Weekly Current Affairs September 2018 - Week 4

Find weekly current affairs for NDA, CDS, SSB, AFCAT & all competitive exam preparation here. We are sharing Weekly Current Affairs 24 September - 30 September, 2018. Learn important current affairs of last week and latest GK questions. Weekly Current Affairs is a collection of important news and events that occurred every week.

Weekly Current Affairs September 2018 - 24 Sep to 30 Sep

1. Kalraj Mishra appointed chairman of House panel on defence

A Former minister in the Narendra Modi government, Kalraj Mishra, replaced former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri as the chairman of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence.

• There are 24 parliamentary standing committees, of these 16 are under the administrative control of the Lok Sabha and eight under the Rajya Sabha.

2. Jaya Prada appointed goodwill ambassador for Nepal tourism

Former Member of Parliament and Bollywood actress Jaya Prada has been appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of Nepal tourism.

• The appointment is for a period of four years.
• Tourism is an important source of revenue and employment generation in Nepal. India is the biggest source market for Nepal tourism.
• The Nepal government has also decided to observe the year 2020 as the 'Visit Nepal Year' and has set a target of attracting two million international visitors.

3. B. S. Mubarak appointed as next Ambassador of India to Republic of Guatemala

Shri B. S. Mubarak (IFS:2001) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Guatemala.

• He is expected to take up the assignment shortly. He is presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

4. Anil Kumar Chaudhary appointed as new SAIL chairman

Anil Kumar Chaudhary has been appointed as the new chairman of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL).

• Chaudhary, at present, has been serving as the Director (Finance) in the country's largest steel making company.
• The post of SAIL chairman fell vacant on June 30 with the retirement of P K Singh.

5. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih wins presidency polls in Maldives

Maldivian presidential challenger Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has beaten incumbent Abdulla Yameen.

• Results released by the Elections Commission showed Solih had secured 58.3 percent of the popular vote as opposed to the incumbent, President Yameen, who garnered less than 42 percent of the votes.

6. SC constitutes committee over prison reforms

The Supreme Court has constituted a three-member committee to recommend measures on prison reforms.

• The committee, headed by apex court's Justice (retd.) Amitava Roy will look into the problems in prisons across the country and suggest measures to tackle them.
• Government officials will also assist the committee and submit a report before the top court in a stipulated time period.

7. Anil Khosla to be appointed as new Vice Chief of Air Force

Air Marshal Anil Khosla will be appointed as the new Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force.

• Air Marshal R Nambiar, who is currently serving as the Deputy Air Chief, is all set to be designated as the Commander-in-Chief of Eastern Air command which is headquartered at Shillong.
• The position of Commander-in-Chief of Western Air Command, on the other hand, will be handed over to Air Marshal HS Arora.

8. Rajni Kant Misra appointed BSF chief, S S Deswal to head SSB

Senior IPS officers Rajni Kant Misra and S S Deswal were appointed director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) respectively.

• Misra, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present serving as the SSB chief.
• Deswal, a 1984-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, will head the SSB in place of Misra.

9. Govt constitutes Lokpal search committee

The Centre constituted an eight-member search committee, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to recommend the chairperson and members of the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal.

• The search committee is a major step towards setting up of the Lokpal. The committee will start its functioning soon.

10. Vikram Misri next ambassador to China

The government has notified that Vikram Misri would be the new Indian envoy to Beijing.

• A 1989-batch IFS, Misri is presently the Ambassador of India to Myanmar.
• He would be taking over the responsibility from Gautam Bambawale, who retires this year.

11. Ajit Mohan appointed Facebook India MD

Facebook has announced the appointment of Ajit Mohan as the Managing Director and Vice President of of its India wing.

• Ajit has served as chief executive of Hotstar, a streaming platform owned by Twenty-First Century Fox’s Star India arm, since April 2016

 

12. Former Union minister Shantaram Potdukhe passes away

Former Union minister and Congress leader Shantaram Potdukhe died at a hospital following brief illness. He was 86.

• Potdukhe was a Union minister of state for finance in the Narasimha Rao-led government.
• He was a four-time MP from Chandrapur in eastern Maharashtra.

13. Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi passes away

Filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi passed away after a long battle with kidney cancer. She was 64.

• Kalpana Lajmi was known for directing acclaimed movies like Rudaali, Darmiyaan and Daman.
• Kalpana’s last directorial was the 2006 film Chingari.

14. Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang passes away

Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang, one of the country’s top three leaders, died after an illness. He was 61.

• Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by the president, prime minister and Communist Party chief.
• Quang was appointed to the role in April, 2016.

15. Pandit Tulsidas Borkar passes away

The legendary harmonium artiste Pandit Tulsidas Borkar passed away in Mumbai on 28 September 2018, after a brief illness. He was 83.

• Born in Borim, Goa, on 18 November 1934, Borkar was conferred the Padma Shri in 2016 for his contributions to Indian music.

16. AP, Odisha & Madhya Pradesh are Three Best Performing States in Ease of Living Index

Andhra Pradesh has topped the charts among States in terms of “Ease of Living Index” rankings launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

• It was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.
• The three States were awarded best performing States at the National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living Index, 2018.

17. Croatia’s Luka Modric wins FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year award

Real Madrid and Croatian midfielder Luka Modric ended a decade-long dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the FIFA Best Men's Player Award as he take the trophy at an award ceremony in London.

• Modric had a brilliant summer where he helped Real Madrid win a record third consecutive Champions League title and then went on to guide Croatia to their first ever World Cup final.
• Croatia came up short in the final losing 4-2 to young French team but Modric was award the Best Player of the tournament award.

18. PM Modi gets UN's 'Champions of the Earth' award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honour, bestowed upon five other individuals and organisations, for his leadership of the International Solar Alliance and pledge to eliminate single use plastic in India by 2022.

• Six of the world’s most outstanding environmental changemakers have been recognised with the Champions of the Earth Award, the UN’s highest environmental honour.
• French President Emmanuel Macron and Modi have been jointly recognised in the Policy Leadership category for their pioneering work in championing the International Solar Alliance.
• Cochin International Airport has also been honoured this year with the award for Entrepreneurial Vision, for its leadership in the use of sustainable energy.

19. AAI’s Ahmedabad and Indore Airports awarded as Best Airports under National Tourism Awards

Airports Authority of India’s Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad were conferred with the prestigious National Tourism Awards 2016-17 at a glittering award function on World Tourism Day.

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad received the Best Airport Award in Major Cities category and Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore received the Best Airport Award in ‘Rest of India’ category for promotion of Tourism at these airports.
• The award was presented by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism, Shri K.J. Alphons.

20. India to host the Women’s Boxing World C’ships

The Women’s Boxing World Championships, to be hosted by India after more than a decade, will be held from November 15-24, 2018, in New Delhi.

• The teams will have to be in the national capital by November 13, with the competition starting two days later.
• The marquee tournament was last held in India in 2006 and remains the best for the country in terms of performance.
• India had topped the medal tally with four Gold, three Silver and one Bronze medal.

21. 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship

Thiruvananthapuram is all set to play host to the 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship, which will be held at the Jimmy George indoor stadium from September 27 to 30.

• The event will witness around 500 participants representing 14 Asian countries showcasing their yoga skills.

22. India pip Bangladesh to win Asia Cup for 7th time

India beat Bangladesh by three wickets to win their seventh Asia Cup title in a pulsating last-ball finish.

• Chasing 223 runs to win, India scored the winning run of the last ball of the match.
• Shikhar Dhawan was declared Man of the tournament while Liton Das was declared man of the match.
• The first Asia cup was held in 1984 in Sharjah. India is the most successful team in the history of the Asia cup, winning it 7 times.

23. India to host the Women’s Boxing World C’ships

The Women’s Boxing World Championships, to be hosted by India after more than a decade, will be held from November 15-24, 2018, in New Delhi.

• The teams will have to be in the national capital by November 13, with the competition starting two days later.
• The marquee tournament was last held in India in 2006 and remains the best for the country in terms of performance.
• India had topped the medal tally with four Gold, three Silver and one Bronze medal.

24. 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship

Thiruvananthapuram is all set to play host to the 8th Asian Yoga Sports Championship, which will be held at the Jimmy George indoor stadium from September 27 to 30.

• The event will witness around 500 participants representing 14 Asian countries showcasing their yoga skills.

25. India pip Bangladesh to win Asia Cup for 7th time

India beat Bangladesh by three wickets to win their seventh Asia Cup title in a pulsating last-ball finish.

• Chasing 223 runs to win, India scored the winning run of the last ball of the match.
• Shikhar Dhawan was declared Man of the tournament while Liton Das was declared man of the match.
• The first Asia cup was held in 1984 in Sharjah. India is the most successful team in the history of the Asia cup, winning it 7 times.

26. AYUSH Information Cell set up at the Indian Embassy in Romania

Ministry of AYUSH has set up an AYUSH Information Cell at the premises of the Indian Embassy in Romania to disseminate authentic information about AYUSH system of medicine and encourage Ayurveda practice in Romania.

• The AYUSH Information Cell, Romania will help to organise lectures, consultation, conduct seminars, training courses and facilitate associations of AYUSH stakeholders for networking conducting meetings, develop awareness of AYUSH system among public in Romania.
• During the visit to Romania on September 19, 2018, Vice president of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu digitally inaugurated the AYUSH Information Cell.
• On this occasion, a book on ‘Ayurveda in Romania’ was also released by Vice president.

27. India ranks 158th among 195 countries in health care investment

India ranks 158th in the world for its investments in education and healthcare, a survey of 195 countries has revealed.

• It ranks below countries like Sudan, Azerbaijan, China and Bosnia Herzegovina.
• According to the survey, Finland tops the list of 195 countries in the two key sectors.

28. Exhibition “India - Uzbekistan: Dialogue of Cultures” inaugurated in the Capital

Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Arun Goel inaugurated the exhibition “India - Uzbekistan: Dialogue of Cultures” at National Museum, New Delhi,.

• The Exhibition was dedicated to the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbegistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Republic of India that will begin early next week.

29. Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates air pollution control device WAYU in Delhi

Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has inaugurated air pollution control device Wind Augmentation Purifying Unit (WAYU) at ITO in New Delhi.

• The device WAYU is developed by Council of Science and Industrial Research to mitigate air pollution at traffic junctions.
• Along with particulate matter, the device will remove poisonous gases such as volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide.

30. First assembly of ISA to be held in India

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is organising the First Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA); the 2nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 2ndGlobal Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo, (REINVEST- 2018) from 2nd to 5th October 2018 in New Delhi.

• The three events will be inaugurated in a common function by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in the presence of Mr Antonio Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations on 2nd October 2018 in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
• The Business and Technical Sessions of ISA Assembly, IORA Meet and RE-INVEST 2018 Expo will be held at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, UP.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), an Indian initiative, was launched jointly by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and H.E. François Hollande, Hon’ble President of France on 30 November 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

31. NITI Aayog to Organize Conference on Empowerment of Women SHGs

NITI Aayog is organizing a Conference on Empowerment of Women SHGs & Organic Farmers Co-operatives from Dantewada, Bastar Region on September 26 at NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Tribal Affairs Ministry and Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India, TRIFED.

• Tribal Affairs Minister Shri Jual Oram will inaugurate the conference.
• The conference is a part of the visit of the team of entrepreneurs from Dantewada to New Delhi to identify markets opportunity for their products in urban areas.

32. UN declares 2019-2028 Nelson Mandela decade of peace

A statue of Nelson Mandela has been unveiled at the United Nations to honour the late South African leader’s birth.

• This year marks the 100th anniversary of Mandela’s birth.
• The UN also declared 2019-2028 the “Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace.

33. Commerce Ministers of India and Bangladesh hold Bilateral Meeting in Dhaka

A bilateral meeting was held in Dhaka between Commerce Minister of Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed, MP and Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Minister of India, Suresh Prabhu.

• Both Ministers noted the significant progress made in the bilateral relationship under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• They reiterated their commitment to further strengthen the bilateral relations on the basis of friendship, trust and understanding for the mutual benefit of the people of Bangladesh and India.

34. World Tourism Day: 27 September

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.

• This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted.
• The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.
• The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.
• The theme of the day in 2018 is "Tourism and the Digital Transformation".

35. India ranked 96th among 162 countries on Economic Freedom Index

In this year’s report on Economic Freedom in the World, India’s rank improved by a couple of notches.

• However, India was still placed 96th among 162 countries.
• The report was released by the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) along with Canada’s Fraser Institute.
• Last year, India was placed 98.
• Hong Kong and Singapore again topped the index, continuing their streak as the first and the second country.

36. China to host world Internet conference in Nov

China will hold the fifth World Internet Conference (WIC) in November which is expected to be attended by delegates from several countries and international organisations.

• The conference, scheduled to run from November 7-9, will be held in the river town of Wuzhen.
• This year's WIC is themed "creating a digital world for mutual trust and collective governance -- toward a community with a shared future in cyberspace".

37. World Heart Day 2018: 29 September

World Heart Day is celebrated every year on September 29, Organised by the World Heart Federation.

• ‘Your heart, my heart’ is the ‘World Heart Day Theme’ this year.
• World Heart Day was created to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world's leading cause of death.

 

38. PM to inaugurate Sikkim's first-ever airport

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Sikkim's first-ever airport on 24th September, 2018.

• Built at an estimated cost of over Rs. 605 crore, the Pakyong airport is a new distinction for the State of Sikkim which has, in the last three to four years, achieved the distinction of becoming the first "Organic State" of India and also the first "Open Defecation Free" (ODF) State of India.

39. DEPwD Celebrates ‘International Day of Sign Languages’

“International Day of Sign Languages” was celebrated by Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 23 September.

• Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
• A special calendar of year 2019 with Sign Languages designed by ISLRTC was released on the occasion.

40. Vice President Inaugurates Indian Culinary Institute

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Indian food heritage is a mixture of art and science and is exceptionally vast and diverse.

• He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati and two projects in Nellore and East Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh, implemented under the Coastal Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

41. Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurates workshop on National e-Vidhan Application

Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal presided over the Inaugural Session of the two-day National Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), organized by Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in New Delhi.

• On the occasion, Shri Meghwal also launched the new website of the NeVA and administered the Swachhata Pledge to over 200 delelgates, which included senior officers from Secretariats of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, 31 Legislative Assemblies and 7 Legislative Councils from across the country.
• The Orientation Workshop would include technical sessions and group discussions over 2 days, which would facilitate exposure for the delegates about the positive attributes of NeVA; deliberations on issues faced by different State Legislatures in implementation of e-Vidhan and finding solutions thereof.
• The focus of the workshop would be to encourage all State Legislatures to move towards e-Vidhan platform and bring in transparency, accountability and responsiveness in their conduct of business, through the use of technology.

42. 4th India International Science Festival to be inaugurated by President of India

The fourth edition of India International Science Festival will be inaugurated by President of India in Lucknow on October 6, 2018.

• IISF-2018 is expected to be represented by approximately 10000 delegates including 5000 students, 550 teachers, 200 students from North-East Region, 20 international delegates and approximately 200 startups.
• IISF-2018 with its focal theme “Science for Transformation” will have 23 special events.
• This time the 'Science Village' will also be organized in the festival.

43. 21st meeting of Central Regional Council held under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister
Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has said that regional councils have an important role in resolving issues related to the public by increasing cooperation between the Center and the states.

• In the 21st meeting of the Central Regional Council in Lucknow, the Home Minister said that all regional councils have been made active in the last four years.
• He said that 11 meetings were held during the Regional Councils while 15 meetings of the Standing Committee were held.
• He said that a total of 680 cases were discussed, out of which 428 were resolved. These issues have been related to areas like infrastructure, medicine, education, agriculture and security.

44. Vice President Inaugurates Smart City Expo India 2018

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that the creation of pedestrian non-motorized zones is the need of the hour curb traffic congestions.

• He was addressing the inaugural session of the Smart City Expo India 2018, in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• The object of this three days long expo is to have discussions among different experts and groups to utilize benefits of new technology, town planning, capacity management, challenges before socio-economic development and development of networking in the Smart City sector.
• Near about 6000 delegates from MNC's of different countries , researchers , CEO's of different Smart cities , Mayors and corporates are participating in the expo.

45. Cabinet approves financial assistance for Sirhind Feeder Canal and Rajasthan Feeder Canal

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved providing Central Assistance of Rs. 620.42 Cr. and Rs. 205.758 Cr. for implementation of relining of Rajasthan Feeder Canal and Sirhind Feeder Canal respectively over five years (2018-19 to 2022-23) for Relining of Sirhind Feeder from RD 119700 to 447927 and relining of Rajasthan Feeder from RD 179000to 496000 of Punjab.

• Implementation of these twin projects would help in addressing the problem of water-logging in 84800 Ha of land in Muktsar, Faridkot and Ferozpur districts in South-West Punjab.
• Funding for CA to the Rajasthan Feeder and Sirhind feeder shall be made through NABARD under existing system for funding of 99 PMKSY-AIBP projects under LTIF.

46. Cabinet approves National Digital Communications Policy-2018

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approvedthe National Digital Communications Policy-2018 (NDCP-2018) and re-designation of the Telecom Commission as the “Digital Communications Commission”.

• TheNDCP-2018 envisions supporting India’s transition to a digitally empowered economy and society by fulfilling the information and Communications needs of citizens and enterprises by establishment of a ubiquitous, resilient and affordable Digital Communications Infrastructure and Services.
• The key objectives of the policy are provisioning of Broadband for all; creating 4 Million additional jobs in the Digital Communications sector; enhancing the contribution of the Digital Communications sector to 8% of India’s GDP from ~ 6% in 2017; propelling India to the Top 50 Nations in the ICT Development Index of ITU from 134 in 2017; enhancing India’s contribution to Global Value Chains; and ensuring Digital Sovereignty.
• These objectives are to be achieved by 2022.

47. Successful Flight Test of Astra BVR Air-to-Air Missile

Astra, the indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), was successfully test fired by the Indian Air Force from Su-30 aircraft, from Air Force Station, Kalaikunda.

• The missile successfully engaged a manoeuvring target with high precision meeting the mission objectives.
• In the series of trials held to date, Astra has been launched in the complete Su-30 flight envelope.
• The flight test assumes significance as it was part of the series of final pre-induction trials.
• Astra is the best in class weapon system and has undergone more than twenty developmental trials.

48. Finance Ministry Launches Mobile Application “ Jan Dhan Darshak”

Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance and National Informatics Centre (NIC) has jointly developed a mobile app called Jan Dhan Darshak as a part of financial inclusion (FI) initiative .

• As the name suggests, this app will act as a guide for the common people in locating a financial service touch point at a given location in the country.
• While over 5 lakh FI touch points (Bank branches, ATMs, Post Offices) have been mapped on this App, approx. 1.35 lakh Bank Mitras would be on-boarded by 01.12.2018.

49. Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad to launch Centre of Excellence for Data Analytics and DigiVaarta

National Informatics Centre (NIC) and National Informatics Centre Services Incorporated (NICSI) have jointly set up a Centre of Excellence for data analytics to support Government departments to unlock the hidden potential of the data that they are generating as part of the governance processes and use it to improve the overall governance.

• Launch of Centre of Excellence for Data Analytics (CEDA) is being held on 28th September, 2018 by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of State, Electronics & Information Technology. The event will be attended by several dignitaries from the Central Government.

50. Tribes India launches “Punch Tantra Collection and Ms Mary Kom as Brand Ambassador”

Tribes India and TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched “Punch Tantra Collection and Ms. Mary Kom as Brand Ambassador of Tribes India” at a function.

• Shri Jual Oram, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs introduced the Indian Sporting Legend and the World Boxing Champion Ms. Mary Kom as the Brand Ambassador of “Tribes India” and launched the “Punch Tantra” Diwali collection.
• Four promotional video spots produced by NFDC featuring Brand Ambassador Ms. Mary Com promoting Tribal products of Tribes India were also released on the occasion.

51. India and the United Nations to sign a Five-Year Sustainable Development Framework

CEO NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant and United Nations Resident Coordinator in India, Yuri Afanasiev, will sign the Government of India-United Nations Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) for 2018-2022, at a special signing ceremony on September 28 at NITI Aayog premises.

• The signing ceremony would be presided over by Vice Chairperson, NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Members of NITI Aayog and will be attended by the heads of UN agencies in India.
• Government of India-United Nations Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) 2018-2022 outlines the work of UN agencies in India, to support the achievement of key development outcomes that have been identified in consultation with the government and are aligned to the national priorities.
• The NITI Aayog is the national counterpart for the UN in India for the operationalization of the UNSDF.
• Nineteen (19) UN agencies have signed on the UNSDF 2018-2022.

52. Twenty Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) centres are being established in the country

Twenty Embryo Transfer Technology Centres are being established in the country and a proposal of 19 centres has been approved so far.

• This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh.
• The Minister further stated that 3000 high genetic merit bulls of indigenous bovine breeds are being produced from these centres.
• Two of these centres are to be set up in Nagpur and Pune in Maharashtra.

53. 20th livestock Census to be conducted from 1st October in all districts of the country

The 20th Livestock Census will be conducted in all districts of the Indian Union in participation with all States and Union Territories. States/UTs have been requested to start the census operations from 1st October, 2018.

• The success of this novel initiative is dependent on full cooperation and commitment from all States/UTs Governments.
• The enumeration will be done in all villages and urban wards.
• Various species of animals (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, Yak, Sheep, Goat, Pig, Horse, Pony, Mule, Donkey Camel, Dog, Rabbit and Elephant)/poultry birds (Fowl, Duck, Emu, Turkeys, Quail and other poultry birds) possessed by the households, household enterprises/non-household enterprises and institutions will be counted at their site.

54. High Level Advisory Group Constituted for Trade

The Minister of Commerce & Industry, Suresh Prabhu, has approved the constitution of a High Level Advisory Group (HLAG) to make recommendations for identifying and pursuing opportunities and for addressing challenges in order to find a way forward in the contemporary global trade scenario.

• The HLAG will consider ways for boosting India’s share and importance in global merchandise and services trade, managing pressing bilateral trade relations and mainstreaming new age policy making.
• Dr. Surjit S. Bhalla, Director of Oxus Research and Investments will chair the HLAG.

55. High Level Committee Constituted on Corporate Social Responsibility

A High Level Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility – 2018 (HLC-2018) has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri. Injeti Srinivas, Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) to review the existing framework and guide and formulate the roadmap for a coherent policy on Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR).

• The Committee is expected to review the existing CSR framework as per Act, Rules and Circulars issued from time to time and recommend guidelines for better enforcement of CSR provisions.
• It will analyze outcomes of CSR activities/programmes/projects and suggest measures for effective monitoring and evaluation of CSR by companies.
• Suggestions are also expected on innovative solutions, use of technology, platform to connect stakeholders, and social audit.

56. Constitution of Group of Ministers (GoM)

During the 30th Meeting of the GST Council, the proposal of the State of Kerala for imposition of Cess on SGST for rehabilitation and flood affected works was discussed in detail.

• The Council decided to constitute a 7-Member Group of Ministers (GoM) to examine this issue in depth.
• Accordingly, the Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley, has approved the constitution of a Group of Ministers to examine the issue regarding ‘Modalities for Revenue Mobilisation in case of Natural Calamities and Disasters’.
• Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar is the Convenor of the GoM.

57. Kolkata launches India’s first flood forecast system

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, with the support of the Asian Development Bank, has launched the country’s first flood forecasting and early-warning system.

• It will provide real-time data on inundation, rainfall intensity, temperature, air quality and other climate-related data
• This is expected to help policy-makers make informed decisions during disasters.

58. Tripura to set up flute performance research institute

Tripura Government would set up a flute performance research institute to take out the traditional musical act and its eminence as a traditional musical instrument across the world, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said.

• The Chief Minister said there are a huge variety of bamboo in Tripura and other northeastern states and with this high quality bamboo, flute can be made to sell them in the national and international markets.

59. President of India Inaugurates Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention in New Delhi on September 29, 2018.

• Speaking on the occasion, the President said that achieving universal access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene by 2030 is a major challenge in many parts of the world.
• Drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene are central to Sustainable Development Goal 6, especially targets 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3.
• Target 6.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for countries to end open defecation, ensure everyone has access to a basic toilet and put in place systems for safe management of excreta.

60. PM inaugurates Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Conference on Academic Leadership on Education for Resurgence in Vigyan Bhawan in which the Vice-Chancellors/Directors from more than 350 universities participated.

• The conference was organized jointly by UGC, AICTE, ICSSR, IGNCA, IGNOU, JNU and SGT University.
• Union Minister for Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar and MoS, HRD Dr Satya Pal Singh were also present on the occasion.
• Speaking on the occasion the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi said that when one thinks of resurgence or revival, the first image that comes to mind is of Swami Vivekananda, who presented before the world, the strength of Indian thought.

61. Suresh Prabhu launched the World Bank Group’s regional trade report

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, launched the World Bank Group’s regional trade report “A Glass Half Full-The Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia” at a seminar organised by FICCI in New Delhi.

• Speaking on this occasion the Minister said that the potential for intra-trade growth in South Asia region has not been fully tapped as yet.
• India’s top three trading partners in South Asia are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
• India’s trade with South Asia is only 3% of its global trade.
• Today India’s trade with the world stands at 637.4 billion USD but with South Asia it stands at only 19.1billion USD.
• Trade between India and Pakistan is a paltry USD 2 billion.

62. BSNL inks deal with Softbank, NTT to roll out 5G, IoT service

State-run telecom firm BSNL has inked a pact with Japan's Softbank and NTT Communications to roll out 5G and internet of things technology in India.

• Under the agreement with Softbank, BSNL will look at collaborating with the Japanese firm for its satellite constellation
• BSNL has signed agreement with Nokia and Cisco as well for developing 5G ecosystem.

63. Cabinet clears proposal to convert GSTN into govt entity

The Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to convert GST Network (GSTN), which provides IT infrastructure for the new indirect tax regime, into a 100 per cent government-owned company.

• Briefing about the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting, the finance minister said after restructuring of GSTN, ownership will be equally divided between the Centre and states.
• Shares for each state will be worked on pro-rata basis.
• Currently, the Centre and states together hold 49 per cent stake in the GST Network.
• The remaining 51 per cent is held by five private financial institutions -- HDFC Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd, NSE Strategic Investment Co and LIC Housing Finance Ltd.

64. Axis Bank, VCAT tie up to provide banking services to start-up firms

Private sector lender Axis Bank has tied up with Venture Catalysts (VCAT) to provide corporate banking services to start-up companies.

• As an added benefit, Axis Bank will also waive off banking transaction fee for the first two years for start-ups at the bootstrapping stage.
• As part of the tie-up, VCAT will provide mentoring to hone business ideation, apart from incubating and providing support to upcoming start-ups.

65. India, Japan sign Agreement for Construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project

Two Loan Agreements were signed between India and Japan on Japanese Official Development Assistance loan for Construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project (I) of Yen 89.457 billion (Rs.5591 crore approx.) and Kolkata East-West Metro Project (III) of Yen 25.903 billion (Rs.1619 crore approx.).

• India and Japan have had a long and fruitful history of bilateral development cooperation since 1958.
• In the last few years, the economic cooperation between India and Japan has steadily progressed.
• This further consolidates and strengthens the Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan.

66. Rail Heritage Digitisation Project of Indian Railways in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture

Minister of Railways and Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal has launched “Rail Heritage Digitisation Project” of Indian Railways in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture here today through video-conferencing.

• The project is a landmark effort, first of its kind in this part of the globe, to showcase country’s Rail Heritage to National and International audience in an online story-telling platform.

67. MoHUA partners with Google to launch #LooReview Campaign

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM – U), has partnered with Google to launch the Loo Review campaign to encourage all local guides in India to rate and review public toilets on Google Maps.

• This campaign is part of a feature which allows all citizens to locate public toilets in their cities on Google Maps, Search and the Assistant and also provide feedback on the same.
• 500+ cities in India with more than 30,000 toilets with the name of “SBM Toilet” are currently live on Google Maps.
• One of the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM - U) is to provide sanitation coverage through public toilet facilities across cities in India for achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
• With around 3400cities already having achieved ODF status, and other cities gearing up towards the same, there is now a need to ensure that the ODF status is sustained through continuous usage and proper maintenance of public toilets.

68. NITI Aayog and Oracle sign a Statement of Intent to pilot drug supply-chain using blockchain.

In order to fight the growing problem of counterfeit drugs in India, NITI Aayog and Oracle signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to pilot a real drug supply-chain using blockchain distributed ledger and Internet of Things (IoT) software.

• Apollo Hospitals and Strides Pharma Sciences will partner in this effort.
• The major advantages of blockchain software will be its ability to allow the sharing of information across the drug supply chain securely.

69. RBI bars Bandhan Bank from opening branches

The RBI has barred the bank from opening new branches and put a freeze on the remuneration of Bandhan Bank MD and CEO Chandra Shekhar Ghosh.

• The bank can open branches with the prior approval of the RBI.
• The RBI pulled up Bandhan Bank for its failure to bring down the promoter holding to 40 per cent, as mandated in the licensing norms for universal banks.