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National News
Rural Sanitation Initiatives for Ganga Rejuvenation in Jharkhand
- Aim of the projects
- Improve the health and quality of life of around 45,000 households located in these 78 villages of the Ganga River basin in Jharkhand through enhanced sanitation practices
- Developing the quality of waste water and storm water runoff flowing
Railways sets up directorate to generate funds via advertisements
- a dedicated wing with the mandate to focus on non-fare case revenue.
- Many of the world railway systems generate 10-20 per cent of their revenue from these type of sources.
- The board of executives will draw officers from engineering, traffic-commercial and finance departments.
- board will utilize the railway assets viz advertisements at stations, commercial exploitation of vacant land and space rights over station buildings, including station redevelopment, advertisements on coaches and locos etc.
Commemorative Coin on Maharana Pratap
- Commemorative coin of Rs. 100/- and a Circulation coin of Rs. 10/- as a part of 475th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Maharana Pratap.
Solar rooftop project for citizens in Gujarat
- Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Power Project with an aim of scaling up the present solar power generation in Gujarat.
- The installations will be done through channel partners intended to save time and energy of consumers in finding right contractor.
- GEDA agency has set a target of generating 50 megawatt (MW) of electricity by installing such rooftop solar photovoltic units across Gujarat in the current fiscal of 2016-17.
Rs.4.77 cr Kumudvathi rejuvenation project completed
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has completed Rs 4.77 crore Kumudvathi river rejuvenation project near Nelamangala in Bengaluru rural district.
- Eight villages were got benefitted by this CSR movement project.
- The project intend to rejuvenate Kumudvathi River as it earlier catered to 30% of Bengaluru’s water needs.
DBT scheme for farmers in Odisha
- Digging of at least one lakh bore wells to improve irrigation facilities.
- Famers will get themselves registered online to purchase seeds and get the subsidy amount in their bank accounts directly of the state.
Chhattisgarh relaxes labor laws
- will help MSME players to avoid regular inspection from labor department officials.
- the industry will file a third-party certificate to underline that industrial and labor norms are implemented in the unit.
- routine inspection in the facility will not be conducted by the labor department inspectors as against inspectors conduct surprise inspections in units even without the knowledge of their superiors
Khadi Spinning and Weaving Centre in Srinagar
- Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Kalraj Mishra inaugurated the Harmukh Khadi Gram Udyog Sansthan, a spinning and weaving centre in Srinagar
- Minister distributed 25 new model charkhas among local artisans at the function, which was organized Khadi and Village Industries Board Srinagar.
Bird flu: Alert sounded across Karnataka
- Poultry farm owners have been instructed to take precautionary measures to prevent infection of chicken with H5N1 virus.
- Scientists have advised farm owners not to sell or move any of the birds/eggs and material out of farm. They have been instructed to adopt adequate bio-security measures
- Avian influenza (AI), commonly called bird flu, is an infectious viral disease of birds often causing no apparent signs of illness.
Digital DBT aids rural job schemes
- Government has electronically transferred more than Rs.61,000 crore in the last financial year through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme.
- 61,824.32 Crore was transferred to 30.8 crore beneficiaries in 59 schemes.
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) payments made up Rs.25,800 crore, or 42% of total DBT schemes.
- 85% of the MGNREGA payments made in 2015-16 were done directly into the beneficiary’s bank accounts.
‘Cooling-off time’ for Christian divorces may be cut
- Present law mandates Christian couples to live separately for two years before they can apply for dissolution of marriage.
- Centre’s move is triggered by the Supreme Court’s comments that this condition, called judicial separation, “makes no sense” today.
India may solve Venezuelan defaults
- To address the issue of non-payment of dues by Venezuelan importers to Indian exporters.
- Ministry has written to the Venezuelan government to resolve the issue of payment defaults.
- Under the proposed payment mechanism when Indian importers pay for oil and other imports from Venezuela, a certain portion of the payment will be held by an Indian public sector bank in Venezuela.
Army chief orders rightsizing study
- A high-level study to determine and recommend measures to improve its tooth-to-tail ratio.
- Study will comprehensively look at all arms and services, including logistics organization and establishment to achieve right-sizing. Operational logistics will be reviewed, along with the philosophy and concepts to arrive at an optimal substance model both in peace and war.
- Other objective of the study is to achieve savings in manpower and cutting down on the burgeoning revenue expenditure to free up resources for military modernization.
International
UN launches Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Zika Virus response
- Aims:
- To provide a rapid, flexible and accountable platform to support a coordinated response
- Support the Zika Strategic Response Framework, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in consultation with UN agencies, partners and international epidemiological experts
Greece passes pension, tax reform bill
- A bill that would reform the country’s pension and tax systems.
- Vote took place during a crippling general strike and protests.
- Introduced as part of requirements the country must meet under its third international bailout,
- To increase social security and pension contributions and raise taxes for most people.
Business and Economy
South Indian Bank announces tie up with National Australian Bank
- For online inward remittance from Australia at competitive rates.
- Remittance fee is as low as AUD 7 and the arrangement enables faster, hassle-free emittance through internet at the best exchange rates
- The remitted money can be either converted into Indian rupee or can be kept in Australian dollar.
UBIN drive for budding entrepreneurs
- The UBIN would be automatically linked to Corporate Affairs Ministry portal after it is issued to the intended beneficiary.
- Will be subsequently sent to the Central Board of Direct Taxes which would nomenclature it as PAN for UBIN.
- a major step towards boosting ease of doing business and the start-up India initiative also in line with the minimum government and maximum governance movement of the government.
Knowlarity acquires customer engagement platform Smartwards
- To provide enterprise software solutions to small & medium businesses.
- Move will help in businesses manage their customer loyalty programs in-store and out-of-store, through an app.
People in News
Sanjay Kaul as new India head for Apple
- Apple has reportedly promoted Sanjay Kaul as the country manager for Apple India operations.
- Apple is attempting to open its own-brand stores in India
- Has been associated with Apple since 2011 and has been taking care of the Apple’s iPhone business.
- His stint was with BlackBerry in the capacity of Director – Channel sales for India for over two years.
Australian TV producer Reg Grundy dies
- He is known as the father of Australian television.
- Reg Grundy Organization established in 1959, produced many of Australia’s most-popular television shows.
Pakistan’s Human right activist Khurram Zaki shot dead in Karachi
- He is known for his strong stance against hatred and violence targeted at Shia Muslims.
- Hakimullah Mehsud faction of the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack
- Zaki was working as an editor for Let us Build Pakistan website that condemns sectarianism and is seen as promoting democratic and progressive values.
Former MLA Rajeshwara Rao passes away
- Former Sircilla MLA Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao has passed away.
- He is a freedom fighter also won as MLA for half dozen times and actively took part in Telangana armed struggle.
- Worked for the Communist Party of India for four decades since his student days and was elected as its MLA four times from Vemulawada, president of the Telangana Freedom Fighters Association and the president of the farmers’ wing of CPI.
- detached himself from politics after 2009
Science and Technology
Web-Based Application on Integrated Waste Management System
- for better management of waste also to provide an opportunity to all the industries dealing in hazardous waste to apply online
- The application that can track the movement of hazardous waste and will also help in ensuring its proper management.
- 43000 industries dealing in hazardous waste, of which about 30000 industries have been mapped through this application.
- Move also to reduce the time taken for processing applications, seeking various types of permissions under the recently notified waste management regulations.
Second Exomars in 2020
- Second Exomars mission will also be launched from Baikonur in Kazakhstan with the help of a Proton rocket. It involves a Russian-led surface platform and a European-led rover.
- Roscosmos State Corporation and the European Space Agency had launched the Exomars 2016 mission which is due to reach Mars in October this year.
Sports
Novak Djokovic wins 2016 Mutua Madrid Open in Men’s Singles title
- Serbian Novak Djokovic clinches 2016 Mutua Madrid Open Trophy against Andy Murray
- Netherlands’ Jean-Julien Rojer / Romanian Horia Tecău – Mens Doubles Trophy
- Romanian Simona Halep – Women’s Singles Trophy
- French Caroline Garcia / French Kristina Mladenovic – Women’s Doubles Trophy
Indian boxers fetch 4 medals from Asian Youth C’ship
Contestant Category Medal
| Ankush Dahiya | 60 Kg | Silver |
| Ashish Kulhirya | 64kg | Silver |
| Reyal Puri | 81kg | Silver |
| Manjeet Singh | +91kg | Bronze |
Awards
BAFTA TV Awards announced for the year 2016
- Leading Actress – Suranne Jones
- Leading Actor – Mark Rylance
- BAFTA TV Fellowship Recipients – Ray Galton & Alan Simpson
Nagaland police bags award for smart policing
- SMS-based Vehicle Monitoring System of Nagaland police has bagged the National Award for Smart Policing instituted by Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
- Award is presented for the Best Practice in the category of Road Safety and Traffic Management.