8 June 2016

World Oceans Day is celebrated  On 8 June which day 

The World Oceans Day is being observed globally every year with aim to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans. 
The day is also celebrated to provide a unique opportunity to honour, protect, and conserve the world’s oceans. 
However, 2016 Theme is: “Healthy oceans, healthy planet”. 
This theme highlights main urgent need to curb the plastic pollution. 

Why is ocean important?
• First and foremost it regulate climate
• Ocean also help to clean the water we drink Offer a pharmacopoeia of medicines
• It also generates most of the oxygen we breathe

All India Radio completes 80 years on June 8

·        All India Radio (AIR) on June 8 completes 80 years.

·        On this day in 1936 the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio.

·        From then it has been a roller coaster ride for the broadcaster which took on another name in 1956: Akashvani.

Union Government to form new reserve battalion named after Maharana Pratap

Union Home Ministry has decided to form new reserve battalion will be raised and it will be named after Maharana Pratap. It will be called Maharana India Reserve Battalion. It was announced by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the occasion of 475th birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap in Gogunda in Udaipur district. He also unveiled statue of Maharana Pratap in the ceremony.

About Maharana Pratap 
He was born in 1540 at Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan. He was the eldest son of Maharani Jaiwanta Bai and Udai Singh II, founder of Udaipur. He belonged to the Sisodia clan of Rajputs. His reign spanned for 24 years from March 1572 to January 1597. He was known as a brave warrior, successful organizer and ingenious strategist. He had fearlessly fought the Mughals and protected his people until his death for the honour of their motherland. He died of injuries sustained in a hunting accident at Chavand, which served as his capital, on 29 January 1597, aged fifty-seven.

RBI rates unchanged in 2nd bi-monthly monetary policy review for year 2016-17

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its second bi-monthly monetary policy review for year 2016-17 has maintained status quo in key policy interest rate. The key policy interest rates were kept unchanged on the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation in the country.RBI has kept its stance on the credit policy accommodative. 

Key Rates are

 Policy Rates Repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF): unchanged at 6.50 per cent. 
Reverse repo rate under the LAF: unchanged at 6.0 per cent. 
Marginal standing facility (MSF) rate: 7.00 per cent.

Reserve Ratios
 Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks: Unchanged at 4.0 per cent of net demand and time liability (NDTL).
 Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): Unchanged at 21.25 per cent. Other forecast Growth forecast: pegged at 7.6% for the current fiscal.
Inflation target: It was kept unchanged at 5% for January 2017 with upward bias 
Public investment: It is gaining strength and continuing weakness in private investment is a concern.

India all set to become member of Missile Technology Control Regime

·        India is all set to become a member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as it cleared final hurdles in getting the membership of the key anti-proliferation grouping.

·        Membership of MTCR will help India procure high-end missile technology and surveillance systems by leading manufacturers which are allowed to be accessed only by MTCR member countries.

·        India had applied for MTCR membership last year and its application was under consideration as part of a silent procedure which ended yesterday without any objection from any country.

Thailand becomes first Asian country to eliminate mother to child HIV

·        Thailand has become the first Asian country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

·        Cuba is the only other country to have eliminated mother-to-child transmission under the WHO's criteria.

Lucknow to host Junior hockey World Cup

·        According to International Hockey Federation  Lucknow will host the junior men’s hockey World Cup from the 8th of December this year.

·        The Eleven-Daylong event will feature 16 teams.

·        They include defending champions Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, England, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan and Spain.

·        While the men’s competition takes place in December, the women’s Hockey Junior World Cup takes place shortly beforehand in Santiago, Chile, between November 24 and December 4.