1) Homi Bhabha National Institute Accorded Approval to Start its Off-Campus Centre at Bhubaneswar.
- The Central Government, on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), has accorded its approval to the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai, Maharashtra to start an off-campus centre at Bhubaneswar in the name of National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER) with prospective effect.
- The aforesaid Act allows for conduct of academic course/ programmes, subject to review of the off-campus centre by the UGC biennially for six years and subsequently after every five year subject to usual terms and conditions as prescribed under the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2010 and its amendments in 2014 and 2015.
- The Institution Deemed to be University viz Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai had submitted a proposal to Ministry of Human Resource Development in the year 2010 for establishment of an off-campus centre at Bhubaneswar in the name of National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER).
- The proposal was examined by the UGC with the help of an Expert Committee in terms of the provisions of UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2010 and its amendments.
Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai was declared as an as Institution Deemed to be University on the advice of the UGC on 3rd July 2005 consisting of following ten Constituent Units:
(1) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai
(2) Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam
(3) Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT), Indore
(4) Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata
(5) Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), Kolkata
(6) Institute of Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar
(7) Institute of Physics (IOP), Bhubaneswar
(8) Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Allahabad
(9) Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai and
(10) Institute of Mathematical Science (IMSc), Chennai
2) Make In India Week Concludes In Mumbai.
- More than 8 lakh people visited the Make In India Expo and other events, of which 49,743 were registered delegates. 102 countries were represented in the mega expo.
- A total of 150 events were organized under the Make In India Week banner while more than 25,000 people participated in Seminars and Symposia, where over 1,200 experts from various walks of life from Ministers, Chief Ministers, policymakers, industrialists, academicians and spiritual gurus spoke on wide ranging issues concerning business and society.
- The Make In India Expo was spread over 23 lakh sqft area, housed under air-conditioned hangers in 27 halls. 215 exhibitors show cased their strengths and opportunities in 11 sectors covering aerospace & defence, automobiles, chemicals & petrochemicals, construction machinery, food processing, infrastructure, IT & electronics, industrial equipment & machinery, MSME, pharmaceuticals and textiles. 17 Indian states and 3 countries – Germany, Sweden and Poland had their pavilions in the Make In India Centre.
- Make In India Week also provided platform for nearly 8,200 Business-to-Business, Business –to-Government and Government–to-Government meetings.
Key deals concluded during the MIIW
- Sterlite Group company TwinStar Display Technologies & MIDC for LCD manufacturing unit in technical collaboration with Autron of Taiwan.
- BAE Systems and Mahindra for assembling and testing of M777 Howitzers.
- ORACLE’s USD 400 million investment in India to set up 9 incubation center.
- Trivitron healthcare manufacturing unit in Chennai.
- Gujarat Government and Vestas (Denmark) for wind mill blades manufacturing unit at Ahmedabad.
- Raymond Industries to invest Rs. 1400 crore for manufacturing linen yarn and fabric facility.
- Mahindra & Mahindra: Investment – Rs. 8000 crores (Nashik: Rs. 6500 crores, Chakan – Rs. 1,500 crore).
- Gujarat Government and Tar Kovacs Systems (France) for offshore platform to develop marine applications in Gujarat.
- Tar Kovacs and Government of Karnataka for setting up ocean based renewable energy project.
- Yes Bank and IREDA for financing of renewable power projects.
- Ascendas | Investment: Rs. 4571 crore | Employment: 1.09 Lakh.
- Mercedes | Investment: Rs. 1500 crore | Employment: 4270.
- Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers | Investment: Rs. 6204 crore | Employment: 140.
- Godrej Industries| Investment: Rs. 3000 crore | Employment: 2000.
- JSW Jaigarh Port Ltd | Investment: Rs. 6000 crores | Employment: 1000.
- CREDAI and MCHI for 5.7 Lakh affordable homes with an investment of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore and 7.6 lakh jobs.
- Government of Jharkhand and Vedanta Ltd.
- Government of Jharkhand and Adani group to set up a thermal power plant with a total capacity of 1,600 MW to be supplied to Bangladesh Grid.
- Agreement between Government of Jharkhand and Adani Group to set up a Coal based Methane fertilizer plant.
- Uber and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department (SDED) of the Maharashtra government.
- Solar Industries and Government of Maharashtra to set up a Nagpur plant for manufacturing of ammunition for armed forces.
Policies/ initiatives unveiled
- Rs. 2,200 crore Electronics Development Fund was unveiled by the Communications & IT Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad to finance innovations, research and development in electronics manufacturing sector.
- National Capital Goods Policy was unveiled by the Heavy Industries Minister Shri Anant Geete aimed at creating an ecosystem for a globally competitive capital goods sector.
- Investment Opportunities in Food Processing Industry by Ms.Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
- E toll policy covering 360 toll plazas on the National Highways across the country.
3) Indian Naval Symphonic Orchestra Mesmerises Delhi Audience.
- Indian Naval Symphonic Orchestra captured the hearts and minds of the music aficionados of New Delhi during an Annual Symphonic Musical Extravangza held at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi.
- The world famous band regaled and enthralled the audience with a wide range of repertoire of stirring Martial Music, arrangements of Western Classical, Indian Classical and other forms of contemporary popular and folk music.
- The harmonious evening was organised as part of the Navy Week Activities - 2015, at Siri Fort Auditorium. Hon’ble Raksha Rajya Mantri Rao Inderjit Singh, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
4) Vibrant North East event concludes in Guwahati.
The three-day long Vibrant North East event has come to an end in Guwahati.
The second edition of the event was jointly organized by the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development and ASSOCHAM in association with DoNER and Food Processing Ministry. M.H. Khan, Member of Central Administrative Tribunal, Alok Sinha, Adviser of the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development and M.K. Seth, Chief General Manager of BSNL were present in the valedictory function.
5) 42nd Khajuraho Dance Festival begins in Madhya Pradesh.
- The 42nd Khajuraho Dance Festival began in the temple town of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.
- The world famous dance festival began with Odissi group dance of Ranjna Gauher and others. Madhumita Roy and Madhuri Majumdar gave presentation of Kathak-Kuchipudi and Purvadhanashree presented Bharatnatyam. State Fine Arts Awards were given away to ten artists on this occasion.
- Programmes based on conversation with artists, screening of documentaries and short films on topics like fine arts and performing arts and an art exhibition are other highlights of the dance festival. Presentations of Mohiniattam, Kathak and Odissi dances will be given by eminent artists.
6) Madhya Pradesh’s Katni To Have India’s Longest Railway Bridge.
- Katni in Madhya Pradesh will have India`s longest railway bridge, 14 km on the up line, almost three and half times longer than Vembanad Rail Bridge in Kerala that connects Edappally and Vallarpadam in Kochi and is 4.62 km long. Called Katni grade separator, down line of the bridge would be of 7 km. Its total length would be 21 km up and down side.
- Project received clearance from Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recently along with other railway projects. Design and survey of the bridge has been completed and it will take 5 years for completion.
- Bridge would pass above Katni yard and connect with Bina line. Both goods and passenger trains would be benefitted from the bridge that would be equipped with digital signalling and maintained online.
7) Four Bengali sweets to get GI tag.
- The West Bengal government is planning to get Geographical Identification (GI) tag for four traditional sweetmeat delicacies of the State to help protect them from imitations.
- The four sweetmeats are ‘Moa’ of Jainagar, ‘Sarpuria’ of Krishnagar, and ‘Sitabhog’ and ‘Mihidana’ of Burdwan, said Jayanta Kumar Aikat, Director of Food Processing Industries.
- A GI tag is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
- While ‘Jainagar-er moa’ is made of puffed rice and date palm jaggery at Jainagar in South 24 Parganas district, Krishnagar of Nadia district is famous for ‘Sarpuria’ which is made of milk cream. ‘Sitabhog’ and ‘Mihidana’ are rice-based sweets from Burdwan.
8) Ministry of I&B to organize 1st International Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration at NFAI Pune.
- National Film Archives of India (NFAI), a media unit under the aegis of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in association with International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) is organizing a 10-day International workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration at NFAI campus, Pune.
- The International Workshop is a unique and first of its kind initiative of Ministry of I&B where various aspects and techniques of film archiving would be dealt with comprehensively.
- NFAI being the only organization involved in films preservation and archiving in India, became the obvious choice for this year’s workshop.
- The International faculties from FIAF, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Modern Art and L’Immagine Ritrovata would also share their knowledge which would benefit both the NFAI personnel and other students.
- 48 participants from India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had enrolled for the workshop. Last year a workshop on the subject was organized at Film Division, Mumbai.
- NFAI is in the process of implementing prestigious National Film Heritage Mission. The International workshop would be a step forward in this direction, which would ensure strengthening our in-house capabilities for the successful implementation of the mission.
Workshop objective:
- The goal of the programme is not only to augment the infrastructure and capacity of the NFAI but also to build an indigenous resource of film archivists and restorers who can work towards saving India’s cinematic heritage in the future.
Highlights:
- 10-day advanced intensive practical training in film archiving, preservation and restoration
- Specialized training in film inspection, repair and cleaning
- Conservation of posters, production stills and paper documents
- Conservation treatment of photographic prints and negatives
- Restoration practice and ethics
9) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Puducherry.
- The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy has launched the flagship scheme; ‘Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)’ on 15th July, 2015 to enable and mobilize a large number of youth to take up outcome based skill training and earn their livelihood.
- It is a skill certification and reward scheme where in trainees after their successful assessment and certification, get monetary reward through direct bank transfer to their account.
- The scheme has the target to benefit 24 lakh persons with training of 14 lakh fresh entrants and certification of 10 lakh persons under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
| Total Candidates enrolled |
4472 |
|
Candidates trained
|
3082 |
| Candidates got employment (as on 14th February, 2016) |
112 |
| No. of Sector Skill Council (SSCs) |
24 |
| No. of training providers |
27 |
| No. of training centres |
60 |
| No. of Job Roles |
34 |
10) Rescue Operation at Siachen.
- A massive ice wall facing Sonam Post in Northern Glacier (Siachen) suddenly collapsed and 10 Army personnel were trapped under it.
- All possible resources of the Army/Air Force were mobilized and directed towards the rescue operation launched to rescue them.
- Mortal remains of five soldiers were recovered and Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad was rescued alive.
- Mortal remains of the remaining four soldiers were recovered. Lance Naik Koppad, however, expired despite medical efforts at Research and Referral Hospital, New Delhi.
11) Mumbai Police created 16 no-selfie zones.
- Mumbai has declared 16 no-selfie zones across the city after a spate of accidental deaths linked to what India’s popular press has dubbed “selfie fever”.
- Fuelled by the celebrity fad for smartphone camera self-portraits, India’s youth have been gripped by a craze for selfies taken in unusual spots and at unique angles.
- The statistic may in part be due to India’s size, with 1.25 billion citizens and one of the world’s fastest-growing smartphone markets. But it is also no doubt down to its globalised popular culture. India’s newspapers regularly cover stories about celebrity selfies as well as condemnatory diatribes against the dangers of such vanity.
12) Annual State Ex-Servicemen Rally Held at Shillong.
- Ex - Servicemen’s rally and a medical camp for ex-servicemen and their kin were organized at Assam Regimental Centre, Happy Valley, Shillong.
- Shri V. Shanmuganathan Hon’ble Governor of Meghalaya was the chief guest. Shri HDR Lyngdoh Minister of GAD, Lieutenant General Amrik Singh, Sena Medal, Chief of Staff Headquarters Eastern Command, Lieutenant General SP Nawathe Vishisht Seva Medal, General Officer Commanding 101 Area and Major General Sukesh Rakshit, Chief of Staff Headquarter 101 Area and a number of senior army and civil dignitaries were present at the rally.