Prime Minister Narendra Modi released financial assistance of Rs 2,691 crore to 6.1 lakh beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana via video conference.

• The assistance includes release of first installment to 5.30 lakh ben eficiaries and second installment to 80,000 beneficiaries who have al ready availed of the first installment of assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G).

• So far 1.26 crore houses have already been built across the country un der the scheme.

                                                                                                    Business

Delhi gets highest NAS score due to transformation of govt schools

Central government think tank NITI Aayog has appreciated the “landmark transformation” of the government schools as they have secured the top score in the think tank’s India Innovation Index 2020.

• The index said that given the high income levels of Delhi and the transformation of the government schools system, Delhi has reported the highest National Achievement Survey (NAS) score of 44.73.

Sushant Singh Rajput Marg’: Road in South Delhi to be Named After SSR
A stretch of road in Andrews Ganj in south Delhi will soon be named after the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the area’s civic body has cleared a proposal for it.

• SDMC’s Congress councillor Abhishek Dutt in September 2020 had moved the proposal to name the road after the actor

                                                                                                                      Award’s

Indian mathematician Nikhil Srivastava named joint winner of Michael and Sheila Held Prize

A stretch of road in Andrews Ganj in south Delhi will soon be named after the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput as the area’s civic body has cleared a proposal for it.

• SDMC’s Congress councillor Abhishek Dutt in September 2020 had moved the proposal to name the road after the actor

                                                                                                                Science & Technology

Hawk-i Test Fires Smart Anti-airfield Weapon Capable of Destroying Enemy Assets from 100 km

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited successfully test fired a Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from the Hawk-i aircraft off the coast of Odisha.

• The aircraft flown by HAL test pilots Wing Commander (Retd) P Awasthi and Wg Cdr (Retd) M Patel executed the weapon release in a text book manner and all mission objectives were met

States Fiscal Deficit Seen Spiking to Historic High of 4.7%, Says Crisil Report

The combined fiscal deficit of the states will hit a peak of Rs 8.7 lakh crore or 4.7 per cent of their GDP this fiscal on the back of steep fall in tax collections due to disruptions inflicted by the pandemic, according to a report.

• Revenue of the states have so badly fallen that as much as 70 per cent of the fiscal deficit is contributed by revenue deficit, which normally used to be only around 15 per cent. 

• Tax collections may slowly recover with improving economic outlook. However, higher interest burden because of high debt funding of this year’s GFD, coupled with sticky revenue expenditures, may keep revenue deficits high for States and GFD composition skewed over the next 2-3 years.

                                                                                                         Sport’s

ITBP wins IHAI National Ice Hockey Championship in Gulmarg

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) won the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI)’s 10th National Ice Hockey Championship trophy after a superb win over Ladakh UT team in the finals at Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir. • The match was held at Gulmarg Ice Rink.Teams from Delhi, Maharashtra, Indian Army also participated in the tournament.

                                                                                                      OBITUARIES

Eminent Odiya Actor Rabi Mishra passes away

Veteran Odia actor Rabi Mishra passed away at a private hospital in the Capital City following a cardiac arrest. He was 64. • Mishra, who performed in many popular movies, television serials and over hundred plays, was the main character in the popular television serial-‘Gopala Rahasya’. He became a household name because of the lively character of Gopala Bhanda he played in the series.

Rajasthan Congress MLA Gajendra Singh Shaktawat passes away

Congress legislator from Udaipur’s Vallabhnagar constituency Gajendra Singh Shaktawat, died of prolonged illness.He was 48