Current Affairs Daily
Updates: 21st July 2017
APPOINTMENTS
Kamal
Haasan is the brand ambassador of Tamil Thalaivas
- Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan has been appointed as the brand
ambassador of team Tamil Thalaivas in the fifth season of Pro Kabbadi
League.
- Tamil Thalaivas is owned by a consortium of cricketer Sachin
Tendulkar and businessman N Prasad. The tournament starts from 28 July in
Hyderabad.
Lord Mervyn
Davies appointed as Chair of UK India Business Council
- Lord Mervyn Davies was appointed as the Chair of the UK India
Business Council (UKIBC) with effect from 1 September 2017. He will
succeed Patricia Hewitt, who is stepping down after 8 years.
- Davies will serve a three- year term. UK India Business Council is
the leading market entry advisory and advocacy consultancy focused on the
United Kingdom and India trade opportunity.
- It supports the UK Government in its volume services as well as
providing a business voice in Government to Government discussions.
BANKING AFFAIRS
Reserve
Bank of India to release new Rs 20 note in Mahatma Gandhi series soon
- The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue bank notes of
denomination Rs 20 in Mahatma Gandhi series 2005.
- The new notes will be bearing inset letter ‘S’ in the number panel
and signature of Governor Urjit R Patel.
- The design of these banknotes to be issued now is similar in all
aspects to the Rs 20 bank notes in the same series issued earlier.
ICICI Bank
introduces Instant Personal Loans through ATMs
- Largest private sector lender ICICI Bank will be selling personal
loans of up to Rs 15 lakh through its ATMs that can be availed of by
select salaried customers even if they haven’t previously applied for one.
- The facility offers a bouquet of features – swift application in
simple steps, multiple eligible loan amount options up to Rs. 15 lakh
based on pre-checked CIBIL scores and instant transfer of the money to the
customer’s account.
- Using data from credit information companies, the lender will
pre-qualify select customers for personal loans. Such customers will get a
message on the ATM screen after completing a transaction, informing about
their eligibility for personal loans.
- If a customer chooses to go in for one, they can avail of a
five-year personal loan of upto Rs 15 lakh and the amount will be credited
instantly into their account. The service is already available.
BUSINESS AND
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Reliance
Chairman Mukesh Ambani launched Branded 4G Phone for free with deposit
- Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the JioPhone - “digital
independence” to all Indians.
- Some Guidelines are given in order to get JioPhone for free.
- The one-time deposit amount Rs 1,500 is needed which will be
refunded to its customers after 3 years on returning the phone. This means
the phone will be available at an effective price of zero.
- The pre-booking for the phone starts August will be available in
September on first-come first serve basis.
- The JIO Phone comes with the Internet connectivity, follows voice
commands, and recognises 22 Indian regional languages.
SEBI inks
pact with ESMA for info exchange on CCPs
- Markets regulator SEBI has entered into a pact with the European
Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) for exchange of information
concerning Central Counterparties (CCPs). CCPs are entities that help
facilitate clearing and settlement activities.
- The MoU establishes cooperation arrangements, including exchange of
information regarding CCPs which are established and authorised or
recognised in India by SEBI and which have applied for EU recognition
under EMIR.
- EMIR provides for signing of a cooperation arrangement between ESMA
and the relevant non-EU authorities, whose legal and supervisory framework
for CCPs have been deemed equivalent to EMIR by the European Commission.
Signing of MoU is one of the conditions for recognition of third country
CCPs by ESMA under EMIR.
DEATHS
Chester
Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park dies
- Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, passed away in
Calfornia, U.S. He was 41. Bennington apparently hanged himself, which
lead to his death. Chester Bennington was an American singer and songwriter.
- He was best known as the frontman for the rock band Linkin Park. He
was also the lead singer for Dead by Sunrise and fronted Stone Temple
Pilots from 2013 to 2015.
INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Neil
Armstrong Moon Bag sold for USD 1.8 million in New York
- Neil Armstrong bag containing traces of moon dust was sold at an
auction for USD 1.8 million in New York. The bag was sold to an anonymous
buyer following a sluggish five-minute bidding war on the telephone.
- The collection bag was used by astronaut Neil Armstrong to collect
the first dust samples from the Moon during the 48th anniversary of that
mission.
- During the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong collected nearly 500 grams
of material finer than 1 cm, as well as 12 rock fragments larger than one
cm ffrom five different locations at th Sea of Tranquility.
India,
Japan civil nuclear deal comes into force
- India-Japan agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of
Nuclear Energy has come into force recently.
- Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Ambassador of Japan to India Mr.
Kenji Hiramatsu exchanged diplomatic notes in this regard.
- The agreement was signed on 11th November 2016 in Tokyo during Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan.
- The agreement is a reflection of the strategic partnership between
the two sides and will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy
security and clean energy.
NATIONAL
AFFAIRS
Union Govt
launches Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana
- Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley formally launched the Pradhan
mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY). PMVVY is a pension scheme announced by
the Union Government exclusively for the senior citizens aged 60 years and
above.
- The scheme is available from 4 May 2017 to 3 May 2018. The scheme
can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance
Corporation of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate
this scheme.
- The scheme provides an assured return of 8 per cent per annum and is
payable monthly for 10 years. The pension is payable at the end of each
period during the policy term of 10 years, as per the frequency of
monthly/ quarterly/ half-early/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner. This
scheme is exempted form Service Tax or GST.
Prez
inaugurates Bicentenary Celebration of Paika Rebellion of Odisha
- The President of India Pranab Mukharjee inaugurated the bicentenary
celebration of the Paika Rebellion of Odisha organised by the Union
Ministry of Culture.
- The Paika Rebellion was an armed rebellion against the British East
Inida Company’s rule in Odisha in 1817.
- The Paikas rose in rebellion under their leader Bakshi Jagabandhu
and, projecting Lord Jagannath as the symbol of Odia unity.
- The rebellion quickly spread across most of Odisha before being
ruthlessly put down by the company’s forces.
- The Paikas were the traditional landed militia of Odisha. They
served as warriors and were charged with policing functions during
peacetime.
DDA signs
MoU with NIUA for preparing Delhi Master Plan 2041
- The Delhi Developement Authority (DDA) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
for preparation of the Master plan for Delhi (MPD) 2041.
- This information was provided by DDA to Lt Governor Anil Baijal, who
is also the Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority.
- The Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2041 will be an enabling strategic
plan which would be the guiding framework of the planning and growth of
Delhi till 2041.
Union Govt
launches quality mark logo for milk and milk products
- Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh launched National Dairy
Development Board’s (NDDB) quality logo for milk and milk products to
signify safe and quality milk and milk products from dairy cooperatives.
- This move will reinforce the consumer’s recgnition that the quality
mark is synonymous with good quality. NDDB’s quality mark will provide
dairy cooperatives and producer institutions the much-needed brand
identity and a competitive edge.
Aajeevika
Grameen Express Yojana for Poors: Interest free loans on e-rickshaws,
three-wheelers
- The Union Ministry of Rural Development announced that it will
launch a new sub-scheme Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) under the
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National rural Livelihoods Mission
(DAY-NRLM).
- The Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana aims to provide an alternative
sourc of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM
by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward
rural areas.
- The sub-scheme will provide safe, affordable and community monitored
rural transport services like e-rickshaws, 3 and 4 wheeler motorised
transport vehicles to connect remote villages with key services and
amenities including access to markets, education and health for the
overall economic development of the area.
Jaitley
releases National Trade Facilitation Action Plan
- Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released the National Trade
Facilitation Action Plan. The WTO-Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was a
major milestone for the global trading system.
- This Action Plan gives a time bound map, not only for implementing
TFA, but also for India’s initiatives for trade facilitation and ease of
doing business which goes beyond TFA.
- According to a Finance Ministry statement, all actions covered under
the plan have been categorised by prioritising the activities into short,
mid and long term.
SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY / DEFENCE AFFAIRS
Indian Army
signs MoU with DRDO to raise MRSAM defence system regiment
- The Indian Army signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to raise one regiment
of the Advanced Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAM) defence
system.
- They are planning to have a total of five regiments of MRSAM defence
system which will be deployed opposite to China and Pakistan.
- The MRSAM is an advanced, all weather, mobile, land-based air
defence system. It can shoot down enemy ballistic missiles, aircraft,
helicopters, drones, surveillance aircraft and AWACS aircraft.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
India
storms into final of ICC Women's World Cup beating Australia
- India stormed into the final of ICC Women's World Cup 2017 beating
Australia by 36 runs at Derby in England.
- India won the toss and deciding to bat first, India posted a
challenging 281 for 4 (42-over) against in the rain-truncated second
semi-finals match.
- Harmanpreet Kaur (28-year) top scored with a blistering century of
unbeaten 171 runs (115 balls) 20 Fours and 7 Sixes.
- Earlier, in the first semi-final, England had defeated South
Africa by 2 wickets.
- India will now face hosts England in the title clash at
Lord’s England.
