Murky mining: on SC cancelling mining leases in Goa

Mining activity in Goa should now begin on a clean slate(an absence of existing restraints or commitments)

The Supreme Court order to halt(stop/clog) the murky(disorder/mess-गड़बड़) course that mining has taken in Goa should help restore(reinstate/bring back-बहाल) some balance to the exploitation (suction / absorption-शोषण) of iron and manganese ore in the ecologically fragile(delicate/breakable-नाज़ुक) State. As the court observed this week in the Goa Foundation case, commercial mining activity can be rapacious (greedy / avaricious-लालची) in the absence of clearly laid down and strictly enforced(impose/implement-लागू करना) conditions. This is exactly what has happened in Goa, with the State government displaying shocking disregard for rules and processes while renewing licences for a second time in 2015. It inexplicably(inexpressible/unaccountable-अकथनीय) chose not to exercise its right to view the licences as fresh leases(tendon/rent-पट्टा) that require new environmental impact assessments. The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa invited a cloud of suspicion (doubt/hesitancy-संदेह) by hastily(hurry/quickly-जल्दी से) launching the renewal(renovate) of licences just a day after it unveiled(open/unzip-खोलना) a Grant of Mining Leases Policy on November 4, 2014. Quite extraordinarily(unusual/remarkable-असाधारण), it issued 31 orders on a single day, January 12, 2015, apparently to pre-empt(arrogate/occupy-जगह ले लेना) the Centre’s Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Ordinance that came into force the same day. Now that the Supreme Court has ordered the termination(finish/abolish) of 88 licences, grant of fresh licences and proper accounting of the losses, mining activity in its entirety should begin on a clean slate. Future decisions should be guided solely(completely) by the true cost to the environment and to human health.

Goa has argued(assert/infer-तर्क करना) that the mining industry is crucial(vital/important-महत्वपूर्ण) to its economy as it brings in foreign exchange, provides employment and supports a transport industry. Yet, it is also true that the ore mined in the State is low in iron, reducing its value to the domestic steel industry. Given that mining has a severe destructive impact on the ecology, resumption (restart/renewal-पुनरारंभ) of large-scale activity should await a scientific audit of how sustainable (durable / lasting-टिकाऊ) it is. Any more mining should also account for the loss of employment while calculating economic gains. Just last year, public protests(opposition/resist-विरोध) over contaminated(pollute/adulterate-दूषित) groundwater and fouled(infect/poison) air, as in Sattari taluk, underscored the need for strict environmental controls. 

It is relevant(reasonable/proper-उचित) to point out that the Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee found in 2013 that many of the past leases had been issued(provide/supply) without the approval of the National Board for Wildlife, and miners had extracted(take out/draw out-निकाले) ore in excess. The requirement for clearance from the Central Ground Water Board was ignored (pay no heed/disregard-नज़रअंदाज़ करना). Going forward, the Environment Ministry must display zero tolerance(acceptance-सहनशीलता) to such violations (outrage/infringement-उल्लंघन), reversing its indefensible(unpardonable) decision of 2015 to lift its own abeyance(suspension/adjournment-स्थगन) order issued against unsustainable mining. The Supreme Court’s directions provide Goa with an opportunity: to change course(path/way) and become a mainstream tourist State. It can regain(retrieve/recover-हासिल) its position as a top destination for global visitors and broaden employment in services. Tourist charters need to replace its open cast mines and dust bowls.

Back together: on Germany coalition deal

A coalition(alliance/union-गठबंधन) between the Social and Christian Democrats is in Germany’s larger interests

The decision of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) to form a new coalition government is no surprise. Since the emergence of the CDU’s Angela Merkel as German Chancellor in 2005, both have cohabited(live together-साथ रहना) in a coalition for eight years. After the two parties registered their worst (defeat/beat-सबसे खराब) showing in the September 2017 general elections, they lost whatever little appetite(fervor/zeal-जोश) remained to rule together. The SPD had declared it would stay in the opposition, rebuild(renovate) the weak organisation and re-establish its core left-wing identity. The latest arrangement is a result of political pragmatism(behaviorism-व्यवहारवाद), and a willingness(alacrity/readiness-इच्छा) to accord (consent consensus-समझौते) primacy (supremacy / priority-प्रधानता) to the national interest, despite ideological differences. 

Germany had come close to calling another election after the conservatives(rightist/republican-परंपरावादियों) failed to reach an understanding with the greens and the liberals late last year. That meant a minority government was the only alternative, one that did not appeal either to Ms. Merkel or her party. Inexorably (outrage / atrocity-क्रूरता), there was a rethink. The process was helped by a common concern within the CDU and the SPD, namely, the risk of ceding(hand over/surrender-सौंपना) space to the deeply eurosceptic, anti-immigrant and extreme-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which surprised everyone by winning almost 13% of the vote.

The wider implications(influence/impact-प्रभाव) for the European Union of the political stasis(stability/fixture-स्थिरता) in Germany had also begun to weigh on the continent’s leaders. Some voiced the wisdom (sagacity/ intelligence-बुद्धिमत्ता) of revisiting the grand coalition proposal. The alliance now being stitched up is cause for at least some cheer, if not celebration. But there is disillusionment(disappointment/frustration-निराशा) in both party camps that far too much has been conceded(allow/admit-स्वीकार करना) to the other party in the recent talks. The SPD has bagged six ministries, including finance. This has annoyed(exasperated/angry-नाराज हो) fiscal hawks among the conservatives, who are against Berlin loosening its purse strings to prop up(maintain/handle-संभालना) ‘profligate (wasteful / extravagant-अपव्ययी)’ eurozone member-states. The coalition’s agreement on greater spending on schools, pensions and infrastructure draws heavily upon SPD programmes. 

This is likely to find public favour, given Germany’s huge budget surplus and the need to boost domestic consumption. But there is a flip side to the pragmatic compromise the parties have struck to safeguard the political middle-ground. This is the risk that voices of dissent(disagreement/non consent-असहमति) could veer(curve/change direction suddenly) to the extremes. Surveys indicate that the AfD’s vote share in September had less to do with its political appeal than with dissatisfaction with the state of affairs. In any case, the coalition is not yet a done deal. The joint programme must first be approved by SPD delegates in a party referendum. The divisions within the party over SPD leader Martin Schulz’s possible induction(arrival/advent-आगमन) as Foreign Minister may forebode(warn of/alert-सचेत करना) a turbulent (stormy/unstable-अशांत) time ahead.

09 February 2018 Current Affairs

1. RBI to link base rate with MCLR from 1 April 2018.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said it will link the base rate for loans with the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) from 1 April 2018 to improve monetary policy transmission.
• RBI introduced the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rates (MCLR) system with effect from April 1, 2016 to facilitate greater passing on of the benefit of reduction in policy rates to lending rates.
• The MCLR for 1-year tenure loan for country's biggest lender State Bank of India (SBI) stands at 7.95 percent for the month of January 2018 while its base rate still stands at 8.65 percent.
• The 1-year MCLR for most commercial banks as on January 2018 ranges between 7.95 percent and 9.75 percent.

Reserve Bank of India(RBI)

Its aim to regulate the issue of Bank notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage; to have a modern monetary policy framework to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex economy

Founded : 1 April 1935(RBI Act 1934)

Governor : Dr. Urjit Patel

Head Quarter : Mumbai

2. 6th edition of World Government Summit 2018 held in Dubai, UAE.

• India is a partner country of 6th World Government Summit Held in Dubai, UAE.
• India and UAE will sign at least 12 agreements ranging from finance to skill development during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the oil-rich Gulf nation.
• This summit is set to host a constructive dialogue between leaders, decision-makers, scientists, experts, academics and entrepreneurs to achieve a better future of the societies. 
• A special delegation from the subcontinent will then showcase the country's developmental experience in a special section titled From India to The World, which features streams on Technology and Innovation and India's Service Sector.

United Arab Emirates(UAE)

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Currency: UAE Dirham

Preident: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

3. Bermuda becomes first country in the world to repeal same sex marriage law.

• Governor John Rankin  sought to balance opposition to same-sex marriage on the island, which was legalized through a Supreme Court ruling in May 2017, while complying with European court rulings that ensure legal protections for same-sex couples.

Bermuda

Capital : Hamilton

Currency : Bermudian Dollar

Governor : John Rankin

4. Chile gets five national parks together the size of Switzerland.

• Chile has created five new national parks that are collectively the size of Switzerland.
• The new national parks, which aim to preserve vast tracts of Patagonia, comprise 9 million acres of federal land and over 1 million acres of land donated by American philanthropists.

Chile

Capital : Santiago

Currency : Peso

President : Sebastian Pinera

5. Indian princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh gets UK’s Royal Mail stamp.

• Indian princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh was honoured by the Royal Mail of the UK to marked the centenary of the suffragette movement with 8 special stamps.
• Suffragettes were members of women's organisations in the late-19th and early-20th centuries which advocated the extension of the 'franchise' or the right to vote in public elections, to women.

United Kingdom(UK)

Capital : London

Currency : Pound

PM : Theresa May(Conservative Party)

6.  Saudi Arabia Allows Air India To Use Airspace For Delhi-Tel 

Aviv Flights.

• Israel's tourism ministry has announced a one-time grant of 750,000 euros to Air India for flight operations.
• According to Israeli daily Haaretz ,Saudi Arabia has allowed Air India to use its airspace for flights between Delhi and Tel Aviv.
• According to the official, an approval from Saudi Arabia to use its airspace will allow Air India to take a shorter route by flying over Ahmedabad, Muscat, Saudi Arabia and then land at Tel Aviv.

Saudi Arabia

Capital : Riyadh

Currency : Riyal

PM : Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

7.  IndusInd Bank unveils a new musical logo called 'MOGO'.

• IndusInd Bank launched its new Sonic Identity today, which is essentially a musical logo, as part of its branding initiatives
• The objective for associating to a sonic identity is building the Bank's brand imagery with the strategic use of music and sound for brand experiences and audience connection.
• The sonic identity is derived from the Bank's persona and core values of innovation, courage and dynamism as well as its strong desire to place customers first. 

IndusInd

CEO : Romesh Sobti

Head Quarter : Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Tagline : We make you feel  rich.

8.  Jhulan Goswami first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.

• India's veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami  added another feather to her illustrious cap by becoming the first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.
• Goswami achieved the feat during the second ODI between India and South Africa.
• The 35-year-old, playing her 166th ODI, dismissed opener Laura Wolvaardt for her 200th scalp.
• Indian Cricketer Kapil Dev is the first male cricketer to pick 200 ODI wickets.

Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI)

CEO: Rahul Johri

President: Vinod Rai

9. Hardayal Prasad appointed as SBI Card MD & CEO.

• SBI Card, the country's second largest credit card issuer, hasa new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer in Hardayal Prasad. Prasad has taken over from Vijay Jasuja, who superannuated on January 31.
• Prior to this appointment, Prasad was with State Bank of India, holding multiple leadership positions in the bank. He had joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1983.

State Bank Of India(SBI)

Established : 1 July 1955

Chairman : Rajnish Kumar

Head Quarter : Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Tagline : Pure Banking for All

10. 

Kathakali maestro Madavoor Vasudevan Nair passes away

• Kathakali maestro Madavoor Vasudevan Nair collapsed on stage and died while performing at Agasthyacodu Mahadeva Temple, Anchal.
• He is survived by wife Savithri Amma, son Madhu and daughters Mini and Ganga.

11. Defence Ministry set up panel  to expedite capital acquisition for Armed Forces modernisation.

• Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Defence Minister, has constituted a 13-member advisory committee to monitor and expedite capital acquisition projects for the modernization of the armed forces.
• The committee will undertake an independent review and check the status of ongoing critical projects worth more than Rs 500 crore.

Union Defence Minister : Nirmala Sitharaman (Karnataka Rajya Sabha)

Cease fire: on India-Pakistan LoC tensions

India and Pakistan must restore(reinstate-बहाल) calm(peace) along the LoC and International Boundary

The 2003 ceasefire(truce/armistice-संघर्ष विराम) agreement(accord/pact) between India and Pakistan is now alive only in the breach(violation/infringement-उल्लंघन), with violations intensifying(escalate/boost) in number and much damage to life and livelihood along the border. The drift(movement/flow-बहाव) can only be arrested through high-level political intervention (mediation-हस्तक्षेप) to save this very significant bilateral agreement between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. In the latest incident, four Indian soldiers, including an Army Captain, were killed in the Bhimber Gali sector in cross-border firing that went on through most of Sunday. These casualties(mishap/catastrophe-दुर्घटना) are a natural extension of what has been unfolding(spread out) along the International Boundary as well as the Line of Control for the past several months. As a result, 2017 has turned out to be the worst(poorest) year since the agreement brought calm to the border 15 years ago. The ceasefire agreement had resulted in a dramatic drop in military casualties, and thousands of border residents had been able to return home from temporary shelters on both sides. 

It is important to see the 2003 agreement in the immediate context of the time. It came just four years after the Kargil war, and soon after India and Pakistan almost went to war following the December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament. The agreement was historic(mythological-ऐतिहासिक), and a triumph(victory/success) of diplomacy — Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali announced a unilateral ceasefire on the Line of Control on Id; India suggested including the Siachen heights, and the ceasefire was eventually(last-अंत में) extended to the International Boundary. It was the high point of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s premiership, and his successor, Manmohan Singh, heeded(watch/pay attention) the legacy(विरासत).

Now, as the two countries are caught in a spiral of almost daily exchanges of fire along the border, there is a danger of political rhetoric acquiring its own momentum. Already, 2017 has been the worst year along the border since the ceasefire came into force, with at least 860 incidents of ceasefire violations recorded on the LoC alone. By way of comparison, in 2015 there had been 152 incidents, and in 2016 there were 228. January 2018 recorded the highest number of ceasefire violations in a month since 2003, according to estimates. 

According to data mentioned in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, between January 18 and 22, 14 people including seven civilians were killed and over 70 were injured in firing from the Pakistan side along the International Boundary in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts as well as along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts. Thousands of civilians have been forced to flee(get away/run-भागना) their border homes. Peace on the border is difficult to achieve at the tactical level by military leaders. Restoring the ceasefire requires real statesmanship, not *brinkmanship.

Special Terms:-

*brinkmanship :- the art or practice of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, typically in politics.

The Zuma hurdle: on South Africa power struggle

Ending the protracted(long/prolonged-लंबा) power struggle(scramble/fight-संघर्ष) is key to the ANC’s plans for revival(improvement/amelioration-पुनः प्रवर्तन)

With Jacob Zuma appearing to be finally willing (ready / prepared-तैयार) to resign as President of South Africa, a protracted(long) power struggle could soon draw to a close. Calls for the anti-*apartheid(रंगभेद) veteran’s exit acquired momentum after South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected leader of the African National Congress in December. Litigation(case/lawsuit-मुकदमेबाज़ी) in countless cases, the overhang of a 1990s arms deal and actions that undermined judicial investigations have *marred(corrupt/impair-दूषित करना) Mr. Zuma’s decade-long presidency. But the controversy (contention / jarring-विवाद) that has come to define his tenure (incumbency-कार्यकाल) is the questionable access an immigrant(outsider/newcomer-आप्रवासी) Indian business family, the Guptas, gained with ANC *apparatchiks (look like-दिखते) and state institutions, a nexus(cohesion/bond-बंधन) widely dubbed as ‘state capture (catch/apprehend-कब्जा)’. 

The financial dealings of the Guptas and their interface(interact with) with the government in South Africa have *tarnished (denigrate/asperse-कलंकित) the reputation(fame/prominence-प्रतिष्ठा) of top global accountancy and public relations firms. As this succession (series/sequence) of scandals dampened (diminish / reduce-घटा) the optimism(buoyancy/hopefulness-आशावाद) over the post-apartheid democratic transition, the ANC, Africa’s oldest national liberation movement, saw its support *plunge(dip/dive-डुबकी) in the regional elections of 2016. The party conference in December 2017 was viewed as an opportunity for the ANC leadership to stem the rot before the next general elections, due in 2019. But the narrow win for Mr. Ramaphosa in the party polls over Mr. Zuma’s ex-wife and preferred candidate meant the political transition was always going to be bitter(sour/acidic).

As his supporters took top positions in the new ANC executive, Mr. Zuma brazened(impudent/shameless-बेशर्म) it out in the face of growing demands, within and outside the party and government, for his resignation as President. Over the past decade he has survived(live) many parliamentary motions against his rule, thanks largely to the ANC’s reluctance(unwillingness/wavering-अनिच्छा) to rely(depend) on the opposition for such a *manoeuvre (operation/manipulation-पैंतरेबाज़ी). Recently, the South African Supreme Court criticised(maul/condemn-आलोचना) the legislature for failing to hold Mr. Zuma to account, giving *succour(relief/aid-राहत) to those calling for his impeachment. But rather than pursue(chase/follow) an extreme parliamentary procedure, the ANC leadership has preferred an internal mechanism to ease the President out. 

Mr. Ramaphosa and other ANC leaders have engaged (participate/take part-भाग लेना) Mr. Zuma in discussions over a speedy political transition. The postponement (deferral/adjournment-स्थगन) of the President’s annual state of the nation address, as also an emergency meeting of the ANC national executive signal that a resolution is in the making. The 2019 elections will be an acid test of the ANC’s credibility(reliability/reputation). A change of guard could also pull the government away from the populist slide of recent years. An icon of the entrepreneurial spirit of South Africa’s black majority and Nelson Mandela’s preferred successor, Mr. Ramaphosa is a *pragmatist (arrogant/ conceited-अभिमानी). A business tycoon who has also been a trade union leader, he is well-placed to balance business interests and political imperatives(obligation/crucial-अनिवार्यताओं). The days ahead may prove crucial for him and the ANC.

Special Terms:-

*apartheid : - a policy or system of segregation or discrimination on grounds of race(रंगभेद)

*marred : - impair the appearance of or disfigure(बिगाड़ना)

*apparatchiks :- a member of a communist party apparat(दिखते)

*tarnished :- lose or cause to lose luster(कलंकित)

*plunge :- jump or dive quickly and energetically(डुबकी)

*manoeuvre:- a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care(पैंतरेबाज़ी)

*succour :- give assistance or aid to(राहत)

*pragmatist :- having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities(अभिमानी)

08 February 2018 Current Affairs

1. SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket lifts Off Towards Mars.

• SpaceX monster rocket, the Falcon Heavy, was launched  from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA.
• The red car along with a dummy in the driver's seat named "Starman" — were targeting an elliptical, or egg-shaped, orbit around the sun that would at times get close to Mars.

Space X

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.

Founded : 2002

Founder : Elon Musk

Head Quarter : Hawthorne, California, United States

2. India successfully test-fires nuclear capable Prithvi-II from Wheeler's Island in Odisha.

• India  successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.
• The Strategic Forces Command (SFC) conducted user trial of surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Prithvi-II from launch complex-3 of Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha. 
• The Prithvi-II missile is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads.
• The first missile to be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, Prithvi-II was inducted into India's armed forces in 2003.

Defence Research & Development Organisation(DRDO)

DRDO, the premier R&D organization of the country, works on various areas of military technology to qualitatively address needs of Indian defense system to serve the society.

Founded : 1958

Chairman : S Christopher

Head Quarter : New Delhi

Motto : Strength's Origin is in Science.

3. 

Railways, AYUSH sign MoU to augment services in 5 hospitals

• The Railway ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) to augment the existing system of Ayush in Railway Hospitals.
• The AYUSH health services would be scaled up in five Railway Hospitals at New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Guwahati. 
• Ministry of Railways will arrange for providing logistics and infrastructure in the form of land and building, equipments, furniture, AYUSH medicines and consumables as well as manpower.

Railway Minister : Piyush Goyal(Maharashtra Rajya Sabha)

Minister of AYUSH : Shripad Yesso Naik(North Goa Lok Sabha)

AYUSH stands For Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy .

4. DIPP under Commerce Ministry Announces Its 7-Pillar Framework To Rank States on Startup Development.

• Suresh Prabhu, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, has launched the Start-up-India ranking framework in New Delhi to help the Startup India initiative to drive economic growth of the country.
• The tools are: the State and Union Territory Startup Ranking Framework, the Compendium of Good Practices for Promoting Startups in India and the Startup India Kit. 
• The key objective of the Startup States and Union Territories ranking framework is to encourage States and Union Territories to take pro-active steps towards strengthening the Startup ecosystems at the local level.

Union Commerce Minister : Suresh Prabhu(Andhra Pradesh Rajya Sabha)

Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion(DIPP)

The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP)is responsible for formulation and implementation of promotional and developmental measures for growth of the industrial sector, keeping in view the national priorities and socio-economic objectives. It is responsible for the overall Industrial Policy. It monitors the industrial growth and production, in general, and selected industrial sectors.

Founded : 1995

5. Arunachal Pradesh CM lays foundation stone of Rhodendron Park in Tawang

• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu laid foundation stone for Rhodendron Park in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The Park is in two patches of area – 0.28 ha and 0.83 ha. Patch one was planted with 16 different species of Rhododendrons in first phase including Arboreum, Nerifolium, Hodgsonii, Keysii species of Rhododendrons.
• Over 30 species of rhododendron will be planted and conserved in the park. It will also have a modern nursery, an information centre, resting sheds, and a parking facility, among other things.

Arunachal Pradesh

Capital : Itanagar

CM : Pema Khandu

Governor : Brigadier B D Mishra

National Park & Sanctuary : Kane National Park, Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary

6. RBI Monetary Policy kept Repo Rate Unchanged At 6% released in 6th bi-monthly policy

• The central bank kept the repo rate - the key rate at which the RBI lends to other banks - unchanged at 6 per cent.
• Consumer inflation rose to a 17-month high of 5.21 per cent in December - well above the RBI's 4 per cent target in the medium term. 
• The reverse repo rate under the LAF (liquidity adjustment facility) remains at 5.75 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate at 6.25 per cent.

Finance Minister : Arun Jaitley(Gujarat Rajya Sabha)

Reserve Bank of India(RBI)

Its aim to regulate the issue of Bank notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage; to have a modern monetary policy framework to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex economy

Founded : 1 April 1935(RBI Act 1934)

Governor : Dr. Urjit Patel

Head Quarter : Mumbai

7.  5th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference held

 in New Delhi.

• The 5th edition of the South Asia Region Public ProcurementConference (SARPPC-2018) was inaugurated by Arun Jaitley, the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, in New Delhi.
• The theme of the conference is “Public Procurement and Service Delivery”. 
• he conference was hosted by Government of India (GOI), through the Public Procurement Division (PPD) of the Ministry of Finance and All India Management Association (AIMA).
• It is held under the auspices of the South Asia Region Public Procurement Network (SARPPN), which is sponsored and facilitated by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank.

8. RBI to set up ombudsman for non-banking finance companies

• The Reserve Bank of India  announced setting up ombudsman for addressing customer grievances in the non-banking finance companies. 
• RBI will start with deposit taking NBFCs and widen the scope to cover NBFCs with asset size of Rs 100 crore. 
• The rules will be laid out by the end of February 2018. 

Banking Ombudsman

Banking ombudsman is a quasi judicial authority, created to resolve customer complaints against banks relating to certain services provided by them. The Banking Ombudsman Scheme is operational from 1995. 

Number of Banking Ombudsman : 20

Reserve Bank of India(RBI)

Its aim to regulate the issue of Bank notes and keeping of reserves with a view to securing monetary stability in India and generally to operate the currency and credit system of the country to its advantage; to have a modern monetary policy framework to meet the challenge of an increasingly complex economy

Founded : 1 April 1935(RBI Act 1934)

Governor : Dr. Urjit Patel

Head Quarter : Mumbai

9. Google and NCERT join hands to teach students digital safety.

• Google and NCERT signed a pact to integrate a course on 'Digital Citizenship and Safety' in information and communication technology curriculum.
• The curriculum developed by NCERT in collaboration with Google will be used to train students from class I - class XII across 1.4 million schools in India where they will learn how to become good and responsible digital citizens.
• This curriculum has four themes – being smart, being safe, being a digital citizen and being future ready. No fee is charged by Google for this training.

Union Minister of Human Resource & Development : Prakash Javedkar(Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha)

National Council of Educational Research & Training(NCERT)

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India that was established on 1 September 1961 as a literary, scientific and charitable Society under the Societies' Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860).

Founded : 1961

Director : Dr. Hrushikesh Senapaty

Head Quarter : New Delhi

10. Centre has allocated Rs 5,252 crore in the Union Budget 2018 for different railway projects in Odisha.

•  It is the highest ever budgetary allocation to the Odisha. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had demanded Rs 6,500 crore from the Centre this year for development of railway infrastructure in the state.
• Union government had allocated Rs 5,102 crore for railway sector of Odisha against the state demand of Rs 5,870 crore in Union Budget 2017.

Odisha

Capital : Bhubaneshwar

CM : Naveen Patnaik

Governor : S C Jamir

National Park & Sanctuary : Similipal National Park, Bhitarkanika National Park.

Airport : Biju Patnaik International Airport.

Important River : Mahanadi

Dam : Hirakud Dam

11. Maharashtra becomes first state to clear Fintech policy.

• Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to adopt a comprehensive fintech policy that aims to foster an environment for fintech startups. 
• The state government has provided Rs 200 crore in financial assistance for Fintech policy.
• The government is determined to provide the infrastructure and financial support to facilitate 300 startups in the next three years. 
• Government also plans to turn cities like Nagpur and Pune into fintech hubs.

Maharashtra

Capital : Mumbai

CM : Devender Fadnavis

Governor : C Vidyasagar Rao

National Park & Sanctuary : Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Navegaon National Park

Airport : Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport

Thermal Plant : Mauda Super Thermal Power Plant

12. UK Announces Double Health Surcharge For Visitors, Students from countries outside the European Union

• The UK government has announced plans to double a so-called "health surcharge" paid by long-term visitors and students from countries outside the European Union including India to 400 pounds per year.
• The surcharge, introduced in April 2015, will rise from 200 pounds to 400 pounds per year, with the discounted rate for students increasing from 150 pounds to 300 pounds.

United Kingdom(UK)

Currency : Pound

PM : Theresa May(Conservative Party)

13.  Bihar Government launches Student Credit Card(SCC) Scheme 

• Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi announced that the state government would set up a corporation to disburse loans for Students Credit Card (SCC) scheme in view of the banks reluctance in doing it.
• Bihar government launched the SCC scheme on October 3, 2016. Under the scheme, students are able to get education loan of upto Rs 4 lakh for pursuing higher education after completing 10+2.

Bihar

Capital : Patna

CM : Nitish Kumar

Governor : Satya Pal Malik

National Park & Sanctuary : Valmiki National Park

Airport : Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport

Important River : Koshi(Sorrow of Bihar)

14. First ever chat based job search app 'Empzilla' launched.

• PM Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative forward, a chat based job search mobile app 'Empzilla', first ever of its kind in the country, launched that will do away with existing limitations of employers and job seekers making selection process quick and cost effective.

Empzilla

Chairman – Akash Attray

Purpose – chat based job search mobile app

15. Pioneer of Children’s Theatre, Sudha Karmarkar passes away

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