1- 23rd edition of New Delhi World Book Fair begins

23rd edition of New Delhi World Book Fair begins

The 23rd edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair began at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

This year the theme of fair is Suryodaya: Emerging Voices from Northeast India. Singapore has been accorded the Guest of Honour Country status for this edition of fair while the Focus Country is South Korea. The nine-day event has been organised by National Book Trust (NBT), an apex body of the under the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. While, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is the Co-organizer.

Over 1,500 exhibitors from all over India and 30 countries are participating in this year’s fair. Besides, the fair also hosting many literary and publishing conferences, emerging new voices in Indian writing as well as special programmes for children and youth.

About New Delhi World Book Fair

The Delhi Book Fair is India’s oldest book fair organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. First Delhi Book Fair Was held in March 1972 and was inaugurated by then President of India VV Giri,

2- Arvind Kejriwal sworn in as 8th CM of Delhi

Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal was sworn-in as 8th Chief Minister of Delhi. Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at oath taking ceremony held at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi.

Along with Arvind Kejriwal following 6 Cabinet Ministers were sworn in Manish Sisodia, Asim Ahmed Khan, Sandeep Kumar, Satyendar Jain, Gopal Rai and Jitender Singh Tomar.

Earlier, President Pranab Mukherjee had appointed Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister of Delhi and 6 Ministers of his govenment as per provisions of Article 239AA of Constitution.

With these appointments, President revoked the President’s rule in Delhi which was imposed in February 2014 under Article 239AB of the Constitution .

Background

In 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP staged a historic victory by sweeping 67 of the 70 seats. This will be Arvind Kejriwal‘s second term as Delhi Chief Minister. Earlier in February 2014, he had resigned after running a 49-day government with the support of Congress.

About Arvind Kejriwal

• He was born on 16 August 1968 in Siwani, Haryana.
• Education: Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur.
• He had worked for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) as a Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax Department.
• He was instrumental in drafting a proposed Jan Lokpal Bill and his efforts to bring and implement the Right to Information (RTI) Act at grassroots level.
• In 2012, he had launched Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which ousted the Shiela Dixit’s regime of Congress after winning 2013 Assembly polls.
• He is second youngest Chief Minister of Delhi. Chaudhry Brahm Prakash was the youngest Chief Minsiter at 34 when he took over in 1952.
• In 2006 he was awarded Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership.

3- Balasubramaniam Venkataramani appointed as MD & CEO of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX)

Balasubramaniam Venkataramani

Balasubramaniam Venkataramani has been appointed as new MD & CEO of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX). He will replace then MD & CEO Manoj Vaish.

Prior to this appointment B Venkataramani was Chief Business Officer of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The top post at MCX was lying vacant since May 2014, after then MD & CEO Manoj Vaish had resigned. Till the vacant time, Joint Managing Director of MCX P K Singhal was looking after the day-to-day operations of the exchange.

About Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX)

• The MCX is country’s first listed commodity futures exchange that facilitates online trading, and clearing and settlement of commodity futures transactions, thereby providing a platform for risk management.
• It began functioning in November 2003 and operates within the regulatory framework of the Forward Contracts Regulation Act, 1952 (FCRA, 1952).
• MCX offers futures trading in bullion, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, energy, and a number of agricultural commodities (mentha oil, cardamom, potatoes, palm oil and others).
• Globally, MCX ranks no. 1 in silver, no. 2 in natural gas, no. 3 in crude oil and gold in futures trading.

4- India successfully test-fires BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from INS Kolkata

India has successfully test-fired its 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from the Navy’s indigenously built destroyer INS Kolkata.

The successful test fire of missile took place off the Goa coast after it met all its designed test parameters. Thus, showcasing INS Kolkata’s capability of firing the BrahMos missiles.

About INS Kolkata

• INS Kolkata was commissioned by the Indian Navy on 16 August 2014. The ship was indigenously built by Mazagon Dockyards Limited under Project 15-Alpha series.
• INS Kolkata has unique feature of firing 16 BrahMos missiles in one go in salvo mode compared to normal destroyer which has the capacity to fire eight missiles.
• The ship also equipped with the Universal Vertical Launcher (UVLM) which is designed, developed and patented by BrahMos Aerospace. UVLM provides ship with the benefits of stealth and permits launching of the missile vertically in any direction.

About BrahMos missile

• BrahMos supersonic cruise missile designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture of India and Russia. Missile’s name has been derived from the names of two rivers, India’s Brahmaputra River and Russia’s Moskva River.
• Features-It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram and has top supersonic speed of Mach 2.8. It is two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant.
• BrahMos has already been inducted into the Indian Army and Navy. While, the Air Force version is in final stage of trial.

5- India signs $8 million loan agreement with World Bank for SLACC Project

India signed a loan grant agreement worth US $8 million with World Bank for Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaption to Climate change (SLACC) Project.

The agreement was signed by Joint Secretary in Union Ministry of Finance Tarun Bajaj and World Bank’s India Country Director Onno Ruhl.

About Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaption to Climate change (SLACC) Project

• SLACC Project aims at improving the adaptive capacity of the rural poor particularly women farmers engaged in farm-based livelihoods to cope with climate change and scale up the demonstrated best practices.
• SLACC project will be implemented in collaboration with government programs such as Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
• While, National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is the implementing agency of SLACC.
• It will focus to provide assistance in Climatic hazards that affect the availability of natural resources, which adversely affect the livelihoods of the poor by impacting production, affecting incomes and preventing building up of assets.

6- PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Permanent Judicial Museum at Bombay High Court

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Permanent Judicial Museum at Bombay High Court located on the ground floor of the heritage building of court.

This museum is conceived and set up as part of the Sesquicentennial Celebration (150th year) of the Bombay High Court.

Key highlights

• It is first of its kind museum in Maharashtra designed by AdvocateRajan Jaykar. It displays antique items associated with the rich history of the 150 year old court.
• Museum displays some historic and important documents such as the barrister certificates of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr B R Ambedkar, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, judgment copies of sedition cases against Lokmanya Tilak.
• It also displays barrister certificates of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, K M Munshi and the first Chief Justice of India, M C Chhagla.
• It showcases a cannon dating back to 1864, the charter by which Queen Victoria established the Bombay High Court in 1862, and subsequent charters from 1879 giving more powers to the court.
• There are old candle stands with original glass casings, inkpots and paperweights, an original wig, a silver mace and other judicial paraphernalia on display.

The first judicial museum in the country was opened at Supreme Court of India premises in Delhi. It should be noted that Madras high court, Punjab and Haryana high court and Madhya Pradesh high court, also have their own museums displaying their glorious past.

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