DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 19 AUG 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
CABINET APPROVES COMPLETION OF NORTH KOEL RESERVOIR PROJECT
i.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval
to the proposal to complete the balance works of the North Koel Reservoir
Project in Jharkhand and Bihar at an estimated expenditure of Rs.1622.27 cr to
be incurred during three financial years from the start of the project.
ii.
The Cabinet also approved storage of water in dam restricted at lower level
than envisaged earlier to reduce the submergence and to protect Betla National
Park and Palamau Tiger Reserve.
2.
GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT ‘WORLD’S LARGEST SAMPLE SURVEY’ FOR STUDENTS
i.
The Human Resource Development Ministry has announced November 13 as the date
for conducting its National Assessment Survey for the students of class 3, 5,
and 8.
ii.
So far, during several rounds of the survey, a total of 4.45 lakh students have
been tested for various learning outcomes. This time, approximately 30 lakh
students will be assessed in the year 2017-18 making it the world’s largest
sample survey of student learning achievement.
3.
GOVERNMENT BANS EXPORT OF GOLD ITEMS ABOVE 22-CARAT PURITY
i.
The government has banned exports of gold jewellery, medallions and other
articles above 22- carat purity in a bid to check round tripping of the
precious metal.
ii.
According to the Directorate-General of Foreign Trade, certain provisions of
the foreign trade policy (2015-20) are amended to allow export of gold
jewellery and articles containing gold of 8 carats and above up to a maximum
limit of 22 carats only from domestic tariff area and export-oriented units,
electronics hardware technology parks, software technology parks and bio
technology parks.
4.
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER LAUNCHES “HARIT DIWALI, SWASTH DIWALI” CAMPAIGN
i.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, launched the “Harit Diwali,
Swasth Diwali” campaign.
ii.
Addressing a gathering of about 800 children from schools of Delhi and NCR, the
Minister impressed upon the children the importance of their contribution
towards reducing pollution by not bursting harmful fire crackers during Diwali.
5.
NHAI LAUNCHES MOBILE APP MYFASTAG AND FASTAG PARTNER
i.
National Highways Authority of India launched 2 mobile Apps – MyFASTag and
FASTag Partner in New Delhi, to facilitate the availability of FASTags for
Electronic Toll Collection.
ii.
MyFASTag is a consumer App that can be downloaded from the App Store for both
Android and iOS systems. FASTag Partner is a merchant App. Agencies like Common
Services Centre, banking partners, and vehicle dealers can sell and enroll FASTag through this App.
6.
HDFC BANK REVISES INTEREST RATES ON SAVING ACCOUNTS
i.
HDFC Bank Ltd has announced a revision in its savings bank interest rate
effective August 19, 2017. Post revision, customers maintaining savings bank
account balance of Rs 50 lakh and above will continue to earn interest at 4%
per annum.
ii.
Customers maintaining account balance of below Rs 50 lakh will earn interest at
3.5% per annum from earlier 4%. The revised rates will be applicable to both
resident and Non-resident customers.
7.
BSNL LAUNCHES DIGITAL WALLET POWERED BY MOBIKWIK
i.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd went digital by launching a bespoke mobile wallet
(mobile payment App) that would enable its existing 100 million customers to
make Bill payments. This digital wallet was launched at an event by Manoj
Sinha, Minister for Telecommunications in the capital.
ii.
The wallet has been developed and issued by MobiKwik on behalf of BSNL.
8.
WORLD BANK PLEDGES $24 MILLION TO ENHANCE INDIA'S FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
i.
The Finance Ministry and the World Bank signed a grant agreement of $24.64
million from the Global Environment Facility of the World Bank for ecosystem
service improvement project.
ii.
The project would be financed entirely by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust
Fund. The project's duration is 5 years. The objective of the Project is to
strengthen the institutional capacity of the departments of forestry and
community organizations to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the
livelihoods of forest dependent communities in central Indian highlands.
9.
TATA POWER, FIRST POWER UTILITY TO USE QR CODE
i.
Tata Power has become the 1st power utility to introduce a QR code based bill
payments system in India. The QR code linked to Unified Payments Interface will
be printed on the electricity bills.
ii.
The customers can scan the QR code with BHIM app or any other UPI linked bank
app and pay their bills without any hassle.
10.
LAKSHYA SEN WINS BULGARIA OPEN INTERNATIONAL SERIES
i.
Young Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen clinched the Bulgaria Open International
Series title after notching up a hard-fought win over Croatia’s Zvonimir
Durkinjak in the men’s singles final in Sofia, Bulgaria.
ii.
The 16-year-old shuttler defeated second seed Zvonimir in a 57-minute match.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED
ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
AN EXCLUSIVE LANE FOR FASTAG VEHICLES WILL BE OPERATIONAL AT ALL TOLL PLAZAS ON
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS FROM?
a) October 1, 2017
b) September 1, 2017
c) January 1, 2018
d) November 1, 2017
Q2.
WHICH AMONG THE FOLLOWING HAS BECOME THE FIRST POWER UTILITY TO INTRODUCE A QR
CODE BASED BILL PAYMENTS SYSTEM IN INDIA?
a) Tata Power
b) Reliance Power
c) NTPC Ltd.
d) Adani Power
Q3.
WHICH CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED BY UNION MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE, DR. HARSH VARDHAN URGING CHILDREN TO CELEBRATE POLLUTION-FREE
DIWALI THIS YEAR?
a) “Green Diwali, Swasth Diwali”
b) “Harit Diwali, Khushaal Diwali”
c) “Green Diwali, Khushall Diwali”
d) “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali”
Q4.
WHICH TELECOM OPERATOR WENT DIGITAL BY LAUNCHING A BESPOKE MOBILE WALLET
(MOBILE PAYMENT APP) THAT WOULD ENABLE ITS EXISTING CUSTOMERS TO MAKE BILL
PAYMENTS AND TRANSACT on e-commerce platforms?
a) Tata Communications
b) BSNL
c) AirTel
d) Reliance Communications
Q5.
WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING INDIAN BADMINTON PLAYER WON BULGARIA OPEN INTERNATIONAL
SERIES?
a) Lakshya Sen
b) Sai Praneeth
c) Parupalli Kashyap
d) Kidambu Srikanth
ANSWERS:
1 - B 2 - A 3 - D 4
- B 5 - A
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