1

IDEAS 2015
This section Ideas 2015 is taken from :

ISBN : 9789385846335
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JANUARY difficulties and constraints faced in

getting the KYC documents updated
Kerala to get first International at periodic intervals compelled the
Institute of Music: It was RBI to ease the rules. According
announced in January 2015 by to the previous norms, it was
the Kerala Culture Minister K C mandatory for NBFCs to update
Joseph that an international institute the KYC documents every 5 years
of music, the very first of its kind, for low risk section customers and
would be set up on Indian land in once in two years for those falling
Kerala. The institute is expected in the medium and high risk section.
to start within two years. The land The new norms have eased the
for the institute would be provided process of updating KYC for low
by the state government while the risk section customers to 10 years
responsibility of heading the institute and 8 years for medium and high
has been assigned to the Trust
risk section customers. Also, RBI
run under the guidance of Ustad
communicated that NBFCs need
Amjad Ali Khan, the well known
not ask the low risk customers to
Sarod Maestro. The Sarod Maestro
submit fresh documentsidentity
also teaches students at Stanford
and address proofs (if the address
University three months every year.
remains the same)for opening a
The state government has suggested
new account with them. RBI has
Thiruvananthapuram or Kochi or
Kozhikode as the place to build asked NBFCs to keep a watch on
the institute but the final decision the transactions of the customers to
will be taken by Ustad Amjad Ali analyse business, risk and source of
Khan. The institute would provide funds. RBI has also communicated
opportunity for students from the to NBFCs that fresh photographs
state, country and even from abroad. of minor customers turning majors
Various courses related to different would be required.
kinds of music, musical systems and Government launched women
musical instruments will be offered safety app Himmat: On January
to students at the institute. Though 1, 2015 was launched Indias first
the institute is said to be under the ever unified mobile application for
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, the safety of women. The launching
it would be managed by a separate of the app was done by the Union
assembly. Home Minister, Rajnath Singh in
RBI relaxed KYC rules for Non- the presence of Delhis Lieutenant
Banking Financial Companies: Governor, Najeeb Jung and Delhi
Reserve Bank of India has amended Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi. The
the rules for non-banking financial application is linked to the Police
companies (NBFCs) with regard to Control Room and an immediate
Know Your Customer activity. The notification will be sent to the PCR
amendment of rules was announced by either shaking the phone or
on January 2, 2015. Practical pressing the power key twice. The
 3
information of the victim would also of the apex court upheld KUSMAs
be transmitted to the Police Patrol petition on 6 May 2014. The
cars in the area and the local SHO. government under the section 19(2)
The location can be traced easily of the Act tried to incorporate the
as the movement of the person will words Mother Tongue Kannada
be updated in every ten seconds. It which guarantees compulsory
is a free application for all and can primary education for children from
be downloaded from the website of class I to V.
Delhi Police or Google Play Store.
GTU Launched E-Raksha Research
The app also has a feature that
Centre to Fight Cybercrime: To
enables the person to send alerts via
control the rise in cybercrimes,
sms to minimum five acquaintances.
Gujrat Technological University
An alert would even be posted on
(GTU) launched e-Raksha Research
social networking sites like Facebook
Centre on 28 January 2015 in
and Twitter. The applications sole
Ahmedabad. Former Chhattisgarh
aim is to strengthen the safety of
Governor Shekhar Dutt and former
women in the country.
Deputy National Security Advisor
Karnataka to amend Karnataka S D Pradhan were present at the
Compulsory Primary Education launch. This centre will not only
Act, 2012: The Government of support research but also increase
Karnataka decided to amend the the competency to provide latest
Karnataka Compulsory Primary techniques of fighting cybercrimes to
Education Act (KCPEA), 2012 build capacity for issues pertaining
to impart primary education in to cyber security. The centre has
Kannada language. This was done been set up by GTU in association
in order to strengthen Karnatakas with Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF)
case before the Supreme Court (SC). with the objective to ensure peaceful
In 1980s the committee headed by and amicable cyber space for all.
VK Gokak recommended to use This centre will undertake numerous
Kannada as the first language in activities for faculties, students and
schools which followed peoples government officials in areas of
movement called as Gokak Agitation. research on recent techniques of
Formal action on this report was cybercrime and enhance capability
taken in April 1994 by M Veerappa to handle such issues. It will also
Moily, Chief Minister then. The provide support to Make in India
Notification provided two options campaign by manufacturing routers,
to the students: Mother tongue switches, firewalls, UTMs (Unified
of the child, which covered eight Threat Management) and similar
languages; and Kannada as medium network appliances. Furthermore,
of instruction. The Karnataka the centre will play a fundamental
Unaided Schools Managements role to shield critical infrastructure
Association (KUSMA) along with and mission critical services by
several others, filed petitions calling researching on malwares such as
it non-Constitution. On cancellation botnet, and setting up malware
of this notification by Karnataka analysis test bed.
High Court on 2 July 2008, the State Gujarat government announced
government challenged the verdict new industrial policy for 2015: On
in the SC where five-judge bench January 1, 2015, Gujarat announced
 4

its new industrial policy for the year T he CNG Diesel Electric
2015. The chief minister of Gujarat, Multiple Unit (DEMU) is based
Anandiben Patel, issued the policy. on dual-fuel i.e. diesel and CNG.
The policy aims at creating a It was manufactured by Chennai-
business environment that is friendly based Factory (ICF) through
and encourages people to start their fumigation technology.
own business rather than to search
job opportunities. Over 60% of the It would help in reducing the
population will be provided with operating cost by say 50 percent.
opportunities. The target population It will also help in reducing CO
would age group between 15 emission by 90 percent, CO2 by
to 59 years. The key areas like 25 percent, nitrogen oxide by
infrastructure development and new 35 percent and non-methane
innovations will be encouraged. hydrocarbon emissions by 50
Besides, the need for incentives for
percent.
youth, women, scheduled castes
and tribes and physically challenged New technology would come in
individuals will be attended on handy once India has substantial
priority. Reducing the pollution by reserves of natural gas.
promoting use of clean and green Indias first CNG powered train
energy is yet another important focus inaugurated: The Indian Railways
of the policy. The existing resources
has started its green journey with
will be given a boost to scale down
the imports of auto components, Indias first compressed natural gas
drugs, chemicals etc. Special (CNG)-powered train which was
incentives would also be provided innaugrated by Rail Minister Suresh
for establishing new businesses in Prabhu on January 13, 2015 on
sectors like garments, apparel and Rewari Rohtak link of Northern
food processing. The motive of the Zone.
policy is to make the state a global A milestone in helping to reduce
manufacturing centre, therefore, greenhouse gas emission and also
contributing to the encouragement diesel consumption by adoption of
of PMs Make in India dream. green fuel in Indian Railways. Main
Ministry of Railways inaugurated charecteristics were
Indias first CNG Powered Train: The CNG Diesel Electric
The Indian Railways has started Multiple Unit (DEMU) is based
its green journey with Indias on dual-fuel i.e. diesel and CNG.
first compressed natural gas It was manufactured by Chennai-
(CNG)-powered train which was based Factory (ICF) through
innaugrated by Rail Minister Suresh fumigation technology.
Prabhu on January 13, 2015 on It would help in reducing the
Rewari Rohtak link of Northern operating cost by say 50 percent.
Zone. It will also help in reducing CO
A milestone in helping to reduce emission by 90 percent, CO2 by
greenhouse gas emission and also 25 percent, nitrogen oxide by
diesel consumption by adoption of 35 percent and non-methane
green fuel in Indian Railways. Main hydrocarbon emissions by 50
charecteristics were percent.
 5
New technology would come in launched the countrys first air
handy once India has substantial quality checking mobile application
reserves of natural gas. to provide the forecast for air
quality and corresponding health
advisories in real time. The mobile
FEBUARY
app, SAFAR-Air, developed by
ICICI bank launched pockets - scientists at Pune-based Indian
indias first digital bank: In one of its Institute of Tropical Meteorology,
kind endeavour, ICICI Bank, Indias was launched on 17 February 2015
largest private sector bank, recently at the Indian Institute of Tropical
launched countrys first digital Meteorology in Pune, Maharashtra.
wallet cum mobile app, Pockets. The service is presently for Delhi and
Pockets gives any person, be it an Pune, and by 2017 the forecasting
account holder or not, the facility services will be extended to cover
to download, instantly activate and Chennai and Kolkata. SAFAR is an
use the e-wallet. Currently available acronym for System of Air Quality
only on mobile phones with android Weather Forecasting and Research
system, Pockets is a free of cost which was first launched in Delhi
app with no usage and registration in 2010 during the Commonwealth
charges. This virtual, VISA powered Games. SAFAR-AIR will provide
wallet helps in instant transfer current and one to three day forecast
of money to any email id, bank based on a colour-coded system
account, mobile number, facebook indicating air quality, in which
user or online retailer the user green is good, yellow is moderately
selects. With its unique one on one polluted, orange is poor, red is very
feature, the app ensures safety by poor and maroon is critical. The app
having only one registered user is initially available on smartphones
for each mobile number. The user operating on Googles Android
also has the advantage of choosing system and later on will also be
a zero-balance savings account available on devices using Apples
to the wallet, which will further iOS.
provide the benefit of earning Election Commission to Launch
interest on their idle money. With Electoral Roll Authentication
a new youth oriented outlook, the Mission: The Chief Election
Pockets digital bank offers two Commissioner (CEC) H.S. Brahma
unique products a universal wallet announced to launch Electoral
and a savings account. Initially, the Roll Authentication Mission. This
transaction limit is Rs 10,000 for
project will use the database of
non ICICI Bank users. Pockets
Unique Identification Authority
also provides its users the option of
of India to link Aadhar number of
having a specially designed physical
card that can be used for shopping or citizens with their electoral database
other payments. to further authenticate and purify
electoral rolls.
Indias first air quality checking
mobile app launched: To spread The move will help to erase a large
awareness about the hazards of number of bogus voters from the
increasing air toxicity in India, list. The move will be started on a
Indias Earth Sciences Ministry mission mode. This move comes two
 6

days after the Centre clarified before a replica of New Rupee One Coin
the Supreme Court that Aadhar will with symbol of 2015, issued with
be mandatory for the citizens for Satyamev Jayate and capital letter
availing any social benefit. L inserted in the numbering panel.
The Election Commission has On the reverse side these notes will
decided to mark 2015 as the year contain the words Bharat Sarkar
of Easy Registration and Easy above the words Government of
Correction. Within this mission India with the year 2015 on the
ECI has already launched a National representation of One Rupee coin
Voter Service Portal (NVSP) on 25th with a symbol having floral design
January, 2015 on the occasion of surrounded by a picture of Sagar
National Voters Day; where people Samrat- oil exploration platform
can feed their Aadhar number for with the authentic rendering of
linking it with the electoral data value in fifteen languages in the
base. languages panel and the year figure
shown in the centre bottom in the
RBI to Bring Back One Rupee international figure
Notes: The Reserve Bank of
India announced to bring back Union Government decides
the currency notes of one rupee to infuse 6990 crore rupees in
nine Public Sector Banks: The
denomination into circulation.
government has decided to infuse
Printing of one rupee notes was
Rs. 6,990 crore in nine public sector
discontinued in 1994, mainly due to
banks under new criteria which
higher cost and for freeing capacity
reward efficient banks with extra
to print currency notes of higher capital to strengthen their position.
denomination. In the Budget for 2014-15, amount
Printing of two and five rupee notes has been allocated.
was discontinued in 1995, since then Method used for calculating at the
only coins have been issued for these amount was based on efficiency
denominations. However, older parameters.
currency notes are still in circulation First parameter is weighted average
and remain a legal tender. It has been of return on assets (ROA) for all
decided to reintroduce these notes public sector banks for last three
in order to meet the gap between years put together was considered
demand and supply of coins in this and all the banks above the average
denomination. were considered.
At present, one rupee coins are The second parameter used was
minted. The new currency note will return on equity (ROE) for these
be predominantly pink green on banks for the last financial year.
obverse and reverse in combination In beneficiaries, largest public
with other colours. sector lender SBI leads the pack
Unlike other currency notes which with Rs 2,970 crore, followed by
bear the signature of the Governor Punjab National Bank with Rs
of the RBI, one rupee note will have 870 crore other banks are Canara
signature of the Finance Secretary. Bank, Syndicate Bank, Allahabad
These notes will contain the bilingual Bank, Indian Bank, Dena Bank and
signature of Finance Secretary with Andhra Bank.
 7

MARCH It also protects a transgender childs

rights saying they cannot be separated
Mc Mary Kom Quits Boxing from their parents on grounds of being
After Rio Olympics Games 2016: transgender. Penalty for hate speech
Olympic medallist M C Mary Kom and social discriminations against
has decided to quit boxing after transgender include imprisonment
the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She upto one year and fine.
explained that her body is not being 29 nations and leading democracies in
able to cope up with the rigours the world including US, UK, Canada,
of the sport any further.Mary is France, Australia, Italy and Singapore
concentrating on setting up her have legislations protecting rights of
boxing academy in Imphal. She is transgender persons.
the first Indian woman boxer to win
a Gold Medal in the 2014 Asian Indian Railways launches
Games held at Incheon, South E-Samiksha to monitor rail
Korea. She had also won a bronze projects online: Indian Railways
medal in 2012 London Olympics in based on Rail Budget proposals, on
the flyweight (51 kg) category and 21st April launched E-Samiksha, an
was the only Indian woman boxer online monitoring mechanism. It is
to qualify for this category. Mary a very good beginning and now each
has been nicknamed as Magnificent and every project implementation
Mary. She is the only woman boxer can be monitored on real-time basis,
to have won a medal in all the six Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu
world championships.She has been said in New Delhi after launching
conferred with Padma Bhushan the system.
(2013), Padma Shree (2010) and The software is designed by NIC
Arjuna Award (2003) for her and is currently being used by
important contribution to boxing. Cabinet Secretariat, PMO and
other Ministries for monitoring
progress implementation of various
APRIL programmes and follow-up of
Rajya Sabha passes The Rights of meetings. The main objective of
Transgender Persons Bill, 2014: On this software is to to monitor the
25th April 2015, a private members progress of every project whether
Bill protecting and providing rights for small or big.
transgenders was passed by the Rajya Computerization and Information
Sabha. The Bill guarantees reservation System (C&IS) of Railway Board
in education and jobs, financial aid and in coordination with NIC and
social inclusion. This is the first time Department of Electronics and
in 45 years that a private members Information Technology (DeitY)
Bill has been passed by the House. have developed the software
The bill seeks to provide framework for ESamiksha. According to
for formulations and implementations a Railway official involved with
of laws to ensure overall development the E-Samiksha, the software
of the transgender people. It demands has been developed to make it a
for 2 percent reservation in primary, highly interactive web-based, user-
secondary and higher education and friendly and customised system.
in government jobs. Currently, it is being used by Cabinet
Secretariat, Prime Ministers Office
 8

and other Ministries for monitoring by dropping its 20-25 rule, that
progress implementation of various required a minimum of 20 investors
programmes and follow-up of and a cap of 25% on investment by
meetings. an individual, for funds from low-risk
foreign investors. The relaxation of
the rule is intended to make it easier
MAY
for domestic mutual funds to manage
RBI Allowed Tap And Pay Without offshore pooled assets. As per the
Pin For Transactions Up to 2000 existing norms, a fund manager who
Rupees: Relaxing norms, the Reserve is managing a domestic scheme is
Bank of India on 14th May 2015 allowed to manage an offshore fund,
allowed banks to enable transactions subject to three specific conditions.
in contactless cards for values The first requires the investment
up to Rs 2,000 without requiring objective and asset allocation of the
a separate PIN authentication. domestic scheme and of the offshore
Beyond this transaction limit, the fund to be the same. The second
card has to be processed as a contact condition requires at least 70 % of
payment and authentication with the portfolio to be replicated across
PIN will be mandatory. This will both the domestic scheme and the
hasten acceptance of `tap and pay offshore fund. The third and most
electronic payments at retail outlets, stringent condition required offshore
in transport services and for toll fund to be broad-based with at least
payments. Tap and pay refers to 20 investors with no single investor
the use of near field communication holding more than 25% of the fund
technology in payment cards where corpus.
instead of the traditional swiping of Government Launched Official
the card and punching in payment Website of NITI Aayog: The Union
details, all the customer needs to Government replaced the Planning
do is wave a card in front of an Commission with National
acceptance device for the bill to be Institution for Transforming India
settled. One of the preconditions set (NITI) Aayog on January 1 2015
out by RBI is that the contactless card and on 18 May 2015 launched
should also incorporate the latest official website of NITI Aayog. The
EMV Chip technology for enabling website was launched by Dr Arvind
payment beyond 2000 rupees. RBIs Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI
announcement came on the day Aayog. The function was attended
State Bank of India announced the by Chief Executive of NITI Aayog
largest roll-out of contactless card Sindhushree Khullar and members
payments in the country. Bibek Debroy and V.K. Saraswat.
SEBI Notifies The Securities And The website has a unique feature of
Exchange Board of India (Mutual blogs section that contains articles,
Funds) Regulations, 2015: On field reports, work in progress and
20 March 2015 the Security and opinions by the officials; along with
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) details of the constitution, functions
notified the SEBI (Mutual Funds) and current activities of the NITI
Regulations, 2015. They have now Aayog. Nominated to serve as a
simplified norms for domestic funds policy think-tank for the central as
to manage offshore pooled assets well as state governments, NITI
 9
Aayog has the Prime Minister as According to the demand pattern,
its chairperson. The website can Suvidha train services will run
be accessed on http://www.niti. during peak seasons like winter
gov.in. However, the final website rush, summer rush, Dussehara rush,
is under construction and will be Holi rush and on other occasions
updated soon. The designing of as jointly decided by COMs and
the website took a little longer than CCMs of the zonal Railways.
usual because it would have a wider Delhi Metro got its first driver-less
target audience as there would be a train: Delhis highly anticipated
platform for states, experts, citizens Metro received its first driver-less
and stakeholders where they can train, equipped with several highly
share their views on different issues developed features. The train was
and see others perspectives. manufactured at Changwan in
South Korea. The new-age train that
JUNE arrived at the Mukundpur depot will
eventually run unattended, guided
Railway Ministry Decides To Run by Delhi Metros operations control
Suvidha Trains: Railway Ministry centres. The route they would run
has decided to run Suvidha with on the over 58 km-long Majlish
dynamic to address the rush during Park-Shiv Vihar (Line 7) and the
peak travel seasons. The railway over 38 km-longJanakpuri(West)-
ministry has followed a list of terms Botanical Garden (Line 8) corridors
and conditions to be followed for the of the Phase-III. According to the
running of these trains. Tickets will latest reports both these sections are
be issued only for confirmed and expected to be operational by the
RAC passengers accommodation. end of 2016.The trains are designed
There shall be no provision for for a maximum speed of 95 kmph
waiting list in the train. The earliest and operational speed of 85 kmph.
advance reservation period will A total of 20 six-coach trains will be
be 30 days while the minimum manufactured in South Korea by the
Advance Reservation period will end of this 2015, while 61 are being
be of 10 days. No concession shall manufactured at the Bharat Earth
be relevant on these trains. Full Movers Limited (BEML) plant in
adult ticket shall be changed for Bengaluru.Each train will be able to
all passengers irrespective of their accommodate 2,280 passengers
age. No provisions for free passes/ 240 more than the regular six-coach
complimentary passes/warrant/ Metro train as driverless trains do
concessional voucher etc. will be not require a cabin for the operator.
permitted in these trains. Apart
from e-ticketing the sale of tickets
shall also be allowed through PRS JULY
counters. Only General quota E-Tourist Visa Scheme Extended
bookings will be applicable and To China, Hong Kong And Macau:
the up gradation option shall
On 29th July, the Government of
not be applicable in these trains.
Passenger should produce one of India has extended e-Tourist Visa
the prescribed Identity cards during (eTV) scheme for the applicants
journey for verification purpose from China, Hong Kong and Macau
for both e-ticket and PRS ticket. with effect from 30th July 2015.
 10

This would bring the total number PPIs has been introduced taking
of nationalities availing this facility into account the requests received
from 74 to 77. The scheme is about from various segments, including
to be extended to more countries in providers of mass transit services,
a phased manner. such as metro train and road
transport services, indicating the
Touristsundere-Tourist Visa scheme need for PPIs catering to the
can arrive at nine designated requirements of this segments to
airports i.e. Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, enhance commuter convenience.
Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, MPEDA Launches Mobile-Based
Chennai, Cochin and Trivandrum. Applications: The Marine Products
After the launch of this scheme, Export Development Authority
more than two lakh e-Tourists Visa (MPEDA), a nodal agency for
have been issued to nationals of promotion of marine exports from
different countries. India has launched two mobile
based applications to help farmers
Since last three year, a total of 1,
get prices on shrimp and capture
79,873 (One lakh seventy-nine data on aquaculture through mobile.
thousand eight hundred seventy-
The two mobile- based applications
three) tourist visas have been
are:
issued to China, Hong Kong and
1. Shrimp price information over
Macau. The aim of government for
SMS by a missed call.
launching e-Tourists Visa scheme
is to boost the tourist arrival from 2. mkrishi-Mobile App for
these countries and strengthen Aquaculture Operations
bilateral ties among people of these MPEDA is providing price related
regions. market information on Vannamei
RBI Releases Guidelines on PPI and Black Tiger shrimp to farmers.
For Mass Transit System: The RBI The farmers need to give a missed
has released Final Guidelines on call to a predetermined number and
Prepaid Payment Instruments for they will get to know the prices of
Mass Transit System (PPI-MTS) to various grades of these two varieties
enable the issuance of a separate of shrimp in major world markets
category of semi-closed prepaid such as Japan, the U.S. and EU
instruments for mass transit system. through an SMS.
The PPI-MTS will not only enhance
This service is being provided at
commuter convenience but also
facilitate the transition towards the no cost to farmers all over India
countrys vision of moving to a less- and would enable them to take
cash society. an informed decision on harvest
of their produce and get better
The PPI-MTS can be used within
the mass transit systems and will price realization. The agency
have a minimum validity of six has launched an Android based
months from date of issue. Such mobile app called mKrishi to
PPIs will be reloadable instruments enable farmers get expert guidance
subject to an outstanding limit of on all operations, besides helping
2,000/- at any point of time. with book keeping and weather
This new category of semi-closed information.
 11
The farmers can see the reports in a national agriculture market, an
graphical form. An option to view online platform will be set up. On
the trends or reports in the computer this platform farmers will be able
is also provided to give seamless to sell and buy vegetables, fruits
data entry and visualisation. This and other produce from across the
will help in resolving issues quickly country. The Union Government
on a more personalised manner. will also establish an agency to
NDDB Launches Mobile oversee online trading and ensure
Application Pashuposhan: that transactions take place
National Dairy Development Board smoothly.
launched a mobile application This Online agriculture market will
Pashu-Poshan to boost dairy also focus on creating godowns
farmers income by raising milk and facilitate transportation of the
yield and reducing feed cost. The farm produce after online trade.
app will recommend a balanced The move is expected to give
diet for cows and buffaloes. The app choice to farmers to sell the farm
will be available on both web and produce both in physical mandis as
android platforms. This service can well as online. The free access to
be accessed by registering on the sell via online trade is believed to
INAPH portal. boost their incomes and improve
availability, moderating price rise.
To avail of this service a farmer
Currently, farmers sell their produce
needs to provide complete animal
at traditional mandis or market
profile; its breed, age, milk
committees which charge various
production, fat content in milk apart
taxes on producers.
from the food items that the animal
is fed on along with the cost in 1st Earthquake Warning System in
order to formulate a balanced ration Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand became
formula. the first state to install a system to
detect earthquakes and disseminate
This has resulted in reducing the
warnings. This system has been
feed cost by Rs. 5-15 per animal
installed in Dehradun which will
and an average increase in milk
issue warnings 1-40 seconds before
production by an average 300 ml per earthquakes of magnitude 5 or
animal per day. more. The system is designed and
India is the largest milk producer in manufactured by Italian Company,
the world, but the challenge before Space Dynamics.
the countrys dairy sector is low Main Features of the Earthquake
productivity of its bovine population Warning System (EWS):
as compared to developed countries.
This system has sensors, capable
Online National Agriculture of detecting P (Primary) and S
Market: Union Cabinet has (Secondary) waves generated during
approved setting up of an online an earthquake.
National Agriculture Market that
It is capable of detecting the
will provide more options to farmers
harmless P wave, which travels
for selling their produce. For online
 12

faster than the S wave for advance of the nations total exports.
warning. In total there are 330 notified SEZs
The system has the earliest detection across the country of which 36 are
among those currently in use operational in Tamil Nadu, followed
worldwide. by Karnatakaand Telangana having
26 each while Maharashtra having
It can generate a variety of alarms 25. The Commerce Ministry has
like programmable built-in audio been taking a number of steps
alert, connected to external alarms to boost exports as the value of
like sirens and public announcement countrys shipments in the last four
systems. financial years has been around
It can also trigger visual alerts $300 billion.
and send them via cell phones
and the internet. According to the SEPTEMBER
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS),
Uttarakhand falls under seismic Gold Monetization Schemes
Zone V; a zone of high seismic Introduced: The Union Cabinet
chaired by the Prime Minister Modi
activity with magnitude of 6.9 or
on September 9 gave its approval for
larger on Richter scale. Apart from
introduction of Gold Monetization
it, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Schemes (GMS), as announced
Pradesh, Rann of Kutch (Gujarat), in the Union Budget 2015-16.
Northern Bihar and Andaman The objective of introducing the
and Nicobar islands fall under this modifications in the schemes is to
seismic zone. make the existing schemes more
effective and to broaden the ambit
AUGUST of the existing schemes from merely
mobilizing gold held by households
6 new SEZ proposals approved: and institutions in the country to
(28th August) The Union putting this gold into productive use.
Government approved six new The long-term objective which is
proposals which include four from sought through this arrangement is
IT and IT enabled Service (ITeS) to reduce the countrys reliance on
sector, for setting up of Special the import of gold to meet domestic
Economic Zones (SEZs). The demand.
decision was taken by the Board of
The long-term objective of the
Approval (BoA) for SEZ headed by
scheme is to reduce the countrys
Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia.
reliance on the import of gold to
The proposals which got the meet domestic demand. GMS
approval include the HCL IT City would benefit the Indian gems and
Lucknow, Loma IT Park Developer jewellery sector which is a major
and North Mumbai International contributor to countrys exports
Commodity Township. by accounting 12 per cent of total
The exports from these particular exports. It would enable depositors
zones had risen to Rs 4.94 lakh to earn interest on their on their
crore in 2013-14 from the previous gold accounts. These schemes are
amount of Rs 22,840 crore in 2005- in addition to the implementation
06. These SEZs account about 25% Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme
 13
(SGBS) which was approved by the missile-armed drones from Israel
Union Cabinet. Under this scheme, will enhance Indias cross-border
bonds will be issued with an interest military strike capabilities. The
rate decided by Union Government Indian Air Force (IAF) which has
and calculated on value at the time also a fleet of Harpy UAVs from
of investment.
Israel will operate the drones; they
BSE Has Highest Number of are primarily tasked with taking out
Listed Companies in the World: enemy radar positions.
WFE: Bombay Stock Exchange
(BSE) has the highest number of The armed drones are equipped
listed companies in the world as with air-to-ground missiles which
announced by the World Federation will carry a payload of 1,000 kg.
of Exchanges (WEF). A total The project has been given pace and
number of 5689 companies were the drones may be put into service
listed with the BSE by the end within a year. The armed forces had
of June 2015. However, there is proposed buying the same armed
only one foreign company out of
drones in 2012. But the proposal
5689. By the end of June 2015, the
National Stock Exchange of India didnt take off due to not getting
(NSE) had 1750 listed companies. support of UPA-2 government. The
The total value of transactions in project was revived by the Modi
government this year.
the BSE was 94 billion US dollars
during the same period. The armed drones are the same
as the Predator unmanned aerial
AS for Shanghai stock exchange of
vehicles (UAVs) capable of
China (having 1070 companies), it is reconnaissance, combat and support
at the top in terms of value of share roles. India operates unarmed Heron
trading with 30 trillion US dollars and Searcher UAVs for surveillance
worth transactions in June 2015. and intelligence purposes.
BSE is followed by TMX Group,
Indian Railways & Google
BME Spanish Exchanges, London Provide Free Wi-Fi Services:
SE Group, NASDAQ OMX, NYSE Indian Railways and Google have
Euronext (US), Tokyo SE Group, partnered to launch a new project
Australian SE, Korea Exchange under the code name Project Nilgiri
and NSE in the top ten. While on September 13. The project will
TMX has 3,964 listed companies, deliver free Wi-fi access to around
London Stock Exchange has 2,782 400 railway stations across India.
companies, NASDAQ OMX has Google will be using the Google
2,598 and NYSE Euronext (US) has Fiber project, thatll provide high
2,345. speed internet connection for the
Purchase of 10 Heron TP Drones travellers.
From Israel Approved: India on Commuters can access Wi-fi only
11 September 2015 approved the after mobile number verification
purchase of 10 Heron TP drones through a one-time password sent
from Israel. This 400 million US over SMS. Initially, a user will get
dollars proposal for buying armed high speed internet connectivity for
 14

the first 30 minutes and thereafter, Forbes Releases List Of Indias

the speed will drop and become 100 Richest People: Forbes list of
slow though the connection of the Indian richest people is based on
users will still be active. an annual assessment of wealth
In the first phase, Google and and assets compiled and published
Indian Railways will set up Wi- by Forbes magazine in 2015. The
fi hotspots across 400 railway combined net worth of the 2015
stations throughout India over a class of the 100 richest Indians is
period of 4 months from now. In US$ 345 billion, down from 346
its phase 2 expansion, Google will billion a year ago in 2014. Mukesh
provide Wi-fi on board moving Ambani remains Indias richest
trains Pan India using cutting person for the ninth consecutive year
edge technology. Presently, Indian with a net worth of US$18.9 billion,
Railways provide Wi-fi connectivity according to the latest Forbes India
in moving trains for select routes Rich List. The top 10 richest people
of India are as follows:
like Rajdhani express using satellite
communication technology.

National World Net worth

Name Source(s) of wealth
ranking ranking (USD)
1 39 Mukesh Ambani 18.9 billion Reliance Industries
2 44 Dilip Sanghvi 18 billion Sun Pharmaceutical
3 48 Azim Premji 15.9 billion Wipro
4 185 S P Hinduja 14.8 billion Hinduja Group
5 108 Pallonji Mistry 14.7 billion Shapoorji Pallonji Group
6 156 Shiv Nadar 12.9 billion HCL
7 208 Godrej family 11.4 billion Godrej Group
8 82 Lakshmi Mittal 13.5 billion ArcelorMittal
Cyrus Poonawalla Group,
9 208 7.9 billion
Poonawalla Serum Institute of India
10 142 Kumar Birla 7.8 billion Aditya Birla Group

Indian Railways Develops into water and gas with the help of
Prototype of Hybrid Vacuum anaerobic bacteria.
Toilet: The Indian Railways has With the transfer of the discharge of
come up with an eco-friendly the vacuum toilets into biodigester,
sanitation project, under which, the need to create separate ground
this new kind of toilet has been handling installation and creating
set up to save water on trains. A additional sewer load on the
prototype of the new hybrid vacuum Municipal Corporation will be done
toilet has been made that comprises away with. The concept has been
a modified vacuum toilet that is converted into a working prototype
used in aircraft and a biodigester by Indian Railways as a first ever
tank, which converts the excreta system of its kind to have been
 15
developed and built by any railway announced diesel subsidy for
system in the world. This newly farmers to help save standing crops.
developed toilet has been fitted in It also enhanced ceiling on seed
one coach of Dibrugarh Rajdhani subsidy to compensate the farmers
for trial. in the drought affected districts for
The prototype consists of a custom the additional expenditure incurred
designed Vacuum toilet adapted in the re-sowing.
from a commercially available Besides, the government has
vacuum toilet that is used in aircrafts made flexible allocation under the
which evacuates its discharge into Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and
a biodigester tank which is now other centrally sponsored schemes.
successfully proven in the biotoilets
It has put in place crop contingency
of Indian Railways. The biodigester
plan for 600 districts.
tank is fitted underneath the coach
and contains anaerobic bacteria that Marathi-film Court as Indias
convert human fecal matter into Official entry to Oscar: Chaitanya
water and small amount of gases Tamhanes debut Marathi movie
before discharging the same on the Court, a courtroom drama has been
ground/track. chosen as Indias official entry for
the Best Foreign Language Film
Government Provides Additional category at the 88th Academy
50 Days Work Under MGNREGA: Awards. Court had also won a
The Union government on National Film Award.
September 14 decided to provide
The 17-member jury to choose the
additional 50 days of work in
entry was headed by veteran actor-
drought-hit areas under the filmmaker Amol Palekar. According
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural to reports, PK, Masaan, Mary Kom,
Employment Guarantee Act Haider, Kaaka Muttai, Baahubali
(MGNREGA) scheme to provide and Kuttram Kadithal were among
relief to farmers on account of the films that the jury also watched.
deficit monsoon in various parts of Court about a trial which unfolds
the country. Currently, 100 days of in a lower court, where the hopes
work is provided to rural job card and dreams of the citys ordinary
holders under the MGNREGA. people play out won the National
The decision was taken following Film Award in the Best Feature
monsoon deficit reaching 16 per Film category for 2014.
cent across the country, which With impactful performances by
could affect kharif crops and rural actors Vivek Gomber, Vira Sathidar,
income. The move will enable Geetanjali Kulkarni and Shirish
states to provide additional wage Pawar, the movie did its fair share
employment to rural poor in drought of rounds at foreign movie galas.
affected areas. The poorest rural Last year, Liars Dice, a road drama
starring Geetanjali Thapa and
households will benefit from this, as
Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles,
it will help in immediate absorption
was selected as Indias official entry
of rural seasonal unemployment, to the Best Foreign Film category
and reduce rural distress. of Oscars, but it failed to make
The government had already it to the top five at the Academy
 16

Awards. The 88th Academy Awards System (NPS) for giving them access
ceremony will be held on February to income security during old age.
28, 2016. The decision has been taken by the
Four new isotopes discovered at RBI in consultation of the Union
Manipal University: Researchers Government and Prime Minister
from the Manipal Centre of Natural Narendra Modis efforts. The
Sciences at Manipal University, subscription of the pension system
Karnataka, with collaborators from can be availed through normal
GSI, Germany, have succeeded in banking channels and the eligible
discovering four new atomic nuclei person can make investments
to be added to the Chart of the according to the provisions of
Nuclides. The newly discovered, PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory
exotic nuclei are one isotope each of and Development Authority) Act,
the heavy elements berkelium and 2013. NRIs will have two ways to
neptunium and two isotopes of the pay the subscription amounts, that
element americium. is, either by inward remittance
through normal banking channels or
To enable the discovery of the new
out of funds they have in their NRO/
isotopes, scientists used a new,
NRE/FCNR account. There will not
highly sensitive method to create
be any restriction on repatriation
and detect the nuclei and the results
of annuity or accumulated savings.
of this work constitute the first
NPS is governed by PFRDA and was
proof of this new technique. A
launched in the year 2004. NPS,
300-nanometer-thick foil of curium
initially, was introduced for the new
was bombarded with accelerated
Government recruits (other than
calcium nuclei in this experiment.
armed forces). It aims at inculcating
In the collisions studied, the atomic
the habit of saving money for
nuclei of the two elements touched,
retired citizens in order for them to
and formed a compound system for
have monetary aid during their old
an extremely short time. Before the
age. The pension plan was, on May
compound system could break apart
1, 2009, extended for all citizens
again, after about a sextillionth of
living in the country.
a second, the two nuclei involved
exchanged a significant number RBI Issues Gold Monetization
of their nuclear building-blocks Scheme Guidelines for Banks: The
protons and neutrons to form Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued
various isotopes as the end products. guidelines for banks to implement
the gold scheme that was approved
The newly discovered isotopes have
earlier by the government. The
fewer neutrons and are lighter than
Gold Monetization scheme would
the previously known isotopes of
allow the banks to fix interest rates
the respective elements.
on gold deposit according to their
own guidelines. According to the
OCTOBER scheme the interest and the principal
payments on gold deposits will be
RBI Allows NRIS To Subscribe done in gold. Subject to a minimum
To National Pension System: The lock-in period, RBI will give the
Reserve Bank of India has given provision of premature withdrawal
non-resident Indians (NRIs) to of the deposited gold. An idle gold
subscribe to the National Pension
 17
worth about INR 5, 40, 000 crore been noted to be responsible for
has been targeted by the banking crop damage on a large scale basis.
systems for gold monetisation The App would allow farmers to
scheme. The scheme does not have send pictures of hailstorms to the
any limit to the maximum deposit ISROs Bhuvan server giving the
a person can make however, there government opportunity to have a
is a minimum deposit set which quick assessment of the damages to
is 30 grams. The gold can be in the crops.
any formcoins, bars, jewellery E-Sahyog Pilot Project of Income-
excluding other metals and stones. Tax Department to Facilitate
There will be two deposit options Taxpayers: The Income-tax
available to the customersShort Department is committed to
Term Bank Deposit (1-3years) the Digital India initiative of
and Medium (5-7 years) and Long the Government of India. The
Term Government Deposit (12- Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley
15 years). All the deposits will be launched here today an e-Sahyog
made Collection and Purity Testing pilot project which furthers the
Centre (CPTC). Departments commitment to work
Union Government Launches in an e-environment and reduces the
KISAN Project and Hailstorm need for the taxpayer to physically
App for Crop Damage: The appear before tax authorities.
pilot programme, KISAN, was The e-Sahyog project launched
launched to fasten the payment on a pilot basis is aimed at reducing
process of crop insurance claims compliance cost, especially for
to the farmers. It will make use of small taxpayers. The objective of
satellite and imaging by drone and e-Sahyog is to provide an online
other technology to generate timely mechanism to resolve mismatches
and accurate data on crop yielding. in Income-tax returns of those
On the basis of crop cutting assesses whose returns have been
experiments, the payment against selected for scrutiny, without
crop insurance is released. To visiting the Income Tax Office.
develop a new index based insurance Under this initiative the Department
approach is yet another feature will provide an end to end e-service
incorporated in the program. The using SMS, e-mails to inform the
delay in settlements of the insurance tax assesses of the mismatch. The
has been of great concern to the taxpayers will simply need to visit
government. Mahalanobis National the e-filing portal and log in with
Crop Forecast Centre, Indian their user-ID and password to view
Space Research Organisation, mismatch related information and
India Meteorological Department, submit online response on the issue.
State Agriculture Departments and The responses submitted online
Remote Sensing Centres, Climate by the taxpayers will be processed
Change, Agriculture and Food and if the response and other
Security will all work together information are found satisfactory
jointly in this programme. The as per automated closure rules, the
newly launched android based issue will be treated as closed. The
App will enable to collect data taxpayers can check the updated
of hailstorm causing damages to status by logging in to the e-filing
standing crops. Hailstorms have portal.
 18

NOVEMBER Indian Railways launches passenger

friendly scheme - Vikalp Scheme for
NITI Aayog Initiates New waitlisted passengers. According
Nutrition Strategy Development to this newly launched scheme, the
Idea_india: NITI Aayog conducted passengers on waitlist will be able
its first initiative towards setting up to get confirmed berths in the next
a National Nutrition Strategy on
train on the same route subject to
October 28, 2015. It was chaired
by the CEO of NITI Aayog, availability. The pilot project of a
Ms Sindhushree Khullar. NITI new scheme i.e. Vikalp Scheme
Aayog conducted a meeting with is also known as alternative train
the Ministries of Women and accommodation scheme (ATAS)
Child Development and Health and is launched on Delhi- Lucknow
and Family Welfare after having and Delhi-Jammu routes. The
gathered necessary data on under facility of this scheme is limited to
nutrition specifically targeting the express and mail trains. This
the poorly performing states and scheme is available only for the
districts. Professional bodies, tickets which are to be booked
international agencies, voluntary online i.e. E-ticket.
organisations and experts came
together at one place to discuss The objective to launch this
scheme is to provide confirmed
the issue of under nutrition in the
accommodation to the waitlisted
country and the ways to eradicate it.
passengers and to ensure the
The NITI officials and the Ministries optimal utilisation of available
of Health and Family Welfare accommodation for these
and Program Implementation and passengers. Under this scheme,
Additional Registrar General of passengers have to pay No extra
India shared important vision and charge to avail this facility or any
design of the Nutritional Strategy. refund provided for the difference
International organisations such of fare. In the next available train,
as UNICEF, WHO, UN Women a separate list of the passengers
and UNDP also presented their transferred will be pasted along with
views at the meeting. By the end of the confirmed and waitlist charts.
December, 2015, NITI Aayog has
been asked to prepare a draft on DECEMBER
Nutrition Strategy in consultations Employers Attestation not
of the experts. Constitution of an Required for PF Claim: The
Inter-Ministerial Group on Health Employees Provident Fund
and Nutrition Data has been seen
Organisation (EPFO) has allowed its
as an important requirement to
subscribers to file their applications
enable the identification of focus
directly to the retirement fund body
districts and recommendations to
without employers attestation.
monitor and track the progress of
This was earlier mandatory for this
the strategy in these areas.
purpose. Employees whose details
Indian Railways launches Vikalp like Aadhaar Number and Bank
scheme for waitlisted passengers: Account Number have been seeded
With effect from November 1, 2015,
 19
in their Universal (or portable PF) 205 districts selected from all the
Account Number (UAN) and whose States and UTs. An amount of Rs
UAN have been activated will be 27486.79 lakhs has been released
able to enjoy this benefit given to states under SABLA in 2015-16
by EPFO. Claims will have to be till date and amount utilised is Rs
submitted manually by subscribers 7844.49 lakhs.
and this initiative will make the PF SETU to Support Start-up
withdrawals easy for the employees. Businesses: Government has
National Waterways Bill, 2015: set up a mechanism known as
Union Cabinet has given its approval SETU to support all aspects of
to carry out official amendments start-up businesses and other self-
in The National Waterways Bill, employment activities. SETU
2015. The amendments are based (SelfEmployment and Talent
on the recommendations of the Utilisation) has been established
Department related Parliamentary under NITI Aayog is a Techno-
Standing Committee on Transport, Financial, Incubation and
Tourism and Culture and comments Facilitation Programme to support
of State Governments. It provides all aspects of start-up businesses,
for enacting a Central Legislation and other self-employment
to declare 106 additional inland activities, particularly in technology-
waterways as the national driven areas.
waterways by which the total Arbitration and Conciliation
number of NW goes up to 111 (Amendment) Bill, 2015: The
from existing 5. Union Government Lok Sabha has today passed the
is empowered to make laws on Arbitration and Reconciliation
shipping and navigation on national (Amendment Bill), 2015 by voice
waterways as per Entry 24 of the vote. The Bill seeks to make the
Union List of the 7th Schedule of arbitration process more investor-
the Constitution. friendly, cost effective and suitable
SABLA Scheme to Empower for expeditious disposal of cases. It
Adolescent Girls: Rajiv Gandhi will also facilitate in making India
Scheme for Empowerment of a hub of international commercial
Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) arbitration. Courts will also be asked
Sabla has been implemented by to decide disputed arbitral awards
Govt. which aims at empowering within a year. It may be noted that
Adolescent Girls (AGs) between 11- the President had promogulated an
18 years through nutrition, health ordinance for amending the earlier
care and life skills education. Nearly prevalent act, the Arbitration and
100 lakh adolescent girls per annum Conciliation Act 1996 related and
are expected to be benefitted under for matters connected there with or
the scheme. The scheme will cover incidental thereto.
 20

JANUARY number of bank accounts in a short

span of nearly five months. The
Project Lettuce: To grow lettuce Yojana was announced by the PM on
on Mars in 2018: Scientists at January 26, 2015 and launched on
University of Southampton are August 28, 2015. The initial target
planning to grow lettuce on the was the underprivileged section of
red planet in year 2018. The team the Indian society. The three most
will grow some plants on Mars important needs of launching the
to see if the plants can survive the programme were to create a way
atmosphere. Minimum amount to encourage the habit of saving
of resources would be taken from money, providing credit channels
Earth while essential gases would
and bridging gaps in the public
be extracted and processed from
subsidy and welfare programmes.
Martian atmosphere for growing
9.06 crore accounts were opened
the plants. A green house, frozen
seeds of lettuce, several nutrients by the public banks alone while
and systems for monitoring and the regional banks opened 2 crore
processing the atmosphere would be accounts. According to reports,
taken along to Mars. A not-for-profit about 8.24 crore accounts had zero
foundation, Mars One, will launch balance. To more than 10 crore
Mars One Lander. The frozen beneficiaries, the RuPay cards have
lettuce seeds would be reactivated been issued so far. Indian Finance
inside the greenhouse chamber Minister, Arun Jaitley was presented
after Mars One Lander reaches with the official record certificate
Mars. The lettuce is reported to be issued by the Guinness World
grown on Mars without any soil. Records. The programme is said to
Water and other nutrients would boost the countrys economy in the
be sprayed timely on the plants. coming time.
The foundation, Mars One, aims at
establishing a permanent habitat for FEBUARY
humans on the red planet by the year
2026. The project leader, Suzanna 3 Indians Shortlisted For The Trip
Lucarotti, communicated that to Mars: In a proud moment, 3
food is important for humans and Indians - 19-yearl Sharadha Prasad,
so it should be tested if the plants 29-year Ritika Singh and 29-year
can thrive on the planet before the Taranjeet Singh Bhatia - are among
planet can be affirmed fit for human the 100 shortlisted applicants who
habitation. were chosen for one-way trip to
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna Mars under Mars One mission in
made it to Guinness World the third week of February 2015.
Records: With 11.5 crore Jan Dhan
The candidates selected from a
accounts opened, the Pradhaan
Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana entered pool of 202586 candidates for a
the Guinness World Records. planned one-way trip to Mars in
The Guinness World Record has 2024 include 50 men and 50 women
commended India for having from all around the world - 39
achieved the opening of highest from America, 31 from Europe,
 21
16 from Asia, 7 from Africa and 7 such as bacterial cells or viruses. The
from Oceania. The first troop will goal of cancer vaccines is to provoke
reach the red planet in 2025. These the immune system to recognize
candidates will now appear in the cancer cells as foreign and attack
second and third round of the Mars them.
One Astronaut Selection Process to RWB releases the World Press
be conducted by the Netherlands- Freedom Index 2015: The Reporters
based non-profit organization Mars without Borders (RWB) released the
One. These rounds will focus on World Press Freedom Index (WPFI)
composing teams that can endure 2015. In the WPFI India was
all the hardships of a permanent placed at 136th position out of 180
countries that were surveyed in terms
settlement on Mars. The candidates
of Freedom of Press. On the top
will receive their first shot at training
of the list were three Scandinavian
in the replica of the Mars Outpost countries: Finland on the First
on Earth and will demonstrate their position followed by Norway and
suitability to perform well in a team. Denmark. At the other end of the
New 3D vaccine for cancer and scale were Turkemenistan, North
infectious diseases found: National Korea and Eritrea were the worst
Institute Biomedical Imaging and performers securing the last position
Bioengineering (NIBIB) funded in the Index.
researchers have developed a novel World Press Freedom Index
3D vaccine that could provide a highlights the worldwide
more effective way to manipulate deterioration in the freedom of
the immune system to fight cancer information in 2014.
and other infectious diseases. The India has shown improvement in its
vaccine is able to self-construct rank from in 2014. However Indias
into a 3D structure and manipulate score has gone down from 40.34 to
immune cells. 40.49
The vaccine is composed of many World Press Freedom Index
micro-sized, porous silica rods is produced by France based
dispersed in liquid; When injected international non-governmental
under the skin, the liquid quickly organization, Reporters without
diffuses leaving the rods to form Borders (RWB). WPFI aims to
a randomly assembled three promote and defend freedom of
dimensional structure resembling information and freedom of press.
a hayrack. The spaces between The WFPI ranks countries according
the rods are big enough to house to index calculated based upon
dendritic cells and other immune various parameters.
cells, and the rods have nano sized
These parameters include media
pores that can be loaded with a pluralism and independence,
combination of antigens and drugs. respect for the safety and freedom
Cancer cells are often ignored by the of journalists and the legislative,
immune system because for the most institutional and infrastructural
part- they closely resemble cells that environment in which the media
belong to the body than pathogens, operate.
 22

MARCH uranium supply came two years after

protracted negotiations following
RBI Signs $400 million Currency the 2013 civil nuclear deal between
Swap Pact with Sri Lanka: The India and Canada. It was signed
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has after comprehensive talks between
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
signed a US $400 million currency
his Canadian counterpart Stephen
swap agreement with the Central Harper.
Bank of Sri Lanka. The currency
Canada is the third country to
swap agreement will permit the supply uranium to India after Russia
central banks of both nations to and Kazakhstan. The supplies will
make withdrawals of US Dollar or be under the International Atomic
Euro in multiple tranches up to a Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.
maximum limit of USD 400 million Cameco Corporation will supply
3,000 metric tonnes of uranium over
or its equivalent. The agreement will five years to India at an estimated
be valid for a period of three years cost of $254 million and the supply
and strengthen the economic co- will start from this year.
operation between the two countries. Canada is the second-largest
During the SAARCFINANCE producer of uranium globally, with
exports valued at over $1 billion per
Governors meeting held in Nepal
year.
in 2012, the RBI announced that it
will offer currency swap facilities
MAY
aggregating USD 2 billion. This
facility will be offered in both foreign Japanese scientists Discover new
currency and rupee to SAARC State of Matter: Scientists at
member countries. In this regard, Tokohu University in Japan, on
14th May 2015, discovered a new
the swap arrangement are signed to
state of matter called the Jahn-
provide a backstop line of funding
Tellermetal that resembles an
for the SAARC member countries insulator, superconductor, metal
to meet any balance of payments and magnet all rolled into one. The
(BOP) and liquidity crisis till long- researchers said that the research
term arrangements are made. could help develop new molecular
materials that are superconductors
APRIL at even higher temperatures.
The study is led by Kosmas
Canada to Supply Uranium to Prassides of Tohoku University
India: On 15th April 2015, Canada in Japan and provides important
agreed to supply 3,000 metric tonnes clues about how the interplay
of uranium to energy-hungry India between the electronic structure
from this year under a $254-million of the molecules and their spacing
five-year deal to power Indian within the lattice can strengthen
atomic reactors, four decades after interactions between electrons that
bilateral cooperation in this sector cause superconductivity. The study
was frozen over Indias nuclear shows that the material has a rich
programme. The agreement for combination of insulating, magnetic,
 23
metallic and superconducting phases Insecurity in the World 2015 was
- including the otherwise unknown released by Food and Agriculture
state, dubbed as Jahn-Teller metal. Organisation of the United Nations
In terms of Science Advances, this (FAO), the International Fund for
research involves caesium fulleride Agricultural Development (IFAD)
(Cs3C60) in a face-centred-cubic and the World Food Programme
lattice with a Cs3C60 molecule at (WFP) by UN hunger report titled
each lattice site. Jahn- Teller Metal annually.
was found by changing the distance The report mentions that the
between neighbouring buckyballs by number of undernourished has
doping the material with rubidium. reduced significantly; now 795
It is named after the Jahn-Teller people are undernourished globally
effect, which is used in chemistry to which is 216 lesser than in 1990-
describe how at low pressures, the 1992. This has brought the share of
geometric arrangement of molecules undernourished people in the world
and ions in an electronic state can down from 23.3 per cent to 12.9 per
become distorted. cent. The decline is more marked
in developing nations despite
Forbes Global 2000 Companies
population growth.
List: Forbes released Global 2000
Companies list comprising the Chinese social media platform
worlds biggest, most powerful and Weibo joined by PM Modi: Prime
most valuable companies. China Minister Narendra Modi joined
landed five of the top 10 spots for Chinas popularsocial media
the second time in a row. The top platform Weibo. He became the
five companies include Industrial & first Indian leader to join Weibo.
Commercial Bank of China (ICBC); The site also features accounts
China Construction Bank (China); of politicians like British Prime
Agricultural Bank of China (China);
Bank of China (China); Berkshire Minister David Cameron. Modi is
Hathaway (United States). State one of the worlds most followed
Bank of India (world ranking 152) politicians on social media. His
topped the Indian companies list account had over 7,000 hits in the
with assets worth $400.6 billion, first hour after he set up his Weibo
followed by Indian Oil (349) in the account. PMs Office maintains a
second and Coal India (490) in the
strong presence on social media so
third place. The Forbes Global 2000
is an annual ranking of the top 2,000 that the prime minister can maintain
public companies in the world by the sync with his vision of digital
the renowned Forbes magazine. India in which technology plays
The criteria for the ranking in the a pivotal role for Governance and
list included sales, profits, assets policy making.International social
and market value. The list has been
media sites like Google, Facebook
published since 2003. The top five
country-wise breakdown include and Twitter arent available in
US 579, China (mainland and Hong China, therefore, local services
Kong) 232, Japan 218, Britain 94 possessing similar features have
and South Korea 66. become immensely popular with
State of Food Insecurity in The the people of China. Sina Weibois
World 2015 Report: State of Food aChinesemicro blogging website
 24

which was launched bySINA Secretary Ash Carter and Indian

Corporationon 14 August 2009,and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
by December 2012 had503 million signed a 10-year defence framework
registered users.Sina Weibo has agreement to strengthen the growth
approximately 100 million messages of defence cooperation between
posted each day. the two countries. The agreement
was an outgrowth of the meeting
that was held between President
JUNE Barack Obama and Indian Prime
Wealth-X Releases Worlds Minister Narendra Modi in January
Wealthiest Self-Made Billionaires 2015. Both the countries have
List: Microsoft co-founder Bill finalized two project agreements
Gates was declared worlds richest for joint development of Mobile
self-made billionaire with net Electric Hybrid Power Sources and
worth USD 86 billion, according to the Next Generation Protective
Wealth-X, global wealth intelligence Ensembles. The also agreed to speed
and prospecting company. Business up discussions to take forward the
magnate Warren Buffett with USD cooperation on jet engines, aircraft
70.1 billion took the second slot on carrier design and construction,
the list. Spains Amancio Ortega and other areas. The agreement
(USD 65 billion) came in next. The also included plans to cooperate in
list of the top wealthiest self-made developing a mobile solar energy
billionaires includes Larry Ellison power source that could be used in
(USD 51.5 billion), Ingvar Kamprad remote areas and in developing a
(USD 48.1 billion), Jeff Bezos (USD lightweight protective suit effective
39.8 billion), Carlos Slim (USD in chemical and biological hazard
35.4 billion), Mark Zuckerberg
environments.The US secretarys
(USD 35.3 billion), Wang Jianlin
visit also aims at convergence of
(USD 35.2 billion) and Michael
Indias Act East policy and the U.S.
Bloomberg (USD 33.7 billion).
American entrepreneurs dominated rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region.
the Wealth-X list by grabbing 14 of Under the Act East policy, India
the 25 spots. The joint wealth of the will focus on improving relations
14 Americans on the list amounted with Association of Southeast
to USD 514.2 billion, which is Asian Nations and other East Asian
greater than GDP of Norway. The countries. The two nations have
list also features Googles Larry agreed to continue their efforts to
Page and Sergey Brin, and Alibaba enhance bilateral cooperation in
chairman Jack Ma.Wealth-X is areas such as maritime security and
the global authority on wealth knowledge partnership in the field of
intelligence, providing sales and defence.
marketing strategy and compliance China Unveil Worlds First Facial
solutions to clients in the financial Recognition ATM Machine:
services, luxury, and not-for-profit China has unveiled the worlds first
and education sectors. facial recognition ATM, which
India and the US Sign 2015 wont allow users to withdraw cash
Framework for the India-US unless their face matches their
Defence Relationship: US Defence IDs. Chinese researchers have
 25
successfully developed the first BRICS is to provide mutual support
automated teller machine (ATM) (monetary funds in US dollars)
with facial recognition technology. in the event of national financial
The first of its kind ATM was systems facing liquidity problems.
developed by researchers from
Tsinghua University and technology The CRA along with the New
firm Tzekwan. The machine has a Development Bank are part of
camera installed which captures the the BRICS framework aimed at
facial features of the user and then maintaining financial stability in
compares it with photos stored in BRICS countries. Total committed
a database for authentication. Its
resources of CRA are 100 billion
technology and software looks at
biological features of person and has with individual commitment of
potential to identify people even if China-41 billion, Russia-18 billion,
their facial features have changed. Brazil -18 billion, India -18 billion,
The machine combines high-speed South Africa -5 billion.
banknote handling, improved It would also contribute to
counterfeit-bill recognition and
strengthening the global financial
facial recognition. Cash machines
using fingerprint authentication have safety net and complement existing
sprung up in countries like Chile and international arrangements (from
Colombia, though biometric ATMs IMF) as an additional line of
have not been released because of defence.
concerns over cost and privacy.
DusKadam: 10 Steps for BRICS:
It provides 20% more accurate
authenticity in verifying multiple To facilitate closer cooperation
currencies compared to present and coordination among BRICS
conventional ATMs used globally. nations, Prime Minister Narender
Modi proposed a ten-point initiative
JULY that includes India hosting the First
Trade Fair for the grouping and
Banks operationalise Contingent establishing research centres for
Reserve Arrangement: The Central railways and agriculture.
Banks of Brazil, Russia, India, China
and South Africa signed Mutual Calling it DusKadam: Ten steps
Assistance Agreement (MAA) for the future, the Prime Minister
to operationalise the Contingent Narender Modi put forward new
Reserve arrangement (CRA) of 100 initiatives for the BRICS grouping
billion US dollars. The Agreement that is formed by major economies.
was signed after meeting the BRICS The Prime Minister proposed these
finance ministers and Central Bank
governors in the Russian capital points at the BRICS meet attended
Moscow. by the Russian Prime Minister
MAA is an operating system of Vladmir Putin, Brazilian President
mutual support specifying the DilmaRousseff and South African
procedures to be followed by central President Jacob Zuma besides
banks of BRICS countries as part Chinese Premier Xi Jinping.
of the CRA and defines their rights The Ten Steps proposed by the
and obligations. The purpose of Prime Minister are:
 26

1. BRICS Trade Fair Earlier in 25th March 2015, The

2. BRICs Railway Research Centre Reserve Bank of India Signed a
currency swap agreement with the
3. 
Cooperation among Supreme central Bank of Sri Lanka for 400
Audit Institutions million US Dollar under the existing
4. BRICS Digital Initiative SAARC Swap Framework within
5. 
BRICS Agriculture Research the overall limit of 2 billion US
Dollar.
Centre
The Governor of Central Bank of
6. 
BRICS State/Local Govern-
Sri Lanka stated that the country
ments Forum will receive the balance of 1.1 billion
7. 
Cooperation amongst cities in US Dollar from the RBI to boost
the field of urbanisation foreign reserves under a 1.5 billion
8. 
BRICS Sports Council and US Dollar swap arrangement.
Annual BRICS Sports Meet The significance of this is that the
exchange rate would stabilize in the
9. First Major NDB Project to be in line with sound macroeconomic
the field of Clean Energy fundamentals and movements of
10. BRICS Film Festival other currencies of major trading
partners.
The Prime Minister also proposed
that every country should obey White-Fi Technology of Microsoft
international rules and norms. to Boost Digital India Initiative:
BRICS is an association of five major US Software major Microsoft
emerging economies namely, Brazil, Corporation newly introduced
Russia, India, China and South White-Fi technology in the second
Africa. The five BRICS nations week of July 2015. As per the
represent over 3 billion people, or technology, Microsoft will provide
42 per cent of the world population. free WiFi connectivity to a large
section of the Indian population and
The five countries have a combined
give a boost to the Prime Minister
nominal GDP of US $ 16.039
Narendra Modis Digital India
trillion, equal to approximately 20 initiative.
per cent of the Gross World product.
Bilateral relations between BRICS White-Fi or television White-
Space technology has potential to
countries are mostly conducted
provide free WiFi to approx one
on non-interference, equality and
billion Indians with no internet
mutual benefit. access through wider coverage and
RBI Signed Special Currency Swap economical deployment and licence
Agreement with the Central Bank free access. WiFi has a range of
of Sri Lanka: The Reserve Bank of only 100 meters; however, 200-300
India signed a special Currency swap MHz spectrum band is available
Agreement with the Central Bank of in the white space which can reach
Sri Lanka in which it can draw up up to 10 kms, 93 percent of this
to US $1.1 billion for a maximum spectrum is not in use. Four world-
period of six months. This special class Broadband products developed
agreement is in addition to the by C-DOT launched under Digital
existing Framework on Currency India Programme. It aims to
Swap Arrangement for the SAARC provide the digital connectivity
Member Countries. to low-income group segments
 27
which mostly remain unattractive 21) to the 1992 United Nations
to commercial telecom provider. Framework Convention on Climate
Other countries than India, where Change (UNFCCC) and the 11th
Microsoft implement this new session of the Meeting of the Parties
technology are Kenya, Singapore, (CMP 11) to the Kyoto Protocol.
the US and London.
Science Express 2015: Science SEPTEMBER
Express has now been redesigned
on the theme Climate Change. India, US create Joint Challenge
From October 2015, it has been Coin to mark partnership: India
planned to run it as Science and US on 17 September jointly
Express-Climate Change Special created a Joint Challenge Coin to
(SECCS). It is a unique collaborative symbolise their unique partnership
initiative of Department of Science in creating a next generation aircraft
& Technology and Ministry of carrier for the Indian Navy. One side
Environment, Forests and Climate of the coin reads Forward Together
Change (MOEFCC), and Ministry We Go and Chale Saath Saath in
of Railway, Government of India. Hindi, which is the vision statement
of US President Barack Obama and
Climate change is the most
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
important environmental issue, with
short term as well as long term and The other side of this coin which
large scale impact. From shifting is golden in colour has the flags of
weather patterns that threaten food India and the United States and an
production, to rising sea levels that aircraft carrier floating on blue water.
increase the risk of catastrophic The joint challenge coin was created
flooding, the impacts of climate by the joint working group at their
change are not just global in scope
and unprecedented in scale but first meeting in US in August 2015
more severely affect poor and to symbolise partnership. During
marginalized people. Obamas visit to India in January,
The Science Express is an innovative the two countries had announced
science exhibition mounted on a the establishment of a working
16 coach AC train which has been group for a next-generation aircraft
custom-built for Department of carrier to bolster the Indian Navys
Science & Technology (DST) by the blue-water capabilities, which held
Indian Railways. This unique mobile its first-ever meeting here last month.
exposition was launched in the year
2007, by DST, in collaboration with 18th Edition of Global Innovation
German Government and Max Index 2015 Released: The Global
Planck Society and it travelled across Innovation Index (GII) 2015,
India in 4 phases of 6-7 months released on September 17 saw India
duration each. ranked a disappointing 81 out of
For climate change, 2015 could the 141 countries surveyed. Topping
be a decisive year, when leaders the list for the 5th year running is
of 190 countries meet in Paris to Switzerland, followed by UK and
discuss a new global agreement on
climate change during 21st session Sweden. The GII, presently in its
of Conference of the Parties (COP 8th edition is an annual report co-
 28

published by Cornell University, the 2022 Winter Olympics after

INSEAD, and the World Intellectual hosting the Summer Games in 2008.
Property Organization (WIPO). The South Korean city of Incheon
hosted the last Asian Games in
Using 79 indicators from over 2014, while Indonesias Jakarta will
30 international sources and host in 2018.
with a transparent and replicable Asian Games also known as Asiad
computation methodology, it is is a pancontinental multi-sport
widely recognized as the leading event (44 sports events) among
measure of the innovation power of athletes from all over Asia. It is held
every four years and regulated and
economies around the world. The
organized by the OCA since 1982. It
report has been themed Effective was first held in 1951 in New Delhi,
Innovation for Development. India under the aegis of Asian
India, receiving a score of 31.74 Games Federation (AGF).
(out of 100) ranked 81st of the 141 NASA and ISRO jointly working on
countries surveyed, 8th amongst 34 NISAR mission: ISRO and NASA
Lower-Middle Income Countries, are jointly working on the NASA-
1st from the 11 Central and South ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar
Asian region countries, and 31st (NISAR) mission to co-develop and
out of 141 countries in terms of launch a dual frequency synthetic
aperture radar satellite. NASA-ISRO
efficiency ratio.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR)
While Indias continually dropping mission is a dual frequency (L &
rank is bound to raise some cause S Band) Radar Imaging Satellite.
for worry, it is interesting to note In this joint mission, JPL/ NASA
that the Report refers to India as an will design and develop L-band
Innovation Achiever a term they SAR, 12m unfurlable antenna,
use to describe economies that are GPS system and data recorder.
performing at least 10% better than ISRO will be responsible for design
their peers for their level of GDP. and development of S-band SAR,
Hangzhou City chosen to host Spacecraft Bus, data transmission
2022 Asian Games: The eastern system, Spacecraft integration and
Chinese city of Hangzhou was testing, launch using GSLV and on-
on 16 September chosen by the orbit operations.
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) The objectives of NISAR mission
to host the 2022 Asian Games. The are:
decision was made by the OCA at
its 34th Congress in Ashkhabad, Design, Develop and launch a Dual
Turkmenistan. Hangzhou was the frequency (L and S Band) Radar
only candidate city for the 2022 Imaging Satellite.
Asian Games. Its successful bid Explore newer application areas
means the regional games will using L and S band microwave
be staged in China for the third data, especially in natural resources
time following Beijing in 1990 and mapping & monitoring; estimating
southern Guangzhou in 2010. agricultural biomass over full
Beijing was just selected to hold
 29
duration of crop cycle; assessing by the WHO to have the greatest
soil moisture; monitoring of floods effect on human health.
and oil slicks; coastal erosion, Liquid Water on Mars: NASA:
coastline changes and variation of Water exists in liquid form on the
winds in coastal waters; assessment surface of Mars, Nasa scientists
of mangroves; surface deformation have revealed making it possible
studies due to seismic activities etc. for life to be sustained on the Red
The cost of the project includes Planet. Nasa claimed the strongest
cost of ISROs work share, which is evidence yet of intermittent
estimated to be Rs 788.00 Cr and flows of briny water on Mars after
cost of JPLs work share, which is scientists found hydrated salts in
expected to be around USD 808 dark streaks that ebb and flow down
millions. the planets slopes. The dark marks,
Low-Cost Device to Monitor which appear in summer months,
Air Quality Unveiled: A ground- are thought to be caused by the salty
breaking air quality measuring water wicking up from a shallow
device was unveiled on August 31 flow beneath the surface though the
in Nairobi by the United Nations origins of the briny flows still not
Environment Programme (UNEP), known.
expected to cost up to 100 times less The water appears to exist in the
than existing solutions. The device form of thin layers of wet soil
has the potential to revolutionize air rather than pools of standing water,
quality measurement in developing according to Alfred McEwen of
countries and help prevent deaths the University of Arizona, one of
from air pollution. the scientists who made the finding
The device is capable of collecting using new imaging techniques.
all the vital parameters of air quality Water is essential to life as we know
and will cost around $1,500 per it on Earth and on Earth, wherever
unit. It would allow governments to
there is water there is also life, the
establish a countrywide network of
mobile and stationary air monitoring scientists said. However, it is not
stations for as little as $150,000- yet known whether the briny water
200,000. Presently, around the same discovered on Mars may be too salty
amount of money is necessary to set to support terrestrial life forms.
up just one monitoring station.
The low cost and ease of use of NOVEMBER
UNEPs device will facilitate
China ends one child policy: Since
community participation in
the time draconian family planning
environmental and health
rules were announced, the Chinese
monitoring, and increase digital
and technological literacy through could have only one child. This
the participation of schools. It rule went on for more than three
can measure the concentration of decades but the policy of one child
particulate matter ranging from 1 to was scrapped. All the couples in
10 microns in diameter (PM 1 - PM China are now allowed to have two
10), including PM 2.5, considered children. A four-day Communist
 30

party summit took place in Beijing Information Technology (DeitY)

following the announcement day. is also facilitating co-ordination
In the summit, Chinas leaders between various agencies to test this
deliberated on how the growth could project.For testing this technology by
be maintained at the time of raised using a broadband spectrum in the
concerns of economy. Some people 2.6 GHz band, Google is believed
took in a positive way, regarding to initially partner with BSNL. The
it to be a step towards a better yet aim to bring this technology is to
greater personal freedom in the replace the mobile towers in the rural
country. The human rights activists, areas and remote areas and designed
on the other hand, discouraged it to connect people, to eliminated
expressing that the Communist coverage gaps and bring people back
party is continuing to control the online after disaster. This technology
size of Chinese families. Because has the potential to transmit signals
of the fear of population increase directly to mobile devices. Google
going out of control, the one child has already tested this technology in
New Zealand, California and Brazil.
policy had been introduced in China
in 1980. The minority families and
rural couples though had received
DECEMBER
a relaxation since 2013 for having DTAC Agreement with Japan:
a second child in case the firstborn The Double Taxation Avoidance
was a girl. The Communist party Convention (DTAC) which was
claims to have prevented 400million signed between India and Japan in
births through the one-child policy
1989 has been amended in order by
that had contributed to a spectacular
the Union Cabinet to facilitate tax-
economic rise since the 1980s.
related exchange of information.
Project Loon in India: Google, The protocol will facilitate exchange
govt working on balloon: Internet
of information as per accepted
giant Google and government
international standards on tax
of India are working on Project
matters, including bank information
Loon. This project involves the
and information without domestic
use of hot air balloons at a height
of 20 km above the surface of the tax interest. The protocol signed
Earth which will provide internet between the countries also has
connectivity. The transmission f a provision to offer assistance to
internet services would cover about each other country in collection
40km diameter to beam 4G signals. of revenue claims as well as for
Each balloon has a capacity to float exemption of interest income from
for around 6 months. In the whole taxation in the source country with
project, Google will play the role respect to debt claims insured by the
of an enabler and not the ISP. The government or government-owned
Department of Electronics and financial institutions.