Current Affairs [Monthly]

Notes:
Prof Yash Pal (90), the internationally acclaimed physicist and higher education reformer, has passed away in Noida in Uttar Pradesh on July 25, 2017. He was born in 1926 in Jhang district of British India that is now in Pakistan. He gained recognition due to his contribution in the study of cosmic rays. Professor Yash Pal was lappointed as the Chief Consultant of the Planning Commission. He acted as the Secretary of Department of Science and Technology from 1984 to 1986. He was appointed as the Chairman of University Grants Commission where he served a full single-term of five years and also served as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. He served as a member of UN Advisory Committee on Science and Technology for Development. He is also known for his appearances on the science programme, Turning Point on Doordarshan and explaining scientific concepts in layman’s language. Pal was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013 for his contribution to Science.

Notes:
The 2nd edition of Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on August 31, 2017 with theme “Peace, progress, and prosperity”. The 2-day conference is being co-hosted by the India Foundation, a Delhi-based think tank, in collaboration with RSIS, Singapore, and NIFS, Colombo — both research and study centers. The representatives from around 35 countries are expected to participate in the event. From India, External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will participate in the conference. The conference will also be attended by officials from the USA, Australia and Germany among others.

Notes:
The Ban Sagar Dam is a multipurpose river Valley Project built across Son River in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh. The dam irrigate an area of 2,490 km² in Madhya Pradesh, 1,500 km²; in Uttar Pradesh and 940 km² in Bihar. The water sharing of dam take place among three states: Madhya Pradesh (2.5 km3), Uttar Pradesh (1.2 km3) and Bihar (1.2 km3). It also provides power generation of 425 MW in Madhya Pradesh.

Notes:
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has won the best film award at the 71st British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England on February 18, 2018. The movie was directed by Martin McDonagh. The movie is about a woman seeking justice for her daughter’s murder.

Notes:
The Serlui B dam is an earthfill and gravity dam on the Serlui river 12 km from Bilkhawthlir Village near the Kolasib district of Mizoram. It has the capacity of power generation of 12MW and Catchment area of 53 km.

Notes:
India has signed a loan agreement with the World Bank (WB) for USD 21.7 million for strengthening the public financial management in Rajasthan project in New Delhi on May 29, 2018. The objective of the project is to contribute to improved budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in revenue administration in Rajasthan. It involves strengthening of the Public Financial Management Framework; strengthening of expenditure and revenue systems; and project management and capacity building among others. The project size is approximately USD 31 million, of which $21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank, and remaining amount will be funded out of the state budget. The project duration is 5 years.

Notes:
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has introduced a new star rating methodology called Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) for air conditioners. Keeping the performance of air conditioners during higher temperature in mind, ISEER will address the different climatic zones in India and higher temperature. ISEER measures energy efficiency of air conditioners based on a weighted average of the performance at outside temperatures between 24 and 43 degree C based on Indian weather data.

Notes:
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted by Egypt between 15th June and 13th July, after original host nation Cameroon was stripped of due to delays in preparations and concerns over security. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Ahmad Ahmad has recently made the announcement in Senegalese capital Dakar. With this, the North African nation will host the competition for the fifth time and it will be the first time 24 teams will take part. It will use 8 stadiums during the tournament, hosting in five different cities: Alexandria, Ismailia, Port Said, Suez and the capital Cairo.

Notes:
On February 8, the 5-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN 19’ has commenced at Pakistan Navy Dockyard near the coastal city of Karachi with the slogan “Together for Peace”. The flags of 46 countries including Pakistan were hoisted and the contingents of Pakistan Navy presented a march-past. The principal purpose of the exercise is to provide a forum for understanding of each other’s maritime concepts and operational cultures and come up with ways and means to combat common threats at sea. The exercise is aimed at fostering maritime cooperation, promoting a safe and secure maritime environment for regional and global stability and for preserving oceans which is the common heritage of mankind.

Notes:
G D ‘Robert’ Govender, an Indian-origin journalist in South Africa, has been honoured in the UK with 2019 V K Krishna Menon award for his outstanding contribution as a pioneer of decolonized journalism. During a career spanning nearly 60 years, Govender developed a reputation as a campaigning journalist and author and was also the first journalist to call for an international boycott of South Africa’s whites-only sports teams. He was awarded posthumously during an event by the UK-based V K Krishna Menon Foundation to mark the 123rd birth anniversary of Indian diplomat and politician V K Krishna Menon. The objectives of the foundation are to eradicate illiteracy and propagate knowledge among the masses of the world, promote oriental art and culture, eliminate poverty, encourage proliferation and promote Non-Aligned Movement in the world. V K Krishna Menon was a freedom fighter and independent India’s first high commissioner to the UK. Later on he also became defence minister of the country during Jawaharlal Nehru’s prime ministership.