Current Affairs - February 2015

TNPSC Current Affairs February 2015
Miscellaneous 

• Vaibhav Shenoy
• Young artist from mangaluru was announced the winner of the national level Stamp design competition organised by Indiapost to mark the republic day with Clean India as the theme.
• Fr Alexis Premkumar
• A christian priest from Tamil nadu was released by the Taliban who was abducted eight month ago in Afghanistan.
• Important Days
• 4th Feb - World Cancer Day
• 28th Feb - National Science Day
• INS Sindhukosh
• It is an Indian Submarine which recently collided with a small fishing trawler off the Goan coast during an exercise.
• International Jazz Day
• It is a musical event.
• Paris in France will be the host city for the International Jazz Day April 2015.
• Amber Fort
• it is Jaipur (Rajasthan).
• Recently opened for viewing at night to promote night toourism.

Polity

• NITI Aayog
• NITI - National Institution for Transforming India
• NITI is an institution that replaces the Planning commission of India aiming to involve the states in policy making.
• The first meeting of the NITI Aayog was held on 9th February 2015.

Economy

• India is the largest consumer of Gold in 2014 with 880 tonnes of gold.
• China in the second position with 866 tonnes of gold.
• Liberalised Remittance Scheme
• RBI has now increased the forex remittance limit to 2.5 Lakh USD per individual in a year
• States to get 42% of Centre's net tax receipts
• The union cabinet accepted the recommendation of the 14th finance commission to increase the states' share from 32% to 42% in the centre's net tax receipts.
• The chairman of the 14th Finance commission is Y.V. Reddy.
• The AAP Government in Delhi reduced the electricity tariff by 50% for the household consumers upto 400 units per month.
• Railway Budget 2015-16 Highlights
• The railway bugdet was separated from the general budget in the year 1924 by the recommendation of the Acworth Committee.
• Railway Minister Suresh prabhu presented the Railway budget 2015-16.
• No increase in Passenger's fares.
• Operation 5 Minute: Passenger travelling unreserved can get the tickets within 5 minutes.
• No new trains instead the amenities will be enhanced.
• All India grievance readdress  helpline 138 to be introduced.
• More general coaches in selected trains.
• JAM Number Trinity
• JAM - Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar Card and a Mobile Number
• The Economic Survey 2014-2015 states that the JAM Number Trinity - Accounts seeded with Aadhaar number and a valid mobile number helps the states' subsidies to reach the poor in well targeted and less distorted manner.
• Chief Economic Adviser: Arvind Subramaniam

Environment and Health

• 2014 - warmest year : WMO
• World meteorological organisation recently published a report stating that the year 2014 is the warmest year on record.
• World meteorological organisation is located in Geneva (Switzerland).
• Vengurla-7
• It is a cashew nut variety which was recently recommended to be cultivated in the coastal areas of maharashtra.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List
• Critically endangered species
• Indian white backed Vulture
• Long billed Vulture
• Slender Billed Vulture
• Red Headed Vulture
• Forest Owlet
• Endangered species
• Egyptian Vulture
• Saker
• Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)
• It helps to cure blood diseases and cancers like myeloma or leukaemia.

Science and Technology

• 18th National conference on E-Governance was held in Gujarat.
• Theme: Digital governance - new frontiers 
• GAGAN
• GAGAN - GPS aided geo augmented navigation
• It is a navigation system recently launched by India.
• It provides more efficiency in air traffic.
• National wide mobile Number Portability commences from May 3rd 2015.
• TRAI amended the regulations to make the National Wide MNP.

World

• Indian PM Modi's Srilanka Visit
• Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi has planned to visit Srilanka in the month of March 2015..
• The previous Indian PM to visit Srilanka was Rajiv Ghandhi in 1987.
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Visited China recently.
• UNICEF  '7'
• It is a new fund launched by David beckham for the UNICEF.
• This new fund '7' is for helping children in warzones
• The number 7 was chosen as the name of the fund because it is the jersey number of David Beckham(Manchester united).
• Surya Kiran 8 (Feb 2015)
• It is a military exercise between India and Nepal.
• Surya kiran 8 was held at Saljhandi in Nepal
• SAARC Yatra
• S.Jaishankar (Foreign Secretary) to begin SAARC Yatra from March 2nd 2015.
• Bangladesh is the first country in the yatra list and next to Pakistan.
• Death Toll crossed 200 in Afghanistan in a series of Avalanches caused by the heavy snowfall.
• The 7th BRICS Summit 2015 will be hosted by Russia in July 2015.
• The 6th SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit 2015 will be hosted by Russia in July 2015.

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