unique ias academy, current affairs october...

Unique IAS Academy, Current Affairs October 2016

Unique IAS Academy, 1st street, Gandhipuram, Coimbatore, 0422-4204182 9884267599

October 1, 2016

Infosys unveils Skava Commerce, a modular e-commerce platform

October 1, 2016

India‘s second largest software services major Infosys has launched ―Skava Commerce‖ a new standard for

modern, mobile-first and modular e-commerce platform for retailers.

The platform has been developed by Skava, a Silicon Valley-based e-commerce start-up that Infosys had

acquired in June 2015 for 120 million dollars.

Key Facts

The Skava Commerce platform can help brick-and-mortar retailers to quickly launch new offerings, improve

conversion rates of traffic coming from digital channels.

It can integrate with existing technologies, while providing a future-ready architecture that will enable next

generation shopping experiences.

It leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, natural language processing and virtual reality

(VR).

It provides suite of e-commerce micro-services that can be used stand alone or in conjunction with others and

can be implemented without downtime.

Skava Commerce‘s modern architecture scales as traffic increases in order to provide a consistent experience

across all channels.

EU ministers approve ratification of Paris climate Agreement

October 1, 2016

The European Union (EU) ministers have approved the ratification of Paris Agreement (on Climate Change).

This decision brings the Paris Agreement closer to entering into force.

Once approved by the European Parliament, the EU deposit its ratification instrument before national

ratification processes which are completed in each member state. As of now, only 5 EU nations have ratified the

agreement at the national level.

Comment

The 28 EU member nations together account for close to 12% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The addition of EU will take the cumulative emissions of ratifying parties of the agreement well beyond the

55% minimum required for the treaty to enter into force.

The Paris Agreement has been already crossed the first condition of 55 countries ratifying the treaty to enable its

entry into force.

As of now, 61 countries, accounting for almost 48% of global GHG emissions have ratified the deal.

India, which accounts for 4.1% of global GHG emission also has agreed to ratify it on October 2, 2016.

Together with the EU, total global GHG emissions covered by ratifying parties will make the treaty ready to

enter into force.

OPEC agrees on modest oil production curbs

October 1, 2016

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reached an agreement to cut oil production for the

first time since 2008 after an informal meeting in Algiers, Algeria.



It was decided that OPEC would reduce output to a range of 32.5 to 33.0 million barrels per day (bpd) from its

current output at 33.24 million bpd.

However, how much each country will or reduce its output will be decided at the OPEC‘s next formal meeting

scheduled in November 2016. In this meeting, special invitation will be sent to Russia (non - OPEC member) to

join cuts in production.

Impact on India

India, being the 3rd largest importer of crude oil imports 85% of total oil and 95% of natural gas from OPEC

nations.

In recent time due to cheaper oil prices in international market due to overproduction and non-coordination

among OPEC countries Indian economy had immensely benefited.

However, this decision may result in spike in oil prices which can have major implications for the India‘s

current account deficit and overall economy in general.

In recent times, lower oil prices kept the Indian economy on the shining path and managed to keep inflation

under control making it fastest growing economy in G20 countries.

About Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

The OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of 14 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and

unifies the petroleum policies of its member countries.

Established: 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq by the first five members.

Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.

OPEC Members: Algeria, Angola, Libya, Nigeria and Gabon (from Africa); Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Saudi

Arabia (the de facto leader) Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (from Asia); Ecuador and Venezuela (from

Latin America).

As of 2015, these 14 OPEC member countries accounted for an estimated 43% of global oil production and 73%

of the world‘s oil reserves.

Two-thirds of OPEC‘s oil production and reserves are in its six Middle Eastern (west Asian) countries that

surround the oil-rich Persian Gulf.`

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates India Sanitation conference in New Delhi

October 1, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India Sanitation conference (INDOSAN) in New Delhi ahead of

second anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission.

PM Modi in his inaugural speech highlighted need of behavioural change to achieve the dream of Swachch

Bharat and also need to ensure a dirt free India like Mahatma Gandhi‘s Satyagraha which was instrumental for

the end of colonialism.

Cleanliness awards

The Prime Minister also gave away cleanliness awards to Sindhudurg District (Maharashtra), Mandi district

(Himachal Pradesh), Pune, Chandigarh and Mysore Municipal Corporations, Gangtok city (Sikkim), National

Cadet Corps (NCC), Surat railway station, PGIMER Chandigarh, heritage site Rani ki vav in Gujarat and

Kendriya Vidyalaya FRI Dehradun.

About India Sanitation conference (INDOSAN)



INDOSAN is envisaged as an annual national event, that seeks to brings together all stakeholders working in

sanitation. Thus, it will be one platform for a shared vision for Government, NGOs, academicians, researchers,

partner agencies and corporates.

It will create an opportunity for collective understanding, collective vision of the key elements of the Swachh

Bharat Mission programme as sanitation is seen as a citizen movement with involvement of all sectors of the

society.

INDOSAN will discuss on all these approaches, learnings, emerging innovations for the benefit of all.

Besides, each state will share their approaches most suitable to them to reach the goal of making India Open

Defecation Free (ODF) by the year 2019 which marks 150th Birth Anniversary of Father of the Nation

Mahatma Gandhi.

Sports Sector Gets the Infrastructure Status

October 1, 2016

The Union Finance Ministry has decided that sports infrastructure will be included under the harmonised master

list of infrastructure sub-sectors.

Earlier, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Affairs had moved the proposal for inclusion of sports in the list

to address the issue of deficit of sports infrastructure in the country.

Key Facts

It will include sports stadia and infrastructure for academies for training and research in sports and sports-related

activities in the infrastructure sub-sectors.

With this, sports sector becomes eligible for obtaining long term financial support from banks and other

financial institutions on same principle available to other infrastructure projects.

It will also encourage private investment in a public good which has socio-economic externalities in a country

with young population.

It will also bolster investment in sports infrastructure sector which will contribute to the economy and help in

promotion of health and fitness of the people.

It will also provide opportunities for employment in the new and existing sectors. Besides, investment from

private sector will widen the platform from where the country can become a sporting power in future.

Pakistan announces postponement of 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad

October 1, 2016

Pakistan has postponed the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit after

India and four other countries announced to boycott the Summit.

The summit was schedule to be held on November 9th and 10th, 2016 in Islamabad, capital city of Pakistan.

Besides, it was also announced that new set of dates for holding the summit at Islamabad will be announced

soon by Nepal, the Chair of SAARC.

Comment

Pakistan‘s decision is a boost for India‘s diplomatic efforts to corner Pakistan over the terror attack at Ur. It also

comes a day after Pakistan suffered humiliating Indian cross-border raids (surgical strikes) on terrorist launch

pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Background



Earlier India and three other countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan in a synchronized effort, had

informed the SAARC Secretariat that their leaders will not attend the summit citing concerns over cross-border

terrorism in the region. Later, Sri Lanka also expressed its unwillingness to attend the Summit.

The move by the five countries means the Summit cannot go ahead as the SAARC charter mandates that all

decisions of the regional bloc must be made unanimously. The absence of even one member-state leads to the

automatic postponement or cancellation of a Summit.

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 for second time in 1985 creating

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.

Tamil Nadu tops list of endemic flowering plants: BSI

October 1, 2016

According to the recent publication released by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Tamil Nadu accounts for

the highest number flowering plants in the country.

The publication titled Endemic Vascular Plants of India also revealed that almost one of every four species of

flowering plants found in India are endemic to the country.

Key Facts

Of the total 18,259 flowering plants reported in the country, 4,303 (over 23%) are found only in India or they

are endemic to the country.

Of these, Tamil Nadu accounts for the highest number of species with 410, followed by Kerala (357 species)

and Maharashtra (278 species).

In case of the geographical distribution of endemic plants, Western Ghats tops the list with about 2,116 species,

followed by the Eastern Himalayas with 466 species. These two regions are among the biodiversity hot spots of

the country.

At least 37 species of Black plum Syzyguim (Jamun), 274 species of orchids and 10 varieties of Musa (banana)

are found only in the country.

Four different varieties of roses, 2 herbs and 2 climbers and 12 species of jasmines are exclusively found in

India.

There are 45 species of black pepper family, 19 species of ginger and 13 different kinds of large cardamom

endemic to India.



There are also 40 species of bamboos (Bambusoideae) endemic to India. Some of the plants species are

restricted to only certain areas of the country like an insectivorous plant Nepenthes khasiana which is only

found in the Khasi hills of Meghalaya.

Music Director Uttam Singh named for Maharashtra‟s Lata Mangeshkar Award

October 1, 2016

The noted music director and violinist Uttam Singh (68) has been named for 2016 Lata Mangeshkar Award for

Lifetime Achievement by the Maharashtra government. He has been selected for the prestigious award for his

contributions in the field of music. He will be presented this award later this year.

About Uttam Singh

He had stared his music at tender age. He had acquired his basic training from his father who was a sitar player.

He later learnt to play violin and table. At the age of 15 he played violin for Mohammad Safi, assistant of

legendary Bollywood music composer Naushad.

Since then he had played for top music directors of the era, including Naushad, C. Ramchandra, Roshan, S.D.

Burman and later became the chief violinist for R.D. Burman. Later he had joined hands with Jagdish Khanna.

The ‗Uttam-Jagdish‘ duo became one of the top music team and had worked for over 65 Bollywood films.

He also worked for various Tamil films with Ilaiyaraja as music arranger and in 1999 he had composed music

for the Malayalam film Prem Poojari.

Awards and Honours: International Indian Film Academy Award, Filmfare Award and Screen Award for best

music director, Filmfare Award, Screen Award and Zee Cine Award.

About Lata Mangeshkar Award

The coveted award was instituted by the Maharashtra government in honour of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar

in 1992. It is awarded annually to a doyen of music. It carries a citation, a trophy and Rs 500,000 in cash.

30 September: The International Translation Day

October 1, 2016

The International Translation Day (ITD) is observed every year on September 30 to promote the translation

profession in different countries. Observance of the day seeks to show solidarity of worldwide translation

community in an effort to promote translation profession among all people across the world.

2016 theme: ―Translation and Interpreting: Connecting worlds‖.

To mark this day series of dedicated events, seminars and symposiums were organised across the world.

Background

The International Translation Day (ITD) was established by the International Federation of Translators (FIT) in

1953.

It is observed annually on 30 September on the feast of St Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered as the

patron saint of translators. In 1991, FIT officially recognised ITD to show solidarity towards translation

community in an effort to promote the translation profession worldwide.

National Mission on Bioeconomy launched in Shillong, Meghalaya

October 1, 2016

The National Mission on Bioeconomy has launched in Shillong, Meghalaya by the Institute of Bioresources and

Sustainable Development (IBSD).

The mission is unique to south-east Asia and India has become one of the few countries to tap bioresources.



Key Facts

The purpose of the mission is to boost rural economy by utilizing bio-resources. Besides, it can be optimally

utilized can create a large number of jobs at village level.

It also focuses on sustainable utilization of renewable biological resources for food, bioenergy and bio-based

products through knowledge-based approaches.

It has potential to generate new solutions for the planet‘s major challenges in the field of energy, food, health,

water, climate change and deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.

Bioeconomy is a new concept and few countries like US, Canada, European Union (EU) and Australia have

started initiatives in this field. India is the fast-growing bioeconomy at US 35 billion dollars in 2015, which can

even rise to USD 100 billion in future.

The Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD): It functions under the Department of

Biotechnology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

Rajasthan becomes first state to adopt LED street lights under all ULBs

October 1, 2016

Rajasthan has become the first state in India to adopt Central Government‘s Street Lighting National

Programme (SLNP) in all its urban local bodies (ULB).

Under this programme, around 5 lakh conventional street lights were replaced with LED street lights across the

state.

Key Facts

The project was funded by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Public Energy Services Company

under the administration of the Union Ministry of Power. Through implementation of this project, 152 million

units of energy savings has been achieved so far have been and cost saving of Rs. 60 lakh daily to some

municipalities.

The energy saving has resulted in reduction of 225 tonnes of CO2 per day. The SLNP was launched in January

2015. Under the programme around 3.5 crore conventional street lights will be replaced with smart and energy

efficient LED street lights by March 2019.

October 2, 3 , 2016

Murga wins first prize at Swachh Bharat Short Film Festival

October 3, 2016

Murga has won the first prize at the Swachh Bharat Short Film Festival (SBSFF). The short film was directed by

young filmmaker Katyayan Shivpuri from Maharashtra.

The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu bestowed award upon Katyayan with a

certificate and cash prize of 10 lakhs rupees.

Key Facts

The SBSFF was organised and curated by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) on behalf of the

Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The festival was the cinematic presentation of short films of not more than 3 minutes duration, dedicated to the

Swachh Bharat Mission initiative of Central Government.

It had received 4,346 entries in more than 20 languages from across the country, including Punjab, Jammu and

Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.



Indian-American Vinaya Manchaiah named Future Leader of Audiology

October 3, 2016

Indian-American associate professor from US Vinaya Manchaiah has been named as the Future Leader of

Audiology. In this regard, he was inducted into the 2016 class of the ‗Jerger Future Leaders of Audiology‘ by

the American Academy of Audiology.

He is among the one of only a dozen individuals selected from across the US for this prestigious honour.

About Vinaya Manchaiah

Manchaiah is associate professor at the Lamar University in Texas. He hails from South India, Manchaiah and

holds a PhD in disability research from Linkoping University, Sweden.

He is the co-founder of non-profit NGO Audiology India, for which he served as president from 2011 to 2015.

The organisation seeks to foster hearing and ear health care in India.

Audiology: It is a branch of science that studies hearing, balance and related disorders.

American Academy of Audiology: It is the world‘s largest professional organisation of audiologists. The

members look to provide hearing care services through research, education, and increased public awareness of

hearing and balance disorders.

Black money worth Rs. 65,250 crore declared under Income Disclosure Scheme, 2016

October 3, 2016

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has received total disclosure of Rs. 65,250 crore black money in the

form of cash and other assets under the Income Disclosure Scheme, 2016.

The scheme launched in June 2016 has provided a one-time opportunity to those who had not paid full taxes in

the past. It had provided four-month window for declaring undisclosed income or black money and ended on 30

September 2016.

Income Declaration Scheme

The scheme had provided a one-time opportunity to black money holders who had not paid full taxes in the past

to come clean by declaring their domestic undisclosed income and assets.

Declaration were made in respect (i) Any undisclosed domestic income. (ii) Any investment in asset

representing undisclosed income, upto financial year 2015-2016.

The undisclosed income or black money and assets declared was liable to total 45% tax of the undisclosed

income. Benefits of Declaration: (i) No wealth tax on asset declared. (ii) No enquiry under Income Tax Act or

Wealth Tax Act. (iii) Immunity from the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Act, 1988.

The scheme gave an opportunity to the defaulter to come clean by paying more than normal tax and did not

reward the dishonest tax defaulters.

Delhi Police launches Mobile App for senior citizens

October 3, 2016

The Delhi Police has launched a mobile application ―Delhi Police Senior Citizen‖ for senior citizens to provide

immediate assistance to them in distress.

The facility was launched by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung at a function in New Delhi on the

occasion of International Day of Older Persons (observed on October 1).

Key Features of app



The application has an SOS button integrated with a dedicated existing helpline for Senior Citizen – 1291. The

app has been designed with features that allow users to press the SOS button in case of an emergency. The call

will reach a dedicated station.

If the user is unwell, an ambulance will be sent. In case for any other reason, a beat constable will be asked to

contact the user. In case, the user does not respond to operator‘s calls, a beat constable will swiftly visit the

house to verify the reason of distress.

2 October: International Day of Non-Violence

October 3, 2016

The International Day of Non-violence is being celebrated on 2 October throughout the world on the birth

anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Observance of this day seeks to promote the principles of non-violence

through education and public awareness and is observed by all countries of the UN.

In India, this day is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti to mark birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who was leader

of Indian independence movement and also pioneer of philosophy of non-violence.

About International day of Non-Violence

The International Day of Non-violence was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) by passing the

resolution in 2007 in an effort to spread the message of non-violence.

The resolution reaffirms the universal relevance of Mahatma Gandhi‘s principle of nonviolence and desire to

secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.

BRICS adopts New Delhi Declaration on Education

October 3, 2016

The BRICS nations have adopted the ‗New Delhi Declaration on Education‘ to ensure inclusive and equitable

quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all.

The declaration was adopted at fourth Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers Conference held in New Delhi. It

was attended by Ministers of Education and assigned representatives of BRICS nations viz. Brazil, China, India,

Russia and South Africa.

Key Features

Reiterates commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4) which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable

quality education and the Education 2030 Framework for Action. Initiate actions to formulate country-specific

targets within the broader scope of the SDG4.

Integrate the SDG4 related targets with sub-national and the national level education sector development plans

and programmes Build capacity at the subnational and national levels for measuring and monitoring progress

towards SDG4 and corresponding targets using the indicators adopted by the UNGA.

Share the best practices available in BRICS nations on collaboration in education, innovation and research

through the BRICS Network University (BNU). Organize annual conference of BNU in country of current

BRICS Chair.

Encourage participation of more universities in BRICS University League to collaborative research and

facilitate student mobility. Strengthening coordination within the BRICS TVET Working Group to develop

national reports and share experience related to workforce demands and supply of skilled personnel.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) will be used for improving access to education, teacher

development, enhancing quality of teaching-learning process etc.



Developing a nodal institution within each country and also institutional network to share ICT policies, e-

resources, including e-Libraries and Open Educational Resources.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince to be Chief Guest on 2017 Republic Day

October 3, 2016

The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the chief guest for the 68th

Republic Day celebrations on 26 January 2017.

In this regard, announcement was made the by Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesman Vikas

Swarup in New Delhi after the crown prince accepted invitation.

Earlier Chief guests of Republic Day parades: 2016- Francois Hollande (French President), 2015- Barack

Obama (US President), 2014- Shinzo Abe (Japanese Prime Minister), 2013- Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

(King of Bhutan), 2012- Yingluck Shinawatra (Then Prime Minister of Thailand), 2011- Susilo Bambang

Yudhoyono (Then President of Indonesia).

It should be noted France holds distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum five times of Indian

Republic Day parade followed by Bhutan (four times); Mauritius and Russia (three times each).

India-UAE Relations

India-UAE Relations deeply rooted in history and strategic cooperation which is driven by mutual aspirations of

both countries. UAE is lynch-pin of the economic, defence and strategic strands of the India‘s coordinated

strategy to outreach west Asia.

UAE is India‘s third largest trading partner after China and the United States. Bilateral trade between UAE and

India is around 60 billion dollars. Besides, there are also more than 2.6 million Indians living in the UAE and

their annual remittance is estimated to be around 14 billion dollars.

New species of pika named Ochotona sikimaria discovered in Sikkim

October 3, 2016

Scientists have discovered a new species of Pika, a mammal belonging to the rabbit and hare family in the

Himalayas in Sikkim.

It has been identified as ‘Ochotona sikimaria’. It is quite distinctive from all other pika species based on the

fecal pellets and tissue samples.

Ochotona sikimaria Pika species looks similar to the Moupin Pika, genetically it is completely different. Their

specific differences are not visible in physical observation. But they are genetically very different.

Key Facts

Pikas are members of the rabbit family and look like tailless rats. They live in the mountains or in temperate

regions. They are a keystone species and ecosystem engineers. They do not hibernate unlike other mammalian

species inhabiting such cold climates.

The common name pika is basically used for any member of the Ochotonidae family.

What are keystone species?

Keystone species determine the ability of a large number of other species to survive in the ecosystem. When

they become extinct, it has cascading effect on extinction of other species. Example of Key stone species is bees

as pollination of fruits and flowers is dependent on them.

India ratifies Paris Climate Agreement

October 3, 2016



India has ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change on the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

India‘s Permanent Representative to UN, Syed Akbaruddin handed over the Instrument of Ratification signed

by President Pranab Mukherjee to the United Nations in New York. With this, India became 62nd country to

ratify the agreement. These 62 countries including India are responsible for almost 52% of Green House Gases

(GHG) emissions.

The Paris Agreement on climate change will enter into force one month after 55 countries that account for 55%

of global GHG emissions ratify the agreement.

Background

The Paris Agreement was adopted by more than 190 nations at the 21st Conference of Parties of UNFCCC (UN

Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in Paris in December 2015. It seeks to accelerate and intensify

the actions and investment needed for a sustainable low carbon future.

The agreement caps limit global temperature rise (global warming) to well below 2 degrees Celsius. It also

seeks to funnel trillions of dollars to poor countries facing climate catastrophe.

Way Forward

India being world‘s third largest emitter of GHGs, accounting for 4.1% of the total global emission was seeking

more time earlier to complete its national processes as it feared that any hasty decision may impact its

developmental projects. India‘s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) pledge estimated a cost

2.5 trillion dollars for its climate-action plan. India will ask developed nations to provide 100 billion dollars per

year in climate finance for developing nations.

3 October: World Habitat Day

October 3, 2016

The World Habitat Day (WHD) is observed every year on the first Monday of October throughout the world.

This year it was observed on 3 October 2016. 2016 Theme: ―Housing at the Centre‖. It aims to raise awareness

about need for affordable housing for all in urban areas, cities and towns.

Focus of the theme

Access to adequate housing is a global challenge due growing fast with urbanization. Around one quarter of the

world‘s urban population continues to live in informal settlements and slums. An increasing number of urban

dwellers, especially the poor and vulnerable groups are living in precarious conditions.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly had every year on the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day by

passing resolution 40/202 in 1986. The observance of the day seeks to remind the world of its collective

responsibility for the habitat of future generations.

Indian-origin Kiara Nirghin wins 2016 Google Science Fair prize

October 3, 2016

Indian-origin South African Kiara Nirghin (16) has won a $50,000 scholarship at the annual Google Science

Fair held in United States.

He has won this prestigious scholarship for developing a cheaper super-absorbent material using orange peel

that helps soil retain water. She is Grade 11 student at private school St Martin‘s.

Kiara Nirghin‟s project



She had submitted her project titled ‗No More Thirsty Crops‘ that aimed at alleviating the severe drought

plaguing South Africa.

Her solution to the problem of drought is simple and uses the peels from orange and avocado fruits, which were

normally discarded. She had developed super-absorbent polymers (SAPs), which absorb and carry about 300

times its weight in liquid relative to their own mass. These SAPs are biodegradable and not costly and does not

contain harmful chemicals.

SAPs developed by her can retain large amounts of water, keep soil moist and also improve crop growth without

regular water supplements.

Google Science Fair: It is an annual programme of the search engine giant Google for any budding scientists

between the ages of 13 to 18 who are invited something to solve the world‘s biggest challenges using science

and technology.

October 4, 2016

Kersti Kaljulaid elected as first female President of Estonia

October 4, 2016

The parliament of Estonia has elected Kersti Kaljulaid (46) as the President of the Baltic country. With this, she

became Estonia‘s first female president. She had won vote 81-0, with 20 members absent in the parliamentary

voting. She will be Estonia‘s fifth President and is due to take office on 10 October 2016. She is also the

youngest person to get elected as President of Estonia.

About Kersti Kaljulaid

Kersti Kaljulaid is trained biologist specialising in genetics and also holds an MBA from University of Tartu. In

the late 1990s she had worked as investment banker at Hansapank that was later taken over by Swedbank.

In 1999, she had joined the office of then Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar as an economic policy adviser.

Since May 2011, she was serving as the representative of Estonia in the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

Elephant researcher Prajna Chowta conferred with knighthood by France

October 4, 2016

Film-maker and elephant researcher Prajna Chowta (46) has been appointed Chevalier de l‘Ordre National du

Mérite (Knight in the National Order of Merit) by the French government. She has been conferred with the

France‘s one of the highest civilian recognitions in recognition of a life devoted to caring for wild Asian

elephants.

About Prajna Chowta

She is the founder of Aane Mane Foundation, which has been researching and conserving wild Asian elephants

for the past 16 years. As elephant researcher, she was instrumental in developing one of the first GPS collars

and an online monitoring system for elephants in India.

She has authored Elephant Code Book on captive elephant management as well as the French book Enfant

d‘Elephant (Elephant‘s Child) in 2014. With this Prajna Chowta joins few other Indian women to be appointed a

Knight by French Government. Earlier in 2016, businesswoman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and actor Kamal

Hassan were recognised under the French government‘s Legion of Honour award.

Reliance, Dassault Aviation ink deal to set up joint venture

October 4, 2016



Anil Ambani led Reliance Group and French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation have signed deal to set up a

joint venture called Dassault Reliance Aerospace. The Dassault Reliance Aerospace will execute offsets for the

recently concluded India-France deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets.

It will be the largest offset contract to be executed by any defence company in India. The contract value is

estimated up to Rs. 30,000 crore.

Key Facts

The proposed strategic partnership between Dassault and Reliance will also focus on promoting research and

development (R&D) projects under the IDDM program. IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed

and Manufactured. It is programme on the lines with the new provision introduced in Defence Procurement

Procedure (DPP) 2016.

The JV will focus on aero structures, engines and electronics and intends to infrastructure and supply chain in

India for the aerospace sector.

Background

In September 2016, India and France had signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for 36 Rafale multi-

role jets in fly-away condition worth €7.87 billion (about Rs. 59,000 crore).

The deal has a 50% offset clause to be executed by Dassault Aviation and its partners in India. Through the

offsets, government seeks to bring in much needed expertise to build the domestic defence and aerospace

industry.

Jharkhand becomes first state to implement DBT in Kerosene

October 4, 2016

Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to implement Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Kerosene

Scheme. The scheme is being implemented in four identified districts of the state from 1st of October 2017.

These districts are Chatra, Hazaribagh, Khunti and Jamtara.

About Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene (DBTK) scheme

Under the DBTK scheme, PDS kerosene will be sold at non-subsidised price and the subsidy will be directly

transferred to consumers directly into their bank accounts. This initiative was launched by Union Petroleum and

Natural Gas Ministry on the lines of a similar DBT programme for LPG subsidy.

It aims at rationalising subsidy based on the approach to cut subsidy leakages but not the subsidy. It will give

priority to eliminate subsidized Kerosene from supply chain for better targeting of beneficiaries.

It also seeks to eliminate pilferage and black-marketing and cut down adulteration of the Kerosene, a cheap

cooking and lighting fuel with diesel.

Urban areas of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh declared open defecation free

October 4, 2016

The Union Urban Development Ministry has declared urban areas of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh open defecation

free (ODF). These are the first states to become open defecation free in urban areas. It was announced on the

occasion of second anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission and 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

observed on October 2, 2016.

Key Facts

In all, 180 and 110 cities and towns in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh respectively were declared ODF by their

chief ministers. So far, total of 405 out of the 4,041 cities and towns across India have claimed to have become



open defecation free. The Union Government has set ambitious target of making 334 more cities open

defecation free by March 2017.

In rural India, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Kerala have achieved more than 90% of toilet construction in

households. But Bihar, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir are still trailing with fewer than 30% of households

with toilets in rural areas.

What is Open defecation?

Open defecation means people defecate in open spaces such as fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water

rather than using the toilet.

Hazards of Open Defecation: It is important factor in causing various diseases like intestinal worm infections,

diarrhoea, polio, hepatitis etc. Prevention: Creating awareness about adverse impact of open defecation on

health, changing behavioural habit of people, building of community toilets etc.

About Swachh Bharat Mission

The Swachh Bharat Mission is the pet project of NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It

was launched on 2 October 2014 to make India clean and open defecation free by 2019 to mark Mahatma

Gandhi‘s 150th birth anniversary.

The current cleanliness drive aims to end the wide-spread practice of open defecation, build more toilets and

improve waste management.

Japan‟s Yoshinori Ohsumi wins 2016 Nobel Prize in Medicine

October 4, 2016

Yoshinori Ohsumi (71) of Japan has won the 2016 Nobel Prize for physiology or Medicine for his pioneering

work on autophagy. With this he becomes the 23rd Japanese national to win a Nobel prize and overall the sixth

Japanese medicine Nobel laureate.

Mr. Ohsumi had received a PhD from the University of Tokyo in 1974. Currently, he is a professor at the Tokyo

Institute of Technology (TIT).

What is Autophagy?

Autophagy is a process whereby cells ―eat themselves‖. It is a fundamental process in cell physiology dealing

with how the body breaks down and recycles cellular components. It is essential for the orderly recycling of

damaged cell parts and its better understanding has major implications for health and disease, including cancer.

It was first observed by Belgian scientist Christian de Duve who had won Nobel Medicine Prize in 1974 for it.

Christian de Duve had coined the term ―autophagy‖, which comes from the Greek meaning self-eating.

Yoshinori Ohsumi‟s Research in Autophagy

Ohsumi‘s discoveries in Autophagy have led to a new paradigm in the understanding of how the cell recycles its

content. In his research, Mr. Ohsumi had used baker‘s yeast to identify genes essential for autophagy.

He explained the mechanisms for autophagy in yeast and showed that similar sophisticated machinery is used in

human cells.

Significance: Ohsumi‘s research had located the genes that regulate this self-eating process and also related

that errors in these genes can cause disease. His findings have opened new path to understand importance of

autophagy in many physiological processes, such as how body adapts to starvation or responds to infection.

It has helped to establish links to Parkinson‘s disease, type 2 diabetes and other disorders that appear in the

elderly.



About Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

The Nobel award for medicine is given to persons whose discoveries have significantly enhanced the

understanding of life or the practice of medicine. The winners are chosen by the Nobel Assembly at the

Karolinska Institute and are always announced before the Nobel Prize for other categories.

The prestigious award carries prize money of 8 million Swedish kroner or 1.1 million dollars. It is one of five

Nobel Prizes established by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite in 1895.

SBI becomes first domestic bank to open branch in Yangon, Myanmar

October 4, 2016

India‘s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the opening up its foreign branch in Yangon, the

capital city of Myanmar. With this, SBI became the first domestic bank of India to open a branch in Myanmar.

The Yangon branch is the 54th foreign branch of the SBI. This branch further extends the global presence of

India‘s largest lender in 37 countries through 198 offices. The Yangon branch was started after the Myanmarese

central bank allowed SBI to open a branch with the primary objective of extending wholesale banking services

to foreign corporates.

Background

India has been a major trading partner of Myanmar for centuries. Since the signing of India and Myanmar trade

agreement in 1970, bilateral trade between two neighbours has been growing steadily and rose from US 328

million dollars in 1997-98 to US 2.052 billion dollars in 2015-16.

Earlier SBI was also associated with Myanmar since 1861, when the erstwhile Bank of Bengal (BoB) operated

its branch in the then Rangoon. Later the operations of the Rangoon branch of SBI were taken over by the

Peoples‘ Bank of Burma in February 1963 as part of bank nationalisation.

MS Sahoo takes charge as Chairman of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

October 4, 2016

The Union Finance Ministry constituted four-member Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) with

Financial markets expert MS Sahoo as its Chairman. MS Sahoo was administered the oath of the office by

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi. He will have tenure of five years i.e.

till 2021.

Prior to this appointment, he was serving as a member of anti-trust regulator Competition Commission of India

(CCI). Earlier he also had served as member at capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India

(SEBI). He also had served as Chairman of the governmentappointed committees on depository receipts,

domestic and overseas capital markets, and external commercial borrowing (ECBs).

Other members of IBBI: Ajay Tyagi (Additional Secretary, Union Finance Ministry) Amardeep Singh Bhatia

(Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs), GS Yadav (Joint Secretary, Department of Legal

Affairs) and Unnikrishnan (Legal Advisor of the Reserve Bank of India).

About Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)

IBBI has been tasked to regulate functioning of insolvency professionals, insolvency professional agencies and

information utilities under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. The Code was notified by the Union

Government in May 2016 replacing existing bankruptcy laws. It seeks to consolidate and amend laws relating to

reorganisation as well as insolvency resolution of corporate persons, individuals and partnership firms in a time-

bound manner.



Under this new law, employees, creditors and shareholders will have powers to initiate winding up process at

first sign of financial stress such as serious default in repayment of bank loan.

October 5, 2016

Nayanjot Lahiri wins 2016 John F Richards Prize

October 5, 2016

History writer Nayanjot Lahiri has won the prestigious 2016 John F. Richards Prize for her book Ashoka in

Ancient India. The prestigious prize will be bestowed upon her at the American Historical Association (AHA‘s)

131st Annual Meeting to be held in Denver, Colorado in January 2017.

Her book Ashoka in Ancient India has been critically acclaimed for its riveting account of an emperor Ashoka.

She had deftly adjudicated between textual, archaeological, and geographical evidences to offer a dazzling

interpretation of Ashoka and the ancient world.

About Nayanjot Lahiri

Nayanjot Lahiri is an eminent historian and archaeologist of ancient India. Currently, she is teaching at the

newly created Ashoka University. She has several research papers and publications to her credit. Her research

interests mostly include Indian archaeology, heritage studies, archeological theory and ancient India.

For her work in archaeology, she was bestowed with the 2013 Infosys Prize in the humanities.

About John F. Richards Prize

The John F. Richards Prize is awarded annually by the American Historical Association (AHA). The award has

been named after John F. Richards (November 1938 to August 2007) who was eminent historian of South Asia

and in particular of the Mughal Empire.

It recognizes the most distinguished work of scholarship or book on South Asian history published in English.

British trio David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz win 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics

October 5, 2016

British trio of physicists David Thouless, F Duncan M Haldane and Michael Kosterlitz have won the 2016

Nobel Prize in Physics. They will share the 8 million Swedish kronor prize. The Royal Swedish Academy of

Sciences has selected them for their individual researches on theoretical discoveries of topological phase

transitions and topological phases of matter.

Key Facts

Their research work centres on Topology, a branch of mathematics involving step-wise changes like making a

series of holes in an object. For example when matter goes from solid to liquid to gas different phases are

obvious, but materials can also undergo topological step changes which affect their electrical properties.

Such changes can be seen in a superconductor, which at low temperatures conducts electricity without

resistance. These trio physicists had worked in the field of condensed matter physics and have discovered totally

unexpected behaviours of solid materials.

Based on their individual discoveries they came up with a mathematical framework in the field of topology to

explain these weird properties. The discoveries have paved the way for designing new materials with all sorts of

novel properties that have significant potential revolutionize advances in electronics and future quantum

computers.

About Awardees



David J Thouless: He is Emeritus Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, US. Duncan M.

Haldane: He is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics at Princeton University, US. J Michael Kosterlitz: He

is the Harrison E. Farnsworth Professor of Physics at Brown University, US.

RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps in 4th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement

October 5, 2016

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy review for year 2016-17 has cut the

repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%. This monetary policy decision was taken by the newly constituted

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). This was also Urjit Patel‘s maiden monetary policy announcement as RBI

Governor.

All the six members of MPC unanimously decided to cut key policy rate with the aim of achieving a midterm

inflation target of 4% within a band of plus or minus 2%. With this, RBI moved away from tradition of RBI

governor having the final say on monetary policy decisions.

Policy Rates

Repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF): Reduced by 0.25 basis points to 6.25 percent.

Reverse repo rate under the LAF: It was adjusted to 5.75 per cent. Marginal standing facility (MSF) and

Bank Rate: It was adjusted to 6.75 per cent. Reserve Ratios Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks:

Unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demand and time liability (NDTL).

Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR):20.75 per cent.

Aadhaar card must for LPG subsidy after November 2016

October 5, 2016

The Union Government has made Aadhaar card mandatory for availing cooking gas (LPG) subsidies after

November 2016. In this regard, the Union Petroleum Ministry has asked Oil marketing companies (OMCs) to

facilitate enrollments of Aadhaar of the consumers to avail the subsidy. Currently, the government gives 12 LPG

cylinders at subsidised rates per household in a year. The subsidy on every LPG cylinder is transferred directly

into bank accounts of individuals who then buy the cooking fuel at market rates.

Why there is need of Compulsory Aadhar?

The LPG subsidy is an expenditure incurred from Consolidated Fund of India. The use of Aadhaar as identifier

for delivery of government services/subsidies/ benefits will simplifies the delivery processes of government.

It will also bring in transparency and efficiency in the delivery processes by plugging leakages and enable

beneficiaries to get their entitlements from Government directly to them without any middlemen.

About Aadhaar

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique number which acts as a proof of identity and address anywhere in the country. It is

considered as the world‘s largest national identification project. Its objective is to collect the biometric and

demographic data of residents, store them in a centralised database. The unique number is issued by the Unique

Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Union Government launches Indian Bridge Management System

October 5, 2016

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has launched the Indian Bridge Management System

(IBMS). It was launched by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi as a

major step towards ensuring safety of bridges in the country.



Key Facts

IBMS is being developed to create an inventory of all bridges in country and rate structural condition of the

bridges. The rating will help for their timely repair and carrying rehabilitation work based on the criticality of

the structure.

IBMS is the largest platform in the world owned by a single owner, with database that could exceed one lakh

fifty thousand bridge structures.

How it will work?

Each bridge will be assigned a unique identification number or National Identity Number (NIN) based on the

state, RTO zone or located on National Highway, State Highway. Bridge Location Number (BLN) will be also

assigned to each bridge based on the precise location of the bridge in terms of latitude-longitude is collected

through GPS.

Thereafter, Bridge Classification Number (BCN) will be assigned to the bridge structure based on the different

engineering characteristics. Each bridge will be assigned a Structural Rating Number (SRN) based on allocated

numbers which will be used for structural rating of bridge structures on a scale of 0 to 9.

The rating will take in consideration of each component of the bridge structure like integral and non-integral

deck, substructure, superstructure, structural evaluation, bank and channel, deck geometry, waterway efficiency,

vertical clearance, etc.

In addition Socio-Economic Bridge Rating Number will be also assigned to the bridges. It will decide

importance of bridge in relation to its contribution to daily socio-economic activity of the area in its vicinity.

Based on this inventory of various numbers, IBMS will analyse data and identify bridges that need attention.

Further physical inspection will be carried out to improve the operational availability of the structure, enhance

its life and prioritize repair and rehabilitation work.

India, Singapore sign three agreements

October 5, 2016

India and Singapore have signed three agreements (MoUs) in the fields of skill development and IPR to boost

bilateral relations between them. These agreements were signed in New Delhi during Singapore Prime Minister

Lee Hsien Loong‘s official state visit to India.

Signed MoUs are MoU in the field of Industrial Property Cooperation: It was signed between Department

of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Singapore MoU on

collaboration in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training: It was signed between

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and ITEES Singapore.

MoU on collaboration in the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training: It was signed

between Government of Assam and ITEES Singapore. Besides, delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and Singapore Premier Lee Hsien Loong were also held in New Delhi.

Key Highlights of delegation-level talks India and Singapore decided to strengthen cooperation in countering

threats of rising terrorism. India seeks to enhance cooperation with Singapore in key sectors including trade and

investment. Highlighted importance of Defence and security cooperation as the key pillar of strategic

partnership between India and Singapore.



Raised concern over rising tide of terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism and the rise of radicalisation as a

grave challenges to our security. India agreed to expedite the second review of Comprehensive Economic

Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Former ISRO Chariman UR Rao becomes first Indian to be inducted into IAF Hall of Fame

October 5, 2016

Former ISRO Chairman and space scientist Prof Udupi Ramachandra Rao became the first Indian to be inducted

in the Hall of Fame of International Astronautical Federation (IAF). He was inducted during the closing

ceremony of the 67th IAF Congress 2016 held at Guadalajara, Mexico for his outstanding contribution to the

progress of astronautics.

About UR Rao

He had served as Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from 1984 to 1994. Under his

guidance, ISRO had designed more than 20 satellites including India‘s first satellite Aryabhatta. Under his

leadership, India had initiated the development of the geostationary launch vehicle GSLV and the development

of cryogenic technology in 1991.

He was also responsible for successful launch of INSAT satellites during his stint at ISRO. He also had served

as the first Chairman of Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the ISRO. He has published more than 260

scientific and technical papers in various journals. He had played pivotal role in promoting the use of space

technology for broadcasting, meteorology, education, disaster warning and remote sensing.

Awards and Honours: Padma Bhushan (1976). He was inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame, Washington in

March 2013 by the Society of Satellite Professionals International. IAF Hall of Fame: It consists of a

permanent gallery of these personalities, including biographical information, citation and a picture in a special

part of the IAF web presence.

October 6, 2016

Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and AARDO

October 6, 2016

The Union Cabinet gave its approval to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and African

Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) for capacity building programmes in the field of rural

development.

The MoU is being signed under which capacity building programmes for AARDO member countries for the

triennium 2015 – 2017.

Key Facts

The capacity building programmes will be organized every year during the triennium at various Institutions of

Excellence in India. These Indian institutions will include National Institute of Rural Development &

Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), institutions governed by the Indian

Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and others.

Under these programmes, the Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development Management Course at NIRD &

PR will be for one year.

About African Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO)

The AARDO is an autonomous inter-Governmental organization with its headquarters in New Delhi. It was

established in 1962. Its main objective is to promote cooperation among countries of African-Asian Region in



direction of eradicating hunger, thirst, poverty, illiteracy and disease in region. AARDO currently has 31

countries under its fold from the African-Asian Region.

India is one of the founder Members of AARDO and is the largest contributor in terms of membership

contribution. India also has provided funds for building for AARDO Secretariat in Delhi and also considerable

financial assistance for maintenance of the building. India also has provided 70 fully paid training scholarships

for Human Resource Development Programme for AARDO under the Indian Technical & Economic

Cooperation Programme (ITEC) to the Organization.

Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and European Union on water cooperation

October 6, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India

and European Union in the field of water resources. The MoU envisages strengthening technological, scientific

and management capabilities of India and EU in field of water management on basis of reciprocity, equality and

mutual benefit.

Key Facts

The MoU aims to identify key environmental issues and approaches to sustainable development in the field of

water management between EU and India. Under it, exchange of experiences and cooperation will take place

between India and EU to strengthen and further develop cooperation in the field of water management.

It provides technical exchange on water issues including on integrated water resource management plans within

river basins and through study visits. It envisions sustainable management of water resources in India for

tackling challenges posed by water management in the context of a changing climate, growing population, and

competing water demands.

Under the MoU, a Joint Working Group will be formed to monitor the activities to be carried out for its

fulfillment.

Background

The Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging

bilateral cooperation with other countries in the field of water management and resources development. India

has decided to benefit from experience and expertise from EU keeping in view of their success in distribution of

water resources, water pricing and water use efficiency.

The EU member states have adopted water pricing policies to provide adequate incentives for users to use water

resources efficiently thereby contributing to environmental objectives.

Sushil Chandra appointed as Chairman of CBDT

October 6, 2016

The Union Government has appointed senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sushil Chandra as the

Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Decision in this regard was taken by the Appointments

Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Sushil Chandra is

IRS officer of 1980 batch. Prior to this appointment he was serving as member of CBDT. He will succeed Rani

Singh Nair, who will retire on October 31, 2016.

About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

CBDT is nodal policy-making body of the Income Tax (IT) department under the Union Finance Ministry. It is

a statutory authority established under The Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963. It is also the supreme body in



India for framing policies related to direct taxes. The composition of CBDT includes Chairman and six

members.

CCEA approves OVL‟s proposal to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft

October 6, 2016

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given approval ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL)

proposal to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft. OVL will buy this stake in JSC Vankorneft from Rosneft Oil

Company (Rosneft), National Oil Company of Russia which operates Vankor oil fields.

OVL will pay US 930 million dollars for acquiring 11% stake in Vankorneft. This acquisition is also in line with

ONGC‘s stated objective of adding high quality international assets to India‘s Exploration and Production

(E&P) portfolio for augmenting India‘s energy security.

Benefits

Provide OVL 3.2 Million Metric Ton of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) by 2017. Provide opportunity to Indian Oil

and Gas companies especially PSUs to acquire new technologies from Rosneft.

Background

Earlier in May 2016, OVL had completed the formalities on acquisition of 15% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of

US 1.284 billion dollars which gave OVL 4.11 MMTOE. Besides, consortium of Indian oil companies

comprising of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Oil India Limited (OIL) and Bharat PetroResources

Limited (BPRL) had acquired 23.9% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of US 2020.35 million dollars which gave

them 6.56 MMTOE.

India‟s communication satellite GSAT-18 successfully launched from French Guiana

October 6, 2016

India‘s latest communication satellite GSAT-18 was successfully launched from the spaceport of Kourou in

French Guiana. The satellite was launched on board of heavy duty Ariane-5 VA-231 rocket of Arianespace. It

was successfully injected into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). GSAT-18 was the 20th satellite from

ISRO to be launched by the European space agency and overall 280th mission of the Arianespace rocket

launcher family.

Key Features of GSAT-18

GSAT-18 is indigenously built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It weighs around 3,404 kgs

at lift-off. It has a mission life of about 15 years. It carries 48 communication transponders including Ku-band

beacon for accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite.

These transponders will provide services in Upper Extended C-band, Normal C-band and Ku-bands of the

frequency spectrum. GSAT-18 will provide services like television, telecommunication, VSAT and digital

satellite news gathering.

The satellite will play important role in strengthening ISRO‘s current fleet of 14 operational tele

communication satellites. It will also enable continuity of vital communication services by replacing ageing

satellites of ISRO. Master Control Facility (MCF) of ISRO at Hassan, Karnataka will control the satellite.

Jean-Pierre Sauvage, J Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L Feringa win 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

October 6, 2016

Trio of Jean-Pierre Sauvage, J Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L Feringa have won the prestigious 2016 Nobel

Prize in Chemistry. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has chosen them for this award for their individual



efforts in developing molecular machines. These three laureates will share the 8 million wedish kronor

(around $933,000) prize equally.

What are molecular machines?

Molecular machines or nanomachines are the world‘s smallest machines. Their working is inspired by proteins

that naturally act as biological machines within cells. Molecular machines are discrete number of synthetic

molecular components fused together. They produce quasi-mechanical movements in response to specific

external stimuli such as light or temperature change.

Molecular machines can be put to work as tiny motors, pistons ratchets or wheels to produce mechanical motion

and can move objects many time their size.

Future Potential Applications: Molecular machines can be developed to function as artificial muscles to

power tiny robots or even prosthetic limbs in case of Bionics. They may lead to developments like new sensors,

materials and energy storage systems. They can be used to deliver drugs within the human body directly to

target a specific area of tissue to medicate or cancerous cells.

They can be used to design of a molecular computer which could be placed inside the body to detect disease

even before any symptoms are exhibited.

Contributions of Jean-Pierre Sauvage (France): He had taken first step towards a molecular machine in

1983, after he successfully linkied together two ring-shaped molecules to form a chain.

J Fraser Stoddart (Britain): In 1991, he threaded a molecular ring onto a thin molecular axle and successfully

demonstrated that the ring was able to move along the axle.

Bernard L Feringa (Netherlands): He is the first person to develop a molecular motor. In 1999 successfully

designed molecular rotor blade to spin continually in the same direction. He also had designed nanocar using

molecular motors.

Cabinet approves amendments to HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014

October 6, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to introduce amendments to the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and

Control) Bill, 2014. The Bill seeks to safeguard the rights of people living with HIV and affected by HIV.

It seeks to prevent social stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV). It also seeks to

strengthen legal accountability and establish formal mechanisms for inquiring into complaints and redressing

grievances to probe discrimination complaints against those who discriminate against PLHIV.

Key Features of Bill

Prevent and control the spread of HIV and AIDS. It prohibits discrimination against persons with HIV and

AIDS. No person will be compelled to disclose his HIV status except with his informed consent, and if required

by a court order Establishments keeping records of information of PLHIV must adopt data protection measures.

Obligations on establishments to safeguard rights of persons living with HIV arid create mechanisms for

redressing complaints. Lists various grounds on which discrimination against HIV-positive persons and those

living with them is prohibited. These include the denial, discontinuation, termination or unfair treatment with

regard to employment, educational establishments, health care services, renting property etc.

Prohibits, requirement for HIV testing as a pre-requisite for obtaining employment or accessing health care or

education. Prohibits any individual from publishing information or advocating feelings of hatred against HIV

positive persons and PLHIV.



Background

There are approximately 21 lakh persons estimated to be living with HIV in India. The prevalence of HIV is

decreasing over the last decade but percentage of PLHIV receiving Anti-Retroviral therapy (ART) treatment are

merely 28.82% against global percentage of 41%.

Comment

The Bill would provide essential support to National AIDS Control Programme in arresting new spread of HIV

infections and thereby achieving the target of ―Ending the epidemic by 2030‖ to meet goal Sustainable

Development Goals.

October 7, 2016

All ASI protected historical monuments declared polythene-free zones

October 7, 2016

All Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected historical monuments and archaeological sites have declared

polythene-free zones. Union Ministry of Culture has issued an advisory to all State Governments/UTs to support

ASI in keeping monuments polythene free up to 300 meters from protected boundaries.

Rani ki Vav (Gujarat), a 900-year-old World Heritage Site was declared as the cleanest iconic place (among top

25 Adarsh Monuments) in the country by the Union Ministry of Culture.It was presented with the ―Cleanest

Iconic Place‖ Award at the Indian Sanitation Conference (INDOSAN) 2016.

ASI had ranked these 25 Adarsh Monuments on the basis of Cleanliness parameters such as amenities like

toilets, Polythene Free Zone, green lawns, disabilities access, signage for awareness, drinking water and

provision for garbage bins etc.

Rani ki Vav (the Queen‟s Stepwell): It was built in the 11th century AD as a memorial to a king by Queen

Udaymat. It is located in Patan district of Gujarat. It was added as part of the UNESCO‘s World Heritage List in

2014.

RBI Panel moots easing bank branch norms

October 7, 2016

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Internal Working Group (IWG) on Rationalisation of Branch Authorisation

Policy has proposed easing bank branch norms. It was chaired by Lily Vadera. It has proposed to relax norms

that a bank branch has to follow, like a building, number of employees etc to facilitate financial inclusion.

Key Recommendations

Bank branches including those manned by business correspondents providing minimum 4 hours of service for 5

days a week, should be allowed to be treated as a full-service branch. Any other fixed point unit of the bank not

complying with minimum working period should be considered a ‗part-time banking outlet‘

A part-time banking outlet can be opened in any centre. It will be counted in for computing requirement of

having 25% branches in rural areas. Redefined the un-banked rural centre (URC) as a rural (tier V and VI)

centre that does not have a core banking solution-enabled ‗banking outlet.‘

Comment

The acceptance of recommendations will significantly help to reduce costs for a bank while for opening

branches in un-banked rural centres. It will further help to enhance financial inclusion by taking idea of bank as

an outlet that delivers basic banking services. Banks, even without traditional branches, can use technology to

offer services in areas that so far had no access.



Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling honoured with Sustainable Development Leadership Award

October 7, 2016

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling was honoured with prestigious Sustainable Development Leadership

Award of the The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). He was presented with the award by President Pranab

Mukherjee during ―World Sustainable Development Summit‖ in New Delhi.

The award bestowed upon him in recognition of his vision and leadership in environment and sustainable

development that made Sikkim India‘s first into a fully organic state.

Background

Sikkim is only state in India that has attained the official status of fully organic state in January 2016 announced

by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Around 75,000 hectares of land in Sikkim has been converted into certified

organic farms following the guidelines as prescribed by National Programme for Organic Production.

Sikkim contributes around 80,000 tonnes of organic production out of total 1.24 million tonnes of recorded

production in India. For more details: Sikkim, India‘s First Organic State

India seeks greater Pharma market access in Japan

October 7, 2016

India is seeking greater market access for the domestic pharmaceuticals sector in the Japanese market as India‘s

share in the Japanese drug market continued to be below par. It was announced by Union Commerce Minister

Nirmala Sitharaman in seminar on promoting India‘s exports to Japan under India-Japan CEPA (Comprehensive

Economic Partnership Agreement) in New Delhi.

Why India seeks greater Pharma market access in Japan?

India‘s strength in pharma sector is well established. Share of India in the Japanese drug market continued to be

low. It is limited mostly to active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Japanese pharmaceutical market offers a

huge untapped potential for Indian pharma industry. This is coupled with the decision of Japanese Government

towards attaining an 80% share of generic medicines by 2018.

This will provide an opportunity for the generic drug industry of India. Thus, it will be winwin situation for both

countries as there is demand for generic medicines in Japan and India has capability to meet this demand.

Background

Japan is one of the closest and most reliable trading partners of India. Both countries bilateral ties were elevated

to status of special strategic and global partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Japan in 2014.

The CEPA between both countries is one of the most comprehensive agreements concluded by India and it had

come into force in August, 2011.

The bilateral trade between India and Japan pre-CEPA in 2010 was $10.4 billion and currently in 2016 stands at

$14.5 billion. However, India‘s trade deficit with Japan increasing from $3.1 billion before the CEPA was

inked in 2011 to $5.2 billion thereafter.

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates World Sustainable Development Summit

October 7, 2016

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the first edition of World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)

at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The summit was organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

with the theme Beyond 2015: People, Planet and Progress.

Key Facts



WSDS has replaced TERI‘s earlier called Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS). The first DSDS was

organised in 2005. It underscored need for businesses and private sector to take lead in poverty reduction and to

ensure rapid and sustained adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It had brought together Nobel

laureates, decision-makers political leaders from around the world to deliberate on issues related to sustainable

development.

The aim of the summit is to provide various stakeholders a single platform in order to provide long-term

solutions for the benefit of the global community. 2016 WSDS also hosted events like World CEO

Sustainability Summit, Thematic Tracks,

Media Colloquium, Youth Leaders and Greenovation Exhibition. For more information: About TERI

India to host 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction

October 7, 2016

India is hosting the 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) from

November 3 to 5, 2016 in New Delhi. This will be second time India hosting AMCDRR. The conference will be

hosted by Union Government in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

(UNISDR).

Key Facts

It will be first AMCDRR after advent of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRRR) which was

adopted at 3rd UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan in March, 2015.

India by hosting AMCDRR re-affirms its commitment to the cause of Disaster Risk Reduction. It will also set

the direction of Sendai Framework implementation in the region. The aim of the conference is to transform the

commitments of governments and stakeholders during the Sendai Conference into national and local action.

AMCDRR 2016 will focus on consultation, collaboration and partnership with governments and stakeholders to

mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the region. It will adopt the ‗Asian Regional Plan for

Implementation of the Sendai Framework‘ endorsed by the Asian countries.

In this conference, senior-level delegations from Asian countries, representatives of UN bodies and Disaster

Management experts will participate.

Background

AMCDRR is a biennial conference jointly organized by different Asian countries and the UNISDR. It was

established in 2005. So far, 6 AMCDRR conferences have been organised. For the first time India had also

hosted the second AMCDRR in 2007 in New Delhi.

About Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-30

It is an international Treaty that was approved by UN member states in March 2015 at the Third World

Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. It is a voluntary and non-binding treaty which

recognizes that the UN member State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk. It has framework for 15-year

i.e. 2015 to 2020.

It also calls for sharing the responsibility with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector

and other stakeholders. It is successor of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015), which had been the

most encompassing international accord on disaster risk reduction.



It sets of common standards, a comprehensive framework with achievable targets, and a legally-based

instrument for disaster risk reduction. It calls for adopting integrated and inclusive institutional measures for

preventing vulnerability to disaster, increase preparedness for response and recovery and strengthen resilience.

Four specific priorities of Sendai Framework: (i) Understanding disaster risk (ii) Strengthening disaster risk

governance to manage disaster risk (iii) Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience (iv) Enhancing disaster

preparedness for effective response and recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Renowned Manipuri theatre legend Heisnam Kanhailal passes away

October 7, 2016

Renowned Manipuri theatre legend Heisnam Kanhailal passed away. He was 75. He was actively been involved

in threatre for the last 40 years in different roles of a playwright, director and also an actor.

About Heisnam Kanhailal

Born on 17 January 1941 in Keisamthong Thangjam Lairak, Imphal. He was the founder-director of

Kalakshetra, the theatre laboratory in Manipur. He had employed a very indigenous outlook of Manipuri culture

in his theatre production. His famous political play Pebet, styled to the tune of oral Manipuri folklores, was

considered as a revolutionary production.

Awards and Honours: Manipur state Award for Theatre, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1985), Sangeet

Natak Akademi Fellow (2011), META Life Time Achievement Award (2015) and Padma Shri (2004) and

Padma Bhushan (2016).

Maharashtra Government allocates land to LIGO India Project

October 7, 2016

Maharashtra Government has allocated 40.68 hectare land to Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to build

LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) India Project at Dudhala village in Hingoli

district. With this, India will join elite league of countries consisting of US, UK, Italy, Germany and Japan that

support on-going research on gravitational waves.

Besides, it will be third such laboratory in the world and first outside US. The existing two LIGO laboratories in

US are located in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington.

Key Facts

The LIGO-India Project will be piloted and overseen by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department

of Science and Technology (DST). It will be international collaboration between the LIGO Laboratory of US

and consortium of three leading Indian institutions.

They are (i) Indore‟s Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT): It will provide its

expertise in lasers and laser technology; (ii) Pune‟s Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and

Astrophysics (IUCAA): It will provide the scientific teams, scientific data computation and data acquisition;

(iii) Gandhinagar‟s Institute for Plasma Research (IPR): It will contribute in cryogenic and high vacuum

systems for the prestigious project.

Background

In April 2016, India and US had signed an MoU to set up the LIGO Observatory. It was signed between the

scientists from the US‘ National Science Foundation (NSF) and India‘s Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

What are gravitational waves?



Gravitational waves are ripples in the curvature of spacetime which propagate as waves, travelling outward from

the source at the speed of light. They transport energy as gravitational radiation and pass through matter without

interacting with it. Gravitational waves were first predicted in 1916 by Albert Einstein on the basis of his

Theory of General Relativity.

Strongest sources of gravitational waves: They are among enigmatic objects in our universe like black holes,

supernova, neutron stars and Big Bang. Significance: Information extracted by these transmitted aves will help

to address unsolved questions and mysteries of physics and astronomy.

Payment Banks need RBI‟s Prior product approval

October 7, 2016

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has notified entities that have been granted a payments bank (PB) licence will

need to take specific approval for products they would be offering to customers. In this regard, RBI has issued

separate operating guidelines for payments banks in view to focus on financial inclusion.

Key Facts

Employee of Payment Bank should be available for sufficient duration at a fixed location to attend customers.

They must at least have 25% of access points in un-banked rural areas. The main mandate of Payment Banks is

to offer remittance services.

They will be not allowed to lend. Payment Banks can also offer simple financial products like insurance and

mutual funds. The RBI may place suitable restrictions on the design, functioning, or other features of the

product of Payment Banks.

RBI may even discontinue the product launched by Payment banks if it feels that the product is not suitable for

customers. RBI it will have no objection to payments banks making arrangements with other scheduled

commercial bank or small finance bank.

Background

RBI had granted in-principle licences to 11 payments banks in August 2015. While three out of 11 PBs have

dropped out, others will have to start operations within 18 months of receiving in principle approval.

India slams hold on declaring Masood Azhar global terrorist

October 7, 2016

India has reacted sharply to the extension of the ―technical hold‖ on banning Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief

Masood Azhar by the United Nations 1267 Sanctions Committee. It clearly mentioned that being a global body,

UN will be sending a ―dangerous message‖ if it fails to act upon India‘s demand for his designation as a global

terrorist.

India also criticised the complete non-transparent and anonymous manner of designating individuals by the

UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee. It also mentioned that, UN Sanctions Committee has already proscribed

Pakistan-based JeM a terrorist organisation. However committee ignored the need to take action against the

organisation‘s main leader, motivator and financier who continues his terrorist actions unhindered.

What is the case?

In March 2016, India told the 1267 Committee of UN to designate Masood Azhar as an international terrorist

citing to act against its main leader, financier and motivator of terrorist organisation. India had pressed case

against Masood in UN following the January 2016 Pathankot attack which it blamed on the outfit JeM. Masood

was also blamed as the mastermind behind recent September 2016 Uri attack in Jammu Kashmir.



However in March 2016, China a veto-wielding permanent member of UNSC had blocked India‘s move to put a

ban on Azhar Masood under the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee. China was the sole member in the 15-nation

UNSC to put a hold on India‘s application while the rest 14 members of the UNSC supported India‘s bid.

About United Nations Security Council 1267 Committee

The UNSC 1267 Committee was established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). It is also known as the AlQaida

and Taliban Sanctions Committee. It was established for the purpose of overseeing the implementation of

sanctions measures imposed on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan for its support of Osama bin Laden.

However in course of time, the 1267 sanctions regime has been modified and strengthened by subsequent

resolutions. If an individual or terrorist organisation is included in this list, it helps in restricting their movement,

financial penalties and assets freeze among others.

The Committee comprises all 15 members of the UNSC and makes its decision by consensus and secretly. If

single member opposes it there is no consensus. That‘s why China opposition to India‘s bid is not allowing

UNSC to designate Masood Azhar as an international terrorist and freeze his assets and travel ban.

The committee is being criticised for being non transparent and in recent time there is demand for its reforms to

address procedural shortcomings especially from India.

Union Government approves Rs.114 crore worth projects under HRIDAY Scheme

October 7, 2016

The Union Ministry of Urban Development has approved projects worth Rs.114 crore under HRIDAY scheme

for improving infrastructure facilities around core heritage sites in five cities. These five cities are: Varnasi

(Uttar Pradesh), Amritsar (Punjab), Dwaraka (Gujarat), Puri (Odisha) and Warangal (Telangana). Projects in

these districts were selected based on recommendation of inter-Ministerial HRIDAY National Empowered

Committee.

About Heritage Infrastructure Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

HRIDAY is a Central Scheme that aims to preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the country. The

scheme will be completely funded by the Central Government to create infrastructure and provide facilities

around the heritage sites to attract more tourists. It aims to bring urban planning, economic growth and heritage

conservation together for heritage cities.

It seeks to promote an inclusive, sustainable and integrated development of heritage sites, focusing on

maintenance of monuments and advancement of their entire ecosystem.

Objectives of Scheme: (i) Bring urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation together for

heritage cities. (ii) Beautification of heritage cities in an inclusive and integrated manner with prime focus on

livelihoods, skills, cleanliness, security, safety, accessibility and faster service delivery. (iii) Guide conservation,

restoration, future use and development of heritage cities. (iv) Create improved connectivity platform and access

to tourists.

It will help to harness full potential of India‘s tourism sector which has total 35 UNESCO recognized natural,

cultural and mixed heritage sites. India ranks second in Asia and fifth in the world interms of heritage sites.

2016 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos

October 7, 2016

The 2016 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. He was selected for

the prestigious award by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for his resolute efforts to bring the more than 50-



year-long civil war of Colombia to an end. He is second Colombian to win Nobel Prize after writer Gabriel

Gracia Marquez who had won the literature Prize in 1982.

Santos is also second Latin American to receive Nobel Peace Prize after Guatemala‘s Rigoberta Menchu had

won it in 1992.

Peace Agreement

Manuel Santos had initiated the negotiations with the guerrilla (rebel) group Revolutionary Armed Forces of

Colombia (FARC). These negotiations had culminated into a peace agreement between the Colombian

government and the FARC guerrillas. However in October 2016, the peace deal was rejected by a narrow

majority by the Colombians when it was put to referendum.

About Juan Manuel Santos Born on 10 August 1951 in Bogota, capital city of Colombia. He was elected

Colombian President for first time in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Earlier he had served as defence minister

from 2006 until 2009

Background

The civil war in Colombia is one of the longest civil wars in modern times and the sole remaining armed

conflict in the South America. The five decade long civil war has cost the lives of at least 220 000 Colombians

and displaced close to six million people. It was started in the 1960s as a rural uprising for land rights by FARC

as communist-inspired guerrilla movement.

The main aim of FARC was to reduce the gulf dividing rich and poor and land reform for equality in the

Andean country. The conflict has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, drug gangs and right-wing paramilitaries

over the decades. However in recent times, the FARC had shifted from their original ideology and were active

in illegal drug trade, kidnapping and extortion activities.

October 8, 2016

EC bars political parties from using public space for propagating symbol

October 8, 2016

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued directions barred political parties from using public

resources that amount to advertisement for parties or propagating their election symbols. The ECI has issued

these directions in the wake of the High Court July 2016 order and considering the views of political parties.

Key Facts

ECI order bars political parties from using public space, public funds or government machinery for carrying out

activities propagate party election symbols or advertise them. It has clarified that above directions violates the

lawful direction of it within the meaning of paragraph 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment)

Order.

The clause 16A of the Order confers power on ECI to suspend or withdraw recognition of a recognised political

party fails to follow its lawful directions and instructions or to observe Model Code of Conduct.

What do these directions mean?

Henceforth, no registered political party in the country shall either use or allow the use of any public place or

public funds or government machinery for carrying out any activity that would amount to advertisement for the

party or propagating party‘s allotted election symbol. It will further augment ECI‘s goal of conducting free and

fair election and level playing field for all stakeholders.

Background



The Delhi High Court in July 2016 had issued an order in Common Cause vs Bahujan Samaj Party case

requesting ECI to issue appropriate directions or guidelines for preventing the recognized political party in

power from using public resources for propagating the party‘s election symbol.

Delhi HC had mentioned that utilising public resources for promoting any political party or its election symbol

is antithetical to the concept of free and fair election and the principle of level playing field for all stakeholders.

Election Commission partners with Facebook to encourage voter registration

October 8, 2016

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has collaborated with social networking giant Facebook to register

young voters in 5 states, which are going to polls in 2017.

These five states are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakh.The purpose first-of-itskind voter

registration drive is to encourage youth to participate in the democratic exercise.

Key Facts

The services of Facebook will be used to link all the eligible voters who are 18 years and above to the National

Voters Services Portal (NVSP). Facebook users from these five states will receive a reminder in their Facebook

account‘s News Feed sector to register to vote.

By clicking on the ‗Register Now‘ button, people will be directed to the NVSP which will guide them through

the registration process. Facebook has 148 million monthly active users in India.

Maharashtra becomes 17th state to join UDAY Scheme

October 8, 2016

Maharashtra became 17th state to Central Government‘s Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna (UDAY) scheme. It

will help Maharashtra to reap benefits worth Rs 9,725 crore by way of cheaper funds, transmission losses,

energy efficiency and coal reforms during the period of the turnaround. Under the UDAY Scheme, Maharashtra

has committed to take more than 75% of the discom‘s noncapex debt of around 6,600 crore rupees in the current

year.

The balance 25% debt will be converted into bonds or re-priced at cheaper rates which will reduce the interest

burden by 595 crore rupees.

About Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojna (UDAY)

UDAY Scheme was launched by Union Ministry of Power for financial restructuring of debt of Power

Distribution companies (DISCOMs). It aims for financial revival and turnaround of DISCOMs and also ensures

a sustainable permanent solution to the problem.

Power DISCOMs of states by joining this scheme can convert their debt into bonds which can be issued in

market as well as roll out number of measures to improve efficiency at power plants. It will make DISCOMs

financially and operationally healthy so they can supply adequate power at affordable rates. It will help in

reduction in interest cost of DISCOMs and enforcing financial discipline in DISCOMs through alignment with

State finances.

SC stays commercial release of GM mustard

October 8, 2016

The Supreme Court has stayed the commercial release of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop till October

17, 2016. It has asked the Central Government to seek public opinion before releasing the variety for cultivation



purpose. Order in this regard was issued by SC Bench of Chief Justice T.S. hakur and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar

on petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues.

What petition says?

The petition had alleged that sowing of the GM Mustard seeds will be undertaken without relevant tests and

without entire bio-safety dossier for commercial launch GM mustard. It also had urged the SC to prohibit open

field trials and the commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops, including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its

parent lines/variants.

GM Mustard DMH-11 Mustard is one of India‘s most important winter crops sown between mid-October and

late November. It a self-pollinating crop difficult to hybridise naturally as it cross-pollinate. It is largest edible

oil yielding crop of India.

DMH (Dhara Mustard Hybrid)-11 is genetically modified variety of mustard developed by Centre for Genetic

Manipulation of Crop Plants at Delhi University. It was Government sponsored project. But researchers at Delhi

University have created hybridised mustard DMH-11 using ―barnase / barstar‖ technology for genetic

modification. It is Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crop.

In February 2016, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GMEC) had allowed the commercial

production of another GM crop viz. Mustard DMH-11.

Arguments in Favour GM Mustard DMH-11 yields about 30% more than a traditional reference mustard

variety. Help in boosting edible mustard oil production thus, reduce huge import bill for edible oil. Help to boost

government-led scientific researches in Agriculture.

Arguments against GM Mustard Approval to GM mustard would open a gate to several genetically modified

food crops. Environmentalists are raising biosafety concern with GM crops as their introduction may adversely

affect environment, human and animal health. As DMH-11 has external gene that makes the plant resistant to

herbicide. Thus it will force farmers to use only select brands of agro-chemicals.

Technical expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court in this regard earlier had found that HT crops

completely unsuitable in the Indian context. The herbicide-resistant crops may adversely impact the manual

labourers, for whom weeding provides livelihood.

New termite species named Chiraharitae discovered

October 8, 2016

A new termite species Glyptotermes Chiraharitae was discovered at Kakkayam in the Malabar Wildlife

Sanctuary, Kerala. It has been named ‗Chiraharitae‘ after the tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats,

where it was spotted.

Key Facts

Termites are of three types —damp wood, dry wood and subterranean. Glyptotermes Chiraharitae species are of

the damp wood category.They infest parts of woods with high moisture content, the decaying or rotting areas in

particular. They are exclusively wood dwelling and do not require any contact with soil.

The flying adults of this species are approximately 10 mm long, while the soldiers are around 9.5 mm long. Its

relatives are known to attack mango, sal, Rhododendron, banyan trees, Artocarpus, silver oak, and jamun trees.

Compared with other insect groups, termites are not a multifarious speciose. In India there 285 species of

termites and among them 61 are documented from Kerala.

India-Pakistan border to be sealed completely by 2018



October 8, 2016

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India-Pakistan border will be completely sealed by

December 2018. Announcement in this regard was made after Union Home Minister held meeting of

representatives of 4 states sharing border with Pakistan in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

Key Facts

Central government has formulated time-bound action plan to completely seal the entire stretch of 3,323-km-

long border between the two countries. The process of sealing border will be monitored at Ministry of Home

Affairs (MHA) level, Border Security Force (BSF) level and chief secretary of states level.

Besides, a new concept of Border Security Grid (BSG) has been envisaged, in which all the stake holders related

to border security are involved. Based on their suggestions, a final shape to BSG will be given.

Background

India-Pakistan share 3,323-km-long border which is termed as International Border. Border between both

countries was created based upon the Radcliffe line in 1947. 4 states share this international 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.

The Border Security Force (BSF) controls security of the 2,308 km-long border with Pakistan from Gujarat to

Jammu and Kashmir. In Jammu, 192 km of International Border, referred to as a working boundary by Pakistan,

is manned by the BSF, while the remaining 8 km is secured by the Indian Army. The 740 km Line of Control

(LoC), running along Kashmir and separating Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is entirely secured by the

Army.

Adoption of GST tax will boost India‟s medium-term growth: IMF

October 8, 2016

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asserted that adoption of GST (Goods and Services) tax will boost

India‘s medium-term growth. It was mentioned IMF‘s latest Asia Pacific regional economic update. It

mentioned that India has shown progress on reforms that could boost business investment and growth.

IMF‟s findings

Greater labour market flexibility and product market competition in India remain essential to create jobs and

raise growth. Priorities also include effective implementation of the new corporate debt restructuring

mechanisms. India has shown progress on reforms that could initiate business investment, including already

strong FDI inflows, which will further increase domestic demand.

Over the medium term, a number of Asian economies stand to benefit from a demographic dividend. In some

Asian economies like India and Indonesia the working-age population continues to grow, potentially helping

sustain strong potential growth. India‘s growth continues to benefit from large improvement in terms of trade,

positive policy actions, including implementation of key structural reforms, enhancement in confidence and

gradual reduction of supply-side constraints.

What is GST?

GST is uniform single indirect tax regime throughout the country that has subsumed central and state indirect

taxes into single indirect tax. It aims to remove indirect tax barriers across states and integrate the country into a

single common market, boosting government revenue and reducing business costs.

The Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016 gives the constitutional status to GST.



BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement declared operational

October 8, 2016

The Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) of BRICS nations viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South

Africa was declared operational. It was announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who had chaired the

Governing Council meeting of the BRICS‘ CRA in New York, United States.

What is BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)?

CRA was established in 2015 during 7th BRICS summit in July 2015. The Treaty for the establishment of

BRICS CRA was signed at Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014. It is a framework that aims at providing support

through additional liquidity and other means to BRICS countries at a time of economic crisis.

It will be providing support to BRICS countries through liquidity and precautionary instruments in response to

actual or potential short-term balance of payments pressures. The initial total committed resources of the CRA

will be 100 billion dollars with individual commitments as follows: China ($41 billion), India ($18 billion),

Brazil ($18 billion), Russia ($18 billion) and South Africa ($5 billion). The CRA is generally seen as a

competitor to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and along with BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) is

viewed as an example of increasing South-South cooperation.

Both CRA and NDB were annoucned as part of BRICS Fortaleza Declaration announced during 6th BRICS

summit held in Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014. Commonwealth Finance Ministers‟ Meeting Union Finance

Minister Arun Jaitley also had chaired the Commonwealth Finance Ministers‘ Meeting at the International

Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington DC, US.

During the meeting, two important issues were discussed and deliberated. They are (i) International Taxation-a

Commonwealth Conversation around the Panama Paper (ii) Economics of Climate Change and Financing

Climate Adaptation and Mitigation.

India‟s first Medipark will be set up in Tamil Nadu

October 8, 2016

India‘s first Medipark (Medical Park) will be set up in Tamil Nadu at Chengalpet near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It

will boast of the first medical devices manufacturing park in the country. In this regard, the Union Cabinet has

allowed HLL Lifecare, a miniratna public sector company to sub-lease over 300 acres of land for the purpose.

How it will be formed?

The Medipark will be funded through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with HLL being a 50% shareholder.

HLL will sublease 330.10 acres of land to investors, through a transparent bidding process to investors desirous

to set up manufacturing units for medical equipment and devices. It will be developed in phases with completion

period of seven years. In the first phase, physical infrastructure will be developed.

Importance

First manufacturing cluster in the medical technology sector in the country envisaged to boost local

manufacturing of hi-end products at a significantly lower cost. Play a significant role in the development of

medical devices and technology industry and allied disciplines under the Make in India initiative Help in

providing in affordable healthcare delivery, particularly in diagnostic services to a large section of people.

Significance



The first of its kind Medipark project will lay roadmap to reduce the dependence on imports of medical

equipment and devices. It will create a strong base for the growth of indigenous and domestic industry by

providing access to state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology.

Union Government set up Public Debt Management Cell

October 8, 2016

The Union Finance Ministry has set up a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC) with the objective of

deepening bond markets in the country. PDMC will streamline government borrowings and better cash

management for deepening bond markets.

Key Facts

PDMC is an interim arrangement and will be upgraded to a statutory Public Debt Management Agency

(PDMA). Thus, it will requisite preparatory work for PDMA. It will allow separation of debt management

functions from RBI to PDMA in a gradual and seamless manner, without causing market disruption.

The Middle Office of the Budget Division in the Union Finance Ministry will be subsumed into PDMC with

immediate effect. The Joint Secretary (Budget), Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry will

be the overall in-charge of the PDMC.

PDMC will have only advisory functions in order to avoid any conflict with the statutory functions of RBI.

Functions of PDMC

Plan government borrowings, including market borrowings and other borrowings, like Sovereign Gold Bond

(SGB) issuance. Manage government‘s liabilities, improve cash forecasting, monitor cash balances, foster a

liquid and efficient market for government securities. Advise government on matters related to capital market

operations, investment, administration of interest rates on small savings etc. Develop an Integrated Debt

Database System (IDMS) as a centralised data base for all liabilities of government, on a near real time basis.

IDMC will be an integral part of PDMC.

Need

The setting up of the PDMA is top priority of government for bringing financial sector reform. With

establishing PDMA, Government seeks to divest the RBI of its dual and often conflicting roles as the banker

and manager of the Central Government‘s borrowing. It will also facilitate in better planning and management

of domestic and foreign market borrowings of Central Governemnt.

It will help in strengthen bond market and help to promote investment. It will be in pursuance global practice of

shifting public debt management from central bank to a debt management office.

Background

Former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was first announced the setting up of PDMA in Budget 2011-12.

However, RBI was first to recognise the need for PDMA in its Annual Report 2000-01. It was also supported by

the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (2013).

Indian Pharma companies rank 19th in Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey

October 8, 2016

Indian pharmaceutical companies have ranked low at 19th position with an overall score of 59 out of 100 among

in the Biopharmaceutical Competitiveness & Investment (BCI) Survey.

The survey of 28 countries was commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

and executed by the Pugatch Consilium. It was third edition of survey.



How Survey was undertaken?

Five metrics were used to determine rankings of countries. They are (i) scientific capabilities and infrastructure;

(ii) clinical research conditions and framework; (iii) regulatory system; (iv) market access and financing; and (v)

effective intellectual property protections.

It had looked at biomedical innovation and its influencers, like intellectual property protection for investments

in the pharmaceutical sector. It had categorized countries into two groups viz. mature markets like UK US, and

Germany, and newcomers like China, India and Brazil.

Key Highlights of Survey

Mature markets provide advanced intellectual property protection, highly streamlined regulatory framework and

favourable tax conditions with some exceptions. India, along with China, Argentina, Colombia, Russia, Turkey

and Brazil based on their overall score were labelled as trailing markets.

Singapore which has placed in the newcomer‘s category with a score of 85 is only a point behind the US, which

is a mature market. India scores low on almost all metrics except in the clinical research conditions and

framework and scientific capabilities and infrastructure.

India‘s IP regime, including Section 3(d) of IP Act requiring biopharmaceutical inventions to show ‗enhanced

efficacy‘, continues to affect its investment environment.

India‟s first international arbitration centre inaugurated in Mumbai

October 8, 2016

The first International Arbitration Centre of India was inaugurated in Mumbai, Maharashtra to provide an

arbitration platform for Indian business houses to negotiate commercial disputes. The Mumbai Centre for

International Arbitration (MCIA) was launched by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Key Facts

With this Maharashtra becomes first state in the country to clear policy for institutional arbitration. It is also

considered as a major step towards making Mumbai an International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). The

MCIA will be an independent, not-for-profit organization (NGO) governed by a council comprising eminent

national and international legal luminaries.

It will provide world-class infrastructure for arbitration, 24×7 functionality and live transcription services

recording during arbitration proceedings for transparency. It will be in sync with the Make in India campaign

and will provide a time bound and costeffective facility to reinforce investor confidence.

Background

At present, in absence of an international arbitration centre in the country most of the business disputes

involving Indian parties land in Singapore or London International Arbitration Centres. Indian parties make up

an estimated 30% of the arbitration cases handled by the Singapore and London Arbitration Centres.

The total outflow of funds to resolve such cases along with logistics and other related expenditure is around $5

billion. MCIA will significantly bring down this cost.

October 9: World Post Day

October 10, 2016

The World Post Day is observed each year on October 9 to spread awareness about the postal services and their

role in the everyday lives of people and businesses. 2016 Theme: ―Innovation, Integration and Inclusion”. In

India, this day is celebrated by Department of Posts. For more than 150 years, India Post has been the backbone



of the country‘s communication network. It is the largest postal network in the world providing mail parcel,

banking, money transfer, insurance and retail services.

Background

The World Post Day was instituted at the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.

Significance of the day: The day is celebrated to mark anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal

Union (UPU) in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.

About Universal Postal Union (UPU)

UPU is a specialized agency of the UN that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to

the worldwide postal system. It was established in 1874 and is the second oldest international organization

worldwide after International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which was established in 1865.

Its headquarters are located in the Swiss capital Berne. It has 192 member countries. UPU is the primary forum

for cooperation between postal sector players among member countries. It helps to ensure a truly universal

network of up-to-date products and services. It sets rules for international mail exchanges and makes

recommendations for growth in mail, financial and parcel services volumes and also to improve quality of

service for customers.

October 10: World Mental Health Day

October 10, 2016

The World Mental Health Day (WMHD) is observed every year on 10 October to raise awareness about mental

health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. Observance of the day seeks

to provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and

measures to be taken to make mental health care a reality for the people.

2016 theme: ―Psychological First Aid‖. It highlights importance of both psychological and social support to

persons suffering from mental health issues. The 2016 WMHD campaign aims to encourage people to take

personal ownership of their own mental health and wellbeing. It focuses on a simple, personal mental health

promise that can be made by anyone, regardless of their own mental health.

Background: The World Mental Health Day is an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health

(WFMH) and is recognised by World Health Organisation (WHO). It was first celebrated in 1992.

Union Government extends anti-dumping duty on certain Chinese products

October 10, 2016

The Union Government has extended anti-dumping duty on import of certain Chinese products, used in

garment, toys and footwear manufacturing, for another five years i.e. till 2021. Decision in this regard was taken

by Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) based on recommendations of the Directorate General of

Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD).

This extension will protect domestic industry from the harm caused by dumping (import) of the cheap Chinese

products.

Issue

The DGAD made the case for continuation of the anti-dumping duty on Chinese products after its second sunset

review of the anti-dumping duty in force on the imports. Earlier in October 2010, the Revenue Department of

the Unio Finance Ministry had extended the levy (anti-dumping duty) till October 2015.

What is Anti-Dumping Duty?



Anti-Dumping Duty is a trade levy imposed by any government on imported products which have prices less

than their fair normal values in their domestic market. Thus, it is protectionist tariff that seeks to stop dumping

process where company exports a product at a price lower than price it normally charged in domestic market of

importing countries‘.

Anti-Dumping Duty is imposed under the multilateral World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime and varies from

product to product and from country to country. In India, anti-dumping duty is recommended by the Union

Ministry of Commerce (i.e. by DGAD), while the Union Finance Ministry imposes it.

Union Government to invite bids soon for 36 inland waterways

October 10, 2016

The Union Government is going to soon float tenders to invite bids for the development for 36 inland waterways

projects in the first phase. This move will help to tap the huge potential in the so-far-untapped inland waterways

transport segment despite India being endowed with natural rivers suitable for it.

Background

Earlier, Parliament had enacted a legislation allowing 106 rivers across the country to be converted into

National Waterways (NWs) in addition to the existing 5 such NWs. The law was enacted in a bid to boost

movement of goods and passengers via rivers and reduce transportation costs substantially.

Advantages of Inland water transport

It is environment-friendly and cost-effective mode of transportation. It will reduce the logistics costs

significantly which are currently as high as 18% in India. India has huge natural geographical potential for

inland waterways as 14,500 km of river channels are navigable. Development inland waterways can spur

industrial growth and tourism potential along the waterway especially in plain areas of North India.

The statutory status to the inland waterways would pave for investments in inland waterways transportation

sector which has been neglected in the past. It would provide a cheaper mode of transport and reducing traffic

burden and congestion on roads and railways.

Problems

Seasonal variations in water level especially in the rain-fed rivers of the peninsula may cause hindrance to

inland waterway projects. Diversion of river water for irrigation, industrial and domestic purpose may affect the

viability of these projects. Inland waterways may cause serious environmental threat to Gangetic river dolphins,

national Aquatic animal of India.

IAE to tie up with India for its global LED programme

October 10, 2016

The International Energy Agency (IAE) is going to partner with India to implement its Unnat Jyoti by

Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) initiative globally for energy savings. IAE has been impressed with

performance of India‘s UJALA programme in terms of vastly improving access to LED lighting while reducing

their cost drastically.

Key Facts

The UJALA scheme is implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs

under the Union Ministry of Power. The price at which EESL has been purchasing LED lights to distribute

under UJALA scheme has been consistently falling over the last couple of years Along with this, production has



also been ramped up to about 4 crore per month from the 10 lakh a month in 2014 to support the implementation

of scheme.

About Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme

UJALA scheme is LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) that aims to promote efficient

lighting, reducing energy consumption and energy savings. It was launched as National LED programme by

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015. It was renamed UJALA in March 2016.

Under it, every grid-connected consumer having a metered connection from their respective Electricity

Distribution Company will get the LED bulbs at subsidized rates.

Benefits: (i) Electricity savings (ii) Reduction of load (iii) Reduction of consumer bills (iv) Greenhouse gas

emission reductions.

Note: LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs. They are 8-10 times that of

CFLs, therefore provide both energy and cost savings in medium term.

Hubble Space Telescope detects Great Balls of Fire

October 10, 2016

NASA‘s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has detected Great Balls of Fire (GBF), a mysterious superhot blobs of

gas seen near a dying star. The plasma gas balls were observed near a red giant called V Hydrae, about 1,200

light years away from Earth. Red giants are dying stars that are nearing the end of their fuel supplies and have

begun to expand and puff up.

Key Facts

HST had found that these GBFs from V Hydrae are double the mass of Mars and twice as hot as surface of sun.

GBF have continued once every 8.5 years for at least past 400 years. They are moving so fast in space that they

would take only half an hour cover distance between moon and Earth.

If scientists are able to discover origin of these balls, it could explain other weird shapes seen in the cloud of gas

around dying stars, which is difficult for scientists to explain at present. About Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

HST is a space telescope that was launched in 1990 by NASA in collaboration with European Space Agency.

It is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble and is still in operation. It is managed by NASA‘s Goddard

Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Its operations are conducted by Baltimore based Space Telescope

Science Institute (STScI). It is located in low Earth orbit outside the distortion of Earth‘s atmosphere that allows

it to take extremely high-resolution images. Its successor, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is scheduled

for launch in 2018.

Janani Suraksha Yojana pays dividends: Study

October 10, 2016

As per the new study Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) has played important role in reducing ‗socioeconomic

disparities‘ existing in maternal care. The study was conducted by researchers from Delhi based National

Council of Applied Economic Research. This is for first time study has shown JSY has reduced socioeconomic

inequalities in maternal care compared to earlier studies which showed impact of JSY in reducing maternal

mortality.

Key Findings

JSY has led to reduction of prevalent differences in access to maternal care between individual people of higher

or lower socioeconomic status. It has led to enhancement in utilisation of health services among all groups



especially among the poorer and underserved sections in the rural areas. Utilisation of all three maternal

healthcare services was remarkably higher among illiterate or less educated and poor women.

Usage of all three maternal healthcare services by the Dalit, Adivasis, OBC and Muslim women increased

between the surveys. However, inequalities still exist in access to maternal care but JSY has narrowed gap in

access to healthcare between the marginalised group of women and financially better-off.

Women in their early 20s more likely avail maternal health care services as compared to their older women. The

incidence of women availing maternal healthcare decreases with the increase in the number of children.

Background

In India, high incidence of maternal mortality continues to plague. As per the latest report on maternal health,

India accounted for 15% the total maternal deaths in the world in 2015 second only to Nigeria with 45,000

women dying during pregnancy or childbirth.

About Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

The JSY was launched as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to improve maternal and

neonatal health by promotion of institutional deliveries (childbirth in hospitals). It is a 100% centrally sponsored

scheme (CSS). It integrates cash assistance with delivery and post-delivery care.

Under it, ASHA (Accredited social health activist) is considered as a link between Government and poor

pregnant women for encourage institutional deliveries among poor women.

SC widens ambit of Domestic Violence Act, 2005

October 10, 2016

The Supreme Court in its landmark judgement has widened the scope of the Protection of Women from

Domestic Violence Act, 2005 by making it gender-neutral. The SC ordered deletion of the words ―adult male‖

before the word ‗person‘ in Section 2(q) of the Act making it gender-neutral. The remaining part of the

legislation would remain operative and was kept untouched.

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 protects women from physical, sexual, verbal,

emotional and economic abuse at home.

Key Facts

The SC order paves way for prosecution of women and even non-adults for subjecting a woman relative to

violence and harassment. It strikes down two words from Section 2(q) of Act which deals with respondents who

can be sued and prosecuted under it for harassing a married woman in her matrimonial home. It also allows a

woman to seek legal action against her daughter-in-law and even her minor grandchildren for domestic violence.

Why SC ordered to delete words?

According to SC, microscopic difference between male and female, adult and non-adult is neither real nor

substantial. It also does not have any rational relation to the object of the legislation. The words ―adult male‖

also violated right to equality under Constitution. It is contrary to object of affording protection to women who

have suffered from domestic violence of any kind.

Background

The landmark verdict of Supreme Court came on an appeal against the Bombay High Court judgement, which

had resorted to the literal construction of the term ‗adult male‘. Based on literal construction of these words,

Bombay High Court had discharged four persons, including a woman, two girls and a minor boy of a family



from a domestic violence case on the ground that they were not ―adult male‖ and hence cannot be prosecuted

under the Act.

Indian researcher produces stable Perovskite Nanocrystal solar cells

October 10, 2016

For the first time, Indian researcher has successfully produced a stable, high-efficiency, all-inorganic perovskite

nanocrystal solar cells. It was produced by Abhishek Swarnkar, a research scholar from the Department of

Chemistry at Pune‘s Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER).

Key Facts

The new inorganic perovskite nanocrystal material has 10.77% efficiency to convert sunlight to electricity. It

used cesium to produce the material of cesium lead iodide. The nanocrystals of cesium lead iodide were reduced

to nanometre range. It allowed the material to absorb visible sunlight till 700 nm at ambient temperature.

These nanocrystals were found to be stable from —196 degree C to about +200 degree C. It also converted

sunlight to electricity by producing a high voltage of 1.23 volts. These nanocrystals were assembled as a thin

film. The thin film was used for making both solar cells and red LEDs.

Significance of Research

This research on inorganic perovskite nanocrystal moves away from traditional research based around a hybrid

organic-inorganic halide perovskite material. Though, this traditional hybrid material has high efficiency of over

22% but organic component in it volatile. This material becomes completely unstable under ambient conditions

within a short span of time which renders it unsuitable for commercial photovoltaic applications.

Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrom win 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics

October 10, 2016

Two economists Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrom have won the 2016 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic

Sciences. Both of them will share 8 million kronor, or about $930,000.

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has selected them for their contributions to contract theory which tells

how contracts help people deal with conflicting interests. Their individual theories on contract theory are

valuable to the understanding of real-life contracts and institutions, as well as potential pitfalls in contract

design.

For example, contract theory can be used to analyze performance-based pay for CEOs or deductibles and co-

pays for insurance. Their work provided economists microecomic tools to understand interactions between

entities, such as design of performance incentives in firms, corporate governance, privatisation, constitutional

law and entrepreneur-investor relationships.

Oliver Hart: He was born in 1948 in London, UK. He holds Ph.D. from Princeton University, US. Presently, he

is Andrew E. Furer Professor of Economics at Harvard University, US. Bengt Holmström: He was born in

1949 in Helsinki, Finland. He holds Ph.D. from Stanford University, US. Presently he is Paul A. Samuelson

Professor of Economics and Professor of Economics and Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT), US.

About Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

In 1968, Sweden‘s central bank had added the economic sciences prize as a memorial to Nobel. Thus,

economics award is not a Nobel Prize as the others prizes which were established by Swedish industrialist

Alfred Nobel in 1895.



October 11: International Day of the Girl Child

October 11, 2016

The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is observed every year across the world on 11 October to

recognize girls‘ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Significance of Day: The observance of the day seeks to increase awareness of gender inequality faced by girls

worldwide based upon their gender and supports more opportunity for girls. This year it was fifth edition of this

day after it was observed for first time in 2012.

2016 Theme: ―Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: What Counts for Girls‖. It calls for action for increased

investment in collecting and analyzing girl-relevant, girl-focused and sex-disaggregated data.

Background

The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly

(UNGA) by adopting Canada backed Resolution in December 2011. The observation of the day supports more

opportunity for girls. It also increases awareness of gender inequality faced by girls worldwide based upon their

gender. This inequality includes areas such as right to education, nutrition, medical care, legal rights and

protection from discrimination, violence and unfree child marriage.

4th

BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting held at Jaipur

October 11, 2016

The 4th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting was held at Jaipur, Rajastan. The

purpose of the meeting was to further strengthen the collaboration amongst the BRICS countries in the areas of

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

Key Facts

The meeting adopted a five-pronged approach, viz. Institution Building, Implementation, Integration, Innovation

and Continuity. In alignment with the theme of India‘s Chairmanship of 8th BRICS Summit, Building,

Responsive Inclusive and Collective Solutions, Jaipur Declaration was unanimously adopted. The BRICS

member countries have resolved to intensify, diversify and institutionalize STI cooperation through the BRICS

innovation and research initiative.

India‘s proposal to establish a BRICS Science and Technology driven Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Partnership Programme to harness innovativeness of youth was also agreed.

Himansh, India‟s remote, high-altitude station opens in Himalayas

October 11, 2016

A high altitude glaciological research station in Himalaya called Himansh (meaning a slice of ice) began

functioning above 13,500 ft (4000 m) in a remote region in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Researchers will use this

station as a base for undertaking surveys that would digitize the glacier motion and snow cover variations with

exceptional precision.

Key Facts

Himansh station will provide much needed fillip to the scientific research on Himalayan glaciers and its

hydrological contribution. The research lab has been established by the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean

Research (NCAOR) in Spiti Valley, one of the most uninhabited parts of the country the station houses

instruments to quantify glacier melting and its relation to changing climate.



Some of the instruments available at this research facility include automatic weather stations, ground

penetrating radars, geodetic GPS systems and other sophisticated facilities. It will also serve as the base for

Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for undertaking surveys.

Significance

The Himalayan region has the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps. It is called the ―Water

Tower of Asia‖. It is source of 10 major river systems that provide irrigation, drinking water and power for over

700 million people (10% of world‘s population) living in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Thus, understanding behaviour of these Himalayan glaciers and their contribution to sustainable supply of water

for mankind and agriculture is one of grand challenges of Indian scientific community.

Russia, Turkey agree to intensify military, intelligence contacts

October 11, 2016

The Russia and Turkey have agreed to intensify military and intelligence contacts. They also have agreed on the

need for aid to get to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. Decision in this regard was taken after meeting

between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin on sidelines of World

Energy Congress in Istanbul.

Key Facts

The two countries also have signed a deal to construct two TurkStream gas pipeline pipelines to send Russian

gas under the Black Sea to Turkey. Turkey will use one pipeline for its domestic consumption and the other will

supply southeastern Europe, bypassing Ukraine.

Improvement in Relations

This was the first time Russian President Putin visited Turkey after their relations were strained after Turkey, a

NATO member had downed a Russian war plane in November 2015 alongside the Syrian border. Since then

relations between both countries had ebbed after Russia had imposed economic sanctions against Turkey.

Turkey is massively dependent on energy imports from Russia for its energy security. Besides, first nuclear

power station of Turkey is also being built with Russian help.

Syria

However, both nations still differ over Syrian strategy and plan. Russia has always stood by Assad regime in

Syria throughout the years of unrest. Russia had further intensified its support to regime by launching an air

campaign against rebels. Contrastingly, Turkey always stood against Assad and helped the rebel factions.

Turkey‘s decision was seen counterproductive as it had further strengthened the stronghold of ISIS in Syria and

surrounding region and also intensified the Syrian civil war and leading to spread of terrorism and refugee crisis.

Union Government to invest Rs 15000 crore to increase Panipat oil refinery capacity

October 11, 2016

The Union Government has decided to invest 15,000 crore rupees to increase the capacity of Panipat refinery in

Haryana to 25 Million Tonnes from existing 15 Million Tonnes. It was announced by Union Minister of State

(MoS) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan at a function in Panipat.

Key Facts

The expansion of Panipat refinery will help raise specifications of fuel quality from BS-IV to BS-VI to meet

future demand. It will also create employment opportunities for the people and also help in raising quality of



fuel in the country by the year 2020. Besides, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will also set up bio-ethanol plant in

Panipat to generate alternative fuel from agricultural residue which would boost agriculture sector.

What is Bioethanol?

It is an alcohol derived by process of fermentation mostly from carbohydrates of agricultural residue and

feedstocks. As a quasi-renewable energy, ethonal can be blended with petrol or diesel making it a sustainable

transport fuel. It will help to reducing emissions and dependency on imported fuel.

Benefits of bio-ethanol plant

Help in solving the chronic problem of straw burning of leftover agro-based produce especially from wheat and

rice feedstocks. Benefit farmers economically, as they would be paid for their agro-based produce to extract bio-

ethanol. It would also help in preventing the loss of fertility of soil anddamage to environment by reducing air

pollution.

Union Government to commemorate birth centenary of Nanaji Deshmukh

October 11, 2016

The Union Government is going to commemorate the birth centenary of social activist and former RSS leader

Nanaji Deshmukh from October 11, 2016 to October 11, 2017. It was announced by the Union Culture Minister

Mahesh Sharma during inaugural programme organised on the eve of the birth centenary celebrations.

Who is Nanaji Deshmukh? Nanaji Deshmukh was a social activist who had worked in the fields of education,

health, and rural self-reliance. He was a leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and RSS. He was born as Chandikadas

Amritrao Deshmukh on October 11, 1916 in Kadoli in Maharashtra‘s Hingoli district and passed away on

February 27, 2010.

He was inspired by Lokamanya Tilak and his nationalist ideology. He was associated with Dr. Keshav Baliram

Hedgewar, founding Sarsanghachalak of the RSS. He also had actively participated in Bhoodan Movement

started by Vinoba Bhave. He also had supported the Total Revolution movement of J P Narayan.

He was one of main architects of the Janata Party. He had won in the 1977 Lok election from Balrampur Lok

Sabha constituency of Uttar Pradesh. He had established Chitarkoot Gramoday Vishwavidyalaya in Chitrakoot,

India‘s first rural University and had served as its Chancellor. He had done pioneering work towards the anti-

poverty and minimum needs programme.

He had implemented the philosophy of integral humanism to improve the living standards of more than 150

villages of bundelkhand. He was nominated to Rajya Sabha in the 1999 in recognition of his services to the

nation. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1999.

Abdelilah Bekirane elected as Prime minister of Morocco

October 12, 2016

Abdelilah Bekirane was re-appointed as the Prime Minister of Morocco for second term. Benkirane has been

serving as Prime Minister since November 2011. It was officially announced by Mohammed VI, the king of

Morocco after Benkirane‘s Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD) emerged victorious in recent general

election.

Now PM Bekirane will now reach out to other parties to form a coalition government as he does not have

absolute majority in lower house.

Background



In recently concluded general election the PJD party had emerged single largest party by winning 125 seats.

While the opposition Authenticity and Modernity Party came second with 102 seats. Morocco‘s oldest party

Istiqlal (Independence) Party emerged third winning 46 seats. Morocco has multi-party system which makes it

impossible for any political party to win an absolute majority in the lower house of 395 members.

Of the total 395 members, 305 are elected in multi-seat constituencies from electoral lists, while of the

remaining 90 seats, 60 seats are reserved for a national list of women. Reest 30 seats are set aside for the young

candidates below the age of 35.

About Abdelilah Bekirane

Born in 1954 in Rabat, Morocco. He holds graduate degree in Physics. He is former Managing Editor of Al-

Islah, Ar-Raya and Attajdid newspapers. In 2016, he was elected for a fifth term in Parliament and represents

Salé constituency since November 1997. Since 2008, he is secretary-general of the Justice and Development

Party of Morocco.

Jitu Rai wins Champion of Champions pistol award of ISSF

October 12, 2016

Ace Indian Shooter Jitu Rai has won the 2016 Champion of Champions pistol Award of the International

Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) for pistol shooting. He won the award consisting cash prize of €5000 in the

World Cup Final held in Bologna, Italy. In the 10 m Air Pistol Champions Trophy final Jitu Rail defeated Damir

Mikec of Serbia by 29.6 to 28.3 points. Olympic champion Anna Korakaki finished third in this event.

10 m Air Pistol Champions Trophy

It was the mixed knock-out competition meant only for the medallists in the World Cup Final. In this event

shooters are eliminated after the first four shots, one each after every successive shot. The last two compete on a

three-shot format.

Other Awards

In the rifle event category, the honour went to Sergey Kamenskiy of Russia. He had defeated twotime Olympian

Du Li of China by 31.7 to 31.6 points. London Olympics champion Yi Siling of China Took the third place.

Harikatha: traditional art of story-telling in South India

October 12, 2016

Harikatha, a traditional art story-telling was in news for its revival due to patronage from various cultural

organisation. Harikatha is a form of Hindu religious discourse in which the storyteller explores a religious

theme, usually based on the life of a saint or a story from an Indian epic.

What is Harikatha?

Harikatha is an art form composed of storytelling, music, drama, dance, poetry, and philosophy in South India

especially in villages of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It had originated from Ajjada village of

Srikakulam in Coastal Andhra. Its aim is to imbue truth and righteousness in the minds of people and sow the

seeds of devotion in them.

It also aims to educate people about knowledge of atman (self) through stories and show them the path of

liberation. Harikatha at its peak was a popular medium of entertainment, which had helped to transmit cultural,

educational and religious values to the masses.

Style of Harikatha



Harikatha involves the narration of a story, intermingled with various songs relating to the story. The subject for

the Harikatha story may be any Hindu religious theme. Usually the narration of story involves numerous sub-

plots and anecdotes, which are used to emphasise various aspects of the main story.

The main story teller is usually assisted by one or more co-singers, who elaborate the songs and Mridangam

accompanist. The storyteller uses a pair of cymbals to keep beat.

Telangana Government creates 21 new districts

October 12, 2016

Telangana Government in its the biggest administrative reform has created 21 new districts. With this

reorganisation, the total number of districts in the State went up to 31 from 10.

The 21 new districts are: Siddipet, Jayashankar, Jangaon, Jagtial, Yadadri, Warangal (Rural), Peddapally,

Sangareddy, Kamareddy, Mancheriyal, Kothagudem, Vikarabad, Rajanna, Asifabad, Suryapet, Wanaparthy,

Nirmal, Mahabubabad, Nagarkurnool, Jogulamba and Malkajgiri.

Earlier 10 districts are: Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar, Ranga Reddy, Karimnagar, Medak, Adilabad, Warangal,

Nizamabad, Khammam and Nalgonda.

Background

Earlier, Telangana government had decided to issue an ordinace to amend some provisions of the Telangana

District (Formation) Act, 1974 to abridge the process for increasing the number of districts in state beyond 27.

Besides, formation of new districts it also has called for reconstitution of revenue divisions and other

administrative units along with the new districts.

Why new districts were formed?

Telangana came into existence as the 29th State of India on June 2, 2014 after it was carved out of Andhra

Pradesh. Since then it was having 10 districts. With this administrative reform, each district on average will

have a population of two lakhs to four lakhs except in Hyderabad where the population will be little more

Through small districts, state government seek to deliver people-centric welfare schemes and governance to all

citizens in the state with greater focus.

This system has been adopted based on governance models of Scandinavian countries.

Union Government to adopt three-pronged approach to spur internal trade

October 12, 2016

The Union Government may soon consider adopting a three-pronged approach to revitalize domestic retail and

wholesale trade. The three-pronged approach includes (i) Establishing a regulatory body for national internal

trade (retail and wholesale) (ii) Comprehensive domestic trade policy and (ii) Board for Internal Trade.

Need for new approach

Domestic trade mainly comprises non-corporate small businesses providing employment to an estimated 460

million people. Currently, there is no single regulatory body or Ministry for such six crore small businesses in

the country that have collective annual turnover of around Rs. 30 lakh crore. The current approach policy regime

and the environment is considered only conducive for foreign retail giants and their Indian partners or

counterparts

Implications

The proposed three-pronged policy approach will address need of these small businesses with an aim to generate

employment, improve financial inclusion of small traders. It will also ensure ease of doing business by



eliminating multiplicity of approvals, improve competiveness of economy and boost overall demand to boost

growth.

Besides, the new strategy will also help to link Central Government‘s flagship initiatives such as Digital India,

Skill India and Make In India with these small businesses.

China raps US over Asia interventions

October 12, 2016

China has rapped United States for its interventions in Asia as tensions are growing between the two powers

over territorial disputes in the South China Sea (SCS). In this regard, China‘s Defence Minister has levied thinly

veiled criticism at recent US involvement in Asia‘s trouble spots.

China-US Issue China has claimed its territorial rights over almost the entire South China Sea region while

other countries Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have rival claims. To support its rights,

China also has built artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities the strategically vital South China

Sea.

Earlier to oppose China‘s moves, US had conducted freedom of navigation operations close to artificial islands

built by China in the SCS as it pose a challenge to freedom of navigation. Besides, it also had agreed to deploy a

missile defence system in South Korea following repeated nuclear and missile tests by China‘s ally North

Korea.

US also has sought to ―pivot‖ to Asia by increasing its military and economic engagement with countries in

region which is seen as its move to contain China‘s growing power. In July 2016, an international Permanent

Court of Arbitration (PCA) in its pronouncement had ruled that China has no legal basis over the entire SCS.

However, China has rejected PCA verdict.

India-Indonesia bilateral maritime exercise commences at Belawan, Indonesia

October 12, 2016

The 28th India and Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and Second Bilateral Maritime Exercise have

commenced at Belawan, Indonesia in the Andaman Sea. The 17-day-long bilateral exercise (from 10 to 27,

October, 2016) will demonstrate India‘s commitment to its ties with Indonesia and to maritime security in

Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Key Facts

The bilateral maritime exercise and CORPAT will see participation by one warship and one maritime patrol

aircraft from navies of both countries. India will be represented by INS Karmuk, an indigenously built missile

corvette, based under Andaman and Nicobar Command alongwith a Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

These naval interactions will provide opportunities for both countries for extensive operational and training

engagements. Besides, it will also contribute substantively to the maintenance of good order at sea. The bilateral

naval exercise also seeks to strengthen existing bonds of friendship between both countries. It will also

underscore India‘s partnership and solidarity with friendly countries of the region.

Background

Defence relations between India and Indonesia are growing steadily with regular joint activities and

interactions between the Armed Forces of the two countries. The navies of both countries have been carrying

out CORPAT on respective sides of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) twice a year since 2002.



The main aim of CORPAT is to keep the vital part of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) safe and secure for

commercial shipping, International trade and legitimate marine activities. The CORPAT has helped to

strengthened understanding and interoperability between the two navies and also has promoted net maritime

security in the region.

NASA develops electroactive bandage to speed up wound healing

October 12, 2016

The NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has developed a new high-tech electroactive

bandage that uses electricity to significantly promote healing of injured wounds. The high-tech bandage creates

an electric charge to promote the healing process of wounds in space especially in conditions of non-Earth

gravity.

Need

In conditions of non-Earth gravity, human blood displays quite different behaviour from that on Earth. In case

of injury in space, wounds heal more slowly Considering the survival risks due to injury and the cost of space

missions, healing wounds as fast as possible is crucial.

Key Facts

The electroactive bandage uses a new material called polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) which can be stimulated

by pressure of cell growth and body heat. The new material generates a small amount of electricity when

interacts with another surface, including human skin. When this electroactive bandage is applied to an external

wound site, it utilises low level electrical stimulation to promote wound healing.

The bandage speeds the wound‘s healing process and minimises infection and related complications such as

amputation or illness.

Potential Applications: This bandage could be used by astronauts in space, military personnel wounded in

field, patients who have undergone surgery or who have suffered a serious wound.

CERC appointed committee suggests overhaul in transmission planning

October 12, 2016

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) appointed committee has submitted its

recommendations. It was headed by power system expert Mata Prasad. The committee has suggested an

overhaul in transmission planning to facilitate transfer of power on economic principles.

Key Recommendations Transmission planning: It must be aligned to meet customer aspirations as opposed to

existing system where transmission is associated with long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).

It can should be done basis of projected load of states and anticipated generation scenario based on economic

principles of merit order operation.

Renewable energy sources transmission system: To be planned by central transmission utility (CTU) based

on estimated capacity additions in perspective plan and renewable purchase obligations of each state.

Promote of power market: Transmission corridor allocation must be done suitably made. 5% of each flow gate

may be reserved for day-ahead collective transactions. This flow gate may be released for contingency market in

case of non-utilisation of corridor by power exchanges. The percentage of reservation may be reviewed after 1

year of operation.



System studies: They must be carried out for various generation and load scenarios during peak and off-peak

hours. It should also consider renewable capacity addition and scheduling of various generating stations that

don‘t have any PPAs.

Creation of a central repository of generators: It should be created in the Central Electricity Authority of

India (CEA).In this case any generation project developer proposing to set up a new generation plant must

register itself.

For accurate demand forecasting: Hand-holding of states by CEA and CTU for accurate demand forecasting.

States must procure software for short-term, medium-term and longterm demand forecasting.

Finance Ministry constitutes committee to consolidate regulation of pension products

October 13, 2016

The Union Finance Ministry has constituted a high-level committee to consolidate the regulation of pension

products that is currently being done by three different watchdogs including insurance and stock market

regulators.

The committee would have representatives from all financial sector regulators SEBI, IRDA, RBI and PFRDA.

Its mandate will be to look into the issue of bringing these companies which are offering pension plans under

different regulators under the purview of PFRDA.

Note

PFRDA: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority. SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of

India. IRDA: Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India. RBI: Reserve Bank of India.

Why there is need to consolidate regulation of pension products?

The PFRDA Act says that PFRDA will be the pension regulator in the country. Currently, pension products

floated by insurance companies and those sold by mutual funds are under purview of IRDA and SEBI

respectively. Thus, there are cases of overlapping functions performed by financial sector regulators SEBI,

IRDA, RBI and PFRDA in case of floating different pension products. For instance PFRDA is regulating all

pension products in the country.

However, insurers and mutual funds continue to sell pension products outside PFRDA‘s watch. The PFRDA

Act says that PFRDA will be the pension regulator in the country. About Pension Fund Regulatory and

Development Authority (PFRDA) PFRDA is a statuary pension regulatory authority established in 2003 under

the PFRDA Act.

It functions under the aegis of Union Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services. PFRDA promotes

old age income security by establishing, developing and regulating pension funds. It also protects interests of

subscribers to schemes of pension funds and related matters. It is responsible for appointment of various

intermediate agencies such as Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA), Custodian, Pension Fund Managers,

NPS Trustee Bank, etc.

Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Hungary on cooperation in field of water management

October 13, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India

and Hungary on cooperation in the field of water management. The MoU will be signed between Union

Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and the Ministry of Interior,

Government of Hungary.



This is for the first time India is entering into a MoU with Hungary with wide-ranging areas on water sector.

Key Features of MoU

Both the countries will cooperate in the field of river basin management, integrated water resources

management, irrigation technology innovation, efficiency in water supply and flood & drought management to

improve the socio-economic conditions of the people.

They will also exchange of scientific delegations and experts in the field of water resources development and

management for joint activities.

Benefits

Enhance bilateral cooperation in the field of water management, on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.

Encourage the development of bilateral relations between private and public organizations concerning water

resources of both the countries.

First World Tsunami Awareness Day to be celebrated at AMCDRR 2016

October 13, 2016

The first World Tsunami Awareness Day will be celebrated on November 5, 2016 at the Asian Ministerial

Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016. The conference will organised from November 3 to

5, 2016 in New Delhi by the Union Government in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk

Reduction (UNISDR).

To commemorate the occasion, an event will be organised with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Champions at

the AMCDRR 2016.

About World Tsunami Awareness Day

The World Tsunami Awareness Day was instituted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by

adopting a resolution proposed by Japan.

The objective of the day is to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers

of tsunami and stress on the importance of early warning systems in order to mitigate damage from the

devastating natural calamity. It also seeks to revive traditional knowledge about tsunamis.

Background:

November 5 was selected by UNGA to coincide with the annual anniversary of the 1854 Inamura-no-hi (Fire of

Inamura) event. On this day in 1854, a villager in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan through his quick action had

saved countless lives when he set fire to sheaves of rice on the top of a hill, thus warning people of the imminent

danger of a tsunami. This was the first documented instance of a tsunami early warning.

India‟s initiatives Following the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, Central Government established

an Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC). It is operational since October 2007. ITEWC was

established under the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) at Hyderabad.

The Centre has state-of-the-art infrastructure for generating and disseminating tsunami bulletins for the entire

Indian Ocean region. Besides, India along with 23 other Indian Ocean countries had participated in a tsunami

mock drill in September 2016.

Union Cabinet approves establishment of IIM in Jammu

October 13, 2016



The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment and operationalisation of Indian Institute of Management

(IIM) at Jammu. It will become operational from the Academic Year 2016-17 at the transit or temporary campus

at Old Government College of Engineering & Technology.

Key Facts

For the initial four years from 2016 to 2020, the IIM will function in the temporary campus. The student

strength intake in Post Graduate Diploma Programme (PGDP) in Management for year 2016-17 will be 54. It

will be progressively increased to 120 in 4th year.

Meanwhile, steps will also be taken up for setting up campus at Jammu and an out-campus in Kashmir region.

The Detailed Project Report under preparation for the permanent campuses and the process for setting up of the

campuses would start after it.

The Union Cabinet also approved formation of an IIM Jammu Society under the Societies Registration Act,

1860. IIM Jammu will be run and managed by the Society with a Board of Governors (BOGs) to be constituted

by the Central Government. BOGs will administer the Institute and would be responsible for establishment and

operationalisation of the Institute.

Comment

It was announced as part of Prime Minister‘s development package for Jammu & Kashmir. The IMM coupled

with opening of IIT at Jammu, NIT Srinagar and two new AIIMS institutions, one each in Jammu region and

Kashmir region will help in meeting the requirement of high quality living and education in Jammu & Kashmir.

Background

IIM are the country‘s premier institutions imparting best quality education in management. At present, there are

total nineteen IIMs. Out of these, thirteen IIMs are located at Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Indore,

Lucknow, Raipur, Kozhikode, Rohtak, Ranchi, Shillong, Kashipur, Trichy, Udaipur.

New six IIMs were started in 2015 and they are located at Amritsar, Nagpur, Sirmaur, Sambalpur, Bodhgaya

and Vishakhapatnam.

Four PSBs may struggle to pay AT1 bond coupons

October 13, 2016

Four public sector banks (PSBs) may struggle to make coupon payments on their additional tier 1 (AT1) bond as

they have reported heavy losses due to a surge in bad loans. In this case coupon payment is an annual interest

paid on the face value of a bond. It is expressed as a percentage. AT1 bond is issued under Basel III capital

regulations.

Why PSBs finding difficult to pay them?

The main reasons that may affect ability of PSBs to pay coupon on AT1 bonds are decline in profitability and

increasing losses that may wipe out their revenue reserves.

Government‟s position

Union Government has committed capital support to these PSBs on the coupon on AT1 bonds. However, this

support can only be serviced through PSBs current year‘s profit or from revenue reserves. Thus, any capital

infusion by the government alone cannot help the banks to service coupon on these bonds.

What are Additional Tier 1 (AT1) Bonds?

AT1 bonds are the hybrid bonds that combine debt and equity elements. They are also called as contingent

convertible capital instruments (CoCos). AT1 or Cocos bonds have their roots in financial crisis when



governments were forced to bail out banks. They are the riskiest debt issued by banks and do not have any set

maturity date.

The defining characteristic of AT1 or Cocos bond is that it may be converted into shares when certain

conditions are met. For example, when a company runs into trouble, the owners lose their stake and the debt

becomes equity, lenders turns into owners. But in case of banks such negotiations are not possible. The coco

bonds are designed to anticipate that process and transform automatically from debt to equity.

October 13: International Day for Disaster Reduction

October 13, 2016

The International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) is observed annually on 13 October across the world

encourage citizens and governments to take part in building more disaster resilient communities and nations.

Significance of the day: It seeks to spread awareness about reining the risks of disasters around theworld and

also reduce exposure of people and communities to disasters. 2016 Theme: ―Live to Tell: Raising Awareness,

Reducing Mortality‖.

The 2016 edition of IDDR marks the launch of the new Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction by

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). UNISDR‘s campaign for the day is Sendai

Seven that seeks to create a wave of awareness about actions taken to reduce mortality around the world.

Background

The International Day for Disaster Reduction was instituted by UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 1989 to

promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. Earlier, this day was celebrated annually on

the second Wednesday of October. But in 2009, the UNGA formally designated 13 October as the annual date

by adopting Resolution 64/200.

What is Sendai Framework?

The Sendai Framework is a 15-year voluntary, non-binding agreement which recognizes that the countries have

the primary role to reduce disaster risk. It also recognises that this responsibility of countries should be shared

with other stakeholders including local government, private sector and other stakeholders.

It is the successor agreement to the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015), which was the most

encompassing international accord on disaster risk reduction to date. The Sendai Framework also seeks to

promote best practices at the international, regional and national level across all sectors, to reduce disaster risk

and disaster losses.

The framework has seven targets and first of it is reducing disaster mortality. The four priority themes of the

Sendai Framework are: (i) Understanding disaster risk, (ii) improving disaster risk governance, (iii) investing in

disaster risk reduction (through structural and non-structural measures) and (iv) disaster preparedness, early

warning and building back better in the aftermath of a disaster.

Draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 suggests basin-level management

October 13, 2016

The Central Government has brought final draft of the National Water Framework Bill, 2016 to provide

uniform national legal framework to manage water in a better and efficient way the comprehensive draft Bill

proposes model law for all states. However, water being a State subject under VII Schedule of constitution the

law will be not binding on States for adoption.

Need



The water shortage problem is escalating and country has witnessed acute drought situation in certain parts. In

future, such situations may increase backdrop of climate change. Besides, presently in absence of institutional

arrangement there are inter-state water disputes because states do not their contributions to a river‘s catchment

area to resolve conflicts.

Key Features of Bill

Every person has a right to sufficient quantity of safe water for life within easy reach of the household

regardless of his/her socio-economic factors. All basin states have equitable rights over the use of river water

provided such use does not violate the right to water for life of any person in the river basin.

States must recognise the principle that the rivers are public trustees and not owned by the basin-States. All the

basin States are equal in rights and status, and there is no hierarchy of rights among them. Here equality of

rights means not equal but equitable shares in river waters.

Managing water at river basin-level and right measurement of State‘s contribution to river system to in order to

resolve conflicts. Establishing River Basin Authority (RBA) for each inter-State basin to ensure optimum and

sustainable development of rivers and valleys.

Establishing institutional arrangements to deal with inter-state water disputes in order to ―obviate‖ disputes

through negotiations, mediation or conciliation. Proposes other mechanisms such as National water quality and

footprint standards, integrated river basin development and management plan and Graded pricing system.

IISER researchers use human hair to produce cheaper cathodes for solar cells

October 13, 2016

Researchers from Kolkata based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have produced

cost-effective, metal-free cathodes using human hair for use in solar cells.

Significance: This is the first instance where a bio-waste-derived electrode (in this case human hair) has been

used as cathode in a quantum dot sensitised solar cell device.

Key Facts

IISER researchers have developed graphitic porous carbon cathode by cleaning and drying human hair and

treating with sulphuric acid to achieve precarbonisation. It was then heated at different temperatures in the

presence of inert gas for six hours to carbonise and bring better electrical conductivity for efficient charge

transfer.

This efficient green cathode achieves highly catalytic graphitic porous carbon stage at optimum temperature of

850 degrees C.

Advantages

Producing graphitic porous carbon cathode using human hair is simple, quick and inexpensive. It has potential

to bring down the cost of solar cells. The bio-waste-derived cathode has higher efficiency to convert visible

sunlight to electricity. It also enhances the power conversion efficiencies. It generates high open-circuit voltage

compared to conventional platinum and activated carbon cathodes.

It is metal-free cathode, while commonly used cathode is made of platinum metal and metal sulfides.

CCEA approves revision of ethanol price for supply to Public Sector OMCs

October 13, 2016



The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the mechanism for revision of ethanol price

for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). The revised administered price will facilitate

OMCs to carry out the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme for the next sugar season 2016-17.

Key facts

The revision of ethanol prices will facilitate continuation of Government policy in providing price stability and

remunerative prices for ethanol suppliers. Charges will be paid to the ethanol suppliers as per actuals in case of

Excise Duty and GST/VAT and transportation charges as decided by the OMCs.

However, these prices of ethanol can be reviewed and suitably revised by Central Government at any time

during ethanol supply period (from 1 December, 2016 to 30 November, 2017) depending upon prevailing

economic situation and other relevant factors.

Background

The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme was launched by the Central Government in 2003 to promote the

use of alternative and environment friendly fuels. It was intervention sought to reduce import dependency for

energy requirements and environment friendly measure to reduce vehicular pollution.

However, since 2006, OMCs were not able to meet required quantity of ethanol demand against the tenders

floated by them. The various constraints for it were like State Specific issues, Supplier related issues including

Pricing issues of ethanol.

In order to augment the supply of ethanol, a new mechanism for pricing of ethanol was placed in where

Government decided delivered price of ethanol at OMC depots. The decision has helped in significantly

improving the supply of ethanol.

What is Ethanol Blending?

The ethanol blending is process of mixing petrol with ethanol. The mixture is called as Ethanol Fuel / Gasohol

which is considered as a quasi-renewable energy. Ethanol is biofuel derived from Sugarcane molasses (by-

product in the conversion of sugarcane to sugar), corn, sorghum etc. In India, practice of blending ethanol was

started in 2001.

Ethanol blending for first time was mention in the Auto fuel policy of 2003. Later, the National Policy on Bio-

fuels, 2009 made mandatory for oil companies to sell petrol blended with at least 5% of ethanol.

Benefits of ethanol blending

It reduces the vehicular emissions especially carbon monoxide emissions. It is cheaper than petrol as it is

cheaper to manufacture. It decreases a nation dependence on foreign oil. Ethanol has a higher octane rating than

ethanol-free petrol. In case of India, ethanol production can give higher sugarcane price for farmers which can

help in rural prosperity.

Union Cabinet approves MoU between EXIM bank and NDB

October 14, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a MoU on General Cooperation with New Development

Bank (NDB) or BRICS Bank and Export Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank). The MoU will be through the

BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism.

The MoU will help enhance trade and economic relations among the BRICS countries. However there is no

financial implication involved with signing of the MoU.

What is Purpose of MoU?



This MoU is a non-binding umbrella agreement. It aims at establishing a cooperation framework in accordance

with the national laws and regulations. Besides it also seeks for skills transfer and knowledge sharing amongst

the signatories.

Why this MoU was signed?

The establishment of the NDB reflects the close relations among the BRICS countries and provides a powerful

instrument for increasing their economic cooperation among them. The signing of MoU is necessary keeping in

view the strategic relevance of cooperation for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth among

BRICS countries.

It also reflects cooperation extended by the BRICS members in various forms for promoting and facilitating

trade of goods and services as well as investments in mutual projects.

Background

The BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism was established by the five banks from the BRIC nations to

enhance trade and economic relations amongst the BRIC countries, and enterprises. It proposes to sign a MOU

on General Co-operation with the NDB.

BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are developing countries, collectively

accounting for 43% of the world‘s population, 15% of global trade and 20% of the world‘s investment flows.

Antonio Guterres elected as new Secretary-General of UN

October 14, 2016

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has formally elected Antonio Guterres (67) as the new

Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this regard, 193 member states of UN adopted by acclamation a

resolution for appointing Antonio Guterres. He will have five-year term beginning January 1, 2017.

He will succeed retiring Ban Ki-moon who has completed two five-year terms as the world‘s top diplomat.

Earlier in October 2016, Antonio Guterres had won unanimous support from UN Security Council (UNSC).

Who is Antonio Guterres?

Antonio Guterres is Portuguese politician and diplomat. He had entered politics in 1976 during Portugal‘s first

democratic election after the ―Carnation Revolution‖ which had ended five decades of dictatorship.

He was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. He was the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR) from June 2005 to December 2015. He led the UNHCR through during one of the world‘s

worst present refugee crises, including those in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

About Secretary-General of United Nations

The UN Secretary-General is the head of the United Nations Secretariat. He is de facto spokesperson and leader

of the UN. The role Secretary-General has been mentioned in Chapter XV (Articles 97 to 101) of UN Charter.

The post lasts for five years and is limited to a maximum of two terms.

Summary

The post of Secretary-General of United Nations is not as powerful, but he serves as the UN‘s top diplomat and

chief administrative officer. He has to run an unwieldy bureaucracy and manage the competing demands of the

world‘s big powers. His role is to step in both publicly and privately to prevent escalation of international

disputes.

India receives first Iranian oil parcel for emergency reserves

October 14, 2016



India has received the first parcel of crude oil from Iran to partly fill the strategic storage in southern India as

part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs) storage. The first parcel of 2 million barrels of Iranian oil was

imported by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) with the help of very large crude carrier

(VLCC) Dino.

India is planning to fill half of the storage with 6 million barrels of Iranian oil while continuing talks with

United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for the remainder. The second parcel of such reserve will be procured

by Bharat Petroleum Corp.

Why it is important for India to have strategic storage?

India imports around 80% of its crude oil requirement from the international market. Most of these imports

come from Middle East which is unstable region. Any price aberrations in crude oil prices have a direct impact

on the Indian economy especially upon the current account and inflation amounting to strategic risks.

Thus, it is necessary for India to have SPRs which will act as a valuable buffer against short term oil supply

disruptions and global price shocks.

Government Proposals

Since 2003, the Central Government has commissioned the strategic oil reserves to maintain nation‘s energy as

well as economic security. The erstwhile Planning Commission in its Integrated Energy Policy, 2006 also had

recommended to maintain a reserve equivalent to 90 days of oil imports for strategic-cumbuffer stock purposes.

The recommendation was based on identification that any supply, market and technical risks in global supply

chain of oil may become major threat to India‘s energy security.

Present Status

India is building emergency SPR storages in vast underground caverns at three locations in southern India to

store about 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil enough crude to cover almost two weeks of demand. They are

located are in Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur.

Bob Dylan wins 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature

October 14, 2016

American singer-songwriter, artist and writer Bob Dylan (75) has won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature. He is

the first American to win the prize since novelist Toni Morrison in 1993. The Swedish Academy has selected

Dylan for this prestigious award for creating new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.

About Bob Dylan

Born as Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota. His debut album was ‗Bob Dylan‘

released in 1962. He had adopted the name Dylan after the poet Dylan Thomas. He is one of the best-selling

artists (musician) of all time and has sold more than 100 million records.

He has 58 singles, 37 studio albums, 11 live albums and 6 collaborations to his name. Besides, his lyrics ave

incorporated various political, social, philosophical and literary influences. His early songs such as The Times

They Are a-Changin and Blowin‘ in the Wind were the anthems for the American civil rights and anti-war

movements.

He has published six books of drawings and paintings, and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries.

Awards and Honours: 11 Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Award and Academy Award (Oscar). The Pulitzer

Prize jury had awarded him a special citation in 2008 for his profound impact on popular music and American

culture.



About Nobel Prize in Literature

The Nobel Prize in Literature is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895. It

is awarded since 1901. It is awarded annually to an author from any country that has produced the most

outstanding work in an ideal direction in the field of literature.

The award carries a gold medal, a diploma bearing a citation, and a sum of money. Recent winners of Nobel

Prize for Literature: Svetiana Alexievich (2015), Patrick Modiano (2014), Alice Munro (Canada), Yo Yan

(China).

India ranked 97th in 2016 Global Hunger Index

October 14, 2016

India has been ranked low 97th among the 118 countries surveyed in 2016 Global Hunger Index (GHI). In 2016

GHI, India has scored low 28.5 on a 0-100 point scale of the index. It describes India‘s hunger situation as

―serious. The index was released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

What is Global Hunger Index (GHI)?

The GHI is a multidimensional statistical tool used to describe the state of countries‘ hunger situation. It is

released annually by IFPRI since 2006. It ranks countries on a 100-point scale. Zero on the scale is the best

score (no hunger), and 100 is the worst. It highlights successes and failures in hunger reduction and provides

insights into the drivers of hunger.

Thus, GHI aims to trigger actions to reduce hunger. The GHI is calculated by taking into account four indicator

parameters. They are (i) Undernourished population (1/3rd weight), (ii) Child wasting (1/6th weight), (iii) Child

stunting (1/6th weight) and (iii) Infant mortality rate (1/3rd weight). Stunting: Deficiency in height in relation

to age, reflects chronic undernutrition. Wasting: Low weight in relation to a child‘s height, reflects acute

undernutrition.

Key highlights of 2016 GHI

There is widespread and chronic lack of balanced food in India. About 15% of under-5 children are `wasted‘ and

39% of under-5 children are ‗stunted‘. The under-5 mortality rate is 4.8% in India, partially reflecting the fatal

synergy of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.

Estimated 15% population is undernourished and lacks in adequate food intake, both in quantity and quality.

Though India runs two of the world‘s biggest children‘s nutrition programmes malnutrition continues to haunt

India.

These two programmes are ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) for children under 6 years and the

mid-day meal programme for school going kids up to the age of 14 the main reasons for the sorry state in India

are endemic poverty, unemployment, lack of sanitation and safe drinking water, and lack of effective healthcare.

India‟s Neighbours 22 MPs from smaller parties, independents in Rajya Sabha recognised as a consolidated

bloc

October 14, 2016

Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has recognised a group of 22 MPs belonging to

smaller parties and certain Independents as a consolidated bloc — the United Group. With this recognition the

United Group, will be the third largest group of MPs in the Rajya Sabha, after the Congress and the BJP.

This is only the third time in the history of Indian Parliament consolidated bloc has been recognised, the first

was in 1983 and the second in 1990. In 1983, the first such consolidated group was called United Associations



of Members was recognized by the then Rajya Sabha Chairman M.Hidayatullah. In 1990, the then chairman of

Rajya Sabha recognised organised group of Parliamentarians and was renamed as the United Group.

What are benefits for consolidated bloc?

The newly recognised bloc will find a place in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) that decides time

allotment. Thus, MPs of bloc will secure more time to speak in House debates. At present, time allotted to

parties to speak on debates depends entirely on their strength in the House. Earlier due to their solitary or

numerically lean status, members of this bloc had as little as three minutes of speech time.

Thus, a grouping of this kind will make it possible for a party like Sikkim Democratic Front with a single MP to

speak for as much time as say, a Samajwadi Party with 19 MPs in Rajya Sabha.

About Rajya Sabha

The Council of States or Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Parliament. It is permanent house of the

Parliament and unlike the Lok Sabha it is not subject to dissolution. The origin of the Rajya Sabha as the second

chamber can be traced to the Montague- Chelmsford Report of 1918 and the Government of India Act, 1919.

As per Article 80 of Constitution, the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha is 250, out of which 238 are

representatives of States and of two Union Territories having legislatures (Delhi and Puducherry). These

members are indirectly elected by state and territorial legislatures using single transferable votes.

Remaining 12 members are nominated by the President for their contributions to art, literature, science, and

social services. Members of Rajya Sabha have six-year term and one third of the members retire every two

years. The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who presides over its sessions.

India to eliminate use of HFC-23 by 2030

October 14, 2016

India has decided to eliminate use of HFC-23, a greenhouse gas (GHG) that harms the ozone layer by 2030.

With this, India, is taking the lead on tackling climate change. It was announced during the 28th Meeting of the

Parties to the Montreal Protocol at Kigali in Rwanda. In this meeting, final negotiations are taking place to

substantially reduce the use of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 2030.

Key Facts

The elimination will potentially check emissions of HFC-23 equivalent to 100 million tones of CO2 over the

next 15 years. Indian companies will not be compensated for the costs involved in ensuring that these gases are

not released. This move is considered as a major break away from the concept of financial assistance for every

action on environment in which India earlier had shown the lead.

What is HFC-23?

HFC-23 is a by-product of HCFC-22 (Hydrochloroflurocarbon-22), which is used in industrial refrigeration. It is

a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) with global warming potential of 14,800 times more than that of CO2.

What is Montreal Protocol?

The Montreal Protocol, is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer. It came into force in 1989.

It aims at reducing the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in order to protect the

earth‘s fragile ozone layer.

It has been ratified by 197 parties making it universally ratified protocol in United Nations history. It is also

highly successful international arrangement, as it has phased-out more than 95% of the ODS so far in its main

mandate less than 30 years of its existence.



India, Russia ink agreement to set up 25 Agro Irradiation Centres

October 14, 2016

India and Russia have signed an agreement for cooperation in the development of a network of 25 integrated

infrastructure Agro irradiation centres. The agreement was signed between Indian Agricultural Association,

Hindustan Agro Co-Op Ltd (HACL) and United Innovation Corporation (UIC), a subsidiary of ROSATOM

State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia.

As part of the agreement, India-Russia joint venture (JV) will be formed in which HACL will have the majority

51% stakeholding. UIC will be a technology partner and will help set up the irradiation centres. In first phase 7

centers will be set up in Maharashtra in Sindhurg, Satara, Solapur, JNPT, Jalana, Napur and Pune.

Importance of Agreement

For the first time paves the way for establishment of network of integrated infrastructure irradiation centres in

India to reduce agricultural losses. These irradiation centres will help in treatment of perishable food items to

improve shelf life and cut post-harvest losses.

It will further increase basket perishable items for irradiation process on a commercial scale ranging from

flowers to fish. Expand India-Russia cooperation in civil nuclear energy.

Why India needs strong network of Agro Irradiation Centres?

In India post-harvest losses in food and food grains are around 40-50%. It is primarily due to microbiological

contamination, insect infestation, physiological changes due to sprouting and ripening, and poor shelf life. The

wastage of fruits and vegetables including cereals, meat, pulses and flowers results in the annual loss estimated

to be Rs. 2,50,000 crores.

There is presence of few low level irradiation plants in the country which are not adequate. So to reduce the

losses in food and food grains and meet the demand it is necessary to increase strong network of agro irradiation

centres.

What is food irradiation?

Food irradiation is a technology in which food products are subjected to a low dosage of radiation to treat them

for germs and insects, increasing their longevity and shelf life. It is the application of ionizing radiation to food

in which energy is transmitted without direct contact in the targeted food.

The radiation can be emitted by a radioactive substance or generated electrically. The irradiated food does not

become radioactive. Radioisotopes are used as the source for the gamma rays. Generally cobalt-60 radioisotope

is used as a radioactive source for gamma irradiation. Then International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

recommends the irradiation doses for Food irradiation.

Benefits: Irradiation is equivalent to pasteurization for solid foods, but it is not the same as sterilization. It does

not reduce the nutritional value of food products and does not change their organoleptic properties and

appearance. The irradiation treatment of food and foodgrains preserves them for longer time, prevent the spread

of invasive pests, delay/eliminate ripening or sprouting and reduce the risk of food borne illness.

Union Government to use post offices to distribute pulses

October 15, 2016

The Union Government has decided to utilise the vast network of post offices across the country to sell

subsidised pulses. The decision was taken during the meeting of the inter-ministerial committee on prices of

essential commodities headed by Consumer Affairs Secretary.



The committee reviewed the availability and prices of essential commodities, especially pulses. The prices of

pulses, sugar and other essential commodities. The committee decided to release more gram (chana) from buffer

stock to ensure its availability through retail distribution at reasonable prices during the festive season.

Why post offices will distribute pulses?

The purpose of this move is to ensure that there is no shortage of the pulses during the ongoing festival season.

The postal networks will fill the gap of absence of government outlets in the States for the distribution of pulses,

mainly, tur, urad and chana. It will help government to leverage strong network of around 1.54 lakh post offices

in the country, of which 1.39 lakh are in rural areas.

It will help government to release more pulses from buffer stock and sell it at subsidized prices to protect

consumers from high prices. In order to protect consumers from high prices, Central Government has been

releasing tur and urad from its buffer stocks to state governments as well as government agencies like NAFED

and Mother Dairy for retail distribution at a subsidised rate.

Women of India Festival 2016 of organic products inaugurated in New Delhi

October 15, 2016

The Women of India Festival 2016 of organic products was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Women &

Child Development in New Delhi the 10 day festival has been organised by the Union Ministry of Women &

Child Development to benefit women entrepreneurs, and also actively promote organic food and products.

Key Facts

The Women of India Festival is intended to highlight the health and environmental advantages of organic goods,

provide a platform for women engaged in this economy. It also seeks to encourage the development of

sustainable and easily accessible sales outlets for organic producers from remote areas. This year‘s Festival will

have 230 stalls and about 372 participants.

The list includes producers from 23 states/UTs. The festival will see display of large selection of organic

products ranging from food, fabrics and furniture to personal care, wellness and other products.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed as DG of Directorate General of Foreign Trade

October 15, 2016

Senior IAS officer Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been appointed as new Director General of Directorate General of

Foreign Trade (DGFT). He will succeed Anup Wadhawan, who has been appointed as Additional Secretary in

the Union Ministry of Commerce. He is a 1984 batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. Presently, he is

the Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Commerce.

About Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

The DGFT is the nodal agency of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, responsible for execution of

the import and export Policies of India. It is entrusted with responsibilities for formulating and implementing the

foreign trade policy with the main objective of promoting India‘s exports.

DGFT plays a very important role in the development of trading relations with various other nations. It also

plays important role in improving not only the economic growth but also provides a certain impetus needed in

the trade industry.

Bangladesh, China agree to elevate their ties to strategic partnership

October 15, 2016



Bangladesh and China have agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to ―strategic partnership‖. It was

announced during Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s visit Bangladesh. This is the first official state visit by

Chinese head of state to Bangladesh in three decades since President Li Xiannian‘s visit in March 1986.

Highlights of Chinese President Xi Jinping‟s visit the two countries also have agreed to jointly advance

China‘s one belt and road (OBOR) initiative. With this Bangladesh, formally joined China‘s OBOR initiative.

They also agreed to establish institutional cooperation in areas of maritime issues and counter-terrorism.

They also agreed to increase high level exchanges and strategic communication between them. Both countries

signed of 26 agreements on different sectors. Through these agreements consensus was reached to work together

in trade and investment and other key areas such as infrastructure, energy and power, agriculture, ICT and

transportation.

Comment

Geo-politically, Bangladesh is witnessing growing rivalry between China and India, particularly in the era of

weakening US role in the region. In this scenario, it signifies growing importance of the Bangladesh in South

Asia‘s economics and geo-politics.

Bangladesh maintains very strong military ties with China. Even Bangladesh‘s economic relations with China

have traditionally been dominated by trade. The bilateral trade between China and Bangladesh was about $12.5

billion in 2014 and Bangladesh‘s export to China has not exceeded even $1 billion.

However, in this new type of emerging big power relationship in the South Asia region relatively smaller

countries like Bangladesh are adjusting and maintaining balanced economic and geo-political relations,

particularly with China and India.

What is One Belt, One Road (OBOR) Initiative?

OBOR initiative is China‘s ambitious development strategy and framework focuses on connectivity and

cooperation among countries primarily between China and rest of Eurasia. It consists of two main components,

the land-based ―Silk Road Economic Belt‖ (SREB) and oceangoing 21st Century ―Maritime Silk Road‖ (MSR).

OBOR initiative part of China‘s revived 21st century Silk Road diplomacy that seeks to push it to take a bigger

role in global affairs as a major global power.

15 October: International Day of Rural Women

October 15, 2016

The International Day of Rural Women is observed annually across the world on 15 October to recognize the

critical role and contribution of rural women.

Significance of the day: Highlights the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous

women in enhancing rural and agricultural development, eradicating rural poverty and improving food security.

2016 Theme: ―Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too‖. It tries to bring focus on farmers,

pastoralists and fishers who are standing on the frontlines of food insecurity due to climate changed due to

temperatures rise.

The United Nations also calls for empowering rural women as a pre-requisite for fulfilling the vision of the

Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) which aims at ending poverty and hunger, achieve food security and

empower all women and girls.

Why International Day of Rural Women is celebrated?



Rural women, make up over a quarter of the total world population. Majority of them depend on natural

resources and agriculture for their livelihood. In developing countries, rural women represent approximately

43% of the agricultural labour force. They produce, prepare and process much of the food available, thereby

giving them primary responsibility for food security.

Thus it is important to recognise the contribution and significant role played by these rural women in food

security and poverty elevation. It is also necessary for ensuring rural women‘s access to productive agricultural

resources contributes to decreasing world hunger and poverty.

Background: The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15 October 2008. The day was

constituted by the UN General Assembly by passing resolution 62/136 in December 2007.

National Seismic Programme launched in Odisha

October 15, 2016

The Union Government has launched National Seismic Programme (NSP) to trace hydrocarbon resources like

oil and natural gas in Mahanadi basin. It was launched by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Petroleum and

Natural Gas at Taranga village under Soro block in Balasore district of Odisha.

Significance

Mahanadi basin has been chosen as the first location for the roll out of this national-level programme. The

outcome from the NSP help in better understanding of the sub-surface with petroleum systems across wider

geological ages especially in sedimentary basins to explore hydrocarbon reserves in Odisha.

What is National Seismic Programme (NSP)?

NSP aims to undertake a fresh appraisal in all sedimentary basins across India in order to have better

understanding of the hydrocarbon potential of the country. Under this programme, high-resolution 2D seismic

Acquisition, Processing and Interpretation (API) survey will be conducted across India especially in the

sedimentary basins.

The survey will be conducted by state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limited

(OIL). The survey project will be completed by March 2019. ONGC will conduct the survey of around 40,835

Line Kilo Meter (LKM) in onland part of 26 sedimentary basins in 18 states/UTs including Mahanadi basin.

While OIL will carry out the survey of 7,408 LKM in the North eastern states of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal

Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

IISc researchers develop self-powered UV photodetector for self-charging energy storage devices

October 15, 2016

The researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru have developed a costeffective, high-

performance, self-powered UV photodetector. The self-powered UV photodetector can use the harvested optical

energy for direct self-charging of energy storage devices such as supercapacitor. It can also be used for

operating electronic devices in the absence of external power source.

What is Photodetector?

Photodector is a device capable of sensing (detecting) or responding to electromagnetic energy, typically light

by using the electrical effect of individual photons.

What researchers have developed?



The researchers have developed the photodetector by integrating semiconducting vanadium doped zinc oxide

(VZnO) nanoflakes with a conducting polymer. The zinc oxide (ZnO) is the base material for UV detection

which can be doped with vanadium to produce photodetectors that are self-powered.

The photodetector has superior performance in terms of faster detection of photo signals in the order of

milliseconds even when UV light intensity is low.

How it works?

When doped with vanadium, the microstructure of ZnO changes from nanorods to closelypacked nanoflakes. It

causes increase in the surface area to the volume of the material. It also creates surface defects within the band

gap of ZnO, which helps in trapping the UV radiation that falls on the nanoflakes.

These nanorods are one-dimensional and cause more light reflection from top surface. When UV light enters

into pores it undergoes multiple reflections and finally gets absorbed.

What are potential benefits?

The nanoflake (VZnO) produces five times more photocurrent, compared with ZnO, which generates only 40

nA photocurrent. Once these nanoflakes are hydrogenated, the current generation capacity further increased to

1,000 nA.

When these hydrogenated nanoflakes exposed to UV light, they detect photo signal within milliseconds, which

is nearly 100 times faster than conventional UV photodetectors. VZnO nanoflakes structure has 98% light

harvesting efficiency which is much higher than 84% seen in ZnO.

2nd Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav begins in New Delhi

October 15, 2016

The second edition of Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2016 was inaugurated by Union Home Minister

Rajnath Singh at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in New Delhi. The 10-day event aims to showcase the

rich cultural heritage of India in all its rich and varied dimensions.

Key Facts

RSM 2016 will showcase Handicrafts, Painting, Cuisine, Photography, Sculpture, Documentation and

Performing Arts-Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary in one place. Nearly 2,000 artists from across the

country will showcase India‘s cultural heritage through performances, arts during the cultural extravaganza.

It is one of the five such festivals planned in this financial year in different parts of India including Bangalore,

Varanasi and Jammu and Kashmir. Under this cultural event, seven zonal cultural centres have been given slots

to present their arts during the festival. It will showcase an amalgamation of ‗Ek Bharat, Srestha Bharat‘,

‗Hamaari Sanskriti, Hamaari Pahchaan‘ and ‗Swachh India‘.

Brazil wins inaugural BRICS U-17 Football Tournament

October 15, 2016

Brazil has won the inaugural BRICS U-17 Football Tournament 2016 held at Goa on the occasion of the 8th

BRICS hosted in India. In the final match, Brazil defeated South Africa by 5-1 goals. For Brazil goals were

scored by Paulo Henrique Samapaio Filho (24th Minute), Vinicius de Oliveira (34th minute), Victor de Oliveira

(40th & 61st minute). For South Africa only goal was scored by S‘miso Bophela .

Earlier in the match for the third place between Russia and China, Russia had defeated China by 2-1 goals.

About BRICS U-17 Football Tournament



The BRICS U-17 Football Cup is a under 17 Football tournament played among teams of five BRICS countries

viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It was launched in October 2016 and seeks to transcend the

traditional spheres of interaction and opens new vistas in the field of sports.

The tournament will take place once every year and following the lines of the tournaments under-17 FIFA. Each

edition will be held in a BRICS nation. In it, all five teams shall play each other in a round-robin before the top

two teams qualify for the final and the third and fourth place teams play in the third-place match.

Union Government launches satellite-based illegal Mining Detection System

October 15, 2016

Union Government has launched Mining Surveillance System (MSS), a pan-India surveillance network to

check illegal mining using latest satellite technology. MSS is a satellite-based monitoring system which aims to

check illegal mining activity through automatic remote-sensing detection technology in order to establish a

regime of responsive mineral administration.

Mining Surveillance System (MSS)

Developed by Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) in coordination with Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space

Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG), Gandhinagar. One of the first such surveillance systems developed

in the world using space technology. It has been developed under the Digital India Programme.

Why there is need of such system?

There are in total 3843 mining leases of major minerals across India, out of which 1710 are working mines and

2133 are non-working mines. Presently, there is absence of robust mechanism of monitoring of illegal mining

activity. Current system of monitoring is completely based on local complaints and unconfirmed information

which is not transparent and quicker response and action.

How MSS works?

In the MSS, Khasra maps of mining leases have been geo-referenced and are superimposed on latest satellite

remote sensing scenes obtained from CARTOSAT & USGS. It has capacity to check any unusual activity such

illegal mining at a region of 500 meters around the existing mining lease boundary.

It has been incorporated with automatic software which leverages image processing technology to generate

automatic triggers of unauthorized activities. These automatic triggers will be studied at a Remote Sensing

Control Centre of IBM and then transmitted to the district level mining officials for field verification. Besides, a

user-friendly mobile app also has been created for these officials to submit compliance reports of their

inspections.

The mobile app aims to establish a participative monitoring system in which the citizens also can use this app

and report unusual mining activity. MSS also has an executive dashboard to work as a decision support system.

Using it officials at all levels can track the current status of mapping of the mining leases, status of inspections

and penalty levied etc. for all major mineral mining leases across the country.

Advantages of remote sensing technology based monitoring system

Transparent as public will be provided an access to the system. Deterrence Effect as continues monitoring will

be from space. Bias-free and Independent as the system is based on technology evidences and has no human

interference.



Quicker Response and Action as the mining areas will be monitored regularly and the sensitive areas will be

monitored more frequently. Effective Follow-up as action will be taken on triggers that will be followed-up and

monitored at various levels

India, Russia sign 16 agreements across diverse sectors

October 15, 2016

India and Russia have signed 16 agreements across diverse sectors including in defence, infrastructure, energy,

space, ship building sectors etc. They were signed following delegation-level talks co-chaired by Prime Minister

Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 17th India-Russia Annual Bilateral Summit in

Goa.

Some of the signed agreements are

Agreement on cooperation in International Information Security. MoU for expansion of bilateral trade and

economic cooperation. Shareholder agreement for establishing a Joint Venture to manufacture Ka-226T

helicopter in India.

MoU for developing smart cities in Andhra Pradesh and Haryana and for developing transport logistics systems

for such cities. MoU between Gazprom and Engineers India Limited (EIL) for the joint study of a gas pipeline

to India from Russia and other areas of cooperation.

Cooperation Agreement between Rosneft Oil Company and ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) in the area of

Education and Training. MoU for setting up an investment fund of $1 billion by the National Investment and

Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

MoU for Cooperation between Russian and Indian Railways in increasing the speed of trains between Nagpur-

Hyderabad/ Secundrabad. MoU between ROSCOSMOS and ISRO on Mutual Allocation of Ground

Measurement Gathering Stations for NAvIC and GLONASS.

Inter-governmental agreements (IGAs) for the procurement of S-400 Air Defence System and construction of

1135.6 series of frigates. MoU between India‘s Department of Science and Technology and Russia‘s Federal

Agency for Scientific Organisations.

Rosneft-led consortium buys India‟s Essar Oil for $13 billion

October 16, 2016

Russian consortium led energy giant Rosneft Oil Company has agreed to acquire India‘s second biggest private

oil firm Essar Oil in an all-cash deal valued at about US $13 billion. The consortium includes Rosneft Oil

Company, Netherlands-based commodities trader Trafigura and private investment group United Capital

Partners.

The business transaction was announced in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian

President Vladimir Putin at the 8th BRICS Summit in Goa.

Under this deal

Rosneft bought a 49% stake in Essar Oil‘s refinery, port and petrol pumps, while Trafigura Group Pte and

United Capital Partners split 49% equity equally. It includes $10.9 billion for Essar Oil‘s Vadinar refinery

(India‘s second-largest refinery with a capacity of 20 million tonnes) and $2 billion for a port terminal that helps

feed refinery.

It also includes Essar Oil‘s debt of $4.5 billion and about $2 billion debt with the Port Company and power

plant.



What is significance of the deal?

This acquisition is the largest ever foreign acquisition in India and also is the single largest foreign investment

in the Indian refining sector it is Russia‘s largest outbound or foreign acquisition deal. It significant milestone

for Rosneft as it is entering India, one of the most promising and fast-growing world markets.

With this, Rosneft becomes third international player after Royal Dutch and Shell and British Petroleum to enter

Indian fuel retailing market. It also proves the attractiveness of the Indian energy market to foreign investors as

India is one of the fastest growing fuel consuming economies in the world

How India and Russia will benefit?

It will also help to strengthen the existing ties between Russia, one of world‘s largest oil producer and India, one

of the world‘s fastest growing fuel consumers. Russia is keen to deepen its Soviet-era economic ties with India

at a time when its own economy is stagnant and is hit by Western sanctions over the Crimean crisis.

About Essar Group

Essar Group is an Indian conglomerate led by Shashi Ruia and Ravi Ruia. It controls number of world-class

assets diversified across the core sectors of Energy, Metals & Mining, Infrastructure and Services. It also

occupies a strategic position in the global oil market and owns world-class refining and infrastructure assets.

Russia, India ink defence deal on S-400 Air Defence Systems

October 16, 2016

India has signed a defence deal worth nearly Rs 39,000 crore with Russia to purchase five state of art S-400

„Triumf‟ air defence systems. Besides, India also announced to collaborate in making four stealth frigates and

setting up a joint production facility for making Kamov helicopters under Make in India.

In this regard, inter-governmental agreements (IGAs) were signed between both countries following talks

between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the 8th BRICS

Summit in Goa.

What is S-400 „Triumf‟ Air Defence System?

An S-400 ‗Triumf‘ long-range air defence missile system is one of the most advanced longrange defence

systems in the world. It is referred to as SA-21 Growler by NATO. It is an upgraded version of the S-300

defence system and is manufactured by Almaz-Antey. It has been in service in Russia since 2007. It is capable

of firing three types of missiles.

Thus, it creates a layered defence, and simultaneously engaging 36 targets. It has capability to destroy incoming

all airborne targets at ranges of up to 400 km. With it, India can destroy Pakistani aircrafts even when they are

in their airspace.

The five S-400 systems will be operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF). India is the second export customer,

after China to purchase this most advance defence system.

Ka-226T helicopters

Kamov 226T is a light multipurpose helicopter designed for work in difficult conditions like high mountains,

hot climate and marine areas. It allows for reconnaissance, monitoring, targeting and transportation. It also

boasts of incredibly precise hovering ability, excellent maneuverability and high safety standards.

The helicopters will be made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with Russian cooperation under Make

In India. It will replace the aging Cheetah and Chetak choppers. After induction, Kamov helicopters will operate

at 20,000 feet and alsol help to maintain the forward posts on the Siachen glacier.



Frigates

India and Russia will built four stealth frigates which will be improved versions of Krivak or Talwar class

stealth frigates two frigates will be built in Russia and other two will be constructed at an Indian shipyard with

Russian cooperation.

Saraswati River existed: KS Valdiya committee

October 16, 2016

The K.S. Valdiya committee in its report submitted to the Union Water Resources Ministry has concluded that

Saraswati River so far considered mythical, existed. The committee comprising of geologists, archaeologists and

hydrologists say that they have found evidence of the course of the river Saraswati.

Earlier, River Saraswati was considered as a mythological river and has been mentioned in the ancient Hindu

scriptures like the Rig Veda, Ramayana, Mahabharata and others giving credence that it existed during those

times.

Committee found that Saraswati River originated in the Himalayas. It was approximately 4,000 km in length

and flowed through India and Pakistan before meeting Arabian Sea through Rann of Kutch. Two-third stretch of

river measuring nearly 3000 km in length fell in India and reaming onethird of the river stretch fell in present-

day Pakistan.

The river had two branches viz. (i) Western Branch: It represented by the Himalayan-born Satluj River of the

past which flowed through the channels of present-day Ghaggar- Patialiwali rivulets. (ii) Eastern Branch:

Palaeochannels (remnants of defunct rivers) Sarsuti-Markanda rivulets in Haryana were courses of eastern

branch of river, known as Tons-Yamuna.

The confluence of the branches was near Shatrana, 25 km south of Patiala. From this confluence point river flow

crossed dessert (Rann of Kutch) and meet gulf of western sea.

What is basis for conclusion?

The conclusion of the expert committee was based on the six-month research. During the research the

committee had came across an unique palaeochannel (path abandoned by river when it changes course) relating

to present Sarsuti, Ghaggar, Nara and Hakra rivers.

They also had studied piles of sediments, their features and shapes which appeared to have been brought by the

big river and were considered reminiscent to ones found in present-day Ganga, Ghaggar and Yamuna.

16 October: World Food Day

October 17, 2016

The World Food Day is observed globally on 16 October to mark foundation of Food and Agriculture

Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945.

Significance of Day: It aims to raise public awareness about hunger challenges and encourage people around

the world to take action in the fight against hunger. 2016 Theme: ―Climate is changing. Food and agriculture

must too‖. It highlights the issue of food security related to climate change. It calls adopting sustainable

practices for growing more food with less area of land and use natural resources wisely.

Background: The World Food Day was established in November 1979 by FAO‘s Member Countries at the

20th General Conference of FAO to raise awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger. For the first time

it was celebrated on 16 October 1981 and the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide was mooted by Hungarian

Delegation to FAO.



About Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

FAO is an agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its parent organization

is UN Economic and Social Council (UNESC). It is neutral forum serving both developed and developing

countries where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy.

Established: 16 October 1945. Headquarters: Rome, Italy. Motto: ―Let there be bread―. Members: 194

member states, along with the European Union (member organization) FAO meet the demands posed by major

global trends in agricultural development and challenges faced by member nations. It helps countries in

transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food

security for all.

8th BRICS Summit concludes in Goa

October 17, 2016

The eighth BRICS summit was held in Goa from 15 to 16 October 2016. The summit concluded with adaptation

of Goa Declaration. The two day summit was attended by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese

President XI Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Brazilian President Michel Temer and South African

President Jacob Zuma. The theme for the summit was ―Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective

Solutions‖.

Key Highlights of Goa Declaration

BRICS nations condemns terrorism in all its forms and stressed that there can be no justification for such acts.

International terrorism, especially the Islamic State (IS) is an unprecedented threat to international peace and

security.

BRICS nations reaffirmed the commitment to increase effectiveness of the UN counter terrorism framework.

Need for adaptation of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN General

Assembly.

Urgent need to reforms of the United Nations, including UN Security Council, to increase representation of

developing countries. Resolution of civil war in Syria, in accordance with the ―legitimate aspirations of the

people of Syria‖ and action against U.N.-designated terrorist groups like IS and Jabhat al-Nusra.

All nations must counter radicalism and block sources of financing international terrorism, dismantling terrorist

bases and countering misuse of the Internet including social media. Appreciated progress in implementation of

Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership and emphasise importance of BRICS Roadmap for Trade, Economic

and Investment Cooperation until 2020.

Welcomed adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.

Reiterated determination to use all policy tools to achieve the goal of sustainable and inclusive growth. The

ninth BRICS Summit will be hosted by China in 2017.

Besides, first-ever BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit was also held on side-lines of 2016 BRICS Summit.

Leaders from both forums planned to jointly explore possibilities of expanding ties between them on issues such

as terrorism, economy, trade and connectivity. BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral

Technical and Economic Cooperation. BIMSTEC member countries are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri

Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

About BRICS



BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India,

China and South Africa. It was established in2009. Originally it was known as BRIC before the inclusion of

South Africa in 2011. The first formal summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

The BRICS members are all developing or newly industrialised countries and all five are G-20 members. They

are distinguished by their large, fast-growing economies and significant influence on regional and global affairs.

17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

October 17, 2016

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed globally on 17 October for eradication of

poverty throughout the world.

Significance of Day: It seeks to promote awareness among people to eradicate poverty and destitution around

the world particularly in developing countries 2016 Theme: ―Moving from humiliation and exclusion to

participation: Ending poverty in all its forms‖. It highlights importance to recognize and address the humiliation

and exclusion suffered by many people living in poverty.

Background: The United Nations had declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of

Poverty by adopting a resolution on 22 December 1992. For the first time, it was observed in 1993.

Japanese Encephalitis claims 54 lives in Odisha‟s Malkangiri district

October 17, 2016

The Japanese Encephalitis has claimed 54 lives in Odisha‘s backward Malkangiri district in just a more than a

month. The State Government is monitoring and overseeing the measures to check the spread of Japanese

Encephalitis.

What is Japanese Encephalitis?

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus. It belongs to the same genus as dengue, yellow fever

and West Nile viruses. The first case of JE was documented in 1871 in Japan.

Target: JE primarily affects children. Most adults in endemic countries have natural immunity after childhood

infection, but individuals of any age may be affected. Transmission: It is transmitted by rice field breeding

mosquitoes (primarily Culex tritaeniorhynchus group). The mosquitoes transmit JE by feeding on domestic pigs

and wild birds infected with the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). It is not transmitted from person-to-person.

Disease outbreaks: Major JE outbreaks occur every 2-15 years. JE transmission mainly intensifies during the

rainy season, during which vector population‘s increase. Signs and symptoms: Most JE infections are mild

(fever and headache) or without apparent symptoms, but it may result in severe clinical illness.

Severe infection is marked by quick onset, headache, high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, stupor,

occasional convulsions (especially in infants) etc.

Treatment: There is no specific therapy. Intensive supportive therapy is indicated.

BRICS to set up credit rating agency

October 17, 2016

The five-nation group of emerging economies BRICS has agreed to set up an independent BRICS Rating

Agency in its efforts to challenge western hegemony in the world of finance. It was announced during the 8th

BRICS summit held in Goa, India. BRICS comprises five emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China

and South Africa.

Key Facts



The BRICS Rating Agency will be based on market-oriented principles to strengthen the global governance

architecture. It will be launched as per the shared vision of the BRICS nations for institution-building to

transform global financial architecture based on the principles of fairness and equity.

It will assist BRICS and other countries to rate infrastructure and sustainable projects in the emerging

economies. Thus, it will further bridge the gap in global financial architecture

Why there is need to establish BRICS Rating Agency?

At present, western developed countries have hegemony in the world of finance. Three global agencies (S&P,

Fitch, Moody‘s) based in western countries account for 90% of the rating market. Emerging economies claim

that western ratings firms are biased, pessimistic on the developing countries and optimistic on developed

nations.

They also have concerns over methodologies of the three global agencies. BRICS members Russia in particular

and China have been perturbed by these western ratings firms. Russia alleges that the western firms had

deliberately lowered its rating after the Ukraine (Crimean) crisis.

Historic Global Greenhouse gas emission Agreement signed in Kigali

October 17, 2016

A historic global climate deal was reached in Kigali, Rwanda at the Twenty-Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP28). The so called Kigali Amendment

which amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol aims to phase out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a family of potent

greenhouse gases by the late 2040s. Under Kigali Amendment, in all 197 countries, including India have agreed

to a timeline to reduce the use of HFCs by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045.

What are Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)?

HFCs are a family of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are largely used in refrigerants in home, car air-

conditioners and air sprays etc.

These factory-made gases had replaced CFCs under the 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect Earth‘s fragile

protective Ozone layer and heal the ozone hole over the Antartica.

Why they are harmful?

In recent times, it was found that HFCs have several thousand times capacity in retaining heat in the atmosphere

compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent GHG. Thus, it can be said that HFCs have helped ozone layer but

exacerbated global warming. Currently, HFCs are currently the world‘s fastest GHGs, with emissions increasing

by up to 10% each year.

What is significance of the Kigali Amendment?

The Kigali Amendment amends the 1987 Montreal Protocol that was designed to close growing ozone hole

in by banning ozone-depleting coolants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Thus, amended Montreal Protocol

which was initially conceived only to plug gases that were destroying the ozone layer now includes HFCs

responsible for global warming.

This move will help to prevent a potential 0.5 degree Celsius rise in global temperature by the end of the

century. The Kigali Agreement or amended Montreal Protocol for HFCs reduction will be binding on countries

from 2019. It also has provisions for penalties for non-compliance. Under it, developed countries will also

provide enhanced funding support estimated at billions of dollars globally.



The exact amount of additional funding from developed countries will be agreed at the next Meeting of the

Parties in Montreal in 2017.

Different timelines under Kigali Amendment

All signatory countries have been divided into three groups with different timelines to go about reductions of

HFCs.

First group: It includes richest countries like US and those in European Union (EU). They will freeze

production and consumption of HFCs by 2018. They will reduce them to about 15% of 2012 levels by 2036.

Second group: It includes countries like China, Brazil and all of Africa etc. They will freeze HFC use by 2024

and cut it to 20% of 2021 levels by 2045. Third group: It includes countries India, Pakistan, Pakistan, Iran,

Saudi Arabia etc. They will be freezing HFC use by 2028 and reducing it to about 15% of 2025 levels by 2047.

How it is different from Paris agreement?

The Paris agreement which will come into force by 2020 is not legally binding on countries to cut their

emissions. The Kigali Amendment is considered absolutely vital for reaching the Paris Agreement target of

keeping global temperature rise to below 2-degree Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.

China successfully launches its longest ever manned mission to space

October 17, 2016

China has successfully launched longest-ever manned mission by taking two astronauts Jing Haipeng (50) and

Chen Dong (37) into the orbit. They were launched on board of Shenzhou-11 (heavenly vessel) spacecraft from

the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre near the Gobi Desert in northwest China. The spacecraft was put into orbit

by a Long March-2F carrier rocket.

Key Facts

Both astronauts will spend a month aboard an experimental space laboratory Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace 2).

During the mission, they will conduct aerospace medical experiments, space science experiments and in-orbit

maintenance with human participation. They will also undertake ultrasound tests during space travel for the first

time, cultivate plants in space etc.

The Shenzhou-11 mission is China‘s sixth manned spacecraft. It will be first time that Chinese astronauts will

stay in orbit for medium term. Earlier in 2013, three Chinese astronauts in a manned space mission had spent 15

days in orbit and were docked with a space laboratory Tiangong 1.

Comment

Tiangong-2 was launched in September 2016 as part of China‘s efforts to set up its own permanent manned

space station by 2022. It is China‘s second experimental space station module and had upgraded habitat with

improved life support systems, power, communications and research equipments.

By launching longest-ever manned space mission, China has moved a step closer to establish its permanent

space station. After completion, it will make China, only the country to have space station facility is space as the

current in-service International Space Station (ISS) retires by 2024.

National Summit on Fortification of Food inaugurated in New Delhi

October 17, 2016

The National Summit on Fortification of Food was recently inaugurated in New Delhi to address interventions

in combating micronutrient malnutrition in the country. The two day summit was co-hosted by the Food Safety



and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in partnership with related central ministries/departments and

development partners.

The Summit had brought together experts from nutrition and development communities as well as

representatives from state governments, technical supporters, academics and donors to beneficiaries.

What is Food fortification?

Food fortification or enrichment is the process of adding micronutrients i.e. essential trace elements and

vitamins into the food. It is an integrated approach to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and complements other

approaches to improve health and nutrition. Food fortification does not require changes in existing food habits

and patterns nor individual compliance.

It does not alter characteristics of food and is socio-culturally acceptable. It can be introduced quickly and can

produce nutritional benefits and improve health of people in a short period of time. It also safe and cost

effective.

This enrichment process has proven as an effective strategy to meet the nutritional needs of a large number of

people across various sections of the society, including the poor and underprivileged, pregnant women and

young children.

What is present status of food fortification in India?

The FSSAI has formulated a ‗Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016‘, a

comprehensive regulation on fortification of foods in the country. These regulations set standard guidelines for

food fortification and encourage the production, manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of fortified

foods.

They also assign specific role of FSSAI in promotion for food fortification and to make fortification mandatory.

BIMSTEC countries express commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms

October 17, 2016

The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries

have expressed commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.In this regard, seven nations

of BIMSTEC countries have issues Leaders Retreat Outcome Document emphasising that there can be no

justification for acts of terror.

Key Highlights of document

BIMSTEC countries strongly condemned the recent terror attacks in the region. The states who encourage and

support provide sanctuary to terrorists should be identified and held accountable. Strong measures against such

states must be taken. They recognised the need for urgent measures to counter and prevent the spread of

terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization.

They renewed their commitment to the early conclusion of BIMSTEC Free Trade Area negotiations, and direct

the Trade Negotiating Committee and Working Groups to expedite the finalization of its constituent

Agreements. They agreed to expedite the signing of the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Assistance in

Criminal Matters.

They also called for early ratification of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International

Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking. They also stressed the necessity of

pursuing sustainable development and of the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.



They also recognized that cooperation in sustainable development of fisheries in Bay of Bengal region for

ensuring food security and improving livelihoods of people.

About BIMSTEC

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative on Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is the sub-

regional group of seven countries in South Asia and South East Asia lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of

the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity.

They are India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka (from South Asia) and Myanmar, Thailand (from South

East Asia). Established: 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Objectives: Technological and economical cooperation among south Asian and south East Asian countries

along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It also covers cooperation in commerce, technology, investment,

agriculture, tourism, human resource development, fisheries, transport and communication, textiles, leather etc.

Indian wrestlers win four medals at 2016 TAFISA World Games

October 18, 2016

Four Indian wrestlers have won four medals individually including a gold medal, at the sixth edition of the

TAFISA World Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Wrestler Dalmiya had won gold medal in 60kg category by

defeating Azerbaijan‘s Muhammad Sahan by 4-1 points in the final match.

Other medal winning Wrestlers are Luv Singh: He won the silver medal in the 80 kg category after he was

defeated by Muhammad Alim of Azerbaijan by 1-5 points in the final match. Naveen Kumar: He won the

bronze medal in 90 Kg category after he defeated Lithuania‘s Oleg by 5-2 points. Josil: He won the bronze

medal in the super heavyweight category by defeating Mustafa Sultani of Afghanistan by 3-1 points.

Besides, Aarti Chaudhari (29), Vishruti Waghmare (16) and Siddhi Jadhav (10) won three gold medals in Jeet

Kune-do, a form of martial arts.

About Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA)

The TAFISA is the leading international Sport for All organisations with more than 260 members in over 150

countries on all continents. Its vision is to achieve an Active World by globally promoting and facilitating

access for every person to Sport for All and physical activity.

Eminent writer C Radhakrishnan wins Mathrubhumi Literary Award 2016

October 18, 2016

Eminent writer C Radhakrishnan was selected for the prestigious Mathrubhumi Literary Award for the year

2016. He was selected by a panel chaired by novelist M Mukundan in recognition of his contribution to the field

of literature.

About C Radhakrishnan

He is a writer and film director in Malayalam language. He was born in February 1939in Ponnani taluk in

Malappuram district of Kerala. Currently, he is editor of Malayalam magazine Piravi. Earlier he had served as

chief editor of Madhyamam daily from 1999 to 2001. He has directed films like Agni (1978), Kanalattam

(1979), Pushyaragam (1979) and Ottayadippaathakal (1990).

Awards and Honours: He has been bestowed with National Literary Academy of India (1989), Kerala Literary

Academy (1962) etc.

About Mathrubhumi Literary Award



Mathrubhumi Literary Award is a literary award bestowed upon writer‘s for his overall contribution to the

Malayalam literature. The award was instituted in 2001 by leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi. It carries

sum of 2 lakh, a plaque and citation.

Amandeep Singh Gill appointed as India‟s Ambassador to UN Conference on Disarmament

October 18, 2016

Senior IFS officer Amandeep Singh Gill was appointed as the India‘s Ambassador to the UN Conference on

Disarmament, Geneva. He is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1992 batch. He had represented India on

the UN Secretary General‘s Panel on Missiles from 2007 to 2008.

Besides, he was also member of the Indian delegation to the Conference on Disarmament during the

negotiations on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

What is UN Conference on Disarmament?

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is not formally a United Nations (UN) organization. It is linked to the

UN through a personal representative of the UN Secretary-General It is a forum established in 1979 by the

international community to negotiate multilateral arms control and disarmament agreements.

The conference has 65 members represent all areas of the world, including all known nuclear-weapon states

(including India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea) Resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly often

request conference to consider specific disarmament matters. In turn, conference annually reports its activities to

UNGA.

In the 1990s, the Conference had held intensive efforts to draft CTBT text and its two annexes, but it did not

succeed in reaching consensus on the adoption of the text. Currently it conducts discussion on Fissile Material

Cut-off Treaty (FMCT), a pact to prevent an arms race in outer space, nuclear disarmament and negative

security assurances (NSA).

Ashok Leyland rolls out first India-made electric bus

October 18, 2016

Conglomerate Hinduja Group‘s flagship company Ashok Leyland has unveiled country‘s first 100 per cent

indigenously made electric bus which are non-polluting and have zero-emissions. These buses were unveiled in

lines with National Electric Mobility Plan which aims at a 20% penetration of electric/hybrid (eco-friendly)

vehicles by 2020. They enjoy a subsidy under the Central government‘s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing

of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme.

Key Facts

These electric buses will be offered on multiple platforms and have seating capacity ranging from 35 to 65.

They can travel 150 km on a single charge. They have been integrated with a fire detection and suppression

system. They are built on mass-market platform that will enable operator to cater to customers in city centres

with minimal operational and maintenance costs.

These buses can be used in heritage sites, metro stations, tarmacs, rural areas, hill stations and by IT firms and

educational institutions. Besides, state Transport Undertakings can also use them for environment friendly mass

public transportation.

Way Forward



In India, electric buses in future will have a big leap in mass public transport. It would support the government

initiative of reducing fuel import bill. Besides, it will help to curb air pollution as these buses have zero tailpipe

emissions and lower noise pollution.

What is National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020?

The NEMMP 2020 is one of most ambitious initiatives undertaken by Central Government to promote hybrid

and electric vehicles in the country to achieve national fuel security. It has set an ambitious target to achieve 6-7

million sales of hybrid and electric vehicles year on year from 2020 onwards.

The FAME India Scheme was launched under this mission to provide fiscal and monetary incentives to electric

and hybrid vehicles ranging from two wheelers to buses.

India completes nuclear triad by commissioning INS Arihant

October 18, 2016

India has completed its nuclear triad by inducting the first indigenously built strategic nuclear submarine INS

Arihant into service. With this, India becomes sixth country to have a nuclear triad i.e. capable of delivering

nuclear weapons by aircraft, ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles. Other countries having nuclear

triad are Russia, United States, United Kingdom, France and China.

INS Arihant was formally commissioned by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba in August 2016. However, it was

kept secret owing to strategic significance.

What are features of INS Arihant?

INS Arihant is nuclear submarine capable of carrying nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. Thus it belongs to class

referred to as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN). Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class

submarine. It was built with Russia‘s help under Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project started in the

1980s.

It weighs 6000 tonnes and is 112 metre long. It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor

with enriched uranium fuel. It will be armed with the K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km. Later it

will be armed with much longer range K-4 missiles (3,500 km range) being developed by DRDO.

The vessel was launched in 2009 by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Since then, it had undergone

extensive sea trials and reactor on board went critical in 2013.

What is Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN)?

SSBNs are designed to prowl the deep ocean waters and carry nuclear weapons. They provide a nation with an

assured second strike capability i.e. capability to strike back after being hit by nuclear weapons first. In case of

India, second strike capability is particularly important as it had committed to a ‗No-First-Use‘ policy as part of

its nuclear doctrine.

Nuclear triad capability of India

India is sixth Nation in the world to possess Nuclear Triad. It means that India is capable of delivering nuclear

weapons by aircraft, land based ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles. India Army has strong

arsenal of land based ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile). It includes Agni series, Prithvi series, Prahar

Missile, Shaurya Missile, supersonic Brahmos and subsonic Nirbhay missiles.

Indian Airforce (IAF) operates Jaguars aircrafts which are designed for deep penetration strike and can carry

nuclear bomb. Besides, IAF also has SU 30 MKI and Rafale aircrafts which can also be used to deliver nuclear



weapons. Indian Navy now has its own nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant capable of

delivering nuclear weapons.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates three mega hydro projects in Himachal Pradesh

October 18, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated three hydro-electric projects (HEPs) with a generating capacity of

1,732 MW in Himachal Pradesh. All the three power projects are equipped with generating equipment supplied

and commissioned by state owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).

These three hydro-electric projects are Koldam HEP: It is 4×200 MW capacity project executed by National

Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Parbati HEP: It is Stage-III project with a capacity of 530 MW of

National Hydropower Corporation (NHPC).

Rampur HEP: It is 412 MW capacity project of Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). These three projects will

collectively play an important role in boosting the Hydro-power sector of Himachal Pradesh.

BHEL‟s contribution BHEL has a vast experience in hydro-electric projects (HEPs). It has contracted more

than 500 hydro-generating sets with a cumulative capacity of more than 29,000 MW of various ratings in India

and abroad.

BHEL‘s hydro installations are in operation in India and also across the world in Bhutan, Malaysia, Azerbaijan,

Nepal, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Rwanda and Vietnam. Presently, BHEL is executing HEPs of around 3,300 MW in

the country in addition to major hydropower projects in DR Congo and Bhutan.

Significance of hydro-projects

Hydropower generated by hydro-projects is renewable source of energy as it uses and not consumes the water

for generation of electricity. It does not emit greenhouse gas emission and helps in achieving a low carbon path.

India has hydropower potential of around 1,45,000 MW and at 60% load factor, it can meet the demand of

around 85, 000 MW. So far, around 26% of Hydropower potential has been exploited in India.

PM launches National SC/ST hub and Zero Defect – Zero Effect scheme

October 18, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National SC/ST hub and the Zero Defect, Zero Effect (ZED)

scheme for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at Ludhiana in Punjab. Besides, he also presented

National Awards to MSMEs. He also distributed 500 traditional wooden charkhas (spinning wheels) among

women.

What is National SC/ST hub?

The objective of the SC/ST (Schedule Castes/Schedule Tribes) Hub is to provide professional support to

entrepreneurs from the SC/ST. It also seeks to promote enterprise culture and entrepreneurship among the

SC/ST population and to enable them to participate more effectively in public procurement.

It will work towards strengthening market access/linkage, capacity building, monitoring, sharing industry-best

practices and leveraging financial support schemes. Public Procurement Policy, 2012: It specifies that 4% of

procurement done by ministries, departments and CPSEs should be done from enterprises owned by SC/ST

entrepreneurs.

What is Zero Defect, Zero Effect (ZED) scheme?



ZED Scheme aims to rate and handhold all MSMEs to deliver top quality products using clean technology. It

will have sector-specific parameters for each industry. MSME sector is crucial for the economic progress of

India and this scheme will help to match global quality control standards.

The slogan of Zero Defect, Zero Effect (ZED) was first mentioned by PM Narendra Modi in his Independence

Day speech in 2014. It was given for producing high quality manufacturing products with a minimal negative

impact on environment.

Comment

ZED Scheme is meant to raise quality levels in unregulated MSME sector which is engine of growth for Indian

economy. MSME sector drives almost 38% of nation‘s GDP and around employs 110 million employees. The

scheme will be cornerstone of the Central Government‘s flagship Make in India programme, which is aimed at

turning India into a global manufacturing hub, generating jobs, boosting growth and increase incomes.

Delhi‟s air quality very poor: SAFAR

October 19, 2016

According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) national capital New

Delhi‘s air quality was recorded in the ‗very poor‘ category. The average (24-hour rolling) of PM2.5 and PM10,

suspended respirable pollutants, were recorded as 120.8 and 248 micrograms per cubic metre as against safe

limits of 60 and 100.

The poor air quality may lead to respiratory problems, irritation to eyes and skin, blurring of vision and

headache. The major reasons for the poor air quality may due to the favourable cold weather conditions coupled

with very light wind, vehicular pollution and farm fires in neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana.

What is System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR)?

SAFAR was introduced by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) for greater metropolitan cities of India to

provide location specific information on air quality in near real time. It was developed by Indian Institute of

Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune along with India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for

Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).

The main objective of SAFAR project is to increase awareness among general public regarding the air quality.

The purpose awareness for general public is to take appropriate mitigation measures and systematic action for

betterment of air quality and related health issues.

Saina Nehwal appointed member of IOC‟s Athletes‟ Commission

October 19, 2016

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has been appointed as a member of the International Olympic Committee‘s

(IOC) Athletes‘ Commission. It is rare honour for an Indian sportsperson. In this regard, Saina has received a

letter to the effect from the IOC President Thomas Bach mentioning that she has been appointed in consultation

with Chair of Athletes‘ Commission.

The Athletes‘ Commission of IOC is chaired by Angela Ruggiero. It comprises nine vice presidents and 10

other members.

About Saina Nehwal

She is the first Indian to win Olympics medal in Badminton and had achieved this feat by winning the Bronze

medal at the London Olympics 2012. She is the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships

and was also the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament, by winning Indonesia Open in 2009.



Awards: Government of India has awarded her with Arjuna Award (2009), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009–

2010), Padma Shri (2010) and Padma Bhushan (2016).

What is International Olympic Committee‟s (IOC) Athletes‟ Commission?

The IOC Athletes‘ Commission is a body of sportspersons maintained by the IOC for the purpose of

representing athletes. It was established in 1981 and its creation was codified by the IOC in Rule 21 of the

Olympic Charter.

The athlete‘s commission works as a consultative body and act as link between active athletes and the IOC. It

makes recommendations to the IOC‘s executive bodies. Its chair serves as a member of the IOC Executive

Board. It meets once or twice a year, and also organises an Athletes‘ Forum once every two years.

Government funds Ro Pax Ferry Service in Gulf of Cambay under Sagarmala Programme

October 19, 2016

The Union Ministry of Shipping has sanctioned the Capital Dredging Project of Ro Pax Ferry Services between

Gogha & Dahej, in Gulf of Cambay in Gujarat under Sagarmala programme. The total project cost is estimated

to be Rs 234 Crore of which 50% will be funded by the Union Government under the Sagarmala programme.

Significance of Project

This is first of its kind project in India as it will be executed in the area of world‘s 2nd highest tidal range. This

project on completion will result in reduction in motorable distance of 231 kms between Gogha and Dahej in

Gujarat to mere 31 kms. It will pave way for launching India‘s first roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro) vessel passenger

ferry services on this route by April 2017.

Besides, it will reduce the travel time to 1 hour from 7 hours. It will also result in savings in fuel, reduction in

CO2 emission and reduction in road congestion. The project will open up new avenues in coastal shipping &

tourism and help in socioeconomic development of proximate areas.

It will also help in utilisation of inland waterways through River Narmada for shipping goods from industries

located upstream.

What is Sagarmala Programme?

The Sagarmala Programme is Union Government‘s flagship strategic, customer-oriented initiative to achieve the

broad objective of promoting port-led economic development in India. The ambitious programme seeks to

harness vast potential of India‘s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and

strategic location on key international maritime trade routes.

It envisages the growth of coastal and inland shipping as a major mode of transport for carriage of goods and

people along the coastal and riverine economic centres. Sagarmala when integrated with the development of

inland waterways will help to reduce cost and time for transporting goods, benefiting industries and

export/import trade.

Gulf of Cambay

The Gulf of Cambay (also known as Gulf of Khambhat) is an inlet of the Arabian Sea in the state of Gujarat

along the west coast of India. It divides the Kathiawar peninsula to the west from the eastern part of Gujarat

state. Narmada, Tapti, Mahi and Sabarmati rivers drain into it.

Union Government proposes 4 GST slabs

October 19, 2016



The Union Government has proposed a four-slab rate structure for the new indirect tax regime i.e. Goods &

Services Tax (GST) ranging from 0 to 26 per cent. It was proposed at the meeting of the GST Council headed

by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and included representatives from all states in New Delhi.

Outcomes of Meeting based on consensus

Compensation of states due to loss of revenue after implementation of GST from 1 April 2017. Secular growth

rate of 14% will be taken into consideration for calculating the revenue of each state in the first five years of

implementation of the GST. Base year for calculating the revenue of states will be 2015-16. States getting lower

revenue will be compensated by the Centre. These states will be compensated fund to be created from the Cess

on top of the GST on ultra-luxury items and demerit goods.

The rate structure will be revenue-neutral so that there is no need to burden consumers with additional tax. It

will not lead to further inflation. Good items along with other 50% items of common usage to be exempted from

the tax to keep the inflation under check.

Proposed Four GST slabs

The GST is proposed to be levied at 6% (lower rate), 12% (Standard 1 rate), 18% (Standard 2 rate) and 26%

(Higher rates) on the goods and services. It will be 0% on host of goods and services, including food, health and

education services, and 26% on luxury items, such as fast-moving consumer goods and consumer durables.

On consumption of ultra-luxury items and demerit goods, such as big cars and tobacco products, cess must be

imposed over and above a 26% GST rate.

What is GST Council?

As per Article 279A of the Constitution, GST Council will be a joint forum of the Centre and the States. It shall

consist (i) Union Finance Minister (Chairperson). (ii) The Union Minister of State (MoS) in-charge of Revenue

of finance (Member) and (ii) The Minister In-charge of taxation or finance or any other Minister nominated by

each State Government (Members).

What are the functions of GST Council?

The functions of GST Council are mention in Article 279A (4) of the Constitution. The Council will make

recommendations to Union and States on important issues related to GST, like (i) Goods and services that may

be subjected or exempted from GST. (ii) Model GST Laws. (iii) Principles that govern Place of Supply,

threshold limits, GST rates. (iv) GST rates will including the floor rates with bands and (v) Special rates for

raising additional resources during natural disasters/ calamities, special provisions for certain States, etc.

NPL Scientists produce electricity from water without using energy

October 19, 2016

Scientists have developed a novel way using of producing electricity from water hydroelectric cell at room

temperature without using any power or chemicals. The major breakthrough was developed by team of scientists

led by Dr. RK Kotnala from Delhi‘s National Physical Laboratory (NPL).

How does it works?

In this new method, scientist had used zinc and silver as electrodes to make a cell that produces electricity. They

had used nanoporous magnesium ferrite to split water intohydroxide (OH) and hydronium (H3O) ions. As

magnesium has high affinity for hydroxide, it spontaneously splits water into hydroxide and hydronium ions.

The H3O ions get trapped inside the nanopores of magnesium ferrite and generate an electric field. The electric

field helps in further dissociation of water.



To further enhance the activity of magnesium ferrite, about 20% of magnesium is replaced with lithium. The

substitution of lithium at magnesium site increases the sensitivity of magnesium ferrite. This is helpful in

dissociating water at room temperature as the electrons get trapped in the oxygen deficient sites.

Significance: The hydroelectric cell using magnesium ferrite of 1 sq. inch size can produce 8 mA current and

0.98 volt. Further if these four cells [of 2-inch diameter] are connected in series the voltage increases to 3.70

volts and can operate a small plastic fan or a LED light of 1 watt.

Auto manufacturers to provide emission and noise pollution details for every vehicle

October 19, 2016

The Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has made it mandatory for all automobile manufacturers to

provide emission and noise pollution details for every vehicle they produce by April 2017. In this regard, the

ministry has amended Form 22 under the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1989 through which manufactures

provide the initial certification of compliance of vehicles. Basically, it will include pollution standards, safety

standards of component quality and roadworthiness certificate for all vehicles.

With this mandatory measure, the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in future intends to award

five star ratings to vehicles based on their emission and noise pollution standards.

What are provisions of amended Form 22?

Mandatory for all automobile manufacturers to provide emission and noise pollution details for every vehicle

including makers of electric rickshaws and electric carts. The Form will include the brand, engine number,

chassis number and emission norm of the vehicle. It will apply to all vehicles including petrol, CNG, LPG,

electric, diesel and hybrid. Automobile manufacturers must specify the levels of each pollutant like carbon

monoxide, hydro carbon, nonmethane HC, NOx, HC+NOx, PM etc. for petrol and diesel vehicles. They should

also specify the sound level for horn and pass-by noise values of all vehicles.

Earlier, Form 22 only certified that the vehicle in question complied with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles

Act, 1989 and rules thereunder, including the relevant emission norms.

Indian Navy commissions INS Tihayu

October 19, 2016

Indian Navy has commissioned INS Tihayu, a Car Nicobar Class water jet fast attack craft (WJFAC). It was

commissioned by the Flag-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral H.C.S.

Bisht in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

About INS Tahiyu

INS Tahiyu is the sixth WJFAC Car Nicobar Class vessel to be commissioned and allotted to the Eastern Fleet

of the Indian Navy. It has been built by Kolkata-based shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers

(GRSE). Overall, INS Tahiyu is the 20th vessel in this class to be built by the shipyard. INS Tahiyu weighs 315-

tonne and can achieve a top operating speed of 35 knots per hour.

It is an improved version of the earlier vessels. It has been fitted with three water jet propulsion systems,

powered by marine diesel engines generating 2720 KW of power. It also has been loaded with an indigenously-

built 30 mm CRN gun, an assorted variant of machine guns and shoulder-launched IGLA surface to air missile.

What are Car Nicobar Class WJFACs?



The Car Nicobar class water jet fast attack crafts are high-speed offshore patrol vessels built by Garden Reach

Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy. The class and its vessels are named after Car Nicobar

island part of Andaman and Nicobar They are the first water jet propelled vessels of the Indian Navy.

The vessels are designed by GRSE as a cost-effective platform for patrol, anti-piracy and rescue operations in

India‘s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

SC asks whether mass religious appeals for electoral gains can be categorised corrupt practice

October 19, 2016

The seven-judge Constitution Bench of Supreme Court has questioned whether the practice of using the mass

religious appeal by leaders to canvas votes for candidates amounts to a corrupt electoral practice. The SC bench

led by Chief Justice Chief Justice is re-considering its 1995 verdict which had held that canvassing votes in

name of ‗Hindutva/Hinduism‘ wasn‘t a corrupt electoral practice, as Hinduism was not a religion but a way of

life in India.

Background

Recently, the Constitution Bench of SC raised question of using the mass appeal of religious while testing the

limits of Section 123 of Representation of the People Act. It was looking into the various means by which

misuse of religion or faith of the masses for electoral gains can be categorised as a corrupt practice.

It was also looking into electoral practices of political parties and candidates to rope in clerics or priests to flex

their religious sway over particular religious community to swing votes.

What 1995 verdict says?

The Representation of the People Act bars candidates and political parties to appeal appeal in the name of

religion. If found guilty for violation, the candidate can be disqualified. The 1995 judgment delivered by Justice

JS Verma had seeking votes in the name of Hinduism is not a ―corrupt practice‖ under Section 123 of

Representation of the People Act.

Milk from Tasmanian devils could fight superbugs: Study

October 19, 2016

Scientists from University of Sydney (Australia) have found that mother‘s milk from marsupials (also known as

Tasmanian devils) could help to deadly superbugs which resist antibiotics. They have found that peptides in the

marsupial‘s milk killed resistant bacteria, including methicillinresistant golden staph bacteria and enterococcus

that is resistant to powerful antibiotic vancomycin.

Scientist are hopeful marsupial peptides could eventually be used to develop new antibiotics for humans to aid

the battle against superbugs.

What are Superbugs?

Superbugs are deadly bacteria which cannot be treated by current antibiotics and other drugs. According to

recent British study, Superbugs could kill up to 10 million people globally by 2050.

What Scientists have found?

Marsupials have more peptides than other mammals. It has six peptides whereas humans have only one of these

types of peptide. These peptides give underdeveloped young marsupials an immature immune system when they

are born.



This natural immune system helps young marsupials to survive growth in their mother‘s bacteria-filled pouch. It

should be noted that because of their biology, marsupials carry their young in a pouch after birth to complete

their development.

Using marsupials peptides, scientists had artificially created the antimicrobial peptides called cathelicidins after

extracting the sequence from the devil‘s genome. It was found that these artificially created the antimicrobial

peptides killed the resistant bacteria and other bacteria.

About Tasmanian devil

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial belonging to the family Dasyuridae. They are endemic in the

wild only in Tasmania, island state of Australia. It is largest carnivorous marsupial in the world. It has stocky

and muscular build, black fur, pungent odour, keen sense of smell and extremely loud and disturbing screech.

Its large head and neck allow it to generate strongest bites per unit body mass among any extant mammal land

predator.

October 20, 2016

World Bank pledges $2 billion aid to Bangladesh to tackle climate change

October 20, 2016

The World Bank has pledged 2 billion US dollars aid package to Bangladesh to tackle climate change over the

next three years. The aid package is part of the World Bank‘s fund for the poorest countries. Bangladesh is

extremely vulnerable to climate change and accounts for almost 70% of all storm surges in the world. The aid

package aims to further develop the resilience of the people at a time when climate change is putting their lives

and livelihoods at greater risk.

Background

This is the second large investment announcement made by the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim during his

2-day visit to Bangladesh. Earlier he had announced to provide US $1 billion aid to Bangladesh over the next

three years to fight child malnutrition.

Comment

The World Bank has provided Bangladesh more than $24 billion in financing in the last 45 years. Bangladesh is

the largest recipient of International Development Association (IDA) assistance, having received over 24 billion

US dollars since Independence.

About World Bank

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital

programs. It comprises two institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD),

and the International Development Association (IDA).

Formation: July 1944. Headquarters: Washington DC, United States. Motto: Working for a World Free of

Poverty. Membership: 189 countries (IBRD), 173 countries (IDA) The World Bank is one of the five

components of the World Bank Group, which is part of the United Nations system.

Sir David Cox honoured with first International Prize in Statistics

October 20, 2016

Noted British statistician Sir David Cox (92) was awarded inaugural recipient of the International Prize in

Statistics. The International Prize in Statistics Foundation has bestowed this award on Sir David Cox in

recognition of Survival Analysis Model (or Cox Model) Applied in Medicine, Science, and Engineering.



About Sir David Cox

Sir David Cox is renowned statistician born on 15 July 1924 in Birmingham, England. He is known for

developing the proportional hazards model i.e. Cox Model in 1992. His model is widely used in analysis of

survival data which enables researchers to more easily identify risks of specific factors for mortality or other

survival outcomes among groups of patients with disparate characteristics.

He is a foreign associate of the US National Academy of Sciences and fellow of the Royal Society, an honorary

fellow of the British Academy. He has served as President of Bernoulli Society, Royal Statistical Society and

International Statistical Institute.

Awards and Honours: Copley Medal (2010), he was knighted in 1985.

About International Prize in Statistics

The prestigious award given by the International Prize in Statistics Foundation. It recognizes a major

achievement of an individual or team in the field of statistics. The Prize aims at promoting understanding of the

growing importance and diverse ways statistics, probability and data analysis. It carries monetary award of US

75000 dollars.

India, Algeria mull fertilizer Joint Venture

October 20, 2016

India has shown keen desire to initiate a joint venture (JV) arrangement with Algeria for a multibillion dollar

fertilizer plant located in the North African country. The proposal in this regard has moved to front burner

following a meeting between Algerian Minister for Industry and Mining and Indian Minister of State for

Chemicals in Algiers.

However no specific agreements were signed between both courtiers at the end of Vice-President Hamid

Ansari‘s three-day visit to Algeria.

Why India is forming JV with Algeria?

Phosphorus is one of three important elements in the chemical fertilizers that are most important in plant

nutrition along with nitrogen and potassium. India, which has up to 96% phosphate dependency. Currently,

India imports raw phosphate resources from a number of African countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and

Syria and also from Russia, Canada and Israel among others.

For India, forming JV Algeria will have major favourable food security implications and also could ease the

fertilizer subsidy burden.

India-Algeria

India‘s bilateral trade with Algeria currently stands at 1.5 billion dollars a year with the trade balance in

Algeria‘s favour given India‘s import of oil and gas. The major item of exports from India to Algeria has been

automobiles.

India-Hungary

Earlier, Vice-President Hamid Ansari had visited Hungary on as part of this two-nation trip (Hungary and

Algeria). Both countries had signed two agreements including in the field of water management.

EC hosts first ever International Conference on Voter Education

October 20, 2016



The Election Commission of India hosted the first ever International Conference on Voter Education in New

Delhi. The three day (from 19 to 21 October, 2016) conference was inaugurated by the Chief Election

Commissioner (CEC) Dr Nasim Zaidi.

Key Facts

The topic of the first of its kind conference is Voter Education for Inclusive, Informed and Ethical Participation.

27 countries and 5 international organizations are participating in it. It has been organized with an aim to share

best practices, initiatives and policies of voter education by election management bodies.

It aims at achieving a resolution to strengthen inclusive, ethical and informed electoral participation among

member countries with the help of voter education and outreach. It will deliberate upon five topics ranging from

Role of Information Communication Technology in Voter Education, Electoral Literacy to Enhanced

participation by special categories of voters and Strategies for Informed and Ethical Voting.

The Conference will see the launch of the ambitious VoICE.NET project, a Global Knowledge Network on

voter education. Besides, an exhibition showcasing Voter Education tools and materials will be also organized

on the occasion.

India, China conduct second Joint tactical Exercise in Ladakh

October 20, 2016

India and China have conducted second joint military exercise ―Sino India Cooperation 2016‖ in Ladakh

region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The exercise compliments Hand in

Hand series of India-China joint military exercises that aims to enhance cooperation and maintain peace and

tranquility along border areas of both countries.

Key Facts

The theme of the day long joint exercise was based on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR). In it a

fictitious situation of earthquake striking an Indian Border village was painted. Thereafter joint teams of both

countries carried out rescue operations, evacuation and rendering of medical assistance.

The exercise not only refined the drills to provide succor to the border population in case of natural calamity but

has also increased the level of trust and cooperation between the border guarding forces of both countries along

the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

Background

The second edition of the exercise was conducted as part of ongoing initiative between both countries to

enhance interaction and cooperation under provisions of Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA),

2013. The first Joint Exercise under BDCA, 2013 was held in February 2016 in the area of Border Personnel

Meeting Hut at Chushul Garrison of Eastern Ladakh, along with Chinese troops of Moldo Garrison.

Comment

This is for first time both countries have conducted military exercises in state of Jammu and Kashmir in Eastern

Ladakh amidst growing uneasiness in the bilateral relationship. The exercise also comes in the backdrop of

stalemate over India‘s multilateral disagreements with China over blacklisting of Pakistan-based terrorist group

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar at the United Nations and membership of the Nuclear Suppliers

Group (NSG).

India, Myanmar signed 3 MoUs including Cooperation in field of Power Sector

October 20, 2016



India and Myanmar have signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to boost bilateral relations

between two neighbouring nations. These MoUs were signed in New Delhi after delegation level talks between

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the visiting State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi.

Signed MoUs are MoU for designing an academic and professional building programme for insurance industry

of Myanmar. MoU on Cooperation in the field of Power Sector. Under it India has offered to enhance power

supply from Moreh in Manipur to Tamu in Myanmar. MoU on Banking Supervision. It was signed between

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bank of Myanmar.

Besides, India extended support to Myanmar for a better connected future. Both countries agreed to cooperate in

security and strategic issues. They also agreed to enhance engagement in several areas including to develop a

mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses.

India signs pact with Russia to lease second nuclear submarine

October 20, 2016

India has signed agreement with Russia to lease second Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine (SSN). The

deal is believed to be worth about $2 billion. The lease to transfer a multipurpose Project 971 nuclear

submarine to India from the Russian Navy was signed in Goa on the sidelines of 8th BRICS Summit. The

second nuclear submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21.

Background

India had earlier leased first Akula-II class nuclear attack submarine (SSN) for a period of 10 years from Russia.

It was inducted into service as INS Chakra (formerly known as K-152 Nerpa) in April 2012. Its lease expires in

2021. Since then, India had expressed interest in leasing at least one more submarine to train Navy crew in

complex submarine operations to have a large fleet of nuclear submarines.

Akula-class submarines

Akula-class submarines of Project 97 (NATO name Akula-II) weigh around 8,140 tonnes. They are considered

one of the most silent SSNs in service and are capable of sailing at speeds up to 35 knots. They are nuclear

powered but are armed with conventional land attack missiles.

INS Arihant

Earlier in August 2016, India had quietly inducted its first indigenously built nuclear ballistic missile submarine

(SSBN) Arihant into service completing its nuclear triad.

Besides, follow-on submarines are also planned and at least two are in various stages of construction which will

give India strategic foothold in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The second indigenous nuclear submarine of the

same class, INS Aridhaman, will be commissioned in 2018.

Comment

Pakistan does not have a nuclear submarine and lacks a nuclear triad. China has four nuclearpowered

submarines in operation and in a couple of years this number that will go up to six. China‘s Nuclear-submarines

carry a version of the Dong Feng nuclear missile that has a range of up to 7,000km.

IUNC to declare Kashmir‟s Red Stag as Critically Endangered

October 20, 2016

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is going to declare the Kashmiri Red Stag (also

known as Hangul) as a Critically Endangered species. The critically endangered status to the Kashmiri Red Stag



will help it to get more protection and enhance the conservation efforts to increase its rapidly declining

population.

About Kashmiri Red Stag

The Kashmir Stag or Hangul is a subspecies of elk native to India. Earlier it was believed that it is a subspecies

of red deer. But mitochondrial DNA genetic studies have revealed that it is part of the Asian clade of elk. It is

found in dense riverine forests in the high valleys and mountains of Kashmir Valley and northern Chamba

district of Himachal Pradesh.

As per Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) nearly 3000 to 5000 Hanguls existed around the 1940s. But at

present, only about 150 of them survive within its last bastion in Dachigam National Park located on foothills

of Zabarwan range on the outskirts of Srinagar, J&K.

Protection status: It has been listed under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and J&K Wildlife

(Protection) Act, 1978. It also has been listed among the top 15 species of high conservation priority by the

Central Government.

Reasons for decline in population: (i) habitat destruction, (ii) over-grazing by domestic livestock, and (iii)

poaching.

About International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

The IUCN is the world‘s oldest and largest global environmental organisation working in the field of nature

conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It was founded in 1948. It is headquartered in Geneva,

Switzerland. It is a leading non-governmental authority on the environment and sustainable development. It is

also involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, lobbying and education.

IUCN is best known to the wider public for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List, which assesses the

conservation status of species worldwide.

Okha-Kanalus, Porbandar-Wansjaliya sections of Gujarat become Green Train Corridors

October 20, 2016

The Union Ministry of Railways has declared the Okha-Kanalus and the Porbandar-Wansjaliya railway sections

of Gujarat as Green Train Corridors. All trains passing on these 175-km long lines (141-km-long Okha-Kanalus

route and the 34-km-long Porbandar-Wansjaliya route) are now equipped with bio-toilets.

On these routes, about 29 trains consisting of nearly 700 coaches have been equipped with bio-toilets to prevent

open discharge free zone on tracks as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

What are Green Train Corridors?

Green Train Corridors are sections of the railways which will be free of human waste discharge on the tracks.

Trains running on these corridors will be equipped with bio-toilets. Thus, it will completely stop discharge of

human waste from trains onto the ground which in turn would help in improving cleanliness and hygiene.

The 114-km long Rameswaram-Manamadurai section of Tamil Nadu was made the India‘s first Green Rail

Corridor in July 2016.

Background

The Union Ministry of Railways has taken up a mammoth task of equipping human discharge free bio-toilets in

all its coaches by 2021-22 in order to contribute to mission ‗Swachh Bharat Abhiyan‘. It aims at completely

stopping discharge of human waste from trains onto the ground in order improving cleanliness and hygiene

What are Biotoilets?



The environment-friendly bio-toilets for passenger coaches were developed jointly by Indian Railways and

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In the bio-toilet fitted coaches, human waste is

collected in biodigester tanks below the toilets and is decomposed by a consortium of anaerobic bacteria.

By the process of hydrolysis, acetogenesis, acidogenesis and methanogenesis, the anaerobic bacteria converts

human faecal matter into water and small amount of gases (including methane).

No relook into allocation of Krishna water: Tribunal

October 20, 2016

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal II (KWDT-II) headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar, has decided to maintain

status quo on the allocation of Krishna River water among all four riparian states viz. Maharashtra, Karnataka,

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. However, tribunal decided to confine the reallocation of Krishna water to

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

What is the case?

The KWDT-II pronounced its judgement on the litigation prompted by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Both

states in their petition had sought fresh allocation of Krishna River water among all four riparian states. They

had urged that Section 89 in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 meant redistribution of Krishna

water among all the four riparian States not just between both of them.

What was KWDT-II verdict?

In its verdict, the tribunal said that Section 89 the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 was not applicable

to all four riparian states but is meant only for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Thus, there was no need to re-

allocate of Krishna River water among all four riparian states. The river water should be re-allocated between

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, from the share of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

What is Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)?

Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) is a tribunal set up by the Central Government in 1969 under the

Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to resolve the disputes between the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra

and then undivided Andhra Pradesh over sharing of Krishna river water.

About Krishna River

The Krishna River is the second biggest river in peninsular India after Goadavri River. It originates near

Mahabaleshwar (Satara) in Maharashtra. It then runs from four states Maharashtra (303 km), North Karnataka

(480 km) and the rest of its 1300 km journey in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before it empties into the Bay of

Bengal.

What are Water Disputes Tribunals?

As per the Article 262 of the Constitution, Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or

complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, any interstate rivers or river valley.

In pursuance of this article, the parliament had enacted Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956 to govern the inter-

State river water disputes. Under this law, water disputes tribunals are constituted for the adjudication of the

interstate water dispute.

Article 262 vs Article 131 of the Constitution

The Article 131 of the Constitution which deals with the Supreme Court‘s exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate

disputes between States is not an unrestricted one. The apex court can exercise its jurisdiction under Article 131

in an inter-State dispute, provided other Articles in the Constitution allowed it to do so.



Article 262 (2) of the Constitution allows Parliament, by law, to bar the Supreme Court from interfering in an

inter-State water dispute. It means that award of water tribunal appointed under a law to resolve inter-State

water dispute would be final and deemed to have the force of a Supreme Court order or decree.

Thus, it can be said that the award of the tribunal formed under the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956

eclipses the Supreme Court‘s jurisdiction.

SBI declares Silchar as its 5th zone in North East

October 21, 2016

The State Bank of India (SBI) has declared Silchar as its 5th zone in North East to facilitate banking issues for

the customers of the region. The 5th zone will further help to cater the banking needs of the people of Mizoram,

Tripura and Manipur along with the Barak Valley of North east India. SBI also opened its administrative office

at Silchar, Assam.

Other four zones of SBI in North East are Guwahati, Shillong, Dibrugarh and Jorhat. Earlier, Silchar was under

Guwahati zone. However, due to difficult terrain of the region it was tough on the part of the bank to address the

complaints and issues of the customers in the region.

Presently, SBI has 736 branches across North East together with 3,000 ATMs and 3,000 customer service points

for customer facilitation.

Maharashtra Government launches Kaushalya Setu skill-development programme

October 21, 2016

Maharashtra government has launched ‗Kaushalya Setu‘, a skill development programme for students. It was

launched by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State Skill Development and

Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

Under the Kaushalya Setu initiative

Students of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education, who failed to clear Class X

or SSC exam, will be accommodated in skill development courses. The main aim of the initiative to compensate

loss of one year of students who have failed matriculation examination by providing skill-oriented training.

It will give a big boost to Central Government‘s Skill India Mission-2020 by providing skill development

courses to students.

Railway ministry inks MoU for Smart Railway Stations

October 21, 2016

The Union Ministry of Railways and Union Urban Development Ministry have inked Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) for smart railway stations. The validity of the MoU is for the five years and can be

extended with the consent of both the ministries.

Under this initiative

Railway stations and surrounding areas will be redeveloped under the Smart City plan. 500 railway stations in

the country will be ‗smarten up‘ with better passenger amenities, integrated public transport hubs and easy

access. Initially, 100 railway stations and an adjoining area of 300-800 acres will be redeveloped in Smart Cities

and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Schemes. Later the scope of the MoU

will be extended to over 500 cities in time.



Countries like Germany, Japan, France, South Korea, UK and Belgium have shown interest in the

redevelopment of railway stations. To begin with, Railway stations in 10 cities will be taken up for the

redevelopment with the involvement of the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC).

They are Varanasi, Bhubaneswwar, Sarai Rohilla (Delhi), Varnasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kota, Thane, Margao

(Goa), Tirupati and Puducherry.

Triple talaq a highly misused custom: NCW

October 21, 2016

The National Commission of Women (NCW) has held that triple talaq was a ―highly misused‖ custom and

Government should scrap it to protect the rights of Muslim women.

NCW clearly mentioned that the traditional custom of triple talaq should be banned in an effort to protect the

rights of Muslim women and it cannot be linked to the Uniform Civil Code. According to the commission,

Muslim women feels disempowered because of the practice of triple talaq.

What is triple talaq?

‗Triple Talaq‘ or ‗Oral talaq‘ is a procedure of divorce mentioned under the Sharia Law which is a body of the

Islamic law. Under this, a husband can divorce his wife by pronouncing ‗Talaq‘ thrice.

Why triple talaq should be abolished?

The practice of ‗triple talaq‘ has enabled husbands to divorce their wives arbitrarily, devoid of any

substantiation. It impact adversely on the right of women to a life of dignity. The ‗triple talaq‘ has been

abolished in 21 Islamic theocratic countries including Pakistan. It is also against constitutional principles such as

gender equality, secularism, international laws etc.

What is Government‟s position?

Recently Central Government in affidavit submitted to Supreme Court held that the practice of Triple talaq is

against the principles of gender justice, gender equality and dignity enshrined in the Constitution. This

pernicious practice is not integral to the right to freedom of religion.

Triple talaq is not an essential religious practice in Islam and violates right to equality, non-discrimination on

the grounds of sex and the right to live with dignity to women in par with men guaranteed in the Constitution.

About National Commission for Women (NCW)

The NCW is a statutory body generally concerned with advising the government on all policy matters affecting

women. It was established in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 as per the

provisions of the Indian Constitution.

The objective of the NCW is to represent the rights of women in the country and to provide a voice for their

issues and concerns.

Pakistan warns India against breaching Indus Water Treaty

October 21, 2016

Pakistan has warned India that it will take appropriate action if India violates the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)

unilaterally. It also mentioned that it was closely monitoring the situation after India decided to suspend all talks

with Pakistan on IWT in the wake of the Uri attack.

Why Indus River is important for Pakistan?



Around 65% of the Pakistan‘s geographical area including entire Pakistan‘s Punjab province is part of Indus

basin. The water of Indus River is lifeline of Pakistan and is source of irrigation, hydro power and drinking

water for millions of Pakistanis. If the water from rivers is stopped by India it can surely cut lifeline of Pakistan.

What is Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)?

IWT is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan which was brokered by the World Bank (then the

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development). The treaty deals with sharing of water of Indus water

system having six rivers — Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum between the two countries. It was

signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President of Pakistan Ayub Khan in Karachi on September

19, 1960.

As per treaty, control over three eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were given to India. While control over

three western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab was given to Pakistan. It allows India to use only 20% of the

water of Indus river, which flows through it first, for irrigation, power generation and transport.

Most disagreements and disputes have been settled via legal procedures, provided for within the framework of

the treaty. Under it Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) was set up as a bilateral commission to implement and

manage the Treaty. The Commission solves disputes arising over water sharing. Besides, treaty also provides

arbitration mechanism to solve disputes amicably.

A Permanent Indus Commission was set up as a bilateral commission to implement and manage the Treaty. The

Commission solves disputes arising over water sharing It is most successful water treaty in world. Even, it has

survived India-Pakistan wars of 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil standoff besides Kashmir insurgency since

1990.

Protein-enriched rice variety developed by IGKV Chattisgarh

October 21, 2016

Researchers from Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV),Chattisgarh have developed a protein-

enriched rice variety. The new developed rice variety has over 10% protein content, which is 3% more than

what is found in any popular variety and has 30 PPM (parts per million) zinc content.

Key facts

The protein-enriched rice variety was developed by researchers from IGKV‘s Department of Plant Molecular

Biology and Biotechnology. They had worked for seven years to develop the variety of rice that is rich in

protein along with high zinc content.

This protein rice variety will play a crucial role in addressing issues of protein deficiencies and it will serve as a

boon for malnourished population, especially children, in tribaldominated Chhattisgarh.

Zinc-enriched variety of rice

Earlier in May 2015, scientists from Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU), Raipur (Chhattisgarh) had

developed a high zinc-enriched called “Chhattisgarh Zinc Rice-1”. It was the first zinc biofortified rice variety

developed in India.

Advantages

Zinc and other mineral content are not lost upon polishing. The rice has long self-life and used after keeping it

for long time. Even it tastes just as good as the conventional variety.

Why is zinc so important to the body?



Zinc is important to the body because over 300 enzymes in our body use it as an essential component in their

action. Zinc is essential in supporting our immune system, in synthesising and degrading DNA, in wound

healing and several other activities.

Our body requires very small amount of Zinc, but if the level falls down to below normal itmay result into

growth retardation, diarrhoea, eye and skin lesions and loss of appetite.

Background

As per a survey conducted in 2015 very high rate of malnutrition was found among preschool children in tribal

areas across Chhattisgarh which is considered rice bowl of the country. The survey had showed that over five

lakh children in the state are underweight and stunted growth especially in the tribal districts.

IIL develops CYSVAX, world‟s first vaccine to fight against tapeworms in pig

October 21, 2016

The Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has launched CYSVAX, world‘s first vaccine to fight against Taenia

solium Tapeworms in pigs. The vaccine has significant potential benefit to reduce the incidence of epilepsy in

humans.

Key Facts

The CYSVAX is a recombinant porcine (Pigs) Cysticercosis Vaccine. The vaccine has potential to break the

Cysticercosis disease parasite‘s life-cycle in pigs which is considered to be one of the important reasons for

epilepsy in humans.

What is Cysticercosis?

Cysticercosis is a parasitic disease caused by pork tapeworm named Taenia solium. WHO has designated it as

one of 17 Neglected tropical diseases worldwide? It is a zoonotic parasite disease involving pigs as intermediate

hosts because it is caused by ingesting the eggs of the tapeworm Taenia solium.

Humans are usually infected by the accidental consumption of eggs present in the undercooked pork, vegetables

and greens that have been improperly washed. In humans it develops into cysts in central nervous system and

cause Neuro-cysticercosis, considered as one of the important reasons for epilepsy in humans.

What are reasons for the spread of disease?

The primary breeding grounds for tapeworms Taenia solium are open defecation and unhygienic pig rearing.

Cases of Cysticercosis in India have been reported in North Uttar Pradesh and North- Eastern states.

About Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL)

IIL is Hyderabad-based subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). It is a market leader in

veterinary biologicals and is also big player in animal and human healthcare sector in country.

Union Government inks loan pact with World Bank for Eastern Freight Corridor

October 21, 2016

The Union Government has signed $650 million loan agreement with the World Bank for construction of the

Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC)-III project. The agreement was signed between International Bank

for Reconstruction and Development (IRBD), part of World Bank Group to lend $650 million, third tranche for

construction EDFC to Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL).

Features of EDFC-III project



The project aims to enhance rail transport capacity, improve service quality and boost freight carriage on the

401-km- long Ludhiana-Khurja section of the EDFC. On completion it will directly benefit the power and heavy

manufacturing industries located in the Northern and Eastern parts of India.

This project will provide these industries smooth railway network for efficient transportation of their raw

materials along with distribution processed and consumer goods. In addition, railway passengers will also be

benefitted as the existing passengers lines would get decongested.

Background

The first two phases of the EDFC are already being implemented by the DFCCIL with the help of financial

assistance provided by the World Bank. The IRDB had provided loans worth $975 million and $1,100 million

for the Dadri-Khurja-Kanpur and and Kanpur-Mughal Sarai stretches respectively of the Eastern Rail Corridor.

What is Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC)?

EDFC is 1,840 km long freight corridor of Indian Railways extending from Ludhiana in Punjab to Kolkata in

West Bengal. The objective of the EDFC is to augment railway freight carrying capacity along the railway

corridor between Ludhiana and Kolkata.

The project will benefit industries of northern and eastern India, which rely on railway network for

transportation of material inputs and processed goods. It is also going to help to reduce greenhouse gases

(GHGs) emissions, as trains complying on this dedicated freight corridor will operate entirely on electricity.

SC freezes BCCI‟s transactions with state cricket bodies

October 21, 2016

Supreme Court has frozen all financial transactions between the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)

and state cricket associations. The apex court directed BCCI, the apex cricket body not to disburse any funds to

state cricket associations till they resolve to abide by Justice RM Lodha Committee recommendations.

Besides, the Supreme Court also asked the Lodha Committee to appoint an independent auditor to verify the

BCCI‘s accounts. It was also asked to set a ―threshold value‖ for various contracts the BCCI enters into, and all

contracts in excess of that amount would need the committee‘s approval.

What is the issue?

The Lodha committee appointed by the Supreme Court had recommended a complete overhaul the cricket, the

most popular sport in India. The committee had recommended sweeping reforms in BCCI‘s administrative and

governance structures from top to grassroot levels and on the issue of transparency.

The most important set of recommendations were aimed at transforming the entire power structure in the BCCI.

However, BCCI‘s position was that it could not implement the Committee‘s recommendations as majority of its

state associations are not agreeing to do so.

These state associations were reluctant to accept Committee‘s recommendations such as onestate- one-vote

policy, the age cap of 70 years for administrators and the limit of three, threeyear terms with cooling-off periods

in between for office bearers.

BCCI approves use of DRS in India-England Test series

October 22, 2016

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given its consent for using the Decision Review System

(DRS) in the forthcoming five-Test series against England in November 2016. BCCI will use the DRS on a trial

basis to evaluate the improvements and changes made to the system over a period of time.



Earlier, BCCI as well as many members of the current Indian cricket team including Captain Mahendra Singh

Dhoni had objected used of DRS as is not 100% accurate.

What changes have been made?

The technology approved by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It includes introduction of

ultramotion cameras with better frame rates for accurate ball tracking and Ultra edge, a sound based

technology for determining the frame of impact and minimising manual intervention. A data retrieval system

also has been included as a further safeguard.

What is Decision Review System (DRS)?

DRS is technology-based system used in sport of cricket for the sole purpose of reviewing controversial

decisions made by on-field umpires as to whether or not a batsman had been dismissed. The system was first

tested in an India v Sri Lanka match in 2008.

It was officially launched by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2009 during the first Test match

between New Zealand and Pakistan. Initially, ICC had made the DRS mandatory in all international matches,

but later made its use optional, so that the system would only be used if both teams agree.

How does the Decision Review System (DRS) work?

The DRS comprises a combination of several off-field technologies. Using these off-field technologies, the third

umpire informs the on-field umpire whether to overturn or uphold their original decision. The process of

checking a DRS it starts with (i) Checking of No-ball (ii) Inside Edge (iii) Pitch of Ball (iv) Location of Ball

while hitting the pads (v) Ball hitting the stumps First two things are checked manually by 3rd Umpire.

The rule to give out you require this three things (i) Ball should pitch In-Line of stumps or Outside off (ii)

Impact of ball while hitting the pads should be In-Line of stumps (iii) Ball should be hitting stumps.

What are off-field technologies of Decision Review System?

Off-field technologies of DRS includes (i) footage from TV cameras placed around the ground; (ii) Hot Spot,

an infrared camera system that highlights parts of the bat and body that have been hit by the ball; (iii) Hawkeye,

a ball-tracking system usually used to check leg before wicket decisions; and (iv) Realtime Snickometre, a

waveform of the sound captured by a stump microphone.

Smooth-coated otter sighted for first time in Krishna sanctuary

October 22, 2016

Smooth-coated otter was sighted for the first time in the mangrove forest near the Krishna wildlife sanctuary

(KWS) in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. In all, seven otters were sighted in the mangrove forests and

brackish water channels of Eelachetladibba and Lankevennedibba and other areas outside the KWS. The

presence of the otter is a key indicator for rise of the mangrove cover in the KWS.

About smooth-coated Otter

The smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the

genus Lutrogale. Otter is a carnivorous mammal. The fur of this species is smoother and shorter than that of

other otters. It is distributed throughout South Asia and South East Asia.

The otter lives in rivers, lakes, peat swamp forests, mangroves and estuaries. It uses swamps as natal den sites

and nursery during the breeding season in early winter. Otters are social and hunt in groups. The male otter is

polygamous and mates with up to the four females.



It has been categorised ‗vulnerable‘ in the red data book of International Union for Conservation of Nature

(IUCN).

ICGS Aryaman and Atulya Commissioned into Indian Coast Guard

October 22, 2016

The Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGSs) ‗Aryaman‘ and ‗Atulya‘ were commissioned into Indian Coast Guard in

Kochi, Kerala. These ships are the eighteenth and nineteenth in the series of twenty Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs)

designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Key Facts

The ships have been christened ICGS ‗Aryaman‘ and ‗Atulya‘. Aryaman literally meaning is ‗Possessor of

Greatness‘ and Atulya meaning is ‗Unrivalled‘. Both FPVs are 50m long and have displace of 317 tonnes of

water. They can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots with range of 1500 nautical miles.

They are equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry, advanced communication and navigational equipment. These

FPVs are ideal platform for undertaking multifarious close-coast missions such as surveillance, interdiction and

search and rescue.

These ships have onboard Integrated Bridge Management System (IBMS) and Integrated Machinery Control

System (IMCS). Aryaman will be based at Kochi under the administrative control of the Commander, Coast

Guard Region (West).

Atulya will be based at Visakhapatnam under the administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard

Region (East).

About Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

ICG is India‘s statutory multi-mission paramilitary organization that protects country‘s maritime interests and

enforces maritime law. It was established on 18 August, 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 and operates under

the aegis of Union Ministry of Defence. Its headquarters are in New Delhi. ICG has jurisdiction over the

territorial waters of India including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Union Government launches UDAN Scheme for Regional Air Connectivity

October 22, 2016

The Union Government has launched the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik)

which seeks to get more people to fly in the smaller towns. The scheme was launched by the Union Civil

Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in New Delhi. It will be rolled out by January, 2017 and will be in

operation for a period of 10 years.

What is UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) Scheme?

The UDAN scheme seeks to provide connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through

revival of existing air-strips and airports. This first-of-its-kind scheme will ensure affordability, connectivity,

growth and development. It aims to increase ticketing volume from 80 million to 300 million by 2022.

Under it regional connectivity will be developed on market-based mechanism under which Airlines will bid for

seat subsidies. Airline operators will bid for up to 40 subsidised seats and minimum seats will be 9. There will

be 50% seats on market based pricing.

It will create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes so that flying becomes

affordable to the common man even in small towns. Under it, airlines will have complete freedom to enter into

code sharing with larger airlines for connectivity and they will be exempted from various airport charges.



Airlines will have exclusive rights for three years to fly on a particular regional route. On these routes for

regional flights Airfares will be capped at 2500 rupees for an hour‘s flight.

How the scheme will achieve targets ?

Central and State governments and airport operators will provide a financial stimulus in the form of concessions

to airlines. The mechanism of Viability Gap Funding (VGF) will be provided to interested airlines to kick-off

operations from such airports so that the passenger fares are kept affordable.

Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF) will be created to meet the VGF requirements under the scheme. The RCF

levy per departure will be applied to certain domestic flights.

What are various facilities available for Airline and helicopter operators?

Airline and helicopter operators interested under the scheme can start operations on unconnected routes by

submitting proposals to the Implementing Agency. The can seek various concessions apart from the Viability

Gap Funding (VGF). The un-connected routes proposed under the scheme will be offered through competitive

bidding and will be awarded to participant quoting the lowest VGF per Seat.

The successful bidder will have exclusive rights to operate the route for a period of three years. After a three

year grace period, such support will be withdrawn as the route is expected to become self-sustainable. Selected

airline operator will have to provide a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 40 UDAN Seats (subsidized rates) on

the UDAN Flights for operations.

Airport operators will not impose any Landing and Parking charge and Terminal Navigation Landing Charges.

What is role of States in the UDAN Scheme?

The selection of airports where UDAN operations begins will be done in consultation with State Government

and after confirmation of their concessions. The scheme will also help in starting operations on un-served

airports and revival of the dysfunctional airports.

Way forward

The UDAN Scheme is likely to a give a major fillip helicopters and small aircraft operations along with tourism

and employment generation in the hinterland. It will also help to significantly reduce travel timings in remote

and hilly regions, as well as islands and other areas of the country.

Global Conference to strengthen Arbitration & Enforcement held in New Delhi

October 22, 2016

The first ever global conference to strengthen Arbitration and Enforcement in India was held in New Delhi. The

3-day Conference was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee on 21 October 2016.

Key Facts

The conference aims to provide impetus to commercial arbitration in country or faster and efficient dispute

resolution outside the court room. It was started with title ‗National Initiative on Strengthening Arbitration and

Enforcement‘. It was held to change the face of dispute resolution in India. For the first time six leading

international arbitral institutions and all major industry associations had participated in it.

Discussions on Indian Arbitration Act, Case Management of Arbitration, setting up an world class autonomous

arbitration institution and court support for arbitration were held.

Background

The conference comes the backdrop of the immense losses suffered by the business enterprises and the economy

at large, due to backlogs involved in dispute resolution in Indian courts. This has kept money and resources of



the businesses trapped till the final resolution of the dispute is resolved. It is considered as major disincentive

for foreign companies coming to invest in India and also affected ease of doing business environment of the

country.

NABARD sanctions Rs. 19,702 crore loan to National Water Development Agency

October 22, 2016

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned loan worth Rs. 19,702

crore to National Water Development Agency (NWDA). The loan will be provided through NABARD‘s Long

Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) for 50 irrigation projects from 11 States.

Key Facts

This loan will be part of the Central share of assistance to State Governments. It will ensure front loading of

resources so that the identified incomplete irrigation projects under Pradhan Mandtri Krishi Sinchai Yojna

(PMKSY) are executed in time. Loan released by NABARD to NWDA would be disbursed to the respective

State Governments as Central Share in the projects sanctioned.

The LTIF was set up by NABARD as a sequel to the initiatives announced by the Union Finance Minister Arun

Jaitley for irrigation purpose in his Budget Speech 2016-17.

What will be significance of these irrigation projects?

The loan funds for these irrigation projects will help to create additional irrigation potential of 39.14 lakh

hectares in 11 States. Thus, it will support government‘s vision to double the farmers‘ income by 2022 as

providing assured irrigation to farmers is one of the important prerequisites to achieve that target.

About National Water Development Agency (NWDA)

NWDA is the agency of the Union Ministry of Water Resources. It was set up in July, 1982 as autonomous

society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It was established to carry out the water balance and other

studies on a scientific and realistic basis for optimum utilisation of Water Resources of the Peninsular rivers

system.

Besides it was tasked to prepare feasibility reports and give concrete shape to Peninsular Rivers Development

Component of National Perspective. In 1990, it was also entrusted with the task of Himalayan Rivers

Development Component of National Perspectives.

Recently, the functions of NWDA have been further modified and the work of preparation of detailed Project

Reports (DPR) of various link proposals and Pre-feasibility Reports. It has been also entrusted to prepare

feasibility reports of intra-State links as proposed by the States.

India wins 2016 Kabaddi World Cup

October 22, 2016

India has won the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup by defeating Iran by 38-29 score in the final match played at the

Arena By TransStadia in Ahmedabad (Gujarat. It was India‘s third consecutive Kabaddi World Cup in the

Standard Style version of Kabaddi. Earlier India had won in 2004 and 2007.

Captain of Indian team: Anup Kumar

Captain of Iranian team: Meraj Sheykh

About Kabaddi World Cup

Kabaddi World Cup is standard style indoor international kabaddi competition conducted by the International

Kabaddi Federation (IKF). The competition has been previously contested in 2004, 2007 and 2016. All the three



tournaments have been won by India by defeating Iran in the finals. Arena By TransStadia it is India‘s first-ever

convertible stadium.

It uses a globally patented technology, which converts an outdoor stadium into an indoor arena within 6 minutes

at a touch of a button. It can house 14 sports, excluding cricket and has seating capacity of 20,000.

October 23-24, 2016

Western Zonal Council Meeting held in Mumbai

October 24, 2016

The 22nd meeting of the Western Zonal Council was recently held at Mumbai, Maharashtra under the

chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The Western Zonal Council consist of the States of

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Key facts

The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers and ministers of these States and UnionTerritories administrators

as well as senior officers of Union and State Governments. The Council reviewed issues related to internal

security, coastal security, issuance of biometric identity cards to fishermen and card readers, modernization of

police force, formulation of plans for countering terrorism etc.

It also reviewed other important issues such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Urban) Mission, providing shelters

to the urban homeless, and surplus lands of Union Government for ‗Housing for All: 2022‘. Issues related to

checking pollution in Daman Ganga River and Kolak River due to discharge of untreated effluents from Vapi

industrial area was also discused.

What are Zonal Councils?

Zonal Councils were set up under the States Reorganization Act, 1956 (so it is not constitutional body) to

foster Inter-State co-operation and co-ordination among the States. Currently, there are total five zonal councils

viz. Northern, Western, Eastern, Central and Southern.

The Zonal Councils are mandated to discuss and make recommendations on any matter of common interest in

field of social and economic planning, linguistic minorities, border disputes or inter-State transport etc. Thus,

Zonal Councils are regional fora of cooperative endeavor for States linked with each other economically,

culturally and politically.

They are specially meant for looking after the interests of respective Zones and focus attention on specific issues

taking into account regional factors, while keeping national perspective in view.

Note

The north eastern states are not included in these five zonal Councils. Their special problems are looked after by

North Eastern Council, set up under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972. It is also headed by Union Home

Minister. The North Eastern Council includes Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram,

Meghalaya and Nagaland. Sikkim was included in the North Eastern Council in 2002 and excluded from the

eastern council.

ITBP celebrates its 55th raising day

October 24, 2016

The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) celebrated its 55th raising day on 24 October. The force was raised on

24th October in 1962. ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep

La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 kilometer of India-China Border. It is manning Border Outposts on



altitudes raging from 9000 feet to 18700 feet in the Western, Middle and Eastern Sector of the India-China

Border.

About Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

ITBP is one of the eight statutory Central Armed Police Forces of India. It was established on 24 October 1962,

under the CRPF Act, in the wake of India- China War of 1962. Later Parliament enacted the Indo-Tibetan

Border Police Force Act, 1992 to provide full autonomy to ITBP.

It operates under the aegis of Union Ministry of Home Affairs At present ITBP has strong force of about 50,000

personnel to secure the 3,488 km border with China along Tibet Autonomous Region. ITBP force is also engage

in a variety of internal security tasks including civil Medical Camp, disaster management, nuclear, biological

and chemical disasters and UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

October 24: United Nations Day

October 24, 2016

The United Nations Day is being observed globally on October 24. The day marks the anniversary of the entry

into force of the UN Charter (the founding document of UNO) in 1945. It entered into force on 24 October 1945

after it was ratified by the original five permanent members of the Security Council—China, France, Union of

Soviet Socialist Republics (now Russia), United Kingdom, and United States and majority of the other

signatories.

What is significance of UN Charter?

With the ratification of UN Charter, the United Nations officially came into existence. It is a constituent treaty

and all signatory members are bound by its articles. Furthermore, Article 103 of the UN Charter states that

obligations to the United Nations prevail over all other treaty obligations.

Most countries in the world have now ratified the Charter.

2016 Celebrations

This year‘s UN Day will be used to highlight concrete actions people can take to help achieve the Sustainable

Development Goals. Besides, UN Day Concert is also organised in the United Nations General Assembly Hall

with the theme ―Freedom First‖.

Background

The United Nations General Assembly had declared 24 October as the United Nations Day by adopting

Resolution 2782 in 1971. The day is devoted making people aware of the aims and achievements of the United

Nations Organization. This day is part of United Nations Week, which runs from 20 to 26 October.

India falls short in female literacy compared to its neighbours: Study

October 24, 2016

As per new study, India‘s school education system is under-performing in terms of quality in female literacy

when compared to its neighbours, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. These findings were released by

International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (or Education Commission). It shows

that India‘s education system is underperforming.

What the study says?

The proportion of women who completed five years of primary schooling in India and were literate was 48%,

much less than 92% in Nepal, 74% in Pakistan and 54% in Bangladesh. The female literacy rates in India went



up by one to 15% after completing two years of schooling. Corresponding numbers for Pakistan and Nepal were

three to 31% and 11 to 47% respectively.

Around the world, female literacy rates are improving. However, it is not clear if that is because of improvement

in school quality. India ranks low in global indices of female literacy as well. African countries Rwanda,

Ethiopia and Tanzania all rank higher than India. India was ranked 38th among the 51 developing countries for

female literacy rates when countries are ranked by earliest grade at which at least of the women are literate.

How study was conducted?

For this research, researchers had devised a way to measure the quality of education around the world, with a

specific focus on girls. They had used data from nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys

(DHS) which is one of the most comparable data sources on living standards in developing world.

World Bank must aid countries to manage shift away from coal

October 24, 2016

The global development lenders like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ABD) must provide help

countries including India to shift away from coal for energy purpose. It was proposed by the World Coal

Association to finance countries to help them to shift from their to more efficient technologies so that they can

meet their COP21 commitments.

Why should global development lenders provide aid?

Coal is backbone of countries energy mix to meet their energy demands. Even if countries push towards

renewable energy they are not going to do away with coal in overall energy mix. In absence of any funding

countries invest in inefficient sub-critical thermal plants, which have much higher CO2 and particulate matter

(PM) emissions. Thus, leading to higher emissions.

The aid global development lenders will facilitate countries to adopt Super critical and ultrasuper critical (USC)

plants technologies.

What are benefits of aid from global development lenders?

Super critical and ultra-super critical (USC) plants technologies have capability to substantially reduce CO2

emissions and virtually eliminate PM emissions. It will help countries in reducing their emissions from coal,

rather than reducing coal itself and meet target provided in Intended Nationally Determined Contributions

(INDCs). Thus some target of Paris agreement on Climate Change about reducing the emissions from coal

power plants will be achieved.

Government to provide higher subsidy for airlines connecting two regional airports

October 24, 2016

The Union Government will provide higher a subsidy to airlines that operate flights between two regional

airports under the Regional Connectivity Scheme. The subsidy amount given to airlines that operate between

two unserved or underserved airports will be 10% higher than sum offered to airlines that connect only one

regional airport.

Key Facts

The subsidy will be provided under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) scheme for threeyears so that the

route would become viable. It will be provided to airlines to fund their losses to enable them to offer airfares at

Rs. 2,500 for an hour‘s flight on half the seats under the Regional Connectivity Scheme.



The subsidy amount for airlines connecting to one regional airport will vary between Rs. 2,350 and Rs. 5,100

per seat depending upon distance covered between two destinations. Besides, airlines can also transfer their

rights or contract to get subsidy from government and fly on regional routes to another airline operating a

similar type of aircraft.

Other decisions taken by Government to boost Regional Connectivity

The Union Civil Aviation Ministry has scrapped its earlier proposal to reduce the subsidy amount based on

improved passenger load factor. Earlier, the draft scheme had proposed that if an airline manages to fill 90% of

its seats by operating regional flights during its first year of operations, the subsidy amount in subsequent year

would be reduced by half as the route would become viable.

Besides, Union Government has also reduced the bank guarantee to be provided by airlines to fly on each

regional route. Now, Airlines will be required to submit a bank guarantee equivalent to 5% of the total subsidy

amount.

October 25, 2016

PM Narendra Modi launches Urja Ganga in Varanasi

October 25, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of Urja Ganga, the highly ambitious gas pipeline

project in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The gas pipeline project aims to provide piped cooking (PNG) gas to

residents of the eastern region of the country and CNG gas for the vehicles.

Key Facts

The project is being implemented by state-run gas utility GAIL. It envisages laying a 2,050- km pipeline

connecting Jagdishpur (UP) to Haldia (West Bengal) by 2018. From Varanasi‘s perspective, 50,000 households

and 20,000 vehicles will get cleaner and cheaper fuel PNG and CNG gas respectively.

The project is considered as a major step towards collective growth and development of the Eastern region of

India. Under it, overall 20 lakh households will get PNG connections. The Urja Ganga project also augments

existing GAIL‘s network of trunk pipelines covering the length of around 11,000 km by 2540 km. Besides,

under this project work on 2540-km long Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Natural Gas pipeline project

will begin and will be completed between 2018 and 2020.

Seven East India cities Varanasi, Jamshedpur, Patna, Ranchi, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack – will be the

major beneficiary of this network development. Besides, LNG terminal at Dhamra will provide clean fuel to the

Industrial Development of the Eastern states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha. 25

industrial clusters in these 5 states will be developed using gas from this pipeline. Besides, 40 districts and 2600

villages will benefit from this project.

It will also help in revival of defunct fertilizer plants in Barauni in Bihar, Gorakhpur in UP, Sindri in Jharkhand

and Durgapur in West Bengal by supplying gas.

ISRO starts landing tests for Chandrayaan-2 mission

October 25, 2016

The Indian Space Research Organsiation (ISRO) has started a series of ground and aerial tests linked to the

critical Moon landing of Chandrayaan-2. These tests were started as ISRO‘s new site at Challakere in

Chitradurga district, 400 km from Bengaluru. This site has simulated craters. ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) is

the lead centre for the second Moon mission.



It has artificially created close to ten craters to simulate the lunar terrain and test the Lander‘s sensors. ISAC

will conduct many tests including on avionics and electronics, testing the Lander‘s legs, followed by a combined

full test.

About Chandrayaan-2 mission

Chandrayaan-2 mission is tentatively set for late 2017 or early 2018. The mission includes an Orbiter, a Lander

and a Rover. The Orbiter spacecraft will be launched from Sriharikota will travel to the Moon and release the

Lander, which will in turn deploy a tiny Rover to roam the lunar surface.

The mission includes soft-landing on Moon and moving a rover on its surface. All three project components will

be sending data and pictures to Earth.

Some facts about Chandrayaan-1 mission

Chandrayaan-1 was India‘s first lunar probe. It was launched by the ISRO in October 2008 and operated until

August 2009. The spacecraft was launched by PSLV-C11 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota,

Andhra Pradesh. It had completed 312 days in orbit. It made more than 3,400 orbits around the moon.

The vehicle was successfully inserted into lunar orbit on 8 November 2008. The probe had impacted near

Shackleton Crater ejecting underground soil that could be analysed for the presence of water or ice. It had sent

more than 70,000 images of the lunar surface which provided breathtaking views of lunar mountains and craters,

especially craters in the permanently shadowed areas of the Moon‘s polar region.

CO2 level reaches record high in 2016: WMO

October 25, 2016

According to the World Meteorological Organization‘s (WMO) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin level of carbon

dioxide (CO2) emissions in the atmosphere has reached a record high. The globally averaged concentration of

CO2 in the atmosphere reached to 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 2015. It is expected to surge

again to new records in 2016 on the back of the very powerful El Niño event.

Key Facts

This is for the first time CO2 levels have reached the 400 ppm barrier on a global average basis for the entire

year. Besides, longest-established GHGs monitoring station at Mauna Loa, Hawaii predicts that CO2

concentrations will stay above 400 ppm for whole of 2016 and not dip below that level for many generations.

There was a 37% increase in radiative forcing (the warming effect on our climate) because of long-lived GHGs

such as CO2, methane and nitrous oxide (N2O) released from industrial, agricultural and domestic activities

between 1990 and 2015.

What is relation between CO2 emissions and El Niño event?

According to WMO, the growth spurt in CO2 was fuelled by the El Niño event, which started in 2015 and had a

strong impact well into 2016. The El Niño event had triggered droughts in tropical regions and reduced the

capacity of ―sinks‖ like forests, vegetation and the oceans to absorb CO2.

These sinks currently absorb about half of CO2 emissions but now there is a risk that they may become

saturated. Once these sinks become saturated it will increase the fraction of emitted CO2 which stays in the

atmosphere.

About World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

WMO is an intergovernmental organization and specialised agency of the UN for meteorology (weather and

climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. It is a member of the United Nations



Development Group. Established: It had originated from the International Meteorological Organization (IMO),

which was founded in 1873.

Membership: 191 Member States and Territories.

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

ECI amends election rules to allow e-transfer of postal ballot

October 25, 2016

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has amended the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to facilitate the e-

transfer of postal ballot. The new rules empower a returning officer in any constituency to send postal ballots to

an eligible voter by electronic means as specified by the ECI.

In India, postal ballots have played a critical role in extending the electoral process to voters who are unable to

exercise their franchise due to either the nature of their job or geographical location of their posting.

How the e-transfer of postal ballot will work?

Under it, the returning officer can send ballot through a web portal with a ‗One Time Password (OTP)‘ to

voters. The voter needs to download the ballot for voting. The voter after voting will physically return the ballot

through post. It should be noted that two-way e-voting has not been recommended by the Election Commission,

citing security and secrecy concerns.

What is significance of the new rule?

The e-transfer of postal ballot will replace existing system in which postal ballots were sent through the

Department of Posts. It will ease the logistical issues involved in ensuring that the ballot paper of the

constituency, where a voter is eligible to vote, is sent in time. Thus, it will cut time in transmission of the ballot

paper and help the EC overcome logistical problems.

Cyrus Mistry removed as Chairman of Tata Group

October 25, 2016

The board of India‘s largest conglomerate Tata Sons Ltd has removed Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (48) as Chairman.

However he will remain a director of the individual companies. The board has replaced him with his

predecessor Ratan Tata as interim chairman for four months. Mistry had shortest tenure as Chairman so far at

the group.

Mistry had replaced Ratan Tata as chairman in December 2012. He was only the sixth group Chairman in nearly

15 decades and the first from outside the Tata family to be appointed to top most post of Tata group. Besides,

the board also named a five-member search committee to choose a successor within four months. It has given

time of four months to choose a successor.

About Cyrus Pallonji Mistry

Cyrus Pallonji Mistry is son of the billionaire Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry. Prior to his appointment as chairman he

was deputy chairman of Tata Sons. He had remained the director of Tata Sons since 2006. Billionaire Pallonji

Mistry, along with his sons, Shapoor Mistry and Cyrus Mistry are owners of 18.5% stake in Tata group. They

are largest shareholders on individual basis of group. He also had served as chairman of Tata Motors, Tata

Chemicals, Tata Steel and Tata Global Beverages.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates first National Tribal Carnival

October 25, 2016



Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first National Tribal Carnival in New Delhi to promote a sense

of inclusiveness among the tribals. The main purpose of this four-day carnival is to promote a sense of

inclusiveness among the tribals. It will also showcase and promote various facets of tribal culture on a large

scale.

Key Facts

In this carnival around 1,600 tribal artists and around 8,000 tribal delegates from across the country are taking

part. Besides, eminent tribal personalities who have excelled in various fields like arts and culture, literature,

sports, academics and medicine will also participate.

The idea behind the carnival is to preserve and promote various facets of the tribal life relating to culture,

tradition, customs and their skills. Besides it also seeks to expose it to the general public with a view to utilise

the potential for overall holistic development of the Scheduled Tribes.

The carnival will host activities like displaying documents on traditional socio-culture aspects, exhibition of

art/artifacts, cultural performances. It will also demonstration of skills like paintings, traditional healing

practices, sports, etc.

It will also host workshops on issues like implementation of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas)

Act, 1996 (PESA), Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

China‟s Space Lab Tiangong-2 launches Micro-Satellite Banxing-2

October 25, 2016

China‘s experimental space lab Tiangong-2 orbiting the Earth with two astronauts on board has successfully

launched a micro-satellite Banxing-2. The two astronauts were launched into space onboard of the Shenzhou-11

spacecraft carried two astronauts on 11 October 2016. It docked with Tiangong-2 on 13 October 2016.

About Banxing-2

The micro-satellite Banxing-2 is roughly the size of a desktop printer and the media has nicknamed ―Selfie

Stick‖. It weighs 47 kilogrammes. It has series of visible light cameras, including a 25 megapixel camera and

wide-angle imagers. It also has an infrared camera that is temperature-sensitive.

Its mission is to take photographs of Tiangong II and the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft, which has been docked with

the lab. The micro-satellite has three solar panels which generates enough power to adjust its orbit to shoot

pictures of the lab and spacecraft. its predecessor, Banxing-1, accomplished the same mission for Shenzhou VII

in 2008.

Banxing-2 is new model of its predecessor Banxing-1 which had accomplished the same mission for Shenzhou

VII in 2008. However Banxing-1 is smaller and has a higher capacity.

What are Micro-satellites?

They weigh around 500 to 100 kilograms. They are usually cheaper, faster and more advanced than traditional

satellites. The commercial potential has attracted much attention from businesses.

Uranus may have two more moons: Study

October 26, 2016

According to study conducted by researchers from University of Idaho, US Uranus may have two tiny,

previously undiscovered moons orbiting near two of the planet‘s rings. These two moons were detected by

researchers after analysing decades-old images of Uranus‘ icy rings taken by NASA‘s Voyager 2 spacecraft

which had flown by the planet 30 years ago.



What researchers have found?

Scientists have found that the pattern in Uranus‘ rings was similar to moon-related structures in Saturn‘s rings

called moonlet wakes. They have estimate the hypothesised moonlets in Uranus‘ rings may be four to 14

kilometres in diameter. It means they are as small as some identified moons of Saturn.

How researchers discovered these moons?

They had analysed decades-old images of Uranus‘ icy rings taken by NASA‘s Voyager 2 spacecraft which had

flown by the planet 30 years ago. During their analysis they had noticed the amount of ring material on the edge

of the alpha ring – one of the brightest of Uranus‘ multiple rings – varied periodically.

They also had found similar, even more promising pattern occurred in the same part of the neighbouring beta

ring. They also had analysed radio occultations – made when Voyager 2 sent radio waves through the rings to be

detected back on Earth.

They also had analysed stellar occultations made when spacecraft measured light of background stars shining

through the rings, which helped to show how much material they contain.

What is significance of this research?

Uranian moons are especially hard to spot because their surfaces are covered in dark material. These findings

could help explain some characteristics of Uranus‘ rings, which are strangely narrow compared to Saturn‘s

moons. It will also help to explain that if moonlets exist, they may be acting as ―shepherd‖ moons, helping to

keep the rings from spreading out. Two of Uranus‘ 27 known moons, Cordelia and Ophelia act as shepherds to

Uranus‘ epsilon ring.

About Uranus

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary

mass in the Solar System. Uranus is similar in composition to Neptune and are classified as ―ice giants‖ to

distinguish them from the gas giants. Its primary composition of hydrogen and helium, but it also contains more

ices such as water, ammonia, and methane, along with traces of other hydrocarbons Every planet in our solar

system except for Venus and Uranus rotates counter-clockwise as seen from above the North Pole; that is from

west to east.

Uttarakhand High court bans sale of whitener

October 26, 2016

The Uttarakhand High Court ordered state government to completely ban on the sale of whitener in the state

following the death of a teenager from sniffing an excess of it. The High Court issued the order by taking suo

motu cognisance of the death of the 14-year-old boy due to sniffing excess whitener for a kick.

Besides, the high court also ordered that items such as Feviquick, Iodex should not be sold to children below 18

years of age in view of prevalent abuse of these among teenagers.

What are whiteners?

Whiteners are mainly used for erasing ink on paper and as shoe whitener. It contains volatile aliphatic petroleum

hydrocarbons such toluene and trychloroethane which are intoxicating chemicals.

What is whitener-inhalation addiction?

In whitener-inhalation addiction, people inhale the whitener i.e. intoxicating chemicals present in it. By doing

this for some time, it makes the sniffer dizzy, high and disconnected. It has a hallucinatory effect on the sniffer.



Thus, it is the first step to drug addiction or alcoholism. The whitener abuse is generally seen among the youths.

The problem has been compounded by its easy procurement, negligible cost and its lack of odour.

What are side-effects of whitener-inhalation addiction on health?

Whiteners contain hydrocarbons which is deadly solvents that can infuse easily with the blood and can affect the

central nervous system of a person. Some of the reported symptoms of solvent addiction are uncharacteristic

behaviours such as mood swings and insomnia and it may results in kidney, liver and lung damage

What measures need to be taken to stop it?

Government should completely ban the sale of products that contain intoxicating chemicals, like the whitener.

Union Government forms panel to resolve telecom penalty row

October 26, 2016

The Union Telecom Ministry has formed a committee to look into the regulator TRAI‘s recommendation of a

Rs. 3,050 crore penalty on top three telcos — Airtel, Vodafone and Idea. The committee has been asked to give

a report on the recommendations soon likely to be before 15 November 2016.

What is the case?

Earlier TRAI had recommended Department of Telecom to impose penalty on these three incumbents telecom

companies for denying interconnection points to Reliance Jio. According to TRAI, these three companies have

violated licence norms by denying adequate interconnection points to Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Their actions also have stifled the competition and are seen as anti-consumer and against public interest. The

Reliance Jio had alleged that due to inadequate interconnection points its subscribers were unable to make calls

to other networks.

TRAI had recommended fine for Airtel and Vodafone to Rs.1,050 crore for 21 service areas (all, expect Jammu

and Kashmir) and for Idea the penalty was pegged at Rs 950 crore for 19 service areas (all, except for Himachal

Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Northeastern States).

Paul Beatty wins 2016 Man Booker Prize

October 26, 2016

Paul Beatty (54) has won the 2016 Man Booker Prize. With this he becomes the first US author to win this

prestigious literary award. He was bestowed with this award for his racial satirical novel „The Sellout‟ at a

ceremony held in London‘s Guildhall. His novel tells the story of a young black man who tries to reinstate

slavery and racial segregation in a suburb of Los Angeles.

About Paul Beatty

He was born in Los Angeles in 1962. He had received an MFA in creative writing from Brooklyn College and

an MA in psychology from Boston University. His novels are The White Boy Shuffle (1996), Tuff (2000),

Slumberland (2008) and The Sellout (2015). In 2016, he was bestowed with the National Book Critics Circle

Award (Fiction) for his novel The Sellout.

About Man Booker Prize

The Man Booker Prize world‘s most prestigious English-language literary award. It was launched in 1969 and

presented by the Man Group. The award aims at promoting the finest literary work in fiction by rewarding the

best novel of the year written in English and published in the United Kingdom. It carries cash prize of 50,000

pounds.



The authors are shortlisted by judges from a wide range of disciplines and all with a passion for quality fiction.

The 2015 Man Booker Prize was conferred on Jamaican author Marlon James for his book A Brief History of

Seven Killings.

India-Sri Lanka joint military exercise Mitra Shakti 2016 begins

October 26, 2016

The fourth edition of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise ‗MITRA SHAKTI 2016‘ began at Sinha

Regimental Centre in Ambepussa, Sri Lanka. The main focus of this edition of joint exercise is to enhance inter-

operability while carrying out Counter Terrorism (CT) and Counter Insurgency (CI) operations under the UN

Mandate.

Key Facts

Under this mandate the comprehensive training programme spanning fourteen days (24 October to 06

November 2016) has been drawn up. In this edition of exercise, India is being represented by a platoon from the

RAJPUTANA RIFLES Regiment and Sri Lankan Army is represented by a platoon from the Sinha Regiment.

The bilateral military exercise will be conducted in two stages in which both armies will get familiar each

other‘s respective methodology of such operations, arms and equipment and the command and control systems.

It will also graduate towards tactical understanding to enhance inter-operability while carrying out Counter

Terrorism (CT)/ Counter Insurgency (CI) operations.

Background

Mitra Shakti series of bilateral exercises is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between

India and Sri Lanka since 2013. The previous edition of the exercise between both nations was successfully

conducted in September 2015 at Pune, Mahrashtra.

India ranks 87th on the WEF‟s Global Gender Gap Report 2016

October 26, 2016

India has been ranked 87th out of 144 countries on the World Economic Forum‘s (WEF) Global Gender Gap

Report 2016. India has climbed 21 spots from 108th position in 2015. The report measures gender gap as

progress towards parity between men and women in four areas (i) Educational attainment, (ii) Health and

survival, (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political empowerment.

Key Highlights of the report

Top 5 Countries in 2016 Report: Iceland (1st), Finland (2nd), Norway (3rd), Sweden (4th) and Rwanda (5th).

India related facts: In this edition India has overtaken China which is ranked 99th. The improvement in India‘s

ranking is driven largely by major improvements in education, where it has managed to close its gap entirely in

primary and secondary education.

In case of education attainment, India has made considerable strides moving up from 125th rank in 2015 to 113th

in 2016. On economic participation and opportunity too, India has moved up to 136th rank in 2016, from 139th

in the year 2015.

On health and survival, India has made little progress moving up by one place to 142nd rank compared to 141st

in 2015. On political empowerment, India continues to be ranked 9th in the world.

Overall Global Facts: The global march towards parity in key economic pillar has slowed down dramatically.

This gap stands at 59% which is now larger than at any point since 2008. As a consequence, global economic

gender gap will now not close until year 2186.



Comment

The gender gap in India has narrowed down. But India still remains one of the worst countries in the world for

women in terms of labour force participation, income levels as well as health and survival.

India has closed its gender gap by 2% in a year (2016), but much work remains to be done to empower women

in the economic sphere. India continues to rank third-lowest in the world on Health and Survival, remaining the

world‘s least-improved country over the past decade.

India ranks 130th in 2017 Ease of Doing Business index

October 26, 2016

India has been placed at 130th position among the 190 countries in the recently released World Bank‘s ease of

doing business index for the year 2017. The index was released as part of the World Bank‘s annual report Doing

Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All.

This report had revised India‘s rank to 131 from earlier 130th for the year 2016. Thus, India has improved its

place by one spot in the 2017 index and its place remained unchanged from the previous original ranking of 130

in the year 2016.

What is ease of doing business index?

The ease of doing business index is annually released by World Bank in its Ease of Doing Business Report. It

was introduced in 2004. In this index, ranking of country is based on index averages the country‘s percentile

rankings on 10 indicators each having equal weightage. A higher ranking of country in this list means that its

regulatory environment is more conducive and favourable for the starting and operation of firms.

10 indicators are starting business, getting electricity, dealing with construction permits, registering property,

protecting investors, getting credit, employing workers, trading across borders, paying taxes, enforcing contracts

and resolving insolvency.

Key Highlights of 2017 Report

Top 10 Countries: New Zealand (1st), Singapore (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Hong Kong (4th), South Korea (5th),

Norway (6th), UK (7th), US (8th), Sweden (9th) and Macedonia (10th).

BIRCS Nations: India ranks lowest in Doing Business among the BRICS nations. Russia (40), South Africa

(74), China (78), Brazil (123) and India (130).

India‟s Neighbours: Bhutan (73), China (78), Nepal (107), Sri Lanka (110), Pakistan (144) and Bangladesh

(176). India Related Facts: In the ranking, India has made a substantial improvement in some areas such as

electricity connection.

But it has sliped in other areas, including payment of taxes and enforcing contracts. India has embarked on a

fast-paced reform path and has acknowledged a number of substantial improvements. Some the improvement

mentioned are electricity connections to businesses, paying taxes, electronic system for paying employee state

insurance contributions, the Companies (Amendment) Act, electronic filing of integrated customs declarations,

passage of the commercial courts and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

Global Facts: Economies in all regions are implementing reforms easing the process of doing business.

However, Europe and Central Asia continues to be the region with the highest share of economies implementing

at least one reform. 96% of economies in the Europe and Central region have implemented at least one business

regulatory reform.



A record 137 economies around the world have adopted key reforms that make it easier to start and operate

small and medium-sized businesses. Developing countries carried out more than 75% of the 283 reforms in the

past year, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over one-quarter of all reforms.

Government launches International Household Survey Network Toolkit

October 26, 2016

The Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation, D.V. Sadananda Gowda has launched the

International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit. He also had launched new Website of the Ministry of

Statistics and Programme Implementation in New Delhi.

What is International Household Survey Network (IHSN) Toolkit?

The IHSN is a standard bench mark which can be used as an active management tool for better integration of

administrative structures and statistical access for policy making. It is about latest trends & developments of

data archives, storage and dissemination technology tools available to user. It is designed to address technical

issues facing data producers.

Components of Toolkit are (i) Metadata Editor: It allows user to add survey metadata and create the ddi.xml

and as Nesstar study document. (ii) CD-ROM Builder: It allows user to generate HTML output from the study

that can be published on the Internet or a CD for dissemination. (iii) NADA: It is search engine that allows user

to import the ddi.xml and search for variables and view metadata.

Life expectancy highest in Jammu and Kashmir: RGI Data

October 26, 2016

According to the data given by the Registrar General of India (RGI), Jammu and Kashmir has the highest life

expectancy (i.e. post-60 life expectancy), except life expectancy at birth. With this, Jammu and Kashmir has

surpassed Kerala which used to be the leader in life expectancy in almost all categories of age till 2010.

What is data about?

RGI‘s Sample Registration System (SRS) had published state level life expectancy data prepared following

surveys done between 2010 and 2014. The data was released for different ages: 0 (at birth), 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40,

50, 60 and 70. It had defined life expectancy as estimate of average number of additional years that a person of a

given age can expect to live.

However this statistical system was confined only to 21 bigger states and UTs and it did not produce life

expectancy numbers on 15 small states and UTs such as Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep.

Key Facts

The data shows that Kerala still has the highest overall life expectancy at birth at 74.9 years. It is 72 for men and

77.8 for women. Delhi is second, with an overall life expectancy at birth at 73.2 years. It is 72 for men and 74.7

for women.

Jammu and Kashmir stands at third and it had the second-highest life expectancy at birth. It is behind only

Kerala even during 2006-10.

October 27, 2016

IPS officer Karnal Singh appointed as Director of Enforcement Directorate

October 27, 2016



The Union Government has appointed Senior IPS officer Karnal Singh as the Director of Enforcement

Directorate (ED). Decision in this regard was taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)

headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be in office till 31 August 2017.

Karnal Singh is 1984-batch IPS officer of the Union territories cadre. Prior to this appointment, he was holding

additional charge as Director of ED for over a year.

What is Enforcement Directorate (ED)?

The Economic Enforcement is economic intelligence and law enforcement agency agency responsible for

enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India. It functions under the aegis of the Department

of Revenue, Union Ministry of Finance.

It has a mandate to enforce two of most stringent laws in the country. They are Prevention of Money Laundering

Act (PMLA) and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to check black money and hawala trade cases.

One-man judicial Committee on OROP submits report to Defence Minister

October 27, 2016

The one-man judicial committee on One Rank One Pension (OROP) set up by the Union Government, has

submitted its report to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. The Union had appointed the committee under the

Chairmanship of retired Chief Justice of Patna High Court L Narasimha Reddy in December 2015. It was tasked

to look into the anomalies arising out of implementation of OROP.

The committee had held hearings at around 20 cities and towns across the country and interacted with cross

sections of ex-servicemen as well as their associations. It also had received 704 representations from individuals

and various ex-servicemen associations and had held extensive interactions with all stakeholders.

What is One Rank One Pension (OROP)?

The OROP scheme aims to provide ex-servicemen of same rank and same length of service uniform pension

regardless of date of retirement, provided that the ex-servicemen concerned had retired from the same rank and

they had served for an equal number of years. Under this scheme, pension will be re-fixed every five years of

ex-servicemen and future enhancements in rates of pension will be automatically passed to the past pensioners.

Union Government launches Biotech-KISAN and Cattle Genomics to empower farmers

October 27, 2016

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology has launched two new schemes Biotech-KISAN and Cattle

Genomics in order to apply science to boost rural economy. The intent of these programmes is to form a

network to farmers directly with the scientists and experts. Thus they seek to empower farmers, especially

women farmers.

Biotech-KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application Network) Scheme

Its purpose is to connect farmers, scientist and science institution across country. Under it, fellowship will be

given to women farmers for training and education in farm practice. Under it scientists will spend time on farms

and link communication tools to soil, water seed and market. The main aim of the scheme is to understand

individual problems of the small holding farmers and provide ready solutions. It will be implemented in 15

agro-climatic zones of India in phased manner with objective of linking new technology to farm by

understanding problem of local farmer.

Cattle Genomics Scheme



The scheme aims at boosting selective breeding of the native livestock more accurately to ensure high-yielding,

disease-resistant, resilient livestock. Under it, government will undertake an ambitious project of genome

sequencing of 40 registered indigenous cattle breeds of India. Besides, a high-density DNA chips will be

developed under this scheme to reduce the cost and time interval of breeding of the native livestock.

Genome selection will use information on variations in DNA sequences between animals to predict the breeding

value more accurately. Thus, help to transform livestock breeding.

India, New Zealand ink three agreements including avoidance of double taxation

October 27, 2016

India and New Zealand signed three agreements in the areas of double taxation avoidance (DTA), sports and

food security to carry forward the ties between both sides. The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime

Minister Narendra Modi and his New Zealand counterpart John Key after the delegation-level talks in New

Delhi.

Both countries have reached an understanding on further cooperation on cyber security, counterterrorism,

customs, education and food safety

Signed agreements are

Arrangement between the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand regarding Food Safety Cooperation

and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) MoU on cooperation in the field of youth affairs and

sports. It was signed between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and Sport New Zealand.

Protocol to the convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect

to taxes on income.

Besides, both countries also agreed to Establish Bilateral Ministerial Dialogue between two Foreign

Ministries. Establish Annual Foreign Ministry Consultations at Senior Officials Level. Cooperation and

Dialogue on Cyber Issues.

Support for NSG

During this visit of New Zealand PM, India failed to get outright support of New Zealand for its bid for Nuclear

Supplier Group (NSG) membership. India had clearly notified New Zealand that its entry to the NSG was tied to

its need for clean energy and climate change commitments. Thus, it indicates that New Zealand is yet to change

its position of admitting only signatories of Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) countries in NSG, a group

of 48 countries which works by consensus.

Why New Zealand does not support India‟s bid to NSG?

New Zealand is part of a group called the New Agenda for Coalition which promotes the NPT and pushes for

nuclear disarmament worldwide.

Comment

The official state visit New Zealand PM John Key comes in run-up to a crucial NSG Consultative Group (CG)

meeting to be held in Vienna in November 2016. This meeting will specifically to consider whether countries

that haven‘t signed on to the NPT can be considered for membership.

Earlier in June 2016, India‘s membership bid to NSG had failed to make headway in Seoul (South Korea) after

it was opposed by China and other countries. New Zealand was also among the countries led by China that have

demanded to set criteria for non-signatories of the NPT for joining NSG.

What is New Agenda for Coalition (NAC)?



NAC is a geographically dispersed group of middle power countries that promotes the NPT and pushes for

nuclear disarmament worldwide. It consists of Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa.

The group was officially launched in Dublin (Ireland) in June 1998 in response to the North-South divide that

stymied talks on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation within the framework of the NPT.

Union Government constitutes Munialappa Committee to monitor bird flu situation

October 27, 2016

The Union Agricultural Ministry has constituted a High-Level Committee to monitor the bird flu situation and

help state governments take steps to contain the disease. The High-Level Committee will be headed by Joint

Commissioner in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries (DADF) Munialappa.

Key Facts

The committee will have representatives from the Union Ministry of Health, Union Ministry of Environment,

Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Department of Agriculture Research and Extension (DARE) and the

Delhi Government. Besides monitoring the situation, the committee will assist the state governments in taking

steps to contain the spread of avian influenza.

The state government will be assisted by the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD),

Indian Veterinary Research Institute and four regional laboratories. In case of an emergency response, they will

get samples tested.

Background

The committee was constituted after mortality among the birds in National Zoological Park, Delhi NCR and

other parts of the country due to Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) was found.

What is Avian influenza?

Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu is an infectious viral disease of birds. Thus, it is zoonotic disease. It

is an infectious viral disease of birds and can sometimes spread to domestic poultry and cause large-scale

outbreaks of serious disease.

Human Infections: Most avian influenza viruses do not infect humans. There is no evidence that the disease

can be spread to people through properly cooked food. However A(H7N9) and A(H5N1) virus strains have

caused serious infections in people. The infections in humans have been associated with direct or indirect

contact with infected live or dead poultry.

Bird flu symptoms in Humans: Fever, sore throat, cough, muscle, body aches, nausea. It can lead to

pneumonia, severe breathing problems and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Treatment: Controlling the spread of disease in animals is the first step in decreasing risks to humans. Human

infections with bird flu viruses usually can be treated with the same prescription drugs that are used to treat

human seasonal flu viruses.

Union Cabinet approves agreement between India and Estonia on the transfer of sentenced persons

October 27, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing and ratification of an Agreement between India and

Estonia on the transfer of sentenced persons. This agreement will facilitate the Indian prisoners imprisoned in

Estonia or vice-versa for serving remaining part of their sentence in their country and be near to their families. It

will also facilitate their social rehabilitation.

Background



India had enacted Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003 under which foreign prisoners are transferred to country

of their origin to serve the remaining part of their sentence and transfer of prisoners of Indian origin convicted

by a foreign court to serve their sentence in India. The transfer of such prisoners to their own native countries

was to facilitate their social rehabilitation.

India has so far signed bilateral Agreements on Transfer of Sentenced Persons with 27 countries in pursuance of

the Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003. So far total 65 prisoners have been exchanged, out of which 55 were

Indians.

Union Cabinet gives approval to IISER, Berhampur in Odisha

October 27, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to formation of the Indian Institute of Science Education

& Research (IISER) at Berhampur in Odisha. IISER, Berhampur will be established under the Societies

Registration Act, 1860 and it will start of its 2016-17 academic session from 1 August 2016.

It will being its operations from a transit or temporary campus from the Academic Year 2016-17 for the initial

three years i.e. till 2016-19. Union Cabinet also gave approval for introduction of National Institutes of

Technology, Science Education and Research (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016.

This bill will pave way for inclusion of IISER, Tirupati and IISER, Berhampur in Second Schedule of National

Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) Act, 2007.

Background

The IISER have been declared as Institutes of National Importance under the NITSER Act, 2012. These

Institutes are envisaged to carry out research in areas of science and provide quality science education at Under-

Graduate and Post-Graduate level. Earlier, there were five IISERs at Pune, Kolkata, Bhopal, Mohali and

Thiruvananthapuram.

In 2015, new IISER was started at Tirupati. IISER, Berhampur comes in line with the announcement made by

Union Finance Minister in his Budget Speech (2015) for setting up of an IISER in Odisha.

RBI allows startups to raise $3 million via ECBs annually

October 27, 2016

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted startups to raise external commercial borrowings (ECBs) of up

to $3 million in a financial year for three year tenure the new rules issued by RBI aims at boosting innovation

and promoting job creation in the country. It will apply to startups looking to raise foreign borrowings and

restrictions on such funds will be kept minimum.

Key Facts

Under the ECB route, borrowing of startups should be denominated in any freely convertible currency or in

Indian Rupees (INR) or a combination thereof. In case of borrowing in INR, the non-resident lender, should

mobilise INR through swaps/outright sale undertaken through bank in India.

Under this, Funds can be raised with a minimum maturity of 3 years. There will no costceiling or restriction on

the end use of the funds raised. The borrowing can be in form of loans or non-convertible, optionally convertible

or partially convertible preference shares and minimum average maturity period will be 3 years.

The ECBs can be raised from a country which is either a member of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) or

either through FATF-Style Regional Bodies. Overseas branches and subsidiaries of Indian banks and overseas

wholly-owned subsidiary or joint venture of an Indian company will not be considered as recognised lender.



What is External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs)?

Any money borrowed from foreign sources for financing the commercial activities in India are called ECBs.

The Central Government permits ECBs as a source of finance for Indian Corporates for expansion of existing

capacity as well as for fresh investment.

Thus, ECBs are defined as money borrowed from foreign resources including the following: (i) Commercial

bank loans (ii) Buyers‘ credit and suppliers‘ credit (iii) Securitised instruments such as Floating Rate Notes and

Fixed Rate Bonds etc. (iv) Credit from official export credit agencies and commercial borrowings from the

private sector window of Multilateral Financial Institutions such as World Bank, ADB, AFIC, CDC, etc.

How ECB is different from FDI?

In case of Foreign Direct Investment, the foreign money is used to finance the Equity Capital. But in case ECBs,

foreign money is used to finance any kind of funding other than Equity.

Andhra Pradesh and Singapore inks FinTech Cooperation agreement

October 28, 2016

Andhra Pradesh government has signed a FinTech Cooperation agreement with Monetary Authority of

Singapore (MAS) to promote innovation financial services in their respective markets. The agreement was

signed in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and MAS Chief FinTech Officer, Sopnendu

Mohanty.

Under the agreement

MAS and Andhra Pradesh government will explore joint innovation projects on technologies such as digital

payments and blockchain. They will also collaborate on the development of education programmes and

curricula on fintech (financial technologies).

They also agreed to discuss emerging FinTech trends and exchange views on regulatory issues related to

innovations in financial services. Both signatory parties would enable creation of a niche, first-of-its-kind

ecosystem in Visakhapatnam that was emerging as the ‗FinTech Valley of India‘.

The knowledge exchange will not only help to create high-quality job opportunities in FinTech but also help

provide market access for implementation in both countries.

Two-thirds of wild animals may go extinct by 2020

October 28, 2016

According to recently released study, global wildlife populations have fallen by 58% since 1970 and if the trend

continues then two-thirds of wild animals may go extinct by 2020 the study was published as The Living Planet

assessment by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

What the study says?

It suggests that animals living in lakes, rivers and wetlands are suffering the biggest losses. Human activity,

including habitat loss, wildlife trade, pollution and climate change contributed to the decline in global wildlife

populations. It also concluded that vertebrate populations are declining by an average of 2% each year.

How the study was conducted?

The report in its analysis had looked at 3,700 different species of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles,

about 6% of total number of vertebrate species in the world. It had also collected data from government

statistics, peer-reviewed studies and surveys collated by conservation groups and NGOs.



They had included any species with population data going back to 1970, with two or more time points in the

study. Then using this data researchers had analysed how the population sizes had changed over time.

Some of this information was weighted to take into account the groups of animals that had a great deal of data

or very little data.

Background

The Living Planet Report is published every two years. It aims to provide an assessment of the state of the

world‘s wildlife. The last report was published in 2014. It had estimated that the world‘s wildlife populations

had halved over the last 40 years.

2 Yazidi women Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar win 2016 Sakharov Human Right Prize

October 28, 2016

Two Yazidi women Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar have been selected for European Union‘s

prestigious Sakharov Prize for Human Rights for year 2016. Both of them were among thousands of Yazidi girls

and women who were abducted by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and forced into sexual slavery in 2014.

But both survived and had escaped sexual enslavement. Now they campaign for the Yazidi community.

They also have become figureheads for effort to protect Yazidis, followers of an ancient religion with more than

half a million believers concentrated in northern Iraq.

About Sakharov Prize

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is annual award given by the European Parliament. It is bestowed

on individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of

thought. It was established in December 1988 and is named after Soviet scientist (physicist) and dissident

Andrei Sakharov.

The first prize was jointly awarded to Nelson Mandela and Russian human rights campaigner Anatoly

Marchenko. It is awarded annually on or around December 10 (also celebrated as Human Rights Day), day on

which UN General Assembly ratified Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

28 October: National Ayurveda Day

October 28, 2016

The first National Ayurveda Day was observed on 28 October on the occasion of Dhanwantari Jayanti. The

theme for this year is ‘Ayurveda for Prevention and Control of Diabetes‘. Ayurveda is the traditional Hindu

system of medicine based on the idea of balance in bodily systems and uses diet, herbal treatment, and yogic

breathing. It has been incorporated in Atharva Veda, the last of the four Vedas.

To celebrate this day, the Union Ministry of AYUSH had organized a day-long national seminar on Prevention

and Control of Diabetes through Ayurveda in New Delhi. Besides, the Ministry also had launched Mission

Madhumeha through Ayurveda on the occasion.

The Mission Madhumeha will be implemented throughout the country through a specially designed National

Treatment Protocol for effective management of Diabetes through Ayurveda. The national treatment Protocol

was also released on occasion of National Seminar.

Background

Union Government has decided to celebrate National Ayurveda Day every year on the occasion of Dhanwantari

Jayanti. This day marks birth date of Lord Dhanvantari, which occurs before two days before Diwali on



Dhanteras. Dhanvantari is the form of Lord Vishnu. He is considered as the ideal doctor and manifestation of

compassion, representing the wisdom of ayurveda in practical app lication.

Union Cabinet approves establishment of National Academic Depository

October 28, 2016

The Union Cabinet approved establishment and operationalisation of a National Academic Depository (NAD).

Under it all academic degrees, certificates and awards in the country will be made digitally available for

verification on single spot.

Key Facts

The NAD will be established and operationalised within the next three months. It will be rolled out throughout

the country in 2017-18. It will be operationalised by NSDL Database Management Limited (NDML) and CDSL

Ventures, Limited (CVL).

Background

The Finance Minister‘s Budget Speech (2016) had incorporated commitment to establish a Digital Depository

for school learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of Higher Education Institutions, on the

pattern of a Securities Depository.

How it will work?

Academic institutions will be directed to upload and authenticate all documents in digital form into the NAD

system the NAD will register educational institutions/eligibility assessment bodies/boards, students and other

users/verifying entities like employer companies, banks, government agencies and academic institutions.

It will provide digital or a printed copy of the academic award with security features to the students or other

authorized users. Besides, NAD will also verify academic awards online on the same day of request initiated by

any authorized user. Requests for access to academic awards will be on basis of consent of the owner.

For ex, access from potential employers and academic institutions will be only on the basis of consent of the

student. NAD will maintain the authenticity, integrity and confidentiality of its database. It will root out fake

degrees.

Union Cabinet approves new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan

October 28, 2016

The Union Cabinet has approved a new agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan.

The Agreement provides for a free trade regime between two countries. It also provides duty free transit of

Bhutanese merchandise for trade with third countries.

As per the agreement, bilateral trade between both neighbouring countries will continue to be transacted in

Indian Rupees and Bhutanese Ngultrums.

Background

The agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan was renewed on in July 2006 for ten

years. The validity of this agreement was extended, with effect from July 2016, for one year or till the new

agreement comes into force.

How trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed?

The bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed by the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and

Transit. It facilitates mechanism for a free trade regime between two countries, and duty free transit of

Bhutanese merchandise for trade with third countries. The bilateral trade between both countries had grown by



55% year-on-year in FY 2016 to $750 million. During this period, India‘s exports have increased 40.4% to $469

million, while imports from Bhutan rose 87% to $281 million.

Union Government gives in-principle approval for strategic sale in some PSUs

October 28, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its in-principle approval for strategic sale of over a dozen public sector

undertakings (PSUs). This decision was taken based on the recommendation of NITI (National Institution for

Transforming India) Aayog‘s proposal on disinvestment and strategic sale of sick PSUs.

Key Facts

The strategic disinvestment of such public sector units with the transfer of management control to a private

entity will be taken up subsequently on a case-by-case basis. It will be undertaken after consultations with their

respective administrative ministries without any timeline.

The Union Government had set a target to raise Rs. 20,500 crore in 2017-18 through strategic sales of PSUs and

another Rs. 36,000 crore from sale of minority stakes in PSUs. There is no specific timeline set for

disinvestment and strategic sale of sick PSUs. Each PSU will be considered on ‗its own merit‘ with the timing

of the sale to be decided accordingly.

Union Government will follow settled valuation procedures in a transparent process for such transactions.

What is strategic disinvestment?

In Strategic disinvestment the management control and a significant proportion of a PSU‘s share goes to a

private sector strategic partner. Thus, strategic disinvestment of a PSU is different from the ordinary

disinvestment in which management of PSU is retained with Government.

According to the Department of Disinvestment, in the strategic disinvestment of a PSU, the transaction has two

elements: (i) Transfer of a block of shares to a Strategic Partner and (ii) Transfer of management control to the

Strategic Partner.

Microsoft launches India‟s first Cybersecurity Engagement Center in Delhi

October 28, 2016

Technology giant Microsoft has launched its first full-scale Cybersecurity Engagement Center (CSEC) in Delhi.

It is first-of-its-kind Cybersecurity Centre in India and overall 7th in the world including in Tokyo, Seoul,

Beijing, Singapore, Berlin and Washington DC.

Key Facts

The CSEC will bring together Microsoft capabilities to foster deeper Cybersecurity collaborations with public

and private sector organisations. The centre will also build a trusted and secure computing environment, a

critical enabler for India‘s digital transformation.

The CESC will offer their expertise and work with partners to detect and take evasive measures to tackle cyber

threats in India. The centre is a part of Microsoft Consultancy Services (MCS), a dedicated response team based

in India that will offer security consultancy services to business organisations.

It will offer services such as cyber monitoring, threat detection using machine learning based technology and

take evasive measures to combat cyber threat.

Antartica‟s Ross Sea declared as world‟s largest Marine Protected Area

October 28, 2016



Antartica‘s Ross Sea was declared as world‘s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) to protect the Earth‘s most

pristine marine ecosystem. It was declared after landmark international agreement among 24 countries and

European Union in Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)

meeting in Hobart, Australia.

Key Facts

The Ross Sea is one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the world. It covers 1.6 million square kilometers.

MPA status to Ross Sea will bring blanket ban on commercial fishing across about three quarters of its area for

35 years.

Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean is home to 38% of the world‘s Adelie penguins, 30% of world‘s Antarctic

petrels and around 6% of world‘s population of Antarctic minke whales. It is also home to huge numbers of

krill, a staple food for species including whales and seals.

What is Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)?

The CCAMLR was established by international convention in 1982 with the objective of conserving Antarctic

marine life. It is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. It was signed by 14 states and has been ratified by 35 states

(including India) and the European Community

Headquarters: Tasmania, Australia. Goal: Preserve marine life and environmental integrity in and near

Antarctica. The CCAMLR was established in response to increasing commercial interest in Antarctic krill

resources, a keystone component of the Antarctic ecosystem and over-exploitation of several other marine

resources in the Southern Ocean.

India, Russia agree to double the range of BrahMos Missile

October 28, 2016

India and Russia have agreed to double the range of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from 290 km to over

600 km. The decision in this regard was taken during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Goa on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

Why this decision was taken?

Earlier, India was denied access to the missile technology with range over 300 km as it was not member state of

the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But India‘s recent accession to MTCR, allowed Russia to

provide the critical systems and technology to extend the range of the missile beyond 300km.

Benefits of extending range: It will enhance the stand-off capability and the operational radius in striking

targets of the missile. It will have major force multiplier due its speed and accuracy.

Background

India and Russia had teamed up to develop the BrahMos missile in 1998. It is based on the Russian Yakhont

anti-ship missile. Its range was limited to 290 km as Russia was a member of MTCR but India was not. Due to

restrictions under MTCR, Russia was not able provide the critical systems of the missile to increase its range.

What are features of BrahMos Missile?

BrahMos is one of its kind supersonic cruise missile. Named from the names of two rivers, India‘s Brahmaputra

River and Russia‘s Moskva River. It operates on fire and forgets principal and is capable of being launched

from land, sea, subsea and air against sea and land targets. It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram

and has top supersonic speed of Mach 3 (that is, three times the speed of sound).



It is two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant. The BrahMos

Missile already been deployed by Indian Army and Indian Navy in anti-ship and precision strike roles

respectively. The air version is at present undergoing testing.

What is Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)?

MTCR was established by G-7 countries in 1987. It is only an informal political understanding and not an

official treaty with legally binding obligations.

The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), complete rocket

systems and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogram payload for at least 300

kms, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

Union Government recognizes Boxing Federation of India as National Sports Federation for Boxing

October 29, 2016

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recognized Boxing Federation of India (BFI) as the

National Sports Federation (NSF) for Boxing. This decision will give massive fillip to the recently-formed BFI

and also give a boost to the sport of boxing which had suffered due to absence of an NSF in the discipline since

2012.

The BFI was formed recently and had conducted its elections of its office bearers in September, 2016. AIBA,

the International Body for boxing had recognized these newly elected office bearers of BFI. Considering the

election report and other documents submitted by BFI, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports granted of

recognition as NSF for Boxing

Comment

The official recognition of BFI ended the administrative vacuum that had hampered the sport of boxing since

2012. Since 2012, Indian boxing had been enduring a turbulent time after the now defunct Indian Amateur

Boxing Federation was terminated for manipulation in elections.

The recognition of BFI will also help Indian boxers prepare for 2020 Olympics with more national &

international exposure, and training.

Sunil Bharti Mittal appointed as Chairman of GSMA

October 29, 2016

The Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises Sunil Bharti Mittal was appointed as Chairman of GSM

Association (GSMA).

He succeeds Jon Fredrik Baksaas who will step down at the end of 2016. In his new role, Mittal will oversee the

strategic direction of the organisation. Besides, Mari-Noëlle Jego-Laveissiere, Executive Vice President,

Innovation, Orange Group was reelected as Deputy Chairman of GSM Association. It also elected the new

members of the 26-member Board of the company.

About Sunil Bharti Mittal

Sunil Mittal is Indian telecom tycoon, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman and Group

CEO of Bharti Enterprises, which has interests in telecom, financial services, retail and agri business. The

Group‘s flagship company Bharti Airtel is India‘s largest telecom company and world‘s third largest mobile

operator. It has its presence in 20 countries across Asia and Africa and customer base of over 275 million.

Presently, he serves on many international bodies and think-tanks and currently is the Chair of the World

Economic Forums (WEF) Telecommunications Steering Committee. He is listed as the eight richest person in



India by Forbes with a Net worth of 7 billion dollars. In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India‘s third

highest civilian honour.

About the GSM Association

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. It unites nearly 800 operators with almost

300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem. The GSMA Board has 26 members, including 25 operator

representatives from world‘s largest operator groups as well as smaller, independent operators.

It produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress, Mobile

World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

DoPT launches Employees Online Application

October 29, 2016

The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and

Pensions has launched Employees Online (EO) App. The mobile application aims to update on Appointments

Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointments and postings on real time basis and to bring transparency.

The EO App has been developed keeping in mind the spirit of maximum Governance, minimum Government

and meet the need of the hour to bring high-tech systems in the governance.

Key Features of App

Enable its users, to stay updated on real time basis with appointments and postings approved by the ACC and

vacancies at senior level in the Central Government. Eliminate the information asymmetry in appointments and

postings and will reduce speculations regarding transfers and postings in the Union Government.

Make the system completely transparent as all the relevant orders and notifications will now be instantly

available in the public domain. Provide personal records like Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR),

Immovable Property Return (IPR), Executive Record (ER) sheet to IAS officers on Pan India basis and officers

serving under Central Staffing Scheme.

Himachal Pradesh declared India‟s second Open Defecation Free State

October 29, 2016

The State of Himachal Pradesh was officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). Every individual

household in the state has functional toilet under the ‗Swachh Bharat Mission‘. With this, Himachal Pradesh

becomes the second State in the country after Sikkim to achieve the feat. However, among bigger states

Himachal Pradesh is the first state to become ODF.

Himachal Pradesh has successfully achieved total rural sanitation coverage of 100% in the state. Besides, all 12

districts in state were declared as well as verified as ODF. This status will further entitle Himachal Pradesh to

receive World Bank funding under Rs 9,000 crore project to sustain sanitation campaign.

What is Open defecation?

Open defecation means people defecate in open spaces such as fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water

rather than using the toilet. Hazards of Open Defecation: It is important factor in causing various diseases like

intestinal worm infections, diarrhoea, polio, hepatitis etc.

Prevention: Creating awareness about adverse impact of open defecation on health, changing behavioural habit

of people, building of community toilets etc.

Union Government reconstitutes Inter-State Council

October 29, 2016



The Union Government has reconstituted the Inter State Council (ISC) and the Standing Committee of the ISC

under Clause 2 of the Inter State Council order,1990. The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body to

facilitate coordination between states and the centre. It will be headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Composition of reconstituted Inter State Council (ISC) Members: Chief Ministers of all states and Union

Territories (having legislative Assembly), Six Union Ministers. Besides, administrators of Union Territories

which do not have legislative Assembly are also members of the Council.

Six Union Ministers: Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar

Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister for Information and Broadcasting M Venkiah

Naidu and Road Transport Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari.

The Standing Committee of the Inter State Council will be headed by Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath

Singh

What is the inter-state council?

The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body to facilitate coordination between states and the centre. It is a

recommendatory body to investigate and discuss subjects, in which some or all of the states or the Central

government have a common interest. It is set up on the basis of provisions in Article 263 of the Constitution of

India by a Presidential Order, 1990 based on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission.

Not a permanent constitutional body. The Inter-state council is not a permanent constitutional body for

coordination between the states and Central government. Rather, President can establish it at any time if it

appears to him that the public interests would be served by the establishment of such a council.

What is the composition of the inter-state council?

The Council is headed by Prime Minister (Chairman). Besides, Chief Ministers of all states and UTs (having

legislative Assembly) are its members. Six Union ministers of cabinet rank nominated by the Prime Minister are

also members.

EU, Canada sign CETA

October 31, 2016

The European Union (EU) and Canada have signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a

landmark trade deal. The deal was signed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and top European Union

officials in Brussels, Belgium. Now all 28 European Union states are required to endorse it.

What is Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)?

CETA is a free free-trade agreement (FTA) between Canada and the EC. It aims to revoke roughly 9,000 tariffs,

covering many industrial goods and agricultural and food items. It links single European Union market with

Canada, world‘s 10th largest economy.

It will add around €11.6 billion to the EU economy and around €8.2 billion to Canada‘s economy It also

promises to open up competition and cooperation in the services sector ranging from regulations, to financial

services, and telecoms. It remove customs duties, open-up the services market, end restrictions on access to

public contracts, offer predictable conditions for investors and help prevent illegal copying of EU innovations

and traditional products.

First meeting of NCTF held in New Delhi

October 31, 2016



The first meeting of National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) was held in New Delhi to discuss ways

for developing roadmap for implementation of WTOs trade facilitation agreement. It was headed by Cabinet

Secretary P K Sinha and was attended by all 24 members along with secretaries of various ministries and

departments like Home, Shipping, Civil Aviation.

What is National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF)?

The NCTF is a mandatory requirement under the WTOs Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). It is a national

level body to facilitate domestic co-ordination and implementation of TFA provisions. It aims to develop the

pan-India road map for trade facilitation. It will have three tier structure with main national committee for

monitoring implementation of TFA.

What is Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)?

TFA is the WTO‘s first-ever multilateral accord that contains provisions for expediting the movement, clearance

and release of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between

customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues.

October 31: World Cities Day

October 31, 2016

The World is observing Cities Day globally on 31st October to work together for a planned and sustainable

urban life in the wake of rapid growth of population and problems. The day aims to promote international

community‘s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting

opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development

around the world.

2016 Theme: ―Inclusive Cities, Shared Development―. It highlights the role of urbanization as a source of

global development and social inclusion.

Background

The General Assembly designated 31st October as World Cities Day by passing resolution 68/239 in December

2013. This day was constituted in recognition of the significance of urban basic services as a foundation for the

overall social and economic development. The general theme of World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life, to

promote successes of urbanization and address specific challenges resulting from urbanization.

October 31: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

October 31, 2016

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed across India on 31 October to commemorate birth

anniversary of Independent India‘s first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel. Observance of the day

provides an opportunity to re-affirm inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand actual and

potential threats to unity, integrity and security of our country.

2016 Theme: ―Integration of India‖. To mark this occasion various activities and events are being organised

across ministries and departments all over the country. Besides, Run for Unity was organised in New Delhi. The

idea of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was mooted by PM Narendra Modi in October 2014 to mark the birth anniversary

of country‘s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel



He was born on 31 October, 1875 at Karamsand, Gujarat. He is known as the Iron Man of India or Bismarck of

India. By profession, he was a barrister and had successfully practiced law. Later he left law practice and joined

the Indian national movement under leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

In India‘s independence struggle, he played a major role in organizing peasants‘ movements on Gandhian

principles in Bardoli and Kheda in Gujarat and during the Quit India movement. His biggest contribution to

India was his role in the integration of the over 500 princely states with India during 1947-49. He is also

remembered as the Patron Saint of India‘s civil servants for establishing modern All-India services.

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