Daily Current affairs - January 25, 2018 for all competitive exams
The Election Commission of India celebrated
the 8th National Voters’ Day across the country on
25th January for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process.
- The
National level function was held in New Delhi.
- It
started from January 25, 2011 to mark Commission's foundation day.
National Tourism Day (India)
Indian government is celebrating National Tourism
Day (India) across the country on 25 January 2017 for enhance the tourist
places in India.
- It
is a day that has been marked by the Indian government in order to promote
tourism within the country.
- It’s
a day dedicated to educating people about the importance of tourism and
the role it plays in the Indian economy.
Government
launched MIS Portal for Anganwadi Services Training Programme
The government
has launched the Management Information System (MIS) portal for Anganwadi
Services Training Programme.
- The
Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with National
Informatics Centre (NIC), has developed a Management Information System
(MIS) portal for submitting applications/estimates by NGOs for carrying
out Anganwadi Services (ICDS) Training through AWTCs/MLTCs.
- The
first phase of the portal will enable NGOs to submit proposal to the
respective States/UTs.
The
Anganwadi Services Training Programme under the Umbrella Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and
the overall administration, management and monitoring of the implementation
of the Scheme are being done by the respective State Government/UT
Administration.
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Bharat
Parv organized by Government of India
Bharat Parv
event is being organized by the Government of India from 26th to 31st January
2017, as part of the Republic Day Celebrations.
- The
Ministry of Tourism has been designated as the nodal Ministry for the
event.
Bharat Parv
is a national festival showcasing the country’s diverse culture, cuisines,
handicrafts and catch glimpses of a progressive India. The prime objective of
organizing the event is to generate a patriotic mood, promote the rich
cultural diversity of the country, ensure wider participation of the general
public and to popularise the idea of “Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat”.
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Rapid
Reporting System for the Scheme for Adolescent Girls
The government
has launched the Phase -1 i.e. the beneficiary module of the Rapid Reporting
System for the Scheme for Adolescent Girls – a web based on line monitoring for
the Scheme for Adolescent Girls.
- The
RRS will facilitate the monitoring of the scheme and taking corrective
measures by ensuring faster flow of information, accurate targeting of the
beneficiaries and reduction of leakages. This Portal has been developed in
collaboration with National Informatics Centre (NIC).
- Presently,
MWCD is implementing the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) in selected 508
districts across the country.
Civil
Aviation ministry awarded 325 routes for UDAN-2
The Civil
aviation ministry has awarded 325 routes in the second round of UDAN bidding.
- In
the second round, RCS routes have also been given to helicopter operators.
UDAN (‘Ude
Desh ka Aam Naagrik’) is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate
regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism. The scheme aims to
connect the country’s under-served and unserved airports.
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Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Signs MoU
with IL&FS for Construction of Zojila Tunnel
An MoU was signed between National Highways
and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) under the Ministry of
Road Transport & Highways, and M/S IL&FS Transportation Networks
Ltd for construction of the 14.150 km long, 2-lane
bi-directional Zojila Tunnel in Jammu & Kashmir.
- This
would be India’s longest road tunnel and the longest bi-directional tunnel
in Asia. The construction of this tunnel will provide all-weather
connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh.
- The
total capital cost of the project is Rs 6808.69 crore. The construction
period of the project is seven years.
AICTE releases new model curriculum
The All-India Council for Technical Education
(AICTE) formally released its new model curriculum for engineering and
technical courses, reducing the credits to be earned for an undergraduate
degree from 220 to 160.
- The
AICTE also decided to make internships mandatory for the award of degrees.
While there were internships earlier too, an official said, there were no concrete
guidelines.
- Since
all institutions did not have mandatory internships, technical graduates
were sometimes found unemployable by the industry.
- This
was set to change with the new guidelines, it is felt. The internship
would have a minimum of 14 credits. Each credit means 40-45 hours of work.
- The
new framework would also mandate that all institutions must have a
training and placement cell.
Notification issued for Tripura polls
The Election Commission issued a notification for
the Tripura Assembly polls to be held on February 18.
- Counting
of votes will be held on March 3 and the entire process of election will
be completed by March 5.
- The
term of the 60-member Assembly ends on March 14.
After 20
years, ITBP float returns to republic day featuring China border
After 20 years the Indo-Tibetan Border
Police or the ITBP will return with its float in the Republic Day parade
showing troops patrolling the China border on their newly-inducted snow
scooters.
- The
Indo-Tibetan Border Police is the only paramilitary or border guarding
force that will have a tableau in the parade.
- The
float will roll down the Rajpath with the tune of the force song ‘Hum
Sarhad Ke Senani’, in the vocals of singer Sonu Nigam.
- The
last time the tableau of the ITBP featured in the parade was in 1998.
Connectivity: India offers ASEAN $1 bn
India has offered a $1 billion Line of Credit to
enhance physical and digital connectivity with ASEAN nations, according to C.
R. Chaudhary, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry
- He
said at an ASEAN India Business Council Forum event organised by the FICCI
and the Commerce Ministry.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional
intergovernmental organisation comprising ten Southeast
Asian countries which promotes Pan-Asianism and
intergovernmental cooperation and
facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational and socio-cultural integration
amongst its members and other Asian countries.
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Chinese company launches bike-sharing platform in
Indian cities
One of China’s leading bicycle-sharing companies
has launched operations in India in a move aimed at market for sustainable and
environment-friendly urban transport systems.
- Ofo launched its dockless bicycle-sharing services
in Pune and Coimbatore this week.
- According to Chinese media, two Beijing-based
companies, Mobike and Ofo, are valued at more than US$1 billion and lead
the field.
Mexico’s Congress approves first woman on central bank board
Former finance ministry official Irene Espinosa
was confirmed by Congress as the first woman to serve on the board of the
Mexican central bank, taking the seat previously occupied by the bank’s new
governor.
- Longstanding central bank chief Agustin Carstens stood
down at the end of November 2017, and was replaced by board member and
deputy governor Alejandro Diaz de Leon.
Espinosa, whose designation was comfortably voted through
by the permanent commission of Congress, assumes the seat vacated by Diaz de
Leon.
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Google rolls out audiobooks with Assistant
integration on Play Store
Taking on Amazon, Google rolled out audiobooks
with Google Assistant integration on its Play Store in nine languages
across 45 countries, including in India.
- Like Apple’s iBooks and Amazon Audible, there is no
monthly subscription fee required to purchase audiobooks.
- The Google Assistant integration with audiobooks is
available on Android, iOS, Chromecast, Android Wear, Android Auto or even
your laptop.
Vodafone, Flipkart Tie up for 4G Smartphones
Vodafone India has partnered with e-commerce
marketplace Flipkart to provide a range of entry-level smartphones at an
effective price of Rs999.
- As part of the tie-up, Vodafone has rolled out
cash-back offers on the select range of entry-level 4G smartphone models
available under Flipkart’s #MyFirst4GSmartphone campaign.
Government to Infuse over Rs88 thousand crore in 20
PSB
The government has announced 88,139 crore
rupees capital infusion in 20 public sector banks, PSBs, during the
current fiscal ending 31st March to boost lending and revive growth.
- IDBI Bank will get the most- Rs10,610
crore followed by State Bank of India 8,800 crore rupees.
- The 20 banks that will receive the capital infusion
during this phase include Bank of India, UCO Bank and Punjab National
Bank.
Bank of Baroda rolls out ‘5X’ rewards card
Bank of Baroda, through its wholly-owned
subsidiary BOB Financial Solutions (formerly known as Bobcards Ltd), has
launched the ‘5X Rewards’ credit card.
The card comes in three variants — Easy, Select
and Premier — based on customer segmentation.
- ‘Easy’ is designed for everyday use and carries 5X
rewards on regular spend categories — grocery, departmental stores and
movies.
- An ‘Easy’ card-holder will get 0.5 per cent cash-back
on card outstanding repayment, which is an industry first, claimed the
statement.
- ‘Select’ is for mass affluent customers with 5X rewards
on spend categories such as online, utilities and dining spends.
- ‘Premier’ is targeted at premium customers, who seek
exclusive benefits from their credit cards. 5X Rewards are offered across
travel, international and dining spends.
India Ranks 177th in Environmental Performance
Index
The 2018
Environmental Performance Index (EPI) — the green rankings was recently
released on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meet in Davos.
The biennial
index is prepared by Yale and Columbia Universities along with the World
Economic Forum (WEF).
- The 10th EPI report ranks 180 countries on 24
performance indicators across 10 categories covering environmental health
and ecosystem vitality.
- India is among the bottom five countries on the Index,
plummeting 36 points from 141 in 2016. Overall, India (at 177) and
Bangladesh (179) come in near the bottom of the rankings, with Burundi,
Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nepal rounding out the bottom five.
- India’s overall low ranking—177 among 180 countries—was
linked to poor performance in the environment health policy and deaths due
to air pollution categories.
- Switzerland leads the world in sustainability, followed
by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden.
Jaipur Literature Festival begins
Jaipur Literature Festival, popularly known as
Kumbh of literature begins in Jaipur.
- The 11th edition of the Festival will feature over 200
sessions on a multitude of topics, trends, ideas and genres, ranging from
fiction, poetry, nonfiction, gender equality, environmental protection,
science, history, liberal arts, journalism, economics, travel and cinema.
- Pink City is once again ready to host art and
literature lovers from the country and abroad. Thousands of people have
reached Jaipur to participate in this festival.
Narayanan takes over as LPSC Director
Senior ISRO scientist Dr V Narayanan has assumed
charge as Director of the space agency’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre
(LPSC), at nearby Valiamala.
- He succeeds S Somanath who has been appointed Director,
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
Narayanan, who is a rocket propulsion expert, joined ISRO
in 1984 and functioned in various capacities.
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Former SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya named Business Standard
Banker of the Year
Arundhati Bhattacharya, former chairman of State
Bank of India (SBI), is the Business Standard Banker of the Year for 2016-17.
- She was selected by a five-member jury, headed by
former economic affairs secretary C M Vasudev, for the bank’s deft handling
of the demonetisation rush, battling bad debts but remaining profitable,
pushing the financial inclusion agenda through a wide network of its rural
and semi-urban branches and, at the same time, catering to tech-savvy
customers through cutting-edge digital banking products.
- The other jury members were former Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) deputy governor Anand Sinha, former Bank of Baroda chairman
and managing director M D Mallya, IIFL Chairman Nirmal Jain, and Ambit
Capital Chief Executive Officer Saurabh Mukherjea.
Kieron Pollard has become the first cricketer to play 400 T20
matches
Windies’ all-rounder Kieron Pollard has become
the first cricketer to play 400 T20 matches, achieving the feat while playing
for Melbourne Renegades against Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.
- Pollard is one of the important player of IPL franchise
Mumbai Indians.
