Current Affairs Update – 16 January 2019

Current Affairs Update 16 January 2019

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. 16 January 2019

Important Cabinet Approvals: January 16, 2019

Here are some important cabinet approvals of January 16, 2019.

  1. Cabinet approves recapitalisation of Export-Import Bank of India – 
    The Cabinet has approved to increase the authorized capital of Exim Bank from Rs. 10,000 crore to Rs. 20,000 crore. 
    Issuance of Recapitalization Bonds by Government of India to the tune of Rs.6,000 crore for capital infusion in Export Import Bank of India (Exim Bank). The equity will be infused in two tranches of Rs. 4,500 crore in FY 2018-19 and Rs.1,500 crore in FY 2019-20 respectively. 
  2. Cabinet approves expenditure sanction for Integrated E-filing and Centralized Processing Centre 2.0 Project  – Rs.4,241.97crore
    The cabinet has given approval to expenditure sanction of Rs.4,241.97crore for Integrated E-filing & Centralized Processing Center 2.0 Project of the Income Tax Department.
    The system aims to cut down the processing time for returns to one day from 63 days and expedite refunds. 
    Infosys has been selected to implement the project after the bidding process.
  3. MoU between India and Australia on the safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station
  4. Cabinet approves Revised Cost of Estimates (RCE) for 13 new Central Universities in the States of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (Two), Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, set up under Central Universities Act, 2009 
    The Union Cabinet has given its approval for incurring an expenditure of Rs.3639.32 core for the 13 new Central Universities for recurring cost and creation of necessary infrastructure for completion of the campuses.  The work will be completed within a period of 36 months.
  5. Cabinet approves ex-post facto approval for Agreement on the facilitation of visa arrangements signed between India and Maldives
  6. Cabinet approves Numaligarh Refinery capacity expansion project worth over Rs 22,000 cr
    Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has decided to expand the capacity of Numligarh Refinery in 3 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum, (MMTPA) to 9 MMTPA. It involves setting up of crude oil pipeline from Paradip to Numaligarh and product pipeline from Numaligarh to Siliguri at a cost of Rs.22,594 crore. The project is to be completed within a period of 48 months, after approval and receipt of statutory clearances.

PM Modi Dedicates Kollam Bypass in Kerala to the Nation

  • Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Kerala’s Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram on January 15, 2019.
  • In Kollam, PM Modi dedicated the Kollam Bypass to the nation, which is constructed at a cost of Rs 352 crore.
    • The 13-kilometre-long two-lane bypass, on the National Highway-66, has three major bridges over the Ashtamudi lake, and an underpass.
    • This is the first National Highway project in the country taken up on a 50:50 Centre-State partnership.
    • It will reduce travel time between Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram, besides avoiding traffic congestion in Kollam town.
  • Apart form this, Prime Minister unveiled a plaque launching the completion of  several developmental projects undertaken in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple complex in Thiruvananthapuram under Swadeshi Darshan scheme.

Petroleum Minister flags off SAKSHAM awareness vans to promote oil and gas conservation

  • Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan  flagged off SAKSHAM (Sanrakshan Kshmata Mahotsav) Vans to promote and create awareness among people on the need of oil and gas conservation for the future and the methods to do it.
  • The launch was made at Saksham 2019, the annual event of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
  • The van will travel to 30 districts to create awareness on conservation of energy for a better future.

Tripura CM launches Rs 1,000cr SCATFORM project for forest management

  • Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has launched a Rs 1,000-crore Sustainable Catchment Forest Management (SCATFORM) project for local communities living in and around forest areas in the state.
  • The project would help improve forests in the targeted catchment areas, and the ecosystem would be conserved.
  • The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would bear 80 per cent of the cost and the rest would be funded by the state and central governments.

 

JLL City Momentum Index 2019: Bengaluru World’s Most Dynamic City, Hyderabad Ranked Second

  • Bengaluru is the world’s most dynamic city among 131 major cities as per the JLL City Momentum Index 2019. Hyderabad is at the second place, followed by Hanoi at third.
  • The Momentum Index rankings identify the urban economies and real estate markets which are currently undergoing significant rapid growth.
  • 5 Indian cities featured in top 20. Those other than Bengaluru are- Delhi (4th), Pune (5th), Chennai (7th) and Kolkata (20th).

IISc Bangalore top Indian University in the Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings 2019

  • As per the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Emerging Economies University Rankings 2019, that comprises of 442 institutes, 49 Indian institutes have found the place in the ranking. There are 25 Indian university in top 200.
  • The India group in the ranking was again led by the Indian Institute of Science- Bangalore (IISc) whose position was at No. 14, followed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay at 27th position.
  • Overall Top is Tsinghua University, China.

Gandhi Peace Prize for 2015,2016,2017 and 2018 announced

The Gandhi Peace Prize for the years 2015,2016,2017 and 2018 has been conferred on the following:

Year WInner Contribution
2015 Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for their contribution in Rural Development, Education , Development of natural resources.
2016 Jointly toAkshayaPatra Foundation and for its contribution in providing mid-day meals to millions of children across India
2016 Sulabh International  for its contribution in improving the condition of sanitation in India and emancipation of manual scavengers.
2017 EkalAbhiyan Trust for their contribution in providing Education for Rural and Tribal Children in remote areas pan India, Rural Empowerment, Gender and Social Equality
2018 Shri Yohei Sasakawa  for his contribution in Leprosy Eradication in India and across the world. (Chairman of The Nippon Foundation)
  • The jury that decided the winners was chaired by Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi and comprised of the Chief Justice of India, Justice RanjanGogoi, Speaker of LokSabha Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, Leader of the Congress Party in LokSabha Shri. Mallikarjuna Kharge and Member of Parliament, Shri L.K. Advani.
  • The annual award was instituted by the Government of India in 1995 during the commemoration of 125thBirth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

India born, Dr. Rattan Lal honoured with 2019 Japan Prize

  • Indian born professor Dr. Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A has been honoured with the 2019 Japan Prize.
  • The prize was announced by The Japan Prize Foundation. Two scientists have been awarded with the   2019 Japan Prize.
  • One is Dr. Rattan Lal – for his work in identifying technological options adapted to various ecosystems through his intensive basic and applied research on processes and factors of soil degradation.
  • Second is- Dr. Yoshio Okamoto, Professor Emeritus at Nagoya University in Nagoya, Japan has contributed enormously to the development of basic science and industry by establishing the groundbreaking concept of asymmetric polymerization 

Mohammed Ali Qamar appointed as India women’s boxing coach

  • Mohammed Ali Qamar has been appointed as the chief coach for the country’s female boxers. 
  • Mohammed Ali Qamar is the man who won India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal in boxing.
  • He is also the youngest to hold this position. He is of 37 years. He has replaced Shiv Singh as the coach.

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