Countries and their Capital

Country ----- Capital

[1] Afghanistan ----- Kabul
[2] Albania ----- Tirana
[3] Algeria ------ Algiers
[4] Andorra ------- Andorra la Vella
[5] Angola ------- Luanda
[6] Antigua and Barbuda ------- Saint John's (Antigua)
[7] Argentina ------ Buenos Aires
[8] Armenia ------- Yerevan
[9] Australia ------- Canberra
[10] Austria ------ Vienna
[11] Azerbaijan, Republic ----- Baku (Baki)
[12] Bahrain ----- Manama
[13] Bangladesh ------ Dhaka
[14] Barbados ------- Bridgetown
[15] Belarus ----- Minsk
[16] Belgium ------ Brussels
[17] Bhutan ------ Thimphu
[18] Brazil ------ Brasilia
[19] Brunei -------- Bandar Seri Begawan
[20] Bulgaria ------ Sofia
[21] Burundi ------ Bujumbura
[22] Cambodia ----- Phnom Penh
[23] Canada ----- Ottawa
[24] Chile ------ Santiago
[25] China ------ Beijing
[26] Colombia ------ Santa Fe de Bogotá
[27] Costa Rica ----- San Jose
[28] Croatia ------ Zagreb
[29] Cuba ------ Havana
[30] Cyprus ------ Lefkosia (Nicosia)
[31] Czech Republic ------- Prague
[32] Denmark ------ Copenhagen
[33] Dominica ----- Roseau
[34] Dominican Republic ------ Santo Domingo
[35] Ecuador ------ Quito
[36] Egypt ------ Cairo
[37] El Salvador ----- San Salvador
[38] Equatorial Guinea -------- Malabo
[39] Ethiopia ------ Addis Ababa
[40] Fiji ------ Suva (Viti Levu)
[41] Finland ------ Helsinki
[42] France ------- Paris
[43] Gabon ------- Libreville
[44] Gambia ------ Banjul
[45] Germany -------- Berlin
[46] Ghana ---- Accra
[47] Greece ------ Athens
[48] Grenada ----- Saint George's East Caribbean
[49] Guatemala ----- Guatemala City
[50] Guinea ------ Conakry
[51] Guyana ------ Georgetown
[52] Hungary ------ Budapest
[53] Iceland ------- Reykjavik
[54] India ------ New Delhi
[60] Indonesia ----- Jakarta
[61] Iran ----- Tehran
[62] Iraq ----- Baghdad
[63] Ireland ------ Dublin
[64] Israel ------ Jerusalem
[65] Italy ------ Rome
[66] Jamaica ------ Kingston
[67] Japan ----- Tokyo
[68] Jordan ------- Amman
[69] Kazakhstan ------ Astana
[70] Kenya ------ Nairobi
[71] Kiribati ------- South Tarawa
[72] Korea, North ------- Pyongyang
[73] Korea, South ------ Seoul
[74] Kuwait ------ Kuwait City
[75] Kyrgyzstan ------ Bishkek
[76] Latvia ------ Riga
[77] Lebanon ----- Beirut
[78] Lesotho ------ Maseru
[79] Liberia ------ Monrovia
[80] Libya ----- Tripoli
[81] Lithuania ------ Vilnius
[82] Luxembourg ------ Luxembourg Ville
[83] Madagascar ---- Antananarivo
[84] Malawi ------- Lilongwe
[85] Malaysia ------ Kuala Lumpur
[86] Mali ------ Bamako
[87] Malta ------ Valletta
[88] Marshall Islands ------ Majuro
[89] Mexico ------ Mexico City (Distrito
[90] States of Moldova ------ Chisinau
[91] Monaco ------ Monaco Ville
[92] Mongolia ------- Ulaanbaatar
[93] Morocco ------ Rabat
[94] Mozambique ------- Maputo
[95] Myanmar ------ Naypidaw
[96] Serbia ----- Belgrade
[97] Seychelles ------ Victoria
[98] Sierra Leone ------- Freetown
[99] Singapore ----- Singapore
[100] Slovakia ------- Bratislava
[101] Slovenia ------- Ljubljana
[102] Solomon Islands ----- Honiara
[103] Somalia ------ Mogadishu
[104] South Africa ------ Pretoria
[105] Spain ----- Madrid
[106] Sri Lanka ----- Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
[107] Sudan ----- Khartoum
[108] Sweden ------ Stockholm
[109] Switzerland ----- Bern
[110] Syria ------ Damascus
[111] Taiwan ----- Taipei
[112] Tajikistan ------ Dushanbe
[113] Tanzania ------ Dar es Salaam
[114] Thailand ------- Bangkok
[115] Togo ----- Lome
[116] Trinidad and Tobago ------ Port-of-Spain
[117] Tunisia ------ Tunis
[118] Turkey ----- Ankara
[119] Uganda ------- Kampala
[120] Ukraine ------ Kiev
[121] United Arab Emirates ------- Abu Dhabi
[122] United Kingdom ------ London
[123] United States ------- Washington, DC
[124] Uruguay ----- Montevideo
[125] Uzbekistan -------Tashkent (Toshkent)
[126] Vatican City ------ Vatican City
[127] Venezuela ------ Caracas
[128] Vietnam ------ Hanoi
[129] Yemen ---- Sana
[130] Zambia ------- Lusaka
[131] Zimbabwe -------- Harare

First vaccine against rota virus lunched in India

• Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched the rotavirus vaccine in the State in the presence of Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other senior officials.
• With the launching the vaccine was now available in the State free of cost under the Centre-sponsored Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
• Apart from Odisha, the vaccine will be available in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh under the UIP.
• The Centre, along with Unicef, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other stakeholders are launching the rotavirus vaccination programme.
• According to sources, the vaccine would be available at all government health facilities for free and would be administered to children at six, 10 and 14 weeks of age. Sources said the vaccine is available in the private sector at about Rs 3,000 for a full course.
• Introduction of the vaccine under the UIP would ensure equitable access to protection from rotavirus-induced diarrhoea in children.
• Sources said the rotavirus vaccine will help prevent death of around 1.5 lakh infants, besides putting a stop 4.5 lakh hospitalisation each year.
• Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus causing diarrhoea among children, often leading to hospitalisation and mortality.
• The vaccine will be administered in every one and a half months, two and a half months and three and a half months, said Health Department officials.

About Rotavirus Vaccine-
Rotavirus vaccine is a vaccine used to protect against rotavirus infections. These viruses are the leading cause of severediarrhea among young children. The vaccines prevent 15 to 34% of severe diarrhea in the developing world and 37 to 96% of severe diarrhea in the developed world. The vaccines appear to decrease the risk of death among young children due to diarrhea. Immunizing babies appears to decrease rates of disease among older people and those who have not been immunized.

Important days / dates – National and International

Important days / dates in January:

January 01 : Global family day.

January 09 : NRI Day.

January 10 : World laughter day.

January 12 : National Youth Day.

January 15 :Army Day.

January 23: Netaji Subhash Chandra bose birthday

 January 26 : India's Republic Day

January 26 : International Customs day.

January 28 : Lala lajpat rai birthday

January 28 : Data protection day

January 30 : Martyrs' Day

January 30 : World leprosy eradication day

Important days / dates in February:

February 04 : World Cancer day

February 06 : International day against female genital mutilation

February 12 : Darwin day

February 12 : World day of the sick.

February 13 : Sarojini Naydu's birthday

February 20 : World day of social justice

February 21 : International mother language day

February 22 : World scout day

February 23 : World peace and understanding day

February 24 : Central Excise Day.

February 28 : National Science Day.

Important days / dates in March:

March 4 : World day of fight against sexual exploitation, National Security day.

March 8 : International Women's Day

March 13 : World kidney day

March 15 :World Disabled Day

March 15 : World consumer right day.

March 20 : World day of theatre for children and young people.

March 20 : International day for Francophonie

March 20 : World Sleep day

March 21 : World Forestry Day.

March 21 :International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

March 22 : World water day

March 23 :World Meteorological Day.

March 24 : World T.B. day

March 24 : International day for achievers

March 25 : International day of remembrance-victims of slavery and transatlantic slave trade

March 27 : World Drama day

Important days / dates in April:

April 2 : World autism day

April 5 : National Maritime Day.

April 7 :World Health Day.

April 17 : World haemophilia day

April 18 :World Heritage Day.

April 22 :Earth Day.

April 23 : World book and copyright day

April 25 : World Malaria day

April 29 : International Dance day

Important days / dates in May

May 1 : International Labour Day (Workers Day)

May 3 :Press Freedom Day.

May 4 : Coal miner’s day

May (2nd Sunday) : Mother's Day

May 8 :World Red Cross Day.

May 9 : Victory day

May 11 : National Technology Day.

May 12 : International Nurses day

May 14 : World Migratory day

May 15 : International Day of the Family.

May 17 :World Telecommunication Day (Information society day)

May 21 : Anti-terrorism day

May 24 :Commonwealth Day.

May 31 :Anti-Tobacco Day.

Important days / dates in June:

June 4 :International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.

June 5 : World Environment Day.

June 7 : International level crossing awareness day

June 8 : World ocean day

June 12 : World day against child labour

June(2nd Sunday) : Father’s Day.

June 14 : World blood donor day

June 17 : World day to combat desertification and drought

June 20 : World Refugee day.

June 21 : Father's day, World Music day.

June 23 : United Nation’s public service day

June 23 : International Widow’s day

June 26 : International day against Drug abuse & Illicit Trafficking.

June 27 : World Diabetes Day.

Important days / dates in July:

July 1 : National Doctor’s day.

July 6 :World Zoonosis Day.

July 11 : World Population Day.

July 12 : World Malala day

July 18 : Nelson Mendela International day

July 28 : World Nature conservation day

Important days / dates in August:

August 2 : International Friendship Day.

August 3 : Independence day of Niger

August 5 : Independence day of upper volta

August 6 :Hiroshima Day

August 9 : International day of World’s indigenous people

August 9 :Quit India Day and Nagasaki Day.

August 12 : International Youth day

August 15 : Independence Day of India

August 23 : International day for the remembrance of the slave trade and its abolition

August 29 : National Sports Day.

Important days / dates in September:

September 5 : Teachers' Day (Dr. Radhakrishnan’s birthday)

September 5 : Forgiveness daySeptember 8 :World Literacy Day.

September 14 : Hindi day, World first aid day

September 16 :World Ozone Day. Engineer's day in India

September 21 :Alzheimer's Day, International day of peace

September 25 : Social justice day

September 26 : Day of the Deaf.

September 27 : World Tourism Day.

Important days / dates in October:

October 1 : International day of the Older person

October 2 : Mahatma Gandhi birthday, International day of non-violence

October 3 :World Habitat Day, World nature day

October 4 :World Animal Welfare Day.

October 5 : World Teacher’s day.

October 8 : Indian Air Force Day.

October 9 : World Post Office day.

October 10 : National Post Day.

October 11 : International girl child day

October 12 : World Arthritis day.

October 13 :UN International Day for National disaster reduction.

October 14 :World Standards Day.

October 15 : World White Cane Day( guiding the Blind)

October 16 : World Food Day.

October 17 : International day for the eradication of poverty.

October 20 : World statistics day

October 24 : UN Day, World development information Day.

October 30 :World Thrift Day.

Important days / dates in November:

November 1 : World vegan day

November 5 : World Radiography day.

November 9 : World services day

November 14 : Children's Day in India, Jawaharlal Nehru birthday

November 16 : International day for Endurance

November 17 : World Student day, National Journalism day

November 18 : World Adult day.

November 19 : World Citizen day.

November 20 : Africa Industrialization Day, Universal children day.

November 21 : World Television day, World Fisheries day.

November 25 : World Non-veg day.

November 26 : Law day

November 29 : International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People.

November 30 : Flag day.

Important days / dates in December:

December 1 : World Aids Day.

December 2 : World Computer literacy day, International day of abolition of slavery

December 3 : International day of People with disabilities, World conservation day

December 4 : Navy Day.

December 5 : International volunteer day for economic and social development.

December 7 :Armed Forces Flag Day, International civil aviation day.

December 9 : The International day against corruption.

December 10 :Human Right Day.

December 11 : International Mountain day.

December 14 : International Energy day.

December 18 : International Migrants day.

December 19 : Goa’s liberation day.

December 20 : International Human solidarity.

December 23 :Kisan Divas Farmer's Day).

December 29 : International Bio-diversity day

Schemes launched by Prime Minister

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana

• Eligibility – age group 18-70 having saving bank account can be enrolled under scheme.
• Premium – Rs 12 per annum
• Payment mode – through saving bank account of the subscriber
• Insurance cover- for accidental death- Rs 2 lakh, for partial disability Rs 1 lakh

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana

• Eligibility – age group 18-50 having saving bank account can be enrolled under scheme.
• Premium –Rs 330 per annum
• Payment mode – through saving bank account of the subscriber
• Insurance cover - forrs 2 lakh in case of death due to any reason

Atal Pension Yojana

• Purpose – pension
• Age – minimum 18 years and maximum 40 years
• Fixed pension –Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 per month at the age of 60 years
• Contribution depends upon your age
• Government contribution – 50% of your contribution or Rs 1000, whichever is lower
• Saving bank account is mandatory

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities

• Project scope- 100 smart Cities and 500 cities for AMRUT
• Central allocation –Rs 48000 crore for smart cities and Rs 50000 crore for AMRUT
• Period – 5 years
• Smart cities to be selected through City Challenge Competition
• AMRUT will cover all cities with population more than 1 lakh and above

Skill Development Program

• It will provide training and skill development to 500 million youth of our country by 2020, covering each and every village.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

• It is a reformation of the scheme “Housing for All”.
• The aim of this scheme is to construct more than two crore houses across the length and bredth of the nation.
• The target beneficiaries of the scheme would be poor and people living under EWS and LIG categories in urban establishments of the country.
• The government would provide an interest subsidy of 6.5% on housing loans availed by the beneficiaries for a period of 15 years from the start of loan.
• The houses under Pradhan MantriAwasYojana would be allotted to preferably the female member of the family.

Digital India

• Aim – To ensure the government services are made available to citizens electronically.
• Digital India has three core components. These include-

1)The creation of digital infrastructure,

2) Delivering services digitally,

3)Digital literacy

• The project is slated for completion by 2019.
• Monitored and Controlled by - Ministry of Communications and IT
• 9 Key points of Digital India Programme are as follow-

1. Broadband Highways
2. Universal Access to Phones
3. Public Internet Access Programme
4. e-Governance – Reforming government through Technology
5. e-Kranti – Electronic delivery of services
6. Information for All
7. Electronics Manufacturing – Target NET ZERO Imports
8. IT for Jobs
9. Early Harvest Programmes

Heritage City Development and Augmented Yojana

• Amount allocated – Rs 500 Crore
• City allocated – 12 cities (namely, Ajmer, Amaravati,(Andhra Pradesh), Amritsar, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri, Varanasi, Velankanni and Warangal).
• Aim – To bring together urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation in an inclusive manner to preserve the heritage character of each Heritage City.

Sukanya Samriddhi Account Yojana

• Investment type- small deposit account
• Where – post office and selected banks
• Max number of account- 1 account per girl
• Max number of accounts per family – max. 2 girl child
• Age–from birth till 10 years of girl child
• Min. deposit –Rs 1000/ per year, further multiple of rs 100
• Max. deposit –1.5 lakh/year
• Interest rate –9.1% of financial year 2014-15. it will change every year
• Partialwithdrawl–50% allowed at the age of 18 years of girl
• Maturity – 21 years from the date of account open or marriage, whichever is earlier

PAHAL Scheme

• Aim - to bring transparency and terminate pilferage from distribution of funds sponsored by Central Government of India.

Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd (MUDRA) Bank

• Regulate the lender and the borrower of microfinance and bring stability to the microfinance system through regulation and inclusive participation.
• MUDRA Bank has rightly classified the borrowers into three segments: the starters, the mid-stage finance seekers and the next level growth seekers.To address the three segments, MUDRA Bank has launched three loan instruments:

Shishu: covers loans uptoRs 50,000/-

Kishor: covers loans above Rs 50,000/- and uptoRs 5 lakh

Tarun: covers loans above Rs 5 lakh and uptoRs 10 lakh

Pradhan Mantri Jan DhanYojana

• It is the flagship financial inclusion plan of the NDA Government.
• All Indian citizens can now avail of a bank account despite the lack of KYC documentation. These bank accounts are valid for a year within which account holders must furnish proof of having applied for valid documents required to comply with KYC norms.
• Under the scheme:

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save girl child, educate girl child)

• Its aims is to generate awareness and improving the efficiency of welfare services meant for women.
• The scheme was initiated with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development will be responsible for budgetary control and administration of the scheme at the Central level
• Madhuri Dixit is the brand ambassador of this scheme.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

• For ensuring hygiene, waste management and sanitation across the nation “Swachh Bharat Mission” launched.
• This will be tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary to be celebrated in the year 2019.
• It aims to provide every rural family with a toilet by 2019.
• It is expected to cost over ₹62000 crore.
• Fund sharing between the Central Government and the State Government and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) is 75%:25% (90% : 10% for North Eastern and special category states).
• Modi selected 9 public figures to propagate this campaign.

HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION BUDGET 2016-17

1. Big Focus on Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare

• Farmer’s income to be doubled by 2022.
• 28.5 lakh hectares will be brought under irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.
• 89 irrigation projects, requiring Rs. 86,500 crore in next five years, to be fast tracked. 23 of these projects to be completed before 31st March, 2017.
• Dedicated Long Term Irrigation Fund will be created in NABARD with initial corpus of Rs. 20,000 crore.
• Total outlay on irrigation including market borrowings is Rs. 12,157 crore.
• Major programme for Sustainable Ground Water management proposed for multilateral funding at a cost of Rs. 6,000 crore.
• 5 lakh farm ponds and dug wells in rain-fed areas and 10 lakh copost pits for production of organic manure will be taken up.
• Soil Health Cards will be given to 14 crore farm holdings by March, 2017.
• 2,000 model retail otlets of fertilizer companies with soil and seed testing facilities, will be opened in the next three years.
• Unified Agricultural Marketing E Platform to be dedicated to the Nation on the Birthday of Dr. Ambedkar on 14th April, 2016.

2. Rs. 27,000 crore including State’s share to be spent on PMGSY in 2016-17. Target date of completion of PMGSY advanced from 2021 to 2019.

3. Rs. 9 lakh crore will be given as Agricultural credit in 2016-17.

4. FCI will undertake online procurement of food grains. This will bring transparency and convenience to farmers through prior registration and monitoring of procurement.

5. Pashudhan Sanjeevani, an animal wellness programme, will be undertaken. Nakul Swasthya Patras to be issued.

6. Rural Sector

• Rs.2.87 lakh crore will be given as Grant in Aid to Gram Panchayats and Municpalities as per the recommendations of the 14th FC. This translates to Rs. 81 lakh per gram panchayat and over Rs. 21 crore per Municipality.
• Every Block in drought and rural distress areas will be taken up under Deen Dayal Antoyodaya Mission.
• 300 Rurban Clusters will incubate growth Centres in Rural Area.
• All villages will be electrified by 1st May, 2018.
• A new Digital Literacy Mission scheme will be launched for rural India to cover around 6 crore households in next three years.
• Modernisation of Land Records through revamped National Land Records Programme.
• Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Programme to be launched.

7. Targeted Delivery of Government subsidies and benefits to ensure that they reach the poor and the deserving.

• New law for targeted delivery of financial and other subsidies etc. using Aadhar framework will be enacted.
• DBT in fertilizer will be launced on pilot basis.
• Of the total 5.35 lakh fair price shops in the country, 3 lakh shops to be automated by March,2017.

8. MUDRA – Loan target of 1,80,000 crore in 2016-17.

9. Social Sector

• Massive Mission to provide LPG connection to poor households will be launched. 1.5 crore poor households will benefit in 2016-17. Scheme will continue for two more years to cover a total of 5 crore BPL households. LPG connection to be given in the name of woman member of the family.
• New Health Protection scheme will be launched. Health cover up to Rs. 1 lakh per family and additional Rs. 30,000 for senior citizens to be provided.
• 3000 stores under Prime Minister’s Jan Aushadhi Yojana will be opened in 2016- 17.
• National Dialysis Services Programme will be launched. Tax exemptions given to certain parts of dialysis equipments.
• A new Eco System for SC/ST entrepreneurs will be set up. SC/ST Hub to be set up in MSME Ministry.

10. Education

• 62 new Navaodaya Vidyalayas to be opened in remaining uncovered districts in next two years.
• An enabling regulatory architecture will be provided to 10 public and 10 private institutions to emerge as world class teaching and research institutions.
• Higher Education Financing Agency will be set up with an initial capital base of Rs. 1,000 crore.
• Digital Depository will be set up for educational certificates, mark-sheets, awards etc.

11. Skills

• 1500 Multi Skill Training Institutes will be set up under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
• National Board for Skill Development Certification will be set up in partnership with industry and academia.
• Entrepreneurship education and training will be provided in 2200 colleges, 300 schools, 500 govt. it is and 50 vocational training centres through open online courses.

12. Job Creation

• Government of India will pay EPS contribution of 8.33% for all new employees enrolling in EPFO for the first three years of employment. Applicable to those with salaries  of Rs. 15,000 per month.
• Section 80 JJAA of Income Tax Act being amended to broaden the scope of employment generation incentives.
• Interlinking of State Employment Exchanges with National Career Service Platform.
• Small and medium shops to be permitted to remain open all 7 days a week on voluntary basis. New jobs in retail sector.

13. Measures in the sectors of Infrastructure, Investment, Banking, Insurance etc.

• Rs. 2,18,000 crore will be spent on capital expenditure of roads and railways in 2016-17.

  Includes: Rs. 27,000 crore PMGSY

                     55,000 crore Road Transport and highway

                     15,000 crore NHAI Bonds

                     1,21,000 crore Railways

• Unserved and underserved airstrips to be revived by AAI and also in partnership with State Governments.
• Road transport sector (passenger segment) to be opened up by removing permit system. This will benefit the poor and middle class, encourage new investment, promote start up entrepreneurs and create new jobs. This is a major reform measure.
• Discovery and exploration of fas in difficult areas will be incentivized by giving them calibrated marketing freedom. This is a major reform measure.
• To promote private participation in infrastructure projects, Public Utility (Resolution of Disputes) Bill will be introduced; and guidelines for renegotiation of PPP agreements will be issued, without compromising transparency.
• Changes in FDI Policy.
• For the benefit of farmers, 100% FDI through FIPB route will be permitted for marketing of food products, produced and manufactured in India. This will give big encouragement to food processing industry and create new jobs.
• Guidelines for strategic disinvestment have been approved and will be spelt out.
• Individual units of CPSEs can be disinvested to raise resources for investment in new projects.
• In the financial sector, a comprehensive Code on Resolution of Financial Firms will be enacted. Together will the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Law, this will fill a major systemic vacuum. This is a big reform measure.
• SARFAESI Act to be amended to strengthen Asset Reconstruction Companies. This will help in dealing with stressed assets of Banks.
• Public Sector Banks (PSB) – 

(a) Recapitalisation of PSBs; 
(b) roadmap to be spelt out for consolidation of PSBs; 
(c) considering reduction of Government equity in IDBI Bank to 49% of below; 
(d) DRTs to be strengthened with computerized processing of court cases.

• General Insurance Companies will be listed in stock exchanges for improving transparency, accountability and efficiency.
• Comprehensive Central legislation to deal with Illicit Deposit Taking schemes will be enacted.

14. ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ will be launched to link States and Districts.

15. Technology Driven Platform for Government procurement of goods and services will be set up by DGS&D. This will improve transparency, efficiency and reduce cost of procurement.

16. Fiscal Discipline

• Fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP in 2016-17
• Committee for review of FRBM Act.
• Removal of -/Non Plan classification from 2017-18
• Rationalisation of Central Plan Schemes. More than 1500 Central Plan schemes have been restructured to about 300 Central sector and 30 centrally sponsored Schemes.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RAIL BUDGET - 2016

• No hike in passenger fares.
• Action has been initiated on 139 budget announcements made last year.
• Eliminate all unmanned level crossings by 2020.
• Swacch Bharat 17000 bio toilets and additional toilets in 475 stations before the close of this financial year.
• Increased quota for senior citizens and women travellers this year.
• Wi-Fi at 100 stations this year and 400 stations next year.
• Enhanced capacity of e-ticketing system from 2,000 tickets in to 7,200min. Supporting 1.2 lakh concurrent users now, as opposed to 40,000 earlier.
• All major stations to be brought under CCTV surveillance in a phased manner.
• Deen Dayal coaches for long distance trains for unreserved passengers. These coaches will include potable water and higher number of mobile charging points.
• IRCTC to manage catering service in phased manner. Local cuisine of choice will be made available to passengers.
• Cleaning of toilets by requests through SMS.
• Children's menu, baby foods, baby boards to be made available for travelling mothers.
• GPS-based digital display in coaches for showing upcoming stations.
• Will open cancellation facility through 139 helpline number.
• Introduce bar-coded tickets on pilot basis to tackle menace of ticketless travel.

NEW PROJECTS –

• Overnight double-decker trains to be introduced on business travel routes.
• 1,600 km of electrification this year and 2,000 km proposed for the next year.
• Broad Gauge Lumding-Silchar section in Assam, connecting Barak Valley with rest of country.
• North-East India, especially Mizoram and Manipur, to be connected through broad gauge soon.
• Special purpose vehicle for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed corridor registered this month.

Pi(π) Day

March 14, the Pi Day, an annual celebration of a rather special number: pi (π).

Although most people remember pi from their school days as being the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter but for mathematicians pi is of far more importance than basic geometry: it crops up in all sorts of unrelated areas, from statistics to the laws of gravity, fluid dynamics to number theory.

Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day date format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π.

Although pi has been part of mathematics since the BC era, Pi Day has really been celebrated for the last 27 years.

The day was first celebrated in 1988 in San Francisco by physicist Larry Shaw, who led an enthusiastic crowd of pi-ans to celebrate the day by eating pie.

In 2014, the entire month of March (3/14) was observed by some as “Pi Month”.

In the year 2015, Pi Day had special significance on 3/14/15 (mm/dd/yy date format) at 9:26:53 am and also at pm, with the date and time representing the first 10 digits of π.

Pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, but the number now is used for countless calculations and applications in the real world.

While celebrating 3.14 on 3/14 is fun, the most appropriate Pi Day that has ever happened (and never will happen again) was March 14, 1592.

The first seven digits of pi are 3.141592, meaning that date was the most accurate Pi Day the world will ever get!

India’s Rajveer Meena holds the world record for remembering the value of Pi to 70,000 at the VIT University, Vellore on 21 March 2015.

Interestingly he wore a blindfold throughout the entire recall, which took nearly 10 hours.

This year the day (3/14/16) is an extra auspicious day since it is the once-in-a-century Rounded Up Pi Day, when the month, day and year are pi correct to four decimal places rounded up to the nearest decimal place.

Pi is 3.14159 to five decimal places. Rounded up to four it is 3.1416. And today is 3/14/16.

Beti Bachao,Beti Padhao : Caring for the Girl Child

Our Mantra should be: ‘Beta Beti, Ek Samaan’

"Let us celebrate the birth of the girl child. We should be equally proud of our daughters. I urge you to sow five plants when your daughter is born to celebrate the occasion."-PM Narendra Modi to citizens of his adopted village Jayapur.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) was launched by the Prime Minister on 22nd January, 2015 at Panipat, Haryana. BBBP addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum. It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.

The key elements of the scheme include Enforcement of PC & PNDT Act, nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral action in select 100 districts (low on CSR) in the first phase. There is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitization, awareness raising and community mobilization on ground.

The NDA Government is trying to bring about a transformational shift in the way our society looks at the girl child. PM Modi in his Mann Ki Baat lauded the Sarpanch from Bibipur in Haryana who started a ‘Selfie With Daughter’ initiative. PM also urged people to share their selfies with daughters and it soon became a world-wide hit. People from across India and the world shared their selfies with daughters and this became a proud occasion for all those who have daughters.

Since the launch of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, the multi-sectoral District Action Plans have been operationalized in almost all states. Capacity-buiding programmes and Trainings have been imparted to Trainers to further strengthen capacities of district level officials and frontline workers.  Nine set of such trainings have been organized covering all States/UTs the Ministry of Women & Child Development from April-October, 2015.

Under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, Pithoragarh district has taken various steps towards protecting the girl child and enabling her education. The District Task Force and Block Task Force have been constituted. Meetings of these forums have organized & clear road maps have been developed and relating to Child Sex Ratio. To reach out the community at a large, awareness generation activities have been being carried out for wider dissemination of the Scheme. Various Rallies have been organized with core participation from various schools, Army schools, Employees of Government Departments, etc 

In order to increase awareness about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, street plays are also being organized in Pithoragarh. These street plays are not only organized at the villages, but also in markets to generate awareness among a larger audience. Through story visualization, people are getting sensitized towards the problems of sex-selective abortion. Issues related to the girl child and the series of the difficulties she faces through her lifespan are very well portrayed through these street plays. Through a Signature Campaign, Pledge and Oath Ceremony, message of BBBP has reached out to 700 students from PG colleges and several Army Personnel.

Mansa district in Punjab has launched an initiative to inspire its girls to be educated. Under its ‘Udaan - Sapneya Di Duniya De Rubaru (Udaan- Live your Dream For One Day)’ scheme, the Mansa administration invites proposals from girls belonging to classes VI-XII. These girls have the opportunity to spend one day with a professional they aspire to be — doctor, police official, engineer, IAS and PPS officers, among others.

The initiative has received great response, and more than 70 students have already got a chance to spend one day with a professional, to see them function in a professional environment, helping them make better decisions about their future career choice.

India and Climate Change

India has also played a positive and constructive role in the successive Conferences of Parties under the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). For developing countries like India, the issue of climate change goes beyond environmental sustainability and directly impacts their overriding priorities of development and poverty eradication. India believes that the global efforts to address climate change must be in full accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention, in particular the principles of ‘equity’ and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’. 

For a country like India, with one of the smallest carbon foot-prints in the world, the first and overriding priority is to pursue economic development, to alleviate poverty and to address its severe energy defiit. India, with 17% of the world’s population, contributes only 4% of the total global Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. In per capita terms, India’s CO2 emissions are only about a quarter of the global average.

Despite its huge developmental challenges, India remains fully committed to contributing to the global action on climate change through ambitious domestic actions. India has declared its commitment to keep its per capita emissions below the average per capita emissions of developed countries. The announcement to take on a voluntary target of reducing the emissions intensity of India’s GDP by 20-25% by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 level is a further manifestation of the seriousness with which India wants to contribute to the global action on climate change.

India played a leading and constructive role in the 18th Conference of Parties (COP-18) to the UNFCCC in Doha, Qatar held in December 2012. India has welcomed the outcome of the Doha Conference, in particular the decision to operationalize the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol albeit with low level of mitigation ambition. India hopes that the mitigation targets pledged by developed country parties under the 2nd commitment period will be revised upwards in 2014 as agreed at Doha and that 2nd commitment period will be ratified by parties as soon as possible for it to enter into force at the earliest. India is engaging constructively in the plan of work that has been agreed for further work in 2013 under the Adhoc Working Group on Durban Platform. India believes that the remit of the Durban Platform is the enhanced implementation of the Convention in the post-2020 period, not the renegotiation or reinterpretation of its principles and provisions.

India and Biodiversity

India is among the top 12 mega centers of the world in terms of its bio-diversity. It has a wide range of geo-climatic conditions and a rich and varied flora and fauna, as well as a long standing tradition of environmental sensibility and concern that goes to the very roots of its millennia-old culture. Harmony with nature has been an integral part of the ethos of Indian society.

India hosted the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from 8-19 October 2012, in Hyderabad, India, following the sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP 6).

India’s hosting of these important conferences was symbolic of the importance it attaches to the preservation and protection of the planet’s biodiversity and it leadership on these issues at the multilateral fora.

The meetings were presided over by Ms. Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister for Environment and Forests, India as the President of CoP-11. The High Level Segment was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of who in his speech launched the ‘Hyderabad Pledge’, wherein he announced that the Government of India has decided to earmark a sum of US $ 50 million during India’s Presidency of CoP to strengthen institutional mechanism, enhance the technical and human capabilities biodiversity conservation in India, and to promote similar capacity building in other developing countries. COP-11 to the CBD was notable for the agreement on an interim target of doubling biodiversity-related international financial resource flows to developing countries by 2015, and at least maintaining this level until 2020. This is coupled with targets aiming to improve the robustness of baseline information as well as a preliminary reporting framework for monitoring resource mobilization.