Extensive Coverage Of Current Affairs 29/4/2016

IMPORTANT DAYS:

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 2016 observed on April 29:

·        29 April: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

·        The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 2016 was observed on 29 April 2016 by the United Nations (UN).

·        This commemoration will provide an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons.

International Dance Day observed globally on April 29:

·        International Dance Day was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Council (CID, Conseil International de la Danse), a UNESCO partner NGO, and is celebrated yearly, on April 29.

·        The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance

NATIONAL:

India, Papua New Guinea sign four agreements:

·        Giving a major boost to the bilateral relations between the two countries, India and Papua New Guinea today signed four MoUs in myriad sectors at capital Port Moresby.

·        The MoUs were signed in the presence of the visiting President Pranab Mukherjee and the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’ Neil.

·        The MoUs relate to Agriculture, Health, Information Technology and Infrastructure.

·        Under the first MoU, India will provide a Line of Credit of 100 million dollars for specific projects in Transport and infrastructure sectors.

India extended 1-billion dollar Line of Credit to Mongolia:

·        India extended a Line of Credit (LoC) of 1 billion US dollars to Mongolia.

·        The LoC was extended after delegation-level bilateral talks between the Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh and Mongolian Foreign Minister Lundeg Purevsuren in New Delhi.

·        Besides, the two countries also agreed to exchange sentenced persons.

·        Lundeg Purevsuren was on a three-day state visit to India from 27 April to 29 April 2016.

·        This visit was a part of the intensified bilateral exchanges following the upgrade of bilateral relations during Modi's visit.

10% quota for economically backward in Gujarat:

·        Gujarat today declared 10% reservation in higher education institutions and government jobs for the economically backward members of all non-reserved castes, with annual income below 6 lakh.

·        This will be on top of the 49% reservation currently available for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Castes.

·        The ordinance will be brought out on May 1, the state's foundation day.

Nagaland's Kohima declared 'smoke-free city':

·        Nagaland's capital Kohima was declared a 'smoke-free city'.

·        The formal declaration was made during a 'Smoke-Free Kohima City' campaign by the district's Deputy Commissioner Rovilatuo Mor.

·        The public guidelines and rules for enforcement by police and district administration will be issued soon, Deputy Commissioner Mor said

Border Security Force  to unveil tallest national flag near Attari-Wagh Border:

·        The Border Security Force (BSF) has announced plans to unveil a 350-feet-high national flag, the tallest in the country, near the Attari-Wagah border by January 2017.

·        BSF officials said, "It can be seen both from Lahore as well as Amritsar".

·        The current record is held by the flag on top of a 293-feet-high mast in Jharkhand's Ranchi.

PM Modi's wax statue unveiled at Madame Tussauds:

·        The wax statue of PM Narendra Modi was opened to the public at Madame Tussauds wax museum in London.

·        His statue was displayed among the 'World Leaders' section, which features statues of Mahatma Gandhi and US President Barack Obama.

·        Last week, Modi's wax statue was installed at the Madame Tussauds wax museum in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok.

Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh Govt implement NFSA across state:

·        Northeastern states Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to implement the National Food Security Act, this scheme empowers 87 per cent of the priority households in the state population.

·        National Food Security Act has been passed in Parliament in 2013.

·        Among other Northeastern states, Tripura had implemented the Food Security Act in August 2015, Meghalaya in September 2015, Assam in December 2015, and Mizoram in March 2016.

·        Under this scheme areas which served by the banking channels, options were kept for Direct Cash Transfer model.

Direct tax collection in FY15 highest from Maharashtra:

·        Maharashtra contributed the highest (2.77 lakh crore) among India’s states and union territories to the total national direct tax collection of 6.96 lakh crore in 2014-15.

·        Further, according to data released by the Central Board of Direct Taxes for the first time, Maharashtra was followed by Delhi and Karnataka, with direct tax collections of  91,248 crore and 60,595 crore respectively.

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) publishes direct tax details for first time:

·        In a first, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made public direct tax-related data including the total number of taxpayers in India and income disclosed in tax returns by various categories of taxpayers from 2000-01 to 2014-15.

·        The data further includes information on the number of PAN holders in the country and state-wise break-up of direct tax collection.

PM Modi to launch solar powered boats at Assi ghat in Varanasi:

·        Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch solar powered boats apart from distributing 1,000 e-rickshaws to people in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on May 1.

·        PM Modi, who will arrive in the temple city from Ballia, will first distribute 1,000 E-rickshaws at DLW ground and head to Assi ghat on river Ganga, where he will launch solar powered boats.

·        The PM will flag off a fleet of 11 e-boats.

Election Commission launches mobile app for Kerala Assembly polls:

·        The Election Commission has launched a mobile application titled 'e-voter' for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls, scheduled to be held on May 16 this year.

·        The app will help voters search for their names in the electoral roll, check the location of their polling station, seek information regarding candidates, view affidavits filed by them and file complaints

Goa government to classify 'Feni' as 'Heritage Spirit':

·        The Goa government will amend the existing law categorising Feni as country liquor and instead classify it as a 'Heritage Spirit', Goa's Commissioner of Excise said.

·        "We want to place Feni alongside Tequila and Scotch, which was once the country liquor," he added.

·        The Feni industry has been demanding this change as it has already won the Geographical Indication recognition.

Ski India opens new amusement park in Delhi:

·        Ski India has opened a sci-fi themed snow park in Delhi NCR with options such as skating, skiing, tobogganing, penguin shows and carousels, all for 1,200 per person.

·        The snow-covered area is spread over 10,000 sq-ft at DLF Mall of India, Noida, and maintains a constant temperature of minus 15°C.

·        The park suggests guests acclimatise before activities to avoid frostbite

Rajya Sabha passed the Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015:

·        The Rajya Sabha passed the Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015. The bill seeks to amend the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.

·        With this, both the houses of parliament passed the bill. Lok Sabha passed the bill on 10 December 2015 after it was introduced by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Nirmala Sitharaman.

·        It proposes to bring industries engaged in the manufacture of potable alcohol under the exclusive control of States in all respects.

NITI Aayog launched urban management programme for capacity building of states and urban local bodies:

·        NITI Aayog chaired by Vice Chairman Dr Arvind Panagariya launched the Urban Management Programme in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

·        The state participation was at the level of Secretaries of Urban Development, Municipal Commissioners and other senior officials of State Government and parastatal bodies. About 150 participants were present in the event.

Installation of Solar Power Plant set up at Central State Farm at Jetsar, Rajasthan:

·        The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for utilization of 400 hectares of un-cultivable farm land at the Central State Farm (CSF), Jetsar in Sri Ganganagar District, Rajasthan for setting up of a solar Power Plant of capacity exceeding 200 MW.

PM invited to address US Cong. Meeting:

·        Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress during his expected visit to Washington this summer.

·        Once confirmed, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will become the fifth Indian prime minister to address a joint meeting of the US Congress, and the first since 2005.

ü  US Speaker: Ryan

INTERNATIONAL:

US announces over $86 mn in aid to South Sudan:

·        The United States announced more than $86 million in additional aid to South Sudan.

·        The new funding is to provide safe drinking water, emergency healthcare, food, shelter and training to the most vulnerable families and communities.

·        However, the US also warned that South Sudan's failure to implement a peace deal could result in sanctions or an arms embargo.

Marvel and Cartoon Network park to open in Dubai:

·        Local developer Ilyas and Mustafa Galadari Group is planning to come up with a 1.5 million-square-foot indoor amusement park on the outskirts of Dubai, based on characters and shows from Marvel comics and Cartoon Network.

·        They are planning to inaugurate it by August 15. The park will have three sections -- Marvel, Cartoon Network and dinosaurs, and roller coaster.

Pakistan, China begin joint production of fighter jet:

·        Pakistan and China have launched production of a new variant of the JF-17B multi-role combat jet, according to reports.

·        The jets, which are to be inducted into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by April 2017, will enhance training value and operational capability, PAF Air Marshal Muhammad Iqbal said.

·        The latest models reportedly have an enhanced electronic warfare capability

SpaceX lands its 1st military contract for $83mn:

·        The US Air Force awarded Elon Musk-owned space company SpaceX its first military contract of launching a GPS satellite for $83 million.

·        This has broken the monopoly that aerospace firms Lockheed Martin and Boeing have held on military space launches for over a decade.

·        The satellite will be launched in May 2018 from Florida, Air Force officials said

Nepal invites Modi, Xi for Buddha Jayanti function:

·        Nepal has played its own balancing game by inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi andChinese President Xi Jinping for the Buddha Jayanti celebrations in Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha, on May 21.

ü  Nepal President                    : Bidhya Devi Bhandari

ü  Nepal Prime Minster             : Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli

ü  Nepal Capital                        : Kathmandu

ü  Nepal Currency                     : Rupee

China developed world's first graphene electronic paper:

·        China developed a new electronic paper, which has been heralded as "the world's first graphene electronic paper.

·        It will be a huge breakthrough that will catapult the material to a new level.

·         It was developed  by The Guangzhou OED Technologies in partnership with a company in Chongqing.

APPOINTMENTS:

Indian academician Radha Kumar appointed to United Nations' University Council:

·        United Nations decided to include an Indian Academician Radha Kumar in University Council to formulate its principles & policies, approve biennial Budget and work programme.

·        Total people appointed 12 members including an Indian Academician named Radha Kumar.

·        Selected members of the council should serve with individual capacity and not as representatives of their country

·        They should aim of achieving a geographic and gender balance in the fields of Academic, scientific, educational and cultural trends.

South Sudan rebel chief Riek Machar made Vice President:

·        South Sudan’s rebel Chief Riek Machar made as Vice president of the Country

·        On returning to the country he sworn in as Vice president and wind up the civil war after two years.

·        President Salva Kiir handed over the order to Vice President.

         About South Sudan:

ü  Capital: Juba

ü  President: Salva Kiir

Senior IPS officer Surender Kumar Bhagat appointed as DG of Railways Protection Force:

·        Senior IPS officer Surender Kumar Bhagat was appointed as the Director General (DG) of Railways Protection Force (RPF).

·        His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

·        As a DG of Railways Protection Force , Bhagat is entrusted with responsibility of protecting railway property and passengers. He will serve the Railway Board till the date of his superannuation that is on 30 June 2017.

·        He is presently working as Special Director General in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Western Sector, Jammu & Kashmir.

·        He is a 1982 batch IPS officer of Uttarakhand cadre.

Jayasuriya recalled as Sri Lanka's cricket chief selector:

·        Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as chief selector of the Sri Lankan Cricket team.

·        Jayasuriya is back as the chief selector for the team, after a year when he stepped down from the role. Earlier, he served as the chief selector from January 2013 to March 2015.

·        Jayasuriya-led committee will succeed the Aravinda de Silva led committee.

·        The new four member selection panel will take office on 1 May 2016 and will serve for two years and will comprise of former wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, former fast bowler Eric Upashantha and former off spinner Ranjith Madurasinghe.

Symantec CEO Michael Brown to step down:

·        Symantec Corp, best known for its Norton antivirus software, estimated fourth-quarter profit and revenue below analysts’ estimates, and said chief executive Michael Brown would step down.

Google hires former Motorola CEO Rick Osterloh:

·        Google has hired former Motorola CEO Rick Osterloh to lead the company’s new hardware division.

·        As Senior Vice President, Osterloh will run the new hardware product line, that includes Nexus devices, Chromecast, OnHub routers and Google Glass, and report to CEO Sundar Pichai.

·        This is reportedly the first time Google has unified all of its product lines under one division.

Charles Borromeo resigned from Tata Steel Sports Department:

·        Asian Games gold medalist Charles Borromeo resigned from the post of head of the Tata Steel sports department.

·        The resignation came after the vigilance department officials of the company questioned him in connection with alleged irregularities in tender process of 4.40 crore rupees worth synthetic track laying at the JRD Tata Sports complex.

BANKING :

Banks have to report foreign contribution to NGO’s within 48 hours:

·        All the Banks mandated to report to the central government within two days any information on NGOs getting foreign funds.

·        The amended Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Rules 2015 directed these rules in Gazette of India on December 2015.

·        As per the rules banks have to report to the central government within 48 hours any transaction in respect of receipt and utilization of any foreign contribution by any person.

·        This is applicable irrespective of whether or not such person is registered or granted permission under the FCRA.

Development Bank of Singapore(DBS) Bank launches mobile-only bank:

·        Singapore based DBS Development Bank launched a mobile-only bank in India.

·        The dedicated digibank uses technologies like biometrics and artificial intelligence for paperless, signature-less and branchless bank.

·        The virtual bank will influence biometrics-integrated ID and Aadhaar card to ensure that that there is no paperwork. It will provide customer service via a 24×7 artificial intelligence-driven assistant networks.

·        It will have an intuitive budget optimiser that will help customers do their budgeting, track expenses and analyse purchasing trends.

·        The digibank is smart such that it can understand customer behavior and preferences, synthesise data, and provide recommendations.

·        It also has embedded soft token security, avoiding the need to wait for SMS to arrive.

·        Account should not need to maintain any minimum balance requirements earn 7 per cent interest for accounts opened on digibank and can avail themselves of free cash withdrawals.

·        Account holders will be provided with a physical debit card which can be used in all Visa-enabled online and POS transactions.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Acquires EQUIS Accreditation:

·        Award: EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)

·        Accreditation by: EFMD

·        With EQUIS accreditation, IIM Calcutta becomes the first Indian business school to achieve the ‘Triple Crown’ in accreditation.

·        Only 5 business schools in Asia and 73 business schools around the world are currently ‘Triple Accredited’

Mongolia confers highest civilian honour on two Indians:

·        Mongolia conferred its highest civilian honour "North Star" on two Indian scholars, Lokesh Chandra and Mansura Haider, for contribution to Mongolian studies.

·        It was presented by the Mongolian Foreign Minister Lundeg Purevsuren.

·        Lokesh Chandra is the President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and Mansura Haider is a former Dean of Aligarh Muslim University's history department.

Swat activist Tabassum Adnan wins 2016 Nelson Mandela Award:

·        A women's rights activist from Swat valley of Pakistan, Tabassum Adnan, became the recipient of yet another prestigious award when she was bestowed with the Nelson Mandela Graça Machel Innovation Award 2016 in Bogota, Colombia.

·        She won the award for the individual activist category on the concluding day of the International Civil Society Week held from April 25-28.

·        A victim of child marriage, Tabassum Adnan was married at the age of 13. The marriage which was marked by frequent domestic abuse, ended after 20 years when she gathered the courage to divorce her abusive husband.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:

Indra Nooyi, Satya Nadella, Bhavesh Patel among highest paid CEOs in world

·        Chemicals company LyondellBasell Industries’ top executive Bhavesh V Patel was ranked sixth on the list with a total compensation of $24.5 million.

·        Nooyi, the Chief Executive of PepsiCo was ranked eighth on the list with a total pay of $22.2 million.

·        Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft was ranked 26th on the list of 100 highest-paid CEOs with a total compensation of $18.3 million.

·        The overall list was topped by Mark V Hurd and Safra A Catz of Oracle Corp with both boasting a total compensation of $53.2 million.

·        Interestingly, eight CEOs on the list are female, and they far outpace the median pay for the Equilar 100 as a whole

Tata Power commissions 44 MW Lahori wind farm project:

·        Mumbai based integrated power companyTata Power has commissioned its 44 MW Lahori windfarm project in Shajapur of Madhya Pradesh.

·        This project through its 100 % subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited.

·        This new project adding Tata Power’s total installed capacity of 9,183 MWin addition the two million customers it serves through retail power distribution.

·        The new 44 MW project is expected to generate about 84 million units (MUs) per year.

·        The company scale up a further 500 MW of wind capacity under development and construction in the states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

Blood on my Hands: Confessions of Staged Encounters by Kishalay Bhattacharjee:

·        Blood on my Hands: Confessions of Staged Encounters: Kishalay Bhatacharjee

·        The book came into news as Biju Janata Dal leader Tathagata Satpathy on 26 April 2016 demanded revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the north-eastern region. He stated that the book, which is on India’s north-eastern region, serves as an eye-opener.

·        The book mentions that the officers need a definite number of points to get a citation and earn their ranks and awards. Under this pressure, the army units bid to purchase a person to be killed from the mafia.

·        Blood on my Hands also contains an essay by Bhattacharjee and a postscript that analyses the hidden policy of extra-judicial killings and how it threatens India's democracy.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

China successfully launched Kunpeng-1B Sounding Rocket:

·        China has successfully launched the Kunpeng-1B sounding rocket from a launch pad in Danzhou City in the southern Chinese Hainan Province.

·        The research rocket, which is due to take measurements in the upper atmosphere and help with high-speed flight and space tourism research, was launched by China’s National Space Science Center (NSSC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

·        The rocket reached a maximum height of 316 kilometers (196 miles), with the total flight time coming to 10 minutes.

Apple launches 4 healthcare apps under CareKit:

·        Apple launched the first set of apps developed using CareKit, an open-source platform that lets developers make healthcare apps for iOS.

·        Among the four released apps, one helps users manage diabetes, and one lets patients track symptoms of depression.

·        Apps made through CareKit allows users to track their activity levels, weight, food intake, treatment progress and medication schedules.

India’s very own GPS is ready with seventh navigation satellite launch:

·        India’s own navigational system, the set-up for which was completed with the launch of the seventh and final satellite, will be called NAVIC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced after the launch.

·        The seventh and final satellite of the IRNSS 1G, was launched from the Sriharikota into a sub geosynchronous transfer orbit with a perigree (nearest point to earth) of 284 km and an apogee (farthest point to earth) of 20,657 km.

·        With this launch, the IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is now complete.

Infosys launches artificial intelligence platform:

·        Software services major Infosys has launched an artificial intelligence platform ‘Mana’ that will help clients drive automation and innovation.

·        Coupled with Aikido service offerings, Mana will help clients capture knowledge while delivering new and delightful experiences to their end users.

ü  Infosys CEO                          : Vishal Sikka

ü  Infosys Headquarters            : Bengaluru

Samsung beats Apple to emerge as leader in India’s premium smartphone segment:

·        Buoyed by the successful launch of Galaxy S7 as well as price cuts of its earlier popular models, Samsung has overtaken Apple to emerge as the clear market leader in India’s premium smartphone segment in the January-March quarter.

·        Samsung’s volume share in January-March rose to 62% from 35% in the preceding quarter. Apple’s share, in contrast, fell to 37% from 55%.

Amazon pips Snapdeal to become India’s 2nd largest online marketplace after Flipkart:

·        Amazon was India’s second-largest online marketplace by shipments last month, industry estimates show, as it dislodged Snapdeal to become the only major player to increase share from a year ago.

·        Market leader Flipkart’s share of shipments fell to 37% in March from 43% in the same month in 2015, and Snapdeal’s fell to 14-15% from 19%, Amazon India’s unit market share surged to an estimated 21-24% from 14%.

New Tesla Model S Becomes the First Electric Car to Run More Than 300 Miles on a Single Charge:

·        The new Model S sedan in 90D specification has been given an official US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating of 303.2 miles or 488 km on a single charge.

SPORTS:

India 3rd in worldwide dope violation in new WADA report:

·        India has became No. 3rd in Anti-Doping Rule Violation in 2014 – WADA reported

·        Russia ranked first followed by Italy

·        The decision will be taken against an athlete following full disciplinary proceedings.

·        Award will be either reprimand or a period of ineligibility.

·        96 Anti Doping Rule violation cases registered by India– Out of which, 2 each in Athletics and wrestling & 56 men and 23 women whose failed in competition tests  and 13 were out-of-competition.

TVS Racing signs up first woman rider Shreya Sunder Iyer:

·        TVS Racing group has signed with its first woman rider Shreya Sunder Iyer in the Indian National Rally championship this year.

·        Shreya started a career in motor racing at 17 and became the first Indian woman rider to successfully complete a ride across the sand dunes in Dubaiand also cross the Kalasa River in Chikamagal.

·        She has ridden extensively across India including the isolated Suru valley in the Himalayas and also completed a rigorous Southern India biking trip of 2,000 kilometers in just 6 days.

Garima wins gold at Commonwealth Judo C'ship:

·        Garima Chaudhary has won the gold medal at the 2016 Commonwealth Judo Championship finals in the 63 kg weight category at Port Elizabeth in South Africa.

·        Notably, the 26-year-old Meerut-based judoka was the only representative from India to contest for Judo Olympic medals at the London Olympic Games in 2012.

South Korean Olympians to wear mosquito repellent uniform at Rio Olympics:

·        South Korea announced that its Olympic athletes will wear uniforms that have been infused with insect repellent to keep mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus at bay.

·        The South Korean team's uniforms were unveiled in Seoul, marking 100 days until the opening ceremony in Brazil.

·        These formal long-sleeved shirts and trousers containing mosquito repellent will be worn by the South Korean athletes during ceremonies and at the athletes' village at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

·        The uniforms are meant to ward off mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus.

·        Athletes cannot wear the protective clothing while competing, but they will be allowed to use mosquito repellent.

 1. BSF to put tallest 'Tiranga' at Wagah border by January 2017

i. The Border Security Force (BSF) is planning to install the tallest national flag near the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post, famously known as the Wagah border.

ii. The flag at 350 feet is part of BSF's expansion plans for the visitors' gallery at the site of the iconic Retreat ceremony.

iii. Currently, Jharkhand holds the record of hoisting tallest flag. On January 23 this year, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar hoisted the largest tricolour - a massive 99X66 feet - on the country's tallest flag post at 293 feet in Ranchi to mark Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary.

2. First time direct tax details published by CBDT

i. First time in the history, a total of 84 page data has been released and put in the public domain, as the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has published direct tax related data including income disclosed in tax returns by various categories of tax player from 2000 to 2015. 

ii. The data also include the information of PAN card allocation in the country across various categories and gender. 

iii. According to the department, the objective behind the publishing of these statistics was to encourage wider use and analysis of Income Tax data. 

3. Govt plans to keep 1% of highways project cost for road safety

i. The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the government plans to make it mandatory to set aside 1 % of total cost of any highway project for road safety. As India witnesses as high as 5 lakh road accidents per annum in which 1.5 lakh people die and another 3 lakh are crippled. 

ii. The government is committed to reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent in next two to three years. 

iii. Presently, road accidents cause an annual loss equivalent to 3 per cent of the GDP. 

4. India, Papua New Guinea sign four agreements

i. India and Papua New Guinea has signed four MoUs in myriad sectors at capital Port Moresby.

ii. The MoUs were signed in the presence of the President Pranab Mukherjee and the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’ Neil. Reports stated that the MoUs relate to Agriculture, Health, Information Technology and Infrastructure. 

iii. Under the first MoU, India will provide a Line of Credit of 100 million dollars for specific projects in Transport and infrastructure sectors. The 2nd MoU on Health covers areas such as Public Health, Health Research, Human Resources and Training, Medical Services, Disease Control and Prevention, Drug and Health Care Technologies and Environmental Health. Yet another MoU envisages establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Information Technology in Papua New Guinea. The Fourth MoU delineates all round cooperation in agricultural research and training.

5. Government approves BPCL's Rs. 3000 cr investment in Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has given its approval to state owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to invest Rs. 3,000 in Bharat Oman Refineries Limited (BORL).

ii.  As BORL is planning for capacity expansion in BORL's refinery in Bina, Madhya Pradesh.

iii. The investment will enhance the availability of petroleum products in the Northern and Central parts of the country, industrial development of Madhya Pradesh and substantial increase in employment and tax earnings in the state.

6. NITI Aayog launched urban management programme for capacity building of states and urban local bodies

i. NITI Aayog chaired by Vice Chairman Dr Arvind Panagariya has launched the Urban Management Programme in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Around 150 participants were present in the event.

ii. The Programme is designed by NITI Aayog, Temasek Foundation and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) under the platform of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between NITI Aayog and the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE).

iii. It was to tap the expertise of Singapore in urban sector to build capacities in State Governments and ULBs to design efficient solutions to urban problems. As a part of NITI Aayog’s mandate to promote cooperative federalism, NITI is reaching out to the States to resolve their issues pending with different Ministries. It is emphasized on improving governance particularly of the census towns whose number has significantly increased between census 2001 and 2011.

7. ISRO’s seventh navigational satellite IRNSS 1G launched

i. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched India’s seventh navigation satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS 1G) into a Sub-Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO) on-board PSLV-C33.

ii. The satellite was launched from the First Launch Pad (FLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, which is situated 90 kms from Chennai.

iii. With this launch, India successfully joined the elite group of countries that have their own navigation system technology to cater to the mammoth navigational needs. As in the previous six launches of IRNSS satellites, PSLV-C33 used ‘XL’ version of PSLV equipped with six strap-ons, each carrying 12 tons of propellant.

8. Indian Naval Ships Veer and Nipat Decommissioned

i. Two Indian Naval Ships 'Veer' and 'Nipat' were decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. 

ii. INS Veer and Nipat are the first two of this class to be decommissioned. Now eight ships of this category will remain.

iii. The decommissioning ceremony was held in the presence of Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.

9. Rahuri in Ahmednagar Becomes First to have Digi-Locker 

i. Rahuri Municipal Council of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra has became the first Municipal Council to attain the status of integrated with digital locker for the issuance of all essential Documents. 

ii. Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad formally launched this service as part of Digital India Programme. 

iii. With this facility, the citizen of the area can now apply for the certificates like Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates online without going to Municipal Council and these documents will be available in the Digilocker signed to the citizens. This will also ensure them the peace of mind provided by the easy security of their documents forever. 

10. EC launches mobile app e-voter for Kerala assembly polls

i. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched an innovative mobile application titled e-voter with comprehensive details about the forthcoming 2016 Assembly polls in Kerala. 

ii. The app is envisaged for voters’ facilitation for search in electoral roll, information regarding candidates, location of polling station, affidavit filed by them, filing of complaint and so on. 

iii. The e-voter app was developed by the state IT Mission. It aims at ensuring great transparency and conduct of free and fair elections. The app has ‘know your candidate’ option that would provide constituency wise details of candidates. It has ‘constituency list’ option that would give segment wise details of voters (total number of voters, number of male voters and female voters) and total polling stations. 

11. Gujarat Announces 10% Quota For Economically Backward

i. Gujarat has declared 10% reservation in higher education institutions and government jobs for the economically backward members of all non-reserved castes, with annual income below rs. 6 lakh. 

ii. This will be on top of the 49% reservation currently available for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Castes. 

iii. The ordinance will be brought out on May 1, the state's foundation day.

12. Swat activist Tabassum Adnan wins 2016 Nelson Mandela Award

i. A women's rights activist from Swat valley of Pakistan, Tabassum Adnan, has won the Nelson Mandela Graça Machel Innovation Award 2016 in Bogota, Colombia. 

ii. She won the award for the individual activist category on the concluding day of the International Civil Society Week held from April 25-28.

iii. A victim of child marriage, Tabassum Adnan was married at the age of 13. The marriage which was marked by frequent domestic abuse, ended after 20 years when she gathered the courage to divorce her abusive husband.

13. Mongolia confers highest civilian honour to two Indians

i. Mongolia has conferred its highest civilian award "North Star" to two noted Indian scholars-Lokesh Chandra and Mansura Haider for their contribution to Mongolian studies. 

ii. It was presented by the Mongolian Foreign Minister Lundeg Purevsuren. 

iii. This year is being the 60th Anniversary of Indo-Mongolian diplomatic relations on which Mr. Lokesh Chandra, president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Mansura Haider, former academic adviser at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), have been presented with the award for their contribution to the development of friendly relations between India and Mongolia and promotion of Mongolian studies.

14. Jayasurya recalled as Sri Lanka's cricket chief selector

i. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced appointment of Sanath Jayasuriya as chief selector of the Sri Lankan Cricket team.

ii. He has already served as the chief selector from January 2013 to March 2015.

iii. Now Jayasuriya-led committee will succeed the Aravinda de Silva led committee. The new four member selection panel will take office on 1 May 2016 and will serve for two years which include, former wicketkeeper-batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, former fast bowler Eric Upashantha and former off spinner Ranjith Madurasinghe.

15. Garima wins gold at Commonwealth Judo Championship

i. Garima Chaudhary has won another gold medal at the 2016 Commonwealth Judo Championship finals at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. 

ii. She has clinched the gold in 63kg junior category.

iii. In the year 2012, the 26-year-old Meerut based judoka was the only representative from India to contest for Judo Olympic medals at the London Olympic Games in 2012. The judoka has also participated in the previous edition of the competition held at Glasgow in 2014 but made an exit in quarter final.

1. China developed world's first graphene electronic paper

1. China developed a new electronic paper, which has been heralded as "the world's first graphene electronic paper. It was in news in the last of April 2016.

2. It will be a huge breakthrough that will catapult the material to a new level. It was developed by The Guangzhou OED Technologies in partnership with a company in Chongqing.

2. Senior IPS officer Surender Kumar Bhagat appointed as DG of Railways Protection Force

1. Senior IPS officer Surender Kumar Bhagat was appointed as the Director General (DG) of Railways Protection Force (RPF). His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

2. As a DG of Railways Protection Force , Bhagat is entrusted with responsibility of protecting railway property and passengers. He will serve the Railway Board till the date of his superannuation that is on 30 June 2017. 

3. Kane Williamson confirmed as New Zealand test cricket captain

1. New Zealand ace batsman Kane Williamson was confirmed as 29th test cricket captain of New Zealand cricket Team.

2. He will succeed Brendon McCullum as captain in all three formats. McCullum retired from test cricket in February 2016.

4. Charles Borromeo resigned from Tata Steel Sports Department

1. Asian Games gold medalist Charles Borromeo resigned from the post of head of the Tata Steel sports department.

2. The resignation came after the vigilance department officials of the company questioned him in connection with alleged irregularities in tender process of 4.40 crore rupees worth synthetic track laying at the JRD Tata Sports complex.

5. EC launches mobile app e-voter for Kerala assembly polls

1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched an innovative mobile application titled e-voter with comprehensive details about the forthcoming 2016 Assembly polls in Kerala. 

2. The app is envisaged for voters’ facilitation for search in electoral roll, information regarding candidates, location of polling station, affidavit filed by them, filing of complaint and so on.

6. Indian Naval Ships Veer and Nipat decommissioned

1. Indian Naval Ships (INS) Veer and Nipat were decommissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

2. The decommissioning ceremony of these ships was held in the presence of Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.

7. Russia launches first rocket from new Vostochny Cosmodrome

1. Russia has successfully launched the first rocket from its newly built Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast, in Russian Far East region bordering China.

2. The unmanned Soyuz-2.1a rocket is carrying three satellites as payloads namely Mikhailo Lomonosov (scientific satellite), SamSat-218 (an experimental nanosatellite) and Aist-2D (a civilian distance viewing satellite). Vostochny Cosmodrome is a Russian spaceport for civilian launches under construction after it was launched in 2012. On completion in 2018, it will reduce Russia’s dependency on the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan

:: NATIONAL ::

Union govt started the process of deportation of Vilay Mallya

• India has asked the United Kingdom to deport Vijay Mallya, the owner of the now-grounded Kingfisher Airlines, wanted for money laundering and financial mismanagement.
• The MEA has written to the High Commission of the United Kingdom in Delhi requesting deportation of Shri Vijay Mallya from the United Kingdom.
• The High Commission of India (in UK) will also issue a similar note verbale on the case. We shall pursue the matter with the United Kingdom.
• The MEA cancelled Mr Mallya’s passport last week after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asked the ministry to initiate steps to bring back the businessman Mr Mallya who owes more than $1 billion to banks and creditors in India.
• Mr Mallya who flew out in the first week of March has not returned since even as law enforcement authorities and banks have been demanding for his return.
• Soon after the cancellation of Mr Mallya’s passport, news agencies had reported that his name has appeared on the electoral rolls of the United Kingdom.
• However, officials pointed out, that appearance of his name on the roll does not necessarily mean that Mr Mallya has stealthily acquired British citizenship.

Govt is looking to make driving licence and vehicle registration process online

• Visits to regional transport offices (RTOs) for driving licence and vehicle registration could soon be a thing of the past, as the government is looking to move the process online.
• For instance, an online theory test will be conducted for procuring a learner’s licence. The government may also digitise renewal applications for driving licences and requests for change of address and other details.
• The driving school principals can help educate candidates on road safety norms and the learners’ licence test could be taken online and printed as well.
• The government is simultaneously pursuing steeper penalties for traffic violations, particularly those related to drunken driving, juveniles on the wheel, over-speeding and not wearing helmets or seat belts.Moreover, registration of both commercial and private vehicles may soon be possible at the dealer’s point. The government will issue standardised norms for number plates across the country.
• Under the proposed system, the automobile dealer will have access to Vahan, a centralised database of the Transport department. The dealer will help complete the formalities to obtain number plates for vehicles.
• The government will also do away with dress code for commercial drivers and allow third-party accidental insurance cover for public transport drivers of buses, autos and taxis.

Narendra Modi may address a joint meeting of Congress when he visits the U.S

• U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress when he visits the U.S capital in June.
• India has not announced the Prime Minister’s visit yet, but Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is in Washington to finalise the agenda of the visit that is reportedly at the behest of President Barack Obama.
• Making an announcement at his weekly press conference, Mr. Ryan said Mr Modi’s address could be likely on June 8. This will be the first joint meeting of the Congress during his speakership.
• “The friendship between the United States and India is a pillar of stability in an important region of the world,” Mr. Ryan said.
• Mr. Modi will be the fifth Prime Minister of India to address a joint meeting of the Congress, and the first since 2005.

:: International ::

President brushed aside India-China rivalry in Pacific

• The first ever state visit by an Indian head of state to Papua New Guinea began with remarks by President Pranab Mukherjee that brushed aside a suggestion that India was in competition with China in the Pacific region.
• He also voiced the hope that his visit will be a precursor to intensified economic and security cooperation with the Pacific island nation.
• He also said India was ready to cooperate with Pacific Island countries in protecting their Exclusive Economic Zones.
• Although building trade relations was high on the agenda, the larger message was that India is eager to deepen its engagement with all Pacific Island countries.
• In a speech Mr. Mukherjee made a pointed reference to Papua New Guinea’s natural resources and said there were many opportunities waiting to be seized as both countries had prioritised sustainable use of ocean and marine resources.
• He also underscored that the untapped potential of India’s ties with Pacific nations was not limited to Papua New Guiena.
• Referring to FIPIC, the Forum for the India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, a multilateral forum launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Mukherjee said it indicated that “India intends to seriously engage with this entire region."
• In the forum’s second summit in Jaipur August 2015, one subject discussed was enhanced cooperation between India and Pacific island countries, especially in coastal surveillance and protection of exclusive economic zones.
• India and Papua New Guinea are due to sign an MoU on cooperation in health and pharmaceuticals.
• Under the agreement, doctors and nurses from the island nation will be trained in India, and Indian physicians, nurses and trainers would be deputed to Papua New Guinea.
• India will also pledge support to establish a pharmaceutical production unit here to meet the demand for life-saving medicines.

China asserted that it will play leading role in maintaining peace in Asia

• China asserted that it will not allow the breakout of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula and signalled its readiness to play a leading role in maintaining peace in Asia, a position that could increase friction between Beijing and Washington.
• Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have spiked after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by tests of missiles that could carry atomic warheads.
• In a signal to the U.S., President Xi also emphasised that there was no room for outside powers, or internationalisation, for resolving differences among Asian countries, which have rival territorial claims in the South China Sea.
• Some analysts say Mr. Xi’s comments signal China’s rejection of U.S. interference, including “freedom of navigation” naval patrols in the South China Sea.
• The President’s insistence on direct talks with other claimants—chiefly Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan—is also meant to reinforce China’s rejection of international arbitration to resolve the South China Sea disputes, they say.
• The Chinese side has repeatedly slammed Manila’s decision to petition the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to settle its maritime claims with Beijing.
• Russia has also backed China’s approach. Following a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that Moscow opposed any interference from third parties, “or any attempts to internationalise these disputes”.
• It added China is working with other CICA members to formulate an action plan for the next two years to implement confidence-building measures.
• In tune with the rising tensions with Washington in the South China Sea, China has sought to bolster its nuclear deterrence by successfully testing the DF-41 long-range ballistic missile.
• The weapon would apparently take only 30 minutes to cover its maximum 12,000-km range, and deliver multiple strikes on its target.
• The test coincided with the inspection of an artificial island in the Spratly group of islands by Gen. Fan Changlong, a top-ranking officer of the People’s Liberation Army.
• The Chinese have also announced this month the landing of a military aircraft on an artificial island in the Spratly islands on a 3,000 meter runway, which could be used by heavy bombers and fighter jets.

U.S. lawmakers expressed concerns over the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan

• Top U.S. lawmakers have expressed concerns over the Obama Administration’s decision to sell eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, saying the aircraft could be used against India and not to combat terrorism.
• They have also urged the Obama Administration to review its decision in this regard.
• “Indo-Pak. tensions remain elevated and some question whether the F-16s could ultimately be used against India or other regional powers, rather than the terrorists as Pakistan as asserted,” Congressman Matt Salmon said.

:: India and World ::

Unfazed by China placing a technical hold India is ready with other cases

• Unfazed by China placing a “technical hold” on classifying Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the sanctions committee of the United Nations, India is ready with cases of other JeM individuals.
• India believes that China, by siding with ally Pakistan, is turning a multilateral issue into a bilateral one given that the JeM is known to have interests beyond South Asia and was listed as a terrorist group by the U.N. in 2001.
• “The Chinese don’t look good by siding with the Pakistanis on the issue. After all, we are talking about designating individuals. It is not a government-to-government issue at all.
• Also, the Indian action to designate Azhar as a terrorist was co-sponsored by the United States, the United Kingdom and France, revealing that Delhi was not alone in its efforts.
• A “technical hold” on designating Azhar was placed by the Chinese earlier this month.
• Simultaneously, India is engaging China on Azhar by talking to Pakistan at the just-concluded Foreign Secretary-level interaction in Delhi. China had publicly suggested that India hold direct talks with Pakistan on the issue.
• A “technical hold” in the 15-member sanctions committee remains valid for six months following which a decision to block or proceed with the proposed action must be conveyed to the secretariat.

:: Science and Technology ::

Smarac Citizen to grant Architects construction permits within a few minutes

• Architects and real estate developers who plan to construct buildings close to national monuments can soon download a new mobile app named Smarac Citizen, which will grant them construction permits within a few minutes.
• Based on a proposal from the National Monuments Authority (NMA), the app has been developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), containing the maps of 3,686 Centrally-protected monuments across the country.
• Earlier, the NMA had to send teams to the areas close to historic monuments, where developers sought construction permits.
• The teams had to ensure that permits were granted only to projects beyond 300 metres from the outer boundary of a monument.
• Apart from easing the process of obtaining construction permits, the app will help the NMA keep a tab on encroachments around monuments.
• “The app will tell you how far new constructions are from any particular protected monument. The app will help decide the height of the buildings according to the air rules set by the Airports Authority.

India finishes set-up for India's own navigational system

• India’s own navigational system, completed with the launch of the seventh and final satellite, will be called NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced after the launch.
• The seventh and final satellite of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, the IRNSS 1G, was launched into a sub geosynchronous transfer orbit with a perigree (nearest point to earth) of 284 km and an apogee (farthest point to earth) of 20,657 km.
• With this launch, the IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is now complete.
• This will allow the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to focus on the process of designing front end chips which will receive the navigational signals sent out by the satellites.
• The system will be similar to the Global Positioning System (GPS) operated by the United States with 24 satellites and the Glonass, Galileo and BeiDou systems of Russia, Europe and China respectively.
• All satellites will undergo stabilisation testing and verification of their performance over the next few months before being pushed into use.
• An area of 1,500 km from Indian boundaries will be covered under the navigational system.
• The Prime Minister invited other countries to make use of this system as well. “We have seven neighbours who rely on technology provided by other countries. They can use Indian services if they want,” he said in a video message addressed to ISRO engineers.
• With an accuracy of better than 20 m being claimed by ISRO, the navigation system will be offered as an open or Standard Positioning Service and a superior, coded military Restricted Service.
• Explaining the name NAVIC, Mr. Modi said the system was dedicated to India’s mariners and fishermen who have been navigating using the sun and stars as waypoints for hundreds of years.
• “They have shown strength and determination in venturing out to sea for so many years. We have named this system for them, the ‘naviks’ (mariners),” he said.

:: Business and Economy ::

The cost of 238 major projects have almost doubled to Rs. 4.6 lakh crore

• The cost of 238 major projects of the union government have almost doubled from the original estimate of Rs.2.4 lakh crore to Rs. 4.6 lakh crore, according to latest official data.
• The number of projects exceeding the budget surged 43 per cent by March 2016 over a period of four years, the data on projects costing Rs.150 crore or more showed.
• “The causes for time and cost overruns are project-specific, depend on a variety of technical, financial and administrative reasons, and differ from project to project,” V.K. Singh informed the Lok Sabha.
• The number of Central projects that have overshot their deadline for completion increased by 31 per cent,from 260 as on April 1, 2012 to 341 as on March 1, 2016.
• The data showed while 166 central projects had overshot their budget as on April 1, 2012, it increased to 238 as on March 1, 2016.
• However, while the absolute number of projects which overshot their targets had increased over time, their proportion in the total number of projects had declined, showing an improvement in this regard.
• While projects exceeding their budgets made up 30 per cent of total projects above Rs.150 crore as on April 1, 2012, that proportion fell to 22 per cent by March 1, 2016.
• Most cost and time-overruns pertained to the infrastructure sector with the Railways contributing 68.5 per cent of projects overshooting the budget as on March 1, 2016, up from 56 per cent four years ago.
• The power sector contributed the next-highest with 9.4 per cent as on March 1, 2016, down marginally from the 10.5 per cent as on April 1, 2012.
• The road sector contributed 7.7 per cent of projects facing cost-overruns as on March 1, 2016. As many as 39 per cent of the projects were running behind schedule compared with 32 per cent four years ago.
• At the end of the 11th Plan period, the projects overshooting their budgets needed an extra Rs.1.2 lakh crore which rose to Rs.2.2 lakh crore by March 1, 2016.

India’s employment growth is beginning to show signs of a slowdown

• India’s employment growth is beginning to show signs of a slowdown even as official data showed a pick up in GDP growth, according to a study by Care Ratings.
• Jobs growth slowed to near-zero during 2014-15 in a sample of 1,072 companies. These companies created only 12,760 jobs in 2014-15. In the previous year, they had added 188,371 jobs.
• Employment growth in the sample slowed to 0.3%, the slowest in four years, an analysis of the annual reports of the companies surveyed in the sample by the ratings agency showed.
• The number of jobs in manufacturing sector companies in the sample, despite the government’s ‘Make In India’ push, declined. Employment growth in the manufacturing companies plunged to (-) 5.2% in 2014-15 from 3.2% in 2013-14.
• Manufacturing accounted for more than 40 per cent of the jobs, the highest share in employment, followed by banking (23.0 per cent) and IT (18.4 per cent).
• The study on trends in employment in the last four years is based on employment numbers provided by companies in their balance sheets. It does not include the impact of outsourcing.
• One reason the study gives for job creation not showing on the books of companies is the possibility of more jobs getting outsourced—in which case it would be accounted for elsewhere in the suppliers’ registers.
• Jobs that were performed by employees such as security, administrative functions and back office, are increasingly being outsourced in many companies.
• However, the findings of the latest quarterly survey by the Labour Bureau in the Ministry of Labour and Employment do not support this argument.
• The survey released last month shows a decline of 21,000 in contractual jobs during January-September 2015, against an increase of 1.20 lakh in the corresponding period of 2014.

:: Sports ::

The Boxing Federation of India will have current and former players

• In a first for boxing administration in India, the proposed new federation will have representation from current and former pugilists by including them in the Executive Committee after elections.
• The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) is expected to take shape, under guidelines by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), failing which the country’s boxers might be barred from this August’s Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro.
• Four boxers — two men and two women — will now be duly elected in BFI’s Executive Committee independently.
• The former boxers — one male and one female — in the committee will be picked through elections after registering all the retired pugilists via an athletes commission.
• The active members will be elected during the National Championships that will be held after BFI takes charge.
• The process to have the new federation in place by May 14 is picking up pace with the Sports Ministry deciding to give its No Objection Certificate (NOC) for BFI’s registration.

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