BIHAR
- Nitish Kumar seeks caste census in 2021
- Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said he was for reservation for all castes in proportion to their respective share in the population while demanding that the 2021 census be made caste-based. He also said the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWSs) in the general category would be implemented by his government at the state level.
- Nitish said the last caste census in the country was conducted during the British rule in 1931.
INTERNATIONAL
- Nepal’s Central Bank Announces Ban of Indian Notes Above Rs100
- Nepal’s central bank has announced the ban of Indian currency notes with denominations above Rs 100.
- Nepal’s cabinet in December had decided to ban the use of these currency notes.
- Currently, only the notes with a denomination of Rs 100 and below are freely exchangeable in Nepal.
- Nepal’s central bank is Nepal Rashtra Bank.
NATIONAL
- First interstate bridge in J&K inaugurated
- Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari dedicated to the nation a 1210-meter span-bridge over the river Raavi in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The bridge is named as Keediyan-Gandiyal bridge.
- This project will benefit over 2,20,000 people living on the two sides – Kathua in Jammu, and Pathankot in Punjab.
- This will reduce the distance between the two cities from 45 kms to 8.6 kms.
- India Navy begins coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil’
- The Indian navy launched the first of its kind coastal defence exercise code named “Sea Vigil”.
- The navy and Coast Guard will join hands with the State Marine Police, state police, port authorities and state fishing departments besides fishing communities and people living along the coast in 13 Indian states and Union Territories for the two day long exercise.
- The two-day exercise, first of its kind, is being conducted along the entire 7,516.6 km of coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India.
- Exercise Sea Vigil aims to comprehensively and holistically validate the efficacy of measures taken since 26/11.
· Flamingo festival in Andhra Pradesh
- A visual treat for birdwatchers
- The Flamingo Festival, kicked-off at Pulicat Lake and Nellapattu in Sullurpet mandal, Andhra Pradesh
- Flamingo Festival is a 12-year-long tradition of the region.
- The main highlight of this fest is the sight of colorful migratory birds from Siberia that visit the region for nesting and breeding.
- Cabinet approves creation of the National Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the creation of National Bench of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).
- The National Bench of the Appellate Tribunal shall be situated at New Delhi. GSTAT shall be presided over by its President and shall consist of one Technical Member (Centre) and one Technical Member (State).
- It is the forum of second appeal in GST laws and the first common forum of dispute resolution between Centre and States.
- Short film ‘Period. End of Sentence’ gets Oscars nomination
- “Period. End of Sentence”, an India set film on the taboos around menstruation and featuring the real ‘Pad Man’, has made it to the Oscar nomination.
- The film has made it to the top five nominees of the Documentary Short Subject category.
- The film is about women in India fighting against the deeply rooted stigma of menstruation.
- Government institutes Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar
- The government has instituted an annual award titled Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar.
- It will be announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.The Award carries a certificate and a cash prize of 51 lakh
- This year, 8th Battalion of National Disaster Response Force located at Ghaziabad has been selected for the Award for its commendable work in disaster management.
- The award has been instituted to acknowledge the contribution and selfless service of organisations and individuals to humanity in the aftermath of any disaster.