CURRENT AFFAIRS - INDIA

Railways Sets up Two New Directorates

• Railways has constituted a new directorate named as Non-Fare Revenue Directorate (NFR) to increase revenue by 10 % to 20 % from non-tariff sources like advertising and commercial exploitation of vacant rail land.

• The public transporter has also set up another directorate to focus on areas like speed enhancement as part of the Mission Raftaar announced in the budget. The Mobility Directorate will address various factors affecting train movement at enhanced speeds in a focused manne

President gives away National Florence Nightingale Awards 2016

• The National Florence Nightingale Awards were given away by the President Pranab Mukherjee to thirty-five nursing personnel at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of International Nurses Day. The Award carries a cash award of 50 thousand rupees, a certificate, a citation and a medal.

• The International Nurses Day is celebrated all over the world on 12th May every year to commemorate Florence Nightingale's birthday.

President gives away National Technology Day awards 2016

• President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday conferred the National Technology Awards on National Technology Day. 

• At a function in Vigyan Bhavan, the President awarded Bangalore's Racil Chemicals, Coimbatore's Aitom Electric and Tejas Network again from Bangalore with awards for the year 2016.

 Padma awards for Rajnikanth, Sania Mirza 

• President Pranab Mukherjee presented Padma awards to 56 eminent personalities in a Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 10.05.2016, Tuesday. While Padma Vibhushan has been conferred on 10 persons including a posthumous award for Dhirubhai Ambani.

• Padma Bhushan has been conferred on 29 persons including a posthumous award late Swami Dayanand Sarawasati and Padma Shri on 112 persons.

• Padma Awards one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. 

• The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz. art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.