General Affairs
United Nations Defends Response To Terrorism In Wake Of Criticism By PM Modi
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UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations has defended its stance against terrorism saying it is certainly trying to take a "responsible attitude" in dealing with the menace, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the world body over the issue.
"We certainly are trying to take a responsible attitude in terms of dealing with terrorism and the spectre of terrorism worldwide. The UN encourages international solidarity against terrorism in all its aspects, whether it is terrorist bombings or terrorist financing," Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Farhan Haq, told news agency PTI.
Mr Haq was asked about the UN Chief's response to PM Modi's sharp criticism in Brussels last week when the Indian leader had said the world body does not know what terrorism is and how to deal with it.
Mr Haq said in the next few days, the UN will hold a meeting in Geneva on the need to prevent and to counter violent extremism.
"And the Secretary-General will be speaking at that - in terms of the specific measures that we've been talking about, in terms of handling violent extremism and its spread throughout the world, and the Secretary-General will speak at that in just a few days from now," he said.
PM Modi's visit to Brussels came just days after terror group ISIS carried out attacks that ripped through the departure area of the international airport and a subway station in the busy morning hours in the Belgian capital.
The attack left over 30 people dead and many more injured.
Addressing a gathering of Indian community in Brussels, PM Modi had said that the UN has all means and mechanism to deal with war but does not know what the definition of terrorism is and how to address it.
He also warned that the UN will become irrelevant if it does not come up with appropriate response to deal with the scourge.
He pointed out that India has been pleading with the UN for years to define terrorism, a terrorist and who helps terrorists.
"I don't know when the UN will do so and how it will do so but given the emerging situation, if solutions are not found to this (problem), then it does not take time for an institution to become irrelevant," he had said.
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations has defended its stance against terrorism saying it is certainly trying to take a "responsible attitude" in dealing with the menace, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the world body over the issue."We certainly are trying to take a responsible attitude in terms of dealing with terrorism and the spectre of terrorism worldwide. The UN encourages international solidarity against terrorism in all its aspects, whether it is terrorist bombings or terrorist financing," Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Farhan Haq, told news agency PTI.
Mr Haq was asked about the UN Chief's response to PM Modi's sharp criticism in Brussels last week when the Indian leader had said the world body does not know what terrorism is and how to deal with it.
Mr Haq said in the next few days, the UN will hold a meeting in Geneva on the need to prevent and to counter violent extremism.
"And the Secretary-General will be speaking at that - in terms of the specific measures that we've been talking about, in terms of handling violent extremism and its spread throughout the world, and the Secretary-General will speak at that in just a few days from now," he said.
PM Modi's visit to Brussels came just days after terror group ISIS carried out attacks that ripped through the departure area of the international airport and a subway station in the busy morning hours in the Belgian capital.
The attack left over 30 people dead and many more injured.
Addressing a gathering of Indian community in Brussels, PM Modi had said that the UN has all means and mechanism to deal with war but does not know what the definition of terrorism is and how to address it.
He also warned that the UN will become irrelevant if it does not come up with appropriate response to deal with the scourge.
He pointed out that India has been pleading with the UN for years to define terrorism, a terrorist and who helps terrorists.
"I don't know when the UN will do so and how it will do so but given the emerging situation, if solutions are not found to this (problem), then it does not take time for an institution to become irrelevant," he had said.
Modi Government's Pak Policy In Shambles: Former PM Manmohan Singh
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GUWAHATI: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the Narendra Modi government's Pakistan policy is "in shambles" and accused it of "failing miserably to honour its solemn promise to the people of the country."
"The (Modi) government's policy towards Pakistan is in shambles. Terrorists from Pakistan continue to operate freely not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Punjab and other neighbouring states," Dr Singh, who represented Assam in Rajya Sabha for 10 years, told a Congress election rally.
"The recent attack on Pathankot airbase is the most recent evidence of our vulnerability," he said.
"On the economic front, agriculture in the last two years has been stagnant bringing large scale distress to Indian farmers", he said.
Continuing to hit out at PM Modi, Dr Singh said his foreign trips have been projected as great achievements "though everybody knows that these have yielded nothing yet."
Raking up PM Modi's promise before the Lok Sabha polls to bring back black money kept by Indians in foreign banks, Dr Singh said ironically the government "failed miserably to honour its solemn promise to the people of India."
"This is what the dream-merchant is selling all the time" and his (PM Modi's) list of promises is "endless", he said.
"All he (Modi) achieved in these two years is that he has forced crores of people to open bank accounts. But people are asking what will they do with bank accounts when they have nothing to keep in the bank.
"There is a saying in English that action speaks louder than words. However, it seems Modiji forgot this basic tenet of public life," he said.
"There is now a deliberate attempt to befool the people by bringing "non-issues as issues of great importance," he asserted.
Referring to the country's economic scenario under the BJP government at the Centre, Dr Singh said industrial production has been stagnant and as a result there is no sign of growth of employment, while exports have continued to decline month after month in the last 15 months.
Urging people of Assam to give a "strong mandate" to Congress, he said this would take the development of the state to a new high.
"Whenever the reins of the state was given to a non-Congress party, the state suffered enormously," he added.
"The (Modi) government's policy towards Pakistan is in shambles. Terrorists from Pakistan continue to operate freely not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in Punjab and other neighbouring states," Dr Singh, who represented Assam in Rajya Sabha for 10 years, told a Congress election rally.
"On the economic front, agriculture in the last two years has been stagnant bringing large scale distress to Indian farmers", he said.
Continuing to hit out at PM Modi, Dr Singh said his foreign trips have been projected as great achievements "though everybody knows that these have yielded nothing yet."
Raking up PM Modi's promise before the Lok Sabha polls to bring back black money kept by Indians in foreign banks, Dr Singh said ironically the government "failed miserably to honour its solemn promise to the people of India."
"This is what the dream-merchant is selling all the time" and his (PM Modi's) list of promises is "endless", he said.
"All he (Modi) achieved in these two years is that he has forced crores of people to open bank accounts. But people are asking what will they do with bank accounts when they have nothing to keep in the bank.
"There is a saying in English that action speaks louder than words. However, it seems Modiji forgot this basic tenet of public life," he said.
"There is now a deliberate attempt to befool the people by bringing "non-issues as issues of great importance," he asserted.
Referring to the country's economic scenario under the BJP government at the Centre, Dr Singh said industrial production has been stagnant and as a result there is no sign of growth of employment, while exports have continued to decline month after month in the last 15 months.
Urging people of Assam to give a "strong mandate" to Congress, he said this would take the development of the state to a new high.
"Whenever the reins of the state was given to a non-Congress party, the state suffered enormously," he added.
Over 84 Per Cent Voter Turnout In Bengal First Phase Polls: Election Commission
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KOLKATA: The Election Commission today said over 84 per cent voters turned out to cast their ballots in 18 constituencies in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls on April 4.
Among the 18 seats -- nine in Purulia, three in Bankura and six in West Medinipur -- across three districts, Salboni constituency topped the list with the maximum voter turnout of 90.18 per cent.
Purulia constituency had the lowest voter turnout of 79.76 per cent.
According to the Election Commission report, voter turnout in the nine constituencies in Purulia was comparatively less than in Bankura and Paschim Medinipur.
Regarding the next date of polls in 31 constituencies to be conducted in April 11, the Election Commission today said more than 69 lakh (69,90,900) voters across 8,465 polling stations would decide the fate of 163 candidates.
In the third phase, among 62 constituencies spread across Murshidabad, Nadia and Kolkata-North, 421 nominations have been filed till Tuesday, and two of them were rejected, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said.
He said 138 nominations as on Tuesday were filed in 49 constituencies in 24 Parganas (North) and Howrah districts for the fourth phase, and 37 nominations were filed for 53 seats in 24 Parganas (South), Hooghly and Kolkata-South for the fifth phase.
Asked about Trinamool Congress candidate and Saradha scam accused Madan Mitra's plea before the Election Commission for parole to campaign in the polls, he said: "The question of parole does not arise. Parole is considered for a convicted, he is not. He is an accused... this does not apply to him."
Mr Sarkar also said complaints were received against Trinamool candidate Sabyasachi Dutta about his alleged links with the syndicate mafia. The complaints have been forwarded to the Election Commission of India.
KOLKATA: The Election Commission today said over 84 per cent voters turned out to cast their ballots in 18 constituencies in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls on April 4.Among the 18 seats -- nine in Purulia, three in Bankura and six in West Medinipur -- across three districts, Salboni constituency topped the list with the maximum voter turnout of 90.18 per cent.
Purulia constituency had the lowest voter turnout of 79.76 per cent.
According to the Election Commission report, voter turnout in the nine constituencies in Purulia was comparatively less than in Bankura and Paschim Medinipur.
Regarding the next date of polls in 31 constituencies to be conducted in April 11, the Election Commission today said more than 69 lakh (69,90,900) voters across 8,465 polling stations would decide the fate of 163 candidates.
In the third phase, among 62 constituencies spread across Murshidabad, Nadia and Kolkata-North, 421 nominations have been filed till Tuesday, and two of them were rejected, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said.
He said 138 nominations as on Tuesday were filed in 49 constituencies in 24 Parganas (North) and Howrah districts for the fourth phase, and 37 nominations were filed for 53 seats in 24 Parganas (South), Hooghly and Kolkata-South for the fifth phase.
Asked about Trinamool Congress candidate and Saradha scam accused Madan Mitra's plea before the Election Commission for parole to campaign in the polls, he said: "The question of parole does not arise. Parole is considered for a convicted, he is not. He is an accused... this does not apply to him."
Mr Sarkar also said complaints were received against Trinamool candidate Sabyasachi Dutta about his alleged links with the syndicate mafia. The complaints have been forwarded to the Election Commission of India.
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia Condemn Police Action At NIT Srinagar
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NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today condemned the police action against students at the NIT Srinagar.
Alleging that students are being "targeted" across the country, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said when countries across the world are building their future in colleges, "we are probably the only country" where students are being lathicharged on "daily basis".
Mr Kejriwal tweeted that the BJP is beating those who are "chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai" in Kashmir, while doing the same against those "who are not" raising the slogan in the rest of the country.
"Lathi charge on students in Srinagar is highly condemnable. BJP-PDP must stop this immediately," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief tweeted.
The AAP has questioned the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir saying it betrays "duplicity" on the part of the BJP.
"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, students are being targeted in such a way that it seems they lie at the root of all the problems being faced the country," Mr Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio in Delhi, tweeted.
The NIT Srinagar campus has been gripped by tension following clashes among students over the Indian cricket team's loss against West Indies in the T20 World Cup last week.
Unrest was witnessed again yesterday with outstation students expressing a sense of insecurity and attempting to leave the campus, leading to a confrontation with police which resorted to lathicharge in which some were injured.
Alleging that students are being "targeted" across the country, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said when countries across the world are building their future in colleges, "we are probably the only country" where students are being lathicharged on "daily basis".
"Lathi charge on students in Srinagar is highly condemnable. BJP-PDP must stop this immediately," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief tweeted.
The AAP has questioned the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir saying it betrays "duplicity" on the part of the BJP.
"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, students are being targeted in such a way that it seems they lie at the root of all the problems being faced the country," Mr Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio in Delhi, tweeted.
The NIT Srinagar campus has been gripped by tension following clashes among students over the Indian cricket team's loss against West Indies in the T20 World Cup last week.
Unrest was witnessed again yesterday with outstation students expressing a sense of insecurity and attempting to leave the campus, leading to a confrontation with police which resorted to lathicharge in which some were injured.
Designation Of Anyone As Terrorist By UN Serious Issue: Chinese Official
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NEW DELHI: Insisting that designation of any individual as terrorist by UN is a "serious issue", a senior Chinese official today said there was a need for more evidence from India for better understanding to ban JeM chief and Pathankot strike mastermind Masood Azhar by the global body.
Liu Jinsong, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister at the Chinese Embassy, justified China's action on India's bid against the Pakistan-based terrorist and said his country can't be the judge to decide who is right and who is wrong on the issue.
"At the UN, this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss (on the issue), we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries.
"Pakistan is not your enemy right? It's your brothers, it's your neighbour. It is a nation (born) from one nation. You were one family before. You can't move neighbours. And you can have a new boyfriend or a girlfriend tomorrow, but you can't have your neighbours changed," Mr Liu said when asked about the Chinese action.
Last week, China stopped UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case "did not meet the requirements" of the Security Council. This is not the first time China has blocked India's bid to get Pakistan-based militant groups and leaders proscribed by the UN.
"Pakistan says India's position is not good for them, it is against Pakistan. But India says its position is in its national interest. China can't be the judge (to decide) who is right, who is wrong. With Pakistan, we are good friends. With India, we are also good friends," said Mr Liu.
The Chinese official further said "We can't be on any side. We can't stick to one side. We can't veto, we can't (remain) absent. Only thing we can do is (to put it on a) technical hold."
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comment that there cannot be any distinction between good and bad terrorists, he said China endorses the view and complimented him for trying to improve ties with Pakistan.
"Our view is Prime Minister Modi's view... There is no good or bad terrorists. So there should not be any kind of double standard.
"At the UN this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss, we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries," the official said, adding "we are very pleased to say that Prime Minister Modi tried to do his best to improve relations with Pakistan. We like our two neighbours-- India and Pakistan."
Mr Liu said India and Pakistan must engage in talks.
"We always tell our Indian friends (that) if you mention something related to Pakistan then why don't you have some bilateral talks. You can have some agreement, you can have some close door argument," he said.
NEW DELHI: Insisting that designation of any individual as terrorist by UN is a "serious issue", a senior Chinese official today said there was a need for more evidence from India for better understanding to ban JeM chief and Pathankot strike mastermind Masood Azhar by the global body.Liu Jinsong, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister at the Chinese Embassy, justified China's action on India's bid against the Pakistan-based terrorist and said his country can't be the judge to decide who is right and who is wrong on the issue.
"At the UN, this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss (on the issue), we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries.
"Pakistan is not your enemy right? It's your brothers, it's your neighbour. It is a nation (born) from one nation. You were one family before. You can't move neighbours. And you can have a new boyfriend or a girlfriend tomorrow, but you can't have your neighbours changed," Mr Liu said when asked about the Chinese action.
Last week, China stopped UN sanctions committee from designating Azhar as terrorist, maintaining that the case "did not meet the requirements" of the Security Council. This is not the first time China has blocked India's bid to get Pakistan-based militant groups and leaders proscribed by the UN.
"Pakistan says India's position is not good for them, it is against Pakistan. But India says its position is in its national interest. China can't be the judge (to decide) who is right, who is wrong. With Pakistan, we are good friends. With India, we are also good friends," said Mr Liu.
The Chinese official further said "We can't be on any side. We can't stick to one side. We can't veto, we can't (remain) absent. Only thing we can do is (to put it on a) technical hold."
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comment that there cannot be any distinction between good and bad terrorists, he said China endorses the view and complimented him for trying to improve ties with Pakistan.
"Our view is Prime Minister Modi's view... There is no good or bad terrorists. So there should not be any kind of double standard.
"At the UN this is a very serious issue. We need to discuss, we need some kind of understanding from the related countries, concerned countries," the official said, adding "we are very pleased to say that Prime Minister Modi tried to do his best to improve relations with Pakistan. We like our two neighbours-- India and Pakistan."
Mr Liu said India and Pakistan must engage in talks.
"We always tell our Indian friends (that) if you mention something related to Pakistan then why don't you have some bilateral talks. You can have some agreement, you can have some close door argument," he said.
Business Affairs
Sensex ends flat, Nifty above 7,600 after biggest drop in two months; Tata Steel top gainer
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After over 500-point fall in the previous session, the S&P BSE Sensex ended flat below its crucial psychological level of 25,000 on Wednesday, while broader CNX Nifty managed to hold above its key 7,600-mark.
The headline indices were little changed tracking modest gains seen in Asian markets as soft economic data from the United States and Europe cast a shadow on the global economic outlook.
The 30-share index ended the day at 24,900, up 17.04 points, while broad-based 50-share index quoted 7,614, up 11.15 points at close.
Market breadth remained positive with 20 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in green.
Tata Steel was the best performing stock on both the benchmark indices and gained over 5 per cent.
Broader sentiment in the market remained cautious as companies gear up to report their quarterly earnings.
Investors will parse January-March earnings reports for clues on corporate growth, with analysts already cutting projections for the quarter, due to a surge in bad loans for Indian banks, oil price slump and weak global demand.
A weak quarter could hit sentiment further after the Reserve Bank of India failed to impress markets on Tuesday by cutting interest rates by 25 basis points, as some had hoped the central bank would act more boldly.
Traders said global factors would also impact trading in the next few sessions as Asian stocks held near three-week lows on Wednesday due to concerns about the underlying strength of the Chinese economy.
"For the next few days, global cues will take prominence after which the results season will dominate and expectations will start building up based on earnings," said Rikesh Parikh, vice-president of equities at Motilal Oswal Securities.
Tata Steel surged 5.2 per cent after the British government opened talks on Tuesday with potential buyers for the company's UK operations.
RPG Life Sciences jumped 13.92 per cent after the drug maker received good manufacturing practice certificate from the Bavarian Authority for its formulation facility at Ankleshwar in the state of Gujarat.
Among Asian markets, China's Shanghai Composite ended with a downtick of 0.08 per cent, Japan's Nikkei shed 0.11 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index bucked the trend to gain 0.15 per cent.
After over 500-point fall in the previous session, the S&P BSE Sensex ended flat below its crucial psychological level of 25,000 on Wednesday, while broader CNX Nifty managed to hold above its key 7,600-mark.
The headline indices were little changed tracking modest gains seen in Asian markets as soft economic data from the United States and Europe cast a shadow on the global economic outlook.
The 30-share index ended the day at 24,900, up 17.04 points, while broad-based 50-share index quoted 7,614, up 11.15 points at close.
Market breadth remained positive with 20 of the 30 Sensex components ending the day in green.
Tata Steel was the best performing stock on both the benchmark indices and gained over 5 per cent.
Broader sentiment in the market remained cautious as companies gear up to report their quarterly earnings.
Investors will parse January-March earnings reports for clues on corporate growth, with analysts already cutting projections for the quarter, due to a surge in bad loans for Indian banks, oil price slump and weak global demand.
A weak quarter could hit sentiment further after the Reserve Bank of India failed to impress markets on Tuesday by cutting interest rates by 25 basis points, as some had hoped the central bank would act more boldly.
Traders said global factors would also impact trading in the next few sessions as Asian stocks held near three-week lows on Wednesday due to concerns about the underlying strength of the Chinese economy.
"For the next few days, global cues will take prominence after which the results season will dominate and expectations will start building up based on earnings," said Rikesh Parikh, vice-president of equities at Motilal Oswal Securities.
Tata Steel surged 5.2 per cent after the British government opened talks on Tuesday with potential buyers for the company's UK operations.
RPG Life Sciences jumped 13.92 per cent after the drug maker received good manufacturing practice certificate from the Bavarian Authority for its formulation facility at Ankleshwar in the state of Gujarat.
Among Asian markets, China's Shanghai Composite ended with a downtick of 0.08 per cent, Japan's Nikkei shed 0.11 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index bucked the trend to gain 0.15 per cent.
Tata Motors to resize diesel engines to skirt ban
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Tata Motors is reducing the size of its diesel engines to skirt a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel-powered cars in New Delhi as the government seeks to reduce toxic smog in the capital city.
The Delhi government ban on the sale of cars with diesel engine capacity higher than 2 litres was imposed in December and has hurt carmakers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Motor Corp.
The ban, initially imposed until March 31, has been extended by the Supreme Court, which has also indicated that it could levy an additional tax on the sale of diesel cars. The next hearing is later this month.
A lack of clarity on when the ban might be lifted and carmakers' fears that it could be a precursor to a nationwide ban has prompted companies to consider ways around the ban.
Tata is re-engineering its existing engines to bring them below 2 litres, Girish Wagh, senior vice president of programme planning and project management at the company's passenger vehicle operation, said on Wednesday.
Wagh did not say how much the move would cost the company or a date when it expects to introduce the new engines.
"A completely new engine takes almost or more than a year to come, but since this is something more innovative ... this will be done much faster," Wagh said.
The re-engineered engines are only for Tata vehicles and not those made by its luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover.
Mahindra & Mahindra in January launched 1.99 litre diesel engines to counter the ban and is working on developing petrol engines for most of its vehicles.
Earlier on Wednesday Tata Motors, top automaker by revenue, launched its Tiago hatchback. The car was originally slated to be called the Zica, short for Zippy Car, but was renamed after the outbreak of the similar-sounding Zika virus.
The car's starting price of Rs 320,000 ($4,800) undercuts similar vehicles by rivals such as Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai Motor and is equipped with features such as an touchscreen infotainment system and rear parking sensors in an effort to revive sluggish domestic sales.
Tata's passenger vehicle sales for the year to March 31 grew by 2 per cent, compared with 11 per cent growth for market leader Maruti.
Shares in Tata Motors closed 1.7 per cent higher on Wednesday in a flat Mumbai market.
Tata Motors is reducing the size of its diesel engines to skirt a temporary ban on the sale of large diesel-powered cars in New Delhi as the government seeks to reduce toxic smog in the capital city.
The Delhi government ban on the sale of cars with diesel engine capacity higher than 2 litres was imposed in December and has hurt carmakers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Motor Corp.
The ban, initially imposed until March 31, has been extended by the Supreme Court, which has also indicated that it could levy an additional tax on the sale of diesel cars. The next hearing is later this month.
A lack of clarity on when the ban might be lifted and carmakers' fears that it could be a precursor to a nationwide ban has prompted companies to consider ways around the ban.
Tata is re-engineering its existing engines to bring them below 2 litres, Girish Wagh, senior vice president of programme planning and project management at the company's passenger vehicle operation, said on Wednesday.
Wagh did not say how much the move would cost the company or a date when it expects to introduce the new engines.
"A completely new engine takes almost or more than a year to come, but since this is something more innovative ... this will be done much faster," Wagh said.
The re-engineered engines are only for Tata vehicles and not those made by its luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover.
Mahindra & Mahindra in January launched 1.99 litre diesel engines to counter the ban and is working on developing petrol engines for most of its vehicles.
Earlier on Wednesday Tata Motors, top automaker by revenue, launched its Tiago hatchback. The car was originally slated to be called the Zica, short for Zippy Car, but was renamed after the outbreak of the similar-sounding Zika virus.
The car's starting price of Rs 320,000 ($4,800) undercuts similar vehicles by rivals such as Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai Motor and is equipped with features such as an touchscreen infotainment system and rear parking sensors in an effort to revive sluggish domestic sales.
Tata's passenger vehicle sales for the year to March 31 grew by 2 per cent, compared with 11 per cent growth for market leader Maruti.
Shares in Tata Motors closed 1.7 per cent higher on Wednesday in a flat Mumbai market.
Cabinet nod to liberalise spectrum at Trai rates; RCom gains
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The Union Cabinet has cleared liberalisation of spectrum - allocated without auction to telecom companies - at Trai recommended price with the balance being collected after deriving market rate through bidding.
The Cabinet decision taken today will enable Reliance Communications (RCom) to liberalise its spectrum in four telecom circles, where auction determined price is not available, for Rs 1,300 crore.
A liberalised spectrum allows telecom operators to use any technology to deliver mobile services like 3G and 4G. Besides, they will be able to introduce new technologies and share and trade it with other operators for its efficient use.
"The meaning of this Cabinet decision is that wherever administratively allocated spectrum is available, whose liberalisation is sought and whose market determined price is not available, then in that case Trai's recommendation on auction for price shall be taken as provisional standard and after actual auction, the balance will be taken," Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
Earlier, telecom firms were given 4.4 MHz spectrum alongwith licence for Rs 1,658 crore for pan-India operations and later they were entitled to get another 1.8 MHz on fulfilment of certain subscriber-based criteria. Some telecom operators were allocated even more spectrum after qualifying some criteria without auction.
Spectrum allocated in this manner could be used only to provide service as allowed in the licence.
The previous government had decided that the operators should pay for holding spectrum above 6.2 MHz retrospectively, from July 2008 to January 1, 2013.
After that, for spectrum above 4.4 MHz, they would have to pay for the remaining period of their licences based on auction held in November 2012.
Prasad said the Cabinet had earlier decided that liberalisation of spectrum will be done on the basis of market determined price.
"It was found that in 800 Mhz spectrum band, market price was not available in many states. Like in some places it was not available for sale and in some it was not sold (in auction). There was a view that such question can arise in case of other spectrum band as well," he said.
Prasad said that the government sought recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on this issue.
Trai suggested that government can provisionally liberalise spectrum on price suggested by it for auction and take undertaking from companies that it will adjust rest of the price when actual auction takes place.
"Since the Cabinet decided to liberalise spectrum on market determined price. So we sought this convenience from Cabinet that in future if such situation arises then we act as per recommendation of Trai so that we need not approach Cabinet time and again," Prasad said.
"Based on the recommendations of Trai, a sum of Rs 1,300 crore likely to accrue by this process," a government spokesperson tweeted.
RCom had applied for liberalising its 800 MHz spectrum in 20 circles a few months back. The company had already paid Rs 5,383.84 crore as spectrum liberalisation fee for 16 telecom circles.
Inter-ministerial panel Telecom Commission has backed liberalisation of 800 MHz spectrum in circles where a market-determined price is not available.
The four RCom circles are -- Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu -- where a market determined price was not available in the 800 MHz band.
The Cabinet approval allow RCom to liberalise its spectrum in the four circles by paying about Rs 1,300 crore.
As per previous decision, DoT had issued demand notice to telecom operators on January 9,2013. The government expected to get Rs 4,251.83 crore from retrospective charges, and Rs 18,925.82 from prospective charges for excess radio waves held by mobile operators at that time.
In all, around Rs 23,177 crore was expected from levy of one-time spectrum fee in 2013.
State-owned BSNL was issued demand of around Rs 6,912 crore, followed by Bharti Airtel Rs 5,201 crore, Vodafone Rs 3,599 crore, MTNL Rs 3,205 crore, Idea Cellular Rs 2,113 crore (includes Rs 231.5 crore of Spice), Aircel Rs 1,365 crore (includes Rs 14 crore of Dishnet), Loop Mobile Rs 606 crore and Reliance Communications Rs 173 crore for liberalisation.
The government has also given option to telecom operators who are not willing to pay the one-time fee to surrender their additional and excess spectrum.
However, telecom operators have challenged the decision and is still sub-judice.
The Union Cabinet has cleared liberalisation of spectrum - allocated without auction to telecom companies - at Trai recommended price with the balance being collected after deriving market rate through bidding.
The Cabinet decision taken today will enable Reliance Communications (RCom) to liberalise its spectrum in four telecom circles, where auction determined price is not available, for Rs 1,300 crore.
A liberalised spectrum allows telecom operators to use any technology to deliver mobile services like 3G and 4G. Besides, they will be able to introduce new technologies and share and trade it with other operators for its efficient use.
"The meaning of this Cabinet decision is that wherever administratively allocated spectrum is available, whose liberalisation is sought and whose market determined price is not available, then in that case Trai's recommendation on auction for price shall be taken as provisional standard and after actual auction, the balance will be taken," Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
Earlier, telecom firms were given 4.4 MHz spectrum alongwith licence for Rs 1,658 crore for pan-India operations and later they were entitled to get another 1.8 MHz on fulfilment of certain subscriber-based criteria. Some telecom operators were allocated even more spectrum after qualifying some criteria without auction.
Spectrum allocated in this manner could be used only to provide service as allowed in the licence.
The previous government had decided that the operators should pay for holding spectrum above 6.2 MHz retrospectively, from July 2008 to January 1, 2013.
After that, for spectrum above 4.4 MHz, they would have to pay for the remaining period of their licences based on auction held in November 2012.
Prasad said the Cabinet had earlier decided that liberalisation of spectrum will be done on the basis of market determined price.
"It was found that in 800 Mhz spectrum band, market price was not available in many states. Like in some places it was not available for sale and in some it was not sold (in auction). There was a view that such question can arise in case of other spectrum band as well," he said.
Prasad said that the government sought recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on this issue.
Trai suggested that government can provisionally liberalise spectrum on price suggested by it for auction and take undertaking from companies that it will adjust rest of the price when actual auction takes place.
"Since the Cabinet decided to liberalise spectrum on market determined price. So we sought this convenience from Cabinet that in future if such situation arises then we act as per recommendation of Trai so that we need not approach Cabinet time and again," Prasad said.
"Based on the recommendations of Trai, a sum of Rs 1,300 crore likely to accrue by this process," a government spokesperson tweeted.
RCom had applied for liberalising its 800 MHz spectrum in 20 circles a few months back. The company had already paid Rs 5,383.84 crore as spectrum liberalisation fee for 16 telecom circles.
Inter-ministerial panel Telecom Commission has backed liberalisation of 800 MHz spectrum in circles where a market-determined price is not available.
The four RCom circles are -- Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu -- where a market determined price was not available in the 800 MHz band.
The Cabinet approval allow RCom to liberalise its spectrum in the four circles by paying about Rs 1,300 crore.
As per previous decision, DoT had issued demand notice to telecom operators on January 9,2013. The government expected to get Rs 4,251.83 crore from retrospective charges, and Rs 18,925.82 from prospective charges for excess radio waves held by mobile operators at that time.
In all, around Rs 23,177 crore was expected from levy of one-time spectrum fee in 2013.
State-owned BSNL was issued demand of around Rs 6,912 crore, followed by Bharti Airtel Rs 5,201 crore, Vodafone Rs 3,599 crore, MTNL Rs 3,205 crore, Idea Cellular Rs 2,113 crore (includes Rs 231.5 crore of Spice), Aircel Rs 1,365 crore (includes Rs 14 crore of Dishnet), Loop Mobile Rs 606 crore and Reliance Communications Rs 173 crore for liberalisation.
The government has also given option to telecom operators who are not willing to pay the one-time fee to surrender their additional and excess spectrum.
However, telecom operators have challenged the decision and is still sub-judice.
Reliance Jio soft launch this month, full rollout by December: UBS
-
Amid speculation over the actual date of the roll-out of Reliance Jio 4G telecom services, a top global financial services firm, UBS, said while soft launch was expected by the end of this month, the full commercial offering was expected by December.
"Contrary to market belief that Jio has started rolling out 4G SIMs commercially, our channel checks in Mumbai and Delhi suggest that although SIMs have been shipped to the retail outlets, they are not yet available for sale," the consultancy said in a report.
"At present, Jio SIM cards are only available to Reliance employees, post its beta launch in December 2015. Our speed test on trial SIM cards in Reliance outlets indicate network speed of 18-20 Mbps versus Vodafone's 4G speed of 8-10 Mbps."
The report said Jio was expected to initially rollout bundled 4G offering on a limited basis with LYF-branded devices-as also SIM sale on standalone basis-only in the second half of 2016, even as all the market leaders have already launched theirs.
Airtel was the first to launch 4G giving it a significant first-mover advantage with footprint in 15 circles, Idea started in 575 towns across its 10 circles, while Vodafone is has a presence in five circles.
"We believe the delay in Jio launch has helped market leaders to strengthen their 4G offerings," said the report, adding while also suggesting that the market may be overly concerned over Jio's disruptive impact and ignoring rapid data growth in Indian mobile market.
The report forecast the Indian data market to grow nine times to $38bn by 2026.
Amid speculation over the actual date of the roll-out of Reliance Jio 4G telecom services, a top global financial services firm, UBS, said while soft launch was expected by the end of this month, the full commercial offering was expected by December.
"Contrary to market belief that Jio has started rolling out 4G SIMs commercially, our channel checks in Mumbai and Delhi suggest that although SIMs have been shipped to the retail outlets, they are not yet available for sale," the consultancy said in a report.
"At present, Jio SIM cards are only available to Reliance employees, post its beta launch in December 2015. Our speed test on trial SIM cards in Reliance outlets indicate network speed of 18-20 Mbps versus Vodafone's 4G speed of 8-10 Mbps."
The report said Jio was expected to initially rollout bundled 4G offering on a limited basis with LYF-branded devices-as also SIM sale on standalone basis-only in the second half of 2016, even as all the market leaders have already launched theirs.
Airtel was the first to launch 4G giving it a significant first-mover advantage with footprint in 15 circles, Idea started in 575 towns across its 10 circles, while Vodafone is has a presence in five circles.
"We believe the delay in Jio launch has helped market leaders to strengthen their 4G offerings," said the report, adding while also suggesting that the market may be overly concerned over Jio's disruptive impact and ignoring rapid data growth in Indian mobile market.
The report forecast the Indian data market to grow nine times to $38bn by 2026.
Steel imports rise in March after four months of falls
-
Steel imports rose 18 per cent in March, snapping four straight months of falls, provisional government data showed, on the back of deals struck before the government imposed a floor price in February to curb cheap imports.
Last week, the government extended safeguard taxes on some steel products until March 2018, and in February imposed a floor price on imports to deter countries such as China from undercutting local mills, the first such move in more than 15 years.
India, the third-largest steel producer in the world, shipped in 994,000 tonnes of the alloy last month, 18.2 per cent higher than the corresponding month a year earlier, data from the Joint Plant Committee of the steel ministry showed.
"Some steel could have been booked in January and February. This is probably what has arrived in March," said Goutam Chakraborty, an analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services.
"Imports are likely to decline again in April and May," Chakraborty added.
Imports rose 20.2 per cent in the fiscal year ended March 2016 compared with the same period last year, the data showed. Imports were up 9.1 per cent compared with February.
Domestic steel makers including JSW Steel, Tata Steel and Kalyani Steels have lobbied the government for more protectionist measures as margins have taken a hit due to cheap overseas purchases from China, as well as Russia, Japan and South Korea.
Consumption of steel, in the only major market where steel demand is growing, rose 4.3 per cent between April 2015 and March 2016, largely driven by imports.
Steel exports by Asia's third-largest economy fell 32.4 per cent at a time when the United States has named India among countries that violated anti-dumping law on cold rolled flat products and slapped a tax.
Steel imports rose 18 per cent in March, snapping four straight months of falls, provisional government data showed, on the back of deals struck before the government imposed a floor price in February to curb cheap imports.
Last week, the government extended safeguard taxes on some steel products until March 2018, and in February imposed a floor price on imports to deter countries such as China from undercutting local mills, the first such move in more than 15 years.
India, the third-largest steel producer in the world, shipped in 994,000 tonnes of the alloy last month, 18.2 per cent higher than the corresponding month a year earlier, data from the Joint Plant Committee of the steel ministry showed.
"Some steel could have been booked in January and February. This is probably what has arrived in March," said Goutam Chakraborty, an analyst at Emkay Global Financial Services.
"Imports are likely to decline again in April and May," Chakraborty added.
Imports rose 20.2 per cent in the fiscal year ended March 2016 compared with the same period last year, the data showed. Imports were up 9.1 per cent compared with February.
Domestic steel makers including JSW Steel, Tata Steel and Kalyani Steels have lobbied the government for more protectionist measures as margins have taken a hit due to cheap overseas purchases from China, as well as Russia, Japan and South Korea.
Consumption of steel, in the only major market where steel demand is growing, rose 4.3 per cent between April 2015 and March 2016, largely driven by imports.
Steel exports by Asia's third-largest economy fell 32.4 per cent at a time when the United States has named India among countries that violated anti-dumping law on cold rolled flat products and slapped a tax.
General Awareness
GENERAL AWARENESS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR BANK EXAMS
-
-
1. Who was appointed as the CEO of Wipro?
1) Abid Ali Z. Neemuchwala
2) T. Kurien
3) Lalitha Kumaramangalam
4) Ramesh Sippy
2. Who of the following has won the 2015 Costa Novel Prize?
1) Frances Hardinge
2) Kate Atkinson
3) Andrea Wulf
4) Helen Macdonald
3. Vilmos Zsigmond, who passed away recently, belong to which of the following fields?
1) Politician
2) Scholar
3) Sportsperson
4) Cinematographer
4. Which of the following organisations has launched Jeevan Labh Scheme?
1) New India Insurance Ltd
2) National Insurance Company Ltd
3) State Bank of India
4) Life Insurance Corporation of India
5. Who of the following is the author of the book titled 'Jinnah Often Came to Our House'?
1) Jaswant Singh
2) Kiran Doshi
3) Nisid Hajari
4) Jairam Ramesh
6. On what date, the World Braille Day is observed?
1) January 4
2) December 30
3) November 9
4) April 11
7. Which of the following states became the first state in the country to sign MoU for UDAY scheme?
1) Rajasthan
2) Gujarat
3) Uttar Pradesh
4) Jharkhand
8. The 14 km long Zojila tunnel will be constructed in which of the following states?
1) Sikkim
2) Jammu & Kashmir
3) Uttarakhand
4) Himachal Pradesh
9. In the context of India's defence system, "Pinaka II" refers which one of the following?
1) Anti-Radiation Missile (ARM)
2) Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
3) Multi - Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system
4) Nuclear - Capable Ballistic Missile
10. Which of the following committees has submitted report to Supreme Court for reforms in BCCI?
1) H L Dattu committee
2) R M Lodha committee
3) P Sathasivam committee
4) Chandra committee
11. Which of the following bank acquires 10% stake in Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IIAS) for Rs.1 crore?
1) Kotak Mahindra Bank
2) ICICI Bank
3) Axis Bank
4) HDFC Bank
12. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following for monitoring Watershed Projects?
1) Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI)
2) National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
3) Central Institute of Technology (CIT)
4) Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS)
13. Raghunandan Mandal has passed away recently, he related to?
1) Politics
2) Scholar
3) Sportsperson
4) Cinematographer
14. Which of the following companies has acquired Shifu for $8 million to enrich customer experience?
1) Paytm
2) Flipkart
3) Amazon
4) Myntra
15. Which of the following financial entity has been penalised by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for breaching the stock broker regulations?
1) R. V. Verma
2) Ashwini Kumar
3) Ravindra Kumar
4) Anand Rathi
16. A friendship bus service between India and ........ was flagged off via Champawat district in Uttarakhand.
1) Nepal
2) Japan
3) Australia
4) Canada
17. Who among the following is the brand ambassador for 'Changing Diabetes' for Novo Nordisk?
1) Rahul Dravid
2) V.V.S Laxman
3) Virender Sehwag
4) Sachin Tendulkar
18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the five-day 103rd Indian Science Congress (ISC) in which of the following city?
1) Mysore
2) Bengaluru
3) Chennai
4) Pune
19. Where is the headquarter of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) located?
1) New York
2) Berlin
3) Italy
4) Washington D.C
20. Who of the following has been appointed as new chief of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1) Helle Thorning
2) Jeffry Sachs
3) Filippo Grandi
4) Achim Steiner
21. Who of the following has become the first batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs in an innings in any form of cricket?
1) Ravindra Wade
2) Pranav Dhanawade
3) Prithvi Shaw
4) Mobin Sheikh
22. Who of the following has won the gold in the women's 10 metre air rifle event at the Swedish Cup Grand Prix?
1) Rahi Sarnobot
2) Apurvi Chandela
3) Rajyashree Kumari
4) Chandro Tomar
23. In which of the following states the Ganga Gram Yojana has been launched?
1) Uttarakhand
2) Bihar
3) West Bengal
4) Uttar Pradesh
24. For what purpose, the Stand Up India Scheme has been launched?
1) To promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST
2) To promote entrepreneurship among Rural Youth
3) To promote entrepreneurship among Woman
4) To promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and Women
25. Who of the following is the author of the novel titled - Go Set a Watchman?
1) Cynthia Lord
2) Bill Clegg
3) Marlon James
4) Harper Lee
26. Which of the following companies publishes Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)?
1) National Stock Exchange of India Limited
2) BSE Institute Limited
3) Markit
4) HSBC Analytics
27. The 'Fountain of Oneness' is located in which of the following cities?
1) Ajmer
2) Delhi
3) Agra
4) Khajuraho
28. Who of the following is the creator of Star Wars?
1) Catherine Winder
2) Scott Murphy
3) George Lucas
4) Lawrence Kasdan
29. Which of the following persons appointed as Technical Advisor of Odisha Government?
1) Sam Pitroda
2) Amjad Ali Khan
3) Jasraj
4) Shivkumar Sharma
30. Which of the following person appointed as Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)?
1) Neha Gupta
2) Hrishikesh Kanitkar
3) Gajendra Chauhan
4) Arvind Uppal
31. Which of the following persons conferred with 2015 Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award?
1) Syed Kirmani
2) Om Prakash Gurjar
3) Anand Sinha
4) Subir Gokarn
32. RBI imposed 1 crore rupees penalty on which of the following banks?
1) Andhra Bank
2) Canara Bank
3) State Bank of Mysore
4) State Bank of Travancore
33. Which of the following raises Rs.1,900 crore via Basel-III compliant bonds?
1) IDBI
2) Punjab National Bank
3) Bank Of Baroda
4) Bank Of India
34. Labhshankar Thakar passed away recently. He related to?
1) Politician
2) Singer
3) Dancer
4) Writer
35. Which of the following company has bagged the Rs.10050 crore Zojila Pass tunnel road project in Jammu and Kashmir?
1) Container Corporation of India
2) Asia Motor Works
3) Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd
4) IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd
36. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has imposed a fine of Rs.10 lakh on which of the following bank?
1) Vijaya Bank
2) Punjab National Bank
3) Bank of Baroda
4) Bank of India
37. India signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following countries in the field of Civil Aviation?
1) Egypt
2) Greece
3) Malta
4) Singapore
38. Which of the following countries has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test?
1) North Korea
2) France
3) Australia
4) Sri Lanka
39. The Union Government has abolished export duty on which of the following?
1) Mineral Waxes
2) Organic Chemicals
3) Iron ore pellets
4) Iron and Steel
40. India signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following countries for operation of traditional haats?
1) Mynmar
2) Afganistan
3) Pakistan
4) Bangladesh
41. Which of the following cities to get India's first river gallery?
1) Bengaluru
2) Mysore
3) Chennai
4) Hyderabad
42. The Indian space agency is soon opening a 100-acre Space Park in which of the following cities?
1) Bengaluru
2) Nagpur
3) Mumbai
4) New Delhi
43. The World Day of War Orphans is observed on which of the following day?
1) 7th January
2) 6th January
3) 8th January
4) 9th January
44. Which of the following companies has won 26th Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey tournament?
1) Coal India Limited
2) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
3) Indian Oil Corporation Limited
4) Steel Authority of India Limited
45. Which of the following cities have made it to a top 30 list of the world's most powerful, productive and connected cities, as per the study conducted by international real estate consultancy JLL?
1) Chennai and Bangalore
2) Kolkata and pune
3) Delhi and Mumbai
4) Delhi and Bangalore
46. Who has been appointed as the new chairman of Competition Commission of India (CCI)?
1) DK Sikri
2) Amitabh Kant
3) Ashok Chawla
4) Dhanendra Kumar
47. In which of the following cities the world's first slum museum will be set up?
1) Indore
2) Mumbai
3) Lucknow
4) Ahmedabad
48. Who has been conferred with the 2016 Global and Asia - Pacific Central Bank Governor of the Year?
1) Janet Yellen
2) Mark Carney
3) Raghuram Rajan
4) Haruhiko Kuroda
49. Who has been honoured with the second Harikrishna Devsare Baalsahitya Award 2015?
1) Gangesh Gunjan
2) Sheela Jhunjhunwala
3) Balkrishna Garg
4) Sherjung Garg
50. In which state, the Union govt has decided to set up National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI) in 2016?
1) Mizoram
2) Meghalaya
3) Assam
4) Sikkim
Answers:
1-1, 2-2, 3-4, 4-4, 5-2, 6-1, 7-4, 8-2, 9-3, 10-2
11-1, 12-2, 13-1, 14-1, 15-4, 16-1, 17-4, 18-1, 19-1, 20-3
21-2, 22-2, 23-4, 24-4, 25-4, 26-3, 27-2, 28-3, 29-1, 30-3
31-1, 32-4, 33-1, 34-4, 35-4, 36-1, 37-4, 38-1, 39-3, 40-4
41-2, 42-1, 43-2, 44-2, 45-3, 46-1, 47-2, 48-3, 49-3, 50-4
- 1. Who was appointed as the CEO of Wipro?
1) Abid Ali Z. Neemuchwala
2) T. Kurien
3) Lalitha Kumaramangalam
4) Ramesh Sippy
2. Who of the following has won the 2015 Costa Novel Prize?
1) Frances Hardinge
2) Kate Atkinson
3) Andrea Wulf
4) Helen Macdonald
3. Vilmos Zsigmond, who passed away recently, belong to which of the following fields?
1) Politician
2) Scholar
3) Sportsperson
4) Cinematographer
4. Which of the following organisations has launched Jeevan Labh Scheme?
1) New India Insurance Ltd
2) National Insurance Company Ltd
3) State Bank of India
4) Life Insurance Corporation of India
5. Who of the following is the author of the book titled 'Jinnah Often Came to Our House'?
1) Jaswant Singh
2) Kiran Doshi
3) Nisid Hajari
4) Jairam Ramesh
6. On what date, the World Braille Day is observed?
1) January 4
2) December 30
3) November 9
4) April 11
7. Which of the following states became the first state in the country to sign MoU for UDAY scheme?
1) Rajasthan
2) Gujarat
3) Uttar Pradesh
4) Jharkhand
8. The 14 km long Zojila tunnel will be constructed in which of the following states?
1) Sikkim
2) Jammu & Kashmir
3) Uttarakhand
4) Himachal Pradesh
9. In the context of India's defence system, "Pinaka II" refers which one of the following?
1) Anti-Radiation Missile (ARM)
2) Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)
3) Multi - Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system
4) Nuclear - Capable Ballistic Missile
10. Which of the following committees has submitted report to Supreme Court for reforms in BCCI?
1) H L Dattu committee
2) R M Lodha committee
3) P Sathasivam committee
4) Chandra committee
11. Which of the following bank acquires 10% stake in Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IIAS) for Rs.1 crore?
1) Kotak Mahindra Bank
2) ICICI Bank
3) Axis Bank
4) HDFC Bank
12. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following for monitoring Watershed Projects?
1) Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI)
2) National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
3) Central Institute of Technology (CIT)
4) Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS)
13. Raghunandan Mandal has passed away recently, he related to?
1) Politics
2) Scholar
3) Sportsperson
4) Cinematographer
14. Which of the following companies has acquired Shifu for $8 million to enrich customer experience?
1) Paytm
2) Flipkart
3) Amazon
4) Myntra
15. Which of the following financial entity has been penalised by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for breaching the stock broker regulations?
1) R. V. Verma
2) Ashwini Kumar
3) Ravindra Kumar
4) Anand Rathi
16. A friendship bus service between India and ........ was flagged off via Champawat district in Uttarakhand.
1) Nepal
2) Japan
3) Australia
4) Canada
17. Who among the following is the brand ambassador for 'Changing Diabetes' for Novo Nordisk?
1) Rahul Dravid
2) V.V.S Laxman
3) Virender Sehwag
4) Sachin Tendulkar
18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the five-day 103rd Indian Science Congress (ISC) in which of the following city?
1) Mysore
2) Bengaluru
3) Chennai
4) Pune
19. Where is the headquarter of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) located?
1) New York
2) Berlin
3) Italy
4) Washington D.C
20. Who of the following has been appointed as new chief of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1) Helle Thorning
2) Jeffry Sachs
3) Filippo Grandi
4) Achim Steiner
21. Who of the following has become the first batsman to score more than a 1,000 runs in an innings in any form of cricket?
1) Ravindra Wade
2) Pranav Dhanawade
3) Prithvi Shaw
4) Mobin Sheikh
22. Who of the following has won the gold in the women's 10 metre air rifle event at the Swedish Cup Grand Prix?
1) Rahi Sarnobot
2) Apurvi Chandela
3) Rajyashree Kumari
4) Chandro Tomar
23. In which of the following states the Ganga Gram Yojana has been launched?
1) Uttarakhand
2) Bihar
3) West Bengal
4) Uttar Pradesh
24. For what purpose, the Stand Up India Scheme has been launched?
1) To promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST
2) To promote entrepreneurship among Rural Youth
3) To promote entrepreneurship among Woman
4) To promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST and Women
25. Who of the following is the author of the novel titled - Go Set a Watchman?
1) Cynthia Lord
2) Bill Clegg
3) Marlon James
4) Harper Lee
26. Which of the following companies publishes Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)?
1) National Stock Exchange of India Limited
2) BSE Institute Limited
3) Markit
4) HSBC Analytics
27. The 'Fountain of Oneness' is located in which of the following cities?
1) Ajmer
2) Delhi
3) Agra
4) Khajuraho
28. Who of the following is the creator of Star Wars?
1) Catherine Winder
2) Scott Murphy
3) George Lucas
4) Lawrence Kasdan
29. Which of the following persons appointed as Technical Advisor of Odisha Government?
1) Sam Pitroda
2) Amjad Ali Khan
3) Jasraj
4) Shivkumar Sharma
30. Which of the following person appointed as Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)?
1) Neha Gupta
2) Hrishikesh Kanitkar
3) Gajendra Chauhan
4) Arvind Uppal
31. Which of the following persons conferred with 2015 Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award?
1) Syed Kirmani
2) Om Prakash Gurjar
3) Anand Sinha
4) Subir Gokarn
32. RBI imposed 1 crore rupees penalty on which of the following banks?
1) Andhra Bank
2) Canara Bank
3) State Bank of Mysore
4) State Bank of Travancore
33. Which of the following raises Rs.1,900 crore via Basel-III compliant bonds?
1) IDBI
2) Punjab National Bank
3) Bank Of Baroda
4) Bank Of India
34. Labhshankar Thakar passed away recently. He related to?
1) Politician
2) Singer
3) Dancer
4) Writer
35. Which of the following company has bagged the Rs.10050 crore Zojila Pass tunnel road project in Jammu and Kashmir?
1) Container Corporation of India
2) Asia Motor Works
3) Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd
4) IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd
36. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has imposed a fine of Rs.10 lakh on which of the following bank?
1) Vijaya Bank
2) Punjab National Bank
3) Bank of Baroda
4) Bank of India
37. India signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following countries in the field of Civil Aviation?
1) Egypt
2) Greece
3) Malta
4) Singapore
38. Which of the following countries has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test?
1) North Korea
2) France
3) Australia
4) Sri Lanka
39. The Union Government has abolished export duty on which of the following?
1) Mineral Waxes
2) Organic Chemicals
3) Iron ore pellets
4) Iron and Steel
40. India signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which of the following countries for operation of traditional haats?
1) Mynmar
2) Afganistan
3) Pakistan
4) Bangladesh
41. Which of the following cities to get India's first river gallery?
1) Bengaluru
2) Mysore
3) Chennai
4) Hyderabad
42. The Indian space agency is soon opening a 100-acre Space Park in which of the following cities?
1) Bengaluru
2) Nagpur
3) Mumbai
4) New Delhi
43. The World Day of War Orphans is observed on which of the following day?
1) 7th January
2) 6th January
3) 8th January
4) 9th January
44. Which of the following companies has won 26th Lal Bahadur Shastri Hockey tournament?
1) Coal India Limited
2) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
3) Indian Oil Corporation Limited
4) Steel Authority of India Limited
45. Which of the following cities have made it to a top 30 list of the world's most powerful, productive and connected cities, as per the study conducted by international real estate consultancy JLL?
1) Chennai and Bangalore
2) Kolkata and pune
3) Delhi and Mumbai
4) Delhi and Bangalore
46. Who has been appointed as the new chairman of Competition Commission of India (CCI)?
1) DK Sikri
2) Amitabh Kant
3) Ashok Chawla
4) Dhanendra Kumar
47. In which of the following cities the world's first slum museum will be set up?
1) Indore
2) Mumbai
3) Lucknow
4) Ahmedabad
48. Who has been conferred with the 2016 Global and Asia - Pacific Central Bank Governor of the Year?
1) Janet Yellen
2) Mark Carney
3) Raghuram Rajan
4) Haruhiko Kuroda
49. Who has been honoured with the second Harikrishna Devsare Baalsahitya Award 2015?
1) Gangesh Gunjan
2) Sheela Jhunjhunwala
3) Balkrishna Garg
4) Sherjung Garg
50. In which state, the Union govt has decided to set up National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI) in 2016?
1) Mizoram
2) Meghalaya
3) Assam
4) Sikkim
Answers:
1-1, 2-2, 3-4, 4-4, 5-2, 6-1, 7-4, 8-2, 9-3, 10-2
11-1, 12-2, 13-1, 14-1, 15-4, 16-1, 17-4, 18-1, 19-1, 20-3
21-2, 22-2, 23-4, 24-4, 25-4, 26-3, 27-2, 28-3, 29-1, 30-3
31-1, 32-4, 33-1, 34-4, 35-4, 36-1, 37-4, 38-1, 39-3, 40-4
41-2, 42-1, 43-2, 44-2, 45-3, 46-1, 47-2, 48-3, 49-3, 50-4
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