19 May 2018 - Daily Current Affairs
PM Modi lays foundation stone of India’s longest road tunnel in J&K
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of the 14 kilometer-long 'Zojila Tunnel' on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Leh (Jammu and Kashmir).
- The Zojila pass will be Asia's longest bi-directional tunnel.
- It will cut down the time taken to cross the Zojila pass from three and a half hours presently to just fifteen minutes.
- It will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil, and Leh.
- Mr. Modi also attended the closing ceremony of the birth centenary celebrations of the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche.
- Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation a 330 MW Kishenganga hydroelectric project from Srinagar.
Union Environment Ministry launches Green Skill Development Programme
- The Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan has launched the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) to train over 5.5 lakh workers in environment and forest sectors in the country.
- He also launched a related mobile app ‘GSDP-ENVIS’ to boost employability and entrepreneurship of the youth in the country.
- The app can be used for information and for applying to the courses, can be downloaded on android mobile phones.
Note:
- The Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) has been conceptualized and developed in Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF & CC) in consultation with the National Skill Development Agency.
- The number of people to be covered under GSDP will be 80,000 during 2018-19, 2.25 lakh during 2019-20 and about 5 lakh people by the year 2021.
Govt has decided not to hike prices of food grains sold via PDS for 1 more year
- According to the Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the union government has decided not to hike prices of food grains sold via the public distribution system (PDS) for one more year.
- Earlier, Prime Minister has approved to keep central issue price of rice, wheat and coarse grains unchanged at the rate of 3, 2 and 1 Rs. per kg, respectively for further one year.
- Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Food grains are supplied at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 3 per kg for rice, Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 1 per kg for coarse grains via ration shops.
AYUSH' finds a place in the English language
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology has adopted the word ‘AYUSH’ in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical purposes.
- The “AYUSH” has become popular as the acronym for five traditional and complementary systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and successfully used in all Government communications.
- The decision follows a proposal from the Ministry of AYUSH in this regard.
Note: The word ‘ayush’ will have the meaning “Traditional and Non-Conventional Systems of Health Care and Healing which include Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy etc. approved by the Commission.
Honors & Awards
Sridevi Honoured at the Cannes Film Festival
- Veteran Bollywood actor Sridevi was honored with the TITAN Reginald F Lewis Film Icon Award at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival.
- Subhash Ghai (Veteran filmmaker) and Namrata Goyal (producer) received the award on behalf of Sridevi's family.
- The award traditionally celebrates women of the film industry all over the world and salute the multi-cultural impact on the world of cinema.
NMDC bags S&P Platts Global metals award 2018
- An Indian Company National Mineral Development Corporation(NMDC) Limited has bagged the prestigious S&P Global PLATTS Global Metals Award 2018 in corporate social responsibility (CSR) category held at London.
- This is the first time since the inception of this award that an Indian Company bagged an award in this category.
- The S&P Global Platts Global Metals Award recognizes top performers – industry leaders and innovators.
National & International Appointments
Yudhvir Singh Malik given additional charge as NHAI chairman
- The Secretary of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways ‘Yudhvir Singh Malik’ has been given additional charge of the post of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) chairman.
- Earlier, the NHAI Chairman Mr. Deepak Kumar (1984 IAS officer) sent back to his cadre state Bihar before completion of his tenure.
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.
- It is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Ambika Sharma to head USIBC India office
- The U.S India Business Council named Ambika Sharma as its head for India.
- Ms. Sharma was Director General for International at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
- Sharma is the highest ranked female executive of an Indian industry body as Director General of FICCI.
- Ms. Sharma will be responsible for overseeing and guiding USIBC’s growth strategy in India through its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Gina Haspel confirmed as 1st female Director of CIA
- The US Senate confirmed Gina Haspel (33-year) as the first female director of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
- Gina Haspel's confirmation in a 54-45 vote follows a partisan fight among senators about the CIA's Bush-era use of techniques such as waterboarding.
- The Mike Pompeo (former CIA chief) left to become US Secretary of State.
International Affairs
Cuba: Over 100 killed in plane crash near Havana airport
- More than 100 people have died after a Boeing 737 airliner crashed near Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba.
- There were 104 passengers and nine crew members on the flight, operated by Cubana, the state airline.
- A Cuban-operated airliner with at least 110 people aboard crashed and burned in a cassava field just after take-off from the airport.
- The jetliner was heading from the capital of Havana to the eastern city of Holguin.
