Current Affairs Questions & Answers - July 29, 2016

ANSWER: 2

Explanation:
Paving the way for more efficient passage of the GST Constitutional Amendment Bill in the RS, Union Cabinet on 27th July 2016 approved 2 key changes to the Bill addressing the concerns of the Opposition and the state governments.

• Cabinet removed from the Bill the contentious provision for one percent additional tax levy by manufacturing states
• An introduction of 100 percent compensation to States for 5 year also made good any revenue loss incurred by them due to the introduction of the GST tax.
• Decision follows the meeting of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers with the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley where the States agreed that one percent additional levy should be removed from the Bill and it was also agreed during the meeting to include the 100 percent compensation formula for first 5 years for implementation of GST in the Bill.
• There was no consensus on whether the GST rate should be included in the Bill.
• Centre had earlier planned to compensate the States for any revenue loss due to the GST which will replace the current indirect tax regime in a manner that is phased.
• This means 100 percent compensation in the first 3 years, 75 percent in the fourth year and 50 percent during the fifth year.

ANSWER: ATML

Explanation:
US electrical product MNC Intermatic Inc announced a strategic alliance through subsidiary Grassland GMbH with ATML to bring a range of products and provide light as well as temperature control solutions.

• Partnership is in line with government initiative to develop 100 smart cities at USD 1.5 billion with a total outlay of INR 1.4 lakh crore and AMRUT Missions for economic growth and welfare.
• ATML or Advanced Metering Technology Limited headquartered in Noida, UP will be the distribution partner for Grasslin’s range of electrical switch products.
• Partnership creates integrated operations that serve as promotion and distribution outlook for electrical products in the country.
• India is one of the fastest domestic electrical switch markets in the world at INR 1000 crore.

ANSWER: Great Red Spot

Explanation:
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot with its swirl of reddish hues could be the mysterious heat source behind the upper atmospheric temperature according to new NASA funded research.

• GRS was discovered in the 17th century.
• It is 2-3 times as wide as earth and seen as a hurricane with winds peaking at 400 miles/hour.
• Sunlight heats the earth atmosphere at altitudes well above the surface; scientists were unsure regarding the temperature in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere with the giant planet being located 5 times the distance from the Sun.
• Researchers from NASA analysed data from the SpeX spectrometer at NASA Infrared Telescope Facility in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
• Through the observation of the non visible infrared light miles above the gas giant, scientists have found temperature to be higher in certain latitudes and longitudes in the southern hemisphere where the spot of Jupiter is located.
• The study found that a storm in the Great Red Spot produced 2 kinds of turbulent energy waves colliding and heating the upper atmosphere.
• Heating in the upper atmosphere 500 miles above the Great Red Spot is caused by a combination of waves crashing like ocean waves on a beach.

ANSWER: Mahasweta Devi

Explanation:
Well known author and social activist Mahasweta Devi whose writings focused on oppressed and marginalised sections of society succumbed to multiple organ failure at the age of 91.

• She was a Ramon Magsaysay award winner from Bengal.
• Awarded the Sahitya Akademi and Jnanpith awards for literary excellence, she helped tribals and rural people to organise themselves into groups to take up development activities in their areas.
• She was also the founder of several grassroots societies for tribal welfare.
• She was the wife of one of the most well known playwright and literary figures of Bengal, Bijon Bhattacharya.
• Filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak was her uncle and she worked among the poorest of the poor in the tribal areas of Southern WB and other parts of the nation.

ANSWER: NGP Rao

Explanation:
Eminent agricultural scientist Neelamraju Ganga Prasada Rao referred to as the father of hybrid sorghum has passed away following a brief illness.

• 89-year-old NGP was known for theoretical and applied research in breeding and agronomy of numerous dryland crops.
• On the basis of the efforts, sorghum hybrids CSH1 CSH5 and CSH9 have become popular and easily cultivable.
• His contributions in the field of dryland crops such as long staple desi cotton, pigeon pea, castor and novel cropping systems were acknowledged.
• With over 200 publications in domestic and global journals, he has also won the SS Bhatnagar Prize for Biological Sciences.
• Rao held positions in FAO, ICAR and ICRISAT.
• He was a Vice Chancellor for the Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, Maharashtra.

ANSWER: Injection Safety Project

Explanation:
World Health Organisation has launched Injection Safety Project in India on World Hepatitis day.

• The disease is widespread and safe injections, blood transfusions and other healthcare products can prevent spread of Hepatitis C and B, while factors like clean food and water can prevent types A and E.
• Around 33 percent of Hepatitis B and 42 percent of Hepatitis C are due to unsafe injections.
• Injection Safety Project was started in 2015 by WHO and stresses injection safety through development of smart auto disable syringes in developing nations by 2020 and the need for partnership between public and private sector stakeholders

ANSWER: 28th July

Explanation:
World Hepatitis Day was observed on July 28 by WHO.

• According to a TOI estimate, over 52 million Indians are infected with the disease.
• WHO has recognised viral hepatitis as a serious problem in India.
• Indian Society for Clinical Research states of 5 hepatitis viruses- A, B, C, D and E, hepatitis C alone affects 12 million in India.
• Three of the virus types C, D and E have no cure and all the types are contagious and potentially life threatening.
• According to ISCR, India has 17 percent of the international population and 20 percent of the global disease burden yet less than 1.4 percent of all global clinical trials are performed in the country.
• In SE Asia, viral hepatitis is causing liver cancer and cirrhosis.
• Hepatitis has been called a silent killer with latest WHO reports indicating 400 million people are infected with hepatitis B and C, 10 times the number of persons with HIV.

ANSWER: Lokpal and Lokayukta Act

Explanation:
PM Narendra Modi has invoked special powers to approve the Bill earlier not presented in the Cabinet.

• LS approved on 27th July 2016 the amendment to the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013 to permit extension of time to public servants, trustees and board members of NGOs receiving public funds of more than 1 crore or international funds of more than 10 lakh to declare assets of self and spouse.
• Amendment to section 44 of the Act was moved by Minister of State for DoPT, Dr. Jitendra Singh.
• PM took the decision regarding the amendment pertaining to section 44 of the Lokpal Act dealing with declaration of assets and making assets public.
• Amendment to the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act was passed by voice vote.

ANSWER: Michel Barnier

Explanation:
Taking a tough stand, EU chief Jean Claude Juncker appointed well known anti Brit eurocrat former commissioner Michel Barnier as the Brexit negotiator in what is being seen as alarming for UK.

• Federalist Frenchman had tried to enforce a tax on all financial transactions and hit bankers with punitive bonus caps.
• EU Commission Chief has also demanded Britain should trigger Article 50 to begin formal departure as soon as possible.
• Ministers saw the hiring as a move to outdo Donald Tusk, the EU Council president.
• Barnier is the former internal markets commissioner and was recently a special adviser to Juncker on defence.
• The 65-year old Barnier held a position of internal markets commissioner from 2009-2014.

ANSWER: Feliciano Lopez

Explanation:
Spanish tennis exponent Feliciano Lopez beat Dutch player Robin Haase to win the Swiss Open Gstaad in a 6-4,7-5 match in a total of 77 minutes.

• Lopez won the tournament a decade after losing it.
• It was this first title on clay and 5th overall; in 2006 he lost to Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
• Spanish player Lopez had previously won the 2004 Vienna Open, 2010 Johannesburg Open and 2013 and 2014 Eastbourne open.
• He captured his 5th ATP World tour title in his 14th final.
• He is currently number 21 in the Emirates ATP rankings.
• He attained his career’s highest singles ranking of world number 12 in March 2015.
• The Swiss Open has been held since 1915 in Gstaad, Switzerland.

ANSWER: Lewis Hamilton

Explanation:
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton from Great Britain has won the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix title of Formula One passing teammate Nico Rosberg with six points.

• This was his 4th Hungarian Grand Prix after winning in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
• It was also his 5th title of the series after Monaco Grand Prix (May 2016), Canadian Grand Prix (June 2016), Austrian Grand Prix (July 2016) and British Grand Prix (July 2016).
• Red Bull’s Daniel Ricardo came in third.

ANSWER: Olympic Channel

Explanation:
International Olympic Committee announced the launch date for the Olympic Channel starting 21st August 2016.

• This will be after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
• Athletes and sports fans can follow the Olympic Channel on newly launched social media handles on FB, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
• Following the launch, the Olympic Channel will foster partnerships with other Olympic stakeholders including broadcasters and National Olympic Committees to develop localised versions of the Olympic Channel.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The International Cricket Council announced that Muttiah Muralidharan, Arthur Morris, Karen Rolton and George Lohmann will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

• Record breaking Muralidharan became the first Sri Lankan player to be inducted with twice ICC Women’s World Cup Winner and former Australia women’s captain Karen Rolton and college Arthur Morris part of Bradman’s invincible and 19th century fast bowler Britain’s George Lohmann who took 100 wickets in 16 tests.

ANSWER: Sergei Tetyukhin

Explanation:
Sergei Tetyukhin, the captain of the Russian men’s volleyball team will carry the flag of the nation during the opening ceremony of the Rio Games.

• Yelena Isinbayeva announced this; she is one of the athletes unable to attend the Rio Games due to a decision by IAAF to ban Russian track and field athletes form Rio in response to systematic state sponsored doping scandal in the nation.

ANSWER: Maharashtra

Explanation:
Sharad Pawar has indicated he would step down following six months as the Mumbai Cricket Association president following the ruling of the SC on age cap of 70 years for cricket administrators.

• Lodha Committee has recommended there be caps on age and duration of tenure of elected office bearers of the BCCI and state associations.
• Lodha Committee is entrusted with the task of overseeing the implementation of the recommendations and secretary Gopal Sankaranarayanan had warned if BCCI or any other cricket control board disobeys the report, they will be guilty of contempt of court.
• Pawar was chairman of the BCCI from 2005-2008 and president of the ICC from 2010-2012.

ANSWER: Brazil

Explanation:
WHO has declared Brazil free of measles after no case of the disease was registered in the last year.

• WHO will issue a certification for the eradication of measles to Brazil.
• Brazil saw no domestic cases of measles from 1985 to 2000 though it broke out in 2013 in Pernambuco and Ceara.
• WHO worked alongside Pan American Health Organisation to stamp out the disease.
• Global measles deaths have decreased by 79 percent according to WHO from 546,800 in 2000 to 114,900 in 2014.
• WHO is a specialised agency of the UN concerned with International public health established in 1948.

ANSWER: IOC

Explanation:
SBI has engaged Indian Oil Corporation’s Kisan Seva Kendras as banking correspondents to extend banking facilities to farmers across the nation.

• SBI signed an MoU with IOC as part of the financial inclusion programme lending further services to the farming community.
• Indian Oil Corporation has set up 6,500 Kisan Seva Kendras in rural and remote areas providing access to numerous agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers.
• Tie up will enable farmers to avail various products and services by SBI customer service points such as saving account, recurring deposit and more.
• IOC with net profit of INR 103.99 billion for 2015-2016 is India’s largest commercial enterprise.

ANSWER: INR 10 lakhs

Explanation:
Railway passengers booking tickets through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation can avail travel accident cover of INR 10 lakh at a premium of one rupee.

• IRCTC CMD AK Manocha indicated the insurance cover is besides the compensation provided by the railways in cases of accidents to valid ticket holders.
• Insurance will offer coverage against death, injury and disabilities caused due to accidents.

ANSWER: First

Explanation:
Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh lauded the contribution of Professor Namvar Singh, noted Hindi literature writer and thinker.

• He felicitated the Professor at the First Cultural Dialogue Series held by IGNCA under Ministry of Culture.
• Special issue of Bahuvachan, a journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Vishvavidayala and a book called Namvar Singh- Safar 90 Sal Ka was brought out by the IGNCA.

ANSWER: 28th July

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings to the government and people of the Republic of Peru on the occasion of their national day (July 28, 2016).

• The current president of the nation is Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
• India and Peru are two ancient civilisations of the world with deep bilateral ties.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Airports Authority of India has initiated a process for installation of Central Air Traffic Flow Management (C-ATFM) at 6 metro airports- Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

• Supply Installation Testing and Commissioning of First phase of the project has been awarded an estimated cost of INR 107 crores.
• It is for the purpose of balancing demand and capacity at airports and airspaces.

ANSWER: SAARC

Explanation:
As per the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, Government of India will enter into an Open Sky Air Service Agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations and countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5000 km radius.

• Unlimited flights above the existing bilateral rights will be permitted directly to and from major airports as notified by the Government.
• Points of call at all other airports will be honoured till these are renegotiated.

ANSWER: Agra

Explanation:
2nd meeting of the micro, small and medium enterprises Round Table and Seminar on Services was held on July 28, 2016 in Agra.

• The 5 nation BRICS grouping meet was moderated by Joint Secretary Department of Commerce Dammu Ravi.
• The deliberations focused around regulatory framework and institutional structure of MSMEs.

ANSWER: Both b and c

Explanation:
Telecom sector in India has grown massively in the previous decade and subscriptions have crossed 1 billion.

• Subscribers are filing large number of complaints for TSPs and individual consumer grievance redressal is outside TRAI licensing conditions for TSPs.
• A consultation paper presents an overview of the current consumer grievance redressal mechanism and its efficacy.
• It also seeks views on grievance redressal and alternatives such as appointment of Telecom Ombudsman.

ANSWER: 5-6 or more

Explanation:
According to Bureau of Indian Standards, based on past seismic history, Delhi lies in Zone IV which has fairly high seismicity wherein the general occurrence of earthquakes is of 5-6 magnitude and slightly higher magnitude.

• Delhi is in the high risk area and an advanced 15 station Seismic Telemetry System is already working under NCS to detect and locate earthquakes around Delhi.
• NCS also completed seismic micro-zonation of Delhi-NCR on a 1:10,000 scale providing additional inputs regarding underlying soil in the assessment of damage potential.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
As per the National Monsoon Mission, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology Pune, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services/INCOIS Hyderabad and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) Noida have moved towards an advanced ocean atmospheric model.

• The model engages in improved prediction of monsoon rainfall on extended range to seasonal time scale (16 days to one season).
• Improved prediction of rain, temperature and extreme weather events on short to medium range time scale up to 15 days so forecast skill experiences quantitative improvement for operational services of IMD.

ANSWER: New York

Explanation:
Shri Shashi Kant Sharma, CAG India is currently attending the 70th regular session of the UN Board of Auditors at the New York Headquarters.

• Along with Auditor Generals of Tanzania and the UK, Sharma signed 11 UN Audit reports approved by the Board.
• The reports will be presented to UNGA and UNICEF, UNHCR, UNDP, etc.

ANSWER: Central Autonomous Bodies

Explanation:
A conference on the implementation of the National Pension system in Central Autonomous Bodies was organised by PFRDA.

• It was held on 27th July 2016 at New Delhi.
• Prime objective of the conference was to understand concerns of Central Autonomous Bodies not registered yet for NPS
• Presently, NPS has more than 1.3 crore subscribers with total Assets Under Management of more than INR 1.37 lakh crore

ANSWER: Chandigarh

Explanation:
There is a master plan for making Chandigarh a Model Solar City under Development of Solar Cities Programme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

• The solar city cell has also been established.
• UT administration in the city empaneled 48 solar power aggregators on the basis of which any resident of Chandigarh can install Rooftop Solar Power plant and avail 30 percent subsidy.

ANSWER: Smt Smita Chugh

Explanation:
The following appointments were approved by the ACC:

• Smt Smita Chugh (IAS JH 1980) as Member Secretary Tariff Commission, DIPP Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Shri Bhanu Pratap Sharma (IAS BH 1981) as Secretary DoPT, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• Shri Rakesh Srivastava (IAS RJ 1981) as the Secretary National Commission for Backward Classes.
• Dr. Amarjit Singh (IAS GJ 1982) as OSD in Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.
• Dr, Dinesh Singh (IAS UP 1982) as OSD in Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development
• Dr. AK Dubey (IAS KL 1982) as OSD in Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
• Smt Aruna Sharma (IAS MP 1982) as Secretary, Ministry of Steel.
• Smt. LK Rao (IAS KN 1982) as Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• Smt Aruna Sundarajan (IAS KL 1982) as Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Smt M. Sathivathy (IAS AGMUT 1982) as OSD in Ministry of Labour & Employment with immediate effect.
• Shri Rajeev Kapoor (IAS UP 1983) as Director Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration Mussoorie with post upgraded to level of Secretary.
• Shri Amarjeet Sinha (IAS BH 1983) as Secretary Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development.
• Shri CK Mishra (IAS BH 1983) as Secretary Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Shri BK Prasad (IAS TN 1983) as Secretary, National Commission for Denitrified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic tribes
• Shri NS Kang (IAS PB 1983) as Secretary and DG NACO.

ANSWER: Urban Vidyut Abhiyantas

Explanation:
Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines launched the induction programme of the Urban Vidyut Abhiyantas to be placed in state DISCOMS.

• UVAs are missionaries of technology, and will be taking forward a movement towards better power.
• Ministry of Power has taken up this innovative experiment of placing young professionals called UVAs to discos to monitor IPDS with better synergies and coordination among stakeholders.
• UVAs have 3-15 years experience in project management, distribution franchisee, infrastructure sector to be positioned in every Discom.
• Urban flagship programme IPDS/ Integrated Power Development Scheme has a total outlay of INR 65424 crore and under the scheme, state governments are working under the centre to ensure 24/7 power for all.

ANSWER: National Smart Grid Mission

Explanation:
India’s National Smart Grid Mission/NSGM with the assistance of USAID launched the series of training programmes aimed at capacity building of utility personnel in development of India’s smart grid infrastructure.

• Programme is aimed to ensure at least 10 percent of personnel from 14 of India’s state utility companies are trained in smart grid functions.
• The three day training programme will use the Basic Smart Grid course under USAID’s partnership to advance clean energy programme to built utility capacity on smart grid components and apps.

ANSWER: District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee

Explanation:
Centre announced the formation of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee to be named Disha for effective development and coordination of central government programmes.

• These Committees will regulate 28 schemes and programmes of Ministries such as rural development to promote synergy and convergence for greater impact of programmes such as Swachch Bharat Abhiyan.