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Click here to try Current Affairs Quiz : June 28 2016
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Odisha State Government decided to provide education loan at 1% interest
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik initiated a new Scheme called as “Kalinga Siksha Sathi Yojana” to afford education loan at 1% interest to students for pursuing higher studies
Fund requirement: Rs. 500 Crore
Purpose: To help for students pursuing higher education including Management, Law, Engineering and Medicine
Aim: Ensuring that meritorious students do not stop enrolling for higher education due to financial stress.
Assam’s famous Kamakhya Temple receives an aid Rs. 25 crore for Infrastructure
i. Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced an aid of Rs 25 crore over the next couple of years for the infrastructure development of Kamakhya temple.
ii. The announcement comes from the Minister during the Ambubachi Mela festival which is the celebration of goddess Kamakhya’s annual menstruation cycle, considered as a symbol of fertility by the Hindus.
iii. The festival is the eastern India’s largest congregation of pilgrims – drew a whopping 25 lakh devotees this year.
Kamakhya Temple:
The Kamakhya Temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam is a Hindu temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya.
Rajnath Singh inaugurates Headquarters of Jharkhand’s special anti-Maoist force
i. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the newly built headquarters of Jharkhand’s special anti-Maoist force Jharkhand Jaguar which has got permanent place since its inception in 2008.
ii. The Jharkhand Jaguar, also known as Special Task Force, towards becoming a substitute for the central forces engaged in anti-guerrilla operations 22 of the state’s 24 Maoist-hit districts.
iii. The HQ that sprawl over 173 acres in Tendargram in Kanke block houses anti-guerrilla warfare training facilities, functionally rich barracks, parade grounds, firing range besides administrative block and officers’ mess.
Radha Mohan Singh launches a web based App CMRS for better crop and Nutrient management released for Bihar farmers
i. The Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched Crop Manager for Rice-based Systems (CMRS) App for better crop and Nutrient management for Bihar farmers in a program organised at ICAR-RCER in Patna.
ii. The App will be a part of Digital India program and will be linked with Soil Health scheme for bringing access to new technologies to rural India. The App had been already launched by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
iii. CMRS is a web-based App that can be used with computer, mobile and tablet and aims to increase farmer’s net income and sustain the productivity for rice-based cropping systems in Bihar, India.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India ranked 105th out of 130 countries on Global Human Capital Index
According to Human Capital Index, India ranked at 105th position globally among 130 countries and topped by Finland
Criteria: Nations ability to nurture, Develop and organize talent for Economic Growth
Released by: World Economic Forum, Geneva
Ranking:
1st Position – Finland
2nd Position – Norway
3rd Position – Switzerland
4th Position – Japan
5th Position – Sweden
6th Position – New Zealand
7th Position – Denmark
8th Position – The Netherlands
9th Position – Canada
10th Position – Belgium
IMF clears payment of USD 500 million to Pakistan
i. The International Monetary Fund cleared decks for the payment of USD 501 million for Pakistan taking the total amount given to the country to USD 6.1 billion in the last few years.
ii. The decision comes after 11th review of Pakistans economic performance in a three-year program supported by an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, that allows immediate disbursement of about USD 501 million to Pakistan.
International Monetary Fund:
♦ CEO: Christine Lagarde
♦ Headquarters: Washington, D.C
♦ Founded: 1945
3 Indian Navy Ships Reach Russia To Enhance Maritime Cooperation
i. Three Indian naval ships reached Vladivostok in Russia on a four day visit as part of efforts to enhance maritime cooperation between the navies of both countries.
ii. The ships representing Indian Navy namely INS Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch, under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral SV Bhokare, as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea.
iii. These ships will have professional interactions with the Russian Navy aimed at enhancing co-operation and bolster the strong bonds of friendship between the two forces.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Eminent Chess Player Viswanathan Anand honoured with ‘Honoris Causa’ Doctor of Science degree
Five Time Chess World Champion Viswanathan Anand has been conferred with the Honorary Degree Doctor of Science by Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Awarded during: 49th Convocation Ceremony
Venue: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Awarded by: NITI Aayog Chairman Arvind Panagariya
Two Indians Kartik Sawney and Neha Swain get Queen’s Young Leaders Award 2016
i. The two Indians are Kartik Sawhney and Neha Swain have won the 2016 Queen’s 
Young Leaders award for their exemplary work, the award will presented by Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace.
ii. Sawhney, a visually challenged young man with a passion for education and a youth facilitator from Hyderabad, he founded Project STEMAccess, which offers hands-on science workshops in India, as well as virtual training sessions.
iii. Neha Swain is a youth facilitator and co-founder of NGO Rubaroo for young people, irrespective of their socio-economic background, to develop their leadership skills through interactive workshops.
iv. The Award recognizes and celebrates unique people aged 18-29 from across the Commonwealth.
APPOINTMENTS
Shariah High Court appoints first women judges in Malaysia
i. Two womens Noor Huda Roslan and Nenney Shuhaidah Shamsuddin have been appointed as judges of Malaysia’s Islamic Shariah High Court for the first time in the history of the judiciary of the Muslim-majority country.
ii. The Government of Malaysia had ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the appointments were in line with empowering women.
iii. The Shariah High Court, also called Syriah High Court, refers to Sharia law in Islamic religious law and deals completely with Islamic laws, having jurisdiction upon every Muslim in Malaysia.
Malaysia:
♦ Capital: Kuala Lumpur
♦ Currency: Malaysian ringgit
Nestle Taps Ulf Mark Schneider as Next CEO
i. Switzerland based Nestle has selected health care executive Ulf Mark Schneider as its new CEO, as the food and drinks giant seeks to evolve into a nutrition, health and wellness business.
ii. Ulf Mark Schneider is the first outsider to take the helm at the Swiss group since 1922. He will succeed Paul Bulcke, who has been chief executive for more than eight years and is likely to become Nestlé’s chairman early next year.
iii. Prior to this Schneider is a German and American dual national, has headed health care giant Fresenius Group since 2003.
N S Vishwanathan appointed as the new deputy governor of RBI
i. Union government has cleared decks for the appointment of NS Vishwanathan as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He would succeed H R Khan, who will retire next nonth.
ii. Viswanathan is currently working as an executive director at the RBI since 2014 and put on in super vision of the banking regulation and non-banking department.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CSIR launches anti diabetic ayurvedic drug BGR -34
i. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology, has launched an anti-diabetic ayurvedic capsule priced at Rs. 5 per tablet.
ii. The Capsule named BGR-34, abbreviated name for Blood Glucose Regulator that designed for type 2 diabetes. AIMIL Pharmaceuticals will manufacture this drug and market it.
iii. BGR-34 is developed jointly by the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and the Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).
iv. The capsule can be taken as prescribed by the doctor for diabetes which will be available on all major medical stores in Karnataka and adjoining states.
Scientists succeed in introduction of Sericulture in Poyen Village of Kargil
i. Scientists from Temperate Sericulture Research Institute of SKUAST, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir has successfully introduced Sericulture in Poyen Village of Kargil.
ii. The breading of Sericulture in Kargil will serve purpose of achieving cocoon productivity that will ultimately spur employment and generate income for rural youth and tribal farmers.
iii. Earlier, Chairman of Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil Haji Mohd Hanifa Jan instructed 40 days intensive Bivoltine Silk Worm rearing training programme in the same village jointly by the institute, CSR & TI, Central Silk Board, and Ministry of Textiles.
China sets up first Dark Sky Reserve in Tibet to limit light pollution
i. China has established country’s first dark sky reserve for astronomical observation to limit light pollution and preserve sites for making astronomical observations in the Tibetan prefecture of Ngari, bordering Nepal and India.
ii. The reserve sprawls over an area of 2,500 square kilometres was jointly iniated by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (GDF) and the regional government of Tibet.
iii. The dark reserve is an area that is kept free of artificial light pollution to preserve is generally to promote astronomy. It usually surrounding a park or observatory.
SPORTS
Argentina women win record seventh FIH Champions Trophy title
i. The Argentina women’s team has claimed a record seventh Champions Trophy title
with a 2-1 win over Netherlands the World and Olympic champion’s side in the title clash at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London.
ii. However in the bronze medal game, USA fought to a shootout victory over Australia, making the team a first Champions Trophy medal since wining bronze at the 1995.
iii. Final standings: 1: Argentina, 2: The Netherlands, 3: USA, 4: Australia, 5: Great Britain.
India’s Sanjeev Rajput wins silver in ISSF World Cup
i. Ace Indian shooter Sanjeev Rajput bagged silver medal in men’s 50-metre rifle 3 position event of the ISSF World Cup in Baku Ajerbaijan.
ii. This is the third World Cup medal and his first in five years, Rajput finished seventh in the qualification with a score of 1167 in kneeling, prone and standing position.
OBITUARY
Naga Insurgent Leader Isak Chishi Swu passes away
i. The Naga militant leader Isak Chishi Swu has died following multi-organ failure at a 
private hospital in south Delhi, where he breathed his last. He was 87-year-old
ii. The Chairman of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) who led a bloody insurgency in the Northeast for over three decades had been undergoing treatment.
iii. Isak Swu alongside NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah made the group in 1980 opposing the Shillong Accord signed by the then Naga National Council (NNC) with the Centre for bringing peace in Nagaland.
Founder of Titan, Xerxes Sapur Desai has passed away
i. The founder of Titan Co Ltd, Xerxes Sapur Desai, has passed away following acute gastroenteritis in Bengaluru. He was 79 year old.
ii. He had played a key role in announcing India to its first quartz watch when he set up Titan Co. Ltd (part of Tata Sons), after lasting years of resistance from state-owned HMT Watches in the late 80s.
iii. Desai graduated in Oxford University who had joined Tata Administrative Service (TAS) in 1961. He also worked with Tata Press, Tata Chemicals and Taj Hotels before setting up Titan in 1986.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
PM releases book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland”
i. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released a book named The Birds of Banni 
Grassland in New Delhi. The book, which was presented to the Prime Minister by the Scientists of Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE).
ii. The Book is accumulation of the research work, concerning to more than 250 species of birds found in the Banni area of Kutch, Gujarat.
iii. The GUIDE institute is located at Bhuj, has been studying the plant, bird and marine life in the Rann of Kutch for over 15 years.
