CA February 13
INDIA’S 1ST SCHOOL ON QUALITY AND RELIABILITY STARTED IN IIT KHARAGPUR:
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur started its Inter-Disciplinary School on Quality and Reliability (Q&R) in India. The main Target is establishing the school to improve the quality of life for the people of India as well as develop quality conscious global citizens.
The school is being named after an IIT Kharagpur alumnus Quality guru Subir Chowdhury as the Subir Chowdhury School of Quality and Reliability. He is the patron of the school who has offered $1 million fund for school. Besides quality, the school will also help to improve the trinity of 3Ps namely Process, Planet and People with target on Engineering, Human and Natural systems.
INDIA PLANS TO HOST COUNTER-RADICALISATION CONFERENCE WITH ASEAN:
India Plans to conduct Conference with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to share experiences and ideas from the member countries on IIT Kharagpur preventing radicalisation and promoting deradicalisation.
The Conference is likely to be held in October 2017. The event will deal with the growing IS threat and make effort to counter radicalization and misuse of religion by groups and countries for inciting hatred and terrorism.
With this conference, India plan’s to share experience and benefit from that of ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia and Indonesia which are working on this aspect and India wants to gain from their expertise.
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)
Head quarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
Chairman: Rodrigo Duterte
Members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam.
2ND EDITION OF INTERNATIONAL SPICE CONFERENCE BEGINS AT KOVALAM IN KERALA:
The second edition of the International Spice Conference began at Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala from February 12, 2017. The conference was inaugurated by the Nestle India Limited Chairman and Managing director Suresh Narayanan.
This is the 3-days Conference has been hosted by in association with the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and All India Spices Exporters Forum(AISEF) Industry. The theme of the conference is “21st Century Spic Industry-Disrupt or be Disrupted”.
The main aim of the event is to deliberate on effective strategies and innovative technologies to improve the livelihood of spice farmers, address spice industry challenges, food safety concern, demand supply disparity and foster sustainable growth. AISEF has set a target to achieve the spice export to about 5 billion by 2021, from the current export of Rs 2.5-billion.
All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF)
Chairman: Prakash Namboodir
ELECTION COMMISSION ASKS HRD TO INTRODUCE ‘ELECTORAL LITERACY’ IN SCHOOLS:
The Election Commission wants students to learn from the secondary school level how to become responsible voters. In a bid to educate 15 to 17-year-old ‘future voters’, who would enrol as voters when they turn 18, the Election Commission has asked the Union HRD Ministry to introduce ‘electoral literacy’ in the curriculum at the secondary school level. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi had written to HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar requesting him to include ‘electoral literacy’ in the curriculum.
INDIAN RAILWAYS CONDUCTS WORLD’S LARGEST ONLINE TEST TO FILL UP 18000 VACANCIES
A whopping to 92 lakh candidates had applied for the jobs, of 2.73 lakh qualified the preliminary exam and was called for written test on January 17-19. The online examination is being undertaken by the Railway Recruitment Boards to fill up 18,252 graduate-level Group-3 posts, including assistant station master, goods guard, inquiry-cum-reservation clerk, traffic and commercial apprentices and junior accounts assistant.
The next stage for selection is the psychological tests for assistant station masters and typing test for senior clerks and the appointment letters are expected to be given to successful candidates by May this year. At present, there are about 2 lakh vacancies in the railways which have about 13 lakh employees.
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES IOS VERSION OF BHIM PAYMENTS APP:
After launching the Android version of the mobile payments app BHIM in December 2016, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Saturday released the application on iOS devices. The app has a limit of Rs. 10,000 per transaction and Rs. 20,000 per day for transfers through a bank account.
Features of the app include Pay to Aadhaar number and SPAM report. With its debut on iOS, it is currently supporting over 35 banks. The app is currently available in Hindi and English unlike the Android version which supports other regional languages as well such as Bengali, Odiya, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. However, support for more banks and regional languages are likely to be added soon. Bharat Interface for Mobile app (BHIM)
SBI MERGER DELAYED DUE TO NOTE BAN: ARUNDHATI BHATTACHARYA
The decision to demonetise high-denomination notes caused the delay in the merger of SBI with its associates by one quarter, Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya has said. She further said that the resolution on bad loans was also impacted due to demonetisation. In August 2016, SBI approved its merger with its five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank.
Get Interim Chairman to engage with Infosys founders: Ex-CFO
Balakrishnan, who worked with Infosys for over two decades seemed to be espousing the grouse of co-founders NR Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani and others, who together own 13 per cent of the company.
Some of the co-founders have publicly aired concerns about CEO Vishal Sikkas USD 11 million pay and expensive severance packages for former executives, Rajiv Bansal (CFO) and David Kennedy (General Counsel).
FSSAI sets up panel to finalize laws on Food Fortification:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has set up an 11 member scientific panel to frame final regulations on fortification of foods and prepare strategies to address malnutrition problem.
The Panel will be responsible to identify critical nutritional gaps in the Indian diet in general and in specific target groups based on diet surveys and credible scientific evidence. It will also address regulatory and related technological issues, review proposals from industry using modern risk assessment methods, and prescribe standard sampling and test methods for effective monitoring, surveillance and enforcement of the relevant regulations.
Member of the panels:
Ambrish Mithal (Medanta)
CS Pandav and R K Marwaha (Retd) AIIMS
Yogeshwar Shukla CSIR – Indian Institute of Toxicology Research
Anura Kurpad (St John’s Medical College)
KM Nair – NIN
HPS Sachdev (Sita Ram Bharatia Institute of Science and Research)
Sumit Arora – NDRI
P Ramachandran – Nutrition Foundation of India
Harsulkar – Bharati Vidyapeeth
Sirimavo Nair – MS University
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Headquarters: New Delhi
Chief Executive Officer : Pawan Kumar Agarwal
Chairperson: Ashish Bahuguna
DIEGO MARADONA TO GET AMBASSADOR ROLE WITH FIFA:
The FIFA governing body has named Argentina’s former soccer player Diego Maradona as the new Ambassador of the FIFA.
The 56 year old will have major role in FIFA’s activities to promote the game across the globe and will also be be involved in relevant development projects.
About FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is the international governing body of association football, futsal and beach soccer.
President: Gianni Infantino
Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland
Motto: For the Game. For the World
NORTH KOREA TEST FIRES BALLISTIC MISSILE:
North Korea fired into the Sea of Japan, as a “surface-to-surface medium-to-long-range ballistic missile”. A US official said the missile travelled 500 kilometres (310 miles) before landing in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, and that it was launched from North Pyongan province.
Intermediate-range ballistic missiles typically travel from 3,000 to 5,500 kilometres (1,864 to 3,417 miles).
The Pukguksong-2 is believed to have used a solid-fuel propelled engine which enables faster launch and increases the mobility of the launch process, according to a spokesman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman. The agency described the missile as a “Korean style new type strategic weapon system.”
CELEBRATING NATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY WEEK FROM FEB 12-18, 2017:
National Productivity Council, an autonomous body under Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India was established on 12th February, 1958, with the objective of stimulating and promoting productivity and quality consciousness across all sectors in the country. The theme of 2017 is “From Waste to Profits-through Reduce, Recycle and Reuse”.
DR NEELU ROHMETRA, 1ST WOMAN INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR:
The government appointed 10 heads of IIMs which includes Dr. Neelu Rohmetra. The tenure of a new director will be for five years or until they turn 65 years of age.
Dr. Neelu Rohmetra of Jammu University has been appointed as one of heads of IIMs. Now she became the first woman director of Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh.
NARINDER CHAUHAN APPOINTED INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO REPUBLIC OF PHILIPPINES:
Narinder Chauhan, who is presently the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia, has been appointed as the next Indian envoy to the Republic of the Philippines.
Philippines
Capital: Manila
Currency: Philippine peso
President: Rodrigo Duterte
Banking & Finance:
Second PSB recapitalisation plan on the anvil:
The government plans to come out with ‘Indradhanush 2.0’, a comprehensive plan for recapitalisation of public sector lenders, with a view to make sure they remain solvent and fully comply with the global capital adequacy norms, Basel-III.
In line with the plan, public sector banks were given ₨.25,000 crore in 2015-16, and a similar amount has been earmarked for the current fiscal. Besides, ₨.10,000 crore each would be infused in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
‘Indradhanush 2.0’ will be finalised after completion of the Asset Quality Review (AQR) by the Reserve Bank. The review is likely to be completed by March-end.
CENTRE PLANS TO INVEST ₨.2,200 CRORES IN ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY START-UPS:
The Centre is targeting an investment of about ₨.2,200 crore by 2019 in start-ups working on new technologies in the electronic sector under the Electronics Development Fund (EDF), a senior government .
The EDF is a ‘fund of funds’ that works with venture capitalists to create funds, known as ‘daughter funds’, which provide risk capital to companies developing new technologies in the area of electronics, nano electronics and IT. Hence, a targeted investment of ₨.2,200 crore by the government will to help mobilise ₨.22,000 crore for the‘daughter funds,’ which will then invest primarily in start-ups.
LIMAYE TO GET ₨.8 CRORE PACKAGE AT NSE:
Leading stock exchange NSE has proposed a pay package of ₨.8 crore per annum for its new chief Vikram Limaye and will seek approval of its shareholders on March 7 for his appointment and remuneration package.
At an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, the National Stock Exchange will seek their approval for Mr. Limaye’s appointment as managing director and chief executive officer for 5 years. Recently, NSE’s board approved the appointment, which is also subject to clearance from the market regulator SEBI.
National Stock Exchange (NSE)
Head quarters : Mumbai
CEO : Chitra Ramakrishna
ISRO SET TO LAUNCH RECORD 104 SATELLITES IN SINGLE MISSION ON FEB 15:
Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO’s workhorse PSLV – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle – will carry a record 104 satellites in a single mission from Sriharikota. PSLV in its 39th flight (PSLV-C37), will launch the 714 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation along with 103 co-passenger satellites, together weighing about 664 kg at lift off.
The co-passenger satellites will be of India, US, Israel, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and UAE. The US and Japanese military have successfully tested the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile defence system by intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile target in space for the first time. The missile was launched from a ship off the west coast of Hawaii, US. The US Missile Defence Agency said that the defence system met each of its primary objectives.
IIT MADRAS: ROLE OF MUSHROOM SPORES IN ATMOSPHERIC BIO AEROSOLS STUDIED:
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have for the first time, over the Indian region, attempted to demonstrate the potential role of mushroom spores in atmospheric bio aerosols.
While others have studied the diversity and distribution of mushroom and the presence of mushroom spores in the atmospheric aerosol separately, the IIT team has proved the role of terrestrially occurring mushrooms as a source of biological aerosol particles in the atmosphere.
The DNA analysis of 165 mushrooms revealed that there are 113 different species of mushrooms belonging to 54 genera and 23 families. “Presence of specific types of bio aerosol can even advance the precipitation processes especially in convective clouds,” says Prof. Gunthe.
MURUGAN AND ASHES POST WINS CELESTIAL TROPHY ALL-KERALA CRICKET TOURNAMENT:
Defending champions AG’s Office Recreation Club, State Bank of Travancore, KCA Academy Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam and Muthoot Yamaha Masters CC along with hosts Murugan CC will be among the 42 teams that will participate in the tournament graded ‘A level’ by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). Host Murugan CC rode on S.R. Gokul’s unbeaten 66 to defeat Muthoot Microfin CC by six wickets in the Celestial Trophy all-Kerala cricket tournament.
ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: POONAM YADAV’S FIFER HELPS INDIA THRASH ZIMBABWE BY NINE WICKETS IN QUALIFIER
Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav produced a career-best bowling figures as India thrashed a hapless Zimbabwe by nine wickets. The chase turned out to be a cakewalk for the Indians as Mithali Raj’s team took just nine over’s to overwhelm the target for the loss of just one wicket.
Opener Veda Krishnamurthy was the lone Indian wicket to fall, after playing a quick 29-run knock off 16 deliveries. Mona Meshram (21 not out) and Harmanpreet Kaur (11 not out) guided Indian women home without any further damage.
INDIA WIN BANGLADESH BY 208 RUNS IN THE ONE OFF TEST AT HYDERABAD:
Ishant Sharma’s superb spell and the magic of both the spinners, India outclassed Bangladesh to register a comprehensive victory by 208 runs in the one-off Test in Hyderabad. With the victory, India also extended their unbeaten streak to 19 matches in Tests and 20 at home.
First-innings centurion Mushfiqur Rahim then joined Mahmudullah in a fifth-wicket partnership of 56 runs before Ashwin ended the stand by notching up his 253rd Test victim.
India 687/6 decl. and 159/4 beat Bangladesh 388 all out and 250 all out (Mahmudullah 64; Ashwin 4/73) by 208 runs.
MANGA Legend Current Affairs JIRO TANIGUCHI DIES AT 69:
Jiro Taniguchi, a legend in Japan’s comic art of manga, died in Tokyo at the age of 69, leaving behind an international following for his exquisite line drawing of scenes from everyday life.
Taniguchi first shot to fame in Japan at the end of the 1980s with the first volume of “The Times of Botchan“, which centres around Natsume Soseki, one of Japan’s greatest writers.
