Notes:
The National Productivity Council (NPC) is observing National Productivity Day (NPD) on 12th February 2018, and National Productivity Week till 18th February. It is the 60th Anniversary of the National Productivity Council (NPC) and is being celebrated as Diamond Jubilee Year. The theme for the 2018 National Productivity Week is – Industry 4.0 Leapfrog Opportunity for India. Industry 4.0 would mean the convergence of real and virtual worlds – the next phase in bringing together conventional and modern technologies in manufacturing. This will result in the “Smart Factory”, which is characterized by versatility, resource efficiency, ergonomic design and direct integration with business partners.

Notes:
The 4th meeting of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) was held in New Delhi on February 12, 2018 under the chairmanship of Dr Bibek Debroy. During the meeting, the Council discussed the possible modalities of implementing the National Health Scheme announced by the government in the Union Budget-2018-19. Besides, presentations were made on Health Reforms, World Bank Report on Indian Economy and on Indian Fiscal – Monetary Framework.

Notes:
Swayam Prakash Pani (41), a 2000-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, has taken charge as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Range on February 12, 2018. With this, he became the youngest officer to hold the post. Pani has served in key positions, including deputy IG, south Kashmir range, senior superintendent of police, Kulgam and Kathua. He has also held position in the served in the Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency (NIA). He replaced Munir Ahmad Khan, who has been given the charge of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) security and home guards.

Notes:
Rohan More, the Pune-based Indian long-distance swimmer, has become the first Asian and the youngest person in the world to swim across the Ocean Seven. Despite sudden drop in water temperature, he covered the distance in 8 hours and 37 minutes. The Ocean’s Seven marathon consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, which includes the North Channel, the Cook Strait, the Molokai Channel, the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Tsugaru Strait and the Strait of Gibraltar. With this feat, Rohan has also become the 9th person in the world to swim across Ocean Seven.

Notes:
Defending champion Kishan Gangolli from Karnataka has won the 13th edition of the National ‘A’ Chess Championship for the blind in Mumbai on February 12, 2018. The championship was organised by All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB). With this feat, Gangolli became the champion for the fifth consecutive time with 10.5 points. Gujarat’s Ashvin Makwana stood second with 9.5 points, Soundarya Kumar Pradhan of Orissa with 9 points came third, Aryan Joshi of Maharashtra with 8.5 points, came fourth and Odisha’s Subhendu Kumar Patra with 7.5 points was at fifth position in the National ‘A’ Chess Championship for blind. These top five players in the championship will form the Indian team for the forthcoming ‘World Team Championship’ for the blind to be held in Bulgaria in July 2018.

Notes:
The Railway Sports Promotion Board has lifted the 8th edition of Senior National Women’s Hockey Championship 2018, thrashing Madhya Pradesh 4-0 in the final to finish the tournament without losing a game on February 11. Vandana scored two goals while Priyanka Wankhede and Anupa Barla one each. In the bronze medal match, Haryana beat home team Jharkhand 2-0.

Notes:
Rajnath Singh, the Union Home Minister, has launched the Centre for learning Sanskrit language in Gujarat University in Ahmedabad on February 10, 2018. The first-of-its-kind spoken Sanskrit centre centre will offer a six-month course for people on how to speak the language. The classes will be held on Saturday and Sunday. In it, no prior knowledge of Sanskrit is required and the first batch shall begin in 10 days. The fees have been fixed at Rs 500.

Notes:
Asma Jilani Jahangir (66), Pakistan’s renowned human rights lawyer, social activist and an outspoken critic of the country’s powerful military establishment, has passed away in Lahore on February 11, 2018. She was known for her outspoken nature and unrelenting pursuit for human rights. Asma was the first woman to serve as the President of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. She became a champion democracy activist and was subsequently imprisoned in 1983 for participating in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy against the military rule of Pakistan’s longest-serving President Ziaul Haq. In 1986, she moved to Geneva and became the vice-chair of the Defence for Children International. She remained there until 1988 before moving back to Pakistan. In 1987, she co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and became its Secretary General until 1993 when she was elevated as commission’s chairperson. Asma also played an active role in the famous Lawyers’ Movement to restore Iftikhar Chaudhry as the chief justice of Pakistan.

Notes:
The Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari has released India’s first-ever Highway Capacity Manual (Indo-HCM) in New Delhi on February 12, 2018. The manual has been developed by CSIR – CRRI on the basis of an extensive, country-wide study of the traffic characteristics on different categories of roads like single lane, two-lane, multi-lane urban roads, inter-urban highways and expressways and the associated intersections on these roads. The manual lays down guidelines for when and how to expand or manage different types of roads and their intersections and the level of services to be put in place. It is designed to be a useful tool for guiding road engineers and policy makers in the country. It has been developed based on the unique nature and diversity of traffic on Indian roads.

Notes:
The National Sugar Institute (NSI) is located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and was established in 1936. It is involved in research, training and advisory services to the sugar and allied industry, and functions under the Department of Food and Public Distribution of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. It provides technical education and training in research in all branches of sugar chemistry, sugar technology, sugar engineering and allied fields. The institute provides assistance to central and state governments in matters relating to sugar and allied industries.