31st December 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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National Affairs

• Delhi is all set to take its first major step to curb pollution levels with its ‘odd-even’ vehicle rationing policy. 
• The formula will come into force from tomorrow (1st January 2016) morning at 8 am.
• Important Note : Pollution levels in Delhi as per some studies is among the worst in world’s leading cities is expected to be lowered as lakhs of vehicles are expected to stay off roads for next 15 days. 
  
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of ambitious Delhi-Meerut Expressway project.
• This project is aimed at easing traffic congestion in Delhi. 
• Note : The Prime Minister had launched three important highway projects worth Rs 10,166 crore to decongest Delhi last month.
• Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan  unveiled the National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020 in New Delhi.
  
• The Strategy aims to establish India as a world-class bio-manufacturing hub.
• The Union Cabinet today approved the construction of 69 bridges including approach roads on the Tamu-Kyigone-Kalewa (TKK) road section of the trilateral highway in Myanmar at a cost of Rs. 371.58 crore.

Business & Economy

• Iran’s leading banks will soon open branches in India to energise commercial ties between New Delhi and Tehran.
• Note : India decided to allow the Pasargan Bank and Parsian Bank of Iran to set up branches in New Delhi and Mumbai.
• As per the new law which got President Pranab Mukherjee's assent recently, people can now file cheque bounce cases at the place where the cheque is presented for clearance and not at the place of issue.
• The government today gave its approval for signing an MoU for conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia.
• This MOU will help India gain knowledge in effectively managing the habitats of these raptors.
• India will become the 54th signatory to the MoU. 
• The Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to hike the wages of Anganwadi workers from Rs 4,200 to Rs 7,000, and the wages of Anganwadi helpers would be hiked to Rs 4,500.
• The state government has also been decided to replace the conventional street lights with LED lights in 659 villages across the state.
• In a boost for Mumbai, the Centre has cleared the final notification for building the Coastal road in Mumbai. 
• The 33.2 kilometre coastal road from Nariman Point to Kandivali is a Rs 12,000 crore project. 
• Once completed, it would be one of a kind road in the country as it will be on par with roads in San Diego and Sydney.
• The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Jordan in October for promoting cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics.
• The MoU will develop and strengthen industrial, technological and commercial cooperation between the two countries in the Information Technology and Electronics ( ITE) sector and to implement institutional and capacity building cooperation programme aimed at fostering partnerships between the two countries.

Science & Technology

• The Union Railways Minister, Suresh Prabhu today dedicated a 26-Mega Watt windmill plant in Jaisalmer towards power procurement for the railways.

Deaths

• Czech professional footballer and former Newcastle United goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek (47) passed away.

Awards & Honors

• According to data compiled by social media analytics firm Blueocean Market Intelligence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most talked about person in Twitter in India with more than 34 lakh tweets.
• Modi led with 34,16,000 tweets, followed by actor Salman Khan with 27,29,000.

New Appointments

• Economist and former IAS officer Gyanendra D Bandgaiyan was today appointed Director General of National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), a think tank on good governance reforms.
• He will be in the office for a period of three years which is extendable by another two years or up to 60 years of age, whichever is earlier.
• The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was today elected as the General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for the 7th time.

People in News

• Pakistani singer Adnan Sami has been granted Indian citizenship with effect from January 1 following his request to the Centre to legalise his status in the country on humanitarian grounds.

Sports

• World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway won the Qatar Masters Open chess tournament.
• India beat Maldives to enter the final of South Asian Football Federation Cup.
• BCCI Cricketer of the Year Award 2015
• India Test captain Virat Kohli was named 'Cricketer of the Year'.
• Mithali Raj has been nominated for the 'Women's Cricketer of the Year' award.
• ICC Test Player Rankings 2015
• India's Ravichandran Ashwin becomes number-one bowler in ICC Test Player rankings.
• Australian captain Steve Smith ranked number one batsman.
• Sweden's Bjorn Isberg was named the Tournament director of the 4th edition of the Hockey India League (HIL) that will be held across six venues in India from 18th January 2016 to 21st February 2016.

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