DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS –15.09.2018 TO 17.09.2018 NATIONAL National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) Releases HIV Estimations 2017 The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) released the report HIV Estimations 2017. The HIV Estimations 2017 is the 14th round in the series of HIV Estimations under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). Maharashtra has the highest number of people living with HIV in India. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were on second and third place, respectively. As per the report, in 2017, India had around 21.40 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV) with the adult prevalence of 0.22%. NACO undertakes HIV estimations biennially in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Medical Statistics (NIMS). HDI report: India moves one spot higher to 130 India has climbed one spot to 130 out of 189 countries in the latest Human development rankings released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). HDI measures the progress in key dimensions of human development such as education, health and living standards. The top five countries in the global HDI ranking were Norway, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and Germany. India ranks 3rd in family-owned businesses India ranks third globally in terms of number of family-owned businesses with 111 companies having a total market capitalisation of $839 billion. India closely follows China with 159 firms and the US with 121 firms, says a report. According to the ‘Credit Suisse Family 1000 in 2018’ study, published by the Credit Suisse Research Institute (CSRI), in terms of number of family-owned businesses within the non-Japan Asian region, the list is dominated by China, India and Hong Kong. Javadekar inaugurates 3400 test practice centres for students Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurated a network of 3,404 Test Practice Centres (TPCs) spread across the country to help students get familiar with the pattern of competitive exams to be conducted by the newly established National Testing Agency (NTA). India gets its first ever dedicated dog park in Hyderabad For the first time in India, dog owners will have a dedicated dog park to visit. Set up in Hyderabad, the park is spread across an area of 1.3 acres. The park was initially a dump yard at Kondapur. It was converted into a dog park by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at a cost of Rs 1.1 crore. The man behind the development of dog park is an IAS officer Harichandana, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Zonal Commissioner. AP Govt launches website to tackle unemployment The Andhra Pradesh government announced to start an unemployment allowance for the state’s youth from October 2018. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also launched website for the scheme. The candidates can register online on the website yuvanestham.ap.gov.in. to be part of the scheme. As per the scheme, the unemployed youth between the age group of 25 years to 35 years will get an allowance of Rs. 1000 along with free of cost skill development training. Many companies across the country have collaborated with this ‘Yuva Nestam’ initiative. Once the companies register on the website, they can select the candidates and call them for the interview. Bengal scheme to combat human trafficking In an attempt to combat human trafficking, the West Bengal government has rolled out a scheme, Swayangsiddha, in different districts of the State. Swayangsiddha, which means self-reliance, will be executed by the West Bengal Police. The scheme aims to empower young boys and girls to make informed choices so that they are less vulnerable to trafficking and child marriage. As the per the NCRB data West Bengal has highest recorded case of trafficking among the States. Uttarakhand ranked best among states in constructing roads under PMGSY Uttarakhand has been ranked the best among states in the country for the construction of maximum number of roads under the PMGSY during 2017-2018. The state constructed a maximum of 1,839 kilometre roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana against a target of 1,500 km set for the year 2017-18. Cisco signed agreements with NITI, BSNL Cisco, a U.S.-based firm, that makes networking telecommunications equipment, has signed two agreements with the NITI Aayog and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to speed up its Country Digital Acceleration programme in India. To facilitate new citizen services, especially in government and public sector, Cisco signed an agreement with BSNL to set up a dedicated location to demonstrate use cases using 5G to solve citizen problems in areas such as education, healthcare and agriculture using technologies such as IoT, surveillance, and Artificial Intelligence. Chairman and CEO of Cisco- Chuck Robbins INTERNATIONAL Nepal and China conducts second joint military exercise Sagarmatha Friendship-2018 The second edition of Nepal-China joint military exercise named Mt Everest Friendship Exercise-2018 (Sagarmatha Friendship-2018) commenced in China’s southwestern Sichuan province. This will be the second time that Nepal Army will participate in joint military drill with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The first such exercise was held in April 2017 at Nepal Army’s Para Training School in Maharajgunj in Kathmandu (capital of Nepal). 1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 1 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web : www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS –15.09.2018 TO 17.09.2018 4th Eastern Economic Forum opens in Russia’s Vladivostok World leaders and business tycoons gathered in Russia’s Far Eastern port city of Vladivostok to discuss cooperation at the fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) The three-day forum under the theme of “The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities” has attracted thousands of attendees from more than 60 countries. BILATERAL India, Serbia Signed Agreements on Various Fields India and Serbia signed agreements on cooperation in plant protection and plant quarantine and on-air services, following the talks between Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu embarks on a three-nation visit to Serbia, Malta and Romania. Serbia Capital: Belgrade, Currency: Serbian dinar Malta Capital: Valletta, Currency: Euro. Romania Capital: Buchares, Currency: Romanian leu. ECONOMY PayU India Gets RBI Approval To Operate Its Own NBFC PayU India has received Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval to operate its own non-banking financial company (NBFC). The digital payments firm owned by South Africa’s Naspers Ltd. NBFC A Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 engaged in the business of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by Government or local authority, receiving deposits under any scheme. They do financial activity without having banking license. NBFC can give loan for a minimu period of 12 month and maximum period of 60 months. NBFC does not include any institution whose principal business is that of agriculture activity, industrial activity, purchase or sale of any goods (other than securities) or providing any services and sale/purchase/construction of immovable property. Financial activity as principal business is when a company’s financial assets constitute more than 50 per cent of the total assets and income from financial assets constitute more than 50 per cent of the gross income.Net owned must be Rs 2 crore. A company which fulfils both these criteria will be registered as NBFC by RBI. What is difference between banks & NBFCs? NBFCs lend and make investments and hence their activities are akin to that of banks; however there are a few differences as given below: i. NBFC cannot accept demand deposits; ii. NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself; iii. deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to depositors of NBFCs, unlike in case of banks. RBI to Buy G-Secs in Open Market The Reserve Bank to purchase government securities (G-secs) worth Rs 10,000 crore on September 19, a move aimed at inducing liquidity in the system. The purchase of the government securities will be done through Open Market Operations (OMO). OMOs are market operations conducted by RBI by way of sale/purchase of government securities to/from the market with an objective to adjust the rupee liquidity conditions in the market on a durable basis. If there is excess liquidity, RBI resorts to sale of securities and sucks out the rupee liquidity. Similarly, when the liquidity conditions are tight, the RBI buys securities from the market, thereby releasing liquidity into the market. NABARD Approves Rs 65,635 crore Loan For 93 Irrigation Projects The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has approved Rs 65,634.93 crore loan so far to 93 prioritised irrigation projects under the government’s flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY). The NABARD is funding the central and state share of 99 prioritised irrigation projects under the PMKSY through long term irrigation fund (LTIF). It is mandated to provide Rs 70,000 crore loan to these projects to be completed by 2019. Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank, BoB to merge: Govt. The government declared that state-owned Bank of Baroda, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will be merged to create the country’s third largest lender as part of efforts to revive credit and economic growth. The merged entity or amalgamated bank would be India’s third largest lender. The move follows top lender State Bank of India last year merging with itself five of its subsidiary banks and taking over Bharatiya Mahila Bank, a niche state-run lender for women.