DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 8 JAN 2018

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 8 JAN 2018
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN

1.      GOVT RELEASES AISHE 2016-17, TAMIL NADU LEADS IN GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO
i. Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar released All India Survey on Higher Education report 2016-2017.Among all states, Tamil Nadu topped in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education. Tamil Nadu recorded 46.9% GER.
ii. Gross Enrolment Ratio has increased from 24.5% in 2015-16 to 25.2 in 2016-17. GER is a ratio of enrolment in higher education to population in the eligible age group (18-23) years.
iii. Gender Parity Index too has improved from 0.86 to 0.94 for the corresponding period. GPI is a ratio of proportional representation of female and male.

2.      INDIA’S SECOND FTII TO BE SET UP IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH
i. Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region, Dr Jitendra Singh announced that Central Government will set up second Film and Television Institute of Indian in Arunachal Pradesh.
ii. This announcement was made by Mr. Singh while addressing ‘Indian Entertainment Industry: Global Leader in Making’ conference organised by Bharat Niti and South India Film Chamber of Commerce in Itanagar.
iii. Objective behind setting up FTII in Arunachal Pradesh is to tap the potential of India’s North Eastern region. FTII in Arunachal Pradesh would be second such institute in the country. The first Film and Television Institute of India is located in Pune.


3.      INDIAN NAVY SIGNS MOU WITH COCHIN PORT TRUST
i. Indian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cochin Port Trust for increasing the berthing capacity of naval ships in Kochi.
ii. Under the MoU, Cochin Port Trust has leased 228 metres of berths at Mattancherry Wharf to Indian Navy for a period of five years. Approximate cost for this lease is Rs. 10 cr per annum.
iii. Availability of expanded berthing space will enable greater operational flexibility to Indian Naval ships based in Kochi. The MoU has been entered into by keeping into consideration the scheduled fleet expansion of Indian Navy in near future.

4.      BILATERAL ANNUAL HAJ 2018 AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIA AND SAUDI ARABIA SIGNED
i. According to the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Saudi Arabia has given the green signal for India’s decision to revive the option of sending Haj pilgrims through sea route also.
ii. The practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways was stopped in 1995. For the first time, Muslim women from India will go to Haj without “Mehram”.

5.      BIHAR CM NITISH KUMAR FLAGS OFF PROJECTS WORTH OVER RS 500 CR
i. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid foundation stones of around 750 projects, worth more than Rs 500 cr, in Begusarai and Khagaria districts. These projects were launched during Nitish Kumar’s state-wide “Vikas Samiksha Yatra” which began on December 28, 2017.
ii. Early on January 6, 2018, Nitish Kumar flagged off 294 projects worth Rs 236 cr at Gauchhari Kataha village in Khagaria. Later, he flagged off another 462 projects totalling around Rs 321 cr at Barbigghi village in Begusarai.

6.      ASSAM CM INAUGURATES SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES ACROSS THE STATE
i. Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has launched nearly 249 skill development centres throughout Assam. These skill development centres aim to improve skilled manpower in Assam. These centres provide vocational training to the youth of Assam and help them to be financially independent.
iii. These centres were launched at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati. The programme was organized by Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship.
iv. Around 18,000 youngsters from Assam will be trained through these centres. Assam government has also planned to establish foreign language learning centres to help the youth avail foreign job opportunities.

7.      INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL LAUNCHED IN GUJARAT
i. The International Kite Festival started at Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The International Kite Festival was inaugurated by Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani. Gujarat Governor O. P. Kohli was also present at the occasion.
ii. Nearly 149 foreign kite fliers from 44 countries are taking part in this festival. From India, around 96 kite fliers from 18 states and 290 kite fliers from Gujarat participate in this kite festival.
iii. This International Kite Festival is to be held at small towns like Dakor, Gandhidham, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surat, Vadodara, Aravali, Dwarka, Amreli, Pavagadh, Palanpur, Valsad and Saputara also.

8.      ONLINE TRACKING PORTALS “TRACKCHILD” AND “KHOYA-PAYA” LAUNCHED FOR MISSING CHILDREN
i. ‘TrackChild’ and ‘Khoya-Paya’ web portals have been launched by Ministry of Women and Child Development to track missing and found children. The ‘TrackChild’ web portal has been launched in joint association with stakeholders like Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Railways, State Governments, Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, National Legal Services Authority, etc.
ii. The ‘Khoya-Paya’ has been developed as a citizen corner on the ‘TrackChild’ portal. Apart from these portals the Ministry of Women and Child Development also provides support for children in trouble through the dedicated toll free number – 1098.
iii. Also, Standard Operating Procedure has been created to trace missing children. It has been distributed to all the states and union territories.

9.      JULIA GOERGES BAGS WTA AUCKLAND OPEN TENNIS TITLE 2018
i. Julia Goerges won the WTA Auckland Open Tennis title 2018, in Auckland, New Zealand. Germany’s Julia Goerges defeated Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki in the finals.
ii. Julia has won the Auckland singles title for the first time. This was her 9th attempt to win the title.

10.  ROGER FEDERER & BELINDA BENCIC WIN HOPMAN CUP FOR SWITZERLAND
i. Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic won the Hopman Cup title for Switzerland, in Perth, Australia.
ii. Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic won the deciding Fast4 mixed doubles against Germany and won the Hopman Cup title for Switzerland. This is the 3rd Hopman Cup title for Switzerland. Switzerland had won the Hopman Cup in 2001 previously. It was won by Roger Federer and Martina Hingis.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1. WHICH WEB PORTALS HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED BY MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT TO TRACK MISSING AND FOUND CHILDREN?
a)  ‘TrackChild’ and ‘Khoya-Paya’
b)  ‘Track-the-Child’ and ‘Khoya-Paya’
c)  ‘TrackTheChild’ and ‘Khoya-Paya’
d)  ‘ChildTracking’ and ‘Khoya-Paya’
Q2. IN WHICH STATE, THE INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL WAS CELEBRATED?
a)  Maharashra
b)  New Delhi
c)  Rajasthan
d)  Gujarat
Q3. AFTER PUNE (MAHARASHTRA), IN WHICH STATE OF INDIA, THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HAD SET UP THE SECOND FILM AND TELEVISION INSTITUTE OF INDIA?
a)  Andhra Pradesh
b)  Arunachal Pradesh
c)  Gujarat
d)  Himachal Pradesh
Q4. WHICH STATE HAS LAUNCHED NEARLY 249 SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTRES THROUGHOUT THE STATE WITH THE AIM TO IMPROVE SKILLED MANPOWER?
a)  Kerala
b)  Gujarat
c)  Assam
d)  Mizoram
Q5. ACCORDING TO ALL INDIA SURVEY ON HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH INDIAN STATE TOPPED IN TERMS OF GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO IN HIGHER EDUCATION?
a)  Karnataka
b)  Telangana
c)  Kerala
d)  Tamil Nadu

ANSWERS:  

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