SH- Current Affairs Update 03rd, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants, 

INTERNATIONAL

India joins Ashgabat agreement

India has joined the Ashgabat agreement which envisages setting up of an international transport and transit corridor linking central Asia with the Persian Gulf to significantly ramp up trade and investment.

• Turkmenistan, as depository State of Ashgabat Agreement, informed on February 1 that all the four founding members have consented to the Accession of India.
• Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Uzbekistan signed the agreement on April 25, 2011.
• In October 2016, Pakistan had formally joined the project. Kazakhstan is also a part to this agreement.

NATIONAL

PM to address the inaugural session of Advantage Assam - Global Investors Summit

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will address the inaugural session of Advantage Assam - Global Investors Summit 2018, in Guwahati on February 3, 2018.

• The two-day Summit will be the largest ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative by the Government of Assam.
• The Summit aims at highlighting the geo-strategic advantages offered to investors by Assam.

Yogi Adityanath inaugurates Surajkund Mela in Haryana

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Surajkund Mela on 2 February, in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

• The 17-day-long event, which is in its 32nd edition, showcases India’s rich cultural diversity, crafts and handiworks.
• The Mela this year has the culture of Uttar Pradesh as its theme and focuses upon child rights violations across India.
• All of India’s states and 20 countries are participating in the festival.
• Surajkund is located in Faridabad in Haryana.

Centre sanctions Rs 1,500 cr for organic farming in Uttarakhand

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for three years to promote organic farming in Uttarakhand.

• The amount was sanctioned by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh when Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met him in New Delhi.
• The Union minister also cleared a proposal worth Rs 2,600 crore for the co-operative sector in the state. Of which, Rs 200 crore is meant for the reorganisation of sugar mills.

SH- Current Affairs Update 02nd, Feb 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,

NATIONAL

Union Budget 2018: Key takeaways and sector-wise highlights

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley delivered the current government's fifth and last full financial budget (Budget 2018 for the fiscal year 2018-19) amid subdued economic growth, challenging fiscal situation and farm distress. 

Here are the key highlights from the Union Budget 2018:

Economic Health

• Economy firmly on course to achieve high growth of 8%
• GDP growth at 6.3% in the second quarter of 2017-18 signals turnaround of the economy
• Growth in the second half likely to remain between 7.2% to 7.5%  

Agriculture and Rural Economy

• MSP for all unannounced Kharif crops increased to 150%
• Institutional credit for agri-sector increased to Rs.10 lakh crore in 2017-18
• Fisheries, aquaculture and animal husbandry corpus at Rs.10,000 crore
• New scheme Operation Greens with an outlay of Rs 500 Crore
• Govt to develop and upgrade existing 22,000 rural haats
• Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund with a corpus of Rs.2000 crore
• Allocation for Ministry of Food Processing doubled to Rs.1400 crore
• Loans to Self Help Groups (SHG) of women to increase to Rs.75,000 crore by March 2019.
• Increased allocation of National Rural Livelihood Mission to Rs 5750 crore
• Under Ujjwala Scheme distribution of free LPG connections will be given to 8 crore poor women
• Housing for All by 2022 - more than one crore houses to be built by 2019 in rural areas

Education, Health, and Social Protection

• Estimated budgetary expenditure on health, education and social protection at Rs.1.38 lakh crore
• Ekalavya Model Residential School to be set up for tribal children
• Investments for research & infra in premier educational institutions at Rs.1 lakh crore in next 4 years
• Allocation on National Social Assistance Programme at Rs. 9975 crore
• NHPS to cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries)
• NHPS to provide coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for hospitalisation
• Rs 1200 crore for the National Health Policy, 2017 - additional Rs.600 crore for TB patients
• 24 new Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals

RBI Assistant Recruitment 2018: Special Drive for PWD candidates

Dear Aspirants,

The Reserve Bank of India invites applications from eligible candidates for 27 posts of “Assistant” in various offices of the Bank. Selection for the post (Special Drive for PWD candidates-2018) will be through a country-wide competitive examination in two phases i.e. Preliminary and Main examination followed by a Language Proficiency Test (LPT).

Important Dates
Website Link Open	30.01.2018 to 19.02.2018
Payment of Intimation charges (Online)	30.01.2018 to 19.02.2018
Schedule of Online Preliminary Test (Tentative)	April 06, 2018. However RBI reserves the right to change the dates of examination.
Schedule of Online Main Test (Tentative)	May 07, 2018. However RBI reserves the right to change the dates of examination.

Only following categories of PWD are eligible to apply for this post:

OH- Locomotor Disability candidates: OA - One arm affected (Right or Left); BL – Both legs affected but not arms; OL – One leg affected (Right or Left), HI candidates: PD - Partially Deaf; D – Deaf, VH candidates: B - Blind; LV- Low Vision, 4th category as defined under RPWD Act., 2016.

IDBI Bank Executive Recruitment 2018: Notification

Dear Aspirants, 

IDBI Bank has released the notification for recruitment for the post of Executives. There are a total of 760 Vacancies in IDBI Bank Executives Recruitment 2018. IDBI Executives 2018-19 brings a big and bright opportunity for all banking aspirants. Keep on reading for all details of IDBI Recruitment 2018.

Following are some important dates as mentioned in the Official IDBI Bank Executives:

Todays Editorial Times of India- MSP for kharif crops may toe rabi’s

Formula That Gives Farmers 50% Higher Rate Most Realistic, Feels Govt

The government is likely to fix the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops with the formula used for rabi crops for the 2018-19 marketing season—with costs of all inputs and unpaid family labour plus 50% as the benchmark to fulfil the Union Budget’s promise of higher prices to farmers.

The procurement of summer sown crops at the increased price will begin from October. The new price, which will be 1.5 times the cost of production, is to be the benchmark for all crops that are to be covered under MSP.

Official sources said that the formula that determined MSPs for rabi crops was the most practicable. The Centre had in November last year announced MSP for the rabi (winter sown) season and the prices of most crops were significantly higher than 50% of the cost of production when the actual paid cost plus imputed value of unpaid family labour was used as a base to fix the margin.

As this formula is delivering prices higher than the cost of production plus 50%, the government is not likely to seek other options. Some like a calculation of “comprehensive cost”, including imputed rent on owned land and value of capital assets, but such a formula is seen to be unwieldy and possibly prohibitive.

“It is highly unlikely that the government would deviate from the formula which is realistic, considering various factors including the likely implications of MSP on consumers and price trends in both domestic and international markets,” said an official.

Even the commission for agricultural costs and prices (CACP), which recommends MSP to the government, has noted on its website that the “cost of production” is an important factor that is an input in determination of MSP, but it is not the only one.

The move to stick to the current formula may not please many farmer organisations that have been demanding that the MSP be fixed at higher returns. They noted that A2+FL formula (mentioned above) will not be in tune with the recommendation of the M S Swaminathan Committee which called for C2+50% (see graphic).

Arguing for C2+50% as MSP, Sudhir Panwar, president of Kisan Jagriti Manch, said, “The finance minister’s claim that his government already included 50% profit in MSP of rabi crops is misleading as it excluded rental value of land, depreciation and interest which are always computed in other enterprises.”

Besides MSP, the view in the agriculture ministry is that it is time for states to bring in three key legislations—market reforms, contract farming and land lease issues—to provide farmers a robust system to protect their interests.

The Centre has kept the model legislation ready for states to replicate or tweak it as per regional needs.

While the contract farming law will allow farmers to enter into contract with private companies in advance for getting fixed price of their produce, the law on land lease would protect the interests of lessee cultivators or tenant farmers without affecting ownership rights of the landowners.

Q. Give words meaning to the same?

1. Procurment
A. Obtainment
B. Disperse
C. Dissipate
D. Dwindle
E. Lessen

2. Returns
A. Debt
B. Payment
C. Depart
D. Leave
E. Benefit

3. Contract
A. Given
B. Pledge
C. Expand
D. Extend
E. Lengthen

Q. Give words meaning opposite to them?

4. Depriciations
A. Vilipend
B. Belittle
C. Flatter
D. Deflate
E. Disparage

5. Reforms
A. Ameliorate
B. Refine, mend
C. Remould
D. Preserve
E. Mend

SH- Current Affairs Update 01st, Feb 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,

Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

7th India Energy Congress begins in New Delhi
7th India Energy Congress focusing on the theme ‘Energy 4.0: Energy Transition Towards 2030’ begun in New Delhi on February 1, 2018.
Highlights of 7th India Energy Congress:
i. India Energy Congress is the flagship event of World Energy Council India (WEC India), which functions under the Union Power Ministry.
ii. 7th India Energy Congress has been jointly organised by Union Ministries of Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy, Petroleum & Natural Gas, External Affairs and Department of Atomic Energy.
iii. On February 1, 2018, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister addressed the inaugural session of 7th India Energy Congress.
iv. Over the course of this two-day event, around 400 experts will deliberate on five sub-themes viz. Policy and Energy Environment 2030, Sustainable Mobility, Energy Investments in an Uncertain World, Variable Renewable Energy Integration and Reaching the Last Mile.

AP CM Naidu lays foundation for Universal Peace Retreat Center in Amaravati
On February 1, 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the Universal Peace Retreat Center of ‘Prajapita Brahmakumari Eswariya University’ in Amaravati.

Details about Universal Peace Retreat Center:
i. This Center will be built on 10 acres of land at Nekkollu village within the Amaravati Capital Region. The land has been allotted by Andhra Pradesh State Government.
ii. Raja yoga and Dhyana will be taught at the Center. Besides, the center will be involved in propagating youth development, women empowerment, child care, and moral values.
iii. Universal Peace Retreat Center will have capacity to provide shelter to 1500 people.
iv. Other amenities that will be set up at the Center include an auditorium with 2000 seating arrangement, meditation hall, a museum, laser show and a housing complex.

SH- Current Affairs Update 31st, Jan 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,

Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Bihar cabinet grants Rs 105 crore for Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission
On 30^th January 2018, the Bihar cabinet allocated funds worth Rs 105 crore for Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission, which formulates and implements schemes for the most backward sections among the Scheduled Castes.
Rs 105 crore for Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission:
i. This was declared in a Bihar cabinet meeting headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
ii. The Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission was established in 2008. It is an autonomous body and functions under the SC/ST Welfare Department.
iii. In the cabinet meeting, it was also decided to construct a high security jail in Phulwarisharif block of Patna. The construction of this jail would cost around Rs 56.72 crore. Maoists and dangerous criminals will be held in this jail.
Some wildlife sanctuaries in India:
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary – Bhagalpur District
Udaypur Wildlife Sanctuary – West Champaran District
Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary – Kaimur District

Uttar Pradesh launches Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana Gramin
On January 30, 2018, Uttar Pradesh State Cabinet launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojna Grameen’, a new scheme to construct houses in rural areas.

About Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana Gramin:
i. Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana Gramin is for those who have not been covered under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and those who are not beneficiaries of any other government housing schemes.
ii. Under this scheme, Rs 1.30 lakh financial aid (for constructing houses) will be given to people residing in Naxal-affected areas of Uttar Pradesh and Rs 1.20 lakh to selected beneficiaries.
iii. Beneficiaries under this scheme also includes those families, who have been affected with Kala Azar or Japanese Encephalitis and those who belong to Vantangia or Musahar tribes and do not have houses or are living in “Kuchcha” houses.
iv. Uttar Pradesh State Government has already identified about 25000 beneficiaries for this scheme.
Quick Facts about Uttar Pradesh:
♦ Capital – Lucknow
♦ Current Governor – Ram Naik
♦ Current Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
♦ Important National Park – Dudhwa National Park

Maharashtra government to give sanitary pads to 7 lakh girls at Rs 5 a pack
On 30^th January 2018, the Maharashtra state cabinet approved the introduction of Asmita (dignity), a scheme to provide sanitary pads to 7 lakh girls in government schools for Rs 5 a pack.
Asmita:
i. The scheme Asmita aims to provide sanitary pads at subsidized price to girls in the age of 11 to 19 years.