Current Affairs Today – May 1 2016

Andhra Pradesh is preparing to become the first state in the country to cent percent of its urban regions “Open Defecation Free” by October 2. This will be benchmarked for launch of “Swachh Bharat” mission by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) at Visakhapatnam assured to instate during a review of progress of Swachh Bharat Mission in all the 110 municipalities of States

Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 comes into force after 8 year long efforts

Real Estate Act comes into force with effect from 1^st May after 8 year long efforts to make operational Rules, Setting up regulatory authorities and Appellate tribunals.

Responsible Ministry: Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation

Sections Involved under the Act: 69 notified out of total 92 sections

• The Act was initiated during National Conference of Housing Ministers of States and Union Territories in January 2009.

BSF to put tallest ‘Tiranga’ at Wagah border by January 2017

The Border Security Force is mulling to set up the tallest national flag near Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post famously known as the Wagah border. This flag can be seen both from Lahore as well as Amritsar.

• The flag measures 350 feet is part of BSF’s extension plans for the visitors’ gallery at the site of the iconic Retreat ceremony.
• Earlier this year to commemorate NetajiSubhas Chandra Bose’sbirth anniversary union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar hoisted the largest tricolour of 99 X 66 feet on the country’s tallest flag post at 293 feet in Ranchi.

World’s largest telescope may be set up in Ladakh

The world largest to be built called Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) project may be set up at Hanle in Ladakh. This is the effect of protests in Hawaii in the US which was proposed site for the telescope.

• The project intended exploring the universethat will strengthen the domestic programme of the country in this field and lead to several discoveries. India is a 10 per cent partner in the TMT project which is a partnership countries includes China, Japan, Canada and the US.
• This project in terms of finance and its scientific valueare also looking at alternate sites both in the northern and southern hemisphere
• The project site includes Chile, Hanle in Ladakh and others which are all being evaluated for technical and logistical suitability

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ADMM plus Exercise on Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism at Brunei and Singapore

In a bid to India’s Act East Policy and Indian Navy’sregular endeavour to enhance maritime security in the Indo-Pacific regions .

• The Naval Ship (INS) Airavat of India arrived at Brunei and will take part in the ADMM Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus) Exercise on Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism from 01 to 09 May 16.
• ADMM plus Ex MS & CT is a multinational exercise of ADMM Plus countries group. This edition will commence at Brunei and conclude at Singapore.
• During the course of the exercise the Indian Navy would engage with participating navies from various ASEAN and other countries through professional interactions in harbour and complex operations at sea.

Iraq declares state of emergency as protestors storm into Parliament

Iraq government has declared a state of emergency after supporters of Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr stormed parliament.

• Protesters in the capital has reached the cabinet headquarters inside the Green Zone of the cabinet building.
• A television in Iraq Al-Sadr accused lawmakers of sectarianism in their selection of ministers and ordered his bloc to withdraw from the parliament session to finish voting on a new cabinet.
• Earlier Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has promised to allocate minority Sunnis and Kurds a bigger role in government, has under resistance to an effort to replace politicians in key roles.

Iraq:

• Capital: Baghdad
• Currency: Iraqi Dinar

BANKING & FINANCE

EPFO to launch system for discouraging premature withdrawals 

Employers Provident Fund Organisation has launched One Employee One EPF Account system on labours day (May1) to put off early PF withdrawals and to give fillip to state governments to join its pension system.

• The decision comes after the Central government’ rollback to tighten PF withdrawal norms restricting subscribers to withdraw employer’s share of PF contributions (3.67 per cent of basic wages) before the age of 58 years.
• All running contracts and future contracts by municipalities be scrutinized to join all eligible employees and to secure compliance under this iniative.
• In the function labour minister launched a software named EPFO-E-samkishahas been launched for centralized processing that will transfer and consolidate accounts with ease

BUSINESS

India ranks on 5th Place in forge goods trade, China on Top in the list

Airtel, GBI announce partnership for West Asia

India’s biggest Telecom Giant Bharti Airtel Business and GBI have entered into a strategic partnership to increase Airtel’s direct reach to many new countries in the Middle East.

• The partnership is in line with the long-term strategy of Airtel Business expected to increase the potential for the Middle East market
• New Delhi based Bharti Airtel ranks among the top three mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers.
• While GBI owns and operates a multilayer carrier neutral network offering services to West Asian countries.

Airtel:

• HQ: New Delhi
• The Sunil Mittal founded Airtel Global network spanning across 50 countries across 5 continents

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indian-American Journalist and her colleagues receives Edgar A Poe Award

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Abhinav Bindra becomes Rio olympics goodwill ambassador

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had Appointed 2008 Olympic Gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindraas the second goodwill ambassador for India’s Rio contingent to be held this year.

• This appointment comes from IOA after the uproar over Salman Khan’s appointment as the good will ambassador for the Rio Olympics.
• The Olympian Shooter is the second person have been appointed by IOA.
• Earlier KKR Skipper GautamGambhir had batted for Bindra’s inclusion as an Ambassador. The captain emphasized India’s first post-independence gold medal as the reason.

AbinavBindra:

• Dehradun hailed Abinav Bindra is shooter who became the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India’s Kalvari stealth submarine starts sea trials

Indian Navy’s first indigenous Scorpene-class stealth submarine Kalvari has been sailed out of Mumbai Harbour for sea trials with this feet India’s defence preparedness is set to get a shot in the arm.

• The submarine will go through a set of sea trials in the next few months that includes surface trials, diving trials, weapon trials, Noise trials, then she would be commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Kalvari.
• The submarine is the first of the Navy’s Scorpene class stealth submarines being fabricated under the Project 75. The submarines built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and France based DCNS.

SPORTS

Indian team win one silver, two bronze in Archery World Cup

Indian women’s Archery team sealed silver after losing to Chinese Taipei seed in the title clash in the Archery World Cup at the Yuanshen Stadium in Shanghai, China.

• Women’s team comprising DeepikaKumari, Bombayla Devi Laishram and LaxmiraniMajhi lost to the lower-ranked Chinese Taipei in the recurve team final.
• Third seeded Indian men’s recurve team of Atanu Das, JayantaTalukdar and Mangal Singh Champia hammered ninth seed British team to bag the bronze
• The mixed pair of Deepika and Atanufrom India getting fancied Koreans in shoot-off to end with another bronze.

Vijender Singh records 5th consecutive victory in Professional Boxing

Pro turned Indian Boxer Vijender Singh notched up his fifth consecutive knockout win by battering Matiouzeroyer of Frenchin London.

• Vijender was declared winner little over a minute into the fifth round of the six-round super middleweight contest which was incidentally his longest bout so far.

Vijender Singh:

• The Haryana hailed Singh turned professional after signing a multi-year agreement withFrank Warren’s Queens berry Promotions last year.
• The boxer has given a number of awards that includes the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Padma Shri.

BCCI announces resumption of bilateral cricket ties with West Indies

Indian cricket Administrator BCCI announced the resumption of bilateral cricket ties after resolved all outstanding issues with the West Indies.

• The Indian team scheduled to play a four match Test series in July-August against West Indies.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the West Indies Cricket Board have resolved outstanding issues arising out of the abandonment of the tour of the West Indies team to India in 2014.
• Earlier the Indian Cricket body had announced that board has decided to waive off the financial penalty of USD 41.97 million that was imposed on the WICB.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book on Param Vir Chakra winners launched

Indian High Commissioner to the K.NavtejSarna launched a book celebrating the lives of 21 Param Vir Chakra winners written by a well-known Indian social activist.

• Param Vir Diaryby Manju Lodha covers a total of 21 instances of bravery recounted by the friends and families of Param Vir Chakra awardees.
• Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry honour bestowed by government to those serving in the Indian armed forces.It is such a sporadic honour that only 21 people have ever been awarded one. Two-thirds of them posthumously.
• Lodha chairs the Lodha Foundation, it wants proceeds from the book to go to the foundation that will be passed on to the Indian Army.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Workers’ Day

The International Workers day celebrated on 1st May every year to highlight this significance. This is also known as International Labours Day and May Day.

• The Labour Day aims to pay tribute to workers’ sacrifices in achieving economic and social rights all over the world. Labor unions throughout the world celebrate and organize seminars, rallies and parades on behalf of the celebrations.
• The theme of International Labour Day 2016 is Celebrating the international labour movement.

Labour is one of the four key factors of manufacturing pillars along with Land, Capital and organisation.