04 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs
India-Myanmar Land Border Crossing Agreement Approved
- The union govt. has approved the agreement between India and Myanmar on Land Border Crossing.
- The Agreement will enable regulation and harmonization of already existing free movement rights for people ordinarily residing in the border areas of both countries.
- It will also facilitate movement of people on the basis of valid passports and visas which will enhance economic and social interaction between the two countries.
- It is expected to provide connectivity and enhance interaction of the people of North Eastern States of India with the people of Myanmar.
UN Security Council welcomes 6 New Members
- The U.N. Security Council has welcomed six new non-permanent members - Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, and Poland.
- They voted on by the 193-member General assembly for two-year terms.
- Flags of the six new member countries were installed outside the council chambers in a ceremony arranged by Umarov.
Note:
- The U.N. Security Council has 15 members five of which (China, France, Russia, Britain, and the United States) hold permanent membership and veto power.
- Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine, and Uruguay finished their terms last year, while the Netherlands takes over for Italy to finish a term the two countries shared
Pakistan State Bank allows use of Chinese currency Yuan for bilateral trade & investment activities
- According to the Pakistan external affairs ministry, Pakistan has allowed Chinese currency Yuan for exports and financing transactions.
- Both public and private sector enterprises of Pakistan and China are free to choose Yuan for bilateral Trade & Investment activities.
- As per current foreign exchange regulations, Chinese Yuan is an approved foreign currency for denominating foreign currency transactions in Pakistan.
- Now, Pakistan's state bank had taken a series of steps to promote the use of Yuan in Pakistan for bilateral trade and investment with China.
4th January: World Braille Day
- The World Braille Day is observed across the world every year on 4th January to mark the birth anniversary of Louis Braille.
- He was the inventor of Braille script or Braille code.
- Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired.
Note:
- Braille users can read computer screens and other electronic supports thanks to refreshable braille displays.
- People can write braille with the original slate and stylus or type it on a braille writer, such as a portable braille notetaker (or computer) that prints with a braille embosser.
BSNL starts online verification of SIMs for NRIs, elderly and physically challenged persons
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has rolled out Aadhaar-based online verification of mobile connections for non-resident Indians, senior citizens (above 70 years) and physically challenged persons.
- The service can be used by senior citizens who do not have Aadhaar number or have the biometric ID but their mobile number is not registered with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
- It introduced simplified re-verification process and this web-based application can be used from the comfort of home.
Note:
- The BSNL customer in the eligible category can reverify his mobile number through the company's website where the link for the process is given.
- They can enter his existing mobile number and then the one-time password sent to that number.
Open defecation in Maharashtra to invite Rs. 500 fine now
- According to the Maharashtra Govt Resolution (GR) issued by the urban development, the state govt has announced a sport fine of Rs. 500 for open defecation.
- From now on, any person or institutions found guilty of throwing garbage, dirt or waste material on roads and highways shall have to pay spot fines ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 180.
- Anyone found spitting in public places will have to pay spot fines ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 150 while urinating in public will attract spot fines ranging from 100 to 200 rupees.
- On 1 October 2017, President Ram Nath Kovind had declared entire urban Maharashtra as open defecation-free.
Note: The GR will be implemented under the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Act, 2016 with immediate effect.
Govt makes packaging of 90 pc of food grains and 20 pc of sugar products in jute material mandatory
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for mandatory packaging of food grains and sugar in the jute material for the Jute Year 2017-18 (from 1st July 2017 to 30th June 2018).
- The approval mandates that 90% of the food grains and 20% of the sugar products will be mandatorily packed in jute bags.
Note: This decision will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions of the country particularly in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Tripura.
Maharashtra govt issues notification for implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013
- The Maharashtra govt has issued a notification for creating an administrative framework for the implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013.
- The State Food Commission will have the powers to directly hear grievance or complaints.
- The commission will also have the powers to visit and inspect any stock and delivery point, fair price shops, school, Anganwadi or local authority.
- The grievance redressal mechanism will consist of a call center-based helpline with toll-free numbers.
- The District Grievance Redressal Officer will have the authority to hear, dispose of complaints received or take suo-moto action related to the distribution of entitled food grains or meals.
Karnataka govt to hold "largest" B2B travel event in the country
- According to the Karnataka state govt, the largest B2B travel event in the country 'Karnataka International Travel Expo' (KITE) will be held from 28th February.
- The event will see close to 400 delegates from 25 countries take part.
- overall, a budget of Rs. seven crores will be expected to be spent on the event.
- The objective of the event is to project Karnataka globally and attract tourist footfall, with emphasis on promoting the state's wild life, luxury and adventure destinations, historical monuments and UNESCO world heritage sites.
RIL commissions world’s largest refinery off-gas cracker at Jamnagar
- The Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has commissioned and achieved design throughput of the world’s largest refinery off the gas cracker at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
- This refinery will have a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum along with downstream plants and utilities.
- The facility uses off-gases from two refineries of RIL at Jamnagar as feedstock.
Govt finalizes Electoral Bonds scheme aimed at cleaning political funding
- The union govt has finalized the scheme of Electoral Bonds, aimed at cleaning the system of political funding in the country.
- The bonds will be issued and purchased from the specified branches of the State Bank of India for ten days in January, April, July, and October.
- They will be available in the multiples of one thousand, ten thousand, one lakh, ten lakhs, and one crore rupees.
- The electoral bonds will not carry the name of the payee and have to encashed only through a designated bank account.
Note:
- The bonds will be a bearer instrument in the form of a promissory note and will be an interest-free banking instrument.
- They will have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making a donation only to the registered political parties.
