CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/11/2015

CURRENT AFFAIRS APRIL/11/2015

1. INDIA ELECTED IN 4 U.N. BODIES:

A.   India was elected to 4 important United Nations (UN) agencies.

B.   India was elected at the coordination and Management Meeting (CMM) of UNECOSOC (the United Nations Economic and Social Council) held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA.

C. India was elected in the following 4 bodies:

·         UNICEF – United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund

·         WFP – World Food Program

·         CCPCJ – Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

·         Governing Council of UN –Habitat

2.   SEOUL WON WWF’S EARTH HOUR CITY CHALLENGE:

A. South Korea’s Capital city Seoul has won WWF’s Earth hour city challenge to become the Global Earth Hour capital 2015.

B. Seoul won the earth hour city challenge (EHCC) of world Wildlife Fund (WFF) among 163 cities from 16 countries.

About South Korea -              

·         Capital – Seoul

·         Currency – Won

·         President – Park Geun Hye

·         Prime Minister – Lee Wan Koo

3. SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX 2015 RELEASED:

A.   Social Pogress Index 2015 was released by US based non profit organization Social progress imperative.

B.   Social Progress Index ranks 133 countries from highest to lowest which covers 94 % of the world’s population.

C. India with a score of 53.06 is ranked 101^st and is placed in low social progress group.

D. Norway topped the list followed by Sweden and Switzerland.

E. Afghanistan, Chad and Central African Republic are at the bottom of the list.

Note: In 2014, India was ranked 102 with the score of 50.24.

4. DHANUSH MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED:

A. India has successfully test fired Dhanush Ballistic missile.

B. Dhanush is a surface- to –surface Nuclear capable missile with350 km range.

C. The missile was fired from an offshore patrolling vessel (OPV)Indian Navy by the strategic force command (SFC).

5. THANE NAMED AS NATIONAL EARTH HOME CAPITAL:

A. Mumbai’s Thane is named as National Earth Home capital2015 by WWF.

B. Thane won among the 3 finalists i.e Thane, Rajkot and Pune.

C. Coimbatore was elected as the National Earth hour Capital in 2014.

Note: A total of 13 Indian cities participated in 2015 Earth challenge.

6.   1000 RS MINIMUM MONTHLY PENSION SCHEME SUSPENDED:

A. The retirement fund body, EPFO has suspended the 1000 Rs. Minimum monthly pension scheme from april 2015.

B. End of this scheme will affect about 32 lakh pensioners.

C. The decision was taken by EPFO as no communication or direction by the Union Government was provided to continue the scheme beyond 31^st March 2015.