Current Affairs Daily Digest – July 21′ 2017

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  1. Divyanka Tripathi & Terence Lewis Emerged As Most Admired Leaders

Yeh Hai Mohabbatein fame, Divyanka Tripathi has added another feather in her cap. The television’s much-loved mother, Divyanka aka Ishima has been honoured with the Most Admired Leader in the field of entertainment by Herald Global and has also been listed in the 50 Most Inspirational Women list. This is the second win in a month for Divyanka.

  1. Advani gets Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions in Lok Sabha

Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani has received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions as a parliamentarian in the Lok Sabha.

JD-U leader Sharad Yadav also received the Lifetime Achievement Award as a Rajya Sabha representative from Vice President Hamid Ansari at a function organised by the Lokmat Media Group to honour distinguished Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members.

  1. Gopal Baglay appointed Joint Secretary in Prime Minister’s Office

Senior diplomat and External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay was appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.

He has been appointed in place of Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who has been already named as India’s Ambassador to France.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Baglay’s appointment to the post for three years.

  1. Ram Nath Kovind Ji on being elected the President of India

Ram Nath Kovind won the presidential elections by securing over two-thirds of the total electoral college votes, the politician and Chief Minister of various states extended their good wishes for the 14th President of India.

Kovind will take oath as 14th President of India on July 25 as incumbent Pranab Mukerhjee’s last day as president is on July 24.

  1. Second phase of rural connectivity project BharatNet gets approval

The government cleared the second phase of BharatNet, its ambitious programme to bring broadband connectivity to all 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country. It also more than doubled the project’s budget and pushed back the deadline to March 2019.

The Cabinet has approved a budget of Rs 42,068 crore for the programme. Of this, Rs 18,792 crore will be for the second phase, where end to-end implementation of the project will be open for states as well as public sector and private companies.

  1. Mobile employment exchange launched in Vizag

The Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) launched ‘Udyogaratham’, a digital technology-based employment van, in association with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and TM.

The mobile ‘employment exchange’ will keep job-seekers posted of vacancies from time to time through SMS messages on mobile phone. Job-seekers can download a mobile android App ‘Appli’ to view the vacancies.

  1. Jaitley launches pension plan for senior citizens with 8% assured return

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has formally launched a pension scheme for senior citizens with an assured return rate of eight per cent, favouring efficiency with social security.

“Banks have to lend at feasible rates, while senior citizens want secure, reasonable, unfluctuating return on their investment,” Jaitley said here launching the pension scheme — Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY).

The PMVVY is a pension scheme announced by the government exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and above, which is open for subscription between May 4, 2017 and May 3, 2018.

  1. Jharkhand govt sets up helpline for farmers

The Jharkhand government has set up a helpline for farmers that would become operational from 22.07.2017. The move comes in the wake of around half-a-dozen suicides by farmers in less than two months in the state.

While the administration has maintained that none of these suicides were linked to pressure of loans, the state government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh in each case.

  1. Meghalaya to launch grassroots football development programme

A state government-backed football grassroots development programme will be launched with an exhibition match between the north-eastern players and their rest of India counterparts at the floodlit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

A ‘pet project’ of Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the gala event where all state government dignitaries are expected to be present, will focus on further nurturing young talent from the region which has in recent times produced a clutch of national team players.

  1. Government has constituted a Central Monitoring Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary to monitor the impact of GST

The Government of India has setup a Central Monitoring Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Three meetings of the Central Monitoring Committee have been held on 2nd July, 11th July and 18th July. The reports include the details of feedback received from various Ministries and Departments regarding the following issues:

  • Steps taken by department to disseminate knowledge about GST.
  • Stakeholders still not registered.
  • Position of Prices of Products pre-GST and post-GST.
  • Queries received, solved by GST Cell in every department.
  • Department wise FAQs made, disseminated among its stakeholders.
  • Success stories which could be publicized.
  • Sector Specific training on GST required by the Ministry.
  • Shortages of products, if any.
  1. SBI creates a wholly owned subsidiary “SBI Infra Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd

State Bank of India (SBI) has informed that they have created a wholly owned subsidiary “SBI Infra Management Solutions Pvt. Ltd.” for providing real estate services to them.

The role of the subsidiary is envisaged as under:-

  • Transaction Management / Advisory Services
  • Project Management
  • Facility Management
  • Implementation of Policies / Initiatives

The subsidiary has been formed to segregate the non-core activity of the SBI and improve operational efficiency. The SBI will continue to hold the existing (commercial and residential) as well as the new acquired property of the SBI and not in any way transfer them to the subsidiary.

  1. Russia to sign three key pacts for Kudankulam units 5 & 6 this month

Russian companies will sign three key agreements with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd for Kudankulam units 5 and 6, by the end of this month, said Sergey Orlov, who heads the India operations of Atomstroyexport, one of the Russian companies engaged in the construction of nuclear power projects.

The ‘long manufacturing cycle equipment and first priority equipment agreement’ would give the go-ahead to the Russian companies to begin production of key equipment such as reactor pressure vessels and steam generators, which take long time to manufacture.

  1. India, Japan civil nuclear deal comes into force

A landmark civil nuclear cooperation deal between India and Japan that provides for collaboration between their industries in the field came into force, eight months after it was sealed.

This allows the US and French nuclear firms, which have alliances with Japanese companies, to conduct nuclear commerce with India.

This agreement is a reflection of the strategic partnership between India and Japan and will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy security and clean energy.

  1. Queen Elizabeth appoints female lawyer as Britain’s top judge

British Queen Elizabeth has approved the appointment of the first-ever female head of the UK’s highest court.

Eminent law lord, Baroness Hale, will become President of Britain’s Supreme Court following the retirement in September of the current President, Lord Neuberger.

Lady Hale, 72, was first appointed as a top appeal judge in 2004 and a Justice of the Supreme Court when the court was established in 2009.

  1. Morocco, Britain sign MoU on civil aviation security

 Morocco and Britain have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on aviation security.

The agreement was initialled by Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Mohamed Sajid, and the Charge d’Affaires at the British Embassy in Rabat, William Hopkinson.

The cooperation will further strengthen Morocco’s privileged position in the North African region for its security and economic stability and further consolidate its image as an attractive tourist destination.

  1. Lord Davies Appointed Chair Of The UK India Business Council

Lord Davies is set to replace The Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt as Chair of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC). He will take up this role from 1st September 2017, initially to serve a three-year term. Patricia Hewitt will be stepping down after 8 years in the role.

Businesses in both countries have always placed a high priority on the bilateral relationship. This relationship is now even more critical as Brexit becomes more of a reality.

The UK India Business Council plays a vital and unique role, and we could and should be doing more to shape and drive a business-led agenda that benefits both countries.

  1. Apple named most profitable company in Fortune Global 500

In the newly released Fortune Global 500 list, Apple has been named as the world’s most profitable company, reaping in nearly $45.7 billion in profit in the last financial year.

The four companies that followed Apple to round out the top five positions were all Chinese banks, including Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ($41.8 billion), China Construction Bank ($34.8 billion), Agricultural Bank of China ($27.6 billion) and Bank of China ($24.7 billion). Alphabet Inc., which now owns Google, was at No. 9 ($19.4 billion) while Apple’s arch rival in smartphone business, Samsung, came at No. 10 ($19.3 billion).

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