19th Feb Daily Updates

Veteran Spinner Anil Kumble inducted in ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Former India Captain and ace spinner Anil Kumble has been chosen to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He will be 77th inductee into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

He will be felicitated and inducted on 22 February 2015 during the ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and South Africa in Melbourne.

• Anil Kumble had played 132 Tests and 271 One Day Internationals (ODIs) from 1990 to 2008.
• In his cricket career he had taken 619 Test wickets and is the 3rd highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralidaran (800 wickets) and Shane Warne (708 wickets).
• He also had claimed 337 wickets in ODIs making him the 9th most successful all-time great bowlers in this format.
• Kumble is one of only two bowlers in history of cricket after England’s Jim Laker who had taken all 10 wickets in an innings.
• He was captain of Indian Team and led it in 14 Tests between 2007 and 2008 .
• Kumble also has scored 2,506 runs in Tests and 938 runs in ODIs.

He is the 4th Indian cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Others are Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar who were inducted into Hall of Fame in 2009.

About ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of the legends from the game of cricket.

It was launched in January 2009 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as part of its centenary celebrations in association with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA).

India successfully test-fires N-capable Prithvi-II missile in Odisha

India successfully test-fired its nuclear capable Prithvi-II surface-to-surface missile from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha.

Test- It was conducted by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) and monitored by the scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Missile was fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) as part of a user trial by the army and met all mission objectives.

About Prithvi-II missile

Prithvi-II missile is the first missile indigenously developed by DRDO under India’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). It was inducted into India’s SFC in 2003.

Features

• Surface to surface ballistic missile.
• Variants: Prithvi-I for the Army; Prithvi-II for the Indian Air Force; and the Dhanush for the Navy.
• Single-stage, Liquid-propelled.
• Advanced inertial navigation, control and guidance system. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory.
• Payload capacity: 500-1,000 kg.
• Range: 350 km.

     Bihar government announces 35% reservation for women in non-gazetted government jobs

Bihar government has announced 35% reservation for women in non-gazetted government jobs in group C and D grade.

This decision was taken at state cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

The cabinet meeting also took following decisions

• Hiked Member of Legislative Assembly  Development Fund (MLADF) from the present Rs. 2 crore in a year to Rs. 3 crore from the next financial year.
• Proposal to pay 13 months salary in place of 12 months to policemen upto inspector rank.
• Hiked the daily wage of home guards to Rs. 400 from Rs. 300 at present.
• Enhance the payment of agricultural advisors to Rs. 7,000 per month from Rs. 6,000 per month at present.

   *Bharti Airtel partners with UNICEF to provide education content in Africa

   *Snapdeal acquires luxury goods portal Exclusively.com

     Highlights of India-Myanmar 5th Joint Trade Committee Meeting

The 5th India- Myanmar Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting was held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

The JTC meeting was co-chaired by Minister of Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and Myanmar Union Minister of Commerce U Win Myint.

Both sides had intensive interaction and exchanged views to find ways and means to enhance the bilateral trade and investment ties.

In 5th India- Myanmar JTC meeting, both nations agreed to

• Remove the bottlenecks- Work together to remove the bottlenecks that hampers the bilateral trade and investment such as lack of good connectivity, banking arrangement both for regular and border trade. In order to remove bottlenecks, India has offered to support Myanmar to develop infrastructure at the border trade points, upgrade its trade training institutes in Yangon.
• India’s assistance to Myanmar- India to provide training to Myanmar officials on WTO and international trade related issues and supporting the subsidized direct shipping link between India and Myanmar to promote bilateral trade.
• Strengthen mutual relationship in various fields- Both nations will strengthen mutual relationship in the field of promoting two-ways investment, infrastructure development particularly to promote border trade, connectivity, agriculture, energy, skill and entrepreneurial development, pharmaceutical and people-to-people contacts.
• The next Joint Trade and Investment Forum in Chennai during which Myanmar will organize a roadshow showcasing investment opportunities in Myanmar especially in the special economic zones.
• In future, two Ministers will jointly inaugurate the land custom station in Zawkhatar, Mizoram.

 Rashad Hussain appointed as US Special Envoy and Coordinator

i. Indian-American Rashad  Hussain has been appointed as the Special Envoy and Coordinator for Strategic Counter-terrorism Communications. 

ii. According to the state department of US, the appointment will expand the global engagement and partnerships of the US in order to counter violent extremism.

iii. Hussain is currently the US special envoy to Organization for Islamic Countries (OIC).

iv. In January 2009, Hussain was appointed as the Deputy Associate Counsel to US President Barack Obama, whose role was to focus on national security, new media and science and technology issues.

v. In January 2013, he received the Distinguished Honor Award for outstanding service to the agencies of the US Government which has marked national or international significance.

 PM Narendra Modi launches 'Soil Health Card' scheme for farmers in Rajasthan

i. Providing a major push to the issue soil health cards to farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched the "Soil Health Card" (SHC) scheme for analysing the soil in Suratgarh, Sriganganagar(Rajsthan) on 19th Feb, 2015.

Key Features :-

(a) Each farmer can save minimum Rs 50,000 if agricultural decisions are taken after testing the soil.The step to issue soil health cards to farmers will ensure that they are aware of the quality of soil and use right fertilisers. Also, the scheme will help in keeping a check on overuse of fertilisers on farm land and will be provided to over 14 crore farmers.

(b) up to March 2012 over 48 crore soil health cards have been issued to farmers to make them aware about nutrient deficiencies in their fields.Tamil Nadu has started issuing soil health cards from the year 2006 onwards. There are 30 Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) and 18 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories functioning in the State.Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has developed software – DESSIFER which is used by the STLs for online issue of soil heath cards and also in formulating fertilizer use recommendations.