Current affairs : March 14th, 2017 for all competitive exams
The Arunachal Pradesh government has launched a
new scheme Adarsh Gram Yojana that is in accordance with the basic philosophy
of the Prime Minister 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas'.
- The
scheme aims to reach the poor people in rural areas of the state to serve
them better. Under the scheme, 123 villages (comprising one village per
circle) will be developed as 'Model Villages' during the fiscal year
2017-18.
Jaitley gets additional charge of Defence Ministry
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was given the
additional charge of the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned to
take on the new role of Goa Chief Minister.
- This
is the second time that Jaitley is holding the additional portfolio of
Defence Ministry during the present NDA government.
- He
was incharge of the ministry earlier from May 26 to November 9
in 2014.
Kerala
completes work on first check-dam across the Bhavani
Notwithstanding
stiff opposition from Tamil Nadu, the Kerala Irrigation Department has
completed work on the first of the half-a-dozen check-dams proposed across the
inter-State river Bhavani to address drinking and irrigation water shortage in
Attappady.
- The
check-dam is the first major initiative on the part of the State to
utilise 6 TMC water awarded from the Bhavani basin by the Cauvery Tribunal
10 years ago.
- The
Supreme Court has ratified the verdict and allowed the State to move ahead
with its check-dam proposals. However, stiff resistance from Tamil Nadu
had delayed the work.
NTPC
installs India’s largest floating solar PV plant:
NTPC has
installed India’s largest floating solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at Rajiv
Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Plant (RGCCPP) at Kayamkulam in Kerala.
- It
is a 100 kWp (kilowatt peak) floating solar PV plant, the largest of its
kind in India as on date, indigenously developed as a part of ‘Make In
India’ initiative.
US
regulators reject bitcoin ETF, digital currency plunges
The US
Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday denied a request to list what would
have been the first US exchange-traded fund built to track bitcoin, the digital
currency.
- The
digital currency’s price plunged, falling as much as 18% in trading
immediately after the decision before rebounding slightly. It last traded
down 7.8% to $1,098.
China
planning five-fold increase in marine force
China is set
to rapidly expand its marine corps and the Navy in anticipation of the
development of its Maritime Silk Road (MSR), which covers the Pakistani port of
Gwadar, and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa.
- According
to a report, China is planning a five-fold increase in its marine force —
from 20,000 to 100,000 personnel.
- Some
of the Chinese marines would be stationed at Djibouti in the Horn of
Africa, and the Pakistani port of Gwadar, the starting point of the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Scotland seeks to exit U.K
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will ask
the Scottish Parliament for authority next week for a second referendum on
Scottish independence.
- The
issue of independence resurfaced in the wake of last June’s referendum,
when Scotland voted overwhelmingly (62%) to remain in the EU.
UK parliament gives final approval for Brexit bill
In UK, the House of Lords has passed the Brexit
bill, paving the way for the government to trigger Article 50 so the UK can
leave the EU.
- The
Prime Minister could theoretically invoke Article 50, which formally
starts the Brexit process.
- .The
EU Withdrawal Bill was passed unamended after peers voted by 274 votes to
118 not to challenge the Commons again over the issue of whether
Parliament should have a veto on the terms of exit.
No Limit On Cash Withdrawals From Savings Bank Accounts
All limits on savings bank cash withdrawals
post-demonetisation ended on 13 march 2017, as had been announced by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last month.
- In
a two-stage process, the weekly withdrawal limit per account had been
raised to Rs. 50,000, from Rs. 24,000, with effect from February 20,2017,
and all limits on ATM withdrawals were slated to cease from March 13,
2017.
Zee TV bags satellite rights
to 2.0 for Rs. 110 crore
Actor Rajinikanth’s Rs. 350 crore film, 2.0, directed by
filmmaker Shankar and scheduled for release on Deepavali this year, has joined
the Rs. 100-crore club even before the release of the film’s official teaser.
- Lyca
Productions’ creative head, Raju Mahalingam, confirmed that the Tamil,
Hindi and Telugu satellite rights have been sold for Rs. 110 crore to Zee
Television.
- The
Rs. 110 crore deal is only for the film’s satellite rights.
CII Eastern region gets new chief
Umesh Chowdhary, Vice-Chairman & Managing
Director, Titagarh Wagons Ltd, has been elected as the Chairman of CII Eastern
Region for the year 2017-18.
- Jagi
Mangat Panda, Managing Director of Ortel Communications Ltd, is the new
Deputy Chairperson.
- Their
names were announced at the first meeting of the reconstituted Eastern
Regional Council held in Kolkata
Durban stripped of 2022 CWG
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will no longer take
place in Durban, South Africa.
- South
Africa sports minister Fikile Mbalula indicated that the government might
withdraw its financial support because of the cost of staging the
multi-sport event.
ICC appoint Sachin Tendulkar as official ambassador
of women's World Cup 2017
Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar was
announced as the official ambassador of Women's Cricket World Cup 2017 by the
International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday, on the occasion of International
Women's Day.
- The women’s World Cup this year starts on June 24, 2017 at England and Wales with eight top cricketing countries locking horns to grab the coveted trophy.
