Latest Current Affairs – February 08 2019
1.Vidarbha beat Saurashtra to win Ranji Trophy for second consecutive time
Vidarbha defeated Saurashtra by 78 runs to win Ranji Trophy 2018-19 edition and lift the coveted domestic trophy for the second consecutive time. It took only one session on Day 5 for the Faiz Fazal-led Vidarbha to dismiss Saurashtra for 127 in the final match, which was played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association in Nagpur.
For Vidarbha, Aditya Sarwate was the pick of the bowlers, as the left-arm orthodox spinner picked up six wickets to dismantle the Saurasthra batting-line up in the second innings of the match. Sarwate was also impressive in the first innings after he picked up a five-for. The 206-run target set by Vidarbha proved to be a mountain of a task for the Saurashtra batters as they faltered mid-way to get all-out for just 127 runs.
2.Labour Minister Inaugurates ILO Centenary Celebrations in India
Union Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar inaugurated the International Labour Organization (ILO) centenary celebrations in India at V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, Noida.
ILO was established in 1919, and India being its founding member, has always played active role in every field of the organization. He added that India has ratified 47 out of 189 ILO conventions during the century.
Work report was discussed by all the stakeholders (Trade Unions, Employers representative and Government representative) in special context of our country. Four publications of V.V. Giri National Labour Institute were also released during the function. The panel discussion was chaired by Ms. Dagmar Walter, Director, ILO, DWT for South Asia and Country Office for India.
3.Centre announces mascot for COP-13 on conservation of migratory species
The Centre announced that the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) will be its mascot for the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on the conservation of migratory species (CMS) to be held in Gujarat next year.
Launching the logo and the mascot along with a website for the international event, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan said that hosting the 13th COP would give India an opportunity to showcase its conservation initiatives for wildlife species. It will provide a global platform for deliberations on the conservation and sustainable use of migratory wild animals and their habitat.
Representatives from 129 countries and eminent conservationists and international NGOs working in the field of wildlife conservation are expected to attend the COP-13, to be held in Gandhinagar from February 15-22, 2020.
4.MP govt announces “Yuva Swabhiman Yojana” for youth
The Madhya Pradesh government announced ‘Yuva Swabhiman Yojana’ scheme, under which unemployed urban youths will get a hundred days’ employment and a stipend of Rs 13,000. It also announced ‘Indira Grah Jyoti Yojana’ under which 100 units of power would be provided to all households at Rs 100.
Under the Yuva Swabhiman Yojna, youths between the ages of 21 to 30 having annual family income of less than Rs 2 lakh will be eligible. They will get employment for 100 days, including 10 days of training, and will get a stipend of Rs 13,000 per annum.
under the Indira Grah Jyoti Yojana, 100 units of power will be provided at Rs 100 to all sections of society including general classes.It will cost the government about Rs 2,226 crore. However, there is a rider for general consumers. If they consume more than 100 units in a month, they will have to pay for the entire consumption at the existing rate.
For farmers, the cabinet decided to halve the rate of power for upto 10 horse-power pumps, from Rs 1,400 per horse power to Rs 700.It will benefit 29 lakh farmers and will cost the exchequer about Rs 669 crore.
5.Assam Budget Proposes 1 Tola Gold To Brides, Rice At Re 1 Per Kg
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma presented a Rs 1,193 crore deficit budget for 2019-20 with no fresh taxes and introducing new schemes like providing rice to poor at Re 1 a kg and gold for brides.The budget also proposed to provide financial assistance to students, including girls from the minority community. With an opening balance of minus Rs 1,799.84 crore, the budget proposed to have transactions of Rs 606.80 crore during 2019-20.
The government has raised the GST threshold limit to Rs 20 lakh following approval of the GST Council effective February 1, 2019 and proposed to raise the threshold limit for registration under GST for suppliers of goods to Rs 40 lakh.However, the limit stays at Rs 20 lakh for suppliers of services.
To further strengthen food security for our people, Assam gov will provide rice at a further subsidized rate of Re 1 per kg, instead of the present Rs 3 per kg, and the move will benefit 53 Lakh households. The government has also proposed to give 1 tola of gold (11.66 grams) to brides’ parents belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society.
6.’Parmanu Tech-2019′ Conference concludes in New Delhi
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh delivered the keynote address at the ‘Parmanu Tech 2019’ conference, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The conference discussed issues related to Nuclear Energy and Radiation Technologies.
The conference aims at showcasing the societal applications that DAE is pursuing.
During the conference sector specific sessions were held with Panel discussions on the following topics:
i). Health care: Nuclear Medicine and Radiation therapy – Care to cure, with themes including Cancer care (TMH), Radio-pharmaceuticals & RIA kits, Gamma Chambers, Blood irradiators, Bhabhatron, Brachytherapy, Stereotactic Neurosurgery and international cooperation, etc.
ii). Food Preservation, Agricultural & Industrial Applications: From farms to factories – Serving the National Cause, with themes including Nisargruna, Food Irradiator, improved seeds varieties, water purification technologies, urban waste management technologies, industrial application of radioisotopes and radiation technologies particularly in petroleum industry for monitoring process lines, breakdown maintenance, dredging operations in sea ports, non-destructive techniques, technologies developed by ECIL and Heavy Water Board.
iii). Showcasing India’s capabilities in Nuclear Energy: Energy Security with environmental responsibility – the Onward March, with themes including GCNEP and India’s Nuclear power programme.
7.Nitin Gadkari to lay foundation stone for 5 national highway projects in Ayodhya
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will lay the foundation stone for five national highway projects worth Rs 7,195 crore in Ayodhya, that includes sections of Ram Vangaman Marg and Kosi Parikrama Marg. Foundation stone will be laid for five national highway projects with a total length of 632 km. The projects will establish direct connectivity from Ayodhya to Chitrakoot and Ambedkarnagar.
The projects include beautification of Ayodhya section of Lucknow-Ayodhya highway for Rs 55 crore, 4-laning of Ayodhya-Akbarpur section of Ayodhya-Varanasi highway (Rs 1,081 crore), construction of 46 km, 4-lane Ayodhya Ring Road (Rs 1,289 crore), 44 km Mohanganj-Shringverpur section of the Ram Vangaman Marg (Rs 478 crore) and 91 km Bikapur-Rudauli-Murtihanghat section of Ayodhya’s 84 Kosi Parikrama Marg (Rs 896 crore).
8.Jeremy Lalrinnunga wins silver in men’s 67 kg to clinch second weightlifting medal for India : EGAT cup 2019
Youth Olympics gold medallist Jeremy Lalrinnunga clinched a silver in men’s 67kg category, fetching India’s second medal in the EGAT Cup International Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The 16-year-old Lalrinnunga lifted 131kg in snatch and 157kg in clean and jerk for a total of 288kg. The promising Mizoram weightlifter was, however, far behind the gold winner, Deni of Indonesia who lifted 303kg (132+171).Ruben Katoatau of Kiribati took the bronze with a total lift of 285kg (125+160).
Lalrinnunga had won a gold in the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics in October last year in the 62kg category with a total lift of 274kg (124+150).
This tournament is a silver level Olympic qualifying event, the points from which will be counted when the final rankings for Tokyo 2020 cut are done. Swati Singh and Kopparthi Shireesha finished sixth and ninth in 59kg category with total lifts of 195kg and 189kg respectively.
9.Election Commission of India launches Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP) for upcoming General Elections 2019
The Election Commission of India has launched a Voter Verification and Information Programme (VVIP) for citizens for verifications of their names, new registrations, changes in the voter details and corrections in the Voter Id Cards for the upcoming General Elections 2019. ECI has enabled various channels for this VVIP programme. ECI has also set up Contact centers in all districts across India. The Voter Helpline number is 1950.
The VVIP Programme was launched during the 2-day intensive Training-cum-Workshop on the use of Information & Communication Technology for the conduct of General Elections 2019. The Training-cum-Workshop was attended by Additional Chief Electoral Officers, Incharge of IT, Nodal Officers, State Level Master Trainers and technical resource persons from all States and Union Territories.
One of the important applications for which training was imparted to all States and UTs was cVIGIL. cVIGIL App provides time-stamped, evidence based proof of Model Code of Conduct / Expenditure Violation, having live photo/video with auto location data. Any citizen can lodge a complaint through Mobile App.
10. Ladakh region granted Divisional Status by J&K
The Jammu and Kashmir administration under Governor Satya Pal Malik approved creation of a separate division of Ladakh, comprising Kargil and Leh districts, by carving it out of Kashmir division. The state thus far had two divisions – Kashmir and Jammu, Ladakh being part of the former.
Saugat Biswas, a 2006-batch IAS officer of J&K cadre, has been appointed the Divisional Commissioner for Ladakh.
The move is likely to give rise to similar demands in some districts of Jammu region, where people are demanding separate hill councils for Pir Panjal (comprising Rajouri and Poonch districts) and Chenab Valley region (Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts).
11.ADB raises $100 mln via maiden offshore peso-linked bonds
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised 5.22 billion pesos ($100 million) from its maiden issue of Philippine peso-linked bonds in the international market. The four-year bonds pay a fixed interest rate of 5.25 percent and will be settled in U.S. dollar.
Proceeds from the issue will support ADB’s growing local currency lending operations in the Philippines and help reduce foreign exchange risk for ADB’s borrowers.
12.Australia appoint Ricky Ponting as assistant coach for World Cup
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting will be head coach Justin Langer’s assistant at the World Cup in England this summer. Ponting has held a similar role with his country’s Twenty20 side and was part of the Australia one-day team’s coaching set-up in England last summer.
The 44-year-old, who won the World Cup three times as a player, will focus on the ODI team’s batting.His appointment follows the resignation of assistant coach David Saker. Ponting will take up his role following Australia’s one-day tour against India.
The 2019 World Cup starts on 30 May and holders Australia start their defence against Afghanistan on 1 June in Bristol.
13.Govt expects Rs69000 crore in dividend from RBI in 2019-20
Finance Minister in Parliament gave estimation of Reserve Bank of India paying a dividend of Rs 69,000 crore . The government also budgeted a Rs 68,000 crore dividend from the central bank for FY 19. Total of Rs82,911 crore through dividend from banks, financial institutions in the next fiscal of 2019-2020.
14.Dinkar Gupta takes charge as Punjab’s new DGP
Senior IPS officer Dinkar Gupta took over as the new Director General of Punjab Police, succeeding Suresh Arora, who was on an extension after his retirement on September 30 last year.
Gupta’s appointment was cleared by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday morning from among a three-member panel of officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and sent to the state government.
The other two officers in the panel who were shortlisted by the UPSC for consideration for the top post were DGP (Administration) M K Tiwari and DGP (Provisioning) V K Bhawra, both of 1987 batch. Gupta is the senior-most of the three officers, said an official spokesperson.
15.American members of the US-India CEO Forum announced
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has announced the names of the American private sector members of the US-India CEO Forum, among whom are MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga and Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf.
The first meeting of the forum under the Trump Administration will be held in New Delhi on February 14.It will be co-chaired by Ross and Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu. James Taiclet, chairman, president, and CEO, American Tower Corporation will be the US private sector co-chair of the forum.
