15 November 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

15 November 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

Govt. launches National Power Portal for the dissemination of power sector information

• The Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy RK Singh has launched the National Power Portal (NPP) “npp.gov.in” for collation and dissemination of Indian power sector information.
• National Power Portal (NPP) is a centralized system for Indian Power Sector that facilitates online data capture and input from generation, transmission and distribution utilities.
• The Dashboard would also act as the single point interface for all Power Sector Apps launched previously by the Ministry, like TARANG, UJALA, VIDYUT PRAVAH, GARV, URJA, MERIT.
• The system is available 24x7 and ensures effective and timely collection of data.

Note: The Nodal Agency for implementation of NPP & its operational control is CEA and the system has been conceptualized, designed, developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Northeast all set to get country's first-ever air dispensary based in helicopter

• According to the Minister of Development of Northeast Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry has contributed 25 crore rupees as part of the initial funding for country’s first-ever air dispensary based in a helicopter in Northeast.
• Ministry had been exploring the idea of introducing a helicopter based Dispensary and OPD service in such far-flung and remote areas, where no doctor or medical facility was available.
• The proposal has been accepted and is in the final stages of the process in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

West Bengal gets GI tag for Rasogolla

• The West Bengal has been awarded, the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ (Bengal Rasogolla),
• Odisha government also announced a few hours later that it was “in process” of obtaining the same for ‘Odishara Rasagolla.’
• A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which correspond to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g. a town, region, or country).
• India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003.
• This Act is administered by Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks, who is also Registrar of Geographical Indications.

Joint security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ between Odisha and West Bengal

• The State Govts of Odisha and West Bengal has conducted joint security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ to tighten the existing coastal security mechanism of 630 km long coastline.
• It was security exercise to check the efficacy of security parameters & preparedness of various security forces and district administration.
• Odisha for the first time will have a joint security drill along with West Bengal.

UP tops in mobilizing Jan Dhan accounts

• Uttar Pradesh state tops in opening new PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana) accounts after demonetization.
• More than five crores new PMJDY accounts in the Indian banking system came from Uttar Pradesh alone.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (P.M.J.D.Y) is India's National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely Banking Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in an affordable manner.

Note: PMJDY was announced by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 15th August 2014 and the Mega launch was done by him on 28th August 2014 across the country.

15th Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team Conference held in India

• The 15th Asia Pacific Computer Emergency Response Team (APCERT) Conference will be held first time in New Delhi, India.
• The conference has been organized by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.
• The theme of the conference was “Building Trust in the Digital Economy”.
• Around 300 delegates from 21 economies especially from Asia Pacific region, USA, Europe Industry, Academia, Government, and Media attended the conference.
• This conference covered contemporary topics around strategies of CERTs, Technology, and Instruments for building trust in digitally evolving economies.

Note: APCERT is the coalition of CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Team) and CSIRTs (Computer Security Incident Response Teams) located in Asia Pacific region, consists of 30 Operational Members from 21 economies and 3 Supporting Members.

Wholesale Price Index rises to six months high of 3.59 % in October

• The Wholesale inflation rose to a 6-month high of 3.59% in October this year, as prices of food articles climbed.
• Earlier, In Sep this year, Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index had stood at 2.6% and 1.27% in October last year.
• Inflation in food articles 4.3% in October, wholesale inflation in vegetables jumped to 36.61% in October, from 15.48% in September.
• Inflation in manufactured products eased slightly, to 2.62%, from 2.72% in September.

Jharkhand celebrates 17th statehood day

• Today, the President of India ‘Shri Ram Nath Kovind’ visited Jharkhand and paid tributes to freedom fighter Birsa Munda at his statue at Birsa Chowk, Ranchi.
• He has also graced the foundation day celebrations of Jharkhand state and lay the foundation stones of various projects in Ranchi.
• The president has also launched the 'Mukhya Mantri Bima Yozana', 324 ambulances, and distribute tablets to teachers, principal secretary (home) SKG Rahate and principal secretary (personnel, administrative reforms, and Raj Bhasha) Nidhi Khare.
• Kovind also receives the first copy of the Hindi translation of a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita at a function organized by the Yogoda Satsanga Society in Ranchi.

Note:

• Jharkhand is a state in eastern India carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000.
• Jharkhand state accounts for 40% of the mineral resources of India.

China launches world's first fully electric cargo ship

• China has launched the world's first all-electric ship in Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province.
• This electric ship is 70.5-metre-long, weighs about 600 tonnes, can travel up to 80 km with 2000-tonnes cargo after a two-hour charge.
• It can cruise at the top speed of 12.8 km per hour.
• On its inaugural run, the vessel was loaded with thermal coal mainly for areas around the Pearl River in Guangdong Province.
• It has zero emission (of carbon,sulphur) could be used as a passenger liner or a working ship.

Japan to relax visa regime for Indians from 1^st January

• According to Japanese Embassy, Japan will simplify its visa rules for Indians & issue multiple-entry-visa for a short-term stay from January 2018.
• The move is expected to benefit tourists and business persons as well as repeat visitors.
• The relaxed visa regime will not only have a simplification of visa application documents but also the expansion of the scope of eligible applicants.
• The applicant's employment certificate and explanation letter stating the reason will be exempted in cases of applying for multiple-entry-visa.

Note: Multiple entry visas with a validity of 5 years maximum and stay of 90 days maximum will be issued to applicants who have travel records to Japan twice or more in the last one year.