Facts in News (July Edition II) Bills, Programs, Policies, Schemes, Orders, Judgements Headline Second Anniversary of Skill India Mission
Description
National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning
Jan Dhan deposits surge
Aadhaar and right to privacy
Traditional Knowledge of Indigenous Medicinal Systems
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) celebrated the second anniversary of Skill India Mission on the World Youth Skills day on 15th July. On the occasion, MSDE announced a national training Programme to certify GST practitioners under its flagship scheme of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). The event also witnessed the distribution of certificates for shortterm/ Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certificates to candidates trained under PMKVY. To keep up with the changing competitive world, new accreditation and affiliation guidelines for ITIs were released by the guests of honour. MSDE also launched Takshashila - a portal for trainers and assessors. NPTEL is a joint initiative of the IITs and IISc. It offers 160 free online courses in various categories like agriculture, computer science, management studies, mathematics and basic sciences, engineering and humanities. In news because IIT-Kharagpur has decided to create awareness about this programme among the students from eastern India. While over 5 lakh students had enrolled for NPTEL courses this year, only about 7% of them are from eastern India. Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have touched Rs. 64,564 crore. Out of this amount, Rs. 300 crore came in the first seven months of demonetisation. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana aims at bringing hitherto unbanked areas and people under a formal banking system. The bank accounts can be opened with a zero balance under the scheme. A 9-judge Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) will hear the question whether privacy is a fundamental human right and is part of the basic structure of the Constitution. Petitioners have argued that right to privacy is part of Article 21, the right to life, and interspersed in Article 19, though not explicitly stated in the Constitutions. Two judgements of the SC – the M.P. Sharma case verdict pronounced by an 8-judge Bench in 1954 and the Kharak Singh case verdict of 1962 by a 6-judge Bench – had concluded that privacy was not a fundamental or ‘guaranteed’ right. Though smaller SC Benches have, over the years, differed and held that privacy is indeed basic to our Constitution and a fundamental right. Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is a pioneering Indian initiative to prevent exploitation and to protect Indian traditional knowledge from wrongful patents mainly at International Patent Offices. TKDL contains Indian traditional medicine knowledge available in public domain and pertains to classical/ traditional books related to
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
National Bamboo Mission renamed as National AgroForestry & Bamboo Mission
Manav Suraksha Kanoon (MASUKA)
Admiralty Bill
Rajya Sabha passes the IIITPPP Bill 2017
NITSER Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Sabha
Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017
Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha in a digitized format and is available in five international languages (English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese). Under the Scheme funds are provided to CSIR, the implementation agency of the TKDL Project. National Bamboo Mission has been renamed as National AgroForestry & Bamboo Mission (NABM). Under the Mission, steps are taken to provide assistance to farmers/bamboo growers for nursery establishment, plantations in non-forest area, imparting training for preparation of nurseries & bamboo plantations, establishing of bamboo markets for farmer products, etc. A draft law to deal with mob lynching was prepared by the civil society led by the National Campaign Against Mob Lynching. It is likely to be introduced in the parliament as a private member’s bill. The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2017 has been passed by both the houses of the parliament. It seeks to consolidate the laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction, legal proceedings in connection with vessels, their arrest, detentions, sale and other related matters. While earlier only the High Courts of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras could take up maritime cases, the Bill extends the power to the High Courts of Karnataka, Kerala, Hyderabad, Orissa and Gujarat, besides any other High Courts as notified by the Centre. Rajya Sabha has passed the Indian Institute of Information Technology Public Private Partnership (IIIT-PPP) Bill 2017. The bill has already been passed in Lok Sabha. This bill is required to grant degrees to the students IIITs set up in PPP mode. It will also grant statutory status to the fifteen IIITs established in PPP mode and declare them Institutes of National Importance. NITSER (National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research) Amendment Bill has been passed in Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in March, 2017. The Bill proposes to introduce two new Institutions namely Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati and IISER Berhampur in the Second Schedule of the NITSER Act, 2007. Five IISERs at Kolkata (2006), Pune (2006), Mohali (2007), Bhopal (2008) and Thiruvananthapuram (2008) mandated with promoting quality education and research in the sciences were established. With the establishment of the two new IISERs there are now seven IISERs. The Lok Sabha has passed a Bill that offers untrained teachers teaching in schools time till March 31, 2019 to acquire B. El. Ed (Bachelor of Elementary Education) or D. El. Ed. (Diploma in Elementary Education) qualifications to hold their jobs as teachers. This was done through an amendment to the Right to Education Act, 2009.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) National Headline Ramakrishna Math institutions to stay out of EPFO coverage
Description
Amarnath yatra
Highest voter turnout for presidential elections
Low water storage in Cauvery basin
Debate on J&K’s special status
In 2015, the Central government decided to bring workers in all charitable and religious trusts, employing more than 20 workers, under the social security fold. So, all religious trusts and places – maths, temples, gurudwars, and churches – employing at least 20 workers were required to extend provident fund benefits to their staff. However, Institutions under the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission will continue to remain outside the purview of the Employees’ provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). EPFO- The Employees' Provident Fund is a retirement benefit scheme that’s available to all salaried employees working in a formal sector. This fund is managed by Employees Provident Fund Organisation of India (EPFO) which is a statutory body. Amarnath yatra is an annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Lord Shiva in J&K. The yatra remains open only for In news after a terrorist attack on 10th July left 8 dead and another incident on 16th July where 17 died after a bus carrying the pilgrims fell into a gorge. The total value of the votes of the Electoral College, which comprises 776 MPs and 4120 MLAs, is 10,98903. In terms of the value of the votes, the Sikkim Assembly has the lowest of 7 and UP the highest of 208. A total of 771 MPs were eligible for participating in the election process. The presidential election in Monday recorded probably the highest ever turnout of over 99%. The storage in all four reservoirs of the Cauvery basin – Krishnaraja Sagar, Kabini, Hemavati and Harangi – is currently 21.43 tmcft which is less than 50% of what it was last year. Cauvery is originates in the Kodagu hills in Karnataka. It flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its tributaries are which include Shimsa, Hemavathi, Honnuhole, Arkavathi, Kapila, Lakshmana Theertha, Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani, Noyil and Amaravathy. The sharing of waters of the Cauvery River has been the source of a serious conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. J&K has a special autonomous status under Articles 35A and 370. The Centre has asked the Supreme Court for a detailed heading on the special status granted to J&K. Its special status is sourced from the 1954 presidential order, which gave special rights to the State’s permanent residents. Earlier, the J&K High Court had ruled that Article 370 though titles as ‘Temporary Provision’ and included in Para XXI titled ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’ has assumed place of permanence in the Constitution and is beyond amendment or repeal.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Cauvery water dispute
Cattle laws
International Civil Aviation Organisation safety audit
Paika rebellion
Institutes of National Importance
President of India
CAG audit finds deficiencies in Railways food and army’s ammunition reserves
At the time of the 1924 agreement for water sharing, Tamil Nadu was entitled to develop only 21.38 lakh acres for irrigation. However, even as the 1924 agreement continued, the State had developed 28.2 lakh acres for irrigation utilising 566 tmcft of Cauvery water.
Answering to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said that under the distribution of legislative powers between the Union of India and the states under Article 246(3) of the Constitution, the preservation of cattle is a matter on which the legislature of the states have exclusive powers to legislate. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is bracing for a safety oversight audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO), in November this year. ICAO is UN body. ICAO conducts audit in areas related to legislation, organisation, licensing, operation, airworthiness, accident investigation, air navigation and aerodromes. Odisha government has proposed to the Centre to declare the Paika Rebellion of 1817 as the first war of independence. The President of India has inaugurated the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion of Odisha (July 20, 2017). Pre-dating what has been popularly regarded as the fist war of independence in 1857, the Paika Bidroha (Paika Rebellion) of 1817 in Odisha briefly shook the foundations of British rule in the eastern part of India. Paikas were essentially the peasant militias of the Gajapati rulers of Odisha who rendered military service to the king during times of war while taking up cultivation during times of peace. They unfurled the banner of rebellion against the British under the leadership of Baxi Jagandhu Bidyadhara as early as 1817 to throw off the British yoke. The Lok Sabha has passed a Bill to declare the Indian Institutions of Information Technology (IIITs) as Institutes of National Importance (INIs). Ram Nath Kovind becomes the 14th President of India. He received 65.6% of vote defeating the Opposition’s joint candidate Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who secured 34% of the vote. The value of each vote of an MP was 708. Among the States, each vote in Uttar Pradesh had the highest value of 208, while each vote from Sikkim had the lowest value of 7. A CAG audit report tabled in Parliament has found severe deficiencies in the catering services of the Indian Railways and critical deficiencies in the availability and quality of War Wastage Reserve ammunition supplied by Ordnance Factory Board.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Invisible money in polls
Union Finance Minister has blamed the Election Commission for failing to check the use of ‘invisible money’ in elections.
Speaker suspends 6 MPs
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has suspended 6 Congress MPs for five days for “unruly behaviour” and “disrupting the proceedings of the House. As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Lok Sabha, the Speaker has been vested with the powers to suspend a member of the parliament for unruly behaviour.
A memorial for APJ Abdul Kalam
SC uses its extraordinary powers
PM Modi inaugurated a memorial for the ex-President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Peikarambu in Tamil Nadu. The memorial has replicas of rockets and missiles on display on which Kalam had worked. It was built at a cost of Rs. 15 crore on land allotted by the Tamil Nadu government at Kalam’s village Peikarambu. The Supreme Court has used its extraordinary powers to allow two companies to withdraw from insolvency proceedings and settle their loan disputes, despite the case being admitted to the National Company Law Tribunal. Once the NCLT admits a case it cannot be withdrawn. However, the SC has the powers to do “complete justice” under Article 142 of the Constitution.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) International Headline Peacekeepers rescue humanitarian workers
Description
Jadhav’s mercy plea
Indonesia renames part of South China Sea
USA recertifies Iran deal
China-India boundary issue
Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan have rescued more than a dozen humanitarian workers who came under heavy firing from unknown gunmen. The troops were serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) at Pibor. As of June this year, a total of 7676 Indian peacekeepers are serving in UNMISS. The UN has no military forces of its own, and member countries provide, on a voluntary basis, the military and police personnel required for each peacekeeping operation. India is one of the largest contributor to peacekeeping force Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa is “analysing” the evidence against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a military court on spying charges. The International Court of Justice in The Hague had halted his execution in May on India’s appeal.
Indonesia has named waters in its exclusive economic zone that overlap with China’s expansive claim to the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea, an assertion of sovereignty. China claims most of the South China Sea, putting it in dispute with many Southeast Asian nations. China has also carried out extensive land reclamation and construction on reefs and atolls to bolster its claims. Philippines also has claims to the South China Sea US President Donald Trump has reluctantly agreed to recertify that Iran is complying with an international nuclear agreement brokered by President Barack Obama. Earlier, Trump had strongly criticised the Iran deal. Later, the Trump administration unveiled new economic sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and for contributing to regional tensions. Iran’s parliament, Majlis, has voted to increase funds for the country’s missile programme and for Quds Force, the foreign operations wing of the Revolutionary Guards in response to USA’s “adventurism” in the region. Quds Force leads Iran’s military role in Syria and Iraq. China has insisted on withdrawal of Indian troops from the Doklam plateau as a precondition for negotiations. India shares a 4000 km long boundary with China.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) India-Japan Civil Nuclear deal
Indo-Srilanka Accord of 1987
The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered into force on July 20, 2017. The pact was signed in Tokyo during the visit of PM Modi to Japan in November 2016. An Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was signed in July 1987 by the then Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka’s President J.R. Jayewardene. With the accord Sri Lanka promised a constitutional rearrangement to share power with the Tamil minorities in the island nation. The Accord has completed 30 years.
Social Kapu community demands BC status in Andhra Pradesh Rights over Minor forest produce
Lingayat a religion?
Tribal areas in Odisha
Police has laid a seize to stop Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham’s proposed ‘Chalo Amaravati’ padayatra from July 26. The Kapus are demanding BC status for the community in the State. The All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) has demanded that the Odisha government deregularise kendu leaves (or tendu) to allow it s direct trading though gram sabhas. Forest dwellers have the right of ownership, access to collect, use, and dispose of Minor Forest produce like kendu leaves under Section 3(1)(c) of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Maharashtra has already given the freedom to gram sabhas to either manage or sell kendu leaves on their own with support of the government departments or ask the forest department to do it. More than 100 gram sabhas in the area, are doing it with financial support from the Maharashtra Tribal Development Corporation. This has increased the income of kendu leaf collectors. Lingayat ministers in Karnataka demand recognition of Lingayat as a religion. They say historically Lingayat was an independent religion founded by Basavanna in the 12th century and it had never been part of Hinduism. On the contrary it fought values based on the laws of Manu. Lingayats were spread across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other states. However, CM B.S. Yeddyurappa said that there was no difference between Veerashaiva (the old Shaiva faith) and Lingayat (as the followers of Basavanna call themselves) and that they are part of Hinduism. The Odisha Cabinet has decided to establish Special Development Councils for nine tribal dominated districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur. The councils will have representation from every tribe present in the
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Cabinet approves revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011
District Mineral Foundation (DMF) in Odisha
“Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase2”
Slum Yuva Daud
district and will have decision-making powers and financial resources to preserve, promote and develop their unique socio-cultural identities and their economic capacities, he added. All the 62 tribes in the State will have representation in these councils. Tribals in Odisha constitute 22% of the State’s population and nearly 10% of the nation’s tribal population. Of the 62 distinct STs in the State, 13 belong to the particularly vulnerable tribal groups. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Department of Rural Development for revision of cost of Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 (SECC 2011). SECC allows ranking of households based on their socio economic status. SECC-2011 provides the government the names and number of families in each Panchayat and details their status on seven deprivation parameters. The advantage of SECC is that it provides for programme specific customized priority list to suit programme objective and budget space to address specific deprivation. Before the availability of SECC -21011 data, Below Poverty Line (BPL) list prepared in 2002, by States/UTs was being used for identifying beneficiaries of development programmes and schemes. The Centre for Science and Environment has said that Odisha’s District Mineral Foundation (DMF) is not prioritising important social areas as far as fund utilisation is concerned. Odisha is making the highest collection under the DMF in the country with total cumulative collection of Rs. 1,932.5 crore followed by Jharkhand with Rs. 1,056.2 crore and Chhattisgarh with Rs. 1,042 crore. Odisha’s six districts, including resource rich Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda, have largely ignored vital areas like healthcare and welfare of women and children in spite of faring very poorly on health, mortality and nutrition indicators. “Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2” was launched to increase the population of Parsis in India. “Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-1” was initiated in 2013 for containing the declining trend of population of the Parsi community and reverse it to bring their population above the threshold level. Ministry of Minority Affairs’ scheme has two components: Medical Assistance and Advocacy/Counselling. The scheme has been successful. 101 babies have been born in Parsi community. Parzor Foundation was an important link between the Parsi community and the government in success of “Jiyo Parsi” scheme. And the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and Federation of Zoroastrian Anjumans of India have also played a key role in this regard. The 12th and the final Slum Yuva Daud was held at Karol Bagh with participation of around 6000 youngsters. It is an initiative to motivate the youth to work for a better tomorrow and engage them in constructive activities to deter them from drug
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)
Every third child bride in the world is Indian
Mentally retarded adult not a child
abuse, criminal activities and terrorism etc. The Slum Yuva Daud is part of the Adopt Slum Campaign initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan. Total 12 Slum Yuva Runs were organized across Delhi with a combined participation of 60,000 youth. The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) was launched on 21st July. PMVVY is a Pension Scheme announced by the Government of India exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above which is available from 4thMay, 2017 to 3rd May, 2018. The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme. Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. payable monthly (equivalent to 8.30% p.a. effective) for 10 years. Pension is payable at the end of each period, during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase. The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST. A report released by Action-Aid India has revealed that every third child bride in the world is an Indian. Over 10 crore Indians, including 8.5 crore girls, are married off before they turn 18. 75% of child marriages took place in rural areas as on 2011.
The Supreme Court has held that a “mentally-retarded” adult cannot be considered a child and given refuge under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012. The mother of a rape victim had moved the Supreme Court to expand the definition of the term ‘child’ in Section 2(d) of the POCSO Act.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Health Headline “Sohum”- An innovative Newborn hearing screening Device
Description
New oversight panel for MCI
National Board for Promotion and Development of Yoga and Naturopathy
Detecting disabilities in primary school
Privatisation of health services
Government has launched an indigenously developed newborn hearing screening device – SOHUM. This innovative medical device has been developed under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology. Sohum is a low cost and unique device which uses brainstem auditory evoked response, the gold standard in auditory testing to check for hearing response in a newborn. The portable Sohum Hearing Screening measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby’s head. When stimulated, they detect electrical responses generated by the brain’s auditory system. If there is no response, the child cannot hear. The battery-operated device is non-invasive, which means babies do not need to be sedated, which is the current, and risky, testing in process at present. Supreme Court has agreed with the government’s proposal of five eminent medical practitioners to oversee the functioning and decisions of the Medical Council of India. The tenure of the previous Oversight Committee led by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha has expired.
The Ministry of AYUSH has constituted a National Board for Promotion and Development of Yoga & Naturopathy (NBPDYN) for regulation of education & practice of Yoga & Naturopathy. Also, Ministry of AYUSH has in association with Quality Council of India (QCI) has developed a scheme for voluntary certification of Yoga professionals.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has urged its affiliated schools to detect specific learning disabilities in children at an early stage. CISCE has also asked schools to abide by the Right of Persons with Disability Act 2016, which says educational institutions should detect specific learning disabilities among children and take measures to help them overcome it. In the 2016 Act, the types of disabilities have been increased from existing 7 to 21 and the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. Persons with ‘benchmark disabilities’ are defined as those certified to have at least 40 per cent of a disability specified in the act. Every child with benchmark disability between the age group of 6 and 18 years shall have the right to free education. The Health Ministry and the NITI Aayog have developed a framework to let private hospitals run select services within district
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
AIDS
Compensation for silicosis death
WHO lauds India for fight against tobacco
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy
hospitals. Under this Public Private Partnership, care for only 3 noncommunicable diseases – cardiac disease, pulmonary disease, and cancer care will be provided. Private hospitals will bid for 30-year leases over portions of district hospital buildings to set up 50 or 100-bed hospitals in smaller towns across the county. The State governments will provide Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to the private players. Latest UNAIDS report has revealed that more than half of all People Living with HIV (PLHIV) now have access to HIV treatment. Further, globally AIDS-related deaths have almost halved since 2005. As of last year, 19.5 million of the 36.7 million HIV+ patients had access to treatment. Deaths caused by AIDS have fallen from 1.9 million in 2005 to 1 million in 2016. India has 2.1 million PLHIV, with 80,000 new infections annually, as of 2016. 90-90-90 target: diagnose 90% of people who are HIV+; get 90% of the diagnosed HIV+ people on antiretroviral treatment, and 90% of those on antiretrovirals should be virally suppressed. A labour court in Odisha’s Keonjhar district has awarded a compensation of Rs. 46 lakh combined to the families of those whose bread-winning male members died of silicosis. Silicosis is a preventable occupational lung disease. The labourers used to work in a mining unit where pyrophyllite was ground to powder. Subsequently, they developed breathing problems as a result of years of inhalation of crystalline silica. A WHO report notes that tobacco use in the country has fallen from 34.1% to 28.6%, comparing data from two rounds of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in 2009-10 and 2016-17. The number of tobacco users has reduced by about 81 lakh. The National Health Policy 2017 has set a target of “relative reduction in prevalence of current tobacco use by 15% by 2020 and 30% 2025”. The Government has established Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy under the Ministry of AYUSH. Prime mandate of the Pharmacopoeia Commission is to steer the work of developing quality standards of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic drugs and publish and revise Ayurvedic & other Pharmacopoeias, Formularies and regulatory compendia of these drugs.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Policy for haemoglobin disorders
A symbol for allopathic doctors
CAG report on private hospitals
NFHS-4 shows decreasing trend in under age marriages
The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has launched a policy on the Prevention and Control of haemoglobinopathies. This new policy for haemoglobin disorders like thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia will improve their screening and treatment. Supported by the National Health Mission, Blood Cell and the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, the guidelines provide for screening of pregnant women during antenatal check-up, premarital counselling at college level and one-time screening for variant anaemia in children. Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder characterised by the abnormal production of haemoglobin. The abnormality leads to improper oxygen transport and deformation of RBC. Sickle Cell Disease is a inherited haemoglobin disorder that requires lifelong management. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is trademarking a symbol to distinguish allopathic doctors from practitioners of other schools of medicine. The IMA has got a NOC from the Intellectual Property Office to trademark a red cross with the letters ‘Dr’ in the centre, on a white background, and is now registering it. However, the emblem closely resembles one of the emblems of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and has been recognised since the 1864 Geneva Convention as a distinctive sign for medical relief teams on battlefields. Also, India’s Geneva Convention Act, 1960, prohibits the use (without the Central Government’s permission) of ‘any design or wording’ that resembles the Red Cross emblems closely enough to be mistaken for it. A performance audit of India’s private hospitals by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that a majority of the institutions is evading tax. The private sector accounts for 80% of out-patient care and 60% of in-patient care in the country. According to State-wide data from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, the health sector attracted Foreign Direct Investment of Rs. 23, 169.91 crore between April 2000 and September 2016. Yet, the report states that most private hospitals and practitioners did not submit valid Permanent Account Numbers. Data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16), India fact sheet reveals decline in percentage of women in the age group 20-24 married before age 18 years. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16), the percentage of women in the age group 20-24 married before age 18 years is 26.8 which was 47.4 in National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 (2005-06), thus showing decreasing trend. Data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 (2015-16), India fact sheet have also revealed that Women age 15-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant has shown a decreasing trend. Further, Institutional births have shown an increasing trend with mother’s education and household wealth quintile.
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Similar trend is observed in case of full immunisation of Children (12-23 Months) and mothers who had at least four Antenatal care visits.
Economy and Agriculture Headline IBBI notifies rules for bankruptcy probe
Description
IRDAI's admission as a signatory to International Association of Insurance Supervisors
Co-location
Special safeguard mechanism
Six private players short-changed government
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has been given powers to start probes against service providers registered with it without intimating them. IBBI is implementing the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. Insolvency professional agencies, professionals, entities and information utility are considered as service providers under the Code. The Code, which provides for a market-determined and time-bound resolution of insolvency proceedings, became operational in December 2016. The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for IRDAI's admission as a signatory to International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS). The IAIS is a global framework for cooperation and information exchange between insurance supervisors.
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has filed a consent application with the SEBI to settle the co-location matter. Co-location refers to the facility wherein brokerages can house their servers inside the exchange to get better speed for trade execution. Since, the broker’s server is placed close to that of the exchange, the latency is reduced. India has said the outcomes of the upcoming 11th Ministerial Conference of WTO must include a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security purposes and finality on the agricultural SSM as well. Special safeguard mechanism (SSM) of WTO allows the developing nations to temporarily hike tariffs to counter sudden import surges or price falls. Six leading private telecom players understated their revenues by over Rs. 61,000 crore, depriving the exchequer of Rs. 7,697.62 crore. This was revealed in a report of the CAG.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Reliance Jio unveils low-cost feature phones
Reliance has unveiled a low-cost feature phone capable of accessing media content on tis high-speed network.
Minimum Support Price
A part of the agricultural price policy, MSP is the price at which the government offers to procure farmers’ produce during the season. The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs announces the MSP at the start of each sowing season, taking into account the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The purpose is to provide a fair return to efficient farmers and to protect the interest of consumers by keeping the prices of food and other agricultural commodities at reasonable levels. Also with MSP, farmers are incentivised to grow crops, which are short in supply. The government appointees on the Monetary Policy Committee will be paid Rs. 1.5 lakh per meeting. All the members of MPC, including the Governor, will need to observe a “silent period” of seven days before and after the rate decision for “utmost confidentiality”. Each member of the MPC has one vote and in case the number are equal, the governor has the casting vote. All members need to disclose their assets and liabilities and update this information once every year. Payments bank comes under a differentiated bank licence since it cannot offer all the services that a commercial bank offers. In particular, a payments bank cannot lend. It can take deposits up to Rs. 1 lakh per account and can issue debit cards but not credit cards. The main objective is financial inclusion and provide banking facilities to migrants, labourers, low income households and small businesses. A payments bank can work as a business correspondent of another bank. They can also distribute simple financial products like mutual fund units and insurance products. Minimum paid-up capital requirement is Rs. 100 crore. The Banking Regualtion (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance promulgated in May. It allows the RBI to open an insolvency resolution process in respect of specific stressed assets. The International Monetary Fund’s July World Economic Outlook Update retained India’s projected GDP growth rate for 2017-18 at 7.2% and at 7.7% for 2018-19. The report said that thought activity slowed following demonetisation, growth for 2016-17 was higher than anticipated on
MPC members to get Rs. 1.5 lakh per meet
Payments bank
Banking regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017
GDP growth forecast
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Facts in News (July Edition II) the back of government spending and stronger momentum in the first part of that year.
Nifty crosses 10,000 mark
RECP talks
Codex norms
Indradhanush scheme to recapitalise public sector banks
Rising from its base value of 1,000 in November 1995, the 50share Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) breached the 10,000-mark for the first time on 25th July. While the index opened above the 10,000 mark, during intraday trading it touched a high of 10,011.3 before closing almost flat at 9,964.55. Incidentally, the Nifty took a little over nine years to move from 1,000 in November 1995 to 2,000 in December 2004. But it took less than five months to move from 9,000 on March 3 to 10,000 on Tuesday. The 19th round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership RCEP Trade Negotiating Committee meeting was held at Hyderabad. The RCEP is a proposed mega Free Trade Agreement (FTA) involving 16 Asia Pacific nations including India and China. It aims, among other things, to liberalise investment norms in the region, besides boosting trade by dismantling most tariff and nontariff barriers. India has reservations regarding the potential adverse impact of eliminating duties on its local manufacturing and job creation. It also has been opposing binding norms on opening up the e-commerce sector. The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has adopted three Codex standards for black, white and green pepper, cumin and thyme. The adoption of Codex standards for the three spices will help evolve a common standardisation process for their global trade and availability. The Codex Alimentarius or “Food Code” is a collection of standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Commission, also known as CAC, is the central part of the joint FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations)/WHO (World Health Organisation) Food Standards Programme. With the adoption of Codex standards, member-nations would now have reference points and benchmarks to align their national standards for spices with Codex. The CAG has found lacunae in implementation of the Centre’s ‘Indradhanush’ scheme to recapitalise public sector banks (PSBs). The CAG report says that the scheme was not implemented in a manner envisaged. As per the scheme, a portion of the recapitalisation was to be based on the bank’ performance. However, this was not followed during disbursal of funds.
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme
Registered complaints against CAs
Technology park for women
NHB Residex
Hyperglobalisation
The parameters used to determine whether banks required capital changed from year to year and in some years the rationale for capitalising banks was not even recorded. The audit report said the scheme’s target of raising Rs. 1.1 lakh crore from the markets by 2018-19 was not likely to be met. The report added that said some banks that did not qualify for additional capital as per the decided norms, were infused with capital, and in some cases, banks were infused with more capital than required. The Centre is planning to link all canals under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) via geographical information system that would allow them to be remotely mapped. AIBP was launched in 1996/97 for providing financial assistance, to expedite completion of ongoing major/medium irrigation projects in the county. The objective was to accelerate the implementation of those projects which were beyond resource capability of the states or were in advanced stage of completion. During 2015-16, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched and AIBP was subsumed into it. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has said 4,445 complaints have been registered against CAs as on June 30 this year. Punishment has been awarded in 402 cases until March 2017. ICAI is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949. It regulates the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India. The first of its kind Women Technology Park (WTP) has been set up in Telengana. Women are being identified and brought to the park to expose them to latest technology and entrepreneurial ideas. The WTP is sponsored by Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division under Department of Science and Technology. It is now engaged in demonstration and dissemination of rural technologies related to weaving, metal art ware, banana fibre extraction, construction and habitat services, agro and forest-based processing technologies. NHB Residex is a set of benchmarks that aims to track housing price indicators across Indian cities. It has been launched by the National Housing Bank. Originally flagged off in July 2007, the index was discontinued in 2015 and was refurbished and re-introduced earlier in July. It now has enhanced city coverage (rising from 26 to 50, to be eventually raised to 100), a new base year (2012-13) and new data sources (with data from banks and home finance companies and market surveys). It is a term used to describe the dramatic increase in international trade witnessed for about a decade and a half from the early 1990s up to the global financial crisis of 2008.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Defence and Security Headline India to Host Global Conference on Cyber Space 2017
Description
First meeting of Islands Development Agency
India making a submersible vehicle to scout the sea
India will be hosting the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in 2017, one of the world’s largest conference on Cyber Space and related issues. The GCCS is taking place outside OECD nations for the first time. The theme for the GCCS 2017 is ‘Cyber4All: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace’. The conference to take place on 23rd & 24th of November 2017 in New Delhi.
The first meeting of the newly constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA) was held on 24th July. It was chaired by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh. The IDA was set up on June 01, 2017 following the Prime Minister’s review meeting for the development of islands. A group of Indian scientists are working on a mission to send a researcher in a spherical submersible vehicle, half a kilometre into the recesses of the Indian Ocean. If they succeed, it will pave the way for a bigger mission to send a three-member team in a titanium sphere, 6,000 metres into the sea to scout for little-known life-forms and precious metals. The National Institute of Ocean Technology is coordinating the mission and taking support of the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Tiruchi and ISRO, to fabricate the submersible vehicle. Titanium is the preferred material to make submersibles as it can withstand the enormous pressure of water at great depths.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels
CAG spots weaknesses in missile defence system
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2017
Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) has launched the first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs), Shachi and Shruti, at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. The ships are part of a five ship project being constructed for the Indian Navy. The primary role of NOPVs is to undertake surveillance of the country’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) besides operational tasks such as anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security of offshore assets, coastal security operations, and protection of shipping lanes. The NOPVs would increase the ocean surveillance and patrolling capabilities of the Indian Navy. These two NOPVs are the first warships to be launched by a private sector shipyard in India.
A CAG report tabled in the Parliament has revealed that over 70% of the under vehicle scanners (UVS) installed at Indian Air Force (IAF) bases were non-functional. It also said that the IL series of aircraft, which provides vital transport support to the IAF during contingencies, “has not been upgraded, and continue to fly with 1985 vintage avionics”.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an international event of military music performance undertaken by the Armed Forces. It is the largest tattoo performed in the world in the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Scotland. The Indian Navy Band will be performing in this prestigious event scheduled from 01 to 26 Aug 17 for the first time. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is well renowned event with over 50 bands participating, and nearly 8500 visitors attending the daily performances. Apart from India, bands from countries like Australia, France, Germany, Japan, etc, would also be performing at the tattoo this year.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) CAG reports
NIA arrests J&K separatist leaders
A CAG report tabled in UP Assembly has revealed that nearly 48% of UP police personnel are still using the .303 bore rifles, declared obsolete in 1995. Another audit report of CAG presented in the Parliament has flagged delay in construction of corvettes for anti-submarine warfare and lack in equipment fitting.
7 second-rung separatist leaders were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged role in “creating unrest” in the Kashmir valley. NIA was formed after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. It functions as the central counter terrorism law enforcement agency in India
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Science and Technology Headline Bots and automated accounts
Description
Fire-retardant, rustresistant material
New galaxy discovered
GM mustard release faced another hurdle
Ransomware attacks
Major solar flare in Proxima Centauri
Twitter is working to build new tools and features to stop bots or automated accounts from spreading misinformation. Globally, there is concern over social media platforms being used to spread misleading or false stories.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata have synthesised a hybrid molecular material that is hydrophobic (water hating) as well as fire-proof. The organic-inorganic hybrid material was synthesised by combining polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and diphenylalanine. Scientists have discovered a very distant galaxy, some 10 thousand million light years away, which is about 1,000 times brighter than the Milky Way. It is the brightest of the submillimetre galaxies, which have a very strong emission in the far infra red. Scientists led by Anastasio Diaz-Sanches from Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) in Spain used gravitational lensing that acts as a sort of magnifier, changing the size and intensity of the apparent image of the original object. The galaxy is notable for having a high rate of star formation. It is forming stars at a rate of 1,000 solar masses per year, compared to the Milky Way which is forming stars at a rate of some twice a solar mass per year. DMH-11 is a variety of mustard developed at Delhi University that employs genes from soil bacteria. DMH-11 is a hybrid variety of mustard developed by crossing a traditional variety of mustard, called Varuna, and an East European variety. The GEAC, India’s apex regulator for genetically modified seeds, had cleared GM mustrd for environmental release and use in farmer fields in May this year. A total of 34 incidents of infections from the two global ransomware attacks, WannaCry and Petya, were reported to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). WannaCry and Petya infected thousands of computers worldwide in May and June, respectively. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects a computer and restricts users’ access to affected files by encrypting them until a ransom is paid to unlock it. Space-based observatory, AstroSat has detected a powerful solar flare sent out by the Sun’s closest star neighbour, Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is a cool dwarf star situated a little over four light years away.
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Novel approach to cancer drug discovery
Outer Space treaty completes 50 years
Last year’s discovery of Proxima Centauri B – a planet orbiting Proxima Centauri and its lying in the habitable ‘Goldilocaks’ zone has raised hopes of finding life there. However, now this solar flare, with an energy of 10-raised to-30 ergs, makes it quite improbable for the planet to host a life form. Scientists at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata have used a novel approach to drug discovery. They did this by attaching or linking a DNA sequence of interest to gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles and picking those molecules that target and bind to the DNA sequence for further study. This approach helps in rapid identification of potential DNA binding molecules for cancer therapy. The Outer Space Treaty which laid the foundation for an international space law, came into force in October 1967. It came after a decade long space race between the Cold War rivals, the US and the USSR. It bars its signatory countries from placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit of the Earth, on the Moon or any other celestial body or the outer space. The treaty aims the use of space exploration for peaceful purposes.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Environment Headline Endangered Egyptian vultures
Description
Mango production dips
The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a globally threatened vulture species found in India. It is classified under the ‘Endangered’ red list of the IUCN. The species is popularly known as safed giddh (white vulture) in Hindi. According to BirdLife International, the present global breeding population of the Egyptian vulture is estimated to be 12,000 to 38,000 individuals. In news as the bird has found an undisturbed and safe roosting space at the Punjabi University campus in Patiala. After two years of bumper production, the mango produce in UP is going to be around 15 to 20 lakh tonnes, a drop of more than 50%. Varieties of mangoes – Dussheri, Chaunsa, Rataul, Lucknawa Safeda, Langda Reasons might be saturation in trees and exhaustion of their natural cycle after two years of bumper produce and the sudden dip in temperature at the time of flowering (around January) and huge range of temperature thereafter. Tata Motors has rolled out the country’s first bio-CNG (biomethane) bus.
Bio-methane bus
Coral bleaching
Bleaching has damaged the world’s northernmost coral reef in Japan.
Rare Northern river terrapin
The rare Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska) is a critically endangered turtle species. It has a river estuarine habitat. In India it is found in West Bengal and Odisha.
Krishna-Godavari basin
Mount Abu receives unprecedented rainfall
Gangotri glacier retreated 0.15 sq km in 9 years
Field surveys done in the KG basin has revealed land subsidence ranging from 1.5 ft to 5.4 ft over 130-year period, leading to seawater ingress. The resulting increase in soil salinity has affected farms. Increased coastal erosion has also damaged structures. Mount Abu has received an unprecedented 770 mm of rain in 24 hours. Mt. Abu is located at an elevation of 4000 feet above the sea level. It is Rajasthan’s on hill station, located in Sirohi district.
The Gangotri glacier has retreated 0.15 sq km between 2007 and 2016. The melting of the glacier has been studied by the ISRO by taking Survey of India maps of 1962 as the base. The ISRO study has also revealed that between 1962 and 2005 loss in area of Gangotri glacier was 3.19 sq km and between 1990 and
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Facts in News (July Edition II) 2007 it was 0.13 sq km. High Altitude Cloud Observatory
Petrol, diesel car face ban in UK
“Sagar Vani” - An Integrated Information Dissemination System
New diesel and petrol cars will be banned by 2040, as part of a package of measures designed to improve air quality in Britain, and meet tough EU rules on emissions, particularly around nitrogen dioxide emissions. Last year, Norway announced plans to phase out new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2025, via a green tax system. France will end the sales of these vehicles by 2040. Germany’s Bundesrat called for petrol vehicles to be phased out by 2030. Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harshvardhan has launched an app “Sagar Vani”. The ‘Sagar Vani’ will serve the coastal community, especially the fishermen community with the advisories and alerts towards their livelihood as well as their safety at Sea. The services will be disseminated in local languages using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.
‘India Quake’ – An App for Earthquake Parameter Dissemination
India all set to access resources under the Green Climate Fund for Finance Climate Action
Zealandia
A high altitude cloud physics observatory has been established at Munnar (Kerala), in Western Ghats. It is used to observe cloud and rain processes over that region with state of the art observations. Such facility will enable understanding of rainfall distribution and will allow better characterization of rainfall processes in the numerical models used for prediction of monsoon rainfall.
A Mobile App has been developed by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) for automatic dissemination of earthquake parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrence of earthquakes. Any citizen can download this App and get the real time earthquake location information on his/her mobile. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) functions under the financial mechanism set up under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to provide support to developing countries in combating climate change. So far, one project from India on “Installation of Ground Water Recharge System” in Odisha has recently been approved by the GCF for $34 million. Another proposal on coastal areas has already been submitted to the GCF Secretariat and several more projects are in the pipeline. In an attempt to unlock the secrets of the “lost continent” of Zealandia, scientists are setting sail on a drill ship Joides Resolution. Zealandia, which is mostly submerged beneath the South Pacific,
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Data on tiger deaths
was once part of the Gondwana super-continent but broke away some 75 million years ago. Scientists say that Zealandia is a distinct geological entity that met all the criteria applied to a continents. Covering five million square kilometres, it extends from south of New Zealand northward to New Caledonia and west to the Kenn Plateau off Australia’s east. In 2017, till 29th July, 62 tigers died of natural or unnatural causes and 14 cases of seizure of body parts had been reported from across the country. July 29 is observed as International Day of Tigers. 29 deaths (46%) occurred outside tiger reserves. While, in 2016, 37% deaths occurred outside tiger reserves. India is currently home to 70% of the world’s tiger population in over 17 States and 50 sanctuaries across the country. India is a part of the St Petersburg target, commonly referred to as the global wildlife conservation goal TX2, which aims to double the tiger numbers in the participating countries by 2022.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Culture Headline
Description
Kerala boat race
Carbon dating confirms Tamil Nadu site is from Sangam era
Kavirajamargam
A league of races has been conceptualised by Nehru Trophy Boat Race Committee. Carbon dating has confirmed that the archaeological site at Keezhadi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu dates back to the Sangam era. The site is nearly 2,200 years old. At Keezhadi, excavations were carried out up to a depth of 4.5 meters and samples were collected from a depth of 2 meters. A total of 72 potsherds with Tamil Brahmi script were found at Keezhadi which had several Tamil names. Carbon dating is a widely accepted tool to ascertain the age of archaeological and historical remains. Kavirajamargam (way of the king of poets) is the earliest available work in Kanada language. It was authored by Srivijaya and belongs to 9th century. Recently, it has been translated in English by RVS Sundaram and Deven M Patel. Kavirajamargam uses traditional Kanada metrical compositions and several meters borrowed from Sanskrit.
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Facts in News (July Edition II) Persons in News Fields Medal winner Mirzakhani dies at 40
U.R. Rao, formers chairman of ISRO dies
Prof. Yash Pal dies
Amazon's Jeff Bezos is now the richest man in the world
Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian-born mathematician who was the first woman to win the coveted Fields Medal, has died after a battle with cancer. She was 40. Mirzakhani was a Professor at Stanford University in California. In 2014, Ms. Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics, which is awarded by the International Congress of Mathematicians. The award recognised her sophisticated and highly original contributions to the fields of geometry and dynamical systems, particularly in understanding the symmetry of curved surfaces such as spheres. She had already won the 2009 Blumenthal Award for the Advancement of Research in Pure Mathematics and the 2013 Satter Prize of the American Mathematical Society. Udupi Ramachandra Rao, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation is no more. He was an acclaimed space scientist acknowledged as the father of Indian satellite technology. He was behind the launch of the first Indian satellite Aryabhata in 1975. He was also responsible for 18 early satellites including the landmark Bhaskara, APPLE, the Indian Remote sensing Satellites. In 1984, Dr. Rao succeeded Satish Dhawan as ISRO chairman. Dr. Yash Pal died at the age of 90 years in Noida in 25th July. He began his career as a professor at the TIFR. He went on to hold several senior position in government as Chief Consultant with the Planning Commission from in 1983, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology from 1984 to 1986) and as chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) for five years from 1986 to 1991. He was also the director of the Space Applications Centre, a wing of ISRO. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976 and India’s second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2013. In 1993 he led the MHRD panel on the issue of overburdening school children. The report of the committee, entitled Learning without Burden, remains a seminal document on Indian education. He also chaired the NCERT’s steering committee for the the National Curriculum Framework in 2005. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has become the world's richest person, overtaking Microsoft founder Bill Gates. As a result of a jump in the share price of Amazon, Bezos’ net worth has reached $90.5 billion, ahead of Bill Gates’ $90 billion. Amazon shares were up 1.7 per cent at $1,070.72 and have risen some 24 per cent over the past four months, adding some $17 billion to the net worth of the 53-year-old Bezos. Among the billionaires gaining ground is Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who has an estimated worth of some $72.9 billion.
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Facts in News (July Edition II)
Miscellaneous Headline Ramon Magsaysay Awards
Description
The Raman Magsaysay Awards are named after the Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash. The Awards are regarded as Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize. The awards are to be presented in Manila on Aug. 31. The six awardees are: - Yoshiaki Ishizawa, a Japanese historian who helped Cambodians preserve the Angkor temples. Gethsie Shanmugam, a Sri Lankan teacher who counselled war widows and orphans to overcome their nightmares. Abdon Nababan, an Indonesian working for the return of large tracts of forest land to indigenous communities. A Singaporean businessman Tony Tay, who leads the cooking of 6,000 meals a day for the destitute. A Philippine theatre group which stood up to a dictatorship. Lilia de Lima, a Filipino who oversaw the opening of jobgenerating export processing zones.
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