Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Oct 07, 2016

ANSWER: Joint Secretary, DEA

Explanation:
Union Finance Ministry on Oct 4, constituted the Public Debt Management Cell. The cell has been created to streamline public borrowing and ensure better cash management with the objective of deepening bond markets. Currently, the overall in charge of the PDMC will be the Joint secretary (Budget) Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

• In two years, the PDMC is scheduled to be upgraded to a statutory Public Debt Management Agency
• The interim arrangement will permit separation of debt management functions from RBI to PDMA in a seamless and gradual manner without market disruptions
• The PDMA will have only advisory functions to avoid conflict with RBI’s statutory functions
• It will also advise government of India on matters pertaining to investment, capital market operations, administration of interest rates on small savings among others
• Middle office of the Budget Division will be subsumed into PDMC with immediate effect
• Transition from PDMC to PDMA will be implemented by JIC or Joint Implementation Committee chaired by the Joint Secretary Budget
• Other members of the JIC will be from the RBI and the government
• According to a circular issued by the ministry, the JIC would operate under the supervision of the Monitoring Group on Cash and Debt Management with Secretary Economic Affairs and D-G, RBI as co-chairpersons.
• PDMC will be staffed by debt managers from the RBI budget division, current Middle Office and other government units
• The PDMA seeks to bring India’s external borrowings and domestic debt under one roof.

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet on 5th October 2016 approved the establishment of a medical devices manufacturing medipark at Kanchipuram district’s Chengalpattu through an PSV.

• A miniratna PSU under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, HLL Lifecare Ltd will sublease over 330 acres of land at the said location
• As a result, the shareholding of the HLL in the project will be above 50 percent
• Medipark project will boost the business of local manufacturers producing high end products at affordable rates, resulting in cost efficient healthcare services delivery to a large group of people
• The contribution will be for the development of medical devices and technology sector as well as allied disciplines in the nation
• HLL will sublease the land to investors through a transparency bidding process
• The centre will be set up in 7 years with physical infrastructure being set up in the first phase
• A knowledge management centre will be developed in the second phase
• Emphasis is on reducing dependence on import and creating a strong base for indigenous and domestic industries

ANSWER: Jitu Rai

Explanation:
Indian shooter Jitu Rai on Oct 6,2016 won the silver medal in the 50m pistol event of the ISSF World Cup Final in Bologna, Italy.

• 29-year-old Jitu settled for silver shooting a score of 188.8 to finish behind China’s Wei Pang who scored 190.6
• Italy's Guiseppe Giordano settled for bronze
• Jitu equalled his own national record in the qualification round
• Jitu had earlier won the Silver medal in the ISSF World Cup in Baku Azerbaijan in the 10m air pistol event
• In the Rio games, he finished 8th in the men’s 10m pistol final

ANSWER: Facebook

Explanation:
Social media site Facebook is collaborating with the Election Commission of India in 5 states going to polls next year to run a voter registration drive to encourage youth to participate in the democratic process.

• FB is partnering ECI and office of Chief Electoral Officers in UP, Goa, Punjab, Manipur and Uttarakhand
• Close to 155 million Indians are on FB
• The register to vote button is designed to encourage citizens to exercise their votes in the coming elections
• From Oct 6 to 9, FB users in Goa, Punjab, UP, Manipur and Uttarakhand who are 18 or above will receive a News Feed reminder to register for the vote
• Clicking on the register now button will direct people to the National Voters’ Services Portal which in turn will guide them towards the registration process
• Feature will be available at the following dates:
• Oct 6: Punjab
• Oct 7: Manipur
• Oct 8: UP and Uttarakhand
• Oct 9: Goa
• The page will disseminate election related information and develop a live interaction platform in the near future

ANSWER: Sikkim

Explanation:
SIkkim’s CM Pawan Chamling was on Oct 6 awarded the prestigious 2016 ‘Sustainable Development Leadership Award‘ by President Pranab Mukherjee during the World Sustainable Development Summit organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) at Vigyan Bhawan.

• Award was presented in light of Sikkim emerging as the first and only organic state in the country in Jan 2016
• Known as the Land of Flower, Sikkim has a population of 6 lakhs and is gaining worldwide fame as the first fully organic state of India
• Close to 75 thousand ha have been converted into organic farms according to criteria prescribed by the National Programme for Organic Production
• The NE state contributes 80000 MT organic production of 1.24 MT of organic production recorded in India
• The resolution for transforming Sikkim into a Totally Organic state was initiated by Champing in the Sikkim Legislation on Feb 24, 2003
• The Sikkim State Organic Board was set up in Sept 20003 as well for outlining policy and regulations for the state
• Sikkim’s state government stopped purchasing chemical fertilisers and pesticides and eliminated subsidy to farmers for procuring chemical pesticides
• State government also created organic farming schemes and action plans to set up targets of conversion

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Brazilian scientists have announced the discovery of Austroposeidon magnificus, a 25 m long dinosaur

• This species belongs to the titanosaur group which is herbivorous and well developed with a long neck and small skills
• These dinosaurs lived on earth during the Cretaceous period (145-66 million years back)
• These species were located in Africa, S America, Antarctica and Oceania.
• Fossilised vertebrae of the dinosaur was found in the 1950s by Brazilian palaeontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 without being acknowledged for this discovery.
• The discovery was studied and analysed to arrive at results on 5th Oct

ANSWER: Aviation

Explanation:
Airline industry on Oct 5, 2016 agreed to a framework for reducing the carbon footprint at the UN meeting in Montreal

• It became the first industry and commercial sector to tackle climate change
• International Civil Aviation Organisation president A Rahman called the deal “historic” at the plenary session to cap GHG emissions by 2035 to 2020 levels
• Agreement was reached despite reservations by India, Russia and China
• ICAO announced that after six years of negotiations, a voluntary phase from 2021-2026 will become mandatory in 2027 for states with larger aviation industries
• 64 countries with 85 percent of international aviation activity are participating in the world’s first airline pollution agreement, including US and EU. Only the poorest nations, small island states and countries with global passenger travel of lower than 05 percent will be exempted from the agreement
• Framework agreement is a compromise between the developing and developed world
• Civil aviation produces 2 percent of the world’s carbon emissions
• Agreement is called CORSIA or Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation
• It will slow the growth of emissions from an industry where passengers will double to 7 billion by 2034
• Deal will cost airlines less than 2 percent of their annual revenues
• CORSIA will apply to global passenger and cargo flights and business jets to generate more than 10,000 tonnes of emissions annually
• Airlines operating such planes will have to buy carbon credits to offset growth productions