Important CURRENT AFFAIRS : 5th September 2013

1.  Teacher’s Day Celebrated across India on the Birth Anniversary of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. On this day, the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee also presented the National Awards to meritorious teachers from all over India. These awards were instituted in 1958 in order to givethe public recognition to the teachers of the country in primary, middle as well as secondary schools.

 

2. The two-day summit of the Group of Twenty (G-20) has begun at St. Peters burg in Russiaon Thursday (September 5). The summit will focus on issues pertaining to the economic growth throughout the developed world.


3. President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday administered oath of office to Deepak Sandhu who became the first woman Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission.

4. New RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has announced the setting up of few committees to look intocritical areas of functioning, like monetary policy and screening of applications for licences to open new bank branches. In his maiden press conference in Mumbai last evening, Rajan announced an external committee, under the chairmanship of former Governor Bimal Jalan, to screen applicants for new bank licences, from January next year.

5. The Union Health Ministry today announced former Indian cricket team captain Rahul Dravid as brand ambassador for its National Tobacco Control Campaign.

6. ICICI Bank, the country’s largest private sector bank, launched its ‘Branch on Wheels’ to offer basic banking services in remote areas which have so far been devoid of banking facilities.

7. In a big setback for Indian athletes, the International Olympic Committee or IOC has decided that India will remain suspended from the international Olympic movement.

8. The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari released the book titled Ahmev Radha, Ahmev Krishnah at New Delhi on 4 September 2013. The book is written by Gulab Kothari, Chief Editor of Hindi newspaper Rajasthan Patrika. Ahmev Radha, Ahmev Krishnah is the collection of poems in Sanskrit language.

9. Raj Kundra, the millionaire businessman has written a book titled, How Not to Make Money.This is the first book written by Raj Kundra and it narrates a story of three childhood friends – Jai, Mike and Aziz – who made a decision to get rich quick.

10. Indian Author Sushmita Banerjee, who became famous after her best seller book “Kabuliwalar Bangali Bou” (A Kabuliwala’s Bengali Wife) about her escape from the Taliban in 1995, was shot dead in Afganistan. She was killed outside her home in Paktika province.

11. Unstoppable Rafael Nadal won his 20th straight hardcourt match to storm into the semifinals of the U.S. Open, showing no mercy to Tommy Robredo in a 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 beatdown on Wednesday.

12. India’s Sania Mirza and her Chinese partner Jie Zheng stormed into the semifinals of the women’s doubles with a straight sets victory over fourth seeds SuWei Hsieh and Shuai Peng.

13. Jamaican track star Usain Bolt is considering retiring after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he said on Wednesday.

14. Yahoo has adopted a new logo for the first time since its founding 18 years ago. The redesigned look was unveiled lateon Wednesday is part of a makeover that Yahoo Inc. has been undergoing since the it hired Google executive Marissa Mayer as its new CEO to turn around the former internet giant.

“National Institute of Solar Energy”

Union Cabinet gives nod to set up “National Institute of Solar Energy”

The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of an autonomous “National Institute of Solar Energy” (NISE) to function as apex national body for research and technology development and related activities in the area of solar energy technologies in the country. The institute is to be set up by converting the Solar Energy Centre (SEC), Gurgaon with a long term vision to develop it as a world class institute.

The setting up of National Institute of Solar Energy is a part of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) which will speed up the process to support induction of the latest technologies to ensure maximum cost benefit and lead to early commercialization. Solar power project developers will be motivated to use more efficient and optimized solar components.

Current Affairs of 4 September 2013

1. Raghuram G. Rajan took over as the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. The 50-year-old economist took charge from D. Subbarao. The duo shook hands warmly and hugged after Rajan signed a 65-year-old scroll, made of toughened paper, that bears the signatures of all governors and deputy governors of RBI.

2. In order to encourage capital flows, the RBI today eased the External Commercial Borrowing, ECB norms by allowing companies to use funds raised from foreign partners for general corporate purposes.

3. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has appointed Rakesh Sood, India’s former Ambassador to Nepal, Afghanistan and France and the country’s first Ambassador in charge of Disarmament in Geneva, as his new Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.

4. Noted Indian homeopath Mukesh Batra has been honoured with Asia’s “most promising leader” award at a recent function in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for pioneering work in healthcare, using natural medicine.

5. Ronald Coase, the British-born US economist who was awarded the Nobel prize in 1991, died today in Chicago, the University of Chicago announced. He was 102.

6. The HRD Minister Dr. M M Pallam Raju today inaugurated the Sixth Global Skills Summit (GSS) at FICCI today. This two day FICCI annual event is being organized in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Labour and Employment and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

7. India and Japan on Tuesday agreed to “intensify” their negotiations on the civil nuclear pact towards an early conclusion at a high-level official meeting in Tokyo.

8. The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal for setting up of the Bharat Rural Livelihood Foundation (BRLF) as an independent charitable society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

9. Usain Bolt plans to retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Bolt said Wednesday he wants to win more gold in Rio, set another world record in the 200 meters next year, and perhaps win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

10. In yet another victory for the security forces, Hizbul Mujahideen’s self styled commander Talib Lali was arrested from his native Ajas in Bandipore on Wednesday.

11. Faced with a tough economy and unstable rupee against the dollar, new RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday stressed the need for monetary stability saying it was a top priority.

12. Tommy Morrison, the former heavy weight champion, who was diagnosed positive for HIV died atthe age of 44. As a boxer, he was nicknamed as The Duke and in his entire boxing career; he played 52 professional fights and lost only 3 of them.

Current Affairs - September 3, 2013

Diana Nyad becomes first person to swim from Cuba to US without shark cage

American long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad (64) became the first person to swim across 166-km long Florida Strait from Cuba to the United States without a shark cage. It took her about 53 hours after beginning from Havana. It was her 5^th attempt when set a record for the longest ocean swim without a shark cage or flippers.

Moortidevi award to Haraprasad Das

Noted poet, Haraprasad Das has been honored with the Moortidevi Award for 2012 for ‘Vamsha’, a poetic recreation of the Mahabharata in contemporary dialect, which has been heralded as a post-modern masterwork.

Food Security Bill passed in Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha passed the ambitious Food Security Bill which aims to provide foodgrains at highly subsidized prices to the 2/3^rd of country’s population. The bill will guarantee 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at Rs 3, 2, 1, respectively. The programme would cost government Rs 1,30,000 crore government which will be the largest such programme in the world. It would require 62 million tonnes of foodgrains.

Washington moves USS Nimitz towards Red Sea

In what could be seen as a surge in tension in the West Asia region, the Washington has moved the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz towards the Red Sea, though the warship had not yet received orders to support a strike on Syria. US President Obama and his team are lobbying hard to seek US Congress approval for a military strike against the Syrian regime over the use of chemical weapons in the country. Russia has warned that any US military aggression in Syria would derail the Geneva peace plan and has suggested US Congress to take a balanced view of the situation in Syria.

IAF inducts C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft

The Indian Air Force inducted three Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, heavy-lift transport aircraft into the newly-formed 81 ‘Skylord’ Squadron at the Hindan Air Base, Delhi. C-17 has the potential to carry 75 tonnes of load which is almost double the capacity of Russian IL-76 in the IAF inventory which can carry only around 40 tonnes. It will boost up IAF’s flexibility in terms of operational response and with the heavy lift capability it could easily move troops and heavy tanks to required locations.

India, Japan to restart talks on civil nuclear agreement

After a hiatus of nearly 3 years, India and Japan will resume talks on the civil nuclear pact in Tokyo today.  The nuclear-energy negotiations were initiated in 2010 but have been on hold since the Fukushima nuclear disaster March 2011. This will be the fourth round of talks which comes  following a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Tokyo in May, 2013 when they resolved to direct to expedite the negotiations of an Agreement for Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy towards an early conclusion.

Himachal Pradesh imposes ban on sand transport to other states to curb illegal mining

In a bid to check illegal mining of sand the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to take stringent measures and impose a temporary blanket ban on the transportation of construction material like sand and grit to other states for 3 months. The government has also decided to create a task force in each district to check not only the illegal mining but also to suggest ways to curb these actives in future.

RBI asks banks to consider e-KYC a valid process

In a notification issued by the Reserve Bank of India, banks have been asked to avail the electronic Know Your Customer, e-KYC service, launched by the Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI. The notification directed banks to revise their KYC policy by accepting the e-KYC as a valid process for KYC verification under the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005. As per the notification, the information containing demographic details and photographs made available from UIDAI as a result of e-KYC process may be treated as an ‘Officially Valid Document’ under PML Rules.
The e-KYC service was launched by the UIDAI to help people link their existing records, like ration cards, pension accounts, license and certificates, to their Aadhaar numbers in a safe and easy manner.

Process of opening bank accounts for foreign students simplified: RBI

Simplifying bank account opening procedure for foreign students, RBI issued a notification asking banks to open a Non-Resident Ordinary bank account of a foreign student on the basis of his/her passport along with appropriate visa and immigration endorsement. As per the notification foreign students who intend to open a bank account will have to submit a valid address proof giving local address, in the form of a rent agreement or a letter from the educational institution in case of hostel facility within 30 days of opening the account.  Banks have been asked not to insist on the landlord visiting the branch for verification of rent documents and to take up alternative means of verification of local address.

Current Affairs - 2 September 2013

 

TECHNOTEX – 2014 Launched in Mumbai

Union minister of State for Textiles Panabaka Lakshmi launched the third edition of TECHNOTEX – 2014 in Mumbai.  The exhibition will be held from March 20 to March 22, 2014.  This event is meant for promoting technical textile sector in India.  Technical textiles material includes fabrics, industrial textiles, tyre cord, furniture lining, bullet proof jackets and so on.

BSE Sensex Gains

BSE Sensex gained 266 points on Monday. This is three week high.  Since three days, Sensex is gaining steadily.  It is now stood at 18,886.13 after gaining 266 points.  Sensex is closed at buying FMGC, metal, oil and gas shares.

Srivatsava is Syndicate Bank ED

TK Srivatsava is the new executive director of Syndicate Bank.  He was general manager in Union Bank of India.  Srivatsava started his career in banking sector as probationary officer in 1976.

One Number for EPF account Maintenance

A new system will be followed for the maintenance of EPF account.  EPFO informed that a unique number system will be followed for this purpose.  This new system will be implemented in 2013-14 financial year. The new system will give a unique number of every employee.  When a account holder changes job, he can transfer his PF account online easily.  The PF number given will be permanent.


Bal Sekhar is the Secretary general of Bal Sekhar

N Bal Sekhar who is now the Lok Sabha Secretary is appointed as the secretary general of Lok Sabha.  This was announced by Lok Sabha speaker Meera Kumar in the house.  He will be replacing TK Vishwanath.

PM Launches Mahatma Gandhi Portal

Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh launched a portal dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.  The portal is names Gandhi Heritage Portal.  People from all over the world can now access Gandhi.  The portal is developed by Gandhi Ashram, Gujarat. It will contain the intellectual heritage of Gandhi.


India is Number One in ICC ODI Rankings

India retained the top position in ICC ODI ranks.  The latest list was released by ICC on 1^st September, 2013. Virat Kohli of India is the highest ranked cricketer in ICC list.  He is in the fourth place in the list.  India continues to be in the top position since February, 2013. India is followed by Australia and England.

South Korea Wins Asia Cup Hockey

Asia Cup Hockey 2013 is won by South Korea.  South Korea defeated India in the final match that was played in Malaysia on 1^st September, 2013. With this win South Korea confirmed its berth in Hockey World Cup that is going to be held in Hague.  South Korea beat India by 4-3.

Indian Air Force Inducts c-17 Heavy Lift Plane

Defense Minister AK Antony inducted C-17 heavy lift transport aircraft in to Indian Air Force formally.  This will make it easier to transport tanks and troops to battle grounds.  The aircraft is obtained from US under  Rs. 20,000 crore deal.  The aircraft will be able to carry 70 tons of load.  A deal was signed with US for ten aircrafts and 3 of them are already delivered.  It is expected that the remaining will reach India before the end of 2014.

Home Minister says, Cabinet Resolution on Telangana in 20 days

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that assembly note on Telangana will be presented in 20 days from now.  He said cabinet note is being prepared.  It will be sent to Law minister first.  Telangana will be the 29^th state of India.  Meanwhile there are agitations and protests going on n Seemandhra, after the announcement of bifurcaction of state.

Current Affairs 1 September 2013

Forex Reserves of India Decreased

Forex Reserves in India were decreased to USD 277,722 billion dollars.  This information was released by RBI.  The reserved are decreased by USD 1.085 billion.  This is because of decrease in the foreign currency assets, it is said.

HLL Biotech Signs Agreement with Institute of Immunology, Croatia

HLL Biotech signed an agreement for supply and technology transfer for mass production of measles vaccine in India.  It is informed that the agreement with Institute of Immunology, Croatia is of long term.  Indian markets will receive more that 80 million measles vaccine doses from HLL Life care.

Ambassador Encore Price Announced

Hindustan Motors announced the price of their new vehicle Ambassador Encore.  It will be priced Rs.4,97,996 (ex-showroom Kolkata).  Bookings for the vehicle begin from tomorrow.  These passenger vehicles will offer additional comfort to those who travel in the vehicles.

Government Considering Shutting of Petrol Pumps at night

In a bid to cut oil import bill, government is considering keeping shutting the petrol pumps closed at night.  This will taper fuel demand.  This is only one of the options considered but no decision is taken yet, said M Veerappa Moily, Oil Minister of India.

Hyderabad Wins first IBL

Hyderabad Hotshots won the first Indian Badminton League title.  Hyderabad Hotshots is led by Naina Sehwal.  The final match was played at National Sports Club of India.

National Sports awards Conferred

President of India conferred that National Sports awards, Arjuna awards, Dronacharya Awards, Dhyan Chand Awards, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Trophy to the awardees in Rashtrapati Bhawan on 31^st August, 2013.  National Sports awards are given to sports persons to recognize their excellence in their respective field of sport.

Champions League Qualifying Matches in Ahmadabad

Champions League Qualifying matches will be held in Ahmadabad.  Six qualifying matches for champion league will be played from September 17 to September 20. The matches were scheduled to be played in Hyderabad.  But since Ganesh idol’s immersion will be held on September 19, police said that they cannot provide security for the matches.

WISE Spacecraft to be used again for asteroids study

The services of Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer – WISE spacecraft will be used once again to identify and study near earth objects.  It was used to look for celestial heat sources from stars, asteroids and galaxies.  It completed its mission in February, 2011 after observing nearly 158000 rocky bodies.

Curiosity Navigates autonomously on Mars for first time

Curiosity, NASA’s rover is walking on the Mars autonomously for the first time.  The rover will take images and decided its own safe driving path.  The rover will cover large parts of Mars en route to Mount Sharp.  It will study the information of environmental changes in ancient Mars.  Geological layers in Mount sharp hold this information, it is informed.

Yasin Bhatkal Confesses Involvement in Hyderabad Blast Case

Yasin Bhatkal, the Indian Mujahedeen founder who was arrested by admitted that he is involved in Hyderabad blast bomb blasts in February this year.  He said that as per the instruction he received from Pakistan, he supplied explosives to be planted in Dilsukhnagar.  He also confesses involvement in several other blast cases in India.

Ten Percent Dearness Allowance Hike for Central Government Employees

Government of India is to announce ten percent DA hike this month.  This will be applicable from 1^st July, 2013.  The DA will increase to 90 percent from the existing 80 percent.  This will benefit nearly 50 lakh employees and 30 lakh pensioners.  This is the first time that dearness allowance in two digits is hiked in the last 3 years for central government employees.

Sonia Going to America for Medical tests

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is going to America to undergo medical test, according to congress sources.  She will leave for America on Monday evening.  She has undergone a surgery in 2100 August.  She went twice after that to America for post surgery medical tests.

Amitabh and Rekha to star in ‘Welcome Back’

According to sources, Amitabh and Rekha are going to act in an upcoming comedy film ‘Welcome back’. This movie will be directed by Anees Bazmee.  This will be a sequel to the successful film Welcome.  Other films in which both acted together are Muqaddar ka Sikander, Mr Natwarlal, Suhaag and silsila.  Welcome Back has John Abraham and Shruti Hassan as the lead pair.

National Talent Search Examination Fee Payment date Extended

The last date to pay fee for National Talent Search Examination is extended by one week, informed the officials.  As per schedule, last date was 31^st August, 2013.  But examination director informed that the last date is extended up to 7^th September, 2013.

Land Acquisition Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha passed the long-awaited Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill which seeks to replace the archaic land acquisition law dating back to 1894.  The government cleared the air on the reservations from some States against some provisions in the bill by informing that the Bill only ideates for fair compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement in the case of land acquisition and State Governments were free to improve upon it and enforce it as per their specific needs.

What are the key features of Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2012?

♦ The Bill aims at providing fair compensation to those whose land is taken away, brings transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factories or buildings and assures rehabilitation of those affected. This legislation has been eagerly sought by both industry and those who live off the land.

♦ The law promises compensation to owners of up to four times the market value of land in rural areas and two times the value in urban parts. It also proposes rehabilitation and resettlement of people displaced by property purchases.

♦ Under the new legislation, acquisitions can only go ahead if at least 80 percent of families affected by private projects agree, or 70 percent for projects with public-private partnerships.