Ministry of Corporate Affairs inaugurates SPICe+ web form

NATIONAL NEWS

1^st year Anniversary of PM-KISAN was observed.

• The 1^st year Anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme was observed on 24^th February.
• The Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar presided over the event.
• PM-KISAN scheme is an initiative by the government of India in which all small and marginal farmers will get up to ₹6,000 per year as minimum income support.
• Agriculture Minister Mr. Tomar also launched a mobile app named “PM-KISAN” for the benefit of the farmers.

 Ministry of Corporate Affairs inaugurates SPICe+ web form

• The secretary of Ministry of Corporate Affairs Mr. Injeti Srinivas has inaugurated the ‘SPICe+’ Web Form.
• The SPICe+ web form comes under the Government of India’s Ease of Doing Business (EODB) initiatives.
• The “SPICe+” web form replaces the existing “SPICe” and provides 10 services by 3 Central Govt Ministries & Departments and One State Government (Maharashtra).
• The web form is mainly for curbing the time, procedures and cost for Starting a Business in India.

Raksha Mantri honours best marching contingents for Republic Day Parade 2020.

• The Union Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh honoured the best marching contingents with trophies at the Republic day Parade 2020.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent bagged the best among the tri services of the country.
• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was given the trophy for the best marching contingent in the Central Armed Police Forces and other auxiliary forces category.

Union HRD Minister presents the Chatra Vishwakarma Awards 2019.

• Union Human Resource Development Minister Mr. Ramesh Pokhriyal felicitated the AICTE Vishwakarma Awards 2019 at New Delhi.
• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) organised the Award Ceremony for promoting the innovations and achievements of individuals and organizations.
• A total of 23 teams under various sub- categories were recipient of the Chatra Vishwakarma Awards (CVA). Six institutes were felicitated by the Union Minister under the Utkrisht Santhan Vishwakarma Award (USVA).

4th anniversary of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission was celebrated.

• The Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the 4^th anniversary of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
• The Mission was started by PM Narendra Modi on 21st February 2016, with a view to provide the basic amenities and infrastructure in a wide, integrated and time bound manner.

'Namaste Trump' event held at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahemdabad in Gujarat.

• US President Mr. Donald Trump is on his 2-day visit to India.
• As a Welcoming note event “Namaste Trump” was organised at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Bangladesh records worst in Child Malnutrition-UNICEF

• A report from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF reported that Bangladesh records for the sharp decline in its Child Malnutrition Rate.
• Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019 collected the data between January to June of 2019.

Dr Niti Kumar was honoured with SERB Women Excellence Award-2020.

• SERB Women Excellence Award-2020 was given to Dr. Niti Kumar, senior scientist from Division of Molecular Parasitology and Immunology CSIR-CDRI, in Lucknow.
• Dr. Niti Kumar research is on studying about the malaria parasites and to inspect alternative drugs for malaria.
• She will be honoured by President of India Mr. Ramnath Kovind during National Science Day Celebrations on February 28, 2020 in Vigyan Bhawan.
• Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) works under the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), Government of India.

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

NABARD sanctions for infrastructural development in J&K.

• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned  ₹ 400.64 crore to Jammu and Kashmir to boost up the infrastructural development in J&K.
• Also a sum of  ₹ 143.66 crore has been sanctioned for the implementation of 38 water supply schemes to provide safe and palatable drinking water in rural areas.

US exceeds China as India's top trading partner.

• The United States has surpassed China to become India's top trading partner.
• The bilateral trade between the US and India is almost at 88 billion dollars in 2018-19 fiscal year.
• During the April-December 2019-20, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at 68 billion dollars against a nearly 65 billion dollars’ trade with China in the same period.

SPORTS NEWS

Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships 2022 to be hosted by India.

• The Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships which is scheduled in January 2022 will be hosted by India.
• The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) declared their decision after the three-day Executive Board meeting in London.

Khelo India Winter Games 2020.

• The first ever Khelo India Winter Games is to be hosted by The Union Territory of Ladakh.
• Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju will inaugurate the games on 25th Feb at NDS Indoor Ice Hockey Rink in Leh.

Grandmaster D Gukesh wins 34th Cannes Open.

• India's 13-year old Grandmaster D Gukesh has won the Chess championship in the 34th Cannes Open in France.
• Basically originated in Tamilnadu D Gukesh, has become the world's second youngest Grandmaster last year.