Important Current Affairs 12th October 2017

Important Current Affairs 9th October 2017

Current Affairs 9th October 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATION

Cabinet approves MoU between India and Belarus for Cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Training 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Belarus for cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Training (VET).  
●    The MoU was signed on 12th September, 2017 during the State visit of H.E. Mr. Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus to India.
●    This is for the first time MoU for cooperation in area of vocational education, training and skill development has been signed with Eurasian country.
●    Belarus has a large concentration of industries, mainly into manufacturing and heavy industries, which draw their strength from available skilled manpower and a highly developed skill training system. 
●    The transfer of knowledge of their skilling methodology will immensely help in our initiatives like "Make in India" and "Skill India". 
●    This MoU would pave the way for systematic transfer of their expertise and knowhow in skilling the manpower specially in manufacturing sector.

Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Kuwait 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Kuwait for mutual co-operation and technical assistance. 
●    The MoU is likely to promote further development of economic links and cooperation between the two regulators, and aims at creating conditions for an effective development of securities markets in the two countries. 
●    It would also contribute towards strengthening the information sharing framework between the two. 
●    It is expected to add value to overseas mutual cooperation and regulation activities of SEBI and CMA, Kuwait.

Cabinet approves IALA to change its status from Non-Governmental Organization to Inter-Governmental Organization 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to change its status from Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to Intergovernmental Organization (IGO). 
●    The move will facilitate “to foster the safe, economic and efficient movement of vessels". 
●    It will bring IALA at par with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO). 
●    The IALA, having headquarters at St. Germain En Laye (France) was established in 1957 under French law. 
●    It is governed by a General Assembly having 83 National members, with its Council as the executive body. 
●    The IALA council consists of 24 National Members and India is one of the council members represented through the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), Ministry of Shipping. 
●    DGLL establishes and maintains Aids to Navigation in general waters along coast of India including A&N and Lakshadweep group of islands, as per Lighthouse Act 1927. 

Cabinet approves signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan on establishing a Liquid, Flexible and Global LNG Market 

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on establishing a liquid, flexible and global LNG Market.
●    The MoC will promote bilateral relationship between India and Japan in the energy sector. 
●    It will contribute to the diversification of gas supplies for India. 
●    This will strengthen our energy security and lead to more competitive prices for consumers.
●    The MoC provides a framework to cooperate in facilitating flexibility in LNG contracts, abolition of Destination Restriction Clause and also explore possibilities of cooperation in establishing reliable LNG spot price indices reflecting true LNG demand and supply.
●    India and Japan are major consumers of energy in the world. In the LNG sector, Japan is the world's largest importer and India is the 4th largest importer. 
 

Current Affairs 9th October 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves SANKALP & STRIVE Schemes to boost Skill India Mission 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved two new World Bank supported schemes of Rs. 6,655 crore - Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE). 
●    SANKALP is Rs 4,455 crore Centrally sponsored scheme including Rs. 3,300 crore loan support from World Bank whereas STRIVE is a Rs. 2,200 crore - central sector scheme, with half of the scheme outlay as World bank loan assistance. 
●    SANKALP and STRIVE are outcome focused schemes marking shift in government's implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results. 
●    There has been a long felt need for a national architecture for promoting convergence, ensuring effective governance and regulation of skill training and catalysing industry efforts in vocational training space. 
●    The two schemes shall address this need by setting up national bodies for accreditation & certification which shall regulate accreditation and certification in both long and short term Vocational Education and Training (VET). 

North and South Block buildings get a new glitter from tonight 

The iconic North and South Block building flanking the Rajpath in the national capital began to shine with bright, shimmering reflected light combinations with the inauguration of new dynamic façade lighting tonight. 
●    The honour of inaugurating this Rs.15 cr, 16 million colour combination new lighting was given to Shri Mahipal Singh, the senior most support staff who joined the Ministry of Home as a daftary in 1975.
●    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and 20 other Cabinet Ministers attended the event including Shri Rajnath Singh, Smt.Nirmala Sitharaman and Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, with whom Shri Mahipal Singh was seated in the front row, with others behind them. 
●    After the inauguration, Prime Minister shook hands with Shri Mahipal Singh, who is to retire in 10 days and complimented him.
●    A twenty minute live demonstration of new lighting was organized for the Ministers, senior officials of the Government, media and the large number of public who attended the launch.
●    Rashtrapati Bhawan located between the North and South Block buildings and overseeing the Rajpath will be covered with similar lighting from the first of January next, which would present a continuous stretch of visual delight.

Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) 2017 to take place in Delhi

The Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) 2017 is getting bigger and better. The 5th edition, being hosted by India is to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on November 23, 2017. 
●    It will see participation of ministers, officials, industry leaders and academia engaged in the global cyber ecosystem.
●    The world’s who’s who in the field of cyber space will congregate in India’s capital city. 
●    Over 3500 participants will take part in the weeklong event directly and millions virtually from India and abroad through video conference, webinars and webcast. 
●    For those who are not travelling to Delhi, about 800 locations around the world will be connected to GCCS 2017 (www.gccs2017.in) through video conference and 2000 locations through webinars.
●    More than 40 events and sessions are being organized by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India, in partnership with the Industry, International Organizations, Academia and Think Tanks. 

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the "Nanaji Deshmukh Plant Finomix Center" developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the "Nanaji Deshm Plant Finomix Center" developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Pusa.
●    Climate change and abiotic stresses such as drought, water crisis, heat, salinity, lack of nutrients and biotic, affect the crop productivity and quality.
●    To overcome these problems, it is necessary to identify genes for genetic resource-richness and yield properties and they should be used to develop climate-friendly crop varieties.
●    Traditional methods of symptom-modification are often degenerative and can not characterize the dynamical changes in plants during different phases of plant growth.
●    Symptomatic impairment is the main obstacle that limits the use of germicidal resources in crop correction with the help of genomics.
In the form of a bridge between the symptom and genetic form, the recent multi-disciplinary science of "phenomics" has evolved.
On the various developmental stages of plantation using non-invasive sensors and advanced image processing computational programs, there is an indestructible characterization, phenomics of the functional and morphological properties of plants in real time.