DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS:
8 JAN 2016
(Daily News India)
1.
GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO MERGE MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS WITH MEA
i. Union
Government has decided to merge Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs with the
Ministry of External Affairs.
ii. This
decision has been taken to avoid duplication of work and to improve efficiency
with Union Government’s broad principle of minimum government, maximum
governance.
iii. MOIA
was established in May 2004 and the primary task of the MOIA was to connect the
Indian diaspora with its motherland by initiating various programmes.
2. UNION
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES RIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM
i. India’s
first River Information System was launched by Union Government to facilitate
safe and accurate inland waterway navigation.
ii. River
Information Services are combination of
modern tracking equipment comprising of hardware and software designed to
optimize transport and traffic processes in inland water navigation.
iii. The
main aim of the system is to streamline the exchange of information via Very
high frequency wireless communication between waterway operators and users
iv. It was
also help in the enhancement of inland navigation safety in ports and
rivers.
v. It will
also help in environmental protection.
3. UNION
GOVERNMENT APPROVED ATAL MISSION PLANS FOR PUNJAB AND UTTARAKHAND FOR 2015-16
i. The Union
Ministry of Urban Development approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and
Urban Transformation for Punjab and Uttarakhand for the year 2015-16.
ii. Punjab
Government will invest 720 crore rupees in improving basic urban infrastructure
in 16 cities.
iii. Uttarakhand
will spend 267 crore rupees in 6 cities under action plan.
iv. AMRUT is
the scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the urban renewal
projects to establish infrastructure to robust sewerage networks and water
supply for urban transformation
4. UNION
GOVERNMENT ALLOWED TRADITIONAL BULL-TAMING SPORTS JALLIKATTU IN TAMIL NADU
i. The Union
Government has allowed to conduct traditional bull-taming sports, Jallikattu in
Tamil Nadu.
ii. Jallikattu
is celebrated around pongal in southern state of Tamil Nadu.
iii. Now the
bulls can be exhibited and trained as performing animal at different events of
different states as per the customs or tradition of any community.
5. INDIA
TO GROW AT 7.8% IN YEAR 2016 BY WORLD BANK REPORT
i. The
Global Economic Prospect report has been released by the World Bank in which it
has projected india will grow at 7.8 per cent growth for the year 2016.
ii. World
bank has forecasted India’s growth for 2017 and 2018 at a 7.9 per cent.
iii. It
projected China will grow at 6.7 per cent in the year 2016 and 6.5 per cent for
the year 2017 and 2018.
6.
DEVENDER KUMAR SIKRI APPOINTED AS CHAIRMAN OF COMPETITION COMMISSION OF INDIA
i. Devender
Kumar Sikri has been appointed as Chairman of fair-trade regulator Competition
Commission of India.
ii. He has
replaced Ashok Chawla, who has retired on 7 january.
iii.
Competition Commission of India is a body of the Government responsible for
enforcing The Competition Act, 2002 throughout India.
iv. It also
ensures to prevent activities that have an adverse effect on competition in
India.
7. INDO
FRENCH MILITARY EXERCISE SHAKTI-2016 STARTED
i. India and
France started counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency joint exercise
Shakti-2016 in Rajasthan.
ii. The
exercise will focus on counter terrorism operations in backdrop of semi-urban
terrain under United Nations Mandate.
iii. It will
also help both country armies to train together and gain from each other's rich
operational experience.