23 January 2018 Current Affairs

1. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban Launches SMART Star-Rating for Garbage Free Cities In Goa

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the 'Protocol forStar Rating of Garbage-Free Cities' in Goa. It has been developed under Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban for rating cities on 7-star rating system based on multiple cleanliness indicators for solid waste management.

SMART means Single Metric,Measurable, Achievable,Rigorous verification,Targeted towards Outcomes

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri(Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha)

Goa

Capital: Panaji

CM: Manohar Parikar

GOvernor: Mridula Sinha

National Park: Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary

2. Manipur Government has launched the Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT), a health assurance scheme for the poor and disabled people 

Chief Minister N Biren Singh launched the Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT) along with 10 advanced life support ambulances as a gift on Statehood Day to the people of Manipur at a grand function organised by the Directorate of Health Services at Khuman Lampak Indoor Stadium.

The scheme will provide cover of up to Rs 2 lakh per eligible family identified from the Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) in the treatment of seven identified critical ailments viz; cardiovascular diseases, kidney ailments, neurological conditions, liver ailments, cancer, neo-natal diseases and burns per year.

Manipur
Capital:Imphal

CM: N Biren Singh

Governor: Najma Heptullah
National Park:Keibul Lamjao National Park(only floating park in the world)

Lake: Loktak Lake

3.Maharashtra government to launch weather advisory system for farmers

The first automatic weather station (AWS) in Maharashtra became operational on May 1 last year. The weather station helps in measuring the wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity and records amount of rainfall

Maharashtra

Capital: Mumbai

CM: Devendra Fednavis

Governor: C Vidya Sagar Rao

National Park: Sanjay Gandhi National park,Navegaon National Park

4.Scientist S. Somanath appointed as a Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Kerala

Noted scientist S Somanath took charge as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.  He succeeded K Sivan, who was recently appointed as Chairman of ISRO

Kerala

Capital : Thiruvananthpuram

CM: Pinaryi Vijayan

Governor: P Sathasivam

National Park:Silent Valley National Park, Periyar National Park

5.WEF ranks India at 62nd place on Inclusive Development Index 2018

India was on Monday ranked at the 62nd place among emerging economies on an Inclusive Development Index, much below China’s 26th position and Pakistan’s 47th.

The 2018 index, which measures progress of 103 economies on three individual pillars — growth and development; inclusion; and inter-generational equity — has been divided into two parts. The first part covers 29 advanced economies and the second 74 emerging economies.

World Economic Forum(WEF) 2018 Annual Meet : Davos Switzerland

Head Quarter: Cologny Switzerland

Switzerland

Capital: Bern

Currency: Swiss franc

President: Alain Berset 

6.first International Dam Safety Conference-2018 was held in Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)

 India is set to host the International Dam Safety Conference - 2018 on January 23-24 at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. The conference would be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the inaugural function would be presided over by Union Minister of State for Water Resources,River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Arjun Ram Meghwal

 Kerala

Capital : Thiruvananthpuram

CM: Pinaryi Vijayan

Governor: P Sathasivam

National Park: Silent Valley National Park, Periyar National Park

7. 10 ^th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) 2018 on the subject "Shaping the Future of Livestock – sustainably, responsibly, efficiently”  Berlin, Germany

The 10th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) on the subject “Shaping the Future of Livestock – sustainably, responsibly, efficiently” will be held in Berlin from 18 to 20 January 2018. The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) is an international conference that focuses on central questions concerning the future of the global agri-food industry. It gives representatives from the worlds of politics, business, science and civil society an opportunity to share ideas and enhance understanding on a selected topic of current agricultural policy

Germany

Capital : Berlin

Currency:Euro

Chancellor:Angela Merkel

8. Paisabazaar.com Becomes India’s 1st Major Platform To Offer Direct Mutual Funds To Consumers

Paisabazaar.com, India's No. 1 Marketplace for Loans and Cards, announced today it has launched direct mutual funds, becoming India's first major platform to offer direct plans to retail customers.

      Unlike in a regular plan where a part of investment is paid to the broker as commission by the mutual fund company, a direct mutual fund doesn't involve any type of commission and provides higher returns to the consumers

9.Mercedes-Benz unveils India's first BS VI compliant vehicles Pune

Mercedes-Benz India unveiled India’s first-ever BS VI-compliant vehicles — S Class 350d and Mercedes-Maybach S 560 — which have the capability to run on existing BS IV fuel. These vehicles would be introduced in the market later in 2018. Going forward, the company would manufacture BS VI-complaint vehicles only

  

10. ixigo introduces augmented reality (AR) feature for train travellers

ixigo, a travel marketplace, has introduced an augmented reality (AR) feature on its train app today. Said to be first of its kind, the AR Coach Position feature will enable train travellers to accurately locate their coach positions for over 13,000 passenger trains at more than 7,000 railway stations across India. 

Ixigo co-founder and CEO : Aloke Bajpai

Headquarter: Gurgaon

11.AP IT Minister Nara Lokesh receives Dr Abdul Kalam Award 2018 for Innovation in Governance

Chandrababu's son among 7 MLCs elected unopposed to Andhra Pradesh Council. TDP leader Nara Lokesh, the son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, was among the seven candidates who were elected unopposed to the Legislative Council under the MLAs' quota on Friday

Andhra Pradesh

Capital: Amravati

CM: N Chandrababu Naidu

Governor: E. S. L. Narasimhan

National Park:Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Sanctuary

12. Second indigenously built offshore patrol vessel (OPV) named Vijaya built by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Shipyard for Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was launched at Kattupalli Shipyard, Tamil Nadu

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) launched the second Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of a series of seven OPVs – ICGS Vijaya – for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at the company’s greenfield defence shipyard at Kattupalli, near Chennai on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018.

Tamil Nadu

Capital: Chennai

CM: Edappadi K. Palaniswami

Governor: Banwari Lal Purohit

National Park:Anamalai National Park