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National News
Kachhabali Becomes 1st Liquor-free village in Rajasthan
- Rajasthan Excise Act, 1975, that provides for the closure of a country liquor shop, was invoked.
- Polling was carried out by the excise department of the state
- 94% of the voters demanded that they want a complete ban on the sale of alcohol in the village
Mumbai to get its first Arbitration Centre
- India’s first arbitration center for dealing the financial disputes.
- Financial disputes of India were dealt in the Singapore Arbitration center until now.
- Out of the 259 cases registered at Singapore arbitration center in 2013, 85 were from Indian companies
New building bye laws in New Delhi
- combines the rules and regulations of various departments in obtaining permission for constructing a building
- by-laws have been amended after a gap of 33 years
- permissions to be obtained has been reduced to 14 from 40
250 Mw unit at Nabinagar plant in Bihar
- 250 MW coal-based thermal power plant in Bihar commissioned by BHEL.
- The first 250 MW unit to be commissioned in the plant located at Nabinagar in Aurangabad district of Bihar.
Stay on floor test in Uttarakhand
- Center had approached the court questioning the permission for voting while the state is under President’s Rule
- Opposition parties had approached the court questioning the rights of nine disqualified MLAs to participate in the ballot.
Budget sets priorities for government spending
- New system divides Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) into three categories:
- Core of the Core.
- Core
- Optional Schemes.
- New system has accorded the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme the highest priority by deeming it ‘Core of the Core’.
- Core of the Core schemes will retain their expenditure allocation framework.
- Core schemes will have a 60:40 formula, while the Optional schemes will have a 50:50 formula
- States having the flexibility to decide whether to invest in these or not.
- Eight schemes will be classified as Core of the Core. Including MGNREGA and all the umbrella schemes for the upliftment of minorities, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
- Core schemes include schemes like Krishi Unnati Yojana, the Smart Cities programme, and the modernisation of the police force.
PM for simultaneous LS, Assembly elections
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in favor of simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
- Due the administrative issues arising out of frequent and successive elections in various states.
- With the Model Code of Conduct coming into force in one State or the other and even for the Centre in some cases, this leads to administrative lethargy and issues.
National anthem mandatory in UP primary schools
- National anthem must be sung by the students every day in the primary schools of Uttar Pradesh
- Every Wednesday, schools will have to observe swachhata diwas -Cleanliness Day.
- Sports period has also been made mandatory for the first four working days
International
Ebola threat ends in West Africa
- The viral disease which was threatening the world nations for 20 months killing more than 11,300 people is finally under control
- Proposal to lift the trade and travel restrictions imposed in the Ebola affected Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea
France operation ‘Sangaris’ comes to an end in CAR
- France will end its three year-long military operation ‘Sangaris’ in Central African Republic
- The operation came into force after communal violence in 2013 when Muslim rebels ousted the Christian president Francois from power
- 2500 troops were deployed in the security operation assisting the UN peacekeeping force
First Indian Chair in Arab world at Cairo
- Sanjay India’s Ambassador to Egypt Bhattacharyya and Prof Abdel Wahab Ezzat, acting president signed a MoU.
- Represents a historic moment in academic exchanges between the two civilizational partners
‘Market access for India’s services key to BTIA’
- India and EU are hoping to make progress on the trade deal during the 13th EU India Summit in Brussels.
- Obtaining greater access to the market for services in the European Union (EU) is key for the progress of the Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) between the EU and India.
Business and Economy
SEBI raises FPI investment limit
- Proposed the hike in two tranches one in April and the other in July
- This will help in attracting more foreign inflow into the nation.
- It also allows increase in State Development Loans
Japan commits loan worth 14251 crores
- Transmission System Strengthening Project in Madhya Pradesh -JPY 15.45 billion
- Odisha Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project -JPY 25.7 billion
- Dedicated Freight Corridor Project (Phase 1) -JPY 103.6 billion or Rs 6,170 crore
- North East Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project- JPY 67.1 billion
- Jharkhand Horticulture Intensification by Micro Drip Irrigation Project -JPY 4.65 billion
Adani Aero Defense ties up with Elbit, Alpha for unmanned aircraft systems
- Pact reflects the realization of Make in India for global requirements
- Subsidiary of Adani group Alpha Design Technologies Pvt Ltd has tied up with the Israeli company Elbit Systems for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
SC approves Centre’s guidelines to protect Good Samaritans
- Supreme Court approved the central government’s guidelines to protect people who help victims of road
- Directed the Centre to give wide publicity to the guidelines, which clearly stipulate that people who help victims of road accidents or other calamities are not harassed in any way.
Russia approved OVL deal to acquire 15% stake in Vankor oil field for $1.3 billion
- New deal enables OVL’s stake in Vankor will raise to 26% from 15%
- Will give it about 3.5 million metric tons of oil a year
- Vankor is Russia’s second biggest oil field with capacity of total 500 million tons recoverable reserves barrels.
Sun Pharma buys Novartis’ 14 brands for $ 293 mn in Japan
- Will acquire 14 well-known prescription brands, having combined annual revenues of approximately $160 million, from Novartis
- Acquired brands will be distributed under the Sun Pharma label
- Sun pharmaceutical industry has become the third largest producer in the world in terms of volumes.
Science and Technology
Asia’s Biggest telescope Aries to be launched in Nainital
- Combined effort of Indian, Russian and Belgian scientists to develop a telescope to study the structure of stars
- Contract undertaken by the Aries and Belgian company- Advanced Mechanical and Optical Systems in March, 2007
Govt launches e-CGHS cards, GIS-enabled HMIS application
- To provide easy access to health services to the public to strengthen the public health systems
- Providing user-friendly health services.
- Services provided are:
- GIS-enabled HMIS application
- The self-printing of e-CGHS card
Telangana Road Transport Authority’s Mobile App M-Wallet launched
- Initiative is going to benefit 60 lakh driving license holders and 80 lakh vehicles
- Digital certificates can be uploaded through the App.
- Will help motorists to avoid physically carrying documents like driving license, registration certification and other vehicle related documents.
Skin bank in Karnataka
- It is the sixth in the country.
- Inaugurated at the State-run Victoria Hospital.
- The government will fund all skin grafts done at the skin bank. A nominal charge may be executed.
- Skin bank may help save the lives of countless burn victims.
Norms for clinical trials eased
- Aim to speed up innovation and research in India
- Exempts clinical trials conducted at academic institutions from taking the mandatory permission from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
Environment and Ecology
Sand-eating Micrixalidae tadpoles species found in Western Ghats
- Were discovered from the deep recesses of streambeds,
- These tadpoles lack teeth but have well-serrated jaw sheaths which helps them avoid large sand grains while feeding.
- Have skin-covered eyes, which helps them to burrow through gravel beds.
- Lives in total darkness that they are of fossorial nature and comes out after fully developing into a young frog.
People in News
Faustin-Archange Touadera sworn in as President of Central Africa
- Central African Republic has been at political unrest since 2013 due to the communal violence between Christians and Muslims.
- France sent its troops and established ‘Sangaris’ operation to restore peace.
Jitendra Jagota Appointed As the Chairman of IDSA
- He was the Director Legal and Government Affairs, Avon Beauty Products India Pvt. Ltd
Wipro appoints Patrick Dupuis as its Board member
- Patrick Dupuis was the Senior Vice President of Paypal Holdings
- His role was vital in separating Paypal from e-bay and in the listing of Paypal in NASDAQ
- He joined Paypal in 2010 as CFO.
- Been a part of BJC healthcare and functioned as the CFO of Sitel, one of the largest customer care company
First female speaker for Vietnam Parliament
- Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan is the first female speaker of Vietnam Parliament
- Got 472 votes out of the total 481 votes
- Earlier she served as the Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly
Sharmila acquitted in 2006 suicide bid case
- Manipuri civil rights activist Iron Sharmila was acquitted in a case of attempted suicide registered in 2006
- Sharmila launched her fast-unto-death in October 2006 demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.