Current Affairs Daily Updates: 13th March 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 13th March 2017
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Bihar’s ‘Project Jal Sanchay’ chosen for National Award
  • Project Jal Sanchay a water conservation model is successfully adopted in Nalanda district of south-central Bihar, chosen for the national award for excellence in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGP) by the Ministry of Rural Development.
  • As a result of the implementation of the project, availability of water got improved drastically impacted the farm production in the district.
  • Nalanda being an agriculture-oriented district remained affected by drought-like conditions that hampered the farming activities in the district.
Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar Make It to Forbes World's Highest-Paid Celebrities List
  • Popular Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among the ‘World’s Highest-Paid Celebrities’ list.
  • Salman Khan at the 71st spot with $37 million earned in 2016-2017.
  • Akshay Kumar is at 80th position with $35.5 million.
  • Top three names in the list are-
    • Sean Combs with the pay of $130 Million (Musicians),
    • Beyonce Knowles with the pay of $105 Million (Musicians),
    • J.K. Rowling with the pay of $95 Million (Authors).
BANKING AFFAIRS
Reserve Bank of India issues New Batch of Rs 500 Notes with Inset Letter 'A'
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a new batch of Rs 500 notes with inset letter 'A' in both the number panels in both the number panels, bearing the signature of Dr. Urjit R. Patel Governor with the year of printing '2017' on the reverse.
  • The new series earlier released and currently, in circulation has the inset letter "E".
  • The notes will bear Swachh Bharat logo on the back side of the banknote and that some of the notes would carry an additional character in the space between the prefix and the number of the banknote. 
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) signs Agreement with the Metal Industries Development Institute (MIDI), Ethiopia
  • The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed an agreement with Europe-based Metal Industries Development Institute (MIDI) to implement a winning program.
  • CSIR will enhance the capacity and capability of MIDI to enable it to contribute more efficiently towards the development of Metals and Engineering sectors in Ethiopia.
  • The agreement was signed by the Director of National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur (CSIR-NML) on behalf of the participating CSIR Laboratories, and the Director General of Metals Industry Development Institute (MIDI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • These laboratories have demonstrated expertise in minerals and metals extraction, casting, forming and shaping of metals, manufacturing processes and process controls, electronics and instrumentations, soft skills and quality management systems.
IMPORTANT DAYS OBSERVED
June 13th: International Albinism Awareness Day
  • On 18 December 2014, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming, with effect from 2015, 13 June asInternational Albinism Awareness Day.
  • Albinism is a genetic condition resulting in little or no pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes.
  • The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2013 calling for the prevention of attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
World’s largest floating Solar Farm launched in China
  • China launched world’s largest floating solar farm in  Anhui province.
  • The 40-megawatt power plant has 160,000 panels resting on a lake.
  • As per the Reports, China has been the world's largest investor in clean energy since 2012, spending $88 billion on the wind and solar power in 2016.
  • The plant is built in Huainan City, Anhui Province, by Sungrow Power Supply, a Chinese company specialised in renewable energy.
Panama agrees Diplomatic ties with China and breaks away with Taiwan
  • Panama established formal diplomatic ties with China and broke all of its relationship with Taiwan.
  • Panama’s President Juan Carlos Varela announced that his country upgraded its commercial ties with China and has established full diplomatic links with China.
  • It recognizes ‘One China’ in the world and considers Taiwan to be an inalienable part of China’s territory.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Union Minister Sripad Naik announced proposal to set up 100 AYUSH hospitals
  • Minister of state for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik announced proposals for setting up of 100 Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) hospitals across the country.
  • Union government had approved posting of 4000 AYUSH doctors in primary health centres across the country.
  • The Ministry has approved setting up of two 50-bedded integrated AYUSH hospitals at Theni and Tiruvannamalai districts in Tamil Nadu.
Arunachal CM Pema Khandu demands separate Time Zone for North Eastern states
  • Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu has demand for a separate time zone for the north-eastern states to improve work efficiency and save electricity in the region.
  • According to the government, several daylight hours are getting wasted as government offices open only at 10 am and closes as early as 4 pm.
  • India currently follows a time that is 5-1/2 hours ahead of the International standard, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
  • The proposed new time zone would put the North-Eastern states six hours ahead of GMT.
MHA panel to examine rules on people’s movement near Indo-Myanmar Border
  • Ministry of Home Affairs formed an expert committee to examine the rules which allow free movement of people near Indo-Myanmar border.
  • Indian and Myanmar’s citizens are permitted free movement within 16 km of the international border, but these rules are widely exploited by militants for smuggling arms, drugs, and fake Indian currency.
  • India’s 1,643-km border with Myanmar touches four states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.
  • This is for the first time that meeting with the state governments has been called to discuss the issues concerning the Myanmar border.
Indian Railways to induct 40,000 refurbished coaches by 2023, earmarks Rs 8,000 crores
  • The Indian Railways is planning to induct about 40,000coaches by 2023.
  • Railways also expect to manufacture 15,000 new coaches with modern features during 2018 -19 and 2022 -23 periods.
  • The work plan started of 1000 coaches in the current financial year the number will increase to 3000 in the next fiscal and 5,500 coaches in subsequent years.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
Jitu Rai-Heena Sidhu won gold in ISSF World Cup
  • Indian shooters Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu won the gold medal in mixed team 10m air pistol event of the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup held at Gabala, Azerbaijan.
  • France beat Iran to win the bronze in the event.
  • China won six medals, including three gold.
  • There are 430 athletes from 45 countries participated in the whole event.
Lewis Hamilton wins Canadian Grand Prix for Sixth Time
  • Lewis Hamilton won Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. It is Hamilton’s sixth victory at the Canadian Grand Prix.
  • It is his third victory this season and the 56th of his career.
  • The Canadian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event held in Canada since 1961.
Vietnam GM Nguyen won Mumbai Mayor Chess Title
  • Vietnam Grand Master Nguyen DucHoa won 10th Mumbai Mayor’s Cup International Open Chess Tournament.
  • He defeated Indian GM Neelotpal Das.
  • The prize money is Rs 3 lakhs, while top-ranked Tajikistan GM Farrukh Amonatov (ELO 2635) got a cheque of Rs 2 lakhs.