Daily Current affairs - November 28th, 2017 for all competitive exams
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 8th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad.
- The three-day event hosted by India and the United States is being held for the first time in South Asia.
- This year’s summit theme demonstrates the commitment of the United States and Indian governments to the principle that when women are economically empowered, their communities and countries thrive.
Theme of the Summit 2017 - Women First, Prosperity for All
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E-payments for charging electric vehicles
The government will allow electric car users to pay for charging of their electric vehicles through digital means, including BHIM app and Bharat QR code.
- The government has accepted suggestions of a panel — Committee for Standardisation of the Protocol for Charging Infrastructure — in this regard.
- In its report, the committee also mooted uniform standards for EV charging stations in India, which will enable electric vehicles of all models by different manufacturers to be charged at any station.
- The panel has recommended that metering be done as per units consumed for charging each vehicle, along with a grid responsive billing.
Government constitutes 15th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of former bureaucrat NK Singh
The Government has constituted the 15th Finance Commission. Former bureaucrat and ex-Member of Parliament NK Singh will chair the Commission which will make recommendations for the five years commencing 1st April 2020.
- Former Secretary Economic Affairs Shaktikanta Das and Adjunct Professor of Georgetown University, Dr Anoop Singh will be the members of the Commission.
- Chairman of Bandhan Bank, Dr Ashok Lahiri and NITI Aayog Member Dr Ramesh Chand will be the Part-time members.
- Arvind Mehta will be the Secretary to the Commission.
The Finance Commission was established by the President of India in 1951 under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. It was formed to define the financial relations between the central government of India and the individual state governments.
1st Finance Commission Chairman – K C Neogy
14th Finance Commission Chairman – Y V Reddy
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Govt. working on new ‘gas standards’
The government is looking to prepare a unified testing methodology to ensure that all agencies that map air pollution use accurate instruments.
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is in the process of setting up ‘gas standards’, or reference samples of Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrous Oxide (NO2) and Particulate –Pb (lead), –As (Arsenic) and –Ni (Nickel).
- Currently, the National Ambient Air Quality standards specify the upper limits for pollutants and, based on this, the Air Quality Index — that grades air quality in cities from ‘Good’ to ‘Severe’ — is prepared for several Indian cities.
- CPCB has prescribed guidelines for the maximum permissible levels of 12 gases and pollutants, depending on residential, rural or industrial locations. Standards for PM2.5 were laid out in 2009, though CPCB is now mooting a proposal to revise these standards. The NPL has also developed a custom air sampler that claims to measure PM2.5 levels far more accurately than existing devices.
Program to train Elected Women Representatives of PRIs
The government has launched an intensive training program for Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Master Trainers, in New Delhi.
- This capacity building program is being organized by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) of the WCD Ministry which will ultimately train approximately twenty thousand EWRs covering nearly 50 EWRs from each district by March, 2018.
- This is an historic step since for the first time ever an initiative of this scale has been taken up to train EWRs who will go out and administer the villages professionally.
- Training two lakh women sarpanches across the country will help bring following important changes:
1. It will help to create model villages.
2. It will help prepare women as political leaders of the future.
Views sought on data protection law
The government released a white paper looking into the scope of a data protection law, and opened up for public discussion till December 31, issues pertaining to its ambit, what constitutes personal data, what is sensitive data, and the international applicability of such a law.
- The B.N. Srikrishna committee, set up under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in the white paper recommended that the law be applicable to all processing of personal data that takes place within India or by an entity that has a presence in India.
- To make the law applicable to all kinds of processing that the government may have a “legitimate interest in regulating” even though it may not be entirely based in India or may be carried out by non-Indian entities that do not have a presence in India.
- The committee set limits on this extended jurisdiction, though, saying that the law should not be so wide as to constitute an unnecessary interference with the jurisdiction of other countries or have the effect of making it a general law of the Internet. For instance, the mere fact that a website (operated from abroad) is accessible from India should not be a reason for subjecting the website to Indian law.
- According to it personal data “ought to include any kind of information including opinions or assessments irrespective of their accuracy.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flags off Hyderabad Metro Rail
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation Hyderabad Metro Rail.
- He unveiled a pylon at Miyapur metro railway station on the outskirts of Hyderabad to mark the formal inauguration of the first phase of Hyderabad Metro from Miyapur to Nagole
- The first phase of the metro stretches 30-km in distance, a record in itself, and covers a total of 24 stations, including town hubs like Secunderabad.
- The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam
- Motto - My City, My Metro, My Pride
Tamil Nadu won the best state award in organ donation for the third consecutive time
Tamil Nadu has won the ‘Best State’ award for organ donation for the third time in a row.
- The announcement of the award is made at the 8th Organ Donation Day event which took place in Delhi.
- The award was presented by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation in New Delhi.
- The State has so far received 5,933 organs from 1,056 donors since the launch of the transplant programme.
Rajasthan govt makes singing anthem must in hostels
A directive has been issued to all 789 hostels for OBC, SC and ST students under its aegis in Rajasthan to ensure that all sing the national anthem daily.
- Social Justice and Empowerment Department (SJE) principal secretary Samit Sharma, however, claimed that singing the national anthem was already part of the daily routine in hostels.
- Rajasthan Youth Board too had organised a ‘Vande Mataram’ event at Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS) stadium on November 8.
- In 2016, the state education department had made ‘Surya Namaskar‘ compulsory in schools.
Pass marks lowered for ICSE Class 10, ISC Class 12 Boards
Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has reduced the pass marks criteria for Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) or class 10 and Indian School Certificate (ISC) or Class 12 Board Examination.
- As per the circular released on the official website cisce.org, the pass criterion for ICSE or Classes 9th and 10th has been reduced from the present 35 percent to 33 percent.
- Similarly, the pass percentage for Classes 11th and 12th- referring to ISC has been reduced from the current 40 percentage points to 35 percentage points.
UN Convention against Torture
The Supreme Court recently disposed of a PIL seeking to put in place a statutory framework to curb torture and custodial violence as it said that it can’t direct the government to make an anti-torture law or ratify the UN convention against Torture.
- The government is considering an anti-torture law. The Law Commission has recommended that the Centre ratify the United Nations Convention against Torture and frame a standalone anti-torture law, making the state responsible for any injury inflicted by its agents on citizens.
- Though India signed the convention in 1997, it is yet to ratify it. Efforts to bring in a standalone law have failed. The National Human Rights Commission has been urging the government to recognise torture as a separate crime and codify the punishment in a separate penal law.
- India has signed the UN Convention against torture way back in 1997. But, it has still not ratified it. The Convention defines torture as a criminal offence. The Convention requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture in any territory under their jurisdiction, and forbids states to transport people to any country where there is reason to believe they will be tortured.
Joint action plan between Narcotics Control Bureau and Russian Federation
A Joint Action Plan was recently signed between the Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs of India and the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation for the period 2018-20.
- The Narcotics Control Bureau is the apex coordinating agency. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 which came into effect from the 14th November, 1985 made an express provision for constituting a Central Authority for the purpose of exercising the powers and functions of the Central Government under the Act. In presence of this provision, the Government of India constituted the NARCOTICS CONTROL BUREAU on the 17th of March, 1986.
- The Bureau, subject to the supervision and control of the Central Government, is to exercise the powers and functions of the Central Government for taking measures with respect to:
The National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is based on the Directive Principles, contained in Article 47 of the Indian Constitution, which direct the State to endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drugs injurious to health.
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Volcano’s eruptions at Mount Agung
Indonesian and regional authorities have heightened flight warnings around Bali’s Mount Agung as the volcano’s eruptions sent a plume of volcanic ash and steam more than 6,000 metres into the skies above the island.
- Mount Agung or Gunung Agung is a volcano in Bali, Indonesia, southeast of Mt Batur volcano, also in Bali.
- Gunung Agung stratovolcano is the highest point on Bali. It is an active volcano.
Asian Development Bank to provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal
The Asian Development Bank will provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal to improve its urban infrastructure.
- The project will be completed within five years and is expected to enhance urban infrastructure in the Terai region, reduce the flooding duration to less than an hour in its eight municipalities.
- Earlier, the ABD said it will provide USD 152 million to Nepal for the implementation and enhancement of its power transmission and distribution.
The Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966.
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Amazon Prime acquires streaming rights for Rajinikanth’s ‘2.0’
Rajinikanth’s sci-fi thriller 2.0 will have its digital premiere on Amazon Prime Video.
- The movie, also starring Bollywood star Akshay Kumar in the role of an antagonist, is a sequel to the 2010 blockbuster Enthiran. Shankar is returning as the director for the film, which is being produced by Lyca Productions.
2017 edition IMMSAREX held in Bangladesh
The 2017 edition of International Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (IMMSAREX) was recently held in Bangladesh under the aegis of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).
- This is the first ever operational exercise held under the aegis of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Bangladesh.
- The Exercise comprised drills related to fire-fighting, sea accidents and rescue, as well as deep sea searches for missing ships, searches for missing aircraft, and other emergency rescue operations.
The IONS is a regional forum of Indian Ocean littoral states, represented by their Navy chiefs, launched by India in February 2008. It presently has 23 members and nine observers.
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First edition of INSPIRE 2017 held in Jaipur
The first edition of the International Symposium to Promote Innovation & Research in Energy Efficiency (INSPIRE 2017) was kicked off in Jaipur recently.
- The five-day symposium is being organized by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) in partnership with The World Bank, and Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE).
INSPIRE 2017 is an International Conference that brings together various stakeholders such as policy makers, innovators, financiers, influencers to showcase best practices in the sector.
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Shaktikanta Das takes appointment as India’s G20 Sherpa
Shri Shaktikanta Das, Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, has been appointed as India’s G 20 Sherpa till December 31, 2018 for the Development Track of the G20.
- There are two tracks in G 20- Finance Track and Development Track.
- Finance Track is managed by the Secretary (Economic Affairs) as India’s Deputy to G 20 and the Development Track is coordinated by the Sherpa. The Department of Economic Affairs will provide necessary support to the Sherpa.
A Sherpa is a personal representative of the leader of a member country at an international Summit meeting such as the G8, G20 or the Nuclear Security Summit. The term is derived from the Nepalese Sherpa people, who serve as guides for mountaineers in the Himalayas.
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Pope Francis arrives in Myanmar on high stakes visit
Pope Francis arrived in mainly Buddhist Myanmar on a highly sensitive visit to a country facing sharp global criticism of its Rohingya Muslim minority.
- The visit comes as Myanmar’s military stands accused of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya Muslims.
Karen Pierce appointed as UK’s first ever female ambassador to the UN
Karen Pierce, political director general at the Foreign Office, has become the UK’s first ever female ambassador to the UN.
- Pierce, who first joined the FCO in 1981, will take over the role in January, succeeding 18 male postwar predecessors.
- She will take over the role in January.
Pankaj Advani wins 18th international title at World Snooker Championship
Indian cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Amir Sarkhosh of Iran to win his 18th international title in the form of the 15-frame IBSF World Snooker Championship in Doha.
- Earlier this month, Advani had won his 17th world title at the same venue when he won the IBSF World Billiards Championship defeating Mike Russell of England.
European Games 2019 to include new mixed gender team event
A new mixed gender team competition is set to be introduced at the European Games in 2019 in Minsk.
- The new event, called Dynamic New Athletics (DNA), will feature Europe’s top 30 countries competing across 10 events in two hours, culminating in a staggered pursuit relay called the ‘Hunt’.
- Each team will feature nine women, eight men, and six reserves.
European Games Venue - Minsk, Belarus
European Games Motto - Bright Year, Bright You
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Ravichandran Ashwin becomes fastest to 300 Test wickets
Ashwin reached the personal milestone of 300 Test wickets becoming the fastest to the mark in 54 matches.
- He suppressed Dennis Lillee’s record of 56 matches during day four of the second India vs Sri Lanka Test at Nagpur.
- Interestingly, Ashwin broke Lillee’s record that was set exactly 36 years ago, the very same day.
