Daily Current Affairs 5th August 2017

1. Satellite launched by Israel to monitor climate change and vegetation

Two satellites are launched by Israel including one dedicated to monitoring the effects of climate change on vegetation were successfully launched into orbit.

•    The Vegetation and Environment monitoring on a New Micro Satellite -- or Venus -- is a joint effort between France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) and Israel's space agency.

•    They were launched from Korou, in French Guiana, at 10:56 PM (local time).

•    Venus will photograph 110 specific sites across the world every two days for two-and-a-half years, charting the impact of climate change on ecosystems and agriculture as well as studying carbon stocks and plant evolution.

2. First meeting of JICF held in New Delhi

The first meeting of the Japan-India Coordination Forum (JICF) for Development of North-Eastern Region was held in New Delhi.

•    Secretary, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), Shri Naveen Verma led the Indian side while the Japanese delegation was led by the Japanese Ambassador to India, Mr. Kenji Hiramatsu.

•    Priority areas of cooperation identified by Indian side including Connectivity and Road Network Development, especially inter-State roads & major district roads; Disaster Management; Food Processing; Organic Farming and Tourism were discussed in the meeting.

•    Secretary, DoNER, Shri Naveen Verma said regular meetings of the Forum would not only enhance Assistance by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) but also promote B2B and people to people contacts.

3. 2nd AGRI UDAAN- Food and Agribusiness launched in New Delhi

In an attempt to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, Government launched the 2nd AGRI-UDAAN program in New Delhi.

•    This programme will help to selected innovative startups that will be mentored in to scale up their operations in agri value chain for effective improvement in agriculture.

•    This 6-month program is a unique platform for scale up stage innovators, entrepreneurs and startups in the Food and Agribusiness sectors. Top 40 startups will be shortlisted and allowed to pitch in front of the panel of evaluators during cohort finalization program.

4. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announces new ETF-Bharat-22

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a new ETF under the name Bharat 22, which will comprise shares of 22 companies.

•    The Finance Minister said that Bharat-22 ETF will comprise of the government's holding in SUUTI, CPSE ETF and PSU banks.

•    Among the 22 stocks, IOC, BPCL and NALCO will have 4.4 per cent weight each in Bharat-22. Power Grid will have 7.9 per cent weight, while Axis Bank (7.7 per cent), SBI (8.6 per cent) and Coal India (3.3 per cent) ITC (15.2 per cent), ONGC (5.3 per cent), NTPC (6.7 per cent) will have 3-15 per cent weightage in the ETF.

5. India’s first private missile production facility unveiled

India’s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing facility, a joint venture between the $2.5 billion Kalyani Group and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd, inaugurated in Hyderabad.

•    According to Kalyani Group chairman Baba N. Kalyani, the Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) plant will make anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) Spike. Besides supplying to the Indian Army, the plan is to export to South East Asian countries.

•    Advanced equipment formed in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Centre and the policy to encourage private sector participation in defence production, the 51:49 joint ventures will develop a wide range of advanced capabilities.

6. MahaDBT, MahaVASTU portals launched by Maharashtra Government

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched MahaDBT and MahaVASTU online portals.

•    MahaDBT is an Aadhaar-authenticated electronic mechanism to give benefits to lakhs of beneficiaries under various schemes across all departments. 

•    MahaVASTU is an Online Building Permission Management System with an electronic workflow for sanctioning building approvals.

•    Maharashtra is the first state to launch this system to give direct benefits with ‘Aadhaar’ authentication.

7.  NCLT Approves Airtel-Telenor Merger

The proposed merger between Bharti AirtelBSE and Telenor India has been approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The companies have been instructed by tribunal to hold a meeting of equity shareholders and unsecured creditors.

•    Bharti Airtel in June received nod from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), BSE and the National Stock Exchange of India.

8. Kotak Bank’s New Forex Service

Kotak Mahindra Bank has launched Kotak Remit — an Aadhaar-based integrated outward forex remittance solution for both customers and non-customers.

•    The 24x7 Forex remittance service offers a completely paperless process that enables users to register online using Aadhaar and PAN numbers, and initiate remittances instantly.

9. Mohammad Mustafa Appointed CMD of SIDBI

Senior bureaucrat Mohammad Mustafa appointed as Chairman and Managing Director in Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

•    Mustafa, a 1995 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present Joint Secretary in Department of Financial Services.

•    The Appointments Committee of the cabinet has approved his appointment to the post for three years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

10. Neymar signs world record deal with PSG

Neymar has become the most expensive player in football history after completing his blockbuster transfer to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for 222 million Euros ($262 million).

•    PSG said in a statement that the 25-year-old Neymar had signed a five-year contract, until June 2022