DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 23 NOV 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN
1. PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES UMANG APP
i. Prime minister Narendra Modi has launched Umang mobile
application, an integrated platform for government to citizen services. Umang-
an acronym for "unified mobile app for new age" e-governance -
currently hosts around 162 services from 33 government departments of central
and state governments. The app has been developed by the ministry of
electronics and information technology.
ii. Some of the services relate to Aadhaar, DigiLocker, Pay Gov,
Bharat Bill Payments System, and CBSE. The app provides easy facility for
provisioning the services through mobile without long drawn detailed project
report /bidding process.
2. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON INDIAN SPACE PROGRAMME HELD IN NEW
DELHI
i. International Seminar on Indian Space Programme: ‘Trends and
Opportunities for Industry’ was inaugurated in New Delhi.
ii. The seminar was jointly organised by Indian Space Research
Organisation, Antrix Corporation Limited (the commercial arm of ISRO) and
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
iii. Objective of this seminar was to deliberate on the best practices
in space sector and to develop a coherent framework for enabling the domestic
and global expansion of India’s Space Sector. The seminar also highlighted the
recent achievements and major milestones of Indian Space Sector and provided
information about its future programs and plans.
iv. Eminent speakers including Dr M Annadurai, Director of ISRO
Satellite Centre (Bangalore), K. Sivan, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space
Centre, Kunhikrishnan, Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre attended this
seminar.
3. NORTHEAST DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT HELD IN MANIPUR
i. Manipur hosted the first- ever North East Development Summit
2017 in Imphal. NEDS 2017 was jointly organised by Manipur State Government in
collaboration with Union Commerce Ministry and India Foundation.
ii. President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the summit. Objective of
this summit was to showcase the economic potential and to attract investments
in food processing, bamboo industry, real estate and other businesses within
the state.
iii. Union Minister for Commerce and Industries, Suresh Prabhu,
Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, and Vice Chairman of
NITI Aayog Rajeev Kumar also attended this Summit.
iv. During the course of this Summit, around 20 Memorandum of
Understandings were signed between various Departments of Manipur State
Government and National and International Companies/Investors.
4. CABINET APPROVES INDIA'S MEMBERSHIP FOR EBRD
i. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
approved India's Membership for European Bank for Reconstruction &
Development. Membership of the EBRD would enhance India's international profile
and promote its economic interests and contribute to an improved investment
climate in the country.
ii. It would increase the scope of cooperation between India and
EBRD through co-financing opportunities in manufacturing, services, Information
Technology, and Energy.
5. PM MODI INAUGURATED 5TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON CYBERSPACE
i. PM Narendra Modi has Inaugurated fifth global conference on
cyber space, he stated rapid change in digital domain has brought changes in
the entire world in New Delhi.
ii. According to PM Digital technology has emerged as a great
enabler and helping business and economies grow.
6. INDIA CLIMBS 3 STEPS TO 51 ON IMD WORLD TALENT RANKINGS
i. India has improved its ranking by three notches to 51 globally
in terms of ability to attract, develop and retain talent while Switzerland
topped the list compiled by leading global business school IMD.
ii. Globally, Europe continues to dominate the rankings, with
Switzerland, Denmark, and Belgium being the most competitive countries.
Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Sweden and Luxembourg made
up the top 10.
7. GOVERNMENT SETS UP A PANEL TO DRAFT NEW DIRECT TAX LAW
i. The government has constituted a task force for redrafting the
50-year old income tax law in sync with the economic needs of the country. The
six-member task force will have Arbind Modi, CBDT Member (Legislation) as the
Convener and other members, including Girish Ahuja (chartered accountant),
Rajiv Memani (Chairman and Regional Managing Partner of EY) and Mansi Kedia
(Consultant, ICRIER).
ii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the annual conference of
tax officers in September, had observed that the Income-tax Act, 1961 was
drafted more than 50 years ago and it needs to be redrafted.
8. BRICS BANK APPROVES $400 MILLION LOANS FOR INDIA, RUSSIA
i. New Development Bank floated by BRICS nations has approved two
infrastructure and sustainable development projects in India and Russia with
loans of $400 million.
ii. In India, funds procured by means of NDB loan will be used to
rehabilitate the Indira Gandhi canal system. In Russia, loan amount will be
used to build a toll transport corridor connecting M-5 federal highway to Ufa
city centre.
iii. These projects are in line with NDB’s primary objective to
provide financial support for infrastructure and sustainable development in
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In calendar year 2016, NDB
approved total seven projects worth $1.5 billion.
9. EMMERSON MNANGAGWA TO BE SWORN IN AS ZIMBABWE'S NEW PRESIDENT
i. Zimbabwe's former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be
sworn in as the President of the country. Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda
stated that the ruling ZANU-PF party has nominated him to fill the vacancy left
by Mr Robert Mugabe. Mr Mugabe stepped down after 37 years ruling the country.
ii. Mr Mnangagwa's dismissal from the Vice President post led the
ruling party and the military to intervene and forced Mr Mugabe to resign.
10. IKEA OPENS FIRST 'HEJ HOME' IN INDIA AT HYDERABAD
i. Swedish home furnishing major IKEA has launched its first
experiential centre 'IKEA Hej HOME' in Hyderabad, ahead of opening its first
store in the country at the same state in spring 2018.
ii. Designed for a six month duration, IKEA Hej HOME will
familiarise customers with IKEA home furnishing solutions and offer a first-hand
experience of an IKEA store.
11. SRI LANKAN PM WICKREMESINGHE VISITS TO INDIA
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lankan Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister, who arrived in India on a
four-day visit, will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi and will
also call upon President Ram Nath Kovind.
ii. Earlier in the day, Wickremesinghe participated in the opening
ceremony of the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space, which was inaugurated by
Prime Minister Modi.
OBJECTIVE
QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1. IN WHICH CITY, THE INTERNATIONAL
SEMINAR ON INDIAN SPACE PROGRAMME: ‘TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDUSTRY’ WAS INAUGURATED?
a)
New Delhi
b)
Ahmadabad
c)
Trichy
d)
Mumbai
Q2. WHICH COUNTRY IS HOSTING THE 5TH GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON CYBER
SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME?
a)
Canada
b)
China
c)
Pakistan
d)
India
Q3. NAME THE APP LAUNCHED BY PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI AT THE
INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF THE GLOBAL
CONFERENCE FOR CYBERSPACE IN NEW DELHI?
a)
udang
b)
mithra
c)
umang
d)
sankalp
ANSWERS:
1
- C 2 - A 3 - D 4 - B 5 - C
