Current Affairs -PIB-2nd November,2018

Renaming of Jharsuguda Airport, Odisha as “Veer Surendra Sai Airport,Jharsuguda”
The Union Cabinet has approved renaming of Jharsuguda Airport, Odisha as
“Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda”
Benefits:
Veer Surendra Sai is a well-known freedom fighter of Odisha.
Renaming of the Jharsuguda airport in his name will fulfill long-pendingdemand of the Odisha Government, which reflects the sentiments of the localpublic of the respective area.
It will also be a befitting tribute to the contribution of the revered personalityassociated with the State.

DHARMA GUARDIAN – 2018
About:
Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN – 2018, a joint military exercise between Indian & Japanese Armies, commenced at Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengete, Mizoram, India on 01 November 2018.
The Japanese contingent is being represented by 32ndInfantry Battalion,while the Indian side is being represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles.
One platoon strength each of both the battalions is participating in this exercise.

Context:
Being first of its kind, the 14 days long joint exercise is being conducted from 01 Nov 2018 to 14 Nov 2018.
The exercise will consist of a balance of indoor classes and outdoor training activities.

Objective:
The objective of this exercise is to build and promote army to army relationsin addition to exchanging skills and experiences between both the armies.

Due emphasis will be laid on enhancing tactical skills to fight against globalterrorism and on increasing interoperability between forces of both countries
which is crucial for the success of any joint operation.

Both sides will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well-developedtactical drills for neutralization of likely threats that may be encountered inurban warfare scenario.

The exercise will contribute immensely in developing mutual understandingand respect for each other’s military.

MSME Support and Outreach ProgrammeThe Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will launched the Micro, Small andMedium Enterprises (MSME) Support and Outreach Programme.

Various announcements and deliverables focused on access to credit, accessto market, hand holding and facilitation support measures etc. for MSME
Sector.

About:
MSME Outreach Programme will run for 100 days covering 100 Districtsthroughout the country.

Various Central Ministers are likely to visit these districts in order to apprisethe entrepreneurs about various facilities being extended to MSME Sector by
the Government and financial institutions and to come forward and make bestuse of these facilities including access to credit and market, etc.

It is expected that this Outreach Programme will help in further boosting theMSME sector since this sector is one of the major generator of employment
opportunities and making a significant contribution to the overall growth of theeconomy.

Agreement between India and Morocco
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi hasapproved the Agreement between India and Morocco on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

Benefits:
The Agreement will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperationbetween India and Morocco in investigation and prosecution of crime, tracing,
restraint, forfeiture or confiscation or proceeds and instruments of crime.

Aims:
It aims to increase effectiveness in investigation and prosecution of crime,and in providing the necessary peaceful ambience which is a pre-requisite for
the development of society as a whole.

It will further be instrumental in gaining better inputs and insights in themodus operandi of organized criminals and terrorists, which in turn can be
used to fine-tune policy decisions in the field of Internal Security.

Opening up the ISA membership to all countries that are members of the UnitedNations.

The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for moving a Resolutionin the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for amending the
Framework Agreement of the ISA for opening up the ISA membership to allcountries that are members of the United Nations.

Benefits:
Opening the membership of the ISA will put solar energy in global agendawith the universal appeal for developing and deploying solar energy.

It will make ISA inclusive, whereby all member countries that are members ofthe United Nations could become member.

Expanding membership will lead to ISA initiative benefitting the world at large.

UTSONMOBILE
Ministry of Railways has introduced Unreserved Mobile Ticketing with a viewto promote three C’s- Cashless transactions (Digital payment), Contact
less ticketing (no need to physically visit the point of sale) and Customerconvenience and experience.
The facility of booking unreserved tickets, including season tickets and alsoplatform tickets is available through the ‘UTSONMOBILE’ app available for
Android, IOS and Windows phones.

The process of ticket booking involves downloading the application andregistration by furnishing the requisite details.
Benefits of the App:
Mobile Ticketing shall promote 3C’s- Cashless transactions, Contact less
ticketing and Customer convenience.
Seamless booking of unreserved tickets all over Indian Railways.
Obviate the need for passengers to wait in queues for purchasing the tickets
and enhance the experience for booking unreserved tickets – journey, season
tickets, and platform tickets.
Environment friendly.
About the App:
‘UTSONMOBILE’ application available for Android, IOS, Windows phones.Can be downloaded from Google play or window store.

Application ‘in house’ developed by Indian Railway- CRIS.
Patronization of the App:
Increase in Number of tickets sold: approximately 1900/day in 2015 to83,000/day in October, 2018.

Increase in number of passengers: approximately 5400/day in 2015 to in 4.70lakh/day in October, 2018.

MoU between India and Korea
The Union Cabinet has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) between India and Korea for strengthening cooperation in the field ofTourism.

Objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding are:
To expand bilateral cooperation in tourism sector
To increase Exchange of information and data related to tourism
To encouraging cooperation between tourism stakeholders including Hotelsand Tour Operators
To establish exchange programmes for cooperation in Human ResourcesDevelopment
To encourage Investment in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors
To exchange visits of Tour Operators / Media / Opinion Makers for promotionof two-way tourism
To exchange experience in the areas of promotion, marketing destinationdevelopment and management

To encourage participation in travel fairs/exhibitions in each other’s countryandPromoting safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.

Background:
India and Korea have enjoyed a strong diplomatic and long economicrelationship. The two parties now desiring to strengthen and further develop
the established relationship for strengthening cooperation in the field ofTourism.

Korea is one of the leading tourist generating markets for India from EastAsia. Signing of the MoU with Korea will be instrumental in increasing arrival
from this source market.

12 Zonal Railways are free from UMLCIndian Railway has taken a mission area to eliminate all Unmanned LevelCrossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge and accordingly special efforts have
been made so that elimination can be completed at the earliest.

Most of the UMLCs have been eliminated either by provision ofSubway/RUBs or by manning.
All Unmanned level crossings on routes having speed more than 130KMPHand on Sub-urban routes have been eliminated.

12 Zonal Railways – Central Railway, Eastern Railway, East Central Railway,East Coast Railway, North Eastern Railway, North East Frontier Railway,
Southern Railway, South Central Railway, South Eastern Railway, South EastCentral Railway & West Central Railway have now become UMLC free on
Broad Gauge route.

By elimination of UMLCs on war footing, accidents at UMLCs have reducedfrom 65 in 2009-10 to 3 in 2018-19.

India Surges 23 Ranks in ease of doing Business
Context:
As per the World Bank report 2019 on Ease of Doing Business, India hastaken a huge leap of 23 ranks from 100 in 2017-18 to 77 in 2018-19 indicating
it is continuing its steady shift towards global standards.

One of the key indices which has contributed immensely toward this growth is ‘Trading across borders’ which shows an impressive improvement from 146 rank last year to 80th rank this year.

The Ministry of Shipping has been taking initiatives to improve the parameter of ‘Trading across border’ as 92% of India’s Export- Import trade by volume is
handled at ports.

The World Bank has recognized India as one of the top improvers for the year.