Anti-Leprosy Day observed on 30 January 2016
Anti-Leprosy
Day was observed on 30 January 2016 nationwide to focus attention on the
disease which is also known as the Hansen’s
disease.
ü Annually,
the day is celebrated in the memory of Mahatma
Gandhi, who attained martyrdom on 30
January 1948, in order to re-memorize his selfless efforts and care
for the people affected by the infectious disease leprosy.
Aim of celebrating Anti-Leprosy Day
ü To
raise the leprosy awareness among people
ü To
offer the help through the regular and free of cost treatment
ü To
make the diseased person psychologically strong and help them to cope up with
physical impairments of skin sores and nerve damage
ü To
ascertain that all affected persons are getting the necessary treatment,
rehabilitation and care or not
Set up committee on living conditions of nurses in private
establishments: Supreme Court
The
Supreme Court (SC) directed the Union Government to
set up a committee to investigate the living conditions and salary structure
of over 3 lakh nurses employed in private hospitals and nursing homes across
the country.
ü The
directive was given by a three-judge Bench headed-by Justice Anil R Dave while
hearing a petition filed by the Trained Nurses
Association of India.
ü The
association contended that the nurses were underpaid and their working
conditions were in clear violation of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to
which India is a signatory.
Uttar Pradesh joins UDAY scheme
Uttar
Pradesh became the fourth state to
join the Centre’s scheme to revive state electricity distribution utilities.
The state government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre and
the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd, the holding
company of the various electricity distribution utilities in the
state.
ü Under
the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY),
the state government will take over Rs. 39,900-crore of debt of the electricity
distribution utilities. The balance Rs. 13,300-crore of debt will be issued as
state guaranteed DISCOM bonds at coupon rates that are 3 per cent lower than
the current interest cost. This would help save the distribution utilities Rs.
1,600 crore annually.
ü The
four states – Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
– which have signed MoUs for joining UDAY, account for about 35 per cent of the
outstanding loans of state electricity distribution utilities in the country.
Goa launches project tracking portal
Goa
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar launched Goa
e-Suvidha Portal, an online project tracking mechanism to fast track projects.
ü The
system is designed to enhance efficiency,
bring transparency, boost investor confidence, and improve the communication
between the industry and the government.
Puducherry Lt Governor AK Singh launched MITRA app for women safety
Lt
Governor of Puducherry AK Singh launched the MITRA
mobile application to ensure safety
and security of women in the Union Territory. The app was launched
in the presence of the Chief Minister N Rangasamy in Puducherry.
Leslie Berland appointed as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of
Twitter Inc.
Leslie
Berland has been appointed as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Twitter Inc.
Berland has replaced Twitter’s CFO Anthony Noto.
About Leslie Berland:
ü Before
this assignment, she was working as an executive vice-president of global
advertising, marketing and digital partnerships at American Express (AmEx).
ü She
joined the American Express (AmEx) in the year 2005.
Prince Mahidol Award 2015
Prince
Mahidol Award 2015 was conferred to Sir Michael
Marmot and Professor Morton Mower for outstanding achievements in medicine and public health worldwide.
ü Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on behalf of the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej
presented the award at the Grand Palace in
Bangkok.
ü Awarded
for the invention of the Automatic Implantable
Cardioverter Defibrillator, a citizen of the USA, received the award
in the category of medicine.
Japan introduces negative interest rate to boost economy
The
Bank of Japan will charge lenders that leave too much cash on idle deposit with
it, introducing a negative interest rate policy for the first time as it seeks
to shore up a stumbling economic recovery.
ü The
central bank said it is imposing a 0.1 percent fee on some new commercial bank
deposits with the BOJ, effectively a negative interest rate. It hopes that will
encourage commercial banks to lend more, rather
than keeping cash at the BOJ, and stimulate investment and growth in
the world’s third—largest economy.
Japan unveiled first stealth fighter aircraft X-2
Japan
on 28 January 2016 unveiled country’s first
stealth fighter aircraft X-2. The domestically-built fighter
aircraft seeks to augment defence capabilities of the country that is
surrounded by China and Russia that already have radar-evading
aircraft technology.
ü X-2
is expected to undergo its first test-flight in February 2016.
South African Graham Xavier Ford appointed as the chief coach of the
Sri Lankan cricket team
South
African Graham Xavier Ford was named as the chief coach of the Sri Lankan
cricket team. Currently, he is the
head coach of the Surrey County Cricket Club.
About Graham Xavier Ford:
ü He
played first class cricket, before turning his career as cricket coach.
ü He
worked as various capacities in cricket like, coach of Dolphins Cricket team,
director of cricket at Kent County Cricket Club and as head coach of Surrey
County Cricket Club and also a qualified rugby union referee.
Former Army Chief Gen K V Krishna Rao passes away
Former
Army Chief General K V Krishna Rao, who played a key role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, passed away at
the military hospital following a cardiac arrest. He was 92.
About Gen K V Krishna Rao:
ü Gen
K V Krishna Rao was the 14th Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army and had an
illustrious career spanning over four decades in the force. He was commissioned
into the Army on August 9, 1942.
ü Rao
also served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir at a time when militancy was
at its peak in the state.
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