Daily Current affairs - August 30th, 2017 for all competitive exams
The vice president of India
Venkaiah Naidu launched the National Sports Talent Search Portal, a
government initiative to unearth sporting talent from every nook and corner of
the country.
- Under the initiative, a child or his parents,
teachers or coaches can upload his bio data or video on the portal.
- The Sports ministry will select talented players and
impart training to them at Sports Authority India centres.
- The portal will also be available as an App enabling
it to be downloaded on smart phones.
Cabinet approves MoU by the
Election Commission of India with the Election Management Bodies of other
countries/International Agencies
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved
the proposal of the Election Commission of India to enter into Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of electoral management and
administration with the Election Management Bodies of other
countries/International Agencies. These are as follows:
1. The National Electoral Council of Ecuador;
2. The Central Election Commission of Albania;
3. The Election Commission of Bhutan;
4. The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan;
5. The National Independent Electoral Commission of Guinea;
6. The Union Election Commission of Myanmar; and
7. The India International Institute of Democracy and
Election Management (IIIDEM) and
8. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral
Assistance (International IDEA).
These MoUs contain standard articles/clauses which broadly express
promotion of cooperation in exchange of knowledge and experience in the field
of organizational and technical development of electoral process; support in
exchanging information, institutional strengthening and capacity building,
training of personnel, holding regular consultations etc.
- These MoUs would promote bilateral cooperation,
aimed at building technical assistance / capacity support for the said
Election Management Bodies.
Cabinet approves MoU with
Myanmar for the Conservation of Earthquake-Damaged Pagodas at Bagan
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has
approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Myanmar for
the conservation of earthquake-damaged pagodas at Bagan, Myanmar.
- The MoU will be signed during the visit of the Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Myanmar during 6-7 September 2017.
Cabinet approves promulgation
of the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Ordinance, 2017
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its
approval to the proposal of the Finance Ministry to promulgate an ordinance to
suitably amend the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017.
- The approval would allow to increase the maximum
rate at which the Compensation Cess can be levied from 15% to 25% on:
- motor vehicles for transport of not more than
thirteen persons, including the driver [falling under sub-headings 870210,
8702 20, 8702 30 or 8702 90]; and motor vehicles falling under headings
8703.
Cabinet apprised of jointly
issue of postage stamps between India and Canada
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was informed
today that India and Canada have mutually agreed to jointly issue a set of two
Commemorative Postage Stamps on India-Canada: Joint Issue on the theme "Diwali".
- The joint stamps will be released on 21st September,
2017. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed signed
between Department of Posts and Canada Post for this joint issue.
Cabinet approves MoU on
"India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation
Fund"
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Israel on
"India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund
(I4F)". The MoU was concluded in July, 2017
- India and Israel will make an contribution of four
million US Dollars each for the Fund, both equivalent amount, annually for
five years.
- The Innovation Fund will be governed by a joint
Board which will consist of four members from each country.
Cabinet approves MoU between
India and Brazil
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised
of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Brazil for
cooperation in the fields of Zebu Cattle Genomics and Assisted Reproductive
Technologies. The MoU was signed in October, 2016.
- The MoU will strengthen the existing friendly
relations between India and Brazil and promote development of Genomics and
Assistant Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) in Cattle through joint
activities to be implemented through mutually agreed procedures.
YUVA initiative by Delhi Police
The ‘YUVA’ initiative by Delhi Police aims to connect with youth by upgrading their skill as
per their competencies. It will help them to get a gainful
employment under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna under the Ministry of Skill
Development.
- Delhi Police has tied up with National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for providing mass job linked skill training for the
selected youth.
- National Skill Development Corporation shall be
providing skill training to the youth under ‘Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas
Yojna’ (PMKVY) and CII will provide job linked training through its Sector
Skill Councils who are connected to industry and thereby provide job
guarantee.
- Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the
flagship outcome-based skill training scheme of the Ministry of Skill
Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
Judicial performance index for lower courts
The NITI Aayog has suggested far-reaching reforms to expedite the justice
delivery system, particularly the lower courts where nearly three crore cases
have been pending for years.
- The recommendation comes against the backdrop of
pendency of nearly 2.7 crore cases in subordinate courts, which also face
a shortfall of nearly 5,000 judicial officers.
N. Korea fires ballistic
missile over Japan
Nuclear-armed North Korea
fired a ballistic missile over Japan in a major escalation that triggered
global alarm and a furious response from the government in Tokyo.
- It was likely an intermediate-range ballistic
missile (IRBM) and further analysis was under way to determine whether it
was a success or failure. It appeared to be a KN-17, or Hwasong-12,
according to initial data.
Kenya Imposes World's Toughest
Law Against Plastic Bags
In Kenya, selling or
even using plastic bags will risk imprisonment of up to four years or
fines of $40,000. It is the world’s toughest law which is aimed at
reducing plastic pollution came into effect.
- The East African nation joins more than 40 other
countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic
bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.
IIT team makes ‘implantable pancreas’
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have
successfully created an implantable bioartificial pancreas model grown within a
3D silk scaffold. The pancreas encapsulates insulin-producing cells and is
capable of naturally producing insulin in a sustained manner.
- Scientists coated the scaffold containing beta cells
with a semi-permeable membrane barrier. The membrane allows insulin
produced to be released into the blood stream but does not allow the
immune cells to cross the membrane and kill the islet cells.
Centre clears 100% strategic
sale of CEL
The Centre has approved a
disinvestment its 100% strategic sale along with transfer of management control
of Central Electronics Ltd. (CEL). Incorporated in 1974, CEL is under the
administrative control of Ministry of Science and Technology.
- The CPSE is wholly owned by the government and has a
net worth of Rs. 50.34 crore as on March 2017.
C-DOT celebrates its 34th Foundation
Day
The Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha has called upon C-DOT,
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) to innovate and develop Telecom
products at reasonable costs for exporting to SAARC countries and other
developing regions of the world.
- In a message on the occasion for 34th Foundation Day
celebrations of C-DOT, he said that the premier Telecom R&D center of
the Government of India, can develop products having far reaching impact
in the areas of Agriculture, Education and Health care.
Centre to unveil
‘future-ready’ industrial policy in October
The government will announce
the new ‘future-ready’ Industrial Policy in October, by suitably incorporating
measures to facilitate the use of smart technologies such as the internet of
things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics for advanced manufacturing.
- The new policy would aim at making India a
manufacturing hub by promoting ‘Make in India’, an official statement
said, adding that it would subsume the National Manufacturing Policy.
- The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP – the nodal body for the new Policy and part of the Commerce and
Industry Ministry) has sought comments, feedback and suggestions from the
public, by September 25, on a discussion paper on the policy.
- Six thematic focus groups: manufacturing and MSME; technology and innovation;
ease of doing business; infrastructure, investment, trade and fiscal
policy; and skills and employability for the future, would facilitate
inputs.
R.N. Ravi gets a year’s
extension
The government has given a
year’s extension to Joint Intelligence Chief R.N. Ravi.
- He signed a framework agreement on behalf of the
Centre with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) group
to end the decades-old Naga insurgency in 2015.
- Mr. Ravi was appointed as JIC, which works under the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in September 2014 for a tenure of three years.
