Current Affairs – 21st February 2017

Hello Readers, We bring you another issue of current affairs that covers the important news in Current Affairs Today Section.
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Indian Affairs

1. Second Hunar haat becomes a hit
2. SC seeks report on status of STPs for Yamuna River cleaning
3. Arunachal CM Pema Khandu inaugurates Composite Regional Centre in Itanagar
4. Ravi Shankar Prasad launches Cyber Swachhta Kendra in New Delhi|Cyber Swachhta Kendra :
   Aim : To create a secure cyber space by detecting botnet infections.Cyber Swachhta Kendra will operate in close coordination and collaboration with Internet Service Providers and Antivirus companies.The centre is being operated by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team.The planning of this centre was announced in 2015 with an outlay of Rs 100 crore.
5. Tamil Nadu govt announce Rs 2247 cr for drought affected farmers
6. Ministry of Road Transport’s New Format for Reporting Accidents
7. Jammu & Kashmir to observe 2017 as Year of Apple
8. Gujarat Assembly passes Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2017

International Affairs

1. India tops chartsas world’s largest defence importer

Banking and Finance

1. Govt launches its own QR code platform – BharatQR
   1. BharatQR will be the first platform with interoperability which will allow payments from various cards, including Visa and Mastercard.
      BharatQR is developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Mastercard, and Visa have provisions for three additional fields:
      1.  Bank account and IFS code,
      2.  Unified Payments Interface, and
      3.  Aadhaar.
2. Citi launches programme to boost tech innovators
3. Dish TV joins hands with ICICI Bank for digital payments
4. Telangana Govt Signs MoU With NABARD For Rs 874-Crore Loan
   1. Purpose: To promote micro-irrigation facilities over 3.15 lakh acres in the State during the current and next financial years.
   2. The loan amount would be utilised through the State Horticulture Development Corporation.
   3. The agreement was necessitated in view of the decline in ground water level in the State where agriculture is mostly rain-fed and over 42 lakh acres depend on bore wells to meet their irrigation needs, a release said.
   4. The government had taken up micro-irrigation projects on an extent of 2.23 lakh acres during the current year and the balance of 89,000 acres would be covered during the next financial year.
   5. The project was contemplated as micro-irrigation would not only save water, but also ensure plant growth and yields, save input costs, control weeds and improves fertilizer efficiency besides minimising diseases and pest problems.

Awards and Recognition

1. EDII wins International Mercury Award 2016-17
2. Haryana CM, Guv confer Bhim Award to 42 sportspersons

Appointments & Resigns

1. N Chandrasekaran appointed as TCS Chairman
2. Trump Chooses H.R. McMaster as National Security Adviser

Acquisitions & Mergers

Business

1. Virat Kohli first Indian sports person to ink Rs.110-crore deal with Puma
2. CII signs MoU with Singapore trade and business agencies
3. MoU signed for welfare of Handicraft Artisans belonging to Scheduled Castes

Environment

Science and Technology

1. Researchers develop first stretchable integrated circuit using an inkjet printer
2. Health Ministry launches ‘Saathiya Kits’ to improve adolescent health
3. Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel commissioned in Goa

Sports

Dustin Johnson dominates Genesis Open to overtake world No. 1

Important Days

International Mother Language Day – February 21, 2017

Obituary