DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 16 JULY 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
GADKARI INAUGURATE ROAD CONGRESS MEET IN UDAIPUR
i.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will inaugurate the
212th meeting of Indian Road Congress in Udaipur, Rajasthan
ii.
The Indian Road Congress is the apex body of highway engineers in the country.
During his -day visit, he will also attend a discussion by Udaipur chamber of
commerce on economic growth of Rajasthan with development of roads and
infrastructure.
iii.
According to a spokesperson of the state transport department Rajasthan
Transport Minister Yunus Khan would also accompany him.
2.
RAIPUR SWAMI VIVEKANANDA AIRPORT RANKED FIRST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION INDEX
SURVEY
i.
Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has ranked 1st in Customer
Satisfaction Index Survey among 49 airports in India. Raipur Airport has scored
highest, 4.84 on a 5 point scale index in the latest Customer Satisfaction
Index Survey conducted by an independent agency for the period of January-June
2017.
ii.
It has topped this survey for the 3rd consecutive time in the past two years.
Raipur Airport is followed by Udaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun airports which
have scored 4.75, 4.74 and 4.73 respectively.
i.
8th meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Ministers
of Law and Order (Interior/Home Affairs) was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
ii.
The meeting held discussions on a wide range of issues related to SAARC
countries including the development and implementation of SAARC Visa Exemption
Stickers Scheme in order to ease visa processing for citizens of member nations
while travelling within SAARC countries.
iii.
Issues of growing cyber crimes in the context of rapidly developing information
technology and ways to curb them, immigration, crime control, security
arrangement, among other regional issues, were also discussed at the meeting.
4.
US HOUSE PASSES BILL ON DEFENCE COOPERATION WITH INDIA
i.
The US House of Representatives has passed a $621.5 bill on defense cooperation
with India. The United States is the world’s oldest democracy and India is the
world’s largest democracy.
ii.
It is most important to develop a strategy that advances defence cooperation
between the India and United States. The bill proposes to advance defense
cooperation with India.
iii.
An amendment in this regard, moved by Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera was
adopted by a voice vote by the House as part of the National Defense
Authorisation Act 2018, beginning 1st October this year.
iv.
National Defense Authorisation Act was passed by the House 344-81. The
India-related amendment passed by the House requires the Secretary of
Defence. It develops a strategy for
advancing defence cooperation between the two countries.
5.
SENIOR IRS OFFICERS ARBIND MODI AND BAJRANG DASS VISHNOI APPOINTED CBDT MEMBERS
i.
Senior bureaucrats Arbind Modi and Bajrang Dass Vishnoi were appointed as
members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes. It is the apex policy- making
body of the Income Tax department.
ii.
The CBDT is headed by a chairman and can have a maximum of 6 members. Both of
them are 1981-batch officers of Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre).
iii.
According to the Department of Personnel and Training they will hold the office
till the date of their superannuation.
6.
TATA SONS APPOINTS AARTHI SUBRAMANIAN AS CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER
i.
Tata Sons has appointed Aarthi Subramanian as the group’s Chief Digital
Officer. It is the holding company of salt-to-software Tata Group.
ii.
Aarthi is currently the Executive Director at Tata Consultancy Services. She
will take up her new role in August this year.
iii.
She has 26 years of experience in the global technology sector and she started
her career with TCS. She has worked in diverse roles in India, Sweden, the US
and Canada.
iv.
Subramanian is a graduate of Computer Science from the National Institute of
Technology, Warangal, and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management
from University of Kansas, USA.
7.
MUKESH KUMAR JAIN APPOINTED MD & CEO OF ORIENTAL BANK
i.
Mukesh Kumar Jain has appointed the MD and Chief Executive Officer of Oriental
Bank of Commerce.
ii.
Mukesh is at present the executive director in Punjab and Sind Bank. He will be
served for a period of 3 years.
8.
INDIAN RAILWAY MINISTER LAUNCHES NEW INTEGRATED MOBILE APP SAARTHI
i.
The Railways has launched an integrated mobile application SAARTHI to cater to
various passenger requirements, including ticket booking, inquiry, on-board
cleaning and ordering meal on a single platform.
ii.
The app Rail SAARTHI was launched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. In order
to provide better customer experience, there was a need for an integrated
application which could give a single window interface for these services.
iii.
The Rail synergised advanced application rail travel help and information
provides such as safety for women, complaint facility and suggestion for
improvement.
iv.
The railway also extends the advance booking period for foreigners to 365 days
from present 120 days.
9.
DEFENCE MINISTER RELEASES A BOOK ON HISTORIC 2800 KMS EXPEDITION – ‘GANGA
AVAHAN’
i.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley has released a coffee table book on ‘Ganga
Avahan’. It is a 2,800 km exploratory open-water swim expedition on the Ganga
river.
ii.
The book “Ganga Avahan is the Epic Tale of a Historic Swim“. It is on the
first-ever human effort to swim down the entire stretch of the river.
iii.
The coffee table book chronicles includes their entire fascinating journey,
detailing experiences, and challenges of the civilizational cradle that is the
Ganga.
iv.
The Foreword of this epic expedition is written by the Prime Minister. It is a
nine-member team of 3 swimmers and the rest are rafters from the three services
of the Indian Armed Forces, led by international open-water swimmer Wing
Commander Paramvir Singh.
v.
It was flagged-off by the Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah
Naidu on the first anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission.
10.
WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY: JULY 15, 2017
i.
The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally on 15 July. It has been
observed to raise awareness about the importance of youth skills development.
ii.
The World Youth Skill Day 2017 Theme was “Skills for the future of work”.
iii.
On the occasion, United Nations along with WorldSkills.org have organised
campaigns #SkillsForAll and #WYSD.
iv.
These campaigns aim to raise awareness about the importance of youth developing
skills.
v.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has celebrated the 2nd
anniversary of Skill India Mission on the World Youth Skills day.
vi.
100 GST training centres, 51 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras and 100 Yoga
training centres were inaugurated on this occasion.
vii.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has announced a national
training Programme to certify GST practitioners under its scheme of Pradhan
Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED
ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING WERE APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL BOARD OF
DIRECT TAXES, THE APEX POLICY- MAKING BODY OF THE INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT?
a) Arbind Modi and Rakesh Nath Yadav
b) Arbind Modi and Bajrang Dass Vishnoi
c) Sachin Shroff and Bajrang Dass Vishnoi
d) Rakesh Nath Yadav and Bajrang Dass Vishnoi
Q2.
UNION MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS, NITIN GADKARI INAUGURATED 212TH
MEETING OF INDIAN ROAD CONGRESS IN?
a) Udaipur
b) Bhopal
c) Chennai
d) Varanasi
Q3.
8TH MEETING OF THE SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION MINISTERS
OF LAW AND ORDER (INTERIOR/HOME AFFAIRS) WAS HELD IN?
a) Dhaka, Bangladesh
b) New Delhi, India
c) Kathmandu, Nepal
d) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Q4.
THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS PASSED A $ ______ BILLION DEFENCE POLICY
BILL THAT PROPOSES TO ADVANCE DEFENCE COOPERATION WITH INDIA.
a) $721.5 billion
b) $921.5 billion
c) $621.5 billion
d) $521.5 billion
Q5.
WHAT WAS THE THEME OF ‘WORLD YOUTH SKILL DAY’ 2017, OBSERVED ON JULY 15 EVERY
YEAR?
a) ‘Skills for the future of Work’
b) ‘Skills for Socio-Economic Growth’
c) ‘Skills Inculcation for Inclusive Growth’
d) ‘Skills Inculcation for Sustainable
Development’
ANSWERS:
1 - B 2
- A 3 - D 4 - C 5 - A
