Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Mar 05, 2017

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Standard to 125 Helicopter Squadron and Colours to Mechanical Training Institute of Indian Air Force (March 3, 2017) at Air Force Station, Tambaram, Tamil Nadu.

Speaking on the occasion, the President complimented the 125 Helicopter Squadron and Mechanical Training Institute of Indian Air Force and said these units have a glorious past, embedded with rich heritage, stellar efforts and selfless service to the Nation.

For their unflinching devotion, professionalism, ethos and courage, the Nation honours them with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation.

IAF Squadrons: Know More

• The Indian Air Force needs at least 42 squadrons of fighters to protect its western and northern borders with Pakistan and China.
• By 2019 -2020 it will lose another 14 squadrons of the vintage MiG 21s and MiG 27s.
• There are 16-18 planes in one squadron.
• The force now depends on Su-30 MKI and MiG 29s, the British-made Jaguar and French-made Mirage 2000s.
• After the air force de-commissioned three of the ageing Russian-made MiG 21 squadrons, bringing down the total number from 34 to 31 fighter squadrons, an additional squadron of the Russian-made Su-30 MKI has been raised.

ANSWER: Spend pattern of users

Explanation:
HDFC Life launched an exclusive data-led group term insurance plan in partnership with ET Money, the Times Internet backed financial services app.

This is the country’s first term insurance plan based on the spend pattern of the users, the private insurer indicated.

This financial planning management app brings insurance at the finger-tips of the discerning new-age generation.

Offered as an ET Money benefit, the group term life insurance plan can be availed exclusively by 1 million users of the ET MONEY app.

One can get a group term life insurance coverage that ranges anywhere from Rs 25-50 lakh and it will be based on spend pattern of the user.

HDFC Life substantiates ET Money's data-led, mobile-first approach and we are excited to work with them closely, the company executives said in a statement.

HDFC: Know More

• CEO : Aditya Puri
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: August 1994, India
• Number of employees: 90,421

ANSWER: 100

Explanation:
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation launched Swachh Shakti Saptah, a week-long programme of activities across the country to highlight the role of women in Swachh Bharat Mission and to recognize their leadership.

Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, made the national launch of Swachh Shakti Saptaah in Gurugram, Haryana, at a joint event with the Government of Haryana.

Over 1000 women swachhta champions from grassroots in Haryana attended the event.

Deputy Commissioners of 11 ODF districts of Haryana were honoured on the occasion.

Event will culminate in Gujarat with function named Swachh Shakti 2017 where the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will address 6000 women sarpanches and honour them for their contribution to Swachh Bharat.

The Minister also announced that the number of ODF (Open Defecation Free) districts in the country has now crossed 100.

Over 1.7 lakh villages have become ODF.

Haryana will become an ODF State by November 2017.

ANSWER: March 3

Explanation:
The World Hearing Day 2017 was observed globally on 3 March 2017 with the theme ‘Action for hearing loss: make a sound investment’.

This year’s theme stresses the economic impact of hearing loss.

Hearing loss poses a high cost for the economy globally and has a significant impact on the lives of those affected.

World Hearing Day 2017 highlights actions which can be undertaken by decision-makers to address hearing loss.

Hearing loss and its consequences can be mitigated through prevention, screening for early identification, rehabilitation through hearing devices, captioning and sign language education.

Half of all hearing loss can be avoided through prevention.

Primary health care interventions including immunizing children against diseases such as measles, meningitis, rubella and immunizing adolescent girls of reproductive age against rubella will greatly reduce risk of congenital hearing loss among babies.

Identifying hearing loss through screening of newborns, school children and adults above 50 years at an early stage and then carrying out their treatment at the beginning stage itself comes out to be little cost effective.

World Hearing Day was designated at the First International Conference on Prevention and Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment in Beijing, China in 2007.

The day aims to raise awareness and promote ear and hearing care across the world.

ANSWER: SCS

Explanation:
China is planning to build its first national underwater observatory in the disputed South China Sea (SCS).

The observatory will allow China to keep a check on underwater physical, chemical, and geological dynamics in real time.

The construction work on the platform will be done with the help of Institute of Acoustics and Shanghai’s Tongji University.

South China Sea has been a disputed territory with China claiming almost all of the waters.

It carries third of the world’s maritime traffic and has huge amounts of oil and natural gas. Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also are claiming over the waters of SCS.

ANSWER: Syed Shahabuddin

Explanation:
Former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and MP Syed Shahabuddin, who was suffering from prolonged illness, died on March 4^th 2017. He was 82.

Born on Nov 4, 1935 in Ranchi, now in Jharkhand, he joined the IFS in 1958 but took premature retirement in the 1970s to delve into politics.

As a diplomat, he lobbied for the creation of Bangladesh and rallied support in Latin America - where he was posted at that time - for Indian intervention in the affair.

With the death of Mohammad Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri title suit, who passed away in Ayodhya on July 20 last year and now Shahabuddin, an era in UP politics came to an end.

Known for his strong and articulated stand on the Babri Masjid demolition, he wrote extensively on the matter.

Shahabuddin became president of the AIMMM ( All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat) thrice between the years of 2000-2010.

AIMMM, a joint forum of muslim organisations and national institutions was founded in 1964.

Formed in 1986, the Babri Masjid Acyion Committee underwent a split in a few years with the other faction led by then Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid Imam Abdullah Bukhari.

Shahabuddin worked to resolve differences between the two.

He founded the Insaf Party in 1989 (dissolved in 1990 and later revived).

He was involved with many Muslim institutions and organizations including the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, of which he was the President between 2004 and 2007.

Shahabuddin edited the research monthly journal Muslim India between 1983 and 2002 and again from July 2006.

He was a regular contributor to TV discussions relating to current affairs.

He has written many articles about topics ranging from Pakistan to the status of Urdu for the Saudi Arabian newspaper Arab News.

Syed Shahabuddin: Outstanding Voice of Muslim India was his biography was compiled by Mushtaque Madni and published by P.A. Inamdar. It was released on 21 April 2013.

ANSWER: Raymond Kopa

Explanation:
Raymond Kopa, a former Real Madrid attacking midfielder known as the “Napoleon of football” who helped the team win the European Cup three times, died March 3rd, 2017 in Angers, France at age 85.

Small in stature like the French emperor, Mr. Kopa earned the “Napoleon” nickname after an incredible performance with France in a 2-1 win over Spain in 1955.

A talented player with a magnificent eye for passing and for goal, he won the Ballon d’Or in 1958 when he played for Real Madrid.

He won the European Cup three times with the Spanish club, from 1957-59.

A versatile midfielder who could also play centre forward, Mr. Kopa was also gifted with spectacular dribbling skills and speed, qualities that have often lead to comparisons with Lionel Messi.

Mr. Kopa was born Raymond Kopaczewski in Noeux-les-Mines in northern France, on Oct. 13, 1931.

As a youth, he worked in the mines like his father and lost two bones in his hand as a result of the strenuous work.

He started in soccer with Angers before joining Reims, the club where he spent most of his career.

After winning four French titles with the eastern team and guiding it to a runner-up finish in the 1956 European Cup, Kopa joined Madrid for 52 million francs, a very high price at the time.

The first big star of French soccer, he was part of the great Real Madrid team that dominated Europe at the end of the 1950s, playing alongside Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.

Crowned after Stanley Matthews and Di Stefano, Mr. Kopa won the Ballon d’Or 25 years before Michel Platini secured it three years in a row.

Two other French players have won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, Jean-Pierre Papin and current Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.

Mr. Kopa returned to Reims in 1959 and retired when he was 35 before embracing a successful career in the sports business.

He played 45 times for France, scoring 18 goals.

He led the French team to third place at the 1958 World Cup and was elected the tournament’s best player after helping Just Fontaine set the record for most goals scored in a single edition of the tournament (13).

ANSWER: Yumnam Yaima Singh

Explanation:
Veteran Manipuri politician and former Member of Parliament Yumnam Yaima Singh passed away in Imphal after a brief illness.

He was 95. He was first elected to the Territorial Council in 1957.

Later he was elected seven times continuously to Manipur Assembly from Oinam Constituency from 1962 to 1985.

In the state, he had held various Ministerial post such as Education, Law & Legislative Affairs, IFCD.

He also was Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly form 1980-1985.

He was elected to the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991 from Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency.

He was a brilliant writer and had composed a book titled “A Piece of Tenth Lok Sabha”.

Yumnam Yaima Singh: Know More

• Yumnam Yaima, born on August 28, 1922, ventured into politics under the guidance of Lamyanba Hijam Irawat when he was just 17 years old.
• He served 7 terms as Minister, Speaker and MP.
• Late Yumnam Yaima was also an avid writer.
• He is well known for his books Punshi Khongchat, Sita Ram and Nungsinana Hingminnaba.

ANSWER: Vijaywada, Tirupati

Explanation:
The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on 2nd March 2017 approved proposals to rename the Vijayawada Airport and the Tirupati Airport.

Vijayawada Airport in Gannavaram has been renamed as ‘Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao-Amaravati Airport’ after the legendary actor and founder of the ruling Telugu Desam Party, and the new capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The Tirupati Airport has been renamed as ‘Sri Venkateswara Airport’ after Lord Venkateswara of the temple town.

The Cabinet also approved handing over government land at minimal cost for the Bhogapuram International Airport Company Ltd for the development of the Greenfield airport in Orvakallu of Kurnool district.

List of Airports in Andhra Pradesh

1. Cuddapah	Cuddapah Airport
2. Puttaparthi	Sri Sathya Sai Airport
3. Rajahmundry	Rajahmundry Airport
4. Tirupati	Tirupati Airport
5. Vijayawada	Vijayawada Airport
6. Visakhapatnam	Visakhapatnam Airport
7. Visakhapatnam	Visakhapatnam Airport

ANSWER: Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab

Explanation:
Just before the annual Indus Water Commission meeting with Pakistan in Lahore, India has stepped up its efforts of building adequate infrastructure to utilise its legitimate share of waters on eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) of the Indus system.

Two of its states - Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab - on Friday reached an agreement to resume works on ambitious Shahpur Kandi Dam project.

The 55.5-metre high Shahpur Kandi dam, located in Gurdaspur district of Punjab, will help in providing irrigation facility to 5000 ha of land in Punjab and 32173 ha in J&K, besides generation of 206 MW power

The construction of Shahpur Kandi project was taken up in May 1999 but later halted in 2014 due to dispute between Punjab and J&K.

The move to resume work will give a boost to the country's strategy to utilise its entire share of waters under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

Though India had decided not to engage with Pakistan through the Indus Water Commission after the Uri terror attack last year.

It will resume the dialogue through the Commission whose next meeting will be held in Lahore later this month.

The Commission is a mechanism to resolve any dispute between the two countries over sharing of waters of the Indus river system under the Indus Water Treaty.

Under the IWT, signed between the two countries in 1960, the waters of eastern rivers are allocated to India.

Though India is under obligation to let the waters of the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) flow, it is permitted to construct storage of water on western rivers up to 3.6 million acre feet (MAF) for various purposes, including domestic use.

India has, however, not developed any storage facility so far. India has also not tapped its full quota of water for irrigation under the Treaty.

A high-level inter-ministerial task force had in December 2016 decided to bring Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir on board for speeding up work on the ground through better coordination.

Accordingly, both the states agreed to resume works on Shahpur Kandi Dam project.

The project will be built with an estimated cost of Rs 2285.81 crore (April, 2008 price level).

Though it would be constructed as per agreed design, a model study will concurrently be done to ensure that the mandated share of 1150 cusecs of water is available to J&K, which will be binding on both the States.

Besides the Shahpur Kandi dam project, the task force had in December, 2016 also underlined the government's priority to speed up works on the proposed hydro-power projects on Chenab and its tributary–Sawalkot (1856 MW), Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Bursar (800 MW)–for execution in a timely manner.

Shahpur Kandi Dam Project

• Located in Gurdaspur district.
• The project will be constructed on the canal from Shahpurkandi Barrage to Madhopur headworks, downstream of the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam. Wikipedia
• Owner: Punjab State Power Corporation Limited
• Construction began: 2014
• Impound: Ravi River