01 September 2017 Current Affairs
99 per cent of demonetised notes returned: RBI report
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the Status of the Return of SBNs- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Annual Report 2016-17. The report states that around 99 per cent of the demonetised notes that is Rs 15.28 lakh crore have been returned to the bank. The high value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 were banned by Union Government in November 2016 as a means to combat counterfeiting, black money and the financing of terrorist activities. RBI was under intense scrutiny since January 2017 after the window for depositing the withdrawn Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes was closed.
Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Comptroller and Auditor General
Rajiv Mehrishi was appointed as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Mehrishi retired as Union Home Secretary on 30 August 2017. Mehrishi will succeed incumbent Shashi Kant Sharma who will complete his tenure on 23 September 2017. sharma assumed the office of CAG in May 2013. Mehrishi is the first Home Secretary who completed his two-year tenure after the NDA government came to power.
Launch of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H unsuccessful: ISRO
The launch of IRSO’s eight navigation satellite IRNSS-1H onbaord of PSLV-C39 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh was unsuccessful. The heat shield did not separate as a result of which satellite did not complete the 4th stage. The IRNSS-1H was being sent to space to back up and replace the functions of India’s first navigation satellite IRNSS-1A (launched in July 2013) as its three rubidium atomic clocks on board had stopped functioning. The rubidium atomic clocks on board of IRNSS-1A that stopped working were imported from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium. The atomic clocks are used to find satellite’s position with an accuracy of 0.5 metre.
Swiss President on 3-Day Visit to India
President of Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard is on the three-day visit to India. A number of agreements are expected to be signed in several areas after the talks. India and Switzerland enjoy robust economic ties, with Switzerland being seventh largest trading partner and eleventh largest foreign investor for India.
Friday declared ‘Day of Helping Hand’ in Andhra Pradesh by CM Naidu
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has declared Friday as the day of the week when he will meet with the poor and underprivileged sections of Andhra Pradesh society to hear their grievances and try to resolve them. The day has been declared as the “Day of Helping Hand”. Recently, an amount of nearly Rs.9 lakhs was disbursed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the poor.
Lebanon gets first animal protection law
Lebanese President Michel Aoun has signed the country’s first animal welfare bill into law, guaranteeing that domestic and wild animals will be legally protected from abuse. The bill is the culmination of years of lobbying for the protection of animals in the Mediterranean country. The law, passed by parliament on August 16, outlines requirements for keeping domestic pets, regulations for zoos and pet shops, and penalties for violations – including jail time and fines.
SEBI bans Orion Capital, Orion Broking from Markets for 10 years
Markets regulator SEBI barred Orion Capital as well as Orion Broking and their partners from the securities markets for 10 years for failing to redress several investor grievances pertaining to non- settlement of funds due to the clients. The nature of investor complaints received against both the firms are predominantly on non-settlement of the funds and securities and balances due to their clients. The claim amount is more than Rs 6 crore against Orion Capital and over Rs 4 crore against Orion Broking.
Anita Karwal replaces RK Chaturvedi as CBSE Chairperson
IAS officer Anita Karwal was appointed as the new Chairperson of Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE. The 1988-batch officer from Gujarat cadre is currently serving as additional secretary in HRD Ministry. She was the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer during the Lok Sabha election in 2014. She would be replacing Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi, who has been appointed as Director General of the National Skill Development Agency.
PM inaugurates annual conference ‘Rajaswa Gyan Sangam’ in Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the annual conference, Rajaswa Gyan Sangam, 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The conference jointly organised by the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Central Board of Excise and Customs. The Prime Minister addressed the tax administrators during the conference. The closing function would be conducted on 2 September 2017.
Arunachal Pradesh and J&K are Fastest Growing Economies
Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh were the fastest expanding State economies in 2015-16, according to a new series of gross State domestic product data with 2011-12 as the base year published by the Central Statistics Office. The two States also reported the fastest rise in per capita income in the same year. Arunachal Pradesh’s gross State domestic product (GSDP) expanded 16.5 per cent and that of Jammu and Kashmir 14.7 per cent at constant 2011-12 prices.