Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 7 AUGUST 2019

SSC CGL Current Affairs

::NATIONAL::

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Developmentis organizing a felicitation and award function for those Districts and States who have successfully implemented the BetiBachaoBetiPadhao (BBBP)scheme in the country. The function will be held on 7thAugust, 2019 in New Delhi.
The objective of the programme is to felicitate States and Districts which are performing well in improving Sex Ratio at Birth as per Health Management Information System (HMIS) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data and excellent performance in awareness generation and outreach
The BBBP scheme launched on 22ndJanuary, 2015 has been implemented in phases. Currently, it is being implemented in 640 districts (as per census 2011).
All 640 districts are covered through advocacy and media campaign. Moreover, out of these 640 districts, 405 districts are covered under Multi- Sectoral Intervention in which 100% Centrally Sponsored Schemes grant is provided directly to DM/DC for BBBP.
District Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners of 10additional districts (covering 8 States)will also be felicitated for outstanding performance under awareness generation and outreach activities.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut repo rate by 35 basis points to 5.40 per cent to give a fillip to the economy. This is the fourth consecutive time that the Monetary Policy Committee has reduced the rates. In the earlier three policies, RBI had reduced repo rate by 25 basis points each.
Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility stands revised to 5.15 per cent, and the marginal standing facility rate and the Bank Rate to 5.65 per cent. In its third bi-monthly policy announced today, RBI has decided to maintain the accommodative stance of monetary policy.
Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends to banks generally against government securities while the reverse repo is the rate at which RBI borrows money from the banks. Both these rates are key determinants for customers availing loans from banks.
RBI has said that an uptick in food inflation cannot be ruled due to uneven distribution of monsoon, adding that volatile crude prices have also have some impact on fuel prices. Hence, RBI has said projected CPI inflation at 3.1 percent for second quarter of 2019-20 and in the range of 3.5-3.7 percent for second half of 2019-20 with risks evenly balanced.

Insurance regulator IRDAI has notified changes to regulations governing insurance marketing firms (IMFs). The amendments to the regulations notified in 2015 have been introduced from a perspective of increasing insurance penetration by providing an enabling environment.
The regulator had also constituted a committee that made many recommendations, including a reduction in the net worth, expansion of the area of operation of IMFs, as well as the basket of products.
On the products allowed for IMF, the regulations said they can solicit business for all kinds of products sold on individual and/or retail basis, including crop insurance for non-loanee farmers and combi products.

India contributed yesterday USD 5 million to the UN Palestine refugee agency and called for ensuring sustained fiscal support for the organisation's work.
The cheque for the amount was handed over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian Refugees by Representative of India (ROI) in Palestine, Sunil Kumar, at the Agency's headquarters in Jerusalem.
India increased its annual financial assistance to the UNRWA by four fold, from USD 1.25 million to USD 5 million, when Prime Minister NarendraModi visited Palestine in February 2018, the first-ever visit by an Indian Premier to Ramallah.
The UNRWA has been providing health, education, relief and social services, as well as emergency humanitarian assistance, across its five areas of operations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip since 1950.

Bangladesh today signed a deal with Russia for the supply of uranium for its 2,400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).
Under the deal, Russia will supply the nuclear fuel needed for the plant during its entire life cycle.
The deal was signed today in Dhaka between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Russian Nuclear Fuel Supply Company (TVEL).
Work on the two units of the plants, each producing 1200 MW of electricity is scheduled to be completed in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
The two countries have also signed 'spent fuel sent back’ agreement in 2017 for management of the nuclear waste of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP).

A new study has linked low and high haemoglobin levels to an increased risk of developing dementia in the future.
The study involved 12,305 people with an average age of 65 who did not have dementia. Overall, 745 (6%) of the study subjects were found to have anaemia. The researchers followed the participants for an average of 12 years. During that time, 1,520 people developed dementia. Of these, 1,194 had Alzheimer’s.
Subjects who had anaemia were 41% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and 34% more likely to develop any type of dementia compared to those who did not have anaemia. Of the 745 people with anaemia, 128 developed dementia compared to 1,392 of the 11,560 who did not have anaemia.
“Previous studies that had shown this relationship did not rule out the possibility that it could be due to nutritional impairment in early stages of cognitive decline and dementia. This study emphasises the need for screening and treatment of anaemia to reduce the risk as this is a potentially modifiable risk factor,” Dr.Sivakumar said.
“A disciplined lifestyle that includes exercise, low-cholesterol and high-fibre diet, and engaging in cognitive activities is important to prevent cognitive decline,” he added.

India completed a 3-0 clean sweep over the West Indies after winning the third and final Twenty20 International by seven wickets in Guyana last night. Indian skipper ViratKohli and young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant starred with the bat, helping India achieve the 147-run target with five balls to spare. Pant stitched a 106-run partnership with Kohli.