unique ias academy – tnpsc current affairs january...
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Unique IAS Academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January -2016
0422 4204182,9884267599 1st Street Gandhipuram Coimbatore Page 1
An Indian-origin cancer research expert Harpal Singh Kumar was honored with
a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his influential work on prevention and
treatment of cancer.
Foremost south Indian classical vocalists Sanjay Subrahmanyam has conferred
with prestigious 2015 Sangita Kalanidhi award. The prestigious award was
bestowed upon him by renowned mathematician Manjul Bhargava at 89th
annual conference of the Madras Music Academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
India‟s star amputee mountaineer Arunima Sinha has successfully scaled Mount
Aconcagua in Argentina as part of her Mission 7 Summits.
India has won the 2015 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) championship
for record seventh time. In the final match played at Thiruvanantapuram
(Kerala), India defeated defending champion Afghanistan by 2-1 goal score. Jeje
Lalpekhlua (72nd minute) and Sunil Chhetri (101th) had scored goals for India.
For Afghanistan single goal was scored by Zubayr Amiri at 70th minute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 103rd edition of the Indian
Science Congress (ISC) on January 3, 2016 in Mysuru, Karnataka. The theme of
Unique IAS Academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January -2016
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this edition of the Congress is “Science and Technology for Indigenous
Development in India.” During the inaugural speech Prime Minister gave a new
mantra comprising five Es – “Economy, Environment, Energy, Empathy and
Equity”.
Former Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur (62) has sworn in as the eight
Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of the Central Information Commission.
Justice RM Lodha Committee has submitted its report to the Supreme Court
suggesting reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
A friendship bus service between India and Nepal was flagged off via
Champawat district in Uttarakhand after a gap of 27 years.
15-year-old cricketer Pranav Dhanawade created a world record by scoring 1009
runs (not out) in HT Bhandari Cup, an under-16 inter-school tournament held in
Mumbai (Maharashtra).
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The Union Cabinet has approved the Stand Up India Scheme to promote
entrepreneurship among Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) and
Women entrepreneurs.
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette INS Kadmatt has been commission in
the Indian Navy by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. K Dhowan at naval
dockyard in Visakhapatnam
India and France have started their eight-day counter-terrorism and counter-
insurgency bilateral military exercise Shakti-2016 in Rajasthan.
The Union Government has reappointed Dr Urjit Patel as Deputy Governor of
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a second three-year term.
Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis
have won the 2016 WTA Brisbane International Tennis trophy in the women‟s
doubles category.
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Telangana has become the first State in the country to introduce compulsory
gender education at the graduate level.
World No. 4 Stanislas Wawrinka from Switzerland has won the 2016 Chennai
Open title of tennis. In the summit clash at Nungambakkam tennis stadium in
Chennai, he defeated the Borna Coric (World No. 33) of Croatia by 6-3, 7-
5 score.
In India, January 12 is being observed as National Youth Day. This day marks
birth anniversary of social reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami
Vivekananda.
Union Government has constituted a committee to fast track the Mumbai-
Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, meant for connecting two cities
with bullet trains.
Barcelona FC forward Lionel Messi from Argentina has won the 2016 FIFA
Ballon d‟Or Award. He has earned this title of world‟s best football player for
record fifth time. Earlier he was conferred with this award in 2010 (inaugural),
2011, 2012 and 2012.
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Kerala has become the first Indian state to achieve 100 per cent primary
education.
The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a new
crop insurance scheme to boost farming sector in the country. It is farmers‟
welfare scheme that aims to reduce the premium burden on farmers and ensure
early settlement of crop assurance claim for the full insured sum.
Highlights of Scheme Uniform premium: Farmers will pay uniform premium of
2 per cent for all Kharif crops and 1.5 percent for all Rabi crops. In case of
annual horticultural and commercial crops, farmers will pay 5 per cent premium.
These premium rates are very low. Government will pay balance premium to
provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of
natural calamities.
The indigenously-built third generation anti-tank missile Nag was successfully
test fired at Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.
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Indian Army Day is being observed every year on 15 January in India. This year
it will be the 68th Indian Army Day.
The 15th edition of bilateral exercise by the Indian Coast Guard and its Japanese
counterpart titled „Sahayog - Kaijin 2016‟ has begun off the coast of Chennai,
Tamil Nadu in the Bay of Bengal.
Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis
have won the 2016 WTA Apia International title in the women‟s doubles
category.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has formally opened Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing
About Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) AIIB multilateral
development bank backed by China and is seen as a rival to the World Bank and
Asian Development Bank (ADB). It has been established to infrastructure
projects including energy, transportation, urban construction and logistics as
well as education and healthcare in Asia-Pacific region. Headquarters: Beijing.
Members: Total there are 57 members, of which 37 are regional and 20 non-
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regional Prospective Founding Members (PFM)
Pro-Independence Opposition candidate of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
Tsai Ing-wen (59) has been elected as first female and 14th President of Taiwan.
Indian writer Anuradha Roy has won the on the prestigious $50,000 DSC Prize for
South Asian Literature for her novel „Sleeping on Jupiter‟.
Madhya Pradesh has been conferred the Union Government‟s prestigious Krishi
Karman Award in maximum food grains production category for year 2014-15 for
the 4th consecutive year.
United States (US) has removed a wide range of nuclear sanctions against Iran
after it has meet its commitments to roll back its nuclear programme. These
sanctions were lifted after International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
confirmed that Iran has met its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan
of Action (JCPA) or Vienna agreement with P5+1 countries signed in July 2015.
French President Francois Hollande has declared a state of economic emergency
to redefine France‟s economic and social model.
Unique IAS Academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January -2016
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Expert Committee to simplify income tax laws headed by Justice (retired) R.V.
Easwar has submitted its report to Union Finance Ministry.
Sikkim has formally become India‟s first fully organic state after it successfully
implemented organic farming practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural
land.
Sikkim has formally become India‟s first fully organic state after it successfully
implemented organic farming practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural
land.
Bihar Government has formally approved 35 per cent reservation for women in
government jobs in the state. Decision in this regard was taken by state cabinet
meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna. This 35 per cent
reservation for women will be applicable to in all government jobs including
reserved and unreserved category.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched India‟s
fifth navigation Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) 1E
satellite. It was launched on board of PSLV-C31 rocket from Satish Dhawan
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Space Centre (SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Prade
The annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting has started in Swiss resort of
Davos, Switzerland with participation of political leaders and business from
around the world.
WEF is an international institution founded by Klaus Schwab that works to
improve the state of the world through public-private cooperation.
Andhra Pradesh Government has launched Giriputrika Kalyana Pathakam Scheme
to support the tribal women in their quest for livelihood.
The nineteenth edition of National Conference on e-Governance has begun on 21
January 2016 in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Mosquito-borne Zika virus has created a panic over thousands birth defects in the
Latin America countries. New case of child born with the virus has been reported
in these countries. However, Brazil is experiencing the largest known outbreak of
Zika with most cases in the north-east region. In this region, babies have been
born a with abnormal condition called microcephaly i.e. with abnormally smaller
heads which can cause brain damage.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Unique IAS Academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January -2016
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The Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recommended
imposition of President‟s Rule in Arunachal Pradesh under Article 356 (1) of the
Constitution.
Union Government took this decision after state assembly failed to comply with
the provisions of Article 174 (sessions of the state legislature, prorogation and
dissolution) of the Constitution.
President Pranab Mukherjee has announced the names of recipients of year 2016
Padma awards. He approved conferment of 112 Padma Awards. Padma Awards,
the country‟s highest civilian awards, are conferred in three Categories viz. Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. This year‟s list comprises 10 Padma
Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri Awardees. Among these
awardees 9 are women and 10 persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs,
PIOs (include one posthumous) and 4 Posthumous awardees
Padma Vibhushan.
Rajinikanth Art-Cinema Tamil Nadu
Dr. Viswanathan Shanta Medicine- Oncology Tamil Nadu
Padma Shri
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Dr.Chandrasekar Shesadri Thoguluva Medicine-Gastroenterology Tamil Nadu
Arunachalam Murugantham Social Work Tamil Nadu
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has celebrated the 6th National Voters‟
Day across the country. Theme for year 2016 is Inclusive and Qualitative
Participation. Observances
India and France have singed 14 pacts for enhancing the bilateral cooperation
various fields including defence, space, railways, education etc.
Union Government has launched Sahaj Scheme for online booking of LPG
cylinders.
India celebrated 67th Republic day 26th January 2016 by displaying its cultural
diversity, economic progress and military might were on display at Rajpath, New
Delhi.
India has been ranked 76th out of 168 countries in the recently released 2015
Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The 2015 CPI was the 21st edition of the
annual index and was published by the Berlin-based corruption watchdog
Transparency International (TI). Key facts
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150th birth anniversary of great freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, also known as
Punjab Kesri is being celebrated 28th January 2016.
Indigenously-built surface-to-air Akash missile was successfully test fired from
complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipuri in Odisha. Test: It
was as part of a user trial mission in which 3 rounds of test were carried out by
Indian Air Force (IAF) aiming at para-barrel targets.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development has shortlisted 20 cities from 11
States and Delhi Union Territory in the list of first batch of Smart Cities Mission.
These shortlisted cities were selected from Smart Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
City Challenge competition in which 97 cities and towns had participated from 23
States and UTs.
Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis have
won the 2016 Australian Open title of tennis in the women‟s doubles category. In
the final match played at Melbourne (Australia), the top seeded duo defeated
seventh seeded Czech pair of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka by 7-6 (1),
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6-3 score.
International Monetary Fund‟s (IMF‟s) long-pending 2010 Quota and Governance
Reforms have finally become effective.
Gives boost the representation of emerging economies like India, China, Brazil,
Russia and increases their power and greater say in IMF. India‟s voting rights
increased by 0.3% from the current 2.3% to 2.6%. China‟s voting rights increased
by 2.2% from current 3.8% to 6 %.
Angelique Kerber from Germany has won the 2016 Australian Open Title of
Tennis in the women‟s singles category. It was her maiden Grand Slam Tennis
title.