DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 29 SEP 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
MADHYA PRADESH BAGS ‘BEST TOURISM STATE’ AWARD
i.
Madhya Pradesh has won the ‘Best Tourism State’ national award for the third
consecutive year. President Ram Nath Kovind handed over the award, named as
‘Hall of Fame Award’, to Minister of State for Tourism Surendra Patwa at a
ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
ii.
The state bagged total 10 awards in this programme, organised on the occasion
of World Tourism Day (27 September). Madhya Pradesh also received a national
award for Film Promotion Policy in the category of Best Film Promotion Friendly
State/Union Territory.
2.
INDIA JUMPS TO 14TH RANK AS BEST COUNTRY FOR EXPATS: HSBC SURVEY
i.
India leapt up the global rankings by 12 places to take the 14th spot in terms
of best country for expats to live and work in, according to the HSBC survey.
The list has been topped by Singapore.
ii.
The list is part of HSBC's latest 'expat explorer survey' that covered 27,587
expats from 159 countries and territories in March and April 2017. According to
the survey, about 71 percent expats in India reported high levels of confidence
in the local economy, while 58 percent exuded optimism on political stability.
3.
$80-MILLION ADB LOAN TO HIMACHAL PRADESH
i.
Multilateral lending agency Asian Development Bank has approved a loan of $80
million (about Rs 524 cr) for the modernization of Himachal Pradesh’s technical
and vocational education and training institutions.
ii.
The total cost of the project is $100 million, with the Centre contributing $20
million. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
4.
AIR INDIA TIES UP WITH PNB, INDUSIND
i.
Air India has tied up with public sector lender PNB and private lender IndusInd
Bank to secure loans to the tune of over Rs 3,000 cr for meeting working
capital requirements.
ii.
Recently, the disinvestment-bound Air India had floated tenders for availing
Govt. guarantee backed INR short-term loans totalling up to Rs 3,250 cr in the
first phase to meet its urgent working capital.
5.
BATHUKAMMA FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN TELANGANA
On
20th – 28th September 2017, Bathukamma, one of the major festivals of Telangana
and some parts of Andhra Pradesh was
celebrated.
Bathukamma:
i.
This festival is celebrated for nine days days during the Durga Navaratri
celebrations before Dussehra.
ii.
People worship Goddess Bathukamma, who is also known as Goddes Gauri for nine
days.
iii.
On the last day, the Goddess is immersed in rivers after completion of rituals.
iv.
The Bathukamma Jatara, which commences two days before Dussehra, is organised
where both festivals are observed.
v.
Women decorate a small wooden platform in circular arrangement with layers in
order to make a conical arrangement of flowers.
vi.
They gather near the circle in the evening and place ‘Bathukammas’ at the
centre.
vii.
They dance around with traditional songs, requesting the goddess to take birth
again.
6.
INDIA LAUNCHES ACCESS INDIA PROGRAMME TO ATTRACT UK INVESTMENTS
i.
India launched the Access India Programme to attract investments from small and
medium enterprises in the UK, in London.
ii.
Access India Programme was launched by the Indian High Commission in the UK
along with knowledge partner UK India Business Council, at India House in
London.
iii.
This will work as a market entry support system for smaller companies with a
potential to expand into the Indian market. This has been launched to promote
the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
7.
IDBI BANK SELLS 9 % STAKE IN SIDBI
i.
IDBI Bank said that it has sold 9 % stake in Small Industries Development Bank
of India.
ii.
The amount for which the 9 % stake was sold is undisclosed. Name of the buyer
has also not been disclosed.
iii.
This has been done in a move to mobilise funds by exiting non-core business. IDBI
has planned to reduce stake in some non-core businesses to increase its capital
base.
iv.
IDBI Bank has sold further 4,80,41,092 equity shares constituting 9.03 % of the
paid up capital of SIDBI. Earlier this week, IDBI sold 1 % stake in SIDBI.
8.
INDIA’S GDP GROWTH TO FALL TO 6.7 % IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR
2017-18: INDIA RATINGS
i.
India Ratings lowered the growth forecast for the current financial year to 6.7
% from 7.4 % estimated earlier.
ii.
India Ratings has pointed out the reasons for this downfall as demonetisation
and Goods & Services Tax implementation.
ii.
It has said that failure to quickly remonetise the economy has badly affected
the small and unorganised sectors, which were heavily dependent on cash. It
said that, reaching the earlier predicted GDP of 7.4 % will not be possible for
India in this financial year 2017-2018.
i.
It would be a lower GDP of 6.7 %. GDP growth would improve in the second
quarter of financial year 2018-2019, with the effects of GST and demonetisation
fading away.
9.
10 YOUNG SCIENTISTS SELECTED FOR SHANTI SWARUP BHATNAGAR AWARD
2017
i.
Ten scientists were awarded Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, at a function held
at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, in New Delhi.
ii.
The event was conducted by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. President
Mr.Ram Nath Kovind presided over the function. Every year Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research selects 8-10 scientists, below the age of 45, from
various institutions and honours them with Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award.
iii.
This is India’s highest science award. The scientists are recognised for
outstanding scientific work in the last five years.
OBJECTIVE
QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
HOW MUCH OF AMOUNT ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK APPROVED LOAN FOR MODERNISATION OF
TVET IN HIMACHAL PRADESH?
a) USD 130 mn
b)
USD 70 mn
c)
USD 80 mn
d)
USD 100 mn
Q2.
HOW MUCH PERCENTAGE OF STAKE THAT IDBI BANK HAS SOLD IN SMALL INDUSTRIES
DEVELOPMENT BANK OF INDIA?
a) 8%
b) 6%
c) 9%
d) 7%
Q3.
WHO IS THE ‘FATHER OF RESEARCH LABORATORIES’ AND ALSO THE FIRST
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH?
a) Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
b) Homi Jehangir Bhabha
c)
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
d) Vikram Ambalal Sarabha
Q4.
MADHYA PRADESH HAS WON THE ‘BEST TOURISM STATE’ NAMED AS ‘HALL OF FAME AWARD
FOR WHICH CONSECUTIVE YEAR?
a) Third
b) Second
c) Sixth
d) Fourth
Q5.
ACCORDING TO INDIA RATINGS & RESEARCH , INDIA’S GDP GROWTH TO FALL TO
_______ IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2017-
a) 6.3%
b) 6.2%
c) 6.9%
d) 6.7%
ANSWERS:
1
- C 2 - D 3 - B 4 - A 5 - C
