Current Affairs 8th february 2019

NATIONAL

1. Delhi government launches bike ambulance services.

– NEW DELHI: To ensure timely health assistance in traffic-congested areas and small lanes, the Delhi government on Thursday launched bike ambulance services.

2. Narendra Modi to flag off Vande Bharat Express from New Delhi Railway station on Feb 15.

-NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off India’s first engineless train Vande Bharat Express on February 15 from the New Delhi Railway station, a senior official of the ministry told PTI.

Train 18, which was recently named Vande Bharat Express by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

3. Dinkar Gupta is Punjab’s new DGP.

– Dinkar Gupta, a 1987 batch officer of the IPS, was on Thursday appointed as Director General of police of punjab, said an official statement.

4. Air India Chairperson Pradeep Singh Kharola appointed Civil Aviation Secretary

– The government on Wednesday appointed Air India chief managing director and Chairperson Pradeep Singh Kharola the secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, PTI reported. Kharola will take over from Rajiv Nayan Choubey, who retired on January 31.

Kharola, an Indian Administrative Services officer of Karnataka cadre from the 1985 batch, was named chairperson of Air India in November 2017. He presided over a turbulent period for the national carrier, which is not doing well financially.

BANKING

5. Fino Payments Bank Partners with Suryoday SFB To offer Sweep Account Facility

– Fino Payments Bank has announced the launch of a sweep account facility in association with Suryoday Small Finance Bank. This partnership will help FPB address the issue of deposit limits that all the payment banks face at the moment.

6. 6^th Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy statement released: Repo Rate Reduced to 6.25%

– Reserve Bank of India in its bi-monthly monetary policy has reduced repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 percent. RBI’s six-member monetary policy committee also brought down reverse repo rate to 6 percent.

SPORTS

7. Ranji Trophy 2018-19: Rs 3 crore prize money for victorious Vidarbha.

– Vidarbha clinched a 78-run with over Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy.

8. Smriti Mandhana Scores India’s Fastest ever T20I Fifty.

– Indian opener Smriti Mandhana hammered the fastest fifty for India in Women’s T20Is.
The lefthanded batswomen struck a half-century in just 24 balls in the 1^st T20I against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. In doing so, the 22-year-old bettered her own record of a fifty in 25 balls, which she created in 2018 against England.

INTERNATIONAL

9. 2^ND Joint Secretary Level Meeting to review India-Nepal Trade Treaty begins.

– The Second Joint secretary level meeting to review the India-Nepal Trade Treaty begun in Pokhara, Nepal. The Indian delegation is headed by Bhupinder Singh, Bhalla, Joint Secreatary, Department of Commerce, while Ravi shankar Sajju, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and supplies is leading the Nepalese side.

Thanks To : timesofIndia, The Hindu, Hindustan Times