Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2018

Notes:
The Telangana Government has signed a technology partnership agreement with the Taiwanese city of Taoyuan to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing in emerging technologies and their implementation at the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2018 in Hyderabad on February 21. Taoyuan is a hub for firms working in new-age technologies such as robotics and IoT (Internet of Things). Therefore, the partnership would promote knowledge sharing between various entities. It would provide insights into implementation of IoT, robotics and other emerging technologies, including VR/AR in governance and for offering government-to-citizen services. The WCIT, which was conducted in India for the first time, was a grand success with about 2,500 delegates attending it.

Notes:
Suresh Seth (86), the former Madhya Pradesh minister and senior Congress leader, has passed away in Indore on February 21, 2018. He was popularly known as `Sher-e-Indore’ for vociferously raising issues of public interest and corruption. Seth had served as the minister for urban administration in then chief minister Arjun Singh’s cabinet, and also as the Indore Mayor.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has contributed $1 million aid for the rehabilitation efforts in kingdom of Tonga after the Tropical Cyclone Gita caused massive destruction in the Pacific island nation. India has allocated $500,000 in the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for the rehabilitation efforts while $500,000 will be provided for immediate relief assistance. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is supported and led by the Government of India (GoI) and managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. The Fund supports Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world, with a focus on least developed countries and Small Island developing states. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the Category 4 cyclone was the worst on record to hit Tonga.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $84 million loan for improvement and expansion of water supply in Bhagalpur and Gaya towns in Bihar. This is the second tranche of ADB’s $200 million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) for Bihar Urban Development Investment Programme, which was approved in 2012. The Project 2 will improve access to better quality and sustainable water supply, for the people of Bhagalpur and Gaya towns. It will also promote better water management practices that will result in a citywide coverage with 24-hour uninterrupted supply of treated water of 135 litres per capita per day in both cities. The loan will have a 25-year term, including a grace period of 5 years, an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB’s lending facility based on the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), and a commitment charge of 0.15% per year.

Notes:
The International Conference on Sustainable Biofuels (ICSB-2018) is jointly being organized by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India on behalf of Mission Innovation and Biofuture Platform in New Delhi from February 26-27, 2018. The 2-day event will bring together experts from Biofuels sector to take stock of current knowledge, share information and best practices, and build consensus on the actions most needed to move forward. Senior Government Officers, Technical Experts, Academicians, Researchers and Representatives from various Countries, Industry and Investors will participate in the event. The Sustainable Biofuel is one of the Seven Mission Innovation Challenges and India Co-leads this along with other countries Brazil, Canada and China. The conference will seek to a clear understanding of the development in bio-economy made by participating countries, increase awareness of policy makers about the challenges faced by the industry-investor for commercial scale up of advanced biofuels.

Notes:
The Indian Navy will host the multi-national MILAN series of exercises under the theme of ‘Friendship Across the Seas’ at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar islands from March 6 to March 13, 2018. Besides fostering co-operation through naval exercises and professional interactions, MILAN also provides an excellent opportunity to the participating navies to come together in a spirit of collaboration and mutual understanding to nurture stronger ties. It is a congregation of littoral navies conducted biennially by the Indian Navy under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The purpose of Milan 2018 is to showcase the rich heritage and pristine natural beauty of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the foreign visitors.

Notes:
The 21st edition of National conference on e-Governance has started in Hyderabad, Telangana with theme “Technology for Accelerating Development” on February 26, 2018. The conference, which is jointly organised by the Government of India (GoI) and Telangana Administrative Reforms department, will provide a forum for Secretaries of Administrative Reforms and Information Technology of the Centre and the State Governments, IT Managers and software solution providers to exchange views, discuss issues and analyse various solution frameworks. The two-day conference will deliberate on several aspects of the e-governance including its universalization and replication, governing e-governance, best practices, emerging technologies and synergising role of national and state governments.

Notes:
Reigning Asian Champion Gopi Thonakal retained his title at the IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon in New Delhi on February 26. Gopi, who is also in the Indian Army, had clocked 2 hour, 15 minute and 16 seconds to clinch the gold under ideal running conditions. However, he missed the tough Commonwealth Games qualification mark set by the Athletics Federation of India by three minutes. Nitendra Singh Rawat was second, while Bahadur Singh Dhoni took the bronze. Around 65 elite Indian athletes took part in the full marathon of 42.195km. In the women’s event also, Monika Athare retained her title. Monika Athare clocked 2 hours, 43 minutes and 46 seconds, ahead of last edition silver medallist Jyoti Gawte and Monica Raut who finished third.

Notes:
Television journalist Rahul Mahajan has been appointed as the new editor-in-chief of the television channel Rajya Sabha TV. He is currently a consulting editor in Prasar Bharati. Mahajan has been a journalist for 26 years, starting off with Hindi daily ‘Jansatta’. He later branched out to television news. He worked with leading Hindi television channels such as Aaj Tak, Zee News and Star News.

Notes:
Moody’s Investors Service has recently estimated India’s GDP growth forecast for year 2018 & 2019. In it, it has kept the GDP growth forecast for India in the calendar year 2018 unchanged at 7.6 % and for 2019 at 7.5 %, amid signs of economic recovery from the negative impact of demonetisation and disruption caused by GST roll out. In its global growth forecasts for 2018 and 2019, Moody’s said the Budget for fiscal year beginning April 1 (2018-19) includes some measures to stabilize rural economy that was disproportionately hit by scrapping of high denomination 500 and 1000 rupee notes.