Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Published by www.AffairsCloud.com
The Time Magazine has released a list of 30 most Influential People on the Internet. They were selected on
the basis of social-media followings, site traffic, and overall ability to drive news. The Magazine has named
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the 30 influential people on the internet. Modi has around 38
million total followers on Facebook and Twitter. Modi has been extensively using social media in the last
three years and this helps a lot in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections too.
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba wins Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership 2014
Hifikepunye Pohamba, outgoing Namibian P eside t has o the o ld s ost alua le i di idual a a dMo Ibrahim prize for African leadership for year 2014. Hifikepunye Pohamba Pohamba was born in 1935 in
Na i ia a d as a fo e e el ho fought fo his ou t s i depe de e. He has se ed as Namibian
President two terms.
The Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership prize is given each year to an elected leader who has governed
well, raised living standards and then left office. It is named after Mo Ibrahim, a British-Sudanese mobile
communications entrepreneur and philanthropist who had made billions of fortune from investing in
Af i a. It is the o ld s ost alua le i di idual a a d a d a ies o eta a a d of
illio dolla a d
also $ 200,000 a year for life. The inaugural prize was awarded to Joaquim Chissano, former president of
Mozambique.
Kerala Tourism Department wins the Golden Gate Award
Kerala Tourism Department wins the silver prize of Golden Gate award for its global multimedia campaign
to promote the backwaters of Kerala. The award was presented at the Internationale Tourismus-Borse
Berlin (ITB-Berlin) 2015, Germany. The ITB-Be li is o side ed as the Wo ld s la gest tou is t ade fai .
Kerala Tourism Secretary G Kamala Vardhana Rao and Joint Secretary in the Union Tourism Ministry Suman
Billa have received the prestigious award.
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o fe ed ith to khol
Wate P ize
Environment activist of India Rajendra Singh has been conferred with Stockholm Water Prize to recognize
his enormous efforts for instilling life in the villages of Rajasthan through water. The award comprises a a
ash p ize of , ,
UD a d it ll e p ese ted ede s Ki g Ca l Gusta .
Three South Asian women selected for International Women of Courage Award 2015
Three South Asian women have been selected for the prestigious International Women of Courage Award
for the year 2015 by the United States. They are,
Captain Niloofar Rahmani from Afghanistan Air Force
Nadia Sharmeen- Jou alist a d o e s ights a ti ist f o Ba gladesh
Tabassum Adnan- founder of Khwendo Jirga from Pakistan.
These women were selected for the award for their demonstrating exceptional courage and leadership in
advocating for peace, justice, human rights and gender equality.
Fourth National Photography Awards
A total of 13 outstanding photojournalists were conferred with the National Photography Awards, in New
Delhi. The Awards were presented by the Secretary of Information and Broadcasting, Bimal Julka.
The awards were given in 5 categories namely
Life-Time Achievement Award
Amateur Photographer of the Year
Professional Photographer of the Year
Special Mention Category in Amateur Segments
Special Mention Category in Professional segments
The colorful ceremony was organized by the Photo Division under the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting. Renowned cinematographer, Santosh Sivan and Chairman of the Jury Committee, Anil Risal
Singh attended the ceremony.
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Indira Gandhi Award For Best Debut Film Of A Director: Asha Jaoar Majhe (Bengali)
Best Feature Film: Court (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati & English)
Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ) presented its sixth Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) Awards
Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ) presented its sixth Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) Awards on 24
March 2015 in New Delhi. The awards were given in recognition of performance excellence and their
contribution to the economy. Fifteen PSUs were selected under various categories based on their
performance in the year 2014.
The performance assessment was based on a model developed by KPMG considering various financial
parameters such as
Productivity,
Efficiency
Efficacy
Profitability
Corporate social responsibility
Name of PSUs that were selected:
S. No Awards
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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10.
11.
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14.
15.
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A new provision is introduced, allowing the union government to register a person as an OCI
cardholdereven if he does not satisfy any of the listed qualifications.
Land Acquisition only for industrial corridors set up by Government.Ordinance did not clarify the
inclusion of projects by private players.
Land acquired for industrial corridor cannot exceed 1 km on either side of designated rail line or road.
Compulsory employment for one member of affe ted fa la o e s fa il i the p oje t o i g up o
land.
Court can take cognizance of offence by government employee
Ordinance had sought govt sanction for prosecution;now it would be easy to pull up an official below
the rank of Joint Secretary.
Local redressal of complaints on Compensation.
Social infrastructure projects not exempt from consent clause and social impact assessment.
No acquisition for schools and hospitals by private persons.
Redressal of grievances at district level and prescribe that state determine the acquisition is for bare
minimum.
The opposition moved 52 amendments which were either nullified or were not pressed by members. Later
Congress, SP, TMC left and others walked out to let the bill passed by voice note. The Akali Dal has insisted
to restore the Co se t lause e esto ed a d the Shiv Sena remain stuck not to vote for the bill.
Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015 gets Rajya Sabha Nod
Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015 gets final a nod from Upper House on 12th March 2015. Seven
Years after it was first introduced by UPA, with the help of Congress. A bill seeking to raise Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) cap in insurance sector from 26% to 49% was approved by Rajya Sabha.
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The insurance laws (Amendment) Bill 2015 will replace the ordinance promulgated by government last
year.
The bill was passed on 12th March 2015 by Voice note.
It was first introduced in 2008.
The bill makes IRDA ( Insurance Regulatory Development Authority), the sole operator to impose
penalty, impose a ceiling on expense management or fix a remuneration etc..on insurance sector.
The FDI limit has been increased to 49% which may lead to inflow of $8 to $10 billion in insurance
sector.
It will also help in penetrating the insurance sector.
The bill was passed through voice note after a 3 hours debate which saw the left clashing with treasury
bench. the left parties, which has opposed the bill insisted that amendment they have moved be put to
electronic voting. Despite their opposition to bill, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Janata Dal
(United) walked out and making it convenient to pass the bill.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015
This bill amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957
Key highlights of bill
The bill encourages spending of fixed percentage of revenue generated from mining on the
o development of local areas
o abolition of discretionary power enjoyed by governments, which in turn will decrease corruption
Addition of a new 4th Schedule in to parent Act in order to include bauxite, iron ore, limestone and
manganese ore as notified minerals.
It allows the union government to increase the area limits for mining, instead of providing additional
leases.
It creates a new category of mining license named, the prospecting license-cum-mining lease, which is
a two stage-concession for the purpose of undertaking prospecting operations (exploring or proving
mineral deposits) followed by mining operations.
On expiry of the lease, the leases shall be put up for auction, instead of being renewed.
The tenure of the mineral concession has been increased from the existing 30 years to 50 years.
It specifies that any lease granted before the commencement of the Bill, shall be extended
o up to 31 March 2030 for minerals used for captive purpose and up to 31 March 2020 for minerals
used for other than captive purpose or
o Till the completion of renewal period or
o for a period of 50 years from the date of grant of such lease,
Whichever is later.
It states that union government shall prescribe the terms and conditions and procedure for auction for
the selection of bidders.
For mining leases, the government may reserve particular mines for a specific end use and allow only
eligible end users to participate in the auction.
It states that the holder of a mining lease or prospecting license-cum-mining lease may transfer the
lease to any eligible person, with the approval of the state government and as specified by the Union
government.
The DMF (District Mineral Foundation) is to be established by the state government and NMET
(National Mineral Exploration Trust) shall be established by the union government for regional and
detailed mine exploration.
There is separate provision for contribution to the DMF not exceeding 1/3rd of the royalty rate in the
respective minerals.
This sector forms over two percent of total GDP.
This will also deters illegal miners as there are jail terms as well as special court and illegal mining bill
has a penalty of Rs 5 lakh per hectare instead of Rs 25000 earlier.
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The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015, would replace two ordinances issued by the government
o the first on October 21 last year and
o Second in December, after the apex court cancelled the allocation of 204 blocks
Categories of mines: The Bill creates three categories of mines:
Schedule I
(i) All the 204 coal mines cancelled by the Supreme Court in August 2014,
(ii) Any land acquired by the prior allottee in or around the coal mines, and
(iii) Mine infrastructure.
Schedule II
(i) 42 Schedule I mines that are currently under production or about to start production
Schedule III
Mines includes the 32 Schedule I mines that have been earmarked for a specified end-use.
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Black Money bill makes concealing foreign assets and income from tax authorities a crime punishable
with a 10-year jail term and 300% fine on the tax evaded.
Bill empowers the government to notify a window when people with undisclosed foreign funds can
come clean.
The duration of this window along with the tax rate and penalty will be notified once Parliament clears
the bill.
The bill also provides for prosecution and penalty of individuals, banks or institutions for abatement if
they help anyone create or hide foreign assets.
The bill would be complemented by other legislation and measures, including a new Benami
Transactions (Prohibition) Bill that is in the process of being finalized
The Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Bill cleared by cabinet also enables
enforcement agencies to attach and confiscate these assets under the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act.
The new bill announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech requires people to declare
foreign assets and income, including the date of opening their foreign bank accounts.
Union cabinet clears 33% quota for women in Delhi police
Union Cabinet on 20th March 2015 clears 33% quota for women in Delhi and other six Union
Territories. The move aims at increasing representation of women in police and to make the force gender
sensitive. The ese atio
ill e a aila le to o e agai st all su h a a ies e isti g o the date of
issue of o de a d a a ies a isi g the eafte , the o de said.
Supreme Court strikes down section 66A of Information Technology act
In a verdict related to the freedom of speech on the Internet, the Supreme Court on 24th March
2015 scrapped Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, terming it as unconstitutional. The supreme
court said that section 66A is vague and violative of the fundamental right to freedom of speech.
Justices J Chelameswar and Rohinton F Nariman passing the judgement said that 66A the court cannot go
the go e
e t s assu a es that the se tio
ill ot e isused as that a ot e p ope l
implemented because governments come and go but section 66A will exist forever.
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Election Commission of India Launches NERPAP Nationwide
The Election Commission of India has launched NERPAP National Electoral Roll Purification and
Authentication Programme, all over India with the objective of bringing a totally error free and
authenticated electoral roll.
The NERPAP programme include linking of Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) data with Aadhar data for
the purpose of authentication and also on improving image quality of electors along with sorting issues like
corrections of errors/mistakes etc.
Citizens who are eligible to vote can feed their respective Aadhar number via,
SMS
email
Mobile Application
National Voters Service Portal
By making a call at 1950 to state call centres
By submitting the details of Aadhar number and EPIC number in a hard copy
For the first time, a passenger should pay a minimum amount of Rs.70 to get a card. He will get Rs.20
balance. Then he can recharge the card for a minimum of Rs.20 or in multiple of Rs.50 upto Rs. 5000. The
Maximum limit on Go-India smart card is Ten thousand rupees.
The smart card has a validity of life time. If the card is kept unused for 6 months, it will be temporarily
deactivated which can be activated again by paying Rs.50. The main objective of this scheme is to reduce
the transaction time at the booking counters for the convenience of passengers.
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The Documentary has revealed the name of the victim ie Jyoti Singh.
The Documentary was Directed by Leslee Udwin.
The video went viral immediately after the release on YouTube and the Indian Government has
demanded YouTube to delete that video.
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The Commission recommend the requirement of accompanying memorandum/ rules/ regulations with
the pa t s appli atio . This a o pa i g do u e t,
hate e a e it is alled, should also
contain a specific provision stating that the party would shun violence for political gains, and would
avoid discrimination or distinction based on race, caste, creed, language or place of residence.
A new Chapter IVC should be inserted dealing with the egulatio of Politi al Pa ties and
incorporating the Co
issio s p e ious e o
e datio s i its
th epo t ith e tai
modifications. Thus, sections 29J to 29Q will deal with:o internal democracy,
o party Constitutions,
o party organisation,
o internal elections,
o candidate selection,
o voting procedures,
o the ECI s po e to de-register a party in certain cases of non-compliance.
Another section, section 29R should be inserted, providing for the de-registration of a political party for
failure to contest Parliamentary or State elections for ten consecutive years.
3. Proportional Representation
The Law Commission recommends that the findings of the 170th Law Commission Report on the
proportional system may be examined by the Government to determine whether its proposals can be
made workable in India at present.
The Law Commission recommends a suitable amendment to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution,
which shall have the effect of vesting the power to decide on questions of disqualification on the
ground of defection with the President or the Governor, as the case may be, (instead of the Speaker or
the Chairman), who shall act on the advice of the ECI. This would help preserve the integrity of the
Nation.
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Removability;
Making the appointment process of the Election Commissioners
The CEC consultative
Creating a permanent, independent Secretariat for the ECI.
first, to help the public identify the nature of the content (paid content or editorial content)
to keep the track of transactions between the candidates and the media.
Thus, a new section 127C should be inserted in the RPA to deal with the non-disclosure of interests in
political advertising. The ECI can regulate the specifics of the disclosure required.
7. Opinion Polls
Consequently, new sections 126C and 126D should be inserted in the RPA.
8. Compulsory Voting
The Law Commission does not recommend the introduction of compulsory voting in India and in fact,
believes it to be highly undesirable for a variety of reasons described above such as
being undemocratic, illegitimate, expensive, unable to improve quality political participation and
awareness, and difficult to implement.
9. Election Petitions
The introduction of o e o o e ele tio e hes i ea h High Cou t, desig ated so the Chief
Justice of the particular High Court, exercising jurisdiction over all election disputes under the RPA.
A single Judge shall ordinarily exercise such jurisdiction, although the Chief Justice can assign more
judges, if they so desire.
The Law Commission currently rejects the extension of the NOTA principle to introduce a right to reject
the candidate and invalidate the election in cases where a majority of the votes have been polled in
favor of the NOTA option.
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The Law Commission is not in favour of introducing the right to recall in any form because
o it can lead to an excess of democracy
o undermines the independence of the elected candidates
o ignores minority interests
o increases instability and chaos
o increases chances of misuse and abuse
o is difficult and expensive to implement in practice, especially given that India follows the first past
the post system.
The Co
issio eite ates a d e do ses the ECI s suggestio for introducing a totaliser for the
counting of votes recorded in electronic voting machines to prevent the harassment of voters in areas
where voting trends in each polling station can be determined.
Prior to the introduction of EVMs, ballot papers could be mixed under Rule 59A of the Election Rules,
although this was not permitted for EVMs. Using a totaliser would increase the secrecy of votes during
counting, thus preventing the disclosure of voting patterns and countering fears of intimidation and
victimisation.
Thus, similar to the existing Rule 59A, the Commission proposes to amend Rule 66A to empower the
ECI to decide when, and in which constituency and polling booths, to employ a totaliser, after taking
into consideration various factors and the overall context of the elections.
The Commission recommends regulating and restricting government sponsored advertisements six
months prior to the date of expiry of the House/Assembly to
o maintain the purity of elections
o prevent the use of public money for partisan interests of,inter alia
o highlighti g the go e
e t s a hie e e ts
o ensure that the ruling party or candidate does not get an undue advantage over another in the
spirit of free and fair elections.
This can be achieved by inserting a new Chapter VIIB in Part V of the RPA prohibiting State/Central
government sponsored advertisements in the print or electronic media or by way of banners and
hoarders, six months prior to date of expiry of the term of the Lok Sabha/Vidhan Sabha.
e t s po e t
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The Commission recommends an amendment of section 33(7) of the RPA, which permits a candidate to
contest any election (parliamentary, assembly, biennial council, or bye-elections) from up to two
constituencies.
In view of the expenditure of time and effort; election fatigue; and the harassment caused to the
voters,section 33(7) should be amended to permit candidates to stand from only one constituency.
The Law Commission recommends that independent candidates be disbarred from contesting
electionsbecause the current regime allows a proliferation of independents, who are mostly
dummy/non-se ious a didates o those ho sta d ith the sa e a e o l to i ease the ote s
confusion.
Thus, sections 4 and 5 of the RPA should be amended to provide for only political parties registered
with the ECI under section 11(4) to contest Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha elections.
The La Co
issio e do ses the ECI s suggestio s ega di g the i t odu tio of :
o Common electoral rolls for Parliamentary
o Assembly and local body elections.
However, given that introducing common electoral rolls will require an amendment in the State laws
pertaining to the conduct of local body elections, the Central Government should write to the various
States in this regard. We hope that the States will consider amending their laws based on the
suggestions of the ECI and the Law Commission.
Ne Delhi s Indira Gandhi International (IGI Ai po t sterminal ID is all set to get I dia s fi st od
scanner.United states Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)will be giving a illi ete
a e s a e to
IGI Airport which will be installed in coming weeks. It will be thentested by Bureau of civil aviation security
(BCAS) which will look on health and privacy concern. These scanner is used globally including US.
SC Scraps OBC quota for Jats
The Supreme Court on 17th March 2015 struck down the center controversial decision to grant reservation
to Jats Community in jobs and educational institution terming it Negative and retrograde governance.
The Supreme Court has scrapped a year-old notification by the then-ruling Congress party-led United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) granting the status of a backward class to the Jat community.
This judgment will not have any bearing in the inclusion of the community in OBC lists notified by states.
Except Gujarat, Jats are included in the list of OBCs in all the states mentioned above.
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ai s Gi gau
The BJP government in Maharashtra has decided to rename the area at Girgaum Chowpatty as Swaraj
Bhoomi to honor the veteran freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavishas accepted a proposal in this regard by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Since 2014, the Lokmanya Tilak Gaurav Samiti, an Independent Organization was demanding to name the
little garden adjoining Girgau Cho patt as a aj Bhoo i as he as e ated the e.
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The complaints registered on the portal will be taken up by authorities in the state or the central
government and appropriate action would be taken on complaints.
Any consumer in any part of the country can register on the portal and can lodge a complaint against
misleading advertisements.
The portal will be linked to all state authorities.
The portal also enables consumers to be informed of the action taken.
This will provide a host of services to consumers under one roof.
The Kendras are being launched on a pilot basis in only 6 cities. Based on the performance of these pilot
centres, this scheme will be extended to other parts of the country.
Currently, the Central Government is running the National Consumer Helpline . The u e is 1800-114000. Consumers can lodge telephonic complaints (24/7) regarding their grievances. It has also assisted 22
states to set up and run state help lines in regional languages.
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore inaugurated a Workshop on Still Photography and Videography
Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore [MoS for Information and Broadcasting] inaugurated the first national
workshop on photography and videography at New Delhi. The Workshop was designed according to
pa a ete s of Go e
e t of I dia s kill I dia i itiati e . More than 25 organisations from across the
country have participated in the day-long workshop.
According to Minister, the workshop is a good attempt to sharpen the skills of government personnel
associated with photography and videography.
The day-long workshop was organised by the I&B ministry. The Workshop has been designed to cover four
sessions covering the twin themes of Photography and Videography. Renowned Cinematographer Santosh
Sivan and Rajesh Bedi, the winner of Lifetime Achievement Award in the 3rd National Photography Awards
shared their experiences at the workshop.
ata Tata to head I dia ail ays Kaya Kalp Cou il
I dust ialist ata Tata ill head Kaya Kalp , a e i o ati e ouncil of Indian Railways, which is formed
to turn around the ailing state-run rail network. The Kaya Kalp council will also have two railway union
leaders Shiv Gopal Mishra and M Raghuvaiah. The main purpose of the council is to recommend
innovative methods and processes for the improvement, betterment and transformation of railways.
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usi ess e-
According to state government officials it is likely to choose Amaravathi a famous pilgrimage center for
Hindus and Buddhists.
Points to Remember:
The actual site earmarked for the new capital is 22 miles away Amaravathi town.
Nearly 33,000 acres of land has been procured by the state government for the new capital,
The construction work will commence by the end of June and be completed in the next three years.
A Singapore firm has been assigned the job of preparing a design for the new city.
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He said the fou datio sto e fo the e apital ould e laid o a auspi ious da .
Hyderabad is the joint capital of both the states, but only for a period of 10 years
Phase I of the new capital city would comprise 31 villages (including some hamlets) in three mandals
viz., Mangalagiri, Thullur and Tadepalle mandals.
The service was launched by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in
collaboration with the Union Bank of India and the National Payment Corporation of India.
uPa is I dia s o
a d pa e t gate a et o k like Visa a d Maste Ca d, a d p o ides a
alternative system for banks to provide a debit card service.
A K Manocha said the card is a first-of-its-kind in the market as both virtual as well as physical cards
are being issued to customers in two variants.
Cards can be made available from UBI offices or through IRCTC online. Initially the service will be
available for booking tickets and later on shopping and bill payments will be added.
uPa s a d holde ill get f ee s lakh a ide t i su a e o e age as pa t of the e efits to
customers.
One can have the card with a loading limit of s ,
ith pa tial K o You Custo e KYC
detail or Rs 50,000 loading limit with full KYC.
The first five transactions per card every month done on IRCTC for purchase of train tickets will be
free and no transaction charges will be levied to customers for six months only.
For every subsequent transaction post the free usage, customer will be charged Rs 10 per
transaction.
The transaction charge would be Rs 10 per ticket for booking a ticket through the card on the IRCTC
portal.
ad fo di e t o
u i atio
et ee Go e
e ta d
The Government of India launched Twitter Samvad, a new platform to facilitate direct communication
between leaders and citizens. It is launched in association with social networking service Twitter. The
Twitter Samvad is based on the platform provided byZipDial, which is an Indian company recently acquired
T itte , aki g this the o pa s fi st I dia se i e lau hed usi g i dige ous te h olog .
Rishi Jaitly, Twitte s Ma ket Di e to fo I dia a d outheast Asia, said: We are proud to have launched a
service here that is for the people and of the people. This can eventually give every political leader and
every government organization a mobile microphone to connect with each Indian, whether in Imphal or in
Diu or in Leh or in Pudducherry.
Ministry of Railways constituted Ajay Shankar Committee to review PPP Cell functioning
The Ministry of Railways appointed Ajay Shankar committee on 25 March 2015 to review the performance
of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) cell functioning under the Railway Board.
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The Committee will recommend measures to make the cell more effective, customer friendly and
result oriented.
The Infrastructure Directorate of Railway Board will be the Nodal Directorate for functioning of the
Committee and Executive Director/Traffic (PPP) Railway Board will be the Secretary to the Committee.
During the Rail budget speech in February 2015, Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had promised
to revamp the existing PPP cell in the Railways in order to make it more result oriented.
Government also had unveiled its plan to invest Rs.8.5 trillion in the railways in next 5 years.
By channelizing PPP, railways is seeking to improve its freight business and investment in its
infrastructure.
Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the National Super Computing Mission
Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved
theNational Super Computing Mission on 25 March 2015.
Points to Remember
National Super Computing Mission aims at bringing the High Performance Computing (HPC)
facilities within the reach of the scientific community by indigenous super computing infrastructure.
The mission will be implemented at an estimated cost of 4500 crore rupees over a period of seven
years.
The mission will be jointly implemented by
o the Department of Science and Technology (DST)
o Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) through the Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
o The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore .
A vast super computing grid comprising of more than 70 High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities
will be established in national academic and Research and Development (R&D) Institutions across the
county.
The grid will be connected with the computing infrastructure set up under the National Knowledge
Network (NKN).
Advanced HPC facilities will be developed using indigenous resources to make the intended super
computing grid operational.
The above two components are in tune with Digital India and Make in India initiatives of the Union
government.
The mission also intends to develop applications of national relevance by using these new facilities
Idea Cellula , the ou t s thi d la gest ope ato , bid a maximum of Rs.30,306.98 crore to buy
spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2,100 MHz bands.
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First goods train flagged off from Lumding to Silchar by Railway Minister
The Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 27 March 2015 flagged off the first goods train from Lumding to
Silchar in Assam.
Points to Remember
Suresh prabhu, Railway Minister, flagged off first good train on 27th March 2015.
He flagged off the train through video conferencing at a function in New Delhi.
He announced a cash award for those involved in the Lumding-Silchar gauge conversion project which
will give result to better rail connectivity in North Eastern states.
The gauge conversion of 210 kilometer Lumding-Silchar section in Assam connects Barak valley of
Assam with the rest of the country.
the gauge was completed at a cost of 3500 crore rupees.
The broad gauge line comrpises of 21 tunnels (with the longest of 3.23 kilometer length), 79 major
bridges and 340 minor bridges, 28 stations and four halt stations.
Lumding is a town and a municipal board in Nagaon district in Assam.
Silchar is the headquarters of Cachar district of Assam and lies 343 kilometres south east of Guwahati.
Himachal Pradesh Government launched part one of E-Vidhan Mobile apps, that will enable all 68
members of state assembly to get the entire House business on their smartphones and tablets, laid in the
House 45 minutes before the beginning of the daily proceedings. With this Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha
became the first state assembly in the country to launch this app to facilitate smart-working.
India will host the seventh Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in 2016
The Asian ministerial conference is set to endorse a regional implementation plan of the new post-2015
framework for disaster risk reduction. This will form a key element of the initial global effort to implement
the new framework.
Points to Remember
The Sixth Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction was held in Thailand from 23 June to
26 June 2014.
Fleet
Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) named Anagh and Two Interceptor Boats named C-430 and C-417 were
o
issio ed i to I dia Coast Gua d s Easte Fleet. The
ee o
issio ed
Lieute a t Ge e al
Ajay Kumar Singh (retd), Lt Governor of Puducherry in a traditional ceremony with full military honours in
Che ai. These o
issio ed ships ill e ha e Coast Gua d s apa ilit i fu the i g its a date of
maritime safety and security, environmental protection. It will also enhance the coastal security capability
and add more teeth to its existing fleet on the Eastern Sea Board.
Delhi High Court bars Glenmark from making anti-diabetes drugs
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has been barred by the Delhi High Court (HC) from making, marketing or selling
its anti-diabetes medicines on the ground that it had prima facie infringed the patent of US drug giant
Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD).
Gle a k s medicines, Zita and Zita-Met, cost
pe e t less tha MD s Ja u ia a d Ja u et, which is
due to the customs duty paid by the US firm, the court said adding no allegation has been made that MSD
sells its drugs at a relatively high price that hinders access to the drug.
A Bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Najmi Waziri, while granting an interim injunction in favour of
MSD, also said that the price difference between the drugs of the two companies is not so startling as to
compel the court to infer that allowing Glenmark to sell the drug at depressed prices would result in
increased access.
Andhra Pradesh, University of Singapore to ink MoU to promote ease of doing business
Andhra Pradesh government, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) have signed MoU to work on Ease of Doing Business in the state. It was signed for cooperation in
elatio to Maste pla o Ease of Doi g Busi ess i A dh a P adesh MEDBAP : Visio
. The tripartite
MoU will be effective from April 1, 2015 and valid for three years i.e. upto March 31, 2018
BJP e o es the o ld s la gest politi al pa ty i the world
The ruling BJP has become the largest political party in the world in the past five months taking its
membership to 8.80 crore.
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s of assets
elia e I dust ies Li ited has e o e the I dia s la gest o pa i te s of asset ith the asset o th
Rs. 3.68 Lakh Crore. This offer is given by corporate Affairs Minister, Arun Jaitely by a written reply to Rajya
sabha. The list is based on data from 4,15,886 companies which had filed their balance sheets for the year
2013-14 till November 30, 2014.
The total alue of all the assets of the 4,15,886 companies amounts to Rs.117.08 lakh crore and the share
of top te o pa ies i the total alue of assets as . pe e t o Ma h ,
, M Jaitle said.
1. Reliance Industries Limited Rs. 3.68 Lakh Crore
2. Indian Oil Corp Rs. 2.52 lakh crore
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Pakistan
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
China
Iran
Nepal
Bhutan
HDFC Bank launched mobile app Chillr to instantly transfer money to any person in India
HDFC Bank announced the launch of Chillr, a mobile app which allows users to instantly transfer money to
any contact in their phone book. Chillr is a first of its kind application that is linked directly to the
usto e s a k a ou t, so the e is o eed to o a out filli g up a p epaid allet
Life Insurance Corporation of India to invest Rs.1.5 Lakh Crore in Railways
I dia s iggest i su e , the Life Insurance Corporation has committed to invest Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Indian
railways over the next five years. The MoU was signed between Financial Commissioner (Railways)
Rajalakshmi Ravikumar and LIC Chairman SK Roy and it was witnessed by Union Finance Minister Arun
Jaitley and the Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu.
LIC will invest in bonds issued by various railway entities such as Indian Railways Finance Corporation.
There will be a 5 year moratorium in interest and loan repayment. The rate will be linked to 10-year
benchmark plus 10 basis points. The bonds will have a tenor of 30 years and will be disbursed over the next
five years.
Insurance companies in India are mandated to invest the total premium collected in a fiscal in different
sectors. i.e.,
4%
SLR
21.5%
Repo rate
7.5%
6.5%
Marginal Standing
facility rate
8.5%
Na e d a Modi Fo
The Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India have signed a monetary policy agreement that will
fix a target for consumer price inflation of 4% for the 2016/17 fiscal year. As per the agreement, the RBI
will aim to bring retail inflation below 6 percent by January 2016. This is the biggest change in the
Monetary Policy of India, since the 1991 Financial Reforms.
RBI signs $400 million currency swap pact with Sri Lanka
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed a US $400 million currency swap agreement with the Central
Bank of Sri Lanka. The currency swap agreement will allow central banks of both nations to make
withdrawals of US Dollar or Euro in multiple tranches up to a maximum of USD 400 million or its
equivalent. The agreement will be valid for a period of three years and further economic co-operation
between the two countries. It will also bring in more financial stability in the region.
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IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed sworn in as the CM of Jammu and Kashmir
Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of People s De o ati Party (PDP) sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu
and Kashmir for the second time. The PDP has collaborated with Bharatiya Janata Party to form a new
oalitio go e
e t a d e ded the da s of Go e o s ule i the state.
Nirmal Singh of BJP, sworn in as the new Deputy Chief Minister of the state. Totally thirteen MLAs
including Sayeed from the PDP and Twelve MLAs from BJP and Peoples Conference combine were sworn-in
as ministers. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, L K Advani, Murli
Manohar Joshi, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Party Secretary Amit Shah and General
Secretary Ram Madhav.
Jagmohan Dalmiya set to come back as BCCI President
Former International Cricket Council (ICC)President Jagmohan Dalmiya is all set to come back as
the Boa d fo Co t ol fo C i ket i I dia s BCCI p eside t. Dalmiya will be replacing N Srinivasan, in the
oa d s a ual ge e al eeti g.
The path for Dalmiya was cleared after another former president Sharad Pawar failed to get a proposer
from East zone.
Arun Singh: New Indian Ambassador to United States of America
A u i gh, I dia s A assado to F a e, has ee a ed as the I dia A assado to U ited tates. He
ill epla e Jaisha ka u ah a a , I dia s Fo eign Secretary. Indian Government has already sent an
agreement to the Government of United States, regarding Singh as its next Ambassador and was awaiting a
response from them. However, according to the reports, the new shuffling will be only done after Modi s
proposed visit to Paris in April.
Baldev Sharma Appointed as the Chairman of National Book Trust
Human Resource and Development Minister Smriti Irani has appointed the former editor of Panchajanya,
Baldev Sharma as the new chairman of National Book Trust. Panchajanya is one of the Rashtriya
a a se ak a gh s pu li atio s. The post as p e iousl held ethu adha a , ho has a e
long literary career of nearly five decades. He authored more than 15 novels and 20 collections of short
stories.
Obama re-nominates Sunil Sabharwal as Alternate Executive Director of IMF
United States President Barack Obama has re-nominated Indian-American Investor Sunil Sabharwal as
Alternate Executive Director at theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF). He was previously nominated in
April 2014 to the same position. Mr Sabharwal has been an independent investor in the payments sector
since 2006.
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Mi osoft s Paul Alle Dis o e ed Japa s WW II Wa hip Musashi
US multi-billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allenhas discovered the famous War ship of World War
II Japa s Musashi a d it s siste ship Yamato in Sibuyan Sea, a seabed of Philippines. Musashi was sunk
by American forces during the war, 70 years ago. It is one of the largest battleships in history.
Musashi was designed to take on multiple enemy ships simultaneously. It was launched in November 1940.
Musashi weighed 73,000 tonnes fully laden and carried a crew of 2,500. It could reach speeds of up to 27
knots.
The thi g hi h eated fea i e e ies a out Musashi as it s a a e t, hi h i luded the largestcalibre guns ever fitted to a warship. A 18.1 inch cannon was mounted in three triple turrets, each capable
of firing up to two 1,460 kg armour-piercing shells a minute over a range of 26 miles.
Forbes Billionaire list 2015
The Forbes world Billionaire list is the A ual a ki g of o ld s Wealthiest people, compiled and
published by an American Magazine called Forbes every year inMarch since 1987. The Microsoft owner, Bill
gates is the richest person, a title which he has been holding for 16 of the past 21 years.
In the 29th annual List of global billionaires, a record 1,826 billionaires were named with an aggregated net
worth of $7.05 trillion which is $6.4 trillion more than last year.
Below are the Top 5 Wealthiest persons ranked by Forbes
S.No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Name
Bill Gates
Carlos Slim Helu
Warren Buffett
Amancio Ortega
Larry Ellison
Country
U.S.
Mexico
U.S.
Spain
U.S.
Net worth
$ 79.2 B
$77.1 B
$72.7 B
$64.5 B
$ 54.3 B
Age
59
75
84
78
70
Source
Microsoft
telecom
Berkshire Hathaway
Zara
Orcale
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Switzerland based Solar Impulse, Wo ld s fi st da a d ight sola po e ed odied pla e ill ake a stop
on Ahmedabad on Tuesday, 10th March 2015. The plane, powered only by the sun, is attempting to be the
first such aircraft to fly around the world. On 9th March 2015, it completed a 13-hour flight from Abu
Dhabi.
After landing in Ahmedabad, The solar powered Aircraft founders and Pilots Andre Borschberg and Betrand
Piccard are likely to stay in city for 2 days and thereafter will leave for Varanasi.
India and Seychelles signed Four pacts to boost security cooperation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a Three-nation tour, held talks with the President of
Seychelles James Alix Michel. Modi is the first Prime Minister to visit Seychelles in the last 34 years. Late
premier Indira Gandhi had visited Seychelles in 1981. Foreign SecretarySubrahmanyam Jaishankar and
National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval were part of the Indian delegates, who take part in discussion
President James Alix Michel.
The leaders have witnessed the signing of four agreements between India and Seychelles
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cooperation in hydrography
Cooperation in renewable energy
Cooperation in infrastructure development
Cooperation in sale of navigation charts and electronic navigational charts
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Visa.
Customs.
Youth Development.
Building Rabindranath Tagore memorial in Sri Lanka.
PM Na e d a Modi said We believe that early and full implementation of the 13th Amendment and going
beyond it would contribute to this process .
Defence Pact Signed between Japan and France
Japan and France signed an important defence pactregarding the transfer of military equipment and
technology. In last two years Japan had signed similar deals with Britain and Australia. The agreement with
France encourages mutual defence cooperation by confirming that transferred technology and equipment
will not be provided to a third country without the permission of the country of origin.
The two countries have agreed to work toward concluding an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement,
which provides a framework for logistic cooperation between armed forces. Japan already has signed such
agreement with the United States and Australia.
Japan is pushing to reform the United Nations Security Council as a member of the Group of Four nations
along with Germany, Brazil and India.
Maldi es s Fo
yea s of i p iso
e t
Maldi es Fo e P eside t Mr Mohamed Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being found
guilty of terrorism. Nasheed ordered the arrest of a Chief judge when he was in power in 2012. He was
Maldi es first democratically elected leader and he ended the autocratic 30- ea ule of Ya ee s halfbrother,Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Countries including India and the United States have expressed concern
a out Nasheed s t eat e t a d t ial.
The verdict is likely to increase the political instability in the world famous luxury tourist destination and
appears likely to provoke street violence. Maldives is a string of more than 1,100 coral islands popular as a
holiday paradise.
Modi flagged off the first train from Thalaimannar to Madhu Road in North Sri Lanka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged off a train service from Thalaimannar to Madhu
Road in Northern Sri Lanka. Modi was accompanied by the Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena. Modi
also unveiled a plaque inaugurating Talaimannar 1650 Pier Railway station.
The Madhu Road to Talaimannar track is 63-km long and it is the last segment of the 265-km Northern
Railway Line Reconstruction Project, which is being executed by Indian Railways Construction Company
Ltd(IRCON).
This train service has fulfilled the long-cherished dream lakhs of Tamil people, who wanted direct rail
connectivity to Colombo.
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eiled i Lo do s Pa lia e t ua e
e datio s ste
The MoU was witnessed by I dia s Textiles MinisterSantosh Kumar Gangwar a d the isiti g K g zsta s
Minister of Energy and Industry Kubanychbek Turdubaevin New Delhi.
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The top three rankers in WJP Open Government Index 2015 are
Sweden First
New Zealand Second
Norway Third
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One MoU will provide one on transfer of sentenced prisoners as the two countries sought to inject a
fresh momentum in their bilateral ties.
The other five MoUs will provide for cooperation in areas like information and communication
technology, atmospheric and ocean sciences and media.
The MoU in the field of information and communication technology would provide
enhanced business opportunities for Indian IT industry in Qatar.
Another MoU was signed between Ministry of Earth Sciences and Qatar Meteorological
Department for cooperation in the field of atmospheric and ocean sciences.
The pacts were signed after Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani held deep discussion with
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both the leaders discussed a lot of issues including
enhancing cooperation in energy sector and boosting trade and investment.
According to official figure, 96 Indians are currently languishing in various jails in Qatar which is
home to around 600,000 Indians.
A separate MoU as i ked et ee Diplo ati I stitute of Qata s Fo eig Mi ist a d Fo eig
Service Institute of External Affairs Ministry to facilitate exchange of faculty members and experts.
The two sides also finalised a pact to encourage regular exchange of radio and TV programmes and
content between Prasar Bharati and Qatar Media Cooperation.
Katsushi Inoue appointed as President & CEO of Honda Cars India Ltd
Katsushi Inoue was appointed as President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL).
He will assume charge on 1 April 2015 and succeed Hironori Kanayama who is due to retire. Inoue was
associated with Honda Motor Co for past 29 years. In his last assignment he was serving as General
Manager in Marketing Planning office in Japan headquarters.
Stephen Hawking joins the Trademark Club
tephe Ha ki g, the o ld s ost fa ous theoretical physicist, has become the latest and most
unexpected celebrity to apply for a trademark of their name. Brian Cox, a popular U.K. physicist and TV
p ese te , Ha ki g applied fo a t ade a k ea lie this o th, th ough the UK s I telle tual P operty
Office.
The two main reasons given as to why Hawking wants this trademark,
The t ade a k is fo ha ita le pu poses , hi h ould e a le Stephen Hawking to set up his own
foundation, dedicated to motor-neurone disease, which Hawking was diagnosed with (ALS) in 1963. If
successful, Stephen Hawking can decide how his name is used on goods, from postcards to educational
books, according to the official document.
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OBITUARY
Former Bihar Chief Minister Ram Sundar Das dies
Former Chief Minister of Bihar and senior JD(U) leaderRam Sundar Das has passed away at the age of 95 in
Patna due to age-related problems. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced a state funeral for
Ram Sundar Das. Ram Sundar Das se ed as Biha s Chief Mi iste i
.I
Lok a ha Ele tio , Das
had defeated Ram Vilas Paswan in Hajipur, but in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Das had lost to Paswan.
Pioneer of Israeli cinema Lia van Leer passes away
Lia van Leer, pioneer of Israeli cinema passed away in Jerusalem, Israel. She was 90. She was the founder of
Israel Film Archive, Jerusalem Cinematheque, Haifa Cinematheque and the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Veteran Journalist Vinod Mehta is Dead
Veteran Journalist and former Editor of Outlook, Vinod Mehta, passed away after a prolonged illness at the
age of 73. He has died of multiple-organ failure at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Mehta
was born inRawalpindi (now in Pakistan) in 1942 and he was known for his bold journalism.
Mr. Mehta was served as the editor of several publications such as The Pioneer, The Sunday Observer, The
Independent and The Indian Post. He has authored a biography of Meena Kumari and Sanjay Gandhi.
Mehta s Lucknow Boy: A memoir received varied comments from the critics and it was published in 2011.
Veteran singer Bombay S Kamal passes away
Veteran singer and music composer Bombay S. Kamal passed away on 17 March 2015 in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala at the age of 85. He was suffering from respiratory ailments. In past six
decades, he had active presence in the field of music especially in Malayalam film music.
Former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov Shot Dead
Former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow. He was a leading
Russian Opposition Politician. He was shot four times while crossing a bridge by an unidentified shooter
from a car. Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama have condemned this brutal
murder.
Boris Nemtsov
Nemtsov was a Russian Scientist and a Liberal Politician. Played a major role in introducing Capitalism in
Russian Economy. After Chernobyl disaster, he organized a protest movement, which effectively stopped
the construction of new nuclear plant. Nemtsov was considered as a bridge between Russia and Ukraine.
Popular Fantasy Author Sir Terry Pratchett passed away
Fa tas autho i Te P at hett has died aged at the age of due to Alzhei e s disease in London, UK.
The author was very famous for his Discworld fantasy series. Terry penned more than 70 books during his
career and completed his final book during last summer.
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Most part of his career spent at The Times of India where he worked for some 25 years - before being
superannuated. Shri K Baskaran has reported on various sports. He has widely reported in Indian
football for four decades. He was also admired for his coverage in basketball.
Renowned ornithologist K.S. Lavkumar Khachar passes away
Renowned ornithologist and environmentalist K.S. Lavkumar Khachar passed away in Rajkot, Gujarat. He
was 84. As environmentalist he had a long association with the environmental conservation intuitions like
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India.
Leonard Nimoy, famous Star Trek Actor, dies aged 83
Leonard Nimoy, who played the human-alien philosopher and first officer Mr Spock in the Original Star
Trek series, has died in Los Angeles. He was 83 years old and was suffering from end-stage chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Unites States Preside t Ba a k O a a said Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard
Nimoy. I loved Spock .
Bard of Maharashtra Shahir Krishnarao Sable passes away
Bard and Marathi folk legend Krishnarao Ganpatrao Sable passed away on 20 March 2015 in Mumbai,
Maharasht a. He as . He had ought Maha asht a s folk si gi g a d theat e t aditio s to the e t e
stage a d his so gs e i hed Maha asht a s ultu e.
Founder of Modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew passes away
Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore, who was both feared for his authoritarian tactics and
admired worldwide fo tu i g the ity state i to o e of the Wo ld s i hest atio s while in power for 31
years, died on 23rd march at the age of 91.
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oo Ga y ede
Since they contain up to 99 percent dark matter and just one percent observable matter, dwarf galaxies
are ideal for testing whether existing dark matter models are correct. Dark matter which makes up 25
percent of all matter and energy in our universe is invisible, and only makes its presence known through
its gravitational pull.
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pa e P o e ea hes o it a ou d D a f Pla et
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SPORTS
Dubai ATP Tennis Championship 2015
The 2015 Dubai Tennis Championships is also called 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. This
tournament was inaugurated in 1993. The winners of 2015 Championship are,
Me s i gles
itze la d s Roger Federer defeated e ia sNovak Djokovic, 63, 7 . It is oge s e e th Du ai C o
Wo e s i gles
o a ia s Simona Halep defeated Czech Republic Karolna Plko , 64, 76(74)
Me s Dou les
I dia s Rohan Bopanna a d Ca ada s Daniel Nestor defeated Pakista s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and
e ia s Ne ad )i o ji, 64, 61
Wo e s Dou les
Hu ga s Tmea Babos and France Kristina Mladenovic defeated pai s Garbie Muguruza andCarla
Surez Navarro, 63, 62
Argentina Open 2015 : Rafael Nadal wins the Title
pai s sta Tennis player Rafael Nadal has won the 2015 Argentina Open by defeating Juan Monaco of
Argentina with a score of 6-4, 6- . It is Nadal s th title in clay and first title of 2015. Nadal, the World
Nu e Pla e , is efe ed as The King of Clay .
He has won a total of,
akes hi
to
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105 Bangladesh
117 England
104 Australia
e ia s Novak Djokovic defeated itze la d s Roger Federer by 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 score.
With this win Novak Djokovic has won his fourth Indian Wells Open title and overall 50th tour-level
title.
Me s Dou le Title
Vasek Pospisil (Canada) and Jack Sock (US) pair defeated Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Fabio
Fognini 64, 67 (3), 107 score.
Wo e s Dou le Title
Sania Mirza (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) defeated Russian pair Ekaterina
Makarova and Elena Vesnina by 6-3, 6-4 score.
It is a ia Mi za s se o d title of the season 2015 and 24th overall.
The FIFA 2022 World cup will be played over for only 28 days instead of the traditional 32 days.
As summer temperature in Qatar exceeds 110 degrees, the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be conducted
during November/December.
The venues for some important matches in 2018 FIFA World World Cup was announced.
The bidding process to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off in 2015.
o e s a d lost o l
u si
i defeated De
a k s Vikto A else i th ee ga es
5 Title
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IMPORTANT DAYS
March 01 2015
Remembered Day: Zero Discrimination Day
Purpose: To create awareness to people from all corners of the world, about the evil consequences of
discrimination, to celebrate diversity, and to reject discrimination.
Theme: Open Up, Reach Out.
March 03 2015
Remembered Day: World Wildlife Day
Purpose: To aise a a e ess of the Wo ld s flo a a d fau a.
Theme: Wildlife C i e is se ious, let s get se ious a out ildlife i e .
Remembered Day: National Defence Day
March 04 2015
Remembered Day: National Security Day (Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas)
Purpose: To praise the work of security forces, who plays a major role in maintaining peace
March 08 2015
Remembered Day: Wo ld Wo e s Da
Purpose: To celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.
Theme: Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!
March 10 2015
Remembered Day: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Raising Day
Purpose: CISF is a dedicated force which provides security to a wide range of critical infrastructure assets
of India.
March 12 2015
Remembered Day: World Kidney Day
Purpose: To create awareness among the people globally, about the importance of the kidneys and also to
reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health issues.
Theme: Kidney Health For All
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March 14 2015
Remembered Day: Pi Day
Purpose: Students, mathematicians and math enthusiasts all around the world celebrate Pi Day by
participating in pi themed activities and contests that include making and eating pies, converting numbers
such as the time or one's age using pi, and reciting the digits of pi.
March 15 2015
Remembered Day: World Consumer Rights Day
Purpose: to promote the basic rights of all the consumers, to demand that those rights are respected and
protected.
Theme: Helping consumers choose healthy diets.
March 18 2015
Remembered Day: O d a e Fa to ies Da
Purpose: The day is celebrated by displaying the rifles, guns, artillery, ammunition..etc in exhibitions all
over India.
March 20 2015
Remembered Day: International Day of Happiness
Theme: "Your happiness is part of something bigger"
Remembered Day: World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People
Purpose: Celebrated and promoted by professionals making work for young audiences all over the world.
Remembered Day: World Sparrow Day
Purpose: To create awareness of the house sparrows and other birds to the rapidly changing
environments, and of threats to their populations.
March 21 2015
Remembered Day: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Purpose: Ai s to e i d people of a ial dis i i atio s egati e o se ue es. It also e ou ages
people to remember their obligation and determination to combat racial discrimination.
Theme: "Learning from historical tragedies to combat racial discrimination today"
Remembered Day: World Poetry Day
Purpose: To promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world
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