Current Affairs June 18, 2017 –  Sumitra Mahajan Inaugurates 16th NERCPA Conference in Imphal

NATIONAL

Punjab inks UDAN pact:

The Punjab government signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and Airports Authority of India under the country’s flagship programme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) in the presence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

The agreement was signed by Usha Padhee (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation on behalf of GoI), Tejveer Singh (Secretary Civil Aviation for Punjab Government) and GK Chaukiyal (Executive Director for AAI).

• Punjab Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore

SCI to organise “SABKA SAATH SABKA VIKAS SAMMELAN”:

The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is organising a Sammelan on the theme “SAB KA SAATH SAB KA VIKAS” on 15th June, 2017 at Shri Bhaidas Maganlal Sabhagriha, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai. It showcases the achievements and spread awareness on Good Governance Outcomes of GOI & SCI during the last three years.

Also, SCI has installed a 353.5 kWp Solar Photo Voltaic Power Plant at its Maritime Training Institute at Powai, Mumbai which is one of the largest installations in Mumbai.

Shipping Corporation of India:

• Headquarters: Mumbai
• MD & Chairman: Anoop Kumar Sharma

Sumitra Mahajan Inaugurates 16th NERCPA Conference in Imphal:

The 16th North East Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) Conference is being held in Imphal from 14 to 18 June, 2017 on the theme “North East and Look East Policy”. The Conference was inaugurated by the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in the Manipur Legislative Assembly premises, Imphal.

• Manipur Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh
• Manipur Governor: Najma A. Heptulla

NITI Aayog Selects 5 States for Education Sector Reforms and Health sector:

The NITI Aayog has shortlisted five States to provide institutional support under the Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH) in education sector. Those 5 selected cities are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.  From these 3 out of 5 will be select for the final process in July.

Also, NITI Aayog selected 5 states to provide institutional support under the SATH in Health sector. Those cities are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Karnataka and Gujarat.

• NITI Aayog CEO: Amitabh Kant

ClearTax launches GST ready Bill book:

ClearTax, India’s largest Income Tax returns e-filing and enterprise compliance service provider has announced the launch of GST Bill book software for SMEs.

ClearTax’s GST Bill Book is a free of cost software platform for preparing GST-compliant invoices. This software would work in both online and offline.

Delhi zoo to bring in animal adoption scheme:

    The Delhi zoo will come up with a scheme that will allow people to adopt animals living on the premises. The move is aimed at fostering ties between humans and the wildlife.

President to inaugurate Green Line of Bengaluru Metro:

    President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the Green Line of Metro Rail from Mantri Square Sampige Road Station to Yelachanahalli Metro Station in Bengaluru. The President will also dedicate Phase – 1 of Namma Metro to the Nation at Banquet Hall.

Karnataka:

• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief Minister: Siddaramaiah
• Governor: Vajubhai Vala

The 10th edition of the Marathi Film Festival inaugurated in Panaji

The 10th edition of the Marathi Film Festival was inaugurated in Panaji by Goa Cm Manohar Parrikar.

Marathi actor Sai Tamhankar will be awarded the ‘Face of the Year’ award while veteran actor Sachin Pilgaonkar will be honoured with the ‘Krutadnyata award‘. The Films “Nagesh Bhosle’s Sanchar”, “Girish Joshi’s Take Care”, and “Good Night” will premiere at the festival.

INTERNATIONAL

China, ADB launch green financing platform to fight pollution:

A green financing platform jointly supported by China and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was launched to help fight air pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its neighbouring areas. The ADB has approved a loan of 458 million euros (511.24 million dollars) to support the platform.

Nawaz Sharif retains billionaire status:

    Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif has retained his billionaire status with his declared asset standing at 1.72 billion in 2016 despite decline in his fortune, making him one of the richest lawmakers in the country.

Pakistan:

• Currency: Rupee
• Capital: Islamabad

Banking & Business

20 Indian firms in top 100 companies in Asia 300 ranking:

    20 Indian firms have been named in the top 100 of Nikkei Asian Review’s Asia 300 companies list which was topped by Taiwan’s Largan Precision.

In Asia, there are 3 Indian companies made it to top 10 list. HCL Technologies came in at the second place followed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Tata Consultancy Services at the third and fourth place respectively.

DCB Bank launches India’s first Aadhaar-based ATM in Telangana:

    DCB Bank launched India’s first Aadhaar-based iris eye scan customer verification and Aadhaar-based fingerprint-operated ATM in Telangana.

These services utilise a customer’s Aadhaar number, eye scan and fingerprint impression. The DCB ATM also can be used with the usual ATM/ Debit Card. This launch coincides with the inauguration of three new branches in Mancherial, Mothe and Narsapur.

DCB Bank:

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD & CEO: Murali M. Natrajan
• Chairman: Nasser Munjee

Central Vigilance Commission asked not to report fraud below 1 lakh:

    The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has asked public sector banks not to report frauds below Rs one lakh to local police unless their staff is involved in such crimes. Earlier banks were mandated to report fraud of above Rs. 10,000 and below Rs one lakh to police.

• CVC Headquarters: New Delhi
• CVC Chairman: Shri K V Chowdary

Aadhaar must for bank accounts:

    The government, through a notification amending a prevention of money laundering law, has made it mandatory to provide Aadhaar to open a bank account and to conduct a transaction of 50,000 or more. The notification amending the Prevention of Money laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005

    The Aadhaar will also be needed for any financial transaction above Rs 50,000, underscoring the increasing degree to which the biometric identity is becoming the cornerstone of government measures to curb unaccounted income along with PAN.

    Existing bank account holders will need to provide their Aadhaar number by December 31 or they will become inoperable.

ISRO set to launch back-up satellite:

    Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch a back-up for IRNSS-1A, one of the seven satellites in the constellation that has been hobbled by the failure of the atomic clocks on board.

    The PSLV C39 mission, scheduled for late July or early August, will carry the new satellite named IRNSS-1H into orbit.

AIIB approves 3 new members:

    The board of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved the applications of Argentina, Madagascar and Tonga to be members, the China-backed multilateral development bank.

    The three prospective members will officially join once they complete the required domestic processes and deposit the first installment of capital with the bank,

AIIB

• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• President: Jin Liqun

Dena Bank lowers home loan rates by 5-10 basis points:

    State-run lender Dena Bank has reduced home loans rates by 5-10 basis points, taking cue from Reserve Bank of India’s easier rules for mortgage-backed lending.

    Dena has lowered the marginal cost-based lending rate (MCLR) for home loans between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 75 Lakh by 5 bps to 8.60% a year. Loans above Rs 75 lakh were reduced 10 bps to 8.70%.

The new rates are effective from June 15.

India re-elected in Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):

    India has been re-elected to the UN’s principal organ on economic, social and environmental issues for another three-year term.

    India was among 18 nations to win election to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). India obtained 183 votes, the second highest after Japan in the Asia Pacific category. Also, Pakistan lost the election because having required to get two-thirds majority hence they got only one vote among 18 nations.

India to host AIIB’s 3rd annual meeting in 2018:

    India will host the third annual meeting of the China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2018. The third annual meeting of the AIIB’s board of governors will be held in Mumbai, India in June 2018.

In this bank, China will be the largest shareholder (at 30.34 %), followed by India (8.52%) and Russia (6.66%).

APPOINTMENTS

Serbia Appoints First Gay and Female Prime Minister:

Ana Brnabic is set to become both the first gay and first female prime minister of Serbia following her nomination by the nation’s president Aleksandar Vucic.

EazyDiner appoints Yuvraj Singh as brand ambassador:

    Online restaurant reservation platform EazyDiner has appointed cricketer Yuvraj Singh as global brand ambassador.

AWARDS

Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi conferred Hazarika National Awards 2017:

Eminent writer from Arunachal Pradesh Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi was conferred ‘Sarhad’s 5th Bhupen Hazarika National Awards’ 2017.

Sarhad has been honouring a person from northeast who has rendered an outstanding work at national and international level with its most prestigious “Bhupen Hazarika National Award” every year since 2012. The award consists of Rs. 51000/-, memento and certificate.

Atwood to get lifetime achievement award:

    Margaret Atwood will receive a lifetime achievement award from one of the world’s oldest literary organisations. USA has announced that the 77-year old author of more than 40 books of fiction, poetry and essays will accept the honour at the group’s annual Literary Awards Festival on October 27 in California.

Syama wins Kerala’s 1st beauty pageant for transgender:

Syama Sanju was declared the Queen of Dhwayah, the winner at Kerala’s first ever beauty pageant for transgender women.

Jaz D’souza was crowned the first runner-up while Harini Chandana came third from among fifteen participants.

Shivaprakash honoured Kusumagraja Rashtriya Puraskar Award:

    A Noted Kannada poet and playwright H S Shivaprakash was presented with the Kusumagraja Rashtriya Puraskar 2017.

    The award was constituted by Nashik-based Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University’s (YCMOU) Kusumagraja Adhyasan (Chair), carries a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a memento and citation.

SPORTS

Sunil Chhetri became the fourth-highest active international scorer:

    Sunil Chhetri scored 54th goal in international football match against Kyrgyzstan AFC Asian Cup Qualifier in Bengaluru. It made the Indian captain fourth on the list of highest active international scorers. He was surpassed Wayne Rooney of England.

Only three other footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Lionel Messi (Argentina) and Clint Dempsey (U.S) sit ahead of Chhetri with 73, 58 and 56 goals respectively.

India bag five medals in Asian Junior Wrestling Championships:

    India bagged five medals, including a gold, in the 2017 Asian Junior Wrestling Championships in Taiwan. India’s female wrestlers pocketed three medals while two came in the male Greco-roman division.

    India’s gold came in the women’s 51 kilogram freestyle category through Puja. Further in women’s section, Sonu clinched a silver medal in the 44 kilogram category, while Manu claimed a bronze in the 59 kilogram division.

In Men’s categories, Satish won silver in the 120 kilogram Greco-roman style, while Manish claimed a bronze in the 50 kilogram category.

HISTORIC EVENTS OF THE DAY

June 17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

    The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year on 17th June to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification. This year the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought examine the important link between land degradation and migration.

OBITUARY

Helmut Kohl, father of German reunification dies:

    Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the architect of German reunification, died. He was 87.

Germany:

Capital: Berlin

Currency: Euro

Chancellor: Angela Merkel