SH- Current Affairs Update 23rd, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants,

 India ranks 81 in global corruption perception index

The 2017 corruption perception index, released by anti-graft watchdog Transparency International, has ranked India at 81 among 180 countries and territories.

• India’s score in 2017 is 40 — the same as 2016, and an increase since 2015, when it was 38.
• The index says New Zealand and Denmark are the least corrupt countries, while Syria, Sudan and Somalia figure are ranked the most corrupt.
• Among BRICS nations, South Africa has been ranked the least corrupt (71), while Russia (135) is the most corrupt.

International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is a worldwide annual observance held on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.

• First announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999, it was formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in a resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.

Indian scientists develop next generation technology loop to generate clean energy

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.

• This next generation technology loop was developed indigenously by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
• This is India’s first test-bed for next generation, efficient, compact, waterless super critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle test loop for power generation.
• The technology is perhaps the first test loop coupled with solar heat source in the world. 

Projects worth nearly Rs. 4,000 crore approved in 9th executive committee meeting of NMCG

In the 9th Executive Committee meeting of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), projects worth nearly Rs 4,000 crore were approved including a 20 MLD Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for tannery cluster at Jajmau in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

• This 3-phased project at an estimated cost of Rs. 629 crore includes pre-treatment unit in 380 individual tannery units, a 20 CETP with physical, biological and tertiary treatment, installation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)-based pilot plant of 200 KLD capacity among other components.
• The central share of this project is Rs. 472 crore.
• This is a major step forward in arresting the pollution in Ganga emanating from the crucial industrial town of Kanpur.
• The project will be executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) – Jajmau Tannery Effluent Treatment Association.

Mobile app e-saathi launched at UP Investors Summit

On the second and last day of the UP Investors Summit, a mobile application e-Saathi was launched.

• Through the app, people will be able to avail public services sitting at home.
• Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said the state government was working to double the capacity of seats in skill development from 500 to 1,000, adding that MoUs worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore had been signed in the sector at the summit so far.

India 7th Most Targeted Nation for Web Application Attacks

Nearly 40 percent of over 53,000 cyber-attacks in India occurred in the financial services sector during 2017, placing it at the seventh spot in the list of targeted countries for Web Application Attacks (WAA), a new report said.

• Security incidents like phishing, website intrusions and defacements, virus and ransomware targeted the rapidly growing of the Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI) sector in India.
• The report, titled "Akamai State of the Internet Security Q4 2017," also stated that the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack frequency in the BFSI sector increased by 50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017.

India signs MoU with Canada’s International Development Research Centre

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of India and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to usher the “programme based research support” in addressing current and future global and local developmental challenges, was signed on 22 February, 2018.

• Since 1972, IDRC has funded 551 research activities worth CA$159 million in India through institutions, researchers and NGOs.
• During the last five years (2012-17), 96 research projects worth CA$ 51 million were funded by the IDRC in India.

Telangana, Taiwan signs agreement for better technology partnership

The Telangana Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan City of Taiwan for better technology partnership in the state.

• The World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2018, concluded earlier with Telangana, India handing over the baton to Armenia for the 2019 edition.

Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank begins operations

Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank today became the fourth such entity to begin operations since issuance of licenses to 11 firms by RBI in August 2015.

• Telecom major Bharti Airtel was the first to begin the payments bank operations in November 2016 and the Aditya Birla group-promoted firm is the latest to join the bandwagon.
• The Department of Posts, which also got a license for a payment bank is yet to start its services formally, but it is running some operations on a pilot basis.

Govt ropes in Nandan Nilekani for developing IT infrastructure for healthcare scheme

Tech billionaire Nandan Nilekani will assist the government in developing IT infrastructure for the mega National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), which seeks to cover 10-crore families.

• The IT infrastructure for the healthcare scheme will be of a huge scale as was required for Aadhar and will have to be scaled up gradually in view of the massive range of the programme.
• Former UIDAI chairman Nilekani - the brain behind the Aadhaar - is also a member of the GST return simplification committee.