April 14 & 15 – Current Affairs Quick Gyan

In Current Affairs 2017
April 15, 2016

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Quick Gyan (QG) Section of D2G. QG is just a glimpse of what happened today all over the world.

Only For Serious Candidates : We strongly recommend you to read the Current Affairs in detail. For your convenience, we have provided quick links under the updates. Make use of it.

Always Keep Yourself Updated!!!

APPOINTMENTS

Susmita Pande appointed as chairperson of National Monument Authority

Susmita Pande, a professor at Ujjain’s Vikram University, has been appointed as the new chairperson of the National Monument Authority (NMA). The position was lying vacant since last five months after the term of Himanshu Prabha Ray, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, ended. Pande currently heads the School of Studies in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology in Madhya Pradesh’s Vikram University.

National Monuments Authority (NMA), Ministry of Culture is responsible for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited and regulated area around the centrally protected monuments. Information about NMA, its vision, rules, acts, orders, etc. is given. Users can get details related to monuments. Downloadable forms are also given.

Quick Link – Susmita Pande as chairperson of NMA

BANKING AND FINANCE

GOI imposes anti-dumping duty on N-Butyl Alcohol

The government of India has imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to $149 on imports of a chemical used in fermentation of sugar from five countries, including the European Union, Malaysia, Singapore and the U.S.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), in a notification, said Normal Butanol, or N-Butyl Alcohol, exported from the EU, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the U.S. was found to be “below normal value, thus establishing dumping of the same”.
The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in its investigation into the import of N-Butyl Alcohol from the five nations had on February 19 stated that “the domestic industry continues to suffer material injury on account of dumped imports and it is necessary to recommend imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of subject goods from the subject countries”.
An anti-dumping duty of $46.27 a tonne was imposed on imports from the EU while the same from Singapore and South Africa was put at $35.66 and $13.24, respectively.

Quick Link – N-Butyl Alcohol

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Maritime India Summit 2016 : India holds first-ever maritime summit

Maritime India Summit (MIS) 2016 has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Summit is being organised from April 14-16, 2016 at Mumbai.

India is holding its first-ever maritime summit as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged a massive boost for the sector in the coming years. The Indian leader promised to restore the country’s “position of eminence in the global maritime sector” by modernising ports.

Assuring that up to 10 million jobs would be created in the next decade Modi said that his government would help harness untapped resources in the maritime sector. He said the New Delhi administration wants to mobilise investment of Rs1tn (£10.6bn, $14.9bn) into development of ports.

According to Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Summit provides a unique platform for participants to explore potential business opportunities in Indian maritime sector.

Quick Link – MIS

Nuclear-capable K-4 ballistic missile & Akash Missile System successfully test fired

Nuclear capable undersea ballistic missile, code named K-4, was successfully test fired from an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal. The test was conducted nearly 45 nautical miles away from Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh.

The trial was carried out with the support of the personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided all logistics.
The missile was fired from 20-meter deep and covered more than 700 km before zeroing on the target with high accuracy reaching close to zero Circular Error Probability (CEP).
The K-4 missile was fired from onboard silos of the Ship Submersible Ballistic, Nuclear (SSBN) submarine.

Quick Link – K-4 ballistic missile & Akash Missile

Social boycott now a crime in Maharashtra

The state legislature unanimously passed the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016. Under this Act, anyone found guilty of imposing any social boycott on an individual or a group of individuals can be imprisoned up to three years and can be fined Rs 1 lakh. The fine (in whole or part) will be given as compensation to the victim. With this, Maharashtra becomes the first state in the country to bring out a law making social boycott a crime.

The bill provides for prohibition of social boycott of a person or group of persons, including their family members, by an individual or a group like caste panchayat.
The bill states that social boycott is prohibited and its commission shall be an offence, the maximum punishment for which will be seven years in prison or fine up to Rs. 5 lakh or both.
It also states that maximum punishment for extending aid in relation to the commission of offence will be three years or Rs. 3 lakh or both.
As per the bill, the victim or any member of the victim’s family may file a complaint either through the police or directly to the magistrate. To ensure speedy justice, the trial shall be completed within a period of six months from the date of filing of the charge sheet.

Quick Link – Social boycott in Maharashtra

India ranks 44th in 2016 Global Connectivity Index

Huawei has released its third Global Connectivity Index report during the Global Analyst Summit 2016 in Shenzhen, China. The report sheds light on various global improvements in the field of connectivity.

In terms of numbers, the US, Singapore and Sweden top the ranking while India is ranked 44. The report, which measures the progress of 50 nations in investment and deployment of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), sees broadband connectivity and speeds improved enormously last year.
India, with a GCI score of 30, ranks 44 and is seen as starter in the world of ICT deployment. India may not have a good rank, but the situation might change rapidly next year.

Quick Link – GCI

ONGC took over Tapti gas field infrastructure to boost Daman gas Production

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) took over the infrastructure of abandoned Tapti gas field in western offshore from its joint venture partners Reliance Industries and BG. This transfer of assets in India is first of its kind.

With the infrastructure in place, ONGC plans to advance gas producing to the August-September period.
ONGC plans to lay a pipeline from the Daman field to the Tapti process platform, which is connected by a 70-km pipeline to the company’s facility at Hazira.
ONGC has committed an investment of over Rs 8,600 crore for the Daman and C-26 cluster projects. The two projects are expected to produce 11 million cubic meters of gas and 11,000 barrels of condensate per day at their peak.
The Mid and South Tapti fields was awarded in December 1994 under the production sharing contract (PSC) regime to a consortium of ONGC, BG and Reliance.

Quick Link – ONGC

PM Narendra Modi launches National Agriculture Market portal eNAM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s first electronic trading portal to allow farmers to sell their goods across the country, in move aimed at improving livelihoods of struggling growers and boosting the rural economy.

The National Agriculture Market (eNAM) will allow farmers to monitor the cost of commodities, gauge demand and gain easier access to markets in other parts of the nation, which will boost competition and eliminate middlemen.
The eNAM platform currently lists 23 commodities and integrates 21 agricultural markets across eight Indian states. It plans to include over 400 markets by next March, and 585 markets across India by March 2018.
The PM said eNAM will also help the government meet its target of doubling farmers’ income in the next five years.
In February, the government pledged to spend billions of dollars to help struggling farmers through various measures, including a crop insurance scheme and better access to markets.

Quick Link – eNAM

PM Narendra Modi launches Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

Commemorating the 125th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gram Uday se Bharat Uday Abhiyan, from Dr Ambedkar’s birth place Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. It is a program that will last till 24th April 2016, which is Panchayati Raj day, with the aim of building social harmony.

The eleven day campaign will also focus on generating nationwide efforts on promoting rural development and fostering farmers’ progress.
During the campaign, discussions on issues pertaining to rural development, improving farmer’s income, SC and ST welfare and social harmony will be held on different platforms.
Prime Minister Modi said that India’s sustainable development is possible only if we develop our villages.
The Prime Minister mentioned the objective of doubling farmers’ incomes, and said purchasing power of rural people has to increase as this will power India’s economy. He said Panchayati Raj institutions should be made stronger and more vibrant.

Quick Link – Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank

South Pacific island nation Nauru has become the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Nauru applied for membership in the Washington-based IMF and World Bank in April 2014, after joining the United Nations in 1996 as the world’s smallest independent republic.

The World Bank, which helps developing countries to spur growth and fight poverty, welcomed Nauru as its smallest member by land mass, at 21 square kilometers.
By joining the World Bank, Nauru gains access to financial support, technical support and special expertise in dealing with Pacific area issues, such as water and sanitation and disaster risk management amid the threat of climate change and rising sea levels.
With the IMF, Nauru can benefit from the crisis lender’s advice on managing government finances and monetary policy.
Before Nauru, the last country to join the IMF and World Bank was South Sudan, in April 2012.

Quick Link – IMF

MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga appointed as member of US cybersecurity body

The White House released a list of names that US President Barack Obama has appointed to the new Commission on Enhancing National Cyber security panel. The panel was formed earlier this year as part of Obama’s $19bn (£13bn) proposal to boost the US government’s cyber security system.

The panel includes top members of the tech, intelligence and academic communities. Among others appointed is CEO and president of MasterCard Ajay Banga; Microsoft Research’s Peter Lee, Uber chief security officer Joe Sullivan, former NSA director General Keith Alexander and Stanford cyberpolicy and security researcher Herbert Lin.

The commission will have an advisory-only role and will be tasked with rehauling the US government’s current tech policies to develop and provide new long- and short-term suggestions on cybersecurity, privacy, safety and collaborative initiatives between government agencies and private tech firms.

Quick Link – Ajay Banga as US cybersecurity body

Pepsi-Cola sign got historic landmark designation in New York

An immense Pepsi-Cola sign on the banks of New York’s East River has been declared a historic landmark after 25 years of discussion. The red neon sign was built in 1936 and installed atop a Pepsi bottling plant in an industrial area bordering the East River in Long Island City. The 60 feet high and 120 feet long, its steel and porcelain letters and giant Pepsi bottle have long been part of the view from the East Side of Manhattan. The sign was restored in 1993 after being damaged in a winter storm. Discussions on whether to declare it a landmark began in 1988 and concluded finally with a unanimous vote by the city’s landmark commission.

The sign has appeared in several films, including Steven Spielberg’s ‘Munich’ (2005) with Daniel Craig and Mathieu Kassovitz, and Sydney Pollack’s ‘The Interpreter’ (2005) with Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn.

Quick Link – Pepsi-Cola in New York

FOREIGN RELATIONS

India, US to collaborate on tackling offshore tax evasion

India and the US have agreed to enhance collaboration on tackling offshore tax evasion and increase cooperation in sharing of cross-border tax information.

“We are committed to continued collaboration and sharing of experience in tackling offshore tax evasion and avoidance, including joint tax audits and tax examination abroad,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a joint statement.

Mr Jaitley and Mr Lew were joined by other senior officials from both sides including Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan. During the meeting, Mr Lew is believed to have appreciated Mr Jaitley’s effort to successfully resolve more than half of the concerns related to tax disputes.

Quick Link – India & US in offshore tax evasion

OBITUARY

British playwright Arnold Wesker passes away

Leading British playwright Sir Arnold Wesker, who came to prominence in the late 1950s with his gritty, working class dramas, has died aged 83.

He first established his reputation with the Wesker Trilogy at the Royal Court theatre in central London.
He wrote more than 40 plays, as well as short stories, essays and poetry over five decades.
One of his most successful plays, Chips with Everything, was inspired by his own experiences in the RAF.
Sir Arnold, who had his plays performed all over the world, was born in the East End of London in 1932 to Jewish communist parents.
He was a leading figure in a generation of writers in the 1950s who became known as “angry young men” – a group that included novelists Kingsley Amis, John Braine and Alan Sillitoe.
Sir Arnold was keen to spread culture to the layman and set up a theatre venue called Centre 42 at the Roundhouse in London in the early 1960s.
In 1961 he was jailed for demonstrating against nuclear weapons.

Quick Link – Arnold Wesker passes away

Thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂