5/8/2017 CurrentAffairsTodayFebruary12017

Current Affairs Today February 1 2017

By AC Team - February 2, 2017

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INDIANAFFAIRS

FinanceMinisterArunJaitleypresentedtheUnionbudget20172018
UnionFinanceMinisterShriArunJaitleypresentedtheUnionbudget20172018inLokSabha
onFebruary1,2017.ThisisthefourthbudgetbytheNarendraModigovernment.Itisthefirst
budgetaftermajorchangesinIndianeconomylikeGoodsandServicesTaxandDemonetization
in2016.
TheBudgetfor201718containsthreemajorreforms.
1.PresentedonFebruray1,2017insteadofusualpracticeofbeingpresentedonlastdayof
February.
2.MergerofRailwayBudgetwiththeGeneralBudget
3.AbolitionofPlanned&NonPlannedExpenditure
AgendaofUnionBudget201718
i.TheagendafortheUnionBudget201718isTECIndia,whereTstandsforTransform,E

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standsforEnergizeandCforClean.
ii.TheagendaseekstotransformthequalityofgovernanceandlifeofpeopleEnergisevarious
sectionsofsocietyespeciallytheyouthandthevulnerabletobringoutthebestinthemand
Cleanthecountryfromtheevilsofcorruption,blackmoneyandnontransparentpolitical
funding.
iii.ThetotalBudgetexpenditureallocatedfor201718isRs.21.47lakhcrores.
10PillarsofBudget201718
TheBudget201718isbasedon10distinctpillarstomeettheTECIndiaagenda.
1.Farmers
2.RuralPopulation
3.Youth
4.PoorandtheUnderprivileged
5.Infrastructure
6.FinancialSector
7.DigitalEconomy
8.PublicService
9.PrudentFiscalManagement
10.TaxAdministration

GovernmentClearsthatBetiBachaoBetiPadhaohasnoprovisionforcashtransfer
component
i.TheMinistryofWomenandChildDevelopmenthasclarifiedthatthereisnoprovisionfor
individualcashtransfercomponentinBetiBachaoBetiPadhaoscheme.
ii.TheSchemesimplyfocusesongeneratingawarenessaboutgirlchildandchangingthe
mindsetsanddeeprootedpatriarchyofthesocietyandimprovetheefficiencyofwelfare
servicesforgirls.
iii.Theclarificationcameafterthereportthatsomeunauthorisedsites,organisations,NGOs
andindividualsweredistributingformsinthenameofcashincentiveunderthescheme.
iv.ThecentresaidthatthereisnocashincentiveassociatedinanyformforB3Pschemeand
distributionofsuchformswascompletelyillegal.
v.Theministryhasalsoadvicedthepeopletoreportanysuchincidentstothenearestpolice
stationandtheconcernedDistrictCollectorandDistrictMagistrate.

UnionCabinetGivesGreenSignaltoAmendBilltoModifyScheduledCasteslistin
Odisha
i.TheUnionCabinetundertheChairmanshipofPrimeMinsterNarendraModionFebruary1,
2017gaveitsapprovaltoamendtheConstitution(ScheduledCastes)Order,1950Billto

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makechangesthelistofScheduledCastesinOdisha.
ii.Besides,thecabinetalsoapprovedamendingtheConstitution(Pondicherry)Scheduled
CastesOrder,1964tochangethenameoftheUnionTerritoryPondicherrytoPuducherry.
iii.TheamendedBillwillbeshortlyintroducedintheparliamentunderthenameConstitution
(ScheduledCastes)Orders(Amendment)Bill,2017.
iv.Additionally,Sualgiri/SwalgiricastewhichisapartofalreadyincludedSabakhiacastehas
beenmadeeligibletobeincludedinthelistofSCinOdisha.

HighLevelConsultationsonCounterTerrorismHeldBetweenIndia&RussiainNew
Delhi
i.AhighlevelconsultationwasheldbetweenIndiaandRussiaonJanuary31,2017in
NewDelhitoshareviewsonthreatsposedbyterrorism.
ii.IndiansidewasledbyPreetiSaran,Secretary(East),MinistryofExternalAffairswhileRussia
wasledbyH.E.OlegV.Syromolotov,DeputyForeignMinister.
iii.Bothsidessharedviewsonissuesrelatedtoterrorismincludingstatesponsored,cross
borderterrorismfacedbyIndia.
iv.ThetwosidesagreedtocomplywiththeUNSC1267SanctionsListprocessesfor
blacklistingvariousterroristsandentities.
v.Besidesdiscussingthethreatontheissue,boththenationalsosharedexperiencesof
successfulmeasurestakentocurbterrorismandcounteringradicalization.
vi.TheysharedconcernsrelatedtotheexistenceofAfPakregionasthemaincentreof
terrorism.
vii.Thetwoleadersemphasizedtheneedtodeepentheengagementoncounterterrorism
undertheUN,BRICSandSCOmechanisms
viii.Ajointactionplanhasbeenagreeduponbythetwocountriestofocusonenhancing
capacitybuilding,frequentexpertlevelmeetings,sharingof
insights,exchangeofbestpracticesincounteringradicalisation
andcurbingterrorism.
Russia
Capital:Moscow
Currency:Russianruble
President:VladimirPutin
Primeminister:DmitryMedvedev

CabinetapprovesExtensionoftenureofloansundertheCreditLinkedSubsidy
Scheme(CLSS)ofPMAYfrom15to20years
i.TheUnioncabinetledbyPMModihasgivenitsapprovalonFebruary1,2017toextendthe

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tenureofloansundertheCreditLinkedSubsidyScheme(CLSS)underPradhanMantriAwas
Yojana(Urban)Missionfromthecurrent15yearsto20years.
ii.Besidestheschemehasbeenintroducedforthemiddleincomegroup(MIG)categoryand
aninitialallocationofRs.1000crorehasbeenmadeatBudgetaryEstimatestagein201718
fortheproposedCLSSforMIG.
iii.Foreconomicallyweakersectionsofsociety/LowerIncomeGroup(LIG),the
schemehasbeennamedasCLSS.
iv.ThePrimaryLendingInstitutions(PLIs)thathavesignedanMoUwiththeCentralNodal
Agencies(CNAs),undertheCLSSofPMAY(Urban)havealsobeendirectedtoextendthe
necessaryconditionsoftheirMoUtoCLSSforMIGwithappropriatechangesasapplicable.
v.TheschemesaimtoensuregreaterparticipationamongsttheEconomicallyWeakerSection
(EWS),LIGandMIGsegmentofthesocietytoprovideHousingforAllby2022.
vi.Theinterestsubsidywouldbedisbursedtothehomeloanaccountofthebeneficiariesbythe
PLIs.

IntroductionofIndianInstitutesofInformationTechnology(Amendment)Bill,2017
inParliamentApprovedbyCabinet
i.TheUnionCabinetapprovedintroductionoftheIndianInstitutesofInformation
Technology(Amendment)Bill,2017inParliamentonFebruary1,2017.
ii.TheBillseekstoamendtheIndianInstitutesofInformationTechnologyAct,2014,
whichdefinesthestatusofInstitutionsofNationalImportanceontheIIITsandalsoprovidesfor
mattersconnectedwithadministeringtheseIIITs.
iii.TheamendedBillaimstoincludeIndianInstituteofInformationTechnologyDesign
andManufacturing(IIITDM),KurnoolinAndhraPradeshintheActanddeclareitasan
instituteofNationalImportancewiththepowertoawarddegreestostudents
iv.WiththisIIITDM,KurnoolwillbecomethefifthMemberofIIITtobefundedby
government.IITDM,KurnoolrunsonthePlanfundsoftheMinistryofHumanResource
Development.
v.TheInstitutewillbeopentoallpersonsirrespectiveofgender,caste,creed,disability,
domicile,ethnicity,socialoreconomicbackground.

VenkaiahNaiduInauguratesDigitalRadioRoundTableConference
i.UnionMinisterforInformation&BroadcastingMVenkaiahNaiduwasinauguratedthe
DigitalRadioorAllRoundTableConferenceinNewDelhionJanuary31,2017
ii.Organiser:DigitalRadioMondiale(DRM)andBroadcastEngineeringConsultantsIndia
Limited(BECIL)
iii.Aim:TostimulatetheinterestsofthekeyIndianstakeholdersinthepublicphaselaunchof

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theprojecttodigitiseradioinIndia,followingthesuccessfulinstallationofDRMdigitalradio
transmittersbyAllIndiaRadio(AIR).
iv.WhatisDRM?
TheDigitalRadioMondiale(DRM)broadcastingsystemisspecificallydesignedtoallowthenew
digitaltransmissionsystemtocoexistwiththecurrentanaloguebroadcasts.

INTERNATIONALAFFAIRS

USD3.3billionassistanceLaunchedbyUNICEF
i.TheUNChildrensFund(UNICEF)launchedanappealfortheyear2017onJanuary31,
2017forUSD3.3billiontohelpover48millionchildrenacrosstheglobewhoaredriven
fromtheirhomesduetoconflict,disastersandclimatechange.
ii.TheappealwasmadewithregardstothefearthatUSmay
cutdownitsfundingwhichisthetopdonorcontributingabout
40percenttotheinternationalorganizations.
iii.AmongtheUNICEFappealfor2017,nearly42percent,
USD1.4billion,wouldbeusedtosupportchildrenfromSyrialivingasrefugeesacrossthe
bordersinneighboringstates.Besides,theassistancewouldalsofocusoncountrieslikeYemen,
SouthSudanandNigeriawhichheavilyaffectedchildrenduetowars.
iv.Theappealfor2017is18percentmorethanthepreviousyear.TheTopdonorcountries
includesUnitedStates,Germany,BritainandEuropeanCommission.
v.UNICEFiscontinuouslytryingtoensurethatchildrenhaveaccesstoschooltoavoidlostof
generationofyouthinfuture.
TheUnitedNationsChildrensFund(UNICEF)
Headquarters:NewYork,UnitedStates
CEO:AnthonyLake
Founded:11December1946

WorldsLargestBatteryStoragePlantUnveiledinCalifornia
i.TeslaMotorInc.andSouthernCaliforniaEdisonhavejointlylaunchedWorldslargest
energystoragefacilitiesonJanuary30,2017attheutilitysMiraLomasubstationin
Ontario,California.
ii.Thefacilitywasunveiledaspartofthemassivedeploymentofgridconnectedbatteries
agreementmadebetweenthetwocompaniesinSeptember2016.
iii.Thefacilitywouldreducedependenceonfossilfuelsforgeneratingenergyandtake
advantageofwindandsuntodelivercleanenergytopowerhomes,businessesamongother
things.

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iv.Itisthelargestlithiumionbatterystorageprojectintheworldconsistingof396stacksof
TeslaPowerpackunitsspreadacross1.5acres.Eachunitisfittedwith16,000lithiumion
batterycells.Thebatterycanstoreupto80megawatthourstopower2,500homesfora
dayor15,000homesforfourhours.
v.Thebatterieschargeupwhenthereismorerenewableenergythandemand,ultimately
allowingcustomerstousecleanenergyduringpeakhours.
vi.Thenewfacilitywouldreducetherelianceongasspeakerplants,preventelectricity
shortages,provideenergysecurityandreducegreenhousegases.

Israelsanctionstobuild3000newsettlements
i.IsraelGovernmentdecidedtobuild3000unitsforJewishsettlersintheWestBank,andin
occupiedEastJerusalem.
ii.AnIsraeliofficialstatedthatIsraelwillbeconstructingthebuildingsinsettlementslocatedin
theWestBank,andinoccupiedEastJerusalem.
iii.TheofficialaddedthatthedecisionwasmadeinresponsetothePalestinianbidattheUN
GeneralAssemblyinwhichthePalestinianswerevotedinasanonmemberstateafter138
countriesvotedforthebid,whileonly9countriesvotedagainst
and41countriesabstained.
AboutIsrael:
Capital:Jerusalem
Currency:Israelinewshekel
President:ReuvenRivlin
Primeminister:BenjaminNetanyahu

IndiatobeGuestCountryatSt.PetersburgInternationalEconomicForum
i.IndiaisinvitedastheGuestcountryfortheupcoming2017St.PetersburgInternational
EconomicForumwhichwasscheduledtobeheldfromJune1to3,2017
ii.PrimeMinisterNarendraModiwillattendtheStPetersburgInternationalEconomicForum
(SPIEF).India&RussiaareworkingonthebilateralaspectduringModisvisitoRussia
iii.TheSPIEFisaninternationaleconomicsandbusinesseventheldannuallywiththe
participationofthePresidentoftheRussianFederation
Russia:
Capital:Moscow
Currency:Russianruble
President:VladimirPutin

BANKING&FINANCE

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Indiasfiscaldeficitreaches94%ofthebudgetestimateinDecember
i.Fiscaldeficitinthefirstninemonthsof201617touched93.9percentoftheBudget
targetagainst87.9percentforthesameperiodayearago.
ii.Invalueterms,theAprilDecemberfiscaldeficitstoodatRs5.01lakhcrore,or93.9percent,
of201617Budgetestimates(BE).
iii.Thefiscaldeficitstoodat87.9percentinthecorrespondingninemonthsayearago,as
per201516Budgetestimates.

BUSINESS

ArnabGoswamisRepublicchangesitsnametoRepublicTV
i.ArnabGoswami,managingdirectorandeditorinchiefof
ARGOutlierMediahaschangedthenameofhisproposednews
channelRepublicintoRepublicTV.
ii.ThischangesafterBJPparliamentarianSubramanian
SwamyraisedissueagainstusageofthewordRepublic
iii.Subramanianmentionedthatlettingaprivateventureuse
thewordRepublicwillbeillegalunderEmblemsandNames(PreventionofImproper
Use)Act,1950.

AWARDS&RECOGNITIONS

LucideusWinsBestITStartupAtNationalEntrepreneurshipAwards2016
AnITRiskAssessmentandDigitalSecurityServicesProvidingFirm,Lucideus,was
awardedthebestITStartupundertheIT(InformationTechnology)andITES
(InformationTechnologyEnabledServices)categoryonJanuary30,2017duringthe
NationalEntrepreneurshipAwards2016.
TheawardfunctionwasorganizedattheDRDOauditoriuminNewDelhibytheMinistryofSkill
DevelopmentandEntrepreneurship.
AboutLucideus
i.LucideusisanIndiancompanywhichprovidesDigitalSecurity,Consulting&
OperationalServicestoBusinesses,GovernmentsandInstitutionsacrosstheglobe.Itoffers
servicesincybersecurityconsultancyandriskmanagement.
ii.LucideusstartedasastartupfirminIIT,BombayandisnowheadquarteredinNewDelhi.
HoweveritsresearchandinnovationlabislocatedatthecomputersciencedepartmentofIIT
Bombay.

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iii.LucideushasdonethesecurityassessmentfortheBHIM(BharatInterfaceforMoney)
appbuiltbyNationalPaymentsCorporationofIndia.

Rajasthan,TelanganabageGovawards
i.RajasthanandTelanganaarebaggedthe
eGovernanceawardsforExcellenceunderthestate
categoryattheCSINihilenteGovernanceAwardsheldin
CoimbatoreonJanuary31,2017.
ii.OdishaandNagalandbaggedtheAwardofRecognitionfor
theyear2016
iii.eGovernanceAwardsareInstitutedbytheComputerSocietyofIndias(CSI)Special
InterestGroupwithsponsorshipfromNihilentTechnologies

APPOINTMENTS&RESIGNS

AnushkaappointedambassadorofSwachhBharatcampaign
i.BollywoodactressAnushkaSharmawasappointedthefirstfemaleambassadorofthe
campaignSwacchBharatAbhiyanbytheMinistryofUrbanDevelopment(MoUD).
ii.AnushkawillworkswithbollywoodactorAmitabhBachchanforanationwidehealthand
sanitationcampaign

SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY

WorldsFirstHeatDrivenTransistorcreatedbyresearchersatLinkpingUniversity
i.ResearchersatLinkpingUniversity,Swedenhavecreatedtheworldsfirstheatdriven
transistor.Thetransistorisfirstintheworldthatchangesitsstatebyaheatsignalratherthan
conventionalelectricalsignal.
ii.Thetransistorismadeupanelectrolytegatedtransistorandanionicthermoelectric
supercapacitor.Theheatisfirstconvertedintoelectricityandthenstoredinthesuper
capacitor.Evenafractionalchangeintemperatureissufficienttocauseadetectablecurrent
modulationinthetransistor.
iii.TheresultshavenowbeenpublishedinthejournalNatureCommunications.
iv.Thisheatdriventransistorcanhavewideapplicationslikedetectingsmalltemperature
differences,toproducecircuitscontrolledbyinfraredlightforuseinheatcamerasandusing
functionalmedicaldressingsinwhichthehealingprocesscanbemonitored.

ENVIRONMENT

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ResearchersDiscoversBaglikeFossilwithIndicationsofEarlyHumanAncestors
i.AteamofresearchershasdiscoveredafossilintheShaanxiProvinceofChina,whichthey
believeistheprehistoricancestorofhumansthatexistedabout540millionyearsago.
ii.TheteamincludedthosefromtheUniversityofCambridgeintheUKandNorthwest
UniversityinXianChina,withsupportfromothercolleaguesat
institutionsinChinaandGermany.
iii.ThelittlecreaturehasbeennamedasSaccorhytusdueto
itssmallandsacklikefeature.Theresearchwaspublishedin
theJournalNatureonJanuary30,2017.
iv.TheSaccorhytusisaveryoldexampleofbiologicalclass
Deuterostomewhichexistedabout510520millionyearsago.Thesegroupswere
ancestorstomanyspeciesofanimalsincludinghumans.Scientissaythatthisclassofspecies
hasbeguntodiversifyintodifferentspeciesinpresentday.
v.ResearchersstudiedthemicroscopicfossilusinganelectronmicroscopeandCTscannerand
developedapicturetoknowwhatthecreaturemayhavelookedlike.
vi.Thefindingshowedthatcreaturemayhavehadanellipticalbodyandathinflexibleskin,
largemouthcapabletointakefoodparticlesandlargeprey.Ithadevidenceofeightconelike
structuresaroundthebodyasprimitivegillstoremoveexcesswater.

SPORTS

WestIndiesAllrounderAndreRussellgetsoneyearbanfordopingbreach
i.JamaicancricketerAndreRussell(28)hasbeenbannedfromallcricketforayearovera
dopingcodeviolationbytheJamaicanAntiDopingCommissiononFebruary1,2017.
ii.UnderWorldAntiDopingAgency(WADA)guidelines,eliteathletesmustfilehis/herdetailsof
whereabouts.
iii.Russelldidnotfilehiswhereaboutsonthreeoccasionsin2015asrequired,which
constitutesafaileddrugstestunderWADAswhereaboutsrules.

OBITUARY

FormerUnionMinisterEAhmadpassesaway
i.FormerUnionministerandIndianUnionMuslimLeagueleaderEAhamedhaspassedawayin
NewDelhionFebruary1,2017.Hewas78.
ii.AhamedwasfirstelectedasMLAin1967andwasmemberofthehousein1977,1980,
1982and1987.
iii.HewassenttoGCCcountriesasanEmissaryofthethenPrimeMinisterlateIndira

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