS officer Veer Vikram Yadav has been nominated as member
secretary of the Commission. Naveen Patnaik, Odisha CM; Ganeshi Lal Governor.
17. Kerala CM launches ''Yodhavu'' mobile app to combat drug menace
Yodhavu-a mobile app through which the public can inform police about drug abuse and its distribution, was
launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as part of efforts to curb the growing menace in the State.
Informer's identity will be kept secret. It was introduced by the Kochi city police.
18. Manipur: Seed sowing festival 'Lui-Ngai-Ni' celebrated at Ukhrul
The Naga tribes of Manipur celebrated their seed sowing festival 'Lui-Ngai-Ni', under the theme “Oneness
through Culture”, with much fanfare at Tangkhul Naga Long ground in Ukhrul. Festival Lui-Ngai-Ni reflects
the rich cultural heritage of the Nagas. Manipur Chief Minister- Nongthombam Biren Singh.
19. PM Modi launches 50 development projects worth over Rs 1250 Cr in Varanasi
On his day-long visit to the Parliamentary Constituency Varanasi PM Modi launched 50 development
projects worth more than Rs 1254 Cr. He also dedicated Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Memorial Centre to the
nation & also flagged off the Kashi Mahakaal Express. Express links Varanasi, Ujjain and Omkareshwar.
20. Ladakh and J&K to come under Central Administrative Tribunal
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh has said that Union Territory of Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh will soon be covered by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), addressing the
annual conference of the CAT in New Delhi. CAT Chairman- Justice L. Narismha Reddy.
21. J&K to host 3-day global investors summit in Srinagar
Seeking to attract businesses to Jammu and Kashmir, the state administration announced a three-day global
investors summit to be held in Srinagar from October 12. The Confederation of Indian Industries will be the
national partner for the investors meet. J&K Trade Promotion Organisation and CII have signed MoU.
22. Haryana govt to open Atal Kisan - Majdoor canteens to provide meals at concessional rate
Haryana government will open Atal Kisan - Majdoor canteens in all mandis and sugar mills across the state
to provide affordable and cheap meals to farmers and labourers at a concessional rate of 10 rupees per plate.
Governor of Haryana: Satyadev Narayan Arya
23. Chitra Bharati Film Festival organised in Ahmedabad
Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani inaugurated the 3rd edition of the Chitra Bharati Film Festival organised by
Bharatiya Chitra Sadhana in Ahmedabad featuring a total of 141 films, divided into 4 categories: campus
films, animation films, short film & documentaries. Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat
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24. Maharashtra CM presents State awards to 44 sportspersons

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray presented the Shiv Chhatrapati award for 44 sportspersons apart from a
lifetime achievement award & awards to sportspersons in the adventure category for 2018-19 at the Gateway
of India, Mumbai Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
25. Goa 'Carnival 2020' kicks off in Panaji
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant flagged off the Carnival 2020 float parade in Panaji. Large number of
locals and tourist throng the annual Goa Carnival, which is the major traditional Catholic festival celebrated
in the state Governor of Goa: Satya Pal Malik
26. Advisor to LG J&K, Farooq Khan flags off youth exchange programme ‘Watan Ko Jano’
Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan flagged off a group of students from across Jammu and
Kashmir and Ladakh Union Territories for a ten-day tour ‘Watan Ko Jano’, a youth exchange programme.
200 students are participating in the ‘Watan Ko Jano’. Lieutenant Governor of J&K- Girish Chandra Murmu.
27. Madhya Pradesh becomes first state to launch unified vehicle registration card
Madhya Pradesh has become the 1st state in the country to introduce the unified registration card and the 2nd
state to launch the unified driving license after UP. CM Kamal Nath distributed the unified cards to six
persons in a function held in Bhopal. The card bears a unique number recognized across the country.
28. Maharashtra to undertake the genetic study to conserve the native species of cattle
With an aim to conserve the native species of cattle & domesticated animals in the Marathwada region of
Maharashtra, govt is to undertake their genetic study. Genetic traits of Osmanabadi goat, Red Kandhari cow,
Deoni bull & Pashmi dogs will be studied. These animals have never been studied at the genetic level.
29. 8-day Vasantotsav begins in Gandhinagar
The Eight-day cultural fair called Vasantotsav was inaugurated at Sanskruti Kunj in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The annual festival is organised by the department of Youth & cultural Affairs of Government to celebrate
the rich diverse heritage of the country. This year’s theme of the festival is Ek Bhaart Shreshth Bharat.
30. NITI Aayog selects J&K for first pilot project among all States and UTs on SDGs
NITI Aayog has selected UT of J&K for first pilot project among all States and UTs on Sustainable
Developmental Goals. It would get a chance to work with UN Development Programme (UNDP). The
programmes would work like that of district indicator framework. Information would be sought from District
Commissioners.
31. Govt to open 10 more AMRIT stores in J&K
In Jammu & Kashmir, the Union Territory Administration is planning to open 10 more Affordable Medicines
& Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) stores in tertiary care institutions by the end of April 2020. 12
AMRIT stores are operating in J&K currently. Drugs, consumables & implants are sold at discounted rates
here.
32. Gujarat Assembly to start ‘Best MLA’ award from year 2019
Speaker Rajendra Trivedi said that Gujarat Assembly will start giving ‘Best MLA’ award for MLAs starting
from the year 2019. The award will be in the lines of Outstanding Parliamentarian Award given to MPs &
Best MLA awards given in some other states. Lok Sabha Speaker- Om Birla.
33. Two-day unique Chilli Festival begins at Kasrawad in Madhya Pradesh
The two-day unique Chilli Festival begins at Kasrawad in in Khargone district of MP. It will help in fulfilling
the Central Government's goal of doubling the income of farmers. Chilli Festival is a business opportunity for
traders, investors & exporters. Chilli-based cuisine stalls will also be set up on the occasion.
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Sports
1. Rani Rampal becomes first ever hockey player to win World Games Athlete of the Year' award
Indian women's team captain Rani Rampal became the first-ever hockey player to win the prestigious 'World
Games Athlete of the Year' award. Under Rani Rampal's leadership, the Indian women's team qualified for
just the third Olympic Games in its history. She was recently named among the Padma Shri awardees.
2. Bala Devi signs with Rangers, becomes first Indian woman footballer to play professionally in the
world
Scottish team Rangers signed Bala Devi from Manipur Police on an 18-month-deal. She became the 1st
Indian woman to become a professional footballer in the world. She is the top goal scorer for the Indian
national team netting 52 in 58 outings since 2010. She has also served as national team captain.
3. Australian Open: American Sofia Kenin wins her first Grand Slam title
In Tennis, American Sofia Kenin won her 1st Grand Slam title with victory over Spain's Garbine Muguruza
at the Australian Open. Kenin won 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 against Muguruza. Kenin is the youngest Australian Open
champion since Russian Maria Sharapova in 2008. Men's final is between Novak Djokovic & Dominic
Thiem.
4. Flame-Throated Bulbul 'Rubigula' official mascot for Goa 2020 National Games
'Rubigula', Flame-Throated Bulbul, has been unveiled as the official mascot for the Goa 2020 National
Games. Goa will host the 36th edition of the National Games from 20th October to 4th November 2020. The
event will see participation by 36 states & UTs. The Flame-Throated Bulbul is the state bird of Goa.
5. Indian boxers’ bag 6 gold at Golden Girl Championship in Sweden
India's junior youth claimed 14 medals-includes 6 gold- & won the overall championship trophy & the 'Best
Boxer' award at the Golden Girl Championship in Sweden. The youth team secured a single gold and 4
bronze medals. The event concluded on 3 February. Prachi Dhankar won 'Best Boxer' award in the junior
category.
6. Weightlifting: Mirabai Chanu betters her own national record; wins gold with 203 kg lift
In Weightlifting, former world champion Mirabai Chanu bettered her own national record by two kilogram as
she lifted a total of 203 Kg to win the 49 Kg gold in the National Championships in Kolkata. This has put her
in fourth place in world rankings. Jiang Huihua, Hou Zhihui & Ri Song Gum are at the first 3 ranks.
7. Rakhi Halder bags gold at Senior Women's National Weightlifting Championships
In Senior Women's National Weightlifting Championships, Rakhi Halder of Bengal has bagged gold in the
64 Kg category of the 35th edition of the weightlifting event in Kolkata. She lifted 93 Kg in snatch and 117
Kg in clean & jerk to clinch the gold medal. She was 10 Kg ahead of her nearest rival Harjinder Kaur.
8. Mizoram win Junior National Football C'ship for Dr BC Roy Trophy
Mizoram won the final of the Junior National Football Championship for Dr BC Roy Trophy at the
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong. They beat Punjab 5-4 on penalties as both teams finished 1-1 in
regulation and extra time.Punjab won the trophy in 2015-2016. Bidhan Chandra (BC) Roy, Former Chief
Minister of West Bengal.
9. SAI & Hockey India launch High Performance Centres
Sports Authority of India & Hockey India announced the launch of the High-Performance Centres in 7 places
to provide state-of-the-art facilities to Junior & Sub-Junior players and is aimed at grooming young talent in
view of 2024 & 2028 Olympic Games. SAI HQ- New Delhi, Hockey India HQ- New Delhi.
10. Bangladesh beat India to win maiden Under-19 World Cup
Bangladesh beat India by 3 wickets to win maiden ICC U-19 World Cup cricket title by Duckworth-Lewis
method in South Africa. They 1st restricted India to a meagre 177 in 47.2 overs & then did well enough to
score a revised target of 170 in 42.1 overs. Bangladeshi Akbar Ali was declared the Player of the Match.
11. Haryana thrashes SAI to win 10th Hockey Senior Women National Championship
Haryana thrashed Sports Authority of India (SAI) 6-0 to win the 10th Hockey India Senior Women National
Championship 2020 (A Division) title at Kollam. Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy beat Hockey
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Maharashtra 2-1 in the third-fourth place play-off match. Manisha was the first to get on the score sheet for
Haryana.
12. Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre Red wins 1st Khelo India Ice Hockey tournament
The Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre (LSRC) Red won the first Men’s section Khelo India Ice Hockey
tournament 2020.They defeated Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team 3-2 in a nail-biting thriller final
match. A total of 13 teams participated in the event.
13. Armand Duplantis sets pole vault world record in Poland
European champion Armand Duplantis set a pole vault world record at a World Athletics Indoor Tour
meeting in Poland. The USA-born Swede, 20, cleared 6.17m at the second attempt in Torun, Poland, to beat
Olympian Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie's previous mark. Holly Bradshaw won the women's competition
with 4.63m height.
14. Aditya Mehta triumphs Pankaj Advani
Ace cuiest Aditya Mehta defeated multiple-time world champion Pankaj Advani 6-2 to win the National
Snooker Championship in Pune. Mehta represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board. In the women's
snooker finals Vidya Pillai edged out Amee Kamani. Mehta won the first frame with a break score of 103.
15. Former India all-rounder Robin Singh appointed UAE's Director of Cricket
The Emirates Cricket Board has appointed former Indian cricketer Robin Singh as the new director of
cricket. His appointment was announced after Emirates Cricket Board fired head coach Dougie Brown. He
has been associated with Mumbai Indians. He has also coached USA and Hong Kong.
16. Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh named Player of the Year 2019 by IHF
The Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh was named Player of the Year for 2019 by the
International Hockey Federation. He became the first Indian to win the accolade since the awards were
introduced in 1999. Belgium's Arthur van Dorren came second in the list.
17. Bhawna Jat sets new national record in 20-kilometer race walk category
Bhawna Jat qualified for the 2020 Olympics after setting a new national record in the 20 km race walk
category at the National Championships in Ranchi. Her effort was a great improvement on her personal best
of 1 hr 38 minute 30 seconds set in last year. The 2020 Olympics will be held in Tokyo.
18. India settles for bronze at Badminton Asia Team Championships
Indian Men's team settled for bronze at the Badminton Asia Team Championships after losing to 2-time
defending champions Indonesia in the semi-finals at Manila. Lakshya won over world No.7 Asian games
champion Jonatan Christie in the 2nd singles encounter. It is their 2nd medal after a semi-final finish in 2016.
19. Joshna Chinappa clinches 77th Senior National squash Championship
India's squash ace Joshna Chinappa has clinched 77th Senior National Championship in woman's category at
the ISA courts in Chennai. With the win, she claimed her 18th title in the career. Saurav Ghosal won in the
Men's category bagging his 13th title. Chinappa defeated Tanvi Khanna.
20. Vidit Gujrathi beats Ragger, jumps to top spot in Prague Chess
Vidit S Gujrathi won over Austrian Grand Master Markus Ragger in the 3rd round of the Prague chess
festival to jump to the top spot in the master’s category. P Harikrishna went down to the Iranian Alireza
Firouzja in 40 moves in a Spanish opening game. 2nd rank-Nikita Vitiugov, Alireza Firouzja & Jan-Krzysztof
Duda.
21. Indian athletes clinch 3 medals in World SnowShoe Championship
Indian athletes finished with 3 medals in different categories in the World SnowShoe Championship at
Myoko, Japan. Ayan Bin Shahnaz bagged silver, while Zain Ali & Muzamil Hussain Mir-all from Kashmir-
bagged bronze medals in their respective categories. Snowshoe Federation of India fielded the Indian
contingent.
22. India to host 2021 junior men's Hockey World Cup
The International Hockey Federation announced that India will host next year's Junior Men's Hockey World
Cup. This is the 2nd time that India will be hosting the tournament, having staged it in Lucknow in 2016,
where the hosts lifted the coveted trophy. Competition will be played towards the end of 2021.
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23. Koneru Humpy wins Cairns Cup Chess Tournament in US

World rapid champion Koneru Humpy claimed her 2nd title in the last 2 months by winning the Cairns Cup
Chess Tournament in USA. She drew with compatriot Dronavalli Harika in the ninth and final round. With
this win, Humpy will gain 5 ELO rating points. Electric Light Orchestra- Basis for international rankings.
24. Asian Wrestling Championship begins in New Delhi
Asian Wrestling Championship will begin in New Delhi on 18 February. It will be held at the KD Jadhav
Hall of Indira Gandhi Stadium till 23rd of this month. The event will have a total of 30 weight classes, 10
each in Freestyle Men, Women, and Greco Roman. The Championship will begin with Greco-Roman events.
25. NADA bans javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for four years
National Anti-Doping Agency banned javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for 4 years for evading sample collection
by violating rule 2.3 of the NADA & trying to cheat officials during the 2nd National Javelin Throw Open
Championship 2019 held in Sonipat, Haryana. NADA presented the case to Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel.
26. AIFF receives 'Grassroots Charter Bronze Level' membership of AFC
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has received the Grassroots Charter Bronze Level membership of
the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), giving the right to promote its grassroots events & activities with
the support and recognition of the AFC. AIFF President- Praful Patel.
27. FIFA U-17 Women's Football World Cup to be hosted in 5 Indian cities
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched an event in New Delhi to unveil the five host cities-
Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kolkata and Navi Mumbai- for the FIFA Under-17 Women's Football
World Cup which kicks off on 2nd of November this year. Finals will be played on 21st of November at Navi
Mumbai.
28. Sunil Kumar wins gold in 87-kg Greco Roman category in Asian Wrestling Championships
Greco Roman wrestler Sunil Kumar opened India's medal account in the Asian Wrestling Championships by
winning a Gold. He beat Azat Salidinov of Kyrgyzstan in the final of the 87 kg category. Sunil had reached
the final by a victory over Azamat Kustubayev. New Delhi hosts Asian Wrestling Championships.
29. Divya Kakran wins a gold medal at Asian Wrestling Championships
Divya Kakran became only the 2nd Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Asian Wrestling
Championships defeating junior world champion Naruha Matsuyuki in New Delhi. Navjot Kaur had become
the 1st Indian woman to win a gold medal at 2018 championship. Pinki, Sarita Mor won gold in 55kg, 59kg
respectively
30. P V Sindhu wins 3rd successive ESPN's Female Sportsperson of the Year award
P V Sindhu won the ESPN's Female Sportsperson of the Year award for a 3rd consecutive time while young
shooter Saurabh Chaudhary bagged the honour in the male category. Chess player Koneru Humpy won the
award for the Comeback of the Year. Manu Bhaker-Saurabh Chaudhary grabbed Team of the Year honour
31. Pragyan Ojha announces retirement from international, 1st-class cricket
Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha announced retirement from international and first-class cricket with
immediate effect. In all, he played 24 Tests between 2009 and 2013 in which he took 113 wickets. From 18
ODIs, he grabbed 21 wickets. 2023 Cricket World Cup will be hosted by India
32. Ravi Dahiya won gold medal at Asian Wrestling Championship
In men’s freestyle 57 kg category, Ravi Dahiya won gold medal defeating Tajikistan’s Hikmatullo Vohidov
by technical superiority in the final match at KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium. Earlier, India’s Bajrang Punia,
Gourav Baliyan & S Kadian won silver medals. Asian Wrestling Championships began in 1979
33. India wins one silver, two bronze medals in Asian Wrestling Championships
India won 1 silver & 2 bronze medals on concluding day of Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi on
23 February. India secured total 20 medals including 5 golds, 6 silvers & 9 bronzes-India’s highest tally of
medals in the history of the Championship. Ravi Dahiya's gold in the 57 Kg is the first on the list.
34. Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran win silver at Hungarian Open
Indian men's doubles pair of Achanta Sharath Kamal and Gnanasekaran Sathiyan settled for a silver medal at
the ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open after losing the summit clash to German combination of Benedikt
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Duda and Patrick Franziska at Budapest, Hungary. Sharath won a bronze with Manika Batra in mixed
doubles.
35. India's 13-year old Grandmaster D Gukesh wins 34th Cannes Open
In Chess, India's 13-year old Grandmaster D Gukesh emerged champion in the 34th Cannes Open in France.
Gukesh defeated Harutyun Bargseghyan of France in finals to end with 7.5 points. Gukesh became the
world's 2nd youngest Grandmaster ever, in last year. He had won Hillerod 110th Anniversary Open event in
Denmark.
36. Kiren Rijiju inaugurates 1st Khelo India Winter Games in Leh, Ladakh
Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports (I/c), Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the first-ever Khelo India Winter
Games in the UT of Ladakh at Leh, Ladakh. The event, which is first of its kind in India, is being organised
to promote winters sports in India. The second leg of the Winter Games will be held at Gulmarg.
37. J&K bags gold in 6th National Ice Stock sports Championship at Ice Rink in Gulmarg
In Jammu and Kashmir, the hosts bagged gold medal in the 6th National Ice Stock Sports Championship
organized at Ice Rink in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir. Two hundred participants from 18 different states
across the country participated in the three-day event. The event was organized by J&K Ice Stock Sports
Association.
38. Coronavirus outbreak prompted six countries to withdraw from shooting World Cup
The novel coronavirus outbreak has prompted six countries-China, Hong Kong, Macau, North Korea,
Turkmenistan and Taiwan-to withdraw from shooting World Cup slated to be held from 15th of March at the
Karni Singh Shooting Range in the national capital. National Rifles Association of India President-Raninder
Singh.
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Agreements
1. To operate Bidar airport under UDAN scheme, GMR Group partners Karnataka government
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has signed a concession agreement to commission,
operationalise and maintain the civilian enclave at the Bidar airport in North Karnataka. This comes under
the government’s regional connectivity UDAN scheme. UDAN- Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik.
2. L&T and Mitsubishi announce commissioning of a mill for SAIL in Rourkela
L&T’s Metallurgical & Material Handling business & Mitsubishi Corporation have announced the
commissioning of a hot strip mill for Steel Authority of India in Rourkela. Plant will be built with the
technology from Primetals Technologies & Hitachi Japan. The mill will have 3 million ton per annum
capacity.
3. IOCL signs first Term contract for importing Russian crude oil to India
IOCL and Rosneft signed first-ever Term Contract for importing 2 Million Metric Tonnes of Urals grade
crude oil during the year 2020 to India. This is a part of India’s strategy for diversifying the country’s crude
oil supplies from non-OPEC countries. It is also a part of the cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector.
4. Airbus signs aircraft services MoU with Adani Defence and Aerospace
Airbus India and Adani Defence signed an agreement on to leverage synergies in aerospace and aircraft
services, a fast-growing sector that is estimated to generate annual business worth USD 6.3 billion in the
country by 2025. Anand Stanley, president and MD of Airbus India.
5. India and African nations sign ‘Lucknow Declaration’ for enhanced collaboration
India & 50 African countries adopted the ‘Lucknow Declaration’, at the 1st India-Africa Defence Minister’s
Conclave held on the side-lines of the ongoing DefExpo. Rajnath Singh & his counterparts from 12 African
countries were present at the conclave. The first-ever AFINDEX was held in March 2019.
6. BEL signs tripartite MoU with Elbit & GRSE for Unmanned Surface Vessels
BEL has signed a tripartite MoU with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) & Elbit Systems,
Israel at DefExpo 2020. It is meant for the development & customisation of Elbit’s Unmanned Surface
Vessels (USV) for the requirements of the Indian Navy. M V Gowtama, Chairman and MD, Bharat
Electronics Limited.
7. CCI approves formation of JV between M&M and FMC
The Competition Commission of India approves formation of a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra
and Ford Motor and the transfer of the automotive business of Ford India to the JV. Ardour Automotive
Private Limited will be formed as part of this. FMC is an American automobile company.
8. AAI signs concession agreements with Adani Group for 3 airports
Adani Enterprises said it has signed concession agreements with Airports Authority of India (AAI) for
operations, management and development of Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangalore airports. The concession
period is 50 years from the commercial operation date. GMR Group & GVK Group are the largest private
airport operators.
9. International protection for Great Indian Bustard, Bengal Florican and Asian Elephant
India’s proposal to include Great Indian Bustard, Asian Elephant and Bengal Florican in Appendix I of UN
Convention on migratory species was unanimously accepted at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on Migratory Species in Gandhinagar. Govt has declared Indian elephant as National Heritage
Animal
10. Microsoft, SBI join hands to train differently abled people to find jobs
Microsoft announced a partnership with SBI to train differently abled people find jobs in the banking,
financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector. Over 500 differently abled youths will be upskilled in the first
year of the collaboration. SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar.
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11. ExxonMobil inks cooperation pact with IndianOil and Chart Industries
ExxonMobil inked a letter of cooperation with US’ Chart Industries Inc. & Indian Oil Corporation Ltd
(IOCL)for supplying liquified natural gas (LNG) by road, rail and waterways to areas not connected by
physical pipelines. India is the world’s third-largest oil importer.
12. Sri Lankan govt not to sign MCC with US
Sri Lankan Government has decided not to sign the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) with the US.
The MCC agreement is to provide a grant of 480 million US dollars to Sri Lanka for development of
transport and land deeds based on certain conditions. Sri Lankan President- Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
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Schemes
1. Bhubaneswar-Varanasi Direct Daily Flight operations commencement marks the 250th route under
RCS-UDAN
Alliance Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air India begun the direct daily flight operations from
Bhubaneswar to Varanasi under the RCS-UDAN marking it as the 250th route under UDAN. Varanasi is the
religious & tourist hub of India & BHU is present there. It is the 58th route under UDAN by Alliance Air.
2. Budget 2020: New scheme NIRVIK to be launched to achieve higher export credit disbursement
Budget proposed a new scheme NIRVIK to achieve higher export credit disbursement for higher insurance
coverage, reduction in premium for small exporters & simplified procedure for claim settlements. National
Technical Textiles Mission is also to be set up. Textiles Mission has an estimated outlay of Rs 1480 Cr.
3. Union Govt aims to achieve objective of Housing for All by 2022 under PMAY-G
Govt aims to achieve target of Housing for All by 2022 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen. A
total of over 1 Cr 50 lakh rural houses have been completed in the last 5 years. Beneficiaries will get 1 Cr 95
lakh houses in the 2nd phase of the scheme. Govt has set a target of 60 lakh houses for the current FY.
4. Madhya Pradesh bags first position for implementation of PMMVY
Madhya Pradesh has bagged the 1st position for the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana
Yojana. Women & Child Development Minister Smriti Irani will present the award. Indore district has
bagged the 1st place for better performance of the scheme. Incentive of 5000 Rs is given to pregnant women
under the PMMVY.
5. Over 73 lakh youth trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister of State RK Singh said that over 73 lakh candidates were
trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. Skill training was based on the National Skill
Qualification Framework and industry led standards. Scheme will cover 10 million youth during the period
2016 -2020.
6. Reduction of about 147 million Kg of CO2 achieved in FAME India Phase-I
In order to promote manufacturing of hybrid & EV, Dept of Heavy Industry formulated the scheme-FAME
India (Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of Hybrid & EVs in India) commencing from 1 April 2015. Its
Phase-I attained the reduction of about 147 mn Kg of CO2. Saving of about 59 mn litters of fuel is another
achievement.
7. Ministry of Tourism to develop 15 thematic circuits in the country
Tourism ministry, under the Swadesh Darshan scheme is developing thematic circuits in the country in
planned manner. Under the scheme 15 thematic circuits have been identified for the development. Ministry
also identified 17 Iconic Sites in the country. Swadesh Darshan & PRASHAD schemes help in tourism
growth.
8. Karnataka CM launches Janasevaka scheme for home delivery of govt services
Karnataka launched Janasevaka programme under the Sakala scheme in a few municipal corporation wards
to ensure home delivery of various services like ration cards & senior citizen identity cards. The scheme
pertains to 53 services involving 11 departments. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa launched the scheme.
9. 38 Cr bank accounts opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana till January 2020
Around 38 Crore bank accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), till
January 2020, Minister of State for Finance- Anurag Thakur announced. No penalty was imposed on Jan
Dhan accounts for non-maintenance of minimum balance. PMJDY was launched on 28th August 2014.
10. Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY wins national ‘Gold’ award for sustainable e-Governance initiative
AB-PMJAY has been awarded gold under Category-1 for "Excellence in Government Process Re-
engineering for Digital Transformation" for e-governance 2019-20 at 23rd National Conference on e-
Governance. Indu Bhushan, CEO, AB-PMJAY & National Health Authority. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya
Yojana (PMJAY).
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11. Govt launches school health programme under Ayushman Bharat

Government launched a School Health Programme under Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centres that
will teach skills ranging from emotional wellbeing, mental health, interpersonal relationships to values and
maintaining healthy lifestyle. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare.
12. Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries to get assistance of up to ₹15 lakh under RAN
Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries not covered under various packages of the insurance programme and
requiring high-cost treatment will be able to get financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh under the Rashtriya
Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme. Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Launched on 25 September 2018.
13. Soil Health Card Scheme completes five years
The ambitious Soil Health Card Scheme is completing five years on 19 February. The objectives of the
scheme are to issue Soil Health Cards to farmers every two years so as to provide a basis to address
nutritional deficiencies in fertilization practices. The scheme was launched in 19 February 2015.
14. 4th National Conference on Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana held in Udaipur
The two-day long 4th National Conference on Review of Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima
Yojana began in Udaipur. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Secretary- Sanjay Agarwal
inaugurated the conference, with 140 members participation. PMFBY was launched on 18 February 2016.
15. 15 clusters in Jharkhand selected under Phase 3 of Rurban Mission
15 clusters in Jharkhand have been selected under Phase 3 of Rurban Mission which includes Saradu cluster
under Tandwa block of Chatra district. Saradu cluster encircles Tandwa, Saradu, Gadilong, Kabra-koyad and
Kasiyadih gram panchayats. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission launched in 2016
16. Ministry of MSME launches national level awareness programme
Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has launched a National Level Awareness
Programme (NLAP) 2020. Objective of the NLP is to spread awareness about schemes & activities
undertaken by the Ministry & its attached organisations. MSME Minister of State: Pratap Chandra Sarangi
17. Haryana, Uttarakhand lead in Direct Benefit Transfer pay-outs
West Bengal emerged as the worst in ratings prepared for the first time by Centre regarding Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT) pay-outs. Haryana & Uttarakhand emerged as the best states at 1st and second positions,
respectively. Central DBT covers as many as 439 schemes run by 56 ministries
18. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi completes one year
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme completes one year on 24 February. Under the Scheme, an
amount of 6000 Rs per year is transferred in three equal instalments of 2000 rupees in every four months
directly into the bank accounts of the farmers. PM Modi launched the scheme on 24 February 2019 at
Gorakhpur.
19. NABARD sanctions over Rs 400 Cr to boost infrastructure in J&K
NABARD has sanctioned an amount of over 400 crore rupees to the UT of J&K during the current financial
year for giving boost to the infrastructure in the rural areas. The funding is a part of the NABARD’s Rural
Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF). Chintala Govinda Rajulu, newly appointed NABARD Chairman.
20. UP, MP, Bihar send most patients out for treatment under PM-JAY
UP, MP and Bihar are among the states that send maximum patients out to other states for treatment under
the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, as per the analysis carried out by the National Health Authority on
the portability feature of the scheme. PM-JAY provides health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.
21. Govt approves 32 projects in food processing sector under PMKSY
Government has sanctioned 32 projects in the food processing sector under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada
Yojana. The projects are spread across around 17 states leveraging an investment worth 406 Cr. SAMPADA
scheme approved on 2017 was later named as PMKSY. Union Food Processing Minister-Harsimrat Kaur
Badal.
22. Govt announces amnesty scheme for power consumers across UT of J&K
The Government has announced amnesty scheme for power consumers across UT of Jammu & Kashmir. The
Administrative Council headed by the Lieutenant Governor G.C. Murmu approved the scheme for power
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consumers which will come into effect from March 1, 2020. Waiver of penalties & interests will cost 600 Cr
to the govt.
23. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana: PM distributes aids and devices to Divyangjan & Senior Citizens
PM Modi is to distribute assistive aids and devices to senior citizens and Divyangjan. The objective of the
event is to propagate information to senior citizens and Divyangjan belonging to BPL category about how to
face their challenges in day-to-day life. The RVY was launched in 2016 at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
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Appointments
1. Government appoints M Ajit Kumar as Chairman of CBIC
Appointments Committee has approved the appointment of M. Ajit Kumar as Chairman Central Board of
Indirect Taxes and Customs. It is the national nodal agency responsible for administering Customs, GST,
Central Excise, Service Tax & Narcotics in India. CBIC was founded on 1 January 1964.
2. Mohammed Allawi appointed the PM of Iraq
One of the former communications ministers of Iraq, Mohammed Allawi is appointed the PM of Iraq by the
President Barham Salih. Despite ex-PM Adel Abdul Mahdi formally resigned, he had agreed to continue in a
caretaker capacity until a successor was chosen. Iraq is among the 5 most corrupt countries in the Middle
East.
3. Amitabh Bhatt appointed new CEO (Bangalore Complex) at Hindustan Aeronautics
Amitabh Bhatt has taken over as Chief Executive Officer of Bengaluru-headquartered defence PSU,
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Bangalore Complex. Earlier, Amitabh Bhatt was heading the Light Utility
Helicopter (LUH) project in HAL as Executive Director. He served in SKF India Ltd for 15 years before
joining HAL.
4. Avishek becomes youngest CAB president
Former BCCI president late Jagmohan Dalmiya's son Avishek became the 18th and the youngest president of
Cricket Association Bengal (CAB). Avishek, 38, was holding the post of joint secretary before his elevation.
Snehasish Ganguly is the joint secretary. Post was vacant after Sourav Ganguly took the charge of BCCI.
5. Karen Pierce appointed first female British ambassador to US
Dame Karen Pierce, the UK's permanent representative to the UN, has been appointed Britain’s ambassador
to US, becoming the first woman to hold the position – the most prominent in the diplomatic service. She
replaced Kim Darroch who resigned forcefully. She earlier served as the UK’s ambassador to Afghanistan.
6. Atul Gupta elected as New President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) elected Atul Gupta as the President for the term 2020-
21. Nihar Jambusaria is elected as the Vice President of the Institute. Tenure of the current President CA
Prafulla P. Chhajed expired this Feb. ICAI was established on 1 July 1949.
7. Tata Trusts appoints old timer Srinath Narasimhan as CEO
Tata Trusts named Tata group veteran Srinath Narasimhan as their first chief executive. Narasimhan,
currently managing director of Tata Teleservices Ltd and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd, will take over
his new assignment from 1 April. Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) came into being in 1919.
8. Rajiv Bansal appointed Air India chairman and managing director
Bureaucrat Rajiv Bansal has been appointed as the chairman & managing director (CMD) of Air India. The
post became vacant after incumbent Ashwani Lohani completed his tenure. He is at present additional
secretary in the ministry of petroleum and natural gas. Air India Subsidiaries: Alliance Air, Airline Allied
Services.
9. Govt appoints Debasish Panda as financial services secretary
In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi appointed Debasish Panda as the secretary of finance ministry’s department of financial
services. The current Finance Minister of India is Nirmala Sitharaman.
10. Vinay Dube appointed as GoAir CEO
Wadia group promoted GoAir has appointed Vinay Dube as the airline's Chief Executive Officer. Till now,
he was serving as an advisor to the carrier, a role which he took up after quitting the defunct Jet Airways in
May last year. GoAir Managing Director Jeh Wadia.
11. Boris Johnson appoints Alok Sharma as UK's business minister, COP26 president
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Alok Sharma as his new business minister. Sharma, 52, was
also appointed as the minister in charge of the UK's COP26 climate change summit. He was previously
secretary of state for international development. COP26 is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
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12. Arvind Kejriwal to take oath as Chief Minister of Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party Convenor Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as Chief Minister of Delhi on 16 February for
the third time. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Arvind
Kejriwal and his Cabinet colleagues. Delhi is a UT with 70 seats in state Legislative Assembly.
13. Afghanistan: Ashraf Ghani secures 2nd term as President
Ashraf Ghani has won a second term as President of Afghanistan. Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah head
a fragile national unity government that was put together under the US pressure after both leaders claimed
victory in Afghanistan's 2014 elections. Afghanistan Capital- Kabul, Currency- Afghan Afghani.
14. Barry O'Farrell appointed as Australia’s next high commissioner to India
Australia has appointed former New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell as the next high commissioner to
India. Mr O'Farrell will succeed Harinder Sidhu who has been in the office since 2016. O'Farrell will also
have non-resident accreditation to Bhutan. He has served as New South Wales' Special Envoy for India.
15. Sanjay Kothari named new Central Vigilance Commissioner of India
Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary to the President, has been selected as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner
by a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bimal Julka has been chosen as the
new Chief Information Commissioner. The selection panel also included Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
16. Retired IAS officers Amarjeet Sinha, Bhaskar Khulbe appointed as Advisers to PM
Retired IAS officers Amarjeet Sinha & Bhaskar Khulbe have been appointed as Advisers to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in the rank and scale of Secretary. The appointments are made on contractual basis initially
for a period of 2 years. Chairman Economic Advisory Council to PM: Bibek Debroy
17. Riek Machar swears in as first Vice President in South Sudan
Riek Machar sworn in as 1st Vice President in South Sudan. Transition govt will serve for 36 months.
President Salva Kiir called the official ending of the war & said peace is now irreversible as the new govt
was formed after more than a year of delays. South Sudan Capital- Juba, Currency- Pound.
18. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad Resigns, Cabinet Dissolved
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned, and the cabinet was dissolved, plunging the
Southeast Asian country into chaos less than two years after the 94-year-old leader took office in a historic
election. Abdullah of Pahang-King of Malaysia.
19. Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO, Bob Chapek replaces him
Bob Iger has stepped down as CEO of the Walt Disney Company (DIS), effective immediately. Bob Chapek
is the new CEO, the board of directors announced. He most recently served as chairman of Disney Parks,
Experiences and Products. Walt Disney Company HQs-Burbank, California, United States.
20. Agus Dwi Santoso to be appointed as India's badminton singles coach
Indonesia’s Agus Dwi Santoso will take over as coach of the Indian badminton team. This was confirmed by
chief national coach Pullela Gopichand. Santoso was till recently the coach of the Thai team along with Rexy
Mainaky and Mulayo Handoyo. Badminton Association of India President: Himanta Biswa Sarma.
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Appointment Post
M. Ajit Kumar Chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
Mohammed Allawi Prime Minister of Iraq
Amitabh Bhatt CEO of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Bangalore Complex
Avishek President of Cricket Association Bengal
Dame Karen Pierce Britain’s Ambassador to US
Atul Gupta President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
Srinath Narasimhan Tata Trusts CEO
Rajiv Bansal CMD of Air India
Vinay Dube GoAir CEO
Alok Sharma UK's business minister
Arvind Kejriwal Chief Minister of Delhi
Ashraf Ghani President of Afghanistan
Barry O'Farrell Australia’s high commissioner to India
Sanjay Kothari Central Vigilance Commissioner of India
Amarjeet Sinha & Bhaskar Khulbe Advisers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Riek Machar First Vice President of South Sudan
Mahathir Mohamad Malaysian Prime Minister (Resigned)
Bob Iger Stepped down as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
Agus Dwi Santoso India's badminton singles coach
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Awards
1. Theatre artist Sanjna Kapoor receives French honour
Thespian Sanjna Kapoor was awarded the French honour of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’
(Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) for her outstanding contribution to theatre. She currently runs the
Mumbai-based theatre company ‘Junoon’. The Order of Arts and Letters was instituted in 1957.
2. Sam Mendes' war drama ‘1917’ dominates Baftas 2020
Sam Mendes' ‘1917’ ruled the 73rd edition of Baftas with 7 wins, including best film, best British film & best
director. Joaquin Phoenix & Renee Zellweger won the best actor & actress awards respectively. Micheal
Ward was named the Bafta rising star. BAFTA-British Academy of Film & Television Arts.
3. President confers International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy to Dr N S Dharamshaktu
Ram Nath Kovind conferred the International Gandhi Awards for Leprosy to Dr NS Dharmashaktu in the
individual & the Leprosy Mission Trust under the institutional category for working to fight against leprosy
& eliminate the prejudices associated with it. Leprosy is also called: Hansen's disease.
4. Singareni CMD N Sridhar receives Bharatiya Mahantam Award at Bangkok
Singareni Chairman and Managing Director N. Sridhar received the prestigious Bharatiya Mahantam
Puraskar 2019-20, at the 13th Asian Business and Social Forum conference held on at Bangkok, Thailand
under the auspices of the AsiaOne magazine. Singareni Collieries Company Limited or SCCL HQs-
Kothagudem.
5. Padma Bhushan awardee Manoj Das receives Mystic Kalinga Literary Award 2020
In the fourth edition of the two-day long Mystic Kalinga Festival (MKF), Padma Bhushan Manoj Das,
received Mystic Kalinga Literary Awards-Indian and Global Languages.Mystic Kalinga Literary Award
carries a cash prize of Rs one lakh. Kalinga, ancient territorial subdivision of east-central India.
6. Oscars 2020: Joaquin Phoenix wins best actor trophy, Renee Zellweger best actress
Joaquin Phoenix & Renee Zellweger won the best actor & actress trophies respectively at the 92nd Academy
Awards ceremony at Dolby Theatre in Los Angles. Director Bong Joon Ho bagged the best director Oscar for
his sensational class satire ‘Parasite’. Parasite- 1st foreign-language movie to win Best film award.
7. Union Bank of India bags prestigious IBA Award
Union Bank bagged prestigious Indian Banks' Association (IBA) award under the category of "The Best
Digital Financial Inclusion initiatives 2018/19- Large Bank". Ahmedabad District Cooperative became 1st
DCCB to bag “Digital Financial Inclusion Award”. District Cooperative Bank (DCCB); IBA Chairman
Rajnish Kumar
8. 65th Filmfare Awards: Ranveer Singh Best Actor & Alia Bhat Best Actress
Ranveer Singh & Alia Bhatt starrer Gully Boy bagged 2020 Filmfare Awards with both the lead actors
bagging the prestigious trophies for their roles in respective categories. Uri-The surgical strike director
Aditya Dhar won the best debut director award. Ramesh Sippy was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
Award.
9. EC gets ‘Silver’ award for Excellence in Govt Process re-engineering for digital transformation
The Election Commission of India has been awarded “Silver” for Excellence in Government Process re-
engineering for digital transformation for the year 2019-20 from Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India. It was given during 23rd National Conference on e-
Governance.
10. Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 World Cup-winning moment gets Laureus
Indian cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar being carried on the shoulders of his teammates following India's
world cup triumph in 2011 was voted as the Laureus best sporting moment in the past 20 years. Steve Waugh
presented the trophy to Tendulkar. Tendulkar became the first Indian sportsperson to win Laureus.
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11. Vice President felicitates 3 Padma Awardees from Telangana

VP Naidu felicitated 3 Padma Awardees from Telangana - ace badminton player Ms PV Sindhu, innovative
farmer C. Venkat Reddy & well-known Sanskrit/Telugu poet V. Sribhashyam, at a function organized by
Swarna Bharat Trust, Hyderabad. Sindhu is a recipient of Padma Bhushan
12. CSIR-CDRI Scientist Dr. Niti Kumar gets SERB Women Excellence Award-2020
Dr Niti Kumar, Senior Scientist from Division of Molecular Parasitology & Immunology, CSIR-CDRI,
Lucknow has received SERB Women Excellence Award-2020. Award will be conferred by the Indian
President during National Science Day Celebrations on February 28. SERB-Science and Engineering
Research Board.
13. HRD Minister Pokhriyal presents Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards to 23 teams
Union Minister of HRD, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, presented the Vishwakarma Awards 2019 instituted
for promoting an innovative spirit and scientific temperament for the holistic development of society through
stakeholders of its approved institutes. AICTE has been organizing Vishwakarma Awards since 2017.
14. Sahitya Akademi Award for translation goes to K.V. Jeyasri
K.V. Jeyasri, a Tamil teacher from Tiruvannamalai, has won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2019 for her
translation of the Malayalam novel Nilam Poothu Malarnna Naal (The day the land bloomed and blossomed)
into Tamil as Nilam Poothu Malarntha Naal. The award includes a cash prize of ₹50,000 and a copper
plaque.
Winner Award
Sanjna Kapoor Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of France
1917 7 awards in the 73rd edition of Baftas
N Sridhar Bharatiya Mahantam Award
Manoj Das Mystic Kalinga Literary Award 2020
Joaquin Phoenix & Renee Zellweger Best actor & actress trophies in 2020 Oscars
Union Bank Indian Banks' Association (IBA) award
Ranveer Singh & Alia Bhatt Best actor & actress trophies in 65th Filmfare Awards
Election Commission of India “Silver” for Excellence in Government Process re-engineering
for digital transformation
Sachin Tendulkar's 2011 World Cup- Laureus best sporting moment in the past 20 years
winning moment
PV Sindhu, C. Venkat Reddy, V. Padma Awardees
Sribhashyam
Dr. Niti Kumar SERB Women Excellence Award-2020
23 Teams Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards
K.V. Jeyasri Sahitya Akademi Award for translation
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Ranks & Reports

1. Natural disasters cost world $232 billion in 2019: Report
The world lost as much as USD 232 billion due to natural disasters in 2019, with India leading in casualties
with 1,750 deaths, said a recent report by AON, global professional firm which provides risk solutions to
insurance firms, among other things. There was a total of 409 natural disaster events in 2019.
2. Cancer Cases to increase by 81% in poorer countries by 2040: WHO report
India had an estimated 1.16 million new cancer cases in 2018 & one in 15 will die of the disease, as per the
WHO report. WHO & IARC have released 2 reports: one aimed at setting the global agenda on the disease &
the other focused on research & prevention. International Agency for Research on Cancer HQ- Lyon, France.
3. India’s position slips to 40th on International Intellectual Property Index
India slipped to 40th position on the International IP Index, which analysed 53 global economies, this year
according to a report of US Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Centre. Last year India ranked
at 36th position out of 50 countries. US, UK, Sweden, France & Germany remained the top 5 economies.
4. India becomes second largest steel producer of Crude Steel
As per World Steel Association data, India became the second largest steel producer of crude steel after
China in 2018 and 2019, by replacing Japan. India’s crude steel production in 2018 was at 109.3 MT, an
increase of 7.7 per cent from 101.5 MT in 2017. USA & South Korea ranked 4th and 5th positions,
respectively.
5. Virat Kohli retains top spot as the most valuable celebrity in 2019: Duff & Phelps
Virat Kohli retained the top spot in the celebrity brand valuation rankings released by Duff & Phelps, for the
third year in a row. His brand value grew by nearly 39 per cent to $237.5 million in 2019. Bollywood actor
Akshay Kumar bagged the second spot. Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh held the third spot.
6. Maharashtra ranks first among 18 states in justice delivery system capacity
As per the India Justice Report-2019 prepared by Tata Trusts, among 18 large and mid-level states surveyed,
Maharashtra topped the list, followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu. Among states with a population of less than 1
Cr., Goa ranked first followed by Sikkim. Jamsetji Tata, the pioneer, visionary & founder of Tata Group.
7. India ranks 17th among countries at risk of corona virus import
Of the country’s most at risk of importing coronavirus cases, India ranks 17th, researchers from Robert Koch
institute in Germany and Humboldt University have found on the basis of a mathematical model for the
expected global spread of the Corona virus.
8. Mumbai, Kolkata see highest women, child trafficking cases: NCRB study
The highest incidence of children & women being trafficked were observed from the cities of Mumbai &
Kolkata, according to the National Crime Records Bureau study. The data on missing children and women
was compiled on the directions of the Supreme Court. West Bengal was 2nd both in number of missing
children & women.
9. BSNL, Air India, MTNL highest loss-making PSUs in FY19: Survey
ONGC, IOC & NTPC were the top 3 profitable PSUs in 2018-19, whereas BSNL, Air India & MTNL
incurred highest losses for a 3rd consecutive year, according to The Public Enterprises Survey 2018-19. It
maps the annual financial performance of all central PSUs. Total income of all CPSEs during 2018-19 is Rs
24,40,748 Crore.
10. Retail inflation accelerates to 7.59% in January
According to government data, Retail inflation accelerated to 7.59 percent in January, Industrial output
contracted 0.3 percent in December from a year earlier. The sharp spike in food inflation has led January CPI
to breach a six-year high of 7.59 percent. Both IIP and CPI are released on the 12th of every month.
11. India's wholesale inflation rises to 8-month high of 3.1% in January
According to the data released, India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation worsened to 3.1 per cent in
January from 2.59 per cent in December, registering a 0.51 per cent increase. This is the highest inflation
figure in last eight months. Retail inflation calculated on the basis of Consumer Price Index
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12. Hindi is 3rd most spoken language in the world with 615 million speakers: Report
Hindi is the 3rd most spoken language of the world in 2019 with 615 million speakers. The 22nd edition of
the world language database Ethnologue stated English at the top of the list with 1,132 million speakers.
Chines Mandarin is at the second position. Bangla has been ranked as the 7th most spoken language.
13. India ranks 131 on "child flourishing index"
India stands at 131 in terms of flourishing and at 77 on sustainability index in a report released by a
Commission of World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and The Lancet. The top three countries are
Norway, South Korea and The Netherlands. Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia and Niger are at
bottom.
14. India’s food grain production hits record high 291.95 million tonnes for 2019-20 crop year
According to latest govt. data. India is set to harvest a record wheat production of 106.21 million tonne in
2019-20 crop year on the back of good rains. Wheat production has been rising year-on-year (YoY) and the
previous record of 103.60 million tonne. Wheat is the main rabi (winter) crop.
15. India ranks 77th on sustainability: UN Report
India ranked 77th on a sustainability index that considers per capita carbon emissions & 131st on a
flourishing ranking that measures the best chance at survival and well-being for children. Report was
commissioned by WHO, UNICEF & Lancet medical journal. Report assessed the capacity of 180 countries
16. Delhi, Ahmedabad top in consumption of added fat: ICMR
Delhi and Ahmedabad topped the list of 7 metro cities in daily average consumption of added fat in dishes
while Hyderabad is at the bottom according to a recent survey conducted by the Indian Council of Medical
Research on the food habits of citizens. Men & women daily eat fat at 34.1 & 31.1 gm/person respectively.
17. Bangladesh records sharp decline in Child malnutrition: UNICEF Survey
The child malnutrition rate in Bangladesh has declined sharply over the last 6 years. The finding was reported
in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, jointly conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of
Statistics & United Nations Children's Fund. The rate of chronic malnutrition among children is 28% in
2019.
18. LIC agents earn Rs 14,220 Cr in Apr-Dec 2019, twice as much as MF sellers
Agents selling products of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) have garnered Rs 14,220 crore in gross
commissions in first nine months of 2019-2020 i.e. 1.8-times of what the mutual fund (MF) distributors made
for the entire FY19. M R Kumar, Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India.
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Important Days
1. 2 February: World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day occurs annually on February 2 since 1997, marking the date of the adoption of the
Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971 when a small group of environmentalists signed an
international agreement at the Ramsar Convention in Iran. 2020 Theme: Wetlands and Biodiversity.
2. 4 February: World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is observed on the 4 February every year to create awareness about cancer and to
encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. 2020 theme, ‘I am, and I will’ acknowledges that
everyone has the capacity to address the cancer burden. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally.
3. 6 February: International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
UN chosen February 6th as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation to amplify
the efforts on the removal of this practice. Theme: Unleashing Youth Power: One decade of accelerating
actions for zero female genital mutilation. UNFPA & UNICEF leads the largest global programme for this.
4. 10 February: National Deworming Day
The National Deworming Day (NDD) is being observed across the country on 10 February. Children &
adolescents in the age group of 1-19 years will be administered single dose of a safe medicine Albendazole in
all states and Union Territories on the occasion. It ensures that the worms are no longer a public health
problem.
5. 10 February: World Pulses Day
On 20 December 2013, the UN declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP). The celebration of
the year led by the FAO increased the public awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of
pulses as part of sustainable food production. In 2019, the UN proclaimed 10 February as the World Pulses
Day.
6. 11 February: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further
achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the UN declared 11 February as the
International Day of Women & Girls in Science. UN decided to establish the day on 22 December 2015.
7. 11 February: World Unani Day
World Unani Day is celebrated on 11th of February each year, to mark the birth anniversary of great Unani
scholar and social reformer Hakim Ajmal Khan. He was an eminent Indian Unani physician & founder of
scientific research in Unani System of Medicine. He was one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia, New
Delhi.
8. 12 February: National Productivity Day
The formation of National Productivity Council under Ministry of Commerce & Industry is being celebrated
every year all over the country by commemorating 12th February as Productivity Day and following 7 days
as Productivity Week (12th-18th February 2020). Aim: To propagate productivity, competitiveness, and
efficiency.
9. World Radio Day being observed with theme 'Radio & Diversity' : February 13
World Radio day is observed every year on February 13, to raise greater awareness among the public and the
media of the importance of radio. It is also meant to encourage decision makers to establish and provide
access to information through radio. In year 2013, February 13 was proclaimed as World Radio Day.
10. February 13: Sarojini Naidu’s Birth Anniversary celebrated as National Women’s Day
India celebrated Sarojini Naidu’s birthday as National Women’s Day of India every year on February 13.
Sarojini Naidu was India’s first women governor and also famous as ‘Bharat Kokila’. She was born on
February 13, 1879. Every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8 March.
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11. February 15: World Pangolin Day

The World Pangolin Day that is observed on February 15 focuses on the conservation of pangolin. Pangolins,
nocturnal animals that feast on ants, are highly sought after for their supposed, but unproven, medicinal
benefits, and as a culinary delicacy. This is the ninth World Pangolin Day.
12. Soil Health Card Day being observed on 19 February
The Soil Health Card Day is observed on 19 February. The scheme aims at issuing soil health cards to
farmers every 2 years to provide a basis to address nutritional deficiencies in soil and it ensures additional
income to farmers by increase in yields. Modi launched the SHC Scheme on 19th February 2015 in
Rajasthan.
13. World Day of Social Justice: 20 February
On 26 Nov. 2007, the General Assembly declared that, starting from the 63rd session of the General
Assembly, 20 February will be celebrated annually as the World Day of Social Justice.2020 Theme: "Closing
the Inequalities Gap to Achieve Social Justice". International Labour Organization HQs-Geneva,
Switzerland.
14. International Mother Language Day: 21 February
International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic
and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The 2020 theme is "Languages without borders". UN declared
2019 as The Year of Indigenous Languages. UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France
15. 24 February: Central Excise Day
Central Excise Day is celebrated on 24 February in India, to recognize the contribution of the Central Board
of Excise & Customs-at present Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs. The day marks the enactment of
the Central Excise & Salt Act in 1944. Customs and Central Excise department was established in 1855.
16. 28 February: National Science Day
National Science Day is celebrated on 28 February. It is celebrated every year to commemorate the discovery
of the Raman Effect. On this day, Sir CV Raman had announced the discovery of the Raman Effect for which
he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930. Focal theme of the day: “Women in science”
17. World Rare Disease Day observes on last day of February
29 February 2020 is the 13th international Rare Disease Day coordinated by EURORDIS. On this day many
patient organisations all over the world will hold awareness-raising activities. Rare Disease Day is held on
the last day of February every year. Rare disease-Any disorder that affects small part of the people.
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Date Day Theme

2 February World Wetlands Day Wetlands and Biodiversity
4 February World Cancer Day I am, and I will
6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance Unleashing Youth Power: One decade of
to Female Genital Mutilation accelerating actions for zero female genital
mutilation
10 February National Deworming Day NA
10 February World Pulses Day NA
11 February International Day of Women and NA
Girls in Science
11 February World Unani Day NA
12 February National Productivity Day NA
13 February World Radio Day Radio & Diversity
13 February National Women’s Day NA
15 February World Pangolin Day NA
19 February Soil Health Card Day NA
20 February World Day of Social Justice Closing the Inequalities Gap to Achieve Social
Justice
21 February International Mother Language Day Languages without borders
24 February Central Excise Day NA
28 February National Science Day Women in science
Last day of World Rare Disease Day NA
February
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Summit & Conferences

1. 3rd Defence Attaches Conference held in New Delhi
3rd Defence Attaches Conference held in New Delhi. Rajnath Singh announced the creation of 10 new
Defence Wings so that 10 more Defence Attaches could be appointed. Govt has introduced a new scheme to
promote defence exports through Defence Attaches. Funds have been allocated for export promotion to 34
countries.
2. National Institute of Disaster Management organizes Conference on Disability-inclusive disaster risk
reduction
NIDM organized the National Conference on Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction: Pathways for
Inclusion and Action for Resilience, in alliance with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities & Social Justice & Empowerment Ministry. Aim-to form strategies for disability-inclusion in
DRR practice.
3. India to host 4th EAS conference in Chennai
India is set to host East Asia Summit conference in Chennai with a focus on maritime security cooperation &
tackling challenges in the maritime domain. External Affairs ministry, in partnership with Australia and
Indonesia, will organise the Conference. The 1st conference was organised in New Delhi in November 2015.
4. India - Central Asia Business Council held in New Delhi
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in partnership with 5 of the epic industry
bodies of Central Asian countries launched the India-Central Asia Business council, as an outcome of the
dialogue held in Samarkand on 2019 between them. Nations-India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan
5. 22nd edition of India International Seafood Show 2020 begins in Kochi
Ministry of Commerce and Industry is conducting the 22nd edition of India International Seafood Show 2020
in Kochi from 7-9 February 2020. India has set seafood export target at $10 billion by 2020. IISS is being
held in Kochi after a gap of 12 years. India exported 14,37,000 tonnes of marine products in 2018-19.
6. Africa Union Summit concluded at Addis Ababa
The annual African Union Summit has concluded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This 33rd Ordinary Summit,
was commenced on 21 January. The summit is being held under the African Union’s theme for the year
2020; "Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions". The 2020 summit has adopted 8 resolutions.
7. National Conference on e-Governance 2020 concluded
The National Conference on e-Governance 2020 concluded in Mumbai with deliberations on transforming
governance using digital technologies. Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that e-Governance is the key to
the future of India's developmental journey. The Mumbai Declaration on e-Governance was unanimously
adopted.
8. Bangladesh: 5th Dhaka Art Summit inaugurated
State Minister for Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh K M Khalid inaugurated the fifth edition of the biennial art
extravaganza of Bangladesh-Dhaka Art Summit. Varied art-forms will be brought together during the festival
which will continue up to 15 February. Dhaka Art Summit is the premier art festival of Bangladesh.
9. National Water Conference to be held in Bhopal
In Madhya Pradesh, a National Water Conference is going to be held in the capital Bhopal to solve water
crisis and make the state a water-rich state. There was plenty of water in the state before due to rivers like
Narmada, Chambal, Son, Betwa and Sindh.
10. Kerala to host global meet on climate change, ocean health
ClimFishCon 2020, a 3-day international conference on the impact of climate change on ‘hydrological cycle,
ecosystem, fisheries and food security’ will begin on 12 February in Kochi. More than 300 delegates from 12
countries will participate in the event. Organizers-CUSAT & the Department of Fisheries, Kerala.
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11. Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for BIMSTEC partner nations begins
Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate a 2-day Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for
BIMSTEC Partner Nations in New Delhi. It will provide an opportunity to all the member nations to
deliberate on the increased threats posed by drug trafficking. Narcotics Control Bureau is organizing the
conference.
12. 2nd edition of Cargo Connexions Conclave in Coimbatore
The 2nd edition of “Cargo Connexions Conclave” is scheduled at The Residency Towers in Coimbatore with
an aim to address the challenges confronting the cargo, logistics and shipping industry. The FIEO is
organizing this event jointly with India Sea Trade. FIEO-Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
13. India attends Munich Security Conference in Germany
The Munich Security Conference is being held in Germany between 2020 February 14-16. Conference was
attended by External Affairs minister S Jaishankar representing India. It is one of the world’s leading forum
that debates on international security policy. Munich Security Conference was founded in 1963.
14. Prakash Javadekar to attend bilateral COP meetings in Gandhinagar
Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar will attend bilateral Conference of
Parties meetings in Gandhinagar as part of the 13th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Theme: Migratory species connect planet & we
welcome them home.
15. Ministry of Steel to organize a workshop to foster steel usage in Railways
Ministry of Steel along with CII is to organize a workshop on 17 February 2020 in New Delhi to focus on
fostering steel usage in the Railways & Defence sectors. The aim of the workshop is to have an in-depth
discussion with the Railways & Defence sector. Union Minister of Steel- Dharmendra Pradhan.
16. Nitin Gadkari to represent India at the 3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety in
Stockholm
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari reached Stockholm to represent
India at the “3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety for Achieving Global Goals 2030”.
Objective is to bring road safety on the global agenda. UN has set goal of reducing road crashes by 2030.
17. India assumes presidency of UN body on Migratory Species for 3 years
India assumed COP Presidency for the next 3 years with a focus on Collaborative Approach to tackle
Biodiversity Issues. The 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species has begun in
Gandhinagar with leaders from 130 countries. 2020 is said to be the Super Year for Environment.
18. President Kovind inaugurates the Huddle 2020 event in Bengaluru
President Kovind inaugurated the 4th edition of The Huddle, The Hindu’s annual thought conclave, in
Bengaluru. The 2-day event would feature 15 sessions & 32 speakers, from the world of politics, business,
academics, sports, entertainment and the arts.14th President of India: Ram Nath Kovind
19. 13th COP to CMS concludes with Gandhinagar Declaration
Gandhinagar declaration was adopted by the 13th Conference of Parties at the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals convention. A total of 10 species were listed in the CMS appendices 1 & 2 while 13
species recommended for concerted action. Great Indian Bustard, Asian elephant listed in appendix 1
20. PM Modi inaugurates 1st Khelo India University Games at Cuttack
Modi declared open the first-ever Khelo India University Games at Cuttack in Odisha. As many as 3,400
athletes from 159 universities across the country will vie for top honours across 17 disciplines including
rugby which is among the 6-team events. Odisha Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
21. PM Modi Addresses International Judicial Conference in New Delhi
PM Narendra Modi said "1.3 billion Indians" disregarded apprehensions & "wholeheartedly" accepted recent
critical judicial verdicts which were subjects of global discussion, at the International Judicial Conference
2020 – 'Judiciary and the Changing World'. Chief Justice of India: Justice Arvind Bobde.
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22. NITI Aayog organizing Sustainable Development Goals Conclave 2020

NITI Aayog is organizing SDGs Conclave 2020: Partnerships, Cooperation & Development of North Eastern
states, in Guwahati from 24 February. NITI Aayog has the mandate of overseeing the adoption and
monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national level. NITI Aayog plans to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
23. 1st ever Ladakh winter conclave 2020 concluded in Leh
The 1st-ever 3-Day Ladakh winter conclave 2020 concluded. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur
appealed the tourism industry to strengthen the border villages to showcase the development & also said that
40 tourism themes are possible in the Ladakh region. Conclave aimed at attracting tourists in the winter
season.
24. 3-day International Conference on ‘Ensemble Methods in Modelling & Data Assimilation’ in Noida
To provide a platform for discussions & deliberations on the present status, future prospects & optimum use
of EPS, a 3-day international conference on ‘Ensemble Methods in Modelling & Data Assimilation’ is being
organised by NCMRWF, MoES in Noida. EPS- Ensemble Prediction System.
25. International Conference on Standardisation of AYUSH Terminologies concludes in Delhi
ICoSDiTAUS-2020, the 2-day Int'l Conference on Standardisation of Diagnosis & Terminologies in AYUSH
Systems of Medicine concluded in New Delhi with adopting the "New Delhi Declaration on Collection &
Classification of Traditional Medicine Diagnostic Data. Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha,
Sowa Rigpa & Homoeopathy.
26. Amit Shah to chair 24th meeting of Eastern Zonal in Bhubaneswar
The 24th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council comprising of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal
will be held in Bhubaneswar on 28 February. Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the meeting. CM of
Odisha Naveen Patnaik is the Vice-Chairman and host. CMs will be accompanied by 2 Cabinet Ministers
from each state.
27. Facebook cancels its annual F8 developers conference
Facebook has cancelled its annual F8 developers conference, the biggest annual event for the US tech giant,
over fears about the possible spread of the novel coronavirus. The gathering in San Jose typically draws
many software makers around the world. Game Developers Conference is set to held in San Francisco.
28. Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurates the 11th National Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Conference
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Narendra Singh
Tomar inaugurated the 11th National Krishi Vigyan Kendra Conference in New Delhi. He & other dignitaries
released various products developed by the KVKs. Govt had set a target to double farmer income by 2022.
29. "Enabling Procedures for Increase of Steel Usage for the Growth of Economy" workshop held in
Bhubaneswar
Ministry of Steel along with Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry-Government of Japan and
Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) organised the "Enabling Procedures for Increase of Steel Usage for
the Growth of Economy" workshop in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. PM plans Mission Purvodaya to make India $5
trillion economy.
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Summit/conference Venue
3rd Defence Attaches Conference New Delhi
4th EAS conference Chennai
India - Central Asia Business Council New Delhi
22nd edition of India International Seafood Show 2020 Kochi
Africa Union Summit Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
National Conference on e-Governance 2020 Mumbai
5th Dhaka Art Summit Dhaka, Bangladesh
National Water Conference Bhopal
ClimFishCon 2020 Kochi, Kerala
Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for BIMSTEC partner nations New Delhi
2nd edition of Cargo Connexions Conclave Coimbatore
Munich Security Conference Munich, Germany
Workshop to foster steel usage in Railways New Delhi
3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety Stockholm, Sweden
13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Huddle 2020 event Bengaluru
1st Khelo India University Games Cuttack, Odisha
International Judicial Conference New Delhi
Sustainable Development Goals Conclave 2020 Guwahati, Assam
Ladakh winter conclave 2020 Leh, Ladakh
International Conference on ‘Ensemble Methods in Modelling & Data Noida
Assimilation’
International Conference on Standardisation of AYUSH Terminologies New Delhi
24th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council Bhubaneswar
Facebook F8 developers conference San Jose, USA
Game Developers Conference San Francisco, USA
11th National Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Conference New Delhi
"Enabling Procedures for Increase of Steel Usage for the Growth of Economy" Bhubaneswar
workshop
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Science & Technology

1. World's First Transcatheter Mitral Valve Approved in Europe
Abbott Tendyne Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation (TMVI) system received European CE mark. It is
the 1st transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) technology to gain commercial clearance in the
world. This treats significant mitral regurgitation. It provides a safe and effective solution for MR patients.
2. Budget 2020 announces the largest ever science mission
The government in its budget 2020 has announced a National Mission on Quantum Technologies &
Applications (NM-QTA) with a total budget outlay of Rs 8000 Crore for a period of five years to be
implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Quantum Technology is based on the
principles of quantum theory.
3. Government proposes 5% health cess on import of medical devices
To achieve the twin objectives of supporting local manufacturers & generating funds to create health
infrastructure, the Budget has imposed a 5% health cess on import of medical devices. Estimates show that it
would generate about Rs 2000 Cr investment. Imports last year stood at Rs 38,000 crore.
4. Import duty on Green Energy Equipment hiked by 20% in Budget 2020-21
To boost participation of domestic industry in the clean energy sector, Union Budget 2020 proposed 20%
customs duty on solar panels & EVs. Budget offered tax relief to clean energy generators. Customs duty on
completely built EV buses & trucks is 25-40%. 15 % tax-For New Industrialists in the renewable energy
sector.
5. India develops new Vaccine to control Swine Fever
In order to check fall in pig population in India, the govt unveiled a new indigenously developed vaccine for
controlling classical swine fever, which is a highly contagious fatal pig disease. It is developed by ICAR-
Indian Veterinary Research Institute. It will cost Rs 2/dose compared to existing rate of Rs 15-20.
6. IITH research team identified ‘AIM4’ molecule to treat ALS
A drug molecule that help in the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a rare disease of the
nervous system, has been identified by researchers at the IITH. With no known drugs to treat ALS the
molecule code named ‘AIM4’ raises expectations. Globally, the condition is also known as Lou Gehrig’s
disease.
7. IIT-Hyderabad researchers make headway in potential treatment of ALS
Researchers from the Indian Institute of technology, Hyderabad have made potential headway in the
treatment of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). ALS is a rare & debilitating neurodegenerative disorder
that affects the voluntary movement of the muscles. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
8. DRDO inks deal with Rosoboronexport for missiles propulsion systems
DRDO's High Energy Materials Research Laboratory signed contract with Rosoboronexport for development
of Advanced Pyrotechnic Ignition Systems during the DefExpo. It will enable advancement in the field of
energetic materials and pyrotechnic technology. Rosoboronexport is a Russian company.
9. After France, now UK pitches for joint development of future fighter jet engine
India’s plans to develop a future fighter jet engine has got strong backing from the UK saying that, UK is
ready to collaborate on the project & is looking at a govt to govt model to take it forward. UK has great
experience in developing jet engines. French engine manufacturer Safran was also ready for the plans.
10. Medical devices now under Drugs and Cosmetics Act
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has brought medical devices within the regulatory ambit, treating
them as a category of ‘drugs’ for the purpose of regulating them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DCA).
A list of 37 devices has been included. Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DCA) was passed in 1940.
11. ISRO to launch 10 Earth Imaging Satellites in 2020 including first Geo Imaging Satellite-1
The country will send up an unusually large number of 10 earth observation (EO) satellites during 2020-21,
according to the latest annual report of the Indian Space Research Organisation for 2019-20. It includes the
first Geo Imaging Satellite, GISAT-1. For the ongoing year 2019-20, ISRO had planned for 17 missions.
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12. Election Commission & IIT Madras join hands to develop new technology for voting
EC has collaborated with IIT Madras to work on a new technology which will allow electors to vote from far
away cities without going to the designated polling station of their constituencies. The project is at present in
the research & development stage. Block chain enabled customised e-ballot paper will be generated.
13. Abbott India launches vaccine against 4 strains of influenza virus
Abbott India announced the launch of an inactivated vaccine in India against four strains of influenza virus. It
is the only 0.5 ml quadrivalent flu vaccine in India that has been approved for use in children below 3 years.
Influenza (Flu) is a respiratory illness that a virus causes.
14. Canadian doctors use robot to perform surgery to treat brain aneurysm
In a first, Canadian doctors have used a robot to perform a surgery to treat brain aneurysm. The medical
condition is a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain that balloons and fills with blood. The experimental
procedure was described at the ISC. International Stroke Conference (ISC)-2020 was held in US.
15. ISRO to launch geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 on March 5
According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), GSLV-F10 will launch geo imaging satellite,
GISAT-1, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on March 5. Weighing about 2,275 kg, GISAT-1
is a state-of-the-art agile Earth observation satellite. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
16. Government of India announces Maiden Summit on Artificial Intelligence
GoI announced the mega event, RAISE 2020- ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020,’ to be held
from April 11-12 in New Delhi. RAISE 2020 is India's first Artificial Intelligence summit to be organized by
the Govt. in partnership with Industry & Academia. Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary MeitY.
17. INCOIS launches new trio of products for marine-based users
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad launched trio of products-Small Vessel
Advisory & Forecast Services System (SVAS), Swell Surge Forecast System & Algal Bloom Information
Service (ABIS)-to better cater to its diverse users. INCOIS is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
18. Niti Aayog & NASSCOM roll out artificial intelligence modules in schools
NASSCOM in collaboration with Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission launched an Artificial Intelligence-
based module for students of Indian schools. The AI-Base Module will be implemented across 5,000 Atal
Tinkering Labs, empowering 2.5 million students. It will help the students to learn various concepts of AI.
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Defence
1. In a First, IAF’s An-32 Aircraft powered with indigenous Bio-Jet fuel takes-off from Leh Airfield
IAF achieved a major milestone when an AN-32 IAF aircraft powered by indigenous blend of 10% bio-jet
fuel took off from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh. This was the first time that both engines of the
aircraft were powered by indigenous fuel. Leh is a hard-operational airfield due to weather conditions.
2. Navy conducts coastal security exercise 'Matla Abhiyaan' in Kolkata
The Indian Navy carried out a 5-day coastal security exercise, 'Matla Abhiyaan', with personnel of two naval
boats, holding interactions with all stakeholders along the riverine border with Bangladesh. It was aimed to
spread awareness on coastal security. Exercise was named after Matla River.
3. HAL to make advanced armed UAVs with Israeli Co
In a first, advanced Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) will be manufactured in India, with leading
aeronautical entity Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) set to formalise a partnership with an Israeli firm that
specializes in autonomous weaponry. They will manufacture advanced Heron TP UAV.
4. Ninth edition of India-Bangladesh joint military exercise begins in Meghalaya
The ninth edition of Indo-Bangladesh Joint Military Exercise SAMPRITI-IX commenced at Umroi,
Meghalaya on 4 January. The main focus of this edition of the fourteen days joint exercise is on Counter-
Terrorism Operations in mountainous and jungle terrain. The joint exercise will culminate on 16th February.
5. PM Modi inaugurates five-day Defence Expo 2020 in Lucknow
The 11th edition of the DefExpo-2020, a flagship biennial event of the Defence Ministry, started in
Lucknow.PM Modi inaugurated the 5-day event. India-Africa Defence Ministers Conclave will be organised
for the first time with this. Ministers from over 40 countries will take part in DefExpo.
6. Government sets target of USD 5 billion for defence exports in next 5 years
During the DefExpo 2020, PM said that government has set a defence export target of USD 5 billion in the
next 5 years. The eleventh edition of the mega defence event is being held in Lucknow with the theme-India:
The Emerging Defence Manufacturing Hub. It is a biennial exhibition of military platforms and weapons.
7. DefExpo 2020: First India-Africa defence conclave held on 6 February
On the second day of DEFEXPO 2020, two important meetings held along with many discussions on defence
related issues. The First India-Africa defence conclave and the fifth India-Russia Military Industry
Conference held on 6 February. DefExpo 2020 is being held at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
8. Army Major Anoop Mishra develops bulletproof helmet that can stop AK-47 bullets
Indian Army Major Anoop Mishra has developed first of its kind bulletproof helmet that can stop AK-47
bullets round from a distance of 10 meters. He had earlier developed a bulletproof jacket that could give
protection from sniper bullets. The "ballistic helmet" has been developed under project Abhedya.
9. Indian Army, Private Firm Develop World's Cheapest Gun Shot Locator
Parth gunshot locator built by the Army's College of Military Engineering jointly with a private firm cost
much cheaper than the imported ones. It costs around 3 lakhs, & if inducted, would replace a similar
imported item which costs around 65 lakhs. It can locate the location of a bullet from a distance of 400 m.
10. US approves sale of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System to India
The US has approved the sale of an Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) to India for an
estimated cost of USD 1.9 billion to modernise its armed forces and to expand its existing air defence
architecture to counter threats posed by air attacks. Trump is set to visit India on a two-day trip on February.
11. Bhabha Kavach developed by BARC-to be used by CISF
Make in India product -Bhabha Kavach developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is the
lightest level III plus bullet proof jacket (6.8 kgs nominal weight) available in India. The jackets are to be
used by the Central Industrial Security Force. Technologies used: Carbon nanotube & hot-pressed boron
carbide.
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12. Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 began in Salisbury Plains, UK

Indian and British armies began the fifth edition of their joint exercise, 'Ajeya Warrior' on, 13 February in
UK. The exercise is aimed at conducting training of troops in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorist
operations in urban & semi-urban areas. Over 120 soldiers each from the 2 armies are participating.
13. Biggest jump in world defence spending in 10 years: study
Global spending on defence rose by four percent in 2019, the largest growth in 10 years, led by big increases
in the US & China, a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies said. IISS’s annual report is
called as Military Balance report. The Europe spending has increased by 4.2%.
14. Chief of Defence Staff aims to set up Air Defence Command by June 2020
CDS Gen Bipin Rawat is aiming to set up the first integrated tri-services command for handing the air
defence of the entire country by June 2020 which will be headed by an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer. It aims
to protect the air space of the country. Each service has its individual air defence set-up.
15. Supreme Court permits Permanent Commissioning of Women Officers in Defence
SC has ruled that all women army officers are now eligible for permanent commissions, allowing them to be
in commanding roles. The ruling means that all women officers will now be on par with men when it comes
to promotions, ranks, benefits and pensions. SC granted consent to commission women officers in Indian
Army.
16. India and US sign defence deals worth 3 billion dollars
India and the United States finalized defence deals worth 3 billion dollars and signed three agreements,
including in health and oil sectors. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on mental health between
the health departments of both the countries. Another MoU on the safety of medical products was also
signed.
17. VAJRA: The Offshore Patrol Vessel-6 launched at Chennai
The 6th Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel-6 “VAJRA” was launched in Chennai. The ship would be
utilized for day & night surveillance along with anti-terrorist/ anti-smuggling operations in the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) as well as Coastal Security. The OPV have two Navigation Radars with ultra-modern
technology.
18. Defence Minister inaugurates new Light Combat Helicopter Production Hangar at HAL Complex
in Bengaluru
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the new Light Combat Helicopter Production Hangar at Helicopter
Division in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Complex at Bengaluru, Karnataka. LCH is a 5.5-tonne class
combat helicopter designed and developed by HAL. It inherits many features of the Advanced Light
Helicopter.
Books & Authors

1. PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates month long Ekushey Book Fair
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh inaugurated the month long Ekushey Book fair in Dhaka.
Ekushey fair is the biggest and longest book fair of Bangladesh. It is organised every year in February
commemorating the martyrs of the language movement. Fair is arranged each & every year by Bangla
Academy.
2. A book titled A Commentary and Digest on The Air, Act 1981 launched
Haryana CM, Manohar Lal Khattar released a book titled “A Commentary and Digest on The Air, Act 1981”.
Dr. KK Khandelwal and Apoorva Kumar Singh co-authored the book. The book has given an elaborate
explanation of law devised to prevent air pollution. The book focuses on ways to prevent and control air
pollution.
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Miscellaneous
1. Amazon India partners with Eastern Railways to set up kiosk in Sealdah
Amazon India has entered a partnership with Eastern Railways to set up a pick-up kiosk at the buzzing
Sealdah railway station in Kolkata, West Bengal. This follows after the successful pilot of pickup kiosks in 4
railway stations across Mumbai in 2019. It allows customers to pick up packages at railway stations.
2. CII celebrates 125 years anniversary
CII is celebrating its 125th birth anniversary in 2020. CII began as EITA in 1895. Later the Engineering
Association of India merged with EITA to form the Association of Indian engineering Industry. It became
CEI on 1986.Lastly, CEI became the CII on 1991. Theme- CII@125: Business and Beyond.
3. President Kovind to inaugurate 34th Surajkund Mela
President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the 34th Surajkund International Crafts Mela at Faridabad on 1
February. The Mela is being organized since 1987 to showcase the richness and diversity of handicrafts,
handlooms and cultural heritage of India. Partner country: Uzbekistan, Theme-state: Himachal Pradesh.
4. Mo O'Brien becomes 1st deaf person to row across Atlantic Ocean
A 60-year-old pharmacy worker Mo O'Brien has become the first deaf person on record to row an ocean by
finishing a 3,000-mile journey across the Atlantic. The Ocean Rowing Society, which is responsible for
monitoring ocean rowing records, confirmed this. Atlantic is the second largest ocean after Pacific.
5. Australian Open: Novak Djokovic wins his record 8th Men's singles title
In tennis, Serbia's Novak Djokovic won his record 8th Men's singles title in Australian Open in Melbourne.
He beat first-time Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem of Austria. Joe Salisbury of UK and American
Rajeev Ram clinched the men’s doubles title. Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic won the women's doubles
title.
6. APEDA organizes first ever awareness programme on Agri Exports in A&N Islands
An awareness programme was organized by APEDA with the Directorate of Industries of the Andaman &
Nicobar Islands in Port Blair to examine ways to promote the exports of Agri products and for the
implementation of the Agri Export Policy in the Islands. APEDA has aided in creating draft state Agri Export
action plan.
7. President Kovind inaugurates annual Udyanotsav at Rashtrapati Bhavan
President Ram Nath Kovind opened the annual Udyanotsav of Rashtrapati Bhavan on 5 February. The
Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan will be opened for the general public. Sir Edwin Lutyens had
finalized the designs of the Mughal Gardens as early as 1917. It was only during the year 1928-29 that
plantings were done.
8. UNESCO DG Audrey Azoulay handed over UNESCO World Heritage Sites certificate to Jaipur
Audrey Azoulay handed over the certificate relate to the inclusion of walled city of Jaipur in the list of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites to the state Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal. ICOMOS had
inspected the city in 2018 after its nomination. International Council on Monuments and Sites HQ- Paris,
France.
9. NIFM, Faridabad renamed ‘Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management’
The Centre has decided to rename the National Institute of Financial Management, Faridabad, as ‘Arun
Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management’ (AJNIFM). NIFM, Faridabad was set up in 1993 as a
registered society under the Ministry of Finance. Union Finance Minister is the President of the NIFM
society.
10. Fingopay to launch biometric finger vein payment technology
Biometric VeinID platform Fingopay will soon launch an open banking retail pilot with payments company
Reflow. The partnership enabled the Fintech to successfully complete the world’s first bank-to-bank, face to
face payment using Finger VeinID. Fingopay uses Hitachi Vein ID technology.
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11. National Museum hosts 'Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining Experience' exhibition
National Museum in New Delhi is hosting a unique exhibition on India’s ancient food history called
"Historical Gastronomica - The Indus Dining Experience till the 25th of this month that goes back to over
5000 years ago. Event is jointly curated with One Station Million Stories
12. Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates New Institutional Campus at NIPHTR in Navi Mumbai
Union Minister of Science & Technology, Health and Family Welfare and Earth Science Dr Harsh Vardhan
inaugurated a New Institutional Campus at the National Institute of Public Health Training & Research
(NIPHTR) at Navi Mumbai. NIPHTR established in 1957 under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
13. Temperature controlled largest Terminal to store Agro & Pharma Products launched at Mumbai
airport
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, run by a joint venture between Airports Authority
of India & GVK, announced the launch of the world’s largest temperature-controlled Terminal for processing
and storage of agro and pharma products. Export Cold Zone can hold over 700 tonnes of cargo at one time.
14. CSR: Adani Foundation ties up with Lifology
Adani Foundation launched a unique CSR activity among Kerala’s coastal communities in association with
Lifology.com. The project aims to provide career-building opportunities to students from less developed
coastal areas using the Lifology.com platform. Lifology is an international career accelerator for youth.
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Obituary
1. Noted activist Vidya Bal dies at 84 in Pune
The Veteran Feminist, Social Activist & writer Vidya Bal passed away at the age of 84. She was known for
her heroic oppressive practices involving women. She was a forefront fighter for women equality with men.
She was the founder of 'Nari Samata Manch'. It was an organisation to discuss and tackle women's problems.
2. Hollywood veteran actor Kirk Douglas passes away in US
Hollywood legend & veteran actor Kirk Douglas passed away at 103 in California, US. He was prolific as a
film actor, with more than 90 credits to his name - ranging over 6 decades from the 1940s to the 2000s. He is
best-known for his role as Spartacus. He earned 1st Oscar nomination for 1949 boxing story-Champion.
3. Desperate Housewives star Orson Bean ‘dies aged 91
American actor and comedian Orson Bean has died. He was 91. He appeared notably, Anatomy of A Murder
and Being John Malkovich and starred in several top Broadway productions, receiving a Tony nod for the
1962 Comden-Green musical Subways Are for Sleeping. He was Born in Burlington, Vermont, in 1928.
4. Renowned thinker, writer P Parameswaran passes away in Kerala
Renowned thinker, writer and the founder director of Bharatiya Vichara kendram P Parameswaran passed
away in Kerala. He was 93 years old. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2018 and Padma Shri in 2004.
He is best known for his works on Sree Narayana Guru. He also did analysis of Kerala’s spiritual revival
movement.
5. Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks passes away
Popular fashion designer Wendell Rodricks has passed away at the age of 59.He was a Padma Shri awardee
and a published writer with books such as "Moda Goa - History and Style", his memoir "The Green Room"
and "Poskem: Goans in the Shadows". Charles Frederick Worth, first fashion designer of the world.
6. Former TERI Chief and environmentalist RK Pachauri dies at 79
Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, the former chief of The Energy and Resources Institute, passed away at the age of
79. He played a pivotal role in growing this institution and making it a premier global organisation in the
sustainability space. Nitin Desai,chairman of TERI(The Energy and Resources Institute)
7. Katsuya Nomura, 84, Enduring Star of Japanese Baseball, Dies
Katsuya Nomura, a mainstay of the baseball world in post-war Japan who was one of the country’s greatest
catchers before going on to a long second career as a manager. He was 84. In his 26 years as a player and a
player-manager, Nomura hit 657 home runs. Abner Doubleday invented Baseball game.
8. Popular Bengali film actor, former TMC MP Tapas Pal passes away in Mumbai
Popular Bengali film actor & former Trinamul Congress MP Tapas Pal died. He was 61. Tapas Pal acted in
number of Bengali films besides 2 times elected in Lok Sabha from Krishnanagar Constituency of West
Bengal. Tapas Pal also elected in the State assembly. 'Dadar Kirti', Saheb, Parabat Priya are his famous films.
9. Greatest woman golfer, Mickey Wright dies at 85
Mickey Wright, often described as the greatest woman golfer of all times, died at Florida in the United States
at the age of 85. Mickey Wright’s haul of thirteen major victories included four US Women's Open titles and
four US Women's PGA Championships. She retired from professional golf on 1969.
10. Larry Tessler, computer engineer behind 'cut, copy and paste', passes away
Larry Tesler, the computer engineer most commonly known as the developer of the 'cut, copy and paste'
functions, and 'find and replace', for user-friendliness in applications like the word processor, passed away at
the age of 74. He was also one of the pioneers of modeless computing
11. Former Karnataka Minister C Channigappa passes away in Bengaluru
Former Karnataka Minister and JD(S) leader C Channigappa passed away in Bengaluru on Friday after a
prolonged illness at the age of 57. Channigappa was a three-time MLA from Koratagere. Earlier, he served as
the Forest Minister of Karnataka. Karnataka CM: B. S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala
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12. Tripura’s Seven-time MP Bajubian Reang passed away

Tripura seven-time CPI-M parliamentarian, Bajubian Reang passed away at the age of 79 years. He became
an MLA in the year 1967 from Congress party & later he joined the CPI (M). He became the minister of
agriculture in 1978 for Tripura. He represented East Tripura LS seat as Member of Parliament
13. ‘Human computer’ Katherine Johnson dies at 101
NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose calculations helped get the first Americans to space & back
safely died. Among her many accomplishments, She completed the trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard’s
1961 suborbital flight. National Aeronautics & Space Administration Founded:29 July 1958
14. Daredevil and Flat Earth theorist "Mad Mike" Hughes dies in rocket crash
Daredevil & Flat Earth theorist Michael "Mad Mike" Hughes died in a rocket crash. Hughes, 64, wanted to
prove the Flat Earth theory by taking photographs of the Earth from a homemade rocket. Hughes launched
himself into the heavens in a steam-powered rock. The flat Earth model is an archaic conception of Earth's
shape.
15. Egypt's former President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak passes away
Egypt's former President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country for 30 years, died at the age of
91. A former air force chief, Mubarak became Vice President of Egypt on 14 October 1981, and just eight
days later, was sworn in as the President. Current Egyptian President-Abdel Fattah El-Sissi.
16. Kazuhisa Hashimoto, Creator of Famous 'Konami Code' Gaming Cheat, Dies
Kazuhisa Hashimoto, the man who invented the "Konami code" cheat that became pervasive in video gaming
and pop culture, has died. He created the code when he was in charge of taking the arcade version of the
spacecraft shooting game Gradius. The code famously gave players 30 lives in the game Contra.
17. Renowned Vedic Scholar Sudhakar Chaturvedi passes away
Renowned Vedic Scholar & Gandhian Sudhakar Chaturvedi passed away. The centenarian was given the title
Chaturvedi for his mastery over the 4 vedas. Deeply influenced by Mahatma Gandhi & Arya Samaj
movement, he had ed over 50 spiritual books in 4 languages.
18. JD(U)'s Vamikinagar MP Baidyanath Prasad Mahto passes away
Janata Dal (United)’s Lok Sabha Member Baidyanath Prasad Mahto from Vamikinagar Parliamentary
Constituency passed away. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Vamikinagar as Janata DaL (United) candidate
& was deputy leader of the JD(U) in the current Lok Sabha. Baidyanath Prasad Mahto passed away at the age
of 72.
Obituary Related Field
Vidya Bal Veteran Feminist, Social Activist & writer
Kirk Douglas Hollywood veteran actor
Orson Bean American actor and comedian
P Parameswaran Renowned thinker, writer
Wendell Rodricks Fashion designer
RK Pachauri Former TERI Chief and environmentalist
Katsuya Nomura Enduring Star of Japanese Baseball
Tapas Pal Bengali film actor, former TMC MP
Mickey Wright Woman golfer
Larry Tessler Computer engineer
C Channigappa Former Karnataka Minister
Bajubian Reang Tripura’s Seven-time MP
Katherine Johnson NASA mathematician
Michael "Mad Mike" Hughes Daredevil & Flat Earth theorist
Mohammed Hosni Mubarak Egypt's former President
Kazuhisa Hashimoto Creator of Famous 'Konami Code' Gaming Cheat
Sudhakar Chaturvedi Renowned Vedic Scholar & Gandhian
Baidyanath Prasad Mahto JD(U)'s Vamikinagar MP
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Person in news
1. BCCI names Madan Lal, R.P. Singh in Cricket Advisory Committee
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the appointment of its three-member Cricket
Advisory Committee. The committee comprises Madan Lal, Rudra Pratap Singh and Sulakshana Naik. The
term of appointment will be for one year. Sourav Ganguly is BCCI's 39th President.
2. RBI’s Shaktikanta Das named best central banker in Asia Pacific
Shaktikanta Das has been named the ‘Central Banker of the Year 2020’ for the Asia-Pacific region by
financial intelligence magazine The Banker. He won the accolade for bringing in measures to tighten the
rules around NBFCs. He became RBI Governor in 2018. Shaktikanta Das is 25th governor of the RBI.
3. World Bank chief economist announces resignation
World Bank Chief Economist Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg announced her retirement. She will step down
from her post on March 1 & will return to teaching field. Research director Aart Kraay would take over for
Goldberg until a new permanent person is hired. World Bank President- David Malpass.
4. Saima Yunus Khan becomes first Indian to receive IADR Fellowship
Dr Saima Yunus Khan, Chairperson, Dept of Paediatrics & Preventive Dentistry of Dr Z A Dental College,
Aligarh Muslim University became the 1st Indian to be granted with the famous International Association of
Dental Research John Clarkson Fellowship. IADR is headquartered in Alexandria, USA.
5. Philip Barton appointed Britain's new High Commissioner to India
Britain appointed career diplomat Philip Barton as its High Commissioner to India to succeed Dominic
Asquith. Barton will take up his appointment during Spring 2020. He joined the FCO in 1986 and is a career
diplomat. He was Private Secretary to PMs John Major and Tony Blair.
6. NASA astronaut Christina Koch returns to Earth after record-setting stay in space
NASA's astronaut Christina Koch returned from space to Earth safely. Koch returned after an 11-month
mission, breaking the world record for the most time spent by a woman in space. She has spent 328 days on
International Space Station (ISS). She surpassed the record of American Peggy Whitson (289 days).
7. Cognizant's VC Francisco D'Souza steps down from the board; Vinita Bali joins
Cognizant co-founder Francisco D’Souza is set to step down from the board of the company. He co-founded
Cognizant in 1994 and served as the company’s CEO from January 2007 through March 2019. Vinita Bali
will join the board as an independent director. Brian Humphries, Cognizant CEO.
8. LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner steps down after 11-year stint
Jeff Weiner announced that his 11-year stint as CEO of the company will end on May 31 and that he will be
replaced in the role by Ryan Roslansky, who is currently the vice president of products. He will join the
LinkedIn board as its executive chairman. Microsoft is LinkedIn's parent company.
9. IMF's First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton to step down
International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton would be leaving the
multilateral lender Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva announced. Lipton, a U.S. national, began his
career as a young economist at the IMF in 1981. IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
10. Kaamya Karthikeyan becomes the youngest girl to summit Mount Aconcagua in South America
Kaamya Karthikeyan, a class VII student of Navy Children School, Mumbai, became the youngest girl in the
world to summit Mt. Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America & outside of Asia. She summited the
mountain peak of 6962 m height on 01 Feb 2020. Aconcagua is located in Argentina, in the province of
Mendoza.
11. Pullela Gopichand becomes first Indian to receive IOC’s ‘honourable mention’
India's chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has been given an honourable mention by the
International Olympic Committee at the 2019 Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards. He received the
honourable mention for the male category of the awards. The IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award
was created in 2017.
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12. India's Lalremsiami named as 2019 FIH Women's Rising Star of Year
India forward Lalremsiami has been named as the 2019 FIH Women's Rising Star of the Year by the
International Hockey Federation. 19-year-old Lalremsiami took the prize ahead of the Argentina's Julieta
Jankunas and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands. Hockey Women's World Cup in 2018 was her outbreak.
13. Former IOC and BPCL chairman Sarthak Behuria joins Reliance Industries Limited
Former IndianOil and BPCL Chairman Sarthak Behuria has joined Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as
senior advisor. He will provide strategic direction and leadership to the new Reliance and BP joint venture
focused on fuel retail business. Reliance Industries Limited CEO: Mukesh Ambani
14. Rishi Sunak, Narayana Murthy's son-in-law, is the new UK Finance Minister
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed Indian-origin Rishi Sunak as his new finance minister. He
replaced Sajid Javid who resigned from the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer. He is affiliated with the
British Conservative Party. He is married to the Akshata Murthy (Narayana Murthy's daughter)
15. Senior Bombay HC judge S C Dharmadhikari resigns
Second senior most judge of the Bombay High Court, Justice Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari, has tendered his
resignation. Justice Dharmadhikari, who was made a judge of the Bombay High Court on November 14,
2003, was in line to be elevated as Chief Justice. Chief Justice of India- Sharad Arvind Bobde.
16. Scientist from CDRI gets Tata Innovation Fellowship
Dr Ritu Trivedi, Principal Scientist from Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) has been conferred with
Tata Innovation Fellowship for the year 2019-2020. The fellowship has been given to her in recognition of
her contributions in translational research. Major contributions of Trivedi-Area of Metabolic Bone Disorders.
17. Chief of Navy Admiral Karambir Singh visits Myanmar
The Chief of Indian Navy Admiral Karamvir Singh is to visit Myanmar between February 17, 2020 and
February 20, 2020. During his visit, he will hold discussions with his Myanmar counterpart to enhance
bilateral maritime relations between the countries. Myanmar Capital- Naypyitaw, Currency- Burmese Kyat.
18. IDSA to be renamed as Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
Union government has decided to rename the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) as Manohar
Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses to honour the commitment and legacy of late Manohar
Parrikar, who was a former Defence Minister. Manohar Parrikar is also a Padma Bhushan awardee.
19. PM Modi, US Prez Trump to jointly address Namaste Trump event
US President Donald Trump will arrive in Ahmedabad on 24 February on a 2-day visit to India. Modi &
Trump will jointly address the Namaste Trump event at Motera cricket stadium. A cultural extravaganza will
be organised at the stadium during the event. They will participate in roadshows on the way to stadium.
20. New Zealand Deputy PM Winston Peters arrive on 4-day India visit
Deputy PM & Foreign Affairs Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters arrived in India for a 4-day visit. He
will attend the inaugural ceremony of New Zealand Centre at IIT Delhi and will give speech on Indo Pacific
at the Indian Council of World Affairs. New Zealand Capital- Wellington, Currency- Dollar.
21. Realme ropes in Salman Khan as brand ambassador
Smartphone brand realme has appointed Bollywood actor Salman Khan as its brand ambassador. According
to Counterpoint Research, realme was the world's fastest-growing smartphone brand in 2019. It ranked at the
4th spot in the Indian smartphone market. realme Headquarters: Shenzhen, China.
22. Maria Sharapova announces retirement from tennis
Five-time Grand Slam winner Russian Maria Sharapova, one of the world's most recognisable sportswomen,
announced her retirement at the age of 32. Sharapova shot to fame as a giggly 17-year-old Wimbledon
winner in 2004. She became world number one in 2005. She is the third-youngest player to claim Wimbledon
trophy.
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Insurance
1. Liberty General Insurance Introduces 'Pay for the Distance'- an Innovative Feature for Low
Mileage Drivers
Under IRDAI’s Regulatory Sandbox initiative, Liberty General Insurance Ltd. introduced a new and
innovative feature ‘Pay for the Distance’ under its existing Private Car Package Policy. It will be applicable
only for the Own Damage section of the policy. IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of
India)
2. RBI hikes insurance cover on bank deposits to Rs 5 lakh
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased insurance cover on bank deposits from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh
effective from 4 February 2020.The cover is provided by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
Corporation (DICGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI. Deposit insurance was static at Rs 1 lakh since
1993.
3. LIC’s investments in equities down 21% to ₹46,850 crore in April-January
LIC invested ₹46,850.33 crore in equities in the first 10 months of FY20, down 20.75% from the amount
invested in the same period last fiscal year. It registered 29.42% year-on-year increase in the number of
policies sold to 19,585,635. Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), Chairman MR Kumar.
4. PFRDA doubles minimum net worth for pension fund managers to ₹50 Cr
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), the regulator of the National Pension
System (NPS), has doubled the minimum net worth criterion for pension fund managers to ₹50 crore from
the ₹25 crore stipulated earlier. PFRDA Chairman- Yogesh Agarwal, Founded- 2003.
5. Tata Mutual Fund launches Tata Multi Asset Opportunities Fund
Tata Mutual Fund launches 'Tata Multi Asset Opportunities Fund'. The fund will invest in exchange traded
commodity derivatives. The launch comes after SEBI's nod to mutual funds to expand into commodity
derivatives. This is the first of its kind scheme. It will cover Equity, commodity derivatives &debt asset
classes
6. LIC Housing Finance adopts Google Cloud for newly launched App with HomY Mascot
LIC Housing Finance Ltd. has partnered with Google Cloud to host its next-generation digital mobile
platform which is expected to better serve the needs of home loan applicants. It will reduce the lengthy
paper-based loan application process. Siddhartha Mohanty, MD & CEO of LIC Housing Finance.
7. Common portal for health insurance claim settlements on the cards: IRDAI
The insurance regulator is seeking to bring all stakeholders in the health insurance space insurers, the insured,
as well as hospitals --under one roof .The aim is to standardise the claim settlement procedure and ensure
payment in a time-bound manner. T L Alamelu, member (non-life), IRDAI.
8. DPIIT notifies policy to allow 100% FDI in insurance intermediaries
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) amended the Consolidated Foreign
Direct Investment Policy 2017 (FDI Policy) to allow 100 per cent FDI in insurance intermediaries through
the automatic route. Till now, FDI up to 49% was allowed in insurance intermediaries.
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India & World

1. India, Maldives sign five MoUs for establishing Addu Tourism zone
India & Maldives signed 5 MoUs for establishing the Addu Tourism zone in 5 islands of Addu atoll at a cost
of USD 2.49 mn. MOUs were signed between the High Commissioner of India Sunjay Sudhir, Foreign
Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid & Addu City Council. 6th MoU is signed to set up a bottled water plant in
Hoarafushi.
2. India, Norway ink 4 MoUs in field of research, higher education
India & Norway signed 4 MoUs in the field of research & higher education to strengthen bilateral alliance.
One was signed between the IIT Delhi & UiT-the Arctic University of Norway, for cooperation in fields such
as bio-photonics & diagnostic tools. Norway Capital-Oslo, Currency- Krone.
3. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to sanction $3 billion loan to Andhra Pradesh
AIIB is set to give a loan of $3 billion to the Andhra Pradesh government for taking up development projects.
The loan will be utilised for construction of ports, airports, roads, water grid and irrigation projects. Jin
Liqun, President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
4. Prince Charles sets up children's protection fund for India, announces Katy Perry the ambassador
Prince Charles unveiled a new children's protection fund for India as part of British Asian Trust-charity
founded by him in 2007 to fight poverty in South Asia. It will be focussed on reducing the exploitation of
children by 50% in India over 10 years. American singer Katy Perry is the ambassador of the new fund.
5. India, Sri Lanka Discuss Ways to Fight Terrorism, Boost Trade
India and Sri Lanka agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism and boost trade and investment.
PM Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi on a five-day visit to India. PM Modi expressed hope Sri
Lanka will fulfil expectations of Tamil people. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka.
6. BBIN nations deliberate on MoU for implementation of motor vehicle agreement
BBIN nations -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal are deliberate on a proposed MoU for implementation
of the motor vehicle agreement for regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic among the
countries. First meeting of the group held at Bengaluru in January 2018.
7. President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrives in New Delhi
Portugal President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrived in India on 13 February on a 4-day visit. The 2 countries
have active & growing cooperation in the field of economy & business, science & culture, & they share
convergences on international Issues. Portugal Capital-Lisbon, Currency-Euro, PM-Antonio Costa.
8. Cabinet okays India-Iceland MoU on fisheries
Union Cabinet gave its approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) b/w India and Iceland in the
field of sustainable fisheries development. There is a provision for training fisheries professionals from key
institutions in various management aspects. Iceland capital- Reykjavik; Currency Icelandic krona.
9. India, Portugal sign 14 pacts after Modi, Kovind hold talks with Portuguese president
India & Portugal exchanged 14 agreements & understandings in a number of key areas, including aerospace,
maritime, intellectual property rights, & scientific research. Prez Kovind received Sousa at the Rashtrapati
Bhavan on his 1st state visit to India. Portugal was one of the founding members of NATO & OECD.
10. India and Thailand marching hand-in-hand to foster business relations
AsiaOne Magazine and URS Media organized a Networking Meet called India-Thailand: Today, Tomorrow,
Together collaboration with the India Thai Chamber of Commerce (ITCC) at Sathon, Bangkok. Meet stressed
the India & Thailand historical & cultural link. Thailand Capital- Bangkok, Currency- Thai Baht.
11. India to partially open up Poultry and Diary Markets to imports from US
Ahead of President Trump’s visit by the end of February 2020, Indian government has announced that it is to
partially open the poultry and Diary market to imports from US. India will now allow imports of US turkey,
chicken legs, blueberries and cherries. India is the second largest trade partner of the United States.
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12. India and Norway strengthen partnership on blue economy

Union minister Harsh Vardhan & Norway’s Minister for Climate & Environment-Sveinung Rotevatn, opened
the India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development. They also commenced a new
collaboration on Integrated Ocean Management & Research. Norway Capital- Oslo, Currency- Norwegian
krone.
13. India overtakes UK & France to become 5th largest world economy
India has emerged as the 5th-largest world economy in 2019, overtaking the UK and France, as per a report
by US-based think tank World Population Review. India has a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.94
trillion, overtaking the UK and France in 2019. In purchasing power parity (PPP), India's GDP is $10.51
trillion
14. India to host Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships in January 2022
India will host the Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships in January 2022. The medals from
the two events will be counted for ranking of competing nations at the Birmingham Games. The two events
will be held in Chandigarh. Birmingham Commonwealth Games- July 27 to August 7, 2022.
15. 16th Session of the Joint Ministerial Commission between India & Australia held in New Delhi
The 16th Session of the Joint Ministerial Commission between India & Australia was convened in New
Delhi. It was co-chaired by Union minister Piyush Goyal and Hon. Senator Simon Birmingham, Minister for
Trade, Tourism & Investment, Government of Australia. Piyush Goyal- Minister of Railways and Commerce
& Industry.
16. Sweden MP delegation visits the Election Commission of India
A ten-member delegation of MPs, members of the Committee on the Constitution in Riksdag, the Parliament
of Sweden, visited the Election Commission in New Delhi. The delegation was led by Ms Karin Enstrom,
MP and Chair of the Committee. Chief Election Commissioner: Sunil Arora
17. India & Myanmar signed 10 agreements in various fields
India & Myanmar agreed to strengthen the bilateral relations by signing 10 agreements in various fields
including infrastructure, energy, communication & health. The agreements were exchanged following talks
between PM Modi & Myanmar President U Win Myint. Myanmar capital- Naypyidaw, Currency- Burmese
Kyat.
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Environment
1. Four Indian cities to launch clean air project
Lucknow and Kanpur in UP and Pune and Nashik in Maharashtra will launch the ‘Clean Air Project in India’
(CAP India) initiative to improve the air quality in the cities. CAP was launched in the World Sustainable
Development Summit 2020 held at New Delhi. TERI along with city authorities will implement Project.
2. Tamil Nadu govt decides to declare Cauvery Delta Region as protected special agricultural zone
Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswamy has said, the Cauvery Delta Region in the state will be declared a
protected special agricultural zone. He laid the foundation stone for what is touted as Asia’s largest livestock
farm at Thalaivasal village near Salem. Hydrocarbon projects will not be allowed there.
3. Hornbill festival begins with aim to raise awareness for bird conservation
The 1st-ever hornbill festival in Tripura has begun with an aim to raise awareness among people for bird
conservation. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated the 2-day festival at Barmura Eco park. The
Hornbill family includes about 55 living species. Hornbill Festival of Nagaland is very popular.
4. Mumbai to get India’s largest air quality monitoring network
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will develop an air quality monitoring network across 90
locations in Mumbai, making it the largest network in India. It is likely to be finished over the next 5 years.
Mumbai has 30 monitoring stations at present. Delhi has 38 air quality monitors in present.
5. Climate change impact on agriculture: 50 million to be poor by 2030, says UN body
In the 43rd Governing Council meeting of the IFAD held at Rome, Italy it announced that climate change
would push 100 million people into the abyss of poverty by 2030. Close to half of these would be due to
climate change’s impacts on agriculture. IFAD- International Fund for Agricultural Development.
6. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates first inter-city electric bus service
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the first inter-city electric bus service, between Mumbai
and Pune. The 43-seater capacity luxury electric bus, manufactured by Mitra Mobility Solution, has a range
of 300 kilometre on a single charge. Minister for Transport, Highways and MSMEs, Nitin Gadkari.
7. CMS COP 13: Three Migratory Mammals Targeted
One of the Agenda of the CMS COP 13 convention includes proposals on infrastructure of migratory
mammals. The migratory mammals to be focused in the summit includes Gobi bear, Persian Leopard and
Urial along with conservation to Ganges river Dolphins. COP 13 also focuses on Great Indian Bustard &
Asian Elephants.
8. India, Norway to strengthen bilateral cooperation to contain marine pollution
India has initiated Ocean dialogue with Norway to address the problem of Marine Plastic litter. Both
countries decided to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the field of environment and climate change
particularly in the field of marine pollution. Norway Capital- Oslo, Currency- Kroner.
9. Antarctica recorded the hottest temperature of 20.75 degrees Celsius
The WMO announced that for the 1st time in record Antarctica has recorded its hottest temperature ever,
20.75 Degree Celsius. According to UN, the Antarctic stores more than 70% of world’s fresh water. If it
melts, the sea level will increase by 50-60 m. So far, the highest was 18.3 Degrees Celsius in January 1982.
10. CMS COP 13: Insects Decline to be discussed for the first time
CMS COP 13 is to discuss the effects of insects decline on migratory species for the 1st time.
Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services says that at the current rate, 40% of the
world insects will be extinct in next few decades. EUROBATS agreement focuses on insect decline.
11. India to switch to world's cleanest petrol, diesel from April 1
India will join the league of nations using petrol and diesel containing just 10 parts per million of sulphur.
India will switch to the world's cleanest petrol & diesel from April 1 as it leapfrogs straight to Euro-VI
emission compliant fuels from Euro-IV. Bharat Stage (BS)-IV had a sulphur content of 50 ppm.
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12. Carbon as old as 8,000 years found in deepest blue hole

According to journal JGR Bio geosciences, Carbon more than 8,000 yrs old has been found inside the world's
deepest blue hole-the Yongle Blue Hole, which was recently discovered in the South China Sea. They are
generally circular, steep-walled & open to surface. South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean.
13. Dolphin population in Odisha's Gahirmatha halves: Annual census
The Forest Department of the Odisha State Government conducted a census at Chilika lake to count the
number of dolphins at the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha. According to the report, the dolphin
count came down to 233 in 2020 from 259 in 2019. The Sanctuary is a part of Bhitarkanika National Park of
Odisha.
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Apps & Portals

1. RBI issues draft framework for setting up competitor to NPCI
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a draft framework for authorisation of a pan-India new umbrella entity
(NUE) for retail payment systems. The NUE could choose to be a for-profit entity or a not-for-profit as
defined under Section 8 of the Companies Act. The NUE shall have a minimum paid-up capital of 500 crore.
2. SEBI rolls out system to detect misuse of client securities by brokers
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced a system to monitor and detect misuse of client
securities by stockbrokers. Under the new system, an online register will record brokers’ holdings of client
securities. Dr. S. A. Dave was first chairman of SEBI.
3. CREDAI Awaas app: To Help Connect Home Buyers & Developers
In a bid to ease the process of buying properties and connect home buyers and developers, the Confederation
of Real Estate Developers Association of India has come up with a mobile application-CREDAI Awaas app.
It will showcase projects from 220 cities. CREDAI Chairman- Jaxay Shah.
4. NIT, Trichy develops a mobile app for Self Help Group products
The National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy, Tamil Nadu has developed Thirumathikart-a mobile app
for SHG (Self Help Group) products. The main objective of the app is to empower women and help them
access market opportunities in a seamless manner. Union Department of Science & Technology partnered for
this.
5. Birla Estates launches interactive AI powered ChatBot LIDEA on WhatsApp
Birla Estates recently launched an interactive AI Powered ChatBot solution LIDEA for its customers on
WhatsApp. The solution is aimed at providing information of its projects to users who are evaluating
residential developments of Birla Estates. John McCarthy is one of the "founding fathers" of AI.
6. Ministry of Corporate Affairs Secretary launches “SPICe+” to improve Ease of Doing Business in
the country
Injeti Srinivas inaugurated the SPICe+ Web Form as part of govt’s Ease of Doing Business initiatives. It
would offer 10 services by 3 Central Govt Ministries-Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Labour &
Dept of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance. It also includes Maharashtra State Government.
7. Union FPI Minister launches Market Intelligence and Early Warning System (MIEWS) Portal for
Monitoring prices of TOP Crops
Union FPI Minister launched the– Market Intelligence & Early Warning System (MIEWS) Web Portal.
Portal can be accessed at http://miews.nafed-india.com. It is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ platform for ‘real time
monitoring’ of prices of tomato, onion and potato. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, UM of Food Processing Industries
(FPI).
8. CBSE releases an app to locate the Exam Centre
The Central Board of Secondary Education has released an app giving information about the examination
center for the convenience of the students. CBSE has also launched an Online Exam Center Management
System-OECMS for the Principals of the school. Anita Karwal, chairperson of CBSE.
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Acquisitions & Mergers

1. Religare Group to sell Equity In Health Insurance Arm to Kedaara Group for Rs 400 Crore
Religare Enterprises Ltd. is set to sell part of stake in its health insurance subsidiary Religare Health
Insurance Company Ltd. to the Kedaara group for Rs 400 crore. The transaction is expected to be completed
within the financial year 2020-21. Rashmi Saluja, Non-Executive Independent Chairperson, Religare.
2. CCI approval: Acquisition of 100% shareholding of WABCO by ZF Friedrichshafen AG
CCI approves the acquisition of 100% shareholding of WABCO Holdings Inc. (WABCO) by ZF
Friedrichshafen AG (ZF), under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002. WABCO is a global supplier of
primarily pneumatic braking control systems. ZF is a manufacturer of various products for vehicles.
3. GMR-Groupe ADP deal for airport business gets Competition Commission nod
Competition Commission of India has given approval for GMR group's proposed 49% stake sale in its airport
business to France's Groupe ADP. Clearance is through the green channel, which allows for an automatic
system for speedy approval of combinations. Competition Commission of India is a statutory body.
4. Wipro Digital acquires customer experience firm Rational Interaction
Wipro Digital, the digital business unit of Bengaluru-based Wipro Ltd has acquired Washington-based
Rational Interaction, a full-service digital customer experience company. Acquisition will scale Wipro
Digital’s offering for chief marketing officers Wipro HQ: Bengaluru.
5. Tech Mahindra to acquire Zen3 Infosolutions for Rs 460cr
IT company Tech Mahindra has signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent stake in US-based Zen3
Infosolutions for $64 million (Rs 460 crore) in an all-cash deal. The company was founded in the year 2013.
Zen 3 Headquartered in Seattle. Tech Mahindra CEO: C. P. Gurnani.
6. NTPC's acquisition of entire stake in NEEPCO, THDC India gets CCI nod
CCI gave nod to acquisition of government's entire stake in THDC India and North Eastern Electric Power
Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) by NTPC Ltd. NTPC will acquire 100% of the issued & paid-up share capital of
the NEEPCO and 74.5% stake in THDC India. Competition Commission of India (CCI) chairman-Ashok
Kumar Gupta.
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Important Static and Current info-
State Capital Chief Minister Governor

Andhra Pradesh Amaravati Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy Biswa Bhusan Harichandan
Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar Pema Khandu Brigadier BD Mishra (retd)
Assam Dispur Sarabananda Sonowal Jagdish Mukhi
Bihar Patna Nitish Kumar Phagu Chauhan
Chhattisgarh Raipur Bhupesh Baghel Anusuiya Uikey
Goa Panaji Pramod Sawant S.P Malik
Gujarat Gandhi Nagar Vijaybhai R. Rupani Acharya Devvrat
Haryana Chandigarh Manohar Lal Khattar Satyadev Narayan Arya
Himachal Pradesh Shimla Jai Ram Thakur Bandaru Dattatraya
Jharkhand Ranchi Hemant Soren Draupadi Murmu
Karnataka Bengaluru B S Yediyurappa Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala
Kerala Thiruvananthapuram Pinarayi Vijayan Arif Mohammed Khan
Madhya Pradesh Bhopal Kamal Nath Lalji Tandon
Maharashtra Mumbai Uddhav Thackrey Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Manipur Imphal N Biren Singh Dr. Najma Heptulla
Meghalaya Shillong Conrad Sangma Tathagata Roy
Mizoram Aizawl Pu Zoramthanga P S Sreedharan Pillai
Nagaland Kohima Neiphiu Rio RN Ravi
Odisha Bhubaneshwar Naveen Patnaik Ganeshi Lal
Punjab Chandigarh Amarinder Singh V P Singh Badnore
Rajasthan Jaipur Ashok Gehlot Kalraj Mishra
Sikkim Gangtok Prem Singh Tamang (PS Golay) Ganga Prasad
Tamil Nadu Chennai Edappadi K. Palaniswami Banwarilal Purohit
Telangana Hyderabad K. Chandrasekhar Rao Tamilisai Soundararajan
Tripura Agartala Biplab Kumar Deb Ramesh Bais
Uttar Pradesh Lucknow Yogi Adityanath Anandiben Patel
Uttarakhand Dehradun Trivendra Singh Rawat Baby Rani Maurya
West Bengal Kolkata Mamata Banerjee Jagdeep Dhankhar
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Union Minister Portfolio Constituency

Narendra Modi Ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions Varanasi, UP
Rajnath Singh Ministry of Defence Lucknow, UP
Amit Shah Ministry of Home Affairs Gandhinagar,
Gujarat
Nitin Gadkari Ministry of Road Transport and Highways & Ministry of Nagpur,
Micro, Small and Medium enterprises Maharashtra
DV Sadananda Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers Bangalore North,
Gowda Karnataka
Nirmala Sitharaman Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Corporate Affairs Rajya Sabha
Ram Vilas Paswan Ministry of Consumer affairs, food and public distribution NA
Narendra Singh Ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, Ministry of Morena, M. P
Tomar Rural Development & Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Ravi Shankar Prasad Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of communications Patna Sahib, Bihar
& Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Harsimrat Kaur Badal Ministry of Food Processing Industries Bathinda, Punjab
Thaawar Chand Ministry of Social justice and empowerment Rajya Sabha (M.P)
Gehlot
Dr Subrahmanyam Ministry of External Affairs Rajya Sabha
Jaishankar (Gujarat)
Ramesh Pokhriyal Ministry of Human Resource Development Haridwar,
‘Nishank’ Uttarakhand
Arjun Munda Ministry of Tribal Affairs Khunti, Jharkhand
Smriti Zubin Irani Ministry of Women and child Development & Ministry of Amethi, UP
Textiles
Dr Harsh Vardhan Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Chandni Chowk,
Science and Technology & Ministry of Earth Sciences Delhi
Prakash Javadekar Ministry of environment, forest and climate change & Rajya Sabha (M.P)
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise
Piyush Goyal Ministry of Railways & Ministry of Commerce and Rajya Sabha
Industry (Maharashtra)
Dharmendra Pradhan Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Ministry of Steel Rajya Sabha (M.P)
Mukhtar Abbas Ministry of Minority Affairs Rajya Sabha
Naqvi (Jharkhand)
Pralhad Joshi Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of coal & Dharwad,
Ministry of Mines Karnataka
Dr Mahendra Nath Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Chandauli, UP
Pandey
Giriraj Singh Ministry of Animal Husbandry, dairying and fisheries Begusarai, Bihar
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Monthly Current Affairs

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23. Cabinet Approves amendment of DTAA with Sri Lanka

12. Cabinet approves setting up a new Major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra

23. SNA to compile National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

24. Maharashtra CM presents State awards to 44 sportspersons

23. Koneru Humpy wins Cairns Cup Chess Tournament in US

11. Govt launches school health programme under Ayushman Bharat

12. Arvind Kejriwal to take oath as Chief Minister of Delhi

11. Vice President felicitates 3 Padma Awardees from Telangana

Ranks & Reports

11. February 15: World Pangolin Day

Date Day Theme

Summit & Conferences

22. NITI Aayog organizing Sustainable Development Goals Conclave 2020

Science & Technology

12. Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2020 began in Salisbury Plains, UK

Books & Authors

12. Tripura’s Seven-time MP Bajubian Reang passed away

India & World

12. India and Norway strengthen partnership on blue economy

12. Carbon as old as 8,000 years found in deepest blue hole

Apps & Portals

Acquisitions & Mergers

Important Static and Current info-

State Capital Chief Minister Governor

Union Minister Portfolio Constituency

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