Important Current Affairs 18th October 2017

Important Current Affairs 18th October 2017

Current Affairs 18th October 2017: INTERNATIONAL RELATION

Signing of MoC on Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) between India & Japan 

On the occasion of the visit of the Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan to Tokyo, India and Japan concluded the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) on 17th October 2017.
●    The MoC was signed by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on behalf of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of Government of India with Mr. Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in a solemn ceremony at the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare in Tokyo, Japan. 
●    The MoC on TITP is expected to significantly expand the bilateral cooperation between India and Japan in the field of skill development. 
●    India is the third country with which Japan has signed the MoC as per the requirements of the Technical Intern Training Act scheduled to enter into force in November 2017.
●    In the bilateral Joint Statement issued during the visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India in September 2017, the two Prime Ministers expressed confidence that synergy between Japan’s advanced technology and India’s rich human resources can transform both countries into new centres of production in the global industrial network. 
●    In this regard, they underscored the potential to further cooperate in human resources development and exchanges utilising such frameworks as Japan’s Technical Intern Training Program (TITP).

Current Affairs 18th October 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas conferred with Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award on October 2, 2017

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) has been awarded with Swachh Bharat Inter-Ministerial Award by Minister of State, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation Shri S.S. Ahluwalia in the presence of Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, and Minister of State, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation Shri R.C. 
●    Jigajinagi in recently held Swachh Bharat National Award ceremony on Gandhi Jayanti, 02nd October 2017 in New Delhi. 
●    The award in the inter-Ministerial category was presented to MoPNG on the basis of the activities undertaken in the past three years and was received by Senior Adviser (PNG). 
●    This event was organized to mark the third anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Swachh Bharat Diwas, and the conclusion of Swachhata Hi Seva fortnight.
●    Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been proactively involved in making India clean mainstreaming Swachhta in our regular activities. 
●    The focus of MoPNG has been not only to garner people’s involvement but also to bring about behavioural and attitudinal change through unique/special contribution to the cause of Swachh Bharat Mission, through innovative and unconventional practices/approaches. 

EPFO introduces a new facility for its members to link their respective UAN with Aadhaar online 

On the eve of Deepawali, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is pleased to introduce a new facility for its esteemed members having Universal Account Number (UAN) and other relevant details to link their respective UAN with Aadhaar online. 
●    This, in turn, would facilitate the members, a better and speedy EPFO services.
●    Using the facility, EPFO members can online link their respective UAN with Aadhaar. 
●    While using the facility, the member will have to provide his/her UAN. An OTP will be sent to his/her mobile linked with UAN. 
●    After OTP verification, the member will have to provide his/her Aadhaar Number. 
●    Another OTP will be sent to his/her mobile/email linked with Aadhaar. 
●    After OTP verification, if UAN details are matched with Aadhaar details, then UAN will be linked with Aadhaar. 
●    After linking, the EPFO member may avail online EPFO services linked with Aadhaar.

Exhibition “Decorated Arms & Armours” from National Museum Reserve Collection Begin Today 

An exhibitions entitled “Decorated Arms & Armours” displaying select daggers, swords, armours as well as pistols from National Museum’s reserve collection, which represents different time period, region, technique and customs associated with these beautiful masterpieces, began here today. 
●    Director General, National Museum Dr. B.R. Mani inaugurated it. The exhibition will be on displayed till 5th November, 2017. 
●    The history of Indian arms and armours begins in pre and proto historic times, however in the historical context they are testified by several sculptures, painting and coins during the medieval period, there was considerable ingenuity and craftsmanship in manufacturing them. 
●    During the Sultanate and the Mughal rule, weapons underwent significant modifications, and weapons with Persian, Arab and Turkish influences became common. Examples are the Shamsheer from Persia and the Zulfikar from Arabia. 
●    A variety of daggers, imported weapons for self-protection and hand to hand combat were also in vogue. 
●    There were regional variants like the Jamadhar, Jambia and Khanjar of Mughal the Chura of Afghans, the Khapwa of Rajputs, the Qurauli of Sikhs and the Khukri of Nepalis. 
●    Many daggers were adorned with ivory, jade, crystal and soap stone and sometimes embellished with calligraphy. 

Madhya Pradesh on third position in milk position in India

Madhya Pradesh has achieved third position in milk production in the country, the state’s animal husbandry
●    minister, Antar Singh Arya, said. “Due to sustained efforts, the state has achieved third position in milk production in the country. 
●    It was at sixth or seventh place 10 to 12 years back and last year it was at the fourth place,” Arya said after introducing the new packaging of Sanchi ghee’s 5 kg and 15 kg packs yesterday.
●    The ghee is manufactured by MP State Co-operative Dairy Federation. “We are striving hard and have set a target to become number one in milk production in the country,” Arya said. 
●    He said the new packaging is totally safe, leak-proof, made from food-grade plastic and there is no scope of any adulteration in it as its seal cannot be tampered with.
●    The state government is committed to doubling the farmers’ income by 2022 and in it the state’s veterinary department has a major role to play, the minister said. 
●    Milk producers were this year paid Rs 200 crore, which is maximum by the state government so far, animal husbandry department’s principal secretary Ajit Kesari said on the occasion.

LT Foods sets up ready-to-heat organic rice plant in US 

The company is aiming to generate revenue of over US $20 million in next five year from this product to be sold under organic food brand ‘EcoLife’, its CEO & MD Ashwani Arora said.
●    “We have set up a plant in the US to produce ready-to- heat organic rice. Trial run is happening and production will start from December. The total market size is US $265 million in the US and growing at 14 per cent,”.
●    This plant, the company’s fourth facility outside India, will produce 20 million pouches of ready to heat organic rice initially and expand to 70 million pouches by 2018.
●    On investment, he said the initial capital investment on the plant is US $5 million and the company expects to generate revenue of US $21 million in next 5 years.
●    “We already have a strong presence in the US through our Basmati rice brand ‘Royal’ and we will be leveraging our strong presence and experience to grow our US market even further,”.
●    LT Foods basmati rice brand ‘Royal’ is largest brand in the US with a market share of more than 40 per cent, he added.
●    The company, which posted a turnover of about Rs 3,300 crore during last fiscal, is continuously diversifying its product portfolio.
●    Besides, selling basmati rice under many brands, including ‘Daawat’, LT Foods has been focusing on organic food and rice snacks.

Maha govt releases Rs 4,000cr of loan waiver scheme

The Maharashtra government has released a sum of Rs 4,000 crore under the first phase of the over Rs 34,000 crore farm loan waiver scheme, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced today.
●    Disbursal, in the first phase, will cover more than 8 lakh farmers, Fadnavis said as he listed initiatives taken by his government towards increasing investment in the agriculture sector.
●    The remaining Rs 800 crore will be in the form of incentive for 3.78 lakh farmers who are paying their loans on time,” he said.
●    The release of funds under the scheme, announced in June, will be a continuous process, the chief minister said, adding that by November 15, 75-80 per cent of the disbursement will be completed.
●    “The first decision that we took after coming to power (in 2014) was that we did not keep our work limited to relief and rehabilitation, because that was our job anyway,” Fadnavis said at an event organised for disbursement of the loan waiver amount into accounts of farmers.
●    Fadnavis said that from Rs 21,000 crore in 2011-12, investment in the agriculture sector had increased by almost three times to Rs 63,000 crore now.

Sebi to auction 4 properties of Pancard Clubs

Looking to recover over Rs 7,000 crore of investors’ money in the Pancard Clubs case, markets regulator Sebi has decided to auction four properties of the company, in December, for a total reserve price of over Rs 270 crore.
●    The auction of the properties, spread across Maharashtra, and Goa, include a four star hotel and office units, will be conducted on December 7, Sebi said in a notice today.
●    Total reserve price of these properties is pegged at Rs 270.51 crore.
●    The regulator has engaged SBI Capital Markets to assist it for sale of these properties.
●    The market watchdog said the bidders should make their own independent enquiries regarding the encumbrances, litigation, attachments, acquisition and liabilities of the property put on auction prior to submitting their bids.
●    Earlier in May, Sebi had invited bids for sale of shares held by the company and its directors.
●    The order came after the company failed to comply with Sebi’s direction in February this year ordering it to refund over Rs 7,000 crore to investors raised through illegal collective investment schemes (CIS).