Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Aug 28, 2016

ANSWER: University of Delhi South Campus

Explanation:
Aiming to incubate 50 early stage startups and create at least 5 global companies over a period of 5 years, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has set up an Electropreneur Park at University of Delhi, South Campus

• The park was inaugurated by the IT and electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
• Incubation has been set up through a consortium of the government, academia and industry represented by Software Technology Parks of India, Delhi University and India Electronics and Semiconductor Association.
• Incubation centre already has on board six early stage startups with few more in the process of on-boarding
• Startups under incubation were awarded admission certificates also
• Initiatives like Made in India, Digital India and Design in India along with Startup India taken by GoI have injected fresh hopes in the Indian electronics system design and product development space.
• The oncoming digital revolution can transform India into a vibrant economy.
• Programs like Make in India, Skill India and Stand Up India will make a massive difference.
• Entrepreneurs will invest in India and government of India has already set up fund to incentivise such initiatives.

Selected startups include:

• Arogya Medtech Pvt. Ltd. - Cerebros®
• Ceantra Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
• Intutive Scientific Research & Evaluations Pvt. Ltd.
• Resonant Electronics Pvt. Ltd.
• Starbru Techsystems Pvt. Ltd.
• Park will focus on IP creation and product development to result in increased domestic value addition and will witness the unique integration of academia, industry, government and other incubation ecosystem elements.
• The platform will also boost research & development, innovation, entrepreneurship in the ESDM sector and assistance during prototyping, development and commercialisation for the products conceptualised at Electropreneur Park produced through the scheme for India and other growth markets.
• Initiative will provide the selected entrepreneurs with state-of-the-art laboratories according to global standards, ESDM mentorship by industry veterans and academicians and facilities to the incubated companies such as taxation, legal, finance, accounting, patent search, training, interns, business counselling etc.
• EP will also provide access to funding agencies to facilitate seed funding for the promising venture and ensure seamless transition from incubate to self sufficient electronics company.
• Fuelled by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India, the Electropreneur Park is an incubation centre under PPP mode in the Electronic Systems Design and Manufacturing sector
• Electropreneur Park will develop, promote, recruit, incubate, mentor and create breakthrough innovations in the ESDM sector.

ANSWER: Transferring humans from one vehicle/spacecraft to another in space

Explanation:
ISRO is developing a technology for allowing humans to transfer from one vehicle or spacecraft to another in space.

• The most immediate goal is permitting the refuelling of spacecraft to give them longer life and transfer other crucial systems to an existing spacecraft by transporting another to space.
• Spacecraft docking will allow joining of two separate free flying space vehicles.
• Another system called berthing will be used to transfer objects from one vehicle to another.
• ISRO has confirmed the experiments on the technology are being done at the ISRO Space Application Centre.
• Ground simulations are currently taking place and it will eventually be tried with two small spacecrafts launched for this purpose
• It can also be used for orbit servicing of satellites as we operate a huge constellation of them.
• An advantage such technology will provide ISRO is the ability to enhance lives of satellites by refuelling them.
• India is yet to become a member of the international space station or have a human space programme in its immediate plan.

ANSWER: Mahindra and Mahindra

Explanation:
The platform is called Digisense and it is for fleet owners trucks, tractors and construction equipment to track vehicle performance and usage patterns.

• Integrated technology platform for vehicle connectivity will be available across a wide range of Mahindra products- tractors, trucks and construction equipment fitted in the factory at INR 7000-15000 apiece
• Its launch makes the company the first OEM in India to integrate its product line up onto a cloud based technology platform
• Mahindra and Mahindra’s IT arm Tech Mahindra is also involved in this venture.
• ED Pawan Goenka indicated that digitisation is emerging as a key differentiator for business transformation and connected vehicle technology is one such manifestation.
• Key features of Digisense include route planning, delivery tracking, vehicle utilisation reports, trip optimisation, alerts and machine hour operations and geo fencing.
• Available as a subscription based service at an affordable price, DigiSense will be available eventually across the entire lineup of Mahindra’s vehicles

ANSWER: Youssef Chahed

Explanation:
Tunisian PM Youssef Chahred and members of the cabinet were sworn in on 27th August, according to the presidency after approval from the parliament.

• The PM and his 26 ministers swore to work with devotion for the good of Tunisia and respect its constitution and laws
• Chahed at 40, is the youngest PM of this country since independence from France in 1956.
• He is also the seventh premier in less than six years since the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime doctor Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Parliament a week back approved the cabinet line up.
• 168 out of 195 lawmakers who attended the session voted in favour, 22 against and 5 abstaining
• Former premier of Tunisia was Habib Essid
• Chahed was appointed by President Beji Caid Essebsi earlier in the month after lawmakers passed a vote of no confidence in Essid’s government following just 18 months in office
• New PM is member of the Nidaa Tounes party
• He is a liberal who was local affairs minister prior to his nomination
• He and the cabinet which included three members of the Islamist Ennahda party and several independents will look to tackle pressing economic and security challenges.
• North African country Tunisia has been witnessing its worst social unrest since the 2011 uprising
• It has been rocked by jihadist attacks including two that killed dozens of foreign tourists last year.
• Tunisia is considered a rare success story of the Arab Spring
• But it has failed to resolve issues of poverty, unemployment, regional disparities and corruption.

ANSWER: J&K

Explanation:
According to a state government release, Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti outlined a three pronged action plan before the Prime Minister for the resolution of the Kashmir crisis. This includes involvement of separatists and Pakistan in substantiative dialogue to work out the solution to the problem in the light of contemporary geopolitical realities.

• Plan includes facilitating visit of an App Party Delegation in the valley later next week.
• It also indicates a possible change in the governor and appointing an interlocutor to hold talks with all stakeholders in the state
• Stressing the need for initiating a credible and meaningful political action on the ground to make peace and stability a reality in the state, she called for reviving the reconciliation and resolution processed which was initiated by NDA government headed by AB Vajpayee from 2002 to 2005.
• The CM also said that intra and inter state Confidence Building Measures initiated during the time helped transform the situation in the state and region.
• The resolution process needs to be revived, said the CM.

ANSWER: 7

Explanation:
Reserve Bank of India on 25th August 2016 asked commercial and cooperative banks to provide loans to women SHG or self help groups in rural areas at 7 percent per annum.

• Loans will be provided for the financial year 2016-2017 under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission in 250 districts.
• This is an interest subvention scheme for women SHGs.
• All women self help groups would be eligible for interest subvention on credit up to three lakh rupees at 7 percent per annum.
• SHGs avail capital subsidy under the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana in their existing credit outstanding will not be eligible for benefit under this scheme.
• All banks will be subvented to the extent of the difference between weighted average interest charged and 7 percent subject to a maximum limit of 5.5 percent for 2016-2017.
• SHGs will be provided with additional 3 percent subvention on credit up to INR 3 lakh rupees at 7 percent per annum.
• SHGs availing capital subsidy under the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana in their existing credit outstanding will not be eligible for benefit under the scheme.
• All banks will be subvented to the extent of the difference between the weighted average interest charged and 7 percent subject to a maximum limit of 5.5 percent for 2016-2017.
• SHGs will also be provided additional 3 percent subvention on the prompt repayment of the loans.
• For the purpose of interest subvention of additional 3 percent on prompt repayment, an SHG account will be considered prompt payee if it meets certain criterion specified by RBI.
• National Rural Livelihood Mission (Aajevika) was launched by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in June 2011.
• In 2015, the mission was replaced by Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana
• Aided party by the World Bank, the mission aims at creation of efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor
• It seeks to enable them to increase household income through sustained livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26th August 2016 announced the decision to set up a task force to prepare an action plan for the next three Olympic Games.

• The task force will be set up over the next few days
• Announcement was made at the CoM meeting in New Delhi
• Task force will prepare a comprehensive action plan for effective participation of Indian sportspersons in the Olympic Games to be held in 2020, 2024 and 2028.
• The 2020 Olympic Games will be held in Tokyo
• The task force comprising in house as well as outside experts will prepare overall strategy for sports facility, training, selection procedure and other related matters
• Decision was made against the backdrop of poor performance of India at Rio Olympics
• The country was able to win only one silver and one bronze medal after sending the biggest contingent of 118 athletes.

ANSWER: Phillippine

Explanation:
Philippine government and the Communist guerrillas (National Democratic Front) on 26th August 2016 signed an indefinite ceasefire deal. Deal was signed in Oslo, Norway and will facilitate peace talks aimed at closing one of Asia’s longest running insurgencies.

• As per the Norwegian government facilitating tasks, both sides agreed to implement unilateral ceasefires which are unlimited in time.
• Norway has facilitated the peace process since 2001
• Peace talks have been going on since 1986
• Agreement extends a truce in place for the Oslo meeting which commenced on 22nd August 2016 and is the first formal negotiating session over the conflict since 2011
• The Communist Party in Philippines launches rebellion since 1968 which has claimed the lives of 30,000 people
• 3000 strong New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist party operates in eastern and southern Philippines
• The ceasefire agreement included a timetable for talks about political, economic and constitutional reforms
• It also mapped a path towards amnesty for political prisoners.
• 2 sides will meet again in Oslo on October 8, 2016
• President of Philippines Rodrigo Détente wants to end guerrilla wars with communist and Muslim rebels that has been hampering economic development

ANSWER: Bombay

Explanation:
Bombay High Court on 26th August 2016 ruled women should be permitted to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah in the heart of Mumbai.

• The 15th century Dargah of the Sufi Saint Haji Ali Shah is located off an islet on the coast of Worli in South Mumbai
• Division bench of Justices VM Kanade and Revati Mohite Dere in its 56 page judgement said a ban imposed by Haji Ali Dargah on women entering the sanctum sanctorum contravene their fundamental rights and must be lifted.
• Court said ban of entry inside the Dargah sanctum violates the fundamental right to practice any religion
• Rebuking the Dargah Trust, the court said the trust had no right to discriminate against women and deny them entry into a public place of worship under the guise of “managing the affairs of religion.”
• It refused to accept the claims permitting women in close proximity to the grave of a male Muslim saint was a sin in Islam
• It also refused to accept that the ban was imposed to prevent harassment of women
• Court in its judgement also highlighted few constitutional provisions that give equal rights to all faith practitioners
• Bench asked the Dargah Trust to take effective steps like having separate queues for men and women and also said the state government is duty bound to ensure safety of women at such places.
• Judgement was passed on PIL filed by Bharaitya Muslim Mahila Andolan, a Muslim rights group based in Mumbai and several other women activists urging the court to lift restrictions imposed on entry of women in the Dargah by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust
• The founders of BMMA are Zakia Soman and Noorjehan Safia Niaz
• The Dargah Trust will now challenge the decision in the SC
• The Haji Ali Trust was the first Sufi followers in India to bar women from the spiritual tradition of shrine visitation
• In February 2016, Maharashtra government said according to the Bombay HC, women should be permitted to enter the inner sanctum till the board is able to prove the ban is part of their religious practice with reference to Quran.
• Earlier in April 2016, Bombay HC passed a similar ruling lifting the ban on women’s entry into the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
• The Trust of the temple imposed the ban on the basis of a 400 year old tradition which proclaimed against women entering the inner sanctum of the Lord Shani temple
• The trust allowed the women to enter the temple within one week of the order of the court

ANSWER: Eighth

Explanation:

• It became the second NE state and the eighth state in India to ratify the Bill
• The first state to ratify the GST bill was also from NE (Assam)
• Bihar was the first non NDA ruled state to ratify the GST Bill
• HP was the first Congress run state to ratify the bill
• Other states which ratified the Bill include Chattisgarh, MP and Jharkhand.
• Delhi has also ratified the GST Bill in the capacity of a state
• The ratification by the Delhi State Assembly is the first official acknowledgement of Delhi as a state
• Nagaland Legislative Assembly endorsed the Bill by voice cote following a brief discussion
• Introducing the Bill, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiyanillie Peseiya said the revenue of the state would go up as tax evasion would be checked on account of transparency and broadening of the tax base.
• A purely consuming state like Nagaland would benefit even more since GST is based on the destination principle.
• Tax administration would improve since most of the activity would be online
• Nagaland CM TR Zeliang had earlier made the announcement about the special session of passing the bill

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Government of India has set up an 11 member panel headed by former finance secretary Ratan P Watal to suggest ways to promote electronic transactions

• Incentives such as tax rebates, cash back and lottery would also be given.
• Apart from this, suggesting changes in the existing regulatory mechanism relating to digital transactions, the panel will recommend steps for leveraging unique identification number or other identity proofs for authentication of card and digital transactions.
• It will also examine the setting up of a centralised Know Your Customer registry.
• The panel will also study the feasibility of creating a payments history of all card/digital payments and ensure that merchants/consumers can leverage the data to access instant, low cost micro credit through digital means and create the necessary linkage between payment history and credit information as per order issued by the finance ministry
• Committee will also study the introduction of a single window system of payment gateway to accept all types of cards/digital payments of government receipts and enable settlements via NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) or other agencies within specified timelines.
• Watal panel will submit its report in one year.
• It will also study international best practices in payments and identify possible market failures along with suitable interventions. Committee members include former RBI deputy governor HR Khan, Chairmans of Indian Banks Association, CBDT and NASSCOM.