Extensive Coverage Of Current affairs 30/3/2016

NATIONAL:

Manohar Parrikar flags off India’s first indigenous Sonar Dome:

·        India’s first indigenous composites sonar dome, a ship’s underwater eyes and ears, was today flagged off by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from here to be delivered to Mazgaon docks in Mumbai.

·        Designed and produced by a Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) lab in Pune, the sonar dome is a first of its kind in the country and has been manufactured by a composites manufacturing company.

·        This is a huge contribution by Indian Industry to the ‘Make in India’ movement as said by Defence Ministry.

Jaitley launches ‘Make in India’ conference in Sydney:

·        Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched ‘Make in India’ conference in Sydney and asked Australian businesses to be the part of India’s growth story.

·        The Minister pinpointed that with People in agriculture sector moving out, there was aneed to achieve the target of manufacturing sector to occupy the 25 per cent of India’s GDP.

·        The conference was launched in the presence of Australia’s Special Envoy for trade Andrew Robb, Indian High Commissioner Navdeep Suri, CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee, CII President Sumit Mazumder and NEW Parliament Secretary for Major Events and Tourism Jonathan O’Dea.

Union Government launched Innovative Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Programme of MANAS:

·        Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla launched innovative entrepreneurship and skill development programme of Maulana Azad National Academy for Skills (MANAS) through leading national and international experts in different skill sets.

·        The innovative Scheme proposes to use leading celebrities who belong to Minority communities in various skill sets as the driving force behind the skill development projects in their respective fields.

·        It is for the benefit of marginalised sections of minority communities.

Government to launch Gram Uday to Bharat Uday Abhiyan from 14th 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). 

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

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

Modi reaches Brussels for India-EU summit:

·        PM Narendra Modi arrived in Belgium's capital Brussels to attend the India-EU summit and hold bilateral talks with Belgium in the first leg of his three-nation visit.

·        Modi will leave for Washington on Thursday to attend the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by US President Barack Obama. He will then head to Saudi Arabia for a bilateral visit.

Rajasthan village votes to become liquor-free:

·        Kachhabali village in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district became the first liquor-free village in the state after its residents voted in support of shutting down the only liquor shop in their panchayat.

·        Over 94% of the 2,049 voters, out of a total of 2,886 residents, voted in favour of alcohol prohibition. This comes after anti-liquor campaigning by the village's women.

Government Constitutes the Board of Trade:

·        The government has reconstituted the Board of trade headed by the commerce minister.

·        Board of Trade- It is a advisory body consisting of representatives from Industries headed by the Commerce Minister.

·        The board is reconstituted as per the provisions of Foreign Trade Policy Statement 2015-2020.

·        The first meeting will be held on April 6.

Government launches e-CGHS cards, GIS-enabled HMIS application:

·        The Centre launched two digital initiatives, including an e-health card, aimed at benefiting pensioners who find it difficult to visit Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) centres for its renewal.

·        Union Health Minister J P Nadda while launching the initiatives said, these are steps towards the ‘Digital India’ vision and his ministry is committed to strengthening public health systems and provide user-friendly health services in the country.

·        The other digital initiative is the GIS-enabled Health Management Information System (HMIS) application.

Railways to upgrade passenger amenities at 400 stations:

·        In order to provide better passenger amenities, railways has firmed up plans to redevelop 400 major stations with private participation.

·        The redevelopment of station envisages facilities like shopping complex, foreign exchange kiosk, eatery, book stall, PCOs/FAX booth, medicine and variety store, budget hotel (subject to availability) and adequate parking lot.

Uber launches bike service in Gurgaon:

·        Taxi-cab hailing app Uber announced the launch of its pilot ‘bikesharing’ product UberMOTO in Gurgaon.

·        This follows Uber’s agreement with the Haryana government to introduce technology-based ride-sharing services in the state.

·        Uber said its pilot in Gurgaon would allow it to show how it helps in decongesting the city.

Madhya Pradesh to join National Agri Market Platform:

·        Madhya Pradesh all set to join the recently-announced National Agriculture Market (NAM) platform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to launch it from the stat on April 14 to mark B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.

·        Initially, the state government would include only one commodity chana (gram) for e-auction through the NAM platform.

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

Government Exam scores to be used in private sector hiring:

·        Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an event in New Delhi said that India will allow private companies to hire new employees based on their performance in government job examinations.

·        The initiative will help private sector cut cost on the recruitment process and focus on creating a better work ecosystem.

INTERNATIONAL:

Islam as state religion of Bangladesh:

·        Bangladesh’s top court has rejected a 28-year-old petition to remove Islam as official religion of the country.

·        The inclusion of Islam was against the core principles of the country’s independence fighters. The move prompted a group of 15 prominent citizens to file a petition in the courts.

Myanmar lifts emergency in Rakhine after four years:

·        Myanmar’s outgoing President Thein Sein has lifted the state of emergency in the state of Rakhine.

·        The order was imposed in June 2012 as violence flared between Buddhist and Muslim communities.

·        The Rohingya are denied full citizenship as they are seen as illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh. Rising Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar has led to further discrimination.

·        The United Nations refers to them as a “persecuted religious and linguistic minority”.

UNICEF launches “Unfairy Tales” of refugee and migrant children:

·        UNICEF launched a series of animated films to help frame positive perceptions towards the tens of millions of children and young people on the move globally.

·        Called Unfairy Tales, the three animations – true stories of the flight of children from conflict – explain the horror behind why they fled.

·        They have been animated in the style of a fairy tale and will be supported by an interactive e-book experience also called Unfairy Tales.

Fourth Nuclear Security Summit -2016 to begin in Washington DC in March 31st:

·        The fourth Nuclear Security Summit -2016 will begin in Washington DC, the United States (March 31st).

·        A total of 53 countries and five international organizations including the UNO, International Atomic Energy Ageny -IAEA will take part in the two-day summit that was initiated by President Barack Obama in 2009.

·        The last three summits were held in Washington, Seoul and The Hague in the Netherlands in 2010, 2012 and 2014 respectively.

·        The fourth summit which is the last summit under the current format and also under the presidency of Obama is expected to take stock of the measures being taken by all countries to safeguard nuclear materials and facilities and also prevent non-state actors gaining access to them.

APPOINTMENTS:

Myanmar’s Hiten Kyaw sworn in as president:

·        Htin Kyaw has been sworn in as Myanmar’s new president after more than five decades of military rule in the country.

·        Two vice-presidents, one of them a military nominee, are also due to take the oath of office, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

·        Htin Kyaw takes over from former general Thein Sein, who has led the country since 2011.

Rakesh Mohan joins Nestle India Board:

·        Former RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan will join its board as an independent director in Nestle India.

·        Mohan’s would come on Nestle India’s board from May 1, 2016, as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

·        Nestle is a Swiss transnational food and beverage company headquartered in, Switzerland. It is the largest food company in the world measured by revenues.

Shah Rukh Khan to continue as Dish TV’s brand ambassador:

·        Leading direct-to-home television operator Dish TV has extended its tie up with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who has been endorsing the brand for more than eight years, and plans to launch a new pan-India campaign later this week.

·        The company said that as brand ambassador, Khan will continue to play a key role in brand and product communication.

·        Dish TV is the first and only private DTH player in India to turn profitable at the net level. After over a decade of operations, it posted its first net. 3.1 Crore in 2014-15.profit of

BANKING :

Bharat Bank ties up with Chillr to make payments easier:

·        Mumbai based Bharat Bank customers now will be able to use Chillr app services, a lender from the co-operative space, will be able to instantly transfer money to anyone in their phonebooks.

·        Chillr is the fastest and easiest way to send money between bank accounts and works even on bank holidays.

RBI cancelled Certificate of Registration of 22 NBFCs:

·        Reserve Bank said it has canceled registration of 22 non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) including that of Amazan Capital and Mascot Commerce.

·        The RBI said it canceled the certificate of registration of the NBFCs in exercise of the powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

·        Following the cancellation of registration certificate, these companies cannot transact the business of a non-banking financial institution.

·        NBFCs whose registration have been canceled include Kundan Leasing and Finvest, Raseera Investments, Limtex Impex, Dignity Motors Finance, Akansha Consultancy Services, Bini Commercial Enterprises, Nirankar Investments, and Surin Investments.

RBI, Sri Lanka Central Bank Sign Currency Swap Pact:

·        The Reserve Bank of India said it would allow its Sri Lankan counterpart to draw up to $700 million over a maximum period of three months under a new special currency swap agreement signed by the two central banks.

·        The RBI has previously provided currency swaps to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, including plans to extend a $1.5 billion agreement by one year.

·        Sri Lanka is seeking a loan of $1.5 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to boost foreign exchange reserves and help avert a balance of payments crisis.

CBDT signed 11 unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements:

·        The Central Board of Direct Taxes signed 11 unilateral APAs. With this signing,India has entered into 59 bilateral and/or unilateral APAs.

·        The Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) programme was introduced by the Finance Act, 2012 to provide a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime and to reduce litigation in the Indian transfer pricing regim.

LIC increases stake in IDBI Bank to 14.37%:

·        State-owned lender IDBI Bank has informed stock exchanges that Life Insurance Corp. (LIC) of India now owns 14.37% stake in the bank. The life insurance behemoth previously owned 7.21% in the bank, which transferred 7.16% equity stake or 15.87 crore shares to LIC.

·        With this transaction, IDBI Bank is now the second largest bank holding for LIC. As on 31 December, the insurance provider owned 21.22% stake in Corporation Bank, the highest equity it holds in any lender.

·        Apart from these two, LIC owns 14.36% stake in UCO Bank and 13.75% stake in Canara Bank, at the end of the third quarter.

100% FDI allowed in e-commerce marketplace model:

·        The government has given the green light to 100% FDI in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing with a view to attract more foreign investments.

·        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.

RBI tweaks rules for interest rates on loans:

·        The RBI announced that fixed-rate loans of up to three years tenor offered by lenders will have to be set based on the marginal cost of funding, effective from April 1.

·        RBI had earlier said that all fixed-rate loans will be exempt from the consideration of factors like the repo rate, deposit rates, and other borrowing rates.

Inoperative PF a/c to earn interest from April 1:

·        Retirement fund body EPFO decided to provide interest on inoperative provident fund accounts from April 1, a move that will benefit over nine crore such account-holders, having total deposits of over 32,000 crore.

·        The EPFO had stopped payment of interest to such accounts in April 2011 to discourage parking of funds in such dormant accounts.

Vijaya Bank to get Rs 220 crore capital infusion from government:

·        State-run Vijaya Bank said the government has approved a capital infusion of Rs 220 crore in lieu of preferential allotment of shares.

·        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.

·        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.

Sweden bank partners with TCS for digital transformation:

·        Sweden’s Lansforsakringar Bank has partnered with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and its banking platform BaNCS to aid in its future growth and transformation.

·        The company will also provide in addition system integration and support services to the bank.

·        Rikard Josefson, CEO, Lansforsakringar Bank, said that TCS’ long term commitment to Lansforsakringar Bank and to the Nordic market was an important factor behind the decision to partner with them.

·        TCS BaNCS platform was recently adopted by Euroclear for its Market Infrastructure platform and also by the Central Securities Depository in the Nordics region.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Tata Power SED inks MoU with Cranfield University for R&D:

·        Tata Power Strategic Engineering is involved in cutting edge technology for the armed forces and Cranfield University have signed an agreement to explore possibility of entering into a strategic partnership through research and development (R&D).

·        A strategic partnership through research and development and academic study in the areas of defence related engineering and emerging technologies.

Snapdeal’s FreeCharge Partners With Payment Gateway CCAvenue:

·        FreeCharge a wholly -owned subsidiary of snapdeal has partnered with a payment gateway CCAvenue to strengthen its offline offerings, as it gains access to over one lakh online merchants across sectors like hospitality, retail and education.

·        It also plans to allow merchants to upgrade their payment limits of Rs 1,00,000 with necessary KYC verification.

India ranks third in financial Trojan infections:

·        India ranks third among countries with high number of financial Trojan infections, where cybercriminals defraud customers of online banking services.

·        Study was conducted by Symantec.

·        The report said India has consistently moved up the rankings for countries with the most number of financial Trojan infections over the last three years (No 7 in 2013; No 5 in 2014; and No 3 in 2015).

ADB cuts India’s growth forecast to 7.4% for 2016-17:

·        Global headwinds will pull down India’s growth rate to 7.4 percent in the next fiscal from 7.6 percent this year but more reforms will help the country remain one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the Asian Development Bank said.

·        The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) growth forecast of 7.4 percent for 2016-17 is substantially lower than its earlier projection of 7.8 percent.

·        ADB’s flagship publication Asian Development Outlook (ADO) also projected rise in consumer inflation, mainly on account of the impact of salary hike of government employees and a likely mild pick up in global oil prices.

Delhi number 1 Indian destination: TripAdvisor

·        New Delhi has topped the list of top 25 destinations in India by travel website TripAdvisor as part of its 'Travellers' Choice Awards' for 2016.

·        Jaipur has ranked second and Goa third on the list, while Pondicherry rounds up the list as the 25th destination. The list was curated based on votes by the website's users, contributors and experts worldwide.

Reliance Defence signs JV with Israel’s Rafael for air-to-air missiles:

·        Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence Ltd, and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd of Israel have decided to set up a joint venture company in India in the highly specialized areas of air-to-air missiles, air defence systems and large aerostats, that will oversee projects worth USD 10 billion (over Rs 65,000 crore) in ten years.

·        The project will have an initial capital outlay of more than Rs.1,300 crore, excluding the cost of technology and the venture will have 51 per cent holding from Reliance Defence and 49 per cent by Rafael as per the current guidelines of the government.

Supreme Court allows SEBI to sell Sahara properties:

·        The Supreme Court asked SEBI to initiate the process of selling 87 “unencumbered” properties of Sahara group, whose title deeds are with the market regulator, to generate the bail money for release of its chief Subrata Roy who has been in jail for two years now.

·        A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur also asked the regulator not to sell any of the properties of the beleaguered group below 90 per cent of the circle rates.

Tata Steel puts entire UK business up for sale:

·        India’s Tata Steel, Britain’s largest steelmaker is considering the sale of its entire UK business to stem heavy losses, a move that would draw a line under its almost decade-long foray into Britain.

·        After a marathon board meeting in Mumbai, the Indian steel giant said in a statement that the financial performance of its UK arm had deteriorated substantially in recent months, after years of weak conditions.

Videocon Telecom plans to partner virtual network operator in Punjab:

·        Videocon Telecom will use its 4G spectrum sale proceeds to buy fresh 3G airwaves in Punjab in the next auction and also partner with a mobile virtual network operator (VNO) to monetise unused data spectrum capacity in the state, chief executive Arvind Bali told.

·        Videocon’s decision comes a day after the Modi government approved a new category of unified licence for VNOs, which gives smaller telcos more options to monetise unutilised spectrum, besides trading and sharing.

Fertiliser subsidy bill set to reduce by Rs 10,000 crore next fiscal: Crisil

·        The next financial year will see the government’s subsidy bill reduce by around Rs 10,000 crore thanks to the cut in the nutrient-based subsidy rates and the low price of gas, according to Crisil.

·        The current price of gas in India is $3.82 per million British thermal unit, which is set to be changed in April. The consensus view is that the April review will see gas prices falling further.

·        The reduction in the subsidy bill could help the government reduce its fertiliser subsidy arrears of around Rs 35,000 crore that have been carried forward since 2012, Mr Sural added.

·        The fertiliser subsidy has been estimated at Rs 70,000 crore for 2016-17, lower than the Rs 72,437.58 crore estimated for the ongoing financial year.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

P.Susheela enters into Guiness book of Records:

·        The famous playback singer P.Susheela enters into the Guiness world book of records for singing highest number of songs .

·        She holds title for the highest number of solo, duet and chorus backed songs in over six Indian languages.

·        As per the official records, she has sung 17,695 solo, duet and chorus backed songs as on January 28, 2016.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

Volcano erupts in South Alaska:

·        Pavlof Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the heart of Alaska region erupted.

·        The volcano in the 8,261-foot mountain erupted about 4 p.m. Sunday, spitting out an ash cloud that rose to 20,000 feet.

·        Alaska Volcano Observatory, along with the University of Alaska and the state Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys observed the eruption.

·        However the eruption of the volcano began to decline by Monday afternoon and so the alert was reduced to ‘Watch’ stage.

·        The volcano, about 4 miles in diameter, has had 40 known eruptions.

NASA to send fungi to ISS in quest of new drugs:

·        For the first time, fungi will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in search for novel medicines to be used both in space and on Earth, scientists, including one of Indian-origin.

·        Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in US said they will be the first team in the world to launch fungi to the ISS.

·        Researchers will send specimens of Aspergillus nidulans to the ISS aboard the SpaceX CRS-8 mission on 8 April.

Twitter update allows adding image descriptions:

·        Micro-blogging website Twitter announced a new feature wherein users would be able to add descriptions, known as "alternative text", to images.

·        The new feature could provide visually impaired people a chance to hear what an image is about. For using the new feature, users need to enable the option "compose image descriptions" from the app's accessibility settings.

Government plans to allow landline calls from WhatsApp:

·        The government is planning to enable users to make landline calls from WhatsApp, Skype and Viber.

·        An inter-ministerial panel of the government will discuss the integration of these online services with internet service providers (ISPs) and telecom operators.

·         An official said, “The move has been cleared by the inter-ministerial telecom commission and groundwork to get it going will start soon.”

Paytm may acquire stake in Yatra.com:

·        The Alibaba backed Paytm, which plans to boost its travel marketplace business, may buy a part of the online travel agency Yatra, multiple sources told.

·        Paytm has held a couple of rounds of talks with Yatra and details are being worked out.

·        Paytm, which started as an online payments platform, ventured into the travel marketplace last year to boost transaction rates in its core business — payments.

China launched 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite:

·        China launched its 22nd satellite for its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

·        The satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3A carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

·        The BeiDou system will be completed in 2020 and will comprise over 30 satellites.

·        It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket.

SPORTS:

Virat Kohli becomes No.1 T20 Batsman, India also No.1:

·        Indian Test Captain Virat Kohli kept his Performance at the top helped his side into the semifinals of the World Twenty20 after defeating Australia, has replaced Aaron Finch as the number one batsman in the latest ICC T20 rankings.

·        Number-one ranked India will go head to head with third- ranked West Indies in Mumbai , while in the first semi-final in Delhi while second-ranked New Zealand will square-off against fifth-ranked England.

World record for biggest wall of death ride set:

·        British motorbike racer Guy Martin set a new world record of riding inside the world's biggest wall of death.

·        Martin rode his bike at speed around 125 kmph in a wooden setup which measured six metres high and ten metres in diameter.

·        Notably, going at top speeds, Martin experienced outward forces measuring five times the terrestrial gravitational force.

Switzerland to host world's 1st cyborg Olympics:

·        The world’s first cyborg Olympics will be held in October this year in Switzerland.

·        Named Cybathlon, it aims to bring together technology developers and people with disabilities and make available robotic tools to a broad public.

·        About 80 teams are expected at the event which is being organized by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

UK crew creates Atlantic Ocean rowing record:

·        Team Essence, a crew of five unaided British rowers, have set a record for crossing the Atlantic Ocean after rowing for 50 days continuously.

·        The team began their journey on February 7 from Portugal and covered a distance of almost 6,820 km before reaching Venezuela on Monday. Notably, the crew's boat got capsized thrice during the journey.

6-yr-old sets Asian speed skating record:

·        K Darshini, a six-year-old from Coimbatore, has been inducted into the Asia book of Records after setting a new Asian record in speed skating in the under-seven category.

·        She covered a distance of 10.5 km in 41.03 minutes. Darshini set the record while participating at the Quarter Skating Marathon, organised by the Tamil Nadu Speed Skating Association.

1. Modi Reaches Brussels for India-EU Summit
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Brussels on the first leg of his three-nation tour to Belgium, the US and Saudi Arabia. 

ii. During the course of the visit Modi will attend the India-EU summit and the global nuclear security summit in the US.
iii. On his daylong visit to Brussels, Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and then attend the 13th India-European Union (EU) Summit.
iv. On March 31, the prime minister will leave for Washington to attend the two-day Fourth Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by US President Barack Obama.
v. On April 2 and 3, he will be visiting Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for a two-day visit with a focus on boosting energy and security cooperation. . Prime Minister Modi will also visit the Masmak Fortress, ‘L&T Workers’ Residential Complex and TCS All Women IT & ITES Center in Riyadh.

2. ISRO TO Launch 22 Satellites In Single Mission

i. 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. 

ii. This will include a number of micro and nano ones from foreign countries. This mission will flag off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Srikarikota.

iii. In this mission 18 satellites are being launched for foreign agencies including those from the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Indonesia. 

iv. Two of the nano-satellites have been developed by the Pune Engineering College and Sathyabhama University. 

v. These satellites (micro and nano) will be launched using ISRO’s workhorse Polar rocket PSLV C34.

3. India ranks third globally in financial Trojan infections

i. India ranks third among countries with high number of financial Trojan infections, where cybercriminals defraud customers of online banking services, security solutions firm Symantec said.

ii. India has moved up from 5th position in 2014 to rank 3 in 2015, although global detections have dropped, Symantec said in a report.

iii. The report said India has consistently moved up the rankings for countries with the most number of financial Trojan infections over the last three years.

iv. Using financial Trojans to defraud customers of online banking services is still a popular method among cybercriminals looking to make a profit, it added.

v. The total number of financial Trojan detections continued to decrease in 2015, with a 73 per cent drop compared to the previous year, Symantec added. Globally, the financial sector was the highest targeted sector in January with 40.2 per cent of all spear-phishing attacks, it added.

4. Arun Jaitley Launches 'Make In India' Conference In Sydney

i. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has launched Make in India conference in Sydney and asked Australian businesses to be the part of India's growth story. 

ii. He said this is the time when ‘Make in India’ campaign can translate into actual activities as India becomes the key focus of the world today and Make in India is one of the key focuses of the government.

iii. Mr. Jaitley, who is on 2 days visit of Sydney said that Indian government does feel that manufacturing sector does need to grow because people in agriculture sector moving out, there was a need to achieve the target of manufacturing sector to occupy the 25 per cent of India’s GDP. 

iv. He also stated that India could manage to become a very low cost service provider but failed to transform into a low cost manufacturing, adding that now there was an opportunity to do so.

v. He said that for two consecutive years, we are the fastest growing economy in the world. When we measure ourselves by our own standards, we believe that 7.5 per cent does not reflect our true potential. 

5. 112 Would Be The National Emergency Number in India

i. Since long, Indians had to memorize a plethora of emergency numbers, based on the situation. 

ii. Thus, if 100 is the emergency number to contact police, then 101 is for fire emergency, 102 is for health emergency and 108 is for emergency situation related to disasters. 

iii. Now all these different set of emergency numbers would be phased out, and replaced with 112, which would be the default emergency response number for any situation in India.

iv. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was, thus, established with effect from 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997, to regulate telecom services, including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.

v. Presently chairman of Trai is R.S Sharma. 

6. 11 Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements Signed By CBDT

i. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed 11 unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs). 

ii. With the signing of these agreements, India has entered into 59 bilateral or unilateral APAs. 

iii. 50 of these agreements have been signed in the current financial year.

iv. The Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) programme was introduced by the Finance Act, 2012 to provide a predictable and non-adversarial tax regime and to reduce litigation in the Indian transfer pricing regime. 

v. The agreements cover a range of international transactions, including corporate guarantees, royalty, software development services, IT enabled services and trading. 

7. Manohar Parrikar flags off India’s first indigenous Sonar Dome

i. India’s first indigenous composites sonar dome, a ship’s underwater eyes and ears, was today flagged off by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from here to be delivered to Mazgaon docks in Mumbai.

ii. Designed and produced by a Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) lab in Pune, the sonar dome is a first of its kind in the country and has been manufactured by a composites manufacturing company.

iii. This is a huge contribution by Indian Industry to the ‘Make in India’ movement as said by Defence Ministry.

iv. Only a couple of companies worldwide have the capability of realising such structures.

v. All anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships have a sonar array fitted to the ship structure below the waterline. The sonar functions as the ship’s underwater eyes and ears. It has been designed by Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), a DRDO laboratory based in Pune and manufactured by Goa-based composites manufacturing company Kineco.

8. Government Permits 100% FDI in Online Marketplaces

i. The government permitted 100% FDI in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing with a view to attract more foreign investors. 

ii. 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. 

iii. Though the clarification comes in the absence of clear FDI guidelines on various online retail models, the online marketplaces in India have already seen large foreign investments by several global players. 

iv. Presently, global online retailer giants like Amazon and ebay are operating online marketplaces in India.

v. while home-grown players like Flipkart and Snapdeal have foreign investments even as there were no clear FDI guidelines on various online retail models. 

9. Registration Of 22 NBFCs Has Been Cancelled By RBI

i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a statement that it has cancelled registration of 22 non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) including Amazan Capital and Mascot Commerce.

ii. The cancellation of the these NBFCs is in exercise of the powers conferred on it under Section 45-IA (6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. 

iii. According to the statement following the cancellation of registration certificate, these companies cannot transact the business of a non-banking financial institution.

iv. NBFCs whose registration have been canceled include Kundan Leasing and Finvest, Raseera Investments, Limtex Impex, Dignity Motors Finance, Akansha Consultancy Services, Bini Commercial Enterprises, Nirankar Investments, and Surin Investments.

v. Earlier this month, the RBI had canceled registration of six other NBFCs including the including Kundan Leasing and Finvest, Raseera Investments, Limtex Impex, Dignity Motors Finance, Akansha Consultancy Services, Bini Commercial Enterprises, Nirankar Investments, and Surin Investments.

10. UNICEF Launches “Unfairy Tales” Of Refugee And Migrant Children

i. UNICEF launched a series of animated films to help frame positive perceptions towards the tens of millions of children and young people on the move globally, Called Unfairy Tales.

ii. The three animations – true stories of the flight of children from conflict – explain the horror behind why they fled. 

iii. They have been animated in the style of a fairy tale and will be supported by an interactive e-book experience also called Unfairy Tales. 

iv. The Unfairy Tales are part of an initiative, actofhumanity, emphasising that children are children, no matter where they come from, and that every child has rights and deserves a fair chance.

v. One story - “Ivine and the Pillow” animates the true story of 14yr old Ivine and her pillow. After a perilous escape from Syria, Ivine settles at a refugee camp in Germany only to face new challenges. “Malak and the Boat”, tells the tale of a young girl’s voyage in a leaky boat. The third animation depicts the story of Mustafa, who after fleeing his home, wonders who is left to be his friend.

11. Islam as state religion of Bangladesh

i. Bangladesh’s top court has rejected a 28-year-old petition to remove Islam as official religion of the country. 

ii. While the South Asian nation’s Islamists rejoice, analysts say the move is a setback for secular forces. 

iii. Islam was introduced as state religion in the Bangladeshi constitution in 1988, almost two decades after the South Asian nation got independence from Pakistan following a liberation war. 

iv. The inclusion of Islam was against the core principles of the country’s independence fighters. 

v. The move prompted a group of 15 prominent citizens to file a petition in the courts.

12. NTT Data to Buy Dell’s IT-Services Arm

i. Japan’s major NTT Data has acquired Dell Services, the IT services arm of PC maker Dell. According to various media reports the deal is valued at over $3 billion. 

ii. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

iii. The latest development from Dell comes as part of its strategy to reduce its debt arisen due to the acquisition of data storage provider for $67 billion. 

iv. In October last year Dell had agreed to buy global storage major EMC in the largest M&A deal in tech space.

v. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation, a predecessor of NTT, started Data Communications business in 1967 which has now become the largest of the IT Services companies headquartered in Japan.

13. GVK sells stake in Bangalore International Airport to Fairfax

i. GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd has agreed to sell a 33% stake in Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) to India-born Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa’s Fairfax India Holdings Corp. 

ii. Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd for Rs.2,149 crore, seeking to raise money to repay debt.

iii. On completion of the deal, GVK Power and Infrastructure’s debt will decline by Rs.2,000 crore and its interest costs will drop by some Rs.300 crore a year.

iv. The transaction, which will reduce GVK’s stake in the airport to 10%, is subject to customary closing conditions and third-party consent, including the agreement of creditors, and is expected to be completed by the middle of 2016. 

v. BIAL owns and operates the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru under a 30+30 year concession agreement from the Indian government.

14. Reliance Defence, Israel’s Rafael to set up missile, air defence JV

i. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence has inked a pact with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defence System.

ii. This is to set up a JV in India for specialised areas including air- to-air missiles that will oversee projects worth USD 10 billion (over Rs 65,000 crore) in ten years.

iii. Joint venture company will be located at Pithampur, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and will generate more than 3,000 highly skilled jobs. 

iv. The project will have an initial capital outlay of more than Rs 1,300 crore, without including the cost of technology,

v. Reliance Defence has industrial licences for the full spectrum of military platforms and is the fastest emerging private sector enterprise in the development, manufacture and supply of defence aerospace, land and naval platforms and equipment. 

15. P Susheela Mohan Enters Into Guinness World Records

i. Renowned playback singer P Susheela Mohan has been recognized by the Guinness World Records and Asia Book of Records for singing the most number of songs in Indian languages. 

ii. While Guinness has officially credited her for singing 17,695 solo, duet and chorus-backed songs in 12 Indian languages, the Asia Book of Records has recognized her for singing close to 17,330 songs.

iii. The play back singer has won many awards and earned accolades in a career spanning five decades, has added two more to her awards cabinet. 

iv. Susheela has also created a record of singing over 10,000 songs in Tamil and over 30,000 songs in other languages. 

v. The Telugu singer, who has won awards from different states several times, has an enviable track record in the world of music. 

1. Htin Kyaw took oath as Myanmar's first elected President

1. Htin Kyaw was sworn-in President of Myanmar at a joint session of parliament in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.

2. With this, Aung San Suu Kyi's close aide Kyaw also became the first elected civilian leader to be the President of the country after 53 years of military rule. Army took power in a 1962 coup.

3. Htin Kyaw, 69, from the National League for Democracy (NLD) took over from Thein Sein, who introduced wide-ranging reforms during his five years in power.

2. Rakesh Mohan joined Nestle India Board as Independent Non—Executive Director

1. Nestle India Ltd. announced that former RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan joined the Board of the company as an Independent Non—Executive Director.

2. His appointment will be effective from 1 May 2016. For Rakesh Mohan, this is the second stint at the company.

3. He was on Nestle India’s board between April 2010 and October 2012 and had to relinquish it following his appointment as executive director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

3. Haryana launched Projecet Salamati for injectable contraceptive

1. The Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar launched Project Salamati in Chandigarh. The project seeks to maintain a healthy balance between the births of children by using injectable contraceptive.

2. With this launch, Haryana became the first State in the country to launch injectable contraceptive as part of a government initiative.

3. Highlights of Project Salamati

• It is a public sector family planning programme implemented by the Haryana Health Department with the assistance of Pathfinder International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

• Under this initiative, injectable contraceptive will be provided free of cost at all Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, Sub Divisional and District Hospitals.

• It seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes among women of reproductive age with a special focus on young women between 15 and 24 years of age.

4. China launched 22nd BeiDou navigation satellite

1. China launched its 22nd satellite for its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS). The satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3A carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

2. The BeiDou system will be completed in 2020 and will comprise over 30 satellites.It was the 225th launch of the Long March carrier rocket.

3. BeiDou currently provides navigation services within China and the neighboring regions. After entering its designated work orbit and finishing in-orbit testing, it will join others available in the orbit.

5. Russia approves OVL’s deal to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield

1. The Russian Government has approved a deal of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oilfield from Rosneft. The deal was signed between the OVL and Rosneft in September 2015 and is worth 1.3 billion US dollars. Vankor is Russia’s second biggest oil field with capacity of total 2.5 billion recoverable reserves barrels (or 500 million tonnes).

2. This deal is in addition to another deal that was signed in March 2016 between the OVL and three other oil companies. Both of these deals will help India to secure access to lucrative Russia’s oil market, while Rosneft in turn will through OVL gain access to the Indian market.

6. Playback Singer P. Susheela enters Guinness World Records

1. Renowned playback singer P. Susheela Mohan created a new world record for singing highest number of songs. She has now been recognised by both the Guinness Book of World Records for singing most number of songs in Indian languages. 

2. Guinness Book of World Records officially credited her for singing record 17,695 songs (solo, duet and chorus backed songs) in twelve Indian languages. Asia Book of Records also has recognised her for singing close to 17, 330 songs. It bestowed certificate and a badge of honour to the singer for the most number of single studio recordings.

7. India, World Bank sign $1.5 billion loan pact for Swachh Bharat Mission 

1. Government and the World Bank today signed a $1.5 billion loan agreement for the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) to support India's universal sanitation initiative.

2. The pact for the SBM Support Operation Project is to help the government in its efforts to ensure that all citizens in the rural areas have access to improved sanitation with a focus on changing behaviour and eliminating the practice of open defecation by 2019. 

3. SBM is the country's largest-ever drive to improve sanitation. It aims to end open defecation and improve the management of liquid and solid wastes. 

4. The loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a maturity of 18 years including a grace period of 5 years. 

8. Nippon Life Insurance raises stake in Reliance Life to 49% 

1. Japan's Nippon Life Insurance increased stake in Reliance Life Insurance by another 23 per cent, taking its total holding to 49 per cent. 

2. Reliance Capital, the holding company of Reliance Life, received Rs 2,265 crore for the deal. 

3. Nippon Life's total investment has reached Rs 8,630 crore for acquiring 49 per cent stake each in Reliance Life Insurance and 4. Reliance Capital Asset Management. 

In March 2011, Nippon Life had picked up 26 per cent stake in the life insurance venture under Reliance Capital for Rs 3,062 crore. 

9. BHEL commissions 250 MW unit at Nabinagar plant

1. State-run power equipment maker BHEL has commissioned first 250 MW unit at coal-based Nabinagar thermal power plant of Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd in Aurangabad district of Bihar.

2. The 250 MW unit has been commissioned at the upcoming, greenfield 1,000 MW Nabinagar Thermal Power Project (4x250 MW), being set up by Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Ltd (BRBCL), a joint venture of NTPC Limited and the Indian Railways.

3. BHEL has a long-standing partnership with NTPC and has supplied over 30,000 MW of the coal-based power plants of NTPC and its joint ventures that account for around 80 per cent of NTPC’s coal-based installed capacity.

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