Current Affairs 2016

• IISER Researchers develop Gelator to scoop out marine oil spills
• India’s first titanium project starts test production in Odisha
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurate Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has inked MoU with Common Services Centre (CSC), a SPV of Ministry of Information Technology for enabling online submission of applications under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has extended duty drawback facility on all textile products for one year to boost exports.

The first titanium project of India has started its test production Ganjam district of Odisha. The project has been established by Saraf Group.

Researchers from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram have developed a compound named gelator to scoop out marine oil spills.

The Union Government has imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of steel wire rods from China to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap in-bound shipments.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2016 Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) in New Delhi.

• Sarabjit Singh Marwah becomes Canada’s first Sikh Senator
• Union Government appoints Bindheswar Pathak as brand ambassador of Swachh Rail Mission
• RCEP members worry over market access to China

The Union Government is developing a National Data Registry (NDR) to compile and serve metadata of different agencies and re-engineer the feature data sets for improving their use.

India born Sarabjit Singh Marwah has become the first Sikh to be appointed to the Canadian Senate (upper house).

The Union Ministry of Railways has appointed Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak (73), the founder of Sulabh International as a Brand Ambassador for Swachh Rail Mission of Indian Railway.

The 15 Asia-Pacific nations including India of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are concern to give greater market access to Chinese goods without gaining in return.