Daily Current affairs - February 22, 2018 for all competitive exams
India has been ranked 81st in
the global corruption perception index for 2017, released
by Transparency International. The index ranks 180 countries and
territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. In the
2016 India was in the 79th place among 176 countries.
- The
index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very
clean. In the latest ranking New Zealand and Denmark were placed the
highest, with scores of 89 and 88, respectively. On the other
hand, Syria, Sudan and Somalia were ranked lowest with scores of
14, 12 and 9, respectively.
Transparency International (TI) is an international
non-governmental organization which is based in Berlin, Germany, and was
founded in 1993. Its nonprofit purpose is to take action to combat global
corruption and prevent criminal activities arising from corruption.
|
Centre reboots eNAM to draw more farmers
In a bid to engage more farmers on the electronic
National Agriculture Market (eNAM) platform, the government unveiled mobile
payment facility BHIM, and other features in regional languages as well.
- The
eNAM website is now available in Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali
and Odia besides Hindi and English, while the eNAM trading facility is
available in six languages.
- The
eNAM has been strengthened with features like MIS dashboard, BHIM and other
mobile payment facilities, enhanced features on mobile app such as gate
entry and payment via mobiles.
e-NAM was launched in 2016 with the objective of providing
competitive and remunerative price to farmers for their products through an
online competitive bidding process. Currently, 479 mandis across 14 states
and 01 union territory are covered under it.
|
Only M2M SIMs to have 13-digit numbers
According to a letter that BSNL had sent to its
hardware vendors ZTE and Nokia, the Department of Telecommunications, in a
meeting on January 8 this year, decided that the 13-digit numbering scheme be
implemented for M2M communication.
- The
DoT had asked all telecom service providers to ensure that their network
elements, including IT and other relevant systems, are aligned with the
13-digit numbering for M2M SIMs before July 1, 2018.
Starting July 1, all SIM-based M2M (machine-to-machine)
communication devices will carry a 13-digit number, instead of the 10-digit
number now. However, this is applicable only to numbers used by machines to
communicate with other machines and not normal retail mobile numbers.
|
Telangana, Taiwan Sign MoU for Better
Technology Partnership
The Telangana Government signed an MOU with
Taoyuan City of Taiwan for better technology partnership in the state.
- The
agreement was signed after the World Congress on Information Technology
(WCIT) 2018 in Hyderabad.
- IT
Minister K T Rama Rao and principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan signed the
agreement with Robert Huang, Director of the Board of Taiwan company at
World IT Congress 2018.
Parivartan scheme launched in Haryana
The Haryana government launched
Parivartan, a scheme designed to address 10 issues, including cleanliness and pollution,
in 46 developmental blocks of the state.
- The
10 issues include facilitation of financing, making agriculture profitable
and sustainable, improving health services, implementing Swachh Bharat,
decongesting market areas, engaging the youth, checking air pollution,
ensuring availability of identity-related services, effective policing,
and ensuring road order and conduct.
Mass nesting of olive ridleys begins in Odisha
Starting the
mass nesting this year, more than 3,100 female olive ridley turtles have come
out of the sea to the sandy beach of the Rushikulya rookery coast in Ganjam
district of Odisha.
- The
Rushikulya coast is considered to be a major nesting site in the world and
lakhs of olive ridleys come here every year to lay eggs.
- Also
known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, Olive turtles are a medium-sized
species of sea turtle found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the
Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are best known for their behavior of
synchronized nesting in mass numbers.
The olive
ridley is classified as Vulnerable according to the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), and is listed in
Appendix I of CITES.
|
India, Canada sign bilateral agreement to
support startups
India and Canada have signed a bilateral
agreement to support entrepreneurs and startups from both the countries.
- Under
the agreement, the governments of both the countries have partnered with
startup accelerator Zone Startup India, which will identify 40 startups
that will receive support.
- The
program will especially focus on women entrepreneurs.
India, Bhutan celebrate 50 years of
diplomatic relations
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj
said India and Bhutan celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations this
year.
- She
said it was an opportunity to reflect about further advancing ties between
the two countries.
- The
year 2018 is a milestone moment for India-Bhutan partnership as we
celebrate the accomplishments of the last five decades of our time-tested
and specialities
India offers USD $1 million aid to Tonga
India has
contributed USD one million for the rehabilitation efforts in Tonga after the
Tropical Cyclone Gita caused massive destruction in the Pacific island nation.
- India
has allocated USD 500,000 in the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for
the rehabilitation efforts while USD 500,000 will be provided for
immediate relief assistance.
The India-UN
Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and
the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). Managed by
UNOSSC, the fund will support Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, and
transformational sustainable development projects across the developing
world.
|
India Successfully Conducts Night Trial of
Prithvi-II Missile
India successfully conducted a night trial
of its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a
strike range of 350 km, from a test range in Odisha.
- The
surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from
launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.
Prithvi II class is also a single-stage liquid-fueled
missile having a maximum warhead mounting capability of 500 kg, but with an
extended range of 250 km (160 mi). It was developed with the Indian Air Force
being the primary user. It was first test-fired on 27 January 1996 and the
development stages were completed in 2004. This variant has been inducted
into the army as well.
|
Indigenously-built Saras aircraft successfully
completes second test flight
India’s indigenous light transport aircraft Saras
was successfully test flown for the second time in Bengaluru.
- Union science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan said
the production model design is expected to be ready by June-July this
year.
- This was the second of the 20 test flights planned for
Saras PT1N, before freezing the production version.
The NAL Saras is the first Indian multi-purpose civilian
aircraft in the light transport aircraft category as designed by the National
Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).
|
UP Government Signs Pact with Amazon India for
Khadi Products Sale
Uttar Pradesh's Khadi and Village Industries
Board has signed a pact with Amazon India to
facilitate online selling of Khadi products.
- As part of an MoU, Amazon India will educate, train and
enable rural khadi artisans to directly sell their products to Amazon.in
customers across the country under the brand of UP Khadi.
EPFO Cuts Interest Rate to 8.55% for 2017-18
Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident
Fund Organisation (EPFO) has reduced the interest rate on deposits to
8.55% for 2017-18 from 8.65% for 2016-17 following a general decline in
interest rates.
- The move will affect around 6 crore subscribers and
leave EPFO with a surplus of Rs 586 crore against Rs 695
crore in the previous financial year.
Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, is an Organization
tasked to assist the Central Board of Trustees, a statutory body formed by
the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and is
under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour and Employment,
Government of India.
|
Capital first gets NHB nod for merger with IDFC
Bank
Capital first announced that the
regulator National Housing Bank (NHB) has approved the merger of
the company along with Capital Home Finance and Capital First Securities
Limited with IDFC Bank.
- The amalgamation is subject to the receipt of approval
from the Reserve Bank of India and other statutory and regulatory
approvals.
- The share swap ratio for the merger is fixed at
139:10, meaning IDFC Bank will issue 139 shares for every 10 shares
of Capital First.
N Gopalaswami committee constitute for select 20 institutes in India
N Gopalaswami
committee has been constituted to select 20 institutes of higher education in
India that will be developed into “world-class” institutes. In a few months, 10
each (from public and private category) institutions will be accorded the
eminence status with a mandate, and supported, to achieve the world-class
status over a period of 10 years.
- These institutes will be provided with greater autonomy
to admit up to 30% foreign students, to recruit up to 25% foreign faculty,
to offer online courses up to 20% of its programmes and to enter into
academic collaboration with top 500 in the world ranking institutions
without UGC permission.
Last year,
the Union ministry of Human resources Development, through the University
Grants Commission, had invited institutes from across the country to be
upgraded into “world-class universities.” Following this the Commission had
received 100 applications, maximum being from public institutions.
India lacks
world-class universities according to international rankings, and Indian
academics, compared internationally, are rather poorly paid. Students also
suffer an immense shortage of places in top academic institutions and
throughout the higher education system. India today educates only half as
many young people from the university age group as China and ranks well
behind most Latin American and other middle-income countries.
|
India International Textiles Expo Begins in
Colombo
A three –day India International Textiles Expo
(IITExpo) of India began in Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
- It is being organized by Powerloom Development &
Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) with the support of Union Ministry of
Textiles & Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- The event was inaugurated by Sri Lankan minister of
Special Assignments Dr. Sarath Amunugama.
Avani becomes first-ever Indian woman to fly a
fighter aircraft solo, that too a MiG-21
Madhya Pradesh, Avani Chaturvedi become
the first-ever Indian woman to break the sound barrier with resounding sonic
booms in a supersonic fighter all alone.
- Avani flew a 30-minute solo sortie in a MiG-21 at
the Jamnagar airbase.
- Avani, who was commissioned into the fighter stream
after basic training in June 2016, still has over a year to go before she
can be deployed for combat missions.
Krishna
Kumari Kolhi will be Pakistan’s first Hindu woman to become Senator
Krishna Kumari Kolhi from Thar in Pakistan’s
Sindh province will become the first-ever Hindu woman Senator in the
Muslim-majority country.
- The Election Commission of Pakistan has accepted the
papers of 39-year-old Kolhi who was nominated by the ruling PPP.
Kolhi will be the first-ever Dalit woman in Pakistan who
becomes a Senator.
Kolhi’s caste is mentioned at No. 23 in the Pakistani
Schedule Castes Ordinance-1957.
|
Billy Graham, preacher to millions, dies at 99
Billy Graham, the influential Southern preacher
who became a spiritual adviser to several U.S. presidents and millions of
Americans via their television sets, has died.
- The one-time backwoods minister who eventually became
the world’s foremost Christian evangelist, spread a message of spiritual
redemption at tent and stadium revival meetings, in a career that spanned
decades.
- Graham was a pioneer of “televangelism” to convert souls
to Christianity as television got off the ground in the 1950s.
Rohit Sharma records most ducks by an Indian in
T20I cricket
Indian opener Rohit Sharma, who got out for a
golden duck against South Africa, now has four ducks in T20Is, the most by an
Indian batsman.
- Rohit surpassed veteran all-rounder Yusuf Pathan and
former fast bowler Ashish Nehra, who had been dismissed for zero three
times each. Overall, it was Rohit’s 20th international duck and fifth
golden duck.
