Current Affairs-9th April 2018

National News

1. India and Nepal Agree to Strengthen Bilateral Relations in Key Areas

i. India and Nepal have agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations in key areas of border security, connectivity, trade and agriculture. The two countries agreed to develop inland waterways for overall economic development of the region.

ii. Aiming to expand cross-border rail linkages, the two sides have also decided to construct a new electrified rail line, with India’s financial support. The rail line will connect the border city of Raxaul in India to Kathmandu in Nepal. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Nepal Capital- Kathmandu, Currency- Nepalese rupee, President- Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister- Khadga Prasad Oli. 

2. Tripura CM Launches State Component of PMKVY

Biplab Kumar Deb

i. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb launched the state component of Pradhanmantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) in Agartala. He assured that the target to give training to more than 1 lakh 16,000 youths by 2020.

ii. Tripura is the first state in the North East to implement the state component of PMKVY through Directorate of Skill Development (DSD). 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Tripura CM- Biplab Kumar Deb, Governor- Tathagata Roy, Capital- Agartala.

3. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Launched in Delhi

i. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme in Delhi and distributed new LPG connections and cylinders to beneficiaries.

ii. During the event, about 400 LPG connections were handed over to families belonging to below poverty line category. Target under this scheme has been increased from the existing 5 crore connections to 8 crore connections by 2020.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     PMUY was launched in May 2016.

·                     The objective of this scheme is to provide deposit-free LPG connections with monetary assistance to women from below poverty line (BPL) households

4. Assam's Spring Festival Begins in Manas National Park

i. The two-day Assam Spring Festival began at the Manas National Park where visitors will get to experience the state's local food, music, handloom and handicrafts. 

ii. The aim of the event is to promote the local food and culture of the fringe villagers. It is an attempt to create a model of alternative livelihood through food, handloom and Cultural Park.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Manas National Park is also a tiger and rhino reserve which covers five districts of Assam.

International News

5. President 3-Nation Visit: India and Equatorial Guinea Sign 4 Agreements

i. India and Equatorial Guinea sign four agreements in the field of agriculture, mining, health, telecommunications and IT after delegation-level talks between Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo at Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

ii. The two countries agreed to work together at UN, where Equatorial Guinea has just begun a two-year term on the Security Council. President Kovind is on the first leg of his 3-nation visit to Equatorial Guinea.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Capital- Malabo, Currency- Central African CFA franc.

6. Nitin Gadkari on 4-Day Visit to South Korea

i. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is on a four-day official visit to South Korea. 

ii. Mr Gadkari’s visit is aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations and further cementing cooperation in areas, including sharing of technology, experience in port development and joint participation in port-related construction.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     South Korean President- Moon Jae-in, Capital- Seoul.

7. UAE and Malaysia Conclude Joint Military Exercise 'Desert Tiger 5'

i. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Malaysia concluded joint military exercise “Desert Tiger 5” aimed at sharing expertise and enhancing joint military actions in Dubai, UAE.

ii. The military exercise was aimed at raising the level of performance and combat efficiency and working together between both countries based on the strategy to improve the overall ability and combat readiness of ground forces.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     The UAE Capital- Abu Dhabi, Currency- UAE dirham.

·                     Malaysia Capital- Kuala Lumpur, Currency- Malaysian ringgit.

Banking/Economy News

8. FPI Investment Limit in Government Securities Hiked

i. In a move that could temporarily soften bond yields, the Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the Government, hiked the foreign portfolio investors (FPI) investment limit in Central government securities (G-Sec) from 5% of outstanding stock now to 5.5% in FY2019 and 6% in FY2020.

ii. The FPI investment in state development loans (SDLs) has been left unchanged at 2% of outstanding stock of securities.

9. Deutsche Bank Names Christian Sewing New CED

i. Deutsche Bank AG named Christian Sewing as the Chief Executive officer of the Bank. He has replaced John Cryan. Sewing will take over with immediate effect.

ii. Garth Ritchie was promoted to sole head of the securities unit and will become a deputy CEO, along with chief administrative officer Karl von Rohr.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Deutsche Bank established its first branch in India in 1980.

·                     Deutsche Bank Headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.

10. RBI Switches Back to GDP Scale to Measure Economy

i. The Reserve Bank of India switched back to the gross domestic product (GDP)-based measure to offer its growth estimates from the gross value added (GVA) methodology, citing global best practices.
ii. The government had started analysing growth estimates using GVA methodology from January 2015 and had also changed the base year to 2018 from January.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Urjit Patel- 24th Governor of RBI, Headquarters- Mumbai, Established on- 1st April 1935, in Kolkata.

·                     While GVA gives a picture of the state of economic activity from the producers’ side or supply side, the GDP model gives the picture from the consumers’ side or demand perspective.

11. India's Foreign Exchange Reserves Hit a Life-Time High

i. India’s foreign exchange reserves hit a life-time high of 424.361 billion US dollar after rising by 1.828 billion dollar in the week to March 30, according to the Reserve Bank of India data.

ii. Gold reserves remained unchanged at 21.614 billion US dollar.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Arun Jaitley is the present Finance Minister of India.

·                     Dr Urjit Patel is the 24th Governor of RBI.

·                     RBI Headquarters in Mumbai.

Awards

12. Anushka Sharma to Get Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award

i. Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma will be awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award for her successful movies as a producer.

ii. The award will be given by an organisation called Dadasaheb Phalke Foundation, a Mumbai-based organisation, which is different from the Government of India instituted Dadasaheb Phalke Award, awarded during National Awards ceremony held annually in New Delhi.

Sports News

13. Sebastian Vettel Wins Bahrain Grand Prix

i. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won his second Grand Prix in as many races, at the Bahrain Grand Prix, while Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas finished second by just 0.699 seconds.

ii. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton finished third.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

·                     Bahrain Capital- Manama, Currency- Bahraini dinar.

CWG 2018

14. Jitu Rai and Mehuli Ghosh Breaks CWG Record

i. Jitu Rai broke the games record to claim the gold medal by some distance in men's 10m air pistol, at the ongoing 21st Commonwealth Games. Om Prakash Mitharval bagged bronze in the same event. Australia's Kerry Bell secured the silver medal, having managed to topple Mitharval from the second position.

ii. India's 17-year-old shooter Mehuli Ghosh set a Commonwealth Games joint record to win silver in the women's 10m Air Rifle event. Ghosh and eventual gold medallist Singapore's Martina Lindsay Veloso both ended with record score following which the winner was decided by a shoot-off. India's 25-year-old shooter Apurvi Chandela won a bronze medal in the same event.

15. India Win Badminton Team Gold for 1st Time in CWG History

i. India clinched their first-ever badminton mixed team event gold in Commonwealth Games history after defeating defending champions Malaysia 3-1 in the final at Gold Coast.

ii. India's previous best performance in mixed team event at CWG was a silver-medal finish in the 2010 edition. Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth represented India in singles' matches of the five-member team event.

16. Indian Men's TT Team Wins Gold

i. India defeated Nigeria to clinch gold in the men's table tennis team event at the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 2006.

ii. With this, India joined England to bag second-most table tennis gold medals (5) at CWG. This is the first time that India have won both men's and women's TT team events at a single CWG edition.
17. Weightlifter Punam Yadav Wins 5th Gold For India

i. India’s weightlifter Punam Yadav won gold in the Women’s 69kg weightlifting category. Yadav lifted a combined total of 222kg (100 snatch and 122 clean and jerk) and defeated England’s Sarah Davies her closest competitor to take her second medal at the Commonwealth Games.
ii. This was India’s fifth gold medal in the ongoing games. Venkat Rahul Ragala earned India the fourth Gold medal after lifting 338 kilograms in the Men’s 85 kg category.
18. Indian Women’s TT Team Wins Gold

i. India has bagged three more Gold, one Silver and two bronze medals at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on the fourth day. Indian women’s Table Tennis team won their first ever Gold Medal defeating Singapore.

ii.  Manika Batra led Table tennis team’s victory was historic as Singapore had never lost since 2002.