15th April 2015

>>Mrs. Meenakshi Madan Rai was sworn in as the first lady judge of the Sikkim High Court. Governor of Sikkim Srinivas Patil administered the oath of office to her at Raj Bhavan in Gangtok.

•  With this Sikkim High Court again got its full strength of three judges after a gap of about one year. 
•  Sikkim High Court was established under Article 371-F which was added in Constitution by Constitutional (Thirty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 1975.

>>Assamese ace film director, actor Bidyut Chakraborty passed away on 15 April 2015 in Guwahati, Assam. He was 55.

•  He had directed several Assamese movies including Goon Goon Gaane Gaane, Dwaar and Raag-Biraag. 
•  His directorial film Rag-Birag is based on a novel written by Jnanpith award-winner Mamoni Raisom Goswami.

>>Senior diplomat Dr. Mohan Kumar has been appointed the India’s next Ambassador to France.

•  He will succeed Arun Kumar who was recently appointed Ambassador to the United States.

>>The 45-day annual ban on deep sea fishing along the East Coast of Tamil Nadu will come into force from Wednesday. 

• The ban, enforced by the district administration through Fisheries Department, is aimed at facilitating breeding of fishes and conservation of fish stock in marine ecology. 
• The enforcement would remain in effect from April 15 till May 29.

>>During last phase of  three nation tour Modi visited the Canada and  became the first PM to arrive in Canada in a stand-alone bilateral visit in 42 years. 

• His visit was largely welcomed by Canada, a country home to a big Indian diaspora. PM Modi held hectic talks with Canadian PM Stephen Harper and addressed a 8,000-strong audience of Indo-Canadians at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum. It was an event similar to the PM’s Madison Square Garden event in the US.

1. Both countries signed an agreement for long-term supply of Uranium to India.

2. Harper and Modi agreed to increase collaboration in the fields of energy efficiency, oil and gas development and renewable energy.

3. India and Canada looked forward to an investment of CAD $2.5 million in five healthinnovations in India by Grand Challenges Canada and its Indian partner – theDepartment of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.

4. Air Canada has said that it plans to have direct flights from Toronto to New Delhi — an outcome that we believe came after the PM’s bilateral visit.

5. Both leaders vowed to deepen cooperation in fighting against terrorism and violent extremism.

6. 13 MoUs were signed  between the National Skill Development Council of India and 13 Canadian colleges, institutes, and Sector Skills Councils in the fields such asagriculture, automotive, aviation, construction, healthcare, hydrocarbons and IT. 

>> Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Makei paid an official visit to India.

• The President of India stated friendly relations with Belarus. It was pointed out that there is a huge potential of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, there are no discords in the international arena.Later Vladimir Makei held talks with the External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj.
• During the meeting the sides discussed intensification of political dialogue, exchange of visits at different levels, including the highest level. 
• Special attention was paid to the regional agenda with focus on the need of peaceful settlement of arising disputes. The sides touched upon the issues of the UN Security Council reform and the organization in general. The importance to support each other in the international arena was stressed.

>>The government has formed an inter-ministerial committee headed by cabinet secretary(Ajith Seth) to review the Official Secrets Act in context of demands to declassify files related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death or disappearance. 

• RAW, IB, Union home ministry and PMO officials will be part of the panel. 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi  had met Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew, Surya Bose, in Berlin and promised to examine the request for declassification of all files related to events since his death or disappearance in Taiwan on August 18, 1945. 

>>Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader had inaugurated   the two-wheeler ambulance  in Bangalore.

• The two-wheeler ambulance has a first-aid kit using which the rider of the vehicle would provided needed medical care to the patient before shifted him/her to a four-wheeler ambulance.
• The Minister said that the two-wheeler ambulance would be introduced in parts of the city where traffic density is high.

>>State-owned power equipment maker BHEL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Russian company INTMA, to set up a gas-based power project in Kazakhstan.

• The MoU will further help BHEL in consolidating its presence in the CIS countries.
• The two parties will endeavour to assist each other in the implementation of this MoU.
• Primarily engaged in manufacturing of power plant equipment like gas turbines, steam turbines, hydro turbines and boilers, BHEL has robust experience in construction of power plants in India and overseas.
• BHEL is currently executing 23 major projects in 16 countries and has a presence in more than 75 countries.
• "INTMA is one of the leading general Engineering Procurement and Construction contractors (EPC) in Russia and Kazakhstan, with wide experience in industrial construction, renovation of facilities, automation and other energy related sectors,".