General Affairs
Army Veterans Sign Petition to PM Modi in Blood on One Rank One Pension
Union Minister VK Singh Opposes Use of Armed Forces Against Maoists
Excited About UK Visit, Will Visit 'Ambedkar House': PM Narendra Modi
Nitish Kumar Dubs PM Modi Dictator, Says BJP Lost Nerve
General insurers' H1 premium up 12.3%, may miss annual target
Railways to soon run Mumbai-Goa double decker Shatabdi Express, says Suresh Prabhu
Bank employees to go on nationwide strike on December 2
IIFL Holdings Q2 net profit rises 28 per cent to Rs 140 crore
Gold monetisation scheme to be launched soon, says PM Narendra Modi
Army Veterans Sign Petition to PM Modi in Blood on One Rank One Pension
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NEW DELHI: Retired colonel VN Thapar, father of Kargil martyr Captain Vijayant Thapar, was one of the army veterans who signed a petition soaked in blood to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately implement the One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy.
Over 150 other ex-servicemen -- ranging from retired general officers to junior commissioned officers -- first drew out their blood in small vials, and then put it in a pot before signing their petition to the Prime Minister.
"I have lost my son Captain Vijayant Thapar. There are many who have lost their limbs in the battlefield. It's the same blood here that lies scattered on the battlefield," said an emotional Mr Thapar at Jantar Mantar, the site of ongoing protest for the past four and half months.
On September 5, the government had announced that it was accepting One Rank One Pension proposal. But more than a month later, veterans point out, the OROP order is yet to be formally issued. There are other apprehensions too.
For example, veterans want pensions to be equalised every year or at most every two years. The Government, on the other hand, has proposed a 5 year interval for revision of pensions.
Veterans want the government to clearly say that the OROP will apply to all those who take pre-mature retirement from the forces.
Even though the government has clarified that it will be applicable to people who take voluntary retirement service or VRS, veterans aren't convinced.
Veterans also want ex-servicemen to be part of the one-man committee that will study different aspects of OROP implementation.
"We are apprehensive that the government may not implement what they have agreed to," said Major General (Retd) Satbir Singh, who has been the face of the protests so far.
The government is expected to issue the OROP orders once polling in Bihar is over. But if it fails to address the concerns raised by the veterans, once again, ex-servicemen have promised to intensify their agitation.
NEW DELHI: Retired colonel VN Thapar, father of Kargil martyr Captain Vijayant Thapar, was one of the army veterans who signed a petition soaked in blood to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately implement the One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy.Over 150 other ex-servicemen -- ranging from retired general officers to junior commissioned officers -- first drew out their blood in small vials, and then put it in a pot before signing their petition to the Prime Minister.
"I have lost my son Captain Vijayant Thapar. There are many who have lost their limbs in the battlefield. It's the same blood here that lies scattered on the battlefield," said an emotional Mr Thapar at Jantar Mantar, the site of ongoing protest for the past four and half months.
On September 5, the government had announced that it was accepting One Rank One Pension proposal. But more than a month later, veterans point out, the OROP order is yet to be formally issued. There are other apprehensions too.
For example, veterans want pensions to be equalised every year or at most every two years. The Government, on the other hand, has proposed a 5 year interval for revision of pensions.
Veterans want the government to clearly say that the OROP will apply to all those who take pre-mature retirement from the forces.
Even though the government has clarified that it will be applicable to people who take voluntary retirement service or VRS, veterans aren't convinced.
Veterans also want ex-servicemen to be part of the one-man committee that will study different aspects of OROP implementation.
"We are apprehensive that the government may not implement what they have agreed to," said Major General (Retd) Satbir Singh, who has been the face of the protests so far.
The government is expected to issue the OROP orders once polling in Bihar is over. But if it fails to address the concerns raised by the veterans, once again, ex-servicemen have promised to intensify their agitation.
Union Minister VK Singh Opposes Use of Armed Forces Against Maoists
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KOLKATA: Dubbing left-wing extremism as a "socio-economic issue", Union Minister VK Singh today said he was opposed to the use of the armed forces in tackling Maoists in the various states.
"Armed forces need to be deployed wherever the country's borders are concerned or in regions where people endeavour to secede from the Indian union," said the minister of state for external affairs.
"This (Maoism) is a socio-economic problem; an issue concerning lack of infrastructure and others and the existing resources are sufficient to tackle them," said the former army chief while addressing a function at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata after the release of the Hindi version of his autobiography.
Recalling a meeting with the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in the aftermath of the 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh in which 76 troopers were killed, Mr VK Singh said he then rejected the minister's suggestion for the deployment of the army to tackle the rebels.
"During the meeting, Chidambaram asked me why don't you allow deployment of the army in Naxal-affected areas? To which I replied, the job of the armed forces is not to fire on their own countrymen," he said.
"The minister (Chidambaram) did not like my opinion and since then he hasn't spoken to me," Mr VK Singh said.
"There are instances in life when you need to state facts in clear terms and in this book I have done that," asserted Mr VK Singh, whose controversial remark on the killing of two Dalit children in Haryana attracted widespread condemnation.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist activists waved black flags at Mr VK Singh during his arrival at the city airport and also staged a demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan over his recent remark.
Shouting "VK Singh go back" and "VK Singh shame shame", the activists also burnt the former army chief's effigy and demanded his sacking from the Union Cabinet.
Mr VK Singh though remained unfazed.
"I don't consider it a demonstration, where 20-odd hired people shout slogans," he told mediapersons.
KOLKATA: Dubbing left-wing extremism as a "socio-economic issue", Union Minister VK Singh today said he was opposed to the use of the armed forces in tackling Maoists in the various states."Armed forces need to be deployed wherever the country's borders are concerned or in regions where people endeavour to secede from the Indian union," said the minister of state for external affairs.
"This (Maoism) is a socio-economic problem; an issue concerning lack of infrastructure and others and the existing resources are sufficient to tackle them," said the former army chief while addressing a function at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata after the release of the Hindi version of his autobiography.
Recalling a meeting with the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in the aftermath of the 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh in which 76 troopers were killed, Mr VK Singh said he then rejected the minister's suggestion for the deployment of the army to tackle the rebels.
"During the meeting, Chidambaram asked me why don't you allow deployment of the army in Naxal-affected areas? To which I replied, the job of the armed forces is not to fire on their own countrymen," he said.
"The minister (Chidambaram) did not like my opinion and since then he hasn't spoken to me," Mr VK Singh said.
"There are instances in life when you need to state facts in clear terms and in this book I have done that," asserted Mr VK Singh, whose controversial remark on the killing of two Dalit children in Haryana attracted widespread condemnation.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist activists waved black flags at Mr VK Singh during his arrival at the city airport and also staged a demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan over his recent remark.
Shouting "VK Singh go back" and "VK Singh shame shame", the activists also burnt the former army chief's effigy and demanded his sacking from the Union Cabinet.
Mr VK Singh though remained unfazed.
"I don't consider it a demonstration, where 20-odd hired people shout slogans," he told mediapersons.
Excited About UK Visit, Will Visit 'Ambedkar House': PM Narendra Modi
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NEW DELHI: In an effort to reach out to the Dalits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invoked BR Ambedkar in the context of his upcoming trip to Britain, saying he was excited about it as he would be visiting the Dalit icon's house there.
"A day after Diwali (November 11), I am going to Britain.... I am excited about my visit to Britain and the reason for it is special. A few weeks back, I had gone to Mumbai to lay foundation stone for a big memorial for Ambedkar....
"Now, in London, I will formally inaugurate the house where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lived, which recently became Indian government's property and a place of inspiration for 125 crore Indians," he said.
On his first visit to Britain, Prime Minister Modi is expected to have a two-day stay there before travelling to Turkey to attend the G-20 Summit. During his visit to Britain, he will hold talks with Prime Minister David Cameron and meet other leaders besides addressing the Indian diaspora at Wembley stadium.
He noted that the issue related to acquisition of 'Ambedkar House' had been entangled for several years and now it is the property of 125 crore Indians.
"When Ambedkar's name is associated, you can imagine how much happiness people like me have," the Prime Minister said.
He said Ambedkar was an inspiration for the dalits, the oppressed, the deprived, the backwards and all other Indians who live a difficult life that if there is will power, one can make progress in life and get educated. "This is the place (in London) where Ambedkar did his devotion."
The Prime Minister said the central government also encourages capable Dalit youth.
NEW DELHI: In an effort to reach out to the Dalits, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today invoked BR Ambedkar in the context of his upcoming trip to Britain, saying he was excited about it as he would be visiting the Dalit icon's house there."A day after Diwali (November 11), I am going to Britain.... I am excited about my visit to Britain and the reason for it is special. A few weeks back, I had gone to Mumbai to lay foundation stone for a big memorial for Ambedkar....
"Now, in London, I will formally inaugurate the house where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lived, which recently became Indian government's property and a place of inspiration for 125 crore Indians," he said.
He noted that the issue related to acquisition of 'Ambedkar House' had been entangled for several years and now it is the property of 125 crore Indians.
"When Ambedkar's name is associated, you can imagine how much happiness people like me have," the Prime Minister said.
He said Ambedkar was an inspiration for the dalits, the oppressed, the deprived, the backwards and all other Indians who live a difficult life that if there is will power, one can make progress in life and get educated. "This is the place (in London) where Ambedkar did his devotion."
The Prime Minister said the central government also encourages capable Dalit youth.
Nitish Kumar Dubs PM Modi Dictator, Says BJP Lost Nerve
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PATNA: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on Nitish Kumar in a series of rallies in Bihar today, the Chief Minister pulled no punches - giving point-by-point rebuttal over the pulses crisis, broken promises and what he called the "dictatorship" of the PM.
In tweet in the evening, the Bihar Chief Minister said "Shah and tanashah" (BJP and Amit Shah and the "dictator", PM Modi) have received a lesson from the people of Bihar in "Lok-Tantrik shakti" (the power of democracy). "They are upset as they are facing losses," he said.
The reference to "lok-tantric shakti" was Mr Kumar's riposte to the Prime Minister's dig at him over the tantric episode - a veiled reference to a video clipping showing the chief minister's meeting with a tantrik that had gone viral on social media on Saturday.
"I was reading in the papers that this maha gathbandhan has three players -- Now I have found out there is a fourth partner -- the tantric," PM Modi had said earlier today. In subsequent rallies, every time he mentioned the word "lok-tantrik", he allowed a substantial pause before uttering the word "tantric".
"Either the Prime Minister goes abroad or goes on rallies... He has not fulfilled any promises. The price of dal has gone up. He says, 'Acche din aaega'," Mr Kumar hit back. "In earlier elections, they would to say 'Har Har Modi,' now they should say 'Arhar Modi'."
The issue of Bihari versus Baharai (outsiders), too, featured prominently in their addresses. The matter was initiated by PM Modi, who accused Mr Kumar and his alliance partner, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, of making migrants of the youth of Bihar.
"You have to decide who will rule Bihar -- Bihari or Bahari. If a Bihari can rule, then I'm available. All Baharis should leave Bihar," Mr Kumar shot back.
Bihar is getting ready for the third of the 5-phase assembly elections.
There were reports that the BJP had suffered a setback in the first two-phases - the party has vehemently denied this. The coming phase -- in which 50 constituencies from across six districts are going to polls on Wednesday - will be crucial for both sides.
PATNA: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on Nitish Kumar in a series of rallies in Bihar today, the Chief Minister pulled no punches - giving point-by-point rebuttal over the pulses crisis, broken promises and what he called the "dictatorship" of the PM.In tweet in the evening, the Bihar Chief Minister said "Shah and tanashah" (BJP and Amit Shah and the "dictator", PM Modi) have received a lesson from the people of Bihar in "Lok-Tantrik shakti" (the power of democracy). "They are upset as they are facing losses," he said.
"I was reading in the papers that this maha gathbandhan has three players -- Now I have found out there is a fourth partner -- the tantric," PM Modi had said earlier today. In subsequent rallies, every time he mentioned the word "lok-tantrik", he allowed a substantial pause before uttering the word "tantric".
"Either the Prime Minister goes abroad or goes on rallies... He has not fulfilled any promises. The price of dal has gone up. He says, 'Acche din aaega'," Mr Kumar hit back. "In earlier elections, they would to say 'Har Har Modi,' now they should say 'Arhar Modi'."
The issue of Bihari versus Baharai (outsiders), too, featured prominently in their addresses. The matter was initiated by PM Modi, who accused Mr Kumar and his alliance partner, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, of making migrants of the youth of Bihar.
"You have to decide who will rule Bihar -- Bihari or Bahari. If a Bihari can rule, then I'm available. All Baharis should leave Bihar," Mr Kumar shot back.
Bihar is getting ready for the third of the 5-phase assembly elections.
There were reports that the BJP had suffered a setback in the first two-phases - the party has vehemently denied this. The coming phase -- in which 50 constituencies from across six districts are going to polls on Wednesday - will be crucial for both sides.
Brain Mechanism That Increases Pain Threshold Identified
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LONDON: Scientists have shown for the first time that the number of opiate receptors in brain increases to combat severe pain in arthritis sufferers, a finding that may lead to a way to increase the brain's pain threshold.
Chronic pain - pain which lasts for more than six months- is a problem for many people with approximately 46 per cent of the UK population estimated to suffer from it.
However, some people seem to cope better than others with pain, and knowing more about how these coping mechanisms work might help to develop new ways of treating this distressing symptom, researchers said.
It has been known for a long time that we have receptors in our brains that respond to natural painkilling opiates such as endorphins, but the researchers have now shown that these receptors increase in number to help cope with long-term, severe pain.
By applying heat to the skin using a laser stimulator, researchers from the University of Manchester in UK showed that the more opiate receptors there are in the brain, the higher the ability to withstand the pain.
The study used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging on 17 patients with arthritis and nine healthy controls to show the spread of the opioid receptors.
This suggests that the increase in opiate receptors in the brain is an adaptive response to chronic pain, allowing people to deal with it more easily.
"As far as we are aware, this is the first time that these changes have been associated with increased resilience to pain and shown to be adaptive," said Christopher Brown, from The University of Manchester.
"Although the mechanisms of these adaptive changes are unknown, if we can understand how we can enhance them, we may find ways of naturally increasing resilience to pain without the side effects associated with many pain killing drugs," he said.
"There is generally a rather negative and fatalistic view of chronic pain. This study shows that although the group as a whole are more physiologically vulnerable, the whole pain system is very flexible and that individuals can adaptively upregulate their resilience to pain," said Anthony Jones, director of the Manchester Pain Consortium in UK.
"It may be that some simple interventions can further enhance this natural process, and designing smart molecules or simple non-drug interventions to do a similar thing is potentially attractive," said Jones.
The study was published in the journal Pain.
LONDON: Scientists have shown for the first time that the number of opiate receptors in brain increases to combat severe pain in arthritis sufferers, a finding that may lead to a way to increase the brain's pain threshold.Chronic pain - pain which lasts for more than six months- is a problem for many people with approximately 46 per cent of the UK population estimated to suffer from it.
However, some people seem to cope better than others with pain, and knowing more about how these coping mechanisms work might help to develop new ways of treating this distressing symptom, researchers said.
By applying heat to the skin using a laser stimulator, researchers from the University of Manchester in UK showed that the more opiate receptors there are in the brain, the higher the ability to withstand the pain.
The study used Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging on 17 patients with arthritis and nine healthy controls to show the spread of the opioid receptors.
This suggests that the increase in opiate receptors in the brain is an adaptive response to chronic pain, allowing people to deal with it more easily.
"As far as we are aware, this is the first time that these changes have been associated with increased resilience to pain and shown to be adaptive," said Christopher Brown, from The University of Manchester.
"Although the mechanisms of these adaptive changes are unknown, if we can understand how we can enhance them, we may find ways of naturally increasing resilience to pain without the side effects associated with many pain killing drugs," he said.
"There is generally a rather negative and fatalistic view of chronic pain. This study shows that although the group as a whole are more physiologically vulnerable, the whole pain system is very flexible and that individuals can adaptively upregulate their resilience to pain," said Anthony Jones, director of the Manchester Pain Consortium in UK.
"It may be that some simple interventions can further enhance this natural process, and designing smart molecules or simple non-drug interventions to do a similar thing is potentially attractive," said Jones.
The study was published in the journal Pain.
Business Affairs
General insurers' H1 premium up 12.3%, may miss annual target
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The general insurance industry may fall short of its premium growth target of Rs 1 trillion this year despite registering double-digit growth in the first half of the current fiscal.
The industry, consisting of 28 players, has recovered from a low 9 per cent growth in 2014-15, and has mobilised a total premium of Rs 47,000 crore in the first half (H1) of current fiscal, growing by 12.3 per cent from Rs 41,000 crore in H1 of FY15, according to data from the General Insurance Council.
"The industry had closed 2014-15 with a total premium of Rs 87,000 crore," it added.
"I am not sure whether the industry will reach its target of Rs 1 trillion this year though overall growth has been better than last year, when it had clipped at just 9 per cent. We are pinning our hopes on the ongoing festival season for pushing of the growth," ICICI Lombard head-underwriting and claims Sanjay Datta told PTI.
"Motor and health, which have been traditionally driving the growth, have shown progress in the second half though the degree of growth may vary," he said.
"I do believe the industry will miss the bus with this kind of growth in H1. Still, things will depend on the industry's performance in H2," SBI General's managing director and chief executive Bhaskar Sarma said.
"Growth is not happening in segments like fire and engineering. Though growth is there in health, still the growth was slack when it comes to motor. But I do hope that the growth will pick up in motor in H2," he said.
"Corporate recovery is yet to take place. If it happens so, then segments like fire and engineering will also start growing. Economic growth has to pick up and awareness towards different kinds of insurance protection has to increase," he added.
All the four public sector general insurers - New India Assurance, National Insurance, United India Insurance and Oriental Insurance - at 11 per cent have shown better growth than their peers in 17 private sector general insurers in the reporting period.
Four general insurers have mobilised a total premium of Rs 23,600 crore while the private sector general insurers, led by ICICI Lombard, have earned a total premium of Rs 19,200 crore during the first half of the fiscal.
Specialised health insurers, at 42 per cent, maintained their huge growth during the reporting period.
The five health insurers have gathered a total premium of Rs 1,670 crore during the period.
The general insurance industry may fall short of its premium growth target of Rs 1 trillion this year despite registering double-digit growth in the first half of the current fiscal.
The industry, consisting of 28 players, has recovered from a low 9 per cent growth in 2014-15, and has mobilised a total premium of Rs 47,000 crore in the first half (H1) of current fiscal, growing by 12.3 per cent from Rs 41,000 crore in H1 of FY15, according to data from the General Insurance Council.
"The industry had closed 2014-15 with a total premium of Rs 87,000 crore," it added.
"I am not sure whether the industry will reach its target of Rs 1 trillion this year though overall growth has been better than last year, when it had clipped at just 9 per cent. We are pinning our hopes on the ongoing festival season for pushing of the growth," ICICI Lombard head-underwriting and claims Sanjay Datta told PTI.
"Motor and health, which have been traditionally driving the growth, have shown progress in the second half though the degree of growth may vary," he said.
"I do believe the industry will miss the bus with this kind of growth in H1. Still, things will depend on the industry's performance in H2," SBI General's managing director and chief executive Bhaskar Sarma said.
"Growth is not happening in segments like fire and engineering. Though growth is there in health, still the growth was slack when it comes to motor. But I do hope that the growth will pick up in motor in H2," he said.
"Corporate recovery is yet to take place. If it happens so, then segments like fire and engineering will also start growing. Economic growth has to pick up and awareness towards different kinds of insurance protection has to increase," he added.
All the four public sector general insurers - New India Assurance, National Insurance, United India Insurance and Oriental Insurance - at 11 per cent have shown better growth than their peers in 17 private sector general insurers in the reporting period.
Four general insurers have mobilised a total premium of Rs 23,600 crore while the private sector general insurers, led by ICICI Lombard, have earned a total premium of Rs 19,200 crore during the first half of the fiscal.
Specialised health insurers, at 42 per cent, maintained their huge growth during the reporting period.
The five health insurers have gathered a total premium of Rs 1,670 crore during the period.
Railways to soon run Mumbai-Goa double decker Shatabdi Express, says Suresh Prabhu
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Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has announced that the Railways would soon start country's first-ever double decker Shatabdi Express that would ply between Mumbai and Goa.
"One double decker AC train between Mumbai and Goa should run as Shatabdi. We will make it happen as soon as possible. This would become the first-ever double decker Shatabdi," Prabhu said on the sidelines of an event at the Goa University on Saturday.
On demand of a special Goa Rajdhani Express train, he said he will "definitely look into it".
Residents of Goa seeking Rajdhani luxury train services have to rely on the Trivandrum Rajdhani which passes through Goa and makes a halt at Margao in South Goa.
Responding to concerns to allow more tourists to make train journeys into Goa, Prabhu said the Railways can also start holiday train for tourists.
"We can even start an IRCTC holiday train. We can do it and also run such a train so that we can bring more tourists to Goa," Prabhu said.
On the plans for doubling the Mumbai-Goa-Konkan railway line, Prabhu, who hails from Maharashtra's Konkan, said that the single line track was overwhelmed and needed doubling.
"Konkan Railway when it was created was only a single track. We need a multiple track because it is very difficult to move freight traffic as well as passengers on a single track," he said.
The Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) runs a net loss but the doubling of the track would help it earn more revenue from the additional traffic, Prabhu said.
He apprised that the cost of the doubling of track along the 736 kms long railway stretch is expected to cost around Rs 10,500 crore and the work will be taken up in stages.
KRC is expected to raise the money through loans as well as through IPO route.
Prabhu said the route will also be electrified in a bid to not only be more efficient but also save the environment through the ecologically sensitive route that the railway passes.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has announced that the Railways would soon start country's first-ever double decker Shatabdi Express that would ply between Mumbai and Goa.
"One double decker AC train between Mumbai and Goa should run as Shatabdi. We will make it happen as soon as possible. This would become the first-ever double decker Shatabdi," Prabhu said on the sidelines of an event at the Goa University on Saturday.
On demand of a special Goa Rajdhani Express train, he said he will "definitely look into it".
Residents of Goa seeking Rajdhani luxury train services have to rely on the Trivandrum Rajdhani which passes through Goa and makes a halt at Margao in South Goa.
Responding to concerns to allow more tourists to make train journeys into Goa, Prabhu said the Railways can also start holiday train for tourists.
"We can even start an IRCTC holiday train. We can do it and also run such a train so that we can bring more tourists to Goa," Prabhu said.
On the plans for doubling the Mumbai-Goa-Konkan railway line, Prabhu, who hails from Maharashtra's Konkan, said that the single line track was overwhelmed and needed doubling.
"Konkan Railway when it was created was only a single track. We need a multiple track because it is very difficult to move freight traffic as well as passengers on a single track," he said.
The Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) runs a net loss but the doubling of the track would help it earn more revenue from the additional traffic, Prabhu said.
He apprised that the cost of the doubling of track along the 736 kms long railway stretch is expected to cost around Rs 10,500 crore and the work will be taken up in stages.
KRC is expected to raise the money through loans as well as through IPO route.
Prabhu said the route will also be electrified in a bid to not only be more efficient but also save the environment through the ecologically sensitive route that the railway passes.
Bank employees to go on nationwide strike on December 2
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Bank employees will observe a country-wide strike on December 2, a leading union said on Saturday.
All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatchalam said the strike call is to press for addressing issues like de-linking associate banks from SBI and extending compassionate appointments as per government guidelines.
"Separately, the State Sector Bank Employees Association (SSBEA) has also given a call for strike on two days (December 1 and 2) in SBI's associate banks," its Chairman Mahesh Mishra said.
"SSBEA may go for an indefinite strike in associate banks to be followed by indefinite stir by AIBEA in all banks by end of December if their demands are not conceded by then," Mishra warned.
The other demands include increase in quantum of staff housing loans, recruitment of sub-staff and part-time employees and not imposing SBI service conditions and career progression in associate banks.
Venkatchalam said starting from October 26, there will be a series of agitations leading to the strike in early December.
"Instead of coming forward to negotiate with SSBEA and our unions, recently SBI management sent a fiat to all associate banks instructing them to implement SBI Career progression policy.
"This means the SBI management does not care for bilateralism or believe in discussions with the unions," he added.
Bank employees will observe a country-wide strike on December 2, a leading union said on Saturday.
All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatchalam said the strike call is to press for addressing issues like de-linking associate banks from SBI and extending compassionate appointments as per government guidelines.
"Separately, the State Sector Bank Employees Association (SSBEA) has also given a call for strike on two days (December 1 and 2) in SBI's associate banks," its Chairman Mahesh Mishra said.
"SSBEA may go for an indefinite strike in associate banks to be followed by indefinite stir by AIBEA in all banks by end of December if their demands are not conceded by then," Mishra warned.
The other demands include increase in quantum of staff housing loans, recruitment of sub-staff and part-time employees and not imposing SBI service conditions and career progression in associate banks.
Venkatchalam said starting from October 26, there will be a series of agitations leading to the strike in early December.
"Instead of coming forward to negotiate with SSBEA and our unions, recently SBI management sent a fiat to all associate banks instructing them to implement SBI Career progression policy.
"This means the SBI management does not care for bilateralism or believe in discussions with the unions," he added.
IIFL Holdings Q2 net profit rises 28 per cent to Rs 140 crore
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Financial services major IIFL Holdings reported a 28 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 140.3 crore for the quarter ended September 30.
The company's profit after tax (PAT) on consolidated basis stood at Rs 109.5 crore during July-September period 2014-15. IIFL Holdings recorded income of Rs 1,031.9 crore during the second quarter of the current financial year, 15 per cent more than the same period a year ago.
"During the quarter, the company on a consolidated basis reported a healthy 28 per cent year-on-year growth in post-tax profits despite a flattish capital market performance," IIFL Holdings chairman Nirmal Jain said in a statement.
"In our fund-based business, we are aggressively investing to enhance housing finance capacity, which will yield results over the next two-three years," he added.
IIFL's income from fund-based activities rose 18 per cent to Rs 766.2 crore, for the period under review.
The company's loan portfolio stood at Rs 15,472 crore as on September 30, 2015, a growth of 19 per cent from the period year-ago.
"The company's loan book is predominantly retail and secured with adequate collaterals," IIFL said.
"The share of mortgage loan has increased to 51 per cent of the loan book in Q2FY16 from 48 per cent in Q1FY16, while share of gold loan has fallen to 18 per cent," it noted.
During the September quarter, the income from financial products distribution segment was Rs 151.8 crore, up by 16 per cent from the same period in 2014-15.
The company's income from capital markets slipped marginally to Rs 110.8 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal.
Financial services major IIFL Holdings reported a 28 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 140.3 crore for the quarter ended September 30.
The company's profit after tax (PAT) on consolidated basis stood at Rs 109.5 crore during July-September period 2014-15. IIFL Holdings recorded income of Rs 1,031.9 crore during the second quarter of the current financial year, 15 per cent more than the same period a year ago.
"During the quarter, the company on a consolidated basis reported a healthy 28 per cent year-on-year growth in post-tax profits despite a flattish capital market performance," IIFL Holdings chairman Nirmal Jain said in a statement.
"In our fund-based business, we are aggressively investing to enhance housing finance capacity, which will yield results over the next two-three years," he added.
IIFL's income from fund-based activities rose 18 per cent to Rs 766.2 crore, for the period under review.
The company's loan portfolio stood at Rs 15,472 crore as on September 30, 2015, a growth of 19 per cent from the period year-ago.
"The company's loan book is predominantly retail and secured with adequate collaterals," IIFL said.
"The share of mortgage loan has increased to 51 per cent of the loan book in Q2FY16 from 48 per cent in Q1FY16, while share of gold loan has fallen to 18 per cent," it noted.
During the September quarter, the income from financial products distribution segment was Rs 151.8 crore, up by 16 per cent from the same period in 2014-15.
The company's income from capital markets slipped marginally to Rs 110.8 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal.
Gold monetisation scheme to be launched soon, says PM Narendra Modi
-
The gold monetisation scheme will be launched in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday.
"We have brought gold monetisation scheme and will launch it in the coming weeks before Diwali and Dhanteras, when gold is particularly sought after," the prime minister said in his monthly radio programme "Mann Ki Baat".
"Gold can be converted from dead money to an economic force. To leave gold lying as dead money is behaviour not in sync with the modern times," he said.
Noting that accumulating gold as a form of economic security is deeply rooted in India's social tradition, Modi exhorted people to help convert gold to the nation's economic strength by joining in various schemes to be launched soon.
Earlier in the week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued norms for implementation of the gold monetisation scheme, under which customers can deposit their gold in banks and earn interest on it.
The minimum deposit required will be 30 grams of gold with fineness measuring 995. It could include raw gold in the forms of bars, coins and jewellery, excluding stones and other metals.
On maturity, the principal and interest will be linked to the prevailing price of gold at the time. The depositor will have the option to take gold or equivalent rupees.
The union cabinet approved the scheme last month.
The objective of the scheme is to mobilise gold, give a fillip to the gems and jewellery sector by making the metal available from banks on loan and reduce the reliance on imported gold.
The scheme was first announced in the 2015-16 budget by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, to help monetise gold worth nearly Rs 60 lakh crore held by households and institutions.
Modi also mentioned the sovereign gold bond scheme, wherein at the time of selling, customers can earn returns according to the current price of gold.
"Paper gold will eliminate the need to buy physical gold for investment, bringing down the need to safeguard it," the prime minister said.
He also said 5- and 10-gram gold coins engraved with the Ashoka Chakra symbol, and 20-gram bullion coins will be issued.
According to the World Gold Council, the demand for the yellow metal in India in 2015 was around 900-1,000 tonnes. Total gold imported in 2014 was 891.5 tonnes.
The gold monetisation scheme will be launched in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday.
"We have brought gold monetisation scheme and will launch it in the coming weeks before Diwali and Dhanteras, when gold is particularly sought after," the prime minister said in his monthly radio programme "Mann Ki Baat".
"Gold can be converted from dead money to an economic force. To leave gold lying as dead money is behaviour not in sync with the modern times," he said.
Noting that accumulating gold as a form of economic security is deeply rooted in India's social tradition, Modi exhorted people to help convert gold to the nation's economic strength by joining in various schemes to be launched soon.
Earlier in the week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued norms for implementation of the gold monetisation scheme, under which customers can deposit their gold in banks and earn interest on it.
The minimum deposit required will be 30 grams of gold with fineness measuring 995. It could include raw gold in the forms of bars, coins and jewellery, excluding stones and other metals.
On maturity, the principal and interest will be linked to the prevailing price of gold at the time. The depositor will have the option to take gold or equivalent rupees.
The union cabinet approved the scheme last month.
The objective of the scheme is to mobilise gold, give a fillip to the gems and jewellery sector by making the metal available from banks on loan and reduce the reliance on imported gold.
The scheme was first announced in the 2015-16 budget by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, to help monetise gold worth nearly Rs 60 lakh crore held by households and institutions.
Modi also mentioned the sovereign gold bond scheme, wherein at the time of selling, customers can earn returns according to the current price of gold.
"Paper gold will eliminate the need to buy physical gold for investment, bringing down the need to safeguard it," the prime minister said.
He also said 5- and 10-gram gold coins engraved with the Ashoka Chakra symbol, and 20-gram bullion coins will be issued.
According to the World Gold Council, the demand for the yellow metal in India in 2015 was around 900-1,000 tonnes. Total gold imported in 2014 was 891.5 tonnes.
General Awareness
GENERAL AWARENESS PRACTICE MCQs
-
-
1. In the fourth Bi-monthly monetary policy review, on 29 September 2015, RBI reduced the Repo Rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by ...........
1) 150 basis points
2) 100 basis points
3) 25 basis points
4) 50 basis points
5) 75 basis points
2. Present Repo Rate is ...........
1) 6.75%
2) 7.25%
3) 6.00%
4) 7.75%
5) 8.25%
3. Present Reverse Repo Rate is ...........
1) 5.75%
2) 8.75%
3) 9.75%
4) 10.25%
5) 8.25%
4. Present Bank Rate ...........
1) 7.75%
2) 7.50%
3) 6.75%
4) 5.25%
5) 8.25%
5. RBI's Marginal Standing Facility Rate ...........
1) 7.50%
2) 6.75%
3) 7.75%
4) 8.75%
5) 4.0%
6. RBI kept the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at ............ of Net Demand and Time Liability (NDTL) in its recent monetary policy review.
1) 24.5%
2) 5.75%
3) 4.0%
4) 4.5%
5) 3.5%
7. RBI declared to issue final guidelines on base rate computation by ...........
1) March 2016
2) September 2016
3) November 2015
4) January 2016
5) March 2020
8. RBI lowered its economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year from 7.6% to ........
1) 7.1%
2) 7.2%
3) 7.4%
4) 7.5%
5) 6.5%
9. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley pegged the fiscal deficit target at ........... of the GDP for the current fiscal year.
1) 3.9%
2) 3.4%
3) 2.9%
4) 6.1%
5) 2.0%
10. Union Government said it has plan for setting up a non-statutory PDMA. PDMA stands for ...........
1) Public Debt Management Agency
2) Public Debit Management Agency
3) Private Debt Management Agency
4) Private Debt Monetary Agency
5) None
11. A non-statutory PDMA would be an interim arrangement before an independent agency is set up for managing the government borrowing programme. At present who is handling the government’s borrowing programme?
1) RBI
2) SBI
3) Asian Development Bank
4) National Development Council
5) NITI Aayog
12. Which bank announced the launch of 'Money2World', a fully online outward remittance service for resident Indians?
1) YES Bank
2) Axis Bank
3) ICICI Bank
4) SBI
5) Corporation Bank
13. National watershed management project 'Neeranchal' assisted by ...........
1) IMF
2) IDA
3) AIIB
4) World Bank
5) USAID
14. Which Scotland economist argued ''foreign aid did more harm than good'' conferred with the Nobel prize for Economics on 12 Oct 2015?
1) Meghnad J Desai
2) John Kay
3) Angus Deaton
4) Edward Miliband
5) Nicholas Herbert Stern
15. First Nobel prize in Economics awarded in ...........
1) 1969
2) 1901
3) 1954
4) 1989
5) 2001
16. First Nobel prize in Economics jointly conferred on the Dutch Economist Jan Tinbergen and the Norwegian Economist ...........
1) Ragnar Frisch
2) Trygve Haavelmo
3) Svein Gjedrem
4) Victor Norman
5) None of above
17. Which famous Indian Economist received Nobel prize in Economics 'for his contributions to welfare economics'?
1) Arvind Panagariya
2) Arvind Subramanian
3) Amartya Sen
4) R.C. Dutt
5) Suresh Tendulkar
18. Abel Prize described as Nobel in ...........
1) Mathematics
2) Peace
3) Literature
4) Economics
5) Physics
19. Abel Prize annually given by the Government of Norway. The first award given in ...........
1) 2003
2) 2009
3) 2008
4) 2007
5) 2006
20. The Abel Prize awardees receive ...........
1) 6 Million British Pounds
2) 6 Million USA Dollars
3) 6 Million Indian Rupees
4) 6 Million Euros
5) 6 Million Norwegian Kroner
21. Which Indian American received Abel prize in 2007?
1) Srinivasa Ramanujam
2) Professor Manjul Bhargava
3) S.R. Srinivasa Varadhan
4) Subhash Khot
5) C.R. Rao
22. For striking and seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations
and its applications to geometric analysis, two mathematicians were awarded with Abel prize for 2015. One is John F. Nash, Jr. and another one is ...........
1) Louis Nirenberg
2) Yakov Grigorevich Sinai
3) John Milnor
4) John Griggs Thompson
5) Peter David Lax
23. Which state bagged the Skoch Order-of- Merit national award for implementation of six e-Governance and IT initiatives in the state recently?
1) Kerala
2) AP
3) Haryana
4) Maharashtra
5) Telangana
24. Who has been appointed as India's permanent representative in the UNO?
1) Jaishankar
2) Richard Rahul Verma
3) Syed Akbaruddin
4) Gautam Bambawale
5) Sushma Swaraj
25. Gautam Bambawale appointed as the new high commissioner to ...........
1) Nepal
2) Pakistan
3) USA
4) UK
5) Japan
26. Prof. Ramesh Chand appointed as the .........
1) Full-time member of NITI Aayog
2) Part-time member of NITI Aayog
3) Vice-chairman of NITI Aayog
4) Chairman of NITI Aayog
5) Ex-officio member of NITI Aayog
27. Prime Minister on 11 October 2015 laid the foundation stone of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Memorial in ...........
1) Mumbai
2) Delhi
3) Mau
4) Ratnagiri
5) London
28. Chaityabhoomi is the memorial of ...........
1) Mahatma Gandhi
2) Jawaharlal Nehru
3) B.R. Ambedkar
4) Lal Bahadur Sastri
5) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
29. Union Minister Social Justice & Empowerment released a commemorative postal stamp on father of Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as part of ........... his birth anniversary celebration.
1) 125th
2) 150th
3) 175th
4) 100th
5) 50th
30. Who is the Union Minister Social Justice & Empowerment?
1) Ravi Shankar Prasad
2) Bandaru Dattatreya
3) Thaawar Chand Gehlot
4) Nitin Gadkari
5) Ram Vilas Paswan
31. Prime Minister of India proposed which day to be observed as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)?
1) 26 November
2) 9 December
3) 26 January
4) 15 August
5) 2 October
32. New Prime Minister of Nepal ...........
1) Tshering Tobgay
2) Abdulla Yameen
3) Ameenah Gurib
4) Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli
5) Thein Sein
33. India and Jordan signed six MoUs on the eve of Pranab Mukherjee visit on 11 October 2015. Jordan Capital Amman and its currency ...........
1) Rupee
2) Dollar
3) Peso
4) Dinar
5) Shilling
34. King of Jordan is Abdullah II and Prime Minister is ...........
1) Abdullah Ensour
2) Benjamin Netanyahu
3) David Cameron
4) Abdulla Abdulla
5) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
35. International Girl Child day ...........
1) 24 Jan
2) 1 Jan
3) Second Sunday of February
4) 11 October
5) 1 June
36. 2015 International Girl Child day theme .......
1) Ending child marriage
2) The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030
3) The Power of Girl Child: Vision for 2050
4) Girl Child is the Future Mother
5) None of above
37. First BRICS Ministerial meeting on Migration held at ...........
1) Sochi
2) Durban
3) Bengaluru
4) Rio
5) Beijing
38. Who represented India in the first BRICS Ministerial meeting on Migration?
1) Rajnath Singh
2) Sushma Swaraj
3) Kiren Rijiju
4) Jaishankar
5 ) Narendra Modi
39. President Pranab Mukherjee held talks with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on 12 October 2015. How much fund offered by India to Palestine Budgetary Support?
1) $ 5 million
2) $ 10 million
3) $ 15 million
4) $ 20 million
5) $ 50 million
40. A bond issued by an Indian company expressed in foreign currency, and the principal and interest in respect of which is payable in foreign currency is called ...........
1) Foreign Currency Convertible Bond
2) Indian Currency Convertible Bond
3) Foreign Medium Term Note
4) Treasury Bill
5) Foreign Currency Debenture
41. Monetary difference between export and import trade flows of a country for a specific time period is ...........
1) Fiscal Deficit
2) Revenue Deficit
3) Balance of Trade
4) Monetary Policy Review
5) Cash Imbalance
42. Which committee was appointed by Union Government to revisit civil services examination pattern?
1) T Haque
2) Mihir Shah
3) B.S. Baswan
4) S.M. Khan
5) D. Swarup
43. Men's singles title of China Open won by Novak Djokovic of ...........
1) Sweden
2) Norway
3) Serbia
4) USA
5) China
44. Russian Grand Prix title of Formula One won by ...........
1) Sebastian Vettel
2) Jenson Button
3) Lewis Hamilton
4) Fernando Alonso
5) John Arthur
45. Women's Doubles title of China Open won by Sania Mirza of India and ...........
1) Casey Dellacqua, Australia
2) Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakistan
3) Martina Hingis, Switzerland
4) Elena Vesnina, Russia
5) Ekaterina Makarova, Russia
46. Union government on 7 October 2015 approved proposals to set up 3 AIIMS (All India Institutes of Medical Sciences) at Nagpur (Maharashtra), Mangalagiri (AP) and Kalyani in ...........
1) West Bengal
2) Bihar
3) Rajasthan
4) UP
5) MP
47. AIIMS will be established by central government under the scheme of PMSSY. PMSSY stands for ...........
1) Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
2) Pradhan Medium Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
3) Pradhan Mantri Suddhi Suraksha Yojana
4) Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Sastrachikitsa Yojana
5) None of above
48. A.R. Rahman appointed as the cultural ambassador of ............
1) Seychelles
2) Australia
3) USA
4) UK
5) Spain
49. Seychelles capital is Victoria and its currency is..
1) Euro
2) Peso
3) Dollar
4) Rupee
5) Pound
ANSWERS:
1-4, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-3, 6-3, 7-3, 8-3, 9-1, 10-1
11-1, 12-3, 13-4, 14-3, 15-1, 16-1, 17-3, 18-1, 19-1, 20-5
21-3, 22-1, 23-3, 24-3, 25-2, 26-1, 27-1, 28-3, 29-1, 30-3
31-1, 32-4, 33-4, 34-1, 35-4, 36-2, 37-1, 38-3, 39-1, 40-1
41-3, 42-3, 43-3, 44-3, 45-3, 46-1, 47-1, 48-1, 49-4
- 1. In the fourth Bi-monthly monetary policy review, on 29 September 2015, RBI reduced the Repo Rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) by ...........
1) 150 basis points
2) 100 basis points
3) 25 basis points
4) 50 basis points
5) 75 basis points
2. Present Repo Rate is ...........
1) 6.75%
2) 7.25%
3) 6.00%
4) 7.75%
5) 8.25%
3. Present Reverse Repo Rate is ...........
1) 5.75%
2) 8.75%
3) 9.75%
4) 10.25%
5) 8.25%
4. Present Bank Rate ...........
1) 7.75%
2) 7.50%
3) 6.75%
4) 5.25%
5) 8.25%
5. RBI's Marginal Standing Facility Rate ...........
1) 7.50%
2) 6.75%
3) 7.75%
4) 8.75%
5) 4.0%
6. RBI kept the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of scheduled banks unchanged at ............ of Net Demand and Time Liability (NDTL) in its recent monetary policy review.
1) 24.5%
2) 5.75%
3) 4.0%
4) 4.5%
5) 3.5%
7. RBI declared to issue final guidelines on base rate computation by ...........
1) March 2016
2) September 2016
3) November 2015
4) January 2016
5) March 2020
8. RBI lowered its economic growth forecast for the current fiscal year from 7.6% to ........
1) 7.1%
2) 7.2%
3) 7.4%
4) 7.5%
5) 6.5%
9. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley pegged the fiscal deficit target at ........... of the GDP for the current fiscal year.
1) 3.9%
2) 3.4%
3) 2.9%
4) 6.1%
5) 2.0%
10. Union Government said it has plan for setting up a non-statutory PDMA. PDMA stands for ...........
1) Public Debt Management Agency
2) Public Debit Management Agency
3) Private Debt Management Agency
4) Private Debt Monetary Agency
5) None
11. A non-statutory PDMA would be an interim arrangement before an independent agency is set up for managing the government borrowing programme. At present who is handling the government’s borrowing programme?
1) RBI
2) SBI
3) Asian Development Bank
4) National Development Council
5) NITI Aayog
12. Which bank announced the launch of 'Money2World', a fully online outward remittance service for resident Indians?
1) YES Bank
2) Axis Bank
3) ICICI Bank
4) SBI
5) Corporation Bank
13. National watershed management project 'Neeranchal' assisted by ...........
1) IMF
2) IDA
3) AIIB
4) World Bank
5) USAID
14. Which Scotland economist argued ''foreign aid did more harm than good'' conferred with the Nobel prize for Economics on 12 Oct 2015?
1) Meghnad J Desai
2) John Kay
3) Angus Deaton
4) Edward Miliband
5) Nicholas Herbert Stern
15. First Nobel prize in Economics awarded in ...........
1) 1969
2) 1901
3) 1954
4) 1989
5) 2001
16. First Nobel prize in Economics jointly conferred on the Dutch Economist Jan Tinbergen and the Norwegian Economist ...........
1) Ragnar Frisch
2) Trygve Haavelmo
3) Svein Gjedrem
4) Victor Norman
5) None of above
17. Which famous Indian Economist received Nobel prize in Economics 'for his contributions to welfare economics'?
1) Arvind Panagariya
2) Arvind Subramanian
3) Amartya Sen
4) R.C. Dutt
5) Suresh Tendulkar
18. Abel Prize described as Nobel in ...........
1) Mathematics
2) Peace
3) Literature
4) Economics
5) Physics
19. Abel Prize annually given by the Government of Norway. The first award given in ...........
1) 2003
2) 2009
3) 2008
4) 2007
5) 2006
20. The Abel Prize awardees receive ...........
1) 6 Million British Pounds
2) 6 Million USA Dollars
3) 6 Million Indian Rupees
4) 6 Million Euros
5) 6 Million Norwegian Kroner
21. Which Indian American received Abel prize in 2007?
1) Srinivasa Ramanujam
2) Professor Manjul Bhargava
3) S.R. Srinivasa Varadhan
4) Subhash Khot
5) C.R. Rao
22. For striking and seminal contributions to the theory of nonlinear partial differential equations
and its applications to geometric analysis, two mathematicians were awarded with Abel prize for 2015. One is John F. Nash, Jr. and another one is ...........
1) Louis Nirenberg
2) Yakov Grigorevich Sinai
3) John Milnor
4) John Griggs Thompson
5) Peter David Lax
23. Which state bagged the Skoch Order-of- Merit national award for implementation of six e-Governance and IT initiatives in the state recently?
1) Kerala
2) AP
3) Haryana
4) Maharashtra
5) Telangana
24. Who has been appointed as India's permanent representative in the UNO?
1) Jaishankar
2) Richard Rahul Verma
3) Syed Akbaruddin
4) Gautam Bambawale
5) Sushma Swaraj
25. Gautam Bambawale appointed as the new high commissioner to ...........
1) Nepal
2) Pakistan
3) USA
4) UK
5) Japan
26. Prof. Ramesh Chand appointed as the .........
1) Full-time member of NITI Aayog
2) Part-time member of NITI Aayog
3) Vice-chairman of NITI Aayog
4) Chairman of NITI Aayog
5) Ex-officio member of NITI Aayog
27. Prime Minister on 11 October 2015 laid the foundation stone of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Memorial in ...........
1) Mumbai
2) Delhi
3) Mau
4) Ratnagiri
5) London
28. Chaityabhoomi is the memorial of ...........
1) Mahatma Gandhi
2) Jawaharlal Nehru
3) B.R. Ambedkar
4) Lal Bahadur Sastri
5) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
29. Union Minister Social Justice & Empowerment released a commemorative postal stamp on father of Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as part of ........... his birth anniversary celebration.
1) 125th
2) 150th
3) 175th
4) 100th
5) 50th
30. Who is the Union Minister Social Justice & Empowerment?
1) Ravi Shankar Prasad
2) Bandaru Dattatreya
3) Thaawar Chand Gehlot
4) Nitin Gadkari
5) Ram Vilas Paswan
31. Prime Minister of India proposed which day to be observed as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)?
1) 26 November
2) 9 December
3) 26 January
4) 15 August
5) 2 October
32. New Prime Minister of Nepal ...........
1) Tshering Tobgay
2) Abdulla Yameen
3) Ameenah Gurib
4) Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli
5) Thein Sein
33. India and Jordan signed six MoUs on the eve of Pranab Mukherjee visit on 11 October 2015. Jordan Capital Amman and its currency ...........
1) Rupee
2) Dollar
3) Peso
4) Dinar
5) Shilling
34. King of Jordan is Abdullah II and Prime Minister is ...........
1) Abdullah Ensour
2) Benjamin Netanyahu
3) David Cameron
4) Abdulla Abdulla
5) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
35. International Girl Child day ...........
1) 24 Jan
2) 1 Jan
3) Second Sunday of February
4) 11 October
5) 1 June
36. 2015 International Girl Child day theme .......
1) Ending child marriage
2) The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030
3) The Power of Girl Child: Vision for 2050
4) Girl Child is the Future Mother
5) None of above
37. First BRICS Ministerial meeting on Migration held at ...........
1) Sochi
2) Durban
3) Bengaluru
4) Rio
5) Beijing
38. Who represented India in the first BRICS Ministerial meeting on Migration?
1) Rajnath Singh
2) Sushma Swaraj
3) Kiren Rijiju
4) Jaishankar
5 ) Narendra Modi
39. President Pranab Mukherjee held talks with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on 12 October 2015. How much fund offered by India to Palestine Budgetary Support?
1) $ 5 million
2) $ 10 million
3) $ 15 million
4) $ 20 million
5) $ 50 million
40. A bond issued by an Indian company expressed in foreign currency, and the principal and interest in respect of which is payable in foreign currency is called ...........
1) Foreign Currency Convertible Bond
2) Indian Currency Convertible Bond
3) Foreign Medium Term Note
4) Treasury Bill
5) Foreign Currency Debenture
41. Monetary difference between export and import trade flows of a country for a specific time period is ...........
1) Fiscal Deficit
2) Revenue Deficit
3) Balance of Trade
4) Monetary Policy Review
5) Cash Imbalance
42. Which committee was appointed by Union Government to revisit civil services examination pattern?
1) T Haque
2) Mihir Shah
3) B.S. Baswan
4) S.M. Khan
5) D. Swarup
43. Men's singles title of China Open won by Novak Djokovic of ...........
1) Sweden
2) Norway
3) Serbia
4) USA
5) China
44. Russian Grand Prix title of Formula One won by ...........
1) Sebastian Vettel
2) Jenson Button
3) Lewis Hamilton
4) Fernando Alonso
5) John Arthur
45. Women's Doubles title of China Open won by Sania Mirza of India and ...........
1) Casey Dellacqua, Australia
2) Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakistan
3) Martina Hingis, Switzerland
4) Elena Vesnina, Russia
5) Ekaterina Makarova, Russia
46. Union government on 7 October 2015 approved proposals to set up 3 AIIMS (All India Institutes of Medical Sciences) at Nagpur (Maharashtra), Mangalagiri (AP) and Kalyani in ...........
1) West Bengal
2) Bihar
3) Rajasthan
4) UP
5) MP
47. AIIMS will be established by central government under the scheme of PMSSY. PMSSY stands for ...........
1) Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
2) Pradhan Medium Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
3) Pradhan Mantri Suddhi Suraksha Yojana
4) Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Sastrachikitsa Yojana
5) None of above
48. A.R. Rahman appointed as the cultural ambassador of ............
1) Seychelles
2) Australia
3) USA
4) UK
5) Spain
49. Seychelles capital is Victoria and its currency is..
1) Euro
2) Peso
3) Dollar
4) Rupee
5) Pound
ANSWERS:
1-4, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-3, 6-3, 7-3, 8-3, 9-1, 10-1
11-1, 12-3, 13-4, 14-3, 15-1, 16-1, 17-3, 18-1, 19-1, 20-5
21-3, 22-1, 23-3, 24-3, 25-2, 26-1, 27-1, 28-3, 29-1, 30-3
31-1, 32-4, 33-4, 34-1, 35-4, 36-2, 37-1, 38-3, 39-1, 40-1
41-3, 42-3, 43-3, 44-3, 45-3, 46-1, 47-1, 48-1, 49-4
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