Current Affairs Update – 24th August, 2016

Hello and welcome to exampundit . Here are the important Current Affairs for 24th August, 2016. These are important for the upcoming RBI Grade B Phase I, Bank of Baroda and Bank of Maharashtra PO and IBPS PO VI Mains Exams.
Current Affairs at a Glance – 24th August, 2016
  1. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has signed an agreement with State Bank of India and Development Bank of
    Singapore
    for External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) to the
    tune of $400 Million
    .
  2. Telangana and Maharashtra
    government
    on 23 August 2016 signed
    a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start work on three barrages- Tummidi
    Hatti on Pranhita River, Medigadda on Godavari River and Chanaka-Korata on
    Painganga River
    .
  3. Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra) on 22 August 2016 announced that it completed 100 percent sale of Reliance
    Cement Company Private Limited (RCCPL) to Birla Corporation Limited
    .
  4. The Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on
    22 August 2016 constituted a Task Force to comprehensively study the cadre
    structure of organised Group A Central Services. It will be headed by T Jacob who is
    an Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel Training (DoPT) under
    the ministry.
  5. Andhra Pradesh on 20 August 2016 launched the DNA Index System (DIS) for DNA
    (Deoxyribonucleac acid) profiling of criminals
    . The system uses the
    latest DNA technology tool, known as RapidHIT DNA System, developed by IntegenX of
    United States.
  6. The Government of Telangana on 22 August 2016 issued a draft notification for
    the creation of 17 new districts.
  7. India’s ace tennis player Sania Mirza was on 22 August 2016 topped the ATP Women’s Doubles Tennis
    rankings
    . She topped the list after teaming up with new partner,
    Barbora Strycova of Czech Republic.
  8. The International Day for the Remembrance
    of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
    was
    observed on 23 August 2016 across the world.

Finance/Industry/Banking –
JNPT inks pact with SBI, DBS for $400 million loan

  • The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
    (JNPT) has signed an agreement with State Bank of India and Development Bank of
    Singapore for External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) to the tune of $400 Million.
  • Funds will be used to double its
    existing capacity to 9.85 Million TEUs annually.
  • JNPT has dollar denominated
    foreign currency earnings which has been leveraged to raise low cost foreign
    currency borrowing.
  • The ECB of $400 Million ($300
    Million from the SBI and $100 Million from DBS) will be primarily utilised by
    JNPT for expanding the network of roads that connect to its port projects.
  • The existing road network for
    evacuation of traffic is currently operated at a capacity utilisation of 100%,
    and the expansion is needed for quicker and more efficient evacuation of
    traffic.
Maharashtra, Telangana sign pact to resolve long standing river water
dispute

  • Telangana and Maharashtra
    government on 23 August 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
    start work on three barrages- Tummidi Hatti on Pranhita River, Medigadda on
    Godavari River and Chanaka-Korata on Painganga River.
  • The MoU was inked after a meeting
    between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telangana Chief
    Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.
Highlights of the MoU
  • The approval for these 3 projects
    was given on the recommendations of the Inter-State Board of Maharashtra and
    Telangana that had been set up for the purpose.
  • All expenses for these projects
    will be borne by Telangana government and not a single village of Maharashtra
    will be submerged.
  • More than thirty thousand
    hectares of land in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Yavatmal will come under
    irrigation because of these barrages.
Reliance Cement becomes subsidiary of Birla Corporation Limited
  • Reliance Infrastructure Ltd
    (RInfra) on 22 August 2016 announced that it completed 100 percent sale of
    Reliance Cement Company Private Limited (RCCPL) to Birla Corporation Limited.
  • While RInfra is an entity of the
    Anil Ambani-headed Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (Reliance ADAG), Birla
    Corp is the flagship Company of the M P Birla Group.
  • The transaction was in tune with
    the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) that was signed between the two entities in
    February 2016.
  • It was valued at 4800 crore
    rupees or 140 US dollars per tonne and the proceeds will utilised by RInfra
    towards debt reduction.
  • Under the SPA, the Birla Corp
    acquired an integrated cement capacity of 5.08 Metric tonnes per annum (Mtpa)
    at Maihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kundanganj, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Besides, it also involves
    acquisition of grinding unit of 0.5 Mtpa capacity located at Butibori,
    Maharashtra.
Union Government formed Task Force to study structure of organised
Group A Central Services
  • The Union Ministry of Personnel,
    Public Grievances and Pensions on 22 August 2016 constituted a Task Force to
    comprehensively study the cadre structure of organised Group A Central
    Services.
  • It will be headed by T Jacob who
    is an Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel Training (DoPT) under
    the ministry.
  • The task force was constituted in
    accordance with the direction of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
    headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The terms of reference of the Task Force are –
  • To comprehensively study the
    cadre structure of all organised Group A services in the Union Government.
  • To recommend an ideal structure
    especially at Apex, HAG plus, HAG and SAG level.
  • To suggest the percentage of
    various reserves in organised Group A services.
  • To suggest the ideal recruitment
    in organised Group A services.
  • To suggest the way forward to
    mitigate the stagnation level.
India –
Andhra Pradesh launches DNA Index System to tackle crime

  • Andhra Pradesh on 20 August 2016
    launched the DNA Index System (DIS) for DNA (Deoxyribonucleac acid) profiling
    of criminals. The system uses the latest DNA technology tool, known as RapidHIT
    DNA System, developed by IntegenX of United States.
  • With this, Andhra Pradesh became
    the first state in the country to do so.
Highlights of the DNA Index System
  • It allows generation of DNA
    profiles from live samples like buccal swabs, saliva and blood stains etc.
  • It creates DNA profiles within 90
    to 120 minutes compared to currently available technologies which take at least
    two days or more.
  • It could also help the suspects
    prove their innocence.
  • With DNA in the database, repeat
    offenders will be easily and quickly caught which will further help to bring
    down crime rate.
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Telangana Government proposed to create 17 new districts
  • The Government of Telangana on 22
    August 2016 issued a draft notification for the creation of 17 new districts.
  • Creation of new districts was
    proposed by the State Government in order to minimise the hassle for people in
    commuting to the district headquarters and to enhance the efficiency of the
    administration.
  • After the proposed rearrangement
    of the existing districts, the total number of districts in the State will
    increase to 27 from the existing 10 districts.
  • Further, the draft notification
    also proposed for increase in the number of mandals by 31 and revenue division
    by 14.
Sports –
Sania Mirza becomes World No 1 in ATP Women’s Doubles Tennis rankings

  • India’s ace tennis player Sania
    Mirza was on 22 August 2016 topped the ATP Women’s Doubles Tennis rankings.
  • She topped the list after teaming
    up with new partner, Barbora Strycova of Czech Republic.
  • The new ranking also follows the
    victory of the pair in the Cincinnati final. To win the title, the
    Sania-Barbora duo defeated Martina Hingis and Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-4.
  • Incidentally, Sania recently
    ended her partnership with Martina Hingis after three Grand Slam victories and
    11 WTA doubles titles together.
  • In the recent rankings, Hingis
    was figured at the second sport with 10945 points behind Sania’s 11260 points.
Days –
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its
Abolition observed globally

  • The International Day for the
    Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition was on 23 August 2016 observed
    across the world.
  • The aim of the day is to pay
    tribute to the people who, on 22 to 23 August 1791, revolted against the system
    of slavery and started the Haitian Revolution. Men and women, torn from Africa
    and sold into slavery, revolted against the slave system to obtain freedom and
    independence for Haiti, which was gained in 1804. This uprising was a turning
    point in human history.
  • The Revolution initiated a
    process of change regarding slavery throughout the Americas.
Obituaries –
Singapore’s longest serving president Sellapan Ramanathan died
  • Singapore’s former president
    Sellapan Ramanathan died on 22 August 2016. He was 92.
  • S R Nathan was of Indian-origin
    and the sixth and longest-serving President of Singapore. He was closely
    associated with the country’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew.

Regards

Team ExamPundit

This post was last modified on November 27, 2017 8:55 am