MAHARASHTRA

• Centre and ADB sign US$ 926 million loan agreement for Mumbai Metro

• The Centre and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a US$ 926 million dollar loan agreement to operationalize two lines of the Mumbai Metro Rail System.

• It is the single largest infrastructure project loan in ADB history approved by the ADB Board.

• The project will ease the distress of millions of commuters each day and help provide a cleaner and less congested city.

• Once operational by the end of 2022, an estimated two million passengers a day will use the two new lines.

INTERNATIONAL

• India and Brunei signed TIEA agreement

• The Government of India and the Government of Brunei Darussalam signed an Agreement for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes (TIEA) in New Delhi.

• The Agreement enables the exchange of information, including banking and ownership information between the two countries for tax purposes.

• It is based on international standards of tax transparency and exchange of information and enables sharing of information on request as well as on an automatic basis.

• The Agreement also provides for mutual assistance in collection of tax revenue claims between both countries.

NATIONAL

•  Government increases MSP for 50 minor forests produces

• Union minister Jual Oram announced that tribal forest produce gatherers will get minimum support price for 50 items under a new scheme.

• Under the “Scheme of Minimum Support Price and Value Addition”, the MSP for 50 items will be hiked by 30 to 40 per cent.

• It will benefit 5.5 crore tribals who depend on forest produce for livelihood.

• Oram also said the government’s flagship Van Dhan scheme for increasing incomes of tribal population is ready to be extended to all tribal districts in phases.

• The ministry will also set up around 6,000 Van Dan Vikas Kendras, each comprising 300 tribal gatherers, in the country.

·         NITI Aayogpartnered with Adobe to enhance digital literacy

• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and software major Adobe have signed a Statement of Intent to collaborateon enhancing digital literacy and creativity skills. 
  
  
• Under the agreement, Adobe would implement the Adobe Digital Disha Programme across 100 schools under Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) initiative. Teachers and Children across these 100 schools would benefit from the creative learning resources via free access to Adobe Spark premium. 

 

·         Union Cabinet approved the National Policy on Software Products

• The Union Cabinet approved the National Policy on Software Products 2019 that aims to help the industry grow at CAGR of 40% to reach $70-80 billion by 2025 while creating employment opportunities for 3.5 million people. 
  
  
• The policy aims to adopt a shift in strategy so that IT products also contribute equitably and significantly to the industry along with IT services. The government’s initial outlay of Rs.1,500 crore is being planned for various schemes under in policy in the next seven years. 
  
  
• Further, the policy proposes to create a Rs.5,000 crore fund with industry participation to promote emerging technology such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Big Data, and robotics.Of this, government contribution will be Rs.1,000 crore.

• Cabinet approved the National Mineral Policy 2019 on 28th February

• The Union Cabinet approved the National Mineral Policy 2019 on 28th February 2019. The policy is aimed at bringing about more effective regulation to the sector as well as a more sustainable approach while addressing the issues of those affected by mining.
  
  
• The policy will also provide a more effective, meaningful and implementable policy that brings in further transparency, better regulation, and enforcement, balanced social and economic growth as well as sustainable mining practices. 
  
  
• It also aims to increase the share of Indian software products in global market by tenfold, pitches for nurturing of 10,000 technology start-ups in software product industry, including 1,000 such startups in tier-II and tier-III towns.

·         MHRD launched STARS scheme on 28th February

• The Union Human Resource Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the STARS scheme on National Science Day that is 28th February. STARS is abbreviated as Scheme for Translational and Advanced Research in Science. 
  
  
• The Ministry has allocated Rs.250 crores for the implementation of the scheme. Under the scheme 500 science projects will be funded whose selection will be made based on competition. Indian Institute of Science (IISC) will be the coordinator of the scheme. 

•  The National Science Day is celebrated on 28th February every year in the memory of Indian physicist and a Nobel laureate Sir CV. Raman

• The theme of the 2019 National Science Day is Science for people and people for science

·         Tamil Nadu is the first State in the country to introduce TAVI

• Tamil Nadu is the first State in the country to introduce Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) in the government sector. The TAVI was launched at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital (TNGMSSH), Omandurar Estate, in November 2018. 
  
  
• Tamil Nadu State government entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with HeartTeam India to perform the procedure for patients at the TNGMSSH. The procedure costs Rs.20 lakh to Rs.25 lakh in the private sector, while it is done free in the government sector.
  
  
• Conventionally, open heart surgery is performed for replacing the aortic valve for treating aortic stenosis. But not all patients such as the elderly are fit to undergo open heart surgery. This is where TAVI helps as in this procedure the valve is replaced through a keyhole procedure from the groin.

·         HRD Ministry Launches SHREYAS Scheme

• Union Human Resources Development Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar, launched the “Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS)”.
  
  
• Main aim to provide industry apprenticeship opportunities to the general graduates exiting in April 2019 through the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) in New Delhi. 
  
  
• The program will enhance the employability of Indian youth by providing ‘on the job work exposure’ and earning of stipend.
  
  
• SHREYAS is a programme basket comprising the initiatives of 3 Central Ministries, which are:
  
  
• Ministry of Human Resource Development
  
  
• Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
  
  
• Ministry of Labour & Employment

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