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Click here to try Current Affairs Quiz : October 29 2016
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Haryana to implement 7th pay commission from January 1
i. Haryana become the first state to give the benefit of 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) to its employees with effect from January 1, 2017 said by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
ii. The risk allowance admissible to the police personnel would continue upto March 31, 2017, whereas earlier it was admissible upto the year 2015
iii. After Haryana, Odisha Government announces to implement recommendations of 7th Pay Commission for its employees from January next year
iv. 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur had recommended a 23.55 per cent overall hike in pay, allowances and pensions for central government employees
Odisha Govt. comes up with a new scheme ‘Madhubabu Aain Sahayata Sibir’ to provide legal assistance to deprived sections
i. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced a new scheme ‘Madhubabu Aain Sahayata Sibir’ to provide legal assistance to the deprived sections of the society at the grassroots level in all its 6,812 gram panchayats across the state.
ii. The scheme was named after great Odia lawyer, ‘Madhubabu Aain Sahayata Sibir’
iii. It will offer legal services once a week. The advocate engaged for the legal assistance cell will be paid an amount of 500 rupees fee per sitting to provide free legal advice to the people.
Odisha :
♦ Odisha is known as Utkala and is mentioned in India’s national anthem “Jana Gana Mana”.
♦ The term “Odisha” is derived from the ancient Prakrit word “Odda Visaya”
Railway Minister launches a new train service between Anand Vihar to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh
i. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched a new weekly superfast train services between Ballia and Anand Vihar through through video-conferencing in New Delhi
ii. It will cover 887 km in about 16 hours.The train will leave from Anand Vihar every Saturday, and from Ballia every Sunday.
iii. Comprising 16 coaches – AC-1, AC-2, AC-3, Sleeper and General Class. The train will have stoppages at Khurja, Aligarh, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gyanpur Road, Manduadih, Ghazipur City and Karimuddinpur enroute both ways.
Delhi Govt. to set up air treatment system to deal with air pollution in city
i. The Delhi government has announced a three-tier air treatment system to deal with rising air pollution in city. It includes setting up of wind purification units, mist fountains and virtual chimney at five major traffic intersections on trial basis.
ii. Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain added that the Delhi government in collaboration with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and IIT (Bombay) would set up the entire system.
iii. The system includes setting up of wind purification units, mist fountains and virtual chimney.The system would be implemented at Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar, Kashmere Gate,ITO and AIIMS. Mr. Jain is also the head of Delhi Task Force formed to formulate policy to decrease air pollution.
iv. This is for the first time that the city administration has taken such steps to curb rising air pollution in the city.
v.Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) data of last five years showed that air quality in the national capital has seen a gradual dip before Diwali and it continues to deteriorate till mid-December.
Centre sanctioned Rs.100 Cr fund for road development works in Vijayapura District
i. The Union Government has ratified a fund of Rs.100crore for various road development works in Vijayapura District under Central Road Fund was announced by Union Minister for Drinking Water and SanitationRamesh Jigajng.
ii. Mr.Jigajingi stated that the amount would be utilised for developingroads including long pending Sindagi-Almol-Karadi32 km MDR roadat a cost of Rs 35 crore,
iii. Kaulo Goud NH at Rs.2 crore, RingRoad at Rs Five crore and other roads.UNI MSP CS 1512
iv. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah showed Karnataka Budget 2016-17 in which major focus have been laid on water resources and agriculture sectors.
About Central Road Fund :
♦ The Central Road Fund was established by the Parliament by Central Road Fund Act 2000.
♦ The fund is utilised for the development and maintenance of National highways, State roads, Rural roads and for provision of road over bridges/under bridges and other safety features at unmanned Railway Crossings.
UP CM Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated dedicated power supply for at least 18 hours to every nook and corner of the state
i. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated the dedicated power supply minimum 18 hours to every nook and corner of the state.
ii. At Lucknow, Mr.Akhilesh Yadavs announced that he chose the festival of Diwali to give gift of more power to the people of the state.
iii. He had promised to the people that from October 2016, electricity supply would improve in the state and this promise has been fulfilled. He termed the dedicated power supply as one the biggest achievements of his government.
iv. AIR correspondent reported that rural areas of the state used to get around 12 to 14 hrs of power annoying much the farmers who always were ruing for less power as it affected irrigation and agriculture.
v.Now district HQs were getting around 14-18 hrs of power supply. Improving the electricity supply in the state has been a regular point of politics in the state where demand always surpassed the supply.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
UN voted to launch talks on nuclear weapons ban
i. A UN General Assembly committee voted to launch negotiations on a new treaty banning nuclear weapons despite strong opposition from the world’s nuclear powers.
ii. A declaration presented by Austria, Ireland, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa and Brazil was adopted by a vote of 123 to 38, with 16 abstentions following weeks of lobbying by the nuclear powers for ‘no’ votes.
iii. Four of the five UN Security Council nuclear powers – Britain, France, Russia and the United States — voted against the declaration while China abstained, as did India and Pakistan.
iv. Japan, which has long campaigned against the use of nuclear weapons, voted against it, as did South Korea, which is facing a nuclear threat from North Korea.
BANKING & FINANCE
India’s forex reserves rise $1 billion to $367.14 billion
i. India’s forex reserves rose by USD 1 billion to USD 367.14 billion.
ii. In the reporting week, Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), a major component of the overall reserves, increased by USD 1.015 billion to USD 341.923 billion.
iii. According to the apex bank, the special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund declined by USD 5.4 million to USD 1.463 billion, while India’s reserve position with the Fund dipped by USD 8.8 million to USD 2.347 billion.
BUSINESS
India’s Biocon ranks among the top 10 employers in biotechnology industry
i. India’s bio-pharma major Biocon Ltd has been ranked among the world’s top 10 employers in the biotechnology industry by an international science magazine.
ii. According to a web-based annual survey by the magazine, the city-based company moved to ninth this year from 13 last year in the ‘Science 2016 Top Employer‘ ranking, which is based on firms that are innovative leaders in the industry, are socially responsible and have a clear vision.
iii. Of the top 10 employers, six are based in the US, two (Novo Nordisk and Novozymes) in Denmark and one (Roche) in Switzerland.
iv. The US-based ranked biotech firms are Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Moderna Therapeutics, Eli Lily, Vertex, Genetech and Alexion.
India-Russia agreed to double the range of BrahMos Cruise Missile
i. India and Russia have given nod for the proposal to double the range of the BrahMos, world’s first supersonic cruise missile at the 16th Russia-India intergovernmental commission on military cooperation meeting.
ii. The decision in this regard was taken during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Goa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
iii. It would enhance the stand away from capability and the operational radius in striking targets of the missile. It would have major force multiplier due its speed and accuracy.
iv. BrahMos is one of its type supersonic cruise missile. It was named from the names of two rivers, India’s Brahmaputra River and Russia’s Moskva River.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
World Bank appointed first adviser to tackle LGBTI discrimination
i.T he World Bank has appointed its first adviser undertook with promoting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) issues in its development work.
ii. The newly created senior position is part of the bank’s efforts to make firm its commitment to researching decreasing discrimination against LGBTI persons across the 136 countries.
iii. The initiative by the poverty-fighting institution came at a time when discrimination against LGBTI people is facing increased scrutiny globally.
iv. The Washington-D.C.-based organization has been gathering data on the socioeconomic status of LGBTI persons worldwide and launched several research projects on LGBTI discrimination.
Madhukar Jetley appointed UP Ambassador of IDC
i. Madhukar Jetley was appointed as the UP’s Ambassador for the Indian Diaspora Council (IDC) by the .He is the first person from UP has been appointed as the Ambassador of IDC for three years.
ii. He is the Ruling Samajwadi Party MLC and former Advisor, NRI and Externally Aided Projects Department to Uttar Pradesh government.
iii. He will report directly to the President of Indian Diaspora Council.
Indian Diaspora Council (IDC):
IDC is an organisation of Indian workers, who have migrated to other countries during British period and were now the natives of the respective countries. Some of these workers and their family members even went to become President and Prime Minister of the countries they have migrated.
World Bank appoints Kristalina Georgieva as chief executive officer
The World Bank has appointed Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria as its chief executive officer on October 28,2016. It will effective from January 2017.She will report to the bank’s president Jim Yong Kim.
♦ She will be replacing the bank’s managing director and chief operating officer Sri Mulyani.
Kristalina Georgieva :
i. Georgieva is currently working as vice president of the European commission and she was the former head of EU humanitarian affairs.
ii. She is a globally recognised leader with a proven track record in improving the lives of those most in need.
iii. She established herself as a global champion for the concept of resilience.
World Bank :
♦ The World Bank and the IMF are twin intergovernmental pillars supporting the structure of the world’s economic and financial order.
♦ Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
♦ Founded: December 27, 1945
♦ Motto: Working for a World Free of Poverty
ENVIRONMENT
Bangladesh introduces temporary ban on catching Hilsa Fish
i. Bangladesh has introduced temporary ban on catching Hilsa Fish in an effort to save the hugely popular fish.Before Bangladesh government banned fishermen from catching young hilsa at certain times of the year.
ii. Armed forces have been deployed to patrol 7,000 square kilometres of rivers, estuaries and sea declared a breeding sanctuary.If anyone caught catching hilsa faces at least a year in jail under a 22-day ban that began on October 12.
iii. 60% of the world’s hilsa are caught in Bangladesh.One mother (hilsa) can lay two million eggs per year.
Bangladesh :
♦ Capital: Dhaka
♦ Currency: Bangladeshi taka
♦ Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina
SPORTS
India wins first ever international team roller skating medal at Asian Championships in China
i. The trio of Dhanush Babu, Vikram Ingale and Nikhilesh Tabhane have won India’s first ever senior international roller skating medal in the Asian Championship in China.
ii. The Indian trio shocked higher ranked contestants such as Chinese Taipei and Indonesia. South Korea pocketed the gold medal, while hosts China won silver medal. Chinese Taipei, Iran and Indonesia finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively in the summit clash involving six teams.
iii. The top six skaters from the nationals held in Vizag earlier this year were shortlisted to represent the national. Despite being the cream of the crop in the country, the skaters have to self-fund their international trips.
Indian hockey defender Surender Kumar suspended
i. India defender Surender Kumar would not play any further role in the fourth Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament after being suspended for two matches following a deliberate foul during the game against Malaysia.
ii. Asian Hockey Federation’s Technical Delegate Ramesh Appoo conducted a corrective hearing under the Code of Conduct and found Surender guilty of a serious foul, formal written suspension for two matches.
iii. Surender was shown a yellow card by the umpire for an off-the-ball incident in which Surender lifted his stick in an appropriate manner, thereby causing his stick to hit the chin of a Malaysian player.
iv. India managed to get a late match-winner off a penalty corner from Rupinder Pal Singh with just two minutes left. A one-match suspension was also imposed on Malaysian player Ashari Firhan.
Alastir Cook became first to score 10000 runs as an opening batsman
i. Alastair Cook has become the first Englishman to reach 10,000 Test runs after scoring the five runs he needed on day four of the second Investec Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Riverside.
ii. Sunil Gavaskar with 9,607 runs and Graeme Smith with 9,030 runs lie at No. 2 and No. 3 rank respectively in the list. Cook at the beginning of the series exceeded Alec Stewart’s record to become the most capped England cricketer.
iii. Cook has scored a total of 10,629 in 135 Tests so far at an average of over 46.Cook captained England in 54 Tests and has scored over 4,000 runs, with 11 centuries and 22 half-centuries as captain.
iv. Cook has not had the best of tours of Bangladesh. He has scores of 4, 12 and 14 in his three innings so far. He will want to put up a good show in the next innings.
OBITUARY
Bengali Actor Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay Passes Away
i. Tollywood star Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay passed away in Kolkata on October 29, 2016. She was 60.
ii. Sanghamitra’s famous films like Lathi, Sathi, Mittir Barir Bou, Ek Bar Bol Bhalobasi, Pita Swargo Pita Dharmo among others.
iii. She came to the reckoning in big screen in early 90s and carved her niche.
Former Asiad Gold Medallist Goalkeeper Burman Passed Away
i. Asian Games winning former India football goalkeeper Prodyut Burman passed away this evening at a city hospital following a prolonged illness.
ii. The 81-year-old was suffering from Parkinson’s disease for a long time.
iii. Mr. Burman represented Eastern Railway, Later he moved to Mohun Bagan.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Internet Day – October 29 2016
i. International Internet Day is observed every year on 29th of October Since 2005 to remember the event of the sending of the first message, first electronic message which was transferred from one computer to another in 1969
ii. It is also known as World Internet Day or International Internet Day.
iii. The International Internet Day thus celebrates this grand democratic fervor which in essential is linked to this idea of liberation, where everyone is afforded an equal opportunity and an equal advantage to share of services, which connect the world to each other.
World Stroke Day – October 29 2016
i. World Stroke Day is observed anually on October 29 to raise awareness of the prevention and treatment of the condition, and ensure better care and support for survivors.
ii. It was first observed in 2006 by the World Stroke Organization(WSO)and the WSO declared stroke a public health emergency in 2010.
iii. The World Stroke Campaign’s goodwill ambassadors include Indian actress Rani Mukerji, former Miss Egypt Dalia El Behery, and cyclist Alberto Contador.
iv. 2016 Theme : Face the Facts: Stroke is Treatable with the tagline of: Livescan improve with better awareness, access, and action.
