Current Affairs November 8, 2017
Current Affairs November 8, 2017
NATIONAL
Smriti Irani flags off Digital Rath in New Delhi:
Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani flagged off Digital Rath in New Delhi to create awareness among people for cashless transaction. Interacting with the traders, Mrs Irani said, digital transactions have increased sharply after demonetization.
UPI transactions have increased from 3.8 million in April to 77 million in October this year.
20th International Children’s Film Festival of India begins :
The 20th International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) kick started in Hyderabad with New India– as the main theme this time. Children’s Film Society, India (CFSI) and Telangana State Government are jointly organising the biennial children’s event.
India successfully test fires indigenous sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’:
India successfully test-fired its first indigenously designed and developed long range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’, which has 1,000 km operational range and a capacity to carry warheads of up to 300 kg. Nirbhay missile with a turbo-fan engine is guided by a highly advanced inertial navigation system.
It was successfully test fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur along the Odisha coast. The state-of-the-art missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
India signs loan agreement with World Bank for 119 million dollars for OHEPEE project:
India has signed a loan agreement of 119 million dollar with World Bank for the Odisha higher education programme for excellence and equity project(OHEPEE).
The financing agreement for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD loan is for the Odisha Higher Education Programme for Excellence and Equity, OHEPEE Project. The Financing Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare (Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs) on behalf of Government of India and Mr. Hisham A. Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank.
Odisha
- Capital: Bhubaneswar
- Chief Minister: Naveen patnaik
- Governor: C. Jamir
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu to inaugurate 9th edition of Agrovision:
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 9th edition of Agrovision, Central India’s biggest agriculture summit scheduled from 10-13 November at Reshimbagh Ground.
The summit aims to train farmers about the new technologies, innovative methods to increase the farm yield, bridge the knowledge gap and empower them through enhanced income.
‘No Load Shedding’ Mission: Maharashtra Government approves 312 Crores for the Orange city:
The state govt is on the ‘No load shedding mission’ for the orange city and its rural areas. The amount of electricity supply will now increase in the city as the state has approved Rs 312 Cr under Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGYJ).
This mission will be carried out by installing 47 sub centers in which till now 19 sub centers are successfully constructed. The DDUGJY is one of the flagship programmes of the Ministry of Power and will facilitate 24×7 supply of power.
Maharashtra
- Capital: Mumbai
- Chief Minister: Devendra Fadnavis
- Governor: Vidyasagar Rao
Chennai included in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network:
Chennai is the third Indian city on the list of UNESCO Creative Cities list after Jaipur and Varanasi.
They join a network at the frontline of UNESCO’s effort to foster innovation and creativity as key drivers for a more sustainable and inclusive urban development. This network also attracts growing interest from local authorities.
Nagaland aims to promote ‘plastic free’ motive through ‘Hornbill Festival’:
Nagaland is set to host ‘Hornbill Festival’ with a main motive to promote the ‘plastic-free’ mission all around. ‘Hornbill Festival’ will go on for 10 days from December 1 to 10 at the Naga Heritage village Kisama.
Nagaland
- Capital: Kohima
- Chief Minister: T R Zeliang
- Governor: Padmanabha Acharya
INTERNATIONAL
India to contribute 100 million USD to UN partnership Fund:
India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund, which significantly increases its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world. This contribution would be in addition to the USD 10.582 million India is contributing for various other UN programmes.
Anjani Kumar, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, announced the multi-year contribution at the 2017 UN Pledging Conference for Development Activities recently.
The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up earlier this year as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).
Guinea becomes new member of ISA:
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Guinea’s Foreign Minister, Mamady Toure, during which the latter handed over his country’s instrument accession to the India-initiated International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Guinea
- Currency: Guinean franc
- Capital: Conakry
BANKING & BUSINESS
Paytm Introduces BHIM UPI for Money Transfer:
Digital payment platform Paytm introduced payments using BHIM UPI on its platform, using which users can create their own Paytm BHIM UPI ID on the app, which will be issued by Paytm Payments Bank.
Also, Paytm users can link any of their savings bank account with this unique Paytm BHIM UPI ID and start sending and accepting money.With Paytm BHIM UPI, users can now make seamless and instant money transfers directly between two bank accounts, with no waiting time to add beneficiary.
HDFC Bank makes RTGS, NEFT online transactions free:
HDFC Bank Ltd has made online transactions through RTGS and NEFT free of cost from 1 November, with an aim to promote a digital economy, but various charges for cheque-related transactions as well as request for additional leaves will get costly from early next month for non-managed savings and salary accounts.
According to the revised fees and charges for savings and salary accounts, customers will not have to pay any charge for doing online transactions through Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and the National Electronics Funds Transfer (NEFT) from 1 November 2017.
Earlier, customers were levied Rs25 each for Rs2-5 lakh online transaction via RTGS and Rs50 each for such money transfers over Rs5 lakh. Online NEFT transactions attracted a fee of Rs2.5 for less than Rs10,000, Rs5 for Rs 10,001-1 lakh and Rs15 for transactions between Rs1 lakh and Rs2 lakh. For NEFT transactions of over Rs2 lakh, there was a fee of Rs25. Any NEFT or RTGS transaction carried out at the bank branch will be payable.
APPOINTMENTS
Binoy Kumar appointed as Special Secretary in Commerce Ministry:
Senior IAS officer Binoy Kumar has been appointed Special Secretary in the commerce ministry.
The 1983-batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre is the Director General of Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D), the procurement arm of the central government that will be closed on October 31.
AWARDS
Apollo Munich Health Insurance Wins General Insurance company of the Year:
Apollo Munich Health Insurance Company, a joint venture between integrated healthcare provider, Apollo Hospitals Group, and the Munich Re Group was conferred with the 21st Asia Insurance Industry Awards in the “General Insurance Company of the Year” category.
Indian Short Film ‘The School Bag’ Wins award in Montreal:
Indian short film ‘The School Bag’, which tells a story based in Pakistan, has won the Best Short Film Award at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM), said director Dheeraj Jindal.
Maya Swaminathan Sinha awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by ASSOCHAM:
ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) bestowed CMC Skills’ Founder Ms. Maya Swaminathan Sinha with the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2017’ in Ranchi.
The award was presented by Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand, Smt. Draupadi Murmu.ASSOCHAM the apex body of industry & commerce of India had organized “One Day National Summit on Leadership Cum Awards 2017’’,in Ranchi.
SPORTS
India unveil logo, mascot and song for AIBA Youth Women’s World Boxing Championship 2017:
Assam famed one-horned rhino was unveiled as the official mascot of the 2017 AIBA Youth Womens World Boxing Championship.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Boxing Federation of India President Ajay Singh also released the championship’s official logo and anthem, to mark the countdown for India’s first youth world boxing championship from November 19 to 26.
The official mascot, anointed Guppy, is a female version of Assam’s one-horned rhino.The anthem “Make Some Noise” has been composed by Shaan and rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan.
Asian Women’s Boxing Championships: M C Mary Kom wins gold medal in 48 kg category:
Indian boxer MC Mary Kom defeated North Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi in the 48 kg category final of the Asian Women’s Boxing Championships held.
Up against North Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi, the five-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist Indian prevailed in a unanimous verdict to add another accolade to her already crowded cabinet. This is Mary Kom’s first international gold medal since the 2014 Asian Games and her first medal in over a year.
Mitchell Starc makes history with two hat-tricks in one game:
Strike bowler Mitchell Starc became the first man to take two hat-tricks in the same first-class game in Australia as he hit ominous form ahead of the Ashes Test series against England.
