*CURRENT AFFAIRS (28:02:2014)

1. Government constitutes G K Pillai committee to look into the
viability of carving out a separate Bodoland state from Assam.
- This one-man committee has been assigned 9 months to submit its
report after due deliberation with all stakeholders.
2. The Supreme Court sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to look
into the prospect of legalization of euthanasia (Mercy Killing).
- The apex court had declined the mercy killing petition of Aruna
Shanbaug in 2011 who has been in a perpetual vegetative state for the
last 37 years.
3. National Science Day is observed across the nation on February 28
with the theme 'Fostering Scientific Temper'.
- The day celebrate anniversary of the discovery of the Raman effect
by Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on this very date in
1928.
- He was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for this achievement.
4. Environment ministry gives go-ahead to confined field trials of
Genetically Modified (GM) crops.
- The move will enable gene modification trials of over 200 varieties
of rice, wheat, cotton, maize among other crops.
- Though the matter is sub-judice in Supreme Court, the apex court has
not put any embargo on trials so far.
5. Centre inaugurates All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS)
at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- The institution is also set to launch bar-coded 'e-health card'
(smart card) which will keep record of patients' ailment and treatment
history.
- The same facility will be extended to all six AIIMS in the country.
6. Government kicks off Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of
Adolescent Boys - "Saksham".
- It aims to achieve all-round development of boys by making them
self-reliant, gender-sensitive and aware citizens.
- The project is to cover all adolescent boys between 11 to 18 years of age.
- To be implemented in 20 selected districts in seven States on a pilot basis.
7. Renowned Spanish guitarist 'Paco de Lucia' breathes his last at 66.
- He, originally called Francisco Sanchez Gomez, was famous for his
flamenco style.