Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016

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

Environment and ecology

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

Current Affairs One liner of the Day: 1 November 2016

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