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January 1st to 9th News

International:
N Korea conducts hydrogen bomb test
According to the North Korean news agency, on 6th January, North Korea has conducted its first hydro-
gen bomb test, a move that could potentially seriously escalate tensions in the Korean peninsula
An earthquake has been reported in North Korea, the epicenter of which happens to be very close to
Punggye-ri nuclear test site leading to speculations of fresh nuclear test by North Korea. The US geo-
logical survey has put the magnitude of tremors at 5.1 on richter scale.
It is to be noted that North Korea has conducted nuclear tests at the same site in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

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North Korea remains under United Nations sanctions for its missile tests.
The latest test takes Pyongyang dangerously close to possessing a whole range of nuclear weapons in

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its stockpile. It was not immediately clear what action, if any, the 15-nation council was planning to
takes
UNSC to pursue new curbs against N Korea

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The UN Security Council on 7th January warned that it will impose new sanctions against North Korea
after it carried out hydrogen bomb test with the world body strongly condemning Pyongyangs action
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as a clear threat to international peace and security. The 15-nation Security Council, including China,
held urgent consultations here to address the serious situation arising from the nuclear test con-
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ducted by North Korea.
Iran decides to ban all products from Saudi Arabia
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Iran has decided to ban all products from Saudi Arabia after the two countries severed diplomatic
relations. Riyadh executed top Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on 2nd January, inciting a response in
Tehran, where the Saudi embassy was stormed by protesters. On Monday, Saudi Arabia formerly
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severed diplomatic ties with Iran

Worlds most-wanted drug lord re-captured, returned to same jail he fled
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In addition to the daily Joaquin Guzman, the worlds most-wanted drug trafficker, was recaptured by
Mexican authorities on 8th January, six months after he humiliated the government by breaking out of
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jail for a second time. He returned to the same maximum-security facility he escaped from in July.
Guzman, known as El Chapo and labelled the worlds most powerful drug trafficker by the US Trea-
sury Department, was nabbed early 8th January after authorities tracked him to a home in northern
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Mexico and then chased him through sewage tunnels. He had been on the lam since escaping from a
central Mexico prison through an almost mile-long custom-made tunnel equipped with lighting, ven-
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tilation and a motorcycle on rails.

Since Guzmans escape, Pena Nieto has come under increased scrutiny for his security record, robbing
momentum from sweeping legal changes he pushed through to bolster competition in the nations
energy and telecommunications sectors. The capture in Guzmans home state of Sinaloa lessens a
major embarrassment for the president, who had said that allowing Guzman, the alleged head of the
Sinaloa Cartel, to break out of jail a second time would be unforgivable. Drug violence has claimed

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more than 70,000 lives in Mexico since 2006 and more than 20,000 have gone missing.
Guzman has been a thorn in the side of Mexicos government for more than two decades. He was first
caught in Guatemala in 1993 and extradited to Mexico. He escaped from a high-security prison in
Jalisco state in 2001.
National:
I&B plans National Award for most film shooting-friendly state
Information and Broadcasting Ministry has created a new category of National Film award for state
government that proves friendliest in granting permissions to movie makers. The ministry has also
decided to alter the countrys Film Festival calendar to avoid clash of dates between two of its presti-
gious events - the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and the International Childrens Film Fes-
tival. The special National Award will be given to the best performing state government at the Na-

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tional Film Awards, which are conferred in May every year, the official said.
First smokeless villages in Bihar

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The Purakothi and Anjum Are are the two villages in Bihar where every house hold has got the cooking
gas connections and they no longer have to use firewood, cow dung cake or charcoal to cook.

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Kausar Bano and Anjum Ara are two of the nearly 300 women in Purakothi village in Arwal district,
about 80 km from Patna, who are upbeat and relaxed as their village has become Bihars
firstsmokelessvillage. ee
According to district officials, there are 250 houses in Purakothi but 10 of them are locked as the
residents have shifted to other places.
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Village in Karnataka becomes Indias first smokeless village: Vyachakurahalli village in Karnataka has
become Indias first smokeless village. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has declared the
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village smokeless as all 274 households have made a shift to LPG stoves. In December 2015
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) led the Mission Smokeless Village project with an idea to help women
regain their health, and to make cooking easier. In India, cooking has been a tough task in many
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villages. The firewood used as fuel makes women more prone to pneumonia and kitchens get filled
with soot, which in turn leads to health problems.
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Oceanography centre to come up in Hyderabad

An International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCO-Ocean) is being set up here by
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the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. It will be part of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information
Services (INCOIS), which also has a national Tsunami Centre.
The Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, YS Chowdary, who laid the
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foundation stone, said the move is part of a commitment of the Centre in helping the Intergovern-
mental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
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Organisation (Unesco) in their efforts in capacity building in areas of operational oceanography.

Satheesh Shenoi, Director of INCOIS, said the Ministry had also signed a memorandum of agreement
(MoA) with IOC/Unesco on July 4, 2013 to cooperate in the capacity development programmes. For
this, the Union government has allocated Rs. 100 crore over 5 years.
No Minister or govt servant should hold post in BCCI: Lodha panel

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Justice RM Lodha Committee on 4th January submitted its report to the Supreme Court suggesting
reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to Justice Lodha, the panel has
recommended separate governing bodies for IPL and BCCI, with limited autonomy for the IPL Govern-
ing Council. It has also recommended to legalise betting.
The committee has also proposed that no Minister or government servant should become a BCCI
office-bearer. The panel has also recommended that the BCCI office-bearers term should not exceed
more than two consecutive terms, and he/she cannot hold two posts at the same time. Justice Lodha
also said that the panel has proposed the constitution and establishment of a players association.
Other recommendations include a steering committee headed by former Home Secretary G K Pillai
with Mohinder Amarnath, Diana Eduljee and Anil Kumble as members. The committee was appointed
by the apex court last year to make recommendations to the BCCI in order to prevent frauds and
conflict of interest in cricket administration.

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Pathankot attack: All six terrorists dead

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According to the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, combing operation is still on in Pathankot and is
expected to be finished by 6th January. The National Security Guard will take a final call on calling off
the operation after sanitizing the area. Mr Parrikar said, six terrorists have been neutralized. He said,
there is no suspected terrorist inside right now. The Defence Minister said the National Investigation

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Agency has already started its investigation in the case.

Act now, its Jaish-e-Mohammed: India tells Pakistan

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India has identified the four handlers of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), who
were in touch with the six terrorists who stormed the Pathankot airbase early on January 1. India has
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shared the telephone numbers and the identity of the handlers with Pakistan and has asked it to act on
these individuals
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Those identified by the Indian agencies are JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Abdul
Rauf Asghar, Ashfaq Ahmed and Kashim Jaan. While Azhar oversaw the operations, his brother Asghar
and two others were in touch with the terrorists. India has also given the details of two types of
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Pakistan-made drugs Neuro Bedoxine and Dicloran found on the bodies as evidence.
The government also decided to constitute a high-level committee to study the gaps in security along
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the Pakistan border, especially on the Punjab frontier. It is through a riverine stretch in the Bamiyal
sector of Gurdaspur district that the terrorists involved in the Pathankot attack as well as the July 27
attack on the Dinanagar police station are believed to have sneaked into Indian territory.
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Experts of the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee have been tasked with finding solutions to
detect intrusions from a riverine route. The central intelligence agencies have also found evidence
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that the conspiracy to attack the Pathankot airbase was hatched near Lahore, and the terrorists were
put through a mock drill by erecting a model of the airbase.
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Jharkhand first state to sign MoU with Centre for power scheme UDAY
The first Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on UDAY scheme was signed between Centre,
Jharkhand and Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited, JBVNL in New Delhi on 5th January. Ujjwal Discom
Assurance Yojana, UDAY, was launched on 20th November last year to help financially stressed DISCOMs
to supply adequate power at affordable rates.

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Accoridng to the Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das the MoU will help in electrifying remaining
2200 villages in state and make Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of providing 24x7 electricity to
all a reality. An official release said Jharkhand would derive an overall net benefit of approximately
5,300 crore rupees through UDAY.
The signing of the MOU will have significant benefits for JBVNL, with the state of Jharkhand taking over
100 percent liabilities of outstanding dues with CPSUs and 75 per cent of the outstanding debts of
JBVNL.
Govt reserves 33% posts of women constables in CAPFs
The government has reserved 33 per cent posts of Constables for women in Central Armed Police
Forces (CAPFs) to enhance their representation. To begin with, 33 per cent of posts of Constables in
CRPF and CISF and 14-15 per cent posts in the BSF, the SSB and the ITBP will be filled up immediately.

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An official release said, the reservation will be horizontal. The Committee on Empowerment of Women
had recommended urgent need to provide proper representation to women in paramilitary forces

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Indias biggest textile park at Warangal
Telangana Chief Minister K ChandasekharRao on 6th January announced setting up of Indias biggest
textile park will come up at Warangal making the second largest city Telangana into a textile hub. KCR

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declares setting up Special Development Authority for the all-round development of the second larg-
est city in Telangana
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs merged with MEA
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Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has been merged with the Ministry of External Affairs. This was
announced by External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup
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The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had made a proposal to the Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in this regard. Since the substantial work of Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is done through
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Indian missions abroad, Sushma Swaraj had proposed to the Prime Minister that Ministry of Overseas
Indian Affairs should be merged with Ministry of External Affairs
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Child sex ratio in Haryana reaches 889 girls per 1,000 boys: Haryana CM
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, has said that as a sequel to the efforts made by the state
government and effective implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme, the child sex
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ratio in the state has reached 889 girls per 1,000 boys. Efforts are being made to further take it to above
900. Mr Manohar Lal was speaking after flagging off the Sashakt Beti Sashakt Bharat awareness march
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organized by the Indian Media Centre, Haryana, at Panchkula

Centre allows traditional bull-taming sports Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu
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The Centre has allowed the traditional bull taming game Jallikkattu, by removing the ban against it.
The game is being played mostly in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu during Pongal festivities. After a
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long drawn legal battle, it was banned by the Supreme Court in May 2014. However, the Union Environ-
ment and Forests Ministry has cleared the decks for the traditional game subject to stringent condi-
tions to avoid cruelty to animals.
v However, animal welfare activists like members of PETA have voiced their concern against the
decision saying it is against the apex court ruling.
v The bull race called Rekhla race has also been allowed by removing bulls from the list of animals
4

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banned from public display for entertainment.

The new regulations make it mandatory for the district collectors and animal welfare board members
to monitor the game besides testing the physical fitness of the bulls.
From the animal enclosure, the youngsters have to hold the bull within 15 metre radius.
MHA scraps Delhi govts probe panel on DDCA, terms it illegal, unconstitutional
The Home ministry has declared the probe ordered by the Delhi government into alleged irregulari-
ties in Delhi and District Cricket Association, DDCA, as unconstitutional and illegal.
Earlier, the Lt Governor office has said the Delhi government has no jurisdiction or power to set up a
commission of inquiry under the law. It said the elected government of Delhi is neither the central
government nor the state government under the provisions of Commissions of Inquiry Act. Last month,
Mr Kejriwal had appointed former Solicitor General and top lawyer Gopal Subramanium to investigate

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the alleged irregularities in the the cricket body

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Governors rule imposed in Jammu and Kashmir
Governors Rule has been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir. The state is without a government follow-
ing the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. This is the second time in past one year that

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governors rule has been imposed in the state. Earlier, such rule was imposed in the state in January
last year after assembly polls of 2014 threw a hung verdict.

Bilateral
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas celebrated in Colombo
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Pravasi Bhartiya Divas was celebrated in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 9th January with a call to all persons of
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Indian origin to contribute to the Constitutional and political reform process in the country.
Chief Guest at the function, Central Minister Mr Mano Ganeshan said that Indians have long tradition
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of enriching the culture and society of the countries they have made their homes. He pointed out that
Sri Lanka is embarking upon an exercise to draft a new constitution that will give honorable position to
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all communities. He urged the people of Indian origin to contribute to this exercise and participate
fully in the political processes in the country.
Other points
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Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking community engagement and diaspora events to a
new level, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the contact with the Non-Resident Indians
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(NRI) in various parts of the world had deepened ever since the BJP-led Government came to power.
Swaraj also recalled the efforts undertaken by the government to rescue Indians stranded in the war-
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torn nations. She said that in the last 19 months, India has risen to the challenge of emergency relief on
four different occasions - Ukraine, Libya, Iraq and Yemen.
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On June 3, crisis erupted in Ukraine, where 1, 000 Indian students had to be evacuated, five days later
problem in Iraq erupted. Even as events were unfolding in Iraq, Libya happened, there India had to
evacuate 3,500 people
Economy:
Sify setting up $20 mn centre in Hyderabad

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Sify Technologies is setting up a global delivery centre at Hyderabad making it the companys largest
such centre in India. Sify had recently entered into a global partnership with Fujitsu to collaborate on
providing information and communications technology (ICT) solutions. The company will invest $20
million into the facility, which will be operational by 2017, providing employment for 3,000 people.
About 1.5 acre has been acquired for the centre which will be executed in three phases (attracting
investment in 50:30:20 ratio in the three phases). The entire project will take four years for comple-
tion. The centre will serve BFSI, manufacturing, retail and e-commerce.
The partners are collaborating to strengthen their global approaches to developing new customers
and markets and to jointly win multi-regional opportunities, starting with the North America market.
The 2,00,000 sq ft delivery centre will focus on supporting the partnership through the development of
solutions for the Third Platform (also known as SMAC Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud Platform).
Sify has established six data centres for State governments so far.

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NABARD, NRSC ink pact for monitoring of watershed projects

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Monitoring of watershed projects, especially in remote villages will now be improved with the use of
satellite technology and web page.
Facilitating this is an MoU signed between the NABARD and the NRSC, Hyderabad recently. The project

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will begin with the web-based monitoring of Indo-German Watershed Development (IGWDP) projects
in 3 states namely Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana.

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Also under its ambit are the NABARD assisted watershed projects under Watershed Development
Fund (WDF), in Madhya Pradesh. As per the MoU, the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) will
create a separate web page for NABARD on its BHUVAN portal, develop customized software tool and
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mobile application for real time monitoring, online comparison and visualization with respect to ac-
tivities implemented in the projects. Going forward, the role of remote sensing, GIS and GPS technolo-
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gies in monitoring and digitization of agriculture and rural development projects will also be explored
further.
Cabinet approves credit guarantee fund for MUDRA loans
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Cabinet on 6th January approved creation of a Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units Development
Refinance Agency, MUDRA, loans and to convert MUDRA Limited into MUDRA Small Industries Devel-
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opment Bank of India (SIDBI).

The bank will be a wholly owned subsidiary of SIDBI. The Fund is expected to guarantee loans worth
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more than one lakh crore rupees to Micro and Small units in the first instance. The MUDRA Bank will
undertake refinance operations and provide support services with focus on portal management and
data analysis apart from any other activity entrusted and advised by Government.
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Giving details of the decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, the total corpus for MUDRA bank will
be three thousand crore rupees and around one crore and 73 lakh entrepreneurs will be benefited . Mr
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Jaitley said, MUDRA will help in increasing the economic activity at the ground level.
The Cabinet also gave its ex-post-facto nod to MoU with Bangladesh for Mode of Operation of Border
haats. The haats will be established after identification of locations in consultation with Bangladesh
and concerned States. Border haats promote traditional system of marketing of local produce through
local markets on currency/ barter basis.

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World Bank: India to stay at top in growth

The World Bank on 6th January projected that India would remain comfortably the fastest growing large
economy in 2016, at a rate more than a percentage point higher than Chinas.
In its report Global Economic Prospects, the Bank projected the Indian economy to grow at 7.8% in 2016
and Chinas to grow at a more modest 6.7%. The world economy as a whole would grow at 2.9% it
estimated, a modest upturn from the 2.4% growth estimated for 2015.
All of these estimates represent a downward revision from the projections made in June 2015, but the
downward revision of 0.1 percentage points in Indias case is less than the 0.3 percentage point adjust-
ment in the estimate for China or the reduction of 0.4 percentage points in the reckoning of global
growth.
With Bangladesh projected to grow at 6.7% and Pakistan at 5.5%, South Asia will be the worlds fastest

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growing region according to the report. Among the other BRICS economies, Russias economy is pro-
jected to shrink by 0.7% in 2016 and Brazil by 2.5%, hit by the slump in global commodity prices while

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South Africa is expected to see its economy grow very slowly at 1.4%.
Cabinet nod for closure of HMT Watches
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a voluntary retirement scheme

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(VRS) at 2007 pay scales for employees of HMT Watches Ltd, HMT Chinar Watches Ltd and HMT Bearings
Ltd, thus completing their closure formalities and bringing the curtains down on one of the iconic

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brands of pre-liberalisation days. HMT Watches Ltd has been incurring losses since 2000 and all its units
were closed down in 2014. However, late last year, the Ranibag (Uttarakhand) unit of HMT Watches
opened briefly to complete a pending order of 5,500 watches received from its Bengaluru office.
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The order is expected to be completed by March 2016. In its heydays, HMT was the premier watch
brand in the country. Meanwhile, the Centre has granted an assistance of Rs 427.48 crore for the three
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loss-making subsidiaries of HMT Ltd.

Science and Technology
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PM Modi calls upon scientific community to tackle issues of climate change

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon Scientific fraternity around the world to integrate
innovation, technology, engineering capabilities towards realizing the goal of clean energy, resilient
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agriculture and overcome the challenges of urbanization and climate change.

He inaugurated the 103rd National Science Congress in Mysore on 3rd January, he said Central Govern-
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ment will provide greater impetus for sustained efforts in the field of marine biology and solar energy.
He said production of energy from ocean waves and geo thermal sources will be the focus.
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The challenges of rapid urbanization, urban transport, solid waste management, impact of green house
emissions, natural disaster forecast were the areas touched upon by the Prime minister to elicit global
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support for achieving clean and safe environment. He lauded the efforts of scientists who have placed
India at the forefront of science and technology in many areas in the country.
Scientists have, time and again, raised the issue, pointing out that the CAG can, at best, do financial
monitoring and auditing as it does not have expertise to question the scientific institutions on issues
of scientific research. They noted how the countrys premier auditing body had in the past made
remarks on the work of scientists (mainly on the expenses undertaken for research) which appeared

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to be quite discouraging for them.

Creating a framework for such audits will be important as at present scientific institutions are not
monitored uniformly. There is a mechanism of internal scrutiny (like in the CSIR or ICAR) but there is no
single body or uniform framework to audit the scientific works of these institutions.
Modi made the remark in the context of the governments plan to launch Startup India and efforts to
improve the science administration and science education in the country. He also noted how these
efforts would bring strong dividends when both Centre and states work in close coordination.
Banerji, council member of the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) and one of its past general
secretaries, said, Though we have an autonomous institution like the National Assessment and Ac-
creditation Council (NAAC), it has not brought the desired result.
The NAAC is an autonomous body, established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to assess

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and accredit institutions of higher education in the country.
Focal theme of 103rd Science Congress: Science & Technology for Indigenous Development in India

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About Indian Science Congress
The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two

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British Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon. It occurred to them
that scientific research in India might be stimulated if an annual meeting of research workers some-
what on the lines of the British Association for the Advancement of Science could be arranged. The
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Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) owes its origin to the foresight and initiative of two British
Chemists, namely, Professor J. L. Simonsen and Professor P.S. MacMahon. It occurred to them that
scientific research in India might be stimulated if an annual meeting of research workers somewhat on
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the lines of the British Association for the Advancement of Science could be arranged.
To advance and promote the cause of science in India
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To hold an annual congress at a suitable place in India

To publish such proceedings, journals, transactions and other publications as may be considered desir-
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able.
To secure and manage funds and endowments for the promotion of Science inlcuding the rights of
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disposing of or selling all or any portion of the properties of the Association.

To do and perform any or all other acts, matters and things as are conductive to, or incidental to, or
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necessary for, the above objects.

The first meeting of the Congress was held from January 15-17, 1914 at the premises of the Asiatic
Society, Calcutta, with the Honourable Justice Sir Asutosh Mukherjee, the then Vice-Chancellor of the
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Calcutta University, as President. One hundred and five scientists from different parts of India and
abroad attended and the papers numbering 35 were divided into six sections-Botany, Chemistry, Eth-
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nography, Geology, Physics, Zoology under six Sectional Presidents.

INS Kadmatt commissioned at Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam
INS Kadmatt, the second ship of Project 28 (P28) class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes, was
commissioned on 7th January at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. INS Kadmatt will augment the
mobility, reach and flexibility of Indian Navy. INS Kadmatt has been indigenously designed by Indian

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Navys in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuild-
ers and Engineers Limited, Kolkata.
The ship has been named after one of the large islands amongst the Lakshadweep group of islands off
the west coast of India. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan after commissioning INS Kadmatt
said it marks yet another milestone in our journey towards self-reliance and Make-in-India.
Sports:
VVS Laxmans 281 voted the best Test knock of last half century
Eclipsing several other great individual knocks, V V S Laxmans masterly innings of 281 against Australia
at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata has been rated as the greatest Test performance of the last 50 years.
The honour was accorded to the Laxman performance knock after India trailed by 274 runs on the first
innings, by his fellow-players, commentators and journalists in a poll published in the January issue of

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ESPNs digital magazine the Cricket Monthly, a media release said.

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Laxman, promoted to no. 3 after his first innings 59 out of a team score of 171, came up with his magical
innings and also added 376 runs for the fifth wicket with Rahul Dravid (180).
Apurvi Chandela set world record in 10m air rifle at Swedish Cup Grand Prix

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Indian shooter Apurvi Chandela has clinched the gold medal in the womens 10 metre air rifle event at
the Swedish Cup Grand Prix setting a new world record. In the event held on 5th January, Chandela shot

211. ee
211.2 which surpassed the feat of Chinese Olympic gold medallist Yi Siling, who held the record with

The silver and bronze went to Swedish shooters Astrid Steffensen and Stine Nielsen. Chandela has
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already qualified for the Rio Olympics. She won an Olympic quota place for India after winning a
bronze in the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea in April last year. Chandela had won the gold in the
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National Championships held last month.

Pranav Dhanawade, Mumbai School Cricketer Re-Writes Record Books
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Fifteen-year old Opening batsman Pranav Dhanawade made a world record on 5thJanuary by scoring
unbeaten 1009 runs in 327 balls at H.T. Bhandari Cup inter-school tournament organized by Mumbai
Cricket Association (MCA).
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He also becomes the first batsman not out at this mammoth score in single innings. His score includes
129 fours and 59 sixers. The team declared at 1465 runs. Pranav has broken former England batsman
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Arthur Collins record score of 628 not out in 1899.

Pranav has beaten several in this craft. Besides England batsman Arthur Collins, Australian Charles
Eady had scored 566 in 1901. Prithvi Shaw made 546 in 2013, Armaan Jaffer (nephew of former Test
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batsman Wasim Jaffer ) scored 498 in a Harris Shield match in 2010 and Sarfaraz Khan 439 in 2009-10.
Sania Mirza, Martina Hingis lift WTA Brisbane Tennis trophy
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Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis have lifted the WTA Brisbane Tennis trophy. In the final at Brisbane
today, the top seeded duo defeated German Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic.
They also stitched a 26-match winning streak together, which has brought them six titles in a row at the
US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing, WTA Finals and now at Brisbane. It is the longest winning streak
since Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vincis 25 in a row in 2012. The last doubles team to win more than

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25 consecutive matches was Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva who had notched up 28 straight
victories in 1994
Awards:
Raghuram Rajan: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan was named The Banker
magazines Global and Asia-Pacific Central Bank Governor of the Year 2015, for stabilising the Indian
rupee, initiating key reforms to attract much needed foreign capital in the country and reining in a
runaway price appreciation. The Banker is a prestigious monthly magazine of the Financial Times
Group.
The RBI governor has been named central bank governor of the year several times by other interna-
tional magazines. In October 2014, Euromoney and in January 2015, Central Banking awarded him the
best central banker award for his contribution in stabilising the Indian economy.

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After he took over in September 2013, the first priority for the RBI governor was to stabilise the local
currency, which hit a record low of 68.87 a dollar on August 28. Through a series of innovative mea-

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sures, including attracting dollars from non-resident Indians by offering higher interest rate on depos-
its, Rajan stabilised the rupee. The local currency soon moved back below the psychological level of 60
a dollar.

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Since then, the rupee has been trading within a narrow band with a depreciation bias. The stability in
the currency not only assures foreign investors, vital for bridging Indias current account deficit, but

also helps companies plan better for the future. ee

The rupee depreciated less than five per cent in 2015 even as its Asian and other emerging markets
peers bled on US rate hike concerns. When eventually the US Fed raised rates in mid-December, the
ar
rupee strengthened.
Persons in news:
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Devender Kumar Sikri: A former Gujarat cadre IAS officer, has been appointed chairman of the fair-
trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI). Sikri has been appointed CCI chairman. Sixty
two-year-old Sikri succeeds Ashok Chawla, whose over four-year tenure as CCI chairman ended on 7th
ily

July. Chawla was the former finance secretary and had succeeded Dhanendra Kumar, who demitted
office in June 2011. Sikri will have a tenure of about two-and-a-half years till he attains the age of 65
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years, the official said. Sikri has held various positions in the Centre and in his cadre state, Gujarat. He
superannuated as secretary, department of justice on July 31, 2013.
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The former IAS officer had been secretary in the ministry of women and child development, registrar-
general of census and collector of Rajkot and Jamnagar, among others
Urjit Patel: The government on 8th January re-appointed Urjit Patel as the deputy governor of Reserve
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Bank of India for a three-year term, ensuring continuity for the team spearheading the countrys
monetary policy under Governor Raghuram Rajan.
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Patel is the fourth deputy governor, the other three being HR Khan, R Gandhi and SS Mundra.
During his tenure, Patel spearheaded a committee that in January 2014 recommended targeting con-
sumer inflation to control historically volatile prices, shifting the focus away from wholesale prices.
Premji: Azim Hashim Premji, chairman of Wipro, is the most generous Indian of the year for the third
time in a row with donations worth Rs. 27,514 crore for education, according to Hurun India Philan-

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thropy List 2015.

In the list all the top five contributors belonged to the information technology industry.
Premji is followed by Nandan Nilekani and wife Rohini Nilekani with donations of Rs. 2,404 crore while
Infosys co-founder Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy stood third in the list with donations of Rs.
1,322 crore, according to the report by the Hurun Research Institute.
The Azim Premji foundation works in the education sector of India with operations in eight states and
over 3,50,000 schools.
The top five are also the biggest wealth creators on the Hurun India Rich List while richest Indian
billionaire Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries (RIL), stood sixth in the list with donations
of Rs. 345 crore.
Obituary

Kapadia: Former Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia passed away on 4th January. Kapadia was 38th Chief

.co
Justice of India. Having authored over 250 judgments, Justice Kapadia is most remembered for his
verdict in the Vodafone tax verdict.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed: Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away

rs
on 7th January

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