Current Affairs - October 11, 2017 Current Affairs

In a bid to make India Cricket team one of the fittest sides in world cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it mandatory for cricketers to pass the 'yo-yo' endurance test. This test is widely used by selection bodies in various sports including hockey, football and cricket. In a yo-yo test, players have to pace themselves to and fro between two rows of cones kept 20 metres apart. For every round the player has to sync his sprint with the beeps that are played.

Himachal Pradesh government implemented the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS), in Shimla. It has been introduced to provide easy access to curative old age related health care services through additional cover. The scheme would increase coverage of Rs.30,000 per senior citizen to all existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) smart card holders.This would be in addition to the basic coverage of Rs.30,000 in Trust and Society mode.

Andhra Pradesh State Government and international digital payments company Visa announced a tie up for Visakahpatnam Digital Dhan Sankalp Project. Digital Dhan Sankalp project, is an initiative to develop Visakhapatnam into India's first 'less cash' city. The range of digital payment services included under the project are payment of water and property tax at Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), bus services run by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), iconic tourist locations at Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA), and utility services of Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Ltd (EPDCL). These services are now accessible to 90% of population in Visakahpatnam.

China launched a remote sensing VRSS-2 satellite for Venezuela from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gobi desert. Venezuela will use this satellite for environmental protection and disaster monitoring, as well as land resources inspection, crop yield estimation and city planning. This is the third satellite launched by China for Venezuela. Earlier in 2008 Venesat -1 was launched followed by VRSS - 1 in 2012.

Nisha Desai Biswal, former Indian-American assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia appointed as the new president of US India Business Council (USIBC). She served as Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs in the US Department of State from 2013 to 2017 Biswal oversaw the US-India strategic partnership during a period of unprecedented cooperation including launching the US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue.

Rajasthan has become the India's first state to incorporate skill development programme in higher education. In collaboration with IGNOU, the College Education department has prepared 16 courses for entrepreneurship and skill development for colleges in the state. Under the project, 12 certificates and 4 diploma courses will be run and each college will have to choose five courses.

The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has planned to make Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) as India's first airport to have complete Aadhaar-enabled entry and biometric boarding system. According to the Request For Proposal (RFP) issued by BIAL, the airport is expected to be completely Aadhaar-enabled by December 2018. BIAL would use Aadhaar-enabled entry and biometric e-boarding process to confirm personal identity for airport passenger processing and control other things.

Gujarat state government announced a 4 per cent reduction in VAT (Value Added Tax) on petrol and diesel. It has thereby become the first state to cut VAT on fuel. Out of the total levy on fuel, state governments get all of the VAT collection along with 42 per cent of the central excise collections.

Standard Chartered Bank opened its Global Business Services (GBS) centre in Bengaluru which will complement its existing GBS centres in China, India and Malaysia. The GBS in Bengaluru will deliver support, client due diligence and advisory services for Standard Chartered's corporate and institutional banking customers. Latest technologies in data, robotics and software development will be used at this centre.

10 more satellites for the Iridium Satellite Constellation were launched by SpaceX from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, US. These 10 satellites are part of Iridium satellite constellation which provides voice and data coverage to satellite phones, pagers and integrated transceivers over the Earth's entire surface. The Iridium constellation is spread around the globe in six orbital planes, and thereby provides worldwide coverage.

ICICI Bank the country's largest private sector bank by consolidated assets, committed financial assistance of Rs. 10 crores to the Indian Armed Forces. This contribution by ICICI Bank would be made in two equal tranches. This fund will be used for two programs. The first will support post-graduation education of the widows of the soldiers and education for their wards. The second program will provide financial assistance for marriages of the daughters of ex-servicemen.

World Mental Health Day is observed all over the world on October 10th. 'Mental health in the workplace' is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. Its objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilize efforts in support of better mental health.

The World Day against the Death Penalty is observed all over the world on October 10. The theme for World Day against the Death Penalty 2017 is 'the death penalty and poverty'. It aims at raising awareness about the reasons why people living in poverty are at a greater risk of being sentenced to death and executed.

Jagdish Mukhi was sworn in as new Governor of Assam. He was administered the oath of office by Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh. He succeeds Banwarilal Purohit who has been appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

Vice President, Mr.M.Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the two day 'International Conference on Yoga for Wellness' at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Theme for this International Conference on Yoga 2017 is 'Yoga for Wellness'. Areas of discussions are Yoga research in non-communicable diseases and scope of Yoga in Integrated Medicine, Control of Cancer, Depression, Gynecological disorders and Pain Management.