DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 6 DEC 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
SHARED BY: WWW.DAILYGK.IN
1. 3RD DRC-NITI AAYOG DIALOGUE HELD IN CHINA
i. The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog
and the Development Research Council of China, the DRC- NITI Aayog Dialogue was
held in Beijing. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog, Dr.
Rajiv Kumar, and Mr Li Wei, President (Minister), DRC.
ii. The two sides agreed that the 4th NITI Aayog - DRC
Dialogue will be convened in India in 2018.
The dialogue took place under the MOU between NITI Aayog and the
Development Research Centre, State Council of the China.
2. INDIA AND GERMANY SIGN GOVT- TO-GOVT UMBRELLA AGREEMENT
i. The Government to Government Umbrella Agreement between
India and Germany concerning Financial Cooperation in 2016 (II) under the
Indo-German Development Cooperation was signed to formalize an amount up to
Euro 200 million for the Financial Cooperation in form of loan for the project
‘Climate Friendly Urban Mobility III’ and Euro 11 million Accompanying measures
in form of grant for four projects.
ii. The 4 projects under the Agreements signed are as
follows- a. Loan Agreement for the project “Community based sustainable Forest
Management – Component I Manipur” was signed for a loan of Euro 15 million. Its Objectives is to Restoration
of degraded forests, reclamation of abandoned shifting cultivation areas,
biodiversity & water resources conservation.
b. Loan Agreement for the project “Madhya Pradesh Urban
Sanitation and Environment Programme” for Euro 50 million Reduced Interest Loan
and Euro 2.5 million grant. Its Objective is to improve facilities for water
supply, sanitation and sewerage treatment plan.
c. Loan Agreement for the project “Sustainable Urban
Infrastructure Development Odisha – Phase II" for EUR 55 Million Reduced
Interest Loan with EUR 2 Million as Grant. Its Objective is to improve Urban
Infrastructure by linking them with Government priority.
d. Loan Agreement for the project “Green Energy Corridor –
Intra-State Transmission System in Maharashtra” for EUR 12 million Reduced
Interest loan. Its Objective is to project is to put in place a transmission
system for evacuating renewable energy.
3. UPS SHAMLI DISTRICT INCLUDED IN NCR
i. Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district was included in the
National Capital Region, taking the total number of districts in the NCR to 23.
ii. Cities in the NCR get funds at "attractive"
interest rates from the National Capital Region Planning Board for
infrastructure development. The decision to include Shamli in the NCR was taken
at the 37th meeting of the NCRPB.
4. ADB FUNDS $583 MILLION FOR RELIANCE’S BANGLADESH POWER PLANT
PROJECT
i. The Asian Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved
debt financing and partial risk guarantees totaling $583 million to develop the
Reliance Bangladesh Liquefied Natural Gas and Power Project.
ii. The financing package of ADB includes loans and partial
risk guarantees for the power generation facility, as well as for the LNG
terminal and the power project, being set up for $1 billion.
5. ELLIE GOULDING HONORED AS UN ENVIRONMENT GLOBAL GOODWILL
AMBASSADOR
i. British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding signed as a
Global Goodwill Ambassador for UN Environment, joining the fight to save the
lives and habitats of people and animals by cleaning up our air and seas,
fighting climate change and protecting species.
ii. Ellie is also backing UN Environment’s #CleanSeas
campaign.
6. INDIA’S LARGEST FLOATING SOLAR POWER PLANT OPENS IN KERALA
i. The largest-ever floating solar power plant in India
inaugurated by state power minister MM Man at the Banasura Sagar dam in
Wayanad. The solar power plant that floats on the surface of the water has a
capacity of 500 kilowatts.
ii. The solar plant consists of 1,938 solar panels with a
capacity of 260 watts, a 500 kilovolt-ampere transformer, and 17 inverters.
iii. Constructed by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Ad tech
Systems, the plant will generate seven lakh units of power in a year. The total
cost of the project is Rs. 9.25 cr.
7. INDIAN-AMERICAN SENATOR HARRIS TOPS GLOBAL THINKERS LIST
i. Indian-American California senator Kamala Harris has
topped the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine's 2017 list of '50 Leading
Global Thinkers' which also features US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.
ii. Besides Harris and Haley, Indian-origin stand-up
comedian Hasan Minhaj has also made it to the list. South Korean President Moon
Jae-in is ranked second in the list for trying to rebuild decent democratic
leadership in South Korea.
iii. Popular comedian Minhaj is placed third in the ranking
for defining the narrative of a "New Brown America".
8. AMITABH BACHCHAN LAUNCHES BOOK ON INDIAN CINEMA
i. Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan launched a book
based on Indian cinema in showbiz capital Mumbai. The book, titled 'Bollywood:
The Films! The Songs! The Stars!', is a coffee table book, which provides
historical insights, lesser-known facts and behind-the-scenes exclusives of the
most iconic movies made in the history of the Indian film industry.
ii. The book is co-authored by S.M.M. Ausaja, Karan Bali,
Rajesh Devraj and Tanul Thakur, the book on India's tinsel town is published by
British multinational publishing company Dorling Kindersley.
9. VENEZUELA LAUNCHES NEW VIRTUAL CURRENCY NAMED PETRO
i. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the
creation of a new virtual currency named 'Petro' in a bid to ease the country's
economic crisis.
ii. The Petro would be backed by Venezuela's oil, gas, gold
and diamond wealth.
10. UAE, UK, US AND FRENCH ARMIES HOLD JOINT EXERCISES IN ABU DHABI
i. UAE Armed Forces along with the UK, US and French armies
are participating in joint exercises in Abu Dhabi. The drill code is named as
“Flag4”.
ii. The two-week long joint exercise aims to increase combat
efficiency, gain more field expertise, and work to unify military concepts
among participating parties.
11. WORLD SOIL DAY: 05 DECEMBER
i. The World Soil Day is celebrated on 5 December globally.
It aims to communicate messages on the importance of soil quality for food
security, healthy ecosystems and human well-being.
ii. The Theme for Soil Day 2017 was ‘Caring for the Planet
starts from the Ground’. WSD is celebrated at the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations.
OBJECTIVE
QUESTIONS BASED ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1. WHICH STATE LAUNCHED
INDIA'S LARGEST FLOATING SOLAR POWER PLANT?
a) Kerala
b) Andhra Pradesh
c) Telangana
d) West Bengal
Q2. THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK HAS APPROVED HOW MUCH FUND FOR
RELIANCE BANGLADESH LIQUEFIED NATURAL
GAS?
a) $783 million
b) $583 million
c) $483 million
d) $683 million
Q3. WHICH COUNTRY RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF A NEW
CRYPTOCURRENCY TO COMBAT ITS ECONOMIC CRISIS?
a) Greece
b) Egypt
c) Venezuela
d) Chile
Q4. WHICH DISTRICT OF
UTTAR PRADESH HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION?
a) Bijnor district
b) Saharanpur
district
c) Shamli district
d) Jaunpur district
Q5. WHAT IS THE THEME OF THE 2017 WORLD SOIL DAY?
a) Caring for the
Planet starts from the Ground
b) Soil day for
future life
c) Soils &
Pulses: Symbiosis for life
d) Healthy soils for
a healthy life
ANSWERS:
1 - A 2 - B 3 - C 4
- D 5 - A
