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Bilateral Current Affairs
Bilateral Current Affairs October 2nd Week 2016
Category : Bilateral Current Affairs
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1) Union Power Minister assured electricity for all by May 2017

i. India would have 100 % electrification for all by May 1, 2017 was the announcement made by the  Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal.
ii. He has the confident  that 100 per cent electrification in rural, Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) districts and dense forests would be achieved by May 1, 2017, a year ahead of the schedule Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
iii. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal are considered LWE or Maoist affected states.
iv. The state-run Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) is also formulating a scheme to extend soft loans to the states at a flat rate on long-term to achieve 100 per cent household electrification across the country.
v. Power ministers and officials from 20 states and two Union Territories participated in the conference along with heads of state-run energy firms.
 
2) India to light up IEA’s global LED programme
i. India, through its company Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), has performed exceedingly well in terms of vastly improving access to LED lighting while reducing their cost drastically.
ii. The LED programme by EESL has been so successful that IEA is partnering with it to take the programme global was reported by Paul Simons, Deputy Executive Director at the IEA.
iii. The price at which EESL has been purchasing LED lights to distribute under the government’s Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (Ujala) scheme has been consistently falling over the last couple of years. The company purchased LEDs at Rs.310 per piece in 2014, and the price fell to Rs.55 as of March 2016.
iv. The International Energy Agency (IEA)) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
 
3) 4th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting held at Jaipur
i. 4th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting was held at Jaipur, Rajasthan on 8 October, 2016 to strengthen the collaboration amongst the BRICS countries in the areas of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).
ii. Theme – Building, Responsive Inclusive and Collective Solutions
iii. The meeting was chaired by the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, Mr. lvaro Toubes Prata, Deputy Minister of Federation of Russia, Mr. Alexey Lopatia, Vice Minister of S&T of Peoples Republic of China, H.E.Mr. Jiang Hua, Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa H.E. Madam Naledi Pandor led their respective country delegations.4th BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting
iv. The Jaipur Declaration was adopted by all the BRICS countries. The member countries resolved to intensify, diversify and institutionalize STI cooperation through the BRICS research & innovation initiative.
Other related  events :
♦ India hosted the 1st BRICS Young Scientists Conclave at Bengaluru and Hampi last week.
 
4) MP Gov launched  ‘Lalima Abhiyan’ to make state free from anaemia
i. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan decided to launch a scheme-‘Lalima Abhiyan’ to make Madhya Pradesh anaemia-free. It will be effective from November 1, 2016
ii. Free iron folic acid tablets will be provided in aaganwadis’, academic institutions and hospitals.
iii. Ferrous escorbate tablets instead of ferrous sulphate tablets will be distributed by the state’s Health Minister, Jagat Prasad Nadda
iv. Minister of State for Women and Child Development Lalita Yadav has appealed to public representatives, non-governmental organisations and government officers and employees to cooperate for the success of the campaign.
 
5) SC widens scope of Domestic Violence Act, makes it gender-neutral
i. Supreme Court has widened the scope of the Domestic Violence Act by ordering deletion of the words “adult male” from it, paving the way for prosecution of women and even non-adults for subjecting a woman relative to violence and harassment.
ii. The apex court has ordered striking down of the two words from section 2(q) of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, which deals with respondents who can be sued and prosecuted under the Act for harassing a married woman in her matrimonial home.
iii. According to the apex court, the microscopic difference between male and female, adult and non adult, regard being had to the object sought to be achieved by the 2005 Act, is neither real or substantial, nor does it have any rational relation to the object of the legislation.

 

6) First BRICS Trade Fair & Exhibition began in New Delhi

i. The first BRICS Trade Fair and Exhibition began in New Delhi, ahead of the BRICS political summit in Goa.
ii. The three-day fair was held at Pragati Maidan. According to organisers, the fair has attracted more than 600 exhibitors
iii. Intra-BRICS trade grew to 297 billion US dollar in 2014, from 281 billion US dollar in 2012. The BRICS Business Forum, will be held tomorrow and over one thousand business delegates will participate from from all BRICS countries.
 
7) India donated Rs. 9.3 million to Mandela Foundation
i. India donated Rs.9.3 million (ZAR 2 million) to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to help it in its welfare work for the people of South Africa.
ii. At the offices of the Foundation in Johannesburg, Indian High Commissioner Ruchi Ghanashyam announced that  the donation was a direct result of the recent visit by Prime Minister Nar endra Modi.
iii. The Nelson Mandela Foundation was established in 1999 after the President Nelson Mandela retired as the President of South Africa. The Government of India helped in the building of the Foundation’s premises. The Foundation has duly acknowledged this contribution on the plaque at the entrance.
iv. India is supportive of the charitable work of the foundation covering a wide range of endeavours: from building schools to HIV/AIDS work, from research to peace and reconciliation interventions.
 
8) CERC panel suggests overhaul in transmission planning
Mata Prasad committee appointed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has suggested an overhaul in transmission planning to facilitate transfer of power on economic principles.
Committee Suggestions:
i. The transmission planning be aligned to meet customer aspirations as opposed to the existing system where transmission is associated with long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).
ii. Transmission planning can be done on the basis of projected load of the states and anticipated generation scenario based on economic principles of merit order operation.
iii. In case of renewable energy sources, the transmission system may be planned by the central transmission utility (CTU) based on estimated capacity additions in perspective plan and renewable purchase obligations of each state.
iv. This is crucial as the Centre has already launched renewable energy capacity addition of 175 Gw by 2032. 
 
9) Union Government to commemorate birth centenary of Nanaji Deshmukh
i. The Union Government is going to commemorate the birth centenary of social activist and former RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh from October 11, 2016 to October 11, 2017. It was announced by the Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma during inaugural programmeorganised on the eve of the birth centenary celebrations.Nanaji
ii. Nanaji Deshmukh was born in Kadoli in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on October 11, 1916 and passed away on February 27, 2010.
iii. Speaking at an inaugural programmeorganised on the eve of the birth centenary celebrations here, Sharma announced that various programmes would be organised during this period including Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-2016 from October 15 to 23 in the premises of IGNCA, Janpath, New Delhi
iv .This would showcase Indian culture, traditions and food through various stalls besides art and culture shows by all seven zonal cultural centres (ZCCs) under the Ministry of Culture.
v. Kaptan Singh Solanki and Uma Bharti highlighted various aspects related to NanajiDeshmukh’s life and shared their memories and association with Nanaji

10) 2nd Meeting of Heads of Export Credit Agencies(ECAs) of BRICS held in New Delhi

i. The 2nd Meeting of Heads of Export Credit Agencies of BRICS (BRICS ECAs) was held at New Delhi , as part of a series of events being organised under the chairmanship of India of BRICS Forum.
ii. The meeting was part of series of events being organised under the Chairmanship of India of BRICS Forum. It was organized parallel with meetings of BRICS Trade Ministers. The meeting was hosted by ECGC Limited, a premier Export Credit Agency of India.
iii. Members of the BRICS ECAs Forum are also the members of the International Union of Export Credit and Investment Insurers, London (U.K.) which is also known as Berne Union. BRICS ECAs are actively involved in facilitating cross-border trade by supporting export credits and foreign investments.
 
11) Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurated ‘Women of India Festival 2016’ in New Delhi
i. The Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurated ‘Women of India Festival 2016’ of organic products by women at Dilli Haat at INA, New Delhi..
ii. It promotes women entrepreneurs from across India. Participants from the remotest areas of the country will travel to Delhi for the entire duration of the festival and sell their unique products in the capital.Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurated ‘Women of India Festival 2016’ in New Delhi
iii. This initiative is a move to benefit women entrepreneurs, and also actively promote organic food and products.The Festival will offer on sale the biggest selection of organic products ranging from food, fabrics and furniture to wellness, personal care and solar products
iv. Smt Maneka Gandhi had highlighted the importance of making a shift to organic that Organic foods had been proven to contain more vitamins, minerals and nutrients than similar foods produced with chemical fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives.
v.Organic farming relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost, and natural methods of pest control. Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticide exposure. We will make a concerted effort to make this alternative a popularly used one.
 
12) Andhra Pradesh govt released Rs. 99.62 crore under AMRUT scheme
i. Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, Andhra Pradesh has released Rs.99.62 crore to AP-Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (AP-UFIDC) for the year 2016-17.
ii. The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2015 with the focus of the urban renewal projects is to establish infrastructure that could ensure adequate robust sewerage networks and water supply for urban transformation
iii. The scheme is being implemented in 33 cities and towns in the State, including Amaravati. Vijayawada, Guntur, and Visakhapatnam find a place in the list of cities set for a major upgrade of infrastructure in the coming years.
iv. Rajasthan was the first state in the country to submit State Annual Action Plan under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).