Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sep 29, 2017

ANSWER: BHU

Explanation:
Under the scanner for an unsafe atmosphere for women on the campus, the Banaras Hindu University on 28th Sept 2017 appointed a woman as its chief proctor.

Professor Royana Singh, who will hold the post, is a professor in the Anatomy Department of the Institute of Medical Sciences, an official in the 101-year-old central University announced.

She takes charge after O.N Singh resigned from the post, taking “moral responsibility” for the lathi charge on students who were protesting against the victim-blaming of a colleague who was molested on the campus.

Ms. Singh is also the chairman of the Women's Grievance Cell of the BHU.

Ms. Singh was born in France, where she also received her primary education.

She then shifted to India along with her parents, who are originally from Senapur village in Jaunpur district.

BHU had appointed Mahendra Kumar Singh as interim chief proctor.

ANSWER: 28th

Explanation:
This day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention and to highlight progress in defeating this horrifying disease.

28 September also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur's death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.

The safe and efficacious animal and human vaccines are among the important tools that exist to eliminate human deaths from rabies while awareness is the key driver for success of communities to engage in effective rabies prevention.

World Rabies Day 2017 marks the announcement of the biggest global anti-rabies initiative.

World Health Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control will reveal an ambitious plan to end human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by 2030.

World Rabies Day is the first and only global day of action and awareness for rabies prevention. It is an opportunity to unite as a community and for individuals, NGOs and governments to connect and share their work.

Created and coordinated annually by GARC, World Rabies Day, September 28th, focuses on rabies endemic countries, to increase community awareness of the disease and its prevention.

World Rabies Day also raises the profile of national and local control programmes and acts as a springboard for year-round capacity building and awareness.

At the global conference on rabies elimination in 2015, a common goal of zero human deaths from canine rabies by 2030 was agreed by the World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health, UN Food and Agriculture Organization and GARC.

In support of this goal, the 2017 World Rabies Day theme is Rabies: Zero by 30.

ANSWER: Spot gold

Explanation:
The World Gold Council (WGC) plans to form a committee soon to help set up India's first spot gold exchange within 12 to 18 months.

A dedicated exchange for physical gold is expected to pave the way for standard gold pricing practices in India, apart from bringing in transparency into a market which sees large cash transactions.

The committee, which is likely to be formed in the December quarter, will not set up the exchange.

It will provide guidance in setting up the exchange, he said, while releasing a WGC report highlighting the need for a dedicated spot gold exchange in the country.

In 2015, Indian government had floated the idea of setting up a national gold exchange.

India's push for an exchange follows the gold monetisation and sovereign bond schemes launched in last few years, designed to mobilise the country's gold hoard and reduce imports of the precious metal that weighs on the country's trade deficit.

The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) and National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) currently offer gold futures contracts in India, but do not have a platform for physical trade.

A physical exchange would enable jewellers, retailers, refiners and banks to trade over a regulated platform, the WGC report said.

China, world's top gold consumer, runs such a bourse where gold, both domestically produced and imported, can be bought and sold.

ANSWER: ISRO

Explanation:
Indian Railways is working with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to devise safety mechanisms to make travel by trains more safer.

There have been a slew of train derailment incidents last month which saw the exit of Suresh Prabhu as the railway minister in the Cabinet reshuffle in Sept 2017.

Indian railways has been an early adopter of computers which could have been also expanded for various operational processes like safety.

Way back in 1960s, railways started using computers in a small way and by 1985 passenger reservations system were all computerised.

Modern technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning are going to change the world works and India has opportunity to look at what is latest across the world and bring it to the country.

Round the clock access of connectivity and electricity is dream of billions of Indians and the government is making efforts to achieve it.

ANSWER: West Bengal

Explanation:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has composed the theme song for a popular city puja since theme music has become a new trend among community pujas in the metropolis.

The song - “Boichitrer muktoy gantha ekotar monihar” (the jewel of unity is stitched with a string of pearls of diversity) - is being played at the 'Suruchi Sangha' puja, winner of multiple awards.

Singer Shreya Ghosal lends her voice for the theme song that has been composed by Jeet Gannguli.

The CM has posted the video of the theme song on her official Facebook page and shared the links on her Twitter handle.

ANSWER: Diamond

Explanation:
Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) celebrated its diamond jubilee for completing 60 years in supporting the combat effectiveness of the country's armed forces.

The Directorate General of Quality Assurance is an inter-service organisation functioning under the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence.

It is responsible for second party quality assurance of all defence stores and equipment, both imported as well as indigenous, for the Army, Navy and common user items for the Air Force.

Department of Defence Production has many initiatives like Green Channel Status and self-certification, saying these would go a long way in realising the objective of Make in India.

Its 36 laboratories were NABL-accredited and that 99 of its establishments had been granted ISO certification.

The organisation has quality assured defence stores worth INR 28,878 crore during the financial year 2016-17.

In addition, the organisation has been providing assistance to the User and Manufacturer in difficult and trying situations, warranting the technical expertise and hands-on experience.

The 'First Day Cover' to commemorate the occasion and a portal for e-registration of vendors was also launched.

The event ended with an award ceremony wherein officers and staff were awarded DGQA commendation cards and cash awards for their exemplary services.

ANSWER: 100

Explanation:
In a major boost to suburban rail services in Mumbai area, Indian Railways is introducing one hundred additional local train services on its Mumbai suburban network of Western Railway and Central Railway zones.

With these additional services, the total suburban services in Mumbai of Western Railway and Central Railway put together will increase from existing 2983 services to 3083 suburban services.

These services will be launched on 29th September 2017.

Out of these 100 services, thirty two new services will be introduced on Western Railway while sixty eight services will be introduced on Central Railway.

‘On Western Railway’, seventeen services will be introduced from 1st October, 2017 in ‘up’ direction and fifteen services will be introduced in ‘down’ direction from 1st October, 2017.

In all, thirty two new services will be introduced in Western Railway.

Western Railway presently runs 1323 sub-urban services. After addition of these services, the total sub-urban services on Western Railway will reach up to 1355.

‘On Central Railway’, fourteen suburban services will be introduced on ‘harbour line’ from 2nd October, 2017, fourteen suburban services will be introduced on ‘trans-harbour line’ from 2nd October, 2017, sixteen suburban services on ‘main line’ will be introduced from 1st November, 2017 and twenty four suburban services on ‘harbour’ and ‘trans-harbour lines’ will be introduced from 31st January, 2018.

In all, sixty eight services will be introduced in Central Railway. Central Railway presently runs 1660 sub-urban services.

After addition of these services, the total sub-urban services on Central Railway will reach up to 1728.

Introduction of these new suburban services will benefit 77 lakh commuters travelling daily over Mumbai suburban network by reducing congestion and providing faster commute.

ANSWER: Innovation

Explanation:
India has made significant strides in scientific and technological development by also becoming the first nation to reach Mars in its maiden attempt.

India is facing various challenges and opportunities. Some of these important challenges are in the key sectors of clean water & energy, food, environment, climate, and healthcare.

This goal can be achieved, through developing scientific temper among the masses and by strengthening India’s science and technology institutions & furthering their basic research.

Emphasizing the role of technologies and innovation, India has declared 2010-20 as the ‘Decade of Innovation’.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) have come together to organize The India International Science Festival (IISF) every year, since 2015 to encourage scientific temper among the masses and showcasing Indian contribution in the field of S&T over the years.

The 3rd edition of IISF 2017 will be held in Chennai during 13-16 October, 2017 at various venues which include Anna University, Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and IIT-Madras.

The prime objective of the festival is to instil scientific temper among the masses and showcasing India’s contribution in the field of S&T over the years.

It aims to build a strategy for rural India through the advancement of Science and Technology. Further, the science festival also intends to make innovation beneficial for the people and develop technology that is affordable to the masses.

Major Activities during the Festival will be:

1. Special Thematic Session on 'Deep Ocean Research'
2. Science & Technology Minister’s Conclave
3. Sensitizing Youth to Flagship Programs of Government (SYPOG)
4. Science Village: Parliament to Panchayat’’
5. National Meet on ‘Social Organisations and Institutions’: ‘Transforming India through Science & Technology’
6. Women Scientists & Entrepreneur’s Conclave
7. National Science Teachers Workshops (Focusing North East States)
8. Industry Academia Interaction
9. Mega Science, Technology & Industry Expo
10. India International Science Festival
11. Grassroots Innovators Summit
12. National Start-up Summit
13. Round Table Meet on Mass Communication
14. World Record attempt will be made in “Largest Biology Lesson”
15. National Level Competitions—Ideas for Bharat Nirman
16. Outreach Programme in R&D Labs
17. Satellite Seminars
18. Cultural Events

The Govt of India is launching a National Mission on Deep Ocean Research which will bring in huge economic benefits by harnessing the ocean resources (water, energy and minerals).

A special thematic session on Deep Ocean Research will be held.

‘Science for New India’ aims to provides a platform to young students, scientists and technocrats from across India for the exchange of knowledge & ideas in the line of flagship programs like 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', ‘Swasth Bharat Abhiyan’, 'Make in India', 'Digital India’, ‘Smart Villages’, 'Smart Cities’, 'Namami Gange', 'Unnath Bharath Abhiyan', etc.

An important event of the IISF-2017 is the Science Village program which is linked with the Pradhan Manthri Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana to reach out to the rural masses and propagate science to the extent of seeking scientific solutions to the diverse challenges facing our society, particularly rural India..

As a unique programme of IISF 2017, a Women Scientists & Entrepreneur’s Conclave titled “Game Changers Driving Science for New India” would be organized to promote and encourage science education and entrepreneurship among the women.

The aim of the programme is to develop new entrepreneurship and also explore new vistas of opportunities in the field of science and technology among the women.

National Innovation Foundation (NIF) will be organising the ‘Innovation Exhibition’ as a part of the Grassroots Innovators Summit, which aims at providing a common platform for various stakeholders—from innovators, students, researchers to policy makers.

The Round Table Meet on Mass Communication will address the various methods and techniques to popularize science and its applications.

In the International Science Film Festival, Films on science focusing on science fiction from India and abroad will be screened.

IISF: Know More

• World record attempts have been a key part of IISF since 2015; in IISF 2015, students took a successful shot at the Guinness world record for the World's Largest Science Lesson at IIT Delhi.
• In IISF 2016, at NPL, Pusa, a group of 550 students attempted the world record for Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Nobel Prize-winning scientist Albert Einstein.
• In IISF 2017, a World Record attempt will be made in “Largest Biology Lesson”. 1000 students from Class 9th & 10th will be gathering at the venue in Chennai for this attempt.
• The IISF is not only a celebration of science and technology through exhibitions and relevant events, but also has been geared up to spread awareness on the flagship programs like ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Swasth Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’.

ANSWER: School safety

Explanation:
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 13th Formation Day of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on 28th Sept 2017.

The theme of this year’s formation day is ‘School Safety’.

India received appreciation at NDMA’s work at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on Disaster management held in Kyrgyzstan.

NDMA has done good work for enhancing the disaster management capabilities.

The Home Minister said that he had also moved a proposal to organise a Joint Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue exercise to improve collective preparedness and this proposal was accepted unanimously by all the members of the SCO.

NDMA was congratulated for focussing on integrating children in their disaster management exercise.

NDMA was also lauded for making efforts for disaster safety and he expressed belief that NDMA will fulfil dream of a ‘Safe India’.

Our climatic conditions and density of population make us prone to disasters. He added that 2% of GDP is lost due to disasters.

There is a paradigm shift from relief-centric approach to holistic approach towards disasters.

Regarding the theme of ‘School safety’ a lot of school infrastructure is lost in disasters and education services also get affected in post-disaster phase. Children become more vulnerable, so special care and attention needs to be given to them.

India had hosted the Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in New Delhi which was first such conference after Sendai framework.

New Delhi Declaration, Asian Regional Plan were adopted during the AMCDRR, 2016.

National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction meeting was held in New Delhi in May this year.

India is hosting first ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017’ from 10th-13th October this year.

India’s efforts in conducting joint exercise by SAARC nations (SAADMEx) to respond to simulated disaster situations, urban flooding and cyclones are appreciable.

A comprehensive plan to mitigate the effects of earthquake and landslides is also being formed.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minster also released National Disaster Management Guidelines on Boat Safety and Cultural Heritage Sites & Precincts.

A study report on “Tamil Nadu floods: Lessons learnt and best practices’’ was also released by Shri Rajnath Singh.

ANSWER: 28th September 2017

Explanation:
Regiment of Artillery, one of the largest Arms of the Indian Army celebrated 190th Gunners’ Day on 28 September 2017.

The Gunners’ Day is celebrated to commemorate the raising of the first Indian Artillery Unit namely, 5 (Bombay) Mountain Battery on this day in 1827.

Over the ages, Artillery has proven to be the arm of decision, a battle winning factor and will continue to be the pivotal arm in all future battles.

The Regiment of Artillery embarked itself on a path of modernisation, both in terms of equipment and support systems as well under the “Make in India” initiative of the Government of India.

ANSWER: Kumari

Explanation:
A three-year-old girl has become Nepal’s new living goddess, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation.

Trishna Shakya was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital where she is to live until just before puberty.

She was among four final contestants from the Shakya clan for the position of living goddess, called “Kumari.”

Soon after Trishna’s arrival at the temple palace, her predecessor, 12-year-old Matina Shakya, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters.

The ceremony took place on the eighth day of the two-week-long Dasain festival, the main festival in Nepal.

ANSWER: Only a and b

Explanation:
A fourth gravitational wave has been detected - this time with help from Italy-based equipment - after two black holes collided, sending ripples through the fabric of space and time.

Gravitational waves were predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but the first hard evidence of their existence came only in 2015, when two U.S. detectors found the first such signal.

The latest space-time ripples were detected on August 14, 2017 at 10.30 a.m. GMT (4 p.m. IST) when two giant black holes with masses about 31 and 25 times the mass of the Sun merged about 1.8 billion light-years away.

The newly produced spinning black hole has about 53 times the mass of our Sun.

While this new event is of astrophysical relevance, its detection comes with an additional asset: this is the first significant gravitational wave signal recorded by the Virgo detector.

The Virgo detector - an underground L-shaped instrument that tracks gravitational waves using the physics of laser light and space - recently underwent an upgrade, and while still less sensitive than its US counterparts, it was able to confirm the same signal.

Known as interferometers, these high-tech underground stations do not rely on light in the sky like a telescope does, but instead sense vibrations in space and can pick up the “chirp” created by a gravitational wave.

The space-time ripple was picked up by all three detectors at nearly the same time, in a first.

Previously, gravitational waves have been found using two U.S.-based detectors, which are the most sophisticated in the world - known as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington.

The first was found in September 2015 and announced to the public in early 2016, a historic achievement that culminated from decades of scientific research.

LIGO is funded by the National Science Foundation and operated by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Virgo Collaboration: Know More

• The Virgo collaboration includes more than 280 physicists and engineers belonging to 20 different European research groups.
• This is just the beginning of observations with the network enabled by Virgo and LIGO working together
• With the next observing run planned for Fall 2018 we can expect such detections weekly or even more often.

ANSWER: Wular Lake

Explanation:
More than 2 million willow trees - once a key source of wood for cricket bats, fruit boxes and fires - will be cut down around Kashmir's Wular Lake, as part of efforts to revive the region's largest flood basin.

Overlooked by the Himalayas, Wular, one of Asia's biggest freshwater lakes, sits 34 km northwest of Kashmir’s summer capital, Srinagar.

Known for its deep, pristine waters, the lake has suffered extensive degradation in recent decades.

In a 2007 study, conservation group Wetlands International said the lake originally covered an area of nearly 218 square kilometres, including 58 sq km of marshland.

It shrank in size by 45% over a century - from about 158 sq km in 1911 to 87 sq km in 2007 - as it was drained for agriculture and willow plantations.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir now plans to remove some 2.1 million willows and 20 million cubic metres of silt from the lake in a conservation programme starting next month, which it says will also boost eco-tourism.

Willow planting began in Wular in 1924, mainly to provide firewood, and the plantation area was brought under Kashmir’s forest department in the 1980s.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the region's agriculture arm planted vast areas with willow as demand soared for wood to make cricket bats and fruit boxes.

But in recent years, experts have traced problems linked to heavy siltation - including less water in the lake and declining fish stocks to the presence of the willow trees.

These plantations act as a barrier to the silt-laden waters of the River Jhelum, forcing it to discharge its sediment load into the lake, thereby reducing its water-holding capacity.

Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), said remote sensing imagery showed willow plantations extend across an area of about 27 sq km.

The trees, combined with severe siltation where they grow, have reduced the lakes capacity by one fifth.

Taking away more than 20 million cubic metres of silt would increase the depth of lake by 3.5 metres (11.5 ft).

Experts have identified some potential short-term losses from the planned conservation measures - which are due to cost INR 4.24 billion rupees ($64.5 million) - such as algae blooms caused by the release of soil nutrients into the water after the trees are felled.

But the benefits should outweigh any potential negative impacts.