IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 15th, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 15th, 2017

1. Direct Tax Collections in First Half of Current Financial Year rise 15.8 percent

i. The Direct Tax Collections in the first half (April-September) of the current fiscal (2017-18) shows growth of 15.8 percent. According to the Finance Ministry, the provisional figures of Direct Tax collections up to September 2017 show that net collections are at 3.86 lakh crore rupees which is higher than the corresponding period of last year. Net Direct Tax collections represent 39.4 percent of the total budget estimates of Direct Taxes for the financial year 2017-18.

ii. An amount of 1.77 lakh crore rupees has been received as Advance Tax up to 30th of September this year, reflecting a growth of 11.5 percent over the corresponding period of last year.

2. PM lays Foundation Stone for Infrastructure Projects in Bihar

i. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for four sewerage projects under the Namami Gange programme; and four National Highway projects, at Mokama in Bihar. The total outlay of these projects is over Rs. 3700 crore. 

ii. The four sewerage projects include Sewage Treatment Plant at Beur, Sewerage System with Sewer Network at Beur, Sewage Treatment Plant at Karmalichak and STP and Sewer Network at Saidpur. These projects together will create new STP capacity of 120 MLD and upgrade the existing 20 MLD for Beur. 

3. Rajasthan Assembly First in India to Call Motions Online

i. Going digital, the Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government. Speaker Kailash Meghwal has inaugurated the new system by sending a call for an attention motion to the state government with a click of the mouse.

ii. The system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues.

4. 15th October: International Day of Rural Women

i. The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15th October 2008. This new international day, established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18th December 2007, recognizes “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”

ii. In agriculture, climate change exacerbates the existing barriers to gender equality faced by women farmers. Globally, women comprise 43 percent of the agricultural workforce and play a critical role in supporting the household and community food security.

5. New Guinness Record at IISF Chennai 2017

i. Day two of the India International Science Festival (IISF) in Anna University campus at Chennai saw the making of a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Biology Lesson. One thousand forty-nine (1049) students participated in the record-breaking session. Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Science, Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that PM Narendra Modi to encourage and promote science and the Govt. of India has launched many Flagship Programmes in this regard. 

ii. World Record attempts have been a key part of India International Science Festival since 2015, which leads to encouragement and popularizing of Science through public participation. In IISF 2015, students took a successful shot at the Guinness World record for the world’s largest science Lesson at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. 

6. Roger Federer Cruises to Shanghai Masters Title

i. Roger Federer has brushed aside world number one Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters and register his fourth victory of the year over his Spanish rival. The Swiss world number two beat Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open and Miami Masters and in the last 16 at Indian Wells earlier this year, and never looked like losing to his long-time rival in Shanghai, firing 10 aces as he cruised to victory.

ii. Federer, the only man who can still stop Nadal ending the year as number one, took an hour and 12 minutes to claim his sixth title of the year and his second Shanghai crown with a clinical performance.