G.K. Update 29, May 2016 (English)
By: D.K. Choudhary
1. Indian Air Force successfully test fires Brahmos missile at Pokaran
1. The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired a land-attack version of the supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos at the Pokaran field firing range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
2. During the flight trial, the missile met its mission goals and destroyed a designated target. Two squadrons of IAF already have been equipped with the land-attack version of the missile version (One squadron has about 70 to 80 missiles). IAF is deploying this version of the missile in the border areas to take out the enemy’s communication towers, runways, and radar in case of a conflict.
2. Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh wins 2016 India Biodiversity Award
1. Pakke Tiger Reserve in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh has won the ‘India Biodiversity Award 2016’. The tiger reserve was selected in the conservation of threatened species category for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.
2. The Programme is a joint collaboration of Ghora-Aabhe Society, Nature Conservation Foundation and the State Forest Department. Under it, urban citizens contribute money to protect hornbill nests around Pakke Tiger Reserve. The programme has been a major step towards conservation of four hornbill species that are found in the adjoining areas of the reserve.
3. NITI Aayog unveils incubation centres
1. To foster creativity and scientific temper in students and provide financial support to institutions, the NITI Aayog has launched 500 Atal tinkering labs and 100 incubation centres and has called for applications online.
2. Eligible schools/organisations and individuals can apply for the three major schemes under Atal Innovation Mission — establishing tinkering laboratories in schools, establishing new incubation centres and scaling-up established incubation centres.
3. The Atal tinkering labs will provide one-time establishment grant-in-aid of ₹10 lakh to schools (grade VI–XII) across India. Further, ₹10 lakh would be provided for each lab over five years for operational expenses. The Atal Incubation Centres will provide multiple facilities to innovators and start-up entrepreneurs for developing solutions under which a grant-in-aid of ₹10 crore will be given to set up a new centre over five years.
4. Tech Mahindra buys UK fintech firm in deal valued at more than 112 million pounds
1. Tech Mahindra said it would buy financial technology firm Target Group to boost its platform business process-as-a-service offering in the banking sector, in a deal valued at more than 112 million pounds.
2. In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange , TechM said the deal had an enterprise value of 112 million pounds plus an adjustment for surplus cash of upto 8 million pounds.
3. The company will pay 64 million pounds upfront and a deferred consideration of upto 16.28 million pounds in 2017. TechM will also pay an amount of 17.1 million pounds on account of loan notes at closing.