International Affairs
National Affairs
Awards & Honors
Deaths
Business & Economy
- World Autism Awareness Day is being observed today (2nd April 2015)
- It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution "62/139.
- This day was adopted on 18 December 2007, it was proposed by Qatar, and supported by all UN member states.
- 2016 Theme : "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity"
- Note : It is estimated that more than 80% of adults with autism are unemployed.
- Today (2nd April) is International Children's Book Day.
- This day is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People, an international non-profit organization.
- April the 2nd was chosen to mark this day for young literature lovers as it's the same date as Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, the author of many famous children's stories like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi reachedRiyadh (capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia)today on a 2-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
- Issues of strategic partnership, counter terrorism, energy and trade high on agenda.
- The World Health Organisation has confirmed a new case of Ebola in Liberia, three months after the country was declared free from transmissions.
- Note : Liberia was first declared Ebola-free in May, but new cases emerged on two occasions.
- India and Sri Lanka have signed an MOU to supply 150 boats and fishing equipment to the fishermen of Mullaitivu.
- Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha and Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development W.M.M.R. Adikari signed the MoU in the presence of Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development.
- Note : The Government of India will gift 150 boats and other fishing equipment to 300 beneficiaries in Mullaitivu.
- To strengthenand promote business ties with Australia, FICCI inked a MoU with AIBC.
- The agreement signed during the Invest in India in Melbourne Australia..
- The MoU strengthens the ongoing relationship between the two organisations to further promote, facilitate and grow the trade and investment relationship between Australia and India.
- FICCI - Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
- AIBC - Australia Indian Business Council
National Affairs
- Varanasi's Municipal Corporation has tied up with the Airports Authority of India to introduce an automated waste collection system in the city.
- In the first phase, the automated waste collection drive will be launched in 14 wards of the city for three years.
- Note : The daily waste generated in the overpopulated holy city is around 650 metric tonnes.
- The Delhi Government today extended till May 31 its Power Amnesty Scheme, wherein consumers from 'jhuggi jhopri' clusters are charged ₹250 monthly for the period they have not paid their dues.
- About 68,000 cases have reportedly been settled under the ‘Bijli Bill Vivad Samadhan Scheme’, which addresses grievances pertaining to electricity theft.
- Note : It has been extended several times previously.
Awards & Honors
- Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh was recently presented with the 'Maharashtrian of the Year' award by the state's CM Devendra Fadnavis.
- Note : Earlier, Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar were honoured with the Marathi publication Lokmat's award.
- PEN America announced that it will confer the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award upon imprisoned Egyptian novelist and journalist Ahmed Naji.
Deaths
- Indian television actress Pratyusha Banerjee (24) passed away.
- She was best known for her portrayal of Anandi in 'Balika Vadhu'.
- Veteran journalist and writer Babu Bharadwaj (68) passed away.
- He had been a part of prominent print and television media in Kerala.
- Note : Kalapangalkkoru Grihapadam, a novel penned by him, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2006.
Business & Economy
- The Lucknow Metro will get a loan of €450 million (around ₹3,500 crore) from the European Investment Bank for its Phase-1A project.
- An agreement in this regard was signed in Brussels on March 30 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The 22.878-kilometer long Lucknow Metro Phase-1A project was approved at a cost of ₹6,928 crore last December.
- Germany's Development Bank is going to provide loan of Rs. 3,750crore for Metro system in Nagpur city.
- Air India has announced the launch of non-stop flights to Vienna from New Delhi.
- A 256-seater Boeing 787-800 with 18 business class seats will now operate on the Delhi-Vienna-Delhi route thrice a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
- The service will replace the existing five weekly services to Vienna in codeshare with Austrian Airlines.
- Chief Secretary of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Anand Prakash, recently launched a semi-submarine ocean safari. Called the 'Coral Safari', the semi-submarine will take 100 passengers into the sea in a fully air-conditioned cabin.
- A product of Heaven on Ocean Tourism Private Limited, the safari will let tourists explore the underwater corals and rare species of fishes around the islands.
New Appointments
- Vietnam's Parliament today swore in the Public Security (Police) Minister GeneralTran Dai Quang as the Communist country's President.
- Quang is the only candidate put forward for the Presidency and he was backed by 460 of the 465 lawmakers in the Parliament.
- Note : Vietnam is led by the coalition of the President, Prime Minister, and Communist Party Chief.
- Rajiv Gauba took over as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Urban Development.
- Congress senior MLA J Geeta Reddy was appointed as the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Telangana.
- Important Note : She will be the first woman legislator to be appointed for the post in India.
- Kallol Roy, an expert in nuclear reactor, appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), which is building 500 Mw prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam near Chennai.
NATIONAL:
World Autism Awareness Day 2016 celebrated across the world:
· The World Autism Awareness Day 2016 was celebrated across the world on 2 April 2016.
· The 2016 theme for the day is Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity.
· World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognised day, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world.
· This year’s observance will look ahead to 2030 and reflect on the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their implications for improving the lives of people with autism.
Government allows redemption of GMS deposits in gold:
· The Finance Ministry tweaked the norms for the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) by making gold deposited by investors under medium and long-term deposits redeemable in terms of gold. However, the interest accrued will be paid only in cash.
Varanasi to automate waste collection:
· Varanasi's Municipal Corporation has tied up with the Airports Authority of India to introduce an automated waste collection system in the city.
· In the first phase, the automated waste collection drive will be launched in 14 wards of the city for three years.
· Notably, the daily waste generated in the overpopulated holy city is around 650 metric tonnes.
India becomes fourth largest spender on defence:
· India has become the world’s fourth largest spender on defence, following a 13.1% increase in its 2016-17 defence budget, according to US research firm IHS Inc.
· India’s rise in the rankings from sixth position last year is a result of an increase in expenditure to $50.7 billion, combined with cuts to military spending by Russia and Saudi Arabia, where low oil prices have put considerable strain on their finances.
GOI released Indian Intellectual Property (IP) Panorama:
· Government of India has publicized the Indian Intellectual Property (IP) Panorama in New Delhi by offering a single window interface for information and guidance on intellectual property for competitive advantage.
· The portal will strive for an expansion of awareness and to build sensitivity towards IP among stakeholders in the SME sector, Information, Communication Technology & Electronics (ICTE) sector, academia and researchers.
· It is a IP Panorama Multimedia toolkit. The toolkit has been adapted on an agreement signed between WIPO and DeitY. Thus it is in accordance with Indian IP laws, standards, challenges and needs of the Indian ICTE sector.
MoU on IMPRINT programme signed by 25 Ministries:
· In a bid to encourage research in premier technical institutions through IMPRINT (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology), the memorandum of understanding has been signed by the 25 ministries comprising human resource development.
· This is for the first time that all IITs have jointly taken an initiative of IMPRINT, under which technological innovations will be undergone which would be beneficial for a common man.
· All the Ministers assured their full cooperation in taking forward the research work under 10 technology domains comprised under IMPRINT.
“Index” to compute Organisation’s Attitude towards Disabled Persons:
· In order to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities, “Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan”aka “Inclusiveness and Accessibility Index” has been instigated by the Government of India in partnership with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
· It was launched by Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu.
· This index would help the corporate sector in evaluating their policies for inclusion of the differently-abled.
Gujarat Assembly cleared amendments in Land Acquisition Act:
· Gujarat Assembly passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Gujarat Amendment) Bill 2016.
· The bill was passed in the absence of the opposition Congress legislators, who were suspended by the Speaker for two days.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched Phase I of Green Delhi initiative:
· Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the Phase I of Green Delhi initiative by planting trees at the Triangular Park at the ITO Chowk.
· The launch of the initiative is in tune with the Detailed Action Plan (DAP) that was submitted by the Delhi Government to the Supreme Court in December 2015.
· The DAP deals with the steps being taken to improve air quality and reduce air pollution in the National Capital.
Union Government extended safeguard duty on steel imports:
· Union Finance Ministry extended the safeguard duty on steel imports until March 2018. The duty was imposed to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap Chinese imports.
· The central board of excise and customs in its notification said that the duty will apply to hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel in coils of 600 mm width. The safeguard duty will not be imposed on goods that are imported at minimum import price.
INTERNATIONAL:
New case of Ebola confirmed in Liberia:
· The World Health Organisation has confirmed a new case of Ebola in Liberia, three months after the country was declared free from transmissions.
· A woman succumbed to the virus on Thursday. Liberia was first declared Ebola-free in May, but new cases emerged on two occasions. WHO, however, added Ebola is no longer an international health emergency, but flare-ups are expected.
European bank to loan Lucknow Metro 3.5k crore:
· The Lucknow Metro will get a loan of €450 million (around 3,500 crore) from the European Investment Bank for its Phase-1A project.
· An agreement in this regard was signed in Brussels on March 30 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
· The 22.878-kilometer long Lucknow Metro Phase-1A project was approved at a cost of 6,928 crore last December.
India, Lanka sign MoU to supply 150 boats to Mullaitivu fishermen:
· India and Sri Lanka have signed an MOU to supply 150 boats and fishing equipment to the fishermen of Mullaitivu.
· Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha and Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development W.M.M.R. Adikari signed the MoU in the presence of Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera at the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development.
· The Government of India will gift 150 boats and other fishing equipment to 300 beneficiaries in Mullaitivu.
North Korea blocks Facebook, Twitter and YouTube:
· North Korea has officially announced that it is blocking Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, South Korean and "sex and adult" websites.
· The government has named the websites as specific examples of what it is blocking “for a certain period of time.”
· Reportedly, Facebook and Twitter have been informally blocked in the nation for months, and North Koreans can access the government-sanctioned intranet.
APPOINTMENTS:
Mallya's son quits as United Breweries director:
· UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya's son Sidhartha Mallya has resigned as a non-executive, non-independent director of United Breweries (Holdings), effective from March 31.
· Earlier, Vijay Mallya had appealed to people on Twitter not to attack his son in the ongoing Kingfisher Airlines' loan default case. Notably, Mallya owns a majority 52.34% stake in the company.
Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam appoints Kallol Roy as new CMD:
· Kallol Roy, an expert in nuclear reactor, appointed as the new chairman and managing director (CMD) of Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), which is building 500 Mw prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam near Chennai.
Rajiv Gauba takes over as Secretary of Urban Development Ministry:
· Rajiv Gauba took over as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Urban Development.
· Hailing from Punjab, the 1959 born Gauba is a physics graduate from Patna University. He was Chief Secretary, Jharkhand for 15 months before joining the central government today.
J Geetha Reddy appointed as PAC Chairperson of Telangana:
· Congress senior MLA J Geeta Reddy was appointed as the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Telangana.
· She will be the first woman legislator to be appointed for the post in India.
BANKING :
Banks adopt new rate formula:
· Consumer loans became cheaper with banks moving to a new way of setting lending rates following RBI’s diktat to ensure faster and effective transmission of its policy rate cuts to borrowers.
· A number of banks, including ICICI, Bank of India, IDBI today joined their peers like SBI, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank to make a shift to lending rates based on marginal cost of funds.
· RBI had asked banks to price fixed rate loans of up to three years based on marginal cost of funds from April 1.
Those earning Rs 50 lakh a year must declare assets:
· The government has issued a new set of income tax return (ITR) forms that require people with an income of Rs 50 lakh and above per annum to disclose their assets.
· The new forms are for assessment year 2016-17, the finance ministry published a gazette order in this regard and taxpayers can file their their ITRs till the stipulated deadline of July 31.
· Immovable assets like land and buildings have to be declared as also movable assets like cash in hand, jewellery, bullion, vehicles, etc. The entity reporting these will also have to describe the “liability in relation” to these.
AWARDS AND HONOURS:
Jailed Egyptian Novelist Ahmed Naji to receive PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award:
· PEN America announced that it will confer the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award upon imprisoned Egyptian novelist and journalist Ahmed Naji.
· The award will be presented to Naji at Pen America's annual Literary Gala on 16 May 2016 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
· PEN America’s 16 May 2016 Literary Gala will also salute Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling with the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award for engendering a love of literature among children worldwide.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY:
Flipkart acquires mobile payment startup PhonePe:
· Flipkart has acquired Bangalore-based mobile payment startup PhonePe for an undisclosed amount.
· The startup is working on a digital payments app that will enable instant fund transfer and payment via a single identifier like the Aadhaar number.
· PhonePe, which will function as an independent business unit, is Flipkart’s third major acquisition in the payments space after NGPay and FX Mart.
Largest ever blue diamond to be auctioned:
· The largest ever blue diamond to be auctioned, the "Oppenheimer Blue", will be for sale at Christie's in Geneva on May 18.
· The 14.62-carat stone, rated as the clearest saturation color blue possible, is estimated to fetch $38 million to $45 million.
· The current record auction price for a diamond is around $45 million, paid for the 'Blue Moon' diamond.
Nifty launches new index for mid and small cap stocks:
· The National Stock Exchange (NSE) added a new index to its broad market indices —Nifty Mid Smallcap 400 — to represent the mid and small market capitalisation segments.
· The new index will comprise of 400 companies which are the constituents of Nifty Midcap 150 and Nifty Smallcap 250 indices.
· The Nifty MidSmallcap 400 is a well-representative index consisting of 150 midcap and 250 smallcap stocks across 18 sectors.
· The new index joins the family of restructured broad-based Nifty indices, which will facilitate introduction of investment products.
· IISL will initially publish value of the Nifty MidSmallcap 400 at end of the day’s trade and subsequently disseminate it online along with existing indices.
FICCI, AIBC sign MoU to strengthen business ties:
· FICCI inked a MoU with Australia Indian Business Council (AIBC).
· The move likely to strengthenand promote business ties with Australia. The agreement signed during the Invest in India in Melbourne Australia..
· The MoU strengthens the ongoing relationship between the two organisations to further promote, facilitate and grow the trade and investment relationship between Australia and India.
SAIL’s BSP initiated hot trials of URM:
· Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), the largest state-owned steel making company headquartered in New Delhi, initiated the hot trial of the new state of the art 1.2 MTPA (million tonne per annum) Universal Rail Mill (URM) from its flagship entity, the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
Microsoft allows Skype integration into apps:
· Microsoft unveiled the 'Skype Web SDK' and 'Skype for Business App SDK', that would allow developers to integrate Skype's capabilities into their own applications.
· The Web SDK allows building a real-time collaboration of chat, audio and video among others into their browser-based apps, while the Business App SDK will bring Skype into a business's iOS and Android apps.
Tab launched with Aadhaar authentication support:
· Mumbai-based Datamini has launched the TPOS7 Janunnati Pad tablet priced between 13,000 and 20,000.
· It is the first tablet in India to support a fingerprint sensor for Aadhaar card authentication, allowing it to be used for government initiatives like Jan Dhan Yojana.
· It sports a 7-inch display, an Intel x5 processor, 2 GB of RAM and 5 MP/2 MP cameras.
Planet with pure oxygen atmosphere discovered:
· Researchers have recently discovered a white dwarf planet, nicknamed Dox, with an atmosphere almost completely made up of pure oxygen.
· Researchers believe that Dox was part of a binary star – where two stars orbit their combined centre of mass – and suggested that the other star's explosion might have caused Dox to lose its lighter elements, leaving only oxygen.
ISRO sign an MoU with the AAI to provide scientific parameters for construction of airports:
· The department of space sign an MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to provide scientific parameters for construction of airports.
· The DoS will also sign an MoU with postal department to provide space technology helpful in tracking the parcel movements.
· The space technology will help make flight operations safer and provide optimum utilisation of land.
· The DoS has already signed an MoU with Ministry of Urban Development where the space technology will be used in projects like smart cities and housing.
· The MoU signed with Ministry of Railways will help in construction of railway tracks and managing the railway crossings.
Asia may face severe water shortage by 2050: Study Suggests
· Countries in Asia, including India, may face severe water shortage by 2050 due to rising economic activity, growing populations and climate change, MIT scientists have warned.
· To conduct the study, the scientists built upon an existing model developed previously at MIT, the Integrated Global Systems Model (IGSM), which contains probabilistic projections of population growth, economic expansion, climate, and carbon emissions from human activity.
· They then linked the IGSM model to detailed models of water use for a large portion of Asia encompassing China, India, and many smaller nations.
· The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
Amsterdam-based firm develops smart e-bike:
· Amsterdam-based VanMoof has developed a smart e-bike called the Electrified S.
· The internet-connected bike features a 250 W electric motor, a GPS and a touch screen for controlling speed. Users can also lock up the bike, turn its lights on or adjust its speed from their smartphones.
· Further, the bike can cover 75 miles on a full charge.
SPORTS:
NZ's Grant Elliott retires from ODI cricket:
· New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott has announced his retirement from one-day international cricket.
· The 37-year-old hit a six from the penultimate ball against South Africa in the 2015 World Cup semi-final to lead Kiwis to their first finals appearance.
· The shot was voted as NZ's sporting moment of 2015. He scored 1,976 runs and took 39 wickets in 83 ODIs.
OBITUARY:
Renowned journalist Babu Bharadwaj died:
· Veteran journalist and writer Babu Bharadwaj died of cardiac arrest on 30 April 2016 in Kozhikode. He was 68.
· Bharadwaj had been a part of prominent print and television media in Kerala. Kalapangalkkoru Grihapadam, a novel penned by him, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2006.
1. 2nd April : World Autism Awareness Day
i. World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognized day on the 2nd of April every year.
ii. This year the theme is "Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity".
iii. This is the 8th annual World Autism Awareness day encouraging by the Member of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world.
iv. In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the ambitious new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that promise to leave no one behind. While all SDGs are universally applicable, disability and persons with disabilities are explicitly referenced in the following goals: Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities and Partnerships for the Goals.
v. This year’s observance will look ahead to 2030 and reflect on the new SDGs and their implications for improving the lives of people with autism.
2. MoU Signed To Promote Research With IMPRINT Programme
i. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by 25 Union Ministries of the Government of India under the IMPRINT programme of the Union Government to promote research in premiere technical institutions on March 31, 2016.
ii. The MoU signed included the Union Ministry of HRD, Union Ministry of Finance, Union Ministry of Rural development, Union Ministry of Power, Coal, New and Renewable energy, Union ministry of communication and IT.
iii. The Union Human Resource and Development Minister presided over the function to sign the MoU.
iv. The Minister announced that there was no sustainability in the technology related work as it was totally dependent on the funds released by Ministry of HRD.
3. ISRO Sign An MoU With The Airport Authority Of India
i. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the department of space sign an MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to provide scientific parameters for construction of airports.
ii. As per this MoU, DoS will provide data on the landscape around the airports.
iii. Apart from this DoS will also sign an MoU with postal department to provide space technology helpful in tracking the parcel movements.
iv. The Department of Science (DoS) has already signed an MoU with Ministry of Urban Development where the space technology will be used in projects like smart cities and housing.
v. The MoU signed with Ministry of Railways will help in construction of railway tracks and managing the railway crossings. Space technology will also be helpful in agriculture sector in the areas of crop damage assessment, soil health, blue revolution and irrigation etc.
4. India expects $500M AIIB loan for solar power projects in 2016
i. India is hopeful of receiving the first loan issued by the newly formed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in the second half of the year.
ii. The country is looking for funds on lower interest rates for its ambitious solar power project that intends to scale the capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2022.
iii. The loan amount is expected to be approximately $500 million.
iv. The AIIB, headquartered in Beijing, without specifically commenting on Indian loan, reiterated its president Jin Liqun statement that the lender bank was developing a project pipeline in a number of countries.
v. India needs $100 billion for its ambitious solar power projects over next six to seven years. The country hopes to increase its solar power capacity 100 gigawatts, roughly 17 times higher than the existing 5,800 megawatts capacity.
5. US, Saudi Arabia impose joint sanction on fundraising for terrorists
i. The US and Saudi Arabia on imposed sanctions jointly on four individuals and two organisations, aiming to disrupt terrorism fundraising operations in South Asia and the Middle East.
ii. The joint action targeted James Alexander McLintock and his Pakistan-based Al-Rahmah Welfare Organisation, Abdul Aziz Nuristani and his Pakistan-based Jamia Asariya Madrassa.
iii. The Treasury said these organisations and individuals provide money for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and other Afghan extremist groups, and the sanctioned have ties across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
iv. It also said that McLintock and his organisation have provided funding to extremists under the false guise of helping orphans.
v. The sanctions freezes any property they have within US jurisdiction and bans Americans from doing business with them.
6. Nifty Launches New Index For Mid And Small Cap Stocks
i. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has launched a new index Nifty MidSmallcap 400.
ii. It will represent the mid and small market capitalization segments of the stock market.
iii. The new index will comprise of 400 companies which are the constituents of Nifty Midcap 150 and Nifty Smallcap 250 indices.
iv. Mukesh Agarwal, CEO of IISL said that initially IISL will publish value of the Nifty MidSmallcap 400 at end of the day and subsequently disseminate online along with existing indices.
v. The new index will be added to the exchange’s family of broad market indices.
7. Maharashtra first state to link colleges to national cancer grid
i. In a major step towards improvement of infrastructure for cancer cure, Maharashtra tied up with the Tata Trusts to link all government colleges and medical colleges to the national cancer grid for uniform cancer profiling and quality treatment.
ii. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Tata Trusts chairman Ratan Tata signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for this collaboration at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai.
iii. As per the CM the target was to have 50,000 bone marrow donors in the next three years. Ratan Tata was present in the VIP gallery when Fadnavis made a statement on the MoUs in the House.
iv. The chief minister said a total of 9 MoUs were inked between the government and Tata Trusts.
v. The Tata Trusts has agreed to help the government in setting up a Strategic Healthcare Advisory Unit aimed to improve overall healthcare in the state. It will also involve setting up of a hospital information system and a drug supply corporation.
8. Mehbooba Mufti to be sworn in as first woman CM of Jammu & Kashmir on April 4
i. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti will be sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on April 4.
ii. PDP and its alliance partner BJP said they have also conveyed the mutually agreed date for the swearing-in ceremony to state Governor N N Vohra.
iii. The date for the oath ceremony of the new cabinet was decided after deliberations between the leadership of both the parties.
iv. After the death of her father, who headed PDP-BJP coalition government for 10 months from March 1, last year until his death on January 7, this year, Mehbooba had been reluctant to take over as CM of the PDP-BJP coalition government.
9. Banks adopt new rate formula
i. Consumer loans became cheaper with banks moving to a new way of setting lending rates following RBI’s diktat to ensure faster and effective transmission of its policy rate cuts to borrowers.
ii. A number of banks, including ICICI, Bank of India, IDBI today joined their peers like SBI, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank to make a shift to lending rates based on marginal cost of funds.
iii. Other banks that have adopted new methodology for calculating lending rates include Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce.
iv. Banking major SBI, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, among others would move to new methodology for setting lending rates from April 1.
v. RBI had asked banks to price fixed rate loans of up to three years based on marginal cost of funds from April 1. The lending rate based on marginal cost of funds is lower than base rate in some cases resulting in lower EMIs for borrowers. Most of the banks were deciding lending rates based on their average cost of funds.
10. Pranab signs ordinance on Uttarakhand expenditure
i. President Pranab Mukherjee has promulgated the Uttarakhand Appropriation (Vote on Account) Ordinance, 2016 which authorizes expenditure in the hill state that has come under direct federal rule because of a political crisis.
ii. The ordinance allows for the withdrawal of about Rs.13,642.43 cr. to meet the state’s expenditure during the ongoing fiscal year. iii. The decision to issue the ordinance was taken at a Union cabinet meeting, which in the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a foreign trip, was chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh.
iv. During elections and till a new government takes over, the caretaker government needs funds for various routine items of expenditure — like staff salaries — without which there would be a financial crisis.
v. According to the Constitution, the government cannot spend any money without Parliament's approval.
11. Pakistan Sikh body elects caretaker president
i. Pakistan’s Sikh religious body elected a caretaker president after its first chief Sham Singh died.
ii. Tara Singh was elected the caretaker “pardhan” at a meeting of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
iii. Tara Singh, who is in his 40s, is the youngest member of the 10-member PSGPC.
iv. All other nine-members of the committee unanimously elected Tara Singh, a graduate from Sindh province who has business interests in cotton trading.
v. The meeting was called to elect the successor of Sham Singh, who died of brain hemorrhage. Sham Singh was elected the first president of the PSGPC after it was established by Pakistan government in 1998.
12. Kallol Roy Appointed As The New CMD Of Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam
i. Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) has appointed the Kallol Roy as its new chairman and managing director (CMD).
ii. Mr. Roy is an expert in nuclear reactor. He has assumed the position under the superannuation of P Chellapandi.
iii. According to the official statement Mr. Roy is the specialist in the field of total maintenance management of reactors. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Roy was heading the research reactor maintenance division, reactor group at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai.
iv. Currently, BHAVINI is building 500 Mw prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam near Chennai.
v. BHAVINI is a wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the construction, commissioning and operation of all Stage II fast breeder reactors envisaged as part of the country’s three stage nuclear power programme. BHAVINI is administered by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
13. Ranveer Singh to be Feted as 'Maharashtrian of The Year'
i. Bollywood star Ranveer Singh, who brought alive the role of Maratha warrior Peshwa Bajirao II on the silver screen through Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Bajirao Mastani”, will on Friday be feted with the ‘Maharashtrian Of The Year’
ii. The 'Lokmat Maharashtrian of The Year' award recognises and honours the individuals that have risen above the rest, who have positively impacted the state and have put Brand Maharashtra on the Indian and global radar.
iii. The jury members to choose the awardee for this year included former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Former Union Minister Praful Patel, eminent lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, social activist Medha Patkar, businessman Harsh Goenka, veteran journalist Ayaz Memon, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and others.
14. Those earning Rs 50 lakh a year must declare assets
i. The government has issued a new set of income tax return (ITR) forms that require people with an income of Rs 50 lakh and above per annum to disclose their assets.
ii. The new forms are for assessment year 2016-17.
iii. The finance ministry published a gazette order in this regard and taxpayers can file their their ITRs till the stipulated deadline of July 31.
iv. The income tax (I-T) department has introduced fresh reporting columns in the new forms (ITR-2 and 2A) called ‘Asset and liability at the end of the year’, which is applicable in cases where the total income exceeds Rs 50 lakh.
v. Individuals and entities in this income bracket will have to mention the total cost of such assets.
Immovable assets like land and buildings have to be declared as also movable assets like cash in hand, jewellery, bullion, vehicles, etc.
15. Australia pacer Clint McKay announces retirement from international cricket
i. Australian pacer Clint McKay has announced his retirement from international cricket after his first-class team Victoria Bushrangers won the Sheffield Shield tournament.
ii. He is expected to continue playing for Sydney Thunder in the lucrative Big Bash League (BBL) and for Leicestershire in the County Championship.
iii. McKay, who played in 59 one-day internationals, 6 T20 internationals and a Test for Australia, dismissed Sachin Tendulkar on his ODI debut back in November 2009 in Hyderabad.
1. Jailed Egyptian Novelist Ahmed Naji to receive PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award
1. PEN America announced that it will confer the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award upon imprisoned Egyptian novelist and journalist Ahmed Naji.
2. The award will be presented to Naji at Pen America's annual Literary Gala on 16 May 2016 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
3. PEN America’s 16 May 2016 Literary Gala will also salute Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling with the 2016 PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award for engendering a love of literature among children worldwide.
2. World Autism Awareness Day 2016 celebrated across the world
1. The World Autism Awareness Day 2016 was celebrated across the world on 2 April 2016. The 2016 theme for the day is Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity.
2. World Autism Awareness Day is an internationally recognised day, encouraging Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about children with autism throughout the world.
3. Renowned journalist Babu Bharadwaj died
1. Veteran journalist and writer Babu Bharadwaj died of cardiac arrest in Kozhikode. He was 68.
Bharadwaj had been a part of prominent print and television media in Kerala. Kalapangalkkoru Grihapadam, a novel penned by him, won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2006.
2. Bharadwaj's other famous works include Pravasiyude Kurippukal, Shavaghoshayathra (novelettes), Puppet Theatre (short story collection), Pravasiyude Vazhiyambalangal and Adrushya Nagarangal.
4. Shiva Thapa wins Silver medal at Asian/Oceania Qualifying event in China
1. Ace Indian boxer Shiva Thapa has won the silver medal at the Asian/Oceania Qualifying Tournament held in Qian’an, China in the 56 Kilogram category final In the final match, he lost to Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee by 0-3 score who won the gold medal. By entering in the final match of this event, he had booked his ticket to 2015 Rio de Janeiro Olympics Games after beating Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev in the semifinals.
2. Shiva is a World Championship bronze-medallist in the Bantamweight category held in Doha in 2015. He also had participated in the 2012 London Olympics and was the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics.
5. SBI makes it easy with ‘State Bank of India NO Queue’ app
1. The country’s largest lender, SBI, has launched a virtual queuing mobile application that will help customers save on time.
2. State Bank of India launched ‘State Bank of India NO Queue’ mobile application to save the valuable time of its esteemed customers for availing of banking services.The application is a mobile-based virtual queuing application for customers to book an instant queue ticket for select services at select branches. Based on the services selected, the list of branches with addresses providing those services within a configured radius of 15 kms will be populated in the application..
3. The application, which can be downloaded from Google Play and Apple app stores, was launched by SBI Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya in Mumbai.By this app, customers can view details such as expected waiting time at a given branch, the number of customers waiting and distance to the branch from the point of booking
