DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 25TH JAN 2017

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 25TH JAN 2017
(Daily News India)
Shared By: WWW.DailyGk.IN

1. UTKARSH MICRO FINANCE LAUNCHES ITS SMALL FINANCE BANK
i. Varanasi-based Utkarsh Micro Finance started operating its banking business as Utkarsh Small Finance Bank to cater to the needs of the poor mainly in the northern belt.
ii. This makes Utkarsh the 3rd company to operate as small finance bank after Equitas Small Finance Bank and Capital Small Finance Bank all of which got final approval from RBI to operate banking business.
iii. UK’s Commonwealth Development Corporation has infused Rs. 150 cr in the tier II capital in the company.

2. GOA FIRST STATE TO SEND POSTAL BALLOTS ELECTRONICALLY TO SERVICE VOTERS
i. The Chief Election Commissioner of India, Syed Nasim Zaidi informed that the state government of Goa has opted for an initiative involving electronic transmission of postal ballot to service voters in the upcoming assembly polls.
 ii.This initiative will make Goa the first state in the country to do so.

3. MIKE POMPEO SWORN IN AS DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
i. Mike Pompeo was sworn in as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
ii. He was administered the oath to office by Vice President Mike Pence.
iii. Mike Pompeo previously served as the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 4th congressional district.
iv. The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the United States federal government which focused on providing intelligence for the President and Cabinet.

4. SIDDHARTHA MURARKA IS APPOINTED ICSI CHAIRMAN
i. Siddhartha Murarka was appointed as the Chairman of the Eastern India Regional Council of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
ii. Murarka was the head of risk management and compliance at a member firm of the PwC before starting his own practice.
iii. Siddhartha Murarka is also a “regular faculty” at ICAI and other professional bodies and chambers of commerce like the Merchant Chamber of Commerce and the BCCI.

5. MINISTRY OF STEEL PROPOSES DRAFT NATIONAL STEEL POLICY 2017 AT AN INVESTMENT OF RS.10 LAKH CRORE
i. The Union Ministry of Steel which was headed by Chaudhary Birendra Singh has come out with a Draft National Steel Policy 2017 to increase the supply of domestic coking coal and cut the dependence on imports.
ii. The draft policy objectives to create a globally competitive steel industry for  self-sufficient steel industry and a inter-sectoral growth that is globally competitive, technologically advanced  and promotes inclusive growth.
iii. Under this policy the ministry has set an ambitious production target of building a capacity of 300 million tonnes per annum by 2030-31 which is more than double from 2015-16.
iv. The ministry estimated that an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore would be required to achieve the 300 MT target. It would also generate 11 lakh new job opportunities.


6. CHINA DEVELOPS WORLD’S BIGGEST SOLAR PARK
i. China has built the world’s biggest solar park named Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, in the western province of Qinghai.
ii. The park spans over 27 sq km of area and can produce 850 MW of power which is enough to supply up to 200,000 households.
iii. The construction of the solar park costs around $875 million (around Rs. 6,000 crore).

7. ASSAM LAUNCHES ‘CHIEF MINISTER’S AWARD’ FOR PERFORMING DISTRICTS IN CASHLESS TRANSACTION
i. To promote digital transaction in Assam, the CM of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has announced the launch of ‘Chief Minister’s Award’ while inaugurating the Digi Dhan Mela in the state.
ii. The Chief Minister’s Award would be given to the best performing district of the state that adopts digital payment methods and also educate the society about the cashless transaction.

8. VLADIMIR PUTIN AWARDED WITH THE FIRST HUGO CHAVEZ PEACE PRIZE BY VENEZUELA
i. Russian President Vladimir Putin was awarded the first ever Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace and Sovereignty by the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the Presidential Palace in Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela.
ii. Putin has been recognized as a great leader of peace, a great ruler of the multi-centric and multi-polar world.
iv. The Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace and Sovereignty aims to recognize global and national personalities who have stood out in the struggle for sovereignty, for peace and the independence of peoples.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1. WHICH STATE WILL BECOME THE INDIAN STATE TO OPT FOR ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF POSTAL BALLOT TO SERVICE VOTERS?
a)  Punjab
b)  Goa
c)  Uttar Pradesh
d)  Uttarakhand
Q2. WHICH STATE HAS LAUNCHED ‘CHIEF MINISTER’S AWARD’ FOR PERFORMING DISTRICTS IN CASHLESS TRANSACTION?
a)  Gujarat
b)  Kerala
c)  Assam
d)  Telangana
Q3. WHO WAS SWORN IN AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY?
a)  Mike Pompeo
b)  David S. Cohen
c)  John O. Brennan
d)  David Petraeus
Q4. WHICH MICRO FINANCE HAS LAUNCHED ITS SMALL FINANCE BANK?
a)  Equitas Small Finance
b)  Capital Small Finance
c)  Suryoday Micro Finance
d)  Utkarsh Micro Finance
Q5. WHO OF THE FOLLOWING WAS AWARDED WITH THE FIRST HUGO CHAVEZ PEACE PRIZE BY VENEZUELA?
a)  Angela Merkel
b)  Xi Jinping
c)  Vladimir Putin
d)  Barack Obama

ANSWER:

1 - B    2 - C    3 - A    4 - D    5 - C