2nd January 2017 – Current Affairs Today

National Current Affairs

Narendra Modi’s Key Announcements on New Year’s Evening

PM Modi also made a series of announcements aimed at the welfare of the entire Citizen of the Country with main focus on the senior citizens, farmers, rural housing, women and small entrepreneurs to lighten the burden of demonetization.

India’s first laser technology-based advanced AVMS RTO check-post at Shamlaji

This new check-post is equipped with advanced ray technology with a cost of Rs 4.72 crore.
All the check-posts in the state will be made advanced, automatic and transparent with a cost of Rs. 35 crore during next financial year.
The income from this check posts will be used for welfare of poor, deprivedand last-person of the state.

China to Ban Ivory Trade and Processing Activities by the end of 2017

China announced a plan to ban all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017, to prevent the mass killing and threat of extinction of African elephants.
It will first force a select group of legal ivory processing factories and business to close by March 31, 2017 and gradually will completely stop the processing and sales of ivories for commercial purposes by the end of 2017.
Plan also involves strict regulation of legal ivory collection, strengthening enforcement and education and “vigorously” pushing for a transformation of the ivory carving industry.
Plan also involves encouraging ivory carving masters to find work with museums or in preservation efforts.
Government will no longer allow ivory products to be displayed in real or online markets only non-commercial sites, such as museums, will be allowed to display ivory.
According to the World Wildlife Fund for Naturereport, more than 20,000 Elephants are killed for their tusks each year, with much of the markets designated in China, Hong Kong, and the United States.

RBI Extends the Demonetized Currency Exchange Date for NRIs to June 30

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a relief providing decision for the Non-Resident Indian and Indian Citizens who were staying abroad since November 9 to December 31 post demonetization decision.
The bank informed that there would not be any limit for Indian residents while for the NRIs the maximum limit would be Rs 25,000 as per the FEMA regulations 2015.
The facilities will be made available for citizens at Reserve Bank offices at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Nagpur and Delhi. However, any Indian citizens residing in Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh are not entitled to avail this facility.
Any possession of such notes after this period would be subjected to a fine of Rs. 10000 or five times the cash held, whichever is higher.

Govt permits 12 PSU banks to raise Rs 3,000 cr from market

Central government had infused a sum of Rs 25,000 crore in 19 PSBs during FY 2015-16.In this Rs. 22,915 crore was allocated to 13 PSBs on July 19, 2016.
Remaining amount Rs 2,914.038 crore will be released on assessment of performance of 12 PSBs, the Department of Finance in its year-end review for 2016
Approval to 12 proposals of PSBs to raise a sum of Rs 2,914.038 crore through preferential allotment and permission given to raise Rs 200 crore by United Bank of India through QIP mode.

India’s Petronet Signs MoU to Set Up $950 Mn LNG Project in Bangladesh

India’s largest LNG importer Petronethas signed an MoU withPetrobangla on December 30, 2016, to set up $950 million liquefied natural gas import project of 7.5 million tonnes a year in
It also includes laying a 26-Km pipline to connect the LNG project to the consumption markets
Petronet LNG Ltd is an Indian oil and gas company formed by the government of India to import liquefied natural gas and set up LNG terminals in the country.
Petrobangla (Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation) is a government-owned national oil company of Bangladesh. It explores, produces, transports and sells oil, natural gas and other mineral resources.

Amazon Wins Patent for Flying Warehouse to Deliver Parcels via Drones

S. e-commerce giant, Amazon has been awarded a patent for launching a giant flying warehouse that would acts as a launch pad for drones to deliver items within minutes.
When a customer places an order, a drone or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)will fly down and deliver the package. The patent claims that this would require little or no power because the drone would be gliding down rather than having to take off and land.
The drones would be able to communicate with each other via a mesh network to give information such as weather and route. UAVs could also recharge on the airship.

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Sworn in as the 25th Chief Justice of Pakistan

62-Year-Old Nisar has replaced Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali who retired on December 30, 2016 after 15 months service since September 2015.
He took the oathto new CJP at a ceremony held in the President House called “Awan-e-Sadr” on December 31, 2016.

Indian-origin Shaikh Rafik Mohammed Appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan

Indian-origin Saudi-based entrepreneur, Shaikh Rafik Mohammed, has been appointed Major General of Kyrgyzstan, by the Government of the Country.
He was invited for the prestigious military position in view of his earlier contribution to the country.
It is a rare military position occupied by an Indian in the Central Asian country.

10th ENERTIA Awards 2016

K M Singh,Chairman & Managing Director of State-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has been conferred the ‘Power & Energy Persona’s Award for individual Excellence’ at the 10th ENERTIA Awards 2016
ENERTIA Awards are India’s Topmost, Prestigious and Pioneering Awards and attract Leading Power, Renewable Energy, Natural Resources, Oil & Gas + Coal Companies given to both Public and Private Sector Enterprises in India and South Asia.

Two New Hindi Writers Honored with Bharatiya Jananpith Navlekhan award 2016

Bharatiya Jnanpithhave conferred two new Hindi writers, Shraddha and Ghyansham Kumar Devansh,
The award consists of a statue of Goddess Saraswati, a citation and a cash prize each, besides Jananpith will publish their works.

Rafal Nadal Defeats David Goffin to win 2016 Mubadala World Tennis Championship

Nadal defeated his opponent David Goffin with 6-4, 7-6 in the finals. He reached the Abu Dhabi Finals by beating Tomas Berdych in the quarter-final and Milos Raonic in the semi-final.
Nadal who received a cash prize of $250,000 will now head to Australia for the Brisbane International.

Indian tennis player Somdev announces retirement

He has won Goldat both singles and men’s double event at 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Apart from this he also has a gold in men’s singles event of XIXth Commonwealth Games , New Delhi.
Somdev received Arjuna Award in 2011 from the Indian government for his success in tennis. He reached the finals of two ATP title once in 2009 Chennai Open and then other in 2011 South Africa Open.

Lionel Messi wins World’s Best Playmaker of 2016

Argentine Star Lionel Messiwas chosen as the World’s Best Playmaker for the year 2016 on December 29, 2016, by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi earlier won the Best Playmaker of the World for the year 2015 with 168 points