IPCI Info

20 June

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Affairs

  • Today (20th June 2017) is World Refugee Day.
    • This day is observed by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
    • This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
    • The decision to observe the day, coinciding with Africa Refugee Day, was made by the UN in December 2000.
    • The first World Refugee Day marked the 50th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention.
    • Theme of 2017 : With Refugees
  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up PM Narendra Modi today, with both leaders discussing the Paris Climate Agreement.
    • Modi congratulated Trudeau on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation this year, besides reaffirming India’s commitment to climate change and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
  • India has become the 71st nation to join the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention.
    • Note : India’s decision to join the convention is part of its multi-modal transport strategy that aims at integrating Indian economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity.

 

National news Affairs

  • For the first time in India, Indore has installed a 14-foot-tall robot to control traffic.
    • It’s equipped with a public address system and can take photos of traffic violators to generate e-challans when connected to police control room.
    • Developed by Shri Venkteshwar Institute of Technology, the robot took two years and ₹20 lakh to complete.
  • Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has announced the following :
    • The government will establish wellness mohalla (ward) clinics across the state along with initiating the process of providing health insurance to all citizens.
    • Free education for girls in government schools and colleges in the state from Nursery to PhD, fulfilling a poll promise.
    • A waiver of more than ₹20,000 crore in farmer loans, in a move expected to benefit 10.25 lakh farmers.
      • Note: The amount is double the relief announced by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
    • Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines has launched the Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 (ECBC 2017).
      • This has been developed by Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)with technical support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the S.-India bilateral Partnership to Advance Clean Energy – Deployment Technical Assistance (PACE-D TA) Program.
      • This Code prescribes the energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India.
    • Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan has launched a Mobile App titled “Celebrating Yoga”.
      • The aim of the app is to popularise Yoga and encourage people to practice yoga for a scientifically healthy living.

 

New Appointments

  • The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appointed 19-year-old Muzoon Almellehan as its newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador on World Refugee Day.
    • With this, she became the first refugee to become an Ambassador for the organisation.

 

MOUs & Agreements

  • American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company Lockheed Martin and India’s Tata Advanced Systems have signed an agreement to produce F-16 fighter planes in India.

 

Science & Technology

  • NASA’s Kepler space telescope has discovered 219 new planet candidates, 10 of which are Earth-like and orbit in their star’s habitable zone, the distance at which liquid water can exist.
    • To date, Kepler has identified 50 near-Earth-size habitable zone candidates, of which over 30 have been verified.
    • Further, it has identified 4,034 planet candidates, with 2,335 being verified as exoplanets.

BANKING & FINANCE

  • IDBI Federal Life partners with SunTec for GST roll out

 

  • IDBI Federal Life Insurance has announced that it has partnered with SunTec.
  • It will help facilitate in computing and invoicing of debit tax and credit tax that will be GST compliant.
  • Under the agreement, for the debit tax mandate SunTec will help in analysing data from various sources for computation and invoicing purposes.

About IDBI

♦ Founded: 1 July 1964

♦ HQ: Mumbai

♦ MD & CEO: Mahesh Kumar Jain

 

  • India and ADB Sign $275 Million Loan for Upgrading Urban Services in 64 Small Towns in Madhya Pradesh
    • The GOI and Asian Development Bank has signed USD 275 million loan for a piped water supply project for rapidly urbanising small towns. It will cover 3 lakh households in 64 small towns in Madhya Pradesh.

Key Points:

  • The state government will provide a USD 124 million counterpart support for the project.
  • As per ADB it will be completed by June 2022.
  • According to ADB reports the urban population in the state is expected to increase from 28 per cent in 2016 to 35 per cent by 2026.
  • It will develop sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient water supply in 64 small and mid­sized towns.
  • It will also provide integrated storm water and sewerage infrastructure in two heritage towns — Khajuraho and Rajnagar.
  • The loan pact was signed by Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance and L B Sondjaja, Deputy Country Director ADB India Resident Mission.
  • Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Urban Development, Madhya Pradesh inked the project agreement.

About MP

♦ Capital: Bhopal

♦ Governor: Om Prakash Kohli

♦ CM: Shivrajsingh Chouhan

 

 CURRENT Sports news

  • Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has bought the Cape Town-based side in Cricket SouthAfrica’s new T20 league.
    • The team, which will be called Cape Town Knight Riders, is Khan’s third team in T20 leagues after IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Caribbean Premier League’s Trinbago Knight Riders.
    • Note: GMR Group, Delhi Daredevils’ owners, have also bought a team in the league.
  • The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the Team of the Champions Trophy 2017, which includes 7 players from the finalists of the tournament, India and Pakistan.  They are,
    • Shikhar Dhawan (India) (338 runs)
    • Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) 252 runs)
    • Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) (293 runs)
    • Virat Kohli (India) (258 runs)
    • Joe Root (England) (258 runs)
    • Ben Stokes (England) (184 runs and three wickets)
    • Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan) (captain) (wicketkeeper) (76 runs and nine dismissals)
    • Adil Rashid (England) (seven wickets)
    • Junaid Khan (Pakistan) (eight wickets)
    • Bhuvneshwar Kumar  (India) (seven wickets)

Hassan Ali (Pakistan) (13 wickets)