Lutyens' Delhi is an area in New Delhi named after the leading British architect Edwin Lutyens who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building when India was part of the British Empire. (ii) Lutyens invented his own new order of classical architecture, which has become known as the Delhi Order and was used by him for several designs in England, such as Campion Hall, Oxford. (iii) Recently it has been announced that the name Lutyen's Zone would be changed to Imperial City of Delhi.Lee Kuan Yew, commonly known by his initials LKY, was the first Prime Minister of Singapore, governing for three decades. (ii) Lee is recognised as the founding father of modern Singapore, and the only leader known to bring an entire country from Third World to First World status in a single generation. Who took over after him?Marc Aurel Stein's was an archaeologistA rotavirus vaccine protects children from rotaviruses, which are the leading cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. (ii) Rotavirus is highly contagious and resistant and, regardless of water quality and available sanitation, nearly every child in the world is at risk of infection. (iii) The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that rotavirus vaccine be included in all national immunization programs.All India Radio (AIR), officially known as Akashvani is the national public radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. (ii) It is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national public television broadcaster & AIR is one of the largest radio networks in the world. (iii) Vividh Bharati is one of the best-known services of AIR and it is also known as the Commercial Broadcasting Service (CBS).INS Viraat is a Centaur-class aircraft carrier in service with the Indian Navy. (ii) INS VIRAAT is the last British-built ship serving with the Indian Navy and also is the oldest carrier in service in the world and is one of three aircraft carriers based in the Indian Ocean Region. (iii) Recently it has been announced that INS VIRAT will be de-comissioned from the Indian Navy in the year 2016. Act East PolicyThe National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources. (ii) NGT is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues & it shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice. (iii) Recently, the Ministry of Environment & Forest said that the NGT cannot settle the issue or any application on climate change s it is a subject of international conventions & protocols. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. (ii) FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The FSSAI is led by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the Central Government from amongst the persons of eminence in the field of food science or from amongst the persons from the administration who have been associated with the subject and is either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary to the Government of IndiaIndia is involved in developing Project Maitri, a short range surface to air missile in collaboration with France. The Maitri missile project is a next-generation quick-reaction surface-to-air missile (QRSAM) with a lethal near-hundred per cent kill probability under development by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation in collaboration with France.The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the Government of the People's Republic of China is a macroeconomic management agency under the Chinese State Council. (ii) The NDRC's functions are to study and formulate policies for economic and social development, maintain the balance of economic development, and to guide restructuring of China's economic system. (iii) The NDRC along with the Ministry of Commerce & Foreign Affairs is working on the China's "One belt One road" initiative. The National Museum in New Delhi is one of the largest museums in India. Established in 1949, it holds variety of articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern works of art. It functions under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.The blueprint of the National Museum had been prepared by the Gwyer Committee set up by the Government of India in 1946. It also houses the National Museum Institute of History of Arts,Conservation and Museology on the first floor which was established in 1983 and now is a Deemed University since 1989, and runs Masters and Doctoral level courses in History of Art, Conservation and MuseologyNational Museum deals with arts of all ages. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Superseries is a 12-tournament series where top badminton players compete throughout the year for a place in the season finale, the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals. (ii) From Sydney to New Delhi to Paris, players earn valuable World Ranking Points towards their BWF World Ranking used in the qualifications for the BWF World Championships and Olympic Games. (iii) BWF's main focus is regulating, promoting, managing and developing the sport worldwide. The BangladeshChinaIndiaMyanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation (BCIM) is a sub-regional organisation of Asian nations aimed at greater integration of trade and investment between the four countries. (ii) The multi-modal corridor will be the first expressway between India and China and will pass through Myanmar and Bangladesh. The connectivity of the region will be via land, air, sea etc....hence called multimodel.The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on nuclear power plants and projects within India: (i) India has a comprehensive and well-established national educational and training system that supports competence-building for its nuclear programme. (ii) The Government should promulgate a national policy and strategy for safety, and a radioactive waste management strategy as a statement of the Governments intent. (iii) The Government should embed the AERB's regulatory independence in law, separated from other entities having responsibilities or interests that could unduly influence its decision making. Plz also focus on why AERB and DEA should be legally separated. ImpCabinet's recent approval of gas pooling for fertilizer sector aims primarily at ensuring supply of fuel to all urea plants at a uniform delivery cost.Geographical indication (GI) refers to any indication that identifies the goods as originating from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. (ii) GI helps a community of producers to differentiate their products from competing products in the market and build goodwill around their products, which often fetches a premium price. (iii) Among the recent GI tag recipients are the Naga Tree Tomato, Arunachal Orange, Sikkim Large Cardamom, Mizo Chilli, Assam Karbi Anglong Ginger, Tripura Queen Pineapple, Tezpur Litchi, Khasi Mandarin and Kachai Lemon, handicraft items such as Khurja Pottery, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi Wooden Lacquer Wear and Toys and foods such as Ratlami Sev of Madhya Pradesh, Joynagarer Moa from West Bengal and Rajasthans Makrana Marble. Nendran Banana and Bangalore Rose Onion recently got Geographical Indication (GI) certificationRegarding 'Reserve Price' (RP) in an auction Selling price is always above RPPhulkari is an embroidery technique from the Punjab region, and it literally means flower working. (ii) The main characteristics of Phulkari embroidery are use of darn stitch on the wrong side of coarse cotton cloth with coloured silken thread. (iii) In Phulkari technique embroidery ornaments the cloth, whereas in Bagh technique, it entirely covers the garment so that the base cloth is not visible.Licence Raj = heavy regulation pf production as well as strict labour laws. Things were relaxed in 1991 and after (Liberalisation).The Disaster Management Act (DM Act) has made the statutory provisions for constitution of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the purpose of specialized response to natural and man-made disasters. (ii) The DM Act, 2005 envisages a paradigm shift from the erstwhile response centric syndrome to a proactive, holistic and integrated management of disasters with emphasis on prevention, mitigation and preparedness. (iii) These NDRF battalions are located at ten different locations in the country based on the vulnerability profile of country and to cut down the response time for their deployment at disaster site. NDRF is under Home MinistryNational Food Security Mission (NFSM): (i) In the 12th Plan, NFSM aims at raising the food grain production by 25 million tones. (ii) Besides rice, wheat and pulses, NFSM proposes to cover coarse cereals and fodder crops during the 12th plan period. (iii) The focus is on dissemination of improved technologies and farm management practices. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana 4% annual growth in agriculture through development of Agriculture and its allied sectorsNon-communicable diseases (NCDs): (i) Cancer (ii) Chronic respiratory diseases (iii) Diabetes The Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, is sadi to have been brought to this place by Sanghmitra, the daughter of Ashoka. She was a nun and dedicated her life in the promotion of BudhismGuru Kelucharan Mahapatra is related to Odissi dance exponent.Interest subvention is offered on several lending schemes by the government to promote a particular industry. (ii) Interest subvention is the subsidy offered on interest rates. (iii) Government of India has come up with an array of interest subvention schemes for different sectors spanning from agriculture, education, handlooms, export-oriented sectors to housing sectors. India's new Foreign Trade Policy: (i) it aims to raise Indias share in global trade over the five-year period of 2015-2020 to 3.5 per cent from the 2 per cent at present. (ii) It has set the yearly exports target at $900 billion by 2020, which is nearly twice the countrys current export performance. (iii) All the export promotion schemes have been revamped and clubbed under two schemes, one for goods (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme) and one for services (Services Exports from India Scheme). Very imp. Probable question from new FTP can be surely asked...hence please read further on FTPGovernor's are appointed at the pleasure of the President. No max age mentioned. Retired CJIs can be appointed as Gov.Mohammadu Buhari won the recent Nigerian Presidential election by defeating Goodluck JonathanThe National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) has been renamed as BharatNetNational Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. (ii) Crop losses are not covered under the National Disaster Response Fund. (iii) Currently, financial assistance is given to affected farmers under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in the wake of 12 notified natural disasters - hailstorm, flood, cyclone, cloud burst, drought, earthquake, tsunami, landslides, avalanche, fire, pest attack and cold waves/frost. Kailash Vaijpeyi, who died recently, was related to Hindi literature - Hindi novelist and poet. An antigen is any substance that causes immune system to produce antibodies against it. (ii) An antigen may be a foreign substance from the environment, such as chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or pollen. An antigen may also be formed inside the body, as with bacterial toxins or tissue cells. (iii) Neoantigens are mutated protein cells formed by metabolic pathways. The EU 3+3 is related to Nuclear deal negotiations with Iran Also known as P5+1Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Irans nuclear programme: (i) Iran will ramp down its uranium enrichment capabilities and stockpiles of enriched uranium (ii) It will reduce the number of nuclear centrifuges (iii) Iran will allow for thorough inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Close to 60 per cent of rural households are dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Input costs in agriculture have been going up over the years. National Crop Insurance Programme covers prevented/ failed sowing, post-harvest losses, and losses from natural calamities on an individual basis. Offset obligations are introduced to develop the defence industrial base in the country. (ii) Offset obligations in the defence procurements in India stipulates that for deals worth over Rs. 300 crore, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has to reinvest 30 per cent of the contract value in the country. Offests obligations lead to low imports, not high.National Food Security Act (NFSA): (i) The law aims at providing a legal entitlement to 5 kg of subsidised foodgrains a person per month at Rs 1-3 a kg to two-thirds of the countrys population. (ii) It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System. (iii) The National Food Security Act 2013 also recognizes maternity entitlements.Effects of increasing concretisation of soil with concrete and cemented slabs in urban areas: (i) Decrease in rainwater percolation (ii) Direct augmentation of climate change (iii) Heat island effect.The Constitution of India directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development. (ii) The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development; and this programme is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas. (iii) NSAP at present, comprises of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna.The focus on 'Strategic Autonomy' has been a hallmark of India's foreign policy. Plz read further on this.Instant money orders, or iMO, provides instant money order service for amounts ranging from Rs.1,000 to Rs.50,000. (ii) Electronic money orders, or eMO, money is paid at the door-step of a payee - from Re.1 to Rs.5,000 - within a day. (iii) Project Arrow envisages upgradation of Post Offices in urban and rural areas both in terms of upgrading and enhancing the quality of service in core areas and improving the look and feel.Howard Hodgkin is a well known British painter who is holding his first exhibition in India.Judiciary does not come under the ambit of the Lokpal. Legislature, Executive, NGT etc all come under itToulouse Model' in developing the smart cities in India is a model borrowed from France. Important for PT & Mains. Read more on smart cities.The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is an autonomous public body constituted under the Protection of Human Rights Ordinance & was given a statutory basis by the Protection of Human Rights Act. (ii) The NHRC is the national human rights institution, responsible for the protection and promotion of human rights, defined by the Act as rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants. (iii) The NHRC has been accredited with A status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (the ICC), indicating that it is in conformity with the Paris Principles The European Organization for Nuclear Research known as "Conseil Europen pour la Recherche Nuclaire" or CERN derived from the name is a European research organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. (ii) CERN's main function is to provide the particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research as a result, numerous experiments have been constructed at CERN as a result of international collaborations. (iii) Most of the activities at CERN currently involve operating the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and the experiments for it & the LHC represents a large-scale, worldwide scientific cooperation project. Oldenlandia Dineshii is newly found plant species named after botanist Prof. T.K. Dinesh. It has been categorized as endangered.Paul Henson Appleby was a theorist of Public Administration. Nehru started the Indian Institute of Public Administration on Appleby's reports. A Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) is one that owns and invests, on a discretionary basis in securities, etc. QIB's can be both domestic as well as international institutions. Individuals are not permitted to be QIBs, regardless of their level of wealth or financial sophistication. (iii) QIBs encompass a wide range of entities, including banks, savings and loans associations, insurance companies, investment companies, employee benefit plans or entities owned entirely by accredited investors. A green bond is a bond that publicly states that capital is being raised to fund green projects, which typically include those relating to renewable energy, emission reductions etc. (ii) Green bonds are issued by multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, corporations, government agencies and municipalities. (iii) Recently EXIM Bank and the Yes bank launched the Green Bonds in India. Gaganendranath Tagore was a Painter. Nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.An air quality index (AQI) is a number used by government agencies to communicate to the public how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. (ii) The Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change launched theAQI under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. (iii) It is outlined as One Number- One Colour-One Description for the common man to judge the air quality within his vicinity & the index constitutes part of the Governments mission to introduce the culture of cleanliness. The Scorpne-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French DCN and the Spanish company Navantia and now by DCNS & it features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP). (ii) Kalvari-class submarines were the first submarines inducted into the Indian Navy. They were variants of the early Soviet Foxtrot-class submarines. (iii) India plans to incorporate the DRDO-developed air independent propulsion (AIP) system onto the last two submarines being built and also to equip the P75I submarines. CSE is an independent body, not working under any ministry; researches into, lobbies for and communicates the urgency of development that is both sustainable and equitable. (iii) CSE also works as a think tank on environment-development issues in India,Poor planning, climate shifts devastating India's Sundarbans and advocates for policy changes and better implementation of the already existing policies. The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states. (ii) The bank is set up to foster greater financial and development cooperation among the five emerging markets & the Bank would also provide assistance to other countries suffering from the economic volatility in the wake of the United States' exit from its expansionary monetary policy. NDB is independent of AIIB Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India is a statutory organization under the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) & was established under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. (ii) It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act. (iii) It Co-ordinates the activities of the State Boards by providing technical assistance and guidance and resolve disputes among them and an apex organization in country in the field of pollution control, as technical wing of MoEF. NPCIL is a Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE),Government of India. NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors. (iii) The nuclear deal for the Jaitapur plant has been negotiated between the France's Areva & the NPCIL. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) is a leading public Infrastructure Finance Company in Indias power sector & the company finances and promotes rural electrification projects across India. The company is primarily engaged in providing finance for rural electrification projects across India and provides loans to Central/ State Sector Power Utilities, State Electricity Boards, Rural Electric Cooperatives, NGOs and Private Power Developers. REC is aNavratna Company functioning under the purview of the Ministry of Power Government of India. The company is listed on bothNational Stock Exchange of IndiaandBombay Stock Exchange.Arborophila Mandellii is Chestnut breasted patridge.The internet of things, which involves adding sensors to everyday items. This enables smart devices, such as alarms, heating systems and coffee machines, to store data and communicate with one another.

TRAI is an independent regulator. TRAI's mission is to create and nurture conditions for the growth of telecommunications in India in a manner and pace that would enable the country to be able to play a leading role in the emerging global information society. (iii) One of the major objectives of TRAI is to provide a transparent policy environment. TRAI has regularly issued orders and directions on various subjects like tariff, interconnections, Direct To Home (DTH) services and mobile number portability. Critically analyze the National Green Tribunal (250 words).The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), is an autonomous foundation located created as a public-private initiative with the aim of enhancing the capacity of public health professionals. (ii) The PHFIwas conceptualised as a response to growing concern over the emerging public health challenges in India & it recognizes the fact that meeting the shortfall of health professionals is imperative for a sustained and holistic response to the public health concerns in the country. (iii) It also aims to focus on and influence the multiple determinants of health (economic, social, behavioural and biological) and to undertake and evaluate multi-sectoral interventions to positively influence those determinants. 'Countering Violent Extremism' was recently addded to USA glossary on military terminology The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was made between the representatives from 16 ethnic armed organizations (EAO), the army and the government in Myanmar. The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Bill seeks to protect the interests of consumers and establish regulatory bodies at the Centre and States for ethical and transparent business practices in the real estate sector. (ii) The Bill provides for mandatory registration of all projects and real estate agents who intend to sell any plot, apartment or building with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. (iii) The Bill also seeks to enforce the contract between the developer and buyer and a fast track mechanism to settle disputes. National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) is a proposed body responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges to the higher judiciary in India. (ii) The NJAC will replace the collegium system for the appointment of judges as mandated in the existing pre-amended constitution by a new system. (iii) The NJAC Bill and the Constitutional Amendment Bill, was ratified by only 16 states and subsequently assented by the President of India.An external commercial borrowing (ECB) is an instrument used in India to facilitate the access to foreign money by Indian corporations and PSUs. (ii) ECBs include commercial bank loans, buyers' credit, suppliers' credit, securitised instruments such as floating rate notes and fixed rate bonds etc., credit from official export credit agencies and commercial borrowings from the private sector window of multilateral financial Institutions such as International Finance Corporation (Washington), ADB, AFIC, CDC, etc. The DEA (Department of Economic Affairs), Ministry of Finance, Government of India along with Reserve Bank of India, monitors and regulates ECB guidelines and policies.Grey Hypocolius is a migratory bird found in Northern Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan.The Social Progress Index measures the extent to which countries provide for the social and environmental needs of their citizens. The index is published by the Social Progress Imperative a not for profit organisation and is based on the writings ofAmartya Sen,Douglass North, andJoseph Stiglitz.The SPI measures the well-being of a society by observing social and environmental outcomes directly rather than the economic factors. The social and environmental factors include personal safety, ecosystem sustainability, health and wellness, shelter, sanitation, equity and inclusion and personal freedom and choiceTeen Bigha Corridor is a strip of land belonging to India on the WB-BL border. Read more on land boundary agreement. Important for PT & mains. Fodder for IR related questions in mains.Dr. Nasim Zaidi will take over the charge from Mr. H.S. Brahma as the Chief Election Commissioner. Read more on CEC. Important for PT The Anganwadi started by the Indian government as part of the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition. (ii) The Anganwadis provide care for newborn babies as well as ensure that all children below the age of 6 are immunized or in other words have received vaccinations & functions under the Ministry of Women & Child Development. Recently it was announced that the 3056 Anaganwadis will be adopted jointly by the Rajasthan Government & Vedanta Foundation & a group company Hindustan Zinc. At present, the banks calculate their base rate using a combination of marginal costs (pegged on the incremental cost of deposits), average costs and blended cost of funds. Underthe averagecostof funds based calculation,bankstake an average of the rates on various tenures of deposits (referring to a formula by the RBI) and add to it their profit margin and overheads to arrive at their base rate. A Non-performing asset (NPA) is defined as a credit facility in respect of which the interest and/or installment of principal has remained past due for a specified period of time. (ii) NPA is used by financial institutions that refer to loans that are in jeopardy of default. & that once the borrower has failed to make interest or principle payments for 3 Months the loan is considered to be a non-performing asset. (iii) Non-performing assets are problematic for financial institutions since they depend on interest payments for income & troublesome pressure from the economy can lead to a sharp increase in non-performing loans and often results in massive write-downs. The Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court deals in matters related to forests. Read more on the functions.Recently the GOI launched Pradhan Mantri Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd (MUDRA) Yojana which will be responsible for refinancing micro-finance institutions in the business of lending to small entities. (ii) MUDRA will be set up through a statutory enactment & will be responsible for developing and refinancing all micro-finance institutions (MFIs) which are in the business of lending to micro and small business entities engaged in manufacturing, trading and service activities. (iii) It will also partner with State and regional-level coordinators to provide finance to last-mile financiers of small and micro business enterprises. Simon Kuznet was Belarusian-American economist, statistician, demographer, and economic historian who won the 1971Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences; the grandfather of gross domestic product.The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations which codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. (ii) The ICAO Council adopts standards and recommended practices concerning air navigation, its infrastructure, flight inspection, prevention of unlawful interference, and facilitation of border-crossing procedures for international civil aviation. ICAO is independent of International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association representing 240 of the worlds airlines. The National Skill Development Corporation India, (NSDC) is a one of its kind, public-private partnership entity which aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality, for-profit vocational institutions. (ii) NSDC provides funding to build scalable, for-profit vocational training initiatives & also enables support systems such as quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships. (iii) NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and organisations that provide skill training. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which was recently approved by the PM will be the flagship scheme for skill training of youth to be implemented by the new Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). (ii) Focus under the PMKVY would be on improved curricula, better pedagogy and better trained instructors. Training would include soft skills, personal grooming, behavioral change for cleanliness, good work ethics. The monitoring will be done by the sector skills council & the State Goverments.Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the World Health Assembly & became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. (ii) The FCTC, one of the most quickly ratified treaties in United Nations history is a supranational agreement that seeks to protect, present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. (iii) The treaty's provisions include rules that govern the production, sale, distribution, advertisement, and taxation of tobacco & FCTC standards are, however, minimum requirements, and signatories are encouraged to be even more stringent in regulating tobacco.Prime Minister Narendra Modis exhorted that the paper and ink used to print currency be made in India

Moody's is the only agency which has raised the outlook from stable to positive. Moody's is an essential component of the global capital markets, providing credit ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute to transparent and integrated financial markets. (ii) Recently Moody's raised India's rating outlook to positive from stable.Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands & it states that its goal is to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity. (ii) It focuses its campaigning on worldwide issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues & uses direct action, lobbying, and research to achieve its goals. (iii) Recently the Indian government froze the accounts of Greenpeace, prohibiting any foreign donation.The Central Information Commission (CIC) set up under the Right to Information Act is the authorized body, established under the Government of India. (ii) It was set up to act upon complaints from those individuals who have not been able to submit information requests to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer. CIC does not function under any ministry. The International NorthSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC) is the ship, rail, and road route for moving freight from India to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia. The route primarily involves moving freight from India to Iran by ship; from Iran to Armenia and Georgia by rail and road; and from Georgia to Russia and Europe. The Inter-governmental Agreement on International North-South Transport Corridor was signed in Saint Petersburg between India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Sultanate of Oman, and the Russian FederationCritically analyze the changing dynamics of the India-Iran relation. (250 words)The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is an active, regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia. (ii) It is mandated to support transitional governmental structures, implement a national security plan, train the Somali security forces, and to assist in creating a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid. (iii) AMISOM also supports the Federal Government of Somalia's forces in their battle against Al-Shabaab militants.The SPOT satellite belongs to France. It uses PSLV of India.Dakar Framework for Action is related to the field of education. Important for PT & mains.Read more on Daka frameworkThe Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. (ii) It was established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act which & the Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS. (iii) BIS is a founder member of International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) & represents India in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the World Standards Service Network (WSSN). Foreign portfolio investment is the entry of funds into a country where foreigners make purchases in the countrys stock and bond markets, sometimes for speculation. (ii) Portfolio investments typically involve transactions in securities that are highly liquid, i.e. they can be bought and sold very quickly & it is an investment made by an investor who is not involved in the management of a company. (iii) Foreign portfolio investment is positively influenced by high rates of return and reduction of risk through geographic diversification & return on foreign portfolio investment is normally in the form of interest payments or non-voting dividends.Thane has been declared as the Earth Hour Capital of IndiaA multirole combat aircraft is a jet powered combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. (ii) Multi roles include a primary air-to-air combat role, and a secondary role like air-to-surface attack. (iii) India's HAL Tejas Mark 2 is also a Multi role Combat Aircraft. Imp as MRCA is in news (Rafale deal with France).Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, makes it an offence to beat, torture, overload, chain or tether animals with a heavy or short chain. (ii) Environment and Forest Ministrys guidelines bans captive elephants from being made to walk for more than 30 km a day and not more than three hours at a stretch. (iii) The current provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, levies maximum penalties of Rs. 50 for animal abuse.Yakshis are popular folk goddesses of pre-Aryan days who metamorphosed into protective deities during the time of the brahminical religion and later as female attendants of Jaina tirthankaras. (ii) Yakshis are also celebrated deities in the Buddhist pantheon.(iii) Yakshi sculptures have been found in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh; Didarganj and Basarh in Bihar; Bhopal, Sanchi and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh; Ellora in Maharashtra, as well as at many other places in India.The nadaswaram is a double reed wind instrument; a classical instrument which originated in Tamil Nadu and is also used in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. (ii) This instrument is the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instrument. (iii) It is a wind instrument similar to the North Indian shehnai but much longer, with a hardwood body and a large flaring bell made of wood or metal. SaaS (Software as a Service) delivers software vial web. It is the latest development in the software sector. In environmental law, the polluter pays principle is enacted to make the party responsible for producing pollution responsible for paying for the damage done to the natural environment. (ii) The National Green Tribunal Act of India includes the Polluter Pays principle. (iii) As per the recent NGT order, any plan for commercial or residential construction, howsoever small, will now be sanctioned only after an undertaking by the builder or owner that he/she will comply with all the norms to not cause pollution and also provide masks to labourers working at the construction site. Hansen's disease is more commonly known as LeprosyCapital good is any tangible assets that an organization uses to produce goods or services such as office buildings, equipment and machinery. (ii) A capital good is a durable good. (iii) Capital goods represent a major expense for businessesCapital account convertibility: (i) It is a feature of a nation's financial regime that centers on the ability to conduct transactions of local financial assets into foreign financial assets freely and at country determined exchange rates. (ii) Full capital account convertibility allows local currency to be exchanged for foreign currency without any restriction on the amount. (iii) It helps local merchants to easily conduct transnational business without needing foreign currency exchanges to handle small transactions. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which was recently approved by the PM will be the flagship scheme for skill training of youth to be implemented by the new Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship through the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). (ii) Focus under the PMKVY would be on improved curricula, better pedagogy and better trained instructors. Training would include soft skills, personal grooming, behavioral change for cleanliness, good work ethics. (iii) Sector Skill Councils and the State Governments would closely monitor skill training that will happen under PMKVY.The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has proposed to set up long-term permanent monitoring plots in Sunderbans, a world heritage site, having maximum mangrove cover in the world to study the impacts of climate change on its flora and fauna. The ZSI has set up a similar long-term permanent monitoring system in Andaman Nicobar islands along with Malvan coast in Maharashtra to study the impacts of climate change of coral reefs. This is in tune with the policies of the Government of India. Recently the Ministry of Environment of Forest has changed its name to Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with a mandate to study the climate change and mitigate its effects.Phenology (periodic life cycle events of plants influenced by variations of climate)Outright purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft was a crucial military necessity; 42 squandron is the sanctioned strength for IAF and currently it has 34. With the induction of 36 rafale fighters in 2 years, the strength would go to 36. The supplementary deal involving Areva and L&T producing heavy forging metal casing for nuclear reactors is an important step in localising some of the expensive parts. Madhubani paintingCentenary of the Ottoman killings of Armenians - the first genocide of the 20th centuryArmenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide. When Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops during WWIINS Tarkash (F50) is a Talwar-class frigate constructed for the Indian Navy & a part of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy. (ii) Tarkash belongs to the Talwar class of guided missile frigates, are modified Krivak III class frigates built by Russia & these ships use stealth technologies and a special hull design to ensure a reduced radar cross section. (iii) INS Tarkash was deployed with INS Mumbai and INS Sumitra as part of Operation Raahat to provide protection and support to Indian ships and aircraft involved in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Yemen during the military intervention. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier Indian organisation in zoological research and studies & was established to promote the survey, exploration and research of the fauna in the region. ZSI's activities are coordinated by the Min. of Env. & Forest. ZSI has proposed to set up a long term permanent monitoring plots in Sunderbans to come up with strategic action plans for Sunderban mangroves.The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was established with the objectives of exploring the plant resources of the country and identifying plant species with economic virtue. (ii) The Government reorganised the BSI with the objectives of undertaking intensive floristic surveys, collecting, identifying and distributing materials that may be of use to educational and research institutions and acting as the custodian of authentic collections in well planned herbaria and documenting plant resources in the form of local, district, state and national flora. (iii) The BSI works under Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) was established as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. The major aim of NIOT is to develop reliable indigenous technology to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting of non-living and living resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). (iii) The group functions with a mandate to develop application-oriented technology in ocean (Coastal & Environmental) related areas & the group's expertise and specialized facilities in scientific and technological fields cater to specific sponsored research and industrial sector projects by providing technical support and time-bound result-oriented research.The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan, established by the United Nations Security Council as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement. (ii) Its main purpose was to train the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and assist Afghanistan in rebuilding key government institutions. India is not a memberof ISAFThe 13'th UN Congress on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice was held in Doha Important for PT. Read the outcomes of the meet.Batista Former Cuban Presodent & dictator