Skip to main content

Current Affairs - Sep 8, 2018

current affairs 2018

Power Subsidy to be under DBT

  • The Central government is to bring new rules in electricity subsidy.
  • It has proposed an amendment to Electricity Act, 2003 (currently draft) to make Direct Benefit Transfer compulsory for providing any subsidy.
  • This will be for all the categories of consumers in any state.
  • This step is taken to curb the practice of debt accumulation by distribution companies. 
  • The consumers will get subsidy directly in bank accounts via DBT.

Current Account Deficit Widens

  • India's current Account Deficit CAD widens to 2.4% of GDP in the first quarter.
  • The CAD stood at $15.8 billion (in Q1 2018-19) compared to $15 billion in last year's Q1.
  • The widening of the CAD on a year-on-year basis was primarily due to a higher trade deficit.
  • The trade deficit is at $45.7 billion as compared with $41.9 billion in 2017

India, Lanka begin the Joint Naval exercise

  • Three Indian naval ships reached Trincomalee for Joint Naval Exercise, SLINEX 2018.
  • This will be the sixth edition of the bilateral exercise between India and Sri Lanka. It was initiated in 2005
  • The exercise began on 7th September 2018.
  • The inaugural ceremony of the exercise was held on board Sri Lankan Navy’s SLNS Sayurala.
  • The exercise is being conducted in two phases.

Visa-less entry for Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan

  • As the Sikh community all set to celebrate 155th Birth Anniversary 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev next year; Pakistan government is likely to allow ‘visa-less entry’ to pilgrims headed for Kartarpur Sahib.
  • The Kartarpur Gurdwara is located in Narowal district of Punjab province near the Indian border and is revered by Sikhs due to the belief that the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak died there.
  • A corridor will be made to visit the Gurdwara for visa-less entry, but tickets may be charged for the visit. The official announcement is yet to be made in this regard.
  • There has been a longstanding demand in India for opening a corridor for the Sikh pilgrims between Kartarpur Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province and Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur- the two sites, barely 6km apart.

2nd World Hindu Congress in Chicago

  • The Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is on a two-day visit to USA on September 7-9.
  • The VP will address the 2nd World Hindu Congress being held in Chicago on the occasion of 125th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Historic Speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1893.
  • VP is also expected to participate in a programme organized by 14 Telugu Associations of the US.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

IAS Exam Dates for 2023

Timeline for UPSC civil services competitive exam commonly known as IAS exam is expected to be as follows:  Registration and application form submission for IAS exam will start in February month and will be happening from 1st Feb to 21st Feb 2023. Preliminary exam is scheduled on 28th May 2023. Mains exam is expected to start from 15 September. IAS exam is considered one of the most toughest exam in India and also most rewarding for those who make their way to the final selection list.

Geography and Public Administration as Optional Subject

In my opinion, if you are starting the preparation of IAS Exam and still confused about optional papers don't opt either Geography or Public Administration. These papers are not high scoring papers in general; if you look at marks obtained by candidates in these two papers you won't find it worth the effort they put in while preparing. The number of guys opting these two papers are highest, and because of this bar is getting higher every year. For example, even after getting selected once for IRS with Public Administration, last year's topper Anudeep changed his optional paper in his attempt. I am not saying you must not choose these papers. In fact, you must opt any of it in case you like a lot, or you have some academic background related to any of these. But if you are equally bad in all the papers don't go for these two. Find a better alternative.

IAS Exam Dates for 2019

UPSC has already announced dates for IAS Exams to be conducted in 2019. So far no change of any kind has been reported in exam pattern, syllabus or age. Current age limit for unreserved category student is 32 years and the maximum number of attempts is 6. Following are IAS Exam Dates for 2019 Filling of forms for the 2019 Preliminary Exam will open from 19 February 2019 to 18 March 2019 . Preliminary Exam is scheduled to be conducted on  2 June 2019 (Sunday) . IAS Mains Exam will start from 20 September 2019 (for five days). This is now high time to start serious preparation in case you are aspiring to become an IAS officer this through 2019 exam as only Eight months are left for Preliminary exams (October to May). Don't postpone your preparation for next year because there will never be a perfect time to start preparing. IAS exam dates are eight months ahead and trust me eight months are not too less time to prepare for Preliminary exams. Don't try to a