DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS –21.12.2018 TO 23.12.2018 NATIONAL Agriculture Export Policy 2018 Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Agriculture Export Policy 2018, which aims to double farmer's income by 2022. The Agriculture Export Policy envisions to “harness export potential of Indian agriculture, through suitable policy instruments, to make India global power in agriculture and raise farmers‟ income.” The Cabinet has also approved the proposal for establishment of Monitoring Framework at Centre with Ministry of Commerce as the nodal Department with representation from various Ministries,agencies and representatives of concerned State Governments to oversee the implementation of the Policy. PM Modi attended annual conference of DGPs, IGPs in Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the annual conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police at Kevadia colony of Narmada district. The venue for the conference is a Tent city set up nearer to the Statue of Unity. This police conference is an annual event in which top police officers from all over the country share and discusses security related issues. Gujarat Tops India’s Startup Rankings Gujarat has emerged as the best performer in developing startup ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs, according to the ranking of states done by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. In the ranking process, states have been identified as leaders across various categories such as startup policy, incubation hubs, seeding innovation, scaling innovation, regulatory change champions, procurement leaders, and communication champions. On the basis of performance in these categories, states have been recognized as best performer, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders, emerging states and beginners. While Gujarat was the best performer, four states—Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Rajasthan—made it to the top performers category. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana - were ranked as leaders. 27 states and 3 union territories participated in the ranking process. The government launched Startup India Action Plan in January to promote budding entrepreneurs in the country. The plan aims to give incentives such as tax holiday and inspector raj-free regime and capital gains tax exemption. Government launches Asiatic Lion Conservation Project to conserve their population The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched the “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” to protect and conserve the population of Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem. The project activities are planned in such a manner that cause habitat improvement, scientific interventions, disease control and veterinary care, complemented with adequate eco development works for the fringe population in order to ensure a stable and viable Lion population in the Country The total budget of the project for 3 years amounts to around Rs 9784 lakh. The project will be funded under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme- Development of Wildlife Habitat (CSS-DWH) with the Central and State share of 60:40 ratio. Odisha govt. announces Rs. 10,000 crore KALIA scheme for farmers' development Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a Rs. 10,000 crore scheme for the overall development of farmers in the state. The development programme is named as Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA), which will provide farmers with Rs. 10,000 a year at the rate of Rs. 5,000 each for Kharif and Rabi season. Additionally, crop loans of up to Rs. 50,000 will be interest-free under the scheme. Andhra, Himachal and Madhya Pradesh best performing states under maternity benefit programme PMMVY: MoSWCD 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 –21.12.2018 TO 23.12.2018 Minister of State for the Women and Child Development Ministry Virendra Kumar released the performance of states and UTs under the maternity benefit programme named Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh topped the charts as the best performing states. According to the finding, 51.70 lakh beneficiaries are covered annually under the PMMVY. INTERNATIONAL 15th Global SME Business Summit in New Delhi The 15th edition of a two day Global SME Business Summit was organised by the Ministry of MSME and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Government e-marketplace in New Delhi. The theme of the event was „Building Partnerships through Global Value Chains.‟ The agenda of the summit was to bring together renowned speakers with unbounded experience and expertise, a global audience, and various national and international SME stakeholders to integrate Indian MSMEs into the Global Value Chains (GVCs). Burundi names Gitega as new capital Burundi confirmed the small central city of Gitega as the country‟s new political capital. The previous capital Bujumbura, on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, became a country„s economic capital BILATERAL India & China hold first People-to-People exchanges meeting The Union External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will co-chair the first-ever meeting of India-China High-Level Mechanism on Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges in New Delhi. Earlier, India and China had decided to set up people to people mechanism during the meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The forum focused on three key themes: enhancing media understanding, promoting a closer development partnership, and proposing a roadmap for future media cooperation. ECONOMY RBI limits total outstanding ECBs to 6.5 pc of GDP The Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the government, has decided to have a rule-based dynamic limit for outstanding stock of External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) at 6.5 per cent of GDP at current market prices. The outstanding stock of ECBs as on September 30, 2018, stands at $126.29 billion. ECBs are borrowings raised by permitted resident entities from recognised non-resident entities. ECB is basically a loan availed by an Indian entity from a nonresident lender. Most of these loans are provided by foreign commercial banks and other institutions. It is a loan availed of from non-resident lenders with a minimum average maturity of 3 years. The significance of ECBs lies in their size in India‟s balance of payment account. In the post reform period, ECBs have emerged a major form of foreign capital like FDI and FII. Govt to infuse Rs 83,000 crore in PSBs in next few months The government will infuse 83000 crore in Public Sector Banks in next few months in the current fiscal. Earlier in the day, the government sought Parliament's approval for infusion of an additional Rs 41,000 crore in the state-owned banks through the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants. This would enhance the total recapitalisation in the current fiscal from Rs 65,000 crore to Rs 1.06 lakh crore. Karnataka Bank with Paisabazaar.com Paisabazaar.com and Karnataka Bank inked an agreement to offer home loan product on the Paisabazaar platform. 1441, Opp. IOCL Petrol Pump, CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar-750015 2 Ph. : (0674) 6556677, 8093556677. Web : www.vanik.org, E-mail : [email protected] DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS –21.12.2018 TO 23.12.2018 CEO of Karnataka Bank: Mahabaleshwara M S, Headquarters in: Mangalore. India’s Forex Reserves declined by USD 613.9 million to USD 393.12 billion According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, the country‟s foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 613.9 million to USD 393.12 billion in the week that ended by December 14, on account of a fall in foreign currency assets. PERSON IN NEWS Harsh Vardhan Shringla Harsh Vardhan Shringla (Indian Foreign Service officer - 1984 batch) has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America (USA). Currently, he is Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Riva Ganguly Das (IFS official-1986 batch) has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh. Jim Mattis US Defence Secretary (26th) Jim Mattis has resigned from his post due to policy differences with President Donald Trump. General Mattis' departure comes a day after; President Trump has announced that all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria. The Secretary of Defense is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council. Pranab K Das Senior bureaucrat Pranab Kumar Das (1983-batch IRS officer of Customs and Central Excise Cadre) has been appointed as chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) from (1st January 2019).He will take over from current Chairman S Ramesh. OBITUARIES Assamese singer Dipali Barthakur passed away Legendary Assamese singer Dipali Borthakur breathed her last in a city hospital on 21st December 2018.She was 77.Popularly referred to as the “Nightingale of Assam”, Borthakur had been suffering from a motor neuron disease for the last four decades AWARD C.R.I Pumps wins the Prestigious National Energy Conservation (NEC) Award 2018 from the Government of India for the 4th time C.R.I. pumps, one of the Leading Manufacturer of energy efficient pumps won the National Energy Conservation Award 2018 in the pumps category for the fourth time. C.R.I. is the highest contributor in the country for the projects of EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Limited) to replace the old inefficient pumps with new 5 star rated smart pumps. SPORTS W V Raman Former Indian Cricketer W V Raman (53-years) has been appointed as the new coach of the Indian women‟s cricket team.He will take over the role from Ramesh Powar. Mr. Raman played domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu, mainly as a left-handed batsman and a part-time left arm spinner.Raman played 11 Tests (448-runs) and 27 ODIs ( 617-runs).