DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS : OCTOBER 3rd , 2017

NATIONAL

Venkaiah Naidu Unveils Gandhi Statue of 1.8 m in Rajghat:

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu unveiled a 1.8-metre-tall bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on the occasion of the 148th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.


Defence Minister inaugurates Pratham-Shyok Bridge in Leh:

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Pratham—Shyok bridge that will link Leh to Karakoram, providing connectivity on the strategically important Darbuk—Shyok—Daulat Beg Olde axis for military transport.


IPS Officer Aparna Kumar becomes the first Indian woman to scale Mt Manaslu:

An Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer of Uttar Pradesh Cadre, Aparna Kumar became the first Indian woman to scale Mount Manaslu, which is the eighth highest mountain peak in the world.

Uttar Pradesh

  • Capital: Lucknow
  • Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
  • Governor: Shri Ram Naik

‘Single Click Pension Delivery’ Scheme Launched by Madhya Pradesh:

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched ‘Single Click Pension Delivery’ scheme.

Now the money will go directly into the account of the beneficiaries. The Chief Minister also honoured the people who had completed the age of hundred years with “Shataayu”.

More than 35 lakh people of the state will be benefitted from this move.Shawl, Shriphal, which is also termed as the ‘God’s fruit’, and cash prize of Rs. one thousand were presented in respect to all the senior citizens.

Madhya Pradesh

  • Capital: Bhopal
  • Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
  • Governor: Om Prakash Kohli

The third edition of ‘Women of India Organic Festival’ to be inaugurated by Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi at Dilli Haat, INA:

To celebrate and promote women entrepreneurs and farmers in the organic sector from across India, the Ministry of Women and Child Development will be hosting the 3rd annualWomen of India Organic Festival’ from October 1st to 15th, 2017, in New Delhi. Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, inaugurated the festival in the presence of Shri Virendra Kumar, Minister of State, Ministry of Women and Child Development, at Dilli Haat (INA).


‘No helmet, no petrol’ rule comes into force in Andhra Pradesh:

‘No helmet, no petrol’ rule for two-wheeler riders to reduce road accident deaths has come into force in Andhra Pradesh, with chief minister Chandrababu Naidu urging all the petrol bunk dealers to cooperate.

Chandrababu has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for equipment to implement this rule.

Andhra Pradesh

  • Capital: Amaravati
  • Chief Minister: Chandrababu Naidu
  • Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan

Madurai’s Meenakshi Temple named best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India:

The Madurai City Corporation is set to receive a special award from the Centre as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple has been adjudged best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India as on October 1.


INTERNATIONAL

US, India to explore cooperation for natural gas exploration in 3 states:

US and India will work together on the sale of US crude and explore opportunities to expand the role of natural gas in India in the districts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, a US government statement said.

The first in a series of shipments of US crude oil to India arrived at Paradip Port in Odisha. It was received by Sunjay Sudhir, joint secretary for international cooperation from the Ministry for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Katherine Hadda, US Consul General in Hyderabad.

This is one of the first shipments to India since the US stopped oil exports in 1975, and follows recent commitments to US oil purchases by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum (BPCL).

USA

  • President of the United States: Donald Trump
  • Currency: United States Dollar
  • Capital: Washington, D.C.

Saudi Russia to set up $1b energy fund:

Saudi Arabia and Russia plan to set up a $1 billion fund to invest in energy projects, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

“Our focus is not just on strengthening our cooperation within the framework of the Opec and non-Opec (agreement) but also the strengthening of cooperation in oil, gas, electricity renewable energy and other projects for oil and gas equipment,” he said.

Saudi Arabia, the biggest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and Russia helped forge a deal between Opec and other producers to cut output by 1.8 million barrels per day from January to lift crude prices.

Russia

  • Russian President: Vladimir Putin.
  • Currency: Russian ruble
  • Capital: Moscow

Saudi Arabia

  • Capital: Riyadh
  • Currency: Saudi riyal

BANKING & BUSINESS

India GDP to hit $6 trillion by 2027:

India is likely to be the world’s fastest-growing large economy in the next 10 years, driven by digitisation, favourable demographics, globalisation and reforms, predicts a Morgan Stanley report.

Morgan Stanley expects digitisation will provide a boost of 50-75 bps to GDP growth and forecast that India will grow to a USD 6-trillion economy and achieve upper-middle income status by 2026-27.


IREDA becomes first Indian financial agency to raise funds overseas:

The state-owned Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) has become the first Indian financial institution to raise ‘green masala bonds’.

IREDA would now also finance transmission projects which include ‘green corridors’ for evacuation of renewable energy and storage solutions. The coupon rate for the bond is 7.125%.

IREDA’s $300-million issue, on the London Stock Exchange, combined these and were subscribed 1.7 times.


Bengaluru ranked world’s most affordable tech hub, Gurugram bags 2nd spot:

According to a survey conducted by a realty consultancy firm Knight Frank, Karnataka capital Bengaluru has been ranked world’s most affordable technology hub, followed by Haryana’s Gurugram.

The study, which covered top 29 global technology hubs, rated Bengaluru as the cheapest in office rentals. While Gurugram came second.

Karnataka

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

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGN

President Ram Nath Kovind appoints Panel to examine sub categorisation of OBCs:

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed a five-member Commission headed by Delhi High Court’s former Chief Justice G Rohini to examine sub categorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) under Article 340 of the Constitution.

This decision has been taken to ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities avail the benefits of reservation, added the statement from the social justice and empowerment ministry.


Morris chang known as father of Taiwan chip Industry to retire:

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder and chairman Morris Chang will retire in June 2018, after having built the Apple Inc supplier into the world’s biggest foundry chipmaker with a market value of about $185 billion.

Chang, who is 86 and is known as the father of Taiwan’s chip industry, will be succeeded as chairman by Mark Liu who has been co-CEO along with C.C. Wei since 2013. Wei will become the sole CEO.


 Schroeder elected chairman of board at Russia’s Rosneft:

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that he would chair the board of Russia’s state-controlled oil major Rosneft after shareholders approved his nomination.


AWARDS

American Trio win Nobel prize for medicine:

Thomas Perlmann, chairman of the Nobel Committee of Medicine, announces the winners of the 2017 Nobel Prize for Medicine in Stockholm.

The laureates are Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michal W Young. Rosbash is on the faculty at Brandeis University, Young at Rockefeller University and Hall is at the University of Maine.

According to the Nobel committee’s citation, Jeffrey C Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W Young were recognised for their discoveries explaining “how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronised with the Earth’s revolutions.”


HPCL wins 806 crore arbitration award against Malaysian Company:

Oil marketing company (OMC), Hindustan Petroleum Corp has just won an arbitration award worth Rs 806 crore against Malaysia’s M3nergy in an arbitration that has been ongoing since 2009.


 SPORTS

Team India wins Enactus World Cup 2017:

In a close competition, Team India has emerged as the winner of the 2017 Enactus World Cup.

Enactus is an international non-profit dedicated to inspiring students to take entrepreneurial action to improve the lives of others.

Enactus Team India, represented by Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, was named World Champion for Project Raahat, which aims to increase sanitation in slum communities of urban Delhi, and Udaan, an initiative that empowers women to operate computer centers in rural India to promote skill development and increase awareness of economic opportunities.


Max Verstappen wins Malaysian Grand Prix 2017 title:

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the final edition of the Malaysian Grand Prix, as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished second to extend his championship lead over Sebastian Vettel to 34 points.

Malaysia

  • Currency: Malaysian ringgit
  • Capital: Kuala Lumpur

HISTORIC EVENT OF THE DAY

WORLD NATURE DAY: October 3rd 2017

World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated on October 3rd recognizes that a healthy environment is the foundation for a stable and productive society and to ensure the well-being of present and future generations, we all must participate to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage our natural resources.


WORLD HABITAT DAY: October 2nd 2017

World Habitat Day was first declared by the United Nations General Assembly in the month of December in the year 1985. United Nations General Assembly has declared the first Monday of the month of October as the World Habitat Day. It was first started celebrating in the year 1986 at first Monday of the October.


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