Current Affairs 2016

The Arab League has declared Lebanese movement Hezbollah, a Shia political organisation a terrorist group. The move comes after the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had adopted the same stance.

Union Power Ministry has announced name UJALA for the LED based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP). UJALA is acronym for Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All.

Mahindra & Mahindra Chairman and Managing Director (MD) Anand Mahindra was conferred with Chevalier de la Legion d�Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by French Government.

India and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have decided to set up South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Centre (SARTTC) in New Delhi.

Ministers in the Union and state cabinets are �public authorities� liable to answer public questions addressed to them under the Right to Information Act, the Central Information Commission has ruled.

• Lok Sabha passes Aadhaar Bill
• RBI inks information exchange MoU with Bank of Israel
• Brazil musician Nana Vasconcelos passes away

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched an online clean my coach service that allows travellers to get their compartments cleaned by sending an SMS or by using an app or a designated website.

The Lok Sabha passed the Aadhaar Bill to provide a unique identity to residents and give legal teeth to the government in ensuring that its subsidies and services directly reach the beneficiaries in entirety.

Japanese researchers have successfully isolated a bacterium species Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 capable of breaking down plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyester. Their results were published in the journal Science.

Veteran Egyptian diplomat Ahmed Abul Gheit (73) has been selected as Secretary General of the Arab League.

Project Mausam aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean world for collating archaeological and historical research and not to counter China�s Silk Route strategy.

India has signed the second line of credit (LOC) agreement extending 2 billion dollars in development financing to Bangladesh for undertaking various development projects.