Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Aug 29, 2017

ANSWER: Ease of Doing Business

Explanation:
The Survey was released by the Union Minister of Commerce Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman and Minister of Law & Justice and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ravishankar Prasad.

The Ease of Doing Business report based on an Enterprise Survey of 3,500 manufacturing firms Survey comes in the backdrop of the fact that India needs to create an environment that fosters globally competitive firms, capable of driving and sustaining economic growth.

ANSWER: Sports Talent Search Portal

Explanation:
Ministry of Youth Affairs and sports has launched Sports Talent Search Portal to spot the best talent from among the young population of the country.

The portal was launched by the Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu at a function at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.

This kind of initiative will not only help in identifying the best talent, but will also provide a level playing field to all the applicants and create a competitive environment.

Any person interested in registration on the portal can visit www.nationalsportstalenthunt.com Or www.nationalsportstalenthunt.in.

They can initiate following the registration procedure to upload their achievements and videos etc.

ANSWER: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

Explanation:
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany signed an agreement.

This was on technical cooperation under the “Indo-German Energy Programme - Green Energy Corridors (IGEN-GEC)”.

The main objective of this programme component is to improve the sector framework and conditions for grid integration of renewable energies.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Wolfgang Hannig, Country Director, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India and Mr. A.N. Sharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

When in July 2012 Power Grid Corporation of India submitted a comprehensive and well elaborated “Transmission Plan for Envisaged Renewable Capacity” to MNRE it paved the way for India’s ambitious goals to transform its power system by significantly increasing the share of renewable energies in the energy mix.

Also in Germany’s “Energiewende” the evacuation and grid integration of renewable energy plays a pivotal role with major technological and fiscal challenges.

Both the countries have very constructive dialogue under the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF).

Being committed to this objective, GIZ and MNRE will work on improving market mechanisms and regulations for integration of Renewable Energies.

They will also work on advancing technical and institutional conditions in specified target states, regions and on a national level; adding human capacities to handle systemic (strategic, managerial, financial, technical) Renewable Energies integration in an efficient and effective manner.

IGEN-GEC Programme: Know More

• The IGEN-GEC programme is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• It is jointly implemented by Ministry of New and Renewable Resources (MNRE), Ministry of Power (MoP), Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
• This programme component supports the implementation of the Renewable Energy Management Centre (REMCs), Green Energy Corridors scheme of the Government of India which is a prerequisite for large scale grid integration of renewable energy thus contributing to achieve the 175 GW target of the Government of India for renewable energy generation capacity by 2022.

ANSWER: Mumbai

Explanation:
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on 27th August 2017 inaugurated the country's first Videsh Bhavan in Mumbai.

The country's first Videsh Bhavan assimilates all Regional Passport Offices under one roof.

As a first pilot project, four offices of the MEA - Regional Passport Office (RPO), Protector of Emigrants (PoE) office, Branch Secretariat and Regional Office of the ICCR - have been assimilated and brought under one roof at the state-of-art office.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences here inaugurated the Ocean Forecasting System for Comoros, Madagascar, and Mozambique.

This is at the third Ministerial Meeting of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Asia and Africa (RIMES), held at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on 25th Aug 2017.

The ocean forecast and early warming information on high wave, currents, winds, tides, sub-surface ocean conditions cater to users like fishermen, coastal population, tourism sector, coastal defence officials, marine police, port authorities, research institutions and offshore industries of these countries.

These ocean services are aimed towards safety at the sea.

The system would offer oil spill advisory services, high wave alerts, port warnings, forecast along the ship routes in addition to tsunami and storm surge warnings and help in search and rescue operations.

M. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and Chair, RIMES Council, launched the system for operational use.

INCOIS is already providing these operational services to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Seychelles.

ANSWER: Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Garib Kalyan Varsh

Explanation:
The Ministry of Textiles proposes to organize Pan India camps in handlooms and handicrafts clusters, under the initiative “Hastkala Sahyog Shivir”.

The camps will be organized during 7th October to 17th October, 2017.

This initiative is dedicated to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Garib Kalyan Varsh, the birth centenary year of Pandit Deendayal Upadhayay.

The following services will be provided to the weavers and artisans in these camps:

a) Issuance of credit facilities through MUDRA scheme
b) Assistance for technological upgradation under Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata
c) Distribution of modern tool kits and equipments
d) Issuance of Yarn Pass Book
e) Enrollment under IGNOU/NIOS courses
f) Access to Common Service Centre facilities
g) Buyer-seller meets and expos

It is proposed to organize the camps in more than 200 handloom Block Level Clusters & Weavers’ Service Centres and more than 200 handicraft clusters in collaboration with State Governments.