Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 23 January 2016

:: NATIONAL ::

Crackdown across India over IS sympathisers

In a nationwide crackdown just days ahead of Republic Day, at least five “recruits” were arrested and a dozen placed under watch on Friday for being Islamic State (IS) sympathisers.
The network, and four youngsters arrested by the Delhi police on Wednesday, were allegedly recruited by a former Indian Mujahideen (IM) member, Mohammad Shafi Armar (29), who is suspected to be based in Syria.
Armar is one of the key members of terrorist outfit Ansar-ul-Tawhid (AuT), formed by former IM members who owe allegiance to the IS.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and local police recovered low intensity explosives, detonators, wires, batteries and hydrogen peroxide and other material that can be assembled into IEDs.
The raiding parties recovered 42 mobile phones, as well as jehadi literature.
The men received online training to prepare pipe bombs, a signature weapon that the IM has used in the past to carry out multiple bomb blasts in various Indian cities.

HRD setup judicial commission to examine suicide of Hyderabad scholar

The Human Resource Development Ministry set up a judicial commission to examine what led to the suicide of University of Hyderabad research scholar, Rohith Vemula, following a report submitted by a two- member fact-finding committee.
The judicial panel will submit its report in three months.
Without blaming the university administration, it is learnt the fact-finding panel report hinted that timely engagement with the students could have prevented the suicide.
The Human Resource Development Ministry has chalked out a series of measure to address issues faced by the students from disadvantaged social economic and education back- ground in higher educational institutions “comprehensively.”
A press note from the Ministry said there will be zero tolerance to acts of dis- crimination on campus.
The Ministry has decided to set up a special mechanism for receiving and taking expeditious action on the grievances from these students.

Shakti 2016 between India and France in Rajasthan

“India and France are carrying out Shakti 2016 in Rajasthan which focusses on counter-terror and counter-insurgency operations.
Commentators have pointed out that there are differences between the French and Indian experience of handling terror, but both sides will benefit by exchanging ideas and strategies for a larger goal.
Terror threats to France are from Syria, Iraq and other such unstable spots faraway from French borders. But the terror we face in India is of cross-border nature, from Pakistan.
That is why we need international collaboration so that financial channels and political supporters of state- sponsored terrorism can be dealt with by using the United Nations.
Last year, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations spoke about the organisation’s inability to give a “robust” response to international terrorism after the India-backed resolution against 26/11 plotter and LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi failed to go through the Security Council because of Chinese opposition.
Greater French support for India’s decade-old anti-terror struggle would help India attain both regional as well as global targets in the fight against terrorism.

Mahamana express from Varanasi to New Delhi

In his fifth visit to his constituency, Varanasi, after assuming power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Fri- day flagged of a new train, Mahamana Express, connect- ing the city and New Delhi through Lucknow in 14 hours.
The train, named after Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University, is equipped with modern facilities such as bio- toilets in every coach and LED screens in air-conditioned compartments.
The train will run thrice a week. Attending the Divyangjan Sashaktikaran Samaroh in the city, Mr. Modi gave away electronic devices, artificial limbs, tricycles, Braille kits, hearing aids, teaching-learn- ing material kit and other equipment to 9,296 “di- vyangs”, or specially abled persons.

:: INTERNATIONAL ::

India placed at 130th place in HDI

India is placed at 130th rank and Pakistan, 147th. As for the growth rate during 1990-2014, South Asia’s figure was 1.38, the highest among all regions.
The UNDP took 1990 into account as it was from that year that the series of global HDI reports began.
Sri Lanka has maintained its high ranking in human development.
But the country’s performance in terms of average annual human development index (HDI) growth rate during 1990-2014 was lower than many other South Asian countries.
These findings are among the highlights of the Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2015 released by the UN Development Pro- gramme (UNDP).
Sri Lanka has been placed at the 73rd rank with an HDI value of 0.757. In the previous year’s report, it occupied the 74th place.

:: BUSINESS and ECONOMY ::

Industry recommendations asked to increase growth

The Prime Minister’s office has sought indus- try recommendations on reviving and sustaining the growth momentum in the core sectors of manufacturing and infrastructure, ahead of the Budget.
The exercise is separate from the pre-Budget consultations that the Finance Ministry held with the chiefs of industry chambers like CII, FICCI and Assocham, CEOs and chairmen of large industrial conglomerates and IT industry representatives over January 6 and 7.
Industry had urged finance minister Arun Jaitley to spur domestic demand in the Budget in order to revive private sector investments.
The PMO often seeks inputs from industry bodies for ideas to sustain the reforms process in specific sectors and assess policy issues beyond the short-term imperatives which can be addressed in the Budget.
Though industrial output has grown at 3.9 per cent from April to November 2015, compared to 2.5 per cent over the same period in 2014, it remains volatile.
After surging 9.8 per cent in October last year, the index of industrial production fell by 3.2 per cent in November — its worst performance since October 2011.

Government will pay 2.5 percent commission to banks for unlocking gold

The Indian government will pay banks a 2.5 percent commission to unlock the country's massive stash of gold under a new monetisation scheme, the central bank said, as the ambitious plan received a poor response from banks and customers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gold Monetisation Scheme to lure an estimated 20,000 tonnes of gold hoarded in households and temples into the banking system and trim the import bill of the world's second biggest gold consumer after China.
But only a few kilograms trickled in over the last two months as banks showed little interest in popularising the scheme because of negligible returns for them.
Now the government has decided to pay the participating banks a total commission of 2.5 percent, including 1.5 percent handling charges, for the first year.
Support from banks is crucial to the success of the scheme. Similar programmes in the past have failed as they were not profitable for the banks.
Under the current scheme, Indians are encouraged to deposit jewellery, bars or coins with banks so it can be refined to meet fresh demand and cut the need for imports.
Banks, however, were saying they could not ofer attractive rates unless the government compensated them for the loss from higher rates.

:: SPORTS ::

Federer gets 300th grand slam win

Novak Djokovic underlined his supremacy in men’s tennis on Friday as he marched unstoppably into the Australian Open fourth round — along with Serena Williams, who raced through in just 44 minutes.
As Roger Federer reached a landmark 300th Grand Slam win, Djokovic still looked like the man to beat as he weathered a strong challenge from Andreas Seppi to reach the first weekend without dropping a set.
Maria Sharapova also weathered a fightback when she beat pint-sized American Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-0, helped by a strategic break and change of dress, for her 600th career win.