Arunachal Pradesh

07.02.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

 

  • New contraceptives launched in Arunachal Pradesh

 

  • Arunachal Pradesh government launched two new contraceptives – an injectable one and a pill – under separate programmes to expand people’s choice contraceptives.

 

  • The injectable contraceptive was launched under the ‘Antara’ programme and the pill under ‘Chhaya’.

 

  • Gynecologists of various districts of the state were also trained on the new contraceptives during a programme.

 

  • India was first country in the world to launch family planning programme as early as in 1952 with the aim of controlling its population.

 

  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two new contraceptives in September last year.

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        SpaceX Launches Its Most Powerful Rocket Towards Mars

 

  • The US-based SpaceXsuccessfully launched the world’s most powerful operational rocket Falcon Heavy towards Mars.
  • The rocket, carrying a Tesla Roadster car, will revolve around the Sun in a way that will repeatedly bring it close to the Earth and Mars.
  • The Falcon Heavy’s thrust and capacity are the highest since NASA’s Saturn V, which carried astronauts to the Moon.
  • Falcon Heavy successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

 

  • India-UAE to ink 12 pacts during PM Modi’s visit

 

  • As many as 12 agreements will be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE later this week as India and the oil-rich Gulf nation look to intensify economic cooperation.

 

  • The agreements will include areas like finance and skills development.

 

  • Modi will start his visit to three West Asian countries – Palestine, the UAE and Oman – on February 9 with focus on cooperation in key areas of defence, security and counter- terrorism.

 

  • The Prime Minister will participate in the 6th World Government Summit in Dubai on February 10-11 in which India is a partner country.

 

  • This will be PM Modi’s second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015.

 

·        Google launches #SecurityCheckKiya campaign

 

  • Search engine giant Google launched ‘#SecurityCheckKiya’ campaign in India to create awareness around Internet safety. It was launched on the ocean.
  • The campaign aims to protect first-time web users from account hijacking, safeguard Android devices from malicious apps and secure all their personal time.
  • Under the campaign, Google recommended three simple steps for Internet safety. It includes reviewing security settings and Google account activity.
  • Moreover ‘Google Play Protect’ service scans and checks Android devices for any harmful apps. Find My Device app from Google helps a user to easily long away.

 

NATIONAL

 

  • 60 Solar Cities to be developed across country

 

  • The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under its scheme “Development of Solar Cities” has approved/sanctioned 60 Cities including 13 Pilot and 5 Model Cities up to 12th Five-year Plan period.

 

  • In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (IC) for Power & New and Renewable Energy, Shri R K Singh informed that the master plans of 49 Solar Cities have been prepared.

 

  • The Stake-holders Committees have been constituted in 21 Cities and Solar City Cells have been created in 37 Solar Cities.

 

  • Solar PV projects with aggregate capacity of 8069.16 kWP and Solar Water Heating System with aggregate capacity of 7894 meter square collector area have been sanctioned under the programme.

 

  • While Rs. 101.64 crore has been sanctioned, Rs. 25.92 crore has been released under scheme “Development of Solar Cities” so far.

 

·        Assam Government and Ola Sign MoU For River Taxi Service

 

  • Cab-hailing startup Ola and the Government of Assam have signed a MoU to pilot an app-based river taxi service in Guwahati.
  • The river taxis will be machine-operated boats and users will be able to book the rides through Ola’s app.
  • It’ll bring commute time down to 2-5 minutes from 45 minutes by road. This MoU was signed during the Global Investors Summit: Advantage Assam.

 

 

 

·        Commerce Minister Kicks Off Consultations On The New Industrial Policy

 

  • Commerce and Industries Minister Mr. Suresh Prabhu set off a series of nation-wide consultations with the industry on the proposed new Industrial Policy.
  • The first consultation was held at Guwahati in February 2018.
  • The event, organized by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in partnership with Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), was attended by more than 120 industrialists from the North East in addition to government officials from the North Eastern States.

 

 

 

·        President Ram Nath Kovind Inaugurates Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav

 

  • The President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gomateshwarain Hassan district of Karnataka.
  • Mahamastakabhisheka of Gommateshwara, who is also known as Bahubali takes place once in 12 years.
  • It is an important Jain pilgrimage center and lakhs of tourists visit Shravanbelagola to see 57 feet tall monolithic stone statue that is anointed from head to feet during the Utsav.

 

 

 

·        Union Government launches Start-up-India ranking framework

 

  • The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP)under Commerce Ministry unveiled Start-up-India ranking framework to rank states/UTs based on measures regions that have taken to foster entrepreneurship.
  • It was launched by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry at a function held in New Delhi.
  • The framework aims to foster competitiveness and propel states/UTS to act proactively in startup matters.
  • This ranking will help states to bring progress made in their startup ecosystem and also make different states learn and replicate good practices.
  • Its objective is to encourage States/UTs to take proactive steps towards strengthening Startup ecosystems at the local level.

 

·        Sushma Swaraj Visit To Saudi Arabia Attends Opening Ceremony Of Al-Janadriyah Fest

 

  • External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the opening ceremony of the 32nd Al Jana-driyah festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  • India has been invited as the Guest of Honour country for the festival.
  • Swaraj in her first engagement addressed Indian community members at a reception in Riyadh and spoke about the relations between the two countries.
  • During her three day visit, she will meet with the Saudi leadership to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

24.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

 

  • Khandu inaugurates World War II Memorial Museum in Arunachal
  • Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the World War II Memorial Museum in the state’s Changlang district bordering Myanmar.

 

  • Built by the Union Culture Ministry, the Rs 2.25 crore museum in memory of those who laid down their lives in WWII is located adjacent to the historic Stilwell Road.

 

  • Khandu visited the war memorial where remnants of the war, personal belongings of the soldiers and others involved were preserved.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        Rachel Morrison 1st Oscar nominated female cinematographer

 

  • Rachel Morrison has become the first female cinematographer to receive an Oscar nomination in the 89-year-old history of the Awards. She has been nominated for her work in the film ‘Mudbound’. “The job of the cinematographer is to visualise emotion – things we as women are inherently good at,” said Rachel.

 

 

·        India inks $120 million loan agreement with World Bank to fund improved water supply in Uttarakhand

 

  • India signed $120 millionloan agreement with multilateral lending agency World Bank to help increase access to improved water supply services in in peri-urban areas in Uttarakhand.
  • The agreement was signed between Government of India, Government of Uttarakhand and World Bank Board.
  • The loan amount will be used for Uttarakhand Water Supply Program for Peri-Urban Areas to help the state to increase water supply coverage as well as ensure sustainable water supply service delivery in peri-urban areas.
  • The program will develop and implement service-oriented and efficient water supply for peri-urban areas, strengthen current monitoring and evaluation systems.
  • It will also provide dedicated incentives for preparation and adoption of of water supply ‘master-plans’ in peri-urban areas.

 

  • India Ranked 177 in Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

 

  • India has been ranked 177 among 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) – 2018. This index has been developed by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

  • Top 5 countries are Switzerland, France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden.

 

  • Top bottom countries are Nepal, India, Congo, Bangladesh, Burundi.

NATIONAL

 

·        India to Host 16th International Energy Forum Meet

 

  • The 16th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial meetingwill be held in New Delhi in April 2018.
  • According to the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, the meeting will be hosted by Government of India in New Delhi and co-hosted by the Government of China and South Korea.
  • Representatives from 92 countries will be participating in the conference, including 72 member countries of IEF and 20 guest countries.

 

·        Andhra Pradesh and Zurich Sign Sister State Agreement

 

  • The Andhra Pradesh Governmentand the Canton of Zurich signed a letter of intent, to promote mutual prosperity and development.
  • The agreement was signed in the presence of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu and Government Counselor Minister Carmen Walker Spah for sister state relation.
  • This will bring the State of Andhra Pradesh and Canton of Zurich closer and ensure that a framework is created, which supports the exchange between both the parties.

 

  • Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palanichamy receives UNESCO Award.

 

  • Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanichamy received UNESCO Award of Merit awarded to the iconic Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple in Tiruchirapalli. The award of merit was awarded by UNESCO Asia Pacific region for the reconstruction activities undertaken in temple without in least affecting its traditional splendour and Vedic rituals.

 

  • It is considered as one of the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). It is Vaishnava temple built in Tamil or Dravidian style of architecture. It is located on an islet formed by twin rivers: Coleroon and Cauvery. The temple complex is situated in sprawling ground of more than 156 acres. The temple and 1000 pillared hall were constructed in the Vijayanagar period (1336–1565) .

 

 

·        Water storage level of India’s 91 major reservoirs drops 2%

  • The water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country for the week ending on January 11, 2018 was 80.484 BCM which is 50% of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs. This percentage was at 52 for the week ending January 4, 2018.

 

  • The total storage capacity of these 91 reservoirs is 161.993 BCM, which is about 63% of the total storage capacity of 257.812 BCM which is estimated to have been created in the country. Thirty seven of the 91 reservoirs have hydropower benefit with installed capacity of more than 60 MW.

 

  • The storage during the corresponding period of last year was 58% and average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period was 54% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, the storage during the current year is less than that of the previous year and is also less than the average storage of the last ten years during the corresponding period.

 

·        Monsoon rainfall down only 24mm in country since 1981

  • Over 50% of sub-divisions in India have witnessed a decreasing trend in monsoon rainfall from 1981 to 2016, but the country has seen a 24mm drop during the period, a fresh Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) report has found.

 

  • The study stated that the number of deficient monsoon years during this period have been more than excess monsoon years — with 20 excess and 27 deficient years.

 

04-05.02.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Arunachal Pradesh nods to much awaited Advertisement Policy 2018

 

  • Arunachal Pradeshgave a nod to much awaited “Arunachal Pradesh Advertisement Policy 2018.” State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu approved Arunachal Pradesh Advertisement Policy 2018 which will enable the government to make payment of government advertisement bills to media houses on a timely basis.
  • In another decision, the Cabinet approved the release of gratuitous relief of Rs 2,000 for all contingency and casual workers serving under Arunachal Government.
  • Apart from approving the creation of 25 posts of Assistant Professors for government colleges of the state under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), the Cabinet also approved enhancement of salary of teachers working under SSA and RMSA on contractual basis up to 22% with effect from April 1, 2018.
  • The Cabinet directed the education department to ensure that salaries are disbursed by the first week of the subsequent month through the Aadhaar-based DBT through PFMS method. 

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • World Cancer Day: 4 February

     

    • World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

     

    • World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.

     

    • The primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.

     

    • The theme for the World Cancer Day 2016-2018 is ‘We can. I can.’

     

    • Nepal gets a high Rs. 650 crore outlay

     

    • India’s annual financial allocation to Nepal for 2018-19 has nearly doubled under the Union Budget presented on February 1.

     

    • The External Affairs Ministry has been allocated a total Rs. 15,011 crore, which indicates a marginal increase of Rs. 1,321 crore over the previous year’s grant.

     

    • For India’s development and diplomatic engagement under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the Budget has allocated Rs. 5545 crore.

     

    • Bhutan is traditionally the largest recipient of Ministry’s allocation.

     

     

    NATIONAL

     

    • Venkaiah Naidu to Inaugurate First International Kala Mela

     

    • The Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the First International Kala Mela in New Delhi on February 4.
    • The Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma will also grace the occasion.

     

    • Lalit Kala Akademi, the premier institution for the promotion of Art and Culture is organizing it at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi (IGNCA).

     

    • Environment Ministry launches ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign

     

    • Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has appealed to the teaching community to join the “Green Good Deeds” campaign, launched by his Ministry to sensitise the people about climate change and global warming.

     

    • The Minister reminded the teachers of their “Green Social Responsibility similar to corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

     

    • CRISIL, SIDBI Launch India’s First MSE Sentiment Index

     

    • The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx , India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI.

     

    • CriSidEx is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 (extremely negative ) to 200 ( extremely positive) .

     

    • The parametric feedback was captured through a survey of 1100 MSEs in November –December.

     

    • CriSidEx will have 2 indices , one for the ‘survey quarter’ and another for the ‘next quarter’ once a trend emerges after few rounds of the survey , providing independent time series data.

     

    • The crucial benefit of CriSidEx is that its readings will flag potential headwinds and changes in production cycles and thus help improve market efficiencies and by capturing the sentiment of exporters and importers , it will also offer actionable indicators on foreign trade.

     

    • India’s biggest floating island released in Neknampur lake

     

    • On the occasion of World Wetland Day, city-based NGO Dhruvansh has introduced biggest floating island of India at Neknampur Lake, Hyderabad.
    • The duo of Dhruvansh NGO, Madhulika and Neeraj Singh started Neknampur restoration programme in June 2016 adopting various cost effective methodologies to clean the lake.
    • After successful introduction of 10×10 feet floating islands last year, the NGO introduced 2,500 square feet floating island with 3,500 wetland plants floating on this platform.

     

    • “A Century is Not Enough”: Autobiography of Sourav Ganguly

     

    • Former Team India captain Sourav Ganguly’s autobiography is soon-to-be-published and it is named “A Century is Not Enough”.

     

    • The book is co-authored by Gautam Bhattacharya and published by Juggernaut Books.

     

    • The book covers the ups and downs in more than a decade long career of the former Indian captain fondly called ‘Dada’.

     

    ·        Railways Ministry may introduce dynamic pricing system

     

    • The Railways Ministrythe current flex-fare system and is considering introducing a dynamic pricing system for train tickets, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said. Under dynamic pricing system, fares will be decided as per the season and demand.

     

    • The Fares will be automatically adjusted via artificial intelligence, algorithms or technology, to help trains have more occupancy.

    ·        India Lifts U-19 World Cup 2018

     

    • India defeated Australia to lift the Under 19 World cup for the fourth time.
    • The Men in Blue defeated the three-time champions Australia at Bay Oval, New Zealand.

     

    • Manjot Kalra scored a sensational unbeaten century and was named Man of the Match.

     

    • Shubman Gill was declared man of the series.

     

19.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

 

  • New moth species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

 

  • Researchers have discovered a new species of moth from the Talle Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

  • The new species, scientifically named Elcysma Ziroensis, be commonly called Apatani Glory, named after a local tribe called Apatani.

 

  • This species has only been seen during autumn, notably in the month of September, indicating that it is a univoltine species, meaning it has one brood of young in a year.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

  • Romania to have first female prime minister, Viorica Dancila

 

  • Viorica Dancila has been named as Romania’s first female PM following the sudden resignation of Mihai Tudose.

  • Ms Dancila, a member of the European Parliament, is regarded as an ally of the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea.

 

  • Ms Dancila, 54, is Romania’s third prime minister in seven months.

 

·        Google awarded 72 lakh for finding bugs in Pixel phone

 

  • Google awarded nearly 72 lakh to researcher Guang Gong for finding bugs in its Pixel devices.
  • The exploit chain consisted of two bugs which together could inject arbitrary code into system server by accessing a malicious URL in Chrome.
  • Around 67 lakh of the reward was given from Google’s Android Security Rewards program, the highest in the program’s history.

 

 

NATIONAL

 

·        India Ratings Projects Economic Growth at 7.1 Next Fiscal

 

  • India Ratings and Research have projected the country’s economic growth to improve to 1 percentin 2018-19 from 6.5 percent in 2017-18, buoyed by robust consumer demand and low commodity prices.
  • In its outlook for 2018-19, according to the agency, there will be a gradual pickup in growth momentum owing to structural reforms like GST and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in place.
  • The projection is a tad lower than 7.4 percent growth estimated by Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund for next fiscal.

 

  • Government to set up $350 million fund to finance solar projects

 

  • Government will set up a $350 million fund to finance solar projects, as the country steps up efforts to achieve its ambitious target of adding 175 gigawatts (GW) in renewable energy by 2022.

 

  • India will need at least $125 billion to fund a plan to increase the share of renewable power supply in the country’s grid by 2022.

 

  • The country, which receives twice as much sunshine as European nations, wants to make solar central to its renewable expansion.

 

  • Installed renewable power capacity is currently about 60 GW

·        HDFC Bank Becomes 1st Indian Bank to Cross Rs5 trillion Market Capitalisation

 

  • India’s most-valued lender HDFC Bank Limitedcrossed Rs5 trillion capitalization action for the first time, making it only the third Indian company to achieve this milestone.
  • In intraday trade, the stock touched a fresh record high of Rs1,53.75 on the BSE, up 3.31% from its previous close.
  • Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) are the other two companies which crossed market capitalisation of Rs5 trillion.

 

·        NPPA fixes retail price of 30 drug formulations

 

  • Drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)fixed retail price for 30 drug formulations, including those used for the treatment of Diabetics, bacterial infections, and high blood pressure.
  • NPPA is an independent body under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. It was set up in 1997.
  • Its mandate is to fix/review.
  • Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the country’s population.

 

·        Maharashtra becomes first state to unveil Public Cloud Policy

 

  • Maharashtra became the first state in the country to unveil Public Cloud Policy that virtually mandates state government departments to shift their data storage.
  • The State Government had formed a four-member committee to draft policy framework on cloud usage.
  • The policy will result in additional private sector investments worth the US $2 billion for cloud industry as the government is one of biggest creators.

 

·        Virat Kohli named as Captain of ICCs Test and ODI Teams of the Year

 

  • Virat Kohli was named the captain of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test and One-Day International (ODI) teams of the year that included four other Indians as well.
  • Kohli scored 2,023 runs at 77.80, including eight centuries and three half-centuries in 18 matches during the qualification period.
  • He surprisingly pipped Australian skipper Steve Smith for the ICC’s Test team captaincy.
  • The Test team also comprises Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin.

23.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

 

  • Centre to focus on silk sector in NE

 

  • Union minister of state for textiles Ajay Tamta on Monday said the ministry has accorded high priority to develop the silk sector as a viable option for livelihood in the northeast. The region makes up about 21% of the country’s total silk production.

 

  • Muga, known for its golden colour, is found only in the northeast and Assam owns the geographical indication (GI) tag for muga.

 

  • Nearly 3.1 lakh families in Assam are associated with the silk sector. A 60,000-acre area is involved in silk production and plantations for plants for silkworms.

 

  • In the past few years, the Centre has sanctioned about 24 projects in silk sector worth Rs 809 crore for the northeast. Silk production sector can be one of the most effective poverty alleviation tools. 

     

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • Malta’s Valletta becomes Europe’s Capital of Culture

     

    • Valletta has been officially inaugurated as the European Capital of Culture.

     

    • Over 140 projects and 400 events have been planned in 2018 around three main themes: Island Stories, Future Baroque and Voyages.

     

    • With about 6,000 inhabitants, Valletta is the smallest capital in the European Union.

     

    • It is located in a fortress and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

     

     

    ·        China adds 24 GW in just two months making it biggest producer of solar energy

     

    • Renewable energyuse is increasing day by day almost everywhere.
    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed on the increase in the use of solar power and also brought ‘Suryaputra’ nations together for better and cleaner future.
    • Solar energy use was noted by China when the country managed to add 10.52 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to its national total over the course of July 2017, in addition to the 24.4 GW of capacity that was installed over the first six months of the year.
    • The country is already the biggest producer of solar energy in the world, and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
    • In the last two months alone, China has added 24.02 GW of solar capacity.
    • To put that into context, figures from earlier this year put Australia’s total capacity at around 6GW, a figure that’s projected to double by 2020. The US currently has a total capacity of 44.7 GW.
    • Meanwhile, China already cleared its goal of reaching a capacity of 105 GW by the end of 2020.

    ·        Sri Lanka bans import of non-airbag equipped vehicles from July 1

    ð  Sri Lanka restricted the import of the vehicles which do not carry airbags for driver and front seat passenger, Anti-Locking Breaking System standards (ABS) and three-point seat belts for driver and passengers traveling front and rear seats.

    ð  This decision after considering the representations made by motor vehicle importers and manufacturers for a lead time to make required adjustments to comply with the proposed emission standards and safety measures.

    ð  Accordingly, the importation of motor vehicles, which are below emission standards of the Euro IV or its equivalent and not complied with the following safety standards, will totally be prohibited effective from 1st July 2018.

    ·        West Indies to Host 2018 Womens World T20

     

    • The International Cricket Council (ICC)announced the 2018 edition of the Women’s World T20 will be hosted by West Indies in November 2018.
    • Hosts Windies will defend the title they won over Australia in Kolkata in 2016.
    • The three venues were selected by Cricket West Indies through a bidding process and have been ratified by the ICC.
    • The November event in the Caribbean will be the first stand-alone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 after the past five events were played alongside the men’s event.

     

    NATIONAL

     

    ·        India is the 5th Most Attractive Market for Investments: PwC Survey

     

    • India emerged as the fifth most attractive market for investments and the optimism over global economic growth is at a record level, as per the survey of CEOs by global consultancy PwC.
    • The US remains the top spot for global investment. Around 46% of global CEOs consider the US as one of the three most important countries for growth, followed by China (33%) and Germany (20%) at second and third places, respectively. India (9%) bumps Japan (8%) as the fifth most attractive market in 2018.

     

    • Centre bans import of pet coke for trading purpose in Delhi and NCR

     

    • As part of measures to control air pollution, the Union environment ministry has banned import of pet coke for purpose of trading in Delhi and its neighbouring states.
    • It has notified do’s and don’ts for its sale and use in cement plants and other end user industrial units, including refineries.

     

    • The ministry listed 13 points to regulate use of pet coke which is one of the key sources of air pollution in the region.

     

    • The notification was issued in compliance with the 2017 Supreme Court order

     

    Gk bit- Pet coke

     

    • Petroleum coke, or petcoke, is a byproduct from the refining of crude oil. It consists mostly of carbon, with variable amounts of sulfurs and heavy metals. It has many industrial uses, including the production of batteries, steel, and aluminum. Lower grade petcoke, which contains higher concentrations of sulfur, is used as fuel in coal-fired power plants and cement kilns. Lower grade coal is estimated to represent 75% to 80% of all petcoke produced.

     

    • The increased demand for coal to replace petcoke, which will largely have to be met by imports, coincides with increasing coal consumption in India for power generation.

     

    • India is the world’s second-biggest buyer of foreign coal even though imports have held steady in the last two years because of rising local output.

     

    • RIL becomes India’s first firm to cross Rs 6-lakh crore market cap

     

    • Reliance Industries (RIL) become the first Indian company to cross the Rs 6-lakh crore mark in market capitalisation as its shares touched a 52-week high of Rs 974.5.

     

    • RIL is owned 40% by its chairman Mukesh Ambani, making him the richest Indian with personal wealth of $40.7 billion and the 20th richest globally.

     

    • India’s largest software exporter, Tata Consultancy Services follows RIL with market capitalisation of Rs 5,95,946 crore.

     

    • HDFC Bank become the first bank to cross market capitalisation of Rs 5 lakh crore recently.

     

    ·        Union Government Announces List of 9 New Smart Cities

     

    • Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced the list of nine new Smart Cities, which have emerged winners in Round 4.
    • These nine cities are, Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Erode in Tamil Nadu, Diu in Daman and Diu, Bihar Sharif in Bihar, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Kavaratti in Lakshadweep. 

       

      INTERNATIONAL

       

      • Malta’s Valletta becomes Europe’s Capital of Culture

       

      • Valletta has been officially inaugurated as the European Capital of Culture.

      • Over 140 projects and 400 events have been planned in 2018 around three main themes: Island Stories, Future Baroque and Voyages.

       

      • With about 6,000 inhabitants, Valletta is the smallest capital in the European Union.

       

      • It is located in a fortress and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

       

       

      ·        China adds 24 GW in just two months making it biggest producer of solar energy

       

      • Renewable energyuse is increasing day by day almost everywhere.
      • Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed on the increase in the use of solar power and also brought ‘Suryaputra’ nations together for better and cleaner future.
      • Solar energy use was noted by China when the country managed to add 10.52 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to its national total over the course of July 2017, in addition to the 24.4 GW of capacity that was installed over the first six months of the year.
      • The country is already the biggest producer of solar energy in the world, and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon.
      • In the last two months alone, China has added 24.02 GW of solar capacity.
      • To put that into context, figures from earlier this year put Australia’s total capacity at around 6GW, a figure that’s projected to double by 2020. The US currently has a total capacity of 44.7 GW.
      • Meanwhile, China already cleared its goal of reaching a capacity of 105 GW by the end of 2020.

      ·        Sri Lanka bans import of non-airbag equipped vehicles from July 1

      ð  Sri Lanka restricted the import of the vehicles which do not carry airbags for driver and front seat passenger, Anti-Locking Breaking System standards (ABS) and three-point seat belts for driver and passengers traveling front and rear seats.

      ð  This decision after considering the representations made by motor vehicle importers and manufacturers for a lead time to make required adjustments to comply with the proposed emission standards and safety measures.

      ð  Accordingly, the importation of motor vehicles, which are below emission standards of the Euro IV or its equivalent and not complied with the following safety standards, will totally be prohibited effective from 1st July 2018.

      ·        West Indies to Host 2018 Womens World T20

       

      • The International Cricket Council (ICC)announced the 2018 edition of the Women’s World T20 will be hosted by West Indies in November 2018.
      • Hosts Windies will defend the title they won over Australia in Kolkata in 2016.
      • The three venues were selected by Cricket West Indies through a bidding process and have been ratified by the ICC.
      • The November event in the Caribbean will be the first stand-alone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 after the past five events were played alongside the men’s event.

       

      NATIONAL

       

      ·        India is the 5th Most Attractive Market for Investments: PwC Survey

       

      • India emerged as the fifth most attractive market for investments and the optimism over global economic growth is at a record level, as per the survey of CEOs by global consultancy PwC.
      • The US remains the top spot for global investment. Around 46% of global CEOs consider the US as one of the three most important countries for growth, followed by China (33%) and Germany (20%) at second and third places, respectively. India (9%) bumps Japan (8%) as the fifth most attractive market in 2018.

       

      • Centre bans import of pet coke for trading purpose in Delhi and NCR

       

      • As part of measures to control air pollution, the Union environment ministry has banned import of pet coke for purpose of trading in Delhi and its neighbouring states.
      • It has notified do’s and don’ts for its sale and use in cement plants and other end user industrial units, including refineries.

       

      • The ministry listed 13 points to regulate use of pet coke which is one of the key sources of air pollution in the region.

       

      • The notification was issued in compliance with the 2017 Supreme Court order

       

      Gk bit- Pet coke

       

      • Petroleum coke, or petcoke, is a byproduct from the refining of crude oil. It consists mostly of carbon, with variable amounts of sulfurs and heavy metals. It has many industrial uses, including the production of batteries, steel, and aluminum. Lower grade petcoke, which contains higher concentrations of sulfur, is used as fuel in coal-fired power plants and cement kilns. Lower grade coal is estimated to represent 75% to 80% of all petcoke produced.

       

      • The increased demand for coal to replace petcoke, which will largely have to be met by imports, coincides with increasing coal consumption in India for power generation.

       

      • India is the world’s second-biggest buyer of foreign coal even though imports have held steady in the last two years because of rising local output.

       

      • RIL becomes India’s first firm to cross Rs 6-lakh crore market cap

       

      • Reliance Industries (RIL) become the first Indian company to cross the Rs 6-lakh crore mark in market capitalisation as its shares touched a 52-week high of Rs 974.5.

       

      • RIL is owned 40% by its chairman Mukesh Ambani, making him the richest Indian with personal wealth of $40.7 billion and the 20th richest globally.

       

      • India’s largest software exporter, Tata Consultancy Services follows RIL with market capitalisation of Rs 5,95,946 crore.

       

      • HDFC Bank become the first bank to cross market capitalisation of Rs 5 lakh crore recently.

       

      ·        Union Government Announces List of 9 New Smart Cities

       

      • Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced the list of nine new Smart Cities, which have emerged winners in Round 4.
      • These nine cities are, Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Erode in Tamil Nadu, Diu in Daman and Diu, Bihar Sharif in Bihar, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Kavaratti in Lakshadweep.

30.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Territorial integrity of North eastern states won’t be compromised: Rajnath

 

  • Territorial integrity of Assam and other northeastern states will not be compromised when the final Naga peace accord is inked, home minister Rajnath Singh assured Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

 

  • The insurgent group NSCN-IM’s key demand is to integrate the Naga-inhabited areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur, which has been strongly opposed by the three states, currently ruled by the BJP.

 

  • The NSCN-IM has been engaged with peace talks with the interlocutor of the central government since 1997 when it announced a ceasefire agreement after a bloody insurgency movement which started in Nagaland soon after the country’s Independence. 

     

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • ‘Aadhaar’ is Oxford’s first Hindi word of the year

     

    • Dictionaries at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

     

    • ‘Aadhaar’ also becomes the first Oxford Dictionaries Hindi Word of the Year.

     

    • The accompanying shortlisted words include Notebandi, Swachh, Vikaas, Yoga and Bahubali.

     

    ·        India Cheapest Country To Live In After South Africa: Survey

     

    • India is ranked second only to South Africa as the cheapest country to live or retire, according to a recent survey of 112 countries by GoBankingRates.
    • The survey ranked nations on the bases of four key affordability metrics. The metrics are Local purchasing power index, rent index, Groceries index, and Consumer price index.
    • India’s local purchasing power is 20.9% lower, rent is 95.2% cheaper, groceries are 74.4% cheaper, local goods and services are 74.9% cheaper.
    • The top three most expensive countries in the survey are Bermuda (ranked 112), Bahamas (111), and Hong Kong (110).

     

     

    NATIONAL

     

    ·        Economic Survey 2018:  Brief Summary

     

    • The Economic Survey, an annual publication of the Finance Ministry, is presented in both houses of Parliament during the Budget Session. It is a review of the developments in the country’s economy over the previous one year.
    • Sticking to the practice started last year, finance minister Arun Jaitley will present Union Budget 2018 on 1 February.
    • It presents a summary of the performance of the government’s major development programmes undertaken during that period.
    • It also details the main policy initiatives of the government.

     

    • The  Survey sees FY19 GDPgrowing 7-7.5% vs 75% in FY18.

     

    • The Due to higher expected increase in imports, net exports of goods and services are slated to decline in 2017-18.

     

    • The Exports biggest source of the boost to growth.

     

    • It points out that the GDP growth has averaged 7.3% for the period from 2014-15 to 2017-18, which is the highest among the major economies of the world.

     

    • Demonetisation helped share of financial saving to rise.

     

    • The ratio of domestic saving to GDP reached 29.2 percent in 2013 to a peak of 38.3 percent in 2007, before falling back to 29 percent in 2016.

     

    • The Sanitation coverage in rural India increased substantially from 39 percent in 2014 to 76 percent in January 2018. With the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) on October 2, 2014, the sanitation coverage in rural India increased substantially.

     

    • So far, 296 districts and 307,349 villages all over India have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

     

    • India is gradually improving its performance in Science and Technology. In 2013, India ranked 6th in the world in scientific publications. Its ranking has been increasing consistently. The growth of annual publications between 2009 to 2014 was almost 14%. This increased India’s share in global publications from 3.1% in 2009 to 4.4% in 2014 as per the Scopus Database.

     

    • The foreign exchange reserves grew by 14.1% on a year-on-year basis from the end of Dec 2016 to end of Dec 2017.

     

    • The forex reserves as per 2016-17 were estimated at USD 370 billion. It grew to USD 409.4 billion in 2017-18.

     

     

     

    ·        VINBAX: India and Vietnam hold first military exercise in Jabalpur

     

    • The India-Vietnam Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX-2018)was conducted at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
    • It is the first military exercise between the two countries.
    • The six-day-long military exercise (from January 29 to February 3, 2018) was conducted as part of joint training undertaken with friendly foreign countries by Indian Army.
    • VINBAX-2018 was Table Top Exercise to carry out training for Peace Keeping Operations under United Nations (UN) mandate.
    • The Defence ties between India and Vietnam have been on an upswing with the primary focus being cooperation in the maritime domain.

    ·        International Bird Festival To Be Held In Dudhwa National Park

     

    • A three-day international bird festivalwill be held at the Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh in February 2018 with nearly 200 leading ornithologists expected to attend.
    • The purpose of the international bird festival is to promote eco-tourism in Dudhwa and to give it a distinct international identity besides highlighting its traditional Tharu arts, culture, and heritage.

     

    ·        Asias biggest auto testing track inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh

     

    • Union Minister Babul Supriyo and Madhya Pradesh Industrial minister Rajendra Shukla inaugurated Asia’s biggest auto testing track in Pithampur of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
    • The country’s research and development activities in the sector of automobile engineering and technology will get a boost, due to the construction of the auto testing track in Pithampur.
    • Pithampur will emerge as a hub of the automobile industry in future.
    • Union Minister further mentioned that the state government has provided 4 thousand acre land to NATRiP and the National Auto Testing Track has been developed on 3 thousand acre land.
    • Automobile units can be established by the industrialists on the remaining one thousand acre land.

     

    ·        Sandeep Lamichhane Becomes 1st Nepal Player To Get IPL Contract

     

    • Sandeep Lamichhane became the first cricketer from Nepal to land a deal an IPL contract.
    • He was picked by Delhi Daredevils in the player’s auction.
    • The 17-year-old, the only Nepal player in the IPL auction, was sold at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
    • The leg-spinner rose to prominence with a successful outing at the 2016 U-19 World Cup where he guided Nepal to a creditable eighth place.
    • He hogged the limelight by becoming the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps in six innings.

03.02.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Arunachali yak the first to be registered as new breed

 

  • Yaks, found in the mountainous regions of Arunachal Pradesh, have been registered by the Karnal-based National Bureau of Animal Genetics Resources (NBAGR) as a distinct breed known as Arunachali yak, this being the first instance of such a registration in the country. Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh will formally award the recognition in New Delhi on Wednesday to the representatives of National Research Centre on Yak (NRCY) based at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

  • The study found that Arunachali yaks are characterized by their predominantly black body colour and the high fat content in their milk which sometimes goes up to 7.45%. A lactating Arunachali yak produces, on an average, 1.3 kg milk per day. Though the milk is comparatively of poor quantity, it is compensated by the high fat content which makes it useful to produce different milk products.

 

  • However, scientific interventions, especially in the areas of breeding and rearing, have been able to slow down the decline of population as Arunachali yaks still remain the main source of livelihood for many Brokpas (yak rearers). West Kameng and Tawang are mainly dominated by the Monpa community, which treats the yaks as an asset for the rural economy, and rears these animals in organized farms or semi-migratory systems.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

  • Inland Waterways Authority of India signs agreement with World Bank

 

  • Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a project agreement with the World Bank, even as the latter entered into a US $ 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP).

 

  • The signing of the Agreement follows the approval of  the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, for the implementation of the US $ 800 million JMVP for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1(River Ganga) from Varanasi to Haldia.

 

  • Out of the remaining amount, US $ 380 million is to be sourced through the Government of India counterpart funds from budgetary allocation and proceeds from the bond issue.

 

  • Another US $ 45 million will come from private sector participation under the PPP mode.

 

  • The JMVP, which is expected to be completed by March, 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank.

 

  • The project will enable commercial navigation of vessels with the capacity of 1500-2,000 tons on NW-I.

 

 

·        UAE Launches World’s Longest Zip Line

 

  • The United Arab Emiratesmade a record by opening the world’s longest zip line, measuring 83 kmin length.
  • Guinness World Records officials certified the zip line in Ras al-Khaimah.
  • The Jebel Jais Flight takes thrill-seekers atop the country’s largest mountain peak, from a launch pad 1,680 meters (5,512 feet) above sea level.

 

NATIONAL

 

  • Two athletes to represent India at the Winter Olympics

 

  • Luger Shiva Keshavan and cross-country skier Jagdish Singh will represent India at the PyeongChang Winter Olympicswhich begins on February 9.

  • Thirty-six-year-old Keshavan, the country’s best known Winter Olympian, will be taking part in his sixth Games since his debut at Nagano in Japan in 1998.

  • Meanwhile, this will be Jagdish Singh’s maiden Winter Games appearance.

 

  • Textbooks in 4 states to have QR codes: Nilekani

 

  • Schools in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthanwill have QR codes in their textbooks, enabling students to view video tutorial and customized content from smartphones, informed.

 

  • As part of the initiative, textbooks will have digital links with a QR code printed at the lesson and this code will have digital material related to the particular concept, which could be a short video lecture or a tutorial or a customized content.

 

  • Sharing his experiences of working with the government, Nandan said that one of things that he learnt is that government is a big amplifier. “If intervention happens at an early stage, impact will be bigger. The government is currently spending Rs 18,000 crore on education. At the other end, philanthropic capital is also being funded in the sector.

 

  • Dust mitigation plan must for firms

 

  • The Environment Ministry has made it mandatory for companies seeking environment clearance to ensure that they put in place a dust mitigation plan.

 

  • The requirements, specified in a gazette notification on January 25, say that roads leading to or at construction sites must be paved and black-topped. There could be no soil excavation without adequate dust mitigation measures in place. No loose soil, sand, construction waste could be left uncovered. A water sprinkling system was mandatory, and the measures taken should be prominently displayed at the construction site. Moreover, the grinding and cutting of building materials in open area were prohibited and no uncovered vehicles carrying construction material and waste would be permitted.

 

  • The standards were developed by the Central Pollution Control Board as part of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and will now empower the organisation to fine companies and agencies for not complying with norms.

 

  • Road dust contributed 56% of all PM10 pollution, while it was 38% for PM2.5.

 

  • Before PM2.5 became the focus of attention — for its role in lodging itself in the lungs and for being a key component of diesel emissions — dust was the key villain for a long time. Dust is a generic term for a vast mix of metals and non-metals — silicon, aluminium, titanium, manganese, copper, barium, antimony, selenium and zinc.

 

Gk bit  – PM (particulate matter)

 

  • PM stands for particulate matter (also called particle pollution): the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles, such as dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye. Others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.

 

Particle pollution includes:

 

 

  • PM10 : inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller; and

 

  • 5: fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller.

 

 

  • The average human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter – making it 30 times larger than the largest fine particle.

20.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

·         Nagaland stands divided on assembly election announcement

 

ð  The announcement of election dates invited a polarised response in Nagaland, with political parties welcoming the move and local organizations strongly protesting against it – with the apex tribal body of the state threatening to boycott the electoral process.

 

ð  The demand for a resolution of the Naga crisis, talks for which have been on for decades, before the assembly polls has been gaining ground in the state. The Naga peace talks have centred around the creation of Nagalim, or greater Nagaland, encompassing Naga-dominated areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In 2015, the Centre signed a framework agreement with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). Since then, the Naga people have been hoping for a resolution and had expected it to come by the end of 2017, especially after President Ram Nath Kovind hinted at the possibility in December last year.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        India became 43rd Member of Australia Group

 

  • India joined the Australia Group export control regime and has become the 43rd Member of that Group.
  • It is an informal forum which seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.
  • The inclusion will raise India’s stature in the field of non-proliferation and help in acquiring critical technologies.
  • India managed entry into Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group despite not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

 

Gk bit – Australia Group

 

  • The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of countries which, through the harmonisation of export controls,seeks to ensure that exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

 

  • Coordination of national export control measures assists Australia Group participants to fulfil their obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to the fullest extent possible.

 

  • This is achieved by members through the harmonisation of export controls like using licensing measures.

 

  • It was established in the background of use of chemical weapons (in the form of nerve agents and sulphur mustard) by Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

 

  • It has 43Members + European Union

 

 

·        India to offer Yoga classes at World Economic Forum

 

  • India will offer Yoga training sessions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, in a move aimed at promoting Indian traditions abroad.
  • More than 70 heads of states are expected to attend the summit next week. PM Narendra Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to attend the summit in 21 years.
  • Two yoga teachers from India will hold daily classes next week at the summit, which has attracted 70 heads of state and government, including U.S. President Donald Trump as well as celebrities, chief executives and top bankers.
  • Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to attend the WEF in 21 years, since when the economy has more than doubled to $2.3 trillion and become the world’s seventh largest.

 

NATIONAL

 

  • MEITY launches Cyber Surakshit Bharat to strengthen Cybersecurity

 

  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), announced the Cyber Surakshit Bharat initiative in association with National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and industry partners at an inaugural event in Delhi.

 

  • It will include an awareness program on the importance of cybersecurity; a series of workshops on best practices.

 

  • Cyber Surakshit Bharat is the first public-private partnership of its kind and will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in cybersecurity.

 

  • Silvassa tops the List of Cities selected in Round 4 of Smart Cities

 

  • Shri Hardeep S. Puri , Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs has announced the Round 4 winning cities of National Smart Cities Challenge.

 

  • The Minister informed that Silvassa from Dadar & Nagar Haveli has topped the list of winning cities in this round of competition.

 

  • Other winning cities are –

Erode, Tamil Nadu

Diu, Daman & Diu

Biharsharif, Bihar

Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh

Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh

Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh and

Kavaratti, Lakshwadeep

  • Maitre-2 bus services to connect India and Bangladesh

 

  • Maitre-2, the second passenger bus to Kolkata via Dhaka is started from Agartala, Tripura, to give a boost to the trans-border relationship between India and Bangladesh.

 

  • Recently, the Maitre-2 buses were flagged off by Tripura Road Transport Corporation Chairman.

 

  • The first Maitre bus service was launched in the year 2015.

 

  • Mauritius largest source of FDI in India, says RBI

 

  • Mauritius was the largest source of foreign investment in India, followed by the US and the UK, according to a census by the Reserve Bank.

 

  • Singapore and Japan were the next two sources of foreign direct investment (FDI), said the Reserve Bank of India.

 

28-29.01.18 Nagaland(NPSC) Current Affairs

by

NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Northeast children dominate list of bravery award winners

 

  • Four children from Nagaland, two from Mizoram and one of each from Manipur and Meghalaya are among the 18 bravehearts honoured with the National Bravery Awards 2017.

 

  • Among the eight from the northeastern states, two — F. Lalchhandama from Mizoram and Km Loukrakpam Rajeshwari Chanu from Manipur — were honoured posthumously.

 

  • Of the eighteen children selected for National Bravery awards this year, seven are girls. Nazia from Uttar Pradesh was honoured with the Bharat Award for raising her voice against illegal gambling and betting which has become rampant in her neighbourhood.

 

  • Last year the National Bravery Awards was given to 25 children from different parts of the country. Five of the awardees were from the North-Eastern states. The children for National Bravery Award are selected by a committee comprising representatives of various Ministries, NGO’s and office bearers of Indian Council for Child Welfare ( ICCWF). The national Bravery Award was initiated by the ICCWF to give recognition to children for outstanding deeds of bravery.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

·        India To Host Informal WTO Ministerial Gathering In New Delhi

 

  • Trade ministers from various countries including Australia, Japan, and Switzerland met for an informal WTO ministerial gathering in Davos, Switzerland.
  • India was represented by Deepak Jagdish Saksena, ambassador and permanent representative to the WTO.
  • India announced that it will host an informal WTO Ministerial gathering in March 2018.
  • The meeting would be held in New Delhi on March 19-20.

 

 

·        Worlds second largest food producer India ranks under Severe Hunger Levels

 

  • One of the highest food producers- India stands on the 100th rankfor the title ‘Hungry’.
  • Out of 119, India stood on 100th rank which is disturbing for the nation with the highest population.
  • ‘Global Hunger Index’ carried out by International Food Policy Research Institute chalked out nations that fall under ‘Starving’ category.
  • The 100 out of 119 countries on the GHI, while last year it was at 97 out of 118.
  • Even though India’s 2017 GHI score—31.4—has improved over the years, its hunger problem remains categorized as “serious.”
  • The rankings are based on four indicators: undernourishment, child mortality, child wasting, and child stunting.
  • A GHI score of between 20 and 34.9 points reflects serious hunger levels; between 35 and 49.9, it is alarming, and extremely alarming if over 50.

·        Doklam issue heated up

What is Doklam issue ?

 

  • Doklam, or Donglang in Chinese, is an area spread over less than a 100 sq km comprising a plateau and a valley at the trijunction between India, Bhutan and China. It is surrounded by the Chumbi Valley of Tibet, Bhutan’s Ha Valley and Sikkim.
  • Despite several rounds of engagement between China and Bhutan, the dispute between the two over Doklam has not been resolved. It flared up in 2017 when the Chinese were trying to construct a road in the area, and Indian troops, in aid of their Bhutanese counterparts, objected to it, resulting in the stand-off. Doklam is strategically located close to the Siliguri Corridor, which connects mainland India with its north-eastern region. The corridor, also called Chicken’s Neck, is a vulnerable point for India.
  • India and China have one of the world’s longest disputed borders and areas — which include 37,000 sq km of uninhabited Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh with 1.4 million residents and over 84,000 sq km.
  • Despite several rounds of negotiations between Special Representatives, the dispute is nowhere near a solution.

 

NATIONAL

 

·        2017 witnessed a 38% rise in social media URL blocking

 

  • A total of 1,329 social media URLs were blocked or removed on the recommendation of a government committee to deal with “objectionable content” last year till November 2017.
  • This is an increase of nearly 38% from 964 social media URLs blocked or removed for the whole of 2016.
  • URLs that were blocked or removed on account of court orders during the same period came down from 100 in 2016 to 83 in January-November 2017, according to an internal note of the Ministry of Electronics and IT
  • Also, the widespread usage of social networking sites and lack of awareness among users about the methods of cybercriminals, it added, is leading to a rise in the spread of malware such as Trojans and bots, and the theft of sensitive personal information.
  • Blocking is a sovereign power that is given to the government by virtue of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. So under certain specified considerations, the power of blocking can be exercised… This power was inserted in the IT Act by virtue of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, which came into effect from October 2009.

 

·        Sensors in Andamans to monitor earthquakes

 

  • The Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS) of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is in the process of setting up an elaborate system of sensors on the Andaman & Nicobar Islands for real-time monitoring of earthquakes.
  • Strong Motion Sensors with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have been installed at 28 locations on the islands.
  • INCOIS, which comes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has in place a fail-safe satellite-based communication system, Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs), with VSAT based VoIP phone and fax, electronic display board, a computer-based earthquake alert and web access system.
  • The system is capable of displaying ticket messages related to tsunami events and triggering of a built-in siren alert system audible for up to 1 km, which can be triggered by INCOIS or by the EOCs.
  • The real-time data is collated at INCOIS in collaboration with the Indian Meteorology Department, the National Institute of Ocean Technology, the Survey of India and international sources.
  • It detects globally occurring earthquakes of 5 magnitude and above within 5-10 minutes of the event.

 

·        Finance Minister Arun Jaitley aim to ease doing business in India

 

  • Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reiterated that the government aims to provide an easy environment for doing business in India.
  • He was addressing a function to mark the International Customs Day in New Delhi.
  • He urged the officers of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) to be very sharp in the detection process to avoid tax evasion.
  • The role of customs in terms of detection changed a lot.
  • The appealed the officers to perform the role of trade facilitator to cut down costs, time and bring efficiency to the system.
  • He also launched ICETRAK app of CBEC.
  • The app tracks the status of consignments.

 

·        Bharat Net opens door for telemedicine and e-education facilities in Gram Panchayats

 

  • Under the purview of the telecommunication industry, the Gram Panchayats in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan are been provided access to telemedicine and re-education facilities riding on Bharat Net infrastructure.
  • With the aim of dreaming of a nation to use internet services, the government has taken immense efforts and pressure to provide people with easy access and availability of resources.
  • The rural area development has grown and the nation is moving towards progress at a faster pace.
  • The access to the internet has made the people more prone to the internet and use telecommunication at a higher level. Educating the masses and likewise providing them.
  • According to the survey it is found that Hamira is one among the one lakh Gram

panchayat covered under the BharatNet phase 1.

 

  • In total Rajasthan comprises of over8117 Gram panchayats under the BharatNet service.