Daily Current affairs - November 1st, 2017 for all competitive exams
The World Bank today released the Doing Business (DB) Report, 2018. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) is pleased to announce that India ranks 100 among 190 countries assessed by the Doing Business Team.
- India has leapt 30 ranks over its rank of 130 in the Doing Business Report 2017.
- New Zealand is first rank on ease of doing business for the second consecutive year.
- World Bank Report Titled: Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs
October 31 - Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day)
India celebrates October 31 as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day). This day marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who played an instrumental role in the integration of princely state with Indian Union post-independence.
- Prime Minister Modi also flagged off the 1.5 km ‘Run for Unity’ event at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
Haryana Announces Lifetime Pensions for 'Hindi Satyagrahis'
The state government of Haryana has announced lifetime monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 'Hindi Satyagrahis' and those from the state who were jailed during the Emergency.
- ii. The state government also announced that it would be providing enhanced financial assistance to World War-II veterans and their widows.
President of India inaugurates Global Clubfoot Conference
The President of India inaugurated the Global Clubfoot Conference being organised by the CURE India in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects.
- It can cause permanent disability if not treated early.
- Clubfoot is a birth defect where one or both feet are rotated inwards and downwards.
Nod for buying 111 Navy copters
In a major move, the Defence Ministry approved procurement of 111 utility helicopters for the Navy at a cost of Rs.21,738 crore.
- The long-pending proposal was cleared at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister.
- They said 16 helicopters would be procured at a fly away condition while 95 would be manufactured in India.
- The procurement of the helicopters would be the first major acquisition made under the strategic partnership model.
India, Tunisia Agreed to Combat Terror, Extremism
India and Tunisia agreed to jointly combat terrorism and extremism while ramping up cooperation in the field of security.
- A review of bilateral ties was undertaken as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj co-chaired the 12th India- Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting with her Tunisian counterpart Khemaies Jhinaoui.
- Six agreements in the fields of judicial cooperation, cooperation in youth issues, information and communications technology, trade and business, were also signed.
BadRabbit ransomware
On October 24th notifications of mass attacks with ransomware called Bad Rabbit was observed.
- The BadRabbit attack mainly affected Russia but also caused flight delays at Odessa airport in southern Ukraine and disrupted electronic payments in the Kiev metro.
Fiscal deficit touches 91.3% of FY18 target
India’s fiscal deficit at the end of the first half of the current fiscal touched 91.3% of the budget estimate, mainly due to rise in expenditure.
- In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit was Rs. 4.99 lakh crore during the April-September period of 2017-18, according to the data of Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
- During the same period of last financial year, 2016-17, the deficit was at 83.9% of the target.
- For 2017-18, the government aims to bring down the fiscal deficit to 3.2% of the GDP. Last fiscal, it had met the 3.5% target.
- The CGA data showed that the government’s revenue receipts were at Rs. 6.23 lakh crore in the first six month of the current fiscal, which works out to be 41.1% of the budget estimate (BE) of Rs. 15.15 lakh crore for the entire year.
- The receipts, comprising taxes and other items, were at 41.2% of the target in the year-ago period.
Core sector growth hits 6-month high
Eight core sectors grew to a six-month high of 5.2% in September, aided by a robust performance in coal, natural gas and refinery segments.
- The eight infrastructure sectors — coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity — had witnessed a growth of 5.3% in September last year. The expansion in September is highest since April, when the core sectors’ growth stood at 2.6%.
- The production of coal, natural gas and refinery products rose by 10.6%, 6.3% and 8.1%, respectively on annual basis, according to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry. Crude oil output registered a growth of 0.1% during the month under review as compared to a contraction of 4.1% in September 2016.
Govt. plans to sell Air India, AI Express together
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is working to conclude the sale of national carrier Air India by June 2018 and is keen on selling its core airline operations, together with its low-cost international airline, Air India Express.
- As per a decision taken by the Air India-specific Alternative Mechanism — a group of Ministers led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to decide on the modalities of stake sale in the national carrier — the Centre will look to sell AI’s regional airline Alliance Air to a separate universe of bidders while Air India and Air India Express will likely go together.
RCom, SSTL complete merger
Russian telco Sistema has completed the merger of its Indian telecommunications business with Reliance Communications Ltd., following approval from Indian regulators and courts.
- As part of the transaction, the telecommunications business of Sistema’s subsidiary, Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd., including its licences and obligations with respect to the 800-850 MHz frequency range, has been transferred to RCom.
- SSTL now owns a 10% equity stake in RCom following a new share issue by the Indian operator.
Threefold rise in domestic budget for fight against tuberculosis
According to a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), India’s domestic budget for fighting tuberculosis showed a dramatic jump from about Rs.700 crore in 2015 to Rs.2,500 crore last year.
- Domestic resources accounted for 74% of the $525 million that was spent in India last year.
- Typically most of India’s budget to combat the bacterial infection used to be dominated by international funding. But, for the first time this has flipped.
- In 2016, India recorded a 12% dip in the number of TB deaths from the previous year though the incidence dipped marginally by 1%.
- Deployment of better diagnostics due to jump in number of notified cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) from 79,000 to 84,000 in 2016.
- The government has committed to achieve a ‘90-90-90 target’ by 2035 (90% reductions in incidence, mortality and catastrophic health expenditures due to TB).
Crypto currencies now come under SEBI lens
The rising popularity of crypto currencies and the increasing number of entities looking at raising funds through Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) has caught the attention of the capital market regulator.
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is mulling whether an ICO can be regulated under the existing legal framework or certain amendments would be required.
- The central bank is of the view that these instruments are securities and so SEBI should be the regulating body.
- Bitcoins are neither ‘commodities derivatives’ nor ‘securities’ under Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956.
- Start-ups like Zebpay, Unocoin, Coinsecure, Searchtrade, Belfrics and Bitxoxo are some of the well-known players in the bitcoin and blockchain segment in India.
- Bitcoin is a worldwide crypto currency and digital payment system called the first decentralized digital currency, as the system works without a central repository or single administrator.
Climate change and ill-health
A new research published by The Lancet medical journal talks of the various ways in which climate change has started affecting the health of people across the planet.
- Report name: ‘The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change’
- Report says China, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia are the countries that have registered the highest number of deaths linked to air pollution.
- 46 — the global increase percentage in weather-related disasters since 2000.
- 50 — Number of years of gain in public health undermined due to anthropogenic climate change.
- 87 — The percentage of global cities that are in breach of WHO air pollution
129 —Total economic loss in billion dollars due to weather events in 2016.
Upendra announces name of his party in cinematic style
Actor Upendra announced his party, will be called Karnataka Prajnavanta Janata Paksha (KPJP).
- The launch held at Gandhi Bhavan was cinematic and noted artist Vilas Nayak presented the agenda of the party on a canvas, on how ‘rajakiya’ (politics) being steered by
- Mr. Upendra will transform into ‘prajakiya’ (rule by the people).
Vikram Singh Appointed Private Secretary to President
Railway officer Vikram Singh was appointed Private Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind. Singh is a 1997 batch officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post for a period of two years. IAS officer P C Meena was appointed Private Secretary to Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary.
Tata Steel Elevates T V Narendran as Global CEO, MD
Tata Steel has elevated T V Narendran as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director globally.
- He was appointed as Managing Director of Tata Steel for India and South East Asia on November 1, 2013.
- Koushik Chatterjee has been reappointed as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer for a period of 5 years with effect from November 9, 2017.
Karnataka gets its first woman police chief
In a historic move for Karnataka, Neelamani N. Raju became the first woman officer to head the State police force and hold the position of Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.
- The 1983 batch IPS officer took over from R.K. Dutta on his retirement.
Michael Jackson Named Top-Earning Dead Celebrity for 5th Time
Michael Jackson is atop the Forbes list of top-earning dead celebrities for the fifth straight year, with $75 million (all figures in US).
- Golf legend Arnold Palmer claims the No. 2 spot with $40 million and Peanuts creator Charles Schulz ranks third with the income of $38 million.
- The list is compiled from information gathered from pretax income from Oct. 15, 2016, through Oct.15, 2017 before deducting cuts for agents, managers, and lawyers.
