20 September 2017 - Current Affairs

Akshay Kumar appointed Uttarakhand ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ brand ambassador

  • Chief Minister of Uttarakhand ‘Trivendra Singh Rawat’ has appointed Bollywood actor ‘Akshay Kumar’ as the brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Mission in the state.
  • In August 2017, he was also appointed as the brand ambassador for the cleanliness campaign in Uttar Pradesh
  • His film "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" was made tax-free in the state, stresses the importance of building toilets and ending open defecation in the country.
  • A Brand Ambassador is a person who is hired by an organization to represent a brand in a positive light and by doing so help to increase brand awareness and sales.

India appoints Ajay Bisaria New High Commissioner to Pakistan

  • The Indian govt. has appointed Ajay Bisaria (ambassador to Poland) as Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan.
  • He will replace Gautam Bambaware.
  • Bambawale will be given the role of ambassador to China.
  • India’s ambassador to China ‘Vijay Gokhale’ has been appointed economic relations secretary at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
  • An ambassador(diplomats) is a diplomatic representative that attends international meetings, banquets, parties, and acts as a figurehead for their country of origin.

Govt to launch a mobile app for retiring govt. staff

  • Today, the Minister of State for Public Grievances & Pensions ‘Dr. Jitendra Singh’ has launched a mobile application in New Delhi for the central government employees (including Retired employees) to monitor the progress of their pension settlement cases.
  • Dr. Singh has also inaugurated the first Pension Adalat.
  • The Pension Adalats is being convened with the objective of bringing the aggrieved pensioner, the concerned department, the bank on a common table so that such cases can be settled within the framework of extant rules.

Army takes Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at Siachen

  • Indian Army has taken Swachh Bharat Abhiyan at the highest battlefield in the world ‘Siachen’ to maintain the ecological balance of Siachen glacier.
  • The cleanliness drive is aimed at cleaning the areas which remain snow clad throughout the year.
  • Siachen troops have removed and sent back more than 63 tonnes of garbage (like packing material, barrels, and perishables) to the base, Since October 2014.
  • A huge amount of garbage has been brought back through man-pack loads, porters, ponies and sometimes returning helicopters.
  • On arrival of the trash to disposal areas, these are buried in deep trenches dug mechanically in areas which are not on run of the rivers and where landmass is not fragile.

Vice President released Commemorative Coin on MS Subbulakshmi

  • The Vice President ‘M Venkaiah Naidu’ has released a Commemorative Coin on Dr. MS Subbulakshmi on the occasion of birth Centenary Commemoration of M.S. Subbulakshmi.
  • Mr. Naidu also inaugurated an exhibition entitled “Kurai Onrum Illai-MS: Life in Music”.
  • Dr. Subbulakshmi was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (1998) and Ramon Magsaysay award (1974).
  • She was also the first Indian musician to have performed at the United Nations General Assembly on the 50th-anniversary celebration of the United Nations.

IT Dept. proposes voluntary reporting of estimated current Income, advance tax liability

  • Income Tax (IT) Department has proposed a mechanism for self-reporting of estimates of current income, tax payments and advance tax liability by certain taxpayers on voluntary compliance basis.
  • It is being done to address the concerns of income taxpayers who have to bear an additional burden of interest for default of advance tax.
  • If the total advance tax paid for the year falls short of the assessed tax by ten percent or more.
  • The proposed reporting mechanism is sought to be created by way of inserting a new Rule 39A and Form No. 28AA in the Income-tax Rules, 1962.

Jharkhand Government launches Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana

  • The Jharkhand state govt. has launched the ‘Shaheed Gram Vikas Yojana’ at Ulihatu Village to develop villages of freedom fighters in the state.
  • Under the scheme, villages of many tribal freedom fighters will be developed and their habitats will be provided with basic amenities.
  • Jharkhand's tribal icon and freedom fighter ‘Birsa Munda’ was born at Ulihatu Village.
  • Birsa Munda is known for spearheading an Indian indigenous tribal religious millenarian movement that arose in the tribal belt of modern-day Bihar and Jharkhand against British Raj (in late 19th century).
  • Munda is the only tribal leader with the honor of having his portrait hung in the Central Hall of the Indian Parliament.

Tripura, First State to Set Up Family Welfare Committees

  • Tripura has become the first Indian state to set up family welfare district committees to examine the complaints of women against their husbands and in-laws and find an amicable solution.
  • Now, Tripura High Court is the first high court among 24 high courts of the country that has constituted the family welfare district committees.
  • The police will take appropriate action only after the district level committees submit its report.
  • The new system would be valid for the next six months and after that National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) would submit a report of its performance to the apex court, on the basis of which a new course of action would be decided.
  • The Supreme Court had observed that section 498-A of IPC (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) is often misused by some women to harass the elderly in-laws or the husband.

Saudi Arabia to unblock internet calling apps

  • Today, Saudi Arabia will lift its ban on internet calling applications, easing restrictions online as the conservative kingdom faces new criticism over censorship.
  • Now, Voice and video calling apps such as WhatsApp and Skype will be widely available to users.
  • The move is aimed at improving business confidence as the kingdom transitions into a post-oil era, access to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) will reduce operational costs and spur digital entrepreneurship.

Sri Lanka qualify for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

  • Sri Lanka Cricket team (86 points) has qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 after West Indies (78 points) lost the first ODI against England at Old Trafford.
  • Now, Sri Lanka has become the eighth team to qualify directly, joining Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa.
  • World Cup 2019 will be played in the United Kingdom (UK) from 30th May to 15th July in 2019.
  • West Indies will now progress to the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018, where they will be joined by the bottom three sides (Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland) on the ICC ODI team rankings as well as the top four sides from the ICC World Cricket League Championship and the top two sides from the ICC World Cricket League Division 2.
  • The top two sides from the World Cup Qualifier will complete the 10-team line-up for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

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