Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sept 12, 2015

ANSWER: 1995

Explanation:
Launched on the 125th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this annual award is given to persons and institutions for bring social, economic and political transformation through Gandhian methods. The first Gandhi Peace Prize was awarded to Dr. Julius K.Nyerere. Subsequent awardess include Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne (1996) Dr. Gerhard Fischer (1997), Rama Krishna Mission (1998), Baba Amte (India) (1999), Dr. Nelson Mandela and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh (Jointly) (2000), Dr. John Hume (2001), Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan (2002), Archbishop Desmond Tutu(2005) and Sh. Chandi Prasad Bhatt (2013). Jury for the 2014 Gandhi Peace Prize was chaired by PM Modi. Other members include CJI Dattu, Congress Leader M. Kharge, MP(LS) L.K. Advani, and ex governor of West Bengal Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

ANSWER: MMTC Ltd

Explanation:
MMTC has won the award instituted by the Engineering Export Promotion Council for India. The award was given at the 46th National EEPC Awards for Export Excellence. The CMD of MMTC, Ved Prakash received the certificate and trophy from Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, N. Sitaraman at Vigyan Bhawan.

ANSWER: Jal Kranti Abhiyan

Explanation:
The Jal Kranti Abhiyan has been launched as part of which National Dialogue on Clean and Sustainable Groundwater entitled Bhujal Manthan at Haryana. This scheme aims to turn one water scarce village in each district of the country into water surplus through an integrated approach of conservation and management. Local water professionals called Jal Mitra will be trained as part of the scheme and they will create mass awareness. This campaign is to be implemented in 672 districts of the country.

ANSWER: Rajasthan-AMRUT

Explanation:
Rajasthan has submitted the State Annual Action Plan under AMRUT or Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. State government has proposed projects under universal coverage of water supply and sewerage of all urban households as part of this scheme. As part of the plan, AMRUT projects will be taken up in 13 of 28 AMRUT cities in Rajasthan.

ANSWER: Shishu, Kishore and Tarun

Explanation:
PMMY has been launched for aiding Dalits and OBCs through funding of business schemes for weaker sections of society. Shishu product covers loans up to 50,000. Kishor covers loans between INR 50,000 and 5 lakh and the third, Tarun between INR 5 and 10 lakh. The countrywide campaign will be launched from September 25 to October 2, 2015.

ANSWER: National Web Portal-“Sashakt Yuva, Samarth Bharat”

Explanation:
National Web Portal has been launched for apprenticeship training benefits. The scheme is implemented through Board of Apprenticeship Training, BOPT in Mumbai, Kanpur, Chennai and Kolkata. Portal offers doorstep service deliver besides saving time and addressing grievances for apprentices. The National Web Portal engages with users in 4 languages currently-Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and Hindi.

ANSWER: European Commission

Explanation:
European Commission has not only banned cloning of farm animals, but sale of cloned livestock as well as offspring and products derived from them. This is because the technique of cloning has not advanced and animal welfare should be respected. High mortality rates at development stages of cloning raises animal welfare and ethical concerns.

ANSWER: Bhasha

Explanation:
Microsoft is promoting Hindu through Bhasha along with local languages, as the IT giant has developed user friendly inscript and phonetic Hindi keyboards. A Hindi search engine version of Bing has also been created by the IT and computer systems major. This is part of the Skill India initiative as well.

ANSWER: Both b and c

Explanation:
A patient in Spain has received the world’s first 3 D printed titanium sternum and rib implant for curing chest wall sarcoma. The research team from Salamanca University Hospital created this new type of implant which could be completely customised to replicate intricate structures of sternum and ribs. Melbourne based company Anatomics designed and manufactured the implant for the research team. They created a 3D image of the body parts allowing surgeons o define resection margins with precision. The implant was created using a USD 1.3 billion Arcam printer which works by directing an electron beam at a bed of titanium powder in order to melt it, layer-by-layer until you have a complete implant.

ANSWER: Kutikuppala Surya Rao

Explanation:
A native of Srikakulam District’s Kintali village, Dr. K. S. Rado has bagged the Padamshri in 2008. He is also a world record holder for creating the largest flag for HIV AIDS awareness. Apart from being a Guinness Book World Records Holder, he is the first Indian doctor of Telugu origin to receive the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman. He will be facilitated at the Global Indian Summit for his work in developing reasonable priced medicines and tools for diagnosing HIV AIDS. Indian youth account for 60% of HIV AIDS cases.

ANSWER: “Feminist and Orientalist Perspectives – A Study of Lady Mary Montagu’s Turkish Embassy Letters” - Dr. Farha Hiba Parvez

Explanation:
Lady Montagu was instrumental in starting a school for Indian students in Jeddah. The school started with four students, one of which is Dr. F. H. Parvez. This was during the late 1960s. This book involves cross cultural study and deep analysis of Orientalism which started 2 to 3 centuries back.

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
Pakistan has assessed India to have enough fissile material for more than 2,000 nuclear warheads. India’s growing nuclear arsenal and absence of conflict resolution mechanism have spurred Pakistan to maintain full spectrum deterrence capability. This resolve was stressed in a meeting of National Command Authority chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held at Joint Staff Headquarters in Chaklala, Pakistan.

ANSWER: Entopreneurs

Explanation:
Insect farming in the European market is projected to be around USD 73 million by 2020. Edible insect farming or entoprise uses 70% of the agricultural land and water for livestock production only. A UN report released in 2013 urged governments and food agencies to consider insects as a means of feeing the world’s growing population projected to be around 9 billion by 2050. Insect farming is also nutritious- a single kilogram of field yields 12 times more edible cricket protein as compared to beef protein.

ANSWER: CBSE

Explanation:
Central Board of Secondary Education has made self defence classes compulsory for girls from standards I to X. The announcement was made by D. T. Sudarshan Rao, JS academics and training, CBSE. Schools have been requested to organise week long training sessions and weekly self defence classes as part of this directive.

ANSWER: National Geographic Society

Explanation:
127 year old NPO National Geographic Society has sold a majority stake in media properties to 21st Century Fox for USD 725 million. Media properties for which majority stake has been sold include the iconic National Geographic Magazine. The stake acquired will give the Rupert Murdoch headed company a 73% stake in National Geographic Partner’s Venture. This brings the magazine in line with cable channels and other media business. The NPO still retains 27% ownership.

ANSWER: Universal Music Group

Explanation:
UMG is going to follow the OLA model (Own-License-Operate) for expanding its footprint in the music industry. The CEO of EVC will be CEO and MD, South Asia, Devraj Sanyal. EVC is one of India’s largest music festivals. Music festivals are projected to generate INR 100 crore in 2014 and 150 crore towards the close of 2015. By 2020, the Indian music festival is going to generate INR 1000 crore. 2 of the biggest festivals are held in Goa while atlas 5,00,000 people attend music festival attendees are a regular phenomenon across the year. EVC is the second biggest music festival in India. EVC will be made global by UMG which is hoping to establish its presence in China, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

ANSWER: Property Now

Explanation:
Times Network’s MD and CEO, M. K. Aanand announced at the FICCI Big 5 Construct that the real estate news channel is the first of its kind in India. Real estate is posed for growth through smart city and housing for all projects garnering 60% of Indian household savings. New channel will provide unbiased information about the home buying process. President, News, Times Network Arnab Goswami will lead the editorial team of this channel, which targets 1 million markets initially and all markets of ET Now finally.

ANSWER: Foxconn Technology Group and Dixon Technologies

Explanation:
Chinese handset maker Gionee has paired with Taiwanese firm Foxconn Technology Group and Dixon Technologies to make smart phones at its Sri City Plant in TN and phones and smartphones in Noida, UP. Foxconn is the world’s biggest contract manufacturer. Arvind Vohra, Country CEO and MD of India who holds 26% stake in its Indian arm said this will help the company to gain a market share of 4% in value terms and save on duties. This would drive sales in India. Gionee commenced operations in Q1 of 2013 and now aims to introduce a new model every month.

ANSWER: Jharkhand

Explanation:
ADB has extended a loan for Jharkhand to upgrade roads and open new economic opportunities for the poor. It also looks to tap the state’s natural resources through upgraded infrastructure. Loan assistance will be used to upgrade 176 km of roads and generate jobs for people in 5 districts, 20% of which will be reserved for women. State government will provide assistance equal to USD 106.25 million for this 4 year long project.

ANSWER: UK

Explanation:
UK pumped in USD 22.2 billion since March 2015, including 30 percent of all investments incurred by G20 economies in the nation, according to Confederation of British Industry. According to the industrial body, British companies employ 691,000 persons, which is 5.5% of total organised private sector jobs and revenue of USD 54 billion from operations in India. Conversely, India is also the biggest investor in the UK. India invests more in UK than the rest of the EU. An Indian company is UK’s largest manufacturing employer. British companies have created 58% of the jobs or 26,900 jobs in the chemical sector alone, injecting USD 5.8 billion, for example. Other important sectors where its presence is felt include drugs, pharma, food processing, services and PNG. Maharashtra, Delhi and TN account for 55% of all FDI into the country in 2014-2015. FDI has created 619,300 jobs in the services sector along with 194,100 jobs in the construction sector.