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!!!
INDIAN AFFAIRS
1. GOI abolishes export duty on iron ore pellets
The government of India has reduced export duty on iron ore pellets to zero from 5 percent, a move that will make the commodity more competitive amid subdued demand and weakening prices. In 2014, the government had levied a 5 percent export duty on iron ore pellets, which are value-added products of leftover material or low-grade iron ore and are used in steel-making.
Quick Link – GOI abolishes on iron ore pellets
2. Tata Trusts and Mars join hands for agri development
Tata Trusts, India’s oldest philanthropic organisation, along with the $33 billion foods giant Mars Inc will invest in the country’s agri-food sector. The two will work together on agriculture development, malnutrition reduction and food safety improvement in Asia’s third-largest economy. Tata and Mars will collaborate on reducing aflatoxin (an invisible disease on crops that produces poisonous toxins) contamination in India’s supply chain, addressing malnutrition and improving crop productivity.
Quick Link – Tata and Mars for Agri
3. Ratan Tata Invests Undisclosed Amount in Tracxn
Top industrialist Ratan Tata has invested an undisclosed amount in startup research platform Tracxn. Tracxn was started in 2013 by ex-investors Neha Singh and Abhishek Goyal. It leverages data analytics to help venture capital funds, private equity firms, and strategy teams globally track the startup market and identify interesting investable companies.
Quick Link – Ratan invests Undisclosed Amount
4. Telangana Government launched e-Vahan Bima Insurance scheme
Government of Telangana has launched e-Vahan Bima Scheme to issue motor insurance policy in digital form. The scheme was launched by Information Technology Minister K T Rama Rao in the presence of T S Vijayan, Chairman of Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA). With the launch of this scheme, Telangana became the first state in the country to legally accept motor vehicle insurance policy in digital form.
Quick Link – Telangana launched e-Vahan Bima Insurance
5. Cabinet approves Stand Up India Scheme
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the “Stand Up India Scheme” to promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and Women entrepreneurs. The Scheme is intended to facilitate at least two such projects per bank branch, on an average one for each category of entrepreneur. It is expected to benefit atleast 2.5 lakh borrowers. The expected date of reaching the target of at least 2.5 lakh approvals is 36 months from the launch of the Scheme.
Quick Link – Cabinet approves Stand Up Scheme
6. GOI decides to directly shift from BS-IV to BS-VI Emission norms
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has decided to leapfrog from BS-IV to BS-VI emission norms directly by 01.04.2020. A unanimous decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and attended by Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan along with senior officials of the Ministries. Therefore, the Government has taken a bold decision to skip BS-V emission norms altogether.
Quick Link – GOI directly BS-IV to BS-VI
7. Signing of MoU between India and Singapore in the field of Civil Aviation
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed in November, 2015 between Airports Authority of India (On behalf of Government of India) and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (On behalf of Government of Singapore) in Civil Aviation during Prime Minister’s visit to Singapore.
Quick Link – India and Singapore in the field of Civil Aviation
8. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates the first River Information System of India
Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the River Information System (RIS) System in New Delhi. The first of its kind in India, the new system will facilitate safe and accurate navigation on National Waterway 1 on the Ganges River. RIS is being implemented under the overall responsibility of Inland Waterway Authority of India, a statutory body administered by the Ministry of Shipping.
Quick Link – Nitin Gadkari inaugurates First River Information System
9. GOI approves closure of HMT Watches
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for offering attractive VRS/VSS packages at 2007 pay scales to mitigate the hardships being faced by the employees of HMT Watches Ltd., HMT Chinar Watches Ltd. and HMT Bearings Ltd. and close their operations. The movable and immovable assets of the companies will be disposed of as per the Govt. policy.
Quick Link – GOI approves HMT watches
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
10. Sri Lanka and Pakistan agree to expand FTA
Sri Lanka and Pakistan have agreed on the inclusion of services and investment in the bilateral free trade agreement. This would help companies of the two nations to form joint ventures for exports to other nations. When the FTA came into effect in June 2005, Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka were to the tune of $150 million. In 2010-11, they went up to $332 million but dropped to $260 million in 2013-14. Under the agreement, Sri Lanka’s exports to Pakistan were valued at about $52 million, accounting for around 70 per cent of the country’s total exports to Pakistan, states a document of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. The MoUs covered a number of areas, including trade promotion and curbing money laundering and terrorism financing.
Quick Link – Sri Lanka with Pakistan to FTA
11. North Korea conducted ‘successful’ hydrogen bomb test
North Korea has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test, a development that, if confirmed, would marking a stunning step forward in its nuclear development. The surprise test was personally ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and came just two days before his birthday. Only last month, during remarks made during an inspection tour, Kim had suggested Pyongyang had already developed a hydrogen bomb — although the claim was greeted with scepticism by international experts.
Quick Link – North Korea conducted Hydogen bomb test
12. Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties with Iran
Saudi Arabia has cut off diplomatic ties with Iran following the storming of its embassy in Tehran. Iran’s envoy has been given 48 hours to quit the Saudi kingdom. The escalating row between the rival Middle East powers over Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Muslim Shia cleric has caused alarm in the US and triggered a jump in the price of oil. It’s feared the diplomatic rupture between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shia-ruled Iran may snowball across the Middle East where the two powers back opposing sides in many destructive wars.
Quick Link – Saudi cut off diplomatic ties with Iran
FOREIGN RELATIONS
13. Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bangladesh
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post-facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh for,
- MoU and Mode of Operation of Border Haats signed on 23.10.2010 with Bangladesh for setting up Border Haats on India-Bangladesh Border
- Addendum to the MoU signed on 15.5.2012
- To establish new Border Haats after identification of suitable locations in consultation with Government of Bangladesh and concerned State Governments and
- To modify/revise the terms and condition of the above MoU/Addendum in consultation with relevant State Governments/Central Government agencies and Government of Bangladesh.
Quick Link – Memorandum of India and Bangladesh
14. Cabinet apprised of the signing of protocol with Czech Republic
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been apprised of the protocol signed earlier between India and Czech Republic in the field of heavy industry, especially in industrial cooperation and facilities construction. The Protocol includes the intent for modernization of the existing facilities in India by the Czech companies, including modernization of three plants of Heavy Engineering Corporation, a Central Public Sector Enterprises under the Department of Heavy Industries at Ranchi, set up with Czech support in the early 1960’s.
Quick Link – Cabinet apprised protocol with Czech Republic
15. Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to India-Bahrain Agreement
The Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to the Agreement between India and Bahrain on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Trafficking in Illicit Drugs, Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and Precursors Chemicals and its ratification. The MOU shall come into force from the date of exchange of the instruments of ratification.
Quick Link – Cabinet gives ex-post to India-Bahrain Agreement
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
16. Bengaluru to Get India’s First Space Park
The Indian space agency is soon opening a 100-acre Space Park in Bengaluru where private industry players would be allowed to set up facilities to make subsystems and components for satellites. The Space Park is coming up near Whitefield for the private industry. Indian Space Research Centre’s (ISRO) satellite centre director M. Annadurai said that the space park will be inaugurated in January. The park will enable the industry to manufacture and supply their subsystems and vital components faster for spacecraft assembled at its satellite centre in the tech hub.
Quick Link – First Space Park in Bengaluru
17. Five Minor planets named after Chinese scientists
A total of five minor planets have been named after top Chinese scientists, including the country’s first Nobel laureate scientist Tu Youyou. The naming was suggested by the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Minor Planet Center (MPC). Chinese vice premier Liu Yandong awarded scientists certificates at the ceremony.
Quick Link – Five Minor Planets
BANKING AND FINANCE
18. Reliance capital gets CCI nod to acquire Goldman Sach’s fund arm
Reliance Capital Asset Management, part of the Anil Ambani-led group, said it has got the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) nod for acquiring Goldman Sachs’s onshore business in India like mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. In October 2015, Reliance Capital Asset Management had said it is acquiring Goldman Sachs’s onshore asset management business for Rs 243 crore ($37.5 million) in an all-cash deal.
Quick Link – Reliance gets CCI nod
19. Andhra Bank launches IMPS for money transfer
Andhra Bank has launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) at all its branches in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). A multi-channel, multi-dimensional platform, IMPS makes payments possible within fraction of seconds with all the standards and integrity maintained for security. The bank said that the IMPS has been enabled across all branches to provide inter-bank electronic fund transfer service “capable of processing person to account remittances.”
Quick Link – Andhra Bank Launches IMPS
20. Cabinet approves creation of a Credit Guarantee Fund for MUDRA loans
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for the creation of a Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA) loans and to convert MUDRA Ltd. into MUDRA Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) Bank as a wholly owned subsidiary of SIDBI. The Fund is expected to guarantee more than Rs 1,00,000 crore worth of loans to micro and small units in the first instance.
Quick Link – Cabinet approves Credit Guarantee Fund for MUDRA loans
AWARDS AND HONOURS
21. VVS Laxman’s 281 voted the best Test knock in last 50 years
VVS Laxman’s historical innings of 281 against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata has been rated as the greatest Test performance of the last 50 years. The honour was accorded to the Hyderabad stylist’s fabulous series-turning knock after India trailed by 274 runs on the first innings, by his fellow-players, commentators and journalists in a poll published in the January issue of ESPN’s digital magazine the Cricket Monthly.
Quick Link – VVS hits by 281 votes in Test knock
22. Costa Book Awards 2015 announced
The Winners of Costa Book Awards 2015 were announced. As per the official announcement, writer Kate Atkinson’s novel A God in Ruinswon the Costa Book Awards 2015 under the category Costa Novel Award 2015. The Author Kate Atkinson won this award for the second time in last three years. In 2013, she received the prestigious Costa Book Award for her novel Life After Life. Apart from this, winners under other four categories were also announced while the overall Book of the year will be announced at a ceremony that will take place in January 26, 2016 in London.
Quick Link – Costa Awards
23. Angela Merkel to receive prestigious Four Freedoms Award
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named as this year’s recipient of a prestigious international award, with organizers lauding her “great moral leadership” in Germany and pivotal role in tackling the crises buffeting Europe. The Dutch-based Roosevelt Foundation says Merkel will receive the International Four Freedoms Medal at a ceremony in April. The foundation praised Merkel for her role in the European financial and migrant crises, for leading efforts to bring peace to conflict-torn Ukraine and for showing “great moral leadership as chancellor of all Germans regardless of faith and ethnicity.”
Quick Link – Angela received Four Freedoms Award
APPOINTMENTS
24. Lieutenant General Suresh Sharma takes over as Director General Border Roads (DGBR)
Lieutenant General Suresh Sharma has taken over as the 24th Director General Border Roads (DGBR). Before taking over as Director General Border Roads, he was holding the appointment of Director General Combat Engineers at Army HQ. Lt Gen Suresh Sharma was commissioned into Corps of Engineers from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and has attended all prestigious courses of the Indian Army including Staff Course at Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, Higher Defence Management Course at College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
Quick Link – Suresh Sharma as DGBR
SPORTS
25. Mumbai cricketer Pranav Dhanawade scores a record 1009
Pranav Dhanawade, a Mumbai Cricketer, has become the first batsman to score 1000-plus runs in an innings in any form of cricket. Batting against Arya Gurukul School in a Bhandari Cup match, Pranav reached 1000 runs in just 323 balls. The tournament is an under-16 inter-school event organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) mainly for the benefit of suburban schools.
Quick Link – Pranav Scores 1009
Thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂
