GK and Current Affairs Updates

Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Information & Broadcasting has said that the vision of the Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister is to position the nation on a sustainable growth trajectory. The Government is committed to bring about transformational changes in the country with the mantra of ‘Reform, Perform & Transform’. 
●    The vision has been depicted in the Government of India Calendar 2017 with the theme “Mera Desh Badal Raha Hai, Aage Badh Raha Hai”. He mentioned this while delivering his address at the release of the Government of India Calendar 2017. 
●    On the occasion, Shri Naidu Also released the Press in India Report 2015-16 prepared by Registrar of Newspapers of India. Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present on the occasion.
●    Shri Naidu also announced that starting from 25th December this year, the Government would be launching a 100 days campaign across the country on the theme of Good Governance. Ministers, Members of the Parliament would be travelling across the country to highlight key initiatives of the Government that has been taken in the last two and a half years. 
●    Good Governance Day is observed on the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In this context, he mentioned that the endeavour of the Government is to improve delivery systems, need to promote digital transformation and take forward the connectivity revolution in all sectors.

Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung submitted his resignation to the Union Government on 22 December 2016. He resigned 18 months short of his tenure.
●    He didn’t cited ant reason for his resignation. In an official press release, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for all his cooperation during his tenure as Lt Governor.
●    He also thanked Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, for his association in past two years. 
●    He also thanked people of Delhi for their support especially during the one year’s President Rule in Delhi.
●    He was serving Delhi as its 20th Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. He assumed charge of Lt Governor of Delhi on 9 July 2013.
●    He also served Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) as its 13th Vice-Chancellor between 2009 and 2013. JMI is a central university in Delhi.
●    He is a former civil servant. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1973 and worked in Madhya Pradesh and with the Union Government.

National Mathematics Day was observed on 22 December 2016 across India. The day marks the birth anniversary of Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
●    This observation was first introduced by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 26 February 2012. The announcement was made at Madras University on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Ramanujan. The year 2012 was also observed as the National Mathematics Day.
●    He was born on 23 December 1887 in a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar family in Erode, Madras Presidency in British rule. At present, Erode is a district of Tamil Nadu.
●    He was an autodidact (self-taught person) who lived during the British Raj.
●    His contributions in Mathematics include number theory, mathematical analysis, infinite series, and making formulas and equations.
●    His discoveries in mathematics include Ramanujam Prime and Ramanujam theta. These discoveries also propelled further research on the subject.
●    As a mathematician, he compiled some 3900 mathematical results and equations. Maximum of those equations’ and claims has been proven correct.
●    He along with Godfrey Harold Hardy, a British Mathematician, discovered the smallest number represented as sum of two cubes 1729. This number is known as Hardy–Ramanujan number 1729.
●    He was considered as a natural genius in mathematicians like Gauss and Euler.
●    He died on 26 April 1920 at a young age of 32 years.

India and Kyrgyzstan on 20 December 2016 signed 6 agreements/Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to boost bilateral cooperation.
●    The agreements were signed in New Delhi during the State visit of Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambaye.
●    MoU on cooperation in the field of Tourism: It was signed between the Ministry of Tourism of India and the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Government of Kyrgyz Republic. Its objective is to mutually develop tourism as a major engine for economic growth and employment.
●    Agreement on cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Food Industry: Its objective is to facilitate cooperation in this field. The agreement also boosts trade opportunities for India in agriculture commodities.
●    MoU on cooperation in the field of Youth development: The agreement was signed between the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and the state agency of Youth Affairs, Physical Education and Sports of Kyrgyzstan.
●    The MoU facilitates deepening of mutual understanding between the representatives of the younger generation of both countries and developing programmes for young entrepreneurs.
●    MoU on cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, MEA, New Delhi and Diplomatic Academy of MOFA of Kyrgyzstan: The agreement will promote contacts and exchange of students, faculty members and experts in the field of diplomacy.
●    MoU in the field of cooperation in youth exchange between NCC of India and Military Lyceum of Kyrgyzstan: It seeks to have a country to a country exchange of cadets/youths to participate in youth activities.

The National Green Tribunal has decided to impose a fine of Rs 50000 on the airline whose aircraft empties its human waste tank while still being in the air.
●    The direction came on 20 December 2016, following a plea by a retired Lt. Gen Satwant Singh Dahiya who sought strict action against airlines for splattering human waste on houses near the IGI airport while landing. He termed the act as a health hazard and a violation of the Prime Minister’s ‘Swachh Bharat’ drive.
●    The NGT has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue notices to all the involved airlines to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation and to ensure that they do not release any waste from the tanks anywhere near the terminals of the IGI Airport.  
●    The decision was taken by a bench chaired by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar. 
●    Though normally, the collected waste from the aircraft is disposed of by the ground staff after the plane lands, there are cases when there is a leak in the lavatory. 
●    To ensure the implementation of the same, the DGCA will be conducting surprise inspections in airplanes once they land to check whether their human waste tanks are empty or not. 
●    The aircraft found violating the direction will be subjected to pay the compensation amount.

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Law and Justice presented ‘’Digital India Awards’’ to the distinguished winners here yesterday. The Government of India has initiated the ambitious programme of “Digital India” on its axiom of “Minimum Government and Maximum Governance”. To facilitate Government of India’s effort to promote and uphold the use of World Wide Web for enhancing efficiency and transparency of Government Machinery and encouraging its speedy transition towards Digital India. 
●    For Most Innovative Citizen Engagement, MyGov won the Platinum Award. Online Management, Monitoring and Accounting System (OMMAS) for Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) won the Gold Award. The Silver Award was won by Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation. The Jury Choice was given to IT Initiatives of SimhasthKumbh, Ujjain. 
●    In the Outstanding Digital Initiative by Local Body Platinum Award was bagged by Surat Municipal Corporation, followed by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and Web and Mobile based Integrated Complaint Logging and Resolution Tracking System - Madurai Corporation winning the Gold and Silver award respectively. 
●    The Jury Choice was given e-NagarSewaUP – Electronic Workflow based Reform for ULBs in Uttar Pradesh. 
●    For Best Mobile App, Citizen Cop Mobile App Chattisgarh won the Platinum Award. Mid-Day Meal Mobile App, Himachal Pradesh won the Gold Award. The Silver Award was won by GARV - GrameenVidyutikaran App Ministry of Power. 
●    For Web Ratna - Ministry / Department category, the Platinum was bagged by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Gold by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Silver by Ministry of External Affairs. 
●    For Web Ratna - State/ UT category the Platinum award has been won by Rajasthan followed by Tamil Nadu and Haryana in the Gold and Silver section respectively. For Web Ratna - District category the Platinum award has been won by Website of Collectorate, North Goa, followed by e-Governance friendly website & Initiatives of District Kupwara, J&K and district administration Udham Singh Nagar website, Uttarakhand in the Gold and Silver section respectively. 

Dr. Aruna Sharma, Secretary Steel, inaugurated the 5 MW Solar Plant installed by RINL at a cost of Rs.33 crores in the presence of Shri P Madhusudan, CMD, RINL, Smt Urvilla Khati, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel and Directors of RINL in Vishakhapatnam yesterday. RINL has joined other major corporates in harnessing solar power with this 5 MW Ground Waste Solar Power Plant in its premises.
●    Dr. Aruna Sharma commended RINL management for foraying into Solar Energy in tune with the government thrust to tap renewable energy sources. She said that the role of renewable energy has been assuming increasing significance in recent times for the country's energy security.
●    Shri PC Mohapatra, Director (Projects), Shri DN Rao, Director (Operations), Shri P Raychaudhury, Director (Commercial), Shri B Siddhartha Kumar, IFS, CVO were also present on the occasion.
●    Representatives of SEA, unions, SC&ST Association, WIPs also participated.
●    Dr. Aruna Sharma and Smt Urvilla Khati visited new production units and inspected Blast Furnace-3, Steel Melt Shop-2, Rolling Mills, Captive Power Plant-2 etc. The secretary Steel also visited “Steel Museum”, located in the Technical Training Institute.
●    Dr. Aruna Sharma reviewed the performance of the Company RINL in which Shri P Madhusudan, CMD, CVO and Directors participated. Later, she interacted with the representatives of Steel executive Association, trade unions. SC&ST Association and WIPS.
 
 

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal launched ‘Coal Mitra’, a Web portal for flexibility in Utilization of Domestic Coal and released reports on ‘Renewable Energy Integration: Transmission an Enabler’, ‘Green Energy Corridor II’ and‘ Electricity Demand Pattern Analysis’, here today. He was presiding over an event, ‘Empowering the Grid to meet Future Challenges’, organized by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL), under the auspices of Ministry of Power.
●    The Coal Mitra Web Portal has been designed to bring about flexibility in Utilization of Domestic Coal by transferring the reserves to more cost efficient State/Centre owned or Private sector generating stations, leading to lower generation costs and ultimately lesser cost of electricity for the consumers.
●    The web portal would be used by the State/Central Gencos to display information about normative fixed and variable charges of electricity for the previous month as well as margin available for additional generation so as to enable the utilities identify stations for transfer of coal. It would host data on Operational and Financial parameters of each coal based station; Quantity and source of supply coal to the power plant; and Distance of Power plant from the Coal mine.
●    Making a new announcement at the event, Shri Goyal said that the Power Ministry has approved that henceforth Government and PSUs would be able to swap coal with private companies. Further, he said, “I would like to see the Coal sector open up and achieve the next level of Efficiency in power generation. For this the Ministry is working tirelessly and guidelines for coal swapping would be out in next 30 days.” He envisioned this coal swapping initiative to be cross sectoral and not confined to the power to power sector swaps.
 

Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment signed the Transfer of Technology (ToT) and Consultancy Services agreement with U.K based Motivation Charitable Trust here today to be its partner in the field of manufacturing of Active wheelchairs in India. The agreement is a step forward in continuation to the MoU signed between the two firms in April last year. The ceremony accomplished in the presence of Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri N. S Kang, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disablities (Divyangjan), M/o SJ&E and Smt. Latha Krishna Rao, Secretary, MoSJ&E. The MoU was signed by Shri D R Sarin, CMD, ALIMCO and Mr. Richard Frost, Chief Executive Officer, M/s Motivation Trust, U.K.
●    ALIMCO bought 140 products from Motivation for User Trial. The purpose was to reaffirm the quality & appropriateness of Motivation wheelchairs, tricycles & supportive seats in line with the WHO guidelines on wheelchair services.Further, Motivation to buy at least 20% of the quantity produced at ALIMCO at cost price minus the royalty charges.
●    As per agreement Motivation will train the personnel of ALIMCO who in turn will train the ALIMCO persons. Motivation to deploy 05 supervisors at different locations as decided by ALIMCO all over the country to supervise the services rendered at different camps organised across the country.
●    Technology Transfer will enable ALIMCO to produce and provide cost effective and affordable Wheel chairs to PwDs through its wide spread national network across the country. Production of technologically advanced Wheel chairs will improve the independence and mobility of PwDs from all sections of society in the country. 
●    The agreement is seen as step to gradually decrease the dependency of import of the products from China and to promote the products made at ALIMCO under the ‘Make In India’ initiative.

The World Wildlife Fund reports that a group of researchers discovered 163 new species in the Greater Mekong region.
●    A rainbow-headed snake, a dragon-like lizard and a newt that looks like a Klingon from Star Trek were among the 163 new species that were found in the region. In all, 9 amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles, 126 plants and 3 mammals were described for the first time. Scientists also discovered a rare banana species from Thailand.
●    Between 1997 and 2015, there have been 2409 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong. This adds to the over 430 mammal species, 800 reptiles and amphibians, 1200 birds, 1100 fish and 20000 plant species already known to science.
●    About Greater Mekong region
●    The Greater Mekong is an international region of the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia.
●    It holds irreplaceable natural and cultural riches and is considered one of the world's most significant biodiversity hotspot.
●    The region has a diverse geographic landscape including massifs, plateaus, limestone karsts, lowlands, fertile floodplains and deltas, forests and grasslands.
●    It encapsulates 16 of the WWF Global 200 ecoregions and habitats for an estimated 20000 plant species, 1300 fish species, 1200 bird species, 800 reptile and amphibian species, and 430 mammal species.
●    The region's biodiversity is ranked as a top-five most threatened hotspot by Conservation International. The WWF also states that the region is particularly vulnerable to global climate change.