GK and Current Affairs Updates

Tata Power will invest in renewable plants in India as it plans to increase its clean energy footprint to 30-40 per cent by 2025.
●    Tata Power currently runs 3,300—megawatt (MW) on non- fossil fuel out of 10,500—MW in operation.
●    The company will increase its renewable energy footprint to 30-40 per cent of the total 20,000—MW capacity it aims to build and operate by 2025.
●    Tata Power has spread its net across emerging economies which offers 14—15 per cent rate of return on investments.
●    These economies include Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
●    In Vietnam, Tata Power has made out a concept design for a 1,320-MW coal-fired plant.
●    Tata Power’s international operations include 235-MW wind farm in South Africa, 120—MW Hydro project in Zambia and 54-MW coal-based plant along with four coal mines in Indonesia.

Peeved by the abysmal performance of 17 States/Union Territories (UTs) in effecting reforms for ease of doing business, the Centre will soon hold a special high-level meeting with them.
●    The States, among others, include Kerala and those in the entire North-Eastern region. 
●    They have managed to implement only 25 per cent or below of the 340-point ‘Business Reform Action Plan' that was circulated in late October 2015.
●    At present, there are ten States that have an implementation percentage of 90 per cent or more, and these have been categorised as ‘leaders’. 
●    The number one rank is currently being held by two States — Andhra Pradesh and Telengana with a score of 99.09 per cent each. 
●    The next category is that of ‘aspiring leaders’ — those with an implementation rate between 60-90 per cent. 
●    The third category is termed ‘acceleration required’ — those with an implementation percentage of 30-60 per cent. There are two States in this category.

Targeted delivery of anticancer drugs exclusively to cancer cells and controlled release of the drugs in a sustained manner inside cancer cells has been achieved by a group of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata. 
●    Porous carbon nanospheres about 150 nm in diameter and packed with drugs inside the pores has been designed in such a way that they cannot get inside normal cells and kill them. 
●    The results were published in the journal Carbon.
●    A team led by Dr. Sayan Bhattacharyya from the Department of Chemical Sciences, IISER Kolkata, used the commonly available lemon grass to synthesise the porous carbon nanospheres, which act as drug carriers. 
●    The anticancer drug doxorubicin is covalently bound both inside the 3.6-3.8 nm diameter pores and also on the surface of the nanospheres. 
●    To make the targeted delivery nearly fail-proof, the researchers attached folic acid to the nanospheres. 

A group of researchers discovered a tiny threadlike millipede in the unexplored dark marble caves in Sequoia National Park in California.
●    The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
●    The millipede is named Illacme tobini after cave biologist Ben Tobin of the National Park Service.
●    It was discovered along with many spiders, pseudoscorpions and flies in Sequoia National Park.
●    According to diplopodologists, the new species may possess 414 legs, compared to its relative’s 750 legs.
●    It has peculiar anatomical features, including a body armed with 200 poison glands, silk-secreting hairs, and four penises.
●    The millipede’s closest relative lives under giant sandstone boulders outside of San Juan Bautista, California.

The fourth edition of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise Mitra Shakti 2016 began on 24 October 2016 at Sinha Regimental Centre in Ambepussa, Sri Lanka. 
●    The exercise will continue till 6 November 2016.
●    The Indian Contingent is represented by a platoon from the Rajputana Rifles Regiment and the Sri Lankan Army is represented by a platoon from the Sinha Regiment.
●    In the initial two stages, both armies will get familiar with the respective methodology of such operations, each other’s arms and equipment and the command and control systems.  
●    It will then graduate towards tactical understanding to enhance inter operability while carrying out Counter Insurgency (CI)/Counter Terrorism (CT) operations.
●    Mitra Shakti series of bilateral exercises is one of the major bilateral defence cooperation initiatives between India and Sri Lanka since 2013. 
●    The previous exercise with the Sri Lankan Army was successfully conducted in September 2015 at Pune in India.

The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) set up throughout the country play very important role to enhance the income of the farmers and promote agriculture. The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare appealed KVKs and state level agriculture officials that they should work with the farmers in very much closed affinity. They were called for to extend their contribution to the farmers for enhancing their income. Shri Radha Mohan Singh added that Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is going to initiate integrated farming on 100 KVKs very shortly. The farmers living in the district after having observed them can adopt to increase their income.
●    The Union Minister today addressed the scientists of 12 Krishi Vigyan Kendras, State Level Agriculture Officer, Livestock, Fisheries, and Horticulture Officers as well as beneficiary farmers through video conferencing. This was for the first time that the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had a direct dialogue with KVK Officers as well as beneficiary farmers through video conferencing.
●    The Minister addressed the experts of Krishi Vigyan Kendra situated in Andhra Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Karnataka, Karela, Lakshyadweep, Maharashtra, Orissa, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana and the State and District level Agriculture Development Officers as well as progressive farmers. The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers in the first half of the hour put up his outlook to the farmers and thereafter in a span of half an hour responded their queries.
●    Shri Radha Mohan said to the KVKs officers that the farmers require quality seeds, planting materials as well as fertilizers to increase the productivity of their crops. Therefore, the officers must help them through and through. The Minister of Agriculture also mentioned on this eve about the diseases of the animals and their vaccination. Shri Singh added that officers must continue to check the diseases of the animals. The Minister further added that after having put a check on the diseases of the animals, the income of the farmers will increase. The Union Minister of Agriculture briefed farmers about agriculture projects and agriculture strategies of the government. Shri Singh said to the officers that they must be dedicated from the bottom of their heart for the fulfillment of these projects.
●    On this juncture the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare appealed the farmers to adopt fisheries so as to double their income. Shri reiterated the state and district level fisheries officers that they should take necessary steps to celebrate the World Fishery Day on 21st November and give support to the farmers in every walk of their agricultural need. The Union Minister further added that on 5th December the World Soil Health Day is celebrated. Therefore, the states are required to prepare themselves for the celebration. The Minister said that the farmers should get the Soil Health Card made and in this respect they should negotiate with the nearby agriculture officers.
●    Shri Radha Mohan Singh briefed the farmers that for their welfare 645 Krishi Vigyan Kendras have been reconstituted throughout the country. The government is going to take the initiative for opening 106 new KVKs in all newly created and larger districts of the country. Shri Singh reiterated that now in every district of the country is comprised of KVK which will be dedicated for the benefit of the farmers and will sort out the problems.
●    The first phase of the video conferencing comprised of three phases completed on 19th October, 2016. The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addressed the Officers of Krishi Vigyan Kendras and as well as farmers of 12 states from Northern India. The third and final phase of video conferencing will be held on 28th October in which the KVK Officers of Hill States and farmers thereof will have a mutual dialogue with the Union Minister.

The 64thMeeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) was held under the Chairmanship of Union Human Resource Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar on 25thOctober, 2016 at New Delhi.
●    In his opening address the Union Minister of Human Resource Development emphasised that education is a national agenda which touches the lives of each and every individual. He also referred that in the past our country had a glorious contribution to the world both in terms of GDP and economic trade because of the world renowned educational institutions. He underscored the need to focus on improving learning outcomes and the quality of education.
●    The meeting was attended by the Union Ministers, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, MoS (Independent Charge) Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Vijay Goel, MoS (Independent Charge) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey and Shri Upendra Kushwaha, the Ministers of State for HRD, and Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO Niti Aayog.
●    The Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship pointed out that there is a challenge for integrating skills and education in such a manner that the educational infrastructure which has been already created can be optimally utilized for providing skill based education. There is a need for aligning the NSQF rationally so that skills acquired can enable pursuit of higher education. The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports emphasized that Sports and Education must move in a synchronized manner as this will promote physical fitness of children.
●    The House deliberated on several aspects of different level of education and how efforts can be made to improve educational levels of the students. The Education Ministers of the States, CABE Members actively participated in the discussions. The report of the CABE Sub – Committee on Measures and suggestions to improve the infrastructure of Government schools was presented Hon’ble Education Minister of Punjab and Chairman of the Sub-Committee Shri Daljit Singh Cheema. The report of CABE Sub-Committee on Status of “No Detention Provision” under RTE Act, 2009 was presented by Prof. Vasudev Devnani, Education Minister of Rajasthan.
●    A number of decisions were taken at the meeting, in part flowing from the agenda, and in part stemming from concerns raised by the State Governments and experts.  The following resolutions were adopted:-
●    It was decided to constitute a Sub-Committee of the CABE, under the Chairmanship of Shri Kadiyam Srihari, Deputy CM and Education Minister of Telangana to look into the issues of girl’s education.
●    A brief presentation on improvement of learning outcomes, Rationalization of posting of Teachers in rural areas, National Achievement Survey (NAS), Compulsory Board examination in Class – X, Joyful learning, Anganwadis to be co-located with primary schools was made to highlight some of the issues and concerns in the education sector.
●    Education Ministers of 21 States, representatives of 28 States and Union Territories, Members of CABE, heads of autonomous organisations, Vice Chancellors of Universities, and   Shri V.S. Oberoi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Member Secretary, CABE were present in the meeting along with senior officials of the Central and State Governments.

The Government has issued Notification on 21st October, 2016 amending rule 23 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 enabling service voters, including armed forces personnel, to cast their vote in elections through e-postal ballot. 
●    Under this system a blank postal ballot paper would be transmitted to them electronically. This would cut short the delay experienced in the present system in two-way transmission of ballot paper by the postal services. 
●    The armed forces personnel serving in remote and border areas would be greatly benefitted since the present system of two-way transmission of ballot paper by the postal services has not been able to meet the expectations of the service voters.
●    One-way electronic transmission of blank postal ballot would considerably cut short the delay in receipt of the marked postal ballot by the Returning Officers on or before the date fixed for the counting of votes. 
●    Major beneficiaries would be the entire category of service voters as stated above, especially the armed forces personnel posted in border and remote areas of the country. With the issue of the aforesaid notification, a long-pending and near-unanimous demand of the service voters, including the armed forces personnel, has been fulfilled.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha Chief of the Air Staff is on an official visit to the Russian Federation from 24 to 29 October 2016. 
●    The Chief of the Air Staff is visiting Russia on the invitation of the Commander of Russian Federation Aerospace Forces.
●    The visit is intended to take the existing defence cooperation between the Air Forces of the two countries to the next level. 
●    The areas of cooperation presently include military and technical cooperation, exchange visits and air exercises. 
●    During his visit to Russia, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha is scheduled to hold talks with senior military leaders and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues on the ongoing defence cooperation. 
●    He will also visit various Air Force and defence establishments.
●    Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha’s visit to Russia would provide further impetus towards increasing defence cooperation and deepening the bonds of friendship between the two Air Forces.

The Meeting of “National Consultative Committee on De-addiction and Rehabilitation (NCCDR)” held here today under the chairmanship of Shri Vijay Sampla, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. Smt. Anita Agnihotri, Secretary, M/o SJ&E and senior officers were present in the meeting. Representatives of States and Union territories and Regional Resource & Training Centres (RRTCs) and many NGOs participated in the meeting. Addressing on the occasion, the Minister called upon the members of the National Consultative Committee to share their views and opinions frequently and regularly on this serious issue.
●    The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the nodal Ministry for drug demand reduction. It coordinates and monitors all aspects of drug abuse prevention which include assessment of the extent of the problem, preventive action, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts, dissemination of information and public awareness. The Ministry provides community-based services for the identification, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary organizations.
●    During the meeting, the following important issues were discussed:
●    Evolving and strengthening appropriate models for the prevention of alcoholism, drug and substance abuse, treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent individuals.
●    Ensuring the facility of De-addiction Centres in each District and increasing the number of Regional Resource & Training Centres (RRTCs).
●    Establishing separate and specialised de-addiction treatment centres/facilities for drug dependent females and children, especially in Central Government Hospitals/Medical colleges.
●    Organizing awareness generation programmes in different parts of the countryand conducting sensitization and preventive education programmes in schools and colleges throughout the year.
●    Establishing a system of accreditation of facilities offering services connected with drug abuse. 
●    Formulation of National Alcohol Policy.