DAILY GK MAY 2016 -- 301 TO 350

301. Emmy award winning actor Alan Young dies aged 96

i. Emmy award-winning English-born actor Alan Young, who rode to enduring TV fame alongside a talking horse on the popular 1960s sitcom "Mister Ed" and co-starred in the classic sci-fi film "The Time Machine," has died at age 96.

ii. Young, who also provided the voice of cartoon characters including Disney's Scrooge McDuck, died from natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, Los Angeles.

302. Maurad Laachraoui wins European Taekwondo title

i. Belgian Mourad Laachraoui has won gold in the European Taekwondo Championships. 

ii. Now he will compete in this summer's Rio Olympics. He has beaten Spaniard Jesus Tortosa 6-3 in the -54kg final in Montreux, Switzerland.

iii. He has won silver medal at the Summer Universiades in 2015 and has qualified for the Rio Games in August. He is the brother of Najim Laachraoui, was one of the two suicide bombers who struck Brussels airport on March 22, while a third attacker blew himself up at on a metro train, with the two attacks killing 32 people. 

303. Roger Federer withdraws from French Open

i. Roger Federer has withdrawn from this year’s French Open after failing to recover from a back injury. 

ii. The 34-year-old did not play in the Madrid Open earlier this month after hurting his back during practice for the tournament. Federer returned for the Italian Open but was beaten in the third round by Dominic Thiem. 

iii. The Swiss has struggled with injury this year, having undergone knee surgery after January’s Australian Open.

304. India's first reusable space shuttle, RLV-TD launched from Sriharikota

i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. ii. The cost of this project is 95 crore rupees and built at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram by a team of 600 scientists over five years.

iii. It was carried up on a solid rocket motor (SRM). The nine-ton SRM was designed to burn slowly to accommodate the vertical lifting of winged body. It is very similar to the US space shuttle.

iv. After launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, it glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal. The vehicle re-entered the atmosphere after reaching a height of over 70 km. The mission, known as the hypersonic flight experiment, lasted about 10 minutes.

v. The Re-Usable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully reusable vehicle. That is, it can put satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter atmosphere.

305. India and Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas

i. India and Iran has signed 12 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreements in various areas including building and operating the Chabahar port by India. The bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations was signed between IPGPL (India Ports Global Private Limited) and Arya Banader of Iran. 

ii. It followed the delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

iii. The other agreements include - 1. cooperation in culture, 2. science and technology, 3. library sciences, 4. cooperation between the EXIM banks of both the countries. 5. Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations, 6. MoU between EXIM Bank and Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), 7. Confirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran (CBI), 8. MoU between IRCON and CDTIC, 9. MoU on India-Iran Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP), 10. MoU on Policy Dialogue between Governments and Interaction between Think Tanks, 11. MoU between Foreign Service Institute, MEA and School of International Relations, Iran’s MoFA and 12. Implementation Protocol on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology.

306. SEBI tightens P-Note norms to check money laundering

i. The money market regulator SEBI has tightened its norms for Participatory note (P note) users to follow Indian anti-money laundering law and report any suspicious transactions immediately. 

ii. Based on the recommendations of the Supreme Court SEBI has appointed a Special Investigation Team on black money and also tightened the due-diligence requirements for issuance and transfer of these instruments and put the onus on the original issuer for compliance to Anti-Money Laundering Regulations.

iii. Apart from it, issuers would have to conduct periodic review and report the complete transfer trail of P-Notes to SEBI on a monthly basis in addition to the present requirement of reporting details of their holders. 

307. India and Oman signed 4 MoUs/Agreements on defence cooperation

i. India and Oman have signed 4 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in Muscat during the visit of Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to Oman. 

ii. He was on an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman from 20 to 22 May 2016 at the invitation of H.E. Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs of Oman. 

iii. The MoUs which have signed between both the countries are- 1. MOU on Defence Cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of Sultanate of Oman and Ministry of Defence of India. 2. MOU between the Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard) and the Indian Coast Guard in the field of Marine Crime Prevention at Sea. 3. MOU between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and India on Maritime Issues. 4. Protocol between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman represented by Royal Air Force of Oman and the Government of India represented by the Indian Air Force on Flight Safety information Exchange.

308. Govt constitutes IEPF Authority

i. Government has constituted the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority, moving ahead with efforts to further strengthen the framework for safeguarding the interest of investors. 

ii. This is a step closer to setting up the IEPF, under the Companies Act, 2013, which would be utilized for multiple purposes, including to distribute disgorged amount to eligible depositors who have suffered losses due to wrongful acts by other entities. 

ii. The authority would have the responsibility of administering the fund as well as maintain separate accounts and other records as prescribed by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), among others.
iii.Recently, the government has constituted a six-member IEPF Authority under the chairmanship of Corporate Affairs Secretary Tapan Ray, according to a recent notification. Sebi Executive Director Gyan Bhushan and RBI Executive Director U S Paliwal are also members. All the three memberships are ex-officio or till they continue in their respective posts. Three others are independent members.
iv. Besides, Amardeep Singh Bhatia has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer to the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority. This would be an additional charge for a period of six months from the date of his assumption of charge or till further orders, the Ministry said in a separate notification. 

309. Jayalalithaa sworn in for 6th term as Tamil Nadu chief minister

i. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J Jayalalithaa has sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu. 

ii. Jayalalithaa holds the distinction of being the second person in the State to hold the CM office, she was first sworn-in as chief minister on June 24, 1991.

iii. The Governor of Tamil nadu K Rosaiah has approved a list of 29 ministers who will be the part of Jayalalithaa's cabinet. 

iv. The list of some ministers includes : Jayalalithaa - chief minister; minister in charge for public, IAS, IPS, IFS, general administration, district revenue officers, police and home, O Panneerselvam - finance, personnel and administrative reforms, Edappadi K Palaniswami - highways, public works, and minor ports, Sellur K Raju - cooperation and labour, Thangamani - electricity, prohibition and excise, etc.

310. Himachal Pradesh launches artificial propagation programme of mahseer fish for conservation

i. Himachal Pradesh fisheries department has started an artificial propagation programme for rehabilitation and conservation of Golden Mahseer fish. 

ii. Under this programme, a hatchery has been set up in the state with an outlay of Rs 6 crore to rear mahseer fish and release its fingerlings into the wild.

iii. The population of the golden mahseer has seen decline in recent times in rivers of Himachal Pradesh as they are hunted for sport and food. It also has declined due to various reasons such as construction of dams, barrages, indiscriminate fishing of juvenile and brood fish, pollution, introduction of exotic species and habitat deterioration.

311. Gujarat CM launches ‘Smart Village’ program

i. Gujarat government has launched Smart Village program, it was launched by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on her two year completion in office in Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

ii. The state government will select 300 villages for Smart Village program that will get 80 lakh to 2 crore rupees cash assistance to improve public facilities in the villages.Gujarat CM launches 'Smart Village' program

iii. She will felicitate villages that have 100 percent completion of toilet. The chief minister also attended Accessible India Campaign.

312. India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program gets innovation award

i. India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program has won innovation award. The students have been interacting with each other through handwritten letters, Audios and Visual recording that are reflective of a shared history of the two neighbors before Partition. 

ii. This has been done under the 'Student Exchange Program' which is a year-long dialogue comprising a sustained exchange of written, visual and oral histories connecting school children aged between 10-14 years across the cities of India and Pakistan was initiated by NGO 'Routes 2 Roots'.

iii. The NGO has recently been awarded the "The Inter-cultural Innovation Award 2016' from United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in Baku, Azerbaijan for this programme. 

313. Anurag Thakur elected as the new BCCI president, Ajay Shirke as secretary

i. Anurag Thakur has been elected as the new BCCI president by the Special General Meeting (SGM) chaired by Senior BCCI vice-president C K Khanna in Mumbai. With this he became the second youngest BCCI President. 

ii. Apart from him, Ajay Shirke has been appointed as the BCCI Secretary for a smooth transition of power at a time when the world’s richest Cricket Board is sailing through choppy waters.

iii. The position of BCCI Secretary was left vacant by Thakur's resignation and with his new appointment the 41-year-old Anurag Thakur has replaced Mr. Shashank Manohar who quit the position to take up the post of ICC chairman.

314. Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling conferred with Nepal’s literary award

i. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has been conferred with the Yug Kavi Siddhicharan Award by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli for his commendable contributions in promoting Nepali literature in India. 

ii. The Yug Kavi Siddhicharan Award is one of the Nepal’s prestigious literary award. Mr. Chamling is the author and publisher of many Nepali books. His books in Nepali include- Prarambhik Kavita (1978), Antyaheen Sapana: Mero Bipana (1985), Ma Ko Hoon! (1992) and Sikkim ra Nariko Maryada.

iii. The award ceremony was organised by Siddhicharan Shrestha Academy on the occasion of 105th birth anniversary of the late poet Shrestha. The award carries a certificate of appreciation and a sum of NRs 100,000. But to receive the award Mr. Chamling was not present. 

315. Ken Loach's film I, Daniel Blake wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

i. Veteran British director Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake has won the his second Palme d’Or at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, France. ii. Ken Loach, the 79 year old, is one of only nine directors to have won the top prize at Cannes twice. Loach had won in 2006 with The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

iii. The other includes, Kent-born director Andrea Arnold won the competition's Jury Prize for her road movie American Honey. The Iranian film Forushande (The Salesman) by Asghar Farhadi received two awards, for Best Screenplay and for Best Actor, won by Shahab Hosseini. Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress for her role in Ma’ Rosa, a brutal dive into the Manila underworld directed by Brillante Mendoza.

316. Kiran Bedi appointed new Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry

i. BJP leader and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi was appointed as Lt Governor of Puducherry , a post which was under the additional charge of Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island for nearly two years. 

ii. The appointment came three days after the Congress-DMK alliance won 17 seats in the 30-member state Assembly. AIADMK, which contested the elections on its own, won four seats while BJP could not get even a single seat. 

iii. The LG post in the Union territory had been lying vacant after the Narendra Modi Government had sacked UPA nominee Virendra Kataria on July 12 barely a year after he had been appointed. Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island Lt Gen Ajay Singh had been given additional charge of Puducherry. 

317. Ratan P Watal appointed as Principal Adviser for Social Sector in NITI Aayog

i. Former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal was appointed as Principal Adviser (Social Sector) in NITI Aayog for 3-years.

ii. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

iii. Prior to this appointment, Watal was the Union Finance Secretary between September 2015 and April 2016.Watal, 60, is a 1978-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer and holds masters degree in economics.

318. World's oldest Olympic champion, Sandor Tarics has passed away

i. The oldest living Olympic champion Sandor Tarics has passed away at home in San Francisco. He was 102 year old. 

ii. He was born in 1913 in Budapest, Hungary but later sifted to San Francisco where he worked as a university professor. He became famous for his work in earthquake research, and in particular his design of earthquake-proof building technologies. 

iii. Tarics was the member of Hungary's gold-medal winning waterpolo team at the 1936 Games. Earlier, Italian cyclist Attilio Pavesi, who won two Gold medals at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles was the world's oldest Olympic champion but now Mr. Tarics became the oldest living Olympic champion.

319. China wins Uber Cup Badminton tournament for 14th time

i. Chinese women badminton team showing its supremacyhas won the Uber Cup title. In the final played at the Kunshan Sports Centre Gymnasium in Beijing, the host country defeated South Korea 3-1.

ii. It was the host country’s third triumph in a row since 2012 and overall it won the title for 14th time since it first started competing in the Uber Cup in 1984.However, South Korean team was unable to end their six-year drought at the Uber Cup.

iii. India won the bronze of the Uber Cup tournament after they suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of defending champions China in the semifinals.

320. Mohun Bagan beats Aizawl FC 5-0 to lift 14th Fed Cup title

i. The Mohun Bagan has clinched the Federation Cup title for the 14th time. The team has floored Aizawl FC by a record 5-0 margin and regain the Federation Cup football title after eight years, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati. 

ii. The first half of the match was goalless. In second half, Mizo striker Jeje Lalpekhlua netted two goals while Haitian Sony Norde, Dhanachandra Singh and Bikramjit Singh scored one each.

iii. The Kolkata giant, Mohun Bagan has produced one of its finest runs of success, scoring 17 goals and conceding just two in the five matches it played in the tournament and in the process extending the record of winning the title to 14. The last time Bagan had won the title in 2008, when it has deafeated Dempo by 1-0.

321. Denmark wins first Thomas Cup badminton tournament

i. For the first time ever, Denmark has won this year's Thomas Cup badminton tournament. 

ii. The Danish team upset the favored Indonesians 3-2 in the final in Kunshan to take this year's title.

iii. Denmark had only ever finished runner-up at the men's international team tournament before yesterday, having twice lost to China in the final. Host China, which is home to some of the world's best men's badminton players, stumbled out of the tournament after a shocking 3-1 upset to South Korea in the quarter-finals.

322. Ashwin placed 2nd in ICC Test bowlers ranking

i. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin retained his second spot in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers. 

ii. England fast bowler Stuart Broad currently leads the list and his compatriot James Anderson is placed third. 

iii. Meanwhile, Ashwin continues to top the Test all-rounders’ ranking. However, no Indian featured in the top 10 batsmen list, which is lead by Australian Captain Steven Smith.

323. Pankaj Advani creates history by winning Asian 6-Red Snooker title

i. India's ace cueist Pankaj Advani has created history in Abu Dhabi by clinching the Asian 6-Red Snooker title. 

ii. He has won the IBSF World 6 Red Championship previously as well making him the first player to hold both the world and continental championships in 6 Red snooker at the same time.

iii. The double International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Six-Red Snooker Champion stamped his authority again in the short format of the game, defeating top seeded Malaysian Keen Hoh Moh by 7-5 . Advani will now spearhead the Indian challenge in the team event with Aditya Mehta, Manan Chandra and Kamal Chawla.

324. India, Thailand, Myanmar to be connected by a 1400-km road

i. India, Thailand and Myanmar will soon be connected by a 1,400-kilometre highway, to boost the trade and cultural exchanges among the three countries. 

ii. This will be the first time when India reportedly connect to other South East Asian nations by road. The planned highway will start in the eastern region of India from Moreh to Myanmar's Tamu city.

iii. Indian Ambassador to Thailand Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi has stated that there are over 73 bridges in Myanmar constructed almost 70 years ago (during World War II). The bridges are currently being restored with funding from India. Once the work on the bridges is complete ( 18 months), the highways will be opened to traffic from India as well as Thailand. The negotiations are currently underway to conclude a tri-nation motor vehicle agreement for the use of the 1,400-km road that will reach Thailand at Tak, Mae Sot district.
325. President signs ordinance keeping state boards out of NEET this year

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has signed the ordinance to keep state boards out of the common entrance test (NEET) for MBBS and dental courses for this year. 

ii. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was at the President's Secretariat along with top Health Ministry officials to respond to clarifications sought by the President on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Union Health Minister J P Nadda had also met the President yesterday to explain the rationale behind taking the ordinance route. 

iii. The ordinance on NEET is aimed at partially overturning a Supreme Court order that had taken into account the multiple medical entrance tests by states and private colleges as well as allegations of corruption.

326. Indigenously built INS Tarmugli commissioned in Indian Navy

i. The Indian Navy has commissioned indigenously built highly maneuverable Fast Attack Craft INS Tarmugli at the commissioning ceremony held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 

ii. INS Tarmugli will be based in Visakhapatnam under the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh). It would be deployed for coastal patrol and surveillance operations along the East Coast of India. 

iii. INS Tarmugli is indigenously conceived, designed and built by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE). It is the first Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) and is an improved version of WJFAC, earlier constructed by GRSE. The ship is named after a picturesque Tarmugli island located in the Andaman group. 

327. India imposes ban for travel to Libya in view of prevailing security situation

i. India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this in New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry said, the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities.

ii. The MEA travel advisory said in view of prevailing security situation, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose. 

iii. The MEA's announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them.

328. NALCO signs MoU with Iran govt to set up smelter plant in Chabahar

i. The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has signed an MoU with Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) to explore the possibility of setting up a smelter on joint venture in Iran. 

ii. For this project NALCO will supply alumina from its refinery in India.

iii. The MoU was signed between chairman-cum-managing director of NALCO and vice chairman of Iran's planning board in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Tehran. 

329. India Post payments bank will be functional by March 17

i. Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that the India Post's payments bank will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial inclusion programmes. 

ii. He also stated that postal department plays an important role in the country's economic and social development and enable modernization of postal services through IT.

iii. Till now, around 50 companies including foreign banks have shown keen interest to be partners with the bank in a form of third party insurance services. However, the postal department has opened 85.28 lakh accounts with deposit money of rs. 4500 crore under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana during 2015-16 and over 4 lakh policies of Atal Pension Yojana, Prime Minister Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana and PM Suraksha Beema Yojana. 

330. Sumitra Mahajan to inaugurate 3-day NERCPA conference

i. The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will inaugurate the three day conference of the Northeast Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) in the Assembly house on 30th of May. 

ii. The conference will focus on two topics- 1. to strengthen the NERCPA for further development of Northeast region states and 2nd. Soil erosion in Northeast India and its impact on the local populace and how political intervention could help to resolve the issue.

iii. CM of Tripura Mr. Manik Sarkar, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Prof P J Kurien, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha Dr M Thambi Durai and Secretary General of Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra would be present at the inaugural function. Besides, the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of all the eight North-eastern states are expected to attend the conference.

331. BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath as Assam CM

i. In Assam, BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal has taken oath as the Chief Minister. With this, political history was charted in North Eastern part of the country when the maiden BJP government assumed power in the region.

ii. The new chief minister and 10 of his ministerial colleagues were taken the oath of office and secrecy by Governor PB Acharyya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, several Chief Ministers and Union ministers along with spiritual leaders were present in the swearing in ceremony. 

iii. A former firebrand student leader, Sonowal had led an alliance of BJP and two regional partners Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front to end a 15 year long Congress rule in the state, thereby paving the way for formation of the first ever BJP led government in the state. 

332. Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 promulgated

i. Odisha Governor Dr SC Jamir has promulgated Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016. The Ordinance empowers the state government to formulate laws to implement the Odisha Official Language Act 1954. This will facilitate use of Odia language in transaction of official businesses of the Government.

ii. The Ordinance will amend the Language Act and use Odia in writing files, letters and all other official documents prepared by the government. Orissa is the first state to be evolved on the basis of language. So the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 was enacted in 1954.

iii. Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the Odisha Official Language Act would be implemented by 15 August 2016. Some announcements made were-  that a university to promote Odia language and literature will be set up for teaching and research at the postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels. He also said that Odia Virtual Academy, which was announced in the state budget, would be set up. The academy will digitize the literary corpus of Odia language and make it available through web-portal.

333. NGT bans over 10-year-old light, heavy diesel vehicles in six Kerala cities

i. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned use of light and heavy diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, in six major cities. The cities where these vehicles can’t ply on the roads include Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kollam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.

ii. In its first sitting, the NGT Circuit bench, comprising NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued the order while hearing a petition seeking action against highly polluting diesel vehicles such as trucks and buses. The other member of the bench was Bikram Singh Sajwan.

iii. The petition was filed by Lawyers’ Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF) and as per the directions of the NGT - the state government not to register any diesel vehicle in the capacity of 2000 CC and more, except public transport and local authority vehicles. if any vehicle is found to be violating this direction will have to pay 5000 rupees as environmental compensation and this will be collected by traffic police or pollution control board.

334.13  New Smart Cities Unveiled By Government

i. Thirteen cities have been selected in the first phase of the government’s smart cities mission, which includes Lucknow, Warangal, Bhagalpur, Raipur, New Town Kolkata , Chandigarh, Faridabad, Raipur, Ranchi, Warangal, Agartala, Imphal, Port Blair and Panaji. These cities have been chosen through a fast-track competition. 

ii. To increase the representation of states in the mission, these cities have been selected from the 23 cities which took part in a fast track competition. This takes the number of cities selected in the first phase of the Smart Cities Mission to 33. 

iii. Earlier in January, when the first 20 smart cities were announced the urban development ministry had come under fire for leaving out cities from non-NDA states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

335. E-municipal council' building to come up in Bundi, Rajasthan

i. Rajasthan's Bundi is stepping into the virtual world with an 'e-municipal council' to provide files at a click, and detailed digital mapping of the city with a database of its demographical and geographical information.

ii. The city's municipal data files which are currently decaying in a pre-Independence era building, will soon be digitised and can be accessed from anywhere on phones and computers, said Pankaj Kumar Mangal, commissioner of Bundi municipal council. 

iii. An 'e-municipal council' office equipped with solar panels and biometric entry and exit will also be constructed soon, where anyone would be able to view data on screen with a click.

336. World Bank launches $500 mn insurance fund to fight pandemics

i. The World Bank Group has launched Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility and launched a $500 million fund to fight Pandemics in poor countries and creating the world's first insurance market for pandemic risk. It will accelerate both global and national responses to future outbreaks with pandemic potential.

ii. It was built and designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the private sector, introducing a new level of rigor into both the financing and the response. The PEF is an innovative and fast-disbursing global financing mechanism. The major epidemics covered under the facility include new influenza pandemic virus A, B and C, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Marburg, Crimean Congo, Rift Valley, Lassa fever, etc.

iii. Under this facility, all the 77 countries are eligible to receive coverage for financing from the International Development Association, the World Bank Group’s for the poorest countries. It is expected to be operational in 2016 and Japan became the first country to commit 50 million US dollars in funding toward the new initiative.

337. UK grants asylum to Maldives' ex-president Mohamed Nasheed

i. Britain has granted political refugee status to ousted former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed. His lawyer Hasan Latheef claimed that Nasheed had been granted political refugee status but the British government is yet to comment. 

ii. Maldives' first democratically elected president, 49-year-old Nasheed had been allowed to go to Britain in January for spinal cord surgery following a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and the UK.

iii. Nasheed became Maldives' first democratically elected leader in 2008 but was toppled in a coup backed by the military and police. He was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after allegedly illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the Maldives.

338. US lifts embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam

i. US President Barack Obama has announced an end to its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam. Its one time enemy. 

ii. During his visit to Vietnam and talks with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang , US President Obama said that the move removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War. 

iii. Mr. Obama is the third US President to visit Vietnam since the end of the decade-long Vietnam War in 1975. Other two Presidents were Bill Clinton and George W. Bush (went in 2000 and 2006). The White House officials had indicated the arms ban, in force since 1984, would be lifted only if human rights in Vietnam improved. Vietnam had been arguing for an end to the embargo, which was partially lifted in 2014 purchase naval-defense equipment.

339. FIFA's acting Secretary General Markus Kattner dismissed over bonus payments

i. FIFA acting Secretary General Markus Kattner was dismissed from his position with immediate effect.

ii. He was removed after FIFA’s internal investigation uncovered breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contract. iii. He was accused of paying himself bonuses worth millions of pounds. The 45-year old German took over as acting General Secretary after Jerome Valcke was sacked for irregularities. Kattner joined FIFA in 2003 as Director of Finance, becoming Deputy Secretary General in 2007. His salary and bonuses were part of a contract that was unseen by relevant FIFA committees.

340. S K Sharma appointed CMD of Nuclear Power Corporation of India

i. Renowned scientist S K Sharma was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). 

ii. In his new role, Mr Sharm will be responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors. He has been appointed to the new post for a period of five years. 

iii. At present,he is working as Distinguished Scientist and Director (Operations) in NPCIL. NPCIL is a government-owned corporation responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra and is administered by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). 

341. Lt General Saini new commandant of IMA

i. Lt General S K Saini has taken over as the new commandant of prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) .

ii. Prior to this appointment, he was a senior directing staff in National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi. 

iii. Lt General Saini is an alumni of National Defence Academy (NDA) and IMA. In 1981, he was commissioned to seventh battalion of Jat regiment. In his career of 36 years, he has held many important posts.

342. Veteran CPI(M) leader K Anirudhan passes away

i. CPI(M) veteran and former MLA and MP K Anirudhan has passed away at his residence at Vazhuthacaud. He was 92 year old. He was suffering from age-related ailments for some time and died. Mr. Anirudhan was also an active trade union leader.

ii. Mr. Anirudhan was known for his significant contribution to build the Communist party movement in southern parts of the Kerala state. 

iii. He was elected to the state assembly in 1963, 1965, 1979 and 1980. Mr. Anirudhan was also the member of the Lok Sabha once and was elected to the Kerala Assembly thrice.

343. Rio medal winners to be considered for Khel Ratna, Arjuna

i. The Sports Ministry has stated that the winners from the upcoming Rio Games will be considered for this year's Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards. 

ii. The step has been taken to ensure that Olympic medalists get immediate recognition. So that the athletes need not wait for one full year after their medal-winning performances at the Olympic Games.

iii. The medal winners in individual events who have already not been conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in the past will be considered for the highest sporting honour. But as per the existing provisions of the schemes of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards, sports achievements of the sports persons for the last four years preceding the year of award, that means, sports achievements during the period 2011 to 2015 are to be considered.

344. India signs US$100 mn loan agreement with World bank 

i. The Government of India signs US$100 mn loan agreement with World bank (IBRD) for the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization project. 

ii. The agreement has signed by Shri V. Ponnuraj, Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) on behalf of the Government of Karnataka and Mr. Michael Haney on behalf of the World Bank.

iii. The government has initiated this step with an objective to avail city-wide piped water to the state of Karnataka and to strengthen the service delivery arrangements at the city level. KUIDFC is the implementing agency for the project and according to reports, the project will be implemented over a period of 6 years in the cities of Hubballi and Dharwad. However, the project will later be expanded to other eligible cities too. 

345. Govt renames disability dept- 'divyang' replaces 'viklang'

i. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will now be known as 'Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag in Hindi and dropped the word 'viklangjan' from its previous nomenclature. 

ii. The decision has came after PM Narendra modi's address on Mann Ki Baat, when he said physically challenged people have a "divine ability" and the term "divyang" should be used in place of "viklang" for them. For this amendment President Pranab Mukherjee has given approval to the new nomenclature.

iii. So the Centre had proposed the change in name of the department by amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. Now according to an order issued by Cabinet Secretariat, the Department of Empowerment of Persons ('Viklangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag) with Disabilities will be 'Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag in Hindi but in English it will remain same. 

346. Govt revises norms of Performance in Credit Rating Scheme

i. The government of India has approved the revision in guidelines of the Performance in Credit Rating Scheme which aims to increase its credibility and effectiveness for both borrowers and banks. 

ii. Under the revised guidelines, the fee to be paid to the rating agencies shall be based on the turnover of the micro and small enterprises which has been categorized into three slabs.

iii. For turnover up to 50 lakh rupees, the fee to be reimbursed by the MSME Ministry will constitute 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling rs.15,000. For turnover between 50 lakh and 2 cr. rs, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling of rs. 30,000 . Similarly, enterprises having turnover above 2 crore rs, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling of 40,000 rs. Besides, only rating agencies registered by SEBI and enrolled as External Credit Assessment Institution (ECAI) by RBI would be eligible to carry out rating of MSEs under the Scheme.  

347. Pinarayi Vijayan sworn in as Kerala CM

i. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Pinarayi Vijayan has taken oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala with 19 ministers at the central stadium in capital Thiruvananthapuram.
ii. Pinarayi Vijayan served for 17 years as the CPM's Kerala state secretary, the longest tenure ever. He has been elected to the state assembly five times and won this year's election from Dharmadam constituency by a margin of 36,000 votes.

iii. In his cabinet, he will have 12 ministers from the CPM or Communist Party of India-Marxist, four from the Communist Party of India or CPI and one each from LDF constituents the Janata Dal-S, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress-S. 

348. UGC approves new norms for deemed universities

i. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has brought out a new set of regulatory norms for deemed universities in order to reduce subjectivity and government interference and focus more on quality. 

ii. According to the UGC Regulations, 2016, an institution will be eligible to become a deemed university if it has undergraduate and 5 post-graduate programmes with research in existence for 3 years.

iii. As per the new regulations, a deemed university should have a minimum 40 per cent open space of the total built up area. Additionally, to ensure quality, institutions vying for the ‘deemed university’ tag will have to either get the highest NAAC or NBA accreditation rating for three cycles consecutively or an ‘A’ grade at the time of application and a position among the top 20 institutions under the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF). Deemed universities will be able to open off-campus centres only after five years of their existence. 

349. Rail Hamsafar Saptaah to be launched to celebrate achievements

i. Railway will launch Rail Humsafar Saptaah from 26th of this month to 1st June - a week long celebration to highlight Railway achievements during the last two years. 

ii. Each day of the week will focus on a particular theme and will be observed as Swachchta Diwas, Satkar Diwas, Sewa Diwas, Satarkata Diwas, Saamanjasya Diwas, Sanyojan Diwas and Sanchaar Diwas. 

iii. Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu has directed that all the General Managers should personally supervise various activities to be undertaken during the week. During the last two years a number of initiatives have been launched and significant achievements made by Indian Railways in all spheres, especially in its responsiveness, accessibility and improvement of passenger amenities.

350. Union HRD Ministry to launch ASMITA, student tracking system

i. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD)  has decided to launch ASMITA, a student tracking system programme. 

ii. ASMITA is acronym for All School Monitoring Individual Tracing Analysis and shall be launched under Shala Asmita Yojana (SAY).

iii. SAY aims to track the educational journey of school students from Class I to Class XII across the 15 lakhs private and government schools in the country. ASMITA will be an online database which will carry information of student attendance and enrolment, learning outcomes, mid-day meal service and infrastructural facilities among others. Students will be tracked through their Aadhaar numbers and incase those not having unique number will be provided with it.

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