Current Affairs Current Affairs August 2018

 The Indian and Thailand's armed forces concluded a two-week long platoon level military exercise called ‘Exercise Maitree 2018’ in Jammu & Kashmir’s Srinagar. The exercise was an annual event designed to strengthen the partnership between armies of the two countries. The exercise began on August 6 and comprised of cross-training period, which included familiarization between the two armies to evolve drills and procedures that help in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in varied terrains under the United Nations (UN) mandate.
Source- idrw.org

 It was a mixed day for India on Day two of the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. A dominating Bajrang Punia opened India’s gold medal account by defeating Japan’s Daichi Takatani in the final of Men’s Freestyle 65 kg. category. India opened its medal account with a bronze by Apurvi Chandela and Ravi Kumar in rifle mixed team shooting event. 
Source- AIR World Service

 Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson announced the retirement from all forms of cricket as his body was 'starting to shut down', almost three years after he stepped down from the international game. Johnson played 73 Tests in the Baggy Green, claiming 313 wickets, the fourth most for an Australian, and also 153 ODIs before retiring from international cricket in 2015. 
Source- BBC Sports 

 NABARD All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS), conducted by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), was released by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog in New Delhi. The report revealed that farm households register higher income than the families solely dependent on non-farm livelihood activities in rural areas. The survey, with reference year of 2015-16, which covered 40,327 rural households, highlighted that the average annual income of an agricultural household is Rs 1,07,172 compared to Rs 87,228 for families engaged only in non-agricultural activities. The survey defined farm households as families having over Rs 5,000 as value of produce from agricultural operations in the year preceding the survey. For all rural households, the average annual income stood at Rs 96,708.
Income  
  • 1. Agricultural households, which accounted for 48% of rural households, earned Rs 107,172 during 2015-16 from cultivation, livestock, non-farm sector activities and wages/salaries. Thus, farmers’ income grew at a compounded growth rate of 12% per annum compared to Rs 77,112 per annum as per NSSO assessment in 2012-13. 
  • 2. Agricultural households earned 34% of their income from cultivation. Wage earnings contributed the same proportion to the income followed by salaries (16%), livestock (8%) and non-farm sector (6%). Other sources accounted for the rest.
  • 3. Non-agricultural households reported average annual income of Rs 87,228 majorly contributed by wages (54%), followed by salaries (32%) and non-farm sector activities (12%). 
Savings & Investment  
  • 1. 88.1% of the households reported having a bank account.
  • 2. 33% of households reported more than one savings account.
  • 3. 26% of HH have women with institutional (including SHG) savings account.
  • 4. 55% of agricultural households reported any savings during the last year and of these 53 per cent saved with institutions like banks, post offices and SHGs. 
  • 5. Average savings per annum per saver households was reportedly Rs 17,488, of which 95 per cent is with institutional agencies
  • 6. 10.4% of agricultural households also reported investment with the average investment per investing agricultural households was reportedly Rs 62,734. 
Insurance and Pension  
  • 1. About 26% of agricultural households and 25% of non-agricultural households reported to have been covered under one or the other type of insurance
  • 2. Among agricultural households who reported to have taken any loan for agricultural purposes in the last one year [2015-16] from institutional agencies, 6.9% reported being covered under crop insurance.
  • 3. The coverage under any type of pension was reported to be about 18.9 % for non-agricultural households as against 20.1 % for agricultural households. 
Source- NABARD

 The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) constituted a group of experts from the health and nutrition sector to look into the issue of food labelling. The expert panel will be headed by B Sesikeran. Mr Sesikeran is the former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and comprises Hemalatha and Dr Nikhil Tandon. The panel will study in detail the concerns of the industry and make recommendations.
Source- The Livemint

 Delhi government’s additional director of health, SK Arora was awarded prestigious World Health Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day 2017 Award for his extraordinary contribution towards tobacco control. He was presented the award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India country head in New Delhi. It is awarded every year by WHO to individuals or organisations alike in each of six WHO regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. 
Source- WHO

 Uri Avnery, a trailblazing Israeli journalist and peace activist and one of the first to openly advocate for a Palestinian state passed away at the age of 94. A member of Israel’s founding generation, he fought in the pre-state Irgun underground militia. After independence, he became a publisher, member of parliament, author and activist.
Source- The Hindu

 Infosys Chief Financial Officer MD Ranganath, a veteran of nearly two decades at India’s second-largest software services company, has abruptly stepped down from his position, marking the second CFO departure at Infosys in three years. 
Source- The Quint

 Teen cyclist Esow Alben has created history by claiming India’s first ever medal – a silver- at the UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. The 17-year-old from Andaman and Nicobar trains in Delhi at the Sports Authority of India’s National Cycling Academy. Esow finished just 0.017 seconds behind gold medallist Stastny in the thrilling photo-finish of a race.
Source- AIR World Service

 India defeated Bangladesh in the final of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women’s Championship in Thimpu, Bhutan. A solitary second-half strike by Sunita Munda helped the Indian U-15 team clinch the title. This is the second edition of the Championship. Bangladesh had won the inaugural edition last year, beating India, 1-0 in the final played at Dhaka. 
Source- DD News


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