Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Apr 25, 2017

ANSWER: UIN

Explanation:
All cows, their calves, oxen and bulls in the country will be tagged with a tamper-proof Unique Identification Number (UIN) to stop their smuggling.

Informing the court about the decision which was in the works since the NDA government took office in 2014, solicitor general Ranjit Kumar informed the bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud

Each animal will be tagged with a UIN with proper records of identification details - age, breed, sex, lactation, height, body colour, horn type, tail switch and special marks."

The ministry of agriculture has devised a method of tamper-proof identification of cattle using polyurethane tags with a UIN sequence. It may be made mandatory for cows and their progeny throughout India.

Already mass tagging of cattle for insurance purpose is being done by livestock development boards and animal husbandry departments in states.

A state-level data bank may be uploaded on website to be linked with the national online database.

Such cattle may be in a dairy, kanji house (shelter home) or dry dairy and a registration card has to be maintained by the owner of the cattle which may be transferred to the next owner, in case legitimate sale/transfer takes place.

In order to prevent smuggling of non-milking/retired cattle, measures may be taken to create sustainable housing models, dry dairies, in every block, which could be self-sustaining by linking its operations to production of manure and bio-gas, which may be sold at a minimum support price to the government.

This will reduce use of chemical fertilisers in agriculture.

Centre also gave details of the causes behind large-scale cattle smuggling to Bangladesh.

It said in West Bengal alone, 1,28,440 cattle were impounded by BSF accounting for 76% of seized cattle in 2016. Assam with 33,619 seized cattle came second in the list.

ANSWER: HCL Technologies

Explanation:
HCL Technologies on 24th April acquired announced the acquisition of U.S.-based provider of mortgage business process and fulfilment services - Urban Fulfillment Services (UFS) - for USD 30 million.

The deal with UFS, which has more than 350 employees and operates out of three centres in the U.S., strengthens HCL’s capabilities in mortgage BPO services, loan fulfilment and debt servicing space.

The company said that the it would be acquiring 100% stake in UFS. The total cash consideration for this transaction is up to $30 million, including contingent payments subject to certain financial milestones.

Mortgage servicing is a regulated activity in the U.S. and the transaction requires would require regulatory approvals for getting licences.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died.

It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO’s General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date.

UNESCO created the World Book and Copyright Day for this purpose.

World Book Capital for 2017 is Conakry, Guinea

Conakry: Know More

• Conakry is the capital of Guinea, a country in West Africa.
• The city sits on the slender Kaloum Peninsula, which extends into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Just offshore, the Loos Islands are known for their beaches, dense palm forests and water sports.
• Its enormous Grand Mosque has 4 tall, elegant minarets.

ANSWER: solar

Explanation:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today said its Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre has developed an android app for computing the solar energy potential of a place.

Developed at the behest of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the app is considered to be a "very useful" tool for installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that is used for tapping solar energy.

The ISRO said the app provides monthly and yearly solar potential and the minimum and the maximum temperatures at any location.

It also displays the location of a place on the satellite image as well as the day's length there during different periods in a year.

According to ISRO, features of the app include providing of solar energy potential at any given location, the required location can be keyed in or can be obtained through GPS.

It said it also gives monthly and yearly solar potential processed using Indian Geostationary Satellite data (Kalpana- 1, INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR), and also offers monthly minimum and maximum temperature to calculate the realistic solar potential.

The obstruction of sunlight due to terrain is also calculated using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with the help of the app which also suggests optimum tilt angle for the solar PV installation

ANSWER: Peggy Whitson

Explanation:
The International Space Station's commander Peggy Whitson surpassed the record of 534 days, two hours and 48 minutes for most accumulated time in space by an American.

Whitson already was the world's most experienced spacewoman and female spacewalker and, at 57, the oldest woman in space.

By the time she returns to Earth in September, she'll have logged 666 days in orbit over three flights.

The world record, 879 days, is held by Russian Gennady Padalka.

Whitson broke the NASA cumulative record set last year by astronaut Jeffrey Williams; Scott Kelly holds the US record for consecutive days in space, 340.

Whitson is also the first woman to command the space station twice and the only woman to have led NASA's astronaut corps.

NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, who arrived at the space station last week and took part in Monday's call, said the space station is "by far the best example of international cooperation.''

Whitson told the president that spaceflight takes a lot of time and money, so getting to Mars will require collaboration from other countries to succeed.

NASA is building the hardware right now to test a new rocket that will carry astronauts farther from Earth than ever before, she said.

ANSWER: 12

Explanation:
The Indian Space Research Organisation is trying to increase its capacity to deliver by scaling up the frequency of launches to 12 per year from the seven at present.

This is building more satellites and lowering the cost of access to space.

ISRO is trying to go up to 8-9 PSLV per year, two GSLV-Mk II and one GSLV-Mk III. Total about 12 per year,.

ISRO is trying to increase its capacity to deliver by scaling up the frequency of launches by building more satellites, lowering the cost of access to space and also to do heavier satellite launches.

The space agency is in the process of constructing a second vehicle assembly building to improve the turnaround time and throughput for the PSLV so that with the same launch pad ISRO can do more launches, he said.

ISRO plans to undertake the Chandrayaan-2 mission in the first quarter of the next calendar year.

ISRO has identified its next steps in terms of air-breathing propulsion system.

ANSWER: Rafael Nadal

Explanation:
It was Nadal's 70th career title but his first of the season, having lost his previous three finals.

The only final the 30-year-old Nadal has lost at Monte Carlo was to Novak Djokovic in 2013. Ramos-Vinolas wasn't a threat to the defending champion.

Nadal's 29th Masters title moves him one behind Djokovic's record. He will also have his sights set on a 10th title in Barcelona next week–Nadal's previous career title was there, almost one year ago.

Rafael Nadal: Know More

• Born: 3 June 1986, Manacor, Spain
• Height: 1.85 m
• Nationality: Spanish
• Weight: 85 kg
• Coach(es): Toni Nadal (1990–2017); Carlos Moyá (2017)
• Davis Cup: W (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011)

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
One of the sports to miss out from the programme list of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang is cricket.

Apart from cricket, skateboarding, sambo and surfing are among the other sports which have been removed from the programme in order to reduce the burden on Indonesian organisers.

This measure was taken as a part of the series of changes aimed at reducing the total number of events from 493 to 431.

Also omitted from the list are kurash and belt wrestling events. This news was confirmed by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Meanwhile, there will also be reduced competitions in the sports of ju jitsu, jet ski, sport climbing, paragliding, bridge and wushu.

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) director general Husain Al-Musallam indicated sports popular in Indonesia would be the focus of the game.

No changes, however, have yet been made to any of the other 28 permanent Summer Olympic sports due to be contested.

ANSWER: Brahmos

Explanation:
The Indian Navy successfully test- fired the land-attack version of Brahmos supersonic cruise missile on 21st April, 2017.

The test-firing of the missile took place in the Bay of Bengal and it was very successful.

Land attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was fired for the first time from an Indian Navy’s stealth frigate, off the eastern coast, at a land target.

So, far only anti-ship version of BrahMos had been fired by Indian Navy.

Land Attack Brahmos: Know More

• The land-attack version of BrahMos has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007.
• The BrahMos missile, with a range of 290 km and a Mach 2.8 speed, is capable of being launched from land, sea and sub-sea pads against sea and land targets.
• BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is considered the only supersonic cruise missile in the world.
• The missile was first inducted in the India Navy in 2005. India is developing 450 km and 800 km range BrahMos missiles and an air launched version, designed to be delivered from Su-30 jets.
• It is also in the development phase.

ANSWER: Uttarakhand

Explanation:
In a first, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has deployed three drones for real-time monitoring of the forest fires.

This is the first time that drones are used to monitor forest fires in India.

Besides monitoring of forest fire, drones are already in use for wildlife conservation for nest status, aviation ethology, crocodile and water birds counting and monitoring.

Uttarakhand faces maximum incidents of forest fires. In 2016, about 2,000 incidents of forest fires destroyed 4,500 hectares of forest land in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand has about 71% of the total geographical area under forest cover. Thus, real time monitoring of forest fires will help in preventing the spread of forest fire.

Though, the Forest Department employs both traditional method and modern methods with the help of satellite images, it is difficult to know about the forest fire in the Terai and Bhabar regions.

The Terai region consists of fertile lowlands of the southern Himalayan, Shivalik foothills and north of Indo-Gangetic plains and the Bhabar region runs parallel to the north side of Terai.

Uttarakhand is known for human-induced forest fires since a long time.

In 2016, the pine forests of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh caught fire.

Most of the fires in Uttarakhand happen in the Chir pine (Pinus Rroxburghii) forests because leaves of this conifer tree catch fire easily.

The forest fires in Uttarakhand have been predominantly intentional for the purpose of collection of forest resources such as resin, sal seeds, honey, timber and more.

ANSWER: Newton

Explanation:
Following a victory at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, actor Rajkummar Rao says his film Newton has won the Jury Prize for Best Film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

The festival started on April 11, and will go on till April 25.

"Newton" is Amit Masurkar's second film after "Sulemani Keeda" in 2014.

The film had its world premiere at Berlinale, and won the Art Cinema award for the Forum section there.

The film also went to 16th Annual Tribeca Film Festival.

Also starring Anjali Patel, Newton, a political black comedy, revolves around a clerk placed on election duty in a conflict-ridden area of Chhattisgarh.

The film is produced by Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films, company best known for bankrolling critically-acclaimed projects such as Masaan, Ankhon Dekhi and Umrika.

ANSWER: Dadasaheb Phalke

Explanation:
Chitra Productions in association with Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Awards 2017 celebrated the 148th birth anniversary of the father of Indian Cinema, the respected Dadasaheb Phalke.

This year, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan won the award for the best actress female for her stellar performance in the film “Sarabjit”.

Hema Malini won the Award in the category of Kala Shree. Veteran Zeenat Aman walked the stage to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Soojit Sircar bagged Creative Director Award for “Pink”, along with Rohit Roy, who bagged the Best Negative Role in Film for “Kaabil”.

Veteran filmmaker and actor Kasinadhuni Viswanath is the winner of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2016.

The award consists of a Swarn Kamal (Golden Lotus), a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs and a shawl.

The award shall be conferred by the President of India at a function on May 3, 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan.

He has also been awarded 5 National Awards, 20 Nandi Awards (awarded by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh), 10 Filmfare Awards including Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Know More

• The award is conferred by the Union Government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema.
• The Award was established in 1969 to commemorate the birth centenary year of father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke.
• It is the highest official recognition (award) in Indian cinema.
• It is given on the basis of recommendations of a committee of eminent personalities set up by the government.
• Devika Rani was the first recipient of this award.

ANSWER: Second

Explanation:
India has become world’s second largest LPG importer, a position that was previously occupied by Japan.

China remains as the world’s top importer.

According to Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell, LPG imports in the country has increased 23% during the financial year 2016-2017 to about 11 million tonnes.

The main reason behind the increase in the consumption of LPG in India is due to the two government schemes coupled with free gas connections.

From May 2016, the government is providing free cooking gas connections to women from extremely poor households, to reduce the use of polluting fuels such as wood and dried cow dung.

This has increased India’s active LPG users to about 200 million, which is 60% more than Japan’s entire population.

According to the World Health Organization, polluting fuels used for cooking purposes results in 1.3 million premature deaths in India every year.

India has set an ambitious target of increasing LPG usage to cover 80% of the households by March 2019.

As per the present estimates of the oil ministry, demand for fuel will touch 35 million tonnes by 2031-32 in India.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

• PMUY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2016 with the tagline of Swachh Indhan, Behtar Jeevan.
• The scheme’s motive is to provide free of cost LPG (cooking gas) connections to women from BPL Households.
• The scheme seeks to empower women and protect their health by shifting them from traditional cooking based on unclean cooking fuels or on fossil fuels to clean cooking gas.
• It is being implemented by Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• The scheme will be implemented over three years’ time period until the financial year 2018-19.

ANSWER: 24^th April 2010

Explanation:
National Panchayati Raj Day (National Local Self-Government day) is the national day of India celebrated by Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April annually.

Then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh inaugurated the first National Panchayati Raj Day in 2010.

This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.

The passage of 73rd amendment is hailed as a defining moment in history as it permits states to take steps to organize village panchayats and provide them with necessary powers and authority necessary to facilitate them to function as units of self-government.

Every year on this day Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj organises National Conference and awards best performing Gram Panchayats with ‘The Panchayat Shashakatikaran Puraskar/Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar’.

National Panchayati Raj: Know More

• The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010.
• The 73rd Amendment 1992 added a new Part IX to the constitution titled “The Panchayats” covering provisions from Article 243 to 243(O)
• There is a new Eleventh Schedule covering 29 subjects within the functions of the Panchayats.
• 73rd amendment implements the article 40 of the DPSP which says that “State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
India’s military expenditure grew around 8.5 per cent in 2016, making it the world’s fifth largest spender at USD 55.9 billion, figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

As per the figures, the US remains the world’s largest military spender registering a growth of 1.7 per cent between 2015 and 2016 to $611 billion.

Four others in the top 15 spenders include China, Japan, South Korea, Australia.


China is second on the list spending $215 billion, an increase of 5.4 per cent.

Russia increased its spending by 5.9 per cent to $69.2 billion, making it the third largest spender.

Global military spending amounted to 2.2% of the worldwide GDP.

Military spending as a share of GDP, was highest in the Middle East and lowest in the Americas.

In Asia and Oceania, military expenditure increased by 4.6% in 2016 spurred by many tensions in the region such claims of territorial rights made by various countries in the South China Sea.

The US is the top spender whose military expenditure grew 1.7% between 2015 and 2016 to USD 611 billion.

The growth in US military expenditure suggests the end o the trend of decreases in spending that resulted from the economic crisis and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Even now the expenditure of US remains 20% lower than its peak in 2010. China spent USD 215 billion. Russia spent USD 69.2 billion making it this edition's third largest spender.

Saudi Arabia which was the third largest spender in 2015 is ranked at 4th position in 2016 with a spending of USD 63.7 billion.

Pakistan did not figure in the list of top 15 spenders and it spent USD 9.93 billion. Military expenditure in Western Europe has increased for the second consecutive year.

Falling oil revenue forced many oil-exporting countries to reduce military spending.

SIPRI: Know More

• SIPRI was established in 1966.
• It is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.
• The organization provides data, analysis and recommendations to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public.

ANSWER: Green Noble

Explanation:
Social activist Prafulla Samantra was announced one among six winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize for his 12-year legal battle that affirmed the indigenous Dongria Kondh’s land rights and protected the Niyamgiri Hills from a massive, open-pit aluminum ore mine.

The other five winners for this year are: Mark Lopez (United States); Uroš Macerl (Slovenia); Rodrigo Tot (Guatemala); Rodrigue Katembo (Democratic Republic of Congo); and Wendy Bowman (Australia).

Prafulla Samantra is a trained lawyer and has been involved in activism since the Jayprakash Narayan-movement.

He was an iconic leader responsible for rallying tribes in Niyamgiri region of Odisha and made use of legal provisions to block mining-to-metals conglomerate Vedanta from setting up a bauxite mine there.

Samantara was the first citizen to use law to halt the mining operations of Vedanta. As a result of his efforts, the company has been forced to suspend mining of bauxite from that region.

In August 2015, Vedanta announced the closure of its aluminium refinery in that region.

Samantara is only the sixth Indian to win the prize after Medha Patkar, M.C. Mehta, Rasheeda Bi, Champaran Shukla and Ramesh Agrawal since 1990 when the award was first instituted.

Goldman Environmental Prize

• This prize was created in 1990.
• It is to honour grassroots environmentalists undertaking risk to their lives for the cause of protecting the environment.
• The award is given to six persons, one from six geographical regions of the world, namely, Africa, Asia, Europe, Islands and Island Nations, North America, and South & Central America.