Current Affairs 19th September 2016

Current Affairs 19th September 2016

National News:

• Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge has announced an INR8 crore fund toward the state’s startup cell, in an attempt to boost Karnataka’s startup ecosystem
• Govt to expand Direct Benefit Transfer to 147 schemes
• India approves $1 bn connectivity project
• Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary will attend a meeting of anti-corruption agencies of SAARC nations in Pakistan
• Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched the ‘Swachhta Saptah’ as part of the Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat Mission from New Delhi Railway Station
• Paytm is now powering IRCTC’s Payment Gateway

International News:

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been conferred the prestigious membership of the Asia-Pacific Aerospace Quality Group (APAQG)under the category ‘Full Member with voting rights’.
• Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will attend the three-day annual meeting of IMF and World Bank in Washington, US which begins on October 7

New Appointments:

• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu appointed 26 MLAs as parliamentary secretary to assist in the smooth functioning of his government
• V K Sharma gets additional charge as LIC chairman
• Punjab National Bank appointed Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador

Banking:

• World Bank to invest nearly 1,000 crore rupees for improvement of inland waterways in Assam
• Government to expand DBT to 147 schemes by next March
• PNB Gilts shareholders raise borrowing limit to Rs 7,000 crore

Business & Economy:

• Paytm to invest $150 mn in e-commerce business
• Alibaba becomes most valuable Asian listed firm

Awards & Honours:

• WB to confer ‘Banga Bibhushan’ to Lata Mangeshkar
• Abhishek Bachchan : Guinness World Record Holder
• Indian-Origin Peer Wins ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ In UK
• Bengaluru-based Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Bollywood actors Katrina Kaif and Juhi Chawla are among recipients of the Priyadarshini Global Awards 2016
• Ramakrishna Bajaj Memorial Global Award” would be presented to Anshu Gupta, Founder Director of Goonj, an NGO of Delhi, for his outstanding contribution in promoting the dignity of poor

Science & Technology:

• Longest-lasting lightning bolt struck France in 2012

Sports:

• Thirteen-year-old British swimmer Abby Kane won the silver medal in the S13 100-metre backstroke at the Rio Paralympics
• Deepak Punia, the son of a former milkman Subhash Punia, won the 85kg wrestling gold at the Cadet World Championships held in Georgia
• Sheoran, Bhardwaj win gold at World University C’ships
• Deaf shooter Priyesha wins World Championship bronze
• Ramnaresh Sarwan retires from all forms of cricket

Obituary:

• Iranian cyclist Sarafraz Bahman Golbarnezhad dies during Paralympic Games