6th January Current Affairs 2018 1. India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education up by 0.7% ● The country’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education has registered an increase from 24.5% in 2015-16 to 25.2% in 2016-17, according to the latest edition of the All India Higher Education Survey (AIHES) launched by Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar. ●
Although India aims to attain a GER of 30% by 2020, it’s still much behind countries like China, which, currently, boasts an enrolment ratio of 43.39%. USA’s GER is 85.8% and Pakistan’s is 9.93%.
2. RBI Introduces Rs 10 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series ● After introducing new Rs 2,000 notes and colourful Rs 200, Rs 50 notes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) confirmed that it will shortly issue new banknotes in the Rs 10 denomination. ● The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue Rs 10 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. ●
The new denomination has the motif of Sun Temple, Konark on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Chocolate Brown.
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Dimensions of the note are 63mmx123mm, as opposed to the older notes 63mmx137mm.
3. India’s GDP growth forecasted at 6.5% for 2017-18: CSO ● The Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the First Advance estimates of national income at constant (2011-12) and current prices, for the financial
year 2017-18, forecasting the GDP growth at 6.5% for 2017-18 compared with the growth of 7.1% in 2016-17. ●
The Real Gross Value Added (GVA) at basic constant prices (2011-12) is anticipated to increase 6.1% in 2017-18 as against 6.6% growth in 2016-17.
4. Himalayan Hydro Expo 2018 kicked off at Kathmandu ● The Himalayan Hydro Expo 2018 kicked off at Kathmandu, the capital Nepal. President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari inaugurated the exhibition. ● Delegates from various countries including India, China, Austria, Czech Republic and Norway are participating in the expo. ●
The basic objective of Expo is to unleash massive hydropower potential of Nepal and bring all stakeholders under one roof.
Important Points: Nepal ➢ Capital: Kathmandu ➢ Currency: Nepalese rupee ➢ Prime minister: Sher Bahadur Deuba ➢ President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari 5. Sushma Swaraj co-chairs fifth meeting of India-Indonesia joint Commission ● External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who is visiting Indonesia as part of her three-nation tour, co-chaired the fifth meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Commission with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi. ● The countries are agreed to work together for a balanced and sustainable trade by providing greater market access, both in goods and services.
Important Points: Indonesia ➢ Capital: Jakarta ➢ Currency: Indonesian rupiah ➢ President: Joko Widodo
6. Iceland Becomes 1st Country to Legalise Equal Pay ● Iceland has become the first country in the world to legalise equal pay between men and women. ● Under the new rules, companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain government certification of their equal-pay policies. ● The legislation is basically a mechanism that companies and organisations … evaluate every job that’s being done, and then they get a certification after they confirm the process if they are paying men and women equally. Important Points: Iceland ➢ Capital: Reykjavik ➢ Currency: Icelandic króna ➢ President: Guðni Th. Jóhannesson
7. Indian-origin banker Ravi Menon named best governor of Asia Pacific ● An Indian-origin banker in Singapore has been named as the best central bank governor in Asia-Pacific for 2018. ● Ravi Menon, managing director of Singapore’s central bank Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), was recognised by the leading UK-based magazine ‘The Banker’ for his contribution in the makeover of Singapore’s financial system.
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Singapore’s Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat was also named the best banker in 2011. He was then as MAS’s managing director.
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Over the last three years, the central bankers of Vietnam, India and Bangladesh were named for the recognition.
8. TIHCL gets RBI nod to operate as NBFC ● Telangana Industrial Health Clinic Ltd (TIHCL), a State government initiative, has got RBI clearance to register and function as a non-banking finance company (NBFC). ● It will be the first State promoted and co-financing NBFC. ● It had won the SKOCH Platinum Award in September 2017 under the smart governance category in the MSME segment.