Current Affairs of 5 April 2016

1. Monetary policy: RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps
1. Home, auto and other loans are set to become cheaper with RBI today reducing the short-term lending rate by 0.25 per cent to over 5-year-low of 6.5 per cent, taking the total cut to 1.5 per cent since January last year.
2. The central bank has cut daily minimum CRR ratio to 90 per cent from 95 per cent but retains CRR at 4 per cent.
3. Reserve Bank of India also raised the reverse repo - or the rates lenders charge to the central bank - by 25 basis points to 6.0 per cent, while taking measures to ensure more availability of cash in the banking system.
4. RBI has retained growth forecast at 7.6 per cent for 2016—17.

2. India’s fastest train Gatimaan Express flagged off
1. Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off India's fastest train, the Gatimaan Express from Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin station.
2. The train completed its maiden journey from Delhi to Agra in 100 minutes as compared to about 2-3 hours that other trains take to cover the distance.
3. The Gatimaan Express, which is indigenously built, will run six days a week, except Friday, in both directions. The train runs at a speed of 160 km per hour, covering the 184 kilometre distance between Delhi and Agra in 105-110 minutes.

3. World’s first public dengue vaccination programme launched in Philippines

1. The world’s first public dengue vaccination programme was launched in the Philippines with a French drug Dengvaxia (world’s 1st dengue fever vaccine) to combat mosquito-borne disease. Several hundred children aged between 9 and 10 were vaccinated with the injections in front of government health workers at a public school in eastern Manila.
2. Mexico was first country in the world to approve first-ever Dengvaxia Dengue fever vaccine for the public use and Philippines was the first county in Asia to allow it.
3. However with the launch of first public dengue vaccination programme, Philippines became first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through the public health system and under public school settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dengue or haemorrhagic fever is the world’s most common mosquito-borne virus. It infects an estimated 390 million people in more than 120 countries each year, killing more than 25,000.

4. Waqar Younis resigned as Head Coach of Pakistan Cricket team
1. Waqar Younis resigned from the position of head coach of Pakistan Cricket team. He resigned one week after his team's exit from the 2016 World Twenty20 in the group stages.
2. Pakistan won only three of the eight games they played at the World Twenty20 and the Asia Cup.
3. The former captain said that the Pakistan Cricket Board's failure to implement his recommendations after the 2015 World Cup and the leak of his confidential report after the team's disastrous run at the World T20 played a big role in him walking away from his post three months before his contract expires.

5. President Pranab Mukherjee presented National Geoscience Awards 2014
1. The President of India Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Geoscience Awards - 2014 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
2. The annual awards are presented to honour individuals and team of scientists for their outstanding contributions in the field of fundamental or applied Geosciences, Mining and Allied areas.
3. For the year 2014, Prof. Ashok Kumar Singhvi was conferred with the highest honour National Geoscience Award for Excellence for his outstanding contributions in the field of sedimentary technologies.
4. Along with him, 32 other geoscientists were being given the awards in 13 disciplines including Mining Technology, Basic Geosciences, Geo-Information System, etc.

6. Nitish Kumar declares Bihar a dry state
1. Bihar was declared a dry state with the Nitish Kumar government imposing a total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect.
2. The decision, announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after a Cabinet meeting, which comes into effect from today makes it clear that no alcohol can be legally consumed in all of Bihar, including bars and restaurants.
3. The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1 this year, but had allowed sale of foreign liquor in towns and cities.
1. Monetary policy: RBI cuts repo rate by 25 bps
1. Home, auto and other loans are set to become cheaper with RBI today reducing the short-term lending rate by 0.25 per cent to over 5-year-low of 6.5 per cent, taking the total cut to 1.5 per cent since January last year.
2. The central bank has cut daily minimum CRR ratio to 90 per cent from 95 per cent but retains CRR at 4 per cent.
3. Reserve Bank of India also raised the reverse repo - or the rates lenders charge to the central bank - by 25 basis points to 6.0 per cent, while taking measures to ensure more availability of cash in the banking system.
4. RBI has retained growth forecast at 7.6 per cent for 2016—17.

2. India’s fastest train Gatimaan Express flagged off
1. Rail Minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off India's fastest train, the Gatimaan Express from Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin station.
2. The train completed its maiden journey from Delhi to Agra in 100 minutes as compared to about 2-3 hours that other trains take to cover the distance.
3. The Gatimaan Express, which is indigenously built, will run six days a week, except Friday, in both directions. The train runs at a speed of 160 km per hour, covering the 184 kilometre distance between Delhi and Agra in 105-110 minutes.

3. World’s first public dengue vaccination programme launched in Philippines

1. The world’s first public dengue vaccination programme was launched in the Philippines with a French drug Dengvaxia (world’s 1st dengue fever vaccine) to combat mosquito-borne disease. Several hundred children aged between 9 and 10 were vaccinated with the injections in front of government health workers at a public school in eastern Manila.
2. Mexico was first country in the world to approve first-ever Dengvaxia Dengue fever vaccine for the public use and Philippines was the first county in Asia to allow it.
3. However with the launch of first public dengue vaccination programme, Philippines became first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through the public health system and under public school settings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Dengue or haemorrhagic fever is the world’s most common mosquito-borne virus. It infects an estimated 390 million people in more than 120 countries each year, killing more than 25,000.

4. Waqar Younis resigned as Head Coach of Pakistan Cricket team
1. Waqar Younis resigned from the position of head coach of Pakistan Cricket team. He resigned one week after his team's exit from the 2016 World Twenty20 in the group stages.
2. Pakistan won only three of the eight games they played at the World Twenty20 and the Asia Cup.
3. The former captain said that the Pakistan Cricket Board's failure to implement his recommendations after the 2015 World Cup and the leak of his confidential report after the team's disastrous run at the World T20 played a big role in him walking away from his post three months before his contract expires.

5. President Pranab Mukherjee presented National Geoscience Awards 2014
1. The President of India Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Geoscience Awards - 2014 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
2. The annual awards are presented to honour individuals and team of scientists for their outstanding contributions in the field of fundamental or applied Geosciences, Mining and Allied areas.
3. For the year 2014, Prof. Ashok Kumar Singhvi was conferred with the highest honour National Geoscience Award for Excellence for his outstanding contributions in the field of sedimentary technologies.
4. Along with him, 32 other geoscientists were being given the awards in 13 disciplines including Mining Technology, Basic Geosciences, Geo-Information System, etc.

6. Nitish Kumar declares Bihar a dry state
1. Bihar was declared a dry state with the Nitish Kumar government imposing a total ban on sale and consumption of alcohol including India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) with immediate effect.
2. The decision, announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after a Cabinet meeting, which comes into effect from today makes it clear that no alcohol can be legally consumed in all of Bihar, including bars and restaurants.
3. The Bihar government had banned sale and consumption of country and spiced liquor in rural areas from April 1 this year, but had allowed sale of foreign liquor in towns and cities.