GUJARAT

Gujarat constructed most houses for urban poor: Official data

Gujarat has constructed most number of houses for the urban poor under the Centre’s flagship housing scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)’ in the country, official data shows.
As many as 54,474 houses have been constructed in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, since 2014-15 under the scheme.
This accounts for 18.70 per cent of the 2.91 lakh total houses constructed in 36 states and UTs in the country, according to the data of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Gujarat has received central assistance of Rs 1,355 crore for construction of these houses.
Under the PMAY(U) scheme, the government targets to construct 1.2 crore affordable houses for urban poor across the country by 2022.
The government provides central assistance under various components for construction of the houses.
Gujarat was followed by Karnataka with construction of about 33,450 houses since 2014-15.

INTERNATIONAL

Iraq replaces Saudi Arabia as India’s lead oil supplier

Iraq has overtaken Saudi Arabia for the first time to become India’s top crude oil supplier in the current fiscal.

Saudi Arabia traditionally has been India’s top oil source but in the April-October period of 2017-18, Iraq dethroned it, supplying 25.8 million tonnes (MT) of oil.

Gk bit- Top Oil exporting countries of world

1. Saudi Arabia

Officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country of Saudi Arabia is the world’s number one oil exporter and the country with the largest amount of oil reserves. Formed in 1932, the country was responsible for 17% of global oil exports in 2015, totaling $133.3 billion in value. The country is located on the Arab peninsula and is comparable in size to Alaska.

2. Russia

The massive, transcontinental country of Russia is the world’s second-largest oil exporter. In 2015, Russia’s oil exports accounted for 11% of global oil exports, exceeding a value of $86 billion. As a size comparison, Russia is twice as large as the entire United States.

3. Iraq

Initially formed in 1932, Iraq is the world’s third-largest exporter of oil. In 2015, Iraq exported $52.2 billion worth of the commodity, which accounts for 6.6% of global exports. Located in the Middle East, Iraq is comparable in size to California.

4. United Arab Emirates

Number four on the list is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located on the Arabian peninsula, the UAE is approximately the size South Carolina. In 2015, the UAE exported 6.5% of the world’s total oil exports, accounting for $51.2 billion.

Canada

The northernmost nation in North America, Canada is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of oil. In 2015, the country exported $50.2 billion worth of the commodity, or 6.4%. Due to the size of the Athabasca oil sands, it is estimated that Canada has approximately 13% of the world’s oil reserves. These reserve levels are only topped by Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

· International Migrants Day is observed on 18 December

The International Migrants Day is organized across the world on 18th December.
The theme for IMD 2017 is ‘Safe Migration in a World on the Move.‘
On 4 December 2000, the General Assembly proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.
On that day, in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

21-year-old Shree Saini crowned Miss India USA 2017

Shree Saini, a resident of Washington state, was crowned Miss India USA 2017.

At the beauty pageant, cancer surgeon Kavita Malhotra Pattani from Florida was declared Mrs India USA 2017.

Swapna Mannam, 17, from New Jersey was crowned with Miss Teen India USA 2017.

NATIONAL

· Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Approves Pension for State’s Transgenders

TheAndhra Pradesh Cabinet approved a scheme to provide a pension of Rs 1500 to transgenders above 18 years of age in the state.
Under this scheme the transgenders will be provided ration cards, plots and scholarships, also skill development for financial stability.
After Kerala and Odisha, Andhra Pradesh becomes the next state to sanction pension scheme for the transgender community.

· National Testing Agency Effect: NEET, JEE May Be Conducted Twice A Year

The Lok Sabhawas informed that the national medical entrance exam, the NEET, and engineering entrance exam JEE might be conducted twice a year to give an opportunity to the students to bring out their best performance.
The Centre is setting up a National Testing Agency (NTA), an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation, to conduct the entrance exams for the higher educational institutions.

According to a statement from union government, the establishment of NTA will benefit about 40 lakh students appearing in various entrance examinations.

It will relieve CBSE, AICTE and other agencies from the responsibility of conducting these entrance examinations, and also bring in high reliability, standardized difficulty level for assessing the aptitude, intelligence and problem-solving abilities of the students.

· India Finishes 1st at Junior Boxing Championship in Germany

Indian junior boxers clinched total 11 Medals (six gold, four silver and a bronze medal) at the fifth International Sven Lange Memorial Tournament to finish as overall champions in the German city of Schwerin.
Bhavesh Kattamani (52kg) picked up the best boxer trophy along with his gold medal. In the three-day tournament, the other gold-medallists for India were Vijeydeep (63kg), Akshay (60kg), Ish Pannu (70kg), Lakshay Chahar (80kg) and Vinit (75kg). India was named the tournament’s best team.

· Global Innovation Index- India Ranked 60th Most Innovative Country, Switzerland Tops

India currently ranks 60th out of 127 countries on the Global Innovation Index (GII)2017 as compared to 66th rank on GII 2016.
The list was topped by Switzerland. NITI Aayog, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) together launched a mega initiative “India Innovation Index”.
This Index will rank states on Innovations through country’s first online innovation index portal that will capture data on innovation from all Indian states on innovation and regularly update it in real time.

· Goa Celebrates 56th Liberation Day

Goa celebrated its 56th Liberation Day.
The state was liberated on 19th December in 1961 from Portuguese control after almost 450 years of colonial rule.
The main program was organized at the Sports Authority of Goa Ground, Campal in state capital Panaji. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar unfurled the national flag at the Goa Liberation Day celebrations in Panaji

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19.12.17 (GPSC) Gujrat Current Affairs