Union Cabinet approves Raptor MoU for conservation
of migratory birds of prey
i. The Union Cabinet has
given its approval to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on the Conservation
of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.
ii. This MoU is also called
as the ‘Raptor MoU’ under the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species
(CMS). With signing it, India will become the 54th signatory to the MoU.
iii. About Raptor MoU
- It is an agreement under Article IV paragraph 4 of the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) and is not legally binding on signatory parties.
- The MoU seeks willingness of the signatory states for working for conservation of the raptor species and their habitats.
- The Raptors MoU extends its coverage to 76 species of birds of prey out and an action plan has been formulated that envisages the conservation action for Raptor species.
Union Cabinet gives nod for India-Australia Civil
Nuclear Cooperation deal
i. The Union Cabinet
chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the India-Australia Civil
Nuclear Cooperation deal that came into force on November 13, 2015.
ii. The deal along with
the administrative arrangement for implementing the accord will bolster India’s
energy security by supporting the expansion of nuclear power in the country.
Background
- India and Australia had started talks on the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2012 after Australia had lifted the long-standing ban on selling uranium to energy-starved India.
- The cooperation agreement was signed between two countries in September 2014 to sell uranium as a nuclear fuel for peaceful power generation.
- India-Australia Nuclear Cooperation deal follows similar agreements signed by India with the US and France after western sanctions were lifted in 2008.
CCEA approves Amended Technology Upgradation Fund
Scheme for textile sector
i. The Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved introduction of Amended Technology
Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) for technology upgradation of the textiles
industry.
ii. Decision in this
regard was taken by CCEA meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in
New Delhi.
iii. The ATUFS replaces
existing Revised Restructured Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (RR-TUFS) to
give a boost to textile sector under Make in India campaign.
Union Govt approves constitution of 69 bridges on Trilateral
Highway in Myanmar
i. The Union Cabinet has
approved the construction of 69 Bridges including Approach Roads on the
Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of the Trilateral Highway in
Myanmar.
ii. Decision in this
regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in New Delhi. These bridges will be constructed at a cost of Rs.371.58
crore and shall impart all weather usability to the TKK road section.
Union Govt unveils National Biotechnology
Development Strategy 2015-2020
i. Union Government has
unveiled National Biotechnology Development Strategy (NBDS) 2015-2020 to
establish India as a world-class bio-manufacturing hub.
ii. It was unveiled by the Union Science
and Technology Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in New Delhi.
BHEL commissions Prayagraj power project unit in UP
i. State-run Bharat
Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has commissioned a 660 MW unit of Prayagraj
Super Thermal Power Project at Bara town in Allahabad district of Uttar
Pradesh.
ii. This is the first
supercritical thermal unit to be commissioned in the state to achieve capacity
addition on attaining full load.
iii. It is Greenfield
thermal power project is owned by Prayagraj Power Generation Company Limited
(PPGCL), a subsidiary company of Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited.
iv. Super-critical units are generally eco-friendly and more efficient
thermal power plants as they consume less coal as fuel.
Dr Gyanendra D Bandgaiyan appointed DG of National Centre for Good Governance
i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on 30 December 2015 approved the appointment of Dr Gyanendra D Bandgaiyan as the Director General of the National Centre for Good Governance.
ii. He will be in the office for a period of three years which is extendable by another two years or up to 60 years of age, whichever is earlier.
iii. The 54-year-old Bandgaiyan is a former IAS officer of the Union Territories cadre. He hails from Madhya Pradesh.
Japan and South Korea reached Agreement on Issue of Comfort Women
i. Japan and South Korea on 28 December 2015 reached an Agreement on Issue of Comfort Women.
ii. The agreement was reached after a meeting between Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and Yun Byung-se, Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea in Seoul.
iii. It aims to resolve a decades-old dispute over Korean women who were used as sex slaves by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
iv. The agreement is considered as historic as the issue had been a bone of contention between the countries for decades.
Bjorn Isberg named as Tournament Director of 2016 Hockey India League
i. Sweden's Bjorn Isberg on 30 December 2015 was appointed as the Tournament Director of Coal India Hockey India League (HIL), the premier league for hockey in India.
ii. On the other hand, Muthukumar Balakrisnan from Malaysia was given the role of the Assistant Tournament Director in the 4th edition of the Coal India Hockey India League.
iii. Andy Mair from Scotland was named as the umpire's manager for the league.
0 comments:
Post a Comment