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- India improves its childhood index global ranking
India has been placed at 113th position in the list of 175 countries in “End of Childhood Index 2018” indexed by global child rights group, Save the Children.
- The overall score of India in 2018 rose by 14 points from 754 in 2017 to 768 on a scale of 1000.
- Singapore and Slovenia are placed at the top sharing the first place in the index and Niger figures at the end of the list at 175.
- 1.5 lakh affordable houses sanctioned for urban poor under PMAY(urban)
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has approved the construction of another 1.5 lakh affordable houses for the benefit of urban poor under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) with an investment of Rs.7,227cr with central assistance of Rs.2,209 cr.
- The approval was given in the 34th meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee in its meeting.
- With the above proposed houses, cumulative houses under PMAY(U) would be 47,52,751 houses.
- Andhra Pradesh gets new state bird, state flower
Four years after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the government of the residual state has announced its state symbols.
- The notable change is the state bird. The state bird of undivided Andhra Pradesh was Indian Roller (coracias benghalensis) or Palapitta. This has been changed to Rama Chiluka (psittacula krameri) or rose ringed parakeet.
- Palapitta is now the state bird of Telangana, Odisha and Karnataka.
- The Andhra Pradesh government has opted for jasmine as the state flower.
- The Telangana government has adopted native Tangidi Puvvu (senna auriculata) as the state flower as it is widely used in the state’s famous Bathukamma festival.
- Successful Flight Test of SFDR
The technology demonstrator flight test of ‘Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion based missile has been carried out successfully from the Launch Center-III of ITR, Chandipur, Orissa.
- The flight test met all the mission objectives.
- The technology of nozzle less booster has been successfully demonstrated in the mission for the first time in the country.
- Two Day Thematic Seminar on ‘Water and Sanitation’ begins in Pune
While India is making significant strides in Water and Sanitation Sector, what is needed is holistic and integrated approach and public participation in sustainability of outcomes opined various experts at the two-day thematic seminar on Water and Sanitation which began in Pune, Maharashtra.
- This was hosted by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
- The thematic Conference on Water and Sanitation is one of the eight events being organized by the Ministry of Finance and 7th in the series in a lead-up to the AIIB’s 3rd Annual Meeting which, in turn, is scheduled to be held in June 2018 in Mumbai.
- India and World Bank signs $500 Million Financing for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $500 million loan agreement to provide additional financing for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Rural Roads Project, implemented by Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, which will build 7,000 km of climate resilient roads, out of which 3,500 km will be constructed using green technologies.
- The World Bank has supported PMGSY since its inception in 2004.
- So far it has invested over $1.8 billion in loans and credits mostly in the economically weaker and hill states across North India – Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
- It has built and improved about 35,000 km of rural roads and benefited about eight million people with access to all-weather roads.
- Indian economy grows at 7.7 pc in Q4
Indian economy grew 7.7 per cent in January-March 2018, the biggest expansion in seven quarters, on account of robust performance in manufacturing, construction and service sectors as well as good farm output.
- However, the economic growth slows to 6.7 per cent in 2017-18 compared to 7.1 per cent in 2016-17.
- The data were released by Central Statistics Office (CSO).
- Amit Khare assumes charge as Secretary I&B
Shri Amit Khare, IAS (Jharkhand: 1985) today assumed charge as Secretary in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on superannuation of Shri Narendra Kumar Sinha, IAS.
- Prior to his appointment, Shri Khare was Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Jharkhand.
- During a career span of more than 33 years, Shri Khare has held various field postings and has worked from grassroots to the higher levels of governance in both State and Central Governments.
- Big B to be face of Railways anti-trespassing campaign
Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan has become the face of Central Railways` anti-trespassing campaign.
- Trespassing on railway tracks is a major cause of deaths on Mumbai suburban rail network.
- Central Railway has launched an initiative `Ek Safar Rail Ke Saath`, where celebrities will share their experience about Indian Railways and their journey in a short film.
- Satyarthi given ‘Santokba Humanitarian Award’
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi was honoured with ‘Santokba Humanitarian Award’ by President Ram Nath Kovind for his services aimed at the betterment of society.
- Satyarhi dedicated the award to children and handed over the award money of Rs 1 crore to the Surakshit Bachpan fund.
Source: currentaffairs.wifistudy.com
