DAILY CURRENT
AFFAIRS: 20TH MAR 2017
(DAILY NEWS INDIA)
1.
2017 INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST CONFERENCE HELD IN BIHAR
i.
The 3 days International Buddhist Conference was held at the Rajgir International
Convention Center of Nav Nalanda Mahavira Deemed University, Rajgir, Bihar.
ii.
The conference was inaugurated by His Holiness, The Dalai Lama jointly with the
Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr. Mahesh Sharma by lighting a ceremonial
lamp.
iii.
The main theme of the conference was Buddhism in the 21st Century –
Perspectives and Responses to Global Challenges and Crisis.
iv.
He also inaugurated the Nava Nalanda University’s new department of the
Buddhist Science, first of its kind in Asia.
2.
FIRST MADE-IN-INDIA TRAIN, MEDHA, FLAGGED OFF AT DADAR STATION
i.
India’s 41st homemade train for Western Railway Fleet, Medha was flagged off
for its maiden run by the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, via videoconferencing
from Dadar to Borivali at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus.
ii.
The 12-coach, made-in-India train, halted at Bandra and Andheri stations during
the transit. Medha has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in
Chennai. The train has been installed with LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.
3.
PUNJAB APPROVES 33% RESERVATION FOR WOMEN IN STATE GOVT JOBS
i.
The Punjab government led by new CM Amarinder Singh chaired his maiden Cabinet
Meeting on March 18 and announced a series of decision for the welfare of the
entire citizen of the state.
ii.
The state government has decided to provide 33% reservation for women in all
government jobs. The reservation would apply even in the contractual
appointments of women in the state government jobs.
iii.
The representation of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local
bodies would go up from 33% to 50%.
iv.
The government has also decided to provide a house to every freedom fighter
along with allocating 300 units of free electricity every month.
v.
Chief Minister has also imposed restriction on ministers and legislators from
laying the foundation stones of public projects and also on inaugurating them.
vi.
A Special Task Force in the CM’s Office would be set up to address the issue of
drug menace in the state while a sub-committee would be set up to assess the
quantum of agriculture debt on farmers and suggest ways and means to waive off
the loan.
4.
NTPC COMMISSIONS 2ND UNIT OF MOUDA SUPER THERMAL POWER STATION
i.
A Maharatna Company, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited commissioned
the second unit of 660 MW of Mouda Super Thermal Power Station Stage-II.
ii.
With this commissioning, the total capacity of NTPC, Mouda Super Thermal Power
Station and NTPC group has become 41,907 MW, 2,320 MW and 48,873 MW,
respectively.
5.
YOGI ADITYANATH TAKES OATH AS CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTAR PRADESH
i.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP, Yogi Adityanath took oath as the 32nd CM of Uttar
Pradesh at Kanshiram Smriti Upvan in Lucknow in the presence of PM Shri
Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
ii.
Ram Naik, Uttar Pradesh Governor, administered the oath of office and secrecy
to Adityanath.
iii.
Yogi Aditya Nath, a five-time Lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur, was unanimously
elected BJP legislature party leader at a meeting of the MLAs in Lucknow.
iv.
Besides, 2 deputy Chief Minister, 9 MoS (I/C), 24 cabinet ministers and 13
ministers of state also took the oath.
6.
SUN PHARMA’S DILIP SHANGHVI APPOINTED AS MEMBER ON RBI’S WESTERN BOARD
i.
The central government has appointed Dilip Shanghvi, managing director of Sun
Pharmaceuticals as a member on the western area local board of RBI.
ii.
His period of tenure is 4 years with effect from March 11, 2017.
7.
ONGC SIGNS PACT TO ACQUIRE ENTIRE STAKE OF GSPC IN KG BLOCK FOR $1.2 BILLION
i.
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation have signed definitive agreements
to buy Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation’s entire 80% stake in KG-basin
natural gas block for $1.2 billion.
ii.
The company will close the deal and pay debt-ridden GSPC the money after
getting the regulatory approvals like government nod for transfer of
participating interest and change of operatorship.
iii.
Under the farm-in and farm-out agreement, ONGC will pay $995.26 million for 3
discoveries in the KG-OSN-2001/3 block that are under trial production since
August 2014.
iv.
Jubilant Offshore Drilling Pvt Ltd and Geo Global Resources (India) Inc each
holds 10% stake in the block.
8.
AMITABH BACHCHAN LAUNCHES ‘ABC OF BREAST HEALTH’ APP
i.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan launched the World’s 1st mobile Application named
‘ABC of Breast Health’ during an event organized by the Ushalakshmi Breast
Cancer Foundation at Mumbai’s JW Marriott Hotel.
ii.
The app is launched for both IOS and Android versions and is available in Apple
and Google Play Store for free download.
iii.
Its aim is to educate the nation about every aspect of breast cancer and
non-cancer breast health issues. The app is available in 12 languages including
English, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Oriya,
Kannada, Malayalam and Assamese.
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS BASED
ON TODAY’S NEWS
Q1.
STATE OWNED PSU, NTPC COMMISSIONED THE SECOND UNIT OF 660 MW OF MOUDA SUPER
THERMAL POWER STATION STAGE-II. MOUDA SUPER THERMAL POWER STATION IS LOCATED IN
WHICH STATE?
a) Tamil Nadu
b) West Bengal
c) Karnataka
d) Maharashtra
Q2.
WHO HAS BEEN SWORN IN AS THE NEW CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTAR PRADESH?
a) Keshav Prasad Maurya
b) Yogi Adityanath
c) Raj Nath Singh
d) Amit Shah
Q3.
WHAT WAS THE THEME OF THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST CONFERENCE?
a) Buddhism in the 21st Century
b) Fountain of Buddhism and World Peace
c) Buddhism for Conflict Avoidance and Peace
Building
d) Connecting World with Buddhism
Q4.
THE FIRST MADE-IN-INDIA TRAIN NAMED ________ WAS FLAGGED OFF FROM THE DADAR
STATION TO BORIVALI AT LOKMANYA TILAK TERMINUS.
a) Vani
b) Mahasweta
c) Medha
d) Bharti
Q5.
DILIP SHANGHVI WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS A MEMBER ON THE
WESTERN AREA LOCAL BOARD OF RESERVE BANK OF INDIA, SERVES AS THE MD OF WHICH
COMPANY?
a) Accenture
b) Sun Pharmaceuticals
c) Ranbaxy
d) Larson & Turbo
ANSWERS:
1 - D 2 - B 3 - A 4 - C 5
- B
