19 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

Honours & Awards

Virat Kohli named ICC World Cricketer of the Year

Indian captain Virat Kohli has been named the world cricketer of the year at the ICC annual awards announced in Dubai.
Steve Smith (Australian captain) claimed the Test Player of the Year honor.
Smith had scored 1,875 runs in 16 matches at an average of 78.12, with eight hundred and five 50s.
Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has also been awarded ICC T20I performance of the year for his incredible haul of 6/25 against England in Bengaluru.

Note:

Awards Name	Player names	Country
ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year	Virat Kohli	India
Test Cricketer of the Year	Steve Smith	Australia
ODI Cricketer of the Year	Virat Kohli	India
Emerging Cricketer of the Year	Hasan Ali	Pakistan
Associate Cricketer of the Year	Rashid Khan	Afghanistan
T20I Performance of the Year	Yuzvendra Chahal (6-25 vs England)	India

Important Dates

NDRF celebrates 13th Raising Day today

Today, The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is celebrating its 13th Raising Day.
NDRF was raised on 19th January 2006, as a specialized force capable of responding to any type of disaster in the country and abroad.
It is strategically deployed across the nation as per the vulnerability profile.
NDRF has proved its mettle and the people and political leadership of the country have immense faith in it.

Note: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a specialized force constituted "for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Naional Affairs

Maharashtra Govt approves Rs 4,000-cr project to promote climate-resilient agriculture

Maharashtra Govt has approved a 4,000-crore rupee project aimed at promoting climate-resilient agriculture.
The project, named Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Sanjivani Yojna, will be implemented in 5,142 villages across 15 districts.
Around 70% of the project’s cost will be borne by the World Bank while the state will contribute 30% over six years.

Note: The main Objectives of the project will be to improve soil quality, develop food grain varieties which can sustain climate variations and effect necessary changes in the crop pattern as per the availability of water in a particular region.

Navy’s first all-women team of INSV crosses Cape Horn

The Indian Navy's first all-women crew of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) ‘Tarini’ has crossed the Cape Horn as they were making their way to the Falklands Island.
The crew of six women naval officers under Lieutenant Commander ‘Vartika Joshi’ is sailing on Tarini (55-foot yacht) on their eight-month circumnavigation of the globe.
The Cape Horn was the most challenging point in the journey.
The vessel has covered over 7,800 Nautical miles from Goa, crossing the Equator, Western Australia’s Cape Leeuwin and New Zealand.
It will next make stops at Falkland Islands and South Africa before its scheduled return in April.

Thaawarchand Gehlot has launched 100 accessible websites for Divyangs

Today, The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot has launched 100 accessible websites for Divyangs (especially for visually impaired).
Now, the visually impaired use features such as screen readers and screen magnifiers, which can relay website content to the user in audio format.
Around 900 such websites will be launched in a phased manner.

PMSMA crosses one crore mark in antenatal check-ups

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) has crossed one crore mark in antenatal check-ups.
In 2016, the programme has been launched to ensure comprehensive & quality antenatal check-ups to pregnant women across country.
The PMSMA has provided quality antenatal checkups to pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
More than 25 lakh check-ups were conducted in high priority districts identified by the Health Ministry for focussed attention
4,800 private sector doctors have pledged to provide voluntary service under PMSMA.

Banking & Finance

HDFC Bank becomes first Indian bank to cross Rs5 trillion market cap

HDFC Bank Ltd has crossed Rs. 5 trillion market capitalization for the first time, making it only the third Indian company to achieve this milestone.
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) remained the most-valued company with a market cap of Rs5.82 trillion, followed by Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) with a market cap of Rs5.57 trillion.
The bank also reports bad loan ratio below 1%, the lowest among Indian lenders.

Obituaries

Zimbabwean opposition leader Roy Bennett passes away in the US

Key Zimbabwean opposition leader Roy Bennett (60-year) passed away due to a helicopter crash in a remote part of the US state of New Mexico.
The crash also killed pilot and co-pilot.
Bennett was in the area were not immediately available. The crash injured one person aboard.

Hall of Famer Jo Jo White passes away

Former Celtics All-Star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Jo Jo White (71-year) passed away due to Cancer.
Jo Jo White won two titles with the Celtics before his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
White played 10 seasons for Boston, which drafted him ninth overall from Kansas in 1969.

Sports

India rise three places in latest FIFA rankings

In the first FIFA rankings of the year, India jumped three rungs to be placed 102nd (14th among Asian countries).
The top 14 spots remained unchanged with reigning World Champions Germany at the top followed by Brazil, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium.
Iran is the top-ranked Asian team at the 34th position.
In 2017, The Indians remained unbeaten having won seven of their nine matches while two ended in draws.
India had also qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.