Daily current Affairs for Aug 1-3 , 2017 ( English )
1. The Border
Security Force (BSF) signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The MoU will
enable NSDC to provide skill training to retired and retiring BSF
personnel, as well as to the population residing in the border areas.
2. The new
bilateral Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India
and Bhutan came into force from July 2017. The new agreement aims to
further strengthen the bilateral trade relations between both countries. It
also provides for duty-free transit of Bhutanese merchandise for trade with
third countries.
3. The 19th
round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Trade
Negotiating Committee (TNC) meetings and other related meetings were
held in Hyderabad, Telangana. All RCEP Participating Countries
(RPCs) agreed that RCEP agreement has immense potential to deliver on new
economic opportunities including job creation. RPCs also expressed shared
commitment to work collectively and in cooperative manner to progress the
negotiations in an accelerated way and achieve a comprehensive, modern,
high-quality and mutually beneficial agreement that balances and addresses
sensitivities and aspirations of participating countries.
4. Ustad Hussain
Sayeeduddin Dagar (78), Dhrupad tradition of Hindustani classical music passed
away in a Pune. Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music. It
is one of oldest forms of compositions in classical Indian music. Dhrupad is a
Sanskrit name, derived from words dhruva (permanent) and pad (verse) and in
combination it means “pillar”.
5. The Supreme
Court has imposed ban on use of five harmful heavy metals like lithium,
antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead in the manufacturing of
firecrackers as they cause air pollution. Lithium is a metal used to
impart red colour to fireworks. Antimony is used to create glitter effects.
Lead oxide provides a special crackling effect which, if inhaled, in high
concentration can cause damage to the nervous system. The SC also asked
CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) and PESO(Petroleum and Explosives Safety
Organization) to make collaborative efforts for setting up of standards with
regard to air pollution caused by the bursting of fire-crackers.
6. Arvind Panagariya (64)
has resigned as Vice Chairman of NITI (National Institution for
Transforming India) Aayog and announced to return to academics in US.
He resigned after his public service leave for two years from the Columbia
University, where he is professor of Indian Political Economy did not receive
extension. He was appointed as the as Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog in January
2015 and held cabinet minister rank.
7. Pakistan’s
Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was elected the 18th
Prime Minister of Pakistan by the National Assembly. Abbasi, nominee
of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) secured 221 votes in the House of
342. He will be interim PM of Pakistan. Abbasi
succeeds Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified by the Supreme Court over the Panama
Papers scandal. He will vacate the position for Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shahbaz
Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister gets elected to the National Assembly.
8. Scientists from
United States have found that curcumin, the bioactive
component of turmeric that is widely used in Indian cuisine
can treat cancer in children. They have found that nanoparticles
loaded with curcumin can target and destroy neuroblastoma tumour cells, which
commonly affects children aged five or less.
9. India and Somalia have signed
an agreement for transfer of sentenced prisoners in each
other’s country. The agreement was signed in New Delhi during
the ongoing visit of the Somalia’s Foreign Minister to India.
10. Parliament has passed
the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 with
Rajya Sabha approving it. Lok Sabha had passed it earlier. The Bill amends the
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009 by extending
the deadline for teachers to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for
appointment. The RTE Act, 2009 envisages free and compulsory elementary
education to every child in the age group of 6-14 years.
11. India and China are home
to 39% of the 830 million young people worldwide who use the
Internet ,according to recently released report-ICT Facts and Figures
2017, The report was released by International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
the United Nations specialised agency for Information and Communication
Technologies (ICTs).
12. The Union Ministry
of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY) has
constituted an expert Committee headed by Supreme Court Judge (retired)
Justice B N Srikrishna to study and identify key data protection
issues and recommend methods for addressing them. The ten-member committee will
be comprise of members from government, academia and Industry.
13. World Bank has allowed India
to construct Kishanganga, Ratle hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries
of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions under the
1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). It was signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru and President of Pakistan Ayub Khan in Karachi on September 19, 1960. It
is most successful water treaty in world. Even, it has survived India-Pakistan
wars of 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil standoff besides Kashmir insurgency
since 1990.
14. The Indian
Army has developed Humraaz mobile application through
which serving soldiers can track details like postings and promotions. The app
will also enable soldiers to view their monthly salary slips, Form 16 and also
download them.
15. The Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reduced
short-term lending rate, or repo rate, by 25 basis points to 6%.
It was RBI’s third bimonthly policy review for the financial year 2017-18.
16. The Union
Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India
and Spain on India-Spain Cooperation in renewable energy. The MoU was
signed in May 2017 at Spain.
17. The Lok
Sabha has passed the Central Goods and Services Tax (Extension
to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017 and the Integrated Goods and
Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017. The two bills
will replace the ordinances promulgated earlier in this regard to complete
rolling out GST regime the Himalayan State. The first bill provides for the
extension of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017 to J&K and
the other also provides for the extension of the Integrated Goods and Services
Tax (IGST) Act, 2017 to J&K.
18. The Union
Cabinet has approved for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed
among India and various BRICs countries for establishment
of the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform (BRICS-ARP) The BRICS-ARP
will promote sustainable agricultural development and poverty alleviation
through strategic cooperation in agriculture to provide food security in the
BRICS member countries.
19. Market regulator
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set up a committee
on ‘fair market conduct’. It will be headed by former law
secretary T K Viswanathan. The committee will suggest measures
for improving surveillance of the markets and strengthen rules for algorithm
trades, among other norms.
20. The Union
Cabinet has cleared a proposal to extend proxy
voting to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and overseas Indians. Currently,
only service personnel are permitted to vote through proxy. To make proxy
voting for NRIs a reality, government is going to introduce bill to amend the
Representation of People act.
21. India and
other four other members of the BRICS grouping members (Brazil,
Russia, China and South Africa) have pledged to fight protectionism.
Decision in this regard was taken at the two-day meeting of the trade ministers
from BRICS nations held at Shanghai, China. They released joint statement
highlighting various issues and need to address them collectively.
22.The Lok Sabha has passed
the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017 by voice vote. It
will replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017. The bill seeks
to amend the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to insert provisions for handling
cases related to stressed assets or non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks.
Stressed assets (NPAs) are loans defaulted by borrower in repayment or the loan
which has been restructured by changing the repayment schedule.
Announcement !
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