Current Affairs 6th April 2017

Current Affairs 6th April 2017 - Important Points

• INS Shardul for surveillance in the Indian Ocean deployed by - Indian Navy
• Foundation stone of Multi-modal terminal on River Ganga in Jharkhand laid by - PM Narendra Modi 
• First Air services agreement between India and Georgia approved by - Union Cabinet
• Shunglu panel points out gross abuse of power by - AAP government
• Who has been appointed as Chairman of NASSCOM for 2017-18 ? - Raman Roy 
• South Korea test-fires ballistic missile that can hit - Any part of N Korea
• Bitcoin as currency is officially recognized by - Japan
• National Maritime Day observed in India on - 5th April
• Tree-living crab species, Kani maranjandu found in - Kerala
• Five agreements with Bangladesh including Audio Visual Co-Production approved by - Union Cabinet
•  International Day of Sport for Development and Peace observed on - 6th April
• Which cricketer named Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016 ? - Virat Kohli 

Current Affairs 6th April 2017 - Details

INS Shardul for surveillance in the Indian Ocean deployed by - Indian Navy

The Indian navy has deployed its warship Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shardul for two months in the South Indian Ocean to provide surveillance support in that region. This move has been made keeping in mind country's national objective of ensuring a safe and secure regional environment to allow unobstructed social and economic development in India and in the Indian Ocean Region.

Important Highlights

• In its first phase of deployment, the warship carried out joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance of Mauritius from 8th-26th March 2017 in close coordination with the National Coast Guard of Mauritius.
• After successful completion of the Mauritius surveillance project, the warship entered the EEZ of Seychelles on 27th March 2017 to initiate the phase I of EEZ surveillance of Seychelles.
• Led by Commander Rohit Mishra, the warship entered Port Victoria in Seychelles on 28th March 2017, 
• following which a coordination meeting was held between the officials from INS Shardul and Seychelles Coast Guard at the Coast Guard headquarters.
• The warship commenced phase II of the EEZ surveillance on 1st April 2017.
• The surveillance was mainly aimed to deter illegal fishing and drug trafficking.
• The warship entered Port Victoria on 6th April 2017 to assess the progress of the plan.
• The warship will then set off for phase III of the surveillance plan on 17th April before returning to India on the same date.
• The Indian navy has been deploying warships to the region bi-annually since 2009, to assist in the patrolling of the vast EEZ of the country based on request by host nations.

Foundation stone of Multi-modal terminal on River Ganga in Jharkhand laid by -   PM Narendra Modi 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones of several development projects including a multi-modal terminal and a four-lane bridge over River Ganga at Sahebganj in Jharkhand on 6th April 2017. 

Key highlights

• He laid down the foundation stone of Sahibganj-Manihari 4-lane Bridge over river Ganga in Sahibganj.
• He also dedicated the 311-kilometer long Govindpur-Sahibganj Highway to the country.
• Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the River Port Terminal on the river Ganga at Sahibganj.
• He distributed certificates to 956 newly appointed constables of special Pahadia Battalion.
• Prime Minister also distributed 1 lakh smart phones to women entrepreneurs’ of Sakhi Mandal.

First Air services agreement between India and Georgia approved by - Union Cabinet

 The Union Cabinet approved the signing of air services agreement (ASA) between India and Georgia on 5th April 2017. According to an official press release, the agreement will help in establishing air connectivity between the two countries and also contribute to the expansion of trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchange between the two. The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Important Highlights 

• The agreement between both the countries is based on the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) template keeping in view of developments in the Civil Aviation sector.
• The aim is to improve the air connectivity between the two countries. 
• Till date, there was no such air services agreement between the two nations.
• Both countries shall be entitled to designate one or more airlines. 
• Georgia carriers would be able to establish a direct operation to six points in India including New Delhi,Bengaluru, Goa,Mumbai,Chennai and Hyderabad. 
• The designated carriers of both sides will also be able to serve any intermediate and beyond point through routing flexibility. 
• This will not only facilitate direct connectivity but also connectivity through third country carriers. It will provide viable options for the carriers of both the countries.
• Further, this development will also enable the environment creation for enhanced and seamless connectivity.
• It will also provide great commercial opportunities to the carriers of both sides ensuring greater safety and security.

Shunglu panel points out gross abuse of power by - AAP government

The three-member Shunglu committee has pointed out gross abuse of power by Delhi government in its report. Former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung formed this committee to look into the decisions taken by the Aam Aadmi Party government.

Key highlights

• The committee reviewed 404 files of the Delhi government and found several irregularities with many of the appointments.
• The panel in its report has said that the decision to allot land to AAP to build a party office should be considered null and void.
• It also questioned the residence allotment to DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal.
• Among many other issues, the report raised questions on the government posting officers to the Anti-Corruption Branch, its decisions on transfer and appointment of officers, foreign travel undertaken by ministers without the LG's sanction and appointment of lawyers.

Who has been appointed as Chairman of NASSCOM for 2017-18 ? - Raman Roy 

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) announced the appointment 

of Raman Roy its Chairman for 2017-2018 on 5th April 2017. He will take new role from 6th April 2017.

Roy is the Chairman and MD of Quatrro. Raman Roy has been a member of NASSCOM’s Executive Council and was the vice-chairman in 2016-17.

More information

• The NASSCOM is a trade association of Indian Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing industry established in 1988.
• It is a global trade body with over 2000 members and registered under the Indian Societies Act, 1860.
• It facilitates business and trade in software and services and encourages the research advancement in software technology.

South Korea test-fires ballistic missile that can hit - Any part of N Korea

South Korea successfully test-fired a home-developed ballistic missile on 6th April 2017. This missile with a range of 800 km is long enough to hit any part of North Korea.

Important Highlights 

• South Korea falls under the US security umbrella. 
• The latest missile, which has a range of around 800 km, could serve as a strong deterrent to North Korea’s antics. 
• The country plans to set up the missile this year itself after conducting few more tests to determine its reliability. 
• The new missile has the capacity to cover entire North Korea even if fired from the southern part of South Korea.

Bitcoin as currency is officially recognized by - Japan

Japan officially recognized bitcoin and digital currencies as legal money with effect from 1st April 2017.

This step will facilitate integration of digital currency into legal banking system through regulatory scrutiny.

Key highlights

• The law proposes setting financial conditions that virtual currency exchange operators should meet, such as a certain amount of capital, and requiring them to manage customer assets separately from their own corporate assets.
• It calls for introducing a mandatory system for exchange operators to undergo external checks by certified public accountants or auditing firms for their asset management conditions and financial statements.
• The recognition of cryptocurrency as a legal tender also means the applicability of regulations governing banks and financial institutions to cryptocurrency exchange platforms.
• The bank and financial institutions will be required to comply with strict anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
• Adoption of cryptocurrency is expected to increase among people, which will in turn drive demand and price.

National Maritime Day observed in India on - 5th April

India observed the 54th edition of the National Maritime Day on 5th April 2017. On the inaugural function at the Tuticorin Port, Port Trust chairman S Anantha Chandra Bose placed a wreath on the memorial for sailors who sacrificed their lives at sea.

Importance of the day

• On this day in 1919, navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, travelled to the United Kingdom.
• It was a crucial step for India shipping history when sea routes were controlled by the British.
• The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April 1964.
• India is strategically located in the Indian sub-continent and has about 7516 kilometres long coastline, which is serviced by a total of 182 ports, 12 of them under a special status as Major Ports.
• At present, 90% of India’s international trade in terms of volume and 77% in terms of value is carried by water.

Tree-living crab species, Kani maranjandu found in - Kerala

A group of researchers discovered a new species of long legged, tree-dwelling crabs in Western Ghats of Kerala. The species, named Kani maranjandu, are substantially different from other congeners. These species are named after the Kani tribe in Kerala. Below are the couple of imoportant findings which were published in The Journal of Crustacean Biology.

Findings - 

• The key traits of the crab include the structure of its hard upper shell, its male abdominal structure 
• and reproductive parts and diagnostic elongated walking legs unlike other genus.
• The species is a first of its kind to offer a record of an arboreal crab, a species that lives in trees.
• Water holding hollows in large trees are essential for the survival of these unique species.
• The survey of the freshwater crab fauna was started in the Westerns Ghats in Kerala in 2014.

Five agreements with Bangladesh including Audio Visual Co-Production approved by - Union Cabinet

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved five agreements with Bangladesh including a pact in the field of judicial sector cooperation and on passenger cruise services on the coastal and protocol routes on 5th April 2017. All the agreements were cleared prior to visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India with a motive of strengthening cultural,  judicial, maritime and economic engagements between India and Bangladesh. PM Hasina will be in India between 7th April and 10th April 2017 with a hope to deepen the bilateral relations between the two nations, which have seen a new trajectory in last three to five years.

MoUs during the Union Cabinet meet

• Agreement approval on Audio Visual Co-Production between India and Bangladesh

1.  The audio-visual co-production agreement would cover co-production of films, documentaries and animated films.
2.  An audio-visual co-production made in accordance with the proposed Agreement shall be entitled to all the benefits which may be granted to any national audio-visual work by both countries in accordance with their respective laws and regulations.
3. This agreement will lead to exchange of art and culture among the two countries.
4. Co-productions will provide an opportunity to create and showcase our soft power.
5. The agreement will help in employment generation among artistic, technical as well as non-technical personnel engaged in the arena of audio-visual co-production including post-production and its marketing. This employment will add to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of both the countries.
6. As per the agreement, Bangladesh will have the rights to utilise Indian locales for shooting, which in return raises the visibility/prospect of India as a preferred film shooting destination across the globe.
7. Till date India has entered into audio-visual co-production agreements with several nations like the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil, Germany, New Zealand, France, Poland, Canada, Spain, China and Republic of Korea.

• Signing of MoU approval in the field of judicial sector cooperation with an aim to develop, strengthen and promote mutual cooperation between the judiciaries of the two countries. 
• MoU approval on passenger cruise services on the coastal and protocol routes between India and Bangladesh:

 This approval on the passenger cruise services will help in starting regular passengers movement and tourists in water crafts between the two countries. This will also generate employment opportunities for the people of India and Bangladesh.

• MoU Approval for fairway development of Ashuganj-Zakiganj stretch of Kushiyara River and Sirajganj-Daikhawa stretch of Jamuna River in the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route:

 This MoU between India and Bangladesh will reduce the logistics cost of cargo movement to North Eastern India.

• MoU Approval on Cooperation in the field of Mass Media: Important features of the MoU includes main areas of cooperation and they are

1. The two nations will facilitate training or study tour in the field of mass media and public relations.
2. It will also encourage cooperation between educational, training and research institutions in the                 field of Mass Media & Communication and facilitate in the exchange of publications produced by                    these institutions.
3. It will also allow the two nations to cooperate and share their experiences in the field of regulations of the Mass Media activities and statistical data related to Mass Media.