Current Affairs Daily Digest – October 17 2019
1. Mastercard launched Team Cashless India to push digital payments
Mastercard and it’s brand ambassador MS Dhoni have launched Team Cashless India campaign. It aims to bring more merchants and customers on board to boost digital payments in India. The move is in line with Mastercard’s endeavor to create an ecosystem that encourages users to use digital payments for their day-to-day purchases.
2. Indian Railways launched 9 Sewa Service Trains
Indian Railways launched 09 Sewa Service Trains on 15 October. The service aims to connect smaller towns around major cities. Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, along with Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan launched these services from New Delhi. The Delhi-Shamli passenger train was inaugurated. Other Sewa Service Trains were flagged off through video-conferencing.
3. Indian Army inducts US made precision-guided Excalibur artillery ammunition
To boost to its firepower, the Indian army has inducted US made precision-guided Excalibur artillery ammunition and indigenous Dhanush howitzer in its inventory. The announcement regarding ammunition’s induction was made in an Army Commander’s Conference.
4. Team Cashless India: Mastercards’ campaign to promote digital payments in India
Payment technology major Mastercard along with its brand ambassador MS Dhoni launch a nationwide campaign dubbed as ‘Team Cashless India’ to accelerate the acceptance and adoption of digital payments in India. The Team Cashless India’ is in line with government’s ‘Digital India’ vision and is an important step towards Mastercard’s goal to equip 10 million merchants in India with digital payments acceptance capabilities by 2020.
5. Leonel Messi wins 6th Golden Shoe award
Barcelona FC captain Leonel Messi won the Golden Shoe for the 2018/19 season, for being the top scorer in the European leagues with 36 goals (in 34 games). This is his sixth Golden Shoe.
6. Van Dhan Internship Programme to help Tribals
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Van Dhan Internship Programme on October 17, 2019. Under the ministry, the program will be organized by the TRIFED (Tribal cooperative marketing Development Federation of India). The program will train the interns and the interns will help the tribal population in becoming self reliant and entrepreneurs.
7. ICMR awards Scientists for Excellence in Biomedical Research
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) awarded 46 biomedical scientists from different institutes across the country for excellence in biomedical research. The scientists were felicitated at the event held at ICMR, Delhi for their remarkable contribution. The event was attended by Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
8. Worldsteel elects Sajjan Jindal as vice chairman; T V Narendran, Lakshmi Mittal as members
Global body World Steel Association (worldsteel) on October 16 said it has elected JSW Steel Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Sajjan Jindal as its vice chairman. The association has also appointed Tata Steel CEO and MD T V Narendran and ArcelorMittal Chief L N Mittal as its members.
9. Dealmaker Peter Babej appointed Citi’s Asia-Pacific CEO
CITI on Thursday named financial institutions group head Peter Babej as CEO of its Asia-Pacific region, who will begin his transition immediately. Mr Babej has been at Citi since 2010 when he joined as co-head of its financial institutions group. He later became the sole head of the group in 2017. Prior to Citi, he held senior banking positions at Deutsche Bank and Lazard.
10. Shri S M Vaidya takes over as Director Refineries of IndianOil
Mr. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya has taken over as the Director (Refineries) of IndianOil . He is also a Director on the board of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (CPCL) & the 60 MMTPA West Coast Refinery and Petrochemicals Project, the world’s largest grass root refinery project, coming up in Maharashtra.
11. Shirui Lily Festival inaugurated in Manipur
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated Shirui Lily Festival, 2019 at Shirui Vangayan Ground of Ukhrul in Manipur. Mr Patel along with State Chief Minister N. Biren Singh inaugurated the Strength of Unity Statue as a mark of opening the third edition of the four-day state festival.
12. Food Safety Mitra scheme launched on the World Food Day
On the occasion of World Food Day, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Food Safety Mitra Scheme, Eat Right Jacket and Eat Right Jhola. Addressing a gathering in New Delhi, he said, Eat Right India and Fit India Campaign can prove to be a big success with the right strategy and implementation. The Minister urged people to reduce ghee, salt and ghee in food.
13. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty October 17
The United Nations’ (UN) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993. It promotes people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
Theme for 2019 is “Acting together to empower children , their families & communities to end poverty.
14. BEL inks MoU with TEL for growth in the Ammunition Business
Navaratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics (BEL) has signed an MoU with Tamil Nadu Industrial Explosives Limited (TEL), a state-government undertaking of the Government of Tamil Nadu, for co-operation in the explosives segment where BEL is eyeing business growth, keeping in view its ongoing and upcoming ammunition programs.
15. IOB in pact with Magicbricks to e-auction over 500 properties in 14 cities
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has entered into an agreement with Magicbricks, an online property marketplace, for the e-auction of more than 500 re-possessed properties worth more than ₹800 crore. The e-auction will be carried out in two phases – on October 21 and October 30.
