9 PM Current Affairs Brief – June 18th, 2018

PM renews call for debate on simultaneous polls News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for widespread consultation on simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha during NITI Aayog meeting. Simultaneous elections: Meaning: Simultaneous elections is a proposal by the prime minister to hold the elections of Lok Sabha and the state legislative elections… Continue reading PM renews call for debate on simultaneous polls

‘New auto policy may be finalised in three months’ News: The central government is planning for new National auto mobile policy. Important Facts: The draft Policy seek for emission-linked taxation on automobiles and a technology- agnostic green mobility. Objective of the new national auto mobile policy. The policy calls for establishing a single nodal regulatory… Continue reading ‘New auto policy may be finalised in three months’

New health scheme flawed: IMA News: The Indian Medical Association has sought the review of National Health Protection Scheme- Ayushman Bharat. Important Facts: The Indian Medical Association said that the National Health Protection Scheme has conceptual deficits and operational flaws. Concerns raised by Indian Medical Association:  Rates quoted by the government for various procedures are… Continue reading New health scheme flawed: IMA

Parched or polluted News: Acute water stress prevails in most of India according to the Composite Water Management Index developed by NITI Aayog. Important facts: Key highlights of the index: 70% of the water resources are identified as polluted. Nearly 600 million Indians faced high-to-extreme water stress and about 2,00,000 people died every year because… Continue reading Parched or polluted

Ennore port expansion gets green nod News: An expert appraisal committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has recommended granting of Environmental Clearance and CRZ clearance for the Phase-III expansion of the Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL) in Ennore.   Important facts: 2. The expansion proposals of KPL include an automobile export/ import… Continue reading Ennore port expansion gets green nod

MCLR, base rate merger proves elusive. News RBI has not yet issued instructions for banks to allow its customers to shift base rate to MCLR, despite promise. Important Facts Base rate is the erstwhile loan pricing mechanism which was replaced by MCLR — the Marginal Cost of funding based Lending Rate — from April 1,… Continue reading MCLR, base rate merger proves elusive.

Battle ready: Dhanush artillery gun clears final trials News: The indigenously upgraded artillery gun Dhanush has successfully completed final user trials and is ready for induction into the Army. Important facts: 2.This was third and final phase of user exploitation firings in which six Dhanush guns were fired in battery formulation at the Pokhran field… Continue reading Battle ready: Dhanush artillery gun clears final trials