Important Current Affairs 17th November 2017

Important Current Affairs 17th November 2017

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Current Affairs 17th November 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Air Chief inaugurates SWAC Commanders’ conference 

The Annual Commanders’ Conference of South Western Air Command (SWAC) was inaugurated by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff on 17 Nov 2017 at Gandhinagar. 
●    The Commanders of Stations located in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra states attended the conference.
●    Earlier, the Chief of Air Staff accompanied by Mrs Kamalpreet Dhanoa, President Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA) were received by Air Marshal RK Dhir PVSM AVSM VM ADC, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, SWAC and Mrs Neelam Dhir, President AFWWA (Regional) at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport this morning.
●    On arrival at HQ SWAC, Gandhinagar, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inspected an impressive Guard of Honour.
●    In his inaugural address, the Chief of the Air Staff acknowledged the high degree of professionalism and hard work displayed by the Air Warriors of SWAC in achieving the assigned goals.
●    He highlighted the need for maintaining full operational preparedness with optimal utilization of available resources. 
●    He emphasized the need for Air Warriors to keep abreast with the latest technologies and to focus on the associated challenges while the IAF marches ahead with major upgradation of capabilities and infrastructure. 

ICAO Carries out Universal Safety Oversight Audit for India
Under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme, a five member audit team carried out the audit of India in areas of Personal Licensing, Airworthiness, Operations, Legislation and Organization from 6th to 16th November.
●    The audit involved verification of response provided by DGCA against protocol questions made available by ICAO. 
●    Verification process consisted of checking the documentary evidence, perusal of relevant files, discussions with relevant officers and industry visits. 
●    Teams visited Chennai, Mumbai and CATC, Allahabad to ascertain the implementation of safety related procedures as per regulations laid down by DGCA in line with ICAO annexes/documents.
●    As per preliminary feedback, the audit team was satisfied with the safety system put in place by the safety regulator. 
●    As per procedure laid down by ICAO, the audit team presents its report to the headquarter team and draft report is made available to the state in about 90 days. 
●    The state is required to provide its comment and draw its action plan on various aspects of the report and make it available to ICAO within 45 days. 

India committed to its Renewable Energy Targets to provide Equitable Sustainable Development 

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), organised a panel discussion on ‘Innovative Financing and Market Evolution to achieve 175 GW renewables by 2022’ on 16th November 2017 at the India Pavilion at Conference of Parties (CoP) 23, Bonn, Germany.
●    Speaking about the Government’s interventions, Dr. P.C. Maithani, Adviser, MNRE said that policies are being drafted on a continuous basis to address challenges as the market evolves. 
●    Giving examples of how the question is no longer about availability of finances but that of cheap finances, Shri K.S. Popli, CMD, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) said that the markets have matured and one indicator of that is seen in how the bond markets have progressed.
●    Dr. Ajay Mathur, DG, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) stressed upon the need to push for higher research in storage technology which could complement the infirm renewable power. 

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone for Cochin Shipyard’s Rs 970-crore International Ship Repair Facility 

The Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari has said that Kochi is all set to become a global ship repair hub. 
●    He was speaking at Cochin today, after laying the  foundation stone for a Rs 970-crore International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) for Cochin Shipyard Limited. 
●    The facility is being built at Cochin Port Trust where CSL has leased out a 40-acre plot for the project.
●    The International Ship Repair facility will be a State of the Art facility that can handle a major chunk of small and medium sized vessels plying in India. 
●    CSL will set up a ship lift system of size 130 m x 25 m with lifting capacity of 6000 tonnes and 6 work stations. 
●    The facility can repair up to 85 vessels, and CSL will thereby  be almost doubling the number of ships that can be repaired every year.             

Current Affairs 17th November 2017: ECONOMY 

Moody’s upgrade Sovereign Credit Rating of India to Baa2 from Baa3 

Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has upgraded the Government of India's local and foreign currency issuer ratings to Baa2 from Baa3 and changed the outlook on the rating to stable from positive. 
●    India’s rating has been upgraded after a period of 13 years. 
●    India’s sovereign credit rating was last upgraded in January 2004 to Baa3 (from Ba1).
●    Government of India welcomes the upgrade and believes, as rightly noted by the Moody’s that this is in recognition of major economic and institutional reforms undertaken by Government of India. 
●    Moody’s have also rightly recognized the Government’s commitment to macro stability which has led to low inflation, declining deficit and prudent external balance and Government’s fiscal consolidation programme which has resulted in a reduction of fiscal deficits from 4.5% of GDP in 2013-14 to 3.5% in 2016-17 and its consequential sobering impact on general government debt. 
●    Government intends to stay the course on fiscal consolidation in the medium term.

Ram Vilas Paswan grants permission to display revised MRP due to reduction of rates of GST up to 31st December, 2017 

On account of implementation of GST w.e.f. 1st July, 2017, there may be instances where the retail sale price of a pre-packaged commodity is required to be changed. 
●    In this context, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan had allowed the manufacturers or packers or importers of pre-packaged commodities to declare the revised retail sale price (MRP) in addition to the existing retail sale price (MRP), for three months w.e.f. 1st July 2017 to 30th September, 2017. 
●    Declaration of the changed retail sale price (MRP) was allowed to be made by way of stamping or putting sticker or online printing, as the case may be.
●    Use of unexhausted packaging material/wrapper was also been allowed upto 30th September, 2017 after making the necessary corrections.
●    As Government has reduced the rates of GST on certain specified items, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, has granted permission under sub-rule (3) of rule 6 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, to affix an additional sticker or stamping or online printing for declaring the reduced MRP on the pre-packaged commodity. 
●    In this case also, the earlier Labelling/ Sticker of MRP will continue to be visible.

Current Affairs 17th November 2017: DAYS AND DATES

Qaumi Ekta Week will be observed from November 19-25, 2017 

 With a view to foster and reinforce the spirit of Communal Harmony, National Integration and pride in vibrant, composite culture and nationhood, the “Qaumi Ekta Week” (National Integration Week) will be observed all over the country, from the 19th to 25th November, 2017.  
●    The week long programmes to be observed during Qaumi Ekta Week will be as under:
●    November 19, 2017 will be observed as National Integration Day and programmes like meetings, symposia and seminars will be organized to emphasize the themes of secularism, anti-communalism and non-violence.
●    November 20, 2017 will be observed as Welfare of Minorities Day and Items of the 15 Point Programme are emphasized on this day. 
●    November 21, 2017 will be observed as Linguistic Harmony Day. 
●    November 22, 2017 will be observed as Weaker Sections Day and meetings and rallies will be organized to highlight programmes under various Governments which help SCs/STs and weaker sections with particular emphasis on the distribution of surplus land to landless labourers.
●    November 23, 2017 will be observed as Cultural Unity Day and cultural functions will be organized to present the Indian tradition of unity in diversity and for promoting cultural conservation and integration.
●    November 24, 2017 will be observed as Women’s Day. 
●    November 25, 2017 will be observed as Conservation Day and several meetings and functions will be organized to emphasise the growing need for awareness and action to conserve the environment.

Current Affairs 17th November 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Indo-Bangladesh Exercise ‘SAMPRITI 2017’ comes to an end 

Closing ceremony for the seventh Indo-Bangladesh joint exercise SAMPRITI was held at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte in Mizoram today. 
●    Exercise SAMPRITI is an important bilateral defence cooperation endeavour between India and Bangladesh. 
●    Major General Md Mushfiqur Rahman of Bangladesh Army and Major General M S Ghura of the Indian Army presided over the ceremony.
●    The exercise is aimed at strengthening and broadening the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between the Indian and Bangladesh Armies while working together in a counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism environment under the UN mandate. 
●    Exercise was conducted under the aegis of the Red Horns Division of Gajraj Corps and had two distinct components which included Command Post Exercise (CPX) and Field Training Exercise (FTX).
●    Troops from 38 East Bengal Regiment of Bangladesh Army and Mahar Regiment of Indian Army represented respective Armies during the exercise.