31 March 2017 - Current Affairs

India’s biggest river festival 'Namami Brahmaputra' starts today in Assam


  • Today, President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated India's largest river festival “Namami Brahmputra“ in Assam.
  • The basic objective of the festival is to show case the trade and commerce, culture, skill, industry, and tourism of Assam to the world.
  • A festival to be organized across 21 districts in Assam from 31st March to 4th April, 2017.

Note: - Recently, the theme song 'Namami Brahmaputra' composed by Angaraag Mahanta 'Papon' was released in both Hindi and Assamese.

Gadkari inaugurates residential facility for child cancer patients


  • The Union Shipping Minister “Mr. Nitin Gadkari” has inaugurated a residential facility for child cancer patients in Mumbai.
  • The Centre aims to help cancer patients by providing clean accommodation and transport so that there is no fear of any secondary infection.
  • This Child Care Centre for patients of Tata Memorial Hospital has been developed by Mumbai Port Trust as part of its corporate social responsibility.


Union Govt releases a Postage Stamp on Cub Scouts


  • The Union Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha has released a Postage Stamp on Cub Scouts to commemorate the Centenary year of Cub Scouts in India and abroad.
  • Cub Scouting is meant for children of age group between 8 to 11 years and Cubbing involves games, stories, play acting, handicrafts and also work through the Star tests and Badges.
  • Scouting was developed for youth between the ages of 11 and 17 to engage in activities in public parks, open spaces and wherever they found a suitable place.


‘Kanha tiger reserve’ becomes first in India get official mascot


  • The ‘Kanha tiger reserve’ (Madhya Pradesh) has become the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha" to create a better connection with its visitors.
  • The Barasingha or swamp deer is the state animal of Madhya Pradesh.
  • The mascot was chosen among four variations by the Madhya Pradesh forest department.

Note: - The aims of mascot to present the hard ground swamp deer ‘Barasingha’ as the spirit of the reserve and spread awareness to save it from possible extinction.

Union Govt. launches Online Film Certification System


  • The union Information & Broadcasting Minister ‘M Venkaiah Naidu’ has launched the online film certification system, 'e-CinePramaan' with an aim to the elimination of middlemen and promote clean cinema.
  • The new system of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will make the entire process of certification transparent and efficient.
  • This will make the process for films to obtain a certificate fully digital and will include QR Codes to check fraudulent certificates.

Note:- Now, for short films, promos or trailers of less than 10 minutes, the producer can submit their creations online.

Hriday Narayan Dikshit takes charge as UP Assembly Speaker


  • Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hriday Narayan Dikshit, (70-years) unanimously elected the speaker of UP legislative assembly.
  • Dixit has been the party's spokesperson in the state for several years and was minister for parliamentary affairs and Panchayati raj in the previous BJP government in UP.
  • In the recent election 2017, Dikshit is the winner of Bhagwantnagar seat of Unnao district.


Sunaina Singh appointed as new Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University


  • Professor 'Sunaina Singh' has been appointed as the new vice-chancellor of Nalanda University (NU).
  • She succeeded ‘George Yeo’ who resigned from the post.
  • At present, Sunaina Singh is the vice chancellor of the English and Foreign Language University (EFLU), Hyderabad.
  • She will have the tenure of 3 years.

Note: - Earlier, the University has received a total of 160 applications for the position and six people were called for interviews.

Truecaller partners with ICICI Bank for UPI-based mobile payment


  • Truecaller partners with ICICI Bank to launch its new Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based mobile payment service “Truecaller Pay”.
  • It will allow users to send money to any UPI id or a mobile number registered with the BHIM app.
  • The non-ICICI bank users can use it by registering on to Truecaller Pay app.

Note:
  • Truecaller was developed by True Software Scandinavia AB, a privately held company in Stockholm, Sweden founded by Alan Mamedi and Nami Zarringhalam in 2009.
  • Truecaller is the third-most used app in India.

BCCI to felicitate Indian cricket's 'Fab Five' at IPL opening ceremony


  • The IPL Governing Council has decided to felicitate five legends (Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag) during the opening ceremony of the cash-rich league in Hyderabad on 5th April 2017.
  • The former India women's cricketers, who will be getting one-time exgratia payment will be handed over their cheques at their local IPL venue during the matches.


Pakistani cricketer Irfan banned for one year for failing to report approach


  • Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has been banned from all forms of cricket for a year and a fine of USD 1000 after he pleaded guilty to failing to report details of two approaches to corrupt the game.
  • His ban is effective from the day he was provisionally suspended on 14th March.
  • Irfan has played four Tests, 20 Twenty20 format matches and 60 one-day internationals(ODI), where he grabbed 83 wickets at an average of 30.71.


India’s S.V Sunil named Asian Hockey Player of Year for 2016


  • In the senior Hockey men's category, Indian forward ‘V Sunil’ has been named the ‘Asian Player of the Year 2016’ by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).
  • In the junior Hockey men's category, drag flicker ‘Harmanpreet Singh’ has been named the Asian Promising Player of the Year 2016.
  • Sunil played a vital role in India's successful outing at the FIH Champions Trophy in London where the team earned a silver medal.

Note: - 
  • The nominations for the awards were made by coaches across the national teams in Asia
  • The criteria of nomination based on the performance for the year 2016.

Tamil Nadu beat India 'B' to win ‘Deodhar Trophy’


  • Tamil Nadu beat India ‘B’ by 42 runs in the final to clinch the ‘Deodhar Trophy’ at Visakhapatnam.
  • Tamil Nadu had scored 303/9 but in reply, India B were bowled for just 261.
  • Dinesh Karthik (Tamil Nadu) scored 126 off 91 balls with the help of 14 boundaries and 3 sixes.
Note:
  • The Deodhar Trophy is a List A cricket competition in Indian domestic cricket.
  • It is named after Prof. D. B. Deodhar and is a 50-over knockout competition played on an annual basis.
  • The competition was introduced in the 973-74 season and was realigned in the 2015-16 season with the winners of Vijay Hazare Trophy playing two teams India A and India B selected by the BCCI

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