25 February 2017
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Current Affairs
1. India, ADB ink $375 mn loan pact for industrial corridor
i. India and ADB have signed USD 375 million pact for loans and grants to develop 800 km Visakhapatnam—Chennai Industrial Corridor, which is the first phase of a planned 2,500-km East Coast Economic Corridor.
ii. ADB had approved USD 631 million in loans and grants for the industrial corridor, last September, 2016. It approved loans comprising a USD 500 million multitranche facility to build key infrastructure in the four main centers along the corridor — Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Amaravati, and Yerpedu—Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh.
2. India clears Rs 17,000-crore mega missile deal with Israel
i. A Rs 17,000 crore deal has been cleared by the government for jointly developing with Israel a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) for the Indian army.
ii. The project will be implemented by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israeli Aircraft Industry (IAI). The MR-SAM, a land-based version of the long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) for the navy, will have a strike range of up 70 km. The deal envisages 40 firing units and around 200 missiles.
3. India, Bangladesh ink MoU for development of Sylhet city
i. India and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sustainable development of Sylhet city with financial aid from India. Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Sylhet City Corporation CEO Enamul Habib signed the tripartite agreement in Sylhet, a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh.
ii. Under the MoU, three projects are considered i.e construction of a five-storeyed Kindergarten & High School Building, a six-storeyed Cleaner Colony Building and Development of Dhupa Dighipar area -will be implemented with Taka 24.28 crore.
4. Rajasthan 2nd largest crude oil producer in country
i. Rajasthan has become the second largest crude oil producer in the country after the offshore field Bombay High.
ii. Mr. Kalyan Singh, Governor of Rajasthan stated that oilfields in the state were producing nearly 90 lakh tones oil annually, which is 24% of the total domestic crude oil production.
5. AYUSH Minister to inaugurate the World Integrated Medicine Forum on Regulation of Homeopathic Medicine
i. The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurated the World Integrated Medicine Forum on Regulation of Homeopathic Medicinal Products- National and Global strategies in New Delhi.
ii. The two day event that concluded was organized by Ministry of AYUSH and Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH).
iii. The first-of-its-kind forum is expected to increase the perception of the international world towards India as a key player in the progress of the homeopathy drug industry.
6. Dena Bank rolls out RFID-enabled cards to serve valued clients better
i. Dena Bank has introduced Radio Frequency Identification Card (RFID) enabled banking cards whereby a branch manager can identify a valued client entering a branch with the card.
ii. Once the client enters the branch, complete information about customers will pop up on the manager’s desktop.
7. Gorb, Ola form tie up
i. Food technology company Gorb has partnered with cab aggregator Ola to offer food to consumers at discounted rates in Mumbai.
ii. As per the deal, Ola riders will receive a code via SMS and mail every time they book a cab, which can be availed on the Gorb app or website to order food.
iii. The offer, valid till April 30, 2017 will provide a discount of Rs. 100 on a minimum order value of Rs. 200. Launched in 2016, Gorb is a food-tech startup with a tagline ‘Jaisa Mood Waisa Food’.
8. FDI inflow zooms 18% to USD 46 billion in 2016: DIPP
i. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in India grew 18% during 2016 to touch $46 billion, data released by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The country attracted FDI of $39.32 billion in 2015.
ii. The main sectors which attracted the highest foreign inflows include services, telecom, trading, computer hardware and software and automobile.
9. Government ropes in Shilpa Shetty as Swachh Bharat brand ambassador
i. The government has roped in actress Shilpa Shetty as a brand ambassador for the Indian government's cleanliness initiative Swachh Bharat Mission.
ii. She will feature in TV and radio campaigns aimed at discouraging people from littering on roads.
10. Former CM T R Zeliang appointed Finance Advisor to Nagaland government
i. Former Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang was appointed as Finance Advisor to the state government in the rank of a cabinet minister.
ii. Zeliang, appointed by the Governor P B Acharya, will receive the pay and allowances and all other facilities admissible to a cabinet minister.
11. Motherson Sumi’s Vivek Sehgal bags EY’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award
i. Vivek Chaand Sehgal of Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd (MSSL) has been awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 award by assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services firm Ernest Young (EY). Sehgal will now represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Monte Carlo from June 7 to 11, 2017.
ii. Infosys Co-founder Nandan Nilekani was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) — the Aadhaar initiative.
12. ISSF World Cup: Pooja Ghatkar clinches bronze
i. In International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), Indian shooter Pooja Ghatkar secured India’s first medal in New Delhi. She finished third in the 10 meter Air Rifle event. Ghatkar clinched bronze with a score of 228.8 in the final round.
ii. China’s Mengyao Shi secured gold with a score of 252.1 - setting a new world record in the event.
iii. The silver went to China’s Lijie Dong for a score of 248.9.
