Long range missile Barak-8 successfully test fired from INS Kolkata

GK4KPSC 

☼ ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ☼

Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) Barak 8 jointly developed by India and Israel was successfully test-fired from INS Kolkata. The firing trial of the LR SAM was jointly carried out by the Indian Navy, DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries. 

During the trial Barak 8 missile was fired by the Indian Navy from its warship INS Kolkata on the Western Seaboard during which it successfully intercepted an aerial target at extended ranges. The missile has a range of nearly 70 km.

With this test, India has joined a select group of countries which has such an anti-air warfare capability for their navies as only a small club of countries including the US, France, Britain and Israel possess such a capability.

Facts about Barak 8 :

• Barak 8 ( it means Lightning in Hebrew language)  is an Indian-Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM), designed  to defend the country against any type of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs at range of  70 km.
• It has been jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and other companies from Israel and India. The first 32 missile will be fitted on the Indian Navy stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Kolkata.

MF-STAR radar system :

Apart from the missile, the system includes a Multi Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF STAR) for detection, tracking and guidance of the missile.Israel made MF-STAR radar system is capable of simultaneously tracking hundreds of airborne targets to a range of more than 250 KM.

Harpal Singh Kumar receives Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Indian-origin cancer research expert Harpal Singh Kumar, has received a Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his "influential" work on prevention and treatment of cancer. 

Harpal Singh Kumar, who is the chief executive of Cancer Research UK (CRUK),  has been honoured for services to cancer research and being "hugely influential in promoting research into the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and cancer care."

Other Indian-origin winners of various civilian awards :

• Raminder Singh Ranger : He is the chairman of Sun Mark Ltd . He has been honoured with Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)  for services to business and community cohesion.
• Samir Desai  : He is the Founding-CEO of Funding Circle. He has been honoured with Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his work in the field of financial inclusion 
• Kala Patel: He is the managing director of Kiddycare Ltd Nurseries. He has been honoured with  Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), for services to childcare business .

Annual New Year's Honours list :

There are 578 successful women candidates in the List, representing 48 per cent of the total, and 5.7 percent of the successful candidates come from ethnic minority backgrounds.The awards are presented in the name of the British monarch and published by the UK government in the London Gazette on New Year's Eve every year.

Syed Kirmani nominated for CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Former wicket-keeper batsman Syed Kirmani has been nominated for prestigious BCCI-instituted Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award 2015.Kirmani who was a member of the Indian team that won the World Cup in 1983 for the first time has been conferred with the award for his contribution to Indian cricket.

Syed Kirmani was selected for this prestigious award by the Awards Committee of BCCI consisting of BCCI President Shashank Manohar, Secretary Anurag Thakur and N Ram, former Editor-in-chief of The Hindu Group.

About Syed Kirmani:

• Syed Kirmani Kirmani was one of India’s finest wicket keepers and had played 88 Tests and 49 ODIs for India.He holds distinction of 198 dismissals as a wicket keeper in 88 Tests and had scored 2759 runs including two centuries, at an average of 27.04
• Kirmani won the award for the best wicket keeper in the 1983 Cricket World Cup,for his catch of Faoud Bacchus that he took in the final against the West Indies.
• Kirmani had played 49 ODIs for India and scored 373 runs. The main highlight being the 126-run rearguard partnership that he shared with Kapil Dev in the World Cup game against Zimbabwe in Turnbridge Wells.
• Kirmani had served as chairman of the national selection committee in 2000 and also vice-president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) after his playing career.

China successfully launches earth observation satellite Gaofen-4

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ 

China has successfully launched  its “most sophisticated” observation satellite, Gaofen-4, as part of the country’s high-definition earth observation project. The satellite can “see” an oil tanker on the sea with a huge CMOS camera, reaching the best imaging level among global high-orbit remote sensing satellites.

Gaofen-4 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the southwestern province of Sichuan aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket.  It was the 222th flight of the Long March rocket series and China’s 19th space mission in year 2015.

Facts about Gaofen-4 :

• Gaofen-4 is China’s first geosynchronous orbit HD optical imaging satellite and the world’s most sophisticated HD geosynchronous orbit remote sensing satellite.
• Gaofen-4  is located at the orbit 36,000 km away from the earth and moves synchronously with the earth.

Application: The satellite  will be used for surveillance of geological disasters and forest disasters, disaster prevention and relief and meteorological forecast.

What is Gaofen Project ?

• Gaofen Project is an ambitious space project of China that aims to provide real-time, all-day global Earth observation in any weather. The Gaofen project aims to launch seven high-definition observation satellites before 2020. Gaofen-1, the first satellite of the project, was launched in April 2013.
• The Gaofen satellites are part of the China High-Resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS).The Earth Observation System and Data Center of China National Space Administration (EOSDC-CNSA) is responsible for organizing the construction of CHEOS.

Giorgi Kvirikashvili elected as the new prime minister of Georgia

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Giorgi Kvirikashvili elected as Prime Minister of Georgia as the 12th Prime Minister of Georgia after then Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili resigned from the post on December 29, 2015 without explaining his decision.

The parliament of  Georgia has approved the new government by 86 votes to 28 against it. Now President Giorgi Margvelashvili will officially ratify this decision.

Kvirikashvili, 48, became Georgia`s third prime minister since the Georgian Dream coalition came into power in October 2012, preceded by Bidzina Ivanishvili and Irakli Garibashvili.

Facts about Giorgi Kvirikashvili :

Giorgi Kvirikashvili is a Georgian politician who had  served as Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs since September 1, 2015.  Prior to that he had served as Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister since July 2013. He was also Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development from October 2012 till September 2015.

Amitabh Kant appointed as CEO of NITI Aayog

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Senior IAS officer Amitabh Kant has been given the additional responsibility of being Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog. Kant will replace the incumbent NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar whose extended tenure will end on 31 December 2015. Decision in this regard was taken by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Amitabh Kant is the IAS officer of 1980 Batch of Kerala Cadre. He is currently serving as Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). He is set to superannuate on 28 February 2016.

Facts to know about NITI Aayog :

• NITI Aayog  (The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog)  is a Government of India policy think-tank established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1 January 2015 to replace the Planning Commission. Noted Economist Arvind Panagariya was appointed Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog. Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat were appointed as full-time members.
• NITI Aayog aims to foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India,  a "bottom-up" approach to planning in contrast to the Planning Commission's tradition of "top-down" decision-making. One of the important mandates of NITI Aayog is to bring cooperative competitive federalism.

Anti-jamming capability of Astra missile successfully tested

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The anti-jamming capability of  the air-to-air Astra missile  was successfully validated in recent trials conducted by missile scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

During the trials conducted the ECCM (electronic counter-counter measure) features to overcome any jamming was successfully evaluated. It should be noted that this test was conducted after the missile’s RF seeker and other electronic components were sought to be jammed in the earlier trials.

Several developmental trials, including captive flight mode, have already been completed, and with some more trials to be carried in future including air launch trial with a warhead, the missile will be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2015.

Facts to know about Astra missile :

• Astra missile is an active radar homing beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by missile complex at Hyderabad and several DRDO laboratories in partnership with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Indian Air Force.
• The all-weather, radar homing missile has high manoeuvrability and capability to engage and destroy aerial targets at supersonic speeds of 1.2 Mach to 1.4 Mach
• It can engage targets in head-on up to 80 km and tail-chase up to 20 km modes. It can reach up to altitude of 110 km when fired from an altitude of 15 km.
• It is a 60-km plus range missile which possesses Shot Kill Probability (SSKP) making it one of the most reliable in its class of weapon systems.The missile could be launched at different altitudes from sea level to 20 km for engaging aerial targets at various ranges.
• DRDO is looking to integrate  the missile with Su-30, and also plans to mount it on other fighter aircraft including Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, Mirage-2000 and MIG-29.

National Good Governance Day observed on 25th Dec

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Good Governance Day is observed on 25 December 2015 across the country.The day was observed to mark the birth anniversary of former-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.It should be noted that this day is also being observed as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Divas.

Good Governance Day was established in 2014 to honor Prime Minister Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the Indian people of accountability in government.In keeping with this principle, the Government of India has decreed Good Governance Day to be a working day for the government

In order to mark the occasion of this day on the 91st birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee several programmes were organized nationwide and new initiatives were announced. 

The initiatives include three applications namely Kilkari, Mobile Academy and M-Cessation and a dedicated toll free number 1800-11–6666 to provide round the clock support for counselling and treatment support services for TB patients.

Steve Smith named ICC Test cricketer of Year for 2015

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Australia captain Steve Smith has been named as the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2015 at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards ceremony in Dubai. Smith won the prestigious Garfield Sobers Trophy in Australia for the third straight year after pace bowler Mitchell Johnson and his predecessor as skipper, Michael Clarke, won in 2014 and 2013,

Other winners of the ICC awards:

1. ICC Emerging player of the year: Josh Hazlewood (Australia). 
2. Best T20 performance of the year: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
3. Spirit of Cricket award: Brendon McCullum (New Zealand). 
4. ICC Associate player of the year: Khurram Khan (UAE). 
5. Umpire of the year: Richard Kettleborough (England). 
6. Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Meg Lanning (Australia). 
7. T20I Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Stefanie Taylor (West Indies).

During the voting period,which ran from September 2014 to September 2015, Steve Smith has finished as the leading run-scorer in Tests with 1,734 runs in 25 innings of 13 matches at an average of 82.5, which includes seven centuries and six half-centuries.

In One-Day Internationals format for same voting period, Smith had scored 1,249 runs at an average of just under 60 with four centuries and eight half centuries in 26 matches.South Africa batsman AB de Villiers was rated the best player in the ODIs, winning the award for the second successive year. 

ICC Awards :

The ICC Awards is a set of sports awards for cricket. The awards recognise and honour the best international cricket players of the previous 12 months. The Awards has been institutionalised by International Cricket Council since 2004.

24 December ► National Consumers Right Day

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Every year, 24th December is observed as National Consumer Day. The day is being observed on 24 December, since the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted on this day in 1986. The enactment of this Act was considered as a milestone for consumer rights movement in the country. It should be also noted that World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 15th March every year.

The Consumer Protection Act aims at providing better protection of consumer’s interest and safeguards against different types of exploitation such as defective goods, unsatisfactory services and unfair trade practices.

The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted, which covers the private, public and cooperative sectors. It also provides speedy and inexpensive adjudication.

Key facts about Consumer Protection Act, 1986 :

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 provides consumers with speedy and inexpensive redressal grievances mechanism and specific relief or award of compensation. The rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 flow from the rights enshrined in Articles 14 to 19 of the Constitution of India. The Right to Information Act (RTI), which has opened up governance processes of our country to the common public, also has far-reaching implications for consumer protection.

The Act envisages the promotion and protection of following rights for the consumers:

• Right to Safety 
• Right to be informed 
• Right to Choose
• Right to be heard

Sania, Hingis named as Women’s Doubles World Champions by ITF

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has named the Indo-Swiss pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis as the 2015 ITF women's doubles World Champions. Martina has become an ITF World Champion 15 years after last being named as the title holder in women's singles category in the year 2000.

Indo- Swiss pair have won their last 22 matches from the start of the US Open through wins in Asia at Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and the WTA Finals, ending the year with a 55-7 record. They have won two Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open, and seven further tournaments. 

American Serena Williams and Serbian Novak Djokovic were named the women's and men's singles World Champions, respectively. Serena has earned the title for the sixth time while this is the fifth occasion that Djokovic received the honour. Dutch Jean-Julien Rojer and Romania's Horia Tecau were announced as the men's doubles champions.

Dr. Rakesh K. Jain selected for 2015 National Medal of Science

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Indian American professor Dr. Rakesh K. Jain has been selected for 2015 National Medal of Science of the United States. Jain, along with 16 other winners will receive the honor at a White House ceremony by President Barack Obama in January 2016.

About the National Medal of Science :

The annual National Medal of Science award, recognized since 1959, is given to individuals for their contribution to the field of science and engineering.The medal is described as highest honours for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology.

Facts to know about Dr. Rakesh K. Jain :

Dr. Jain is currently serving as the professor at Harvard Medical School, he is also the director of tumor biology laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Jain is regarded as a pioneer in the area of tumour micro-environment and widely recognized for his seminal discoveries in tumor biology, drug delivery, in vivo imaging, and bioengineering. Jain is a mentor of more than 200 master’, doctoral and postdoctoral students from over a dozen branches.

Awards and honours :

• As of  now Dr. Jain has received 75 awards from institutions and organizations for his contribution to engineering and medical field.
• Jain is a member of all three branches of the US National Academies – the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences – and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

☼ INS Godavari decommissioned ☼

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

India's first indigenously designed and built warship Indian Naval Ship Godavari is scheduled to be decommissioned today. she was commissioned on 10 December 1983.The ship is the first of three Godavari Class frigates, others being Ganga and Gomati. At the time of decommissioning, it would have served the country for little over 32 years. 

INS Godavari was also among of the first frigates in the world capable of carrying two Sea King helicopters (well known as the 'Flying Frigate', because of its integral firepower and sensor suite). The frigate's weapon and sensor suite comprised of a mix of Russian and Western systems and their efficient integration was a milestone in itself 

Achievements and glories of  INS Godavari :

Over the past three decades, Godavari has successfully been deployed in numerous operations including Operation Jupiter - 1988 (Sri Lanka), Operation Shield and Operation Bolster - 1994 (de-induction of the Indian Army from Somalia) and Patrol of Gulf of Aden (PoG) - 2009 and 2011 (anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden).

Operation Cactus : 

• In 1988, following an attempted takeover against Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom by Sri Lankan mercenaries, India launched Operation Cactus to restore the democratically elected government.
• After Indian paratroopers restored the presidency, the mercenaries captured Maldivian hostages on board a freighter and fled towards Sri Lanka. INS Godavari and INS Betwa (F39) successfully intercepted the freighter, rescued the hostages and arrested the mercenaries off the Sri Lankan coast.

Cochin Shipyard becomes the first shipyard to make LNG ships

GK4KPSC 

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

 

India has joined select club nations to build Liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships as state owned Cochin Shipyard has been granted licence by French company Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT) to use the membrane technology for construction of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) carriers for any client world-wide, making it the first shipyard in India to get the nod, joining the league of South Korea, Japan and China.

The Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) signed a licence agreement with GTT in the presence of Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. The agreement has made CSL the first Indian Company to be licensed to build LNG vessels. Construction of LNG vessels is likely to start next year.

Key facts about LNG ships :

• The French company Gaztransport and Technigaz (GTT) holds patented technology for building LNG ships. No Indian shipyard has made LNG carrier yet, which costs over USD 200 million (around Rs 1,326 crore).
• LNG carriers and tanks designed with GTT containment systems are used for carrying and storing liquefied gases like LPG and ethylene. GTT licenses its technology to shipyards and contractors.
• LNG vessels are very complex ships, and only a few shipyards world over have the capability to build these ships.The most critical aspect of an LNG ship is its cryogenic containment and handling system as the LNG is carried at a temperature of -163 degrees

Mireia Lalaguna Royo of Spain wins Miss World 2015 title

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☼ ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ☼

Mireia Lalaguna Royo of Spain has been announced as the winner of 2015 Miss World pageant. By winning this title she became the 65th Miss World. Royo was passed on the crown by last year's winner Rolene Strauss of South Africa. The 65th Miss World pageant took place at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China.

Mireia Lalaguna, 23-year-old  Spanish Model who won 2015 Miss World pageant comes from Barcelona and is currently studying pharmacy and wants to do a MA in Nutrition.

Top three winners of Miss World 2015 contest :

• 1st place - Spain
• 2nd place - Russia
• 3rd place - Indonesia

Previous Miss World's  :

• South Africa: Rolene Strauss (2014) 
• Philippines : Megan Young (2013)
• China PR :    Yu Wenxia (2012)

Indian Miss World's :

•  Aishwarya Rai - 1994
• Diana Hayden- 1997
• Yukta Mookhey- 1999
• Priyanka Chopra- 2000

The Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Traditionally, Miss World lives in London during her reign.

Barcelona won record 3rd FIFA Club World Cup

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ 

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

FC Barcelona the professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain has won the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup for a record third time. In the final match played at International Stadium Yokoham in Japan the winning team defeated River Plate FC by 3-0 goals.

Three goals for Barcelona FC were scored by Lionel Messi (36 minute), Luis Suarez (49 minute) and Neymar (68 minute). Earlier Barcelona FC had won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2009 and 2011  and it is their fifth trophy of season 2015.

As of 2015, the FIFA Club World Cup has been won by nine different clubs. Barcelona (Europe) is the most successful team, having won three titles. Corinthians (Brazil) won two titles.

About FIFA Club World Cup :

• The FIFA Club World Cup, also  known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is an international men's association football competition organised by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. 
• The competition was first contested as the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship. It was not held between 2001 and 2004 due to various reasons but since 2005, the competition has been held every year, hosted so far by Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

'Sainthood' to be conferred on Mother Teresa

GK4KPSC

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

Mother Teresa, a Roman Catholic religious sister and missionary, will be given Sainthood i.e. will be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church in September 2016.

In this regrad Pope Francis has recognized a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa, intercession with God. Earlier in 2003, Mother Teresa was beatified by then late John Paul. Beatification requires one miracle and is the last step before sainthood.

Second miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Teresa, which is required for canonisation, involved the inexplicable healing of a man, who was suffering from a deadly brain disease.Family members of the sufferer prayed to Mother Teresa and he recovered.

Key facts about Mother Teresa :

• Mother Teresa also known as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, was born on 26 August 1910, in  Skopje (modern Republic of Macedonia), then part of the Kosovo Vilayet in the Ottoman Empire, into a Kosovar Albanian family. She died at the age of 87 in 1997 in Kolkata.
• She was a Roman Catholic religious sister and missionary.  After having lived in Macedonia for some eighteen years, she moved to Ireland and then to India, where she lived for most of her life
• Mother founded the Missionaries of Charity and spent 45-years serving the poor, sick, orphaned and dying on the streets of Kolkata. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Awards: Padma Shri (1962), Nobel Peace Prize (1979), Bharat Ratna (1980).

Country’s biggest wildlife rescue centre commissioned in Nagpur

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ

☼ ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ☼

India’s biggest Wildlife Rescue Centre named as Gorewada Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre has been commissioned at Gorewada near Nagpur, Maharashtra. 

The centre was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in presence of State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwa

Gorewada Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Centre :

• Gorewada Zoo and Wildlife Rescue Center is managed by the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).Nagpur based Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries (MAF) University is also part of this centre.
• The centre is spread over 30 hectres and has been created on the lines of Gujarat based Gir National Park which is also one of the biggest and best wildlife centre in the country.
• It has cages for herbivorous animals and would house Deer, Sambars and Nilgais. It also has two enclosures to house 10 Tigers at a time and also separate enclosure for Panthers.
• It has enclosure that can house over 100 Birds of mixed species. It also has separated enclosure for housing Pythons including Cobra, Rat Snakes and vipers. The centre also has enclosures for housing 10 small mammals like Wolf, wild Dogs, Jackal.

Uttar Pradesh government bans use of polythene bags

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ 

☼ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ☼

With an aim to protect the environment and public health Uttar Pradesh government has decided to enforce the ban on  the manufacture, import, purchase and storage of all kinds of plastic carry bags across the state, 

Decision in this regard was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as per the directives of Allahabad High Court to prohibit its usage.

Enforcement is the major challenge in implementing such orders as it will be very difficult to eliminate the use of polythene bags completely as it is still high on demand for day-to-day needs.

Background :

The Allahabad high court had last month directed the Uttar Pradesh government to issue a notification enforcing a complete ban on the sale of polythene across the state by December 31.The National Green Tribunal (NGT) too had recently banned the use of polythene along the Ganga, including areas in Uttar Pradesh.

Key facts :

• Following the ban, no shopkeeper, wholesaler or retailer will be able to use, store or purchase plastic carry bags for eatable or non-eatable items.
• However,the ban will not be applicable on carry bags used for packaging purposes and State Government is looking at alternative material that can be distributed to the people.

Note: Polythene is the major reason for choked drains and it is also the cause of death of several stray animals.Most of the sewerage treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh are developed on technology from foreign countries. They are not equipped to treat water, which is studded with polythene. Polythene burnt with garbage also emits toxic fumes which are dangerous to health

♥ Afghanistan becomes 163rd member of WTO ♥

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☼ ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ☼

World Trade Organisation (WTO) has unanimously approved Afghanistan’s WTO membership at the WTO’s Tenth Ministerial Conference (MC10) in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. With this, Afghanistan will become the 163rd WTO member and the ninth least-developed country to become a WTO member since the organization was established in 1995.

In this regard, Protocol of Accession (PoA) was signed by WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo and Afghanistan’s First Deputy Chief Executive Mohammad Khan Rahmani.The final accession to become a full member will come in to effect after PoA is ratified by Afghanistan Parliament till June 2015. It will be the 36th least developed country (LDC) to join the global trade body.

Advantages for Afghanistan:

• By joining WTO, landlocked war-shattered Afghanistan hopes to reap the benefits of the WTO membership for its post-conflict reconstruction.
• Trade-led growth will help to create new economic opportunities in world’s poorest economy and create jobs especially for women and in turn help to reduce poverty.
• Post-conflict reconstruction will certainly contribute in a major way to reduce extremism and achieve regional peace and security

About World Trade Organization (WTO) :

World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization which regulates international trade. The WTO officially commenced on 1 January 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, signed by 123 nations on 15 April 1994, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which commenced in 1948.

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Membership: 163
• Official language: English, French, Spanish.

ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಕ್ವಿಜ್‌

ಜ್ಞಾನಸೆಲೆ GK4KPSC ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ

1)ಭಾರತದ ಯಾವ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕೋಳಿ ಸಾಕಾಣಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಮಾಡಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ?

a) ಆಂಧ್ರಪ್ರದೇಶ

b) ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ

c) ಬಿಹಾರ 

d) ಉತ್ತರ ಪ್ರದೇಶ

2) ಭಾರತದ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಸಾಂಬಾರ ಪರ್ದಾಥವೊಂದು ಗ್ವಾಟೆಮಾಲ ದೇಶದ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಬೆಳೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. ಆ ಸಾಂಬಾರ ಪರ್ದಾಥ ಯಾವುದು?

a) ಲವಂಗ 

b) ಏಲಕ್ಕಿ

c) ಕಾಳು ಮೆಣಸು

d) ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಬೀಜ (ಧನಿಯಾ)

3) ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ 80ರ ದಶಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಸಿರು ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯಂತೆ ಸುವರ್ಣ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಲಾಯಿತು. ಇದು ಯಾವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದೆ?

a) ಕೋಳಿಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಉತ್ಪತ್ತಿ

b) ಗೊಬ್ಬರ ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆ

c) ಹಣ್ಣು ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆ

d) ಹಾಲು ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆ

4)ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬೆಳೆಯುವ ಕಾಲವನ್ನು ಖಾರಿಫ್‌ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಬಿ ಎಂದು ವಿಂಗಡಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಖಾರಿಫ್‌ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಬಿಯನ್ನು ಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿ ಹೀಗೂ ಕರೆಯಬಹುದು?

a) ಹಿಂಗಾರು-ಮುಂಗಾರು

b) ಮುಂಗಾರು-ಜೈದ್

c) ಮುಂಗಾರು-ಮಧ್ಯಮ ಹಿಂಗಾರು

d) ಮುಂಗಾರು-ಹಿಂಗಾರು

5)ರೈಸ್ ಬೌಲ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಎಂದು ಯಾವ ನದಿಗಳ ಮುಖಜಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನು ಕರೆಯಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ?

a) ಕೃಷ್ಣಾ-ಗೋದಾವರಿ

b) ತುಂಗಾ-ಭದ್ರಾ

c) ಗಂಗಾ-ಯಮುನಾ

d) ಕಾವೇರಿ-ಹೇಮಾವತಿ

6)ಸ್ಪೈಸ್ (ಸಾಂಬಾರ) ಗಾರ್ಡನ್ ಆಫ್ ಇಂಡಿಯಾ ಎಂದು ಯಾವ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕರೆಯಲಾಗುವುದು?

a) ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು

b) ಕೇರಳ

c) ಗೋವಾ 

d) ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ

7)ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರೀಯ ಕುರಿ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ(ಬೆಳೆಸುವ) ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನು ಐದು ಕಡೆ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಅದು ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ?

a) ಬನ್ನೂರು

b) ಹಿರಿಯೂರು

c) ಚಳ್ಳಕೆರೆ 

d) ಬಾಗೇಪಲ್ಲಿ

8)ದೇಶದಲ್ಲೇ ಮೀನು ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಂಚೂಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಯಾವುದು?

a) ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ

b) ಕೇರಳ

c) ಗುಜರಾತ್

d)ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಬಂಗಾಳ

9)ವಿಶ್ವದ ರೇಷ್ಮೆ ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರತ ಎರಡನೇ ಸ್ಥಾನದಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಮಲ್ಬರಿ ತಳಿಯನ್ನು ಯಾವ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆಯಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ?

a) ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ

b) ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರದೇಶ

c) ಬಿಹಾರ

d) ಆಸ್ಸಾಂ

10)ಹಾಲಿನ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಗಾಗಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ 1970ರಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲ ಹಂತದ ಆಪರೇಷನ್ ಫ್ಲಡ್ ಪ್ರಾಜೆಕ್ಟ್-1 ಅನ್ನು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿತು. ಇದು ಯಾವ ವರ್ಷ ಮುಕ್ತಾಯವಾಯಿತು?

1) 1980

b) 1981 

c) 1982

d) 1983

#ಉತ್ತರಗಳು: 1- a, 2- b, 3-c, 4-d, 5-a, 6-b, 7-c, 8-d, 9-a, 10-b