Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
NATIONAL NEWS
PM Modi Reaches Mozambique On First Leg of Four Nation Tour
(1) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Maputo, the capital of Mozambique today in the first leg of his four nation tour of African countries.
(2) This is the first official visit of the Prime Minister to Mainland Africa.
(3) The trip to Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya is being seen as a fresh chapter in India-Africa engagement.
(4) The focus of the African tour will be on deepening cooperation in areas of hydrocarbons, maritime security, defence technology, maritime co-operation, trade and investment, Sports, tourism, agriculture and food.
(5) In Maputo, Mr Modi will hold restricted meeting with President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi.
(6) During the visit, the signing of MoUs on Government to Government Purchase of Pulses, Civil Aviation sector, Cooperation for Youth in area of Sports and Prevention of trafficking of narcotics will take place.
(7) After this Mr. Modi will be meeting the president of National Assembly Ms. Veronica Macamo and he will also visit Center for innovation and technological development, in Maluana.
(8) In the evening, Mr. Modi will attend a reception organized by the Indian High commissioner in Maputo. After the cultural event, Mr Modi will leave for South Africa on the second leg of his visit. Later he will visit Tanzania and Kenya.
2 Ministers of State berths for Sena
(1) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expanded his council of Ministers by inducting 10 new faces and elevating BJP’s Ram Shinde to Cabinet rank, leaving Shiv Sena for two additional Ministers of State.
(2) This raised the strength of the Ministry to 41, of which 27 are from BJP, 12 from Shiv Sena and 2 from minor partners like Rashtriya Samaj Party and Swabhimani Party.
(3) With this expansion, 24 Ministers are of Cabinet rank while 17 are Ministers of State.
(4) Among the Cabinet Ministers, 18 are from BJP, 5 from Shiv Sena and 1 from RSP. Out of the 17 MoS,BJP has 9, Sena has 7 and Swabhimani party 1.
Government Kickstarts Stake Sale in 51 Firms via SUUTI
(1) The Government is looking at selling its minority stake in 51 listed and unlisted companies through SUUTI (Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India) either through an Offer for Sale (OFS), Block Deal, Bulk Deal, Regular Sale through Stock Exchange etc. (2) This move may bring in Rs. 60,340 crore and the total target for disinvestment for 2016-17 is set at Rs. 56,500 crore.
(3) SUUTI was formed in 2003 after Unit Trust of India (UTI) was split into UTI Trustee Company Private Limited and SUUTI.
(4) The stake sale of SUUTI which has holdings in companies like Axis Bank, ITC Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Hindustan Unilever, Jaiprakash Associates will be conducted over the next three years.
231 Projects under Namami Gange to be launched all over country
(1) Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has announced the inauguration of 231 projects at various locations in Uttrakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Haryana and Delhi today.
(2) These project will involve modernization and redevelopment of Ghats and crematoriums, development of sewage infrastructure and treatment, afforestation, tree plantation, pilot drain project, interceptor drain project, trash skimmers and conservation of biodiversity.
(3) The main function will be held at Haridwar which will be attended by Uttrakhand CM Shri Harish Rawat and Union Ministers Shri Nitin Gadkari, Choudhary Birender Singh, Shri Mahesh Sharma and Sushri Uma Bharti.
(4) Referring to Ganga Gram Yojana, Sushri Bharti stated that 400 villages along the river Ganga will be developed as Ganga Gram in phase-I.
(5) 13 IITs have adopted five villages each for development as Ganga Grams.
(6) The Minister also said that eight biodiversity centers will be developed along Ganga for a restoration of identified priority species.
(7) These centers will be developed at Rishikesh, Dehradun, Narora, Allahabad, Varanasi, Bhagalpur, Sahibganj and Barrackpore.
Government approves Rs10,000 crore for skill development plan
(1) The Union cabinet has approved an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore for providing apprenticeship training to over 5 million youngsters in the next 4 years in its quest to create more jobs.
(2) This is the biggest monetary reward initiative in the last seven years for skill development in India. The money allocated will be provided as incentive to industries to take more apprentices on board.
(3) The Scheme would be implemented by Director General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
(4) It provides for incentivizing employers to engage apprentices. 25% of the total stipend payable to an apprentice would be shared with employers directly by Government of India. (5) It is for the first time a scheme has been designed to offer financial incentives to employers to engage apprentices.
(6) In addition, it also supports basic training, which is an essential component of apprenticeship training.
(7) 50% of the total expenditure incurred on providing basic training would be supported by Government of India.
High Pollution Cess Recommended By the Supreme Court Appointed Green Panel
(1) The Supreme Court-appointed green panel EPCA has recommended high pollution cess, of up to 25 % on the cost of diesel cars above 2,000 cc, multiple times higher than the figure suggested by few automakers.
(2) The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) reasoned that imposition of steep cess was imperative to control air pollution in the national capital by making diesel vehicles "cost prohibitive".
(3) The vehicles need to be divided into three categories- up to 1200 cc, up to 2000 cc and 2000 cc and above.
(4) An Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) of 10 percent of the vehicle's cost be imposed on diesel cars with engines up to 1200cc.
(5) EPCA recommended ECC of 20 percent tax on diesel vehicles with engines smaller than 1500cc in size.
(6) It recommended a cess of 22 percent on vehicles with engines over 1500cc.
(7) It also recommended high pollution cess of up to 25 percent on the cost of diesel cars above 2000 cc.
Kerala Imposes ‘Fat Tax’ on Junk Food & ‘Green Tax’
(1) In a bid to discourage junk food culture, a 14.5% “fat tax” on burgers, pizzas, pasta and other junk food has been proposed in Kerala’s CPM-led Left Front Government’s maiden budget.
(2) This is first of its kind move by the Government to charge “fat tax” on junk food served in branded restaurants.
(3) The government is targeting an additional revenue of Rs. 10 crore through this effort. (4) An “anti-slowdown package” of Rs. 12 crore has also been proposed in the same budget owing to a severe financial crisis for taking up various development and infrastructure projects like IT parks, roads, bridges.
(5) Also it proposes levying of “green tax” for renewing registration of private vehicles (four wheelers and above) which are over 15 years old and 10 years old transport vehicles.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
China inducts largest homegrown Y-20 military transport plane
(1) China has inducted its largest indigenously-built transport aircraft, named as Y-20, which can carry a maximum take off weight of 200 tonnes.
(2) It has officially joined the PLA Air Force in Chengdu.
(3) Y-20 is a breakthrough in military aviation technology for the PLA that allows the world's largest force to transport cargo and troops over long distances in diverse weather conditions.
(4) It is also regarded as a major breakthrough in military aviation technology for the PLA which is more reliant on Russian-made planes so far.
(5) The indigenously designed and developed Y-20 took its maiden flight in January 2013 and made its debut at the 10th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2014.
(6) The plane is comparable to the Russian-made IL-76 and the US C-17. PLA officials earlier said Y-20 is more advanced than the IL-476.
Typhoon Nepartak Hits Taiwan Killing 2
(1) A powerful typhoon Nepartak lost power on Friday after slamming into Taiwan’s eastern coast bringing ferocious winds and torrential rains to the area.
(2) It has killed two people and injured 66 others.
(3) It made landfall in Taitung country before weakening.
(4) Its centre was located 20 kms. east of the city of Kaohsiung and was moving nothwestward at a speed of 13 km/hour, the Central Weather Bureau of the island reported. (5) Planes and fishing boats were grounded while more than 15000 people were evacuated.
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
Gunmen launch deadly attack near Bangladesh Eid gathering
(1) Three people were killed at a Bangladesh checkpoint when gunmen carrying bombs tried to attack the country's biggest gathering to mark the Muslim Eid holiday.
(2) More than 300,000 people took part in mass prayers in Sholakia, 62 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of the capital Dhaka, when the attack was launched at the checkpoint, Kishoregunj District Police Assistant Superintendent Shoaib Abu Shayal said.
(3) The violence has shaken the country, as it appears to be the first attempt at a major attack directed entirely at Muslims.
(4)The attackers' target was the congregation but the police were able to stop them from crossing the checkpoint, Bangladeshi Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said.
(5) One police officer and a female civilian died in an exchange of gunfire, police told CNN, while another officer was wounded and died later at a hospital.
(6) As many as 14 other officers were injured.
APPOINTMENT & RESIGN
Deepak Singhal takes charge as the Chief Secretary of UP
(1) Principal Secretary Irrigation, Deepak Singhal has been appointed the new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh.
(2) He has replaced Alok Ranjan, who has got retire on 30 June 2016 after a three-month extension of service.
(3) Mr. Singhal will also hold additional charge of Principal Resident Commissioner of UP in New Delhi, and chairman of the Pradeshiya Industrial & Investment Corporation of UP (PICUP).
(4) Prior to this appointment, he has served as the commissioner of Meerut, Agra and Bareilly and was on Central deputation between 2006 and 2011.
(5) He started his career as an Assistant Magistrate of Mathura in the undivided UP in 1983. (6) Since then he has held key posts in Departments like Electricity and commercial tax.
Union Government constitute Shankar Acharya Committee to examine desirability and feasibility of new financial year
(1) The Union Finance Ministry has constituted four members committee to examine the feasibility and desirability of having a new financial year.
(2) The committee has been tasked to examine the merits and demerits of various dates for the commencement of the financial year including the existing date (April to March) by taking into account the various relevant factors.
(3) The committee will be headed by Dr. Shankar Acharya (former Chief Economic Adviser). (4) Besides it will consist of PV Rajaraman (former Finance Secretary, Tamil Nadu), KM Chandrasekhar (former Cabinet Secretary) and Dr. Rajiv Kumar (Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research) as its members.
R Thiruppathi Venkatasamy appointed as the Accountant General of Tamil Nadu
(1) R Thiruppathi Venkatasamy has been appointed as the Accountant General of Economic and Revenue Sector Audit of Tamil Nadu with immediate effect.
(2) Prior to this appointment, Mr. Venkatasamy was serving as the Senior Deputy Accountant General in the organisation of Comptroller and Auditor General Agartala, Tripura.
(3) He has also worked in Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
(4) He is a 2000 batch officer of Indian Audit and Accounts Service.
(5) He has a Master of Public Affairs degree from USA and Master of Science in Agriculture degree from India and a certificate in Auditing IT controls from Norway.
TripAdvisor appoints Gary Fritz President Asia Pacific
(1) Travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor has appointed Gary Fritz as its Chief Growth Officer and President of the Asia-Pacific region.
(2) In his role as President of APAC, he is responsible for leading the company's operations and strategy throughout the Asia Pacific region.
(3) TripAdvisor, Inc. is an American travel website company providing reviews of travel-related content. It also includes interactive travel forums.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
TRAI launches Myspeed App to measure real time mobile internet speed
(1) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has launched a mobile application called ‘MySpeed’ under the Digital India initiative.
(2) It is for measuring real-time mobile Internet speed that consumers get.
(3) The application will allow the user to send coverage, data speed and network information along with device and location to a TRAI analytics portal.
(4) Consumers using this app can check the speed of their 3G or 4G connection or the home broadband’s Wi-Fi speed.
(5) It is available for download on Mobile Seva app store and also on Google Play store.
(6) It is compatible with smartphones running on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and above
(7) The data collected from this app will be directly relayed to TRAI’s analytics portal and keep them apprised of the internet speeds throughout India.
Aditya Birla Fashion acquires global clothing brand Forever 21
(1) Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) has acquired global clothing brand Forever 21 in the Indian market for 26 million US dollars (around Rs 175.52 crore).
(2) The brand Forever 21 has a network of more than 700 stores worldwide.
(3) Its India operations reported a turnover of 262 crore rupees in 2015-16.
(4) The ABFRL has also executed a business transfer agreement with Diana Retail, Franchise of Forever 21, and DLF Brands for acquisition of the business undertaking of Diana Retail under the Forever 21 brand.
(5) The deal involved acquisition of the Forever 21 Undertaking of Diana Retail with effect from 1 July 2016.
(6) The transaction of 26 million US dollars was an all cash deal through a business transfer agreement and not a share transfer.
(7) With this, Forever 21 business will form part of ABFRL’s Madura Fashion & Lifestyle division.
Rajasthan Becomes First State to Introduce Minimum Wages for Part Time Workers
(1) Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to introduce minimum wages for part time workers.
(2) The Labour Department has issued a notification by which part time workers in the state now come under the Minimum Wages Act 1948.
(3) As per the new rule, it is now mandatory for employer to pay 50% of the prescribed a day minimum wage to a person who works for less than four hours in a day.
(4) Besides, in another decision state government also has decided to increase the minimum wages in all categories of scheduled