1. Bihar signs pact for joining UDAY scheme
1. Bihar has become the sixth state to join the central government’s financial revival scheme for electricity distribution utilities which will give the state a benefit of ₹ 9,000 crore over the next three years.
2. The State Government and the distribution utilities of Bihar – North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd – signed the memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Power.
3. Under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), savings in interest cost, reduction in AT & C and transmission losses, coal reforms and other initiatives will help give the state ₹ 9,000 crore.
4. Out of the total debt of ₹ 3,110 crore with the state’s electricity distribution utilities, Bihar Government will take over ₹ 2,332 crore of the debt and the remaining will be issued as state guaranteed discom bonds. This would give annual interest cost savings of ₹ 117 crore.The biggest chunk of financial benefit will come from reduction in AT & C losses and transmission losses of around ₹ 6,650 crore.
2. Justice Vineet Saran appointed as the new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
1. President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Justice Vineet Saran as the new Chief Justice of Orissa (Odisha) High Court. He will take oath on 26 February 2016.
2. Prior to this appointment, Justice Saran was working as a senior judge of Karnataka High Court.
3. The post of Orissa (Odisha) Chief Justice was vacant since 15 February 2016 as Justice D H Waghela was transferred be the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
3. Swachh Paryatan mobile app launched
1. The Centre has launched a mobile app ‘Swachh Paryatan’ in order to facilitate general public to communicate their complaints about any unclean area/garbage piles in and around tourist destinations.
2. The app, which is available on Android Phones, will also be soon available on Apple and Microsoft as well.
3. It shall be monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism.
4. Initially, 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments such as Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Elephanta Caves, Qutub Minar Complex, among others, have been identified for inclusion in the app, but it would be scaled up to include more monuments as the campaign expands, the statement said.
4. Italy's Sara Errani clinched Dubai Tennis Championships title
1. Italy’s Sara Errani defeated Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova to clinch the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships women’s singles title.
A former Top 10 fixture and French Open finalist, Errani's greater big-match experience shone through as she emerged victorious by a 6-0, 6-2.
5. Malayalam film Ottal named best children’s film at Berlin International Film Festival
1. Malayalam film Ottal (The Trap) has been named as best feature-length and best short films in the children’s category at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. It has been honoured with the prestigious Crystal Bear award in the ‘Generation K-Plus’ section. The film has been directed by Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair. It is based on story about an old fisherman and his grandson.
2. The film is an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s short story ‘Vanaka’. Earlier, Ottal had bagged the National Award for best film on Environment Conservation/Preservation. It had set a record at 20th International Film Festival of Kerala by sweeping all the top awards.
6. 66th Berlin International Film Festival
1. 66th edition of Berlin International Film Festival was held in Berlin, Germany from 11 February to 21 February 2016. American actress Meryl Streep was the President of the Jury. Italian documentary film Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) directed by Gianfranco Rosi was awarded prestigious Golden Bear, the top prize of the festival.
Other prizes
Honorary Golden Bear: Michael Ballhaus.
Silver Bear for best director: Mia Hansen-Løve (France) for Things to Come.
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Trine Dyrholm (Denmark) for The Commune.
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Majd Mastoura (Tunisia) for Hedi. Silver Bear for Best Script: Tomasz Wasilewski for United States of Love.
Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear): Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tanović.
Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear): A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery by Lav Diaz.
Crystal Bear or the best short film: El inicio de Fabrizio for Argentinian film Fabrizio’s Initiation.
7. February 21: International Mother Language Day
1. International Mother Language Day (Bhasha Divas) is being observed across the world on 21 February.
2. Importance of Day: Seeks to promote awareness of linguistic, multilingualism and cultural diversity. It also signifies importance of mother language as the greatest weapon to express one’s feeling. Mother Language of one country is the sign of independence of that country.
3. 2016 Theme: “Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes”. The year 2016 is the 16th anniversary of International Mother Language Day.
8. Noted Classical singer Bhubaneswari Mishra passes away
1. The famous Odissa singer Bhubaneshwari Mishra passed away following a sudden cardiac arrest in New Delhi. She was 67. She was one of the talented artist from Odisha and was renowned as classical and playback singer.
2. She had started her career as a classical singer in the 1970s with debut song ‘Tiki Mora Naa Ti’ for the mythological Odia movie Krushna Sudama.
9. Jayant Misra appointed as DG of DRI
1. Senior IRS officer Jayant Misra has been appointed as Director General (DG) of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He will succeed Najib Shah, Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs who was holding the charge as DG of DRI.
2. Prior to this appointment, Jayant Misra was serving as Director General (Systems) of Systems and Data Management based in New Delhi.
10. Punjab Warriors wins 2016 Hockey India League
1. The Jaypee Punjab Warriors has won the fourth edition of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) title 2016. It was their maiden title. In the final match played at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, they defeated Kalinga Lancers by 6-1 goals. In earlier two seasons, Punjab Warriors had finished runners-up after they had lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 and to Ranchi Rays in 2015.
Other Awards
Player of the Tournament Award: Rupinder Pal Singh (Delhi Waveriders).
Man of the Match Award: Mark Knowles (Punjab Warriors)
Goal of the Match award: Armaan Qureshi (Punjab Warriors). Emerging Player of the Match award: Armaan Qureshi. Dhruv Batra
Maximum Goals award: Glenn Turner (Kalinga Lancers).
Ponty Chadha Upcoming Player of the Tournament award: Sumit (Ranchi Rays).
1. Bihar signs pact for joining UDAY scheme
1. Bihar has become the sixth state to join the central government’s financial revival scheme for electricity distribution utilities which will give the state a benefit of ₹ 9,000 crore over the next three years.
2. The State Government and the distribution utilities of Bihar – North Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Ltd – signed the memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Power.
3. Under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), savings in interest cost, reduction in AT & C and transmission losses, coal reforms and other initiatives will help give the state ₹ 9,000 crore.
4. Out of the total debt of ₹ 3,110 crore with the state’s electricity distribution utilities, Bihar Government will take over ₹ 2,332 crore of the debt and the remaining will be issued as state guaranteed discom bonds. This would give annual interest cost savings of ₹ 117 crore.The biggest chunk of financial benefit will come from reduction in AT & C losses and transmission losses of around ₹ 6,650 crore.
2. Justice Vineet Saran appointed as the new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
1. President Pranab Mukherjee appointed Justice Vineet Saran as the new Chief Justice of Orissa (Odisha) High Court. He will take oath on 26 February 2016.
2. Prior to this appointment, Justice Saran was working as a senior judge of Karnataka High Court.
3. The post of Orissa (Odisha) Chief Justice was vacant since 15 February 2016 as Justice D H Waghela was transferred be the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
3. Swachh Paryatan mobile app launched
1. The Centre has launched a mobile app ‘Swachh Paryatan’ in order to facilitate general public to communicate their complaints about any unclean area/garbage piles in and around tourist destinations.
2. The app, which is available on Android Phones, will also be soon available on Apple and Microsoft as well.
3. It shall be monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism.
4. Initially, 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments such as Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Elephanta Caves, Qutub Minar Complex, among others, have been identified for inclusion in the app, but it would be scaled up to include more monuments as the campaign expands, the statement said.
4. Italy's Sara Errani clinched Dubai Tennis Championships title
1. Italy’s Sara Errani defeated Czech Republic’s Barbora Strycova to clinch the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships women’s singles title.
A former Top 10 fixture and French Open finalist, Errani's greater big-match experience shone through as she emerged victorious by a 6-0, 6-2.
5. Malayalam film Ottal named best children’s film at Berlin International Film Festival
1. Malayalam film Ottal (The Trap) has been named as best feature-length and best short films in the children’s category at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival. It has been honoured with the prestigious Crystal Bear award in the ‘Generation K-Plus’ section. The film has been directed by Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair. It is based on story about an old fisherman and his grandson.
2. The film is an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s short story ‘Vanaka’. Earlier, Ottal had bagged the National Award for best film on Environment Conservation/Preservation. It had set a record at 20th International Film Festival of Kerala by sweeping all the top awards.
6. 66th Berlin International Film Festival
1. 66th edition of Berlin International Film Festival was held in Berlin, Germany from 11 February to 21 February 2016. American actress Meryl Streep was the President of the Jury. Italian documentary film Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) directed by Gianfranco Rosi was awarded prestigious Golden Bear, the top prize of the festival.
Other prizes
Honorary Golden Bear: Michael Ballhaus.
Silver Bear for best director: Mia Hansen-Løve (France) for Things to Come.
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Trine Dyrholm (Denmark) for The Commune.
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Majd Mastoura (Tunisia) for Hedi. Silver Bear for Best Script: Tomasz Wasilewski for United States of Love.
Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear): Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tanović.
Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear): A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery by Lav Diaz.
Crystal Bear or the best short film: El inicio de Fabrizio for Argentinian film Fabrizio’s Initiation.
7. February 21: International Mother Language Day
1. International Mother Language Day (Bhasha Divas) is being observed across the world on 21 February.
2. Importance of Day: Seeks to promote awareness of linguistic, multilingualism and cultural diversity. It also signifies importance of mother language as the greatest weapon to express one’s feeling. Mother Language of one country is the sign of independence of that country.
3. 2016 Theme: “Quality education, language(s) of instruction and learning outcomes”. The year 2016 is the 16th anniversary of International Mother Language Day.
8. Noted Classical singer Bhubaneswari Mishra passes away
1. The famous Odissa singer Bhubaneshwari Mishra passed away following a sudden cardiac arrest in New Delhi. She was 67. She was one of the talented artist from Odisha and was renowned as classical and playback singer.
2. She had started her career as a classical singer in the 1970s with debut song ‘Tiki Mora Naa Ti’ for the mythological Odia movie Krushna Sudama.
9. Jayant Misra appointed as DG of DRI
1. Senior IRS officer Jayant Misra has been appointed as Director General (DG) of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He will succeed Najib Shah, Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs who was holding the charge as DG of DRI.
2. Prior to this appointment, Jayant Misra was serving as Director General (Systems) of Systems and Data Management based in New Delhi.
10. Punjab Warriors wins 2016 Hockey India League
1. The Jaypee Punjab Warriors has won the fourth edition of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL) title 2016. It was their maiden title. In the final match played at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, they defeated Kalinga Lancers by 6-1 goals. In earlier two seasons, Punjab Warriors had finished runners-up after they had lost to Delhi Waveriders in 2014 and to Ranchi Rays in 2015.
Other Awards
Player of the Tournament Award: Rupinder Pal Singh (Delhi Waveriders).
Man of the Match Award: Mark Knowles (Punjab Warriors)
Goal of the Match award: Armaan Qureshi (Punjab Warriors). Emerging Player of the Match award: Armaan Qureshi. Dhruv Batra
Maximum Goals award: Glenn Turner (Kalinga Lancers).
Ponty Chadha Upcoming Player of the Tournament award: Sumit (Ranchi Rays).
