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UTTAM app

UTTAM App, abbreviated as ‘Unlocking Transparency by Third Party Assessment of Mined Coal’ was launched by the Ministry of coal for coal quality monitoring. The aim of the app is ensuring efficiency and transparency in the process of coal quality monitoring and at the same time, bringing the governance of coal, closer to the people. Coal India Limited (CIL) and the Ministry of Coal have jointly developed this app.  Why UTTAM App? The app has been built in a manner that it transforms the citizens as the stakeholders in the coal ecosystem.The third party sampling of coal as well as the dispatch of coal to each and every subsidiary of the Coal India Limited can be monitored through the application.A bidirectional channel between the citizens and Coal India Limited is facilitated by the App.  Features of UTTAM App: The app provides information with respect to the production, dispatch and quantity of the sampled coal in coal power and non-power sector, bringing about transparency in coal quality assessment.Parameters of judging the quality, such as the Gross Calorific Value (GCV), analysed GCV as well as coverage parameters such as quantity of coal sampled and its location is holistically covered through an interactive map based view.The app provides mapping of the grade of coal dispatched to the consumers.The citizens can compare and assess the coal quality through the information provided by the app regarding the Gross Calorific Value that is declared subsidiary-wise.The efforts of CIL in improving the quality through third party sampling is validated, as trend of complaints with respect to the quality of coal is reflected on the App.The import of coal is an attestation of the quality of coal that is produced within India. The app also presents the trends in coal imports over the last few years.  #FancyJ

EDITORIAL

Ranking educational institutions is useful, but the HRD Ministry’s effort needs fine-tuning The “who’s who” of universities and research institutions published by the Human Resource Development Ministry, as the National Institutional Ranking Framework, 2018, should be viewed mainly as a proposition that data make it possible to assign objective credentials to some aspects of education. Its assessment of some of the top institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science, the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the IITs and the IIMs is unsurprising, given their record of research, peer-reviewed publications and outcomes for graduates. Even among the 3,954 institutions that participated, there is a clear skew towards southern, southeastern and western India. Participation levels are inadequate: there were 40,026 colleges and 11,669 standalone institutions according to the HRD Ministry’s All India Survey on Higher Education for 2016-17. To the faculty and students in many colleges, what matters is the vision of the administrative leaders and a commitment to excellence. The governing bodies should make available adequate financial and academic resources to colleges, particularly the younger ones, to help them improve performance. These are measured by the NIRF in terms of the percentage of faculty with doctoral degrees, papers published in credentialed journals, inclusivity and diversity of students, and median salaries for the graduates. Ranking educational and research institutes has practical uses, such as helping students make study choices, sponsors to identify research projects, and other universities to form partnerships. Yet, for the process to evolve and be relevant, it should be able to enrol all recognised educational institutions, not just the public ones. In the absence of such participation, older institutions with historical advantages could enjoy a higher ranking, obscuring newer entrants who may have stronger claims to excellence. Also, the ranking approach worldwide is critiqued for failing to capture the crucial metric of learning outcomes, relying instead on proxy data on faculty strength and qualifications. In the case of the NIRF, which is now in its third year, the final responsibility for accuracy of data lies with the participating institution, except for aspects like research publications that are independently verifiable. What is positive about the system is its emphasis on achieving measurable goals and bringing in transparency. The 2018 exercise added the disciplines of law, medicine and architecture and it hopes to cast the net wider in the future. Beyond competitive ranking, however, the higher order goal is to foster learning and scholarship. This can be achieved solely by encouraging faculty to exercise complete academic freedom, without the pressure of perception management. The NIRF ranks will measure the measurable, but there will be some dimensions it may not be able to fully capture.excellence (noun) – brilliance, merit/talent, quality.objective (noun) – aim, intention, target/purpose.credentials (noun) – achievement, aspect, quality.peer-review (noun) – a process by which something research or publication is evaluated by a group of experts in the appropriate field.skew (noun) – distortion, misrepresentation, change.standalone institutions (noun) – higher education institutions, which are not affiliated to any university but recognised by various councils or ministries of the government, as well as polytechnics fall under the category of standalone institutions. They generally offer postgraduate diplomas, diplomas and certificate courses.inclusivity (noun) – the quality of being inclusive without excluding people on grounds of gender, race, class, disability & etc.median (adjective) – mean, average.evolve (verb) – develop, progress, advance.obscure (verb) – overshadow, block; confuse/complicate.entrant (noun) – new member, beginner, newcomer.critique (verb) – analyse, evaluate, assess/appraise.proxy data (noun) – an indirect data of the desired outcome which is itself strongly correlated to that outcome.bring in (phrasal verb) – introduce, initiate, put in place.transparency (noun) – clarity, straightforwardness, openness.cast the net wide (phrase) – try as many things as possible to find the suitable one.foster (verb) – encourage, promote, stimulate.#FancyJ

Sports Cups and Trophies

Sports Cups and Trophies – Major Tournaments SportTournamentsCricketAshes Cup, Asia Cup, C.K. Naidu Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Gavaskar Border Trophy, G.D. Birla Trophy, Gillette Cup, ICC World Cup, Irani Trophy, Jawaharlal Nehru Cup, Rani Jhansi Trophy, Ranji Trophy, Rohinton, Barcia Trophy, Rothmans Cup, Sahara Cup, Sharjah Cup, Singer Cup, Titan Cup, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Vijay Merchant Trophy, Wisden Trophy and Wills Trophy.FootballRovers Cup, Bandodkar Trophy, Merdeka Cup, Confederation cup, DCM Trophy, Durand Cup, Rovers Cup, B.C. Raj Trophy (National Championship), FIFA World Cup, Jules Rimet Trophy, Kalinga Cup, Santosh Trophy, IFA Shield, Scissor Cup, Subroto Cup, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee Trophy, Todd Memorial Trophy, Vittal Trophy, and UEFA Champions League.HockeySultan Azlan Shah Cup,Aga Khan Cup, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gold Cup, Dhyanchand Trophy, Nehru Trophy, Sindhia Gold cup, Murugappa Gold Cup, Wellington Cup, and Stanley Cup.Table TennisTravancore Cup (women), Swathling Cup (men), Bama Belleck Cup.Lawn TennisDavis Cup, Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, Heineken CupBadmintonAmrit Diwan Cup, Asia Cup, Chaddha Cup, European Cup, Harilela Cup, Ibrahim Rahimatillah Challenger Cup, Konica Cup, Sophia Cup, Kitiakara Cup, Malaysian Open, Thomas Cup (men), Uber Cup (women).GolfCanada Cup, Rydet Cup, Walker Cup, and Eisenhower Cup #ARCHANA

April 6 CA

● Today 6th April : International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. ● Sanjita Chanu Win GOLD Medal For India In Women's Weightlifting 53 kg CWG 2018 ● Weightlifter Deepak Lather Wins Bronze Medal 69Kg Category In CWG 2018 ● Piyush Goyal Launches UTTAM APP for Coal Quality Monitoring ● Prime Minister to inaugurate International Energy Forum in New Delhi ● India win South East Asian Women Handball Championship ● Indo-Korean joint exercise SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG 2018 held In Chennai ● Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli on 3-day Visit to India ● The Global Logistics Summit was held in New Delhi ● Mithali Raj Becomes Most Capped Player in Women's ODIs ● Suresh Prabhu inaugurates Delhi-Pathankot flight under UDAN scheme ● 34th annual session of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in New Delhi ● India Filings launches online income tax filing services ● Julius Maada Bio sworn in as the president of Sierra Leone ● EC Decided To Set Up 450 Sakhi Pink Booths During The Karnataka Assembly Elections ● Prime Minister will inaugurate the International Energy Forum in New Delhi ● RBI Released The First Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy  2018-19 ● India and Afghanistan signed MoU for cooperation in the field of Food Safety ● 'Van Dhan Vikas Kendra' on the pilot basis for establishment in Bijapur , Chhattisgarh. #RAJKUMAR

April 5 CA

● April 5 : National Maritime Day , India ● Commonwealth Games 2018 : Bermuda’s Duffy Wins First Gold ● Gururaja Grabs Silver Medal in Weightlifting 56KG Category CWG 2018 ● Mirabai Chanu wins Gold Medal in women's 48 kg Category CWG 2018 ● India Ratings and Research has revised its FY19 GDP growth forecast to 7.4% ● Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) unveils ‘Virtual ID’ ● MAA programme launched by Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Vipin Parmar ● Qatar-based Doha Bank has set up the first branch in the Chennai ● Study Khazana, an e-portal has been awarded “For best emerging online Education Portal in North India” ● India Third Most Vulnerable Country To Cyber Threats : Internet Security Threat Report ● 10th edition of DefExpo18 to be held in Chennai from 11-14 April ● India-Japan-US 9th Trilateral Meeting held in New Delhi ● Turkey launches construction of first-ever nuclear plant ● Trial Run of 1st India-Bangladesh Container Train Flagged Off ● India becomes second largest manufacturer of crude steel ● Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) ● Cabinet Approves Protection of Human Rights (Amendments) Bill , 2018 . #RAJKUMAR

April 4 CA

● 4 April: International Mine Awareness Day ● International Mine Awareness Day 2018 Theme : ' Advancing protection, Peace and Development ' ● India-Japan-US Trilateral Talks Held In New Delhi ● Suresh Prabhu Launches Digital Initiative For Ease Of Export ● Indo-Kyrgyzstan joint training exercise KHANJAR-V concludes ● Commonwealth Games 2018 Starts At Gold Coast In Australia ● Atal Pension Yojana subscriber base touches over 97 lakh by end of FY18 : PFRDA ● IISc Stood First in National institutional ranking framework (NIRF) by HRD ministry ● Indian Army and HDFC Bank signed a MoUon the Defence Salary Package. ● SBI Life Insurance appoints Sanjeev Nautiyal as new MD & CEO ● Subrata Bhattacharjee appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia ● Indonesia declares emergency after port city oil spill ● Multi Modal Logistic Park inaugurated at Balli, Goa ● Sikkim will give pension to organic farmers ● Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation launched ' Satyagraha Se Swachhagraha ' campaign ● Himanta Biswa Sarma has been elected as the President of the Badminton Association of India ● Sushma Swaraj To Visit Azerbaijan To Attend NAM Meet . #RAJKUMAR

EDITORIAL

The conviction of Brazil’s former President throws its politics into further disarray The arrest of former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after his conviction in a corruption case is a blow to his Workers’ Party, which hopes to return to power in the October general election. Mr. Lula da Silva, or simply ‘Lula’, had announced he would contest the poll, and was the front runner to become President. But after a federal judge rejected his request to remain free till his appeal options are exhausted, his eventful political career — which began as an organiser of metal workers when Brazil was under a dictatorship — seems to have come to an end. On Saturday he began his 12-year jail term, and asked supporters to “transform themselves” to keep the revolution going. Over the last few years, Brazil’s judges and prosecutors had launched a set of investigations into alleged corruption cases that became known as Lavo Jato, or Car Wash, targeting mainly Workers’ Party leaders. Dilma Rousseff, his chosen successor and Brazil’s first woman President, was impeached in August 2016 over allegations of cooking the country’s budget accounts. That brought an end to 13 years of Workers’ Party rule. With Mr. Lula da Silva now behind bars, the Workers’ Party, arguably the most powerful political organisation in Brazil with a strong base among the country’s poor and the working population, will face a challenge in its election campaign this year. Prosecutors say Mr. Lula da Silva has been convicted in a proper trial and that he should be treated as any other citizen before the law. But his supporters as well as several international observers have raised questions about the judiciary’s stance. The case against him is that he accepted an apartment as bribe from a construction company as a quid pro quo for contracts granted. But there is no documentary evidence that either he or his wife owned the apartment, rented it out or stayed there. The evidence against him is the testimony of an executive of the company, which prosecutors got as part of a plea bargain. Still the judges found Mr. Lula da Silva guilty as they also concluded that the contracts given out to companies under his rule were overpriced. It is also no secret that several from the establishment elite wanted him out of politics. On the eve of the Supreme Court hearing of Lula’s appeal, the Army chief tweeted that the military “repudiates impunity”, apparently sending a message to the judiciary. By imprisoning its most popular leader on such weak evidence at a time when the polarised country is ruled by unelected elite, the judges may just have heightened the crisis in Brazil’s young, fraught democracy. conviction (noun) – declaration/pronouncement of guilt, sentence, judgment.disarray (noun) – disorder, confusion/chaos, disorganization.blow (noun) – a sudden shock, a sudden disappointment.exhaust (verb) – use up, finish, deplete.have come to an end (phrase) – be finished, be completed.successor (noun) –  heir, descendant; replacement/next in line.impeach (verb) – indict, charge, accuse (a public official) with a crime done while in office.allegation (noun) – charge/claim, accusation; complaint.cook (verb) – falsify, alter, manipulate/misrepresent.quid pro quo (noun) – Latin word literally meaning “something for something”; exchange, trade, payment (a favour in return for something).repudiate (verb) – revoke, repeal, overrule.impunity (noun) – immunity, indemnity, exemption from punishment.imprison (verb) – put in prison/jail, confine, detain.heightened (adjective) – intensify, magnify, amplify.fraught (adjective) – anxious, worried/agitated, panic-stricken. #FancyJ

NI act, 1881

Negotiable instruments recognized by Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 are: (i) Promissory notes (ii) Bills of exchange (iii) Cheques. A negotiable instrument is a piece of paper which entitles a person to a sum of money and which is transferable from one person to another by mere delivery or by endorsement and delivery. There were total 142 Sections in the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 when came into force. The act was amended and amendment Act inserts five new sections from 143 to 147 touching various limbs of the parent Act and Cheque truncation through digitally were also included and the amendment Act has been recently brought into force on Feb. 6, 2003. Some important sections are listed below: Section 4 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 defines the promissory note, “A promissory note is an instrument inwriting (note being a bank-note or a currency note) containing an unconditional undertaking, signed by the maker, to pay a certain sum of money to or to the order of a certain person, or to the bearer of the instruments.Section 5 of the Act defines the bill of exchange, “A bill of exchange is an instrument in writing containing an unconditional order, signed by the maker, directing a certain person to pay a certain sum of money only to, or to the order of a certain person or to the bearer of the instrument”. Section 6 of the Act defines the cheque “A cheque is a bill of exchange drawn on a specified banker, and not expressed to be payable otherwise than on demand”.All cheque are bill of exchange, but all bills are not cheque. Section 6(a) defines ‘a cheque in the electronic form’Section 6(b) defines ‘a truncated cheque’ Section 7 of the Act gives definition of ‘drawer’ and ‘drawee’. The maker of the bill of exchange or cheque is called“drawer” and the person thereby directed to pay is called the “drawee” Section 13 of the Act states that a negotiable instrument is a promissory note, bill of exchange or a cheque payable either to order or to bearer. Section 18. Where amount is stated differently in figures and words: If the amount undertaken or ordered to be paid is stated differently in figures and in words, the amount stated in words shall be the amount undertaken or ordered to be paid. Section 19. Instruments payable on demand: A promissory note or bill of exchange, in which no time for payment is specified, and a cheque, are payable on demand. Section 22. “Maturity”. The maturity of a promissory note or bill of exchange is the date at which it falls due. The section also defines days of grace. Section 25. When day of maturity is a holiday: When the day on which a promissory note or bill of exchange is at maturity is a public holiday, the instrument shall be deemed to be due on the next preceding business day. Section 45. Holder’s right to duplicate of lost bill. Section 58. A promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to bearer is negotiable by indorsement and delivery thereof. Section 78. To whom payment should be made: Payment of the amount due on a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque must, in order to discharge the maker or acceptor, be made to the holder of the instrument. DISHONOUR OF A NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT When a negotiable instrument is dishonoured, the holder must give a notice of dishonour to all the previous parties in order to make them liable. A negotiable instrument can be dishonoured either by nonacceptance or by non-payment. A cheque and a promissory note can only be dishonoured by non-payment but a bill of exchange can be dishohoured either by non-acceptance or by non-payment. Section 91: Dishonour by non-acceptance Section 92: Dishonour by non-payment  Section 138: Dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc., of funds in the account#FancyJ

Currency System in India

 Introduction The Reserve Bank of India, in a notification, said that it will shortly issue New Indian Currency of Rs. 10/- denomination notes in the New Mahatma Gandhi Series, bearing the signature of Dr Urjit R. Patel. In India, the Reserve Bank of India is solely responsible for the issuance and distribution of currency. The RBI on the basis of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 plays the role of designing and producing currency. Let’s have a look at how currency reaches your pockets:  Production The Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL), owned by the Government of India, is responsible for printing notes and minting coins.It has printing presses at Nasik in Maharashtra and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.It also has four mints for coin production at Mumbai, Noida, Kolkata and Hyderabad. The Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Pvt. Ltd. (BRBNMPL), owned by the RBI, also has printing presses at Mysore in Karnataka and Salboni in West Bengal.  Issuance and Distribution RBI has selected branches of banks called Currency Chests which facilitate the distribution of currency.They have been established with State Bank of India, six associate banks, nationalized banks, private sector banks, a foreign bank, a state cooperative bank and a regional rural bank.They distribute notes and coins to other bank branches in their area.  Issuance of New Indian Currency after Demonetization After the government’s decision to demonetize old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes on November 8, 2016, it came out with new currency notes having denominations of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500.Subsequently, RBI has also rolled out new Rs. 200 and Rs 50 notes.Recently, the RBI has also launched a new design of Rs. 10 note. New Rs. 10/- Note & How it differs? Let’s start with the newly launched Rs. 10 note. The new Rs. 10 note will be in chocolate brown colour instead of the previous orange colour.On the front, other designs and geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme which are see-through register with denominational numeral 10, written also in Devanagari script and Mahatma Gandhi at the centre.The reverse will have a motif of the Konark Sun Temple while the old Rs 10-note carries the image of Indian fauna consisting of rhinoceros, elephant and tiger.The new Rs. 10 notes will have the same height of 63 mm but it’s width of 123 mm will be 14 mmlesser than the old notes.The front also carries Guarantee Clause, RBI Governor’s signature and Ashoka Pillar. New Indian Currency of Rs. 50, Rs. 200, Rs. 500 and Rs. 2000 The new Rs. 50 has florescent blue colour in the New Mahatma Gandhi Series bearing Patel’s signature.The reverse carries a motif of Hampi with Chariot along with the Swachh Bharat logo and slogan instead of the image of Indian Parliament with a hoisted flag on the old Rs 50 note.Dimension 135 x 66 mm.The bright yellow Rs. 200 note features a motif of the Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage.To aid the visually impaired, it has a raised Identification mark H with micro-text Rs 200, four angular bleed lines with two circles in between the lines both on the right and left sides. Dimension 146 x 66 mm.The magenta coloured Rs. 2000 note bears the motif of Mangalayan (Mars mission) on the reverse and has a rectangle with Rs. 2000 in raised print on right as well as seven angular bleed lines in raised print to aid the visually impaired. Dimension 166 x 66 mm.The stone gray coloured Rs. 500 note has an image of the Red Fort with Indian flag on the reverse and has a circle with Rs. 500 in raised print on the right as well as five angular bleed lines in raised print to aid the visually impaired. Dimension 150 x 66 mm. #ARCHANA

EDITORIAL

The verdict in the Salman Khan blackbuck case is a huge blow for conservation The stiff sentence of five years in jail awarded to actor Salman Khan for hunting blackbuck in Rajasthan’s Kankani village in 1998 should send out the message that stardom does not confer impunity. Unlike the average wildlife poaching case, where State forest departments struggle to gather credible evidence, the prosecution in the blackbuck case has been vigorously supported by the local Bishnoi community. What sets the case apart from so many other episodes of poaching and animal trapping in India’s forests is its naked celebration of bloodsport. Stars like Khan, who is no stranger to controversysurrounding hunting expeditions, seem to think conservation is not serious business, and the clock can readily be turned back to an era when the wealthy and powerful organised ‘shikar’ parties to hunt for pleasure. That era is over. If the verdict of the Jodhpur court in the blackbuck case survives the appeals process, it would send out the powerful message that the judicial system feels no constraint in exerting the full weight of the law to protect threatened wildlife. Equally, it should bring a feeling of empowerment to forest department personnel, and help them resist the intimidation that they routinely face from influential sections in the discharge of their duties. Protecting the blackbuck case verdict — and the witnesses who made it possible — is the challenge they face today. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, the landmark law from 1972 that shields the diversity of India’s endangered animals mainly in 4% of its land area designated as protected, struggles to be effective and conviction rates are low. Besides restraining ‘VIP’ poachers, forest guards must combat organised hunting gangs that employ traps and snares for a thriving trade in animals, body parts and trophies. Even the population of the tiger, the most protected species, faces erosion due to poaching. At least 136 tigers were killed between 2014 and 2017, according to an estimate by the Wildlife Protection Society of India that includes official data on poaching. What is more, several species protected under the Schedules of the Wildlife Act are often found in areas that lie outside sanctuaries, and are commonly hunted. Forest departments must see the need for greater vigilance in such territories, which they can exercise in partnership with local communities. The verdict in the Salman Khan case strikes a blow for these free-ranging animals, sending out the message that hunting of protected species is certain to invite severe penalties. The court makes the important observation that personalities who are capable of influencing the behaviour of others must naturally be conscious of what they do. It is to be hoped that this will convince the high and mighty that bloodsports are grotesquely incongruous in the present day when environmental concerns rule supreme and engaging in them invites deterrent action. blackbuck (noun) –a swift-running antelope (deerlike mammal) with soft dark brown to black coloured coat (animal’s fur/hair) and characteristic twisted horns. it inhabits grassy plains and slightly forested areas.blow (noun) – an act in support of something.conservation (noun) – preservation, protection, safeguarding (of the natural environment and of wildlife).confer (verb) – give, present, grant/bestow.impunity (noun) – immunity, indemnity, exemption/freedom from punishment.poach (verb) – hunt illegally, kill illegally.credible (adjective) – convincing, acceptable; reasonable.set apart (phrasal verb) – isolate, separate, segregate.naked (adjective) – obvious, open, evident/palpable.bloodsport (noun) – a sport involving the hunting or killing of animals.expedition (noun) – trip, excursion, outing.journey.turn back the clock (phrase) – to remember the things happened in the past.constraint (noun) – restriction, limitation, restraint.exert (verb) – apply, employ, exercise.empowerment (noun) – accreditation, authorization, validation.personnel (noun) – staff, employees, workforce.intimidation (noun) – frightening, threatening, oppression.conviction (noun) – declaration/pronouncement of guilt, sentence, judgement.endangered (adjective) – (of species) seriously at risk/in danger, unsafe, unprotected.snare (noun) – a trap/net for catching birds or mammals.thriving (adjective) – growing, prosperous; flourishing.species (noun) – a group/breed/family of living organisms (animals & plants) with individual having the same quality & can breed.erosion (noun) – destruction, deterioration, decline.sanctuary (noun) – natural reserve, park, wildlife reserve.strike a blow for (phrase) – do something to help/support.conscious (adjective) – aware of, alert to, mindful of.grotesquely (adverb) – in a shockingly inappropriate manner.incongruous (adjective) – inappropriate, unsuitable; out of place/absurd.deterrent (adjective) – relating to something which is aimed/intended to deter (stop/prevent) something else. #FancyJ

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