CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – FEBRUARY 2018 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY Vellore & Tiruvannamalai ENGLISH MEDIUM www.chennaiiasacademy.com chennaiiasacademy Contact : 9043 211 311 / 411 1 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 Current Affairs For TNPSC Examinations FEBRUARY 2018 SI.NO CONTENTS PAGE.NO 1. TAMILNADU 03 - 04 2. NATIONAL 04 – 35 3. INTERNATIONAL 35 – 46 4. AWARDS 46 – 49 5. SPORTS 49 – 55 6. SCIENCE AND 55 – 58 TECHNOLOGY 7. IMPORTANT DAYS 60 2 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 TAMILNADU The subsidized scooter scheme for working women is an electoral promise of former Tamil The Union Defence Minister Nirmala Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Seetharaman Announcement Under the scheme, every beneficiary will be given 50% of cost of a two-wheeler or grant of Rs. 25,000. It will cover one lakh working women every year. He also launched 70-lakh tree sapling planting drive. FAIRPRO 2018 The Union Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman has announced that , out of the two defence industrial production corridors that was mentioned in the Union budget 2018, the first defence industrial corridor will link Chennai An exhibition o`n Housing facilities and and Bengaluru and it will pass through infrastructure was orgainsed by Confederation of Coimbatore and various other industrial Real Estate Developers' Association of India regions. The second corridor will be announced (CREDAI held at Nandhambakkam, Chennai was soon. inaugurated by TN CM Mr. Edappadi K. Palaniswamy on 23rd Feb 2018 PM Narendra Modi has launched subsidised Amma two-wheeler Green Corridor will be going to Scheme develop in Chennai –Salem highway Green Corridor will be going to develop PM Narendra Modi has launched in Chennai –Salem highway on Rs. 10 Cr. subsidised Amma two-wheeler Scheme meant for working women on the occasion of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa‟ s 70th birth anniversary (24th Feb,2018). 3 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 This announcement was made by Union 3rd Century‟ s stone chekku ( oil Minister of Road Transport Mr. Nitin Gadkari. press machine) ‟ STAR 2.0 3rd Century s stone chekku ( oil press STAR 2.0 - Simplified and Transparent machine) was discovered in Thalavady, Erode Administration of Registration 2.0 – to make the district.It is about 4m height and at the bottom of registrations in a simplified and faster manner. the press Tamil Brahmi scripts were inscribed on it. NATIONAL Union Budget 2018-19: Complete Analysis This e-governance system was introduced by the Revenue and Disaster Management department of Tamil Nadu. Villupuram District‟ s Rishivandhyam In Villupuram District‟ s Rishivandhyam, the dwelling place of Sangam age people was discovered by the archaeologists. The evidence for the usage of iron was also found in the place. Budget 2018 Takeaways- Kota and Toda i. As per the FM in the Union Budget, India is Two South Dravidian languages of Tamil expected to become the fifth largest economy very Nadu including Kota and Toda is in endangered soon. condition. ii. The Growth rate is expected between 7.2-7.5% in the second half of 2017-18. Regional Cancer Institute iii. Exports are expected to grow 15% in 2018. The Health minister of Tamil Nadu Mr.C. Vijayabhaskar have announced that Regional India Slips to 42nd Place on EIU Cancer Institute will be formed in 4 districts of Democracy Index, Norway Tops Tamil Nadu namely Chennai, Coimbatore , Tirunelveli and Tanjore. 4 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 India has joined Ashgabat Agreement on the establishment of an International Transport and Transit Corridor between the Iran, Oman, India has slipped to 42nd place on an Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. annual Global Democracy Index according to the According to the External Affairs Ministry, data compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit the accession to the Agreement would diversify (EIU). India has moved down from 32nd place last India‟s connectivity options with Central Asia and year. have a positive influence on its trade and The top 5 Countries in the list are- commercial ties with the region. 1. Norway, 2. Iceland, Cochin Shipyard Limited Signs MoU 3. Sweden, with Russian Firm USC 4. New Zealand and 5. Denmark. The index ranks 165 independent states. The list has been divided into four broad categories- full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime and authoritarian regime. North Korea is ranked the lowest at 167th, while Syria is a notch better at 166th place. India Joins Ashgabat Agreement Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Russia have signed an MoU to collaborate and engage in Design, Development and Execution of contemporary, State-of-Art vessels for Inland and Coastal Waterways. The MoU will give a push to the 5 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 Government‟s Make-in-India programme, as also its plans to develop eco-friendly and economic The 32nd Surajkund International Crafts transportation along India‟s inland waterways and Mela has begun in Faridabad, Haryana. The Mela coastal shipping routes under SAGARMALA. is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism. 7th India Energy Congress Held in New The 17-day cultural extravaganza will see a Delhi spectacular showcase of regional and international crafts, handlooms, traditions along with some mouth-watering multi-cuisine food for the visitors. This year Uttar Pradesh is the theme state and Kyrgyzstan is the Partner Nation. PM Modi Inaugurates Global Investment Summit in Assam The 7th India Energy Congress was held in New Delhi. The theme of the 7th edition of India Energy Congress is 'Energy 4.0: Energy Transition Towards 2030'. The India Energy Congress is the flagship event of World Energy Council India (WEC India) and joint event of ministries of power, coal, new & renewable energy, petroleum & natural gas, The first two-day Global Investment external affairs and Department of Atomic Energy. Summit has been organized in Assam. The summit emphasises on promoting investments in the state 32nd Surajkund International Crafts and the North East. The conference Mela Begins was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Businessmen like Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani are taking part in the Summit. Investor's from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Germany and Japan as well as ASEAN countries will attend the summit. EAM Sushma Swaraj Goodwill Visit to Nepal- Complete Coverage 6 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 CriSidEx is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 (extremely negative ) to 200 ( extremely positive). CriSidEx will have 2 indices, one for the „survey quarter‟ and another for the „next quarter‟ once a trend emerges after few rounds of the survey, providing independent time series data. External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma 1st Ever International Kala Mela Swaraj has returned home after successful Inaugurated in New Delhi completion of the goodwill visit to Nepal. This was the first high-level visit from India after completion of historic three-tier elections in Nepal. In her first meeting, Swaraj held talks with CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. EAM also held discussions with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum Nepal, Chairman Upendra The First ever International Kala Yadav. Mela was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi. CRISIL, SIDBI Launch India‟s First The International Kala Mela has been MSE Sentiment Index organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi in The Union Minister for Finance and partnership with IGNCA of the Ministry of Culture. Corporate Affairs Mr Arun Jaitley launched More than 800 artists from across the world took CriSidEx, India‟s first sentiment index for micro part in the Festival. and small enterprises ( MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI. Maharashtra Government Approves New Wildlife Sanctuary at Ghodazari 7 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 The Maharashtra government has approved Ghodazari in Chandrapur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state. The decision was taken at the 13th meeting of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The sanctuary, in the North East of Tadoba, will include 159 sq km of Brahmapuri forest. This will not only save the forest but will also improve tourism in nearly 40 villages in the area. The book penned down by PM Narendra Modi named 'Exam Warriors' was launched to IWAI Signs Project Agreement with reach out to the students across the country ahead of World Bank for Jal Marg Vikas their exams. The book was released by External Project Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The book has been written to inspire youths to face the difficult moments of examinations and life, with fresh and new energy. 'Exam Warriors' is published by Penguin India, which runs into 208 pages. EAM Sushma Swaraj Embarked on 3- day Visit to Saudi Arabia Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed a project agreement with the World Bank for Jal Marg Vikas Project on river Ganga. The World Bank entered into a USD 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Union Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). External Affairs Minister Sushma 'Exam Warriors'- A Book Penned Swaraj has left for her first official visit to Saudi Down by PM Modi Released Arabia. During the three-day visit, Mrs Swaraj will meet with the Saudi leadership to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. She will also participate in the inauguration of the prestigious National Heritage and Culture 8 CHENNAI IAS ACADEMY-9043 211 311/411 Festival „Janadriyah‟. India is the guest of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj honour country at the fest. International airport of Mumbai sets record with 980 flights in 24 hours or almost one flight every minute.