SH- Current Affairs Update 07th, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants,

President to inaugurate the Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav 2018

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, will be in Karnataka to inaugurate the Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav 2018 of Gommateshwara Bhagwan Sri Bahubali Swami at Shravanabelagola February 7, 2018.

• The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav is celebrated once every 12 years.
• It has been celebrated for about a 1,000  years.

60 Solar Cities to be developed across country

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under its scheme “Development of Solar Cities” has approved/sanctioned 60 Cities including 13 Pilot and 5 Model Cities up to 12th Five-year Plan period.

• In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (IC) for Power & New and Renewable Energy, Shri R K Singh informed that the master plans of 49 Solar Cities have been prepared. 
• The Stake-holders Committees have been constituted in 21 Cities and Solar City Cells have been created in 37 Solar Cities.
• Solar PV projects with aggregate capacity of 8069.16 kWP and Solar Water Heating System with aggregate capacity of 7894 meter square collector area have been sanctioned under the programme.
• While Rs. 101.64 crore has been sanctioned, Rs. 25.92 crore has been released under scheme “Development of Solar Cities” so far.

India-UAE to ink 12 pacts during PM Modi's visit

As many as 12 agreements will be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE later this week as India and the oil-rich Gulf nation look to intensify economic cooperation.

• The agreements will include areas like finance and skills development.
• Modi will start his visit to three West Asian countries - Palestine, the UAE and Oman - on February 9 with focus on cooperation in key areas of defence, security and counter- terrorism.
• The Prime Minister will participate in the 6th World Government Summit in Dubai on February 10-11 in which India is a partner country.
• This will be PM Modi's second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015.

SH- Current Affairs Update 06th, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants,

International

Maldives declares state of emergency

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of Emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television.

• The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners.
• The latest crisis was triggered when the Maldivian Supreme Court ordered the release of some opposition leaders, including former president Mohammed Nasheed, after overturning their "terrorism" convictions.

Points to Remember

• The Maldives is a South Asian island country, located in the Indian Ocean, situated in the Arabian Sea.
• Male is the capital of Maldives while Rufiyaa is its currency.

Dubai named the world's busiest International Airport

Dubai International Airport says it has held on to its No 1 ranking as the world's busiest airport for ‘international travel’, after seeing some 88.2 million passengers in 2017.

• Dubai International Airport first surpassed London Heathrow as the world's busiest airport for international traffic in 2014.
• It has maintained the title ever since, with some 90 airlines flying into skyscraper-studded Dubai.
• The airport is home to the long-haul carrier Emirates.
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia remains the world's busiest airport overall.

SH- Current Affairs Update 05th, Feb 2018

Dear Aspirants,

National

Maharashtra to become first state to have Transgender Welfare Board

The long pending Transgender Welfare Board (TWB) will finally see light of the day with the Maharashtra government making a provision of Rs 5 crore for welfare of the community.

• Minister of State for Social Justice Dilip Kamble told that the Board will be set up in a month's time.
• It will look after education, employment, housing, and health schemes for transgenders and protect their Constitutional and human rights.
• Maharashtra will be the first such state to have such a Board, the minister said.

India’s biggest floating island released in Neknampur lake

On the occasion of World Wetland Day, city-based NGO Dhruvansh has introduced biggest floating island of India at Neknampur Lake, Hyderabad.

• The duo of Dhruvansh NGO, Madhulika and Neeraj Singh started Neknampur restoration programme in June 2016 adopting various cost effective methodologies to clean the lake.
• After successful introduction of 10×10 feet floating islands last year, the NGO introduced 2,500 square feet floating island with 3,500 wetland plants floating on this platform.

First defence industrial corridor between Chennai, Bengaluru

The first of the two defence industrial production corridors, as announced in the Union Budget, will link Chennai and Bengaluru.

• In his budget address, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government will develop two defence industrial production corridors.
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the first corridor will link Chennai and Bengaluru and will pass through Coimbatore and several other industrial clusters.

India's Super Computer Could Aid In Doubling Farmers' Income

The Union Budget saw much emphasis on doubling of farmers' income and accurate weather forecasts will play a major part in it.

• What could contribute to the doubling of farmers' income is India's most powerful Cray Super Computer - MIHIR - that will give more accurate weather forecasts.
• Built at a cost of Rs. 450 crore, MIHIR is housed in a badminton court-sized room at India's weather office near Delhi, and is capable of performing jobs equivalent to more than 2,500 high-end laptops, all working in tandem. 
• Dr Harsh Vardhan, Science Minister, says "MIHIR, named after the Sun God, will help in our weather forecasting capability and strength will increase tremendously and it will now become about eight petaflops." 
• Dr Vardhan said India will now also be ranked 4th, after Japan, UK and the US for dedicated HPC resources for weather/climate community.

Mukesh Khanna Quits as Chief of Children’s Film Society

Actor Mukesh Khanna said he has resigned as the chairperson of the Children's Film Society two months prior to the end of his term, alleging lack of support to take children's films to theatres and inadequate funding for the institution.

• His three-year term was scheduled to end in April.
• The actor is known for his portrayal in popular TV serial Shaktimaan.
• He made his debut on the small screen as Bhisham Pitamah in B R Chopra's Mahabharat.

SH- Current Affairs Update 04th, Feb 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,

International

World Cancer Day: 4 February

World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

• World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.
• The primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.
• The theme for the World Cancer Day 2016-2018 is 'We can. I can.'

National

International Conference on 'Demetrios Galanos and His Legacy’

The International Conference on 'Demetrios Galanos and His Legacy’ was inaugurated at IGNCA in New Delhi.

• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is organizing the 8-days International Conference.
• The 8-day long convention is being held in Delhi and Varanasi, in addition to organizing the exhibition and folk music of Greece.

Venkaiah Naidu to Inaugurate First International Kala Mela

The Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the First International Kala Mela in New Delhi on February 4.

• The Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma will also grace the occasion.
• Lalit Kala Akademi, the premier institution for the promotion of Art and Culture is organizing it at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi (IGNCA).

Environment Ministry launches ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign

Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has appealed to the teaching community to join the “Green Good Deeds” campaign, launched by his Ministry to sensitise the people about climate change and global warming.

• The Minister reminded the teachers of their “Green Social Responsibility similar to corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

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.