Current Affairs: January 29th, 2018

January 29th, 2018

1. India overtakes the US to become the world’s third-largest steel producer and the country is now looking to obtain the second spot from Japan.

• India’s crude steel production grew by 6.2 percent to 101.4 million tonnes (MT) in 2017 compared to 95.5 MT in the previous year, a report by World Steel Association said.
• China remained the world leader by producing 831.7 MT in 2017, up 5.7 percent from 786.9 MT in the year-ago period. Japan, the second largest global steel producer, witnessed a negative growth as steel output declined by 0.1 percent to 104.7 MT in 2017 from 104.8 MT in 2016.

2. Himachal CM ‘Jai Ram Thakur’ launches ‘Shakti’ app for Women’s Safety in the state.

• The app was developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the HP government, available in both Hindi & English languages and would not require internet connectivity.
• The objective of the app to the helpline is to fight crimes against women in the state without internet connectivity.
• Mr. Thakur also launched the ‘GUDDIYA’ helpline number 1515 and the ‘Hoshiyar Singh’ helpline number 1090.
• The ‘Hoshiyar Singh’ helpline would be monitored by the CM’s office in a 24×7 basis, and the government would use information gathered on this helpline to come down heavily on the drug, forest and mining mafias.
• Static Part: Himachal Pradesh:- Governor-Acharya Dev Vrat|Chail Sanctuary, Kalatop-Khajjiar Sanctuary, Maharana Pratap Sagar Sanctuary and Simbalbara Sanctuary|Great Himalayan National Park, Renuka Sanctuary, Shri Nainadevi Sanctuary and Pin Valley National Park| are some wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Himachal Pradesh.

3. Economic Survey predicts 6.75 % GDP growth for current fiscal, 7 to 7.5 % for 2018-19.

• Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian said implementing GST and responding quickly to transitional challenges are among the major achievements of the government in the past year.
• He said the average retail inflation has declined to a six-year low of 3.3 percent in 2017-18, with the economy moving towards a more stable price regime. He said, Since November 2016 there has been an increase in income tax files and GST taxpayers increased by 50 percent.

4. External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj will be visiting Kathmandu from 1-2 February.

• The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level political exchanges between India and Nepal and reflects the expanding bilateral partnership and the importance that the two countries attach to further strengthening it across diverse sectors.
• Static Part:1. Mrs. Sushama Swaraj:- Vidisha constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
  2.Nepal:- Capital- Kathmandu|Currency- Nepalese rupee|PM- Sher Bahadur Deuba.

5. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu conferred lifetime achievement award to badminton player Prakash Padukone.

• Mr. Naidu said that he remembered the playing days and the medals won in the honor of the country by Padukone despite lack of sports facilities in India during the 1980s. Mr. Naidu said that talent and merit should be felicitated.
• The Mysuru-born Mr. Padukone had won gold medals at the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the All England Championships in 1980.

6. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi released a postage stamp on former India football captain Dr. TalimerenAo on his birth centenary at Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex playground at Paltan Bazar in Guwahati.

• Dr. Talimeren Ao, an ace footballer who was born on January 28, 1918, was instrumental in popularizing football in Assam. He was captain of the Indian Football Team in their first official match in 1948 London Olympics.
• Governor Prof Mukhi said that Dr. T. Ao was the man behind in promoting and popularising football in India and more particularly in Assam. He also said that besides being a footballer, T. Ao was a doctor by profession who worked as an Assistant Civil Surgeon.
• Static Part: Assam:-Chief minister-Sarbananda Sonowal|Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park,  Dibru Saikhowa National Park are at Assam.

7. Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto declares his re-election for the new six-year term.

• President Sauli Niinisto of Finland was elected to a second six-year term, avoiding a second-round runoff by capturing over 60 percent of the votes.
• Static Part: Finland:- Capital- Helsinki|Currency- Euro.

8. Delhi to get its first ever Haj house in 2019.

• The Delhi government has prepared the building layout for the city’s first ever Haj house which will be open to the public from mid-2019.
• It is Located in Dwarka Sector 22, the centrally air-conditioned Haj house will have state-of-the-art facilities, including prayer halls and VIP suites. The ₹93.47-crore house will have the capacity to accommodate around 350 pilgrims at a time.

9. Vijay Keshav Gokhale takes charge as Foreign Secretary.

• Diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale (1981-batch Indian Foreign Service officer) took charge as the foreign secretary. He succeeded S Jaishankar.
• Currently, Mr. Gokhale is serving as the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

 

10. A three-day international bird festival will be held at the Dudhwa National Park from February 9 with nearly 200 leading ornithologists expected to attend Uttar Pradesh.

• The purpose of the international bird festival is to promote eco-tourism in Dudhwa and to give it a distinct international identity besides highlighting its traditional Tharu arts, culture, and heritage, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
• During the three-day event, the bird experts would visit various parts of Dudhwa to gather information about the 450 bird species existing there.
• Eminent documentary maker Mike Pandey would act as the brand ambassador of the festival.
• Static Part: Some of the wildlife reserves in UP:- Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary.

11. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik released a book on his father — The Tall Man Biju Patnaik — written by Sundar Ganesan.

• The book on Biju Patnaik “was found scattered all over the world in countries like Indonesia, France, Germany, USA, Russia, Singapore, and other places”.
• State leaders from all parties also attended the event. Former President Pranab Mukherjee said he was “honored (to be invited) because a short man like me will speak of a truly tall man, Shri Biju Patnaik”. He spoke of their mutual good relations, although politically they were not on the same side. Mukherjee also provided anecdotes reminiscing Biju Patnaik’s passion for rapid industrialization of India.
• Former Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani said, “The moment one reads the book, one starts respecting Biju Patnaik.”
• Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said, “I strongly feel and recommend that the government of India should confer Bharat Ratna on Biju (Patnaik) for his exemplary service before and after Independence.”
• Static Part: Odisha:- Governor- Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir|Simlipal National Park, Bhitarkanika National Park, Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary are in Odisha.

12. Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle To Get Yash Chopra Memorial Award for her exceptional contribution to the Hindi film industry.

• She will be the fifth winner of the award.
• Previous recipients are Asha Bhosale’s elder sister and Bollywood playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, and actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, and Shah Rukh Khan.
• Evergreen Asha Bhosle has been giving playback in Hindi films for nearly seven decades, earning her an entry into the Guinness World Records for recording over 11,000 songs in 20 different languages.