Important Current Affairs 22nd September 2017

Important Current Affairs 22nd September 2017

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Current Affairs 22nd September 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Shri Radha Mohan Singh addresses inaugurates Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centenary Krishi Unnati Mela in Mathura 

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the various development and welfare schemes launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in the last three years helped farmers reap a record production of food grains during 2016-17. 
●    The production of pulses increased to 22.40 million tonnes in 2016-17 from 16.35 million tonnes in the previous years. 
●    Similarly, the production of food grains increased from 265 million tonnes to 273.38 million tonnes in 2016-17; and horticulture production increased from 244 million tonnes to 295 million tonnes. 
●    Shri Singh said it today at the inaugural function of four-day Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centenary Krishi Unnati Mela organized by National Horticulture Board of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry in Mathura.
●    Shri Radha Mohan Singh further said that the government is committed to the development and welfare of the farmers and is rubbing shoulders with them under the guidance of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. 
●    The government is trying to make farmers economically stable and increase their income by 2022 through various schemes like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, National Agriculture Development Programme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana launched in the last three years.
●    Shri Singh said farmers from 18 states and the entrepreneurs from various fields like horticulture, agriculture, livestock, dairy, fisheries etc. will be demonstrating and selling their products at the fair. 

Centre organizes workshop on sharing experiences among cities in Mumbai

Smart cities in the making are set to rise to an entirely a new level of monitoring and delivery of civic services through digitally integrated Central Command and Control Centres, said Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary (Housing & Urban Affairs), Government of India today. 
●    He said so while inaugurating a day long ‘Learning and Experience Sharing Workshop on Digitally Integrated Command and Control Centres under Smart City Mission’ in Mumbai.
●    Shri Mishra further said that these centres would serve as the ‘brain centres’ of smart cities for ensuring effective coordination in the functioning of various agencies of urban local bodies resulting in improved monitoring and delivery of services to citizens. 
●    He said that with these centres based on a host of sensors connected to a central server function as the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ of cities as well by enabling monitoring of garbage collection and it’s transportation truck-wise, filling and emptying of garbage collection bins, traffic and red light violation, noise pollution etc.
Shri Mishra urged the cities that are setting up such centres under Smart City Mission to ensure their timely completion so that citizens could benefit from them at the earliest.

SAIL set to leverage domestic growth potential, banks on new product mix 

Addressing the 45th Annual General Meeting of Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) held here today, Chairman SAIL, Shri PK Singh was confident of improvement in Company’s performance starting this financial year (FY 2017-18) backed by several management initiatives in every area of operations. 
●    Shri Singh said that, “Given the current stage of development in Indian economy and the likely growth path for Country's economy in next decade, the steel demand in India will witness significant growth in future. 
●    SAIL with newer and better technologies at its disposal aims to leverage potential of growth in steel demand by operating at rated capacities, product differentiation and customer satisfaction.” 
●    World steel association too, in its short range outlook has a forecast of 6.1% growth in steel consumption for India in 2017. 
●    The Company since inception has produced 475 Million Tonnes (MT) of Crude steel and has partnered in all major national projects requiring steel. 
●    Shri Singh added that, “the Company achieved 14% higher turnover during FY 2016-17 over previous year owing to increase in both sales volume (which grew by 8%) and Net Sales Realisation (NSR) of Saleable Steel of five Integrated Steel Plants by about 6%. 
●    The increase in NSR was partly due to an overall improvement in price levels and partly due to measures in enriching Company's product mix.”

Prime Minister dedicates Deendayal Hastkala Sankul to the Nation

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today dedicated to the nation, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul – a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts – at Varanasi. 
●    The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of this Centre in November 2014. 
●    Today, he visited the Centre, and was given an overview of the facilities developed there, before arriving on the dais for the dedication.
●    He described the Trade Facilitation Centre as one of the biggest projects for Varanasi for a long time. 
●    He said this Centre would help the artisans and weavers showcase their skills to the world, and facilitate a brighter future for them. 
●    He asked the people to encourage all tourists to visit this Centre. 
●    He said this would result in increased demand of handicrafts, and also boost the tourism potential of Varanasi, and indeed the economy of the city.
●    The Prime Minister said the solution to all problems is through development. 
●    He said the Government is focused on bringing about positive change in the lives of the poor and of succeeding generations. In this context, he praised the efforts of Utkarsh Bank.

Current Affairs 22nd September 2017: DEFENSE

DGMO Level talks between India And Pak 

DGMO level talks on behest of Pak DGMO was held on 22 Sep 17. 
●    During the talks the Pak DGMO raised the issues of targeting of Pak Civilians opposite the Jammu Sector by own troops.
●    Indian DGMO in response highlighted that all Ceasefire Violations in the Jammu Sector were initiated by Pak Rangers and the BSF troops deployed only responded appropriately to them. 
●    It was also emphasised that no targeted firing on civilians was carried out by own troops. 
●    Apart from these, firing by BSF troops were initiated onto Armed intruders attempting to infiltrate from close proximity of Pak posts along Amritsar Border.
●    DGMO also put across emphatically that the trend of infiltration along the LC continued with active support of Pak forward posts impacting peace and tranquility along the LC and also the internal security situation. 
●    This was evident from continued attempts of sniping and targeting of our troops undertaken through cross-border actions duly supported by Pak Army troops.
●    DGMO reiterated that the Indian Army is a professional Army and reserves the right to retaliate appropriately to any incident leading to loss of life of our troop. 
●    He reaffirmed the sincerity in the efforts of Indian Army to maintain peace and tranquility along the LC provided there was a reciprocal effort from Pakistan.

Empowering the Soldier by Project Yash Vidya 

Empowering the soldiers has always been the endeavour of Indian Army. A MoU was signed by Lt Gen Ashwani Kumar, AG, IHQ of MoD (Army) and Prof. E Vayunandan, Vice Chancellor, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU), Nasik on 21 Sep 2017 at New Delhi.
●    The Bachelor’s degree Programme designed for the Army Personnel gives special recognition to the in-service training/Army courses completed and by providing exemption from studying certain courses. 
●    Apart from the highly subsidised fees charged, the courses offered for study by the university have been carefully selected on the basis of their relevance and overall usefulness.
●    The University will award Diploma in Self Empowerment and a Bachelor's Degree in Arts or Commerce under PROJECT YASH VIDYA enabling them with academic qualifications for better future.
 

Current Affairs 22nd September 2017: SPACE SCIENCE

Dr. Harshvardhan launches Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana 

Department of Science and Technology is implementing several initiatives for upliftment and economic development of rural areas in the country.
●    A number of appropriate technologies have been developed, demonstrated and deployed at several locations in the country.
●    The Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harshvardhan today launched “Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana” which will experiment and endeavour to formulate and implement appropriate S&T Interventions for Sustainable Development through cluster approach in Uttarakhand.
●    Addressing the press, the Minister said that this project has been inspired by teachings and ideals of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year.
●    DST has conceived to adopt a few clusters of villages in Uttarakhand and transform them to become self-sustainable in a time bound manner through the tools of Science and Technology (S&T). 
●    The key deliverable in this approach is to utilise local resources and locally available skill sets and convert them in a manner using science and technology, that substantial value addition takes place in their local produce and services which can sustain the rural population locally.  
●    Further, the local communities are not compelled to migrate from their native places in search of jobs and livelihoods. 
●    Once this concept is validated in the few selected clusters, it can be replicated across large number of village clusters in the country.

Current Affairs 22nd September 2017: ECONOMY

Government provides additional Rs.12000 Crores to tackle malnutrition 

The Government has provided an additional Rs.12000 Crores to fight malnutrition over next three years in the country by revising cost norms for supplementary nutrition provided in anganwadis and in the scheme for adolescent girls. 
●    Briefing media persons in New Delhi today, Secretary, WCD Shri Rakesh Srivastava said that the government has effected a quantum increase of about 33% in cost norms, which have been revised for the first time since 2011 in the case of ICDS. 
●    In the case of Scheme for Adolescent Girls, cost norms have been increased first time since 2010. With this, an additional Rs.9900 Crore have been given for supplementary nutrition in anganwadis over the next three years and Rs.2276 Crores in the scheme for adolescent girls over the next three years, he explained. 
●    This reflects commitment of the government to tackle malnutrition on a war footing as reflected in Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision, Shri Srivastava said.
●    The cost norms have now also been linked to the Food Price Index which will enable the government to increase the cost norms annually without any hindrance.