DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 18 AUG 2017

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 18 AUG 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN

1. CCEA APPROVES PROCEDURE AND MECHANISM FOR STRATEGIC DISINVESTMENT
i. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the PM Narendra Modi, approved following two proposals of Department of Investment and public Asset Management for strategic disinvestment:
ii. An Alternative Mechanism consisting of the Finance Minister, Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Minister of Administrative Department will be set up to decide on the matters relating to terms and conditions of the sale from the stage of inviting of Express of Interests till inviting of financial bid.
iii. CCEA has also given its nod for empowering the core group of Secretaries to take policy decisions with regard to procedural issues and to consider deviations as necessary from time to time for effective implementation of decisions taken by the Cabinet.


2. CABINET APPROVALS AUGUST 16, 2017
i. Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved following bilateral agreements and initiatives:
ii. Union Cabinet has approved a new Metro Rail Policy that seeks to enable realization of growing metro rail aspirations of a large number of cities but in a responsible manner.
iii. Cabinet approves creation of a single non-lapsable corpus fund for Secondary and Higher education. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Sweden on IPRs.
iv. Cabinet approves completion of balance works of North Koel Reservoir Project. Cabinet approves closure of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Forest and Plantation.
v. Cabinet approves raising Rs.9020 cr for long term irrigation fund.

3. GST RELIEF FOR INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN HIMALAYAN, NE REGION TILL 2027
i. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the PM Narendra Modi has given its approval to the Scheme of providing Budgetary Support under Goods and Service Tax Regime for the eligible industrial units located in State of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and North Eastern States including Sikkim.

4. WORLD BANK PLEDGES $24.64 MN TO ENHANCE INDIA’S FOREST ECOSYSTEM
i. The Finance Ministry and the World Bank has signed an agreement of $24.64 million from the Global Environment Facility of the World Bank for ecosystem service improvement project.
ii. The project’s duration is for five years. The project would be financed entirely by the World Bank out of its GEF Trust Fund.
iii. The objective of the Project is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the departments of forestry.
iv. The organization is to enhance forest ecosystem services and improve the livelihoods of forest dependent communities in central Indian highlands. Through Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education under the National Mission for Green India the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will implement the project in the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

5. SBI HOLDS HOME LOAN UTSAV IN BENGALURU
i. State Bank of India held two-day Home Loan Utsav at its local head office in Bengaluru.
ii. The loan Utsav saw title sponsor is GM Infinite. Subtitle sponsors- Brigade Group, Salarpuria Sattva and DSR Infra.
iii. The bank is offering a 0.25% concession in interest rate from the fourth year of the home loan if it is availed at the SBI Utsav. Those buying flats in real estate projects for which SBI has extended loans can avail home loans in four days.

6. KARUR VYSYA BANK INAUGURATES AADHAAR ENROLMENT CENTRE IN CHENNAI
i. Private sector Karur Vysya Bank has unveiled the Aadhaar Enrolment Centre in Chennai. The Unique Identification Authority of India had advised commercial banks to provide Aadhaar enrolment and updation facility at various branches.
ii. KVB is the 1st private sector bank to provide Aadhaar Enrolment Centre service in the country.
iii. Karur Vysya Bank identified the branches and ensured early implementation of the service.
iv. Unique Identification Authority of India, Assistant Director General and D M Gajare have inaugurated the first Enrolment Centre at the Nelson Manickam Road branch.
v. Customers need to bring in the approved documents as proof of residence and identity. The process of enrollment or updating the details in AADHAAR can be completed in about 15 minutes.
vi. Karur Vysya Bank has planned to expand the service to 75 more branches across the country.

7. SOHAIL MAHMOOD TOOK CHARGE AS PAKISTAN’S NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER TO INDIA
i. Sohail Mahmood Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India took charge at the High Commission. Sohail Mahmood, a career diplomat, joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1985.
ii. He holds Masters Degrees in History and International Relations. His first posting abroad was in Ankara, where he served at the Pakistan Embassy from 1991-1994. He has served in various missions abroad, including Washington, New York and Ankara.
iii. He was Pakistan’s Ambassador to Thailand from 2009-2013. Mahmood was Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, where he earlier served as Director General (2005-2009), Director (1995-1998) and Section Officer (1986-1991).

8. REAL MADRID WON 2017 SPANISH SUPER CUP
i. Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup for the 10th time with a 2-0 win over Barcelona. The Spanish Super Cup held at Santiago Bernabeu on 16th of August 2017 and Real Madrid has won by 5-1 on aggregate points.
ii. Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema scored for Real Madrid to secure a 2-0 win over Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. Real Madrid achieved the feat without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was slapped with a five-game ban for pushing the referee after he was sent-off in the first leg.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1. UNION CABINET HAS GIVEN ITS APPROVAL TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN INDIA AND _______ON COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY?
a)  Greece
b)  Italy
c)  Sweden
d)  Spain
Q2. CABINET COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS CHAIRED BY THE PM NARENDRA MODI HAS GIVEN ITS APPROVAL TO THE SCHEME OF PROVIDING BUDGETARY SUPPORT UNDER GOODS AND SERVICE TAX REGIME FOR THE ELIGIBLE INDUSTRIAL UNITS LOCATED IN STATE OF JAMMU & KASHMIR, UTTARAKHAND, HIMACHAL PRADESH AND NORTH EASTERN STATES INCLUDING SIKKIM TILL?
a)  2027
b)  2023
c)  2022
d)  2019
Q3. UNION FINANCE MINISTRY HAS SIGNED A GRANT AGREEMENT OF $24.64 MILLION WITH WHICH INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ORGANISATION FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT?
a)  International Monetary Fund
b)  World Bank
c)  Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
d)  Asian Development Bank
Q4. WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING HAS TAKEN CHARGE AS PAKISTAN’S NEW HIGH COMMISSIONER TO INDIA?
a)  Shahid Ali
b)  Anees Akram
c)  Nazeem Raza
d)  Sohail Mahmood
Q5. WHICH AMONG THE FOLLOWING FOOTBALL CLUB HAS WON THE SPANISH SUPER CUP FOR THE 10TH TIME?
a)  Barcelona
b)  Arsenal
c)  Real Madrid
d)  Manchester United

ANSWERS:

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