12 September 2016 Current Affairs

India takes US renewable energy dispute to WTO

India has complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about support given to the renewable energy industry in United States. The complaint alleges these 8 states in US have prop up their renewable sector with illegal subsidies and domestic content requirements, an obligation to buy local goods rather than imports. These 8 US states are Washington, Montana, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan and Minnesota. By filing the complaint, India has triggered a 60-day window for US to settle the dispute, after which India could ask the WTO to adjudicate.


Bhattacharya, Kochhar among most powerful women outside US

India’s top women bankers, SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, ICICI head Chanda Kochhar and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma, are among the 50 most powerful women based outside the US, according to a list by Fortune which is topped by Banco Santander’s boss Ana Patricia Botín. Bhattacharya is ranked second on the list, while Kochhar comes in on the fifth spot and Sharma on the 19th position in the Fortune’s ’50 Most Powerful Women International’ list, which has ranked the women based outside the US.


Govt launches toll-free number for postal complaints

The government on 12 September has launched toll free number 1924 to register postal complaints, over a month after introducing Twitter Sewa for redressal of telecom and postal grievances. It will initially be operational for 12 hours on working days and has been started in Hindi, Malayalam, and English. Notably, Department of Posts (DoP) is the 8th largest department in terms of the number of complaints.


Cabinet Approves Formation and Functioning of GST Council

The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved the process, formation and functioning of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council. It will decide the rate of tax under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and is likely to kick in from April 1, 2017. The GST Council, to be chaired by the Union Finance Minister and comes into effect from September 12. It includes Minister of State in charge of Revenue Department and State finance ministers. It will make recommendations on important issues related to GST, including items and rates. Its secretariat costs will be borne by the Central government. The Cabinet also approved setting up of GST Council Secretariat. The GST Council Secretariat will have its office in New Delhi. The Revenue Secretary will be the ex-officio Secretary to the GST Council, which will have Chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) as a permanent invitee (non-voting). The GST Council will be created as per Article 279A of the amended Constitution.


Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa removed as Arunachal Pradesh governor

Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa was removed from the post of Arunachal Pradesh Governor. V. Shanmuganathan, Governor of Meghalaya has been given the charge of Arunachal Pradesh by President Pranab Mukherjee.


Deepa Malik first Indian woman to win Paralympics medal

Deepa Malik has created history by winning silver medal in Women’s shotput at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. With this she becomes first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics. It is India’s 3rd medal in the ongoing Paralympics games at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Malik had won the silver medal in the shotput F-53 event with her best throw of 4.61m in her six attempts. In the shotput F-53 event, Bahrain’s Fatema Nedham had won the gold medal with the best throw of 4.76m. Greece’s Dimitra Korokida had won the bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m.


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