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Important Current Affairs 17th August 2017

Important Current Affairs 17th August 2017

Current Affairs 17th August 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

PM addresses Young Entrepreneurs at the "Champions of Change" initiative organised by NITI Aayog


The Prime Minister today interacted with Young Entrepreneurs at the "Champions of Change" initiative organised by NITI Aayog at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra.
●    Six groups of Young Entrepreneurs made presentations before the PM on themes such as - Soft Power: Incredible India 2.0; Education and Skill Development; Health and Nutrition; Energizing a sustainable tomorrow; and Digital India; New India by 2022.
●    Appreciating the new ideas and innovations envisaged in the presentations made by the entrepreneurs, the Prime Minister said, that in times past, social initiatives had catered to the requirements of people at large, and these movements were spearheaded by eminent people in society.
●    The Prime Minister described the "Champions of Change" initiative as one effort to bring together diverse strengths for the benefit of the nation and society.


Upgraded Passenger Terminal Building of Jammu Airport Inaugurated 


The upgraded passenger terminal building of Jammu Airport was inaugurated by Shri P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir today. 
●    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Raju, said, “We believe in augmenting infrastructure of our airports to enhance connectivity. 
●    With the upgraded Jammu Airport, we would be better prepared to give improved services to air travelers visiting this city of temples.” 
●    Appreciating the upgraded terminal building of Jammu Airport, Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, said, “We have been witnessing promising growth in number of air travelers to and from Jammu. 
●    The upgraded terminal of Jammu Airport is in line to enhance capacity and will contribute to the economic growth of Jammu – the gateway to the State.” 
●    Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS, PMO and Shri Jayant Sinha, MoS Civil Aviation, Members of Parliament and senior officials were also present on the occasion.


Environment Minister Launches “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” Campaign; urges children to celebrate Pollution-Free Diwali this Year


Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr.  Harsh Vardhan, launched the “Harit Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign, here today. 
●    Addressing a gathering of about 800 children from schools of Delhi and NCR, the Minister impressed upon the children the importance of their contribution towards reducing pollution by not bursting harmful fire crackers during Diwali.  
●    Congratulating the teachers and students, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that it is heartening to see that children have taken on the leadership role in combating air and noise pollution caused by burning of fire crackers during Diwali celebrations.  
●    The Minister added that whenever children take up any task, they do not spare any effort in ensuring its success.  
●    He urged the children to also learn about the chemicals present in the fire crackers and the impact of these chemicals on various parts of the human body.    

NHAI takes steps to facilitate availability of FASTags for Electronic Toll Collection


In order to facilitate the availability of FASTags for Electronic Toll Collection, NHAI has taken two revolutionary steps in consultation with RBI and NPCI . 
●    These include Online sale of FASTags and offline sale through  Common Services Centre (CSC) near toll plazas.
●    FASTag can also be purchased online from Issuer Banks websites / NHAI website / IHMCL website and will be delivered by courier at the door step of the purchaser. 
●    It is expected that this move will increase the sale of FASTags by improving availability and access.
●    Apart from the online sale,  from tomorrow, 18th August, 2017, FASTags can also be bought from sale points of  Common Services Centre (CSC) to be set up near toll plazas. 


Union Cabinet approves new Metro Rail Policy


The Union Cabinet on 16 August 2017 approved new Metro Rail Policy focussed on compact urban development, cost reduction and multi-modal integration.
●    This new Metro Rail Policy seeks to enable realization of growing metro rail targets of a large number of cities.
●    The policy enables private investments across a range of metro operations making Public-Private Partnership (PPP) component mandatory for availing central assistance for new metro projects. 
●    Private participation either for complete provision of metro rail or for some unbundled components will form an essential requirement for all metro rail projects seeking central financial assistance.


Supreme Court panel to examine why 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases closed


A “supervisory body” of two retired Supreme Court judges will scrutinise the closure by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of 241 cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. 
●    The SIT had been constituted by the Union Home Ministry in February 2015 to reinvestigate “serious cases” during the riots that followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi. 
●    A three-judge Bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, Wednesday said the committee will examine whether the decision of the SIT to close the cases was correct or not. 
●    It will submit its report in three months and the court will take up the matter again on November 28.
●    The court did not name the judges of the committee and said it will be added to the order.
●    On March 24 this year, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre to produce files of anti-Sikh riots cases that the SIT set up by the Home Ministry had decided to close.

Central Government imposes $ 264 million fine on Reliance Industries


The government has imposed a new penalty of $ 264 million (about Rs 1,700 crore) on Reliance Industries Ltd and its partners for producing less than the targeted natural gas from eastern offshore KG-D6 fields in 2015-16.
●    The total penalty now, which is in the form of disallowing recovery of cost incurred for missing the target during six years beginning April 1, 2010, stands at $ 3.02 billion, an oil ministry official said.
●    The Production Sharing Contract (PSC) allows RIL and its partners BP PLC of the UK and Canada’s Niko Resources to deduct all capital and operating expenses from the sale of gas before sharing profit with the government.
●    Disallowing costs will result in government’s profit share rising.
●    The government has claimed an additional $ 175 million as its profit share after the cost disallowance, the official said.

Current Affairs 17th August 2017: PERSON

Bill Gates becomes the biggest donor of the year 2017


Bill Gates, the world’s richest man, has donated $4.6bn (£3.6bn) in the Microsoft founder’s biggest gift to charity since he set up the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
●    Gates donated 64m Microsoft shares according to a US Securities & Exchange Commission filing. 
●    The recipient of the gift was not specified but it is expected that the money will be directed to the foundation he and his wife set up in 2000 with $5bn funding to improve global healthcare and reduce extreme poverty. 
●    The foundation did not respond to requests for comment.
●    The shares donated represent about 5% of his current $90bn fortune. 
●    The gift reduces Gates’s stake in Microsoft, which the 61-year-old co-founded in 1975, to just 1.3% from 24% in 1996.
●    Bill and Melinda Gates have donated $35bn since 1994. They donated $16bn worth of Microsoft shares in 1999 and followed it up with another $5.1bn a year later. 

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