Current Affairs 31st October 2018

Current Affairs 31st October 2018 - Important Points

• Seychelles launched world’s first sovereign Blue Bond on - 29th October 2018
• Prime Minister Modi to unveil world's tallest statue - Statue of Unity
• Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2018 observed to commemorate 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on - 31st October 2018
• 13th India-Japan Annual Summit  organized on - 28th October 2018
• CSIR developed Less Polluting Firecrackers named – SWAS, SAFAL and STAR
• Gandhian Thought and Swachhata Seminar Organized in - Wardha

 urrent Affairs 31st October 2018 - Details

Seychelles launches world’s first sovereign Blue Bond on - 29th October 2018

The Republic of Seychelles launched the world’s first Sovereign Blue Bond, a financial instrument designed to support sustainable marine and fisheries projects on 29th October 2018. This bond raised USD 15 million from international investors. The bond has demonstrated the potential for countries to harness capital markets to finance the sustainable use of marine resources.

AlongWith this, Seychelles has become the first nation to pioneer such a novel financing instrument.

Prime Minister Modi to unveil world's tallest statue - Statue of Unity

PM Narendra Modi will reveal the bronze statue of India’s 1st deputy PM, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31st, 2018 at Kevadia in Gujarat's Narmada district. The “Statue of Unity” devoted to the ‘Iron Man of India’ has been built on a river island on the Narmada river in Kevadiya town.
Important Highlights

• The PM will initiate the structure on the eve of Sardar Patel’s 143rd birthday, devoting the Statue of Unity to the nation.
• At 182m, the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel will be the tallest statue in the world, exceptional the height of Spring Temple Buddha in China, which had formerly captured the record at 153m. 
• The statue will be double the size of the Statue of Liberty in New York city in the USA.
• A inspecting gallery has been formed at a height of 135m, which can lodge 200 visitors at single time.
• It suggests a spectacular view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• The enthusiasm ceremony shall include a flypast of Indian Air Force aircraft and performances of cultural troupes.
• The Surya Kiran of the Air Force will act aerobatics in the sky above the statue while spreading the colours of the Indian flag in the sky.
• Besides, cultural programs and folk-dance performances by artists from Gujarat, Punjab, Assam and Mizoram have also been prearranged.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2018 observed to commemorate 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel on - 31st October 2018

India celebrated Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also called as National Unity Day, on October 31st, 2018 to memorialize the 143rd birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India.
On this occasion, PM Narendra Modi will bestow world's tallest “Statue of Unity” to the country at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat. The PM Modi would also release the “Wall of Unity”, a wall created with the earth samples gathered from different states across the nation.
Activities planned for the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2018

• Various programmes are being organised by various Ministries, Public Sector Undertakings and organisations across the nation to observe the Day. 
• The Central Armed Police Forces will actively take part in State-level and other field level events and will plan March pasts.
• A team of Jaguar fighter aircraft will also fly, and a team of MI-17 choppers will shower rose petals on the sculpture. 
• The Ministry of Railways will plan pledge and March Past at its Zonal and Divisional HQs. 
• Under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, numerous programmes including Run for Unity, pledge, floral tribute, competitions involving all citizens of Tier-I and Tier-II cities including SMART and AMRUT cities and towns will be planned.
• The National School of Drama will plan a special play on Sardar Patel. Cultural events and folk-dance performances by artists from Gujarat, Punjab, Assam and Mizoram have also been prearranged.

13th India-Japan Annual Summit  organized on - 28th October 2018

The yearly bilateral India–Japan summit was organised on 28th  and 29th October 2018 in Japan. The
Indian PM visited Japan to participate in the summit. The partnership among the both nations has been
transformed a lot and it has now become as a ‘special strategic and global partnership’.
Key Highlights

• Japan investors will capitalize approximately $2.5 USD in India. Both sides decided for a 2+2 dialogue between our foreign ministers and defence ministers to further effort towards world peace.
• An ‘India-Japan Business Platform’ will be formed to augment the development of industrial corridors and industrial network in the area.
• The two nations will collaborate for the 1st time in the areas of traditional medicinal including Yoga and Ayurveda.
• This will ease a boost in the healthcare in both the nations.
• The two nations have settled to synchronize upon exchanging benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme and the Japanese healthcare program.
• There will be inauguration of talks on a ‘Military Logistics Pact’, the Acquisition and Cross Servicing MoU, between the both countries that will make sure the admission to each other’s military and naval bases.
• The both nations will work in collaboration to enhance access to education, health and other facilities to the people of the Indo-Pacific, including Africa.
• Japan-India Investment Promotion Roadmap improved the contribution of Japan in India’s Make in
  India initiative with institution of Business Support Centre in Ahmedabad.

CSIR developed Less Polluting Firecrackers named – SWAS, SAFAL and STAR

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- CSIR researchers has formed less polluting green
firecrackers termed as SWAS, SAFAL, STAR. Green crackers are so called because they do not have
harmful air polluting chemicals.
Key Features

• SWAS describes safe water releaser, SAFAL denotes safe minimal aluminium and STAR denotes safe
  thermite cracker.
• These crackers are 15 to 20% cheaper than the traditional crackers.
• STAR eradicates use of Potassium nitrate and sulphur, whereas SAFAL has less use of aluminium as
  compared to salable crackers.
• The new crackers have been developed by Central Electrochemical Research Institute based in
  Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur.
• The firecrackers have an exceptional property of releasing water vapour. The scientists at Central
  Electrochemical Research Institute have produced green crackers by altering the chemical formulations for flower pots, “jiljil” and utilised flower pots as a replacement for barium nitrate.
• The crackers will come in the market for sale following the sanction from nodal agency for safety
  requirements in manufacture, storage, transport of all types of explosives- Petroleum and Explosive
  Safety Organization.
• It compares the sound intensity of commercial crackers in the range of 105-110 decibels.

Gandhian Thought and Swachhata Seminar Organized in - Wardha

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has planned a seminar on Gandhian thoughts and Swachhta to make India a Swacch Bharat by 2019 as 150th birth anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi. It was being held in the Wardha district of Maharashtra with an aim on attainment of the goals of sanitation and Gandhian thoughts via Swacch Bharat Mission.
The themes for address in the seminar were suitable technologies in rural sanitation, organic waste management, and preventive sanitation. Gandhi’s concept of ‘Swachh evam Swawalambhi Sankul’ was the main attention of the seminar. The seminar concluded with a visit to ’Sevagram Ashram’ to attain experience from Gandhiji’s life.
Important facts about Swacch Bharat Mission

• It is a programme initiated by Indian PM to make India Swacchh by 2019 which is the 150 th birth
  anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
•  Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was initiated on 2nd October 2014 with 2 submissions, including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Gramin) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban). 
• The mission is jointly managed Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (Gramin) and the Ministry of Urban Development (Urban).
• The mission has mechanisms including Construction of Household Toilets, Community and Public Toilets, Solid Waste Management, Information, Education and Communication and Public Awareness, Capacity Building and Administrative and Office Expenses.
• It is a mass people’s movement and the rural sanitation coverage having raised from 39 percent, at the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, to more than 95 percent till date.