Current affairs : November 3, 2016 for all competitive exams
Online applications for homes under PM Awas Yojana starts
In a significant initiative, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty
Alleviation has enabled online submission of applications by the urban poor for
affordable houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(Urban).
- In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Ministry of HUPA and Common Services Centre e-Governance Services India Limited of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Centre moots registry to vet geospatial data
The government is developing a national data registry (NDR) that will
require all agencies— state, private and academic — that collect and store
geospatial data to provide details of the data they store.
- The purpose of such a registry is to create a “catalogue” that would “prevent duplication” of data sets and to help users locate the right agencies to source information.
Researchers aim to scoop out marine oil spills
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research
(IISER) Thiruvananthapuram have developed a gelator to recover marine oil
spills.
- The gelator molecule is partly hydrophobic and partly hydrophilic. While the hydrophilic part helps in self-assembling to form gelator fibres, the hydrophobic part is responsible for its diffusion into the oil layer.
Duty drawback facility extended for textiles
The government has extended duty drawback facility for one year on all
textile products to boost exports, and has increased rates in some cases for
the benefit of Indian exporters
- The duty drawback benefits textile exporters to
overcome the barriers they face in exports.
- CBEC revises drawback rates every year on November 1 for one year.
Maharastra first to launch
cyber police stations in all districts
Maharashtra is the first
state in the country to have a cyber police station in each district
simultaneously.
- The state is converting 42 state-of-the-art
cyber-crime labs into police stations.
- The state government is also setting up 51 cyber-crime labs. Notably, cyber crime in the state has increased by 142.1% in the last few years.
India, Palestine sign MoU for setting up of Techno Park
in Ramallah
India and Palestine have signed an agreement for setting up of a techno
park in Ramallah with an Indian grant of $12 million.
- The decision to set up ‘Palestine-India Techno Park’ was taken during the visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to that country last October.
India-Bangladesh joint
military exercise SAMPRITI-2016 to commence from 05 Nov
The joint military training
exercise “Sampriti-2016” will be conducted between India and Bangladesh at
Tangail, Dhaka, Bangladesh from 05 to 18 November 2016.
- Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and Bangladesh and will be the sixth edition of the exercise which is hosted alternately by both countries.
Australia announces 19 grants
worth $6.3 million for projects with India
In a bid to boost ties with
India, the Australian government on 02nd November 2016 has announced 19 grants
worth $6,30,000 dollars for several projects in the field of education,
science, sports, arts and culture.
- The successful grants include an exchange between TAFE NSW and India's Centurion University to share expertise for training indigenous learners, collaboration between University of New South Wales and Indian scientists to develop effective new water purification systems for the country's water supply.
LinkedIn inks MoU with govt to
create jobs for students
Leading global professional
network LinkedIn has signed an agreement with the human resource development
ministry to create more job opportunities for Indian students.
- As part of the MoU, LinkedIn’s ‘Placements’ product will be adopted by all Indian colleges affiliated with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Sulabh founder Bindeshwar
Pathak is the brand ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission
Ministry of Railways on 02nd
November appointed Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International,
as a Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission. As part of the mission, Sulabh
International has been assigned the task to clean some important railway
stations across the country.
- Sulabh International is an India-based social service organization which works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education.
Sanjiv Arora appointed as the
next Ambassador of India to Lebanon
An Indian Foreign Service
(IFS) Sanjiv Arora has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Lebanon by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
- Lebanon, officially known as the Lebanese Republic, is a sovereign state in Western Asia.
South Korea names new PM and
finance minister amid scandal
South Korea's presidential
office on Wednesday named a new prime minister and finance minister.
- Kim Byong-joon, a senior former presidential
secretary is expected to replace Hwang Kyo-ahn as prime minister.
- The Blue House named Financial Services Commission Chairman Yim Jong-yong as finance minister and deputy prime minister.
IFFI to honour Kwon Taek Im
with Lifetime Achievement Award
Union Information and
Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on 2nd November 2016 announced that
renowned South Korean director Im Kwon-taek will be honoured with the Lifetime
Achievement Award at the upcoming 47th International Film Festival of India
(IFFI) in Goa.
- The IFFI will take place from 20 November to 28 November 2016. The festival will pay a special tribute to late Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda and late Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami.
Indian badminton player Pratul
Joshi wins Bahrain International Challenge title
Indian shuttler Pratul Joshi
has won the men’s singles title of the Bahrain International Challenge
badminton tournament.
- This was his maiden international title. In the summit clash played at Segayya in Bahrain, Pratul defeated Aditya Joshi.
