DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 15 FEB 2018

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: 15 FEB 2018
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN

1.      INDIA'S FIRST RADIO FESTIVAL BEING HELD IN DELHI
i. India's 1st radio festival is being held in New Delhi to mark World Radio Day. The festival is being organized by International Association of Women in Radio and Television, in collaboration with UNESCO.
ii. The festival includes live performances, an exhibition, and slotted panel discussions. Apart from touching on the theme for World Radio Day 2018 - radio and sports - the festival is also examining the potential of the medium as a platform for social change, ways to make it more creative and will trace the journey of music on the radio.

2.      INDIAN, CHINESE ARMIES CELEBRATE CHINESE SPRING FESTIVAL IN LADAKH
i. On the occasion of Chinese spring festival, Indian and Chinese armies held a Border Personnel Meeting in Chushul sector of Ladakh region. The Border Personnel Meeting was held at Chinese BPM hut in Moldo garrison of the People’s Liberation Army in Chushul sector of eastern Ladakh.
ii. Indian delegation was led by Colonel Deependra Jasrotia and Chinese delegation was led by Senior Lieutenant Colonel Bu Hong Dong. The national flag of China was saluted by both the delegations. The Indian and Chinese delegation leaders presented their ceremonial addresses.


3.     PM MODI LAUNCHED THREE KEY PROJECTS IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH
i. PM Narendra Modi has launched several projects in Arunachal Pradesh. He inaugurated the Dorjee Khandu state convention centre at a function in Itanagar. The Centre has an auditorium, conference halls and an exhibition hall.
ii. Prime Minister's focus was also on the information revolution and now, the newly erected Secretariat building in the state capital is a big step in that direction.The building will have digital technology at its core and will have 2,500 officers and other employees.

4.     BHEL BAGS RS 560 CR ORDER FROM NTPC
i. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has bagged an order worth Rs 560 cr from NTPC for setting up a system for emission control.
ii. BHEL has secured the order for "supply and installation of the flue gas desulphurisation system from NTPC for 2x490 MW National Capital Power Station at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.

5.      GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MAKES AMENDMENTS IN SMALL SAVINGS ACT
i. In a bid to remove existing ambiguities due to multiple Acts and rules for Small Saving Schemes Government of India has proposed merger of Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959 and Public Provident Fund Act, 1968 with the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873. Consequentially, Government has proposed ‘Government Savings Promotion Act’, a new amended umbrella Act which subsumes the relevant provisions of above stated acts.
ii. The main objective of this proposed act is to make implementation easier for the depositors as they need not go through different rules and Acts for understanding the provision of various small saving schemes.
iii. As per PPF Act, the PPF account cannot be closed prematurely before completion of five financial years, not even in exigencies. The new act will introduce provisions that would permit premature closure of Small Savings Schemes to deal with medical emergencies, higher education needs, etc

6.      GOVERNMENT EXTENDS ANTI-NARCOTICS SCHEME FOR 3 MORE YEARS
i. The government has extended the anti-narcotics scheme for 3 more years to combat illicit trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substance.
ii. The purpose of the scheme is to assist states and Union Territories, which are contributing in controlling the inter-state and cross-border drug trafficking.

7.      JACOB ZUMA RESIGNS AS SOUTH AFRICA'S PRESIDENT
i. South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma has resigned. He announced the decision in a televised address to the nation after the ruling African National Congress party threatened to eject him from office via a parliamentary vote of no confidence today.
ii. The 75-year-old, who was the country's President for the last 9 years, has been under increasing pressure to give way to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC's new leader. Mr Zuma's resignation followed weeks of intense public pressure to step down amid long-standing corruption allegations.

8.      NTPC TO SUPPLY EXTRA 300MW TO BANGLADESH
i. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has won a tender to supply 300 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh for 15 years.
ii. Bangladesh Power Development Board had invited tenders for supply of 500 MW power from India for short term (June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019) and long term (January 1, 2020 to May 31, 2033).
ii. NVVN won the order for both, short term and long term for 300 MW power. Besides NVVN, Adani Group, PTC and Singapore-bases Sembcorp were also in the fray to bag the order.

9.      TAMIL NADU WINS SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FIRST TIME
i. Tamil Nadu has won the Senior Women's National Football Championship for the first time. Tamil Nadu, which was playing its first-ever final, defeated Manipur, 2-1 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
ii. Skipper Indumathi and Indrani found the net for Tamil Nadu, while Ratanbala scored Manipur's only goal.

10.  INDIA TO HOST 8TH THEATRE OLYMPICS
i. In an effort to put India firmly among the top nations in the world theatre map, the country will play host to the 8th Theatre Olympics, the greatest carnival of thespianism.
ii. The 51-day theatre extravaganza which will be inaugurated at Red Fort, will see 450 shows including 65 shows by international artistes, 600 ambient performances and 250 youth forum shows.

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS

Q1. IN ORDER TO REMOVE EXISTING AMBIGUITIES DUE TO MULTIPLE ACTS AND RULES FOR SMALL SAVING SCHEMES, THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA HAS PROPOSED MERGER OF GOVERNMENT SAVINGS CERTIFICATES ACT, 1959 AND PUBLIC PROVIDENT FUND ACT, 1968 WITH THE GOVERNMENT SAVINGS BANKS ACT, 1873. AS PER PPF ACT, THE PPF ACCOUNT CAN’T BE CLOSED PREMATURELY BEFORE COMPLETION OF _______FINANCIAL YEARS?
a)  four
b)  five
c)  three
d)  six
Q2. WHO OF THE FOLLOWING PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA HAS RESIGNED RECENTLY?
a)  Kgalema Motlanthe
b)  Gugu Mtshali
c)  Monwabisi Kwanda Mbeki
d)  Jacob Zuma
Q3. WHICH STATE HAS WON THE SENIOR WOMEN'S NATIONAL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME RECENTLY?
a)  Tamil Nadu
b)  Gujarat
c)  West Bengal
d)  Maharashtra
Q4. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING COMPANY HAS BAGGED AN ORDER WORTH RS 560 CR FROM NTPC FOR SETTING UP A SYSTEM FOR EMISSION CONTROL AT DADRI IN UTTAR PRADESH?
a)  GAIL
b)  SAIL
c)  BHEL
d)  TCS
Q5. WHICH AMONG THE FOLLOWING COUNTRY WILL PLAY HOST TO THE 8TH THEATRE OLYMPICS, THE GREATEST CARNIVAL OF THESPIANISM?
a)  Germany
b)  France
c)  South Africa
d)  India

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