18th July 2019 Current Affairs
Under Bharat Net, more than 1.28 Lakh Gram Panchayats linked with optical fibre
- On July 16, 2019, Union Panchayat Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed that under Bharat Net programme, more than 1.28 Lakh Gram Panchayats were linked with optical fibre.
- The programme has uploaded the photographic evidence of the works taken up by them and assistance given to beneficiaries.
- Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Lok Sabha that the government has taken initiatives to provide Internet/ e-panchayat facility at all panchayats.
SC constituted a high powered committee to frame an emergency plan to prevent the extinction of Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican
- Taking serious note of the alarming extinction of two Indian birds, Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican, the Supreme Court has constituted a high powered committee to urgently frame and implement an emergency response plan for the protection of these species.
- The court also sought responses from the Centre and state governments, where these two species of birds are prominently found, on a plea of wildlife activists.
- The plea has contended that over the last 50 years the population of the Great Indian Bustard has recorded a decline of over 82 per cent.
Note:
About Supreme Court
Founded: 1950
Motto: यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः॥ (IAST: Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ); Where there is righteousness (dharma), there is victory (jayah)
Pakistan to allow 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib
- After the second meeting of officials of India and Pakistan, the Foreign Office (FO) informed that Pakistan would allow 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day throughout the year to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib situated in Kartarpur, Narowal District, Pakistan.
- It was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.
- The first meeting was held in Atari, India on March 14, 2019.
Note:
About Pakistan
Currency: Pakistani rupee
Capital: Islamabad
Prime minister: Imran Khan
Bimal Jalan panel to recommend transfer of RBI reserve surplus
- The Bimal Jalan panel that was set up to review the economic capital framework of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to recommend transfer of surplus reserves to the government in a staggered manner over three-five years based on a predetermined formula.
- The transfer of surplus capital may help the government meet its fiscal deficit target at a time when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has narrowed the budget deficit target for the current fiscal to 3.3% of gross domestic product in July from 3.4% set in February’s interim budget.
- Sitharaman has budgeted to receive ₹1.06 trillion this fiscal from RBI through dividends.
Note:
About RBI
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founder: British Raj
Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
Governor: Shaktikanta Das
Hima Das wins gold in Tabor Athletics Meet
- Indian sprinter Hima Das clinched her fourth gold in a fortnight as she won the 200m race with a creditable timing of 23.25 seconds in the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic.
- In men’s 400m, Muhammad Anas won in 45.40 seconds.
- Hima’s compatriot V K Vismaya was second with a season best 23.43.
Note:
About Czech Republic
Capital: Prague
Currency: Czech koruna
Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah maintains top spots in ICC ODI ranking 2019
- India skipper Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah on Monday retained their number position in the ICC batsmen and bowlers’ rankings, respectively, following the conclusion of the World Cup.
- India had lost to New Zealand in the semifinals of the World Cup.
- Players from England and New Zealand, champions and runners-up, have moved up rankings after featuring in an exhilarating final at Lord’s.
Note:
About ICC
Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
CEO: Manu Sawhney
Founded: 15 June 1909
Government "Find the Incredible You" campaign wins PATA award
- ‘Find the Incredible You’ campaign of the Tourism Ministry, has won the Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award, 2019 under the ‘Marketing – Primary Government Destination’ category.
- It focuses on digital, social media & promotion of tourism product.
- PATA Gold Awards are given to tourism industry organizations and individuals making outstanding contribution towards the successful promotion of the travel industry throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
- The winners of the awards set industry standards for excellence and innovation and serve as examples for others to follow.
Note:
About PATA
PATA: Pacific Asia Travel Association
Headquarters location: Bangkok, Thailand
Founded: 1951
Repco MFI wins award from Nabard for SHG linkage in Tamilnadu
- Repco Micro Finance has received Nabard’s award for outstanding performance in terms of self-help group linkage in Tamil Nadu for 2018-19.
- It has provided SHG loans worth ₹3600 Cr to over 12 L individual beneficiaries through 60,000 SHGs.
- The Chennai-headquartered micro finance institution currently operates from 90 branches in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and has an employee strength of about 600 people.
Note:
About Tamilnadu
Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Capital: Chennai
Anusuiya Uikey, Harichandan appointed as Governors of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh
- BJP leaders Anusuiya Uikey and Biswa Bhusan Harichandan were appointed as governors of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
- A communique was issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan after President Ram Nath Kovind cleared their files for the gubernatorial post.
- Harichandan, who is a BJP leader from Odisha, replaces E S L Narasimhan, who was the governor of Andhra Pradesh for the last one decade.
Note:
About Chhattisgarh
Governor: Anandiben Patel
Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
Saravana Bhavan founder P Rajagopal dies in Chennai
- Founder of the popular South Indian food chain Saravana Bhavan, P Rajagopal recently passed away in a private hospital in Chennai.
- Earlier Rajagopal had surrendered along with another accused to serve life term as accused of a murder.
- Founder of the popular South Indian food chain Saravana Bhavan, Rajagopal had surrendered along with another accused earlier to serve life term after the Supreme Court rejected his plea seeking more time on grounds of ill-health.
Note:
About Tamilnadu
Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Capital: Chennai
Cabinet approves Rs 1,600 cr for Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal
- The Cabinet has approved ₹ 1600 Cr for Dibang Project in Arunachal Pradesh.
- It is a storage-based hydro-electric project with flood moderation.
- It approved the doubling of a railway line connecting Guwahati with New Bongaigaon at a cost of ₹ 2042 Cr.
Note:
About Arunachal Pradesh
Capital: Itanagar
Chief minister: Pema Khandu
ECI Appoints Shri B. Murli Kumar as Special Expenditure Observer for Election to 8 – Vellore PC, Tamil Nadu
- The Election Commission of India has appointed Ex- DG IT Chennai Sh B Murli Kumar (ex IRS – 1983) as Special Expenditure Observer for 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency that goes to polls now on 5th August 2019.
- It may be recalled that on 14th April 2019, the Commission had made a recommendation to the Hon’ble President of India, under Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, to rescind the Election to 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency, Tamil Nadu.
- The decision of the ECI to rescind the election in Vellore PC was based on detection of a systematic design to influence voters in 8- Vellore Parliamentary Constituency during the election process.
Note:
About Tamil Nadu
Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Capital: Chennai
Israel inks USD 50 Million deals with India to supply complementary Naval MRSAM systems
- Israel Aerospace Industries has inked a deal worth USD 50 million to supply complementary Naval MRSAM systems to the Indian Navy and the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.
- The IAI would provide complementary systems for the air defence system (ADS).
- The deal involves follow up order for a range of maintenance and other services for various sub-systems of IAI’s advanced MRSAM ADS.
Note:
About Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
Currency: Israeli new shekel
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
Try out the quiz ?
1. Which panel has recommend to transfer of RBI surplus reserve to the government of India?
The Bimal Jalan panel that was set up to review the economic capital framework of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to recommend transfer of surplus reserves to the government in a staggered manner over three-five years based on a predetermined formula.
2. Hima Das has won gold in Tabor Athletics Meet. In which country this meet was organized?
Indian sprinter Hima Das clinched her fourth gold in a fortnight as she won the 200m race with a creditable timing of 23.25 seconds in the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic.
3. "Find the Incredible You" campaign has won PATA award. Which Ministry has organized this campaign?
‘Find the Incredible You’ campaign of the Tourism Ministry, has won the Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award, 2019 under the ‘Marketing - Primary Government Destination’ category.
4. Which micro finance has received Nabard’s award for outstanding performance in terms of self-help group linkage?
Repco Micro Finance has received Nabard’s award for outstanding performance in terms of self-help group linkage in Tamil Nadu for 2018-19.
5. Center has allocated how many crore rupess for Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh?
The Cabinet has approved ₹ 1600 Cr for Dibang Project in Arunachal Pradesh.
6. India and Israel has signed a deal of how many million USD to supply complementary Naval MRSAM systems to the Indian Navy?
Israel Aerospace Industries has inked a deal worth USD 50 million to supply complementary Naval MRSAM systems to the Indian Navy and the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.
7. Under which Govt. scheme more than 1.28 Lakh Gram Panchayats has linked with optical fibre?
Union Panchayat Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed that under Bharat Net programme, more than 1.28 Lakh Gram Panchayats were linked with optical fibre.
8. Supreme Court has constituted a high powered committee to urgently frame and implement an emergency response plan for the protection of which Indian birds?
Taking serious note of the alarming extinction of two Indian birds, Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican, the Supreme Court has constituted a high powered committee to urgently frame and implement an emergency response plan for the protection of these species.
9. 5,000 Sikh pilgrims could visit per day to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara. Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara is situated in which country?
After the second meeting of officials of India and Pakistan, the Foreign Office (FO) informed that Pakistan would allow 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day throughout the year to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib situated in Kartarpur, Narowal District, Pakistan.
10. Which batsmen has maintain his top postion in ICC ODI ranking 2019 after conclusion of the World Cup- 2019?
India skipper Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah on Monday retained their number position in the ICC batsmen and bowlers' rankings, respectively, following the conclusion of the World Cup.
11. Who has appointed as Governors of Andhra Pradesh?
BJP leaders Anusuiya Uikey and Biswa Bhusan Harichandan were appointed as governors of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
12. P Rajagopal has passed away in Chennai. He was founder of.........
Founder of the popular South Indian food chain Saravana Bhavan, P Rajagopal recently passed away in a private hospital in Chennai.
13. Who has been appointed as Special Expenditure Observer for Vellore Parliamentary Constituency election?
The Election Commission of India has appointed Ex- DG IT Chennai Sh B Murli Kumar (ex IRS - 1983) as Special Expenditure Observer for 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency that goes to polls now on 5th August 2019.
