17th Nov 2015 important current affairs digest / Gk /GA

17th Nov 2015 important current affairs digest / Gk /GA:  Nov 18-20 : Global cancer summit

• Global Cancer Summit, a three-day programme focused on understanding and suggesting strategies to tackle cancer, will be organised from November 18-20 at the Indian Institute of Science.
• The event is organsied by BioGenesis – the Euro-Indian Health Cluster (India), Global Cancer Foundation and supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research.
• The conclave is expected to have 700 experts in the field of oncology and related sectors and is dedicated to the late US senator Ted Kennedy.

PRASAD and Swadsh Darshan schemes launched by Tourism Ministry.

• PRASAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) and SWADSH DARSHAN schemes of the Union Ministry of Tourism were in news in the second week of November 2015.
• The two initiatives, along with Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), were launched to achieve 1 per cent share of international tourist arrivals by 2016-17 from the present 0.68 per cent.
• Both the schemes are under implementation in mission mode and aimed at developing world-class tourism related infrastructure.
• PRASAD’s objective is to augment religious and spiritual tourism in the country as India is a land of many religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Sufism.

Zarin Daruwala named as new India CEO of Standard Daruwala.

• Daruwala was president of the wholesale lending team at ICICI Bank Ltd. Daruwala will report to Ajay Kanwal, regional CEO, ASEAN & South Asia at Standard Chartered.
• In July, Standard Chartered had announced a revamp of its core management team.
• Sunil Kaushal, who was heading the India operations, was moved and appointed as regional chief for Africa and Middle East.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal passes away in Gurgaon.

• Singhal served as the international working president of the Hindu organisation for over 20 years.
• Singhal was a key organiser of the first VHP Dharma Sansad held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi in 1984.
• The Sansad gave birth to the movement for reclaiming the Ramjanmabhoomi temple.
• Later, he became the main leader of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement.

Syed Akbaruddin appointed as next Permanent Representative of India to UN.

• Syed Akbaruddin was on 16 November 2015 appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations at New York.
• He will replace Asoke Kumar Mukerji who assumed the office in April 2013.
• In this position, Akbaruddin will head India’s diplomatic mission in the UN and articulates the country’s stand on critical issues at the global forum.

Union Ministry of Finance constitutes Governing Council (GC) of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF).

• The GC will be chaired by Union Finance Minister and the members included Secretary: DEA, Secretary: Financial Services, Arundhati Bhattacharya, Hemendra Kothari,T V Mohandas Pai.
• The GC was mandated to consider approval of guidelines for Investment of Trust property/Corpus of NIIF and parameters for appointment and performance of investment managers/ advisors among others.

AMRUT action plans for 81 cities approved.

• An inter-ministerial Apex Committee on 16 November 2015 approved State Annual Action Plans (SAAP) of 81 mission cities in 5 states-Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Mizoram under AMRUT for 2015-16.
• The meeting of the committee was headed by Shri Madhusudan Prasad, Secretary, Union Ministry of Urban Development, which is the nodal ministry for implementation of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
• As per the approved SAAPs, the Union, State governments and urban local bodies together will invest 5748 crore rupees.

Axis MF launched Children’s Gift Fund.

• This is Axis’s first goal based investment option.
• Investments can only be made for a minor, represented by a parent or guardian.
• According to the company, such an investment would be better than taking an education loan in the future for a child’s education.
• The NFO comes with an optional lock-in period till the child turns 18 years old.
• The minimum application amount is Rs. 5,000. The fund will be benchmarked against the Crisil Composite Bond Fund Index.

World Bank inked $75-m credit deal with Andhra Pradesh for rural project.

• Centre, Andhra Pradesh and the World Bank have inked a $75 million (₹500 crore) credit deal for the Andhra Pradesh Rural Inclusive Growth Project.
• The project seeks to enhance agricultural incomes of small and marginal farmers and ensure increased access to services related to health, nutrition, sanitation and social entitlements.

Aussie cricketer Mitchell Johnson announced retirement from International Cricket.

• He made this announcement after conclusion to the second Test match against New Zealand at WACA.
• With this, he has joined his fellow team mates who had recently retired from international cricket including Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson.

Nepali football chief Ganesh Thapa banned by FIFA for 10 years for corruption.

• The body also banned the president of the Laos federation Viphet Sihachakr for two years for bribery.
• In the context of the 2009 and 2011 elections at the Asian Football Confederation congress, FIFA accused Thapa of committing various acts of misconduct, which includes the solicitation and acceptance of cash payments from another football official, for personal and family gain.

Siril Verma bagged silver at World Junior Badminton Championships.

• Young shuttler Siril Verma on 15 November 2015 grabbed a silver medal at the BWF World Junior Championships held in Lima, Peru.
• China’s Chia Hung Lu clinched the gold medal at the Boys’ singles event.
• With this, Verma joined the ranks of Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, R.M.V. Gurusaidutt, H.S. Prannoy and Sameer Verma, who have won medals for India in the World junior championships.