Current Affairs Daily Updates: 4th May 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 4th May 2017
APPOINTMENTS
Union Ministry appointed Braj Bihari Kumar as new ICSSR chairman
  • The HRD Ministry appointed Braj Bihari Kumar as the new chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR).
  • He has been appointed for a term of three years.
  • Kumar replaces S.K Thorat
  • Braj Bihari Kumar is an editor of quarterly journals Dialogue and Chintan Srijan.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Kasinadhuni Viswanath honoured with Dada Saheb Phalke Award
  • President Pranab Mukherjee on 3 May 2017 conferred filmmaker Kasinadhuni Viswanath with the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award at the 64th National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi.
  • Viswanath is the 48th recipient of the Phalke award, the highest recognition in Indian cinema.
President Pranab Mukherjee Presented 64th National Film Awards
  • President Pranab Mukherjee presented away the 64th National Film Awards on 104th anniversary of Indian cinema .It is held in New Delhi.
·        Here is the list of Awards winners
    • Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment - Sathamanam Bhavathi ;
    • Best Actor - Akhay Kumar (Rustom);
    • Best Actress - Surabhi Lakshmi (Minnaminungu);
    • Best Direction - Rajesh (Ventilator);
    • Best stunt choreography - Peter Hein (Pulimurugan) ;
    • Best Children’s Film - Dhanak (Hindi);
    • Best Film on social issue - Pink;
    • Best Supporting Actress - Zaira Wasim (Dangal)
    • Best Child Artist - Adhish Praveen (Kunju Daivam), Saj (Noor Islam), Manohara (Railway Children);
    • Best Male Playback Singer - Sundara Iyer (Joker);
    • Best Female Playback Singer - Thume jaake;
    • Best Screenplay (original) - Syam Pushkaran (Maheshinte Prathikaram);
    • Best Screenplay (adapted) - Sanjay Krishnaji patel (Dashakriya);
    • Best Editing - Rameshwar Ventilator;
    • Sound designer - Jayadevan (Kaadu Pookunna Neram);
    • Best production design - 24;
    • Best Costume Designer - Sachin (Marathi film);
    • Best Environmental film including agriculture - The Tiger who crossed the line;
    • Best Make-up Artist - MK Ramakrishna;
    • Best Music Direction - Babu Padmanabha (Kannada Lama);
    • Special Mention - Kadvi Hawa Mukthi bhava (Hindi);
    • Special Jury award for Mohanlal for Pulimurugan, Janatha Garage and Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol;
BANKING AFFAIRS
Union Cabinet clears ordinance to tackle bad loans of banks
  • The Union cabinet cleared ordinance to amend Banking Regulation Act for the issue of Non Performing Assets (NPA) in the banking system.
  • The Act will add more powers to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to monitor other bank bad loans to solve NPA crisis.
  • Currently Public sector banks are burden with bad loans around 6 crores.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Global gold demand declined by 18% during the first quarter of 2017
  • According to the World Gold Council's latest Gold Demand Trendsreport, Global gold demand declined by 18% during the first quarter of 2017.
  • The fall was large because demand in the first quarter last year was exceptionally high.
  • Retail investment demand was strong, rising 9%, year-on-year.
  • Inflows into Exchange Traded Funds was 109 tons, which is a fraction of last year's near-record inflows of 342 tons.
AIIB grants $160 mn for Andhra Pradesh power project
  • China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has recently approved USD 160 million loan for a power project in Andhra Pradesh.
  • The objective of the project to strengthen the power transmission and distribution system in Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is the first credit from the bank for an Indian project.
  • The ‘24x7 Power for All’ project is part of Government of India’s ‘Power for All programme’ launched in 2014. Andhra Pradesh is one of the first states selected for the roll out of the programme.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Union cabinet approves co-operation between India and Japan
  • The Union Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to the signing the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Japan on Railway Safety.
  • The MoC would provide a platform for Indian Railways to interact and share the latest development and knowledge in the railway sector.
  • Key facts of MoC
    • Track safety
    • Latest technology related to railway track safety
    • Rolling stock safety.
Indore ranked the cleanest city in India
  • The Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu has announced the Swachh Survekshan 2017 Report, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) is the cleanest city in India in the survey.
  • Bhopal is ranked second and Vishakhapatnam is in the third position.
  • Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) has been ranked as the dirtiest city among surveyed.
  • The 'Swachh Survekshan' was commissioned in 434 cities and towns which saw the participation of 37 lakh citizens.
  • Top 10 clean cities of India in 2017 are:
    • Indore (MP)
    • Bhopal (MP)
    • Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)
    • Surat (Gujarat)
    • Mysuru (Karnataka)
    • Tiruchirapally (Tamil Nadu)
    • New Delhi Municipal Council (New Delhi)
    • Navi Mumbai (Mumbai)
    • Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)
    • Vadodara (Gujarat).
  • Top 5 Dirtiest cities of India (with Rank) in 2017 are:
    • Gonda (UP)- 434,
    • Bhusawal (Maharashtra)- 433,
    • Bagaha (Bihar)- 432,
    • Hardoi (Uttarakhand)- 431,
    • Katihar (Bihar)- 430.
Gadkari inaugurates The Highway Saga, SRISHTI exhibitions
  • The union Minister of Road Transport ‘Mr. Nitin Gadkari’ has inaugurated the two exhibitions (the Highway Saga Past Present and Future and Safe Road and Inter-State Highways Transforming India) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi
  • The Highway Saga exhibition will depict the evolution of road transport in India.
  • The sections exhibit the modes of transportation used during Indus Valley Civilization and through the years into the current times.
  • The pavilion on road safety is a fun and interactive pavilion that seeks to enhance one awareness of road safety issues.
Union Cabinet Clears New National Steel Policy
  • The Union Cabinet has approved the National Steel Policy(NSP)-2017 to encourage the steel sector.
  • The policy aims to enhance domestic steel consumption and transform Indian steel industry into a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry.
  • The Policy targets to achieve 300 Million Tonnes of steel making capacity by 2030 with an additional investment of ten lakh crore rupees.
Cabinet approved Vijayawada Airport as International Airport
  • Union Cabinet approved Vijayawada Airport as International Airport recently. 
  • The decision has been taken as per the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act 2014. There will be cargo handling facilities at the airport, which will encourage agricultural exports which will be a boon to farmers.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY / DEFENCE AFFAIRS
Agni-II Ballistic Missile Test Fired Successfully
  • India has successfully carried out a fresh user trial of Agni-II ballistic missile from a defence test facility in the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
  • The objective of the test was to re-establish the operational effectiveness of the weapon system.
  • Agni-II missile is a nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface missile which forms a part of India’s strategic forces arsenal for nuclear deterrence with a range of over 2000 km. It can carry a payload of 1000kg.
  • It is equipped with an advanced high accuracy navigation system and guided by a novel state-of-the-art command and control system. It is powered by a solid rocket propellant system and already been inducted into the army.
  • Agni-II weighs 17 tonnes and the range of the missile can be increased to 3000 km by reducing the payload. It can be fired from both rail and road mobile launchers and it takes only 15 minutes for the missile to be readied for firing.
  • The Agni-II missile being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is one of the sophisticated weapons that can act as a deterrent against nuclear-armed neighbours.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
India Ranked 100th in FIFA Rankings
  • As per the updated FIFA world football rankings, the Indian national football has managed to secure a 100th spot and entered into the top 100 of FIFA rankings. This is the first time in 21 years that India has been ranked into top 100.
  • India has been placed 100th alongside Nicaragua, Lithuania and Estonia with a total of 331 points. India had ranked 101st in the FIFA rankings for April. The team climbed one spot up owing to the recent wins over Cambodia and Myanmar.
  • The current ranking is a 72-place jump from being 173rd in March 2015. In 1996, India managed to secure the 94th spot. Till date, it remains the country’s best ever FIFA ranking.