Current Affairs Update – 23rd to 25th January, 2016

Hello and welcome to ExamPundit. Here are the Important Current Affairs from 23rd to 25th January, 2016. These are important for the upcoming LIC AAO 2016.

• Union Government on 25 January
  2016 launched Sahaj Scheme for online booking of LPG cylinders. The booking can
  be done through the unified web portal www.mylpg.in which is available in 13
  languages.
• The facility was launched by
  Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge) Dharmendra
  Pradhan. He said that the government is targeting to add 10 crore new LPG
  connections by December 2018 to the existing 16.5 crore connections.

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
  (ONGC) on 22 January 2016 received environmental clearance from the Ministry of
  Environment and Forests for drilling 45 developed wells in the Krishna Godavari
  (KG) basin in Andhra Pradesh. The total cost of the project is estimated at
  53000 crore rupees.
• ONGC is planning to drill 45
  development wells and set up a Floating Production Storage and Offloading
  (FPSO) facility, among others. The project will be implemented in the northern
  discovery area of NELP-I offshore block KG-DW N-98/2.
• It is expected that the proposed
  development drilling and subsequent development of fields will lead to
  production of 51.33 billion cubic meters of gas over a period of 16 years and
  26.71 million cubic meters of oil in 12 years.

• Maharashtra Cabinet on Monday
  approved integrated solar off-grid energy policy to encourage use of new and
  renewable energy. The policy aims to enhance use of green energy to preserve
  environment and curb the burgeoning issue of waste disposal.
• The policy envisages use of more
  solar products, bio gas and bio fertiliser plants in housing societies,
  government and private offices and other establishments. Decentralised micro
  grid projects will be initially set up in two non electrified villages on pilot
  basis in two years on 100% government subsidy.
• The government will give 20%
  subsidy for the generation of 50 Mw (10 MW each year) on private properties.
• Further, additional Rs 500 crore
  will be spent on promoting solar cookers in government and private
  organisations while Rs 16 crore are earmarked for the generation of 4,000
  kilowatt through bio gas.

• Maharashtra’s first Solar Power
  operated Mini-Water Supply Plant was commissioned on 24 January 2016 in Hingna
  village of Mouda Taluka in Nagpur district. 
• The Solar Pump Unit has been
  installed on experimental basis by Rite Water Solutions under the supervision
  of the Zilla Parishad authorities.
• The plant will facilitate
  villagers to get pure water supply for a very low cost, which can easily be
  borne by the Gram Panchayat.

• The system runs completely on
  solar power for which 1800 Watt panels have been installed.
• It delivers 10000 Litres of
  purified water every day and the nitrate content from water is completely
  removed so as to prevent the ill effects on the health of villagers.

• Union Ministry Environment,
  Forest and Climate Change on 14 January 2016 notified stricter environment
  standards for sugar industries operating in various states in the country. The
  revised standards are to be implemented with immediate effect as they were
  aimed to minimise water pollution.
• The revised standards will lead
  to improved operational performance of sugar industries through implementation
  of wastewater discharge standards and waste water conservation and pollution
  control management protocol.
• Specific wastewater discharge
  standards were made stricter by limiting them to 200 litre per tonne of cane
  crushed against the earlier limit of 400 litre per tonne cane crushed which
  would result less consumption of raw water at operational level.
• The final treated effluent
  discharge has been restricted to 100 litre per tonne of cane crushed and waste
  water from spray pond overflow, or cooling tower blow down to be restricted to
  100 litre per tonne of cane crushed.

• India and France on 24 January
  2016 inked 16 agreements at the India-France Business Summit in Chandigarh. The
  Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) covered a wide range of sectors like urban
  development, urban transport, water and waste treatment and solar energy.
• The agreements were signed in the
  presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois
  Hollande, who began his three-day visit to India.
• Hollande is the Chief Guest at
  the 67th India’s Republic Day (26 January 2016) celebrations. He is the fifth
  French leader to be a chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations, maximum
  number from any country so far.

1. MoU between AFD and Maharashtra
   on technical cooperation in the field of sustainable urban development for
   development of smart city in Nagpur.
2. MoU between AFD and the Union
   Territory of Chandigarh on technical cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
   development for development of smart city in Chandigarh.
3. MoU between AFD and the Union
   Territory of Puducherry on technical cooperation in the field of sustainable
   development for development of smart city in Puducherry.
4. Wind Power Development Agreement
   between EDF JV with SITAC RE India to jointly explore opportunities for
   development of wind based power project in India.
5. MOU between EPI ltd – Dassault
   Systèmes in urban sector development.
6. MOU between EPI-Egis – urban
   sector development.
7. MOU between EPI- Schneider
   Electric – urban sector development.
8. MOU between EPI-Thales – urban
   sector development.
9. MOU between EPI-EDF – urban
   sector development.
10. MOU between EPI-Alstom – urban
    sector development.
11. MOU between EPI-SA CAN – urban
    sector development.
12. MOU between EPI-Lumiplan ITS
    India Pvt Ltd – urban sector development.
13. MOU between EPI-POMA – urban
    sector development.
14. Agreement between CEA (the French
    Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and Green Ventures – Solar
    photo voltaic projects in the Indian rural areas (Varanasi, U.P.).
15. Agreement between CEA (the French
    Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and Crompton Greaves – To
    explore opportunities in Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) System with storage function
    for Indian Airports.
16. Mahindra-Airbus cooperation to
    create the new private strategic partner for helicopters within the Make in
    India initiative.

• The two-day long 19th National
  e-governance Conference with the title Transforming India was concluded on 22
  January 2016 in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• It is conference on e-Governance
  which provides a platform to policy makers, practitioners, industry leaders and
  academia, to deliberate, interact and recommend actionable strategies.
• The 19th National conference was
  focused on strategies like GATI-Governance with Accountability Transparency
  & Innovation for citizen -centric services, financial inclusion-JAM &
  DBT, Urban Governance in smart cities plenary, Cyber security framework for
  citizen centric, decade of eGovernance-Way ahead, and Technology enabled
  education.

• Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
  on 23 January 2016 hoisted the largest flag of the country atop the tallest
  pole at Pahari Mandir in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
• The flag is 66 feet in height, 99
  feet in width and hoisted on a 293 feet-tall pole.
• The flag is crafted from
  parachute cloth and has enough clippings to ensure strong winds do not blow it
  away. The mast sits on around nine feet diameter pedestal fitted with rock
  anchors.
• The project took more than 120
  workers and 40 days to put up the flag post, which cost an estimated 1.25 crore
  rupees, of which 44 lakh rupees was spent on the flag alone.
• The site was earlier known as
  Phansi Tongri.

• The Andhra Pradesh Government on
  22 January 2016 launched Giriputrika Kalyana Pathakam Scheme to support the
  tribal women in their quest for livelihood.
• The scheme was launched by Andhra
  Pradesh Minister for Social Welfare Ravela Kishore Babu.

• The scheme seeks to reduce
  rampant infant mortality and child marriages among tribal people.
• It is designed to provide a
  onetime financial assistance of 50000 rupees to each tribal woman who gets
  married.
• The amount will be directly
  disbursed to the bank accounts of the beneficiary through District Tribal
  Welfare Office.

• India on 22 January 2016
  submitted its first Biennial Update Report (BUR) to the United Nations
  Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• The report was submitted towards
  fulfilment of the reporting obligation under the Convention. As per the
  provisions of the Convention, countries need to periodically provide
  information in the form of their National Communication.

• BUR contains national GHG
  inventory of India for the year 2010, prepared in accordance with the
  guidelines of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• The inventory covers six
  greenhouse gases- Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O),
  Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulfur Hexafluoride
  (SF6).

• US News and World Report, WPP’s
  BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania on 20
  January 2016 released the inaugural Best Countries report, a joint rankings and
  analysis project at the World Economic Forum, Davos.
• The rankings evaluate 60 nations
  across 24 rankings lists on a wide range of criteria, from sustainability to
  economic influence.
• Germany is viewed as the best
  country in the world followed by Canada and the United Kingdom. India is ranked
  as the 22nd best country in the World.

• Sweden is recognized as the most
  modern country, the Best Country to Raise Kids and the No. 1 nation for Green
  Living.
• Denmark is named the Best Country
  for Women.
• The United States is named the
  most powerful country
• India has the No. 1 upcoming
  economy.
• Germany is the best country for
  entrepreneurship,
• Luxembourg is the most business
  friendly.
• Italy is the country with the
  richest tradition
• Brazil is the No. 1 nation to
  visit.
• Canada tops the list of countries
  with the best quality of life.

1. Germany
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom

• The United Nations Economic and
  Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on 19 January 2016
  released World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2015 report. The report
  highlights that the world economy stumbled in 2015 and only a modest
  improvement is projected for 2016/17.

• Global growth is estimated at a
  mere 2.4 percent in 2015, marking a downward revision by 0.4 percentage points
  from the UN forecasts presented in 2015.
• The world economy is projected to
  grow by 2.9 percent in 2016 and 3.2 per cent in 2017, supported by generally
  less restrictive fiscal and still accommodative monetary policy stances
  worldwide.

• India will be the fastest growing
  big economy in the world in 2016. The report has projected India’s growth rate
  at 7.3 percent in the year 2016 and 7.5 percent in 2017, which is slightly up
  from an earlier estimated 7.2 percent rate in 2015.

• Superstar Rajinikanth, founder of
  the Reliance empire late Dhirubhai Ambani, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi
  Shankar and media baron Ramoji Rao have been chosen for Padma Vibhushan, the
  country’s second highest civilian award, this year.
• Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor
  Jagmohan, former DRDO chief V K Aatre, cancer specialist and chairperson of
  Adyar Cancer Institute Dr V Shanta and eminent Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi
  dancer Yamini Krishnamurthi and classical vocalist Girija Devi and
  Indian—American economist Avinash Dixit have also been named for Padma
  Vibhushan on the occasion of this year’s Republic Day celebrations.
• Noted actor Anupam Kher, singer
  Udit Narayan, former CAG Vinod Rai, chairperson of media group Bennett, Coleman
  & Co. Indu Jain, sports star Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal, spiritual
  leaders late Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Tejomayananda and former US
  Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill are among the 19 eminent people chosen for
  Padma Bhushan.
• Industrialist Pallonji Shapoorji
  Mistry, Maruti Suzuki chairman R C Bhargava and eminent architect Hafeez
  Contractor also figure in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees.
• Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who
  was the prosecution counsel in the Mumbai terror attack case, actors Ajay Devgn
  and Priyanka Chopra get Padma Shri.

• The “Harry Potter” author is to
  receive the PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award, PEN America told The
  Associated Press on Monday.
• Rowling will be presented her
  award May 16 at the literary and human rights group’s annual spring gala in New
  York. Previous winners include Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie and Tim Stoppard.
• In its announcement Monday, PEN
  cited Rowling’s advocacy for free expression; her founding of the charitable
  trust Volant, which supports multiple sclerosis research and other causes; and
  her nonprofit organization Lumos, which works to reconnect institutionalized
  children with their families.

• Maharashtra Chief Minister
  Devendra Fadnavis on 22 January 2016 presented the National Awards for
  e-Governance for the year 2015-16 in Nagpur. These awards are given for the
  outstanding achievement in the field of e-governance.
• The awards were conferred during
  the valedictory function of 19th National e-governance conference held in
  Nagpur on 21-22 January 2016.
• Eighteen winners were awarded in
  12 categories.

• EPFO, (Employment Provident Fund
  Organization), Delhi under Ministry of Labour and Employment for its successful
  implementation of universal account number programme

• Maharashtra Remote Sensing
  Applications Centre, Nagpur

• President Pranab Mukherjee on 25
  January 2016 approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards
  2015 on 50 persons.
• These series of gallantry awards
  were instituted in the year 1961. These are given to a person for meritorious
  act of humane nature in saving the life of a person in cases like drowning in
  water, accidents, fire incidents, electrocution, natural calamities, rescue
  operation in mines etc.

•  i) Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded
  for conspicuous courage in saving life under circumstances of very great danger
  to the life of the rescuer.
• ii) Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak is
  awarded for courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of great
  danger to the life of the rescuer.
• iii) Jeevan Raksha Padak is
  awarded for courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of grave
  bodily injury to the rescuer.

1. Ullas Unnikrishnan (Posthumous),
   Kerala;
2. Munna alias Ramdars Sisodiya
   (Posthumous), Madhya Pradesh
3. Ankit Kumar  Mishra (Posthumous), Uttar Pradesh

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
  24 January 2016 presented the National Bravery Awards to 25 children.
• This award scheme was initiated
  by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) to give due recognition to the
  children who distinguish themselves by performing outstanding deeds of bravery
  and meritorious service and to inspire other children to emulate their
  examples.
• It was in 1957 that two children,
  a boy and a girl were first rewarded for their presence of mind and courage by
  then Prime Minister Nehru. Since then ICCW confers these awards on children
  every year.
• In 1987-88 ICCW instituted the
  Bharat Award for an exceptionally outstanding, meritorious and gallant deed.
  The other special awards include the Geeta Chopra and Sanjay Chopra awards
  (instituted by ICCW in 1978) and the BapuGaidhani Awards (instituted in
  1988-89).

• India’s Ace Shuttler, PV Sindhu
  on 24 January 2016 won the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold Badminton title. In
  the final clash at Penang, she defeated Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour 21-15, 21-9.
• This was Sindhu’s second Malaysia
  Masters Grand Prix Gold title, having won it in 2013 as well.
• With this, Sindhu has won five
  career Grand prix gold and first title of the year 2016.  She also completed a hat-trick at the Macau
  Open Grand Prix Gold in November 2015.
• Only two women’s singles players
  (Saina Nehwal and Sung Ji-hyun) have more GP Gold title’s than Sindhu.

• Japan’s Izumo Takuto and Hong
  Kong’s Zhu Chengzhu on 24 January 2016 became champions in the boys’ and girls’
  categories, respectively, in the 11Even Sports 2015 ITTF World Junior Circuit
  Finals at the Abhay Prashal Stadium, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
• The three-day event came to its
  conclusion when Takuto hardly dropped a sweat beating Carlos Vedriel from Spain
  4-0 in a one-sided final while Zhu overcame stiff resistance to beat Park Seri
  of Korea 4-2.
• Each winner took home 3800 US
  dollars while the runners-up received 2100 US dollars each.

• India on 24 January 2016 won the
  first T20 Asia cup cricket for Blind. In the final clash played at Jawaharlal
  Nehru stadium of Kochi, India defeated Pakistan by 44 runs.
• Batting first, India scored 208
  runs in 20 over whereas Pakistan was restricted to 164 runs in 18.2 over.
• So far, Pakistan was unbeaten in
  this tournament and had defeated India by 19 runs in the group stages.

• Nation on 24 January 2016
  observed the 9th National Girl Child Day. It is celebrated to spread awareness
  about the inequalities faced by the girl child in the country. It is observed
  on 24 January every year.
• It was initiated by the
  government in 2008. Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has been
  taking different initiatives to address and reverse the trend of declining sex
  ratio in the country.

• 6th National Voters’ Day (NVD)
  was observed across the country on 25 January 2016 by the Election Commission
  of India. The theme for the 6th National Voters’ Day is ‘Inclusive and
  Qualitative Participation’.
• The Commission’s objective
  through NVD is to increase enrolment of voters, especially of the newly
  eligible ones.
• The National function of the NVD
  was held in New Delhi and presided over by President of India, Pranab
  Mukherjee.
• On the occasion, the Chief
  Election Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi also released a book titled, ‘Belief in
  the Ballot’ and presented it’s the first copy to the President.

• Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on 24
  January 2016 won the Presidential election of Portugal. Sousa, a centre-right
  Social Democrats candidate and a former journalist, won the election by
  securing 52 percent of votes.
• The outcome is likely to help
  maintain political balance after the inconclusive parliamentary ballot in
  October 2015.
• His closest rival, Socialist
  Antonio Sampaio da Novoa, conceded defeat after picking up around 23 percent of
  the vote. Left Bloc candidate Marisa Matias had 10 percent.

• Japan on 22 January 2016 lifted
  sanctions on Iran, falling in line with major world powers. The announcement
  was made by Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
• The sanctions were lifted after
  the United Nations atomic energy agency confirmed on 16 January 2016 that
  Tehran has fully taken steps to curb its disputed nuclear programme.
• The move will allow Japanese
  companies to pursue investment in Iran’s oil and gas industry.
• Tokyo imported around 10 percent
  of Iran’s oil before introducing sanctions against Tehran. After the sanctions,
  this share fell to 5 percent and then reduced even further.

• Famous Malayalam film actress
  Kalpana Ranjani died on 25 January 2016 in Hyderabad. She was 51 and famously
  known as Kalpana.
• She has published her memoirs
  with the title Njan Kalpana

• Eminent Tabla player Pandit
  Shankar Ghosh passed away on 22 January 2016 in Kolkata following a prolonged
  illness. He was 80.
• He is survived by his wife
  Sanjukta Ghosh, a classical vocalist of Patiala gharana, a son, daughter-in-law
  and two grandsons.

• Former Deputy Speaker of Gujarat
  Assembly and Social Activist Nirmala Gajwani passed away on 21 January 2016 in
  Rajkot, Gujarat. She was 87.
• Gajwani was a reputed social
  worker and one of the leading lights of the Sindhi community in the state.
• Gajwani was the first lady Deputy
  Speaker of Gujarat legislative Assembly.

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