DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: APRIL 7, 2018

NATIONAL

Uttarakhand’s second Mega Food Park inaugurated at Udham Singh nagar

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Uttarakhand’s second Mega Food Park at Udham Singh Nagar.

The food park is being set up at a cost of Rs 99.96 crore and will benefit around 25,000 farmers in this as well as neighboring districts.

The mega food park– Himalayan Mega Food Park Private Ltd, which is being set up in an area of 50.14 acres, would have a central processing center as well as well as three Primary Processing Centers (PPCs).

Maharashtra Govt, Central Govt & World Bank sign 420 Million Dollar Project

The Government of India, Government of Maharashtra and the World Bank has signed a US$ 420 million project.

It aims to help Small and Marginal farmers in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra.

The project will help in increasing climate resilient practices in agriculture and ensuring that farming continues to remain a financially viable activity for them.

The $420 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 6-year grace period, and a maturity of 24 years.

The Agreements for the Maharashtra Project for Climate Resilient Agriculture were signed by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Shri Bijay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Department on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra; and Mr. Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank.

INTERNATIONAL

IAF to conduct biggest combat exercise along pakistan, china borders

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to conduct its biggest ever combat exercise along Pakistan and China borders.

The composite exercise is named Gagan Shakti.

The aim of this exercise is real time coordination, deployment and employment of Air Power in a short & intense battle scenario.

For the first time, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will be taking part in the exercise and will perform both the offensive and defensive roles.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI revises limits for investment in debt instruments by FPI

The Reserve Bank of India has revised the limits on investment in debt instruments by foreign portfolio investors (FPI).

The revision comes into effect immediately. And, the revision is done in consultation with the Government of India.

1. The limit for FPI investment in Central Government securities (G-secs) is 5.5% for 2018-2019
2. The limit for FPI investment in state development loans (SDLs) is 2%
3. The overall limit for FPI investment in corporate bonds is 9%
4. The allocation of increase in G-sec limit over the two sub-categories – ‘general’ and ‘long-term’ – 50:50.
   

   ---

ICICI Bank 1st to get Swift’s new cross-border payment service

The Global financial messaging cooperative SWIFT announced that ICICI Bank has become its first Indian client to go live with an improved cross-border payments service.

The cross-border payments service refers to the gpi (Global Payment Innovation) Tracker.

SWIFT’s gpi tracker enables tracking of real-time payments across correspondent banks and has a facility to track the payments instructions across the correspondent banks globally.

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication provides a network that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions in a secure, standardized and reliable environment.

SWIFT

Headquarters: La Hulpe, Belgium

CEO: Gottfried Leibbrandt

Swift’s head for Indian subcontinent: Kiran Shetty

ICICI Bank

MD & CEO: Chanda Kochhar

Headquarters:Mumbai, Maharashtra

Tagline: ‘hum hai na’, ‘khayaal aapka’

AWARDS AND HONOURS

NCBS team wins award from American Society of Naturalists

A team of evolutionary biologists from city-based National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) have been awarded the 2018 Presidential Award from the American Society of Naturalists (ASN).

This is the first time researchers in Asia have been presented with the award.

ASN was founded in 1883 to study evolution, ecology and animal behaviour, the presidential award was started in 1984.

SPORTS

CWG 2018: Manipur’s Sanjita adds second gold to tally

Sanjita Chanu won gold in the women’s 53 kg weightlifting event.

There was a bronze for India in the men’s 69kg, with 18-year-old Deepak Lather becoming the youngest Indian to win a lifting medal at the Games.

Manipuri weightlifter Mirabai Chanu had won gold with spectacular record breaking attempts in the women’s 48 kg.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has announced a cash award of Rs 15 lakh for both Mirabai Chanu and Sanjita Chanu for winning gold in the Commonwealth Games 2018.

Sathish kumar wins third Gold for India

Sathish Kumar Sivalingam won the third gold medal for India in weightlifting.

He lifted 317 kg in total, 144 kg in Snatch and 173 kg in Clean-and-Jerk in Men’s 77 kg weightlifting at Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast.

He defeated England’s Jack Oliver who remained on the second position.

Mithali Raj becomes most capped player in women’s ODIs

Indian skipper, Mithali Raj marked her name in record books after becoming the most capped player in women’s ODI cricket.

Raj achieved the milestone when she led the Indian team onto the field for the first match of the ICC Women’s Championship ODI series at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Mithali’s team-mate and veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami is third in the list with 167* ODIs.

She also holds the records of being highest run-getter in women’s ODIs.

She is an Arjuna Award winner and was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 2015, India’s fourth highest civilian award for her contribution to cricket.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Health Day – APRIL 7

The World Heath day is observed on 7tha April on every year.

With an aim to spread awareness about health and well being, the first ever World Health Day was observed in 1948 by the WHO.

The 2018 theme is, “Health for All”

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ: APRIL 7, 2018