Current Affairs May – 19, 2017 – Punjab government, Reliance Jio sign MoU to offer free Wi-Fi

NATIONAL

First Semi-Mechanised car park in Srinagar:

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti inaugurated a first semi-mechanised car park in Srinagar. It would ease traffic congestion in and around Lal Chowk.

Harsh Vardhan gets additional charge of Environment Ministry:

    Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan was given additional charge of Environment Ministry, due to sudden demise of Anil Madhav Dave.

Goa launched portal for government service:

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar launched www.goaonline.gov.in.

The portal is a part of the Centre’s e-district Mission Mode programme, under which citizens will be able to obtain a residence certificate, income certificate, permission for sound at no charge.

Visakhapatnam and Beas Stations are the cleanest rail station:

    Vishakhapatnam and Beas railway stations are the cleanest railway stations out of the 407 station in the country. The Darbhanga railway station in Bihar was the dirtiest among the busiest stations.

Under the A1 category – Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) topped the list followed by Secunderabad (Telangana) and Jammu Tawi (Jammu and Kashmir) while in A category, Beas (Punjab) bagged the first position followed by Khammam (Telangana) and Ahmednagar (Maharashtra).

Lord Ram museum in Ayodhya:        

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath gave in principle approval for grant of land for the purpose of a grand Ram museum in Ayodhya. Government has allotted Rs.225 crore to build a museum.

Modi will become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel:

The Prime Minister Modi made the announcement of his visit to Israel during an event in Surat. He will visit to Israel in July. This visit will be coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

CCEA nods for railway project:

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the laying of railway tracks in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh with an estimated cost of Rs.5,695 crore.

The CCEA also approved four laning of the 118-km Porbandar-Dwarka section of National Highway 8E in Gujarat.

Trujet was first airline to get air operator certificate:

A Trujet airway was first airline to get air operator certificate under the scheduled commuter operator category.

The move will enable the airline to operate flights under the Centre’s UDAN scheme for regional connectivity. Trujet is one of five airlines to have won bids to operate on 128 routes connecting 70 airports under the scheme.

Punjab government, Reliance Jio sign MoU to offer free Wi-Fi:

The Punjab government was signed an MoU with Reliance Jio to provide free Wi-Fi facility in all state-run engineering colleges, industrial training institutes and polytechnics.

Prime Minister Modi to open African Development Bank Event:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive to inaugurate the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s annual convention in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on May 23. The theme of the event is “Transforming Agriculture for Wealth Creation in Africa.”

NGT bans open defecation, waste dumping on Yamuna floodplains

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) was banned open defecation and dumping of waste on the floodplains of the Yamuna and announced an environment compensation of Rs 5,000 for those who violated the diktat.

NGT Chairperson: Justice Swatanter Kumar

INTERNATIONAL

Japan cabinet approves bill to allow emperor to abdicate:

Japan’s Cabinet approved a bill that would allow Emperor Akihito to step down, paving the way for the first abdication by a Japanese emperor in nearly two centuries.

The 83-year-old emperor, who has had heart surgery and prostate cancer treatment, might make it hard for him to fulfil his duties.

China introduce chopper “Z-19E”:

China launch their the first export-oriented attack helicopter Z-19E or Black whirlwind made its debut flight from the Harbin airport to marking a major step towards the country’s entry into the global market for combative choppers.

Banking & Business

Softbank to invest Rs 9,079 crore in Paytm Payment Bank:

Japanese Softbank has pumped in $1.4 billion (over Rs 9,079 crore) in Indian digital payments platform, Paytm. This is Softbank’s largest investment in a single company in India.

The funding will help Paytm expand fast its soon-to-be launched payments bank operations in India.

RBI new policy- 25% branches in villages:          

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandated that 25 percent of the total number of ‘banking outlets’ opened during a financial year should be located in unbanked rural centres under “Rationalisation of Branch Authorisation Policy”.

India pips Brazil in Hindustan Unilever market:

India has overtaken Brazil to become the 2nd largest country for consumer products giant Unilever. Hindustan Unilever contributes 8% to the global turnover.

Start up India Summit to be held in Dubai:

    CGI Dubai and Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi in partnership with iSPIRIT, a nonprofit think tank and supported by TiE, Dubai will host a two day “Start up India Summit” in UAE on 23rd and 24th of May 2017.

This is the first such Summit being held in the UAE. The aim is to provide a shared platform for the Start up eco system in both India and UAE for greater collaboration, exchange ideas, interact with academia, investors and industry and have access to funding from the venture capitalist in the UAE.

AWARDS

Indian-American Pranay Varada wins National Geographic Bee contest:

    Pranay Varada, the 14-year-old Indian-American student, has won the prestigious USD 50,000 National Geographic Bee competition, maintaining the dominance of the community in the contest.

APPOINTMENTS

Paytm Payments Bank to launch next week, names Renu Satti as the new CEO:

Paytm had announced that its long time executive and vice president Renu Satti will be the CEO of the payments bank. Satti has been Paytm’s owner One 97 Communications for over a decade, most recently heading its movie ticketing business.

ISRO receives 2014 Indira Gandhi Peace Prize:

    Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the 2014 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The award, announced by a jury headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari in 2014, consists of a trophy, a cash prize of Rs 1 crore and a citation.

SPORTS

India retains number No.1 test rank:

India maintained top position on the ICC Test rankings as per the annual update released by the ICC while South Africa on second place and Australia on third place in the ranking.

OBITUARY

Roger Ailes, former Fox News chief, dies at 77:

Roger Ailes, former chief executive of Fox News, has died at age 77. Ailes resigned from Fox News last July.

Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell dies at 52:

    Rocker Chris Cornell, who gained fame as the lead singer of the bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, has died at age 52.