Daily Current Affairs Updates–31st January 2017

Daily Current Affairs Updates–31st January 2017:

Daily Current affairs News Updates about the National and International events were listed here. Candidates those who are preparing for IBPS/SBI/PO/Clerk exam and all other competitive exams can use this.

Attendance of Delhi university student to be tracked through app :

Delhi University is planning to launch a mobile application next month to track the attendance of students, according to reports. Teachers will be able to update the attendance on a regular basis and inform students about low attendance in advance. This will be a centralised app for all departments and faculty members of the Delhi University-affiliated colleges.

Union Territory : Delhi

Chief Minister : Arvind Kejriwal

Lt. Governor : Anil Baijal

New software to be used by Delhi police to predict crime hotspots :

The Delhi Police is using a new software, which accesses real-time data from its helpline and helps identify crime hotspots. Police can then deploy enough policemen at these places. "In a mega city, we believe a lot of crimes are predictable and can be curbed," said an official. The software will replace manual data gathering, which happens every 15 days.

Union Territory : Delhi

Chief Minister : Arvind Kejriwal

Lt. Governor : Anil Baijal

To keep children off tobacco usage , Haryana govt issues challans :

The Haryana government has taken the challan route to deter children from smoking or using other tobacco products. While the national average age of children at which they start using tobacco is 14, the average in Haryana is 10-12 years, said an official. The state government issued 2,302 challans in Gurugram in last eight months for violating the Tobacco Act.

State : Haryana

Capital : Chandigarh

Chief minister : Manohar Lal Khattar

Governor : Kaptan Singh Solanki

Madhya Pradesh signs MoU with MakeMyTrip to promote homestays :

The Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation has inked an MoU with online travel portal MakeMyTrip to promote its homestay scheme. The MP homestay scheme is for owners of apartments and bungalows who can provide accommodation and meals to local and international tourists. A Public Relations Department official said, "82 people have registered themselves under the homestay scheme."

State : Madhya Pradesh

Capital : Bhopal

Chief minister : Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Governor : Om Prakash Kohli

Economic Survey projects GDP to grow at 6.75 to 7.5% during next financial year

The Government expects the real Gross Domestic Products, GDP to be in 6 (point) 75 percent to 7 (point) 5 per cent during fiscal year 2018. The Economic Survey which was tabled in Parliament by Finance minister Arun Jaitley on the first day of Budget Session, also said, India would remain fastest growing major economy in the world.

The survey pegs GDP growth rate at constant market prices for the current year 2016-17 is placed at 7.1 per cent. It also said, Agriculture sector to grow at 4.1 per cent in the current year which is up from 1.2 per cent in 2015-16.

NDRF greeted by PM Narendra Modi on its 12th Raising Day :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team on their 12th Raising Day celebrations. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, NDRF's efforts in disaster response, rescue and relief are commendable. He said, NDRF is rightly focussing on strengthening systems, processes and capacity building, which help in minimizing loss of life or property.

Centre clarifies Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has no provision for individual cash transfer component

Centre has clarified that Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has no provision for individual cash transfer component. Women and Child Development Ministry clarification came following reports that certain unauthorised sites, organisations, NGOs and individuals are distributing forms in the name of cash incentive under the scheme.

The Ministry reiterated that distribution of such forms is completely illegal and there is no cash incentive associated in any form with the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme.

INTERNATIONAL:

Word 'Islamic' is removed from country's name by New Gambia Prez :

The Gambia's new President, Adama Barrow, has removed 'Islamic' from the official name of the country pledging more reforms in the West African nation, according to reports. The word 'Islamic' was added by former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in 2015, making it the Islamic Republic of The Gambia. Notably, Muslims constitute 90% of the total Gambian population.

Country : Gambia

Capital : Banjul

President: Adama Barrow

Currency: Gambian dalasi

Bill on H-1B Visa reform got introduced in US House of Representatives

A legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives which, among other things, calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to 130,000 dollars. The current H-1B minimum wage is 60,000 dollars. This will make it more difficult for firms to use the program to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India.

Country : United States of America (USA)

Capital : Washington, D.C.

President: Donald Trump

Currency: United States Dollar

Invitation by India for South Asian Speakers' Summit declined by Pakistan :

Pakistan has reportedly declined an invitation by the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union to attend South Asian Speakers' Summit to be held in Indore next month. The summit will be attended by Speakers of Parliament from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka among other countries. Notably, India had boycotted a Commonwealth Parliamentary Union meeting in Islamabad in 2015.

BANKING NEWS:

Cash withdrawal limits from ATMs to be withdrawn from February 1 : RBI

The Reserve Bank of India on Monday announced that limits placed on daily cash withdrawals from ATMs stand withdrawn from February 1, 2017. Further, RBI has also lifted all curbs on branch withdrawals from current account, cash credit, and overdraft accounts with immediate effect. However, withdrawal limit of Rs.24,000 a week for savings accounts will continue for now.

Organisation: Reserve Bank of India

Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra

Governor : Urjit Patel

Pilot services starts by India Post Payments Bank with interest rate up to 5.5% :

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) today kicked off its operations by rolling out pilot services in Raipur and Ranchi.

The bank will offer an interest rate based on the quarterly average balance of 4.5 per cent on deposits up to Rs 25,000; 5 per cent on deposits of Rs 25,000-50,000 and 5.5 per cent on Rs 50,000-1,00,000, its Chief Executive Officer A P Singh said. The paid up equity of the new bank is Rs 800 crore, of which the government has already infused Rs 275 crore, he added.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY NEWS:

Shares of Idea Cellular raised by 29% in a day on Vodafone merger talks :

Shares of Idea Cellular jumped a record 29% in intraday trade on Monday after Vodafone confirmed its merger discussion with the country’s third largest telecom operator. This is the highest intraday gain Idea has seen since listing. Notably, the merger of the two companies would create India's largest mobile service provider, taking over the current leader Airtel.

APPOINTMENTS:

SC appoints new members for administrating BCCI :

Supreme Court-appointed four-member BCCI administration panel features an investment banker, a historian, an auditor and a former women's cricketer. While ex-Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai heads the panel, Wharton School alumnus and current IDFC Bank CEO Vikram Limaye is in the committee. Historian Ramachandra Guha and former cricketer Diana Edulji are also on the panel.

Organisation : Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)

Headquarters : Maharashtra, India

President : Vinod Rai, Ramachandra Guha, Vikaram Limaye and Diana Edulji

Chief Executive : Rahul Johri

Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat appointed as a new chairperson of AU Commission :

Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat has been elected as the new chairperson of the African Union Commission, in a vote held at the bloc's headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa yesterday. After seven rounds of voting, the Chadian Foreign Affairs Minister defeated favourites Amina Mohamed of Kenya and Senegal's Abdoulaye Bathily. Heads of State from the 54-member countries cast their vote in a private ballot.

SPORTS NEWS:

Abul Hossain of Siliguri won Kolkata Marathon :

Siliguri lad Abul Hossain won the Kolkata Marathon on Sunday with a timing of two hours, 34 minutes and two seconds. Kolkata lad Biswanath Pal was second, as he finished five minutes behind. Paritosh Roy came third with a timing of two hours, 52 minutes 48 seconds.

Sikkim's Mangali Tamang won the women's half marathon with a timing of one hour 31 minutes and 13 seconds. Meghalaya's Kyntimon Marwein finished second with a timing of One hour, 33 minutes, 04 seconds.

State : West Bengal

Capital : Kolkata

Chief minister : Mamata Banerjee

Governor : Keshari Nath Tripathi