Current Affairs 21st february 2019

Current Affairs 21^st february 2019

NATIONAL

1. PM Modi flagged off 1^st ever Diesel to Electric Conversion Locomotive.

 -Under ‘Make in India’ initiative, Indian Railways has created history by converting a diesel locomotive into electric locomotive for the first time in the world. This all new converted energy-efficient electric locomotive has been flagged off by PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

2. Saudi becomes 73^rd Nation to sign International Solar Alliance.

 –Saudi Arabia became the 73^rd nation to sign unvelled by PM Narendra Modi and former French President Francois Hollande in 2015.

3. Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons Inaugurated ‘Eco Circuit’ project in Kerala.

 –K.J. Alphons, Union Minister for Tourism inaugurated the project ‘Development of Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady’ under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism at Vagamon, Kerala.

4. Textiles Minister launched 4 projects in North-East for development of Silk Sector.

 –Union Minister of Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani, launched four projects in North East for the development of silk sector through video conference in New Delhi.

5. Development projects worth Rs. 3350 crores Unvelled by PM in Varanasi.

 –The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi unvelled development projects worth Rs. 3350 crores for Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. These projects pertain to various sectors of Health, Sanitation, Smart City, Connectivity, Power, Housing and others.

6. Important cabinet approvals: 19^th February 2019.

 –The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has given the following set of approvals. The important Cabinet approvals are given as follows:

-The Cabinet has approved:-

 >Promulgation of the banning of unregulated deposit schemes ordinance, 2019.

 >The release of an additional installment of DA to Central Government employees and DR to Pensioners, due from 1.1.2019.

BANKING

1. Government relaxes angel tax norms for start-ups from 7 years to 10 years.

 –The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in an attempt to provide relief to and boost investments into start-ups in India has decided to simplify the process for them to get exemption under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

SPORTS

1. Squash Great Nicol David announces retirement.

 –Malaysia’s 8-time World Champion Nicol David has announced that she will call time on her record-breaking career at the end of the 2018/19 season.

OBITUARIES

1. Noted Hindi writer Namvar Singh passes away.

 -Noted Hindi writer Namvar Singh passed away in New Delhi. He was 92. Singh was the first chairman of JNU’s Centre of Indian Languages.

2. ‘Badge of Honor’ Military Novelist, W.E.B. Griffin passes away.

 –American military veteran and novelist, William E. Batterworth III, better known as W.E.B. Griffin passes away at the age of 89. He joined the army at the age of 17 and has served in the Korean War.