Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sep 14, 2016

ANSWER: Deepa Malik

Explanation:
Indian athlete Deepa Malik on 12th Sept 2016 became the first Indian woman to bag a medal at the Paralympics.

• She clinched a silver medal in the shot putt F-53 event
• Her throw of 4.61m was the best in her six attempts
• With this victory, she confirmed India’s third medal from Rio Paralympics
• Fatema Nedham of Bahrain won the gold medal with the best throw of 4.76m
• Greece’s Dimitra Korokida bagged the bronze medal with a 4.28m throw
• Deepa Malik hails from Sonipat. She is a member of Himalayan Motorsports Association and Federation of Motor Sports Club of India
• She has completed a 1700 km drive in sub-zero temperatures includes a climb to 18,000 feet
• She is a member of the working group in the formulation 12th five year plan (2012-2017) on Sports and Physical Education as nominated by the Planning Commission HRD Division on behalf of the Sports Ministry

ANSWER: Bengaluru

Explanation:
The first BRICS Wellness Workshop concluded on 11th Sept 2016 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. A National Fair on comprehensive Indian Medicine System (AROGYA) was inaugurated in the city. 4 day event was organised by AYUSH ministry in collaboration with Research and Information System for Developing countries.

• The BRICS wellness workshop was organised in partnership with BRICS nations.
• It promotes knowledge sharing and pushing forward AYUSH initiatives in BRICS countries which will help in globalisation of AYUSH.
• Workshop was designed to have sessions pertaining to Traditional Systems of Medicine, Trade and Economy, Wellness and SDGs, Wellness indicators for BRICS, Wellness and Tourism among others
• It also included a session on WHO strategy for Traditional Medicine.
• AROGYA fair provides a exposure for importers and manufactures of traditional medicines or raw materials in BRICS to have firsthand experience of Indian TraditionaL Medicinal production

ANSWER: 10

Explanation:
World’s wilderness has been reduced by a tenth in the past 20 years, according to a study conducted by University of Queensland researchers in Australia.

• The findings highlight the need for international policies to recognise the value of the wilderness areas and address threats faced by them
• Scientists mapped wilderness areas in the world and compared the results with a 90s map
• Close to 1.3 million square miles or 3.3 million square km (around 10 percent) of wilderness has disappeared since the 1990s
• Amazon basin and central Africa have been hardest hit
• Comparison shows 30.1 million km2 or 20 percent of the world’s land area now remains in wilderness
• Major areas of wilderness are located in N. America, N. Asia, North Africa and Australia
• Comparison between the maps also showed 10 percent wilderness loss.
• Losses have been most in South America which has experienced a 30 percent decline in wilderness.
• Africa has experienced a 14 percent loss.

ANSWER: Higher Education Financing Agency

Explanation:
Union Cabinet on 12th Sept 2016 approved the creation of HEFA or Higher Education Financing Agency.
HEFA will be established to provide a major push for creation of quality infrastructure in premier educational institutions.

• HEFA will be jointly promoted by Identified Promoter and MHRD
• It has an authorised capital of INR 2000 crore
• Government equity will be INR 1000 crore rupees.
• HEFA will be formed as an SPV within a PSU Bank/Government owned NBFC
• It will leverage the equity to rise up to INR 20000 crore rupees for funding projects for infrastructure and development of world class labs in IITs/IIMs/NITs and other such institutions
• It will also mobilise CSR funds from PSUs/Corporates in turn to be released for promoting research and innovation on grant basis in these institutions
• HEFA will finance the civil and lab infrastructure projects through a 10 year on
• Centrally Funded Higher Educational Institutions will join HEFA as embers
• For joining as members, institutions need to escrow specific amount from internal accruals to HEFA for 10 years
• Secured future flows will be securitised by the HEFA for mobilising the funds from the market.
• Each member institution will be eligible for credit limit as per HEFA based on amount agreed to be escrowed from internal accruals

ANSWER: Samsung Electronics

Explanation:
Vice Chairman Lee Jae yong will be appointed as the registered ED on board of South Korean electronics major Samsung Electronics

• Decision was made due to urgent need for strategic decision making on aggressive investments and new growth engines from a long term perspective
• Lee Jae yong is the eldest child and only son of Chairman Samsung,Lee Kun hee
• He has received a degree in East Asian history at Seoul National University and MBA from Keio University
• He is referred to as the Crown Prince of Samsung, by the South Korean media
• He is the third wealthiest person in South Korea
• His wealth is estimated to be USD 7.9 billion and in 2014 he was named the 35th most powerful person in the world and the most powerful Korean by Fortune magazine

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:
Andhra Pradesh has become the second state in the country after Gujarat to attain 100 percent electrification of households, based on findings of a national level survey on electrification in numerous states.

• CM C Naidu said 100 percent electrification was achieved by June end and the target of ensuring uninterrupted world class quality power supply is a must
• Access to electricity is the key socio-economic indicator
• Close to 35 percent of the households in states like UP, MP and Bihar lack access to power supply
• Currently the overall transmission and distribution losses for this Southern state was 10.3 percent
• Investment of INR 20000 crore has been proposed over the next five years to strengthen the transmission and distribution system and and extend the power supply connection on demand
• Energy efficiency and conservation will also be taken in a massive way in government sector
• AP’s capital city is Amravati and it is located on Southern banks of River Krishna.
• Its official language is Telugu

ANSWER: 2016 RBI

Explanation:
The newly found asteroid came within 40,000 km of earth, less than one tenth of the moon;s distance from earth.

• The 7-16 metres wide asteroid was first spotted on September 5
• Scientists have predicted it was the closest an asteroid would come to earth for the next 50 years
• Asteroid 2016 RBI was discovered on Sept 5
• It was discovered using the 60-inch Cassegrain reflector telescope of the Catalina Sky Survey, located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona - a project of NASA’S NEO Observations Program in collaboration with the University of Arizona.
• NASA is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for space research and civilian space program
• NASA was established in 1958 by President Eisenhower with a aim to encourage peaceful application of space science
• The predecessor of NASA was NACA or National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
• New agency became operational in 1958

ANSWER: 4

Explanation:
The bronze medal winner became the only Indian wrestler to be ranked in the top 10 of the United World Wrestling rankings.
She was the country’s first female Olympic medallist in the sport as well.

• Only two Indian male sportspersons made it to world top 20, with Sandeep Tomar ranked 15th in 57 kg category and Bajrang Punia in 18th place in 61 kg category
• Sakshi is an Indian freestyle wrestler born in September 1992
• She is part of the JSW Sports Excellence Program, along with fellow female wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat.
• Sakshi had previously won the silver at 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and bronze medal at the Doha based 2015 Asian Wrestling Championships

ANSWER: V Shanmuganathan

Explanation:
NDA government removed AP governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa after his refusal to quit

• Rajkhowa’s stint came to an end when the President passed the directive in the centre’s recommendation
• Meghalaya governor V Shanmuganathan has been appointed additional charge over the state for the time being
• Rakjhowa was appointed Governor in May 2015
• He is a former IAS officer from Assam
• Appointed governor of the border state on May 12, 2015, be recommended imposition of President’s rule in AP
• This decision was later overturned by the SC which also restored Congress government in the state and declared imposition of central rule as unconstitutional
• Andhra Pradesh is also called the land of the rising sun and the Last Shangri la on earth

ANSWER: Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme

Explanation:
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs initiated the third phase of the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme.

• Project will be implemented as CSS with total project outlay of INR 3600 crore
• Project will be initiated with a cost of INR 2660 crore with additional financing possible at a later stage
• Of the INR 2660 crore, central share will be INR 1330 crore and external assistance through WB credit of INR 1330 crore
• Project will be implemented by Direct Funds Transfer to beneficiary institute accounts
• Project will be initiated in the current year and be co-terminus with the Fourteenth Finance Commission
• Better academic standards, measures of student learning and educational administration are the focus of this programme
• Close to 200 government or aided engineering institutes and ATUs including CFTIs will be selected
• Focus is on 7 low income states- Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; the 3 hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand; the 8 north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• TEQIP began in 2003 with WB assistance
• Its first phase ended in march 2009
• It covered 127 institutes through 13 states
• TEQIP-II commenced in 2010 covering 23 states UTs and 191 institute
• It is scheduled to conclude in October 2016