Current Affairs November 15, 2017
Current Affairs November 15, 2017
NATIONAL
President Ram Kovind inaugurates JOHAR scheme worth 1,500 cr rupees in Jharkhand:
In Jharkhand, on State Establishment-Day President Ramnath Kovind inaugurated JOHAR scheme worth one thousand five hundred crore rupees. The World Bank aided JOHAR (Jharkhand’s Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth) scheme is aimed at doubling the income of two lakh rural poor.
Jharkhand
- Capital: Ranchi
- Chief Minister: Raghubar Das
- Governor: Draupadi Murmu
First Ever APCERT Conference in New Delhi:
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology organizing the Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT) Conference from November 12-15, 2017 in New Delhi. This is the 15th Conference of APCERT and first ever conference in India and South Asia and is expected to be attended by 21 economies.
The conference theme is “Building Trust in the Digital Economy“. This will be inaugurated by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, and is expected to be attended by over 300 cyber security professionals from the Asia Pacific region, USA, Europe, Industry, Academia, Government and Media.
India’s 1st Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit to be organised at Dantewada:
To inspire, nurture and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in tribal youth, the NITI Aayog in partnership with the US government organized India’s first Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit at Dantewada. The summit is inaugurated by MoS Science and Technology YS Chowdhary held at Dantewada in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. This event is an 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit, being held in India which ensures yet another step towards tribal-centric sustainable and inclusive development.
Chhattisgarh
- Capital: Raipur
- Chief Minister: Raman Singh
- Governor: Balram Das Tandon
Uttar Pradesh Tops in Mobilising Jan Dhan Accounts:
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), which was launched in 2014 to further the financial-inclusion process in the country, seems to have gathered momentum in some northern States post demonetisation.
With its area and size of population, Uttar Pradesh tops in opening new PMJDY accounts after demonetisation. Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal cumulatively added another 2.2 crore new accounts in the last one year.
While the total number of PMJDY accounts crossed four crores and three crore in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, respectively, the number crossed the one-crore mark in Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Karnataka during the year.
Uttar Pradesh
- Capital: Lucknow
- Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
- Governor: Shri Ram Naik
The Government of India launched the BHARAT-22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) managed by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund:
The Government of India launched the BHARAT-22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) managed by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund targeting an initial amount of about Rs. 8,000 crores. This New Fund Offer is open till November 17, 2017. The Units of the Scheme will be allotted 25% to each category of investors. In this ETF, the Retirement Fund has been made separate category of Investors.
The strength of this ETF lies in the specially created Index S&P BSE BHARAT-22 INDEX. This Index is a unique blend of shares of key CPSEs, Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and also the Government owned shares in blue chip private companies like Larsen & Tubro (L&T), Axis Bank and ITC. The shares of the Government companies represent 6 core sectors of the economy – Finance, Industry, Energy, Utilities, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Basic Materials.
Railway introduces Project Saksham to upgrade knowledge of employees and for boosting productivity:
Under the direction of Minister of Railways & Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal, a comprehensive plan for imparting training to all employees of Indian Railways is being prepared with a view to upgrade skill & knowledge. This comprehensive training programme named as “Project Saksham” will help boost productivity and efficiency.
INTERNATIONAL
Japan to relax visa regime for Indians from January 1:
Japan will simplify its visa rules from January 1 next year for Indians and issue multiple-entry-visa for short-term stay, a move which is expected to benefit tourists and business persons as well as repeat visitors, the Japanese embassy.
Japan
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Yen
- Prime minister: Shinzō Abe
Founding Ceremony of International Solar Alliance Held in Germany:
Founding Ceremony of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held at Bonn, Germany.
Shri Anand Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India hoped that, in the spirit of affirmative action, developed countries will earmark a percentage of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) towards solar energy projects in developing countries.
GERMANY
- Currency: Euro
- Capital: Berlin
China launches world’s first fully electric cargo ship:
China launched the world’s first all-electric ship, which can travel up to 80 km with 2000-tonnes cargo after a two-hour charge.
It was launched in Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province.The ship has been manufactured by the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited.
China
- Currency: Renminbi
- Capital: Beijing
- Prime minister: Li Keqiang
- President: Xi Jinping
Dr. Bhamre to Represent India at ‘UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial: Vancouver 2017’
Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr. Subhash Bhamre will represent the Government of India at the ‘UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial: Vancouver 2017’, which is being held between November 14-15, 2017. It will be the second time Dr. Bhamre will be attending the conference.
BANKING & BUSINESS
Wholesale Price Index rises to six months high of 3.59 % in October:
Wholesale inflation rose to a six-month high of 3.59 per cent in October from 2.6 per cent in September as food items and fuel became more expensive.
India will overtake Japan and Germany in nominal GDP by 2028:
India will emerge as the third largest economy overtaking Japan over the next ten years on the back of falling dependency, financial maturity and higher income and affordability, says a report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
BSE Institute sets up India’s first in-house Block Chain Lab:
The leader in financial education, Bombay Stock Exchange Institute Ltd. (BIL), has signed an MoU with DLT Labs in Mumbai to set up the country’s first state-of-the-art Block Chain Lab in an institution.
The collaborative efforts of BSE Institute and DLT Labs aim at providing knowledge driven and best in class education and training in the field of financial technology, especially Block Chain.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS
Vijay Prasad Dimri Appointed President of 36th International Geological Congress:
Scientist Vijay Prasad Dimri has been appointed as the president of the 36th International Geological Congress (IGC), a global platform for advancement of earth science, to be held here in 2020.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved Dermis appointment in place of Shailesh Nayak.India, along with its co-host neighbouring countries Bangladesh, Nepal, Srilanka and Pakistan won the bid to host the 36th IGC in the National Capital Region from March 2 -8, 2020.
India had organised the 22nd session of IGC at New Delhi in 1964.
Ganga Kumari becomes first transgender to be appointed in Rajasthan Police:
Twenty-four-year old Ganga Kumari is all set to be Rajasthan’s first and India’s third transgender to join a state police force.
Sujoy Ghosh Resigns as Jury Head of 48th International Film Festival of India:
Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh on 14 November 2017 resigned as Head of the Jury of the Indian Panorama of the 48th International Film Festival of India (IIFI).
Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal retires from all forms of cricket:
Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, two years after losing his wicket-taking bite with a remodelled bowling action that was twice deemed illegal.
Pakistan
- Currency: Pakistani rupee
- Capital: Islamabad
- Prime Minister: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
AWARDS
IFFI personality of the year award for Amitabh Bachchan:
Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan will be honoured with personality of the year award at the upcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
West Bengal gets GI Tag for ‘Rosogolla’:
West Bengal’s Rosogolla gets GI (Geographical Indication) tag.
West Bengal
- Capital: Kolkata
- Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
- Governor: Keshari Nath Tripathi
SPORTS
Sebastian Vettel wins Brazilian Grand Prix:
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix while Lewis Hamilton fought from the back of the field to finish fourth for champions Mercedes.
