Current Affairs Today 13th September 2019 | Current Affairs News

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Daily Current Affairs PDF of 13th September  2019

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation

• The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is observed on September 12 since 2011.
• When the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a plan of action in 1978 to promote and implement technical cooperation among developing countries and also celebrates the economic, social and political developments made in recent years by regions and countries in the south.
• The General Assembly declared December 19 to be observed as the UN Day for South-South Cooperation in 2003.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

Sri Lanka flags off Pulathisi Express, a ‘Make In India’ train

• The strong ties between India and its southern neighbour Sri Lanka received a boost when a newly ‘Make in India’ train rake was flagged of from Colombo Fort Railway station. The rake of the train was manufactured in the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai.
• The train which has been inducted under an Indian Line of Credit has an on-board entertainment system, modular interiors and fully-rotating seats in Air Conditioned Chair cars for passenger comfort.
• ICF will manufacture six DEMU rakes consisting of 78 coaches in five variants. The order is being jointly executed by RITES and ICF under the India-Sri Lanka economic cooperation agreement.

Thailand first in Asia to roll out plain cigarette packaging

• Thailand becomes the first country in Asia to introduce rolled out plain cigarette packaging
• Activists say that plain cigarette packagingis an effective way to reduce the appeal of smoking.
• In 2012, Australia became the first country to require tobacco products to be sold without colourful brand logos
• Singapore is set to implement similar restrictions on packaging next year

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

PM Modi launches pension schemes, inaugurates Jharkhand

• Prime Minister NarendraModi, who was in the Jharkhand capital, launched ambitious pension schemes for farmers, shopkeepers and self-employed persons.
• The prime minister also inaugurated a new building of the Assembly and a multi-modal cargo terminal, which is expected to ease transportation in the region.
• The ‘PradhanMantriKisanMaanDhanYojana’ will help small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3000 per month, on attaining the age of 60 years.
• Farmers who are currently between 18 and 40 years of age can apply for the scheme.
• The ‘PradhanMantriLaghuVyapariMaanDhanYojana’, a pension scheme for shopkeepers and retail traders was also launched.
• Another ‘Swarojgar’ pension scheme was also rolled out for self-employed persons.
• Under both the schemes, beneficiaries between 18 and 40 years will get Rs 3,000 per month after completing 60 years of age.
• The three-storey building has been constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore.
• PM Modi laid the foundation stones online for 462 Eklavya Model Schools across the country, of which 69 will be established in 13 of Jharkhand’s 24 districts.
• The new secretariat building in the state capital will come up at an estimated cost of Rs 1238.92 crore.

Government to develop 3 Indian Institute of Skills (IIS), foundation stone laid for ISS Mumbai

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has commissioned setting up of Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) at Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kanpur. These institutes are being developed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and in not-for-profit basis.
• MSDE Minister MahendraNathPandey laid the foundation stone of Indian Institute of Skills (IIS), Mumbai. At the ceremony, Pandey said that the idea of Skill Institutes was envisioned by PM Modi during his visit to the Vocational Education and Training Center in Singapore.
• Indian Institute of Skills being developed by the Government will transform his vision into reality by being a world class skill training institute.
• ISS will focus on technology driven innovations in new-age domains such as automation, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, cyber technology, energy conservation etc.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE

Haryana CM launches two insurance schemes for traders

• Haryana Chief Minister ManoharLalKhattar launched two insurance schemes for traders.
• An insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh would be provided under the ‘MukhyamantriVyapariSamuhikNijiDurghatnaBeemaYojana’, while an insurance cover ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh would be provided under the ‘MukhyamantriVyapariKshatipurtiBeemaYojana’.
• The premium of Rs 38 crore for both the insurance schemes would be paid by the state government.
• Under the ‘MukhyamantriVyapariSamuhikNijiDurghatnaBeemaYojana’, 3.75 lakh registered traders would be provided an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.
• The benefit of insurance would beadmissible in case of an accidental death, permanent disability and damage to two body organs, or eyes or one organ or one eye.
• Haryana is the first state in the country to implement ‘MukhyamantriVyapariKshatipurtiBeemaYojana’ under which insurance benefits ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh would be provided to the traders on the basis of their turnover to compensate for loss of stock due to fire, theft, flood and earthquake, and damage to furniture and other goods.
• Khattar also announced that all the families in the state having an annual family income of Rs 1.80 lakh would be covered under the ‘Ayushman Bharat Yojana’ under which they would be provided free annual medical treatment for up to Rs 5 lakh.
• He also announced enhancement in monthlywages of ‘SafaiKaramcharis’ working in urban areas to Rs 15,000 from Rs 13,500 and in rural areas to Rs 12,500 from Rs 11,000.
• About 39,000 ‘SafaiKaramcharis’ would benefit from this decision.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

Income tax department relaxes time for applying for compounding of offences

• The income tax department has relaxed time for applying for compounding of income tax offences by launching of a one-time facility.
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued a circular relaxing the 12-month time limit for compounding application, as a one-time measure.
• The step has been taken to mitigate unintended hardship to taxpayers in deserving cases and to reduce the pendency of existing prosecution cases before the courts.
• A taxpayer or an assessee, in order to avail the facility, will have to file an application for compounding a tax offence before the competent authority, that is a Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner, Principal Director General or Director General of Income-tax department “on or before December 31, 2019”.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Karnataka Bank chief becomes Indian Banks’ Association committee member

• Mahabaleshwara MS, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karnataka Bank, has been inducted to the managing committee of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). This was announced during the annual general meeting of IBA in Mumbai.
• Mahabaleshwara has been elected unopposed from the private sector member banks’ category.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Sheikh Khalifa confers Zayed II Order on outgoing Indian envoy Navdeep Singh Suri

• The President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has bestowed the First Class Order of Zayed II on outgoing Indian Ambassador Navdeep Singh Suri, in recognition of his efforts and his contribution to the development and strengthening of friendly relations and cooperation between the two friendly countries.
• Suri has been serving as the Indian ambassador to the Gulf nation since October 2016.
• He will now be succeeded by senior diplomat PavanKapoor as the new ambassador to the UAE.

Music director UshaKhanna to get LataMangeshkar award 

• Veteran music director UshaKhanna, who created magic by giving songs like “zindagipyaarkageethai”, “chhodokalkibaatein”, and “aap to aisena the”, has been chosen for the Maharashtra government’s coveted LataMangeshkar Award.
• She has composed music for over 150 films in the male-dominated field.
• The award, which carries a cash reward of Rs.500,000, a citation and a memento shall be awarded to the 78-year old Khanna.

5 Indian women police officers honoured by UN for role in South Sudan

• Five Indian women police officers were honoured by the United Nations for their commendable services in the world body’s mission in South Sudan
• The women officers who were conferred the UN medal were ReenaYadav, Inspector, Chandigarh Police, GopikaJahagirdar, DSP, Maharashtra Police, BharatiSamantray, DSP in the MHA, RaginiKumari, Inspector in the MHA and Kamal Shekhawat, ASP, Rajasthan Police.
• The Indian women police officers received the UN medal at a medal parade in the United Nations Mission in Juba in South Sudan
• The women officers were honoured by the UN for upholding the UN mandate of protection of civilians in conflict-ridden South Sudan.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE

National Conference on ‘Criminal Activities and Radicalization in Jails: Vulnerability of Inmates and Jail Staff and their Protection’ organized by BPR&D

• The Bureau of Police Research and Development is organizing a two-day National Conference on ‘Criminal Activities and Radicalization in Jails: Vulnerability of Inmates and Jail Staff and their Protection’ on 12^thand 13^th
• The conference was inaugurated at BPR&D Headquarters by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy.
• Scheme for Modernization of Prisons – a Central Government scheme with an outlay of 1800 crore rupees that aims to create 199 new jails, 1572 additional barracks and 8568 prison staff quarters.

22nd Session of United Nations Committee on Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Held in Geneva

• The 22nd Session of the UN Committee on Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to review India took place at UNHRC, Geneva, Switzerland on September 2-3, 2019.
• The Indian delegation was headed by Mrs. Shakuntala D. Gamlin, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).
• India is a signatory of the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). It ratified this Convention on October 01, 2007 in pursuance of Article 35 of the Convention.
• India submitted its First Country Report on Status of Disability in India in November 2015, and this report has now been taken for consideration by UN Committee during the Session.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

Khanderi, India’s Second Scorpene-Class Submarine, Set To Be Commissioned

• India’s second Scorpene-class attack submarine INS Khanderi will be commissioned into the Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Mumbai on September 28.
• The conventional diesel-electric submarine has been manufactured by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai.
• The first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari had been commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2017.
• Under the Project 75 programme, India is committed to building six Scorpene-class submarines that also includes INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi. The programme has been undertaken with Transfer of Technology from Naval Group, state-run French submarine builder, which was formerly known as DCNS. INS Khanderi had been launched in January 2017.

India signs with Russian company to modernise radar missile systems on P-15 class ships

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Russian defence company JSC Rosoboronexport to modernise the radar and missile systems on the P-15 ships
• The modernisation of radar and missile systems would substantially enhance the Air Defence capability of the P-15 Ships
• There are 3 Delhi class destroyers in Indian Navy – INS Delhi, INS Mysore, INS Mumbai.
• Delhi-class warships are guided-missile destroyers with a displacement of 6,200 tonnes, a length of 163 metres and a crew of 40 officers and 310 sailors. They have a maximum speed of 32 knots (59 kilometres per hour).

DRDO hands over second ‘Netra’ early warning system to IAF

• Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over the second ‘Netra’ Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) system to the Indian Air Force (IAF)
• The indigenously-built aircraft was handed over to Western Air Command chief, Air Marshal RaghunathNambiar, at the Bathinda Air Base in Punjab.
• ‘Netra’ was Designed and developed by DRDO, with assistance from the Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems
• It is useful for surveillance, tracking, identification and classification of airborne and sea surface targets and is useful in detecting incoming ballistic missile threats.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

India Kicked Out Of Top 300 Ranking Of Universities; Only 6 Indian Institutions In Top 500 Ranking

• University of Oxford of United Kingdom has topped the ‘Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020’.
• IIScBanglore is the top Indian University in the ranking and is placed in the 301-350 bracket. This is for the first time since 2012 that no Indian University has been placed in top 300.
• IIT Ropar made a surprise entry and takes the number 1 spot among Indian varsities alongside IISc Bangalore.
• IIT Indore is the second-best university in India
• However the total number of Indian Universities in the ranking this year has increased from 49 to 56.

 Gujarat retains top spot in ‘logistics ease’ index

• Gujarat has retained its first position in the country in the ‘Logistics Ease Across Different States’ (LEADS) report 2019
• This is the second consecutive year the state has bagged the number one spot in the ranking. Punjab and Andhra Pradesh are ranked second and third, respectively
• Himachal Pradesh stood last on the chart. Bihar ranked at 20th position
• The report, was published by the Union ministry of commerce and industry, prepared with the help of consultancy firm Deloitte
• Among the union territories, Chandigarh occupied the top position followed by Delhi and Puducherry.
• Among hilly states, Tripura retained the top spot. It was followed by Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The index was based on an analysis of perceptions with regard to nine parameters, including infrastructure, quality of logistics, services, promptness of cargo delivery, regulatory processes and safety of cargo

Indo-Thailand Joint Military Exercise Maitree– 2019

• Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-2019 between India and Thailand will be conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya) from 16-29 Sep 2019.
• Indian and Royal Thailand Army (RTA) comprising 50 soldiers each will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during various counter terrorism operations in their respective countries.
• MAITREE is an annual training event which is being conducted alternatively in Thailand and India since 2006

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Tonga’s Prime Minister AkilisiPohiva passes away

• Tonga’s Prime MinisterAkilisiPohiva, has passed away at the age of 78.
• MrPohiva had served as Tonga’s prime minister since 2014, and was Tonga’s longest serving member of Parliament, coming into office in 1987.

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