*Recent Current Affairs*
_June 1, 2_
✍ ✻ *¢υяяєит αffαιяѕ* ✻ ✍
*Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves Mau-Tarighat Railway line project*
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 1 June 2016 gave its approval for a new broad gauge line between Mau Station of North Eastern Railway and Tarighat Terminal station of East Central Railway.
The total length of this new broad gauge line will be 51 kilometers.
The estimated cost of the project is 1765.92 crore and expected completion cost is 2109.07 crore rupees with 5 percent escalation per annum.
It is estimated that the project will be completed in the next six years during 12th and 13th Plan period.
*Key highlights of the project*
• This project will provide alternative, shorter convenient and better transport infrastructure to the area separated by River Ganga.
• It will ultimately remove the transport difficulties in the area and to boost the socio economic development.
• The catchment area of project line will serve passenger requirement and will facilitate the people of the area for travelling to different parts of the country.
• It will provide an alternative route connecting Northern and East Central railway via NE Railway.
• It has huge potential in enhancing railway traffic and also gives opportunity to develop this area by providing more efficient transportation system.
• The new line crosses the river Ganges at the downstream of existing road bridge for NH 97.
• It is located almost parallel to it and joins the existing BG line from Tarighat to Dildar Nagar.
• This line will be alternative route for train passing from Howrah to New Delhi and back.
• Construction of this line will provide a link to Allahabad-Patna double line electrified section.
• It will also decongest the Allahabad-Mugalsarai-Patna route particularly around Mugalsarai yard.
*India joins Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation*
India on 1 June 2016 joined the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) against Ballistic Missile Proliferation as its 138th subscribing state. India joined it by notifying HCoC Central Contact, Vienna, through diplomatic channels.
India’s joining the Code signals its readiness to further strengthen global non-proliferation objectives. Its subscription reinforces its support for international missile non-proliferation.
This will also help to increase transparency and strengthen security.
Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC)
• The HCOC is a voluntary mechanism that has built a broad international predisposition against ballistic missile proliferation.
• It also promotes transparency and confidence building, including through the Subscribing States’ commitment to submit pre-launch notifications and annual declarations of their relevant policies.
• It consists of a set of general principles, modest commitments, and limited confidence-building measures.
• It is intended to supplement, not supplant, the Missile Technology Control Regime, and is administered collectively by all subscribing states.
• It was formally brought into effect on 25 November 2002, at a launching conference hosted by the Netherlands in The Hague. The number of signatories has increased from 96 to 138.
• Formerly, it was known as the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation.
• The non-subscribing states include countries like China, Pakistan, Israel and Iran.
*Indian banker Raghavan Seetharaman awarded Green Economy Visionary Award*
Raghavan Seetharaman, Qatar-based Indian banker, on 30 May 2016 was awarded the Green Economy Visionary award.
Seetharaman was honoured for his contribution in environment-friendly activities and for promoting green economy for nearly two decades.
The banker was presented with the award at the 2016 Union of Arab Banks International Banking Summit held in Rome. Mohammed Jarrah Al-Sabah, Chairman of Union of Arab Banks, presented the award to Seetharaman.
*Who is Raghavan Seetharaman?*
• Raghavan Seetharaman is the Group CEO of Doha Bank, which is one of the largest commercial banks in Qatar.
• In 2015, business magazine Forbes ranked Seetharaman 6th in the Forbes’ Top Indian Leaders in the Arab World 2015 list.
• He started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the four largest professional services networks.
• In 2002, he became Deputy CEO for Doha Bank.
• He was named CEO in September 2007.
• He graduated with a degree in commerce from the University of Madras and then became a chartered accountant.
• He also earned a double doctorate, first in Global Governance from the European University in 2013 and the second in Green Banking and Sustainability from Sri Sri University in 2015.
• He also received an honorary degree (Doctorate of Laws) from the Washington College.
*India, US signed MoU to Enhance Cooperation on Energy Security, Clean Energy & Climate Change*
India and the United States (US) on 2 June 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation on energy security, clean energy and climate change.
The MoU will provide framework to work more closely not only for betterment of people but also for creating a positive environment for US companies working in India.
It will also provide momentum for cooperative work which needs to be done in fields of energy security, clean energy and climate change.
*Objective of the MoU*
• To enhance cooperation on energy security, clean energy and climate change through increased bilateral engagement and further joint initiatives for promoting sustainable growth.
• These activities are intended to increase incentives for innovation including research and development, and voluntary and mutually-agreed technology transfer, as well as the deployment of clean energy technologies.
• Contribute to a global effort to curb the rise in greenhouse gas emissions
• To enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change
The Priority initiatives under the MoU would be:
• US-India Energy smart Cities Partnership
• Greening the Grid
• Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy (PEACE) expansion
• Energy Efficiency including space cooling
• Renewable energy
• Energy security
• Clean energy finance
• US-India partnership for Climate Resilience
• Air quality
• Forestry, Landscapes and REDD+
• Fellowships
• Accelerating innovation on clean energy and climate change
Apart from this, the two nations also inked a pact or exchange of terrorist screening information. As per this Arrangement
• Both sides shall provide each other access to terrorism screening information through the designated contact points, subject to domestic laws and regulations.
• It would also enhance the counter terrorism cooperation between India and USA.
*Current Affairs Recap of the Day: 1 June 2016*
• A massive fire broke out at the Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) in- Pulgaon
• Uttar Pradesh Government on 31 May 2016 approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of- Varanasi
• The Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme 2016 that came into effect on 1 June 2016 was incorporated into this chapter of the Finance Act, 2016 – Chapter X
• The age of superannuation of all doctors of Central Health Services was extended by Union Government to – 65 years from previous 62 years
• The state that decided to raise the retirement age of state government doctors as per the age of doctors of Central Health Services as notified by Union Government is – Haryana
• Gotthard Base Tunnel, world’s longest railway tunnel, was recently inaugurated in - Switzerland
• The National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited recently announced to launch a Ganga cleaning project in – Bihar
• The Government of India and the World Bank recently signed an agreement to - improve efficiency of City Bus Services
• India recently launched the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with this country to accelerate the pace of economic development between the two nations - Morocco
• The country recently visited by the Vice President of India Hamid Ansari to strengthen bilateral ties with India is – Morocco
• Asia’s largest technology trade show that kicked off in Taipei, attracting more than 1600 companies from 30 countries to showcase their latest products is named as - COMPUTEX
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy for kharif season 2016-17 by 60 rupees to - 1470 rupees per quintal
• The UN children's agency, UNICEF, has decided to scale up operations to support twenty two thousand migrant children in - Greece
• The state cabinet has decided to give 6 percent additional dearness allowance to state government staff from 1 January 2016 is - Madhya Pradesh
• The country in which forty tiger cub bodies have been found in a freezer at a Buddhist temple accused of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse - Thailand
• The state that decided to celebrate 'Gramoday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan' every year - Madhya Pradesh
• The World Milk Day that is observed annually on 1 June was first celebrated by UN Food and Agriculture Organization in - 2001
• The Global Day of Parents that is observed annually on 1 June was proclaimed by UN General Assembly in - 2012
• He was appointed as a member of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) by President Pranab Mukherjee - Bhim Sain Bassi, former Delhi Police Commissioner
• The person was appointed as the Finance Secretary - Ashok Lavasa, an IAS officer of 1980 batch of Haryana cadre
• The provisional estimates of national GDP for 2015-16 released by Central Statistical Office (CSO) is pegged at – 7.6%
• The number of core industries which comprise nearly 38 percent of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) - Eight
• Asia’s largest technology trade show COMPUTEX was started on 31 May 2016 in- Taipei
• He assumed the office of Secretary in the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs - Prabhas Kumar Jha
• The first ever national plan that was released in India to make it disaster resilient - National Disaster Management Plan
*Recap of the Day: 2 June 2016*
The recap of the day covers important current affairs of the day like India Post Payment Banks, India-US MoU on Wildlife Conservation and Indus Valley Civilisation among others.
• Percent of government equity in India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) that will be set up under the Department of Posts - 100 percent
• The Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism with - Qatar
• The Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of wildlife conservation and combating wildlife trafficking with - the United States (US)
• A study by researchers at major excavated site of Bhirrana, Haryana suggests that the Indus Valley Civilisation was much older than thought before, that is, it is – 8000 years old
• Cricketer whose name will be used by Kerala Government in a campaign against drug and liquor abuse in the state - Sachin Tendulkar
• The National Film Archive of India acquired 1790 songbooks of Hindi films belonging to every decade of the country's cinematic heritage starting from - 1934 to 2012
• UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, asked the Security Council to add just over 2500 peacekeepers to the UN peacekeeping mission in this country- Mali
• Wildlife authorities of the country said that they will press charges against a Buddhist temple where the bodies of 40 dead tiger cubs were found - Thailand
• The country that was declared free from Ebola virus transmission by World Health Organization - Guinea
• Country that decided to gradually stop sending house maids abroad, mainly to the Middle East - Sri Lanka
• India has gifted 2000 bicycles to poor dalit girls of a country to encourage them to enroll in schools and enhance the literacy rate among them - Nepal
• Two Indian-origin women who featured on the Forbes' annual list of America's 60 wealthiest and most successful self-made women entrepreneurs are - Neerja Sethi and Jayshree Ullal
• He assumed charge as Chief of Personnel, Indian Navy on 28 May 2016- Vice admiral AK Chawla
• The Sri Lankan Cricketer who announced retirement from Tests with immediate effect on 1 June 2016- Nuwan Kulasekara
• The organization that was granted affiliation by the Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) on 2 June 2016- Indian Boxing Council (IBC)
• The state that unfurled the second largest National flag of 291 foot on its foundation day on 2 June 2016- Telangana
• He assumed charge as first ever chief executive officer (CEO) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai on 1 June 2016- Rahul Johri
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Extension of Corridor-1 of Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I Project from -Washermanpet to Wimconagar
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