General Affairs
Whistleblowers Act: Changes Needed To Protect Witnesses, Says Vigilance Commissioner
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NEW DELHI: There is a need to bring some provisions in Whistleblowers Act to protect witnesses that would provide confidence to those who expose corruption, Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) KV Chowdary said today.
Mr Chowdary also emphasised upon making public aware on the procedure to file complaints under Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informer (PIDPI), widely known as whistleblower resolution.
"The other important thing and I am concerned more about is the witness protection. The witness is a person or an expert is a person who stakes their life. They stand in a witness box and tell the truth. They tell the truth that could lead to a conviction," he said addressing a roundtable interaction with Chief Vigilance Officers of public sector undertakings and Chief Compliance Officers of private companies.
The CVC said a whistleblower is the one who has the direct and personal information or leads which are very useful in an investigation. "In my view it is only that category of people need to be brought into the whistleblower not anybody and everybody who files petition," he said.
Mr Chowdary said witnesses may have to face consequences whether it is a criminal case or civil.
"We need to bring some provisions in our Whistleblowers Act which would have an overriding effect on the Evidence Act...Some mechanism unless we bring in, it may be difficult to give confidence to whistleblowers or witnesses," he said.
There is a need to apply some filters as to who needs protection under the PIDPI or whistleblowers Act "not anybody and everybody who files petition" should get it, he added.
"This is not relevant for public sector alone. In the private sector also, there is a huge amount of whistleblowing which needs to be answered," the CVC said.
He said there is a need to make people aware as to how to file complaint under PIDPI resolution. "Not only we need to make these laws, but we need to take these to people and then guide them how these should be used. How to make it so that people do get the benefit and they don't take the backlash of making the complaint," Mr Chowdary said.
A bill to amend the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014 has been passed by Lok Sabha.
Parvez Hayat, President of Vigilance Study Circle (Delhi and NCR), said private companies need to focus on having forensic tools to check corruption and illegal practices there.
"The companies need to focus how to check misuse of technology to prevent illegal activities," he said in the event organised by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
NEW DELHI: There is a need to bring some provisions in Whistleblowers Act to protect witnesses that would provide confidence to those who expose corruption, Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) KV Chowdary said today.Mr Chowdary also emphasised upon making public aware on the procedure to file complaints under Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informer (PIDPI), widely known as whistleblower resolution.
The CVC said a whistleblower is the one who has the direct and personal information or leads which are very useful in an investigation. "In my view it is only that category of people need to be brought into the whistleblower not anybody and everybody who files petition," he said.
Mr Chowdary said witnesses may have to face consequences whether it is a criminal case or civil.
"We need to bring some provisions in our Whistleblowers Act which would have an overriding effect on the Evidence Act...Some mechanism unless we bring in, it may be difficult to give confidence to whistleblowers or witnesses," he said.
There is a need to apply some filters as to who needs protection under the PIDPI or whistleblowers Act "not anybody and everybody who files petition" should get it, he added.
"This is not relevant for public sector alone. In the private sector also, there is a huge amount of whistleblowing which needs to be answered," the CVC said.
He said there is a need to make people aware as to how to file complaint under PIDPI resolution. "Not only we need to make these laws, but we need to take these to people and then guide them how these should be used. How to make it so that people do get the benefit and they don't take the backlash of making the complaint," Mr Chowdary said.
A bill to amend the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014 has been passed by Lok Sabha.
Parvez Hayat, President of Vigilance Study Circle (Delhi and NCR), said private companies need to focus on having forensic tools to check corruption and illegal practices there.
"The companies need to focus how to check misuse of technology to prevent illegal activities," he said in the event organised by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
Severe Cold In Kashmir Valley, Bright Sunshine In Jammu
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JAMMU/SRINAGAR: Severe cold continued in Kashmir Valley as bright sunshine greeted people in Jammu city today, a day after cloudy and cold weather.
"The minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 4.2 degrees Celsius today. Due to cloud cover, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around eight degrees in the city," an official of the local Met department said.
The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and minus five degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, the weather office said.
"Leh town recorded minus 13.3 degrees Celsius while Kargil town recorded minus 12.0 degrees Celsius in the Ladakh region."
The official said the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.6 degrees Celsius in Jammu city on Monday while the maximum is likely to hover around 18 degrees Celsius.
"Bright sunshine during the day is likely to push up the maximum temperature in Jammu city today," the official said.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 5.3 degrees Celsius in Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town of Katra and it was 2.5 degrees Celsius in Batote, minus 0.5 degrees Celsius in Bannihal and minus 0.4 degrees Celsius in Bhaderwah town of Jammu region.
Dry weather will continue in Jammu and Kashmir during the night for two days.
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: Severe cold continued in Kashmir Valley as bright sunshine greeted people in Jammu city today, a day after cloudy and cold weather."The minimum temperature in Srinagar was minus 4.2 degrees Celsius today. Due to cloud cover, the maximum temperature is likely to hover around eight degrees in the city," an official of the local Met department said.
The minimum temperature was recorded at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and minus five degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, the weather office said.
The official said the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.6 degrees Celsius in Jammu city on Monday while the maximum is likely to hover around 18 degrees Celsius.
"Bright sunshine during the day is likely to push up the maximum temperature in Jammu city today," the official said.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 5.3 degrees Celsius in Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town of Katra and it was 2.5 degrees Celsius in Batote, minus 0.5 degrees Celsius in Bannihal and minus 0.4 degrees Celsius in Bhaderwah town of Jammu region.
Dry weather will continue in Jammu and Kashmir during the night for two days.
One Rank One Pension Protest Outside Arun Jaitley's Residence Ends
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NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen seeking changes in government's One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme today shifted their protest back to Jantar Mantar in Delhi from outside Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's residence following a late night meeting with Minister of State Jayant Sinha.
The delegation will now meet Mr Jaitley on Wednesday, Col Anil Kaul (Retd), spokesperson of the protesting veterans, said.
The meeting between representatives of the protesters and Mr Sinha was held at about 12:30 am apparently at the instruction of the Prime Minister's Office.
"The MoS was instructed by the PMO to discuss the issue and request the veterans to call of the dharna.
"He rang up the Finance Minister in presence of the delegation but he could not be reached. He gave an assurance that he would ring up Jaitley again and inform Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Retd)," Mr Kaul said, adding that the delegation will meet Mr Jaitley on Wednesday.
The protesters had yesterday morning staged dharna outside Mr Jaitley's residence alleging that he failed to respond to concerns raised by them during an earlier meeting.
This was the second time in two weeks that the veterans have held demonstrations outside the minister's official residence.
Shifting the venue of the protest from the Jantar Mantar, the veterans had said, "Since no response has come from the government side therefore the 'sainiks' have decided to continue the agitation in front of FM's residence and rough out in the chilly nights of January on the road.
"We will continue to stage our agitation at the present site instead of Jantar Mantar till our demands are met."
Government had in September last year announced the scheme for determining pensions of armed forces veterans.
Ex-servicemen had launched a major stir in June to press for OROP but a section of protesters were not satisfied with the scheme and continued their agitation.
NEW DELHI: Ex-servicemen seeking changes in government's One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme today shifted their protest back to Jantar Mantar in Delhi from outside Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's residence following a late night meeting with Minister of State Jayant Sinha.The delegation will now meet Mr Jaitley on Wednesday, Col Anil Kaul (Retd), spokesperson of the protesting veterans, said.
The meeting between representatives of the protesters and Mr Sinha was held at about 12:30 am apparently at the instruction of the Prime Minister's Office.
"He rang up the Finance Minister in presence of the delegation but he could not be reached. He gave an assurance that he would ring up Jaitley again and inform Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Retd)," Mr Kaul said, adding that the delegation will meet Mr Jaitley on Wednesday.
The protesters had yesterday morning staged dharna outside Mr Jaitley's residence alleging that he failed to respond to concerns raised by them during an earlier meeting.
This was the second time in two weeks that the veterans have held demonstrations outside the minister's official residence.
Shifting the venue of the protest from the Jantar Mantar, the veterans had said, "Since no response has come from the government side therefore the 'sainiks' have decided to continue the agitation in front of FM's residence and rough out in the chilly nights of January on the road.
"We will continue to stage our agitation at the present site instead of Jantar Mantar till our demands are met."
Government had in September last year announced the scheme for determining pensions of armed forces veterans.
Ex-servicemen had launched a major stir in June to press for OROP but a section of protesters were not satisfied with the scheme and continued their agitation.
Sushma Swaraj Meets Top Israeli Leadership
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JERUSALEM: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has a packed schedule in Israel today with back-to-back meetings with top leadership, an indication of burgeoning bilateral ties and a visit seen as a build up to the much awaited trip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region.
Ms Swaraj, who is on her first visit to West Asia as the External Affairs Minister, will be meeting President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Minister of Infrastructure Yuval Shteinitz and Deputy Foreign Minister Tsipi Hotovely.
She will be also meeting the Indian community in Israel. There are four groups of Indian Jewish communities in Israel with an approximate strength of 80,000.
Mr Netanyahu, who has met PM Modi twice in the past year and a half, has said that "sky is the limit" that can be achieved between the two sides with "limitless" potential.
Describing PM Modi as "his friend", the Israeli Prime Minister has in the past said that his Indian counterpart has told him that New Delhi needs Tel Aviv to achieve major developmental projects outlined by him.
Ms Swaraj's visit comes barely three months after the historic visit of President Pranab Mukherjee, the first by an Indian Head of State to Israel, and aims at encasing on the goodwill generated by that visit.
Yesterday, she crossed over to West Bank from Israel and held talks with the top Palestinian leadership in Ramallah.
She met her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki and reaffirmed India's consistent support for the Palestinian cause, emphasising that there has been "absolutely no change in its policy in this regard".
Ms Swaraj later called on President Mahmoud Abbas. She also paid a floral tribute at Mahatma Gandhi's bust and paid homage to iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his mausoleum.
JERUSALEM: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has a packed schedule in Israel today with back-to-back meetings with top leadership, an indication of burgeoning bilateral ties and a visit seen as a build up to the much awaited trip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the region.Ms Swaraj, who is on her first visit to West Asia as the External Affairs Minister, will be meeting President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Minister of Infrastructure Yuval Shteinitz and Deputy Foreign Minister Tsipi Hotovely.
Mr Netanyahu, who has met PM Modi twice in the past year and a half, has said that "sky is the limit" that can be achieved between the two sides with "limitless" potential.
Describing PM Modi as "his friend", the Israeli Prime Minister has in the past said that his Indian counterpart has told him that New Delhi needs Tel Aviv to achieve major developmental projects outlined by him.
Ms Swaraj's visit comes barely three months after the historic visit of President Pranab Mukherjee, the first by an Indian Head of State to Israel, and aims at encasing on the goodwill generated by that visit.
Yesterday, she crossed over to West Bank from Israel and held talks with the top Palestinian leadership in Ramallah.
She met her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki and reaffirmed India's consistent support for the Palestinian cause, emphasising that there has been "absolutely no change in its policy in this regard".
Ms Swaraj later called on President Mahmoud Abbas. She also paid a floral tribute at Mahatma Gandhi's bust and paid homage to iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his mausoleum.
India To Launch Fifth Navigation Satellite- Countdown Begins
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CHENNAI: The 48-hour countdown for the lift of an Indian rocket -- the first one for 2016 -- with the country's fifth navigation satellite as the sole passenger began at 9.31 am on Monday, senior ISRO officials said.
"The 48-hour countdown for the launch of rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-31) carrying Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-IRNSS-1E began in the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh," senior official at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS.
The rocket is expected to blast off at 9.31 am on January 20 to put into orbit the 1,425 kg IRNSS-1E satellite.
Till date India has launched four regional navigational satellites (IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and ID) as part of a constellation of seven satellites to provide accurate position information service to users across the country and the region, extending up to an area of 1,500 km.
Though the full system comprises of nine satellites -- seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by -- the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said earlier.
Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.
The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed in 2016 itself.
The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014, the third on October 2014 and the fourth on March 2015.
Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.
According to ISRO, IRNSS-1E carries two types of payloads -- navigation and ranging payloads.
The navigation payload of IRNSS-1E will transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band.
A highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite.
The ranging payload of IRNSS-1E consists of a C-band transponder (automatic receivers and transmitters of radio signals) which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.
IRNSS-1E also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.
On January 20 at 9.31 a.m. the PSLV-XL version rocket standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 320 ton would blast off from India's rocket port at Sriharikota.
Just over 19 minutes into the flight the rocket would put into orbit IRNSS-1E at an altitude 503.3 km.
The satellite's life span is 12 years, the ISRO official said.
The Indian space agency's mission readiness review committee (MRRC) and the launch authorisation board (LAB) on Sunday gave the green signal for the Wednesday's rocket launch.
CHENNAI: The 48-hour countdown for the lift of an Indian rocket -- the first one for 2016 -- with the country's fifth navigation satellite as the sole passenger began at 9.31 am on Monday, senior ISRO officials said."The 48-hour countdown for the launch of rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-31) carrying Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System-IRNSS-1E began in the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh," senior official at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS.
The rocket is expected to blast off at 9.31 am on January 20 to put into orbit the 1,425 kg IRNSS-1E satellite.
Though the full system comprises of nine satellites -- seven in orbit and two on the ground as stand-by -- the navigation services could be made operational with four satellites, ISRO officials had said earlier.
Each satellite costs around Rs.150 crore and the PSLV-XL version rocket costs around Rs.130 crore. The seven rockets would involve an outlay of around Rs.910 crore.
The entire IRNSS constellation of seven satellites is planned to be completed in 2016 itself.
The first satellite IRNSS-1A was launched in July 2013, the second IRNSS-1B in April 2014, the third on October 2014 and the fourth on March 2015.
Once the regional navigation system is in place, India need not be dependent on other platforms.
According to ISRO, IRNSS-1E carries two types of payloads -- navigation and ranging payloads.
The navigation payload of IRNSS-1E will transmit navigation service signals to the users. This payload will be operating in L5-band and S-band.
A highly accurate Rubidium atomic clock is part of the navigation payload of the satellite.
The ranging payload of IRNSS-1E consists of a C-band transponder (automatic receivers and transmitters of radio signals) which facilitates accurate determination of the range of the satellite.
IRNSS-1E also carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging.
On January 20 at 9.31 a.m. the PSLV-XL version rocket standing 44.4 metres tall and weighing 320 ton would blast off from India's rocket port at Sriharikota.
Just over 19 minutes into the flight the rocket would put into orbit IRNSS-1E at an altitude 503.3 km.
The satellite's life span is 12 years, the ISRO official said.
The Indian space agency's mission readiness review committee (MRRC) and the launch authorisation board (LAB) on Sunday gave the green signal for the Wednesday's rocket launch.
Business Affairs
Sensex closes at lowest level since May 16, 2014; Nifty at 7,351 on China and oil worries
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The S&P BSE Sensex fell 266 points lower to end below its crucial psychological level of 24,500 on Monday, while broader CNX Nifty closed below 7,400 for first time since June 02, 2014.
The benchmark indices tumbled as concerns about the global economy are mounting after crude fell to its lowest since 2003, while data showed the country's exports shrunk for a thirteenth straight month.
The 30-share index ended the day at 24,188.37, down 266.67 points, while broad-based 50-share index quoted 7,351.00, down 86.80 points at close.
Market breadth turned negative with 19 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in red.
The fall in crude prices and volatility in China's markets have hit India and other emerging markets hard this month. Brent crude prices fell on Monday to as low as $27.67 a barrel early on Monday, its lowest since 2003 after international sanctions against Iran were lifted over the weekend, allowing Tehran to return to an already over-supplied oil market.
Meanwhile, Domestic data showed India's merchandise exports fell 14.75 per cent in December from a year earlier, as orders from the United States and Europe shrank and exporters grappled with a competitively weaker Chinese yuan.
"A good amount of capitulation has taken place today, this sort of capitulation would ultimately make a bottom in the market," said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities.
Energy stocks such as Reliance Industries, ONGC, BPCL and Cairn India were the biggest drag on the index. RIL stock was the top Sensex loser and lost 5.14 per cent.
The stock of Wipro ended flat after falling over 2 per cent after the IT major posted 1.8 per cent year-on-year rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 2,234.1 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2015.
Drug maker Wockhardt recovered after falling as much as 11 per cent after the management said it would resolve compliance issues at its Shendra plant within two months.
Among Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei fell 1.1 per cent to 16,955.57, its lowest close in a year following a big sell-off in Wall Street on Friday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 1.45 per cent down. China's Shanghai Composite bucked the trend and gained 0.44 per cent.
On Friday, US stocks corrected sharply after data showed the IIP declined by 0.4 per cent while retail sales dipped 0.1 per cent in December. Markets will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The S&P BSE Sensex fell 266 points lower to end below its crucial psychological level of 24,500 on Monday, while broader CNX Nifty closed below 7,400 for first time since June 02, 2014.
The benchmark indices tumbled as concerns about the global economy are mounting after crude fell to its lowest since 2003, while data showed the country's exports shrunk for a thirteenth straight month.
The 30-share index ended the day at 24,188.37, down 266.67 points, while broad-based 50-share index quoted 7,351.00, down 86.80 points at close.
Market breadth turned negative with 19 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in red.
The fall in crude prices and volatility in China's markets have hit India and other emerging markets hard this month. Brent crude prices fell on Monday to as low as $27.67 a barrel early on Monday, its lowest since 2003 after international sanctions against Iran were lifted over the weekend, allowing Tehran to return to an already over-supplied oil market.
Meanwhile, Domestic data showed India's merchandise exports fell 14.75 per cent in December from a year earlier, as orders from the United States and Europe shrank and exporters grappled with a competitively weaker Chinese yuan.
"A good amount of capitulation has taken place today, this sort of capitulation would ultimately make a bottom in the market," said Deven Choksey, managing director at KR Choksey Securities.
Energy stocks such as Reliance Industries, ONGC, BPCL and Cairn India were the biggest drag on the index. RIL stock was the top Sensex loser and lost 5.14 per cent.
The stock of Wipro ended flat after falling over 2 per cent after the IT major posted 1.8 per cent year-on-year rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 2,234.1 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2015.
Drug maker Wockhardt recovered after falling as much as 11 per cent after the management said it would resolve compliance issues at its Shendra plant within two months.
Among Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei fell 1.1 per cent to 16,955.57, its lowest close in a year following a big sell-off in Wall Street on Friday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 1.45 per cent down. China's Shanghai Composite bucked the trend and gained 0.44 per cent.
On Friday, US stocks corrected sharply after data showed the IIP declined by 0.4 per cent while retail sales dipped 0.1 per cent in December. Markets will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Over 5 million jobs may be lost globally in 5 years; India outlook positive: World Economic Forum
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Over 5 million jobs may be lost over the next five years globally due to the fourth industrial revolution and other socio-economic and demographic changes, but India remains one of the few countries with positive employment outlook, a new study showed on Monday.
Releasing its 'Future of Jobs' study ahead of the five-day Annual Meeting in this Swiss resort town, the World Economic Forum said that as many as 7.1 million jobs could be lost through redundancy, automation or disintermediation, with the greatest losses in white-collar office and administrative roles.
"This loss is predicted to be partially offset by the creation of 2.1 million new jobs, mainly in more specialized 'job families', such as Computer and Mathematical or Architecture and Engineering," WEF said while pegging the net loss at about 5 million jobs.
The survey, which covered 15 leading developed and emerging economies including India, said the employment outlook is net positive in only five of these countries.
"But even in those countries there is significant job churn with some functions becoming redundant as new ones emerge," it said.
The countries with positive employment outlook included India, Mexico and Turkey, as also the Gulf Cooperation Council region.
WEF further said that the highest ratios of jobs created per job lost is expected to be in ASEAN (3.72 jobs gained per job lost), Mexico (3.06), United Kingdom (2.91), United States (1.37) and Turkey (1.14).
The study said a clear majority of businesses believe that investing in skills, rather than hiring more short-term or virtual workers, is the key to successfully managing disruptions to the labour market for the long term.
The study was released on the eve of the WEF Annual Meeting 2016 that begins here tomorrow with a theme of 'Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution'.
The fourth industrial revolution encompasses developments in previously disjointed fields such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, robotics, nanotechnology, 3-D printing, and genetics and biotechnology.
The report follows a survey of chief human resources officers and top strategy executives from companies across nine broad industry categories and covering 15 of the world's largest economies -- Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US, plus the ASEAN and GCC groups.
Together, these economies account for 65 per cent of the global workforce.
Over 5 million jobs may be lost over the next five years globally due to the fourth industrial revolution and other socio-economic and demographic changes, but India remains one of the few countries with positive employment outlook, a new study showed on Monday.
Releasing its 'Future of Jobs' study ahead of the five-day Annual Meeting in this Swiss resort town, the World Economic Forum said that as many as 7.1 million jobs could be lost through redundancy, automation or disintermediation, with the greatest losses in white-collar office and administrative roles.
"This loss is predicted to be partially offset by the creation of 2.1 million new jobs, mainly in more specialized 'job families', such as Computer and Mathematical or Architecture and Engineering," WEF said while pegging the net loss at about 5 million jobs.
The survey, which covered 15 leading developed and emerging economies including India, said the employment outlook is net positive in only five of these countries.
"But even in those countries there is significant job churn with some functions becoming redundant as new ones emerge," it said.
The countries with positive employment outlook included India, Mexico and Turkey, as also the Gulf Cooperation Council region.
WEF further said that the highest ratios of jobs created per job lost is expected to be in ASEAN (3.72 jobs gained per job lost), Mexico (3.06), United Kingdom (2.91), United States (1.37) and Turkey (1.14).
The study said a clear majority of businesses believe that investing in skills, rather than hiring more short-term or virtual workers, is the key to successfully managing disruptions to the labour market for the long term.
The study was released on the eve of the WEF Annual Meeting 2016 that begins here tomorrow with a theme of 'Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution'.
The fourth industrial revolution encompasses developments in previously disjointed fields such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, robotics, nanotechnology, 3-D printing, and genetics and biotechnology.
The report follows a survey of chief human resources officers and top strategy executives from companies across nine broad industry categories and covering 15 of the world's largest economies -- Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US, plus the ASEAN and GCC groups.
Together, these economies account for 65 per cent of the global workforce.
Domestic air traffic logs 20% growth in December 2015
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Continuing on the growth trajectory, domestic passenger traffic rose 20.34 per cent in December last year over the same period in 2014 on account of the on-going tourists season, with Indian carriers flying a total of 7.70 million customers during the period.
The domestic carriers had ferried 6.44 million passengers in December 2014.
As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data, released on Monday, low-cost SpiceJet reported the highest seat occupancy in its aircraft at 92.1 per cent followed by rival IndiGo, which logged 88.5 per cent seat factor during December 2014.
However, IndiGo, continued its leadership in terms of number of passengers flown, transporting a total 2.74 million passengers.
Full service carrier Jet Airways and Air India during this period carried 1.40 million and 1.28 million passengers respectively, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation data.
The DGCA attributes the high passenger carriage by the domestic airlines due to the ongoing tourist season in December.
"The passenger load factor in the month of December 2015 has increased compared to previous month primarily due to the ongoing tourist season," the DGCA said.
The domestic carriers had ferried 6.44 million passengers in December 2014.
As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data, released on Monday, low-cost SpiceJet reported the highest seat occupancy in its aircraft at 92.1 per cent followed by rival IndiGo, which logged 88.5 per cent seat factor during December 2014.
However, IndiGo, continued its leadership in terms of number of passengers flown, transporting a total 2.74 million passengers.
Full service carrier Jet Airways and Air India during this period carried 1.40 million and 1.28 million passengers respectively, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation data.
The DGCA attributes the high passenger carriage by the domestic airlines due to the ongoing tourist season in December.
"The passenger load factor in the month of December 2015 has increased compared to previous month primarily due to the ongoing tourist season," the DGCA said.
Export earnings from services decline 9.9 per cent in November
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As per the provisional aggregate monthly data on India's international trade in services released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), receipts from India's service exports fell by 9.9 per cent to $12 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month.
This was also 7.8 per cent lower than the average monthly export receipts that were seen during April-October 2015.
Payments for India's service imports fell sharply by 18.9 per cent to $5.7 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month.
Put together, though, net earnings from India's services trade remained unchanged at $6.3 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month. Net earnings from services trade had averaged $5.8 billion during April-October 2015.
However, the aggregate January to November 2015 net earnings of $65.5 billion was 3.3 per cent lower compared to the same period in 2014.
As per the provisional aggregate monthly data on India's international trade in services released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), receipts from India's service exports fell by 9.9 per cent to $12 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month. This was also 7.8 per cent lower than the average monthly export receipts that were seen during April-October 2015.
Payments for India's service imports fell sharply by 18.9 per cent to $5.7 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month.
Put together, though, net earnings from India's services trade remained unchanged at $6.3 billion in November 2015 as compared to the preceding month. Net earnings from services trade had averaged $5.8 billion during April-October 2015.
However, the aggregate January to November 2015 net earnings of $65.5 billion was 3.3 per cent lower compared to the same period in 2014.
Lower oil prices no quick fix for Asia's growth malaise, says HSBC
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A significant decline in crude oil prices is unlikely to result in a swift bounce in demand conditions in Asian economies including India, says an HSBC report.
According to the global financial services major, tumbling crude prices are not going to be a "quick fix for Asia's growth malaise".
Most Asian economies import crude oil and a lower purchase bill should therefore give a boost to the spending power of consumers, governments and companies, but "it ain't as easy as that", the HSBC Research report said.
According to HSBC, falling prices for raw materials, including oil, partly reflects cooling demand in Asia, secondly, there is an income shift under way and its hurting Asia, at least in the short-term.
Moreover, crude importers such as advanced economies are preferring to, save their savings, rather than splurge, leaving the world short of demand, it noted.
The report said growth across the Asian region would be a "lot lower" if crude was still above USD 100 per barrel.
"If underlying growth is even weaker than currently reported, we might see activity sag further once the cushion from the fall in oil prices fades," HSBC Co-head of Asia Economics Research Frederic Neumann said.
Lower crude oil prices should in principle be a boost to a region that for the most part imports oil, but that is not happening and growth has decelerated virtually everywhere alongside the decline in oil prices.
"Tumbling crude prices are not going to be a quick fix for Asia's growth malaise rather, they are part of the symptom," Neumann said adding that a bounce in Asian demand thus appears unlikely on the account of oil.
"Looks like we'll be stuck in a slow grind for a while," Neumann said.
Meanwhile, the Indian government recently lowered its economic growth forecast for 2015-16 to 7-7.5 per cent from 8.1-8.5 per cent.
A significant decline in crude oil prices is unlikely to result in a swift bounce in demand conditions in Asian economies including India, says an HSBC report.
According to the global financial services major, tumbling crude prices are not going to be a "quick fix for Asia's growth malaise".
Most Asian economies import crude oil and a lower purchase bill should therefore give a boost to the spending power of consumers, governments and companies, but "it ain't as easy as that", the HSBC Research report said.
According to HSBC, falling prices for raw materials, including oil, partly reflects cooling demand in Asia, secondly, there is an income shift under way and its hurting Asia, at least in the short-term.
Moreover, crude importers such as advanced economies are preferring to, save their savings, rather than splurge, leaving the world short of demand, it noted.
The report said growth across the Asian region would be a "lot lower" if crude was still above USD 100 per barrel.
"If underlying growth is even weaker than currently reported, we might see activity sag further once the cushion from the fall in oil prices fades," HSBC Co-head of Asia Economics Research Frederic Neumann said.
Lower crude oil prices should in principle be a boost to a region that for the most part imports oil, but that is not happening and growth has decelerated virtually everywhere alongside the decline in oil prices.
"Tumbling crude prices are not going to be a quick fix for Asia's growth malaise rather, they are part of the symptom," Neumann said adding that a bounce in Asian demand thus appears unlikely on the account of oil.
"Looks like we'll be stuck in a slow grind for a while," Neumann said.
Meanwhile, the Indian government recently lowered its economic growth forecast for 2015-16 to 7-7.5 per cent from 8.1-8.5 per cent.
General Awareness
United India Insurance Company Administrative Officers (Mains) Exam General Awareness Solved Paper
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1. Subarna Rekha Multipurpose Project (SMP) was started with a purpose to reduce losses due to flood in 1962 and for the distribution of land among the affected people. The states included in the project are–
(A) Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal (B) Odisha, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (C) Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal
(D) Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal (E) Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal (Ans : D)
2. The Caparo group has won the International Business of the Year Award 2014 at the Asian Business Award Midlands in Birmingham. The group is founded by leading NRI industrialist–
(A) S. P. Singh Oberoi (B) Srichand Hinduja (C) Gopichand Hinduja (D) Lord Swraj Paul (E) Lakshmi Mittal (Ans : D)
3. Which of the following is a part of the core sector?
(A) Textiles (B) Chemicals (C) Real Estate (D) Machine manufacturing (E) Food Processing (Ans : D)
4. National Institute of Bank Management is the Institution meant for–
(A) All those given as options (B) providing management personnel to the Banks (C) training of bank employees in Banking
(D) providing consultancies on best practices in bank management (E) recruitment of Bank employees at all levels (Ans : D)
5. Recently India has decided to introduce plastic currency notes. A number of other countries are 'already' using plastic notes, but the pioneer in this field is–
(A) Sweden (B) England (C) France (D) United States of America (E) Australia (Ans : E)
6. Which airlines was recently joined by the Tata group?
(A) Pan Am (B) Lufthansa (C) Emirates Airline (D) Air Asia (E) Air France (Ans : D)
7. As per the rankings released by the UNCTAD in its World Investment Report 2014 in respect of most favoured destinations for investment by transnational corporations, India stands at the–
(A) Fifth position (B) Third position (C) Seventh position (D) Fourth position (E) Sixth position (Ans : D)
8. Telangana has recently became the 29th state of India. Which of the following statements regarding the state is 'not' true?
(A) It shares boundaries with Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (B) It is the 12th largest state of the country in terms of population
(C) It is the first state to be carved out on a linguistic basis (D) It is the 12th largest state of the country in terms of area
(E) It has 119 seats in the assembly and 40 seats in the council (Ans : C)
9. Which of the following device is developed by DRDO and is a light weight, multi role, single engine tactical fighter aircraft?
(A) Prithvi (B) Prahar (C) Akash (D) Brahmos (E) Tejas (Ans : E)
10. Which of the following is a sovereign instrument with a fixed coupon (payable on a specified date or half yearly), issued by Reserve Bank for market borrowing programme of the Government of India ?
(A) Fixed Deposits (B) Dated Government Securities (C) Debentures (D) Bonds (E) Equity shares of PSBs (Ans : B)
11. As per a notification recently published in the gazette by the Union Water Resources Ministry, the new chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is–
(A) Justice B. Rajendran (B) Justice B. S. Chauhan (C) Justice B. R. Sarangi
(D) Justice B. N. Kripal (E) Justice B. N. Srikrishna (Ans : B)
12. The Minister for 'Health and Family Welfare' in the Union Cabinet is–
(A) Shrimati Maneka Gandhi (B) Ms. Uma Bharati (C) Shrimati Sushma Swaraj
(D) Jagat Prakash Nadda (E) Dr. Najma Heptulla (Ans : D)
13. A bond issued at a price less than its face value and payable on its due date at its face value bearing no ROI (Rate of Interest) is called–
(A) Preference Bond (B) Zero Coupon Bond (C) Convertible Bond (D) Perpetual Band (E) Sovereign Bond (Ans : B)
14. Recently, with which one of the following countries India has signed a joint statement named Druzhba-Dosti ?
(A) Nepal (B) China (C) Russia (D) Bhutan (E) Myanmar (Ans : C)
15. Axis Bank was formerly known as–
(A) YES Bank (B) UTI Bank (C) City Union Bank (D) HDFC Bank (E) Centurion Bank (Ans : B)
16. Recently, India has signed a first APA agreement with Japanese company. What does APA Stands for?
(A) Advance Pricing Agreement (B) Advance Perform Agreement (C) Advance Purchase Agreement
(D) Advance Procure Agreement (E) None of these (Ans : A)
17. The company ‘Associated Journals Limited' (AJL) is the publisher of now-defunct daily newspaper–
(A) Young India (B) The Independent (C) Amrit Bazaar Patrika (D) Bombay Chronicle (E) National herald (Ans : E)
18. One rupee note bears the signature of–
(A) President of India (B) Vice President of India (C) Finance Secretary (D) Finance Minister (E) Commerce Minister (Ans : C)
19. As per census 2011, the total urban population of India is 377.1 million. The state having the highest urban population of 50.8 million (13.5% of country's urban population) is–
(A) Uttarakhand (B) Tamil Nadu (C) Uttar Pradesh (D) Maharashtra (E) Gujarat (Ans : D)
20. A cheque bearing the date earlier than the date of submission to the bank is known as–
(A) Bearer Cheque (B) State Cheque (C) Crossed Cheque (D) Post Dated Cheque (E) Anti Dated Cheque (Ans : E)
21. The next Commonwealth Summit in 2015 shall be held in–
(A) Malta (B) India (C) Sri Lanka (D) Maldives (E) Mauritius (Ans : A)
22. Liquidity is injected by the RBI in the economy through which of the following mechanisms ?
(A) Change in Bank Rate (B) REPO (C) Increase in SLR (D) Through Liquidity Adjustment Facility (E) Increase in CRR (Ans : B)
23. The 'Glimpses of India' Festival showcasing Indian Performing arts, Modern Indian art, Buddhist artifacts and heritage, food and films etc., were organised in 12 cities of–
(A) China (B) Europe (C) Australia (D) Russia (E) Japan (Ans : A)
24. Which of the following institutions has recently been allowed mandate for grant of banking business license by the RBI ?
(A) IDFC (B) LIC Housing (C) L & T Finance (D) Bandhan Finance (E) Both (A) and (D) (Ans : E)
25. A Credit Guarantee Test Fund has been setup for guaranteeing Collateral Free Facilities by lending institutions to small scale industries. This fund is being managed by which of the following institutions?
(A) IDBI (B) NABARD (C) SBI (D) SIDBI (E) RBI (Ans : D)
26. Japan has recently amended its pacifist constitution giving more powers to military. As a reason for amending the constitution, Japan has cited its dispute over Diaoyu Islands with–
(A) China (B) Vietnam (C) Singapore (D) Philippines (E) New Zealand (Ans : A)
27. Legendary Stock Investor Warren Buffett calls the futures and options segment of the investment market is a weapons of–
(A) Mass Financial Inclusion (B) Mass Financial Destruction (C) None of these
(D) Mass Financial Investment (E) Mass Financial Involvement (Ans : B)
28. Latest Institution in providing Institutional Financial Assistance to Women Entrepreneurs is–
(A) Rural Women Self Help Group (B) National Credit Fund for Women (C) Bharatiya Mahila Bank
(D) All those given as options (E) Mahila Sarnridhi Kosh (Ans : C)
29. The national capital of the Sweden is–
(A) Belfast (B) Rome (C) Berne (D) Stockholm (E) Kingstown (Ans : D)
30. Major internet companies are now encrypting all e-mails. For this they usually rely on a form of encryption known as the TLS. The abbreviation TLS stands for–
(A) Transit Layer Security (B) Through Layer Security (C) Transparent Layer Security
(D) Transport Layer Security (E) Temporary Layer Security (Ans : D)
31. Which of the following is one of the main functions of RBI?
(A) Regulations of the Stock Markets (B) Regulation of Life Insurance (C) Regulation of General Insurance
(D) Regulation of Mutual Funds in India (E) Banker's Bank (Ans : E)
32. Ryder Cup is awarded to the players of–
(A) Golf (B) Baseball (C) Basketball (D) Cards (E) Cricket (Ans : A)
33. Which indigenous plane was developed by DRDO ?
(A) Vikrant (B) Vayuyan (C) Tejas (D) Astra (E) None of these (Ans : C)
34. Which of the following is a 2,000-year - old - UNESCO - recognised classical dance-drama form from the Kerala which is feared to face extinction soon ?
(A) Koodiyattam (B) Kuchipudi (C) Kolattam (D) Kathak (E) Kathakali (Ans : A)
35. The 'International Day of Older Persons' is observed every year on–
(A) 31st October (B) 21st October (C) 11th October (D) 1st October (E) 19th September (Ans : D)
36. Which of the following authrities is responsible for maintaining accounts, cash deposits and bank management at the government through issue of bonds and Treasury bills?
(A) SEBI (B) IBA (C) IRDA (D) SBI (E) RBI (Ans : E)
37. The Oscar-winning music composer A. R. Rahman has a street named after him in–
(A) Spain (B) Canada (C) United States of America (D) France (E) Germany (Ans : B)
38. Who is the winner of Australian Grand Prix 2014?
(A) Kevin Magnussen (B) Sergio Perez (C) Fernando Alonso (D) Nico Rosberg (E) Felipe Massa (Ans : D)
39. President Shri Pranab Mukherjee while addressing the joint session of parliament on June 14, 2014, spoke about five 'T's, three Ds and three Ss. In this context the Ss represent–
(A) Society, Secularism and Soundness (B) Size, Safety and Security (C) Simplicity, Sincerity and Seriousness
(D) Skill, Speed and Scale (E) Shelter, San city and Straightforwardness (Ans : D)
40. Which of the following state has Camel has its official animal?
(A) Maharashtra (B) Madhya Pradesh (C) Odisha (D) Rajasthan (E) Haryana (Ans : D)
- 1. Subarna Rekha Multipurpose Project (SMP) was started with a purpose to reduce losses due to flood in 1962 and for the distribution of land among the affected people. The states included in the project are–
(A) Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal (B) Odisha, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (C) Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal
(D) Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal (E) Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal (Ans : D)
2. The Caparo group has won the International Business of the Year Award 2014 at the Asian Business Award Midlands in Birmingham. The group is founded by leading NRI industrialist–
(A) S. P. Singh Oberoi (B) Srichand Hinduja (C) Gopichand Hinduja (D) Lord Swraj Paul (E) Lakshmi Mittal (Ans : D)
3. Which of the following is a part of the core sector?
(A) Textiles (B) Chemicals (C) Real Estate (D) Machine manufacturing (E) Food Processing (Ans : D)
4. National Institute of Bank Management is the Institution meant for–
(A) All those given as options (B) providing management personnel to the Banks (C) training of bank employees in Banking
(D) providing consultancies on best practices in bank management (E) recruitment of Bank employees at all levels (Ans : D)
5. Recently India has decided to introduce plastic currency notes. A number of other countries are 'already' using plastic notes, but the pioneer in this field is–
(A) Sweden (B) England (C) France (D) United States of America (E) Australia (Ans : E)
6. Which airlines was recently joined by the Tata group?
(A) Pan Am (B) Lufthansa (C) Emirates Airline (D) Air Asia (E) Air France (Ans : D)
7. As per the rankings released by the UNCTAD in its World Investment Report 2014 in respect of most favoured destinations for investment by transnational corporations, India stands at the–
(A) Fifth position (B) Third position (C) Seventh position (D) Fourth position (E) Sixth position (Ans : D)
8. Telangana has recently became the 29th state of India. Which of the following statements regarding the state is 'not' true?
(A) It shares boundaries with Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra (B) It is the 12th largest state of the country in terms of population
(C) It is the first state to be carved out on a linguistic basis (D) It is the 12th largest state of the country in terms of area
(E) It has 119 seats in the assembly and 40 seats in the council (Ans : C)
9. Which of the following device is developed by DRDO and is a light weight, multi role, single engine tactical fighter aircraft?
(A) Prithvi (B) Prahar (C) Akash (D) Brahmos (E) Tejas (Ans : E)
10. Which of the following is a sovereign instrument with a fixed coupon (payable on a specified date or half yearly), issued by Reserve Bank for market borrowing programme of the Government of India ?
(A) Fixed Deposits (B) Dated Government Securities (C) Debentures (D) Bonds (E) Equity shares of PSBs (Ans : B)
11. As per a notification recently published in the gazette by the Union Water Resources Ministry, the new chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is–
(A) Justice B. Rajendran (B) Justice B. S. Chauhan (C) Justice B. R. Sarangi
(D) Justice B. N. Kripal (E) Justice B. N. Srikrishna (Ans : B)
12. The Minister for 'Health and Family Welfare' in the Union Cabinet is–
(A) Shrimati Maneka Gandhi (B) Ms. Uma Bharati (C) Shrimati Sushma Swaraj
(D) Jagat Prakash Nadda (E) Dr. Najma Heptulla (Ans : D)
13. A bond issued at a price less than its face value and payable on its due date at its face value bearing no ROI (Rate of Interest) is called–
(A) Preference Bond (B) Zero Coupon Bond (C) Convertible Bond (D) Perpetual Band (E) Sovereign Bond (Ans : B)
14. Recently, with which one of the following countries India has signed a joint statement named Druzhba-Dosti ?
(A) Nepal (B) China (C) Russia (D) Bhutan (E) Myanmar (Ans : C)
15. Axis Bank was formerly known as–
(A) YES Bank (B) UTI Bank (C) City Union Bank (D) HDFC Bank (E) Centurion Bank (Ans : B)
16. Recently, India has signed a first APA agreement with Japanese company. What does APA Stands for?
(A) Advance Pricing Agreement (B) Advance Perform Agreement (C) Advance Purchase Agreement
(D) Advance Procure Agreement (E) None of these (Ans : A)
17. The company ‘Associated Journals Limited' (AJL) is the publisher of now-defunct daily newspaper–
(A) Young India (B) The Independent (C) Amrit Bazaar Patrika (D) Bombay Chronicle (E) National herald (Ans : E)
18. One rupee note bears the signature of–
(A) President of India (B) Vice President of India (C) Finance Secretary (D) Finance Minister (E) Commerce Minister (Ans : C)
19. As per census 2011, the total urban population of India is 377.1 million. The state having the highest urban population of 50.8 million (13.5% of country's urban population) is–
(A) Uttarakhand (B) Tamil Nadu (C) Uttar Pradesh (D) Maharashtra (E) Gujarat (Ans : D)
20. A cheque bearing the date earlier than the date of submission to the bank is known as–
(A) Bearer Cheque (B) State Cheque (C) Crossed Cheque (D) Post Dated Cheque (E) Anti Dated Cheque (Ans : E)
21. The next Commonwealth Summit in 2015 shall be held in–
(A) Malta (B) India (C) Sri Lanka (D) Maldives (E) Mauritius (Ans : A)
22. Liquidity is injected by the RBI in the economy through which of the following mechanisms ?
(A) Change in Bank Rate (B) REPO (C) Increase in SLR (D) Through Liquidity Adjustment Facility (E) Increase in CRR (Ans : B)
23. The 'Glimpses of India' Festival showcasing Indian Performing arts, Modern Indian art, Buddhist artifacts and heritage, food and films etc., were organised in 12 cities of–
(A) China (B) Europe (C) Australia (D) Russia (E) Japan (Ans : A)
24. Which of the following institutions has recently been allowed mandate for grant of banking business license by the RBI ?
(A) IDFC (B) LIC Housing (C) L & T Finance (D) Bandhan Finance (E) Both (A) and (D) (Ans : E)
25. A Credit Guarantee Test Fund has been setup for guaranteeing Collateral Free Facilities by lending institutions to small scale industries. This fund is being managed by which of the following institutions?
(A) IDBI (B) NABARD (C) SBI (D) SIDBI (E) RBI (Ans : D)
26. Japan has recently amended its pacifist constitution giving more powers to military. As a reason for amending the constitution, Japan has cited its dispute over Diaoyu Islands with–
(A) China (B) Vietnam (C) Singapore (D) Philippines (E) New Zealand (Ans : A)
27. Legendary Stock Investor Warren Buffett calls the futures and options segment of the investment market is a weapons of–
(A) Mass Financial Inclusion (B) Mass Financial Destruction (C) None of these
(D) Mass Financial Investment (E) Mass Financial Involvement (Ans : B)
28. Latest Institution in providing Institutional Financial Assistance to Women Entrepreneurs is–
(A) Rural Women Self Help Group (B) National Credit Fund for Women (C) Bharatiya Mahila Bank
(D) All those given as options (E) Mahila Sarnridhi Kosh (Ans : C)
29. The national capital of the Sweden is–
(A) Belfast (B) Rome (C) Berne (D) Stockholm (E) Kingstown (Ans : D)
30. Major internet companies are now encrypting all e-mails. For this they usually rely on a form of encryption known as the TLS. The abbreviation TLS stands for–
(A) Transit Layer Security (B) Through Layer Security (C) Transparent Layer Security
(D) Transport Layer Security (E) Temporary Layer Security (Ans : D)
31. Which of the following is one of the main functions of RBI?
(A) Regulations of the Stock Markets (B) Regulation of Life Insurance (C) Regulation of General Insurance
(D) Regulation of Mutual Funds in India (E) Banker's Bank (Ans : E)
32. Ryder Cup is awarded to the players of–
(A) Golf (B) Baseball (C) Basketball (D) Cards (E) Cricket (Ans : A)
33. Which indigenous plane was developed by DRDO ?
(A) Vikrant (B) Vayuyan (C) Tejas (D) Astra (E) None of these (Ans : C)
34. Which of the following is a 2,000-year - old - UNESCO - recognised classical dance-drama form from the Kerala which is feared to face extinction soon ?
(A) Koodiyattam (B) Kuchipudi (C) Kolattam (D) Kathak (E) Kathakali (Ans : A)
35. The 'International Day of Older Persons' is observed every year on–
(A) 31st October (B) 21st October (C) 11th October (D) 1st October (E) 19th September (Ans : D)
36. Which of the following authrities is responsible for maintaining accounts, cash deposits and bank management at the government through issue of bonds and Treasury bills?
(A) SEBI (B) IBA (C) IRDA (D) SBI (E) RBI (Ans : E)
37. The Oscar-winning music composer A. R. Rahman has a street named after him in–
(A) Spain (B) Canada (C) United States of America (D) France (E) Germany (Ans : B)
38. Who is the winner of Australian Grand Prix 2014?
(A) Kevin Magnussen (B) Sergio Perez (C) Fernando Alonso (D) Nico Rosberg (E) Felipe Massa (Ans : D)
39. President Shri Pranab Mukherjee while addressing the joint session of parliament on June 14, 2014, spoke about five 'T's, three Ds and three Ss. In this context the Ss represent–
(A) Society, Secularism and Soundness (B) Size, Safety and Security (C) Simplicity, Sincerity and Seriousness
(D) Skill, Speed and Scale (E) Shelter, San city and Straightforwardness (Ans : D)
40. Which of the following state has Camel has its official animal?
(A) Maharashtra (B) Madhya Pradesh (C) Odisha (D) Rajasthan (E) Haryana (Ans : D)
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