yoga

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said yoga does not discriminate.
He said he tried "asana" first time during his visit to India and it
brought a sense of satisfaction.

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Current Affairs

Current Affairs

Q1. Name the spacecraft that woke up after seven months in hibernation
on the surface of Comet 67P?

A. Philae
B. Rosetta
C. Rosemary
D. PlusCraft

ANSWER: A. Philae

Q2. Name the former governor of Himachal Pradesh who passed away on
14th June 2015?

A. Mahabir Prasad
B. Sheila Kaul
C. Sudhakarrao Naik
D. V S Ramadevi

ANSWER: B. Sheila Kaul

Q3. What is the objective of launching a digital Employment Exchange
for Industries (EEX) portal eex.dcmsme.gov.in, by the Union Government
on 15th June'15?

A. Connect industries globally
B. Connect employers and job seekers
C. Connect government and industries together
D. All of these

ANSWER: B. Connect employers and job seekers

Q4. Which country has signed motor vehicles pact with Bhutan,
Bangladesh and Nepal on 15th June'15?

A. China
B. United States
C. India
D. Pakistan

ANSWER: C. India

Q5. As announced on 15th June'15, name the country that will test
reusable launch vehicle next month as this technology can
significantly bring down the cost of launching satellites?

A. Canada
B. China
C. Japan
D. India

ANSWER: D. India

Q6. Name the mobile app launched on 15th June'15 for android devices
(developed by ISRO) that will provide live view of a physical, real
world environment?

A. Saakar
B. Antariksh
C. Spacedroid
D. SpaceApp

ANSWER: A. Saakar

Q7. By what percent FDI inflows into the services sector grew in 2014-15?

A. 81%
B. 65%
C. 30%
D. 46%

ANSWER: D. 46%

Q8. Name the types of trains that will be run with dynamic fares by
Railway Ministry from July to address the rush during peak travel
seasons?

A. Tatkal Trains
B. Suvidha Trains
C. JanManas Trains
D. Peak Trains

ANSWER: B. Suvidha Trains

Q9. Name the Indian bowler has reached a landmark climbing to ninth in
the all-time highest Test wicket-takers?

A. Bhomesh Kumar
B. R Ashwin
C. Harbhajan Singh
D. Mohammad Sami

ANSWER: C. Harbhajan Singh

Q10. What is the present ranking of India in test ranking after draw
against Bangladesh?

A. First
B. Second
C. Third
D. Fourth

ANSWER: D. Fourth

Q11. What edition of anniversary of the Magna Carta was observed on
15th June'15?

A. 1000
B. 500
C. 800
D. 750

ANSWER: C. 800

Q12. Name the Indian company that bagged the multi-year
aero-components manufacture and supply contract with European
consortium Airbus at the ongoing Paris Air Show on 15th June'15?

A. TATA
B. L & T
C. Mahindra
D. Ashoka Leyland

ANSWER: C. Mahindra

Q13. Name the competitive exam that will be re-conducted as per the
order by Supreme Court on 15th June'15?

A. All India Pre-Medical Test 2015
B. UP-PCS 2015
C. IIT-JEE 2015
D. CAT 2014

ANSWER: A. All India Pre-Medical Test 2015

Q14. What is the percentage of gross non-performing assets (gross NPA)
for public-sector banks as on 31st Mar'15?

A. 3%
B. 5.17%
C. 8%
D. 9.3%

ANSWER: B. 5.17%

Q15. Name the Joint-Military Exercise that started between the armies
of India and UK at Salisbury Plains Training Area, UK on 13th June'15?

A. Maitri 2015
B. Yudhabhyas 2015
C. Parigaami 2015
D. Ajeya Warrior 2015

ANSWER: D. Ajeya Warrior 2015

Q16. Name the bird nominated as United Kingdom's first-ever national
bird in a poll conducted in the country that concluded during June
2015?

A. Sparrow
B. Robin
C. Barn Owl
D. Blackbird

ANSWER: B. Robin

Q17. Which company has announced its decision to buy the stake of
minority shareholders in Cairn India on 13th June'15?

A. Vedanta
B. Singreni Mines
C. L&T
D. Ingersoll Rand

ANSWER: A. Vedanta

Q18. Name the editor of the book 'Education of Muslims: An Islamic
Perspective of Knowledge and Education – Indian Context'?

A. Sirajuddin Qureshi
B. J S Rajput
C. B S Chopra
D. Manpreet Tomar

ANSWER: B. J S Rajput

Q19. Who has taken over as Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises
in the M/o Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises on 15th June'15?

A. Sanjay Prasad
B. Rahul Bhatnagar
C. Ameising Luikham
D. Kapil Dev Tripathi

ANSWER: C. Ameising Luikham

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RECENT ARTICES

1. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into the services sector
grew by over 46 per cent to 3.25 billion dollars in 2014-15 fiscal. It
was revealed by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP).

The FDI in this sector has increased after government had taken series
of steps to improve ease of doing business and attracting domestic as
well as foreign investments. The services sector includes banking,
outsourcing, insurance, Research & Development (R&D), courier and
technology testing. Earlier in 2013-14, FDI in this sector was worth
2.22 billion dollar.

However, the total foreign inflow in 2014-15 in the services sector
was low as compared to 2012-13 when it was 4.83 billion dollars. Apart
from services sector, overall foreign inflows in the country too have
rose by 27 per cent to 30.93 billion dollars during 2014-15 fiscal. In
2013-14, the foreign inflow was 24.29 billion dollars.

It should be noted that services contribute about 60% to India's GDP.
The other sectors where FDI inflows have recorded growth are
telecommunications ($2.89 billion), automobiles ($2.57 billion) and
computer software and hardware ($2.20 billion).

Increase in foreign investments will help to improve country's balance
of payments (BoP) situation and strengthen the rupee.

2.

Domestic e-commerce giant Snapdeal has acquired Gurgaon based mobility
solutions company Letsgomo Labs. With this acquisition Letsgomo team
will become part of Snapdeal. It will help to strengthen Snapdeal
position in the m-commerce domain by further strengthen it mobile
technology capabilities.

It should be noted that 75% of the orders on Snapdeal already come via
mobile-based transactions. This takeover comes in lines of Snapdeal's
acquisitions of Martmobi and Freecharge to further strengthening its
mobile platform. Letsgomo Labs was founded by Manav Kamboj and Vikas
Banga. Presently it has 76 members team that work across various
mobile technologies including design strategy and consults in
businesses right from building mobile strategies. It also helps in
conceptualization of applications and mobile sites to implementation
and hosting.

3.

As per recently published Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2015, the number of nuclear weapons in the
world decreased in 2015. The overall stockpile of nuclear weapons has
declined to 15,850 in early 2015 from 16,350 in early 2014. Key facts
from SIPRI yearbook Main countries possessing nuclear warheads are
modernizing their arsenal. Reason behind the decrease in the number of
nuclear warheads is because of reduction of them from two main nuclear
powers United States and Russia.

Currently Russia has 7,500 number of nuclear warheads compared to
8,000 in 2014. While, US had 7,260 nuclear warheads compared to 7,300
in 2014. Till date nine countries possesses approximately around 15,
850 nuclear weapons. They are United States, Russia, United Kingdom,
France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Of these all
nuclear weapons around 1800 weapons are kept in a state of high
operational alert.

4.

State owned telecommunications giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
(BSNL) has launched free pan India roaming scheme. This scheme will
allow company's mobile customers across the country to receive
incoming calls at no additional free of cost.

It will benefit around 7.72 crore of its existing subscriber base as
well as new subscribers. BSNL has announced this scheme with the
consent of Union Minister of Communications & IT Ravi Shankar Prasad
who had earlier announced this scheme in order to achieve dream of
'One Nation One Number'. BSNL is also planning to install 5,000 Base
Transceiver Station (BTS) towers across the country in order to
provide better services to its customers. Out of the 5,000 towers,
1,250 will be established in Bihar to improve the communications
network in the state, especially in the interior areas.






5.

India's tennis player Rohan Bopanna along with his Romanian partner
Florin Mergea has won the ATP's Stuttgart Open final doubles trophy in
Germany. The Indo-Romanian pair defeated Austrian-Brazilian pair of
Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares by score of 5-7, 6-2 and 10-7 to lift
the title.

It is Bopanna's fourth title of 2015. It should be noted that it was
Bopanna- Mergea pair's second ATP World Tour team title in this
season. Earlier they had won the Mutua Madrid Open crown in May 2015.
They also had finished runners up at the Grand Prix Hassan II in
Casablanca. Rafael Nadal clinches Stuttgart grass-clay Men's single
title Ace Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has Stuttgart grass-clay
Men's single title. In the final match he defeated Serbia's Viktor
Troick in straight sets of 7-6, 6-3. It was Rafael Nadal's third
Stuttgart Men's single title. With this victory he also became first
tennis player to win titles at the event on both clay and grass
surface

6.

Metal and mining giant Vedanta Ltd and its subsidiary oil explorer
Cairn India have announced to merge. The merger will create India's
largest diversified natural resources company. It will also help Cairn
spread its risk from volatile oil business to other metals and
commodities. Decision in this regard was taken by Independent
directors of both the companies owned by billionaire Anil Agarwal.

The merger will be in an all share swap deal which will give the
Vedanta Ltd access to Cairn India's 2.7 billion dollars (Rs 16,867
crore) cash pile. Vedanta will use this cash lying with Cairn to pay
off part of its 77,752 crore rupees debt For the merger each minority
shareholders of Cairn India will receive one equity share of Vedanta.

They will also receive one redeemable preference share of Rs 10 face
value with 7.5% annual dividend. Previously Vedanta was known as Sesa
Sterlite Ltd. In 2013 it had consolidated its iron ore mining business
by merging Sesa Goa Ltd with Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd.

7.

Supreme Court has cancelled the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIMPT)
2015 and directed the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to
re-conduct the test within one month. This verdict was given by a SC
bench of Justice RK Agarwal and Justice Amitava Roy on a complaint
filed by candidates. In the complaint students had alleged large-scale
irregularities in AIMPT 2015, including leakage of answer keys.
Earlier on 8 June 2015, SC bench had extended the stay on the
declaration of results which were to be declared on June

The examination was taken by over six lakh students. Large-scale
irregularities had come to the light earlier including leakage of
answer keys. The investigators also had informed the court that the
answer keys of 123 questions were transmitted through 75 mobile phones
in states like Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bihar and Haryana.

8.

World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO) in their latest report
have reported that around 400-million people worldwide lack access to
essential health services.

It was revealed in a report by the World Bank and WHO on tracking
universal health care (UHC) coverage. It is the first report to
measure health service coverage and financial protection and to assess
countries' progress towards UHC. Key facts from report It defines UHC
in terms of measurable essential services and to be able to assess how
governments and communities are performing. Apart from lack access to
essential health services, the cost of health care is forcing many
into poverty.

More than 80 percent of world population has access to key health
services. Universal health care should reach everyone regardless of
socio-economic level. This UHC should be provided in family planning,
TB treatment, antenatal care, HIV anti-retroviral therapy along with
improved water sources and improved sanitary facilities.


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World-Famous Buddhas of Bamiyan Resurrect in Afghanistan

World-Famous Buddhas of Bamiyan Resurrect in Afghanistan

Fourteen years after the Taliban dynamited the world-famous Buddhas of
Bamiyan, the giant statues were resurrected with 3D light projection
technology in the empty cavities where they once stood in Afghanistan.

The project was undertaken by a Chinese couple who used 3D laser light
projection technology to fill the empty cavities in the cliff in the
Bamiyan Valley in Hazarajat with Buddha's virtual images, 230 km
northwest of Kabul.

The couple - Janson Yu and Liyan Hu - were saddened by the destruction
of the two statues which were carved during the 6th century and
decided to undertake the project.

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They took permission both from the Afghan government and UNESCO to
bring the statues back for one night only in the empty cavities in the
cliff.

The event on June 7 saw projectors displaying huge holographic statues
of the exact size of the precious cultural monuments that were lost,
accompanied by music.

"The projections were not widely publicised, but over 150 people came
to see the spectacle. Crowds remained well into the night and some
people played music while others looked on," a journalist, who
witnessed the show, was quoted as saying by The Atlanic.

Both Standing Buddhas - 115 ft and 174 ft tall - were carved out of
sandstone cliffs and stood at one point painted and gilded. They
managed to survive for more than 1500 years.

But the Taliban dynamited and destroyed them in March 2001 as part of
a campaign to remove all non-Islamic art from Afghanistan.

The statues were among the most famous cultural landmarks of the
region, and the site was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
along with the surrounding cultural landscape and archaeological
remains of the Bamiyan Valley.

Japan and Switzerland, among others, have pledged support for the
rebuilding of the statues.

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World Blood Donor Day

World Blood Donor Day is being observed across the world on 14 June to
raise the public awareness about the need for safe blood donation.

The theme of this year's campaign is Thank you for saving my life.
This year's campaign encourages donors all over the world to donate
blood voluntarily and regularly with the slogan Give freely, give
often. Blood donation matters.

Objective

**To spread awareness about the need for safe and secure blood supplies.

**Provide an opportunity to draw public attention to the importance of
blood donation for saving lives.

World Health Organisation (WHO), a nodal agency of UN for
international public health has called for increased regular blood
donations from voluntary, unpaid donors in order to save millions of
lives globally each year.

It should be noted that World Blood Donor Day is one of eight official
global public health campaigns marked by the WHO. The event was
established in 2004. It was established in order to raise awareness of
the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors
for their voluntary donations.

Bibek Debroy Committee

Bibek Debroy Committee on the restructuring of Indian Railways has
submitted its final report to the Union Ministry of Railways.

The committee has suggested measures for restructuring the Railway
Board and its departments so that policy making is separated from
day-to-day operations.

Recommendations of Bibek Debroy committee

Establishment of an independent regulator Railway Regulatory Authority
of India (RRAI) with a separate budget and to be independent of the
Ministry.

RRAI will decide on tariffs to revamp the cash-strapped railways.

Railway Budget should be phased out with gross budgetary support to
Indian Railways.

There is need to improve the internal resource generation and explore
varied methods of financing but also to improve utilisation of
available resources.

No privatisation of Indian Railway but allowed participation of
private sector in the railway projects.

Separation of activities like running of hospitals, schools, real
estate development, catering, manufacturing of locomotives, coaches
and wagons from the core business of running trains.

State governments should be asked to entirely fund the Government
Railway Police (GRP).

General Managers should have the freedom to choose between private
security guards and RPF for security on trains.

The recommended changes should be implemented only by Union Railways
ministry in the first five years including the resolution of the
social cost issue.

Background

Union government had constituted the high-level committee in September
2014 to restructure the Railways and suggest ways for resource
mobilisation.

It was seven-member panel headed by eminent economist and NITI Aayog
member Bibek Debroy.

The other 6 members are former cabinet secretary

**K M Chandrasekhar

**Gusharan Das

**Ravi Narain,

**Partha Mukhopadhyay

**Rajendra Kashyap

**Ajay Tyagi

**Ajay Narayan Jha.

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Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP)

Union Government has launched an Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool (INIP)
of 1,500 crore rupees as per the mandatory provision under the Civil
Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLND), 2010. It was announced by
Minister of State (MoS) in the Department of Atomic Energy Jitendra
Singh in New Delhi.

With this launch, INIP became 27th nuclear insurance pool in the world
that managing nuclear liabilities and India has joined an exclusive
list of countries having nuclear pools.

The pool will address third party liability insurance in a bid to
offset financial burden of foreign nuclear suppliers under the CLNDA,
2010.

The pool is set up by General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India and
11 other non-life insurers. They are New India, Oriental Insurance,
National Insurance and United India Insurance from the public sector
apart from private insurance companies.

Why the INIP is formed?

**A clause in the CLND Act empowers the operator the Right to Recourse
and allows it to sue the suppliers in case of any accident. This was
seen as a major hindrance to the growth of the nuclear industry. These
concerns led to the formation of the nuclear insurance pool.

Implications of INIP

**To deal with management of cover to both operators and suppliers on
behalf of all direct insurance companies participating in the pool.

**INIP will offer policies on the nuclear operators liability
insurance policy and a nuclear suppliers' special contingency (against
right to recourse) insurance policy.

**Address third-party liability insurance and later expand into
property and other hot zone i.e. inside reactor areas risk. It should
be noted that at present it only covers cold zones (outside reactor
areas).

**Provide the risk transfer mechanism to the operators and suppliers
to meet their obligations under the CLND Act.

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