30th July 2019 Current Affairs
“Pink coaches” introduced for women by the Northeast Frontier Railway zone
- As a new initiative that would enhance the security of women, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NRF) zone has introduced pink colored SLRcoach (second Class -cum- Luggage-cum Guard’s Coach) for women.
- NRF Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO)PranavJyoti announced that these pink coaches will help women passengers to identify their coach during rush hours.
- This special colour will help the women passenger to easily identify the coach in the platform even during rush hours.
- Eight trains in Rangiya division of the Northeast Frontier Railway have begun operations with some pink coaches, exclusively for women.
Note:
About Northeast Frontier Railway
Headquarters: Maligaon, Guwahati
Date of operation: 15 January 1958
Predecessor: North Eastern Railway zone
Locale: Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Tripura, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Bihar
Democratic Republic of Congo to launch surveillance, vaccination training to tackle Ebola
- The World Health Organisation(WHO) and the government of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have come together with a program to control the Ebola outbreak over the next six months by launching surveillance and vaccination training to the citizens of DRC.
- WHO’s emergency Operations Director Peter Graaf declared emergency in GOMA, which is a densely populated Eastern City bordering Rwanda following the confirmation of an Ebola case there.
- The WHO once decided against declaring the outbreak a global emergency on three previous occasions, because it regarded risk of the disease spreading globally to be low.
- Yet the discovery of the case in Goma signaled a change: inside Goma lies an international airport, a place which some health experts describe as a gateway to the rest of the world.
Note:
About WHO
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Head: Tedros Adhanom
Founded: 7 April 1948
An Account Aggregator platform “Sahamati” introduced to Solve Fintech’s Data Problem
- Infosys co-founder and its former chairman Nandan Nilekani has introduced a new platform “Sahamati” based on a new class of non-banking financial institutions called the account aggregator (NBFC-AA) model.
- This will work as consent brokers, which will take users permission to access their financial accounts, aggregate and organize all their financial information in one place.
- Nilekani has now introduced a new model which could change the game for the fintech ecosystem in India in the form of account aggregator.
Note:
About Infosys
CEO: Salil Parekh
Founded: 7 July 1981, Pune
Headquarters: Bengaluru
India’s Current Account Deficit to remain steady at 16-17 billion dollars in the first quarter
- ICRA has predicted that the current account deficit (CAD) will remain largely steady for the first quarter of financial year 2019-20.
- This Moody’s-affiliated credit ratings agency stated that the current account deficit in Q1 FY20 will print at $16-17 billion, from $15.8 billion in Q1 FY2019.
- ICRA predicted a contraction in India’s merchandise exports and imports.
- The agency also forecasted that India’s CAD will widen to $63-68 billion in FY2020, from $57.2 billion in FY2019, while remaining steady at around 2.1 per cent of GDP.
Note:
About ICRA
Headquarters: India
CEO: Naresh Takkar (1 Jul 2006–)
Founded: 1991
Executive vice president: L. Shivakumar, Vivek Mathur, Jayanta Chatterjee, Anjan Deb Ghosh
Promoters get 90 days to retake company after insolvency proceedings begin: IBBI
- The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has notified that the promoters and other stakeholders will be given 90 days after the commencement of insolvency proceedings to re-take control of the company through agreements with creditors.
- It was proposed under Section 230 of the Companies Act 1956.
Note:
About IBBI
IBBI: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
Regulatory agency executive: M. S. Sahoo, Chairperson
Founder: Parliament of India
Founded: 1 October 2016
Headquarters: Delhi, New Delhi
Indian Federation of Sports Gaming ropes in Justice AK Sikri as ombudsman
- The Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG) has appointed justice A K Sikri as its ombudsman and ethics officer.
- He will be responsible for investigating queries/complaints raised by the users of the online fantasy sports gaming platforms.
- Arjan Kumar Sikri is a jurist, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and was recently appointed as a judge in the Singapore International Commercial Court.
- Joining IFSG as the industry body’s first ombudsman, Justice Sikri will be responsible for investigating queries/complaints raised by the users of the online fantasy sports gaming platforms.
Note:
About Singapore
Capital: Singapore
Currency: Singapore dollar
President: Halimah Yacob
Prime Minister: Lee Hsien Loong
Parliament Speaker: Tan Chuan-Jin
Chief Justice: Sundaresh Menon
Priya Priyadarshini Jain facilitated with “Indian Women of Influence” award
- Social entrepreneur philanthropist and eminent fashionista Priya Priyadarshini Jain was conferred with the prestigious “Indian Women of Influence” award at the House of Lords, The United Kingdom Parliament, London.
- “Indian Woman of Influence Awards” had awardees from various countries like Britain, India, USA, Spain, and Scotland. The award recognized the power of Indian women residing in different parts of the world.
- This award assures that women of Indian origin are the leaders in their respective fields in the countries they presently live.
Note:
About U.K
Capital: London
Prime minister: Boris Johnson
Currency: Pound sterling
Former International tennis player VidishaBalyan from Uttar Pradesh wins Miss Deaf World 2019 title
- 21 year old VidishaBaliyan from Muzaffarnagar,Uttar Pradesh became the firstIndian, crowned Miss Deaf World 2019 which was held in Mbombela, South Africa.
- She is a former International tennis player who represented India in the Deaflympics.
- She became the first Indian to win this crown.
- Baliyan was chosen the winner among 11 finalists from 16 participating countries in the final.
- Hailing from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, Baliyan’s family currently lives in Ghaziabad.
- She was trained for the pageant in Gurugram and Noida.
Note:
About South Africa
Largest city: Johannesburg
Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency: South African rand
Bandhan Bank appoints Siddhartha Sanyal as chief economist
- Bandhan Bank announced the appointment of Siddhartha Sanyal as chief economist and head of research who will spearhead the bank’s research and business strategy.
- He was the director and chief India economist of Barclays Bank Plc.
- MD and CEO of Bandhan Bank Chandra Sekhar Ghosh said “Siddhartha brings in a wealth of experience in analysing economic trends and financial matters”.
Note:
About Bandhan Bank
Headquarters: Kolkata
CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Chairperson: Anup Kumar Sinha
Founder: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Founded: 2001
Fagu Chauhan, a six-time member of the UP Assembly, sworn as new Governor of Bihar
- On July 29, 2019, Fagu Chauhan, a six-time member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, was sworn in as the 29th Governor of Bihar replacing Lal Ji Tandon who has taken charge as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
- Oath taking ceremony was administered by Chief Justice of the Patna High Court Amreshwar Pratap Shahi at the Raj Bhavan in Patna in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and other leaders.
- Chauhan replaced Lalji Tandon who has taken charge as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
Note:
About Uttar Pradesh
Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
Governor: Anandiben Patel
Area rank: 4th
Country: India
Districts: 75
Literacy (2011): 67.68%
Anandiben Patel sworn-in as Uttar Pradesh governor
- On July 29,2019, Anandiben Patel took oath as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh(UP).
- Govind Mathur, the Chief Justice of the UP High Court administered her oath of Office and Secrecy at Raj Bhawan in Lucknow, UP.
- Outgoing Governor Ram Naik also attended the swearing-in ceremony.
India, Russia sign Rs 1,500 crore deal for air-to-air missiles to be used by Su-30
- Boosting its capabilities in beyond visual range warfare, India has signed a deal worth around Rs 1,500 crore to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia to be equipped on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft.
- “A contract has been signed with Russia for the acquisition of R-27 air-to-air missile to be fitted on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft fleet of the Indian Air Force.
- The Russian missiles with an extended range would give an added capability to the Sukhois to take on enemy aircraft at long ranges.
Note:
About Russia
Capital: Moscow
Currency: Russian ruble
Population: 14.45 crores (2017) World Bank
President: Vladimir Putin
Senior BJP leader Vithalbhai Radadiya passes away
- In Gujarat, senior BJP leader and former Lok Sabha MP Vithalbhai Radadiya died.
- He was 61. He was the six-time MLA and also served as a Minister in the Gujarat government.
- He was considered as a popular farmers’ leader of Saurashtra.
Note:
About Gujarat
Capital: Gandhinagar
Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat
5th edition of Dharma-Dhamma conference held in Rajgir, Bihar
- The fifth international Dharma-Dhamma conference was inaugurated here on Saturday by Union Minister of State Kiren Rijiju in the presence of Sri Lanka’s Home Minister Gamini Jaiwickrama Perera, Bhutan’s Home and Culture Minister Lyonpo Sherub Gyeltshen, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav and Juna Akhada’s Awadheshananda Giri Ji Maharaj.
- This conference will be held on two days between July 27-28.
- 200 delegates from 15 countries have registered themselves as participants in the conference.
- The main purpose of this conference is to address people about the terror, violence and global warming prevalent in the world.
Note:
About Bihar
Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
Governor: Phagu Chauhan
Capital: Patna
Districts: 38
National Park: Valmiki National Park
India’s 7th Economic Census begins from Tripura
- India’s seventh Economic Census began from Tripura and a similar task would be launched in other States and Union Territories across the country next month.
- The IT-enabled economic census would be done by the Common Service Centres in each gram panchayat.
- The fieldwork in other States and Union Territories would be undertaken in August and September.
- At least 6,000 enumerators and supervisors from unemployed youths are being engaged to conduct the Economic Census in Tripura.
Note:
About Tripura
Capital: Agartala
Governor: Ramesh Bais
Chief minister: Biplab Kumar Deb
Odisha Secretariat Renamed As ‘Lok Seva Bhawan’
- Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the Sachivalaya or Secretariat building in Bhubaneswar will now be called ‘Lok Seva Bhavan’.
- The Odisha secretariat building was inaugurated on Nov 12, 1959, by Home Minister Govind Ballabh Pant.
Note:
About Odisha
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
India, Mozambique sign two MoU in field of Hydrography
- India & Mozambique have signed two Memoranda of Understanding on sharing white shipping information & co-operation in the field of Hydrography.
- The agreement will further strengthen the ongoing Indo-Mozambican Defence co-operation and their relations.
- The Defence Ministry said in a release that the agreement will further strengthen the ongoing Indo-Mozambican Defence co-operation and India Mozambique relations in general.
Note:
About Mozambique
Capital: Maputo
Currency: Mozambican metical
Try out the quiz ?
1. Which Railway zone has started Pink coaches for women security?
As a new initiative that would enhance the security of women, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NRF) zone has introduced pink colored SLRcoach (second Class -cum- Luggage-cum Guard’s Coach) for women.
2. WHO and which government have come together with a program to control the Ebola outbreak by launching surveillance and vaccination training?
The World Health Organisation(WHO) and the government of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have come together with a program to control the Ebola outbreak over the next six months by launching surveillance and vaccination training to the citizens of DRC.
3. Who has launched an account aggregator platform “Sahamati”?
Infosys co-founder and its former chairman Nandan Nilekani has introduced a new platform “Sahamati” based on a new class of non-banking financial institutions called the account aggregator (NBFC-AA) model.
4. India’s CAD to be remain steady at 16-17 billion dollars in the first quarter FY2019. What is the full form of CAD?
ICRA has predicted that the current account deficit (CAD) will remain largely steady for the first quarter of financial year 2019-20.
5. According to IBBI promoters and other stakeholders have given how many days to re-take control of the company after the commencement of insolvency proceedings?
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has notified that the promoters and other stakeholders will be given 90 days after the commencement of insolvency proceedings to re-take control of the company through agreements with creditors.
6. Who has been appointed as chief economist of Bandhan Bank?
Bandhan Bank announced the appointment of Siddhartha Sanyal as chief economist and head of research who will spearhead the bank’s research and business strategy.
7. 5th edition of Dharma-Dhamma conference held in which city?
The fifth international Dharma-Dhamma conference was inaugurated here on Saturday by Union Minister of State Kiren Rijiju in the presence of Sri Lanka's Home Minister Gamini Jaiwickrama Perera, Bhutan's Home and Culture Minister Lyonpo Sherub Gyeltshen, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav and Juna Akhada's Awadheshananda Giri Ji Maharaj.
8. India’s seventh Economic Census has began from which state?
India’s seventh Economic Census began from Tripura and a similar task would be launched in other States and Union Territories across the country next month.
9. India has signed an agreement with which of the following country to share white shipping information & co-operation in the field of Hydrography?
India & Mozambique have signed two Memoranda of Understanding on sharing white shipping information & co-operation in the field of Hydrography.
10. Who has been appointed as ombudsman and ethics officer of Indian Federation of Sports Gaming?
The Indian Federation of Sports Gaming (IFSG) has appointed justice A K Sikri as its ombudsman and ethics officer.
11. Who has won “Indian Women of Influence” award?
Social entrepreneur philanthropist and eminent fashionista Priya Priyadarshini Jain was conferred with the prestigious “Indian Women of Influence” award at the House of Lords, The United Kingdom Parliament, London.
12. VidishaBaliyan has become the first Indian to crowned as Miss Deaf World 2019. She is from which state?
VidishaBaliyan from Muzaffarnagar,Uttar Pradesh became the firstIndian, crowned Miss Deaf World 2019 which was held in Mbombela, South Africa.
13. Governor of Bihar Lal Ji Tandon has taken charge as the Governor of which state?
Fagu Chauhan, a six-time member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, was sworn in as the 29th Governor of Bihar replacing Lal Ji Tandon who has taken charge as the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
14. Who is the new governor of Uttar Pradesh?
Anandiben Patel took oath as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh(UP).
15. India has signed a defence deal of around Rs 1,500 crore with which country?
Boosting its capabilities in beyond visual range warfare, India has signed a deal worth around Rs 1,500 crore to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia to be equipped on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft.
16. Former Lok Sabha MP Vithalbhai Radadiya has died. He was the leader of which political party?
In Gujarat, senior BJP leader and former Lok Sabha MP Vithalbhai Radadiya died.
17. "Lok Seva Bhawan" is the new name of.........
Odisha Secretariat Renamed As ‘Lok Seva Bhawan’. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the Sachivalaya or Secretariat building in Bhubaneswar will now be called ‘Lok Seva Bhavan’.