29th May 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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National Affairs

The government has asked the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to look into the quality issues related to global giant Nestle's famous noodle brand Maggi.
- Important Note : There are different authorities to handle different complaints related to different consumer items, the FSSAI under the Health Ministry handles food related issues.
- Consumer Affairs Minister : Ram Vilas Paswan
- Health Minister : J P Nadda
Tamil Nadu has the highest number of road accidents in the country at 67,232, and the second-highest number of deaths at 15,176.
- This data was based on the responses received to RTIs filed by a Delhi-based NGO, Save Life Foundation.

International Affairs

Nebraska has became the first conservative state in more than 40 years to abolish the death penalty, with lawmakers defying their Republican governor, Pete Ricketts, a staunch supporter of capital punishment who had lobbied vigorously against banning it.

New Appointments

The Prime Minister has approved the appointment of Pradeep Kumar Sinha, a 1977 batch
IAS officer, as the next Cabinet Secretary, with effect from June 13.
- Mr Sinha is a UP cadre IAS officer and is presently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Power.
- He succeeds Ajit Seth.
Veena Jain, a 1984 Indian Information Service officer, will be taking over as director general (DG) of News in Doordarshan.
- Additionally, Jain has also been asked to hold charge as officer on special duty in the Ministry for New Media Wing and Social Media Cell.
Nearly four months after sacking Avinash Chander, the Indian government today appointed radar specialist Selvin Christopher and missile scientist GS Reddy as the DRDO chief and Scientific Adviser to the defence minister, respectively.
- Note : Avinash Chander, who was sacked in January, held the two posts, but the government concluded that it was erroneous to expect a scientist to be an adviser as well as head the research development body and decided to bifurcate the post.
In a traditional ceremony, US-educated Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, the adopted son of Pramoda Devi Wodeyar, was today crowned as the titular head of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.

Awards & Honors

Scripting history, two Indian- American children, Vanya Shivashankar (13) and Gokul Venkatachalam (14) today won the world's prestigious spelling bee contest for the second year in a row.
- The two winners will each receive over USD 37,000 in cash and prizes.
- Note : With this year's success, young Indian-Americans have won as many as 14 of the past 18 contests and the eighth year in a row.
Super30 founder and mathematician Anand Kumar has been honoured in Canada for his pioneering work in the field of education.
- The Legislature of British Columbia, Canada has honoured the 42-year-old for his rare achievements to the students from India’s underprivileged sections.
- Note : The British Columbia Government had invited Kumar in recognition of his work through globally acclaimed Super30, which has successfully mentoring 30 students mostly from the underprivileged.

Business & Economy

The Indian economy grew at 7.3% in 2014-15 due to improvement in the performance of both services as well as manufacturing sectors.
- The economic growth was 6.9% in the year 2013-14.
- The output of electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services rose by 7.9 per cent as against 4.8 per cent a year ago.
- Note : Indian Economy surpasses even China’s growth rate.
The Centre is looking to garner Rs 22,000 crore by selling the assets of five sick central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) and the sale would be closed in the next 2-3 months.
- These firms are
- - HMT Watches,
  - HMT Chinar,
  - HMT Bearing,
  - Tunga Bhadra Steels and
  - Hindustan Cable Corporation.
- Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises : Anant Geete.

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