- PM Modi forms 3 sub-groups of Chief Ministers under NITI Aayog
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formed three sub-group of chief ministers under NITI Aayog to suggest further rationalisation of 66 centrally funded schemes.
- The first sub-group will look into which amongst the 66 centrally sponsored schemes are required to continue and which can be cut down or transferred to states.
- Prime Minister also asked all states to create two task forces under the aegis of the NITI Aayog — one task force would focus on poverty alleviation and the other would focus on future development of agriculture in the state, and how the Centre can assist the state in this regard.
- It also set up sub-groups on skill development and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
- Government to infuse Rs 6,990 crore in 9 public sector banks
- Government will soon infuse Rs 6,990 crore in nine public sector banks including SBI , Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB) for enhancing their capital and meeting global risk norms.
- This is the first tranche of capital infusion for which the government had allocated Rs 11,200 crore in the Budget for 2014-15.
- Among the beneficiaries, largest public sector lender SBI leads the pack with a capitalisation of Rs 2,970 crore, followed by BoB Rs 1,260 crore, PNB Rs 870 crore and Canara Bank Rs 570 crore.
- Besides, Syndicate Bank will get Rs 460 crore, Allahabad Bank Rs 320 crore, Indian Bank Rs 280 crore, Dena Bank Rs 140 crore and Andhra Bank Rs 120 crore.
- Marathi novelist Bhalchandra Nemade chosen for Jnanpith award
- Eminent Marathi litterateur Bhalchandra Nemade, whose 1963 novel Kosala(Cocoon) changed the dimensions of Marathi novel, has been selected for 2014 Jnanpith Award, the highest literary honour in India, by the Jnanpith Selection Board.
- Nemade is the fourth Marathi writer to win the literary honour after VS Khandekar in 1974, VV Shirwadkar alias Kusumagraj in 1988, and Govind Karandikar alias Vinda Karandikar in 2003.
- He was honoured with Sahitya Akademi award in 1991 for his volume of criticism, Teeka Swayamvara, and Padma Shri in 2011.
- World’s first robot-staffed hotel to open in Japan
- A robot-staffed hotel, said to be the world’s first, is set to open in Japan in July where guests checking into the futuristic facility will be greeted and served by remarkably human-like robots.
- The hotel will be called Henn-na Hotel, which translates as Strange Hotel.
- The robots will be able to speak Japanese, Chinese, Korean and English.
- Uttarakhand government’s Himalaya Darshan programme launched
- Uttarakhand government has launched its ambitious “Himalaya Darshan” programme as part of its ongoing efforts to boost tourism in the state.
- To boost tourism in the state, a helicopter ride on subsidised rates will be offered to tourists with a shoestring budget.
- A guest house of Uttarakhand Civil Avitation Authority was also inaugurated on the occasion.
- 57th annual Grammy Awards
- The 57th Annual Grammy Awards were held on 8 February 2015 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
- Some of the awards are:
- Best album of the year – Morning Phase – Beck Hansen
- Best record of the year – Stay With Me – Sam Smith
- Best song of the year – Stay With Me – James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith
- Australian PM Abbott survives leadership challenge
- Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged an end to disunity after surviving a party confidence vote on his leadership.
- Liberal Party MPs voted by 61 to 39 not to open up his position to challengers.
- Yash Bharti Samman for Vinod Mehta
- Distinguished journalist Vinod Mehta has been conferred Uttar Pradesh’s highest civilian award Yash Bharti by the State government.
- Yash Bharti Samman is conferred by the Uttar Pradesh Government for excellence in literature, fine arts, folk and classical music and sports.
- India’s Lahiri wins maiden European Tour title in Malaysia
- ndian Anirban Lahiri secured his breakthrough European Tour title by overhauling Austrian Bernd Wiesberger in a dramatic final round of the Malaysian Open.
- Mumbai to Get 6,000 CCTV Cameras
- Maharashtra government today signed an MoU worth Rs. 949 crore with engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for setting up CCTV based surveillance in the city.
- As per the MoU signed by the company and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, 6,000 CCTVs will be installed across the metropolis and suburbs by September 2016.
- In the first phase, installation of CCTVs in south Mumbai is expected to complete by November this year, while north and east Mumbai will be covered by April next year.
- In the final and third phase, central and west Mumbai will be covered.
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