Women in Politics map was jointly launched by UN Women and Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU).
It represents the political empowerment of women on the sidelines of the ongoing session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
India stood at 88th position in a list of 186 countries with 18.5% of women appointed in ministerial positions as on 1st January 2017.
In the ranking of nations as per the number of women elected or appointed to parliaments as on 1st January 2017, India stood at 148th place among the 193 UN countries, with only 11.48 per cent women in the Lower House of Parliament and 11 per cent in the Upper House.
Bibhu Prasad Kanungo takes charge as the Deputy Governor of RBI.
58 year old Bibhu Prasad Kanungo belongs to the coastal Kendrapara district in Odisha.
Prasad joined Reserve Bank of India in 1980 as officer after clearing the Grade B examination of the organisation.
After Harun Rashid Khan, whose term ended in July 2016, Kanungo is the second person from Odisha to be selected for this post.
Manhar Valji Bhai Zala assumes office as the new Chairman of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis.
Two other members, Manju Diler and Shri Dalip Kallu Hathibed also assumed office with him.
As per Narain Dass, Secretary of the Commission, the posts of the Chairman and the members were lying vacant for almost one year.
Manhar Valji ensured that issues affecting the Safai Karamcharis socio-economic and working conditions will be addressed to in the right earnest.
National Health Policy 2017 approved by Union Cabinet.
J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, announced that the National Health Policy 2017 is patient-centric and quality-driven, which provides the much needed policy framework for achieving universal health coverage and delivering quality health care services to all at an affordable cost.
The Health Ministry has formulated the National Health Policy 2017 after a gap of 14 years.
The move aims to address the current and emerging challenges necessitated by the changing socio-economic and epidemiological landscapes since the last National Health Policy was framed in 2002.
BSNL - MTNL Merger suggested by Parliamentary Panel.
The committee of petitions led by BJP MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari has suggested the merger of BSNL - MTNL in its report for the long term survival of these entities.
The committee was formed to look into the improvement in services of BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited).
The merger is expected to create huge opportunities for the two firms that have not been able to perform properly for some time now.
Trade Infrastructure Export Scheme (TIES) launched by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The scheme was launched by Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister.
Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary said the scheme would provide assistance for setting up and up-gradation of infrastructure projects with overwhelming export linkages like the Border Haats, Land customs stations, quality testing and certification labs, cold chains, trade promotion centres, dry ports, export warehousing and packaging, SEZs and ports/airports cargo terminuses.
International Affairs
Pakistan starts its first Population Census in 19 years.
Pakistan’s last population census was conducted in 1988. National population of 180 million was recorded back then.
The process of census was inaugurated by Asif Bajwa, Chief Statistician from Attock district in Punjab province of Pakistan.
The first phase of the census will end on April 15.
MoU between LBSNAA and NIPAM for capacity building of public officials of Namibia approved by Union Cabinet.
The signing of MoU has been approved between Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie and Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM), Namibia.
The MOU will help the Academy to disseminate some of its experience in running a training institution for higher civil services in the country to NIPAM.
It will also help the two sides to engage in collaborative activities in the sphere of public administration and capacity building.
Indrani Das awarded with 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search.
Indrani Das is a 17 year old Indian American student from New Jersey.
Indrani has won the top prize worth $250,000 among 40 participants.
She has been conferred the honor for her study of a possible approach to treat death of neurons due to brain injury or neurodegenerative disease.
Another Indian - American student, Arjun Ramani grabbed the third prize worth $150000 for his work on networks using mathematical field of graph theory and computer programming.
This is the oldest US Science Competition for the students and has been given the name of ‘Junior Nobel Prize’.
Jwala Gutta appointed as a member of Governing body of SAI.
Jwala was appointed as a member by the Secretary of Sports Authority of India (SAI), S. S. Chhabra.
Apart from the Badminton Specialist, shooter Gagan Narang and IAS officer B. V. Papa Rao will also be the members of the SAI Governing body.
