 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 exemptions under the Income Tax Act, 1961. It will now recognize an entity as a start-up up to 10 years from the date of its incorporation or registration instead of the existing duration of 7 years. It will also recognize an entity as a start-up if its turnover for any of the financial years since its incorporation or registration does not exceed Rs 100 crore unlike the previous amount of Rs 25 crore. |
| Source: Money Control |
 The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi unveiled 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. PM distributed certificates to the beneficiaries of various schemes. He released commemorative postage stamp on completion of 100 Years of IIT BHU. He also inauguratedBHU Cancer Centre and Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Lahartara. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 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. This Eco Circuit project was sanctioned in December 2015 for Rs. 76.55 crores. Major works carried out under the project includes Eco Adventure Tourism Park at Vagamon, Cultural Centre at Kadamanitta. |
| Source- PIB |
 The World Day of Social Justice is celebrated annually all over the world on 20 February. The theme for WDSJ 2019 is “If You Want Peace & Development, Work for Social Justice”. The International Labour Organization unanimously adopted the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization on 10 June 2008. |
| Source- The United Nations |
 Noted Hindi writer Namvar Singh passed away in New Delhi. He was 92. Prof. Namvar Singh was ill for some time and was being treated at All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Singh was the first chairman of JNU’s Centre of Indian Languages. He has authored over dozen books including ‘Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman’, ‘Chhayavad‘ and ‘Dusri Parampara Ki Khoj’ among others. He received Sahitya Academy Award for literary criticism in 1971 for ‘Kavita Ke Naye Pratiman’. |
| Source: News on AIR |
 American military veteran and novelist, William E. Butterworth III, better known asW.E.B. Griffin (his pen name), passed away at the age of 89. He joined the army at the age of 17 and has served in the Korean War. He wrote more than 200 books under the pen name W.E.B. Griffin and various other names and sold millions of copies. His most popular series include “Badge of Honor,” ”Clandestine Operations” and “Presidential Agent.” |
| Source: USA Today |
 Bandicoot, a drainage-cleaning robot, has been introduced for the first time in Indiaat the Kumbakonam city corporation as part of efforts to rid of manual scavenging at the cost of Rs 18 lakh in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is a semi-automatic robot can enter manholes for cleaning sewage lines with its robotic arm and is equipped with 5 night-vision cameras to relay the scenario underneath. Drainage cleaning could be detected by viewing the blockages on the screen. |
| Source: News On AIR |
 Cyber Prevention Awareness and Detection (CyPAD) Centre and the National Cyber Forensic Lab (NCFL) were inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and LG Anil Baijal in Dwarka, New Delhi. To spread awareness among school students and teachers, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started a popular Twitter handle @CyberDost. |
| Source: Money Control |
 Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, launchedSWAYATT in New Delhi. SWAYATT is an initiative to promote Start-ups, Women and Youth Advantage Through eTransactions on Government e Marketplace (GeM). This will bring together the key stakeholders within the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem to Government e-Marketplace the national procurement portal. On this occasion, Commerce Minister also dedicated GeM Start-up Runway-an initiative of GeM in association with Start-up India to facilitate Start-ups registered with Start-up India to access the public procurement market and sell innovative products and services to government buyers. |
| Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB) |
 Elise Merten, world number 21 from Belgium beat world number 3, Simona Halep to win the Qatar Open held in Doha, Qatar. This is her first WTA Premier-level crownand fifth title of her overall career. Mertens’ triumph over the Romanian was her third win over a top 10 player in Doha. |
| Source: BBC |
You need to login to perform this action.
You will be redirected in
3 sec
