Current Affairs January 21, 2015: ====================================================== Kotak Mahindra launches social savings bank account ====================================================== Kotak Mahindra Bank on 20th January launched Jifi Saver, a social savings bank account which can be seamlessly managed via Twitter and Facebook,in this region. Developed for todays tech savvy and socially connected consumers with an active digital life, Jifi saver will take care of their needs such as online shopping, on-the-go transactions and financial planning. This will also offer all benefits and functionalities of a regular savings bank account and it enables the customers to earn savings interest rate of six percent per annum on balance of above Rs 1 lakh and five per cent on balance up to Rs 1 lakh. ====================================================== Jan Dhan covers 99.7% households, makes Guinness Book of World Record: ====================================================== Banks, primarily the public sector players, have opened 11.5 crore accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), covering 99.74% households and paving the way for transfer of over Rs 65,000 crore of subsidies and other transfers directly into these accounts. Among the 21.05 crore households surveyed, 20.99 crore have access to bank accounts. Of the accounts opened under Jan Dhan, 51% were held by women, while over 59% were in rural areas. Barring Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Odisha, all other states have reported 100% coverage for households, the government said. Although, a little over Rs 9,100 crore has so far been deposited in 28% of the accounts, the government is hopeful of scaling up that number in the coming months as the benefits, such as cooking gas subsidy, are transferred directly. Guinness Book of World Records has recognized the achievements made under PMJDY. Most bank accounts opened in one week as part of the Financial Inclusion Campaign is 18,096,130 and was achieved by the Department of Financial Services, Government of India from August 23 to 29, 2014. ====================================================== Quick Digest: ====================================================== ***The slogan for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan mission is Mera Khata – Bhagya Vidhaata. *** Who: Prime Minister Narendra Modi ***What: launched Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana ***When: 28 August 2014 ====================================================== The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Alibaba to provide global platform to Indian SMEs ====================================================== The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Alibaba have signed an agreement for building greater engagement of India-China small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Alibaba, headed by Jack Ma, is the leading platform for global wholesale trade serving millions of buyers and suppliers around the world. Through Alibaba, small businesses can sell their products to companies in other countries. Alibaba and CII will collaborate and develop various trade opportunities and online promotions to facilitate greater economic engagement between Indian and Chinese SMEs. The CII and Alibaba will also work jointly towards providing SME trainings, promoting Industry clusters for SMEs in some key business sectors. Alibaba will also work with CII to run their e-certificates programmes in India. ====================================================== Do You Know: ====================================================== ***Founder of Alibaba is Jack Ma. *** Alibaba is a leading platform for global wholesale trade serving millions of buyers and suppliers around the world. ====================================================== Ravindra Jadeja sues Rajkot newspaper Aabtak for defamation ====================================================== Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja on 20th January filed a defamation suit against the editor of a Rajkot-based evening newspaper for defamation, seeking damages of Rs 51 crore. According to the suit, the paper had on November 20, 2014 published a report alleging that Jadeja and his business partner Jenesih Ajmera had links with Bali Dangar who is facing charges of land grabbing and extortion. ====================================================== Do You Know: ====================================================== ***Jadeja owns a restaurant, Jaddus Food Field. ====================================================== Mann Ki Baat with Modi-Obama ====================================================== During his visit to Washington DC in September, Narendra Modi penned a joint op-ed along with Barack Obama in the Washington Post, the first time either leader had done it. India wants to keep this exclusive club going. Ahead of Obamas visit here this weekend, efforts are on to see whether the two leaders can do a joint radio address .In the US, the President does a weekly radio address anyway. Since taking charge as PM, Modi has adopted the radio as a means of communicating to the masses through his Mann Ki Baat programme. ====================================================== Do You Know: ====================================================== *** Chalein Saath Saath (Forward Together We Go), a joint op-ed penned by Modi-Obama. ====================================================== India tops malnutrition chart in south Asia ====================================================== According to UNICEF, every year 1 million children under five die due to malnutrition related causes in India. The statistics are alarming, and far above the emergency threshold for acute malnutrition (as per WHO classification of the severity of malnutrition). ACF India and Fight Hunger Foundation on 20th January announced the launch of the Generational Nutrition Program. Speaking about the program ACF India deputy country director Rajiv Tandon said that there was an urgent need to recognize severe acute malnutrition as a medical emergency. He also stressed on the need for policies to tackle malnutrition and adequate budgets for implementation. The ACF report says that the number of children affected in India is higher than all the south Asian countries with high burden of wasting or acute malnutrition. ====================================================== Aviation secretary V Somasundaran has directed Air India to immediately hire 800 cabin crew members ====================================================== Aviation secretary V Somasundaran has directed Air India to immediately hire 800 cabin crew members. The directive comes as AI has been facing serious flight delays caused, among other reasons, by a crippling cabin crew shortage. Not just fine, evading tax could soon invite jail term Tax evasion could soon become a prosecutable offence inviting jail term for offenders as the Supreme Court appointed special investigation team (SIT) on black money has suggested this to the government and sought a decision by March 31. ====================================================== Toyota tops in global vehicle sales, beats VW, GM ====================================================== Toyota Motor stayed at the top in global vehicle sales in 2014, selling 10.23 million vehicles, beating Volkswagen and General Motors. Volkswagen AG of Germany sold 10.14 million vehicles in 2014 while the Detroit-based General Motors was third at 9.92 million vehicles, a company record. ====================================================== Do You Know: ====================================================== *** GM (General Motors) had been the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades until being surpassed by Toyota in 2008. ====================================================== Periyar tiger reserve wins NTCA award ====================================================== The Periyar Tiger Reserve, spread over 925 sq.km. in Kerala, bagged the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) biennial award on Tuesday for encouraging local public participation in managing the reserve. ====================================================== Quick Digest: ====================================================== ***Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (PNP) is a protected area in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, India. ***It is notable as an Elephant Reserve and a Tiger Reserve. ***The protected area covers an area of 925 km2 (357 sq mi). 350 km2 (140 sq mi) of the core. ***The zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. *** NTCA = The National Tiger Conservation Authority. ======================================================
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:32:24 +0000
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