DMRC to bring in world’s first transit rating system:
The world’s first transit rating system, which caters exclusively to metro networks, was unveiled at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s head office.
The Metro Bhawan has also become the first building in the country to achieve a certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). “Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will be the first metro network in the world to pursue the pilot – LEED v4 O+M. To assess the functioning of metro stations, an ‘arc performance platform’ has been released, which will track performance based on five categories — energy, water, waste, transportation, and human experience.
Jammu & Kashmir Government Launches e-Prison Project:
The Jammu & Kashmir government launched an E-Prison project NIC Centre Civil Secretariat Jammu to digitalize the record about the jail inmates.
The project was inaugurated the state Minister for Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Service & Sports, Molvi Imran Raza Ansari. The projected is being implemented by J&K e-Governance Agency. Data about 500 jail inmates have already been digitized.
Haryana govt imposes curbs on liquor consumption in public:
According to a notification by the Haryana government, no person shall be allowed to consume liquor at a place which has not been licensed or authorised under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, except at one’s own dwelling.
The state Excise and Taxation Minister Captain Abhimanyu informed that consumption of liquor on or along the road, in a park/garden/market, along a river side as well as in a vehicle, whether running or parked, shall now be an offence.
Haryana
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Capital : Chandigarh
- Chief Minister : Manohar Lal Khattar
- Governor : Kaptan Singh Solanki
Mamata Banerjee declares Kalimpong as separate district:
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee declared Kalimpong as 21st district of West Bengal Kalimpong as separate district of WB on. The new district is from Darjeeling. On the same day Banerjee announced two projects for the development of newly created Kalimpong
Rs 220 crore road link project to connect Kalimpong with Sikkim via the old Silk Route
Rs 50 crore water supply project to address Kalimpong’s water scarcity problem.
Achievers with disabilities to be honoured on Feb.18:
The 15th edition of the Cavinkare Ability Awards, which was instituted to honour achievers with disabilities in various fields, will be presented at an event at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao concert hall, Chetpet, on February 18.
This year, nearly 180 nominations were received from 20 States. The Eminence Award is presented to a person with disability for individual achievement in initiating an organisation to contribute to society. This award comprises a trophy, citation and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh
Schoolchildren set world record, fly 7,730 paper planes in 1 minute:
As many as 80 students of Moginand Senior Secondary School in Himachal Pradesh have set a world record by flying 7,730 paper planes in one minute. This record was set as a part of a campaign against drugs. The record was previously held by 87 students of a New Zealand school, where 3,622 paper planes were flown in a minute.
Madhya Pradesh government to set up Tourism Board:
Shivraj Singh Chouhan lead by Madhya Pradesh government has decided to constitute Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board for expansion of facilities at tourist spots and draw investment in the sector. The board would work to frame, execute and monitor new policies for inviting investors, increase land bank
India Joins 9 Country UN Network to Reduce Maternal, Newborn and Child Deaths by 2030:
India has become one of the nine members of the new ‘Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ that aims to improve the quality of care for new mothers and babies. The global health network is supported by World Health Organisation (WHO), UN International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
The main aim of the network is to strengthen national efforts to improve the quality of care for new mothers and babies so that countries can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals targets to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths by 2030.
India to Join Moscow Meet on Afghanistan’s Future:
India participated in a conference organized to discuss Afghanistan’s future in Moscow along with 5 other nations.
The conference was led by Russian President Putin’s special envoy on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov while India was represented by Gopal Baglay. This was objected by India and Afghanistan as India has always believed in close and constructive cooperation for peace, stability, security and development in Afghanistan. Due to this Moscow agreed to expand its scope of conclave and announced a six-nation conference including India.
Country : Afganistan
President : Ashraf Ghani
Capital : Kabul
Currency : Afghan afghani
US, Thailand to launch 2017 Cobra Gold Military Exercise:
The 2017 Cobra Gold Military Exercise kicked off at the Sattahip Royal Thai Marine Corps Base in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Cobra Gold 2017 is the 36th edition of the multinational drill and is co-organized by Cobra Gold United States and Thailand. It will expand regional cooperation and collaboration for disaster relief.
The ten day exercise would continue till February 24, 2017 and the closing ceremony of the event will take place in Phu Lamyai Training area in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
India, Croatia signs agreement to boost bilateral trade & enhance economic cooperation:
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Martina Dalic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Republic of Croatia have signed an agreement to boost bilateral trade and enhance economic cooperation in Zagreb, Croatia
Aim : To promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations.
Country : Croatia
Capital : Zagreb
Prime minister: Andrej Plenković
Currency : Croatian kuna
President : Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
Cabinet nod for SBI merger with 5 associate banks:
The Cabinet approved the merger of State Bank of India with five of its associate banks – State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala, and State Bank of Travancore. The merger is likely to result in recurring savings, estimated at more than ₨.1,000 crore in the first year, through a combination of enhanced operational efficiency and reduced cost of funds. The suggestions were taken on-board and decision formally approved by the Cabinet.
Exports record positive growth for a fifth consecutive month:
India’s goods exports recorded positive growth for the fifth consecutive month with shipments in January rising by 4.32% to $22.1 billion following good performance by major sectors such as engineering and petroleum as well as low base of 14.1% contraction in January 2016
Ujjivan inks ₨.150 crore deals with Birla Sun Life:
Ujjivan Financial Services Limited, a Bengaluru-based MFI (micro-finance institution), has struck a ₨.150 crore securitisation deal with Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund. The transaction comprises individual loans as underlying assets.
The investment was rated A+ by India Ratings. Ujjivan has a Small Finance Bank licence from the Reserve Bank of India. It began its operations in 2005. It has assets under management (AUM) of about ₨.6,500 crore as of December last year. IFMR Capital, which facilitates capital access for institutions that lend to financially, excluded households and businesses, arranged the deal.
Non executive Chairman: K.R.Krishnamoorthy
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Mahindra sets up Delhi-Mumbai service corridor:
Mahindra Truck & Bus Division (MTBD) of the Mahindra Group has announced the successful implementation of its Delhi-Mumbai Service Corridor to provide quick service support to its customers. With this, Mahindra truck customers can avail service every 60 kilometres along the route connecting Delhi and Mumbai. In addition, the company has also guaranteed that it will provide service support within two hours on the Delhi–Mumbai Service Corridor. The service centres will carry out emergency repairs, part replacement and check-up of vehicles with service guarantees, to assure customers of Mahindra’s service availability along the entire route.
CEO: Anand Mahindra
Headquarters: Mumbai
ISRO creates history with Launch of 104 satellites, Breaks Russia’s Record:
India, a one-rocket fledgling in space transportation compared to its European and U.S. counterparts, created launch by placing a record 104 spacecraft in their desired orbits. The feat was performed on the old reliable launch vehicle, the PSLV, numbered C-37, which took off from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at 9.28 a.m. C-37 was a largely commercial flight as all but three passenger satellites, small nanosats, belonged to six other countries. 
The PSLV now marks 38 successful missions in a row out of a total of 39 flights. ISRO launches 104 satellites in one go, creates history SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT RECORD HAUL: The PSLV-C37 blasting off from Sriharikota with 104 satellites.
Scientists Discover banned Toxic Chemicals Banned in animals in world’s Deepen Ocean stretch:
Scientists from United Kingdom have discovered high levels of human-made pollutants, including chemicals that were banned in the 1970s in the tissues of the marine creature that lives deep inside the Pacific Oceans.
In the study, the scientist sampled amphipods from the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana trench as well as from Kermadec trench. To their surprise, the researchers found extremely high level of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the organism’s fatty tissue.
These chemical includes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) which are commonly used as electrical insulators and flame retardants. The research was published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
President appoints five new SC judges:
President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed five new Judges to Supreme Court of India. Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Naveen Sinha, Madras High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Chhattisgarh High Court Chief Justice Dipak Gupta, Kerala High Court Chief Justice Mohan M Shantanagouder
And Karnataka High Court judge Justice S Abdul Nazeer have been appointed to the Apex Court by the President Pranab Mukherjee with effect from the date they assume charge of their office. The working strength of Supreme Court is 28 now against the sanctioned strength of 31.
Norman promoted as FIBA Technical Delegate:
Norman Isaac has become the first Indian ever to be promoted by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) as Technical Delegate (TD). The sport’s worldwide governing body recently confirmed the appointment after Isaac, along with a select few aspirants from across the globe, successfully cleared a battery of tests at Doha, Qatar.
FIBA (Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball)
Head quarters: Mies, Switzerland
President : Horacio Muratore
Secretary General : Patrick Baumann
Justice Vikramjit Sen takes charge of DDCA:
Justice (Retd) Vikramjit Sen took charge of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and issued a series of instructions which showed he means business. Justice Sen has asked the DDCA to provide the list of grants/allocations provided to all alienated clubs in seven days.
France’s Jean-Pierre Lacroix named new UN peacekeeping chief:
Jean-Pierre Lacroix from France has been appointed as the head of UN peacekeeping for a year pending a review of the world body’s functions and
structure by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
UN:
♦ Headquarters: New York, United States
♦ Head: Antonio Guterre
Fourth Laureus for Bolt; Biles wins her first:
Sprint king Usain Bolt pipped the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James to win the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ trophy for the record- equalling fourth time while gymnast Simone Biles clinched the top honour in the women’s category at the Laureus World Awards here.
Greenest’ schools awarded Kendriya Vidyalaya from Hebbal in Karnataka:
A school from Punjab’s Moga district, a Kendriya Vidyalaya from Hebbal in Karnataka, and a sports school from Sonipat, Haryana, claimed the top honours as the “greenest” schools of 2016 in India. Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar gave away the Green Schools Awards, instituted by the New Delhi based research and advocacy body Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Asuka and Sakura claim under-21 honours:
World junior champion Harimoto Tomokazu fell short of living up to the hype but his compatriots from Japan swept the under-21 titles to spoil Hong Kong’s party in the $150,000 ITTF World Tour India Open table tennis tournament.
Stuart McLean, CBC Radio host and award-winning humorist, dead at 68:
Stuart McLean, the host of CBC Radio’s The Vinyl Café and an award-winning humorist, has died at age 68 after a battle with melanoma. McLean’s trademark blend of storytelling, part nostalgia, part pithy observations about everyday life and folksy, familiar delivery made him a hit with audiences for more than 20 years. But he always maintained that success came as a surprise to him.
