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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 07 October 2019

::NATIONAL::

India’s development cooperation based on freedom of choice claims external affairs ministry

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today said India's development cooperation is based on freedom of choice and not conditionalities. He said India's development cooperation with partner countries is based on equality, mutual respect for sovereignty as well as freedom of choice, and not on competition, conditionalities or preions.
Addressing an event to mark 55 years of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation in New Delhi, the Minister said the countries of the global south are important partners for India.
He said India represents the aspirations of 6.3 billion people of the world. Dr Jaishankar added that Indian people's forefathers have struggled together against colonial bondages.
The Minister said India's collective bilateral trade stands around 220 billion dollars today. Hailing the ITEC programme, he further stated that India's development cooperation and support to the cause of multilateralism flow from the philosophy of interconnectedness and interdependence which reflects a commitment to 'VasudevaKutumbakam.
AIR correspondent reports, over the last 55 years, ITEC has been a vehicle to share India's vast and unique experience of growth and development through capacity building and training of more than 2,00,000 government officials and professionals from 160 partner countries of the global south in premier institutes of the country.

Centre launches Ganga AmantranAbhiyan

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat yesterday launched a unique initiative called 'Ganga Amantran' to connect with the stakeholders of the river.
It is a pioneering exploratory open- water rafting and kayaking expedition on the Ganga river to begin on coming Thursday and will continue till 11th of next month.
The expedition will start at Devaprayag and culminate at Ganga Sagar covering the entire stratch of over 25,000 kilometres of the River.
This is the first ever effort by National Mission for Clean Ganga to raft across the entire stretch of the river and also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activityy to spread the message of River Rejuvenation and Water Conservation on a massive scale.

::ECONOMY::

India receives first tranche of swiss bank account details

India has received the first tranche of details about financial accounts of its residents in Swiss banks under a new automatic exchange of information framework between the two countries.
It marks a significant milestone in the fight against black money suspected to be stashed abroad.
A Federal Tax Administration (FTA) spokesperson said, India figures among 75 countries with which Switzerland's FTA has exchanged information on financial accounts within the framework of global standards on AEOI.
This is the first time that India has received details from Switzerland under the AEOI framework, which provides for exchange of information on financial accounts that currently active as well as those accounts that were closed during 2018.The next exchange would take place in September 2020.

RBI governor expresses confidence in govt’s commitment to meet fiscal deficit target

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said that the central bank has no reason to doubt the government commitment to meet the fiscal deficit target this fiscal despite the massive tax giveaways of Rs 1.45 lakh and falling indirect tax collections.
The budget has set fiscal deficit target at 3.3 per cent for the current fiscal but the steeply falling GST collection and the historic cut in corporate taxes have raised concerns over the possibility of meeting the target. Many analysts are of the view that the government will miss the target by a wide margin of 70-80 basis points (bps).
"The government has made a statement that they will adhere to the fiscal deficit target. Therefore, we have no reason to doubt the commitment to maintain the numbers as given in the budget," Das told reporters after announcing the fourth bi-monthly monetary policy where the central bank lowered the rate by 25 bps to 5.15 per cent -- the fifth in 2019.
He said the government has several sources of revenue to meet the fiscal target. "So whatever shortfall is expected because of corporate tax rate cuts, the government has the option of increasing or making it up from other sources."
Last month, the finance minister had announced tax cuts for corporates by 10-12 per cent to 25.17 per cent, involving a revenue loss of Rs 1.45 lakh crore this fiscal.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

UNSG wants parties to maintain restraint on Syria

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all parties in Syria to exercise maximum restraint, amid Turkey's preparations to start a military operation in the north of the country.
The UN spokesman, StephaneDujarric stated this after the United States began pulling troops back from the area. He said,Mr.Guterres is greatly concerned, especially at the risk to civilians in any escalation of fighting.
Mr Dujarric said the U.N. chief emphasized that civilians must be protected, and all parties must guarantee sustained, unimpeded and safe humanitarian access to civilians in need.
The spokesman also said that Antonio Guterres has been in contact with all relevant parties in the region regarding the matter and reiterated that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict.

Centre left socialists win elections in Portugal

In Portugal, the center-left Socialists win Sunday’s general election with 36.6% of the vote and are preparing to govern for another four years.
The main opposition Social Democratic Party came second with almost 28%. The Socialists, however, are 10 seats short of a majority in the 230-seat parliament. To ensure that its legislation is approved, the government will need support from other parties.
A healthy economy, with growth of 2.1 % last year and unemployment at around 6%, helped the Socialist Party back into the Sao Bento Palace, the seat of power in Lisbon.
Antonio Costa, the Socialist leader and incumbent prime minister, said in his victory speech that he intends to continue his business-friendly policies and prudent fiscal management. Turnout in election was just 54.5 per cent, the lowest level for a general election since Portugal returned to democracy in 1974.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Defence ministry to receive Rafale aircrafts at France

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today and receive the first of the 36 Rafale aircraft in the French port city of Bordeaux. He will also perform Shastra Puja on the occasion of Dussehra and take a sortie in the fighter jet.
Mr Singh tweeted after his arrival in Paris yesterday that France is India's important strategic partner and the special relationship goes far beyond the realm of formal ties. His visit to France is aimed at expanding the existing strategic partnership between both the countries.
After his talks with President Macron at the Elysee Palace in the French capital, Mr Singh will be flown to Merignac, a suburb of the south-western French town of Bordeaux, where he will participate in the official handover ceremony for the first Rafale combat jet acquired by the Indian Air Force.
India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth 59,000 crore rupees in September 2016. While the formal handover ceremony takes place this week, the first batch of four Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020. All 36 jets are expected to arrive in India by September 2022.

::SPORTS::

India’s surendersingh sets world record at world powerlifting championship

Surender Singh of India created three world records at the ongoing World Powerlifting Championship in Berlin, Germany. Surender bagged gold medal in 110 kg category, Classic Raw and the Best Lifter Award in Classic Raw and Single Ply.
Three-time World Champion Mukesh Singh went on to add another feather to his cap by winning yet another gold only to be known as 4-time World Champion.
On the first day of the championship yesterday, Indian contingent bagged a total of 4 gold and 1 silver medal.