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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 01 August 2015

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 01 August 2015

:: National ::

First National Handloom Day To be observed on 7 August 2015

Union Government on 31 July 2015 decided declared 7th August as National Handloom Day every year beginning from year 2015 throughout the country.
The first National Handloom Day will be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on 7 August 2015.
On this occasion, Sant Kabir Awards and National Awards for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 will be awarded and a new India Handloom brand for better market positioning of quality handloom products would be launched.
The day will be observed to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry as a part of our rich heritage and culture, promote handloom products and lead to increase in income of weavers as well as enhance their confidence and pride.
As per Handloom Census of 2009-10, over 43 lakh persons are engaged in handloom weaving and allied activities in India.

:: International ::

World's Population Is Set To Surpass 11 Billion

The world’s population reached 7.3 billion in the middle of 2015, according to a recent report released by the United Nations.
The annual pace of growth was 1.24 percent a decade ago and this has now started to slow, falling to 1.18 percent, or 83 million people each year.
Over the course of the past 12 years, one billion people have been added to the planet’s population.
Over the next 15 years, the world’s population is projected to increase by a further billion, reaching 8.5 billion in 2030.
In 2050, it will pass the 9.7 billion mark before topping 11.2 billion in 2100. Interestingly, even though the planet’s population is projected to grow, fertility rates are down across the world. Much of the coming growth will be attributed to reducing child mortality and raising life expectancy.

:: India & world ::

India, Bangladesh enclave residents get freedom after 68 years

Ending a border dispute, the much-awaited exchange of enclaves (Chhitmahals) between India and Bangladesh came into effect at the stroke of midnight on Friday-Saturday.
Crackers were burst and people rejoiced as India and Bangladesh exchanged enclaves, ending the 68 years of stateless existence for over 51,000 enclave dwellers.
Around 14,000 people living for so long in 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in the Indian territory, and another 37,000 residing in 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, now have a country of their own.
The Bangladeshi enclaves are now a part of India, while the Indian enclaves join Bangladesh.
History was written as India gave away to Bangladesh a total area of 17,160 acres, covering the 111 enclaves and in return received 7,110 acres comprising 51 enclaves.
As the clock struck 12, the Bharat Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Co-ordination Committee (BBEECC) - an organisation that fought for the rights of the enclave dwellers -- celebrated the occasion in Mosaldanga enclave of West Bengal`s Cooch Behar district.
The 111 Indian enclaves are located in the Bangladesh districts of Lalmonirhat (59), Panchagarh (36), Kurigram 12 and Nilphamari (4) while all the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves are situated in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.
The swapping is in pursuance of the inking and exchange of documents of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) on June 6 in Dhaka, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
The LBA was first inked in 1974 by then Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.
"July 31, 2015 will thus be a historic day for both India and Bangladesh. The day marks the resolution of a complex issue that has lingered since independence.
It also marks the day from which enclave residents on both sides of the border will enjoy the benefits of nationality of India or Bangladesh, as the case may be, and thus access to civic services, education, healthcare and other facilities provided by the two governments to their respective nationals," said an official statement released by the central government.
Other steps with regard to implementation of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and 2011 Protocol are underway in accordance with agreed modalities between the Indian and Bangladeshi governments, it said.

:: Business ::

LIC chief Roy elected chairman of apex body of insurers

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) chief S K Roy was today elected Chairman of the Life Insurance Council, the apex industry body of insurers in the country.
Roy was elected in a poll conducted among the 24 members of the Council here. He will head the three-member Executive Committee (EC), a key body of the Council, for a period of three years.
The three members of the EC elected today were Tarun Chugh (PNB Met Life), Anup Rau (Reliance Life) and Sandeep Ghosh (Bharti AXA).
Other contestants in the fray for EC posts were Rajesh Sud (Max NY), Arijit Basu (SBI Life) and Deepak Mittal (Edelweiss Tokio).
Talking to PTI after his election, Rau of Reliance Life said “EC is now a well represented body. It has got representation from both bancassurance and non-bancassurance partners. The Council is now ready to take a call on behalf of its various stakeholders.”
Life Insurance Council is a forum that connects the various stakeholders of the sector. It develops and coordinates all discussions between the Government, regulatory body and the public.
It has representatives from the 24 insurance companies currently operating in India.

:: Sports ::

Unmukt named India A captain for tri-series

Delhi batsman Unmukt Chand was on Saturday appointed India A captain for the upcoming ODI cricket tri-series involving Australia A and South Africa A starting in Chennai on August 5.
Karnataka batsman Karun Nair has been appointed Unmukt's deputy as the All-India Senior Selection Committee picked a 15-member squad.
All the matches will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with the final scheduled on August 14.
Meanwhile, Ambati Rayudu has been picked to lead the India A side in the two-Test series against South Africa A starting August 18 in Wayanad.