IOC to invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam to augment operations
Indian Oil Corporation will invest Rs3,400 crore in Assam over the next five years to expand its operations by setting up new units as well as upgrading the existing ones.
The company will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Assam Government to this effect at the two-day ‘Advantage Assam – Global Investors Summit 2018’, beginning in Guwahati.
They are signing an MoU with the state government that will empower us to invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam over the next five years.
This will be for various projects across the state,” Indian Oil Corporation, Executive Director (IndianOil-AOD), Dipankar Ray.
INTERNATIONAL
Maldives declares state of emergency
Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of Emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television.
The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners.
The latest crisis was triggered when the Maldivian Supreme Court ordered the release of some opposition leaders, including former president Mohammed Nasheed, after overturning their “terrorism” convictions.
Dubai named the world’s busiest International Airport
Dubai International Airport says it has held on to its No 1 ranking as the world’s busiest airport for ‘international travel’, after seeing some 88.2 million passengers in 2017.
Dubai International Airport first surpassed London Heathrow as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic in 2014.
It has maintained the title ever since, with some 90 airlines flying into skyscraper-studded Dubai.
The airport is home to the long-haul carrier Emirates.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia remains the world’s busiest airport overall.
· Japan Launches Smallest Rocket Ever To Carry Tiny Satellite into Orbit
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)launched the world’s smallest rocket with the ability to put a tiny satellite into orbit.
The rocket lifted off from the Uchinoura Space Center.
It carried a microsatellite TRICOM-1R, a three-unit CubeSat weighing about 3 kilograms.
This satellite launch was a re-flight of the TRICOM-1 mission, which was lost in SS-520’s failure in 2017.
The launch was aimed at testing the ability of JAXA to launch low-cost rockets that can put microsatellites into space at affordable rates.
NATIONAL
· India contributes $1 million to UN Development Partnership Fund
India contributed additional $1 million to India-UN Development Partnership Fund, earmarked for South-South cooperation.
The contribution aims to intensify its partnerships with other developing countries in the south.
India has pledged a multi-year contribution of $100 million to the fund establishment in June 2017.
The fund was set up on 9 June 2017 on occasion of the World Oceans Day as a partnership between India and United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.
· International company Singtel to invest 2649 crores in Bharati Telecom
Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) spend up to 2643 crores on shares in India’s Bharti Telecom, lifting its stake slightly in the holding company for Bharti Airtel to just under half.
India’s telecommunications sector has been hit hard by a price war since the entry of carrier Reliance Jio, the telecoms arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, more than a year ago.
The purchase worth as much as 26.5 billion rupees could increase Singtel’s stake in Bharti Telecom by up to 1.7 percentage points to 48.9 percent and its holding in Bharti Airtel, the country’s biggest mobile carrier, by up to 0.9 percentage points to 39.5 percent.
The deal will be done via a preferential share allotment.
Maharashtra govt approves new wildlife sanctuary at Ghodazari
The Maharashtra government has approved Ghodazari in Chandrapur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state.
The decision was taken at the 13th meeting of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The sanctuary, in the North East of Tadoba, will include 159 sq km of Brahmapuri forest.
· India Successfully Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Agni-I Missile
India successfully test-fired the indigenously developed short-range nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile.
The missile was fired from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
The test was conducted by the Strategic Force Command of the Indian Army.
The range of Missile is 700 km.
It was 18th version of Agni-I.
· Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go on 4-day visit to Palestine, UAE, Oman on February 9
Prime Minister Narendra Modiwill have a packed schedule during his four days visit to Palestine, UAE, and Oman from ninth of this month.
This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine, and Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to UAE and first to Oman.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will hold discussions on matters of mutual interest with their leaders, apart from participating in many community events.
In Dubai, Prime Minister would be addressing the Sixth World Government Summit being at which India has been extended ‘Guest of Honour’ status. Joint Secretary (Gulf).
IWAI Signs Project Agreement With World Bank For Jal Marg Vikas Project.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)signed a project agreement with the World Bank for Jal Marg Vikas Project on river Ganga.
The World Bank entered into a USD 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Union Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP).
Jal Marg Vikas Project, which is expected to be completed by March 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address elections rallies at Sonamura & Kailasahar in Tripura
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies at Sonamurain Sipahijala districtand Kailasahar in Unakoti district.
Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Sarbanand Sonowal addressed public meetings in Teliamura and Majlishpur yesterday.
Assam’s former Chief Minister and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi campaigned in Badarghat constituency.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar addressed rallies in Kumar ghat and Kailasahar of Unakoti district. The state will go to polls on the 18th of this month to elect a new assembly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing rallies in Sonamura of Sipahijala and Kailasahar of Kailasahar districts. In view of PM’s rally, the security arrangement has been beefed up in the state.
Also, yesterday addressing a rally in Teliamura, Assam’s Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to develop each and every state of the country.
INTERNATIONAL
· Forbes Releases Its First-Ever Cryptocurrency Rich List
Business magazine Forbes released its first-ever Crypto Rich List, comprising 20 wealthiest peoplein the cryptocurrency space.
The list was topped by Ripple Co-founder Chris Larsen, who is estimated to have a crypto net worth of $7.5-8 billion.
He is followed by Ethereum Co-founder Joseph Lubin ($1-5 billion) and Founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance Changpeng Zhao ($1.1-2 billion).
· Bermuda Becomes first Country In World To Abolish Same-Sex Marriage
Bermuda becomes the first country to legalize and then repeal same-sex marriage.
Bermuda’s governor John Rankin approved a bill reversing the right of gay couples to marry, despite a supreme court ruling last year authorizing same-sex marriage.
NATIONAL
· Google and NCERT Join Hands To Teach Students Digital Safety
Google and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)signed a pact to integrate a course on ‘Digital Citizenship and Safety’ in information and communication technology curriculum.
It was signed on the occasion of Safer Internet Day (06th February).
The curriculum developed by NCERT in collaboration with Google will be used to train students from class I – class XII across 1.4 million schools in India where they will learn how to become good and responsible digital citizens. The curriculum is spread into four themes – being smart, being safe, being a digital citizen and being future ready.
· HAL Develops First Hawk-I Flight
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited developed the first flight of Hawk-i with indigenous Real Time Operating System (RTOS).
Hawk-i is the first indigenous RTOS developed in India from scratch and certified by Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).
The RTOSis the system software which provides a standard run-time environment for real-time applications execution in a safe and reliable manner.
· Fifth South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference Held In New Delhi
The Fifth edition of South Asia Region Public Procurement Conferencewas held in New Delhi.
It was hosted by Public Procurement Division (PPD) of Ministry of Finance and All India Management Association (AIMA).
It was held under auspices of South Asia Region Public Procurement Network (SARPPN),which is sponsored and facilitated by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Islamic Development Bank.
The theme this edition of the conference was “Public Procurement and Service Delivery”.
· Union Cabinet approves implementation of PMRF scheme gives nod to enhance beneficiaries under Ujjwala Yojana from 5 to 8 crores
Union Cabinet approved implementation of Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) schemeat a total cost of 1,650 crore rupees for a period of seven years beginning 2018-19. The scheme was announced in the Union Budget for 2018-19.
Under this scheme, the best students who have completed or are in the final year of B. Tech or Integrated M.Tech or M.Sc. in Science and Technology streams from IISc or IITs or NITs or IISERs or IIITs will be offered direct admission in the Ph.D. programme in the IITs or IISc.
Such students, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, and are shortlisted through a selection process, as laid down in the PMRF Guidelines, will be offered a fellowship of 70 thousand rupees per month for the first two years, 75 thousand rupees per month for the 3rd year and 80 thousand rupees per month in the 4th and 5th years.
· Defence Ministry constitutes a 13-member advisory committee to expedite capital acquisition for Armed Forces modernisation
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharamanconstituted a 13-member advisory committee to monitor and expedite capital acquisition projects for the modernization of the armed forces.
In a statement, the Ministry said, the committee will undertake an independent review and check the status of ongoing critical projects worth more than 500 crore rupees.
The panel will suggest measures to improve the capital acquisition process.
The committee, headed by Vinay Sheel Oberoi, will have to present an initial status report on identified projects to the Defence Minister by March 31.
Centre to link driving licence with Aadhaar
The Centre is in the process of linking driving licences with Aadhaar number to weed out fake licences and a software for this covering all states on a real time basis is under preparation, the Supreme Court was told.
A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta was informed about it by a court-appointed committee on road safety headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice K S Radhakrishnan.
This assumes significance as a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra is currently hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme and the enabling 2016 law.
ISRO sets up 473 Village Resource Centres for rural development
To demonstrate the potential of satellite technology for development of rural areas, ISRO established Village Resource Centres (VRCs) on a pilot scale, in association with selected NGOs, Trusts and State Government Departments.
VRCs have provided various space technology enabled services such as tele-healthcare, tele-education, natural resources information, advisories related to agriculture, career guidance to rural students, skill development and vocational training etc.
About Rs 18 crores was spent for establishing 473 VRCs.
· Development of Solar Cities scheme: 60 Solar Cities to be developed
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)under its “Development of Solar Cities” scheme sanctioned the development of 60 Solar Cities including 13 Pilot and 5 Model Cities up to 12th Five-year Plan period (2012–2017).
So far, master plans of 49 Solar Cities have been prepared.
Under it, local Governments are motivated for adopting renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.
Solar City developed under this scheme will have all types of renewable energy based projects like solar, wind, biomass, small hydro, waste to energy.
India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, in Odisha. It is a surface-to-surface missile and has a strike range of 350 km.
Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is thrust by liquid propulsion twin engines.
Inducted into the Armed forces of the country in 2003, the nine-meter-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
Jhulan Goswami first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets
India’s veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami has added another feather to her illustrious cap by becoming the first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.
Goswami achieved the feat during the second ODI between India and South Africa.
The 35-year-old, playing her 166th ODI, dismissed opener Laura Wolvaardt for her 200th scalp.
She was adjudged ICC Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007.
