Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sept 30, 2015

ANSWER: 50

Explanation:
Central Bank governor Raghuram Rajan has cut the rate by 50 basis points. Most economists had predicted a quarter cut in rates. This is the biggest move since the 2009 international recession and RBI also engaged with the ministry regarding reform of the central bank to establish a monetary policy committed to set rates. In another positive sign, the largest state owned bank SBI indicated it would cut main lending rate by 0.4 percentage points. Focus should be on bringing inflation to around 5% by March 2017.

ANSWER: Mary Kom

Explanation:
MC Mary Kom announced the decision to quit after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Mary Kom was born in 1983 in Manipur. She is a 5 time World Amateur Boxing Champion.The first Indian woman boxer to get a Gold Medal in the Asian Games 2014 in Incheon, South Korea, she is also a bronze medalist from the 2012 Summer Olympics. Mary Kom is supported by Olympic quest as well.

ANSWER: Pepper Tap

Explanation:
e-Commerce major Snapdeal has acquired a minority stake in hyperlocal grocery delivery service Pepper Tap. It has led the USD 36 million funding round. Funding will be employed for expanding Pepper Tap’s presence to over 75 cities from present 18. Pepper Tap co-founder and CEO is Navneet Singh. Pepper Tap is looking to raise USD 20 million and current round of funding saw finances flowing in from Sequoia India and SAIF Partners and investors like Ru-net, JAFCO, and BeeNext.

Grocery constitutes 59% of retail GDP in India. Snapdeal has recently acquired startup Freecharge as well as MartMobi, Letsgomo Labs and Reduce Data. Founded in the year 2010, it has over 90 million registered users and counts SoftBank, Alibaba, eBay and Foxconn among its investors. Pepper Tap gives customers the ability to select from 15,000 products across categories like bath and hygiene products, gorceries and generates 20,000 average transactions every day.

ANSWER: BluestarInfoTech

Explanation:
Infogain to acquire IT operations of Bluestar Info Tech Infogain is all set to acquire IT operations of BSIL in a deal estimated to be around INR 180 crore to boost digital offerings in areas such as SAP and cloud as well as mobility and analytics. This acquisition follows an investment of USD 63 million in Infogain by ChrysCapital.

This will accelerate cross business synergies and the combined entity will generate a revenue of USD 150 million and around 4,000 employers across 8 global delivery locations. ChrysCapital currently manages total funds of USD 2.5 billion across 6 funds. In 2014, ChrysCapital has purchased large minority stake in LiquidHub.

ANSWER: Alibaba and Ant Financial

Explanation:
Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group and finance unit Ant Financial Services Group are including fresh capital into Paytm, which is the largest mobile and commerce platform in a strategic investment. The size of the stake being acquired by the companies has not been publicly disclosed. Ant Financial has currently acquired 25% of Paytm parent firm One 97 Communications in February.

New funds are given for Paytm to expand mobile commerce and payment system in the nation. This e-commerce firm currently has greater than 100 Paytm Wallet users carrying out over 75 million transactions within the month. Both companies, Alibaba and ATM are looking to encase on opportunities in India’s largest growing mobile e-commerce marketplace and digital finance sector.

ANSWER: Nationwide Building Society

Explanation:
Nationwide Building Society has selected SaaS platform Ignio which is the world’s first neural automation system for enterprise IT has part of the transformation of technology and operations. Nationwide Building Society delivers wide range of products to customers and works to increase strength of digital solutions. Moving services to a digital platform is a massive priority for Nationwide.

Ignite is based on the human neural system as well as machine learning and digital technologies to improve IT operations and processes of enterprise, reducing operational risks and increasing speed to enhance user experience.

ANSWER: Reliance Defence Limited

Explanation:
Reliance Defence Limits has signed a strategic pact with EDIC for MRO category according to which the firms will discover the prospect for manufacturing and building capabilities in defence vehicles, aviation and associated areas, defence equipment and armament manufacturing, defence electronics, commercial and naval ships.

The pact aims to create synergy to lower operational costs and leverage capabilities. RDL was established as a subsidiary of RIL and has close to 11 subsidiaries in niche segment sectors. Emirates Defence Industries Company is the premier UAE integrated national defence services provider.

ANSWER: Indo-Africa ICT Expo

Explanation:
GoI is launching close to 100 technology companies at the 1st Indo-Africa ICT Expo in KICC, Nairobi. This event was attended by 300 conference delegates and 2000 visitors. TEPC was set up by government to promote development and export of Telecom Equipment and Services. Council covers all aspects of the Telecom Ecosystem such as Hardware Manufacturing, Telecom Service Provision, Telecom Software, and Consultancy.

ICT Authority of Kenya is a state owned corporation under the aegis of the Ministry of ICT in Kenya. It was established in August 2013 to streamline the management of ICT functions of Government of Kenya.

ANSWER: Indian Railway Knowledge Portal

Explanation:
Indian Railway Knowledge Portal is a venture of National Academy of Indian Railways and has collected all available knowledge about Indian Railways at one place through linkages of websites, documents for dissemination of knowledge on the public transporter. Railways needs to share best innovations and practices and have a one stop destination for those interested in Indian Railways.

The home page of the portal also provides a short brief of social media activities of Indian Railways and e-access to existing libraries clustered to have single interface via e-Granthalaya by NIC.

ANSWER: Dee Patel

Explanation:
Prince Charles has awarded Indo British van driver Dee Patel with the Pride of Britain Award, for risking his life to save others. Pride of Britain awards was instituted in 1999 by Peter Willis. It is an annual award ceremony taking place in the UK and is given to British persons showing immense courage in crisis. The award is organised in partnership with the Daily Mirror, Lidl, Good Morning Britain and The Prince’s Trust.

ANSWER: Ramdas M. Pai

Explanation:
Education world bestowed the Lifetime Achievement in Education Leadership Award 2015 on Dr Ramdas M Pai, Chancellor Manipal University and chairman, Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG) on 26th September 2015. Pau has led the growth and development of Manipal University into the largest private provider of globally accepted professional education. MEMG has also acquired an international reputation form development of high quality medical education. Pai was also inducted into the EducationWorld Hall of Fame of Indian Education.

ANSWER: Dujuan

Explanation:
Typhoon Dujuan passed through Taiwan on 28th September bringing high winds and rain. Typhoon had left two people dead, 324 injured and six mountain climbers missing besides which a total of 710,000 households were without electricity and 370,000 without water. It made landfall in SE Fujian province on 29th September attaining maximum wind speeds of 119 kms per hour at its centre before turning into a tropical storm.

Moving at the speed of 12 mph, this is due to reach neighbouring Jiangxi province. This is the 21st typhoon in 2015 and arrived at the coastal city of Putian packing winds of up to 33 meters per second, according to the Fujian Meteorological Service.

ANSWER: Ram Kapse

Explanation:
Senior BJP leader Ram Kapse passed away on 29th September 2015 after a prolonged illness at 82. He had been ailing for the past 8 years and his last rites were performed in Kalyan. Kapse was born on December 1st, 1933 and has served as Lt. Gov of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

ANSWER: Tripura

Explanation:
A Tripura court has awarded RI to a man convicted of molesting a child and this marks the first conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in the state. The special trial judge passed the judgement holding C. Das of being guilt of child molestation in a nursery school close to Agartala in the year 2013. POCSO or Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was given approval by the Parliament on May 22, 2012.

It has been drafted for strengthening legal provisions for protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation. IPC does not provide punishment for all types of sexual offences against children and does not distinguish between adult and child victims. The POCSO Act defines a child as a person below 18 years of age and provides protection to children from sexual assault, harassment and pornography. The punishments range from simple to RI.

The offences that have been covered under the act include Penetrative Sexual Assault, Aggravated Protective Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault , Sexual Harassment and Use of Child for Pornographic Purposes. Act also makes provision for special courts for trial of offences under the act, keeping the best interests of the child in mind.

ANSWER: 2017

Explanation:
Maharashtra Government has declared 2017 as the Visit Maharashtra Year to promote state tourism and attract more tourists. State government has also launched a global tourism promotion project referred to as Maharashtra International Travel mart 2015. Another important initiative is the international Buddhist Conclave which will be a B2B exhibition held in March 2016. MTM is a flagship international tourism promotion platform put together by the tourism department of the state to attract buyers and sellers.

ANSWER: Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance) Policy, 2015

Explanation:
The Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy, 2015 that seeks to promote green covers along National Highway corridors was launched at the National Conference in New Delhi.The Green Highway Policy will make it compulsory for road developers to set aside 1 percent of the Total Project Cost (TPC) for Highway Plantation and Maintenance and seeks participation from the various segments of community including farmers, private sectors, government institutions and NGOs. Policy also called for creation of Green Highways Fund for developing green covers along NH corridors.

ANSWER: A370

Explanation:
Delhi HC on 28 September 2015 agreed to hear a PIL that challenges the constitutional validity of Article 370 of the Constitution of India that deals with the special status of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) filed by a 22-year old Kumari Vijayalakshmi Jha. It was decided that bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath be posted the hearing on the matter for 19 October 2015.

The constitutional validity of A370 was challenged on the basis that it was a temporary provision or interim arrangement until a separate Constitution for J&K was framed by the State Constituent Assembly. With the dissolution of the State’s Constituent Assembly on 26 January 1957, the Article 370 also lapsed. Constituent Assembly of J&K was constituted in October 1951 for framing the J&K Constitution. Article 370 of the Constitution of India provides special autonomous status to state of Jammu and Kashmir and is drafted in Part XXXI of the Constitution pertaining to Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions.

ANSWER: National Institutional Ranking Framework

Explanation:
NIRF has been developed by a team of experts in education and heads of institutions, the portal and the framework is presently available for engineering and management institutions and it provides methodologies, parameters and process for ranking universities along with architecture and planning institutions online.National Institutional Ranking Framework follows an Indian approach which considers India-centric parameters like diversity and inclusiveness apart from excellence in teaching learning and research.

This framework for engineering and management institutes will be extended to other disciplines like architecture, pharmacy and humanities and for universities within the next four weeks.NIRF will ensure a level playing field in ranking for institutions which have been working in languages other than English and excelled relatively in the recent past. The parameters of the ranking framework constitute the following:(i) teaching learning and resources; (ii) research, consulting and collaborative performance; (iii) graduation outcomes; (iv) outreach and inclusivity and (v) perception.

ANSWER: V. Shanmuganathan

Explanation:
V. Shanmuganathan was appointed as the Governor of Manipur by the President Pranab Mukherjee on 28 September 2015 and given the additional duties of Manipur after the demise of incumbent Dr. Syed Ahmed Khan.64-year-old Shanmuganathan joined BJP in 2003. He appointed as Governor of Meghalaya on 20 May 2015.

Ahmed, a former Congress leader from Maharashtra, was appointed as the Governor of Manipur on 16 May 2015.As per A153, there shall be a Governor for each State but the 7th Constitutional AA 1956 facilitated the appointment of same person as governor for two/more states.

ANSWER: Lakhwar

Explanation:
NGT sought Union Government response on plea challenging the construction of the 300 MW Lakhwar multi-purpose project being built by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVNL).

NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar headed the bench which issued a notice to Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Water Resources and UJVNL. The notice was issued on a plea of members of the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan. As per the plea, the Lakhwar project, which was part of the composite Lakhwar-Vyasi project, did not get any Environment Clearance (EC) from the Environment Appraisal Committee (EAC). It was further argued that no evaluation of the project in terms of its environmental costs and impacts, as required under the EIA Notification.

This HEP was developed as part of the composite project known as Lakhwar Vyasi project. The two projects were separated in 2007. Lakhwar Project was not given any EC by the EAC as it did not satisfied the EIA notification. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh will benefit from the drinking water and water for irrigation produced by the Lakhwar project.