CURRENT AFFAIRS : 7th MARCH 2014 --------------- --------------- --------------- 1. RBI to issue new banking licences soon: RBI Governor i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects to hand out new bank licences in a few weeks from now, its Governor Raghuram Rajan has said. ii. As many as 25 applicants are in the fray for new banking licences, which are now being awarded after a span of a decade. iii. Playing it safe, the central bank will formally seek Election Commission’s approval for awarding new bank licences, given that the model code of electoral conduct has come into effect. iv. While many have held the view that awardinga banking licences will not be violative of the model code of electoral conduct, Rajan said it would be best that this process is approved by the Election Commission. 2. Winter Paralympics begins in Sochi today i. Russia will welcome the sporting world back to Sochi this evening for the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony. ii. Less than a fortnight after the Winter Olympics ended, 575 athletes from 45 countries will compete for 72 gold medals in five sports over 10 days. iii. This is the largest number of athletes and countries to take part in the event since it was first held in 1976. iv. The Games, opened by Russian president Vladimir Putin, will begin amid an escalating political crisis in Ukraine. v. A number of the worlds politicians have said they will snub the showpiece event following Russian intervention in Crimea, situated just 300 miles from Sochi. vi. Ukraine, one of the most successful Paralympic nations, is also contemplating a boycott of the event. vii. The president of the Ukrainian Paralympic Committee made an emotional plea for peace on the eve of the opening ceremony as he explained how concerned his 23 athletes were about the situation back home. Ukraine will make a decision on participation before the opening ceremony . 3. Crimea Voted to become a part of the Russian Federation i. Authorities in Crimea voted to accelerate secession from Ukraine and unanimously backed a law that declared the territory to be part of the Russian Federation on 6 March 2014. ii. The cabinet had decided to take the decision by referendum in 10 days. MPs of Crimea had voted by 78 votes to nil for the territory to leave Ukraine iii. A referendum on more autonomy for the region due on 30 March 2014 was brought forward to 16 March 2014. Now the residents had the option to unify the Black Sea peninsula with Russia. iv. After the law was initiated, the Crimean government asserted that all Ukrainian troops on the territory of Crimea should either leave or be treated as occupiers. Crimea is planning to introduce the rouble and readopt Russian state symbols. v. Russia has welcomed the decision of the Crimean Government and Russian Parliament DUMA had begun work on a bill that would make it easier for Russia to join new territories. About Crimea i. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea is an autonomous parliamentary republic within Ukraine and is governed by the Constitution of Crimea in accordance with the laws of Ukraine. ii. The capital is the city of Simferopol, located in the center of the peninsula. Crimeas area is 26,200 square kilometers. 4. NDMC launched Stri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana i. North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) launched a new health scheme Stri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna for women on 6 March 2014. The Scheme aims to bring services closer for those living in rural areas and unauthorized colonies. ii. Under the scheme, health camps and mass awareness drives will be held in various areas of north Delhi. The medical services will be provided through various nodal centres, hospitals and mobile dispensaries marked for the programme. iii. The scheme was launched due to many women suffering from various health ailments either out of poverty or for the lack of medical assistance. iv. Under the scheme, these women will be examined at the camps and health centres. During the health camps, screenings will be done for different kinds of cancers, anaemia and malnutrition among others. 5. Jagdambika Pal quits LS, Congress i. Amid speculation that he was warming up to BJP, senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Jagdambika Pal on Friday resigned from Lok Sabha as well as from the party. ii. 65-year-old Pal, an MP from Dumariyaganj, said, I met Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today and tendered my resignation. I have resigned from my Lok Sabha seat as well as from the party. iii. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, he said that he felt that the emerging leadership of Congress perhaps does not require senior leaders like me. iv. Their suggestions are not being heard and they are not being given respect. Senior leaders are not being able to communicate with the emerging leadership. 6. Mathura gets worlds tallest Krishna temple i. The foundation stone of a 212-meter (700-foot) high Krishna temple, reputedly the worlds tallest, will be laid in Vrindavan in March 16. ii. Called Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, the temple complex will be spread over 5.5 acres along the Chatikara road which connects Vrindavan with the Delhi-Agra national highway. iii. Vrindavan is also connected with the Yamuna Expressway. The temple structure, with 79 storeys, will be three times taller than Qutub Minar in Delhi. iv. Along with statues of Krishn-Radha, there will be statues on separate floors of Chaitnya Mahaprabhu and Sri Prabhupad, founder of the ISKCON movement. v. The concept and design of the temple has been prepared by the Bangalore branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. vi. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will dedicate the temple coinciding with Holi festival. 7. Former Foreign Secretary Mehta dead i. Former Foreign Secretary Jagat Singh Mehta died in Udaipur following age-related ailments. ii. 92-year-old Mehta was ailing for sometime and passed away at his residence yesterday. iii. He served as foreign secretary between 1976 and 1979. iv. Born in 1922 to Mohan Singh Mehta, a member of the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947, Mehta was educated at Allahabad and Cambridge Universities. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2002. v. Mehta was Charge daffaires China (1963?1966) and High Commissioner to Tanzania (1970?1974). He was Associate at Harvard (1969 and 1980) and Fellow at Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington in 1981. 8. Tamil Nadu and Railways won Federation Cup 2014 i. Tamil Nadu (TN) men and Railways women won the XXVII (twenty seventh) Federation Cup Volleyball titles on 5 March 2014 in the finals at Kizhakkambalam, Ernakulam in Kerala. ii. Tamil Nadu men defeated services and the Railways women defeated Kerala in the finals. The cup was held from 26 February to 5 March 2014. iii. Tamil Nadu defeated services in straight sets 25-21, 25-19, 25-19 iv. Women Railways defeated Kerala women by 25-21, 25-18, 25-16
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 02:38:35 +0000
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