1. Cabinet expansion: 21 new ministers
join NDA govt,
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his team on Sunday
by appointing 21 new ministers, four of them in the Cabinet and three others as
ministers of state with independent charge.
ii. Manohar Parrikar is the new Defence Minister and Suresh
Prabhu will head the Railway Ministry Minister in the expansion-cum-reshuffle
of the Narendra Modi ministry after 21 new Ministers were sworn-in on Sunday.
iii. Parrikar, who quit as
Goa Chief Minister yesterday to join the Union Cabinet, takes over the charge
from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who held the Defence portfolio as an
additional charge.
iv. Interestingly, Jaitley has been given the additional charge of Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
New Minister –
1. Manohar Parrikar – Defence Minister
2. Suresh Prabhu - Railway Minister
3. D V Sadananda Gowda - Law and Justice Minister
4. Ravi Shankar Prasad: Communications
and Information Technology
5. Jagat Prakash Nadda: Health
& Family Welfare
6. Birender
Singh - Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and
Drinking Water and Sanitation
7. Dr. Harsh Vardhan: Science and Technology, Earth
Sciences
2. World Bank offers financial help for
MSMEs in UP
i. The World Bank today said it will offer financial help
to create new infrastructure for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSMEs)
and improve the condition of existing ones in Uttar Pradesh.
ii. The offer was made to Sanjiv Saran, principal secretary,
industries and infrastructure development, by Lead Urban Specialist of World
Bank Barjor Mehta.
iii. A three-member team of World Bank, including Mehta and
Senior Country Economist at World Bank .
iv. The report has been prepared by consulting agency CRISIL
Limited under the aegis of World Bank for Agra-Firozabad sub-region, Kanpur-Lucknow-Unnao-Auraiya
sub-region and Allahabad-Varanasi sub-region.
v. The World Bank has offered two options for funding,
namely - Development Policy Loan (DPL) and Programme-for -Results instruments.
3. India Ratings lowers growth forecast
to 5.6 pc
i. Domestic ratings agency India Ratings today marginally
revised down its economic growth estimate for 2014-15 fiscal to 5.6 per cent
citing poor industrial performance, and warned that the government will slip on
the fiscal deficit front.
ii. The agency pegged the final fiscal deficit print at 4.2
per cent, against the budget promise of 4.1 per cent, despite the 10 per cent
spending cut announced last week. In the first six months of the fiscal, fiscal
deficit touched 83 per cent of the tar ..
4. Origo Commodities, NABARD tie up for
warehouse receipt financing
i. Collateral management firm Origo Commodities today said
it has tied up with NABARD to provide 'warehouse receipt financing' to farmers
in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
ii. Under this facility, farmers are allowed to deposit the
crop at a warehouse closest to their farms and obtain pledge financing from
banks to the extent of 70-75 per cent of the value of the commodity.
iii. The joint initiative will enable farmers to use the
warehousing infrastructure of Primary Agriculture Co-opera ..
iv. This memorandum of understanding (MoU) is going to help
farmers to a great extent by realising the right price by offering them options
to sell their produce at the right time," NABARD Chief General Manager at
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Regional Office, Jiji Mammen said in a statement.
5. Union Bank to charge own customers
beyond 8 ATM transactions
i. After private banks – HDFC Bank and Axis bank – decided
to charge own customers for more than five transactions at their ATMs, public
sector lender Union Bank of India has also joined the bandwagon.
ii. The Mumbai-based bank will charge own customers for more
than eight transactions per month at its ATMs and more than five at other banks
ATMs. It will be charging Rs 15 per (excluding tax) from November 15,
2014.
iii. Many public sector banks are still in
"wait and watch mode". They would like to see how pricing is firmed
up by the private banks and large state-owned banks.
Note: i. HDFC Bank and Axis Bank will
charge their own customers for more than five transactions at their Automated
Teller Machines starting 1 December.
ii. HDFC Bank will be charging Rs 20 for financial transactions
and Rs 8.5 (excluding taxes) for non-financial transactions (balance enquiry,
mini statement).
iii. Axis Bank will be charging Rs 20 (excluding taxes) for
financial transactions and Rs 9.5 for non-financial transactions
iv. At other bank ATMs, the customers of these banks will be
charged beyond three transactions. Earlier five transactions were free at
non-home bank ATMs.
v. However, Axis Bank has made ten transactions free for
its Prime Plus Savings Account and Prime Salary account holders. These account holders
are mandated to have a minimum opening balance of Rs 1 lakh.
6. Govt considering to bring down its
equity in Public Sector Banks to 52% percent: FM
i. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said that government
is planning to unfold disinvestment of its stakes in Public Sector Units, PSUs,
to revive the economy.
ii. Addressing a gathering during the 25th India Global
Forum in new Delhi, Mr Jaitley said, government is considering to bring down
its equity in public sector banks to about 52 per cent so that almost 3 lakh
crore rupees can be introduced for financial inclusion.
iii. Mr Jaitley said, the Modi led
government is tax friendly and is committed to give exemption to those who are
not in position to pay. He said, the goverment will follow a reasonable and
rational tax policy to make India a hub of low-cost manufacturing.
7. Nepal, India agree to form task force
to install petro pipeline
i. Nepal and India have agreed to form a task force for the
installation of a pipeline to transport petroleum products to Nepal from India.
A meeting of officials of the two countries in Kathmandu constituted a
five-member task force to initiate process for the installation of petroleum
products pipeline between Nepal and India.
ii. Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies
Jeebraj Koirala led the Nepali delegation in the meeting while Additional
Secretary of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Rajiv Kumar led the Indian
team. The pipeline will be installed on a 41 kilometer stretch from Raxual of
India to Amlekhgunj in Nepal.
8. Indo-Israel joint project LR-SAM
successfully test-fired
i. Indo-Israel joint project LR-SAM has been tested successfully
in Israel. Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile LR-SAM is a joint project of
Israeli Aerospace Industry, Indian Navy and DRDO.
9. Govt planning to cover entire country
under IGMSY by 2016
i. Government is planning to cover the entire country under
Indira Gandhi Maatritva Sahyog Yojana by 2016.
ii. The scheme envisages providing cash directly to pregnant
and lactating mothers during pregnancy and lactation to improve health and
nutrition.
iii. Addressing a function in New Delhi today, Women and Child
Development Secretary, Vinay Sheel Oberoi said, the scheme is currently being
implemented in 53 districts and will be extended to 253 districts by April next
year.
iv. Mr Oberoi said, pregnant women of 19 years of age and
above for first two live births are entitled for benefits under the scheme.
v. The beneficiaries are paid six thousand rupees in two
equal installments. He said, the cash incentives will not only contribute to
better enabling environment but also encourage and promote health and nutrition
standards.
10. China, Russia sign energy agreements
at APEC Summit
i. China and Russia have signed energy cooperation agreements
on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC summit
in Beijing.
ii. The deals, which include a second major supply route,
were signed yesterday by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese
counterpart, Xi Jinping.
iii. The route will supply Russian natural gas to China along
a western route. In May, the two sides signed a 400 billion dollars deal for an
eastern supply route.
11. Virat Kohli quickest to reach
6,000 runs in ODIs
i. Star batsman Virat
Kohli on Sunday became the quickest cricketer to reach 6,000 runs in ODIs,
bettering legendary West Indian Vivian Richards’ record during his 53-run knock
in India’s third ODI against Sri Lanka.
ii. Playing in his 144th
match and 136th innings, Kohli reached the milestone with a single off left-arm
spinner Chaturanga de Silva in the 39th over at the Rajiv Gandhi International
Stadium. Vivian Richards took 156 matches and 141 innings to reach the
milestone in 1989.
iii. Kohli registered
his ninth fifty (53 off 61 balls) vs. Sri Lanka - his 32nd in ODIs. The
26-year-old is the top run-scorer in ODIs in 2014 - his tally being 849 runs at
an average of 49.94 in 19 matches.
iv. He also became the
eighth Indian batsman to complete 6,000 runs or more in ODIs - his aggregate
being 6003 (average 51.30) in 144 matches.
12. India beat Australia,
win test series by 3-1
i. Akashdeep Singh
scored twice as Indian men’s hockey team stunned world champions Australia 3-1
in the fourth and final Test to register a historic 3-1 series win over the
mighty Kookaburras in their home soil in Perth on Sunday. This is the first
time that India have beaten Australia in a bilateral series.
ii. Prior to this
series, the two countries have played five Test series in the past, with
Australia winning thrice and one ending in a draw.
iii. India had beaten
Australia 1-0 on Saturday to go 2-1 up in the series and Akashdeep pumped in
two field goals in the 13th and 43rd minutes for the visitors, while S K
Uthappa (53rd) scored once as the visitors completed a hat-trick of wins.
Australia’s lone goal was scored by Tom Craig (36th).
13. Nuclear-capable
Agni-II missile test fired
i. India on Sunday
successfully test-fired its medium-range nuclear-capable Agni-II missile with a
strike range of more than 2000 km from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast as
part of a user trial by the Army.
ii. The 20-metre long
Agni-II missile is a two-stage, solid-propelled ballistic missile.
iii. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of 1000 kg over a distance of more than 2,000 km. The Agni-II missile was developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and integrated by the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad.
iv. Agni-II is part of the Agni series of missiles developed by DRDO which includes Agni-I with 700 km range, Agni-III with 3,000 km range, Agni-IV with 4000 km range and Agni-V more than 5,000 km range, they said.
iii. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of 1000 kg over a distance of more than 2,000 km. The Agni-II missile was developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and integrated by the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad.
iv. Agni-II is part of the Agni series of missiles developed by DRDO which includes Agni-I with 700 km range, Agni-III with 3,000 km range, Agni-IV with 4000 km range and Agni-V more than 5,000 km range, they said.
14. Nico Rosberg wins Brazilian Grand Prix
i. The 29 year old German driver Nico Rosberg took full
advantage of one mistake by Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton to win
yesterday's Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil and keep alive his hopes
of winning this year's world championship.
ii. Rosberg's triumph ended Hamilton's run
of five straight wins and reduced his lead in the championship from 24 points
to 17 with one race remaining, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 23rd where
double points will be awarded.
15. Hockey India announces annual awards
i. In a first for Indian hockey, the
national federation on Monday decided to have the ‘Hockey India Annual Awards’
wherein the top players in the men’s and women’s categories will walk away with
a prize money of Rs. 25 lakh each.
ii. Each award will consist of a trophy,
certificate and cash award. The decision to announce the awards was taken in
the 26th Meeting of the Hockey India Executive Board here.
iii. The 26th Meeting of the Hockey India Executive Board
was Chaired by Hockey India Senior Vice President, Ms Mariamma Koshy and
attended by Executive Board Members including Md.
List of Awards
Dhruv Batra Player of
the Year (Men) — Rs 25,00,000
Dhruv Batra Player of
the Year (Women) — Rs 25,00,000
Upcoming Player of
the Year (Men U—21) — Rs 10,00,000
Upcoming Player of
the Year (Women U—21) — Rs.10,00,000
Goalkeeper of the
Year —
Rs.5,00,000
Defender of the Year — Rs.5,00,000
Midfielder of the
Year —
Rs.5,00,000
Forward of the Year — Rs.5,00,000
Award for Invaluable
Contribution (For coaches and support staff) — Rs.5,00,000
President Award for
Outstanding Achievement — Rs.5,00,000.
16. India clinch series by defeating Sri
Lanka in 3rd ODI
i. India registered a comfortable six-wicket win against Sri
Lanka in the third One-Day International, ODI to clinch the five-match series
3-0 last evening.
ii. Set a target of 243 runs, India coasted to the win in
44.1 overs, winning with 35 balls to spare.
iii. Opener Shikhar Dhawan played an impressive knock (91)
and made useful partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane (31) and Ambati Rayadu (35) to
lead India to victory. Skipper Virat Kohli also contributed with a solid 53.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comment is under approval process and soon it will be published if it is not abusive.