Important Current Affairs 29th September 2017

Important Current Affairs 29th September 2017

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Current Affairs 29th September 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

EESL to procure 10,000 Electric Vehicles from TATA Motors

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India (GoI), will procure 10,000 electric vehicles from Tata Motors Limited. 
●    The company was selected through an international competitive bidding aimed at increased participation. 
●    Tata Motors won the tender and will now supply the Electric Vehicles (EVs) in two phases – first 500 e-cars will be supplied to EESL in November 2017 and the rest 9,500 EVs will be delivered in the second phase. 
●    The tender floated by EESL is the world’s largest single electric vehicle procurement. 
●    Three leading manufacturers – Tata Motors Limited, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Nissan participated in the tender and the bids for TATA Motors Limited and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) were opened. 
●    EESL is driven by the objective of facilitating faster adoption of disruptive technology solutions while balancing economic development and environmental sustainability. 
●    With this specific initiative EESL seeks to create the market for electric vehicles, a technology which is poised to boost e-mobility in the country; through its unique business model of aggregation of demand and bulk procurement.

NHAI’s projects to generate approximately 50 Crore man-days employment over next four years 

The ongoing and targeted projects of National Highways Authority of India would generate estimated employment of approximately 50 crores man days over the next four years on a seasonal basis. 
●    This would be averaging to nearly 12.5 crore man-days yearly from 2018-2022. 
●    Of this, about 1.0 crore will be professional man-days, 3.5 crore skilled labour man-days and 8.0 crore semi-skilled and unskilled man days.
●    The NHAI currently has 282 projects having length of about 20,000 km under implementation across the country out of which 10,000 km of length is targeted to be completed over next one to two years. 
●    There are around 220 projects having length of about 31,000 km which are targeted to be awarded and completed in the next 3 to 4 years across all the States in the country under NHDP and Bharat Mala Schemes. 
●    Thus, NHAI plans to construct approximately 50,000 km Highways in next 4 years.
●    This will generate seasonal employment opportunities as successful and efficient execution of projects invariably requires qualified professionals, skilled and semi-skilled work force.
●    In order to meet the requirement of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled work force, NHAI has undertaken an elaborate exercise for Skill Development. 
●    The Chairman, NHAI Shri Deepak Kumar, held a meeting with the officers of Ministry of skill Development and Entrepreneurship to chalk out the road map for skilling of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers. Various issues connected with the Skill Development were discussed in the meeting. 
●    The Chairman, NHAI asked the officers of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to submit detailed plan of Skill Development in tune with the requirement of NHAI projects. The plan would be finalized in discussion with the concerned stakeholders.

Current Affairs 29th September 2017: AWARDS

Shahbad sugar mill gets award

Shahbad Cooperative Sugar Mill of Kurukshetra got the best cooperative sugar mill of the country.
●    This award will be hosted by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factory Ltd. in India's India Habitat Center. 
●    The meeting was organized by Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Food Supply Minister CR Chaudhary.
●    The function was chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar.
●    The award was received by ACS Navaraj Sandhu of Co-operation Department and Subhash Upadhyay, MD of the mill.
●    Mill also received the award in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Current Affairs 29th September 2017: Obituaries

Tom Alter, Padma Shri actor and writer, died

Veteran film, television and theatre actor and Padma Shri Tom Alter has died aged 67. 
●    The renowned actor and one-time sports writer and author had been battling stage four skin cancer.
●    Alter acted in over 300 movies apart from numerous TV shows, most famously as the gangster Keshav Kalsi in the hit soap opera Junoon which ran for a record five years during the 1990s. 
●    In addition to acting, Alter also ventured into direction and was a sports journalist in the 80s and 90s. 
●    He was the first person to interview Sachin Tendulkar for TV when the cricketer was yet to debut for India. 
●    Alter has written three books, one non-fiction and two fiction, and in 2008 was awarded the prestigious Padm

Current Affairs 29th September 2017: SUMMIT

NITI Aayog set to organise Global Entrepreneurship Summit

NITI Aayog, in partnership with the US administration, will host the eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad on November 28-30. 
●    The event will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US delegation will be led by Ivanka Trump, Advisor to US President Donald Trump, an official statement said today. 
●    This is the first time the Global Entrepreneurship Summit is being held in South Asia, the statement said, adding that "hosting GES 2017 in Hyderabad will empower Indian entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding, and create innovative products and services that will transform societies for a better future". 
●    The theme for this year's summit -- Women First, Prosperity for All -- will celebrate entrepreneurship in all its strength, diversity and entirety. 
●    According to the statement, the four primary focus areas of GES 2017 are healthcare and life sciences, digital economy and financial technology, energy and infrastructure, and media and entertainment.
 

Current Affairs 29th September 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

Bombardier inks USD 1.7 billion deal with SpiceJet for 50 jets

Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier on Friday signed a pact with budget carrier SpiceJet for sale of up to 50 turboprop jets valued at USD 1.7 billion.
●    Upon delivery, the airline will become the first in the world to operate a 90-seat turboprop, pending certification by regulatory authorities, Bombardier said in a release.
●    Owned by serial entrepreneur Ajay Singh, SpiceJet had in June this year announced plans to purchase up to 50 Bombardier Q400s worth USD 1.7 billion.
●    "We are very proud to firm up this agreement with SpiceJet. This repeat order will not only increase the Q400 aircraft fleet in the fast-growing regional market in India and in the Asia-Pacific region but will also launch the high- density 90-passenger model," Bombardier Commercial Aircraft president Fred Cromer said.
●    He also said the order confirms the airline's increased capacity needs on regional routes with high passenger demand and demonstrates the increased profitability potential that this unique turboprop configuration has to offer.

Current Affairs 29th September 2017: SPORTS

Yasir Shah becomes fastest spinner to take 150 wickets in Test cricket

Pakistan’s right-arm leg spinner, Yasir Shah, became the joint second quickest bowler overall and quickest spinner to take 150 Test wickets. 
●    Yasir achieved this feat on Day one of the first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
●    Yasir equalled former Pakistan fast bowler, Waqar Younis’ record of reaching this milestone in 27 Test matches. 
●    He bowled full on middle, and Lahiru Thirimanne tried to slog the ball over mid-wicket, but failed to read the delivery as the quicker one rapped him on his back leg, providing Yasir his 150th dismissal.
●    Yasir also broke Saeed Ajmal’s record, who grabbed 150 wickets in 29 matches. 
●    Yasir, last played against the West Indies in May when he grabbed a wicket on the final ball of the day to earn his side first clean sweep in West Indies. 

Three Indian boxers in top-10 of AIBA rankings

World Championship bronze-medallist Gaurav Bidhuri attained a career-high 11th position but Vikas Krishan was the best-placed Indian at seventh in the latest rankings of the AIBA.
●    Updated after the 19th edition of the World Championship in Hamburg earlier this month, the new rankings feature three Indians in the top-10.
●    Vikas, who lost in the second round, is placed seventh in the middleweight (75kg) category, while quarterfinalist Amit Panghal (49kg) has risen to eighth.
●    Shiva Thapa is ranked 10th in the 60kg category. 
●    The Asian Championships silver-medallist could not compete in the world showpiece after being laid low by food poisoning and fever on the day of his opening bout. 
●    He was a bantamweight bronze-medallist in the 2015 edition.
●    Bidhuri, a wild-card entrant at the mega-event, stunned one and all by fetching India's lone medal in Hamburg.
●    The feat propelled him significantly in the rankings and he occupies the 11th position in the bantamweight (56kg) category.
●    Another world championship quarterfinalist Kavinder Bisht (5kg) entered the rankings at the 14th spot, while veteran Manoj Kumar stood at the 24th position in the welterweight (69kg) division.
●    Manoj had bowed out after losing in the pre-quarterfinal stage in Hamburg.