Current Affairs 22nd February 2019

Current Affairs 22nd February 2019 - Important Points

• FDI inflows to India during April-December 2018 by - Ministry of Commerce & Industries
• 4th India-ASEAN Expo Summit initiated by  - Suresh Prabhu
• ‘Aero India 2019’ inaugurated by - Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
• Operation Digital Board launched by - Human Resource Development Minister
• Command  signed to Create a Military Space Force by - US President Trump 
• EU agrees on Greenhouse Gas Emission cut for Trucks to diminish -  Carbon dioxide
• Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships bestowed to Sri Lankan students by - Sri Lankan Education Minister & Indian High Commissioner
  Current Affairs 22nd February 2019 - Details

FDI inflows to India during April-December 2018 by - Ministry of Commerce & Industries

The information issued from the Ministry of Commerce & Industries explains that the Foreign Direct Investment inflows to India contracted by 7% to USD 33.49 billion during April-December in the financial year 2018-19.
Key Facts about Foreign Direct Investment inflow to India

• The Foreign Direct Investment inflow during April-December 2018-19 at USD 33.49 was 7% lesser than the Foreign Direct Investment inflow of USD 35.94 billion during April-December 2017-18.
• The sectoral breakup of the Foreign Direct Investment in the corresponding period is as listed as Services at USD 5.91 billion, Computer Software & hardware at USD 4.75 billion, Telecommunications at USD 2.29 billion, Trading at USD 2.33 billion, Chemicals at USD 6.05 billion, & the Automobile Industry at USD 1.81 billion.
• Singapore was the largest Foreign Direct Investment contributor during April-December 2018-19 with USD 12.97 billion inflow.
• Singapore was trailed by Mauritius with USD 6 billion, the Netherlands with USD 2.95 billion, Japan with USD 2.21 billion, United States with USD 2.34 billion, & the United Kingdom with USD 1.05 billion.
• This deterioration in the Foreign Direct Investment inflows could put pressure on the nation’s balance of payments & may also adversely impact the rupee value.

4th India-ASEAN Expo Summit initiated by  - Suresh Prabhu

The 4th India-ASEAN Expo & Summit was initiated by Union Minister for Commerce & Industries, Suresh Prabhu. The summit will be organised between 21st -23rd February 2019 in New Delhi.
Association of South East Asian Nations- ASEAN, is an association of countries brought into existence
on August 8th, 1967, following ASEAN declaration which is also known as Bangkok declaration.
Association of South East Asian Nations goals to promote social progress, economic growth & cultural development between member nations & resolution of differences by peaceful negotiations.
India-ASEAN Expo Summit

• The India-ASEAN Expo Summit is held with FICCI to carry forward the impetus & to further fortify India-ASEAN ties under the Act-East Policy.
• The 4th India-ASEAN Expo & Summit goals to develop upon the success of the previous edition of ASEAN-India Business & Investment Meet & Expo.
• The ASEAN Summit goals to deliver a platform for the policy makers, industry captains & corporate
  leaders to come together & furnace a common vision for India & Association of South East Asian Nations’ mutual growth & progress.
• The Association of South East Asian Nations Expo Summit delivers a platform for buyer-seller meetings to deliver corporate leaders with an option to closely interact with their complements & consolidate B2B & B2G ties.
• The summit will host various Plenary Sessions on sectoral engagements with Association of South East Asian Nations which will be joined by the Ministers & other eminent delegates from Association of South East Asian Nations & India.

Operation Digital Board launched by - Human Resource Development Minister

Union Human Resource Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar released Operation Digital Board to leverage
technology to enhance quality education in the country.
Operation Digital Board

• Operation Digital Board is a revolutionary step which will make both learning and the teaching
  procedure interactive & popularize flipped learning as a pedagogical approach.
• ODB has been released on the lines of Operation Blackboard to deliver better digital education in
  schools.
• Under ODB 7 lakh classrooms of 9, 10 & 10+1 standards & 2 lakh classrooms of colleges &Universities will be fitted with digital boards in the next 3 years.
• The initiative is intended at improving the quality of education & offer new opportunities &new ways of teaching & learning.
• Together with changing classrooms into digital classrooms & delivering e-resources to students, the ODB will benefit in the provisioning of personalised adaptive learning and Intelligent Tutoring by exploiting emerging technologies including Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics.
• University Grant Commission will be the executing agency for Operation Digital Board in Higher
  Education institutions and the central government will execute the plan in the schools in association with state government.

Command  signed to Create a Military Space Force by - US President Trump 

US President Trump has inked a command to create a Military Space Force. The command orders the
Pentagon to create the Space Force as the 6th branch of the US military, to go along with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines & Coast Guard.
Military Space Force

• The main goal of the Space Force is to safeguard & extend American dominance of the space domain.
• Rather than deploying soldiers in space, the Space Force will emphasis on national security & preserving the satellites & vehicles that are enthusiastic to international communications & observation.
• Space could be a new warfighting domain & the United States goals to be battle ready with Military Space Force.
• The Space force will be answerable to deter & defeat threats in space &will manage, train, &equip military space forces.
• The Space force will make sure unfettered access to, & liberty to work in space, & to deliver vital capabilities to joint & coalition forces.

EU agrees on Greenhouse Gas Emission cut for Trucks to diminish -  Carbon dioxide

The European Parliament & the Council have struck a pact diminish average carbon dioxide emissions compared with 2019 levels.
The Features of the Pact

• To diminish emissions of CO2 from new trucks & buses by 30% by 2030.
• The pact proposes a binding carbon dioxide-reduction target for trucks at the EU-level for the 1st time & comprises a clear stimulus for 0 & low-emission trucks.
• Trucks account for almost 1-quarter of the European Union’s transport-related emissions & the
  European Union did not have bounds on emissions from heavy-duty vehicles till now.
• The European Union has the determination of being climate-neutral from 2050. European Union had decided in December 2018 on targets for cutting emissions from cars & vans.
• The control on the transportation sector are believed to assist the bloc meet its overall goal of reducing greenhouse gases by at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 under the Paris climate accord.

European Parliament
The Members of the European Parliament are straight elected by voters in all Member States to
represent people’s benefits with regard to European Union law-making & to ensure other European Union institutions are working democratically. The Parliament functions as a co-legislator, sharing with the Council the power to adopt & modify legislative proposals & to decide on the European Union budget.
European Council
The European Council brings together European Union leaders to form the European Union’s political
agenda. The associates of the European Council are Heads of state/government of European Union
countries, European Commission President, High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy.

Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships bestowed to Sri Lankan students by - Sri Lankan Education Minister & Indian High Commissioner

150 students of Sri Lanka from all 25 districts were bestowed the significant Mahatma Gandhi
scholarships for study in India. The Scholarships were bestowed by Sri Lankan Education Minister Akila
Viraj Kariyawasam & Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a special ceremony in Colombo.
Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships

• The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships are merit-cum-means Scholarship introduced in 2006-07 for Sri
  Lankan students & is bestowed yearly by the High Commission of India in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka.
• Recipients of the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships receive cash aid during their 2 years of Advanced Level studies.
• The High Commission of India has amplified the scholarship amount from Rupees 2000 to
  2500/month from 2015-16 onwards & accordingly; present year’s awardees will receive Rupees 30000 annually during their 2 years of “Advanced Level studies”. 
• The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship has profited above 1100 meritorious students since its inception in the year 2006.

‘Aero India 2019’ inaugurated by - Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman initiated the 12th biennial edition of International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition “Aero India 2019” at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru. 
For the 1st time, the 2019 edition of Aero India syndicates the defence & civil aviation segments into a holistic event with the co-involvement of the defence &civil aviation ministries. 
The 12th edition of Aero India means to be a ‘Runway to a billion opportunities’ & put India on the Global map.
Major initiatives & developments in Defence Sector

• During the last 4 years, 150 contracts worth Rupees 127500 crore have been inked with Indian vendors for procurement of defence apparatus for the Armed forces.
• The Government had rendered Acceptance of Necessity to 164 proposals worth Rupees 279950 Cr under “Buy & Make” categories only to the Indian vendors. 
• In respect of Ordnance Factory Board & Defence Public Sector Undertakings, 40% of the production had been outsourced to the Private Sector & Government issued Reference for Proposals for the production of 7 identified types of ammunition in private sector.
• The “Defence Investor cell” was formed in January 2018 to improve the “Ease of doing Business” & more than 350 industries had been simplified till date.
• 34 projects linking to Army, Navy & Air Force had already been conferred “Approval in Principle” under the “Make-II” category.
• In last 4 years, 6 corporations in Defence & Aerospace sectors had obtained government sanctions for FDI of Rupees 237 crore while FDI of more than Rupees 200 crore had been received through the automatic route.
• The iDEX scheme was published on April 12th, 2018 to forme a network of Defence Innovation hubs throughout the nation & to resolve Defence & Aerospace related issues.