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  • Current Affairs 16th April 2014

    Updated : 16-Apr-2014

    Current Affairs 16th April 2014 - Important Points

    Current Affairs 16th April 2014 - Details

    Robotic submarine Bluefin 21 deployed to solve mystery of lost Malaysian plane MH370

    A robotic submarine Bluefin 21 was deployed on 14th April 2014 to solve the mystery of the lost Malaysian plane MH370. It was deployed as as of now the batteries of Black Box of plane would have expired to send any signals. Bluefin 21 was launched from the Australian navy ship Ocean shield and would go under Indian Ocean.

    This submarine can create three-dimensional sonar map of any debris on the seafloor by using its side-scan sonar. 

    As we know, Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 operating a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft on 8 March 2014 disappeared from the radar screens over the South China Sea with 239 people on board. 

    Arvind Mayaram appointed as new Finance Secretary

    Mr. Arvind Mayaram has been designated as new Finance Secretary. Mr. Arvind Mayaram was serving as Economic Affairs Secretary. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a proposal to designate Arvind Mayaram as the new Finance Secretary on 15th April 2014.

    He will be succeeding Finance secretary Mr. Sumit Bose who retired on 31th March 2014.

    Mr. Arvind Mayaram is a 1978 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Rajasthan cadre.

     Do you know ? 

    Union Ministry of Finance consists of five departments :

    • Department of Economic Affairs (Arvind Mayaram), 
    • Department of Expenditure (R P Watal), 
    • Department of Revenue (Rajiv Takru), 
    • Department of Financial Services (G S Sandhu) and 
    • Department of Disinvestments(Ravi Mathur).

    Portal 'Railsaver' to Improve Energy Efficiency on Indian Railways Inaugurated

    On 15th April 2014, In a move to further improve energy efficiency on Indian Railways, a web based Electrical Energy Management System, RAILSAVER, developed by Centre of Railway Informatics System (CRIS), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Railways, was inaugurated by Shri Kul Bhushan, Member Electrical, Railway Board. 

    portal RAILSAVER will provide a perfect IT based platform for energy consumption data which will pave the way for systematic collection, assimilation, interpretation and analysis of data in evolving future strategies for conceiving, implementing and further intensifying energy conservation efforts on Indian Railways.

    Important to note : 

    The portal is a part of the project for "Improving Energy Efficiency in Indian Railway System" being executed by Indian Railways under programmatic framework of UNDP through Global Environmental Facility (GEF) funding of US $ 5.2 million.

    Book "Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and Other Truths" written by PC Parakh released

    Book "Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and Other Truths" written by PC Parakh released was released on 14th April 2014 in New Delhi. Author has pointed out that Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh was unable to prevent his junior ministers from blocking a move towards a transparent system during the bidding for the coal blocks, which could have avoided. 

    Important to note : 

    PC Parakh retired as a Coal Secretary in 2005. 

    Citizens of South Korea got extended Tourist Visa on Arrival Scheme by Govt of India

    Government of India (GOI) extended the Tourist Visa-on-Arrival Scheme to the citizens of the South Korea with effect from 15th April 2014, As Earlier PM of India Manmohan Singh had conveyed this assurance to South Korean President Madame Park Geun-hye during her visit in January 2014.

    The Visa-on-Arrival Scheme holds validity for maximum of 30 days with single entry facility. The facility will be offered at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airport with a fee of  60 US dollar.

    SBI launches scheme for women boutique owners

    Largest lender of India State Bank of India (SBI) on 15th April 2014 launched a financing scheme named  "Boutique Financing" for women fashion boutique owners.

    The scheme aimed to offer working capital expenses to generate more working opportunities for women. The scheme will also help the women through loans. Women owner would get overdraft facilities. 

    Under this scheme beneficiary can get loans at a concessional interest rate and the maximum loan to be made available would be 50 lakh rupees for a period of seven years.

    CBI constituted Sport Integrity Unit to investigate sports fraud cases

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) established a Sport Integrity Unit on 15th April 2014 to investigate the cases related to fraud in sports. As we know that Betting and Match fixing are among the issue of sports fraud.

    Before setting up the unit CBI had held discussions with officials of International Cricket Council (ICC) and Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 

    Objectives of this Unit are : 

    • Combating malpractices in sports,
    • Coordinating with sports federations and law enforcement agencies,
    • Investigating and inquiring into matters related to sports fraud.

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