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!!!
AWARDS AND HONORS
Government renames Panagarh airbase after former IAF Chief Arjan Singh
For the first time in its history, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has renamed its Panagarh airbase in Burdwan after its Marshal Arjan Singh, the first and also the only highest ranking living officer of the IAF till date, on his 97th birthday to honour his lifelong services.
- Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Eastern Air Command) Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar unveiled the new name — Air Force Station Arjan Singh — at the entrance of the airbase, set to be the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft’s second hub after the Hindan airbase.
- Born on 15 April in 1919, Lyallpur, after the World War I, Marshal Arjan became the IAF Chief from August 1964-69.
- He was the first Indian Air Chief to be elevated to the Air Chief Marshal rank on 16 January in 1966 in recognition of the IAF’s vital contribution in the 1965 war under his leadership.
- He retired in August 1969, thereupon accepting Ambassadorship to Switzerland. He was Lieutenant Governor of New Delhi from December 1989 to December 1990.
Quick Link – Panagarh airbase
INDIAN AFFAIRS
‘Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana’ For Widows Launched
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has launched the ‘Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana’ for widows, the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar. A target of 11,000 units (houses) has been set in the current financial year for the programme. A sum of Rs 80 crore has been earmarked in the budget for it.
- Addressing a programme on the occasion, Das said Rs 75,000 would be granted to build a house in districts in hilly terrains and Rs 70,000 in plains and the amount would be distributed among the beneficiaries in three installments in their bank accounts.
- The widows would also get pension.
- Das said the Commission for Schedule Caste would be set up soon.
- Ambedkar had drafted the Constitution and its specialty is that even a common man could hold the highest post as it inspires to work rising above class, caste and creed, he said, adding its objective is to create equality and harmony in society, ensuring all round development.
Quick Link – Awas Yojana
Delhi ‘odd-even’ anti-pollution car rationing starts again
The Indian capital, Delhi, has begun a second round of car rationing, aimed at curbing high pollution levels.
Private cars with even and odd number plates would only be allowed on alternate days from 15 to 30 April, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
Those who violate the scheme will be fined 2,000 rupees and the government has appointed a special task force to look into complaints of violations.
Like the last time, emergency vehicles like ambulances, police cars, fire engines and taxis are exempt from the campaign.
Single women and two-wheelers are also allowed to drive every day.
Delhi has 8.5 million vehicles and with car sales soaring in India, 1,400 extra cars are added to the capital’s streets every day.
Quick Link – Delhi odd-even starts again
Foreign Ministry suspends Mallya’s diplomatic passport
The External Affairs Ministry has suspended the validity of Mr. Mallya’s diplomatic passport with immediate effect for four weeks, under Section 10 A of the Passports Act. Vijay Mallya is an Indian businessman and politician. The son of another businessman Vittal Mallya, he is the ex-chairman of United Spirits Ltd, the largest spirits company in India. Mr Mallya failed to appear three times before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating money laundering charges against him.
Section 10 A of the Act empowers the authorities to suspend passports or travel documents in certain cases. The suspension order is communicated to all the ports of entry or exit in India.
Quick Link – Ministry suspends Mallya’s passport
India joins G20 in fighting tax evasion, terror funding
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has joined the G20 leadership in fighting money laundering, tax evasion and terror financing while calling upon tax havens to become transparent in this regard and share information. The meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors held at Delhi on 16th April. The was attended by Jaitley and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan from India, a joint proclamation also warned non-cooperative jurisdictions with “defensive” steps.
Key Features of the meeting:
• It has said that it is important to maintain and improve transparency global financial system to prevent the misuse of such entities for illegal acts such as corruption, tax evasion, terror financing and money laundering.
• They also mandate that the OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) working with G20 countries to establish objective criteria within July meeting to identify non-cooperative jurisdictions with respect to tax transparency.
Quick Link – India joins G20
Google extends free internet service through WiFi to 10 railway stations
Google has extended free internet service through WiFi to 10 railway stations as part of its tie up with Railtel, the internet provider arm of Indian Railways. After the first launch at Mumbai Central, last year, the high speed wireless broadband service now covers stations in Pune, Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Ranchi, Raipur, Vijayawada, Kacheguda (Hyderabad), Ernakulum Jn (Kochi) and Vishakhapatnam, providing internet to over 1.5 million people.
Gulzar Azad, Head of Access Project, Google India said that this project will be the largest publicly accessible high speed Wi-Fi network in the country with 100 live stations, but the real hope of this project is to set new benchmarks in delivering a reliable and consistent network connectivity in the country
Quick Link – WiFi to 10 railway stations
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Wada revokes accreditation of Moscow lab
The Moscow Anti doping Centre has had its accreditation revoked by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). The revocation means the lab will continue to be prevented from carrying out the testing of doping control samples on behalf of Wada or any testing authority. Since the Moscow lab was suspended on 10 November, it has been prohibited from carrying out any Wada-related anti-doping activities including all analyses of urine and blood samples.
“The revocation, which has been accepted by the Laboratory, will enter into force immediately and means that the Laboratory will continue to be prevented from carrying out the testing of doping control samples on behalf of WADA or any testing authority,” .The World Anti-Doping Agency today revoked the accreditation of the Moscow Anti doping Centre, as Russia continues to grapple with the scandal that could see its athletes barred from the Rio Olympics. The WADA independent commission report published in November alleged that senior Russian federation officials enabled the use of performance-enhancing drugs and covered up doping violations, among other damning accusations.
Quick Link – Wada
EU Parliament cleared joint system for sharing air passenger data to fight terror
The European Parliament approved a joint system for Police and Justice Officials to access airline passenger data on all flights to and from the EU. The measure was passed by 461 votes to 179 against.
- The creation of the new system will enable security agencies to systematically store the data of airline passengers travelling to, from and within the EU.
- The creation of a European passenger name records (PNR) system gained momentum following 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. The March 22 attacks in Brussels added further urgency.
- PNR includes name, travel dates, itinerary, ticket details, contact details, travel agent, and means of payment, seat number and baggage information.
- Counter-terrorism officials have lobbied for years for the introduction of Passenger Name Records (PNR), arguing that sharing data will help them trace suspicious itineraries. EU countries will have two years to turn it into national law.
Quick Link – Police and Justice Officials
BRICS bank okays first loans, $811 million for green energy
The New Development Bank (NDB), formed by the BRICS group of emerging nations, has approved its first loans – $811 million for renewable energy projects in Brazil, China, India and South Africa.
The BRICS bank, with authorised capital of $100 billion, started work last year on funding initiatives for infrastructure projects in emerging markets and in its initial foray has lent $300 million to Brazil, $81 million to China, $250 million to India and $180 million to South Africa.
Quick Link – BRICS
Japan earthquake: Rescue under way after 7.3 tremors
On Thursday (14.04.16) a weaker magnitude 6.5 earthquake in the same region of Kumamoto brought down buildings, killed nine people and injured about 800. More than 100 aftershocks followed until the ultimately bigger quake on Saturday morning that led to the earlier, smaller event being reclassified as a foreshock.
A second major earthquake in less than two days has shaken Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, with at least 29 people thought to have been killed, around 1,500 injured and more feared buried in building collapses and landslides.
The 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck at around 1.30 am on Saturday (16.04.16), waking people across the island – including the thousands already in crisis centres. It caused widespread damage, with several landslides and a village evacuated over fears a dam might burst.
Quick Link – Japan earthquake
FOREIGN RELATIONS
ICMR and National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan sign Letter of Intent
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Department of Bacteriology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) of Japan signed a Letter of Intent on the sidelines of the meeting of the Health Ministers from WHO South East Asia Region and Western Pacific Region countries at Tokyo, in the presence of JP Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare.
Terming the collaboration as another significant milestone in the strong ties between the two countries, the Union Health Minister stated that this will further help in deepening the relations between the two in research and development in scientific areas, particularly public health.
Quick Link – ICMR with NIID
OBITUARY
Hero group co-founder Satyanand Munjal passes away
Hero Cycles patriarch Satyanand Munjal, 99, passed away at his residence in Model Town in Ludhiana. Popularly known as ‘Mahatma’, Munjal was a much-respected figure in business and social circles. He is survived by six children — five sons and a daughter.
- A devoted Arya Samajist, Munjal was the eldest of the Munjal brothers and built the Hero Group, which has now emerged as one of the largest business conglomerates in India.
- Born on May 24, 1917, at Kamalia, Lyallpur district (now in west Pakistan), Satyanand did his early schooling in a gurukul. At the age of 17, he received an award at Quetta (Baluchistan) for his devotion to the Arya Samaj.
- It was during the 1940s that the Munjal brothers burst upon the corporate scene in India. Looking beyond their traditional business of vegetable trading and pre-empting Partition, they decided to shift base from Lahore to Amritsar in 1943.
- In the holy city, they started supplying components to the local bicycle business.
Quick Link – Satyanand Munjal passes away
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