Daily Current Affairs : October 18, 2017
Daily Current Affairs : October 18, 2017
NATIONAL
Gujarat govt signs MoU of Rs, 10,400 cr with 3 firms:
Gujarat govt has signed MoUs worth Rs 10,400 crore with three companies that have the potential of creating 21,300 job opportunities in the state. The MoUs were signed in presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
The three companies which have signed the MoUs include United Phosphorous Limited (UPL), Grasim Industries Limited (GIL) and Arvind Limited. As per the Rs 6,000 crore MoU signed with the UPL, the company will set up a plant to produce agro-chemicals and intermediates at Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation’s Chemical Zone in Dahej.
Gujarat
- Capital: Gandhinagar
- Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
- Governor: Om Prakash Kohli
IISC Bengaluru, IIT Bombay in top 200 Engineering Institutes:
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore and IIT Bombay are among the world’s top 200 institutions for engineering and computer science, the Times Higher Education subject-wise rankings have found. While IISc occupied the 89th spot, IIT Bombay was pegged in the 126- 150 category, globally. IITs in Delhi, Kanpur and Kharagpur were placed in the 201-250 band, in that order, and IIT Madras and IIT Roorkee in the 251 – 300 category.
Overall, Stanford University is number one, followed by California institute of Technology, Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Shillong Will Host India’s First International Cherry Blossom Festival:
The India International Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in Shillong from November 8 to 11.
Meghalaya
- Capital: Shillong
- Chief Minister: Mukul Sangma
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
Footwear Design & Development Institute Act 2017 comes into force:
Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017.
The Provisions of FDDI Act 2017 have come into force.
Presently FDDI is imparting skill based graduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of footwear, leather goods, retail, and management to around 2,500 students across eight campuses spread over India.
Women for Women Campaign launched:
Ministry of Women and Child Development has started an online campaign #Iam That Woman. The aim of the campaign is to end Gender bias in women against women.
Through this campaign, WCD Ministry will highlight the various aspects of women standing ‘by’ and ‘for’ women.
Birsa Munda Tribal University inaugurated in Narmada district:
Gujarat Minister of State for Tribal Welfare Shabdasharan Tadvi inaugurated the Birsa Munda Tribal University in the tribal-dominated Rajpipla town in Narmada district.
Madhya Pradesh CM Launches Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the ambitious ‘Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojna’ for the farmers of the state.
Madhya Pradesh is the first state to lend money to farmers at zero percent interest.
The government has approved a web of irrigation projects across the Sagar District which will cover 96-hectare fields.
Madhya Pradesh
- Capital: Bhopal
- Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Governor: Om Prakash Kohli
INTERNATIONAL
India, Japan ink pact on tech training co-operation:
India and Japan have signed a memorandum of cooperation on Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP), the government.
The pact will pave the way for sending Indian technical interns to Japan for on-the-job training for a period of three to five years, it said.
The cooperation was concluded by Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Katsunobu Kato in Tokyo.
India is the third country with which Japan has signed this cooperation.
Japan
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Yen
- Prime minister: Shinzō Abe
Pakistan elected among 15 nations to UN Human Rights Council:
The 15-member nations including Pakistan have been elected to serve on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.
15 new member nations who have been elected are Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine.
Pakistan
- Currency: Pakistani rupee
- Capital: Islamabad
- Prime Minister: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
BANKING & BUSINESS
YES Bank Commit Rs 156 cr for Namami Gange Project a textile Ministry:
Private sector Yes Bank has committed Rs 156 crore to fund first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be constructed at Varanasi under Hybrid Annuity-PPP Model.
The bank has signed a deal with Essel Infraprojects for the financial closure of Rs 156 crore that will fund the STP under Namami Gange Project.
YES Bank
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Rana Kapoor
- Tagline: Experience our Expertise
Myntra, Textile Ministry tie-up to promote Handloom Industry:
E-commerce major Myntra launched its CSR initiative in association with the Union Textile Ministry, to work directly with weavers and elevate their economic stature.
With an initiative to provide impetus to the Government’s agenda to transform and revive demand for arts and handloom products in India, the company is committing itself along with some of its partner brands to bring artisans and their products online, providing them access to new customers and opportunities.
Jaipur and Srinagar Airports rated Best Airports in the World in 2-5 million Passenger categories in ACI-ASQ Survey:
The Jaipur and Srinagar Airport got First and Second rank respectively in the category of 2-5 million passengers in ACI-ASQ Survey. Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, Airports Authority of India along with his team received the ACI-ASQ Award at a function held in Mauritius on 17th October 2017.
EPFO introduces a new facility for its members to link their respective UAN with Aadhaar online:
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is pleased to introduce a new facility for its esteemed members having Universal Account Number (UAN) and other relevant details to link their respective UAN with Aadhaar online. This, in turn, would facilitate the members, a better and speedy EPFO services.
The facility has been made available at EPFO’s website www.epfindia.gov.in >> Online Services >> e-KYC Portal>> LINK UAN AADHAAR.
Delhi Ranks Among the Worst Cities in the World for Women:
The Thomson Reuters Foundation conducted a survey in 19 of the world’s biggest megacities as ranked by the United Nations to find out the safest cities for women
Top 5 Places
1.Cairo
2.Karachi
- Kinshasa
- New Delhi
- Lima
Mahindra launches ‘Prerna’ project for women farmers:
Mahindra & Mahindra said it has launched a programme, Prerna, to empower women working in the agriculture sector by promoting efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment.
“The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages,” Mahindra & Mahindra said in a statement.
AWARDS
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas conferred with Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award:
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) has been awarded with Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award by Minister of State, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation Shri S.S. Ahluwalia in recently held Swachh Bharat National Award ceremony on Gandhi Jayanti, 02nd October 2017 in New Delhi.
The award in the inter-Ministerial category was presented to MoPNG on the basis of the activities undertaken in the past three years and was received by Senior Adviser (PNG). This event was organized to mark the third anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Swachh Bharat Diwas, and the conclusion of Swachhata Hi Seva fortnight.
Eminent Poet Prabha Varma Chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram:
Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram for 2017. The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of ‘Mathrubhumi’ daily, M P Veerendra Kumar. A jury headed by ace novelist M Mukundan chose Varma for the prestigious award, considering his contribution to Malayalam literature. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a plaque and a citation, was instituted by the Padma Prabha Memorial Trust.
Gopal Gowda gets ‘Kalakar Puraskar’ award:
Famous Konkani Folk artist Gopal Gowda has been selected Kalakar Puraskar 2017. The award is instituted by Mandd Sobhann, an organisation with the aim of protecting Konkani identity. The award, comprising a cash award of Rs 25,000 and a citation, would be presented at a function here on November 5
George Saunders Wins 2017 Man Booker Prize:
George Saunders’s novel Lincoln in the Bardo won this year’s Man Booker Prize.
BOOK & AUTHOR
Hema Malini Biography Revealed:
On 16 October, the Dream Girl and the Dreamy Girl shared the same platform when Padukone was roped in by HarperCollins to launch the biography of Malini, titled Beyond The Dream Girl, penned by journalist Ram Kamal Mukherjee.
OBITUARY
Shamsher Khan India’s First Olympic Swimmer Passes away:
India’s first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passed away in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, following prolonged illness.
British Actor Roy Dotrice Passes away:
Roy Dotrice, best known for playing Leopold Mozart in the Oscar-winning film Amadeus, has died aged 94.
