CURRENT AFFAIRS 16/12/2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS 16/12/2017

1. PM Dedicates Tuirial Hydropower Project to the Nation

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 60-megawatt Tuirial hydroelectric power project from Aizawl, Mizoram. Mizoram had become the third power- surplus state in the north-east after Sikkim and Tripura.

ii. The Tuirial project was announced and cleared in 1998 by the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. It was the first major central project to be successfully commissioned in Mizoram. Prime Minister also inaugurated the Shillong - Nongstoin Rongjeng Tura road.

2. President of India Lays Foundation Stone of ‘NYAYA GRAM’ Project

i. The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, laid the foundation stone of the 'Nyaya Gram project' of the High Court of Allahabad in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.

ii. As per the President, the Nyaya Gram project would prove to be a milestone in fulfilling the requirements of the Allahabad High Court.

3. Important Cabinet Approvals- 15th December 2017

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the following set of approvals. The full list of Cabinet Approvals is given as follows.

ii. The Cabinet has approved-

1. The Continuation of two Schemes- 

• Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme for North East till March 2020.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) from 01.04.2017 to 31.03.2020.

2. Special package for employment generation in leather and footwear sector- The package involves the implementation of Central Sector Scheme "Indian Footwear, Leather & Accessories Development Programme" with an approved expenditure of Rs. 2600 Crore over the three financial years from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

3. Agreement with UNESCO on the establishment of International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography in Hyderabad.
4. Signing of MoU between India and Colombia in the field of agriculture and fisheries.

5. Subsidizing MDR charges on debit card/BHIM UPI/AePS transactions of value less than Rs.2000 

4. Third World Telugu Conference Begins in Hyderabad

i. The third World Telugu Conference has begun in Hyderabad amidst much fanfare. The aim of the Conference is to promote Telugu and its literature besides helping the present generation learn more about Telugu language and its rich culture and heritage.

ii. Telangana Government has put in place elaborate arrangements for the 5-day event for which about eight thousand Telugu speaking delegates from 40 countries all over the globe will be taking part. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu had formally inaugurated the Conference.

5. Income Inequality Highest in India Since 1980s

i. Since 1980 India has led to substantial increase in inequality so much that top 0.1% of earners has continued to capture more growth than all those in the bottom 50% combined, according to the World Inequality Lab in its World Inequality Report 2018.

ii. In 2014, the share of national income captured by India's top 1% of earners was 22%, while the share of top 10% of earners was around 56%.

6. Nation Celebrates Vijay Diwas- 16 December

i. Vijay Diwas is celebrated across the Nation on 16th December. The day marks the glorious victory over Pakistan in 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, in alliance with Bangladesh Mukti Bahini.

ii. The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

7. J&K Bank Launches ‘Sahafat Finance Scheme’

i. Jammu and Kashmir Bank launched a special financial scheme for journalists of the state. The scheme "J&K Bank Sahafat Finance Scheme" was launched by the bank's chairman and CEO Parvez Ahmad.

ii. The scheme will enable journalists to buy cameras, laptops, tablets, and books. The minimum loan amount for the purpose has been fixed at Rs 50,000 while as the maximum cap is Rs 3 lakh.

8. 'Youthquake' Named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries

i. Oxford Dictionaries has crowned "youthquake" as its word of 2017 in a nod to the unexpected level of youth engagement in this summer's election in the United Kingdom.

ii. An amalgamation of "youth" and "earthquake", the noun is defined as "a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people."

9. R Hemalatha Takes Charge as Director, National Institute of Nutrition

i. R Hemalatha has been appointed as the new Director of the country’s premier National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad.  Hemalatha is a medical graduate of Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad.

ii. She assumes office at a historic moment as the institute enters its centenary year.

10. Official Emblems for Beijing 2022 Winter Games Unveiled

i. The emblems of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have been named “Winter Dream” and “Flight,” respectively.

ii. The emblem launching ceremony was held at the National Aquatic Center, which staged the swimming events during the Beijing 2008 Games. In 2022, this venue will be transformed into an ice rink for curling games.