Current Affairs February 14, 2017
India Ratings pegs GDP to grow 7.4% in FY18
India Ratings and Research, a Fitch Group company, expects Indian economy to grow 7.4% in 2017-18 buoyed by consumption demand and government spending.
- However, the rating agency revised down its GDP growth estimate for 2016-17 to 6.8% from 7.9%.
Shaktikanta Das inaugurates IMF’s SARTTAC in New Delhi
Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, inaugurated International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) in New Delhi.
- This is IMF’s first Fully-Integrated Capacity Development Center, which brings together under one roof the two building blocks of capacity development -training and technical assistance.
- SARTTAC is a collaborative venture between the IMF, the member countries, and development partners.
- SARTTAC is located in world class facilities in New Delhi and is financed mainly by its six member countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – with additional support from Australia, the Republic of Korea, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
First Indian genomics beacon launched in UK
Global Gene Corp and Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) launched the first-ever beacon for Indian genomics data, which is expected to help scientists develop more effective drug delivery systems.
- A beacon is an online web service that allows researchers to determine whether an institution has particular genomic data in its data set.
India and Russia finalise Joint Venture documents for Kamov
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Russian defence firms have finalised the Joint Venture agreement for collaboration in the production of light weight multi-role ‘Kamov 226T’ helicopters in India.
- The agreement for the Joint Venture (JV) was signed at the BRICS summit in Goa last year.
100 centres being opened under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Unnat Krishi Shiksha Scheme
Union Government has opened 100 centres under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Unnat Krishi Shiksha Scheme to promote agricultural education.
- The 100 centres are being opened with a fund of Rs 5.35 crore.
Rs 100 crore sanctioned for developing heritage circuit in Hyderabad
The Tourism Ministry has sanctioned about Rs 100 crore to develop a heritage circuit in Hyderabad under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
- The ministry sanctioned Rs 99.42 crore for the current fiscal to develop the heritage circuit that includes Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, Paigah Tombs, Hayat Bakshi Begum Mosque and Raymond’s Tomb.
International Coin Fair kicked off at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala
More than 2,500 coins from around 500 regions, including those from the times of empires and princely states, will be on display at the three-day International Coin Fair.
- The exhibition will also feature collections of Justin Gilbert Lopez, who holds a Guinness world record for the largest coin collection.
NESCO’s Nature Fest held in Himachal Pradesh
The UNESCO organised the two-day Nature Fest at the Great Himalayan National Park (GNHP) at Sairopa in Kullu district
- The fest held in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
- GHNP was given UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2014 in recognition of its outstanding significance for bio-diversity conservation.
Haryana govt imposes curbs on liquor consumption
Haryana government has notified that no person will be allowed to consume liquor at a place which is not licensed or authorized under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914 except his dwelling unit.
China, India accounted for more than half world’s pollution deaths in 2015
China and India accounted for more than half of the total number of global deaths attributable to air pollution in 2015, according to a research by U.S.-based Health Effects Institute (HEI).
- Research showed that air pollution caused more than 4.2 million early deaths worldwide in 2015, making it the fifth highest cause of death, with around 2.2 million deaths in China and India alone.
- China and India, the world’s two most populated nations, each accounted for 1.1 million deaths.
Aero India 2017 begins in Bengaluru
11th biennial edition of the International Aerospace and Defence exhibition – Aero India began at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru.
Maiden ITTF World Tour event begins in Delhi
The first ever International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF, World Tour event in India began at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex in New Delhi. This happens to be the biggest ever ITTF event in terms of prize money.
Sachin Tendulkar adopts another village for transformation
After transforming the lives of villagers in Puttamraju Kandriga in Andhra Pradesh, Indian cricket icon and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar is now set to adopt Donja in Osmanabad (Maharashtra) under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna.
Tendulkar has sanctioned over Rs 4 crore from his MPLAD fund for development of Donja.
The amount will be spent on development of a new school building, a water Supply scheme that would provide potable water to each household, concrete roads and a sewage line attached to the same, a press release stated.
Adam Voges announces retirement from international cricket
Australian batsman Adam Voges has indicated of calling curtains to his international career.
Longest elevated bike path in world opens in China
