Daily Current Affairs 31st October, 2017

Daily Current Affairs 31 October 2017 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Bhutan King arrives in New Delhi for four-day visit

King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, arrived in New Delhi on a four-day visit to India. He is accompanied by his wife, Queen Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.

Delhi to host 9th global green film fest

The ninth edition of CMS Vatavaran – an international film festival on environment and wildlife – will begin in New Delhi from 2nd November, showcasing 113 films, including four from Kashmir, one of the most ecologically sensitive zones facing the threat of global warming.

ERO-Net launched in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has launched the Election Commission’s web- based project, ERO-Net, using which voters can register their names on electoral rolls.

• Till date, the Electoral Roll Management System (ERMS) software was being used to make voter lists but it could not identify multiple entries of a voter. It was being replaced with ERO-Net which was a transparent mechanism to identify whether the voter was listed anywhere in the country.

Global meet on Indian space industry in November

A two-day international seminar focusing on the opportunities in the Indian space industry will be held in New Delhi from November 21.

Indian Air force contingent leaves for Israel to Participate in ‘Ex Blue Flag-17’

A 45 member contingent of the Indian Air Force left for Israel to participate in exercise ‘Blue Flag-17’. Blue Flag is a bi-annual multilateral exercise which aims to strengthen military cooperation amongst participating nations. Indian Air Force is participating with the C-130J special operations aircraft along with Garud commandos.

BANKING & FINANCE

AIIB grants Rs. 13,000 cr loan to Andhra Pradesh

China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved USD 2 million loan (Rs. 13,000 crores) for five project in Andhra Pradesh.

• The loan will be used for five projects in the state which includes two roads and buildings department, one each for rural safe drinking water department, municipal and urban development department and Panchayat Raj department.

SBI-World Bank sanction Rs 2,300 cr loans for rooftop solar projects

State-run State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the sanction of loans worth Rs 2,317 crore in collaboration with the World Bank to finance grid-connected solar rooftop projects in the country. SBI had availed line of credit facilities worth $625 million from World Bank for onward lending to viable solar rooftop projects last year.

ECONOMY

India jumps 30 ranks to 100th in World Bank’s ease of doing business list

In accordance with the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business index’, India has risen as much as 30 positions to rank 100th amongst 190 countries.

• The World Bank Group’s latest report ‘Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs’ recognises India as one of the top 10 improvers in this year’s assessment, though the report does not take into account the big bang reform of Goods and Services Tax (GST) which rolled out on July 1.
• The index is topped by New Zealand followed by Singapore and Denmark.

Ease of doing biz: India ranked 4th in protecting minority

With implementation of a series of reforms including enactment of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), India has climbed to 4th position in protecting interest of minority investors, as per the latest ‘Ease of Doing Business Report’ of the World Bank.

• This is the first time that India has figured in the top five nations in one of the parameters for determining ‘ease of doing business’.
• The list is topped by Kazakhstan.

India’s half-year fiscal deficit crosses 91% of full year target

According to the data furnished by the Comptroller General of Accounts (CGA), the Indian budgetary fiscal deficit over the first half of the current financial year at Rs 4.99 lakh crore — stood at 91.3 per cent of the full year’s target of Rs 5.46 lakh crore.

India tops list of new TB cases in 2016: Global TB Report

India tops the list of seven nations, accounting for 64 per cent of the 10.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide in 2016, said a Global TB Report 2017, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa.

BUSINESS

Thomas Cook India Group completes acquisition of Tata Capital’s Travel and Foreign Exchange Companies

Thomas Cook India Group has announced the completion of its acquisition of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tata Capital Limited, Tata Capital Forex Limited (foreign exchange) and TC Travel and Services Limited (travel services). 

• The acquired companies will henceforth be referred to as TC Forex Services Ltd. and TC Travel and Services Ltd.

SPORTS

Heena Sidhu wins 10-metre air pistol gold medal at C’wealth Shooting

Heena Sidhu clinched the 10-metre air pistol gold medal to give India a perfect start at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane, Australia.

APPOINTMENTS

Birendra Prasad Baishya retained president of IWLF

Birendra Prasad Baishya has been re-elected president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) in the Annual General Body Meeting.

RECOGNITION

Michael Jackson named top-earning dead celebrity for 5th time

Late singer Michael Jackson has been named the highest-earning dead celebrity for the 5th consecutive year by Forbes. His earnings have been estimated to be $75 million (₹485 crore).

OBITUARY

Ex-BCCI general manager Dr MV Sridhar passes away

MV Sridhar, former Hyderabad cricketer and Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) general manager (cricket operations) has passed away.

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