Current Affairs Updates - 17th October 2017
Do You Know?
Gurugram-New Delhi to be connected through 5 major roads- Haryana Public Works Department Minister Rao Narbir Singh said that Gurugram and New Delhi will be connected by five major roads to reduce the load on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. He further said that the government will expand roads located on the cusp of Delhi-Gurugram-Faridabad, in order to provide alternative routes to commuters to avoid clogged roads.
Important Days
World Food Day on October 16: The problem of eliminating hunger - October 16 is observed as the World Food Day in honour of the founding of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN in 1945. The theme for this year is “Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development”. Check out some stats on WFD:
- 11.3% of the world’s population is hungry. That’s roughly 805 million people who go undernourished on a daily basis, consuming less than the recommended 2,100 calories a day.
Banking/Economic Affairs
Union Bank launches bilingual Android app Union Sahyog- Union Bank of India has launched an Android app, Union Sahyog, as part of its drive to digitise customer-facing banking services.
- The Union Sahyog app is bilingual — offering both English and Hindi language — and packs in all mobile-based banking applications, missed call/SMS-based services, Internet banking login and self-user creation, deposit and loan product information, online account opening, online loan application, online complaints and even RTI.
Rankings
1st Indian coach Justin Jose in Eng takes team to top spot in 3 months- Justin Jose, who became the first ever Indian to take charge of an English team three months back, has led the Sutton United Ladies FC to the top of the domestic league table. Jose was also named the Community Coach of the Year, following his 100% win record with Roehampton University men's football team.
- Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has announced plans to make a new world record by lighting around two lakh diyas on banks of Sarayu river on Diwali. The diyas will be arranged to depict a 'Swastika' and a bow and arrow. The Guinness World Record for the largest display of oil lamps was made by Dera Sacha Sauda in 2016.
- Kavita Devi, a former weightlifter and South Asian Games gold medalist, has become the first-ever Indian woman to sign with the WWE. The wrestler, who hails from Haryana, began her professional wrestling career last year under the guidance of former WWE champion The Great Khali. Earlier this year, she became the first Indian woman to compete in a WWE ring.
- Indian Accent in New Delhi has featured among the top 10 best restaurants in Asia Travellers’ Choice for the best fine dining eateries. Known for showcasing innovative cuisine by complementing Indian flavours with global ingredients and techniques, Indian Accent has secured the second position among the top 10 restaurants in Asia in TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards.
National Affairs
PM lays foundation stone of highway, sewerage projects- Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised chief minister Nitish Kumar for his commitment towards the progress of Bihar at the centenary function of the Patna University on Saturday morning.
- Modi announced a fund of Rs 10,000 crore for 10 private and 10 public universities over the period of five years to make them world-class.
- Madhya Pradesh will be developed as a hub of water tourism and more islands in the backwaters of the Narmada river will be developed, which will be together called Madhya Dweep, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said. He inaugurated a two-and-a-half-month-long water carnival on Monday which will be held till January 2 at Hanuwantiya Island in the backwaters of Indira Sagar Dam in Khandwa district of the state. Chouhan also flagged off a boat race as part of the festival.
- Aiming to double farmer's’ income by 2022, the federal think-tank Niti Aayog today said it is working with states to adopt first set of agri market reforms, including contract farming, online spot and futures trading besides encouraging private investment.
- Following a direction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a comprehensive agenda has been prepared to bring transformation in agriculture, which has not been liberalised like other sectors since 1991, it said.
Rajasthan assembly first in India to call motions online
- Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government, an official said today.
- Speaker Kailash Meghwal inaugurated the new system by sending a call for an attention motion to the state government with a click of mouse, assembly secretary Prithvi Raj said.
- The system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues.
- It will also streamline exchange of information and reports among respective departments.
- National Informatics Centres state information officer Indu Gupta said that a "help desk" has been set up at the secretariat to provide assistance to state government staff.
Science & Technologies
IBM launches blockchain banking for cross-border payments- US technology company IBM has launched blockchain network for cross-border payments that enables transfer of money in near real-time. The banking network includes "12 currency corridors" that encompass Australia and New Zealand as well as smaller countries like Fiji and Tonga. IBM has said it will initially use digital currency 'Lumens', created by Stellar, to conduct the transactions.
Defence & Railway
Anti-Submarine Warship INS Kiltan commissioned into Navy at Visakhapatnam- Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday commissioned the third indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare corvette INS Kiltan into the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam. With a displacement of 3,500 tonnes, it spans 109 meters in length and 14 meters at the beam. The ship has become part of the Eastern Fleet and would enhance the Navy's reach in the Indian Ocean Region.
Books & Authors
Pranab Mukherjee launches third book in series of political memoirs, "The Coalition Years: 1996 to 2012"- Former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on the cover of his new book,'The Coalition Years: 1996 to 2012'. Mukherjee said he opposed the Congress' 2003 decision to forge alliances to defeat the BJP in the 2004 general elections
- The book is the third in a series of political memoirs penned by him after "The Indira Years" and "The Turbulent Years
Application / Portal
tGST: An app to detect fake GST claims for the Commercial Taxes Department of Telangana.- A doubt that bothers many consumers is whether the GST claim raised by a shopkeeper is genuine or not as there is currently no avenue to check the veracity of such claims.
- The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Hyderabad) has come out with a technology solution to the problem. The institute has developed an app, tGST, for the Commercial Taxes Department of Telangana.
Schemes / Programme
Kerala to launch ‘health for all’ drive with focus on lifestyle- The Kerala government is taking the dictum ‘health is wealth’ seriously and making plans to become a 100 per cent healthy State by replicating its resounding success in literacy.
- The State will kick off ‘Kayika Kshmata Mission’ (Physical Endurance Mission) on New Year Day. It will focus on the physical well-being of all, from nursery students to senior citizens. The total fitness scheme is aimed at preventing diseases and propagating a “physically healthy lifestyle” among its nearly 3.5 crore population.
Agreements (MoU)
Yes Bank partners with Abu Dhabi Global Markets for collaboration on fintech - Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the International Financial Centre in Abu Dhabi, and Yes BankBSE -0.57 % have signed a memorandum of understanding to further foster cross-border exchange between the fintech ecosystems of the United Arab Emirates and India.
- The collaboration will enable fintech innovators from the Middle East region and India to apply into Yes FinTech programmes and the ADGM’s Regulatory Laboratory and will get the opportunity to expand into each other’s markets.
Summit /Conference / Events / Host
Shillong to host cherry blossom festival between November 8 and 11- Shillong will host its second cherry blossom festival between November 8 and 11. Known as the India International Cherry Blossom Festival, it will be hosted by the Meghalaya government and feature bicycle rallies, archery contests and a beauty pageant. There will also be live music gigs, dance performances and stalls showcasing the wines and cuisines of the region.
Awards & Honours
Singer T M Krishna to get Indira Gandhi National Integration Award- Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna will be conferred with the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for 2015-16.
- The singer, who won the Ramon Magsaysay award for bringing “social inclusiveness in culture” in 2016, will be presented with the honour by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on October 31, Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary.
Sports: Awards & Honours
Roger Federer cruises to Shanghai Masters title 2017- Roger Federer brushed aside world number one Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday and register his fourth victory of the year over his Spanish rival.
- The Swiss world number two beat Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open and Miami Masters and in the last 16 at Indian Wells earlier this year, and never looked like losing to his long-time rival in Shanghai, firing 10 aces as he cruised to victory.
Obituary
Richard Wilbur, Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Winner, Dies at 96- Richard Wilbur, whose meticulous, urbane poems earned him two Pulitzer Prizes and selection as the national poet laureate, died on Saturday in Belmont, Mass. He was 96.
- His son Christopher confirmed his death, in a nursing home.
- Lekh Tandon, best known for films like Amrapali, Agar Tum Na Hote and Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaye, also helmed television serial Dil Dariya in 1988 through which he introduced Shah Rukh Khan. As the news of his death broke, many fans and celebrities took to Twitter to share their grief on the sudden demise.
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