09 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

09 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

Science & Defence

Pratyush, India's Fastest Supercomputer, Established At Pune's IITM

Pratyush, India's Fastest Supercomputer, Established At Pune's IITM

  • The Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan dedicated India’s fastest and first multi-petaflops supercomputer ‘Pratyush’ (meaning the Sun) to the nation in Pune.
  • The supercomputer established at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
  • The supercomputer will be a national facility for improving weather and climate forecasts and services under the umbrella of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
  • It will be India’s number one HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance.

National Affairs

PM inaugurates PIO Parliamentary conference

  • Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the First PIO Parliamentarian Conference in New Delhi.
  • Over 140 MPs and mayors of Indian-origin from 23 nations have converged as part of a conference.
  • The event has two sessions that will deliberate on related topics ie,'PIO parliamentarians (journey of struggle to parliament) and 'Resurgent India (role of PIO parliamentarians).
  • Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is a celebratory day observed annually on 9th January by India to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.
Note: The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on 9th January 1915.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launches Delhi Common Mobility Card

  • The chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal has launched the Delhi Common Mobility Card to make cashless and convenient commuting for the daily commuters of the National capital.
  • Now, Delhi has become the first Metro city in the country to have a common mobility card which can be used by commuters in Delhi Metro and DTC buses.
  • The commuters, who already have the metro card, will be able to use the same for commuting in DTC buses.

India and Saudi Arabia sign bilateral annual Haj agreement 2018

  • India and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to revive the option of sending Haj pilgrims through sea route for Haj 2018.
  • It will help cut down travel expenses significantly.
  • Now, the ships available are modern and well-equipped to ferry 4000 to 5000 persons at a time.
  • They can cover the 2300-odd nautical miles one-side distance between Mumbai and Jeddah within just 3-4 days (old ships to take 12-15 days).
  • In 1995, the practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways was stopped.

Bihar Govt bans electronic cigarettes in state

  • The Bihar Government has banned electronic cigarettes in the state.
  • The e-cigarette is a battery run an electronic device that tries to create the feeling of tobacco smoking.
  • It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol that users inhale. The prohibition will also be extended to online portals, which were prime facilitators between the distributors and the end user.
  • Those found guilty of violating the decision would attract a jail term of up to three years and fined not less than 5,000 rupees.
  • The state government has already banned the sale, manufacture, distribution, display, and advertising of Gutka, pan masala, and tobacco.

Haryana becomes the first state to launch High-Risk Pregnancy Portal

  • Haryana state has become the first Indian state to launch High-Risk Pregnancy (HRP) Portal.
  • This portal not only helps in early identification of high-risk pregnant cases up to the grass-roots level but also ensures their timely referral to the civil hospitals for further management and delivery by specialists.
  • This web application has been designed to track every high-risk pregnant woman till 42 days after delivery.

Gujarat tops logistics performance index chart: Commerce ministry

  • According to the report by the Commerce Ministry Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS), Gujarat has topped the logistics index chart, an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports in particular, and economic growth in general.
  • The report would help in identifying the right problem areas in the sector and prepare policy responses to deal with them.
  • The ranking is based on the analysis of perception with regard to eight parameters, like infrastructure, services, regulatory process and safety of cargo.
  • Gujarat is followed by Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra on the index.

Honours & Awards

Bihar CM presented 1st Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Probity in Politics and Public Life Award

  • Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has received the 1st Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Award for Probity in Politics and Public Life at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu.
  • Earlier, Mr. Kumar received the award from Jammu & Kashmir Governor NN Vohra who also presented a shawl and a traditional fur cap to him.
  • The award was constituted by the J&K's ruling PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) to commemorate its founder and two-time J&K CM late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his second death anniversary.

Bengali actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay to be conferred French honor

  • At the 42nd International Kolkata Book Fair, France would be conferring its highest order of merit, the 'Legion of Honour', on legendary film and theatre actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay.
  • He has acted in several of Satyajit Ray's iconic films including Apur Sansar, Abhijan, Charulata, Aranyer Din Ratri and Sonar Kella.
  • The honor would be bestowed on the veteran actor by the French culture and communication minister Francoise Nyssen in Kolkata.
Note:
  • The 42nd International Kolkata Book Fair will begin on 30th January and will conclude on 11th February this year.

Banking & Finance

Direct tax collections rise 18.2 % in April-November period

  • The union govt has collected over 6 lakhs 50,000 crore rupees during the first nine months of the current fiscal.
  • Direct tax collection has increased by 18.2% during April to December this year (as compared to the corresponding last year period).
  • The collection, which includes personal income tax and corporate tax, represents 67% of the total budget estimates indirect taxes for 2017-18.
  • The gross collections have increased by 12.6 percent to over 7 lakhs 60,000 crores during April to December.
  • Nearly 3 lakh crore rupees have been received as Advance Tax up to last month reflecting a growth of 12.7% over the Advance Tax payments for the corresponding period of last year.
  • The growth in Corporate Income Tax Advance Tax is 10.9 percent and that in Personal Income Tax Advance Tax is 21.6 percent.

Sports

BCCI bans all-rounder Yusuf Pathan for five months after failed dope test

  • According to The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan (35-year) has been suspended after he inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, commonly found in cough syrups.
  • He inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, commonly found in cough syrups.
  • A specified substance ‘Terbutaline’ is prohibited both In and Out of Competition in the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List of Substances.
  • Earlier, He had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping testing program during a domestic T20 competition in March 2017.

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