Current Affairs 13 January 2018

1. PSLV successfully launches 31 satellites in a single flight ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its forty second flight, su...

1. PSLV successfully launches 31 satellites in a single flight

ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its forty second flight, successfully launched the 710 kg Cartosat-2 Series Remote Sensing Satellite along with 30 co-passenger satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.

• This flight is designated as PSLV-C40.
• The lift-off of PSLV-C40 occurred at 0929 hrs (9:29 am) IST from the First Launch Pad.
• After a flight lasting 16 minutes 37 seconds, the satellites achieved the polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 503 km inclined at an angle of 97.55 degree to the equator.
• In the succeeding seven minutes, Cartosat-2 series satellite, INS-1C and 28 customer satellites successfully separated from the PSLV in a predetermined sequence.
• The fourth stage of PSLV-C40 fired twice for short durations to achieve a polar orbit of 365 km height in which India’s Microsat successfully separated.
• After separation, the two solar arrays of Cartosat-2 series satellite deployed automatically and ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bengaluru took over the control of the satellite.
• The 11 kg INS-1C and the 100 kg class Microsat, the two Indian co-passenger satellites of Cartosat-2, are also being monitored and controlled from ISTRAC, Bengaluru.
• The 28 international customer satellites belong to Canada, Finland, France, Republic of Korea, UK and the USA.

2. ‘Short Film’ making competition on ‘SAUBHAGYA’ Scheme

Pradhan Mantri Har Ghar Sahaj Bijli Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) has been launched by Government of India with the objective of achieving universal household electrification by providing last mile connectivity to all household in rural and urban areas by March 2019.

• Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), a Navratna Company functioning under the purview of the Ministry of Power, is organizing a 'Short Film' making contest to create awareness about the SAUBHAGYA scheme and to involve general public as ambassadors of the programme.
• Categories of the Short Films/Videos should include
• Role of Electrification in Nation Building
• Real life stories of impact of Electrification on Women Empowerment
• Real life stories of impact of Electrification on Entrepreneurship
• Real life stories of impact of Electrification on Healthcare Improvement
• Real life stories of impact of Electrification on Education Improvement
• Real life stories of impact of Electrification on Agriculture

3. Mumbai to host first summit on Createch in India

The United Kingdom's Department for International Trade (DIT) will hold the India-UK Createch Summit in Mumbai on February 6.

• This first-of-its-kind conference will celebrate and explore the convergence of creativity and technology - Createch - and the innovations produced by its application across a range of sectors
• The conference will be followed by an evening reception marking the launch of the new VisitBritain marketing campaign in India titled 'Find Your GREAT Britain'.

4. GJEPC announces Pramod Agarwal as its new chairman

The Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) announced the appointment of the new chairman and vice-chairman after the results of the high-voltage counting for the election.

• Pramod Agarwal has been appointed as the chairman of GJEPC, while Colin Shah has been appointed as the vice-chairman for the year 2017-19.
• Agarwal will take over the reigns from the outgoing chairman Praveenshanker Pandya.

5. India's first all-women railway station in Mumbai enters Limca records

 

The first all-women station in India, Matunga on Central Railway (CR), manned by a staff of 41 women, has entered the Limca Book of Records.

• The unique initiative was taken by CR General Manager D.K. Sharma in July 2017 with the aim of empowering women.

6. Kozhikode railway station cleanest, Nizamuddin gets lowest

The Kozhikode railway station in Kerala was ranked the best by travellers while the Hazrat Nizamuddin here was given the lowest ratings in terms of cleanliness, a survey by an app-based travel portal  ixigo said.

• It also found that around 40 per cent stations, found cleanest by users, were in the south followed by 20 per cent in central India and the same in the west.
• Swarna Jayanti Rajdhani has been rated the cleanest train, while the Karnataka Express got the lowest ratings for the same.

7. Sarjubala Devi claims gold in National Women’s Boxing Championship

Former world silver-medallist Sarjubala Devi (48kg), representing Manipur, claimed the gold as well as the best boxer trophy in the National Women’s Boxing Championships.

• Sarjubala edged past Haryana’s Ritu 3-2 to clinch Manipur’s lone gold medal and her second successive national title.
• Railways Sports Promotion Board emerged overall champions.

8. Veteran Hindi writer Doodhnath Singh passes away

Eminent Hindi writer Doodhnath Singh passed away on 12 January 2018. He was 81.

• His literary journey had many milestones. He is known for his works like "Sapaat Chehre Wala Aadmi", "Aakhri Kalaam", "Nishkaasan", "Bhai Ka Shok Geet", "Dharmakshetra-Kurukshetra" and "Surang se Lautate Huye".
• Awarded the Bharat Bharti award, Singh was very active in political commentaries.