Current Affairs 21 January 2018

1. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban Launches Smart Star-Rating Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban A...

1. Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban Launches Smart Star-Rating

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs along with the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar launched the ‘Protocol for Star Rating of Garbage-Free Cities’ in Goa.

• The star-rating initiative, developed by the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban will be rating cities on a 7-star rating system based on multiple cleanliness indicators.
• Cities can be rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 star based on their compliance with the protocol conditions specified for each of the rating.
• Further city should be ODF(Open Defecation Free) before it could be given rating of 3 star or above.
• While cities may self-declare themselves as 1-star, 2-star or 4-star, MoHUA will carry out an additional verification through an independent third party to certify cities as 3-star, 5-star or 7-star.
• Cities will need to get recertified themselves every year to retain their star-status.

2. Fourth India International Science Festival to be held in Lucknow

The fourth edition of the India International Science Festival will be held in Lucknow. 

• The decision to hold the Festival in Lucknow was taken at the first preparatory meeting for the 4th India International Science Festival (IISF) chaired by Union Minister for Science & Technology, Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• The 1st IISF was held at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) New Delhi in December, 2015.

3. Delhi launches Girl Child Week

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched Girl Child Week programme to celebrate the girl child and spread awareness on gender equality.

• The Girl Child Week is held from 18 January to 24 January 2018.
• 24 January is celebrated as National Girl Child Day.

4. AU Small Finance Bank inks MoU with LIC to offer PMJJBY scheme

Banking finance company AU Small Finance Bank has signed an MoU with LIC to offer Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), a company official said.

• Under the MoU, LIC will give a life cover of Rs 2 lakh in case of death to the customer at a nominal premium of Rs 330 per annum.
• The aim is to provide best services to the customers under one roof, MD and CEO of the company, Sanjay Agarwal said in a statement.
• The Hindu Business Line

5. ONGC acquires 51.11pc of Govt stake in HPCL

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), the largest producer of crude oil and natural gas in India, has acquired the government’s shareholding of 51.11 per cent in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)

• ONONGC Board on January 19, 2018 considered the proposal and approved acquisition of the entire 51.11 per cent shareholding at a cash purchase consideration of Rs 473.97 per share with a total acquisition cost of Rs 36,915 crore.

6. Mercedes-Benz becomes first to launch BS-VI, locally made car

German auto major Mercedes-Benz unveiled a BS-VI-compliant S Class produced at its Pune facility, more than two years ahead of the government deadline of April 2020 for switching to new emission norms.

• Along with the unveiling of the new car, the company also received the certificate of compliance to the CMVR (Central motor vehicles rule) from the Automotive Research Association of India.

7. Iconic cartoonist Chandi Lahiri passes away

Cartoonist Chandi Lahiri breathed his last after a brief period of illness, marking the end of a chapter in Bengal's history of cartoon. Lahiri was 86.

• He began his career in 1952 at the 'Dainik Loksevak' newspaper as a reporter and took to drawing cartoons in 1961.
• A year later, he joined 'Anandabazaar Patrika' and continued there for 50 years before working with other media outlets.

8. President Kovind unveils book on self development in Delhi

President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a book on heartfulness techniques and principles titled 'The Heartfulness Way'.

• Authored by Kamlesh Patel, the book promises to be a treat for those who are curious about what is heartfulness and how it can change our day-to-day lives.
• The Heartfulness Way has already achieved the Number One Best-Seller Status on Amazon with pre-orders flooding the website.