Current Affairs 20th October 2017

Current Affairs 20th October 2017 - Important Points

• Assam to host Global Investors Summit to be hosted by Assam in - February 2018
• International Gita Mahotsav to be inaugurated by -President Ram Nath Kovind

Current Affairs 20th October 2017 - Details

Assam to host Global Investors Summit to be hosted by Assam in - February 2018

Assam would be hosting its first Global Investors Summit in Guwahati on 3rd and 4th February 2018.Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be inaugurating the same.
The state government is planning to utilise the event to showcase business potential of Assam with attractive policies in order to attract more investments. The decision was taken during the state’s cabinet meeting held recently.
Other than this, cabinet also approved amendments to Preferential Purchase Policy in order to boost businesses of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Speaking on the same, the state’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary said stated that  in the new policy, it will be made mandatory for all government and semi-government offices to do atleast 25 percent of all purchases from local MSMEs.
He added saying that the existing policy was not being actively pursued and the changes are expected to make it more effective.
The cabinet also decided to set up an industrial zone on 160 square kilometer, which will be converted into a land bank.
In addition to that, a new sugar policy was also approved by the cabinet to facilitate setting up of sugar mills in the state and encourage sugarcane farming to make the state a hub of sugar production.

International Gita Mahotsav to be inaugurated by -President Ram Nath Kovind

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on 17th October 2017 to organise International Gita Mahotsav in Kurukshetra, Haryana on 25th November 2017.
President Ram Nath Kovind will be doing the inauguration of the Mahotsav. The event will be organised in collaboration with Mauritius. Moreover, Uttar Pradesh will also be associated with it.
The main motto behind the Mahotsav is to spread the message of Gita to the world.

Key Highlights of the International Gita Mahotsav

• Vaishvik Path of Bhagvad Gita will also be held at Brahma Sarovar and Jyotisar, the birthplace of Bhagvad Gita.
• This is the first International Gita Mahotsav which will also be seeing the launch of two coffee table books named ‘Incredible Kurukshetra’ in English and ‘Atulya Kurukshetra’ in Hindi.
• The festival will be witnessing exhibitions by different cultural, spiritual, educational and social organisations, rangoli, painting and photography competitions, Gita Pustak Mela,etc.
• The Mahotsav will be concluding on 3rd December 2017.