Current Affairs Questions & Answers - July 25, 2017

ANSWER: Only a and b

Explanation:
To make it easier to do business, markets regulator Sebi today said it has introduced an online registration system for REITs and InvITs.

The new system would help REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and InvITs (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) to complete registration and other regulatory filings with Sebi much faster and in a cost—effective manner.

All applicants desirous of seeking registration as REITs or InvITs are now required to submit their applications online only, through Sebi intermediary portal.

The online system, which can be used for application for registration, reporting and filing under the provision of REITs and InvITs regulations, has been made operational, the regulator noted.

Also, the existing Sebi registered InvITs have been advised to activate their online accounts.

This is to facilitate applying for registration, reporting and various compliances under SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 and SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014.

The online system can be used for application for registration, reporting and filing under the provision of aforesaid Regulations.

All applicants desirous of seeking registration as REITs or InvITs are now required to submit their applications online only, through SEBI Intermediary Portal at https://siportal.sebi.gov.in.

Furthermore, all SEBI registered REITs and InvITs are now required to file/ submit/ apply for any request, as may be required under the provision of aforesaid Regulations & Circulars issued thereunder, through the online system only.

The aforesaid online filing system has been made operational.

Link for SEBI Intermediary Portal is also available on SEBI website – http://www.sebi.gov.in.

In case of any queries and clarifications, users may refer to the manual provided in the portal or contact the Portal Helpline as specified in the manual.

Existing SEBI registered InvITs have already been advised to activate their online accounts.

• The US is projected to grow at a clip of 2.1 percent in 2017 and 2018.

ANSWER: Russia

Explanation:
The world’s first hybrid aeroboat was put through its paces on the waters of the Pirogovsky Yacht Club, near Moscow, on 19th July 2017.

The vessel designed and built by IIAAT Holding, a joint venture between Russia’s International Institute for Advanced Aerospace Technologies and Indian firm Millennium Aerodynamics, with the support of the Skolkovo Foundation, can traverse water, land, ice, sand and swampland.

Five such aeroboats will be used in India for search and rescue operations.

The world’s first hybrid “aeroboat” capable of travelling on land, water, snow and sand that has been built by an Indo-Russian joint venture was thus unveiled in Moscow at a start-ups event organised by Russia’s state-run Skolkovo Foundation.

The aeroboat is designed to access difficult terrain, such as flooded or marshy areas where the use of regular boats is made impossible because of shallow water, patches of dry land or by marine vegetation.

It has been designed by IIAAT Holding, a joint venture between the International Institute for Advanced Aerospace Technologies and Indian firm Millennium Aerodynamics.

The aeroboat is on demonstration in and around a pond in the two-day Startup Village annual event in Moscow for technology entrepreneurs and investors organised by Russia’s biggest innovation fund the Skolkovo Foundation.

These are much faster and more robust than the comparable hovercrafts.

While hovercrafts on average move at around 45-50 km per hour on water, aeroboats are capable of going at around 150 km or more, he said.

The Aeroboat is also more robust than hovercrafts, and with estimated maintenance costs of $400-$600 per year, is cheaper to maintain and fuel.

It runs on a “hybrid” engine, meaning it can run on either petrol or electricity, enabling users to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency.

The aeroboats will be equipped with IoT (Internet of Things) technology, which allow remotely monitoring and controlling and diagnosing the equipment, as well as the ability to troubleshoot select faults.

According to the makers, with room for 10 passengers and one crew member, the 6.5-metre-long aeroboat can handle steep slopes and embankments, and does not require any marine infrastructure such as jetties, since it is amphibious.

Hovercrafts work on static air-cushion, whereas aeroboats work on dynamic air-cushion. This feature gives aeroboats a huge advantage in terms of speed and manoeuvrability,.

It’s possible to use hovercrafts, but they are very expensive to operate and also have speed limitations.

The amphibious aeroboats can provide high-speed year-round navigation, even when bodies of water are frozen like in Russia.

ANSWER: Kerala

Explanation:
At a time when the country witnesses raging debate over intolerance, Kerala is getting ready to host a literary festival with tolerance as the core theme.

Creative writers, journalists, theatre and film personalities will deliberate on tolerance at the fifth edition of South India Writers Ensemble (SIWE), to be held at Chengannur, a town in coastal Alappuza district, from July 24.

Organised by People for Performing Arts and More, an art-cum-cultural outfit, the three-day annual literary gathering is aimed at bringing about an enriching interaction between writers from different languages and regions.

Noted Malayalam writer and director of the festival T R Rajeevan will be part of the event.

Every language has its own style of expression and the objective of SIWE is to explore the power of language and literature through the gathering of writers.

Being a part of human sensibility, tolerance is an age old, much cliched subject. But, in the present socio-political scenario, there is a need to discuss and ponder upon this topic.

It is time to observe and acknowledge the changing perspectives

Kannada writer and director of PAMPA, Kanaka Ha.Ma announced Hindi has been selected as the main language of this year’s ensemble and related writers and other personalities would take part in it.

Well-known Hindi author, Udayan Vajpeyi would inaugurate the festival on July 24.

ANSWER: Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional Culture and Heritage

Explanation:
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum at Roing on 22nd July 2017.

It is place of exchange of cultural values of various tribes of the state and the North East.

The MoS also pressed for documentation and research to preserve age-old culture and traditions of the state, and exhorted people to shoulder the responsibility to pass on traditional and cultural values to the next generation.

Highlighting the UNESCO report, which states that there are 32 languages in Arunachal Pradesh that are on the verge of extinction, the government is initiating programmes and policies to find out and to revive those minor and major tribes whose languages are on the verge of extinction.

Aims also include showcasing minor tribes in the state, least they become extinct.

The importance and objective of establishment of RIWATCH in the region and called for cooperation in bringing up the museum for preservation of cultural values of various tribes is immeasurable.

ANSWER: England

Explanation:
England’s women’s cricket team won 2017 ICC World Cup title by defeating India by 9 runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

It was England’s fourth Women’s World Cup title.

Besides the inaugural edition in 1973, England had won the World Cup in 1993 and 2009 as well. In this edition of World Cup, Tammy Beaumont of England was awarded Player of the Series title.

She had made most runs (410) in the tournament.

Dane van Niekerk of South Africa took most wickets (15) in the tournament. The 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup was the eleventh edition of the Cup since 1973, and the third to be held in England after 1973 and 1993 tournaments.

Notably, it was India’s second appearance in the Women’s World Cup final, having lost to Australia in 2005.

The Women’s Cricket World Cup is the oldest and most prestigious international women’s cricket tournament currently organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The first edition was held in England in 1973. To date, eleven World Cups have been played in five different countries, with India and England having hosted the for record three times.

Australia has won the women’s cricket world Cup for record six times (1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2013) followed by England (four titles- 1973, 1993, 2009, 2017) and New Zealand (one title- 2000).

ANSWER: HS Prannoy

Explanation:
Ace Indian Shuttler H S Prannoy won the 2017 Yonex US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament title. It was his third grand prix gold title of badminton.

In the final match held at Anaheim, California, Prannoy defeated his compatriot Parupalli Kashyap by 21-15, 20-22, 21-12.

In the women’s singles category of the tournament, Aya Ohori of Japan won the final by defeating Michelle Li of Canada.

It was the second time in this season that two Indians fought for title at international badminton.

Earlier in April 2017, K Srikanth and B Sai Praneeth had played against each other in finals of Singapore Open with Sai Praneeth winning his maiden Super Series title.

The 2017 US Open Grand Prix Gold, was the eleventh Grand Prix’s badminton tournament of the 2017 BWF Grand Prix and overall eight Grand Prix Gold title of 2017 BWF Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament.

ANSWER: Both a and b are the same

Explanation:
The Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launched an online complaint management system titled Sexual Harassment electronic–Box (SHe-Box) for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace in New Delhi.

The complaint management system has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013.

This portal is an initiative to provide a platform to women working or visiting any office of Central Government (Central Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Bodies and Institutions etc.) to file complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace under the SH Act.

Those who had already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal.

The SHe-Box portal can be accessed at the link given below:

http://www.wcd-sh.nic.in/

The facility has been extended to employees of Central Government, the scope of the portal will soon be extended to women employees of private sector also.

The WCD Minister said that there are some surveys, which give the extent of sexual harassment of women at workplace.

However, the WCD Ministry will carry out a national level survey to asses and understand the magnitude of the problem.

This portal (SHe-Box) is an effort to provide speedier remedy to women facing sexual harassment at workplace as envisaged under the SH Act.

Once a complaint is submitted to the portal, it will be directly sent to the ICC of the concerned Ministry/Department/PSU/Autonomous Body etc. having jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint.

Through this portal, WCD as well as complainant can monitor the progress of inquiry conducted by the ICC.

Government of India is the largest employer in the country employing 30.87 lakh people to carry out its various functions.

As per the Census of Central Government employees, 2011, women constitute 10.93% (3.37 lakhs) of the total regular Central Government employees.

Initiatives to Combat Sexual Harassment in Workplace

• The WCD Ministry has taken several measures to ensure implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act.
• The Ministry has published a Handbook on the SH Act with the objective to provide information about the provisions of the Act in an easy to use practical manner.
• Further, the Ministry in collaboration with Institute of Statistical Training and Management (ISTM), New Delhi has prepared a training module to build the capacity of government officials above the provisions of the SH Act and develop in them professional competence to implement the same. Recently, on 5th May, 2017, the Ministry in collaboration with ISTM organised a day long workshop for chairpersons of Internal Complaint Committee constituted in various Ministries/Departments of Central Government.
• Besides, in order to create wide spread awareness about the Act across the country both in organized and unorganised sector, MWCD has identified a pool of 29 resource institutions willing to provide capacity building programs i.e. training, workshops etc on the SH Act.

How does SHe-Box Work?

• The SHe-Box will provide a platform to these empanelled institutes/organisations to share their capacity building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these institutes/organizations so empanelled from across the country.
• As of now, as per the reports received, in the past 5 months, the empanelled institutes/organisations/companies have organised 35 capacity building exercises which were attended by approximately 1700 people.
• Ensuring the dignity and safety of women must be first priority for any digital society. Towards realisation of the vision of the Digital India programme, the Ministry is promoting utilisation of information and communication technology to achieve the goal of gender equality and women empowerment.
• It is an effort to utilise the digital space to enable speedier response to the complaints of women against sexual harassment at workplace.

ANSWER: VO Chidambaranar port

Explanation:
V.O. Chidambaranar Port has bagged National Award for Excellence in Cost Management for the year 2016 from ‘The Institute of Cost Accountants of India’ under the category “Transportation and Logistics”.

The award was given category Transportation and Logistics in a function held in New Delhi on 18th July 2017.

The Port is has received this award thrice earlier, during the years 2008, 2012 and 2015 under the category “Service Sector”.

The award has been given for exemplary performance and initiatives of V.O. Chidambaranar Port towards reduction of cost per tonne, optimization of manpower, savings in electricity.

This is by installation of energy efficient LED lightings, implementation of solar energy systems, reduction of overall cost of handling by mechanization in port operation which resulted in improved efficiency, quick evacuation of cargo and reduction in logistics cost to the EXIM Trade.

It is also pertinent to note that during the financial year 2016-17, the operating ratio of the Port was 41.46%, the best among the Major Ports of India.

ANSWER: Mobile app for performance oriented maintenance and community contracting for rural roads

Explanation:
This Mobile Phone App aims at use of GIS based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.

Its usage would greatly enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts.

The Mobile App would greatly help in improving the service delivery for road maintenance in all the States.

Currently, there is collaboration between ILO and Ministry of Rural Development, particularly PMGSY, MGNREGS and PMAY(G).

The newly launched mobile application would simplify the maintenance management of rural roads.

The Ministry reiterated the resolve of Government of India to connect all eligible habitations in rural areas by constructing good quality roads by 2019.

The States are being encouraged to put in place robust mechanism to ensure routine and periodic maintenance of these roads even after the first five-year period, after their construction is over.

Ministry of Rural Development

• The Ministry of Rural Development, a branch of the Government of India, is entrusted with the task of accelerating the socio-economic development of rural India.
• Its focus is on health, education, drinking water, housing and roads.
• Website: rural.nic.in
• Jurisdiction: India
• Headquarters: Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi
• Cabinet minister: Narendra Singh Tomar
• Minister of state: Ram Kripal Yadav
• Programs: National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, MORE
• Departments: Department of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources

ANSWER: Uttarakhand

Explanation:
Going ahead with its commitment towards the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in the country, Airports Authority of India (AAI) signed an MoU with Government of Uttarakhand last week.

AAI joined hands with Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to develop the civil aviation sector in the state.

The scope of the MoU is to identify relevant factors influencing the development of civil aviation infrastructure in Uttarakhand, assessing commercial potential of various airports of the state.

It also focuses on identifying technical considerations for airport operations in the state, evaluating site related technical and engineering parameters for development of projects, making estimate of the capital outlay for the future projects and development of master plan for existing and future civil aviation infrastructure in the state.

AAI will also assist UCADA in obtaining necessary clearances for airport operations starting with the upgraded airport at Pithoragarh and later at Chiniyalisaur.

The Government of Uttarakhand is determined to fulfil the long pending requirement of operational airports within the state.

These airports would also be part of the Regional Connectivity Scheme and will boost tourism and air connectivity for the local public.

ANSWER: Yash Pal

Explanation:
Famed Indian scientist Yash Pal has died in Noida on 24th July 2017. He was 90.

An ABP report confirmed his death.

An academic and scientist, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and India’s second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan in 2013.

Pal was born in 1926 in Jhang, British India, which is now part of Pakistan. He got a masters degree from the Panjab University and completed his PhD from MIT in 1958.

A scientist, known for his contribution towards the study of cosmic rays, he had been chairman of the UGC between 1986 and 1991.

His other stints with the government included tenures at the Planning Commission and the Department of Science and Technology.

He was known for his science show titled Turning Point on Doordarshan and had become a cult figure in the 90's.

Pal had overcome lung cancer close to five years ago and was in the hospital due to old age ailments.

ANSWER: USS Gerald Ford

Explanation:
With praise and a blessing for the military, President Donald Trump helped hand over the USS Gerald Ford to the Navy on 22nd July 2017.

American steel and American hands have constructed this 100,000-ton message to the world.

Susan Ford Bales is the ship’s sponsor and daughter of the 38th president, whom the ship honours.

Some of the USS Ford’s state-of-the-art systems and technology costs hundreds of millions of dollars.

Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion.

The Navy has blamed the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s advanced systems and technology, including electromagnetic launch systems for jets and drones that will replace steam catapults.

The warship also has a smaller island that sits farther back on the ship to make it quicker to refuel, re-arm and relaunch planes, and a nuclear power plant designed to allow cruising speeds of more than 30 knots and operation for 20 years without refuelling.

The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea before becoming ready for deployment, work that is expected to cost nearly $780 million and take more than four years to complete.

Docked at Naval Station Norfolk, the USS Ford eventually will house about 2,600 sailors, 600 fewer than the previous generation of aircraft carriers. The Navy says that will save more than $4 billion over the ship’s 50-year lifespan.

The air wing to support the Ford could add more personnel to the ship, which is designed to house more than 4,600 crew members.

The Ford was built at Newport News Shipbuilding, a giant Navy contractor in Virginia.