Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee, Madan Mohan Malaviya

The President's Office announced the Bharat Ratna award to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The announcement was made on the eve of Mr. Vajpayee's 90th birthday and the 153rd birth anniversary of Pandit Malviya.

A Bharat Ratna for Pandit Malviya, a freedom fighter and the founder of the Benaras Hindu University was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaign. Justice Giridhar Malviya, the grandson of Pandit Malaviya was one of those who proposed the nomination of Mr. Modi from Varanasi parliamentary constituency. Mr. Vajpayee will be the seventh Prime Minister to receive the award, while Pandit Malviya will be the 12th person to be honoured posthumously.

Kelkar panel recommends 100% free irrigation, power to farmers

The Vijay Kelkar Committee,Maharashtra, has recommended “100% free irrigation and power facilities” to farmers of Marathwada and Vidarbha regions to stop suicide by farmers.

The report has directed the government to restructure Regional Development Boards (RDB) with the Chief Minister as the Chairman and their “empowerment” by entrusting planning, approval, execution and monitoring as well as its further enhancement by establishing separate regional secretariats.

Rafique heads Atletico de Kolkata to glory

Injury-time strike breaks Kerala Blasters’ hearts

           Mohammed Rafique nodded home the most important goal in the Indian Super League as Atletico de Kolkata won the inaugural edition. The injury-time goal from the substitute broke Kerala Blasters’ hearts. 

Full list of award winners at 2014 ISL 

*Champions - Atletico de Kolkata (Rs 8 crores prize money)

*Runners-up - Kerala Blasters (Rs 4 crores)

*Hero of the final - Mohammed Rafique (Atletico de Kolkata)

*Fair play - Delhi Dynamos

*Most exciting player of the league - Luis Garcia (Atletico de Kolkata)

*Fittest player of the league - Jan Stohanzl (Mumbai City FC)

*Goal of the league - Kostas Katsouranis (FC Pune City)

*Golden Glove - Jan Seda (FC Goa)

*Golden Boot - Elano Blumer (Chennaiyin FC) - 8 goals

*Emerging player of the league - Sandesh Jhingan (Kerala Blasters)

*Hero of the league - Iain Hume (Kerala Blasters)

IRDA slaps Rs.31 lakh fine on Canara HSBC

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has slapped a penalty of Rs.31 lakh on Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company.

IRDA has penalised Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company on charges including, delay in payment of claims, non-adherence to product specifications and violating licensing of corporate agents norms.

Mid-Year Economic Review projects 5.5 per cent growth

 The Mid-Year Economic Analysis for the current year, tabled in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley,  projects 2014-15 growth will be 5.5 per cent. India faces challenges that are mostly domestic.India grew at sub-5 per cent for the last two years. Growth bounced to 5.7 per cent in the April-June quarter before slipping again to 5.3 per cent in the July-September quarter. Chief  Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian told reporters after the Review '' What we are yet to see decisively is private investment picking up''. 

                                          Dr. Subramanian said that the rupee is weakenng. It is weakening against the dollar, which, he clarified, is strengthening against the other major currencies. Against a broader basket of currencies, the rupee has become stronger by 10 per cent since September, 2013.The CEA  said that inflation has come down dramatically for four reasons — policy actions by the Reserve Bank and the government; declining agricultural prices; declining oil prices; and the economy growing slower than its potential.

AIBA bans Sarita Devi

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has suspended former world champion and multiple Asian winner L. Sarita Devi from all levels of boxing activities for one year. The suspension, starting from October 1 this year (the date of the Asian Games medal ceremony), will however enable the seasoned boxer to participate in the qualifying events for the 2016 Rio Olympics.