Current Affairs Today – August 15 2015

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Indian Affairs 

• Cochin International Airport all set to become India’s first green airport

• Odisha Government approves “Housing for All” policy in urban areas

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport becomes 1st to receive approval for e-boarding facility

Following to Prime Minister’s ‘Digital India’ initiative GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) become the India’s first airport to get approval for implementation of the end-to-end e-boarding for domestic passengers.

• With the help of e-boarding, a passenger will need only a mobile e-boarding card and Aadhaar number to enter the airport. One can use the e-boarding card issued by CUSS (Common Use Self Service) machine or check-in counters also.
• The Commissioner of Security Civil Aviation (CoSCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), has given the approval for the e-boarding project.
• Implementation of full scale e-boarding will be initiated soon at the airport for domestic passengers.
• The e-boarding project has been recognized by International Air Transport Association (IATA) as being aligned to their “Fast Travel” vision and “Simplify the Business” initiative.

Puducherry Science Centre, Planetarium will be named after Abdul Kalam

• Puducherry government  announced that the newly inaugurated science centre-cum-planetarium would be named after former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• On 68th Independence Day, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said the Rs 5.5-crore science centre-cum-planetarium at Lawspet here would be named after the former President who “lives on in our hearts” and whose “thoughts continue to inspire us to take our country forward.”
• To commemorate the contribution of former President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam to the growth of science and technology and space science  Puducherry Science Centre and Planetarium will be named after him
• The science centre and planetarium has two main exhibition halls, a ‘Fun Science’ section and a marine gallery, with over 100 interactive exhibits, apart from the 8-metre dome digital planetarium.
• Shows at the planetarium and all kiosks are labelled in English and Tamil. The centre has a science park with outdoor exhibits which make understanding the laws of physics an engaging experience, and a children’s activity

International Affairs

Britain marks 70th anniversary of end of World War II

• Queen Elizabeth II on Aug 15 led celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
• The Victory over Japan (VJ) Day coincides with India’s 69th Independence anniversary, which will be celebrated in London.
• World War II ended 70 years ago this week.On August15,1945, Japan surrendered to allied forces led by the United States.
• A small museum on U.S. Marine has been in Okinawa shows pictures historical objects from the battle.Mark Waycaster is the curator of the museum’s Battle of Okinawa area.

Business

India set to turn a big buyer of airplane

• Boeing’s annual India Current Market outlook(CMO),Which was released on Mumbai,Aug 13.The largest demand from airlines in India will be for single airplanes numbering 1460 with $160 billion.
• Now demand for airlines will grow and airlines will buy 260 aeroplanes worth $80billion.
• Keskar-Senior Vice President ,Asia Pacific & India sales,Boeing commericam Airplanes said Next 20 years India will need 1740 new airplanes worth $240 billion and 20 regional jets with estimated value of $1billion.
• In India airlines such as Air India,Air India Express,Jet Airways and Spice Jet in their fleet,while other airlines such as IndiGo,GoAir , Vistara , AirAsia and Airbus

Government clears FDI proposals worth Rs 10,379 crore

• Gov has cleared 23 foreign investment proposals, including that of Catholic Syrian Bank and Bandhan Financial Services, amounting to Rs 10,378.92 crore.
• The investment proposals were approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), headed by Finance Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.The proposals entail investment worth Rs 1,049 crore.
• The FIPB has also cleared an investment proposal of Mylan Laboratories, Volkswagen Finance, Amar Ujala Publications, Eros International and Reliance Globalcom, Catholic Syrian Bank, GlaxoSmithKline, Alpha Pharma Healthcare India, Natco Pharma, and Den Networks.
• FDI rejected proposals are Centurion Laboratories, Jasper Infotech, Diabu Diamond Tools and BTL India.
• India received USD 7.45 billion worth of FDI during April-May of 2015-16 fiscal, up 40 per cent from USD 5.3 billion in the corresponding period of last fiscal.

Banking & Finance 

• Axis Bank launched the First Multi-Currency Contactless Card service in India

• RBI paid Rs.66 crore in dividend

Appointments & Resigns

Former cab secy Ajit Kumar Seth appointed PESB chief

• Former Cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth was appointed as the Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board(PESB), the government’s head-hunter
• He has been appointed for a period of three years or till he attains 65 years of age,  by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
• Seth, a 1974-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, completed his extended tenure of four years at the Cabinet secretariat on June 13 this year.
•  Seth has been appointed in place of Atul Chaturvedi, who has completed his tenure

Govt appoints Arun P Sathe on Sebi’s board, raises eyebrows

• Government has appointed senior lawyer Arun P Sathe, elder brother of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, on the board of markets regulator Sebi.
• Mr. Sathe, who is also said to have been an RSS full-timer in the past and had unsuccessfully fought Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate in 1989 from Mumbai North-West against Congress’ Sunil Dutt.
• Mr. Sathe has been appointed a part-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India for a period of three years.
• Sathe, who has been on boards of some companies as well as an independent director, is expected to attend his first Sebi board meeting later this month.

Awards

• Gallantry Awards on 15 August 2015
• Sania gets Khel ratna, 17 others get Arjuna Awards
• Anoop, Naval & three others recommended for Dronacharya Award

• Vice President Presents Gujar Mal Modi Award to Prof. Mustansir Barma

Kerala’s ‘Vision 2020′ to make it first digitally literate state

• Kerala has set policy framework to make it first ‘digitally literate’ state in India.
• State Minister for Industries and IT P K Kunhalikutty said the vision aims to ensure that various e-services offered by the government are availed of by the people and achieve social harmony and high quality of life for all.
• Four major pillars that contributed to the gradual evolution of Kerala into a truly digital society are Akshaya Project(2002), IT@School Project(2002),Digital Infrastructure Availability and State Data Centre and Allied Applications.

Sports

Rahane makes it to record books by taking 8 catches

• India’s fielder Ajinkya Rahane  of Mumbai became the first in Test history to take eight catches, achieving the feat in the ongoing first cricket match against Sri Lanka in Galle.
• Before Ajinkya Yajuvindra took 7 catches in a Test after Independence Day in 1977, while Rahane has done it on the eve of August 15 again.
• Rahane caught Rangana Herath at slip off Amit Mishra to enter the record books after going past five international players
• Englishman Wally Hammond though holds the record for most catches 10  in first class cricket, having achieved the feat as a Gloucestershire fielder against Surrey in 1928
• England wicketkeeper Jack Russell  in 1995  and South African glovesman AB de Villiers in 2013 have 11 dismissals each in a Test match

Chain Singh clinches India’s 7th Olympic quota place

• Chain singh son of a small-time farmer became the seventh Indian shooter to clinch an Olympic berth after finishing eighth in the 50m rifle 3-position event at the World Cup in Gabala, Azerbaijan.
• It was Chain’s maiden final appearance at a World Cup and although he was the first amongst the eight shooters to exit, he managed to achieve his long-pending target.
• Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai, Gurpreet Singh, Prakash Nanjappa and Apurvi Chandela are the other shooters who have won quota places for next year’s Rio Olympics.
•  The qualification process for the Olympics is such that it does not reward consistency. Chain will vouch for it.
• Chain shot a total of 1,174 out of 1,200 (kneeling: 395, prone: 396, standing: 383) in the elimination round to qualify for the final in seventh place. Once assured of a quota, he took his foot of the peddle and shot a disappointing 403.7 in the final to bow out in eighth place.

Australia names Steve Smith as captain of the Cricket team

• Australia cricket board  confirmed Steve Smith as test captain who  will replace the retiring Michael Clarke
• Clarke will retire after the fifth Ashes test  at The Oval in London. England regained the Ashes 3-1 by winning the fourth test at Trent Bridge inside three days.
• Smith had already become the country’s 45th test captain last year when Clarke missed three tests due to hamstring surgery and back issues.
• Marsh said Warner had been chosen to support Smith in the test and one-day international format.

Click here to view: Current Affairs August 2015