WBCS Current Affairs 27/08/2016 to 02/09/2016

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1. The 2016 BRICS Convention on Tourism has begun at UNESCO World heritage site Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh to promote intra-regional tourism. The two day convention was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism and Culture. The convention has been organised as a precursor to the BRICS Summit to be held in Goa in October 2016. Key Facts In this two day convention, delegates from the BRICS countries viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are participating. It will consists of inter- Governmental exchange of views and ideas, panel discussions on technology, innovation in Tourism. Besides, it will primarily focus on cooperation between the BRICS countries for promoting intra-regional tourism. Besides, Business to Business (B2B) meetings between the India Travel Trade and their counterparts from the BRICS countries will also be organised. During the convention, elements of culture, handicrafts and cuisine from different regions of India will be showcased. Khajuraho Temple: It is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh build by Chandela Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. It is an UNESCO World heritage Site.

2. The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for granting of Permanent Residency Status (PRS) to foreign investors. However, this status will be subject to the relevant conditions in the FDI Policy notified by the Central Government from time to time. The scheme is expected to encourage foreign investment in India and facilitate Make in India Programme. Key Facts Under the scheme, suitable provisions will be incorporated in the Visa Manual to provide for the grant of PRS to foreign investors. The PRS will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entry. If the PRS holder has not come to adverse notice, it can be reviewed for another 10 years. The scheme will be applicable only to foreign investors fulfilling the prescribed eligibility conditions and also his spouse and dependents. In order to avail this scheme, the foreign investor will have to invest a minimum of 10 crores rupees within 18 months or 25 crores rupees within 36 months. Further, the foreign investment should result in generating employment to at least 20 resident Indians every financial year. Benefits of Permanent Residency Status Initially, PRS will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entry facility, which can be renewed for another 10 years. It will serve as a multiple entry visa without any stay stipulation and the PRS holders will be exempted from the registration requirements. For dwelling purpose, PRS holders will be allowed to purchase one residential property. Their spouse and dependents will be also allowed to undertake studies in India and take up employment in private sector (in relaxation to salary stipulations for Employment Visa).

3. Former Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla has been appointed as the new Chancellor of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) University. The decision of his appointment was taken in the governing council meeting of TERI. He is currently serving as the Chairman of TERI since February 2016. With this appointment, TERI has ended its last association with former Chancellor and Head R.K. Pachauri, who was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague in 2015. Ashok Chawla is former Union Finance Secretary. He is former Chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). He was IAS officer of 1973 batch of Gujarat cadre. About The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) TERI is a non-profit research institution that conducts research work in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. Established in 1974 as Tata Energy Research Institute and was renamed The Energy and Resources Institute in 2003. It aims to focus on formulating local and national level strategies for shaping global solutions to critical issues. Presently, it has over 1200 employees especially research professionals from different disciplines pertaining to issues of environment and energy. In 2013, it was ranked as the topmost global think-tank by the International Centre for Climate Governance (ICCG).

4. Two Indians TM Krishna and Bezwada Wilson have received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay prize for the year 2016. They were among six persons/organisations who received the prestigious award, often regarded as Asia’s Nobel Prize. The award ceremony was held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City, Manila on August 31, 2015 i.e. on the birth anniversary of former Filipino President Ramon Magsaysay. Six awardees are Bezwada Wilson (India): He is the National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA). He was awarded for asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity. He has done remarkable work in liberating scores of people engaged in manual scavenging across the country. Thodur Madabusi Krishna (India): He is a Carnatic music vocalist. He was bestowed with this award ensuring social inclusiveness in culture. Conchita Carpio Morales (Philippines): She was bestowed with this award for restoring faith in the rule of law. Dompet Dhuafa (Indonesia): She was bestowed with this award for expanding the transformative impact of zakat. Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (Japan): The organisation was awarded for building a world of genuine solidarity. Vientiane Rescue (Laos): The organisation awarded for volunteering to save lives at risk. About Ramon Magsaysay Award Ramon Magsaysay Award is Asia’s highest cilivian honour and is often regarded as the region’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Established in 1957 in the memory of Philippines’ third President Ramon Magsaysay who had died in air disaster in March 1957. It was established the New York City based Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Philippine government. It is awarded annually to individuals or organizations from Asia region for their altruistic and philanthropic service. The award carries a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, cash prize and a certificate.

5. The Union External Affairs Ministry has officially confirmed that 13 Indians have been tested positive for the Zika virus in Singapore These cases of outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported among the three dozen workers on a construction site in Singapore. Meanwhile, Singapore also has confirmed its first case of a pregnant woman testing positive for the Zika virus infection. The number of cases of the Zika virus in the city-state has rose to 115. It should be noted that Asia’s first Zika virus was reported in Singapore. About Zika Virus Zika virus is vector borne disease transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The virus is capable of causing serious birth defects i.e. neurological disorders and foetal deformation known as Microcephaly in which infants are born with abnormally smaller heads. Besides a possible link between the virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS: a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system) is also suspected.

6. The Union Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amar Chitra Katha to publish and distribute comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission The MoU was signed between Amar Chitra Katha and the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) to focus on Swachh Bharat Mission. Key Facts Under this MoU, Amar Chitra Katha will publish 32-pages comic book carrying messages pertaining to sanitation and solid waste components of Swachh Bharat Mission. It will comprise a series of inspirational stories from the Swachh Bharat mission, cleanliness rankings of cities, public figures, environmental impact and ambassadors. It will also contain stories of individuals and organizations that can inspire children to the concept of Swachhata. Besides, it will also have an interactive workbook of tips and tricks to assist children to clean their own areas. The comic book will be made available in both English and Hindi. It will also include a section about how to organize community cleanliness drives. About Amar Chitra Katha Amar Chitra Katha publishes more than 400 comics in 20 languages. It was founded in 1967. Its comic books mainly highlight Indian stories including epics, mythology, history, literature and folktales. So far, Amar Chitra Katha has sold over 100 million copies Swachh Bharat Mission: It is a pet project of NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was launched in October 2014 with the aim to make India clean and open defecation-free in 2020.

7. The Union Defence Ministry has sanctioned the construction of a National War Memorial and National War Museum in New Delhi. The National War Memorial will honour the memory of all soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. Key Facts The National War Museum will combine architectural aesthetics and public sentiment. It will serve as a place for people to show their respect for soldiers, for their extraordinary efforts. The selected site of the memorial is located in the heart of New Delhi, within the C-Hexagon that lies in the close vicinity of India Gate and Chattri. It will be an institution to collect, preserve, interpret and display military artifacts. Besides, it will portray significant events of our nation’s wars and related objects of historical importance for education and promoting patriotism.

8. Noted filmmaker Aishwaryaa Dhanush was appointed United Nations Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India. In her new role she will help raise awareness of UN Women’s core message of gender equality and women’s empowerment across India.

9. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to create a Project Development Fund (PDF) for catalysing Indian economic presence in the CLMV countries viz. Cambodia, Laos Myanmar and Vietnam. The PDF will have corpus of Rs 500 Crore and shall be housed in Department of Commerce. It will be operated through the EXIM Bank. Key Facts The PDF will be governed by an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the chairpersonship of the Commerce Secretary. It will benefit India’s industrial community for business expansion in the CLMV countries. Besides it will also help to maintain cost competitive supply chains, besides integrating with global production networks. Background CLMV countries namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have a unique position in the regional value chains in Southeast Asia region. These countries offer a gateway for market access to China, European Union and other markets due to various trade agreements. Comment Thus, creation of Project Development Fund (PDF) will give key advantage position to India in securing regional value chains on a long term basis. Besides, it will provide a dedicated market for Indian raw materials and intermediate goods and also a dedicated source of raw materials for Indian industry.

10. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to proposal for dissolution of Central Inland Water Transport Corporation Limited (CIWTC). CIWTC was incorporated in February 1967 as Public Sector Undertaking under the Companies Act 1956 by the Central Government. It was under the administrative control of Ministry of Shipping (MOS). It had taken over the assets and liabilities of the erstwhile River Steam Navigation Company Limited (RSNCL) under a scheme approved by the Calcutta High Court. Why Government is closing CIWTC? Since its inception CIWTC was incurring losses due to inherent limitation and infrastructure bottle necks and never could become viable company. Central Government is closing it in line with its decision to revitalize sick CPSUs wherever possible or to wind up irretrievable cases. The dissolution of the CIWTC would be initiated after disposal of movable and immovable assets. This would free up the assets for better utilization and for the benefit of the people. A number of assets have been taken up by Inland Waterways Authority of India to provide services on National Waterway 4 on Brahmputra River.

11. The Union Cabinet has apprised the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and CERT-UK. The MoU was signed between CERT-In and Ministry of Cabinet Office, UK (United Kingdom) represented by CERT-UK, a unit of the Cabinet Office on Cyber Security in May 2016. Key Facts The MoU intends to promote closer cooperation between India and UK for exchange of knowledge and experience in detection, resolution and prevention of security-related incidents. It will facilitate both countries to exchange technical information on Cyber-attacks, response to cyber security incidents and find solutions to counter the cyber-attacks. They can also exchange information on prevalent cyber security policies and best practices. This MoU helps to strengthen cyber space of both countries in terms of capacity building and improving relationship between them. Background Cyber Security was one of the agenda items for discussion during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to UK in November, 2015. Earlier CERT-In signed MoUs with similar organizations of seven countries viz. South Korea, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Uzbekistan. Besides, Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also signed MoU with Cyber Security as one of the areas of cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). About Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) CERT-In is nodal government agency that deals with cyber security threats like hacking and phishing in India. It is nodal department under the aegis of Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. Headquarters: New Delhi. Objective: (i) Protect Indian cyberspace and software infrastructure against destructive and hacking activities. (ii) Strengthen security-related defence of the Indian Internet domain. Issue guidelines, vulnerability notes, advisories, and whitepapers regarding to information security practices, prevention,procedures, response and reporting of cyber security incidents.

12. Gujarat has become the first state in the country to distribute two crore LED bulbs under the Centre’s UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All) scheme. The state has reached the milestone in just 96 days and over 42 lakh households have already benefited from the scheme. Key Facts State-run Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the administration of the Union Power Ministry had distributed about 2 lakh bulbs daily in Gujarat. The distribution of 2 crore LED bulbs has led to an annual energy savings of 259 crore kwh, (Kilowatt Hour). It is equivalent to lighting up 5 lakh Indian homes for an entire year. Besides energy savings, the state has also gained from daily CO2 emission reduction of 5,000 tonnes. About UJALA scheme The UJALA scheme was launched on 1 May 2015 replacing the “Bachat Lamp Yojana”. It was launched as LED based “Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP). It was launched as part of Union Government’s efforts to spread the message of energy efficiency in the country. The scheme’s objective is to reduce electricity bills of consumers, contribute to the energy security of India and also help in environment protection. Under it, Government has set ambitious target to replace 77 crore incandescent bulbs across the country with LEDs by 2019. LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs, and 8 to 10 times that of CFLs, and therefore provide both energy and cost savings in the medium term.

13. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has decided to appoint Olympic silver medallist P. V. Sindhu as its honorary commandant and brand ambassador. It was announced by CRPF’s Director General K.Durga Prasad after she had agreed to become the India’s largest paramilitary force’s brand ambassador. In this regard, CRPF also has moved the proposal before the Home Ministry. She will be given honorary Commandant rank in the CRPF which is equivalent to the position of a Superintendent of Police (SP) and such an officer who commands a battalion of about 1,000 personnel. About Central Reserve Police Force (CRFP) CRPF is the largest central armed police force or paramilitary force in India. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its primary role is to assist States/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and contain insurgency. It was established in 1939, under Crown Representative’s Police but after independence it was made statutory CRPF after enactment of the CRPF Act, 1949. At present, CRPF is the world’s largest paramilitary force with 228 battalions and over three lakh personnel.

14. Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze medal from the 2012 London Summer Olympics has been upgraded to silver. This up gradation comes after second-place finisher and silver medalist late Besik Kudukhov from Russia was stripped off his medal for failing a dope test. Kudukhov was found to have used a banned substance in a test conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). He had died in a car crash in 2013 in southern Russia. As a result, Yogeshwar, who had bagged a bronze medal in men’s 60kg freestyle category in the London Games, has now joined Sushil Kumar as the other silver medalist wrestler from the 2012 Olympics. With this upgradation, India’s silver medal tally in Olympics has gone to five. Silver medallists are wrestler Sushil Kumar (2012 London Olympics) and shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004 Athens Olympics) and Vijay Kumar (2012 London Olympics) and Shuttle PV Sindu (2016 Rio Olympics).

15. The Madhukar Gupta Committee on border protection has submitted its report to the Union Ministry Home Affairs (MHA). The Committee was constituted to suggest recommendations for strengthening border protection and addressing the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing along India-Pakistan Border. It was headed by former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta. Key Facts The committee has examined security mechanisms of all four Indian states sharing border with Pakistan keeping in mind challenges of different climate and topography. It has given separate recommendations for four states as each of them has different topography and problems. It has flagged gaps and vulnerabilities in border fencing and suggested use of technology and heightened vigil on riverine frontiers. It has expressed displeasure over not installing laser walls in many infiltration-prone areas due to treacherous and marshy terrain. Note: 4 Indian states share 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan. Of this 1,225 km falls in Jammu and Kashmir (including Line of Control), 1,037 km in Rajasthan, 553 km in Punjab and 508 km in Gujarat. Background The MHA had constituted this committee in April 2016 to suggest ways to address the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing. It was constituted three months after the terror attack on Pathankot IAF base in January 2016 by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists from Pakistan. These terroritst had infiltrated into India by beaching the India-Pakistan border (through porous border) in Punjab especially from the riverine stretch.

16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the first phase of SAUNI (Saurastra Narmada Avataran Irrigation) Yojana at Sanodara of Jamnagar district of Gujarat. SAUNI Yojana is multipurpose project that aims to solve the water problems of a parched Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Key Facts Technically, SAUNI is a ‘linking’ project where the water will be filled in irrigation dams that are already equipped with canal network. Under this project, 115 dams in the Saurashtra region will be filled with excess water from the Sardar Sarovar dam. In the first phase, around 10 dams and reservoirs of Rajkot, Jamnagar and Morbi districts will be filled with water from Narmada River for irrigation and drinking purposes. SAUNI project involves making pipe canals instead of the conventional open canals which has led to no acquisition of land for the project. This network of canals will comprise 1,125-km network of pipelines that will help to channel water into farms. Background Saruashtra region of Gujarat comprises 11 districts. These districts faces drought like situation often and has been reeling under severe water scarcity due to scanty rainfall. The SAUNI Yojana was announced in 2012 when PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

17. The second 1,000 MW capacity reactor of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) was successfully synchronised to the southern power grid. This marks the generation of electricity and its supply to the grid by the second reactor of KKNPP. The plant had attained criticality in July 2016. Besides with this synchronisation, the total atomic power generation capacity of Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) crossed 5,000 MW. Key Facts The KKNPP is located in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, around 650 km from Chennai. It is built under India-Russian Nuclear agreement of 1988. KKNPP is India’s first nuclear power plant to use imported pressurised water reactor (PWR) technology for generation of electricity. It has VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) type light water reactors. The reactors were built by the NPCIL and Russia’s Atomstroyexport Company, a subsidiary of Rosatom. The first unit of KKNPP had attained criticality after it began the fission process in July 2013. Subsequently it was connected to the southern grid in October 2013.

18. India and the United States have signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) that will enable both countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of defence supplies. The agreement was signed after Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar met his US counterpart, Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter in Washington, D.C. The logistics agreement signed was based on the memorandum in principle reached between two leaders in April 2016. What is LEMOA? LEMOA is another name for Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), an agreement that US has signed with many of its allies. It allows defence forces countries to avail defence logistics support facilities such as fuel, spare parts, mechanics, etc. during joint training, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and port calls. Besides, it also lays out the procedure for billing for these facilities as part of a larger accounting transaction and details are contained in clarifying protocols annexed to LEMOA. Under LEMOA LEMOA is facilitating agreement that establishes basic terms, conditions, and procedures for reciprocal provision of Logistic Support, Supplies, and Services (LSSS). LSSS include food, billeting, water, medical services, transportation, petroleum, oils, lubricants, clothing, communication services, storage services, training services, spare parts and components, repair and maintenance services and port services. Reciprocal logistic support would be used exclusively during authorized port visits, joint training, joint exercises, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. Provision of LSSS from one Party to the other would be in return for either cash payment or the reciprocal provision of Logistic Support, Supplies, and Services. Logistics support for any other cooperative efforts will only be provided on a case-by-case basis through prior mutual consent of both countries Note LEMOA does not create any obligations on either Party to carry out any joint activity. It does not provide for the establishment of any bases or basing arrangements. It will significantly help to enhance the operational capacity of the Indian Armed Forces, including in their response to humanitarian crises or disaster relief. LEMOA is one of the three foundational agreements that guide US high technology cooperation in defence sector with other countries. Other two are Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA). What is CISMOA? CISMOA will allow the US to supply India with its propriety encrypted communications equipment and systems. Thus, it will allow to secure peacetime and wartime communication between high-level military leaders on both sides. CISMOA will also extend this capability to Indian and US military assets, including aircraft and ships. So far US has blocked sale of some of its advanced technologies and sensitive equipments to India on account of non-signing this agreement. What is BECA? BECA would facilitate exchange of geospatial information between India and US for both military and civilian use.

19. Eminent Dogri language Poetess and novelist Padma Sachdev was awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2015. She was bestowed with this prestigious award for her autobiography ‘Chitt-Chete’ (published in 2007) written in Dogri language. She was felicitated by Delhi’s Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in New Delhi. About Padma Sachdev Padma Sachdev is first modern woman poet of Dogri language. She also writes in Hindi. About Saraswati Samman Saraswati Samman is an annual literary award bestowed upon Indian citizen for his outstanding literary work written in any Indian language. These literary works should be in Indian languages that are mentioned in Schedule VIII of Constitution and published during last 10 years. The award has been named after Hindu goddess of learning and is considered to be among the highest literary awards in India. Established: 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. Award Carries: Monetary award of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque. Eminent Hindi author Harivansh Rai Bachchan was the first recipient of this award for his autobiography in four volumes.

20. India and Myanmar have signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries. These agreements were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting counterpart President of Myanmar U Htin Kyaw in New Delhi. President Kyaw was on a four day visit to India from 27 August to 30 August 2016. He is the first democratically elected President of Myanmar to visit India. Signed Agreements are MoU on cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy. MoU on cooperation in the construction of 69 Bridges MoU on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine. MoU on cooperation in the construction and upgradation of the Kalewa – Yagyi Road Section.

21. The National Sports Day is observed every year across India on 29 August to mark the birth anniversary of the legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand who was born on 29 August 1905. On this occasion, President Pranab Mukherjee conferred National Sports Awards on sports person at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. Recipients of 2016 National Sports Awards are Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: PV Sindhu (Badminton), Sakshi Malik (Wrestling), Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics) and Jitu Rai (Shooting). For more details: Click here About Major Dhyan Chand The legendary hockey player was born on 29 August 1905 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. He is widely considered as the greatest field hockey player of all time. He had started playing hockey only after joining the Army at the age of 16. He was famously known as ‘The Wizard’ for his superb ball control and had scored more than 1000 goals during his international career. He is mostly remembered for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning 3 Olympic gold medals in field hockey in 1928 (Amsterdam), 1932 (Los Angeles) and 1936 (Berlin).

22. The International Day Against Nuclear Tests is observed on 29 August across the world to raise awareness about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions. Observance of the day calls for the urgent need to prevent nuclear catastrophes to avert devastating effects on humankind, the environment and the planet. It also highlights urgent need for cessation of nuclear weapons as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. On this day various events are organised across the world such as symposia, conferences, exhibits, competitions, publications, instruction in academic institutions, media broadcasts etc. Background The International Day against Nuclear Tests was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by unanimously adopting resolution 64/35 on 2 December 2009. The resolution was initiated by the Kazakhstan with support of large number of sponsors and cosponsors with a view to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site on 29 August 1991. The Day was first celebrated in 2010 and since then observed annually to galvanize the necessity of banning nuclear weapon tests. About Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site The Semipalatinsk Test Site (also known as The Polygon) was the primary testing venue for the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons. It is located on the steppe in northeast Kazakhstan (then the Kazakh SSR part of USSR), south of the valley of the Irtysh River. The Soviet Union had conducted 456 nuclear tests on this site from 1949 until 1989 with little regard for their effect on the local people or environment.

23. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the first time has successfully conducted the Scramjet (or Supersonic Combusting ramjet) engine test. The test was conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta in Andhra Pradesh and has successfully has met all the intended parameters. Key facts The scramjet engine was test launched on board of RH 560 sounding rocket. RH 560 sounding rocket is two stage Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV). The ATV along with the scramjet engines weighed 3,277 kg at lift-off. During the test, ATV was able to fly at Mach 6 (six times the speed of sound) speeds. The scramjet uses hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmospheric air as the oxidiser. During the test, Air Breathing Propulsion System (ABPS) using hydrogen as fuel and oxygen from the atmosphere air as the oxidiser was successfully tested. With this, India became only the fourth nation in the world to successfully flight-test a scramjet engine after United States, Russia and China. What is scramjet engine? The scramjet engine works on the Air-breathing Propulsion System. The system uses natural oxygen present in the atmosphere to burn the fuel stored in the rocket. It reduces the amount of oxidiser to be carried along with the fuel, bringing down launch costs. Benefits This system would help in reducing the lift-off mass of the vehicle as there will be no need of carrying liquefied oxygen on board the vehicle. In turn help in increasing the energy efficiency of the rocket and also make it cost-effective. Scramjet does not have rotating parts so the chances of failure are also measurably reduced. Currently, ISRO uses rocket launch vehicles like the PSLV to deliver satellites into orbit. But PSLVs are expendable i.e. it can only be used once. Way forward The new propulsion system would complement ISRO’s aim to develop a reusable launch vehicle that would have longer flight duration. This system involving the recently tested scramjet engine, would become crucial while sending up the spacecraft. Special Note This was not India’s first venture into scramjet technology. DRDO is working with Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia to develop the second generation Brahmos cruise missile (dubbed the Brahmos-II) powered by a scramjet . Brahmos-II is being designed to fly 300 odd kilometres at a speed of Mach 7. The current generation Brahmos is propelled using a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine. It makes it possible for the missile propel forward at up to Mach 3 speed, making it one of the fastest for a cruise missile in the world.

24. NASA’s solar-powered Juno spacecraft has successfully executed its first flyby of Jupiter, our solar system’s most massive planet. During its first flyby, Juno passed just 4,200 kilometres above the planet’s clouds. It was the closest contact ever achieved by a man-made probe with Jupiter. Key Facts During this flyby, it was for the first time Juno had its entire suite of science instruments activated. During this closest approach, Juno passed about 4,200 kilometres above Jupiter’s clouds and travelled at speed of 208,000 kilometres per hour with respect to the planet. There are 35 more close flybys of Jupiter planned during Juno’s mission scheduled to end in February 2018. About Juno spacecraft The unmanned Juno spacecraft launched on August 5, 2011, from Florida, US. It had arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016. Juno is the first solar-powered mission designed by NASA to see beneath Jupiter’s clouds. It had travelled 2.7 billion kilometres since its launch to reach Jupiter. It has nine instruments on board to study atmosphere, gravity, magnetic field and possible existence of solid core in Jupiter. Juno will also map Jupiter’s gravity and magnetic fields and also track how much water is present in the atmosphere. It will have mission life of 20 months from July 2016 to Feb 2018. In its mission life, the spacecraft will circle the Jupiter 37 times before finally making a death plunge in 2018 in order to avoid accidentally crashing onto one of the planet’s moons.

25. Automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) has introduced DiGiSENSE, a cloud based technology solution to track vehicle information in real time. With this, Mahindra has become the first OEM (original equipment manufacturer) in India to integrate its product line-up onto a cloud-based technology platform. Key Facts DiGiSENSE by its digital-enabled sensing connects Mahindra range of pick up vehicles, tractors, trucks and construction equipment to the cloud. It will enable vehicle owners to have complete information on the location and usage their assets round-the-clock on their mobile phones. This inbuilt technology solution has been jointly developed in India in association with Tech Mahindra, Bosch India and Vodafone. DiGiSENSE allows vehicle owner to monitor the performance and location of vehicles, including the quantity of fuel used by the vehicles on real time basis. The key features include delivery tracking and route planning, vehicle utilisation reports, trip optimisation, alerts and machine hour operations and geo-fencing to prevent unauthorised use of the asset and theft.

26. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) application has become operational. The application will allow customers to make easier real-time payments via digital means using smartphones. Key Facts The payment gateway became operational after it received the Reserve Bank of India’s clearance that allowed banks’ UPI applications to go live on Google Play Store. Initially, the UPI will be available only on the Android mobile operating system. It will be going live with 21 banks in the first phase. About Unified Payments Interface (UPI) UPI is a flagship product of NPCI that will help India to move towards a cashless economy. It is a set of standard Application Programming Interface (APIs). It will provide uniform mobile payment system by leveraging digital trends such as increasing smart phone adoption and deeper penetration of mobile data. It will allow customers to send and receive money from their smartphones using virtual payments address without entering bank account details. It facilitates ‘virtual address’ as a single payment identifier for sending and collecting money and works on single click 2 factor authentication. It works as a single identifier that will eliminate the need to exchange sensitive information such as bank account numbers during a financial transaction. It merges several banking features, seamless fund routing and merchant payments into one hood. Thus, it will be a single app for accessing different bank accounts. It also provides an option for scheduling push and pull transactions for various purposes like sharing bills among peers. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) NPCI is the umbrella organisation for all retail payments system in India. It is being promoted the Reserve Bank of India. It was founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit organisation registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 2013. It has successfully played pioneering role in the development of a domestic card payment network called RuPay, reducing the dependency on international card schemes.

27. The Union Human Resource Ministry has formally launched Indian Institute of Techonogy (IIT) Dharwad in Karnataka. It was launched by Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash. Key Facts IIT-Dharwad is located at Walmi centre on the Dharwad’s outskirts till its permanent campus is built The prestigious higher education institute has already started functioning from this academic year from a temporary structure. Around 2000 students with Science and Maths background have been invited to the inaugural function to sensitise them about the higher learning institute. It is spread over the sprawling 470 acres allocated by the state government at nearby Kelgeri town.

28. India has been ranked 77th among the 171 countries in the 2016 World Risk Index (WRI). The index was released as part of the World Risk Report 2016 released by the United Nations University Institute for Environment (UNUIE) and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft in cooperation with the University of Stuttgart in Germany. Key highlights of Report The index has assessed the disaster risk of countries through combined analysis of natural hazards such as floods, cyclones, or earthquakes and societal vulnerabilities. Lack of critical infrastructure and weak logistic chains will substantially increase the risk that an extreme natural event will become a disaster. In 2016 WRI, the Island state of Vanuatu has been ranked number 1. India’s Neighbours: Bangladesh (5th), Sri Lanka (63rd), Pakistan (72th), China (85th) and Nepal (108th).

29. The Union Finance Ministry has constituted 11 members high-level committee to suggest steps to promote card payments with an aim to discourage cash transactions. The 11-member committee will be headed by Principle Adviser for social sector in NITI Aayog and former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal. The terms of reference of committee Recommend various measures to incentivise transactions through cards and digital means, e.g., through tax incentives/rebates, introduction of cash back/lottery. Review the payments system in the country and recommend measures for encouraging digital payments. Study and recommend need for changes, if any, in the regulatory mechanism under various laws, relevant for the purpose of promotion of payments by digital modes. Study feasibility of creating a payments history of all card and digital payments and ensure that merchants and consumers can leverage the data to access. Study and recommend ways for leveraging Unique Identification Number (UID) or any other proof of identity for authentication of card and digital transactions. Study introduction of single window system of payment gateway to accept all types of cards and digital payments of government receipts. Look into the scope of integration of all government systems like Public Finance Management System, Bharatkosh, PayGov and eKuber. Identify regulatory bottlenecks and suggest changes. Study global best practices in payments and identify possible market failures along with suitable interventions. The Committee will submit its report in one year. Its member will include former RBI Deputy Governor H R Khan, Chairman of Indian Banks Association, President of Nasscom and CBDT Chairperson. Background The high-level committee has been set up following a decision taken by the Union Cabinet in February 2016 for introduction of steps for promotion of cashless payments (transactions) through cards and digital means. The Cabinet had approved withdrawal of surcharge, service charge and convenience fee on card and digital payments. It also approved mandating payments beyond a prescribed threshold only through a card or digital mode. This decision was taken in pursuance of Union Government’s promise for measures that were announced in the 2015 Budget as one way to curb the flow of black money is to discourage cash transactions.

30. Maharashtra Government has unveiled ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway project in Mumbai. The 46,000-crore rupee ambitious project will create state-of-the art road connectivity within a period of three years and give a fillip to investment in the state. Key Facts Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway project will be implemented by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). The project aims to create state-of-the art road connectivity within a period of three years and give a fillip to investment in the state. It will be a six-lane super communication highway covering a distance of 750 km through 10 districts. It will connect entire breadth of Maharashtra It will require 9000 hectares of land and will be carried out in the Land Pooling model with farmers being made partners and some percentage of developed land given back to them. It will have facilities like trauma centres, electronic toll points, CCTV cameras, two lanes of service roads, utility shifting, bypass. Besides, it will also have other structures will be installed to enhance operational and safety standards.

31. Scientists in Japan studying earthquakes for the first time have detected a rare deep-Earth tremor, known as an S (secondary) wave microseism. Microseisms are very faint tremors. The detection was made by scientists from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention in Japan. Key Facts The rare deep-Earth tremor S wave microseism was detected for the first time and traced its location to a distant and powerful storm. The storm in the North Atlantic known as a weather bomb which was a small but potent storm that gains punch as pressure quickly mounts. During the storm, groups of waves had sloshed and pounded the ocean floor which struck between Greenland and Iceland. Using seismic equipment on land and on the seafloor researchers found a tremor known as an S wave microseism. S wave Microseisms are very faint tremors compared to P (primary) wave microseisms and they occur in the 0.05 to 0.5 Hz frequency range. P wave microseisms can be detected easily during major hurricanes. They are fast-moving waves and can travel through gaseous, liquid and solid materials. But the elusive S waves are slower and move only through solid rock, not liquid. Humans feel them during earthquakes. Significance of Discovery: It will help experts learn more about the Earth’s inner structure and improve detection of earthquakes and oceanic storms. Learning more about S waves microseismic will further aid to understand the deeper crust and upper mantle structure.

32. Pakistan is going to host the 19th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Summit in Islamabad (capital city) and Murree on November 9 and 10, 2016. It will be the meeting of the head of states or head of government of the eight SAARC countries. Besides, nine observers of SAARC have also been invited to attend the Summit. The 18th SAARC Summit was held in Kathmandu, Nepal in November 2014 with the theme Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity. It had focused on enhancing connectivity between the member states for easier transit-transport across the region About the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) SAARC is regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in South Asia. It promotes development of economical and regional integration. As of 2015, SAARC member countries compromise of 3% of the world’s area, 21% of the world’s population and 9.12% of the global economy. Member Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). Nine observer states: Australia, China, European Union, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and United States. Formation History: The idea for the SAARC was proposed by Ziaur Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh on May 2, 1980. The seven founding countries had met for first time in April 1981 and then in 1985, they created SAARC Charter. The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) in December 1985. The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu (Nepal) on 16 January 1987.

33. The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) e-box, in New Delhi. It was launched by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi. Key Facts POCSO e-box is an online complaint management system for easy and direct reporting of sexual offences against children and timely action against offenders under POCSO Act, 2012. It is an initiative of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), for Direct online Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse. The e-Box is incorporated in the home page of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) website http://ncpcr.gov.in/. The user can lodge a complaint by pressing the arrow on this page which navigates to another page where he/ she has to select at least one picture option (describing the category of harassment). User also needs to fill the form with details such as e-mail, mobile number and description of the harassment in order register complaint.

34. The world’s first self-driving taxi service was launched in Singapore. This launch is significant as it offer technology demonstration that could revolutionize the future transport industry. The self-driving taxi service was launched Singapore based nuTonomy, an autonomous vehicle software startup. With this nuTonomy became entity in the world first to offer self-driving taxi rides to the public. Key Facts The Singapore government had given its approval nuTonomy to conduct the self-driving taxi trial for the public. NuTonomy has started this service with small fleet of six cars. It includes modified versions of Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car. Each car is fitted with six sets of Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging), a detection system that uses lasers to operate like radar that constantly spins on the roof. There are also two cameras on the dashboard to scan for obstacles and detect changes in traffic lights. During the trail phase, these vehicles have a computer engineer and backup human driver in case anything goes wrong.

35. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to provide loans up to Rs 3 lakh at 7 per cent interest rate to Women Self-Help Group (SHG). This loan scheme must be provided under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)-Aajeevika scheme during 2015-16. Key Facts The revised guidelines on interest subvention scheme under NRLM have been issued after approval from the Union Ministry of Rural Development. Under this loan scheme, an interest subvention on credit up to Rs 3 lakhs at 7% per annum will be provided. All women SHGs will be eligible for it. However, SHG availing capital subsidy under Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) in their existing credit outstanding will not be eligible for benefit under this scheme. All banks will be subsidised to the extent of difference between the weighted average interest charged and 7% subject to the maximum limit of 5.5% for the year 2015-16. Further, SHGs will be provided with an additional 3% subvention on the prompt repayment of loans. The funding for this subvention will be provided to the State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs) from the allocation for NRLM. About National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)-Aajeevika NRLM-Aajeevika was launched by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in June 2011. In November 2015, it was renamed Deen Dayal Antayodaya Yojana (DAY-NRLM). The Mission aided by World Bank aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor. It seeks to enable rural poor (below BPL) to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services. It is the largest poverty reduction initiative and the largest programme for women in the world with its goal to reach out to nearly 70 million rural households.

36. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has constituted five-member review committee to probe the Indian shooters’ Rio Games debacle. The committee will be headed by India’s first and only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra. It will submit the report within a maximum period of four weeks. Other members of the committee include former tennis player Manisha Malhotra, NRAI Secretary Rajiv Bhatia and two journalists. Key Facts The committee will examine and identify causes behind shooting not securing any medals at the Rio Olympics. It will recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately undertake to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics. About National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) The NRAI was founded in 1951to promote and popularize the shooting sports in India. It has is affiliated to Indian Olympic Association (IOC) and all International Shooting Federations/Confederations. Presently, NRAI conducts five national level competitions annually with a view to promote and popularize the sports of shooting in India. The first speaker of Lok Sabha, GV Mavlankar was the founder and the first president of NRAI.

37. Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (31) has won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the year 2015-16. This is second time he has won this award after he was crowned for first time in 2013–14. To bag this award, Ronaldo defeated Antoine Griezmann and Gareth Bale. In 2015, he had scored 35 goals for Real Madrid and 16 goals in Champions League competition. He scored 3 goals for Portugal national team at Euro 2016. Other Category winners Ada Hegerberg: She was crowned with UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe Award for the year 2015-16. Lionel Messi: He was crowed UEFA Goal of the Season award for the 2015-16. He had won the award for his strike against Roma. His famous goal had received 73331 votes. About UEFA Best Player in Europe Award The award is an association football award given to the footballer playing for a football club in Europe that is considered the best in the previous season. The award was created in 2011 by UEFA and had replaced the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award. It aimed at reviving European Footballer of the Year Award (Ballon d’Or) which was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award in 2010 to become the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

38. The first Children Court of South India was launched at the Nampally Criminal Courts Complex in Hyderabad, Telangana to fast disposal of cases related to children. With this, Telangana has become the third state to have a child friendly court after Goa and Delhi. This court is the 6th child-friendly court in the country. Key Facts The Nampally children court project was facilitated by NGO Justice and Care in collaboration with the state government and the judiciary. It has features like separate waiting rooms for children and a video camera trial for accused, mandated under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, 2012. It has waiting area, which provides a child-friendly environment, complete with toys, bean bags and colourful furniture.

39. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed penalties on 10 cement companies and their umbrella association – Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) for cartelisation. The CCI has levied penalties on 10 cement companies viz. ACC, ACL, Binani, Century, India Cements, JK Cements, Lafarge, Ramco, UltraTech and Jaiprakash Associates. What is the case? The Builders Association of India (BAI) had filed complaint against the cement companies and the CMA alleging in fixing collectively prices of cement. It was alleged that these cement companies and the CMA shared details relating to prices, capacity utilisation, production and dispatch and thereby restricted output and supplies. Their collective was contravention of certain provisions of the Competition Act, 2002. It was also detrimental to the interests of consumers and the economy as cement is a critical basic input in construction and infrastructure industry. About Competition Commission of India (CCI) The CCI is quasi-judicial statutory body established under The Competition Act, 2002. It established in 2003 to eliminate practices that adversely affect competition in different industries and protect interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade. Its predecessor was the MRTPC (Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission) which was functional prior to 1991 Economic Reforms.

40. The Union Government has constituted four member expert committee to study silt in river Ganga in Bihar. The team will be headed by member of Ganga Flood Control commission A .K. Sinha. The committee will submit its report within 10 days. Other members of committee: Chief Engineer of Central Water Commission SK Sahu, Prof. of IIT AK Gosain and National Disaster Management Authority member Dr. Rajnish Ranjan. Background The committed has been constituted based on outcome of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Bihar CM had requested PM to send an expert team to study silt in Ganga which caused devastating prevailing flood in the state. Besides, he also had requested Central Government to frame National Silt Policy to sort out various problems related to rivers throughout the state.

41. The Union Cabinet has given its approval for simplification and liberalisation of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy, 2016 in various sectors announced in June, 2016. The radical amendments to FDI policy are meant to liberalise and simplify the FDI policy so as to provide ease of doing business in the country. Its main aim is to allow larger FDI inflows in the country that will contribute to growth of investment, incomes and employment. Changes in FDI Policy regime Defence Sector: FDI beyond 49% has been permitted through government approval route, in cases resulting in access to modern technology in the country or for other reasons. The condition of access of state of the art technology has been removed and it has been modified to access to modern or for other reasons. FDI limit also has been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and Ammunitions covered under Arms Act, 1959. Food Products manufactured or produced in India: 100% FDI under government approval route for trading in respect of food products manufactured in India. Pharmaceutical Sector: 100% FDI under automatic route in greenfield pharmaceuticals. FDI up to 100% under government approval in brownfield pharmaceuticals also has been approved and 74% FDI under automatic route in Brownfield pharmaceuticals. Civil Aviation Sector: 100% FDI under automatic route in Brownfield Airport Projects. FDI limit raised to 100% in Scheduled Air Transport Service and regional Air Transport Service. Animal Husbandry: 100% FDI allowed in Animal Husbandry (including breeding of dogs), Aquaculture, Pisciculture and Apiculture under Automatic Route without requirement of controlled conditions. Private Security Agencies: 49% FDI permitted under automatic route and FDI beyond 49% and up to 74% will be permitted through government approval route. Establishment of branch office, liaison office or project office: No approval from Reserve Bank of India or separate security clearance would be required. This exemption will be application in cases where FIPB has approved it or license and permission already has be given by the concerned Ministry. Single Brand Retail Trading: Entities undertaking single brand retail trading have been relaxed from local sourcing norms up to 3 years. Entities engaged in of single brand retail trading of products having ‘state-of-art’ and ‘cutting edge’ technology have been relaxed from local sourcing norms up to 5 years. Comment With these radical changes in FDI Policy, Union government has permitted 100% FDI under government approval route for almost every sector, including defence. However there is still exception in few sectors mentioned in the small negative list. FDI continues to be prohibited in atomic energy, lottery, gambling, real estate and Real Estate Investments Trusts (REIT) and railways operations. Background Since 2014, Union Government has brought major FDI policy reforms in a number of sectors, including Insurance, Pension Sector, Defence, Construction Development and Broadcasting etc. Measures undertaken by the Union Government have resulted in increased FDI inflows at 55.46 billion dollars in the financial year 2015-16. This was the highest ever FDI inflow in India for a particular financial year.

42. The 2016 BRICS Convention on Tourism has begun at UNESCO World heritage site Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh to promote intra-regional tourism. The two day convention was inaugurated by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism and Culture. The convention has been organised as a precursor to the BRICS Summit to be held in Goa in October 2016. Key Facts In this two day convention, delegates from the BRICS countries viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are participating. It will consists of inter- Governmental exchange of views and ideas, panel discussions on technology, innovation in Tourism. Besides, it will primarily focus on cooperation between the BRICS countries for promoting intra-regional tourism. Besides, Business to Business (B2B) meetings between the India Travel Trade and their counterparts from the BRICS countries will also be organised. During the convention, elements of culture, handicrafts and cuisine from different regions of India will be showcased. Khajuraho Temple: It is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh build by Chandela Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. It is an UNESCO World heritage Site.

43. The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for granting of Permanent Residency Status (PRS) to foreign investors. However, this status will be subject to the relevant conditions in the FDI Policy notified by the Central Government from time to time. The scheme is expected to encourage foreign investment in India and facilitate Make in India Programme. Key Facts Under the scheme, suitable provisions will be incorporated in the Visa Manual to provide for the grant of PRS to foreign investors. The PRS will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entry. If the PRS holder has not come to adverse notice, it can be reviewed for another 10 years. The scheme will be applicable only to foreign investors fulfilling the prescribed eligibility conditions and also his spouse and dependents. In order to avail this scheme, the foreign investor will have to invest a minimum of 10 crores rupees within 18 months or 25 crores rupees within 36 months. Further, the foreign investment should result in generating employment to at least 20 resident Indians every financial year. Benefits of Permanent Residency Status Initially, PRS will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entry facility, which can be renewed for another 10 years. It will serve as a multiple entry visa without any stay stipulation and the PRS holders will be exempted from the registration requirements. For dwelling purpose, PRS holders will be allowed to purchase one residential property. Their spouse and dependents will be also allowed to undertake studies in India and take up employment in private sector (in relaxation to salary stipulations for Employment Visa).