Important Current Affairs 1st September 2017

Important Current Affairs 1st September 2017

Current Affairs 1st September 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

National Integration Tour Organised by Indian Army for Students from LEH 

As part of the Indian Army’s ongoing outreach programme to foster the spirit of National Integration across the entire swathe of the country, a tour comprising of 20 school students from Biamah in Leh district of J&K is being organised from 25 August to 05 September 17. 
●    The participants interacted with Lt General Sarath Chand, Vice Chief of Army Staff today. 
●    He shared his experiences while serving in these areas with the students and motivated them to work hard and contribute actively in the Nation Building process. 
●    He also exhorted them to join the Indian Armed Forces and serve the cause of the Nation. 
●    The tour was flagged off from Leh on 25th of August and during the course of their tour the participants have already visited various cultural and historical places in Chandigarh and Delhi. 
●    These National Integration Tours are educational and motivational tours for youth of J&K and North Eastern States, with an aim to provide an insight into the rich heritage of the country as well as various developmental and industry initiatives that are underway. 
●    This initiative will expose them to various career options and enable them to interact with renowned personalities.

Shri Rajiv Kumar, IAS(JH:84) assumes office as the New Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance 

Shri Rajiv Kumar, IAS(JH:84) today assumed office as the new Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. 
●    Shri Rajiv Kumar was Special Secretary and Establishment Officer, Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pension, D/o Personnel & Training in his immediate preceding posting. 
●    Shri Rajiv Kumar has widespread administrative experience in more than 30 years of service during which he held various important assignments including the Administrative postings in his home State of Jharkhand. 
●    Shri Kumar has also worked in the Central Government in various capacities. He was posted as Joint Secretary and then Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance from 19.03.2012 to 12.03.2015. 
●    Later he took over as Establishment Officer & Additional/Special Secretary, Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pension, D/o Personnel & Training from 12.03.2015 till 30.08.2017.

Swacch Vidyalaya Puraskar 2017 

In his Independence Day address to the nation on 15th August, 2014 Hon’ble Prime Minister called upon that all schools in the country should have toilets with separate toilets for girls. 
●    The Department has taken new initiative for furtherance of Swachh Vidyalaya Campaign and instituted Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar in 2016-17 to recognize, inspire and celebrate excellence in water, sanitation and hygiene practices in schools. 
●    Swachhta in schools plays a significant role in determining the health of children, attendance, dropout rate, and learning outcomes. 
●    For the first time, government schools have been ranked on the basis of Swachhta on various criteria viz. Water, Sanitation, Hand washing with soap, Operations and Maintenance, Behaviour Change and Capacity Building.
●    35 States and UTs participated in this Puraskar, at District and State levels, in an online mode. 
●    Thereafter, these were evaluated and awarded at district and state levels. 
●    Out of 643 schools shortlisted by the states, 172 schools have been selected for the National awards for Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2016-17.

Smt Sumitra Mahajan Inaugurates Exhibition-cum-Seminar 

Smt Sumitra Mahajan, The Speaker, Loksabha inaugurated Exhibition-cum-Seminar ‘New India – We Resolve to Make’ here today. 
●    Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was present on this occasion. 
●    Shri Rajiv Yadav, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs was also present on this occasion.
●    Speaking on the occasion, Smt Sumitra Mahajan, The Speaker, Loksabha said that this programme is not just an exhibition, it is like a Sankalp. 
●    India got independence just in 5 years of starting Quit India Movement due to its Sankalp. 
●    Every freedom fighter fought for Independence in a different method. 
●    In Loksabha, all parties have made a Sankalp to make a New India in next 5 years. 
●    She also said that Exhibition is for children who is our future of India to know that our India’s rich traditions and to make a New India in a better way.
●    Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs said that very few people who participated in August Kranti Andolan are alive today. 
●    In this context, it is very important to make our children know about how we have got our Independence. 

Dedicated FASTag lane operationalized at every toll plaza from today 

NHAI achieved the first milestone in Electronic Toll Collection when it operationalised one dedicated FASTag lane at all toll plazas from today. 
●    Now FASTag enabled vehicles can cruise through the dedicated FASTag lane without stopping at toll plazas on National Highways.
●    The FASTag is an RFID tag available both online and offline through banks and Common Service Centres. 
●    Two mobile applications were launched by NHAI on 17th August, 2017,for ease of obtaining FASTags, which have received tremendous response. 
●    Thousands of road users have downloaded the applications and purchased FASTags in less than two weeks. 
●    The penetration of FASTag has increased to 18 % as on 31st August, 2017.
●    The Government of India has mandated that new vehicles being sold with effect from 1st October, 2017 will be affixed with active FASTag. 
●    The “FASTag Partner App” will facilitate more than 6000 dealers in the country to access a single platform and activate the FASTag at the time of delivery of vehicle.

Youth Sports Centre to come up at Alipur, Delhi

Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has announced that a new Youth Sports Centre to be built at Alipur, Delhi. 
●    Announcing this here today he said there is an aspiration amongst the youth of rural Delhi to have a State of the Art Youth Sports Centre at par with best facilities in the city since no such facility exists in rural Delhi. 
●    He said, the project has been envisioned so that maximum rural youth can avail the facility for their overall development and promotion of sports in rural areas of the capital. 
●    Shri Goel said the proposed Centre will come up on the NYKS land adjacent to Swami Shraddhanand College of Delhi University. 
●    NYKS has a land measuring about 11 acre out of which 8 acre will be utilized for the Sports Centre. 
●    Shri Goel said the complex will have State of the art sports facilities such as football ground, an Athletic track, as well as volley ball, kabaddi and kho-kho facilities besides a multipurpose indoor hall for training players in Boxing & wrestling. 
●    A modern gym will also be developed. SAI will create SAI training centre at this complex in the next three years.

Current Affairs 1st September 2017: SPORTS

World Boxing Championships 2017: Gaurav Bidhuri won bronze

Wild card Gaurav Bidhuri became only the fourth Indian boxer ever to secure himself a medal at the World Championships after defeating Tunisia's Bilel Mhamdi to enter the semifinals of the mega-event.
●    Gaurav prevailed in a split decision in the bantamweight (56kg) quarterfinal contest to make the last-four stage, becoming only the second from the country to do so in his debut world championship. 
●    The only other Indian to have achieved the feat was Vikas Krishan, in the 2011 edition.
●    Besides Vikas, Vijender Singh (2009) and Shiva Thapa (2015) have been the country's other medallists at the marquee event of the sport. 
●    But they have all settled for bronze medals and it remains to be seen if Gaurav can better them on that.
●    But there was slight disappointment as well for the contingent when Amit Phangal (49kg), another impressive Indian debutant in the event, bowed out in the quarterfinal stage.

India women's team rises to 56 in FIFA rankings

Indian women's football team jumped four places to be ranked 56th in the recently-released FIFA rankings. 
●    India are now placed 13th in Asia, sandwiched between Iran and Hong Kong.
●    "Development of women's football is one of our priorities and it's heartening to see the women's team rise in FIFA rankings. 
●    Congratulations," AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said.
●    National coach Maymol Rocky said, "We've seen successes as well as have faced quite a few tough competitions of late. 
●    The rise in FIFA Rankings reflects our hard work which is being put in by the team relentlessly."