Current affairs : August 21, 2016
Indo-Canadian 1st woman Leader of House
Indo-Canadian Sikh MP Bardish Chagger has been
named as the new Leader of the government in Canada’s House of Commons.
- She becomes the first woman to hold the post in the country’s history.
- She was sworn in as Minister of Small Business and Tourism & will retain her title as the Ministe.
- She is one of the four Sikh Canadians inducted into PM Trudeau’s Cabinet.
China's high speed train maker launches operation
in India
China largest high-speed train maker has
announced the launch of its first joint venture (JV) plant in India with USD
63.4 million investment to manufacture and repair railway locomotives.
- The joint venture, named CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Pioneer (India) Electric Co Ltd, is housed in Bavo Industrial District of Haryana between New Delhi and Bombay.
India pledges Rs 39.97 million for upgrading school
in Nepal
India has pledged financial assistance worth
39.97 million Nepali Rupees for the construction of a new building and a hostel
facility at a Sanskrit school in eastern Nepal.
- The project is being implemented through the Indian government's grant assistance under the small development programme.
Maneka Gandhi Inaugurate Animal Birth Control
Centre in Dehradun
Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister
Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the state’s first animal birth control centre (ABC)
at Kedarpuram. The centre will take up birth control measures with stray dogs
the population of which has been rising in the city and the state.
- The centres will be set up in Nainital and Mussoorie and other five municipal corporations in Haridwar, Haldwani, Kashipur, Haldwani and Roorkee.
- The Department of Urban Development has sanctioned Rs 2 crore to set up the centres.
Andhra Pradesh police launches pilot project on DNA
profiling
Andhra Pradesh Police has launched DNA Index
System (DIS), the first-of-its-kind initiative that allows generation of DNA
profiles from live samples like saliva and blood stains.
- The system uses the latest DNA technology tool called RapidHIT developed by IntegenX of USA.
- The DIS allows generation of DNA profiles using buccal swabs, blood stains, saliva and other live samples in less than two hours.
India world’s third biggest tech start-up hub:
Assocham
India is home to the 3rd largest number of
technology-driven start-ups in the world, with the US and the UK occupying the
top two positions.
- The study, done by Assocham in association with Thought Arbitrage Research Institute, also revealed that Bengaluru is host to the largest share of technology start-ups in the country, followed by Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, while Hyderabad and Chennai are also quite popular among budding tech entrepreneurs.
- In the technology driven start-ups, India has moved up to 3rd position with the US occupying the top position with more than 47,000 and the UK with over 4,500.
National Award winning film Sankhachil selected for Montreal Film Festival
Director Goutam Ghosh’s National award-winning film “Sankhachil”, an Indo-Bangla joint production, has been selected for the renowned 40th Montreal World Film Festival.
Director Goutam Ghosh’s National award-winning film “Sankhachil”, an Indo-Bangla joint production, has been selected for the renowned 40th Montreal World Film Festival.
- It is noted that Sankhachil is an Indo-Bangla production.
1. Sunil Mittal:
Sunil Bharti Mittal has been re-appointed as the
Chairman of telecom giant Bharti Airtel for another 5 years, with effect from
October 1, 2016.
- Mittal is the Founder of Bharti Enterprises, India's one of largest conglomerates with diversified interests in telecom, insurance, real estate, agri and food, besides other ventures.
2. R S Sodhi:
Amul Managing Director (MD) R S Sodhi has been
appointed as independent director on the board of India Post Payment
Banks (IPPB) - the payments bank arm of postal department.
- Sodhi is one of the 5 independent members to be appointed on the board IPPB, which is set to be operational in March 2017.
- The India Post Payments Bank aims to become the most accessible bank in the world, riding on advanced banking and payments technology.
3.Deepika Padukone:
Vistara announced the appointment of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as its brand ambassador.
- Tata SIA Airlines Limited, operating as Vistara, is an Indian domestic airline based in Gurgaon with its hub at Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Person in News:
1.Yogeshwar Sangwan:
Shri Yogeshwar Sangwan, presently Ambassador of
India to the Republic of Armenia, has been concurrently accredited as the
Ambassador of India to Georgia, with residence in Yerevan (Armenia).
- Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.
2.Subrata Banerjee:
Subrata Banerjee, the former international
umpire, died at the age of 71 in Kolkata.
- Banerjee had a 15-year career at the international level, where he officiated in 13 ODIs.
3.Joyce Carol Thomas:
Joyce Carol Thomas, a prize-winning children’s author
and champion of multiculturalism, has died at the age of 78.
- Joyce Carol Thomas was anAfrican-American poet, playwright, motivational speaker, and author of more than 30 children’s books.
