Current Affairs Today – July 30 2016

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INDIAN AFFAIRS

3rd Meeting of the Joint Committee at the Secretary Level under the India-Japan CEPA held in New Delhi
i. The Joint Committee meeting at Secretary Level under the India-Japan CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) was held in New Delhi. This is the 3 rd meeting that was called jointly.
ii. In the meeting India staged many issues pertaining to providing greater market access to Indian Products like sesame seeds, marine products and pharmaceuticals in Japan. The Indian side has demanded the counterpart to address these issues. The side also demanded Indian Organic Standards by their counterpart.
iii. On the other hand Japan highlighted several issues involving in taxation and investment concerns by the Japanese companies that are investing in India.
iv. The Indian side was headed by Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia and their counterpart was headed by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Keiichi Katakami,.

HP govt signs MoU with NTPC, NHPC for hydro engineering college in Bilaspur
i. Government of Himachal Pradesh, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and National Hydel Power Corporation signed an MoU to establish first hydro engineering college in Bilaspur to  boost regional development.
ii. The will help in generation of a technical human resource specialized for specific requirement of this stream Power Production that also create potential employment.
iii. The move will help identifying the scholars to develop new areas of Potential power development from Hydro Space. This is the first of its kind in the state.
iv. The state has over 20,000 MW hydropower potential and NTPC and NHPC are involved in development of many projects.
Himachal Pradesh
♦ Capital: Shimla
♦ Chief Minister: Virbhadra Singh
♦ Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat

Centre sanctions nearly Rs 620 crore to UP as drought assistance
i. Union government has sanctioned nearly Rs. 620 crores to Uttar Pradesh as assistance for the recent drought situation in the state.
ii. This year the State was affected by intense drought over 10 districts in the state has been declared as drought hit, also the state was reeling under pressure to deal the water crisis in the various parts of the state.
iii. The decision to allocate funds comes in the meeting chaired by the Home Minister Rajnath Singh in new Delhi. The funds were released on the basis of the centre team recommendations that paid visit to these states.
iv. The centre also set aside Rs. 80 crores for Rajasthan which was affected by hailstorm and Rs. 15 crores to Manipur that was affected by earthquake.

Strategic Forces Command exempted from RTI ambit
i. Union government has exempted Strategic Forces Command upon providing information under Right to Information Act -2005 without citing any reason for exempting.
ii. Actually SFC under National Command Authority (NCA), has been included in the Second Schedule of the RTI that exempts security and intelligence establishments from its purview. The Exemption has been put on the list of 26 intelligence and security agencies.
iii. Strategic Forces Command that looks after the nuclear arsenal of the India comes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s control.
iv. The agency however has to provide allegations of corruption and human rights violations if the RTI has been applied.

Gujarat government selects Infibeam for e-com training programme
i. Gujarat’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) has selected the Ahmedabad-based e-commerce major Infibeam as knowledge partner for its e-commerce training and development programme
ii. The training programme aimed at grooming budding entrepreneurs and individuals to set up their businesses for first generation entrepreneurs.
iii. Earlier the state has jointly with Infibeam launched an e-commerce workshop programme How to Start E-commerce Business.
iv.In the Workshop participants were trained various modules of E commerce which could help build their existing business and start new Business.

3rd India Education Fair begins in Dhaka
i. The Two-Day long 3rd India Education Fair has kicked off in Dhaka that is staged participants with over 35 premier Indian educational institutions including schools, colleges, and technical institutes
ii. The Event was inaugurated by the Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Sringla aimed to deliver one roof to provide educational opportunities to Bangladeshi youths.
iii. The Fair providing information also provide discussions about the facilities and fee structure of participating institutions so as to help them make an informed choice to the students and parents.
iv. The Fair also provides participants free career aptitude tests also scholarships that offered by the educational institutions.
Bangladesh
♦ Capital: Dhaka
♦ Currency: Bangladeshi taka
♦ Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina
♦ President: Abdul Hamid

BANKING & FINANCE

“Pashudhan Bima Yojana”, Insurance scheme for cattle breeders launched in Haryana
i. An insurance Scheme for the cattle breeders has been announced by the BJP led Haryana Government named Jokhim Prabandhan Aur Pashudhan Bima Yojana. The Scheme is the result of recommendations made in Swaminathan Report.
ii. The scheme insurance would offer a cover encompasses cows, bulls, buffaloes and camel at a premium of Rs 100 and for sheep, goats and pigs at Rs 25 for 3 years. In case death of animal compensation will be provided by insurance players.
iii. This scheme is free of cost for cattle breeders belonging to the Scheduled Castes. That state also targeting to cover one lakh cattle under Pashudhan Bima Yojana.

IRCTC to launch travel insurance facility at Rs 1
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is set to launch the facility of travel insurance for passengers from September
This can be availed at a premium of Re 1.
The scheme offers compensation
i. In the event of death or permanent total disability – upto Rs 10 lakh
ii. For permanent partial disability – Rs 7.5 lakh
iii.For hospitalisation expenses – Rs 2 lakh
iv. For transportation of mortal remains in the event of death or injury from a train accident or other untoward incident, including terrorist attacks, dacoity, rioting, shoot-out or arson, as well as for short termination, diverted route and Vikalp trains – Rs 10,000
Train accident and untoward incident cases will be handled according to definition under Sections 123, 124 and 124A of the Railways Act, 1989. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

National Tourism Awards for the year 2014-2015
In the National Tourism Award function Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan was the Chief Guest and Union Minister for Tourism Mahesh Sharma were also present in the function held at Vigyanbhavan in New Delhi.

Some of the Awards are listed below:

Railway Board chairman AK Mittal gets two year extension

i. The term of the Railway Board Chairman A K Mital was extended by two years.

ii. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of Mital as Chairman, Railway Board, for a period of two years, till he attains the age of 62 years, with effect from August 1, 2016.

AK Mittal

♦ Mital, a 1976-batch officer was appointed to the top post in Railways Ministry in place of Arunendra Kumar, who had superannuated on December 31, 2014.

♦ He has worked as Member Staff, Railway Board, and ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India.

♦ He had also served as General Manager of South Western Railway Headquarters, Hubli.

OBITUARY