Current Affairs January 2015

Current Affairs January 2015
T Suvarna Raju takes charge as chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

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February 1, 2015No comments
T Suvarna Raju has taken charge as chairman of state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL).
He will be 17th chairman of HAL and will replace RK Tyagis following his retirement.
Earlier, in September 2014, Public Enterprises Selection Board had selected him from among
five contenders to succeed Tyagi.
T Suvarna Raju
He hails from a village in West Godavari district in coastal Andhra Pradesh.
He had joined HAL in June 1980 as management trainee after graduating from IIT in
Chennai.
Before this appointment he was Director for design and development in HAL. He also
holds distinction of being awarded first patent in the HAL in 2002 and has applied for a
around 1,000 patents since 2013.
He also had drafted HALs first research and development (R&D) policy and played
important role in spearheading India to be self-reliant in producing 25 kN (kilo Newton)
turbofan engines.
HAL had initiated several R&D programmes under his leadership which includes Light
Combat Aircraft (LCA), Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Light
Combat Helicopter (LCH), HTT-40 trainer, Jaguar Darin-III and Mirage aircraft upgrade.
He is also the first member-secretary of the design development management board
in Ministry of Defence and member-secretary of the national aeronautics coordination group.
Sergio Mattarella elected as President of Italy

January 31, 2015No comments
Italys parliament has elected constitutional court judge Sergio Mattarella as the countrys
president.
He will Italys 12th president and succeed Giorgio Napolitano who had resigned earlier in
January 2015 citing reason of poor health before his 2020 expiry term.
President of Italy: His role is mainly ceremonial but can declare legislation
unconstitutional. He also has the power to dissolve parliament, nominate prime ministers
and call early elections. He has tenure of 7 years.
Union Government releases Commemorative Postage Stamps on Swachh

Bharat Mission
January 31, 20151 Comment
Union Government has released set of three Commemorative Postage Stamps on Swachh
Bharat Mission (Clean India Mission).
This set of 3 stamps was released by Union Ministry for Communications & Information
Technology and issued by Department of Posts.
These stamps were released to in order to achieve the vision of Clean and Healthy India.
Department of Posts has selected the design for the stamps through a competition among
the children on the theme of Swachh Bharat Mission.
Swachh Bharat Mission
It was launched by the Prime Minister on the 2nd October, 2014 on the occasion of
Birth Anniversary of Father of the Nation- Mahatma Gandhi.
This mission seeks to achieve Clean India and aims to provide access to toilets to all
households in the country.
It also seeks to provide adequate arrangements for Solid and Liquid Waste
Management.

Serena Williams wins Australian Open 2015 Womens Singles title
Serena Williams of United States has won Australian Open 2015 Womens Singles title.
In the finals she defeated Russias Maria Sharapova by score of 6-3, 7-6, 7-5.
With this win Serena Williams has won 6th Australian Open title and 19th Grand Slam title.
Serena Williams
Currently she is ranked No. 1 in womens singles tennis.
She also has won 4 Olympic gold medals, 1 in womens singles and 3 in womens
doubles.
Her 19 singles title includes:
6 Australian Open Titles -2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2015.
2 French Open Titles- 2002, 2013.
5 Wimbledon Titles- 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012.
6 US Open Titles- 1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014.
RBI constitutes high level panel on urban cooperative banks (UCB)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a high-powered panel on urban
cooperative banks (UCB).
It will be headed by RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi and comprise of eight member who will
be experienced bankers. They will submit its report within three months from the date of its
first meeting.
This high-powered panel will re-examine and recommend appropriate set of businesses, size,
conversion and licensing terms for the UCB sector.
The Terms of Reference of the high level panel are:

Businesses: Examine the line of businesses that UCBs may be permitted to
undertake and their benchmark in terms of size of business, capital requirement, regulatory
regime etc.
Size of UCB: Suggest the appropriate size up to which a UCB may be able to grow
without undue risk to the system.
Conversion Criteria & licensing terms : Suggest the criteria for allowing
voluntary conversion by a UCB and examine whether the time is opportune to give license to
new UCBs.
Determine the modalities of implementing the suggestion of the Malegam
Committee. Especially, whether the 50 per cent in value of deposits should be held by voting
members. Thus, propose a feasible structure that puts majority voting in the hands of
contributors of funds in UCB.
Maharashtra government gives nod for GM food trials

Maharashtra government has given nod to confined genetically modified (GM) food
trails in state.
In this regard, state government has granted no-objection certificates (NOC) for open field
trials of 5 genetically modified (GM) crops. They are rice, chana (chickpeas), maize, brinjal
and cotton.
NOC was granted by state government after state-level Committee, headed by Anil Kakodkar
had given clearance for field test of these five GM crops.
Based upon the results of these trials, government take further steps.
With this decision, Maharashtra has become the fourth state after Punjab, Delhi and Andhra
Pradesh to approve open field trials in GM crops.
Confined trials: It is typically carried out in small plots of one hectare or less. It is primarily
meant to collect data on the potential bio-safety impact of the GM crop lines.
Why state governments NOC are required for GM food trails?
Earlier, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the previous UPA
Environment Ministry had permitted field trials of GM food in India.
But GEAC had inserted mandatory condition of separate NOCs from states for such
trials.
So, states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have banned such research activities.

First Canister-based Agni-V missile successfully test-fired
For the first time, a canisterised version of Agni-V missile was successfully test-fired on 31
January 2015 from Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.
This was the third successful flight test of the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) and
the first canister trial.
Test: The missile was launched from sealed canister, mounted on a TATRA truck. It was
carrying dummy payload. Test showed that dummy payload withstand temperatures more
than 3,0000 C and hit the target at pre-designated point in the Indian Ocean.
Implication: A canister-launch system of Agni-V missile will give the forces the requisite
operational flexibility. With this system, ballistic missile can be transported and can launched
from any place.
Agni-V missile
Agni-V ICBM is indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and

Development Organisation (DRDO).
It is Part of the Agni series of missiles, one of the missile systems under the original
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.
Range: 5,5005,800 km. It will allow India to strike targets across Asia and into
Europe
It is a 3 stage solid fuelled missile with composite motor casing in the second and
third stage.
It carries Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV) payloads. A
single MIRV equipped missile, that can deliver multiple warheads at different targets.
Incorporate advanced technologies involving ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer
for navigation and guidance.
First successfully test-fired by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa on
April 19, 2012. With this, India joined an elite nuclear club that also included China, Russia,
France, the US, the UK and possibly Israel.
Scientist V K Saraswat joins as full-time member of NITI Aayog

Former DRDO chief Vijay Kumar Saraswat has taken charge as full time-member of
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
V K Saraswat
He had played a very significant role in the development of the countrys first Liquid
Propulsion Engine, DEVIL.
He was Project Director of Prithvi and had steered the design, development,
production and induction of the first indigenous Surface-to-Surface missile system into the
armed forces.
He was Secretary of Defence (Research & Development) and Director General of
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
Awards: He was conferred the Padma Shri (1998) and Padma Bhusan (2013).
Background
Earlier on 1 January 2015, Union Government had announced the replacement of 6 decade
year old Planning Commission with new age NITI Aayog to function as both a think-tank and
a policy forum for government.
On 5 January 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Chairman of NITI Aayog had appointed
V K Saraswat along with eminent economist Bibek Debroy as its full time members and
Arvind Panagariya as its first Vice-Chairman.
Senior IPS officer Krishna Chaudhary appointed as new ITBP DG

Senior IPS officer Krishna Chaudhary has been appointed the new Director General (DG) of
the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
His name was announced by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will be in office till June 2017.
Krishna Chaudhary is 1979-batch Bihar cadre officer. Before this appointment he was
working as the Director General of the Railway Protection Force.
Background
The post of ITBP DG has been vacant since 1 January 2015 after the retirement of
Subhas Goswami on 31 December 2014.
Till the vacant time, CRPF DG Prakash Mishra was holding the additional charge of the
ITBP chief.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
It is one of the eight statutory Central Armed Police Forces of India and was
established on 24 October 1962, under the CRPF Act, in the wake of India- China War of
1962.
Later Parliament enacted the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992 to provide
full autonomy to ITBP.
At present ITBP has about 50,000 personnel strong force, to secure the 3,488 km
border with China along Tibet Autonomous Region and operates under Ministry of Home
Affairs.
ITBP force also render in a variety of internal security tasks in the country including
civil Medical Camp, disaster management, nuclear, biological and chemical disasters and UN
peacekeeping missions around the world.

Gujarat government launches Taluka Planning Atlas project
Gujarat government has launched Taluka Planning Atlas (TPA) project.
It was launched by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel at a function held in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat.
Taluka Planning Atlas (TPA) project
This project has been undertaken by the state planning department with the help of
director of Economics and Statistics, Gujarat and Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space
Applications and Geo-Informatics (BISAG).
TPA aims to help the local administration in taking effective decisions about the
development in respective regions.
In this regard, TPA will provide the maps that will give precise information about the
current status of various facilities and schemes.
Under this project, an atlas of 100 maps will be compiled to showcase various
facilities as well as government schemes at village level in each taluka.
It will include precise information about facilities such as number of primary and
secondary schools, health centres, dairies, cold storages, post offices, banks, etc.
It will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, atlas for one taluka each in 33
districts will be prepared and put on state government portal Gswan.
This atlas has used the information consisting of village profile provided by every
village in state as well as taluka panchayat based on various indicators of development since
2010.
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe appointed as Chairman of African Union

Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe has been appointed as Chairman of African Union
(AU).
He will be 13th Chairman of African Union (AU) and succeed Mauritanian President Mohamed
Ould Abdel Aziz for a one-year term. The position of chairman of the AU is a rotating one on
yearly basis and largely ceremonial.
Robert Mugabe: He has ruled Zimbabwe since independence. He is Zimbabwes longest
serving President and had assumed office in December 1987. Currently, he is also chairman
of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community.
African Union (AU)
It is the successor of Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and came into existence
in 2002 at Durban summit in South Africa.
Headquarters: It is located at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Motto: A United and Strong Africa.
Objective: As pan-African organization, AU aims at promoting unity and cooperation
among African nations. It also strives to spread democracy and good governance in the
continent.
Members: At present the African Union has a total of 54 members. Morocco is the
only African country which is not the part of the Union.
IIT Bombay launches Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC)

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has launched Mass Open Online Courses
(MOOC) in three subjects, computer programming, thermodynamics, and signals and
systems.
It aims to provide mass online education programme that will provide free online courses by
giving access to high quality, IIT-style education to Indian students in Indian language.
Key features of Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC)

It is launched as part of institutes IITBombayX platform developed in collaboration
with edX, a not-for-profit initiative by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and
Harvard University.
It will provide 16-week Computer Programming course in two parts aimed at
computer programming students.
The course on Thermodynamics is designed for mechanical engineering students and
will last 12 weeks.
Signals and Systems will be a 16-week course in two parts designed for electrical
engineering students.
The students will get an honour certificate of achievement certifying successful
completion of the course after they have qualified in the tests.
It will also offer training workshops for invited teachers on effective teaching for each
of these three subjects under the Train 10,000 Teachers or T10KT programme of the
institute.
Zomato buys Turkeys restaurant search company Mekanist

Indias online restaurant search and discovery service providerZomato has

announced the acquisition of Turkeys restaurant search company Mekanist.
With this acquisition, Zomato has increased its coverage from about 27,500
restaurants in Istanbul and Ankara to more than 50,000 restaurants across
Turkey.
Now, Mekanists traffic and restaurant-related content will be shifted to
Zomato. While, Turkish restaurants now will be able to make use of Zomatos
hyperlocal advertising model to reach out to target customers.
Over the past year, Zomato has acquired five restaurant search players in
New Zealand, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Italy.
Earlier in January 2015, it had taken over Urbanspoon for about $52 million,
which enabled Zomato to enter US and Australian markets.
About Zomato
It was founded in 2008. Since, then it has expanded to global market on its
own. At present it has its presence in India and 21 other countries.
Zomatos founder is Deepinder Goyal and he is current CEO. Its
Headquarter is in New Delhi.
World Bank Report on Himachal Pradesh released

The World Bank has released report Scaling the Heights: Social inclusion
and sustainable development on Himachal Pradesh.
It was released by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram
Shandil in Shimla.
This was first of its kind report prepared by the World Bank for Himachal
Pradesh. The report reveals that state has effectively balanced economic
growth with social inclusion.
Some facts from report
Himachal Pradesh has emerged as one of the states with the best
human development outcomes in the country.
The performance in poverty reduction, education, women employment
and health sectors was much better as compared to other states in India.
The state had also taken lead in implementation of various national

programmes and had given special emphasis on infrastructural
development.
The state had prepared a plan to mitigate the natural disasters which
had been well appreciated by the government of India.
But female child sex ratio, under-nutrition in children and an ageing
population still remain issues of concern in the state.

GNLF founder Subhash Ghisingh passes away
Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) founder Subhash Ghisingh has passed away in New
Delhi. He was 78.
He had spearheaded the Gorkhaland movement in the 1980s for a separate state for ethnic
Gorkha people living in Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
Subhash Ghisingh
He was born on 22 June 1936 at Manju Tea Estate in Darjeeling, West Bengal.
In 1954, he had joined the Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army as a soldier but quit in
1960.
In 1968, he formed a political organisation called Nilo Jhanda to protect rights of the
ethnic Gorkhas. Later, in April 1979, he raised the demand for a separate state for the
Nepali-speaking people of the Darjeeling hills.
In 1980, he had founded GNLF and led the movement, which disrupted the Darjeeling
district with massive violence between 1986 and 1988.
Later in 1988, this issue was resolved and resulted in setting up of the Darjeeling
Gorkha Hill Council, a semi-autonomous body.
He was first chairman of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council after winning the first council
elections and was its chairman from 1988 to 2008.
Eminent singer Shekhar Sen appointed as Chairman of Sangeet Natak

Akademi
Eminent singer, composer, lyricist and actor Shekhar Sen has been appointed as the
chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA).
His appointment was announced by Union Ministry of Culture and will have term five years
with immediate effect.
This post was vacant since September 2014, after then Chairman Leela Samson had
resigned.
Shekhar Sen
Since 1983, as a singer, lyricist and composer, he has done many research oriented
musical programmes including Dushyant Ne Kaha Tha, Madhya Yugeen Kaavya, Pakistan Ka
Hindi Kavya, Meera Se Mahadevi Tak.
He also has rendered many significant bhajan albums.
He is famous for his mono act musical plays Tulsi, Kabeer, Vivekananda, Sanmanti,
Saahab and Soordas.
His performances have been acclaimed in India and abroad where he has performed.
Awards: He has received prestigious awards including the Padma Shri
(2015), Safdar Hashmi Puraskaar (2001) by Sangeet Natak Academy of Uttar
Pradesh, Shantaram Samman (2008) by Rajya Hindi Sahitya Academy of Maharashtra.
You may read more about Sangeet Natak Akademi here
India to host ICC World Twenty20 in 2016

India is going to host International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 in 2016.
It was announced by ICC Board meeting chaired by Chairman N. Srinivasan held in Dubai.
ICC Board meeting also scheduled the ICC events during the period 2015-2019.
Following schedule was announced
India will host the World Twenty20 from 11 March to 3 April 2016. While, Ireland and
Scotland will host the qualifiers between 6-26 July, 2015.
England will host three ICC events in the next four-year period.
In 2017, England will host two events- the Champions Trophy from 1 to 19 June and
Womens World Cup from 4 to 27 August and 2019 ICC World Cup from 30 May to 15 July
2019.
2018 Womens World Twenty20 will be organised in the West Indies between
November 2 and 25.

Packaging of foodgrains & sugar in jute material mandatory: CCEA
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has made packaging of foodgrains &
sugar in jute material mandatory for jute year 2014-15.
In this regard CCEA mentioned that packaging with jute material will be mandatory for
minimum 90 per cent of production in case of food grains and 20 per cent in case of sugar
production.
With this decision, government is seeking to help the jute sector which generates a lot of
livelihoods for farmers and workers.
CCEA also has approved providing financial support to the Jute Corporation of India (JCI). In
this regard, government will provide subsidy to JCI on a continuous basis to off-set the losses
on account of Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations.
The quantum of subsidy will include the difference between the Purchase and Sale Price of
MSP Raw Jute.
Union Government to sell up to 10% stake in Coal India Limited (CIL)

Union government has announced to sell up to 10 per cent stake in state owned Coal India
Limited (CIL) on 30 January 2015.
This decision was cleared by high-powered ministerial panel headed by Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley.
It will help the government to raise revenue of 24,000 crore rupees at the current market
price and meet the fiscal deficit.
Government is planning to divest 5 per cent stake in the company via share sale and the
remaining 5 per cent through the green-shoe option.
Currently, the government holds 89.65 per cent stake in CIL. As per the minimum
shareholding norms for listed companies, the government needs to lower its stake to 75
percent.
Coal India Limited (CIL)
It is a state-controlled coal mining company, headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal.

It is the largest coal producer company in the world and contributes around 81% of
the coal production in India.
Union Government of India owns 90% of the shares in CIL and controls the operations
of CIL through Ministry of Coal.
In April 2011, CIL was conferred the Maharatna status by Government of India. It is
Indias 5th most valuable company in terms of market value.
Nation pays tributes to Lala Lajpat Rai on his 150th birth anniversary
On 28 January 2015, nation paid tributes to national martyr of freedom movement, Lala
Lajpat Rai on his 150th birth anniversary.
Events marking this day: Various seminars and symposia were organised at many places
in Punjab to remember Lala Lajpat Rai. Special programme and sports meet was organised
in his ancestral village Dhudi ke of Moga district where thousands of people paid their
tributes to national martyr at the memorial. While, intellectuals apprised young generation
about Lala and his sacrifice for the nation.
About Lala Lajpat Rai
He was born on 28 January 1865 in Dhudike (now Moga district) of Punjab.

He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari meaning The Lion of Punjab also known
asSher-E- Punjab in Punjabi for his contribution to the freedom movement.
He was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio i.e. assertive nationalists Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal from 1905 to 1918. Lal Bal Pal trio had advocated
the Swadeshi movement involving the boycott of all imported items and the use of Indianmade goods in 1907 during the anti-Partition agitation in Bengal which began in 1905.
He was lawyer by profession and had practiced his legal profession for few years but
later curtailed it to focus on all his efforts to the freedom struggle.
He was also associated with the foundation of Punjab National Bank in 1895 and
laterLakshmi Insurance Company.
He also had helped to establish the nationalistic Dayanand Anglo-Vedic
School and became a follower of Dayanand Saraswati (founder of the Arya Samaj).
In 1888 and 1889 he was a delegate to the annual sessions of Indian National
Congress (INC) and was elected as its President in the Calcutta Special Session of 1920.
In 1921, he had founded Servants of the People Society, a non-profit welfare
organisation, in Lahore, which shifted based to Delhi after partition, and has branches in
many parts of India.
His books: As an author he had written many books which includes The Story of My
Deportation (1908), Arya Samaj (1915), The United States of America: A Hindus Impression
(1916), Unhappy India (1928) etc.
Death: He died on 17 November 1928 after sustaining serious injuries in lathi charge
carried by the police when he leading a non-violent protest against the Simon Commission.
SC directs search engines to block sex determination advertisements

Supreme Court (SC) has directed search engines like Google India, Yahoo and Micrsofts Bing
to block advertisements on sex determination and strictly comply with the laws.
This ruling was given by SC bench comprising of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant on
public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr. Sabu Mathew George in 2008.
PIL had highlighted that the use of Internet and popular search engines to promote sex
determination technologies violates laws.
SC directions to search engines

Withdraw advertisements on sex determination as it violates Section 22 of the PreConception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection)
Act,1994.
Search engines must upload this order on their policy page and also the page
containing terms and conditions of service to serve as a warning for persons intending to put
up such advertisements.
Background
Though sex determination is illegal India, it is still practiced which has a severe
effects on male-female ratio.
As per UN data, Indias child sex ratio has dropped from 964 in 1971 to a low of 918
in 2011.
While between 2001 and 2011, child sex ratio has declined in more than two-thirds of
the districts in the country and this problem is worse in urban areas.

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar appointed as new Foreign Secretary
Union Government has appointed Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as the new Secretary of

Ministry of External Affairs (i.e. Foreign Secretary).
His name was cleared by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
He will be replacing incumbent Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh whose tenure was curtailed
with immediate effect. She had assumed office in August 2013 and was due to retire in
August 2015.
About Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

He was born 9 January 1955 and is son of Indian foreign policy doyen K
Subhramanyam.
He is Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1977 batch and was one of the key
officials who negotiated in the Indias nuclear deal with the US in 2009.
Before this appointment, he was Indias Ambassador to United States and was
appointed in September 2013.
Previously he had served as Indias Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China
from 2009 to 2013. High Commissioner to Singapore from 2007 to 2009 and Ambassador to
the Czech Republic from 2001 to 2004.
Maharashtra government issues Letter of Intent to buy B R Ambedkars

London house
Maharashtra government has issued Letter of Intent (LoI) to buy Dr Bhimrao Ramji
Ambedkars London house to the Indian High Commission in United Kingdom(UK).
This is the house where architect of the Indian Constitution Ambedkar had lived in 1920
during his stint with the London School of Economics.
State government is buying this 2050 square feet three-storey house on 10, King Henry
Road, NW3 of London and has finalised at a sum of 35 crore rupees.
This house is of cultural and national importance and pride of millions of people of India as
Dr. Ambedkar had stayed in it when he was completing higher studies at the London School
of Economics in 1920-21.
State government after buying the house will convert it into a memorial-cum-museum and
open it to public from 14 April, 2015 i.e. on the 124 birth anniversary of the architect of the
Indian constitution.
Sri Lankas new government reinstates impeached chief justice Shirani

Bhandaranayake
Sri Lankas new government led by President Maithiripala Sirisena has reinstated former
Chief Justice Shirani Bhandaranayake to her former position.
She was impeached by the previous government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
With this move, countrys new government is attempting to deliver on election promises
assuring independence of the judiciary.
Shirani Bhandaranayake was 43rd and first woman Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
appointed in May 2011.
In 2013, she was unceremoniously removed from this post after she was impeached
in late 2012.
Earlier in January 2015, Sri Lankas new government had reinstated the rank of former army
Chief General Sarath Fonseka, who was stripped of all ranks and sentenced to jail by
Rajapaksa.
General Sarath Fonseka was Sri Lankas only four-star general who had led the Army to
defeat the Tamil Tigers in 2009. In 2010, he had fallen out with Rajapaksa and challenged
him in the election of 2010. Thereafter Fonseka was arrested, court martialled and jailed for
corruption.

Kalyan Singh sworn in as Himachal Pradesh Governor
Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh has sworn in as the 26th Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
He was administered oath of office by Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Mansoor
Ahmed Mir at oath taking ceremony held at Raj Bhawan in Shimla.
He was given an additional charge of Himachal Pradesh after then governor Urmila Singh,
completed the full five year term on January 24.
About Kalyan Singh
Kalyan Singh was born on 5 January 1932 in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh.
He was elected as member of Uttar Pradesh legislative Assembly for six times
consecutively from 1967.
He has served two terms as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. First term from 24 Jun
1991 to 6 Dec 1992. Second term from 21 Sep 1997 to 12 Nov 1999.
In 1977, he was Health Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He was also Member of Parliament
from 2004 to 2014.
He is 20th Governor of Rajasthan and was appointed on 26 August 2014.
Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But 7th Constitutional
Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for two
or more states.
Ancient star with five Earth size planets discovered by astronomers

Astronomers have discovered a star that is 11.2 billion years old and has at least five Earthsize planets.
It was discovered by team of astronomers after analyzing data from NASAs planet-hunting
Kepler spacecraft for over four years.
Key findings
This star is named as Kepler-444. It is 25 percent smaller than our Sun and is 117
light years from Earth.
It belongs to the first generation of stars and considered as part of one of the oldest
systems in the galaxy.
This star has five known planets which have sizes that fall between Mercury and
Venus.
These 5 planets are so close to their star that they complete their orbits in fewer than
10 days.
This discovery is going to help astronomers learn more about the history of our solar
system- Milky Way.
Gujarat Technological University launches e-Raksha centre to fight cybercrime

Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has launched e-Raksha Research Centre to curb
rising menace of cybercrimes.
This research Centre will provide solution for issues related to cyber security by encouraging
research and enhance capability in this field.
Key facts e-Raksha Research Centre

This centre is established by GTU in collaboration with Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF).
Its goal is to establish a peaceful and harmonious cyber space through research in
this area.
Various activities like research on latest techniques of cybercrime and capacity
building on this issue to the faculties, students and government officers will be undertaken
by this centre.
It will also support Union governments Make in India campaign by manufacturing
routers, switches, firewalls, UTMs (Unified Threat Management) and other network
appliances.
This centre will also train students in areas of cyber security and enhance their
capability to provide solution for issues related to it.
It will support government in protecting critical infrastructure and mission critical
services including research on malwares such as botnet by setting up malware analysis test
bed.
Gujarat Technological University (GTU): It is headed by the state government and came
into existence on the 16th of May, 2007.
Maharashtra to observe Industries Day on September 17

Maharashtra government has announced that, September 17 (on Vishwakarma Jayanti) will
be observed as Industries Day in each district.
Significance of Day
It will be observed as part of State governments effort to provide balanced growth to
existing small, medium and large scale enterprises.
It will also render assistance to state government for setting up new industries to
boost the states financial health.
On this day, all districts in state will exhibit their growth potential and opportunities
received for their development in the year.
It will provide state government single platform to ensure that its policies benefit
people at the grass-root level with regards to industrial growth as well as provide
employment opportunities.
In each district of state, a committee will be set up under district collectors for
holding the Industries Day celebrations.
On this day, awards to industries at the district level will be given for their exemplary
performance.
India challenges WTO panels ruling in US poultry case to DSB

India has challenged a World Trade Organisation (WTO) panels ruling that challenges
countrys ban on United States (US) poultry product imports.
In this regard, India has appealed to the Dispute Settlement Board (DSB) of the WTO.
Background
In 2007, India had banned imports of various agriculture products including poultry
meat and eggs from the US. They were banned as a precautionary measure to prevent
outbreaks of Avian Influenza.
In March 2012, US had dragged India to the WTO for banning these products.
WTO ruling: WTO panels ruling in October 2014 in this regard had said that Indias
measures are arbitrarily and unjustifiably discrimination on international trade and
constitutes a disguised restriction on it.
US Stance: US also had contended that Indias Avian Influenza measures amounted
to an import prohibition was not based on the relevant international standard or on a
scientific risk assessment.
Indias Stance: While, India has claimed that the panel ruling is committed with
several legal errors in its interpretation and application of numerous articles of the Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) agreement.
Why US is focusing on Indias poultry business?
US is one of the worlds largest exporters of chicken meat. It is looking India as one of
its potential markets poultry exports.
While, in past few years Indias broiler meat consumption has increased and has
touched to 3.72 million tonnes in 2014 from 3.45 million tonnes in 2013.

Australian cricketer Sean Abbott wins Bradman young cricketer of the year
award
Australian cricketer Sean Abbott has won Bradman young cricketer of the year award
2015.
While, Steve Smith was awarded the Allan Border Medal and being named both Test and one
day player of the year.
Sean Abbott is the bowler, who was unwittingly at the centre of the tragic death of Phillip
Hughes. In November 2014, he had delivered bouncer to Hughes that hit him in head during
a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG against South Australia.
Bradman young cricketer of the year award: It was instituted in 1990. It is bestowed
annually by Cricket Australia to best player under the age of 24. The recipient is presented
with a bat personally signed by Sir Donald Bradman (He had signed 100 bats in 1989 for this
award)
RBI signs an information sharing agreement with Brazils Central Bank

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information with Brazils Central
Bank- Banco Central do Brasil (BCB).
This MoU was signed by Anthero de Moraes Meirelles, Deputy Governor for Supervision, BCB
and S.S. Mundra, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India.
RBI by signing such MoU with supervisors of other countries is seeking to promote
greater co-operation and share supervisory information among the authorities.
In this regard, RBI in total has signed 23 such MoUs, one Letter for Supervisory Cooperation and one Statement of Co-operation (SoC), with different Central Banks of other
countries and overseas regulators/supervisors.
DP Sinha appointed as secretary (security) in the cabinet secretariat

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Divya
Sinhaas secretary (security) in the cabinet secretariat.
Prakash
Since November 2013, this post was lying vacant after Yashovardhan Azad who was holding
the post then, was appointed information commissioner.
Divya Prakash Sinha

He is IPS officer, belonging to 1979 batch of the Manipur-Tripura cadre.
Before this appointment he was special director with Intelligence Bureau (IB).
He is associated with IB for several years handling operations in key regions such as
the northeast and even Delhi.
He known to be instrumental in neutralization of banned terrorist outfit Indian
Mujahideen (IM) and various extremists groups in North east India.

K Durga Prasad appointed as Special DG of CRPF
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed K Durga Prasad as the
special director general (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
He will be in office for next three years or till further orders, whichever is earlier.
K Durga Prasad
He is IPS officer of 1981 batch from Andhra Pradesh cadre.
Before this appointed, he was director of the Special Protection Group (SPG), but was
removed from this post in November 2014.
It should be noted that SPG provides security to the prime minister, former prime
ministers and their family members.
About Central Reserve Police Force (CRFP)
CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Forces in India. It operates under the aegis
of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
It was established in 1939, under Crown Representatives Police but after
independence it was made statutory Central Reserve Police Force after the enactment of the
CRPF Act, 1949.
At present CRPF is the worlds largest paramilitary force with 228 battalions and over
three lakh personnel.
Function: Its primary role is to assist States/Union Territories in police operations to
maintain law and order and contain insurgency.
Barack Obama becomes first US President to be Chief Guest at Republic-Day

US President Barack Obama has become the first American President to be Chief Guest on
Republic Day celebrations.
He is also the first American President to visit India twice (earlier he had visited India in
November 2010).
Key highlights of 66th Republic Day celebrations

In this Parade, US President witnessed Indias military might and cultural diversity.
This years parade was more based on cultural diversity rather than showing on military
might.
For the parade, Barack Obama arrived in his own vehicle named cadillac one (The
Beast) and not with President Pranab Mukherjee. Thus, breaking the traditional practice, as
the Chief Guest usually comes to the venue with the President, the Head of the State.
Several States displayed tableaux depicting their local flavor and traditions.
While, some Union government departments displayed tableaux related to
government initiatives like Make in India and save the girl child.
For first time in history, all women contingents of the three services Army, Navy and
Air Force marched in the parade.
Some of Indias latest military arsenal was displayed in this years parade. However,
Nuclear-capable Agni missiles- a highlight for the past several years was not displayed this
year.
Libby Lane, first female bishop of England consecrated

Church of England has consecrated Reverend Libby Lane as its first female bishop in a
ceremony held at York Minster (a Gothic cathedral) in northern England.
With this consecration, Church of England ended its 500 year old male dominated tradition
and considered as a historic move towards widening female participation in the Church.
Background
Earlier in December 2014, she was appointed Bishop after Church formally had adopted
legislation to allow women bishops.
In this regard General Synod- the law-making body of the Church of England had given nod
to this legislation in November 2014 which was passed by UK Parliament in October 2014.
Reverend Libby Lane

Since April 2007, she was Vicar of St Peters Hale and St Elizabeths Ashley, in
Greater Manchester, England.
In 1993, she was ordained as deacon and later in 1994, as priest.
In January 2010, she was appointed as Dean of Women in Ministry for the Diocese of
Chester.
For first time all-women contingent marches on 66th Republic Day parade
For the first time in the history of Indias Republic Day, all-women contingent from the three
forces Army, Air Force and Navy marched down in the parade.
Army contingent was led by Capt Divya Ajith.
Navy contingent was led by Lieutenant Commander Priya Jeyakumar.
Air Force contingent was led by Squadron Leader Sneha Shekhawat.
Each contingent had 148 women personnel. In previous Republic Day parades, women
officers were just participating.
Some facts
Capt Divya Ajith who had led Army contingent is a graduate from the prestigious
Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai.
Earlier, in 2010 she had created history by becoming the first woman in the army to
receive the coveted Sword of Honour (which is awarded to the best cadet of a course).
Currently, Indian army does not have women in combat roles.
Colombias Paulina Vega crowned Miss Universe 2015

Colombias Paulina Vega was crowned 63rd Miss Universe after beating out contenders
from the United States, Ukraine, Jamaica and Netherlands.
Miss USA Nia Sanchez from Las Vegas was named a runner-up, along with Miss Ukraine
Diana Harkusha.
Paulina Vega- She is granddaughter of celebrated Colombian singer Gastn Vega.
Currently, she is a student of business from the northern Colombia city of Barranquilla.
Miss Universe
It is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the Miss Universe
Organization.
Along with the Miss World and Miss Earth contests, Miss Universe is one of the three
largest beauty pageants in the world and one of the most anticipated beauty pageants
worldwide.
It was founded in 1952 by the California clothing company Pacific Mills.
Major Mukund Varadarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh awarded Ashok
Chakra posthumously
Two army personnel, Major Mukund Varadarajan and NaikNeeraj Kumar Singh were
awarded the highest peacetime military honour, the Ashok Chakra posthumously by
President Pranab Mukherjee.
The awards were received by their wives at the 66th Republic Day celebrations.
Both the army men had laid down their lives while battling groups of militants in separate
operations in Shopian and Kupwara districts of Kashmir.
In April 2014, Major Mukund Varadarajan who was an officer in the Rajput Regiment
of the Indian Army had killed three terrorists in an encounter in Shopian district of Jammu
and Kashmir.
While in August 2014, Naik Neeraj Singh was leading a search operation in general
area Gurdaji of Kupwara district, he died after heavy fire from terrorists.
About Ashok Chakra
It is Indias highest peacetime military decoration awarded for valor, courageous
action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield
It is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the most
conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice other than in the
face of the enemy.
Anti-austerity Syriza party wins Greeces general elections

In Greece, anti-austerity Syriza party has won general election.

In this election Syriza party has won about half the seats in Parliament.
While the earlier ruling government led by outgoing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of
centre-right New Democracy party has been placed second.
Syriza party
It was formed in 2004 as an umbrella group. Syriza- an acronym means the Radical
Coalition of the Left.
It is led by Alexis Tsipras and first came to prominence following the 2008 Greek riots.
In this general election, Syriza Party has promised to end Greeces painful austerity
measures and wants to renegotiate its debt.

Padma Awards 2015
President Pranab Mukherjee has announced the names of Recipients of this years Padma
awards. He approved conferment of 104 Padma Awards.
Padma Awards, the countrys highest civilian awards, are conferred in three
Categories viz. Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
This years list comprises 9 Padma Vibhushan, 20 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri
Awardees. Among these awardees 17 are women and equal number are in category of
foreigners, NRIs, PIOs. While, 4 are posthumous awardees.
The Awards are given in various disciplines- art, social work, public affairs, science and
engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
2015 Padma Vibhushan Awards

It is the second highest civilian award. It is awarded for exceptional and distinguished
service.
Sr No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Name of the Awardee

L. K. Advani
Amitabh Bachchan
Prakash Singh Badal
Dr.D.Veerendra Heggade
Dilip Kumar
Swami Rambhadracharya
Discipline
Public Affairs
Art
Public Affairs
Social Work
Art
Others
Science &
Prof. Malur Ramaswamy Srinivasan
Engineering
Shri Kottayan K. Venugopal
Public Affairs
Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan
Trade & Industry
(Foreigner)
State/Domicile
Gujarat
Maharashtra
Punjab
Karnataka
Maharashtra
Uttar Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Delhi
France/UK
2015 Padma Bhushan Awards

It is the third highest civilian award. It is awarded for distinguished service of high order.
Sr No Name of the Awardee

1
Jahnu Barua
2
Dr. Vijay Bhatkar
Swapan Dasgupta
4
5
6
Swami Satyamitranand Giri

N. Gopalaswami
Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap
Discipline
Art
Science &
Engineering
Literature &
Education
Others
Civil Service
Public Affairs
State/Domicile
Assam
Maharashtra
Delhi
Uttar Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Delhi
7
8
9
10
11
Dr. (Pandit) Gokulotsavji Maharaj

Dr. Ambrish Mithal
Sudha Ragunathan
Harish Salve
Dr. Ashok Seth
12
Rajat Sharma
13
14
Satpal
Shivakumara Swami
15
Dr. Kharag Singh Valdiya
16
Prof. Manjul Bhargava(NRI/PIO)
17
18
19
20
David Frawley (Vamadeva)

(Foreigner)
Bill Gates(Foreigner)
Melinda Gates (Foreigner)
Saichiro Misumi(Foreigner)
Art
Medicine
Art
Public Affairs
Medicine
Literature &
Education
Sports
Others
Science &
Engineering
Science &
Engineering
Madhya Pradesh
Delhi
Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Delhi
Others
USA
Social Work
Social Work
Others
USA
USA
Japan
Delhi
Delhi
Karnataka
Karnataka
USA
2015 Padma Shri Awards

It is the fourth highest civilian award. It is awarded for distinguished service in any field.
Sr No Name of the Awardee

1
Dr. Manjula Anagani
2
S. Arunan
Kanyakumari Avasarala
Dr. Bettina Sharada Baumer
5
6
7
Naresh Bedi
Ashok Bhagat
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Dr. Lakshmi Nandan Bora
Dr. Gyan Chaturvedi
10
11
Prof. (Dr.) Yogesh Kumar Chawla

Jayakumari Chikkala
12
Bibek Debroy
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Dr. Sarungbam Bimola Kumari

Devi
Dr. Ashok Gulati
Dr. Randeep Guleria
Dr. K. P. Haridas
Rahul Jain
Ravindra Jain
Dr. Sunil Jogi
Discipline
Medicine
Science &
Engineering
Art
Literature &
Education
Art
Social Work
Art
Literature &
Education
Literature &
Education
Medicine
Medicine
Literature &
Education
State/Domicile
Telangana
Medicine
Manipur
Public Affairs
Medicine
Medicine
Art
Art
Literature &
Delhi
Delhi
Kerala
Delhi
Maharashtra
Delhi
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Jammu &
Kashmir
Delhi
Jharkhand
Maharashtra
Assam
Madhya Pradesh
Chandigarh
Delhi
Delhi
20
21
22
Prasoon Joshi
Dr. Prafulla Kar
Saba Anjum
23
Ushakiran Khan
24
25
26
Dr. Rajesh Kotecha

Prof. Alka Kriplani
Dr. Harsh Kumar
27
Narayana Purushothama Mallaya
28
Lambert Mascarenhas
29
30
31
32
Dr. Janak Palta McGilligan

Veerendra Raj Mehta
Tarak Mehta
Neil Herbert Nongkynrih
Education
Art
Art
Sports
Literature &
Education
Medicine
Medicine
Medicine
Literature &
Education
Literature &
Education
Social Work
Social Work
Art
Art
33
Chewang Norphel
Others
34
T. V. Mohandas Pai
35
36
37
Dr.Tejas Patel
Jadav Molai Peyang
Bimla Poddar
38
Dr. N. Prabhakar
39
Dr. Prahalada
40
Dr. Narendra Prasad
41
Ram Bahadur Rai
42
43
Mithali Raj
P. V. Rajaraman
44
Prof. J. S. Rajput
45
Kota Srinivasa Rao
46
Prof. Bimal Roy
47
Shekhar Sen
48
Gunvant Shah
49
Brahmdev Sharma (Bhaiji)
50
Manu Sharma
51
Prof. Yog Raj Sharma
Trade &
Industry
Medicine
Others
Others
Science &
Engineering
Science &
Engineering
Medicine
Literature &
Education
Sports
Civil Service
Literature &
Education
Art
Literature &
Education
Art
Literature &
Education
Literature &
Education
Literature &
Education
Medicine
Maharashtra
Odhisa
Chhattisgarh
Bihar
Rajasthan
Delhi
Delhi
Kerala
Goa
Madhya Pradesh
Delhi
Gujarat
Meghalaya
Jammu &
Kashmir
Karnataka
Gujarat
Assam
Uttar Pradesh
Delhi
Maharashtra
Bihar
Delhi
Telangana
Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
West Bengal
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Delhi
Uttar Pradesh
Delhi
52
Vasant Shastri
53
S. K. Shivkumar
54
55
56
57
58
P. V. Sindhu
Sardara Singh
Arunima Sinha
Mahesh Raj Soni
Dr.Nikhil Tandon
Science &
Engineering
Science &
Engineering
Sports
Sports
Sports
Art
Medicine
59
H. Thegtse Rinpoche
Social Work
60
61
Dr.Hargovind Laxmishanker Trivedi Medicine

Huang Baosheng(Foreigner)
Others
Science &
Prof. Jacques Blamont(Foreigner)
Engineering
Late Shri Syedna Mohammad
Others
Burhanuddin(Posthumous)
Literature &
Jean-Claude Carriere(Foreigner)
Education
Trade &
Dr. Nandrajan Raj
Chetty(NRI/PIO)
Industry
George L. Hart(Foreigner)
Others
Jagat Guru Amrta
Suryananda Maha
Others
Raja(NRI/PIO)
Late Shri Meetha Lal Mehta
Social Work
(Posthumous)
Tripti Mukherjee(NRI/PIO)
Art
Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori(NRI/PIO)
Medicine
Dr. Raghu Rama
Medicine
Pillarisetti(NRI/PIO)
Dr. Saumitra Rawat(NRI/PIO)
Medicine
Literature &
Prof. Annette
Schmiedchen(Foreigner)
Education
Pran Kumar Sharma alias
Art
Pran(Posthumous)
R. Vasudevan(Posthumous)
Civil Service
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
Karnataka
Karnataka
Telangana
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
Delhi
Arunachal
Pradesh
Gujarat
China
France
Maharashtra
France
USA
USA
Portugal
Rajasthan
USA
USA
USA
UK
Germany
Delhi
Tamil Nadu
These Padma Awards are conferred by the President of India at a function held at
Rashtrapati Bhawan around March/ April every year
Edgar Lungu sworn into office as Zambias new president

Edgar Lungu has sworn in as Zambias sixth President.

He was declared elected as President in elections held at 24 January 2015 to replace the late
Michael Sata, who died in office in October 2014.
In this election his ruling party Patriotic Front (PF) won with a narrow margin by securing
48.33 percent of total votes over his rival Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for
National Development (UPND).
He will be in office and lead southern African nation for the remainder term of Satas until
next a general election scheduled in September 2016.
Edgar Lungu is former defence minister from the Zambias ruling Patriotic Front (PF).
India, U.S. sign three MoUs on smart cities

India and United States (US) have signed three Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) on
smart cities.
These MoUs were signed by the representatives of United States Trade and Development
Agency (USTAD) and the respective Chief Secretaries of State Governments of Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Union Urban Development Minister M.
Venkaiah Naidu.
These MoUs seeks to give a boost to Union governments flagship smart cities scheme, by
building smart cities in
Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Ajmer in Rajasthan.
Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.
US will help each respective state to conduct feasibility studies, finding investors, ways to
use the best technology and formulating the plan for building three smart cities.
While, respective state Governments will provide resources like technical information and
data related to smart cities planning; staff, logistical and travel support and budgetary
resources.

Parupalli Kashyap Wins Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Title 2015
Indias Parupalli Kashyap has won $120,000 Syed Modi India Grand Prix Gold badminton title
2015.
In the final match he defeated Kidambi Srikanth to win the mens singles title held at the
Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Kashyap won the final match by score of 23-21, 23-21.
About Syed Modi International India Open Grand Prix championship

It is named after a famous Indian badminton player Syed Modi, an eight-time National
Badminton champion.
After his death, a badminton tournament was constituted in his memory, Syed Modi
Memorial and All India Syed Modi badminton championship hosted each year at Lucknow.
Saina Nehwal wins Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament 2015
Indian ace shuttler Saina Nehwal has clinched the Syed Modi International India Grand Prix
Gold badminton title 2015 in the womens singles category.
In the final match she defeated world champion Carolina Marin (Spain) by score of 19-21, 2523, 21-16 held at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
With this win she has retained this title which she had won in 2014.
About Syed Modi International India Open Grand Prix championship

It is named after a famous Indian badminton player Syed Modi, an eight-time National
Badminton champion.
After his death, a badminton tournament was constituted in his memory, Syed Modi
Memorial and All India Syed Modi badminton championship hosted each year at Lucknow.
India funds Nepals Pancheshwar project to counter Kheri floods

India will provide fund of Rs 1500 crore to Nepals Pancheshwar multi-purpose project on
Mahakali river for countering the Kheri floods in Uttar Pradesh.
This move of Union government comes after a delegation of MPs visited Nepal and had
submitted their report to government.
Pancheshwar multi-purpose project

It is located at Narayan Ghat of Dharchula on Mahakali River( also known as Kali
Ganga in Uttarakhand ) in Nepal. The height of dam is the 315 meters.
After completion dam will be the second largest dam in the world with a capacity of
6720 Mega Watt (MW) power production.
In case of power sharing, India has reached into an agreement with Nepal to procure
additional electricity produced by project.
This project will regulate and control the free flow of Karnali and Mohana rivers which
cause floods in Kheri, Pilibhit of Uttar Pradesh and other Terai districts of northern India.
Pooja Thakur- first woman officer to lead guard of honour at Rashtrapathi

Bhavan
Wing Commander Pooja Thakur has become the first woman officer to lead
the ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
On 25 January 2015, she led the ceremonial Guard of Honour which was
inspected by the U.S. President Barack Obama at Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
President Barack Obama is on 3 day visit to India. He is first American
President to be Chief Guest of Indias Republic Day celebrations 2015.
Pooja Thakur
She hails from Rajasthan.
She belongs to the administrative branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Currently she is posted at Disha- the publicity cell under the
Directorate of Personnel Officers at the Air Force Headquarters.
As a sportsperson she is active in para-jumping and adventure sports.
TRAI issues draft rules for full mobile number portability

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued draft regulations to

facilitate full mobile number portability (MNP).
In this regard, TRAI has issued draft amendment to the Telecommunication

Mobile Number Portability Regulation, 2009. It will enable mobile subscribers
to retain their numbers when they shift to other states or telecom service
areas.
TRAI has sought public comments on the subject by 6 February 2015.
Key highlights of draft amendment
It insets a clause in current rules in order to safeguard interest of postpaid mobile service users. It was necessary as these users were facing
disconnection in new network even after clearing all their dues of their old
telecom service provider.
It also fixed a time line for both the old or donor service providers and
new or recipient service provider. This time line will clarify dues regarding the
any with their subscribers to ensure continuity of service.
What is Mobile Number Portability?

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain
their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network
operator to another.
Currently, MNP norms allow users to retain their numbers while changing
their operators within the same service area. It should be noted that India
has 22 telecom circles or service areas.

National Voters Day observed on 25th January every year
Every year National Voters Day (NVD) is observed on 25th January.

This year i.e. 2015 is fifth National Voters Day and theme of this year is Easy Registration,
Easy Correction.
Functions: On this occasion, awards for best electoral practices are given to Chief Electoral
Officers and District Election Officers. Media houses and civil society organisations are also
given awards for best campaign in Voters Education and Awareness.
Background
It was initiated in 2011 to commemorate the foundation day of the Election
Commission of India (ECI).
The ECIs aim behind National Voters Day is to enhance registration of voters,
particularly of the spring chickens, by using this social occasion to make Universal Adult
Suffrage a complete reality, and thus increase the worth of Indian democracy.
Arundhathi Subramaniam wins inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize

for Poetry
Poetess Arundhathi Subramaniam has won the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial
Prize for Poetry.
She has been conferred this prize for her work When God is a Traveller. Her name was
announced at a prize ceremony held at Jaipur Literature Festival.
The jury, which included Ashok Vajpeyi, Jeet Thayil, Namita Gokhale, Pavan K. Varma and
Soli Sorabjee had chosen her work When God is a Traveller from among the nominated
books of poetry by a single author published between September 15, 2013 and 2014.
Arundhathi Subramaniam
She is a poetess and a writer on spirituality and culture.
Work- She has authored three books of poems: Where I live (2005), Sadhguru- More Than A
Life (2009), Pilgrims India (2011).
Award: She has received the Raza Award for Poetry (2009)
Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry

It was established in 2014 by Suhel Seth in memory of the late Khushwant Singh.
It is conferred to Indian poets writing in English or Indian language translation. The award is
carrying a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh.
Queen Elizabeth II Now Oldest Living Monarch in World

Britains Queen Elizabeth II is now the worlds oldest living monarch. Currently she is 88
years old.
Earlier, Saudi Arabias King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was oldest living monarch but he died on
23 January 2015.
It should be noted that, Queen Elizabeth II is one of the eight octogenarian monarchs in the
world. Others include the King of Thailand and the Emperor of Japan.
Queen Elizabeth II
She was born on 21 April 1926.
She acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 after her father, King George VI died.
In 1945, she had actively joined World War II as a driver in the Womens Auxiliary
Territorial Service (WATS).
She is also the second longest reigning monarch in British history, behind her greatgreat grandmother Queen Victoria.
She is Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations. She is
also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

RBI lifts ban on carrying 1,000, 500 bank notes to and from Nepal, Bhutan
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted ban on carrying Indian bank notes of Rs 1,000 and 500
denominations to and from Nepal, Bhutan.
In this regard RBI has issued a circular that eased the restriction on export and import of
bank notes of 1,000 and 500 denominations for Nepal and Bhutan.
However, RBI has put a limit of carrying such notes at Rs 25,000 per person.
Earlier in May 2000, RBI had imposed ban following the request of Union government to curb
smuggling of counterfeit currency.
Implication: It will provide a great relief to workers from both nations as well as Indian
tourists travelling to Nepal and Bhutan.
Shanta Kumar Committee on Restructuring of FCI submits report to PM

The High Level Committee (HLC) for Restructuring of Food Corporation of India (FCI) chaired
by Shanta Kumar has submitted its report to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Some Recommendations of Shanta Kumar Committee
On procurement related issues:

FCI should hand over all procurement operations of wheat, paddy and rice to Andhra
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab as they have sufficient
experience and reasonable infrastructure for procurement.
FCI procurement should focus on eastern belt, where farmers do not get minimum
support price.
On stocking and movement related issues:
FCI should outsource its stocking operations to various agencies such as Central
Warehousing Corporation (CWC), State Warehousing Corporation (SWC), Private Sector
under Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) scheme.
It should be done on competitive bidding basis, inviting various stakeholders and
creating competition to bring down costs of storage.
Movement of grains should be containerized in order to reduce transit losses. While,
railways should have faster turn-around-time by having more mechanized facilities.
NFSA and PDS related issues
Restructuring the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by virtually diluting its scope and
coverage from 67 per cent of population to about 40 per cent population.
In order to curtail leakages in PDS, government should defer implementation of NFSA
in states that have not done end to end computerization.
End to end computerization:
It recommends end to end computerization of the entire food management system,
starting from procurement from farmers, to stocking, movement and finally distribution
through PDS.
It will help for real time basis monitoring in order to curb leakages.
Background
In August 2014, Union government had set up 8 members High Level Committee (HLC) on
FCI restructuring. It was restructuring chaired by Shanta Kumar.
Other members are: FCI Chairman-cum-Managing Director C Viswanath, Electronic and IT
Secretary Ram Sewak Sharma, Former Chairman of Commission for Agricultural Costs and
Prices (CACP) Ashok Gulati, Chief Secretaries of Punjab and Chhattisgarh; and Academicians
G Raghuram and Gunmadi Nancharaiah of IIM-Ahmedabad.
Thailand impeaches former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Thailands military-appointed legislature

Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
has
voted
to
impeach
former
Prime
She was impeached for her role in overseeing a government rice subsidy program that lost
billions of dollars.
More than three-fifths i.e. 190 legislatures voted against Yingluck in the legislature of 220
members. It should be noted that, for this impeachment more than three-fifths votes of the
legislatures was required.
Most members of the legislature who voted against her are part of the military or political
opponents her government and past governments allied with her brother Thaksin
Shinawatra (former Prime Minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup).
This impeachment means she will be banned from politics for five years.
While, Thailands military government is also planning to indict criminal charges on her for
negligence related to losses and alleged corruption in the rice scheme. If she is convicted,
she could face 10 years in jail.

Saraswathi Menon named on Panel to Review UN Peace-Building
Architecture
Saraswathi Menon, an eminent Indian academician has been named on advisory panel to
Review UN Peace-Building Architecture.
She is among seven experts nominated by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to conduct a

policy and institutional review on UNs peace-building architecture and make
recommendations.
The other 6 experts are: Anis Bajwa (Pakistan), Funmi Olonisakin (Nigeria), Sahel Sahara
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah (Mauritania), Charles Petrie (France), Gert Rosenthal (Guatemala)
and Edith Grace Ssempala (Uganda).
7 experts advisory group function:

It will undertake studies in countries like Burundi, Central African Republic, Sierra
Leone, South Sudan, and Timor-Leste in order to conduct a policy and institutional review of
the UN peace-building architecture.
It will also develop findings and recommendations based on this work.
The group will submit a report to the General Assembly and the Security Council for
further consideration through an inter-governmental process.
Background
Earlier in December 2014, the Presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security
Council had asked the Secretary-General to nominate up to seven experts to form an
Advisory Group on the review of the peace-building architecture.
About Saraswathi Menon

She is former Director of the Policy Division in UN-Women and has extensive
experience as a researcher and academician as well as in the UN system.
Earlier she was Director of UN Development Programmes (UNDP) Evaluation Office.
Her UN career includes experience in both policy and programme areas. She has
served in UNDP as Resident Coordinator, Deputy Resident Representative in various
countries.
Before joining the UNDP, she was lecturer in sociology at the Madras University, Tamil
Nadu.
SBI signs 100 mn euro loan pact with EIB

Indias largest bank State Bank of India (SBI), has signed a loan agreement for 100 million
euro (about Rs 700 crore) with European Investment Bank (EIB).
This agreement was facilitated by SBI Capital Markets, a subsidiary of SBI.
It is the third tranche of a total sanctioned loan of 200 million euro by EIB to SBI for lending
it to private businesses in the country.
SBI will utilize this loan to support the development of private sector in country in particular
for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will be also utilized social and economic
infrastructure as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Earlier on 25 June and 28 November 2014, first tranche of Euro 55 and second tranche of
Euro 45 million was signed between both banks.
India, US inks pact to cooperate in ICTE to facilitate Digital India programme

India and United States have agreed to cooperate in the field of Information and
Communications Technology and Electronics (ICTE) to facilitate Union governments
ambitious Digital India programme(DIP).
In this regard, Joint Declaration of Intent for cooperation was signed by Secretary in the
Department of Electronics and IT- RS Sharma and US Ambassador to India- Richard Rahul
Verma.
Key highlights of Joint Declaration

It will facilitate Union governments flagship DIP, including electronic manufacturing
and cyber security and several other such related fields between the two countries.
Within period of next five years, it will help in strengthening industrial, technological,
research and innovation and economic cooperation between India and the US.
Under the umbrella of the ongoing India-US ICT Dialogue, it will also provide platform
to US companies for exploring opportunities to collaborate in DIP, electronics manufacturing
and human resource development

Jhumpa Lahiri wins DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2015
Indian American Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri has won prestigious DSC Prize
for South Asian Literature 2015. Fifth edition of this prize was announced at the Jaipur
Literature Festival.
She has received the prestigious $50,000 DSC Prize for her bookThe Lowland. Her book
was chosen by 5 judges from 75 books.
The Lowland is a tale of two Indian brothers during time of 1950s in Calcutta. It depicts
story of both brothers one who get involved in the Naxalite movement in the late 1960s and
the other leaves for the United States.
Jhumpa Lahiri
Her original name is Nilanjana Sudeshna.

Works- Her debut short story collection Interpreter of Maladies (1999) has won the
2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Her first novel was Namesake (2003) was adapted in a movie with the same name
which was directed by Mira Nair. Suresh Kalpenn acted in this movie. The Lowland (2013).
Currently, she is a member of US Presidents Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
DSC Prize for South Asian Literature
It is awarded annually to writers of any ethnicity or nationality writing about South

Asia such as culture, politics, history, or people. It was instituted in 2011.
It is funded by infrastructure company the DSC Group.
Other recipients are: Pakistani author H.M. Naqvi (Homeboy)- 2011, Sri Lankan author
Shehan Karunatilaka (Chinaman)-2012, Jeet Thayil(Narcopolis) 2013 and Cyrus Mistry
(Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer)-2014.
US scientists make safe GMO

US scientists have taken the first step towards making safe genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) by using synthetic biology so they cannot spread in the wild.
Using synthetic biology, scientists have re-written the genetic code of bacteria by using
synthetic chemicals to grow them. In this case, scientists have engineered organisms so that
they require synthetic amino acids for survival or for life.
Key characteristic of these GM bacteria is that they die if escaped into nature as they fed
synthetic amino acids for survival.
Implication of this research

Currently, genetically engineered micro-organisms are used in Europe, the US and
China to produce drugs or fuels under contained industrial conditions.
With this GMOs scientist can build safety measures so that their spread could be
controlled and can be used in the outside world.
Now the future challenge is to re-engineer the code of other lifeforms.
Vodafone appoints Sunil Sood as India CEO

Vodafone has appointed Sunil Sood as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its India
operations. He will be first Indian CEO of Vodafone.
He will replace Martin Pieters will step down on 1 April 2015. Presently, he is Chief Operating
Officer (COO) of the company
Martin Pieters was the longest serving CEO of a telecom firm in the country and was CEO
since 2009.
Under Pieters leadership, Vodafone India had doubled its revenues and added more than
100 million customers. He also played important role in increasing market share of Vodafone
India and launched data services which is used by more than 57 million customers.
About Sunil Sood

He is graduate with a B Tech from IIT Delhi and PGDM from IIM Kolkata. He is also a
graduate of Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
In 2000, he had joined Vodafone Indias predecessor business, Hutch and has held
roles leading the companys operations in Gujarat, Kolkata and Chennai.
He had previously worked for Pepsi in a range of Indian and international leadership
roles.

Telugu comedian and director M.S.Narayana passes away
Popular Telugu comedian and director Mylavarapu Surya Narayana has passed away in
Hyderabad, Telangana. He was 63.
He is noted for his comic timing and facial expressions with witty dialogues in Telugu
Cinema.
About Mylavarapu Surya Narayana

He was born on 16 April, 1951 in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
He is popularly known as M.S.Narayana and had acted in over 700 Telugu movies.
He had started his career as a teacher and later graduated into acting.
He had won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor- Telugu film Dookudu. He
also had won Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Award for Best Male Comedian five times for the
films Maa Nanna ki Pelli, Ramsakkanodu, Sardukupodam Randi,Shivamani and Dookudu.
S. Narayana had made his debut as director in the film Koduku with his son Vikram in
2007.
Yemen government resigns under pressure from Shia Houthi rebels

President Mansour Hadi of Yemen along with Prime Minister Khaled Bahah and his cabinet
have resigned.
Yemen governments resignation comes after the President agreed to the demands of Shia
Houthi rebels, who had stormed his palace and private home in Sanaa (Capital of Yemen)
earlier.
However parliament speaker Yahia al-Rai refused to accept the Presidents resignation.
Who are Shia Houthi rebels of Yemen?
This rebel group takes its name from Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, their former
commander, who was killed by Yemeni army forces in September 2004.
They adhere to a branch of Shia Islam known as Zaidism (a sect of Islam exclusively
present in Yemen).
These rebels are members of a group also known as Ansar Allah (Partisans of God).
They are fighting to win greater autonomy for their heartland of Saada province, and also to
protect Zaidi religious and cultural traditions from perceived encroachment by Sunni
Islamists.
It should be noted that Zaidis make up one-third of the population of Yemen. They
had ruled North Yemen under a system known as the imamate for almost 1,000 years which
came to end in 1962.
After death of Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, his successors had led five uprisings. But
in 2010, ceasefire was signed between Yemeni government and Houthi rebels.
But current crisis began after President Hadi had declared that Yemen will be
federation of six regions by drafting constitution in February 2014.
Houthi rebels have rejected this draft constitution creating federation of six regions in
Yemen.
Saudi Arabias King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz passes away

Saudi Arabias King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has passed away. He was 93-year old
patriarch.
Abdullahs brother Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is his successor and new King of Saudi
Arabia. Salman in turn, has named his half-brother Muqrin as the new crown prince and his
heir.
Earlier, king Salman was the Crown Prince and defence minister since 2012. He was also the
Governor of Riyadh province for five decades before that.
About Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

He was born in Riyadh in August 1924 (although actual date is disputed).
In 1962, he was appointed commander of the Saudi National Guard.
In 1982, he became crown prince and first deputy prime minister when King Fahd
succeeded King Khalid.
In August 2005, he succeeded to the throne following the death of then King Fahd. He
had handled the affairs of the country for a decade, before when his predecessor King Fahd
suffered a debilitating stroke.
He played important role in introducing the cautious changes in ultraconservative
Muslim kingdom by bringing significant reforms in the country. These include increased
womens rights and economic deregulation.
Under his leadership Saudi Kingdom joined hand with its powerful ally U.S. to fight
against al-Qaida.
King Abdullah had been the guiding force behind Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) as the Head of worlds largest crude oil producer and exporter.

Supreme Court bars N Srinivasan from contesting BCCI elections
Supreme Court (SC) has barred Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President-in-exile
N Srinivasan, from contesting any BCCI election on grounds of conflict of interest.
This judgment was given by two-member SC bench of Justices T S Thakur and F M I
Khalifulla.
SC judgment in case BCCI elections

It struck down the Amendment in the BCCI rules that allowed Srinivasan to own IPL
team. It mentioned the Amendment is bad as conflict of interest in cricket leads to great
confusion.
No one who has commercial interest including N Srinivasan shall be eligible for any
post in the BCCI and so he is disqualified on the ground of commercial interest.
The Bench directed BCCI to hold fresh elections of office bearers within six weeks.
The SC bench also held that charges against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team official
Gurunath Meiyappan (son in law of Srinivasan) and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra
stands proved in the 2013 IPL betting scam. However, charges against Srinivasan were not
proved.
Along with judgment, SC also set up a judges committee under a former Chief Justice of
India to decide on the punishment in the 2013 IPL betting scam.
Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki sworn-in as governor of Punjab

Haryana governor Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki took over the additional charge of Governor
of Punjab. He will be 34th governor of Punjab.
He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court
Shiavax Jal Vazifdar at Punjab Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh.
He was given the additional charge of Punjab after the tenure of then governor Shivraj V
Patil retired on 21 January 2015 after his tenure came to an end.
Constitutional provisions of Governor

Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But 7th
Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the same person as a
governor for two or more states.
Article 156: Governor is appointed by President and hold office during the pleasure
of President. It should be also noted that this article also mentions tenure of Governor. In this
regard it says that Governor shall hold office for the term of 5 years from date he enters
office.
Union Government launches Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign

Union Government has launched ambitious Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao(BBBP) campaign to

save and empower girl child.
The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat in Haryana.
Why Haryana was chosen to launch Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign?

Haryana was chosen to launch the nation-wide Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao initiative
because of the skewed sex ratio in the state.
It has one of the lowest Child Sex Ratio in country which stands at 879 girls per 1,000
boys as against the national child sex ratio of 918 girls per 1000 boys.
Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao (BBBP)campaign
It aims to spread awareness about the declining trend of Child Sex Ratio in the
country.
Objective: To prevent gender biased sex selective elimination by strict enforcement
of laws with stringent punishment to violators.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), is the nodal agency for the
implementation of the scheme. While, Centre has provided initial corpus of 100 crore rupees
for it.
It will be implemented in 100 districts of the country, including 12 districts of
Haryana.
In this regard, union government will try to ensure access and availability of essential
requirements related to nutrition, health-care, education, protection and elimination of
discrimination of girl child.
This scheme will also generate awareness and improve the efficiency of delivery of
welfare services meant for women.

Keralas Periyar tiger reserve wins NTCA biennial award
Periyar Tiger Reserve located in Kerala has won the National Tiger Conservation Authority
(NTCA) biennial award for encouraging local public participation in managing the reserve.
Public participation in managing the Periyar Tiger Reserve

India Eco-Development project (IEDP): Peoples participation started in the
reserve in December 1996 by establishing India Eco-Development project (IEDP). It was a
community-based eco-tourism initiative, which promoted tourism activities which helped
visitors. It also promoted pepper growing in this region and marketing it.
Periyar Foundation: Later in 2006, reserve set up the Periyar Foundation which was
a model for other reserves in biodiversity conservation and community participation in
managing natural resources. It involved 75 communities living around the reserve, including
tribal people.
There are around 19 different eco-tourism programmes apart from village ecodevelopment programmes for public participation in managing the reserve.
Union Budget Session will begin on February 23

The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on 23 February 2015.

Railway Budget will be presented on 26 February, while Economic Survey on 27 February.
It will be first full-year General Budget of the NDA government under the leadership of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi. It will be presented on 28 February 2015.
These dates were announced by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs that met
under the chairmanship of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu.
Some facts
Budget is a statement of the estimates receipts and expenditure of Union
Government in a financial year.
Constitutional provisions of Budget are mentioned Article 112. It should be noted that
word Budget is not mentioned in Constitution rather it is referred as Annual Financial
Statement.
Budget is presented in two parts namely: The Railway Budget and the General
Budget.
Railway Budget: It is estimates of receipts and expenditure of Ministry of Railways
only .
General Budget: It is estimates of receipts and expenditure of all Ministries of
Union Government.
Microsoft unveils virtual assistant Cortana for Windows handsets

Technology giant Microsoft has unveiled virtual assistant-Cortana for Windows Phone
handsets.
Cortana is female voice-controlled application. It uses Microsofts search engine Bing and
data stored on the handsets to make personalised recommendations and carry out tasks.
It is named after AI system in the firms Halo video game franchise.
Initially, it will be made available in US, then in UK and China and finally other markets as
part of a wider Windows Phone 8.1 system software update.
It should be noted that Apple and Google already offer comparable facilities on their iOS and
Android platforms.

Economist Bibek Debroy takes over as member of NITI Aayog
Economist Bibek Debroy has taken over as the full-time member of National Institution for
Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
Bibek Debroy
He has been working as a professor at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.
Previously he has worked as Director of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary
Studies and as a Consultant in Finance Ministry in various capacities.
He was also the Chairman of High Powered Committee of the restructuring on
Railways.
He has been associated with a number of prestigious institutes in the field of
academics. It includes Presidency College Kolkata Delhi School of Economics Gokhale
Institute of Politics and Economics, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, the National Council
of Applied Economic Research, Trinity College, Cambridge, and institute for South Asian
Studies , Singapore.
He has authored several books, papers and articles on Economic issues. He also has
authored a ten-volume unabridged English translation of the Hindu epic the Mahabharata.
Background
Earlier on 5 January 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appointed Bibek Debroy along
with Scientist V K Saraswat as full time member of NITI Aayog.
Union Government launches HRIDAY scheme

Union government has launched a Heritage City Development and Augmentation
Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme to preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the
country.
Union governments ambitious Rs 500 crore HRIDAY project was launched by Urban
Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi.
In the initial phase, 12 heritage cities have been identified which will be rejuvenated and
developed under HRIDAY.
The 12 cities are: Amritsar, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Ajmer, Mathura, Dwarka, Badami,
Velankanni, Kanchipuram, Warangal and Amaravati.
HRIDAY- Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana
It aims to bring urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation together
for heritage cities.
It also seeks beautification in an inclusive and integrated manner with focus on
cleanliness, livelihoods, skills, safety, security, accessibility and faster service delivery of
heritage cities.
Heritage management plan (HMP) will be prepared for the identified cities which will
outline heritage resources and develop policies to guide their conservation, restoration,
future use and development.
It will seek to improve last-mile connectivity heritage sites by documentation,
conservation of areas, providing more facilities for women, senior citizens and differently
abled citizens.
HRIDAY will be dovetailed with the Tourism Ministrys Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and
Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme which has an outlay of Rs 100 crore for
augmentation of infrastructure at pilgrimage sites across the country.
Cyberabad CP awarded by ECI for Best Electoral Practices-2014

Cyberabad Police Commissioner (PC) CV Anand has been conferred with the Election
Commission of Indias (ECIs) National Special Category Award for the Best Electoral
Practices- 2014.
He has been bestowed this award for the commendable election related measures taken by
him in the area of Expenditure Monitoring and Tackling Money Power during the General
Elections of 2014.
He will receive the award in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on January 25 on the occasion of
National Voters Day Function.
ECIs National Special Category Award

It was instituted in 2011.
It recognises the efforts and innovations of the officers and to commend and
encourage individual and team accomplishments in diverse fields of election management.
It carries a cash reward of Rs 50,000 along with a plaque and citation.
Lok Sabha election 2014 was the first General Election after Institution of the award.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana features into Guinness book of World
Records
NDA governments flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has
entered into Guinness book of World Records.
Guinness book of World Records has given certificate stating it as most bank accounts
opened in one week.
In one week, 18,096,130 bank accounts were opened as part of the financial inclusion
campaign from 23rd to 29th August, 2014. It was achieved by the Department of Financial
Services (Government of India).
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the goal of eradicating
financial untouchability of the poor by opening at least one bank account for every family in
the country in less than six months.
It seeks to financially empower the poor by providing them access to formal banking
system.
It also seeks to provide platform for Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) which will curb
leakages in government subsidies and thus saving government exchequer.
Initially, after its launch the scheme had a target of opening 7.5 crore bank accounts
by 26 January, 2015, but later it was revised and raised to 10 crore bank accounts.
As on 17th January 2015, PMJDY has achieved feat of opening of 11.50 crore bank
accounts under it in the short span of 5 months since it was launched.
Japanese automaker Toyota tops in global vehicle sales

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp. has topped in global vehicle sales in 2014 by
selling 10.23 million vehicles, beating Volkswagen and General Motors.
While, Germen automaker Volkswagen AG is second in global vehicle sales list and has sold
10.14 million vehicles in 2014.
Detroit-based General Motors (GM) is third in the list and has sold at 9.92 million vehicles.
Some facts
In 2014, Toyotas sales grew 6 per cent in the U.S, 13 per cent in China, and 10 per
cent in Brazil compared to year 2013.
But in 2011, company had suffered a setback in top position rank, when its
production was hit by the earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan but it made a
comeback as No. 1 in 2012.
It should be noted that, GM was top-selling automaker for more than seven decades.
But in 2008, it was surpassed by Toyota.
Twitter buys Indian start-up ZipDial

Leading social networking website Twitter has bought Indian mobile marketing start-up
ZipDial. It will be first Indian technology product startup to be bought by Twitter.
This deal is expected to cost Twitter around $34-35 million (Rs 215 crore).
About ZipDial
It is Bengaluru based startup, founded in 2011. It is co-founded by Valerie Wagoner,
an American origin entrepreneur who graduated from Stanford University.
ZipDials mobile marketing platform gives information about businesses to users
when they place a missed call.
This interaction information is useful in areas where people arent always connected
to the Internet or can access data only through intermittent Wi-Fi networks
Its mobile mobile marketing platform has nearly 60 million users, which includes the
worlds leading brands and media companies.

EU decides to lift ban on import of mangoes from India
European Union (EU) has decided to lift seven-month-long ban on the import of mangoes
from India. In this regard, a European Commission committee unanimously voted to lift the
ban.
The ban was lifted after an audit carried out by the European Commissions Food and
Veterinary Office in India in September 2014.
This audit had showed that India worlds biggest producer of mangoes have made significant
improvements in the phytosanitary export certification system of mangoes.
Background
EU had imposed temporary ban on import of mangoes from in 1 May 2014 after
authorities in Brussels found consignments of the premium Alphonso mangoes infested with
fruit flies.
Along with Alphonso mangoes they also had banned import of 4 vegetablesaubergines, bitter gourds, snake gourds and patra leaves.
They had imposed ban citing the reason that fruit flies from these consignments may
damage European salad crops.
However, it should be noted that EU has not lifted ban on these 4 vegetables and will be
reviewed at later stage after collecting more evidence.
India ranks 78th globally in Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2014
India ranked 78th globally in Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2014 list of
93 countries in terms of talent competitiveness of its human capital.
This GTCI list was compiled by INSEAD business school in partnership with Adecco and
Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore (HCLI).
GTCI measures a nations competitiveness based on the quality of talent it can produce,
attract and retain.
Key facts of Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 2014 list
Top twenty scoring countries in the GTCI 2014 are all high-income countries. While,
the top rankings were dominated by European countries, with only six non-European
countries in the top 20 which included Singapore (2nd), the United States (4th), Canada
(5th), Australia (9th), New-Zealand (16th) and Japan (20th).
Rich countries were able to top in the list, since they tend to have better universities
and a greater ability to attract foreign talents through higher quality of life and
remuneration, making them more talent competitive.
Top 10 in GTCI list: Switzerland (1st), Singapore (2nd), Luxembourg (3rd), United
States (4th) and Canada (5th), Sweden (6th), United Kingdom (7th), Denmark (8th),
Australia (9th) and Ireland (10th).
Indias lower position indicates acute shortage of skilled workforce. It also ranks at
last among BRICS members.
Indias neighbuors in GTCI list: China (41th), Sri Lanka (76th), Pakistan (89th),
Bangladesh (90th).
Union Government launches monitoring system for skill development scheme

Union Government has launched Management Information System (MIS) to check
progress and implementation of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) scheme in different
states.
MIS aims to check real time progress on skill development and enhancing livelihood
opportunities for urban poor under DAY scheme.
It was launched by Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
Key facts about Management Information System (MIS)

This system is developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) at a cost of Rs 2.24
crore.
It enables real time and regular monitoring of the progress of DAY scheme and its
seven components which include employment through skill training and placement, selfemployment groups, shelters for urban homeless and support to urban vendors.
It will help to remove the deficiencies in the present manual submission of monthly
progress reports which are submitted by states.

Punjab government launches e-stamping project
Punjab government has launched e-stamping project in the state. It was launched by state
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
This project seeks to computarise revenue departments of the state in order to remove
malpractices and end leakage of government revenue. It also seeks to make revenue
transactions safe and secure.
Key facts
At present, e-stamping has been initiated as a pilot project in five districts of state.
They are Mohali, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Bathinda.
All districts of state will be covered under this project by 31 March 2015.
This project will help citizens to pay the exact fee through a wire transfer, a draft or
even a cheque for stamp instead of buying it from middlemen at higher cost.
E-stamps have various safety features which includes a unique ID generated by
computer and could be verified online and also UV, ultra violet, micro film and thermal
fixtures besides an encrypted 2 D bar code.
Maharashtra government declares Chandrapur as dry district

Maharashtra Government has declared mineral rich Chandrapur district (in Vidarbha
region) as dry district.
Thus imposing ban on the sale, purchase, production and consumption of liquor in the
district.
In this regard, state government has cancelled all alcohol permits in Chandrapur district and
henceforth will be shifted to other districts.
Chandrapur district is third district in state to be declared dry district. The demand for
banning liquor in Chandrapur was made in late 2010, following which a committee was set
up by state government. Thus, this decision was taken that in the interest of health of the
people of Chandrapur, liquor consumption must be prohibited.
Earlier, Wardha and Gadchiroli districts from same region were declared dry districts.
Wardha was declared dry district as it is closely linked to Mahatma Gandhi with his ashram
situated in Sevagram.
While, in the case of Gadchiroli the decision to declare it as a dry district was taken in 1992
owing to a public outcry to ban alcohol in view of growing Naxal movement.
Indias Tigers population increases by 30% since 2011

As per tiger census report 2014, the population of tigers in India has increased from 1,706 in
2011 to 2,226 in 2014.
This tiger census report was released by Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar.
Key facts of tiger census report 2014

It shows an increase of 30 per cent in countrys tiger population compared to 2011
tiger census report.
The latest tiger census figures show that Karnataka has the highest number of tigers
in the age group of 1.5 years and more. It has 408 tigers in that age group.
While census figures show that 340 tigers are in Uttarakhand, 308 in Madhya
Pradesh, 229 in Tamil Nadu, 190 in Maharashtra, 167 in Assam, 136 in Kerala and 117 in
Uttar Pradesh.
As per new census, India is estimated to be home to around 70% of the worlds
tigers.
For census, total of 3,78,118 sq km of forest area in 18 tiger states was surveyed with
a total of 1,540 unique tiger photo captures.
Tiger census
In India, tiger census is carried out after a gap of every three years by the National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA).
2008 tiger census: Tiger population estimated was 1,411.
2011 tiger census: Tiger population estimated was 1,706.

First successful organ donation from newborn takes place in UK
Doctors from United Kingdom (UK) have carried out the first successful organ donation from
a newborn baby.
It is considered as a milestone in neonatal care after donors kidneys and liver were used to
save the lives of two patients.
Successful organ donation involved

Kidneys, which were transplanted into a patient with renal failure.
Liver cells (hepatocytes), which were transfused into a further recipient.
The donor was six-day-old baby girl who had died after she was born in extremely poor
health. After donors death, her parents had given their consent for organ donation in order
to benefit of other sick patients.
Implication: In future organ donation from newborns will play significant role in
saving the lives sick newborns dying due to organ failure.
Indias growth to reach 6.3 per cent in 2016: UN WESP report

According to the United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP)
2015 report, Indias growth in terms of GDP is expected to reach 5.9 per cent in 2015 and
6.3 per cent in 2016.
Key highlights of report

India: Its growth recovery is partly the result of improved market sentiment after the
new government took office in the second quarter of 2014 and had announced plans to
reform the bureaucracy, labour laws and public subsidies.
South Asia: Economic growth in South Asia is set to gradually pick up from an
estimated 4.9 percent in 2014 to 5.4 percent in 2015 and 5.7 percent in 2016. India, will
account for about 70 percent of regional output in South Asia.
Average inflation in this region is expected remain moderate at 7.8 percent in 2015
and 7.2 percent in 2016, as commodity prices are likely remain subdued and domestic
demand picks up gradually.
Global economy: It is expected to grow at 3.1 percent in 2015 and 3.3 percent in
2016, compared with an estimated growth of 2.6 percent in 2014.
About United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report
This report is published at the beginning of each year by the combined efforts of
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
5 UN regional commissions.
World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Australian cricketer David Warner fined over speak English incident

Australian cricketer David Warner was fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over
speak in English spat with Indian counterpart Rohit Sharma.
He was fined 50 per cent of his match fee over the incident.
Incident: David Warner had demanded Sharma speak English instead of his native Hindi
during India- Australias tri-series ODI match held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The incident was sparked after India batsman Rohit Sharma ran a contentious single off an
overthrow the Australians believed came after Warners return deflected off Sharma. It
should be noted that Cricket etiquette dictates that batsmen do not run when a throw
deflects off their body or bat.

Union Government reconstitutes Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
Union Government has reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). In this
regard, government has appointed 1 chairperson and 9 board members.
Chairperson: Filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani was appointed chairperson. He will be
office in for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
9 Members are: BJP leader Vani Tripathi Tikoo, filmmakers Ashoke Pandit and
Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, film writer Mihir Bhuta, Syed Abdul Bari, Ramesh Patange,
actor George Baker, actor-filmmaker Jeevitha and actor- playwright S Ve Shekhar.
Background
Earlier, then Chairperson of CBFC Leela Samson had resigned after Film Certification
Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) cleared the controversial film Messenger of God featuring Dera
Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role.
As the Chairperson of Censor Board she had denied the clearance certificate to the
film saying that the movie depicts Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh as a God.
Following her resignation, 9 board members also had resigned creating vacancies in
the booard.
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)

It is a statutory body under the aegis of Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The Board, consists of non-official members and a Chairman (all of them are appointed by
Union Government)
Headquarters: Mumbai.
Its function is to regulate the public exhibition of films in India under the provisions of the
Cinematograph Act 1952 by granting them certificate under 4 categories. They are
U: Unrestricted Public Exhibition.
UA: Unrestricted Public Exhibition- but with a word of caution that Parental discretion
required for children below 12 years.
A: Restricted to adults.
S: Restricted to any special class of persons.
Eminent political scientist Rajni Kothari passes away

Eminent political scientist, scholar and former Planning Commission member Rajni
Kothari passed away in New Delhi. He was 86.
About Rajni Kothari

He was born on 16th August, 1928.
He was a well-known political thinker, political theorist, academician and writer.
He had started his career as a lecturer at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
(Baroda University). In 1961, for first time he received recognition when his essays
series, Form and Substance in Indian Politics were published in Economic and Political
Weekly (then Economic Weekly) over six issues.
In 1963, he had founded Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) a
social sciences and humanities research institute based in New Delhi.
In 1980, he had founded Lokayan (Dialogue of the People), a forum for interaction
between activists and intellectuals.
He was member of the Planning Commission during the national Front Government
led by then Prime Minister V P Singh.
He was also associated with number of prestigious institutions including Indian
Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), International Foundation for Development
Alternatives and Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
Books: His famous published works include Politics in India (1970), Caste in Indian
Politics and Rethinking Democracy (1973), In Search of Humane World Order Poverty: Human
Consciousness (1989) and the Amnesia of Development and Communalism in Indian Politics
(1995).
Awards: In 1985 on behalf of Lokayan, he has received the Right Livelihood

Awardfrom the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm (widely referred as the Alternative Nobel
Prize). He has also received the UGCs Swami Pranavananda Award in Political Science.
IIT, ONGC ink MoU to develop indigenous technologies to enhance oil

exploration
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) have
signed a Memorandum of Collaboration to develop indigenous technologies to enhance oil
exploration.
It was signed in the presence of the Union Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti
Irani and the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan in New
Delhi.
Key facts
As per Memorandum of Collaboration both parties will work towards a collective
Research and Development Programme.
This programme will aim for developing indigenous technologies to enhance
exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons and alternate sources of energy.
It is a long-term initiative between both parties for sustained research, development
and capacity building.
It will provide a multi-pronged approach that will help to foster research capability
and transform experiential based learning in oil exploration sector.
It will also help to realize full potential of Indias inherent strengths to develop
indigenous technologies in order to make country global leader in this sector.

World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi
The World Future Energy Summit 2015 has begun in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It is eight edition of the summit and will be four day event.
It will provide platform to delegates including world leaders, international policy makers,
industry leaders, investors, experts, academia, intellectuals and journalists from all over the
world including India.
Delegates will discuss the future of renewable energy and how to overcome the challenges
in tapping potential of it.
Key highlights of World Future Energy Summit

It will provide a platform for commercial solutions to clean and green energy.
It will include exhibition of first-of-its-kind, fully integrated hybrid product that
captures both solar and wind energy to provide more consistent power generation.
Summit will also display a mobile solar power plant on a trailer with a 4.8 kWp
capacity and battery storage of up to 20 kWh and a new turbine that converts energy from
sea waves.
It will also display parabolic sun-dish concentrators combined with a specialized
steam generator suitable for enhanced oil recovery, power generation, water desalination
operations and power generations are on display.
United Nation and Mali government declares country Ebola-free

Mali Government has declared country Ebola free. It was announced after no new case of
deadly virus was reported in last 42-day period (i.e. two incubation periods of 21 days
for Ebola virus).
While, United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) has also declared
that Mali as Ebola free.
Key facts
Mali was the sixth West African country to record cases of Ebola virus.
First case was reported in October 2014.
As per World Health Organisation (WHO) in Mali, in total 8 cases were reported, killing
6 of them.
According to WHO, it is the worst Ebola (viral haemorrhagic fever) outbreak in history which
has infected at least 21,296 people.
Till date deadly Ebola virus has killed more than 8,400 people mostly from West African
countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Indian-American Frank Islam presented with Martin Luther King Award

Frank Islam, an eminent Indian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist has been

presented with the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr Award.
He was given the award for his contribution to the legacy of the great leader through his
efforts in international service and civil engagement.
About Frank Islam

He was born in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh to a peasant father. He had moved to US
when he was only 15 years old.
He is an entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.
In 1993, he had bought a struggling IT company in Maryland. Later in 2007, he sold it
to spent rest of his life in philanthropy, both in India and the US.
Currently, he heads the FI Invest Group a firm that he established after selling his IT
Company.
He is also board member of several think tanks, academic and cultural organisations
including pretigious Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts, the Brookings Institute and US
Institute of Peace.
Books: He has written two well-regarded books on the American condition. They are
Working the Pivot Points: To Make America Work Again (2013). Renewing the American
Dream: A Citizens Guide for Restoring Our Competitive Advantage (2010).
Martin Luther King Jr Award
It is an annual award started in 1991.
It honors the legacy of noble peace recipient civil right leader Martin Luther King Jr
and the legendary Dorothy I Height and their impacts both at home and abroad.

2014 hottest year on record: US scientists
According to US scientists, year 2014 was the hottest year on record, with global average
temperature increasing about 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880.
It was revealed by two separate analyses carried out by NASA and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Key outcomes
10 warmest years since records began in the 19th century have all been since 1997.
In 2014, record temperatures were spread around the globe. It included most of
Europe stretching into northern Africa, the western United States, far eastern Russia into
western Alaska, parts of interior South America, parts of eastern and western coastal
Australia and elsewhere.
Recent trends of warming have been dominated by human emissions of greenhouse
gases.
Earlier, it was thought of chaotic weather patterns. But later it was considered that
year-to-year fluctuations in average global temperature are caused by phenomena such as
El Nino or La Nina.
El Nino or La Nina phenomena generally warm or cool the tropical Pacific oceanic
region and are thought to have played a role in the flattening of the long-term warming
trend over the past 15 years.
However, 2014s record warmth occurred during an El Nino-neutral year.
Andhra Pradesh government signs pact with ICRISAT to boost sustainable

farming
January 18, 20154 Comments
Andhra Pradesh government has signed a pact with the International Crop Research Institute
for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to boost sustainable farming in the state.
In this regard, Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by state government with
ICRISAT.
Key highlights of agreement

It seeks to provide assistance in making agriculture sustainable and profitable in
state by increasing productivity of agriculture and allied sectors.
Strategy paper: ICRISAT will prepare a strategy paper for primary sector mission,
hold research and development (R&D) and establish sites of learning in districts of Andhra
Pradesh.
Use of Technology: Best technological tools and scientific practices from across the
world will be incorporated into primary sector activities of state.
International expertise: ICRISAT will bring in international expertise from CGIAR

centres. It will include consortium of international organisations like International Livestock
Research Centre (ILRI), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), International Water
Management (IWMI), Asia Vegetable Research and Development Centre (AVRDC),
International Centre for Improvement of Maize and Development Centre (AVRDC), World Fish
Centre and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
This consortium will also bring in regional and national research institutions for the
benefit of farmers.
Pilot sites: It will be established in 13 districts (10,000 hectares each) of state to
educate farmers for increasing productivity, profitability and sustainability through scienceled development and climate-smart agriculture
Quality assurance system for soil analytical laboratories: It will be developed
to undertake capacity building for staff and upgrade existing soil labs for nutrient profile
analysis.
Publicprivate partnership (PPP): ICRISAT will assist state government in
developing PPP mode guidelines, mobilise private entrepreneurs and organise a Global
Investors Meet.

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani lays Foundation stone of IIM-Visakhapatnam
Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has laid the foundation stone for Indian Institute of
Management (IIM)-Visakhapatnam at Gambheeram village of Visakhapatnam district of
Andhra Pradesh.
Key facts
It is the first institution among the 11 Central premier institutions to be established in
the state as per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
IIM- Visakhapatnam will start its functioning from 2015-16 from the campus of Andhra
University till the construction of campus is completed.
It should be noted that IIM- Visakhapatnam will be fourteenth IIM of the country.
Union Government is also planning to introduce a bill on Indian Institutes of Management
(IIMs) in Parliament, in order to empower these public, autonomous institutes to award MBA
degrees instead of postgraduate diploma certificates.
5th General Assembly of IRENA begins in Abu Dhabi

The 5th General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has
began in Abu Dhabi.
Government leaders from more than 150 countries including India and representatives from
more than 110 international organizations are taking part in this two day meet.
5th meet of IRENA seeks to address global issues like enhancing the share of renewable
energy in the overall energy mix and to tackle global challenges like climate change, energy
access and energy security.
About International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

It is an intergovernmental organization to promote adoption and sustainable use of
renewable energy. It is the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information
exchange within its member nations.
It was founded in 2009 and its statute entered into force on 8 July 2010.
Headquarters: Abu Dhabi.
Members: In total it has 138 Members. India is one of the 33 Permanent members of IRENA.
Winners of mens & womens single title of Sydney International Tennis

tournament
Mens single title

Viktor Troicki of Serbia has won the mens single title of Sydney International Tennis
tournament 2015.
In the finals, he defeated Russias Mikhail Kukushkin by score of 6-2, 6-3.
It is Viktor Troickis 2nd career title. His first title was 2010 Kremlin Cup.
Womens single title

Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic has won the womens single title of Sydney International
Tennis tournament 2015.
In the finals, she defeated Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic by score of 7-6, 7-6.
It is Petra Kvitovas 15th career title. She is two times Wimbledon Champion (2011 and
2014) and currently ranked World no. 4.
Sydney International Tennis Tournament
It is also known as Apia International Sydney, is one of the oldest professional tennis
tournaments in the world, dating to 1885.
It is currently noted as an ATP 250 point event on the mens tour and a WTA Premier
event on the womens tour.
It is played annually at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre in Homebush, New
South Wales, Australia.
IAF gets first indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

First indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was handed

over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at
ceremony held at Bengaluru, Karanataka.
It was handed over after it was granted Initial Operational Clearance (IOC)-II,
which signifies that aircraft is airworthy to fly in different conditions.
About Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas
Tejas is outcome of Indias LCA programme, which began in the 1983 to
replace countrys aging MiG-21 fighters.
It is a lightweight multi-role jet fighter indigenously-built by stateowned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
It is a tailless and having compound delta wing design. It is powered by
a single engine.
It is mounted with inbuilt MultiMode Radar (MMR), Radar Warning
Receiver (RWR) systems.
As part of LCA programme, 20 aircraft will be built by 2017-2018, to
make the first squadron of the aircraft.
IOC-I was granted to the aircraft in January 2011 after it was built by
HAL. While, IOC- II was granted in September 2014, after the aircraft
successfully completed its maiden flight.
It is yet to receive the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) and excepted
to receive it by the year-end which includes testing mid-air refuelling and
its long-range missiles capabilities.
President launches pulse polio immunization programme

President
Pranab
Mukherjee
has
launched
the Pulse
Polio
Immunization(PPI) Programme by administering polio drops to children at
the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
It was launched by President ahead of the National Immunization Day which
is observed on 18 January.
PPI Programme is a Government drive to sustain polio eradication from the
country. As part of it children less than 5 years of age are given polio vaccine
drops.
Background
Since 1995, India has been implementing the Pulse Polio
Immunization Programme.
On 27 March 2014, India and 7 other Asian countries were declared
polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
7 other Asian countries are: Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea,
Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives and Myanmar.
It should be noted that WHO declares any country polio free if no case
is reported for three consecutive years.
Key facts about Polio
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects

young children below age of 5.
Transmission: The virus is transmitted from person-to-person. It
mainly spreads through the faecal-oral route (e.g. contaminated water or
food). After entering body, it multiplies in the intestine, from where it can
invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
Symptoms: Initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache,
vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In some cases, it
causes permanent paralysis. There is no cure for polio, it can only be
prevented by immunization.
You may read

Programme here
more
about Pulse
Polio
Immunization(PPI)
New travel and trade rules between US and Cuba come into effect
New travel and trade rules between the United States (US) and Cuba have come into effect
on 16 January 2015.
It is considered as biggest policy shift between the two countries in more than 50 years after
restrictions were imposed on travel and trade .
New travel and trade rules between the US and Cuba

It allows US citizens to use credit cards in Cuba and US businesses to export some
technologies. Earlier this facility was not available to US citizens.
It also allowed US citizens to take home up to 100 dollar in alcohol and tobacco from
Cuba.
Background
These new travel and trade rules are implemented after US and Cuba agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties between the two countries in December 2014.
Enmity between US government and Cubas communist government started in 1959
after the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro had overthrown then Cuban President
Fulgencio Batista.
In 1961, Cuba had broken all its diplomatic relations with US and had joined hands
with US cold war rival Soviet Union. During this time, US had imposed travel and trade ban
on Cuba.
Enmity between both nations had attained its peak in 1962 after Cuban missile crisis
that brought whole world to the brink of nuclear war.
But after the fall of Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba was left alone without any strong
international support.
Union Government launches schemes to support entrepreneurs from

Scheduled Castes
Union Government has launched Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes
Scheme to encourage budding and existing entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes (SCs).
It was launched by Union Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot in Delhi.
Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes Scheme

Objectives: To promote entrepreneurship amongst the SCs who are oriented towards
innovation and technological growth by providing concessional finance to them. It also seeks
to enhance direct and indirect employment generation for SC population.
It consists of an initial capital of Rs. 200 crore.
Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) Limited will be the Sponsor this scheme.
While, Settler and Asset Management Company (AMC) will be nodal agency to operate the
scheme.
Under this scheme, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will provide
assistance of Rs. 15 crore to each 30 persons a year, in the form of loan.
Union Cabinet gives nod to FM Phase 3 auction

Union Cabinet has given its nod for conducting FM Phase-III auction and renewal of Private
FM Radio licenses from Phase-II to Phase-III in 69 existing cities for 135 channels.
It was decided in Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key facts of FM Phase-III auction

The Phase III will e-auction around 839 FM channels in 294 cities. It is expected to
commence before the end of the present fiscal year. However, it will continue over the next
three years.
It will be done according to recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of
India (TRAI) on payment of migration fee.
Union Government already had appointed an e-auctioneer to monitor the e-auction.
Successful auctions of all proposed channels in Phase-III seeks to add an estimated
revenue of over 550 crore to the National Exchequer.
Background
Earlier, the decision relating to Phase-III was taken by then Union Cabinet of UPA
Government on 7 July 2011.
But it was delayed as channel auction was proposed on e-auction basis.
In March 2014, the Empowered Committee had decided to charge a fee for migration
to existing operators who wanted to move to Phase-III.
In India, as of now two phases of Private FM Radio have been implemented. They are Phase-I
(1999-2000) and Phase-II (2005-06). While, there are 243 private FM channels operating in
86 cities of the country, spanning 26 States and three Union Territories.
Thus, cabinets decision for auction is critical for the private radio industry since some of the
licenses of the channels are expiring on 31 March, 2015.

Tribal Food Festival-2015 begins in New Delhi
Tribal Food Festival-2015 has begun in New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Union Tribal Affairs
Minister Jual Oram.
It is 3 day event organized by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India
(TRIFED) on behalf of the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The main objective of Tribal Food Festival-2015 is to introduce and create awareness on the
varieties of ethnic Tribal Foods to the people of Delhi. It also seeks to provide additional
source of income to the tribals.
In this unique event, tribals from various States including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland and Odisha have participated.
Missing Mars probe Beagle 2 found on Mars after 11 years

A British-built space probe Beagle 2 has been found on the surface of Mars, 11 years after it
was thought that it was lost on Mars.
It was discovered in the high-resolution images taken by HiRISE camera mounted on NASAs
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).
Thus, its discovery has ended the decade long mystery of what happened to the mission
since 2003.
After the discovery, the Royal Society has announced an award in commemoration of Prof
Colin Pillinger (died in 2014) who was Principal Investigator of Beagle2 probe.
About Beagle2
Beagle2 was released to its landing trajectory from its mother craft- European Space
Agencys Mars Express (MEx) orbiter on 19 December 2003.
After its release, it was due to land six days later on Mars surface using parachutes
and airbags.
But nothing was heard from probes radio contact after its scheduled touchdown.
It was assumed by many scientists that it had been destroyed in a high-velocity
impact during landing.

Veteran freedom fighter Ghelubhai Naik passes away
Veteran Gandhian and freedom fighter Ghelubhai Naik passed away in Dangs district of
Gujarat. He was 90.
He was well-known for his social work and tribal development in Dangs district of Gujarat.
About Ghelubhai Naik

Being Gandhian and freedom fighter, he was close to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Following Gandhian principles, he started his social work in Dangs as the Sarvodaya
worker in 1948.
He along with Chunilal Vaidya had set up Swaraj ashram in Dangs district for
spreading the education among the tribal.
He also played important role in changing names of thousands of tribal people, who
earlier beared names like Ravio, Thagio, Nariyo etc, in order to bring them in mainstream
society.
His lifelong social work played key role in promoting education, de-addiction and
spreading awareness about health and upliftment of Dangi tribe.
J&K wins National e-Governance award 2014-15 for best district-level

initiative
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been selected for National e-Governance award 2014-15
for its best district level initiative in the country.
J&K state has been selected for this award by Department of Administrative Reforms for
its e-Panchayat project.
This award will be presented during 18th National Conference on e-Governance to be held at
Gandhinagar, Gujarat on January 30-31, 2015.
Background
J&Ks e-Panchayat project was shortlisted among 53 nominees for spot study which
was done by PriceWater Coopers Ltd and officers of Department of Administrative Reforms of
PMO in November-December 2014.
Finally it was is selected by the by jury headed by Secretary Administrative Reforms
and conferred after approval of Prime Minister who heads Ministry of Personnel, Department
of Administrative Reforms.
J&Ks e-Panchayat project

It was launched in 2013-14 for strengthening 147 panchayats in the state.
This project provided platform for a decentralized regime of panchayats in the state by
shifting the service delivery from block level to panchayat level.
National e-Governance award

It was instituted in 1997. It is given by Department of Administrative Reforms.
Purpose of the award

It recognizes the achievements in the area of e-Governance.
It seeks to disseminate knowledge on effective methods of designing and
implementing sustainable e-Governance initiatives.
Encourage incremental innovations in successful e-Governance solutions.
Promote and exchange experiences in solving problems, Mitigating risks, resolving

issues and planning for success.
It should be noted that J&K state has bagged this award for first time in 18 years since award
was instituted.
Haryana government announces yoga guru Ramdev its brand ambassador

Haryana government has announced yoga guru Ramdev as its brand ambassador.
By appointing the yoga guru as its brand ambassador state aims to promote yoga and
Ayurveda in the state.
It was announced by Haryanas minister of sports and health Anil Vij.
In order to promote ayurveda in a big way, state government is planning to to develop a first
ever herbal forest with over 25,000 plants over 1,000 acres of land in the state.
State government also plan to open Vyayamshalas and Yogshalas in 6,500 villages and
cities of Haryana.

SEBI notifies stringent insider trading norms
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has notified stringent revamped
rules related to the Insider trading.
Insider trading refers to the trade of a companys stocks or other securities and making
unethical profits with access to the non-public information. This is detrimental to the other /
small investors who dont have such information.
In this regard market regulator has issued SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations,
2015. Thus, revamping nearly two-decade old regulations on insider trading.
The key facts about new rules are as follows:

It highlights greater clarity on concepts and definitions along with a stronger legal
and enforcement framework for prevention of insider trading.
The new rules has expanded the definition of insider. It says that that anyone who is
in contractual, fiduciary or employment relations with the promoters will be presumed to be
insiders. Thus, the new rules include the immediate relatives of promotes, directors and
employees who are in possession or have access to such information, within the scope of
insiders.
The new rules make it mandatory that the perpetual insiders such as promoters and
directors will have to disclose their future trading plan in advance to the stock exchanges.
They are required to trade strictly as per that plan in order to protect the interest of
investors
The definition of the unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) has been
broadened. Earlier, it has reference to only to company but now, it will have reference to
company as well as securities.
Background
The rules have been prepared after taking into consideration recommendations of Sodhi
panel and other panel recommendations.
It should be noted that a panel headed by former Justice N K Sodhi (former Chief Justice of
Karnataka and Kerala High Courts) had submitted its report on insider trading norms in
December 2013.
Leela Samson resigns as Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification

Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Leela Samson has

resigned.
She resigned after Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) cleared the
controversial film Messenger of God featuring Dera Saccha Sauda chief
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role.
The Censor Board headed by Ms. Samson had earlier denied the clearance
certificate to the film saying that the movie depicts Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Singh as a God.
Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT)
FCAT is a statutory body. It has been constituted under the provisions

of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
It comes under the aegis of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Headquarters: New Delhi.
The Tribunal has a Secretary to look after its day to day affairs.
Function: It hears the appeals filed as per provisions of
Cinematograph Act. Any applicant can file an appeal before the tribunal for a
certificate in respect of a film who is aggrieved by an order of the Central
Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Leela Samson
She is a Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, instructor and writer.

She is recipient of the many awards for her contributions to
Bharatanatyam. It includes Padma Shri (1990), Kalaimamani (2005) given by
Government of Tamil Nadu, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1999
2000).
HS Brahma appointed as Chief Election Commissioner of India

President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Harishankar Brahmaas the

new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India.
He will be 19th CEC of India and succeed V S Sampat who had retired after
attaining age 65 on 15 January 2015.
He will take charge on 16 January 2015.
About Harishankar Brahma
He is a retired IAS officer of 1975 batch from the Andhra Pradesh
cadre.
He hails from the state of Assam. He is second person from North East
India to become Chief Election Commissioner after J. M. Lyngdoh.
He had assumed charge of Election Commissioner on 24 August 2010,
after he retired from position of Secretary in Ministry of Power.
Chief Election Commissioner
As per the provisions of Article 324 of Constitution
Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners are
appointed by the President.
They hold office for the term of 6 years or until they attain age of 65
years, whichever is earlier.
The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only
throughimpeachment by Parliament.

US designates Taliban Chief Mullah Fazlullah as Global Terrorist

United States has designated Maulana Fazlullah, chief of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)an outfit of Pakistans Taliban, as global terrorist and has imposed sanctions against him.
It was announced after US Secretary of State John Kerry had asked Pakistan to target all
terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Taliban and the Haqqani Network that pose a threat to
itself, neighbours like India and to US.
What does it means?
Being designated as global terrorist, all the property and interests of Maulana
Fazlullah that are in US or that come within the US, or the possession or control of US
persons will be freezed.
It also prohibits US nationals against engaging in transactions with Maulana Fazlullah.
Why Maulana Fazlullah is designated as global terrorist?
In November 2013, he was elected as TTP chief commander after the death of former
TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud.
Under his leadership, TTP had carried out barbaric attack on army school in Peshawar
on 16 December 2014, killing at least 150 people, mostly children.
In 2012, prior to becoming the leader of TTP, he was behind the killing of Pakistani
Army Major General Sanaullah Niazi as well as ordering the shooting of schoolgirl and
activist Malala Yousafzai (later won Nobel peace prize-2014).
He is also responsible for the beheading of 17 Pakistani soldiers.
It should be noted that United Nations and US already have declared Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) as banned Terrorist Organisation after Al-Qaeda.
RBI cuts repo rate by 25 basis point

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut down repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.75 percent from 8
percent, with immediate effect.
It was announced ahead of the scheduled date of monetary policy announcement on 3rd
February 2015 as part of RBIs 6th bi-monthly monetary policy statement.
RBIs 6th bi-monthly monetary policy statement says that

Repo rate: RBI has reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment
facility (LAF) by 25 basis points from 8.0 per cent to 7.75 per cent.
Cash reserve ratio (CRR): RBI has unchanged CRR and kept it at 4.0 per cent of
net demand and time liabilities (NDTL).
Reverse repo rate: RBI has adjusted reverse repo rate under the LAF to 6.75 per
cent.
While, RBI has adjusted Marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank
Rate to 8.75 per cent with immediate effect.
Team India unveils new eco-friendly ODI jersey kit

Indian cricket team has unveiled new eco-friendly ODI jersey ahead of the triangular series
starting in Australia on 16 January 2015. It was unveiled in Melbourne.
Key facts of Team Indias eco-friendly ODI jersey

It is made out of 100% recycled polyester obtained from 33 recycled plastic
bottles.
The new light weight kit combines high performance innovation with sustainability.
The jersey is light, comfortable and packed with innovation.
This eco-friendly jersey kit is made by BCCIs official apparel sponsor Nike.

Army Day is being observed on 15 January
In India, Army Day is being observed every year on 15 January.

Significance of Day: In 1949, on this day Lt. General (later Field
Marshal) Kodandera Madappa Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of
the Indian Army (of the independent India) by succeeding British Army General Roy Butcher.
Events: It is celebrated every year at all the Army Command headquarters and
national capital by organizing army parades including many other military shows.
This day inspires the troops to continue to enrich the glorious traditions of the Indian Army
with their dedication and sacrifice.
On 15 January 2015, it will be the 67th Indian Army Day.
Indias Open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma sets world record in Antarctic
Ocean
Indias open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma has set a new world record by swimming 1.4
miles in 52 minutes in one degree temperature in the Antarctic Ocean.
She has bettered the earlier record of British open water swimmer Lewis Pugh and American
swimmer Lynne Cox. She is also the first Asian girl and youngest in the world to achieve this
feat.
Hindustan Zinc had sponsored her to achieve this feat and pursue swimming career.
About Bhakti Sharma

She has been pursuing open water swimming for the last 10 years.
She holds the distinction of being the youngest female swimmer in the world to swim
in 5 oceans (Indian, Atlantic, Pacific, Antarctic and Arctic) and 7 seas.
Awards: She is recipient of the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award-2010.
Government hands over new Maritime Security Gadget to Navy, Coast guard
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has handed over Resident Identity Card
(RIC)readers to Navy Chief Admiral R K Dhowan and Coast Guard Director General ViceAdmiral A G Thapliyal.
As part of RIC Scheme, these maritime security gadgets will be used by security agencies to
check identity cards of the residents of coastal areas issued under RIC Scheme.
Government had issued more than 65 lakh people mainly residents of coastal villages with
identity cards as per RIC Scheme under the National Population Registrar.
Key facts of Resident Identity Card (RIC) scheme

It aims to strengthen coastal security measures in 9 states and 4 Union Territories
which have a sea-line running along their borders.
The scheme of issuing Cards is being implemented by the Office of the Registrar
General and Census Commissioner- an office under the aegis of Union Home Ministry.
Under this scheme, Union Government will prepare National Population Registrar
(NPR) in 3,331 coastal villages by issuing Resident Identity Cards (RIC).
RIC readers will be used by coastal security agencies to authenticate an individuals
demographic and biometric authentication without using Internet services.
RIC cards are manufactured indigenously and can be read only when the key present
in the RIC readers.
RIC reader is temper-proof and self-destructs itself if it is opened in an unauthorized
manner.
Initially, these card readers will be issued to the Navy and Coast Guard. Later it will
be given to Maritime Police stations and state governments.

Italys President Giorgio Napolitano resigns
Italys President Giorgio Napolitano has resigned from office. He has resigned citing
reason of poor health ahead of his 2020 expiry term. He also announced his retirement after
stepping down as President.
About Giorgio Napolitano

He was a long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and was elected to Italian
parliament for first time in 1953.
He was Minister of Interior from 1996 to 1998 under then Prime Minister Romano
Prodi.
President: In 2006, he was elected by parliament as President of Italy for first time.
He was re-elected as President in 2013 and was to retire in 2020. He is longest-serving
President of Italy and was in office for around 8 years.
As a President, he was regarded as a guarantor of stability amid of current unstable
governments and Italys longest recession since World War II.
President of Italy: His role is mainly ceremonial but can declare legislation
unconstitutional. He also has the power to dissolve parliament, nominate prime ministers
and call early elections. He has tenure of 7 years.
Eminent Sanskrit scholar Prabhu Nath Dwivedi named for Sahitya Akademi
Award 2014
Eminent
Sanskrit
scholar Prabhu
Nath
Dwivedi has
been
prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2014 for Sanskrit language.
conferred
with
He was chosen for his work Kanakalochanaha- a collection of 16 short-stories based upon
various social issues eroding the system.
His book was selected by a three-member jury of the Sahitya Akademi.
Mr Diwedi is Sanskrit teacher and has been teaching in various universities for more than
three decades.
Backround
Earlier in December 2014, Sahitya Akademi had announced names of 22 poets and authors
for prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2014. But they had not announced the winners of
Manipuri and Sanskrit language.
About Sahitya Akademi Award

Sahitya Akademi Award ( ) is conferred on writers of outstanding works in
one of the twenty-four major Indian languages.
24 major Indian languages are- Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, English, Gujarati,
Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya,
Punjabi, Rajasthan, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
The award consists of a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl and a
cheque of 1 Lakh rupees.
SHAR director MYS Prasad selected for Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Award
2014-15
M.Y.S. Prasad, director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Range (SHAR), has
been selected for the prestigiousVikram Sarabhai memorial award 2014-15.
He will be presented award by the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA).
He was selected for this award for his outstanding contribution to R&D in the field of space
science in his long and chequered career at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Prior to Dr. Prasad, former ISRO chairmen Dr. Satish Dhawan, Dr. K. Kasturi Rangan, Dr. G.
Madhavan Nair and Dr. K. Radhakrishnan have received this prestigious award.
Vikram Sarabhai memorial award

It was instituted in 1997-98 by ISCA- a premier scientific organization of the country.
Every alternate year it is awarded to distinguished scientist of the country in
recognition of their outstanding contributions.
This award comprises a gold medal and certificate and presented at the inaugural
function of the Annual Session of ISCA.

Pope Francis declares Indian priest Joseph Vaz as saint in Colombo
Pope Francis has declared 17th century Indian priest and missionary Joseph Vaz as saint in
Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Pope announced it while addressing a holy mass for 5 lakh people at the Gall Face Green in
Colombo. Joseph Vaz has become first priest from Sri Lanka, canonised as saint.
About Joseph Vaz

He was born on 21 April 1651 in Benaulim Goa (then Portuguese India) and was
ordained as priest in 1676 in Goa.
Later in 1687, he moved to Sri Lanka and worked for revival of Catholic Church in a
period of Dutch repression of Catholics.
Since then he had founded several churches and chapels, helping revive the faith of
Catholics by Calvinists in Sri Lanka.
He died in 1711 and was beatified by Pope John Paull II in Colombo on 21 January
1995.
ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission team wins 2015 Space Pioneer Award
The team of ISROs Mars Mission has been awarded 2015Space Pioneer Award in the
Science and Engineering category by National Space Society (NSS).
They are being conferred with this award for achieving the rare feat of entering Mars orbit in
maiden attempt.
Mars Orbiter Programme Team will receive the award during NSS 34 th International Space
Development Conference which will be held in Toronto from 20 May 2015.
ISROs Mars Orbiter Mission(MOM)

It was launched on 5 November, 2013. It made history on 24 September 2014 after it
entered Mars orbit in maiden attempt.
It achieved two significant missions. First, entering into orbit around Mars and
secondly, taking full-disk colour imagery of Mars with its onboard high resolution camera.
It should be noted that, the Mars Orbiter programme team is located in Bengaluru,
Karnataka. It is headed by eminent ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai.
About Space Pioneer Award
It recognizes those individuals and teams whose accomplishments have helped to open the
space frontier. It was instituted in 1988.
This prestigious award is be given by the National Space Society (NSS), an American
educational and scientific organization.
Award memento consists of a silvery pewter Moon globe cast. It is casted by the Baker Art
Foundry in Placerville, California. Originally, this sculpture was created by Don Davis, the
well-known space and astronomical artist.
Government sacks DRDO Chief Avinash Chander, 16 months before end of

his tenure
Union Government has sacked chief of Defence Research and Development Organization
(DRDO) Avinash Chander, 16 months before his contract end.
Termination of his contract was approved by Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC)
headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with effect from 31 January 2015.
He was appointed as DRDO chief in June 2013. He was to retire on 30 November 2014, but
government had extended his tenure beyond his retirement on contract basis.
About Avinash Chander

In 1972, he had joined DRDO after completing graduation in Electrical Engineering
from IIT Delhi. He is a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
He is the chief architect of Agni series of ballistic missile systems and considered
asAgni man of India.
Indias range of Agni missiles were developed missiles under his technology forecast,
perspective planning and relentless efforts.
Awards: He was awarded Padma Shri for his contribution in the successful
development of 5000-km range Agni-V missile.

USAID, Gates Foundation to partner with government for Swachchh Bharat
Mission
Union Urban Development Ministry, United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) and Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have agreed to partner inSwachh
Bharat programme.
In this regard, USAID has inked a pact with the Urban Development Ministry while BGMF
signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
The Memoranda were signed in presence of Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah
Naidu and US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma.
Key facts
As a global partner in Swachh Bharat programme, USAID will assist union
governments flagship programme by knowledge exchange and identification and sharing of
best practices for water and sanitation services.
It will also provide technical support and promote public private partnership (PPP)
and spend about $2.50 million per year on these activities.
While, BMGF as a partner will provide technical and management support in the
implementation of the mission.
It will provide coordination of decentralised and non-sewered sanitation solutions,
implementation and management through skill development focusing on towns located
along the Ganga river at a cost of $2.50 million annually.
Thus it can be said that Governments Swachchh Bharat Mission got global boost, which
will take sanitation beyond construction of toilets and offers holistic solutions towards
cleanliness.
Railway Ministry flagged off Indias first CNG train in Haryana

Railway Ministry has flagged off Indias first compressed natural gas (CNG) powered train
between Rewari and Rohtak in Haryana.
It was flagged off by Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu at Rewari junction of the
Northern Railway zone.
Some facts about CNG train

It is powered by Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU). It is based on dual fuel
system- diesel and CNG.
This train is integrated with 1,400 HP engine to run on dual fuel through fumigation
technology.
It is capable of running at a speed of 100 km per hour.
Train comprised of two power cars and six car coaches, manufactured by Integral
Coach Factory at Chennai with the CNG conversion kit supplied by Cummins.
Its successful implementation, marks a major landmark in adoption of green fuel by
Indian Railways.
Implications:
It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions of Railways and also the consumption of
diesel. Thus, contributing in environment conservation.
It will help to reduce the operating cost of locomotives by over 50% compared to
conventional trains powered by diesel and electricity.
RBI governor Raghuram Rajan wins Governor of the Year award

A British magazine has named RBI Governor and well-known economist Raghuram
Rajan as the Governor of the Year in the Central Banking Awards for 2015.
It was announced by British magazine Central Banking.
Governor Raghuram Rajan was chosen for this award by magazine for his disciplined and
focused approach in leading the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) during his first year as Governor.
It also mentioned that, RBI Governor deserved the award for his deep understanding of the
root causes of Indias economic problems.
About Raghuram Rajan

He is 23 Governor of RBI and had taken charge in September 2013.
Earlier, he was chief economic adviser (CEA) to Indias Ministry of Finance in 2013.
He was chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2003 to 2007.
He is also a celebrity economist known across the globe for predicting the 2008
global meltdown.
He has authored many books on economics and is professor of finance at the
graduate business school at the University of Chicago.
Awards:
Fischer Black Prize- In 2003, he was awarded this award by the American Finance
Association for contributions to the theory and practice of finance.
Deutsche Bank Prize for Financial Economics- In 2013, he was awarded this
award for his ground-breaking research work which influenced financial and macro-economic
policies around the world.
Best Central Bank Governor award- In 2014, he was awarded this award by
Euromoney magazine.

Kamal Kishore Goyanka selected for Vyas Samman 2014
Well-known Hindi scholar and writer Dr Kamal Kishore Goyankahas been selected for the
prestigious Vyas Samman for the year 2014.
He has been chosen for this award for his research workPremchand Kee Kahaniyo Kaa
Kaalkramanusar Adhyayan.
Vyas Samman
This award is instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation. It was started in 1991.
It is awarded annually in recognition of the hindi literary work published in past 10
years.
The award carries monetary award of 2.5 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.
Government appoints Alur Seelin Kiran Kumar as ISRO chairman

Alur Seelin Kiran Kumar has been appointed chairman of Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO).
His name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He will replace former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan who had retired on 31 December
2014. He will have tenure of 3 years from the date he take charge.
Previously, Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, was given additional
charge of ISRO till the appointment of a new head following the retirement of K
Radhakrishnan.
About Alur Seelin Kiran Kumar

Education: He has an honours degree in Physics from National College, Bangalore
University and an M Tech in Physical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
Bangalore.
ISRO career: In 1975, he started his ISRO career with the Space Application Centre.
He had played a key role in developing image sensors for Bhaskara- Indias first
remote sensing satellite launched in 1979.
He also had played important role in developing key components of Indias
Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan missions.
Before this appointment, he was director of Space Application Centre (SAC),
Ahmedabad.
Awards: In 2014, he was awarded Padma Shri.

Border haat to enhance trade between India, Bangladesh opens in Tripura
India and Bangladesh inaugurated third border haat in Srinagar-Purba on the TripuraBangladesh border.
It was inaugurated by Union Commerce and Industries Minister Nirmala along with her
Bangladeshi counterpart Tofail ahmed in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.
This is the first border haat opened in state Tripura which shares 856-km border with
Bangladesh.
Key facts of Border Haat

Haats in India Language means Rural Market. The aim of this border haat is to
enhance border trade between the two countries.
It will also cater to the needs of the people living within a five km radius in this border
area.
It will facilitate bilateral trade of 16 locally produced goods between both nations. It
includes agricultural and horticultural crops, spices, poultry, dairy products, cottage industry
items, furniture and handicrafts and hand-looms.
It will also boost people to people contacts between the two countries.
Background
Border haats along the border of two countries are established under a MOU for
Border Trade and Border Haats. It was signed by the two countries in October 2010.
As per the rules and guidelines of this MOU, traders in communities of both India and
Bangladesh can trade their local produce without any duty.
This bilateral trade will take place once a week in this haat and each trader is allowed
to do business of US $ 100 per day.
Justice S K Sinha becomes first Hindu Chief Justice of Bangladesh

Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was appointed Chief Justice of Bangladesh by President
Mohammad Abdul Hamid.
With this appointment, he has become the first Hindu to hold highest judicial post in the
Muslim-majority country.
He will succeed incumbent Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain as he is retiring on 16
January 2015 and will have a term of around three years.
About S K Sinha
Legal career: He started his legal career in 1974 as an advocate of the district
court, Sylhet after completing LLB.
He was an advocate of the high court in 1978 and later in the appellate division in
1990.
In 1999, he was appointed as judge of the High Court and later in 2009 as judge of
the Appellate Division.
It should be noted that Bangladesh has unitary Supreme Court structure and
comprises two divisions the Appellate Division and the High Court division.
Key judgments: His landmark judgments include on assassination of Bangladeshs
first President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 5th and 13th amendments to
the countrys Constitution.
Cristiano Ronaldo wins FIFA Ballon dOr award for the third time
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the FIFA Ballon dOr award for year 2014.
He has earned this title of worlds best football player for a third time. Earlier he was
conferred with award in 2008 and 2013.
He has retained this highest individual honour in football after scoring 61 goals for Real
Madrid and Portugal in 2014. He also had played important role, by making record tally of 17
goals in a Champions League season that helped his club to win an unprecedented 10th
European Cup title.
While in womens section, Germanys midfielder Nadine Kessler has been awarded FIFA
Womens World Player of the Year title.
FIFA Ballon dOr Award
It is an annual football association award given by FIFA to the male player who has
performed the best in the previous calendar year.
This award was instituted in 2010 after France Footballs Ballon dOr and the mens
FIFA World Player of the Year award were merged.
It is awarded to the male player, based upon highest votes secured by him from
national team coaches and captains, as well as journalists from around the world.
Inaugural 2010 FIFA Ballon dOr was awarded to Lionel Messi. Later he won this award
for consecutive two years i.e. 2011 and 2012.

Arvind Panagariya takes charge as Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog
Eminent Economist Arvind Panagariya has taken charge as first Vice-Chairman of the newlycreated National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog on 13 January 2015.
After taking charges, he was briefed about newly created NITI Aayog by its CEO Sindhushree
Khuallar and other senior officials.
About Arvind Panagariya

He is an Indian-American economist and Professor of Economics at Columbia
University. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from prestigious Princeton University.
He was an ex-Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade
Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in
various capacities.
He has written around 10 books and the latest was India: The Emerging Giant
published in 2008.
Background
On 5 January 2015, Union government had announced the appointment of Vice- Chairman, 2
full time members, 4 ex-officio members (Union ministers) and 3 special invitees of Aayog.
They were appointed after government on 1 January 2015 had announced that NITI Aayog
has replaced the 65-year old Planning Commission.
It should be noted that Prime Minister is Ex-Officio Chairman of NITI Aayog.
Prime Minister Naredra Modi also had appointed Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO
chief V K Saraswat as full-time members of Aayog.
While, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Suresh Prabhu and Radha Mohan Singh
were appointed as the Ex-Officio members of Aayog. Other Union Ministers like Nitin
Gadkari, Smriti Zubin Irani and Thawar Chand Gehlot are Special Invitees in Aayog.
Odhisas Sun Temple gets ASIs Adarsh Monument tag

Sun Temple at Konark, Odhisa has been the coveted with Adarsh Monument tag by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Along with Sun Temple, three other monuments of eastern India were given Adarsh
Monument tag. They are
Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
Vaishali-Kolhua in Bihar.
Rang Ghar in Sibsagar (Sivasagar) district of Assam.

At present, 25 out of 3,680 protected monuments in India have been selected under
theAdarsh Smarak Yojana.
It includes monuments like Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Qutab Minar and Red Fort which have
highest number of tourists visiting them.
By awarding this monument Adarsh Monument tag, Central government gives them special
attention in order to boost international tourism.
Under Adarsh Smarak Yojana, ASI provides amenities of international standards like
washrooms, drinking water, signs, cafeteria, audiovisual centres, Wi-Fi connectivity,
interpretation centres and encroachment-free areas around these monuments.
Konark SunTemple: It is a 13th century temple of Odisha, built by Narasimhadeva I of the
Eastern Ganga Dynasty. It is also known as Black Pagoda.
Its a World Heritage Site. It is considered as architectural marvel for which Odisha, best
known worldwide.
Idukki district of Kerala becomes Indias first district with rural broadband
network
Idukki district of Kerala has become first district in India to have high speed Rural
Broadband Network i.e. National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) Internet connectivity.
Union Minister of Information Technology and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad
commissioned this Hi-speed rural broadband network under the governments flagship Digital
India programme.
In Idukki, 8 block offices and 52 village panchayats out of 53 will benefit from this project.
Facts about National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN)
NOFN is the largest rural connectivity project of its kind in the world.
It aims to transform the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge
economy.
It seeks to link each of the 2.5 lakh village panchayats in the country spread over
6600 blocks and 631 districts through broadband optical fibre network in order to provide a
minimum bandwidth of 100 Mbps.
On its completion, NOFN is expected to facilitate Broadband connectivity to over 600
million rural citizens of the country.
NOFN, is being funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), Department
of Telecom, Ministry of Communications & IT.
It will offer people with friendly services like e-governance, e-health, e-education, ebanking, public internet access etc. It will also enable delivery of various government
services such as local planning, management, monitoring and payments of Government
schemes at panchayat level.
Thus it will help to provide non-discriminatory telecom infrastructure, in order to bridge the
gap of digital divide in rural internet access.

72nd Golden Globe Awards

72nd edition of Golden Globe Awards was organized at Beverly Hills, California.
The winners of various awards in 72nd Golden Globe Awards are as follows:
Best Motion Picture Drama: Boyhood
Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director in Motion Picture-Drama: Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Best Actor in Motion Picture-Drama: Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of
Everything
Actress in Motion Picture-Drama: Julianne Moore for Still Alice
Best Actor in Motion Picture or Musical or Comedy: Michael Keaton for Birdman
Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy: Amy Adams for Big Eyes
Best Actor in a Supporting role in Motion Picture: K. Simmons for Whiplash
Best Actress in a Supporting role in Motion Picture: Patricia Arquette for Boyhood
Best Original Score Motion Picture: Jhann Jhannsson for The Theory of
Everything
Best Foreign Language Film: Leviathan (Russia)
Union Government appoints Pournima Gupte as IRDA actuary

Union Government has appointed Pournima Gupte as member (actuary) of Insurance
Regulatory Authority of India (IRDA).
With her appointment, IRDA got an actuary after a gap of three years. Since 2011, this post
was lying vacant after R Kannan retired from IRDA.
It should be noted that for the first time a woman has been appointed on the board of IRDA.
Earlier, Pournima Gupte had worked with Life Insurance Corporation and has worked as
actuary at Reliance Life Insurance and IDBI Federal.
About Insurance Regulatory Authority of India (IRDA)

IRDA is an apex statutory body that regulates and develops the insurance industry in
India.
It was constituted as per provisions of Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority Act, 1999.
Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana.
Structure and Composition: It is 10 members body consisting of: Chairman, 5 fulltime members, 4 part-time members. All members are appointed by Union Government.
Current chairman of IRDA is T.S. Vijayan.

On 31st December 2014, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) was
renamed as Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.
Union Finance Minister Jaitley adopts 4 Gujarat villages as part of Sansad

Adarsh Gram Yojana
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has adopted 4 villages in Vadodara district in Gujarat as
part of the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.
He has adopted following 4 villages of Vadodara district:

Karnali village
Pipaliya village
Valida village
Baglipura village
About Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

SAGY encourages Members of Parliament (MPs) from both Houses to identify and develop
one village from their constituency as a model village
Under this scheme, MPs will be responsible for developing the socio-economic and physical
infrastructure of three villages each by 2019, and a total of eight villages each by 2024.
Key objectives of the Yojana include:

The development of model villages, called Adarsh Grams, through the
implementation of existing schemes, and certain new initiatives to be designed for the local
context, which may vary from village to village.
Creating models of local development which can be replicated in other villages.
Under this SAGY, the first Adarsh Gram must be developed by 2016, and two more by 2019.
From 2019 to 2024, five more Adarsh Grams must be developed by each MP, one each year.
This implies that a total of 6,433 Adarsh Grams, of the 2,65,000 gram panchayats, will be
created by 2024.
Thus, SAGY aims to transform lives of many for whom economic development never
happened and also bring about a sense of pride, volunteerism, and self-reliance in villages.
January 12 being observed as National Youth Day

In India, January 12 is being observed as National Youth Day.

This day marks birth anniversary of social reformer, philosopher and thinker
Swami Vivekananda.
On this day, numbers of functions are being organised nationwide to
celebrate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
Background
Union Government in 1984 had declared and decided to observe the birthday
of Swami Vivekananda i.e. 12 January as a National Youth Day every year
from 1985 onwards.
Significance of day: It will help to propagate the philosophy and the ideals
of Swami Vivekananda for which he lived and worked. It will also help and
act as a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth.
About Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda was born on 12 January 1863 and died on 4 July 1902.
He was born Narendranath Dutta and was chief disciple of the 19th century
saint Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and the founder of the Ramakrishna Math
and the Ramakrishna Mission.
He was one of the most prominent figures of India who introduced Indian
philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World.
His inspiring speech given at Worlds Religions Parliament held at Chicago in
1893 is famous.
UN chief Ban Ki Moon inaugurates Gujarats second canal-top 10-MW solar

power project
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inaugurated Gujarats

second canal-top 10-MW solar power project.
It is located on 5.5 km stretch of Vadodara branch of Sardar Sarovar project
canal. It is implemented by Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and
Infrastructure Limited (MEIL)
Key facts of Gujarats Canal-top solar power project
It is considered as first-of-its-kind project in the world to generate
power.
This project is brain child of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier in
April 2012, one-MW pilot project was commissioned on the Sanand canal
when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.
The project comprises around 33,000 to 36,000 solar panels and
financed by the State government.
Platform for these panels has been designed in such a manner it can
sustain a wind velocity of 150 km/hr.
Power generated from it is fed into the State grid and also to operate
pumping stations on the canal.
Advantages: It saves land and also prevents evaporation losses from
the canal. It generates clean source of energy without any kind of pollution.

First China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting concludes in Beijing
First ministerial meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American
and Caribbean States (CELAC) concluded in Beijing.
It was two-day meeting and was co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his
Costa Rican counterpart, Manuel Gonzalez Sanz.
First China-CELAC Forum ministerial meeting passed three major documents:

Beijing Declaration.
Five-year cooperation plan.
Regulations on the China-CELAC forum.
Both sides also reached a consensus on deepening political mutual trust, expanding
cooperation and promoting development of the forum.
On the concluding day it was announced that forums next meeting will be held in Chile in
2018.
Implication of this forum: It is considered as historical meeting as it launched to improve
overall cooperation between China and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
region. It will also build a closer CELAC-China relationship and benefit people from both
sides.
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
CELAC is a regional bloc of Latin American and Caribbean countries. It was outcome of Rio
GroupCaribbean Community Unity Summit.
It was created in 2011, in Caracas, Venezuela, with the signature of The Declaration of
Caracas.
This bloc consists of 33 sovereign countries as its members in the southern American region
representing around 600 million people.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 7th vibrant Gujarat summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 7th Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Mahatma
Mandir, Gandhinagar.
Key facts
Inaugural ceremony was attended by United Nations General Secretary and US State
Secretary John Kerry.
Apart from them, several ministers from Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada and
over 50 CEOs of top Indian as well as international companies attended it.
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandi Ben Patel earlier had welcomed all head of states
dignitaries, diplomats and deligates to the summit.
This edition will be 3 day event, starting from 11 January and conclude on 13 January
2015.
For the first time, eight countries Canada, Japan, China, Australia, the Netherlands,
Singapore, South Africa and U.S. have become partner for the summit with State.
This event is expected to bring in record investments to Gujarat. State government
expects to sign over 20,000 Expression of Interest during the summit.
About Vibrant Gujarat Summit
This mega business event is brainchild of PM Narendra Modi and had started it when
he was Chief Minister of State.
It is biennial event and started in 2003.
The summit is advertised as a platform to understand and explore business

opportunities in the State of Gujarat.
It aims to provide single window platform to bring together business leaders,
investors, corporations, thought leaders, policy and opinion makers.
In previous six Vibrant Gujarat Summits, state government had signed MoUs worth
Rs. 48 lakh crore.
People from 11 countries take part in First Buddha Heritage Walk in Bihar
People from 11 countries have taken part in First Buddha Heritage Walk in Bihar.
In this heritage walk over 500 pilgrims from 11 countries walked through a 13-km-long forest
trail.
They walked through the trail which Lord Gautam Buddha had taken to reach Rajgir from
Bodh Gaya around 2,543 years ago.
It was organized by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC).
Buddhist monks from Japan, China, South Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Vietnam,
Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, and India took part in it.
Some facts about this route

As per scholars, this well documented route is among such several routes taken by
Buddha during his 45 years of preaching in various parts of India.
It passes through lush green forest, hills and valleys and several ancient Stupas can
be seen in the along the route.
It is also believed that Bimibsara (emperor of the Magadha Empire from 542 BC till
492 BC) took Lord Buddha to Venu Van near Rajgir on this route and offered him place to
stay as a gift. Buddha had stayed there during his visit.

DRDO successfully tests advance EW suite in Tejas-PV1 Aircraft
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully tested an

advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite.
It was tested onboard of the countrys Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas-PV1.
Key facts about Electronic Warfare (EW) suite

It is developed by Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) of DRDO.
EW suite consists of Radar Warner and Jammer.
This suit gives pilot an additional capability of nullifying the effect of detected radar
threat by appropriate mode of jamming.
It will replace existing EW systems, which are fitted on various combat aircraft as
they consist of basic equipment Radar Warner Receiver. It only has capability to provide
warning to the aircraft pilot in case of detection of a radar threat.
Union Government unblocks 32 websites

Union Government has unblocked 32 websites which were blocked earlier in November
2014.
These websites were unblocked after they had promised to cooperate with the authorities
and remove objectionable content.
They were blocked for carrying anti-India views and spreading banned terrorist outfit Islamic
State of Iraq and Syrias (ISIS) propaganda.
Background
Earlier in November 2014, these websites were blocked following complaint of Maharashtra
Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
They were blocked by Department of Telecom (DoT) under Section 69 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 and Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for
Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
These rules give powers to government to block access to information on websites if it

threatens the interest of
Sovereignty and integrity of the country.
Defence of India.
Security of the state.
Friendly relations with foreign states or public order.
For preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence.
World Hindi Day is being observed on 10 January every year

Every year 10 January is being observed World Hindi Day. Objective of this day is to
promote use of Hindi language abroad.
To mark the occasion, special functions are being organized. It is usually, observed by Union
Ministry of External Affairs (MoEF) and Indian Missions abroad.
Background of World Hindi Day

On this day in 1975, the First World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur by then
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It was held from 10 to 12 January 1975.
In first conference, then Prime Minister of Mauritius Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was Chief
Guest. This conference was attended by 122 delegates from 30 countries.
Since then every year 10th January is being observed as the World Hindi Day.
3 day Flamingo Festival begins near Pulicat Lake in Nellore district of Andhra
Pradesh
3 day Flamingo Festival has begun at the famous brackish water of Lake
Pulicat in Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary located at Nellore district of Andhra
Pradesh. It will be hosted in Doravari Satram mandal, in Nellore district.
This festival provides a unique opportunity for people, particularly
ornithologists, environmentalists, bird watchers, forest and tourism officials
To study the bio-diversity of Pulicat and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary
To initiate measure to conserve the bio-zones for future generations in
this area.
It also promotes eco-tourism in the district. In this three day festival, several
cultural and entertainment programmes will take place.
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary
The Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, considered one of the biggest habitats

for some hundreds of pelicans and other birds.
It is located about 20 km north of the Pulicat Lake on the Andhra

Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border.
This sanctuary spread in an area about 459 hectares.
Every year from October to March, different species of migratory birds,
roosting migrants and some rare and endangered species from various parts
of the world visit the habitat.
This sanctuary plays important role in nesting of various birds
especially migratory birds.
Birds found in this sanctuary are: Flamingos, Pelicans, Siberian
Storks, Open Billed Storks, Night Herons, Egrets, Little Cormorant, Golden
Backed Wood Pecker, Spotted and Ring Doves, King Fishers, Painted Storks,
White Necked Storks, Spoon Bills and other species of birds.
The villagers in area nearby to this sanctuary treat the migratory birds
with affection and provide protection to them.
Tatas Vistara airline starts domestic flight operation

Tatas Vistara airline has started domestic flight operation in India. Vistara
started its flight operation after first flight took off from Delhi to Mumbai on 9
January 2015.
Vistara airline is a joint venture of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines
(SIA). Earlier in 2014, Tata Group had to launch a full-service carrier in India
with the help of SIA.
Some facts about Vistara airline
As part of joint venture Tata group owns 51 percent stake of Vistara

airline, while Singapore Airlines holds 49 percent of stake.
In the first year of their service, they will operate flights from Delhi to
Goa, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Srinagar,
Jammu and Patna.
To start full-service, Vistara has leased two A320s air crafts.
It will be the third full-service airlines in India, after state-run Air India
and private carrier Jet Airways.
This is the second time the Tata group, has entered the full service airline
business in India. First time in 1932, they had started Tata Airlines, which was
later renamed Air India in 1946, and was nationalised in 1953.
Union Government merges PIO and OCI cards

Union Government has merged Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card-holders

with Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card-holders.
Union Home Ministry in this regard has issued notification mentioning that all
PIO card-holders henceforth are deemed to be OCI card-holders with effect
from 9th January 2015.
Thus, withdrawing PIO cards with immediate an effect. Now only OCI cards
facility with enhanced benefits will exist to provide maximum possible
benefits to Indian Diaspora.
This notification was announced on the concluding day of 13th Pravasi
Bharatiya Diwas.
Background
Earlier on January 6, 2015 Government had promulgated Ordinance to
amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.
This amendment changed the eligibility and provided additional benefits of
PIO Card holders that have been incorporated in OCI Card and certain other
relaxation to OCI Card holders.
Governments this decision comes in lines with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
previously made announcement in USA and Australia visits.
During this visit he had announced that PIO and OCI cards will be merged
and the Indian Diaspora will be given maximum possible benefits.
Aziz Qureshi sworn in as Governor of Mizoram

Aziz Qureshi has sworn-in as the Governor of Mizoram. Justice Michael

Zothankhuma, Judge of the Gauhati High Court, administered the oath of
office to Qureshi.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan in
Aizawl. It was attended by the s Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and
some of his cabinet colleagues.
Earlier Aziz Qureshi was governor of Uttarakhand. But in December 2014, he
was transferred from Uttarakhand and was appointed as the Mizoram
Governor.
Constitutional provisions of Governor
Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But
7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the
same person as a governor for two or more states.
Article 156: Governor is appointed by President and hold office during
the pleasure of President. It should be also noted that this article also
mentions tenure of Governor. In this regard it says that Governor shall hold
office for the term of 5 years from date he enters office.

15 NRIs awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2015
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman 2015 has been awarded to 15 prominent non-resident Indians
(NRIs) on the concluding day of 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.
They have been conferred with award for their contribution in various fields. The awards
were presented by Vice-President Hamid Ansari at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Recipients of awards are
Satyanarayan Nadella- CEO of tech giant Microsoft.

Donald Rabindernauth Ramaotar- He is President of Guyana and awarded for his
work for the Indian diaspora in Guyana.
Mala Mehta- For her contribution to Hindi language. She is founder of IndoAustralian Bal Bharatiya Vidyalaya in Thornleigh suburb in Sydney. Since its establishment,
she has been pursuing the growth of Hindi in Australia.
Rajaram Sanjaya- He is India-born Mexican scientist. He is winner of the 2014
World Food Prize for developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51
countries.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakhshi- He is Member of Parliament (MP) from New Zealand. He
is also known for work he had done for the Indian diaspora in New Zealand.
Essop Goolam Pahad- He is a South African politician. He was Minister in the
Presidency from 1999 to September 2008 in South Africa.
Mahendra Nanji Mehta- Uganda-based businessman of Indian origin.
Professor Nathuram Poori -He is founder of Purico Group are also chosen for their
contribution to Indian diaspora.
Lord Raj Lumba- He is a philanthropist and founder of clothing company Rinku
Group. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom.
Kamlesh Lulla- He is chief scientist for Earth observation in the Human Exploration
Science Office at the Johnson Space Centre at NASA. He has named for the award for his
exceptional service to the space science.
Nandini Tandon- She has been given this award for her work in life sciences and
Healthcare and IT in USA and India along with other emerging markets.
Rajmal Parakh
Duraikannu Karunakaran
Shah Bharatkumar Jayantilal
Ashraf Palarkunnummal
About Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
It is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. As a part of the Pravasi Bharatiya
Divas (PBD), this award is conferred by the President of India on
Non-Resident Indian, Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or
An organization or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or
Persons of Indian Origin.
This award carries a bilingual Sanad (certificate) under the hand and the seal of the
President. In addition, it includes a citation, a gold medallion and a miniature of the
medallion in the form of a lapel pin.
About Pravasi Bhartiya Divas

Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is a programme organized by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to
foster greater interaction between the Indian Diaspora and Indian government. It provides
the Diaspora a platform to put forth their issues and grievances before the government. At
the same time, the government also uses this occasion to showcase opportunities for
investment in India to the expatriate community.
Started in 2003 by the then NDA Government, it is held every year for 3 days
between Jan 7-9.
Mahatma Gandhi had returned from South Africa to India on Jan 9th in 1915, this event
inspires the dates of this programme.
Maithripala Sirisena sworn-in as 7th President of Sri Lanka

Maithiripala Sirisena has sworn-in as 7th President of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankas Supreme Court Judge K. Sri Pawan administered the oath of office to Maithiripala
Sirisena at a oath taking function held at the Independence Square in Colombo.
While, United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickramasinghe was sworn-in as Sri Lankas
Prime Minister.
Election verdict: Maithiripala Sirisena was declared elected in Presidential elections after
he had defeated incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa by more than 4 and a half lakh
votes. In this election he had secured 51.28 per cent of total votes casted.
Summary on Sri Lankas 2015 Presidential Election

After the result was declared, incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa had conceded
defeat. It should be noted that for the first time in Sri Lanka, an incumbent President was
defeated.
Mahinda Rajapaksa was President for one decade and had played important role to
end LTTE militancy in 2009.
He also played important in huge development projects in the island nation, but
failed to address the political aspirations of the minority Tamil community, protect the
Muslims from Buddhist hardliners and secure a better economic deal for the poor.
Maithiripala Sirisena was Health Minister Rajapaksas government. But after
Presidential were declared in November 2014 he opposed Mahinda Rajapaksa by contesting
the elections.
In this Presidential election, Maithiripala Sirisena got huge support of rainbow
coalition of several parties and minority communities as he had promised constitutional,
electoral and administrative reforms within a hundred days of coming to power.
He also had promised to abolish Executive Presidency in Sri Lanka and hand over
political power to the Prime Minister and the Parliament.
Maithripala Sirisena
He was born on 3 September 1951 and is son of a World War II veteran.
Political career: He had joined mainstream politics in 1989 through the Sri Lankan
Freedom Party. He was first elected to Sri Lankan Parliament in 1989. He has held several
ministries in Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga government. He was Minister of
Agriculture in the first Rajapakas government elected in 2005. He was reelected in 2010 and
appointed Minister of Health.
In 1971, he was arrested on suspicion of leading a revolt against the government and
was in jail for almost two years.
Governors rule imposed in Jammu and Kashmir

Governors rule has been imposed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
It was imposed after President Pranab Mukherjee approved the recommendation of J&K
Governor N. N. Vohra as there is deadlock in the State over formation of a new government
after state assembly election.
Earlier, Governor had submitted a report to the President, after caretaker Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah had resigned.
Background
Jammu Kashmir State assembly election held in December 2014 had given hung verdict as
no party has majority to form government in State.
In this election, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged as the single largest party with
28 seats in the 87 members House. While Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has emerged second
largest party winning 25 seats. But both parties failed to get the magic figure of 44 to form a
government.
Other parties like National Conference (NC) have 15 MLAs while Indian National Congress
(INC) has 12 MLAs.
What is Governor Rule in Jammu & Kashmir?
In case of failure of constitutional machinery in any other state of India, the

Presidents Rule is imposed under Article 356 of the Constitution.
But in case of J&K, as per Section 92 of state Constitution, the Governors Rule
can be imposed in the state for a period of six months only after the consent of the President
of India in case of failure of constitutional machinery. During the Governors rule, State
Assembly is either suspended or dissolved.
If the Constitutional machinery is not restored before the expiry of this six month
period, the provision of Article 356 of the Constitution of India are extended to J&K and the
Presidents rule is imposed in the State.
It should be noted that, Governors rule has been imposed in the state for the 6 time
since 1977.

M. Karunanidhi re-elected as DMK Chief for 11th time
M. Karunanidhi has been re-elected as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Partys
President for the 11th time. He was elected by the newly constituted general council of party.
Facts about Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Party
It is a state political party in South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Union Territory (UT)
Puducherry.
It was founded in 1949 in then Madras Presidency by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway
faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam (known as Justice Party till 1944) headed by Periyar.
It was a former member of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Karunanidhi was elected President of the Party on July 27, 1969 after C.N.
Annadurais death. Since then he is President of Party.
This party also holds the distinction of being the first party in India other than
the Indian National Congress (INC) to win state-level elections with a clear majority on its
own in any state.
Chief Ministers of DMK in Tamil Nadu
N Annadurai- He was first CM of DMK. He was in office from 1967-69.
M. Karunanidhi- He was CM on five separate occasions. They are 1969-71, 1971-76,
1989-91, 1996-2001, 2006-11.
NASAs Kepler Telescope achieves big milestone with 1,000th exoplanet

discovery
NASAs Kepler Space Telescope has achieved a big milestone after it had discovered
1000 exoplanet.
In order to achieve this milestone, planet hunting telescope had continuously monitored
more than 150,000 stars beyond our solar system.
It has offered scientists an assortment of more than 4,000 candidate planets for further
study and recently, 1,000 exoplanet was verified among these monitored stars.
Key facts
Using Keplers data, scientists have reached this millenary milestone after validating
8 more planet candidates that were spotted by the telescope.
Kepler team also has added another 554 candidates to the roll of potential planets.
Among them 6 are near-Earth-size and orbit in the habitable zone of stars similar to our Sun.
As per Kepler team, 3 of the newly-validated planets are located in their distant suns
habitable zone. They are in the range of distances from the host star where liquid water
might exist on the surface of an orbiting planet.
Of the three planets, two are likely made of rock like Earth. They were named
asKepler-438b and Kepler-442b.
Both Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b orbit stars smaller and cooler than our Sun. Thus
making the habitable zone closer to their parent star, in the direction of the constellation
Lyra.
Exoplanet: It is is a planet that does not orbit the Sun and instead orbits a different star,
stellar remnant, or brown dwarf. It is also termed as extrasolar planet.
Japanese automaker Honda pays $ 70 million fine to US after failing to report

safety issues
Japanese automaker Honda has agreed to pay US 70 million dollars in fines to the US
authorities for failing to report safety issues involving its cars.
It was announced by the US regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) after Honda had accepted liability for the breach on safety issues.
As per NHTSA, Honda failed to report more than 1,700 death and injury claims involving its
cars between July 2003 and June 2014.
In this regard, Honda will pay two $35 million fines, making it as the largest amount ever
paid by any automaker.
Background
Honda was under investigation for violations of NHTSAs Early Warning Reporting
regulations.
As per the NHTSA rules, it is necessary for the automakers to report quickly any information
about possible defects, deaths and injuries or damage and warranty claims made by
consumers.
But Honda failed to reveal and report 1,729 cases involving deaths or injuries between July
2003 and June 2014 to the NHTSA.
NHTSA earlier had reported that, few incidents of Honda cars involved Takata Corp air bags
that had ruptured and had been the subject of massive recalls.
But, Honda attributed this incident to its data entry and computer programming errors. Thus,
failing to comply NHTSA rules and regulations. So the fine was imposed by US regulator.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Dandi Kutir museum in Gujarat
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Dandi Kutir museum in Gujarats
capital of Gandhinagar. It is a state-of-the-art three-storey museum, based upon the life and
works of Mahatma Gandhi.
It was inaugurated on the occasion of the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) and 7th edition
of Vibrant Gujarat.
Key facts about Dandi Kutir museum
It is the biggest permanent museum in the world based on life of one personMahatma Gandhi.
It traces the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi through various faces as barrister, his
struggles in South Africa, return to India and successfully leading the freedom struggle.
Each and every aspect of Gandhis life is portrayed in the form of sculptures in the
salt-mound at Mahatma Mandir.
Dandi Kutir is located inside a 41-metre high salt-mound. This salt-mound depicts
Gandhijis famous Dandi march of 1930 against the salt tax provisions imposed by the
British regime.
Through number of exhibits that are displayed in museum, key concepts of Gandhian
thoughts like Satyagraha, non-violence, self-reliance, Gram Swaraj are elaborately explained.
This museum also showcases 3D short film and also an audio-visual presentation of
milestone incidents of the Indian Independence Movement.
19th National Youth Festival begins in Guwahati, Assam

The 19th National Youth Festival has begun in Guwahati, Assam. This festival coincides
with the 152nd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
Theme of this edition of youth festival is Youth for Clean, Green and Progressive India.
It aims to spread to spread national integration and harmony.
Events: It is 5 day event, which will provide platform to the young talents to perform their
level best in music and cultural events.
During this festival, different competitions, exhibitions, cultural programs, and seminars will
be held.
In this festival sports persons including Virender Sehwag, Sushil Kumar and Mary Kom along
with several young MPs are participating to motivate the young minds towards nation
building. This youth festival is also likely to give a boost to the tourism industry of the state.
It will showcase various shades of youth talent through Yuva Kriti, Food Festival, Young Artist
Camp, Youth Convention, Suvichar and Adventure activities.
Besides these there will be other competitive and non-competitive events between youths of
different states.
Opening ceremony: It was attended by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Union Sports
Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister of State for Home state Kiren Rijiju at Nehru
Stadium in Guwahati.
About National Youth Festival
It is an annual gathering of youth during National Youth Week i.e. from 12 to 16 January. It is
celebrated to mark birth anniversary of youth icon Swami Vivekananda.
It is organized by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in collaboration with one of the
State Governments.
President signs ordinance to pave way for e-rickshaws on Delhi roads

President Pranab Mukherjee has signed an ordinance to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
as per Article 123 of Constitution. This ordinance will pave the way for plying of e-rickshaws
on roads of Delhi.
Earlier, in December 2014 Union Cabinet had approved promulgation of the ordinance as a
bill in this regard was not able to pass in the recently concluded winter session of Parliament
due to logjam in Upper House (Rajya Sabha).
Background
Previously in July 2014, Delhi High Court had banned E-rickshaws or battery-operated threewheeler vehicles on safety concerns.
Union government had brought Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2014 to amend to parent
Act in order to legalize E-rickshaws. It was passed by the Lok Sabha.
Article 123 of Constitution: It gives legislative power to President. He can issue
ordinances when Parliament is in recess i.e. not in session if there is urgent need to have a
law on some urgent public matter. The ordinance has similar effect to an act of parliament.
However, every ordinance must be laid and approved by both houses of the parliament
within 6 weeks from the reassembling. If not placed and approved by both houses of the
parliament after reassembling it becomes invalid.

Kotak Mahindra-ING Vysya merger gets shareholders nod
Private sector Kotak Mahindra Bank has received its shareholders nod for merger of
Bengalaru-headquartered ING Vysya Bank with itself.
It was approved by the 99.30 per cent in number representing 99.93 per cent in value of the
shareholders present.
This approval is considered as important step for merging of two banks to form new entity.
Now this merger is subject to the final approval from Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
Competition Commission of India (CCI) and such other approvals.
Background
In November 2014, Kotak Mahindra Bank had announced that it is acquiring ING Vysya Bank
in an all-stock deal.
This merger will make Kotak the fourth-largest private bank in India in terms of total
business. The biggest three private banks are ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank.
The management of these banks are expecting that the new merged entity will be
operational by April 1, 2015.
The acquisition will help Kotak Mahindra Bank to widen its reach in South Indian market and
also help in acquiring SME customers as ING Vysya Bank was having stronghold in SME
customers.
After merger the combined banking entity will have a widespread network of 1,214 branches
across pan India.
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthis Prize for Display at Rashtrapati Bhavan

museum
Kailash Satyarthis Nobel Prize has been put up for display at Rashtrapati Bhavan museum.
It was put for display, after Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi dedicated his prize to
the nation. He presented his medal to President Pranab Mukherjee in a ceremony held at
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Now, visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be able to get a glimpse of the Nobel Peace
Prize received by him.
The medal made up of 18 carats gold and weighing 196 grams will be kept at Rashtrapati
Bhavan museum for display.
Rashtrapati Bhavan museum: It was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee in July
2014. This museum provides public an inside view of the Rashtrapati Bhavan along with its
art, architecture and lives of past presidents.
About Kailash Satyarthi
He is the eighth Nobel laureate to have been born in India. He is an adherent of Gandhian
philosophy. He has upheld Mahatma Gandhis practice of engaging and conducting peaceful
protests against the exploitation of children for financial gain. He is the founder of
the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement). Through his NGO, he
campaigns for protection of child rights and to abolish illegal human trafficking.
Indian diplomat Atul Khare named as UN Under Secretary-General for Field

Support
Indian diplomat Atul Khare is named as UN Under Secretary-General for Field Support,
Department of Field Support (DFS). It was announced by Secretary-General of United Nations
Ban Ki-moon.
He will succeed Bangladeshs Ameerah Haq. This appointment makes him as one of the
highest ranking Indian officials in UN.
UN Department of Field Support (DFS)

This department provides dedicated support to peacekeeping field missions and political
field missions around the world.
It also provides support in the areas of finance, logistics, Information, communication and
technology (ICT), human resources and general administration to help missions promote
peace and security.
His appointment to this position will bring strategic management and innovative reform
expertise in both headquarters and field perspective of UNs DFS.
About Atul Khare

He belongs to 1984 cadre of Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
Diplomat career: As Indian diplomat, he has served in Indian Missions in Paris, Dakar, Port
Louis and London as well as the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New
York.
He is Former Director of The Nehru Centre and Minister (Culture), High Commission of India
in London (2005-2006).
United Nations career: Previously, he was Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Timor-Leste and Head of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste
(UNMIT) at the level of Under Secretary-General (2006-2009).
Earlier he also has worked as Chief of Staff and Deputy Special Representative of the
Secretary-General with the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET).
He also has served as Assistant Secretary-General leading the Change Management Team
(2011-2012) and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and Deputy Head
of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York (2010-2011).
ICICI Bank launches Indias first contactless credit and debit cards
Indias largest private sector bank Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation
of India (ICICI) Bank has launched countrys first contactless debit and credit cards.
These cards will provide its customers to make electronic payments by waving the cards
near the merchant terminal instead of dipping or swiping.
Facts about ICICI Banks contactless cards

These cards are based on the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and
powered by MasterCard contactless and Visa payWave technologies.
It provide customers with the improved convenience of speed as these cards require
significantly less time than traditional cards to complete a transaction.
It also enhances security features for the customer.
Presently, bank has introduced these cards in cities like Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
ICICI Bank also has provided with over 1200 Electronic Data Capture (EDC) machines that
are capable of accepting contactless payments in these cities.

Amitabh Bachchan appointed as Brand Ambassador of Andhra Pradesh
health sector
Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is appointed as the brand ambassador for health sector
in Andhra Pradesh.
His name was announced by the Andhra Pradesh state Health Minister Kamineni Srinivas.
As a brand ambassador actor Amitabh Bachchan will participate in various health-related
campaigns to be taken up by the state government without taking any remuneration for the
services.
Implication: It will help bifurcated state to boost and improve its health sector as it worst
hit due to bifurcation. At present, state does not have proper health sector facilities
due major corporate hospitals and medical and health institutions are located in then capital
of undivided state Hyderabad (now capital of Telangana).
Some facts
It should be also noted that, actor Amitabh Bachchan is also brand ambassador of Gujarat
Tourism since 1 February 2010.
While in 2002, he was brand ambassador for the Polio Eradication Campaign.
Punjab bans sale of loose cigarettes and tobacco

Punjab has become first state in India, to completely ban the sale of loose cigarettes (even
as single sticks) and loose tobacco.
State government had banned the sale of loose cigarettes and tobacco under Section 7 of
the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA Act, 2003).
Section 7 of COTPA bans sale of these products if they are traded, supplied or distributed
without specified warning including pictorial warning on it.
State government notification in this regard clearly mentions that loose cigarettes and
tobacco products do not carry a pictorial or a written warning so they are banned.
Earlier state government had banned sale of nicotine in the form of e-cigarette.
About COTPA Act, 2003
It was enacted by Parliament in 2003. It prohibits advertisement and regulates tobacco

business in India.
This Act has put restriction on tobacco products which includes cigarettes, gutka, panmasala
(containing tobacco), cigar, cheroot, Beedi, Snuff, chewing tobacco, hookah, tooth powder
containing tobacco.
Government gives nod to Neutrino project in Tamil Nadu

Union cabinet meeting has approved setting up of India-based Neutrino

Observatory (INO) project in Bodi West Hills, Tamil Nadu. This cabinet
meeting was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key facts about India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project
It is an underground project, jointly supported by the Department of

Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
It will comprise a complex of caverns the main cavern, which will
house detector which is 130 metres long, 26 metres wide and 30 metre high.
Along with main cavern, there will be two smaller caverns that will be
used for setting up experiments for neutrino double detector and dark
matters.
This underground complex will be approached by a 2-kms long tunnel.
It will host experiments such as the neutrino-less double beta decay
and the search for dark matter.
It also involves Inter-Institutional Centre for High Energy Physics
(IICHEP) and Iron Calorimeter Detector (ICAL).
Along with project, government has also approved the construction of a
50,000 tonne magnetised iron calorimeter detector (ICAL). It will study the
properties of the neutrino, in particular the mass hierarchy among different
types of neutrino.
Neutrino
It is an electrically neutral, weakly interacting elementary subatomic particle
with half-integer spin. It belongs to the lepton family.
There are three types of neutrinos: electron neutrinos, muon neutrinos and
tau neutrinos.
President signs ordinance amending Citizenship Act, 1955

President
Pranab
Mukherjee
has
signed
the
ordinance
that
amends Citizenship Act, 1955.
Earlier, union government had promulgated this ordinance in order to merge
Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
schemes. Thus, providing life-long Indian visa facility to PIOs.
It was signed on the eve of the opening of the three-days meet of Indian
diaspora i.e. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015 held in Gujarat.
Key amendments
Citizenship Act amendments will benefit PIO and will give them
benefits like life-long visa and exemption from appearing before the local
police station on every visit etc.
It will also change the clause of parent Act which says that foreigners
who marry Indians must continuously stay in the country for a period of one
year before they get an Indian citizenship. In this regards they will get relief
of 30 days in a year when they can travel outside the country.
The amendment also clears the way for relaxed visa norms for minor
children of OCI cardholders.

PM releases commemorative coins to honour late industrialist Jamsetji Tata
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released commemorative coins to honour Tata Group
founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata.
PM released coins in the denomination of 100 and five rupee to mark Jamsetji Tatas 175th
birth anniversary.
Thus, Jamsetji will be the first industrialist in India to be felicitated by the government in
such a manner.
He was chosen by the government because he is a legendary figure and the government
wants to encourage Indian businesses through this initiative.
So far government has minted coins in honour of artists, freedom fighters, scientists,
institutions and organisations.
Earlier, government had honoured Jamsetji twice by releasing his postal stamps one in 1958
and another in 1965.
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata
He was pioneer industrialist who had founded Tata Group- Indias biggest conglomerate
company. He is regarded as Father of Indian Industry.
He was born on 3 March 1839 in Navsari then part of the princely state of Baroda (Now in
Gujarat).
His successors work led to achieve:

Tata Steel: formerly known as Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO ) is Asias
first and Indias largest steel company. It is also worlds fifth largest steel company.
Indian Institute of Science (IISc): Located in Bengaluru, it is pre-eminent Indian
institution for research and education in Science and Engineering.
Tata Hydroelectric Power Supply Company: later it was renamed Tata
Power Company Limited, currently Indias largest private electricity company.
It should be also noted that present Jamshedpur district in Jharkhand is named after him.
Earlier it was known as Sakchi.
Government launches subsidised 5 kg LPG Cylinder scheme for BPL families

Central government has launched the sale of subsidised 5-kg LPG cylinders scheme for
Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and others.
It was launched by Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Bhubaneswar, Odhisa.
This scheme was launched as part of the oil companies Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
activities to cover BPL population in urban areas.
Under this pilot scheme, a BPL family would be provided with LPG connection. In this case
customers not need to pay security deposit and cost of pressure regulator.
Government by launching this scheme is aiming to promote LPG as it a cleaner fuel which
will help in creating better and smoke less cooking environment and help in improvement of
womens health.
Petroleum Minister also launched the sale of 5-kg cylinders under Free Trade LPG
scheme in Bhubaneswar, Odhisa.
Free Trade LPG scheme: It will cater the LPG requirement of all sections of the society
including the economically weaker section, student, migrant labourers who do not have
proof of address due to their short stay in a particular place.
This scheme is aims at increasing the usage of LPG by providing customers with more
affordable facilities.
PM launches National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting

for energy conservation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched National Programme for LED-based Home
and Street Lighting in New Delhi for energy conservation by reducing energy
consumption.
Along with this programme, PM launched scheme for Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb
distribution under the Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP) and a web-based
system to enable consumers in Delhi to register requests for procuring LED bulbs under
DELP.
National Programme for LED-based Home and Street Lighting

It aims to install LED bulbs for domestic and street-lighting in 100 cities across India
by March 2016.
Under this programme, LED bulbs will be distributed in a phased manner from March
2015 onwards.
The initiative is part of the Governments efforts to spread the message of energy
efficiency in the country.
LED bulbs have a very long life, almost 50 times more than ordinary bulbs, and 8-10
times that of CFLs, and therefore provide both energy and cost savings in the medium term.
It will help in saving of energy around 24 crore units every year.

Sutirtha Bhattacharya takes charge as Coal India Limiteds full-time CMD
Sutirtha Bhattacharya has taken charge as full-time Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL).
He is a 1985 batch IAS officer and for this post his name was cleared by Appointments
Committee of the Cabinet after it was recommended by the Public Enterprises Services
Board (PESB).
Prior to this appointment, he was the CMD of state-owned Singareni Collieries Company.
Background
The post of full time CMD was vacant for past six months after then full-time CMD S Narsing
Rao had resigned from the post in May, 2014 to join Telangana government.
Till this vacant time, Additional Secretary Coal A K Dubey was given the additional charge as
CMD of CIL from June 26, 2014.
About Coal India Limited (CIL)

It is a state-controlled coal mining company. It is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal.
It is the largest coal producer company in the world and contributes around 81% of the coal
production in India.
Union Government of India owns 90% of the shares in CIL and controls the operations of CIL
through Ministry of Coal.
In April 2011, CIL was conferred the Maharatna status by Government of India. It is Indias
5th most valuable company in terms of market value.
Eminent Economist Arvind Panagariya appointed as NITI Aayog vicechairman

Eminent free-market economist Arvind Panagariya has been appointed as Vice-chairman

of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
NITI Aayog is established by government to function as both a think tank and a policy forum
and replaces decades year old Planning Commission.
As a vice chairman, he will play a pivotal role in coordinating economic strategy and hold
position similar to cabinet rank minister.
About Arvind Panagariya

He is an Indian-American economist and Professor of Economics at Columbia
University. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from prestigious Princeton University.
He was an ex-Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade
Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in
various capacities.
He has written around 10 books and the latest was India: The Emerging
Giantpublished in 2008.
Other Appointments of NITI Aayog
Full-Time Members:
Bibek Debroy- Economist.
V.K. Saraswat- Former Secretary Defence R&D.
Ex-officio members:
Rajnath Singh- Union Home Minister.
Arun Jaitley- Union Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting
Minister.
Suresh Prabhu- Union Minister of Railways.
Radha Mohan Singh- Union Minister of Agriculture.
Special Invitees:
Nitin Gadkari- Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping.
Thawar Chand Gehlot-Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Smriti Zubin Irani- Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD).
International Hindi Conference 2015 will be hosted in New Jersey

International Hindi Conference-2015 ( -2015) will be hosted by New

Jersey, United States in April 2015.
Theme of 2015 edition of this conference is Expanding World of Hindi: Possibilities and
Challenges.
Key facts of International Hindi Conference 2015
This conference seeks to provide a platform for participants to get together and
identify challenges and find solutions for the advancement of the Hindi language in North
America and the Caribbean region.
In this conference, Hindi scholars from various parts of the world, particularly from
United States and India will participate.
Participants are expected to discuss individual and organisational partnerships and
leadership and field capacity building and infrastructure building skills and topics.
In this case they are going to discuss topics such as material selection and
development funding, professional development of teachers, and volunteer management.
This conference will also hold sessions on topics such as, Hindi in higher education,
expanding the use of Hindi in businesses and commerce, Community support for Hindi,
Current status of the teaching and learning of Hindi etc.
Edward Brooke, first black elected US senator passes away

Edward Brooke, the first elected black US senator passed away on 3 rd January
2015. He was 95.
He belonged to USs Republican Party.
About Edward Brooke
He was elected to US Congress in 1966 by voters of Massachusetts
State at a time of widespread racial unrest in the country.
He was also the first African-American to hold the post of attorney
general of any state in US. He was attorney general Massachusetts State.
He had served as Congressmen in the US Senate till 1979 and was one
of only nine African-Americans to do so, including US President Barack
Obama.
His name i.e. the Brooke amendment was given to US federal housing
act, passed in 1969, which limited to 25 percent the amount of income a
family must pay for rent in public housing.
He lost his bid for the third term to Congress in 1978. After this defeat
he returned to private law practice.
In 2004, he was awarded US Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2009, he

was also awarded Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award Congress has
to honor civilians.
National Flag designer Pingali Venkayya honoured

Freedom fighter and National Flag designer Pingali Venkayyawas honoured

by naming All India Radio(AIR) Vijayawada (in Andhra Pradesh) building after
him.
In this regard, Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary
Affairs, M. Venkaiah Naidu unveiled the statue of Pingali Venkaiah, in the
premises of AIR Vijayawada.
On this occasion, minister also released a book on the biography of Pingali
Venkayya, translated into Hindi by Mr.Venna Vallabha Rao.
About Pingali Venkayya
He was born in Bhatlapenumarru, near Masulipatnam district in Andhra

Pradesh.
In the National Conference of Indian National Congress (INC) held in
Kakinada (in Andhra Pradesh) 1921, he had suggested that India should have
a flag of its own that impressed Mahatma Gandhi.
After Mahatma Gandis request, he had designed the flag which initially
had saffron and green colours, but in the course of time, modifications were
made with additions like a spinning wheel at the centre and a third colourwhite, Chakra i.e Dharma Chakra which depicts the wheel of the law.
It should be noted that Indias present flag was adopted during the
meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before
Indias independence from the British.
He was also an educationist who had set up an educational institution
in Machilipatnam district of Andhra Pradesh and was an authority in geology,
agriculture.
He died in 1963.
ICICI Bank Launches Digital Village Project in Akodara Village of Gujarat

Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank has launched its
own version of Digital Village Project by adopting entire Akodara Village in Sabarkantha
district of Gujarat.
It was launched presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ICICI Bank MD and CEO
Chanda Kochar to mark 60-year-celebration of the ICICI groups existence.
Key facts about ICICI Banks Digital Village Project
It is launched in lines with Governments flagship programme of Digital India.

It seeks to provide entire village with services ranging from cashless banking to
digitised school teaching.
As part of this project, banking platform at rural part will be digitized by covering all
aspects of banking like opening an account to sale of goods to purchase of products
including milk from the vendors or local kirana stores.
In case of school teaching, it will digitized all school records alongwith the Gujarat
syllabus and even teaching methods and tools.
It will also provide necessary infrastructure needed for digisiting entire village in
order to provide villager with the access required to data and information in a digital format.
Besides basic banking facilities like ATMs and other digital banking services, other
services like e-health, e-milk producer group, Wi-Fi connectivity and schools with digital
black boards in the village, along with a host of other digital facilities will be provided under
this project.
About ICICI Bank
It was established in 1955 as ICICI Ltd.
Originally it was set up as an Indian financial institution as the initiative of the World Bank,
the Government of India and representatives of Indian industry to provide project financing
to Indian businesses.
Later in 1994, it got merged to form ICICI Bank.
UNICEF to prepare a Tea Atlas in Assam

United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has decided to prepare a Tea Atlas in Indias North
Eastern State Assam. This atlas seeks to create a comprehensive database of the tea
gardens and socio-economic condition of its workers in state.
Key facts
It will cover all aspects of the Tea industry, including garden workers who comprise
nearly 20 percent of the state population by mapping tea community database, graphs and
maps.
It will also provide features like geographical locations of the gardens, proprietorship,
various indicators like implementation of Plantations Labour Act and government schemes
meant for the tea community.
In this case, tea communities have been identified as the focus of UNICEF Assams
Social Inclusion and Equity Programming which addresses the issues like early marriage,
alcoholism and child labour among them.

RBI relaxes KYC norms for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has relaxed Know-Your-Customers (KYC) norms for Non-Banking
Financial Companies (NBFCs).
In this regard, RBI has amended the KYC norms in order to remove the practical difficulties
and constraints being faced by NBFCs in getting KYC documents at frequent intervals.
Previously, as per the norms it was necessary for NBFCs to undertake KYC once in every 5
years for low risk category customers and once in two years for both high and medium risk
categories.
But as per new norms, full KYC exercise will be required to be done at least every 10 years
for low risk and at least every 8 years for medium risk individuals and entities.
While for the high-risk individuals and entities, it should be done in at least every 2 years.
This full KYC exercise will be done by taking into account whether and when client due
diligence measures have previously been undertaken and the adequacy of data obtained.
However, the new norm does not mention physical presence of clients for such periodic
updations.
RBI signs an information sharing agreement with US banking regulators

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has signed an information sharing agreement with United States
(US) banking regulators for better coordination with them in supervising financial
institutions.
Earlier in December 2014, RBI had concluded a Statement of Co-operation (SoC)
on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information with the US banking
regulators like Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System(FRB), Office of the
Comptroller of Currency (OCC) and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
SoC was signed by Michael S Gibson- Director, FRB; Martin Pfinsgraff, Senior Deputy
Comptroller-OCC; Doreen R Eberley, Director-FDIC and Indian counterpart P R Ravi Mohan,
Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Banking Supervision, RBI.
RBI by signing such MoU/SoC with supervisors of other countries is seeking to
promote greater co-operation and share supervisory information among the authorities.
In this regard, RBI in total has signed 22 such MoUs, one Letter for Supervisory Cooperation and one SoC, with overseas regulators/supervisors.
Background
In September 2014, during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US, both countries
had issued a joint statement to boost the efforts of the RBI and American banking regulators
and supervisors for exchange of information to enhance the effectiveness of cross border
supervision.
Sri Lankan Cricketer Kumar Sangakkara Joins Elite 12,000-Runs scorer Club
in Test Cricket

Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara has joined an elite group of cricketers to
make 12,000 runs in Test Cricket.
He reached this milestone in Sri Lankas second Test match against New Zealand held in
Wellington, New Zealand.
He has become the fifth cricketer to make 12,000 runs. Other four cricketers are Indian
cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs), Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs),
Jacques Kallis from South Africa (13,289 runs) and Indias Rahul Dravid (13,288 runs).
Earlier in December 2014, he had achieved another feat by becoming only the fourth
batsman to surpass the 13,000-run mark in one-day internationals (ODIs).
Other three batsmen in this list are Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs), Ricky Ponting (13,704
runs) and Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430 runs).

Union Government extends AFSPA for another one year in Assam
Union Government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for
another one year in Assam and has declared the entire state of Assam as a Disturbed
Area.
As per government notification, this extension will for another one year beyond 03
November 2014 which is presently in force.
Besides Assam, government has declared the area falling within 20 km wide belt along the
border of Assam with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya as Disturbed Area.
In these disturbed areas, Army is empowered to take action for counter Insurgency (CI)
operations against the underground (UG) outfits under the provisions of AF (SP) Act, 1958.
Thus it seeks to control the violent incidents caused by the UGs which has direct
disturbances to general law and order of the state.
Background
This extension comes after the law and order situation had worsen in the North eastern state
of Assam and its border areas due to the violent incidents caused by the underground
banned outfits like ULFA(I), NDFB(S), KPLT, UALA, NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) etc.
Facts about Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
It was enacted by Parliament on September 11, 1958.

It conferred special powers upon the armed forces in disturbed areas in the states of
Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. The act
was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990.
AFSPA was enacted to provide army officers and jawans legal immunity for their
actions in disturbed areas. Under this act, a member of the Indian armed forces cannot be
prosecuted or tried in any criminal or civil court for any act committed by him or her while
performing duty in a disturbed area. Moreover, no court or quasi-judicial body can question
the governments decision to declare any area disturbed.
The provisions of AFSPA are very objectionable as it requires the following:
All that is necessary for a part of the State to be handed over to the armed forces is
for the Governor or the Central Government to notify it to be in a disturbed and dangerous
condition.
Even a non-commissioned officer of the armed forces is free, on the mere suspicion of
violation of the law or commission of an offence, to fire upon or otherwise use force, even to
the causing of death, against any person.
He can also without any warrant, arrest any person and enter and search any
premises.
No prosecution of anyone indulging in excesses purporting to act under AFSPA is
possible except with the previous sanction of the Government.
PM inaugurates 102nd Indian Science Congress 2015 at Mumbai University

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Indian Science Congress 2015 at the
Mumbai University. It is the 102nd edition of this congress and Mumbai is hosting it again
after the gap of 45 years.
The theme of 102nd Congress is Science and Technology for Human Development.
The Congress sessions aims to bring together eminent scientists, research scholars to
popularize science and foster a scientific temperament.
Key facts
It is 5 day event and will witness deliberations and presentation of papers by the
scientific fraternity from across the globe. More than 12 thousand delegates are going to
participate in the session.
In this congress several symposia on relevant themes such as Womens Science
Congress, Children Science Congress and Science Exhibition etc will be also organized.
This edition will cover a wide variety of topics like: Agriculture and forestry,
veterinary science, earth science, environment, engineering, information & communication,
computer sciences, mathematics, medicine, biology, physics and plant sciences among
others.
Other themes of interest include science & technology in SAARC countries,
biodiversity conservation, space application, GM crops and the use of modern biotechnology
in agriculture, clean energy systems for the future.
Boxing India (BI) gets nod from Union Sports Ministry

Union Sports Ministry has given nod to Boxing India (BI) as the new governing body for the
sport.
In this regard, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (Department of Sports) Government of
India has given the nod as it is a recognised member of the International Boxing Association
(AIBA).
It will help BI to expedite the administrative formalities and streamlining the overall
functioning and activities boxing.
Boxing India President: Sandeep Jajodia

Indian company IRCON restores Jaffna-Kankasanthurai rail track in Sri Lanka
Indian Railways construction company (IRCON) has

between Jaffna and Kankasanthurai in North Sri Lanka.
restored
the
rail
track
This restored commercial Yal Devi Express service was formally inaugurated by Sri Lankas
Transport Minister Kumara Welgama.
This 18 kilometer track passes through the high security zone which was freed from the
control of Tamil tigers in 2009.
Background
The entire rail line between Colombo and the Northern part of Sri Lanka was destroyed in the
late 1980s by the LTTE.
Indias IRCON is playing important role in rebuilding the 252 km railway track on this route.
Indian government had provided a line of credit of 800 million dollars for these projects. In
2014, the line upto Jaffna was made operational after it was restored.
Facts about Indian Railways construction company (IRCON)

It was established in 1976 by Union Government under the Companies Act, 1956. It is
wholly owned by the Ministry of Railways. In 1995, it was renamed as IRCON International
Limited.
Since its establishment, this company had undertaken construction of railway
projects in India and abroad especially in difficult terrains.
It has completed more than 300 major infrastructure projects in India and over 121
major projects globally in more than 21 countries.
Indian-origin man J Y Pillay reappointed as top advisor to Singapore President

Veteran Indian-origin civil servant Joseph Yubaraj Manuel Pillay was reappointed as the
Chairman of the Presidential Council of Advisers (CPA) by Singapore President Tony Tan
Keng Yam.
He was sworn in as top advisor to Singapores President for a period of next four years.
As Chairman of the CPA, he will exercise the functions of the Presidents office in the
absence of President. If he is unavailable, the Speaker of Parliament would act as the head
of state.
Presidential Council of Advisers (CPA): This council was formed in 1992. It advises
Singapores President in various areas, including safeguarding the past reserves of the
Government and key appointments in the public services.
About J Y Pillay
He has served in a number of senior civil service positions in Singapore. He was first
appointed to the CPA on January 2, 2001 and served its Chairman since September 2, 2005.
He is one of the pioneers who helped build the Singapore economy after its
separation from Malaysia in 1965. He also had served as Chairman of Singapore Airlines
from 1972 until 1976.
In 2012, for his public service, Pillay was awarded the Order of Nila Utama (First
Class) award- one of Singapores most prestigious National Day Awards.
Former ISRO chief and Renowned Scientist Dr V R Gowarikar passes away

Former ISRO chief and renowned Scientist Dr. Vasant Ranchod Gowarikar passed away in
Pune, Maharashtra. He was 81.
He is considered as the Father of the Indian Monsoon Model.
About Dr. Vasant Gowarikar

Dr. Vasant Gowarikar was born in Pune on 25th March, 1933.
He was renowned scientist and his significant contribution includes in field of space
research, weather and population study and Polymer Chemistry.
In 1965, Dr Gowarikar along with Vikram Sarabhai started working on satellite
technology in the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Both of them played important
role in laying foundation stone for Indias space technology and space programmes.
He also headed Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). On 17th April 1983,
under his leadership Satellite launcher SLV-3 became successfully operational in orbit.
He was the scientific advisor to late Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao from 1991 to
1993. For some time, he was Vice Chancellor of Pune University.
He was also chairman of Marathi Vidnyan Parishad from 1994 to 2000.
Books: Many books and scientific essays are credited to his name. His book I
Predict, an essay on the Indian population, has become famous.
Awards: He was honoured with the Padmashree Award, Padma Bhushan (2008), Fie
Foundation Award, Nayak Gold Medal and Doctorates from many prestigious universities.
The Fertilizer Encyclopedia: Dr. Gowarikar, along with his associates in 2008 had
compiled the massive The Fertilizer Encyclopedia that featured 4,500 entries of chemical
composition of fertilizers. It contains collection of information related to fertilizers consisting
of their manufacturing, application and environmental considerations.
IAS officer R K Srivastava takes charges as AAI Chairman

IAS officer R K Srivastava took over as the new chairman ofAirports Authority of India
(AAI).
Earlier in December, Srivastava was appointed as chairman of AAI by the government for 5
years.
He is a 1984-batch Jharkhand-cadre IAS officer and has replaced Sudheer Raheja who was
charge of the post since late August 2014.
Airports Authority of India (AAI)
AAI is statutory body under the aegis of Ministry of Civil Aviation. It is responsible for
creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India.
It also provides Air traffic management (ATM) services over Indian airspace and adjoining
oceanic areas.
AAI manages around 125 airports in India, which include 18 International Airport, 07
Customs Airports, 78 Domestic Airports and 26 Civil Enclaves at Defense airfields.
Greece dissolves parliament ahead of snap elections

Greeces Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has dissolved the countrys parliament ahead of
snap elections to be held on 25 January.
Dissolution of Parliament comes after it failed to elect the President in the third and final
round of voting.
In the third and final round for electing President, ruling governments candidate Stavros
Dimas (former European Commissioner) was defeated by 180 votes, resulting in dissolution
of the Parliament.
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras ruling coalition government had came into power in 2012
after the General Elections.
In 2012 General elections, Prime Minister Samaras-led New Democratic Party had won the
elections and formed the government.
Central Government appoints A.K. Mittal as Chairman of Railway Board

Central Government has appointed A.K. Mittal as Chairman of Railway Board. His name
was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister.
He will succeed incumbent chief Arunendra Kumar whose term had ended on 31st December
2014.
About A.K. Mittal

He is an officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service of the 1976 batch. He has
become first-ever officer from the Stores service to be Chairman of Railway Board.
Before this appointment A.K. Mittal was Member Staff of Railway Board and ex-officio
Secretary to the Government of India.
He has also served as General Manager of South Western Railway (SWR). He also had
held additional charge of General Manager, South Central Railway (SCR).

Delhi Police launches women safety mobile app Himmat
Delhi police has launched women safety mobile application Himmat. It was launched by
the Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.
It is an android based mobile app, which aims to cater employed women who have
smartphones and travel alone late in the night.
This application will allow women to send a distress call to Police Control Room (PCR) and
their relatives in case of any emergency.
Key facts of women safety mobile app Himmat

In case to use this app, user has to download this app on their smartphone.
After downloading the app, new user has to register them with the Delhi Police
website by sharing their name, mobile number and that of a minimum of two
relatives/friends.
In case of emergency, user can send an alert by shaking her phone or by pressing the
power button/soft button.
As soon as the distress button is pressed, it will trigger a 30-second audio and video
recording on the phone which will be relayed to the PCR. The victim will get a call back from
the PCR.
After distress button is pressed, SMS alert consisting of all the details of the victim,
including her location, time will be forwarded to the PCR. Then from PCR, SMS alert it will be
forwarded to the police patrol cars in the area and the local station house officer (SHO)
through the Delhi Police cyber highway.
In case of emergency, SMS alert will also be sent to minimum of 5 friends and
relatives of the user. It will also post a status on the victims Facebook and Twitter accounts.
In order to tackle false SOS alerts/ alarms the app is provided with inbuilt feature
which cancels the registration after 3 such (False SOS alerts) incidents. But, the user can reregister to re-activate the facility.
India and Pakistan exchange list of nuclear facilities

India and Pakistan on 1st January 2015 have exchanged the list of their nuclear installations
and facilities under the agreement on Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear
installations between India and Pakistan.
The exchange of list was done through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and
Islamabad.
It is the 24th consecutive exchange of such list between the two neighbouring countries
which bars them from attacking each others atomic facilities.
Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between
India and Pakistan
This bilateral agreement bars both nations from carrying out any surprise attack (or to assist
foreign power to attack) on each others nuclear installations and facilities.
It was signed on 31st December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991. It was
signed by then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his Pakistani counterpart Benazir
Bhutto.
Both countries inform each other about their nuclear installations and facilities that need to
be covered under the Agreement on 1 January every year.
Union government blocks 32 websites for spreading anti-India views and ISIS
propaganda
Union government has blocked access to 32 websites for carrying anti-India views and
spreading banned terrorist outfit Islamic State of Iraq and Syrias (ISIS) propaganda. These
websites were blocked after following an advisory given by an anti-terrorism team.
The blocked uniform resource locators(URLs) include files, videos and source code-sharing
websites.
They were blocked by Department of Telecom(DoT) under Section 69 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 and under Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for
Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
These rules give powers to the central government to block access to information on
websites if it threatens the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of the country, defence
of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for
preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence.

Tropical storm Jangmi hits Philippines
Tropical storm Jangmi has hit Surigao del Sur province on northern Mindanao in Philippines.
This tropical storm is locally is known as Seniang.
This storm had approached the land with gusts wind of 100 kph resulting heavy rain. This
heavy rain has triggered flash floods and landslides in the country.
Jangmi storm has also affected several parts of neighbouring countries of Philippines like
Malaysia and Thailand.
In 2014, in total 30 storms had occurred in the Northwest Pacific, 16 of them have affected
the Philippines. Among 16 storms, 6 were strong enough to be classified as typhoons. Earlier
in December 2014, Super Typhoon Hagupit had lashed central parts of Philippines with winds
of 215 kph.
Union government blocks 32 websites for spreading anti-India views and ISIS
propaganda
Union government has blocked access to 32 websites for carrying anti-India views and
spreading banned terrorist outfit Islamic State of Iraq and Syrias (ISIS) propaganda. These
websites were blocked after following an advisory given by an anti-terrorism team.
The blocked uniform resource locators(URLs) include files, videos and source code-sharing
websites.
They were blocked by Department of Telecom(DoT) under Section 69 of the Information
Technology Act, 2000 and under Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for
Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
These rules give powers to the central government to block access to information on
websites if it threatens the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of the country, defence
of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for
preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence.
Government signs $ 75 million loan deal with Asian Development Bank for
KIUWMIP
Government has signed a loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 75 million
dollars and 1.8 million dollar grant for Karnataka Integrated Urban Water Management
Investment Program (KIUWMIP).
This loan fund will be used in the three towns of Byadagi, Davanagere and Harihar of
Karnataka under the KIUWMIP.
This loan seeks to expand and upgrade: urban water supply and sanitation infrastructure,
improve water resource planning, monitoring and service delivery, and strengthen
operational and administrative capacity in these towns.
As per this agreement, the loan has a 25 year term including a grace period of five years.
Implications: This project by utilizing the loan fund will help these urban towns to increase
water treatment capacity by 15,000 cubic meters per day. It will also help expand and
upgrade more than 1,000 kilometers of water pipelines and increase sewage treatment
capacity by 48,000 cubic meters per day, thereby promoting water efficiency and
environmental protection.
About Karnataka Integrated Urban Water Management Investment Program

(KIUWMIP)
KIUWMIP- is an investment program that aims to improve water resource
management in urban areas of Karnataka State in a holistic and sustainable.
It seeks to modernize and expand urban water supply and sanitation (UWSS) by
strengthening relevant institutions related to it in order to enhance their efficiency,
productivity and sustainability in water use.
It takes help of innovative social instruments like as public-private partnership

(PPP) or reform oriented incentive funds.
This Program also aims to improve the condition of more fragile environments located
in North Karnataka that are increasingly affected by water resource degradation by
promoting climate-resilient development, capacity-development techniques for conducive
adaptation.

Government splits Chairman & MD post in PSU banks and names chiefs for 4
PSU banks
Government has decided to separate the post of Chairman and Managing Director (MD) and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in public sector banks.
With this decision government is breaking the tradition of having the heads of state-run
banks act as both chairman and managing director.
As per the Finance Ministry, the Chairman in public sector banks other than State Bank of
India (SBI) will be a part- time board member. He will preside over the board meetings and
will not be an Executive Chairman.
This means that for the first time, PSU banks will have a non-Executive Chairman, giving
operational responsibility to Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
In pursuance of the decision, the government has appointed four Managing Directors and
CEOs of following 4 PSU banks
Koteeswaran was named as MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank.
Srinivas was named as MD and CEO of United Bank of India.
Animesh Chauhan was named MD and CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce.
Kishore Sansi was named MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank.
Above 4 MDs and CEOs will have tenure of 3 years or till the date of superannuation,
whichever is earlier. These appointments were made based on the recommendations of
Appointments Board chaired by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor.
Government also has decided to go for a fresh selection procedure for the post of Chairman
and MD and CEO in Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and Canara Bank, which are A
category large banks.
Microsoft sues Indian firm C-Cubed Solutions for technical support scam
Microsoft has sued an Indian company C-Cubed Solutions along with other entities for
misusing its name and registered trademarks by providing fraudulent technical support
services to unsuspecting consumers.
In this regard, Microsofts Digital Crimes Unit has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court located
in the Central District of California against C-Cubed Solutions for unfair and deceptive
business practices and trademark infringement.
As per the lawsuit, C-Cubed Solutions along with other entities had used the Microsoft
trademarks to enhance their credentials and confuse customers without any authorisation
from them. Microsoft is demanding a jury trial against these entities.
Microsoft is also seeking from jury a permanent injunction to restrain and enjoin these
entities for the infringement of their registered trademarks and directly or indirectly
engaging in false advertising regarding the quality or security of Microsoft software.
It should be noted that, law suit has mentioned C-Cubed as a private company associated
under Indian law. Its directors include Marc Haberman, Rachel Eilat Haberman and Jay
Wurzberger. It is a subsidiary of California-based Customer Focus Services (CFS) and
operates the mail server by which CFS.
Microsoft has chosen to sue these entities after they had received more 65,000 customer
complaints regarding fraudulent tech support scams since May 2014.
M Sathiyavathy becomes first woman to be appointed as Director General

DGCA
IAS officer M Sathiyavathy has become first woman to be appointed as Director General
(DG) of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
She will succeed Prabhat Kumar, to become first woman to become the chief aviation
regulator for period of three years till 2017.
She is a 1982-batch UT cadre IAS officer. Earlier she has served in the Civil Aviation Ministry
as a Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser since February 2014.
About Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
DGCA is Indias regulatory body for civil aviation. It comes under the aegis of Union Ministry
of Civil Aviation.
As a regulatory body, it seeks to promote

Safe and efficient Air Transportation through regulation and proactive safety
oversight system in India.
Enforce civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards in India as per
International standards.
Tamu Lhochhar festival being observed in Nepal on 30th December

December 30, 2014No comments
Tamu Lhochhar festival is being observed on 30th December with gaiety

and full fervor in Nepal which marks new year among different communities.
It is the biggest cultural festival of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism and
generally being observed by the Gurungs at different places in Nepal
including in the Kathmandu Valley.
The people of Tamang, Sherpa, Gurung, Magar, Thakali, Jirel, Nesyangwa,
Bhote, Dura and Lepcha communities and others celebrates this festival.
The Gurung community mark this festival as Tamu Lhochhar while the
Tamangs and other communities celebrate it as Sonam Lhochhar on the first
day of waxing moon in the Nepali month Magh. While Sherpas and Bhotes
celebrate it as Gyalpo Lhochhar.
On this day, the junior members of the community and family receive
blessings from seniors and greet each other wishing for good health,
happiness and prosperity.
People of these communities who are living and working abroad also
celebrate this festival with exchanging New Year greetings and joy.
Kerala Government lays foundation stone for Global Artists Village

Kerala government has laid foundation stone for the first governmentrun Kalagramam i.e Global Artist village in the country at Kakkananpara in
Kannur district of Kerala.
The foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Key facts of Global Artists Village
Global Artists Village i.e. Kalagramam is a project planned by the
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.
This planned facility will provide artists from different parts of the
country and abroad to stay and work in the place surrounded by swathes of
scenic beauty.
The art village project will be implemented in phases and the first
phase of the project will be completed in four months.
The art village project envisages construction of four living rooms,
mess house, conference hall and other amenities in the first phase of the
project. It will provide accommodation facilities for the artists visiting there.
It is being developed on a 3.5-acre plot. State government has
allocated Rs.75 lakh for the project and further going to extend it to Rs.3
crore.
Central Government to launch scheme for conservation of heritage and

development of 12 cities
Central government is planning to launch scheme for conservation of heritage and

development of 12 cities across the country. It was announced by Union Urban
Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
For this scheme government had allocated Rs. 500 crore in the Union Budget 2014 and it will
be rolled out in January 2015.
Under this scheme, 12 cities will be covered under the National Heritage City
Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY).
The 12 cities are: Amritsar, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Ajmer, Mathura, Dwarka, Badami,
Velankanni, Kanchipuram, Warangal and Amaravati.
From Andhra Pradesh and Telangana towns selected are Amaravati from Guntur district and
Warangal which have rich heritage and culture.
Warangal: It was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty.
Amaravati: It is situated on the banks of river Krishna and was the capital of Satavahanas
in the 2nd Century. It is also a major Buddhist centre.
About Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

It aims to bring urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation together
for heritage cities.
It also seeks beautification in an inclusive and integrated manner with focus on
cleanliness, livelihoods, skills, safety, security, accessibility and faster service delivery of
heritage cities.
Heritage management plan (HMP) will be prepared for the identified cities which will
outline heritage resources and develop policies to guide their conservation, restoration,
future use and development.
It will seek to improve last-mile connectivity heritage sites by documentation,
conservation of areas, providing more facilities for women, senior citizens and differently
abled citizens.
Thus it will help to create improved connectivity platform and access to tourists.
Losar festival beings in Ladakh

The festival of Losar has begun in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. 10 day long festival
began with illumination of religious and residential places.
This festival marks the beginning of New Year in Ladakh and it is an important social and
religious celebration in Ladakh. Losar is Tibetan word for new year.
Traditional Celebrations of festival:

Following tradition, people from Ladakh visit graveyards of ancestor family members
and pray for peace for the departed soul.
Special food items during the festival are prepared to mark the occasion. People visit
each other for exchange of Losar greetings.
In India, Losar is also celebrated by Yolmo, Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, and Bhutia
communities residing in different regions in the country.
5th edition of Gyanodaya Express sets off for North-East

Delhi Universitys fifth edition of Gyanodaya Express has set off for North-East with 870
students and teachers aboard.
Dharohar-Gyanodaya Express was flagged off from Safdarjang Railway Station by Union
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Sarbanda Sonowal, MoS Youth Affairs and
Sports.
The educational trip started from December 18 and will end on December 29. It aims to
enrich students about the culture and heritage of the North east region and will cover all
eight northeastern states Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Besides learning about the culture and heritage of the northeastern states, students as part
of trip will also meet representatives of local universities as well as senior functionaries of
the North eastern states during the trip.
As a part preparation for the heritage tour, DU earlier had offered foundation courses in
Nepali and Bengali, which are widely spoken in Sikkim and Tripura.
After the trip, Delhi University is planning to publish a book, Dharohar: The glory of the
Northeast on the experiences of the students on the journey as well as the projects
churned out by them.
Gyanodaya Express: It was started by Delhi University in 2012 as the College-onWheels project.

Government initiates scheme to protect Endangered Languages of India
Union Government has initiated a Scheme known as Protection and Preservation of
Endangered Languages of India.
It was announced by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Irani in a
written reply to the Lok Sabha question.
Key facts of the scheme

As part of this Scheme, all the mother tongues/languages of India spoken by less
than 10,000 people will be considered as They will be protected, preserved and documented
by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore.
Technology will play key role in the preservation of endangered languages and it will
be an integral part of it.
Dictionaries and basic grammars in all the endangered languages/mother tongues
are prepared in digital format. In addition, talking dictionaries in the endangered
languages/mother tongues will be prepared with the help of technology.
The cultural and ethno-linguistic aspects of the languages/mother tongues and
indigenous knowledge system of the communities will be video-graphed and stored
electronically for archival and retrieval purposes.
A digital map with linguistic/cultural words with actual pronunciation for accounting
variation in speech is also part of the scheme.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also prepares guidelines in order to provide
assistance for establishment of Centre of Endangered Languages in Central
Universities.
In this regard, UGC has accorded approval to 9 Central Universities to establish these
centres and allocated Rs.50.00 crore.
PM inaugurates Nagalands Hornbill festival

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Hornbill festival of Nagaland. PM Modi by
wearing a traditional Naga headgear and by beating the traditional Naga gong three times
declared the festival open at the picturesque heritage village of Kisama, Kohima.
About Hornbill festival of Nagaland

Hornbill (name of a bird) Festival is celebrated in Nagaland every year in the first week of
December. This festival is 10-day tourism promotional extravaganza which showcases rich
culture of Naga tribes which includes shows of music and dance.
It was established on 1st December 1963 and was inaugurated by the then President Dr. S
Radhakrishnan. The festival is organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture
Departments, at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from Kohima the state
capital. Notably, it is also supported by the Centre as one of the biggest indigenous festivals
of the country.
The Hornbill Festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades,
games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies. The festival both exposes the culture and
tradition of tribal peoples, and reinforces Nagalands identity as a unique state in Indias
federal union.
Martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur observed on 24 November

November 24, 2014No comments
Martyrdom Day of 9th Sikh guru, Guru Teg Bahadur was being observed on 24 th November
2014. It was on this day in 1675, Guru Teg Bahadur had sacrificed his life in Chandni Chowk,
Delhi on the orders of the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Events organised to observe Martyrdom Day of Guru Teg Bahadur
In Punjab, main religious congregations were being organised at Anandpur Sahib in

Ropar district where Gurus head was cremated and in the Gurudwaras which are related to
the memory of Guru.
Community kitchens have been set up at many places. Devotees visited the
Gurudwaras since morning and continuous gurbani recitation took place.
A special journey known as Rin Uttar Yatra to pay gratitude to great guru has
started from Anandpur Sahib, Rupnagar district, Punjab on 23rd November 2014 and it will
conclude at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Delhi.
Seminars were organized at many places in Punjab and Haryana by the Sikh scholars
to apprise younger generation about gurus sacrifice.
About Guru Tegh Bahadur

Guru Teg Bahadur is also known as Hind Di Chadder- Protector of India. He had sacrificed
his life for the unity of the society of that period and to stop religious tyranny under the rule
of sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He became the 9th Guru of Sikhs on 16 April 1664, a
position earlier occupied by his grand-nephew, Guru Har Krishan.
He had travelled in different parts of the country, including Dhaka and Assam, to preach the
teachings of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh guru. Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders
of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for resisting the forced conversions of Hindus in
Kashmir.

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Current Affairs January 2015

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