JANUARY 2016 CURRENT AFFAIRS (PART-7)

• Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has decided to implement the stricter emission norms of Bharat Stage VI from 1st April 2020 in a bid to curb vehicular pollution. Government will directly switch over to BS-VI emission norms from the present BS-IV emission norms and completely skip BS-V emission norms altogether. Earlier Supreme Court has asked the Union Government to implement BS-VI emission norms earlier than April 2021 deadline amid concerns on rising air pollution in the country. The Auto Fuel Policy 2003 had recommended implementation of BS-VI norms by 2024. Earlier in the draft notification issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had advanced dates for implementation of BS-V norms to 2019 and BS-VI norms to 2021. Presently BS-IV auto fuels are being supplied in whole of northern India covering states like Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, parts of Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh. While rest of the country is being supplied BS-III grade fuel. The deadline implementation for BS-IV auto fuels is 2017 across the country.
• The 14th edition of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) was held in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and attended by Priti Patel, United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Employment. Earlier PBD used to be celebrated by the MOIA. But this edition was organised for the first time after the government’s decision to merge Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) with by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
• The 24th edition of New Delhi World Book Fair began at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. This year the theme of fair is “Vivid Bharat – Diverse India” based on Cultural Heritage of India. China has been accorded the Guest of Honour Country status for this edition of fair. The message of India-China partnership for the New Delhi Book Fair 2016 is “Renaissance of Civilizations- Understanding through exchanges”.
• Every year World Braille Day is being observed across the world on 4 January to mark the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, inventor of Braille script or Braille code. Louis Braille is credited for inventing the Braille script or Braille code which helps the visually impaired people to read as well as write.
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) for web based monitoring of watershed projects. Under this MoU Web-based monitoring will be undertaken for India-German Watershed Development (IGWDP) projects in three states viz. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana. It should be noted that NABARD only assists the watershed projects of Union Ministry of Rural Development by providing funds under Watershed Development Fund.
• Andhra Bank has launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) at all its branches across the country to provide inter-bank electronic fund transfer service. The customer-friendly service was launched by Andhra Bank in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). IMPS are a multi-channel, multi-dimensional inter-bank electronic fund transfer platform that allows customers to transfer money electronically within fraction of seconds with all the standards and integrity maintained for security. It is round-the-clock real time instant fund transfer system which is not possible in National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system. It is also safest and most economical electronic fund transfer service.
• United Nations official Filippo Grandi from Italy has taken the charge as new UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
• The Global Economic Prospect report published recently by the World Bank has projected a robust 7.8 per cent growth for the Indian economy in the year 2016.
• India-Australia social security Agreement signed between both countries came into operation. This agreement will enable people of both nations to avail retirement benefits in each other’s country and will boost bilateral business linkages.
• Union Government has inaugurated Second Liquid Chemical Berth of Mumbai Port Trust at Pir Pau, Mumbai.