Indian Affairs, April 20th, 2018, Current Affairs Notes - Current Affairs

INDIAN AFFAIRS

President of India’s 2 day visit to Jammu & Kashmir overview
On 18^th and 19^th April 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind was on his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

President of India’s 2 day visit to Jammu & Kashmir:
i. President Ram Nath Kovind was accompanied by First Lady Savita Kovind. He was received by J&K Governor N N Vohra, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Legislative Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta and Legislative Council Chairman Haji Anayat Ali at the airport.
ii. Ram Nath Kovind addressed the sixth convocation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) at Katra on 18^th April 2018. Nearly 880 scholars received degrees and merit certificates at the event.
iii. The founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti Mittal, and the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Munjal Auto Engineering Limited, Sudhir Munjal, were conferred honorary doctorate by SMVDU at the event.
iv. A civic reception was held at the Amar Mahal Lawns in Jammu to honor Ram NAth Kovind on 18^th April 2018.
v. Ram Nath Kovind also met Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Ramalingam Sudhakar and other judges.
vi. On 19^th April 2018, Ram Nath Kovind visited the Mubarak Mandi heritage site.
Some National Parks in Jammu & Kashmir:
♦ Kishtwar National Park
♦ Dachigam National Park
♦ Hemis National Park

India, Eritrea sign MoU on Foreign Office Consultations
On April 20, 2018, India and Eritrea signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi.
More information about India-Eritrea MoU:
i. The MoU will facilitate a structured dialogue for strengthening bilateral corporation between both the countries.
ii. It will be instrumental in taking forward the warm and cordial relation between India and Eritrea in political, commercial and education spheres.
iii. India has been providing capacity building assistance to Eritrea in several fields such as legislative drafting, technical scholarships (agriculture, education, health), and food aid.
Quick Facts about Eritrea:
♦ Capital – Asmara
♦ Currency – Nakfa
♦ Current President – Isaias Afwerki
♦ Neighbouring countries – Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti

e-SANAD portal and National Academic Depository integrated
On 18^th April 2018, the integration of e-SANAD portal and NAD – National Academic Depository (of HRD Ministry) was launched by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.

Integration of e-SANAD portal and NAD – National Academic Depository (of HRD Ministry):
i. Minister of State for HRD (Human Resource Development), Dr. Satyapal Singh said that the integration of e-SANAD and NAD – National Academic Depository, will improve transparency in the Indian education system.
ii. The government had launched e-SANAD portal in 2017 to digitise the process of attestation of documents for those going abroad, without visiting government offices for the purpose.
iii. National Academic Depository was launched by the government to digitally store school learning certificates, degrees and other academic awards of institutions of higher education.
Some important sea ports in India:
♦ Paradip Port – Odisha
♦ Haldia Port – West Bengal
♦ Tuticorin Port – Tamil Nadu

Two day Regional Conference on “Urban Development: Technological Solutions and Governance Challenges” begins in Ahmedabad
On 19^th April 2018, the 2-day Regional Conference on “Urban Development: Technological Solutions and Governance Challenges” began in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Urban Development: Technological Solutions and Governance Challenges:
i. Organisers: The conference is organized by Ministry of Finance, along with the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Gujarat Council, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), an autonomous research organization under the Ministry of External Affairs.
ii. The Conference is a lead-up event to the 3rd Annual Meeting of AIIB that would be held on 25^th and 26^th June 2018 in Mumbai.
iii. The Conference was attended by experts, policy practitioners, officials from central government, industry leaders, bilateral partners and representatives of Multilateral Development Banks like AIIB.
iv. Issues related to financing, institutional and regulatory environment, technological options for sustainable future, financial sustainability etc. were discussed in the conference.
About Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB):
♦ President – Jin Liqun
♦ Headquarters – Beijing, China

Gujarat launches magazine on hemophilia to spread awareness
On World Haemophilia Day (17th April 2018), Gujarat assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedilaunched ‘Haemophilia Jagruti, a magazine to create awareness on haemophilia, an inherited bleeding disorder.

Haemophilia Jagruti:
i. Haemophilia Jagruti is a tri-monthly magazine. It aims to share knowledge and the research done on Haemophilia. Hemophilia affects over 6,000 people in Gujarat.
ii. In India there are more than 16,000 registered patients of hemophilia. It is a hereditary and genetic disorder that curbs the body’s ability to control blood clotting.
iii. Even after a minor injury or cut, the patients’ blood does not clot normally due to the absence of clotting proteins named Anti Hemophilia Factors.
Some dams in Gujarat:
♦ Ukai Dam – Tapti River
♦ Sardar Sarovar Dam – Narmada River

Centre aims to make UP open-defecation free state
Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have come together to make Uttar Pradesh Open Defecation Free (ODF).
Efforts to attain ODF status for UP:
i. To accomplish this feat, the ministries recently organised a training camp for nearly 1000 masons in Jhansi city for the construction of twin pit toilets.
ii. These masons will also go through skilling sessions under the guidance of NSDC. The plan is to impart training to 50000 masons in future.
iii. This is the first training camp, launched as a part of an intense drive towards making India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October 2019
Quick Facts about Uttar Pradesh:
♦ Capital – Lucknow
♦ Current Governor – Ram Naik
♦ Current Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
♦ Important National Park – Dudhwa National Park

Taipei World Trade Centre opens in Delhi
In a bid to promote trade between India and Taiwan, Taipei World Trade Centre (TWTC) launched its office at New Delhi on April 19, 2018.

More information about TWTC in New Delhi:
i. Taipei World Trade Centre will serve as a single venue that combines consulting service on trade-related issues, trading partners, suppliers, and markets for international business.
ii. On the occasion of launch, leading Indian trade bodies such as Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Society of Manufactures of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and World Trade Center, Mumbai notified MoUs with TWTC for enhancing trade collaboration.
iii. In context of this news, it is important to note that gross volume of the bilateral trade between India and Taiwan currently stands at 6.3 billion.