Important Current Affairs 30th September 2017

Important Current Affairs 30th September 2017

Current Affairs 30th September 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

Cabinet approves Agreement on “Cooperation in the field of Information, Communication and Media” between India and Ethiopia 

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to sign the Agreement between India and Ethiopia on “”Cooperation in the field of Information, Communication and Media”. 
●    It aims to harness the growing power of Information, Communication and Media for information dissemination and enhancing outreach between the two countries for inclusive development. 
●    It will also enhance people to people contact through exchange programmes. It would also provide an opportunity for both the nations to share best practices and new innovations in the field of Information, Communication & Media.
●    The Agreement will encourage cooperation between mass media tools such as radio, print media, TV, social media etc. to provide more opportunities to the people of both the nations and create public accountability.
●    The Agreement, through an institutional framework will facilitate exchange of delegations, personnel between the two nations, providing them opportunities to learn from each other’s best practices, bringing in equity and inclusiveness.

Radha Mohan Singh addressed National Workshop on Agricultural Knowledge Management

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for the first time, a national level workshop has been organized to prepare a roadmap for agricultural knowledge management on September 27-28, 2017. 
●    Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh addressed the workshop. 
●    More than 300 eminent agricultural scientists and information technology experts from all over the country participated in the workshop.
●    Shri Singh said that 58 percent population of the country still relies on agriculture for livelihood. 
●    Irrespective of industrial and services sectors progress, the agriculture sector is still the top employer. 
●    He said there is a steady increase in the number of small and marginal farmers in the agrarian sector. 
●    Due to traditional farming and low productivity, they are unable to achieve higher yield despite hard work. 
●    In the absence of information related to modern and scientific agricultural systems, this situation persists throughout the country.

India registers significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) 

India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). 
●    According to the just released SRS bulletin, IMR of India has declined by three points (8% decline), from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year. 
●    Not only this, India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time come down to below 25 million. 
●    India has registered 90000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015. 
●    The total number of estimated infant deaths have come down from 930000 (9.3 Lakhs) in 2015 to 840000 (8.4 lakhs) in 2016.
●    According to the SRS Bulletin the gender gap in India for child survival is reducing steadily. 

Union Home Minister exhorts IAS probationers to help realise PM’s dream of New India 

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has exhorted young IAS probationers to help realise the Prime Minister’s dream of a New India. 
●    Addressing the Officers Trainees of 92nd Foundation Course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie in Uttarakhand today, Shri Rajnath Singh said, “You need to work hard to help the people. 
●    You have to create a sense of confidence among the people with your hard work.”
●    Noting that God has given them an opportunity to serve humanity and common citizens of the country, the Union Home Minister said the Officers should empathise with the citizens who come out with their problems. 
●    “You should not try to postpone the resolution of their problems,” he said, adding, “Your approach should never be individual centric. Always be system centric.”
●    Cautioning the young IAS Officers against harbouring egos, Shri Rajnath Singh said, “Ego is like a decimal point which if added before a number reduces the value of that number.”  
 

Current Affairs 30th September 2017: DEFENSE

Indian Navy commissioned INS TARASA in Mumbai

INS Tarasa, a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai today. 
●    At an impressive commissioning ceremony, Vice Admiral Luthra expressed confidence that the new INS Tarasa will discharge her duties with élan and resolve, and bring laurels to the Western Naval Command and the Nation.
●    Complementing the designers, builders, engineers, overseers, and the officers and the men whose efforts have fructified in the commissioning of the ship, he said that the ship is of proven design, has good endurance, low draught, high speed and manoeuvrability,  thus making her most suited for her primary role of extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol. 
●    He reserved special praise for the ship’s crew and the Warship Overseeing Team, Kolkata for ensuring that the ship has been commissioned with all Weapon and Sensor trials completed. 
●    The passage of the ship during her maiden voyage from Kolkata to Mumbai, in rough weather, bears testimony to the seaworthiness of the ship. 
●    INS Tarasa is the fourth and last of the follow-on Water Jet FAC’s built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. 
 

Current Affairs 30th September 2017: GLOBAL NEWS

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis calls on Prime Minister

Prime Minister recalled his wide-ranging, candid, and fruitful discussions with President Trump during his visit to the United States in June this year. 
●    Both sides had reaffirmed their resolve to further develop their strong strategic partnership. 
●    Secretary Mattis briefed Prime Minister on the progress in advancing the bilateral agenda and implementing the decisions taken during that visit.  
●    They also discussed enhanced cooperation, regionally and globally, in pursuing shared priorities for peace, stability and combating terrorism.  
●    Prime Minister appreciated the close engagement between the two countries on regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Current Affairs 30th September 2017: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

India Mobile Congress-Country’s largest platform connecting Mobile, Internet and Technology gets underway

The Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha said that India is currently the second largest telecommunication market in the world with over 1.2 billion subscriber base and approximately 450 million internet users. 
●    Delivering the inaugural speech at the India Mobile Congress-2017 here, the Minister said that driven by the adoption of smartphones and exponential increase in data consumption, telecom industry is expected to generate revenue of approximately up to USD 38.25 billion by 2017, registering a CAGR of 5.2% during the period 2014 to 2017. 
●    He said that investment into the sector has increased by approximately 220% in last four years and to enhance and expand mobile coverage, operators have rolled out more than 0.2 million sites in the last 15 months and every 3 minutes a new site is being put up.
●    Shri Sinha said that it is also expected that the telecom industry generates approximately 4 million direct and in-direct job opportunities on account of continued focus of government and telcos in the rural market and continued surge in the sale of mobile phones and data usage. 
●    Traffic from mobile devices contributes to 70% of overall e-commerce traffic. 
●    Indian e-commerce market is expected to grow 2.8 times by 2021 to USD 125 billion and mobile devices will drive this growth.

Current Affairs 30th September 2017: DAYS AND DATES

190th Gunners Day Celebrated 

Regiment of Artillery, one of the largest Arms of the Indian Army celebrated 190th Gunners’ Day on 28 September 2017. 
●    The Gunners’ Day is celebrated to commemorate the raising of the first Indian Artillery Unit namely, 5 (Bombay) Mountain Battery on this day in 1827.
●    Over the ages, Artillery has proven to be the arm of decision, a battle winning factor and will continue to be the pivotal arm in all future battles. 
●    The Regiment of Artillery today embarked itself on a path of modernisation, both in terms of equipment and support systems as well under the “Make in India” initiative of the Government of India.
●    On this auspicious day, wreathes were laid at Amar Jawan Jyoti by Gen Deepak Kapoor (Retd) and Lt Gen PK Srivastava, Director General Artillery and Colonel Commandant, Regiment of Artillery to honour the sacrifices of our fallen heroes. 
●    A large number of veteran officers were also in attendance.