Daily Current Affairs for Sep 12& 13,2017 (English)
1. India-Afghanistan Strategic
Partnership Council ( 2nd edition) was held in New
Delhi. During the meeting, both countries exchanged four pacts in areas of
health, transport (motor vehicles agreement), space and new development
partnership. The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma
Swaraj and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.
2. 2017 Global
Financial Centres Index (GFCI):
India’s financial capital Mumbai was ranked
at 60th position, up by three positions compared to previous
edition among 92 financial centres released by the Z/Yen and
China Development Institute. It is published twice a year based
on aggregate of indices from five key areas: business
environment, financial sector development, infrastructure factors, human
capital, reputation and general factors. London has topped in
the list. New York (2),Singapore (3rd), Hong Kong ( 4th),
Tokyo (5th), San Francisco (6th), Chicago (7th),Sydney
(8th),Boston(9th) and Toronto (10th).
3. Bugworks Research, a Bengaluru-based
biotech startup, became India’s and Asia’s first to receive the
international CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) grant for its antibiotic research and
development. CARB-X is a public-private international partnership set up in
2016 to focus on innovations to improve diagnosis and treatment of
drug-resistant infections. It had grown out of US President Barack Obama’s 2015
Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (CARB) initiative.
4. ‘FoSCoRIS’, a
nationwide online platform to bring in transparency in food
safety inspection and sampling has launched by Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The web-based ‘FoSCoRIS’ system
will help to verify compliance of food safety and hygiene standards by food
businesses as per the government norms. It will bring together all key
stakeholders– food businesses, food safety officers, designated officers, state
food safety commissioners on a nation-wide IT platform.
5. In recent
months, North Korea under the leadership of Kim Jong-un had
staged series of missile tests including ICBMs that appeared
to bring much of US mainland into range. It was followed up
with sixth nuclear test on September 3, 2017 which was the
largest to date, was claimed to be a miniaturized hydrogen bomb. The
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously passed
new set of tougher sanctions against North Korea over its
sixth and most powerful nuclear test (claimed to be Hydrogen bomb). It was
overall the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by UNSC since 2006
over North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs. The new sanctions
imposes ban on North Korea’s textile exports and capping imports of crude oil.
6. The Union
Government has reconstituted six Committees of the Cabinet after
recent ministry reshuffle. The six Committees of the Cabinet are Appointments
Committee of the Cabinet (ACC): It is responsible for all appointments
of higher ranks in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises and Financial
Institutions. It is headed by PM . Cabinet Committee on
Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA): It looks into the matters related to the
progress of government business in the Parliament of India. It is headed
by Union Home Minister. Cabinet Committee on Accommodation (CCA): It
is responsible for the allotment of accommodation for various top positions in
the Government of India. It is headed by PM. Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA): It deals with the activities pertaining to
the economics of the country. It is headed by PM. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal
and Dharmendra Pradhan were also included as permanent members of the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Cabinet Committee on Political
Affairs (CCPA): It is responsible for all issues related to domestic
and foreign affairs. It is most powerful cabinet committee and is described as
Super Cabinet. It is headed by PM. Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS): It
is one of the most important committees in India, it looks into the matters of
defence expenditures and National Security. It is headed by PM. Defence
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who was elevated in recent Cabinet restructuring
process was inducted as full time member of Cabinet Committee on Security,
Cabinet Committees on Economic and Political Affairs.
7. The Union Cabinet has
given approved introduction of the Payment of Gratuity
(Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the Parliament. The Bill seeks to amend Payment
of Gratuity Act, 1972. The present upper ceiling on gratuity amount under Act
was Rs. 10 Lakh. The provisions for Union Government employees under CCS
(Pension) Rules, 1972 with regard to gratuity are also similar. Before
implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission, ceiling under CCS
(Pension) Rules was Rs. 10 Lakh. However, with implementation of 7th
Central Pay Commission from January 2-016, the gratuity ceiling was
increased to Rs. 20 Lakhs. The Amendment will increase maximum limit of
gratuity of employees, in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)/Autonomous
Organizations under Government and in private sector who are not covered under
Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, at par with Central Government
employees.
8. The Union Cabinet
approval authorized BSNL to monetize its telecom tower infrastructure with
formation of separate subsidiary company. Independent, dedicated tower company
of BSNL with a focused approach will help to increase BSNL’s external tenancies
and generate higher revenue for new company. Decision in this regard was taken
in the Union Cabinet Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New
Delhi.
9. The Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved survey project to acquire 48,243 Line
Kilometer (LKM) 2D seismic data for appraisal of Indian sedimentary
basins where limited data is available. India has total 26 sedimentary
basins covering area of 3.14 Million Sq Km (MSK) spread over onland, shallow
water and deep water. The project will be implemented by Oil India Limited
(OIL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). Under it, survey work will be
carried out in 24 States. OIL will conduct survey in North-Eastern States,
while ONGC will cover remaining area. The entire project is likely to be
completed by 2019-2020.
10. Union Finance
Ministry has constituted Group of Ministers
(GoM) headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to monitor
and resolve IT challenges faced in implementation of Goods and Services Tax
(GST). It also recommended Committee on Exports to look
into issues of exports. Both committees were constituted following the
decision taken in 21st GST Council meeting in Hyderabad, Telangana.
11. India and Belarus
have inked 10 agreements after extensive delegational levels talks between Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Belarus President A G Lukashenko in New
Delhi to expand cooperation in range of areas including oil and
gas, education and sports and also decided to explore joint development
and manufacture of military platforms.
12. India’s first state
of art virology laboratory which will play important role in developing new
drugs and technologies in Homoeopathy to combat emerging challenges of
viral diseases was inaugurated at Dr. Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research
Institute for Homoeopathy in Kolkata, West Bengal.
13. Telangana Forest Department
for first time has re-introduced ‘mouse deer’ in the forests
of Nallamalla in Amrabad Tiger Reserve (ATR) bred at Nehru Zoological
Park, Hyderabad.
14. The Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved Dairy Processing &
Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) Scheme with an outlay of Rs
10,881 crore to boost dairy sector. Initially, Rs.8,004 crore loan will be
provided by NABARD to National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)and National Dairy
Development Cooperation (NDDC). It will be managed by National Dairy Development
Board (NDDB) and shall be implemented from 2017-18 to 2028-29.
15. The Union Ministry
of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched “Wood
is Good” Campaign under Partnership for Land Use Science
(Forest-Plus). The purpose of campaign is to promote wood as climate-friendly
resource and substitute to materials like steel and plastic as it is carbon
neutral unlike others materials which leave carbon footprint in their
production. It was launched on sidelines of two-day conference on
“Sustainable landscapes and forest ecosystems: Theory to Practice” in New
Delhi.
16. The University Grants
Commission (UGC) rolled out an application process for universities
and higher education institutes (public or private) seeking “institutions of
eminence” status. It will be 90-day application process for interested
public and private institutions. Institutions applying for it will be divided
into three categories- existing government educational institutions, existing
private higher educational institutions and sponsoring organisation for setting
up of private institutions. The HRD Ministry will set up empowered expert
committee to process application. The entire process of shortlisting
institutions will be completed by March-April 2018.
17. The Union Cabinet has approved
1% additional DA ( Dearness Allowance) to Central Govt
employees.
18. The Supreme Court has recently
ruled that the 6 months cooling period in divorce cases can be waived
off by a trail court. This cooling period was directed under Hindu
Marriage Act, 1955
19. Raj Shah (Indian
–American ) was appointed as the deputy assistant to the President and
Principal Deputy Press Secretary by US President Donald Trump.
20. Second Start Up
Conference was held in New Delhi
21. All India Radio,
Kohima will be soon launching the FM Channel named
after the State’s official bird “Tragopan”
22. The Union Cabinet has approved
signing of MoU between India and Morocco
to maintain co-operation in the field of health.
Announcement !
கருத்துரையிடுக
கருத்துரையிடுக