Important Current Affairs 15th July 2017

Important Current Affairs 15th July 2017

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Current Affairs 15th July 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

President of India distributes free LPG connections under PMUY at Jangipur

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee distributed free LPG connections to 11 women under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) at Jangipur in Murshidabad district of West Bengal today (July 15, 2017) in the presence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan. 
●    With this, the Central Government has distributed 2.5 crore LPG connections under PMUY among the poor and marginalized households across the country since its launch. 
●    The PMUY was launched by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016.
●    Shri Abhijit Mukherjee, MP (Lok Sabha) and Shri Ranjan Mahapatra, Executive Director, Indian Oil, Kolkata were also present on the occasion.

Union Ministers Vijay Goel and Babul Supriyo Flag off 8th Slum Daud in Delhi 

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports shri Vijay Goel here today flagged off the 8th Slum Yuva Daud with shri Babul Supriyo, MoS Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, shri Ramesh Bidhuri MP and Basketball players Divya, Prashanti, Akanksha and Pratima (prominently known as Singh Sisters). 
●    Today’s run started from Qutub Minar and ended at Govt. Boys & Girls School playground, Mehrauli. 
●    More than 3000 youth from Delhi slums participated and cheered by Babul Supriyo with songs before the run. 
●    Addressing the participants shri Goel said that this is not just any other run but we are running for a better tomorrow, a New India where each youngster utilizes his/her skills for nation building. 
●    Shri Babul Supriyo gave a thumbs up to the Sports Ministry’s initiative of Slum Yuva Daud and called it “innovative step” to tap young talent.

J P Nadda launches the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) 

Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22) at a function, here today. 
●    The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years. 
●    Speaking at the launch, Shri Nadda said that the government would like to eliminate malaria by 2027 and urged the states for active cooperation. 
●    He further stated that the programme has to be owned by the states. Dr.Jagdish Prasad, DGHS, Shri R.K.Vats, Additional Secretary & Director General and Acting WHO Representative to India Dr. Suchaxaya Prakin were also present at the launch function. 
●    Recalling the launch of the National Framework for Malaria Elimination (NFME) last year, Shri Nadda stated that NFME outlined India’s commitment for eliminating malaria by 2030. 

India tops global index of countries with the most confidence in their government

The latest edition of the OECD's Government at a Glance report states that 73 per cent Indians have faith in the Narendra Modi led NDA coalition, the highest in the world.
●    India is followed by the Canadian government headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which has the confidence of 62 per cent citizens. 
●    Turkey, which witnessed a failed coup attempt in 2016, is in third place with 58 per cent of the populace placing its trust in the Erdogan government. 
●    Russia and Germany rounded off the top 5, with confidence levels at 58 per cent and 55 per cent respectively.
●    On the other hand, the United States government led by President Donald Trump secured only 30 per cent of the peoples' confidence. In the United Kingdom, which is in the midst of a bitter 'Brexit' following a divisive referendum last year, trust in the Theresa May government stands at 41 per cent, the report collated by the OECD said.
●    The recent impeachment of President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal has reduced confidence in the South Korean government to 25 per cent.

Govt empowers Army to procure weapons systems:

In a major decision, the government has empowered the Army directly to procure critical weapons systems and military platforms to maintain combat readiness for short duration "intense wars", a top government official said on Wednesday.
●    The move, aimed at filling the "voids" in the Army's combat readiness, comes amid nearly a month-long standoff between the armies of India and China in the Dokalam area as well as heightened Indo-Pak tension along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
●    According to the decision by the government, the Vice Chief of Army has been given the "full" financial powers to procure ammunitions and spares for 10 types of weapons systems and equipment after an internal review found that optimum level of "war stores" were not being maintained, the official, who is privy to the development, said.
●    The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
●    The official said the financial power vested, depending on the budgetary support available, to buy the complete range of weapons system may translate into Rs 40,000 crore.

India tops list of countries plagued by spam calls: Truecaller

In India, telcos and telemarketing accounted for a major chunk of the spam calls at 54 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.
●    Troubled by spam calls from banks offering loans or rival operators doling out more data coaxing you to switch? You are not alone. 
●    India tops the list of countries most affected by spam calls, says a report. According to phone directory app Truecaller, India is ahead of countries like the US, Brazil, Chile and South Africa with an average user receiving over 22 spam calls a month. 
●    Compared to this, customers in the US and Brazil get about 20 spam calls a month, while in Kenya the average is about seven calls, Truecaller said in a report.
●    “On a deeper dive, we found that there are common categories that tie all these spam calls together. 
●    These would be operator, debt collection, bank, political, health, spam, telemarketing, financial service, scam and insurance,” it added. In India, telcos and telemarketing accounted for a major chunk of the spam calls at 54 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.”
●    Many of these operators are seeking to provide special offers for free data, or unlimited calls.

Current Affairs 15th July 2017: Space Science

Saraswati, a supercluster of galaxies, discovered by Indian scientists

Discovery of a previously unknown supercluster of galaxies, Saraswati, was reported by a team of Indian scientists. Saraswati, the supercluster of 43 galaxies, is located in the direction of constellation Pisces.
●    This supercluster is one of the largest known structures in the nearby universe and is located some four billion light-years away from our planet, the Earth. It may contain the mass equivalent to over 20 million billion suns.
●    The Saraswati supercluster was estimated to have a mass of 2 x 1016 (twenty thousand trillion) suns. It has the capacity of containing thousands of suns along with billion of stars, planets, gases, dark matter and other bodies. 
●    Saraswati is estimated to be stretched over 650 million light years in distance.
●    The discovery is rare because just four or five such superclusters in the entire universe are known till date like ‘Shapley Concentration’ or the ‘Sloan Great Wall’. Superclusters, a group of clusters of galaxies, are the largest structures of stars, planets and other heavenly bodies in the universe.

Current Affairs 15th July 2017: Days & Dates

World Youth Skills Day 2017 observed globally

The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was on 15 July 2017 observed globally. 
●    The day is observed to create more awareness about training and the development of skills for the youth of today, in hopes of creating a better opportunity for them when it comes to employment.
●    This year, the United Nations along with WorldSkills.org organised campaigns #SkillsForAll and #WYSD to raise awareness about the importance of youth developing skills.
●    #SkillsForAll campaign was aimed at creating awareness that everyone should have the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. 
●    Through skills individuals, communities, and countries can create a more prosperous future.