The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Tuesday said it has imposed a total penalty of Rs 2.2 crore on private sector lender Axis Bank in two separate cases. A penalty of Rs 2 crore has also been imposed on UCO Bank and Rs 1 crore on Syndicate Bank for violation of norms. The RBI said penalty of Rs 2 crore has been imposed each on Axis Bank and UCO Bank for non-compliance of norms related to payment through cheques.

In another case, a penalty of Rs 20 lakh has been imposed on Axis Bank for contravention of the directions related to detection and impounding of counterfeit notes.

The penalty on Syndicate Bank has been imposed for violation of guidelines related to checking fraud and managing risk. The RBI, however, said the action on banks is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. 

Noted flautist (flute player) Rajendra Prasanna, Kathak dancer Shobha Koser, folk singer Anwar Khan Manganiyar, and Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra among others were conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards by President Ram Nath Kovind today.

In a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President awarded a total of 42 artistes in five categories for the year 2017, including a joint award to Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha for their contribution in Hindustani vocal music.

The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to review various schemes being implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state.

The 17-member committee, headed by former MLA and Shramjeevi Sanghatna president Vivek Pandit, will undertake study of various works done for providing employment opportunities, minimum wages and proper livelihood to tribals, as per a recent government order.

It will suggest measures to ensure that children in tribal regions were not deprived of education, the order said.

The committee will hold its meetings every three months and submit its recommendations to the government, it added.

In Karnataka, eight days Budget session will commence today with Governor Vajubhai Vala addressing the joint sitting of the legislature. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will present the state budget on February 8th. 

Karnataka Government Chief Whip Ganesh Hukkeri has issued whip to all ruling party legislators of Congress and JD(S) to attend the Budget session from February 6th to 15th. 

Meanwhile, the Ramnagara police have sought permission from the Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar to arrest Kampli Congress MLA Ganesh who is facing an FIR for assaulting fellow MLA Anand Singh during their stay in a resort. 

The session derives importance in the background of both BJP and Congress making claims that disgruntled MLAs from each side may cross over while voting on the Finance Bill.

The Mughal Gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan will be open for general public from today. The visitors can visit the garden between 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It will remain open till the 10th of next month.

The gardens will, however, remain closed for visitors on Mondays on account of maintenance. The people can also visit Spiritual Garden, Herbal Garden, Bonsai Garden and Musical Garden.

From this year, an online booking facility has been introduced under which visitors can plan their visit to the Gardens well in advance. Online Booking can be done by visiting www.presidentofindia.gov.in.

Entry and exit for all online and walk-in visitors will be from Gate number- 35 of President’s Estate, Rashtrapati Bhavan. The main attraction of this year’s Udyanotsav, beside Tulips and Exotic flowers, are bulbous flowerings.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari will today lay the foundation stone for three highway projects worth over two thousand 300 crore rupees in Odisha. 

The projects will ensure better connectivity of the mineral-rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha with the rest of the state. 

An official release said, Mr Gadkari, will also visit Paradip Port to inaugurate port projects worth 431 Crore rupees and lay foundation for six projects worth over three thousand crore rupees. 

The Ministry said, the projects will help in generating employment opportunities in the region and improve the socio-economic condition of the local people. The Minister will be accompanied by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The government has decided to conduct a survey of all agricultural households in the country covering the period from July 2018 to June this year. National Sample Survey Office is the nodal agency.

It will focus on their income, expenditure and indebtedness. This information was officially given in the Lok Sabha yesterday

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra is likely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate today in connection with a money laundering case. 

It relates to the alleged purchase of a London-based property worth 1.9 million pounds by Vadra. 

Last week, Delhi court had granted interim bail to Vadra in this case and had directed him to appear before the ED and cooperate in the investigation.  

The agency told the court that it had received information about Vadra's several properties in London including two houses, six flats and more properties.

Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the circumstances that led to riots in Kanpur in 1984 following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

"The four-member SIT will be headed by retired UP Director General of Police, Atul. Other members of the team include retired District Judge Subhash Chandra Agarwal and retired Additional Director (Prosecution) Yogeshwar Krishna Srivastava. One serving police officer of SP or SSP rank will also be the part of the team.

The SIT has been asked to submit its report in 6 months.  In August 2017, the apex court had issued a notice to the state government on a petition seeking a SIT probe of the riots. 

At least 125 people were killed in 1984 riots in Kanpur after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. 

India’s communication satellite GSAT-31 has been launched successfully from French Guiana in the wee hours today. The Ariane-5 rocket lifted off with it from Kourou Launch Base at 2:31 am Indian time, and in 42-minutes, placed it in the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. 

It was immediately taken control by Indian Space Research Organization ISRO scientists from its Hassan facility in Karnataka. After bringing the satellite to its final geostationary orbit using the usual orbit-raising manoeuvres in the next few days, it will be made operational.

ISRO chairman Dr Sivan has said, GSAT-31 will provide transponder capacity for DTH television and connectivity to services like VSATs for ATMs, stock-exchanges, Digital Satellite News Gathering DSNG and e-governance applications. He added, the satellite will also be used for bulk data transfer for a host of emerging telecommunication applications. 

"The satellite GSAT-31 has the footprint over both mainland India and her island territories. It has an operational life of over fifteen years, offering seamless services by replacing the ageing INSAT-4CR satellite. GSAT-31 is India’s fortieth communication satellite. 

Eleven such satellites are already in operation, serving the nation in space. They together make one of the largest constellations of its class in the world. As the transponder requirements are huge, more such launches are in the pipeline, as said by ISRO. GSAT-31 had a lift-off mass of 2536 kg.