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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Indian Railways launches Vikalp scheme for waitlisted passengers
A new scheme called ‘Vikalp’ has come into effect that promises a confirmed seat for the waitlisted passengers in an alternate train if they opt for the option while booking their tickets online. The pilot project was started on November 1, for trains running on the Delhi-Lucknow and Delhi-Jammu routes.
Target:
- Providing confirmed accommodation to waitlisted passengers
- Optimal utilisation of available accommodation
Highlights:
- For the first six months, this scheme will be relevant only for those passengers who book their tickets online.
- Passengers don’t have to pay anything extra for the new tickets. There also won’t be any refund in case of a difference in cost of the two tickets.
- Those who prefer this scheme, will get a confirmation alert in the form of an SMS once there is a confirmed seat. They can then use the original ticket to travel in the different train.
- Name of the passenger who has been provided accommodation in an alternate train, will not be exhibited in the standby chart of the original train.
- Trains which depart or arrive around the same time have been identified as alternatives of each other.
Key points :
- Minister of Railways: Suresh Prabhu
- Minister of state for Railways: Manoj Sinha
Committee to be set up to suggest rentals for Wakf property in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed ordered constitution of a committee at the 21st Board of Directors meeting of J-K Wakf Board.
Committee work :
To suggest a mechanism for streamlining the collection of endowments at shrines and rentals, of commercial assets owned by state Wakf Board, in a more transparent manner.
Wakf property :
A Wakf is an unconditional and permanent dedication of property with implied detention in the ownership of God in such a manner, that the property of the owner may be extinguished and its profits may revert to or be applied for the benefit of mankind except for purposes prohibited by Islam.
Key points :
- J & K CM: Mufti Mohammad Sayee
- J & K Governor : Narinder Nath Vohra
- J & K Capital :Jammu (winter)/Srinagar (summer)
Punjab to set up bio-ethanol refinery to stop menace of straw burning
Punjab government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of Beta Renewables, Novozymes and CVC India Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. for an estimated project worth Rs. 950 crore, during the Progressive Punjab Investor Summit, 2015 .
- During the summit, 12 other MoUs worth Rs. 21,305 crore were also signed.
MoU :
For setting up a bio-ethanol refinery to tackling the menace of wheat and paddy straw burning in Punjab.
Key points :
- Punjab CM : Parkash Singh Badal
- Punjab Governor : Kaptan Singh Solanki
- Punjab Capital : Chandigarh
Govt will implement Malayalam Language Act
Kerala Cultural Affairs minister KC Joseph announced on the sidelines of the Kerala Formation Day celebrations that the federal government is dedicated to implement the Malayalam Language Act on the earliest.
- The Bill had come up before the cabinet for consideration. There was a plea for detailed examination following suggestions for amendments in the Bill.
- Governor Justice P Sathasivam(Rtd) inaugurated the government’s Kerala Piravi (Kerala Formation Day) celebrations at Vyloppilli Samskriti Bhavan.
Key points :
- Lowest positive population growth rate in India – 3.44%
- Highest sex ratio: 1,084 women per 1000 men.
- Highest Human Development Index (HDI); 0.790 in 2011
- Highest literacy rate:93.91%
- CM Kerala: Oommen chandy
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
- India world’s 7th most valued “Nation Brand” : Brand Finance
- India and Russia Agree to Strengthen Collaboration in the Area of Information and Communication Technology
- India and South Africa agree to Strengthen Collaboration in Key Areas of Science, Including in the Field of “HIV Vaccine Research”
APPOINTMENTS
Housing.com appoints Nikhil Rungta as chief marketing officer
Housing.com a real estate platform has appointed Nikhil Rungta as its Chief Marketing Officer.
About Nikhil Rungta :
- Presently Nikhil was the Senior Vice President – Marketing at Reliance Jio, and he was the first CMO for Google in India.
- With over 20 years of experience, Rungta has played key business leadership roles at start-ups like Yebhi and Yatra.com.
B K Bansal appointed member of CBEC
IRS officer Bhushan Kumar Bansal has been appointed as the sixth member of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC),the apex body on indirect taxes filling up the last vacancy on the board.
About B K Bansal :
Bansal was hitherto Director General of National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN), Faridabad. Prior to that, he was Chief Commissioner of Delhi customs.
Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) :
- The CBEC consists of a chairperson Najib Shah and a maximum of six members.
- Shah’s wife Neerja, V S Krishnan, Vanaja N Sarna, Ram Tirath, Ananya Ray and Bansal are the members in the board.
Air Marshal Khanna Takes Over as Maintenance Head of the Indian Air Force (IAF)
Air Marshal Virender Mohan Khanna assumes the responsibilities of Air Officer-in-charge Maintenance (AOM) at Air Headquarters, New Delhi
About Marshal Virender Mohan Khanna :
- The Air Marshal was commissioned in the Mechanical stream of Aeronautical Engineering branch in IAF on 25 July 1977. He was the Director General (Aircraft) and Assistance Chief of Air Staff Engg (Transport and Helicopters) at Air HQ, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer and Chief Engineering Officer at HQ Eastern Air Command.
- Air Marshal has served as Flight Engineer and flown MI-8, MI-17 and MI-26, the largest helicopters in the world based at Chandigarh.
- Air Marshal has been decorated by President of India with Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva
Key points :
- IAF Chief : Arup Raha
- IAF Headquarters : New Delhi
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
BrahMos missile test-fired from Indian Navy’s newest ship INS Kochi, hits target
Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with a strike-range of over 290 kms was test-fired from the navy’s newest stealth destroyer INS Kochi successfully hitting a decommissioned target ship in the Arabian Sea.
- The second of Project 15A ‘Kolkata-class’ guided missile destroyers test-fired the advanced missile system as part of ‘Acceptance Test Firing’ during a naval drill being conducted along the country’s west coast.
Key points:
- CEO and MD of BrahMos : Sudhir Mishra.
- INS Kochi commissioned on September 30, 2015.
SPORTS
New Zealand wins 2015 Rugby World Cup
New Zealand have won a record third Rugby World Cup and become the first team to successfully defend the title after beating Australia 34-17 in the final at Twickenham on Oct 31, 2015.
- The next Rugby World Cup will be host in Japan in 2019.
About Rugby :
- Rugby is the unofficial national winter sport of New Zealand.
- The sport has been known in New Zealand from 1870. The country co-hosted and won the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987, and hosted and won the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
16th national women boxing championship started in Assam
State Sports Minister and Irrigation Minister will formally inaugurate the 16th National Women Boxing Championship kicked off at Bongaigaon in Assam on 28th Oct, 2015.
- Nikhat Zareen defeated Vanlal Duati from Mizoram to won Gold Medal at Senior Woman National Boxing Championship.
OBITUARY
Eminent Archaeologist VN Misra passes away
Professor and renowned archaeologist Virendra Nath Misra passed away at the age of 80 on 31st October 2015.
About VN Misra :
- Misra is famous for his research in Ethnoarchaeology, Prehistory and Protohistory. Excavations of the 6000-year-old site of Balathal in Rajasthan and the world heritage site of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh was his most remarkable achievement.
- In 2000, he had also served as the Director of Deccan College.
- Madhya Pradesh Government awarded him for his contribution to pre-history with the prestigious VS Wakankar Award.
