INTERNAIONAL
Scientists claim discovery of Zealandia a submerged continent in Pacific Ocean
Geologists have claimed discovery of new geological continent named Zealandia submerged beneath the south-west Pacific Ocean. Zealandia is around 4.5-million square km land mass and is 94% under water. Only its highest points — New Zealand and New Caledonia are visible.
Zealandia is two-thirds the size of Australia and spreads out over 4.9-million-square kilometres of continental crust. It was once a part of Australia. It is believed that it had broken off from Antarctica about 100 million years ago, and then from Australia about 80 million years ago as part of the breakup of super-continent Gondwanaland and sank beneath sea.
Two Indian films win award at 2017 Berlin International Film Festival Two Indian films bagged top honours at the annual 67th Berlin International Film Festival. They are Newton: It has won the CICAE Art Cinema Award. It is co-written by Mayank Tiwari and directed by Amit V Masurkar. It is starred by Rajkummar Rao Anjali Patil and Pankaj Tripathi Short film Aaba: It has won Special Prize of Generation KPlus International Jury for Best Short Film. It has directed by Amar Kaushik. It is shot in Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. It is based on a tale about the bond between a grandfather and granddaughter.
February 20- World day of Social justice.The World Day of Social Justice is observed every year on February 20 to recognize the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment.
Read more at: http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/february-20-world-day-social-justice-02201741509.html
NATIONAL
Barren Island: India’s only live volcano active again
The volcanic island is part of Andaman islands. Its northern part is barren and is uninhabited. It is also devoid of vegetation.
After lying dormant for 150 years, Barren Island volcano had erupted in 1991 and since then it is showing sporadic activity. Now it is erupting in small episodes of five to 10 minutes.
GST council approves law to compensate states for revenue loss
The GST Council has approved a law to compensate states for any loss of revenue from the implementation of the new nationwide indirect taxation regime. The meeting was held in Udaipur, Rajasthan first time outside national capital. It was headed by Union Finance Minister and attended by representatives from all states.
GST is a consumption based indirect tax levied on sale, manufacture and consumption on goods and services at a national level. It will replace a plethora of central and state indirect taxes. The Compensation Law provides compensation to states that will incur losses because of implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) in the first five years.
GST Council has been established as per Article 279A of the Constitution. It is joint forum of the Centre and the States to make recommendations on important issues related to GST. Union Finance Minister is Chairperson of the council.
RAJASTHAN
CM Gives Big Relief to Farmers Power Tariff for Agriculture Reduced.
Big relief including reduced tariff for agriculture connections to farmers. As per the decision farmers of the state would continue to get electricity on earlier rates of 90 paise per unit and the flat rate would also be Rs. 85 per HP instead of Rs. 120. The state government would bear the increased burden of new power tarrif as per directions of the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC).
Now farmers having agriculture connections of general category would get power at the rate of 90 paise per unit instead of Rs 1.15 per unit. On the flat rate connection charges would be Rs. 85 per HP instead of Rs. 120
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