Today's Top Headlines 06-04-2015

TOP HEADLINES 06-04-2015

1. Mumbai: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar undocks first Scorpene submarine

i. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar launched the country's first indigenously-built Scorpene submarine at the Mazagaon Dockyard Ltd in Mumbai.

ii. The Scorpene is part of the ambitious Project 75 of Indian Navy's submarine programme, undertaken with French collaboration, which will include six such vessels joining the fleet over the next few years.

iii. The submarine is expected to be commissioned by September 2016.

iv. Presently, Indian Navy has 14 conventional diesel-electric powered submarines which include 10 Russian Kilo Class and four German HDW class vessels.

2. PM Modi launches national air quality index

i. In a concerted effort to tackle the menace of air pollution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India's first Air Quality Index. The index will be operational in ten Indian cities to start with.

ii. The air quality index will inform the public about the level of pollution in the air on a daily basis in real-time.

3. India to host fifth meeting of SAARC health ministers

i. Indian will host the fifth meeting of SAARC health ministers next week to deliberate on key issues including HIV/AIDS, prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases and to strengthen collaborations amongst the nations.

ii. The meeting will deliberate on a road map for strengthening collaboration among SAARC countries on a number of issues and challenges faced by them.

iii. The health ministers will also discuss adoption of the "Delhi Declaration" affirming their commitment to work together in identified areas and further strengthen health collaboration with agreed road map and timelines, in the meeting scheduled to take place on April 8.

4. Delhi airport bags Golden Peacock National Quality Award

i. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has bagged the prestigious Golden Peacock National Quality Award for the year 2015. 

ii. The award highlights the best in class quality process that we have been building up at DIAL over the years, which have brought significant results and many awards and accolades.

iii. The award will be presented to DIAL by the UAE Minister for culture, youth and development Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan at a specially organized presentation ceremony to be held in Dubai on April 20. 

iv. Golden Peacock Awards were founded by the Institute of Directors, India in 1991 and are globally regarded as a benchmark of corporate excellence. 

v. The National Quality Award Scheme was instituted to encourage total quality improvements in both manufacturing and service organizations in India. 

5. MoU inked for construction of BR Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mills land

i. A three party MoU was signed between Union Ministry of Textiles, Maharashtra government and National Textile Corporation for transfer of land for construction of the memorial for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar memorial in Mumbai. 

ii. The MoU was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union textile minister Santosh Gangwar in New Delhi.

iii. The memorial will be constructed on the site where the last rites of architect of the Indian Constitution, Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar were performed after he had died on December 6, 1956.

"Environment protection and development can go hand in hand," Prime Minister said while speaking on the launch event, in New Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan.

6. Miami Open 2015 - Winners

Men’s Singles Title 

World No. 1 and Serbian ace tennis player Novak Djokovic has won the 2015 Miami Open Men’s Singles Title. In the final match he defeated Britain’s Andy Murray.

Women’s singles Title 

World No. 1 and American ace tennis player Serena Williams has won the 2015 Miami Open Women’s singles Title. In the final match she defeated Spain’s Carla Suárez Navarro.

Men’s doubles Title 

American Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan pair has won the 2015 Miami Open Men’s doubles Title. In the final match they defeated Vasek Pospisil (Canada) and Jack Sock (US) pair.

Women’s doubles Title 

India’s Sania Mirza and Switzerland’s Martina Hingis pair has won 2015 Miami Open Women’s doubles Title. In the final match they defeated Russian pair of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.