Current Affairs Assam – November 2017 e-Magazine
November 16
Union Government to introduce BS-VI grade auto fuels in NCT in 2018 instead of 2020
The Petroleum Ministry in consultation with Public Oil Marketing Companies has decided for preponement of BS-VI grade auto fuels in National Capital Territory of Delhi from 1st April next year instead of 1st April 2020. This is part of government’s concerted efforts to reduce vehicular emissions and improve fuel efficiency with an aim to reduce the carbon footprints and keep a healthy environment. India has followed the regulatory pathway for fuel quality and vehicle emissions standards termed as Bharat Stage or BS.
National Press Day celebrated as 16 November
National Press Day is celebrated on November 16 to commemorate the establishment of the Press Council of India.Formed in 1966. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted media on National Press Day, which is commemorated every year on November 16, and appreciated their contribution to make India a democratic country.
The Press Council keeps a check on the quality of reportage provided by the Indian press.
Government Launched Bharat 22 ETF
The government launched the ‘Bharat 22’ exchange traded fund (ETF) managed by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, targeting an initial amount of about Rs8,000 crore.
The ETF is part of the government’s overall disinvestment programme and mirrors the S&P BSE Bharat 22 Index, which comprises select companies from the CPSE (central public sector enterprises) universe, stakes held under the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), and state-run banks.
BSE Appoints S Ravi as its New Chairman
Eminent chartered accountant Sethurathnam Ravi appointed as the chairman of the leading Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Ravi, who was a public interest director at the BSE, replaced Dhirendra Swarup. The appointment has been approved by Market regulator SEBI.
November 17
Nagaland is the first NE State to Launch POS for Paying Electricity Bills
Nagaland scripted history when it became the first State in the Northeast to launch Point of Sale (POS) facility for electricity bill payment, where the mode of payment will be cashless. The POS facility was launched at Kohima. The POS facility would now enable the consumers to pay their electricity bills as cashless transactions have been made available to them.
Moody’s Upgrades India’s Sovereign Rating for First Time in 14 Years
International rating agency Moody’s Investors Service upgraded India’s local and foreign currency issuer ratings to Baa2 from Baa3 and changed the outlook on the rating to stable from positive. Moody’s has revised the sovereign rating of India a notch above investment grade after a long gap of 14 years.
Moody’s has also upgraded India’s local currency senior unsecured rating to Baa2 from Baa3 and its short-term local currency rating to P-2 from P-3.
FACTFILE – Moody’s Investors Service (or Moody’s)
- Moody’s is the bond credit rating business of Moody’s Corporation, representing the company’s traditional line of business and its historical name.
- Moody’s, along with Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Group, is considered one of the Big Three credit rating agencies.
- The company ranks the creditworthiness of borrowers using a standardized ratings scale which measures expected investor loss in the event of default.
- Moody’s Investors Service rates debt securities in several bond market segments. These include government, municipal and corporate bonds; managed investments such as money market funds and fixed-income funds; financial institutions including banks and non-bank finance companies; and asset classes in structured finance.
- In Moody’s Investors Service’s ratings system, securities are assigned a rating from Aaa to C, with Aaa being the highest quality and C the lowest quality.
India to host Global Conference on Cyber Space for first time ever
India is also moving to a digital era, against this backdrop, focusing on a Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development, India will host the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS). The Curtain Raiser events will be held from 20th November.
It is the fifth edition of GCCS wherein international leaders, policymakers, industry experts, think tanks and cyber experts will gather to deliberate on issues and challenges for optimally using cyberspace. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the mega event.
The main goal is to promote the importance of inclusiveness and human rights in global cyber policy, to defend the status quo of an open, interoperable and unregimented cyberspace, to create political commitment for capacity building initiatives to address the digital divide and assist countries, and to develop security solutions in a balanced fashion that duly acknowledge the importance of the private sector and technical community.
November 18
Mizoram gets Rs 102.02 cr from Centre for medical college
Mizoram has received Rs 102.02 crore from Centre for setting up its first medical college.
The college, which is to be named as Mizoram Institute of Medical Education and Research (MIMER), would have 100 seats and the classes would begin after approval by Medical Council of India.
France Named as Host of 2023 Rugby World Cup
France will host the 2023 Rugby World Cup to stage one of the world’s best attended and lucrative sporting events. The country beat strong bids by South Africa and Ireland, but the award represents a repudiation of the sport’s leadership which have transformed the quadrennial tournament into a multi-million-pound enterprise.
India’s First Mega Coastal Economic Zone – Maharashtra
The government has given the go-ahead for setting up India’s first mega coastal economic zone (CEZ) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra as part of a plan to develop 14 such industrial clusters to spur manufacturing and generate jobs.The plan envisages a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore in the first phase and creation of more than 1.5 lakh jobs.
61st National Women’s Trap Champion – Shagun Chowdhary
Representing ONGC, Chowdhary is the first Indian woman trap shooter to win an Olympic berth, overcame the challenge from Punjab’s Rajeshwari Kumari to prevail 41-38 in the final.
Shagun Chowdhary- National Champion Crown- won the women’s trap event at the 61st National Shooting Championship- defeated Punjab’s Rajeshwari Kumari.
Manushi Chhillar from India won Miss World 2017 title
India’s Manushi Chhillar has won the coveted Miss World 2017 crown at a grand event in China, bringing to an end the country’s dry spell of 17 years at the top pageant contest. The first and the second runners-up were Miss Mexico, Andrea Meza and Miss England Stephanie Hill, respectively.
The 20-year-old from Haryana, who is a medical student, edged out top five contestants from England, France, Kenya and Mexico.
Point2Remember – Five Indian won won the title before MAnushi are – Reita Faria won the crown back in 1966, Aishwarya Rai won in 1994, Diana Hayden in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999, Priyanka Chopra in 2000.
FACTFILE – Miss World Crown
- Miss World is the oldest running international beauty pageant.
- It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley’s widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant.
- Alongside with its rivals, the Miss Universe and Miss Earth contests, Miss World pageant is one of the three most publicised beauty contests in the world; together with Miss International, the group is known as Big Four international beauty pageants.
Telangana and Patanjali Group join hands together to establish Food Park
Telangana government inked an MoU with the Patanjali group with an aim to set up ‘Food Park’. The Patanjali Group will set up a large food park in Telangana with units for processing edible oil, fruit pulp and spices. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Telangana government. Patanjali Group also expressed interest in developing indigenous seed varieties and animal feed value chain in the state. The MoU between the Group and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) was signed at Haridwar in the presence of Baba Ramdev and Telangana Rashtra Samithi Member of Parliament K Kavitha.
Paytm and ICICI Bank collaborate to offer short-term instant digital credit
Digital payments services company, Paytm entered into a tie-up with ICICI Bank to jointly launch ‘Paytm-ICICI Bank Postpaid’, that offers short-term credit to their common customers. The offers instant digital credit for various transactions including payment for movie tickets, bill payments, flights, as well as physical goods without any documentation or transaction fees. Under this facility, real-time credit assessment of customers is done through Big Data based algorithm of ICICI Bank.
