Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2018

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh has been officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) and has become the second state in the North East after Sikkim to achieve the status. On 1st January 2018, Upper Subansiri, Siang and Changlang were officially declared ODF. The project undertaken under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) SBM (G) saw the light of day only after the state government extended an incentive of Rs 8,000 per toilet. This is in addition to the Centres support of Rs 12,000, raising the grant for constructing a toilet to Rs 20,000. The state government also launched Swachh Arunachal Mission on October 2, 2017 at Tawang which envisaged the Swachh Protocol (Cleanliness Protocol) aimed at ensuring sustainability of assets created under SBM (Gramin). The state has achieved the ODF status before the national target, which is October 2019.

Notes:
The 171st Araadhanai Music Festival (AMF) has started in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu on January 2, 2018. The fest is one of the Trinities of Carnatic music Saint Thyagaraja, which was inaugurated by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The main function of the festival – the choral singing of Thyagaraja’s five kritis in Ghana ragas – will be held on his Samadhi day which falls on next Saturday. Over 1,000 musicians from all over the world are expected to pay homage to Saint Thygaraja during the course of the five-day festival.

Notes:
G Sathiyan has become India’s highest- ranked player in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings. Sathiyan (ranked 49th) surpassed his compatriot the legendary Sharath Kamal (51st). They are followed by Soumyajit Ghosh ranked 58th, Harmeet Desai ranked 60th, Sanil Shetty ranked 68th and Anthony Amalraj ranked 87th. As for the women, Manika Batra is topping the world chart among Indians at 62, while Mouma Das is ranked 74th and Madhurika Patkar is ranked 81th. The ITTF rankings have undergone a change after the new system was approved in September 2017. The new simplified and comprehensive system provides for a more dynamic world ranking based on paddlers’ performance and results during the entire year.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for establishment of new AIIMS in Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The cost of the project is Rs.1351 crore and will be completed in a period of 48 months. The Institution will consist of a hospital with a capacity of 750 beds and trauma center facilities. It will also have a Medical college with an intake of 100 MBBS students per year and Nursing College with an intake of 60 B.Sc. (Nursing) students per year. Under this scheme, AIIMS have been established in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Rishikesh and Patna while work of AIIMS Rae Bareli is in progress. Also, three AIIMS in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) have been sanctioned in 2015, two AIIMS have been sanctioned at Bathinda and Gorakhpur in 2016 and an AIIMS in Kamrup (Assam).

Notes:
Abhay, the 1986-batch police officer of Odisha cadre, has taken charge as the new chief of the of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) at the NCB headquarters in Delhi on January 2, 2018. He will hold the post the post till 18th of November 2019. Prior to this appointment, he was Additional DG (Training) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The post of the NCB DG was lying vacant since April 2017 when the incumbent R R Bhatnagar was appointed as the CRPF DG. Special Secretary in the home ministry Rina Mitra was handling the additional charge of NCB DG since then. The NCB, under the command of the Union Home Ministry, is the apex coordinating and enforcement agency in the country against drug crimes and for countering drugs abuse.

Notes:
The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) to offer relevant training to the employees on issues pertaining payment banking. Under the agreement, IICA has been entrusted with the key responsibility of capacity building of IPPB through training of its officials/employees besides providing research support by instituting Research Chairs in the emerging area of payment banking. This joint venture is expected to enable the massive network of post offices with the ability to effectively deal with Financial Inclusion.

Notes:
The 3rd edition of the Science Film Festival of India (SCI-FFI) will be held in Goa from January 16-19, 2018. The festival titled “SCI-FFI Goa” is being organized by the state-based Vidnyan Parishad, Goa Department of Science and Technology. The purpose of the fest is to promote science filmmaking culture in Goa. The Science Film Making Competition is an attractive part of the SCI-FFI festival. The competition is in two categories of films up to 5 minutes duration and over 5 minutes. The first prize for the best film is a cash prize of Rs 25,000. The three best films will also receive cash prizes. Other categories include best Direction/Research presentation, and best Cinematography, Editing and Design. The total prize money is Rs 1.00 lakhs and will be given away during the opening ceremony on 16th Jan. The competition aims to boost the culture of science films, all the films submitted should be related to science and technology.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the Conference on Transformation of Aspirational Districts at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on January 5, 2018. During the conference, which is being organized by NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister will interact with officials in-charge of transformation of over 100 backward districts. This event is in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a New India by 2022. Niti Ayaog has identified 115 such districts. It nominated senior government officials as ‘Prabhari’ officers for each of these districts in November 2017. They will act as a bridge between the Centre and the district and will coordinate efforts between the Centre and states.

Notes:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been bestowed with the 1st Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Probity in Politics and Public Life Award for his works and contributions in bringing probity in public life as well as his crusade against corruption in Bihar. The award was presented to the Bihar Chief Minister by the Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra at Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Commemoration day function held in Jammu on January 8, 2018. 

Notes:
The Indian Navy has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Cochin Port Trust (CPT) for utilizing the Port’s berthing facility at Mattancherry wharf for Naval ships. As per the MoU, Cochin Port’s Q2 and Q3 berths at Mattacherry wharf, totaling 228 metre quay length, would be handed over to the Indian Navy for five years for berthing their ships. The lease, at an approximate cost of Rs10 crore a year, would not only enhance the growing partnership between the Navy and CPT, but will also provide the Navy with larger berthing space, thereby enabling the presence of naval ships in Kochi, both at naval as well as commercial jetties.