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Current Affairs GK Updates: 14th September 2017

Current Affairs GK Updates: 14th September 2017
Current Affairs GK Updates: 14th September 2017

Important Days
Hindi Diwas 2017: Know why we celebrate this day on 14th September?
  • 14th September is celebrated across the country as Hindi Diwas. But do you know why this date is chosen exclusively to celebrate the day? Let us narrate the history behind the celebration of Hindi Diwas on 14th September. When our country attained freedom from British rule in 1947, then a big concern of language was standing before them. India is a huge country with a varied culture. 
  • There are hundreds of languages that are spoken in the country and more than thousands of dialects. On 6th December 1946, Constitution Assembly was called to prepare the constitution of independent India. Sacchinanand Sinha was appointed as the Interim Director of Constitution Assembly, later he was replaced by Dr Rajendra Prasad. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was the Chairman of Drafting Committee of Constitution Assembly. The Assembly presented the final draft on 26th November 1949. Hence, independent India received its constitution on 26th January 1950 completely. 
  • But still, the concern for choosing an official language for the constitution was still unattended. After a long debate and discussion, Hindi and English were chosen as the official language of independent India. On 14th September 1949, Constitution Assembly accepted Hindi written in Devnagri Script and English as an official language. Later, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru announced this day to be celebrated as Hindi Diwas in the country. First Hindi Diwas was celebrated on 14th September 1953. 
New Appointments: National
Nagaraja Sharma appointed new chairman and MD of United India Insurance
  • The Union government has appointed M Nagaraja Sharma as the chairman and managing director of United India Insurance (UII).     
  • The appointments committee of the Union Cabinet approved his elevation, a government notification said.
  • Sharma, currently the director and general manager of UII, is likely to assume the charge of his new post tomorrow. His retirement is due in May next year.  
  • The post of chairman and MD was vacant after the retirement of Milind Kharat a few months ago.
New Appointments: International
Halimah Yacob as first female president is elected without a vote massive Anger in Singapore. 
  • An establishment stalwart has been named Singapore’s first female president but the milestone was overshadowed by criticism that her selection was undemocratic after she was handed the job without a vote.
  • Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Muslim Malay minority, did not have to face an election for the largely ceremonial post after authorities decided her rivals did not meet strict eligibility criteria.
  • It was not the first time in the affluent city-state – which is tightly controlled and has been ruled by the same party for decades – that the government has disqualified candidates for the presidency, making an election unnecessary.


Banking/Economic Affairs
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has constituted a Group of Ministers headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to monitor and resolve the IT challenges faced in the implementation of GST. 
  • The GoM will be assisted by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). Besides, a Committee on Exports has also been constituted under the convenorship of the Revenue Secretary Dr.Hasmukh Adhia to look at the issues of export sector and to recommend the GST Council suitable strategy for helping the export sector in the post-GST scenario. The Committees have been set up in pursuance of decision taken in the 21st Meeting of GST Council held on 9th of this month in Hyderabad.
Rs 100 coin is coming; it will be introduced to commemorate birth centenary of MG Ramachandran
  • In a major development, Finance Ministry on Tuesday issued a notification about the introduction of Rs 100 coin. According to news agency ANI, the Rs 100 coin will be introduced to commemorate the birth centenary of Dr MG Ramachandran. News agency PTI reports that along with Rs 100, Rs 5 coin will also be issued by the government. As per the report, the coins will bear MGR’s portrait in the centre along with the inscription ‘DR M G Ramachandran Birth Centenary’ on the lower periphery.  
  • The same will also be marked on the upper periphery in Devnagari script. The notification said that the year ‘1917-2017’ will be flanked below the portrait of Dr M G Ramachandran. The coins will also bear the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with the inscription ‘Satyamev Jayte’ on the obverse side.  The Rs 100 coin will weigh around 35 grams, while Rs 5 coins will weigh 6 grams.
National Affairs
AYUSH Minister inaugurates India’s first advanced Homoeopathy Virology lab in Kolkata 
  • The Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Shri Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated India’s first State of art virology laboratory at Dr. Anjali Chatterjee Regional Research Institute for Homoeopathy in Kolkata today. In his inaugural address the Minister appreciated the popularity of Homoeopathy in West Bengal. 
  • Shri Naik said that this laboratory has been established to develop new drugs and technologies in Homoeopathy to combat emerging challenges of viral diseases. In this context the Minister expressed his satisfaction of recognising this laboratory by the Calcutta University to undertake research work of the PhD students in Homoeopathy.
  • The laboratory, established at a cost of Rs. 8 crore is the only one in India for conducting basic and fundamental research in Homoeopathy for viral diseases like influenza, Japanese encephalitis, dengue, chickunguniya and swine flu. New drugs and technologies would also be developed here to combat emerging challenges of viral diseases.
Kerala Open India’s First Clinics Exclusively for Transgenders
  • Known for its progressive initiatives towards the transgender community, the Kerala government has set an example for all states once again.
  • For the first time in the country, exclusive clinics catering for the community will be soon functional in government medical colleges across the state and will offer sex-change surgeries.
  • Part of the state’s Transgender Policy first unveiled in 2015, the move has been undertaken by the state’s Health and Social Justice departments, in collaboration with Legal Services Society with an aim to make the state’s health sector transgender-friendly.
  • The opening of the clinics will finally address the long-standing woes of the members concerning expensive and time-consuming surgeries.
Chennai-Vladivostok sea route: India's effort to counter China's OBOR could soon get a big Russian helping hand 
  • Aiming to put in place a key maritime route connecting India with Northeast Asia and Western Pacific region Delhi is contemplating to put in place a major connectivity initiative — direct shipping link between Chennai and Vladivostok amid China’s ambitious Maritime Silk Route (MSR) connecting Asia with Africa. 
  • With India making concrete moves to expand its presence in Far East Russia to harness natural resources as evident through Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Vladivostok last week plans are in making for a maritime link connecting Chennai with the key Russian port on the Pacific. This shipping link would enable to transfer cargo between Chennai and Vladivostok in 24 days in comparison to over 40 days currently taken to transport goods from India to Far East Russia via Europe, according to .. 
Science & Technologies
Zoological Survey of India produces first exhaustive compendium of animal diversity in the Sundarban islands and the threats they face
  • In a first, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published an compendium of animal species in the Indian Sundarbans, estimating that there are 2,626 of them in the fragile island ecosystem. The listing includes a diverse 25 phyla, as they are biologically classified.
  • The Indian segment of the Sundarbans, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, forms part of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta across 9,630 sq. km, distributed among 104 islands.
  • The region hosts 2,487 species that come under the zoological kingdom of Animalia, and 140 under the more primitive Protista.
  • “The publication titled Fauna of Sundarban Biosphere Reserve is the first consolidated and updated information of the faunal diversity of the Sundarbans. It lists over 2,600 species, including the new species described from the mangrove ecosystem as well as threats faced by them due to climate change,” ZSI Director Kailash Chandra told The Hindu.
Schemes / Programme
Sachin Tendulkar launches project "Mission 24" to develop the poorest ward in Mumbai
  • Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday launched Mission-24 — a programme aimed at improving the quality of life in one of Mumbai’s poorest wards through collaborative efforts in the next 24 months.
  • Under Mission-24, efforts will be made to provide basic amenities to residents of M-East ward that includes slums of Shivaji Nagar, Deonar and Mankhurd. Through this project, the organisations aim to provide amenities like secondary schools and colleges, aanganwadis, maternity homes, health posts and dispensaries in the ward. It also aims to improve sanitation, create more open spaces and look at commuter safety.
  • The area ranks the lowest in human development index (HDI) among all the 24 administrative wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Agreements (MoU)
Airtel join hands with SK Telecom to build the most advanced telecom network in India
  • India's largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has announced its strategic partnership with SK Telecom to leverage the South Korean telecom operator's expertise to build the most advanced telecom network in India.
  • Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman - Bharti Airtel said, " This partnership will bring a dramatically improved experience for Airtel customers in India by leveraging the expertise of a company that has built one of the best mobile broadband networks in the world." "Strong partnerships have been a hallmark of Airtel's growth journey and we are proud to have always looked ahead to bring the latest technology to India. 
  • With SK Telecom's clear and undisputed leadership in technology, this is one partnership that will decisively change the game in India and put the country on par with the most advanced broadband nations in the world," added Mittal.
PM Narendra Modi jointly launched the high-speed bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai which is expected to be completed by 2022.
10 Major Points:You Must Know
  1. "A strong India is good for Japan and a strong Japan is good for India," said Japan PM Shinzo Ab after the two leaders laid the foundation stone for the project at the Sabarmati station. He spoke in Japanese but began with "Namaskar" and ended his speech with a "Dhanyawad." Japan PM Shinzo Abe says Indo-Japan partnership is special, strategic and global.
  2. PM Modi said "New India... has taken an important step towards fulfilling a big dream." He said the "bullet train will bring employment as well as speed," adding that it was an emotional moment for India and that Japan has proved itself a "strong friend."
  3. The prime ministers of the two countries also laid the foundation stone for an institute that will come up at Vadodara where around 4,000 people will be trained for the bullet train project. The ceremony was Mr Abe's first official engagement since he landed to a grand reception on Wednesday afternoon. The two leaders are holding summit meetings after the function.
  4. The Rs. 1.1 lakh crore bullet train project is a joint venture between the Indian Railways and Japanese firm Shinkansen Technology. The Japanese team estimated that the first train would roll out by 2023, but Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said PM Modi wants the train to start on 15 August 2022 - when India completes 75 years of Independence.
  5. Japan will fund 81 per cent of the project, nearly Rs. 88,000 crores, in soft loans at an interest rate of 0.1%. The loan will have to be repaid over 50 years.
  6. The new train will race between PM Modi's home state Gujarat and Mumbai, carrying 750 passengers. Travel time will be reduced from eight hours to a little over three hours if it stops at all the 12 stations and around two hours if it stops at only four.
  7. At an average speed of 250 km per hour, with a top speed of around 320 km per hour, the train will run at more than double the top speed of the fastest train in India.
  8. Of the 508-km stretch, 92 per cent of the route will be elevated, six per cent through a tunnel and the rest on the ground. The high speed train will pass through the country's longest tunnel of 21 km, of which seven km will be under sea near Thane in Maharashtra.
  9. The Maharashtra government is still undecided on where the bullet train will end in Mumbai. The state government this week agreed to spare 9,000 sq metres plot for the station at the Bandra-Kurla Complex on the condition that the railways assess suitability of an alternative site.
  10. At their summit talks today PM Modi and Mr Abe are expected to focus on bolstering defence and security ties. They are also expected to discuss cooperation in the nuclear energy sector. The recent nuclear test by North Korea will come up during the talks, officials said.
Awards & Honours
Raghunandan Money Honoured With Krishi Pragati Awards 2017 by National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX)
  • National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX), the only commodity exchange in the country promoted by national level institutions, has awarded Raghunandan Industries Pvt Ltd with Krishi Pragati Awards 2017 in an event held in Delhi on 7th September, 2017. 
  • NCDEX, which focuses primarily on derivatives trading in Agri Commodities contracts, works closely with the Government of India on various aspects of the ecosystem around agriculture and farmers. With the honour of Krishi Pragati Awards to Raghunandan Money, NCDEX has acknowledged the outstanding contribution made by Raghunandan Industries in the area of Agri Commodities.
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