Current Affairs - 17 October 2014

Narendra Modi launches Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Yojana: 5 initiatives launched in Modi’s new labour reforms

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  Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the issues of labourers and took initiative to solve many of them.He launched Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Shramev Jayate Karyakram in New Delhi and said that such a compassionate approach would result in the ‘Shram Yogi’ (labourer) becoming a ‘Rashtra Yogi’, and hence, a ‘Rashtra Nirmaata’ (nation-builder). While launched five initiatives that would bring changes in the labour polices.

  Employees Provident Fund Organization

  Narendra Modi said that in the Employees Provident Fund Organization about Rs 27,000 crore was lying unclaimed He said that the Universal Account Number would help in the money reaching the poor with the portability provided for Employees Provident Fund Organization. He focused on saying that the money belonged to the poor and it should reach them and should not be locked up.

  Self-certification of documents

  Narendra Modi said the government must trust its citizens and should soon materialize self-certification of documents. He also said that the various initiatives being launched today as part of the Shramev Jayate Karyakram were also a step in this direction.

  Inspector Raj

  A transparent Labour Inspection Scheme for random selection of units for inspection,would end undue harassment of the “Inspector Raj,” while ensuring better compliance. It will thus lose their decide which unit to visit and the number of forms related to compliance with labour laws that employers have to file will drop from 16 to 1.

  Apprentice Protsahan Yojana

  The Apprentice Protsahan Yojana and the Effective Implementation of revamped Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) for labour in the unorganized sector were also launched today.

  Shramev Jayate

  The Prime Minister also spoke about skill development of youth which would be created through initiatives in ‘Shramev Jayate’. He said that it was an essential element of the “Make in India” vision and even create an opportunity for India to meet the global requirement of skilled labour workforce in the years ahead. He said that Shramev Jayate will have equal power in the country just like Satyameva Jayate.

Universal account number to facilitate provident fund portability

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  NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a universal account number (UAN) for provident fund subscribers that will enable you to link your PF account to this number. This will, thereafter, allow easier portability as well as ease of transfer directly to your bank accounts in the months ahead.
  
  An EPFO officer explained that the retirement savings body has already generated over 4.2 crore UANs and employers have been asked to provide the Aadhaar numbers, bank account numbers and permanent account numbers of employees. These will be then seeded into the 12-digit UAN.
  
  While employers are currently going a little slow on the job currently, subscribers can also log on to the EPFO website and punch their current PF account number to get the UAN. They can then submit the required numbers to their employer who have upload them with their digital signatures. For employees of smaller establishments and those not using the online option, there is also a facility to submit the papers at PF offices across the country.
  
  When someone switches jobs, the new PF account number will be tagged to the UAN.
  
  Going forward, the official said, for withdrawals or loans, subscribers will have to fill up a form and can provide their fingerprint to a biometric reader and the amount will be transferred into the bank account within an hour, ending what used to a wait that often lasted months.
  
  "This whole process may take six months or a year but the goal is to make life simpler for subscribers," the officer said, adding that employers will be nudged to speed up the seeding process.

Black money case: Can't disclose names of foreign account holders, Modi govt tells SC

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  NEW DELHI: The Union government on Friday filed an application in the Supreme Court, saying it cannot disclose details of foreign accounts held by Indians which are governed by bilateral double taxation avoidance treaties.
  
  Petitioner and senior advocate Ram Jethmalani said this is an attempt by Narendra Modi government to shield those who stashed black money abroad.
  
  Jethmalani said such a plea could be made only by crooks who have illegally parked their ill-gotten money abroad and not by a democratically elected government.
  
  The apex court agreed to hear Centre's application on October 28.

India test-fires nuclear-capable Nirbhay cruise missile

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  BALASORE (Odisha): India's indigenously developed nuclear capable sub-sonic cruise missile 'Nirbhay', which can strike targets more than 700 kms away, was today test-fired from a test range at Chandipur near here.
  
  "The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher positioned at launch pad 3 of the Integrated Test Range at about 10.03 hours," said an official soon after the flight took off from the launch ground.
  
  "Flight details will be available after data retrieved from radars and telemetry points, monitoring the trajectories, are analysed," the official said.
  
  It is the second test of the sub-sonic long range cruise missile 'Nirbhay' from the ITR.
  
  The maiden flight, conducted on March 12, 2013 could not achieve all the desired parameters as "the flight had to be terminated mid-way when deviations were observed from its intended course," sources said.
  
  India has in its arsenal the 290 km range supersonic "BrahMos" cruise missile which is jointly developed by India and Russia.

Shiv Sena may not back BJP in case of a hung assembly in Maharashtra

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  MUMBAI: The BJP is likely to seek the Shiv Sena's support to form the government in Maharashtra, sources said on Thursday, but the Sena is reportedly in two minds on the issue.
  
  The exit polls haven't brought much cheer to the BJP camp. "We will be the single largest party in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, but there may be a hung assembly in the state. This isn't a good situation for the party," said a senior BJP leader from New Delhi. He was camping in Mumbai for two weeks to monitor the party's poll campaign in the state. BJP leaders have started the post-poll arithmetic for a hung assembly. "If any eventuality arises, we will seek the Sena's support," he said.

Supreme Court grants interim bail to Jayalalithaa

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  NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa, undergoing jail term of four years for amassing disproportionate assets.
  
  A bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu on October 13 had posted the case for hearing on October 17 after senior advocate Fali S Nariman pleaded to the court to "accommodate" the case in this week itself.
  
  October 17 was the last chance for Jayalalithaa to come out of jail before Diwali as the apex court will go on vacation for a week after Friday.
  
  Jayalalithaa, who was denied bail by Karnataka high court following her conviction and four year sentence in a graft case, had moved the Supreme Court for bail on October 9.

Obama may appoint 'czar' to manage Ebola response, opposes travel ban

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  WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said he was considering appointing an Ebola "czar" to coordinate the fight against the virus in the United States, but he remained opposed to a ban on travel from West Africa. 
  
  Obama's administration is facing sharp criticism from lawmakers over its efforts to contain the disease at home. Obama authorized calling up military reservists for the US fight against Ebola in West Africa on Thursday. 
  
  US concerns have intensified after two Texas nurses who cared for a dying Liberian patient contracted the virus that has killed nearly 4,500 people. Spain is also grappling with the spread of the disease, with four new patients with suspected Ebola symptoms admitted to hospitals. 
  
  The disease continues to spread in West Africa where the outbreak began in March, and reached the last remaining district in Sierra Leone that had not been affected by Ebola. 
  
  US lawmakers held a congressional hearing about the administration's handling of the Ebola outbreak in the United States. Some have called for a czar and a ban on travel from West Africa. 

With seizures up, Indian gold smuggling loses its shine

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  MUMBAI: Gold smuggling into India, the world's second-biggest consumer of the precious metal, is becoming more risky for couriers following a surge in seizures and less profitable for the gangs behind the practice. 
  
  After being caught off guard by a jump in smuggling on the back of a hike in import duty last year, government agencies have stepped up seizures to the extent that couriers are demanding more money to carry in gold, according to customs intelligence officials and an industry analyst. 
  
  At the same time, a drop in the gap between local and global prices also means there is less profit to be made by smuggling in gold, giving banks more business and higher revenue for a government struggling to rein in a fiscal deficit. 
  
  "Gold smuggling was highly profitable ... but now with the drop in premiums and tight security, legal imports are increasing," said Milind Lanjewar, additional commissioner of customs intelligence at Mumbai international airport.

Current Affairs Quiz

• 1. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 16 October 2014 successfully launched third navigation satellite Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) 1C. How many satellites were planned to be deployed to form satellite constellation of the IRNSS ?
  A. 5
  B. 7
  C. 9
  D. 11
• 2. Who amongst following was appointed as India's Chief Economic Adviser for a period of 3 years ?
  A. Aditi S. Ray
  B. Dr. Vinita Aggarwal
  C. Kaushik Basu
  D. Dr. Arvind Subramanian
• 3. India pledged aid ______________ for Gaza reconstruction.
  A. 2 million dollar
  B. 4 million dollar 
  C. 10 million dollar 
  D. 25 million dollar
• 4. Recently Turaga Janaki Rani died. He was renowned author in which Indian language ?
  A. Telugu 
  B. Tamil
  C. Kannada
  D. Malayalam
• 5. Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises on 25 September 2014 proposed the Union Cabinet to shut down how many sick Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSEs)?
  A. six
  B. seven
  C. eleven
  D. twenty
• 6. Sadiq, a 10-year old terminally ill boy became which city's Police Commissioner for a day ?
  A. Hyderabad 
  B. Delhi
  C. Mumbai
  D. Patna
• 7. Uber Cup 2014 title has been won by ____________. 
  A. India
  B. China
  C. Finland
  D. Russia
• 8. Which village in Nagaland has been declared as India's first Tobacco-free village ?
  A. Pheza
  B. Merema
  C. Garifema 
  D. Bosta
• 9. Which senior advocate of the Supreme Court has been appointed as new Solicitor General of India ? 
  A. Ranjit Kumar
  B. Milon K. Banerji
  C. Mukul Rohatgi
  D. L.Nageswara Rao
• 10. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 16 October 2014 repositioned its Mars Orbiter, Mangalyaan as a precautionary step against the expected Comet ____________ that would fly by Mars, the red planet on 19 October 2014.
  A. Phobos
  B. Siding Spring 
  C. Machholz 1
  D. Giclas
• Answer:
  
  1)A, 2)D, 3)B, 4)C, 5)A, 6)A, 7)B, 8)C, 9)A, 10)B