Current Affairs Update – 19 Feb, 2015

• In an effort to move closer to customers and to empower
  them, the State Bank of India, India’s largest bank, launched a massive,
  customer friendly initiative, Tech Learning Centres (TLCs) across the country.
• 385 State Bank TLCs across the length and breadth of the
  country have started holding interactive learning sessions and demos of the
  bank’s tech-channels for over ten thousand customers every month since November
  2014.
• TLCs will spread awareness of the Bank’s various tech
  channels including Cash Deposit Machines, Mobile Banking apps, Net Banking and
  Green Remit Cards, in addition to providing guidance on how to use these
  channels safely and in a secure manner.
• This is expected to encourage more and more customers to use
  these convenient, self-service, tech- channels for their routine transactions
  instead of queuing up at branches.

• Axis Bank will provide premium personalised banking services
  with dedicated managers to its affluent high net-worth individual (HNI)
  customers with preferential treatment with an intention to increase business
  from the segment.
• The third largest private bank will launch ‘Burgundy’ to
  offer personalised end-to-end services across segments.

• Samsung Electronics Co has bought U.S. mobile wallet startup
  LoopPay, signalling its intention to launch a smartphone payments service to
  compete with a recent offering from rival Apple Inc.
• Mobile payments have been slow to catch on in the United
  States and elsewhere, despite strong backing. Apple, Google, and eBay Inc’s
  PayPal have all launched services to allow users to pay in stores via
  smartphones.

• Union Government on 18 February 2015 approved Project-17A
  worth 8 billion US dollar. The project is aimed at building country’s most
  advanced warships. 
• Under the Project-17A seven frigates will be built
  indigenously with stealth features to avoid easy detection.
• The frigates under the Project-17A will be built at
  government shipyards in Mumbai and Kolkata.
• The move is a part to boost Make in India campaign to build
  a domestic defence industrial base and reduce dependence on expensive imports
  that have made India the world’s biggest arms market.

• India on 19 February 2015 successfully test-fired nuclear
  weapons capable, surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile from Chandipur-on-sea in
  Balasore district, Odisha as part of a user trial by the army.
• The missile was tested for a shortened range of 250 km as
  against its full range of 350 km. The indigenously developed missile was
  launched by personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) from a road mobile
  launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR).
• With a strike range of 350 km, Prithvi-II is capable of
  carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion
  twine engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering
  trajectory.

• The Kalyani group, on Thursday, announced a joint venture
  with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel to develop and manufacture a
  wide range of technology and systems.
• This is the group’s third joint venture business. In the new
  venture, the Kalyani group will hold 51 per cent stake and Rafael the balance.
  The announcement comes few months after the government’s move to increase the
  foreign direct investment cap in defence to 49 per cent.
• This is one of the major deals under the new FDI limits.

• India’s first air quality checking Mobile App, SAFAR-Air was
  launched on 17 February 2015 at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in
  Pune, Maharashtra.
• SAFAR is an acronym for System of Air Quality Weather
  Forecasting and Research which was first launched in Delhi in 2010 during the
  Commonwealth Games. The Project Director of SAFAR is Gufran Beig.
• The App was launched by Union Ministry of Earth Sciences
  (MoES) to provide online metro Air Quality information Service in real time.

• State Government of Bihar on 18 February 2015 decided to
  give 35 percent reservation to women in non-gazetted government jobs.
• The decision was made during the state cabinet meet presided
  by Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Apart from this, the Cabinet also made 21
  more decisions.

• Hike in MLA development fund from the existing 2 crore
  rupees in a year to 3 crore rupees from financial year 2016
• Approved the proposal to pay 13 months’ salary in place of
  12 months to policemen up to inspector rank

• Indian telecom major Bharti Airtel Limited on 18 February
  2015 tied-up with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to provide health,
  education and youth-focused content to its customers in 17 African countries.
• In this regard, Bharti Airtel limited and UNICEF signed a
  partnership agreement. Their partnership is aimed at improving African
  population’s access to health and education-related information from various
  innovative projects supported by UNICEF.

• India and Bangladesh on 17 February 2015 decided to step up
  joint patrolling along the boundary to act against criminals and smugglers.
• The coordinated border management plan will also help in
  enhancing cooperation between the two nations.

• Pune-based I-League football club Bharat FC in the third
  week of February 2015 appointed English football coach Barry Knowles as head of
  its youth development programme.
• The appointment of Barry Knowles is part of Bharat FC
  efforts to build its own training facility at Manjri and to build squads in the
  under -9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 age groups. Another unique aspect of this youth
  setup will be that the academy will give preference to young aspirants from
  Pune.

• Rashad Hussain (37), an Indian-American has been appointed
  Special Envoy and Coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications for
  Strategic Counterterrorism Communications to expand global engagement and
  partnerships of the US to counter violent extremism.
• Rashad was currently serving as the Special Envoy of the US
  to Organisation for Islamic Countries (OIC). Hussain also served as Deputy
  Associate Counsel to US President Barack Obama, focusing on national security,
  new media, and science and technology issues before his role in OIC.
• In another previous role as Director for Global Engagement
  at the National Security Council (NSC) and as a Special Assistant US Attorney
  in Washington he prosecuted criminal cases.

• Noted film producer and Dada Saheb Phalke award winner
  Daggubati Ramanaidu died on 18 February 2015 in a hospital of Hyderabad. He was
  78.
• In 2013, he was awarded with the Padma Bhushan, India’s
  third highest civilian award
• In 2009, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke, Indian cinema’s
  highest honour

Books For 2015 Banking/Insurance Exams