14 April 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

National Appointments

Bhanu Pratap Sharma appointed the chairman of Bank Board Bureau

The government has appointed former DoPT Secretary Bhanu Pratap Sharma as Chairman of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) for two years.
He replaces Vinod Rai (the first chairman of BBB).
The chairman and its committee members had a two-year term, which ended in March 2018.
Mr. Sharma was formerly the chairman of recruitment and assessment center of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and former Principal Secretary (Finance) in the Bihar government.

Note:

The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has the responsibility of selecting members, including MDs & CEOs of public sector banks (started functioning in April 2016).
The BBB works as a step towards governance reforms in Public Sector Banks (PSBs) as recommended by P.J. Nayak Committee.

Honors & Awards

Vinod Khanna conferred Dadasaheb Phalke Award posthumously

Late veteran Hindi actor ‘Vinod Khanna’ has won the 'Dadasaheb Phalke award' posthumously for the year 2017 for his outstanding contribution to the film industry.
Khanna is the 49th recipient of the Award, which is Indian cinema's highest honor.
Vinod Khanna’ breathed his last on 2^nd April 2017, after a prolonged illness.
He was the recipient of two Film fare awards.
The award consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs and a shawl.

Note:

The ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’ is India's highest award in cinema.
It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organization set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Year (Ceremony)	Recipient	Film industry
20 15	Manoj Kumar	Hindi
2016	Kasinathuni Viswanath	Telugu
2017	Vinod Khanna’	Hindi

National Affairs

PM Modi inaugurates Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial at Alipur Road in New Delhi.
The memorial has an exhibition area, meditation hall with the Buddha Statue and 12 feet high bronze statue of Dr Ambedkar, built at the place of his Mahaparinirvana.
In 2016, the foundation stone for the Memorial was laid by the Prime Minister.
The memorial is dedicated to the life and contributions of Dr. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution.

Note:

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was Independent India's first law minister, the principal architect of the Constitution of India and a founding father of the Republic of India.
In 1990, India's highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’ was posthumously conferred upon Ambedkar.

India Mobile Congress 2018 to be held on October 25-27

According to the Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha, India Mobile Congress will be held from 25th to 27th of October this year at Aerocity in New Delhi.
It is one of the biggest marquee Mobile, Internet and Technology events in Asia.
The event is an excellent platform for policymakers, industry, and regulators to engage in meaningful deliberations to drive the future direction of this important sector.
More than one thousand 300 exhibitor’s companies will participate in the exhibition at the event.

Note: India Mobile Congress will be organized by Department of Telecommunications and Cellular Operators Association of India.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh launches web-based application e-FRRO for foreigners

The Union Home Minister ‘Rajnath Singh’ has launched the web-based application e-FRRO (e-Foreigners Regional Registration Office) scheme under which foreigners can avail, various visa and immigration-related services online.
The objective of the e-FRRO scheme is building a centralized, transparent online platform for foreigners to avail of visa-related services.
It will provide faceless, cashless and paperless services to the foreigners with a user-friendly experience.

Note: As of now, foreigners staying in India on visa duration of more than 180 days to get themselves registered with their respective FROs and FRROs.

India signs MOU with World EXPO 2020 Dubai

India and World Expo 2020 signed participants contract for India’s pavilion in the prestigious World Expo 2020.
held once in 5 years.
The contract provides for the setting up of India pavilion at Expo 2020 on an extra large plot (about one acre) in the ‘Opportunity’ segment.
This is tune with the great opportunity for economic activity that India provides today on the way to becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
A Focus will be given to India’s advances in Space, Pharma, IT, Renewable Energy, Telecom sectors.

NHAI signs the agreement for its 1st International Project

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an agreement for the upgradation of Yagyi – Kalewa section of highway in Myanmar.
The project has been funded by Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and would be executed on EPC mode at a cost of Rs.1177 crores.
The aim is to provide seamless vehicular movement for enhancing trade, business, health, education and tourism among India, Myanmar and Thailand.

Note:

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency of the Government of India, responsible for management of a network of over 50,000 km of National Highways out of 1,15,000 km in India.

International Affairs

8. Pakistan bars former PM Sharif from holding office for life

Pakistan's Supreme Court (a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar) has disqualified deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for life from holding any public office.
Disqualification handed down under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution is for life and such a person cannot contest elections or become a member of parliament.

Banking & Finance

9. SEBI hikes FPI investment limit for govt debt, corporate bonds

SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has been decided to enhance limit for investment by foreign portfolio investors (FPI) to boost inflows of foreign funds into Indian capital markets in two tranches from April 12 and October 1.
The move is part of an effort by SEBI to push inflow from overseas investors in the country’s capital markets.
Further, all the existing sub-categories under the category of corporate bonds will be discontinued and there would be a single limit for FPI investment in all types of corporate bonds.

Sports

10. MC Mary Kom wins Gold in CWG 2018

The five-time world champion MC Mary Kom won India's 18th Gold medal in 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
She defeated Northern Ireland's 21-year old Kristina O'Hara in the women's 48kg boxing final.
It is Mary Kom's first Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Note:

Kom was born in Kangthei village, Moirang Lamkhai in Churachandpur district of rural Manipur in eastern India.
On 26 April 2016, Kom was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.