DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 17TH APR 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
ASSAM CELEBRATES RONGALI BIHU
i.
According to Assamese Calendar Rongali Bihu celebrates on the month of April
which usually falls on 13th and 14th of April.
ii.
The Rongali Bihu marks the agricultural New Year and is celebrated as a
festival of Prosperity.
iii.
The Kati Bihu marks the completion of sowing and transplanting of paddies and
the Magh Bihu marks the end of harvesting period.
iv.
In this festival People in different parts of states took their cattle to the
ponds and rivers where they gave a formal bath and rubbed their bodies with
‘dighalati pat’ which take away the flies and insects. People also worshipped
and pray for the better health of their animals.
2.
BHOPAL TO HAVE INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATELY RUN RAILWAY STATION
i.
For the 1st time in Indian Railway’s history Habibganj station in Bhopal has
been handed over to Private firm to be operated by it.
ii.
During 2016-2017 Rs 10,181 cr was earned by Indian railways which Indian
railway want to increase to Rs 14000 cr to this fiscal year.
iii.
A Railway official has given 2 examples Train named Paytm express and
SavlonSwachh Bharat express which would be soon running in this fiscal year.
3.
BRICS SPECIAL ENVOYS ON MIDDLE-EAST MEET HELD IN VISHAKHAPATNAM
i.
A 2-day meeting of BRICS special envoys on Middle-East was held in
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. This was the 2nd such meeting of BRICS envoys on
Middle-East.
ii.
Discussions revolved around military-political situation in Syria, Yemen, Iraq
and Libya and prospects for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.
iii.
Envoys expressed concern over unabated terrorism, ISIS and role of technology,
and luring of innocent youth through Twitter, Facebook and other micro-blogging
sites.
4.
MAHARASHTRA TO STAGE SPECIAL DRIVE FOR TRANSGENDERS TO REGISTER AS VOTERS
i.
Maharashtra has become the 1st state to launch a special awareness drive to
ensure that transgenders in the state register as voters in larger numbers. The
state branch of the Election Commission of India launched a special drive for
this purpose.
ii.
It is to be noted that 15th April is celebrated as ‘Third Gender Day’ to
commemorate Supreme Court judgement in 2014 to recognise transgenders as ‘Third
Gender’.
5.
MOU SIGNED BETWEEN NSFDC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER HANDLOOM
i.
The MOU has signed between NSFDC and the Development Commissioner (Handlooms).
ii.
The main objective of signing this MOU is to help and promote production and
marketing of high value quality Handlooms products among Scheduled class
weavers.
iii.
Handloom sector is the 2nd largest activity after agriculture and it is a part
of Textile Industry.
iv.
Under this MOU both the parties will also organize skill development programmes
for Schedule caste weavers so that schedule caste weavers will get support and
they can enhance their skills.
6.
INDIAN ENGINEER TIRUPATI JAIN WINS ‘CARTIER WOMEN’S INITIATIVE AWARD’
i.
Tirupati Jain is an environmental enginner who won a Cartier Women’s Initiative
Award. She has chosen by an Independent International Jury.
ii.
Tirupati has given this award for providing innovative solutions of water
management to the women those working on farms and small farmers against
drought and flash floods.
iii.
She is a government employee and works for the rural development. Her Gujrat
based company has implemented 232 systems in India which benefitted 18000 small
farmers and 100000 of the rural poor people.
iv.
The ceremony was held in France. The event is held in association with
International Business School Insead and Management consulting firm McKinsey
& Company.
v.
The Theme of this year is “Transform, Lead the change you want to see”.
7.
US CONDUCTS SUCCESSFUL FIELD TEST OF NEW B61-12 NUCLEAR BOMB
i.
The National Nuclear security Administration and US Air force have conducted a
test of a modification of the B61 atomic bomb.
ii.
B61-12 bomb was tested without a nuclear warhead. The Bomb was dropped from the
F-16 fighter bomber on the Nellis test site, Nevada.
iii.
It was the 1st test of the B61-12 with the usage of the F-16.
8.
COMPUTER PIONEER ROBERT W. TAYLOR DIED IN CALIFORNIA
i.
American computer scientist Robert W. Taylor, who is regarded as a pioneer in
internet and modern personal computer, passed away in California, US.
ii.
In 1961, Robert Taylor was a project manager for National Aeronautics and Space
Administration. At this time he directed funding to Douglas Engelbart at the
Stanford Research Institute, who is credited with the development of the modern
computer mouse.
iii.
In 1966, when Taylor worked for the Pentagon, he oversaw the creation of
ARPANET – (single computer communications network).
9.
ARJUN GAIND LAUNCHES HIS BOOK ‘BUILDING THE LAND OF FIVE RIVERS’
i.
The author Arjun Gaind launched his book on Punjab, Building the land of five
rivers, On the occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu, a panel has
organized a discussion in which there is a discussion of Punjab’s history,
heritage, culture and growth.
ii.
Arjun is one of the India’s best seller comic book writers and the creator and
author of the bestselling graphic novels.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED
ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
WHICH RAILWAY STATION IN BHOPAL HAS BECOME INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATELY-RUN RAILWAY
STATION?
a) Habibganj Railway Station
b) Raniganj Railway Station
c) Sahibganj Railway Station
d) Kunwarganj Railway Station
Q2.
BRICS SPECIAL ENVOYS ON MIDDLE-EAST MEET WAS HELD IN:
a) Moscow, Russia
b) Beijing, China
c) Durban, South Africa
d) Visakhapatnam, India
Q3.
’RONGALI BIHU’ FESTIVAL IS CELEBRATED IN WHICH STATE OF INDIA?
a) Himachal Pradesh
b) Assam
c) West Bengal
d) Goa
Q4.
WHICH AMONG THE FOLLOWING HAS BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO LAUNCH A SPECIAL
AWARENESS DRIVE TO ENSURE THAT TRANSGENDERS IN THE STATE REGISTER AS VOTERS IN
LARGER NUMBERS?
a) Madhya Pradesh
b) Telangana
c) Maharashtra
d) Uttarakhand
Q5.
ROBERT W. TAYLOR, WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, WAS A RENOWNED:
a) American Computer Scientist
b) American Astronaut
c) American Historian
d) American Mathematician
ANSWERS:
