DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: MAY 4, 2018

NATIONAL

Maharashtra: First Indian state to provide digitally-signed land record receipts

Maharashtra has become the first state to issue a crucial land ownership document online and accept a digital signature on it as valid.

The state government’s plan of digitizing the 7/12 extract has been completed. It has generated eight lakh documents with space for digital signatures. The facility was inaugurated by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The 7/12 receipt is extensively used by farmers for loan agreements, crop survey and for availing of government facilities.

To get the document digitally, one can log on to mahabhulekh.maharashtra.gov.in. Information about the district, taluka, village and other details should be filled there. The document will be generated as a PDF.

Maharashtra

Capital: Mumbai

Governor: C. Vidyasagar Rao

National Conference of 244 Districts under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

Women and Child Development Ministry will hold National Conference of 244 Districts under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, BBBP, in New Delhi.

The Conference will provide an opportunity for experience sharing and will motivate the new districts to plan and execute the programme successfully. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the All India expansion of BBBP scheme in 640 districts across the country.

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is a personal campaign of the Government of India that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls. The scheme was launched with an initial funding of Rs.100 crore.

North Eastern cultural and information centre to be set up in Delhi

A North-eastern cultural and information centre, showcasing the vibrant culture of the region, will come up in Delhi soon.

It was announced by Union minister of Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh. It is being built on 1.32 acre land in Dwarka and will act as a cultural convention and information hub of the region in Delhi.

The project is expected to be completed soon at an estimated cost of Rs 50-55 crore and it will be one of its kind in the country and will be a state-of-the-art project.

Cabinet Approves Accession To Protocol Under WHO Framework Convention

The union cabinet has given approval for India to agree to the protocol under World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products.

This will be applicable to both smoking and chewing or smokeless tobacco (SLT) forms as negotiated and adopted under Article 15 of the WHO FCTC.

The objective of FCTC is to provide a framework for supply and demand reduction measures for tobacco control at the national, regional and global levels.

INTERNATIONAL

12th edition of the bilateral border trade between India and China

The bilateral trade for the year 2018 between the traders of India and China through the Nathu La border began.

On behalf of Government of Sikkim, Secretary for Commerce and Industries Department, SK Pradhan formally declared the trade to be opened for the season.

Last year, the trade was disrupted following the Doklam standoff. This year, the traders are hopeful that there would be no problem.

The trade between the two countries through Nathu La border, located at a height of 14,200 feet, was resumed in 2006. In 2016-2017, goods worth Rs 3.54 crore were traded via the Sino-Indian border, Nathu La.

China

Capital: Beijing

President: Xi Jinping

Currency: Renminbi

China launches a new communications satellite, APSTAR-6C

China has launched a new communication satellite “APSTAR-6C” at the southwestern Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The satellite was sent into orbit by the Long March-3B carrier rocket. This was the 273rd mission of the Long March rocket series.

Both the satellite and the rocket were developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The user of the satellite is Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Co. Ltd.

The satellite will provide TV transmission, communication, Internet and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SEBI Tightens KYC Norms For FPIs

Sebi recently came out with a detailed framework for risk-based Know Your Client (KYC) documentation of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Among other things, the market regulator made it clear that non-resident Indians (NRIs), overseas citizens of India (OCI) and resident Indians cannot be beneficial owners of FPIs.

NRIs and OCIs can only obtain an FPI licence on condition that they limit their roles to investment advisors and do not invest their money.

Sebi further sought a comprehensive list of beneficial owners from the existing FPIs within six months.

SEBI

Headquarters: Mumbai

Chairman: Ajay Tyagi

Cognizant Acquires Belgium-Based Hedera Consulting

The IT firm Cognizant has acquired privately-held Hedera Consulting. It is a move that will strengthen the former’s consulting and digital transformation capabilities for clients in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The purchase further expands Cognizant’s consulting, business insight and digital transformation capabilities for clients in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Hedera  was founded in 2009, and it specialises in business advisory and data analytics services across sectors, helping clients in areas like growth strategy, innovation, marketing, sales and customer service.

APPOINTMENTS

Govt appoints Ashok Lahiri as full-time member of 15th Finance Commission

Former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri has been appointed as full-time member of the 15th Finance Commission, according to an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.

He is at present the part-time member of the commission.

The Fifteenth Finance Commission of India is a finance commission constituted in November 2017. The commission’s chairman is N. K. Singh. Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance is responsible for the committee.

ICICI Bank Names Radhakrishnan Nair As Independent Director

ICICI Banks’ board has appointed Radhakrishnan Nair as an additional (independent) director of the bank for five years. The appointment is subject to the approval of shareholders.

Nair (63) is also an independent director of three subsidiaries of the bank – ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company, ICICI Prudential Trust and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership.

He started his banking career with Corporation Bank in August 1976.

Indian-American woman appointed interim civil court judge in NYC

Indian-American Deepa Ambekar has been appointed as interim judge to the civil court of New York City, becoming the second Indian-American woman judge in the city after Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari.

Ambekar, will be serving in Criminal Court. Ambekar had served with the New York City Council for three years as Senior Legislative Attorney and Counsel to the Committee on Public Safety.

Jagdish Mukhi Sworn in as the acting governor of Manipur

Jagdish Mukhi was sworn in as the acting governor of Manipur by the Acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, Justice N Kotiswar Singh.

Mukhi, who is the governor of Assam and Meghalaya, will hold office in the absence of Governor Najma Heptullah.

Manipur

Capitals: Imphal, Guwahati (Judiciary)

Chief minister: N. Biren Singh

OBITUARY

Renowned Artist-Philosopher Ravinder Sharma Passes Away

Ravinder Sharma, fondly called Guruji, the founder of Adilabad’s Kala Ashram has passed away.

Guruji had been awarded with Kala Ratna by the Andhra Pradesh State government in 2014. After bifurcation of the State, the Telangana government awarded him the Ugadi Puraskaram in 2015.

Guruji was also conferred with D. Litt (Honoris Causa) by the SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana.

Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif passes away

Former Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif has passed away.

Latif has the distinction of being associated with three different air forces- the Royal Indian Air Force, Royal Air Force and Indian Air Force– during pre-independence and post-independence era.

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