The Daily Brief – 2nd February 2017

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• The Indian Policy Think Tank, NITI Aayog together with Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has launched a first of its kind online portal, India Innovation Index in India to rank the states on the basis of innovation. The portal was inaugurated by Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog on February 2, 2017 in New Delhi. The Index would rank Indian states as per their innovation capability and provide them necessary feedback to build their respective innovation ecosystems and further instil innovation spirit among institutions and people.

  

• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurates the 31st Surajkund International Crafts Mela in Faridabad, Haryana. Surajkund International Crafts Mela is known as ‘Cashless Mela’ because all stakeholders have been provided option to opt for cashless transactions. A team of volunteers called ‘Mela Mitra’ are appointed to help and guide visitors for Mela.
• Noted Indian singer Neeti Mohan is going to collaborate with UN for women empowerment project titled “Music to Inspire–Artists UNited against Human Trafficking” which is managed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Neeti is the first Indian female singer to collaborate with UN. UNODC headquarters is in Vienna.
• India and Sri Lanka has signed a MoU on February 2, 2017 for the construction of a multi-ethnic tri-lingual school in a north central district of Sri Lanka. The school would provide an opportunity to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students to learn in a multi-cultural environment and thus promote reconciliation and unity in Sri Lanka.
• The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s (SAARCs) 53rd Programming Committee Meeting began on February 1, 2017 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia that promotes development of economic and regional integration. The eight member states include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC was founded in 1985 by seven states. In 2005, Afghanistan also became the member. SAARC headquarter is in Kathmandu and the current General-Secretary is Arjun Bahadur Thapa.
• Kuwait has banned the Visas for five Muslim majority countries on February 1, 2017 over security issues. The five countries include Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The suspension of the Visas was taken to stop illegal entry of Islamic terrorists in the country.
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)on February 2, 2017 sanctioned a loan amount of Rs. 157 crore to the Government of Haryana to undertake drinking water project. Chairperson of NABARD is Harsh Kumar Bhanwala and its headquarters are in Mumbai.
• Scientists from China’s Northwest A&F University have developed a genetically modified form of cows that are more resistant to bovine tuberculosis (TB).  Bovine TB is a risk to cattle in many countries, including parts of the UK, Africa and Asia.
• Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen has created history after he attained World No. 1 Rank in the latest Junior Badminton World Federation (BWF) ranking on February 2, 2017. The 15-year-old player is the youngest ever player and the first ever from Uttarakhand to win the title at senior level.
• Olympic game medals will be made from recycled mobile phones for the year 2022 to promote sustainability said by 2020 Olympic Games organizers, Japan.
• Every year World Wetlands Day is observed on 2nd February to marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands or Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971. The theme for 2017 is “Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction”. This year motto is to raise awareness and to highlight the vital role of healthy wetlands in reducing the impacts of extreme events such as floods, droughts and cyclones on communities, and in helping to build resilience.