Current Affairs For Bank, IBPS Exams - 15 January, 2014

Current Affairs For Bank, IBPS Exams

15 January 2014

All-time high foodgrain production expected this year

  • Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said that the country's foodgrain production this year is likely to surpass the previous record of 259.29 million tonnes achieved in the 2011-12 crop year.
  • The data regarding sowing of rabi (winter) crops like wheat is very encouraging according to reports.
  • The country had a record foodgrain production of 259.29 million tonnes in 2011-12 crop year (July-June). However, the output fell marginally to 255.36 million tonnes in the next year due to drought in some parts.
  • This year, good monsoon has improved sowing of both kharif (summer) and rabi (winter) crops, thereby boosting prospects of record foodgrains production.

E-auctioning of iron ore

  • The Goa government has set in motion the process to e-auction around 15 million metric tonne of iron ore currently stacked at jetties, leases, stock-yards and beneficiation plants across the state’s mining belt.

  • Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya has issued the notification for e-auctioning, which is scheduled to take place next month.

  • The Supreme Court while hearing a petition in the Goa illegal mining case had allowed online auctioning of the ore, and money collected from the process would be deposited in a separate account till the case is disposed of.

  • The Department issued the notice inviting applications from prospective bidders to participate in e-auctioning of extracted ore in Goa.

  • As per the estimates by state government, approximately 15 million metric tonne of ore is lying unused at jetties, leases, stockyards and beneficiation plants.

  • As per the notification, the companies participating in the auctioning process get themselves registered with the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).

India's growth will be over 6% in 2014-15: World Bank

  • The World Bank has projected India's economy will grow over 6 per cent in 2014-15 and 7.1 per cent by 2016-17 as global demand recovers and domestic investment increases.

  • In China, growth is estimated to stay flat in 2014 at 7.7 per cent, slowing to 7.5 per cent for the next two years, reflecting deleveraging and less reliance on policy-induced investment.

  • Global GDP growth may firm up to 3.2 per cent this year from 2.4 per cent in 2013, stabilising at 3.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent in 2015 and 2016, respectively, the World Bank said in its Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released

U-19 World Cup Cricket : Captain of Indian team

  • Vijay Zol of Maharashtra was selected as the Captain of India to lead the Under-19 Cricket World Cup by the All-India Junior Selection Committee.
  • The U-19 Cricket World Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February 2014.
  • Vijay Zol also led India to victory in the U-19 Asia Cricket Cup against Pakistan in January 2014.
  • India has won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup three times in 2000, 2008 and 2012 till now.
  • In 2012 India won the U-19 World Cup under the leadership of Unmukt Chand.

Australian Open 2014

  • Novak Djokovic moved into the third round of the Australian Open after a routine victory over Leonardo Mayer.
  • The Serbian was in irresistible form early on and appeared keen to seal a quick success in the scorching Melbourne heat by winning the opening eight games of the match.
  • While world No 98 Mayer did at least improve thereafter, he never threatened an upset and failed to earn a single break point as Djokovic completed a 6-0, 6-4, 6-4 win in 107 minutes.
  • Djokovic, who is bidding to become the second man after Roy Emerson to win four straight titles here, came storming out of the blocks.
  • The second seed, under the watchful gaze of new coach Boris Becker, broke at the first opportunity and it quickly became apparent there would be few alarms.

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