Crrent Affairs 31 January 2018

1. India 6th wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion: Report India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest c...

1. India 6th wealthiest country with total wealth of $8,230 billion: Report

India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with total wealth of USD 8,230 billion, while the United States topped the chart, says a report.

• According to a report by New World Wealth, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world as the total wealth held in 2017 amounted to USD 64,584 billion.
• It was followed by China at the second place with USD 24,803 billion and Japan with USD 19,522 billion at third.

2. Stree Swabhiman Initiative launched for Women Health and Hygiene

The Information Technology and Electronics Ministry of the country has announced to launch the new scheme initiative under Stree Swabhiman Drive.

• The new initiative has been introduced by the Ministry and CSC to ensure and maintain perfect health for Women and at the same time to maintain Health Hygiene.

3. Indian, Vietnamese armies hold first military exercise

 

Armies of India and Vietnam have began a six day-long military exercise in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

• It is the first military exercise between the two countries.
• The exercise named 'VINBAX' will continue for six days.
• India and Vietnam have been exploring ways to strengthen defence cooperation.

4. Prime Minister to launch Khelo India School Games in the Capital

 

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch the first Khelo India School Games at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on January 31, 2018.

• The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establishing India as a great sporting nation.
• Talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by a High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.
• The Khelo India School Games are being held from 31st January to 8th February, 2018 in New Delhi.
• Under-17 athletes have been invited to participate across 16 disciplines.

5. India and World Bank sign $100 Million Project for Tamil Nadu

The Government of India and the World Bank have signed a $100 million Loan Agreement that is expected to promote rural enterprises, facilitate their access to finance, and create employment opportunities for youth, particularly women, in selected blocks of Tamil Nadu across 26 districts, directly benefitting over 400,000 people.

• The Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project will create an enabling environment for producer organizations and enterprises to promote businesses across select value chains. Based on the analysis, communities will identify commodities and subsectors in the value chain for preparing business plans.
• Thirty percent of the financing for these business plans will be through a matching grant program from the project and the remaining 70 percent will be leveraged from other financial institutions.

6. India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) sign $250 Million Loan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $250 million loan to finance the construction of 6,254 kilometers all-weather rural roads in the States of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal under the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Program (PMGSY).

• The First Tranche Loan is part of the $500 million Second Rural Connectivity Investment Program for India approved by the ADB Board in December 2017.
• The program is aimed at improving rural connectivity, facilitating safer and more efficient access to livelihood and socio-economic opportunities for rural communities through improvements to about 12,000 kilometers Rural Roads across the 5 States.

7. SBI inks information utility pact with NeSL

State Bank of India said it has signed an Information Utility (IU) agreement with National E-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL) to share financial and security information under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IU) regulation 2017.

• NeSL is the first IU registered with IBBI.
• The company has been set up by 17 financial institutions, including State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, ICICI Bank.

8. Venkiah Naidu confers BAI's Lifetime Achievement Award on Padukone

Vice President Venkiah Naidu conferred Badminton Association of India (BAI) Lifetime Achievement Award to 1983 World Championship medallist Prakash Padukone.

• The Mysuru-born Prakash had won gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the All England Championships in 1980.

9. Global Recognition for Dr Vinod Paul, Member, NITI Aayog

Dr Vinod Paul, Member, NITI Aayog has been awarded the prestigious IhsanDoğramacı Family Health Foundation Prize by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

• He is the first Indian to receive this global honour, which is conferred in recognition to his services in the field of family health.
• The award, confirmed by the WHO Executive Board on 27thJanuary, will be presented to Dr Paul formally at the World Health Assembly to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2018.
• He was chosen unanimously from six other shortlisted candidates from Algeria, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Russian Federation, Uzbekistan.

10. Sunil Chhetri’s birthday to be celebrated as Delhi’s Football Day

Football Delhi honoured the Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri and announced his birthday to be celebrated as Delhi’s Football Day.

• The 33-year-old Sunil has appeared in 97 International matches for India and scored 56 goals for the national team since his first appearance in 2005.
• Football Delhi also decided to celebrated Coach Santosh Kashyap’s birthday ‘June 12′ as Football Delhi’s Coach Education Day.

11. Maharashtra BJP MP Chintan Wanaga dead

A senior BJP MP from Maharashtra Chintaman Wanaga died in New Delhi at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. He was 67.

• Mr. Wanaga, who was born on June 1, 1950, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Palghar in Maharashtra.
• He was a Member of the 11th and the 13th Lok Sabha as well.