Current Affairs of 2nd October 2015

1. India pledges 33-35 per cent GHGs emission cut by 2030
India has pledged to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent compared to 2005 levels by 2030. The figures of mitigation action were announced by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar in New Delhi ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference. In this regard, Union Government has submitted Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
8 goals the Modi government has listed as its bit for the global climate action as INDCs: 
1. To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and modernisation. 
2. To adopt a climate-friendly and cleaner path than the one followed by others at corresponding levels of development. 
3. To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 from the 2005 level 
4. To achieve about 40% cumulative electric power ins .. 
5. To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2, equivalent through additional forest and green cover by 2030. 
6. To adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change such as agriculture, water resources, Himalayan regions, coastal regions, health and disaster management. 
7. To mobilise domestic and new additional funds from developed countries to implement adaptation actions and bridge the resource gap 
8. To build capacities, create domestic framework and international architecture for quick diffusion of cutting-edge climate technology in India and for joint, collaborative R&D for such future technologies. 

2. Dabur to adopt five UP villages to support 'Swachh Bharat' drive 
Coinciding with the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' initiative, homegrown FMCG major Dabur IndiaBSE 0.92 % today said it will adopt five villages in Uttar Pradesh and make them 'Open-Defecation Free' within the current fiscal.
The five villages to be adopted by Dabur India are Nandpur, Nagla Gajju, Naraina, Nidhawali and Domatikri.
Under the programme, the company will ensure that all households in these five villages have toilets. Besides, the 20-odd schools in these villages would get separate toilet blocks for boys and girls, Dabur India said in a statement.
The company further said that it has also identified five other villages in Uttar Pradesh, six in Uttarakhand and two in Himachal Pradesh for construction of household toilets.
Last year, the company had announced plans to construct nearly 1,000 household toilets as part of the Swachh Bharat mission.
Dabur India said it has already constructed close to 600 toilets under this initiative 

3. US Treasury Department adds India to its FATCA list 
The US Treasury Department has issued a list of 34 countries which includes India with whom it would share information under FATCA (foreign account tax compliance act) regulations. 
The pact aims to cover automatic sharing of information on bank accounts and other instruments like mutual funds, insurance and equities with each other. This is aimed at fighting the black money or unaccounted money. 
The announcement comes days after the Narendra Modi in US signed an agreement with the US authorities recently. The anti-offshore tax evasion and black money detention pact was signed between India and the US. The act became operational from September 30th. 
Other countries named by the US Treasury Department list include Luxembourg, New Zealand, South Africa and Brazil. The new list includes 16 new countries which were added to the original list of countries with which the US already has the arrangement.
India has been trying to bring the black money stashed abroad and in India under the Income Tax gamut. The government yesterday said that it has got details of undisclosed foreign assets worth Rs 3,770 crore from 638 declarations. These declarations come under the government's voluntary discloser one time window. The government could charge up to 60% tax on the disclosed assets. 

4. ADB to provide loan for India-Bangladesh Electricity link upgradation
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to provide 120 million dollars loan to upgrade the India-Bangladesh electricity network. This loan fund will allow Bangladesh to meet its increasing power demand from India and support power exchanges across South Asia region. It will also double the existing capacity of the inter-grid connectivity which links the power grid of eastern India at Baharampur with the power grid of western Bangladesh at Berhamara. The two electricity networks between both countries were first connected in December 2013 under a previous ADB project. Under this project India exports 500 MW power to Bangladesh. This interconnectivity project is a considered as first step in the direction of a South Asia Regional Electricity Grid which will facilitate power exchanges between countries of the region. The India-Bangladesh electricity network project is part of ambitious South Asia Subregional Economic Co-operation (SASEC) Programme which aims at improving economic opportunities through cross-border links in trade, road and rail, power networks. It is expected to be completed by June 2016.

5. October 2: International Day of Non-violence
Every year October 2 is being observed as International Day of Non-violence throughout the world on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Significance of Day: This day is observed by all member countries of the United Nations to promote the principles of non-violence through education and public awareness.  In India, this day is referred as Gandhi Jayanti.

6. Argentina tops FIFA world rankings
Argentina continued to lead the men’s soccer world rankings in the FIFA 
world rankings, while Germany overtook Belgium to land at the second place.

Argentina still held on to lead but the gap has been narrowed to just 18 points when Germany overtook Belgium to land at the second place with 1,401 points, Xinhua news agency cited the rankings released on Thursday.
Other climbers in the top 10 include Portugal (4th, up two) and Spain (6th, up five), while Colombia (5th, down one) and Brazil (7th, down two) have lost ground.
Spain’s re-entry after three months is down to two wins in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers, while Wales (8th, up one) and Austria (11th, up two) have achieved their highest-ever rankings, with the latter having already qualified for next year’s tournament.
The biggest movers in the top 50 are Norway (34th, up 35) and Cape Verde Islands (41st, up 15).
Iran ranked 39th, maintaining the top place in Asia, followed by South Korea and Japan.

7. RC Bhargava gets Forbes award
Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava has been honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards, 2015. The award recognises his invaluable contribution to the Indian business community and exemplary leadership demonstrated over the years, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement.
An IAS topper of 1956 batch, Bhargava was one of the founding members of Maruti in 1982. He led the company as Managing Director from 1990 to 1997.
Bhargava, who has been Chairman of the country’s largest car maker since 2007, also serves on the board of several leading corporates.

1. India pledges 33-35 per cent GHGs emission cut by 2030
India has pledged to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent compared to 2005 levels by 2030. The figures of mitigation action were announced by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar in New Delhi ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference. In this regard, Union Government has submitted Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
8 goals the Modi government has listed as its bit for the global climate action as INDCs: 
1. To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and modernisation. 
2. To adopt a climate-friendly and cleaner path than the one followed by others at corresponding levels of development. 
3. To reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 from the 2005 level 
4. To achieve about 40% cumulative electric power ins .. 
5. To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2, equivalent through additional forest and green cover by 2030. 
6. To adapt to climate change by enhancing investments in development programmes in sectors vulnerable to climate change such as agriculture, water resources, Himalayan regions, coastal regions, health and disaster management. 
7. To mobilise domestic and new additional funds from developed countries to implement adaptation actions and bridge the resource gap 
8. To build capacities, create domestic framework and international architecture for quick diffusion of cutting-edge climate technology in India and for joint, collaborative R&D for such future technologies. 

2. Dabur to adopt five UP villages to support 'Swachh Bharat' drive 
Coinciding with the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' initiative, homegrown FMCG major Dabur IndiaBSE 0.92 % today said it will adopt five villages in Uttar Pradesh and make them 'Open-Defecation Free' within the current fiscal.
The five villages to be adopted by Dabur India are Nandpur, Nagla Gajju, Naraina, Nidhawali and Domatikri.
Under the programme, the company will ensure that all households in these five villages have toilets. Besides, the 20-odd schools in these villages would get separate toilet blocks for boys and girls, Dabur India said in a statement.
The company further said that it has also identified five other villages in Uttar Pradesh, six in Uttarakhand and two in Himachal Pradesh for construction of household toilets.
Last year, the company had announced plans to construct nearly 1,000 household toilets as part of the Swachh Bharat mission.
Dabur India said it has already constructed close to 600 toilets under this initiative 

3. US Treasury Department adds India to its FATCA list 
The US Treasury Department has issued a list of 34 countries which includes India with whom it would share information under FATCA (foreign account tax compliance act) regulations. 
The pact aims to cover automatic sharing of information on bank accounts and other instruments like mutual funds, insurance and equities with each other. This is aimed at fighting the black money or unaccounted money. 
The announcement comes days after the Narendra Modi in US signed an agreement with the US authorities recently. The anti-offshore tax evasion and black money detention pact was signed between India and the US. The act became operational from September 30th. 
Other countries named by the US Treasury Department list include Luxembourg, New Zealand, South Africa and Brazil. The new list includes 16 new countries which were added to the original list of countries with which the US already has the arrangement.
India has been trying to bring the black money stashed abroad and in India under the Income Tax gamut. The government yesterday said that it has got details of undisclosed foreign assets worth Rs 3,770 crore from 638 declarations. These declarations come under the government's voluntary discloser one time window. The government could charge up to 60% tax on the disclosed assets. 

4. ADB to provide loan for India-Bangladesh Electricity link upgradation
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to provide 120 million dollars loan to upgrade the India-Bangladesh electricity network. This loan fund will allow Bangladesh to meet its increasing power demand from India and support power exchanges across South Asia region. It will also double the existing capacity of the inter-grid connectivity which links the power grid of eastern India at Baharampur with the power grid of western Bangladesh at Berhamara. The two electricity networks between both countries were first connected in December 2013 under a previous ADB project. Under this project India exports 500 MW power to Bangladesh. This interconnectivity project is a considered as first step in the direction of a South Asia Regional Electricity Grid which will facilitate power exchanges between countries of the region. The India-Bangladesh electricity network project is part of ambitious South Asia Subregional Economic Co-operation (SASEC) Programme which aims at improving economic opportunities through cross-border links in trade, road and rail, power networks. It is expected to be completed by June 2016.

5. October 2: International Day of Non-violence
Every year October 2 is being observed as International Day of Non-violence throughout the world on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Significance of Day: This day is observed by all member countries of the United Nations to promote the principles of non-violence through education and public awareness.  In India, this day is referred as Gandhi Jayanti.

6. Argentina tops FIFA world rankings
Argentina continued to lead the men’s soccer world rankings in the FIFA 
world rankings, while Germany overtook Belgium to land at the second place.

Argentina still held on to lead but the gap has been narrowed to just 18 points when Germany overtook Belgium to land at the second place with 1,401 points, Xinhua news agency cited the rankings released on Thursday.
Other climbers in the top 10 include Portugal (4th, up two) and Spain (6th, up five), while Colombia (5th, down one) and Brazil (7th, down two) have lost ground.
Spain’s re-entry after three months is down to two wins in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers, while Wales (8th, up one) and Austria (11th, up two) have achieved their highest-ever rankings, with the latter having already qualified for next year’s tournament.
The biggest movers in the top 50 are Norway (34th, up 35) and Cape Verde Islands (41st, up 15).
Iran ranked 39th, maintaining the top place in Asia, followed by South Korea and Japan.

7. RC Bhargava gets Forbes award
Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava has been honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards, 2015. The award recognises his invaluable contribution to the Indian business community and exemplary leadership demonstrated over the years, Maruti Suzuki India said in a statement.
An IAS topper of 1956 batch, Bhargava was one of the founding members of Maruti in 1982. He led the company as Managing Director from 1990 to 1997.
Bhargava, who has been Chairman of the country’s largest car maker since 2007, also serves on the board of several leading corporates.

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