WBCS Current Affairs 03/09/2016 to 09/09/2016

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1. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned well-equipped offshore patrolling (OPV) vessel named ‘Sarathi’. It was commissioned by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) shipyard at Vasco in south Goa. Key Facts ICGS Sarathi is the third in the series of six OPVs built by GSL for Indian Coast Guard (ICG). It is designed and built indigenously by GSL. It is the largest i.e. 105-meter long and is most advanced new generation off-shore patrol vessel. It has been fitted with advanced EW and electronic systems and guns It is equipped with integrated bridge system, power management system, integrated machinery control system, high power external fire fighting system. It has a state-of-the-art propulsion system that can propel the vessel to a speed of over 25 knots. It is designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter and five high speed boats. The vessel will be joining coast guard fleet based at Kochi, Kerala and will form part of the Naval Training Squadron. In addition, it will be deployed for other surveillance and to safeguard the maritime interests of the country. It will also help the coast guard meet the increasing requirement of policing and patrolling of the India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

2. Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra have emerged the cleanest districts in India according Gramin Swachh Survekshan. Sindhudurg was judged as the cleanest in the ‘Plains’ category and Mandi in the cleanest district in ‘Hills’ category. The Gramin Swachh Survekshan report was released by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Overall Rankings in Swachh Survekshan Gramin Hills category Rank 1: Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) with 98.4 score. Rank 2: West Sikkim (Sikkim) with 96.4 score. Rank 3: Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) with 94.1 score. Plains category Rank 1: Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) with 96.8 score. Rank 2: Nadia (West Bengal) with 95.0 score. Rank 3: Satara (Maharashtra) with 92.9 score. Key Facts In the survey total of 22 hill districts and 53 plain areas were assessed by the Quality Council of India (QCI). QCI was given task to carry out the assessment by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj A total of 22 hill districts and 53 plain areas were assessed by QCI under the Gramin Swachh Survekshan launched in May 2016. Each district was judged on four distinct parameters of Gramin Swachh Survekshan. Maximum weightage was placed on accessibility to safe toilets and water. The parameters to judge sanitation status included: (i) Households having access to safe toilets and using them. It was given 40% weightage and included survey of toilet usage, water accessibility, safe disposal of waste. (ii) Households having no litter around. It was given weightage of 30%. (iii) Public places with no litter in the surrounding. It was given weightage of 10%. (iv) Households having no stagnant wastewater around. It was given weightage of 20%.

3. Mariyappan Thangavelu has won India’s first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. He won the gold medal in the Men’s High Jump T-42 event with jump of 1.89 metres. With this, Thangavelu became the first Indian high-jumper to win gold at the Paralympics. This was India’s overall third gold at the Paralympics and the first after 12 years. In addition, India’s Varun Singh Bhati won the bronze medal in same event with the jump of 1.86 metres to finish third. Sam Grewe of United States won the silver medal. India had won its first ever Paralympics Gold medal in the 1972 Heidelberg Games. It was won by Swimmer Murlikant Petkar. Besides, India had claimed Gold and Bronze medals at 2004 Athens Paralympics. The Gold medal was won by Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia and the Bronze medal was won by Rajinder Singh in powerlifting event. In the last edition of Paralympics held in London in 2012, India had won just a silver medal.

4. Haryana has won ‘Best Horticulture State’ award of the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA). The award was bestowed upon the state for its concerted efforts made to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture. The award was received by Haryana Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar at two-day 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016 that organized by ICFA in New Delhi. Besides, the 2016 Best Agriculture State award was bestowed upon Odisha in recognition of state’s efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity. Horticulture in Haryana At present, about 2.5 lakh hectares of land is under horticulture in Haryana. The state government has ambitious target to increase it up to 9 lakh hectares. For this purpose, state government has decided to set a Horticulture University in the state. Besides, it will also create 340 horticulture villages in the state and centres of excellence in horticulture in every district In addition, state government will also set up biggest Horticulture Mandi of the country at Ganaur on the pattern of Shenzhen Mandi of China and Rungis Mandi of France. State Government will also develop Peri Urban Culture to cater to the needs of the people related to fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products and flowers.

5. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a US space agency has launched OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to collect samples from an asteroid 101955 Bennu and return to Earth. The spacecraft was launched onboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Key Facts OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer. It is an unmanned spacecraft and NASA’s first mission to collect samples from an asteroid and return to Earth. OSIRIS-Rex will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain. Primary aim of the mission: To study asteroid 101955 Bennu , a carbonaceous asteroid. Also to return a sample at least 60 grams dirt and debris from its surface and return to Earth in 2023 for detailed analysis. NASA scientists feel that the Bennu asteroid hold clues to the origin of the solar system and the source of water and organic molecules found on Earth. Significance: Material returned from asteroid 101955 Bennu is expected to enable scientists to learn more about the formation and evolution of the Solar System. Besides it will give insights of initial stages of planet formation and the source of organic compounds which led to the formation of life on Earth. Note: OSIRIS-Rex is NASA’s third planetary science mission selected in the New Frontiers Program, after Juno and New Horizons. 101955 Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid in the Apollo group. It was discovered in September 1999 by the LINEAR Project.

6. The 28th and 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit was held in Vientiane, Laos from 6th to 8th September 2016. Prime Minister of the Lao PDR H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith was Chairperson of the summit. The theme of the summit was “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community”. The summit was attended by the leaders of all 10-member nations of ASEAN viz. Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR (host), , Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. India-ASEAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi had represented India at the ASEAN summit at the 14th ASEAN-India summit. ASEAN-India adopted a document aiming at politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible and people oriented people centered ASEAN-India Community. The document recognizes the vital importance of the planned review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods (AITIG) Agreement. It seeks to ensure that the agreement is trade-facilitative and remains relevant to the current global trading practices. The document also emphasizes the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability, unimpeded commerce, freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over the rising export of terror in an apparent reference to Pakistan. He also mentioned that export of terror is common security threat to the region and there was need for a coordinated response from the ASEAN member nations to combat it. About Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) ASEAN is a group of 10 South Asian nations which came into existence on August 8, 1967 after ASEAN declaration (also known as Bangkok declaration). It is a regional organisation comprising that aims to promote intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic integration amongst its members. Principal aims: (i) Accelerating economic growth, social progress, and sociocultural evolution among its members, (ii) Protection of regional stability and the provision of a mechanism for member countries to resolve differences peacefully. Motto: “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” 10 Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Founder countries of ASEAN: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand Enlargement: The group was expanded by adding 5 more nations which are Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Cambodia was the last entrant added in the group in 1999.

7. India along with 10 other member countries of World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) South-East Asian Regional Committee has decided to set up a dedicated fund aimed at building preparedness for health emergencies in the region. Decision in this regard was taken at the 69th session of WHO Regional Committee Meeting held at Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka. Key Facts The joint funding stream will be established under the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF). The new funding stream will allow these countries to invest in infrastructure and human resources that will enhance preparedness. It will help member countries better prepare for such events was seen by the countries as a key priority for the regional health agenda. Besides, these countries also passed a resolution for promoting physical activity and expanding health workforces across the region. The Regional Committee is WHO South-East Asia Region’s highest decision-making body. It comprises 11 countries – Bangladesh, South Korea, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Background In the recent years, earthquakes, cyclones and floods have caused health emergencies in south-east Asian region. It has also been threatened by a range of emerging diseases, including SARS, MERS CoV, pandemic influenza and Zika virus. Insufficient physical activity is also a major contributor to rising rates of non-communicable diseases in the region, with four-fifth of adolescents not getting enough of it.

8. Majuli became the first island district of India after it was inaugurated as the 35th district of Assam by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The inauguration the island district coincides with the 90th birth anniversary of Assamese music maestro and Dadasaheb Phakle awardee Bhupen Hazarika. Earlier in September 2016, Majuli had become the world’s largest river island in the Guinness Book of World Records, replacing Brazil’s Marajo. During inaugurating the island district, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that construction of Bogibeel bridge was at its terminal stage and Dhola-Sadiya Bridge will be commissioned in 2017. Besides, Chief Minister also held the cabinet meeting at Majuli which was for the first time held outside Guwahati. It was announced that state government has proposed to set up cultural university in Majuli to enable research and advanced studies of art and culture of the state. State Government also has decided to set up centre of water resources in the island to suggest remedial steps for the recurring flood and erosion there.

9. India’s first LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) laboratory will be set up in Aundh in Hingoli district of Maharashtra. It will be third such laboratory in the world and first outside the United States. The existing two laboratories are located in Hanford, Washington and in Livingston, Louisiana. Key Facts The site at Aundh in Hingoli district has been chosen for carrying out experiments on the ambitious LIGO project that proved existence of gravitational waves. It was selected based on site researches conducted by scientists from Department of Science and Technology (DST). The setup of LIGO-India laboratory will involve construction of 8 km-long beam tube at ultra- high vaccum on a levelled terrain. The Aundh site is suitable flat site for carrying out the experiments as the four kms strips require an unhindered straight and flat site for studying the lasers. The LIGO-India laboratory will help to bring considerable opportunities in cutting edge technology for Indian industries. Background A MoU to set up the LIGO-India project was signed between the scientists from the US’ National Science Foundation (NSF) and India’s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the DST in April 2016. Earlier in February 2016, the Union Cabinet had given its in-principle approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal for research on gravitational waves. For more Information: (i) Cabinet Approval (ii) India-US MoU (iii) Gravitational Waves

10. China has claimed that it has successfully developed and tested a radar system that uses quantum entanglement to beat the stealth technology of modern military aircrafts. This first Chinese quantum radar was developed by the Intelligent Perception Technology Laboratory. Prior to it, US was only the country stealth-defeating quantum radar.

11. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched advanced weather satellite INSAT-3DR. The satellite was launched on board of Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F05), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. So far this year, it was the seventh successful mission of ISRO including the IRNSS series and the scramjet propulsion mission. About INSAT-3DR INSAT-3DR weighing 2,211-kg will supplement the services of INSAT-3D launched from French Guiana in July 2013. It has designed mission life of ten years. Orbit: INSAT-3DR was successfully placed Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). To reach final GTO at 74 degree East longitude, INSAT-3DR had used its own propulsion system. Payloads in INSAT-3DR: (i) Multi-Spectral Imager: It would generate images of earth every 26 minutes to provide information on various parameters, sea surface temperature, snow cover, cloud motion winds. (ii) Sounder: It will provide information on temperature and humidity. (iii) Data-Relay Transponder: It will be used for receiving meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic data. (iv) Satellite Aided Search and Rescue Transponder: It will be used to pick up and relay alert signals originating from distress beacons of aviation, maritime, among others. Applications: It will provide service continuity to earlier meteorological missions and further augment the capability to provide various meteorological, search and rescue services. GSLV-F05 GSLV-F05 was the tenth flight of India’s GSLV. Besides, it was GSLV’s fourth flight with the indigenous cryogenic engine CE-7.5, with the first three being developmental flights. Thus, it was the first operational flight of the rocket fitted with the indigenous cryogenic upper stage. It had indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) on-board. GSLV is a three stage rocket designed to inject 2 to 2.5 ton class of satellites into GTO.The first stage of rocket is fired by solid fuel and its four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second stage is powered by liquid fuel and the third stage by the cryogenic engine which is more efficient as it provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant burnt. Significance: ISRO is perfecting the crucial cryogenic engine technology in order to save precious foreign exchange by launching heavier satellites on its own. Currently, ISRO relies on the European Space Agency (ESA’s) Ariane rocket to launch its heavy communication satellites.

12. India’s largest private sector bank ICICI Bank has successfully deployed ‘Software Robotics’ for power banking operations. With this, it becomes first bank in the country and among few globally to deploy ‘Software Robotics’. ICICI Bank has deployed Software Robotics to over 200 business processes across various functions. The 200 business processes include retail banking operations, agri-business, trade & foreign exchange, treasury and human resources management, among others Key Facts In banking, software robotics emulates human actions to automate and perform repetitive, high volume and time consuming business tasks cutting across multiple applications. It leverages recent advancements in artificial intelligence such as facial and voice recognition, machine learning, natural language processing, and bots among others. The software robots can perform over 10 lakh (1 million) banking transactions every working day. The software robots at ICICI Bank are configured to capture and interpret information from systems, recognize patterns and run business processes across multiple applications. Besides, it can execute activities including data entry and validation, automated formatting, workflow acceleration, multi-format message creation, text mining, reconciliations and currency exchange rate processing among others. Significance: The software robots help to bring operational efficiency, higher accuracy and a massive reduction in processing time for customer services. It will help ICICI Bank to cut response time to customers by 60 per cent and increase accuracy to 100 per cent.

13.Novel based on Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh titled Into the Hidden Valley has won 2016 MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction in the United Kingdom. The novel is authored by Stuart Blackburn. He was presented with this award at the HNS Conference in Oxford. Novel: Into the Hidden Valley The novel looks into a little-known episode in the colonial history of British India. It brings alive the world of the Apatanis and portrays the impact of British colonialism. It dramatises the encounter by telling two stories, one of a British official and the other of a tribesman.

14. President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to the Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 as per Article 111 of the Constitution. With the assent, bill becomes law and opens road to roll out a new indirect tax regime and gives way for the concept of one nation, one tax. What is GST? The GST is a single indirect tax throughout country. It subsumes most of the Central and State indirect taxes such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duty, service tax, central sales tax, additional customs duty and special additional duty of customs. Note: The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 will enter into the statute book as The Constitution (101st Amendment) Bill, 2016. Key Facts The assent to the Bill will pave the way for setting up a GST Council that will decide the tax rate, cess and surcharges. The Union Government will notify the GST Council. It will be headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and it will comprise state Finance Ministers. Now the Central and State Governments will pass the Central GST, Integrated GST and State GST laws respectively. The CGST and IGST will be drafted on the basis of the model GST law. The IGST law would deal with inter-State movement of goods and services. The States will draft their respective GST (SGST) laws incorporating State-based exemptions. Background The Bill was passed by the Parliament in August 2016 and was later circulated to the State governments seeking their ratification. As it was constitutional amendment bill dealing with fiscal federalism it was necessary to be ratified by at least 50% legislative Assemblies of states (15 states of total 29). The Bill was sent to presidential assent after 19 States had ratified it by passing resolution with simple majority. Assam was the first state to ratify it. The other States that have passed the bill include Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi (UT), Nagaland, Maharashtra, Haryana, Sikkim, Mizoram, Telangana, Goa, Odisha, Rajasthan, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

15. The Union Government has launched a new service -integration of DigiLocker with Driving Licenses (DL) & Vehicle Registration Certificates (RC). It was jointly launched by Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. Key Facts With this integration people will no longer need to carry around physical copies of their Driving Licences and RCs. Using DigiLocker mobile app, they can instead access digital copies of the same on their mobile phones. Besides, DLs and VRC documents will be now issued directly to the DigiLockers of individuals in digital formats. These digital copies also can be shared with other government departments as identity and address proof. They can also be used for on the spot verification through the citizen’s mobile, by various law enforcement authorities like the Traffic Police. Besides, it will also result in assured authenticity of such documents and reduction of administrative overhead. Comment DigiLocker is a key initiative under Digital India programme and serves as a platform for issuance of documents and certificates in a digital way. The integration of VRCs and DLs with DigiLocker will bring a major shift in the vision of paperless governance. It will also bring efficiency to the entire process of issuance of driving licenses and vehicle registration certificates through IT enablement.

16. The International Literacy Day is being observed 08 September every year to emphasize the importance of literacy to individuals, society and communities This year, the world is celebrating 50th International Literacy Day. The day was established in 1966 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 2016 Theme: ‘Reading the Past, Writing the Future‘. In India to observe this day, several functions have been planned by the National Literacy Mission Authority. The National Literacy Mission (NLM) was initiated by the government in 1988 with the objective of eradicating illiteracy. In 1951, when first Census was conducted after Independence, the literacy rate of country was merely 18%. However, in the last Census held in 2011 India has achieved a literacy rate of around 73%. The present national goal is to achieve literacy rate of 80 per cent by end of 12th Plan Period. Background The UNESCO had announced September 8 as International Literacy Day on November 17, 1965 and it was first celebrated in 1966. The objective of celebrating this day is to emphasize the significance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day every year, UNESCO retells the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning worldwide.

17. The first edition of ‘IoT (Internet of Things) India Congress, 2016’ began in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The three-day event was inaugurated by Union Information Technology (IT) and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and JS Deepak, Secretary, Ministry of Telecommunications. Key Facts The congress aims to bring together key stakeholders across the value chain and verticals to collaborate, ideate and share a common roadmap for IoT implementation. It will bring the IoT practitioners (hardware-devices, portables, sensors, software, business) and IoT enablers (regulatory, training, investors in IoT, end users) to work together. It seeks to create an IoT platform that is industry efficient as well as robust. For this purpose it has brought top executives from multinational companies and tech start-ups on one platform. The event will also host the “IoT Start-Up Awards 2016” and “IoT Thought Leadership Awards 2016”. What is Internet of Things (IoT)? IoT is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, or people that are provided with unique identifiers. Thus it can be said that it is an internetworking of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items—embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity. The internetworking has ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. IoT is also dubbed as the infrastructure of the information society. It allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure. Thus it creates opportunities for more direct integration of physical world into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved accuracy, efficiency and economic benefits.

18. India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Greece to allow unlimited number of flights into each other’s countries and also has initiated the air service agreement for open skies. With this, Greece becomes first country with which India has inked an open sky arrangement under its new civil aviation policy. Key facts At present, there are no direct flights between India and Greece. Passengers have to travel one stop via Turkey or Gulf States to Greece. Till now there was no air services agreement between India and Greece and thus preventing the start of air services between two countries. Under the open skies agreement, airlines from India will be allowed to operate unlimited number of flights to Greece. Similarly airlines carriers from Greek will be granted unlimited traffic rights to six Indian metro cities. Background Under the new civil aviation policy, India plans to enter into ‘open sky’ air service agreements (ASA) with SAARC countries and with countries beyond 5,000 km radius from Delhi. It has facilitated India to sign ASAs with other countries through bilateral negotiations to decide on the number of flights that airlines can fly into each other’s countries. Under the open sky pact, there is no restriction on flights or seats. At present, India has an open sky agreement with the US and a near open sky agreement with the UK. For SAARC and ASEAN countries, India has an open sky agreement with more than a dozen countries.

19. CK Asnani has taken charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of state owned Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL). Prior to this appointment he was serving as the Director (Technical) of Indian Rare Earths Limited, Mumbai. Earlier he was associated with Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad. About Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) UCIL is a centrally owned Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) for uranium mining and uranium processing under the Department of Atomic Energy. It was founded in 1967. It is responsible for the mining and milling of uranium ore in India. It operates mines at Jadugora, Narwapahar, Bhatin, Turamdih and Banduhurang.

20. India, Kazakhstan joint bilateral military exercise PRABAL DOSTYK-16 began in Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. The fourteen day (till 17 September 2016) will be a significant step towards fostering military as well as diplomatic ties between both countries. ‘Prabal Dostyk’ means ‘Robust Friendship’ Key Facts In this edition of exercise, Indian Army is being represented by a platoon strength and the Kazakhstan Army is represented by platoon from Special Operating Force’s Unit. The primary aim of exercise will be to enhance interoperability while undertaking Counter Terrorism & Counter Insurgency Operations in rural & semi-urban environment under the umbrella of United Nations. The exercise will be conducted in two stages. The first stage will be to familiarize with each other’s tactics, drills, weapons & equipment. Whereas in the second stage, troops of both the armies will graduate to jointly execute a helicopter borne operation in a simulated environment. Combat battle drills and physical fitness will also be the focal point of the bilateral military exercise.

21. The Union Government has approved 450 crore rupees for Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. It was approved by the Union Tourism Ministry for the development of Heritage circuit in Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Ramayana Circuit in Uttar Pradesh, North East Circuit in Sikkim and Coastal Circuit of Tamil Nadu. Key Facts The Heritage Circuit in Uttarakhand: It covers Jageshwar-Devidhura-Katarmal-Baijnath sites with total project cost of approximately 83 crores rupees. Coastal circuit in Tamil Nadu: It envisages development of Chennai-Mamamallapuram-Rameshwaram-Manpadu-Kanyakumari. The total project cost is of approximately 100 crores. Ramayana Circuit in Uttar Pradesh: It envisages development of two destinations, Chitrakoot and Shringverpur. North East circuit in Sikkim: It includes development of cultural centre, paragliding centre and craft bazaar for mountaineering and meditation hall at approximate project cost of 95 crores. The Heritage Circuit in Madhya Pradesh: It covers developing Tourism Infrastructure Gwalior-Orchha-Khajuraho-Chanderi-Bhimbetka-Mandu. The total project cost is of approximately 100 crore rupees. About Swadesh Darshan Scheme The Union Ministry of Tourism had launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme with an aim to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country. These tourist circuits will be developed on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner. They will be developed by synergizing efforts to focus on concerns and needs of all stakeholders to enrich tourist experience and enhance employment opportunities. Under this scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development. They are Buddhist Circuit, North-East India Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

22. The first phase of ESIC (Employees State Insurance Corporation) Pilot Project of Telemedicine Services was launched for providing specialist medical services at a distance to insured workers. It was launched by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya in New Delhi. Key Facts In the first phase, ESIC Model Hospital at Basaidarapur has been connected with three ESIS dispensaries at Katihar (Bihar), Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) and Rudarpur (Uttarakhand). ESIC has been launched as pilot project for telemedicine services at 11 ESI locations in coordination with C-DAC, Mohali. It was launched under the aegis of “Digital Inclusive and Smart Community (DISC)” which is a part of Digital India Programme of Union Government. Under it, three specialized ESIC Hospitals will be connected with eight ESI Dispensaries at remote locations of country where there are no specialized healthcare services available. In second and third phase rest of the two Hospitals and five Dispensaries will be connected for providing specialized health care services at the doorsteps of insured workers.

23. India and Chile have inked an agreement to expand the scope of their existing Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by covering more goods for tariff concessions. A PTA between India and Chile was earlier signed in March 2006 and had come into force with effect from August, 2007. Under the expanded PTA Chile has offered concessions to India on 1,798 tariff lines with Margin of Preference (MoP) or rate of concessions, ranging from 30-100%. Likewise, India has offered concessions to Chile on 1,031 tariff lines, with MoP ranging from 10-100%. Comment Expansion of India-Chile PTA will enhance the trade and economic relations between the two countries. It will be an important landmark in India-Chile relations and consolidate the traditional fraternal relations that have existed between India and LAC countries. India-Chile Relations Among the Latin American Countries (LAC), Chile was the third largest trading partner of India during 2015-16. During 2015-16, India‘s bilateral trade with Chile stood at US$ 2.64 billion with exports at US$ 0.68 billion and imports at US$ 1.96 billion respectively. India has friendly relations with Chile and India’s exports to Chile are diverse. Chile also has been cooperating with India at the International fora.

24. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully conducted a technical flight of the new indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). The flawless test was conducted by HAL engineers and technicians in the air for 15 minutes inside the HAL complex in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Key Facts Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is eight-seater chopper under development for the armed forces. It has a maximum All-Up-Weight (AUW) of 3,150 Kgs and fitted with Safran HE Ardiden-1U engine of 750 KW power. It has with a range of 350 Kms and service ceiling of 6.5 Kms. It can operate from sea level to high altitudes of Himalayas. It has been designed to carry out various utility roles such as reconnaissance, transport, cargo load, quick response and special operation. It can also be used for ferrying VVIPs, as air ambulance, for policing and to search, rescue and evacuate people. Note: HAL has already developed four highly popular models of helicopters under its belt. Its product range includes, Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), multi-role seven seater Chetak Helicopter, Light combat helicopter (LCH) Cheetah and Lancer, anti-insurgency, close air support chopper.

25. The Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched #Gas4India campaign, aimed at promoting the use of natural gas in the country. It was launched by Union Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi. He also launched the website, Twitter handle, facebook page and Theme song of the campaign. Key Facts Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign aimed at promoting the use of natural gas in the country in order to move towards a gas-based economy. It will communicate the national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice to every citizen. Public and private sector companies working in the sector will promote the natural gas sector under this campaign. The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and its official blogsite, as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers.

26. India has officially received certificates from World Health Organisation (WHO), recognizing the elimination of Yaws and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the country. The certificates were presented to Union Health Minister J P Nadda at the 69th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region held in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka. Key Facts WHO had officially declared India yaws-free in May 2016 after a team of experts verified interruption of disease transmission in the country. India was the first country in the world to eliminate yaws under the 2012 WHO neglected tropical diseases (NTD) roadmap. Besides, India also was declared maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) free in August 2015 after it was reduced to less than one case per 1 000 live births in all 675 districts. About Yaws Yaws is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the skin, cartilages and bones. It is caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum pertenue. It spreads by direct contact with the fluid from a lesion of an infected person. It mainly affects children below 15 years of age. It mainly occurs in overcrowded communities with limited access to basic amenities such as water, sanitation and health care services.

27. Indian film Thithi has won the best film award at the first BRICS Film Festival concluded in New Delhi. The film festival had opened in New Delhi on 2nd September 2016. Thithi is a dramatic comedy Kannada film co-written and directed by Raam Reddy. It is about how three generations of sons react to the death of the oldest man in their clan, named Century Gowda who is a locally renowned, highly cantankerous 101-year-old man. Other Awards Best film award: Thithi (India). Best Director Award: Huo Jianqi (China). Best Actor Award: Thabo Rametsi (South Africa). Best Actress Award: Yulia Peresild (Russia). Special jury award: Brazil’s Phillipe Barcinski for “Between Valleys”.

28. The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) has handed over Tihayu, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) to the Indian Navy. The warship was handed over to the Indian Navy’s Commanding Officer Cdr Ajay Kashov by Rear Admiral (Retd) AK Verma, CMD of GRSE. About WJFAC TIHAYU It is follow-on WJFAC ship named after Tihayu island in the Andaman. It is improved version of Fast Attack Crafts earlier built by GRSE for Indian Navy. It has been fitted with 3 water jet propulsion systems. They are powered by marine diesel engines generating 2720 KW of power. It measures 48 X 7.5 metres. It has displacement of around 315 Tons, besides has an endurance of around 2000 nautical miles at 12-14 knots speed. It has been fitted with CRN-91 indigenous 30mm Gun which provides Artillery fire support to ship during attack missions. It has an efficient hull developed by the in-house Design Centre of GRS. Besides, the warship has proved by extensive model testing to achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots.

29. The 2016 Group of Twenty (G20) Summit was held in Hangzhou, China from 4th to 5th September 2016 to discuss efforts to reform global economic governance. It was the eleventh meeting of the G20. It was the first ever G20 summit to be hosted in China and the second Asian country after 2010 G20 Seoul summit was hosted in South Korea. The theme of 2016 G20 Summit: “Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy”. Key Highlights of 2016 G20 Summit G-20 leaders pledge have pledged to continue to work for a globally fair and modern international tax system, foster growth and refrain from competitive devaluation of currencies. They will continue the work on addressing cross-border financial flows derived from illicit activities, including deliberate trade mis-invoicing, which hampers the mobilisation of domestic resources for development. They vowed to go ahead on the ongoing co-operation on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), exchange of tax information, tax capacity-building of developing countries and tax policies to promote growth and tax certainty. They also vowed to use all policy tools to achieve the goal of strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. They agreed at the summit that refugees are a global issue and the burden must be shared. They called for strengthening humanitarian assistance for refugees. The 2017 G20 summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany from 7-8 July 2017. Note: The G-20 comprising of world’s group of developed and developing countries represents over 85% of the world’s economy and two-thirds of global population.

30. The Union Health Ministry has recently launched the “Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC)” to eradicate leprosy from the country. The 2-week-long massive campaign was launched by Union Health Minister J P Nadda. It will be focusing on 149 endemic districts in India. Key Facts LCDC aims to cover more than 1,600 blocks in the 149 districts across 20 states where nearly 3 lakh health teams will undertake door-to-door visits to detect leprosy cases. Under it nearly 3 lakh health teams will undertake door-to-door visits to detect and treat leprosy and stop its spread. The campaign will be till September 18, 2016. The leprosy has been successfully eradicated at the national level and most of the states have also eradicated it, but it exists at the districts and block level. According to National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), a centrally-sponsored scheme, India achieved the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem, defined as less than 1 case per 10,000 population till December, 2005.

31. Assam-based ecologist and conservation activist Bibhuti Lahkar has won prestigious ‘Heritage Heroes Award’ of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). With this, he became the first Asian to win this prestigious environmental award. He was presented this award at the IUCN’s ongoing World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii. Background Lahkar was among five conservationists across the globe to be nominated for 2016 Heritage Heroes Award. Others were Bantu Lukambo and Josue Kambasu Mukura (Congo), Yulia Naberezhnaya and Andrey Rudomahka (Russia) About Bibhuti Lahkar For the past two decades Lahkar, has been working to save the grasslands, flora and fauna of Manas National Park area. Currently, he is engaged as Manas Landscape Administrator for Aaranyak, an NGO working for biodiversity conservation in northeast India. He has intensively studied grasslands of Manas and is globally recognised as an expert in threatened flora and fauna of the Terai region along southern foothills of the Himalayas. He was also instrumental in connecting Manas Wildlife Sanctuary with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. Connecting them had led to a system of trans-boundary wildlife monitoring which now supports management in entire Manas natural area that spreads across India and Bhutan. He also had conducted the first GIS survey of the Manas and his research findings and recommendations were critical component in the Manas Tiger Conservation Plan. IUCN’s Heritage Heroes Award: It aims at recognising “outstanding efforts” of persons around the world in making a difference in the conservation of World Heritage sites in challenging situations.

32. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared Sri Lanka a malaria-free, after certifying that the life-threatening disease had been completely eliminated in the island. With this, Sri Lanka became second country in the South-East Asia Region declared as malaria after Maldives by the WHO. Key Facts The announcement in this regard was made at the 69th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region held in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka. Besides, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and the Ministry of Public Health of South Korea were conferred the ‘Excellence in Public Health’ awards for “their remarkable and sustained role in the public health gains” of their countries by the WHO South-East Asia Region. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease most commonly transmitted by an infected female Anopheles mosquito. It caused by parasitic protozoans (a group of single-celled microorganisms) belonging to the Plasmodium type.

33. Eminent economist, consultant and banker Dr. Urjit Patel has assumed charge as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Dr. Patel succeeds Raghuram Rajan who completed his tenure after serving a three-year term. He will have tenure of three years. Prior to this appointment (elevation) he was Deputy Governor of RBI. He is the eighth Deputy Governor to be elevated as Governor at RBI. Background Earlier in August 2016, the appointment committee of cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the appointment of Dr. Patel. His appointment was based on the recommendation of the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC) headed by the Cabinet Secretary. About Dr. Urjit Patel By profession Dr. Urjit Patel is an eminent economist, consultant and banker. He has two decades of rich experience across sectors including financial, energy and infrastructure sectors. He has worked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) covering the US, India, Bahamas and Myanmar desks between 1990 and 1995. For first time, he was appointed as the Deputy Governor of RBI in January 2013 for three year term and was later reappointed on January 2016. He had headed committee to review the monetary policy framework and had proposed monetary policy committee to set interest rates. He also had worked as a consultant to the Union Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) from 1998 to 2001.

34. Every year 5th September is being observed as National Teachers Day in India. Significance of Day: Observance of this day commemorates the birthday of India’s first Vice President and second President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan since 1962. This year’s celebration: Various programmmes in schools and colleges throughout the country are being organised in the honour of teachers who shape the lives of students and show them the path of success About Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888 in Thiruttani in then Madras Presidency of British India. He was an Indian philosopher and statesman and one the best known scholars in the field of comparative religion and philosophy in India in the 20th century. He had tremendously contributed towards the new contemporary Hindu identity in the eyes of the ill-informed Westeners. He held great respect for teachers and always believed that teachers are real nation builders and thus should always be the best minds in the country. Important Posts held: He was the first Vice President of India (in office from 1952–1962), Second President of India (in office from 1962 to 1967). Awards: He was honoured with Bharat Ratna (1954), British Royal Order of Merit (1963) etc. Note: He was first recipient Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award along with politician C. Rajagopalachari, scientist C. V. Raman.

35. Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic religious sister and missionary was proclaimed a Saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the Vatican. She was canonised at the ceremony held in St Peter’s Square in Vatican. Indian delegation was represented by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. With this, Mother Teresa became the fourth Indian to be canonised as Saint. Others are Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Sister Alphonsa and Sister Euphrasia. The list also includes Saint Gonsalo Garcia of Portuguese parentage who was born in India and is considered an India born saint. About Mother Teresa Mother Teresa was born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on 26 August 1910 in Skopje (Now in Macedonia) then part of the Kosovo Vilayet in the Ottoman Empire. She was the founder of Kolkata based Missionaries of Charity that helps poor on the streets of Kolkata. Through the charity organisation, she had spent around 45-years serving the poor, sick, orphaned and dying on the streets of Kolkata. She had died at the age of 87 in 1997 in Kolkata. Awards and Honours: Padma Shri (1962), Ramon Magsaysay Award (1962), Nobel Peace Prize (1979), Bharat Ratna (1980) etc.

36. Noted Assamese poet, author and literary critic Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya passed away in Guwahati, Assam due to age-old ailments. He was 95. He was a former principal of Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati and was elder brother of well-known Assamese litterateur Birendra Kumar Bhattacharyya had won Jnanpith Award in 1979.

37. India and Vietnam have signed 12 agreements in different areas of cooperation to boost bilateral relations. These agreements were signed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi. This was the first bilateral Prime Ministerial visit from India to Vietnam in 15 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001. The agreements were signed in the fields of Exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, double taxation avoidance, co-operation on UN peacekeeping operation. Health, cyber security, advanced IT training, sharing of shipping information between the Navies of the two countries and mutual recognition of standards. PM Narendra Modi also announced a line of credit (LoC) of 500 million US Dollars to Vietnam to facilitate deeper defence cooperation. The LoC will be used by India’s L&T to build offshore high speed patrol boats for Vietnamese Coast Guards. Elevation of bilateral relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Besides, India and Vietnam also have agreed to elevate bilateral relations from Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This was announced in a joint press statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi. The two countries also agreed to celebrate 2017 as the Year of Friendship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the 15th century QUAN SU PAGODA in Hanoi, the headquarters of Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam.

38. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide (PAVA) shells as an alternative to pellet guns for crowd controlling in Jammu and Kashmir. PAVA sheels also called Nonivamide are chilli-filled grenades. They are less lethal compared to pellet guns and immobilises the target temporarily rather than causing physical injury. Key Facts The PAVA shells contain Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide, an organic compound (also known as Nonivamide) found in chilli pepper. It derives its name from the compound. It causes severe irritation and paralyses for a short duration It is considered to be bio-safe and less lethal than pellet guns but equally effective. The PAVA shells once fired burst out to temporarily stun, immobilise the target (protesters) in a more effective way compared to tear gas shell or pepper sprays. However, MHA has not completely banned use of Pellet Guns and they will be used in rarest of rare cases to control violent crowd. Background The approval for use of PAVA shells was based on recommendation of seven-member Expert Committee headed by TVSN Prasad, Joint Secretary of MHA. The committee was constituted to explore other possible alternatives to Pellet Guns as Non-lethal Weapons. Pellet guns had gained widespread attention and criticism after more than 1,000 protestors had sustained injuries especially in the eyes during the clashes with security forces. The clashes in the Kashmir valley had erupted following the killing of notorious terrorist and commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani in July 2016.

39. Governor of Maharashtra Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, was sworn in as the acting Governor of Tamil Nadu. He was administered oath of office by the Madras High Court’s Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul as per provisions of Article 159 of Constitution at the Raj Bhavan, Chennai. President Pranab Mukherjee had given additional charge of Tamil Nadu to C Vidyasagar Rao as per Article 153 of Constitution as the tenure of K. Rosaiah ended on 31 August 2016. About C Vidyasagar Rao Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao is incumbent Governor of Maharashtra. He had entered into the office in August 2014. Previously, he served as the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home affairs and Commerce and Industry from 1999 to 2004 in then AB Vajpayee-led BJP Government. He was elected to 12th and 13th Lok Sabha as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Karimnagar in Telangana.

40. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon Limited was appointed Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour (Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur). Shaw was bestowed with this prestigious award for her contribution to biosciences and research. She will be presented with this award on behalf of the French President later in 2016.

41. Gumthala Garhu Village near Pehowa in Kurukshetra district in Haryana became the first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana circle. The service was inaugurated by Chief Minister Manohar Lal from Chandigarh under the bulk plan of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to provide internet services to rural areas. Key Facts The Wifi hotspot facility at the village uses bandwidth of 10 mbps through BSNL’s state-of-the-art network. In this hotspot, data can be accessed by multiple users simultaneously. Ten outdoor and one indoor access points have been installed to cover the village. The coverage from each access point is about 100 meters. BSNL Haryana circle has planned to have 238 WIFI hotspot locations with 1072 access points in the state. The project would be implemented during the current financial year.

42. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has granted national party status to All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) Party led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The party has fulfilled the required conditions to become a national party after getting status of state party in four states. The TMC is ruling the West Bengal Government and has its presence in north eastern states Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura. With this recognition, TMC became seventh national party in the country along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). Note: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is only the authority that grants National Party or State Party status to any political party in the country. Eligibility to get National Party Status If any political party (i) Secures at least 6% of the valid votes polled in any four or more states, in the Lok Sabha election or to the State Legislative Assembly and (ii) In addition, it wins at least 4 seats in the Lok Sabha from any State or States. OR (iii) Wins at least 2% seats in the Lok Sabha (i.e., 11 seats in the existing Lok Sabha having 543 members) and these members are elected from at least three different States. OR (iv) It is recognised as a State party in at least four States. Comment Recently in August 2016, the ECI had brought changes in Paragraph 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 to review the status of political parties every 10 years, instead of present norm of five years. For instance, the status of a party (either national or state party) that did not perform up to the required criteria in 2014 election will be reviewed in 2024. The changes has given major reprieve to three political parties (BSP, NCP and CPI) which were facing possibility of losing their “national party” status and all benefits associated with it despite not having met criteria in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

43. India and Egypt have signed an agreement in the area of Maritime Transport to step up co-operation on the seas. The agreement was signed during the 3-day visit (from September 1 to 3, 2016) of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to India. The Maritime Transport Agreement will strengthen cooperation between both countries. It will also provide sustained mutual assistance and advice on merchant shipping and other related maritime matters.

44. The Union Government has announced a special package of 200 crore rupees for Jammu and Kashmir to engage youth of the state in constructive sporting activities. The package will provide construction of indoor sporting halls in all districts of the state to provide playing facilities to youth during long winter.

45. Canada’s British Columbia province has become the first foreign government to issue of masala bonds, a rupee-denominated bond. It had issued Rs 500 crore rupee denominated overseas bonds (masala bond) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and successfully raised $75 million (about Rs 500 crore). British Columbia’s issued masala bond was priced to yield 6.62 % to semi-annually with a three-year tenor in the LSE. By issuing masala bond, it has secured high-quality investor support from across Europe, Asia and America. Comment Masala Bonds are rupee-denominated bonds issued to overseas buyers. It is aimed at boosting investments into India’s infrastructure sector. British Columbia by issuing the masala bond has well-positioned confidence of investors outlook for India’s infrastructure sector. Thus, it signifies major participation of the rupee in the international markets and highlights prosperous and favourable conditions of Indian economy.

46. The Guinness World Records has officially designation Assam’s Majuli as the largest river island in the world. It is situated in the Brahmaputra River. The river island covering an area of around 880 sqkm has toppled previous record held by Brazil’s Marajo island in the Amazon river. About Majuli island The fluvial riverine island is formed by the Brahmaputra river system. It is surrounded by Subanisri River in the North, main Brahmaputra River on the South and kherkatia Suli, split channel of Brahmaputra River in northeast. The island has total 144 villages with a population of over 160,000 and a density of 300 individuals per square km. Majuli island is mostly inhabited by Mishing tribal people. Apart from them, there are inhabitants from the Deori and Sonowal Kacharis tribes. On the island languages spoken are Mising, Assamese, and Deori Majuli island has a rich and diverse agricultural tradition. As many as 100 varieties of rice grown organically i.e. without pesticides or artificial fertilisers. It is the nerve centre of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture initiated by saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardeva in 15th century. The island had some 65 satras (monasteries adhering) to Vaishnavism. But large numbers of them were relocated to the mainland after being washed away. The main surviving satras include Garamurh, Dakhinpat, Kamalabari, Auniati and Bengenaati. Majuli island is a rich environmental hotspot harbouring. It is home of many rare and endangered avifauna species including migratory birds. Due to erosion of river-bank, the island has lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40 years caused mainly due to frequent flooding of the river. In June 2016, Assam Government had officially declared the island as the district making it India’s first island district. The island has been nominated for the World Heritage Site status. It has been included in the tentative list by UNESCO.