Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Exams: September 21, 2016

Amritsar tops the list of 27 new smart cities

The Golden Temple city of Amritsar topped the list of 27 new smart cities announced by the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu here today.

• Eight other cities of pilgrim and tourism importance that made to the third list of smart cities are ; Ujjain, Tirupati, Agra, Nashik, Madurai, Thanjavur, Ajmer and Varanasi.
• With this the number of cities selected under Smart City Mission for financing implementation of smart city plans has gone up to 60.

437 Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMJAY) operational in the country

A Countrywide campaign, for ensuring availability of generic medicines at affordable prices for all, under the project title “Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY)” was initiated by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with Central Pharma Public Sector Undertakings. It envisages key initiative of opening of dedicated outlets Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMJAK) where high quality generic medicines are sold at low prices. Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is implementing the scheme.

Following incentives are provided to open PMJAK:

• When free space provided by State Govt./MCD/PSU etc.

An amount of Rs 2.5 lakhs to be given to NGOs / agency running JAS in government hospital premises:

· Rs 1 Lakh reimbursement of furniture and fixtures

· Rs 1 Lakh by way of free medicines in the beginning

· 0.5 Lakh as reimbursement for computer and other miscellaneous items

• For NGO/Society/Trust/Individual Entrepreneurs/Pharmacist/Doctor etc. other than Govt. Hospital Premises PMJAK run by private entrepreneurs / pharmacists / NGOs / charitable institutions that are linked through internet are also entitled for sales incentive of 15% of monthly sales subject to ceiling of Rs 10000/- per month up to Rs 2.50 lakhs. In North east states the incentive is 15% and subject to monthly ceiling of Rs. 15000 and total limit of Rs 2.50 lakhs.

User friendly Earthquake Hazard Zoning Maps with Tehsil level details released

To enable earthquake resistant construction, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Building Materials Technology Promotion Council (BMPTC) have come out with ‘easy to use’ Earthquake Hazard Zoning Maps at the Country, State and District level incorporating Tehsil level features.

• The colour coded maps easily convey location in five different Zones of earthquake intensity which helps in planning for disaster resistant construction with necessary technical assistance. BMPTC of the Ministry of HUPA has prepared these maps at the behest of NDMA.
• BMPTC prepared the maps using the data available with the Survey of India, Geological Survey of India, Meteorological Department and Census of India.
• The additional features of these maps include housing and population data, railway lines, expressways and highways, rivers, waterbodies, geological fault lines etc.

“Incredible India Tourism Investment Summit-2016” to begin today

Incredible India Tourism Investment Summit 2016” is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan from September 21 to 23, 2016. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

• IITIS is a platform for domestic and international investors to meet project owners from across Indian states and the private sector.

India successfully test fires long range Surface to Air Barak-8Missile

• India successfully test-fired the most advanced surface-to-air missile 'Barak-8' off the Odisha coast, on September 20, 2016.
• The long-range nuclear capable ballistic missile, developed jointly with Israel, was launched from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district.
• The 4.5-meter missile weighs around 3 tonnes and can carry a payload of 70 kilograms. The system also includes a Multi-Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF STAR) for detection, tracking and guidance of the missile.