Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Aug 09, 2016

ANSWER: 55%

Explanation:
According to the Power Ministry, 55 percent of total rural households and 92.67 percent of urban households use electricity as a main source of lighting as per census 2011

• Power Minister Piyush Goyal also said the government aims to install feeder metres in every feeder to provide accurate figures pertaining to the demand and supply of electricity
• Based on 2011 census, 16,78,26,730 total households were using electricity of which 9,28,08,038 were in the rural areas and 7,88,65,937 were in urban areas
• Government aims to provide 24/7 electricity by 2022

ANSWER: 17

Explanation:
Government noted that 17 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2014 and it notified rules in March in 2016 regarding better management of this waste

• A survey by Central Pollution Control Board in 2005 found the generation of e-waste in the country was assessed at 1.46 lakh tonnes and estimated to exceed 8 lakh tonne by 2012
• As per the UN University report, 17 lakh tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2014
• Currently, there are 151 registered e-waste dismantlers and recyclers in the private sector in 13 states having the combined capacity of 4.46 lakh metric tonne per annum
• Power Ministry has also comprehensively reviewed the e-waste (Management & Handling) Rules 2011 and notified e-waste (management) rules in March 2016

ANSWER: Kohima

Explanation:
DEiTY and Communication department in association with National Institute of Smart Government is holding a week long training programme on Champions Skill Enhancement Programme under the Skill India project in Nagaland’s capital city, Kohima

• Training covers wide number of topics pertaining to e-Governance and provides an opportunity for NE states to learn and discuss issues of mutual interest

ANSWER: Jia Yueting

Explanation:
In a strategic move to gain stronghold in emerging markets across India, Chinese Internet and technology major LeEco on 8th August 2016 announced the appointment of chairman and CEO Jia Yueting as chairman of leading Chinese smartphone player Coolpad

• Coolpad stocks surged as a result of this; LeEco is the largest shareholder of Coolpad with 28.9 percent stake
• LeEco and Coolpad will also adopt a dual brand strategy where two brands co-exist and target different market segments

ANSWER: Jet

Explanation:
Walmart has agreed to purchase fast growing online retail newcomer Jet dot com that aims to challenge Amazon

• Walmart will now be directly able to compete with Amazon as buying the online retailer will help it to grab higher income customer who typically is younger
• Move followed a series of acquisitions by major traditional retailers for online startups

ANSWER: Vivo Communication Technology

Explanation:
Qualcomm announced that it entered a new 3G and 4G Chinese patent license agreement with Vivo Communication Technology Co.

• As per the terms of agreement, Qualcomm has granted vivo a royalty bearing patent license to develop, manufacture and sell 3G and 4Gd devices for use in China
• Vivo is the third-biggest smartphone brand in China.

ANSWER: MSTC

Explanation:
Mahindra Intertrade Ltd, a part of the Mahindra Partners Division of the USD 17.8 billion Mahindra Group and MSTC Ltd, a GoI enterprise have come together to jointly set up a first of its kind greenfield auto shredding and recycling capability in the nation

• Mahindra Intertrade owns and operates network of steel service centres across the automotive power and home verticals
• Mahindra Partners is a USD 900 million PE division of Mahindra Group
• Proposed collaborative venture will establish an integrated automotive recycling capability for end of life vehicles and take on numerous activities such as collection, compaction, de-pollution, transportation, shredding, recycling and disposal

ANSWER: HDFC Life, Max Life Insurance

Explanation:
Boards of HDFC Life and Analjit Singh’s Max Group companies on 8th August 2016 approved the merger of two life insurance entities

• Merger will create the largest private sector life insurance company with assets under management of INR 1.1 lakh crore with 7 million customers
• Exact value of the deal were not revealed

ANSWER: 443

Explanation:
Greatest tax reform since independence received the nod of Parliament as LS on 8th August 2016 passed all amendments to landmark Goods and Services Tax Bill passed by RS

• Bill was passed by 2/3rd majority with 443 members in LS voting in favour of the GST Constitution Bill
• AIADMK has staged a walkout when voting began
• Bill now has to be ratified by atlas 16 states in 30 days after it is passed by Parliament
• While LS passed the GST Constitutional Amendment Bill in may 2015, separate amendments to the clauses were proposed in the Upper House which has been ratified in the Lower House
• GST is a uniform indirect tax levied on goods and services revived across the nation and replace various taxes imposed on goods and services.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Madras HC on August 8, 2016 cleared the legal uncertainty over grant of classical language status to Kannada, Telugu, Odia and Malayalam rejecting a challenge to conferment of honour on them

• Expert body was satisfied that languages comply with the eligibility criteria and HC cannot delve into the opinion and findings of expert body

ANSWER: Bernard Farrelly

Explanation:
Australian surfing champ Bernard Farrelly best known as Midget for his diminutive size died on 7th August 2016 at the age of 71

• He was the Australian World Surfing Champion since the 1960s
• He became the first Australian to win the world championships at Hawaii in 1963
• In 2007, he was included in the surfing walk of fame in California. He also found a place on the Australia Sports Hall of Fame in 1985

ANSWER: Mahim Bora

Explanation:
Well known Assamese literary figure Mahim Bora died on 5th August 2016 from old age complications at the age of 92

• He is survived by a son and two daughters-in-law
• He was a Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi award winner
• He won the Sahitya Akademi award in 2001 for Edhani Mahir Hanhi
• He received the Padma Shri in 2011 and Assam Valley Literary Award in 1998

ANSWER: CSS Corp

Explanation:
Manish Tandon was on August 6, 2016 appointed the CEO of CSS Corp, a global technology support company. He will be inducted as a whole time director of the board and as a CEO

• He will succeed current CEO TG Ramesh and hails from IIT-IIM
• He has worked in ITeS companies as well as retail and financial services companies
• He currently is head of Healthcare and Life Sciences & High Tech Manufacturing businesses at Infosys

ANSWER: Dipa Karmakar

Explanation:
Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar became the first Indian sportsperson to qualify for the apparatus finals of artistic Gymnastics at the Rio Olympics 2016

• She was the first Indian gymnast to enter the final on her debut at the games after she finished 8th in the qualifying round
• Karmakar succeeded in performing the tough Produnova routine to secure 14.850 points following two attempts and made it to the finals after other gymnasts completed their routine
• Though she was initially sixth, a strong performance from the Canadian team saw her slip to 8th yet make it for the finals on August 14 where top 8 made the cut for the medal round

ANSWER: WB

Explanation:
West Bengal has been selected for the All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project Award 2015 marking the first time this state will be given the award

• It was selected by the 51st committee from the Indira Gandhi Krishi Bikash Kendra
• West Bengal also won the Krishi Kamran Puraskar for three consecutive years
• The state has been selected for the award for its achievement in four key areas that include scientific research for seeds.
• The state government has also bagged the award for the second position for participating in International Agriculture and Horticulture Expo.
• All India Coordinated Rice Improvement project was instituted by ICAR in 1965

ANSWER: Singapore

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee extended greetings for the government and people of the Republic of Singapore on the eve of their national day which is August 9, 2016

• The current president of the republic is Dr. Tony Yam
• Bilateral relations between India and Singapore are close with ties between the two elevated to Strategic Partnership in 2015

ANSWER: Coal Royalty

Explanation:
Study Group has been constituted to consider the revision rate of royalty

• Ministry of coal has received a request from the Chhattisgarh state government to increase rate of royalty from 14 to 30 percent
• Minister also stated rate of royalty on coal is same for power and non power sectors

ANSWER: August 11

Explanation:
WCD Ministry launched a social media campaign to mark the Daughter’s Day on August 11, 2016

• Coming week will be celebrated as Daughter’s Week as part of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme
• Users across the country will use social media to post photos using hashtag #BBBPDaughtersWeek, of daughters, daughter in laws and grand daughters.

ANSWER: Ganga Gram

Explanation:
Government of India has started a initiative under Namami Gange programme called Ganga Gram

• As per the scheme, the villages will be developed as model villages by developing sustainable sanitation infrastructure and cleanliness practices. In the first phase government has started the Ganga Gram initiative in 306 villages.
• NMCG, under its Ganga Gram project, facilitates exposure visit to Gram Pradhans/Sarpanch of all villages situated along the mainstem of River Ganga.
• Gram Pradhan or village headmen will be sensitised through this program and scheme