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Current Affairs 17 August 2020
Daily Current Affairs 17 August 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 17 August 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.
National News
PM Modi Announces One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative
- PM Modi in his speech of Independence Day 2020, announced the “One Sun, One World, One Grid” (OSOWOG) plan. Under this, there will be a trans-national electricity grid, for supplying solar power across the globe.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced this idea of OSOWOG in 2018 during the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
- As per the draft plan prepared by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the OSOWOG will connect 140 countries through a common grid that will be used to transfer solar power.
- “The vision behind the OSOWOG mantra is “the Sun never sets” and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.”
Three phases of OSOWOG
- The OSOWOG plan will be executed in three phases to share solar and other renewable energy resources
- Phase I: Indian grid will be connected with the Middle East, South Asia and South-East Asian grids
- Phase II: Connect the first phase nations with the African Region countries rich in solar and other renewable energy resources.
- Phase III: Global interconnection
All villages to be connected with optical fibre in next 1,000 days: PM Modi
- PM Modi in his speech of Independence Day 2020, made the announcement that the project to connect all the villages of India with optical fibre network will be completed in the next 1,000 days.
- Under this project, more than six lakh villages will be connected with optical fibre network in the coming 1,000 days in India.
- Apart from this, a high-speed internet connectivity via submarine optical fibre cable will be extended to Lakshadweep in the next 1,000 days to provide high-speed internet services in the region.
Centre plans to make Odisha the epicenter of India’s overall steel industry
- The Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has informed that Odisha will become the epicenter of India’s overall steel industry, to accelerate the development of the domestic steel sector of the country.
- Government has proposed to set up an integrated steel hub in Odisha, to make the state, the nerve Centre of Mission Purvodaya, which aims at accelerated development of eastern India through the establishment of integrated steel hub.
- The Centre has allocated capital investment of Rs 5 lakh crore for this project.
Defence News
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approves proposal to expand NCC in 173 border and coastal districts
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the proposal for a major expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to cover 173 border and coastal districts, to meet the aspirations of youth in all the border and coastal districts.
- With the expansion of NCC in the border and coastal districts, these areas will get trained manpower for disaster management, and the youth will also get skill training for making their career in the armed forces.
- A total of one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted to the NCC. Of the total, one-third of the Cadets would be girl Cadets.
Indian Coast Guard Launches Offshore Patrol Vessel ICGS ‘Sarthak’, built by Goa Shipyard Limited
- An Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard named as Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Sarthak’ was launched on 13 August 2020, as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat Week activities.
- Sarthak is 4th in the series of five Coast Guard OPVs, being designed in-house and built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
- The Ship is fitted with state-of-the-art Navigation and Communication equipment, sensor and machinery.
- It is capable of carrying a twin-engine helicopter, four high speed boats and one inflatable boat for swift boarding and Search & Rescue operations.
- The ship is also designed to carry limited pollution response equipment to undertake oil spill pollution response at sea.
Loans & Agreements
India announces USD 500 million assistance for major connectivity project in Maldives and USD 250 million as budgetary support
- The Government of India has unveiled a $500-million financial package for the implementation of a major connectivity project in Maldives.
- This USD 500 million fund, consists of USD 400 million line of credit and USD 100 million grant,
- The fund will be used for development of 6.7 km Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP).
- GMCP will be the largest civilian infrastructure project in Maldives to link the capital city Male with three neighbouring islands namely Villingili, Gulhifahu and Thilafushi
- Besides this, the Government of India has also provided $250 million as budgetary support to Maldives government to help the Indian Ocean archipelago cope with the Covid-19 crisis.
ISRO and IISc Researchers develops sustainable process for making ‘Space Bricks’ on Moon
- A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled a sustainable process to make brick-like structures on the moon.
- These brick like structures, named as Space Bricks could eventually be used to assemble structures for habitation on the moon surface in future.
- Space Brick is made up of lunar soil, bacteria and guar beans, which enables to make load bearing bricks.
Business
NTPC develops infrastructure at UP’s Rihand Project to increase use of fly ash
- National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) has developed an infrastructure at Rihand Super Thermal Power station in Uttar Pradesh to transport fly ash from a remote location to a consumption centre at a cheaper cost.
- This will help in efficient and safer transportation of fly ash from the power plants to cement production units located at far distance, in larger quantity.
- As per the data, almost 44.33 million tonnes of fly ash was utilized for various productive purposes in 2019-20 which was 73.31% of the total ash generated.
Banking & Economy
Barclays Slashes India’s GDP growth to -6% in FY21
- Barclays has predicted India’s GDP to contract by 6% in 2020-21 (FY21). Earlier it had estimated a contraction of 3.2%.
- The reason for this downward revision of GDP is India’s rising coronavirus infection curve.
- For FY22, Barclays has predicted India’s GDP at 7% as compared to 7.4% earlier.
Sports
Lewis Hamilton wins F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2020
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix 2020 held on August 16, 2020. This was his 4th win of the season and the 88th win of his career.
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) came second followed by Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-Finland) at third.
Obituary
Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh Minister Chetan Chauhan passes away at 73
- Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh minister Chetan Chauhan has passed away due to multiple organ failure. He was 73.
- Chauhan played 40 Tests matches for India, during his 12-year-long cricket career, scoring 2084 runs with 16 half-centuries and two wickets.
- He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1981. Chauhan played Ranji Trophy for Maharashtra and Delhi.
- He was Minister for youth and sports in the state of Uttar Pradesh Cabinet in 2018 and has also served as Minister of Sainik Welfare, Home Guards, PRD and Civil Security in the UP Cabinet.