FEBRUARY 2016 CURRENT AFFAIRS (PART-2)

• Every year on 10 February is observed as National Deworming Day to combat parasitic worm infections among pre-school and school-age children across India. This year it is second edition of the observance of this day after it was launched in 2015 by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The 7th edition of India, Seychelles joint military exercise LAMITYE 2016 has begun in Victoria, Seychelles. India and Seychelles have been conducting joint military drill ‘Exercise Lamitye’ since 2001. Lamitye in Creole (local dialect of Seychelles) means friendship. The exercise is conducted biennially with the aim of enhancing military cooperation and interoperability between the two countries.
• The 42nd edition of world famous Khajuraho Dance Festival began at Khajuraho in Chhatrapur District in Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho Temple is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh built by Chandela Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. They are UNESCO World heritage Site.
• India is going to host Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation from 12 April 2016 to save tigers. It will be the third such conference on tiger conservation that will see the participation of all 13 tiger range countries. They are Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, China and Russia. The first edition of Asia Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation was held in Hua Hin, Thailand in 2010 and second edition was held in Thimphu, Bhutan in 2013. India is home to nearly 70% of the world’s tiger population and according to the 2014 tiger census, there are 2,226 tigers in the country. State-wise, Karnataka (406) has the highest number of tigers followed by Uttarakhand (340), Madhya Pradesh (308), Tamil Nadu (229), Maharashtra (190), Assam (167), Kerala (136) and Uttar Pradesh (117).
• Union Government has selected former Chief Justice of India H L Dattu as new Chairman of National Human Rights Commission. He will succeed Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan who had demitted office after his five-year term ended in May 2015. Since then Justice C Joseph is functioning as the acting Chairman. As per the provisions of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, President appoints the Chairman and members of the NHRC on the recommendation of the high-powered committee headed by the Prime Minister. NHRC is apex statutory watchdog of human rights in the country.
• Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas has released the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for north-east India. The states covered under it are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura.
• Gujarat state government has decided to set up India’s first aviation park near Bagodara village in Ahmedabad district to strengthen the aviation sector.
• India’s first indigenously developed lightest revolver Nidar weighing merely 250 grams was successfully launched. It has been designed and manufactured by the state-run Rifle Factory Ishapore located in West Bengal giving boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative in small manufacturing sector.
• West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra has been appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax. He will succeed Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani who had to resign in November 2015 over corruption charges.
• Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has launched ‘Swachh Himachal – Padhai bhi, Safai bhi’ campaign in Dharamsala. With this unique campaign, HPCA became the first cricket association in the country to work towards Swatch Bharat Abhiyan initiated by the Union Government.