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
Pakistan Woman Rights Activist Wins Nelson Mandela Award
Tabassum Adnan, a women’s rights activist from Pakistan’s troubled Swat valley has won the prestigious Nelson Mandela award, becoming the second woman from the restive region to gain international recognition after Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.
- Adnan, 39, was bestowed yesterday with the Nelson Mandela – Graca Machel Innovation Award 2016 in Bogota, Colombia.
- Adnan was married at the age of 13. The marriage which was marked by frequent domestic abuse, ended after 20 years when she gathered the courage to divorce her abusive husband.
Quick Link – Nelson Mandela Award
BANKING AND FINANCE
New Zealand’s $5 bill won IBNS Banknote of the Year Award
New Zealand’s $5 note has won the prestigious Banknote of the Year award. The note, which is actually printed in Canada, is an orange-brown colour with mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary on the front and a penguin on the back. The International Bank Note Society (IBNS), a group of currency enthusiasts who hand out the prize, said it was a “clear winner” for the 2015 contest. The fiver beat banknotes from 20 other countries which were also released in 2015.
The $5 was one of a set of new banknotes issued by New Zealand in 2015, with enhanced security features and reflecting New Zealand’s history and culture. Also in the running for the prize, voted for by IBNS members, Sweden’s 20 krona, Russia’s 100 rouble, the 20,000 tenge note from Kazakhstan and the £5 banknote issued by Scotland’s Clydesdale Bank.
Quick Link – Banknote of the Year award
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Indian Naval Ships Veer and Nipat decommissioned
Two Indian Naval Ships ‘Veer‘ and ‘Nipat‘ were decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The ceremony involved traditional last lowering of the ensign and commissioning pendents with playing of ‘last post’.
INS Veer was the first ship of the 1241 RE class missile vessels. INS Veer and Nipat are the first two of this class to be decommissioned. The ships played a significant role as the guardian of International Maritime Borderline off west coast of India and were extensively deployed during the Operations Vijay and Parakram. The decommissioning ceremony was held in the presence of Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.
Quick Link – Veer and Nipat
Govt raises EPF interest rate to 8.8 pc for 2015-16
In the third roll-back in two months, the government has raised interest rate on employee provident fund (EPF) contributions to 8.8 per cent for 2015-16 against 8.7 per cent approved by the Finance Ministry last week. Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya announced the decision to raise interest rate on a day employee unions had called nationwide protests against fixing interest rates lower than 8.8 per cent decided by the retirement fund body EPFO as well as 8.75 per cent paid for the previous fiscal.
This is the third rollback on EPF. Last month the government was forced to withdraw the Budget proposal to tax a certain portion of withdrawals. Subsequently, it withdrew tighter withdrawal norms.
Quick Link – EPF to 8.8
Piyush Goyal Launches ‘UJALA’ Scheme in Madhya Pradesh
Government of India’s National LED programme – Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) was launched today in Madhya Pradesh by Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister for State (IC) for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal, at a function held in Bhopal. The scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Ministry of Power.
- The UJALA scheme has played a significant role in creating awareness about energy efficient lighting.
- In 2014-15, the total number of LED bulbs that were distributed was mere 30 lakhs.
Quick Link – UJALA
Andhra Pradesh first state in the country to become Open Defecation Free in urban areas
Andhra Pradesh is set to become the first State in the country to make all of its urban areas ‘Open Defecation Free’ by October 2nd this year, marking the two years of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- As against the Mission target of construction of 1,94,336 individual household toilets in urban areas of Andhra Pradesh, work has started in respect of 1,53,779 and construction of 1,04,732 toilets has already been completed.
- In addition to the central assistance of Rs.4,000 per toilet, Andhra Pradesh Government is extending assistance of an additional Rs.11,000 per toilet giving a big boost for the programme.
Quick Link – Open Defecation Free
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
International Jazz Day – April 30
In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.
International Jazz Day is chaired and led by Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General, and legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
Quick Link – International Jazz Day
FOREIGN RELATIONS
NABARD partners Germany for food security initiative
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has collaborated with the German government for a special programme on ‘soil protection and rehabilitation for food security’. A high-level delegation from the Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) ministry of Germany, led by Stefan Schmitz, commissioner, was in Mumbai in connection with the programme, a release said.
As part of the collaboration, Nabard is anchoring two major programmes—soil conservation and rehabilitation of degraded land for food security in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and innovation of watershed development for rehabilitation of degraded soils and climate change adaptation in five states (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan).
Quick Link – Nabard
SPORTS
Garima wins gold at Commonwealth Judo Championship
Garima Chaudhary has clinched the gold medal at the 2016 Commonwealth Judo Championship finals at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Participating in the 63 kg category, this 26-year-old from Meerut followed up her quarter-final exit from the previous edition of the competition held at Glasgow in 2014 in perfect fashion, winning the event. Garima was the only representative from India to contest for Olympic glory in London 2012 at Judo, where Yoshi Ueno from Japan sent her packing in the first elimination round. She, however, is still touted as a promising Judoka in Inida’s quest for medals at the international stage.
India will be hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Judo Championships in Jaipur, besides organizing the Asian Cadet and Asian Junior Judo Championships in September in Kerala this year.
Quick Link – Garima
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