DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 20 OCT 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN
1.
ARUNACHAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES KAMLE AS 23RD DISTRICT
i.
Arunachal Pradesh State Assembly passed
Arunachal Pradesh (Re-Orgaisation of Districts) Amendment Bill 2017 to create a
new district named ‘Kamle’. The bill was introduced on October 14, 2017 by
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prema Khandu.
ii.
Kamle is the 23rd district of Arunachal Pradesh. It has been created by
bifurcating the present Upper and Lower Subansiri districts.
iii.
It has six administrative units (three each from Upper Subansiri and Lower
Subansiri).
iv.
Amid rising concerns that this decision would encourage creation of more
districts in future and will thereby affect state’s exchequer, Chief Minister
Prema Khandu stated that government is planning to re-visit the district
creation policy of 1983.
2.
TWO DAY “AYUSH FESTIVAL OF STAMPS 2017” HELD AT PANAJI, GOA
i.
The “AYUSH Festival of Stamps 2017” was held at Panaji, Goa. The “AYUSH
Festival of Stamps 2017” was inaugurated by Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar at
Maquinez Palace in Panaji, Goa.
ii.
The two-day exhibition event is jointly organised by the Goa Postal Region,
Indian postal department and the Ministry of AYUSH.
iii.
This festival is the first of its kind. Its objective is to promote healthy
hobbies such as stamp collection among students and healthy lifestyle habits.
iv.
Stamps related to ayurveda, yoga and related traditional practices from India
and abroad were displayed at the event. About 150 schools and 5,000 students
participated in the festival.
3.
MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT RELEASES RS 4,000 CRORE IN PHASE 1 OF
LOAN WAIVER SCHEME
i.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis announced that the State Government
has released a sum of Rs 4,000 cr under the first phase of the farm loan waiver
scheme.
ii.
Out of Rs 4000 cr which has been released under Phase I, Rs 3200 cr is for
writing off the loans of 4.62 lakh farmers and
Rs 800 cr will be distributed as incentive for 3.78 lakh farmers who are
paying their loans on time.
iii.
It is to be noted that total farm loan waiver (announced in June 2017) which
will be provided to the farmers has been estimated at Rs. 34000 cr. Maharashtra
CM Devendra Fadnavis has mentioned that amount under Farm Loan Waiver scheme
will be released in phased manner and by November 15, 2017, 75-80% disbursement
will be completed.
iv.
Maharashta State Government believes that farm loan waiver is not a temporary
solution for farmers’ problems. Along with it, continuous investment in
agriculture for next five years will ensure sustainable development.
4.
CANADA CHOSEN AS PARTNER COUNTRY FOR 2017 TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT, NEW
DELHI
i.
Canada has been chosen as the partner country for the 23rd edition of
Technology Summit which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi. This event is
India’s largest knowledge and technology conference and exhibition.
ii.
It is jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Indian
Department of Science and Technology. This edition of the Technology Summit
will highlight range of research and innovations areas where India and Canada
are world leaders.
iii.
The theme of this summit will be ‘Advanced Manufacturing’ focusing on advances
in various sectors including aerospace, Aviation, Artificial Intelligence and
Life Sciences.
iv.
Role of women in science and business as well as promoting the start-up and
incubator communities in India and Canada will also be highlighted at the
summit.
5.
INDRA – 2017: INDO-RUSSIA’S FIRST-EVER TRI-SERVICE JOINT
EXERCISE BEGINS IN VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA
i.
Exercise INDRA-2017, the first ever Tri Services Joint Exercise between Indian
and Russian Armed Forces begun in Vladivostok, Russia. The previous editions of
INDRA Exercise between India and Russia were single service bilateral exercise.
‘INDRA-2017’ marks the first bilateral exercise in which all the three Services
of the Armed Forces viz. Army, Navy & Air Force of India and Russia will
participate.
ii.
Indian contingent comprising of 350 personnel from Army, 80 from Air Force, two
IL 76 aircraft and one Frigate and Corvette each from the Navy are
participating in INDRA – 2017. Whereas from Russian side nearly 1000 troops of
the 5th Army, Marines and Ships of Pacific Fleet and aircraft from Eastern
Military District will participate in INDRA-2017.
iii.
INDRA-2017 is a landmark event in the history of Indo-Russian defence
cooperation and will strengthen mutual confidence and inter-operability of the
armed forces.
iv.
During the course of INDRA-2017, armed forces of both the countries will be
engaged in professional interactions, will establish joint command and control
structures and will train in counter terrorism operations in a joint tri
service environment.
6.
SBI FOUNDATION COMMITS RS.10 CR FOR CONSERVATION OF CHHATRAPATI
SHIVAJI MAHARAJ TERMINUS
i.
SBI Foundation granted Rs.10 cr for the conservation and restoration of
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus of Mumbai over the period of 3-5 years. Central
Railway’s Divisional Railway Manager SK Jain and SBI Managing Director PK Gupta
signed a MoU. As per the MoU, SBI Foundation will provide Rs.10 cr for the
project under the “SBI-Project Swachh Iconic CSMT”.
ii.
CSTM railway station is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Through this project, the
Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SBI aims to contribute in development
and preservation of world heritage structures.
iii.
Restoration work of CSTM heritage building will be done by INTACH (Indian
National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) an expert agency.
7.
BANKS TO PROVIDE FUNDS AT 7% TO WOMEN SHGS UNDER DAY-NRLM: RBI
i.
Reserve Bank of India issued revised guidelines on Interest Subvention Scheme under
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission, stating that
banks will provide funds to women Self Help Groups in rural areas at 7% under
the DAY-NRLM in current fiscal, 2017-18.
ii.
RBI issued above mentioned revised guidelines as received from the Ministry of
Rural Development. These guidelines will be implemented by 21 public sector
banks and 19 private banks.
iii.
As per the scheme, banks will be subvented to the extent of difference between
the Weighted Average Interest Charged and 7% subject to the maximum limit of
5.5 per cent for the year 2017-18. Women SHGs availing credit up to Rs. 3 lakh
rupees will be eligible for this interest subvention scheme.
iv.
Benefits of this scheme will be applicable on credit to women SHGs across 250
districts of India.
8.
KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LAUNCHES PAYMINT
i.
Kotak Mahindra Bank in collaboration with financial technology firm Zeta has
launched a multi-wallet digital prepaid solution for salaried employees named
‘Paymint’. Through Paymint’s single digital interface, which is powered by
Zeta, corporate entities will be able to manage multiple reimbursements and
allowances offered to employees including meal vouchers, medical
reimbursements, travel allowances, conveyance and other similar allowances.
ii.
Paymint will not only help corporate to get rid of cumbersome process of
executing employee benefits programme but will also simplify the process for
employees.
iii.
Processing allowances and reimbursements typically involves lot of paperwork. Paymint
makes all these processes paperless and that too by providing a secure and
customised system.
OBJECTIVE
QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
WHICH STATE ASSEMBLY RECENTLY PASSED RE-ORGAISATION OF DISTRICTS AMENDMENT BILL
2017 TO CREATE A NEW DISTRICT NAMED ‘KAMLE’?
a) Tripura
b) Arunachal Pradesh
c) Kerala
d) TamilNadu
Q2.
WHERE DID AYUSH FESTIVAL OF STAMPS 2017 TOOK PLACE?
a) Kolkata, West Bengal
b) Agartala, Tripura
c) Panaji, Goa
d) Chennai, TamilNadu
Q3.
WHICH STATE GOVERNMENT HAS RELEASED A SUM OF RS 4,000 CR UNDER THE FIRST PHASE
OF THE FARM LOAN WAIVER SCHEME?
a) Manipur
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Odisha
d) Maharashtra
Q4.
WHICH COUNTRY HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS THE PARTNER COUNTRY BY INDIA FOR THE 23RD
EDITION OF TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN NEW DELHI?
a) Canada
b) Finland
c) France
d) Holland
Q5.
BETWEEN WHICH TWO COUNTRIES INDRA – 2017, THE FIRST-EVER TRI-SERVICE JOINT
EXERCISE BEGAN?
a) India-Japan
b) India-Myanmar
c) India-Russia
d) India-China.
ANSWERS:
1
- A 2 - D 3 - C 4 - B 5 - A
