Current events of importance

​The smart cities mission
In the approach of the Smart Cities Mission, the objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions.

The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities. The Smart Cities Mission of the Government is a bold, new initiative.

The core infrastructure elements in a smart city would include:
I. Adequate water supply,
Ii. Assured electricity supply,
Iii. Sanitation, including solid waste management, iv. Efficient urban mobility and public transport,
V. Affordable housing, especially for the poor, vi. Robust it connectivity and digitalization,
Vii. Good governance, especially e-governance and citizen participation, viii. Sustainable environment,
Ix. Safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly, and
X. Health and education.

The Smart Cities Mission is to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local area development and harnessing technology, especially technology that leads to Smart outcomes.

Area- based development will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), including slums, into better planned ones, thereby improving liveability of the whole City

A 'smart city' is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability.

It is a city where information technology is the principal infrastructure and the basis for providing essential services to residents.

The Bharat Ratna
The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted in 1954, the award is conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavour" in December 2011.

The recommendations for the Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President, with a maximum of three nominees being awarded per year. Recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal-leaf–shaped medallion; there is no monetary grant associated with the award. Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.

The Bharat Ratna -2015

Madan Mohan Malaviya
Scholar and educational reformer Malaviya is a founder of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (1906) and Banaras Hindu University and served as the university's vice-chancellor from 1919 till 1938. He was the President of Indian National Congress for four terms and was the Chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Parliamentarian for over four decades, Vajpayee was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha, twice to the Rajya Sabha and served as the Prime Minister of India for three terms; 1996, 1998, 1999-2004. He was Minister of External Affairs during 1977-79 and was awarded as the "Best Parliamentarian" in 1994.