Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Jan 03, 2017

ANSWER: Akhilesh Yadav

Explanation:
General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party, Ramgopal Yadav declared current UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the new national president of the party on Jan 1, 2017. He replaced father Mulayam Singh Yadav as the new party president.

This announcement was made at the emergency party meeting held at Lucknow's Neshwar Mishra Park.

Akhilesh Yadav was selected as SP national president with a unanimous national executive board. He will now reconstitute all the party's state bodies.

Mulayam Singh Yadav was transferred to the post of supreme guide or margdarshak of the party, whose main job was to advise the new leadership.

Shivpal Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party's UP unit was also removed from his post. Naresh Uttam has been appointed in his place.

An emergency convention was held by several party members and prominent leaders.

The move was followed by the recent expulsion of Akhilesh Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav from the party by then chief Mulayam Singh Yadav which was revoked a day later.

The meeting where Akhilesh was selected party president was called unconstitutional, undisciplined and against the party image by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

This suggests a party split.

Meanwhile, Mulayam Singh Yadav approached the EC to stake claim over the cycle symbol hours after canceling the Jan 5 party convention called by him.

Claiming to have the backing of the SP Parliamentary Board, he said the party symbol cycle belonged to the party president.

Ram Gopal Yadav moved a resolution at emergency convention of SP in Lucknow anointing Akhilesh as party president.

He said as per SP constitution, the decision needs the backing of the Parliamentary Board which was absent.

About the Samajwadi Party

• Founded: October 4, 1992
• Newspaper: Samajwadi Bulletin
• Ideology: Left-wing populism, Democratic socialism
• Political position: Left-wing politics
• Alliance: Janata Parivar (2015-present), Left Front (1992-2015)
• Founder: Mulayam Singh Yadav

ANSWER: 16 crore

Explanation:
According to the fresh data released by the Finance Ministry, over 26 crore accounts have been opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dan Yojana across the country till date.

Nearly 16 crore accounts have been opened in rural areas and more than 10 crore in the urban.

Over 71,5000 crore rupees has been deposited in these accounts.

Zero balance accounts have come down by nearly 24%.

Around 20 crore RuPay debit cards have also been issued under the scheme.

The PMJDY was launched in Aug 2014 by PM Narendra Modi to ensure financial inclusion for covering all households with at least one bank account.

More About PMJDY

• Government scheme launched by government of India.
• Aims to provide easy access to financial services such as Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Savings, Deposit and Pension.
• Financial inclusion scheme officially launched on 15th August 2014.
• East financial access ensured to everyone at national level.

ANSWER: Punjab

Explanation:
Election Commission of India has introduced mobile based monitoring system for the Punjab Assembly elections.

ECI has decided to introduce this system to ensure free and fair 2017 assembly elections in Punjab.

Mobile apps are for maintaining law and order and streamlining the functioning of polling staff.

These important features will enable real time data pertaining to polling by polling staff.

Complaints received by the ECI will also be dealt online.

Specialized training will be provided to poll officers and officials to get them aware of modern technology at the time of elections.

Election Commission of India

• Formed: 25 January 1950 (Later celebrated as National Voters Day)
• Jurisdiction: India
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Agency executives:
• Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi IAS, Chief Election Commissioner
• Dilip Sharma IRS, Director General
• Website: eci.nic.in

ANSWER: Shamlaji

Explanation:
Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani dedicated the first laser technology based advanced AVMS RTO checkpost at Shamlaji in Aravalli district in India on 30^th Dec 2016.

The check post has advanced ray technology.

It was created at a cost of INR 4.72 crore.

Rupani has also laid the foundation of numerous developmental works worth INR 30 crore in tribal area of Aravalli district.

A commitment to make traffic check post well equipped with advanced tools will make it transparent and corruption-free.

All 16 check posts will be advanced, automatic and transparent with a cost of INR 35 crore in 2017.

State government will use this income for the welfare of poor, deprived and marginalized people.

The fulfillment has been made to provide transparent, sensitive, decisive and progressive government to the people.

State government has made 125 people oriented decisions within 100 days of ruling.

ANSWER: Chandigarh

Explanation:
National capital Delhi has registered the highest per capita income among all states and union territories of the country with INR 2,80,000 during 2015-2016, according to the National Statistical handbook.

Delhi's per capita income is three times the national average INR 93,293.

It was followed by Chandigarh and Sikkim with per capital incomes of INR 2,42,386 and INR 2,27,465.

Data released by Oxford Economics in Nov 2016 found Delhi has emerged as the economic capital of India.

It has overtaken Mumbai as per GDP in terms of purchasing power parity.

Chandigarh registered the second highest per capita income at 2.5 times the national average.

Chandigarh’s current figure of INR 2,42,386 is a meagre increase of over INR 1,699, or 0.7 per cent, compared to the previous year when it was INR 2,40,687, a statistical handbook released in Delhi showed.

Delhi’s current figure increased by over INR 28,000, or 13 per cent, compared to the previous year when it was INR 2,52,011.

The per capita income at the national level was found to be INR 93,293 during 2015-16.

ANSWER: 4000 km

Explanation:
Agni-IV was launched on 2^nd Jan 2016. This comes after India tested Agni-V the country's longest

range nuclear capable missile.

India has a series of nuclear-capable missiles like Prithvi series, Agni series and the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile.

Agni-IV is a nuclear-capable missile with a range of 4,000 km while Agni-V has a range of 5,000 km.

Both missiles can cover most parts of China.

Agni-IV missile is 20m tall and weighs 17 tons.

It was launched from the integrated test range at Abdul Kalam Island or Wheeler Island.

This was the sixth trial of the Agni-IV missile.

The previous test was conducted on Nov 9 2015.

The fire and forget missile is navigated using a jam proof ring laser gyroscope. This enables avioncs to function with temperatures below 50 degree centigrade inside.

Agni-IV also has a 5^th generation on board computer and distributed architecture.

It has the latest feature to correct and guide itself for in-flight disturbances.

Sophisticated surface-to-surface missile has modern avionics to provide high reliability level.

The vehicle reaches the target within 2 digit accuracy.

The indigenously developed surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile is a two stage weapon system.

Agni I, II and III as well as Prithvi has been in an arsenal of armed forces, giving them a reach of over 3,000 kms and providing the country effective deterrence capability.

Missile posses submarine launch capability as well.

The missile can be fired from locations deep in the Indian hinterland making it tough for enemies to track and destroy it.

ANSWER: Anurag Thakur

Explanation:
SC on 2^nd Jan 2016 removed Anurag Thakur as President of BCCI for not complying with orders and also issued notices by contempt and perjury cases should not be lodged against him.

The court also ordered the removal of Ajay Shirke as BCCI Secretary and slapped show cause notice on him as well.

Senior most vice president of the BCCI will chair meetings till the names of administrators are decided.

Thakur and Shirke will now have to respond for lying under oath to scuttle reforms of the Lodha committee.

Lodha committee submitted three reports before SC which were accepted by the SC in its July 18, 2016 order.

The Justice RM Lodha Committee's recommendations for a revamp of the BCCI were also taken into serious consideration, with the SC disqualifying all the board and its state association office bearers who have failed to meet the new norms set by the panel.

The SC will replace the top brass of the BCCI with a new panel of administrators, also to be decided on January 19.

The SC appointed senior advocates Fali S Nariman and Gopal Subramaniam as amicus curiae and asked them to suggest the names of those deemed capable of administering the BCCI.

The SC has said Anurag Thakur may face a jail term if he was found guilty of lying under oath in an attempt to obstruct the Lodha Committee reforms, but reserved its order on a verdict.

BCCI: Know More

• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Sponsor: Star India
• Founded: December 1928
• Regional affiliation: Asian Cricket Council
• Operating income: 1.669 billion INR (2015, US$25 million)

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
Government of India has approved new projects at cost of INR 370 crores for the ongoing Ganga rejuvenation programme in Haridwar and Varanasi.

The Centre also decided to include six more towns/ cities under the surface cleaning exercise of the river using trash skimmers.

Surface cleaning of the river Ganga in the cities - Rishikesh, Haridwar, Garh Mukhteshwar, Sahibganj, Kolkata and Navdweep - will begin in Jan 2017.

Urban local bodies will be the nodal agency to monitor this work, approved by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The number of cities to be covered under the river surface cleaning plan has now reached 12.

The 'Namami Gange' programme was launched as a mission to achieve the target of cleaning river Ganga in an effective manner by involving all stakeholders, especially five major Ganga basin states i.e. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.

The programme envisages river surface cleaning, STP infrastructure, river front development, bio-diversity, afforestation and public awareness. The new projects, approved by the NMCG for Haridwar, include setting up 68 million litres per day (MLD) sewage treatment plant (STP) in Jagjeetpur and 14 MLD STP in Sarai at an indicative cost of INR 110.30 crore and INR 25 crore, respectively, under Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode.

ANSWER: Preeti Sudan

Explanation:
Preeti Sudan, an IAS officer of AP cadre 1983, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

This follows the superannuation of IAS officer Ms. Vrinda Sarup.

Ms. Sudan had also served in various capacities in Union Ministries and Departments including WCD and MoD

In a career spanning 33 years, she has served in the Revenue Department, Disaster Management Department, Health and Family Welfare, Finance, Seeds/Agriculture Corporation.

Ms. Sudan is proficient in Hindi, English, Punjabi and Telugu.

Meanwhile, Shri Anoop Srivastava, a 1981 batch AS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre has taken over as Secretary in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

He was appointed OSD on Nov 2016 in the same ministry servinf in various other capacities as Secretary in the Departments of Official Language, Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Additional Secretary and Special Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Joint Secretary in Ministries of Home Affairs and Finance.

In the States of Assam and Meghalaya, he served in various departments such as Agriculture, Health & Family Welfare, Public Health Engineering, Transport, Tourism, Power, Information Technology, Social Welfare, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary and Cooperation.
He also served as Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya. Shri Srivastava has also served in two State PSUs. He also won the Web Ratna award 2009 in platinum icon category of National Portal Coordinator.

ANSWER: Professor. David R. Syiemlieh

Explanation:
President Pranab Mukherjee on Jan 2nd 2016 appointed Professor David R. Syiemlieh as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Syiemlieh is from Meghalaya and was a UPSC member. The 63-year-old Syiemlieh will assume charge on January 4 and retire on January 21, 2018.

As per reports, Syiemlieh was functioning as a UPSC member from June 25, 2012.

Syiemlieh follows Alka Sirohi, a retired IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.

63-year-old is the second person from Meghalaya to be appointed to the coveted post.

Rose Bathew Kharbuli from Meghalaya was the first woman chairperson of the Commission in the 1980s.

Prof. David Syiemlieh, was also was Pro-Vice-Chancellor, North-Eastern Hill University and Vice-Chancellor of the Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar.

He is a graduate from Edmund's College in Shillong and a PHD from NEHU. He is currently the vice chancellor of NEHU and Rajiv Gandhi University at Doimukh in AP.

He received the Charles Wallace Grant for research in UK. He is also a Fullbright senior fellow and an author of several books.