Current Affairs Update 15 October 2018
Current Affairs is an important part for many exams. Be prepared for this section with ByScoop which brings all the important Current Affairs in one place. 15 October 2018
Subscription to Series II of Sovereign Gold Bonds-2018-19 Begins
- The Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has decided to issue Series II of Sovereign Gold Bonds-2018-19 in 5 tranche beginning from October 15 and ending February 8.
- The Sovereign Gold Bonds will be issued as per the calendar specified below:
| S. No. | Tranche | Periodof Subscription | Date of Issuance |
| 1 | 2018-19 Series II | October 15-19, 2018 | October 23, 2018 |
| 2 | 2018-19 Series III | November 05-09, 2018 | November 13, 2018 |
| 3 | 2018-19 Series IV | December 24-28, 2018 | January 01, 2019 |
| 4 | 2018-19 Series V | January 14–18, 2019 | January 22, 2019 |
| 5 | 2018-19 Series VI | February 04-08, 2019 | February 12, 2019 |
Basic Features of the Scheme
- The government has fixed issue price of the scheme at Rs 3,146 per gram of gold.
- The Bonds will be denominated in multiples of gram(s) of gold with a basic unit of 1 gram.
- The issue price of the Gold Bonds will be `50 per gram less for those who subscribe online and pay through digital mode.
- The tenor of the Bond will be for a period of 8 years with exit option in 5th, 6th year and 7th year to be exercised on the interest payment dates.
- Minimum permissible investment will be 1 gram of gold.
- The maximum limit of subscribed shall be 4 KG for individual, 4 Kg for HUF and 20 Kg for trusts and similar entities per fiscal (April-March) notified by the Government from time to time.
- The investors will be compensated at a fixed rate of 2.50 percent per annum payable semi-annually on the nominal value.
Air Quality Emergency Early Warning System Launched in Delhi to Combat Air Pollution
- The Union Minister for Earth Sciences and Environment, Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. He also launched associated website for the same.
- The air pollution system has been developed jointly by the scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India Meteorological Department and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
- The System is designed to predict extreme air pollution events 2-5 days in advance and give alerts to take necessary steps as per Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Government of India.
- The Central Pollution Control Board has constituted a 41 member-team which will continuously monitor the air pollution levels and report to the board.
EC launches ‘C-vigil’ App to Check Electoral Malpractices
- The Election Commission of India is introducing the unique internet based mobile app named C-vigil to check electoral malpractices during upcoming Assembly polls.
- The ‘CVIGIL’, which stands for ‘citizens’ vigil’, will be operationalised for the first time as a pilot project.
India – China Joint Training Program For Afghan Diplomats
- India and China have launched first ever joint training programme to provide training assistance to Afghanistan diplomats.
- The Joint India-China Training Programme for Afghan diplomats has been organised from October 15-26 at at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in New Delhi.
- 10 Afghan diplomats have taken part in the training programme as part of the trilateral cooperation between India, China and Afghanistan.
- The programme is part of an understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan.
CSIR Appoints Dr Shekhar C. Mande As New Director General
- Dr Shekhar C. Mande, the current Director of the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune has been appointed as the new Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), India.
- He succeeds Dr Girish Sahni, who retired on 31st August 2018.
- CSIR is one of the world’s largest publicly-funded research and development organisations and is known for its contributions in diverse areas of science.
Khayyam Selected for 2018 Hridaynath Award for Lifetime Achievement
- National Award winning music director Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi, famous as ‘Khayyam’, has been named for 2018 Hridaynath Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- The award instituted by the Hridayesh Arts, carries a cash prize of Rs 100,000 and a memento and shall be conferred by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 26 in Mumbai which also marks 81st birthday of Hridaynath Mangeshkar after whom the award has been named.
- The other past recipients of the awards are Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Amitabh Bachchan, Sulochana Latkar, A.R. Rahman, Pandit Jasraj, and Javed Akhtar, besides chess champ Vishwanathan Anand.
Indian American Professor Abhay Ashtekar To Receive Prestigious Einstein Prize
- Professor Abhay Ashtekar is set to receive the prestigious Einstein Prize 2018 conferred by the American Physical Society (APS).
- The prize is given for numerous and seminal contributions to general relativity, including the theory of black holes, canonical quantum gravity, and quantum cosmology.
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Abhay Vasant Ashtekar is the Eberly Professor of Physics and the Director of the Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Pennsylvania State University.
Novel ‘When the Devil Whispers’ by Ajinkya Released
- ‘When the Devil Whispers’, a gripping psychological crime thriller by first time author Ajinkya Bhasme was launched during an event in Mumbai.
- A new novel, which is a heady mix of mystery and psychological horror, is broadly inspired by true events of crime by a group of women.
Christopher Paolini’s “The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm” To Be Out Soon
Christopher Paolini’s new book titled “The Fork, The Witch, and The Worm” will be released by Penguin Random House in the UK on January 1, 2019, and by Alfred A Knopf Books for Young Readers in the US on December 31, 2018.
Leander Paes wins Santo Domingo Open Trophy
- Indian tennis legend Leander Paes won his second Challenger-level title of the season, lifting the Santo Domingo Open trophy with partner Miguel Angel Reyyes-Varela.
- The second-seeded Indo- Mexican pair beat Ariel Behar and Roberto Quiroz 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 in the summit clash.
International Day of Rural Women: October 15
- The International Day of Rural Women is observed on October 15 each year.
- The day recognizes the crucial role of women and girls in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall well-being.
- The theme for the 2018 International Day of Rural Women is “Sustainable infrastructure, services and social protection for gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls”.
Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas Observed on October 15
- India observes the Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas annually on October 15 to increase the active participation of women in agriculture.
- It was in 2016 that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had decided to observe 15th of October as Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas.