IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 17th, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF OCTOBER 17th, 2017

1. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: 17 October

i. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed globally on 17 October. The theme of this year's IDEP is ‘Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies’.

ii. This year’s celebration also marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the day by the UN General Assembly, which had adopted the resolution on 22 December 1992.

2. 2nd Ayurveda Day: 17 October

i. This year's 2nd Ayurveda Day is celebrated on 17 October in New Delhi by the Ministry of AYUSH. PM Modi was the Chief Guest and had also inaugurated the country's first All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi.

ii. The All India Institute of Ayurveda, set up on a total area of 10.015 acres on a budget of Rs 157 crore, is the first medical institute under the AYUSH ministry to hold the coveted National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation.

3. Dharmendra Pradhan on a Three-Day Visit to Japan

i. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is on a three-day visit to Japan to participate in the 6th annual LNG Producers Consumer Conference.
ii. The visit is important to enhance the bilateral engagements in the Oil and Gas sectors within the overall framework of India-Japan Energy Dialogue.

iii. Energy Ministers from Qatar, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Japan and other leading hydrocarbon experts will participate in the Conference.

4. PM Modi Inaugurates 1st ever All India Institute of Ayurveda

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first ever All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi, on the occasion of the 2nd Ayurveda Day.

ii. It is the first institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with a National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation. The institute will have separate Yoga, Panchakarma, and Kriya Kalpa units, among others.

5. Mahindra Launches 'Prerna' Project for Women Farmers

i. Mahindra & Mahindra has launched a program, Prerna, to empower women working in the agriculture sector by promoting efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment. The project will be initially launched in the state of Odisha, with the intention to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages.

ii. The first project under Prerna is a collaboration between Mahindra & Mahindra, the Central Institution for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), a department of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

6. Myntra, Textile Ministry Tie-up to Promote Handloom Industry

i. E-commerce major Myntra launched its CSR initiative in association with the Union Textile Ministry, to work directly with weavers and elevate their economic stature.

ii. With an initiative to uplift the handloom products in India, the company (Myntra) is committing itself along with some of its partner brands to bring artisans and their products online, providing them access to new customers and opportunities.

7. Yes Bank Commits Rs 156 cr for Namami Gange Project

i. Private sector Yes Bank has committed Rs 156 crore to fund first Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to be constructed at Varanasi under Hybrid Annuity-PPP Model.
ii. The bank has signed a deal with Essel Infraprojects for the financial closure of Rs 156 crore that will fund the STP under Namami Gange Project.

8. Moody’s Affirms Rating on SBI’s Bond Programs

i. Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed ratings on domestic as well as foreign currency bond programs of the country’s largest lender SBI.
ii. Moody’s has affirmed the Baa3 rating on the bank’s senior unsecured debt (issued via its London branch) and (P)Baa3 rating on its senior unsecured medium-term note (MTN) program. Baa3 denotes the lowest rating in investment grade on long-term corporate obligation, which carries moderate risks.

9. NIIF Inks Pact Worth $1 billion with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

i. The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India has signed an investment agreement worth $1 billion with Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). The government has set up NIIF with the aim to attract investments from both domestic and international sources for infrastructure development in commercially viable projects.

ii. As part of the comprehensive partnership agreement, ADIA will become the first institutional investor in NIIF’s Master Fund and a shareholder in National Investment and Infrastructure Limited, the NIIF’s investment management company.

10. Footwear Design & Development Institute Act 2017 Comes into Force

i. Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) has been declared an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. The FDDI bill was passed by the Parliament in July 2017.

ii. The Provisions of FDDI Act 2017 have come into force. Presently FDDI is imparting skill based graduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of footwear, leather goods, retail, and management to around 2,500 students across eight campuses spread over India.

11. Eminent Poet Prabha Varma Chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram

i. Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram for 2017. The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of ‘Mathrubhumi’ daily, M P Veerendra Kumar.

ii. A jury headed by ace novelist M Mukundan chose Varma for the prestigious award, considering his contribution to Malayalam literature. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a plaque and a citation, was instituted by the Padma Prabha Memorial Trust.

12. Hema Malini's Biography 'Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl' Launched

i. Actress Deepika Padukone launched Hema Malini's biography 'Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl' on the occasion of Hema's 69th birthday.

ii. The biography has been penned by journalist turned writer Ram Kamal Mukherjee and also contains a short foreword written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

13. Legendary Brazilian Sailor Robert Scheidt Retires from Olympics

i. Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 gold medal-winning sailor Robert Scheidt (44 years old) has announced his retirement from Olympic competition, ending a career that spanned a quarter of a century.

ii. He would continue to participate in non-Olympic events and support Brazil's elite sailors as they prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Scheidt won Olympic gold in the laser class in 1996 and 2004.

14. Meet Kavita Devi, India’s First Woman Wrestler to Sign for WWE

i. Kavita Devi, a former competitive powerlifter, has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

ii. Hailing from Haryana, Kavita underwent training to be a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his Punjab based wrestling promotion and training academy.  She also won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games.

15. Shamsher Khan, India's First Olympic Swimmer Passes Away

i. India's first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passed away in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district. He was 87. Mr. Khan had represented India in 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He was the first swimmer to represent India in Olympics.

ii. He narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in 200-meter butterfly and breaststroke events in Melbourne Games.