CURRENT AFFAIRS: 12TH AUGUST-2017-Odisha govt and Facebook launches ‘She Means Business’ programme to train women entrepreneurs:

NATIONAL:

Agri Ministry to celebrate “Sankalp to Siddhi: New India Manthan from Aug 19:

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry will celebrate Sankalp to Siddhi – New India Manthan in all the districts of the country from 19th to 30th of this month. Shri Radha Mohan Singh informed that New India Manthan program to be organized in all Districts of the Country. 


Nabin Tan Mon Bikash Yojana launched:

Heritage Conservation Society has launched a scheme – ‘Nabin Tan Mon Bikash Yojana’ – in memory of Nabin Sharma. The scheme is especially for school children. After August 15 the members will visit schools in the entire region to promote the scheme. Dr Navanil Baruah, Dhirendra Nath Choudhury, Nirupama Borgahain were present at the launch of the scheme.


Government launches new video of national anthem in sign language:

          Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey launched a new video of the National Anthem in sign language and said the government addressed the physically challenged “divyang” and not “viklang” to ensure there was no distinction.

The 3.35 minute video, directed by Govind Nihalani, stars Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan along with physically challenged children performing the anthem in sign language with the Red Fort in the background. 


Odisha govt and Facebook launches ‘She Means Business’ programme to train women entrepreneurs:

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched ‘She Means Business’ programme of Facebook for women entrepreneurs in Odisha. Under the scheme 25, 000 women entrepreneurs and self-help group (SHG) members will be given training on digital marketing skills within next one year.

Odisha

  • Capital: Bhubaneswar
  • Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
  • Governor: C. Jamir 

Delhi India’s largest, Asia’s fastest growing city:

Delhi will have the fastest growth of any city in Asia, with the economy of the city-state likely to become almost 50% larger in 2021 than it was at the end of last year.

Indian cities are set to expand the most across the Asian region, with growth speeding up from the past five years, according to a new study from Oxford Economics, which has ranked Asia’s 30 largest cities.


Government reconstitutes existing CBFC for three years:

The Centre has appointed lyricist Prasoon Joshi as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, CBFC, for a period of three years. Mr Joshi has replaced former Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani.

Government has also reconstituted the existing CBFC with immediate effect for a period of three years or until further orders.

Information and Broadcasting Ministry said, there are 12 members in the new board, which include

  • Gautami Tadimalla
  • Shri Narendra Kohli
  • Shri Naresh Chandra Lal
  • Shri Neil Herbert Nongkynrih
  • Shri Vivek Agnihotri
  • Shri Waman Kendre
  • Vidya Balan
  • Shri T.S. Nagabharana
  • Shri Ramesh Patange
  • Vani Tripati Tikoo
  • Jeevitha Rajasekhar
  • Shri Mihir Bhuta

ABOUT CBFC

CBFC is a statutory body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act. The Board consists of non-official members and a Chairman, all of whom are appointed by Central Government. Any Film can be publicly exhibited in the country only after they have been certified by it.

CBFC

  • Headquarters: Mumbai 

Suresh Prabhu to inaugurate FIAT Rail Bogie Karkhana in Karnataka:

The FIAT Rail Bogie Karkhana, set up at Badiyal and Kadechur Villages in Yadgir district of Karnataka will be inaugurated by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on August 18. This will be the first Railway Production Unit to come up on South Central Railway. The Karkhana was completed at a cost of Rs 80.92 crore and has come up on 150 acres of land given free by Government of Karnataka to Indian Railways.

Karnataka

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

BANKING & BUSINESS:

Lok Sabha passes bill approving merger of associate banks with SBI:

The government said the merger of the five associate banks with the SBI will lead to increased capital base and availability of loan, as the Lok Sabha passed the bill approving the amalgamation.

The Lok Sabha passed the bill to repeal the SBI (Subsidiary Banks) Act 1959, State Bank of Hyderabad Act 1956 and to further amend the State Bank of India Act, 1955, following the merger of five associates with the parent SBI.

          Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said that with this merger, the SBI has come in the list of top 50 banks globally and is ranked at the 45th position. The five associates that were merged are State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT). SBI had 90 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Mysore, 75.07 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur and 79.09 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Travancore.

SBI

  • Chairperson: Arundhati Bhattacharya
  • Headquarters: Mumbai 

Rajya Sabha passes banking regulation bill:

Parliament passed a bill that will empower the RBI to deal with stressed assets in the banking sectors which have soared to Rs 8 lakh crore.

The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha, replaces an ordinance promulgated in May.


Canara Bank unveils two new digital services:

State-run Canara Bank unveiled two new digital services for online payments.

Bharat QR (Quick Response) is for payment settlement at merchant locations and Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an integrated bill payment system for net banking customers.

The first service is a mobile application, which enables a merchant to accept payments as settlement for sale of goods or services. The second product (BBPS), an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and managed by the National Payments Corp of India (NPCI), offers bill payment services to the bank’s net banking customers with network of agents.


SEBI ties up with Securities & Exchange Organization (SEO) of Iran for technical assistance:

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Securities & Exchange Organization (SEO) of Iran have entered into a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for mutual cooperation and technical assistance.        It will facilitate mutual assistance, contribute towards efficient performance of the supervisory functions, and enable effective enforcement of laws and regulations governing the securities markets. The MoU was signed by SEBI chief Ajay Tyagi and SEO Iran chairman Shapour Mohammadi. 


APPOINTMENTS

Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta re-elected:

In Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has been re-elected as President. According to Election Commission Head Wafula Chebukati announced in Nairobi that Kenyatta got 54.27 per cent votes beating his rival Raifa Odinga who got 44.74 per cent of votes.

 Kenya

  • Currency: Kenyan shilling
  • Capital: Nairobi

WHO appoints Milkha Singh as Goodwill Ambassador for physical activity:

Sprint legend Milkha Singh has been appointed as the World Health Organisation’s goodwill ambassador for physical activity in South-East Asia Region (SEAR), the global health body said.

As WHO goodwill ambassador, Singh, also known as ‘the Flying Sikh’, will promote WHO SEAR’s non-communicable diseases (NCDs) prevention and control action plan which seeks to reduce the level of insufficient physical activity by 10 per cent and NCDs by 25 per cent by 2025, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia said. 


AWARDS:

Sravanth Malla Clinches Title of National Champion at 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee:

Sravanth Malla correctly spelled the word “Chytridiales,” defined as an order of simple, aquatic fungi of the phylum Chytridiomycota, during the 2017 South Asian Spelling Bee finals to clinch the title of national champion and take home a cash prize of $3,000. 


Renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Debraj Shome awarded Indian of the Year at India Leadership Conclave:

World Renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Debraj Shome has been awarded with the prestigious ‘Indian of the Year’ award at the 8th Annual India Leadership Conclave & Indian Affairs Business Leadership Awards 2017, held in Mumbai.


NALCO bags Appreciation Award in large mines category:

Panchpatmalli bauxite mine of National Aluminium Company (NALCO) has been awarded for its initiative in areas like environment, safety and health.

The Navaratna PSU has bagged the Appreciation Award in large mines category at the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Eastern Region Safety Health & Environment Excellence Awards 2016-17. On behalf of NALCO, S Chaudhuri, General Manager (Mines) and Sanjaya Kumar Patnaik, AGM (Environment), received the award at the 11th Symposium on Safety and award ceremony organised by CII Eastern Region at Kolkata.


Hindustan Unilever wins ‘Green Marketer’ Award at Marquee Awards 2017:

 Hindustan Unilever (HUL) won the ‘Green Marketer’ award at the debut edition of Marquee Awards 2017. Presented by News18 India, powered by COLORS and MTV and partnered by One India, the awards recognised excellence in marketing across India Inc.

The Special Award for ‘Conquering an impregnable fortress’ was won by Bira 91. Pro Kabaddi League was recognised as the brand that ‘Traversed unchartered waters’ and Paytm was recognised for ‘Riding on an emerging wave’. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter was awarded for ‘Breathing new life into a category’, Indian Accent was recognised for ‘Creating a Global Impact’ while Oppo was recognised for ‘Carving out a Niche’ for themselves in a highly competitive category.


SPORTS

Maheshwari bags memorable bronze at Asian Shotgun Championship:

 

Shooter Maheshwari Chauhan bagged a bronze medal at the Asian Shotgun Championship to earn India’s first women’s skeet individual medal at a top international competition in Astana.

Kazakhstan

  • Currency: Kazakhstani Tenge
  • Capital: Astana

Anand beats Nepomniachtchi to jump to joint lead at Sinquefield Cup:

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in the seventh round to jump to the joint top position in the Sinquefield Cup, a part of the Grand Chess tour, USA.


HISTORIC EVENTS OF THE DAY

International Youth Day-August 12th:

International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace. It is celebrated on August 12th every year.

Theme 2017: “Youth Building Peace” 


OBITUARY

World’s oldest man dead in Israel at 113:

Israeli Holocaust survivor Yisrael Kristal, certified last year by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest man, died aged 113.

Israel

  • Currency: Israeli new shekel
  • Capital: Jerusalem 

 Former cricket writer Ted Corbett dies aged 82:

          Former cricket Journalist Ted Corbett, who died in Huntingdon, the UK, aged 82.

Corbett worked for numerous publications like The Daily Herald, Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, and Daily Express, before being appointed as cricket correspondent for “The Daily Star” in 1982.

You May also like to Read Previous day current Affairs:

CURRENT AFFAIRS: 11TH AUGUST-2017:15TH BIMSTEC MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN KATHMANDU:

CURRENT AFFAIRS: 10TH AUGUST – 2017:WORLD BIO FUEL DAY