Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 06, 2016

ANSWER: 1982

Explanation:
TN CM Jayalalitha has died 74 days after being admitted to the Apollo hospital.

The general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, she passed away at 11:30 pm on Dec 5, 2017. After suffering a cardiac arrest on Dec 4, she did not respond to life support treatment administered.

Her body has been placed at the historic Rajaji Hall on Dec 6 for people to pay their last respects.

Jayalalitha was a known articulate and determined political personality and former top film actress.

She entered the world of politics in June 1982, under the mentorship of AIADMK founder AMGR and lead co-star in 28 Tamil movies.

The state declared a 7 day mourning and a holiday for educational institutions for three days.

The national flag and the AIADMK flag will be flown at half mast as a mark of mourning.

About Jayalalitha

• One-time propaganda secretary of the party.
• Former Rajya Sabha MP.
• Led Party since 1989.
• Following AIADMK founder MGR’s death, the party had split into two.
• Both factions were reunited under Jayalalitha.

She launched various public welfare schemes since 2011 under brand Amma:


• Amma Unavagam (canteen)Amma Water
• Amma Salt

ANSWER: Unified Payments Interface

Explanation:
Following demonetisation, to promote digital transactions, an upgraded Unified Payments Interface for banks is about to be launched. It aims to provide a cost effective and secured option, according to the finance ministry.

A single UPI platform is being developed for all banks as against the existing system of individual platform, according to the official.

Currently, about 30 banks including SBI, PNB and Canara Bank have their individual platforms.

The new platform will be easy to use and data secured.

With this new payment method, mobile phones will be used as virtual debit cards and a customer will be able to send or receive money instantly along with other features.

Provided there is a high mobile phone penetration in the country and the government is pushing digital banking, UPI is set to gain traction.

It has the potential to provide tough competition to mobile wallet players.

Post demonetisation of high value currency notes, more people have used e-payment including digital wallets for payments for various transactions.

There are about 40 crore smartphones while e-wallets have risen to 23 crore in less than one and a half years.

UPI

• Indigenously developed platform led by NPCI/ National Payment Corporation of India.
• Set up with support of RBI and IBA.
• NCPI operates Rupay payment infrastructure such as: Visa, MasterCard
• Different banks can interconnect and transfer funds domestically currently.
• UPI based technology solutions help merchants reduce set up costs.
• This will lead to greater reduction in transaction costs for consumers.

ANSWER: INR 1.64 crore

Explanation:
Following reports of irregularities in Jan Dhan accounts, the government on Dec 4 announced that it has detected Rs. 1.64 crore of undisclosed income deposited in such accounts.

• Sudden surge of cash deposits in Jan Dhan accounts are being investigated because Rs. 1.64 crore deposited by persons who have never filed returns of income being below the taxable limits, into their Jan Dhan accounts have already been detected at Kolkata, Midnapore, Ara (Bihar), Kochi and Varanasi."
• INR 40 lakh has been seized from one such account in Bihar.
• Undisclosed income detected with be brought to tax as per provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961 apart from other actions depending on the investigations.

ANSWER: Its own Payment Bank

Explanation:
Alibaba backed digital payments and commerce platform Paytm is transferring its wallet business to its newly created payments bank.

This is a mandatory step being followed by the company to fulfil the rules laid out by the Reserve Bank of India.

Paytm , which is run by One 97 Communications, has two key businesses -

• payments business and
• commerce marketplace.

Paytm was founded by Vijay Shekhar Sharma

It has got an in-principle approval for the country’s central bank for launching the payment bank under the name of Sharma.

Commerce business is now associated with another entity Paytm e-commerce Private Limited.

Paytm allows fund transfer to bank accounts at 1% transaction fee.

Transfer will be complete once payment bank license is obtained.

Paytm

• Largest shareholder: Alibaba
• Holding company: One97 Communications
• 40% stake in parent company.
• Majority stake in payments bank: 51% (owned by Vijay Shekhar Sharma).
• Airtel launched the first payments bank in India, in Rajasthan.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda augmented two additional coaches to the existing 5 coach hospital train Lifeline Express for detection and control of:

• Oral, breast and cervical cancer.
• Prevention of stroke.
• Family Health Services.

These additional services will be provided to augment existing restorative surges conducted for sight, hearing, clefts, burn contractures and orthopaedic impairment and treatment of epilepsy and dental problems on the Lifeline Express.

Three fully equipped Operation Theatres will be available for free-of-cost services tot he rural poor across India.

Seven coach Lifeline Express will commence its 178th Lifeline Express Service At Satna in MP from Dec 15 to January 5.

Other LLE projects in 2017 will be in Telangana, Chattisgarh, Punjab, MP, Gujarat and other locations.

About the Lifeline Express

• Known as Magic Train of India.
• First hospital train in the world.
• Served as a model for other hospital trains and river boat hospitals.
• Treated over one million disabled poor in rural India.
• Treatment is free of cost.
• Donated services from: 200,000 medical professionals
• Current number of LLE projects: 177
• Performed more than one lakh surgeries for restoration of mobility, vision, hearing , correction of facial deformities.
• LLE has provided treatment for epilepsy and dental ailments.

ANSWER: Qatar

Explanation:
India and Qatar on Dec 3, 2016 signed 4 agreements to boost bilateral relations between the two nations.

Agreements were inked in New Delhi after delegation level talks between India’s PM Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Emir Al Thani was on a two-day visit to India.

List of agreements exchanged included:

• Agreement of exemption from visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, special and official passports.
• Protocol on Technical Cooperation in cyber space and combating cyber crime.
• Letter of intent regarding negotiations on agreement on the grant of e-visa to businesses and tourists of two countries.
• MoU between Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy of Qatar and Confederation of Indian Industry: This MoU will provide the framework for project experts for Indian companies in Qatar, including through participation in infrastructure projects in Qatar undertaken for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• Besides, a MoU to collaborate and exchange in the field of national ports management was inked between Qatar Ports Management Company "Mwani Qatar” and Indian Ports Global Private Limited (IPGPL).

Qatar


• Peninsular Arab country.
• Capital City: Doha
• Currency: Qatari riyal
• Population: 2.169 million (World Bank, 2013)
• GDP per capita: 93,714.06 USD (World Bank, 2013)

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the clear winner for the online reader’s poll for TIME Person of the Year award 2016.

18 percent of the votes went to Modi which was two times more than percentage of yes votes for Barack Obama.

US President elect Donald Trump and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange got 7 percent votes each.

Indian elected head was ahead of US Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton who received 4 percent votes and fonder of FB, Mark Zuckerberg, who received 2 percent votes.

Modi won the top position in the list in 2014, securing 16 percent of the 5 million votes cast.

2014 was also the year he was elected Prime Minister of India.

The prestigious title is presented every year to an individual who has had the most impact on the news and world in the past year, regardless of whether the influence was positive or negative.

Last year the title had gone to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

ANSWER: Amritsar Declaration

Explanation:
6th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference - Istanbul Process concluded on 4 December 2016 after adopting the Amritsar Declaration.

The Amritsar declaration recognised terrorism as the biggest threat to peace and demands an immediate end to all forms of terrorism.

The Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference was held in Amritsar.

It was co-chaired by Arun Jaitley, India’s FM and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, Salahuddin Rabbani.

The sixth conference was inaugurated by President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi

Participating nations, for the first time, expressed concerns about the high-level of violence in Afghanistan caused by Taliban and other terror groups including Islamic State and its affiliates Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Haqqani Network, Al Qaida, TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Jundullah and others.

Participating nations also displayed their concern on the increase of production and cultivation of opium in Afghanistan and drug trafficking.

The declaration acknowledges the crucial role of Afghanistan as a natural land bridge, which helps in promoting regional connectivity and economic integration in the region.

Besides, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to the principles, objectives, and outcomes enshrined in the Declarations of previous five Conferences that have defined the ideals for the working of the HoA-IP aimed at promoting regional peace and prosperity.

Heart of Asia Ministerial Conferences

The previous five Ministerial Conferences were held in:

• Istanbul (2011),
• Kabul (2012),
• Almaty (2013),
• Beijing (2014), and
• Islamabad (2015).

Participating Nations: India, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and the United Nations.

Countries that supported the declaration of the conference: Australia, Canada, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Poland, Denmark, Arab Egypt, European Union, Finland, France, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States.

ANSWER: Dec 5

Explanation:
The World Soil Day 2016 was observed on Dec 5th, 2016 at the FAO headquarters in Rome.

The theme for the day is “Soils and pulses, a symbiosis for life.”

It focuses on positive contributions of pulses to soil properties, such as fixing the atmosphere nitrogen and improving its biodiversity, fertility and structure.

The World Soil Day aims at connecting people with soil and raising awareness about how important this element is for human existence.

2016 was also declared as the International Year of Pulses.

About International Year of Pulses

• Year: 2016
• Declared By: 68th UNGA
• Aims to increase public awareness about nutritional benefits of pulses.

The objective of International Year of Pulses is to create awareness of:


• Role of pulses in sustainable food production.
• Utilisation of pulses throughout the food system.
• Connections throughout the food chain to further global production of pulses.

ANSWER: Global Applause: Give Volunteers a Hand

Explanation:
The International Volunteer Day (IVD) was observed across the world on 5 December 2016 with the theme “Global Applause - Give volunteers a hand.”

This year's theme recognises the volunteers worldwide.

It also harnesses their efforts in making peace and sustainable development a reality.

United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme released the data showing the increase in keyboard volunteers that is online volunteers.

By volunteering online, volunteers work for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organisations.

About International Volunteer Day

• Founded by: UN
• Year: 1985
• UNV programme contributes to peace and development.
• UNV stands for United Nations Volunteers.
• Objective: Volunteers and organisations to promote their work among their

Communities, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations agencies and the Government authorities.

ANSWER: Hailakandi

Explanation:
The move follows Assam government’s directive of making cashless transactions to the plantation workers. 5 correspondents from the Assam Grameen Vikash Bank assisted the payment process.

504 plantation workers who are employed at the Burnie Braes tea estate received their wages through their individual bank accounts.

This move supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cashless India drive, following the demonetisation of old ?500 and ?1000 currency notes on 9 November 2016.

Other states which have districts that have gone cashless include Goa and Maharashtra.

ANSWER: Mercosur

Explanation:
Venezuela on 2 December 2016 was removed from the South America’s trade group Mercosur.

This was following country’s failure to comply with the pact’s democratic principles and trade bylaws.

The oil-rich country had been stripped of membership rights immediately and that it will be required to renegotiate its membership.

Government of Venezuela stated that it is being unfairly targeted by right-wing regional leaders and that it complies with bylaws.

In 2013, Paraguay has objected to Venezuela's inclusion in the trading bloc.

In August 2016, the presidents of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay met to discuss suspending Venezuela from the trade group.

On 21 November 2016, Eladio Loizaga, Foreign Minister of Paraguay, announced that Venezuela would be suspended in December 2016.

What is Mercosur?

• Sub regional trading block with the purpose of free trade.
• Full members: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
• Associate Countries: Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname.
• Observer countries are New Zealand and Mexico.
• Official languages: Spanish, Portuguese and Guarani.
• Motto: “Our North is the South"

ANSWER: Ben Carson

Explanation:
Trump's decision, announced on Dec 5 by his transition office, comes as the real estate mogul continues a series of interviews, meetings with aides and other deliberations aimed at forming his administration.

Trump announced that he planned to nominate former Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin as his Treasury secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to lead the Commerce Department.

Trump chose Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to be transportation secretary.

Trump also has turned to retired Marine Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defence.

ANSWER: BS Bhullar

Explanation:
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the appointments of as many as 11 senior-rank officials on Dec 5.

B.S. Bhullar, a 1986-batch IAS officer, has been appointed chief of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Other appointments include the following:

• Vaduvendra Mathur, Chairman and Managing Director of Exim Bank, has been shifted to NITI Ayog as Additional Secretary.
• Malini Shankar, a 1984-batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed Director-General, Shipping, in the Shipping Ministry.
• P.V. Ramesh Babu, a 1985-batch officer from Andhra Pradesh, has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director of Rural Electrification Corporation.
• Rabindra Panwar, has been shifted from the Defence Ministry and appointed Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Home Ministry.
• R.K. Vats from West Bengal has been brought on Central deputation for appointment as Additional Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in place of K.B. Agarwal, a 1985-batch officer from the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who has been returned to his parent cadre.
• 1986-batch officer, Anshu Prakash, has been moved from the Department of Heavy Industries to the Ministry of Rural Development as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser.
• Indian Revenue Service officer, Madhu Mahajan, as Member Secretary of the National Commission for Women, and an Indian Economic Service officer, Nagesh Singh, as Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Rural Development were also appointed.

ANSWER: Ottakkara Panneerselvam

Explanation:
Ottakkara Panneerselvam, a trusted lieutenant and staunch loyalist, who stood in for party chief J Jayalalithaa thrice during crises became the state’s new CM.

Finance minister O Panneerselvam was sworn in as CM by Governor Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan. Earlier, AIADMK MLAs elected OPS as legislature party leader at a meeting held at the party headquarters in the city.

He's now the party's unanimous choice of legislature party leader and 8th TN CM.

On October 12, 22 days after Jayalalithaa was hospitalised, OPS was again given charge of her portfolios, including home and police, besides the task of presiding over cabinet meetings.

His two terms as caretaker CM were non-controversial.

The tea vendor-turned-politician also won the trust of Sasikalaa, when he managed the LS poll campaign of Sasikalaa's nephew, T T V Dinakaran from Periakulam.

ANSWER: Sunil Taldar

Explanation:
Bharti Airtel Limited on 5th December 2016 announced the appointment of Sunil Taldar as the Chief Executive Officer and Director for its DTH business.

Former CEO and Director Shashi Arora moved as Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Payments Bank.

Taldar will be a member of the Airtel Management Board.

He worked with Cadbury as India Sales Director and Mondelez (Indonesia) as Country Head.

Airtel Digital TV

• India DTH broadcast satellite service provider.
• Owned by: Bharti Airtel
• Launched: 2008
• Satellite services transmit TV and audio to Indian households.
• Customers: 12.4 million as per Sept 2016.
• Revenue: 21 percent as per Sept 2016.