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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Rajnath Singh approves new disaster management norms
Home minister Rajnath Singh had approved new norms on disaster management to take care of all emergencies arises due to any natural disaster in the country.
- The main focus of the norms is on countering rumours and not taking complaints of missing persons lightly given the possibility of human trafficking.
GOI initiated “Hydrocarbon Vision 2030” for North-East
In a bid to make making hydrocarbons a tool to enable social and economic development, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan had released the North East Hydrocarbon Vision-2030 in Guwahati.
- As a part of vision Rs 1, 30,000 crore will infused in the North East region for next 15 years for the production of hydrocarbon.
- CRISIL Infrastructure Advisory has been designated as the Knowledge Partner to develop for Vision report.
Maharashtra stood at top “Internet Readiness Index”
In accordance with the report on “Index of Internet Readiness of Indian States”, Maharashtra is leading the list of overall Internet readiness index.
- Maharashtra is followed by Karnataka, Gujarat, Telengana and Tamil Nadu.
- The report has been released by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)and Indicus Analytics.
Laying of Agartala-Akhaura rail line to be completed by 2017
Ministry of External Affairs and Railway will lay the Rail Line to connect Agartala with Akhaura in that country by 2017 which falls 10 km in the Bangladesh.
- The centre govt has grants Rs 580 crore for lying of the five km railway track up to Bangladesh border.
- The complete project will cost Rs 1,000 crore which would be given by the Centre government.
Government to ease norms for real estate business
Government of India is easing rules for real estate business by giving construction permits around airports and monuments by developing colour-coded maps.
- The permits are taken from Airport Authority of India (AII) in New Delhi to build projects around the airports.
- Following the color-coded zonal maps and authorize real estate development the government will going to empower urban local bodies.
- Meeting was conducted by Venkaiah Naidu the Urban Development Minister with Defense Minister, Civil Aviation Minister, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Minister of Tourism and Culture.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
US President unveils Cyber Security National action plan
US President Barack Obama unveiled a new cyber Security National Action Plan aims to increase security awareness.
- For cyber security efforts in the budget president requested $19 billion which is 35% more than the current budget that is $3 billion.
- The declaration counter the outbreak of data violation and cyber attacks on the government and private companies network and channel with the aim to facilitate better threat sharing.
BANKING & FINANCE
PG Apte Report: Introduction of Interest Rate Options in India
In a bid to safeguard interest risk rates and to help lenders in managing their asset liability mismatch, Reserve Bank of India released the Report of the Working Group on Introduction of Interest Rate Options in India.
- The working was headed by PG Apte which reconnoitered the financial entities regarding their embedded options on balance sheets.
- Interest rate options (IROs) give buyers the right but not the obligation, to pay or receive a predetermined interest rate over an agreed period.
India to grow at 5-year high of 7.6 per cent in 2015-16
Indian economy will be growing at a 5-year high of 7.6 per cent in fiscal year 2015-16 as per the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
- Gross domestic product (GDP) will increase by 7.6 per cent in 2015-16 which was 2 per cent a year earlier.
- The manufacturing sector is expected to grow 9.5 per cent in 2015-16 from 5.5 per cent a year ago.
- The growth has been projected at 1 per cent in case of agriculture sector.
BUSINESS
India tops milk output in 2014-15, but lags behind in productivity: NDRI data
India had topped the record of milk production which is of 146.31 million tonnes in 2014-15 and it was 137.7 million tonnes in the previous year as per the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) data but it lags behind in the productivity.
- India tops the list of the major milk-producing countries in the world followed by the USA, China, Pakistan and Brazil.
YES Bank’s tie up with Smartbox to help reduce delivery returns
Private sector bank YES Bank has tied up with Smartbox Ecommerce Solutions for solving challenges related to last mile delivery for e-commerce players.
How it will help to reduce delivery returns
- This tie up will help power the payment solutions for Smartbox network of Automated Parcel Delivery Terminals.
- With this association COD will be handled as CSOD (card swipe on delivery) on the terminals thereby reducing the burden of handling cash on the entire ecosystem.
- The Cash on Delivery model continues to account for over 50% of the e-commerce market which is slated to reach a size of $100 billion by 2020
Smartbox has already launched 12 terminals which have been installed at primary metro stations and business centers in the Delhi NCR region.
Key points:
- Yes Bank HQ: Mumbai
- Yes Bank MD & CEO: Rana Kapoor
Indo-UK Healthcare to invest Rs 1,000 cr in Haryana
The Haryana government signed an agreement with Indo-UK Healthcare Private Limited with proposed investment of Rs 1,000 crore. Haryana is one of the six states which have signed MoUs with Indo-UK Healthcare Private Limited.
- An agreement was signed by Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Devender Singh, on behalf of the Haryana government, and Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Indo-UK Healthcare Private Limited, Ajay Gupta.
Objective : To establish medical institutions in Haryana
Highlights:
- The Haryana government would facilitate Indo-UK Healthcare Private Limited to obtain necessary permissions, registrations, approvals and clearances for the project from the departments concerned in order to ensure the establishment of the project in a time-bound manner.
- This would be done as per the existing policies and rules and regulations of the state government. The project is likely to commence in 2017.
Key points :
- Haryana Capital : Chandigarh
- Haryana CM: Manohar Lal Khattar
- Haryana Governor : Kaptan Singh Solanki
IIT Madras partners with Nokia for enhanced broadband connectivity
IIT Madras had partnered with Nokia to enhance broadband connectivity in rural India by enabling the government vision ‘Digital India’.
- Nokia will provide technological expertise and funning for research at IIT-Madras Center of Excellence for Wireless Technology (CEWiT).
- The Aim of the technology solution is to control unlicensed spectrum and to enhance broadband connectivity in rural India.
The technology will help to improve people’s lives through Corporate Social Responsibility research program for rural development
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
IFPI bestowed Adele as the “Best-Selling Artist” of 2015
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has conferred English singer and songwriter Adele with its global artist of the year prize to recognize her phenomenal success.
- Her Third album “25” becomes the fastest selling album in British history as it sold more than 800,000 copies in its first week.
- Her song “Hello” becomes the first single to be downloaded more than one million times in the US.
Prime Minister Shram Awards for the Year 2014 Announced
The Government of India announced the Prime Minister’s Shram Awards for the year 2014
- The awards will be present to the employee in the Departmental Undertakings & Public Sector Undertakings of the Central and State Governments and Private Sector Units in recognition of their distinguished performances, innovative abilities, outstanding contribution in the field of productivity and exhibition of exceptional courage and presence of mind.
Here is the details about awardee
- SHRAM BHUSHANM – Total number of Shram Bhushan Awardees are nine. It carries a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000/- and a ‘Sanad’.
- SHRAM VIR/VEERANGANA – Total number of Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana Awardees are Nineteen. It carries a cash award of Rs. 60,000/- and a ‘Sanad’.
- SHRAM SHREE/DEVI – Total number of Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awardees are twenty six. It carries a cash award of Rs. 40,000/- and a ‘Sanad’.
Indian Sets New World Record for Most Push-Ups in Minute
Indian Martial Arts trainer KJ Joseph set a new world record for the most pushups in a minute.
- The earlier record was made by USA’s Ron Cooper who performed 79 pushups in a minute now KJ Joseph grasp the record by finishing 82 pushups in a min.
- KJ Joseph is from Kerala and he also holds another record for breaking iron-bars with bare hands.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ISRO to partner with Delhi Police to track crime
- The Crime Mapping, Analytics and Predictive System (CMAPS) is being operationalised by Delhi Police in partnership with ISRO for effective use of space technology- based tools for ensuring internal security using a “predictive policing” mechanism.
About The Crime Mapping, Analytics and Predictive System (CMAPS) :
- The system will be complete with police officials being equipped with Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices connected to a central processor, which stores records of more than two lakh criminals.
- With the new space technology-based system, the police will also be able to identify gangs in specific areas real time.
- The first version of CMAPS has been designed for stand alone systems. This would be graduated to a web application during the second phase of the scheme.
Key points :
- ISRO HQ: Bengaluru
- ISRO Head: A. S. Kiran Kumar
Coast Guard to Induct 38 Aircraft and Helicopter By 2020
Indian Coast Guard had planned to induct 38 more aircraft and helicopters into navy by 2020 with the aim to boost its supervision, search and rescue capabilities
- Currently there are 62 airplanes and helicopters in Indian Coast Guard (CG).
- CG is planning to sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for acquiring 16 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) and 14 twin-engine heavy helicopters.
ENVIRONMENT
New species of Hydroid Polyps emitting green fluorescence discovered in Red Sea
A new species of Hydroid Polyps emitting green fluorescence in the Red Sea had been discovered by international team of biologists. The hydroid polyps are also called hydrozoas.
- The international team included researchers from the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Russian Academy of Sciences
- The Hydroid Polyps were found emitting light in the night in association with the gastropod Nassarius margaritifer.
OBITUARY
UP Panchayati Raj Minister Kailash Yadav passes away
UP Panchayati Raj minister Kailash Yadav passed away in a private hospital of Gurgaon .He was MLA from Ghazipur.
About Kailash Yadav :
- Born in 1951 in a village in East UP’s Ghazipur district.
- Yadav started his political career from a rural background, holding the post of a gram pradhan, before becoming a member of the UP Legislative Assembly on three occasions.
- He was a Minister of State for Revenue and Industrial Development under the Mulayam Singh regime 2003-07 and was considered close to the supremo.
