Daily Current Affairs 20 February 2018 1. Mumbai to have India’s first artificial intelligence centre ● In a first in the country, the Maharashtra State government will be setting up an institute for artificial intelligence (AI) in Mumbai. ● Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will unveil the plan for the institute during the Magnetic Maharashtra Summit, and at the Global Economic Conference in Canada in March 2018. ● The meeting between Canadian Minister of International Relations, Christine St-Pierre, and Mr. Fadnavis was held on AI cooperation in the industrial and service sectors. Important points: Maharashtra ➢ Capital: Mumbai ➢ Chief minister: Devendra Fadnavis ➢ Governor: Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao
2. NABARD launches Rs 1,918 cr area development plan for Punjab ● The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) announced area development plans worth Rs 1,918 crore for Punjab to supplement farmers’ income. ● Under this plan, the activities like dairy, vegetable cultivation, bee keeping, mushroom growing will be promoted in order to provide income to farmers at the sustainable basis.
Important points: NABARD ➢ Chairperson: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala ➢ Headquarters: Mumbai
3. PhonePe partners with IOCL for deployment of PoS terminals
● Digital payments entity PhonePe has partnered with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the adoption of its indigenously-designed Point of Sale (POS) device at IOCL retail outlets. ● As part of this partnership, customers can pay using UPI, credit and debit cards, PhonePe wallet and other external wallets like Jio Money & Freecharge for their fuel purchases, through the PoS device at 30 IOCL retail outlets in Bengaluru.
4. Archaeologist Arvind Jamkhedkar to head ICHR ● Archaeologist and historian Arvind P. Jamkhedkar will be the next Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). ● He will replace Prof. K. Sudarshan Rao, whose term as ICHR chief was mired in controversy. The post fell vacant after Prof. Rao’s retirement. ● Prof. Jamkhedkar is at present Chancellor of Deccan College, Pune, known in academic circles for its archaeology department. Important points: Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) ➢ Headquarters: New Delhi ➢ Founded: 1972
5. India to host World Environment Day 2018 ● The government of India and the UN jointly announced that India will host the global World Environment Day celebrations on 5 June 2018. ● “Beat Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment 2018. ● World Environment Day is a UN Environment-led global event, the single largest celebration of our environment each year, which takes place on June 5 and is celebrated by thousands of communities worldwide.
6. BAFTA 2018: Complete List Of Winners Crime drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri won maximum prizes at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Here’s the list of winners for BAFTA 2018: ➢ Best Film: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri ➢ Outstanding British Film: Three Billboards
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Outside Ebbing, Missouri Director: Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water Best Actress: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Actor: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, I, Tonya Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049 Original Screenplay: Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Adapted Screenplay: James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name British Short Film: Cowboy Dave British Short Animation: Poles Apart Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer: I Am Not a Witch, Rungano Nyoni (writer/director), Emily Morgan (producer) Special Visual Effects: Blade Runner 2049 Best Animated Film: Coco Best Film Not In The English Language: The Handmaiden Best Documentary: I Am Not Your Negro Best Production Design: Paul Austerberry, Jeff Melvin, Shane Vieau, The Shape of Water Best Editing: Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss Baby Driver Best Sound: Dunkirk Best Original Music: The Shape of Water Best Costume Design: Phantom Thread Best Make-Up & Hair: Darkest Hour The Ee Rising Star Award (Voted For By Public): Daniel Kaluuya
7. J P Nadda addresses Global Digital Health Partnership Summit in Australia ● Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare during his address at Global Digital Health Partnership Summit, at Canberra, Australia. ● The Union Health Minister spoke on the topic: Making Digital Health Services a Priority in Healthcare Reform.
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Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has the great potential towards improvement of delivery of healthcare services.
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India is committed to reforms in health service delivery using ICT under Digital India Program of Government of India.
8. Sanjiv Bajaj won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 award ● Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Finserv, won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 award for solutions in lending, life and general insurance and wealth advisory. ● The consulting firm also named nine other category winners for the Entrepreneur of the Year Program. ● E Sreedharan, widely acknowledged for his invaluable contributions transforming public transport in India, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. ●
He was instrumental in the planning and executing the Kolkata Metro, Delhi Metro, Kochi Metro and Lucknow Metro.
9. India’s second mission to the moon Chandrayaan-2 in April ● The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is planning to launch Chandrayaan-2 Mission around April 2018. Chandrayaan-2 is the country’s second mission to the moon. ● Chandrayaan-2 is a challenging mission as for the first time we will carry an orbiter, a lander and a rover to the moon. ● Chairman of Isro K Sivan stated that the total cost of the Chandrayaan-2 mission will be about Rs 8 billion. Important points: Indian Space Research Organisation ➢ Headquarters: Bengaluru ➢ Founder: Vikram Sarabhai ➢ Founded: 15 August 1969 ➢ Director: Kailasa Vadivoo Sivan