Rajya Sabha passes bill to include certain communities in SC list 

A bill to include certain synonymous names of communities under Scheduled Castes category in Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Dadra and Nagar Haveli was passed by Rajya Sabha on 24 February. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was passed by a voice vote. As per the bill, communities such as ‘Kabirpanthi and Julaha’ in Haryana, ‘Bhovi, od, odde, Vaddar, Waddar’ in Karnatka, ‘Dhoba, Dhobi, Dom, Dombo, Duria Dom, Katia, Kela, Nalua Kela, Khadala and Turi’ in Odisha and the community of ‘Chamar’ in Dadra and Nagar Haveli are included in the SC list.

14th Finance Commission: States’ share in taxes to go up to 42%

In a bonanza, the 14th Finance Commission has recommended a record 10% increase in the states’ share in the Union taxes to 42%, which has been accepted by the Centre and will give the states an additional Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2015-16. As per the increased devolution suggested by 14th FC, States will get Rs 3.48 lakh crore in 2014-15 and Rs 5.26 lakh crore in 2015-16. The 14th Finance Commission is headed by former RBI Governor Y.V. Reddy.

R K Pachauri resigns from UN climate panel

Dr Rajendra K Pachauri, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment, on 24 February 2015 stepped down as the Chairperson of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The organisation will now be led by acting chair Ismail El Gizouli until the election for a new chairperson is conducted. Pachauri had chaired the IPCC since April 2002 and his second term was due to end in October 2015. At present, Pachauri is serving as the Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and is also a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change.

Himachal Pradesh would become the first in India to present a ‘paperless’ budget as announced on 23 February 2015

Himachal Pradesh Govt. will present its paperless budget on 11 March 2015 and would thus become the first to do so in India. Under this initiative, all documents related to budget estimates would be made available online and only around 10 budget copies would be printed for record. It is worth mentioning that Himachal Pradesh also has India’s first “Green” Assembly.

West Indies’ Chris Gayle hits first double century in Cricket World Cup history

West Indies opener Chris Gayle hit the first double century in World Cup history in their Pool B victory over Zimbabwe at Canberra. Chris Gayle was dismissed off the last ball of the West Indies innings, finishing on 215 off 147 balls – the highest individual score in World Cups. He hit 16 sixes and 10 fours.

  • This is the fastest double ton(138 balls) in One-Day Internationals, beating Virender Sehwag’s knock off 140 balls.
  • The 35-year-old Jamaican left-hander’s innings surpassed the previous World Cup best of 188 not out by South Africa’s Gary Kirsten against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996.
  • Gayle was involved in the world record partnership for any wicket in ODIs with Marlon Samuels as the two shared 372-run stand for the second wicket, surpassing the 331 shared by India’s Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999.
  • 16 Number of sixes hit by Chris Gayle, the joint-most by any batsman in an ODI innings. AB de Villiers and Rohit have also hit 16 sixes each.