Current Affairs 2nd jan 2016

• Vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyam conferred 2015 Sangita Kalanidhi award

Foremost south Indian classical vocalists Sanjay Subrahmanyam has conferred with prestigious 2015 Sangita Kalanidhi award.

The prestigious award was bestowed upon him by renowned mathematician Manjul Bhargava at 89th annual conference of the Madras Music Academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

With this, he became seventh artistes to be conferred with this award before completing 50 years of age. Others are Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Semmangudi R. Srinivasa Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam, M.L. Vasanthakumari and M. Balamuralikrishna

About Sanjay Subrahmanyam

• By profession he is Charted Accountant but in 2000 became full-time musician. He had started performing Carnatic music from 1987.
• Awards: Gaana Padhmam (2013), Vani Kala Sudhakara (2010) and the title Kalaimamani by Tamil Nadu Government (2006) etc.

About Sangita Kalanidhi award/title

• It is a prestigious award bestowed annually upon an expert of Carnatic Music by the Madras Music Academy.
• The award’s name has been derived from Sanskrit which means treasure of Music and art in English. This honour is considered one of the highest awards in Carnatic music.

• India, Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear facilities

India and Pakistan have exchanged the list of their nuclear installations and facilities under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations.

This exchange is done on 1st of January every year between the two neighbouring countries that bars them from attacking each other’s atomic facilities.

This is the 25th consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 1 January 1992.

Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations

• It bilateral agreement signed between India and Pakistan that bars them from carrying out any surprise attack (or to assist foreign power to attack) on each other’s nuclear installations and facilities.
• It was signed on 31st December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991. It was signed by then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his Pakistani counterpart Benazir Bhutto.
• Under it both countries inform each other about their nuclear installations and facilities that need to be covered under the Agreement on 1 January every year.

• DAVA project bags 2015 eASIA award for trade facilitation

The Drug Authentication and Verification Application (DAVA) project of The Department of Commerce has won the 2015 eASIA Award under Trade Facilitation category.

The award was announced by Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation (APCTF) and Tehran based (Iran) Electronic Business.

The eASIA award is administered by AFACT which aims to development and promotion of trade facilitation, electronic business policies and activities in the Asia Pacific region.

About DAVA project

• DAVA project was launched by Union Government in June 2015. It seeks to create an integrated platform for implementation of the Track and Trace systemfor exporters and domestic markets of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals.
• The project aims to cover all the drugs manufactured in India and contribute considerably in enhancing the brand image of our pharmaceutical exporters.
• It will also provide simpler platform for the regulatory agencies and consumer for establishing drug authentication.
• Under this project, the DAVA application has been incorporated with value-added features like availability of stocks for a drug in an area/retailers/ wholesalers at a point of time.
• Using it drugs can easily be identified and recalled due to traceability of stocks which in turn helps in prevention of black marketing which especially arises during epidemics.
• Presently it has been launched in pilot stage and after its full scale implementation it will help to completely curb out the export of fake or spurious drug from the country.

• Union Government constitutes Shyam Benegal Committee to revamp Censor Board of Film Censors

The Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has constituted a committee headed by noted film-makerShyam Benegal to look into revamp the film certification nuances by Censor Board of Film Censors (CBFC).

The committee is tasked to suggest recommendations provide a holistic framework and interpretation of provisions of Cinematograph Act, 1952 and Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983.

Other Members of the Committee: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Bhawana Somaaya, Piyush Pandey, Nina Lath Gupta and Joint Secretary (Films) as Member Convenor.

Terms of reference of the Committee

• The committee is expected to take note of the best practices in various parts of the world.
• Recommend broad guidelines under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the Screening Committee of CBFC.
• Take into consideration that film industry is given sufficient and adequate space for creative and aesthetic expression.
• Look into the staffing pattern of CBFC in an effort to recommend a framework which would provide efficient and transparent user friendly services.

The Committee has been requested to submit its recommendations within two months. Its recommendations would enable those tasked with the work of certification of films to discharge their responsibilities keeping in view the prescribed framework.

• Government constitute Kamlesh Chandra Committee to study wage structure of Gramin Dak Sevaks

The Union Government has constituted a committee to examine the wage structure, service conditions of the Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) in the Department of Posts (DoP).

It is one member committee comprising of Kamlesh Chandra, Retired Member of Postal Services Board. The Committee will be assisted by Senior Administrative Grade Officer T.Q. Mohammad who will act as Secretary to the GDS Committee.

Terms of reference of the Committee

• The Committee will go into the service conditions of GDS and suggest changes as considered necessary.
• Examine the present system of Branch Post Offices, engagement conditions and existing structure of wage and enrolments paid to the GDS and recommend necessary changes.
• Review the existing Services Discharge Benefits Scheme and also other social security benefits for the GDS and suggest necessary changes.
• Review the existing facilities as well as welfare measures provided to the GDS and suggest necessary changes.
• Examine and suggest any changes in the (i) method of minimum qualification for engagement as GDS. (ii) Conduct and disciplinary rules of GDS, particularly keeping in view the proposed induction of technology in the Rural Post Offices.

Gramin Dak Sevaks: They are extra-departmental agents recruited by the Department of Post (DoP) to serve in rural areas. Presently, DoP has around 2.6 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks and they have been demanding pay and facilities at par with regular postal department employees.

• BCCI Annual Awards 2014-15

The BCCI Awards are a set of annual cricket awards given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). These award in various categories recognise and honour the best Indian international and domestic cricketers of the past year. The awards were first given in 2006–07. Recipients of 2014-15 BCCI Awards are

C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award: Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani. 

Polly Umrigar Award: Virat Kohli.

Lala Amarnath Award for Best all-rounder in Ranji Trophy: Jalaj Saxena (Madhya Pradesh).

Lala Amarnath Award for Best all-rounder in Domestic Limited-Overs Competitions: Deepak Hooda (Baroda).Madhavrao Scindia Award Highest Scorer in Ranji Trophy: Robin Uthappa (Karnataka).

Madhavrao Scindia Award Highest Wicket-Taker in Ranji Trophy: R Vinaykumar (Karnataka).

Madhavrao Scindia Award Highest Wicket-Taker in Ranji Trophy: Shardul Thakur (Mumbai).

A. Chidambaram Trophy Best Under-23 Cricketer: Almas Shaukat (Uttar Pradesh).

A. Chidambaram Trophy Best Under-19 Cricketer: Anmolpreet Singh (Punjab). 

A. Chidambaram Trophy Best Under-16 Cricketer: Shubman Gill (Punjab).

A. Chidambaram Trophy Best Woman Cricketer (Sr): Mithali Raj (Indian Railways).

A. Chidambaram Trophy Best Woman Cricketer (Jr): Devika Vaidya (Maharashtra).

 Best Umpire In Domestic Cricket: O Nandan Best Overall Performance: Karnataka State Cricket Association.