Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Social Issues
2. Polity Issues
3. Governance Issues
4. Economy Issues
5. International Relations
6. Summit
7. Science & Technology
8. Environment
9. Health
10. Culture
11. Miscellaneous
Part 3 December 2016, January & February 2017 (would be available by 18th April 2017)
Part 4 March, April & May 2017 (would be available by 25th May 2017)
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 1
SOCIAL ISSUES
1. 2016 BRICS Convention on Tourism begins in Madhya Pradesh
The 2016 BRICS Convention on Tourism has begun at UNESCO World heritage site Khajuraho in
Madhya Pradesh to promote intra-regional tourism.
Key Facts :
The event comprised of inter-governmental exchange of views and ideas and panel discussions
on different subjects including cooperation between the BRICS countries for promoting intra-
regional tourism.
Business to Business meetings between the India Travel Trade and their counterparts from the
BRICS countries was organized.
The convention has been organized as a precursor to the BRICS Summit to be held at Goa in
October 2016.
Khajuraho Temple: It is a group of Hindu and Jain Temples in Madhya Pradesh build by Chandela
Dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD. It is an UNESCO World heritage Site.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 2
To exchange information relating to any such child, with the appropriate authorities of a
Contracting State.
To provide, on request, information of a general character, as to the law of India in connection
with the implementation of the Convention in any Contracting State.
To institute judicial proceedings with a view to obtaining the return of any such in which that
child has his habitual residence. It also facilitate the provision of legal aid or advice.
It provide administrative arrangements related to return of a child.
Significance:
Replaces the outdated Guardians and Wards Act of 1890. A new law incorporating international
measures of Hague Convention( though India has not signed this convention).
In an absence of any domestic law this law will secure the future of child.
It will ensure better understanding with foreign countries as following SOP.
4. AARAMBH INITIATIVE
India launched its first internet hotline to encourage people to report online child pornography
and curb a surge in photographs and videos on the internet showing children being sexually
exploited.
Significance:
Aarambh Initiative, a network of organisations and individuals working on child protection in the
country, has collaborated with the U.K.-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
The hotline in India will be hosted on aarambhindia.org and will enable users to report child
sexual abuse images and videos in a safe and anonymous environment.
With the help of the Britains Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) IWFs 120 partners, such as tech
firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, the material is traced to where the server is hosted.
It is then blocked, eventually removed from the internet and the information shared with police for
prosecution.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 3
6. Himachal Pradesh declared Indias second Open Defecation Free State
The State of Himachal Pradesh was declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), making it the second
State in the country (after Sikkim) to achieve the feat.
Every individual household in the state has functional toilet under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
What is Open defecation?
Open defecation means people defecate in open spaces such as fields, bushes, forests, open
bodies of water rather than using the toilet.
Hazards of Open Defecation: It is important factor in causing various diseases like intestinal
worm infections, diarrhoea, polio, hepatitis etc.
The hill state of Himachal has become the first large state to become completely ODF
9. India ranks 87th on the WEFs Global Gender Gap Report 2016
The World Economic Forums (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2016 was released recently.
India has improved its rank in the Global Gender Gap index moving from 108th to 87th
position.
Key Highlights of the report:
The WEF measures the gender gap index of the countries by taking four factors into account-
economy, health, education and political representation.
Globally, the leading four nations continue to be Scandinavian: Iceland, Finland, Norway and
Sweden, in that order.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 4
India is also among a group of countries that have made key investments in womens education
but have generally not removed barriers to womens participation in the workforce.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 5
Significance of Day: The observance of the day seeks to increase awareness of gender inequality
faced by girls worldwide based upon their gender and supports more opportunity for girls. This year
it was fifth edition of this day after it was observed for first time in 2012.
2016 Theme: Girls Progress = Goals Progress: What Counts for Girls. It calls for action
for increased investment in collecting and analyzing girl-relevant, girl-focused and sex-
disaggregated data.
The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) was instituted by the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) by adopting Canada backed Resolution in December 2011.
14. 3 October: World Habitat Day
World Habitat Day is observed every year on the first Monday of October throughout the world.
The 2016 World Habitat Day campaign aims to raise awareness about the need for affordable
housing for all in urban areas, towns and cities.
2016 Theme: Housing at the Centre.
Focus of the theme
The 2016 World Habitat Day campaign aims to raise awareness about the need for affordable
housing for all in urban areas, towns and cities.
The purpose of the day is to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic human
right to adequate shelter.
15. Government launches e-Pashuhaat portal to connect farmers and breeders of bovine
animals
The Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister, launched e-pashuhaat portal
(www.epashuhaat.gov.in) on the occasion of National Milk Day here today.
The portal will act as a single online e-trading market platform, including availability of bovine
germplasm. It will enable the farmers to buy bovine animals, frozen semen and embryo.
Aims and Objectives:
E-Trading Market portal for livestock germplasm and additional related services.
Will connect farmers with breeders - Central, State, Co-operative, Milk Federations, and private
agencies.
Real time authentic certified information on availability of germplasm.
Key Facts
It would become a platform for sell of bovines, including information on semen, embryos and
live animals with all the agencies and stake holders in the country.
The portal would make the farmers aware of availability of quality disease free bovine
germplasm with different agencies in the country.
India has the largest bovine population in the world.
16. 25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
The United Nations has designated November 25 International Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against Women. The day recognizes women across the world who are subject to rape,
domestic abuse and other forms of violence.
2016 Theme: Orange the World raise funds to end violence against women.
About international day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women :
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 6
The day was observed to create the awareness about violence against women,end the
violence against the women and to show that the prevention is possible against violence
of women.
This day is commemorated in the memory of the Mirabal sisters who were three political
activists from the Dominican Republic. They were brutally assassinated during the Rafael
Trujillo dictatorship (1930-1961) in 1960.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 7
POLITY ISSUES
1- Army sets up design bureau to reduce dependence on imports
To indigenise procurements and reduce import dependence, the Indian Army announced the
establishment of the Army Design Bureau which will integrate various stake holders in its
long-term requirements.
The design bureau will be the repository of all technical know-how for defence equipment
manufacturing.
The Army Design Bureau (ADB) has been conceptualised as an interface of the Indian Army
with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), academia, defence PSUs,
OFBs and private industry, paving the way for high-quality research and development of defence
products.
The establishment of the ADB which is expected to be headed by a Maj Gen rank officer.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 8
Recognition as a national or a State party ensures that the election symbol of that party is
not used by any other political entity in polls across India.
National parties get land or buildings from the government to set up their party offices. They can
have up to 40 star campaigners during electioneering. Others can have up to 20 star
campaigners.
Now, India has seven recognised national parties the Congress, the BJP, the BSP, the CPI,
the CPI(M), the NCP and the All India Trinamool Congress.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 9
In this case capital punishment will be shifted to life imprisonment without the benefit of release
on remission for prolonged periods ranging from 25 to 30 years, if not more.
Special category status was formalised by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in the
Rajiv Gandhi killers case in December 2015.
The judicial innovation of the special category of punishment bridges the gap between death
sentence (capital punishment) on the extreme and only 14 years of actual life imprisonment on
the other.
7. Web Responsive Pensioners Service portal to provide better services to the pensioners
Web Responsive
Pensioners' Service is a
Digital India initiative
taken-up by the
Controller General of
Accounts which works
under the administrative
control of the Union
Ministry of Finance.
The Web Responsive
Pensioners' service has
been developed to
provide single-point web
solution for pensioners to
obtain comprehensive
information relating to
status of the pensions and pension payments.
This service will also help in speedy redressal of pensioners grievances.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 10
Members
(i) Minister of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs
(ii) Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting
(iii) Minister of Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation & Parliamentary Affairs.
(iv) Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping
(v) Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh
(vi) Chief Minister, Punjab
(vii) Chief Minister, Chattisgarh
(viii) Chief Minister, Tripura
(ix) Chief Minister, Odisha
(x) Chief Minister, Rajasthan
(xi) Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh
The Standing Committee will:
(i) have continuous consultation and process matters for consideration of the Council
(ii) Process all matters pertaining to Centre State Relations before they are taken up for
consideration in the inter-State Council.
(iii) Monitor the implementation of decisions taken on the recommendations of the Council and
(iv) consider any other matter referred to it by the Chairman/Council.
(v) The Standing Committee may, if necessary, invite experts and persons eminent in
specific fields to have the benefit of their views while deliberation upon the related subjects.
The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body to facilitate coordination between states and
the centre. The Inter-state council is not a permanent constitutional body for coordination
between the states and Central government.
It is a recommendatory body to investigate and discuss subjects, in which some or all of the
states or the Central government have a common interest.
It is set up on the basis of provisions in Article 263 of the Constitution of India by a Presidential
Order, 1990 based on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission.
9. Employees Online (EO) Mobile App of DoPT
EO App is a mobile application of the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The mobile application aims to update on Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
appointments and postings on real time basis and to bring transparency.
11- Smaller parties, Independents in Rajya Sabha unite for more talk time
Vice-President Hamid Ansari has formally recognised a group of 22 MPs belonging to parties
with less than four MPs and certain independents as a consolidated block the United
Group.
This is only the third time in the history of Indian Parliament that this is happening, the first was in
1983, and the second in 1990.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 11
With this grouping, United Group will be the third largest group of MPs in the Rajya Sabha, after
the Congress and the BJP and it will find a place in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC)
that decides time allotment.
Time allotted to parties to speak on debates depends entirely on their strength in the House.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 12
(1) Zonal Councils were set up under the States Reorganization Act, 1956 (so it is not
constitutional body) to foster Inter-State co-operation and co-ordination among the States.
(2) Currently, there are total five zonal councils viz. Northern, Western, Eastern, Central and
Southern.
(3) The Zonal Councils are mandated to discuss and make recommendations on any matter of
common interest in the field of economic and social planning, border disputes, linguistic minorities
or inter-State transport etc.
(4) They are regional fora of cooperative endeavour for States linked with each other economically,
politically and culturally.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 13
Governance Issues
1. Union Government launches Gas4India campaign to promote use of natural gas in the
country
The Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has launched Gas4India campaign, aimed at
promoting the use of natural gas in the country.
"The country is moving towards a gas-based economy, and it is working to increase the share of
gas in the country's energy basket.
Key features
Gas4India is a unified cross-country, multimedia, multi-event campaign to communicate the
national, social, economic and ecological benefits of using natural gas as the fuel of choice to
every citizen.
The campaign includes social engagement via Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and
its official website, as well as hyper local, offline events to directly connect with consumers
through discussions, workshops and cultural events, it said.
Besides the move to enhance gas production, the government is promoting a nation-wide gas
grid and setting up gas infrastructure.
2. Mandi, and Sindhudurg emerge cleanest Districts in India: Gramin Swachh Survekshan
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj released
the Swachh Survekshan for rural India, revealing Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Sindhudurg
(Maharashtra) as the cleanest districts in India.
Sindhudurg was judged as the cleanest in the Plains category and Mandi in the cleanest district in
Hills category.
Key Facts :
The Ministry had commissioned Quality Council of India (QCI) to carry out the assessment.
Each district has been judged on four distinct parameters.
Maximum weightage was places on accessibility to safe toilets and water. The parameters
to judge sanitation status include:
1. Households having access to safe toilets and using them (toilet usage, water accessibility, safe
disposal of waste) (40%)
2. Households having no litter around (30%)
3. Public places with no litter in the surrounding (10%)
4. Households having no stagnant wastewater around (20%)
5. Union Government to launch Mission Parivar Vikas for improved family planning
services
Health Ministry to launch Mission Parivar Vikas in 145 High Focus districts in seven states for
improved family planning service.
These 145 districts have been identified based on total fertility rate and service delivery
(PPIUCD and Sterilization performance) for immediate, special and accelerated efforts to reach the
replacement level fertility goals of 2.1 by 2025.
The main objective of Mission Parivas Vikas will be to accelerate access to high quality
family planning choices based on information, reliable services and supplies within a rights-
based framework.
Improving access to contraceptives through delivering assured services.
Dovetailing with new promotional schemes, Ensuring commodity security, building capacity
(service providers) and Creating an enabling environment along with close monitoring and
implementation.
6. Union Cabinet gives approves Varistha Pension Bima Yojana, 2003 and Varistha Pension
Bima Yojana, 2014
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for the Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana
(VPBY) 2003 and VPBY 2014, Approval has also been granted for the expenditure incurred on
subsidy amount released to Life Insurance Corporation during the period 2003-04 to 2014-15 for
VPBY 2003.
Key Facts :
VPBY was launched on July 14, 2003, the VPBY 2014 was launched on August 14.
The schemes are implemented through Life Insurance Corporation and the difference
between the actual yield earned by LIC on the funds invested under the scheme and the assured
return committed by the Government is paid as subsidy to LIC.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 15
Both are pension schemes intended to give an assured minimum pension to Senior
Citizens based on an assured minimum return on the subscription amount.
The pension is envisaged until death from the date of subscription, with payback of the
subscription amount on death of the subscriber to the nominee.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 16
The Union Government has launched the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka
Aam naagrik) which seeks to get more people to fly in the smaller towns. It will be rolled out by
January, 2017 and will be in operation for a period of 10 years.
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) Scheme
UDAN is an innovative scheme to develop the regional aviation market.
This first-of-its-kind scheme will ensure affordability, connectivity, growth and development.
It aims to increase ticketing volume from 80 million to 300 million by 2022.
Airline operators will bid for up to 40 subsidised seats and minimum seats will be 9. There
will be 50% seats on market based pricing.
It will create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes so that
flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns.
11. IAE to tie up with India for its global LED programme
International Energy Agency (IAE/ IEA) collaborated with India to implement the government of
Indias Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) initiative universally for energy
savings.
The scheme is implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of
PSUs under the Union Ministry of Power.
About Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme
UJALA was launched by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 1st May, 2015.
LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP).
Support efficient lighting, reducing energy consumption and energy savings.
Bachat Lamp Yojana was replaced by UJALA scheme in March 2016.
Efficient Lighting Programme first launched in Puducherry on 7th February, 2014.
UJALA scheme promotes LED bulbs over tube lights, incandescent bulbs and CFL bulbs,
as they are long lasting, more efficient, and economical in their life cycle duration.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy stopped the subsidy on CFL-based solar lighting system
because they want to encourage the people to maximum use of the LED Bulbs.
About International Energy Agency (IEA)
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 17
IEA is a Paris-based autonomous non-governmental organisation.
IEA was established in 1974. It was established to meet the industrial countries energy
organisation needs.
Only Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member states can
become the members of the IEA.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 19
It aims to create 1 lakh technology based student start-ups and a million employment
opportunities within the next 10 years.
It also aims to propel Indian youth to contribute to the nations socio-economic progress through
promotion of technology-driven student start-ups.
NSSP seeks to develop an ideal entrepreneurial ecosystem by lending crucial soft skills like
decision-making in the students.
It also seeks to promote strong inter-institutional partnerships among technical institutions.
17. Hunar Haat inaugurated at 2016 India International Trade Fair(USTTAD scheme)
Hunar Haat (Skills Market), organised for the first time at India International Trade Fair at
Pragati Maidan.
It is aimed at promoting and supporting artisans from Minority communities and providing
them domestic as well as international market for display and sell their products.
National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) has organised the exhibition
Hunar Haat under scheme USTTAD (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional
Arts/Crafts for Development) of Ministry of Minority Affairs.
USTTAD scheme
The scheme was launched on 14 May 2015 in Varanasi.
It seeks to build a capacity of traditional artisans and craftsmen.
It also seeks to provide employment opportunities to traditional artisans and craftsmen by
establishing the linkages their arts/crafts with the national and international market.
18. Union Government launches Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana for entrepreneurs
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched the Pradhan Mantri YUVA
Yojana, its flagship scheme for entrepreneurship training and education at the Ministrys
second foundation day.
About Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana for entrepreneurs:
The scheme spans over five years (2016-17 to 2020-21).
It will provide entrepreneurship education and training to over 7 lakh students in 5 years through
3050 Institutes.
The scheme will also include easy access to information, mentor network, credit, incubator,
accelerator and advocacy to create a pathway for the youth.
The institutes under the PMs YUVA Yojana include 2200 Institutes of Higher Learning (colleges,
universities, and premier institutes), 300 schools, 500 ITIs and 50 Entrepreneurship
Development Centres, through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
19. Union Government launches Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
It has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).
It aims provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all
pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
Key Highlights Of PMSMA
Participation of the Private Practitoners:-The programme follows a systematic approach for
engagement with private sector which includes motivating private practitioners to volunteer for
the campaign developing strategies.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 20
Identification and follow up of high risk pregnancies. A sticker indicating the condition and risk
factor of the pregnant women would be added onto MCP card for each visit:
Green Sticker- for women with no risk factor detected
Red Sticker for women with high risk pregnancy
A National Portal for PMSMA and a Mobile application have been developed to facilitate the
engagement o Private/ voluntary sector.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 21
Economy Issues
2- Project SAKSHAM
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi has approved Project SAKSHAM, a New Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of
the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
It will help in -
(a) implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST),
(b) extension of the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) and
(c) other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital India and Ease of Doing Business of Central
Board of Excise and Customs.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 22
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss nonprofit foundation, based in Cologny,
Geneva.
Every year, WEF releases its Global Competitiveness Report based on their analysis of the
worlds 138 economies.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 23
As per the 2001 agreement (Protocol on accession of China to the WTO), WTO-member countries
had then decided to deem China as a market economy from December 2016.
The main reason India is reluctant to grant MES to China is that it will severely curb Indias
ability to impose anti-dumping duties on unfairly priced Chinese imports.
8- Indias First Coastal Industrial Corridor
Multilateral funding agency Asian Development Bank has approved $631 million for building
Indias first coastal industrial corridor between Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
East Coast Economic Corridor will spur development on Indias eastern coast and create
seamless trade links with other parts of South and Southeast Asia.
The Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor section of the East Coast Economic Corridor,
connecting four economic hubs and nine industrial clusters, will mark the first industrial corridor
developed along Indias coast.
The East Coast Economic Corridor will ultimately extend from Kolkata in West Bengal in the
northeast of India to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu near the southern-most point of the country.
9- India ranks 130th in ease of doing business index- World Bank report
In the
World
Bank's
latest
'Doing
Business'
report,
India
placed
130th
from a
revised
rank of
131 last
year, with
the
nations
ease of
doing business ranking improving in just two out of 10 parameters.
The list of countries in the Doing Business 2017 is topped by New Zealand while Singapore is
ranked second.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 25
It was announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who had chaired the Governing
Council meeting of the BRICS CRA in New York, United States.
What is BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)?
CRA was established in 2015 during 7th BRICS summit in July 2015. The Treaty for the
establishment of BRICS CRA was signed at Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014.
Both CRA and NDB (New Development Bank) were announced as part of BRICS Fortaleza
Declaration announced during 6th BRICS summit held in Fortaleza, Brazil in July 2014.
It is a framework that aims at providing support through additional liquidity and other means
to BRICS countries at a time of economic crisis.
The initial total committed resources of the CRA will be 100 billion dollars with individual
commitments as follows: China ($41 billion), India ($18 billion), Brazil ($18 billion), Russia
($18 billion) and South Africa ($5 billion).
17- 50 years of establishment of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
(UNCITRAL)
India hosted the golden jubilee (50th anniversary) celebrations of United Nations Commission
on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) in New Delhi.
About United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
UNCITRAL was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 1966 to promote the
progressive unification and harmonization of international trade law.
It is the core legal body of the UN system in the field of international trade law. It specializes in
reforms in commercial law worldwide for a period of over 40 years.
India is a founding member of UNCITRAL. India is only one of eight countries which have
been a member of UNCITRAL since its inception.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 26
19. Maharashtra Tops In 2016 Agricultural Marketing And Farmer Friendly Reforms Index Of
Niti Aayog
NITI Aayog has launched an index to rank States and UTs that is based on
implementation of seven provisions proposed under model APMC Act, joining eNAM
initiative, special treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level of taxes in
mandis.
These indicators reveal ease of doing agribusiness as well as opportunities for farmers to
benefit from modern trade and commerce, competitiveness, efficiency and transparency
in agri markets.
The second area of reforms included in the index is relaxation in restrictions related to lease in
and lease out agricultural land and change in law to recognise tenant and safeguard land
owners liberalisation.
The third area included in the index represent freedom given to farmers for felling and transit of
trees grown on private land. This represent opportunity to diversify farm business.
The Index is named as Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index and it
has a score which can have minimum value 0 implying no reforms and maximum value 100
implying complete reforms in the selected areas. States and UTs have been ranked in terms of
the score of the index.
Maharashtra tops in implementing agricultural reforms and offers the best environment for
doing agri business. Maharashtra scored 81.7 on the index partly due to its decision to exclude
fruits and vegetables from the APMC Act.
Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are in the next three positions. The Centre is
trying to encourage States to carry out reforms in the three broad areas--agricultural
market, lease reforms and reforms related to forestry on private land-felling and transit of
trees.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 27
INTERNATIONAL RELATION
1. World leaders adopt New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants at UNGA
World leaders approved a declaration aimed at providing a more coordinated and humane
response to the refugee crisis that has strained resources and sparked divisions from Africa to
Europe.
Highlights of the New York Declaration:
Protect the human rights of all refugees and migrants, regardless of status. This includes the
rights of women and girls and promoting their full, equal and meaningful participation in finding
solutions.
Ensure that all refugee and migrant children are receiving education within a few months of
arrival. Prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence.
Support those countries rescuing, receiving and hosting large numbers of refugees and
migrants.
Work towards ending the practice of detaining children for the purposes of determining their
migration status.
Find new homes for all refugees identified by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) as needing resettlement..
Strengthen the global governance of migration by bringing the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) into the UN system.
Other Developments
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also launched a new campaign called Together Respect,
Safety and Dignity for All to respond to rising xenophobia and turn fear into hope.
United Nations and International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed the new agreement by
which IOM officially becomes a related organization of the United Nations system.
2. UNSC approves resolution for global implementation CTBT to ban nuclear weapons tests
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a resolution urging quick global
implementation of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban treaty (CTBT) to ban tests of nuclear
weapons.
What is CTBT?
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty that bans all
nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments.
It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) under Resolution 50 on
September 10, 1996, but has not entered into force as eight designated nuclear-capable states
have not yet ratified the treaty.
The Treaty will enter into force 180 days after the date of deposit of the instruments of
ratification by all. .
The treaty already has a network of monitoring stations but does not have the power to go on
site to inspect for tests until it enters into force.
But for that, the holdouts among the 44 countries that are designated nuclear capable, the
United States, Egypt, China, India, Israel, Iran, North Korea and Pakistan must ratify it.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 28
Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom and Cuba's Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of peaceful atomic energy use on
the sidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna.
Key Highlights :
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of International 60th Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
General Conference held in Vienna, capital city of Austria.
The deal, laying the basis for further Russian-Cuban cooperation in different fields of peaceful
atomic energy use, from agriculture to training nuclear specialists, was signed.
4. Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children. UNICEF Report on
Refugees
This UNICEF report is the first to present comprehensive, global data about the 50 million
refugee and migrant children around the world. This report addresses where they are born,
where they move, the causes of their migration and displacement, and some of the
opportunities and dangers they face along the way both globally and regionally.
It also presents the six goals developed by UNICEF to protect child migrants and refugees and
provide them with hope for the future. These are:
1) Protect child refugees and migrants from exploitation and violence
2) End detention of child asylum seekers and migrants
3) Keep families together
4) Provide education, health, and other services
5) Urge action on the root causes of conflict and displacement
6) Fight xenophobia and discrimination in destination countries
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On world Security: Strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, committed to increase
effectiveness of the UN counter terrorism framework. Also, called for need for adaptation of
Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN General Assembly
On SDGs- Welcomed adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its
Sustainable Development Goals.
On UN Reforms- Reiterated urgent need to reforms of the United Nations, including
International UN Security Council to increase representation of developing countries.
On New Development Bank- BRICS members were satisfied with the approval of the first
batch of loans by the New Development Bank (NDB), particularly in renewable energy projects
in BRICS countries.
BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement
CRA, established in 2015 by BRICS member nations is now operational and the central banks
of the grouping's members are "fully ready to carry out" the transactions.
The Ninth BRICS Summit will be hosted by China in 2017.
9. Latvia becomes first Baltic Sea country to link with Chinas OBOR
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Latvia has become the first country in the Baltic Sea area to sign a Memorandum of
Understanding to link up with Chinas One Belt and One Road (OBOR) Initiative.
The MoU was signed after Chinese Premier Li Keqiangs meeting with his Latvian counterpart Maris
Kucinskis in Riga (capital of Latvia). It was Chinese Premiers first visit to the European Union
country.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 31
SUMMIT
1. 2016 G-20 Summit held in Hangzhou, China
The 2016 Group of Twenty (G20) Summit was held in Hangzhou, China to discuss efforts to
reform Global Economic Governance.
It was the eleventh meeting of the G20. G20 accounts for 85% of the world trade and two-
third of world population. It consists of 19 head of the state and European Union.
The theme of 2016 G20 Summit : Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and
Inclusive World Economy.
Highlights of 2016 G20 Summit
The basic agenda in all these meeting is Growth. How to have better, transparent, and
effective global economic governance and how to promote growth..
Finance, Trade and Investment is the major problems in international community.
The 2017 G20 summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany from 7-8 July 2017.
3. India to host 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction
India hosted the 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR)
from November 3 to 5, 2016 in New Delhi. This is second time India hosting AMCDRR.
The Conference aims: At transforming the commitments of governments and stakeholders
during the Sendai Conference into national and local action.
Key facts:
This is the first AMCDRR after the advent of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction (SFDRRR), adopted at the third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan in March,
2015. It will set the direction of Sendai Framework implementation in the region.
The Conference adopted the Asian Regional Plan for Implementation of the Sendai
Framework endorsed by the Asian countries.
It will also consolidate the political commitment of governments towards preventing and
reducing risk as well as strengthening resilience in the form of a political declaration.
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Voluntary statements of action of stakeholder groups towards a shared responsibility approach
in implementation of the SFDRR would also be adopted.
6. High Level Meeting of Interior Ministers of IOR adopts Colombo declaration to Counter
Drug Trafficking
The high-level meeting in Colombo,Srilanka was attended by 18 littoral states of the Indian
Ocean Region.
The meeting was also attended by seven international organizations/partner agencies and UN
agencies engaged in counter-narcotics initiatives in the region.
The delegates resolved to work towards making the Indian Ocean a Drug Free Zone.
Colombo declaration:
The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Colombo declaration.
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The declaration states that narcotic drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean poses a threat to
peace and security in the region and its possible link to organized crime and funding of
terrorism.
It stresses upon the need for coastal states to cooperate more closely on enforcing maritime
law, sharing information, and providing mutual legal assistance, including the expansion and
development of communication through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODCs) Indian Ocean Prosecutors Network.
The declaration also called on the littoral states of the Indian Ocean to meet on an annual
basis within the framework of the Southern Route Partnership (SRP) of Indian Ocean Forum on
Maritime Crime (IOFMC) to assess and report on the drug trafficking threat in the Indian Ocean
and develop a coordinated approach to counter such threats.
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Science & Technology
Indias first LIGO laboratory to come up in Hingoli, Maharashtra
Indias first LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) laboratory will be set
up in Aundh in Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
It will be third such laboratory in the world and first outside the United States. The existing two
laboratories are located in Hanford, Washington and in Livingston, Louisiana.
Known as the LIGO-India project, it is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and
Department of Science and Technology (DST). It is jointly coordinated and executed by three
Indian research institutions: the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics
(IUCAA), Pune and Department of Atomic Energy organisations: Institute for Plasma Research
(IPR), Gandhinagar and the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
These observatories are being upgraded to their advanced configurations (called Advanced
LIGO). LIGO-India project aims to move one Advanced LIGO detector from Hanford to
India.
The first edition of IoT (Internet of Things) India Congress, 2016 began Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
The congress aims to bring together key stakeholders across the value chain and verticals to
collaborate, ideate and share a common roadmap for Internet of Things (IoT) implementation.
The event will also host the IoT Start-Up Awards 2016 and IoT Thought Leadership Awards
2016.
Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and
digital machines, objects, or people that are provided with unique identifiers.
Thus it can be said that it is an internetworking of physical devices, vehicles, buildings
and other itemsembedded with electronics, software, sensors and network
connectivity. The internetworking has ability to transfer data over a network without requiring
human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
2. Integration of Digi Locker with Driving Licenses & Vehicle Registration Certificates
launched.
The Union Government has launched a new service integration of DigiLocker with Driving
Licenses (DL) & Vehicle Registration Certificates (RC).
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With this integration people will no longer need to carry around physical copies of their RCs and
Driving Licences. They can instead access digital copies of the same on their mobile
phones via the DigiLocker mobile app.
DigiLocker is a key initiative under Digital India programme aims at transforming India into a
digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It is a platform for issuance and
verification of documents and certificates digitally.
3. ICICI Bank: First bank to introduce Software Robotics for power banking operations
India's largest private sector bank ICICI Bank has announced the deployment of 'Software
Robotics' in over 200 business processes across various functions of the bank.
The bank is the first in the country and among few globally to deploy 'Software Robotics' that
emulates human actions to automate and perform repetitive, high volume and time
consuming business tasks cutting across multiple applications.
This initiative deeply embodies the bank's philosophy of 'khayaal aapka', wherein we strive
to offer the best-in-class experience to our customers.
6. Submarine OFC connectivity between Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands
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Cabinet approves provision of a direct communication link through a dedicated submarine
Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Mainland (Chennai) and Port Blair & five other islands viz.
Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Havelock, Kamorta and Great Nicobar.
The approval would equip Andaman & Nicobar Islands (ANI) with appropriate bandwidth and
telecom connectivity for implementation of e-Governance initiatives; establishment of
enterprises & e-commerce facilities and also enable the provision of adequate support to
educational institutes.
Currently the only medium of providing telecom connectivity between Mainland and Andaman &
Nicobar Islands is though satellites, but the bandwidth available is limited to 1 Gbps.
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There are three major activities going on in our laboratoryaccelerators, detectors and
computing.
12. NASA launches OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to collect samples from Bennu asteroid
Nasa launches the Osiris-Rex spacecraft into space on an unprecedented seven-year quest
to collect samples from the asteroid Bennu and return to Earth.
OSIRIS-Rex stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-
Regolith Explorer.
The probe will reach its destination in August 2018, spend two years mapping the asteroid and
send back interstellar material that could date back to the origins of the solar system.
Nasas Osiris-Rex probe set to attempt smash-and-grab on speeding asteroid.
OSIRIS-Rex is NASAs third planetary science mission selected in the New Frontiers Program,
after Juno and New Horizons. 101955 Bennu is a carbonaceous asteroid in the Apollo group.
It was discovered in September 1999 by the LINEAR Project.
13. Worlds first daily driverless bus service launched in Lyon, France
The worlds first driverless bus service began in the French city of Lyon Two electric
minibuses with a capacity of 15 passengers each are now operating a 10-minute route with five
stops in the city centre at an average speed of 6 miles (10km) per hour.
The buses are not capable of manoeuvring around other traffic and the routes are near a
tramway where other vehicles are not allowed.
Each minibus is equipped with lasers, cameras, electronic systems LIDAR radar
technology and motion sensors that detect and analyse any movement around it.
LIDAR is acronym of Light Detection and Ranging. It is a surveying technology that measures
distance by illuminating a target with a laser light. Simply referred to as 3D scanning or laser
scanning with terrestrial, airborne and mobile applications.
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14. China successfully launches Tiangong-2 space lab
China successfully launched its first human space flight mission.
Tiangong-2 ( in English means Heavenly Palace 2) its predecessor, Tiangong-1 (launched in
September 2011), are prototypes for Chinas ultimate goal to launch a permanent 20-ton
space station after 2020 just as International Space Station (ISS).
It will make China potentially the only country with a permanent space presence. In 2003,
China had conducted its first crewed space mission becoming only the third country after Russia
and the US to do so ..
It will be used for testing systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refuelling. It will
be placed at slightly higher orbit around 393 kilometres above the earth.
.
16. MIT scientists develop new technique to find signs of life on Mars
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On this day seven new plant varieties developed at CSIR laboratories were released.
CSIR is an autonomous body and the largest research and development (R&D) organisation
in India. It became operational on 26 September 1942.
It is mainly funded by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.
CSIRs R&D activities include aerospace engineering, ocean sciences, structural engineering,
metallurgy, life sciences, chemicals, mining, food, petroleum, leather, and environment.
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The line connecting Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, and Shanghai, a coastal trade
hub, has 11 trusted nodes along its length. It transmitted a secure video conference between
the two cities in one of its first test communications.
Aim is to connect Shanghai to Chinas capital, Beijing, and run through another major city,
Jinan.
Quantum communication uses quantum entanglement of photons to ensure that nobody
taps into the line, as doing so would inevitably corrupt the signal.
The relay nodes are weak points, because the information is translated back into regular form
there before being re-entangled and sent further along the optic fiber link.
China has already launched worlds first quantum communication satellite. It was
nicknamed as Micius after a 5th century BC Chinese philosopher and scientist. The Micius
quantum satellite will be connected with the Beijing-Shanghai quantum communication line
through the lines station in Beijing. It will enable the space-to-Earth highly secure hack-proof
quantum communication network.
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24. Biggest and brightest Supermoon observed
The Supermoon was observed after the moon was closest to the Earth. This is for the first
time moon came closest to Earth since 1948. Next time the supermoon will be observed on 25
November 2034.
Supermoon or perigee full moon is a phenomenon that occurs when a full moon
coincides with the moon being the closest to the Earth on its orbit. During this time, the
natural satellite appears roughly 30% larger in area and 30% brighter than the smallest full
moons. In terms of diameter, the width of the moon is about 14% wider than the smallest full
moons.
Why are supermoons not all the same size? The reason is that the shape of the ellipse that the
moon draws around the Earth is changing all the time as it is pushed and pulled by other
gravitational forces.
25. City Union Bank launches Indias first banking robot Lakshmi in Chennai
India's first banking robot Lakshmi made her debut in the Chennai city. Launched by
the Kumbakonam-based City Union Bank, the artificial intelligence powered robot will be the
first on-site bank helper.
Lakshmi is artificial intelligence powered robot. It can speak English, gesture and engage in
a life-like manner in conversations.
The robot can interact with customers on more than 125 subjects including account balance
and interest rates on loans.
It will not voice the sensitive financial information like account details rather display it discreetly
on its screen.
Artificial intelligence is the branch of computer science concerned with making
computers behave like humans. In contrast to normal hardware and software, artificial
intelligence enables a machine to perceive and respond to its changing environment. The
artificial intelligence machines learn automatically like humans during their processing by
assimilating large volumes of information.
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27. 10 November: World Science Day for Peace and Development
The World Science Day for Peace and Development is observed on 10 November 2016 across
the world to raise awareness of benefits of science in our daily life, organized by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
2016 Theme: Celebrating Science Centres and Science Museums.
It highlights the importance of science centres and museums for capacity building and to send
strong messages about the importance of science for sustainable development.
Background: World Science Day was started in 2001 by UNESCO as a follow-up to the
first World Conference on Science in 1999. The conference was jointly organised by
UNESCO and International Council for Science in Budapest (Hungary).
29. President Pranab Mukherjee presents Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards
The President of India, presented the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards to the winning
children of IGNITE competition organized by the National Innovation Foundation.
The IGNITE competition is a national competition of original technological ideas and
innovations by children up to class 12 or those out of school up to the age of 17 years.
The award is an effort to focus primarily on the creativity of the children and promote
inclusive and compassionate thinking among them.
It was started in 2008 and is organized every year by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) to
promote creativity and originality among children.
The awards of competition are announced on 15 October every year on Dr APJ Abdul Kalams
birthday, which is celebrated by NIF as Childrens Creativity and Innovation Day
NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Union Ministry of
Science and Technology. It was set up in February 2000 to provide institutional support for
scouting, sustaining, spawning and scaling up the grassroots innovations across the country.
It is committed to making India innovative by documenting, adding value, protecting IPR of
contemporary unaided technological innovators as well as of outstanding traditional knowledge-
holders and disseminating their innovations on non-commercial and commercial basis.
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Department of Science and Technology to partner with NIF in INSPIRE MANAK (Million Minds
Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) scheme would boost the IGNITE model
There is a need to create an innovation eco-system in our country.
The Atal Innovation Mission is a very important initiative of the government aimed at
promoting innovations and start-ups all over the country. The idea of unleashing the
creativity of children is a valuable step in that direction.
31. Coradia iLint: Worlds first zero-emissions hydrogen train unveiled in Germany
Germany is set to host the world's first zero-emission, hydrogen passenger train which
should kick into gear next year.
The Coradia iLint only emits excess steam into the atmosphere, and provides an alternative
to the countrys 4,000 diesel cars currently in circulation in Germany.
Testing of the new silent train developed by French rail transport company Alstom, which was
first presented at Berlins InnoTrans trade show in August, is set to be carried out by the end of
the year.
Train's fuel source is effectively carbon neutral since the hydrogen used by the train actually
came from waste byproducts from the chemical industry and other manufacturers.
The hydrogen, or hydrail, train is set to run on the Buxtehude-Bremervrde-Bremerhaven-
Cuxhaven line in Lower Saxony in December 2017.
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The multipurpose fast research reactor project, known by the Russian acronym MBIR, is
coming up as the International Research Center in Dimitrovgrad located in the Ulyanovsk
region.
The purpose of the programme is the creation of a new technological platform for nuclear
energy, which will be based on the closed fuel cycle with fast neutron reactors.
The closed fuel cycle, which involves recycling the nuclear waste as new fuel, in the case of
the MBIR project, essentially signifies research on a sodium-cooled Generation 4 fast reactor to
design an advanced fast neutron reactor for use in nuclear power plants.
A fast neutron reactor, also known simply as a fast reactor, is a type in which the nuclear
fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons. Such a reactor needs no neutron
moderator like normal water, which serves such a purpose in thermal reactors.
Transition to the closed fuel cycle, which is based on the fast neutron reactors, will lead to the
solution of the five key problems safety, competitiveness, shortage of fuel, reprocessing
and refabricating the used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste as well as in enforcing non-
proliferation of fission materials and weapons technologies.
Russia has offered India a new range of reactor units the VVER-Toi (typical optimised,
enhanced information) design for the third and fourth units of the Kudankulam project in Tamil
Nadu being built by Rosatom.
34. IIL develops CYSVAX, worlds first vaccine to fight against tapeworms in pig
Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL), a subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB),
launched CYSVAX, touted as the worlds first vaccine to fight against Tapeworms in pigs.
The vaccine was developed in collaboration with Dr.Marshall Lightowlers, University of
Melbourne, Australia and GALVmed (Global Alliance for Veterinary medicine).
IIL has obtained the license the to manufacture and market the vaccine after conducting
extensive field trials in India and many other countries such as Spain, Peru etc. Trials are also
underway in Nepal, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania.
Open defecation and unhygienic pig rearing are the primary breeding grounds for
Tapeworms. Cases of Cysticercosis have been found to occur across India, particularly in the
North UP and Northeast states.
Cysticercosis, is caused by ingesting the eggs of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium.
Humans are usually infected by the ingestion of eggs present in the under-cooked pork,
vegetables and greens that have been improperly washed. The vaccine also has the
potential to significantly reduce the incidence of epilepsy in humans.
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Environment
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 46
Ken-Betwa project will irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region but, in the
process, also submerge about 10 per cent of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya
Pradesh, feted as a model tiger-conservation reserve.
The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal and a series of barrages and dams
connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers that will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and
14,000 hectares of Uttar Pradesh, in Bundelkhand.
The key projects are the Makodia and Dhaudhan dams, the latter expected to be 77 m high and
responsible for submerging 5,803 hectares of tiger habitat in the Panna tiger reserve.
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The announcement was made by the international body of aerodrome operators across the
world, Airports Council International (ACI) during the Airport Carbon Accreditation
certificate presentation ceremony in Montreal, Canada.
Carbon neutrality occurs when the net carbon emissions over an entire year are zero or
when the airport absorbs or offsets the same amount of emission that was generated.
This achievement is accredited by ACI under Airport Carbon Accreditation that monitors the
efforts of airports to manage and reduce their carbon emissions.
At IGI, DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) has taken the proactive approach towards
environment management and sustainability development. Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport is a LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Gold certified green building.
9. GM Mustard
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the environment ministry is
about to approve commercialisation of a genetically modified (GM) variant of mustard food
crop developed by Delhi University (DU).
DU's GM mustard-- Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11 or DMH 11 is a herbicide-tolerant crops its
commercialisation gives 25-30 per cent more yield than the best varieties such as Varuna
currently grown in the country.
India is the third largest producer of the crop internationally.
The team has used a Barnase gene isolated from a soil bacterium called Bacillus
amyloliquefaciens. It codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the
plant into which it has been introduced male-sterile. This male-sterile plant is crossed with a
fertile parental line, containing, in turn, another gene, Barstar, from the same bacterium that
blocks the action of the Barnase gene. The resultant progeny, having both the foreign genes,
is a hybrid mustard plant that is not only high-yielding, but also fertile and capable of producing
seed/grain
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With this, he became the first Asian to win this prestigious environmental award. He was
presented this award at the IUCNs ongoing World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii.
14. Prakampana-2016
Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercises, the Armed
Forces in collaboration with Central Armed Police Forces and civil administration have started
conducting Joint HADR exercises in different places of the country.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 49
First Joint Exercise JALRAHAT on flooding in Urban Areas was conducted by the Army,
in Guwahati, Assam.
Second exercise PRAKAMPANA by Indian Navy in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh is
primarily based on super cyclone in the coastal region.
Third such HADR exercise SAHAYATA will be conducted by Indian Air Force at Bhuj, Gujrat.
This exercise is primarily aimed at preparing the Forces to undertake rescue and relief
operations during major earthquakes of Western region.
15. Antarticas Ross Sea declared as worlds largest Marine Protected Area
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
agreed unanimously to designate the Ross Sea as world's largest marine protected area.
The Ross Sea in Antarctica has shelf and slope only comprise 2% of the Southern Ocean but
they are home to 38% of the world's Adelie penguins, 30% of the world's Antarctic petrels
and around 6% of the world's population of Antarctic minke whales.
The Ross Sea is a deep bay in the Southern Ocean that many scientists consider to be the
last intact marine ecosystem on Earth a living laboratory ideally suited for investigating life
in the Antarctic and how climate change is affecting the planet.
The agreement also establishes a large 322,000 sq km krill research zone that will allow for
research catching of krill, but prohibit toothfish catching.
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18. Historic Global Greenhouse gas emission Agreement signed in Kigali
Nearly 200 nations have agreed a legally binding deal to cut back on greenhouse gases
used in refrigerators and air conditioners, a major move against climate change. The deal
was "a monumental step forward" in Kigali capital of Rwanda.
The deal, which includes the world's two biggest economies, the United States and China,
divides countries into three groups with different deadlines to reduce the use of factory-
made hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, which can be 10,000 times more powerful than carbon
dioxide as greenhouse gases.
Under the pact, developed nations, including much of Europe and the United States, commit to
reducing their use of the gases incrementally, starting with a 10 percent cut by 2019 and
reaching 85 percent by 2036..
Two groups of developing countries will freeze their use of the gases by either 2024 or 2028,
and then gradually reduce their use. India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and the Gulf countries will meet
the later deadline.
They refused the earlier date because they have fast-expanding middle classes who want air
conditioning in their hot climates, and because India feared damaging its growing industries.
Current Affairs Quick Revision For 2017- (Sep to Nov 2016) Page 51
preserves them for longer time, prevent the spread of invasive pests, delay/eliminate ripening or
sprouting and reduce the risk of food borne illness.
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The objective of the day is to spread awareness among people across the world in
matters related to the dangers of tsunami and stress on the importance of early warning
systems in order to mitigate damage from the devastating natural calamity.
Indias initiatives Following the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, Central
Government established an Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC). It is operational
since October 2007. ITEWC was established under the Indian National Centre for Ocean
Information Services (INCOIS) at Hyderabad.
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The mission focuses on sustainable utilization of renewable biological resources for food, bio-
based products and bio-energy through knowledge-based approaches. The mission is unique to
south-east Asia and India has become one of the few countries to have tapped bio-resources,
which when optimally utilized can create a large number of jobs at village level.
The NE region is among the world's top 10 biodiversity hot spots and people should take
advantage of these resources to improve their economy.
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The main threat facing declining populations is habitat loss caused by logging, agriculture
and the disruption of freshwater systems such as rivers. Freshwater populations, which declined
by 81%, are increasingly thought to be faring worse than those living in terrestrial regions.
32. Neerdhur
As is well known, indoor pollution is one of the major causes of ill health and high mortality rate
in the hinterland. The enhanced cook stove could go a long way in reducing its impact if
marketed in the right manner and made available across the country.
Developed by the National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) and
christened Neerdhur, this multi-fuel domestic cook stove is supposed to be super efficient,
saves 50 per cent of fuel, has high thermal efficiency and reduces cooking time.
Its USP is that besides wood it can consume several fuels including coal, cow dung,
charcoal, biomass and other agricultural residue. Designed as a hybrid with technology
innovations, it uses much less fuel with lower emissions.
The cook stove has also been approved by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and
is now certified to meet cook-stove emission standards by Bureau of Indian Standards.
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Initially it will comprise halophytes occurring along the coasts of India including the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
Halophytes are salt-tolerant or salt-resistant plants. They can thrive and complete their life
cycles in soils or waters containing high salt concentrations.
In recent times, alarming rise in the sea level has prompted agriculture scientists to call for the
cultivation of saline-tolerant crops in light danger of sea intrusion.
38. IISER Researchers Develop Gelator To Scoop Out Marine Oil Spills
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram developed
simple, efficient and cost-effective, compound (gelator) for marine oil spills.
Gelators, which are in a powder form, can be easily applied over oil-water mixture and do
not cause any environmental damage.
Made from glucose as a starting material and through several chemical reactions produced
compounds (gelators) that selectively congeal oil, including crude oil, from an oil-water
mixture.
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The gelator molecule is partly hydrophobic and partly hydrophilic. While the hydrophilic part
helps in self-assembling to form gelator fibres, the hydrophobic part is responsible for its
diffusion into the oil layer.
39. Union Environment Ministry Constitutes Four-Member Team For Conservation Of Loktak
Lake
A four-member team for conservation and management of Loktak Lake in Manipur, a
UNESCO recognised World Heritage Site has been constituted by the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is famous for the phumdis
floating over it. Phumdis are the heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic
matter at various stages of decomposition.
Keibul Lamjao National Park is also one of Phumdis in the lake. It is only floating national
park in world and is last natural refuge of endangered Sangai deer.
It serves as a source of water for irrigation, drinking water supply and hydropower generation
and have ecological status and its biodiversity values.
Loktak lake was initially designated as a wetland of international importance under the
Ramsar Convention in 1990. Later it was also listed under the Montreux Record in 1993.
Human activity has led to severe pressure on the lake ecosystem.
41. Union Government Constitutes Ak Sinha Committee To Study Silt In River Ganga In Bihar
A four member expert committee headed by member of Ganga Flood Control commission
A .K. Sinha to study silt in river Ganga in Bihar had been constituted by the Union
Government
Bihar CM had requested PM to send an expert team to study silt in Ganga which caused
devastating prevailing flood in the state. Besides, he also had requested Central Government to
frame National Silt Policy to sort out various problems related to rivers throughout the state.
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Health
1. Bindheswar Pathak as brand ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission
Ministry of Railways has appointed Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak (73), the founder of Sulabh
International as a Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission of Indian Railway.
Indian Railways had tied up with Sulabh International to clean some important railway stations
across the country as part of the mission with an aim to promote cleanliness at rail
premises.
These railway stations are Gorakhpur, Old Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Gwalior.
Focus area: Swachh Stations (Clean Stations), Swachh Rail Gaadi (Clean Train), Swachh Neer
(Clean Water), Swachh Parisar (Clean Complex), Swachh Sahyog (Cleanliness Participation),
Swachh Samvad (Cleanliness Dialogue), Swachh Samarpan (Dedication for ensuring
Cleanliness), Swachh Aahar (Clean Food).
2. SUGAR TAX
UK Chancellor George Osborne is introducing a new sugar levy on the soft drinks industry
to combat child obesity.
The tax will be levied on the drinks companies in two years' time i.e. from 2018.
There will be two categories of taxation: one for total sugar content above 5g per 100ml, and a
second, higher band for drinks with more than 8g per 100ml.
Pure fruit juices and milk-based drinks will not be included.
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5. International Conference on Brucellosis 2016 inaugurated in New Delhi
Brucellosis is a dreadful animal diseases caused by the genus of the bacteria known as
Brucella infecting various species of Brucella cows, buffalos, sheep, goats, deer, pigs, dogs
and other animals as well as humans.
Human become infected by coming in contact with animals or animal product like meat and milk
contaminated with these bacteria. Brucellosis is endemic in India.
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The infant reportedly has 1 percent of mitochondrial DNA from his mother. At 3 months old, he was
healthy. Long-term consequences are unknown.
Pronuclear Transfer
Spindle transfer
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The Healthy India Initiative/Swastha Bharat-ek pehal, a quarterly magazine, will raise
awareness about healthy living, women and child health, elderly health, seasonal ailments, daily
nutritional needs, safe medication practices, home remedies healthy living and many more.
Stress management mobile application No More Tension helps users to manage stress.
The main objective is to provide information to users regarding stress such as, what is stress,
effects, symptoms and its management. The application allows the user to measure their stress
level and learn various techniques like yoga and meditation to reduce stress from their lives.
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India had notified outbreak of avian influenza on 9 May 2016 at Humnabad, Bidar district,
Karnataka, the government took measures, including culling, disinfection and clean-up, to
contain the spread of avian influenza.
Post the surveillance, the state has shown no evidence of presence of the disease... There has
been no further outbreak reported in the country thereafter.
Bird flu affects mainly the domestic poultry. The disease spreads from infected birds to other
winged creatures through contact with nasal and respiratory secretions and also due to
contamination of feed and water.
Human Infections: Most avian influenza viruses do not infect humans however A(H7N9) and
A(H5N1) virus strains have caused serious infections in people.
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The vector-borne deadly disease, which originates from pigs and wild birds spreads to
humans, mostly children, through mosquitoes bite primarily the Culex
tritaeniorhynchus group.
Japanese encephalitis virus JEV is the most important cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. It is
a mosquito-borne flavivirus, and belongs to the same genus as dengue, yellow fever and West
Nile viruses.
There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving severe clinical signs and
supporting the patient to overcome the infection. Safe and effective vaccines are available to
prevent JE.
WHO recommends that JE vaccination be integrated into national immunization schedules in all
areas where JE disease is recognized as a public health issue.
.
14. Munialappa Committee to monitor bird flu situation
Agricultural Ministry has constituted a High-Level Committee headed by Munialappa to monitor
the bird flu or avian influenza (H5N8) situation and help state governments take steps to contain
the disease.
The state government will be assisted by the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases
(NIHSAD), Indian Veterinary Research Institute and four regional laboratories
Background: The committee was constituted after mortality among the birds in National
Zoological Park, Delhi NCR and other parts of the country due to Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1)
was found.
What is Avian influenza? Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu is an infectious viral
disease of birds. Thus, it is zoonotic disease. It is an infectious viral disease of birds and can
sometimes spread to domestic poultry and cause large-scale outbreaks of serious disease.
16. India, South-East Asian Countries To Set Up Fund For Health Emergencies In Region
India along with 10 other member countries of WHO's South-East Asian Regional Committee
has decided to set up a dedicated fund aimed at building preparedness for health
emergencies in the region. Decision was taken in the 69th session of WHO Regional
Committee Meeting at Colombo.
The region comprises 11 countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
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In the recent years, earthquakes, cyclones and floods have caused health emergencies in
south-east Asian region and it has also been threatened by a range of emerging diseases,
including SARS, MERS CoV, pandemic influenza and Zika virus. .
To help countries better preparing for such events a joint funding stream under the South-
East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) is established.
The new funding stream will allow countries to invest in infrastructure and human resources that
will enhance preparedness.
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CULTURE
1- Adi tribe begins Agro-based Solung Festival in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh celebrated the Solung festival . This festival is celebrated by the Adi tribe
of Arunachal Pradesh.
It is celebrated in the first week of of September every year for 5 days and is an agro based
festival of India. The festival also symbolizes the socio-religious aspects of Adi community.
The festival also reflects care and protection of animals which are vital components of their
family and social life of Adi tribe.
The Adi or Bangni-Boker lhobapeople are the major collective tribes living in the himalayan
hills of Nyingchi prefecture.
The Solung is celebrated throughout the Siang district and also by the Adis inhabiting the Lohit
district.
The origin of the Solung festival is related with a legend i.e., the growth of paddy. The
legendry narrates that the plant of the paddy originated from the life juice of Yidum-Bote (Son
of the God of knowledge) and the paddy plant was reared by Kine-nane (the Goddess of the
underworld).
To mark the celebrations, people perform various rituals and make offerings to gods and
goddesses during the celebration and pray for a bumper harvest. During the celebration,
Mithun (Great Indian Bison) which is considered as holy animal and occupies an important
religious significance among the Adis is sacrificed.
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The event seeks to highlight tourisms potential to contribute to reaching the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), addressing some of the most pressing challenges society is
faced with today.
Theme for 2016: "Tourism for All - promoting universal accessibility"
The official World Tourism Day 2016 celebrations held in Bangkok, Thailand.
It was at its third session (Torremolinos, Spain, September 1979), that the UNWTO General
Assembly decided to institute World Tourism Day, commencing in the year 1980.
The Second Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM)-2016 held from 15th to 23rd October, 2016
in the premises of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Janpath, New Delhi.
Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015 with an
intent to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions,
viz Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Documentation and Performing Arts-
Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary- all in one place.
It showcased an amalgamation of Ek Bharat, Srestha Bharat, Hamaari Sanskriti, Hamaari
Pahchaan and Swachh India.
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It had originated from Ajjada village of Srikakulam in Coastal Andhra. Its aim is to imbibe truth
and righteousness in the minds of people and sow the seeds of devotion in them.
In South India, the art of story telling is referred to as Kathakalakshepa, which is a Sanskrit
term meaning, Katha - story, kala - time, and kshepa - throwing away.
Such performances are held in temples, weddings and other religious or social functions.
The storyteller is looked upon as a teacher who is a scholar in ancient texts in Sanskrit and
other vernaculars. He interprets the religious and mythological texts of the past to the present
and future generations.
In the various States of India there are three traditions of storytelling.
1. The first is the Purana-Pravachana,which literally means, expounding the Purana. The
Purana-Pravachana was narrated by the Pauranika, who was an expert in the exposition. Such
expositions are solemn and serious.
2. The second tradition, Kathakalakshepa is unique because the story is carried through various
songs and compositions in different Indian languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu,
Kannada and Hindi, which is a peculiarity in the Tamilnadu-style of story telling.
3. The third is a folk art, prevalent in Andhra Pradesh (a State in South India),
called Burrakatha. Burra is a drum that is shaped like a human skull (Burra means skull). In
this tradition, gypsies narrate stories beating this drum. As referred to earlier, in Tamilnadu the
folk story tradition is called Villu-pattu, viz., the bow-song.
In Krta, Treta and Dvapara yugas (different eras in Hindu mythology), one had to
do yajnas(sacrificial rites), tapa (penance) and other severe austerities to obtain the grace of
God. But in the Kali yuga there is a very easy method to attain God or receive His blessings and
that is Harikeertan.
Harikatha, Harikeertan and Kathakalakshepa are synonymous and mean, narrating stories
from epics and puranas, interspersed with musical compositions. Keertan is a very typical
usage of Maharashtra.
11- Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn conferred with First World Sanskrit Award
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has recognized Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn of Thailand with the first World Sanskrit Award for the year 2015.
American linguist and Indologist Prof. George Cardona conferred with World Sanskrit Award for
the year 2016 for their exemplary contribution for the promotion of the Sanskrit language.
About World Sanskrit Award
The award was instituted by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
The award was announced by the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her
inaugural speech in the 16th World Sanskrit Conference in Bangkok in June 2015.
It is presented to eminent Sanskrit scholars to recognize their outstanding contribution to
the study, research and teaching in Sanskrit language and literature.
14- Portugal PM Antnio Costa to be chief guest at 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
Dr. Antnio Costa, Prime Minister of the Republic of Portugal has accepted an invitation from
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to be the Chief Guest at the 14th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
Convention to be held from 7 to 9 January, 2017 at Bengaluru in Karnataka.
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin, Vice President of the Republic of Suriname will be
the Special Guest at the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) to be held on 7 January, 2017
in Bengaluru.
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Miscellaneous
4. China, Russia conduct joint naval exercises Joint Sea-2016 in South China Sea
China and Russia will hold naval drills in the South China Sea off southern China's Guangdong
province.
The "Joint Sea-2016" exercise will feature surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship-
borne helicopters and marines. The two countries will carry out defence, rescue and anti-
submarine operations, as well as "island seizing" .
Last year, they held joint military drills in the Sea of Japan and the Mediterranean.
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Earlier, China launched the world's first quantum communications satellite, which uses quantum
entanglement for cryptography.
6. Mariyappan Thangavelu wins Indias first Gold medal at 2016 Rio Paralympic Games
Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati got India's first medals at Rio Paralympics
2016.
Mariyappan Thangavelu became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the T 42 high jump
of 1.89 metre-jump event of the Paralympic games in Rio de Janiero.
Bronze medal won in the same event by Varun Singh Bhati .
The T42 is a disability classifications for sports events in which athletes have single above the
knee amputations or comparable disability.
8. Indian film Thithi wins best film award at BRICS Film Festival
National Award for the best Kannada film,bagged the best film award at the first BRICS Film
Festival,
Organised as part of the special events planned in run-up to the BRICS summit to be held in
India, festival screened movies from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Written by Ere Gowda and co-written by Raam, the movie is a dramatic comedy about how
three generations of sons react to the death of the oldest in their clan, a man named Century
Gowda: a locally renowned, highly cantankerous 101-year-old man.
The next edition of the BRICS Film Festival will take place in Chengdu, China
10. Devendra Jhajharia wins gold medal in javelin throw at 2016 Rio Paralympics
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia became the first Indian to clinch two gold medals at the
Paralympics, previous gold in the 2004 Athens Games with throw of 62.15mts, bettered his
own world record to finish on top in the mens F46 event in Rio de Janeiro 2016, with a throw
of 63.97 metres.
Jhajharia was the flag-bearer for the Indian Paralympic contingent in Rio de Janeiro 2016.
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11. Deepa Malik first Indian woman to win Paralympics medal
Deepa Malik, first woman from the country to win a medal at the Paralympics.
Bagged a silver medal in the shotput F-53 event with a throw of 4.61m was the best in her six
attempts. With the win, she confirmed Indias third medal from the Rio Paralympics.
14. Syrian aid group White Helmets wins Right Livelihood Award
The White Helmets, a Syrian civil organisation of emergency responders in rebel-held areas,
won the Right Livelihood Award, which is also known as alternative Nobel prize,.
Also known as the Syria Civil Defence, the group was honoured for their outstanding
bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of
the Syrian civil war.
Russian activist Svetlana Gannushkina, who has championed the rights of refugees for
decades, Egypts feminist leader Mozn Hassan, and Cumhuriyet , a leading independent
newspaper in Turkey, also shared the prize with the White Helmets.
The prize was established in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull. An
international jury decides the awards in such fields as environmental protection, human rights,
sustainable development, health, education, and peace.
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The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General
Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, designated the Day as a period of non-violence and
cease-fire.
To inaugurate the day, the United Nations Peace Bell was rung at UN Headquarters in New
York City. The bell is cast from coins donated by children from all continents except Africa, and
was a gift from the United Nations Association of Japan, as "a reminder of the human cost of
war"; the inscription on its side reads, "Long live absolute world peace".
18. Indian Air Force successfully test fires long range air-to-air MICA missile
Tiger', the first squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF), fired the recently acquired long range
'Beyond Visual Range' (BVR) air-to-air MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from Mirage-
2000 Upgrade aircraft.With the success of this mission, the IAF has become one of the few Air
Forces in the world with the capability of such long range BVR air-to-air missile.
MICA (Missile d'Interception, de Combat et d'Autodfense).
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20. India, Russia agree to double the range of BrahMos Missile
India and Russia have agreed to double the range of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile
from 290 km to over 600 km.
Indias recent accession to MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime), allowed Russia to
provide the critical systems and technology to extend the range of the missile beyond 300km.
What are features of BrahMos Missile?
BrahMos is one of its kind supersonic cruise missile.Named from the names of two rivers,
Indias Brahmaputra River and Russias Moskva River. It operates on fire and forget principle
and is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against sea and land
targets.
It is capable of carrying a warhead of 300 kilogram and has top supersonic speed of Mach 3
(that is, three times the speed of sound).
What is Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)?
MTCR was established by G-7 countries in 1987. It is only an informal political understanding
and not an official treaty with legally binding obligations. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the
proliferation of missiles, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), complete rocket systems and
related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogram payload for at least
300 kms, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction
(WMDs).
22. India-Sri Lanka joint military exercise Mitra Shakti 2016 begins
The Indo-Sri Lankan military exercise MITRA SHAKTI 2016' being conducted at Sinha
Regimental Centre in Ambepussa, Sri Lanka.
The main focus of this edition of the joint exercise is to enhance inter-operability while carrying
out Counter Insurgency
(CI)/Counter Terrorism (C
T) operations under the
United Nations Mandate.
The previous exercise was
successfully conducted in
2015 at Pune
in India. "Mitra Shakti" is
one of the major bilateral
defence cooperation
initiatives
between India and Sri
Lanka since 2013.
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on 31 October 2015 to commemorate the 140th birthday of Independent Indias first Deputy
Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
In 2014, 31 October declared as National Unity Day
He is known as the Iron Man of India or Bismarck of India. He is also remembered as the
Patron Saint of Indias civil servants for establishing modern All-India services.
25. Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar win 2016 Sakharov Human Right Prize
Nadia Murad Basee and Lamiya Aji Bashar have been selected for European Unions
prestigious Sakharov Prize for Human Rights for year 2016.
Both of them were among thousands of Yazidi girls and women who were abducted by Islamic
State (IS) militants in Iraq and forced into sexual slavery in 2014.Now they campaign for the
Yazidi community.
The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is annual award given by the European
Parliament. It is bestowed on individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the
defence of human rights and freedom of thought.
It is awarded annually on or around December 10 (also celebrated as Human Rights Day), day
on which UN General Assembly ratified Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948
27. India signs pact with Russia to lease second nuclear submarine
Russia has agreed to lease a second multipurpose Project 971 nuclear submarine to India in
a deal. The deal was struck during the sidelines of the BRICS meet in Goa, 2016 on the
sidelines of 8th BRICS Summit.
The Akula 2 class submarine is expected to arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21.
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The Indian Navy already operates an Akula 2 class nuclear submarine, INS Chakra (formerly
known as K-152 Nerpa) , which was leased by Russia for 10 years and commissioned on April
4, 2012 .
Akula-class submarines are considered one of the most silent, capable of sailing at speeds up
to 35 knots, nuclear powered but are armed with conventional land attack missiles.
INS Arihant in August 2016, India had quietly inducted its first indigenously built nuclear
ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Arihant into service completing its nuclear triad.
The second indigenous nuclear submarine of the same class, INS Aridhaman, will be
commissioned in 2018.
29. Sir David Cox honoured with first International Prize in Statistics
British statistician Sir David Cox (92) was awarded inaugural recipient of the International
Prize in Statistics, in recognition of Survival Analysis Model (or Cox Model) Applied in
Medicine, Science, and Engineering.
He is known for developing the proportional hazards model i.e. Cox Model in 1992. His model is
widely used in analysis of survival data.
The prestigious award given by the International Prize in Statistics Foundation. The Prize aims
at promoting understanding of the growing importance and diverse ways statistics, probability
and data analysis.
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The 28th India and Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and Second Bilateral Maritime
Exercise have commenced at Belawan, Indonesia in the Andaman Sea.
Under the broad ambit of this strategic partnership, the two navies have been carrying out
Coordinated Patrolling (CORPAT) along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL)
twice a year since 2002, with the aim of keeping this vital part of the Indian Ocean Region safe
and secure for commercial shipping and international trade.
The Bilateral Maritime Exercise and the CORPAT would see participation by one warship and
one Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both sides.
33. 2016 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been awarded the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize
for efforts to end decades of war with Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
guerrillas to bring the country's more than 50-year-long civil war to an end.
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The award was established in 1991 and is administered by the Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ), an independent NGO based in New York, US.
37. Radhika Menon becomes first woman to receive IMOs Exceptional Bravery award at Sea
Captain Radhika Menon was awarded with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) award
for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, for saving lives of seven fishermen from sinking fishing boat in
Bay of Bengal.
She became the first woman in the world to receive the Award.
B M Das operator and diver of a rescue helicopter at Indian Coast Guard air station Daman
was also presented with this award, for rescuing all 14 crew members of the merchant ship
Coastal Pride, which capsized and eventually sank.
In 2011, Radhika Menon had made history by becaming the first woman to become captain of
Indian Merchant Navy.
International Maritime Organisation (IMO): It UNs specialised agency responsible for the safety
and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships
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Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island).
Agni-I missile is intermediate range nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
It weighs 12 tonnes and is 15-metre-long. It is designed to carry a payload of more than one
tonne. It can hit a target 700 km away. It can be fired from road and rail mobile launchers
42. Indias combat-capable Rustom-II drone successfully completes maiden test flight
Indias indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone, Rustom-II (TAPAS
201) successfully completed its maiden-flight.
The test flight took place from Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka,
which is a newly developed flight test range for the testing of UAVs and manned aircraft.
RUSTOMII is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV. The UAV weighs two
tonnes. It has an endurance of 24 hours. It is multi-mission UAV which can conduct Intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the armed forces.
It can also be used as an unmanned armed combat. It is capable to carry different combinations
of payloads like Medium Range Electro Optic (MREO), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and
Long Range Electro Optic (LREO). It can also carry Electronic Intelligence (ELINT),
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Communication Intelligence (COMINT) and Situational Awareness Payloads (SAP) to perform
missions during day and night.
It has been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), the
Bangalore-based lab of DRDO, HAL and BEL are the production partners.
43. Padmini Rout wins 2016 National Women Premier Chess Championship
Master Padmini Rout played out a hard fought draw with her PSPB teammate Eesha
Karavade that helped her to secure a hat-trick of title wins in the National Women Premier
Chess Championship.
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2016 Theme: Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is an agency of the United Nations that leads
international efforts to defeat hunger. Its parent organization is UN Economic and Social
Council (UNESC). It is neutral forum serving both developed and developing countries where all
nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy.
Established16 October 1945. Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
48. Russia, India ink defence deal on S-400 Air Defence Systems
Russia and India sign an agreement to deliver advanced S-400 Triumf air defence systems.
Surface-to-air missile systems to New Delhi.
The agreement signed at an India-Russia summit taken place in BRICS summit in Goa.
An S-400 Triumf long-range air defence missile system is one of the most advanced long-
range defence systems in the world. It is referred to as SA-21 Growler by NATO. It is capable
of firing three types of missiles. Thus, it creates a layered defence, and simultaneously
engaging 36 targets. It has capability to destroy incoming all airborne targets at ranges of
up to 400 km. With it, India can destroy Pakistani aircrafts even when they are in their
airspace.
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