NATIONAL FEBRUARY 2015

NATIONAL FEBRUARY 2015

• Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM
  Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn-in as the Bihar Chief Minister on 22nd February. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhawan in Patna by Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. 
  
  Nitish, who was invited to form a new government by the Governor after Jitan Ram Manjhi's resignation ahead of the trust vote on 20th February, has been asked to prove his majority in the Bihar Assembly by March 16. 
  
  Nitish had stepped down as the chief minister on May 17 last year after his party fared poorly in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, winning just two seats. 
  
  Manjhi, who was chosen to replace him, was asked to step aside to allow the return of his former boss as the chief minister as the party campaigns for the Bihar election due later this year. Manjhi, however, did not oblige and was expelled by the party. Manjhi later sought a trust vote but quit abruptly when it was clear that he would not win. 
  
• Manjhi floats new political front
  Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on 28th February launched a new political front “Hindustani Awam Morcha” (HAM). The morcha [front] is likely to announce a the launch of a new political party on April 17, after the merger of the JD(U) and RJD. 
  
• Ordinance on Water Grid programme by Telangana government
  On 21st February, the Telangana government issued an ordinance to provide route for laying pipelines to complete Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s Telangana Water Grid project quickly. For the purpose, dozen departments had given approvals for the ‘The Telangana Water Grid Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User) Ordinance, 2015’ that was issued to ensure that there is no delay in acquiring lands. 
  
  Along 1.27 lakh km, pipelines will be laid to provide safe drinking water to every household costing Rs 25,000 crore. Approval is required as the pipe-line has to pass through lands belonging to private individuals and government agencies. Though a four-year deadline was originally set, the CM aims to complete the project in two years. 
  
• Andhra Pradesh inks deal with Wipro for e-governance
  With the initiative to build and implement the Andhra Pradesh State Enterprise Architecture (APSEA) in the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is pushing for a quantum leap in e-governance. On 23rd February, a memorandum of understanding was reached the state's information technology, electronics and communications department with the IT major Wipro to unveil it in two years. 
  
  The APSEA aims to be a lever for transformational change in the way government services are conceived, designed, delivered and consumed. To use e-governance as a tool to provide integrated services to the citizens through a free flow of information is the vision of the state of Andhra Pradesh and APSEA is an essential first step to achieve the vision of the state. 
  
  By changing from departmental stovepipes to a citizen-centered approach to government services achieved through transformation of the entire operations, APSEA intends to prepare the state government future. Collaborative work and information needs to be shared between the departments to form a digital network of departments organized around citizen services and their outcomes. Nevertheless, APSEA will take up the services progressively based on their priority. 
  
  Such a holistic architectural approach to e-governance has already been embraced by several countries including Singapore, South Korea, the United States, Norway, Estonia, Denmark, New Zealand and Australia. 
  
• Nabard aid for Mission Kakatiya
  National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) will extend a Rs. 360-crore financial support to both Mission Kakatiya and the drinking water project of Telangana. The bank would release Rs. 360 crore for Mission Kakatiya in the current year which will go up to Rs. 500 crore during the next financial year. The project should be phased out into smaller phases so that they can put up some funds every year. Starting from Rs. 1,000 crore during the financial year 2015-16, NABARD has agreed to fund 5,000 crore for the entire scheme. 
  
• BJP, PDP announced alliance in JK
  Differences have been ironed out, agreement has been reached and now stage is set for the first BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties made a formal announcement on 24th February after Mehbooba Mufti met Amit Shah in Delhi. 
  
  Both parties have reached an agreement over the Common Minimum Programme, and the issues of the CMP will be announced later 
  
  For BJP it's going to be a historic moment as the party for the first time will be part of a government in the state. 
  
  BJP and PDP have been holding deliberations for last two months regarding government formation. AFSPA and Article 370 were the two key issues on which the two parties have different opinions, but it seems that both have decided to walk some distance and meet halfway. 
  
• Soon YUDA, to develop Yadagirigutta
  Telangana government has decided to set up Yadagirigutta Urban Development Authority (YUDA) to develop hill shrine as a major pilgrimage centre on the lines of Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams. Rs 100 crore would be allocated in the budget for development of Gutta, as the pilgrim centre is known in Telangana. YUDA would take care of hill and land development of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Yadagirigutta. 
  
  Also temple will be developed, with new design. The new design gives the temple an ancient look of hundred-year-old monument. Further, the design has a lot of sculpture work and the way leading to the temple would resemble passage through a cave. The design was in tune with Agama Shastra. 
  
• Telugus from across the world converge 
  Telugu writers, singers, poets, lyricists and lovers of the language from several parts of the world have commenced deliberations to promote and protect the Telugu language. The conference of the World Telugu Writers began with an introduction by Daniel Nigris, a research scholar from Paris who is working on Telugu. Daniel felt that the language should be kept alive and preserved for the future generations. 
  
  Canadians Prof. Rao Komaravolu and Saroja Komaravolu, who write in Telugu, Londoner Dr Madina Ramakrishna and many others spoke at the event. Representatives from the US, the UK, Canada, Mauritius and other countries shared their experiences in keeping the language alive and vibrant in their places of living. They have also sought the support of the Telugu Writers Association from Andhra Pradesh, particularly from Mandali Buddha Prasad and Dr Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, in promoting the language in their respective nations. 
  
  There was another group of Telugu people, who have come from different States in the country. Telugu Diaspora from Karnataka, Maharastra, Guajarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Yanam, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and other States met and discussed the problems that they were facing in promoting the language in their places. 
  
• Nationwide MNP from May 3
  The relocation will not change the phone number, as TRAI has made necessary amendments. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on 25th February issued sixth amendment to the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulation, 2009, which facilitates nationwide mobile number portability (MNP) in the country, from May 3, 2015. 
  
  Trai in its recommendation on full MNP earlier had suggested giving telecom operators six-month time to make necessary changes in their network from the date the proposal is cleared. The DoT had on November 3 issued amendments to the MNP licence agreement, stating that MNP is to be implemented within six months from the date of amendment of the licences. The DoT had set a target date of March 31, 2015, to implement the nationwide MNP. 
  
• Panel against trying juveniles as adults
  A parliamentary committee on 25th February rejected the government's proposal to try as adults juveniles between 16 and 18 years involved in heinous cases such as rape, saying the move is "in conflict with law" and should be "reviewed".
  
  Giving its observation on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD said children below 18 years are amenable and should be treated in the same manner and "differential treatment" for children above 16 years of age "should not arise". The report of the committee comprising JP Nadda and Satyanarayan Jatiya was submitted in Parliament on Wednesday. The comprehensive bill to tackle increasing crimes committed by youngsters aged between 16-18 years like the Delhi gang rape case and to ensure proper care and protection of needy children was introduced in Lok Sabha in August, 2014. 
  
  Increasing cases of crimes committed by children aged 16-18 years in recent years makes it evident that the current provisions and system under the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000 "are ill equipped to tackle child offenders in this age group", the statement of objects and reasons of the bill said. 
  
  Referring to the views expressed by the stakeholders about a clause of trying an offender apprehended after the age of 21, the committee said that it was in full agreement with them that the provision was "discriminatory" and all children below 18 years should be treated as children. 
  
  "The proposed legislation is meant for children alleged and found to be in conflict with law. And the definition of both the term 'child' and 'child in conflict with law' means a person who has not completed 18 years of age. 
  
  "Accordingly the question of envisaging a differential treatment for children above 16 years of age should not arise. Such a move would lead to contravention of international law and also the stated purpose of the bill," the committee said. 
  
  "The committee accordingly recommends that the entire process needs a relook and review," it underlined. 
  
• BJP Committee on Land Acquisition Bill
  BJP President Amit Shah has formed an eight-member committee to seek farmers' suggestions on the Land Acquisition Bill. Former Union Minister Satyapal Malik is the convener of the committee, which will hold discussions with farmers and other organisations on land acquisition. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has so far met with representatives of 27 such organisations and more meetings are slated. 
  
  Meanwhile, the government on 25th February introduced the the Land Acquisition amendment bill in the LokSabha. Calling the bill "anti-farmer and anti-poor", Opposition members staged a walk-out. NDA ally Shiv Sena has also ruled out supporting the bill in its present form. 
  
• Swachh Bharat: more toilets for women
  According the Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Babul Supriyo the women will be accorded priority under the Swachh Bharat Mission while constructing community and public toilets
  
  Under the mission, one community toilet seat per 25 women and one public community toilet seat per 50 women will be built against one seat per 35 and 100
  
  Community toilets are proposed to be built for common use of local communities in an area with 40 per cent viability gap funding/grant from the Ministry of Urban Development. Public toilets are to be built on pay and use basis. It is targeted to build 1.04 crore household toilets and five lakh community and public toilet seats by 2019 under the mission. 
  
• Across country, 9% are women Ministers……
  According to National Daily, the Hindu and Right to Information activist, Bhanupriya Rao………..
  
  Delhi joined the ranks of seven other States with no women Ministers. In the rest of the States too, women representation in the Ministries is low, and often restricted to certain portfolios. With all State Assemblies put together, 360 of the country’s 4,120 MLAs — or nine per cent — are women.
  
  However, just 39 of the 568 Ministers in State governments or less than seven per cent, are women. Fewer still are Cabinet Ministers. Two States and one Union Territory — Nagaland, Mizoram and Puducherry — have no women MLAs. Four additional States — Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab — have women MLAs, but no women Ministers. 
  
  Nearly 12 per cent of Punjab’s Assembly comprises women, while Telangana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have close to 10 per cent women MLAs, yet none of these States have a woman Minister.
  
  Some States make a special effort to get women into ministerial positions, the data shows. Meghalaya, ruled by the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance, has just four women MLAs, but three of them were made Ministers. In BJP-ruled Goa and Congress-led Kerala, the only woman MLA from the ruling party was given a ministerial berth.
  
  Three women have been handed the Home Ministry — BJP’s Anandiben Patel in Gujarat, Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal and Congress’s Roshan Wajri in Meghalaya. 
  
  Two of these three women leaders are Chief Ministers of their State. Only two women leaders in the country handle the Finance Ministry — BJP’s Vasundhara Raje, who is also the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and the Congress’s Indira Hridayesh in Uttarakhand. The Women and Child Development Ministry and Social Welfare are the most common portfolios given to women Ministers. 
  
• Telangana State achieves highest PLF in country
  Thermal power projects in Telangana state made a difference this time. The projects owned by the TSGENCO beaten AP-owned projects achieving highest Plant Load Factor (PLF) for the year 2014. 
  
  The TSGENCO stood first among all state sector power utilities with 78. 31 per cent of PLF (of the total 2282 MW installed capacity) followed by the AP projects which registered 77.96 per cent of PLF ( out of 2810 MW capacity) in the country. The third and fourth places have been occupied by Chhattisgarh and Orissa state owned power generation companies respectively.
  
  The Central Electricity Authority ( CEA) had recently released report on the performance of thermal power stations for the period between April 2014 and December 2014). The report said Kakatiya Thermal Power Station (KTPS, 500 MW) owned by TSGENCO achieved first place with 95.01 PLF among all state and central sector power stations. 
  
  While Kothagudem project with an installed capacity of 1000 MW succeeded 79.94 per cent of PLF, Narla Tata Rao thermal plant ( Vijayawada with 1760 MW capacity ) in AP registered 79.90 per cent of PLF. The TSGENCO officials attributed the adoption of new technology and sincere efforts made by the employees working in the thermal projects was the main reason behind achieving highest ever PLF in power generation in the country. The officials said however, Ramagundam project could achieve only 46.82 PLF due to continuous technical snags developed in the recent months. 
  
• Archives of Asia Africa conference' nominated for UNESCO project
  The National Archives of India has signed a "letter of intent" with National Archives of Indonesia (ANRI) to jointly nominate the Archives of the 1955 Asia Africa Conference (ACC) for incorporation in Unesco's's Memory of the World (MoW) Register on 16th February
  
  The ACC was held in Bandung - capital of west Java province in Indonesia - in 1955. It was a unique event in the history of post-war diplomacy and international relations. The letter was signed Feb 13 in the capital, a statement from the ministry of culture said.
  
  MoW is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful and deliberate destruction. 
  
• Foreign Secretary included in Space Commission
   For the first time, the Foreign Secretary has been made a member of the Space Commission, which was reconstituted following the appointment of a new chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  
  The Space Commission is the highest policy-making body for matters related to space exploration in INdia and is headed by the chairman of ISRO.
  
  Reconstituted on February 9 after A S Kiran Kumar took over as the new ISRO chairman following the retirement of K Radhakrishnan, the commission made just one change in its composition. Radhakrishnan has gone out while Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has been inducted.
  
  Kiran Kumar, who was director of the Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad before becoming ISRO chairman, was a member of the earlier Space Commission as well. 
  
  The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, National Security Advisor and the Expenditure Secretary have been regular members of this 10-member Commission.
  
  The other slots are generally taken up by independent space scientists and experts.
  
  In the current Space Commission, Ajit Keshav Kembhavi of the Pune-based Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, chemical scientist Goverdhan Mehta, and T K Alex, former director of the ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) Bangalore are the scientific members. 
  
• Water sharing discussion between TS and Maharashtra
  Telangana and Maharashtra have decided to form joint experts committee to sort out differences on inter-state irrigation projects. Chief Ministers of both states, K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Devendra Fadnavis have discussed on 17th February. They have discussed to sort out differences over Pranahitha-Chevella, Inchampally, Lendi, Lower Penganga under implementation in Telangana and several check-dams taken up by Maharashtra across the Godavari and its tributaries. The projects are aimed at creating irrigation potential and providing drinking water.
  
  The two Chief Ministers resolved to coordinate with each other in utilising Godavari waters efficiently by settling issues such as land acquisition, payment of compensation, settling court cases, addressing the concerns of people in submergence areas with the help of the joint experts committee
  • Maharashtra government said that present design of Pranahita-Chevella would submerge land in 30 villages of Gadchirowli and Chandrapur districts, in response to this Telangana Government assured that alternative designs were being prepared to reduce the submergence area.
  • On the Lendi project which has submergence area in 12 Maharashtra villages, Telangana agreed to pay compensation as proposed by that Government. Land acquisition in 11 villages and disbursement of compensation in six villages had already been completed
  • Completion of Lower Pengaga project by giving alternative land in lieu of submergence of some forest land, barrages at Rajapeta, Rubha and Pippard were also agreed upon by the two Chief Ministers.
  • They also discussed Telangana’s plea to buy power from Maharashtra and early completion of the Wardha-Dichpally power transmission line to purchase power from the northern and western grids.
  
  
• No Unanimous decisions on Shanta Kumar committee 
  The Shanta Kumar committee, which recommended reducing the number of beneficiaries from 67% to 40%, for Food Security Act, has received mixed opinions. 
  
  But some recommendations regarding the re-structuring of the FCI, modernization of the PDS, conversion of godowns into silos, DE-centralised procurement and raising the quantum of food grains to 7 kg per person from the present 5 kg may be taken on board, because these are non-controversial proposals.
  
  So far only 11 States have rolled out the National Food Security Act but none has the requisite infrastructure in place. The NDA has given time till June for States to get their act together. The NFSA includes the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Other Welfare Schemes and the Targeted Public Distribution System. The 67 per cent TPDS coverage includes 75 per cent population in rural areas and 50 per cent in urban areas. Under the scheme, rice is priced at Rs. 3 per kg, wheat at Rs. 2 per kg and coarse grains at Re. 1 per kg. States have to identify the beneficiaries as per a criterion and cap worked out by the erstwhile Planning Commission.
  
  The panel which was set up by the Modi government in August to make recommendations for re-structuring the Food Corporation of India, has suggested that the Center “re-visit’’ the National Food Security Act to incorporate its recommendations.
  
  Among other key recommendations are raising the quantum of rationed food grains to seven kg per person instead of five, raising the cost of rationed food grains, shifting to cash transfers in lieu of foodgrains, a re-look at the regime for giving minimum support price for farm commodities, an open-ended procurement system, outsourcing of food grains storage and entry of private players into bulk handling of food grains.
  
  It justified its recommendations on the consideration of large food stocks, lack of storage space and high food subsidy bill, budgeted at Rs. 1,02,476 crore for 2014-15. The allocation of food grains under the Act is estimated at 62.1 million tonne. 
  
• India offers farmers soil tests to boost yields
  Indian Prime Minister assured that India will provide soil testing for farmers to target the correct use of fertilizers to push up yields and cut back on costly misuse.
  
  The service will be available to around 60 percent of its 235 million farmers, Modi said on a visit to the desert state of Rajasthan, stressing the importance of soil health to lift India's poor farm productivity. Agriculture employs more than half of India's 1.25 billion people but accounts for only 14 percent of its $2.3 trillion economy. 
  
  Smart cards can be issued to 140 million farmers in three years after testing soil for productivity, mineral mix, water capacity and salinity, and can be presented to government fertilise suppliers.
  
  Modi said a farmer with a holding of 1.2 hectares could save 50,000 rupees ($805) per year, if the right amount of nutrients were applied. Modi has urged agriculture scientists and farmers to usher in India's second green revolution after the first one in the 1960s that saw India more than treble its annual wheat output in just 15 years. 
  
• DDLJ faded and to be continued
  After an incredible 1,009-week, two-decade uninterrupted run, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a Bollywood entertainer, has faded from the marquee of the iconic Maratha Mandir cinema in Mumbai. However fans have demanded to continue the movie. After huge demand from fans side, the decision taken to continue to screen the movie
  
  By far the longest-screened film in Indian cinema, ran at the cinema for 19 years. The theatre owners have declared that the final show was on 19th February morning
  
  Producers Yash Raj Films and theatre Maratha Mandir, had decided to pull down Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge after its historic run of 1009 weeks, have mutually decided to continue screening the movie for the sake of its fans.
  
  DDLJ , which won a national and several Filmfare awards, was first screened at Maratha Mandir in October 1995. Manoj Desai, managing director of the cinema, said 210 viewers watched the last screening. The 1,107-seat cinema expects to give more screen time to new releases.
  
  Located opposite the Mumbai Central railway station, Maratha Mandir holds an iconic position in Maximum City, stealing the limelight first by screening Mughal-e-Azam for eight years at a stretch. With DDLJ , the cinema caught international attention. 
  
• PM flags off Hazaribagh-Koderma DMU train
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th February flagged off Hazaribagh-Koderma DMU train after inaugurating Hazaribagh town railway station. Modi inaugurated the station and flagged off the train from the dais where he addressed the public. 
  
  The project, which started 16 years ago, is the first stage of the Hazaribagh-Koderma-Barkakana-Ranchi railway line of the East-Central Railway. 
  
  The decision to set up the line was taken by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
  The PM flagged off through remote control the AC Express Train between Naharlagun and New Delhi and the Intercity Express between Naharlagun and Guwahati besides dedicating to nation the 21.75 km long broad gauge railway track between Naharlagun in Arunachal and Harmuti in Assam’s Lakhimpur district. 
  
  He also laid the foundation stone of a 132 KV power transmission and distribution system project and unveiled the Itanagar Water Supply project. While stressing on tourism and infrastructure development in the state, Modi said that the plan size for Arunachal for the year 2014-15 has been pegged at Rs 53,000 crore. 
  
• Jitan Ram Manjhi Blinks, Resigns as Bihar Chief Minister
  Jitan Ram Manjhi has resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar hours before a trust vote that he seemed certain to lose, despite the support of the BJP. Governor KN Tripathi has invited Mr Kumar to form the government. 
  
  Back ground:
  JD (U) has removed Jitan Ram Manjhi from the party on 7th February and elected Nitish Kumar as its leader. Kumar’s election brought the state back from the brink of a constitutional crisis, as Manjhi had recommended dissolution of the Bihar Assembly at a cabinet meeting earlier even before this election on 7th February it welf. However, only seven ministers present at the meeting endorsed the proposal and 21 opposed it 
  
  Manjhi’s refusal to accept this had led to a situation where Bihar, at one stage, had two claimants to the chief ministership.
  
  Patna HC Stays: The Patna High Court on 11th February virtually stayed Nitish Kumar’s recognition as the leader of the Janata Dal (United) Legislature Party, JD(U) LP, in place of Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. The division bench comprising Chief Justice L N Reddy and Justice Vikash Jain gave the direction on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by JD(U) legislator Rajeshwar Raj, who is siding with Manjhi.
  
  The court’s order could come in the way of Kumar’s immediate bid to claim chief ministership with the governor yet to take a decision on the claims and counterclaims of the two sides. Mnjhi also met the governor and claimed that he had the majority and that he would prove it in a trial of strength in the Assembly at a time of governor’s choosing.
  
  Parade at President: Nitish Kumar paraded his lawmakers before the President in New Delhi to demand that he be allowed to take oath 
  
  Nitish, who was accompanied by SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and Congress leader CP Joshi requested the President to direct the Governor take immediate decision over government formation.
  
  Governor asked to prove majority: Governor asked Jitin Ram Manjhi, to prove majority on floor of the house on 20th February, however he resigned before entering into assembly. 
  
• Radha Krishnan Committee submitted report
  Supreme Court (SC) appointed panel on road safety headed by Justice (retd) KS Radhakrishnan submitted its report. In its report, the panel has recommended for ban on sale of alcohol on highways, both National and State highways, to curb the menace of road accident.
  
  Supreme Court had set the three-member KS Radhakrishnan panel on road safety in April 2014 to scrutinize and monitor enforcement of statutory provisions including the Motor Vehicles Act for making road safer. Road accidents are giant killers and every year 1.5 lakh people in the country die due to road accidents.
  • The panel directed the states to strengthen enforcement of law against drunken driving, over speeding and other offences.
  • According to the panel said that except Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Nagaland none of other states have framed a road safety policy so far.
  • It suggested for audit of road safety to be conducted by states to ensure that safety standards are incorporated in the design, construction and maintenance of roads.
  • It directed state governments to implement laws on helmet strictly as failure to implement the helmet laws strictly has resulted in high fatality of two-wheeler and pillion riders.
  • It recommended that state governments must take steps to remove hoardings and objects that obstruct driving or distract drivers.
  • The panel also noted that the states do not have adequate number of trauma centres and the ambulances do not have required medical facilities.
  
  
• PM promises states more funds, greater utilisation powers
  Exhorting Chief Ministers to bury differences to help India achieve high growth and create jobs, PM Narendra Modi on 8th February promised more funds to states with greater powers on their utilisattion, even as he asked them to address issues delaying projects
  
  The first meeting of Governing Council of the newly constituted NITI Aayog was held on 8th February. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said……..
  • Chief Ministers personally monitor factors impacting project execution
  • An officer be identified in each state to monitor and resolve pending issues.
  • Centrally sponsored 66 schemes worth of Rs 3, 38, 562 crore would be transferred to states
  • A sub-group of Chief Ministers would be set up under NITI Aayog to look into rationalisation of these 66 schemes and recommend which ones to continue, which to transfer to states, and which to cut down.
  
  Prime Minister also announced setting up of two more such sub-groups -- one for skill development and creation of jobs within states and the other to create an institutional framework to make 'Swachh Bharat (Clean India)' a continuous initiative. 
  
  Which CM said what? : 
  In the NITI Aayog meet, several Chief Ministers have spoken, such as………..
  • Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselavam wanted the government to correct the policy mis-steps that soured the investment climate in the state. He raised the Nokia plant issue to make his point.
  • Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavissought funds for Mumbai projects and also (of all things) Nasik Kumbh Mela.
  • Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, said Modi's pet schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana and Beti Bachao had no relevance in his state because it has "already reached high standards on many of these fronts".
  • Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi criticised the institution's focus on market economy instead of plans.
  • Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Rajesuggested the states should be allowed to prepare and implement various development projects as per the needs of the regional conditions and specific requirement. The Centre should provide funds for such schemes
  • West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not attend the meeting.
  
  
• No change in N-liability law: MEA
  The maximum compensation that nuclear suppliers will have to pay in case of a mishap will be pegged at Rs. 2,160 crore. The Ministry of External Affairs pointed out that the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010 (CLND) presently prescribes that the maximum amount of liability in respect of each nuclear incident shall be the rupee equivalent of 300 million Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). As the current value of 1 SDR is about Rs. 87, three hundred million SDRs are equivalent to about Rs. 2,610 crore
  
  The Ministry adds that there is no proposal to amend the CLND Act 2010 or the Rules of 2011. Pointing out that the operator’s maximum liability shall be Rs. 1,500 crore, the statement adds that in case the total liability exceeds Rs. 1,500 crore, this gap of Rs. 1,110 crore will be bridged by the Central Government. Beyond Rs. 2,610 crore, India will be able to access international funds under the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC) once it is a party to that Convention. The CSC was set up to establish a worldwide liability regime and to increase the amount of compensation available to victims of nuclear accidents. 
  
• Swiss bank accounts: Centre to look at Indians named in new list
  Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 9th February said that the Centre would look at the names of Indians holding Swiss bank accounts in a new HSBC list obtained and published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The top 100 names on the list were put out by a newspaper on 9th February. 
  
  As on December 31, 2014, assessments had been completed in 128 cases, said Jaitley. In the remaining cases, assessment proceedings are at an advance stage and will be completed by March 31. 
  
• Black money abroad: 350 accounts assessed, 60 cases filed
  The central government has completed assessment of 350 foreign accounts while tax-evasion proceedings have been initiated against 60 such holders as part of its crackdown on black money accounts, According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. 60 cases have been established through an independent probe by the income tax department. The assessment of the balance accounts will get completed by March 31. 
  
  The government had submitted the a list of about 628 such account holders to the Special Investigation Team appointed for the recovery of black money by the Supreme Court. 
  
• Industry cheer in Telangana
  According to Telangana Industries Minister Jupally Krishna Rao investment proposals worth over Rs 2,619 crore were received since the formation of Telangana State on June 2 last year. Across state 5, 298 units were established and created 46, 235 jobs
  
  Under the Telangana's new industrial policy, the first iPass permission had been granted to the VST for setting up a tobacco processing unit at Toopran at a cost of Rs 80 crore which would create 600 new jobs. 
  
• Kejriwal sworn in as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi, 
  Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal today took oath as the eighth Chief Minister of Delhi, on 14th February. This is the second time Kejriwal is becoming Delhi's chief minister. He became chief minister the first time in December 2013 but resigned after just 49 days -- on this day last year. 
  
• Thumping victory for AAM AADMI PARTY: In the Delhi Elections Aam AAdmi Party emerged victorius. The elections were conducted on 7th February and counting was done on 10th February. Out of 70 Legislative seats, Aam Aadmi Party has won 67 seats. It has a vote share of 54.3%. it got only 33.8 per cent votes in the Lok Sabha election last year. The BJP got only three seats with 32.2 per cent vote share as the Congress, in a first, drew a blank with just about 9.7 per cent of the vote. 
  
  BJP merely won in Rohini, Ambedkar Nagar and Dwarka. 
  
  In Karkardooma, which falls in the Krishna Nagar constituency, the AAP nominee defeated Kiran Bedi, the BJP’s chief Ministerial candidate. 
  
  The Congressvote share appeared to be in a free fall — from 24.55 per cent in the 2013 Assembly elections to 15.22 per cent in the Lok Sabha polls in May 2014 to 9.7 per cent in the just concluded Assembly poll. 
  
  Voters in all the 70 constituencies of Delhi used the option of ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) on the electronic voting machines (EVMs) while casting their votes in the assembly elections 
  
  The Election Commission’s website shows that 0.4 per cent of the voters (35,999 voters) exercised the option of not voting for any of the candidates contesting the elections. 
  
  There were over 1.30 crore eligible voters in Delhi of which over 67 per cent exercised their right to vote for a new assembly. 
  
  While the Matiala assembly constituency saw the most electors (1,102) opting for the NOTA option, Babarpur constituency saw the least number of electors (290) pressing the NOTA button. 
  
  The NOTA option in EVMs was introduced in September 2013 following a judgement of the Supreme Court which directed the Election Commission to make a necessary provision in ballot papers/EVMs and provide a NOTA option. 
  • The Aam Aadmi Party’s landslide victory is among the most comprehensive victories in the history of Indian elections.Only Sikkim has seen bigger sweeps, with one party having won all seats in the Assembly sometimes.
  • The AAP won 67 of the 70 seats, or nearly 96 per cent. Its performance is by far the best in the State.
  • Sikkim saw India’s three most comprehensive electoral wins ever: the Nar Bahadur Bhandari-led Sikkim Sangram Parishad, and the incumbent five-time Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front have both won all 32 seats in one election each
  • In 2004, Mr. Chamling’s party won 31 of the 32 seats. In terms of seat share, the Aam Aadmi Party’s performance is next only to these.
  • In terms of vote share, however, the AAP is a bit further along the honour scroll, coming in at 13th on the list, with Sikkim parties on the top of the list again.
  
  
• AP Govt to give 89 pc subsidy on solar pump sets
  The Andhra Pradesh State government has decided to give top priority to installation of solar pump sets for agriculture by offering as much as 89 per cent subsidy. The government is giving a thrust to it to save power being generated by thermal power stations in the State. 
  
  The agriculture sector is one of the largest consumers. The solar powered pump set would help the State government utilise the power saved for other purposes. The cost of 3 Hp pump is priced at Rs 3.20 lakh and the 5 Hp set Rs 4.90 lakh. The MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), will extend 33 per cent subsidy.The Discom will provide another 56 per cent subsidy and the beneficiary will have to bear remaining 11 percent. 
  
• Telangana to acquire 1 lakh forest lands for water grid project
  The Telangana government has decided to acquire one lakh acre of forest land for drinking water grid project for which due compensation will also be paid to the Fore Department. 
  
• India at UN: Committed towards achieving 'gender-equal world
  Voicing its commitment towards achieving a "gender-equal world", India has said that empowering women using enabling information technology could be a "game changer
  
  According to first Secretary in the Indian Mission to the UN, Mayank Joshi, at the first regular session of UN Women Executive Board that India is committed to steadfastly continue to working together with UN Women and the international community for achieving a "gender-equal world". 
  
  Empowering women using enabling Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) could be a game changer if harnessed and applied to its full potential, especially in areas of education, healthcare, water and sanitation, energy and help in expediting addressing the challenges of digital divide. Technology-enabled women would lead to a technology- enabled society faster
  
  He noted that UN Women should also enhance visibility of donations and introduce incentives for donors, who in turn should now move beyond mere political rhetoric of stated commitments. 
  
  India, the largest donor among developing countries, has fulfilled its commitment of USD five million to UN Women, having made USD one million contribution last year in November. 
  
  India has nearly 1.5 million elected and empowered women representatives and the recently launched "Beti Bachao Beti Padao" programme is envisioned to break the inter-generational cycle of multiple deprivations faced by girls and women, critical for more inclusive and sustainable growth and arrest gender differential. 
  
• Tata Power completes 100 years of lighting up lives
  There has been an 100 years of existence for Tata Power, the country’s largest integrated power company in the private sector.The journey began in 1915 with the commissioning of its first 12-MW hydroelectric power unit at Khopoli in Maharashtra.As on February 9, the company had an installed capacity of 8,621 MW comprising thermal, hydro, solar and wind. 
  
  The commemoration of the centenary year began with the unveiling of a logo and theme depicting the company’s 100-year service of ‘Invisible Goodness’ to the nation by Cyrus Mistry, Chairman of Tata Power and Tata Group, at Khopoli. 
  
• SIT formed to probe sikh riots
  A three-membered Special Investigation Team to probe into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has been formed. The move comes after a Home Ministry-appointed a committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge Justice (retired) GP Mathur, submitted its report to Home Minister Rajnath Singh recommending fresh probe into the anti-Sikh riot cases through a SIT
  
  The anti-Sikhs riots had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Of the 3,325 victims, 2,733 were killed in Delhi alone while the rest were in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states. 
  
• H1N1 cases to come under 3 categories
  The Centre has come up with guidelines for the States to follow for combating the H1N1 outbreak. The Centre has asked States to categories cases for screening, isolation and hospitalization. 
  
  Health workers have been asked to screen people with symptoms of the flu on the basis of their severity and categories them. 
  
  In Category A will be those who do not require testing for H1N1. Patients with mild fever, cough and sore throat, body ache, headache, nausea and diarrhea will be put in Category A and can be monitored for 24-48 hours. These patients will be advised to stay at home and not mingle with the others. They will not need testing for H1N1 and no treatment with Oseltamivir. 
  
  In Category B will be those who have all the symptoms mentioned in Category A, but have high-grade fever and are in the high-risk category; they will need treatment with Oseltamivir and will have to be confined at home. “High-risk category includes children with mild illness, pregnant women, persons over 65, patients with lung, liver, heart, kidney, blood or neurological diseases or have been on long-term cortisone therapy.” In Category C will be those who have all the signs and symptoms of Category A and B and depending on their health condition will have to be hospitalized. 
  
• India improves press freedom rank
  India was ranked 136 out of 180 nations worldwide in terms of press freedom in 2015, which marks an improvement from its rank of 140 in 2014, even though its absolute score declined from 40.34 to 40.49. 
  
  In the annual World Press Freedom Index (WPFI), produced by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), India’s “abuse score,” which reflects the intensity of violent harassment faced by journalists, was 59.58, higher than Sri Lanka’s score of 40.6, but below Pakistan’s score of 64.91 and China’s 89.64.Regarding the country’s performance, the WPFI report said, One journalist and no net citizens were killed. 
  
  The WPFI ranks the performance of countries according to a range of criteria that include media pluralism and independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the media operate, according to its producers. 
  
  While the top of the list this year and in previous years was dominated by Scandinavian nations such as Finland, Norway and Denmark, at the other end of the scale, Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea were the worst performers. Russia, Iran and China also performed poorly, ranking at 152, 173 and 176, respectively. 
  
  The U.S. was down three places at 49 in 2015, which, according to reports, was due to the U.S. government’s “persecution of New York Times reporter Jim Risen, as well as the fact that the U.S. continues its war on information in others, such as WikiLeaks. 
  
• Telangana sops for Dalit entrepreneurs
  Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on 13th February announced a slew of benefits for Dalit entrepreneurs, including assistance to set up an incubation centre in Hyderabad. 
  
  According to him the State Government would be reserving 22 per cent of the space in all new industrial parks for Dalit entrepreneurs. 
  • The State Government would provide one acre of land in the city to enable the body to set up the incubation centre, apart from a Rs 5 crore grant. This centre is to help Dalit entrepreneurs not only from the State, but across the country.
  • The State Government would set aside another Rs 5 crore towards margin money for entrepreneurs wanting to raise loans.
  • In another incentive, the State would include 200 Dalit entrepreneurs in the first batch for various road and other contracts of the government, including those from roads and building and panchayat raj departments. To begin with, it will arrange for training of the prospective entrepreneurs with the National Institute of Construction.
  • According to Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, the Centre would ensure strict implementation of the scheme that makes it mandatory for all public sector units to procure four per cent of their total from Dalit entrepreneurs from April 1.
  
  
• TS Govt sets up Council to promote science & technology
  The Telangana State Government has constituted the State Council and Executive Committee of the Telangana State Council of Science and Technology. 
  
  Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will be the President of the TSCST and Forest Minister will be the Vice-President. The other members include the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries or nominees of Finance, Planning, Food & Agriculture, Rural Development, Higher Education and School Education departments, Union Secretary of Department of Science & Technology and Member Secretary of any other State Council of Science & Technology. 
  
  It will also have vice-chancellors of any two universities from Telangana, three directors or scientists not below the rank of Grade G and two industrialists from Telangana State as nominated members. The Council's Executive Committee will be chaired by the Minister for Forests and Environment. 
  
• Judicial Museum in Mumbai High court
  The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Permanent Judicial Museum at the Bombay High Court, conceived and set up as part of the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the court, in Mumbai on 14th February. The first of its kind museum in Maharashtra is located in the heritage building of the Bombay High Court displays antique items associated with the rich history of the 150 year old court. 
  
  The PM also released a commemorative first Day Cover on this occasion. Following the inauguration the Prime Minister was given a walk through down memory lane, about the rich history of the Bombay High Court and various milestones associated with it. 
  
  The museum designed by Advocate Rajan Jaykar, displays important documents such as the barrister certificates of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr B R Ambedkar, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, judgment copies of sedition cases against Lokmanya Tilak among others. 
  
  A cannon dating back to 1864, the charter by which Queen Victoria established the Bombay High Court in 1862, and subsequent charters from 1879 giving more powers to the court, is also put on the display. 
  
  The museum also has cloth fans hung above the head of the judge and pulled by staff, candle stands on the judge's table, old advocates' chairs stationery items like ink pots, paper weights, candelabra, old bookcases, frames, portraits and pictures of the court building taken in old days in its display. 
  
  The Supreme Court of India had the first judicial museum in the country. Other than the apex court, the Madras high court, Punjab and Haryana high court and Madhya Pradesh high court, too, have museums displaying their glorious past. 
  
• Water dispute settled between TS and AP
  The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, N. Chandrababu Naidu and K. Chandrasekhar Rao, met in the presence of Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to resolve the river water dispute between the two States 
  
  The Engineers-in-Chief of irrigation of the States were mandated to observe precautions in the release and the police to ensure that neither they nor political activists went to the dam. The police were also instructed to guard against recurrence of such unruly incidents. 
  
  Andhra Pradesh put up a claim for release of 7,000 cusecs of water initially through the right canal which was empty. The release could be scaled down after the canal was built up with water. 
  
  The AP government proposed to irrigate 1.5 lakh acres of paddy and 5 lakh acres of irrigated dry crop in Guntur and Prakasam districts through the right canal. The government also wanted tail end areas of Krishna district that were serviced by the left canal to get water. 
  
  The sowings in AP for the first crop were delayed till November and the harvest was expected from the month end to March 15. The government pressed for water release to the three districts till that time. On the other hand, Telangana wanted to irrigate 1.5 to 2 lakh acres of second crop in Nalgonda and Khammam by the left canal. It also insisted on enough storage in Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam for the drinking water of one crore population in Hyderabad. 
  
  The Irrigation Ministers of AP and Telangana Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao and T. Harish Rao respectively met with officials for nearly half-an-hour after the CMs left to finalise water release. The Ministers asked the ENCs Venkateswara Rao and C. Muralidhar to sit together and finalise the schedule of water release. 
  
• Law Commission moots special commercial courts
  The Law Commission recommended that the government to set up special commercial courts for the speedy disposal of “high value commercial suits” and suggested “substantial” changes in the Civil Procedure Code. 
  
  In its 253 Report, the Law Commission of India headed by chairperson Justice A.P. Shah, recommended to Union Law Minister V. Sadananda Gowda that separate commercial courts, and commercial divisions and appellate commercial divisions in High Courts would all ensure that cases are disposed of expeditiously, fairly and at reasonable cost to the litigant. 
  
  The Commission has also included a draft Bill, “the Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Courts Bill, 2015” and suggestions for substantive procedural changes in the form of amendments to the Civil Procedure Code, 1908. 
  
• PMO sets target: Hike n-power capacity three-fold in 10 years 
  The Prime Minister Office (PMO) has directed the nuclear establishment to get cracking on a target to triple the country’s current nuclear power generation capacity of 4,780 MWe (mega watt electrical) over the next 10 years. 
  
  The instruction to the DAE to step up on project execution comes at a time when substantive progress has been made on resolving the stalemate over the Indian liability legislation — this is expected to result in an incremental push to development of projects on foreign reactor technology. 
  
  There are already indications of a renewed funding push to the nuclear sector, coming at a time when the total investments made in the atomic power sector during the last fiscal (Rs. 3,626 crore in 2013-14) was the lowest in the last three years (Rs. 3,650 crore in 2011-12 and Rs. 4,549 crore in 2012-13). 
  
  A decade back, India’s atomic capacity was 2,770 MWe (in December 2004), which has gone up to the current 4,780 MWe, an increase of about 70 per cent over the last decade. The share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country in 2013-14 was just 3.54 per cent, a reflection of the low capacity base. 
  
  The Centre has, in principle, given its nod for six Greenfield sites in Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal for new nuclear units. The bulk of this capacity augmentation by NPCIL will be through larger-sized indigenous 700 MWe PHWRs (pressurized heavy water reactors) and imported LWRs (light water reactors) ranging between 1,000 MWe and 1,650 MWe. For the LWRs, the government has short-listed Toshiba-Westinghouse’s ‘AP1000’ reactor series, GE-Hitachi’s ‘ESBWR’ reactors, Areva’s EPRs (formerly called European Pressurized Reactors) and the Russian ‘VVER 1000’ reactors, two of which have already been deployed at Kudankulam. 
  
• Nuclear power will cost no more than Rs. 3.94/unit
  The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, which visited the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India on 1st February, said they were assured that the unit cost of nuclear power would be Rs. 3.94.Committee Chairman was Ashwani Kumar. 
  
• 77th annual convention of Speakers in Lucknow concludes
  The two-day Conference of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies concluded in Lucknow on 1st February. Around 400 participants including Chairmen of seven Legislative Councils, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha attended the conference. 
  
  Lok Sabha Speaker SumitraMahajan said that 'Question Hour' and 'Zero Hour' are of immense importance in any legislative body and they must be protected. 
  
  The conference, among other issues, mainly contemplated about the 'Role of the House in Development' and 'How to make the House Proceedings Paperless'. 
  
  The Lok Sabha Speaker said Goa and Himachal Pradesh assemblies have already taken steps in this direction. She added that the step will not only be environment friendly but will also cut cost. This is the third time after 1961 and 1985 that Uttar Pradesh hosted such an event. It is hoped that that the outcome of the conference will prove to be a milestone reforms for parliamentary institutions in the country. 
  
• India’s rank up in IP index
  India’s ranking has moved up one notch — from last to second last — in the international intellectual property (IP) index released by the US Chamber of Commerce, on 4th February. 
  
  Changes in India’s IP regime suggested by the index include amending patentability requirements, renouncing the use of compulsory licenses as a commercial tool and strengthening its copyright framework to address online and physical piracy. 
  
  The annual IP index, which evaluates 30 countries according to their IP environment, placed India at the bottom of the pile in the first two years. This year, the US tops the list while Thailand holds the last position. 
  
  The marginal improvement in India’s evaluation this year (it scored 7.3 of a possible 30 against 7 last year) is in recognition of the draft national IPR policy released by the Union Government, which recognized the fundamental links between IP, innovation, and the successful development of innovative products. There is also a lack of specific IP rights for the life sciences sector. 
  
  India’s refusal to be a contracting party to any international treaties on IPR (after the TRIPS Agreement) or to give any substantial concessions in the area to its free trade agreement (FTA) partners, has also been held as a minus. 
  
• BioAsia-2015 in Hyderabad
  Various challenges in the health sector were discussed in the Bio Asia 2015 conference that was held in Hyderabad from 2nd February to 4th February
  
  Over 1,350 delegates from as many as 50 countries took part in the conclave which concluded. The premier biotechnology event organized by FABA in association with Telangana government and other industry bodies 
  
• Northeast gets its first solar power plant
  North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has commissioned a five-MW solar power plant at Monarchak in Tripura, which will be the biggest and the first of its kind in Northeast India. The solar power plant was commissioned at a cost of Rs. 40 crore. The entire power from the plant would be transmitted to the Tripura power grid. 
  
  NEEPCO will set up a 50-MW solar power plant in Madhya Pradesh and a two-MW plant in Lanka in Nagaon district of Assam. 
  
  The ONGC is supplying gas to NEEPCO's 101-MW capacity power plant in Monarchak, 70 km south of Tripura capital Agartala and just eight km from the Bangladesh border. NEEPCO, a mini-ratna company under the Union Power Ministry, has set up the Rs.9.5 billion (nearly $150 million) gas-based power plant in Monarchak. 
  
• Candidate’s win will be void: SC
  The Supreme Court has given a historical verdict on 5th February. The Supreme Court ruled that the election of a returned candidate will be held as null and void if he fails to disclose complete and full details of his criminal antecedents at the time of his nomination. 
  
  Court observed that the misconduct of a single candidate affects the entire process of election because the non-disclosure amounted to the violation of the voter's right to take an informed choice and created an impediment in the free exercise of electoral right. 
  
  With this verdict, the apex court has stepped up its clarion call against criminalization in politics. It clearly sends the message that mere disqualification of the errant candidate is not enough, but the ripples of his conduct should be felt by nullifying the election itself. The case pertained to an appeal against the Madras High Court’s decision to nullify panchayat elections held in Coimbatore in 2006. 
  
• Sustainable summit
  The decision has been taken to protect environment, by adopting safe and green energy methods in the three day summit held in Delhi. The summit is known as Delhi Sustainable Development Summit is being held in Delhi, from 6th February to 8th February. Hollywood hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is the founding chair of R20 Regions of Climate Action also participated in summit. The summit was organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). 
  
• Skill development training to 1.50 crore people 
  The Centre will provide skill development training to 1.50 crore people under Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector in the next financial year. Also the government is aiming to increase the contribution of khadi clothes in textile industry to 5 percent in coming days from the present point 4 percent. 
  
• Nitish back as Bihar Chief Minister
  Nitish Kumar has been reelected as Bihar Chief Minister on 7th February. This followed the Janata Dal (United), or JD (U), legislature party elected him its new leader and removing Jitan Ram Manjhi from the party. 
  
  Kumar’s election brought the state back from the brink of a constitutional crisis, as Manjhi had recommended dissolution of the Bihar Assembly at a cabinet meeting earlier on 7th February. However, only seven ministers present at the meeting endorsed the proposal and 21 opposed it 
  
  Manjhi’s refusal to accept this had led to a situation where Bihar, at one stage, had two claimants to the chief ministership. The Bihar Assembly has 10 vacancies. While the BJP has 87 seats, the RJD has 24, the Congress five, and the Communist Party of India one. Besides, there are five independents. Both the RJD and the Congress backed Kumar. Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, also the governor of West Bengal, has rushed to Patna to assess the situation. 
  
• Tablets for girl students
  Jharkhand Government on 5 February 2015 decided to provide tablets to all girls student studying in class 9, 10, 11 and 12 in government Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalaya (KGBV).The Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalaya scheme was introduced by the Union Government in August 2004. The scheme was introduced for setting up to 1180 residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minority communities and families below the poverty line in Educationally Backward Blocks. 
  
• Zeliang wins trust vote in Nagaland assembly
  Nagaland chief minister T R Zeliang on 5th February won the trust vote in the assembly with 59 legislators voting for him during the confidence motion. Even the opposition Congress, which has eight MLAs in the 60-member house, supported the Nagaland government. Though dissident MLAs, who have been demanding a change in NPF leadership voted for the government, this has failed to douse the flames of dissidence. 
  
  Vote of Confidence: a vote of confidence is a vote in which members of a group are asked to indicate that they still support the person or group in power, usually the government.