10th January Current Affairs 2017 1. Gujarat tops logistics performance index chart ● Gujarat has topped the logistics performance index chart, an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports in particular and economic growth in general according to a Report released by Union Minister for Commerce & Industry Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi. ● Among 22 states, Gujarat is followed by Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra on the index. ●
The ranking is based on the analysis of perception with regard to eight parameters, including infrastructure, services, regulatory process and safety of cargo.
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Among the Union Territories, Daman & Diu occupied the top slot followed by Delhi and Chandigarh. As regards the hilly states, Tripura was on top followed by Mizoram and Meghalaya.
2. World Bank projects India’s GDP to growth to pick up to 7.3% in 2018-19 ● The 2018 Global Economics Prospect (GEP) released by the W orld Bank projects India’s GDP to growth to pick up to 7.3% in 2018-19 and to 7.5% for the next two years. ● In comparison, the figure for the second quarter of the current financial year (July-September 2017) was 6.3%, up from the three-year low of 5.7% in the first quarter. ●
The report pegs overall economic growth for 2017 at 6.7%, despite initial setbacks from demonetisation and introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Important points: World Bank ➢ President: Jim Yong Kim ➢ CEO: Kristalina Georgieva ➢ Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
3. Anchal Thakur bags bronze – India’s 1st international medal in skiing ● Aanchal Thakur bags bronze made history as she won India’s 1st international medal in skiing. ● The 21-year-old Manali resident clinched bronze in the coveted Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup organised by the Federation Internationale de Ski (skiing’s international governing body) at the Palandoken Ski Centre in Erzurum, Turkey. She won the medal in the slalom race category.
4. Railways launches new online vendor registration system ● Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), (headquartered at Lucknow), the Railways launched new online vendor registration system. ● This new system provides major improvements and paradigm changes in the registration system over the earlier system. ●
Public access to the information, expeditious process completion with defined timelines, simplification of procedures, round-the-year services, availability of all related information on RDSO Website, constant monitoring at all levels, reduction in cycle timelines, regular updating of online data, user-friendly interface etc. are the hallmarks of the new system.
5. Direct tax collection soared 18.2% during April and December 2017 ● Direct tax collection soared 18.2% during April and December of current fiscal at ₹6.56 lakh crore and the provisional numbers for direct tax collection showed an 18.2% growth between April and December. ● The net direct tax collections represent 67% of the total Budget Estimates of direct taxes for FY2017-18 (₹9.8 lakh crore). ●
Gross collections (before adjusting for refunds) have increased by 12.6% to ₹7.68 lakh crore from April to December, 2017.
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Refunds to the tune of ₹1.12 lakh crore have been issued during this period and advance tax collection was up 12.7% at ₹3.18 lakh crore.
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While the growth in corporate income tax advance tax is 10.9%, that in personal income tax advance tax is 21.6%.
6. PNB ties up with NSFDC for assisting SC families ● PNB and NSFDC have tied up to provide financial assistance for economic empowerment of persons belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) families living below Double Poverty Line (DPL). ● A Memorandum of Agreement to this effect was signed by B.M.Padha, Corporate General Manager, Priority Sector & Financial Inclusion Division, PNB and Devanand, General Manager, NSFDC. ●
Under this tie-up, PNB would act as a channelising agent for the loan schemes of NSFDC.
Important points: NSFDC – National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation Punjab National Bank (PNB) ➢ Headquarters: New Delhi ➢ CEO: Sunil Mehta
7. Matunga station enters Limca Book for all-woman staff ● The Matunga suburban station on the Central Railway (CR) has found its way into the Limca Book of Records for having an all-woman staff. ● The achievement comes six months after Matunga became the first railway station in the country to be run by an all- woman staff. ●
The station is being manned exclusively by women staffers since July 2017, a first on the Indian Railways.
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A team of 41 women staffers at the station includes personnel from the RPF, commercial and operating departments.