Extensive Coverage Of Current Affairs 14/4/2016

NATIONAL:

Remembering Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on 125th Birth Anniversary and his contribution to Indian Constitution :

·        On 14 April 2016 we are celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the father and architect of the Indian Constitution.

·        Also, two commemorative coins of “ten rupee” and one hundred and twenty-five rupee” denominations were released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of it on 6 December 2015.

·        Even United Nations will also be organizing an event for the first time to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar to focus on combating inequalities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launched Mission Drinking Water:

·        Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 13 April 2016 launched ‘Mission Drinking Water'.

·        The mission was launched in the backdrop of recurring droughts and severe water crisis in Marathwada and Vidarbha region of the state.

Shri Kiren Rijiju to inaugurate National Workshop on Fire Services Day:

·        Minister of State of Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju will inaugurate the national workshop on An Integrated Approach to Fire Safety on the occasion of the Fire Services Day.

·        The day long workshop is being held to deliberate upon the integrated approaches to fire safety.

·        Theme of 2016 – “Prevent Fire Accident, Promote Nations Development”.

·        The Ministry of Communications and IT, Department of Posts will release a postage stamp on the theme Fire Services in India.

·        Fire Services Day , observed on April 14th every year since 1968 in memory of the sacrifices made by the firemen during the devastating fire on SS Fort Strikine ship in Mumbai Dock in the year 1944.

·        Fire Services Week             : 14th-20th April

 “DEEP” The Power Procuring Online Portal:

·        Mr. Piyush Goyal, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy launched DEEP (Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price) an online portal for the acquisition of short-term power by DISCOMs.

·        The “DEEP” web portal will ensure the continuous flow of power from seller to the buyer.

·        It will be a very strong weapon to bring the illegal transactions into the light, and confine all these illegal transactions. Deep will also help in price reduction through competition.

Akash missile test fired in Odisha:

·        India’s indigenously developed surface-to-air Akash missile was test fired for second consecutive day from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore in Odisha.

Delhi government launched PoochhO Carpool app to help people during odd-even scheme:

·        “PoochO Carpool” app was launched  by Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai to give people more options for carpooling during the second phase of the odd-even traffic scheme(April 15 to 30).

·        Developer: Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS)

Features of PoochO Carpool app :

·        It would help users find carpool options within a radius of 1-5km.

·        It would have a chat feature that will help users communicate with the car driver

·        without even mentioning their numbers.

·        The scheme is not applicable to CNG vehicles, two-wheelers, women motorists, cars

·        carrying school children in uniform and several kinds of VIPs.

Indo German Agreement on Namami Gange Signed:

·        An agreement has been signed for Ganga Rejuvenation under the Namami Gange Programme in New Delhi, between the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and German International Cooperation.

·        The agreement was signed in the presence of the German Ambassador to India, Martin Ney and Secretary, and Shashi Shekhar, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Cabinet nod for MoU with UAE to combat Human Trafficking:

·        The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a MoU between India and UAE on preventing all forms of human trafficking, especially women and children.

·        The MoU is expected to be signed very soon after approval. Anti-trafficking Cells and Task Forces will work on both sides to prevent human trafficking.\

·        It will strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two countries and increase the bilateral cooperation on the issues of prevention, rescue, recovery and repatriation related to human trafficking

MoU between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of Fisheries:

·        Union Cabinet was approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Bangladesh in September, 2011.

Objectives:

·        To strengthened the friendly relations between India and Bangladesh.

·        To promote development of cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture and allied sectors through mutually agreed activities and procedures.

·        The MoU will remain in force for a period of five years and it could be extended for further period as may be mutually agreed upon.

Cabinet nod to adopt statute of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) to check wildlife crimes:

·        The Union Cabinetchaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its nod for India adopting the statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) which will help in checking cross border wildlife crimes.

·        The MoU allows the country to become a formal member of SAWEN in order to strengthen ties with the member countries in controlling the trans-boundary wildlife crime through communication, coordination, collaboration, capacity building and cooperation in the region.

South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN):

·        SAWEN is a platform for its eight member countries to cooperatively work together in the fight against the burgeoning wildlife crime and its statute lays down an action plan for them to adopt and adhere in the next six years to check wildlife crime.

·        SAWEN comprises eight countries in South Asia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly approved Social Boycott Bill 2016:

·        Maharashtra Legislative Assembly unanimously approved the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to crack down on extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats.

·        Maharashtra cabinet approved the draft Maharashtra Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill, 2016 on 1 March 2016.

·        The bill will be sent for Governor's assent to enact the Law. Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to enact a law against social boycott.

PM Modi to inaugurate India’s first ever Maritime Summit:

·        Deals worth Rs. 82, 000 crore are expected to be signed during the 3-day summit.

·        Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Maritime India Summit to be held at the Bombay Convention and Exhibition Centre in Goregaon from April 14 to 16.

·        This is India’s first ever Maritime Summit

INTERNATIONAL:

India ranks 44 in 2016 Global Connectivity Index, Digital India seen as driver of growth

·        India placed at the 44th position among 50 different countries in a Global Connectivity Index (GCI) report has been compiled Electronics major by Huawei.

·        The 50 countries assessed by GCI 2016 account for 90 percent of global GDP and 78 percent of the world’s population.

·        Huawei claims that the GCI also includes survey results from 3,000 firms across 10 verticals in 10 nations.

Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank:

·        South Pacific island nation Nauru has become the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

·        Nauru applied for membership in the Washington-based IMF and World Bank in April 2014, after joining the United Nations in 1996 as the world’s smallest independent republic.

·        The World Bank, which helps developing countries to spur growth and fight poverty, welcomed Nauru as its smallest member by land mass, at 21 square kilometers.

India, South Korea sign pact for developing ports:

·        India and South Korea signed a MoU for cooperation and mutual assistance in development of ports.

·        The MoU was signed by Road, Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and South Korea’s Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young Suk.

·        The South Korean delegation, led by Suk, is in Mumbai to participate in the Maritime India Summit (MIS), 2016.

·        The MoU is expected to help both countries to encourage and facilitate development of ports, port-related industries and maritime relationship.

6.8 magnitude earthquakes in Myanmar, strong tremors felt in Kolkata, Delhi:

·        A massive earthquake rattled Myanmar sending tremors across east and north India. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the 6.8 magnitude tremor struck northwest Myanmar near the Indian border.

·        According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) the earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck in northwest Myanmar, 100 km north-northwest of the city of Monywa.

MoU between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of Fisheries:

·        The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was apprised about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Bangladesh in September, 2011 on bilateral cooperation in the field of Fisheries and aquaculture and allied activities.

·        The MoU has strengthened the friendly relations between India and Bangladesh and promote development of cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture and allied sectors through mutually agreed activities and procedures.

APPOINTMENTS:

Deepak Kashyap appointed as anti-corruption official in BSNL:

·        Deepak Kashyap, a 1985 batch officer of Indian Railway Service has been appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of BSNL.

·        The CVO acts as distant arm of Central Vigilance Commission to check corruption.

Other Appointments:

·        IAS officer Manoj Kumar – CVO of Delhi Development Authority (DDA)

·        Revenue service officer Sushma Singh – CVO of National Institute of Fashion Technology.

·        (NIFT)

·        IPS officer Deepak Kumar – CVO of Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd Ranchi.

Centre appoints Finance Secretary as liaison officer with Jammu and Kashmir:

·        Centre appoints Finance Secretary as liaison officer with Jammu and Kashmir.

·        Finance Secretary Ratan Wattal was appointed as the liaison officer to working between Jammu and Kashmir government and central government

·        He will be responsible to ensure the flow of funds to the J & K government and implementation of Prime Minister’s Development Package in the state.

o   J & K Capital-Jammu(Winter ), Srinagar(Summer)

o   J & K Governor– N.N.Vohra

o   J & K Chief Minister: Mehbooba Mufti

Kyrgyz parliament confirms new government under PM Sooronbai Jeenbekov:

·        Six years after a violent revolution in Kyrgyzstan claimed hundreds of lives; the parliament unanimously endorsed a new government led by the country’s sixth Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

·        Jeenbekov, 57, a close ally of single-term President Almazbek Atambayev, replaced Temir Sariyev who resigned amid corruption allegations.

·        Sooronbai Jeenbekov (previously)          : Deputy Head of Atambayev’s administration

Barrack Obama appoints MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga to key administration post:

·        President Barack Obama appointed Indian American MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga to a key administration post as a member of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity.

·        Banga is one of the nine members of the Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity appointed by Obama.

·        Has been president and CEO of MasterCard since 2010

·        Joined MasterCard in 2009 as President and COO

·        Has served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations since 2015

PCB Could Appoint Dean Jones as Chief Coach:

·        The PCB has made up its mind to appoint former Australia batsman Dean Jones as chief coach of the Pakistan cricket team.

·        The changes are due to be made after the dismal performance of the team in the Asia Cup and World T20, which have led to the resignations of Shahid Afridi as captain and Waqar Younis as coach while the board also dissolved the national selection committee.

Flipkart’s chief product officer Punit Soni, a high-profile catch from Silicon Valley, quits:

·        Punit Soni, the chief product officer of Flipkart has quit his post at the startup a year after joining the company, according to 3 sources familiar with the development.

Ajay Devgan, Kajol to be Andhra tourism ambassadors:

·        Bollywood actor-couple Ajay Devgan and Kajol will serve as the brand ambassadors of Andhra Pradesh Tourism, said an official statement on Tuesday.

·        The two volunteered for the position, and offered to invest in media and entertainment projects in Amaravati. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the offer, and held a meeting with Devgan the same day.

BANKING :

India was world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015: World Bank

·        India was the world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015 despite experiencing a USD 1 billion drop from the previous year, the first decline in its remittances since 2009, the World Bank said.

·        India retained its top spot in 2015, attracting about USD 69 billion in remittances, down from USD 70 billion in 2014, the World Bank said in its annual report ‘Migration and Development Brief’.

·        Other large remittance recipients in 2015 were China, with USD 64 billion, the Philippines (USD 28 billion), Mexico (USD 25 billion) and Nigeria (USD 21 billion).

RBI cuts maturity period of masala bonds to 3 years:

·        RBI decided to cut the minimum maturity period for rupee debt issued abroad — masala bonds — by domestic companies to 3 years from 5 years, in line with foreign investment in corporate bonds.

·        The RBI said an entity can borrow a maximum of Rs 5,000 crore in a fiscal through issuance of rupee-denominated bonds overseas under the automatic route.

Yes Bank to launch SIM sleeve payments solution for feature phones:

·        Yes Bank, India’s fifth largest private sector bank, is introducing a wafer thin SIM sleeve enabled payments solutions for the feature phone.

·        Applying the principles of design thinking, the bank has come up with this solution aimed primarily at a segment of unbanked or under banked customers who do not have access to data connectivity.

YES PAYMENTS SIM Sleeve:

·        The YES PAYMENTS SIM Sleeve is a wafer-thin sticker which can be stuck on

any type of SIM card of any Telco service provider – Standard, Micro and Nano.

·        The sticker installs a Sim Tool Kit (STK) based app which can be accessed by the consumer on any mobile phone without the need for internet connectivity.

Postal department to launch payments bank by January:

·        The Department of Post will launch its payments bank by January next year and top management of the new-age venture would be in-place by July, a senior official said today.

·        The Department of Post (DoP), along with 10 other entities, received in-principle approval from RBI to launch payments banks in August last year. The ‘in-principle’ approval is valid for a period of 18 months.

·        The DoP has received clearance for funds from the Public Investment Board (PIB) for the payments bank. It is in process to seek approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for setting up of the IPPB.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

AMD ties up with HSMC for chip manufacturing:

·        Leading Chip maker AMD ties up with HSMC to enter Indian electronics sector for chip manufacturing.

·        AMD CEO Lisa Su and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad are discussed matters related to semi-conductor policy and its fab proposal and plans to set up a chip manufacturing plant in India

·        Demand for electronic products in India is expected to reach $400 billion by 2020.

Airports Authority of India asks GoAir to pay Rs 15 crore of dues:

·        National airports operator AAI has asked Wadia Group airline GoAir to pay at least Rs 15 crore following its dues going up by more than its bank guarantee amount of over Rs 30 crore.

Micromax reboots operations, unveils new logo:

·        Home-grown consumer electronics maker Micromax Informatics (Micromax) unveiled its fresh corporate, brand, and product strategy — ‘Micromax 3.0’.

·        The company also revealed a new brand identity with the launch of its new logo and brand philosophy ‘Nuts: Guts: Glory’.

GT Spyder fastest convertible car at 265 mph:

·        Hennessey Venom GT Spyder has become the world's fastest convertible car after reaching a top speed of 265.6 mph (427.4 km/h), beating the previous record set by Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Vitesse at 254.04 mph (408.8 km/h).

·        The car can do 0 to 60 mph in less than 2.4 seconds. Priced $1.3 million, Hennessey will build three Venom GT Spyders.

Freshdesk buys customer support startup Airwoot:

·        In its fifth acquisition, cloud-based customer support software Freshdesk has acquired social customer support startup Airwoot for an undisclosed amount.

·        However, Airwoot will continue to support its existing customers and function as a standalone product.

·        Founded in 2012 by Achal Aggarwal, Prabhat Saraswat and Saurabh Arora, Airwoot helps brands enhance their customer engagement on social media.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:Nuclear-capable K-4 undersea ballistic missile successfully test fired from INS Arihant:

·        Nuclear capable undersea ballistic missile, code named K-4, was successfully test fired from an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal.

·        The test was conducted nearly 45 nautical miles away from Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh.

·        The trial was carried out with the support of the personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided all logistics.

·        The missile was fired from 20-meter deep and covered more than 700 km before zeroing on the target with high accuracy reaching close to zero Circular Error Probability (CEP).

·        The K-4 missile was fired from onboard silos of the Ship Submersible Ballistic, Nuclear (SSBN) submarine.

Google Maps to alert users of traffic conditions:

·        Google Maps updated its app to help users avoid jams by alerting them of traffic conditions and find the most ideal route to their destination with the least delays.

·        While navigating, users will get spoken alert for upcoming traffic conditions and the time till the traffic will persist. Users will also get an option to take alternate routes.

SPORTS:

Kane Williamson named Wisden Almanack's Cricketer of the Year:

·        New Zealand’s Kane Williamson was named the Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2015.

·        On the other hand, White Ferns captain Suzie Bates was named the Leading Women's Cricketer in the World for 2015.

·        For the first time two New Zealand players - Williamson and Brendon McCullum - were named among the Wisden Almanack's Five Cricketers of the Year.

·        England's Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, and Australia's Steve Smith completed the list of Five Cricketers of the Year.

·        Williamson and Bates were chosen by Wisden editor Lawrence Booth for the award, WHICH HAS BEEN HANDED OUT IN VARIOUS FORMATS SINCE 1889.

OBITUARY:

US entertainer David Gest found dead in UK hotel:

·        Entertainer, Producer, David Gest and reality television star died at the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Wharf.

·        He was best known in the UK for his appearances on “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!” and “Celebrity Big Brother”.

 Piyush Goyal Launches "Deep" E-Bidding & E-Reverse Auction Portal"

i. The government has replaced the conventional tendering process for power purchase by state power distributors with an e-bidding platform in an attempt to make the bidding more efficient and transparent by bringing power procurement contract details to the public domain.

ii. Three states, Kerala, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, have already sought 1,000 megawatt (MW) of short-term power through the power trading portal, which was opened by power minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday in the presence of state power secretaries in the national capital.

iii. The Discovery of Efficient Electricity Price (DEEP) e-bidding reverse auction portal for now will cover short-term power purchase of less than a year and in the next few months, start offering the option for longer-term power purchase too.

iv. The idea is to use the portal for all forms of power purchase and trading, including for 15 years and more, reducing the role of humans in transactions and eliminating corruption.

v. Each and every stakeholder in the Power Sector can access the portal “DEEP” through the following three Official Websites: www.mstcecommerce.com,From the Official Website of Ministry of Power www.powermin.nic.in and PFC Consulting website www.pfcclindia.com.

vi. It will be a very strong weapon to bring the illegal transactions into the light, and confine all these illegal transactions. Deep will also help in price reduction through competition. Those first 5 states which put their data within 1 week will be rewarded so that the other states can get inspired and do the work fast and proper manner.

Govt launches carpool app

i. Days before the second phase of the odd-even anti-traffic scheme which begins from April 15, the government today launched ‘PoochhO Carpool app’ to help people explore carpooling options during the 15-day car-rationing exercise. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is being heard in audio and video advertisement asking people to ensure that they follow the odd-even rules.

ii. Ahead of the second phase of odd-even car-rationing scheme set to begin from April 15, Delhi government launched PoochhO Carpool' app to help people explore carpooling options during the 15-day exercise. After download, users will have to register themselves to find carpooling options within a radius of 1-5 km. 

iii. After the spread awareness about the app, the government will ask the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to approach representatives of the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and orangisations to download the app. For instance, someone who has an even-numbered car and wants to carpool on an odd date can look for odd-numbered cars on the app. The person will immediately get a list of odd-numbered cars in the vicinity. 

Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank

i. Tiny South Pacific island nation Nauru has become the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank i.e. Bretton-Woods institutions.

ii. Nauru applied for membership in the Washington-based IMF and World Bank in April 2014, after joining the United Nations in 1996 as the world’s smallest independent republic.

iii. The World Bank, which helps developing countries to spur growth and fight poverty, welcomed Nauru as its smallest member by land mass, at 21 square kilometers.

iv. By joining the World Bank, Nauru gains access to financial support, technical support and special expertise in dealing with Pacific area issues, such as water and sanitation and disaster risk management amid the threat of climate change and rising sea levels.

Cabinet nod to adopt statute of SAWEN to check wildlife crimes

i. Cabinet has given its approval for India adopting the Statute of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) and becoming its formal member in order to strengthen ties with the member countries in controlling the trans-boundary wildlife crime through communication, coordination, collaboration, capacity building and cooperation in the region.

ii. Adoption of SAWEN statute envisions India being part of the regional inter¬governmental body in combating wildlife crime in the region and beyond. Following objectives have been set to attain the goal:

To take initiatives for bringing harmonization and standardization in laws and policies of member countries concerning conservation of fauna and flora and document the trend of poaching and illegal trade, and related threats to the natural biodiversity within and across countries in the region.

To strengthen institutional responses to combat wildlife crime by promoting research and information sharing, training and capacity building, technical support, sharing experiences and outreach and To encourage member countries to prepare and implement their National Action Plans in curbing wildlife crime and to collaborate towards effective implementation.

India, Germany Ink Agreement on Namami Gange Project

i. An implementation agreement for Ganga Rejuvenation under the Namami Gange Programme was signed between India and Germany. The objective of the agreement is to enable responsible stakeholders at National and State level to apply integrated river basin management approach for the rejuvenation of the river Ganga.

ii. This will be based on Indo-German Knowledge exchange and practical experience on strategic river basin management issues, effective data management system and public engagement.

iii. The project will closely cooperate with other National and international initiatives including Indo-German bilateral projects like Support to National Urban Sanitation Policy (SNUSP) and 'Sustainable Environment-friendly Industrial Production' (SEIP).

iv. Initial actions will focus on the State of Uttarakhand, with a scope of expansion to other upstream Ganga States. The ultimate goal is to adopt the successful river basin management strategies used for Rhine and Danube and replicate the same, wherever possible for attaining the pristine status of river Ganga.

Akash Missile System successfully test fired

i. Indigenously developed surface-to-air supersonic Akash missile System was successfully test fired from complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipuri in Odisha.

ii. Akash is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM). It is medium range nuclear capable supersonic missile. Indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided-Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

iii. The missile has supersonic speeds ranging from Mach 2.8 to 3.5. It is multi target, multi directional, all weather air-defence system consisting of surveillance and tracking radars. It has capability to carry warhead of 60 kg.

iv. It can engage aerial targets up to a range of approximately 25 kms. It can reach a high altitude of 18 kms and as low as 30 meters. It is powered by Ramjet-rocket propulsion system (RRPS) which renders thrust for the missile to intercept the target at supersonic speed without any retardation.

Sushila Karki: First female Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court

i. The Constitutional Council of Nepal has selected Justice Sushila Karki (63) for the post of Chief Justice (CJ) of the Supreme Court of the country. With this selection she will become 26th chief justice of the apex court and the first female CJ in Nepal’s history.

ii. However, her nomination is expected to be confirmed by a Parliamentary Hearings Committee which endorses the recommendation. She will succeed Kalyan Shrestha who retired from the top post. She shall have tenure of 1 year and retire in June 2017 upon reaching the age limit.

iii. Currently she is seniormost judge in the Supreme Court of Nepal. Since 2010, she is member of the International Association of Women Judges. She was appointed ad-hoc justice (judge) at the Supreme Court in January 2009 and as permanent justice on November 18, 2010.

iv. Prior to her appointment as judge of Supreme Court in 2009, she had served as a senior advocate. She was accorded the title of senior advocate in 2004. She also had served as President of the Appelate Court Bar Association Biratnagar for a term until 2004.

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launched Mission Drinking Water

i. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 13 April 2016 launched ‘Mission Drinking Water. The mission was launched in the backdrop of recurring droughts and severe water crisis in Marathwada and Vidarbha region of the state.

ii. The government has adopted a two-pronged strategy to scale up drought mitigation through Mission Drinking Water. The mission ensures changes in crop pattern to sustain wholistic development, which includes greater investments in agriculture and industries.

iii. Every remote village in drought districts had been provided a roadmap and adequate budget.

iv. Besides, the government also constituted the Maharashtra Drought Relief Committee headed by Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse and Opposition leader Radhakrishna Patil.

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly approved Social Boycott Bill 2016

i. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on 13 April 2016 unanimously approved the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to crack down on extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats.

ii. The bill will be sent for Governor's assent to enact the Law.Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to enact a law against social boycott.

iii. The bill provides for prohibition of social boycott of a person or group of persons, including their family members as an individual or as a group like caste panchayat. The bill states that social boycott is prohibited and its commission shall be an offence.

iv. The maximum punishment for the offence will be seven years in prison or fine up to 5 lakh rupees or both. It also states that maximum punishment for extending aid in relation to the commission of offence will be three years or 3 lakh rupees or both.

v. As per the bill, the victim or any member of the victim's family may file a complaint either through the police or directly to the magistrate. To ensure speedy justice, the trial shall be completed within a period of six months from the date of filing of the charge sheet.

1. PM Modi launched Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan on Dr. Ambedkar's birth anniversary
1. PM Narendra Modi launched 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan' at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. The Abhiyan (campaign) was launched on the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar at his birthplace to strengthen Panchayati Raj in villages and ensure social harmony in villages.

The campaign also seeks to promote rural development and foster farmers’ welfare and livelihoods to poor.
2. The 11-day campaign (from 14 April to 24 April 2016) will focus on generating nationwide efforts on promoting the aim of the programme. The campaign will be run jointly by the Ministries of Rural Development, Agriculture, Social Justice, Labour and Information and Broadcasting along with the States.
3. “Gramoday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan” includes 
• It will be conducted across the country, beginning with the Birth Anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar on 14 April 2016, culminating in “National Panchayati Raj Day” on 24 April 2016.
• The aim of this campaign is to make nationwide efforts to strengthen Panchayati Raj and through it, boost social harmony in the villages, promote rural development and foster farmers’ welfare & livelihoods of the poor.
• Prime Minister will address all Gram Sabhas on 24 April 2016 and the address will be telecast and aired to all villages across the country, and villagers will gather together to hear it.
• During the campaign, various Panchayat level and national level programmes will be held across the country.

2. Nuclear-capable K-4 undersea ballistic missile successfully test fired from INS Arihant
1. Nuclear capable undersea ballistic missile, code named K-4, was successfully test fired on 31 March 2016 from an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal. The test was conducted nearly 45 nautical miles away from Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh.
2. The trial was carried out with the support of the personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided all logistics.
The missile was fired from 20-meter deep and covered more than 700 km before zeroing on the target with high accuracy reaching close to zero Circular Error Probability (CEP).
3. K-4 is a nuclear capable intermediate-range submarine-launched ballistic missile under development by DRDO to arm the Arihant-class submarines. The missile has a reported effective range of over 3500 km.

3. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly approved Social Boycott Bill 2016
1. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on 13 April 2016 unanimously approved the Prohibition of Social Boycott Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to crack down on extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats.
2. Features of the Bill
• In this bill, Indulging in social boycott is treated as a crime.
• The bill provides for prohibition of social boycott of a person or group of persons, including their family members as an individual or as a group like caste panchayat.
• The bill states that social boycott is prohibited and its commission shall be an offence.
• The maximum punishment for the offence will be seven years in prison or fine up to 5 lakh rupees or both.
• It also states that maximum punishment for extending aid in relation to the commission of offence will be three years or 3 lakh rupees or both.

4. India world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015: World Bank
1. As per recently report of World Bank, India remained the world’s largest remittance recipient in 2015. It was revealed by the World Bank’s annual report Migration and Development Brief. 2. In 2015, India attracted about 69 billion US dollars in remittances, down from 70 billion in 2014.
3. Other large remittance recipients in 2015 were China (64 billion dollars), Philippines (28 billion), Mexico (25 billion) and Nigeria (21 billion dollar).

5. India ranks 44th in 2016 Global Connectivity Index
1. India ranked 44th with total score of 30 among 50 different countries in the 2016 Global Connectivity Index (GCI) report compiled by Chinese telecom giant Huawei. The GCI analyzes the full spectrum of measurements for connectivity and provides a detailed map of the global digital economy.
2. The index benchmarks 50 countries on the basis of its ICT infrastructure including broadband, data centers, cloud services, big data and IoT in the scale ranging from 0 to 100. These 50 countries, account for 90 percent of global GDP.
2. Top 10 countries in 2016 GCI: United States (score-74), Singapore (72), Sweden (70), Switzerland (68), United Kingdom (65), Denmark (64), South Korea (63), Netherlands (63) and Japan (62).

6. Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank
1. The Republic of Nauru, a tiny South Pacific island nation in Pacific Ocean became the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank i.e. Bretton-Woods institutions. Nauru had applied for membership in the Washington-based IMF and World Bank in April 2014.
2. Its initial subscription quota for IMF will be of SDR (Special Drawing rights) 2 million or about $2.81 million. It will be the second smallest member of the Fund, after Tuvalu.

7. Sushila Karki: First female Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court
1. The Constitutional Council of Nepal has selected Justice Sushila Karki (63) for the post of Chief Justice (CJ) of the Supreme Court of the country.
2. With this selection she will become 26th chief justice of the apex court and the first female CJ in Nepal’s history. However, her nomination is expected to be confirmed by a Parliamentary Hearings Committee which endorses the recommendation.
3. She will succeed Kalyan Shrestha who retired from the top post. She shall have tenure of 1 year and retire in June 2017 upon reaching the age limit.

8. NPCI launches Unified Payments Interface
1. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched “Unified Payments Interface (UPI)” to revolutionise mobile payment system in the country.
2. It was launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan. 29 banks have agreed to join the platform. UPI seeks to provide uniform mobile payment system by leveraging digital trends such as increasing smart phone adoption and deeper penetration of mobile data.
3. Key features of UPI 
-The UPI is for mobile based payment method that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any bank) of a participating bank.
-It merges several banking features, seamless fund routing and merchant payments into one hood. Thus, it will be a single app for accessing different bank accounts.
-UIP is an advanced version of NPCI’s Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) which is a 24X7 funds transfer service. It provides round the clock availability and faster checkout.

9. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launched Mission Drinking Water
1. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched ‘Mission Drinking Water.
2. The mission was launched in the backdrop of recurring droughts and severe water crisis in Marathwada and Vidarbha region of the state.
3. Highlights of the mission
• The government has adopted a two-pronged strategy to scale up drought mitigation through Mission Drinking Water.
• The mission ensures changes in crop pattern to sustain wholistic development, which includes greater investments in agriculture and industries.
• Every remote village in drought districts had been provided a roadmap and adequate budget.

10. Kane Williamson named Wisden Almanack's Cricketer of the Year
1. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson was named the Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2015.
2. On the other hand, White Ferns captain Suzie Bates was named the Leading Women's Cricketer in the World for 2015.
3. For the first time two New Zealand players - Williamson and Brendon McCullum - were named among the Wisden Almanack's Five Cricketers of the Year. England's Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, and Australia's Steve Smith completed the list of Five Cricketers of the Year.

11. India, South Korea signed MoU for cooperation and mutual assistance in development of Ports
1. Union Road, Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and South Korea Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kim Young Suk signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Mumbai.
2. This MoU is for cooperation and mutual assistance between India and Republic of Korea in port related matters and their developments.The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Shipping Ministry for signing of this MoU on 6 April 2016.