Assam

Brahmos
BrahMos has the capability of attacking surface targets by flying as low as 10 metres in altitude. It can gain a speed of Mach 2.8, and has a maximum
range of 290 kms.

Goa
Election Commission of India decides to make use of innovative Poll Monitoring System in all the 40 assembly constituencies of Goa for the ensuing
assembly polls slated on March 3. This would be the first such occasion in the electoral history of the country. Under the system, fingerprints of the voters
would be recorded by finger print reading machines along with their photographs by the web cameras fitted to computers.

North Korea
North Korea agrees to suspend nuclear and missile tests and halt a uranium enrichment programme in return for US food aid. The announcement was
made by Korea and US simultaneously. Washington had promised 240,000 tonnes of nutritional assistance, with the prospect of additional food aid, at talks
between the two sides in Beijing in February 2012.

Patiala
The State Jail Department of Punjab organizes a ‘Jail Olympics’ to keep prisoners away from social evils and help them keep good health. Patiala jail has
been chosen as the venue for the inauguration of the games which will have Basketball, Kabaddi, Athletics, Cricket, Volleyball, Wrestling, Tug-of-war and
Badminton.

1, 2, 3 & 4
Union Cabinet approves the proposals of fertilizers Department for fixation of rates of Nutrient Based Subisdy, NBS for next fiscal. It has approved per Kilogram NBS rates of fertilizer nutrients – Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potash and Sulphur for the next financial year 2012-13.Total subsidy outgo for Potash and Phosphate will depend on the overall consumption of fertilizers in the next financial year. All farmers in the country will be the beneficiaries. The new rates will be effective from April the 1st.

US Air Force
US Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz

1.4% of GDP
Government has recently decided to increase its total health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of GDP by the end of the 12th Plan from the current 1.4 per cent. A high-level meeting convened on the directions by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, also decided that the Planning Commission be requested to allocate adequate resources for the health sector to achieve the target. It was also decided that the Ministry may set up a Central Procurement Agency early for providing free medicine for all through public health facilities under the National Rural Health Mission and also prepare Standard Treatment Protocols.

Travel & Tourism

Arunachal Pradesh
The Centre has sanctioned Rs 130 crore to Arunachal Pradesh as a special package for the modernization of police forces in troubled Tirap and Changlang districts. The package is meant for improvement of all the existing police stations and opening of new ones in both the districts. This step was taken for reported movement of underground elements in both the districts from across the border and the hardship faced by the people

Iran
Iran recently had gone to elect 290 member Parliament or the Majlis-e-Shura. More than 3000 candidates were in the fray.

Akash
Akash is considered as the Indian Patriot. The Patriot is an American missile system which was used successfully in neutralising the Iraqi Skud missiles during the first Gulf War in the 90s. The Akash missile was developed by DRDO as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and is an all-weather, medium-range, Surface-to-Air Missile system. The missile is expected to be the mainstay of the air defence batteries of the country’s armed forces in next few decades.

Assam
Sualkuchi which is a weaving village in Assam that produces some of the best silk in the country, provides employment to more than 25 thousand people. Assam government has recently inaugurated a textile park in Sualkuchi. Known as the Manchester of the East, Sualkuchi is situated 35 kms away from Guwahati.The silk of the craft village comprises three major types-golden era, white pat and warm eri silk. There are about 17 thousand silk looms that produce an eclectic range of silk products. Most of the Sualkuchi’s silk is woven into traditional mekhela -chadar and gamosa.Considering the potential of the industry, Assam government with the North Eastern Council has already set -up Sualkuchi Institute of Fashion Technology under the aegis of the Ministry of Textiles to impart fashion-related curriculum and to create professionals to meet the varied manpower demands.

Income Tax

Congo
Lt General Bikram Singh will be the next Army Chief. An official press statement says that Lt Gen Bikram Singh will succeed Gen V.K. Singh, who retires on May 31 this year. Lt General Bikram Singh was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment on March 31 1972. During his long and distinguished career, spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of command and staff appointments. Lt General Bikram Singh has served as Deputy Force Commander of a multi-nation UN Peace Keeping Mission in Congo and as UN Observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 90s.