Union Environment Ministry held ninth meeting of National Steering Committee on Climate Change
23-FEB-2016
Union Environment Ministry held the ninth meeting of the National Steering Committee on Climate Change (NSCCC) on 22 February 2016. The meeting was presided by the Secretary of MOEFCC, Ashok Lavasa.
The Committee approved the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on adaptation submitted by governments of Telangana, Mizoram, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh for funding, under the National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC) at a total cost of approximately 108 crore rupees for implementation in these states.
The salient features of the projects are:
• The project for Telangana with objective to enhance the climate resilient agriculture for improving livelihoods titled Resilient Agricultural Households through Adaptation to Climate Change in Mahbubnagar district, Telangana is at a total cost of 25 crore rupees for four years. It is expected to benefit more than 2000 farming households of Mahbubnagar district fo the State.
• The project from Mizoram to enhance resilience of agriculture covering crops, livestock and fisheries through development and application of improved production and risk management technologies was titled Sustainable agriculture development through expansion, enhancement and modelling in the state of Mizoram is at a total cost of 10.95 crore rupees for three years.
• The project from Jammu and Kashmir to benefit approximately 2500 farming families particularly small and marginal farmers was titledClimate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture in Rainfed Farming (Kandi) Areas of Jammu & Kashmir involves a total cost of 23.86 crore rupees for four years.
• The project from Meghalaya to maintain and improve the integrity of the natural water bodies was titled Spring-shed development works for rejuvenation of springs for climate resilient development in the water stressed areas of Meghalaya is at a total cost 23.98 crore rupees for four years.
• The project from Chhattisgarh aims to promote water conservation and demand side management as a major adaptation strategy, while improving local livelihood was titled Climate Adaptation in Wetlands along the Mahanadi River Catchment Area in Chhattisgarh is at a total cost of 24.95 crore rupeesfor four years.
Union Government launched Swachh Paryatan Mobile App
23-FEB-2016
Union Tourism Ministry on 22 February 2016 launched Swachh Paryatan Mobile App. The App will facilitate the public to communicate their complaints about any unclean area and garbage piles in and around tourist destinations.
Initially, 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments protected by Archaeological Survey of India have been identified for inclusion in the app.
Features of the App
• The app enables a citizen to take photograph of garbage at the monument and upload the same along with his remarks.
• The app then sends an SMS to the ASI Nodal Officer concerned with the monument upon receipt of which the Nodal Officer gets the garbage cleared or removed.
• The Nodal Officer thereafter sends confirmation about the redressal of the complaint through an SMS to the complainant.
This Mobile App is available on Google Search Engine as ‘Swachh Paryatan’ for Android Phones only and very soon it will be made available on Apple and Microsoft also.
Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria to come into effect on 27 February
23-FEB-2016
United States and Russia on 22 February 2016 announced to have reached an Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities in Syria that will come into effect on 27 February 2016.
The announcement was made by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) Ceasefire Taskforce.
The agreement said that the group would work to "develop procedures" to ensure those abiding by the deal are not attacked by Russian armed forces or a US-led coalition both of which are carrying out air strikes in the country.
It also said that the truce did not include so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front. Thus, the air strikes by Syria, Russia and the US-led coalition against ISIS, Nusra and other terrorist organisations designated by the UN would continue.
The agreement was welcomed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who said that, if respected, the agreement would constitute a significant step forward in the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015).
The Resolution 2254 gave the UN an enhanced role in shepherding the opposing sides to talks for a political transition, endorsing a timetable for a ceasefire, a new constitution and elections.
So far more than 2 lakhs 50 thousands Syrians have been killed in the conflict which began in March 2011.
Meanwhile, Syria's government led by President Bashar al-Assad has called for a parliamentary election on 13 April 2016. Assad issued a decree, which included seat allocations for each of the provinces in Syria, which last held parliamentary elections in May 2012.
Indian-origin playwright Ismail Mahomed conferred Knighthood by French Government
23-FEB-2016
Ismail Mahomed, an Indian-origin art lover and playwright in South Africa, on 22 February 2016 was conferred Knighthood by the French government for his lifelong devotion to the promotion of arts.
Mahomed was bestowed with The Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature) by French Ambassador Elisabet Barbier in Johannesburg.
About Ismail Mahomed
• Currently the Artistic Director of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, Mahomed has received numerous other awards in his 30-year career.
• He has also been honoured with Merit Honour Award from the US State Department's Africa Bureau for consistent high cultural programming.
• In 1999, he received the Premier's Award for developing and promoting the arts and culture sector as an economic enterprise in the South African province of Mpumalanga.
About Knight of the Order of Arts and Literature
• The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and its supplementary status to the Ordre national du Mérite was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963.
• Its purpose is the recognition of significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields.
Udai Kumar appointed as MD and CEO of MSEI
23-FEB-2016
Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India Limited (MSEI) on 22 February 2016 appointed Udai Kumar as its Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The appointment was approved by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
The SEBI's approval comes after a stringent short-listing process and interviews by the selection committee to select a suitable candidate for the role.
About Udai Kumar
• Udai Kumar holds over two decades of experience in stock exchange administration, capital markets, fund raising, restructuring and mergers and acquisition functions.
• Prior to MSEI, he was the MD of Metropolitan Clearing Corporation of India Limited.
• He has also worked with JM Financial, JM Morgan Stanley, Centrum Capital and Fortune Financial.
About Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India Limited
• Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India Ltd was formerly known as MCX Stock Exchange Ltd. (MCX-SX).
• It is India’s youngest and one of the three stock exchanges recognized by country’s securities market regulator, SEBI.
• It offers an electronic, transparent and hi-tech platform for trading in Capital Market, Futures & Options, Currency Derivatives, Interest Rate Futures (IRF) and Debt Market segments.
E-Governance Vision 2020 of Election Commission of India
23-FEB-2016
The term ‘E-Governance Vision 2020’ was in news on 23 February 2016. It was in news because Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr. Nasim Zaidi during a Seminar on ‘Leveraging Technology for Transparent and Credible Elections’ said the Election Commission of India is working on it.
As told by the CEC during his keynote address at the Seminar, the 'E-Governance Vision 2020' will provide inclusive, integrated single window view of services to all stakeholders in all phases of the electoral cycle using multiple channel of delivery.
The Vision 2020 will have five strategic goals and 11 mission mode projects wherein some of priority areas will be in mobile apps, social media, knowledge and learning management.
The Vision 2020 is in line with the increase of use of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in elections on priority by virtually every Election Management Bodies (EMB) around the world.
Tropical Cyclone Winston lashed Fiji killing scores of people
23-FEB-2016
The tropical cyclone Winston lashed Fiji with winds up to 330 kilometers per hour on 20 February 2016. The cyclone that was accompanied with torrential rain and strong winds killed at least 29 people.
The cyclone did a considerable damage across the main island Viti Levu and the island of Koro, which were directly hit by strong winds.
The Winston, a category five storm, is thought to be the biggest to ever hit the Southern Hemisphere, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake while moving west away from Fiji. The cyclone left many cities without power and running water. It also destroyed homes and flooded the low-lying areas.
In the wake of Winston, the Fiji government led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced a 30-day state of natural disaster giving extra powers to police to arrest people without a warrant.
Meanwhile, officials have been working urgently to assess and address the damage in maritime regions amid a nation-wide curfew that was lifted after 5:30am local time on 22 February 2016. The relief work was hampered due to power outages, fallen phone lines and blocked roads.
In lieu of damage caused by Winston, India has extended a package of one million US dollars as immediate assistance to Fiji.
Winston's estimated winds over Koro Island, Fiji, were equal to the estimated winds at landfall of the infamous Labor Day hurricane of 1935 in the Florida Keys and stronger than Hurricane Camille's winds at landfall in 1969, though Camille's eyewall destroyed wind instruments along the Gulf Coast.
Fiji is an island country in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about 1100 nautical miles (2000 km; 1300 mi) northeast of New Zealand's North Island.
Ukraine's FC Dnipro won 2016 Sait
Nagjee Trophy
23-FEB-2016
European team FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk from Ukraine on 21 February 2016 won the Sait Nagjee Trophy in Kozhikode, Kerala.
In the final played at Kozhikode Corporation stadium, Dnipro defeated Atletico Paranaense from Brazil 3-0 to grab the top place.
About Sait Nagjee Trophy
• The Sait Nagjee Trophy was resumed and revived after a 21-year gap by the Kozhikode District Football Association and Mondial Sports Management LLP.
• Sait Nagjee Trophy was a premier football tournament in India and an event that was very popular in Kerala.
• The tournament was inaugurated at the historic Kozhikode Corporation EMS Stadium, where it was initially started in 1952.
• It was the first time that top European and Latin American clubs came to India for a tournament.
• The former Barcelona and AC Milan player Ronaldinho had inaugurated the tournament.
Bees can help boost food security of two billion small farmers at no cost: FAO
23-FEB-2016
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on 19 February 2016 brought to light the publication of a new study that quantifies how much crop yields depend on the work of bees that unknowingly fertilize plants as they move from flower to flower.
The FAO also stated that bees may have a pivotal role to play in improving the production of some two billion smallholder farmers worldwide and ensuring the food security and nutrition of the world’s growing population.
The paper, published in the magazine Science, makes the case that ecological intensification, or boosting farm outputs by tapping the power of natural processes, is one of the sustainable pathways toward greater food supplies.
Spotlight on developing nations
• In the field study coordinated by FAO, scientists compared 344 plots across Africa, Asia and Latin America and concluded that crop yields were significantly lower in farming plots that attracted fewer bees during the main flowering season than in those plots that received more visits.
• When comparing high-performing and low-performing farms of less than two hectares, the outcomes suggest that poorly performing farms could increase their yields by a median of 24 per cent by attracting more pollinators to their land.
• The research also looked at larger plots and concluded that, while those fields also benefited from more pollinator visits, the impact on yields was less significant than in the smaller plots. It was probably because many bees have a harder time servicing large fields, far from their nesting habitat. However, a diversity of bees, each with different flight capacities, can make the difference.
Unstudied facts
• Pollinators, such as bees, birds and various types of insects that fly, hop or crawl from one flower to another, have for centuries been the invisible helpers of farmers worldwide.
• Different types of bees have distinct tastes and roles to play in the food system. For example, Bumble bees are one of the few types of bees that can successfully pollinate tomatoes.
• Honey bees are important because they are the least picky in their choice of flowers.
• The study shows that for smallholdings, crop yield increased linearly with increased visits to the flowers that were being tracked.
• Pollination was the agricultural input that contributed the greatest to yields, beyond other management practices.
Tricks to attract bees
• The report also found that attracting pollinators to farms is not as easy as planting for the season and waiting for them to arrive.
• Maintaining habitat and forage resources all year long is the key to attracting pollinators and keeping them on the land for longer periods of time.
• Maintaining flowering hedge rows around the farm and mulch on the ground that bees can hide under apart from reducing the use of pesticides.
• The key to getting the best yields probably lies in a mix of managed pollination services. For example, installing bee hives in plots at flowering time and wild pollination.
Bihar became Sixth State to join discom revival scheme UDAY
23-FEB-2016
Union Government and Bihar Government on 22 February 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the DISCOMs of Bihar (North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited, and South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited) under the Scheme Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) for operational and financial turnaround of the DISCOMs.
With this, Bihar became sixth state to sign MoU with Union Government for power scheme UDAY after Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Gujarat has also signed the MoU for operational turnaround, considering the healthy financial position of the DISCOMs of the State.
An overall net benefit of approximately 9000 crore rupees would accrue to the State by opting to participate in UDAY, by way of savings in interest cost, reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) and transmission losses, interventions in energy efficiency, coal reforms etc. during the period of turnaround.
Benefits for the People of Bihar
Higher demand for power from DISCOMs would mean higher PLF of Generating units and therefore, lesser cost per unit of electricity thereby benefitting consumers.
The DISCOMs would also increase power supply in areas with reduced AT&C losses. The scheme would allow speedy availability of power to around 1152 villages and 160.60 lakh households in Bihar that are still without electricity.
Availability of 24x7 power to hitherto unconnected villages and households etc. would boost the economy, promote industries, thereby improving employment opportunities and see Bihar develop into one of the leading industrialised States in India.
About UDAY
The Scheme UDAY was launched by the Union government on 20 November 2015 to ensure a sustainable solution to enable the distribution utilities across the country to break out of a long standing debt of almost 4.3 Lakh crore rupees.
It is an effort to make the DISCOMs financially independent and operationally healthy, to be able to supply adequate power at affordable rates, through 100% Village electrification and 24X7 Power For All.
World Banks’ Road to Resilience initiative Concluded
23-FEB-2016
The Road to Resilience is an initiative of the World Bank, under which a team undertook a bus trip along the entire Indian coastline. The journey commenced on 10 January 2016 and ended on 15 February 2016.
This 10000 kilometer journey provided a chance to implement support for six coastal disaster management and climate resilience projects covering all ten coastal states of India, which are supported by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).
World Bank report Building Resilience for Sustainable Development of the Sundarbans
Some of those projects aim to enhance resilience and mitigate the impact of future disasters, while others are intended to help the country recover from previous events such as Cyclone Phailin (2013) andCyclone Hudhud (2014).
FM Global released Global Resilience Index 2015 Report
Main highlights
• The total lending for the project by the World Bank was 1.3billion dollars
• Under the project, combined 1000 cyclone shelters were set up with the help of coastal communities especially in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
• Setting up of Tsunami early warning centers to serve close to 50 million people
• Coastal embankments through building road network and 120 bridges
• Focused on building combined infrastructure as well as softer Disaster Risk Management (DRM) projects
• Underground cabling in a big way in many states as in coastal areas electrical network are the most vulnerable especially in high wind cyclonic conditions, one of these initiatives for building electrical resilient network.
India and World Bank signed Financing Agreement for Andhra Pradesh Disaster Recovery Project
The "Road to Resilience" initiative was a unique opportunity to raise awareness about risk mitigation and to interact more directly with local communities, who play a crucial role in preventing and responding to disaster.
Union Finance Minister inaugurated Exhibition on Coin and Currency of India
23-FEB-2016
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 22 February 2016 inaugurated an exhibition on the Coin and Currency of India at the Great Hall of North Block in New Delhi. The exhibition would help in knowing the history of evolution of currency in the country
The Department of Expenditure (DoE) under Union Finance Ministry organised the exhibition in coordination with the RBI, CPWD, CISF, the Indian Army, Staff of DoE, Customs and Excise Officers.
Main highlights of the Exhibition
• The exhibition depicts how money has changed in appearance and substance and evolved from barter to coins to the present day bank notes and e-money.
• It also depicts the different names of money, some of which are not in use and some are in use in the present.
• Through this exhibition, people will see images of coinage and money not only as a medium of exchange but also get a sense of history.
Besides, on this occasion Mohan Joseph, Controller General of Accounts (CGA) presented a copy of two books, namely Sentinels of Raisina Hilland Indian Paper Money to the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
‘Sentinels of Raisina Hills’ has been authored by Mohan Joseph and Dhirendra Singh, a former Union Home Secretary, whereas ‘Indian Paper Money’ has been authored by Razack along with Mohan Joseph.
Renowned singer Bhubaneswari Mishra died
23-FEB-2016
Noted singer Bhubaneswari Mishra passed away on 19 February 2016 in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. She was 67.
The classical singer began her career with the song Tiki Mora Naa Tifor the mythological Odia movie Krushna Sudama in the 1970s.
Apart from many awards, the veteran singer was also conferred with the Odisha State Film Award for Best Playback Singer (female) for two consecutive terms in 1979 and 1980 for the movies Srikrushna Rasalila and Jay Ma Mangala respectively.
Long jumper Prem Kumar won silver in Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
23-FEB-2016
India's Kumaravel Prem Kumar on 22 February 2016 bagged silver in long jump at the 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Prem Kumar cleared a creditable 7.92m in his final attempt to win the silver.
Zhang Yaoguang of China won the gold with a best effort of 7.99m. Another Indian, Ankit Sharma could manage only 7.66m with four fouls which marred his chance to win a medal.
Om Prakash Singh Karhana added a bronze in shot put by clearing a distance of 18.77m. With this, the Indians signed off their campaign in Doha with 1 Gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals.
In the overall rankings, Indian Women’s team finished at the sixth place while men’s team could succeed in securing the eighth spot. The only gold medal for India was won by Mayookha Johny who topped the podium in long jump.
Meanwhile, Ranchi will host 2017 Asian Athletics (Outdoor) Championships.
Indian-origin Sikh officer Amar Singh appointed Kuala Lumpur's Commissioner of Police
23-FEB-2016
An Indian-origin Sikh officer Amar Singh was in news in the third week of February 2016 as he was appointed as Kuala Lumpur's commissioner of police. It was the highest police rank achieved by a Sikh in Malaysia.
He succeeded Tajuddin Mohamed, who will be moved to federal headquarters as the deputy director of commercial CID on 14 March 2016.
At the time of this appointment, Amar Singh was holding the position of deputy director of CID.
As per the Malaysia Samachar website, the highest police rank achieved by a Sikh before this appointment was a senior assistant commissioner-I. Santokh Singh was the one who became police chief of Selangor state.
About Amar Singh
• His father and maternal grandfather were both policemen.
• His father Ishar Singh relocted to Malaysia from Punjab in 1938 and joined the Federated Malay States Police in 1939.
• His maternal grandfather, Bachan Singh has joined the police force in the early 1900s and served as a constable.
Parliamentary Standing committee on Finance tabled report on NPAs of Public Sector Banks
24-FEB-2016
Parliamentary Standing committee on Finance on 24 February 2016 submitted the report on the Net Non performing Assets (NPAs) of Public Sector Banks (PSBs). The committee is chaired by M. Veerappa Moily.
The committee has tabled its 27th report in Parliament which observed that many of bad loans of banks are because of companies with over capacity and weak demand.
Highlights of the Report:
• The committee reported that NPAs in the country’s PSBs are around 25024 crore rupees till September 2015 and the Gross NPAs during the same period is around at 369990 crore rupees.
• It said the deceleration in the economy has grind down the market for distressed assets so much so that even Asset Reconstruction Companies could not offload them.
• The committee suggested that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) should consider such a dispensation that allows banks to absorb their written-off losses in a staggered manner and can help them restore their balance sheets.
• The committee expressed deep concerns about the Non performing assets of financial institutions despite various measures taken by the government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from time to time.
• The report stated that each year the cumulative net volume of NPAs of all banks and financial institutions are increasing instead of declining.
What are Non performing Assets (NPAs)?
It is a classification used by financial institutions that refer to loans that are default and unpaid. If the borrowers failed to pay interest or principal amount for 90 days then the loans are considered as non-performing assets.
Private Banks employees should be considered public servants under Prevention of Corruption Act: SC
24-FEB-2016
Supreme Court of India on 23 February 2016 ruled that the top officials and employees of private banks will be considered as public servants for the purposes of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
With this, the investigating agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be able to examine frauds and scams involving private banks operating in the country.
The judgment was given by a SC bench comprising of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Prafulla C Pant.
Main highlights of the Judgment
• The intent of Parliament to enact the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988 was to widen the definition of 'public servant' so that the anti-corruption law can be made more effective. So far, PCA has been applied only against corrupt government officials.
• Within the meaning of the Section 46A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the chairman, managing director, director, auditor, liquidator, manager or any employee of a banking company is deemed to be a public servant for the offences under Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• Merely because the parliament had said that Section 46A of Banking Regulation Act was applicable only with respect to IPC offences, operation of PCA, 1988 for the same offences could not be shut out.
• If they were public servants in connection with offences under IPC, they would be deemed to be so under PCA, 1988 as well.
• Thus, the definition of public servant given in the PCA, 1988 should be read with Section 46A of Banking Regulation Act for the purpose of offences related to corruption in the banking field.
• The judgment is not meant to obliterate all distinction between the holder of a private office and a public office.
What was the case?
The judgment of SC came during the hearing of a case pertaining to actions of two top officials of private Global Trust Bank (GTB), who were accused of abusing their position to siphon off the bank’s money.
In the said case the two officials ex-chief Ramesh Gelli and ex-MD Sridhar Subasri of the erstwhile Global Trust Bank (GTB) siphoned off 41-crore rupees. This was before GTB was merged with Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) in 2004.
Subsequently, on the basis of a complaint filed against them by OBC’s Chief Vigilance Officer, CBI lodged an FIR under IPC within the meaning of Banking Regulation Act.
However, the trial court and the Bombay High Court refused the CBI permission to slap charges under Section 13(1)(d) and Section 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act against them.
18th Mercer Quality of Life survey released; Vienna ranked best city for quality of life, Baghdad worst
24-FEB-2016
18th Mercer annual Quality of Living survey was released on 23 February 2016. The survey of 230 cities helps companies and organizations determine compensation and hardship allowances for international staff.
The list compiled by consulting firm Mercer said Vienna, Austria's grand capital on the Danube River offers the highest quality of life of all cities in the world. On the other hand, the Iraqi capital Baghdad, once more took its place at the bottom of a live ability list.
The study says that despite recent security issues, social unrest, and concern about the region’s economic outlook, European cities continue to offer some of the worlds’ highest quality-of-living.
Seven Indian cities were ranked in the list and they are
• Hyderabad – rank 139
• Pune – rank 144
• Bangalore – rank 145
• Chennai – rank150
• Mumbai – rank 152
• Kolkata – rank 160
• New Delhi – rank 161
Top 10 countries include
|
Rank |
City |
Country |
|
1 |
Vienna |
Austria |
|
2 |
Zurich |
Switzerland |
|
3 |
Auckland |
New Zealand |
|
4 |
Munich |
Germany |
|
5 |
Vancouver |
Canada |
|
6 |
Dusseldorf |
Germany |
|
7 |
Frankfurt |
Germany |
|
8 |
Geneva |
Switzerland |
|
9 |
Copenhagen |
Denmark |
|
10 |
Sydney |
Australia |
Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey assesses quality of living conditions to help multinational companies and other employers fairly compensate employees when placing them on international assignments. Mercer compiles reports for each city, providing an overview of conditions and hardship premium recommendations.
It uses dozens of criteria such as political stability, health care, education, crime, recreation and transport.
Global centers London, Paris, Tokyo and New York City did not even make the top 30. Switzerland's Zurich, New Zealand's Auckland, Germany's Munich and Canada's Vancouver followed Vienna. The best African entry on the list was South Africa's Durban at 85.
Exercise IBSAMAR between India, South Africa, Brazil started in Goa
24-FEB-2016
The fifth edition of exercise IBSAMAR between Brazil, India and South Africa kicked off on 19 February 2016 in Goa. The exercise will conclude on 29 February 2016.
This is the first time that Exercise IBSAMAR is being conducted in Indian waters. All the previous editions were being held off South Africa.
The primary aim of the exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations.
Key highlights of IBSAMAR V
• The scope of Exercise IBSAMAR V includes wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase.
• The thrust of exercises at sea in 2016 will be on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface firings, Air Defences, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS), Flying Operations, Search and Rescue and tactical procedures.
• The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Mumbai, an indigenous designed and built guided missile destroyer, INS Trishul, a stealth frigate and INS Shalki, a Shishumar class submarine.
• The Brazilian Navy will be represented by Brazilian Naval Ship Amazonas with Special Forces, commanded by Commander Alessander Felipe Imamura Carneiro.
• The South African Navy will be represented by South African Naval Ship SAS Spioenkop with integral helicopter and Special Forces, commanded by Captain MA Boucher.
About IBSAMAR
• IBSAMAR denotes a series of naval exercises between the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa.
• The name IBSAMAR is an abbreviation of India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime.
• The exercise was initiated in 2006.
• IBSAMAR IV took place off the coast of South Africa in October 2014.
Union Government released Seismic Microzonation reports for Delhi and Kolkata
24-FEB-2016
The Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan released the Seismic microzonation reports for Delhi and Kolkata in New Delhi on 22 February 2016.
It will help in minimizing the effects of earthquakes by assessing Seismic Hazards, by implementing safe building construction codes, and adopting appropriate land-use planning.
The integrated seismic hazard map based on microzonation for Delhi was prepared by the Earthquake Risk Evaluation Center (under the IMD), now merged with National Centre for Seismology, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
On the other hand, the seismic microzonation project for the city of Kolkata was conceived by Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in consortium with a few other organizations in Kolkata under the aegis of the Geosciences Division, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
What, Why and How of Seismic microzonation?
It is a process of identifying geological, seismological, hydrological and geotechnical site characteristics in a specific region. These would help design of safe structures to reduce loss of human life.
Under this process various investigations which are ambient noise survey, Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) survey, in-situ geotechnical testing, in-situ seismic measurements etc. were carried out and after analysis of data sets different maps.
They include Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA), spectral accelerations for different periods, liquefaction potential, predominant frequency, amplification factor, average shear wave velocity at 30 meters depth, geology and geomorphology and projected Hazard Scenarios at GIS platform etc. are prepared.
The need for the microzonation arose after the Mexico earthquake in 1985 which caused severe damage in Mexico city, though the earthquake source was located about 350 km away from the city. It was realized that putting a large region into a single seismic hazard zone is not a good idea. This and several other examples led to a new concept, called Microzonation.
Beneficiaries of seismic microzonation maps of Delhi and Kolkata
• Disaster Mitigation and Management Authorities
• Urban Development Authorities
• Planning, Design & Construction Agencies
• Risk Assessment to existing life & Property
• Defense Installations
• Heavy Industry
• Public Utilities and Services
Present Classification of Seismic Zones in India
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) classifies and publishes seismic zoning map for entire India. It classified India into 4 major groups which are:
Zone - II: This is said to be the least active seismic zone.
Zone - III: It is included in the moderate seismic zone.
Zone - IV: This is considered to be the high seismic zone.
Zone - V: It is the highest seismic zone.
India into earthquake hazard zones does not use Zone 1. No area of India is classified as Zone 1.
National Capital Territory (NCT) Delhi is located in Seismic zone IV,whereas Kolkata is placed at the border of Seismic Zone III and IV.
The presence of these two cities in high intensity seismic zones necessitated systematic assessment of seismic hazard, vulnerability and risk. Unplanned urbanization defying building codes are continuously increasing the earthquake vulnerability of Delhi and Kolkata.
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari sworn-in as Chief Justice of Meghalaya HC
24-FEB-2016
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari of Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on 24 February 2016 was sworn-in as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
Maheshwari was administered the oath of office by state Governor V. Shanmuganathan.
Justice Maheshwari succeeds Justice Uma Nath Singh who retired as Chief Justice on 14 January 2016. Since then, Justice Sudip Ranjan Singh was serving as the acting Chief Justice of the state high court.
About Justice Dinesh Maheshwari
• Justice Maheshwari graduated in Law from Jodhpur University in 1980.
• He enrolled as an Advocate on 8 March 1981.
• He practised mainly on civil and constitutional sides.
• He took oath as judge of Rajasthan High Court on 2 September 2004.
• He was transferred to Allahabad High Court in 2014.
Former CJI HL Dattu selected as Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission
24-FEB-2016
Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was selected as the next Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 23 February 2016. 65-year-old Justice Dattu will have tenure of five years.
His name was cleared for the post by a committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Other members of the committee were Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien.
The post was lying vacant since 11 May 2015, when KG Balakrishnan demitted office after five-year term. Justice Cyriac Joseph had been functioning as the acting chairperson since then.
Now Dattu’s name will be sent to the President Pranab Mukherjee for his nod. In accordance to Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, President appoints the chairperson and members of the NHRC. The chairperson is appointed on the recommendation of the high-powered committee headed by the Prime Minister.
Justice HL Dattu retired from the post of Chief Justice of Supreme Court on 2 December 2016. He was Chief Justice of India from 28 September 2014.
Sagar Sarhadi to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFP
24-FEB-2016
Renowned scriptwriter Sagar Sarhadi will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the second edition of the International Film Festival of Prayag (IFFP). The festival will be held in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh from 26 February to 28 February 2016.
Sarhadi will be honoured at the festival for his contribution to Hindi cinema over the years.
About Sagar Sarhadi
• Born in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Sagar Sarhadi is an Indian short story, play writer, director and producer.
• He started his career by writing short stories and then continued as a playwright.
• His directorial Bazaar starring Smita Patil, Farooq Sheikh and Naseeruddin Shah was a critically acclaimed film.
• He rose to success with Yash Chopra's film Kabhi Kabhi.
About International Film Festival of Prayag
• The International Film Festival of Prayag is a festival organised in the city of Allahabad, India.
• The first edition of this film festival was held between February 26 and February 28 2015.
• Veteran actor Om Puri was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the first edition of the award.
• IFFP was institutionalised with the sole objective of giving a platform to the aspiring filmmakers from the North region of the country.
VVPAT to be introduced in 10 constituencies in Assam assembly polls
24-FEB-2016
VVPAT - Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail
Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot less voting system, was in news on 23 February 2016.
It came in news, after Assam’s Chief Electoral Officer announced that VVPAT will be introduced in 10 constituencies (around 2400 polling booths) in upcoming assembly polls. He said that Dispur and Jalukbari assembly constituencies in Kamrup Metro district will be included in the VVPT trial.
VVPAT is intended as an independent verification system for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that allows voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended and can serve as an additional barrier to changing or destroying votes.
The printer-like apparatus linked to the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will generate a receipt showing serial number, name and symbol of the candidate. This will confirm the voter that his/her vote reached to the person to whom it was casted.
The receipt, once viewed, goes inside a container linked to the EVM and can only be accessed by the election officers in rarest of rare cases.
The system allows a voter to challenge his or her vote on basis of the paper receipt for the first time. As per a new rule, the booth presiding officer will have to record the dissent of the voter, which would have to be taken into account at time of counting.
The idea of using VVPAT was for the first time suggested during an All Party Meeting on 4 October 2010. Subsequently, the Union Government issued a notification on 14 August 2013 amending the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, to enable the Commission to use VVPAT with electronic voting machines.
For the first time Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) with Electronic Voting Machines was used for the Noksen Assembly seat in Tuensang district of Nagaland in September 2013.
KN Vyas took charge as Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
24-FEB-2016
Distinguished Scientist KN Vyas on 23 February 2016 took charge as Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
He took it over from Dr Sekhar Basu, who is the Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to the Union Government, Department of Atomic Energy.
Before taking the charge, he was an Associate Director for Reactor Projects Group in BARC.
About KN Vyas
• He joined Fuel Design and Development Section of Reactor Engineering Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre after getting graduated from the BARC Training School.
• He had a vast experience of 36 years in design and analysis of nuclear reactor fuels.
• He has worked extensively in thermal hydraulics and stress analysis of critical reactor core components. He has also participated in design and analysis of the Test Blanket Module planned to be installed in ITER, France.
• He was conferred many awards, some of which are Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding Service Award 2011, Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award 2006, DAE Awards in the years 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013.
• He is also a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
Assam Cabinet approved Metro Rail for Guwahati
24-FEB-2016
The Assam Cabinet on 23 February 2016 approved the detailed project report (DPR) for a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) for Guwahati. The cabinet also gave green signal to setting up of the Guwahati Metro Rail Corporation Limited (GMRCL).
State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will lay the foundation stone for the Metro project in Khanapara area on 29 February 2016.
Key highlights of Guwahati Metro project
• The 203 kilometres Metro corridor will be completed in three phases.
• Phase I will cover a length 61.4 kilometres, and will have four corridors: Dharapur-Narangi (elevated), M.G. Road to Khanapara (underground), Jalukbari to Khanapara (elevated) and ISBT to Paltanbazar (elevated).
• There will be 54 stations in the first phase.
• The trains will have a carrying capacity of up to 975 passengers each.
• The estimated projected cost including land is 18020 crore rupees.
• The Assam Government and the Union Government will share 20 per cent each of the total cost. Local bodies will contribute 350 crore rupees, while the remaining 10074 crore rupees will be funded through soft loans from funding agencies with guarantees from the Union Government.
• GMRCL will be a wholly-owned company of the Assam Government and will look after the operation and maintenance of the project.
• The company will be later converted into joint ownership (50:50) of the State and Union Governments.
RBI extended SAARC Swap Arrangement
24-FEB-2016
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 23 February 2016 extended the 2 billion US dollars SAARC Currency Swap Arrangement till 14 November 2017. The extension aims at enhacing economic cooperation and strengthens financial stability within the SAARC region.
Under this arrangement, RBI will offer Swap Arrangement up to and overall amount of 2 billion US dollar both in foreign currency and Indian rupee to SAARC nations.
RBI offered the SAARC Swap Arrangement to SAARC nations on 15 November 2012. All SAARC member countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka can avail the facility.
The swap amount available to various member central banks has been arrived at broadly based on two months import cover subject to a floor of 100 million US dollar and a maximum of 400 million US dollar per country.
Parliament of Pakistan became first in world to run entirely on solar power
24-FEB-2016
The Parliament of Pakistan on 23 February 2016 became the world’s first to run fully on solar power.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the solar power system, which provides 62 MW to the parliament and a surplus 18 MW to the national grid.
Key facts related to the project
• The project was first announced in 2014.
• The venture was funded by China as an act of friendship with the solar power plant costing around $55 million. It was officially launched during President Xi Jinping’s visit in 2015.
• The project was completed in seven months at a cost of 280.61 million rupees.
• The solar plant will help the parliament save around 12 million rupees in electricity bills every year.
• It is the first project of its kind in a public building in Pakistan.
About Parliament of Pakistan
• The Parliament of Pakistan is officially known as the Majlis-e-Shoora, which is the federal and supreme legislative body of Pakistan.
• It is a bicameral federal legislature that consists of the Senate as upper house and the National Assembly, as lower houses.
• According to the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President of Pakistan is also a component of the Parliament.