 The Maharashtra government has announced 5-day working week for state government employees. The decision was taken at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The new system will be applicable from February 29 onwards. Employees working for the Government of Maharashtra presently get second and fourth Saturdays off every month. There are over 20 lakh officers and employees in government, semi-government and local bodies in the state. The Cabinet also decided that the state department for OBCs, SEBCs (socially and educationally backward classes), VJNTs (vimukt jati and nomadic tribes) and special backward classes will now be known as the ‘Bahujan Kalyan Department’. |
 World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of February. This international effort raises awareness about pangolin species and mobilizes various stakeholders to speed up conservation efforts. The 9th World Pangolin day was observed on February 15, 2020. Madhya Pradesh has taken special initiative to conserve the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) which is included in the highly endangered species. The MP Forest Department and the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) have embarked on a joint project to understand and effectively conserve the ecology of the Indian pangolin. In this project, radio-tagging of some pangolins is being done to study their activities, accommodation, routines etc. Two Indian pangolins have been successfully rehabilitated in the jungle. |
 The World’s Biggest Cricket Stadium, the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad renamed as the Sardar Vallabhbhai Stadium will be inaugurated by US President Donald Trump during his visit to India. The stadium has a capacity of 1.10 lakh people. Sardar Vallabhbhai Stadium emerged as the World’s Biggest Cricket Stadium after the previous 53000-seater Motera Stadium was demolished back in 2015. |
 Saurav Ghosal and Joshna Chinappa won the 77th Senior National squash championships in Man’s and woman’s category respectively in Chennai. The top-ranked Indian players justified their billing to bag the men’s and women’s titles for a record 13th and 18th time respectively. Saurav Ghosal clinically dismantled Abhishek Pradhan 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 in the men’s final while Joshna Chinappa defeated a minor scare to outlast Tanvi Khanna 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 in the women’s summit clash. |
 Arvind Kejriwal takes oath as Chief Minister of Delhi for the third consecutive time in Ramlila Maidan. Mr. Kejriwal had earlier taken the oath of Chief Minister in 2013 and 2015 in the Ramlila Maidan. Ramlila Maidan served as the battleground for the 51-year-old bureaucrat turned-politician during India Against Corruption movement in 2011. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Kejriwal and his Cabinet colleagues. Six Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) including Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai were sworn in as cabinet ministers along with Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Arvind Kejriwal’s new cabinet does not have any female representation. |
The six cabinet ministers for Delhi is given below.
|
 India’s reinsurance company, General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) has received the license from Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia) to commence reinsurance business in Russia. The license enables the subsidiary to commence transacting domestic and international reinsurance business in Russia based on the capital invested by the Corporation. |
 Senior IAS officer Rajiv Bansal was named the Chairman and Managing Director of national carrier Air India. He succeeds Ashwani Lohani. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment as CMD of Air India. Bansal, a 1988 batch officer of the Nagaland cadre, held the post of Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. |
 Former Chairman and Director General of The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) Rajindra Kumar Pachauri passed away. He was born on 20 August 1940 in Nainital, Uttarakhand. He chaired the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) panel from 2002 until he resigned in 2015 after an employee at his research firm accused him of sexual harassment. Pachauri received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the IPCC, with the former United States (US) Vice President, Al Gore, for the year 2007. He also received Padma Vibhushan in 2008 & Padma Bhushan in 2001 from the Government of India. |
 The United Nations annually celebrates World Radio Day on 13th of February. The United Nations observes World Radio Day to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio. It also encourages the decision makers to establish and provide accessibility to information through radio. It also aims to enhance the networking and international cooperation among broadcasters. On the 9th edition of the World Radio Day, UNESCO has appealed to radio stations to uphold diversity, both in their newsroom as well as on the airwaves. |
The 9th edition of World Radio Day is divided into three main sub-themes:
|
 Veteran journalist Nandu R Kulkarni passed away recently. He was serving as the Mumbai bureau chief of “The Statesman” since 1992. He started his career in 1976 with ‘The Indian Express’ and worked there for 16 years. He reported on various subjects like economic offences, politics and business during his long career. |
You need to login to perform this action.
You will be redirected in
3 sec
