GK and Current Affairs Updates

NASA missions, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) which watches the Sun, will join timekeepers around the world to add a leap second to its clocks, just before midnight on New Year’s Eve.
●    Clocks will add the extra second to keep in sync with Earth’s rotation, which gradually slows down over time.
●    When the dinosaurs roamed Earth our globe took only 23 hours to make a complete rotation. In space, millisecond accuracy is crucial to understanding how satellites orbit.
●    The leap second is also key to making sure that SDO is in sync with the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) used to label each of its images.
●    SDO has a clock that counts the number of seconds since the beginning of the mission. 
●    To convert that count to UTC requires knowing just how many leap seconds have been added to Earth-bound clocks since the mission started.
●    When the spacecraft wants to provide a time in UTC, it calls a software module that takes into consideration both the mission’s second count and the number of leap seconds – and then returns a time in UTC.

The eight core industries recorded a year-on-year growth in output of 4.9 per cent in November 2016, slower than the previous two months - that is, a 6.6 per cent increase in October and 5.01 per cent in September.
●    Output in electricity and coal posted healthy growth rates of 10.2 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively in November as against 2.85 per cent and (-) 1.5 per cent respectively in October 2016, according to government data released on Monday. 
●    In November 2015, electricity and coal production posted a growth of 5.6 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.
●    The 10.2 per cent growth in output of electricity in November is the highest since 14.68 per cent in April 2016. 
●    The eight core industries comprise close to 37.9 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and electricity has the maximum weight (of 10.32 per cent) among the eight sectors. 

A three member delegation led by Director General Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge, is on a three day visit to India from 03 January 2017 for a High Level Meeting, with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). 
●    The Indian delegation was led by Director General, Indian Coast Guard Shri Rajendra Singh.  
●    The visit was in continuation of the various efforts by the governments of the two countries in furthering cooperation between the coast guards of two countries on maritime issues of mutual concerns to formulate a cooperative approach.
●    Of late the Sri Lankan Coast Guard has been proactive in meeting the challenges in the new global safety and security regime in this region. 
●    The recent visit is significant in providing continued impetus to the existing ties between the two organisations. The focus of the meeting was on further strengthening the operational level interaction for search and rescue, preservation & protection of marine environment, revalidating operational & communication procedures between the two coast guards.
●    During the visit, the Sri Lanka CG delegation also called on the Defence Secretary Shri G Mohan Kumar and deliberated on issues of common maritime interests.
●    During the High Level discussions, it was mutually agreed to strengthen the cooperation on evolving collaborative approach, in addressing a spectrum of maritime issues concerning safety and security and further streamlining the procedure for release/ repatriation of fishermen.
 

Air Marshal Sanjay Sharma assumed the responsibilities of Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance at Air Headquarters, New Delhi on 01 January 2017.
●    The Air Marshal was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) branch of IAF on 12 July 1979. He is a graduate in Electronics Engineering from University of Indore and post graduate in Computer Science and Data Processing from IIT Kharagpur. He is also an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College. He has rich and varied experience in the fields of High Power Radars, Real Time Data Processing Systems, Automation of Command & Control Systems and Communication & Information Technology.
●    Prior to assuming the present appointment,  the Air Officer had held various important staff and field appointments, notably, Chief Technical Officer of THD 1955 Radar Stations, Senior Project Engineer (Radar) at erstwhile RCPO, Director IACCS (Tech Planning), Director Signals (Air), Principal Director of IACCS, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Signals & IT) at Air HQ, Deputy Senior Maintenance Staff Officer at  HQ Maintenance Command, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Maintenance and Planning) and Director General (Aircraft) at Air HQ.  
●    He has also commanded a major Communication Hub Centre and was deputed to Government of Botswana for three years to oversee installation & commissioning of Radar Automation System of Botswana Defence Forces besides setting up the Technical Training Wing for their Air Defence Operations Centre.
●    For his distinguished service, Air Marshal has been commended twice by Chief of Air Staff on 08 October 1998 and on 26 January 2007.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs celebrated ‘Swachchhata Pakhwada’ beginning from 16th December, 2017. Five teams each led by a Joint Secretary/ Dy Director General level officer were formed to spearhead the efforts. In coordination with New Delhi municipal Corporation and Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the teams undertook activities for cleanliness drive wherever required.
●    A team of 30 officials and staff of the Ministry of Minority Affairs led by Sh. Mukat Singh, Deputy Director General conducted Cleanliness Drive at Hanuman Mandir at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi on 21st December 2016. 
●    The team reached at Mandir premises early in the morning at 7.45 AM and in about two hours completely cleaned the Mandir premises removing all the dust and other rubbish.   A team from New Delhi Municipal Corporation has also rendered necessary help in this endeavour.
●    26  persons  took part in the Slogan writing competition organised by the Ministry held on 22nd December, 2016, and 26  competitors  participated in the poster drawing completion organized by the Ministry held on 23rd December, 2016.
●    A team of 24 officials and staff of the Ministry of Minority Affairs conducted Cleanliness Drive at Shri K.C. Samria, Joint Secretary at Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Chandni Chowk, Opposite Red, Fort, New Delhi on 26th December 2016. The team reached at Mandir premises early in the morning at and in about two hours completely cleaned the Mandir premises in coordination with a team from Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
●    A team of 28 officials and staff of the Ministry of Minority Affairs led by Sh. Jaan-e-Alam, Joint Secretary conducted Cleanliness Drive at Monastery Buddha temple (Ladakh Buddhist Vihara), Bela Road, ISBT Kashmere Gate, Railway Colony, Civil Lines, New Delhi on 26th December 2016.

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the Demonstration Housing Project by BMTPC (Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council) for Lucknow through video conferencing here today. 
●    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said this BMPTC project is a model housing project which will use eco friendly materials and innovative technology to build houses for the poor.
●    Coming up at Aurangabad Jagir at Sarojini Nagar Tehsil in Lucknow on 0.38 hectare land provided by the State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) of the Uttar Pradesh state government, the BMTPC, an autonomous organization under Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, has undertaken construction of 40 dwelling units (Ground Floor+1). 
●    Each Unit having built up area of 380 sq. feet, will consist of one living room, one bedroom, kitchen, one separate bath and WC. 
●    The Demonstration Housing Project will include onsite infrastructure facilities like water supply, tube well, sewerage system, drainage, concrete roads, interlocking tiles, boundary wall and external electrification, etc. Aiming to popularize new and emerging disaster resistant sustainable technologies in the construction sector, the Demonstration Housing Project is expected to cost around Rs.3.6 crores.

Oil Marketing Companies, viz IndianOil, BPCL & HPCL are now offering an upfront discount of Rs 5/- on every LPG refill to all LPG customers who will book and pay for their LPG cylinders online. 
●    Customers can make payment through existing online modes i.e net banking, credit & debit cards at the time of web-booking their refills.
●    Customers will get the discounted amount displayed on their screens – i.e. net amount i.e refill RSP minus (-) incentive amount of Rs.5/- which they need to pay for their refill transactions. 
●    The net discounted amount will also be shown on the cash memo accompanying the home-delivery of the LPG cylinder.
●    Under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, it the endeavour of all Oil Marketing Companies aim to encourage consumers to increasingly shift to such payment modes through digital platforms to achieve the objective of no-cash or less-cash based transactions. 
●    The incentive will encourage more and more LPG consumers to go for cashless mode transactions.

Many new projects under Namami Gange programme in Haridwar and Varanasi have been approved by National Mission for Clean Ganga.In Haridwar, approval for 68 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) in Jagjeetpur and 14 MLD STP in Sarai have been approved at an indicative cost of Rs 110.30 crore and Rs 25 crore respectively under Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode. 
●    Apart from this, while Rs 8.34 crore has been allocated for tertiary treatment of existing 27 MLD plant in Jagjeetpur, Rs 5.32 crore has been allocated for tertiary treatment of existing 18 MLD plant in Sarai under Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) mode. Also, I&D works at Jagjeetpur and Sarai would be done at an indicative cost of Rs 81.15 crore and Rs 29.75 crore respectively under DBOT mode.
●    In-principle approval for the implementation of 50 MLD sewage treatment plant at Ramana in Varanasi has been given at an indicative cost of Rs 120 crore under Hybrid Annuity-based PPP mode. 
●    After the completion of the tender processes, Administrative Approval and Expenditure Sanction (AA&ES) of the projects will be given by the Executive Committee.
●    Namami Gange programme was launched as a mission to achieve the target of cleaning river Ganga in an effective manner with the unceasing involvement of all stakeholders, especially five major Ganga basin States – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. The programme envisages River Surface Cleaning, Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure, River Front Development, Bio-Diversity, Afforestation and Public Awareness.

In the wake of IOA episode, the Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has decided to constitute a Committee headed by Secretary (Sports) to suggest improvements in the National Sports Development Code and functioning of Sports Federations etc. 
●    The committee will give its report within one month.
●    In the recent past the Ministry has already held meetings with the various stakeholders such as the National Sports Federations, Sports Ministers and Secretaries from different States, Olympians, Arjun Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, NGOs, field officers of the Sports Authority of India etc. on issues of good governance and transparency.
●    The new Committee will suggest improvements in the present National Sports Development Code on the basis of suggestions and feedback given in these meetings and submit a report within a month so that Sports Bodies work as per the public expectations for the promotion of sports in the country.   

The Board of Control for Cricket president Anurag Thakur and its secretary Ajay Shirke have been sacked by the Supreme Court today. 
●    For failing to implement the reforms suggested by the RM Lodha panel, the BCCI will now have an observer, who will be appointed on January 19.
●    For now, the senior most vice-president will act as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and its joint secretary will hold the fort as secretary. 
●    The court indicated that it would soon appoint a panel of administrators to carry out the reforms it had ordered in the sports body to make its affairs transparent. 
●    In a damning indictment of Thakur, a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh, the court cited three key reasons that made him unfit to continue as the BCCI chief. 
●    Thakur and Shirke, who've been under court scanner for allegedly trying to solicit the International Cricket Council's help to stall the court directed reforms, were also asked formally on Monday to explain why they shouldn't be prosecuted for perjury and contempt of court on this score.