9 PM Current Affairs Brief – February 28, 2019

Parkinson’s drug trial offers glimmer of hope for cell repair According to scientists, clinical trials of experimental treatment for Parkinson’s disease could not substantially prove whether the treatment was able to halt or slow down the disease. The treatment is called Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF). GDNF is made by privately-held Canadian biotech… Continue reading Parkinson’s drug trial offers glimmer of hope for cell repair

Nasscom wants U.S. to provide level-playing field for Indian firms IT industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) is working closely with the U.S. government to allow level playing field for the Indian firms.It said that Indian IT companies take less than 12% of the 65,000 H-1B visas.More than 70% of the… Continue reading Nasscom wants U.S. to provide level-playing field for Indian firms

Govt brings 42 non-scheduled cancer drugs under price control National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has invoked powers under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 and brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control. This will cap trade margin at 30%, which would reduce their retail prices by up to 85%. The trade margin is the difference… Continue reading Govt brings 42 non-scheduled cancer drugs under price control

AP gets new south coast Railway zone The Centre has announced the creation of a separate railway zone in Andhra Pradesh. The new zone would be named South Coast Railway (SCoR). The headquarters of the new zone will be in Vishakhapatnam. As per item 8 of Schedule 13 (Infrastructure) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act,… Continue reading AP gets new south coast Railway zone

SC: Payout for Hit and run deaths should be Rs. 2 lakh The Supreme Court has accepted court appointed committee’s recommendation to increase the minimum compensation for death in a hit-and-run case from the existing Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh. The Supreme Court had constituted the committee headed by Justice Radhakrishnan in 2014. The… Continue reading SC: Payout for Hit and run deaths should be Rs. 2 lakh

Clean Ganga projects to be completed in 2020: Nitin Gadkari The Water Resource Minister has said that all ongoing Ganga rejuvenation under Namami Gange would be completed by March 2020. He has also urged people to contribute to the Clean Ganga Fund. Launched in 2015, the Namami Gange programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission which… Continue reading Clean Ganga projects to be completed in 2020: Nitin Gadkari

‘On the job for women’s quota’ At the Mission Shakti convention in Rayagada district, Odisha, the Chief Minister of the state, has reiterated that he was making efforts to secure 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies. In 2018, the Odisha Assembly had passed a resolution by unanimous voice vote for providing 33%… Continue reading ‘On the job for women’s quota’

A memorial to remember Odisha’s witch-hunt victims State Director General of Police of Odisha, has unveiled a memorial for witch-hunt victims in Keonjhar, Odisha. It is said to be the first of its kind in India. It has a symbolic statue at its centre with the names of all known victims of witch hunting etched on… Continue reading A memorial to remember Odisha’s witch-hunt victims

Special purpose vehicle to improve infrastructure in Sabarimala The Kerala state cabinet has decided to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for comprehensive development of Sabarimala, Pamba, Nilackal and transit camps for pilgrims under the Sabarimala Master Plan. A special purpose vehicle is an entity which is formed for a single, well-defined and narrow… Continue reading Special purpose vehicle to improve infrastructure in Sabarimala

Modify Feb. 13 eviction order of lakhs of forest dwellers: Centre urges SC The Centre and the State of Gujarat has filed applications urging the Supreme Court to modify its February 13 order. The Supreme Court had directed the eviction of more than 10 lakh of Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other traditional forest dwellers whose… Continue reading Modify Feb. 13 eviction order of lakhs of forest dwellers: Centre urges SC