Current Affairs Updates - 8th March 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 8th March 2018

Here we have some of the Latest Daily Current Affairs like National news, International, Banking, Schemes and Agreements in our today's Current Affairs Updates - 8th March 2018. Readers are requested to go through each point in details along with the bullet points. These are crucial for the upcoming examinations like Bank, Rail and SSC. You may also like Daily Current Affairs Quiz and One Liner GK and Static Note Down Points.

First in India & World

Kollam is set to become the first district in India to bring all food business operators under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA).

• So far 29,000 food businesses in the district have been provided with registration and licence and very soon the remaining units also will be brought under the purview of the FSSA. 

New Appointments: International

Senior NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio was appointed as the new chief minister of Nagaland by Governor P B Acharya 

• The governor said he had received letters of support in Rio's favour from 12 legislators of the BJP, one letter from the JD(U) and another from an Independent MLA, besides the 18 legislatures of the NDPP. 

Rankings & Indexes

Forbes Billionaires List 2018: Mukesh Ambani Richest Indian, Ranked 19th Globally. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the world's richest man.

• Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the world's richest man with assets valued at 112 billion dollar, overtaking Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates whose fortunes are valued at 90 billion dollar and investor Warren Buffet with 84 billion dollar.

National Affairs

Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said that his ministry will soon introduce a new biofuel policy 2018 and cabinet will give nod for its implementation.

• Inaugurating a two-day bilateral conference on advanced biofuels jointly organised by European Union and India in New Delhi today, he said, in the policy-making, generation of 2G ethanol from non-sugar resource will be the key factor.

India is all set to become the 69th member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) after shareholders of the international financial institution gave their nod to the country’s candidature.

• The move follows the Indian government’s application to seek the EBRD membership back in December 2017 and sets the stage for an increase in joint investment with Indian companies in the Bank’s regions of operation.

India for the first time has started importing Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from United States. 

• The development comes on the heels of India’s first import of crude oil from the US in October 2017. 

Paytm founder Vijay Sharma youngest Indian billionaire

• Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, 39, is the youngest Indian billionaire, while 92-year-old Samprada Singh, chairman emeritus of Alkem Laboratories, is the oldest, according to Forbes. Sharma, ranked 1,394th on the list with a fortune of USD 1.7 billion, is the only Indian billionaire in the under-40 league.

International Affairs

Washington has become the first state to enact its own net-neutrality requirements after U.S. regulators repealed Obama-era rules designed to keep the internet an even playing field.

• The new law also requires internet providers to disclose information about their management practices, performance and commercial terms. Violations would be enforceable under the state’s Consumer Protection Act.

Defence & Railway News

Ahead of the International Women’s Day, the South Central Railway (SCR) management has named the little-known Chandragiri station near Tirupati as the “all-women railway station” in the zone.

• The station has the positions of four station masters (including one reliever), three points[we]men, one booking clerk, one health worker and two technical positions. 

Application / Portal 

Shri Nitin Gadkari to launch Sukhad Yatra App and Toll-free Emergency number 1033 for Highway users

• The service has also integrated with various ambulance/tow away services along the road to ensure rapid response time in emergency. 
• The service is supported by a multi-lingual support and user location tracking features to provide the user with accurate and responsive complaint resolution.

Schemes / Programme

Shri Nitin Gadkari launched scheme for District Driving Training Centres and will provide grant of financial assistance for Road Safety Advocacy and awards for outstanding work in road safety.

• At least one model driving training centre will be set up in each district of States/UTs. MoRTH will provide financial assistance of up to Rs. 1 crore for these centres.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has sanctioned Rs. 1000 crore for phase II of Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) India

• This programme will boost research and innovation in the country.

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has installed 49 lakh LED street lights in 28 states/UTs under the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP).

• The Programme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 to replace 1.34 crore conventional street lights with energy efficient LED lights by March, 2019.

NITI Aayog to launch Women Entrepreneurship Platform on International Women’s Day 

• Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) would provide a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where women do not face any gender-based barriers. 
• The platform aspires to substantially increase the number of women entrepreneurs who will create and empower a dynamic New India.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

Tech giant Microsoft has inked its first renewable energy deal in India for powering its new facility in Bengaluru.

• The agreement will see Microsoft purchase 3 megawatts of solar-powered electricity from Atria Power for its new office building in Bengaluru, meeting 80% of the projected electricity needs at the facility

ONGC Videsh, the overseas arm of government-owned ONGC, has signed a cooperation agreement with Iran’s IDRO Oil to jointly bid for a 900 million dollar development plan of Susangerd oilfield in southwest Iran, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)

• Given a similar MoU with Russia’s Zarubezhneft, the aim of the accord with ONGC Videsh was to form a possible consortium.

Summit /Conference / Events

Participants of Indian Origin from 9 countries attended 46th edition of Know India Programme (KIP).

• KIP was launched in 2004 to engage and make students and young professionals of Indian Diaspora feel connected to their motherland.

Turkey, Russia and Iran will hold a summit in April to discuss Syria and potential steps in the region

• Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy also told a news conference Ankara would tell U.S. authorities during meetings on March 8-9 that it expected Washington to take concrete steps on retrieving weapons provided to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia.