World economic forum annual meeting for 2018 will be held at Davos, Switzerland.
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
World economic forum releases Global Information Technology Report, Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report , Global Competitiveness Report (GCR).
Star rating for garbage free cities
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban has Launched Smart Star-Rating for Garbage Free Cities
The star-rating initiative will be rating cities on a 7-star rating system based on multiple cleanliness indicators for solid waste management.
The rating will include Door to Door Collection, source segregation, scientific processing of waste, plastic waste management, dump citizen grievance redressal system etc.
Further city should be ODF(Open Defecation Free) before it could be given rating of 3 star or above.
Cities will need to get recertified themselves every year to retain their star-status.
Bharat ke Veer
Bharat ke Veer” is an online portal in which any person can make fiscal contributions to assist the families of martyrs of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
CAPF includes Assam rifles (AR), Border security force (BSF), National security guards(NSG), Central industrial security force (CISF), Central reserve police force (CRPF) , Indo-Tibetan border police force (ITBT), National disaster response force (NDRF),SashastraSeemaBal (SSB).
Through this portal one can donate directly to individual Martyrs account (up to max of Rs 15 lakhs) or may donate to the Bharat Ke Veer corpus fund.
Bharat Ke Veer corpus would be managed by a committee made up of eminent persons of repute and senior government officials, in equal number, who would decide to disburse the fund equitably to the brave hearts family on need basis.
Accessible India Campaign (AIC)
It is a nationwide flagship campaign of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The aim of the Campaign is to make a barrier free and conducive environment for differently abled all over the country.
For creating universal accessibility for differently abled persons the campaign has been divided into three verticals:
Built Environment.
Transport.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem.
This campaign is in line with UNCRPD(UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) to which India is a signatory.
Automated ocean pollution observation system
Union government has planned to setup an automated ocean pollution observation system.
These systems will be installed in coastal areas of West Bengal, Goa, Mumbai, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam and Chennai.
It will help keep a tab on ocean pollution levels apart and provides insights on how the marine system is changing.
It is an initiative under National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Ban on peat coke
Union environment ministry has placed restrictions on the use and trading of imported petroleum coke in the Delhi and its surrounding region.
This measure is taken to curb rising air pollution.
Peat coke is a dark solid carbon material that emits 11 percent more greenhouse gases than coal.
Meghalaya statehood day
Recently Meghalaya celebrated its 46th statehood day.
Under the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organisation) Act. 1971, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura attained statehood on January 21, 1972.
