Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 13 October 2019

::NATIONAL::

PM chairs meeting on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' programme. Under the initiative, the government plans to hold people-to-people exchange between states to enhance knowledge about each others culture.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister's Office said, after returning from Tamil Nadu's Mamallapuram, Mr Modi held a series of engagements in Delhi, including chairing a meeting to discuss 'Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat' movement yesterday.
'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' is a personal initiative of the Prime Minister that highlights India's diversity and furthers national unity. The goal behind this unique Mission is to develop a holistic national perspective on important issues and encourage the celebration of India's vibrant regional cultures.
The programme was announced by the Prime Minister in 2015 on the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Mr.Modi has also greeted people on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, the great thoughts of Maharishi Valmiki are the seed element of India's historical journey, on which the tradition and culture have flourished. He said, a pillar of social justice, Maharishi Valmiki's messages will always inspire people.

Home minister describes terrorism as biggest violation of human rights

Home Minister Amit Shah has said that there can be no bigger human rights violation than those who are victims of terrorism and Naxalism.
He said over 40 thousand people have lost their lives in Kashmir due to terrorism which is the biggest violation of human rights.
Addressing the 26th foundation day celebrations of National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in New Delhi today, Mr Shah said the Constitution is supreme and the government will protect the rights of the people granted by the constitution.
The Home Minister said Narendra Modi government has fought for human rights in a different way and achieved success. He said the government is moving forward with the spirit of Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas. Mr Shah said, there should be zero tolerance against custodial deaths and police atrocities.
Amit Shah said, human rights should be seen from a new dimension keeping in view the country's specific problems and not by others' definition. He asked NHRC to analyse human rights violations and bring to the government's notice the gaps that need to be filled.

::ECONOMY::

Finance minister to meet CEO’s of public sector banks

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a review meeting with CEOs of public sector banks (PSBs) on Monday to discuss various issues, including progress on credit offtake, as part of efforts to prop up the economy.
The meeting is expected to review fund flow to stressed NBFC and MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) sectors, sources said.
Banks are expected to present report card on partial credit guarantee scheme and fund raising from market to enhance their capital .
The Centre in August issued guidelines on operationalising Rs 1 lakh crore partial guarantee scheme under which PSBs can purchase high-rated pooled assets of financially sound non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).
NBFCs, including housing finance companies (HFCs), came under stress following a series of defaults by the group companies of IL&FS in September last year.
This will be the second meeting of Sitharaman with CEOs of PSU banks in less than a month.The first phase of 'Loan Mela' for providing credit to agriculture, vehicle, home, MSME, education and personal categories ended on October 7.

World Bank projects India’s growth rate at 6 percent

After a broad-based deceleration in the initial quarters of this fiscal year, India's growth rate is projected to fall to 6 per cent, the World Bank said on Sunday.In 2018-19, the growth rate of the country stood at 6.9 per cent.
However, the bank in its latest edition of the South Asia Economic Focus said the country was expected to gradually recover to 6.9 per cent in 2021 and 7.2 per cent in 2022 as it assumed that the monetary stance would remain accommodative, given benign price dynamics.
The report, which has been released ahead of the annual meeting of the World Bank with the International Monetary Fund, noted India's economic growth decelerated for the second consecutive year.
In 2018-19, it stood at 6.8 per cent, down from 7.2 per cent in the 2017-18 financial year.
While industrial output growth increased to 6.9 per cent due to a pick-up in manufacturing and construction activities, the growth in agriculture and the services sector moderated to 2.9 and 7.5 percent respectively.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India attaches priority to engagement with BRICS

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel has participated in BRICS Culture Ministers’ meeting held in Curitiba, Brazil.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Patel said, India attaches importance to its engagement with BRICS which has emerged as a valuable forum for consultation, coordination and cooperation on contemporary global issues of mutual interest.
He reaffirmed to contribute towards stronger bonds of friendship and cooperation in cultural fields amongst member countries. He said, with rich cultural heritage and traditions, the BRICS countries share understanding, respect and interest to contribute towards stronger bonds of friendship and cooperation in the fields of Arts, Museums and Galleries, Cultural Heritage, Archives, Literature, Theatre for children and young people and Films.
The Minister proposed to add another field of cooperation under the aegis of BRICS Alliance on Literature envisaging BRICS Literary Festival to enhance cooperation and exchanges in the field of literature and promoting translation of literary works of famous writers and poets.

Italian PM to move towards European ban on arms sale to Turkey

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte yesterday said he would press for an European Union ban on arms sales to Turkey, as Ankara pressed its attack on Kurdish forces in northern Syria.
He was speaking ahead of a meeting in Luxembourg today of the European Union's Foreign Affairs Committee on the issue and a day after both France and Germany joined a list of countries halting arms supplies to Turkey.
A government statement said that Rome had been working since Saturday for a moratorium on arms exports to Turkey as soon as possible. Italy is one of Turkey's main arms suppliers.
Several European countries, including Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway have already announced a halt in arms supplies to Turkey.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

First robotic mission extension vehicle ( MEV-1) launched

The robotic Mission Extension Vehicle-1 (MEV-1) was successfully launched atop of Russian Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
It is first of its kind commercial satellite-servicing spacecraft. It is designed to dock with aging spacecraft more than 22,000 miles above Earth, then extend its life with aid of solar-electric thrusters. Its successful launch marks beginning of era of commercial satellite servicing in the space.
It was built by Virginia-based company Northrop Grumman. It will attempt first-ever docking between two spacecraft near geostationary orbit (nearly 36,000 kilometers over the equator that is popular with communications satellite operators).
It will link up with 18-year-old Intelsat communications satellite early next year. Once docked, with this old satellite, it will take over propulsion for Intelsat 901 satellite, which is running low on fuel. It will then put Intelsat back into an ideal target orbit — thus extending its useful life by as many as five years.
It is designed for 15-year useful life, and can dock and undock multiple times, thus, it will be providing well in excess of 15 years of mission extension to orbital geosynchronous satellites running low on its own propellant supply.

::SPORTS::

India’s Lakshya Sen wins maiden BWF World Tour title

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen today clinched his maiden BWF World Tour title by winning the Dutch Open men's singles at Almere in the Netherlands.
Lakshya rallied from a game deficit to defeat Yusuke Onodera of Japan 15-21, 21-14, 21-15 in a final that lasted 63 minutes.
Lakshya, currently ranked 72nd, had won the Belgian Open last month and reached the finals of Polish Open this year.
He had also won the Asian Junior Championships, a silver at Youth Olympic Games and a bronze medal at World Junior Championships last year.