1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate five new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences on February 25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate five new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences under Ayushman Bharat, Vikas Bharat on February 25 . This program will be organized in Gujarat . These include All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rajkot in Gujarat, Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh, Bathinda in Punjab, Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh and Kalyani in West Bengal. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also inaugurate medical colleges and nursing colleges across the country. Seven All India Institutes of Medical Sciences are being inaugurated in just ten days. The foundation stone of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rewari, Haryana was laid on Friday, while the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Jammu will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20.
2 Agreement between IREDA and Punjab National Bank for co-financing of renewable energy projects
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of taking forward renewable energy initiatives across the country . The agreement signed on February 19, 2024 at the registered office of IREDA in New Delhi will pave the way for joint efforts in co-lending and line of credit support for a diverse spectrum of renewable energy projects. Various provisions have been included in this MoU to support renewable energy projects. These include working towards competitive terms of sanction including joint lending, credit support and underwriting, management of Trust and Retention Accounts (TRAs) for IREDA borrowers, and pricing on IREDA borrowings. Along with this, through collaboration, both IREDA and PNB can also invest in bonds issued by any of the organizations.
3. REC Limited awarded ‘Innovative Technology Development Award’ during IIT-Madras CSR Conclave for setting up 2 MW rooftop solar plant at IIT
REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise and leading NBFC under the Ministry of Power, was awarded the ‘ Innovative Technology Development Award ‘ during the IIT Madras Corporate Social Responsibility Conference – ‘ Building India 2047: Technology for a Better Tomorrow ‘. The award has been given for REC’s CSR initiative towards setting up a 2 MW rooftop solar plant at IIT-Madras. This solar plant generates approximately 31.5 lakh units of clean energy every year, helping IIT Madras to reduce its carbon footprint. REC Limited maintains a strong commitment to CSR through its CSR arm – REC Foundation and it prioritizes projects that have a deep impact on society. Apart from this, emphasis is also given to Sustainable Development Goals and national priorities.
4 President Draupadi Murmu honored constable of Railway Protection Special Force with ‘Jeevan Raksha Padak’
President Draupadi Murmu honored Constable Shri Shashikant Kumar of Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) with the prestigious ‘ Jeevan Raksha Padak ‘ for the year 2023 on the occasion of Republic Day 2024 . He received this honorable recognition because of his unmatched courage, thoughtfulness and quick action in saving the life of a female railway passenger. Shri Shashikant Kumar displayed extraordinary bravery when he saw a lady passenger in grave danger at Prayagraj Chhivki Railway Station on June 8, 2023. The woman passenger was trying to get down from the moving train when her foot slipped and she got stuck between the train and the platform and was about to come under the wheels of the moving train when Kumar, without any hesitation, risked her safety. Saved the life of the distressed female passenger.
5 Organization of Neem Summit and Global Neem Trade Fair in New Delhi on 19-20 February 2024 in collaboration with ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi.
Neem Summit and Global Neem Trade Fair is being organized in New Delhi on 19-20 February 2024 in collaboration with ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi . The event started with the inauguration of the trade fair by Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR, Dr. Himanshu Pathak. 22 companies from India and abroad participated in the trade fair and displayed their products. The theme of the seminar is ‘Neem for sustainable agriculture, health and environment’.
6 IEPFA and DBS Bank sign MoU to spread awareness on investment and fraudulent schemes
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in New Delhi between the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and DBS Bank , a leading financial institution with a strong presence in Asia and South East Asia . . As per the MoU, DBS Bank aims to disseminate safety messages through its various digital platforms. support the investor awareness activities of IEPFA byLeveraging DBS Bank’s extensive network of branches and ATMs across 19 Indian states, as well as its digital infrastructure, will significantly increase the reach of IEPFA’s investor awareness and protection messages to end users.
7 Banana festival organized in Burhanpur city of Madhya Pradesh, famous for banana production in Central India.
Banana festival is being organized in Burhanpur city of Madhya Pradesh, famous for banana production in Central India . This two-day festival is being organized with the cooperation of the district administration and other departments. This festival is being organized under the ‘One District-One Product’ programme. Banana is cultivated on 23 thousand 6 hundred 50 hectares of land in Burhanpur. 18 thousand 3 hundred 25 farmers are engaged in this work and they produce 16 lakh metric tons of bananas. Along with this, the figure of sale of banana here is one thousand seven hundred crore rupees.
8 Khajuraho dance festival begins in Madhya Pradesh
Khajuraho Dance Festival is starting in Khajuraho , Madhya Pradesh . This is the 50th year of this prestigious dance festival . The festival will be inaugurated by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav .
9 Telangana Assembly approves statewide caste survey
The Telangana Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to conduct a comprehensive household caste survey across the state . It aims to collect detailed welfare data about socio-economic status categorized by castes to drive evidence-based policy interventions. The survey plans to collect caste data along with information on education levels, income, employment and political representation through field visits to all households in Telangana, thereby facilitating tailored upliftment initiatives.
10 Britain enters technical recession amid economic challenges
The United Kingdom is stuck in a technical recession , according to the latest GDP data , with the economy expected to contract by 0.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023 after a 0.1% decline in the third quarter . Due to this, the economic background of PM Rishi Sunak ‘s government has deteriorated before the elections . Sunak promised to boost the economy as one of his key promises to voters last year. Manufacturing, construction and wholesale were the biggest contributors to the decline in GDP in the fourth quarter. GDP per capita has not increased since the beginning of 2022, the longest such period since records began in 1955. Technical recession occurs when a country’s real GDP declines for two consecutive quarters. Although not yet officially confirmed, another quarter of negative growth in early 2023 would mark the first UK recession in two quarters since the 2008–09 global financial crisis.
11 Japan successfully launches next-generation H3 rocket
On February 18, 2023 , the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the successful first orbital launch of its next-generation H3 launch vehicle . The new flagship rocket delivered its test payload to the intended orbit in 2022 after two prior failed launch attempts. The H3 rocket has been under development for more than a decade by JAXA and Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a successor to the reliable H-IIA rocket in use since 2001 . It is designed for flexible and cost-effective satellite launch.
12 Fourth edition of Khelo India University Games begins in Guwahati
The 4th Khelo India University Games Ashtalakshmi was formally inaugurated in Guwahati . Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the program through virtual medium and wished the players all the best. On this occasion, he said that this is the time to increase enthusiasm towards sportspersons in the society. Shri Modi said that the North-East has produced many excellent players. The Prime Minister said that the Center has allocated Rs 3,500 crore for sports. About four and a half thousand players from 213 universities across the country are participating in these games, which will run till 29th February . Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that India wants to organize Youth Olympics in 2029 and Summer Olympics in 2030 .
13 Child Health Card Day: 19 February
The Government of India had decided to observe February 19, 2020 as Silent Health Card Day . The Health Card Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 19, 2015 . The objective of this scheme was to evaluate the fertility of the soil. Under this scheme, health cards are issued every two years. This makes it easier for farmers to apply appropriate amount of fertilizer in the field, which has reduced the use of excess fertilizer on a large scale.