Current Affairs 26th March 2015

Current Affairs 26th March 2015

Updated : 26-Mar-2015

Current Affairs 26th March 2015 - Important Points
Current Affairs 26th March 2015 - Details
Who is appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Google Inc - Ruth Porat
Among the important appointments, On 24th March 2015, Google Inc appointed Ruth Porat as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). She will report to Google CEO and Co-Founder Larry Page. She has replaced Patrick Pichette who announced his retirement on 10th March 2015. Currently, she is working as Chief Financial Officer at Morgan Stanley.

In 1987, Ruth joined Morgan Stanley and has played several key roles at the company, including Vice Chairman of Investment Banking, Global Head of the Financial Institutions Group and co-Head of Technology Investment Banking.
Ruth Porat is Vice Chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees, a member of the US Treasury’s Borrowing Advisory Committee, a Board Director at The Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Advisory Council of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution.
Indian Navy retained three Immediate Support Vessels (ISVs) in - Vishakhapatnam
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 24th March 2015, The Indian Navy commissioned three Immediate Support Vessels (ISVs) comprising T-40, T-39 and T-38 at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard. These ISVs were retained by the Vice Admiral Satish Soni.
These three ISVs are in addition to the first batch of ISVs commissioned on 04 June 2014 and will constitute the 84th Immediate Support Vessel Squadron based at Visakhapatnam. Two ISVs were built by Rodman Spain and the third vessel was built by the Abu Dhabi Ship Builders (ADSB).
ISV Specifications
- ISVs are light armed surface crafts and can be operated at high seas as well as in coastal waters.
- These are armed with Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs) and are fitted with state of the art radar and navigation equipment.
- It consist of two caterpillar engines of 1600 MHP each provide water jet propulsion to the vessel which enables it to travel at a high speed of 40 knots and an endurance of 500 nautical miles.
- These ships are efficient of carrying out day and night surveillance operations by the Marine Commando Force (MARCOS).
Union Government authorized 2000 crore rupees under NDRF for - drought-hit districts of Maharashtra
On 24th March 2015, The High Level Committee (HLC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) authorized 2000 crore rupees to the drought affected areas in Maharashtra for the year 2014.

HLC constitute of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh directed the Union Ministry of Finance to release funds from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the state.
The funds will be spent to meet the expenses of rehabilitation measures, relief and emergency response in 24000 villages which were declared as drought affected by the Maharashtra Government by the end of the year. In the eastern part of the state, Vidarbha region is worst affected due to drought conditions.
Who is appointed as Managing Director of EIH Limited - Vikramjit Singh Oberoi
Among the important appointments, On 24th March 2015, Vikramjit Singh Oberoi was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the EIH Limited which runs the Oberoi hotels under the aegis of The Oberoi Group. He was appointed as the MD following the resignation of Shib Sanker Mukherji as Chief Executive.
Currently, Vikram Oberoi is a Joint MD and Chief Operating Officer (COO). He joined EIH’s board first as a non-executive director in December 1993 and became an Executive Director in July 2004. Vikram Oberoi has been Managing Director of EIH Associated Hotels Ltd which is a joint venture between the Rajan Raheja group and the Oberois, which runs Trident hotels.
The Oberoi Group is a global hotel company with its head office in capital state Delhi. The Oberoi hotel was established in 1934 and it owns and operates 20+ hotels and two cruisers in five countries.
With whom did India inked six agreements to increase commercial and economic exchanges - Qatar
On 25th March 2015, India and Qatar signed six agreements to increase commercial and economic exchanges between India and Qatar. The agreement have a special focus on the Make in India initiative. These 6 agreements were inked in New Delhi in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Emir of Qatar and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
The Agreements includes :
- Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons: Under this agreement, Indian prisoners found guilty in Qatar can be brought to India to serve the remaining part of their sentence. Similarly Qatari Citizens found guilty in India can be sent to his home country to serve their sentence.
- MoU for Cooperation in the field of Information and Communication Technology: This MoU would provide enhanced business opportunities for Indian IT industry in Qatar. Qatar has commenced an ambitious programme for overall development as part of their Qatar 2030 vision and has created a dedicated Ministry of Information and Communication Technology for capacity building in ICT.
- MoU between Ministry of Earth sciences and Qatar Meteorological Department for Scientific and Technical cooperation: The scientific collaboration between India and Qatar will be beneficial to improve atmospheric & Oceanic capacity in both the countries.
- MoU between Qatar and Foreign Service Institute, Diplomatic Institute of MOFA, MEA: This MoU would assist in exchange of experts, faculty members, trainees and students and between India and Qatar to enhance their skills and improve the training programme in both the countries.
- MoU for cooperation in the field of Radio and Television: This MoU intends to encourage regular exchange of radio and TV programmes and material between Prasar Bharati of India and Qatar Media Cooperation.
- Agreement for Mutual Cooperation and Exchange of News: The agreement between Qatari News Agency and United News of India is to enhance and develop bilateral cooperation in the field of exchange of English-language news on daily basis and free of charge.
Union Government complimented the winners of the - third Web Ratna Awards
Among the important National Current Affairs, On 25th March 2015, the winners of the 2014 Web Ratna awards were complimented by The Union Minister of Communications & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad. This was the 3rd Web Ratna Awards that were given away at a ceremony held in New Delhi.

List of award and awardees
Citizen Centric Service Category:
- Platinum Award: Passport Seva Project
- Gold Award: National Safai Karmchari Finance Development Corporation (NSKFDC)
- Silver Award: National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
Open Data Champion category:
- Platinum Award: Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner
- Gold Award: Planning Commission and Union Ministry of Statistics & Program Implementation
- Silver Award: Union Ministry of Water Resources
Innovative Use of Technology category:
- Platinum Award: MKisan-Government of India Portal for Farmer Centric Services
- Gold Award: Madhya Pradesh Commercial Tax Department and Department of Commercial Tax, Tamil Nadu
- Silver Award: E-Sahakar, an online Cooperative Society Process Management System of Maharashtra Government
Outstanding Content category:
- Platinum Award: Ministry of External Affairs.
- Gold Award: Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Kerala Tourism
- Silver Award: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER)
Comprehensive Web presence category:
- Platinum Award: Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
- Gold Award: Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
- Silver Award: Controller General of Accounts
Comprehensive Web Presence State category:
- Platinum Award: Maharashtra
- Gold Award: Tamil Nadu
- Silver Award: Uttarakhand
Web Ratna Awards
The Web Ratna Awards was initiated by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and acknowledges exemplary initiatives/practices of various states/UTs in the realm of e-governance.