PDF Ivth Week 24Th to 31St Jan 2017 1. China Builds World's Biggest
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PDF IVth Week 24th to 31st Jan 2017 1. China builds world's biggest solar Park China has finished building the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park in the western province of Qinghai, China. Built at a cost of about 6bn yuan (£721.3m), Longyangxia now has the capacity to produce a massive 850MW of power – enough to supply up to 200,000 households. 2. Nepal launches 10-yr-plan to cut vegetable imports from India Nepal government has launched a 10-year-plan to cut dependence on vegetable imports from India and make the land-locked country self-reliant in food. Vegetable imports from India have continued to increase even despite the far-western region seeing a rise in commercial vegetable farming, a local media report has said. According to the report, the region imports vegetables worth 55 billion rupees every year from India. Exports volume, however, was negligible. Potatoes worth 370 million rupees was imported annually. 3. India to become the fastest oil consumer by 2035 Having pipped Japan to become world's third largest oil consumer, India's oil consumption growth will be the fastest among all major economies by 2035, BP Statistical Review of World Energy said. India, Asia's second-biggest energy consumer since 2008, had in 2015 overtaken Japan as the world's third-largest oil consuming country behind US and China. India, it said, will overtake China as the largest growth market for energy in volume terms by 2030. 4. India ranked 79th in the Corruption Perception Index 2016 India has been ranked 79th among 176 countries in the Corruption Perception Index 2016 released by the Berlin based Transparency International organisation. Its score marginally improved from 38 in 2015 to 40 in 2016. The score runs from zero to 100. Belarus, Brazil, & China shared the same ranks as India. The list was topped by New Zealand and Denmark with a score of 90 each. Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country with a score of 10. 5. India ranks sixth on eight great powers in 2017 India is ranked at the sixth spot, behind China and Japan, in a list of eight great powers for the year 2017 by a leading American foreign policy magazine. The list is topped by the US, whereas China and Japan are at tie for being on the second spot. Russia (fourth) and Germany (fifth) are the other two countries ahead of India. Iran is ranked seventh and Israel is on the eighth spot. India is the world's largest democracy, home to the second-largest English-speaking population in the world and boasting a diversified and rapidly growing economy, it said. 6. World Leprosy Day: 30 January World Leprosy Day is observed internationally on January 30 or its nearest Sunday to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen's Disease. This day was chosen in commemoration of the death of Gandhi, the leader of India who understood the importance of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world. It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body - the hands, feet, and face. 7. Denmark to appoint world’s first ‘digital ambassador’ Denmark will become the first country in the world to appoint a special “digital ambassador” to work on building ties with the globe’s tech giants, according to the country’s foreign minister. The purpose of the appointment is, on the one hand, to be on the forefront of technological development and the political and ethical issues that come with it, and on the other, to make Denmark more attractive for investment. 8. Abu Dhabi sets up Personal Status and Inheritance Court for non Muslims Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, has issued a resolution setting up a Personal Status and Inheritance Court for non Muslims in Abu Dhabi. The move is in line with the strategic goals of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the judicial procedures and ensure access to services for all segments of the society. This will also ensure prompt justice and strengthen the culture of tolerance and acceptance of others by creating institutional infrastructure. 9. Ireland became the world's first country to stop investing in fossil fuels Ireland has voted to be the world's first country to fully divest public money from fossil fuels. The Irish Parliament passed the historic legislation in a 90 to 53 vote in favour of dropping coal, oil and gas investments from the 8bn (£6.8bn) Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, part of the Republic's National Treasury Management Agency. 10. National Girl Child Day: 24 January The National Girl Child Day is celebrated on 24 January at a special function organized by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in New Delhi in the light of exemplary achievements by nation’s daughters during 2016. With a commendable performance at the Olympics and Paralympics and a historic induction of the first female fighter pilots into the Indian Air Force, it has truly been a proud year for India. The occasion was marked by felicitating 10 districts under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme for their exemplary performance. 11. Kerala CM Vijayan inaugurates ‘Jyothirmaya’ Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the 4 lakh square feet latest IT building, ‘Jyothirmaya’ at the Infopark in Kochi. Dedicating the 9-storeyed building, constructed over six acres of land, he said 80,000 job opportunities will be created when the buildings constructed during second phase of development at Infopark become fully operational. At present, 15 companies have taken up space in the new building. 12. In a first, postal ballots to be sent via electronic mode in Goa Goa will become the first state in the country to opt for electronic transmission of postal ballot to service voters in the upcoming Assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Syed Nasim Zaidi said. He said sending ballot papers through electronic means will cut down the time in transmission of postal ballot to the service voters. Goa has 822 service voters who are either in the defence, para-military forces or on diplomatic missions. 13. Govt approves Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana – 2017 The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its post-facto approval for launching of Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 (VPBY 2017). It is a part of Government’s commitment for financial inclusion and social security. The scheme will be implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) during the current financial year to provide social security during old age and protect elderly persons aged 60 years and above against a future fall in their interest income due to uncertain market conditions. The scheme will provide an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% per annum for ten years, with an option to opt for pension on a monthly / quarterly / halfyearly and annual basis. The differential return, i.e., the difference between the return generated by LIC and the assured return of 8% per annum would be borne by Government of India as subsidy on an annual basis. 14. Cabinet approves Indian Institute of Management Bill, 2017 The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Bill, 2017, under which the IIMswould be declared as Institutions of National Importance which will enable them to grant degrees to their students. Following are the salient features of the Bill: IIMs can grant degrees to their students The Bill provides for complete autonomy to the Institutions, combined with adequate accountability. Management of these Institutions would be Board driven, with the Chairperson and Director of an Institution which will be selected by the Board. A greater participation of experts and alumni in the Board is amongst other important features of the Bill. Provision has also been made for inclusion of women and members from Scheduled Castes/Tribes in the Board. The Bill also provides for periodic review of the performance of Institutions by independent agencies, and placing the results of the same on public domain. The Annual Report of the Institutions will be placed in the Parliament and CAG will be auditing their accounts. There is also a provision of Coordination Forum of IIMs as an advisory body. 15. Election Commission hosts International Seminar Election Commission of India (ECI) hosted an International Seminar on ‘Strategies for Empowering Young and Future Voters’ on 24th January 2017, in partnership with UNDP India. ECI signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the following Election Management Bodies at the Seminar: Australian Electoral Commission Central Election Commission of Bosnia-Herzegovina Fijian Elections Office Election Commission of Nepal 16. National Voters Day: 25 January Election commission of India will celebrate 7th National Voters Day on 25th January 2017. Then President, Pratibha Patil inaugurated the day on the occasion of 61st foundation day of Election Commission of India on 25th January 2011. ECI was established on 25th January 1950. There were two themes for organising the day,’Inclusive and Qualitative Participation’ and ‘No Voter to be left behind’ 17. List of agreements signed between India and UAE The crown prince of UAE Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was on a visit to India recently as a Chief guest on the occasion of 68th Republic day of India. During his visit, following MoUs were signed between both the countries: Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of India and the UAE.