20 January 2016

• India ranks 89th in Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2015-16 

India has ranked 89th globally in Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2015-16 list of 106 assessed countries in terms of talent competitiveness of its human capital. This GTCI list was compiled by INSEAD business school in partnership with Adecco and Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI). This index measures a nation’s competitiveness based on the quality of talent it can produce, attract and retain

Recommendations of RV Easwar Committee on 

simplification of the provisions of IT Act, 1961 

Expert Committee to simplify income tax laws headed by Justice (retired) R.V. Easwar has submitted its report to Union Finance Ministry. The 10 member committee has recommended simplifying provisions related to tax deduction at source (TDS), tax refunds and claims of expenditure for deduction from taxable income.

• Sex ratio down, literacy rate of women up: NFHS 4 

 According to recently released first phase of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 4, the sex ratio in many states in India has significantly decreased and literacy rate has increased. The first phase of survey was undertaken by Mumbai based International Institute for Population Sciences under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. NFHS-4 is the first survey in the NFHS series that has collected data from all 29 States and all 7 Union Territories. It will also provide estimates at the district level of most indicators for all 640 districts in the country.

• CCEA approves six-laning of NH-2 in Bihar and Jharkhand

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved development of the six laning of National Highway-2 from Aurangabad-BarwaAdda section in Bihar and Jharkhand. Decision in this regard was taken in the CCEA meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.