Important Current Affairs 23rd June 2017

Important Current Affairs 23rd June 2017

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Current Affairs 23rd June 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

A commemorative postage stamp released on completion of 50 years of Passport Act. 

The Minister for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that the Passport Seva Project (PSP) has been a watershed in the history of passport issuance in India with its successful implementation in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. 
●    The entire process of citizen service delivery has been re-engineered, standardized and automated. 
●    Speaking after releasing a commemorative postage stamp on completion of 50 years of “The Passports Act, 1967”, he said that services are delivered through a country-wide networked environment - integrating all Passport Issuing Authorities, around 91 Passport Seva Kendras, as well as providing access to a number of external stakeholders viz. Immigration, Police, India Post, India Security Press and Embassies/ Consulates abroad.
●    Shri Sinha said that 24th June 1967 marked an important milestone in the history of passport issuance in India as it was on this day that the President gave assent to the Passports Act 1967. 
●    The Passports Act provided a robust legal framework for the issue of passports and travel documents and regulation of the departure from India of Indian citizens.

IAF Mountaineering Expedition Flagged in by the CAS

An IAF team of mountaineers successfully summited Mt Dhaulagiri on 20 May 2017.  
●    The team was flagged in by The CAS, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC on 21 Jun 2017.
●    Having been flagged off on 12 Apr 2017, the team lead by Group Captain   RC Tripathi reached Dhaulagiri base camp on 26 Apr 2017.  
●    Having established themselves at the Base Camp, the team climbed till Camp-2 during the acclimatisation phase.  
●    The team members finally submitted the peak and hoisted the IAF Flag atop on 20 May 2017.
●    Mt Dhaulagiri happens to be the 7th highest and the fourth toughest peak for climbers. 

External Affairs Ministry Celebrates the Completion of 50 Years of the Passport Act 1967 as Passport Seva Divas and Conference of Regional Passport Officers

The Ministry of External affairs celebrated the completion of 50 years of the Passport Act 1967 as the 5th Passport Seva Divas and a Conference of the Regional Passport Officers in New Delhi on 22nd and 23rd June 2017. 
●    It was on 24th June, 1967 that the Passport Act came into effect. 
●    The External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) Shri Manoj Sinha as well as Ministers of State for External Affairs, Gen V K Singh and Shri M J Akbar addressed the officers and released a Special Commemorative Stamp on this special event. 
●    Senior officials of the ministry of External Affairs and other government departments beside 38 Passport officers and officials of service provider TCS attended the function where awards of excellence were presented to the best performing Passport Officers and Police Officers for best passport and verification services. 
●    Speaking at the event marking the completion of 50 years of Passport Act, 1967 The External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj gave this message to Passport Issuing Authorities in India: 
●    “It is a matter of immense pleasure for me to felicitate all our Passport Issuing Authorities in India and abroad on the occasion of the Fifth Passport Seva Divas on 24 June, 2017. 
●    This year we are celebrating the completion of 50 Years of the enactment of the Passports Act, 1967. 
●    The Ministry of External Affairs and its subordinate office - the Central Passport Organisation - have good reasons to celebrate as well as mark the event with renewed commitment to provide better passport services in a timely, assured, and efficient manner.

Auction for Sale (Re-issue) of Government of India Floating Rate Bonds

Government of India has announced the Sale (re-issue) of (i) “Government of India Floating Rate Bonds 2024” for a notified amount of  Rs. 3000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) “6.79 per cent Government Stock, 2027” for a notified amount of Rs. 8,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iii) “7.73 per cent Government Stock  2034” for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (iv) “7.06 per cent Government Stock, 2046” for a notified amount of  Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. 
●    The auctions will be conducted using multiple price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on June 30, 2017 (Friday).
●    Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.
●    Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on June 30, 2017. 
●    The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon.  

Quality of life in 116 major cities to be assessed; City Liveability Index launched 

In yet another major initiative, the Ministry of Urban Development today launched the ‘City Liveability Index’ for measuring the quality of life in 116 major cities including smart cities, capital cities and cities with a population of above one million each.
●    The Index, a Common Minimum Reference Framework to enable the cities know where they stand in terms of quality of life and the interventions required to improve the same was today launched by the Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu here today at a National Workshop on Urban Transformation.
●    Stating that cities are now moving on a well thought out course of infrastructure development under new urban missions launched during the last three years, Shri Naidu said “ Time has now come to measure life quality in cities and rank them accordingly”.

30 more smart cities announced; takes the total to 90 so far 

Central government today announced another list of 30 cities for development as smart cities taking the total cities picked up so far to 90 under Smart City Mission launched on June 25, 2015.
●    Announcing the new batch of smart cities at a National Workshop on Urban Transformation here today, Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu said that 45 cities contested for 40 available smart city slots but only 30 were selected to ensure feasible and workable plans that match the aspirations of the citizens as directed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi while launching the mission.
●    Shri Naidu informed that the 30 cities announced today proposed a total investment of Rs.57,393 cr under respective smart city plans. 
●    This includes Rs.46,879 cr for ensuring core infrastructure in the areas identified by citizens for area based development and Rs.10,514 cr for technology based solutions for improving governance , service delivery and utilization of infrastructure. 
●    With this the total investment approved under the smart city plans of 90 cities has gone up to Rs.1,91,155 cr.
●    The Minister said that 20 cities will be contesting for the remaining 10 slots under smart city mission. 
●    These are; Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), Biharsharif (Bihar), Diu (Daman & Diu), Silvassa (Dadra and Nagar Haveli), Kavaratti (Lakshadweep), Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and Amaravati (Maharashtra), Imphal (Manipur), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dindigul and Erode(Tamil Nadu), Bidhannagar, Durgapur and Haldia (West Bengal), Meerut,Rai  Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Rampur (UP).

 

Cyber crimes against children can now be reported at the POCSO e-Box 

Child victims of cyber crimes can now lodge their complaints at National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)’s POCSO e-box. 
●    Considering the growing menace of cyber crimes targeting children, NCPCR has now enhanced the scope of POCSO e-box to handle cyber bullying, cyber stalking, morphing of images and child pornography.
●    Child victims themselves or their friends, parents, relatives or guardians can report cyber crimes by pressing the e-box button available at the Commission’s website, www.ncpcr.gov.in They can also register their complaints on email id: pocsoebox-ncpcr@gov.in or mobile no.: 9868235077.
●    Child abuse is finding new forms and channels through mobile and digital technologies. 
●    In India about 134 million children have access to mobile phones and the number is growing very fast with even faster access to internet. 
●    While this provides opportunities for accessing useful material for learning purposes, lack of digital literacy and online safety measures expose children to hazards of cyber crime.

Current Affairs 23rd June 2017: SPACE SCIENCE

PSLV-C38 Successfully Launches 31 Satellites in a Single Flight 

ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C38 successfully launched the 712 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites today from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. 

●    This is the thirty ninth consecutively successful mission of PSLV. 
●    PSLV-C38 lifted off at 0929 hrs (9:29 am) IST, as planned, from the First Launch Pad. 
●    After a flight of about 16 minutes, the satellites achieved a polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 505 km inclined at an angle of 97.44 degree to the equator (very close to the intended orbit) and in the succeeding seven and a half minutes, all the 31 satellites successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence beginning with Cartosat-2 series satellite, followed by NIUSAT and 29 customer satellites. 
●    The total number of Indian satellites launched by PSLV now stands at 48.