Current Affairs 3 February 2018

International Current Affairs 1. India joins Ashgabat agreement India has joined the Ashgabat agreement which envisages setting...

International Current Affairs

1. India joins Ashgabat agreement

India has joined the Ashgabat agreement which envisages setting up of an international transport and transit corridor linking central Asia with the Persian Gulf to significantly ramp up trade and investment.

• Turkmenistan, as depository State of Ashgabat Agreement, informed on February 1 that all the four founding members have consented to the Accession of India.
• Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Uzbekistan signed the agreement on April 25, 2011.
• In October 2016, Pakistan had formally joined the project. Kazakhstan is also a part to this agreement.

National Current Affairs

2. PM to address the inaugural session of Advantage Assam - Global Investors Summit

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will address the inaugural session of Advantage Assam - Global Investors Summit 2018, in Guwahati on February 3, 2018.

• The two-day Summit will be the largest ever investment promotion and facilitation initiative by the Government of Assam.
• The Summit aims at highlighting the geo-strategic advantages offered to investors by Assam.

3. Yogi Adityanath inaugurates Surajkund Mela in Haryana

 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Surajkund Mela on 2 February, in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

• The 17-day-long event, which is in its 32nd edition, showcases India’s rich cultural diversity, crafts and handiworks.
• The Mela this year has the culture of Uttar Pradesh as its theme and focuses upon child rights violations across India.
• All of India’s states and 20 countries are participating in the festival.
• Surajkund is located in Faridabad in Haryana.

4. Centre sanctions Rs 1,500 cr for organic farming in Uttarakhand

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for three years to promote organic farming in Uttarakhand.

• The amount was sanctioned by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh when Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met him in New Delhi.
• The Union minister also cleared a proposal worth Rs 2,600 crore for the co-operative sector in the state. Of which, Rs 200 crore is meant for the reorganisation of sugar mills.

Business

5. Inland Waterways Authority of India signs agreement with World Bank

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a project agreement with the World Bank, even as the latter entered into a US $ 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP).

• The signing of the Agreement follows the approval of  the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, for the implementation of the US $ 800 million JMVP for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1(River Ganga) from Varanasi to Haldia.
• Out of the remaining amount, US $ 380 million is to be sourced through the Government of India counterpart funds from budgetary allocation and proceeds from the bond issue.
• Another US $ 45 million will come from private sector participation under the PPP mode.
• The JMVP, which is expected to be completed by March, 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank.
• The project will enable commercial navigation of vessels with the capacity of 1500-2,000 tons on NW-I.

6. Cochin Shipyard Limited signs MoU with Russian firm

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and  Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate and engage in Design, Development and Execution of contemporary, State-of-Art vessels for Inland and Coastal Waterways.

• CSL and USC will collaborate for development of High-Speed Vessels, River-Sea Cargo Vessels, Passenger Vessels, Dredgers, and other watercrafts for inland waterways and coastal shipping.
• The MoU will give a push to the Government’s Make-in-India programme, as also  its plans to develop eco-friendly and economic transportation along India’s inland waterways and coastal shipping routes under SAGARMALA.

7. Government nominates two directors to RBI central board

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that the Centre has nominated two directors to its central board.

• The central government has nominated Prasanna Kumar Mohanty and Dilip S. Shanghvi as directors to the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India for a period upto February 8, 2021 and March 10, 2021 respectively.

Appointments

8. Thanglura Darlong appointed Ambassador of India to the Romania

Shri Thanglura Darlong (IFS: 1988) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Romania.

• He is expected to take up his assignment shortly. He is presently CLO, South Asian University, New Delhi.

Awards

9. Shabnam Asthana wins Times Power Woman 2017 award

The Times Group recently celebrated the invaluable contribution of women by introducing The Times Power Woman 2017 (Pune) awards.

• Shabnam Asthana was awarded the 'Times Power Women of the Year 2017'- for Global PR.
• The award was conferred on her by Dilip Kamble, Minister of State for Social Justice and Special Assistance in the Government of Maharashtra.

Sports Current Affairs

10. India Open Boxing: Mary Kom Clinches Gold

M C Mary Kom claimed a gold but the Indian men's juggernaut was denied a complete sweep by traditional powerhouses Cuba and Uzbekistan on an exciting final day of the India Open boxing tournament in New Delhi.

• Mary Kom won against Filipino Josie Gabuco 4-1 en route to her gold in the 48kg class among women.
• She had also claimed a gold medal at the 2015 Nation's Cup in Serbia.

11. Vidarbha claims U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy

Vidarbha Under-19 cricket team once again proved their excellence as they clinched their maiden Cooch Behar trophy after claiming the maiden Ranji Trophy title earlier this season.

• The U-19 team defeated Madhya Pradesh on the basis of first innings lead in the final held at Nagpur.
• Captain and opener Atharva Taide led from the front as he struck 320 runs to power Vidarbha to a massive 614 for the loss of ten wickets.
• Earlier Madhya Pradesh scored 289 in their first innings.