22 September 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

22 September 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Scientist KN Vyas Appointed Atomic Energy Commission Chief

• Renowned scientist Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas has been appointed the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
• Mr. Vyas has been appointed in place of Shekhar Basu.
• Currently, Mr. Vyas is the Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
• Mr. Vyas is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from MS University, Vadodara.
• Senior IAS officer Anindo Majumdar(1985-batch) has been appointed as Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

Note:

• The Atomic Energy Commission is the governing body of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India.
• The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.
• It also gives financial assistance to autonomous national institutes doing research in the field and has various other organizations under it.

Obituaries

2. Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang passes away

• Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang (61-year) passed away after battling a ‘serious illness’ in Hanoi.
• In 2011, he was appointed Minister of Public Security, serving as Vietnam's de-facto top law enforcement officer.
• Quang became Vietnam's president following the 2016 Community Party Congress.
• He had a reputation as a tough leader who was influential within the inner circles of the country's communist party.

National Affairs

3. PM Modi inaugurates new airport in Odisha's Jharsuguda

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched an airport at Jharsuguda (Odisha) and unveils a plaque marking the revival of Fertilizer Plant at Talcher, Odisha.
• The airport will bring western Odisha on the country's aviation map and facilitate regional air connectivity through the government's UDAN scheme.
• This is the first Fertilizer plant in India which will have a coal gasification-based fertilizer unit and will also produce natural gas.

4. ISRO technology incubation center inaugurated at NIT Agartala

• Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura Chief Minister) has inaugurated ISRO’s first Space Technology Incubation Centre (STIC) at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Agartala via video conferencing from Bengaluru.
• The Centre was launched at the first edition of ‘Spacetronics’ organized by the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA).
• This is a kind of process to develop start-ups by ISRO and the government initiative of Transforming India.

5. BRICS bank approves USD 525-million loan for infra projects in MP

• The New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS countries has approved a USD 525-million loan (350+175) to Madhya Pradesh for infrastructure projects.
• The Board of Directors of the NDB approved a USD 350-million loan for the Major District Roads Project II of Madhya Pradesh and USD 175 million for building and upgrading 350 bridges.

6. First general assembly of ISA to be inaugurated in Delhi

• According to External Affairs Ministry release, the first General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) will be inaugurated on the 2nd of October 2018 in Delhi.
• The ISA is a major initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in contributing to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement through the rapid and massive deployment of solar energy.
• on 11 March 2018, The Founding Conference of the ISA was jointly hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in New Delhi.

7. Gujarat govt doubles farmers' accident insurance amounts

• The Gujarat government has doubled the monetary assistance to farmers under the state-run Farmers' Accident Insurance Scheme.
• If a farmer dies or suffers a permanent disability in an accident, he or his kins would get Rs 2 lakh (Earlier 1 lakh).
• A farmer will also be entitled to get Rs 1 lakh instead of Rs 50,000 if he loses one eye or one limb in an accident.
• The insurance scheme covers over 2.5 crore farmers who own agricultural land in the state.

8. Tamil Nadu govt announces novel scheme for the protection of the exotic Neela Kurinji plants

• Tamil Nadu government has announced a novel scheme for the protection of the exotic Neela kurinji (Strobilanthus kunthianus) plants that flower only once in 12 years.
• Earlier, the state govt. following complaints that these rare and ecologically unique flowers are being packaged and sold on the commercial basis.
• Now, the state govt. has warned that strict fines will be imposed on offenders.

Note:

• The Neela Kurinju (native to the Western Ghats) is a major attraction to foreign and native tourists and one of the prime foreign exchange earners from tourism.
• Placards announcing the new initiative has been placed in various vantage points of the Nilagiri district of Tamilnadu.

9. 3rd edition of MahaBiz 2018 to be held in Dubai

• The 3rd edition of acclaimed International Business Conference ‘MahaBiz 2018’ will be held in Dubai (on 12^th- 13^th October 2018).
• MahaBiz is considered a bridge for business opportunities between Maharashtra state and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
• GCC is a political and economic alliance of six middle eastern countries. It includes Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.
• The event will be attended by more than 400 delegates from India, Gulf countries and Africa.

10. SEBI relaxes KYC norms for foreign investors

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued revised Know Your client (KYC) norms, providing relief to foreign portfolio investors (FPI).
• Under new norms, residents as well as non-resident Indians, have been permitted to hold a non-controlling stake in such entities.
• There will also be no restriction on them to manage non-investing FPIs, SEBI registered offshore funds as well as registered investment managers.
• Certain categories of FPIs would be required to maintain a list of beneficial owners and provide the same to the regulator.

Sports

11. India to host the Women’s World Boxing C’ship

• According to the International Boxing Association (AIBA), Women's World Boxing Championships will be held in New Delhi (from 13-25th November).
• M C Mary Kom will be gunning for a sixth world title at the event.
• The first edition of the women's world championship was held in the United States in Scranton in 2001.

12. Track Asia Cup: Indian cyclists bag 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze on Day 1

• India won 3- Gold, 3-Silver and a Bronze on the opening day of the 5th Track Asia Cup Cycling at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
• Mayuri Lute won the country's first Gold in the Women's Junior 500 meters race.
• Indian men's junior team performed as expected in the team sprint event, by defeating Kazakhstan.
• The tournament is being organized by the Cycling Federation of India and has attracted participation from 12 countries.