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!!!
BANKING AND FINANCE
FDI in India doubles to $4.5 Billion in Dec 2015
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country more than doubled to about $4.5 billion (Rs 30,514.5 crore) in December 2015. In December 2014, India had received $2.16 billion. The major sectors that attracted foreign inflows include computer software and hardware, trading, services, automobile and telecommunications. India receives maximum FDI from Singapore, Mauritius, the Netherlands and Japan. In 2014-15, foreign fund inflows grew 27 per cent to $30.93 billion as against $24.29 billion in 2013-14. The government has relaxed FDI norms in as many as 15 sectors, including Defence, single brand retail, construction development, civil aviation and LLPs, to boost FDI in the country. Foreign investments are considered crucial for India, which needs around $1 trillion in the next five years to overhaul its infrastructure sector such as ports, airports and highways to boost growth.
Quick Link – FDI in India $4.5 Billion
INDIAN AFFAIRS
IPAB approves GI tag for Indian Basmati rice
The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has directed the Assistant Registrar of Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, to proceed with registration of Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice as per the geographical demarcation conducted by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda). This means seven north-Indian basmati rice producing states such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir will get the GI tag.
Quick Link – IPAB appoves Indian Basmati rice
India becomes Associate Member of EMBO
Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, and Government of India has signed an agreement to become an Associate Member State of State European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). The agreement was signed by Professor K. Vijay Raghavan, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for the Government of India. Started in 1964 as European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC), or the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) is a group of more than 1,700 leading researchers that promotes excellence in the life sciences. The organization supports gifted researchers and encourages the exchange of scientific information all over the globe.
Quick Link – India as Member in EMBO
Heritage development projects for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana approved
Ministry of Urban Development has approved projects worth over Rs.12 cr for improving tourist infrastructure in heritage places of Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh and Warangal in Telangana. An inter-Ministerial HRIDAY National Empowered Committee approved development of a Heritage Park in Amaravati besides developmental works at 1000 Pillar Temple and Kazipet Durgah and rejuvenation of pond at Padmakshi Temple in Warangal city. In Amaravati, Heritage Park will be developed over an area of 3.50 acres opposite Dhyan Buddha Statue at a total cost of Rs.7.36 cr. This Park will have an Exhibition Complex with 4 halls to be developed at a cost of Rs.92 lakhs, 22 statues at a cost of Rs. 2 cr, over 20 shops at a cost of over Rs.1.00 cr, 4 food courts at a cost of Rs.95 lakhs, parking area at a cost of Rs.60 lakhs, pathways at a cost of Rs.44 lakhs and landscaping will be done at a cost of Rs.76 lakhs. Other facilities to be provided include seating benches, pargolas etc.
Quick Link – Heritage in AP and Telangana
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
US Gen John Nicholson appointed NATO Commander in Afghan
Army Lieutenant General John Nicholson has been appointed as the commander of the NATO forces in Afghanistan. He succeeded US General John Campbell who has been leading the Afghan operations for nearly 18 months. The powerful Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed Nicholson’s nomination during a Congressional hearing on Afghanistan where the outgoing commander US General John Campbell testified before the Senators. At present, Nicholas was US Army commander of NATO land forces. Earlier, he had served in multiple capacities like chief of staff of operations for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and US Forces – Afghanistan, director of Pakistan/Afghanistan Coordination Cell for the Joint Staff, and deputy commander – Stability of ISAF Regional Command – South.
Quick Link – John Nicholson as NATO Commander
February 04 – World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control(UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008. The primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.
Quick Link – World Cancer Day
Mergers and Acquisitions
Cisco acquires Japser Technologies for $1.4 bn
Cisco Systems said that it intends to acquire Silicon Valley-based Internet of Things (IOT) start-up Jasper Technologies Inc. for US$1.4 billion in cash. Jasper allows companies to manage connected objects through cellular networks with a cloud-based software program, and was valued at US$1.4 billion in its most recent round of venture funding. In addition to connecting devices to the Internet, Jasper makes a software platform that helps monitor these devices once they are online. Cisco views Jasper as a unique Internet of Things (IOT) service platform that is disrupting a massive market with strong strategic alignment with Cisco. Jasper represents the largest platform of scale in IoT today with over 3500 enterprise customers and 27 service providers across 100 countries.
Quick Link – Cisco in Japser for $1.4 bn
Birla Corp Acquires cement arm of Reliance Infra
Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) has sold its cement business arm to Birla Corporation for Rs 4,800 crore, a deal that will help Anil Ambani-led Group lower its debt burden. RInfra has announced the signing of share purchase agreement with Birla Corporation Limited, the flagship Company of the M P Birla Group, in relation to 100 percent sale of its subsidiary RCCPL. RCCPL has an integrated cement capacity of 5.08 million tonne per annum (MTPA) at Maihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kundanganj, Uttar Pradesh and a grinding unit of 0.5 Mtpa at Butibori, Maharashtra. Under this transaction Birla Corporation Ltd will acquire the 100 percent shareholding of RInfra in RCCPL. The transaction is subject to approval of the Competition Commission of India and other applicable regulatory approvals.
Quick Link – Reliance Infra by Birla
SPORTS
ICC removes India from Permanent member status
The International Cricket Council is all set to scrap the controversial constitutional amendments, which gave executive clout and financial power to India, Australia and England, with its Shashank Manohar-led Board recommending complete overhaul of the current power structure. In its first meeting of 2016 after Manohar took over as ICC Chairman, the world body’s Board agreed that the current system, put in place by controversial former head N Srinivasan, needed to be done away with. The introduction of an independent chairman was intended to “avoid any potential conflicts of interest and to follow best practice principles of good governance”. The ICC’s next chairman, to be elected later this year, will no longer be able to hold a position on their home board, as Srinivasan and subsequently Manohar did.
Quick Link – ICC removes India
Swapnil Dhopade clinches title
Grandmaster Swapnil Dhopade of Maharashtra, with an overall tally of eight points, emerged victorious in the Rs 7.5 lakh prize money IIFL Wealth Mumbai International Open Chess tournament. International Master Stany G A of Karnataka finished a close second with 7.5 points, while Chandigarh’s Himal Gusain with seven points was placed third. Top seed and GM-elect Shardul Garge of Maharashtracould only manage a poor joint fourth place finish along with seven other players, all with 6.5 points each in the tournament, which was held at the Mount Litera School International in suburban Bandra. Dhopade pocketed the winner’s prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, while second-placed Stany took home Rs 1.2 lakh and Gusain got the third-place prize of Rs 1 lakh.
Quick Link – Swapnil Dhopade Clinches
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