1. Arun Jaitley launched digital version of Mahatma Gandhi's collected work
i. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley on 8
September 2015 launched the e-version of the 100 volumes of the
Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) in New Delhi.
ii. The works of Mahatma Gandhi compiled by a team of Scholars includes
historic speeches of Gandhi. The collection provides varied, numerous
and logical profiles of Gandhi’s life and thought, action and
engagements.
iii. The CWMG was published by Publications Division. Electronic Master
Copy of CWMG (Volumes 1 to 100) is in the form of a searchable PDF beta
version.
iv. Authentic documentation of Mahatma Gandhi's available writings was
carried out under the CWMG project. The project commenced on September
1956 and concluded on 2 October 1994, with the publication of the 100th
volume.
2. DRDO names new Director General, first woman in the role
i. In a first, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),
will have a woman scientist heading an important cluster with the high
rank of a Director General.
ii.
J Manjula, has been appointed the new Director General (DG -
Electronics & Communications Systems or ECS) today. She will be one
of the seven DG's, who are heading different clusters within the DRDO,
which has nearly 50 national laboratories and Institutes under its
network.
iii. A recognised expert in electronic warfare systems for Air Force,
Manjula is an Outstanding Scientist and Director of Bengaluru-based
DARE, Defence Avionics Research Establishment.
iv. She brings vast experience in EW systems, following a long stint
with the Hyderabad-based, DLRL (Defence Electronics Research
Laboratory), which is a pioneer in EW systems and cutting edge
communications.
v. The over 55-year old DRDO in heirarchy has a Director General, S
Christopher (appointed a few months ago) and 7 DGs heading various
clusters. The clusters are fallout of the implementation of the P Rama
Rao Committee on restructuring the Organisation. It came into effect in
2013.
3. 6th Indo-Maldives Joint Military Exercise begins in Thiruvananthapuram
i. The sixth Indo-Maldives joint Training Exercise has commenced at
Pangode Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
ii. Aim of the Joint Exercise is to acquaint forces of both countries
with each other’s operating procedure and increase understanding and
interoperability between Armies of both countries.
iii.
In this edition of joint exercise, total of 45 soldiers each from
Indian Army (BIHAR Regiment) and the Maldivian National Defence Force
will take part.
iv. The exercise will cover varied military training activities in order
to enhance interoperability between the two defence forces. It will
conclude with tactical exercises.
v. August 2015 and it will conclude on 13 September 2015 with the
closing ceremony involving cultural events by various military display
teams along with aerial acrobatics display by Sarang Team of Indian Air
force.
4. Himachal Pradesh organised organic fair and food festival to boost organic farming
i. To promote organic farming in the state, the Himachal Pradesh
Government on 8 September 2015 organised a three-day organic fair and
food festival in the state. The organic fair and food festival was
organised in Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
ii.
The fair was organised by the Department of Agriculture in
collaboration with the International Competence Centre for Organic
Agriculture (ICCOA), Bengaluru. It was inaugurated by State Agriculture
Minister Sujan Singh Pathania.
iii. The fair was organised with an aim to popularise organic farming in
the state where 90 percent of the population is residing in rural areas
and 79 percent families are dependent on agriculture. At present the
organic farming is being done on nearly 16 thousand hectare land in the
state.
iv. Farmers from all over the state have put their different products in
the exhibition, a part of this fare in capital Shimla. The farmers are
demanding proper marketing facilities for their organic produces in the
state.
5. Sahara India's para-banking license scrapped by RBI
i. In a fresh setback to the beleaguered Sahara India Pariwar, the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of its holding
company Sahara India Financial Corporation Limited (SIFCL), officials
said on Tuesday.
ii.
The action has been taken by the department of non-banking supervision
of the RBI, in Kanpur. The move comes in wake of several irregularities
and ignoring financial rules and regulations by Sahara, an official
further informed.
iii. The notice cancelling its license to conduction financial business
has been sent to the Kapurthala head quarter of the Sahara India.
iv. The RBI had in 2008 barred the company from taking any deposits from
the people under its chit fund operations. Many depositors had since
then complained to the RBI that they were not being paid back their
money by Sahara, following which a probe was ordered by the bank.
v. A report of the investigations was sent to the RBI HQ in Mumbai last
month after which the penal action of cancelling the license of SIFCL
was taken.
6. Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed to Niti Aayog
i. Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand has been appointed as new member of
the Niti Aayog. Chand is the third member to join the government's think
tank which has replaced the erstwhile planning commission.
ii.
The Aayog, which is headed by eminent economist Arvind Panagariya, has
two other members—economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K
Saraswat.
iii. Chand's appointment came at a time the Modi government is keen to
revive the agriculture sector and reaffirm its commitment to farmers.
iv. The BJP government has already formed a task force to suggest ways
to boost agriculture sector in a follow up to first meeting of the Niti
Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
v. The task force, under the aegis of Aayog, is mandated to recommend
ways to reinvigorate agriculture, strategies for reforms and identify
successful experiments from which all states can learn.
7. Weightlifter Deepak Lather wins gold in fifth Youth Commonwealth Games
i. Indian weightlifters continued to make their presence felt on Day 2
of the fifth Youth Commonwealth Games after Deepak Lather won a gold in
the 62 kg category here today.
ii.
This was India's second gold in weightlifting after Jamjang Deru stood
atop the podium in the 56 kg category on the opening day of the event.
iii. The 51-year-old Deepak finished with a total of 258 kg with 120 kg
in snatch -- new CYG record -- and 138 kg in clean and jerk.
iv. India are being represented by 25 athletes in eight disciplines out of the nine being competed in the CYG.
8. Apurvi Chandela bags silver at ISSF World Cup Final
i. Young Indian shooter Apurvi Chandela impressed again as she clinched
the silver medal in women’s 10m air rifle event of the ISSF Rifle and
Pistol World Cup Finals on Saturday.
ii. The 22-year-old Jaipur girl finished second on the podium after she
tallied 206.9, just 0.6 behind Ahmadi Elaheh of Iran, who won the gold
medal with a tally of 207.5.
iii. In the finals, Chandela started on a rousing note as she fired two
shots of 10.8 to lead after Series 1 of first competition stage. A total
of 30.6 in the second series saw her a drop a place.
iv. London Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang and Gurpreet Singh had
earlier reached the finals of their respective events in the tournament,
but missed out on medals.
