Current Affairs Update – 6 September, 2017

• The Los Angeles-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop a ' superfast' short-distance transport facility between Vijayawada and the state's upcoming capital, Amaravati.
• The project will employ HTT's patented technology to bring down travel time to less than 5 minutes.
• During the initial phase of the project, HTT will conduct a six-month long feasibility study from October. The firm will subsequently introduce its Hyperloop Transportation System for the first time in India as the project enters Phase 2.
• According to the state government, the project would take off from Amravati.
• According to the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB), the project could shape the future of transportation within the state. "By collaborating with Hyperloop, Amaravati is embracing a prototype for the mobility of tomorrow," said Krishna Kishore, the chief executive officer of APEDB.

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released its 2017 list of the Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). The list identifies private sector lender HDFC Bank Ltd as a D-SIB. With this inclusion in the list, the HDFC has joined State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank Ltd, which has been tagged as D-SIBs or too-big-to-fail for the consecutive third year.
• Reports say that with such classification failure or collapse of these lenders can have a cascading impact on the entire financial system and the economy of the country. SIBs are subjected to higher levels of supervision so as to prevent disruption of financial services in the event of any failure.
• In a statement, RBI has said, “The additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) requirement for D-SIBs has already been phased-in from 1 April 2016, and will become fully effective from April 1, 2019. The additional CET1 requirement will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer.”

• The state government of Assam has set up a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Cell for the implementation of DBT across schemes in the country.
• The purpose of setting up the cell is also to coordinate efforts at the state level in taking the DBT initiative forward with immediate effect.
• While the Chairman of the cell will be the Chief Secretary of Assam, its convenor would be Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary of the state’s finance department.

• It will coordinate with Central Ministries and distribute the directives to the respective departments in the state.
• It will closely monitor and evaluate the progress of various departments on DBT related indicators.
• It will further function as the research unit to explore the possibility of using information technology for better service delivery across a range of government services in the state.

• India and Myanmar on 6 September 2017 signed eleven agreements following delegation-level talks headed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
• These 11 agreements were signed in a range of sectors including one on maritime security cooperation to further strengthen their multifaceted partnership.

1. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Election Commission of India and Union Election of Myanmar.
2. An MoU was signed on cooperation between Myanmar Press Council and the Press Council of India.
3. Both the sides signed an agreement for cultural exchange programme for the years 2017 to 2020.
4. Two MoUs were signed on establishment of the India-Myanmar Centre for Enhancement of IT Skill and the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology (MIIT).
5. Two other MoUs were signed on medical products regulation and in the field of health and medicine.
6. Another MoU was signed on enhancing cooperation for upgrade of the Women’s Police Training Centre at Yamethin, Myanmar.
7. The two sides also signed an agreement for sharing white shipping information to improve data sharing on non-classified merchant navy ships or cargo ships.
8. An MoU on Maritime Security Cooperation was also signed.
9. A Technical Agreement was signed between both the sides for providing Coastal Surveillance System.

• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on 4 September 2017 launched a fleet of first batch of 1000 E-rickshaws from Huda City Centre metro station in Gurugram.
• The e-rickshaw fleet will provide cost effective and pollution free substitute in transport system of Gurugram along with generating employment opportunities for marginalised youth.
• Key Highlights
• These e-rickshaws were manufactured in India and are fitted with GPS and tracking system.
• The E rickshaw fleet is operated by Treasure Vase Ventures Private Limited in partnership of Delhi Metro under the 'SmartE' brand name.
• SmartE will provide the last mile transport connectivity to metro commuters in the area and will provide meaningful self-employment for over 100000 marginalised youths in next 4-5 years.
• SmartE established strategic partnerships with the Haryana government (HSIIDC) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to launch 1000 vehicles in Gurugram and Faridabad in 2017.

• To make sure that malnutrition (Kuposhan) bids a good bye to India, NITI Aayog on 5 September 2017 launched the National Nutrition Strategy aimed at Kuposhan Mukt Bharat. Under the strategy, the problem of malnutrition will be eradicated in a phased manner.
• The strategy intends at bringing nutrition to the center-stage of the National Development Agenda. The strategy was launched jointly by the leader of the Green Revolution, Dr. M S Swaminathan, Padma Shri H Sudarshan and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Member Dr. Vinod Paul in New Delhi.
• The National Nutrition Strategy was formulated through an extensive consultative process and lays down a roadmap for effective action, among both implementers and practitioners, in achieving our nutrition objectives.
• The nutrition strategy calls for convergence between four proximate determinants of nutrition - food, health services, income & livelihoods and drinking water & sanitation.
• The Nutrition Strategy framework envisages a Kuposhan Mukt Bharat - linked to Swachh Bharat and Swasth Bharat. It enables states to make strategic choices, through decentralized planning and local innovation, with accountability for nutrition outcomes.

• US President Donald Trump on 5 September 2017 scrapped an amnesty programme introduced during Obama’s term that granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children.
• The move is likely to impact over 800,000 undocumented workers including more than 7000 Indian-Americans.
• The announcement was made by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who said that the programme known as DACA (Deferred Action for Children Arrival) that was effectuated under the Obama Administration is being withdrawn.
• Defending the decision, Sessions said that to have a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest, one cannot admit everyone who would like to come here.
• He further said that the nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants it will admit each year and that means all cannot be accepted. "This does not mean they are bad people or that our nation disrespects or demeans them in any way. It means we are properly enforcing our laws as Congress has passed them,” Sessions added.

• Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy was on 3 September 2017 conferred with the PLuS Alliance Prize 2017 along with Mumbai-born scientist Veena Sahajwalla. Both the winners received USD 50000 as cash prize.
• Both the winners were recognised for the development and implementation of innovative solutions to significant global issues.
• Murthy was presented the PLuS Alliance Prize for Global Leadership while Sahajwalla was awarded the Prize for Research Innovation for her project 'The new science of green manufacturing.
• The awards were presented to Murthy, Sahajwalla and the other winners by Professor Sir Malcolm Grant, Chairman of NHS England and Chair of the PLuS Alliance Advisory Board at the T-H-E World Academic Summit in London.

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in September 2017 announced the winners of 2017 edition of the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education.
• UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova announced the names of the two laureates from Peru and Thailand recommended by an International Jury.
• Each of the two organisations was honoured with the prize money of USD 50000 at an official ceremony held in Xiamen, People’s Republic of China, on 5 September 2017.
• The Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (DEPDC/GMS) in Thailand is awarded for its project entitled “Education and Life Skills Training Programme to Help Stateless Children and Women Migrating from Shan State to Thailand”.

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