Current Affairs 6th January 2018

Current Affairs 6th January 2018 - Important Points

• RBI introduces Rs 10 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series on - 5th January 2018
•  Rs.2420 Crore worth contracts for Navy and Army cleared by - Defence Ministry
• Railways, HRD and  S&T Ministry ink MoU on Technology Mission for Indian Railways on - 4th January 2018

 Current Affairs 6th January 2018 - Details

RBI introduces Rs 10 banknote in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series on - 5th January 2018

The Reserve Bank of India on 5th January 2018 released the Rs 10 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, with the signature of Governor Urjit R. Patel. However, all the currency notes in the denomination of Rs 10, released by the Reserve Bank in the past series, will continue to be legal tender.
The new note has motif of Sun Temple, Konark on the reverse side, depicting the nation's cultural heritage. The structural colour of the note is Chocolate Brown. The size of the banknote will be 63 mm x 123 mm.
Features of Obverse (Front) side

• Denominational numeral ?? in Devnagari
• Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre
• Small letters 'RBI', ‘???? ' ‘INDIA' and '10'
• Windowed demetallized security thread bearing inscriptions '????' and RBI
• Guarantee section, Governor's signature with Promise section and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi portrait
• Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right side
• Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype watermarks
• Number panel with numerals increasing from small to big on the top left and bottom right side.

Features of Reverse (Back) side

• Year of printing of the note on the left side
• Swachh Bharat logo with slogan lines
• Language panel
• Motif of Sun Temple, Konark
• Denominational numeral ?? in Devnagari language

 Rs.2420 Crore worth contracts for Navy and Army cleared by - Defence Ministry

The Union Ministry of Defence has passed procurement of P-8I Training Solution for Indian Navy and
Low Intensity Conflict Electronic Warfare System for Indian Army at sum total cost of Rs 2419.32 crores. 

These contract schemes were earlier sanctioned by Defence Acquisition Council and now final
acceptance has now been issued by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Low Intensity Conflict Electronic Warfare System

This system will be obtained from Bharat Electronics Limited for Rs. 470 crores. It will facilitate Indian
Army with better communications infrastructure that will aid forces to effectively deal with advanced
communications systems being utilized by terrorist groups.
P-8I Training Solution

• The P-8I Training Solution will be safeguard from Boeing for Rs.1949.32 crores. It will be escorted along with ten-year comprehensive maintenance service.
• This training solution precisely simulates P-8I aircraft and mission systems.
• It will aid Indian Navy realistically train and rehearse for sophisticated missions involving P-8I aircraft, at fraction of the cost of live aircraft training.
• The P-8I aircraft produced by Boeing is capable for long range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface
  warfare, surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance in support of vast area, maritime and littoral
  operations.
• Its communication and sensor suite include indigenous equipment produced by defence PSUs
  and private producers.
• It is effective in instant punitive response and maintaining watch over India’s
  instant and extended areas of interest.
• The 1st P-8I aircraft was installed in Indian Navy in 2013. Till date, 8 aircraft based at INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu have been fully united into Indian Naval operations.

Railways, HRD and  S&T Ministry ink MoU on Technology Mission for Indian Railways on - 4th January 2018

Three Ministries including Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Science  S&Technology and Ministry of
Human Resource Development have signed Memorandum of Understanding for joint sponsorship of
Technology Mission for Indian Railways.
Properties of MoU

• The MoU focuses to facilitate co-financing of TMIR by investment allocation for identified railway
  assignments for applied research work.
• The percentage allocation of the sponsorship between the 3 ministries for Technology Mission for Indian Railways’ is Ministry of Railways: 30 percent, Ministry of HRD: 25 percent and Department of Science & Technology: 25 percent.
• In this MoU, Ministry of HRD and Ministry of S&T have negotiated to fund TMIR projects to the value of Rs. 75 crores each while Railways and Industries would also be giving their allocated shares.
  Technology Mission for Indian Railways
• The Ministry of Railways had set up TMIR as association of Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of HRD on investment distribution model for taking up recognized railway projects for applied research and utilize on Indian Railways. TMIR has been assigned the task  to take up research and development projects in the areas of heavy haul, safety, energy, environment and urban railways.
• Moreover, these projects will be executed in the national research and development laboratories and educational institutions. Moreover, cooperations will be also come into with foreign institutions
  wherever required.
  Importance
• Indian Railways will be profitable with availability of world class indigenized technologies at very low cost through this association approach for technology development in mission mode.
• Moreover, educational research institutions will be also profited with applied research and actual situation output in form of new articles for instant use.
• The Indian production houses will also get profited in form of manufacturing of new goods to be utilised on Indian Railways with extra export prospective.