Current Affairs Update – 1st April, 2015

Hello and welcome to ExamPundit. Here are the current affairs for 1st April, 2015.

RBI –
RBI imposed 5 lakh
rupees fine on 16 Central Co-operative Banks for violation of norms

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 31 March 2015 imposed a
    monetary penalty of five lakh rupees on 16 Central Co-operative Banks (CCBs).
  • The penalty was imposed for non-adherence of the Know Your
    Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering guidelines. The 16 co-operative banks
    on which the penalty was imposed are
  • The penalties were imposed on the co-operative banks in
    exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47(A) read
    with Section 46 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (As applicable to
    Co-operative Societies), for non-adherence to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms
    and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) standards.

RBI approved the
amalgamation of ING Vysya Bank with Kotak Mahindra Bank
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 1 April 2015 sanctioned
    the scheme of amalgamation of ING Vysya Bank Ltd. with Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd.
    The Scheme will come into force with effect from 1 April 2015.
  • With this sanction, all branches of ING Vysya Bank will
    function as branches of Kotak Mahindra Bank with effect from 1 April 2015.
  • The Scheme was sanctioned in exercise of the powers
    contained in Sub-section (4) of Section 44A of the Banking Regulation Act,
    1949.
  • This approval of RBI for the merger deal would create Kotak
    as the country’s fourth largest private sector lender after HDFC Bank, ICICI
    Bank and Axis Bank in terms of market capitalisation.
  • Also, the deal is the first major bank takeover since Bank
    of Rajasthan was amalgamated with the ICICI Bank on 13 August 2010.

India –
Rajasthan Government
opened women milk bank Jeevan Dhara in Jaipur
  • Rajasthan Government on 31 March 2015 opened women milk bank
    Jeevan Dhara in Jaipur. It was inaugurated by Health Minister Rajendra Rathore.
    The move is aimed at curbing the high infant mortality rate of Rajasthan.
  • The state Government launched the bank in collaboration with
    Norwegian government and JK Lon Hospital.
  • The bank would store milk from donating lactating mothers
    that can be used for feeding infants who are deprived of it.
  • The infants will get free of cost milk from lactating
    mothers who willingly donate it. The process of donation starts only after the
    donors are screened and medically tested for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis and other
    diseases. This is followed by pasteurization of milk that takes around three
    months.
  • First government owned woman milk bank was opened in Kolkata
    and Jaipur is the second in this series. However, the first mother’s milk bank
    in the State was started by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in a
    government hospital in Udaipur.

India, S Africa Sign
Defence Deals Worth USD 80 Mn

  • India, world’s largest arms importer, has signed a defence
    deal worth nearly USD 80 million with South African companies for integrated
    self-protection systems on its indigenously developed Dhruv Advanced Light
    Helicopters.
  • The deal, expected to give a huge boost to South African
    defence industry, was signed between Dhruv’s manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics
    Limited (HAL) and Saab Grintek Defence for Integrated Defensive Aids Suites
    (IDAS).
  • Saab said yesterday that the IDAS systems will be produced
    at its South African subsidiary Saab Grintek Defence in Centurion, north of
    Johannesburg, and will be delivered between 2015 and 2018.
  • IDAS provides timely warnings against radar, laser and
    infrared (IR) guided threats and automatically deploys appropriate
    countermeasures.
  • Anne Lewis-Olsson, Vice President Communication, Sub Sahara
    Africa for Saab Grintek Defence, told the African defence publication
    defenceWeb that the Indian order will retain skills and competence in South
    Africa, with further long-term benefits for the country.

UGC Launches ‘One
Student, One Tree’ Campaign
  • In a bid to increase green cover on university and college
    campuses, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched ‘One Student, One
    Tree’ campaign asking every student to plant a sapling during his/her stay in
    an institution.
  • Under the initiative, UGC has directed vice-chancellors of
    universities to provide free saplings for plantation to the students.
  • A student will be involved in nurturing a tree for the
    preservation of environment. NSS and other allied departments in university may
    be instructed to ensure that at least one tree is planted by every student
    during his/her stay at the institution, UGC Secretary Prof. Jaspal Sandhu said
    in his letter to VCs.
  • The plantation drive is also to be implemented in affiliated
    colleges.

‘Aahar’ Scheme Launched
in Odisha
  • The much-hyped ‘Aahar’ cheap meal scheme was today launched
    by Odisha government for providing subsidised food to urban poor.
  • The populist programme aimed at providing meal at Rs five to
    the urban poor was launched by Chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the Capital
    Hospital here amid criticism by opposition parties which slammed the state
    government for asking corporate houses to fund the scheme.
  • Apart from Bhubaneswar, the scheme is also being launched
    simultaneously in Rourkela, Cuttack, Berhampur and Sambalpur in the first phase
    on the occasion of Utkala Dibasa, the foundation day of the state. Patnaik
    launched the scheme in Rourkela too.
  • The subsidised meals for people visiting urban areas for
    various work would be provided at four crowded places each in these five cities
    from 11 AM to 3 PM, to about 25,000 people per day to begin with.
  • The Aahar scheme is being sponsored by Odisha Mining
    Corporation (OMC) in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, Odisha Power Generation
    Corporation (OPGC) in Rourkela and Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development
    Corporation (IDCO) in Sambalpur. Tata Steel is supporting the scheme in
    Berhampur, official sources added.

West Bengal Governor
to Be Sworn In As Mizoram Governor on April 4
  • West Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who has been
    given the additional charge of Mizoram, would be sworn-in here on April 4.
  • State Protocol Officer David L. Pachuau told PTI that a
    ceremonial reception would be accorded to Tripathi after he arrives at Lengpui
    Airport near Aizawl on April four and he would be sworn-in at the Raj Bhavan at
    4 PM on that day.
  • Former state governor Aziz Qureshi, who was sacked by the
    Centre on Saturday last, would leave Aizawl on the same day, he said.

               
C Lalrosanga
Appointed Interim DG of Doordarshan
  • Senior broadcaster C Lalrosanga has been appointed as
    interim Director General of Doordarshan.
  • With a diverse experience in broadcasting, both in sound and
    visuals, he previously held the charge of Additional Director General of All
    Indai Radio.
  • He has taken charge of the public broadcaster in challenging
    times, especially considering the proposed launch of the ‘Kisan Channel’ and
    four channels for North eastern region.
  • A senior official said Lalrosanga will hold charge till a
    permanent DG is chosen.
  • Lalrosanga joined northeastern service of All India Radio
    Shillong, as director after getting selected by UPSC in 1991. Before that he
    was as Assistant News Editor at AIR, Aizawl.

World –
India launched
Operation Raahat to evacuate 4000 Indian nationals from Yemen
  • Operation Raahat was in news on 1 April 2015 as India
    launched a massive air and sea operation to evacuate over 4000 Indian nationals
    from Yemen. The operation will involve total of five ships and four aircraft.
  • The operation started after India got permission to dock its
    offshore patrol vessel INS Sumitra at the Aden harbor of Yemen. In the
    evacuation exercise, 350 Indian nationals were evacuated from Aden to Djibouti
    by INS Sumitra. The nationals will be flown to India in two Air Force C-17
    Globemasters.
  • The 350 evacuated people belong to different states of India
    and they are Kerala (206), Tamil Nadu (40), Maharashtra (31), West Bengal (23),
    Delhi (22), Karnataka (15), and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana (13).
  • The complete rescue operation was overseen by Minister of
    State for External Affairs General (retd.) VK Singh.

Indian-Origin Nurse
Dr Subhadra Devi Rai in Singapore to Be Given Achievement Award

  • An Indian-origin nurse here will receive an international
    achievement award for her work in the healthcare sector of women and refugees,
    becoming the first Singaporean to get the prestigious biennial prize.
  • Dr Subadhra Devi Rai, a nurse and a senior lecturer at the
    School of Health Sciences (Nursing) at Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore, will
    be bestowed by this year’s International Achievement Award by the Florence
    Nightingale International Foundation.
  • Rai was selected as the recipient of the award for her
    outstanding work in the health of women and refugees.
  • The International Achievement Award will be presented to Rai
    at a conference in Seoul on June 21.
  • FNIF is the International Council of Nurses (ICN) premier
    foundation. Its purpose is to support the advancement of nursing education,
    research and services.
  • The award recognises Rai’s work in the health of women and
    refugees, and is the first time a Singaporean will be awarded the biennial
    award since its introduction in 1999.

International Court
Welcomes Palestinians As 123rd Member
  • The Palestinian Authority has become a member of the
    International Criminal Court and is marking the momentous occasion with a
    low-key ceremony at the court’s headquarters.
  • Palestinians signed the court’s founding treaty in January
    and it came into force today, an event welcomed by activists who see it as an
    opportunity to bring accountability to years of conflict between Palestinians
    and Israel.
  • Israel is not a member of the ICC, but the country’s
    military and civilian leaders could now face charges if they are believed to
    have committed crimes on Palestinian territory.
  • The court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, opened a
    preliminary investigation in mid-January after the Palestinians formally
    accepted the court’s jurisdiction dating back to just before last year’s Gaza
    conflict.

Sports –
Mustafa Kamal
resigned from the post of President of International Cricket Council

  • Mustafa Kamal on 1 April 2015 stepped down as the President
    of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He sent out the resignation letter
    to the ICC.
  • The Bangladeshi cricket administrator had succeeded Alan
    Isaac as the 11th President of the ICC in June 2014 for a period of two years.
  • He has been associated with cricket for 30 years and served
    cricket in different capacities. In 2012, he was named as the Vice-President of
    the ICC for the term 2012-2014.
  • Prior to this, he was the Chairman of Audit Committee of ICC
    and also served as the President of Bangladesh Cricket Board.
  • He served as the President of Asian Cricket Council from
    2010 to 2012 and served as the Chairman of the Cricket Committee of Abahani
    Limited from 1990 to 2010.

Kyle Mills of New
Zealand retired from all forms of International Cricket
  • Kyle Mills of New Zealand on 31 March 2015 retired from all
    forms of International Cricket. His decision to retire gives an end to his
    14-year international career in Cricket.
  • The 36-year-old Mills was a member of New Zealand’s 15-man
    World Cup Squad but didn’t play in any of its nine matches.
  • He played his ODI debut match on 15 April 2001 at Sharjah
    against Pakistan, while his Test debut was against England at Nottingham on 10
    June 2004.

Books & Authors –
Vice President
released a book titled Aatank Ke Saaye Men written by Garima Sanjay

  • Vice President of India Hamid Ansari on 31 March 2015
    released a book titled Aatank Ke Saaye Men written by Garima Sanjay. She is a
    professional author & documentary filmmaker by profession.
  • The book mainly dwells upon the menace of the burning problem
    of terrorism in most of the countries worldwide and highlights that with the
    problem of terrorism, not only that individual who is affected but his family,
    social circle and the society at large get affected. It says that how terrorism
    has hampered the path of growth in these countries.
  • The book also speaks against the social evils like anti girl
    child attitude and dowry.

Obituaries –
World’s oldest person,
Misao Okawa, dies at age 117

  • Misao Okawa, a Japanese woman recognised as the world’s
    oldest person who credited her longevity to “eating delicious things”
    and getting plenty of rest, died at the age of 117 on Wednesday, Japanese media
    reported.
  • Okawa, the daughter of a cloth merchant in the western city
    of Osaka, was born in 1898 – the year that the United States annexed the
    Hawaiian islands and a new drink named Pepsi-Cola was launched. She shared her
    birth date with Chinese revolutionary leader Zhou Enlai.
  • Well enough to enjoy cake at a birthday party on March 5,
    Okawa gradually lost her appetite and died early on Wednesday surrounded by her
    grandchildren, Japanese media said.
  • She was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as
    the world’s oldest person in June 2013 when Jiroemon Kimura, also from Japan,
    died at the age of 116 years and 54 days.
  • The world’s oldest person is now Gertrude Weaver of the
    United States, who will turn 117 on July 4.

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