BITS INDIA

Maharashtra was put on high alert after authorities confirmed the presence of bird flu in Thane district on February 17. The detection came after 300 birds died at a small farm, which officials from the state's animal husbandry department said was due to the H5N1 avian influenza virus.A day later,a poultry farm in Palghar district also confirmed its first case of the disease.The state subsequently put in place a plan to cull 15,000 birds to curb the spread of the disease.

The Union government,on February 13 reduced the import duty on crude palm oil from 8.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent to check the rise in prices of edible cooking oil. The government said the move could also boost the domestic oil refining industry.This move comes at a time when the country is trying to boost its production of palm oil, with the Centre having announced last year plans to expand palm cultivation across the Northeast

Assam launched,on February 19, the country's first night navigation mobile application for ferries and boats plying on the Brahmaputra river flowing across the state. The application is expected to help reduce dependence on local officials for coordination and river traffic management. It was developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

Anganwadi centres across Delhi remained shut in February,with workers going on an indefinite strike, staging a protest outside the chief minister's residence.Their demands include higher wages, job regularisation and retirement benefits. An estimate from their union shows 9,000 centres were closed across the city,which meant disruption in services such as distribution of dry ration to young mothers and children.