Current Affairs 13 March 2018

Daily current affairs 13 march 2018 for general knowledge and competation exams like ssc sbi ibps railway ias pcs etc....

Daily Current Affairs 13 March 2018

Detail Current Affairs 

ICICI Bank Launches Online Overdraft Facility For MSME Customers

ICICI Bank has launched instant overdraft ‘InstaOD’ facility for MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) customers in a completely online and paperless manner. Customers can get overdraft facility up to Rs 15 lakh for a year anytime, anywhere using the bank’s Internet and mobile banking app. The new facility will enable a few lakh of pre-qualified current account customers of the bank to instantly avail of the facility without visiting a branch and submitting physical documents. ICICI Bank will also offer the facility for instant online sanction of the overdraft facility to MSME customers of other banks shortly.

Maldives Parliament Approved Anti-Defection Bill

The Maldives Parliament has approved the anti-defection bill with retrospective effect amidst the boycott by opposition MPs. According to the bill, MPs elected on political party tickets will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties.  The bill would take effect from 13th July 2017, meaning that the 12 MPs that switched to the Opposition last year would lose their seats. The bill was passed with 35 votes as opposition MPs continued to boycott the settings.

Union Government To Institute Award For Best Investigators Of Crime

The union government decided to institute an award for carrying out the best investigation of crime for promoting high professional standards among police forces. The award - Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation - will be given to the best investigators of police forces of States, Union Territories, and central investigating agencies.  Based on the average crime data for the last three years, a total of 162 medals will be awarded every year. Out of these, 137 will be for the states and Union territories and 25 for the central investigating agencies - National Investigation Agency, CBI and Narcotics Control Bureau.

State Bank of India Reduces Charges On Non-Maintenance Of Minimum Balance

The country’s largest lender, SBI State Bank of India slashed charges for non-maintenance of Average Monthly Balance (AMB) in savings accounts by nearly 75 percent. The revised charges will be effective from April 01, 2018 and will benefit over 25 crore customers. The charges for non-maintenance of AMB for customers in Metro and Urban centers have been reduced from a maximum of Rs 50 per month to Rs 15 per month. Similarly, for Semi-Urban and Rural centers, the charges have been reduced from Rs 40 every month to Rs 12 and Rs 10 GST charges will be applicable over and above the rates specified above.

India Announces USD 100 Ml LoC For Mauritius

India announced a new Line of Credit of USD 100 million for defense procurement by Mauritius as the two sides signed many agreements on the second day of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit. The agreements were signed after President Kovind held delegation-level talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and members of his Cabinet. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches number of schemes for poor in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a number of schemes for the poor in Varanasi and emphasized on harnessing solar energy for cooking.  After inaugurating a 101-megawatt solar power plant in Mirzapur along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr. Modi laid the foundation stone of various development projects worth over Rs. 800 crores in Varanasi.  He also flagged off a new train - Kanshi-Patna Jan Shatabdi Express - between Varanasi and Patna. The Prime Minister also announced Ayushman Bharat scheme to ensure better healthcare facilities for the poor.

Central Government Forms Tribunal To Solve Mahanadi Water Dispute Between Odisha & Chhattisgarh

The Centre constituted a three-member Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over sharing the river's water. Supreme Court Judge AM Khanwilkar will be the Chairman of the tribunal, with Justice Ravi Ranjan of the Patna High Court and Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar of the Delhi High Court being the other two members.  The apex court had sought to refer the dispute to a Tribunal for adjudication under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Delhi End TB Summit and to launch Tuberculosis Free India Campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Delhi End TB Summit in New Delhi. The summit is being co-hosted by the Health Ministry, WHO South East Asia Regional Office and Stop TB Partnership.  He will also launch Tuberculosis Free India Campaign. The campaign will take the activities of National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB elimination forward in a mission mode.  The NSP is backed by a funding of over 12,000 crore rupees over the next three years to ensure that every TB patient has access to quality diagnosis, treatment, and support.  The new NSP adopts a multi-pronged approach which aims to Detect all TB patients, with an emphasis on reaching TB patients seeking care from private providers and undiagnosed TB in high-risk populations.

Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill And Chit Funds Amendment Bill Introduced In Lok Sabha

The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Bill will help in laying down measures to deter economic offenders from evading the process of law by remaining outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts. The cases where the total value involved in such offenses is Rs. 100 crore or more, will come under the purview of the Bill. Minister of State for Finance, Shiv Pratap Shukla introduced the Bill.  The Minister also introduced the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill-2018. The amendment is aimed at facilitating the orderly growth of the chit funds sector and remove bottlenecks being faced by the industry and enabling greater financial access of people to other financial products.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Macron Jointly Inaugurate Solar Power Plant At Mirzapur In Uttar Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated 101-megawatt solar power plant at Dadar Kala village in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The largest solar projects in the country have been set up by French company ENGINE.  The company was awarded the project in 2016 with the cost of Rs. 680 crore. Solar Energy Corporation of India has signed Power purchase agreement for 25 years with the company.

 Short Current Affairs

International Current Affairs

1. World Ocean Summit 2018 concluded in Mexico

World Ocean Summit was held recently in Mexico's Riviera Maya.

• It's a chance for business, government and environmental leaders to talk about the problems facing the world's seas and to come up with solutions to protect the planet's vast ocean resources.
• UN's environmental director says governments need to take more responsibility for the world's oceans.

National Current Affairs

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate The Delhi End TB Summit

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate The Delhi End TB Summit at Vigyan Bhawan in the capital.

• The Summit will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and Stop TB Partnership.
• The Prime Minister will launch Tuberculosis Free India Campaign on this occasion.
• TB free India Campaign will take the activities of National Strategic Plan for TB elimination forward in Mission mode.
• The National Strategic Plan for TB elimination is backed by funding of over 12,000 crore rupees over the next three years to ensure every TB patient has access to quality diagnosis, treatment, and support.

3. Bengal tops in rural job scheme, TN is second

  

West Bengal has become the best performing State both in terms of allotting jobs and utilizing funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

• According to statistics recently provided in Rajya Sabha by the Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav, West Bengal generated more than 28.21 crore work days under the scheme so far in 2017-18 and spent more than Rs 7,335.31 crore for it.
• He also said that Tamil Nadu occupied the second spot with 22.17 crore work days and spent Rs 5,981.75 crore.

4. India's first coastal policing academy set up

The Union home ministry recently sanctioned the launch of the National Academy of Coastal Policing (NACP) located in coastal Okha in the newly created Devbhoomi Dwarka district.

• It will be created and run by a multi-agency team of paramilitary and defence forces and sharpen the response and skills of the marine forces of multiple states which have sea lines.

5. National Conference on Counterfeiting & Role of Enforcement Agencies

The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), a professional body under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, is organizing a National Conference on Counterfeiting and Role of Enforcement Agencies on 13th-14th March, 2018 in New Delhi, in collaboration with European Union (EU).

• Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhu will inaugurate this two-day conference in the presence of DIPP Secretary Shri Ramesh Abhishek.
• Counterfeiting has grown considerably to a point where it has become a widespread phenomenon with a global impact.
• Counterfeiting, other than causing an erosion on the brand value, reputation and goodwill of the manufacturers and owners of IP, leads to social and economic consequences resulting in huge economic losses in terms of lost taxes and revenues.
• It leads to diversion of funds earned therefrom to other illegal activities; counterfeit products put a threat to consumers' health and safety as well.

6. One Day Conference on Command Area Development

A one-day Conference on Command Area Development is being organised by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation on March 13, 2018 at CSMRS Auditorium, New Delhi.

• The Conference is to be inaugurated by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation,  Road Transport & Highways and Shipping as Chief Guest.
• Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Parliamentary Affairs will be the guest of honour.
• The Conference is being organised to promote awareness on Command Area Development and Water Management (CADWM) amongst the 18 participating states in which Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) projects are being implemented.
• It involves the concerned Central and State Government agencies as well as non-governmental organisations active in the area.

7. Centre Constitutes Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal

• The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has issued a notification today constituting the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal. The Tribunal will have its headquarters at Delhi and will have the following members nominated by the Chief Justice of India:
• Mr Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, Judge, Supreme Court of India as Chairman
• Dr Justice Ravi Ranjan, Judge, Patna High Court as Member
• Mrs Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar, Judge, Delhi High Court as Member

The Tribunal has been constituted following orders of the Supreme Court dated 23rd January, 2018 in a suit filed by the Government of Odisha.

• The Government of Odisha had sought to refer the water dispute regarding the inter-state river Mahanadi and its river valley to a Tribunal for adjudication under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

Business News

8. KVGB rolls out loan scheme for women entrepreneurs

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) has launched ‘Vikas She Plus’, a loan scheme for women to take up new ventures or for expanding/modifying the existing enterprises.

• This scheme provides loan up to a maximum of Rs 2 lakh with a repayment period of 60 months.
• The bank has disbursed loans amounting to Rs 22 crore to about 2,500 women beneficiaries on the day of launch itself.

9. Passport details must for loans of Rs 50 cr and above

Passport details of borrowers taking loans of Rs 50 crore and more have been made mandatory to ensure a swift action in case of fraud and prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country.

• Passport details will help banks to take timely action and inform the relevant authorities to prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country.

Important Appointments

10. Sitanshu Kar to be next head of PIB

All India Radios News Services Division (NSD) Director General Sitanshu Kar will be the next head of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) after superannuation of Frank Noronha on April 30.

• Kar, a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, will take charge as PIB head on May 1.
• Doordarshan News DG Ira Joshi will hold additional charge of DG of AIRs NSD with immediate effect.

Important Awards

11. India Was Awarded “Best Exhibitor” Award for Australia and Oceania Category

India, was awarded “Best Exhibitor” Award for Australia and Oceania category at the World`s Tourism exhibition at "Internationale Tourismus Borse" (ITB) 2018 in Messe, Berlin, Germany.

• Briefing media persons after his participation in ITB Berlin, Germany held from 7-10 March 2018 Shri K. J. Alphons, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism shared two big achievements of India Tourism at ITB 2018.
• He said that the Icing on the cake was the tremendous success of the Ministry of Tourism’s new campaign Film “Yogi on the Race Track” which he had launched during his press conference in ITB.
• Since its launch on 7th March 2018, till date the film has had 7 Million views on twitter and this is growing each hour.
• More than 100 countries participated in the ITB-Berlin meet with their respective Tourism Ministers.

 Note :- google is the  Image source of current affairs.