SH- Current Affairs Update 24th, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants, 

Parivartan scheme launched in Haryana

The Haryana government launched Parivartan, a scheme designed to address 10 issues, including cleanliness and pollution, in 46 developmental blocks of the state.

• The 10 issues include facilitation of financing, making agriculture profitable and sustainable, improving health services, implementing Swachh Bharat, decongesting market areas, engaging the youth, checking air pollution, ensuring availability of identity-related services, effective policing, and ensuring road order and conduct.
• The chief minister said that for each of the 10 fields, there are three to seven parameters on which the performance of the officers would be assessed.

Shri Anant Kumar Singh Inaugurates Five-Day Handicraft and Gifts Fair

Secretary Textiles, Shri Anant Kumar Singh inaugurated the 45th edition of IHGF-Delhi Fair at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.

• Speaking on the occasion, he said handicrafts sector plays a significant role in the country’s economy and provides employment to a vast segment of craft-persons in rural and semi-urban areas and generates substantial foreign exchange for the country while preserving its cultural heritage. 
• The Fair will remain open till 27th February, 2018.

The 2 day ‘RAS BANARAS SANSKRITI MAHOTSAV’- concludes in Varanasi

‘Ras Banaras – Swachhagrah – Bapu ko Kaaryaanjali’, a diversified cultural festival organized by the Ministry of Culture at Maan Mandir and Assi Ghat of Varanasi concluded successfully2.

• The festival witnessed folk dance and songs, food & shopping delights in full swing.
• The event appealingly connected country’s youth to various facets of the country’s rich and vibrant culture alongside giving a message of cleanliness to the people of Varansi.

‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav’ under ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ begins in Madhya Pradesh

To celebrate the idea of unity in diversity, Ministry of Culture is organising a Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat matrix in Madhya Pradesh beginning February 24 for a duration of 7 days.

• The States paired with Madhya Pradesh are Nagaland and Manipur.
• The Mahotsav will cover a profusion of art forms from classical and folk music and dance, theatre to literature and the visual arts and would offer the chance to experience the best in established and emerging virtuosity.

Guwahati organises tribal festival 'Aadi Mahotsava'

Assam has organised a tribal festival called 'Aadi Mahotsava' at Gandhi Mandir Indoor stadium field in Guwahati to celebrate the ethnic tribal culture of the country.

• The 10-day festival is being conducted by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in an attempt to celebrate the rare art and culture of the tribal communities.
• The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the event.

Assam to observe 'Rhino Day' on September 22

The Assam government will be observing September 22 as 'Rhino Day' to generate public awareness on protection of the one-horned pachyderm, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said.

• A State Rhino Project in line with National Rhino Project will be launched in Assam soon for protecting the pachyderms from threats of poaching, he said.

ADB and India Sign $ 84 Million Loan for Bihar

The Government of India and The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $84 million loan for improvement and expansion of water supply in Bhagalpur and Gaya towns in Bihar.

• The tranche 2 loan is part of the $200 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Bihar Urban Development Investment Program that was approved by ADB in 2012 to provide sustainable urban infrastructure and services in four towns in Bihar – Bhagalpur, Gaya, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur.
• The loan will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of 5 years, an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB’s lending facility based on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR), and a commitment charge of 0.15% per year.

Indo-German MOU on technical cooperation under Urban Development

An Indo-German MOU has been signed for an “Implementation Agreement in Sustainable Urban Development and Smart Cities in India”. 

• The objective of the programme is to develop and apply concepts for sustainable urban development about the provision of urban basic services and housing in selected cities and Smart Cities in India. 
• The ‘Sustainable Urban Development Programme - Smart Cities in India’ project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

RBI launches Ombudsman Scheme for NBFCs

The RBI has launched 'Ombudsman Scheme' for non-banking financial companies (NBFC) for redressal of complaints against them.

• The scheme will provide a cost-free and expeditious complaint redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in the services by NBFCs covered under the Scheme.
• The offices of the NBFC ombudsmen will function at four metro centres -- Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Paytm launches two more firms to enter insurance sector

On a rapid expansion mode mobile fintech major Paytm has launched two more firms with an aim to enter the insurance sector in the country.

• This move has taken its total count of companies to six.
• The Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led firm has started Paytm Life Insurance Corporation Limited as well as Paytm General Insurance Corporation Limited. Both the companies have Sharma as one of the directors.

Violinist M S Anantharaman dies aged 94

Noted violinist M S Anantharaman, a prominent figure in the Parur school of music founded by Sundaram Iyer, died due to age-related illness. He was 94.

• He had popularised the Parur bani with his brother and veteran violinist MSG on the musical map of the world.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan ambassador Kunwar Bai passes away

106 year-old Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Ambassador Kunwar Bai, who was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her unique move to build toilets in her village in Chhattisgarh, died following a prolonged illness.

• On February 21, 2016, while launching the National Rurban Mission Project at a public rally at Dungargarh in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, the Prime Minister had touched her feet and felicitated her after he came to know that the woman had sold off about one dozen of her goats to build a toilet in her house and motivated others to make the village open defecation free.