Current Affairs – September 22/2015

Note : Kindly Check the given Links to know more about each update.

Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme for persons with disabilities

The Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Department of Empowerment of People with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, signed an MoU with The New India Assurance Company Limited on providing a comprehensive and affordable Health Insurance Scheme – Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme – for the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

• Check this Link – Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme (Complete Details)

Indra Nooyi, Shobhana Bhartia presented with USIBC global leadership award

PepsiCo Chairman Indra Nooyi and Hindustan Times Group chairperson Shobhana Bhartia have been presented with the 2015 Global Leadership Award of the US India Business Council. They were chosen for their commitment to driving a more inclusive global economy and their roles as women leaders. Ms Nooyi and Ms Bharatia were honoured with this prestigious annual award during the annual gala of the USIBC, the top advocacy group for India and American companies in the US.

• Check this Link – USIBC Global Leadership Award

Two Indian Coast Guard ships Apoorva and C-421 commissioned

Two Indian Coast Guard Ships named Apoorva and C-421 were commissioned at Naval Dock, Mumbai. ICGS Apoorva, 14th in the series of 20, is a 50 meter long Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) that displaces 317 Tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots. C-421 is a water jet propelled vessel, 27th in the series of IBs constructed by L & T Limited and can achieve a maximum speed of 45 Knots.

• Check this Link – Apoorva and C-421

India and Germany to strengthen ties in education sector

GOI has approved a proposal to bolster ties between India and Germany in higher education sector especially in the field of research, skill development and faculty development. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to the enhanced ties with the signing of Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between the two countries with some minor amendments in the earlier MoU. The JDI will facilitate implementation of ‘Indo-German Partnerships in Higher Education’.

• Check this Link – Joint Declaration of Intent

India exempts social media from encryption policy

The Indian government has exempted social media applications from a new encryption policy after public uproar over the proposed measures. The new law would have forced Indians to store plain-text versions of their encrypted data for 90 days and make it available to security agencies. The policy sparked outrage on social media, as most messaging services like WhatsApp use some form of encryption. Online banking and purchases will also be exempt from the law.

• Check this Link – Encryption Policy

Indian diaspora launches ‘Mission 2022’

The three million strong Indian diaspora in the US has launched “Mission 2022” in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industries to make US-India partnership a defining partnership of the 21st century.

The Mission 2022 will have a series of dialogues with the diaspora over the next seven years as India turns 75. These dialogues would be held every six months. Highlighting the significant positive change taking place within India, CII president Sumit Sumter invited the diaspora to invest in India’s transformation, avail the immense opportunities available today and be part of the mutual growth story.

• Check this Link – Mission 2022

ADB lowers India’s growth forecast for 2015-16

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has lowered growth projections for India for the current fiscal to 7.4 per cent, from the 7.8 per cent earlier. The reasons behind the lowered projections are weak monsoon, poor external demand and inability of the government to push economic reforms in Parliament.

Though ADB, in its update on Asian Development Outlook (ADO), retained the consumer inflation forecast for India at 4 per cent (plus/minus 0.2 per cent), it cautioned that a possible increase in prices of crude oil in the international market could have adverse implications for prices. In March, ADO had forecast a growth rate of 7.8 per cent for 2015-16 and 8.2 per cent for 2016-17.

• Check this Link – Asian Development Bank 

Cabinet approves Setting up of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the setting up of Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The ISLRTC will be under the aegis of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It shall be located initially at the Institute for Physically Handicapped, New Delhi.

• Check this Link – Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre

Ninth Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (RPBD)

In a Joint statement with the US Secretary of State John Kerry, the Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has declared that the GOI will be organizing the 9th Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (RPBD) at Los Angeles on the 14th and 15th November 2015. The Theme for RPBD Los Angeles will be – “The Indian Diaspora: Defining a New Paradigm in India-US Relationship”.

• Check this Link – Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

Cow is the National Animal of Nepal

Cow has been declared as the national animal of Nepal in the country’s newly secular constitution.Some lawmakers have proposed the one-horned rhino as national animal. Since  Nepal is a Hindu Country and cow is the sacred animal among Hindus. Nepal had adopted a new constitution on 20th September 2015. The declaration of cow as an animal has led to the banning of Cow slaughtering in Nepal.

• Check this Link – National Animal of Nepal

Bharat Dynamics ties up with ECIL to develop missiles and underwater weapon systems

Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), an unit under the Ministry of Defence, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), under the Department of Atomic Energy, to work together.

The tie-up will enable both the organisations to tap business opportunities in the area of missiles and underwater weapon systems for upcoming defence programmes. The MoU was inked between V Udaya Bhaskar, Chairman and Managing Director, BDL, and P Sudhakar, Chairman and Managing Director, ECIL.

• Check this Link – BDL signs MoU with ECIL

PM Narendra Modi to visit Ireland, US from September 23-29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Ireland and the US from September 23-29. Modi will visit Ireland on September 23. He will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country in almost 60 years. He will talk with Taoiseach (prime minister) Enda Kenny.

On September 24, Modi will travel to the US. In New York City, Modi will address the UN Sustainable Development Summit for formal adoption of post-2015 new sustainable development agenda.

• Check this Link – Modi to Visit Ireland and US

Cabinet approves MoU with Cambodia for tourism

The Union Cabinet has approved an agreement signed between India and Cambodia for bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector that aims at enhancing investment and promoting exchange of experience in marketing, destination development and management in this field.

The main objectives of this agreement are expansion of bilateral cooperation in tourism sector, exchange of data and information related to tourism, encouraging cooperation between tourism stakeholders including hotels and tour operators.

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