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Union Home Minister chairs meeting for sealing Indo-Pak border in Jaisalmer 

Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of Chief Ministers/ Home Ministers of Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir for sealing of Indo-Pak border in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
●    Inaugurating the meeting, Shri Rajnath Singh sought the active participation of the States to secure the International Border with Pakistan by putting physical and non- physical barriers.
●    Shri Rajnath Singh asked the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Border Security Force and participating States for faster implementation of infrastructure projects, effective monitoring, intelligence sharing and inter-agency cooperation in view of the prevailing security scenario in the country. He also invited the suggestions in this regard from the participants.
●    MHA made a presentation in which the participants deliberated all the issues and gave their valuable suggestions.
●    The Chief Minister of Rajasthan Smt. Vasundhara Raje raised issues regarding Police Modernization, security in the hinterland and the peculiar problems due to sparsely populated desert area with shifting sand dunes. She suggested that an Integrated Check Post be established at Munnabao.
●    The Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal drew attention to the problems of farmers having land across the border and the problems created by the smuggling of arms and drugs from Pakistan.
●    The MoS for Home Affairs, Gujarat, Shri Pradeep Sinh B. Jadeja stated that in the marshy areas of the Rann of Kutch, where fencing is not possible, there is a need for improvement in the construction of roads and use of technology for surveillance.

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Arun Jaitley chaired the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting as well as the Governing Council Meeting of the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley chaired the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Meeting held at IMF Headquarters in Washington D.C. yesterday. During the meeting, two important issues- the ‘Economics of Climate Change and Financing Climate Adaptation and Mitigation’; and ‘International Taxation-a Commonwealth Conversation around the Panama Papers’ were discussed and deliberated. In the presence of the Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley, the Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of Baroda signed an MoU on Commonwealth Small States Trade Finance Facility. This finance facility is expected to make available up to US $100 million of incremental trade finance over a period of three years. During the meeting, as part of the voluntary contributions, India also pledged £1,022,100 to Commonwealth Fund for technical cooperation. 

●    The Finance Minister attended the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Working Dinner where discussions centered around the global outlook, key risks for the global and national economies and the proposals made by the Global Forum and the Financial Action Task Force to improve implementation of the beneficial ownership standard. 
●    During the course of the day, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley also held a number of bilateral meetings with British Secretary of State, US Treasury Secretary, Finance Minister of Bhutan, Finance Minister of Bangladesh, and CEO of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The bilateral trade and investment ties were the focal point of each of these meetings for ensuring greater economic cooperation. 

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Maharashtra becomes 17th State to join UDAY

Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Government of Maharashtra and Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL) under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) at the two-day State Power Ministers Conference in Vadodara today. 
●    Under UDAY, sixteen states/UT have already signed the MoU till date, Maharashtra being the seventeenth. The combined DISCOM debt, including Central PSU dues, that would be restructured in respect of these states is around Rs.2.57 lakh crores, which is around 68% of the total outstanding DISCOM debt as on 30th September, 2015. 
●    An overall net benefit of approximately Rs.9725 crores would accrue to Maharashtra by opting to participate in UDAY, by way of cheaper funds, reduction in AT&C losses, interventions in energy efficiency, coal reforms etc. during the period of turnaround. 
●    Under UDAY, Maharashtra Government has committed to take over 75% of DISCOM’s non-capex debt of around Rs.6600 crores during the current year. Balance 25% of such debt remaining with the DISCOM would be converted into Bonds or repriced at cheaper rates. This would reduce the interest burden of the State/DISCOM by Rs.595 crores. 
●    Through compulsory Distribution Transformer metering, consumer indexing & GIS mapping of losses, upgrade/change transformers & meters, smart metering of high-end consumers, feeder audit, among other steps, AT&C losses and transmission losses would be brought down, besides eliminating the gap between cost of supply of power and realisation. The reduction in AT&C losses of MSEDCL to 14.39 % and transmission losses of the State to 3.75% is likely to bring additional revenue of around Rs.2200 crores during the period of turnaround. 
●    While efforts will be made by the State Government and the DISCOM to improve the operational efficiency of the DISCOM, and thereby reduce the cost of supply of power, the Central government would also provide incentives to the DISCOM and the State Government for improving Power infrastructure in the State and for further lowering the cost of power. 
●    The Central schemes such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Power Sector Development Fund or such other schemes of Ministries of Power and New & Renewable Energy are already providing funds for improving Power Infrastructure in the State and additional/priority funding would be considered under these schemes, if the State/DISCOM meet the operational milestones outlined in the scheme. 

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84th Air Force Day observed across India


The Air Force Day 2016 was on 8 October 2016 observed across India. This is the 84th celebration of the Day that began in 1932.
●    On this day, the most renowned aerobatics display teams, Red Arrows of the Royal Air Force (RAF), enthralled audience at Indian Air Force Day celebrations in New Delhi. 
●    They flew Hawk jets, which are single-engine advanced trainer aircraft.
●    Besides, the Indian Air Force air displayed various aircrafts at Air Force Station Hindan in Uttar Pradesh.
●    The Air Force Day was officially celebrated for the first time on 8 October in the year 1932 as an auxiliary air force of Indian Empire.
●    The day was observed to increase the awareness about the importance of Indian air force in any organization of the national security by both officially and publicly.
 

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Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos wins 2016 Nobel Peace Prize


The 2016 Nobel Peace Prize was on 7 October 2016 awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for his resolute efforts to bring the country's more than 50-year-long civil war to an end, a war that took away the lives of at least 220000 Colombians and displaced nearly six million people.
●    The civil war in Colombia is one of the longest civil wars in modern times and the sole remaining armed conflict in the Americas.
●    President Santos initiated the negotiations that culminated in the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas as he consistently sought to move the peace process forward. 
●    The accord was controversial, however he was instrumental in ensuring that Colombian voters were able to voice their opinion concerning the peace accord in a referendum. 
●    The outcome of the vote was not what President Santos wanted as a narrow majority of the over 13 million Colombians voted against the accord. 
●    Despite the "No" majority vote in the referendum, President Santos brought the bloody conflict significantly closer to a peaceful solution. 
●    His endeavours to promote peace thus fulfil the criteria and spirit of prize.

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Health Secretary inaugurates Cohort Study Centre 


Shri C.K. Mishra, Secretary (HFW) inaugurated AIIMS Cohort Study Centre, here today. Launching the project, he stated that this study will go a long way in preventing many diseases and will have a generational impact. Speaking at the function, Shri Mishra further added that this study will provide valuable data on the health needs of the country and will have landmark impact on the kind of work AIIMS is doing.
●    The AIIMS Cohort Study is unique and probably one of its kind combining conventional and novel risk factors, genomics and neuroimaging to determine protective and risk factors for stroke and cognitive decline. Unique also in a way that AIIMS is going to people, rather than people coming to AIIMS. By creating awareness about healthy aging and making assessment of their general and brain health, the study provides an opportunity for people to prevent disease and promote their health. By carrying out repeated general and brain health assessment through MRI and memory testing and genetic testing, the study will throw light on novel protective and predictive factors. The knowledge and understanding thus gained will help the people to prevent stroke and cognitive decline.
●    The focus of the study is to determine genetic, lifestyle and socioeconomic factors that are protective or risk factors for the occurrence of stroke, heart attack or cognitive decline in persons aged 50 years and above. Dr. Kameshwar Prasad, Head of Neurology, is the Principal Investigator of the study. The study is supported by the Department of Bio-Technology, M/o Science & Technology, Government of India with contributions from the Erasmus University, Netherlands.
●    India has made outstanding gains in terms of increase in life-expectancy. As a result, India’s older population will increase dramatically over the next four decades. Population above 60 years age is estimated to increase from 100 million in 2011 to 323 million in 2050. This demographic transition is set to increase disease burden due to various non-communicable diseases. Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, cerebro vascular diseases are likely to top the list of causes of disease burden.
●    Also present at the function were Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Prof. M C Misra, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi, and Mr. Jelle Nijdam, Counsellor for Science, Technology & Innovation, Embassy of The Netherlands along with faculty and seniors officers from the AIIMs.

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All ASI Protected Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites Declared Polythene Free Zones


All ASI Protected Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites have been declared ‘Polythene Free Zones’. Advisory has been issued to all State Governments/UTs to support ASI in keeping Monuments Polythene Free up to 300 meters from the protected boundaries of the Monuments. This information was given by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism while briefing the media persons on the various initiatives of Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Tourism during Swachhata Pakhwada 16th – 30th September, 2016. He was addressing a Joint Press Conference on “Swachh Bharat Mission” along with Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Rural Development and Drinking Water & Sanitation here today.
 
●    The Minister said that ASI has ranked top 25 Adarsh Monuments on the basis of Cleanliness parameters such as amenities like toilets, green lawns, Polythene Free Zone, signage for awareness, disabilities access, drinking water and provision for garbage bins etc. “Rani ki Vav (Gujarat)” a World Heritage Site has been declared as the cleanest iconic place in the country.
●    Dr. Mahesh Sharma further informed that 75 more Adarsh Monuments protected by ASI have been identified to be included in the ‘Swachh Paryatan Mobile App’ launched by the Ministry of Tourism. With this a total of 100 Adarsh Monuments protected by ASI will be included in the ‘Swachh Paryatan Mobile App’.  This App was launched in February 2016 and is monitored by the Project Monitoring Unit of Swachh Bharat Mission in Ministry of Tourism.
●    The Minister said that since the general public and the tourists are the largest stakeholders in keeping the monuments clean, the Ministry of Tourism has decided to facilitate the general public to communicate their complaints about any unclean area/garbage piles in and around tourist destinations.This useful mobile App enables a citizen to take photograph of garbage at the monument and upload the same along with his/her remarks. The application then sends an SMS to the ASI Nodal Officer concerned with the monument upon receipt of which the Nodal Officer gets the garbage cleared/removed. The Nodal Officer thereafter sends confirmation about the redressal of the complaint through an SMS to the complainant. This Mobile App is available on Google Search Engine as ‘Swachh Paryatan’.

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OVL to buy 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft


The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to an acquisition by ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) for 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft from M/s Rosneft Oil Company (Rosneft), the National Oil Company (NOC) of Russian Federation (Russia). Rosneft operates Vankor fields, with Vankorneft, its wholly owned subsidiary.
●    OVL will be paying an amount of US $ 930 million for acquiring 11% stake in Vankorneft.
●    The acquisition of stake in Vankorneft will provide 3.2 Million Metric Ton of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) to OVL by 2017. It will also provide an opportunity to Indian public sector Oil and Gas companies to acquire new technologies from Rosneft. 
●    The acquisition is in line the ONGC’s stated objective of adding high quality international assets to India's Exploration and Production (E&P) portfolio and thereby augmenting India's energy security.
●    Recently, an Indian Consortium comprising of Oil India Limited (OIL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Bharat PetroResources Limited (BPRL) acquired 23.9% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of US $ 2020.35 million which will give them 6.56 MMTOE. 
●    Earlier in May 2016, ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) completed the formalities on acquisition of 15% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of US $ 1.284 billion which gave OVL 4.11 MMTOE.

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Mastercard Rolls Out Biometric Payments in Europe


The financial services firm  is rolling out biometric technologies that will allow European consumers to authenticate their identity without a password, but with a selfie, in order to provide customers with a more convenient method to sign in and a faster checkout process. 
●    Security firms view the development as another sign of the mainstream availability of biometric authentication, comparing it to the introduction of TouchID fingerprint authentication technology in the iPhone.
●    Javvad Malik, security advocate at enterprise security tools firm AlienVault, said that “selfie pay” is seemingly an attempt to bridge the gap between a fully authenticated method, such as chip and PIN – and unauthenticated payments methods such as contactless.
●    Robert Page, lead penetration tester at Redscan struck a more cautious note.

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Sushil Chandra appointed Chairman of CBDT


The Union Government in the first week of October 2016 appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra as the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
●    Chandra will take over from the current CBDT Chairperson Rani Singh Nair, who will retire on 31 October 2016.
●    Chandra is currently posted as Member, CBDT.
●    The Central Board of Direct Taxes provides essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes in India.
●    It is the policy-making body of the Income Tax Department under the Union Finance Ministry.
●    It is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
●    The Chairperson of the CBDT is the senior-most IRS civil servant in the Government of India.
●    The Chairperson of Central Board of Direct Taxes is the ex officio Special Secretary to the Government of India and also cadre controlling authority of the Indian Revenue Service.
●    The CBDT Chairperson is placed above the officers of the rank of Lieutenant-General, Vice-Admiral or Air Marshal, CBI Director and Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General in the Order of Precedence.

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