Current Affairs Today – February 24 2016

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

Exhibition on history of Indian coin & currency held at Great Hall

Displaying the history of Indian coinage, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley initiated an exhibition on“coin and currency of India” in the Great Hall of North Block, New Delhi.

• The exhibition was organised by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
• This exhibition showcased the how money has changed in appearance and substance and evolved from barter to coins to the present day bank notes and e-money.

Atal mission plans of 13 cities approved with outlay of 495 crores

Ministry of urban development today approved the plan for 13 cities in 6 states under AMRUT(Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme for 2015-16. A committee chaired by Madhusudhan Prasad, Secretary of Urban Development has cleared approval worth 495 crores for 13 cities.

• The six states which have got clearance include Assam, Jammu& Kashmir,Meghalaya, Tripura, Goa and Pondicherry

Assam Cabinet approved Metro Rail for Guwahati

Assam Cabinet approved Mass Rapid Transit System and given green signal to Detailed Project Report of Guwahati Metro Rail Corporation Limited.

• The 203 Km Metro Corridor will be completed in three phases, The Whooping 18,020 crore project’s detailed project Report with 4 lines adding 61.4 Km in the first Phase of the project prepared by RITES Ltd.
• Phase I of the Project consists of 4 Lines with 54 Stations and all the trains will come up with 3 coach structure that has the capacity of carrying 975 passengers each
• The Project total cost would be shared by center and state government by 20% each and local bodies to contribute Rs. 350 Crore , while the remaining Rs. 10,074 crore will be funded through soft loans from funding agencies guaranteed by the Center.
• The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi will lay the foundation of the project on February 29 in Kahnapara where a station will come up to serve as node between the Line 2 and Line 3.

Assam

• Capital: Dispur
• Governor: Padmanaba Balakrishna Acharya.

India to host 3^rd Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation

As a move to conserve the tiger population the 3^rd Asian Ministerial conference is set to begin on April 12 in India. The conference is inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• 13 Nations will participate in this conference which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Lao-PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.
• It aims at promoting awareness about tiger conservation in Asia and around the world
• Countries will share their knowledge about tiger conservation and exchange ideas
• India having around 70% of tiger population will be the pivotal country
• The tiger population has improved from 1912 to 2226 in India in last few years

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Nepal PM KP Oli visit to India – An Overview

Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli was on his maiden 6 days visit to Indiaaimed to strengthen ties by clearing the misunderstanding between both nations. Oli and NaMo discussed a range of bilateral issues.

• During the visit both nations has signed 7 agreements

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI stretched out SAARC Swap Arrangement

In order to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen financial stability, RBI has extended thecurrency swap arrangement to SAARC nations till mid November 2017.

• Under the arrangement, Swap Arrangement of US $ 2 billion both in foreign currency and Indian rupee to all SAARC member countries.

HUDCO to Sanction 90 Crores for APCRDA

In a written reply to Smt. Kothapalli Geetha, the Minister of State for Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation –Mr. Babul Supriyo informed in LokSabha that HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) have sanctioned 90Crores to APCRDA.

• The loan was sanctioned To Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority(APCRDA) last month
• The minister also told that 64,942 houses were built for urban poor in Andhra Pradesh under JNNURM and Rajiv Awas Yojana.
• A total of 80,999 houses were sanctioned under Prime minister Awas Yojana in June last year
• These houses are asked to be completed before 3.17 by the ministry

BUSINESS

Google is shutting down Google Compare

Search Giant Google is winding down operations of unfamiliar tool called Compareand will terminate the services by March 23 from U.S and UK services.

• Google compare is a website launched in March 2015 that allows handlers to compare offers for Car insurance, credit Cards and mortgages currently available in the UK and the US.
• However Google ‘s parent company Alphabet has been running its compare platform for three years in The UK and started in the US last march.

GOOGLE:   

• CEO: SundarPichai
• Founded: 1998
• Headquarters: Califorrnia

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indian-origin art lover Ismail Mahomed conferred knighthood by French government

Renowned art lover Ismail Mahomed of Indian Origin from South Africa has been conferred with Knighthood by French government.

• He was granted with The Chevalier de Iordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Litrature ) by french Ambassdaor Elisabet Barbier at Johansberg in Soth Africa.

GVK Bio Bags Global CSR Award

GVK Biosciences has been conferred with the Global CSR Excellence & leadership Award by world CSR Congress on World CSR Day. The award was given under the category of Best Environmental Friendly Projects for its Go green Grow Green planting activity.

• CSR award is given for the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Project under various categories every year by World CSR Congress
• GVK Biosciences started a mega plantation program ‘ Go green Grow Green’ in June 2015 to plant 1400 samplings of Peltophorum ferrugunium, Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica in and around their campus

Points to note

• GVK Bioscience is Asia’s leading Drug Discovery Research and Development Organization.
• Its headquarters is at Hyderabad

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Ex-CJI HL Dattu accredited as Chairman of NHRC

Former Chief Justice of India, Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu has been designated as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for a period of 5 years. He will succeed K G Balakrishnan.

• Justice Dattu (65) had retired as Chief Justice of India on December 2, 2015.
• His appointment was confirmed by a committee headed by PM Narendra Modi.

Mortaza set to be the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador

The United Nations Development Programme on Thursday announced Mashrafe Bin Mortaza as its National goodwill ambassador for Youth in Bangladesh.

• Mortaza is presently the ODI and T20 skipper of Bangladesh
• UNDP was formed in 1965
• Headquarters of UNDP-Newyork
• Bangladesh capital– Dhaka

 K.N.Vyas –The New Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre

Shri.K.N.Vyas, Eminent Scientist and Associate Director, Reactor Projects Group of BARC on February 23^rd took over as the Director of BARC from Dr.Shekar Basu.

• N.Vyas joined the 22^nd batch of BARC training school  and has 36 years of experience in design and analysis of nuclear reactor fuel
• He also has worked in various thermal hydraulic projects and has wide experience in stressed analysis of critical reactor core components
• He has also been a part of Test Blanket Module to be installed in ITER, France

Awards received: Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding Service Award in 2011, Homi Bhabha Science and Technology award in 2006 and DAE awards in 2007, 2008, 2012 & 2013

Infosys names Michael Pesch as CEO of consulting business arm

India second Largest Software Company has appointed as the new head of its consulting business Infosys Consulting Holding (formally Infosys Lodestone) with the effect from April 1 2016.

• Prior to his appointment Pesch served as a CEO of Germany based arvato Systems, he will be responsible for Infosys Consulting in Europe Latin America and Asia Pacific Region and will report to Sanjay Purohit – Global Head of Consulting Business of the company.
• He will also work for DACH Countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) as a Regional Head.

Infosys

• Founded: 1981
• Headquarters: Bangalore
• CEO  & MD: Vishal Sikka

Honda removes India CEO Katsushi Inoue after one year

Japanese Car major Honda India removes CEO Katsushi Inoue from office one year his induction into the company.

• This move come after the Company had cited non satisfactory performance of the recent products from the company’s new models like Mobilio and Brio.
• With this Katsushi Inoue who moves to the European region as COO, Yoichiro Ueno will replace the former CEO April 1 of this year.
• Company Heads usually termed to three year assignment to understand the country’s dynamics in addition to expansion and growth strategy.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Rabishield to become the first fast acting anti-rabies drug in the world

Rabishield –the first monoclonal antibody drug that is a fast acting anti-rabies vaccine is launched in India. It is developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and US-based Mass Biologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

• Vaccines used currently for rabies takes 14 days for producing antibodies The virus can reach the brain within 14 days if the dog bite is severe or closer to the head

ENVIRONMENT

Rare Falcated Duck sighted in Goa

Birders in Goa sighted rare Falcated Duck in Goa which will add the verity in Goa’s Bird list.

• Earlier the Bird was sighted twice in South India, They were a regular winter migrant to northern states of India.
• Falcated Ducks breeds in Eastern Asia, Russia and north china in summers and usual migrants to India and rarely spotted in Southern part of the country.

Falcated Duck

• Falcated Duck is a gadwall sized dabbling Duck. These Ducks requires coastal wetlands for its survival.
• It is classified as threatened on the animal red list of International union for the conservation of Nature.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Central Excise Day

The Day is commemorated on February 24, to recognize the Contribution of Central Board of Excise and Custom. The nodal Agency is responsible for administration in relation with Customs, Central Excise, Service Tax and Narcotics.

• The event of celebration means to collect tax over the manufacturing goods by and people earning over the limit that decided according to the Central Excise Act 1944.
• The Revenue collected through the central Excise department is used for Education, Health, and Social sector.
• The Central Board of Excise and customs runs under Finance ministry led by Mr. Arun Jaitly.
• On behalf of the professional holiday seminar, workshops, educational and Cultural events, Awareness Programs and employees with good track record will be awarded to them by the government.