[wanabidii] News Digest: MGNREGA spending at record high: Jaitley

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, February 02, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		Business
		MGNREGA spending at record high: Jaitley Addressing a MGNREGA Sammelan organised to mark the completion of 10 years of the scheme, Jaitley said there were apprehensions that the NDA government would end or replace the scheme with a new programme. Jaitley could squeeze business to balance books Jaitley is staring at a big revenue shortfall as India again misses an unrealistic target for raising cash from selling off state assets, while sliding commodity prices and exports have dented revenues. Gold hits 3-month high on shaky global economy Gold edged to a three-month high on Tuesday as weak global manufacturing activity underscored the challenges for the world economy, pushing investors towards safe-haven assets. Increased volatility in other assets has benefitted gold. More Business News»

		Environment
		NGT direction to UP govt on Ganga pollution issue The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh government and its state pollution control board to apprise the public about pending proceedings as it may order shifting of polluting industrial units located on the banks of Ganga. Researchers confirm lions in remote Ethiopian park Conservationists say they have confirmed the existence of lions in a remote national park in Ethiopia, a rare piece of good news for a threatened species whose numbers have plunged in many parts of Africa. Born Free, a charity based in Britain, said the discovery was made in Alatash National Park. Drying of animal hides on Ganga banks banned In a bid to save the river Ganga from increasing pollution, the district administration has banned drying of animal hides and production of organic fertilizers on its banks More Environment News»

		World
		Hillary Clinton beats Bernie Sanders to win Iowa With Democrat Clinton prevailing by only four delegates, according to party figures, Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, declared the result a "virtual tie." Pentagon to hike spending request to fund fight versus IS The fiscal year 2017 Pentagon budget will call for more than $7 billion for the fight against Islamic State, a roughly 35% increase compared with the previous year's request to Congress, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Malala's school among 8 to get terror threats Eight schools across the UK today received bomb attack threats, including one attended by Pakistani teenage activist and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, prompting authorities to launch a probe. More World News»

		Science
		Smoking pot may affect verbal memory: Study Long-term marijuana use may affect a person's verbal memory - the ability to remember certain words, a new study has warned. Centre to set up a research lab to understand earthquake mechanism in Mahrashtra's Koyna region The ministry of earth science will set up up a research lab - Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory at Karad in Maharashtra to understand earthquake mechanism in the Koyna region of the state. Earth made up of two planets after 'violent collision' with Theia 4.5bn years ago, UCLA scientists find A planetary embryo called Theia, thought to be around the size of Mars or Earth, collided with Earth 4.5 billion years ago when our planet was just 100 million years old. Scientists also say the event also created the moon. More Science News»

		Technology
		7 biggest smartphone myths busted But you shouldn't believe everything you need on the internet. Comparison: Motorola Moto X Force with Motorola Moto X Play and Apple iPhone 6s We compared the Motorola Moto X Force with Motorola Moto X Play and Apple iPhone 6s, so that you can choose the one right for you. Google wants to make its Nexus phones more like iPhones Google is planning to take more control over the design of its Nexus smartphones, taking steps to make the line of Android devices more like the Apple iPhone, The Information reports. More Technology News»

		Education
		UGC to launch national student-engagement campaign Seeking to create cleaner campuses across the country, higher education regulator UGC has asked colleges and universities to set up cleanliness panels as it works to launch a national student-engagement campaign for the purpose. Punjab to open three more schools for meritorious students this year To take forward agenda of imparting free and quality education to the poor but meritorious students, the Punjab government is all set to start academics in three new residential schools for meritorious students at Sangrur, Ferozepur and Gurdaspur. Score over 100% for top grade in new DU system Students would have to score more than 100% marks to get the top ‘O’ grade (‘outstanding’) in some subjects under the “relative grading” system introduced in Delhi University’s undergraduate courses as part of the choice-based credit system (CBCS). More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Customs catch a man with foreign currency at airport Air intelligence unit (AIU) of the Customs has arrested an Indian citizen with foreign currency worth Rs 31.82 lakh at International airport while he was leaving for Dubai on early Tuesday. Nalasopara teen looking for job gets kidnapped, is rescued after dialling 100 A Nalasopara teen desperately looking for a job was allegedly kidnapped and kept captive by a man in Sakinaka on Sunday. She was rescued after she made a SOS call to the police control room. Mumbai's air quality still in the 'very poor' category For the five consecutive day, the air quality index (AQI) in the city remained in the very poor category. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Man asked to pay Rs 50K compensation, maintenance to wife, son A man has been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 and monthly maintenance of Rs 4,000 to his estranged wife and minor son by a Delhi court which also restrained him from committing domestic violence upon the woman or contacting her. Govt sore as Delhi again misses heritage bus Last June, the Centre halted Delhi’s bid for a world heritage city tag just days before the Unesco world heritage meeting. This year, the Centre has endorsed Ahmedabad for this prestigious tag, once again bypassing Delhi. 2nd arrest in gang war at Najafgarh More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Bus passengers in Bengaluru forced to change buses, take cabs home Utter chaos prevailed after Bengaluru city police prevented about 2,200 private buses from entering the Central Business District (CBD) areas on Monday. To change portrayal, women need to step out and write films: Suhasini She is writing Queen in Tamil and Telugu; film to be directed by Revathi. Bengaluru mall faces power cut threat after fire breaks out in eatery The fire and emergency services department has decided to ask Bescom to disconnect power supply to a west Bengaluru mall where a fire broke out on Monday morning. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Kapu stir: Two commissions that did nothing Two statutory Backward Castes commissions that held sway over the affairs of BCs in AP and Telangana areas for over two decades did nothing for the status of Kapus in the state during their tenure. One suicide, Kapu stir on the boil he agitation by Kapus seeking BC status in Andhra Pradesh threatened to spin out of control with a 50-year-old man committing suicide for the cause in Kakinada on Monday. Mudragada sets Feb 5 deadline to resolve Kapu quota issue It was the Kapu Garjana that he had convened in Tuni that unleashed violence on Sunday with a mob torching several police vehicles, a police station and bogies of the intercity Ratnachal Express. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		SBI FlexiPay Home Loan launched State Bank of India has launched its "SBI FlexiPay Home Loan" aimed at youngsters with a rising income. The loan allows takers the option of only paying the interest on the loan for the first years. Teenager in Tamil Nadu village commits second rape, this time on a minor girl he teenager, who recently came out after serving two years’ detention at a juvenile home for raping a 24-year-old woman around four years ago (when he was 14 years), allegedly raped an eight-year-old minor girl on Monday evening. Nilgiris' hunter kills Bihar rogue tusker Shafath Ali Khan, an ace shooter and tranquilizer expert in the Nilgiris, was recently asked to gun down a rogue elephant in Bihar's Gaya district. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Chinese firms to Make in Gujarat from 2017 The first Chinese Industrial Park will be functional by the end of 2017 near Ahmedabad. Girl ends life inside hostel room in Surat A 20-year-old bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) student ended life at her hostel room in Uka Tarsadiya Pharmacy College near Bardoli, Surat on Monday . The deceased blamed stress in a suicide note left behind. Forester shoots self to death A forester posted at Jasadhar forest range in Dhari division in Amreli shot himself to death with his official gun allegedly to prove his `innocence'. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Four liquor smugglers held Four members of a gang involved in liquor smuggling were arrested near Curzon Bridge on Monday. 12 take oath as permanent HC judges Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud on Monday administered oath to 12 additional judges of the High Court as permanent judges in his court room. Teachers Eligibility Test exam today Uttar Pradesh Teachers Eligibility Test will be conducted at 1200 examination centres across the state on Tuesday. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		State govt will wait for Union Budget before tabling its own Presentation of the Odisha budget for the coming financial year (2016-17) in the state assembly will get delayed by around a month to March 15 from its usual timing in the second week of February. State aims to produce 5L MT fish this year against 4.67L MT in '14-15 The state government has set a target to produce five lakh metric tonne (MT) fish in 2015-16, said the fisheries and animal resources development department sources. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation panel to oversee Raahgiri The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday constituted a core committee comprising three officers to ensure smooth management of Raahgiri in the weeks to come. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Madhya Pradesh government to construct 35,000 new homes for policemen Madhya Pradesh government will construct 35,000 new homes for its police force in next five years, including 10,000 this year. Madhya Pradesh farmers to felicitate Modi on February 18: Chouhan The farmers of Madhya Pradesh will felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for implementing the crop insurance scheme, during his visit to the state on February 18, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. NIA arrests 24-yr-old ISIS suspect from Bhopal National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested a 24-year-old ISIS suspect from Bhopal as part of the agency's crackdown on sympathisers of the terror group. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Gang of heritage furniture thieves busted Chandigarh police on Tuesday claimed to bust a well organized gang involved in the theft of heritage furniture designed by French architect and creator of Chandigarh, Le Corbusier, and his nephew, Pierre Jenneart. He introduced Punjab to Neruda Professor Randhir Singh, eminent Marxist scholar, who first translated Communist Manifesto in Punjabi and introduced Punjabis to poets like Chilean Pablo Neruda and Louis Aragon of France, passed away in New Delhi on Sunday evening. He was 94. Meets kin of suicide victims, raises aid issue Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju met the families of farmers and farm workers who committed suicide due to economic distress at Bhucho village near Bathinda on Monday. More Chandigarh News»

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