Latest Current Affairs – May 25 & 26 2018

1. TCS becomes 1st Indian firm to cross Rs 7 trillion market cap

Tata Consultancy Services’ (TCS) market capitalisation surged past the Rs 7 trillion mark, making it the first Indian company to achieve this milestone. The company’s shares surged 1.9% during intraday trading, taking its market capitalisation to ?7.03 trillion. This comes a month after TCS surged past the $100 billion mark, becoming the second Indian company to achieve the milestone.

2. 2018 World Cup official song featuring Will Smith released

The official song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup titled ‘Live It Up’, sung by American actor-rapper Will Smith, singer Nicky Jam and Albanian pop star Era Istrefi, has been released. “At the end of the day we just want to see the world dance,” said Smith about the song. The trio will perform it live at the WC final.

3. Lieutenant General Zorawar Chand Bakshi passes away

One of India’s most decorated Generals, Lieutenant General Zorawar Chand Bakshi, passed away aged 97. He was awarded the second-highest military decoration, Maha Vir Chakra, for his role in capturing the strategically important Haji Pir Pass during the 1965 war with Pakistan. Bakshi was also instrumental in capturing Akhnoor Dagger from Pakistan during 1971 war.

4. PM Modi unveils projects of Rs 27,000 cr in Jharkhand

Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of various projects of Central and state governments, including Ranchi City Gas Distribution Project, All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Deoghar, development of Deoghar Airport and revival of Sindri Fertilizer Project.

He laid the foundation stone of the revival of the Sindri Urea plant; The plant, shut for two decades, near Dhanbad, is being revived with an investment of about 7 thousand crore rupees.

5. Arjun Vajpai conquers Kangchenjunga; youngest to summit six peaks over 8,000 m

Indian mountaineer Arjun Vajpai became the youngest person in the world to scale six peaks over 8,000 metres when he summited the treacherous Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Vajpai became the third youngest person to scale the Mount Everest at the age of 16 in 2010.

6. UNICEF launches data visualisation app on education scenario in India

The UNICEF launched a ‘data visualisation app’ which provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in the country. The app has been made with technical inputs from the UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

It uses the UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education), the NAS (National Assessment survey) and demographic data and can be used as a visual tool by policy makers, senior government officials, academia, and researchers to address gaps and monitor programmes in the field of education.

7. Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve wins India Biodiversity Award 2018

Arunachal Pradesh’s Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, a non-governmental organisation, has won the National Biodiversity Award 2018 for conserving a bird species ‘Bugun Liocichla’, a rare wildlife resources found in the area. The Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve was honoured with a citation, a memento and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh at Hyderabad. Indi Glow and Sange Norbu Phiang, the leaders of the organisation, received the award.

The Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve partnered with the Forest Department in 2016 to protect and conserve the 17sq km area of the Reserve adjoining the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh.

8. 15th Finance Commission constitutes high level group for balanced expansion of health sector

The Fifteenth Finance Commission has constituted a high level group consisting of eminent experts from across the country in Health Sector. Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi will be its Convenor.

The role and functions of the High Level Group on Health Sector will be:

• To evaluate the existing regulatory framework in the Health sector and examine its strength and weaknesses for enabling a balanced yet faster expansion of the health sector keeping in view India’s demographic profile;
• To suggest ways and means to optimize the use of existing financial resources and to incentivize the state governments’ effort on fulfillment of well-defined health parameters in India; and
• To holistically examine best international practices for the health sector and seek to benchmark our frameworks to these practices for optimizing benefits keeping in mind our local issues.

High Level Group on Health Sector will have following Convenor and Members:

1. Dr. RandeepGuleria, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi (Convenor);
2. Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru;
3. Dr. DeelipGovindMhaisekar, Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra University of Health Science, Pune;
4. Dr. NareshTrehan, Medanta City, Gurgaon;
5. Dr. BhabatoshBiswas, Prof & HOD of Cordio Thoracic Surgery, R.G.Kar Medical College, Kolkata; and
6. Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India

9. World’s Largest Bird Sculpture ‘Jatayu’ to be inaugurated in Kerala

Kerala tourism will inaugurate the world’s largest bird sculpture, Jatayu Earth’s Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. The replica of the bird ‘Jatayu’ — a character in the Ramayana — is 200 feet long, 150 feet wide, 65 feet tall and is positioned right at the top of a rock situated 1,000 feet above sea level. The sculpture, spread over 65 acres in Thiruvananthapuram, has been built at a cost of Rs 100 crore. According to the legend the rock, ‘Jatayupara’, where the structure is based, is the place where the mythical bird ‘Jatayu’ fell after its wings were slain by Ravana.

10. SIDBI, CSC SPV ink MoU to provide financial support to village level entrepreneurs

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will provide financial support to village level entrepreneurs who operate the Common Service Centres that act as access points for delivery of electronic services. An MoU to this effect was signed between SIDBI and Common Service Centres (CSC). The existing VLEs (village level entrepreneurs) who have been operating CSCs for at least one year and looking to expand their operations are eligible for availing the financial support under the MoU, which is initially eyeing 50,000 VLEs.

11. Government reconstitutes FSDC: Includes secretaries from Revenue Department, MeitY, IBC Chairman

The government has reconstituted the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) to include secretaries from the revenue department as well as Ministry of Information Technology (MeitY). Inclusion of MeitY Secretary in the council becomes significant given the offtake of digital transactions in the country, and the rising apprehensions around safety of personal data. The FSDC, chaired by the Union Finance Minister, was set up in 2010 by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

The council comprises RBI Governor, Sebi Chairman, finance secretary, and secretaries in the departments of Economic Affairs, Financial Services and Corporate Affairs.

12. Surya Kiran-XIII: India-Nepal joint battalion level exercise to be held in Uttarakhand

India and Nepal’s joint military exercise Surya Kiran-XIII will be held at Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district from May 30 to June 12. The exercise would comprise of nearly 300 soldiers from both Nepali and Indian armies who would share their respective experiences of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

Surya Kiran is a bi-annual event which is hosted alternatively by Nepal and India. The aim of this exercise is to conduct battalion level joint training with emphasis on counterterrorism operations in mountainous terrain.

13. 5th India-CLMV Business Conclave held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India along with Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia organized the 5th India-CLMV Business Conclave in Phnom Penh on 21-22 May 2018. After four rounds of the Business Conclave in India, this initiative was brought by Department of Commerce of Government of India to Cambodia,for greater participation from the region. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the institutional partner of the event. The inaugural session of 5th India CLMV Conclave was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister of Kingdom of Cambodia and was attended by Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Government of India.

14. WHO, Russia Launch New Campaign For Football World Cup 2018

A new video campaign has been launched targeting football fans on the occasion of the World Cup 2018 next month to promote healthier and more active lives. The series of videos have been produced jointly by WHO, Russia’s Ministry of Health and the 2018 World Cup Russia Local Organising Committee. The campaign consists of 3 videos, each tackling key health risk issues of Tobacco use, excessive salt consumption and physical inactivity.

1. The WHO video says tobacco use is one of the most damaging lifestyle choices and is currently responsible for 16 per cent of all deaths in adults over 30 in the European region.
2. The second video propagates that one can significantly reduce risk of developing non-communicable diseases by eating salt upto 5 grams or less in a day.
3. Third video emphasises that 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week can enhance well-being.

15. Paytm AshaKiran initiative launched to educate women

Paytm Payments Bank has announced a programme Paytm AshaKiran aimed at educating rural women about financial services. With this program, Paytm Payments Bank aims to educate rural women about the financial services and create new employment opportunities across smaller towns and cities in Indias formal banking systems.

In the first phase, the bank has partnered with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) under its Disha project which is supported by IKEA Foundation and women-related organisations like SHEROES “to mobilize self-help groups and organize workshops”. These workshops will be held in smaller cities and towns across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

16. Indian Navy conducts Prasthan exercise

The Indian Navy conducted a security exercise, called “Prasthan”, in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off the coast of Mumbai. The exercise, conducted by the Headquarters Western Naval Command, is held every six months. The exercise aims to integrate maritime stakeholders, including the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, Port Trust, Customs, State Fisheries department and Marine Police, towards refining standard operating procedures for response to various contingencies that could occur in the ODAs.

17. Manipur becomes first northeastern state to get solar toilet

Manipur has become the first state in north east and third in India to get solar toilets, which were inaugurated at Ibudhou Marjing Hill Heingang. Tourism Director Waikhom Ibohal said the idea came to him through an entrepreneur he met at a Guwahati summit. Such toilets may be installed at other tourist spots if this project turns successful, he added.

18. Barbados elects Mia Mottley as first female Prime Minister

The Caribbean island of Barbados has elected Mia Mottley as its first female PM since gaining independence from the UK in 1966. Mottley’s Barbados Labour Party won all 30 seats in the country’s Parliament, coming to power for the first time in a decade. Mottley had reportedly once told her school teacher she would become the country’s first female PM.

19. Professor Ganeshi Lal appointed Governor of Odisha

Professor Ganeshi Lal has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha with effect from the date that he assumes charge of the office. He will be replacing Governor Satya Pal Malik, who had been given additional charge of the state in March this year. Professor Lal is currently the President of the BJP Disciplinary Committee.

20. Hamburg to host 2018 Global Wind Summit

The first edition of the Global Wind Summit will be held here from September 25-28, 2018. The organisers of the four-day event are expecting speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark. The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the wind industry worldwide.

The event combines two conferences, WindEnergy Hamburg and WindEurope. The events together will witness about 1,400 exhibitors and 250 speakers from all over the world.

21. London Stock Exchange backs new icon award in UK

ELITE, the London Stock Exchange Group’s business support and capital raising programme, will present the first-ever ‘ELITE Rising Star Award’ at this year’s 21st Century Icon Awards 2018. The awards, launched in 2017 by Indian-origin entrepreneur Tarun Gulati, will be held in London in September this year to celebrate the success of budding business talent.

22. NITI Aayog signs SoI with Sushant Singh Rajput to promote Women Entrepreneurship Platform

NITI Aayog has announced the signing of a Statement of Intent (SoI) with Sushant Singh Rajput, to collaborate and support NITI’s flagship initiative, the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). The agreement was signed in the presence of Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog by Anna Roy, Adviser (Industry), NITI Aayog and Sushant Singh Rajput.

Sushant Singh Rajput and Varun Mathur, through their recently launched company Innsaei Ventures, shall be setting aside a corpus of Rs. 20 crore, which shall be invested in startups established by women entrepreneurs.

23. LCU L54: Indian Navy commissions fourth ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV

The Indian navy has commissioned its fourth Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV, IN LCU L54, in a ceremony at Port Blair on South Andaman Island. A total of 8 vessels in the class are planned to be built for the Indian Navy. The commissioning of the third ship in the class took place in April 2018.

The ships are fitted with an integrated bridge system (IBS) and an integrated platform management system (IPMS) and feature the indigenous CRN 91 gun with a stabilized optronic pedestal for patrolling tasks. LCU ships are capable of carrying up to 160 troops.

24. MHA creates Women Safety Division to address issues of women security

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has created a new division to address issues of women safety comprehensively. The new division will extensively deal with all aspects of women safety in coordination with relevant departments and state governments. Punya Salila Srivastava, AGMUT Cadre officer of 1993 batch has been appointed as Joint Secretary to head this Division.

25. ASEAN India Film Festival held in New Delhi

I&B Minister Rajyavardhana Rathore launches six-day ASEAN India Film Festival in New Delhi. The six-day event was inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. The Union Minister also said that the Information and Broadcasting ministry is taking measures to create and promote film festivals with ASEAN, BRICS and European nations.

26. May 25: World Thyroid Day

World Thyroid Day is observed on May 25 every year and its objective is to increase awareness and understanding about thyroid health.

There are two types of thyroid- hyperthyroid (an over active thyroid gland) and hypothyroid (underactive thyroid gland). Thyroid cannot be cured by diet alone but the right combination of exercise, nutrients and medication can help manage the functioning of the thyroid gland and alleviate the suffering.

27. Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting Held In Sweden

The Third Mission Innovation Ministerial Meeting was held at Malmo, Sweden. The Indian delegation was led by Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences.  Mission innovation countries launched Mission Innovation Champions Programme to felicitate clean energy innovators. India announced setting up of First International Incubator for clean energy in a public-private partnership at a total investment of around US $ 5 million in Delhi.

28. India-Netherlands launches Clean Air India Initiative 

Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte, who is in India on a two-day visit, launched the ‘Clean Air India Initiative’ in the national capital. The campaign aims to curb air pollution in Indian cities by promoting partnerships between Indian start-ups and Dutch companies and build a network of entrepreneurs working on business solutions for cleaner air.

The Clean Air India Initiative is a collaborative project between Get In The Ring, a platform for start-ups, the government of the Netherlands, Start-up India, and INDUS Forum, an online matchmaking platform of Indian and Dutch businesses.

29. I&B Minister Launches 6-Day ASEAN India Film Festival

I&B Minister Col. Rajyavardhana Rathore launches six-day ASEAN India Film Festival in New Delhi. India and ASEAN share historical and cultural links. The Union Minister also stated that the Information and Broadcasting ministry is taking measures to create and promote film festivals with ASEAN, BRICS, and European nations.

30. Airtel Payments Bank Appoints Anubrata Biswas As MD And CEO

Airtel Payments Bank appointed Anubrata Biswas as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Biswas fills the position, which was lying vacant since end-December after Shashi Arora quit the post. Prior to joining Airtel Payments Bank, he was the Joint General Manager and Retail Business Head – South India for ICICI Bank.