Current Affairs Updates - 11th April 2018

Current Affairs Updates - 11th April 2018

Current Affairs Updates for 11th April 2018 has some of the important news headlines based on the Latest Pattern of the government examination. Most of the news today are based on the sections of National, International, Schemes, Banking and other similar news. These are important for the upcoming examinations of Bank like IBPS PO, IBPS CLERK, RAIL, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL and other similar examinations. We hope aspirants will grow better with each day. You should also go through the One Liner and Static GK and Note Down points along with the Daily Current Affairs Quiz.  

Banking, Economic & Financial Affairs

SBI launches UK subsidiary with 225 mn pounds capital

• India's largest state-owned bank, which celebrated the new subsidiary with a special event in London yesterday, becomes the first foreign bank in the UK to ringfence its retail division from its wholesale business. 

The State Bank of India will be investing a total of Rs 80 billion in the Arun III hydropower project of Nepal, which has 900 megawatts (MW) electricity production capacities. 

• The SJVN, which has been awarded with the construction of the mega power project of Nepal, has made an informal agreement with the SBI to acquire the investment as a loan and soon will make the formal agreement, sources informed ANI. 

The National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has come out with a ‘Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) Framework’ framework for regional rural banks (RRBs), much like the revised one the RBI unveiled for scheduled commercial banks nearly a year ago.

• This framework is aimed at enabling RRBs that fail to meet prudential requirements relating to capital adequacy, net non-performing assets (NNPAs) and return on assets (ROA) to take self-corrective action to arrest further deterioration in their financial position.

Rankings & Indexes

In 2017, Delhi's IGI in world's top 20 busiest airports, displacing JFK

Robust air traffic growth at the capital's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has propelled it into the list of top 20 airports - in terms of passenger traffic - in 2017, displacing New York's JFK Airport from the ranking.

National Affairs

Transgenders to be recognised as independent gender category in PAN form

• The government has amended Income Tax rules that will now allow transgenders to be recognised as an independent category of applicants for obtaining a Permanent Account Number (PAN) for their tax-related transactions.

GST e-way bill compulsory for local goods shipment in 5 states from 15 April

• Generating e-way bills will be compulsory for transporting goods locally in five more states starting 15 April as the nation gradually extends the scope of electronic permits mandated for goods shipments across state borders from the beginning of the month.

Manipur chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh inaugurated a special court at Cheirap Court Complex in Imphal West district to try drug-related cases.

• The fast-track court will facilitate speedy trial of offences relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The government has made the use of e-Invoices, e-Payments and e-Delivery orders mandatory across the maritime trade as it seeks to push digitisation of trade processes to improve the ease of doing business.

• The government has also directed stakeholders to use the Port Community System (PCS), a centralised web-based message exchange platform for the Indian maritime community run by the Indian Ports Association (IPA), to exchange the documents.

India slaps anti-dumping duty on import of phosphorus pentoxide from China

• The revenue department has imposed an anti-dumping duty on the import of a chemical from China to protect the domestic manufacturers from cheap shipments

Andhra Pradesh becomes second state to get happiness department

• The Andhra Pradesh government will soon constitute a Happiness Commission that will take up a series of programmes to promote “happiness”

UIDAI puts digitally signed QR code with photo on eAadhaar

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has brought in secure digitally-signed QR code on eAadhaar that will now contain photograph of the Aadhaar holder too, in addition to demographic details, to facilitate better offline verification of an individual.

International Affairs

Barcelona's Lionel Messi named UN ambassador

• The UN World Tourism Organization said Monday it has appointed FC Barcelona‘s Argentine star Lionel Messi as an ambassador to promote responsible tourism.

Defence & Railway News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveilsIndia's first 12,000 horsepower electric locomotive from Bihar's Madhepura locomotive factory. Theme: "Satyagraha se Swachhagrah". 

• Modi reached Bihar to attend the centenary celebrations of the Champaran Satyagraha as a part of "Chalo Champaran Campaign". 

India to build strategic railway link between Kathmandu and Raxaul in Bihar

• The announcement was made today after delegation-level talks between Indian and Nepalese officials chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli, who is on a three-day visit. The the two prime ministers agreed to construct the new electrified rail line, which will be financed by India, connecting the border city in India to Nepal, according to a statement issued by the government

Application / Portal 

The Goa government has decided to launch its own app-based taxi service to some key tourist destinations in the coastal state.

• The state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) today invited the taxi operators to register with the new mobile application-based transport service.

Agreements/ MoUs Signed

Singapore and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Third-party Market Cooperation in Beijing on Sunday (Apr 8) to promote greater collaboration between Singapore and Chinese companies in third-party markets along the Belt and Road.

• Under this MOU, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, NDRC and Enterprise Singapore will form a working group to identify sectors and markets of mutual interest, and organise business matching activities and forums to facilitate third-party market cooperation between Singapore and Chinese companies along the Belt and Road.

India and Swaziland have signed two agreements in the field of Health and Medicine and Visa department

• The agreements were signed in the presence of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on his maiden official visit to Swaziland as part of his three-nation tour in Africa.

India and Nepal recognised the untapped potential of inland waterways, in order to contribute towards the overall economic development of the region.

• The new initiative would enable cost-effective and efficient movement of cargo. Prime Minister Oli noted the enormous impact the additional connectivity would have on the growth of business and economy of Nepal.

India and Bangladesh signed six MoUs, including one for the construction of a 129.5 km-long oil pipeline between Siliguri and Parbatipur.

• Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and his Bangladeshi counterpart Md Shahidul Haque discussed many bilateral and international issues during delegation-level talks.

Summit /Conference / Events

The first meeting of NITI Forum for North East held in Agartala

• In Tripura, the first meeting of NITI Forum for North East- a unit of NITI Aayog took place in Agartala today. Talking to media, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Dr Rajiv Kumar said, in the meeting, the emphasis was given on Infrastructure and Connectivity.

Nepal President inaugurates International Conference on Human Rights in South Asia

• President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that sharing of experiences in the area of human rights protection and promotion in South Asia is extremely important for quality of life and livelihood in the region.

Vice President inaugurates “Scientific Convention on World Homoeopathy Day” 

• While addressing the delegates, the Vice President called on to the homoeopathy professionals and scientists to undertake more research in this field of medical science, which is widely used as a system of healing in the world and is one of the most popular treatment methods in India. 

Conference on Water, Environment and Climate Change to begin in Nepal

• The basic objective of the conference is to bring together professionals, academicians,researchers,entrepreneurs, government and non government institutions to discuss and deliberate on challenges,opportunities and strategies related to water and environmental issues.

Awards & Honours: Sports

Heena Sidhu wins gold medal in 25m Pistol

• On Day 6 of CWG, Gagan Narang and Chain Singh failed to increase India’s medal tally in Men’s 50m rifle prone event in Gold Coast. 

India's historic badminton team gold makes them a true heavyweight in the sport

• It was an unprecedented and unforgettable sight that will forever be stamped on the memory cells of all who were privileged to see it live, even on television — a mixed Indian badminton team, astride the topmost rung of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) winners’ rostrum, admiring the glittering, yellow-coloured medals they had earned by dint of their consistently strong and self-confident performances over the preceding five days.