CURRENT AFFAIRS : 22nd SEPTEMBER,2017
NATIONAL
Textiles minister Smriti Irani inaugurates ‘VASTRA’ fair in Jaipur:
Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the 6th edition of the four-day international textile and apparel fair, ‘VASTRA‘ in Jaipur.
Rajasthan
- Capital: Jaipur
- Chief Minister: Vasundhara Raje
- Governor: Kalyan Singh
Himachal Pradesh: Country’s first electric bus service launched:
After two years of trial runs on the challenging Manali-Rohtang highway, Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) finally launched its electric bus service on the route on a regular basis. With this, Himachal Pradesh has become the first hill state in the country to run electric buses. Electricity charging points have been installed at Manali and Marhi.
Himachal Pradesh
- Capital: Shimla
- Chief Minister: Virbhadra Singh
- Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat
Youth from Jammu & Kashmir Participating in Operation Sadbhavana:
President Ram Nath Kovind said the youths of Jammu and Kashmir are the future of the State and it is their responsibility to play a role in its development.
He was interacting with a group of youths from the Gurez Valley of the State at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
He asked the youth, participating in the Operation Sadbhavana, to learn from the discipline of the Army. The Sadbhavana tour was organised by the 109 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army with an aim to develop trust among and reignite the minds of youth towards national integration. As part of this tour, these youth are visiting Srinagar, Delhi, Lansdowne, Rishikesh and Dehradun.
Jammu and Kashmir
- Capital: Srinagar
- Chief Minister: Mehbooba Mufti
- Governor: Narinder Nath Vohra
First Scorpene submarine INS Kalvari delivered to Navy:
The first of the Scorpene class submarines, Kalvari, was delivered to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The submarine will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy.
The submarines, designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS, are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai as part of Project-75 of the Indian Navy.
Hyperloop signs pact to connect Vijayawada and Amaravati:
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) to connect Vijayawada and Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh in Guntur district.
The MoU will facilitate the development of HTT’s hyperloop transportation system in Andhra Pradesh. The proposed route for the hyperloop is between the city centres of Vijayawada and Amaravati, potentially turning a trip of more than one hour into a 5-minute ride.
Andhra Pradesh
- Capital: Amaravati
- Chief Minister: Chandrababu Naidu
- Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan
Government launches DIKSHA portal to teachers:
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu launched national teachers portal diksha.gov.in in the function of National Awards to Teachers 2016 on Tecaher’s Day. Basically the DIKSHA Portal is created to provide digital and advance technology to the teachers. The main purpose of the Diksha portal is to focus the whole life cycle of the teacher, from the point they are student teachers till their retirement. The HRD ministry has also set up a slogan National Digital Infrastructure for Our Teachers Our Heroes for DIKSHA national teachers portal.
INTERNATIONAL
Dr Sekhar Basu, Chairman Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy at the 61st IAEA General Conference:
Dr.Sekhar Basu, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of Department of Atomic Energy attended the 61st IAEA General Conference held in Vienna, Austria.
Dr.Sekhar Basu announced that India is collaborating with Russia to build the Roppur power plant in Bangladesh, at the IAEA General Conference. This is India’s first atomic energy plant abroad.
West Bengal gets $300 million ADB loan to carry forward fiscal reforms:
Multilateral funding agency ADB said it has sanctioned a USD 300 million loan facility for carrying forward fiscal reforms in West Bengal.
The board of Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a loan of USD 300 million to continue a comprehensive series of fiscal reforms in West Bengal to bring about more accessible, affordable, and high quality public services, ADB said in a release.
The first ADB policy-based loan of $400 million in 2012 for the first West Bengal Development Finance Program aimed to create the fiscal space necessary to sustain higher public investment in the state.
West Bengal
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
- Governor: Keshari Nath Tripathi
Britain, Saudi Arabia sign military cooperation deal:
Britain and Saudi Arabia signed a framework deal on military and security cooperation, redoubling efforts to counter Iran in the Gulf region and defeat Islamic State.
Prime Minister Theresa May said in December that Britain would invest over 3 billion pounds ($4.05 billion) in defense in Gulf Arab states over the next decade as it seeks to build on traditionally strong ties with the conservative, oil-wealthy monarchies before its planned departure from the European Union.
Saudi Arabia
- Capital: Riyadh
- Currency: Saudi riyal
British
- Currency: Pound sterling
- Capital: London
- Prime minister: Theresa May
Joint Sea 2017: Russia, China participate in joint naval exercises in Baltic Sea:
Chinese and Russian commanders conducted a simulation exercise in Kaliningrad province for the ongoing joint military drills code-named “Joint Sea 2017” in the Baltic Sea.
These drills underline ongoing naval and military-to-military cooperation between the two countries. While Russia and China aren’t military allies, they increasingly coordinate on strategic matters.
China
- Currency: Renminbi
- Capital: Beijing
- Prime minister: Li Keqiang
- President: Xi Jinping
Russia
- Russian President: Vladimir Putin.
- Currency: Russian ruble
- Capital: Moscow
Sri Lanka Navy ships at Visakhapatnam for maritime exercises:
Sri Lankan naval ships Sayura and Sagara entered Visakhapatnam harbour to participate in the fifth edition of SLINEX 2017, a bilateral naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka, from 7 to 14 September.
Srilanka
- Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
- Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
- Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe
China launches the world’s fastest bullet train:
China has again launched the world’s fastest bullet train, running at 350 kilometres (217 miles) per hour.
The trains will service the route from China’s capital Beijing to Shanghai, making the 1,250-kilometre (777-mile) journey in under four hours and 30 minutes.
BANKING & BUSINESS
IIM-Lucknow, Yes Bank tie up for climate awareness:
YES BANK, India’s fifth largest private sector Bank, and Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM-L) are signing a charter to further the common objective of spreading ‘Climate Literacy’ to achieve sustainable development through shared learning. YES BANK will support IIM-L in updating the 2-year course curriculum in accordance with global standards, along with delivering guest lectures.
YES Bank
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Rana Kapoor
- Tagline: Experience our Expertise
APPOINTMENTS
Parineeti becomes 1st Indian woman ambassador for Tourism Australia:
Australia has roped in Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra to be its first Indian woman Ambassador to encourage Indians to visit the country.
She was presented the Friend of Australia (FOA) recognition by Australian Consul General Tony Huber for her contribution to promote Australia recently.
Australia
- Capital: Canberra
- Currency: Australian dollar
- Prime minister: Malcolm Turnbull
BOOKS & AUTHOR
Shyam Saran’s ‘How India Sees the World’ book launched:
The book of Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran named “How India Sees the World: Kautilya to the 21st Century” launched by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The book records the crucial meeting of the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) on the eve of India-Pakistan Defence Secretary-level talks in May 2006.
AWARDS
Jipmer gets ‘Skoch Award-2017’:
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) received ‘Skoch Award-2017’ in ‘Smart Governance-Health Category’ from SKOCH Institution. S.C. Parija, director, Jipmer, said the award was given to Jipmer for creating “TeleWard Consultations”. This was done using the National Knowledge Network (NKN) provided by the National Informatics Centre, Puducherry. He also added that this was one of the telemedicine activities being done by Jipmer.
‘Newton’ is India’s official entry to Oscars 2018:
‘Newton’ will be India’s official entry to the Best Foreign Film catgory at the Oscars next year, says a Film Federation of India official.
The Amit Masurkar movie, starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav and Anjali Patil, tells the story of polling officer Newton Kumar, who is bent on conducting free and fair elections in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh.
OBITUARY
‘Raging Bull’ boxer Jake LaMotta dead at 95:
Jake LaMotta, the legendary former world middleweight boxing champion whose wild life and times inspired the Oscar-winning movie “Raging Bull,” has died at age 95.
HISTORIC EVENTS OF THE DAY
International Day of Peace: 21 September
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.
The theme for 2017 is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.”
