CURRENT AFFAIRS JANUARY 5, 2018
CURRENT AFFAIRS JANUARY 5, 2018
NATIONAL
Namami Gange Projects Worth Rs. 295 crore Approved by NMCG
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved five projects worth Rs. 295.01 crore.
Three projects related to sewage management in West Bengal at an estimated cost of Rs 278.6 crore, one relates to sewage management in Uttarakhand at an estimated cost of Rs 4.68 crore and one project worth Rs 11.73 crore is related to ghat improvement works in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh was sanctioned.
With these approvals, all projects related to sewage management in high pollution load towns along river Ganga have been sanctioned.
Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Ministry
Minister: Nitin Jairam Gadkari
Constituency: Nagpur, Maharashtra
India’s First Digital Online Oncology Tutorial
Smt Preeti Sudan, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare has launched the country’s first digital Online Oncology Tutorial Series. It is designed by the Tata Memorial Center in collaboration with the Health Ministry.
The tutorial series is aimed at educating doctors in early detection, prevention, palliation, rehabilitation and treatment of various forms of cancers. Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
The Government launches Swachh Survekshan 2018
The government has announced the launch of largest cleanliness survey for this year as part of Swachh Bharat Mission.
The Swachh Survekshan 2018 will rank 500 cities on national level which have more than 1 lakh population, while 3,541 cities with less than 1 lakh population will have State and Regional ranking.
It would be the largest survey impacting more than 40 crore urban population.In Swachh Survekshan 2017, Indore emerged as the cleanest city in the country.
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister of state (Independent Charge) : Hardeep Singh Puri
NABARD Sanctioned Rs 372.51 crore to Odisha
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development,(NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 372.51 crore loan assistance. It was sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to Odisha towards irrigation and rural bridge projects.
In Total, NABARD has provided financial assistance of Rs 10,000 crore to Odisha by the end of the third quarter of the current financial year.
NABARD
Headquarters: Mumbai,
Chairman: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
Odisha
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
Governor: S.C. Jamir
Defence Ministry approves projects worth ₹2420 crore
Defence Ministry has cleared contracts worth 2,420 crore rupees for Navy and Army which includes the procurement of P-8I Training Solution and Low Intensity Conflict Electronic Warfare System (LICEWS).
The P-8I Training Solution, along with 10-year comprehensive maintenance service, will be bought from Boeing for around one thousand 950 crore rupees.
The final approval has now been given by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Meghalaya will host 39th National Games
Meghalaya signed the Host City Contract with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for hosting the 39th National Games in 2022.
A cheque of Rs 4.5 crore was handed over to the IOA as bid money for the Games. The state government had earlier paid Rs 50 lakh. The cost of the bid is Rs 5 crore.The tripartite contract was signed between the IOA, the Meghalaya State Olympic Association and the state government.
Meghalaya had made the bid to host the 39th National Games after successfully co-hosting the South Asian Games in 2017.
Indian Olympic Association, Secretary General: Rajiv Mehta
Meghalaya
Capital: Shillong
CM:Mukul Sangma
Governor: Ganga Prasad
IICA join hands with IPPB to Provide Training on Payment Banking
The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) signed an agreement for the training the employees of the IPPB in the area of payment banking.
Under the agreement, IICA has been entrusted with the key responsibility of capacity building of IPPB through training of its officials/employees besides providing research support by instituting Research Chairs in the emerging area of payment banking.
The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been incorporated as a public sector company under the Department of Posts with 100% GOI equity.
DG & CEO of IICA: Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh
Corporate Affairs Secretary: Injeti Srinivas
India Post Payments Bank
MD & CEO: Suresh Sethi
Goa set to host third edition of Science Film Festival
Goa will be hosting the third edition of the Science Film Festival of India. The festival, titled SCI-FFI Goa, is being organised by the state-based Vidnyan Parishad, Goa’s Department of Science and Technology, the Entertainment Society of Goa and the Goa College of Art.
Total prize money is Rs one lakh. It aims to boost the culture of science films.
Goa
Capital: Panaji
Chief Minister: Manohar Parrikar
Governor: Mridula Sinha
Maharashtra announced Rs. 500 fine for open defecation
According to the Maharashtra Government Resolution (GR) issued by the urban development, the state govt has announced a sport fine of Rs. 500 for open defecation.
From now on, any person or institutions found guilty of throwing garbage, dirt or waste material on roads and highways shall have to pay spot fines ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 180.
Anyone found spitting in public places will have to pay spot fines ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 150 while urinating in public will attract spot fines ranging from 100 to 200 rupees.
On 1 October 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind had declared entire urban Maharashtra as open defecation-free.
Maharashtra
Capital: Mumbai
Chief Minister: Devendra Fadnavis
Governor: C. Vidyasagar Rao
INTERNATIONAL
India-Myanmar Land Border Crossing Agreement Approved
The Cabinet has approved the Agreement between India and Myanmar on Land Border Crossing. The Agreement would give a boost to the economy of the north east region.
The agreement will also facilitate movement of people on the basis of valid passports and visas. It will safeguard the traditional rights of the tribal communities residing along the border.
Myanmar
Capital: Naypyidaw
Currency: Burmese kyat
Prime Minister: Aung San Suu Kyi
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
RBI Begins PCA Against Allahabad Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated prompt corrective action (PCA) against public sector lender Allahabad Bank. The bank has high net non-performing assets (NPAs) and negative return on assets (RoA) for two consecutive years.
The recently added banks under PCA are BoI, IOB, United Bank of India, Corporation Bank, OBC, Dena Bank, Central Bank, IDBI Bank and Bank of Maharashtra.
PCA: The RBI has put in place some trigger points to assess, monitor, control and take corrective actions on banks which are weak and troubled. The process or mechanism under which such actions are taken is known as Prompt Corrective Action, or PCA. There are total 11 banks on which RBI has initiated PCA till date.
Allahabad Bank
Headquarters: Kolkata
MD & CEO: Usha Ananthasubramanian
Tagline: A Tradition of Trust
APGVB Introduces Desktop ATMs in Rural India
The Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB) has operationalised its first desktop ATM in Telangana. The mini-ATM within the branch premises will facilitate customers to withdraw small amounts.
At the same time, regular bank account holders can withdraw money and do other banking activities. With these ATMs, there will be no need for separate ATM rooms, so there is no security issue.
It plans to install 100 desktop ATMs including 60 branches in Telangana and 40 branches in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank
Headquarters: Warangal, Telangana
Chairman: Narasi Reddy
Tagline: We are with you
The Government launches 7.75% savings bonds scheme
The Government of India has announced the launch of 7.75 per cent Savings (Taxable) Bonds, 2018, commencing from January 10, 2018. It enables resident citizens and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) to invest in a taxable bond, without any monetary ceiling.
These bonds with seven-year maturity will open for subscription from the 10th of this month.The bonds will be issued in demat form only. The minimum investment is Rs 1,000 and in multiples thereof.
The saving bonds scheme will replace the previous 8 percent Scheme.The interest will be payable half-yearly and the cumulative value of 1,000 rupees at maturity will be 1,703 rupees.
