Current Affairs Updates - 18th October 2017

Current Affairs Updates - 18th October 2017

Banking/Economic Affairs

Yes Bank commits Rs 156 cr for Namami Gange project

• Private sector Yes Bank today said it has committed Rs 156 crore to fund first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be constructed at Varanasi under Hybrid Annuity-PPP Model.
• The bank has signed a deal with Essel Infraprojects for the financial closure of Rs 156 crore that will fund the STP under Namami Gange Project, a joint statement said.
• Yes Bank, given its responsible banking ethos, is committed to sustainable projects in STPs and other related segments, which have significant social and ecological impact, it said.

Intellect Design iGTB signs deal with Bangkok Bank

• iGTB, the transaction banking, and technology specialist from Intellect Design Arena Ltd. has been selected by Bangkok Bank, Thailand's market leader in corporate and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) banking, as a technology partner to implement a comprehensive cash management platform and corporate portal. The self-service digital portal will integrate a number of previously separate platforms, giving the bank's clients - from SMEs through to multinational corporations - a consistent and consolidated view of their working capital and payments activities irrespective of the country they operate in.
• The solution will also provide considerable benefits for the bank, with back-end processing of transactions risk management and reporting all centralised and handled in one place - leading to vast improvements in STP rates

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority to invest 1 billion dollar in India's Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)

• The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will invest 1 billion dollar in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), marking the start of India's ambitious attempt to raise equity funds for the infrastructure sector. 
• The agreement has been signed between NIIF Master Fund and a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, NIIF said in a statement. 

GDP may grow at 7% in FY’18: NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said the economic slowdown that began in 2013-14 has bottomed out and the GDP is likely to grow at 6.9-7 % this fiscal and 7.5% in 2018-19.
• The economic growth slowed to 7.1% in 2016-17, the year in which 87% of the currency was demonetised, despite a very good show by the agricultural sector.

Rankings

Delhi ranked among the worst cities of 2017 in the world for women

• The national capital Delhi was ranked fourth on the list of the world's worst megacities, after Cairo, Karachi, and Kinshasa for sexual violence against women, a survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation has revealed. The survey was conducted in 19 of the world's biggest megacities between June and July 2017. Tokyo was named the safest city for women.

National Affairs

Footwear Design & Development Institute Act 2017 making FDDI an ‘Institute of National Importance’ comes into force

• Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has been declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017. The Provisions of FDDI Act 2017 have come into force from today, according to the Notification published in The Gazette of India on October 5, 2017.

Punjab police launch foot patrolling in all districts

• In a bid to check criminal activities in the state, Punjab police on Monday launched an initiative whereby police personnel will patrol designated areas on foot to keep a watch on anti-social elements.
• The initiative would ensure safety and security of women, children and senior citizens, and also build a bridge for people-friendly policing, the official said.
• Foot patrolling involves beat patrolling on foot in a designated area which will be identified on the basis of criminal incidences, vulnerability, footfall in markets, strategic installations, educational, financial and religious institutions.

Indian-origin teen Akshay Ruparelia becomes one of UK's youngest millionaires

• Akshay Ruparelia, a 19-year-old Indian-origin youth, has become one of UK's youngest millionaires after his online estate agency business was valued at £12 million in just over a year. Ruparelia claims to have sold £100 million worth of properties since he set up his business. Ruparelia started his company with £7,000 borrowed from relatives and now employs 12 people.

International Affairs

Pakistan wins seat on UN Human Rights Council

• Pakistan on Monday won a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) by more than two-thirds vote as the General Assembly elected 15 countries to serve on the 47-member body. Pakistan said its membership to this council demonstrates a strong vote of confidence of the international community in its contributions to the global human rights agenda.

Defence & Railway

US, S Korea conduct joint navy drill amid N Korea threat

• The US and South Korea on Monday launched a joint naval exercise in the waters off the Korean Peninsula. This comes amid the renewal of North Korea's threat to strike the US territory of Guam. The five-day exercise is aimed at maintaining readiness against North Korea's naval provocation and improving capabilities to carry out joint operations, South Korean officials said.

INDRA 2017: India, Russia to hold 'Tri-Service' military exercise from October 19-27

• In the midst of evolving security situation in the region, India and Russia will hold a mega war game in October involving their armies, navies and the air forces for the first time to further ramp up military ties.
• Giving the Indo-Russian defence cooperation a major boost, Exercise INDRA-2017, the first ever Tri Services Joint Exercise between Indian and Russian Armed Forces will be conducted in the Eastern Military District of Russia from October 19 to 27.

Books & Authors

Deepika Padukone Launches Hema Malini's Biography 'Beyond The Dream Girl'

• Deepika Padukone launched the biography of veteran actress Hema Malini on Monday evening in Mumbai. The biography, titled Beyond The Dream Girl, is written by Ram Kamal Mukherjee, and was unveiled on Hema Malini's 69th birthday (October 16). The biography's foreword has been written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hema Malini's daughters Esha and Ahana Deol were also present at the launch along with their respective husbands. 

Schemes / Programme

Mahindra launches 'Prerna' project for women farmers 

• Mahindra & Mahindra today said it has launched a programme, Prerna, to empower women working in the agriculture sector by promoting efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment.
• "The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages," Mahindra & Mahindra said in a statement.

Shri Radha Mohan Singh reviews Pioneer Project CHAMAN 

• Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that in order to provide strategic development to the horticulture sector, so as to increase farmers income, a pioneer project called CHAMAN, has been launched three years back by the Government. This project is being implemented by Mahalanob is National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) using remote sensing technology and is likely to be completed in March 2018. This was told by the Shri Singh in New Delhi today during a presentation on CHAMAN.

Summit /Conference / Events / Host

Dharmendra Pradhan Visits Japan To Attend LNG Conferences

• Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan began his three day visit to Japan from today to participate in the 6th annual LNG Producers Consumer Conference.
• It also aims to enhance cooperation in establishing a transparent, efficient, truly global and balanced Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market. Energy Ministers from Qatar, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Japan and other leading hydrocarbon experts will participate in the Conference.

Awards & Honours

Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan awarded UN Medal

• Fifty Indian peacekeepers stationed in South Sudan have been awarded the United Nations Medal for their service in protecting civilians and building durable peace in the conflict-ridden country. The peacekeepers were involved in carrying out patrols across the Jonglei region and providing a secure environment for the 2,500 civilians, who have sought sanctuary at UN Protection of Civilians site.

Gopal Gowda gets 'Mandd Sobhann' award

• Renowned Konkani folk artiste Gopal Gowda has been chosen for this year's 'Kalakar Puraskar' instituted by Mandd Sobhann, an organisation with the aim of protecting Konkani identity. 
• The award is given annually by Mandd Sobhann to Konkani artistes from the fields of folk arts, theatre, music and dance. 

Eminent poet Prabha Varma chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram

• Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram this year.
• The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of Mathrubhumi daily, M P Veerendra Kumar, MP, at a press conference at Kalpetta in the district today.

Sports: Awards & Honours

17-year-old wins 3 golds in Egypt table tennis tournament

• Seventeen-year-old Selena Selvakumar from Chennai won three gold medals in the Egypt Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Open. The 17-year-old won golds in the junior girls' singles, junior girls' doubles and the team event at the tournament. Selvakumar remained unbeaten all through the 2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit event in Egypt.

Number 9 batsman hits Ranji's second fastest 50 off 16 balls

• Batting at number nine, Himachal Pradesh's Pankaj Jaiswal on Monday smashed Ranji Trophy's second fastest fifty in recorded history off 16 balls against Goa. The 22-year-old finished the innings with an unbeaten 63 off 20 balls, including four fours and seven sixes. The fastest fifty in Ranji Trophy belongs to J&K's Bandeep Singh, who reached the landmark in 15 balls.

Mohun Bagan lift Governor's Gold Cup for 10th time 

• Maidan heavyweights Mohun Bagan today won the 37th All India Governor's Gold Cup football tournament for the 10th time by defeating Partha Chakra by a narrow 1-0 margin.
• In the final match played at Paljor Stadium, Mohun Bagan's striker GA Kramah scored the lone goal in the seventh minute.

Obituary 

India's first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passes away

• Shamsher Khan, India's first swimmer to have participated in the Olympics, died of cardiac arrest in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district on Sunday. Khan had represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Australia and served in the Army for more than two decades before retiring as a subedar. Khan is survived by three daughters and two sons.

Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta passes away

• Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta known for his simplicity and loved by the common man, died of kidney ailment at a hospital here yesterday, family sources said. 
• He was 66 and is survived by his daughter.