E Book September 2015 5619caf16bf22

General Knowledge Today

Current Affairs: September 2015 [Date-wise Compendium]

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ContentsMonth Highlights: September 2015 3 ................................................................................................................ Compendium of 140 Multiple Choice Questions 17 ....................................................................................... September 1, 2015 65 ............................................................................................................................................

Punjab Government wins award for achievement in rooftop solar power output 65 ..................... Union Government releases Rs 2,000 crore for Employees’ Pension Scheme 65 ........................... Manipur assembly passes Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 65 ............................................... IS damages ancient Temple of Bel in Syria’s Palmyra 66 ...................................................................... SC stays Rajasthan HC’s decision declaring ‘Santhara’ ritual illegal 66 .............................................. What is Santhara? 67 .....................................................................................................................................

September 2, 2015 68 ........................................................................................................................................... Union Government recognizes Yoga as Sports discipline 68 ............................................................... Mumbai wins Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy of Cricket 68 ................................................................. Maharashtra Government approves ordinance to amend MPDA Act, 1981 68 .............................. AK Jha appointed as interim CMD of NTPC Limited 69 ...................................................................... About National Thermal Power Corporation Limited 69 ..................................................................... Union Government accepts A P Shah panel report on MAT 69 ......................................................... India to join UN’s Better Than Cash Alliance to achieve financial inclusion 70 ............................... Union Government frames Smart National Common Mobility Card Model to enable metro

travel, shopping 70 ................................................................................................................................. India wins UNESCO Award for conserving Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Kerala 71 .............. About Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple 71 ................................................................................................... NASA’s SERVIR-Mekong project to help monitor environment in Southeast Asia 72 ................... About SERVIR project 72 .............................................................................................................................. Canada’s economy falls into a recession 72 .............................................................................................. Union Cabinet approves MFP for Development of Hydrocarbon discoveries 73 ............................ Key facts about Marginal Fields Policy (MFP) 73 ...................................................................................

September 3, 2015 74 ........................................................................................................................................... Union Cabinet approves reimbursement to 4 government agencies for import of pulses 74 ...... Tallest mountain in North America, Mount McKinley renamed as Denali 74 ................................. South African city Durban to host 2022 Commonwealth Games 75 ................................................ About Commonwealth Games 75 .............................................................................................................. West-Central Railway becomes first zone to eliminate Unmanned Level Crossings 75 .................. Elimination all unmanned level crossings 76 ............................................................................................ Union Government notifies merger of FMC with SEBI 76 ................................................................... India to launch Indonesian satellite LAPAN A2/Orari 77 ..................................................................... About LAPAN A2/Orari satellite 77 .......................................................................................................... India, UAE agree to increase bilateral trade by 60% in next 5 years 77 ............................................

September 4, 2015 79 ........................................................................................................................................... Punjab Government establishes Special MGNREGA cell 79 ................................................................




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Haryana Government wins Skoch Order-of-Merit National award for implementing e-governance, IT 79 ..................................................................................................................................

About Skoch Order-of-Merit national award 79 .................................................................................... Union Government cancels registration of Greenpeace India 80 ........................................................ About Greenpeace India 80 ......................................................................................................................... India, Australia agree to deepen bilateral Defence Partnership 80 ...................................................... RBI to issue Rs 5 coin on golden jubilee of 1965 Indo-Pak war 81 .................................................... Features of Coin 81 ......................................................................................................................................... About 1965 India-Pakistan war 81 .............................................................................................................. SAARC countries’ conference on Disaster Mitigation begins in New Delhi 82 ............................... South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx) 82 ................................................ ONGC buys 15% stake in Russia’s 2nd-largest oil field from Rosneft 82 .......................................... Former Goa CM Dr Wilfred de Souza passes away 83 ......................................................................... About Dr Wilfred de Souza 83 .................................................................................................................... Jhumpa Lahiri selected for 2014 National Humanities Medal 83 ........................................................ About Jhumpa Lahiri 84 ................................................................................................................................ About National Humanities Medal 84 .......................................................................................................

September 5, 2015 85 ............................................................................................................................................ 5th September: National Teachers Day 85 ............................................................................................... About Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 85 ...................................................................................................... Eminent Music composer Adesh Shrivastava passes away 85 .............................................................. Indian boxer Vikas Krishan wins silver medal in 75 kg category in Asia Championships 86 ....... Haryana passes bill to abolish Police Recruitment Board 86 ................................................................ Delhi High Court allows permanent commission for women in Indian Navy 86 ............................ Union Government gives nod to One Rank One Pension scheme 87 ................................................ Facts about One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme 87 ......................................................................

September 6, 7, 2015 88 ...................................................................................................................................... Australian Cricketer Shane Watson announces retirement from Test cricket 88 ............................ Shane Watson 88 ............................................................................................................................................ Andhra Pradesh inks MoU with TISS to increase employability of students 88 .............................. Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One 89 ..................................................... Ranking after British Grand Prix 2015 89 ................................................................................................. Union Government to develop Bodhgaya as Spiritual Capital 89 ........................................................ About Bodhgaya 89 ....................................................................................................................................... China, Pakistan launch joint ‘Shaheen (Eagle) – 4’ Air Drill 90 .......................................................... G-20 launches W-20 grouping for gender inclusive economic growth 90 ...................................... About Group of Twenty (G20) 90 ............................................................................................................ PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Badarpur-Faridabad Metro 91 .......................................................... Badarpur-Faridabad Metro Corridor 91 .................................................................................................... GSAT-6 Satellite successfully positioned in orbital slot of 83 Degree East 91 ................................. About GSAT-6 satellite 91 ............................................................................................................................




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September 8, 2015 93 ........................................................................................................................................... 6th Indo-Maldives Joint Military Exercise, KUVERIN 2015 begins in Thiruvananthapuram

93 ................................................................................................................................................................ Qatar deploys troops in Yemen for first time 93 ..................................................................................... Yemeni Crisis: Background 93 ..................................................................................................................... BSNL to upgrade Broadband speed to minimum 2 Mbps 94 .............................................................. BSNL Broadband services 94 ....................................................................................................................... Reliance Defence Ltd inks MoU wit Abu Dhabi Ship Building 94 ...................................................... About Abu Dhabi Ship Building 95 ............................................................................................................ Weightlifter Deepak Lather wins gold in Commonwealth Youth Games 95 .................................... About Commonwealth Youth Games 95 .................................................................................................. Andhra Pradesh launches e-Pragati to bring all government services under one roof 95 ............. Seven Indians figure in Forbes Asia’s new list of Philanthropists 96 ................................................... Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed as full time member of NITI Aayog 96 .................. About NITI Aayog- Click here 97 ..............................................................................................................

September 9, 2015 98 ........................................................................................................................................... Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain’s longest-reigning Monarch 98 .................................................. About Queen Elizabeth II 98 ........................................................................................................................ Haryana Government bans gutka, pan masala 98 .................................................................................. Anirban Lahiri becomes 1st Indian golfer to qualify for President’s Cup 99 ..................................... India, Belarus set trade target of 1 billion dollar by 2018 99 ................................................................ Haryana Government sets minimum qualification for candidates in Panchayati Raj polls 100 ..... Union Cabinet gives nod to introduction of Gold Monetization Schemes 100 ................................. Objectives of schemes 100 ............................................................................................................................ South Asian Sub-Regional Drug Focal Point meeting begins in New Delhi 101 .............................. Drug Menace in South Asia region 101 ..................................................................................................... Gandhi Peace Prize 2014 conferred on ISRO 101 ................................................................................... About Gandhi Peace Prize 102 .....................................................................................................................

September 10, 2015 103 ........................................................................................................................................ Union Cabinet approves National Offshore Wind Energy Policy 103 .................................................. Tamil Nadu’s first Global Investors Summit begins in Chennai 103 ................................................... Union Cabinet approves Spectrum Trading norms for telecom firms 104 ....................................... Union Cabinet allows 100 per cent FDI under automatic route for white label ATMs 104 ......... White labeled ATMs 104 ............................................................................................................................... India, Indonesia sign pact to cooperate on criminal matters 105 .........................................................

September 11, 2015 106 ......................................................................................................................................... Union Cabinet gives nod to Constitution of 21st Law Commission of India 106 ............................. Composition 106 ............................................................................................................................................. Functions 106 ................................................................................................................................................... Tenth World Hindi Conference begins in Bhopal 107 ........................................................................... World Hindi Conference 107 .......................................................................................................................




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India, Pakistan agree to maintain peace along border after DG level talks 107 ............................... New species of human relative discovered in South Africa 108 ........................................................... Characteristic of Homonaledi species 108 ................................................................................................. Renowned Water policy expert Ramaswamy Iyer passes away 108 .................................................... Antarctic Ocean’s carbon dioxide absorption increased 108 ................................................................. Indra Nooyi, 2nd powerful women in 2015 Fortune’s business list 109 ............................................ 2015 Singapore General Elections: PAP returns to power 109 ............................................................

September 12, 2015 111 .......................................................................................................................................... JK Tyre to buy Haridwar unit of Kesoram’s Industries 111 .................................................................... Rajasthan first state to submit State Annual Action Plan under AMRUT 111 .................................... DRDO scientist Dr G. Satheesh Reddy conferred with Silver Medal by Royal Aeronautical

Society 111 ................................................................................................................................................. About Royal Aeronautical Society 112 ........................................................................................................

September 13, 14, 2015 113 ................................................................................................................................... Union Government extends e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries 113 ................................ AUSINDEX15, first Australia and India maritime exercise begins in Visakhapatnam 113 ............... Frank D Gilroy, Pulitzer prize-winning playwright passes away 114 ................................................... Narsingh Pancham Yadav books an Olympic berth for 2016 Rio games 114 ................................... Winners of 2015 US Open Titles of Tennis 114 ....................................................................................... Classical dancer Kalamandalam Sathyabhama passes away 115 ........................................................... About Kalamandalam Sathyabhama 115 .................................................................................................... About Mohiniyattam dance 116 ................................................................................................................... 14 September: National Hindi Divas 116 .................................................................................................... About National Hindi Divas 117 ................................................................................................................... Constituent Assembly rejects proposal to declare Nepal as a Hindu state 117 .................................. Sports Ministry Grants Recognition to Indian Kalarippayattu Federation as RSF 117 ..................... About Kalarippayattu sport 117 .................................................................................................................... Tony Abbott ousted as Australian Prime Minister 118 ........................................................................... UN General Assembly adopts of text-based negotiations on UN Security Council reforms

118 ............................................................................................................................................................... September 15, 2015 120 ........................................................................................................................................

Practo acquires Insta Health Solutions 120 ............................................................................................... RBI, Nepal Rastra Bank ink MoU for supervisory information exchange 120 .................................. Andhra Pradesh Government unveils ‘New Tourism Policy-2015- 20’ 120 ...................................... Gujarat tops in ease of doing business in India: World Bank Report 121 ........................................... Union Government notifies 20% provisional safeguard duty on certain categories of steel

products 122 ............................................................................................................................................. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina wins UN Award for Leadership on Climate Change 122 .............. Climate Change Mitigation Strategies of Bangladesh 123 ......................................................................

September 16, 2015 124 ........................................................................................................................................ IIT- Delhi, IISc figured in the top 200 World University Rankings 124 .............................................




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Malcolm Turnbull sworn in as Australia’s new Prime Minister 124 .................................................... About Malcolm Turnbull 124 ....................................................................................................................... Indian-American Swetha Prabakaran selected for Champions of Change award in US 125 ......... About Champions of Change award 125 ................................................................................................... Indian-origin author Sunjeev Sahota shortlisted for 2015 Man Booker Prize for Fiction 125 ....... About Man Booker Prize for Fiction 126 .................................................................................................. North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear facility resumes operation 126 ........................................................ North Korea’s nuclear weapons Test and NPT 126 ............................................................................... Hungary Declares state of Emergency over Refugee Influx 127 .......................................................... Refugee Crisis 127 ........................................................................................................................................... Union Cabinet approves 150 days employment under MGNREGA in the drought hit areas

127 .............................................................................................................................................................. Hangzhou City of China chosen to host 2022 Asian Games 128 ........................................................ About Asian Games 128 ................................................................................................................................ Union Cabinet approves Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission for rural development

128 .............................................................................................................................................................. September 17, 2015 130 ........................................................................................................................................

Union Government bans NSCN-K for 5 years 130 ................................................................................. About National Socialist Council of Nagaland 130 .................................................................................. India, Cambodia ink 2 MoUs for bilateral cooperation in Tourism, Mekong Ganga Project

130 .............................................................................................................................................................. About Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC) 131 .................................................................................... Nepal’s Parliament approves new Constitution 131 ................................................................................. Features of Nepal’s new constitution 131 ................................................................................................... Godavari, Krishna Rivers formally interlinked in Andhra Pradesh 132 ............................................... RBI approves 10 entities to set up Small Finance Banks 133 ................................................................. Central Chile hit by 8.3 magnitude earthquake 134 ............................................................................... Tsunami Warning 134 .................................................................................................................................... Chile and Earthquakes 134 ............................................................................................................................ Union Government launches PMKKKY for mining affected people 135 ............................................ About Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) 135 ............................................. About District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) 136 ....................................................................................

September 18, 2015 137 ........................................................................................................................................ Anti-Tank guided Amogha-I Missile test fired 137 ................................................................................. About Amogha-I Missile 137 ........................................................................................................................ Perumanna Grama Panchayat becomes first Panchayat in Kerala to declare a Water Policy

137 .............................................................................................................................................................. Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi named for 2015 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award 138 ....... About UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award 138 .........................................................................................

September 19, 2015 139 ........................................................................................................................................ India, Laos ink two MoUs to strengthen bilateral ties 139 .....................................................................




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Veteran Marathi cricket commentator Bal Pandit passes away 139 .................................................... About Bal Pandit 139 ...................................................................................................................................... PM Narendra Modi launches IPDS in Varanasi to ensure 24×7 power supply to every house

140 .............................................................................................................................................................. About Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) 140 ................................................................. Metro Man E Sreedharan to serve UN High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport

140 .............................................................................................................................................................. About Elattuvalapil Sreedharan 140 ............................................................................................................ Indian Railways develops Hybrid Vacuum Toilets 141 ............................................................................ Features of Hybrid Vacuum Toilet 141 ....................................................................................................... Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare bans sale of Diclofenac in multidose vial 141 ......... Diclofenac and Vulture extinction 141 ........................................................................................................ Japan’s Parliament passes 2 Security laws to amend its pacifist constitution 142 ............................. Marine population declined since 1970: Study 142 .................................................................................

September 20, 21, 2015 144 ................................................................................................................................. Novelist Jackie Collins passes away 144 ..................................................................................................... Celebration of weeklong Ladakh Festival begins at Leh 144 ................................................................ BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya passes away 144 ............................................................................. Sebastian Vettel wins 2015 Singapore Grand Prix of Formula One 145 ............................................ Ajay Jayaram wins silver medal in 2015 Korea Open Badminton tournament 145 ......................... China launches newly-developed smaller version Long March-6 carrier rocket 146 ..................... Facts about Long March-6 146 ................................................................................................................... Nepal adopts new Constitution 146 ............................................................................................................ Sherif Ismail sworn-in as Prime Minister of Egypt 147 .......................................................................... Union Defence Ministry elevates Dr. P Sivakumar as Distinguished Scientist 147 .......................... September 21: International Day of Peace 148 ......................................................................................... About International Day of Peace 148 .......................................................................................................

September 22, 2015 149 ....................................................................................................................................... India-Pakistan Flag Meeting decides to defuse situation on LoC 149 ................................................. Rajasthan Assembly passes Rajasthan Vexation Litigation Prevention Bill, 2015 149 ....................... Two Indian Coast Guard ships Apoorva & C-421 commissioned 150 ............................................... Alexis Tsipras led left-wing Syriza party wins Greece General Election 150 ..................................... Union Cabinet approves MoU with Cambodia for cooperation in tourism 151 ................................

September 23, 2015 152 ........................................................................................................................................ Union Cabinet gives nod to amend MoU on Indo-German Partnerships in Higher Education

152 .............................................................................................................................................................. Union Health Ministry releases National Health Profile 2015 152 ........................................................ Union Cabinet gives nod to set up India Sign Language Research and Training Centre 153 ........ About Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre 153 ........................................................ Rajasthan Assembly passes two bills on Reservation 154 ....................................................................... CCS clears Military helicopters deal with US aviation giant Boeing 154 ............................................




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Indra Nooyi, Shobhana Bhartia awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award 155 ................................. 24th Vyaas Samman conferred on eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka 155 ............ About Vyas Samman 155 ...............................................................................................................................

September 24, 2015 157 ....................................................................................................................................... Uninor rebrands as Telenor 157 .................................................................................................................. US Baseball legend Yogi Berra passes away 157 ...................................................................................... About Yogi Berra 157 .................................................................................................................................... Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn resigns 158 ............................................................... Alexis Tsipras sworn-in as Prime Minister of Greece 158 ..................................................................... WADA inks MoU with China’s Sports Ministry to crack down on supply of PEDS 158 ............... About World Anti-Doping Agency 159 ..................................................................................................... Marathi film ‘Court’ selected as India’s official entry to Oscars 159 .................................................... About Court 159 ............................................................................................................................................. Union Government gives nod to IAF’s Integrated Air Command & Control System 160 ............. About Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) 160 .................................................. Mukesh Ambani India’s richest person for 9th consecutive year: Forbes 160 .................................. Sourav Ganguly appointed CAB president 161 ......................................................................................... About Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) 161 .....................................................................................

September 25, 2015 162 ........................................................................................................................................ First conference on contemporary relevance of Bhagvad Gita held in UK 162 ................................ 6.6 magnitude earthquake hits off east Indonesia 162 ........................................................................... Union Government announces Special Assistance of Rs 1000 crore to Andhra Pradesh 162 ...... EPFO gets Skoch Awards for Smart Governance Initiatives 163 ......................................................... About Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) 163 ................................................................. EU imposes anti-dumping duty on Indian steel pipes 163 ..................................................................... Volkswagen AG appoints Matthias Mueller as new CEO 164 .............................................................. MOM completes one year of mission life around Mars 164 ................................................................. About Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) 164 ................................................................................................ UN adopts agreement on Sustainable Development Goals 165 ...........................................................

September 26, 27, 2015 167 ................................................................................................................................ G-4 countries issue Joint Statement on UNSC Reforms 167 ................................................................ Manipur Governor Dr. Syed Ahmad passes away 167 .......................................................................... Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis win 2015 Guangzhou Open women’s doubles title 168 ............. Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of Formula One 168 ....................................... Rankings after 2015 Japanese Grand Prix 168 ......................................................................................... About 2015 Formula One season 168 ........................................................................................................ Pankaj Advani wins 2015 IBSF World Billiards Championship 169 .................................................... September 27: World Tourism Day 169 ...................................................................................................

September 28, 2015 170 ....................................................................................................................................... Dr. Jacob Tsimerman wins 2015 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 170 ....................................................... About SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 170 .......................................................................................................




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Union Government constitute expert committee to revive UPSC civil services exam pattern170 ..............................................................................................................................................................

India’s 1st dedicated satellite for astronomy research Astrosat successfully launched 171 .............. About Astrosat 171 .......................................................................................................................................... Significance of PSLV-C30 Launch 172 ....................................................................................................... India signs Loan Agreement with ADB for upgrading Tourism Infrastructure and Services

172 .............................................................................................................................................................. Reliance Defence inks strategic partnership MoU with Emirates Defence Industries Co. 173 ...... Renowned Hindi poet Viren Dangwal passes away 173 ......................................................................... Governor of Meghalaya V. Shanmuganathan gets additional charge of Manipur 173 ....................

September 29, 30, 2015 175 ................................................................................................................................ Former England fast bowler Frank Tyson passes away 175 ................................................................. Google to provide Wi-Fi in 500 Indian railway stations 175 ................................................................ India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise MITRA SHAKTI 2015 begins in Pune 175 ......................... INS Kochi commissioned into Indian Navy 176 ...................................................................................... RBI lowers repo rate by 50 basis points to 6.75 per cent 177 ............................................................. M.R. Poovamma and Babita Kumari conferred Arjuna Award 2015 177 .......................................... About Arjuna Award 178 .............................................................................................................................. Union Government unveils Green Highways Policy 2015 178 ............................................................. Key features of Green Highways Policy 2015 178 .................................................................................. Taliban captures northern Afghan city of Kunduz 179 .......................................................................... India’s Gurpreet Singh wins silver medal at 2015 Asian Air Gun Championship 179 ....................




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Month Highlights: September 2015Persons in news – Appointments / Elections

A K Jha

A K Jha has been given additional charge of interim Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited.

Ramesh Chand

Renowned Agriculture expert Professor Ramesh Chand has been appointed as new full timemember of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog. With thisappointment he became third full-time member of NITI Aayog.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II on 9th September 2015 became the longest-reigning Monarch of Britainand the longest-reigning female monarch in history. She surpassed the previous record heldby her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.

2015 Singapore General Elections

In 2015 Singapore General Elections, People’s Action Party (PAP) led by Prime Minister LeeHsienLoong has emerged victorious. PAP returned to power after scoring a landslide victoryby winning an absolute majority of 83 seats in the 89 member Parliament.

IndraNooyi

IndraNooyi, CEO of food and beverage giant PepsiCo is the sole Indian-origin executive in2015 edition of Fortune’s list of 50 Most Powerful Women in Business. Shewas placed atsecond position in this year’s list and has moved up by single position from her previous thirdposition in year 2015.

Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull has sworn-in as Australia’s new Prime Minister. He became the 29thPrime Minister of the country after defeating Tony Abbott in internal party leadership ballotof the ruling centre-right Liberal Party.

ElattuvalapilSreedharan

Metro Man ElattuvalapilSreedharan has been invited to the United Nations’ High LevelAdvisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST). He has been invited by UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon to serve on his HLAG-ST for a period of three years.

Sherif Ismail:new Prime Minister of Egypt

Sherif Ismail has sworn-in as the new Prime Minister of Egypt. He will succeed IbrahimMehleb who had resigned from office following a corruption scandal involving his cabinetminister.

MukeshAmbani




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Industrialist MukeshAmbani has been named as India’s richest person for ninth consecutiveyear in a row with a net worth of 18.9 billion dollars in the 2015 Forbes magazine’s India richlist.

Alexis Tsipras

Alexis Tsipras of left wing Syriza party has sworn in as the Prime Minister of Greece. It issecond time, Alexis Tsipras has sworn in as the PM of Greece.He was administered oath tothe office by the President ProkopisPavlopoulos.

Matthias Mueller

German auto maker Volkswagen AG has appointed Matthias Mueller as its new chiefexecutive officer (CEO). He will succeed Martin Winterkorn who had resigned from officefollowing an emissions cheating scandal (dubbed as Diesel Dope) described as a moral andpolitical disaster.

Shanmuganathan

President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Governor of Meghalaya V. Shanmuganathan todischarge the functions of the Governor of Manipur. He was given additional charge ofManipur after previous Governor Dr. Syed Ahmed passed away.

Places in NewsTemple of Bel

Islamic State (IS) militant group has destroyed part of historical Temple of Bel in the ancientsite of Palmyra in Syria. The ancient temple was dedicated to the Palmyrene gods and was oneof the best preserved parts of the historical sites of Palmyra.

Mount McKinley renamed as MountDenali

United States has changed the name of tallest mountain in North America Mount McKinleyto its original native name Denali. It was announced by US President Barack Obama ahead ofhis three-day visit to Alaska to highlight the issue of climate change.

West-Central Railway (WCR) zone

WCR zone headquartered in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh has become the first Railway Zone inIndian Railways to eliminate all unmanned level crossings.

Bodhgaya: Spiritual Capital of India

Union Government is going to develop Bodhgaya in Gaya district of Bihar as Spiritual Capitalof the country in order to serve the civilisational bond between India and the Buddhist world.It was announced by Prime Minister NarendraModi while addressing delegates from 90countries on the concluding day of the International Buddhist Conclave held at Bodh Gaya.

Badarpur-Faridabad Metro

Prime Minister NarendraModi inaugurated Badarpur-Faridabad Metro in Delhi National




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Capital Region (NCR). The metro corridor will connect the national capital with the satellitetown and give impetus to economic growth in the region by fast transportation of people.

Hangzhou: host of 2022 Asian Games

Capital city of Zhejiang Province Hangzhou in East China has been chosen by the OlympicCouncil of Asia (OCA) to host the 2022 Asian Games. Hangzhou was the only candidate cityfor the 2022 Asian Games i.e. XIX edition of games.

Ibrahimpatnam: Interlinking of Godavari and Krishna River

Godavari River was formally interlinked with the Krishna River at Ibrahimpatnam nearVijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. State government has named this historic occasion as‘Krishna-Godavari PavitraSangamam’ meaning holy confluence in Telugu.

SportsYogarecognized as a sports discipline

Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has decided to recognize Yoga as a sportsdiscipline and place it in the Priority category. This decision was taken by Ministry whilereviewing and revising the categorization of various Sports disciplines.

Mumbai won 2015 BuchiBabu Memorial Trophy

Mumbai has won the BuchiBabu Memorial Trophy in the All India invitation crickettournament. In the final match played at Chennai, they defeated Tamil Nadu CricketAssociation Districts (TNCA) XI team by six wickets.

Durban

South African city of Durban has been selected as the host for the 22nd edition ofCommonwealth Games to be held in 2022. For the first time in the history ofCommonwealth Games, African nation has been chosen as host of the Games.

Vikas Krishan

Indian boxer VikasKrishan has won the silver medal in the Asian Championships held inBangkok, Thailand. In the final match of 75kg weight category, he was defeated byUzbekistan’s BektemirMelikuziev by 0-2 score.

2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One.This was his seventh victory of the season.

Deepak Lather

Indian weightlifter Deepak Lather won a gold medal in fifth Commonwealth Youth Games(CYG) held in Apia, Samoa. He won the medal the 62 kg category after finishing with a totalof 258 kg with 120 kg in snatch.

Anirban Lahiri




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Ace Indian Golfer Anirban Lahiri has become the first Indian to qualify for the prestigiousPresident’s Cup of Golf. World No.40, Lahiri qualified to this prestigious cup throughautomatic qualifications as team member of the International Team.

2015 US Open Titles of Tennis

Men’s Singles title: Novak Djokovic.

Women’s Singles title:

Men’s Doubles title:Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.

Women’s Doubles title:SaniaMirza (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland).

Mixed Doubles title:Leander Paes (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland).Indian Kalarippayattu Federation (IKF)

Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recognized the Indian KalarippayattuFederation (IKF) as Regional Sports Federation (RSF) with an immediate effect.Kalaripayattusport is a Martial art played/performed in Southern state of Kerala and in contiguous parts ofTamil Nadu.

Ajay Jayaram

India’s Ajay Jayaram has won silver medal in 2015 Korea Open Badminton tournament in theMen’s singles category. In the final match played at Seoul, he lost to World no. one ChengLong of China by 14-21, 12-21 score settling to silver medal.

2015 Singapore Grand Prix

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel from Germany has won 2015 Singapore Grand Prix ofFormula One. The race was held on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, which is the first streetcircuit in Asia.

SouravGanguly

Former Indian Cricket team captain SouravGanguly has been appointed as President ofCricket Association of Bengal (CAB). He will succeed JagmohanDalmiya as the post fallenvacant following his death.

2015 Japanese Grand Prix

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of FormulaOne. This was his overall eight victory of the season.

SaniaMirza and Martina Hingis

Indo-Swiss tennis pair of SaniaMirza and Martina Hingis have won women’s doubles title of2015 Guangzhou Open Tennis Tournament. In the final match they defeated Chisese pair ofShilinXu and Xiaodi You by 6-3, 6-1 score.

PankajAdvani

India’s ace cueist PankajAdvani has won 2015 IBSF World Billiards Championship (Time




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Format) in Adelaide, Australia. It was his overall 14th World title.Gurpreet Singh

India’s ace shooter Gurpreet Singh has won silver medal at 2015 Asian Air GunChampionship held in New Delhi. In the finals of 10 metre Air Pistol event, Gurpreet shot atally of 197.6 to stand second on the podium.

Persons in news: DiedDr Wilfred de Souza

Former Chief Minister of Goa Dr Wilfred de Souza passed away in Panaji. He had served asGoa CM for three times and was known for his combative brand of politics. He was keypolitician to bring Congress to power in Goa in 1980.

AadeshShrivastava

Eminent Bollywood Music composer AadeshShrivastava passed away in Mumbai,Maharashtra. Over the course of his career, he had scored music for over 100 Hindi films ascomposer, playback singer and music director.

Ramaswamy R. Iyer

Renowned water policy expert Ramaswamy R. Iyer passed away in New Delhi following asevere bout of viral fever. He was instrumental in drafting India’s first National Water Policyin 1987.

Frank D Gilroy

Renowned American playwright, screenwriter and film producer and director Frank DGilroy passed away in Monroe, New York. In 1965, he had won prestigious Pulitzer Prize forDrama for his play The Subject Was Roses.

KalamandalamSathyabhama

KalamandalamSathyabhama, doyen of classical dance form Mohiniyattam passed away inPalakkad district of Kerala.

BalPandit

Veteran cricket Marathi commentator BalPandit passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. He isconsidered as pioneer of cricket commentary in Marathi who had made the game morepopular in Maharashtrian households.

JagmohanDalmiya

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President JagmohanDalmiya passed away in inKolkata, West Bengal. As a cricket administrator, he is hailed as the architect for the rise ofCricket in India and its financial superpower.

Dr Syed Ahmad

Manipur Governor Dr Syed Ahmad passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was sworn in




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as the 16th Governor of Manipur in May 2015.VirenDangwal

Renowned Hindi poet VirenDangwal passed away in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh after aprolonged illness.His famous poem collection DushchakrameShrista had earned himprestigious Sahitya Academy award in 2004.

Science, Technology & EnvironmentSERVIR-Mekong project

NASA and US Agency for International Development (USAID) have started the SERVIR-Mekong project, to strengthen the environmental monitoring in Southeast Asia region. Itwill serve the 5 countries of the Mekong River Basin viz. Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia,Laos and Vietnam.

GSAT-6communication satellite

ISRO has successfully positioned India’s GSAT-6 satellite into its orbital slot of 83 Degree eastafter carrying out four drift arresting maneuvers. It has been collocated with other fourcommunication satellites INSAT-4A, IRNSS1C, GSAT 12 and GSAT 10.

Homonaledi: new ancestral species in the human family

Scientists have discovered a new ancestral species in the human family tree dubbed asHomonaledi in South Africa. The species has been classified in the genus Homo to whichmodern humans belong.

Diclofenac sale banned multidose vial

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare banned the sale of Diclofenac in multidose vial.Henceforth, it will be sold only in single-dose vial packaging for human use. This ban wasimposed on recommendation of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC) in order to save and protect vultures from brink of extinction.

Hybrid Vacuum Toilet

Indian Railways has developed a Hybrid Vacuum Toilet design which combines theadvantages of Vacuum toilets and those of Biotoilets. The first of its kind system in the worldhas been developed by the Development Cell of Indian Railway Board.

Long March-6

China has successfully launched a newly-developed smaller version of carrier rocket LongMarch-6 as part of the country’s space program.

Astrosat

India’s first dedicated satellite for astronomy research Astrosat has been successfully launchedfrom Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta with the help of PSLC-C30.

Events & Observances




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5th September: National Teachers Day

Every year in India 5th September is being observed as National Teachers Day. This daycommemorates the birthday of India’s first Vice President and second President Dr SarvepalliRadhakrishnan.

Tenth World Hindi Conference

The Tenth World Hindi Conference (विश्वहिंदीसम्मेलन) was held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradeshwith the theme of Hindi Jagat-Vistar and Sambhavnaye. The three-day conference wasinaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

14 September: National Hindi Divas

Hindi Divas is an annual literary-day celebrated on 14 September in Hindi speaking regionsof India and other countries with Hindi speaking population. This day seeks to propagateHindi language and its cultural heritage and values.

Ladakh Festival

Week long annual Ladakh Festival was celebrated in Leh town in Ladakh region of Jammuand Kashmir. The festival has been organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourismdepartment in collaboration with the concerned stakeholders. The festival is celebrated toextend the short tourism season of Ladakh.

September 21:International Day of Peace

Every year September 21 is being observed as International Day of Peace across the world.The theme for the year 2015 is Partnerships for Peace- Dignity for All.

September 27:World Tourism Day

Every year World Tourism Day (WTD) is observed on September 27 to raise awarenessabout the importance of tourism. Theme for year 2015 is “One Billion Tourists, One BillionOpportunities“.

Defence RelatedShaheen (Eagle)-4joint air exercise

China and its strategic partner Pakistan have launched a joint air exercise called Shaheen(Eagle)-4 in China. It is fourth edition of air exercise between the air forces of both countrieswhich was launched as part of a series of military exchange programmes between twocountries.

KUVERIN 2015

The sixth Indo-Maldives joint Training Exercise, KUVERIN 2015was held at Pangode

Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.Reliance Defence pact with Abu Dhabi Ship Building




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Reliance Defence Ltd (RDL) led by Anil Ambani has inked memorandum of understanding(MoU) with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to set up a strategic partnership forconstruction of naval ships.

AUSINDEX15

Inaugural bilateral maritime exercise between India and Australia AUSINDEX15 was held offcoast of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Amogha-I

An indigenously developed second generation anti-tank guided missile, Amogha-I wassuccessfully test fired at Babina Army Range, Madhya Pradesh.

Integrated Air Command & Control System (IACCS) project

Union Government has given its approval for implementation of Integrated Air Command &Control System (IACCS) project of Indian Air force (IAF) with allocation of 8,000-crorerupees.

MITRA SHAKTI 2015

India-Sri Lanka joint military exercise MITRA SHAKTI 2015 has begun at Aundh MilitaryStation in Pune, Maharashtra. It is third edition of the joint training exercise between bothcountries that seeks to build Military to Military co-operation and interoperability.

INS Kochi

Indian Navy has commissioned INS Kochi, a Kolkata-class Guided Missile Destroyer in itscontingent to showcase India’s indigenous efforts in the field of underwater warfare. It is asecond ship of the total three ships fleet of Kolkata-class Guided Missile Destroyer to beinducted.

Finance, Business and EconomyBetter Than Cash Alliance

India has decided to join UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance with a view to reduce cash

transactions in its economy and achieve financial inclusion.AP Shah Committee report on MAT

Union Government has accepted Justice AP Shah Committee report on the MinimumAlternative Tax (MAT) on foreign institutional investors (FIIs). By accepting therecommendations, Government will not impose levy on FIIs prior to 1st April 2015 i.e.retrospectively.

Canada’s economy falls into a recession

Canada’s economy has fallen into a recession for first time after global financial crisis of 2009.Statistics Canada, nodal national statistical agency of Canada has reported that its economyi.e. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has retreated at an annual pace of 0.5 per cent from April




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through June 2015.FMC merges with SEBI

Union Government has notified the merger of commodities market regulator ForwardMarkets Commission (FMC) with Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with an effectfrom 28 September 2015.

ONGC buys stake in Vankoroil field of Russia

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has bought a 15 per cent stake inRussia’s second-largest oil field Vankor from Rosneft for about 1.35 billion US dollars.

Tamil Nadu Global Investors Summit

Tamil Nadu’s first Global Investors Summit (TNGIM 2015) has begun in Chennai to wooinvestors to invest in the state. It is first of kind investors summit in southern state of India isseeking to targeted investment commitment of one-lakh crore rupees.

100% FDI in white label ATM operations

The Union Cabinet has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) under theautomatic route for white label ATM operations (WLAO). This decision will expedite andease FDI inflows in WLAO further giving a fillip to the government’s ambitious effort topromote financial inclusion.

Spectrum Trading Norms

The Union Cabinet has approved spectrum trading norms for harmonious spread of telecomservices in the country. These norms were approved based on the recommendations TRAI inorder to increase emphasis on evolving more flexible and market oriented approach inTelecom sector.

Small Finance Banks

RBI has granted in principle approval to 10 entities to set up small finance banks to providebasic banking services to small farmers and micro industries. The in-principle approval willenable these entities comply with the guidelines on Small Finance Banks and will be valid for18 months.

Government Policy and SchemesMarginal Fields Policy (MFP)

Union Cabinet has approved Marginal Fields Policy (MFP) to auction small and marginalunexploited hydrocarbon discoveries by state owned oil companies.

Smart National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) model

Union Ministry of Urban Development has come out with a NCMC model to enable seamlessmetro travel, shopping. In this regard, Union Minister of Urban Development VenkaiahNaidu has approved the EMV Open Loop Card with stored value.




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One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme

Union Government has given its nod to implement One Rank One Pension (OROP) schemefor ex-servicemen. OROP will provide ex-servicemen of same rank and same length ofservice uniform pension regardless of date of retirement.

Andhra Pradesh’s e-Pragati

Andhra Pradesh by has e-Pragati, a comprehensive architecture to leverage the latestadvances in e-governance tools. With this launch, Andhra Pradesh became first state in Indiato execute and conceive state-wide enterprise e-governance architecture.

Gold Monetization Schemes (GMS)

The Union Cabinet approved introduction of two Gold Monetization Schemes (GMS) in abid to lure away Indians from buying physical gold. The approved schemes are Gold DepositScheme (GDS) and the Gold Metal Loan (GML) Scheme.

National Offshore Wind Energy Policy 2015

Union Cabinet cleared National Offshore Wind Energy Policy 2015 to generate electricityfrom offshore windmills located in areas within Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of thecountry.

Andhra PradeshNew Tourism Policy-2015-20

Andhra Pradesh Government has unveiled ‘New Tourism Policy-2015-20‘ to boost tourismsector in the state. The policy has been framed with support from various governmentdepartments, industry experts, inputs from Indian School of Business and consultancy firmKPMG.

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission (SPMRM)

The Union Cabinet has approved Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission (SPMRM) forits ambitious bid to spur social, economic and infrastructure development in rural areas.

Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)

Union Government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana(PMKKKY) for the welfare of people affected by mining related operations. The new schemeis meant to provide for the welfare of people and areas affected by mining related operationsby using the funds collected by District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).

Perumanna Grama Panchayatwater policy

Perumanna Grama Panchayat in Kozhikode district of Kerala has become the first Panchayatin the State, to declare its own water policy. The water policy has been framed in the lines ofthe State government’s water policy declared in 2008.

National Integrated Power Development Scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Integrated Power Development Scheme




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(IPDS) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to provide 24×7 power supply to every house.National Health Profile (NHP) 2015

Union Ministry Health and Family Welfare has released NHP 2015, which providescomprehensive information related to health sector. The 11th edition of the document hasbeen prepared by Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI).

Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC)

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the settingup of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC). Initially it will belocated at the Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi.

Green Highways Policy 2015

Union Government has launched Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation,Beautification & Maintenance) Policy-2015 to promote greening of National Highwaycorridors across the country.

Awards& HonoursPunjab Government

Punjab Government won first award in the category of highest capacity addition in gridconnected solar rooftop power in the country during the financial year 2014-15.

India: 2015 UNESCO Award of Excellence

India has won the UNESCO prize ‘Award of Excellence’ 2015 for the conservation efforts ofthe Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Kerala. The top award was given in the Asia PacificHeritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Haryana Government: Skoch Order-of-Merit national award

Haryana Government has won the Skoch Order-of-Merit national award for implementing 6e-Governance and IT initiatives in the state.

Rs.5 coin on Indo-Pak War 1965

RBI has decided to issue coins of 5 rupees denomination to commemorate golden jubilee yearof Indo-Pak War 1965. These coins will be issued under in The Coinage Act, 2011 and will beconsidered as legal a tender.

Jhumpa Lahiri: 2014 National Humanities Medal of White House

Indian-American Pulitzer Prize winner writer Jhumpa Lahiri has been selected for theprestigious 2014 National Humanities Medal of White House.

ISRO: Gandhi Peace Prize 2014

President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2014 on IndianSpace Research Organization (ISRO). ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar on behalf of theorganisation received the prize at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.




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Dr. G Satheesh Reddy: Silver Medal of RAeS

G Satheesh Reddy, an eminent missile scientist of DRDO has been conferred with prestigiousSilver Medal by London based Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS).

Sheikh Hasina: United Nations Champions of the Earth award

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been selected for the United NationsChampions of the Earth award. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has chosen her forthis prestigious award in recognition of her country’s initiatives to address climate change.

Sunjeev Sahota

Indian-origin author Sunjeev Sahota has been short-listed for the prestigious 2015 ManBooker Prize for Fiction. His novel The Year of the Runaways has been shortlisted whichdeals with the life experience of illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent in Britain.

Swetha Prabakaran: Champions of Change award

A 15-year-old Indian-American girl Swetha Prabakaran has been selected by the WhiteHouse for the prestigious Champions of Change award.

Aqeela Asifi: UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award

Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi has won the 2015 United Nations High Commissionerfor Refugees (UNHCR) Nansen Refugee Award.

Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka:Vyaas Samman

Eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka has been conferred with prestigious 24thVyaas Samman for year 2014. He was bestowed with this award in recognition of his work‘Premchand ki Kahaniyon ka Kaal Kramanusaar Adhyayan’.

Marathi film ‘Court’

Critically acclaimed Marathi film ‘Court’ has been selected as India’s official entry to the BestForeign Language category of the 88th Academy Awards 2016 (popularly known as Oscars).

EPFO: SKOCH Award for Smart Governance

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has been awarded SKOCH Award forSmart Governance. It has been bestowed with this award for its initiatives on UANProgramme and Transformation of Social Security Agenda in India.

Dr. Jacob Tsimerman:2015 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize

Mathematician Dr. Jacob Tsimerman from Canada has been chosen for the prestigious 2015SASTRA Ramanujan Prize. Presently he is an assistant professor at the University ofToronto, Canada and his mathematics research work is primarily in the field of NumberTheory and surrounding topics.




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Miscellaneous Terms and FactsProtection of Manipur People Bill, 2015

Manipur Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Protection of Manipur People Bill,2015 along with other two amendment bills to protect indigenous people of state. Other twobills are Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 and ManipurLand Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015.

Jain ritual of Santhara

The Supreme Court (SC) of India has stayed Rajasthan High Court’s order declaring Santhara,a Jain ritual of voluntary and systematic fasting to death illegal.Santhara is a religious customof Jain religion that embraces voluntary death in order to purge oneself of bad ‘karma’ andattain ‘moksha’.

India-UAE bilateral agreements

India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to enhance cooperation in different areasincluding trade, commerce, energy, defence, space, investments, security and combatingCrime. Both sides reached to these agreements at the 11th session of the India-UAE JointCommission meeting held in New Delhi.

India-Australiabilateral defence partnership

India and Australia have agreed to deepen their bilateral defence partnership based on theirshared strategic interests by setting up of a joint working group on defence research andmaterial cooperation.

Haryana Police (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Haryana legislative Assembly has passed Haryana Police (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to abolishthe Police Recruitment Board in order to end the nepotism in the police recruitments in thestate.

Women-20 (W20)

Group of Twenty (G-20), a forum of world’s 20 largest economies, including India launchedW20, an engagement grouping of women leaders in order to push for gender inclusive globaleconomic growth.

India-Belarusbilateral trade target

India and Belarus have set the bilateral trade target of one billion dollar by 2018. The decisionwas taken at the 7th Session of the India-Belarus Intergovernmental Commission held inMinsk, Belarus.

Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Haryana Assembly has passed Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2015 that seeks tofix matriculation as minimum educational qualification for elections to Panchayati Raj




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institutions (PRIs). It became second state in India after Rajasthan to fix educational andother qualifications for the candidates contesting Panchayat elections.

UNGAtext-based negotiations on UN Security Council (UNSC) reforms

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted text-based negotiations on UNSecurity Council (UNSC) reforms. It will set the stage for talks on the UNSC reforms issue atits 70th session. The draft text-based negotiations include questions on equitablerepresentation and increase in the membership of UNSC.

NSCN-K banned for 5 years

Union Government has banned Naga rebel group National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) for five years. The organisation has been banned under the UnlawfulActivities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Nepal adopts first democratic constitution

Nepal has adopted new Constitution marking the country’s transition to a secular anddemocratic republic. The new Constitution was unveiled by Nepalese President Ram BaranYadav at a special ceremony held in Parliament at Kathmandu.

G-4 countries Joint statement for UNSC Reforms

G-4 countries viz Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have issued a Joint Statement on UnitedNations Security Council Reforms (UNSC). It was issued after G-4 meeting held in NewYork,US which was called by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was attended byBrazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and PrimeMinister of Japan Shinzo Abe.

Sustainable Development Goals

United Nations has unanimously adopted an ambitious agreement on the outcome documentNew Sustainable Development Agenda for the next 15 years i.e. till 2030. The document inthis regard was adopted in 70th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).




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Compendium of 140 Multiple Choice QuestionsRecently, CCoTVM and PARICHAALAN initiatives have been launched by __?1.[A]Indian Railways[B]Ministry of Finance[C]NABARD[D]National Highways Authority of IndiaAnswer: Indian RailwaysExplanation: The Union Railway Minister, Mr. Suresh Prabhu launched three IT initiatives

developed by Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). These are a) PaperlessUnreserved Ticketing through Mobile Phone between New Delhi – Palwal Section (NR). b)Currency Coin cum Card operated Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (CCoTVM) at NewDelhi Railway Station. c) Mobile Application for Freight Operations (PARICHAALAN). TheParichaalan is a mobile application conceptualized to make decision making on freightoperations absolutely easy and user friendly.Vadakkunnathan Temple is located in Kerala at __?2.[A]Trivandrum[B]Kozhikode[C]Thrissur[D]VellayaniAnswer: ThrissurExplanation: India won the top UNESCO prize ‘Award of Excellence’ 2015 for the

remarkable conservation efforts of the majestic Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple at Thrissur,Kerala. It is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The award recognises theremarkable conservation effort undertaken at the sacred site which employed age-old ritualsand conservation techniques drawn from vastu shastra focusing on architecture andconstruction.Which African city will host the 2022 Commonwealth Games?3.[A]Pretoria[B] Kimberley[C]Johannesburg[D]DurbanAnswer: DurbanExplanation: The South African city of Durban is selected as the host for the 2022




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Commonwealth Games at the Federation’s general assembly in Auckland, New Zealand.Which state government of India launched One Stop Centre “Sakhi” to help women in4.distress?[A]Chattisgarh[B]Haryana[C]Uttar Pradesh[D]Madhya PradeshAnswer: HaryanaExplanation: To help women in distress, the state government of Haryana launched “Sakhi”

a One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) at Karnal district. The centre will provide help andassistance to rape survivors and victims of dowry harassment, domestic violence and otheratrocities on women, all under one roof. It is an initiative of Union Government under the‘Nirbhaya Fund’ for women safety pertaining to strategic areas of prevention, protection andrehabilitation.Who has been appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)?5.[A]R J Mishra[B]L K Jha[C]L C Goyal[D]Anil GoswamiAnswer: L C GoyalExplanation: Mr. L C Goyal, a 1979 batch Kerala cadre IAS, has been appointed as the

Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Indian Trade Promotion Organization(ITPO), a miniratna Public sector undertaking (PSU). An ITPO is the nodal agency of theGovernment of India (GoI) under aegis of Ministry of Commerce and Industry for promotingcountry’s external trade.Which of the following banks has been declared by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as Domestic6.Systemically Important Banks (D- SIBs)?[A]HDFC and ICICI[B]ICICI and SBI[C]SBI and HDFC[D]PNB and SBIAnswer: ICICI and SBIExplanation: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) declared State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI

Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D- SIBs).




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The “Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy” is associated with which sports?7.[A]Cricket[B]Badminton[C]Hockey[D]FootballAnswer: CricketExplanation: The Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy has been won by Mumbai by defeating

Tamil Nadu in the All India invitation cricket tournament by 6 wickets. This annual crickettournament has been named after Mothavarapu Buchi Babu Naidu (1868–1908) who isconsidered as the father of South Indian cricket.Which Union Ministry launched the Smart National Common Mobility Card (NCMC),8.recently?[A]Ministry of Railways[B]Ministry of Home Affairs[C]Ministry of Foreign Affairs[D]Ministry of Urban DevelopmentAnswer: Ministry of Urban DevelopmentExplanation: The Ministry of Urban Development launched a Smart National Common

Mobility Card (NCMC) model to enable seamless travel by different metros and othertransportation systems across the country besides being used for shopping as well. This cardmeets travel needs based on stored value of money and can be used for travelling by anymeans of transport and also enables account based retail applications.Who has been selected for the prestigious 2014 US National Humanities Medal?9.[A]Alice McMurtry[B]Larry Waters[C]Jhumpa Lahiri[D]All of the aboveAnswer: All of the aboveExplanation: The Indian-American Pulitzer Prize winner Ms. Jhumpa Lahiri has been

selected for the prestigious 2014 US National Humanities Medal. The other recepients areThe Clemente Course in the Humanities, Annie Dillard, Everett L. Fly, Rebecca NewbergerGoldstein, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, Fedwa Malti-Douglas, Larry McMurtry, VickiLynn Ruiz and Alice Waters. The medal honors an individual or organization whose workhas deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’




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engagement with history and literature or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access tocultural resources.The West-Central Railway (WCR) zone has become the first Railway Zone in Indian10.Railways to eliminate all unmanned level crossings. Where is the headquarters of this zone?[A]Jhansi[B]Kanpur[C]Jabalpur[D]KotaAnswer: West-Central ZoneExplanation: The West-Central Railway (WCR) zone headquartered in Jabalpur, Madhya

Pradesh has become the first Railway Zone in Indian Railways to eliminate all unmannedlevel crossings.Recently, Tropical Storm Etau caused extensive and destructive floods in which of the11.following countries?[A]Australia[B]Japan[C]China[D]Sri LankaAnswer: JapanExplanation: On September 2, 2015, the Tropical Storm Etau caused extensive and

destructive floods across eastern Japan. It originated near Guam and made a landfall inHonshu, Japan.Which among the following is the correct full form of AMRUT?12.[A]Atal Mission for Renovation and Urban Technology[B]Atal Mission for Road and Urban Transport[C]Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation[D]None of themAnswer: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)Explanation: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

From which of the following months, generally the sowing of Kharif crops takes place in13.India?[A]March[B]June[C]September




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[D]NovemberAnswer: JuneExplanation: The sowing of Kharif crops begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from

June. In current year by September, 80 per cent of the total farm area has been sown, but insome states, planting has got delayed due to poor rains.To empower women, the “Women-20 (W20)” group has been launched by G20. Who is the14.newly appointed president of the W20 group?[A]Lakshmi Puri[B]Christine Lagarde[C]Angel Gurria[D]Gulden TurktanAnswer: Gulden TurktanExplanation: To promote global gender-inclusive economic growth, the Group of Twenty

(G20) launched Women-20 (W20) group. The W20 group will have 20 women leaders fromG20 nations. The first W20 summit 2015 will held on October 7-8, 2015 at Istanbul, Turkey.Ms. Gulden Turktan from Turkey has been appointed as the first President of W20 forum.The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for global economic and financialcooperation that brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies,representing around 85 % of global GDP.Which state government of India has rechristened its e-governance architecture as “e-15.Pragati”?[A]Himachal Pradesh[B]Madhya Pradesh[C]Uttar Pradesh[D]Andhra PradeshAnswer: Andhra PradeshExplanation: The state government of Andhra Pradesh has rechristened the AP State

Enterprise Architecture (APSEA) as ‘e-Pragati’. The e-pragati will focus on achieving aunified and connected government with citizen-centricity at its core. Iti extends to 33secretariat departments and over 300 government agencies in AP. It also seeks to provide abouquet of 745 services in the government to customer (G2C), government to business(G2B), government to enterprise (G2E) and government to government (G2G) areas.To maintain availability and control the price, the Government of India has banned export of16.all pulses except __?




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[A]Tur (pigeon pea)[B]Kabuli Chana (chick pea)[C]Urad (black gram)[D]Moong (green pea)Answer: Kabuli Chana (chick pea)Explanation: The Union Government has taken several measures to increase availability

and control the price of essential commodities, especially pulses and onions. States have beenempowered to impose stock limits on pulses, export of all pulses is banned except KabuliChana, organic pulses and Lintels to the tune of 10,000 MTs. Besides there is zero duty onimport of pulses. [PIB]Recently, Forwards Markets Commission (FMC) has been merged with which of the17.following bodies?[A]SEBI[B]RBI[C]IrDA[D]NCDEXAnswer: SEBIExplanation: Forwards Markets Commission (FMC) has been recently merged with SEBI to

strengthen the regulation of Commodity Forward Markets.Which among the following states is not among the states affected by Left Wing Extremism18.(LWE) in India?[A]Rajasthan[B]Maharashtra[C]Odisha[D]BiharAnswer: RajasthanExplanation: Currently there are 82 districts of 10 states in India affected by Left Wing

Extremism (LWE). These include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Telangana.Which among the following is India’s highest foreign exchange earner sector?19.[A]Engineering Exports[B]Jewellery Export[C]Petroleum Products Export[D]Tourism




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Answer: Engineering ExportsExplanation: Engineering is the leading segment of Indian industry and overseas shipments

from this sector account for over twenty-two percent of India’s total merchandise exports.The engineering sector accounts for 25 percent of India’s total factories in the organizedsector and contributes around 35 percent of total output in the country, being the highestforeign exchange earner. [Source]The government of India’s new initiative “Kala Utsav” promotes the arts by __?20.[A]Providing folk art performers a platform to showcase their talent[B]Providing financial support to tribal art performers[C]Providing scholarship to art students[D]Nurturing and showcasing the artistic talent of school studentsShow Answer Nurturing and showcasing the artistic talent of school studentsExplanation: Kala Utsav is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development

(MHRD) to promote arts in education by nurturing and showcasing the artistic talent ofschool students at the secondary stage in the country.India has signed pact with which country for repatriation of each other’s wanted prisoners21.and cooperate in all criminal matters?[A]Indonesia[B]Singapore[C]Seychelles[D]SwitzerlandAnswer: IndonesiaExplanation: India and Indonesia have signed a pact for repatriation of each other’s wanted

prisoners and cooperate in all criminal matters, including gathering evidence. As per theagreement, India will execute summons to an accused person or to any person requiring toattend and produce documents or a search-warrant issued by an Indonesian court. Indonesiawill reciprocate with similar action if there is any request from any Indian court.Recently, the Government of India (GoI) approved the Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme. What22.is the limit of Gold quantity per person to buy gold bonds?[A]1000 grams[B]1050 grams[C]500 grams[D]350 gramsShow Answer 500 grams




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Explanation: The Union Cabinet approved the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme. In it, one can

buy gold bonds instead of actual gold. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will issue these bondson behalf of the Government of India (GoI). The excerpts of this scheme are:- a) Issued indenominations of 5, 10, 50, 100 grams of gold and a person can buy only 500 grams of bonds.B) The bonds are restricted for sale to resident Indian entities. C) Tenor of the bond: 5 to 7years. D) Available both in demat and paper form. E) Can be used as collateral for loans.Which state government of India approved the formation of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS)?23.[A]Kerala[B]Tamil Nadu[C]Jharkhand[D]TripuraAnswer: JharkhandExplanation: The state government of Jharkhand approved the formation of Anti-

Terrorism Squad (ATS). The ATS will comprise of 6 DSP and 11 Inspectors in it and will beheaded by an official of the rank of Superintendent of Police.Who among the following bollywood actors has been conferred with the Honoured Guest of24.Texas award?[A]Amitabh Bachchan[B]Sri Devi[C]Anupam Kher[D]Shyam BenegalAnswer: Anupam KherExplanation: The Bollywood actor, Mr. Anupam Kher (60) has been conferred with the

Honoured Guest award by the U.S. State of Texas for his contribution to the cinema and theworld of art.Who among the following Indian scientists won the Society’s 2015 Silver Medal?25.[A]Tessy Thomas[B]APJ Abdul Kalam Azad[C]G Satheesh Reddy[D]Mahesh RamanujamAnswer: G Satheesh ReddyExplanation: The London based Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) conferred Dr. G

Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and eminent Missile Scientist ofDRDO, with the prestigious Society’s 2015 Silver Medal for his contribution in promoting




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Aerospace and Aeronautics in India. Mr. Reddy is the first Defence scientist working in Indiato be honoured with the prestigious “Silver Medal” of the Society.Recently, Indian Railways partnered with whom to provide free high speed WiFi across 40026.railway stations in India?[A]Google[B]Airtel[C]Vodafone[D]MTNLAnswer: GoogleExplanation: The Indian Railways partnered with Google under the ‘Project Nilgiri’ to

create India’s largest network of free WiFi across 400 railway stations, pan India.To providehigh speed Internet service, the project will use Google Fiber technology. In it, first 30minutes of this service would enable high speed Internet, after which the speed will drop, butthe connection remains active. Google has collaborated with RailTel for the platform andinfrastructure to get started with the project.Which of the following state was host of 10th World Hindi Conference?27.[A]Rajasthan[B]Madhya Pradesh[C]Haryana[D]MaharashtraAnswer: Madhya PradeshExplanation: The 10th World Hindi Conference held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is a

joint event of Union Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the state Governmentof Madhya Pradesh. The theme of this conference is “Hindi Jagat-Vistar and Sambhavnaye”. Ithas been organised in Madhya Pradesh for the first time and held in India after a gap of 32years . The first World Hindi Conference was held in 1975 at Nagpur, Maharashtra.The Government of India (GoI) gave its approval on the Constitution of 21st Law28.Commission of India. Law commission is constituted for how many years?[A]7 years[B]5 years[C]4 years[D]3 yearsAnswer: 3 yearsExplanation: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi gave its




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approval on the Constitution of the 21st Law Commission of India, for a period of three yearsw.e.f. September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2018. The 21st Law Commission shall undertakeresearch in law and review of existing laws in India for making reforms therein and enactingnew legislations. It shall also undertake studies and research for bringing reforms in thejustice delivery systems for elimination of delay in procedures, speedy disposal of cases,reduction in cost of litigation, etc.The Law Commission will consist of:(a) a full-time Chairperson.(b) four full-time Members (including a Member-Secretary).(c) Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs as ex offcio Member.(d) Secretary, Legislative Department as ex offcio Member.(e) not more than five part-time Members.The Veer Savarkar International Airport is located at which city of India?29.[A]Port Blair[B]Chennai[C]Cochin[D]DiglipurAnswer: Port BlairExplanation: The Veer Savarkar International Airport (also known as Port Blair Airport) is

a customs airport located at south of Port Blair and is the main airport of the Andaman andNicobar Islands of India.Ramaswamy R. Iyer who recently passed away was an expert in __?30.[A]Water Policy[B]Farm Policy[C]Foreign Policy[D]Defense PolicyAnswer: Water PolicyExplanation: Renowned water policy expert Ramaswamy R. Iyer passed away recently. He

was instrumental in drafting India’s first National Water Policy in 1987.Kalamandalam Satyabhama who passed away recently was a classical dancer of which form of31.India?[A]Kuchipudi[B]Bharatanatyam[C]Mohiniattam[D]Kathakali




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Answer: MohiniattamExplanation: The Well-known Mohiniyattam dancer and Padmashree-awardee

choreographer, Ms. Kalamandalam Satyabhama (77) passed away due to illness at Pallakad,Kerala. She was known for her experimental reforms in Mohiniyattam as she helped to makethe traditional art form popular among dance buffs in the state.The bilateral maritime exercise “AUSINDEX15” was recently conducted between which of32.the following countries?[A]Australia & India[B]Australia and Japan[C]Australia and Taiwan[D]Australia and UKAnswer: Australia & IndiaExplanation: The first bilateral maritime exercise “AUSINDEX15” has been conducted

between Australia and India. In it, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) consists of HMAS Sirius(fleet tanker), HMAS Arunta (Anzac class frigate) and one submarine HMAS Sheean (Collinsclass submarine) while Indian Navy represented by INS Shivalik (stealth frigate), INSRanvijay (guided missile destroyer) and INS Shakti (fleet tanker).Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Press Trust of India (PTI)?33.[A]Hormusji N Cama[B]Mahendra Mohan Gupta[C]Riyad Mathew[D]Mihir ShahAnswer: Hormusji N CamaExplanation: Mr. Hormusji N Cama appointed as the Chairman of the Press Trust of India

(PTI). Mr. Cama is the director of Bombay Samachar, which is the oldest continuously-published newspaper in India since 1855. He succeeded Mr. Mahendra Mohan Gupta,Chairman and Managing Director of the Jagran Prakashan. Apart from him, Mr. RiyadMathew (Director of Malayala Manorama) was unanimously elected as the Vice Chairman ofthe PTI.To restructure water agencies which of the following committees formed by Government of34.India (GoI), recently?[A]K.G. Karmakar Committee[B]Mathew Committee[C]Mihir Shah Committee




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[D]Parthasarathi CommitteeAnswer: Mihir Shah CommitteeExplanation: The Ministry for Water Resources constituted a 7-member committee led by

former Planning Commission member Mr. Mihir Shah to restructure the Central WaterCommission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) to encourage optimaldevelopment of water resources in India. This committee will work on water resourceplanning, augmenting and budgeting in an integrated manner.Kalaripayattu is the martial art dance of which state of India?35.[A]Karnataka[B]Kerala[C]Tamil Nadu[D]ManipurAnswer: KeralaExplanation: Kalarippayattu is the traditional martial art dance of Kerala and the mother of

all martial arts. A kalari is the school (or training hall) where martial arts are taught.Theweapons used in it are strikes, kicks, etc. Footwork patterns is the most important key in thismartial art dance. Recently, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recognized theIndian Kalarippayattu Federation (IKF) as Regional Sports Federation (RSF). This decisionwas taken with a view to promote and provide due acknowledgement and importance tosports having regional spread. This recognition also grants major role to the IKF forpromotion and development of Kalarippayattu sport in India.As per the World Bank report titled “Assessment of State Implementation of Business36.Reforms” which state of India is the most investor-friendly State?[A]Andhra Pradesh[B]Jharkhand[C]Gujarat[D]BiharAnswer: GujaratExplanation: The World Bank report titled “Assessment of State Implementation of

Business Reforms” is the first ever ranking of States on the ease of doing business in India.Gujarat is at the top position followed by Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh andMadhya Pradesh.The Government of India (GoI) approved the purchase of 10 Heron TP drones from which37.country, recently?




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[A]USA[B]Russia[C]Israel[D]BrazilAnswer: IsraelExplanation: The Government of India (GoI) approved the purchase of 10 Heron TP drones

from Israel. This $ 400 million deal to buy armed missile-armed drones from Israel isexpected to enhance India’s cross-border military strike capability. These drones will beoperated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has a fleet of reconnaissance drones. IAF alsohas a fleet of Harpy UAVs from Israel, which are self destructing systems primarily taskedwith taking out enemy radar positions.The mobile banking app “LIME” has been launched by which of the following banks,38.recently?[A]Axis Bank[B]HDFC Bank[C]ICICI Bank[D]SBIAnswer: Axis BankExplanation: The mobile banking app “LIME” has been launched by Axis Bank. The app will

allow customers in both account and non-account holders to compare and shop, split bills,transfer money and even share their mobile banking wallets. This app can also be used topool money to buy gifts or for group travel by friends.Which among the following banks has recently launched “SimplyCLICK” card for online39.shopping?[A]ICICI[B]SBI[C]Axis[D]HDFCAnswer: SBIExplanation: The State Bank of India (SBI) launched the the SimplyCLICK SBI Card for

online shopping. For this new cr card, SBI Card has partnered Amazon India,Book My Show,Cleartrip, FabFurnish, Food Panda, Lens Kart and Ola Cabs. The card has been inspired bythe needs and aspirations of the generation that is always online.Which city of China will host the 2022 Asian Games?40.




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[A]Dongguan[B]Guangzhou[C]Hangzhou[D]ShanghaiAnswer: HangzhouExplanation: Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province in east China has been chosen

by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to host the 2022 Asian Games. It will be the third timethat the Asian games will be held in a Chinese city after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in2010. Hangzhou is best known for the West Lake, a placid and tourist attraction and is alsohome base of Chinese Internet (ecommerce) giant Alibaba.The recently launched PMKKKY scheme is related to which of the following sectors?41.[A]Agriculture[B]Mines and Minerals[C]Industry[D]Education and Skill DevelopmentAnswer: Mines and MineralsExplanation: Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) for welfare of the

people living in areas which are affected directly or indirectly by mining. ****Who among the following has topped the recently released Fortune’s list of 50 most powerful42.women in business?[A]Mary Barra[B]Ginni Rometty[C]Marillyn Hewson[D]Indra NooyiAnswer: Mary BarraExplanation: PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi is the sole Indian-origin executive in Fortune’s list

of 50 most powerful women in business, which has been topped by General Motors CEOMary Barra.What was India’s rank in the Commonwealth Youth Games overall medal tally?43.[A]Second[B]Third[C]Fourth[D]FifthAnswer: Fifth




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Explanation: India ended their Commonwealth Youth Games with fifth spot in the overall

tally with 19 medals (9 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze) behind Australia (24, 19, 19), South Africa(13, 7, 15), England (12, 16, 16) and Malaysia (11, 3, 3).Who is the director of the recently released Iranian film “Muhammad: Messenger of God”,44.which faced some controversy?[A]Shahab Abbasi[B]Majid Majidi[C]Nosrat Karimi[D]Mahmoud RahmaniAnswer: Majidi MajidiExplanation: “Muhammad: Messenger of God”is an Iranian movie directed by Majid Majidi.

Its music was composed by Indian music composer A.R. Rahman. The movie came undersome controversy when a lesser known Muslim group issued a fatwa against Rahman.Which of the following is the guided missile destroyer of Indian Navy?45.[A]INS Shivalik[B]INS Ranvijay[C]IN Shakti[D]INS SindhudurgAnswer: INS RanvijayExplanation: INS Ranvijay is one of the Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers of Indian

Navy. It is in service since 1987.In recent years, it has taken part into several war games andexercised. In 2015, it represented Indian Navy in the first biennial bilateral maritime exercisebetween Australia and India “AUSINDEX” along with stealth frigate INS Shivalik and fleettanker INS Shakti.The “six-nation accord”, which was recently making news is related to which of the following46.countries?[A]North Korea[B]Iraq[C]Iran[D]SyriaAnswer: IranExplanation: Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States had reached a historic

accord in July 2015 to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade inreturn for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.




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According to SEBI norms, what is the minimum investment an investor is needed to make47.through book-building process to be called an “anchor investor”?[A]Rs. 10 Crore[B]Rs. 20 Crore[C]Rs. 50 Crore[D]Rs. 100 CroreAnswer: 10 CroreExplanation: An anchor investor in market parlance refers to a qualified institutional buyer

(QIB) making an application for a value of Rs.10 crore or more through the book-buildingprocess.SEBI, in 2009, introduced the concept of anchor investor in public issues in order tocreate a significant impact on pricing of initial public offers (IPOs).With reference to United Nations, which among the following status is applicable to Vatican?48.[A]Member State[B]Non-Member Non-sovereign State[C]Observer State[D]Non-member observer stateAnswer: Non-member observer stateExplanation: Palestine became an observer state in 2012. The Vatican has been a non-

member observer state since 1964.Which among the following doubles tournaments have been recently Leander Paes and49.Martina Hingis pair in 2015?OS Open2. Australian Open3. WimbledonSelect the correct option from the codes given below:[A]Only 1 & 2[B]Only 2 & 3[C]Only 1 & 3[D]1, 2 & 3Answer: 1, 2 & 3Explanation: Leander Paes created history by winning the US Open mixed doubles title with

Swiss partner Martina Hingis to become the format’s most successful male player in the Openera. With this win, the Paes-Hingis duo, which also won the Australian Open and theWimbledon titles early this season, have become the first mixed doubles team since 1969 to




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win three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles in the same year.Which of the following cosmonauts currently holds record for having spent maximum time50.in Space?[A]Gennady Padalka[B]Sergei Krikalev[C]Alexandr Kaleri[D]Sergei AvdeyevAnswer: Gennady PadalkaExplanation: In September 2015, the Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka has returned to

Earth with the record for having spent the most time in space. The 57-year-old’s latestmission lasted 168 days, bringing his total to 879 days in space over five trips; which is morethan anyone else so far.Who among the following is current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka?51.[A]Maithripala Sirisena[B]Ranil Wickremesinghe[C]Chandrika Kumaratunga[D]Mahinda RajapaksaAnswer: Ranil WickremesingheExplanation: Recently, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had visited India.

He is holding the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka since 9 January 2015. He is also theleader of the United National Front. This is his third term as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.Which of the following countries has established the India Rapid Reaction Cell (IRRC) to52.speed up its defense ties with India?[A]United States[B]France[C]Israel[D]RussiaAnswer: United StatesExplanation: India Rapid Reaction Cell is the name of first ever country special cell

established by the Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. It is apart of India- U.S. Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) and has been set up tospeed up defense ties with India, which is not only a big buyer but also a potentialcollaborator in defense sector. It is headed by Keith Webster, Director, InternationalCooperation Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition, Technology and




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Logistics.Which among the following is NOT a G4 group country?53.[A]Japan[B]South Africa[C]Brazil[D]GermanyAnswer: South AfricaExplanation: G-4 group is a group of four countries viz. Japan, Germany, Brazil and India

and this group wants expansion of the United Nations Security Council and permanent seatsfor themselves.Amogha-1, which was successfully tested recently is a __?54.[A]Anti-Tank Guided Missile[B]Ballistic Missile[C]Unmanned Aerial Vehicle[D]Battle TankAnswer: Anti-Tank Guided MissileExplanation: Amogha-1 is the name of India’s indigenously-developed second generation

Anti-Tank Guided Missile. It has a range of 2.8 kilometres. This is the first-ever design anddevelopmental effort in respect of missiles by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad. Itwas recently successfully test fired at Babina Army Range, Madhya Pradesh. ****The Union Government has recently established a panel to Central Water Commission55.(CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). Who among the following headsthis panel?[A]Vijay Kelkar[B]Sumit Bose[C]Bibek Debroy[D]Mihir ShahAnswer: Mihir ShahExplanation: The Ministry for Water Resources has constituted a seven-member

committee led by former Planning Commission member Mihir Shah to restructure theCentral Water Commission (CWC) and the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) toencourage optimal development of water resources in the country.Currently (September 2015), which of the following states have fixed minimum educational56.qualifications for those contesting panchayat polls?




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Rajasthan2. Madhya Pradesh3. HaryanaSelect the correct option from the codes given below:[A]Only 1[B]Only 1 & 2[C]Only 1 & 3[D]1, 2 & 3Answer: Only 1 & 3Explanation: After Rajasthan, Haryana has become the second BJP-ruled State to fix

minimum educational qualifications for those contesting panchayat polls, thus excluding avast swathe of the poor and socially disadvantaged from aspiring to becoming members oflocal bodies.Which among the following is / are Post office deposits?57.Senior Citizen Saving Scheme2. Kisan Vikas Patra3. Public Provident FundSelect the correct option from the codes given below:[A]Only 1 & 2[B]Only 2 & 3[C]Only 1 & 3[D]1, 2 & 3Answer: 1, 2 & 3Explanation: Currently the Post Office deposits are Monthly Income Scheme; Recurring

Deposits (RD), Saving Accounts, 5-year NSC VIII, 10-year NSC IX, Fixed Deposits, SeniorCitizen Saving Scheme; Kisan Vikas Patra; Public Provident Fund and Sukanya SamriddhiYojna.What would be the number of bytes, transferred at the rate of 1 Kilobit per second?58.[A]100[B]108[C]125[D]128Answer: 125Explanation: kilobit per second (kbps) is a unit of data transfer rate equal to 1,000 bits per




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second and 125 bytes per second.InterGlobe Aviation is the parent firm of which among the following airlines in India?59.[A]GoAir[B]SpiceJet[C]IndiGo[D]JetAirwaysAnswer: IndiGoExplanation: Low-cost airline IndiGo’s parent firm InterGlobe Aviation has received

approval from market regulator Sebi for its Rs. 2,500-crore initial public offer. Under theoffer, the company plans to issue fresh shares worth Rs. 1,272 crore.Which of the following is India’s largest potato producing state?60.[A]Uttar Pradesh[B]West Bengal[C]Bihar[D]MaharashtraAnswer: Uttar PradeshExplanation: Top potato producing states of India are Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Assam,

Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and West BengalTo ensure 24×7 power supply to every house, the Integrated Power Development Scheme61.(IPDS) has recently launched in which state of India?[A]Bikaner[B]Varanasi[C]Nagpur[D]New DelhiAnswer: VaranasiExplanation: The Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi launched the National Integrated

Power Development Scheme (IPDS) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to provide 24×7 power supplyto every house. The key features of the IPDS scheme are as follows: a) IT enablement ofdistribution sector and strengthening of distribution network. B) Strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution network in the urban areas. C) Metering of distributiontransformers /feeders / consumers in the urban areas.Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) comes under which of the following?62.[A]NITI Ayog[B]Ministry of Science and Technology




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[C]Ministry of Information and Broadcasting[D]Ministry of Communications and Information TechnologyAnswer: Ministry of Communications and Information TechnologyExplanation: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been shifted to the

administrative control of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology fromNiti Aayog. The Cabinet Secretariat has amended Government of India (Allocation ofBusiness) Rules, 1961 and put it under Department of Electronics and InformationTechnology (DeITy), Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. Earlier,UIDAI was the part of Planning Commission. Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identificationnumber issued by UIDAI.Which Indian cricketer has joined an anti-poaching campaign to save the wild animals in63.Kenya?[A]Virat Kohli[B]Ajinkya Rahane[C]Saurav Ganguli[D]Rohit SharmaAnswer: Rohit SharmaExplanation: The Indian cricketer Mr. Rohit Sharma has joined an anti-poaching campaign

to save the wild animals of Africa in Kenya. Mr. Sharma along with Hollywood actors MattLe Blanc and Salma Hayek will be involved in taking care of the last surviving NorthernWhite Rhinoceros of the rare species. He is the member of PETA (People for EthicalTreatment of Animals).Which Indian organization recently commissioned two new ships viz. Apoorva and C-421?64.[A]Indian Navy[B]Assam Rifles[C]Indian Coast Guard[D]Special Frontier ForceAnswer: Indian Coast GuardExplanation: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) commissioned two indigenously built ships

Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) ICGS “Apoorva” and Interceptor Boat “C-421” at the Naval Dock inMumbai, Maharashtra. ICGS Apoorva is the 14th fast patrol vessel in a series of 20, is a 50-metre long and can achieve a top speed of 33 knots and displaces 317 tonnes. C-421 is a waterjet propelled vessel, 27th in the series of Ibs constructed by L & T Limited and can achieve amaximum speed of 45 Knots.




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Which of the following personalities is known as “Metro Man”?65.[A]PV Chandran[B]Elattuvalapil Sreedharan[C]Tessy Thomas[D]Man Mohan SharmaAnswer: Elattuvalapil SreedharanExplanation: The “Metro Man” Mr. E Sreedharan has been invited to the United Nations’

High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST). The service is for a periodof 3 years and Mr. Sreedharan has accepted the offer. He was given the nickname of MetroMan by the Indian media for his grand success in executing the completion of the DelhiMetro on time and with stipulated budget.Which drug/ painkiller has been responsible for large scale decline in the vulture population?66.[A]Paracetamol[B]Codeine[C]Morphine[D]DiclofenacAnswer: DiclofenacExplanation: On the request of Union Environment Ministry, the Union Health Ministry

banned the sale of multiple-dose vials of a painkiller “diclofenac” whose use in the veterinarysector has pushed vultures in India to the brink of extinction. The commonly-used anti-inflammatory drug for cattle is considered the chief cause for the steep decline in the numberof vultures in recent years. The drug is harmless to the cattle it is administered to, but is fatalfor the vultures, who routinely feed on the carcass of dead cattle. Studies have shown that thedrug causes kidney and liver failure in vultures.The Hybrid Vacuum Toilets in Indian Railway system has been developed by which Indian67.Organisation, recently?[A]ISRO[B]DRDO[C]Indian Railways[D]Indian Organic Chemicals LtdAnswer: Indian RailwaysExplanation: The Development cell of Indian Railways has developed a “Hybrid Vacuum

Toilet” design that combines the advantages of Vacuum toilets and Bio toilets. It will help tomaintain hygiene and cleanliness in toilets or tracks of Indian Railways as there will have no




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direct evacuation of human waste. This newly developed toilet facility has been fitted on trialbasis in Dibrugarh Rajdhani. The concept of a hybrid vacuum toilet is a first ever system of itskind to have been developed and built by any railway system in the world.Which among the following banks bagged the first prize under the All India Rajbhasha Kirti68.Puraskar Scheme of Government of India (GoI)?[A]State Bank of India (SBI)[B]Bank of Baroda (BoB)[C]Punjab National Bank (PNB)[D]Vijaya BankAnswer: Bank of Baroda (BoB)Explanation: The Bank of Baroda (BoB) bagged the first prize under the All India Rajbhasha

Kirti Puraskar Scheme of Government of India (GoI). The PSU has bagged the award foroutstanding performance in official language implementation under the category ofnationalized banks in the linguistic region – B for the year 2014-15.The Supreme Court of India launched which portal to track cases pending at district courts?69.[A]National Judicial Data Grid[B]National Judicial Public Access Grid[C]National Judicial Track Grid[D]National Judicial District GridAnswer: National Judicial Data GridExplanation: The Supreme Court of India launched a public access portal of the National

Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) for district courts to demystify the judicial process for the ordinarycitizen. The public access portal will disseminate national, state, district and court-wiseinformation about institution and disposal of cases on a monthly basis. The NJDG will alsoprovides daily statistics on case pendency before the courts under the e-courts projects.Which mobile app has been launched by the state government of Madhya Pradesh for70.teachers?[A]M-Shiksha-Dharam[B]M-Shiksha-Guru[C]M-Shiksha-Suvidha[D]M-Shiksha-MitraAnswer: M-Shiksha-MitraExplanation: The state government of Madhya Pradesh launched M-Shiksha-Mitra mobile

app to provide various services and teaching-related work to teachers in simple and easy way.




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With this, Madhya Pradesh became the first state to develop such mobile for teachers. Thekey features of this app are as follows:a) Teachers can use this app to browse salary slips, funds sent to school under various heads,scholarships, different circulars and GPF statement.b) They can send SMS about their problems and know status of their redressal.c) The app will also be used for applying for leave and e-attendance.d) Facility of free 200 SMSs has been given in the app.e) Developed by NIC that carries several facilities can be downloaded from Google Play Storein android mobile phone.Which among the following is the National flower of the newly adopted constitution of71.Nepal?[A]Lali gurans[B]Chrysanthemum[C]Lotus[D]Blue water lilyAnswer: Lali guransExplanation: With reference of the newly adopted constitution of Nepal, the list of national

symbols of Nepal area) National Bird: Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus).b) National Flag: World’s only non-quadrilateral national flag.c) National Emblem: Coat of arms.d) National Dress: Daura-Suruwal.e) National Anthem: Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka.f) National Animal: Cow.g) National Flower: Rhododendron (or lali gurans).h) National Language: Nepali.With which country India has created a “joint challenge coin” to symbolise their unique72.partnership in creating a next-generation aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy?[A]Israel[B]USA[C]Japan[D]RussiaAnswer: USAExplanation: India and the USA have created a “joint challenge coin” to symbolise their




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unique partnership in creating a next-generation aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy. Oneside of the coin reads “Forward Together We Go” and “Chale Chale Saath Saath” in Hindi andthe other side of it is golden in colour, has the flags of India and the United States of America(USA) and an aircraft carrier floating on blue water.Which International organisation will provide support for Arunachal Vision 2030?73.[A]WHO[B]UNDP[C]UNICEF[D]UNOAnswer: UNDPExplanation: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will provide support

in implementation of Arunachal Vision 2030 and CM’s Mission on Skill Development andEmployment Generation in the state.Who has been appointed as the chairman of National Commission for Protection of Child74.Rights (NCPCR)?[A]Stuti Narain Kacker[B]Kushal Singh[C]Anita Kapur[D]Lalita SrisaiAnswer: Stuti Narain KackerExplanation: Ms. Stuti Narain Kacker appointed as the chairman of National Commission

for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Ms. Kacker, a 1978 batch IAS officer, was appointedthe Head of the child rights panel by Women and Child Development Ministry. TheCommission deals with education, child development, care of neglected and marginalisedchildren, elimination of child labour, child psychology and other laws related to children.The recently approved ISLRTC centre as a society is related to which of the following75.sectors?[A]Agriculture[B]Industry[C]Deaf[D]WomenAnswer: DeafExplanation: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has

approved the setting up of the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre




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(ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The ISLRTC society will beunder the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry ofSocial Justice and Empowerment. It will be initially located at the Institute for PhysicallyHandicapped, New Delhi. The society will help 5 million deaf people of the country andprovide the hearing- impaired an increased accessibility in education, workplace and otheractivities in public life.Which of the following is location of newly approved Indian Sign Language Research and76.Training Centre (ISLRTC)?[A]New Delhi[B]Mumbai[C]Kolkata[D]ChennaiAnswer: New DelhiExplanation: The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has

approved the setting up of the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre(ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The ISLRTC society will beunder the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry ofSocial Justice and Empowerment. It will be initially located at the Institute for PhysicallyHandicapped, New Delhi. The society will help 5 million deaf people of the country andprovide the hearing- impaired an increased accessibility in education, workplace and otheractivities in public life.Which state recently organized the “Korea Caravan 2015”?77.[A]Andhra Pradesh[B]New Delhi[C]Tamil Nadu[D]KeralaAnswer: Andhra PradeshExplanation: The Korea-Andhra Pradesh Friendship Forum organized the Korea Caravan

2015 in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This is for the first time that Caravan was heldoutside New Delhi. The state government of Andhra Pradesh will create a Korea Desk, whichwould be an exclusive cell to be opened in the State Secretariat, to issue necessary clearancesand give swift response to investors. Likewise, it also called upon the Koreans to join handswith the Indians to set up various industries in the State and in building the capitalAmaravathi.




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Which of the following women leaders from India has been presented with USIBC global78.leadership award?[A]Indra Nooyi and Shobhana Bhartia[B]Chanda Kochar and Indra Nooyi[C]Nita Ambani and Suneeta Reddy[D]Arundhati Bhattacharya and Chnadra KocharAnswer: Indra Nooyi and Shobhana BhartiaExplanation: The PepsiCo Chairman Ms. Indra Nooyi and Hindustan Times Group

chairperson Ms. Shobhana Bhartia have been presented with the 2015 Global LeadershipAward of the US India Business Council, for their commitment to driving a more inclusiveglobal economy and their roles as women leaders. The renowned Indian-American artist, Mr.Natvar Bhavsar, who is known for his abstract expressionism and “color-field” painting, wasawarded the Artistic Achievement Award.Infosys has recently bagged a contract from the Government of India (GoI) to set up IT79.platform for which of the following?[A]Digital India[B]National Population Register[C]National Agricultural Market[D]Goods and Services Tax NetworkAnswer: Goods and Services Tax NetworkExplanation: The India’s second largest IT service exporter, Infosys bagged a Rs.1,380-crore

contract from the Government of India (GoI) to build technology infrastructure for Goodsand Services Tax Network (GSTN), a new single indirect tax structure across the country.The 5 year contract will commence from October 1, 2015. Infosys will provide the hardwareand software applications for GST and also the end-to-end deployment. The GST IT systemwill provide a standard interface for the taxpayer viz. registration, filing of returns andpayment of tax and a common and shared IT infrastructure between the Centre, the statesand other bodies viz. Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Who is the director of Marathi film “Court”, which was recently selected as India’s official80.entry to Oscars?[A]Mira Nair[B]Supran Sen[C]Koratala Siva[D]Chaitanya Tamhane




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Answer: Chaitanya TamhaneExplanation: The National award winning Marathi film ‘Court’ has been selected as India’s

official entry for the 88th Academy Awards 2016. The movie has been short listed for the‘Best Foreign Movie’ category. The movie is written and directed by Mr. Chaitanya Tamhaneand produced by Vivek Gomber.Who among the following heads the expert group set up by NITI Aayog to draft land leasing81.law?[A]R Mehrishi[B]T Haque[C]JP Mishra[D]HS MeenaAnswer: T HaqueExplanation: The Agriculture Division of National Institution for Transforming India

(NITI) Aayog constituted an expert group on Land Leasing. The expert group will be headedby former Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) chairman Mr. T Haque.The committee consists of members from Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab,Maharashtra, Assam, Rajasthan, Meghalaya and Joint Secretary Mr. HS Meena from theDepartment of Land Resources. Mr. JP Mishra, the Adviser (Agriculture) in NITI Aayog willact as the member secretary.Which of the following recently got the certificate by Limca Book of Records for the “Largest82.Yoga performance”?[A]ITBP[B]BSF[C]CRPF[D]NCCAnswer: NCCExplanation: The National Cadet Corps (NCC) got the certificate by the Limca Book of

Records for the ‘Largest Yoga performance simultaneously by a single uniformed youthorganisation’ at multiple venues on International Day of Yoga (June 21). The certificate waspresented by Mr. Vijaya Ghose, or Limca Book of Records to Lt Gen A Chakravarty in thepresence of Union Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar.Which Indian organisation got SKOCH Awards for Smart Governance initiatives, recently?83.[A]EPFO[B]RBI




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[C]SEBI[D]SBIAnswer: EPFOExplanation: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) got SKOCH Award for

Smart Governance.Chennakesava temple is located at which state of India?84.[A]Kerala[B]Karnataka[C]Tamil Nadu[D]OdishaAnswer: KarnatakaExplanation: The Chennakeshava temple, dedicated to the Lord Vishnu, is located in

Aralaguppe, a small town in the Tumkur district, Karnataka. The temple was built around1250 A.D. During the rule of the Hoysala Empire King Vira Someshwara.Which amongst the following automakers in India launched quadricycle ‘Qute’ recently?85.[A]Tata Motors[B]Marutu Suzuki[C]Volkswagen[D]Bajaj AutoAnswer: Bajaj AutoExplanation: The automaker Bajaj Auto launched its much-awaited RE60 quadricycle ‘Qute’

at a Free-on-Board (FoB) price tag of $2,000 (around Rs. 1.35 lakh). The vehicle is meantonly for export markets for now, as the regulations for India are not yet in place because of anongoing Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court. Here, FoB refers to termsrequiring the seller to deliver goods on board a vessel designated by the buyer. Depending onthe duties and taxes of each country, the price will differ in each market.Which amongst the following countries hosted the first ‘Bhagvad Gita’ conference recently?86.[A]India[B]Nepal[C]United Kingdom[D]Sri LankaAnswer: United KingdomExplanation: The first conference on the contemporary relevance of the ‘Bhagvad Gita’ was

held in London, United Kingdom. The conference was organised by Indian Council of




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Cultural Relations and High Commission of India. The purpose of the conference was to dealwith the innumerable questions that exercise and confound through Bhagvad Gita and helpto tap unique transformational energy. The ‘Bhagvad Gita’ is the most widely read and crucialone for the understanding of Eastern mysticism.Which High Court of India ruled that the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 200687.will apply on Muslims too?[A]Rajasthan High Court[B]New Delhi High Court[C]Gujarat High Court[D]Madras High CourtAnswer: Gujarat High CourtExplanation: The Gujarat High Court has held that the special law ” Prohibition of Child

Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006″ will prevail over the Muslim Personal Law in cases whereMuslims marry off their minor daughters. The promoters of such marriages will face legalproceedings. The ruling held that the Child Marriage Act is a Special Act and it will overridethe provisions of Muslim Personal Law, Hindu Marriage Act or any personal law. The rulingwas made by Justice JB Pardiwala.Which of the following is not located in Ladakh?88.[A]Hemis Monastery[B]Salt Valley[C]Zanskar Pass[D]Dibang ValleyAnswer: Dibang ValleyExplanation: Dibang Valley is in Arunachal Pradesh. Hemis Monastery is a Buddhist

monastery of Drupka lineage. Salt Valley is in Rupshu region of Ladakh.Which day has been proclaimed by United Nations as “International Genocide89.Commemoration Day”?[A]December 9[B]November 12[C]October 25[D]September 22Answer: December 9Explanation: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolutions that

proclaimed December 9 as International Day of Commemoration & Dignity of the Victims of




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the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. The day marks the anniversary ofthe signing of the 1948 Genocide Convention.Which of the following countries was earlier known as Republic of Upper Volta?90.[A]Zimbabwe[B]Burkina Faso[C]Niger[D]GhanaAnswer: Burkina FasoExplanation: Burkina Faso is a land-locked West African state surrounded by six countries.

It has a population of just over 17 million people. Formerly known as the Republic of UpperVolta, the official language is French. It is an important ally for the US and France in the fightagainst militants in the Sahel region. A military coup was held here recently.Nuakhai festival is celebrated in which among the following states of India?91.[A]Bihar[B]Uttar Pradesh[C]Odisha[D]PunjabAnswer: OdishaExplanation: Nuakhai is an agricultural festival mainly observed by people of Western

Odisha in India. Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice of the season. According to theHindu calendar it is observed on panchamitithi (the fifth day) of the lunar fortnight of themonth of Bhadrapada or Bhaadra (August–September), the day after the Ganesh Chaturthifestival. This is the most important social festival of Western Odisha.Which of the following is the first developing country to prepare a Climate Change Strategy92.and Action Plan and to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund?[A]India[B]Bangladesh[C]Nepal[D]Sri LankaAnswer: BangladeshExplanation: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named as one of the

winners of the UN’s highest environmental accolades – Champion of the Earth in recognitionof Bangladesh’s far-reaching initiatives to address climate change. According to UNEP:Bangladesh is the first developing country to prepare a Climate Change Strategy and Action




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Plan and to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund in 2009.It has one of the world’slargest solar home energy systems covering over 10% of its off-grid population, and earmarks6% of its annual budget for climate change adaptation. Previous winners include NationalGeographic Society, South Africa’s Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit and Brazil’s cosmeticfirm Natura.The Long March-6 rocket was launched by which among the following countries recently?93.[A]United States[B]China[C]France[D]IndiaAnswer: ChinaExplanation: China has successfully launched a newly-developed carrier rocket Long

March-6, capable of taking satellites into the orbit, as part of the country’s space program.The 29.3-meter- long rocket carried 20 micro satellites into the space, which are due to beused for experiments in technology and new products, adding that the new carrier rocket usesa fuel composed of liquid oxygen and kerosene, which is purportedly free of toxicity andpollution. Based on a 2011 policy paper, the Long March-6 rockets are expected to be capableof putting not less than one ton of payload into the orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometres.The Parchin military site, which was recently making news is in which country?94.[A]Iran[B]Iraq[C]Syria[D]LibyaAnswer: IranExplanation: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recently taken

environmental samples from the sensitive military site in Iran. Parchin is a military complexlocated some 30 kilometres South of Iran’s capital Tehran. It has also served as a missile testrange.The Syriza party has recently won third national election in which of the following European95.countries recently?[A]Netherlands[B]Belgium[C]Croatia[D]Greece




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Answer: GreeceExplanation: In Greece, Alexis Tsipras’ left-wing Syriza party won country’s third national

vote this year despite a party rebellion over his acceptance of a painful third internationalbailout. Though Syriza fell short of a governing majority in the 300-member parliament andwas projected to win 145 seats, however it was expected to form a coalition government withease. ****Which of the following countries has world’s highest household broadband penetration in96.2015?[A]Qatar[B]United States[C]South Korea[D]JapanAnswer: South KoreaExplanation: According to the State of Broadband 2015 report by the United Nations,

Republic of Korea continues to have the world’s highest household broadband penetration,with 98.5 per cent of homes connected.According to recently released National Health Profile 2015, which state has highest maternal97.mortality rate in India?[A]Bihar[B]Uttar Pradesh[C]Assam[D]West BengalAnswer: AssamExplanation: Maternal mortality ratio is highest in Assam, with 300 per one Lakh live births

and the lowest in Kerala, with 61 per one Lakh live birthsThe Government of India has cleared procurement of Apache attack helicopters from which98.among the following manufacturers?[A]Sukhoi[B]Boeing[C]AgustaWestland[D]Lockheed MartinAnswer: BoeingExplanation: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, the Cabinet

Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared a multi-billion dollar deal for 22 Apache attack




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helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing.The Government of India is launching Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan for __?99.[A]Persons of Old Age[B]Persons with Disabilities[C]Visually Impaired Persons[D]Widows and abandoned womenAnswer: Persons with DisabilitiesExplanation: Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment said the government will

give all possible facilities to Persons with Disabilities under its national flagship campaign‘Accessible India Campaign’ (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). Starting from Mumbai, theprogramme will be initially implemented in 50 big cities across the country. The campaignwill audit accessibility issues pertaining to government buildings among other things.The FARC rebels are members of a terrorist organization which is in conflict with which of100.the following governments?[A]Brazil[B]Panama[C]Colombia[D]VenezuelaAnswer: ColombiaExplanation: Recently Colombian government and FARC rebels have agreed to sign a

definitive peace deal within six months to end half a century of conflict.The India Brand Equity Foundation is a trust established by which ministry?101.[A]Ministry of Economics[B]Ministry of Commerce[C]Ministry of Agriculture[D]Ministry of DefenceAnswer: Ministry of CommerceExplanation: India Brand Equity Foundation is a trust established by the Department of

Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Its primary objectiveis to promote and create international awareness of the made in India label in marketsoverseas to facilitate dissemination of knowledge of Indian products and servicesThe Bloodhound SSC project, which is in news, aims to design world’s fastest ___?102.[A]Flight[B]Car




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[C]Ship[D]TrainAnswer: CarExplanation: Bloodhound SSC is a unique, high-technology project to design and build a car

that will break the 1,000mph barrier and set a new world land speed record. Designed andconstructed in the UK, Bloodhound SSC includes components and sponsorship frominternational companies and will make its record attempt in South Africa.Which planet has largest planetary magnetosphere in the solar system?103.[A]Earth[B]Jupiter[C]Mars[D]NeptuneAnswer: JupiterExplanation: The magnetosphere of Jupiter is the largest planetary magnetosphere in the

Solar system, extending up to 7,000,000 kilometres on the dayside and almost to the orbit ofSaturn on the nightside. Jupiter’s magnetosphere is stronger than Earth’s by an order ofmagnitude, and its magnetic moment is approximately 18,000 times larger.The controversial Kalasa-Banduri canal project is associated with which two states?104.[A]Karnataka and Maharashtra[B]Maharashtra and Goa[C]Karnataka and Goa[D]Andhra Pradesh and KarnatakaAnswer: Karnataka and GoaExplanation: The Kalasa Banduri is a controversial canal project between Karnataka and

Goa. Karnataka plans to divert a meagre 7.56 tmc of its Mahadayi basin contribution to theMalaprabha dam to meet the drinking water needs of the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwadand the surrounding towns and villages. The plan is to channelise the diverted water throughKalasa- Banduri, two separate canals so that water could be supplied to the twin cities andNargund, Navalgund, Badami, Ron, Gadag and 100 villages. Kalasa-Banduri project plannedin 1989; Goa raised objection to it. Goa filed a complaint seeking setting up of a tribunal inJuly 2002. The Ministry of Water Resources kept the clearance given to Karnataka inabeyance in September 2002. Goa moved the Supreme Court in 2006 seeking constitution ofa tribunal, withdrawing approval for any work in the basin. Mahadayi (Mandovi) is a waterdeficit basin and water diversion could impact the environment. The Mahadayi Water




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Disputes Tribunal was set up on 22.11.2010. The tribunal has framed 70 issues fordetermination of claims by the riparian states. The matter has been posted for hearing onNovember 23, 2015. The states have completed filing the statements before the tribunal. Thefinal verdict should be given before August 2016.Who has been conferred with the prestigious Vyaas Samman award for the year 2014?105.[A]Kamal Kishore Goenka[B]Trilok Chandra Chaterjee[C]Balachandra Subramaniam[D]Aravind ChandrashekarAnswer: Kamal Kishore GoenkaExplanation: The 24th Vyaas Samman award was conferred on eminent Hindi writer Dr

Kamal Kishore Goenka for his work “Premachand ki Kahaniyon ka Kaal kramanusaarAdhyayan”. It was published in 2012, this book is a chronological study of short storieswritten by Munshi Premchand.Which city is the venue for the World Junior Circuit Finals scheduled to be held in January,106.2016?[A]Bengaluru[B]Chennai[C]Indore[D]JaipurAnswer: IndoreExplanation: India will be hosting the World Junior Circuit Finals at Indore between

January 22 and 25. This was confirmed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)in a statement to the Table Tennis Federation of India.Which country has recently adopted Cow as national animal?107.[A]Sri Lanka[B]Bhutan[C]Nepal[D]SingaporeAnswer: NepalExplanation: Cow, which is sacred to Hindus, has been declared the animal of Nepal. Now,

the animal has constitutional protection and cow slaughter has also been banned in Nepal.The Lapis Lazuli is a historic corridor connects Afghanistan with which region of the world?108.[A]Europe




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[B]South Asia[C]Africa[D]North AmericaAnswer: EuropeExplanation: The Lapis Lazuli corridor connects Afghanistan through Turkmenistan,

Azerbaijan, Georgia to the Black Sea and ultimately through Turkey to the Merranean Seaand Europe. The Lapis Lazuli corridor is a historic corridor. Some 2,000 years back, lapislazuli stone was exported from Badakhshan in north-eastern Afghanistan through this routeto Europe. ****The chemical used in indelible ink (Election ink) is _____?109.[A]Sodium Nitrate[B]Potassium Nitrate[C]Silver Nitrate[D]Silver IodideAnswer: Silver NitrateExplanation: Indelible ink typically contain Silver Nitrate which stains the skin on exposure

of ultraviolet light, leaving a mark that is impossible to wash off and is only removed onexternal skin cells are replaced.The “Ease of Doing Business Index” is prepared and published by _____?110.[A]World Trade Organisation[B]World Bank Group[C]United Nations[D]European UnionAnswer: World Bank GroupExplanation: The ease of doing business index is prepared by World Bank Group. The

index ranks economies from 1 to 189, with first place being the best. A high ranking meansthat the regulatory environment is conducive to business operation. The index averages thecountry’s percentile rankings on 10 topics covered in the World Bank’s Doing Business. ****Who became the first solo woman to win the prestigious Royal Society Winton Prize for111.Science Books of the Year award?[A]Gaia Vince[B]Bill Bryson[C]Christopher Jean[D]Martiana Higgs




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Answer: Gaia VinceExplanation: Gaia Vince became the first solo woman to win the prestigious Royal Society

Science Book of the year award. She won 2015 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Booksfor her book, Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet. Ms.Vince is a science or and journalist who completed a 800 day tour of the globe which was thebasis of her book. The book investigates the Anthropocene Age the epoch in which wecurrently live and how humans are changing the planet, for the better and for the worse. TheRoyal Society Winton Prize for Science Books was founded in 1988 to celebrate outstandingpopular science books.The Madhesi people, who are in news now a days, are related to which country?112.[A]Sri Lanka[B]Myanmar[C]Nepal[D]BhutanAnswer: NepalExplanation: Madhesis are a group of People from lower land of Nepal. Madhesis occupy

most important geographical location called Terai (or Madhesh) which is most strategiclocation for Nepal’s economic prosperity and development. Terai is bordering the Indianstates Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttaranchal. The high density of Madhesis isconcentrated along the Indo-Nepal border line. Madhesi form 40-50 per cent of the totalpopulation of Nepal.The Pichhwai paintings which portray Lord Krishna, famous in which state?113.[A]Haryana[B]Bihar[C]Rajasthan[D]GujaratAnswer: RajasthanExplanation: Picchwai Paintings are intricate paintings which portray Lord Krishna. They

exist in the holy town of Nathdwara in the Rajasthan.Who has been appointed as chairman of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights114.(NCPCR)?[A]Stuti Narain Kacker[B]Varuna Bharghava[C]Chandra Premalatha Singh




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[D]Kushal Singh KapoorAnswer: Stuti Narain KackerExplanation: Stuti Narain Kacker, a 1978 batch of IAS officer, was appointed the head of the

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights by women and child developmentministry. The chairperson’s position fell vacant after the tenure of former UPA appointeeKushal Singh ended in October last year. The commission deals with education, childdevelopment, care of neglected and marginalised children, elimination of child labour, childpsychology and other laws related to children.Which among the following is the India’s first multi wavelength space observatory?115.[A]Lapan-A2[B]Astrosat[C]NLS-14[D]LemurAnswer: AstrosatExplanation: Astrosat is the country’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory.

ASTROSAT, with a life span of five years, will observe the universe through optical,ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray components of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereasmost other scientific satellites are capable of observing through a narrow wavelength band.Which one of the following statements is correct about FASTag?116.[A]A new device for quick detection of Ebola[B]A device that enables cashless transaction at toll plazas[C]A device for early warning of cyclones[D]A device for determination of pollutants in ambient airAnswer: A device that enables cashless transaction at toll plazasExplanation: FASTag is a radio frequency identification device that enables cashless

transaction at toll plazas. FASTag is currently operational on Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Chandigarh and Bengaluru- Chennai highways. There are 35 toll plazas spread across thesethree stretches with the user base restricted to 2,200. The technology is expected to save timeas well as fuel. According to transport ministry this would result in savings of Rs 27,000 crorein delays caused at tolls and Rs 7,000 crore worth of fuel.Who has been appointed as India’s next G-20 Sherpa?117.[A]Sindhusri Khullar[B]Aravind Panagariya[C]Ramesh Chand




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[D]Suresh PrabhuAnswer: Aravind PanagariyaExplanation: NITI Aayog vice-chairman Aravind Panagariya has been chosen as the next

G-20 Sherpa of prime minister Narendra Modi. He is preceded by railway minister SureshPrabhu. A Sherpa is the official personal emissary or representative of head of state in anyinternational forum like G-8 or G-20. Chosen personally by the head of state, and in India’scase by the prime minister, India’s G-20 Sherpa has responsibility of laying the groundworkahead of the prime minister’s attendance in what is now the most definitive grouping ofglobal powers. ****Who is the India’s new permanent representative at the United Nations?118.[A]Gautam Bambawale[B]Navtej Sarna[C]Syed Akbaruddin[D]Amarendra KhatuaAnswer: Syed AkbaruddinExplanation: Syed Akbaruddin has been appointed as India’s permanent representative at

the United Nations. He will replace Ashok Mukherji who will be retiring soon. SyedAkbaruddin is an additional secretary in the ministry of external affairs from April 2015.Which among the following pair has won Guangzhou Open Title-2015?119.[A]Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis[B]Shilin Xu and You Xiaodi[C]Anna-Lena Friedsam and Monica Niculescu[D]Shilin Xu and Monica NiculescuAnswer: Sania Mirza and Martina HingisExplanation: The world number one team of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continued its

dominating run by winning their sixth title of the year at the Guangzhou Open. The topseeds defeated Xu Shilin and You Xiaodi 6-3, 6-1 in the final to win their second WTA titlein a row.Which one of the following birds is often regarded as the “Farmers of the Forest”?120.[A]Great Indian Bustard[B]Hornbills[C]Myna[D]ToucansAnswer: Hornbills




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Explanation: Hornbills are unique birds. They get their name from the horn-like projection

called a casque on top of their beak. Hornbills are often called as the ‘farmers of the forest’ asthey disperse the seeds of many tropical trees and keep the forest alive. Unfortunately, mosthornbill species are threatened by habitat loss and hunting.Currently, which among the following countries have space observatory?121.USA2. Japan3. China4. RussiaSelect the correct option from the codes given below:[A]Only 1, 2 & 4[B]Only 2, 3 & 4[C]Only 1, 3 & 4[D]1, 2, 3 & 4Answer: Only 1, 2 & 4Explanation: So far only US, Russia and Japan have own space observatory. After successful

launching of ASTROSTAT India became the fourth country globally to have spaceobservatory.Who has won the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of Formula One?122.[A]Lewis Hamilton[B]Sebastian Vettel[C]Nico Roseberg[D]Kimi RaikkonenAnswer: Lewis HamiltonExplanation: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title

of Formula One. This was his overall eight victory of the season. Nico Roseberg came second,followed by Sebastian Vettel at third place.Which technology giant has agreed to provide Wi-Fi hotspots at 500 railway stations in123.India?[A]Microsoft[B]Google[C]IBM[D]FacebookAnswer: Google




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Explanation: Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a proposal for introduction of

broadband connectivity, through Wi-Fi hotspots, at 100 railway stations. He said it will beexpanded to 400 next year. The search engine giant also announced the rollout of ten-language vernacular typing for Android users. The announcement was made when PrimeMinister Narendra Modi took a tour of the Google headquarters with CEO Pichai.What is the theme of World Tourism Day-2015?124.[A]One billion tourist’s one billion opportunities[B]Sustainable tourism for future[C]Tourism Linking Cultures[D]Tourism and Energetic SustainabilityAnswer: One billion tourist’s one billion opportunitiesExplanation: The World Tourism Day celebration was started by the United Nations

World Tourism Organization in the year 1980 which is celebrated every year at 27thSeptember. This day is celebrated every year having particular theme for making aware thepeople all over the world. The theme of this year tourism day is One billion tourist’s onebillion opportunities.Mina, the city of tents is located in which of the following country?125.[A]Jordan[B]Saudi Arabia[C]Mexico[D]SyriaAnswer: Saudi ArabiaExplanation: Mina is a small city located inside a low lying valley in the province of Makkh,

in western Saudi Arabia. Inside the 20 square km valley, tents cover every open space, as faras the eye can see, neatly arranged, row after row. It is in these tents Hajj pilgrims stayovernight during the five days of each Haj season. For the rest of the year, Mina remainspretty much deserted. There are more than 100,000 air-conditioned tents in Mina providingtemporary accommodation to 3 million pilgrims.Who has been chosen for Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award for Science and Technology 2015,126.in medical science category?[A]Yogesh Joshi[B]Vidita Vaidya[C]Mandar Deshmukh[D]D Srinivas Reddy




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Answer: Vidita VaidyaExplanation: The Ministry of Science and Technology announced the 11 recipients of

prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, considered to be a coveted science honour in thecountry in seven different fields. Vidita Vaidya from Tata Institute of Fundamental Researchhas been chosen for the award in medical science category.Which country has organised the Himalayan Air Festival to help revive the nation’s tourism127.industry?[A]Nepal[B]Bhutan[C]China[D]IndiaAnswer: NepalExplanation: Nepal has been organising Himalayan Air Festival to help revive the nation’s

tourism industry. The Himalayan Air Festival-Garud Fun 2015 was a fiesta of air adventuresand fun organized for the first time in Nepal.In which African country India has launched first India-Africa ICT Expo 2015?128.[A]Kenya[B]South Africa[C]Nigeria[D]MongoliaAnswer: KenyaExplanation: India launched the first Indo-Africa ICT Expo in the Kenyan capital under the

theme of “India: Your Partner for Technology Next”. The event, on September 28-29, waslaunched in conjunction with Information Technology Authority of Kenya, Telecom ExportPromotion Council (TEPC) of India, and National Association of Software and ServiceCompanies (NASSCOM). The event, inaugurated by Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary of Kenyaand Rakesh Garg, Secretary Telecom of India, was attended by various officials and businessleaders from India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan.Which of the following has won the Porter Prize for enabling social progress?129.[A]JSW Steel[B]Apollo Hospital[C]Reliance Foundation[D]Tata PowerAnswer: Reliance Foundation




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Explanation: Porter Prize for Enabling Social Progress was awarded to Reliance

Foundation, the CSR arm of Reliance Industries. Tata Power bagged the Porter Prize forExcellence in Corporate Integration and Governance. Porter Prize for Leveraging UniqueActivities was awarded to JSW SteelBSE -2.95 % while the Porter Prize on IndustryArchitectural Shift was awarded to Mahindra Rural Housing and Finance. Porter Prize onExploiting Tradeoffs was awarded to Abbott India, Porter Prize. Instituted in the name ofMichael E Porter, a Professor at Harvard Business School and father of modern strategy field,it is awarded to entities which have showcased outstanding performance in the industry andtheir activities have enabled upliftment of social indicators in their area of work.Which country will host BRICS U-17 football cup in 2016?130.[A]Brazil[B]India[C]China[D]South AfricaAnswer: IndiaExplanation: India will host BRICS U-17 football cup in 2016. The ASSOCHAM in

partnership with BRICS Football Cup is proposing to organize the first ever BRICS Under-17football cup next year in India.Who has won the PGA of American Player of the year award?131.[A]Tiger Wood[B]Jordan Spieth[C]Bubba Watson[D]Zach JohnsonAnswer: Jordan SpiethExplanation: American golfer Jordan Spieth has been awarded the PGA of America Player

of the Year award and the Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Spieth has becomethe second youngest player after Tiger Woods to capture both awards in the same year. The22-year-old, who also won Masters and US Open this season, recaptured his world numberone rank when he recently clinched the FedEX Cup title in the Tour Championship atAtlanta.Viren Dangwal, who passed away recently, was a famous poet in which language?132.[A]Marathi[B]Hindi[C]Gujarat




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[D]BengaliAnswer: HindiExplanation: Viren Dangwal was a renowned Hindi poet and Sahitya Academy recipient.

His famous write up was Kavi Ne kaha besides his collection ‘ Dushchakra me Shrista’ earnedhim the Sahitya Academy award in 2004 and Shamsher Samman in 2002. In 1992 he got theRaghuveer Sahay Smriti Award for his poem Duniya. In 1993 he received the Srikant VermaSmriti Award.Which among the following is the first made in India sports car?133.[A]Avanti[B]SportZ[C]Indiana[D]SpeedXAnswer: AvantiExplanation: The DC Avanti is a sports car produced by DC Design, an Indian design firm

headed by Dilip Chhabria. Its name was based on the Studebaker Avanti and it is a referenceto The Adventures of Tintin comics. It was unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo in Delhi. The DCAvanti is powered by a Renault-sourced, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engineproducing 250 bhp with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.Who has won the prestigious 2015 SASTRA-Ramanujan Prize?134.[A]Krishnaswamy Alladi[B]Jacob Tsimerman[C]R K Dawan[D]Swaroop ShenaiAnswer: Jacob TsimermanExplanation: Jacob Tsimerman of the University of Toronto, Canada has been chosen for

the prestigious 2015 SASTRA-Ramanujan Prize for his contribution in the field ofMathematics. Tsimerman is one of the few mathematicians to have complete mastery overtwo very different areas of mathematics, analytic number theory and algebraic geometry.Much of Tsimerman’s research stems from his spectacular doctoral thesis entitled “Towardsan unconditional proof of the Andre-Oort conjecture and surrounding problems” that hewrote at Princeton University in 2010 under the direction of Prof Peter Sarnak. Born Theprize will be awarded in December, 2015 at the International Conference on Number Theoryat SASTRA University in Kumbakonam, Ramanujan’s hometown.Frank Tyson, who died recently, was a well known cricketer belongs to which country?135.




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[A]Australia[B]England[C]South Africa[D]West IndiesAnswer: EnglandExplanation: Frank Tyson was the former England fast bowler, and renowned as one of the

quickest to have ever played the game. Earning the nickname ‘Typhoon’ for his extreme pace,Tyson played 17 Tests for England between 1954 and 1959, taking 76 wickets at an average of18.56. His demanding action put huge strain on his body and he retired at the age of 30. Oneof Tyson’s most memorable performances came in the 1954-55 Ashes in Australia, in whichhe picked up 28 wickets in five Tests, at an average of 20.82, helping England achieve a 3-1win and formed a potent new-ball partnership with Brian Statham in the series.India’s Ayonika Paul represents which of the following sport/event?136.[A]Shooting[B]Tennis[C]Basketball[D]Table TennisAnswer: ShootingExplanation: Ayonika Paul is an Indian shooter who competes in the 10 metre air rifle

event. She won the silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She hadearlier won Bronze in ISSF World Cup 2014 in Slovenia. She won bronze medal at Asian AirGun championship 2015.Who is the author of the book “Rebooting Government”?137.[A]Pranab Mukherjee[B]Nandan Nilekani[C]Arun Jaitley[D]Manmohan SinghAnswer: Nandan NilekaniExplanation: Nandan Nilekani, the former chairman of Unique Identification Authority of

India (UIDAI) is the author of Rebooting Government. The book is co-authored with formerUIDAI colleague Viral Shah and to be released in November 2015.Which of the following automaker is in news for emission cheating scandal?138.[A]Volkswagen[B]Hyundai




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[C]Ford[D]General motorsAnswer: VolkswagenExplanation: The German car giant Volkswagen is in news for emission cheating scandal.

The automaker has admitted cheating emissions tests in the US. According to theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA), some cars being sold in America had devices indiesel engines that could detect when they were being tested, changing the performanceaccordingly to improve results. This resulted in a major discrepancy between the measuredemissions and those produced during real-world driving—where the affected vehicles emittedup to 35 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxides (Nox). The offending programming wasincluded in Volkswagen and Audi models between model years 2009 and 2015; it wasincluded on 500,000 vehicles in the United States, and an estimated eleven million carsworldwide.On which of the following days International Day of Older Persons is celebrated?139.[A]September 30[B]September 29[C]October 1[D]October 2Answer: October 1Explanation: International Day of Older Persons is observed on 1 October every year. On 14

December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated 1 October theInternational Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the ViennaInternational Plan of Action on Ageing which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly onAgeing and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly. The theme of the 2015commemoration is “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment”.The Champions of the Earth award is the highest environmental award given by which140.organization?[A]United Nations[B]World Bank[C]World Trade Organisation[D]European UnionAnswer: United NationsExplanation: The Champions of the Earth award is the United Nations highest

environmental honour recognizing visionary people and organisations all over the world that




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exemplify leadership and advocate action on sustainable development, climate change and alife of dignity for all. The award was established in 2004.




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September 1, 2015Punjab Government wins award for achievement in rooftop solar power outputSeptember 1, 2015

Punjab Government has won first award in the category of highest capacity addition in gridconnected solar rooftop power in the country during the financial year 2014-15.It is one of 5 awards won by Punjab New and Renewable Energy Department (PNRED) foroutstanding performance in the various fields of Renewable Energy and Power Generation.The other four areas in which Punjab won awards includes

Highest capacity addition of off-grid waste to energy plants.Deployment of highest cumulative numbers of Solar Water Pumps.Achieving highest cumulative grid connected solar rooftop power capacity.Achieving highest capacity addition in grid connected solar power in the country.

These awards were conferred to the Punjab state by Union Minister of State for Power, Coal andNew and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal at a function held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.Union Territory of Chandigarh bagged the second spot in the highest capacity addition in gridconnected solar rooftop power in the country category.

Union Government releases Rs 2,000 crore for Employees’ Pension SchemeSeptember 1, 2015

Union Government has released 2,000 crore rupees to Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 as

its contribution for the year 2015-16.This contribution is in addition to the 250 crore rupees contributed by the government as grant-in-aid in the EPS in order to provide minimum pension of 1,000 rupees to pensioners under thescheme.The contribution of Union government has been calculated at a rate of 1.16 per cent of the monthlywages of the members contributing to the scheme.In September 2015, Government had assured EPS pensioners a guaranteed minimum pension of Rs1,000 per month. In order to meet this assurance it was necessary for the Government to infuseadditional amount as grants-in- to sustain the continuance of the minimum pension.Employers contribute nearly 8.33% of the monthly wages of the scheme members. Approximately 28lakh pensioners including five lakh widows will get benefit from this scheme. (There are total 44lakh pensioners).

Manipur assembly passes Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015September 1, 2015

Manipur Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015




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along with other two amendment bills to protect indigenous people of state.Other two bills are Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015 and ManipurLand Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill, 2015.Apart from these bills, the assembly also passed a resolution welcoming the Peace Accord signedbetween the Union Government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN)-IM.Background

Recently there was strong violent protest in the North Eastern State of Manipur over the issue ofprotection of indigenous people of state. The issue came into light after state assembly had passed theManipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenant and Migrants Workers Bill, 2015 to protect the interestoutsiders in the state. It should be noted that there is long standing demand for implementation ofInner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state.

IS damages ancient Temple of Bel in Syria’s PalmyraSeptember 1, 2015

Islamic State (IS) militant group has destroyed part of historical Temple of Bel in the ancient site of

Palmyra in Syria.The ancient temple was dedicated to the Palmyrene gods and was one of the best preserved parts ofthe historical sites of Palmyra.Key facts

The ancient site of Palmyra in ancient times was one of the most important cultural centresand now has monumental ruins of great ancient city.The site boasts a number of monumental projects including more than thousand columns andmore than 500 tombs.The art and architecture of this city is blend of Greco-Roman techniques with combination oflocal traditions and Persian influences, dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries.The ancient city of Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was a major touristattraction of Syria before it descended into civil war.

Earlier in August 2015, IS militant group had destroyed the ancient Temple of Baalshamin in same

region of Palmyra.

SC stays Rajasthan HC’s decision declaring ‘Santhara’ ritual illegalSeptember 1, 2015

The Supreme Court (SC) of India has stayed Rajasthan High Court’s order declaring Santhara, a Jainritual of voluntary and systematic fasting to death illegal.The stay order was given by SC Bench comprising Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu and JusticeAmitava Roy.




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What is Santhara?Santhara is a religious custom of Jain religion that embraces voluntary death in order to purgeoneself of bad ‘karma’ and attain ‘moksha’. The practitioners of this custom take an oath to stopeating until they die of starvation. This oath is taken in consultation with a guru and follows themost detailed of procedures.Background

Earlier in August 2015, Rajasthan High Court had banned the practice of Santhara by declaring it as acriminal offence and mentioning it as illegal in the eyes of law.The High Court in its ruling had made this religious practice a punishable offence under section 306(abetment of suicide) and Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Constitutional Validity

Article 25: The Rajasthan High Court in its ruling had mentioned that as per Article 25,

religious liberty and freedom is only limited to the scope of essential religious practices ofparticular religion. So practice of Santhara is not essential religious practice of Jainism.Article 21: The Rajasthan High Court also mentioned that Protection of life and personal

liberty does not include Right to die. So it is illegal from this point of view.The ruling of High Court was based on public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate and humanrights activist Nikhil Soni to ban this centuries old Jain ritual claiming it as social evil and should beconsidered as suicide.Jain Community’s Viewpoint

Jain community clearly mentioned that the practice of Santhara is an integral part of Jainism and hasbeen mentioned in religious texts. It is also an intrinsic practice to a person’s ethical choice to livewith dignity until death and not an exercise in trying to achieve an unnatural death.




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September 2, 2015Union Government recognizes Yoga as Sports disciplineSeptember 2, 2015

Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has decided to recognize Yoga as a sports discipline andplace it in the Priority category.This decision was taken by Ministry while reviewing and revising the categorization of variousSports disciplines.Other decisions

The sport of Fencing was upgraded from Others to General category based on the major past

performance at international events.University Sports have been placed in the Priority category.The scale of financial assistance admissible to each category was conveyed to IOC and allrecognized National Sports Federations on 23rd March, 2015.General category of sports disciplines shall be retained. This category will have sportsdisciplines which have been included in mega events like Olympics/Asian Games/CommonWealth Games (CWG) etc.General category sports will also include sports hich have obtained a ranking upto 8th inindividual events and upto 10th in team events in Olympics/CWG/Asian Games.

Mumbai wins Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy of CricketSeptember 2, 2015

Mumbai has won the Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy in the All India invitation cricket tournament.In the final match played at Chennai, they defeated Tamil Nadu Cricket Association Districts(TNCA) XI team by six wickets.Mumbai in the chase had scored 166 runs for four in 45.2 overs against TNCA XI team which hadmade 163 all out in 74 overs.Mumbai’s Herwadkar (108 runs) and Tare (53 runs) helped them to be victorious. Mumbai’s SuryaKumar Yadav was adjudged as the Man of the Series.Buchi Babu Memorial Trophy: The memorial trophy has been named after Mothavarapu Buchi

Babu Naidu (1868–1908) who is considered as father of South Indian cricket. It is an annual cricket

tournament.

Maharashtra Government approves ordinance to amend MPDA Act, 1981September 2, 2015

Maharashtra Government has decided to take ordinance route to amend Maharashtra Prevention ofDangerous Activities (MPDA) Act, 1981.




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Decision in this regard was taken in State Cabinet meeting by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inMumbai.Key provisions of ordinance

Illegal sand mining has been made non–bailable offence. Sand smuggling as well as smugglerswill be added in the section II of the Act.Culprits arrested in illegal sand mining cases will not get bail for one year after their arrest.Tampering of the public distribution system (PDS) mechanism and foodgrain mafias will bebrought under the ambit of this Act. Offences under it will be made non–bailable.

Presently, the act covers drug offenders, slumlords, bootleggers and video pirates under its ambit toprevent the disruptive activities. These amendment will enable state government to act against thesand mafias and food-grain mafias.

AK Jha appointed as interim CMD of NTPC LimitedSeptember 2, 2015

A K Jha has been given additional charge of interim Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) ofNational Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited.Presently, he is NTPC’s Director (Technical) and will be interim CMD for three months fromSeptember 1, 2015.Jha had joined NTPC as an Executive Trainee in 1977 and was directly associated with its flagshipproject Singrauli (5×200 MW).He has rich and varied corporate experience of 38 years in areas spanning across power projects suchas engineering and design, monitoring and project planning, construction and management.About National Thermal Power Corporation Limited

NTPC limited is a Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU), operational under the aegis ofUnion Ministry of Power.It is India’s largest power generator and accounts for 25 per cent of total electricity generatedin the countryEstablished: in 1975 by Union Government which now holds 70% of its equity shares as of

May 2015 (after divestment of its stake in 2004, 2010, 2013, and 2015).Headquarters: New Delhi.

Union Government accepts A P Shah panel report on MATSeptember 2, 2015

Union Government has accepted Justice AP Shah Committee report on the Minimum AlternativeTax (MAT) on foreign institutional investors (FIIs).By accepting the recommendations, Government will not impose levy on FIIs prior to 1st April 2015i.e. retrospectively. In the meantime, government has ordered Central Board of Direct Taxation




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(CBDT) field officers not to pursue cases against FIIs on the issues related to MAT.Key Recommendations

There is no legal basis for levying 20 per cent MAT on past capital gains of FIIs.Amend Section 115 JB the Income Tax Act to clarify the issue with regard to levy of MAT onFIIs.MAT provisions would not be applicable to FIIs that don’t have a place of business orpermanent establishment in India.

Implication: This recommendation is considered as a big relief to FIIs as government had exempted

them from MAT starting April 1, 2015 in the Union Budget for 2015-16 but had not made theclarification retrospective imposition.Background

Union Finance Ministry in May 2015 had appointed this 3 member Committee on the issueof levying MAT on capital gains made by FIIs retrospectively.Members of Committee: A P Shah (Chairman), Dr. Girish Ahuja and Dr. Ashok Lahiri.

The committee was constituted after the tax department had sent legal notices to 68 FIIsdemanding around six hundred crore rupees as MAT dues of previous years. This had rakedup a MAT controversy within FIIs and they had moved to court challenging this taximposition.

India to join UN’s Better Than Cash Alliance to achieve financial inclusionSeptember 2, 2015

India has decided to join UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance with a view to reduce cash

transactions in its economy and achieve financial inclusion.The official announcement in this regard was made on the first anniversary of Government’s flagshipfinancial inclusion programme Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY.)Partnership with this UN alliance is an extension of Indian Government’s commitment to reducecash transactions in its economy as digitization of payments to achieve financial inclusion a toppriority.Better Than Cash Alliance is made up of Governments, international organizations and companies.It accelerates the transition of economy from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty anddrive inclusive growth.

Union Government frames Smart National Common Mobility Card Model toenable metro travel, shoppingSeptember 2, 2015

Union Ministry of Urban Development has come out with a Smart National Common Mobility Card




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(NCMC) model to enable seamless metro travel, shopping,In this regard, Union Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu has approved the EMV OpenLoop Card with stored value.Key facts

NCMC card meets basic travel needs based on concept of stored value of money. It can beused for traveling by any means of transport and also enables account based retail shoppingapplications.The card does away with the need for carrying separate cards for banking and transitrequirements.National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will be nodal agency in indigenouslydeveloping and managing of settlement and clearing of payments, simulating terminals andnetwork, cards, provide certified tools to vendors for and other services.Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will develop the specifiedstandards and hardware for Metro gates and validators along with related ecosystems formaking NCMC card model operational.

India wins UNESCO Award for conserving Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in KeralaSeptember 2, 2015

India has won the UNESCO prize ‘Award of Excellence’ 2015 for the conservation efforts of the

Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple in Kerala.

The top award was given in the Asia Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.This award recognises the conservation effort of sacred sites and its tangible attributes withconservation techniques emphasising on architecture and construction. These scared sites employage-old rituals and conservation techniques drawn from vastu shastra focusing on construction andarchitecture.It should be noted that, UNESCO’s “Award of Merit” in Heritage Award was bestowed upon 150-year-old Sino-Portuguese former residence of a Thai aristocrat, which now has been converted intoa local museum and historic inn.About Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple

It is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thrissur district of Kerala.It has monumental towers on all four sides and also has a Kuttambalam displaying vignettes

carved in wood.It is a classic example of the architectural style of Kerala and has Mural paintings depictingvarious episodes from Mahabharata.The temple along with its mural paintings has been declared as a National Monument




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under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

NASA’s SERVIR-Mekong project to help monitor environment in Southeast AsiaSeptember 2, 2015

NASA and US Agency for International Development (USAID) have started the SERVIR-Mekong

project, to strengthen the environmental monitoring in Southeast Asia region.It has been launched in the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Bangkok, Thailand to serve the 5

countries of the Mekong River Basin viz. Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.Key facts

The focus of this project is to host vital issues in the Mekong river basin region in the fivecountries which is often called as rice bowl of Asia.

It will enable these countries better address issues of natural resource and disastermanagement and support climate resilience studies including reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)emissionsThe project will help these Governments incorporate Earth observations and geospatialtechnologies in improving management of water and natural resources.Provide early warning of dramatic changes in regional water, weather, land cover and landuse and climate and food security.

About SERVIR projectIt was initiated in 2005 by researchers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama. It nameSERVIR is has been derived from Spanish which means to serve.

It has been developed by an alliance of more than 90 nations and organisations which arecollaborating to build a global Earth-observing system to benefit society’s needs.

Canada’s economy falls into a recessionSeptember 2, 2015

Canada’s economy has fallen into a recession for first time after global financial crisis of 2009.Statistics Canada, nodal national statistical agency of Canada has reported that its economy i.e. GrossDomestic Product (GDP) has retreated at an annual pace of 0.5 per cent from April through June2015.In earlier quarter first three months of the year 2015, the economic slowdown had appeared whichhad felled to 0.8 per cent. Technically, two consecutive negative quarters leads to recession.In recent situation, Canada was dragged into the economic to slow down due to external pressure offalling oil prices and economic troubles in China. In an effort to revive the economy, Bank of Canadahad cut interest rates twice in year 2015.Canada is the world’s 11th-biggest economy and the United States’ (US) biggest trading partner. Thelast time in 2008-09, Canada was in recession after the US housing market meltdown had triggered a




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global credit crisis. But, Canadian economy suffered far less damage from the financial crisis andgreat Recession compared to its southern neighbour.

Union Cabinet approves MFP for Development of Hydrocarbon discoveriesSeptember 2, 2015

Union Cabinet has approved Marginal Fields Policy (MFP) to aunction small and marginalunexploited hydrocarbon discoveries by state owned oil companies.Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi.Key facts about Marginal Fields Policy (MFP)

69 unexploited oil fields owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil IndiaLimited (OIL) will be opened for competitive bidding to private and foeign companies basedon revenue sharing model.These discoveries for many years were not able to monetize due to isolated locations, smallsize of reserves, technological constraints, high development costs and fiscal regime.These discovered oil fields were considered as marginal fields as they were not developed andthus were of lower priority.Private exploration companies will be able to submit bids for exploiting these oil fields.The policy allows the successful bidder to sell these oil fields at the prevailing market price ofgas, rather than at an administered price.

It should be noted that this is first time revenue sharing model introduced in oil sector.

Implication: This decision is expected to stimulate investment in oil exploration sector as well as

increase domestic oil and gas production. It will also help in monetizing 70,000 crore rupees worthof resources form these unexploited oil fieldsEarlier Methodology: The earlier exploration contracts were based on the concept of profit sharing

model. Under this method it had become necessary for the government to scrutinize cost details ofprivate participants which had resulted in delays and disputes.




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September 3, 2015Union Cabinet approves reimbursement to 4 government agencies for import ofpulsesSeptember 3, 2015

The Union Cabinet has approved reimbursement of 113 crore rupees for incurring losses on pulsesimported by four government agencies between 2006- 2011 period.These four government agencies are National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation ofIndia (NAFED), Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC), State TradingCorporation of India (STC) and PEC.This decision will enable these 4 PSUs to be financially sound in order to intensify trading activitiesto cool down prices of essential commodities.This decision was taken at Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modiproposal of Union Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs.Background

During the period from 2006-11, Union Government had introduced two schemes in orderto bridge the demand-supply gap in pulses.In first scheme, Government had asked these four PSUs to import and sell pulses in the openmarket with subject to reimbursement of 15 per cent losses.The other scheme government was to distribute these imported pulses via ration shops i.e.Public distribution System (PDS) to poor people at a fixed subsidy of 10 rupees per kg.

Tallest mountain in North America, Mount McKinley renamed as DenaliSeptember 3, 2015

United States has changed the name of tallest mountain in North America Mount McKinley to itsoriginal native name Denali.It was announced by US President Barack Obama ahead of his three-day visit to Alaska to highlightthe issue of climate change. It was renamed following the lead of the state of Alaska, US Departmentof the Interior (USDoI) in conjunction with the US Board on Geographic Names (USBGN).Key facts

The summit elevation of Mount Denali is 6,190 m above sea level. It is located in the AlaskaRange and Denali National Park in the US state of Alaska.Till 1896, it was named as Denali (meaning as High One or Great One) among the natives ofAlaska, but was renamed as Mount McKinley in the honour of William McKinley after hewas nominated to become the US President.




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South African city Durban to host 2022 Commonwealth GamesSeptember 3, 2015

South African city of Durban has been selected as the host for the 22nd edition of CommonwealthGames to be held in 2022.For the first time in the history of Commonwealth Games, African nation has been chosen as host ofthe Games.The city was chosen by the Federation’s general assembly in New Zealand as it was the only bidderfor the multi-sports event. It was lone bidder after Canadian city Edmonton withdrew fromcontention race in February 2015 over the economic slowdown in Canada.22nd Commonwealth Games would be held from 18 to 30 July 2022. The opening ceremony will beheld on the birth date of the late South African President and Anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela.Note: Australian City of Gold Coast is hosting 21st edition of Commonwealth Games to be held in

2018.About Commonwealth Games

These multi-sport events feature athletes from over 50 member countries of Commonwealthnations.The games were first held in 1930 and since then they are held every 4 years.Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is nodal agency to oversee the games. It alsocontrols the sporting programme and selects the host cities.India had hosted 19th edition of Commonwealth Games in New Delhi from 3 to 14 October,2010.

West-Central Railway becomes first zone to eliminate Unmanned LevelCrossingsSeptember 3, 2015

The West-Central Railway (WCR) zone headquartered in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh has become thefirst Railway Zone in Indian Railways to eliminate all unmanned level crossings.The target was achieved after all 118 unmanned level crossings of WCR zone were eliminated inphase manner by August 31, 2015. 80 crossings were eliminated in the financial year 2014-15 and theremaining 38 crossings were eliminated in August 2015.This target was achieved by constructing 33 Limited Height Sub Ways (LHs) and manning of 30level crossings.It is a being considered as a big success in the safety initiative of Indian Railways as unmannedrailway crossings continue to remain a deathtrap in India as alone it had killed 126 people in2014-15.




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Elimination all unmanned level crossingsUnion Railway Ministry has taken a series of safety steps to prevent accidents at theseunmanned railway crossings.Indian Railways have around 30,348 level crossings, out of which 11,563 i.e. nearly 40 percent, are unmanned.Some of the safety initiatives include closing of many crossings, construction of railoverbridge and rail underbridge. At certain places Gate Mitra and Gate Counsellors are alsodeployed.Indian Railways is also planning to tie up with India Space Research Organistion (ISRO) tosafety crossing system using Geo-spatial technologies.These technologies will include combination of Global Positioning System (GPS),Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing in order to send mobile messagealerts to people in vicinity of an unmanned level crossing.

Union Government notifies merger of FMC with SEBISeptember 3, 2015

Union Government has notified the merger of commodities market regulator Forward MarketsCommission (FMC) with Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with an effect from 28September 2015.In this regard, Union Finance Ministry has issued a notification mentioning that

Regulation of Commodity Derivatives Market will shift to SEBI under Securities ContractsRegulation Act (SCRA) 1956.Forward Contracts Regulation Act (FCRA), 1952 gets repealed so does the FMC cease toexist.

With this merger, all three national and six regional commodity exchanges will come under theambit of national capital market regulator SEBI.Implication: This merger will create a unified regulator for commodities and capital markets which

in turn will help streamline monitoring of commodity futures trading and curb wild speculations inthe market.Background

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech of February 2015 had announcedthe merger of FMC with the capital market regulator SEBI in order to strengthen theregulation of commodity futures market.The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) also had recommendedmerger of SEBI, IRDA, FMC and PFRDA into a single entity called Unified Financial Agency(UFA).




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India to launch Indonesian satellite LAPAN A2/OrariSeptember 3, 2015

India will launch Indonesia’s second multi-spectral remote sensing satellite LAPAN A2/Orari.

The satellite will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the SatishDhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on September 27, 2015.About LAPAN A2/Orari satellite

It is Indonesia’s domestically-made satellite and is successor to LAPAN A1/Tubsat satellite.It was produced entirely by the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) ofIndonesia in 2012.Satellite on its board is equipped with an automatic packet reporting system to aid disastermitigation especially for monitoring floods, changes in the sea level and movements of thepopulation.It will orbit the Earth along the equator with an altitude of 650 kilometers. It will encircle theEarth 14 times a day and travel at 7.5 kilometers per second.Functions: It will work to monitor land usage, ship movements, sea resources, fishing

explorations, natural resource and disaster mitigation.

India, UAE agree to increase bilateral trade by 60% in next 5 yearsSeptember 3, 2015

India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to enhance cooperation in different areasincluding trade, commerce, energy, defence, space, investments, security and combating Crime.Both sides reached to these agreements at the 11th session of the India-UAE Joint Commissionmeeting held in New Delhi. It was co-chaired by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj andher visiting counterpart, Foreign Minister of UAE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.Key decisions

Both sides will increase the bilateral trade by 60 per cent over the next 5 years.India will encourage UAE’s investment institutions to raise investments in India.Both countries agreed to work for early establishment of the planned India-UAE Joint Fundfor investments in the infrastructure sector in India.Two sides also signed MoUs on cooperation in the areas of Higher Education and ScientificResearch, Telecommunication and Tourism.MoU between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICC) and Federation ofUAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry was also signed.

Background

11th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission meeting comes after recent historic visit of IndianPrime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE in which India has redefined bilateral relationship with UAE




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and elevated it to a strategic partnership.




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September 4, 2015Punjab Government establishes Special MGNREGA cellSeptember 4, 2015

Punjab Government has established a special MGNREGA cell to coordinate effectiveimplementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the state.It has been established by Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Department at Chandigarh withan outlay of 233 crore rupees.This cell will monitor implementation of Union Government’s flagship 100 days employmentguarantee scheme of MGNREGA.It will also monitor the wage rate under MGNREGA which has been fixed by Union Government onthe basis of consumer Price Index- Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) which is implemented on 1stApril every year and will be applicable for whole financial year.It should be noted that all the districts of Punjab are being covered under MGNREGA with effectfrom 1st April, 2008.The recent wage rate has been revised from 202 rupees to 210 rupees with effect from 1st April2015. The wages will be directly transferred by state government in the bank accounts of thebeneficiaries from 15th September 2015.

Haryana Government wins Skoch Order-of-Merit National award forimplementing e-governance, ITSeptember 4, 2015

Haryana Government has won the Skoch Order-of-Merit national award for implementing 6 e-

Governance and IT initiatives in the state.It was announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in the state Assembly on the second day ofthe monsoon session. The award will be presented to the state government on 22-23 September,2015.Haryana Government has notified 163 e-Governance services which would be delivered to thecitizens at their doorsteps with a view to provide time-bound and hassle-free services.About Skoch Order-of-Merit national award

Bestowed upon top performing government organisations and private organisations workingwith the government.Given by Skoch Consultancy Services Private Limited, a strategy and management consultingfirm founded in 1997.Recognises the best practices and governance models that aim for excellent and efficientimplementation of programmes and services delivery.




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It recognises the best practices of local, state and national level government organisations inthe area of Health, Education, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Urban Development,Finance and Security.

Union Government cancels registration of Greenpeace IndiaSeptember 4, 2015

Union Government has cancelled licence of Greenpeace India, a non-profit Non-Governmental

Organisation (NGO) to receive foreign donations.The license was cancelled by Union Ministry of Home Affairs as per under Section 13 of ForeignContribution Regulations Act (FCRA), 2011. Henceforth, Greenpeace India will be not able toreceive any kind of foreign donations from its international network.Earlier in April 2015, MHA had suspended the license of Greenpeace India for six months for mixingforeign and domestic funds and not disclosing the movement of its funds.Greenpeace India had filed a petition challenging this suspension in the Delhi High Court. The courthad allowed the NGO to use two of its accounts for the purpose of receiving and utilising freshdomestic donations for its day-to-day functioning.About Greenpeace India

Greenpeace India is the subsidiary of the global environmental group Greenpeace, a non-profit NGO.Greenpeace has its presence in 40 countries across the world including in Europe, America,Asia and Pacific.Its operations in India run mainly in four broad campaigns viz. stop climate change,preserving the oceans, sustainable agriculture and preventing another nuclear catastrophe.

India, Australia agree to deepen bilateral Defence PartnershipSeptember 4, 2015

India and Australia have agreed to deepen their bilateral defence partnership based on their sharedstrategic interests by setting up of a joint working group on defence research and materialcooperation.This decision was taken after the delegation-level talks between Union Defence Minister ManoharParrikar and his visiting Australian counterpart Kevin Andrews in New Delhi.Both sides also decided

Focus on maritime security ties in the Indian Ocean region and acknowledged the importanceof freedom of maritime navigation.First-ever bilateral Maritime exercise AUSINDEX between both countries is scheduled to beheld in September 2015.Agreed that maritime security should remain a key component of the bilateral defence




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relationship between both countries.India will take part in the first ever air exercise with Australia.Implement the action plan outlined in the Framework for Security Cooperation (FSC) whichwas agreed by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and his counterpart Tony Abbott inNovember 2014.

RBI to issue Rs 5 coin on golden jubilee of 1965 Indo-Pak warSeptember 4, 2015

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to issue coins of 5 rupees denomination to commemorategolden jubilee year of Indo-Pak War 1965.These coins will be issued under in The Coinage Act, 2011 and will be considered as legal a tender.Features of Coin

Obverse side: It will bear Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre and Satyamev Jayate

will be inscribed below it.Reverse side: In the centre it will bear image of ‘Amar Jawan’ monument along with the

design of olive leaves branch on its left and right sides. The year 2015 will be written belowthe image of the monument.It will bear inscription ‘VALOUR AND SACRIFICE’ in English on the right upper periphery

and ‘Veerata Aur Balidan’ in Devnagri script on the left upper periphery.

GOLDEN JUBILEE 1965 OPERATIONS in English will be inscribed on the lower periphery on

the reverse side of coin.About 1965 India-Pakistan war

The war started in April 1965 following Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar, which was designedto infiltrate forces into Indian Sovereign territory of Jammu & Kashmir to precipitate aninsurgency.Indian armed forces under the dynamic leadership of then Prime Minister Lal BahadurShastri retaliated Pakistan’s infiltration by launching a full-scale military attack on WestPakistan. This war had witnessed the largest tank battle since World War II.The 17 day war ended after a ceasefire was declared following diplomatic intervention by thethen Soviet Union (USSR) and United States and the subsequent issuance of the TashkentDeclaration between India and Pakistan.Note: This war did not mandate victory of either India or Pakistan. But, both countries have

claimed victory in this war.However, most neutral assessments have agreed that India had the upper hand over Pakistanwhen ceasefire was declared after diplomatic intervention of two super powers.




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SAARC countries’ conference on Disaster Mitigation begins in New DelhiSeptember 4, 2015

Disaster Mitigation conference of member counties of South Asian Association on RegionalCooperation (SAARC) has begun in New Delhi on 3 September 2015.The two day conference seeks to chalk out and undertake various joint efforts on various issuesrelated to disaster mapping and mitigation in the member nations.Key facts

The conference is being held by keeping in mind the prevalent geo-climatic conditions aswell as increased frequency of natural disaster and calamities in the SAARC region.It is also being held in the wake of the recent Nepal earthquake (April 2015).It calls for enhanced levels of preparedness and risk resilience amongst member countries.It also seeks collaborative action amongst member countries to deal jointly and individually indisaster situations and ensure minimal loss of lives and property.

South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx)India has taken the lead to begin SAADMEx, a simulation exercises on disaster managementin the region.In this regard, India has requested all SAARC countries to participate in this exercise.SAADMEx aims at augmenting current levels of individual and joint preparedness of membercountries in the rescue, relief and response operations during disaster situations.The exercise will be conducted in two phases. First phase is the current coordinationconference which will discuss the requirements and modalities of the main exercise.Second phase will cover the main exercise which will be held from November 23-26, 2015 inNew Delhi.Three components of second phase of SAADMEx are Table Top Exercise (TTx) FieldTraining Exercise (FTx) and After Action Review (AAR).

ONGC buys 15% stake in Russia’s 2nd-largest oil field from RosneftSeptember 4, 2015

State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has bought a 15 per cent stake in Russia’ssecond-largest oil field Vankor from Rosneft for about 1.35 billion US dollars.In this regard, ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) the overseas investment arm of ONGC has signedagreements to buy 15 per cent stake in the Vankor oil field located in East Siberia.The agreement to buy stake in Vankor was signed by the OVL Managing Director Narendra Vermaand Chairman of Rosneft Management Board Igor Sechin in Vladivostok.Under the terms of the agreement

OVL will get two seats on the Board of Directors of Vankor, a subsidiary of Rosneft that




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operates the Vankor field.The 15 per cent stake Vankor oil field will give OVL about 3.5 million metric tonnes of oil ayear of its total 2.5 billion recoverable reserves barrels (or 500 million tonnes).Rosneft will retain full control of infrastructure of the Vankor cluster.

Presently, Rosneft (Russian national oil company) holds 100 per cent stake in Vankor which startedproduction in 2009. With this stake acquisition Rosneft, stake will come down to 85 per cent.The stake acquisition is subject to relevant board, Russian government and Regulatory approvals andis expected to be completed by mid-2016.This is fourth biggest acquisition by OVL. It already has a

20 per cent stake in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas field located off Russia’s far eastern coast andalso owns Imperial Energy which has fields in Siberia.16 per cent stake in Mozambique’s offshore Rovuma Area 1 fields.

Former Goa CM Dr Wilfred de Souza passes awaySeptember 4, 2015

Former Chief Minister of Goa Dr Wilfred de Souza passed away in Panaji. He was 88.He had served as Goa CM for three times and was known for his combative brand of politics. He waskey politician to bring Congress to power in Goa in 1980.About Dr Wilfred de Souza

Dr Wilfred de Souza was born on 23 April 1927 in Kampala, Uganda.By profession he was Doctor/surgeon and was one of Goa’s most skilled surgeons. He wasdouble Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons of Britain.Political career: He had entered into active politics after successfully contesting state

assembly elections for the first time in 1974.He became CM, for first time in May 1993 and was in office till April 1994. Second time hewas in office from April 1994 to November 1998 and third time from July to February 1999.He also had served as Deputy Chief Minister of Goa in the Congress led coalition governmentfrom February 2005 to June 2007.Awards: He has received Dr B C Roy award for best medical man-cum-statesman (1996),

Portuguese Government’s Commander, Grand Cross of the Order of Dom Infante Henriques,

Indira Gandhi Solidarity Award, Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award (1992) etc.

Jhumpa Lahiri selected for 2014 National Humanities MedalSeptember 4, 2015

Indian-American Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri has been selected for the prestigious 2014

National Humanities Medal of White House.




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She has been selected for this award for enlarging the human story and will be presented with it byUS President Barack Obama.The award also recognizes her fictional works which have illuminated the Indian-Americanexperience in beautifully wrought narratives of estrangement and belonging.About Jhumpa Lahiri

Her original name is Nilanjana Sudeshna.

Her Work: Her debut short story collection Interpreter of Maladies (1999) has won the 2000

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Her first novel was Namesake (2003) was adapted in a movie with the same name which was

directed by Mira Nair. Suresh Kalpenn acted in this movie.The Lowland (2013) it was nominee for the Man Booker Prize.

Currently, she is Professor of creative writing at Princeton University.About National Humanities Medal

It is an annual award given by US President.Established: It had succeeded annual Charles Frankel Prize in the Humanities (established in

1988) in 1996.Bestowed on persons, groups or institutions in recognition for their work which hasdeepened United States understanding of the humanities, broadened US citizens’ engagementwith the humanities or helped to preserve and expand US’s access to important resources inthe humanities.Since its inception in 1996 it has been bestowed upon (including this year’s) 175 recipients,163 individuals and 12 organisations.




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September 5, 20155th September: National Teachers DaySeptember 5, 2015

Every year in India 5th September is being observed as National Teachers Day.

Significance of Day: This day commemorates the birthday of India’s first Vice President and second

President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

This year’s celebration: On occasion of National Teachers Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi

releasesed commemorative coins of 125 rupees and 10 rupees denomination in honour of formerPresident S Radhakrishnan.About Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888 in Thiruttani in then MadrasPresidency of British India.He was an Indian philosopher and statesman and one the best known scholars in the field ofcomparative religion and philosophy in India in the 20th century.He had tremendously contributed towards the new contemporary Hindu identity in the eyesof the ill-informed Westeners.He held great respect for teachers and always believed that teachers are real nation buildersand thus should always be the best minds in the country.Important Posts: First Vice President of India (in office from 1952–1962), Second President

of India (in office from 1962 to 1967).Awards: He was honoured with Bharat Ratna (1954), British Royal Order of Merit (1963)

etc.Note: He was first recipient Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award along with politician C.

Rajagopalachari, scientist C. V. Raman.

Eminent Music composer Adesh Shrivastava passes awaySeptember 5, 2015

Eminent Bollywood Music composer Aadesh Shrivastava passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Hewas 49 and died due to cancer.Over the course of his career, he had scored music for over 100 Hindi films as composer, playbacksinger and music director.He had composed songs of movies like Chalte Chalte, Baghban, Baabul, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,Rajneeti and others.He had delivered chart busters like Haathon Mein Aa Gaya Jo Kal, Kya Ada Kya Jalwe Tere Paro,Sona Sona, Gustakhiyaan, Shava Shava, Gur Nalon Ishq Mitha, Mora Piya etc




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Shrivastava was born on 4 September 1966 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh and is survived by wifeVijeta Pandit and their two sons Anivesh and Avitesh.

Indian boxer Vikas Krishan wins silver medal in 75 kg category in AsiaChampionshipsSeptember 5, 2015

Indian boxer Vikas Krishan has won the silver medal in the Asian Championships held in

Bangkok, Thailand.In the final match of 75kg weight category, he was defeated by Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev by0-2 score.In this edition of Asian Championships, Vikas only has won silver medal for India. Shiva Thapa(56kg), Devendro Singh (49kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg) won bronze medal each in their respectivecategory.Besides, six Indians also qualified for World Championships which is to be held in October 2015 andwill be the first qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.

Haryana passes bill to abolish Police Recruitment BoardSeptember 5, 2015

Haryana legislative Assembly has passed Haryana Police (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to abolish thePolice Recruitment Board in order to end the nepotism in the police recruitments in the state.Provisions of the bill

Gazetted posts in the police service would be filled through Haryana Public ServiceCommission (HPSC).Direct recruitment to various non-gazetted ranks in the police service would be filledthrough the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC).

The Bill was mooted by State government led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to follow upits commitment of transparent and merit-based selections in the government jobs.Implications: This bill paves the way for abolishing the need of multiple recruitment agencies in the

state for recruitment of group C posts. It will also end the nepotism in the police recruitments instate.

Delhi High Court allows permanent commission for women in Indian NavySeptember 5, 2015

Delhi High Court in its landmark judgment has allowed women to get permanent commission inIndian Navy and allowed them to board on warships.The ruling was given by a Division Bench of Delhi HC headed by Justice Kailash Gambhir on thewrit petition moved by a group of women naval officers both retired and serving.The HC also ruled that, henceforth female naval officers will have full term service in the Indian




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Navy and also enjoy retirement benefits same as their male counterparts.Presently, Indian Army and Air Force allow permanent commission for female officers. While,Indian Navy has limited the role of women officers serving in short service commission of 14 years.In case of Navy, female officers are only allowed to serve in the administrative, medical andeducation branches. They are also working as observers, to monitor censors on aircrafts.Implications: It will eliminate the gender discrimination and ensure the rights of women officers in

Indian Navy similar to their counterpart in other forces. To follow up the ruling of Delhi HighCourt, Indian Navy now has to review its rules banning women on warships.Note: Women in Indian army and the Air Force were allowed permanent commission by the Delhi

High court in its ruling of 2010.

Union Government gives nod to One Rank One Pension schemeSeptember 5, 2015

Union Government has given its nod to implement One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen.It was announced by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parikkar in New Delhi.Facts about One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme

OROP will provide ex-servicemen of same rank and same length of service uniform pensionregardless of date of retirement.The benefit will be given with effect from 1st of July 2014 and it will benefit all threeservices- Army, Navy and Air Force.Pension will be re-fixed every five years and future enhancements in rates of pension wouldbe automatically passed to the past pensioners.Armed forces personnel who retire voluntarily would be not covered under OROP scheme.However, it will be applicable to personnel who have already retired prematurely.All arrears will be paid in four half-yearly installments and all widows will be paid arrears inone installment.Estimated cost to implement OROP scheme would be around 8000 crore rupees to 10,000crore rupees at present and it will increase further in future.

Union Government also has decided to constitute one member Judicial Committee for examinationof interests of retirees of different periods and different ranks. The Committee will also cover inter-service issues of the three forces and submit its report in six months.




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September 6, 7, 2015Australian Cricketer Shane Watson announces retirement from Test cricketSeptember 7, 2015

Veteran all-rounder cricketer Shane Watson from Australia has announced his retirement from

International Test cricket.His decade long Test career came to an end at the Ashes opener at Cardiff, which England won by169 runs. In this match Watson had made 30 runs and failed to take a wicket.Shane Watson

He also has represented Australia in One Day International (ODI) and T20 cricket formats.He had played as a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler.He debuted in international cricket in 2002, playing his first ODI against South Africa.In 2010 he was awarded Allan Border Medal and again in 2011. He is only the second player(after Ricky Ponting) to win back-to back Allan Border Medals.

Cricket career

Test: He had played 59 matches and scored 3,731 runs with an average of 35.20. His highest

test score was 176. He had bowled 5,495 balls and took 75 wickets at an average of 33.68 runs.ODI: He had played 190 matches and scored 5,718 runs with an average of 40.55. His highest

ODI score was 185 (not out). He had bowled 6,406 balls and took 168 wickets at an average of31.79 runs.T20s: He had played in 48 matches and scored 1,156 runs with an average of 26.88. His

highest T20 score was 81. He had bowled 756 balls and took 39 wickets at an average of 24.56runs.

Andhra Pradesh inks MoU with TISS to increase employability of studentsSeptember 7, 2015

Andhra Pradesh government has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the TataInstitute of Social Sciences (TISS) to increase employability of students in the state.The MoU was inked on the occasion of Teacher’s Day (5 September) in presence of Chief Minister NChandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam.The MoU envisages implementation of programme activities of state government’s flagship initiativeof Andhra Pradesh University Students Employability Skill Development Programme.Key facts

Objective of the MoU is to ensure significant, measurable increase in employability ofstudents studying in universities and degree colleges across the state.It also seeks to form collaboration with industries and higher institutes for implementing the




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flagship programme.In order to implement this programme and meet its objectice, the MoU seeks tie up asstrategic partnerships with civil society organisations, public sector bodies, private sectorinstitutions and social entrepreneurship organisations, etc.

Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula OneSeptember 7, 2015

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One. This was

his seventh victory of the season.His win for the season 2015 of Formula One began with Australian Grand Prix and later wonChinese Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix, Canadian Grand Prix, British Grand Prix and BelgianGrand Prix.Ranking after British Grand Prix 2015

1st position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) of Mercedes.

2nd position: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Ferrari.

3rd position: Felipe Massa (Brazil) of Williams.

4th position: Valtteri Bottas (Finland) of Williams.

5th position: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) of Williams.

6th position: Sergio Perez (Mexico) of Force India.

7th position: Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) of Force India.

Top 5 Teams: Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, Red Bull and Force India.

Union Government to develop Bodhgaya as Spiritual CapitalSeptember 7, 2015

Union Government is going to develop Bodhgaya in Gaya district of Bihar as Spiritual Capital of

the country in order to serve the civilisational bond between India and the Buddhist world.It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing delegates from 90 countrieson the concluding day of the International Buddhist Conclave held at Bodh Gaya.In his address Prime Minister called Gautam Buddha as India’s crown jewel and called Bodh Gaya as

the land of enlightenment.About Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi TempleComplex in Gaya district of Bihar.Significance: It is famous because it place where Gautama Buddha (Founder of Buddhism) is

said to have obtained Enlightenment (Bodhimandala) under the peepal tree which is known as

the Bodhi Tree.




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For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important place and one of the main four pilgrimagesites related to the life of Gautama Buddha. Other three are Kushinagar, Lumbini, andSarnath.In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple located in Bodh Gaya was accorded with UNESCO WorldHeritage Site status.

China, Pakistan launch joint ‘Shaheen (Eagle) – 4’ Air DrillSeptember 7, 2015

China and its strategic partner Pakistan have launched a joint air exercise called Shaheen (Eagle)-4

in China.It is fourth edition of air exercise between the air forces of both countries which was launched as partof a series of military exchange programmes between two countries.In this edition of exercise, Chinese contingent was represented by fighter jets, fighter bombers andearly warning planes. Pakistani counterpart included fighter jets and early warning planes.Chinese air force by this joint air exercise is willing to expand the scope of cooperation with variouscountries in the region.The first edition of such joint air drill between both countries took place in Pakistan in March 2011.Late in September 2013 the second drill took place in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur region andthird drill again took in Pakistan’s Punjab province in May 2014.

G-20 launches W-20 grouping for gender inclusive economic growthSeptember 7, 2015

Group of Twenty (G-20), a forum of world’s 20 largest economies, including India launchedWomen-20 (W20), an engagement grouping of women leaders in order to push for gender inclusiveglobal economic growth.It was launched in the on-going G-20 Summit of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors inAnkara under the Turkish Presidency.The W20 group would 20 women leaders from G20 nations. It will work as an outreach group topromote gender inclusiveness in economic growth process by empowering women.It would host its first summit in October 2015 in Istanbul after all member countries appoint theirrespective nominees. Gulden Turktan from Turkey has been appointed as the first President W20

forum.About Group of Twenty (G20)

G20 is the premier forum for global economic and financial cooperation.Established: in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on

member countries in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.It brings together 20 nations that represent world’s major advanced and emerging economies,




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representing around 85 per cent of global GDP.Presidency of the G20: It rotates annually among its members.

Members: Brazil, China, Russia, India, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Canada, France,

Indonesia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Korea, UnitedKingdom (UK), United States (US) and European Union (EU).

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Badarpur-Faridabad MetroSeptember 7, 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Badarpur-Faridabad Metro in Delhi National Capital

Region (NCR).The metro corridor will connect the national capital with the satellite town and give impetus toeconomic growth in the region by fast transportation of people.It is also first environment-friendly metro in Indian as all the stations and depot have been equippedwith solar power plants.Badarpur-Faridabad Metro Corridor

It is the 14 kilometre long corridor and has nine stations from Sarai (Delhi) to EscortsMujesar.It is an extension of the presently operational ITO-Badarpur section of the Delhi Metro.Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is nodal agency in implementing this corridor andhas been built at an estimated cost of 2500 crore rupees.Environment-friendly railway stations: The corridor is equipped with solar power

generation facilities in all stations and depots to generate nearly 2 megawatt power.Ridership capacity: on the corridor is estimated to be around two lakh per day and help to

shift a major portion of the road users to this mode of transport.It will also help to tackle the rush from satellite town as five to six coach-trains will be inservice daily.

GSAT-6 Satellite successfully positioned in orbital slot of 83 Degree EastSeptember 7, 2015

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully positioned India’s latest communicationsatellite GSAT-6 into its orbital slot.It was positioned in its orbital slot 83 Degree east after carrying out four drift arresting maneuvers. Ithas been collocated with other four communication satellites INSAT-4A, IRNSS1C, GSAT 12 andGSAT 10.About GSAT-6 satellite

GSAT-6 satellite was carrying S-Band and C-Band transponders meant for public andstrategic purposes. It weighs 2117 kg and has mission life of nine years.




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The satellite is having S-Band Unfurlable Antenna (UFA) of 6 m diameter. This is the largestantenna ever made by ISRO for a satellite.This antenna is utilized for five spot beams over the Indian mainland to exploit the frequencyreuse scheme and to increase frequency spectrum utilization efficiency in India.GSAT-6 is the 25th geostationary communication satellite of India and 12th in the GSATseries.Application: It will provide S-band multimedia communication and broadcasting services

across the country. C-Band is for strategic purpose and it will provide national security andlaw enforcement agencies a secured satellite telephony services.

Background

ISRO had successfully launched GSAT-6 from an indigenous cryogenic engine GSLV-D6 rocketfrom Sriharikota on 27 August 2015. ISRO had performed successive orbit raising operation of thesatellite and had deployed the UFA successfully after the launch.




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September 8, 20156th Indo-Maldives Joint Military Exercise, KUVERIN 2015 begins inThiruvananthapuramSeptember 8, 2015

The sixth Indo-Maldives joint Training Exercise, KUVERIN 2015 has commenced at PangodeMilitary Station in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.Aim of the Joint Exercise is to acquaint forces of both countries with each other’s operatingprocedure and increase understanding and interoperability between Armies of both countries.In this edition of joint exercise, total of 45 soldiers each from Indian Army (BIHAR Regiment) andthe Maldivian National Defence Force will take part.The exercise will cover varied military training activities in order to enhance interoperabilitybetween the two defence forces. It will conclude with tactical exercises.It should be noted that the sixth Indo-Maldives joint Training Exercise commenced on 31 August2015 and it will conclude on 13 September 2015 with the closing ceremony involving cultural eventsby various military display teams along with aerial acrobatics display by Sarang Team of Indian Airforce.

Qatar deploys troops in Yemen for first timeSeptember 8, 2015

For the first time, Qatar has deployed ground troops in Yemen to counter the Shia Houthi rebelswho have taken over the country.In this regard, Qatar has deployed around one thousand ground troops, supported by armouredvehicles and military helicopters in Marib province of Yemen.Earlier in March 2015, Qatar along with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members (expectOman) had signed a joint statement with Saudi Arabia to form coalition in order to take militaryaction against the rebels in order to bring regional stability in the Gulf region.Yemeni Crisis: Background

Yemeni Crisis began after security situation in the country deteriorated after the Shia Houthisrebels had seized power by dissolving Yemen’s government and parliament in January 2015.The rebels have taken the control of key government buildings in Yemen’s capital Sanaaincluding Presidential Palace.The conflict in the country is mainly between Yemeni government along with their allies,southern separatist’s forces loyal to the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Houthiforces and forces loyal to the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.Saudi Arabia led coalition includes gulf countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain




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and Kuwait (all GCC members). While, United States is providing logistical and intelligencesupport.

BSNL to upgrade Broadband speed to minimum 2 MbpsSeptember 8, 2015

State owed telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has decided to upgradeBroadband speed to minimum 2 Mbps in the country.It was announced by Union Information Technology (IT) Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at afunction held in Gurgaon, Haryana.The speed will be at no additional cost for all its existing Broadband customers from 1 October 2015from existing speed plans of 512 Kbps & 1 Mbps.Besides, BSNL is also going of free night calling services from its landline to all operator networksand free incoming roaming services for its mobile customers.BSNL Broadband services

BSNL was the first telecom service provider in the country to provide the Broadband Accessto the country.In 2005, it had launched the Broadband services in urban as well as Rural areas over itslandline with minimum speed of 256kbps and above over the Multi-Protocol Label Switching(MPLS) based IP infrastructure.Since then, BSNL has constantly is increasing the broadband speed in urban as well as ruralareas to meet minimum speed and quality requirements envisaged in New Telecom Policy2012.Presently, BSNL has Broadband customer base of around 10 Million including about 1.1 Mn.Rural customers.

Reliance Defence Ltd inks MoU wit Abu Dhabi Ship BuildingSeptember 8, 2015

Reliance Defence Ltd (RDL) led by Anil Ambani has inked memorandum of understanding (MoU)with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to set up a strategic partnership for construction of navalships.The partnership will include construction of frigates and destroyers to address the demands of GulfCooperation Council (GCC) over the next 10 years.Both signatory parties are also going to incorporate a joint venture (JV) company which willencompass both construction of new naval vessels as well as repair, maintenance, overhaul and refitopportunities of existing commercial and naval vessels in the Gulf region.In this proposed JV Company, RDL will be the majority partner with 51 per cent stake and ADSBwill have 49 per cent of stake.




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Background

The MoU signing between RDL and ADSB follows the joint statement issued during Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August 2015 which had highlightedcooperation and manufacture of defence equipment in India.About Abu Dhabi Ship BuildingADSB is a major regional provider of construction, repair and refit services for naval, military andcommercial vessels in the GCC region.It was established in 1996 and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Originally, it was established tosupport the repairs and refits of UAE Navy vessels.Currently, it has market portfolio of different projects worth 3 billion UAE Dirhams. Its stake isjointly owned by Mubadala (40 per cent stake), Abu Dhabi Government (10 per cent stake) while theremaining 50 per cent is publicly traded on UAE’s stock exchange.

Weightlifter Deepak Lather wins gold in Commonwealth Youth GamesSeptember 8, 2015

Indian weightlifter Deepak Lather won a gold medal in fifth Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG)

held in Apia, Samoa.He won the medal the 62 kg category after finishing with a total of 258 kg with 120 kg in snatch. Hehas created a new CYG record and 138 kg in clean and jerk.It is second gold medal India has won in in weightlifting at this edition of CYG. Earlier, JamjangDeru had won the gold medal in the 56 kg weight category on the opening day of the event.In the fifth edition of Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG), India is being represented by 25 athletescompeting in eight different disciplines out of total nine events.About Commonwealth Youth GamesThe games are a small-scale version of the Commonwealth Games. It has been designed for theyouth of the 71 Commonwealth member countries.It was for the first time in Scotland in August 2000 and since then it takes place every four year. Indiahad hosted third edition of CYG in 2008 in Pune, Maharashtra.

Andhra Pradesh launches e-Pragati to bring all government services under oneroofSeptember 8, 2015

Andhra Pradesh by has e-Pragati, a comprehensive architecture to leverage the latest advances in e-

governance tools.With this launch, Andhra Pradesh became first state in India to execute and conceive state-wideenterprise e-governance architecture.It is the rechristened version of AP State Enterprise Architecture (APSEA) that seeks to bring all




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state government services under one roof.Key facts

The basic objective of e-Pragati is to provide an integrated One Governance that will becitizen-centric, transparent and effective by moving away from the traditional piecemealapproach.It has been developed in association with Information Technology (IT) giant Wipro.The project aims to bring together 745 government to businesses (G2B), government tocitizens (G2C), government to employees (G2E) and government to governments (G2G)services offered by 33 departments of state and more than 300 government agencies.As many as 72 projects of various departments have been grouped under 14 packages.

Seven Indians figure in Forbes Asia’s new list of PhilanthropistsSeptember 8, 2015

Seven Indians have featured in the new group of philanthropists in the latest 9th edition of ForbesAsia magazine in the Asia-Pacific region.The list has featured top philanthropists from 13 Asia-Pacific region countries for their individualnoteworthy contributions to health and education sectors..Seven Indians are

Infosys co-founders Nandan Nilekani, Senapathy Gopalakrishnan and SD Shibulal have been

featured in the list.Rohan Murthy, represented his father, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy as a

philanthropist in the list. He had donated US 5.2 million dollars to Harvard University Pressfor promoting ancient Indian literary classics.Sunny Varkey who has pledge to donate half his fortune worth US 2.25 billion dollars as

charity as a follow-up to the Giving Pledge Initiative, led by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.Varkey is the founder of GEMS Education which is based in Dubai. It has a chain of 70private schools in 14 countries.London-based India-born brother entrepreneurs Suresh Ramakrishnan and MaheshRamakrishnan also have featured in the list. They are founders of Whitcomb & ShaftesburyTailors on London’s Saville Row.

Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed as full time member of NITI AayogSeptember 8, 2015

Renowned Agriculture expert Professor Ramesh Chand has been appointed as new full time

member of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.With this appointment he became third full-time member of NITI Aayog, Union Government’s




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think tank which had replaced the erstwhile Planning Commission. Besides Mr Chand, economistBibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat are other two full-time members of NITIAayog.Since 2010, Mr Chand has been working as Director of New Delhi based National Institute ofAgricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP).Presently, he is also a member of a task force on Agriculture Development of NITI Aayog, chaired byits Vice Chairman Arvind Panagriya. The task force is mandated to formulate strategies for reforms,innovation and technology diffusion in agriculture sector and recommend strategies for re-invigorating agriculture in all its aspects.About NITI Aayog- Click hereHitesh Khanna | [email protected] | 43597

http://currentaffairs.gktoday.in/union-government-renames-planning-commission-neeti-ayog-01201516982.html



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September 9, 2015Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain’s longest-reigning MonarchSeptember 9, 2015

Queen Elizabeth II on 9th September 2015 became the longest-reigning Monarch of Britain and thelongest-reigning female monarch in history.She surpassed the previous record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria who had

reigned thousand-year-old dynastical institution of Britain for more than 63 years and 7 months.It should be noted that, presently Queen Elizabeth II (88 years old) is world’s oldest living monarch.About Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was born as Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on 21 April 1926.She acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 at the age of 25 after her father, King GeorgeVI died.She was crowned as queen of Britain and other realms, including Canada and Australia on 2June, 1953.Presently, she is Queen of 16 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations which overallconsists of overall 53 member states including India.She is also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.In 1945, she had actively joined World War II as a driver in the Women’s AuxiliaryTerritorial Service (WATS).

Haryana Government bans gutka, pan masalaSeptember 9, 2015

Haryana government has completely banned the gutka, pan masala and other similar productscontaining tobacco in the state for one year from September 3, 2015.In this regard State Food and Drugs Administration has issued notification in the interest of publichealth.The ban includes manufacturing, distribution, storage and sale of gutka, pan masala, flavoured orscented tobacco, kharra and other similar products containing tobacco. The ban also includes mix ofother ingredients such as heavy metals and anti-caking agents.These substances were banned due to presence of Nicotine which already has been added by stategovernment in the list of poisons substances notified under Haryana Poison Possession and SalesRules, 1966.Addition of Nicotine in this list means that it is mandatory to follow the same rules which wereapplicable on those indulged in possession and sales of already notified poisons.




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Anirban Lahiri becomes 1st Indian golfer to qualify for President’s CupSeptember 9, 2015

Ace Indian Golfer Anirban Lahiri has become the first Indian to qualify for the prestigiousPresident’s Cup of Golf.World No.40, Lahiri qualified to this prestigious cup through automatic qualifications as teammember of the International Team.The International team is set to take on United States team in the biennial Presidents Cup 2015 to beheld at Incheon, South Korea.In season 2015, he has won 2 European Tour, 7 Asian Tour including the Hero Indian Open in 2015and Malaysian Open. So far, he has won 11 National titles in India including Ahmedabad Mastersand Haryana Open. Union Government has bestowed Arjuna Award on him in 2014.President’s Cup of Golf: The biennial Cup is a series of men’s golf matches between a team

representing United States (US) and an International Team representing the rest of the worldexcluding Europe. In case of European counterparts, the matches are played for the Ryder Cup whicholder than President’s Cup.

India, Belarus set trade target of 1 billion dollar by 2018September 9, 2015

India and Belarus have set the bilateral trade target of one billion dollar by 2018.The decision was taken at the Seventh Session of the India-Belarus Intergovernmental Commissionheld in Minsk, Belarus.The meeting was co-chaired by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman co-chaired and her Belarusian counterpart Minister for Industry Vitali Mikhailovich Vovk.Key highlights

Both countries noted the potential to step up cooperation in pharmaceuticals, machinery,energy, fertilizer, mining and tourism.They also agreed to facilitate business to business contacts to promote investment flows inthe two countries.Both sides also expressed satisfaction in successful supply of equipment by state owned BHELfor the reconstruction of Grodno Power Plant-2 in Belarus.They hoped for further boost the participation of Indian companies in projects for thereconstruction of power facilities in Belarus.Belarus is eager to boost investment and technology to India to supports its flagship Make inIndia programme.

It should be noted that, presently the bilateral trade between both countries is around 400 milliondollars.




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Haryana Government sets minimum qualification for candidates in PanchayatiRaj pollsSeptember 9, 2015

Haryana Assembly has passed Haryana Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2015 that seeks to fixmatriculation as minimum educational qualification for elections to Panchayati Raj institutions(PRIs).With this Haryana became second state in India after Rajasthan to fix educational and otherqualifications for the candidates contesting Panchayat elections.Key provisions of bill

General candidates contesting the Panchayat elections should have class X certificates i.e.matriculation as essential qualification.For Women (general) and Scheduled Caste candidates’, class VIII mark-sheet is mandatory.The educational qualification for SC candidates for the post of ‘panch’ is class V.Mandatory for the candidates contesting PRI elections to have functional toilets and paymentof power bills.Candidates should not have been charge-sheeted by any court of law and must not be loandefaulters.

Comment

State government has taken this decision to improve the quality of leadership and governance inPRIs. The amendment bill will also enable elected representatives of PRIs to be more accountable topeople, as they would no longer be able to cite illiteracy as an excuse.

Union Cabinet gives nod to introduction of Gold Monetization SchemesSeptember 9, 2015

The Union Cabinet approved introduction of Gold Monetization Schemes (GMS) in a bid to lure

away Indians from buying physical gold.The approved schemes are Gold Deposit Scheme (GDS) and the Gold Metal Loan (GML) Scheme

which were announced by Government in 2015-16 budget.Objectives of schemes

To make the existing GMSs schemes more effective and to put the gold into productive useheld by households and institutions in the country rather than only mobilising it.The long-term objective is to reduce the country’s reliance on the import of gold to meetdomestic demand.

GMS would benefit the Indian gems and jewellery sector which is a major contributor to country’sexports by accounting 12 per cent of total exports. It would enable depositors to earn interest ontheir on their gold accounts.




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These schemes are in addition to the implementation Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme (SGBS) whichwas approved by the Union Cabinet. Under this scheme, bonds will be issued with an interest ratedecided by Union Government and calculated on value at the time of investment.

South Asian Sub-Regional Drug Focal Point meeting begins in New DelhiSeptember 9, 2015

Sub-Regional Drug Focal Point Meeting and Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (CPDAP),South Asia under the Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) Expert Group Consultation has begun in NewDelhi.The three-day meeting was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh which has beenorganised by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).Key facts

Main objective is to review the progress of the Drug Demand and Supply Reduction activitiesin the South Asia region.Facilitate exchange of views between delegates on technical aspects of the drug cooperationprogramme and it aims at achieving efficiency and effectiveness.Address the needs of the member states and help formulate a uniform strategic plan toaddress drug use and abuse related problems.CPDAP will provide a great platform to coordinate among different countries fighting for thecause of drug menace.About 40 delegates from various participating countries are participating in this meeting.

Drug Menace in South Asia regionSouth Asia region is present on the so called Golden Crescent (overlaps Afghanistan, Iran andPakistan) and Golden Triangle (overlaps Myanmar, Laos and Thailand) which are two mainopium-producing areas in the world.Part of South West and South East Asia are more venerable for drug trafficking and its abuseespecially among the youth is matter of concern.The involvement of various terrorist groups and syndicates in drug trafficking has been seenas grave threat to national security and sovereignty of countries in this region.India’s concern: Due to its close proximity with major opium growing areas of the region,

India is facing the serious menace of drug trafficking and spillover effect.

Gandhi Peace Prize 2014 conferred on ISROSeptember 9, 2015

President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2014 on Indian SpaceResearch Organization (ISRO).ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar on behalf of the organisation received the prize at a function held




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at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.ISRO was chosen for the prestigious award in March 2015 for its contribution in development ofspace technology and satellite-based services, making space technology a catalyst of development ofIndia and bringing societal transformation and provided the service to the common man and nation.About Gandhi Peace Prize

Instituted in 1995 by Union Government as a part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrationof Mahatma Gandhi.Awarded annually to individuals and institutions for their contributions towards social,economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods.The prize carries an award of one crore rupees, a plaque and a citation.Previous recipients: Julius Nyerere (the first President of Tanzania) was the first recipient

of the prize (1995). Other important recipients are Ramakrishna Mission, Baba Amte,Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Grameen Bank, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and others.




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September 10, 2015Union Cabinet approves National Offshore Wind Energy PolicySeptember 10, 2015

Union Cabinet cleared National Offshore Wind Energy Policy to generate electricity from

offshore windmills located in areas within Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the country.Under this policy,

Offshore wind power projects and R&D activities will be carried in waters up to the seawarddistance of 200 Nautical Miles (EEZ of the country) from the base line.Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) will be nodal Ministry.

National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) will be nodal agency for allocation of offshore Wind

Energy blocks.NIWE has been authorized to carry out allocation of offshore wind energy blocks. It will alsoframe guidelines for coordination and allied functions with related ministries and agencies.

The policy will provide a non-biased playing field to all domestic and internationalinvestors/beneficiaries.Implications

Pave the way for offshore wind power projects along the 7600 km long Indian coastline toreplicate the success of the onshore wind power projects in the offshore wind projects.It would also help India to attain energy security and achieve National Action Plan on ClimateChange (NAPCC) targets.

Tamil Nadu’s first Global Investors Summit begins in ChennaiSeptember 10, 2015

Tamil Nadu’s first Global Investors Summit (TNGIM 2015) has begun in Chennai to woo investorsto invest in the state.TNGIM 2015 was officially inaugurated by state Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa at the Chennai TradeCentre.The first of kind investors summit in southern state of India is seeking to targeted investmentcommitment of one-lakh crore rupees.Over 5000 delegates including from foreign nations are attending the two-day summit. It alsoincluded captains of Indian industry and global corporates and representatives of Indian and globalindustrial bodies.Nine countries have registered themselves as partner nations for the mega investment event. Stategovernment is aiming to translate investments from this summit by signing about 100 MoUs in thetwo-day summit to generate around 150,000 jobs over the next 3 years.




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Union Cabinet approves Spectrum Trading norms for telecom firmsSeptember 10, 2015

The Union Cabinet has approved spectrum trading norms for harmonious spread of telecom servicesin the country.These norms were approved based on the recommendations Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI) in order to increase emphasis on evolving more flexible and market oriented approach inTelecom sector.Keyfacts

Henceforth, telecom companies can trade spectrum especially unutilised spectrum in all bandsamong themselves without taking any government permission.The original validity period of spectrum assignment of telecom companies will not be altereddue to spectrum trading as it is applicable to the traded block of spectrum.However, the ownership right will remain with the Union Government. The seller and buyerentering into spectrum trading agreement will have to give an undertaking that they arecarrying trading in compliance with rules and regulations.

Implications: Spectrum trading will allow better spectrum usages as the unutilised spectrum from

one telecom service provider gets transferred to the other service provider who is facing spectrumcrunch. It will also help to resolve the problem of fragmented spectrum holding in India and improvecustomer satisfaction and telecom services.

Union Cabinet allows 100 per cent FDI under automatic route for white labelATMsSeptember 10, 2015

The Union Cabinet has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) under the automaticroute for white label ATM operations (WLAO).Decision in this regard was taken in Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi.This decision will expedite and ease FDI inflows in WLAO further giving a fillip to the government’sambitious effort to promote financial inclusion in the country, including the Pradhan Mantri JanDhan Yojna (PMJDY).Prior this approval, foreign investment in WLAO was allowed through the government approvalroute which required some processing time and projects were delayed.White labeled ATMs

Private non-bank companies that own and operate their own brand of ATMs are termed asWhite labeled ATMs. They were meant to expand the reach of ATMs in Tier III to VIcentres.




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As per RBI guidelines, it is mandatory to non-bank companies owning white labelled ATMsto provide banking services to customers based on cards (credit/debit/prepaid) issued bybanks.

India, Indonesia sign pact to cooperate on criminal mattersSeptember 10, 2015

India and Indonesia have signed a pact for repatriation of wanted prisoners and cooperate in allcriminal matters, including gathering evidence.In this regard Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an official gazette notification for serviceor execution of summons or warrant in relation to criminal matters in both countries.Under the agreement

India will execute summons to an accused person (or any person) requiring to producedocuments and attend or a search-warrant issued by an Indonesian court.Indonesia will reciprocate with similar action to execute summons if there is any requestfrom any Indian court.Such summons or warrant would be sent to its Internal Security Division-II for transmissionto the central authority i.e. the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia.




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September 11, 2015Union Cabinet gives nod to Constitution of 21st Law Commission of IndiaSeptember 11, 2015

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval toconstitute the 21st Law Commission of India (LCI).The 21st LCI will have a period of 3 years with effect from 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2018.Composition

Chairperson (full-time),Four Members (full-time). It will include a Member-Secretary.3 Secretaries: Department of Legal Affairs, Legislative Department and LegislativeDepartment as ex offcio Members.Up to 5 part-time Members

FunctionsUndertake research in existing laws by reviewing them for making reforms therein andenacting new legislations.Undertake studies and research to bring reforms in the justice delivery systems in the countryin order to eliminate the delays in procedures, speedy disposal of cases and cost reduction oflitigations etc.Suggest enactment of new legislations to implement the Directive Principles and attain thevarious objectives enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution.Prepare and submit reports to the Union Government on all matters, issues, studies andresearch undertaken by it. These reports should recommend effective measures to beundertaken by the Union or any State government.

Background

The Law Commission of India (LCI) is a non-statutory and non-constitutional bodyconstituted by the Union Government from time to time.The first commission was constituted in 1955 and since then various commissions were re-constituted every three years.So far, various Law Commissions have submitted 262 reports in which they were able tomake important contribution towards codification and progressive development of laws ofthe country.The 20th LCI was headed by Justice A P Shah, Former Chief Justice (CJ) of Delhi High Courtand its tenure ended on 31 August, 2015.




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Tenth World Hindi Conference begins in BhopalSeptember 11, 2015

The Tenth World Hindi Conference (विश्व हिंदी सम्मेलन) has begun in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh withthe theme of Hindi Jagat-Vistar and Sambhavnaye.

The three-day conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has been organisedin Madhya Pradesh for the first time and being held in India after 32 years.It is joint event of Union Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the state Government ofMadhya Pradesh.This edition of conference will host scholars from 39 countries who are going to discuss issues likeHindi in administration, foreign policy and law during the event. An exhibition showcasingassimilation of Hindi with modern techniques also has been set up at the conference venue.World Hindi Conference

The First World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur by then Prime Minister IndiraGandhi. It was held from 10 to 12 January 1975. Since then every year 10th January is beingobserved as the World Hindi Day.In the first conference, then Prime Minister of Mauritius Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was ChiefGuest and it was attended by 122 delegates from 30 countries.Ninth edition of World Hindi Conference was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2012.

India, Pakistan agree to maintain peace along border after DG level talksSeptember 11, 2015

India and Pakistan have started a three-day Director General (DG)-level border dialogue in NewDelhi.Director General (DG) Border Security Force (BSF) D K Pathak is leading 23 member Indiandelegation and his counterpart Major General Umar Farooq Burki, DG of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab)is leading a 16 members Pakistani delegation.Both the delegations also have representatives from respective Home and Foreign ministries alongwith officers from narcotics control and survey department.In this dialogue both sides have

Decided to devise new strategies along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) to put an end to incidents of ceasefire violations.Agreed maintenance of peace and tranquility on the border is the most important issue andthis needs to be implemented on the ground.

India also has suggested that rather than debating and contesting about the past incidents, both sidesshould work on a future strategy in order to make the border peaceful and safe for the troops andcivilians alike.




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New species of human relative discovered in South AfricaSeptember 11, 2015

Scientists have discovered a new ancestral species in the human family tree dubbed as Homonaledi in

South Africa.The new discovered species were named after the location where it was found i.e. naledi whichmeans star in Sesotho, a local South African language.

The species has been classified in the genus Homo to which modern humans belong.

Discovery: It was made inside the Rising Star Cave in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage

Site in South Africa by team of scientists led by Lee Berger, professor at University of theWitwatersrand.They have discovered a huge haul of fossilised bones of these species which is the largest fossilhominin found on the African continent.Characteristic of Homonaledi species

These species are among the first of our kind (genus Homo) and could have lived in Africa up

to 3 million years ago.They have a tiny brain, a primitive pelvis and shoulders.They have more progressive human like body shape of its skull and have relatively smallmodern-looking teeth, primitive fingers, modern-looking feet and characteristic long legs.

Renowned Water policy expert Ramaswamy Iyer passes awaySeptember 11, 2015

Renowned water policy expert Ramaswamy R. Iyer passed away in New Delhi following a severe

bout of viral fever. He was 86.He was instrumental in drafting India’s first National Water Policy in 1987.Ramaswamy R. Iyer was born in October 1929 in Thakkalai district of Tamil Nadu.He was best known for producing a rich body of commentary on water policy and environmentalissues.He was an officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS) and also had served as Secretaryof Water Resources in the Union Government. His last held position was that of an honoraryresearch professor at the New Delhi based Centre for Policy Research.

Antarctic Ocean’s carbon dioxide absorption increasedSeptember 11, 2015

As per a new study Antarctic Ocean has been absorbing increasing levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) ,a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) over the past decade.The research study was published in journal Science and was undertaken by an internationalresearch team led by Nicolas Gruber, a professor at ETH Zurich.




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Key facts

The study dispels fears that Antarctic Ocean’s (also known as the Southern Ocean) carbonsink might have begun to saturate due to increase in CO2 absorbing levels.Researchers have found that since the beginning of the millennium, Antarctic Ocean’s carbonsink has become much stronger, regaining its expected strength.Antarctic Ocean seasonally absorbs vast amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere and releases itback later in the year.The seas surrounding Antarctica on an annual average absorb significantly more CO2 thanthey release.These seas help to remove a large part of CO2 that human activities emit into theatmosphere. Thereby, slowing down the growth of this GHG in the atmosphere, lesseningthe rate of climate change.Antarctic Ocean accounts for 40 per cent of the global oceanic uptake of that man-madecarbon dioxide.

Indra Nooyi, 2nd powerful women in 2015 Fortune’s business listSeptember 11, 2015

Indra Nooyi, CEO of food and beverage giant PepsiCo is the sole Indian-origin executive in 2015edition of Fortune’s list of 50 Most Powerful Women in Business.India-born Nooyi was placed at second position in this year’s list and has moved up by single positionfrom her previous third position in year 2015.This edition of the list was topped by General Motors CEO Mary Barra. She heads United Stateslargest auto-maker and it is her second year as head.The list also includes

Third position: Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM.

Fourth position: Marillyn Hewson, CEO, Chairman and President of Lockheed Martin.

Fifth position: Ellen Kullman, CEO and Chairman of DuPont.

Sixth position: Abigail Johnson, CEO and President of Fidelity Investments.

Seventh position: Meg Whitman, CEO, Chairman and President of Hewlett-Packard (HP).

Eight position: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.

Ninth position: Irene Rosenfeld, CEO and Chairman of Mondelez International.

Tenth position: Phebe Novakovic, CEO and Chairman of General Dynamics.

2015 Singapore General Elections: PAP returns to powerSeptember 11, 2015

In recently concluded 2015 Singapore General Elections, People’s Action Party (PAP) led by Prime




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Minister Lee Hsien Loong has emerged victorious.

PAP returned to power after scoring a landslide victory by winning an absolute majority of 83 seatsin the 89 member Parliament. The opposition Workers’ Party won 6 seats.In this general election, PAP has secured 70 per cent of all valid votes up from 60.14 per cent in the2011 general elections, when it had won 81 of the 87 constituency.With this victory, governing PAP has secured their 14th consecutive term in office sinceindependence of city-state in 1965. 2015 Singapore General Elections was country’s first electionafter the death of its founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.Parliamentary Elections in Singapore

As per Constitution of Singapore, the Parliament has maximum term of five years after that it mustbe dissolved by the President and elections must be held within three months.Voting is mandatory in Singapore and is based on the first-past-the-post system. The elections areconducted by the Elections Department, which is under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister’sOffice.




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September 12, 2015JK Tyre to buy Haridwar unit of Kesoram’s IndustriesSeptember 12, 2015

JK Tyre has signed a binding agreement with Kesoram Industries to acquire its Haridwar unit.This agreement seeks to buy 100% equity in Kesoram Industries tyre unit in Uttarakhand in a decalvalue of 2,200 crore rupees. It should be noted that Kesoram sells its tyre under the Birla Tyresbrand.The acquisition move will help JK Tyre to enter in to the two and three wheeler market besidesstrengthening its position as top market leader in the trucks and bus business in India. It will also addaround 5 million to its present production capacity of 30 million.Kesoram Industries on its part will use the majority of the acquisition funds to pare its long-termdebt which is estimated at 3,800 crore rupees.

Rajasthan first state to submit State Annual Action Plan under AMRUTSeptember 12, 2015

Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to submit State Annual Action Plan under AtalMission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).State Government has submitted the action plan for approval by the Union Urban DevelopmentMinistry for financial year 2015-16.The plan seeks to target two categories of AMRUT projects in the state viz. universal coverage inrespect of water supply connections, sewerage connections and urban transport to all urbanhouseholds.In this regard, state government has proposed projects under these two categories worth 1,087 crorerupees to be taken up in 13 of the 28 AMRUT cities in Rajasthan.These cities have been identified by the state government after analysing the gaps in coverage inrespect of household water supply connections and sewerage network services. They were identifiedin line with the principles of prioritization suggested in the Mission GuidelinesThese citites include

Beawar, Alwar and Nagaur: Both water supply and sewerage projects will be taken up.

Baran, Bhilwara, Bhiwar, Dhaulpur, Chittorgarh, Ganganagar City and Sujangarh:

Only water supply projects will be taken upSikar, Bhiwadi and Udaipur: only sewerage and septage management projects will be

taken up.

DRDO scientist Dr G. Satheesh Reddy conferred with Silver Medal by Royal




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Aeronautical SocietySeptember 12, 2015

Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, an eminent missile scientist of DRDO has been conferred with prestigiousSilver Medal by London based Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS).He was bestowed with this medal in recognition of his pioneering contributions as one of the leadingnavigation and avionics experts and for promoting Aerospace and Aeronautics in India.Under his leadership, India has developed state-of-the-art advanced avionics systems and sensors forkey national strategic programmes and other defence applications.About Royal Aeronautical Society

Established: It is oldest aeronautical society in the world.

It is British founded multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the globalaerospace community.Medals: The Society awards a number of medals and prizes which include its prestigious

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.Since 1909, these medals are awarded to outstanding achievers in the aeronautical researchand development industry.




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September 13, 14, 2015Union Government extends e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countriesSeptember 13, 2015

Union Government has announced to extend e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries in orderto attract maximum foreign tourists in the country.It was announced by Secretary of Union Tourism Ministry Vinod Zuthsi while addressing a functionof Indian Association of Tour Operators in New Delhi.With this extension, the total 150 countries will come under the ambit of e-Tourist Visa Schemefrom present 113 countries.By August 2015, more than 22,000 tourists have used this scheme to visit India, compared to 2700tourists in August, 2014.Background

Union Government had launched e-Tourist Visa Scheme (as Tourist Visa on Arrival scheme) inNovember 2014. The scheme seeks to tap the vast tourism potential of India which still remainsuntapped and explored.Initially during the launch only 45 countries were brought under ambit of the scheme. But later inthe phased manner, the scheme was extended to 113 countries.

AUSINDEX15, first Australia and India maritime exercise begins inVisakhapatnamSeptember 13, 2015

Inaugural bilateral maritime exercise between India and Australia AUSINDEX15, commenced off

coast of Visakhapatnam.The inaugural biennial exercise began with briefings and practical demonstrations ashore betweenRoyal Australian Navy and Indian Navy before moving to sea.In this maiden edition of exercise

Three Royal Australian Navy ships viz HMA Ships Sirius (fleet tanker), Arunta (Anzac classfrigate) and Sheehan (Collins class submarine) and a Royal Australian Air Force P3C Orionsurvelliance aircraft have participated.They will train with Indian Navy Ships Ranvijayi (Guided missile destroyer), Shivalik (Steltonfrigate) and Shakti (fleet tanker) along with P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft.It will also include tabletop exercises, practical demonstrations and scenarios ashore and seaphase.

AUSINDEX15 naval exercise between navies of both countries is held in line with the Framework for

Security Co-operation. The framework was announced by the Australian and Indian Prime Ministers




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in 2014.The naval exercise seeks to

Promote peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific region, boost each other’smaritime security interests and strengthen defence co-operation.Strengthen relationship between both countries to undertake regional joint or combinedoperations such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Frank D Gilroy, Pulitzer prize-winning playwright passes awaySeptember 14, 2015

Renowned American playwright, screenwriter and film producer and director Frank D Gilroy passedaway in Monroe, New York. He was 89.In 1965, he has won prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play The Subject Was Roses.He had written screenplay for a 1968 film adaptation starring Albertson and Patricia Neal which wasearned both actors Oscar nominations, resulting in a win for Albertson.Gilroy also had directed movies for television and the big screen including the 1971 DesperateCharacters. He also had received the Tony Award for Best Play for The Subject Was Roses in 1965.Gilroy was born on October 13, 1925 in New York City, United States. He had served in the armyfrom 1943 to 1946.

Narsingh Pancham Yadav books an Olympic berth for 2016 Rio gamesSeptember 14, 2015

Indian Wrestler Narsingh Pancham Yadav has secured quota for India in the 2016 Olympic Games.He qualified for Olympic Games after winning a bronze medal in the Men’s 74 kg Freestyle categoryat the World Wrestling Championship held at Las Vegas, United States.In the semifinal bout, Narsingh lost the match to Unurbat Purevjav of Mongolia, thus settling to thebronze medal.With this third-place finish, Narsingh also became the lone Indian to win a medal at the prestigioustournament as well as book a berth for the 2016 Rio Games.This is also the the first time that an Indian wrestler has earned an Olympic berth by winning medalat the World Championship.

Winners of 2015 US Open Titles of TennisSeptember 14, 2015

The 2015 US Open is a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at the USTA Billie JeanKing National Tennis Center. It was the overall 135th edition of the US Open, the fourth and finalGrand Slam event of the year 2015.Men’s Singles title

Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the US Open Men’s Singles title. In the summit clash he




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defeated Roger Federer of Switzerland by 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and 6-4.It is Djokovic’s second US Open singles title and a 10th Grand Slam singles title.

Women’s Singles Title

Italy’s Flavia Pennetta has lifted the Women’s Singles trophy of the US Open. In the Open

Era’s final match, 26th seed Pennetta defeated compatriot Roberta Vinci (Italy) in straight

sets 7-6 and 6-2.With this victory she became the first Italian to win US Open champion and it was also hermaiden US Grand Slam title.It was also her fourth and final Grand Slam of the season and she is only the second Italianwoman to win a tennis major Grand Slam titles.

Men’s Doubles Title

French pair of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut won the Men’s Doubles trophy ofthe US Open. In the final match, they defeated, Jamie Murray (United Kingdom) and JohnPeers (Australia) pair by 6–4, 6–4 score.

Women’s Doubles Title

Sania Mirza (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) pair won the Switzerland women’sDoubles trophy of the US Open. In the final match, they defeated, Casey Dellacqua (Australia)and Yaroslava Shvedova (Kazakhstan) pair by 6–3, 6–3 score.It was their fourth title of this season after winning Wimbledon Championship, BNP ParibasOpen and WTA Family Circle Cup doubles title earlier.

Mixed Doubles Title

Leander Paes (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) pair won the Mixed Doubles trophyof Final Grand Slam of the US Open. In the summit clash 4th seeded Indo-Swiss pair defeatedAmerican pair of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sam Querrey 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.It was their third title of this season after winning Australian Open and WimbledonChampionship earlier.

Classical dancer Kalamandalam Sathyabhama passes awaySeptember 14, 2015

Kalamandalam Sathyabhama, doyen of classical dance form Mohiniyattam passed away in Palakkad

district of Kerala. She was 77.She was regarded as a matriarch of Mohiniyattam and was well-known for her experimental reformsin this classical dance form which helped to preserve and popularise the traditional art form.About Kalamandalam Sathyabhama

Kalamandalam Sathyabhama was born at Shoranur in 1937 and had started learning classicaldance at a very early age of 12.




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Her debut on major stage was in 1955 during the silver jubilee of the Kalamandalam (KeralaGovernment’s Deemed University of Art and Culture).She also was the first woman Vice Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam and later, became itsPrincipal till she retired in 1992. She was also well versed in other classical dances of Kerala.Publications: She had published a treatise on Mohiniyattam (in Malayalam) by name,

Mohiniyattam – History, Techniques and Performance.Awards and Honours: Padma Shri (2014), Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award (1976),

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1994), Kerala Government’s Nruthya Natya Puraskaram (2005),

Kalamandalam Award (1988) etc.

Personal life: She was married to Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (died in 2007) who was

widely regarded as the master of Kathakali grammar.About Mohiniyattam dance

Mohiniyattam is a classical dance form from Kerala and is considered as a very graceful formof dance meant to be performed as solo recitals by women.It believed to have originated in 16th century and is one of the eight Indian classical danceforms recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.The word Mohiniyattam literally means ‘dance of the enchantress’ and it has been derived from

the words Mohini meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and aattam meaning graceful

and sensuous body movements.The vocal music of Mohiniyattam involves variations in rhythmic structure known as chollu

and the lyrics are mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam.

14 September: National Hindi DivasSeptember 14, 2015

National Hindi Divas (हिंदी दिवस) is an annual literary-day celebrated on 14 September in Hindispeaking regions of India and other countries with Hindi speaking population.Significance: It seeks to propagate Hindi language and its cultural heritage and values. It also seeks

to promote the Matra Bhasha i.e. mother tongue of India and show its importance as a language inthe country and the world at large.On the occasion of 2015 Hindi Divas, President Pranab Mukherjee presented Rajbhasa awards invarious categories at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.These Rajbhasa awards are instituted by the Rajbhasha Vibhag of Union Ministry of Home Affairsand recognize Ministries, Departments and Nationalized Banks and others for their excellentcontribution in the field of Hindi.




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About National Hindi DivasNational Hindi Divas is observed to mark adaptation of Hindi written in Devanagari script asthe official language of India by the Constituent Assembly of India on 14 September 1949.The decision of using Hindi as the official language was ratified by the Constitution of Indiawhich came into effect on 26 January 1950.Under the Article 343 of the Indian Constitution, Hindi written in Devanagri script wasadopted as the official language. But presently, there are 2 official languages: Hindi andEnglish.

Constituent Assembly rejects proposal to declare Nepal as a Hindu stateSeptember 14, 2015

The Constituent Assembly of Nepal has overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to declare Nepal aHindu state and reaffirmed to remain secular.The proposal to amend the constitution received the support of only 21 lawmakers of theConstituent Assembly in the total 601 member assembly. In order to pass this proposal, it wasnecessary to secure the required 10 percent of votes.The proposal to amend the Constitution to make the Hindu-majority nation as a Hindu state wasforwarded by Pro-Hindu National Democratic Party of Nepal. The proposal had demanded to makechanges in Article 4 of the revised bill of the new constitution.Earlier in 2007, the Himalayan nation was declared a secular state after the success of the People’sMovement of 2006 to overthrow the Monarchy.Presently, Nepal has entered the final phase of promulgating its new Constitution with the threemajor parties going ahead with clause-wise voting on the final draft of the statute in the ConstituentAssembly.

Sports Ministry Grants Recognition to Indian Kalarippayattu Federation as RSFSeptember 14, 2015

Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recognized the Indian Kalarippayattu Federation (IKF)

as Regional Sports Federation (RSF) with an immediate effect.This decision was taken with a view to promote and provide due acknowledgement and importanceto sports having regional spread. This recognition also grants major role to the IKF for promotionand development of Kalarippayattu sport in India.About Kalarippayattu sport

Kalaripayattu sport is a Martial art played/performed in Southern state of Kerala and incontiguous parts of Tamil Nadu.It had originated as a martial art style in Kerala during 3nd century BC to the 2nd centuryAD. It was originally practiced in northern and central parts of Kerala and the Tulunadu




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region of Karnataka.It is considered to be one of the oldest fighting system in existence and each warrior in theSangam era received regular military training of it.The word kalari has been derived from Sangam literature which describes both a battlefieldand combat arena.

Tony Abbott ousted as Australian Prime MinisterSeptember 14, 2015

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was ousted from power as leader of the ruling centre-rightLiberal Party by challenger Malcolm Turnbull.In an internal party leadership ballot, Abbott received 44 votes while Turnbull received 54 votes.Prior to challenging the leadership of Tony Abbott, Turnbull had resigned from the cabinet.He had blamed the Prime Minister Tony Abbott was incapable of providing the economic leadershipthe country needs.Malcolm Turnbull is expected to be sworn in as new Prime Minister of Australia after Abbott writesto the Governor General and resigns. He will become the 29th Prime Minister of the country.Turnbull will be Australia’s fourth PM since 2013. Labor Party PM Julia Gillard was ousted by rivalKevin Rudd in a leadership vote in 2013. Later Tony Abbott became PM after Liberal Party and itscoalition partners the National Party won in general election in September 2013.Under the Australian parliamentary system similar to Indian system, Prime Minister is not directlyelected by voters but he is the leader of the party or coalition that can command a majority inparliament.

UN General Assembly adopts of text-based negotiations on UN Security CouncilreformsSeptember 14, 2015

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted text-based negotiations on UN SecurityCouncil (UNSC) reforms. It will set the stage for talks on the UNSC reforms issue at its 70th session.The draft text-based negotiations include questions on equitable representation and increase in themembership of UNSC.India has welcomed the UNGA’s decision to carry forward the text and described the development assignificant and historic. Now it needs to be adopted by consensus by all UN Member States in orderreflect of the broad support of the international community to move forward on this issue.India is looking forward to early commencement of text-based negotiations with a view to securingconcrete outcomes during the upcoming 70th Session of the UNGA. It also has called upon allMember States of UN to constructively engage in this process so that the long pending reform of the




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UNSC can be achieved to give it more power to address the global challenges more effectively.




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September 15, 2015Practo acquires Insta Health SolutionsSeptember 15, 2015

Healthcare firm Practo has acquired has acquired hospital management software firm Insta HealthSolutions for 12 million dollars.Insta Health Solutions was founded by former top Wipro executive Ramesh Emani to improve theefficiency of doctors and hospitals across 15 countries.After this acquisition, Insta will operate as a separate division of Practo and it will continue to be ledby its founder Ramesh Emani.Practo with this acquisition will integrate Insta’s product to its platform and give impetus to directlytap business from hospitals by providing them an option to use Insta’s product.This would enable patients to find information about doctor availability across the hospital and dobooking instantly without and do not wait once they reach to the hospital for their appointment.Presently, Practo has over 10,000 hospitals on its platform and aiming to reach to 20,000 hospitals bythe end 2015. It provides an app and web services for scheduling appointments with doctors and alsoprovides patients management solution for doctors to manage their patients and digital healthcarerecords.It should be noted that Insta Health Solutions is third acquisition for Practo in year 2015 after it hadacquired Delhi-based fitness tech start-up FitHo and start-up Genii.

RBI, Nepal Rastra Bank ink MoU for supervisory information exchangeSeptember 15, 2015

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NepalRastra Bank (NRB) on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information.The MoU was signed by RBI’s Executive Director Meena Hemchandra and Nepal Rastra Bank’sExecutive Director Narayan Prasad Paudel in New Delhi.By signing the MoU, RBI is seeking to promote greater co-operation and share supervisoryinformation among the authorities.So far RBI has signed 27 such MoUs, one Letter for Supervisory Co-operation (LSC) and oneStatement of Co-operation (SoC) in this regard.

Andhra Pradesh Government unveils ‘New Tourism Policy-2015- 20’September 15, 2015

Andhra Pradesh Government has unveiled ‘New Tourism Policy-2015-20‘ to boost tourism sector inthe state.It was unveiled by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at a function held in Vijayawada. The policy




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has been framed with support from various government departments, industry experts, inputs fromIndian School of Business and consultancy firm KPMG.Key facts

The new tourism policy aims to develop Andhra Pradesh as one of the most preferred touristdestinations in India.It seeks the development of tourism sector in the state through sustained investments, robustinfrastructure projects and services in order to provide world-class tourism experience.The policy envisages attracting 10,000 crore rupees investments in this sector, raising itscontribution to 7 per cent of the state GDP and generating five lakh additional jobs over thenext five years in the tourism sector by 2020.Under it, state government will set up a single desk for all tourism sector related clearances,which would be provided within 21 days.The Government will set up two bodies viz. Green & Landscape Corporation and SwachhAndhra Corporation in order to improve forest cover and promote cleanlinessIncentives like VAT reduction from 14 to 5 per cent, waiver of entertainment tax for threeyears, reimbursement of land registration charges and lower rate of electricity tariff, amongothers will be provide to tourism sector.

It should be noted that, Andhra Pradesh has long sea coast, hills, rivers, water reservoirs and severaltemples which gives it favourable ambient potential to promote tourism which in turn can act as anengine for economic growth of state.

Gujarat tops in ease of doing business in India: World Bank ReportSeptember 15, 2015

Gujarat has been placed to top position in World Bank’s first ever ranking of States on the ease ofdoing business in India.The World Bank report titled Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms was released in

New Delhi under the aegis of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).The inaugural edition of report reflected the ease of doing business in all Indian States at sub-regional level.Key facts

All States were assessed over a six-month period from January to June 2015 on the basis ofpercentage scores in a 98-point reforms agenda.The Union Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, CII, Federation of IndianChambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI and KPMG were involved in the exercise.Top 5 States: Gujarat (71.14%), Andhra Pradesh (70.12%), Jharkhand (63.09%), Chhattisgarh




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(62.45%) and Madhya Pradesh (62.00%).Bottom 5 states: Mizoram (6.37%), Jammu and Kashmir (5.93%), Meghalaya (4.38%),

Nagaland (3.41%) and Arunachal Pradesh (1.23%).The largest recipients of foreign investments Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu were placed ateighth and twelfth position with less than 50 per cent scores.The focus of the study for assessment was mostly undertaken on eight key importantparameters: The setting up of a business, complying with environment procedures, allotmentof land and obtaining construction permit, complying with labour regulations, registeringand complying with tax procedures, obtaining infrastructure-related utilities, carrying outinspections and enforcing contracts.

Union Government notifies 20% provisional safeguard duty on certain categoriesof steel productsSeptember 15, 2015

Union Government has notified a 20 per cent provisional safeguard duty on certain categories of thesteel products in order to protect the domestic steel sector with an immediate effect.The domestic steel industry is grappling with problems of low demand and facing competition fromsudden surge in cheap imports.The notification on provisional safeguard duty was issued by Union Finance Ministry and it willcontinue for 200 days.This decision was taken based on earlier recommendation of the Directorate General of Safeguards(DGS) to impose the duty to protect interests of the domestic industry. DGS has recommended thatthe market share of domestic steel producers has been declining since 2014 and is likely to fall from45 per cent to 37 per cent in 2015-16.It should be noted that safeguard duty is a World Trade Organisation (WTO)-compatible temporarymeasure to avert any damage to a country’s domestic industry from cheap imports and is brought infor a certain timeframe.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina wins UN Award for Leadership on Climate ChangeSeptember 15, 2015

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been selected for the United Nations Champions ofthe Earth award.UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has chosen her for this prestigious award in recognition ofher country’s initiatives to address climate change.UNEP has noted Bangladesh as one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Inrecent years natural disasters like cyclones, floods and droughts have intensified in the country due to




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climate change.The awards will be presented to her at a special ceremony to be held on September 27, 2015 atclosing ceremony of United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015.Climate Change Mitigation Strategies of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is first developing country to have a Climate Change Strategy and Action Planwhich was prepared in 2009.It is also the first country to set up its own Climate Change Trust Fund which is supported bynearly 300 million US dollars from 2009-2012.In 2011, Bangladesh’s Constitution was amended in order to include a constitutional directiveto the State to protect the environment and natural resources for current and futuregenerations.Being serving Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated leadership andvision in both making climate change an issue of national priority and advocating for anambitious global response.




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September 16, 2015IIT- Delhi, IISc figured in the top 200 World University RankingsSeptember 16, 2015

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi are twoIndia institutes to figure in the top 200 in QS World University Rankings of 2015-16.

In this edition of annual global university ranking list, IISc Bangalore ranked 147th and IIT- Delhiranked 179th respectively.Key facts

It was the 12th edition QS World University Rankings and has been topped by Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (MIT) of United States (US) for record fourth time.

Top five: Harvard University (second), University of Cambridge (third), Stanford University

(fourth), California Institute of Technology-Caltech (fifth).In the top 10 universities, 5 are from US, 4 from United Kingdom (UK) and 1 fromSwitzerland.National University of Singapore (11th rank) has topped among the Asian universities.

Methodology: The University Rankings list has been compiled by assessing six performance

indicators, each having different weightages. These six performance indicators are Academicreputation, Student-to-faculty ratio, Employer reputation, Citations per faculty, internationalstudent ratio and International faculty ratio.

Malcolm Turnbull sworn in as Australia’s new Prime MinisterSeptember 16, 2015

Malcolm Turnbull has sworn-in as Australia’s new Prime Minister.He became the 29th Prime Minister of the country and was administered oath to the office byGovernor-General Peter Cosgrove.Turnbull succeeded Tony Abbott after defeating him in internal party leadership ballot of the rulingcentre-right Liberal Party.About Malcolm Turnbull

Prior to entering politics, Malcolm Turnbull had worked as a lawyer, journalist, investmentbanker and venture capitalist.In 1993, he became the Chair of the Australian Republican Movement and served in theposition until 2000.His political career in 2004 after he was elected as Member of Parliament from Wentworth.He still represents it.Previously he had served as Minister for the Environment and Water in the Howard




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Government in 2007.Later in September 2008, he was elected Leader of the Liberal Party and become Leader of theOpposition.In the Tony Abbott’s government he was the Minister for Communications from September2013 to September 2015.

Indian-American Swetha Prabakaran selected for Champions of Change award inUSSeptember 16, 2015

A 15-year-old Indian-American girl Swetha Prabakaran has been selected by the White House for

the prestigious Champions of Change award.She was chosen for the award in recognition of her efforts for empowering the community byimparting education of Internet coding through her non-profit Organisation.She is among eleven young women selected by the White House as Champions of Change.Swetha was born in Indianapolis to Indian parents who had immigrated from Tamil Nadu’sTirunelveli in 1998.She is the founder and CEO of Everybody Code Now, a non-profit body working to empower the next

generation of youth to become scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.About Champions of Change award

The award is given by White House to those who support working families and help makechange in their companies or communities.In this regard, White House had created the ‘Champions of Change’ programme in order tofeature these individuals and to empower and inspire members of their communities.

Indian-origin author Sunjeev Sahota shortlisted for 2015 Man Booker Prize forFictionSeptember 16, 2015

Indian-origin author Sunjeev Sahota has been short-listed for the prestigious 2015 Man Booker

Prize for Fiction.Sunjeev Sahota’s novel The Year of the Runaways has been shortlisted which deals with the life

experience of illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent in Britain.He is among the 6 authors who have been short-listed for this edition of prize by judges’ panelchaired by Michael Wood.Other short-listed authors are: Tom McCarthy (Britain), Anne Tyler (US), Marlon James

(Jamaica), Hanya Yanagihara (US) and Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria).

Sunjeev Sahota was born in 1981 and is a third-generation British-Indian. His debut novel Ours Are




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the Streets was published in 2011. The Year of the Runaways is his second novel which was published in

June 2015.About Man Booker Prize for Fiction

The literary prize since 2013 is bestowed upon writers of any nationality for their bestoriginal novel written in the English language and published in United Kingdom.Previously, the prize was open only to authors from the UK and Commonwealth nations,Ireland and Zimbabwe.It was first was awarded in 1969 and is sponsored by the Man Group.The prize carries 50,000 pounds and it is of great significance for the book trade as thewinner of prize is generally assured of international renown and success.

North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear facility resumes operationSeptember 16, 2015

North Korea’s main nuclear facility at the Yongbyon complex has resumed normal operations after itwas shut down in 2007.With this development it appears that North Korea is intensifying nuclear and ballistic missiledevelopment efforts in quality and quantity.Yongbyon’s reactor was shut down in 2007 under a six-nation aid-for-disarmament accord. But thedictatorial Kim Jong Un regime vowed to restart it again in 2013, following its third nuclear test andamid high regional tensions.The reactor at this nuclear facility has been the source of plutonium for North Korea’s nuclearweapons programme. If it is re-started, the reactor could potentially enrich plutonium to make onenuclear bomb per year.Presently, North Korea is under United Nations economic sanctions for its strategic nuclear weaponsprogramme and it was further tightened after its 2013 test.North Korea’s nuclear weapons Test and NPT

In 2009, North Korea had declared that it had developed a nuclear weapon and has become afully-fledged nuclear power. The communist country probably possesses a small stockpile ofrelatively simple nuclear weapons.Nuclear Test: North Korea had successfully conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006

with yield less than a kiloton.The second test was conducted on May 25, 2009 with estimated yield between 2 and 7kilotons. It is also believed that in 2013, third underground nuclear test was carried.Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): North Korea is fourth fully-fledged nuclear

country after India, Israel and Pakistan which has never joined the NPT. Actually, NorthKorea had acceded to the NPT in 1985 but never came into compliance and withdrawn itself




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in 2003.

Hungary Declares state of Emergency over Refugee InfluxSeptember 16, 2015

Hungarian Government has declared a state of emergency in its two regions of Csongrad and Bacs-Kiskun to cope with the influx of refugees. It was declared by Hungarian Prime Minister ViktorOrban.This move could pave the way to bringing in Hungary’s military to patrol the frontier borderingSerbia to stop illegal influx.This declaration comes after more than 10,000 people claiming to be Syrian and Afghan refugeeswere detained by Hungarian police for illegally crossing the border from Serbia.Refugee Crisis

Hungary’s decision will effect in closure main route of the European Union (EU) border forthe illegal refugee influx chain. But it is said that after closing of main route, refugees willdivert their route from other countries.Being a central European nation, Hungary had emerged as epicenter of a refugee crisis whichhad erupted after an unprecedented number of people from North African (Libya, Eritrea,

Sudan etc) and Middle Eastern (Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan etc) countries started relocating to

European Countries for seeking refuge and better life conditions.So far in 2015, over 200,000 refugees have reached Hungary by walking across the southernborder with Serbia by crossing Turkey, Greece and Mediterranean Sea.

It should be noted that European countries are witnessing a greatest illegal refugee crisis since WorldWar II and is considered as one of the worst humanitarian crisis. Earlier in September 2015,Germany had introduced border controls along its Austrian border to check refugee influx. It had ledto Germany’s temporarily exit from the Schengen Agreement of EU which facilitates unhinderedmovement of people within the EU countries.

Union Cabinet approves 150 days employment under MGNREGA in the droughthit areasSeptember 16, 2015

Union Cabinet has approved 150 days employment per household under Mahatma Gandhi NationalRural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the drought hit areas of the country.Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi.Additional 50 days of unskilled manual work under the MGNREGA scheme will benefit people indrought-hit areas which are facing monsoon deficit affecting kharif crops and rural income.




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The move will enable state governments to provide additional wage employment to the rural poorfrom present 100 days in drought and natural calamities affected areas.Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) also approved setting up of committee to proposeExim bank scheme in order to offer concessional finance to companies bidding for infra projectsabroad.

Hangzhou City of China chosen to host 2022 Asian GamesSeptember 16, 2015

Capital city of Zhejiang Province Hangzhou in East China has been chosen by the Olympic Councilof Asia (OCA) to host the 2022 Asian Games.Hangzhou was the only candidate city for the 2022 Asian Games i.e. XIX edition of games.This decision was taken by the OCA at its 34th Congress held in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan.It will be the third Chinese city to host the Asian games following Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in2010.Hangzhou is best known for the West Lake, a placid and tourist attraction. It is also home base ofChinese Internet (ecommerce) giant Alibaba.About Asian Games

Asian Games also known as Asiad is a pancontinental multi-sport event (44 sports events)among athletes from all over Asia.It is held every four years and regulated and organized by the OCA since 1982.It was first held in 1951 in New Delhi, India under the aegis of Asian Games Federation(AGF).46 member countries affiliated to the OCA are eligible to take part in the Games. It is oftendescribed as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.Incheon, South Korean city had hosted last Asian Games in 2014, while Indonesia’s Jakarta isgoing to host in 2018 Asian Games.

Union Cabinet approves Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission for ruraldevelopmentSeptember 16, 2015

The Union Cabinet has approved Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban mission (SPMRM) for itsambitious bid to spur social, economic and infrastructure development in rural areas.In this regard, Union Government has earmarked over 5,000 crore rupees for the mission to develop300 clusters over next three years across the country.Key facts

Aim: SPMRM through development of rurban growth clusters aims at catalyzing overall

regional growth.




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Twin objectives: It seeks to achieve of strengthening rural areas and de burdening the urban

areas. Thus it seeks for balanced regional development and growth of the country bysimultaneously benefiting the rural as well as urban areas of the country.The State Governments would identify the clusters which have latent potential for growth inaccordance with the Framework for Implementation.This framework will be prepared by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.The clusters will be geographically contiguous Gram Panchayats with different populationand follow administrative convergence units of Gram Panchayats.Plain and coastal areas must have population of about 25000 to 50000, desert areas, hilly ortribal areas must have 5000 to 15000.There would be a separate approach for selection of clusters in Tribal and Non-TribalDistricts.States government will prepare Integrated Cluster Action Plans for Rurban Clusters. It willbe comprehensive plan documents detailing out the strategy for the cluster development.




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September 17, 2015Union Government bans NSCN-K for 5 yearsSeptember 17, 2015

Union Government has banned Naga rebel group National Socialist Council of Nagaland- Khaplang(NSCN-K) for five years. The organisation has been banned under the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, 1967.Decision in this regard was taken at Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi.NSCN-K was has been banned following due legal process as it had unilaterally abrogated theceasefire agreement with the Union government and perpetrated a string of terror attacks. In June2015, it was involved in brutal killing of 18 soldiers of 6 Dogra Regiment in an ambush in Chandeldistrict of Manipur.About National Socialist Council of Nagaland

The NSCN was formed 1980 with an objective of establishing a sovereign state of Nagalim byunifying all the areas inhabited by the Naga people in Northeast India and Myanmar.It was founded by Isak Chishi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah and S.S. Khaplang opposing theShillong Accord of 1975 signed by the then Naga National Council (NNC) with UnionGovernment.Later in 1988, Naga nationalist Military group split into two factions viz. NSCN-K led by S.S.Khaplang (a Myanmarese Naga) and the NSCN-IM jointly led by Isak Chishi Swu and

Thuingaleng Muivah.In 2001, both factions had settled a ceasefire agreement with the Union government. But wasunilaterally abrogated by NSCN-K after brutal killing of 18 soldiers in June 2015.NSCN-K has strength of around 1,000 cadres with several camps across the border inMyammar.In May 2015, 9 militant groups of the northeast including the NSCN-K and ULFA hadformed a conglomerate of insurgents called ‘United National Liberation Front of West SouthEast Asia’.In August 2015, NSCN-IM had entered into an historic Peace Accord (FrameworkAgreement) with Union government to bring lasting peace in Nagaland.

India, Cambodia ink 2 MoUs for bilateral cooperation in Tourism, Mekong GangaProjectSeptember 17, 2015

India and Cambodia have signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to boost bilateral




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cooperation in the field of Tourism and another related to umbrella projects under Mekong GangaCooperation initiative.These MoUs were signed in the presence of Indian Vice President M.Hamid Ansari and hisCambodian counterpart Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh.The second MoU for umbrella projects under Mekong Ganga Cooperation initiative covers fiveQuick Impact Projects including

2 projects in Health care.1 project on Agriculture.1 project in Women’s Empowerment through Information and Communications Technology(ICT).50,000 US dollars grant for the Cambodia-India Entrepreneurship Development Centre(CIEDC) which was launched in February 2006.

About Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC)Established: in 2000 at Vientiane at the First MGC Ministerial Meeting.

Members: It comprises six member countries viz. India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia,

Laos and Vietnam.The organization takes its name from two large rivers Ganga and Mekong flowing in theregion.MGC emphasises on four areas of cooperation including tourism, education, culture andtransportation linkage for solid foundation of trade and investment cooperation in theregion.

Nepal’s Parliament approves new ConstitutionSeptember 17, 2015

Nepal’s Parliament has overwhelmingly approved a new constitution after seven years of painstakingefforts and deliberations.The new Constitution was passed by a 507-25 vote in the 601-seat Constituent Assembly (CA) afterthe voting and is due to come into effect on 20 September 2015.The lawmakers of CA from Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)and UCPN- Maoist supported the draft constitution.It should be noted that this is fifth constitution enacted by Nepal. The previous four constitutionswere enacted in 1959, 1962, 1990 and 1999.Features of Nepal’s new constitution

Establishes Nepal as secular and federal democratic republic. It moves away from the existingunitary structure.The constitution vest executive rights of the country on the Council of Ministers headed by




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Prime Minister. While the President would be ceremonial head-of-the-state.It establishes bi-cameral federal parliament and split the country into seven federal provinces.It establishes competitive multi-party democratic system with periodic elections.Enshrines fundamental rights, civic freedom, human rights, voting rights and full pressfreedom etc to its citizens.It establishes independent, fair and competent judiciary in order to build the nation with thecommitment to socialism based on rule of law and democratic norms and values.

Backgroud

The new Constitution has been drafted by second Constituent Assembly (CA) which waselected in 2013. Chairman of CA was Subash Nemwang.The first CA established 2008 after the abolishment of the Himalayan country’s 240-year-oldHindu monarchy was not able to finish its task despite four extensions.

Godavari, Krishna Rivers formally interlinked in Andhra PradeshSeptember 17, 2015

Godavari River was formally interlinked with the Krishna River at Ibrahimpatnam near Vijayawada

in Andhra Pradesh.Both rivers were interlinked after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a pylon atIbrahimpatnam.State government has named this historic occasion as ‘Krishna-Godavari Pavitra Sangamam’ meaning

holy confluence in Telugu.Key facts

The interlinking irrigation project located at Pattisam village in West Godavari district willpump Godavari River’s water into a




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canal 4 km under the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. The pumped water will meetKrishna River at Ibrahimpatnam in Vijaywada district through 174 km long link canal.

The stored water by interlinking rivers at Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada will be diverted toirrigate paddy crop on 7 lakh acres in the Krishna, West and East Godavari districts, whichare often called the rice bowl of the country.It will also be used to bring drought prone area Rayalaseema region (Anantpur, Kurnool andKadapa districts) under irrigation through Srisailam reservoir as it faces acute shortage ofwater for irrigation from June to August every year.It will save around 80 thousand million cubic feet (TMCs) surplus water directly flowingfrom Godavari River into Bay of Bengal which will be used for irrigation purpose.The inter-linking of both rivers was brainchild idea of eminent engineer and former Unionminister Kanuri Lakshmana Rao (He is considered as father of the Indian Irrigation System).

Map Source: Rediff.com

RBI approves 10 entities to set up Small Finance BanksSeptember 17, 2015

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted in principle approval to 10 entities to set up smallfinance banks to provide basic banking services to small farmers and micro industries.The in-principle approval will enable these entities comply with the guidelines on Small Finance




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Banks and will be valid for 18 months.10 entities are: Au Financiers (India) Ltd, Capital Local Area Bank, Disha Microfin Private Ltd,

Equitas Holdings P Limited, ESAF Microfinance and Investments Private Ltd, Janalakshmi FinancialServices Private Limited, RGVN (North East) Microfinance Limited, Suryoday Micro FinancePrivate Ltd, Ujjivan Financial Services Private Ltd and Utkarsh Micro Finance Private Ltd.As per RBI guidelines, the small finance banks can provide basic banking services in order topromote financial inclusion.It will include services like accepting deposits and lending to the unbanked sections such as microbusiness enterprises, small farmers, micro and small industries and unorganised sector entities.

Central Chile hit by 8.3 magnitude earthquakeSeptember 17, 2015

Earthquake of 8.3-magnitude on Richter scale has hit off Chile’s coast in Illapel, the capital of ChoapaProvince in central Coquimbo Region of Chile.US Geological Survey has noted its epicenter at a depth of 12.5 kilometers off Chile’s coast in Illapel.After the initial earthquake, two aftershock quakes of magnitudes 6.2 and 6.4 occurred west ofIllapel.Tsunami Warning

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) has issued tsunami warnings for Chile, Peru and Hawaii.The PTWC also issued tsunami alert for waves of between 0.3 to 1 metres for Japan,Antarctica, and most of the South Pacific countries including New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji,Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.

Chile and EarthquakesChile is one of the world’s most earthquake prone countries as it lies on so called Pacific Ringof Fire.It is located on the seismically active location that runs along the boundary between the Nazcaand South American tectonic plates.These plates are continuously grinding each other at a rate of up to 80mm per year.The strongest earthquake recorded on Earth of magnitude 9.3 on Richter scale had hit Chilein 1960 which had killed more than 5000 people.




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Union Government launches PMKKKY for mining affected peopleSeptember 17, 2015

Union Government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana

(PMKKKY) for the welfare of people affected by mining related operations.

The new scheme is meant to provide for the welfare of people and areas affected by mining relatedoperations by using the funds collected by District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).About Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)

Aim: Mitigate the adverse impacts due to mining operation on the health and environment.

It also seeks to ensure long-term sustainable livelihoods for the affected people in miningareas.Objective: To implement various welfare and developmental projects in mining affected

areas by complementing the existing ongoing schemes of State and Central Government;To mitigate and minimize the adverse impacts during and after mining on the health,environment and socio-economics of people in mining districts.To ensure long-term sustainable livelihoods to people in areas affected by mining.DMF spending: 60 per cent of the DMFs will be spent on high priority areas including

health care, education, drinking water supply, sanitation and skill development of the affectedpeople.Rest of the funds will be spent on infrastructure developmental projects such as making




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roads, railways, bridges, waterways projects, irrigation and alternative energy sources.About District Mineral Foundations (DMFs)

The Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 has mandated in

setting up of District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) in all districts in the country affected bymining related operations.Union government also has notified the rates of contribution payable by miners to the DMFsalong with launching PMKKKY.In case of mining leases granted before 12th January 2015 (on this date Amendment Act cameinto force) miners have to contribute 30 per cent of the royalty payable by them to DMFs.While, in case of mining leases executed after 12th January 2015, miners have to contribute10 per cent of the royalty.




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September 18, 2015Anti-Tank guided Amogha-I Missile test firedSeptember 18, 2015

An indigenously developed second generation anti-tank guided missile, Amogha-I was successfullytest fired.Test: Test firing was carried out on September 10, 2015 at Babina Army Range, Madhya Pradesh. In

the test two missiles were fired and both hit targets placed at 2.8 km as well as 2.6 km respectively.Both missile flights met all design parameters and designed path profile without any deviation.About Amogha-I Missile

Indigenously developed by state owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).It has maximum target range of 2.8 kms.The missiles will be inducted into Indian Army after due qualification and validation trials.

Perumanna Grama Panchayat becomes first Panchayat in Kerala to declare aWater PolicySeptember 18, 2015

Perumanna Grama Panchayat in Kozhikode district of Kerala has become the first Panchayat in

the State, to declare its own water policy.The water policy has been framed in the lines of the State government’s water policy declared in2008.Key facts

The policy was drafted with the help of the Centre for Water Resources Development andManagement (CWRDM) Kunnamangalam.It was chalked out after a detailed study of water resources and usage under taken byCWRDM in the Panchayat over the last two years 2013 and 2014).The policy notifies a 13-point action plan to ensure proper utilisation and conservation ofwater in the 18 wards of Panchayat.The first of the policy to increase water literacy in the panchayat through extensive waterconservation and awareness programmes.The policy also seeks to make panchayat garbage free by 2020, thus eliminating waterpollution completely. Under the policy, Water conservation committees will be formed atward level as well as panchayat level.These committees will work in tandem with the committees for agriculture, education, basicdevelopment, health and industrial development in order to incorporate in its activities in theessence of the water and environment policy of the State government.




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Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi named for 2015 UNHCR Nansen RefugeeAwardSeptember 18, 2015

Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi has won the 2015 United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR) Nansen Refugee Award.As a teacher, she has been recognised for her tireless and brave dedication to educate Afghan refugeegirls in the Kot Chandana refugee village in Mianwali, Pakistan by overcoming the struggles of life inexile.Asifi is a former teacher who fled from Kabul, Afghanistan with her family in 1992 for finding safetyin the remote refugee settlement of Kot Chandana in Pakistan.In the refugee camp she started teaching Afghan refugee girls by overcoming strict conservativecultural traditions which does not allow Afghan women to learn.About UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award

Established: in 1954 by UNHCR. It has been named after the intrepid Norwegian polar

explorer, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and statesman Fridtjof Nansen.

The award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian work and service of an individual, groupor organization towards refugees, internally displaced or stateless people.Award carries: Commemorative medal and monetary prize of 100,000 US dollars. The

laureate uses the monetary prize to fund a project that complements their existing work.




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September 19, 2015India, Laos ink two MoUs to strengthen bilateral tiesSeptember 19, 2015

India and Laos have inked two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on Air services and QuickImpact Projects under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) programme to strengthen bilateralties between the two nations.These MoU’s were signed in presence of Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari and his counterpartPresident of Lao Choummaly Sayasone in Vientiane.Vice President Hamid Ansari is on four-day official state visit to Cambodia and Laos. It is also firstvisit of an Indian Vice President to Laos.MoU’s signed are

MoU on Air services: Allows airlines to start a direct flight between the two countries.

MoU on quick impact projects of MCG: It includes three projects in the agriculture sector.

Veteran Marathi cricket commentator Bal Pandit passes awaySeptember 19, 2015

Veteran cricket Marathi commentator Bal Pandit passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. He was 89.

He is considered as pioneer of cricket commentary in Marathi who had made the game more popularin Maharashtrian households.About Bal Pandit

Bal Pandit was born on 24 July 1929 in Pune.Prior to starting his commentator career, Pandit was cricketer and had played forMaharashtra. His cricketing debut was in the Rohinton Baria Trophy and played for twoseasons between 1951 and 1953.Commentary career: He is often described as an encyclopedia of Marathi synonyms for

original cricketing parlance in English. Pandit had endeared himself with fans of the cricketwith his lucid live commentary of both domestic and international matches on All IndiaRadio (AIR) for over4 decades, before the advent of 24X7 television channels.Writer career: He was also a prolific cricket writer and had written about 30 books. He also

had penned newspaper and magazine articles on cricket and enhanced knowledge of the gameamong readers.He also had translated Sunil Gavaskar’s autobiography ‘Sunny Days’ in Marathi.Awards: Maharashtra government had bestowed Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Award on him in

1978 in recognition of his contribution to the game of cricket.




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PM Narendra Modi launches IPDS in Varanasi to ensure 24×7 power supply toevery houseSeptember 19, 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched National Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) inVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh to provide 24×7 power supply to every house.To start the scheme in Varanasi, PM laid foundation stone of two power substations and UnionGovernment will provide 572 crore rupees to implement it.Apart from launching IPDS, PM also laid the foundation stone of seven other developmental projectsin Varanasi. He also formally inaugurated the biggest Trauma centre of the country in Banaras HinduUniversity.About Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS)

Aim: To strengthen the transmission and distribution (T&D) networks, 100 per cent

metering urban areas and smarten it with information technology.It was announced in Union Budget 2014-15 and is one of the flagship schemes of the UnionMinistry of Power core attempt to ensure 24×7 power for all.Objective: It envisages strengthening of sub-transmission network by Information

Technology (IT) enablement.IT enablement will help in reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses,establishment energy accounting /auditing system, improvement in billed energy based onmetered consumption and improvement in collection efficiency.

Metro Man E Sreedharan to serve UN High Level Advisory Group on SustainableTransportSeptember 19, 2015

Metro Man Elattuvalapil Sreedharan has been invited to the United Nations’ High Level

Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport (HLAG-ST).He has been invited by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve on his HLAG-ST for a period ofthree years. Mr. E Sreedharan has accepted this offer.About Elattuvalapil Sreedharan

Mr. E Sreedharan was born on 12 June 1932 in Palakkad district of Kerala.He is a retired Indian Engineering Service (IES) officer.Achievements: He is credited for changing the face of public transport in India. Under his

leadership, Konkan Railway and the Delhi Metro projects were completed on time.He was given the sobriquet of Metro Man by the Indian media for his grand success in

executing the completion of the Delhi Metro on time and with stipulated budget.




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Awards: He has been conferred with Padma Shri (2001), Padma Vibhushan (2008) and

French Government’s Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur (2005)

Indian Railways develops Hybrid Vacuum ToiletsSeptember 19, 2015

Indian Railways has developed a Hybrid Vacuum Toilet design which combines the advantages of

Vacuum toilets and those of Biotoilets.The first of its kind system in the world has been developed by the Development Cell of IndianRailway Board. This newly developed toilet facility has been fitted on trial basis in DibrugarhRajdhani.Features of Hybrid Vacuum Toilet

The prototype of Hybrid Vacuum Toilet consists two parts of a custom designed Vacuumtoilet and a biodigester tank.The vacuum toilet has been adapted from a commercially available systems used in aircrafts.These toilets evacuate its discharge into a biodigester tank of the biotoilets which is fittedunderneath the train coach of Indian Railways which does not need large space.The biodigester tank contains anaerobic bacteria that convert human faecal matter into waterand small amount of gases (including methane) by the process of hydrolysis, acetogenesis,acidogenesis and methanogenesis.Advantages: It will help to maintain hygiene and cleanliness in toilets or tracks of Indian

Railways as there will no direct evacuation of human waste.Vacuum toilet also saves water as it consumes only 500 Milliliters of water for flushingcompared to typical conventional toilet or Biotoilet which uses 10-15 liters of water per flush.

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare bans sale of Diclofenac in multidosevialSeptember 19, 2015

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has banned the sale of Diclofenac in multidose vial.

Henceforth, it will be sold only in single-dose vial packaging for human use.This ban was imposed on recommendation of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and ClimateChange (MoEFCC) in order to save and protect vultures from brink of extinction.In this regard, MoEFCC has published an official Gazette notification no G.S.R 558 (E) dated 17thJuly, 2015, banning packaging of multi-dose vial of Diclofenac.Diclofenac and Vulture extinction

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is administered as painkiller tocattle, is the chief cause of mass extinction of vultures.Vultures have a robust digestive system which can even digest disease-causing pathogens




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found in rotting meat of dead. But they do not have a critical enzyme that breaks downdiclofenac and die of renal failure after eating carcasses of cattle administered the drug.Vultures feeding on cattle having traces of diclofenac either die from acute kidney failurewithin a few days or lose their ability to reproduce.In 2006, India had banned the use of veterinary drug Diclofenac for treating cattle. But themulti-dose vials available in the market for human use were widely misused for veterinarypurpose.

Japan’s Parliament passes 2 Security laws to amend its pacifist constitutionSeptember 19, 2015

Japan’s parliament has passed two security laws to amend its pacifist constitution framed after WWIIto allow its troops to fight abroad.The bills already have been approved by Parliament’s lower house and it was voted into law by theUpper Chamber on 19 September 2015.Key facts

These laws are considered as major defence policy shift of Japan that could let troops fightoverseas for the first time since 1945.They also in turn loosen the limits of the pacifist constitution on the military and allow Japanto get involved in collective self-defence.The major defence policy shift of Japan comes in the light of China’s increasing militarystrength and assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.Earlier Article 9 of Japan’s Pacifist Constitution renounced of war and clearly mentionedJapanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right and will not use military force asmeans for settling international disputes.However, new security laws allow Japanese troops to fight abroad in case of collective self-defence or Japan’s survival is threatened. It will also give fillip to defence expenditure andindustry of Japan which is presently 9th largest country in terms of defence expenditure.

Marine population declined since 1970: StudySeptember 19, 2015

As per recently released study, populations of marine mammals, fish, birds and reptiles have declinedby 49% since 1970.The study report was prepared by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Zoological Society ofLondon (ZSL). In this study more than 1,200 species of marine creatures were analysed in the past 45years.Key facts

Biggest drivers of these declining trends are various human activities such as overfishing,




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marine habitat destruction and climate change.The impact of climate change has mainly attributed to excess absorption of carbon dioxideinto the oceans which is making them more acidic and damaging a number of species.There is steep decline marine habitat in the form of mangroves, coral reefs and seagrasseswhich support marine food webs and provide valuable services to people.The report highlights the need to protect critical marine habitats, sustainably manage fishstocks more and improve fishing practices and redirect financial flows to support theseneeded initiatives.




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September 20, 21, 2015Novelist Jackie Collins passes awaySeptember 21, 2015

British-American romance novelist Jackie Collins passed away on 19 September 2015 in California,United States. She was 77 and died due to stage 4 breast cancer.About Jackie Collins

Jacqueline Jill “Jackie” Collins was born on October 4, 1937 in London, England. She was theyounger sister of actress Joan Collins.In her four decades of writing career, she had written more than 32 novels, all of them hadappeared on The New York Times bestsellers list.Her books have sold over 500 million copies in 40 countries and have been translated into 40languages.Her debut novel, The World Is Full of Married Men was published in 1968.

Eight of her novels were adapted for the screen, either as television mini-series or films.Awards and Honours: She was honoured with Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013.

Celebration of weeklong Ladakh Festival begins at LehSeptember 21, 2015

Celebration of the week long annual Ladakh Festival has begun at Leh town in Ladakh region ofJammu and Kashmir.The festival has been organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department in collaborationwith the concerned stakeholders. The festival is celebrated to extend the short tourism season ofLadakh.During the festival traditional, ethnic, religious, cultural life of the people in Ladakh region ispresented before the visiting tourists. Apart from it photo exhibition, handicraft exhibition, polomatch and traditional archery match and music concert are organized.The Ladakh festival was started in 1980’s in order to promote tourism in Ladakh region and make itone of the tourist destination of the country.

BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya passes awaySeptember 21, 2015

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Jagmohan Dalmiya passed away in inKolkata, West Bengal. He was 75.As a cricket administrator, he is hailed as the architect for the rise of Cricket in India and its financialsuperpower.

About Jagmohan DalmiyaDalmiya was involved with the BCCI for more than three decades and had started his journey




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as its treasurer in 1983 before becoming its secretary.For the first time, he became BCCI president in 2001 and continued till 2004. For secondtime, he became President of BCCI in March 2015.Dalmiya also had served as President of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from 1997 to2000. He was first Indian and first Asian to head the ICC.He was also instrumental in organising cricket World Cups to the Indian sub-continent in1987 and 1996.

Sebastian Vettel wins 2015 Singapore Grand Prix of Formula OneSeptember 21, 2015

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel from Germany has won 2015 Singapore Grand Prix of Formula One.The race was held on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, which is the first street circuit in Asia.It was overall fourth victory for Vettel in Singapore Grand Prix as he had earlier won in 2011, 2012and 2013.This was his third victory of the season 2015. Earlier he had won Malaysian Grand Prix andHungarian Grand Prix.Rankings after 2015 Singapore Grand Prix

1st position: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Ferrari.

2nd position: Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) of Red Bull

3rd position: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) of Ferrari.

4th position: Nico Rosberg (Germany) of Mercedes.



20th position: Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) of Force India.

Top 5 Teams: Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, Williams and Toro Rosso.

Ajay Jayaram wins silver medal in 2015 Korea Open Badminton tournamentSeptember 21, 2015

India’s Ajay Jayaram has won silver medal in 2015 Korea Open Badminton tournament in the Men’ssingles category.In the final match played at Seoul, he lost to World no. one Cheng Long of China by 14-21, 12-21score settling to silver medal.With this Ajay Jayaram became first Indian badminton player to win a medal in Korea OpenBadminton tournament.It was Cheng Long’s sixth trophy of the season and second Korea Open Badminton tournament afterhe had won in 2014.




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Ajay Jayaram is currently ranked 32nd in the world. Earlier in the Korea Open tournament, he haddefeated Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei on his way to the Final.

China launches newly-developed smaller version Long March-6 carrier rocketSeptember 21, 2015

China has successfully launched a newly-developed smaller version of carrier rocket Long March-6

as part of the country’s space program.It was launched from the base in the Northern Province of Shanxi and was carrying 20 microsatellites into the space.Facts about Long March-6

Long March-6 is 29.3 meter in length and is smallest version of carrier rocket in the LongMarch family.Fuel: It uses liquid propellant fuel composed of liquid oxygen and kerosene, which is

purportedly pollution and toxicity free.Payload Capacity: Capable of taking satellites into the orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers

with carrying capacity of one ton of payload.Commercial satellite launches: These smaller rocket carries will help to make China more

competitive in the lucrative market for commercial satellite launches. Presently, Chinalaunches its own satellites along with satellites of other countries and commercial companies.

It should be noted that China’s Long March rocket family has been named after an epic journey byCommunist forces led by Mao Zedong escaping the then ruling Kuomintang in the 1930s.

Nepal adopts new ConstitutionSeptember 21, 2015

Nepal has adopted new Constitution marking the country’s transition to a secular and democraticrepublic.The new Constitution was unveiled by Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav at a special ceremony

held in Parliament at Kathmandu.Earlier the Parliament had unanimously adopted the new Constitution by a 507-25 votes in the 601seat Constituent Assembly (CA) after seven years of painstaking deliberations.The lawmakers of CA from Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)and UCPN- Maoist supported the new constitution.The new constitution defines the Nepal, a majority Hindu nation as a secular republic divided intoseven federal provinces.It should be noted that this is fifth constitution enacted by Nepal. The previous four constitutionswere enacted in 1959, 1962, 1990 and 1999.




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Background

The new Constitution has been drafted by second Constituent Assembly (CA) which was elected in2013. Chairman of CA was Subash Nemwang.

The first CA established 2008 after the abolishment of the Himalayan country’s 240-year-old Hindumonarchy was not able to finish its task despite four extensions.

Sherif Ismail sworn-in as Prime Minister of EgyptSeptember 21, 2015

Sherif Ismail has sworn-in as the new Prime Minister of Egypt. He was administered oath to theoffice by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.He will succeed Ibrahim Mehleb who had resigned from office following a corruption scandalinvolving his cabinet minister.Along with Sherif Ismail, 33 ministers of his Cabinet also sworn-in which includes 16 new faces andthree women.Prior to this appointment, Sherif Ismail had served as the Minister of Petroleum and MineralResources from July 2013 to September 2015.By profession, Ismail is an engineer and had earlier worked as Chairman of Egypt governmentowned oil holding company, Ganoub El Wadi Petroleum Holding Company (GANOPE).Powers and Importance of Egyptian Prime Minister: He heads the cabinet, which in turn plays

a leading role in shaping the agenda of the houses of Parliament. The cabinet led by PM also proposelaws to Parliament as well as amendments during parliamentary meetings.

Union Defence Ministry elevates Dr. P Sivakumar as Distinguished ScientistSeptember 21, 2015

Dr. P Sivakumar has been elevated as Distinguished Scientist with immediate effect by the UnionDefence Ministry Ministry.He has been promoted in recognition of his diligence and dedication in self-reliance effort fordefence combat vehicle systems and sub-systemsPresently, he is serving as Director of Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment(CVRDE) Avadi, Tamil Nadu. He has been instrumental in developing various critical systems forthe Indian armed forces.He had worked for more than two decades in Design and Development of Transmission systems fortracked and wheeled vehicles application.He was also involved in development of various products for Indian defence industry including theCarrier Command Post Tracked Vehicle, Arjun MBT Mark-II, unmanned ground vehicles.He is fellow of National Academy of Engineering and has been awarded with Scientist of the Year




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Award 2010 of DRDO for his active role in the Arjun MBT project management.

September 21: International Day of PeaceSeptember 21, 2015

Every year September 21 is being observed as International Day of Peace across the world.The theme for the year 2015 is Partnerships for Peace- Dignity for All.

Significance: The International Day of Peace acknowledges the efforts of those who have strived to

end conflict and promote peace. This day is also observed as a day of ceasefire.The United Nations calls all nations and people to devote this day to strengthen the ideals of peaceboth within and among all nations and peoples.About International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by a passage of resolution 36/67 ofthe United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The first Peace Day was observed inSeptember 1982.This day coincides with its opening session of UNGA which usually held annually on thethird Tuesday of September.In 2001, UNGA had unanimously voted to adopted resolution for established 21 September asan annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.




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September 22, 2015India-Pakistan Flag Meeting decides to defuse situation on LoCSeptember 22, 2015

India and Pakistan have agreed to exercise restraint and work to defuse the situation on Line ofControl (LoC) which has been witnessing repeated ceasefire violations.This decision was taken at Indo-Pak Flag Meeting held at Chakan-da-Bagh LoC crossing point in

Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir between the senior Army officers of the two countries.In this meeting Indian side was represented by Brigadier H S Sareen while the Pakistani side was ledby Brigadier Osman. Both nations also addressed a host of issues regarding ongoing ceasefireviolations, sniping action and targeting of civilians on the LoC.This is the first Flag Meeting between both countries held at the level of Brigadiers after nearly 20days of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch district along the LoC.Ceasefire Violations: Till September 2015, Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire 25 times by

shelling Indian civilian and military positions.It should be noted that the last Brigade Commander level meeting between both neighbours was heldin September 2014 after the LoC saw forty-five days of heavy firing by Pakistani troops since 1971.

Rajasthan Assembly passes Rajasthan Vexation Litigation Prevention Bill, 2015September 22, 2015

Rajasthan Assembly passed the Rajasthan Vexation Litigation Prevention Bill, 2015 by voice vote.The objective of the bill is to prevent filing of baseless cases and to check the misuse of law forpersonal benefits. It covers both civil and criminal cases in the high court and subordinate courts.With this Rajasthan became the fifth state in India after Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and MadhyaPradesh to pass such legislation.Vexatious Litigation: It is a legal proceeding or action initiated maliciously and without Probable

Cause by an individual solely to harass or subdue an opponent or adversary. This action harassesinnocent and law abiding people mentally and economically and also strains overburdened judicialsystem.Apart from the above bill Rajasthan Assembly also passed other two amendment bills. They are

Prisons (Amendment) Bill, 2015: It aims at improving the efficiency of prisons in the state

and also watch check on violence and gang wars in the prisons.Rajasthan Police (Amendment) Bill, 2015: It adds provision for imposing monetary fine of

500 rupees on anyone who creates a nuisance on the road and obstructions or causes injuresto a person or damages property.It also adds provision for fining for the similar second incidence. During second time fine of




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5,000 rupees will be imposed and for the third incidence 10,000 rupees and eight days’ jail.

Two Indian Coast Guard ships Apoorva & C-421 commissionedSeptember 22, 2015

Indian Coast Guard has commissioned two new ships named Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Apoorva and

Interceptor Boat C-421.

The ships were commissioned by Vice Admiral SPS Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief ofWestern Naval Command (Mumbai) off the naval dockyard in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Apoorva: It is the 14th fast patrol vessel in a series of 20. It is 50-

metre long and can achieve a top speed of 33 knots and displaces 317 tonnes.The ship Apoorva synonyms with Unparalleled in English will be based at Goa.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art advanced communication, navigational and weapons.It will platform and undertake various naval operations such as close-coast surveillance,search and rescue, interdiction, medical evacuation and other missions.The ship has been indigenously designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd at Surat, Gujarat.Interceptor Boat C-421: It is 27th in the series of interceptor boats of Indian Coast Guard. It

had been designed and constructed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Limited.It is water jet propelled vessel and can achieve a maximum speed of 45 Knots. It is designedfor close coast and shallow water operations and equipped with medium range armaments.It will be based at Androth (Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands) under the operational andadministrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 12.

Alexis Tsipras led left-wing Syriza party wins Greece General ElectionSeptember 22, 2015

Alexis Tsipras led left-wing Syriza party has emerged as the largest party in the general (snap)elections to the Greece’s Parliament.In this election, Syriza party won 144 seats in the 300 seat Parliament by securing 35 percent of totalvotes. While the Conservative New Democracy Party has emerged second largest party by winning75 seats and Golden Dawn has emerged third largest party by winning 18 seats.It is the second election victory for Syriza party as it had earlier in January 2015 had formed coalitiongovernment with Alexis Tsipras as Prime Minister for first time.Backgroud

In August 2015, the snap elections were called in Greece by President after then ruling SyrizaParty led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras jad lost its majority in the Parliament.The Syriza Party had lost its majority after some its members opposed the European Unionbailout package of 86 billion US dollar which was accepted by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.




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This snap election was held under the caretaker government led by first female PrimeMinister of Greece Vassiliki Thanou. She was appointed in August 2015 by PresidentProkopis Pavlopoulos.

Comment

With this victory, Syriza party which is falling short of a governing majority is expected toform a coalition government with the support of Independent Greeks Party which was itspartner in the previous government.This victory also gives Syriza Party another opportunity to deal effectively with Greece’seconomic crisis which is centre of Eurozone crisis due to huge debt and carry out neweconomic reform process.

Union Cabinet approves MoU with Cambodia for cooperation in tourismSeptember 22, 2015

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved signing a Memorandumof Understanding (MoU) between India and Cambodia for bilateral cooperation in the field oftourism.The MoU was signed during Vice President Hamid Ansari’s visit to Cambodia on September 16,2015 in order to promote bilateral tourism between the two countries.It also seeks enhancing investment and promoting exchange of experience in management,marketing and destination development in this field.Key highlights of MoU

Expand bilateral cooperation in tourism sector along with exchange of data and informationrelated this sector between both countries.Encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders of both countries including hotels andtour operators.Establish platform for exchange of programmes for cooperation in human resourcesdevelopment, investment and hospitality sectors for promotion of two way tourism.

Background

Cambodia is an emerging key tourism source market for India. To tap this potential, UnionGovernment has extended the Electronic Tourist Visa (eTV) facility for citizens of Cambodia.Signing this MoU with Cambodia will help India to further increase tourist arrivals and elicite goodresponse from the travel trade of both countries.




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September 23, 2015Union Cabinet gives nod to amend MoU on Indo-German Partnerships in HigherEducationSeptember 23, 2015

The Union Cabinet gave its approval for minor amendments in earlier MoU signed to facilitateimplementation of Indo-German Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education Programme.Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi.In order to make changes, a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between India and Germany will besigned for implementation of Indo-German Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education programme.Following are the changes

The term strategic from MoU will be deleted from the title of the programme to make it

Indo-German Partnership in Higher Education.

Funding period of the programme will be changed from 2015-19 to 2016-20. Now it will befrom 1 July 2016 to 30 June, 2020.

Indo-German Partnership in Higher Education will help to strengthened education relationship

between both the countries through this JDI.It will enable the higher education institutions of both the countries to mutually benefit byenhancing innovative partnerships in the field of education, research and skill development.It will also play important role in faculty development and foster advanced research in the identifiedpriority areas of challenges for India education system.

Union Health Ministry releases National Health Profile 2015September 23, 2015

Ministry Health and Family Welfare has released National Health Profile (NHP) 2015, which provides

comprehensive information related to health sector.The 11th edition of the document has been prepared by Central Bureau of Health Intelligence(CBHI) and for first time was released in e-book (digital) version in lines with Digital India initiative.It was released by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda in New Delhi.Key facts

NHP focuses on key health information under six major indicators viz. demographic, socio-economic, health finance and health status indicators, comprehensive information on healthinfrastructure and human resources in health in India.Demographic indicators: gives information about population statistics and vital statistics.

Socio-economic indicators: gives the information on education; Economic indicators,




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Employment, Social Indicators, Drinking Water and Sanitation and Housing and Amenities.Health Status Indicators: gives information related to incidence and prevalence of common

Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.It also provides a short overview of National Programme for Prevention and Control ofCancer, Diabetes, Cardio-vascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) and vital information ofReproductive and Child Health of respective states and UTsHealth Finance: gives an overview of Public Expenditure on Health, Health Coverage and

Insurance, Household Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOP) on Health, Public Expenditure onHealth with International Comparison, External Assistance to Government for Health SectorProgrammes along with Explanatory notes on Health Data.Human Resources: gives an overview of availability of human resource or manpower

working in the Health Sector in the country.Health Infrastructure: gives detailed information of various medical institutes in the

country including of medical and dental Colleges, Nursing Courses, AYUSH Institutes andParamedical Courses apart from admissions to BDS and MDS Courses.

It should be noted that CBHI has been publishing National Health Profile annually since 2005. Datain the NHP helps in deciding direction of future course, strengths and weaknesses in the healthsector of the country.

Union Cabinet gives nod to set up India Sign Language Research and TrainingCentreSeptember 23, 2015

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up ofIndian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC).ISLRTC will be set up as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and initially will belocated at the Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi.

It will be established under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons withDisabilities which comes under Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.About Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre

Structure and Composition: At the centre there will be General Council consisting of a

President and 12 Members.There will be also an Executive Council consisting of a Chairperson and 9 Members.Some of these members will be ex-officio and others will be experts from National LevelOrganizations of the Deaf or Academic Institutions or Universities or and independentexperts in Indian Sign Language (ISL).




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Functions: It will seek to provide equal opportunities to hearing impaired persons to fully

participate in every sphere of life.ISLRTC lead the way in academic development, training and propagation of the ISL. It willalso play important role in developing sign language interpreters along with R&D in newtechnology.

Implication: Setting up ISLRTC will help around 5 million deaf community of the country. It will

seek to increase accessibility for the hearing impaired in education, workplace and activities of publiclife.

Rajasthan Assembly passes two bills on ReservationSeptember 23, 2015

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly has passed two bills to provide reservation in educational institutionsand government jobs to economically backward classes (EBC) and special backward classes (SBC)including Gujjars.Two Bills are

Rajasthan Special Backward Classes Reservation Bill, 2015: Provides five per cent

reservation to five communities in government services and educational institution.Five communities are: Banjara/Labana/Baldiya, Gujar/Gurjar, Gadiya/Gadoliya/Lohar,

Gadariya/ Gayari /Gadri and Raika/Rebari/DebasiRajasthan Economically Backward Classes Reservation Bill, 2015: Provides fourteen

per cent reservation to unreserved category.The state assembly also passed a resolution to include both the reservation bills in 9th Schedule ofthe Constitution which protects any legislation (law) inserted within it from judicial review.With the passing of these bills, Rajasthan exceeds the 50 per cent reservation cap/limit laid down bythe Supreme Court as they do not change the reservation quota of Scheduled Castes (SCs), ScheduledTribes (STs) and Other Backward Class (OBCs) categories.Presently, Rajasthan has reservation quotas amounting to 49. 5 per cent including 15 per cent forSCs, 7.5 per cent for STs and 27 per cent OBCs.

CCS clears Military helicopters deal with US aviation giant BoeingSeptember 23, 2015

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has given its approval to a multi-billion dollar deal topurchase Military helicopters from United States aviation giant Boeing.Under this deal, India will purchase 22 Apache Attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers from

Boeing.Apache Attack helicopters: These attack helicopters are equipped with Longbow gunships




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and are armed with deadly Hellfire and Stinger missiles.They are potent as fighter helicopters and are capable of destroying enemy helicopter andtank forces.There addition in Indian Air Force (IAF) will help to replace the ageing fleet of 15 RussianMi-35 attack helicopters which already have undergone life extension upgrades.Chinook heavy-lift choppers: It will help IAF to enhance its heavy-lift chopper capabilities

and replace existing fleet of Russia made four gigantic Mi-26s. These choppers will playimportant role in warfront as well humanitarian operations for proving logistics support.

This defence deal of India with US will further push and bolster US presence in the growing defencemarket of the country. It will further help to advance the nascent efforts by the Indian privatedefence sector to create an aerospace industrial base in the country.

Indra Nooyi, Shobhana Bhartia awarded 2015 Global Leadership AwardSeptember 23, 2015

Hindustan Times Group chairperson Shobhana Bharatia and PepsiCo Chairman Indra Nooyi

have been awarded 2015 Global Leadership Award of the US-India Business Council (USIBC).They were honoured with this award for their roles as top women leaders in the Business world andtheir commitment to driving a more inclusive global economy.Apart from them, renowned Indian-American artist Natvar Bhavsar was awarded the Artistic

Achievement Award. He is well-known for his abstract expressionism and colour-field painting.All of them were presented the awards during the annual gala of the USIBC. US Vice President JoeBiden, US Secretary of State John Kerry were among the dignitaris who had addressed USIBC galaon the occasion.It should be noted that USIBC is the top advocacy group for India and American companies in theUS. It aims to deepen trade and strengthen commercial ties between both countries.

24th Vyaas Samman conferred on eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore GoenkaSeptember 23, 2015

Eminent Hindi writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goenka has been conferred with prestigious 24th VyaasSamman for year 2014.He was bestowed with this award in recognition of his work ‘Premchand ki Kahaniyon ka Kaal

Kramanusaar Adhyayan’. It is a critical analysis of the work Hindi literature’s doyen Munshi

Premchand.About Vyas Samman

The award was instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991.It is awarded annually for an exceptional contribution made by Hindi writers towards the




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language and his work published in past 10 years.The award carries monetary award of 2.5 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.Inaugural award was bestowed upon Ram Vilas Sharma in 1991 for his work Bharat ke

Pracheen bhasha parivar aur Hindi.




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September 24, 2015Uninor rebrands as TelenorSeptember 24, 2015

Telecom service provider Uninor has rebranded itself as Telenor in India. The company also haschanged its tag to ‘Ab life full paisa vasool’ from ‘Sabse Sasta’.

For the rebranding exercise, the company is going to spend around 100 crore rupees.Background

Norway-based Telenor entered India in 2009. Initially it had a joint venture with realty majorUnitech, which however exited in 2012.The company subsequently started operating with the name of Telewings, and in 2014,Telenor bought 100 per cent stake in the company.In 2009, Norway-based firm Telenor had entered into Indian market as Uninor through ajoint venture (JV) with Unitech Wireless. But later in 2014, Unitech had completely exitedfrom the operations and Telenor group had increased its stake in the Indian entity to 100%.Earlier in September 2015, the company had changed its name from TelewingsCommunications Services to Telenor (India) Communications.

Market Share

Presently, Telenor India has permit for seven service areas and operates in six circles viz.Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh East and West.Indian market contributes around 6 per cent of the global revenue of the company and 12percent of the Asian revenue.Norway-based Telenor group has mobile operations in 13 markets across the world includingin the Nordic region, Central and Eastern Europe and in Asia.

US Baseball legend Yogi Berra passes awaySeptember 24, 2015

Baseball legend Yogi Berra from United States has passed away. He was 90.His humorous quotes had made him one of America’s most beloved sports icons. He also hadinspired the famous cartoon character of Yogi Bear.About Yogi Berra

Yogi Berra was born on May 12, 1925 in Missouri, US.Baseball career: He had played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1946 to 63

and last match in 1965. He had spent almost his entire 19-year baseball career with the NewYork Yankees.Achievements: He is one of only five players to win the American League Most Valuable




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Player Award for three times. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseballhistory. In 1972, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn resignsSeptember 24, 2015

Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn has resigned following the revelation that theworld’s largest carmaker (in terms of sales) had manipulated US diesel car emissions tests.His resignation comes after the German carmaker admitted that it had deceived US regulatorEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) in exhaust emissions tests by installing a device to givemore positive results.What is the issue?

Volkswagen had cheated on emissions tests especially in its diesel cars in order to enhancetheir technical performances by trading off US environmental guidelines.Media has dubbed this manipulation scandal of diesel car emissions tests as Diesel Dupe.

During the test cars were fitted with devices with manipulation software in cars with dieselengines that could manipulate the emissions norms.It is estimated that company has sold around 11 million vehicles worldwide by violating theenvironmental norms.The case has sparked a criminal investigation worldwide which could lead to legal action withfinancial fines for the auto giant.

Alexis Tsipras sworn-in as Prime Minister of GreeceSeptember 24, 2015

Alexis Tsipras of left wing Syriza party has sworn in as the Prime Minister of Greece.He was administered oath to the office by the President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.It is second time, Alexis Tsipras has sworn in as the PM of Greece. Earlier in January 2015, he hadsworn in for first becoming youngest PM of Greece since 1865 at the age of 40.Background

In the September 2015 general (snap) elections to the Greece’s Parliament, Alexis Tsipras ledleft-wing Syriza party had emerged as the largest party.In this election, Syriza party had won 144 seats in the 300 seat Parliament by securing 35percent of total votes.In order to meet governing majority in the Parliament, Syriza party had formed a coalitiongovernment with the support of Independent Greeks Party.

WADA inks MoU with China’s Sports Ministry to crack down on supply of PEDSSeptember 24, 2015

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with




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Sports Ministry of China to crack down on the supply and manufacture of performance-enhancingdrugs (PEDS) in the country.Singing of MoU will help in exchange information between Interpol and China’s law enforcementagencies in order to target and dismantle PEDS producers and help other countries catch drug cheatsamong their athletes.PEDS which are basically used as performance-enhancing drugs are openly sold online on Chinesewebsites and shipped to other countries around the world by regular mail.Presently, China is world’s top producer and exporter of PEDS which are manufactured andtrafficked by underground labs in the country.About World Anti-Doping Agency

WADA is global Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that aims at harmonizing anti-doping regulations in all sports and countries.It is collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Established: in 1999 in Lausanne Switzerland under so called Declaration of Lausanne to

coordinate, promote and monitor the fight against drugs in sports.Headquarters: Montreal, Canada.

Marathi film ‘Court’ selected as India’s official entry to OscarsSeptember 24, 2015

Critically acclaimed Marathi film ‘Court’ has been selected as India’s official entry to the Best ForeignLanguage category of the 88th Academy Awards 2016 (popularly known as Oscars).The film was shortlisted from 30 other films by a Film Federation of India (FFI) jury headed by film-maker and director Amol Palekar.It should be noted that Court is third Marathi film to be shortlisted for India’s official entry toOscars. Other two films are Shwaas (2004) and Harishchandrachi Factory (2008).About Court

Court is a courtroom drama film that examines the Indian legal system through the trial of anaging folk singer in a lower court in Mumbai.The film is directorial debut of Chaitanya Tamhane who also has written story of the film.

It has been produced by Vivek Gomber and cast includes Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber andGeetanjali Kulkarni etc.Awards and Honours: Till date the film has won 18 awards at various film festivals across

the world including honours at the Vienna, Antalya, Mumbai and Singapore film festivals.The film also has won the Best Feature Film award at the 62nd National Film Awards in2015.




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Union Government gives nod to IAF’s Integrated Air Command & Control SystemSeptember 24, 2015

Union Government has given its approval for implementation of Integrated Air Command &Control System (IACCS) project of Indian Air force (IAF) with allocation of 8,000-crore rupees.Decision in this regard was taken by Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on the proposal forwarded by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).Earlier in November 2014, DAC had given its nod for addition of 4 more nodes IAF’s IACCS.About Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS)

IACCS system is an automated command and control system for Air Defence (AD) whichintegrates different air sensors and radars to protect Indian airspace.Presently, India has 5 IACCS nodes. The addition of four more nodes will help IAF to coverisolated islands thereby providing a security umbrella to the entire country.On completion of this project, the air headquarters will get a composite air situation pictureas it is going to integrate Air Force, Army, Naval and civilian radars.IACCS will help IAF to connect all of its air, space and ground assets quickly for totalawareness of a region and facilitate real-time transport of data, images and voice amongstaircraft, satellites and ground stations.

Mukesh Ambani India’s richest person for 9th consecutive year: ForbesSeptember 24, 2015

Industrialist Mukesh Ambani has been named as India’s richest person for ninth consecutive year

in a row with a net worth of 18.9 billion dollars in the 2015 Forbes magazine’s India rich list.Presently, Mr. Ambani is the Chairman, Managing director (MD) and largest shareholder ofReliance Industries Limited (RIL). It should be noted that RIL is India’s second most valuablecompany by market value after Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).Key facts

Top 10: Mukesh Ambani (18.9 billion dollars), Dilip Shanghvi (18 billion) of Sun Pharma,

Azim Premji (15.9 billion) of Wipro , Hinduja brothers (15.9 billion), Pallonji Mistry (14.7billion), Shiv Nadar (12.9 billion), Godrej family (11.4 billion), Lakshmi Mittal (11.2 billion),Cyrus Poonawala (7.9 billion) and Kumar Mangalam Birla (7.8 billion).The combined wealth of India’s 100 richest persons remained largely unchanged at 345billion dollars in 2015 as compared to 346 billion dollars in 2014.Flipkart’s co-founders Sachin and Binni Bansal have made their debut in this edition of list.They are placed at 86th position with a net worth of 1.3 billion dollars each.There are 12 newcomers in this edition of list including Flipkart’s founders, IndiGo’s co-founder Rakesh Gangwal.




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Four women have featured in this edition of list with collective wealth of 9.2 billion dollars.They are Savitri Jindal (3.8 billion)- ranked 23rd, Leena Tewari ranked 54th, Indu Jain (1.9billion)- ranked 57th and Qimat Rai Gupta (1.4 billion)- ranked 74th.Forbes magazine has compiled the list using shareholding and financial data obtained fromindividuals and families, stock exchanges, analysts and regulators.

Sourav Ganguly appointed CAB presidentSeptember 24, 2015

Former Indian Cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly has been appointed as President of Cricket

Association of Bengal (CAB).It was announced by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata in Kolkata. Sourav Ganguly will succeedJagmohan Dalmiya as the post fallen vacant following his death.Prior to this appointment, Ganguly was the Joint-secretary of the CAB. Avishek Dalmiya, son ofJagmohan Dalmiya will now succeed Ganguly as Joint-secretary of the CAB.About Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB)

CAB is the nodal governing body for cricket in West Bengal.Its headquarters is located at Eden Gardens stadium, Kolkata.It organizes different types of cricket tournaments in West Bengal.




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September 25, 2015First conference on contemporary relevance of Bhagvad Gita held in UKSeptember 25, 2015

A first of its kind conference on the contemporary relevance of the Bhagvad Gita was held London,United Kingdom.The conference was organised by Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and HighCommission of India. It was organised in in collaboration with the Department of the Study ofReligions at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.The conference aimed to deal with the innumerable questions that exercise and confound throughBhagvad Gita and help to tap unique transformational energy.During this conference, Indian and British experts came together for the understanding of Easternmysticism. Experts and historians from India and Britain also came together for the two-day sessionswhich included various aspects such as Impact of Bhagvad Gita on Modern Sanskrit Writings,Bhagvad Gita and Yoga and The Bhagvad Gita – Timeless Values for Today.

6.6 magnitude earthquake hits off east IndonesiaSeptember 25, 2015

A powerful earthquake magnitude 6.6 on Richter scale has hit Indonesia’s eastern region of Papua.As per US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre of earthquake was centred 28 kilometers north ofSorong and it had occurred at a depth of 24 kilometers.This underwater quake had no potential of generating tsunami waves along nearby coasts.Indonesia which is the world’s largest archipelago falls in so called region of Pacific Ring of Fire, anarc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin prone to earthquakes.In 2004, huge undersea earthquake off the shores of Aceh (Sumaratan province) in Indonesia hadtriggered a giant tsunami which had killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries including India withcoasts on the Indian Ocean.

Union Government announces Special Assistance of Rs 1000 crore to AndhraPradeshSeptember 25, 2015

Union Government has announced Special Assistance of 1000 crore rupees to the Andhra PradeshGovernment for development projects during the financial year 2015-16.The funds from Special Assistance will be utilised for the development of backward districts ofAndhra Pradesh and creation of its new capital.The creation of new capital will include construction of Raj Bhawan, High Court, Secretariat,Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and other essential infrastructure.




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Union Government has provided special assistance of 350 crore rupees for the development of 7backward districts of Rayalaseema and North Coastal region.Additional 300 crore rupees have been allocated for the Polavaram Irrigation Project as perprovisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 which had bifurcated the state and creating new

state of Telangana on June 2, 2014.

EPFO gets Skoch Awards for Smart Governance InitiativesSeptember 25, 2015

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has been awarded SKOCH Award for SmartGovernance.It has been bestowed with this award for its initiatives on UAN Programme and Transformation ofSocial Security Agenda in India.It is the 5th Award won by EPFO in the last two years for its initiatives for the welfare of variousstakeholders.About Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)

EPFO is a statutory body of Union Government that comes under the aegis of Ministry ofLabour and Employment.Headquarters: New Delhi.

Functions: Administers a compulsory contributory Provident Fund Scheme (1952), Pension

Scheme (1995) and an Insurance Scheme (1976).It is one of the largest social security organisations in India in terms volume of financialtransactions undertaken and number of covered beneficiaries.

EU imposes anti-dumping duty on Indian steel pipesSeptember 25, 2015

European Union (EU) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of up to 31.2 per cent onimports of sewage and water steel pipes from India for six months to protect its domestic industry.This decision was taken after European Commission in its anti-dumping probe concluded that thematerial injury was caused by the dumped imports from India to the Union industry.The anti-dumping probe was conducted by Commission with regard to imports of tubes and pipes ofductile cast iron used for sewage disposal, drinking water supply and irrigation of agricultural land,originating from India on 20 December 2014.The probe was initiated by the European Commission following complaints filed by Saint-GobainPAM group on behalf of producers.Implications: This move will have negative impact on Indian exporters of these pipes to the

European market. During October 2013 and September 2014 period, Indian export had significantly




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increased by over 22 per cent in terms of volume.It should be noted that countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has beenhurt because of a surge in below cost (cheap) imports. Anti-dumping duty is imposed as a counter-measure to protect domestic industry under the multilateral World Trade Organisation (WTO)regime.

Volkswagen AG appoints Matthias Mueller as new CEOSeptember 25, 2015

German auto maker Volkswagen AG has appointed Matthias Mueller as its new chief executive

officer (CEO).Prior to this appointment, he was serving as CEO of Volkswagen’s subsidiary Porsche AG.He will succeed Martin Winterkorn who had resigned from office following an emissions cheatingscandal (dubbed as Diesel Dope) described as a moral and political disaster.Matthias Mueller first priority as CEO would be to win back trust of investors following a plunge inVolkswagen AG stock by 30 per cent over the Diesel Dope scandal. The scandal had damaged thereputation of world’s largest car manufacturer’s in terms of sales and had threatened its business.Earlier, Volkswagen AG had admitted that it had cheated on diesel car emission test in United Statesby manipulating it by making changes in software on more than 4 lakh cars.Currently, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is investigating into Volkswagen over theDiesel Dope scandal. Transport authorities in several countries including the United Kingdom,South Korea and Germany etc also have announced their own investigations.

MOM completes one year of mission life around MarsSeptember 25, 2015

India’s globally acclaimed Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft also known as Mangalyaan

has completed one year of the mission life around Mars on 24 September 2015.During the entire one year, the spacecraft had acquired a large set of data of the red planet using allfive payloads mounted on it by completing more than 120 orbits.To mark first anniversary of MOM, Ahmedabad based Space Applications Centre (SAC) of IndianSpace Research Organisation (ISRO) released Mar Atlas mobile application.

Mar Atlas contains compilation of photos taken at varying spatial resolutions by the Mars Colour

Camera (MCC) fitted on board of the spacecraft. It also contains results obtained by other payload

results in a form of scientific atlas.About Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)

Mangalyaan is indigenously designed, built and launched by ISRO in record period of lessthan two years in 450 crore rupees (73 million US dollars) budget which is considered as




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cheapest inter-planetary mission till date to reach Mars.The spacecraft has five instruments mounted on it for collecting scientific data of Mar’smorphology, atmospheric processes, surface temperature, surface geology and atmosphericescape process.These five instruments are Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP), Methane Sensor for Mars(MSM), Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA), Thermal InfraredImaging Spectrometer (TIS) and Mars Colour Camera (MCC)

Launch Details

The MOM spacecraft had entered into the orbit of Mars on the night of 23 September 2014after it was launched on 5 November 2013 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre using a PolarSatellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket C25.It had reached the red planet just two days after NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and VolatileEvolution probe (MAVEN) reached Mars orbit.

Records

In September 2014, India created a space history by becoming first nation in the world tosuccessfully launch interplanetary mission to Mars in maiden attempt.ISRO also become first Asian and fourth space agency in the world to reach Mars orbit afterthe Roscosmos of Russia, NASA and European Space Agency.

Awards

ISRO for its enormous success was conferred 2014 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace,

Disarmament and Develeopment.The team of ISRO’s Mars Orbiter programme team was conferred with prestigious 2015

Space Pioneer Award in the Science and Engineering category by National Space Society

(NSS).Mars Orbiter programme team based in Bengaluru, Karnataka which is headed by eminentISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai was presented with this award for achieving the rare feat

of entering Mars orbit in maiden attempt.

UN adopts agreement on Sustainable Development GoalsSeptember 25, 2015

United Nations on 25 September 2015 unanimously adopted an ambitious agreement on theoutcome document New Sustainable Development Agenda for the next 15 years i.e. till 2030.

The document in this regard was adopted in 70th session of United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) and was announced by its President Mogens Lykketoft at the UN headquarters in NewYork.




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Key facts

The agreement outlines 17 non-binding goals termed as Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) with 169 specific targets that comprise different socio-economic issues.The new agenda document called “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development” was built on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

These goals will succeed 8 MDGs which was adopted in 2000 for fifteen years in Rio 20+summit of United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlines broader sustainability agenda dealing with‘five Ps’ people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership.It seeks to address the universal need for development that works for all people and rootcauses of poverty.It calls for eradicating hunger and poverty, improving living standards, ensuring qualityeducation, affordable and reliable energy, achieving gender equality and taking urgent actionto combat climate change etc.It also includes specific goals on economic indicators for first time.




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September 26, 27, 2015G-4 countries issue Joint Statement on UNSC ReformsSeptember 27, 2015

G-4 countries viz Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have issued a Joint Statement on United

Nations Security Council Reforms (UNSC).It was issued after G-4 meeting held in New York,US which was called by Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and was Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkeland Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.G-4 leaders in meeting

Stressed on more legitimate, representative and effective UNSC reforms to address the globalconflicts and crises which have spiralled in recent years.Shared the view that global conflicts and crises of the international community in the 21stcentury which can be solved by more Member States representing UNSC.Unanimously supported the early reforms of the Security Council as an essential element ofthe overall effort to reform UN with regard to maintenance of international peace andsecurity.Strongly emphasized that the reform of the Security Council should be conducted in a fixedtime frame given its urgency.Welcomed the adoption text-based negotiations by UN General Assembly presented by thePresident of the 69th assembly.Appreciated the efforts of Member States of the African Group, CARICOM and the L.69Group in moving towards text-based negotiations.Supported Africa’s representation in both the permanent and non-permanent membership inthe Security Council.

Manipur Governor Dr. Syed Ahmad passes awaySeptember 27, 2015

Manipur Governor Dr Syed Ahmad passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was 75.He was sworn in as the 16th Governor of Manipur in May 2015. Prior to this he had served as theeighth Governor of Jharkhand from August 2011.Dr. Ahmad was a senior Congress leader. He had served as the cabinet minister on two occasionsduring the Congress regime in Maharashtra.He was elected to Vidhan Sabha (state legislative assembly) for five times from the Nagpadaconstituency in Mumbai. He also served as a state minister in Maharashtra.Dr. Ahmad was also a writer and has authored Maktal se Manzil, Kafas se Chaman and Jange-Azaadi Me




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Urdu Shayari. His autobiography is Pagdandi se Shahar Tak.

Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis win 2015 Guangzhou Open women’s doubles titleSeptember 27, 2015

Indo-Swiss tennis pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis have won women’s doubles title of 2015Guangzhou Open Tennis Tournament.In the final match they defeated Chisese pair of Shilin Xu and Xiaodi You by 6-3, 6-1 score.It was overall seventh title of Sania Mirza in the 2015 season and sixth title with Martina Hingis.Till date both of them have won 6 of 13 titles they played in 2015 season including in Women’sDouble category of Indian Wells, Miami Open, Charleston Open, Wimbledon and US Open.They have an incredible 42-7 win-loss record together since they had paired up in March 2015.

Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of Formula OneSeptember 27, 2015

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of Formula One.This was his overall eight victory of the season.He has won Australia, China, Bahrain, Canada, United Kingdom, Belgium and Italy 2015 Grand Prixtitles of Formula One.It should be noted Lewis Hamilton has won highest number as compared to any other British driverin the history of Formula One. He is currently 5th on the all-time list of F1 with 41 wins.Rankings after 2015 Japanese Grand Prix

1st position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) of Mercedes.

2nd position: Nico Rosberg (Germany) of Mercedes.

3rd position: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Ferrari.

4th position: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) of Ferrari.


6th position: Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) of Force India


Top 5 Teams: Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, Williams and Force India.About 2015 Formula One season

It is the 66th season of the Formula One World Championship which is a motor racingchampionship for Formula One cars.The championship has been recognised by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile(FIA), the sport’s governing body as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racingcars.2015 season began in March 2015 starting in Australia with participation 22 drivers




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representing ten teams. The season is going to end in Abu Dhabi on 29 November 2015.

Pankaj Advani wins 2015 IBSF World Billiards ChampionshipSeptember 27, 2015

India’s ace cueist Pankaj Advani has won 2015 IBSF World Billiards Championship (Time Format)

in Adelaide, Australia. It was his overall 14th World title.He won 2015 IBSF World title by defeating Peter Gilchrist of Singapore by 1168 points.Advani is 14-time World Billiards and Snooker Champion. He is only player in the world to winworld titles in all formats of both, Billiards and Snooker.He is the first cueist in the world to win the Grand double three times in 2005 and 2008 respectively.In recognition of his achievements in sports, Union Government has bestowed several awards uponhim including Arjuna Award (2004), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2006), Padma Shri (2009).

September 27: World Tourism DaySeptember 27, 2015

Every year World Tourism Day (WTD) is observed on September 27 to raise awareness about the

importance of tourism.Theme for 2015: “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities“. This year’s theme emphasizes the

impact of the tourism sector on economic growth, job creation and development.Observations in India: To mark 2015 WTD, Union Ministry of State for Tourism and Culture

established a Medical Tourism and Wellness Board. The board will give a new shape to medicaltourism keeping in view its importance in the country.Union Government also had declared free entry for tourists to nearly 200 ticketed monuments andmuseums across India except in Bihar as a part of celebrations of 2015 WTD.Background

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is flagship initiative of UnitedNations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). It is observed annually since 1980.The day marks adaptation of Statutes of the UNWTO on September 27, 1970. The purposeof this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community.It also seeks to demonstrate the impact of tourism sector on social, cultural, political andeconomic values worldwide.




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September 28, 2015Dr. Jacob Tsimerman wins 2015 SASTRA Ramanujan PrizeSeptember 28, 2015

Mathematician Dr. Jacob Tsimerman from Canada has been chosen for the prestigious 2015

SASTRA Ramanujan Prize.Presently he is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, Canada and his mathematicsresearch work is primarily in the field of Number Theory and surrounding topics.He will be conferred with the prize during the International Conference on Number Theory to beheld at SASTRA University in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.About SASTRA Ramanujan Prize

The award has been named after great Indian Mathematician autodidact SrinivasaRamanujan.It was established in 2005 by Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA)

University.

It is an annual award bestowed on young mathematicians for his outstanding contributions toareas of mathematics influenced by the Srinivasa Ramanujan.Criteria: The age limit for the prize is 32 because Ramanujan had achieved so much in his

brief life of 32 years.The prize is given annually to recipient at Kumbakonam which is Ramanujan’s hometown.It should be noted that every year 22nd December is observed as National Mathematics Dayto mark birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.Srinivasa Ramanujan is considered as doyen of number theory, infinite series, mathematicalanalysis, and making formulas and equations without any formal training in puremathematics.

Union Government constitute expert committee to revive UPSC civil servicesexam patternSeptember 28, 2015

Union Government has constituted an expert committee to examine various issues related to UPSCcivil services examination to select IAS and IPS officers.The committee panel would be headed by the former IAS officer from Chhattisgarh cadre B.S.

Baswan and shall consist of leading academicians, technocrats and senior bureaucrats.

The committee will look into all aspects of civil services examination including age relaxation,eligibility, syllabus and pattern of examination.Based on the report of the committee, Union Government will further make changes in the civil




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services exam pattern which is conducted annually in three stages — preliminary, main andinterview.Background

The committee has been confronted by Union Government following the demands fromacross the country for revisiting the pattern and syllabus of the civil services examination.It was being alleged that the current syllabus and pattern civil services examination tends tobenefit students from mathematics and engineering backgrounds.In order to meet public demand Union Government is trying to revive the examinationsyllabus and pattern to provide a level playing field to aspirants from diverse educationalstreams.Earlier, Union Government had made General Studies Paper-II (also known as CSAT) in thepreliminary examination as a qualifying paper with the minimum marks fixed at 33%.

India’s 1st dedicated satellite for astronomy research Astrosat successfullylaunchedSeptember 28, 2015

India’s first dedicated satellite for astronomy research Astrosat has been successfully launched from

Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta.It was launched along with 6 foreign satellites by the ISRO’s work horse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-

C30 (PSLV-C30).About Astrosat

Astrosat is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory and one of the majorscientific mission of ISRO after the highly acclaimed Chandrayaan-I and Mangalyaan.Functions: As a space observatory it has ability to observe celestial bodies like cosmic X-Ray

sources and distant stars in different wavelengths simultaneously.It will observe the universe through ultraviolet, optical, low and high energy X-raycomponents of the electromagnetic spectrum.Payloads: Astrosat space observatory has been mounted with sophisticated scientific

payloads having six key instruments with total mass of 750 kg.It includes telescopes, sky monitors, mirrors and special imager.Six key instruments are: UltraViolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT), Soft X-ray imaging Telescope

(SXT), LAXPC Instrument, Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI), Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)

and Charged Particle Monitor (CPM).

These instruments have been jointly developed by ISRO, Tata Institute of FundamentalResearch (TIFR) and Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).




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Orbit: Astrosat will be placed at low earth equatorial orbit at altitude of 650 km.

Ground Command and Control Centre: It will be located at ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC),

Bangalore, Karnataka.Mission life: It has science research mission life of five years and will operate as a space

observatory.With the successful launch of this space observatory, India became member of select group ofnations after the US, Japan, Russia and Europe having its own space observatory.

Significance of PSLV-C30 LaunchFor the first time, PSLV-C30 took flight mission in extended configuration as it was carrying

total payload weight of 1631 kg.The first and third stages of PSLV-C30 launch were powered by solid fuel while the secondand fourth stages are powered by liquid fuel.This successful mission also marks the first ever commercial launch of United States (US)satellites from India.Other 6 Satellites: 4 identical LEMUR nano-satellites of Spire Global Inc of US, micro-

satellite LAPAN-A2 of Indonesia and nano-satellite NLS-14 (Ev9) of the University ofToronto, Canada.

It should be noted that this is third time an Indian rocket has launched seven satellites in a singlemission. In 2008, ISRO had launched 10 satellites using PSLV in one go including India’sCartosate-2A satellite.

India signs Loan Agreement with ADB for upgrading Tourism Infrastructure andServicesSeptember 28, 2015

Union Government has inked a loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for US 123.51million dollars for Infrastructure Development Investment Program.The 3 tranche loan will be used for upgrading tourism infrastructure and services in three statesPunjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.The loan will be used

For conservation and development of places of tourist attractions.To improve basic tourism facilities and build the capacity of tourism sector agencies and localcommunities in above three States.Support conservation of important heritage structures, including some century-oldstructures.Develop eco-parks and eco-tourism in order to help the states to attract more tourists and it




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will include new facilities including centres for arts and crafts.Upgrade tourism infrastructure like provisioning of drinking water, street lighting, drainage,solid waste management and improvements to approach roads.Involve local communities in the management of cultural and natural heritage sites which inturn will create employment for poor and vulnerable households.

Reliance Defence inks strategic partnership MoU with Emirates DefenceIndustries Co.September 28, 2015

Reliance Defence has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with EmiratesDefence Industries Company (EDIC) in defence sector.The MoU seeks to boost partnership between both countries for manufacturing, knowledge transfer,services and technology development from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Both companies will partner to jointly explore the opportunity for manufacturing and buildingcapabilities in Aviation, defence vehicles and associated areas.It will also include manufacturing and building capabilities of defence equipment, armamentmanufacturing, defence electronics, MRO of Military Equipment/Platforms commercial and navalShips etc.The partnership between both companies will aim to bring synergy in order to bring downoperational costs and leverage each other’s’ capabilities. It will also seek to leverage the partnership toexplore the opportunity in the UAE defence industry.It should be noted that EDIC is a leading integrated Defence Company in UAE

Renowned Hindi poet Viren Dangwal passes awaySeptember 28, 2015

Renowned Hindi poet Viren Dangwal passed away in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh after a prolongedillness. He was 68.Viren Dangwal was born 1947 in Kirtinagar, Uttaranchal. He was one of the leading Hindi poets.He had published three collections of poetry namely Isi Dushchakra Mein Srashta, Duniya Mein andSiyahi Taal.Awards: HIs famous poem collection Dushchakra me Shrista had earned him prestigious Sahitya

Academy award in 2004. He was also bestowed with Shrikant Verma Puraskar, Raghuvir SahaySamman and Shamsher Samman.

Governor of Meghalaya V. Shanmuganathan gets additional charge of ManipurSeptember 28, 2015

President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Governor of Meghalaya V. Shanmuganathan to




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discharge the functions of the Governor of Manipur.He was given additional charge of Manipur after previous Governor Dr. Syed Ahmed passed away.Thus he will discharge additional functions of the Governor of Manipur along with his own duties,until regular arrangements are made.V Shanmuganthan is a prolific writer and had written three books related to culture and socialaspects in Tamil.He was member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and had joined it in 1962. Later he hadjoined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) where he had served in many party positions.He was appointed as Governor of Meghalaya in May 2015 succeeding Keshari Nath Tripathi.It should be noted that Article 153 of Constitution says that there shall be Governor for each state.But the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 has facilitated the appointment of the same personas a governor for two or more states.




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September 29, 30, 2015Former England fast bowler Frank Tyson passes awaySeptember 29, 2015

Former England fast bowler Frank Tyson passed away in Australia. He was 85.He was renowned as one of the quickest to have ever played in the game of cricket. He wasnicknamed as ‘Typhoon’ for his extreme pace.In his career spanning between 1954 and 1959, Tyson had played 17 Tests for England. He had taken76 wickets at an average of 18.56.His most memorable performance was in the 1954-55 Ashes played in Australia. In this match he hadtaken 28 wickets in five Tests, at an average of 20.82 which had helped England achieve a 3-1 win.He had retired from the game at the age of 30 in 1960 and turned to journalism and cricketcommendatory after he emigrated to Australia.

Google to provide Wi-Fi in 500 Indian railway stationsSeptember 29, 2015

Search engine giant Google has announced to provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in 500 Indian railwaystations.To set up public Wi-Fi hotspots, Google is working with the Indian Railways and RailTel, agovernment-owned provider of telecommunications infrastructure to the railways.The project will be implemented in phased manner and initially it will cover 100 of the busieststations in India before the end of 2016. The first stations are expected to come online by end ofOctober 2015.The internet service will be offered free initially with an aim to make the project self-sustainable inorder to provide Wi-Fi to more stations and other places.Once this project is implemented successfully it will benefit around 21 million passengers of IndianRailways. Presently, India has about 300 million people online or having internet connectivity.

India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise MITRA SHAKTI 2015 begins in PuneSeptember 29, 2015

India-Sri Lanka joint military exercise MITRA SHAKTI 2015 has begun at Aundh Military Stationin Pune, Maharashtra.It is third edition of the joint training exercise between both countries that seeks to build Military toMilitary co-operation and interoperability.Key facts

Aim of MITRA SHAKTI 2015 Exercise is to share the best military practices between the twoArmies and promote healthy military to military relations.It also seeks to develop joint strategies between the two Armies by sharing expertise of




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conducting operations.The 14 days exercise’s basic objective is to enhance confidence and trust between the twomilitaries and engage in anti-terrorism operations including those under the UN mandate.It will contribute immensely in developing mutual understanding and respect between armiesof both nations.It will seek to tap the rich repository of experience of each other and extract maximumlearning value from the joint training.It will also enrich the two contingents in further honing basic military skills and formdifferent levels of the military to military engagement across the entire spectrum ofoperations.

It should be noted that this Joint Military Exercise is considered as an important step to uphold thevalues of Peace, Prosperity and Stability in the South Asia region.

INS Kochi commissioned into Indian NavySeptember 29, 2015

Indian Navy has commissioned INS Kochi, a Kolkata-class Guided Missile Destroyer in itscontingent to showcase India’s indigenous efforts in the field of underwater warfare.The ship was commissioned by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in Mumbai.It is a second ship of the three ships Kolkata-class Guided Missile Destroyer to be inducted. Earlier in2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commissioned INS Kolkata.The third and last ship of Kolkata-class Guided Missile Destroyer INS Chennai is expected to join

Indian Navy in 2016.Top features of INS Kochi

The ship drives its name from the port city of Kochi (Kerala) which had distinct maritimecharacter and culture and symbolises the special bond between the Indian Navy.It has been built at Mazagaon Docks (MDL), Mumbai and it is the 10th destroyer in India’scombat fleet.Dimensions: Spans over 164 meters in length and 17 meters at the bean. Weighs over 7500

tonnes.Engine: It is propelled by 4 gas turbines and designed to achieve maximum speeds in excess

of 30 knots.Weapons: It is loaded with state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and advanced stealth features

including long-range BrahMos surface-to- surface missile.It has AK 630 Close In Weapon System (CIWS) and 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM)

designed to take on air and surface targets.




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Its anti-submarine arsenal consists of indigenously built Twin-tube Torpedo Launchers (ITTL),

Indigenous Rocket Launchers (IRL) and bow-mounted new generation HUMSA Sonar Dome.

INS Kochi is also equipped to operate 2 Sea King or Chetak helicopters.It should be noted that destroyers are second only to aircraft carriers to have raw combat power onthe high seas.

RBI lowers repo rate by 50 basis points to 6.75 per centSeptember 29, 2015

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility(LAF) by 50 basis points from 7.25 per cent to 6.75 per cent with immediate effect.It was announced in the recently released fourth bi-monthly policy of RBI since January 2015.4th bi-monthly policy of RBI says that

Policy repo rate under the LAF: Reduced by the 50 basis points from 7.25 per cent to 6.75

per cent.Cash reserve ratio (CRR): of scheduled banks has kept unchanged at 4 per cent of net

demand and time liabilities (NDTL).Continuation of liquidity under overnight repos at 0.25 per cent of bank-wise NDTL at theLAF repo rate.Continuation of liquidity under 14-day term repos as well as longer term repos of up to 0.75per cent of NDTL of the banking system through auctions.Continuation with overnight/term variable rate repos and reverse repos to smooth liquidity.

Background

This surprise repo rate cut decision was taken by RBI on the basis of an assessment of the currentand evolving macroeconomic situation in the country. This decision was taken following abating ofinflationary pressures, full monsoon outturn, no changes in US central bank actions, and greatertransmission of the RBI’s front-loaded past actions.

M.R. Poovamma and Babita Kumari conferred Arjuna Award 2015September 29, 2015

M.R. Poovamma and Babita Kumari have been conferred with prestigious Arjuna Award 2015 fortheir individual achievements in sports.The award was presented to them by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Youth affairs and SportsSarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi.M.R. Poovamma has been conferred with this award for her contributions in Athletics and BabitaKumari in the field of Wrestling.




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About Arjuna AwardEstablished: It was instituted in 1961.

Given by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to sportsperson in recognition of theiroutstanding achievement in National sports.Award carries: Bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll and a monetary award of 5 lakh rupees.

Union Government unveils Green Highways Policy 2015September 29, 2015

Union Government has launched Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification &

Maintenance) Policy-2015 to promote greening of National Highway corridors across the country.

The policy was unveiled by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in NewDelhi.Key features of Green Highways Policy 2015

Promote greening and development eco-friendly National Highway corridors across thecountry with participation of farmers, private sector and government institutions includingForest Department.It will address the issues that lie in the road of development and pave the way towardssustainable development.Objective: To reduce the impact of air pollution and dust by planting trees and shrubs along

the National Highways. They will act as natural sink for air pollutants and arrest soil erosionat the embankment slopes.Stake holders: Contracts for greening highways will be given to NGOS, agencies, private

companies and government organisations. These stakeholders will be responsible for thesurvival and health of trees.Planting of trees in any particular area will depend on the soil suitability and climaticconditions.Monitoring Agency: It will be responsible for monitoring the plantation status on

continuous basis by carrying out the site visit for field verification to check survival, growthand size of plantation and maintenance of the same.Performance audit of executing agencies will be regularly conducted by the agency on anAnnual basis. New contracts will be awarded to the agencies based on their past performanceaudit.

Implications: The policy will strike a balance between highways development and environmental

protection. It will also help in providing employment to 5 lakh people of the rural areas.




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Taliban captures northern Afghan city of KunduzSeptember 29, 2015

Taliban militants have captured the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz in a massive assaultinvolving hundreds of fighters.This massive attack comes a day before the first anniversary of President Ashraf Ghani’s unitygovernment. It is also one of the massive attack undertaken by Taliban militants after formal end ofUS-NATO coalition mission in Afghanistan in December 2014.Setback: Kunduz is also the first provincial capital to be seized by the Taliban militants after they

had lost their power after the US-led invasion in 2001. The fall of Kunduz marks a major setback forAfghan government forces who are struggling to combat the Taliban militants since the shift US andNATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission to a supporting role.Strategic Importance: Kunduz province is strategically important as it is considered a gateway to

Afghanistan’s Northern provinces and Central Asia as it shares a border with Tajikistan.

India’s Gurpreet Singh wins silver medal at 2015 Asian Air Gun ChampionshipSeptember 29, 2015

India’s ace shooter Gurpreet Singh has won silver medal at 2015 Asian Air Gun Championship heldin New Delhi.In the finals of 10 metre Air Pistol event, Gurpreet shot a tally of 197.6 to stand second on thepodium. India’s Jitu Rai finished at third position wining bronze medal in this event.The gold medal in the 10 metre Air Pistol event was bagged by Boroujeni Safari of Iran with a tallyshot of 198.7.It should be noted that this fourth medal India has won in 2015 Asian Air Gun Championship.Earlier, Abhinav Bindra had clinched the gold in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event while Ayonika Pual




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won the bronze in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle event.


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E Book September 2015 5619caf16bf22