National Panchayati Raj Day
observed
National Panchayati Raj Day observed every year on
24 April 2015. The Government of India decided in consultation with the States
to celebrate 24th April as National Panchayati Raj Day. The day is observed to
mark the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into
force with effect from 24 April 1993.
Switzerland tops World Happiness
index, India ranked at 117
Switzerland is the world's happiest country.
Switzerland topped the third annual World Happiness index produced by the
Sustainable Development Solutions Network, an initiative under the United
Nations. Switzerland was closely followed by Iceland, Denmark, Norway and
Canada. The World Happiness Report examined 158 countries and is aimed at
influencing government policy. India ranked at 117 considered to be the
unhappiest countries in the world. Syria ranked at last (158) least happy
country in the world.
VARUNA a naval exercise between India
& France commenced at Goa
The fourteenth edition of Indo-French Naval
Exercise named VARUNA-15 commenced off the coast of Goa. The 10-day long joint
naval exercise will end on 2 May 2015, aimed at further deriving mutual benefit
from the experiences of the two navies and strengthening the bilateral ties
between India and France.
Earthquake rocks Nepal
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on Richter
scale struck Nepal. The quake and a series of serious aftershocks delivered a
severe blow to Nepal and one that has faced a recent wave of political turmoil
amid debate over a new constitution.
The quakes also affect parts of North and Northeast
India. The earthquake with epicentre at Lamjung, around 80 kilometers northwest
of Kathmandu, had its impact in several cities in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar
Prades. The tremors were also felt across vast stretches of east and northeast
India. It was also felt in China, Bhutan and as far as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
World Malaria Day observed
World Malaria Day is observed today globally.
World Malaria Day was established and approved at
the 60th World Health Assembly (WHA) in March 2007. On World Malaria Day
advocates and citizens around the world raise awareness of malaria as a disease
that is preventable and treatable and mobilize action to end the ravages of
malaria. Worldwide, more than 1200 children die every day from Malaria, the
United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF said in its report.
Assam awarded as Best e-Panchayat
state
Assam has been awarded as the Best e-Panchayat
state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the award to state Rural
Development minister yesterday in New Delhi. Commissioner of Assam Rural
Development said that 8 Panchayat Raj Institutes also got Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat
Shasaktikaran award .
BOB join hands with UAE Exchange for
NRI money transfer
India's leading Indian public sector bank, Bank of
Baroda has join hands with UAE Exchange to offer an instant cash transfer
facility to NRI customers. As per the agreement, customers can send money to
their desired bank accounts in Bank of Baroda in India, within minutes.
Bank of Baroda has a network of more than 5,000
branches across Europe, US, Africa, Asia and Australia and in financial centres
like New York, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. UAE Exchange, a global
remittance and foreign exchange company, serves over 7.9 million customers
worldwide and currently has over 750 branches across 32 countries.
Suvidhaa Infoserve applies for
payment bank licence
Suvidhaa Infoserve Ltd, has applied to RBI for
payment bank license in the country. Suvidhaa Infoserve Ltd, is a e-commerce
group with the flagship company of the Rs 6,500-crore . "Suvidhaa is the largest
non-bank entity offering domestic remittance service and other payment services
in India and its head office located in Mumbai.
ICICI Bank launches app for Apple's
iWatch
After HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank has also launched an
application for iWatch, on expectations that those wearable payment solutions
would pick-up soon.
The application will enable customers of ICICI Bank
to view their transactions and do limited transactions such pay utility bill and
recharge prepaid mobile. Apple's iWatch will be on sale on April 24 in UK, US,
Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan although it is
not very clear when the Apple would launch the iWatch in India.
India & Bangladesh join hands to
protect spectacled Langur
India and Bangladesh have decided to take concerted
conservation efforts to protect the rare spectacled Langur found in Patharia
Hills Reserve Forest on either side of the fenced border along Karimganj
district of Assam's Barak Valley. This is the only forest in Assam, where the
Spectacled Monkey is found while Mizoram and Tripura are the other two states in
the country where it inhabits.
NTPC & Andhra Pradesh join hands
for 250 MW solar power plant
NTPC and Andhra Pradesh power utilities signed a
power purchase agreement (PPA) for procurement of power from the 250-megawatt
solar power plant being set up in the State. Agreement is for the first phase of
the 1,000-megawatt ultra solar power project being set up by NTPC in Anantapur
district of Rayalaseema.
NTPC plans to be a 1,28,000 megwatt company and is
targeting to have 28 per cent of its installed capacity from non-fossil fuel
sources.
UP Govt allows to accept documents in
Urdu now
The state government of Uttar Pradesh has allowed
all the government offices of the state to accept the letters and applications
from public in Urdu and also reply the applicants in the same language. The
state government has now directed all districts authorities and head of
departments to ensure that Urdu is used as second official language in
government functioning without any laxity.
Andhra govt allots Rs 27,000 cr for
to harvest rain water
The Andhra Pradesh government has allotted 27,000
crore rupees for a massive drive to harvest rain water under the Neeru-Chettu
(water and tree) programme.
Indian-origin diplomat Gopinath
Pillai awarded ‘Outstanding Service Award’
Indian-origin diplomat Gopinath Pillai was awarded
‘Outstanding Service Award’ for his services by the National University of
Singapore (NUS). Current he is serving as Ambassador-at-Large of Singapore and
special envoy to Andhra Pradesh. Pillai has served as a diplomat for more than
25 years to Singapore through his distinguished service. From 1990 to 2008, he
had served as the non-resident Ambassador to Iran.
Anil Kapoor awarded with Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2015
Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor was conferred with
prestigious Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2015. Noted historian and writer
Babasaheb Purandare presented him the award.
“Operation Maitri”
Launched
“Operation Maitri” is the name given to the massive
rescue and relief launched by the Indian Army in Nepal. It includes medical
teams, Engineer Task Forces (consisting of manpower, skid steers and JCBs),
blankets and tents and INMARSAT for satellite communications devices.
Ratan Tata invested in
Xiaomi
Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group,
recently acquired a stake in Xiaomi, a Chinese phone company to
become first Indian to make investment in this company.
Bharatiya Mahila Bank won the Asian
Banker Achievement Award 2015
Bharatiya Mahila Bank was awarded for
Technology Implementation in the category of Best Outsourcing Project (New
Bank).
Sangeeta Bhatia, Indian-origin
scientist at MIT, won the 2015 Heinz Award
Bhatia who developed
artificial human microlivers for drug testing was awarded for her work in tissue
engineering and disease detection.
Source: The Indian Express, TOI