Proverb of the week

A coward dies a thousand times before his death. (कायर आदमी अपनी मौत से पहले हज़ारों बार मरता है।)

यह proverb सबसे पहले Shakespeare द्वारा उनके play (नाटक) Julius Caesar में प्रयॊग किया गया था। कायर वह व्यक्ति है जो खतरों से डरता है और इससे दूर भागता है। डरपोक व्यक्ति को अक्सर मरने का डर रहता है, इसलिए वे हमेशा कुछ भी करने से डरते हैं। जब भी किसी खतरे का अहसास होता है, वे सामना किये बिना उस स्थिति से भागते हैं। यह भी नहीं जानने की कोशिश करते हैं कि सच में कोई मुश्किल थीं या नहीं।

इस proverb में death (मृत्यु) एक रूपक है। व्यक्ति सच में नहीं मरता बल्कि यह एक मानसिक (mentally) और भावनात्मक (emotionally) स्थिति है। जब भी वह इस डर को अपने ऊपर हावी होने देता है, मुश्किलों से भागता है, उसकी अंतरात्मा मरती है। वह मुश्किलों का सामना करने की ताकत को खो देता है। डरपोक व्यक्ति हार और डर में जीते हैं। डर के जीने को जीना नहीं कहते, यह मारने के समान ही है। डर के जीने में कोई आनंद नहीं है। कायर सदैव डर की दुनिया में रहता है और इसका परिणाम अनियमितता हो सकता है। The difference in one who fears and one who is brave is the difference between truly living and dying.

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History of December

दिसम्बर मूल रूप से रोमन कैलेंडर का आखिरी महीना था। इसमें प्रारम्भ में 30 दिन होते थे, लेकिन 700 ईसा पूर्व के आसपास जब King Numa Pompilius ने कैलेंडर में सुधार किया और जनवरी और फरवरी महीनों को जोड़ा तो दिसम्बर महीने को 29 दिनों का कर दिया। जूलियन कैलेंडर सुधार के दौरान दो दिनों को दिसंबर में जोड़ा गया और इसे 31 दिनों का कर दिया गया।

December महीने का मूल नाम ज्यूँ का त्युं रखा गया। लैटिन में Decem शब्द का अर्थ "दस" होता है। वास्तविक रूप से रोमन कैलेंडर में December साल का दसवां महीना था।

It is the seasonal equivalent of June in the Southern Hemisphere. उत्तरी गोलार्ध में इस महीने में सबसे छोटे दिन होते हैं। December starts on the same day of the week as September every year and ends on the same day of the week as April every year.

History of India

History of India The history of India is one of the grand epics of world history and can be best described in the words of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as "a bundle of contradictions held together by strong but invisible threads". Indian history can be characterised as a work in progress, a continuous process of reinvention that can eventually prove elusive for those seeking to grasp its essential character. The history of this astonishing sub continent dates back to almost 75000 years ago with the evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens. Amazingly, almost five thousand years ago, the inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilisation had developed an urban culture based on commerce and sustained by agricultural trade. Following is the history of India through the Ages: The Pre Historic Era The Stone Age: The Stone Age began 500,000 to 200,000 years ago and recent finds in Tamil Nadu (at C. 75000 years ago, before and after the explosion of the Toba Volcano) indicate the presence of the first anatomically humans in the area. Tools crafted by proto-humans that have been dated back to two million years have been discovered in the North-western part of the country. The Bronze Age: The Bronze Age in the Indian subcontinent dates back to around 3300 BCE with the early Indus Valley Civilisation. Historically part of ancient India, it is one of the world's earliest, urban civilisations, along with Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Inhabitants of this era developed new techniques in metallurgy and handicraft and produced copper, bronze, lead and tin.  Early Historic Period Vedic Period: The Aryans were the first to invade the country. They came out of the North in about 1500 BC and brought with them strong cultural traditions. Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages spoken by them, was used in the first documentation of the Vedas, which date back to the 12th century BC and are believed to be oldest scriptures still in use. The Vedas are some of the oldest extant texts, next to those in Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Vedic era in the subcontinent lasted from about 1500-500 BCE, laying down the foundation of Hinduism and other cultural dimensions of early Indian society. The Aryans laid down Vedic civilisation all over North India, particularly in the Gangetic Plain. Mahajanapadas: This period saw the second major rise in urbanisation in India after the Indus valley Civilisation. The word "maha" means great and the word "janapada" means foothold of a tribe. In the later Vedic Age, a number of small kingdoms or city states had mushroomed across the subcontinent and also find mention in early Buddhist and Jain literature as far back as 1000 BCE. By 500 BCE, sixteen "republics" or Mahajanapadas has been established, namely; Kasi, Kosala, Anga, Magadha, Vajji (or Vriji), Malla, Chedi, Vatsa (or Vamsa), Kuru, Panchala, Matsya, Surasena, Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, and Kamboja. Persian and Greek Conquests: Much of the Northwest subcontinent (currently Afghanistan and Pakistan) came under the rule of the Persian Achaemenid Empire in C. 520 BCE under the rule of Darius the Great and remained so for two centuries. In 326 BCE, Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor and the Achaemenid Empire, when he reached the Northwest frontier of the Indian subcontinent he defeated King Porus and conquered most of Punjab. Maurya Empire: The Maurya Empire, ruled by the Mauryan Dynasty from 322-185 BCE was a geographically extensive and mighty political and military empire in ancient India, established in the subcontinent by Chandragupta Maurya in Magadha (present-day Bihar) and it further thrived under Ashoka the Great. Ancient India Timeline Prehistoric Period: ( 400000 BC - 1000 BC ): The period when man, basically a food gatherer, discovered fire and wheel. Indus Valley Civilisation: (2500 BC - 1500 BC): Derived its name from the river Indus and thrived on agriculture and worshipped natural forces. Epic Age: (1000 BC - 600 BC): The period saw the compilation of the Vedas, distinction of Varnas in terms of Aryans and Dasas (slaves). Hinduism and Transition: (600 BC - 322 BC): As caste system became more rigid, the period saw the advent of Mahavira and Buddha who rebelled against casteism. Mahajanapadas were formed - Magadha under Bimbisara and Ajat Shatru and Shisunanga and Nanda dynasty. The Mauryan Age: (322 BC - 185 BC): Founded by Chandragupta Maurya, the empire encompassed the entire North India and Bindusara further extended it. After fighting the Kalinga war, Ashoka embraced Buddhism. The Invasions: (185 BC - 320 AD): The period saw the invasion of Bactrians, Parthians, Shakas & Kushans, opening of Central Asia for trade, issuance of GOLD coins and introduction of the Saka era. Deccan and South India: (65 BC - 250 AD): The southern part was ruled by Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas This period is known for construction of Ajanta and Ellora cave temples, Sangam literature, and arrival of Christianity to India. The Gupta Dynasty: (320 AD - 520 AD): The Gupta dynasty founded by Chandragupta I, ushered in classical age in north India with Samudragupta extending his kingdom and Chandragupta II fighting against Shakas. Shakuntalam and Kamasutra were written during this period, Aryabhatta achieved feats in Astronomy and Bhakti cult emerged. Age of Small Kingdoms: (500 AD - 606 AD): The period saw migrations from Central Asia and Iran as Hunas moved to north India. There was rise of many small kingdoms as the North was divided into warring kingdoms. Harshavardhana: (606 AD - 647 AD): The famous Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang visited India during Emperor Harshawardhana's reign. But his kingdom disintegrated into small states even as Hunas invaded . It was a period when the Deccan and the south became powerful. The Southern Kingdoms: (500 AD - 750 AD): Empire of Chalukyas, Pallavas & Pandya flourished. Zoroastrians (Parsis) came to India. Chola Empire: (9th Cent. AD - 13th Cent. AD): Founded by Vijayalaya, the Chola empire adopted a maritime policy. Temples became cultural and social centres and Dravadian languages flourished. The Northern Kingdoms: (750 AD - 1206 AD): The Rashtrakutas became powerful, Pratiharas ruled in Avanti and Palas ruled Bengal. The period also saw emergence of Rajput clans. Temples at Khajuraho, Kanchipuram, Puri were built and miniature painting started. The period witnessed invasion from the Turks. Battles that have Shaped the History of India In the long march of centuries, India has witnessed the rise and fall of several empires and conquerors.The political map of pre-modern India,before the British arrived, was made up of countless kingdoms with fluctuating boundaries that rendered the country vulnerable to foreign invasions.There have been various dynasties fighting battles among themselves and against foreign invaders - Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Chinese nomads, Arabs, Mughals, French, Dutch, Portuguese, British and others. Wave after wave of foreign aggressors descended on India, founded empires and left a deep imprint on the history and culture of the country. But none could not subdue or subjugate the indomitable soul of Bharatvarsh. As history is a great educator, it would be interesting to recapitulate some of the major battles that have marked turning points in the history of India: Battle of Buxar Seleucid-Mauryan War Kalinga War Battle of Haldighati Rohilla War Battle of the Hydaspes Huna Invasions of India Nadir Shah's Invasion of India Timur invades India Anglo-Maratha Wars Sakas Invade India First Turkish Invasion of The Deccan Mahmud Ghazni's Invasions of India Anglo-Sikh War Siege of Pondicherry Invasions of Muhammad Ghori Arab Invasion of Sind under Mohammed-bin-Qasim Fourth Anglo-Mysore War The Mughal Empire: In 1526, Babur, a descendant of Timur and Gengis Kahn from Fergana Valler (present-day Uzbekistan) swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal Empire which covered modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The Mughal dynasty ruled most of the Indian subcontinent till 1600; after which it went into decline after 1707 and was finally defeated during India's first war of Independence in 1857. Family Tree of Mughals Colonial Era: From the 16th century, European powers from Portugal, Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom established trading posts in India. Later, they took advantage of internal conflicts and established colonies in the country. The British Rule: The British Rule in India began with the coming of the British East India Company in 1600 leading to the rule of Queen Victoria. It culminated in the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. Heroic Figures of 1857 Bahadur Shah Zafar: Most rebelling Indians accepted Bahadur Shah Zafar as the Emperor of India under whom they united. But he fell to the wily machinations of the British. His fall marked the end of more than three centuries of Mughal rule in India. Bakht Khan: Bakht Khan, a subedar in the army of the East India Company, built up an army of Rohilla sepoys. After sepoys in Meerut revolted against the British in May 1857, he became commander of the sepoy forces in Delhi. Mangal Pandey: Mangal Pandey, part of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry, is primarily known for his involvement in attack on his senior British officers on 29th March 1857 at Barrackpore, an incident that marked the beginning of the First War of Indian Independence. Nana Sahib: Nana Sahib, the adopted son of exiled Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II, led the revolt at Kanpur. Rani Lakshmibai: She fought valiantly against the British troops along with Tatya Tope. However, on the 17th of June 1858, while battling against the British near the Phool Bagh area of Gwalior, she laid down her life. Tatya Tope: Tatya Tope, a close associate and general of Nana Sahib, fought against the British and joined forced with Rani Lakshmibai. Veer Kunwar Singh: The king of Jagdispur, currently a part of Bhojpur district, Bihar, Veer Kunwar Singh, led armed soldiers against the British troops. The Indian Independence Movement and Mahatma Gandhi: In the 20th century Mahatma Gandhi led millions of people in a national campaign of non-violent civil disobedience to obtain independence from the British in 1947. Leaders of Freedom Struggle  Independence and Partition: Religious tension between the Hindus and Muslims had been brewing over the years, especially in provinces like Punjab and West Bengal, accentuated by the British policy of divide and rule. All through this Mahatma Gandhi called for unity among the two religious groups. The British, whose economy had been weakened after World War-II, decided to leave India and paved the way for the formation of an interim government. Eventually, the British Indian territories gained independence in 1947, after being partitioned into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. Post-Independence Period: As many civilizations the Greek, the Roman, and the Egyptian - rose and fell, leaving only ruins, the Indian civilisation and culture remained unscathed. Even wave after wave of invaders descended on the country, founded empires and ruled over its different parts, the indomitable soul of Bharatvarsh could not be subjugated. Today, India marches proudly as the most vibrant republic and largest democracy of the world, an influential nation in South Asia and an emerging global superpower. India is the second largest country in Asia and the seventh largest and second most populous country on Earth. It comprises as much as one third of Asia and supports one seventh of humanity.

Well-done Modi ji

CONGRATULATES HONORABLE PRIME MINISTER SHRI NARENDRA MODI JII.......................   

ON TAKING THE BOLDEST DECISION IN FINANCIAL HISTORY
OF INDEPENDEND INDIA!...............

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India invited to join Russia’s fast reactor research project Russia

India invited to join Russia’s fast reactor research project Russia in November 2016 invited India to join in developing next-generation nuclear reactors and participate in its fast reactor research project, known as MBIR (Russian acronym). The information was given by ROSATOM’s project manager, Alexander Zagornov, who was in India for the opening of the company’s south Asia regional centre. ROSATOM is the nuclear corporation of Russia. This multipurpose reactor is a type of reactor in which nuclear fission chain reaction is sustained by fast neutrons. This project is coming up at the International Research Center in Dimitrovgrad, located in the Ulyanovsk region. Purpose of MBIR research reactor project •    The MBIR’s design includes three independent loops, which can be used to test different coolants like gas. Lead, molten salt and others. The facility will help in conducting material testing research in those different environments. •    Its main purpose is to conduct a large number of reactor studies of Generation 4 nuclear systems, including the fast neutron reactor with closed fuel cycle, as well as small and medium power thermal neutron reactors. •    The new technological platform is being created for nuclear energy, which will be based on the closed fuel cycle with fast neutron reactors. •    This closed fuel cycle involves recycling the nuclear waste as new fuel. •    It essentially signifies research on a sodium-cooled Generation 4 fast reactor to design an advanced fast neutron reactor for use in nuclear power plants. •    These types of reactors, also known as a fast reactor, are a type in which the nuclear fission chain reaction is sustained by fact neutrons. This type of reactors don’t need neutron moderator like normal water. Benefits of fast-neutron reactors •    These fast-neutron reactors may help in solving the major ecological problem of reprocessing and deactivation of the accumulated radioactive waste. •    The closed fuel cycle will lead to the solution of the five key problems and they are safety, competitiveness, shortage of fuel, reprocessing and re-fabricating the used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. It will also be helpful in enforcing non-proliferation of fission materials and weapons technologies.

NASA completes construction of James Webb Space Telescope

NASA completes construction of James Webb Space Telescope .The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 2 November 2016 completed the construction of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after more than 20 years of hard work. This largest-ever space telescope is expected to launch in 2018 following the in-depth testing. Highlights of the Telescope • The telescope has 18 large mirrors that will collect infrared light, sheltered behind a tennis-court-size sun shield. • It is considered as the successor to NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope. • It is a 8.8 billion US dollars worth space observatory built to observe the infrared universe like never before. • Earth's atmosphere glows in the infrared, so such measurements can't be made from the ground. Hubble emits its own heat, which would obscure infrared readings. • It can run close to absolute zero in temperature and rest at a point in space called the Lagrange Point 2, which is directly behind Earth from the sun's perspective. That way, Earth can shield the telescope from the sun's infrared emission, and the sun shield can protect the telescope from both bodies' heat. • The telescope's infrared view will pierce through obscuring cosmic dust to reveal the universe's first galaxies and spy on newly forming planetary systems. • It will also be sensitive enough to analyze the atmospheres of exoplanets that pass in front of their stars, perhaps to search for signs of life. • It will be able to see a bumblebee a moon's distance away both in reflected light and in the body heat the bee emitted. • Its mirrors are so smooth that if you stretched the array to the size of the US, the hills and valleys of irregularity would be only a few inches high. Background The project is led by NASA but supported by international partners, including the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. The telescope was originally scheduled to launch in 2014 at a cost of about 5 billion US dollars, but a series of setbacks and budget constraints delayed and nearly canceled the project. The telescope's testing at Goddard will ensure that it can withstand the shaking and loud noise of a rocket launch. Then, it will be moved to Texas, where its focus will be tested, and then to California for some final assembly. The full telescope, with a 21.3-foot (6.5 meters) mirror assembly, is too large to launch fully extended, so the telescope will be carefully furled during launch and will have to unfold over the course of two weeks once it's in the air.  By six months after launch, the telescope will be ready to begin doing science.

RBI directs banks to dispense more 100 rupees notes through ATMs

RBI directs banks to dispense more 100 rupees notes through ATMs The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 2 November 2016 directed all the banks to dispense more 100 rupees notes through ATMs within the next 15 days. The decision came after a review of steps taken by banks for installing ATMs dispensing lower denomination banknotes was conducted. After the review, it was found that very few banks had taken initiatives in setting up ATMs dispensing lower denomination notes including 100 rupees banknotes. In keeping with the objectives of Clean Note Policy and to ensure that genuine requirement of members of public for 100 rupees denomination banknotes are met, the banks should increase dispensation of 100 rupees banknotes through ATMs which are widely used for distribution of banknotes for retail use. Moreover, RBI also decided to conduct a pilot project wherein 10 percent of the ATMs in the country will be calibrated to dispense 100 rupees banknotes exclusively. For this purpose, banks are free to select the branches with the sample covering relatively large number of centres or states. Once it is completed, the banks will further share their feedback on the pilot project after a lapse of two months.

IISER researchers develop Gelator to scoop out marine oil spills

IISER researchers develop Gelator to scoop out marine oil spills The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Thiruvananthapuram, developed a compound, called Gelator, to scoop out marine oil spills. The results based on laboratory studies were published recently in the journal Angewandte Chemie. A team led by Dr. Kana M. Sureshan from the School of Chemistry used glucose as a starting material and through several chemical reactions produced compounds (gelators) that selectively congeal oil, including crude oil, from an oil-water mixture.  Key highlights of the Gelator • The gelators, which are in a powder form, can be easily applied over oil-water mixture. In addition, they do not cause any environmental damage. • It can recover oil from oil-water mixture and can be reused several times. However, in the case of crude oil, the gelator cannot be recycled. • The gelator molecule is partly hydrophobic and partly hydrophilic. While the hydrophilic part helps in self-assembling to form gelator fibres, the hydrophobic part is responsible for its diffusion into the oil layer. • To achieve better diffusion of the molecule into the oil phase and enhance the oil recovery, the researchers increased the hydrophobicity. This was done by adding an aromatic/alkyl group at some part of the molecule. • Since the outer part of the fibre is hydrophobic, oil tends to gets into the spongy network made of fibres. • Once inside the fibre network, oil loses fluidity and becomes a gel. As the self-assembly is strong, the gel maintains its structure and rigidity even under pressure.

PM Modi inaugurated Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster

PM Modi inaugurated Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3 November 2016 inaugurated the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in New Delhi. Aim of the 3-day conference is to find ways for better management of disaster risk. The conference will come out with a declaration consolidating the political commitment of governments towards preventing and reducing risk as well as strengthening resilience by accelerating implementation. Inaugurating the Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction Modi  outlined a ten-point agenda for renewing efforts towards disaster risk reduction. The 10-point agenda includes •    All development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management •    Network of universities should be developed to work on disaster issues. •    He emphasised on working towards risk coverage for all, which starts from poor households to small and medium enterprises, as well as multi-national corporations to nation states. •    He asked to encourage involvement and leadership of women as they are the biggest sufferers of any disaster. •    He called for global investment in risk mapping. •    Leveraging on technology to enhance the efficiency of the disaster risk management efforts •    Utilise the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies. •    He also called for building on local capacity and initiative •    Opportunity to learn from a disaster must not be wasted. •    Bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters. Besides, he also asked all countries to embrace the spirit of Sendai Framework which calls for an all-of-society approach to disaster risk management.

Sports Ministry tells NSFs to identify 2020 Olympics Medal

Sports Ministry tells NSFs to identify 2020 Olympics Medal Prospects The Union Sports Ministry on 2 November 2016 directed the National Sports Federations (NSFs) to shortlist names of potential medalists along with their support staff for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. They have been asked to submit the list by 30 November 2016. The direction was approved by the Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel. Japan unveiled Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympics emblems Benefits of the move: The potential medalists will get a head start in their Olympic preparations and a chance to work with the best support staff. Key facts Performance of the chosen players along with their support staff will be reviewed after every six months Results of the review will be put up on the Sports Federations’ website, suggesting full transparency.All the financial assistance required by the NSFs will be taken care of by the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. Aside from this, the Sports Authority of India will take over the same role in case of sports disciplines in which NSFs are suspended like Gymnastics, Tennis and Archery. Besides, the Department of sports also advised NSFs to prepare the programme for training and exposure of the medal prospects for the year 2017.

Kristalina Georgieva appointed as CEO of IBRD & IDA of World Bank

Kristalina Georgieva appointed as CEO of IBRD & IDA of World Bank Kristalina Georgieva was on 2 November 2016 appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group with effect from January 2017. Her appointment was confirmed by the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. IBRD and IDA are the lending arms of the World Bank. About Kristalina Georgieva • Georgieva is a Bulgarian national and has held multiple positions at the World Bank Group between 1993-2010 focusing on economics and sustainable development. • In her last role at the bank she served as Vice President, Corporate Secretariat, the interlocutor between the World Bank Group’s senior management, its Board of Directors and its shareholder countries. • After leaving the World Bank Group in 2010, she played an important role in shaping the agenda of the European Commission as a Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid. • In her current role as European Commission Vice President for Budget and Human Resource, she is in charge of the European Union's 175 billion US dollars budget and 33000 staff. • She also served as co-chair of the United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing, where she secured a more effective system to meet the needs of vulnerable people.

Mariano Rajoy re-elected as Prime Minister of Spain

Mariano Rajoy re-elected as Prime Minister of Spain .Mariano Rajoy on 29 October 2016 was re-elected as the Prime Minister of Spain after winning a parliamentary vote. 170 lawmakers voted for him, 111 against and 68 abstained. With this, Spain has its first fully functioning government since December 2015, when a general election left no party with a majority. About Mariano Rajoy • Mariano Rajoy became leader of the People's Party in 2004. • He was the Leader of the Opposition between 2004 and 2011 under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government. • He became the Prime Minister in 2011 following the People's Party landslide victory in the general election of 2011. • His party lost the majority in the 2015 general election. However, the election ended in deadlock. Thereafter, a second election in 2016 enabled him to be re-elected prime minister as head of a minority government.

Current Affairs Quiz: 3 November 2016

1. India and which country recently signed MoU to develop Techo Park at Ramallah? a) Egypt b) Italy c) Palestine d) Oman 2. As per a recent ruling of Supreme Court, false declaration of what information could lead to annulment of a candidate’s election. a) Financial assets b) Educational Qualification c) Family Background d) All of the above 3. What is the theme of 2016 World Savings Day? a) A global celebration for saving b) Shining a light on what people value c) Saving, investment and planning for retirement d) Grabbing hold of your financial future 4. Which state launched the Parippida Mission recently? a) Kerala b) Karnataka c) Tamil Nadu d) Assam 5. What is the theme of the 2016 Vigilance Awareness Week? a) Combating Corruption- Technology as an enabler b) Public participation in promoting integrity and eradicating Corruption c) Preventive Vigilance as a tool of Good Governance d) Promoting Good Governance: Positive contribution of vigilance 6. Who of the following won the men’s singles title of the Bahrain International Challenge badminton tournament? a) Aditya Joshi b) Pratul Joshi c) Evgenij Dremin d) Denis Grachev 7. Who of the following was appointed as the brand ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission? a) Bindeshwar Pathak b) Kailash Satyarthi c) Amitabh Bachchan d) Sachin Tendulkar 8. Name the organisation/institution that released Freedom of the Press 2016 report. a) Freedom House b) UNESCO c) Reporters without Borders d) None of the above 9. Name the country that invited India to join its fast reactor research project. a) China b) Russia c) United States d) Germany 10. Name the joint military exercise that will be held between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Dhaka from 5 to 18 November 2016. a) MITRA SAKTI b) DOSTI c) SURYA KIRAN d) SAMPRITI 11. Identify the sculptor who designed FIFA World Cup Trophy. a) Silvio Gazzaniga b) Stabilimento Artistico c) Bertoni d) None of the above 12. M N Sharma, who passed away recently, was the first chief architect of which of the following cities? a) New Delhi b) Bengaluru c) Kolkata d) Chandigarh 13. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently presented the Ramnath Goenka Awards. The awards are given in which of the following fields? a) Social Work b) Education c) Journalism d) Arts and Culture 14. Kolkata-born Sarabjit Singh Marwah recently became the first Sikh to be appointed to the Senate of which of the following countries? a) Ireland b) Canada c) Australia d) Denmark 15. Saur Sujala Yojana was recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which of the following states? a) Chhattisgarh b) Madhya Pradesh c) Uttar Pradesh d) Punjab ANSWERS 1. (c) Palestine 2. (b) Educational Qualification 3. (d) Grabbing hold of your financial future 4. (a) Kerala 5. (b) Public participation in promoting integrity and eradicating Corruption 6. (b) Pratul Joshi 7. (a) Bindeshwar Pathak 8. (a) Freedom House 9. (b) Russia 10. (d) SAMPRITI 11. (a) Silvio Gazzaniga 12. (d) Chandigarh 13. (c) Journalism 14. (b) Canada 15. (a) Chhattisgarh

The Current Affairs One liners cover important current affairs of the day

The Current Affairs One liners cover important current affairs of the day like SC ruling on Candidate's Election, 2016 World Savings Day and Ramnath Goenka Awards among others. • India recently signed MoU to develop Techo Park at Ramallah with - Palestine • State that launched the Parippida Mission recently- Kerala • Theme of 2016 World Savings Day- Grabbing hold of your financial future • As per a recent ruling of Supreme Court, false declaration of what information could lead to annulment of a candidate’s election- Educational Qualification • Theme of the 2016 Vigilance Awareness Week- Public participation in promoting integrity and eradicating Corruption • India and Bangladesh will conduct a joint military training exercise at Tangail, Dhaka from 5 to 18 November 2016 is - SAMPRITI • Russia invited India to join in developing next-generation nuclear reactors and participate in its fast reactor research project, known as - MBIR (Russian acronym) • Organisation that released Freedom of the Press 2016 report is - Freedom House • Railway Ministry appointed him as the brand ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission - Bindeshwar Pathak • He won the men’s singles title of the Bahrain International Challenge badminton tournament - Pratul Joshi • Saur Sujala Yojana was recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in - Chhattisgarh • Kolkata-born Sarabjit Singh Marwah recently became the first Sikh to be appointed to the Senate of - Canada • Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently presented the Ramnath Goenka Awards. The awards are given in the field of - Journalism • M N Sharma, who passed away recently, was the first chief architect of - Chandigarh • Name of the designer of the FIFA World Cup Trophy, who passed away recently, is - Silvio Gazzaniga

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016 on 31 October 2016 launched the first ever Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index. The index was topped by Maharashtra. Maharashtra implemented most of the marketing reforms and offers best environment for doing agribusiness among all the states and Union Territories (UTs). Key highlights of the index • Maharashtra topped the index with a score of 81.7 out of 100. • Gujarat ranks second with a score of 71.5. • Rajasthan stood third with a score of 70.0 and Madhya Pradesh scored 69.5. • Almost two third states could not reach even halfway mark of reforms score. Major states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir are in this group. • Some states and UTs either did not adopt APMC Act or revoked it. They include Bihar, Kerala, Manipur, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar. Therefore, they are not included in the ranking. About Agricultural Marketing & Farm Friendly Reforms Index • NITI Aayog launched an index to rank States and UTs that is based on implementation of seven provisions proposed under model APMC Act, joining eNAM initiative, special treatment to fruits and vegetables for marketing and level of taxes in mandis. • These indicators reveal ease of doing agribusiness as well as opportunities for farmers to benefit from modern trade and commerce and have wider option for sale of her/his produce. • These indicators also represent competitiveness, efficiency and transparency in agri markets. • The second area of reforms included in the index is relaxation in restrictions related to lease in and lease out agricultural land and change in law to recognise tenant and safeguard land owners liberalisation. • The third area included in the index represent freedom given to farmers for felling and transit of trees grown on private land. This represents opportunity to diversify farm business. • The index has a score which can have minimum value 0 implying no reforms and maximum value 100 implying complete reforms in the selected areas. States and UTs have been ranked in terms of the score of the index.

Environment and ecology

World's largest Marine Protected Area declared in Antarctica The Ross Sea, a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, was declared as world’s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) on 28 October 2016. With this, there will be a blanket ban on commercial fishing across about three quarters of that area for 35 years. It will be the world's largest marine protected area and covers 1.6 million square kilometers. The deal was clinched after the meeting of Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) consisting of 24 countries and European Union in Hobart, Australia. All the participant nations including the European Union unanimously agreed to create the world's largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the ocean next to Antarctica. The agreement comes after years of negotiations brokered by the UN's Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. It also saw high-level talks between the US and Russia, which was rejected in the past. Environmentalists have welcomed the move to protect the Earth's most pristine marine ecosystem. Ross Sea • The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land. • It derives its name from the British explorer James Ross who visited this area in 1841. • To the west of the sea lies Ross Island and to the east Roosevelt Island, while the southernmost part is covered by the Ross Ice Shelf, and is about 200 miles (320 km) from the South Pole. • The nutrient-laden water supports an abundance of plankton and this encourages a rich marine fauna. • At least ten mammal species, six bird species and 95 fish species are found here, as well as many invertebrates, and the sea remains relatively unaffected by human activities. • Some species of birds that nest in and near the Ross Sea include the Adelie penguin, emperor penguin, Antarctic petrel, snow petrel, and south polar skua. • Marine mammals in the Ross Sea include the Antarctic minke whale, killer whale, Weddell seal, Crabeater seal, and leopard seal. • Antarctic toothfish, Antarctic silverfish, Antarctic krill, and crystal krill also swim in the cold Antarctic water of the Ross Sea.

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016 The one liner of the day covers important current affairs of the day like Asian Hockey Champions Trophy, Indo-Nepal joint military exercise Surya Kiran and notification of the Real Estate Rules for Union Territories among others. •    The winner of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy for men is - India •    The winner of the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix is - Lewis Hamilton •    The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of - Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel •    The state that recently became India’s open defecation free state is - Himachal Pradesh •    The first Indian state to be declared Open Defecation Free is - Sikkim •    Indo-Nepal joint military exercise Surya Kiran recently commenced at Saljhandi in Nepal. It is the - 10th edition of the exercise •    The theme of the 2016 Rashtriya Ekta Diwas that was observed recently is - Integration of India •    Digital exhibition that was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 141st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is - Uniting India: Sardar Patel •    The initiative that was launched by PM Modi on 31 October 2016 to promote greater awareness among people of various States about one another, hence promoting the spirit of Unity in Diversity is – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat •    The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) (General) Rules, 2016 notified for Union Territories (UTs) will be applicable in these five UTs - Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep •    The state that celebrated 51st year of its making as Golden Jubilee (Swarna Jyanti) across the state is – Haryana •    India and Palestine signed a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up of Palestine-India Techo Park in - Ramallah •    He was adjudged as the Man of the Match of the fifth ODI series played between India and New Zealand – Amit Mishra •    The 92-year-old Indian Navy veteran who won a gold medal in a 5000-metres race walk at the World Masters Athletics Championships being held in Perth is - Commodore V Sriramulu (Retd) •    Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) chief who has resigned is - Iyad Madani.

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The Sleepwalker's Dream authored by Dhrubajyoti Borah released

The Sleepwalker's Dream authored by Dhrubajyoti Borah released in October 2016 recommended imposition of 3050 crore rupees penalty on Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea cellular. The penalty was imposed for allegedly denying interconnectivity to newcomer Reliance Jio. TRAI, in its recommendation to the Department of Telecom, said it has found the three companies to be non-compliant with licence conditions regarding giving interconnection to Reliance Jio customers. Detail of Penalties recommended • Airtel: Penalty amounts to 1050 crore rupees for 21 service areas (all, except Jammu and Kashmir) • Vodafone: Penalty amounts to 1050 crore rupees for 21 service areas (all, except Jammu and Kashmir) • Idea: Penalty amounts to 950 crore rupees for 19 service areas (all, except Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and North-eastern States) It also noted that denial of interconnection by these operators to Reliance Jio appears to be with the ulterior motive to stifle competition and is anti-consumer. The recommendation came on complaint by Reliance Jio that over 75 percent of calls on its network are failing as incumbents were not giving sufficient points of interconnect that would help complete calls.

Japan's Morinari Watanabe elected President of International Gymnastics Federation

Japan's Morinari Watanabe elected President of International Gymnastics Federation Japan's Morinari Watanabe on 20 October 2016 was elected the new President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). Watanabe emerged victorious in the election after defeating rival candidate Georges Guelzec of France by a huge margin in a vote at the governing body's Congress. Watanabe, who is the secretary-general of Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA), won 100 of the 119 votes. Guelzec, the head of the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG), received a mere 19 votes. With this, Watanabe became the ninth President of the FIG since it was established in 1881.  He will succeed Bruno Grandi, who had held the position for 20 years. Watanabe is due to officially take charge on 1 January 2016. About International Federation of Gymnastics • The International Federation of Gymnastics is the governing body of competitive gymnastics. • It is headquartered is in Lausanne, Switzerland. • It was founded on 23 July 1881, in Liege, Belgium. • It is the world's oldest existing international sports organisation. • It was originally called the European Federation of Gymnastics. • It had three member countries, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, until 1921, when non-European countries were admitted and it received its current name. • The federation sets the rules, known as the Code of Points, that regulate how gymnasts' performances are evaluated. • Six gymnastics disciplines are governed by the FIG. They are artistic gymnastics, further classified as men's artistic gymnastics (MAG) and women's artistic gymnastics (WAG), rhythmic gymnastics (RG), aerobic gymnastics (AER), acrobatic gymnastics (ACRO) and trampolining (TRA). • The federation is also responsible for determining whether gymnasts are old enough to participate in the Olympics.

Milan confers honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama

Milan confers honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama The Milan city council on 20 October 2016 bestowed honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama. However, China has strongly opposed another award given to him. Lamberto Bertole, Chairman of the Council of Milan, honoured the Dalai Lama with the Milan Honorary Citizenship award at a ceremony held at the Arcimboldi Theatre in Milan, Italy.  About Dalai Lama • The 14th Dalai Lama is the current Dalai Lama. • Dalai Lamas are important monks of the Gelug school, the newest school of Tibetan Buddhism, which is nominally headed by the Ganden Tripas. • From the time of the 5th Dalai Lama to 1959, the central government of Tibet, the Ganden Phodrang, invested the position of Dalai Lama with temporal duties. • The 14th Dalai Lama was born in Taktser village, Amdo, Tibet. • He was selected as the tulku of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1937 and formally recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama at a public declaration near the town of Bumchen in 1939. • His enthronement ceremony as the Dalai Lama was held in Lhasa on 22 February 1940. • He eventually assumed full temporal duties on 17 November 1950, at the age of 15, after China's invasion of Tibet. • During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he currently lives as a refugee. • The 14th Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Police Commemoration Day observed across India Police Commemoration Day

Police Commemoration Day observed across India Police Commemoration Day: 21 October The Police Commemoration Day was observed on 21 October 2016 across India. The day commemorates the sacrifices of ten policemen while defending the borders with China in 1959. Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid wreath and paid homage to the police martyrs at Police Memorial Ground, Chanakyapuri in Delhi. Background • On 21 October 1959, Chinese Army personnel opened fire and threw grenades at the police party of 20 personnel. • Ten of them died, seven were taken prisoners by the Chinese and the remaining managed to escape. • The Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories held in January 1960 decided that 21 October will be observed as Commemoration Day in all Police Lines throughout India to mark the memory of these gallant personnel. • Since 1961, more than 33000 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for security of the nation and service to the society.

Union Government to establish Krishi Vigyan Kendra in each district

Union Government to establish Krishi Vigyan Kendra in each district Union Government in October 2016 decided to establish at least one Krishi Vigyan Kendra in each of the districts in country. These Kendra’s will be developed to provide technical assistance to farmers. The decision was announced by the Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh while interacting via video conference with all the Krishi Vigyan Kendra experts, district level officers associated with agriculture development and progressive farmers of 12 States. Besides, he Singh also called upon the farmers to use the residual husk after paddy farming to make organic fertilizer, in paper making and card-board industry and as animal feed. The Minister said this will prevent the adverse effect of husk burning on the environment.

Tweetcast to predict vote in upcoming US Presidential elections

Tweetcast to predict vote in upcoming US Presidential elections An online tool, TweetCast, can predict whether citizens will vote for Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton in the upcoming US Presidential elections has been developed. The tool was developed by researchers of Northwestern University in the US. TweetCast uses a machine-learning algorithm to examine words, hashtags, tagged usernames and mentioned websites to uncover which terms are most predictive of voting preference. TweetCast • The tool was designed by Larry Birnbaum, a professor of computer science in Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and his students. • It can also predict which party will dominate a particular state in the November 8 elections. • As per the algorithm, tweet words "lying," "liberal," and "illegal" indicates a vote for Republican candidate Trump. • On the other hand, using the words "single," "humanity," and "rights", predicts a vote for Democratic rival Clinton. • The algorithm was trained on Twitter users who have publicly declared support for one of the two candidates. • Researchers said that 'TweetCast' has a prediction accuracy of over 80 per cent.

Indian football team achieves highest FIFA ranking in six years

Indian football team achieves highest FIFA ranking in six years The Indian football team on 20 October 2016 achieved its best FIFA ranking in over six years. The team jumped 11 placed to be 137th in the latest list. India, who defeated 114th ranked Puerto Rico in an International Friendly in Mumbai in September 2016, garnered 230 points for the month. In August 2010, India were ranked 137th which stayed India’s best ever FIFA Ranking since then. The Indian team was ranked 171st in February 2015 and slipped to 173rd in March 2015. At present, Argentina tops the FIFA World Rankings, followed by Germany and Brazil. About FIFA World Rankings • The FIFA World Ranking is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football. • The teams of the member nations of FIFA are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest. • The rankings were introduced in December 1992, and eight teams (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) have held the top position, of which Brazil have spent longest ranked first. • A points system is used, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIFA-recognised full international matches. • The ranking system was most recently revamped after the 2006 World Cup, with the first edition of the new series of rankings issued on 12 July 2006. The most significant change is that the rankings are now based on results over the previous four years instead of the previous eight year

SC freezes BCCI's financial transactions

SC freezes BCCI's financial transactions Supreme Court on 21 October 2016 froze all financial transactions between the BCCI and state cricket associations. The apex court directed the apex cricket body not to disburse any funds, even for the match purposes, till BCCI resolved to abide by Justice RM Lodha panel recommendations. A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur asked Lodha panel to appoint independent auditors to scrutinize all BCCI accounts. The judgment also directed the Lodha panel to ask the auditors to scrutinize the high-value contracts provided by BCCI. Justice RM Lodha Committee submitted its report to Supreme Court The apex court also directed BCCI president Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke to give undertaking on affidavit, before the Lodha panel and apex court by 3 December 2016, stating how much time they would need to implement reforms. Highlights of the Decision • It directed the Lodha panel to ask the auditors to scrutinise the high-value contracts given by BCCI and also fix a ceiling of high-value contracts involving media rights.  • It asked the Ladha panel’s secretary to send a copy of the apex court order to the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar.

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 21 October 2016

brings for its reader daily updated quizzes that cover the topics like honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama, SBI’s 5th zone in North-East India and book The Adivasi Will Not Dance among others. 1.    Which of the following cities recently bestowed honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama? a)    Rome b)    Venice c)    Milan d)    Sicily 2.    Who of the following was recently elected as the President of the International Gymnastics Federation? a)    Georges Guelzec b)    Morinari Watanabe c)    Bruno Grandi d)    Vasily Titov 3.    Who was appointed as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala? a)    Vice Admiral S V Bhokare b)    Vice Admiral S V Bhosle c)    Vice Admiral Karambir Singh d)    Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar 4.    When is the Police Commemoration Day observed? a)    20 October b)    19 October c)    21 October d)    15 October 5.    The State Bank of India (SBI) declared its 5th zone in North-East India. Name the place where this zone is located. a)    Guwahati b)    Shillong c)    Dibrugarh d)    Silchar 6.    Name the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) that was commissioned by Indian Navy in the third week of October 2016. a)    INS Tihayu b)    INS Chakra c)    INS Kalvari d)    INS Kursura 7.    Satyadev Katare recently passed away. Who was he? a)    Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly b)    A Gandhian activist c)    An artist d)    None of the above 8.    Who is the author of the book titled The Adivasi Will Not Dance? a)    Kiran Doshi b)    Kunal Basu c)    Manjula Padmanabhan d)    Hansda Sowendra Shekhar 9.    Identify the well-known Gandhian activist, who passed away recently. a)    Eqbal Ahmad b)    Uri Avnery c)    Joan Baez d)    Mewa Ramgobin 10.    Who of the following is the author of the book The Sleepwalker's Dream? a)    Amitav Ghosh b)    Dhrubajyoti Borah c)    Ramachandra Guha d)    Margaret Alva 11.    Name the country that along with the United States imposed sanctions on alleged Hezbollah members and financial backers. a)    Saudi Arabia b)    Israel c)    Japan d)    Iraq 12.    Who of the following has authored the book Andhere Se Ujale Ki Aur that was released in October 2016? a)    Swapan Das Gupta b)    Amit Shah c)    Arun Jaitley d)    Madhu Dandavate 13.    Name the country that will posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men. a)    China b)    Russia c)    The United States of America d)    The United Kingdom 14.    India was ranked at what position in the FIFA ranking that was released on 20 October 2016? a)    146 b)    137 c)    123 d)    121 15.    Name the cloud service firm that will be acquired by Wipro Limited? a)    Concur Technologies b)    Taleo c)    Appirio d)    Success Factors ANSWER 1. (c) Milan 2. (b) Morinari Watanabe 3. (a) Vice Admiral S V Bhokare 4. (c) 21 October 5. (d) Silchar 6. (a) INS Tihayu 7. (a) Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly 8. (d) Hansda Sowendra Shekhar 9. (d) Mewa Ramgobin 10. (b) Dhrubajyoti Borah 11. (a) Saudi Arabia 12. (c) Arun Jaitley 13. (d) The United Kingdom 14. (b) 137 15. (c) Appirio

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 21 October 2016

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 21 October 2016 The one liner of the day covers important current affairs of the day like FIFA ranking, country to posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men and book The Sleepwalker's Dream among others. •    India’s rank in the FIFA ranking that was released on 20 October 2016 is - 137 •    Country that will posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men is - The United Kingdom •    An online tool that was developed by scientists that can predict whether citizens will vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the upcoming US Presidential elections is - 'Tweetcast' •    The Police Commemoration Day is observed on - 21 October •    Vice Admiral S V Bhokare was recently appointed as the Commandant of the -Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala •    The secretary-general of Japan Gymnastics Association elected as the President of the International Gymnastics Federation is - Morinari Watanabe •    The city that recently bestowed honorary citizenship on Dalai Lama is - Milan •    The well-known Gandhian activist, who passed away recently, is - Mewa Ramgobin •    The author of the book titled The Adivasi Will Not Dance is - Hansda Sowendra Shekhar •    Satyadev Katare recently passed away. He was - Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly •    He is the authored the book Andhere Se Ujale Ki Aur that - Arun Jaitley •    The country that along with the United States imposed sanctions on alleged Hezbollah members and financial backers is – Saudi Arabia •    Author of the book, The Sleepwalker's Dream is - Dhrubajyoti Borah, the President of Asam Sahitya Sabha •    The State Bank of India (SBI) on 20 October 2016 declared Silchar as its 5th zone in North-East India to cater to the banking needs of the people of - Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur along with the Barak Valley •    The first ever global conference to strengthen Arbitration and Enforcement in India began in - New Delhi •    Typhoon that killed at least four people in Philippines after lashing the country is - Super Typhoon Haima

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

92 percent of world’s population is breathing unhealthy air: WHO World Health Organization (WHO) on 27 September 2016 released its report on pollution, which is extremely worrying. The report claims that 92 percent of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. This mean, 9 out of 10 people globally are breathing poor quality air. Maria Neira, head of the WHO's department of public health and environment, termed the report as a 'public health emergency'. She also urged governments to take up measures like cutting the number of vehicles on the road, improving waste management and promotion of clean cooking fuel. The WHO report is based on data collected from more than 3000 sites across the globe. According to the report, poorer countries have much dirtier air than the developed world. Green Peace India released report on National Air Quality Index of 17 cities How the report was made? The report is based on WHO’s new air quality model that is based on data derived from satellite measurements, air transport models and ground station monitors. The model was developed by WHO in collaboration with the University of Bath, United Kingdom. Air pollution’s toll on human health Some 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6% of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together. Nearly 90 percent of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, with nearly 2 out of 3 occurring in WHO’s South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions. WHO says that 94 percent are due to non-communicable diseases – notably cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Air pollution also increases the risks for acute respiratory infections. Sources of air pollution Major sources of air pollution include inefficient modes of transport, household fuel and waste burning, coal-fired power plants, and industrial activities. However, not all air pollution originates from human activity. For example, air quality can also be influenced by dust storms, particularly in regions close to deserts.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

Tamil Nadu tops list of endemic flowering plants Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in the last week of September 2016 announced that almost one of every four species of flowering plants found in India is endemic to the country. Of these, Tamil Nadu garners the highest number of species with 410. Tamil Nadu is followed by Kerala with 357 and Maharashtra with 278. Key highlights • As per scientific data in a recently released book, Endemic Vascular Plants of India, of the 18259 flowering plants reported in the country, 4303 are found only in India. • When it comes to the geographical distribution of endemic plants, the Western Ghats tops the list with about 2116 species, followed by the Eastern Himalayas with 466 species. • At least 37 species of Black plum Syzyguim (Jamun), 10 varieties of Musa (banana), along with 274 species of orchids are found only in India. • Four different varieties of roses, two herbs and two climbers and 12 species of jasmines are exclusively found in India. • When it comes to spices, 45 species belong to the common black pepper family, 19 species of ginger and 13 different kinds of large cardamom. • There are also 40 species of bamboos, which are endemic to India. • Further some of these endemic species are restricted to only certain areas of the country, like Nepenthes khasiana, an insectivorous plant only found in the Khasi hills of Meghalaya. • A total of 58 generea of flowering plants have been found to be endemic to India. • As far as endemism regarding vascular plants in India is concerned, the publication reveals that of the 19635 vascular plants found in the country, 4381 are endemic. This includes 4303 angiosperms or flowering plants, 12 gymnosperms and 66 ferns and fern allies which come under the group Pteridophytes. • Among the most widely exploited endemic plants in country is Pterocarpus santalinus, commonly known as red sandal wood, which is found only in the southern parts of the Eastern Ghats. This plant is classified as critically endangered under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category. About Botanical Survey of India • The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1890 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire. • The Botanical Survey was formally instituted on 13 February 1890 under the direction of Sir George King, who had been superintendent of Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta since 1871. • King was the first ex-officio Director of BSI.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

New species of Pika discovered in the Sikkim Himalayas Researchers at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru have recently identified a new species of Pika named Ochotona sikimaria high up in the Sikkim Himalayas. The Findings were published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution as a paper titled Genetics, morphology and ecology reveal a cryptic Pika lineage in the Sikkim Himalaya on 15 September 2016. The team of researchers including Dr Uma Ramakrishnan and her collaborators probed the genetic origins of the little mammal Pika to discover an entirely new lineage, with a unique evolutionary past. Highlights of the Study • Researchers used genetic tools in order to understand the origin and evolution of the Pika species commonly found in the Sikkim Himalayas and worked with Pika droppings to obtain DNA samples. • By comparing DNA sequences from these samples with those of commonly known Pika sequences from across the world, they concluded that there were clear differences. • Gaining a deeper understanding of the evolutionary history of this species, the researchers chose to compare the Sikkim Pika to its close relatives in China. • This analysis confirmed the fact that the new species is indeed distinct and not merely a subspecies of the Moupin Pika, as was previously believed. • Multiple lines of evidence, including genetics, ecology and morphometrics, were used clarify the origins of the Sikkim Pika and to establish that it is indeed a distinct species. About Pikas • Pikas are members of the rabbit family and live either high up in the mountains or in cold (temperate) places as they are highly cold-adapted. • This feature of their biology makes them sensitive to habitat loss from increasing global temperature. • The majority of Pika species described to date are of Asian origin. • Pikas are particularly important because they are considered indicators of climate change based on studies in North America. • Unlike other mammalian species inhabiting such harsh environments, Pikas do not hibernate. • They prepare for winter by collecting and storing hay piles for their winter food.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

India ratifies historic Paris Climate Agreement India on 2 October 2016 ratified historic Paris Agreement on climate change, giving a significant push for the deal to enter into force by the end 2016. The agreement is expected to give momentum to implementation of measures at international level to control global warming. India, the world's fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounts for 4.1 per cent of the emissions. China and the US is the biggest carbon emitter and are jointly responsible for around 40 per cent of the global carbon emissions. COP 21 under UNFCCC adopted Paris Agreement on Climate Change With India's move, a total of 62 countries accounting for almost 52 per cent of emissions, have ratified the accord. The pact will come into force after it has been ratified by at least 55 countries which account for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin handed over the Instrument of Ratification signed by President Pranab Mukherjee, to Santiago Villalpando, the Head of the Treaties Division at the UN in a special ceremony in New York. The ceremony was attended by top UN officials and senior diplomats to commemorate the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi’s birth anniversary is observed as an International Day of Non-violence. Union Cabinet approves ratification of Paris Agreement In total, the 62 countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement account for about 51.89 per cent of the global gas emissions. This means for adoption, the agreement needs slightly more than 3 percent to reach the 55 per cent threshold. UN says that at least 14 other countries that together contribute about 12 per cent of global emissions have committed to ratify the pact before end of 2016. Earlier in September 2016, the US and China had formally ratified the Paris agreement, which was adopted by 195 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change last December in Paris. On the other hand, it is expected that the European Union and Russia, the other two among the top five emitters, will ratify the agreement soon. Paris Agreement • It was adopted by more than 190 countries at the 21st Conference of Parties of UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in Paris in December 2015. • It seeks to encourage global action to reduce greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This would help in preventing catastrophic effects of climate change. • It seeks to give a momentum to actions being taken to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and raise financial and technological resources to do so. • Initially, the Paris Agreement supposed to come into operation by 2020, the year when the existing Kyoto Protocol, the international arrangement to deal with climate change, expires. But later, the deadline was dropped and it will come into force after 30-days after the minimum ratifications are over. • For few years, the Paris Agreement as well as the Kyoto Protocol would exist side by side.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

New frog species named Litoria Bella discovered in Australia A new frog species named Cape York graceful tree frog, scientifically known as Litoria Bella, was discovered recently in Australia’s largest virgin forest in Queensland. The study was published in the journal Zootaxa on 27 September 2016. The newly discovered species closely resembles the Graceful tree frog (Litoria Gracilenta). The research and discovery was done by Dr Jodi Rowley, a curator of amphibian and reptile conservation biology at the Australian Museum, along with scientists Keith McDonald, Stephen Richards and Greta Frankham. Highlights of the Cape York graceful tree frog or Litoria Bella • The Cape York Graceful Treefrog is known from between Moa Island in the Torres Strait in the north, to about 20 km south of Coen on the Cape York Peninsula in the south. • The southern-most location of the new species is separated by 220 km from the most northern record of the Graceful Treefrog in the Endeavour Valley near Cooktown. • The Cape York Graceful frogs have a near-immaculate green dorsum, bright orange digits, bluish purple thighs and white bones. • They also measure about four centimetres long, which is considered big for the species. • They spend most of their time in the tree canopy and come down to ponds when it rains or during breeding season. • The species was thought to occur all the way from north-eastern New South Wales to northern Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. The Study • One of the researchers from the team Keith McDonald from the Queensland museum had first laid eyes on this Cape York tree frog in 2000 during one of his field-work outings. • However, the frog was determined to be a new species on 27 September 2016 after undergoing rigorous tests for a year. • By looking at differences in its appearance, as well as its advertisement call and DNA, it was concluded that the Cape York Graceful Tree frog is a distinct species, bringing the number of known frog species in Australia to 239.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

Hurricane Matthew Death toll mounts to 300 in Haiti Hurricane Matthew after claiming lives of at least 300 people in the Caribbean nation Haiti lashed Florida with winds of 125 mph on 7 October 2016. More than two million people were evacuated from the coastal areas of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. North Carolina could also be affected as the storm moves north. President Barack Obama on 6 October 2016 declared a federal state of emergency in Florida as Hurricane Matthew's powerful winds began to be felt along the state's southeast coast. Hurricane Matthew that made its landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016 with raging winds and storm leveled 80 percent of buildings in the peninsula’s main city, Jeremie. In Sud province 30000 homes were destroyed. The region's strongest storm in almost a decade made landfall on Haiti's Tiburon Peninsula as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 145 mph. Haiti Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is already struggling to regain its footing almost seven years after an earthquake and ensuing cholera epidemic ravaged the nation. It is one of the most deforested countries in the world. The country is located on the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. With an estimated 10.6 million people, Haiti is the most populous country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the second-most populous country in the Caribbean as a whole.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

ASI protected historical monuments and archaeological sites declared polythene free zones All Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected historical monuments and archaeological sites on 6 October 2016 were declared Polythene Free Zones. An advisory has been issued to all State Governments/UTs to support ASI in keeping Monuments Polythene Free up to 300 meters from the protected boundaries of the monuments. In addition, Ministry of Culture sanctioned 350 crores rupees to provide facilities like Protected Boundaries, Toilets and Disabled Friendly Access in all ASI Protected Monuments.   The ASI has ranked top 25 Adarsh Monuments on the basis of cleanliness parameters such as amenities like toilets, green lawns, Polythene Free Zone, signage for awareness, disabilities access, drinking water and provision for garbage bins and more. A World Heritage site Rani ki Vav in Gujarat has been declared as the cleanest iconic place in India. About Rani ki Vav • Rani ki vav is an intricately constructed stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat. • It is located on the banks of Saraswati River. • It was built as a memorial to an 11th century AD king. • It was added to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites on 22 June 2014. • It was built in the complex Maru-Gurjara architectural style with an inverted temple and seven levels of stairs and holds more than 500 principle sculptures.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

New termite species named Chiraharitae discovered A new termite species, Glyptotermes Chiraharitae, was discovered at Kakkayam in the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala. The species has been named Chiraharitae after the tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, where it was discovered. The research paper describing the new species was published last week in Zoosystema, the journal of Natural History Museum, Paris. About the newly discovered species • Termites are of three types: damp wood, dry wood and subterranean. Glyptotermes Chiraharitae species are of the damp wood category. • Chiraharitae infest parts of woods with high moisture content, the decaying or rotting areas in particular. • They are exclusively wood dwelling and do not require any contact with soil. • The flying adults of this species are approximately 10 mm long, while the soldiers are around 9.5 mm long. • Its relatives are known to attack mango, sal, Rhododendron, banyan trees, Artocarpus, silver oak, and jamun trees. • In India, there 285 species of termites and among them 61 are documented from Kerala.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

HIMANSH, India’s remote and high-altitude station opened in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH. The station is situated above 13500 feet at a remote region in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. The station was unveiled by M. Rajeevan, Secretary to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, on 9 October 2016. The ongoing initiatives by NCAOR will contribute to the integrated study the glaciers in the upper Indus basin (Chandra basin) in Himachal Pradesh and their contribution to discharge. Key highlights of HIMANSH • The station houses many instruments to quantify the glacier melting and its relation to changing climate. • Some of the instruments that are available at the research facility include, Automatic Weather Stations for weather monitoring, water level recorder for quantifying the glacier melt, ground penetrating radar to know the thickness of glaciers, geodetic GPS systems to study the glacier movements, etc. • The researchers will use the station as a base for undertaking surveys using Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). About National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research • The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research is an Indian research and development institution, situated in Vasco, Goa. • It was established on 25 May 1998, with Dr. P C Pandey as its founding director. • It is an autonomous Institution of the Department of Ocean Development (DOD), Government of India. • It is responsible for administering the Indian Antarctic Program and maintains the Indian Government's Antarctic research station, Maitri. • At present, NCAOR is an agency working under Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India since 2006, by the notification of the President of India. • NCAOR complex is a home to a special low-temperature laboratory and is setting up a National Antarctic Data Centre and a Polar Museum.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY

India decided to eliminate potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 by 2030 India on 13 October 2016 announced its decision to eliminate the HCF-23 gas. The decision was made in line to its commitment to combat the threat emanating from climate-damaging HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons). The announcement was made by Minister of State Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Anil Dave at Kigali, Rwanda, at a meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol, where final negotiations are taking place to substantially reduce the use of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 2030.  HFC–23 gas, a potent greenhouse gas, with Global Warming Potential of 14800, is produced during the manufacture of a common refrigerant gas, HCFC-22. If vented out in environment, is a threat to the environment. HCFC stands for hydrochloroflurocarbon. Key Highlights • Companies have to internalise the cost of this environmental externality and create sufficient storage facility to take care of down time and run the incinerators to ensure and not release of HFC–23 in the atmosphere. • The move will potentially check emissions of HFC-23 equivalent to 100 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 15 years, Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment. Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was designed to reduce the production and consumption of ozone depleting substances in order to reduce their abundance in the atmosphere, and thereby protect the earth’s fragile ozone Layer. The original Montreal Protocol was agreed on 16 September 1987 and entered into force on 1 January 1989. The Montreal Protocol includes a unique adjustment provision that enables the Parties to the Protocol to respond quickly to new scientific information and agree to accelerate the reductions required on chemicals already covered by the Protocol. These adjustments are then automatically applicable to all countries that ratified the Protocol. It has been ratified by 197 parties.

SCIENCE &TECH

World's first baby born from new procedure using DNA of three people The world’s first baby was born from a new procedure that combines the DNA of three people. The baby was born in Mexico. The baby was born on 6 April 2016 after his Jordanian parents travelled to Mexico where they were cared for by US fertility specialists. The baby was born using the new and controversial technology, called mitochondrial donation, which incorporates DNA from three persons. The five-month-old boy has the usual DNA from his parents, and a small amount of genetic code from a donor. How the treatment was done? • The baby’s mother carried genes for the fatal Leigh Syndrome, which harms the developing nervous system. • The faults affect the DNA in mitochondria, the tiny battery-like structures that provide cells with energy, and are passed down from mother to child. • A team of doctors, led by John Zhang, decided to attempt the controversial procedure of mitochondrial transfer in the hope that it would give the couple a healthy child. • The doctors took the nucleus from one of the woman’s eggs and inserted it into a healthy donor’s egg that had had its own nucleus removed. Then, the egg was fertilised with the husband’s sperm. • The team created five embryos but only one developed normally. This was implanted into the mother and the baby was born nine months later. What is Mitochondrial Donation? • Mitochondrial donation is a special form of in vitro fertilization in which the future baby's mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party. • The two most common techniques in mitochondrial donation are pronuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer. • Due to the uncharted nature of producing a child with 3 sources of DNA, this subject is currently quite contentious in the field of bioethics, as is the case with many other gene therapies. • The treatment was legalised in the UK in 2015 but so far no other country has introduced laws to permit the technique. • In February 2016, a report was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug administration declaring that further research into mitochondrial donation is ethically permissible

SCIENCE &TECH

ISRO’s communication satellite GSAT-18 successfully launched from French Guiana India on 6 October 2016 successfully launched the communication satellite GSAT-18. The satellite was launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana. The European launcher Ariane-5 VA-231 injected GSAT-18 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) shortly after orbiting co-passenger Sky Muster II satellite for Australian operator, National Broadband Network. After its injection into GTO, ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan took control of GSAT-18 and performed the initial orbit raising maneuvers using the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) of the satellite, placing it in circular Geostationary Orbit. GSAT-18  • GSAT-18 is designed to provide continuity of services on operational satellites in C-band, Extended C-band and Ku-bands. • Weighing 3404 kilograms at lift-off and having a mission life of about 15 years, GSAT-18 will strengthen ISRO's current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites. • It carries 48 communication transponders to provide services in Normal C-band, Upper Extended C-band and Ku-bands of the frequency spectrum. • GSAT-18 carries Ku-band beacon as well to help in accurately pointing ground antennas towards the satellite. • It will enable the continuity of the vital communication services in the country by replacing the currently ageing satellites. GSAT-18 is the 20th satellite from ISRO to be launched by the European space agency and the mission is the 280th for Arianespace launcher family. ISRO, which has been dependent on Ariane-5 rocket for carrying its heavier satellites, is developing GSLV Mk III for this purpose. GSAT-18's co-passenger Sky Muster II, built by Space Systems Loral in California, is aimed at bridging the digital divide, especially in the rural and isolated regions of Australia. Kourou is a French territory located in northeastern coast of South America. The launch, which was originally scheduled for 5 October 2016, was deferred by 24 hours due to unfavourable weather conditions at Kourou.

SCIENCE &TECH

Apes can think like humans: Study A new study suggests that apes have a human-like ability to guess what others are thinking, even in cases when someone holds a mistaken belief. The findings were published on 6 October 2016 in the journal Science. The study • The study was led by Krupenye and Fumihiro Kano, a comparative psychologist at Kyoto University. • The apes were shown the videos of a capering actor dressed in a King Kong suit. • The video featured an actor dressed as King Kong, who hits a man holding a long pole before darting under one of two haystacks while the human looks on. In some scenarios, the King Kong character switches haystack while the human disappears out of view behind a door. The man then reappears and smacks the haystack he thinks his assailant is hidden under. • By using eye-tracking technology, the scientists showed that 17 out of 22 apes tested switched their gaze to show they had correctly anticipated when the man would target the wrong haystack. What are the findings? • The findings, in chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans, are the first to clearly demonstrate that apes can predict another’s beliefs, even when they know that presumption is false. • On a psychology experiment, the apes were able to correctly anticipate that someone would look for a hidden item in a specific location, even if the apes knew that the item was no longer there. • The ability to predict that someone holds a mistaken belief, which psychologists refer to as a theory of mind, is seen as a landmark in cognitive development that children normally acquire by the age of five.

SCIENCE &TECH

Hubble Space Telescope detects Great Balls of Fire NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope in the first week of October 2016 detected Great Balls of Fire. These superhot blobs of gas, each twice as big as the planet Mars, were being ejected near a dying star. These plasma balls are moving so fast through space that it would take only 30 minutes for them to travel from Earth to the moon. The observations suggest that these balls of fire have been appearing every 8.5 years for at least the last four centuries. The gas balls were observed near a red giant called V Hydrae that is about 1200 light-years away from Earth. Significance If scientists can discover where these balls come from, it could also explain other weird shapes seen in the cloud of gas around dying stars, some of which have been difficult for scientists to explain. About Hubble Space Telescope • The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990. It remains in operation. It could last until 2030–2040. • It is one of the largest and most versatile vital research tool and a public relations boon for astronomy. • It is named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble, and is one of NASA's Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Spitzer Space Telescope. • With a 2.4-meter mirror, its four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible and near infrared spectra. • It was built by the United States space agency NASA, with contributions from the European Space Agency. • The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) selects Hubble's targets and processes the resulting data, while the Goddard Space Flight Center controls the spacecraft. • It is the only telescope designed to be serviced in space by astronauts. • Its scientific successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is scheduled for launch in 2018.

SCIENCE &TECH

NASA develops electroactive bandages for wound healing The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed a high-tech electroactive bandage. The bandage creates an electric charge to help promote the healing process of wounds. Electroactive material is so sensitive that a push or even a blow on it can create an electric charge. Key features of the electroactive bandages • The fibres of the guaze are made of electroactive material Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF). • The bandage is stimulated by the heat of the body and the pressure of cell growth. Therefore, no external power source is required in order for the bandage to promote wound healing. • The device uses electrical activity to facilitate the wound healing process while protecting the wound. • The bandage also minimises infection and related complications such as illness or amputation. • The bandage could be used by military personnel wounded in the field, patients who have undergone surgery or who have suffered a serious wound and astronauts in space.

SCIENCE &TECH

Researchers at IISER used human hair to produce cathodes for solar cells Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata have found a new way to produce cathodes for solar cell. The IISER researchers have used human hair to produce cost-effective, metal-free cathodes for use in solar cells. The results have been published in the journal Carbon. This is the first time where a bio-waste-derived electrode has been used as cathode in a quantum dot sensitised solar cell device. Key highlights • The graphitic porous carbon cathode shows an impressive performance to help converting visible sunlight to electricity, which is much higher than commercially available activated carbon cathodes. • It offers higher efficiency to convert visible sunlight to electricity. • The cathode was found to generate high open-circuit voltage, which is at par with conventional platinum and activated carbon cathodes. • Producing graphitic porous carbon cathode using human hair is also simple, quick and inexpensive. • Unlike in the case of other synthetic porous carbons, no physical or chemical activation process or templates were required to produce the pores of 2-50 nanometres diameter. • The porosity, along with high surface area to volume ratio, plays an important role in adsorption-desorption of electrolyte. • The cleaned and dry human hair was first treated with sulphuric acid at 165 degrees C for 25 minutes to achieve precarbonisation. • It was then heated to different temperatures in the presence of an inert gas for six hours to carbonise and bring better electrical conductivity for efficient charge transfer.

ECONOMY

CCEA approves implementation of Project SAKSHAM The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 September 2016 approved ‘Project SAKSHAM’. It is a New Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). It will help in integrating system of Central Board of Excise and Customs with the GST network before the roll out in April 2017. The total project cost involved is 2256 crore rupees which will be incurred over a period of seven years. The project SAKSHAM will help in • Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) • Extension of the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) • Other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital India and Ease of Doing Business of Central Board of Excise and Customs The implementation strategy for the project will be to ensure readiness of CBEC's IT systems by 1 April 2017, when GST is to be introduced. The upgrade of the IT systems will be carried out while keeping the existing Tax-payer services running. As predicted, all taxpayers/importers/exporters/dealers under various indirect tax laws administered by CBEC, presently about 36 lakhs, are likely to go up to over 65 lakhs after introduction of GST. CBEC's IT systems need to integrate with the Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN) for processing of registration, payment and returns data sent by GSTN systems to CBEC, as well as act as a front-end for other modules like Audit, Appeal, Investigation. There is no overlap in the GST-related systems of CBEC and GSTN. This IT infrastructure is also urgently required for continuation of CBEC's e-Services in Customs, Central Excise & Service Tax, implementation of tax¬payer services such as scanned document upload facility, extension of Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) initiative and integration with Government initiatives such as E-Nivesh, E-Taal, e-Sign. Background Introduction of GST will result in a several-fold increase in the number of taxpayers and resultant document load on the system. CBEC's current IT system was set up in 2008. It cannot cater to the increased load under GST without an immediate upgrade of its IT Infrastructure. Further, CBEC has implemented the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT) and is integrating other partner agencies involved in Customs clearance in order to make the process simple and fast. The Customs EDI system which is currently operational at about 140 locations in India has to be extended to many more locations with improved response time and better service delivery. Taxpayers have to be given a facility for Upload of Digitally Signed Scanned Documents in order to reduce the physical interface with tax authorities and to increase the speed of clearance. CBEC also aims to introduce mobile services for taxpayers and departmental users to increase the outreach of its services.

ECONOMY

Union Government decides to raise EPFO Investment in ETF from 5 to 10 per cent The Union Government on 30 September 2016 decided to raise the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) investment in Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) from existing 5 per cent to 10 per cent. The decision has been taken considering the good returns in ETF investment. An official release said, in the last one year, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has invested 6577 crore rupees. The investment has yielded a good return of 13.24 per cent. The past performance of the last six months from April, 2016 to August, 2016 also showed gradual appreciation in the returns from 0.37 per cent in March 2016 to 13.24 per cent in August 2016. Five per cent EPF has been invested in NIFTY 50 and SENSEX. The pattern of investment prescribed by the Ministry of Finance has given guidelines for investment in equity from 5 per cent to 15 per cent.

ECONOMY

Union Government notifies constitution of Monetary Policy Committee The Union Government on 29 September 2016 notified the constitution of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (RBI Act) has been amended by the Finance Act, 2016,  to provide for a statutory and institutionalised framework for a Monetary Policy Committee, for maintaining price stability. As per the provisions of the RBI Act, out of the six Members of Monetary Policy Committee, three Members will be from the RBI. The other three Members of MPC will be appointed by the Central Government. In exercise of the powers conferred by section 45ZB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Union Government has accordingly constituted the Monetary Policy Committee of RBI, with the following composition: • The Governor of the Bank: Chairperson, ex officio • Deputy Governor of the Bank, in charge of Monetary Policy: Member, ex officio • One officer of the Bank to be nominated by the Central Board: Member, ex officio • Chetan Ghate, Professor, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI): Member • Pami Dua, Director, Delhi School of Economics (DSE): Member • Ravindra H. Dholakia, Professor, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad: Member The Members of the Monetary Policy Committee appointed by the Union Government will hold office for a period of four years, with immediate effect or until further orders, whichever is earlier. About Monetary Policy Committee • The Monetary Policy Committee will be entrusted with the task of fixing the benchmark policy rate (repo rate) required to contain inflation within the specified target level. • A Committee-based approach for determining the Monetary Policy will add lot of value and transparency to monetary policy decisions. • The meetings of the Monetary Policy Committee will be held at least 4 times a year and it will publish its decisions after each such meeting.