GK and Current Affairs Updates

India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-air ‘Akash’ missile from a test range in Odisha as part of user trial by the air force.

‘Akash’ missile is a medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft defence system with a strike range of 25 km and can carry a warhead of 60 kg. It has the capability to target aircraft up to 30 km away and is packed with a battery that can track and attack several targets simultaneously. With its capability to neutralise aerial targets like fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles, defence experts compare ‘Akash’ to the similar weapons of many other advanced countries. ‘Akash’ has been developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. While the air force version has already been inducted, the army version is in the final stage of induction.

J.S. Deepak has been appointed the Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications, an official statement said in Delhi on Friday. He will replace Rakesh Garg, who has been \ moved to Minority Affairs Ministry. Mr. Deepak is currently Secretary, Department of  Electronics and Information Technology. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet also  appointed Dr. Krishan Kumar Jalan, a 1982 batch IAS Haryana cadre, as Secretary, Ministry  of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Mr Jalan is currently serving as Central  Provident Fund Commissioner at Employees' Provident Fund Organization, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Gurdeep Singh, managing director of Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSEC),  has been appointed as chairman and managing director of central PSU National Thermal  Power Corporation (NTPC). 

NTPC Limited (previously known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) is an  Indian Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of Power, Government  of India, engaged in the business of generation of electricity and allied activities. It  is a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956 and a "Government Company" within  the meaning of the act. The headquarters of the company is situated at New Delhi.

Indian Author and foreign affairs expert has won the prestigious 2016 William E. Colby Award for his book Midnight’s Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India’s Partition. His book The Midnight’s Furies is based on partition history of India and Pakistan in 1947 and the violence that surrounded it.

Navneet Kaur of Punjab clinched the honours in the women’s single sculls in the 34th Senior national rowing championship at Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad. The all-India Police team of Lachhman Singh, Sushil Kumar, Robin Mangar and Rohit Kumar clinched gold in the men’s coxless fours event. 

Assam Regiment has been adjudged the best marching contingent in the services category and Border Security Force among the para-military and other auxiliary forces which took part in 67th Republic Day parade at the Rajpath. In the tableau category, the first position was bagged by West Bengal followed by Tripura and Assam. This year, a special prize has been awarded to the tableau of Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on the theme “Digital India”. In the competitive category of school children items, the dance presented by South Central Zone Culture Centre, Nagpur (Maharashtra) has been adjudged the best.

A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and P C Pant selected retired Allahabad High Court Judge Sanjay Misra as the new Lokayukta and directed the authorities to notify his appointment within a week.

About The Lokayukta -is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states. The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) headed by Morarji Desai submitted a special interim report on "Problems of Redressal of Citizen's Grievances" in 1966. In this report, the ARC recommended the setting up of two special authorities designated as 'Lokpal' and 'Lokayukta' for the redressal of citizens' grievances. The LokAyukta, along with the Income Tax Department and the Anti Corruption Bureau, mainly helps people publicise corruption among the Politicians and Government Officials. Many acts of the LokAyukta have resulted in criminal or other consequences for those charged. 

Maharashtra was the first state to introduce the institution of Lokayukta through The Lokayukta and Upa-Lokayuktas Act in 1971.This was followed by similar acts being enacted by states of orissa, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat,Kerala and Delhi.

A fresh list of the wealthiest people in the world is out, and Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and one the richest people in human history, once again comes out on top, with a net worth of $87.4 billion. Wealth-X, a wealth-tracking website, provided Business Insider with its newest figures on the assets of the ultra-rich. Wealth-X collects information on more than 110,000 ultra-high-net-worth people, according to BI, tracking each person’s assets and adjusting “to account for currency-exchange rates, local taxes, savings rates, investment performance, and other factors.”

Forbes released its annual analysis of automakers in the world, placing Toyota in the first position, followed by Volkswagen, lagging behind Toyota by nearly 200,000 units. General Motors is believed to come in third. This after both Toyota and Volkswagen published their November group level global production and sales data. General Motors publishes only quarterly data, its November performance was estimated.

Abe Vigoda, who played the decrepit Detective Phil Fish in the television sitcom "Barney Miller" and Mafia lieutenant Sal Tessio in the original "Godfather" movie, died aged 94. Though Vigoda achieved a good bit of fame from his 1970s "Godfather" role, his years on "Barney Miller" and the short-lived spinoff "Fish," he arguably became best known for being alive despite reports of his premature demise.