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All India Radio News Summary: 12 NOVEMBER 2017

All India Radio News Summary: 12 NOVEMBER 2017

  1. Prime Minister reaches Philippines capital, Manila to attend ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits; holds brief interactions with leaders of participating nations.

Prime Minister reached the Philippines capital, Manila on a three-day official visit. He will attend the 25th ASEAN-India Summit besides the 12th East Asia Summit in Manila. 

  • PM took part in special celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN regional grouping. It was held on the eve of the main ASEAN summit.
  • On the side lines of the annual summits, PM is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders, including Philippines President

 

Significance of visit:

  • Prime Minister’s engagements in the key strategic summits of the Asia Pacific Region will give a new momentum to India’s Act East policy.
  • India’s relationship with the ASEAN remains a key pillar of her foreign policy.

 

Key Facts:

  • Trade between India and the ASEAN stood at around 72 billion dollars in 2016-17 as compared to 65 billion dollars in the previous year.
  • Two-way investment flow is also registering substantial growth year after year.
  • The golden jubilee of the ASEAN incidentally coincides with the silver jubilee of India’s active engagements with the regional grouping.

 

Meanwhile, foreign ministry officials of India, Australia, Japan and the US (Quad) met in Manila to discuss cooperation in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific Region.

  • They agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves long-term interests of all countries.
  • They also exchanged views on addressing common challenges of terrorism and proliferation linkages impacting the region as well as on enhancing connectivity.

 

  1. Air quality index in Delhi-NCR continues to remain in severe zone; visibility improves.

The Smog situation improved slightly in Delhi and adjoining areas, but the poor air quality continued to affect the region.

  • The Central Pollution Control Board said, the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was 478, while Gurgaon stood at 456, Noida at 485 and Ghaziabad at 500.
  • AQI ranges from 0 to 500, with 500 being the worst air quality.
  • Heavy smog prevailed in the region over the past week due to slow wind speeds, high moisture and the presence of other pollutants.

 

Delhi government has withdrawn its Odd- Even car rationing scheme

  • Delhi government has withdrawn its Odd- Even car rationing scheme which was to be implemented from Monday after the National Green Tribunal denied exemption to two wheeler riders and women in the National Capital Delhi.
  • NGT said, odd-even scheme can be implemented when PM10 level is above 500 micrograms per cubic metre and PM2.5 above 300 micrograms per cubic metre.
  • Transport Minister said government is not ready to compromise with the safety of women.

 

  1. US President says he is prepared to mediate between claimants to the South China Sea.
  • US President has said that he is prepared to mediate between claimants to the South China Sea, which include Vietnam and China.
  • Trump acknowledged that China’s position on the South China Sea, nearly all of which is claimed by Beijing, is a problem.
  • He also said that China is helping to resolve tensions over North Korea and added that he hoped Russia would do the same.
  • Trump said, for trade to work, all countries must play by the rules.

 

  1. UNESCO appointed Audrey Azoulay, a former Culture Minister of France as the agency’s Chief.

The Member States of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have appointed Audrey Azoulay, a former Culture Minister of France as the agency’s Chief.

  • Ms Azoulay, who will replace outgoing Director-General Irina Bokova, will take office on 15th November.  
  • She is the 11th Director-General of UNESCO and the second woman to occupy this position.

 

  1. Government to put more capital into public sector banks to spur economic growth, says Finance Minister 

Finance Minister said, the government has decided to inject more capital into Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to strengthen the system and spur economic growth.

  • FM was addressing heads of state-owned banks at ‘PSB Manthan at Guragaon in Haryana.
  • The PSBs are contributing to agricultural sector, the infrastructure creation and support to the industry.  
  • The PSB has themselves become the major players in financial inclusion and an extension of the financial inclusion into the other social schemes of the government
  • Banks are focussing on supporting Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises because the sector, which is creating jobs and boosting economy, has no access to international finance or bond market.

 

 

  1. The government will launch the second and final phase of BharatNet project

The government will launch the second and final phase of BharatNet project to provide high-speed broadband service in all Gram Panchayats by March 2019.

  • The project will be implemented at an outlay of around 34 thousand crore rupees.
  • The Department of Telecommunications is organizing a National Conference in New Delhi in which it will sign MoUs with states for the implementation of the second phase of BharatNet.

 

BharatNet Project

  • Under second phase, broadband connectivity will be provided in remaining 1.5 lakh Gram Panchayats  in the country.
  • Broadband infrastructure on Optical Fibre network has been made available in more than one lakh Gram Panchayats as part of BharatNet Phase-1.
  • By December this year, all these Panchayats will be operational on the BharatNet infrastructure.