Daily Current Affairs : November 23, 2017

NATIONAL

“Mahila Shakti Kendra” Scheme for the Empowerment of Rural Women

For the empowerment of rural women, cabinet committee on economic affairs approved for a new scheme called Mahila Shakthi Kendra.Rs.3,636.85 crore has been allocated the scheme.

The other objectives of the scheme are,

• To improve child sex ratio,
• To ensure survival,protection and education of girl child
• To provide an interface to rural women to avail of entitlements

World’s Fastest Supersonic Cruise Missile: Brahmos Test Fired

Brahmos supersonic cruise missile was test fired from Indian Air Force’s (IAF) frontline fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI for the first time. It was launched against a sea-based target in the Bay of Bengal.

It has a strike range of around 290 km and it travels at 2.8 times the speed of sound.The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra and the Moskva.

The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who together have formed BrahMos Aerospace.

Facebook launches Training hubs which will Train 5 Lakh Indians by 2020

Facebook launched two programmes -Facebook Digital Training and Facebook Startup Training Hubs – are being rolled out in India before any other country.

The Facebook Digital Training Hub will provide free social and content marketing training. It also includes social media basics, how to build and create an audience, how to create content, how to measure online activity.

Facebook Startup Training Hub will help developers and tech startups build better products and businesses. The also includes how to build a business plan, how to build a product and how to grow a business.

Facebook

Headquarters: California, United States

CEO:Mark Zuckerberg

India Rice Conclave 2017: Andhra Pradesh focusing on Agriculture

India Rice Conclave 2017 was inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in vijayawada. India Rice Conclave 2017 was organised by the Agriculture Department of Andhra Pradesh in association with Indian Chamber of Commerce.

India has the world’s largest area devoted to rice cultivation which accounts of about 20% of all worlds’ Rice production.

The objective of the Forum is to promote rice production and to process food security.

15th Finance Commission approved by cabinet

The Cabinet today approved the setting up of the 15th Finance Commission which will decide the formula for sharing of taxes between the Centre and states for five years starting April 1, 2020.

This commission has different tax regime because the goods and services tax (GST) rolled out from July 1,2017.

The 14th Finance Commission was set up on January 2, 2013.It is Headed by former Reserve Bank of India governor YV Reddy, its recommendations cover the period from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2020. As per Article 280(1) of the Constitution, the government is should form the Finance Commission after every five years.

Axis Bank join hands with Mumbai Police to Launch  MuhPeTaala

During the International Fraud Awareness week, Axis Bank in association with Mumbai Police has launched its latest campaign #MuhPeTaala.

The International Fraud Awareness week is observed from 12 – 18 November 2017.

The objective of the campaign is to promote safe banking by raising awareness about how to keep oneself safe from fraudulent calls asking information such as pin code, CVV, OTP.

INTERNATIONAL

World’s Most Violent Region for Women: Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean have been reported as the most violent places for women in the world by the United Nations,highlighting Central America and Mexico as particularly dangerous.

The report stated that the rate of sexual violence against women outside of relationships is the highest in Latin America, while the rate of sexual violence against woman in a relationship is the second highest here.

The report also mentioned, one third of women worldwide have been a victim of violence in their relationship or of sexual violence by people outside their relationship.The report is launched as part of the “Unite to end violence against women” campaign, which brings together several United Nations agencies.

Zimbabwe’s new president:Emmerson Mnangagwa

Emmerson Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old liberation war veteran to be sworn in as president.He belongs to the ruling Zanu-PF party and also he is the former vice-president of Zimbabwe.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda stated that the ruling ZANU-PF party has nominated him to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Robert Mugabe.He stepped down after 37 years ruling the country.

Zimbabwe

Capital: Harare

Currency: Zimbabwe Dollar

Prime Minister: Morgan Tsvangirai

BUSINESS

Hike ties up with Airtel Payments Bank for mobile wallet

Messaging app Hike has tied up with Airtel Payments Bank to power its mobile wallet product.

Hike users will have access to the bank’s different products including merchant and utility payments.This hike wallet might position hike as one of the largest digital payments platforms in India.

Airtel Payments Bank Limited is a public limited company. It was the first company in India to receive a payments bank license from the Reserve Bank of India.

Airtel Payments Bank

Headquarters: New Delhi

CEO: Shashi Arora

Parent organization: Bharti Airtel

Paytm invests in lending startup CreditMate

Paytm will use Urja Money’s owned CreditMate technology to create a loan management system in collaboration with lending partners.Paytm has bought an undisclosed stake in Urja Money Pvt. Ltd, which evaluates creditworthiness of people seeking loans to buy two-wheelers.

CreditMate was founded in 2016 by Jonathan Bill, Ashish Doshi and Aditya Singh. The company focuses on secured lending against two-wheelers.

The partnership with Paytm will allow Urja Money to reach a wider set of customers.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

Manik Banerjee, RS Jamwal honoured by Indian Mountaineering Foundation(IMF)

Veteran mountaineers Manik Banerjee received Nain Singh-Kishen Singh Life Time Achievement Award and Lt col RS Jamwal was presented with the IMF Gold Medal. The awards were given by Indian Mountaineering Foundation.

In recognition of his achievements in mountaineering over a period of four decades and invaluable contribution in promotion of mountaineering,Banerjee was presented the Life Time Achievement award.Manik Banerjee is the first Indian to make the ascent of Uja Tirche.

Lt. Col Jamwal has the distinction of reaching the top of Mt. Everest thrice in 2013, 2016 and 2017.

Actress Trisha Krishnan received UNICEF celebrity advocate status

Tamil actress Trisha Krishnan was conferred with UNICEF celebrity advocate status.UNICEF collaborated with Veteran actress Trisha Krishnan for the cause of Child Empowerment.

Trisha will be the first South Indian actress to join hands with UNICEF for the noble cause.She will participate and extend her support for the irradiation of social issues such as Child marriage, labor, and child abuse.

SCIENCE

Aditya-L1, Mission to the Sun by ISRO

India’s first mission to the sun, will be launched in 2019 said by ISRO Chairman A.S Kiran Kumar. It will be launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh using PSLV- XL launch vehicle.

The main aim of the solar mission is to improve our understanding of dynamical processes of the sun and help resolve some outstanding questions in solar physics. will be launched into the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.

ISRO

Headquarters: Bengaluru

Chairman: A. S. Kiran Kumar

SPORTS

International Polo Tournament 2017 begins at Manipur

International Polo Tournament 2017 begins on the oldest ground Mapal Kangjeibung of Imphal. The participants are from England, USA, Argentina, Morocco.Argentina and Morocco participated for the first time in this international tournament.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated the International Polo Tournament 2017.

Check other Important Current Affairs :

Current Affairs November 22, 2017

Current Affairs November 21, 2017

Current Affairs November 20, 2017

Current Affairs November 19, 2017