GK & Current Affairs Quiz: December 15, 2017

Notes:
The 3rd edition of World Telugu Conference (WTC-2017) has formally inaugurated by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in Hyderabad, Telangana on December 15. The aim of the 5-day Conference is to promote Telugu and its literature besides helping the present generation learn more about Telugu language and its rich culture and heritage. The Telangana Sahitya Akademi is the nodal agency for the conference and approx 50 thousand participants are expected to witness the literary-cultural event. President Ram Nath Kovind will be the chief guest at the valedictory function of the conference on December 19, 2017.

Notes:
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog has launched the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL)’s Community Day in New Delhi on 15th December 2017. The day marked the Community Drive Initiative in which 25 young Mentors engaged with more than 200 students who are not enrolled in the formal education system. Amitabh Kant, the CEO of NITI Aayog, has launched the initiative in which these mentors will visit four locations in New Delhi to conduct brief sessions with children from various NGOs, on how innovations can help resolve the problems in the communities. The Atal Tinkering Lab Community Drive Initiative is aimed at maximizing the impact of Atal Tinkering Labs by extending innovation to children in the community who do not have access to formal educational institutions. The purpose of this initiative is to provide these children with the same educational tools as the students in Atal Tinkering Labs to enable them to become problem solvers. The NGOs participating in these interactions include organizations working with disabled children, street and working children, and girls from the weaker sections of society.

Notes:
The 4th India-Australia-Japan Trilateral Dialogue was hosted by Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Foreign Secretary of India, with Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia Frances Adamson and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Shinsuke J. Sugiyama, in New Delhi on December 13, 2017. The three sides highlighted the growing convergence of their respective countries’ interests in the Indo-Pacific region and underscored their shared commitment to peace, democracy, economic growth and a rules-based order in the region. They underscored their support for ASEAN centrality in the political and security architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. They also renewed their resolve to fight the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed the need for enhanced cooperation on counter-terrorism.

Notes:
Jitesh Singh Deo from Lucknow has won the title of Peter England Mr India 2017 at the Bandra Fort in Mumbai, Maharashtra on December 14, 2017. Now, he will represent India in Mr World for 2020. Following him, Indian footballer Prathamesh Maulingkar won the title of Peter England Mr. India Supranational 2017 and will compete at Mr. Supranational 2018. Abhi Khajuria and Pavan Rao won the titles of Peter England Mr. India 1st Runner-Up and Peter England Mr. India 2nd Runner-Up, respectively.

Notes:
Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the World conference on Vedas ” Vishwa Ved Sammelan” at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi on December 15, 2017. The 3-day conference will have in-depth discussions on the universal message of the ancient scriptures to bring world peace, ensure human rights and work towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It will also have in-depth discussions on de-mystifying various myths and fallacies surrounding the Vedas and Manu Smriti. The valedictory function of the conference on the 17th December will be attended by former president Pranab Mukherjee.

Notes:
Norway has become the first country in the world to shut down national broadcasts of its Frequency Modulation (FM) network by completing its transition to digital radio. The transition, which began on January 2017, allows for better sound quality and more channels and functions at an eighth of the cost of FM radio. The digital switchover means that only the country’s local radio stations continue to use FM frequencies. Other countries, including Switzerland, Britain and Denmark, are due to follow suit in the coming years.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has signed a $250 million loan agreement with the World Bank for Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) Project on December 13, 2017. The purpose of the project is to enhance institutional mechanisms for skills development and increase access to quality and market-relevant training for the workforce. The Key result areas for the project include Institutional Strengthening at the National and State Levels for Planning, Delivering, and Monitoring High-Quality Market-Relevant Training; Improved Quality and Market Relevance of Skills Development Programs; Improved access to and completion of skills training for female trainees and other disadvantaged groups; and Expanding skills training through private-public partnerships (PPPs). The closing date for the project is 31st March, 2023.

Notes:
India will host the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at Mumbai in June 25-26, 2018. The theme of the meeting will be ‘Mobilizing Finance for Infrastructure: Innovation and Collaboration. For this, the MoU was signed by joint secretary (multilateral institutions division) in the Ministry of Finance Sameer Kumar Khare on behalf of the government of India and AIIB’s vice- president and corporate secretary Danny Alexander. The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond. It’s headquarters is located in Beijing, China.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally dedicate the Tuirial Hydro Electric Power Project (HEPP) in Mizoram to the nation on December 16, 2017. On this occasion, the Prime Minister will also launch ‘MyDoNER App’ and will distribute cheques to start-up entrepreneurs in Aizawl. The 60MW Tuirial HEPP has been constructed as a Central Sector Project and implemented by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), under the administrative control of the Union power ministry. The project has been built at a cost of Rs 1,302 crore. It is the biggest power project in Mizoram and will feed the entire energy to be generated to the state, which will help it achieve the Centre’s ambitious and flagship Mission ’24×7 Affordable Clean Power for All’. The State’s current demand of electricity is 87 MW and this is being met by the mini power projects and availability of its share of power from central sector projects.

Notes:
The Rajbari National Park (RNP) is located in the Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary of Tripura,and covers an area of about 31.63 square kilometres.