Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Feb 11, 2016

ANSWER: Clean Power Plan

Explanation:
US SC delivered a massive blow to President Barack Obama by holding in place federal regulations for curbing CO2 emissions mostly from coal fired power plants which aimed to combat climate change. Court voted 5-4 along ideological viewpoint to permit request by 27 states and numerous companies to block the Clean Power Plan. This plan mandates a move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Plan was aimed at lowering carbon emissions from US power plants by 2030 to 32% below 2005 levels.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The conference was addressed by the PM, President and Vice President of India. It concluded on February 10th, 2016. The two day conference had the following agendas:
1. Security- Internal and External with special focus on terrorism and insurgency activities;
2. Creating jobs for youths: special focus on skill development for school dropouts;
3. Implementation of flagship programmes of the Government like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Housing for all by 2022 and Smart Cities;
4. Improving quality of Higher Education;
5. Giving impetus to “Make in India” programme and employability and
6. Act East Policy and development of North Eastern Region.

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:
The government of Gujarat has planned to establish India’s first civil aviation park in the state which will have a helipad as well as flight stimulator. Park will provide a platform for human resources as well as manufacturing activities pertaining to the industry. The first phase of this park will be operational from 2016 to 2017. Gujarat is currently home to India’s largest seashore and Asia’s biggest dairy.

ANSWER: Next Generation e-ticketing system

Explanation:
New version of Next Generation e-ticketing system introduced by Indian Railway and Tourism Corporation has won the fold in national award for e-governance in 2015-2016 under “Innovative use of ICT by CPSUs”. The award provides recognition for use of innovative ICT for increasing efficiency outcomes.

ANSWER: Mukesh Bansal

Explanation:
Mukesh Bansal, the founder of Myntra, has resigned as head of Flipkart’s commerce and advertising platform and will progress to an advisory role. Binny Bansal has taken over as CEO and Sachin Bansal will be executive chairman at Flipkart. Chief Business Officer Ankit Nagori has also quit Flipkart to commence with his own venture.

ANSWER: Apte Committee

Explanation:
RBI released the Apte Committee report which recommended that simple call and put options, caps, floors, collars and swaptions are to be permitted and there will be subsequent introduction of complex structures. OTC as well as exchange traded options may also be included. FIMMDA and FBIL will also come out with a list of eligible domestic money or debt market rates as benchmarks like G-Sec, T-Bills, MIBOR,OIS, MIFOR, IRF etc.

ANSWER: Nokia

Explanation:
IIT-M has collaborated with Nokia Networks for creating technology solutions to improve broadband connectivity in rural India under a three year partnership between the Finnish company and Centre of Excellence for Wireless Technology/CEWIT. Project will evaluate options for unlicensed spectrum to deliver last mile broadband connectivity to isolated rural communities in India. This will also complement GoI’s NOFN/National Optical Fibre Network Initiative.

ANSWER: 7.6%

Explanation:
Central Statistics Office under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released Advance Estimates of National Income for the current fiscal along with QE of GDP for Q3. Growth in GDP during 2015-2016 was projected at 7.6% as against growth rate of 7.2% in 2014-2015. Real FDP is likely to reach the value of INR 113.51 lakh crore rupees, according to AE and QE figures.

ANSWER: Morocco

Explanation:
Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex, world’s largest solar power plant, was launched in the Souss-Massa-Drâa area in Morocco, 10 km from Ouarzazate town. The plant which can power over one million homes by 2018 was unveiled on 4th February 2016. Phase 1 of the project involved the construction of a 160MW concentrated solar power plant called Noor I. Phase 2 involved the construction of the 200MW Noor II CSP plant and the 150MW Noor III CSP plant, and Phase 3 will concern the construction of the Noor IV CSP plant. World Bank has provided partial funding for the solar power plant.

ANSWER: Free Basics

Explanation:
Facebook’s Free Basics platform will not remain free any more. Reliance Communications, Facebook India’s partner for the interface has taken the decision to make it into a paid platform. Decision goes against FB’s objective of providing free of cost platform for connecting persons online. To be completely compliant with the new regulations made by TRAI, RCom has begun reconfiguration of Free Basics from a free regime to a chargeable one.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Global scientists have discovered hundreds of hidden galaxies some 250 million light years away from earth. This helps to explain the gravitational anomaly The Great Attractor Region. According to lead author professor Lister Staveley-Smith from University of Western Australia node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), the team found 883 galaxies, a third of which had never been seen before. On an average, a galaxy contains 100 billion stars.