Current Affairs Update 9 August 2018
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Cabinet Approvals August 9, 2018
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the following important decisions:
- Extension of the term of the Commission to examine the issue of Sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes in the Central List till November, 2018.
- Signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia on health cooperation.
- Signing of the MoU between “Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)” and “Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada)”.
- The MoU envisages arrangements for reciprocal membership that will apply to the respective members of both the Institutes subject to specified criteria and further collaboration on the definition, learning, and evaluation of the professional qualities and skills and competencies of entry-level Chartered Accountants.
- Creation of two posts equivalent to Joint Secretary level in the Interpreters’ cadre of the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Transfer of the Central Hospital at Karma, Jharkhand under the Ministry of Labour & Employment along with its land and building to the Jharkhand Government, within 3 months, free of cost to establish a new Medical College under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Establishment of Medical Colleges attached with Existing District / Referral Hospitals and cater to the health needs of the people in the region.
- Ex-post facto approval to the MoU between India and Korea on Trade Remedy Cooperation signed in July 2018 during the State visit of President of Korea to India.
- Provide land on lease to Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL);
- Provide the Concession Agreements & Land Lease Agreements for the revival of Gorakhpur & Sindri units of Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and Barauni unit of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFCL) by HURL;
- Authorize Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to approve Substitution Agreements and approve other agreements, if any to be signed between FCIL/HFCL and HURL for the three projects at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni.
- Joint issue of Postage Stamps on India-South Africa on the theme, “20 Years of Strategic Partnership between India and South Africa”. The joint stamps were released in June 2018.
- The Commemorative Postage Stamps on India-South Africa: Joint Issue depicts image of DeendayalUpadhyaya and Oliver Reginald Tambo of South Africa.
- Raising of four (4) additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to strengthen the India’s disaster response set up at an estimated cost of Rs 637 crore.
- Signing of MoU between India and Indonesia on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
Parliament Passes SC/ST Amendment Bill
- Parliament has passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 to strengthen the legislative provisions to protect SC/ST.
- The Bill rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.
- The amended bill provides that no preliminary inquiry will be required for registering a criminal case and an arrest under this law would not be subject to any approval.
Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim Added to UNESCO List
- The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim, surrounding the world’s third highest peak Mount Khangchendzonga, has been added to UNESCO’s list of World Network of Biosphere Reserve (WNBR).
- The Khangchendzonga reserve will be the 11th WNBR in India to be included in the network.
- The International coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme, UNESCO, in its 30th session (23-27 July, 2018) at Palembang, Indonesia, designated Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve for inclusion in the World Network of Biosphere Reserve.
- India has 18 biosphere reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated WNBR has become 11 with seven BRs as domestic designated biosphere reserves.
IMF forecasts India’s GDP to grow at 7.5% in 2019-20
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest World Economic Outlook update August 2018 kept India’s GDP unchanged.
- India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is poised to grow by 7.3% in the 2018-19 fiscal and 7.5% in 2019-2020 on strengthening of investment and robust private consumption.
Manisha Koirala pens book titled “The Book of Untold Stories”
- Actress Manisha Koirala has penned her first book titled “The Book of Untold Stories”.
Ram Sewak Sharma Re-appointed as the Chairperson of TRAI
- Ram Sewak Sharma has been reappointed as the Chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for a further period of 2 years.
- His tenure was to end on August 09, 2018. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved reappointment of Sharma as chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for a further period beyond August 10, 2018 upto September 30, 2020, i.e. the date on which he attains the age of 65 years.
Rekha Sharma appointed chairperson of NCW
- NCW member Rekha Sharma has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women.
- Sharma, 54, was earlier a member of the Commission and was holding the additional charge of chairperson after Lalitha Kumaramangalam demitted office in September 2017.
- The National Commission for Women is the apex national level organisation of India with the mandate of protecting and promoting the interests of women.
NDA candidate Harivansh elected as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
- The BJP-led NDA candidate Harivansh has been elected as the new Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha defeating UPA’s nominee B K Hariprasad.
- Harivansh polled 125 votes as against 105 by Hariprasad in a division of voting in the House.
- Harivansh is a JD(U) Parliamentarian from Bihar and a former journalist.
- The post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman has been lying vacant since the retirement of P J Kurien on July 1.
Nation Observes 76th Anniversary of Quit India Movement
- The nation observed the 76th anniversary of Quit India Movement on August 8, 2018.
- The movement had begun from Gawalia Tank in Mumbai.
- Mahatma Gandhi along with other leaders gathered here on August 8 and 9, 1942 to give the clarion call of Do or Die to all Indians to drive away Britishers from the country.
- The day is observed as August Kranti Day every year.
August 9 2018: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
- Each year August 9 is commemorated as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples since its creation by the United Nations in December 1994.
- The date marks the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982.
- It aims to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples. It embodies global consensus on the rights of indigenous peoples and establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for their survival, dignity and well-being.
- The 2018 Theme for International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous Peoples’ Migration and Movement.