Current Affairs 6th April 2016

Current Affairs 6th April 2016 - Important Points

• First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2016-17 released by – RBI
• Using a DNA Molecule who made the smallest diode – Researchers
• Eco-friendly nanotechnology for water purification developed by - Indian scientists
• Which country launched SJ-10 retrievable space science probe – China
• Myanmar Parliament approved Bill to grant PM-like role to whom - Aung San Suu Kyi
• Which state of India imposed complete ban on alcohol sales -  Bihar

Details :

First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2016-17 released by – RBI

On 5 April 2016, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its first Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement 2016-17. 

Important top 5 highlights of RBI's first bi-monthly monetary policy statement, 2016-17: 

•Repo rate cut by 0.25% to 6.50% 

•Reverse repo hiked by 0.25% to 6% 

•Cash reserve ratio or CRR unchanged at 4% 

•Minimum daily cash maintenance by banks with RBI cut by 5% 

•MSF rate cut by 0.75% to lower banks' borrowing cost 

Using a DNA Molecule who made the smallest diode – Researchers

By using a DNA Molecule, researchers from the University of Georgia and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) developed the world's smallest diode. The breakthrough could impact the development of molecular electronic devices. It’s a component that conducts electricity mostly in one direction.

On 4 April 2016, their study was published in journal Nature Chemistry.

Do You Know – 

•The new designed DNA Molecule only has 11 base pairs, which makes it a pretty short helix, considering a human genome has approximately 3 billion pairs.

•To allow a current to flow through the DNA, the researcher’s team inserted a molecule called "coralyne" into the helix. What the team came up with was a diode, because the current was 15 times stronger for negative voltages than for positive.

Eco-friendly nanotechnology for water purification developed by - Indian scientists

The team from Institute of Advance Study in Science & Technology (IASST), Guwahati in Assam developed an eco-friendly nanotechnology for water-softening applications. 

By crafting a biopolymer using a naturally occurring substance, called chitosan (obtained from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish, including crab, lobster, and shrimp) as a backbone for the carbon nanoparticles to sit on.

On 30 March 2016, the report was published online in the joural Nanoscale and the authors are Upama Baruah and Achyut Konwar of IASST.

Do You Know –

•In the biopolymer, nanoparticles are the functional parts of the technology.

•They remove calcium and magnesium components of water through ion exchange, the same process that is used by common water purifiers 

•It can be used in civic water treatment plants for generating potable water.

•The technology is basically a biopolymer, which uses a naturally occurring substance called Chitosan.

Which country launched SJ-10 retrievable space science probe – China

On 6 April 2016, China successfully launched a bullet-shaped retrievable scientific research satellite SJ-10 (Shijian-10). 

This satellite was launched aboard Long March 2-D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern China's Gobi desert.

The main aim of this satellite launch is to help scientists in their study of microgravity and space life science.

Do You Know – 

•SJ-10 is the second of four scientific satellites under a CAS space program. 

•Unlike the other three, SJ-10 is returnable. 

•SJ-10 is the 25th such retrievable satellite launched by China in the past decades.

Myanmar Parliament approved Bill to grant PM-like role to whom - Aung San Suu Kyi

On 5 April 2016, Myanmar's (Burmese) Parliament in Naypyidaw approved a bill that gives Aung San Suu Kyi a role similar to that of Prime Minister. The Lower House passed the bill to create the post of state counsellor, which now requires only presidential approval to become law.

The bill which was earlier has gone through the Upper House and now will be sent to the President Htin Kyaw for the approval.

Know About Aung San Suu Kyi – 

•Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese social democratic stateswoman, politician, and chairperson of Myanmar's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. 

•She is currently serving as a State Counselor and Minister in President Htin Kyaw's Cabinet. 

•From 2012 to 2016, she served as a Pyithu Hluttaw MP for Kawhmu Township. 

•In the 2015 elections, her party won a sweeping victory, taking 86% of the seats in the Assembly of the Union—well more than the 67 percent supermajority needed to ensure that its preferred candidates will be elected president and second vice president in the Presidential Electoral College. 

•However, she is prohibited from becoming president within the current constitution as both her late husband and children are foreign citizens.

Which state of India imposed complete ban on alcohol sales -  Bihar

On 5 April 2016, The Bihar Government decided to impose a total ban on alcohol in towns and cities.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar confirmed that liquor will not be sold in any bar, pub or hotel from now onwards in Bihar.

Do You Know – 

•No licence will be granted for sale and consumption of alcohol in places such as hotels, club and bars in towns and cities with immediate effect. 

•However, the Army cantonment areas will be out of it as they regulated the sale and consumption of alcohol in their own way.