Daily Current affairs - August 18th, 2017 for all competitive exams
Harit
Diwali, Swasth Diwali
Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched the “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign.
- As
a part of the campaign, the Environment Ministry will undertake various
activities to create awareness among various stakeholders and encourage
people to participate in combating air pollution.
- Diwali
is an integral part of our rich tradition and a festival that embodies joy
and happiness.
Climate
change costs India $10 billion every year
In its recent
report, a parliamentary committee has observed that extreme weather events are
costing India $9-10 billion annually and climate change is projected to impact
agricultural productivity with increasing severity from 2020 to the end of the
century.
- Productivity
decrease of major crops would be marginal in the next few years but could
rise to as much as 10-40% by 2100 unless farming adapts to climate
change-induced changes in weather.
- Wheat,
rice, oilseeds, pulses, fruits and vegetables will see reduced yields over
the years, forcing farmers to either adapt to challenges of climate change
or face the risk of getting poorer. Adaptation will need different
cropping patterns and suitable inputs to compensate yield fluctuations.
E-toll lane on all national highways from Sept. 1
All toll plazas on national highways will have
electronic toll collection facility with at least one lane dedicated to
vehicles with electronic tag device, known as FASTags, beginning September 1.
- FASTags
is a device that can be installed on the windshield of any vehicle, and
toll payments can be made directly from the pre-paid account linked to it.
Hence such vehicles do not have to stop at toll plazas for payment of
fees.
New Airport Terminal Inaugurated In Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti
and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the Rs. 80 crore state-of-the-art
terminal building at Jammu Airport.
- The
Jammu Airport is set to offer a world-class experience to passengers with
an expanded and modernised terminal.
- A
canopy to protect the passengers from extreme weather conditions from the
ticket counters to the exit gate is almost complete. It will enhance the
convenience of travellers in the airport.
T.N. to probe Jayalalithaa’s death
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami
announced that an inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court judge would
be constituted to probe the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in
December last year.
- A
decision on the judge, who will head the commission, will be taken in due
course, Mr. Palaniswami said, flanked by several senior Cabinet ministers
at the Secretariat.
India,
China ‘clash’ near high-altitude Pangong Lake
The Indian and
Chinese armies clashed recently along the Pangong lake in Ladakh when the
People’s Liberation Army tried to penetrate into the Indian side.
- The
latest incident comes amid an ongoing dispute between the two sides over a
strategic Himalayan plateau thousands of kilometres away where hundreds of
Indian and Chinese soldiers have been facing off against each other for
more than two months.
- Pangon
lake or Pangong Tso, a 135-km long lake, located in the
Himalayas at the height of approximately 4,350 m, stretches out from India
to China. One-third of water body, its 45 km stretch, is in Indian control
while the rest of the 90 km is under Chinese control.
Navika
Sagar Parikrama
Navika
Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of
the Indian Navy would circumnavigate the globe on an Indian-built sail
boat INSV Tarini.
- This
is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an
all-women crew. The project is scheduled to commence in
early Sep 17.
- INSV
Tarini is the sister vessel of INSV Mhadei.
- The
project is considered essential towards promoting Ocean Sailing activities
in the Navy while depicting Government of India’s thrust for ‘Nari
Shakti’.
Can’t
Mekedatu be used to address T.N.’s needs, asks SC
The Supreme
Court has asked the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to envision the Mekedatu dam project as a facility to store
excess water from Karnataka, which can be released to
Tamil Nadu. The suggestion was mooted during the hearing of appeals in the
Cauvery case. Tamil Nadu has indicated that it was agreeable to the
proposition, provided that such an arrangement was under the control and
supervision of an independent third party.
- Karnataka
intends to build a reservoir across river Cauvery near Mekedatu in
Kanakapura taluk. It was first proposed along with
Shivanasamudra hydro power project at Shimsa in 2003 with an intention to
use the water for a hydro power station and supply drinking water to
Bengaluru city.
- The
drinking water and hydroelectric project will have a balancing reservoir
to store 66.50 tmcft of Cauvery water.
- The
project is estimated to cost 5,912 crore and about 4,900 hectares of
forest land will submerge if the project is implemented.
US
and India to co-host global entrepreneurship summit
The US and
India will co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in November in
Hyderabad, India. GES 2017 will create an environment that empowers innovators,
particularly women, to take their ideas to the next level.
- Around
1,500 delegates from over 160 countries will participate in the Global
Entrepreneurship Summit (GES).
- The theme
of the GES this year is: “Women
First, Prosperity for All,” which highlights that when women do
better, countries do better.
New
BRICS bank plans $1.5 billion lending for South African projects
A New
Development Bank (NDB) set up by the “BRICS” group of emerging economies plans
to lend $1.5 billion to South Africa for infrastructure projects over the next
eighteen months. The bank also officially opened its African regional
centre in Johannesburg.
- It
is a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states (Brazil,
Russia, India, China and South Africa).
- It
is seens as an alternative to the existing US-dominated World Bank and
International Monetary Fund.
Kovind to visit Leh on Monday
President Ram Nath Kovind will make a day-long
trip to Leh next Monday to honour the 14 Corps of the Army headquartered in
Ladakh, amid the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam and just
days after they clashed in the Ladakh region.
- Mr.
Kovind will present the Presidential Colours, a rare military honour, to
the infantry unit of the 14 Corps in recognition of its exceptional
service. But the importance of the Supreme Commander addressing the troops
in the border region will not be lost
Gen Re wants hurdles removed
Global reinsurance major Gen Re, which has
received a branch licence for India operations, said there still exist a few
regulatory hurdles that can be removed for the market to benefit.
- The
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has
mandated that state-run general insurer GIC Re will have the right of
first refusal under which the reinsurer has the first right to accept or
refuse any reinsurance contract in the country.
Realty sector eyes $10 bn private equity
Real estate developers are eyeing $10 billion in
private equity funding to kick-start the investment cycle to augment funding
for affordable housing projects, a thrust area of the government
- Under
the current environment, we do need private investment to provide housing
for all by 2022.
Srei Equipment Finance plans IPO
Srei Equipment Finance Ltd. (SEFL), a whollyowned
subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance Ltd.(SIFL), is planning to get listed
through an initial public offering (IPO) of its equity shares which will result
in dilution of up to 25% of the post paid-up equity share capital.
- IPO
would enable the firm infuse fresh capital into the business.
Private banks in the South set up facilities for Aadhaar
Private sector banks in the South are in a race
to set up Aadhaar enrolment and updation facilities, following a recent
directive from the Centre, according to an official.
- The
new initiative will enable us to speed up the process of Aadhaar
enrolment,” said D.M. Gajare, Assistant Director General, UIDAI (Unique
Identification Authority of India). “The idea is to have more number of
touch points.
Zidane leads nominees for FIFA coach prize
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane heads the list
of 12 nominees for the FIFA men’s coach of the year award.
- Other
candidates include Antonio Conte, who led Chelsea to the English title,
Manchester United’s Europa League-winning coach Jose Mourinho and
Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus.
- Zidane
has enjoyed a glorious year in charge of Madrid as it successfully
defended the European Cup — the first team to do so in the Champions
League era.
