Extensive Coverage Of Current Affairs 29/3/2016

NATIONAL:

Delhi Budget 2016 – 17:

·        Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia presented a Rs 46,600 crore annual budget for 2016-17, pegging plan outlay at Rs 20,600 crore. An increase of Rs.8,850 crore over last year.

·        Aravind Kejriwal led Delhi government put a tax-free budget and rationalised the VAT structure .

·        The Government allocated lion’s share of Rs.10,690 crore for education or nearly 23 percent of the total allocation.

ADB, USAID join hands to support India’s clean energy expansion plan:

·        The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on supporting India’s expansion plans for clean energy infrastructure.

·        The MoU will pave the way to make USAID to align the components of its technical assistance with ADB’s current and planned investments in renewable energy.

·        The Department of Economic Affairs had demanded ADB to provide financing up to $ 500 million each to support rooftop solar, and expansion of the transmission network to connect solar parks in multiple states.

Haryana becomes 1st to launch injectable contraceptive:

·        Haryana becomes 1st to launch injectable contraceptive.

·        The ‘Project Salamati’ which is being implemented by state health department with the assistance of Pathfinder International, is initially being implemented in nine health blocks of four districts of the state.

Madhya Pradesh to join National Agri Market platform:

·        The state government through its Mandi Board had recently sent a proposal to launch the platform from Karond mandi (10 km away from Bhopal).

·        The central government has agreed to release Rs 15 crore for all 50 mandis to equip them with online support system, software, hardware, and grading of farm yield.

Skywalk to connect Qutub Minar to metro station:

·        The Delhi government has announced the development of a skywalk to connect Qutub Minar and the metro station for increasing tourist footfall to the heritage site.

·        This will be developed as part of the Delhi government's allocation of 10 crore to develop the tourism potential of the state. Notably, the monument is already listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Delhi to get 3 more air monitoring stations:

·        Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia said that in order to monitor pollution in the city, three additional Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations and a mobile van will be introduced.

·        Further, 100 crore has been allocated towards controlling dust flying in the air by deploying mechanised sweepers. Construction of waste disposal units is also proposed in the budget.

President gives final clearance to Aadhaar Act:

·        President Pranab Mukherjee has given the final clearance to the Aadhaar Act, which will now allow the government to make the 12-digit unique identity number compulsory to access government services and benefits.

·        However, officials said the Aadhaar Act can only come into force later. The rules detailing the enrolment process and some key appointments need to be made, they added.

AICTE approves cap on private institutes' fees:

·        All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has announced that private educational institutes operating under it would have to lower their fees to comply with the National Fee Committee's recommendations.

·        The committee headed by Justice BN Krishna had submitted its report in August. The institutes failing to comply with the orders by the next academic session will face legal proceedings.

Konark Sun Temple to get sound and light show:

·        To increase the inflow of tourists, the Archaeological Survey of India will be hosting a sound and light show at the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha.

·        The show will be available in English, Hindi and Odia with narration by noted Bollywood and Odia film personalities. Other sites in Odisha, including the Peace Pagoda, have also been identified for such shows.

Arunachal government sanctions Rs 45 lakhs for Payum fire victims:

·        In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has sanctioned an amount of 45.8 lakhs rupees as an immediate relief to the fire victim of Payum Village in Siang District of the state.

·        The entire Payum village, under Payum circle of Siang District, was completely gutted in a devastating fire that took place on Saturday night. The fire completely destroyed 45 dwelling houses in the Payum village rendering the villagers homeless.

J&K govt approves Katra master plan 2031:

·        The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a Master plan for the Katra town, that is also the base camp for the pilgrimage to the renowned Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.

·        The State Administrative Council met in Jammu, under the Chairmanship of Governor N N Vohra. It has approved the Master Plan-2031 of Katra Town, an official spokesman said.

Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project dedicated to people of Andhra Pradesh:

·        Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu dedicated the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project to the people of the state.

·        The project is situated at Pattiseema village of Polavaram mandal in West Godavari district. It started functioning on a full-scale as the installation of all 24 pump sets was completed on 24 March 2016.

Telengana passes bill to hike legislators' salaries:

·        The Telangana Assembly today passed a bill increasing the salaries and allowances of the Chief Minister, MLAs, and MLCs among others.

·        Under the Telangana Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualifications (Amendments) Bill 2016, the salary of MLAs and MLCs has been increased to 20,000 from 12,000, while their allowances have gone up to 2.30 lakh from 83,000.

Singing national anthem mandatory in UP schools:

·        An Uttar Pradesh government directive has made it mandatory for primary school students to sing the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', every day.

·        The directive also states that primary schools must run 200 days a year, while higher secondary schools must run 220 days a year.

·        Furthermore, schools must observe 'swachhata diwas' (Cleanliness Day) every Wednesday, according to the same.

INTERNATIONAL:

Singapore Corvette Test-Fires Barak Missile:

·        Singapore Navy (RSN) has successfully test-fired a Barak missile from its Victory-class missile corvette RSS Vigour during Fleet Exercise conducted in the South China Sea.

·        The RSN’s Missile Corvette Squadron, on the conduct of the exercise and the capabilities of the missile corvette.

India sends first ever direct vessel to Bangladesh:

·        In a historic moment, an Indian container vessel left from Krishnapatnam port for Bangladesh, on a direct route for the first time, as a part of coastal shipping agreement between both the countries.

·        The voyage aims at developing and facilitating coastal trade between India and Bangladesh after the Narendra Modi government revived the trade agreements signed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974.

Myanmar gets its first public listing:

·        The move comes as the country’s development accelerates with a democratic government being formed after an election victory in November, part of a political and economic transformation that’s bringing an end to more than five decades of isolation.

·        The listing debut was attended by First Myanmar’s Pun and officials including Maung Maung Thein, the country’s deputy finance minister and chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, who called it “a historic day in the development of the capital markets.”

·        First Myanmar, Myanmar Citizens Bank and Myanmar Thilawa SEZ are among the initial batch of six companies approved for listing.

Brazil tourism minister resigns:

·        In Brazil, Tourism Minister Henrique Eduardo Alves has resigned, in a move that adds pressure to embattled President Dilma Rousseff.

·        Opposition lawmakers want to remove Ms Rousseff over claims she manipulated accounts to hide growing deficit.

APPOINTMENTS:

Indian-American Nandita Bakshi named president CEO of bank of the west:

·        Indian-American NanditaBakshi has been appointed the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of the West.

·        The new Chief Executive will replace Michael Shepherd as Bank of the West’s next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is expected to join the bank as a CEO-in-training on April 1 and will take the helm officially on June 1.

BANKING :

RBI announces pvt placement of special securities under UDAY:

·        The RBI today asked market participants interested in subscribing to the special securities under UDAY scheme through private placement route to approach it by March 30.

·        Power Ministry had introduced the Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in November for revival of debt ridden power distribution companies (DISCOMs) in different states.

·        The special securities under UDAY are being issued by governments of Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Punjab and Rajasthan. The scheme is likely to help discoms save around Rs 1.8 lakh crore in the next three years.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Number of mobile subscribers at 101.79 crore:

·        The latest data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has put the number of mobile subscribers in the country at 101.79 crore as on January 31, 2016.

·        Meanwhile, the number of wireline subscribers stood at 2.53 crore. Further, India's overall tele-density (number of telephone connections for every 100 individuals) was 82.3, with urban tele-density thrice the rural.

6-8% tax recommended on emails, blogs, downloads:

·        A special committee formed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has recommended a 6-8% tax on 13 B2B online activities as an e-commerce levy.

·        These activities include sending and receiving emails, downloading content, blogging, digital advertising and designing websites.

·        If approved, the move will directly affect companies like Google and Facebook that rely on digital advertising.

Japan’s NTT to buy Dell's IT services for $3 bn:

·        Japan's NTT Data Corp has agreed to buy computer maker Dell's IT consulting division for around $3 billion to expand in the US and bolster its services business.

·        The move will allow Dell to trim its $43 billion in debt it is taking on to fund its $67 billion cash-and-stock acquisition of data storage provider EMC.

Ola ties up with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance:

·        Ola Cabs has tied up with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance to provide motor insurance to its drivers.

·        It will not only provide a cover for accidents, but will also insure theft of vehicles as well as damage, in addition to a personal accident cover of Rs 2 lakh.

·        The two companies are also working together to create a digital infrastructure that will bring insurance transactions like purchase or claims, fully online.

·        Recently Ola had announced a partnership with Indifi to offer personal loans to its drivers.

112 gets approval as new emergency number:

·        The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's recommendation to make 112 the number for all emergency services such as police, ambulances, and the fire brigade in India was today accepted by the Telecom Commission.

·        Media reports said that an SMS facility will also be available on this number. The new number will reportedly be rolled out within months.

Mumbai's dabbawalas deliver KFC's latest meal:

·        Fast food chain KFC roped in Mumbai dabbawalas to deliver their latest launch, the 5-in-1 meal boxes, during lunch hour.

·        The lunch boxes were delivered to influencers, food lovers and media. First started in 1890, Mumbai's iconic food delivery network currently has around 5,000 dabbawalas delivering about 2,00,000 tiffin boxes containing home-cooked lunch on a daily basis.

GVK to sell 33% stake in Bangalore Int'l Airport:

·        Hyderabad-based conglomerate GVK Power and Infrastructure today said that it will sell its 33% stake in Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) to investment firm Fairfax Group for  2,149 crore.

·        GVK currently owns 43% stake in BIAL which runs the Kempegowda International airport. The deal will help reduce GVK's debt and annual interest cost, the company said.

ONGC approves $5 bn investment in KG basin:

·        State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) approved an investment of $5 billion (around 34,000 crore) in two fields in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin over the next three years.

·        The investment can boost the company's crude oil output by 15% and natural gas output by 25% in the next 4-5 years, according to the company's production figures.

USFDA approves Aurobindo Pharma's dementia drug:

·        Drug firm Aurobindo Pharma has received final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to manufacture and market a drug, used for dementia treatment, in the US market, the company said today.

·        The drug, which has an estimated market size of $26.7 million, is expected to be launched in the first quarter of the next fiscal, it added.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

Anything But Khamosh: The Shatrughan Sinha Biography authored by Bharathi S Pradhan:

·        Anything But Khamosh: The Shatrughan Sinha Biography: Bharathi S Pradhan

·        The book entitled Anything But Khamosh: The Shatrughan Sinha Biography ,book was authored by Bharathi S Pradhan.

·        The book describes film actor Shatrughan Sinha’s journey from Patna to Film Institute of India (now FTII) in Poona and his tryst with the celluloid in Mumbai.

·        This Pradhan’s work also traces Sinha’s political journey. In 2003, Sinha set a record as the first film star to be sworn-in as a Union Cabinet Minister.

·        He also held two portfolio - the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Jan 2003-May 2004) and the Ministry of shipping (August 2004) - during the NDA Government.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

Agra biker becomes first solo woman to ride across Mana Pass:

·        Pallavi Fauzdar, 35, from Agra became the first woman solo biker in the Limca Book of Records to reach the tip of Mana pass in Uttarakhand, arguably theworld’s highest motorable mountain pass.

·        Mana rises to a staggering altitude of 5,638 m (18,497 ft) above sea level, on the border between India and Tibet, and is reckoned as one of the most difficult biking trails.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

J & J has received patent in India for multifocal contact lens designs:

·        Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc has received patent in India for multifocal contact lens designs, for contact lens for the aged especially patients with presbyopia.

·        As an individual ages, their eye is less able to accommodate or bend the natural lens to focus on objects relatively nearer to the observer. This condition is known as presbyopia.

·        Johnson and Johnson has its multifocal lenses sold under its contact lenses brandAcuvue, to address the issue of presbyopia.

ISRO to launch record 22 satellites in single mission:

·        India is all set to script history by launching a record number of 22 satellites in a single mission in May this year.

·        The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s workhorse Polar rocket PSLV C34 carrying India's Cartosat 2C would also have 21 other satellites from countries, including US, Canada, Indonesia and Germany as co-passengers.

SPORTS:

Sergey Karjakin won 2016 World Chess Candidates Tournament:

·        Crimean-born Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin, 26, has qualified tochallenge Norwegian Magnus Carlsen for the world chess championshipafter he pulled off a brilliant rook sacrifice to beat his closest rival, American Fabiano Caruana, in the last round of the Candidates tournament in Moscow.

IAF pilots set new record in paramotor flying:

·        A team of 14 pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has set a new national record for completing a 10,000-km-long paramotor adventure expedition.

·        The Skyriders team of the 14 Air Warriors flew in powered paragliders during the 'Pradakshina' expedition, wherein they circumnavigated India along the periphery.

·        They began the journey on February 1 and completed it on Saturday.

ICC umpires give $10k for healthcare in Chennai:

·        The Elite Panel of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Umpires made a $10,000 donation to the Voluntary Health Services (VHS), which provides free healthcare for underprivileged people living in Chennai.

·        The VHS runs community health programme through 14 mini health centers. The ICC Umpire panel had previously made similar donations to other organisations during 2009, 2012 and 2014 World T20s.

3rd Asian Kho-Kho championship to begin in Indore on April 8:

·        The third Asian Kho-Kho championship will begin in Indore on 8th of next month.

·        Madhya Bharat Kho-Kho Association, MBKKA is hosting the three day event in collaboration with Asian Kho-Kho Federation and Kho-Kho federation of India

·        President of MBKKA and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said, eight teams from India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Singapore, South Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will participate in the event. 

OBITUARY:

Global Catholic Network founder Mother Angelica has died:

·        Mother Mary Angelica, a folksy Roman Catholic nun who used a monastery garage to begin a television ministry that grew into a global religious media empire, has died. She was 92.

·        Mother Angelica had been in declining health since suffering a severe cerebral haemorrhage on Christmas Eve 2001.

‘Legends of the Fall’ author Jim Harrison passes away:

·        Jim Harrison, the prolific author, poet and outdoorsman whose novella of the American frontier, “Legends of the Fall,” became a hit movie starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins, has died. He was 78

1. UNICEF launched animated film series ‘Unfairy Tales’ on refugee and migrant children

1. The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) launched animate film series ‘Unfairy Tales’.

2. The series seeks to help frame positive perceptions towards the tens of millions of children and young people on the move globally.

3. As per an estimate, at least 65 million children and young people globally are on the move to escape conflict, poverty and extreme weather and find a stable life and a place to call home.

2. Sergey Karjakin won 2016 World Chess Candidates Tournament
1. Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin won the FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament held in Moscow.In the final Round 14, the Russian grandmaster defeated American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.
2. Karjakin will now play with the incumbent world champion, Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, in a match for the world chess crown in the United States in November 2016.

3. BHEL commissions 40 MW hydropower plant in West Bengal
1. Public Sector Power equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned the second 40 MW hydropower generating unit at the Teesta low dam hydroelectric project (HEP) stage IV in West Bengal.
2. The hydropower generating unit was successfully installed at the Teesta low dam HEP, a run-of-the-river greenfield project, located in Darjeeling district of the West Bengal.

4. ISRO set to launch record 22 satellites in single mission
1. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to script history by launching a record number of 22 satellites in a single mission in May 2016.
2. These satellites (micro and nano) will be launched using ISRO’s workhorse Polar rocket PSLV C34. It will be carrying India’s Cartosat 2C along with 21 other satellites from other countries, including US, Canada, Indonesia and Germany as co-passengers.
3. This launch would be made from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Earlier in 2008, ISRO had sent ten satellites into orbit in a single mission. The US space agency NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) holds current world record for sending highest number of satellites in single launch. It had sent 29 satellites to the orbit in a single launch in 2013.

5. Haryana Assembly unanimously passes Reservation Bill 
1. The Haryana Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in services and admission in educational institutions) Bill, 2016.
2. The bill seeks to provide reservation in services and admission in educational institutions to persons belonging to backward classes including Jats and five other castes. The backward classes have been divided into three blocks as Block A, Block B and Block C. Jats, Jat Sikhs, Ror, Bishnoi, Tyagi and Mulla/Muslim Jat have been included in the Block C.

6. Government permits 100% FDI in online market places 
1. The government today permitted 100 per cent FDI in the market place format of e-commerce retailing with a view to attract more foreign investments.
2. As per the guidelines issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on FDI in e-commerce, foreign direct investment (FDI) has not been allowed in inventory-based model of e-commerce.
3. At present, global e-tailer giants like Amazon and Ebay are operating online marketplaces in India while homegrown players like Flipkart and Snapdeal have foreign investments even as there were no clear FDI guidelines on various online retail models.
4. The government has already allowed 100 per cent FDI in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce.

7. Bank of India to get Rs 1,150-crore capital infusion from government 
1. State-run Bank of India (BoI) today said the government has approved a capital infusion of Rs 1,150 crore in lieu of preferential allotment of shares.
2. This is part of government's plans to infuse Rs 5,050 crore in the public sector banks.
3. In the first tranche, as many as 13 public sectors banks were given fund support of Rs 19,950 crore. Of this, SBI got the highest amount of Rs 5,393 crore.
4. Besides, the government infused Rs 2,229 crore in IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank Rs 2,009 crore and Punjab National Bank Rs 1,732 crore.
5. Last year, the government announced a revamp plan 'Indradhanush' to infuse Rs 70,000 crore in state-owned banks over four years, while they will have to raise a further Rs 1.1 lakh crore from markets to meet their capital requirements in line with global risk norms Basel-III.

1. Prime Minister To Launch "Stand Up India" Scheme On 5th Of April

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to inaugurate the 'Stand Up India' scheme on 5th April. 

ii. The scheme aims to creating jobs and promoting entrepreneurs among SC, ST and women. The scheme will loans to these segments at cheaper rates. 

iii. The Prime Minister Modi will launched the scheme at a function in Noida (UP).

iv. According to this scheme PSB will provide the loans facility at the least applicable rate of interest with the help of  approx 1.25 lakh bank branches. 

v. Apart from PSB the private sector bank will also provide the loans between rs. 10 lakh to 1 crore to atleast one SC, ST and one women entrepreneur.

 2. India Sends 1st Ever Direct Box Vessel To Bangladesh

i. The 1st direct container vessel between India and Bangladesh have been send from Krishnapatnam port. The container vessel was carrying cotton set. 

ii. This step is a part of coastal shipping agreement between the two countries to facilitate easy trade, many existing norms were relaxed by both countries as part of the pact.

iii. The vessel MV Harbour-1, owned by Neepa Paribahan of Bangladesh was formally flagged off as part of a coastal shipping agreement signed by India and Bangladesh during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh in June, 2015. 

iv. According to officials the port was aiming to become the gateway port to Bangladesh in addition to being a transshipment port because the trade potential with Bangladesh is huge.

v. Earlier the shipments from Indian ports being transported to Bangladesh were routed either via Colombo or Singapore. With the launch of the direct service, time taken for such shipments would come down from 2-5 days. 

3. Government to launch Gram Uday to Bharat Uday Abhiyan from 14th to 24th April, 2016

i. Starting with Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s 125th Birth Anniversary on 14th April 2016 and culminating in Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2016, in the period between 14th April to 24th April 2016, the Central Government, in collaboration with States and Panchayats, will organize a ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan’ (Village Self Governance Campaign). 

ii. The campaign aims to generate nation-wide efforts to increase social harmony across villages, strengthen Panchayati Raj, promote rural development, and foster farmers’ progress. 

iii. Hon’ble Prime Minister will inaugurate the Gram Uday se Bharat Uday Campaign of 14th April 2016 at MHOW in Madhya Pradesh. 

iv. On 24th April 2016 i.e. National Panchayati Raj Day, Hon’ble Prime Minister will address all the Gram Sabhas of the country from Jamshedpur, which will be beamed to all the villages in the country, where villagers will gather together to listen to the Prime Minister’s address. 

v. In the preceding days, between 14th April to 16th April, 2016 a ‘Social Harmony Programme’ will be conducted in all Gram Panchayats, supported collaboratively by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 

4. Govt plans to infuse Rs. 5,050 crore in PSU banks

i. Government is planning to infuse additional capital of about Rs. 5,050 crore in some public sector banks this week, according to reports.

ii. Parliament has approved Rs 5,050 crore for meeting additional expenditure on recapitalisation of public sector banks, as per a report. 

iii. The likely contenders for the fresh round of infusion include Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, UCO Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Vijaya Bank and United Bank of India,  report added. 

iv. It will be part of the Rs 25,000 crore capital infusion plan earmarked for the current fiscal.

5. India to host 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for holding of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Under-17 World Cup to be held in India in 2017. 

ii. It is likely to be held in the month of September -October 2017.

iii. The venues of the game will be, 1-JLN Stadium, New Delhi; 2-D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai; 3-JLN Stadium, Kochi; 4-Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata; 5 JLN Stadium, Fatorda Goa and I.G. Stadium Guwahati.

iv. Expenditure towards overlays and equipment including display boards, etc. may be incurred. The total cost, however, will be within Rs.95 crore as approved earlier.

v. In the eventuality of any additional requirement of funds, Department of Sports will take up the matter with the Department of Expenditure.

6. BHEL commissions 40 MW hydropower plant in West Bengal

i. Public Sector Power equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned the second 40 MW hydropower generating unit at the Teesta low dam hydroelectric project (HEP) stage IV in West Bengal. 

ii. The hydropower generating unit was successfully installed at the Teesta low dam HEP, a run-of-the-river greenfield project, located in Darjeeling district of the West Bengal. 

iii. Teesta low dam HEP is being set up by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). 

iv. BHEL’s Bhopal, Jhansi, Rudrapur, Mumbai and Bengaluru facilities had supplied equipment for the project and execution of work was undertaken on site is being. 

v. The estimated annual energy (power) generation from the project is around 720 million units. It is expected to reduce green-house gas (GHGs) emissions and will help in achieving a low carbon development path for the state as well as the nation. So far, BHEL has commissioned nearly 400 hydro generating sets of various ratings with a cumulative capacity of around 20,000 MW in the country.

7. Himachal Pradesh government released Sixth Economic Census report

i. 6th Economic Census of Himachal Pradesh was released by Pradeep Chauhan, the Economic Advisor of Himachal Government. 

ii. The survey was started in 2012 and completed in two phases with 8303 enumerators, 3844 supervisors and 175 charge officers covering 24,932 enumeration blocks.

iii. Himachal Pardesh  was  first state in the country to complete the census and release the report and the parameters and methods adopted by the state are being followed by other states Economic Status 2016. 

iv. This is the first census in which nearly 100 % establishments, both in urban and remotest rural areas had been covered. 

v. The census was conducted in all the 12 districts of the state. More than 12 thousand trained employees completed this economic census operation.

8. US museum returns 10th century Rama statue to Cambodia

i. United States returned an ancient decapitated statue of Hindu god Rama stolen from Cambodia during the South East Asian country’s civil war in the 70s. 

ii. The sandstone Torso of Rama statue, which stands 157 centimetres tall and is missing its head, arms and feet, was formally handed over at a ceremony in Phnom Penh attended by government officials, the US ambassador and the director of the Denver Museum of Art.

iii. In May last year, a 10th century stone statue of Hanuman was returned to Cambodia by the Cleveland Museum of Art. 

iv. In January, a 7th century stone sculpture of Harihara, a deity that combines aspects of Vishnu and Shiva, was returned by France and reattached to its body for display at a museum in Phnom Penh, more than 130 years after it was spirited away.

9. USAID, ADB sign ‘Develop Solar Parks’ MoU

i. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed an MoU to facilitate USD 848 million (Rs. 5,681 crore) in funding to develop solar parks across India. 

ii. The agreement was signed by Jonathan Addleton, Mission Director, USAID/India and M. Teresa Kho, Country Director, India Resident Mission, Asian Development Bank.

iii. Through the agreement, USAID will align the technical resources of two of its programs to support ADB’s investments in the development of solar parks and renewable energy transmission infrastructure in states at the forefront of India’s efforts to promote clean energy.

iv. The collaboration will initially focus on the state of Rajasthan.

v. The cooperation will design and develop public-private partnership models as well as study options for managing grid reliability.

In particular, USAID technical activities will help place investments of USD 348 million (Rs. 2,331 crore) by ADB for transmission infrastructure for renewable energy deployment in western Rajasthan. USAID will also work with ADB across India with an additional USD 500 million (Rs. 3,350 crore) of investment in the design and development of solar parks.

10. Myanmar gets its first public listing

i. After a delay of more than 20 years, Myanmar’s stock exchange opened for its first day of business, with the trading of a single company.

ii. The move comes as the country’s development accelerates with a democratic government being formed after an election victory in November, part of a political and economic transformation that’s bringing an end to more than five decades of isolation.

iii. The listing debut was attended by First Myanmar’s Pun and officials including Maung Maung Thein, the country’s deputy finance minister and chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, who called it “a historic day in the development of the capital markets.”

iv. First Myanmar, Myanmar Citizens Bank and Myanmar Thilawa SEZ are among the initial batch of six companies approved for listing.

v. Myanmar’s equity-market journey began in the early 1990s, when executives from Daiwa Institute of Research Holdings, a unit of Japan’s second-largest brokerage, met with the nation’s military rulers in Yangon. Their initial target was to start a bourse by 2000.

As Myanmar emerges from economic isolation, it will need $80 billion of power, transport, and technology projects through 2030 to modernise its economy, according to the Asian Development Bank.

11. World Bank approved $100 million loan to Jordan

i. Jordan will get a cheap $100 million loan from World Bank to help create 100,000 jobs for Syrian refugees and its own citizen. 

ii. The World Bank’s Board extended the highly unusual financing offer because of the extraordinarily difficult situation facing both the refugees and their Jordanian hosts.

iii. The long-term loan, almost interest free, is part of an attempt by the international community to improve conditions for refugees in overburdened regional host countries, including Jordan and Lebanon.

iv. More than 4.8 million Syrians have fled their country since the start of the Syria conflict in 2011. Jordan hosts about 640,000 registered Syrian refugees and Lebanon more than 1 million.

v. Cheap loans by the World Bank and other donors are among the new tools meant to help finance education and job creation for refugees in the region. Such support is also meant to slow the migration of refugees to Europe.

12. Pallavi Fauzdar Becomes 1st Solo Woman To Ride Across Mana Pass

i. Agra Biker Pallavi Fauzdar, became the first solo woman to ride across the Mana Pass in Uttarakhand and made a record in the Limca Book. 

ii. Mana rises to a staggering altitude of 5,638 m (18,497 ft) above sea level, on the border between India and Tibet, and is reckoned as one of the most difficult biking trails.

iii. Pallavi is married to Parikshit Mishra, an Army officer, who has been extremely supportive of her passion for biking. She is the mother of the two kids. She rides an Avenger and had been passionate about biking for several years.

iv. Packed with a GPS device to ensure she is not lost, Pallavi set off for her Himalayan journey of seven days. 

v. Pallavi is also the first female rider to reach Deo Tal Lake, located at 17,950 ft, one of the world’s highest. When not biking, this adventure lover is also an accomplished fashion designer, a social worker and a Rekki practitioner.

13. Rakesh Mohan joins Nestle India Board

i. Nestle India Ltd has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the Company, on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, on March 28, 2016, appointed Dr. Rakesh Mohan as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company with effect from May 01, 2016 upto June 30, 2020. 

ii. Approval of the Members of the Company for the said appointment shall be sought at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

iii. Dr. Rakesh Mohan was on Board of the Company as an Independent Non-Executive Director from April, 2010 to October, 2012 and had relinquished office of Director of the Company consequent to his appointment as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C., United States, representing India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

14. Renowned Author Jim Harrison Has Passed Away

i. Jim Harrison, the great writers in contemporary American fiction has passed away at his home in Patagonia, Arizona. He was the prolific author and poet. He was 78 year old.

ii. He was a versatile writer who authored almost 40 books, including novels, collections of poems and eloquent essays about his passion for food. 

iii. He was considered a master of the novella, a short novel or long short story, although he didn’t find mainstream success until later in his career.

iv. Mr. Harrison was born in 1937 in Grayling, Michigan. He was blinded in his left eye by an accident when he was 7 year old. A restless adventurer as a young man, he once hitchhiked from Michigan to California to gaze at the Pacific Ocean.

v.Although Harrison never wrote big best-sellers, his work was deeply admired in literary circles. Among his most beloved novels and novellas are “Dalva,” “Julip,” “The Woman Lit by Fireflies” and “True North.”

15. Sergey Karjakin Won 2016 World Chess Candidates Tournament

i. Sergey Karjakin the Russian grandmaster has won the FIDE World Chess Candidates Tournament held in Moscow. 

ii. The 26 year old has qualified to challenge Norwegian Sergey Karjakin, Magnus Carlsen for the world chess championship after he pulled off a brilliant rook sacrifice to beat his closest rival, American Fabiano Caruana, in the last round of the Candidates tournament.

iii. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin is a Ukrainian-born Russian chess grandmaster. He is a former chess prodigy and holds the record for the world's youngest Grandmaster ever, having qualified for this title at the age of 12 years and 7 months.

iv. He won the 2012 World Rapid Chess Championship and the Chess World Cup 2015. He also won the Norway Chess Tournament twice and the Corus Chess Tournament in 2009. 

v. He has competed in six Chess Olympiads, three times for Ukraine and three times for Russia, winning three gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze. He was a member of the gold medal-winning Russian team at the World Team Chess Championship in Antalya in 2013.

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