Current Affairs Today – April 2 2016

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

Prez Pranab Mukherjee inked Ordinance on Uttarakhand expenditure

President Pranab Mukherjee has implemented the Uttarakhand Appropriation (Vote on Account) Ordinance, 2016 which sanctions expenditure that has come under direct federal rule because of a political crisis.

• The decision in this regard has been taken at the Union cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

Maharashtra first state to link colleges to National Cancer Grid

Maharashtra signed MoU with the Tata Trusts to link all government colleges and medical colleges to the national cancer grid for uniform cancer profiling and quality treatment.The initiative targets to have 50,000 bone marrow donors in the next three years.

• The MoU Signed between Maharastra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata at VidhanBhavan in Mumbai.
• Fadnavis said a total of 9 MoUs were inked between the government and Tata Trusts. He also said that it will be a huge gift of hope for patients suffering from blood cancer,sickle cell, thalassemia, and other fatal diseases.

Delhi Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal launched Phase I of Green Delhi initiative

Delhi Chief Minister ArvindKejriwal launched the Green Delhi programme by planting trees at the Triangular Park at New Delhi.

• The initiative was launched in line with a detailed action plan submitted by the AAP government to the Apex Court after it demanded information on steps being taken to improve air quality and reduce air pollution.
• There has been a huge rise in vehicular pollution because the number of vehicles plying on the roads of Delhi is more than that of three Metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkatta and Chennai. Air pollution is the 5th largest killer in India by WHO Report.

Coastal circuit project in Goa gets Centres nod

Union government has approved Goa’s coastal circuit project under the SwadeshDarshan Scheme, Goa will soon be allocated funds for development projects to be undertaken in the first phase along its coastal belt.

• A Sum of Rs. 99.99 crores of has been given by the central assistance is a record highest allocation received by Goa Tourism since 2010.

Gujarat Assembly cleared amendments in Land Acquisition Act

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement-Gujarat Amendment Bill- 2016 was passed in the Gujarat Assembly on 31 March.

Key provisions:

• The provisions doing away with Social Impact Assessment for projects related to defence and social sectors, such as building air base, defence manufacturing units, schools, roads, canals, and houses.
• It empowers the authorities to exempt projects vital to defence of national security, infrastructure and electrification project or affordable housing or industrial corridors set up by the State and infrastructure projects under PPP model.
• As per the new bill, these provisions will not be shadowed if the land is acquired for public purpose.
• The Section 23A in the bill, which essentially gives the district collector the power to decide on the matter of land acquisition and compensation amount without enquiry, with mutual consent of the parties.

Isro to help Airports Authority of India construct airports

The Department of Space (DoS) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) have signed a pact todeliver scientific considerations for airports’ construction in India.

• The space technology will help in making the flights safer and provide the optimum utilisation of the land. The MoU will provide data on the landscape around the airports.
• Space technology is being used in the Aviation Sector is done on pilot basis in the Hyderabad and Port Blair airport.

Airports in India:

• The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is the busiest airport in India.
• India has a total of 132 Airports, including 24 International Airports, 7Customs Airports, 78 Domestic Airports and 26 civil enclaves at Military Airfields.

BANKING & FINANCE

NSE launches Nifty MidSmallcap 400 index

BUSINESS

Union Government imposes safeguard duty on import of steel products

Union finance ministry imposed the Safeguard duty of up to 20 percent on steel imports until March 2018 to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap Chinese imports.

• After imposing a provisional safeguard duty, the government in February fixed minimum import price on 173 steel products ranging between USD 341 to USD 752 per tonne.
• The finance ministry notification directs 20 percent ad valorem safeguard duty in the first year from September 14, 2015 to September 13, 2016 on hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel in coils of 600 mm width or more.
• Minimum import price (MIP) and safeguard duty cannot be imposed simultaneously as per norms.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Ranveer Singh honoured as “Maharashtrian of The Year”

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who started his career with romantic comedy “Band Baaja Baaraat” in 2010 has been conferred with “Maharashtrian Of The Year” award. On the other hand, the “lifetime achievement award” was bestowed upon 82 year old legendary singerAsha Bhosle.

• The award was presented by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a ceremony held at Mumbai.
• Superstar Aamir Khan was guest of honour at the event.

Imprisoned Novelist Ahmed Naji bagged PEN Freedom to Write Award

The prestigious PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award, presented by PEN America has been conferred upon, jailed Egyptian author and journalist, Ahmed Naji.

• Naji will be accorded with the award at Pen America’s annual Literary Gala on 16 May 2016 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Masakui appointed as Ambassador to Zimbabwe

Masakui (IFS: 2001), presently Director in Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Zimbabwe. He will succeed Surinder Kumar Datta. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

• Capital and largest City of Zimbabwe – Harare
• President of Zimbabwe – Robert Mugabe

Shubhdarshini Tripathi appointed as Ambassador to Jordan

Shubhdarshini Tripathi (lFS: 1994), presently Deputy Chief of Mission in Berlin, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of lndia to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Ms Tripathi will succeed Anil Trigunayat. She is expected to take up her assignment shortly.

• Capital and largest City of Jordan – Amman
• Currency – Jordanian Dinar
• Prime Minister of Jordan – Abdullah Ensour

Nandini Singla appointed as Ambassador to Portugal

Nandini Singla (IFS: 1997), presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Portugal. She is expected to take up her assignment shortly.

• Capital and largest City of Portugal – Lisbon
• Currency – Euro
• Prime Minister of Portugal – Antonio Coasta
• President of Portugal – Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

Satender Kumar concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to Barbados

Shri Satender Kumar, Ambassador of India to the Republic of Suriname, has been concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to Barbados with residence in Paramaribo. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

• Capital and largest City of Barbados – Bridgetown
• Currency – Barbadian Dollar
• Prime Minister of Barbados – Freundel Stuart

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

“Vidyut PRAVAH” App will Empower Common People to Demand 24×7 Power from The States”

Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy Minister PiyushGoyal launched amobile application Vidyut PRAVAH Mobile application, the app will empower common people to demand 24X7 power from the states.

Vidyut Pravah:

• Vidyut App will provide information belong to to the current demand met, shortages if any, surplus power available and the prices in the Power Exchange.
• The Vidyut PRAVAH mobile application will provide date pertaining to market price of power from power exchange, value of current all India demand in GW and all India and State shortage including peak hour and total energy shortage.
• The mobile application is available for download from the Google Playstore for both Android and iPhones.
• The mobile application provides highlights of the power availability in the country on real time basis.

SPORTS

Australia pacer Clint McKay announces retirement from international cricket

Australian medium-pacer Clint McKay has announced his retirement from international and Australis’a first-class cricket.

• The 33-year-oldVictoria Pacer will carry on playing in the English country circuit forLeicestershire and also play in the Big Bash League for the Sydney Thunder.
• Victoria speedster became key findings in one-day side from 2009 where he picked up the wickets of Indians Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni on international debut in Hyderabad to his last match for Australia in early 2014, taking 97 wickets at 24.37, including a hat-trick against England.

Shiva Thapa wins Silver medal at Asian/Oceania Qualifying event in China

Indian boxer Shiva Thapa bagged silver medal after losing in the final of the Asian/Oceania Qualifying Tournament.Assam grown boxer went down 0-3 to Thailand’s ChatchaiButdee in the summit clash.

• Thapa has become the first Indian pugilist to have sealed a berth for the Rio Olympics. He has defeated KairatYeraliyev 3-0 in the semi-finals.

Mary Kom:

• Women Boxer Mary Kom’s failed to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Mary Kom lost her semi-final bout against China’s Ren Cancan 0-3 in the 51kg category.

OBITUARY

Renowned journalist BabuBharadwaj died

Eminent journalist Babu Bharadwaj passed away at a private hospital in Kozhikode.He was 68.

• He was working as the chief editor of the online news portal Dool News. He had worked with Kairali TV, Chinta Magazine and Media One. He was the first Joint Secretary of Students’ Federation of India
• Bharadwaj was the recipient of Kerala SahityaAkademi award in 2006 for his novel titled KalaapangalkkoruGruhapadam.
• Babustudied at Poyilkavu High School, Malabar Christian College, and Thrissur Engineering College.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Autism Awareness Day – April 2 2016

World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on the 2nd of April every year. World Autism Day is also one of only four official health-specific UN Days.

• This year the theme is Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity.
• This is the 8th annual World Autism Awareness day encouraging by the Member of theUnited Nations to take measures to raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world.