Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Jan 17, 2017

ANSWER: 6.6

Explanation:
IMF has cut down India's growth rate for the current fiscal year to 6.6 percent. The previous estimate was 7.6%.

The slowing of the growth rate is on account of temporary negative consumption shock of demonetisation after the WB decelerated India's growth estimates.

Growth forecast for the current and next fiscal year were trimmed by one percentage and 0.4 percentage points, due to temporary negative consumption shock .

This has been caused by cash shortage and payment disruption noted with recent currency note withdrawal and exchange, as per World Economic Outlook released by the IMF.

IMF also said after a lackluster outturn in 2016, economic activity will pick up in the next 2 years. This is more so for the emerging market and developing economies.

Global growth for 2016 is now 3.1 percent in line with the Oct 2016 forecast.

The economic activities in emerging markets and developing economies/EMDEs is to accelerate in 2017-2018 with global growth at 3.4 and 3.6 percent respectively.

India's growth in 2017 is projected at growth rate of 7.2% as against previous growth forecast of 7.6 percent.

Indian economy is expected to revive with 7.7% growth in 2018.

Cut in the growth rate comes after WB decelerated India's GDP growth for 2016-2017 fiscal to 7 percent from previous estimate of 7.6 percent citing impact of demonetisation.

India would regain momentum in coming years. India continues to be among the fastest growing countries in the emerging economies.

In 2016, China with a growth percentage of 6.7% has outperformed India. IMF has forecasted China's growth rate to 6.5% for 2017 based on continued policy support.

In 2018, China is projected to grow at 6 percent against India's 7.7%.

IMF: Know More

• Abbreviation stands for: International Monetary Fund
• Formation: 27 December 1945
• Type: International financial institution
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
• Membership: 189 countries
• Official language: English
• Managing Director: Christine Lagarde
• Main organ: Board of governors
• Parent organization: United Nations
• Staff: 2,700

ANSWER: Environment Protection Control and Prevention Authority

Explanation:
A host of emergency measures such as odd-even will kick off if pollution levels touch emergency proportions.

Centre has asked the SC appointed Environmental Pollution Control and Prevention Authority to enforce a graded response plan.

Pollution in Delhi-NCR has prompted the MoEF to assign the task to implement the plan to the EPCA under Environment Protection Act 1986.

As per sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986), the Central government hereby assigns the task of implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan.

Comprehensive plan has been prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board that submitted the report to the SC on Dec 2, 2016.

SC has accepted and asked the centre to notify the same.

Emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing and ban on construction activities will be enforced if the city PM 2.5 level breaches 300 mcg per cubic metre and PM 10 levels stay above 500 mcg per cubic metre for two consecutive days.

Prescribed standards of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are 60 and 100 mcg per cubic metre respectively.

Plan also recommends that during very poor air quality, diesel generators should be banned and parking free raised by 3-4 times.

Plan also said other measures include closing brick kilns, hot mix plants, stone crushers, intensifying public transport services and increase in mechanised cleaning of roads and sprinkling of water.

High levels of air pollution in Delhi-NCR have raised serious concerns and health problems.

Know More: CPCB

• Formed: 22 September 1974
• Employees: 500
• Annual budget: ₹400 million (US$5.9 million)
• Chairman: Sh. S.P. Singh Parihar, IAS
• Member Secretary: Dr. A.B. Akolkar
• Website: www.cpcb.nic.in

ANSWER: Andhra Bank

Explanation:
PSU lender Andhra bank on 16^th Jan 2017 announced the launch of a fresh initiative for cashless transactions through mobile phones. Only the Aadhaar number is required for these.

The e-payment scheme is called AB e-Vyapar. Andgra Bank CMD Suresh N Patel made the announcement.

The initiative needs only Aadhaar number and not even any card or a PIN.

Till now, the PSU bank had POS machines with the merchants and people were going with a card.

Now with technology, the bank has launched and created infrastructure where with mobile, a small instrument will be attached and through Aadhar, the payments can be effected.

About Andhra Bank

• Industry: Finance
• Founded: 20 November 1923
• Founder: Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya
• CMD: Suresh N Patel
• Revenue: ₹178.68 billion (US$2.7 billion) for 2015

ANSWER: 12 km

Explanation:
Ministry of Earth Sciences has made a high resolution (12 km) global deterministic model for forecast generation of weather operational.

New model has now replaced the earlier version which had a horizontal resolution of 25 km.

The operational Ensemble Prediction System will also be upgraded to 12 km to overcome forecast uncertainties.

Multiple forecasts will now be generated with slight variations, helping to generate probabilistic forecasts and quantify the uncertainties.

The ministry provides weather, climate and hydrological services to various users round the year.

Both operational and research aspects for these services are implemented through various organizations namely:

• India Meteorological Department (IMD),
• National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF),
• Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and
• Indian National Centre for Ocean Information System (INCOIS).

Research is on at IITM, NCMRWF and IMD on weather prediction model development and data assimilation methods.

Data from international and Indian satellites are being assimilated in the weather prediction models.

Besides, the IMD has established an effective mechanism for dissemination of weather and climate forecasts to different stakeholders using different communication channels.

About IMD: Know More

• Formed: 1875
• Jurisdiction: Government of India
• Headquarters: Mausam Bhavan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi
• Annual budget: ₹3.52 billion (US$52 million) (2011)
• DG: Dr. K.J. Ramesh
• Department: Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Website: www.imd.gov.in

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
NEW DELHI: Australia has returned to India three antiquities, including two stone statues.

These were illegally exported out of the country in the recent past, the MEA said on 16th Jan 2017 namely:

• The granite stone image of Pratyangira from Tamil Nadu,
• Marble stele showing devotees of Buddha from Andhra Pradesh and
• Red stand stone image of Buddha from Mathura region

Objects were in possession of National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

The objects are currently kept at the Central Antiquities Collection at Purana Qila in New Delhi.

Pratyangira image is a case property of Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu Police and it would be handed over to them after a temporary display at the National Museum.

ANSWER: Zhou Youguang

Explanation:
Zhou Youguang, who created the writing system that turns Chinese characters into words using letters from the Roman alphabet, has died aged 111.

Zhou developed the Pinyin system of writing in conjunction with the Communist Party Committee in the 1950s.

It changed the way the language was taught and helped to raise literacy rates.

Born in 1906 in the Qing Dynasty, Zhou later became a fierce critic of China's communist rulers.

He died in Beijing on 14th Jan 2017 a day after his birthday.

Starting out as a Wall Street Banker, he came to China after the communist victory in 1949 and was put in charge of creating a new writing system using the Roman alphabet.

Before Pinyin was developed, 85% of Chinese people could not read, now almost all can.

Pinyin has since become the most commonly used system internationally. Some Chinese communities, particularly in Hong Kong and Taiwan, continue to use alternatives.

Pinyin is also widely used to type Chinese characters on computers and smartphones,

Zhou has also written books critiquing the Maoist regime, most of which were banned.

ANSWER: Kiran Doshi

Explanation:
Kiran Doshi, a retired diplomat and educationist from Gujarat, won The Hindu Prize 2016 on 15th Jan 2017.

It was for his third major work of fiction, Jinnah Often Came to Our House.

The book is set against the political turmoil of the subcontinent from the start of the 20th century closing with the Partition and Independence.

Shortlisted works were:

• Anil Menon’s Half Of What I Say,
• Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar’s The Adivasi Will Not Dance,
• Kunal Basu’s Kalkatta and
• Manjula Padmanabhan’s The Island of Lost Girls.

The award was given away by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks at the ongoing The Hindu Lit for Life fest.

Earlier on 14h Jan 2017, contemporary artist Gulamohammed Sheikh inaugurated The Hindu Lit for Life 2017.

ANSWER: Mobile app

Explanation:
Tamil Nadu government has launched a mobile application Pinakin.

It will seek to provide information of famous tourist destinations in the state.

The app will provide data on other major tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu.

Initially, it will cover world heritage tourist sites like Thanjavur Big Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Mamallapuram and Darasuram.

The app will provide information in 2 languages Tamil and English, benefiting both domestic and global tourists.

The free audio guide, launched by TN Tourism Department. is first-of-its-kind initiative and other major spots would be covered in a phased manner.

On the Google Playstore, the app has been welcomed and had also been given a good rating as well.

Users have described it as very useful as it provides details which even a guide cannot.

With focus on providing audio content, the application keeps tourists engaged for close to two hours.

App users can listen to interesting stories, facts and trivia about the sites.

Along with this, the application also provides other information such as ticket prices, parking details and dress code.

TN Department of Tourism: Know More

• Tamil Nadu Tourism comprises Tourism Department in the Secretariat, and a Commissionerate of Tourism.
• It is functioning to formulate policies and implement programmes for the development of tourism sector in the State.
• Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation is a state owned PSU.
• It works to initiate novel ventures and innovate new schemes for providing demonstration effect to the private sector.
• Tamil Nadu Tourism coordinates the activities of various other Government Departments / agencies and the private sector.

ANSWER: Mangal Singh Negi

Explanation:
Noted political and social activist and president of All India Tribes and Minorities Front Mangal Singh Negi passed away in Chandigarh at age 86 in Jan 17.

He was a true genius with a vast knowledge of Constitution and was crusader of rights of tribals and minorities.

He was among the first civil servants from the tribal region of HP who served in various senior positions in the governments of HP and J&K.

At the Centre he was Deputy Commissioner for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

He also had served as Chairman of Himachal Backward Classes, Minorities and Tribal Welfare Parishad.

He had worked ceaselessly for rehabilitation of Tibetan refugees, renovation and establishment of Buddhist monasteries in HP and other parts of India.

He was instrumental in getting Scheduled Tribe status to the people of Kinnaur.

He also served as an advisor to the Asian Bureau of Indigenous People from 2005 to 2010.

He has written five books on Tibetan culture, Buddhist philosophy, Indian polity and Tribal history.

ANSWER: Online child sexual abuse and exploitation

Explanation:
The Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India is set to form National Alliance against Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.

This alliance aims to develop a comprehensive outreach system to engage parents, schools, communities, NGO partners and local governments (PRIs and ULBs) as well as police and lawyers.

It seeks to ensure better implementation of the legal framework, policies, national strategies and standards in relation to child protection and child rights.

Child sexual abuse is a multi-layered problem which negatively impacts children’s safety, health and well being. The abuse is finding new forms and channels through mobile and digital technologies.

Online child abuse and exploitation amplifies existing forms of offline bullying, stalking and harassment.

It also facilitates the sexual exploitation of children through the production and dissemination of child sexual abuse material. Online abuse increases the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children.

India has a comprehensive legal framework for protection of child rights in the form of:

• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015,
• POCSO Act, 2012 along with
• RTE Act 2009 and
• Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016.

However, there is limited awareness of online risks for children. To combat this, the National Alliance has been formed.

Objectives of the National Alliance

National Alliance on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation has the following broad objectives:

• Bring a common definition of child pornography including amendment of acts (Information technology Act, POCSO Act).
• Set up a multi-member secretariat based in MWCD with a portal inclusive of a hotline for reporting and strengthening existing service delivery systems.
• Provide a platform for Government/ NGOs and other child rights activists for networking and information sharing.
• Document and showcases success stories and best practices in terms of prevention of online abuse and exploitation of children.
• Inform and educate member organisations, parents, teachers, front line service providers and children on the rights of the children and various issues related to online child abuse and exploitation.
• Provide a forum for advocacy for child rights and policy inputs based on research and studies

Ministry of Women and Child Development: Know More


• Jurisdiction: India
• Headquarters: Ministry of Women and Child Development, Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi
• Minister: Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Ministry of Women and Child Development
• Website: wcd.nic.in