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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.

ECONOMY

RBI releases fourth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2016-17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 4 October 2016 released the fourth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2016-17. The key announcement under the policy was the interest cut of 25 basis points. This move may lead to banks in lowering EMIs for housing, car loan and corporate borrowers. This policy decision was not only RBI Governor Urjit Patel’s maiden policy announcement but was also the first to be announced by the newly constituted Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). All the six members of MPC unanimously decided to cut repo rate by 0.25 per cent; bring in to a nearly six-year low of 6.25 per cent. This was also the first interest rate cut in last six months. According to the monetary policy statement, the decision to cut interest rates is consistent with the aim of achieving a midterm inflation target of 4 percent within a band of plus or minus 2 percent. Based on the assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to: • Repo Rate: The policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) was reduced by 25 basis points from 6.5 per cent to 6.25 per cent with immediate effect. • Reverse Repo Rate: The reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.75 per cent. • Marginal standing facility (MSF) Rate: The MSF rate was fixed at 6.75 per cent. • Bank Rate: The Bank Rate also stands at 6.75 per cent. The decision of the MPC is consistent with an accommodative stance of monetary policy in consonance with the objective of achieving consumer price index (CPI) inflation at 5 per cent by Q4 of 2016-17 and the medium-term target of 4 per cent within a band of +/- 2 per cent, while supporting growth. The main considerations underlying the decision are set out in the statement below. Assessment of the Economy • Global growth has been slowing more than anticipated through 2016 so far, with weak investment and trade damping aggregate demand. • Risks in the form of BREXIT, banking stress in Europe, rebalancing of debt-fuelled growth in China, rising protectionism and diminishing confidence in monetary policy have slanted the outlook to the downside. • World trade volume has contracted sharper than expected in the first half of 2016, and the outlook has worsened with the recent falling off of imports by Advanced Economies (AEs) from Emerging Market Economies (EMEs). Inflation remains subdued in AEs and has started to edge down in EMEs. • International financial markets were overwhelmed by the BREXIT vote in Q2, with equity markets losing valuations worldwide, currencies plunging and turning volatile, and investors rushing for safe havens. Markets, however, recovered quickly and reclaimed lost ground in Q3, with a return of risk appetite propelling capital flows back into EMEs. • Crude prices rose to a recent peak in Q2 of 2016, mostly on supply disruption in various parts of the world, and again in late September as the OPEC announced intentions of cutting back on supply; but, the upturn has been curbed by higher inventories. Assessment on the domestic front • Agriculture: The outlook for agricultural activity has brightened as the South West monsoon ended the season with a cumulative deficit of only 3 per cent below the long period average, with 85 per cent of the country’s geographical area having received normal to excess precipitation. • Kharif: Kharif sowing has surpassed last year’s acreage, barring cotton, sugarcane and jute and mesta. Accordingly, the first advance 2 estimates of kharif food grains production for 2016-17 by the Ministry of Agriculture have been placed at a record level, and higher than the target set for the year. • Industrial sector: The industrial sector, by contrast, suffered a manufacturing-driven contraction in early fiscal year Q2, after a sequential deceleration in gross value added in Q1. Even after trimming the statistical effects of the lumpy and order-driven contraction of insulated rubber cables, industrial production as measured by the index of industrial production (IIP) turned out to be slower than a year ago. • Steel: In August, steel production rose to a 37-month high and cement production maintained momentum - auguring well for construction activity - even though the output of core industries as a whole was weighed down by a decline in the production of coal, crude oil and natural gas and deceleration in refinery products and electricity generation. Nonetheless, business expectations polled in the Reserve Bank’s industrial outlook survey and by other agencies remain expansionary in Q2 and Q3. • Roads, Railways And Inland Waterways: The strong public investment in roads, railways and inland waterways, the recent efforts to unclog cash flows in large projects under arbitration, and the boost to spending from the 7th Pay Commission’s award, should improve the industrial outlook. • Services Sector: The acceleration in the pace of activity in Q1 appears to have been sustained. An increasing number of high frequency indicators are moving into positive territory, construction is boosted by policy initiatives, and public administration, defence and other services will be supported by the pay commission award. • Retail inflation: Measured by the headline CPI had been elevated by a sharp pick-up in the momentum of food inflation overwhelming favourable base effects during April-July. In August, however, the momentum of food inflation turned negative and surprised expectations; consequently, base effects in that month came into full play and pulled down headline inflation to an intra-year low. Fuel inflation has moderated steadily through the year so far. Inflation excluding food and fuel (including petrol and diesel embedded in transportation) has been sticky around 5 per cent, mainly in respect to education, medical and personal care services. • Liquidity conditions: It remained comfortable in Q3, with the Reserve Bank absorbing liquidity on a net basis through variable rate reverse repo auctions of varying tenors. Liquidity was injected through open market purchases of 200 billion rupees in line with the system’s requirements. As a result, the Weighted Average Call Money Rate (WACR) remained tightly aligned with the policy repo rate and, in fact, traded with a soft bias. Interest rates on commercial paper (CPs) and certificates of deposit (CD) also eased. • External Sector: Merchandise exports contracted in the first two months of Q2. Subdued domestic demand was, however, reflected in a faster contraction in imports. Moreover, the still soft crude prices pared off a fifth of the oil import bill and gold import volume slumped to a fifth of its volume a year ago. As a result of the same, the merchandise trade deficit narrowed by 10 billion US dollars in April-August on a year-on-year basis. • Foreign Direct Investment: The pace of foreign direct investment slowed compared to a year ago, portfolio flows were stronger after the BREXIT vote, galvanised by a search for returns in an expanding universe of negative yields. The level of foreign exchange reserves rose to 372 billion US dollars by 30 September 2016 – an all-time high. Outlook • The food inflation outlook will improved due to strong improvement in sowing, along with supply management measures. • Sharp drop in inflation reflects a downward shift in the momentum of food inflation, which holds the key to future inflation outcomes, rather than merely the statistical effects of a favourable base effect. • Government’s measures to curb the food inflation would help in moderating the momentum of food inflation in months ahead.

ECONOMY

Union Finance Ministry sets up Public Debt Management Cell Union Finance Ministry on 4 October constituted a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC). The cell was created to streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets. The Joint Secretary (Budget), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance would be the overall in-charge of the ODMC. As an interim arrangement, the PDMC will be housed at the RBI's Delhi office. In about two years, the PDMC will be upgraded to a statutory Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA). Highlights of PDMC • The interim arrangement will allow separation of debt management functions from RBI to PDMA in a gradual and seamless manner, without causing market disruptions. • It will have only advisory functions to avoid any conflict with the statutory functions of RBI. • It has been tasked to plan government borrowings, including market borrowings and other borrowings, like Sovereign Gold Bond issuance. • It will also advise government on matters related to investment, capital market operations, administration of interest rates on small savings among others. • The middle office of the Budget Division will be subsumed into PDMC with immediate effect. The transition process from PDMC to PDMA would be implemented by a Joint Implementation Committee (JIC), which will be chaired by Joint Secretary (Budget). Other members of the JIC will be from Government and RBI. As per the circular issued by the ministry, the JIC would operate under the supervision of the Monitoring Group on Cash and Debt Management (MGCDM) with Secretary, Economic Affairs and DG, RBI as co-chairpersons. The PDMC would be staffed by 15 debt managers from Budget Division, RBI, current Middle Office and other government units. Background To deepen Indian Bond market, the Finance Ministry Arun Jaitley proposed setting of a PDMA in his Budget Speech 2016-17. He said that he intend to set up a PDMA which will bring both India's external borrowings and domestic debt under one roof.

ECONOMY

CCEA approves acquisition of 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft by ONGC Videsh The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 5 October 2016 gave its approval to an acquisition by ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) for 11% stake in JSC Vankorneft from Rosneft Oil Company (Rosneft), Russia’s national oil company. The OVL will pay 930 million US dollar for acquiring 11 per cent in Vankorneft. The acquisition is in line with ONGC’s stated objective of adding high quality international assets to India's exploration and production portfolio. Earlier in May 2016, OVL completed the formalities for acquisition of 15% stake in Vankorneft at a cost of 1.284 billion US dollar, which gave OVL 4.11 MMTOE.  Benefits • The acquisition of stake in Vankorneft will provide 3.2 Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) to OVL by 2017. • It will also provide an opportunity to the Indian public sector oil and gas companies to acquire new technologies from Rosneft. About ONGC Videsh Ltd • ONGC Videsh Limited is the international arm of ONGC. • It was rechristened on 15 June 1989. • ONGC holds 100% stake in ONGC Videsh Limited. • It is a Miniratna Schedule A Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. • In terms of reserves and production, ONGC Videsh is the second largest petroleum Company of India, next only to its parent ONGC. About Rosneft Oil Company • Rosneft is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia. • It is headquartered in Moscow's Balchug district near the Kremlin, across the Moskva River. • It became Russia's leading extraction and refinement company after purchasing assets of former oil giant Yukos at state-run auctions.

ECONOMY

RBI releases report of IWG on Rationalisation of Branch Authorisation Policy The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 6 October 2016 released the Report of the Internal Working Group (IWG) on Rationalisation of Branch Authorisation Policy. The Group is chaired by Lily Vadera, Chief General Manager, Department of Banking Regulation.  The thrust of the recommendations is to facilitate financial inclusion by ensuring availability of banking services in all centers through low cost delivery channels and mapping the footprints of various banking channels. Recommendations of the IWG • In the first phase, the recommendations focus on broadening of the current framework to include all banking outlets which are fixed point locations and bring them on par with branches. • A banking outlet is defined as a fixed point service delivery unit manned by bank’s staff or its Business Correspondent where services of acceptance of deposits, encashment of cheques/cash withdrawal or lending of money are provided for minimum 4 hours per day for at least five days a week. • Banks need to open banking outlets to meet the 25 percent norms of opening banking outlets in unbanked rural centres that does not have a CBS-enabled banking outlet of a Scheduled Commercial Bank. • A part-time banking outlet opened in any Centre will be added to the denominator as well as numerator on pro rata basis for computing the compliance with the norm of opening 25% banking outlets. • A banking outlet opened in North-Eastern States, Sikkim and in Left-Wing Extremism Affected Districts will be treated as a banking outlet/part-time banking outlet in an unbanked rural centre. • Grandfathering of MFI/NBFC structures of Small Finance Banks to be provided to facilitate an orderly transformation and to minimize the risk of transition. As regards their existing NBFC/MFI branches, banks will be given a time period of 3 years to close or convert these into banking outlets. • The Boards of the banks should set internal financial inclusion targets and compile the data to monitor the transactions to ensure that target customers for financial inclusion are getting the banking facilities in unbanked rural centres. • In the second phase, a new data system will be devised which is capable of capturing the locations and transactions carried out by all banking outlets. Background The opening of new branches and shifting of existing branches of banks is governed by the provisions of Section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. In the light of the rapid developments in technology and associated digital and telecom revolution, banks are looking at alternative approaches to enlarge their footprints and reach out to the unbanked and underserved centres in remote areas in a cost effective manner. With a view to facilitate financial inclusion and provide operational flexibility, it was considered necessary to redefine branches and permissible methods of outreach keeping in mind the various attributes of the banks and the types of services that are sought to be provided. An announcement to this effect was made in the first Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2016-17 in April 2016 and accordingly an Internal Working group was constituted for the purpose.

ECONOMY

Fadnavis inaugurates India’s first International Arbitration Centre in Mumbai Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 8 October 2016 inaugurated India’s first centre for international arbitration in Mumbai. Inaugurating the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA), Fadnavis said that India will leave its benchmark worldwide in business dispute redressal with the setting up of international arbitration centre in Mumbai.  The Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA) is located in Express towers, Nariman Point. It is being headed by CEO Madhukeshwar Desai. Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA) • The MCIA will be governed by a 17-member governing council. • The Arbitration Centre is in sync with the Prime Minister's Make in India campaign. • The Centre would provide a time bound and cost-effective facility and reinforce investor confidence. • MCIA will be helpful in development of the proposed International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Mumbai. The state government has plans to develop IFSC in BKC. • It will feature arbitration rules that reflect international best practices. • The MCIA Council for Arbitration will have some of the leading arbitration practitioners from India and around the world. • It will be a catalyst for business and investment into India. • It is the result of a joint effort between the domestic and international arbitration community, the business community and the Government of Maharashtra. In the absence of an international arbitration centre in the country, the majority of global disputes earlier landed at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and London Court of International Arbitration. A study conducted by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre suggests that it handled about 30 percent of cases that involved Indian businesses.

ECONOMY

Union Cabinet approves MoU between EXIM bank and NDB Union Cabinet on 13 October 2016 approved MoU between Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) on General Cooperation with the BRICS promoted New Development Bank (NDB), along with other Development Financial Institutions of BRICS nations. This will be achieved through the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. This approval will help in enhancing trade and economic relations among the BRICS countries and benefit the participating institutions from the BRICS nation. There is no financial implication involved in signing of the MoU.  Key Highlights • The MoU is a non-binding umbrella agreement. • It aims at establishing a cooperation framework in accordance with the national laws and regulations, besides skills transfer and knowledge sharing amongst the signatories. Establishment of the NDB reflects the close relations among the BRICS countries and provides a powerful instrument for increasing their economic cooperation and help India play an enhanced international role. Why the MoU is necessary? The signing of MoU is necessary in the context of cooperation extended by the Members in various forms for promoting and facilitating trade of goods and services as well as investments in mutual projects among the BRICS countries. It will help in sustainable development and inclusive economic growth of the BRICS nations. BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism Five banks from the BRICS nations had established the BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism to enhance trade and economic relations among the BRICS countries. The BRICS Interbank Co-operation Mechanism now proposes to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on General Co-operation with the New Development Bank.

India decided to eliminate potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 by 2030

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 parti

CCEA approves revision of ethanol prices for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies

CCEA approves revision of ethanol prices for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 13 October 2016 approved the mechanism for revision of ethanol price for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to carry out the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. The administered price of ethanol for the Programme will be 39 rupees per litre for the next sugar season from 1 December 2016 to 30 November 2017.  Key Highlights • Charges will be paid to the ethanol suppliers as per actuals in case of Excise Duty and VAT or GST and transportation charges as decided by the oil marketing companies. • The prices of ethanol will be reviewed and suitably revised by Government at any time during the ethanol supply period depending upon the prevailing economic situation and other relevant factors. The revision in ethanol prices will facilitate Government in providing price stability and remunerative prices for ethanol suppliers. Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme Union Government in 2003 launched the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme to promote the use of alternative and environment friendly fuels. The programme also sought to reduce import dependency for energy requirements. However, since 2006, OMCs were not able to receive offers for the required quantity of ethanol against the tenders floated by them due to various constraints like State Specific issues, Supplier related issues including Pricing issues of ethanol. Decision to augment the supply of ethanol To end constraints and augment the supply of ethanol, government on 10 December 2014 placed a mechanism for pricing of ethanol under which the delivered price of ethanol at OMC depots was fixed in the range of 48.50 rupees per litre to 49.50 rupees per litre including Central/State Government taxes and transportation charges. Effect of the Decision • The decision helped in improving the supply of ethanol. • Ethanol supplies increased to 67.4 crore litres in 2014-15 and the projected supplies for ethanol supply year 2015-16 are around 120 crore litres.

Current Affairs One liner of the Day

Current Affairs One liner of the Day 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.

Current affairs quiz with answers

1.    Who of the following won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature? a)    Bob Dylan b)    Svetlana Alexievich c)    Patrick Modiano d)    Alice Munro 2.    What was the theme of International Day for Disaster Reduction that was observed on 13 October 2016? a)    Knowledge for Life b)    Resilience is for Life c)    Women and Girls: the [in]Visible Force of Resilience d)    Live to Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing Mortality 3.    Who was appointed as Prime Minister of Morocco recently? a)    Abdelilah Benkirane b)    Luo Zhaohui c)    Antonio Guterres d)    Jim Yong Kim 4.    India stood at which rank in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2016? a)    53rd b)    76th c)    118th d)    97th 5.    Who of the following handed the ICC Test Championship mace to Indian Test captain Virat Kohli for leading his team to the top of the Test Team Rankings? a)    Kapil Dev b)    Sunil Gavaskar c)    Sachin Tendulkar d)    Anil Kumble 6.    Who of the following was the first Indian Captain under whom India received the ICC Test Championship mace? a)    Mahendra Singh Dhoni b)    Sunil Gavaskar c)    Sachin Tendulkar d)    Anil Kumble 7.    Name the city where the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) of Jammu & Kashmir is based. The institute saw attack by two terrorists in October 2016. a)    Lal Chowk b)    Anantnag c)    Pampore d)    Pahalgam 8.    Name the philanthropist and wife of Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej who passed away? a)    Tanya Dubash b)    Pirojsha Godrej c)    Nisa Godrej d)    Parmeshwar Godrej 9.    Which actor won the UK Theatre Awards 2016 for his individual contributions to British theatre? a)    Jim Haynes b)    Vanessa Redgrave c)    Sir Ian McKellen d)    Richard Demarco 10.    Which bank tied-up with Uber for cash-back of up to 25 percent for hailing cabs from the app? a)    Bank of Nova Scotia b)    Calyon Bank c)    Deutsche Bank d)    Standard Chartered Bank 11.    Who of the following topped the Test rankings for bowlers that was released in second week of October 2016? a)    Ravichandran Ashwin b)    Ravindra Jadeja c)    James Anderson d)    Dale Steyn 12.    How much amount will the Union Government invest to increase the capacity of Panipat Refinery from existing 15 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes? a)    15000 crore rupees b)    14000 crore rupees c)    10000 crore rupees d)    5000 crore rupees 13.    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration developed a high-tech electroactive bandage. It is made of which of the following materials? a)    Vinylidene Fluoride b)    Styrofoam c)    Phenol Formaldehyde d)    Polyvinylidene Flouride 14.    The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research recently established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH. Where is the station located? a)    Leh, Jammu & Kashmir b)    Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh c)    Spiti, Himachal Pradesh d)    Zanskar, Jammu & Kashmir 15.    The National Seismic Programme was recently launched on Mahanadi basin in Odisha. Who will be responsible for carrying out the programme in the north-eastern states? a)    ONGC b)    Oil India Ltd c)    Essar Oil d)    Cairn India Answer 1. (a) Bob Dylan 2. (d) Live to Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing Mortality 3. (a) Abdelilah Benkirane 4. (d) 97th 5. (b) Sunil Gavaskar 6. (a) Mahendra Singh Dhoni 7. (c) Pampore 8. (d) Parmeshwar Godrej 9. (c) Sir Ian McKellen 10. (d) Standard Chartered Bank 11. (a) Ravichandran Ashwin 12. (a) 15000 crore rupees 13. (d) Polyvinylidene Flouride 14. (c) Spiti, Himachal Pradesh 15. (b) Oil India Ltd

Current Affairs One liner of the Day

The recap of the day covers important current affairs of the day like 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, National Seismic Programme, and NASA’s high-tech electroactive bandage among others. •    He won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature - Bob Dylan •    The First World Tsunami Awareness Day will be celebrated at the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction 2016 on - 5 November 2016 •    The National Seismic Programme was recently launched on Mahanadi basin in Odisha to - carry out assessment of unappraised areas across the country for potential oil and natural gas reserves •    The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research recently established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH. It is located in - Spiti, Himachal Pradesh •    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration developed a high-tech electroactive bandage. It is made of - Polyvinylidene Flouride •    The amount to be invested by the Union Government in order to increase the capacity of Panipat Refinery from existing 15 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes is - 15000 crore rupees •    Person appointed as Prime Minister of Morocco recently- Abdelilah Benkirane •    Rank secured by India in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2016- 97th •    Philanthropist and wife of Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej who passed away- Parmeshwar Godrej •    Actor who won the UK Theatre Awards 2016 for his individual contributions to British theatre- Sir Ian McKellen •    Bank that tied-up with Uber for cash-back of up to 25 percent for hailing cabs from the app- Standard Chartered Bank •    Indian off-spinner who reclaimed the number one spot in Test rankings for bowlers is - Ravichandran Ashwin •    The first Indian Cricket Captain under whom India received the ICC Test Championship mace is - Mahendra Singh Dhoni •    He handed the ICC Test Championship mace to Indian Test captain Virat Kohli for leading his team to the top of the Test Team Rankings - Sunil Gavaskar •    City of Jammu and Kashmir in which Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) is located that was attacked by Terrorists in October 2016 is - Pampore •    Theme of International Day for Disaster Reduction that was observed on 13 October 2016 is - Live to Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing Mortality

Allahabad raamdal

https://youtu.be/ZnTfOmDVBI4

Electronics Components: Use a Transistor as a Switch

Electronics Components: Use a Transistor as a Switch

Electronics Components: Use a Transistor as a Switch

Electronics Components: Use a Transistor as a Switch

Current Affairs One liners: 6 October 2016

report of UNESCO, new frog species and Sangeet Natak Akademi awards among the others. • Oil India Limited recently signed MoU with which University to augment its reserves base and maximise recovery from its aging oilfields- University of Houston • As per the recent report of UNESCO, what number of new teachers are needed to provide quality universal primary and secondary education by 2030- 69 million • The Union Cabinet recently approved setting up of a Medical Devices Manufacturing Park (Medipark) in- Tamil Nadu • New frog species recently discovered in Australia’s largest virgin forest in Queensland- Cape York graceful tree frog or Litoria Bella • Person appointed as Brand Ambassador of Kerala’s Haritha Keralam project- K J Yesudas • India’s the communication satellite that was launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana is - GSAT-18 • To streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets, the Union Finance Ministry has set up - Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC) • Professional Indian mountaineer who scaled the world's sixth highest mountain Cho Oyu is- Arjun Vajpai • He was conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow (Akademi Ratna) by President Pranab Mukherjee - C V Chandrasekhar, an eminent personality in the field of performing arts • The system that was launched to make sure that the bridges across India remains safe by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari - Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) • The Union Government on appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sushil Chandra as the Chairman of - the Central Board of Direct Taxes • The former Portuguese Prime Minister recently selected by the UN Security Council as the next UN Secretary-General is - Antonio Guterres • M. Venkaiah Naidu recently released the book titled Modi’s Midas Touch in Foreign Policy, which is authored by - Surendra Kumar • The winner of the 2016 Shinhan Donghae Open is- Gaganjeet Bhullar • Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who will be the chief guest at the 2017 Republic Day parade of India- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

India announces major initiative for R&D into Next Generation

India announces major initiative for R&D into Next Generation HFC refrigerant alternatives The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on 15 September 2016 announced an ambitious collaborative R&D programme to develop next generation, sustainable refrigerant technologies as alternatives to HFCs. This R&D initiative brings together Government, research institutes, industry and civil society to develop long term technology solutions to mitigate impact of currently used refrigerant gases on the ozone layer and climate. With this initiative, India reaffirms its commitment to working with all other nations to safeguard the Earth’s natural ecosystem. Some of the key players of the initiative include • The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and its allied institutions • Department of Science and Technology • Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences as well as key industry players in the sector Members of this initiative have already had multiple rounds of consultation to reach a consensus on the contours and decide on the roadmap for this initiative. India has a small carbon footprint at citizen level and its sustainable lifestyle results in low contribution of the country to overall emissions of greenhouse gases and ozone depleting substances, as compared with other developed countries. However, there is an urgent need for developing new technologies indigenously as alternatives available today are patented apart from being expensive. A research based programme to look for cost effective alternatives to the currently used refrigerant gases is, therefore essential. The initiative is a significant step forward in line with India’s national focus on research, innovation and technology development and Mission Innovation. The research initiative of the Ministry will be led by the CSIR’s Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. The MoEF&CC, along with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has also decided to create a corpus fund for this research programme, with Industry also committing to contribute to the effort. The collaboration of research institutes as well as industry will create larger ecosystem for developing sustainable solutions, and eventually deploying low global warming potential - GWP HFCs on a national scale. By establishing an effective collaboration between all important stakeholders, the initiative is focused on prioritising areas of research in new refrigerant technologies and natural refrigerants. This shall help the country leapfrog from the current technology high GWP HydroFluoroCarbons or HFCs to technologies with lower climate impact. The proposed initiative is an important step in the direction of enabling the country achieves national development goals, while continuing to maintain a sustainable environmental footprint.

Invasive Giant African Land Snails sighted at Goa University

Invasive Giant African Land Snails sighted at Goa University The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) was spotted in the campus of the Goa University at Taleigao. GALS (Achatina fulica) is listed as one of the world’s 100 most invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. This snail was spotted by Nandakumar Kamat, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at the university. About Giant African Land Snail • The species is a threat to agro-horticulture • It is a threat to the public health as they act as a vector of human diseases like Eosinophilic meningitis, caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a parasite that nematode commonly, resides in the pulmonary arteries of rats. • They range from 7 cm to 20 cm in length and in case of specimens in Goa they were of 11 cm in length. • They are known to be dangerous, as they can reproduce faster and take over entire ecosystems and become a menace to crops. Invasive species are plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. They can harm the environment, the economy or even, human health.

National Board for Wildlife approves first phase of Ken-Betwa project

National Board for Wildlife approves first phase of Ken-Betwa project The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on 20 September 2016 approved 10000 crore rupees Ken-Betwa project, India’s first inter-State river interlinking project. With this, India will have a river project will be located within a tiger reserve for the first time. About Ken-Betwa project • It will irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region but will also submerge about 10 percent of the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. • The main feature of the project is a 230-km long canal and a series of barrages and dams connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers. • It will irrigate 3.5 lakh hectares in Madhya Pradesh and 14000 hectares of Uttar Pradesh in Bundelkhand. • The key areas are the Makodia and Dhaudhan dams, the latter expected to be 77 m high and responsible for submerging 5803 hectares of tiger habitat in the Panna tiger reserve. • Chhatarpur, Panna, Tikamgarh, Raisen, and Vidisha districts of Madhya Pradesh and Mahoba, Jhansi and Banda districts of Uttar Pradesh will benefit from assured irrigation supply, water supply and power. • On the other hand, about 6388 people in 10 villages will be affected due to the submergence by Daudhan reservoir. • Around 13499 people living in the 28 villages will be affected due to the submergence by Makodia reservoir and will have to be resettled. • Seventeen lakh residents of nearby towns and villages in both States will benefit from improved drinking water and irrigation facilities.

New species of ground-dwelling lizard discovered in Mumbai

New species of ground-dwelling lizard discovered in Mumbai A new species of a ground-dwelling lizard has been discovered in Goregaon's Aarey Colony and Thane's Badlapur forested belts. The species has been named after a Bengaluru-based scientist Varad Giri. The species is discovered 130 years after the last such gecko was discovered. The findings on the new species were published in the third week of September 2016 in the international scientific journal Zootaxa.  About the new lizard species • The new species is named as Cyrtodactylus Varadgirii or Giri's Geckoella. • The species, of the genus Cyrtodactylus known in Southeast Asia, India and Sri Lanka, is a member of the subgenus Geckoella. • Earlier, this new species was considered as Geckoella Collegalensis. However, based on morphological characters and DNA data, it has been described as a new species. • This uncommon species is mostly seen moving among the leaf litter on the forest floor. • They are active during night and take refuge under rocks and logs during the day. It grows the length of around 6 centimeters. • They are found in localities like Sanjay Gandhi National Park in north Mumbai, the Aarey Colony, a few localities in Nanded, Chandrapur and Amaravati districts and a few localities in Gujarat. • The new species is also known to live around human-dominated landscapes and is a widely distributed species in this genus in India.

Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific region

Indira Gandhi International Airport becomes first in Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 27 September 2016 announced that the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve carbon neutral status. DIAL is a GMR Group-led consortium which manages and operates IGI airport. The announcement on the carbon neutral status was made by Airports Council International (ACI) during the Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate presentation ceremony held in Montreal, Canada. The Airport Carbon Accreditation has upgraded Delhi Airport to ‘Level 3+, Neutrality’, which is the highest level of achievement available to airports across the world. What is carbon neutrality? • Carbon neutrality, or a net zero carbon footprint, occurs when the net carbon emissions over an entire year is zero. This means the airport absorbs or offsets the same amount of emission that was generated. • It is used in the context of carbon dioxide releasing processes associated with transportation, energy production, and industrial processes such as production of carbon neutral fuel.

92 percent of world’s population is breathing unhealthy air: WHO

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.

Tamil Nadu tops list of endemic flowering plants Botanical Survey of India

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.