Current Affairs - September 16, 2018 Current Affairs

The Assam government will distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double the farmer's income by 2022. The pump sets will be distributed under NABARD's Rural Infrastructure Development Project. 60 thousand diesel sets, 11 thousand solar and 30 thousand electrical operated pump sets will be distributed.

Freedom fighter Goura Chandra Mohapatra passed away following old age related ailments, at a hospital in Bhadrak district, Odisha. Goura Chandra Mohapatra was 104 years old. He was son of nationalist poet Kanta Kabi Laxmikant Mohapatra. He had participated in the Quit India movement and later worked in academics. He worked for social upliftment. He was the youngest prisoner jailed in Berhampur Circle Jail in 1942, during Quit India Movement.

For the first time ever, Riyadh-based carrier Flynas has announced to recruit Saudi women to work as co-pilots and flight attendants. This move is after the kingdom lifted a decades-long ban on female motorists. After the announcement, nearly 1,000 Saudi women have applied for co-pilot positions with Flynas. In the month of June, Saudi Arabia ended a long-standing ban on women driving cars as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seeks to improve women's participation in the workforce.

Reliance Infrastructure has sold its Mumbai city power distribution business to Adani Transmission Limited (ATL) for Rs.18,800 crore. Reliance Mumbai Metro is a marquee project. This acquisition makes ATL, the largest deal in the Indian power sector till date. It is presumed that the profitability of Reliance Infrastructure will not be affected on the whole. Reliance Energy had an EBITDA of around Rs.1,500 crore, which would reflect in lower EBITDA for Reliance Infrastructure after this deal.

The Tamil Nadu government signed an MOU with the centre to implement Ayushman Bharat along with state's Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). This association would benefit about 77 lakh poor and vulnerable families in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the insurance benefit for all those covered under the state scheme will be increased to Rs 5 lakh as per the National Health Protection Scheme. It would also include all 8 high-end procedures upto Rs 25 lakh covered under state-run insurance scheme.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) announced that it aims to become a carbon neutral company by 2040 with focus on energy efficiency and usage of renewable power. This decision was stated by chairman Anand Mahindra at the Global Climate Action Summit at San Francisco. The goal of carbon neutrality is to achieve a zero carbon footprint. M&M is to work along with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), an international non-profit organization, to fulfil the carbon neutrality commitment. EDF works with leading companies to raise the bar for corporate sustainability leadership.

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer was observed on 16th September throughout the world. The theme for International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 2018 was 'Keep Cool and Carry On: The Montreal Protocol'. This day aims to create awareness on issues related to climate change and ozone depletion.

Ministry of Steel presented Secondary Steel sector awards for the first time, to 26 mini steel companies at an event in New Delhi. The mini steel companies were honoured for their contribution to the national economy. The awards were presented by Union Minister of Steel, Chaudhary Birender Singh. 12 companies were given Gold Certificates and 14 companies were given Silver Certificates for their performance during 2016-17. Steel is one of the core sectors of Indian economy. India is the 3rd largest steel producer in the world. Steel contributes more than 2% to India's GDP.

The tourism ministry would organise the 2nd edition of 'Paryatan Parv' from September 16 to September 27 2018. This is the second edition of "Paryatan Parv", a nation-wide celebration of Tourism. It was inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister.

Iraq has replaced Saudi Arabia as India's largest oil supplier in August. Iran remained the third biggest oil supplier to India in August. The US is reimposing sanctions on Iran following its decision in May to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Indian five-time world boxing champion M C Mary Kom clinched her third gold medal of the year in 48 kg category, while Jyoti Gulia picked up the country's lone gold in 51 kg of the youth category of the Silesian Open boxing Tournament for women in Gliwice, Poland. In the youth competition, Jyoti, a former world champion and India's only boxer to have qualified for Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, out-classed Poland's Tatiana Pluta.

Maldives have lifted the 2018 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup. In the final at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka, they defeated defending champions India 2-1. At half-time, the winners led One-nil. The win for Maldives comes 10 years after their first SAFF Cup title in 2008. Seven-time champions India had started as favourites in the summit clash. The Indian team, comprising mostly under-23 players, was the only unbeaten side in the tournament.

The Supreme Court has appointed a 3-member committee headed by D.K. Jain, a former judge of the court, to probe the harrowing arrest and alleged torture of former space scientist Nambi Narayanan in the 'ISRO spy scandal' that turned out to be fake. A 3-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra also awarded Mr. Narayanan Rs. 50 lakh in compensation for the mental cruelty he suffered all these years. The committee will explore "ways and means" to bring justice to the former space scientist besides probing the officers who caused the "harrowing" incidents.

Popular children's writer Ramendra Kumar was honoured at the 36th International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Congress in Athens, Greece. Ramendra Kumar was the only Indian writer to receive this honour. He chaired 2 sessions at the Congress and presented a paper on 'The Brave New World of Indian Childrens Literature'. He is the chief of communications in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). He has written 33 books. His works have been translated into 28 languages. He has won 31 awards by the Children's Book Trust (CBT).

Bihar government approved a scheme for providing interim relief of Rs. 1 lakh to those affected by mob violence besides speedy trial of such cases. The scheme provides for an interim relief of Rs one lakh to victims of mob violence within a month of the incident. All such cases will be heard at fast track courts which would ensure completion of trial within six months.