Current Affairs | January 2018 | New Appointments | States News | Important Days

New Appointments

1. The Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) -- Rajinder Khanna.

Note: The National Security Advisor (NSA) is the chief executive of the National Security Council (NSC), and the primary advisor to the Prime Minister of India on national and international security.

2. The new CEO and MD of Infosys -- Salil Parekh.

Note: Salil S Parekh has formally taken charge as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Infosys.

3. The union govt. has appointed the interlocutor on their behalf to hold talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) -- AB Mathur.

Note: Mathur served as the former special secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).ULFA is a separatist outfit operating in Assam for the indigenous Assamese and seeks to establish a sovereign Assam with an armed struggle in the Assam conflict.

4. The Managing Director (MD) of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL) -- Pankaj Jain.Note: IIFCL is a state-owned company focused on infrastructure financing and development.

5. The new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of National Cricket Academy (NCA) -- Tufan Ghosh.

Note: Ghosh will play a key role in setting up the facility and creating a centre of Excellence at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

6. The Chairman of the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal

(REAT) for Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands -- B Rajendran.

Note: The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, the State government have to establish the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal for Tamil Nadu.

7. The Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) --K Sivan.

Note: Renowned Scientist K Sivan has been appointed as the Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), also as Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of Space Commission for tenure of three years. He succeeds A S Kiran Kumar. Currently, Sivan is serving as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Trivandrum.

8. The new economic relations secretary -- T S Tirumurti.

Note: Currently, Mr. Tirumurti is the India's High Commissioner of Kuala Lumpur.

9. NPCI appoints Dilip Asbeas new MD and CEO.

Note: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the umbrella organization for all retail payment systems in India, which aims to allow all Indian citizens to have unrestricted access to e-payment services.

10. Indian-origin businessman Sunny Verghesehas been appointed as the Chairman of the Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Note: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is the umbrella organization for all retail payment systems in India, which aims to allow all Indian citizens to have unrestricted access to e-payment services.

11. Harjinder Singh has been appointed as the Chef DeMission for the 23rd Winter Olympic Games.

Note: Currently, Mr. Singh is the General Secretary in the

Ice Hockey Association of India.

12. The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the name of senior advocate Indu Malhotraas the first woman lawyer to be directly appointed as a judge of the apex court.

Note: She will be the seventh woman judge since independence to make it to the Supreme Court. In collegium system, the shortlisted candidates are scrutinized by a collegium of five senior-most judges of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India before being cleared for appointment.

13. Senior sports administrator has been named Chairmanof the Finance Commission of the Indian Olympic

Association-- Anil Khanna.

Note: The IOA also formed a Medical Commission and Games Technical Conduct Committee and nominated office bearers of IOA and National Sports Federations (NSFs) to the Committees.

14. The Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Director (CEO) of National Commodity and Derivative Exchange (NCDX) -- Vijay Kumar.

15. The new Chairman of Gems and Jewelry ExportPromotion Council (GJEPC) -- Pramod Agarwal.

Note: He is also Chairman of Indian Institute of Gems and Jewelry based in Jaipur. GJEPC was set up by Ministry of

Commerce to boost the country’s export thrust in 1966.

The headquarters of GJEPC is in Mumbai.

16. Romania's Prime Minister resigned after losing the backing of his party due to internal power struggles --

Mihai Tudose.

Note: Mr. Mihai handed in his resignation after senior members of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD) voted to withdraw their support at a leadership meeting. Tudose's resignation will have to be signed off by center-right President Klaus Iohannis.

17. UK’s first-ever Minister for Loneliness to tackle loneliness problems and combat social isolation --Tracey Crouch.Note: Tracey Crouch is at present the Minister for sports and civil society in UK. She had been given an additional role of Minister for Loneliness.

18. Senior IAS officer S Selvakumarhas been appointed as Managing Director and Chairman of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd.

Note: He succeeded Anurag Agarwal. The state-owned Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd produces bank notes, coins, postage stamps, non-judicial stamps and other official documents.

19. The new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) -- OmPrakash Rawat.

Note: He succeeds the incumbent CEC, A K Joti (retires today). Ashok Lavasa has been also appointed as Election

Commissioner to fill the vacancy created by Mr. Rawat’s elevation.

20. The new DG of National Security Guard (NSG) -- Sudeep Lakhtakia.

Note: Currently, Mr. Lakhtakia is serving as Special DG in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters New Delhi. The NSG personnel is often referred to as Black Cats because of the black dress and black cat insignia worn on their uniform.

21. Former international football star sworn in as Liberia's 25th president -- George Weah.

Note: He succeeds Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Weah grew up in Clara Town slum in Monrovia and went on to become the only African to win FIFA World Player of the Year.

22. The new Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) -- S Somanath.

Note: Somanath is known for his contributions to launch vehicle design, particularly in the areas of launch vehicle systems engineering, structural design, structural dynamics, and pyrotechnics.

23. New Director General (DG) of Federation of Indian

Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) -- Dilip Chenoy.

Note: FICCI is an association of business organizations in India.It is the largest, oldest and the apex business organization in India, headquartered in New Delhi.

24. The new Foreign Secretary of India -- Vijay Keshav Gokhale.

Note: Earlier, Mr. Gokhale was serving as the Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affair

(MEA). He also served as India’s Ambassador to China, Germany and worked in Indian missions in Hong Kong, Hanoi and in New York.

25. The Vice Chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) -- Shantanu Narayen. Note: The Indian-American CEO of Adobe ShantanuNarayen has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF). The USISPF is a new organization that has been set up to enhance business relations between India and the US.

26. The New President of the Republic of Honduras--Juan Orlando Hernandez.

Note:President Hernández is the first president in Honduran running for a second term after the country’s Supreme Court lifted a ban on re-election.

27. Sauli Niinisto has won the 2018 Finnish presidentialelection.

Note: Sauli Niinisto has won his second 6-year term with an overwhelming 62.7% of the vote.

 States News

1. The 171st Araadhanai Music Festival(AMF) has started in Tamil Nadu.

Note: The five-day festival is one of the Trinities of Carnatic music Saint Thyagaraja.

2. The Karnatakastate govt has received the approval for purchase of electric vehicles under Central government’s FAME-India scheme.

Note: The state will purchase 40 electric buses, 100 four wheelers and 500 three wheelers at maximum of 60% subsidy under the scheme. The subsidy support is also provided for setting up electricity charging infrastructure across Bengaluru.

3. The Haryana state govt. has announced to implement the integrated solar based micro irrigation scheme (ISBMI) in all districts of the State.

Note: This scheme is being implemented on pilot basis in commands of 14 different canal outlets spread over 13 districts of the State.

4. The Telangana state govt has constituted the SC/ST Commission head by -- Errolla Srinivas.

Note: The commission is mandated to monitor matters related to the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs) and also inquire into complaints pertaining to members of these communities.

5.    The Union Cabinet has approved for the establishment of new AIIMS in under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) -- Himachal Pradesh.

Note: The cost of the project is Rs.1351 crore and will be completed in a period of 48 months. The Institution will consist of a hospital with a capacity of 750 beds and trauma center facilities.

Important Day

1. National Youth Day has been celebrated on 12th Januaryin India on the birthday of social reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami Vivekananda.

Note: The Theme of the Festival is Sankalp Se Siddhi, to capitalize on the demographic dividend of young India, to capture the vibrancy and fresh perspective of youth and to pledge to accomplish the goal of New India.

2. The Army Day 2018 (70th edition) has been celebrated on 15th Januaryin India.

Note: The day is celebrated to pay homage, salute to the courageous and brave Indian soldiers who have been sacrificing their lives for protecting the country.

3. The National Disaster Response Forcehas been celebrating its 13th Raising Day on --19th January. Note: The NDRF was raised on 19th January 2006, as a specialized force capable of responding to any type of disaster in the country and abroad. It is strategically deployed across the country as per the vulnerability profile.

4. The 2018 National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is celebrated in India -- 24^thJanuary.

Note: The National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is celebrated with an aim to raise awareness about sex ratio levels and promote the empowerment of girls.

5. The National Voters’ Day (NVD) is observed every year by

India on -- 25th January.

Note: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has celebrated the 8th National Voters’ Day 2018 with theme ‘Accessible Elections’ across the country.

6. The International Customs Day has been observed across the world -- 26th January. 

Note: The slogan for International Customs Day 2018 is “A

Secure Business Environment for Economic Development”. The CCC has later renamed as World Custom Organization in 1994 which is an intergovernmental organization.

7.   The International Holocaust Remembrance Day has been observed all over the world on -- 27^thJanuary.

Note: The theme of International Holocaust

Remembrance Day is “Holocaust Remembrance and Education: Our Shared Responsibility”.

8.  Anti-Leprosy Day being observed on -- 30^th January. Note:The day, observed every year on the Martyrdom Day of Mahatma Gandhi, remembers his selfless efforts and care for the people affected by leprosy.