SIPVS Knowledge is Power
- India will need $4.5 trillion by 2040 for infrastructure: GIH’s Report
As per `Global Infrastructure Outlook’ released by Global Infrastructure Hub (GIH) India will need investments to the tune of around USD 4.5 trillion till 2040 to develop infrastructure to improve economic growth and community wellbeing.
- Taking sustainable development goals (SDGs) into account, the country is predicted to need an additional USD 888 billion by 2030 to provide universal household access to electricity and water.
- According to report, the total investment needed to meet the SDGs is greatest in India – a total of USD 1.3 trillion of investment is needed by 2030, more than China.
- BRICS tax authorities sign a pact to enhance cooperation
Tax authorities of the five BRICS countries signed a landmark document to establish a mechanism for taxation cooperation.
- The BRICS Taxation Cooperation Memorandum, signed at the fifth meeting of BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities, is the blocs first document that elevates taxation cooperation to the institutional level.
- The authorities also agreed to cooperate on taxation information exchange, improve consultation procedures efficiency, boost taxation capacities and plan paths for coordination of taxation policies and tax collection.
Points to remember:-
- BRICS was established in 2006.
- It is an association of five major emerging national economies- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
- The BRIC grouping’s first formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg, commenced on 16 June 2009.
- It became BRICS after South Africa joined it in 2010.
- Punjab govt launches ‘Care Companion Programme’
The Punjab health minister Brahm Mohindra has launched a flagship care companion health scheme on 28th of July 2017.
- The objective of this scheme is improving patient outcomes through better family engagement and education.
- This innovative program turns hospital hallways/wards into classrooms and taps into the most compassionate and willing resource available for care i.e. the patient’s own family, by teaching the family high-impact medical skills to take care of their loved ones in the hospital and at home.
- Families will learn high-impact health skills for taking care of the new-born baby and post-partum mother, specifically, baby hygiene, thermal care, breastfeeding, and maternal nutrition. The aim is to reduce the number of baby deaths and complications like infections in the first 30 days’ post-discharge, and ensure adoption of long-term health pro motive behaviours.
- NITI Aayog clears six proposals for high-tech public transport
The NITI Aayog has approved 6 transport proposals of the Transport ministry exploring options to improve public transport.
- It includes high-tech mass rapid transportation technologies such as Metrino, Hyperloop, Pod taxis, hybrid buses Stadler buses, and freight rail road.
- The new technologies are being explored by the Government as current public transportation is unable to resolve the increasing traffic crisis in the country.
- The ministry of road transport and highways had sought the approval of NITI Aayog to experiment and introduce six latest mass rapid transportation technologies.
Points to remember:-
- NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015.
- Chairperson:-Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister
- Vice Chairperson:-Dr. Arvind Panagariya
- Chief Executive Officer: – Shri Amitabh Kant
- Dr. Harshvardhan launches “Sagar Vani”
Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Dr. Harshvardhan launched an Integrated Information Dissemination System, “Sagar Vani” on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi.
- Now-a-days ICT facilities in the country are accessible to large population of the country and that plays a major role in effective dissemination of information to the end user.
- ESSO-INCOIS under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has adopted the state-of-the-art technologies and tools available in the country for the timely dissemination of Ocean Information and Advisory Services that includes Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), High Wave Alerts and Tsunami early warnings.
- NPCI gets final nod from RBI to function as BBPC Unit
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payment systems, has received a final nod from the Reserve Bank of India to function as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit (BBPCU) and operate the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
- There is a specific direction from RBI to operate the Central Unit as a Strategic Business Unit of NPCI. Nearly 45 crore bills comprising electricity, telecom, DTH, water and gas are permitted under BBPS.
- The total number of Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOU) certified by NPCI now stands at 24. The certified units include three public sector banks (Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank), 10 private banks, five cooperative banks and six non-bank biller aggregators.
Points to remember:-
- Founded: 2008
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairman: Balachandran M
- MD&CEO: A.P Hota
- RBI sets up Supervisory Colleges for six Scheduled Commercial Banks
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that Supervisory Colleges have been setup for the following six Scheduled Commercial Banks which have sizeable international presence:-
- State Bank of India, ICICI Bank Ltd., Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank Ltd. and Punjab National Bank.
- The objectives of the colleges are to enhance information exchange and cooperation among supervisors, to improve understanding of the risk profile of the banking group and thereby facilitate more effective supervision of internationally active banks.
Points to remember:-
Reserve Bank of India:-
- Established: 1st April 1935
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Bank Rate:6.50%; Repo Rate: 6.25%; Reverse Repo Rate:6.00; Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): 4%; Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): 20%
- Junior Weightlifting Championships: India get its fourth medal
India’s Lovepreet Singh won a bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships taking place at Kathmandu. He got third place in 105 kg men junior category. This is India’s fourth medal in the championships.
- On the first day of championships, India’s Konsam Ormila Devi had won gold in 44 kg women youth category.
- S. Nirpupama Devi had won bronze in 69 kgs women youth category on Wednesday.
- Ajay Singh also won bronze medal in 77 kg men junior category.
Points to remember-
- The Capital of Nepal is Kathmandu.
- The Currency of Nepal is Nepalese rupee.
- The Prime minister of Nepal is Sher Bahadur Deuba.
- Prannoy climbs to 17th spot in BWF rankings
Indian shuttler HS Prannoy has jumped six places to be at 17th position in the latest BWF world rankings.
- Prannoy has won in the US Open Grand Prix Gold title after beating Parupalli Kashyap in the final.
- Indian, Kidambi Srikanth is highest ranked at number 8. India now has four shuttlers in top-20.
- Ajay Jayaram is at 16th spot, while B Sai Praneeth maintains his 19th position.
- In women’s category, PV Sindhu remained 5th while Saina Nehwal dropped a spot to be world number 16. They are the only two Indians in the top-25.
Points to remember:-
Badminton World Federation (BWF):
- Founded: 1934
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
- Bollywood actor Inder Kumar passes away
Actor Inder Kumar, best known for his role in films like Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, passes away, died on 28th July 2017. He was 45.
- Inder Kumar had made his Bollywood debut with 1996 film Masoom and worked in over 20 films in a career spanning nearly twenty years.
Source:- Daily Current Affairs Capsule
