31st May 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Today is World No Tobacco Day.
• • This day is an annual awareness day sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1987 to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and encourage governments to adopt effective policies to reduce smoking and other tobacco use.
  • This year the WHO has appealed for the use of plain packaging for tobacco products to reduce the "attractiveness" of such products.
  • Themes of World No Tobacco Day :
  • • Theme of the year 2016 : Get ready for plain packaging
    • The theme for 2015 was : Stop illicit trade of tobacco products
    • The theme for 2014 was : Raise taxes on tobacco

National Affairs

• Ahead of the World No Tobacco Day, the Assam government today banned all forms of smoking in public transport vehicles. 
  
• • It would be effective immediately to ensure clean environment and better air quality for public health, and penal action will be initiated against defaulters. 
• Government today approved extending retirement age of Doctors of Central Health Services to 65 years with effect from today.
• • This will enable the government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period and to provide better services in its public health facilities.
  • Note : Earlier, the retirement age was 62 years.
• Government expands its flagship vaccination programme Indradhanush.
• • Note : According to this expansion, Four more new vaccinations added to existing seven.
• Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today released the draft anti-human trafficking bill for public consultation. 
• • The draft, unlike the existing laws, treats a trafficked person as a victim and not as an offender, irrespective of the trade they are being trafficked for, including sexual exploitation. 
  • It also proposes a rehabilitation fund to help victims rebuild their lives.
• All Gram panchayats in the country will have WiFi connectivity by October 2018 under the Bharat Net programme. 
• • Under this programme, connectivity will be provided to the panchayats using optical fibres and radio satellites. 
  • Note : Bharat Net will deliver WiFi to every citizen at an approximate price of ₹100 per month.

People in News

• Pakistan-born Bollywood singer and actress Salma Agha will get an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
• • This card will offer her multiple entry, multi-purpose life long visa to visit India and exemption from reporting to police.

Business & Ecnomy

• India's economic growth for the 2015-16 fiscal year stood at 7.6%, in line with the official estimate, as against 7.2% witnessed in 2014-15. 
• • The country further witnessed GDP growth of 7.9% in the quarter ended March, as against 7.2% (revised from 7.3%) witnessed in the preceding quarter, thereby continuing to be the fastest growing economy in the world.
• With more than 1.5 lakh post offices spread across the country, India has the largest postal network in the world. 
• • The number, which stood at about 23,000 during the time of independence, has grown by almost 7 times. 
  • Note : 90% of the total post offices in the country are situated in rural areas.

Books & Authors

• Bollywood Actor Emraan Hashmi today launched his book,'The Kiss Of Life : How a Superhero and My Son Defeated Cancer'.
• • Emraan has co-written the book with author Bilal Siddiqi.
  • This book is about his struggle and hardship with his son, Ayan's cancer treatment.

Deaths

• Prominent Kannada writer, poet, D JavareGowda (101), popularly known as 'De Ja Go', passed away.
• • Gowda, who significantly contributed to Kannada literature, worked towards promoting the Kannada language as the medium of instruction in schools.

New Appointments

• Admiral Sunil Lanba takes charge as the new Chief of the Naval Staff.
• • He replaced Admiral R K Dhowan who retired.
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet today approved the appointment of Ashok Lavasa as the Finance Secretary. 
• • He replaced Rajan Watal, who was appointed as the Principal Advisor to NITI Aayog.
• Former Kolkata Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha was today appointed as the new Director General of Police in West Bengal following retirement of G M P Reddy.

Awards & Honors

• Oscar-winning Indian musician AR Rahman was today conferred the Grand Prize for 2016 under Japan's Fukuoka prize. 
• • Rahman was honoured as "a global film music composer" and for breaking new ground in music. 
  • Meanwhile, Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo won the Fukuoka Academic Prize and architect Yasmeen Lari from Pakistan was awarded the prize​ in the Arts and Culture category.

Sports

• England batsman, Joe Root grabbed the top honours at the 2016 CEAT Awards as he was named International Cricketer of the Year as well as International Batsman of the Year. 

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