Daily Current affairs - October 12th, 2017 for all competitive exams
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved two new World Bank supported schemes of Rs. 6,655 crore – Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE).
- SANKALP is Rs 4,455 crore Centrally sponsored scheme including Rs. 3,300 crore loan support from World Bank.
- STRIVE is a Rs. 2,200 crore – central sector scheme, with half of the scheme outlay as World bank loan assistance.
Government of India Will Commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Government of India will commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, during the period from 2nd October, 2019 to 2nd October, 2020.
- It has been decided to celebrate the event at both national and international levels, to propagate the message of the Mahatma.
- A National Committee (NC) headed by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has been constituted for this purpose. This Committee includes the Chief Ministers of all the states of the country, representatives from across the political spectrum, Gandhians, thinkers, and eminent persons from all walks of life.
- The Committee will guide and approve policies/programmes/activities for the commemoration and will also supervise implementation of the decisions taken from time to time.
Launch of Mobile Health App `MedWatch' By the Indian Air Force
On the occasion of its 85th anniversary, the Indian Air Force has launched an innovative mobile health App named `MedWatch' in keeping with the Prime Minister's vision of ‘Digital India'. The concept and content of the App is by the Directorate General of Medical Services (Air) and it has been developed in-house with zero financial outlay by the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT).
- ‘MedWatch’, the first mobile health app in the three Armed Services, was launched by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa
- ‘MedWatch’, available on the IAF's AFCEL network, comprises a host of features that will provide authentic health information to all IAF personnel.
- A Reminder Tool to enable timely immunization for the children of all Air Warriors is an important component of the App. This will directly enable 'Mission Indradhanush' of the Govt of India.
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Belarus for Cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Training
The Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Belarus for cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET).
- This is for the first time an MoU for cooperation in area of vocational education, training and skill development has been signed with Eurasian country.
Cabinet approves change of status for marine body IALA
Union Cabinet has given its approval for International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to change its status from Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to Inter-Governmental Organization (IGO).
- The move will facilitate “to foster the safe, economic and efficient movement of vessels”. It will bring IALA at par with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).
- The IALA, having headquarters at St. Germainen Laye (France) was established in 1957 under French law. It is governed by a General Assembly having 83 National members, with its Council as the executive body.
PM Modi’s Economic Advisory Council Holds its First Meeting
The recently constituted Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) held its first meeting in New Delhi to deliberate upon and lay out a roadmap to give a leg up to the Indian economy in the short term after GDP growth for the first quarter fell to a three-year low of 5.7%.
- The EAC-PM is chaired by Dr. Bibey Debroy.
- Key issues for the discussion include ways to boost consumer demand, attract private investments and measures to incentivize job creation in the country, people familiar with the agenda said.
Sexual intercourse with minor wife is rape, says SC
The Supreme Court held that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife, who is below 18 years of age, is rape.
- A girl child below the age of 18 cannot be treated as a commodity having no say over her body or someone who has no right to deny sexual intercourse to her husband, the Supreme Court held.
- Judges: Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta
SC to frame norms for drafting ‘living wills’
The Bench would lay down guidelines for drafting living wills and how it could be authenticated. It had reserved the case for judgment.
- The Chief Justice, heading a five-judge Constitution Bench, was responding to a debate on when exactly a person’s “living will” or advance directive for end-of-life medical care should take effect.
- A person’s advance directive to withdraw medical care to allow him to die with dignity should take effect only when a medical board affirms that his medical condition is beyond cure and irreversible, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said.
- The court is hearing a petition by an NGO, Common Cause, to legalise euthanasia and the concept of living will.
- The government has already said that passive euthanasia is the law of the land, with thousands of cases in which doctors withdraw life support after getting the informed consent of the relatives.
- The government pointed out that the Supreme Court itself, in 2011, had issued comprehensive guidelines allowing passive euthanasia in the tragic case of the bed-ridden former Mumbai nurse Aruna Shanbaug.
HC says no to transfer of NGT bench to Delhi
The Bombay High Court at Goa struck down a controversial notification of Ministry of Environment and Forest, issued in August, which relocated National Green Tribunal(NGT)'s jurisdiction for Goa- related cases from Pune to Delhi.
- The Court had taken up the matter suo motu last month, after the Union Ministry, on the recommendation of the Goa government, transferred the NGT jurisdiction for Goa-related cases to Delhi, citing lack of flight connectivity with Pune and absence of an office-set up in Pune in neighbouring Maharashtra.
India could provide universal basic income of Rs 2,600 a year: IMF
In its ‘Fiscal Monitor – Tackling Inequality’, the IMF has discussed UBI, “a proposal that has been widely debated recently and is being tested in several countries”, devoting extensive space to its case for India.
- IMF estimates India could provide a universal basic income (UBI) of Rs 2,600 a year to every person if it eliminates food and energy subsidies.
- Even such a modest level of UBI will incur a fiscal cost of about 3% of GDP,
- A basic income is an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement.
India’s first Sewage Treatment Plant under Hybrid Annuity Mode to come up in Haridwar and Varanasi
A tripartite agreement has been signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the state level executing agencies Uttarakhand Pey Jal Nigam and Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam, with concessionaires for setting up of India’s first Sewage Treatment Plants under Hybrid Annuity mode, at Haridwar and Varanasi.
- The agreement is a major step forward in realizing the dream of Nirmal Ganga as it is the first time ever in India that Hybrid Annuity-based PPP mode is being applied in sewerage sector.
- Under this agreement the maintenance of the project will be the responsibility of the concessionaire for which there will be performance based phased manner of payment. This would ensure continued performance of the sewage infrastructure assets created due to better accountability, ownership and optimal performance.
Pondicherry Shark, Red Sea Torpedo and Tentacled Butterfly Ray may have become extinct, fear scientists
Three marine species, the Pondicherry Shark, the Red Sea Torpedo and the Tentacled Butterfly Ray might have become possibly extinct in the oceanic waters of the Arabian Seas Region (ASR) since no evidence of its existence has surfaced in the last three decades.
- Scientists are also worried about the possible disappearance of other species from the region even before they were known to science.
Schedule for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh
The term of the Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh is normally due to expire on January 7, 2018.
- Election Commission, By virtue of its powers, duties and functions under Article 324 read with Article 172(1) of the Constitution of India and Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commission is requiredto hold general election to constitute the new Legislative Assembly in the State of Himachal Pradesh before expiry of its present term.
Kishangarh airport becomes operational
The newly constructed airport at Kishangarh, near Ajmer in Rajasthan, became operational.
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha inaugurated the airport.
- The airport, which will mainly cater to the pilgrims visiting the world-famous dargah in Ajmer and the temple town of Pushkar, has the capacity to handle 150 passengers at its terminal building.
- As of now, Supreme Airlines will provide services at the airport with six check-in counters.
Pak. names judge in Jadhav case
Pakistan designated a former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain ,to the International Court of Justice to be its Judge in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.
- He served as Chief Justice from December 11, 2013 to July 5, 2014.
- His appointment was made after military, civil and legal officers over the weekend discussed the course of action.
New material may help build ‘superplanes’
Scientists have identified an extremely lightweight material that can withstand high temperature and stress.
- It is a step towards developing hypersonic aircraft able to travel at five to 10 times the speed of sound.
- Typically, carbon nanotubes have been used in planes for their strength — they are stronger than steel — and their ability to conduct heat, researchers said.
- However, Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT)s are the wave of the future when it comes to air travel.
- The study published in the journal Scientific Reports .
- Carbon nanotubes can stay stable at temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius, our study found that BNNTs can withstand up to 900 degrees Celsius. They are also extremely lightweight.
SBI to Set Up Country's Largest Innovation Centre at Mumbai
The nation's largest lender State Bank of India is creating a 15,000-sqft innovation center in Navi Mumbai investing around Rs 100 crore. The
- The center, to be built at its Global IT Centre in Belapur in Navi Mumbai, will be the largest innovation center by any financial services company in the country. The innovation center is part of a Rs 200-crore allocation that the bank has earmarked for innovation 2016.
HSBC Launches App to Track Trade Transactions
HSBC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) announced the launch of a mobile app - Trade Transaction Tracker - to help customers track the status of their trade transactions on a real-time basis.
- It will provide a global view of import and export documentary credit and collections transactions, across markets in one single app.
Digital Payments to Grow at 26% CAGR: World Payment Report
A new World Payment Report stated that the initiatives of the government and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will help non-cash transactions grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.2 percent during 2016 to 2020.
- The World Payment Report 2017 was jointly commissioned by Capgemini and BNP Paribas. The report is about digital payments and transactions all around the world and their progress.
Anupam Kher to head FTII
Veteran actor Anupam Kher was appointed the new chairperson of the premier Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).
- He will succeed the controversial Gajendra Chauhan under whose chairmanship, the FTII for the first time saw a 139-day strike with one of the major demands of the students being his removal.
- Mr. Chauhan’s term ended in March this year and the post has been vacant since then.
National Award for Boxing Coach Sandhu & Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak
President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the National award for senior citizens to Indian boxing coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for 2017 to Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.
- Gurbax Singh Sandhu has been coaching both the men and women boxers. Sandhu was India’s longest-serving men’s national coach, for two decades. Dr.Bindeshwar Pathak is the founder of Sulabh International.
Indian Pacer Ashish Nehra has Announced Retirement
Indian pacer Ashish Nehra has confirmed his retirement from International Cricket. He will play his last match against New Zealand on November 1, 2017.
- The 38-year-old has represented India for 18 years. He has played 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 26 T20Is for India, taking 235 international wickets.
Ervin named half-marathon ambassador
Four-time Olympic swimming medallist Anthony Ervin has been named event ambassador of the Airtel Delhi half- marathon
- It will be scheduled on Nov. 19
