Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 16 2019
1. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Bolivia on Cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral Resources
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bolivia on Cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral Resources. The MoU was signed in Bolivia in March, 2019.
Impact:
The MoU will provide an institutional mechanism between India and Bolivia for cooperation in the field of Mineral Resources. The MoU provides for exchange of information on resources, laws and policy, organization of seminars to exchange views on development strategies, encouragement of transfer of technologies between the two countries, promotion of value addition, which will enable taking up of activities like documentation and dissemination etc.
2. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Cambodia on Cooperation in the field of Communications
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given ex post-facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Cambodia on Cooperation in the field of Communications. The MoU was signed in Cambodia in March, 2019.
Impact:
The MoU will contribute in strengthening bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding between India and Cambodia in the field of communications.
3. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Bolivia on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bolivia in the Field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy. The MoU was signed in Bolivia in March, 2019.
Impact:
The MoU will provide a framework for cooperation, and will be mutually beneficial between the two countries for promotion of traditional systems of medicine and homoeopathy. It will lead to promotion and propagation of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy in Bolivia, and will boost the importance of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) systems of Medicine in Bolivia.
4. Cabinet approves creation of one post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General in the office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to create one post of Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General (Coordination, Communication and Information System) in Pay Level-17 (by abolishing one STS level post) in the Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.
The Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General shall oversee the coordination among State Audits, audit of telecommunication and to coordinate the various Information Systems (IS) initiatives within the Indian Audit & Accounts Department (IA&AD).
Expenditure on account of creation of this post will be Rs.21 Lakh (approx.).
5. Cabinet approves Cooperation Agreement between India and Denmark in the field of Renewable Energy with focus on Offshore Wind Energy
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for a Cooperation Agreement between Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India and Ministry for Energy, Utilities and Climate of the Kingdom of Denmark on strategic sector cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy with a focus on Offshore Wind Energy and a Letter of Intent to establish an Indo-Danish Centreof Excellence for renewable energy in India. The Agreement was signed in March, 2019 in New Delhi.
The objective of the Cooperation Agreement is to promote cooperation between the twocountries in the field of renewable energy with special focus on Off-shore wind.
6. Cabinet apprised about MoU between India and Republic of Korea in issuing jointly Postage Stamp
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised about an MoU signed in February, 2019 between India and Republic of Korea.
Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India and The Ministry of Science and ICT (Korea Post), Government of the Republic of Korea have mutually agreed to jointly issue Postage Stamps on the theme “Queen Hur Hwang-ok of Korea”.
The joint stamps will be released on a mutually agreed date by the end of 2019.
7. Cabinet apprised about MoU between India and Brazilin the area of Biotechnology
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised about an MoU signed in May, 2018 between India and Brazil.
The MoU has been signed to strengthen the ties between India and Brazil to work out the future agenda for the collaboration for innovation in Science & Technology diplomacy to evolve a concrete strategic plan in the area of biotechnology education, training and research.
8. Cabinet approves extension of duration of New Urea Policy-2015 for existing gas based urea unit
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of the Department of fertilizers to extend the duration of New Urea Policy-2015 from April 1, 2019 till further orders, except for the provisions which stand already amended vide notification dated March 28, 2018.
9. Former MP and freedom fighter Paripooranand Painuli dead
Former Congress MP and freedom fighter Paripooranand Painuli died at his residence .Painuli was 94. Born on November 19, 1924, Painuli was elected to the 5th Lok Sabha in 1971 after defeating the erstwhile Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal.
10. Supreme Court bans mining activities along Kaziranga park
The Supreme Court has banned all mining activities along the Kaziranga National Park and catchment area of rivers originating in Karbi Anglong Hills in Assam. A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta issued a notice to the Assam government and sought its reply within three weeks.
11. redBus appoints Mahendra Singh Dhoni as brand ambassador
Bus ticketing platform redBus announced that it has appointed cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador. The cricketer will appear in a hockey player avatar in his first cameo for the brand, slated to be launched soon.
According to celebrity managers, Dhoni’s brand endorsement deals can be in the range of ₹ 3-10 crore, depending on the size of the company he is associated with and the size and duration of the contract.
12. ‘First’ 3D print of heart with human tissue, vessels unveiled
Scientists in Israel unveiled a 3D print of a heart with human tissue and vessels, calling it a first and a “major medical breakthrough” that advances possibilities for transplants.
13. ND Tiwari’s son Rohit Shekhar Tiwari passes away
Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of late Uttarakhand Chief Minister N D Tiwari passed away on Tuesday.
14. India’s travel spend to grow to $136 bn by 2021
The travel spend in India is expected to grow at 13 per cent to a total of $136 billion by 2021, said a new report by Bain & Company and Google India .
According to the “How Does India Travel” report, the Indian traveller spent around $94 billion in 2018 on around 2 billion domestic and international trips, thus, helping India’s travel and tourism industry achieve unprecedented scale.
15. Boost ropes in Pant, Iyer as brand ambassadors
Boost, one of the leading brands in the health food/drinks category, announced appointment of cricketers Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer as brand ambassadors.
With this alliance, Pant and Iyer join Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni who have been associated with the brand for a long time. Pant and Iyer, youngest achievers’ in Indian cricket, are a perfect fit for the brand that aims to empower kids become champions in sports and life, the company said.
