Current affairs : October 22, 2016 for all competetive exams
PM Narendra Modi announces India's first Railway University in Vadodara
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
inaugurated the integrated terminal building of Vadodara's Harni Airport.
- The event has been jointly organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Kanpur-based Artificial Limb Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), and Vadodara district administration.
Central assistance for 99 prioritized irrigation projects under AIBP
The government has released the first installment of Rs. 1500 crore to the
states as central assistance for 99 prioritized irrigation projects under
Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Program (AIBP).
- This amount has been released for 50 projects in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Telangana.
Western Zonal Council Meeting held in Mumbai
The 22nd meeting of the Western Zonal Council consisting of the States of
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra
& Nagar Haveli was recently held at Mumbai under the chairmanship of Shri
Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister.
- The Council reviewed issues which relate to coastal security, internal security, issuance of bio-metric identity cards to fishermen & issue of card readers, formulation of plans for countering terrorism, modernization of police force etc.
Loan to National Water Development Agency (NWDA)
NABARD has sanctioned loan worth Rs. 19,702 crore to National Water
Development Agency (NWDA) for 50 irrigation projects from 11 States under Long
Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF). It is part of the government’s vision to double
the farmers’ income by 2022.
- This loan is part of the Central share of assistance to State Governments and will ensure front loading of resources so that the identified incomplete irrigation projects under Pradhan Mandtri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY) are executed in time.
Civil Aviation Ministry’s Regional Connectivity Scheme “UDAN” Launched
The Centre has unveiled a regional connectivity scheme, known as UDAN (Ude
Desh ka Aam Nagrik), with flights priced at Rs.2,500 for one hour of flying
time to and from regional airports.
- The UDAN scheme will be applicable on flights which
cover between 200 km and 800 km with no lower limit set for hilly, remote,
islands and regions which are security sensitive.
- Under the UDAN scheme, the flights are bound to
connect at least one RCS airport (underserved and unserved airports).
A “first of its kind” in the world, UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) will be
based on market mechanism as well as bidding for a minimum of 50% seats in the
participating airline’s flight and the rest would be market-based pricing.
Report on number of cases lodged
by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Uttar Pradesh had the
highest number of cases of human rights violation lodged by the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) in the past year, with 44% of the total number of
cases registered with the NHRC pertaining to the State.
- UP is followed by Odisha, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar and
Rajasthan.
- U.P. also had the most number of deaths in judicial custody.
Oxford to launch online Hindi dictionary
Oxford University Press on
Thursday announced the launch of online Hindi dictionary as part of the Oxford
Global Languages (OGL) programme.
- Hindi is the ninth language to become a part of the OGL programme, which has led to the development of a Hindi-Hindi online dictionary.
Dr. B.C. Roy Award for the year 2014-15
Senior nephrologist Dr. PVLN
Murthy has bagged the prestigious Dr.B.C. Roy National Award recognising his
merit as an eminent medical teacher for the year 2014-15.
- The award has been instituted by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and awarded every year on July 1 (National doctors day) by the President of the India.
World Bank award for Almatti dam
Almatti dam, one of the
largest reservoirs in Karnataka, was chosen for the World Bank’s Award of
Excellence for best utilisation of funds for renovation to enhance the strength
of the dam.
- The World Bank had granted Rs.72 crore to the Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Limited to prevent seepage which could damage the dam.
UN rights council sets up probe into Aleppo
violence
The UN rights council on
Friday called for a special investigation into violence in Aleppo in a
resolution fiercely critical of Syria’s government.
- The resolution called for the UN’s existing Commission of Inquiry for Syria to “conduct a comprehensive, independent special inquiry into the events in Aleppo,” and to identify individuals responsible for the most serious violations.
South Africa to quit International Criminal
Court
South Africa said on Friday
it was quitting the International Criminal Court (ICC) because membership
conflicted with diplomatic immunity laws, dealing a new blow to the struggling
court and angering the political opposition.
- International Criminal Court is the world’s first permanent war crimes court
Former HCL Tech CEO sets up Rs.100-cr fund
former HCL Technologies
chief executive Anant Gupta has now set up a Rs.100-crore fund to support
ventures developing cutting-edge technology products.
- Mr. Gupta announced a new investment firm ‘Techcelx’
that will focus on developing next-gen digital technology products and
platforms.
- The Rs.100-crore fund will focus on ventures like machine learning, IoT (Internet of Things) and artificial intelligence.
FIFA unveils mascot for 2018
World Cup
Zabivaka the wolf followed
in the footsteps of Naranjito the orange, Footix the football-playing rooster
and Fuleco the armadillo by being named as the official mascot of the 2018
World Cup.
- The wolf, whose name according to FIFA means “the one who scores”, received 53 per cent of the more than one million votes cast in a poll, beating a tiger (27 percent) and a cat (20 percent).
