05 July 2016 Current Affairs
Union Cabinet Approves National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
“The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). The Scheme has an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore with a target of 50 lakh apprentices to be trained by 2019-20. The Scheme would be implemented by Director General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). It provides for incentivizing employers to engage apprentices. 25% of the total stipend payable to an apprentice would be shared with employers directly by Government of India. It is for the first time a scheme has been designed to offer financial incentives to employers to engage apprentices. In addition, it also supports basic training, which is an essential component of apprenticeship training. 50% of the total expenditure incurred on providing basic training would be supported by Government of India.”
Union Cabinet Approves Interest Subvention Scheme For Farmers
“The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5 July approved the Interest Subvention Scheme for farmers for the year 2016-17. For this purpose Union Government has earmarked a sum of 18,276 Crore Rupees. The scheme will help farmers getting short term crop loan payable within one year up to 3 lakhs Rupees at only 4% per annum. Interest subvention for providing short term crop loan to farmers has been provided to Public Sector, Private Sector, Cooperative, Regional Rural banks and NABARD.”
NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Successfully Enters Jupiter’s Orbit
“Juno spacecraft of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 4 July 2016 successfully entered Jupiter’s orbit.Juno’s main aim is to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. The spacecraft will also investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map Jupiter’s intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere and observe the planet’s auroras.Juno is a NASA New Frontiers mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 5 August 2011. It is in a polar orbit to study Jupiter’s composition, gravity field, magnetic field and polar magnetosphere. It will determine how much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The unmanned spacecraft has been named after the Roman goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter who is considered as the god of the sky in ancient Greco-Roman mythology. Juno is the first mission designed by NASA to see beneath Jupiter’s clouds. It has travelled 2.7 billion kilometres since its launch to reach Jupiter. Juno will have mission life of 20 months from July 2016 to Feb 2018. In its mission life, the spacecraft will circle the Jupiter 37 times before finally making a death plunge in 2018 in order to avoid accidentally crashing onto one of the planet’s moons.”
World’s Largest Charkha Unveiled at IGI Airport
“World’s largest Charkha (spinning wheels) was unveiled at Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), New Delhi by Union Minister for MSME Kalraj Mishra on 5 July 2016. The Charkha was installed at the departure forecourt of the terminal with a belief that it would help in carrying forward the legacy of promoting India’s rich cultural heritage through different artworks at the terminal. The Charkha made from high-quality Burma teak wood. It weighs four-tones and is 9 feet wide, 17 feet tall and 30 feet long. It is estimated that the Charkha would last for over 50 years. It was built in 55 days by a team of 42 highly skilled carpenters hailing from Ahmedabad.”