Current Affairs Today May 17 2018

We are here for you to provide the important current affairs May 17 2018 which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, India Today, Indian Express, Business Standard, all Government official websites. Our complete current affairs helps you to get more marks in Banking, insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railway and all other competitive Exams.

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 INDIAN AFFAIRS

Punjab CM announces development projects for Tarn Taran
On May 17, 2018, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced several development projects aggregating Rs 555 crore for the uplift and up-gradation of the border district of Tarn Taran.

Development Projects for Tarn Taran, Punjab:
i. Tarn Taran district in Punjab is strategically located near the Indo-Pakistan border.
ii. Majority of the development projects (amounting to Rs. 370 crore) announced, are for improving road network and connectivity.
iii. Rs 60 crore has been set aside for the development of 779 schools while Rs 44 crore has been earmarked for development works in various mandis.
iv. Rs 40 crore will be spent for strengthening of health facilities in the district and Rs 12 crore for establishing government degree college.
v. Other projects include setting up a buffalo research centre and construction of high-level bridges.
Quick Facts about Punjab:
♦ Capital – Chandigarh
♦ Current Chief Minister – Amarinder Singh
♦ Current Governor – V P Singh Badnore
♦ Important River – Sutlej

PM Modi to lay foundation stone for construction of Zojila Tunnel in J&K
On May 19, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of 14.2-km-long tunnel under the Zojila Pass in Jammu & Kashmir.
More information about Zojila Pass:
i. This tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity from Baltal in Kashmir to Minamarg near Gumri in Ladakh.
ii. Located at a height of above 11000 feet, Zojila Pass is the gateway to Ladkah region and connects Kargil and Leh with Srinagar. However, during winters, it remains inaccessible due to heavy snowfall.
iii. The tunnel will have immense utility for tourists. It also has a strategic significance as it will facilitate quick mobilisation of troops in case of any incursion from across the border.
iv. The project will be executed by IL & FS, which has experience of infrastructure development in such tough terrain.

Telangana CM announces employee welfare schemes
On May 16, 2018, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced setting up of a new Pay Revision Commission (PRC) for government employees.
More information about Telangana’s Pay Revision Commission (PRC) for government employees:
i. Mr. Rao announced that Telangana Permanent Transfer policy will be brought into force.
ii. Telangana Government will be giving special allowances to employees working in remote areas.
iii. Mr. Rao added that all benefits accruing to Retired Employees will be sanctioned 100% and implemented by the day an employee retires.
iv. He also announced that women employees will be given special leave of five days and Teachers in the state will get good pay revision in coming days.
Quick Facts about Telangana:
♦ Capital – Hyderabad
♦ Current Governor – E.S.L. Narasimhan
♦ Current Chief Minister – K. Chandrashekar Rao
♦ Important National Park – Mrugavani National Park

Environment Ministry Forms 19 Teams to clean Beaches and lakes
Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has formed 19 teams to take up cleaning of beaches, lakes and river fronts across India.
Teams formed for Clean-up drive:
i. The 19 teams comprise senior officers of environment ministry, State Pollution Control Boards, college of fisheries located along the coastal stretches, district administration and other educational/research institutions.
ii. Eco-club schools, which are being provided assistance from Environment Ministry under the National Green Corps programme will also be a part of the teams.
iii. The 19 teams will undertake cleaning up of around 24 beaches in 9 coastal states and river fronts in 24 identified polluted stretches in 19 states.
iv. In addition to this, a special cleanliness drives will be carried out at Yamuna riverfront in Delhi and certain lakes and water bodies.

Smart Cities Mission – 1,333 projects worth Rs.50,626 crores completed or under implementation / tendering
On 17^th May, The Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs has announced that it has been able to achieve success in the Smart City Mission.
Key points about Smart City Mission:
i. Smart Cities Mission – 1,333 projects worth Rs.50,626 crores completed or under implementation.
ii. Overall projects worth Rs.2,03,979 croresfor all 99 smart cities across the country.Out of which as far, 91 of them have already incorporated SPVs (Special Purpose Vehicles).
iii. 9 Smart Cities viz.Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal, Pune, Kakinada, Surat & Nagpur have already established Integrated City Command and Control Centres (ICCC)
iv. Smart Road projects have been completed in 4 cities worth Rs.228 crores. Smart Solar projects and Smart Water projects in 6 cities have been completed. Smart Waste Water projects in 46 cities have been completed/under implementation/ tendering .
v. Other than these many impactful projects likeheritage conservation, water front development, public space development etc. have been completed in 13 cities worth Rs.107 crores and projects worth Rs. 5,865 crores are under implementation/tendering.
Smart City Mission has lots of convergence with other missions:-
Under AMRUT  :-  out of SAAP size of Rs.77,640 crores,projects worth rs 65,075 crores (84%) under various stages of implementation including projects tendered has been approved .
Under PMAY(U) :- Rs. 25,475 crores of Central asistance released to States/UTS.
Under DAY – NULM :- .1907.5 crores have been released so far.
Under HRIDAY:-  City HRIDAY Plans (CHPs) for 12 cities have been approved.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) :- Rs.6,592 crores have been released to states under this scheme.

Suresh Prabhu launches Intellectual Property mascot – IP Nani
On 17^th May, the Minister of Commerce and  Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu launched an Intellectual Property Mascot named IP NANI at a conference of National Intellectual Property Rights Policy held in New Delhi.
Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy grandmother who helps in combating IP crimes with the help of her grandson “Chhotu” aka Aditya. The IP mascot will spread awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children, in an interesting manner.
Key Points:
i. The National IPR Policy was approved by the Union Cabinet on 12th May 2016. The objective of the Policy is “IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion” on IPR for school children .
ii. The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP)collaborated with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EU-IPO) to produce a series of animated videos on IPRs for children with IP Nani as their central character.
iii. The Minister has launched an anti-piracy video featuring actor Mr. Amitabh Bachhan in the same event.
Cell for IPR promotion and Management (CIPAM):
i. All these videos are available on CIPAM’s official YouTube channel (CIPAM India), Twitter handle @CIPAM_India and Facebook Page @CIPAMIndia.
ii. So far 100 schools and 8000 students have been given workshops since it started in April 2017. NCERT to include lessons on IPR in class 12 syllabus.

The Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) has sanctioned two projects worth Rs 48 crore to boost tourism in Tripura
On 17^th May 2018, the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) sanctioned two projects worth Rs 48 crore to enhance tourism in Tripura.
Two projects worth Rs 48 crore to enhance tourism in Tripura:
i. The funds will be utilised to repair and develop two roads that link two tourism spots – Chabimura and Tirthamuk – at Amarpur sub-division in Gomati district.
ii. Chabimura is known for its rock carvings. Tirthamukh is the confluence of Raima and Sarma rivers. It is considered a sacred spot.
iii. The projects were approved at a meeting of the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme held in New Delhi recently.
Some National Parks in Tripura:
♦ Clouded Leopard National Park
♦ Rajbari National Park

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh addresses National Conference of Fisheries Ministers of Coastal states
On 17^th May 2018, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh addressed the National Conference of Fisheries Ministers of Coastal states, in New Delhi.
National Conference of Fisheries Ministers of Coastal states:
i. Radha Mohan Singh said that, during the last decade, India has attained first position with 14% average annual growth in the export of fish & fishery products.
ii. He added that, Fish production in India has also grown by 27% in 2014-18 compared to 2010-14.
iii. He said that, the government has decided to promote deep sea fishing and has launched a sub-component ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’ under the Blue Revolution.
iv. As per this scheme, self-help groups of traditional fishermen are given 50 per cent of the vessel cost i.e. the central assistance of Rs 40 lakh for vessel costing up to Rs 80 lakh.
v. In the first year, central funds of over Rs 300 crore have been released for the implementation of this scheme in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
Some important dams in India:
♦ Indira Sagar Dam – Narmada River
♦ Warna Dam – Varna River
♦ Bhatsa Dam – Bhatsa and chorna River

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Guatemala 2nd nation to open embassy in Jerusalem after US
On 16^th May, the President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales inaugurated Guatemalan embassy in Jerusalem .It is the second country after US to do so.
Key Points:
i. In a ceremony held during the visit of the president of Guatemala , the Prime Minister of Israel expressed his content on the growing friendship of the three countries viz. Israel, Guatemala and US.
ii. Morales stated that this embassy would be beneficial for Guatemalans and it signifies strong link between the two nations.
iii. Talks of trilateral relationships are on among the three countries.
iv. Apart from this, other Latin Americancountries like Paraguay and Honduras are next on opening their embassies in Jerusalem in the next few weeks as per reports.
Israel:
♦ Capital: Jerusalem.
♦ Prime Minister: Benjamin Netanyahu.
Guatemala:
♦ Capital: Guatemala City.
♦ Currency : Guatemalan quetzal.
♦ President : Jimmy Morales.

15th Meeting of SCO Cultural Ministers at Sanya, China
On 17^th May, The Minister of State of Culture (I/C) and Minister of State of Environment , Forest and Climate Change , Dr. Mahesh Sharma announced that he will be attending the 15^th meeting of the Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO) at Sanya, China to be held today (17^th May, 2018).
Key Points:
i. The meeting will focus on showcasing India’s willingness to participate and strengthen cultural cooperationwith all the other participants including the SCO member countries.
ii. India became full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on 9^thJune, 2017 during the SCO Heads of State Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
iii.  India has opened a SCO Division in MEA and has appointed a National Coordinator and Permanent Representative to SCO (Shri Bandaru Wilsonbabu) .
SCO:
♦ Founder Nations: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
♦ Headquarters: Beijing, China.
♦ Secretary General: Rashid Alimov.
♦ Number of member countries :8 (earlier 5 except Uzbekistan. After India and Pakistan joined it increased).

BANKING & FINANCE

Smaller towns driving growth for SBI Cards
Smaller towns are driving growth for SBI Cards (a subsidiary of State Bank of India) which has been increasing its card numbers at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40%.
SBI Cards Growth Trajectory:
i. In terms of spending, Cardholders in centres outside the top 10 cities account for 45% of spending.
ii. Primary reason behind this surge is the penetration of mobile-phone internet which accounts for 20% of spending from smaller towns.
iii. SBI cards, the second-largest credit card issuer after HDFC Bank currently holds 16% market share (in terms of number of cards) and is the only stand-alone credit card company in India.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

BSE becomes first Indian stock exchange to get US SEC’s DOSM recognition
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has become the first Indian exchange to be recognised as a designated offshore securities market (DOSM) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
i. The DOSM status eases the trades by U.S. investors in India as it allows sale of securities to U.S. investors through the trading venue of BSE without registration of such securities with the U.S. SEC.
ii. In addition this, DOSM recognition also enhances the attractiveness of Indian Depository Receipts (IDRs) amongst US investors.
iii. Few exchanges across the world that have the DOSM recognition are London Stock Exchange, Bourse de Luxembourg, Tokyo Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange.
Quick Facts about BSE:
♦ Founded in – 1875
♦ Located in – Mumbai, Maharashtra

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Swachh Survekshan 2018 – Results
i. Swachh Survekshan 2018 was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), under the aegis of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).
ii. Swachh Survekshan 2018 was the first pan Indian exercise to assess cleanliness in urban India as it covered 4203 cities.
iii. Indore was adjudged cleanest city in Swachh Survekshan 2017 as well. In Swachh Survekshan 2018, Indore is followed by Bhopal and Chandigarh………………………………………………………Click here to Read more
Swachh Survekshan 2018 – National Level Winners:

LMA Award for Chennaiyin FC’s head coach Gregory
On 15^th May 2018, Chennaiyin FC’s head coach John Gregory was presented with a Special Achievement Award by England’s League Managers Association (LMA) at LMA’s 26th Annual Awards function in London.
LMA Award for Chennaiyin FC’s head coach Gregory:
i. John Gregory is 64 years old. He was presented the Special Achievement Award for becoming the first Englishman to win the Indian Super League (ISL).
ii. Chennaiyin FC had defeated Bengaluru FC in the ISL final in March 2018 and won the trophy.
iii. John Gregory has signed a one-year extension with Chennaiyin FC. He received the award from former Manchester United and Everton manager and current West Ham United head coach David Moyes.
iv. The LMA is a body in England for English coaches and managers in English football.  It hosts an award event every year to honour the best performing coaches in English football every season.
Some stadiums in Tamil Nadu:
♦ Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
♦ MGR Race Course Stadium
♦ Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

BJP’s Yeddyurappa sworn in as Karnataka chief minister
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) legislative leader in Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka on May 17, 2018.
i. BJP, which emerged as the single largest party post state assembly elections, was invited by Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to form government.
ii. BJP has secured 104 seats in the 224-member Karnataka assembly and is thus short of majority.
iii. On the other side, Congress, which won 78 seats in the elections, and JD(S) which has 37 seats, have formed a post-poll alliance, thereby claiming 115 seats, which is above the simple majority mark.
iv. However, Karnataka Governor has given BJP, 15 days to prove its strength on the floor of the House.
Quick Facts about Karnataka:
♦ Capital – Bengaluru
♦ Current Governor – Vajubhai Vala
♦ Important National Park – Bandipur National Park

Allahabad Bank CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian loses her executive powers
On 17^th May, The former CEO of Allahabad Bank Mrs. Usha Ananthasubramanian was moved out of the board and loses all her executive powers.
i. This is in lieu of Punjab National Bank – Nirav Modi fraud investigation where she was found guilty by the CBI.
ii. She had previously been in the board of PNB two times. Apart from her other officials of PNB namely KV Brahmaji Rao and Sanjiv Sharan has also been accussed.
ALLAHABAD BANK:
♦ Headquarters : Kolkata.
♦ Tag Line: A Tradition of Trust.
PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK :
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi.
♦ Tag Line: The Name you can bank upon.

Ambika Sharma to head USIBC India office
On 16^th May 2018, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) said that Ambika Sharma will join USIBC as Managing Director of India operations.
Ambika Sharma – USIBC – Managing Director of India operations:
i. Ambika Sharma will oversee and guide USIBC’s growth strategy in India through its offices in New Delhi and Mumbai.
ii. She will join USIBC as Managing Director of India operations on 15^th June 2018. Earlier, she was Director General for International at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
About Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI):
♦ President – Rashesh Shah
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

Susheela Jayapal Becomes 1st South Asian To Be Elected In Oregon
On 15^th May 2018, Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal’s sister Susheela Jayapal was elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon, making her the first South Asian to be elected in Oregon.
Susheela Jayapal Becomes 1st South Asian To Be Elected In Oregon:
i. Susheela Jayapal is 55 years old. She won the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners with 57 % of the vote.
ii. Pramila Jayapal is the first ever Indian American woman elected to the House of Representatives.
iii. Susheela Jayapal will represent North and Northeast Portland commissioner’s seat.  She was born in India. She went to the United States when she was 16 years for higher studies.
iv. She was a litigator at law firms in San Francisco and Portland. Then she became the General Counsel at adidas America.
Some important temples in India:
♦ Vaishno Devi Temple – Katra, Jammu & Kashmir
♦ Golden Temple – Amritsar, Punjab
♦ Tirupati Balaji (Tirumala Venkateswara Temple) – Chittor, Andhra Pradesh

ENVIRONMENT

Microhyla kodial: New frog species discovered in coastal Karnataka
On 16^th May, a team of Indian scientists found a new frog species in a small industrial region in coastal Karnataka. It is named the Microhyla kodial after the city of Mangaluru(called kodial in the Konkani language) from where it was spotted about two years ago.
Key Points:
i. It is a greyish brownfrog and is just 2 cm in length. A thick olive-green band on its head, less-prominent dark green bands on the rest of its body and has avery distinct loud long calls very different from a regular frog.
ii. It is closely related to southeast Asian frogs than Indian frogs and breeds during the monsoon. It is suspected to have come from the timber imported from Myanmar, Malayasia, Indonesia.
iii.  The study has been published in the international journal Zootaxa on Tuesday 15^th May.

SPORTS

First Para-National Games this year under Khelo India Scheme
The first National Para Games as part of National Games for able-bodied athletes, will be conducted under the Khelo India Scheme in June-July 2018 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
First Para-National Games in Bengaluru:
i. This will be a multi-sport event for para-athletes which will see participation from various states. The tentative dates for the event are 28 June to 7 July 2018.
ii.  The Paralympic Committee of India will be responsible for the technical conduct of the Games. The sports ministry will fund the games under the Khelo India Scheme.
iii. The Games will be held for both male and female para athletes aged between 16 to 40.
iv. Games will be conducted in 10 categories: para athletics, badminton, chess, blind judo, para powerlifting, shooting para sport, para swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing.
v. Each category will have several classifications as per the guidelines of PCI (Paralympic Committee of India).
vi. 416 medal events (220 for men, 180 for women and 16 mixed) will be conducted. The total number of participants is fixed as 2192 (men – 1311, women – 837 and mixed events – 44).
vii. Para athletics will have the most number of medal events (167). It will be followed by para swimming with 135 medals.
viii. The events will be held at the following 4 venues: Kanteerava Stadium, Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, SAI Centre Bengaluru and Karnataka Badminton Association Stadium.
ix. The Games will be a biennial affair. This inaugural event will also act as qualifiers for the Para Asian Games that will be held in Jakarta in October 2018.
About Paralympic Committee of India (PCI):
♦ President – Rao Inderjit Singh
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

Atletico crowned Europa League Champions (Football)
On 16^th May 2018, Atletico Madrid emerged as champions in the UEFA Europa League in Lyon, France.

Atletico Madrid emerged as champions in the UEFA Europa League:
i. Atletico Madrid defeated Marseille 3-0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League.
ii. This is the third Europa League title for Atletico Madrid. Earlier, they had won the title in 2010 and 2012.
About Union of European Football Associations (UEFA):
♦ President – Aleksander Čeferin
♦ Headquarters – Nyon, Switzerland

Vineet Rai replaces Dhanpal Ganesh in national camp
On 17^th May, The Tamil Nadu player Dhanapal Ganesh was replaced by Vineet Rai due to physical ailments.
i. This is in line with the upcoming Hero International Cup 2018 to be held at Mumbai Football Arena , Mumbai on June 1.
ii. Stephen Constantine’s men face Chinese Taipei in their first match. The tournament also features New Zealandand Kenya.
iii. India will be competing against South Africa, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei.
iv. Hero International Cup is held under AIFF .
AIFF: All India Football Club
♦ General Secretary: Mr.Kushal Das.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Shri Ashwini Lohani launches “Guidebook for Creating a Child Friendly and Protective Environment for Children in Contact with Railways’
On 16^th May 2018, a “Guidebook for Creating a Child Friendly and Protective Environment for Children in Contact with Railways’, was launched by Ashwini Lohani, Chairman, Railway Board, at an event at the Habitat World, New Delhi.
Guidebook for Creating a Child Friendly and Protective Environment for Children in Contact with Railways:
i. The Guidebook has been developed by National Commission for protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) along with Railway Children India.
ii. This document will be a framework to develop child friendly environment at all Railway Stations.
iii. Also, Information Education Communication (IEC) Materials on child protection for children in contact with Indian Railways was also launched. It was developed by NCPCR along with Indian Railways.
iv. Materials developed by “Save The Children” were also launched to create awareness among the people and stakeholders.
Some important international airports in India:
♦ Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
♦ Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
♦ Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport – Kolkata, West Bengal

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Tele-communication and Information Society Day
17^th May 2018 is celebrated as the ‘World Tele-communication and Information Society Day’ by the United Nations . It marks the anniversary of signing the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of ‘International Telecommunication Union’.
i. It is celebrated to raise the awareness of the impact of tele communication and technology and the Internet in the modern society and how this is a boon for inter communication among societies and economies to bring about the digital awareness and bridge the digital divide.
ii.  The Theme for 2018 is : “Enabling the positive use of Artificial Intelligence “.
iii. This will focus on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
United Nation :
♦ Member countries: 193.
♦ Headquarters: New York City, US.
♦ Secretary –General : Antonio Guterres.

International day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
On 17^th May 2018, International day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was observed all over the world.
International day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia:
i. When: In 2004, May 17 was declared as International day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.
ii. Why: This day is observed to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, public and media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) people all over the world.
iii. The theme for International day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2018 is: “Alliances for Solidarity”.

World Hypertension Day
On 17^th May 2018, World Hypertension Day was observed all over the world.
World Hypertension Day:
i. 17 May is observed as World Hypertension Day (WHD) every year. This is an initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL).
ii. World Hypertension Day was first observed in May 2005. This day is observed to promote public awareness of hypertension and to promote prevention and control of Hypertension.
iii. The theme for World Hypertension Day 2018 is: “Know Your Numbers”, with a goal of increasing high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all populations around the world.