Current Affairs Weekly Updates       

AWARDS AND HONOURS

APPOINTMENTS

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

• An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) has been set up for the North Eastern Region (NER). This was decided after a meeting between Secretaries of DoNER and AYUSH.
• A three –day India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) of India began in Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.
• India would achieve the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacities well before 2022 for which bidding process would be completed on time and International Solar Alliance (ISA) shall help mobilise sufficient funds for solar energy projects.
• Assocham and Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs (EPCES) have signed an agreement for sharing information relating to special economic zones and export oriented units and jointly organising events in India and abroad.
• President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate a museum dedicated to former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik.
• Theatre productions in India and abroad will be seen at the ‘8th Theatre Olympics’, organised by the National School of Drama, from February 27, as part of its 17-city tour of the country.
• Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (RInfra) has won an arbitration award of Rs 292 crore against the Goa government for non-payment of electricity dues.
• Union Health Minister J P Nadda has launched an initiative under which free viral load test would be provided at least once a year to the 12 lakh people undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS in the country.
• Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has entered into a MoU with the Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (RCSTT) of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow (CSIR-CIMAP) as Coordinating Center on Medicinal Plants.
• The two day international conference on Sustainable Biofuels is jointly being organized by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India and Biofuture platform.
• The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed a multivendor e-commerce website and mobile app to help fishermen earn better income for their catch without depending on middlemen.
• Union Environment and Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan has launched a mobile application that enables people to better connect with him and provides information about his work.

NEWS IN STATES

• The city’s first incubation centre will be set up at the Delhi Emporium to aid a “significant number of entrepreneurs”.
• A first of its kind regional centre for agriculture for the Northeast with Israeli collaboration will be inaugurated in Mizoram on March 7. Set up with a cost of Rs 8-10 crore, the centre will exclusively process citrus fruits.
• The Haryana government has launched Parivartan, a scheme designed to address 10 issues, including cleanliness and pollution, in 46 developmental blocks of the state.
• The Telangana Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan City of Taiwan for better technology partnership in the state.
• Haryana government has decided to prepare an integrated economic development plan for Panchkula region.
• India Gas Solutions Pvt Ltd, the equal joint venture between Reliance Industries and UK’s BP plc, have signed an agreement with Andhra Pradesh government to invest in creating marketing infrastructure for natural gas from KG basin.
• Telangana is organizing the 21stNational Conference on e-Governance on February 26- 27, 2018 in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The Run for New India marathon was flagged off from the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat.
• The government of Tamil Nadu has announced signing an agreement with IT Major Microsoft to improve the integration of technology in teaching and learning in the state.
• The government of Tamil Nadu has announced signing an agreement with IT Major Microsoft to improve the integration of technology in teaching and learning in the state.
• To ensure availability of clean drinking water to every household, Union Minister Uma Bharti today launched the second project under the ‘Swajal Yojna’ at Bhikampura village in Rajasthan.
• The Union territory of Lakshadweep has joined UDAY scheme, which is meant for revival of debt stressed power distribution companies (discoms) in the country.

BANKING AND FINANCE

• National Housing Bank (NHB) has approved the merger of the company along with Capital Home Finance and Capital First Securities Limited with IDFC Bank.
• Paytm has now incorporated two Insurance companies: Paytm Life Insurance Corporation Ltd and Paytm General Insurance Corporation Ltd.
• India’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has launched the Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
• The Finance Ministry will get a loan of USD 84 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to improve water supply in the Bhagalpur and Gaya districts of Bihar.
• Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd (ABIPBL) started operations, making it the fifth payments bank to roll out operations after the central bank gave its in-principle approval to 11 applicants in August 2015.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to integrate SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) with its core banking solutions (CBS) by April 30.
• Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Ltd today launched a value-packed and goal-based ULIP product, available exclusively through the online channel.
• Retirement fund body EPFO has launched the facility of linking Aadhaar with universal account number, through UMANG mobile app.
• Global search engine giant Google has integrated its mobile payment app, Tez with the nation’s largest lender State Bank under which its cusomters can create an SBI UPI Id–@oksbi and get access to exclusive SBI offers.
• Moody’s Investors Service has estimated that India will grow 7.6% in calendar year 2018 and 7.5% in 2019, amid signs of economic recovery from impact of demonetisation and goods and services tax (GST).
• Retirement fund body EPFO has made it mandatory to file online claims for provident fund withdrawals above Rs 10 lakh, taking another step towards becoming a paperless organisation.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

• India and Canada have signed six agreements, including in the area of nuclear science, energy cooperation and information communication technology.
• India and Sri lanka have decided to regularly exchange information to check smuggling between the two countries.
• The Andijan Region of Uzbekistan and India have inked an agreement for cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry.
• The seventh meeting of Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India relations has concluded in Kathmandu.
• Second India-Korea Business Summit organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, in partnership with ChosunILbo, KOTRA, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Invest India, was held in New Delhi.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Indian scientists have developed a super critical carbon di oxide Brayton test loop facility that would help generate clean energy from future power plants including solar thermal. 
• SpaceX has successfully launched a Falcon 9 from SLC-4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, its first launch since its successful Falcon Heavy test earlier this month.
• Med-tech startup Axio Biosolutions today said it has received US health regulator’s approval for its first aid dressing product Axiostat that stops bleeding within 2-3 minutes of its application.

DEFENCE NEWS

• India has successfully conducted the first night trial of nuclear-capable surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile Prithvi-II from a defence facility off Odisha coast.
• Flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi has created history by becoming the first Indian woman fighter pilot to fly solo.
• India has successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable ‘Dhanush’ ballistic missile with a strike range of 350 kms from a naval ship off Odisha coast.
• MILAN is a congregation of littoral navies conducted biennially by Indian Navy at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flew its Rustom 2.
• India and Nepal would hold a joint exercise in Uttarakhand that will include training on jungle warfare, anti-terrorism combat as well as disaster response activities.

CABINET APPROVALS

• The Union Cabinet has given its nod to sign a host of pacts with Jordan, including cooperation in the field of health, manpower, customs and mining.
• The Union Cabinet chaired has approved thesigning of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Vietnam on Economic and Trade Cooperation.
• The Union Cabinet has been apprised of aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Renewable Energy between India and Fiji.  The MoU was signed on 24th May, 201 7at Suva, Fiji.
• The Union Cabinet has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Macedonia on cooperation in the field of Health.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Jordan on cooperation in the field of Health & Medical Science.
•   The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Jordan on Cooperation in the Field of Manpower.
• The Union Cabinet chaired approved the proposal of the Department of Commerce to give focused attention to 12 identified Champion Services Sectors for promoting their development, and realizing their potential.
• The Union Cabinet has approved the signing and ratifying an Agreement between India and Jordan on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters.

INDEX AND RANKING

• India’s ranking in the annual corruption index, released by Berlin-based non-government organisation Transparency International (TI).
• India is ranked 47th out of 86 countries when it comes to inclusive internet and connectivity for all, a Facebook report.

SPORTS

• Five-time world champion M C Mary Kom had to be content with a silver medal after going down in the final of the 69th Strandja Memorial boxing tournament for men and women.
• Two futuristic figures, inspired by anime, have been chosen as mascots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after voting in thousands of schools in Japan.

OBITUARY

IMPORTANT DAYS

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