Current Affairs Update 8 December 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. 8 December 2018
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launches SMART initiative for Agribusiness, Rural Transformation
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched a unique initiative called “SMART”, which stands for State of Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation.
- The project aims to revamp agricultural value chains, with special focus on marginal farmers across 1,000 villages.
- The project is assisted by the World Bank and entail an investment of 300 million US dollars of which World Bank would contribute 210 million US dollars.
Ministry of Shipping Approves Rs 156 crore Freight Village in Varanasi
- The Ministry of Shipping has approved the development of Rs 156 crore freight village in Varanasi adjoining the Inland Waterways Terminal on River Ganga.
- The Varanasi freight village will be developed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
- It will serve as a cargo hub and a centre for aggregation and value addition. It will also provide support to stimulate development of a professional logistics industry in Varanasi.
Military Literature Festival 2018 begins in Chandigarh
- The three-day Military Literature Festival (MLF) 2018, kick-started on Friday in Chandigarh, Punjab.
- The festival is a joint initiative of military historian and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore.
Nabard signs USD 100 mn agreement with Green Climate Fund to boost solar power
- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed an agreement with Green Climate Fund (GCF) to infuse USD 100 million into a project designed to unlock private sector initiatives for creation of rooftop solar power capacity across India.
- The USD 250 million project will be executed by Tata Cleantech Capital Ltd and will receive the GCF support through NABARD.
- Apart from GCF, NABARD is the National Implementing Entity (NIE) for the UNFCC-promoted Fund of GOI.
India to retain top position in remittances with $80 bn: World Bank
- India will retain its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances this year with its diaspora sending a whopping $80 billion back home according to the World Bank’s Migration and Development Report.
- India is followed by China ($67 billion), Mexico and the Philippines ($34 billion each) and Egypt ($26 billion).
- The Bank estimates that officially-recorded remittances to developing countries will increase by 10.8 per cent to reach $528 billion in 2018. This new record level follows a robust growth of 7.8 per cent in 2017.
Bihar tops in theft reported by banks : RBI Data
- According to RBI data, during 2015-16 to June 2018 about ₹168.72 crore was looted from various banks. Every day almost three banks were looted
- Of the 3,167 cases of robbery, dacoity, burglary, and theft reported by banks during this period, Bihar had the highest number of such case (10%- 332 incidents), followed by by 9 per cent each from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
- Money was pillaged in every incident across the States, except Mizoram and Puducherry which reported one case each with no money involved.
Malala Receives Harvard University’s 2018 Gleitsman Award
- Malala Yousafzai was felicitated with the 2018 Gleitsman Activist Award from Harvard’s Kennedy School given for activism that has improved quality of life around the world.
- In 2014, Malala became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize when she was recognised for her work supporting schooling for children.
Imran Siddiqui wins 2018 Sanctuary Wildlife Awards
- The prestigious Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award 2018 has been conferred on Hyderabad based wildlife conservationist Imran Siddiqui of the Wildlife Conservation Society India Program.
- Imran has been working with the Forest Departments and other government agencies facilitating conservation efforts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region, for 15 years.
Shubhankar Becomes Youngest Indian to win Asian Tour Order of Merit
- Shubhankar Sharma has received the 2018 Asian Tour Order of Merit on December 8, 2018.
- The Chandigarh-based Shubhankar Sharma also become the fifth and youngest Indian to top the Asian Tour money list in a particular season.
- Other Indians to receive the feat includes:Jyoti Randhawa (2002), Arjun Atwal (2003), Jeev Milkha Singh (2006 and 2008) and Anirban Lahiri (2015).
- Anirban Lahiri held the previous record of being the youngest Indian to be crowned Asia’s No.1 when he bagged the honour in 2015.
China Launches Rover To Make First Landing On Moon’s Far Side
- China has launched a rover named Chang’e-4 on December 08, 2018 that is destined to land on the far side of the moon. This is first such rover to go on the far side of moon.
- The Chang’e-4 lunar probe mission — named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology — launched on a Long March 3B rocket from the southwestern Xichang launch centre.
- Chang’e-4 will be the second Chinese probe to land on the moon, following the Yutu (“Jade Rabbit”) rover mission in 2013.
Former Colombian President Belisario Betancur Passes Away
- Former Colombian President Belisario Betancur, passed away in Bogota after suffering kidney problem at the age of 95.
- He served as the President of the South American country from 1982 to 1986.
34th SAARC Charter Day: December 8
- The member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) celebrated 34th SAARC Charter Day on December 8, 2018.
- It was on this day on 8th December, 1985, that the leader of the Seven South Asian Countries had signed the contract (means charter) in Dhaka to set up the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Indian Navy Submarine Day: December 8
- The Indian Navy observes December 8 every year as the Submarine Day to commemorate the foundation day of the Indian Navy’s Submarine Arm.
- The day marks the induction of the first submarine, “INS Kalvari (S-23) into the Navy in 1967.
- INS Kalvari (S-23) – a Foxtrot class submarine was de-commissioned after 29 years of service on 31 May 1996.