Current Affairs for 14 January 2016

India to join the International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems

• India has decided to become member country of the International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems (IEA-OES) to boost for country’s quest for tapping ocean energy sources. Proposal for signing the Implementing Agreement (IA) in this regard was approved by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

• The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a new crop insurance scheme to boost farming sector in the country.

EPFO wins National Award on e-Governance for UAN

• The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has won the National Award on e-Governance 2015-16 for launching the Universal Account Number (UAN). EPFO has won the gold award in this edition of awards in the ‘innovative use of technology in e-governance’ category and will get a cash prize of 2 lakh rupees.

President gives assent to The Sugar Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2015

• President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to the Sugar Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to raise the ceiling of a cess as an excise duty on the production of sugar. The bill was first passed by Lok Sabha after it was declared a money bill. The principal Act empowers central government to fix the rate of sugar cess from time to time.

Lt Gen JFR Jacob, 1971 India-Pakistan war hero passes away

• Jacob-Farj-Rafael “JFR” Jacob (Retired Lieutenant General), a key architect in India’s victory in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War passed away in New Delhi.  He was 92. JFR Jacob was born in 1923 in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in then Bengal Presidency of British India.

BSNL launches 4G services in Chandigarh

• Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched the high speed 4G (Fourth Generation) telecom services at Chandigarh in Punjab circle . BSNL 4G network will be able to provide high speed data upto 100 Mbps. BSNL has 4G spectrum across India except in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata. 

RDL inks MoU with AP Government to set up naval facility at Visakhapatnam

• Reliance Defence Ltd (RDL) has inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Andhra Pradesh Government to set up a world class naval facility in the state. It was announced by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during the CII Partnership Summit titled ‘Sunrise Andhra Pradesh Investment Meet’ in Visakhapatnam.

Government constitutes Arvind Panagariya committee to fast-track bullet train project

• Union Government has constituted a committee to fast track the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, meant for connecting two cities with bullet trains. It will be 500km long and will be connecting both trains at the cost of the project will be 98,000 crore rupees. Japan will invest 78, 000 crore rupees making it largest foreign investment in railway sector of India.

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