Current Affairs November 24, 2018
In this post, GKToday presents Current Affairs of November 24, 2018 in Short Notes form for preparation of IBPS, Banking, CLAT, SSC, Railway, UPSC, IAS/PCS, UPPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, RPSC, TNPSC, MPSC, KPSC and all other competitive examinations of India.
1. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank has been brought under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) act of 2009, the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) guidelines and the State Legislature. The State Administrative Council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik approved the proposal for treating the J&K Bank Limited as a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). Now, the J&K Bank Ltd shall be accountable to the State Legislature like other state PSUs. Established in 1938, the J&K Bank Ltd is the only state government promoted bank in the country, with the Jammu and Kashmir government currently holding 59.3% of the shares.
2. The World COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Day is observed every year on 21st of November by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) to raise awareness of COPD and to improve prevention and treatment of this lung disease for patients around the world. The 2018 theme is ‘Never too early, never too late’. The COPD is not one single disease but an umbrella term used to describe chronic lung diseases that cause limitations in lung airflow. Tobacco smoking is the most common cause of COPD. The most common symptoms of COPD are breathlessness, or a 'need for air', excessive sputum production, and a chronic cough. According to the latest WHO estimates (2004), currently 64 million people have COPD and 3 million people died of COPD. WHO predicts that COPD will become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030.
3. To mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in November 2019, the Union Cabinet has recently approved the building and development of the Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab to the international border with Pakistan. The corridor will facilitate pilgrims from India who visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, on the banks of the Ravi River in Pakistan every year, where Shri Guru Nanak Devji spent 18 years. The Kartarpur corridor will be implemented as an integrated development project with Government of India funding, to provide smooth and easy passage, with all the modern amenities. The corridor was proposed by the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999. If connected on the both sides, this could also provide a major tourism boost as more pilgrims would be able to visit the holy shrine throughout the year.
4. Emmy-nominated British actress Millie Bobby Brown (14) has been named the youngest-ever UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. The appointment was marked on 2018 World Children’s Day (WCD) at United Nations Headquarters and the Empire State Building in New York on 20th November. She has been tasked by the UN to help raise awareness around children’s rights and issues including poverty, bullying, education and violence. The World Children's Day (WCD) is a global day of action ‘for children, by children’ to raise awareness and funds for the millions of children that are unschooled, unprotected and uprooted.
5. Popular singer Nahid Afrin of Assam has been appointed as the first 'Youth Advocate' of the northeastern region by UNICEF India to fight for child rights. The UNICEF engages 'Youth Advocates' to harness their voice as agents of change in society. The youth advocates support initiatives of positive change that include access to quality education, basic healthcare, ending violence against children, and addressing the issues of equity and inclusion. Nahid made her playback debut in the 2016 Bollywood film 'Akira' starring Sonakshi Sinha in the lead. Recently, Nahid also won the best female playback singer award at the Assam state Film Award 2018. Recently, Asian Games gold-medallist sprinter Hima Das was appointed as first-ever youth ambassador of UNICEF India.
6. Ustad Imrat Khan, the noted Indian classical musician, has passed away in US. He dedicated his life to propagating the Sitar and the surbahar worldwide. In 2017, he famously turned down the Padma Shri saying the recognition had come too late and diminished his achievements. Imrat Khan toured the world with his music and performed at the Cannes Film Festival in 1970 for a Merchant-Ivory partnership. He was also a regular at various music festivals in India. He belonged to the illustrious Etawa gharana (or the Imdadkhani Gharana), named after his grandfather Ustad Imdad Khan. The gharana is one of the oldest in India with a musical legacy of over 400 years and traces its roots to Agra.
7. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved continuation of the nine sub-schemes of the umbrella scheme "Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)" during 2017-2020 at an estimated cost of Rs. 1450 crore. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its institutes namely India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service(INCOIS). The scheme will provide improved weather, climate and ocean forecast and services, thereby ensuring transfer of commensurate benefits to the various services like Public weather service, disaster management, Agro-meteorological Services, Aviation services, Environmental monitoring services, Hydro-meteorological services, climate services, tourism, pilgrimage, power generation, water management, Sports & adventure etc.
8. Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured with the third Sayaji Ratna Award 2018 at Vadodara for his social contribution to pay off the loans of several farmers from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. He had helped 1,398 farmers from Uttar Pradesh and 350 from Maharashtra through his contribution. The award was established in 2013 to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the erstwhile ruler of Baroda. This award is given annually to living legends of India.It recognizes the personality of the iconic character and outstanding contribution in the realms of business, sports, arts, humanity, education, governance and medicine.
9. IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) has recently signed pact with Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to promote the startup enterprises in East and Northeast India. The pact will bring incubator and industry together in a more formal way. ICC services for the startup entrepreneurs in the country include facilitating funding, queries, meetings, Market Connect, Legal Connect, Mentoring, B2B and B2G interactions. IIMCIP is a not for profit (Section 8) company established under the aegis of IIM Calcutta to promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The park is currently incubating 40 startups with almost half from Bengal.
10. The India Skills Report 2017 on employment scenario presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis of demand and supply in the labour market. The report takes stock of the talent landscape by analysing the employability of youth and the needs and expectations of employers. Currently in its fourth edition, it also captures various initiatives taken by the government and its impact on economic growth. The report is a joint initiative by Confederation of Indian Industry, PeopleStrong, Wheebox, UNDP and AICTE.
