Important Current Affairs 22nd February 2018

Important Current Affairs 22nd February 2018

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: NATIONAL NEWS

Shahzada Karim Aga Khan meets President Ramnath Kovind
 
●        Shahzada Karim Aga Khan met President Shri Ramnath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
●        Welcoming Shahzada Agha Khan at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President congratulated him for the diamond jubilee of his leadership of the Ismaili community.
●        He said that the princes have politely led the community and they are the radical examples of the good of humanity.
●        The President said that the princess appreciated the support of Aga Khan in the development initiatives being made in India and in other parts of the world.
 
ICAR has established a new research center in Motihari.
 
●        Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has said that the Eastern Research Complex of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Patna is working not only in the area of paddy, wheat or pulses, oilseeds but also in the field of crop diversification, livestock development, fisheries management , Water Management, Horticulture, Agriculture, Forestry and Soil Science.
●        Singh said that a new research center has been set up at Motihari for the purpose of intensive research and technical creation and dissemination by the ICAR on consolidated farming system and six scientists have also been appointed.
●        Integrated agricultural system model has been developed in Patna, Pusa, Sabaur, Madhepura, Kaimur and Buxar.
 
Signing of Memorandum of Understanding for joint working of Public Sector Undertakings and Organizations of the Department of Telecommunications
 
●        Minister of State for Communication and Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha released a strategic plan for working together with public sector undertakings and organizations of the Department of Telecommunications in New Delhi today.
●        He highlighted the strength of various PSU BSNL, MTNL, BBNL, TCIL, ITI and other organizations such as TEC and C-DOT.
●        He gave an example of the revelation of Bharatnet and ITI and it is a good example of working together in public sector undertakings.

Formation of Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAP) for North Eastern Region

●        An inter-ministerial committee has been constituted for medicinal and aromatic plants for the North Eastern Region.
●        This decision was taken in the meeting of secretaries of North Eastern Region and Ministry of AYUSH.
●        The committee will coordinate the various programs of the Central Government to develop the area of medicinal and aromatic plants.
●        The first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) will be held on 12 March.
●        Co-chaired by the Secretary of North Eastern Region and Ministry of AYUSH this meeting.

Ashwini Kumar Choubey launches healthy lifestyle cyclist journey

●        A healthy lifestyle cyclist was organized on 22nd February in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
●        Its main purpose is to promote the adaptive lifestyle of nature and health.
●        This program was organized by National Medicos Organization.
●        This cyclist will travel from New Delhi to Sonepat, Haryana.

Union Cabinet approves creation of National Urban Housing Fund
 
●        The Union Cabinet has approved the formation of National Urban Housing Fund (NUHF) of 60,000 crores on 20th February 2018.
●        This meeting took place under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
●        This fund will be held in the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC).
●        BMTPC is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, registered under the Institution Registration Act 1860.

 
Central Cabinet Approves Proposal for Judicial Settlement of Mahanadi Water Dispute
 
●        The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for the judicial settlement of Mahanadi river water dispute.
●        The tribunal will determine the distribution of water between the total reservoirs in the entire Mahanadi basin, the contribution of each state, the current use of water resources in every state and the possibility of future development.
●        According to the provisions of Interstate River Water Dispute (ISRWD) Act, 1956, there will be a president and two other members in the tribunal, who will nominate the Chief Justice of India from the Supreme Court or the High Court Judges.
●        Apart from this, water resources experts will be provided services of two assessors to give advice in the proceedings of the tribunal.

EPFO lowered interest rate
 
●        The Employees Provident Fund Organization has reduced the interest rate for the year 2017-18.
●        The Employees Provident Fund Organization has fixed the new interest rate at 8.55 per cent, while it was 8.65 per cent earlier.
●        Investments in Employee Provident Fund for employed people is very beneficial.
●        The EPF is also mandatory for private sector employees with the government.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: ECONOMY

15th Finance Commission invited suggestions / suggestions from the general public, institutions and organizations for high inclusive development.

●        15th Finance Commission has invited suggestions / ideas from the general public, institutions and organizations for high inclusive development.
●        The commission will review the current status of the efforts made by the Central and State Governments for finances, deficits, liability levels, cash balance and fiscal persistence.
●        The Commission will also recommend a fiscal persistence roadmatch in relation to solid fiscal management.
●        The Commission will review the responsibilities of the Central Government and the State Governments in relation to the levels of general government debt and losses.

Approval of projects worth Rs. 4,000 crores in the ninth meeting of Executive Committee of National Ganga Sanitation Mission

●        In the ninth meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Ganga Sanitation Mission (NMCG), about 4,000 crore rupees projects have been approved.
●        This includes 20 MLD public wastewater treatment plant for leather refining factories located in Jajmau, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
●        In this project of three stages of estimated cost of Rs 629 crore, there will be a pre-purification unit of 380 different leather refining units, one 20 CETP, in which natural, biological and advanced refining arrangements.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: GLOBAL NEWS

Agreement to avoid double taxation between India and Kenya
 
●        The agreement to avoid double taxation between India and Kenya was signed in 1985 and it was notified.
●        After this, the agreement was re-negotiated and a revised agreement was signed between the two countries on July 11, 2016.
●        The amended agreement was notified in the Official Gazette on February 19, 2018.

The world's largest cave in Vietnam
 
●        This cave, Vietnam's Hong San Dong, is the world's largest cave.
●        The 9 km long, 200 meters wide and 150 meter high cave has its own world.
●        There is everything from small forests and trees to clouds and river.
●        For the first time in 2013, it was opened for tourists, but only 250 to 300 people were allowed to go there every year.
●        Now this year, for the first time here, 900 tourists will go.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 Indian scientists develop a next generation technology loop to create clean energy
 
●        Indian scientists have developed excellent micro-carbon dioxide Bretan Test Loop facility, which will help in generating clean energy from future energy plants, including solar heaters.
●        This next generation technology loop has been developed indigenously by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
●        This is India's first test bed for the next generation, which is an effective, compact, waterless, super critical carbon dioxide Bretton cycle test loop for power generation.
●        Probably this technology is the world's first test loop in which there is a solar heat source.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: SPORTS

A world-class football academy may be established in Manipur
 
●        A group of 20 students from Chandel district of Manipur met their teachers with Union youth Affairs and Minister of State for Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore.
●        The age of students is 11-16 years.
●        He said that his ministry is considering establishing a world-class football academy in the state with the help of the Manipur government.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: RANKING

India ranked 81th in global corruption perception index
 
●        In the 'Global Corruption Perception Index' released by Transparency International, India is placed 81st.
●        In the case of corruption and press freedom in the Asia Pacific region, the country was named after the worst case scenario.
●        In this index, about 180 countries were kept in the public sector corruption cases.
●        In 2016, India was ranked 79th in 176 countries.

Current Affairs 22nd February 2018: DEFENSE

India successfully tested Prithvi-2 missile
 
●        India successfully test-fired Prithvi-missile capable of indigenously manufactured and atomic weapon on February 21, 2018 from a test center in Odisha.
●        This missile is able to kill 350 kilometers.
●        As an experimental test by the army, the surface-to-surface missile was launched from the launch of the Integrated Testing Center (ITR) at Chandipur, about 8:30 pm, from the launch complex-3.