Current Affairs - January6,2016

 

 2015 Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred to the Former Indian Wicket-Keeper Syed Kirmani.

Former Indian wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani was conferred the prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 on 5th January 2016. The award was presented by the current President of the BCCI, Shashank Manohar.

 

 About Syed Kirmani

• He was born 29th December 1949 at Madras, Tamil Nadu.

• Kirmani was one of India’s finest wicket keepers and he had played 88 Tests and 49 ODIs for India. As a wicket keeper in 88 Tests and he had scored 2759 runs including two centuries, at an average of 27.04 Kirmani had played 49 ODIs for India and scored 373 runs.

 

About Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

•  It was instituted by the BCCI in 1994 to celebrate the birth centenary of Col. Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu, the country’s first test captain.

• It honors individuals for their unparalleled contribution to Indian cricket, on and off the field.

•  It comprises a trophy, citation and cheque for 25 lakhs rupees.

•  The award in 2014 was received by Dilip Vengsarkar.

 

Pranav Dhanawade hits world record by scoring 1009

 Mumbai teenager Pranav Dhanawade on Tuesday scripted history by becoming the first cricketer ever to notch up a four-figure score by smashing an unbeaten knock of 1,009 in an inter-school tournament.The 15-year-old’s knock included 129 fours and 59 sixes during the match at the Union Cricket Academy ground in Kalyan.

 

Pranav by scoring unbeaten 652 runs in first day of match has broken a 116-old cricketing record of unbeaten 628 made by AEJ Collins in 1899 for Clark House against North Town House in UK

 

Union Government abolishes export duty on iron ore pellets

The Union Government has abolished export duty on iron ore pellets in order to make the commodity more competitive amid weakening prices due to subdued demand. In this regard Central Board of Excise and Custom (CBEC) has issued a notification mentioning that export duty on iron ore pellets has been reduced to zero from 5 per cent

 

Filippo Grandi has been appointed as the new High Commissioner for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

 Filippo Grandi became the 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on 1 January 2016. He was elected by the UN General Assembly to serve a five-year term, until 31 December 2020.He replace Antonio Guterres.

 

About Filippo Grandi;

Before being elected High Commissioner, Grandi had been engaged in international cooperation for over 30 years, focusing on refugee and humanitarian work. He served as Commissioner-General of the UN Agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, from 2010 to 2014, after having been the organization's Deputy Commissioner-General since 2005. Prior to that, Grandi served as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, following a long career first with NGOs and later with UNHCR in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and at the organization's Geneva headquarters.

 

About UNHCR;

• The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly.

• The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

 

Ganga Gram Yojana scheme launched by Union Government in Uttar Pradesh

 Uma Bharti, the Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation launched the Ganga Gram Yojana at Village Puth in Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) on 5th January, 2016.

 

Under this scheme, 1600 villages of up which are situated along the banks of river Ganga will be developed.

 

Harper Lee's "Go Set a Watchman" topped the list of 2015 US bestseller.

Harper Lee's second novel " Go Set a Watchman" topped the US bestseller list in 2015, selling 1.6 million copies more than half a century after her Pulitzer-winning first book was published.

The figures were based on US print unit sales reported to Nielsen since the novel was published in July, snapped up by avid fans who for decades thought the reclusive author of " To Kill a Mockingbird" would never publish another word.

 

Andhra Bank launches IMPS for money transfer.

Andhra Bank has launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) at all its branches in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

A multi-channel, multi-dimensional platform, IMPS makes payments possible within fraction of seconds with all the standards and integrity maintained for security.

 

33 percent representation of women in CAPFs has been approved by the Union Government​

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 5 January 2016 approved the 33 percent posts at constable level to be filled up by women. The step was taken with a view to enhance representation of women in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). 

According to an official statement, the 33 percent reservation of women constable level posts would be in CRPF and CISF and 14-15 percent posts would be in border guarding forces that is BSF, SSB & ITBP.