Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 02 September 2016

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 02 September 2016

:: National ::

Unions across India go on strike

  • All trade unions, except Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), have joined hands to make the national bandh on Friday a success.

  • Condemning the government for “making a mockery” of their main demand of minimum wages, the union leaders have pledged to take up a sustained agitation till the demands are met.

  • The union leaders have been addressing gate-meetings at major industrial units since the last couple of days to create awareness among the workers on their demands.

  • The government has agreed for Rs. 9,100 per month, which is not acceptable. The minimum wage per day now is Rs. 307, and the government has increased it by Rs. 43 to make it Rs. 350.

Reliance Jio comes up with free voice calls and free roaming

  • Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani threw down the gauntlet to rival telecom operators by announcing lifetime free voice calls and free roaming, and data plans priced at an average of Rs.50 per GB.

  • RIL customers will also enjoy free data till the end of 2016. “The era of paying for voice calls is ending,” Mr. Ambani said at the company’s annual general meeting.

  • His statements were interrupted by repeated rounds of applause from the shareholders.

  • As part of the introductory offer, users will have access to unlimited LTE data and national voice, video and messaging services free of cost up to December 31.

India’s space capacity of 34 working satellites is not sufficient (Register and Login to read Full News..)

Odisha became the 16th State to ratify the constitutional amendment for GST (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: International ::

The Australian court asks newspaper to provide leaked data to shipbuilder DCNS

  • An Australian court confirmed its preliminary decision made earlier this week asking The Australian newspaper to provide all leaked data of Scorpene to the French shipbuilder DCNS and to stop publishing any more details.

  • The paper, which has already withdrawn information published on its website after the first decision of the court, will provide the DCNS with the documents in its possession and is prohibited from publishing any additional document.

  • Underlining that confidentiality of information and communication was a matter of utmost importance, the DCNS said, “It welcomes this decision of the court.”

  • In parallel to this action, the DCNS filed a complaint against unknown persons for breach of trust, receiving the proceeds of an offence and aiding and abetting before the Paris Public Prosecutor, it added.

  • Over 22,000 pages of top secret data on the capabilities of six highly advanced submarines being built for the Indian Navy in Mumbai, in collaboration with the French company, have been leaked.

Excluding the youth from reconciliation processes is most serious injustices (Register and Login to read Full News..)

:: India and World ::

Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Southeast Asia and China

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Southeast Asia and China to participate in a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings.

  • The eastern outreach is important in view of the July 12 declaration of the Permanent Court of Arbitration challenging China’s territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea region, the heart of Southeast Asia.

  • The outreach will begin on September 2 with Mr. Modi leaving for Vietnam before proceeding to Hangzhou in China for the G-20 summit.

  • The trip to Vietnam will highlight growing strategic convergence between the two sides, which includes the possibility of India transferring BrahMos missiles to Vietnam.

  • Parallel to security and strategic partnership, India and Vietnam are cultural partners and the bilateral agenda will include archaeological support to Vietnam to safeguard the Cham temples of the country.

  • Vietnam is a significant partner of India as it is the country-coordinator of India in ASEAN. The Prime Ministerial delegation will then move to Hangzhou in China which is the venue of the 2016 G 20 summit.

  • The delegation for G 20 will include Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and the Indian sherpa for G20, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya.

  • The Obama-Modi dialogue will be the first since both sides signed the landmark Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement.

  • Mr. Modi will return to the region on September 7 to attend the 14th India-ASEAN summit and the 11th East Asian Summit which will be held in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

:: Business and Economy ::

Chief Economic Advisor says India will grow between 8-10%

  • Despite registering the slowest growth rate in the last six quarters in April-June period, India has the potential to sustain 8 to 10 per cent growth rate during the next two to three years, said Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor.

  • If we continue to do all the things the government is doing and if world economy picks up a little bit as it did in 2000, then the growth rate would even clock double-digit in next two to three years.

  • “Where would this growth come from? China has been growing at 10.5 per cent for last 25 years. India, since mid-1970 or 1980, has been growing at 6 per cent, which is not bad.

  • Till 1980, we were growing at 3 per cent which is called Hindu rate of growth. After that we have grown at significantly higher rate. But, it is well below the growth rate of China.

  • According to the renowned economist, in the long run, the country’s economic development will depend its political stability.

  • For India, on the other hand, the process of normalisation is going to involve much faster growth because we are underperforming.

  • Dr. Subramanian batted for one price for one product in the market and expanding the scope of the direct benefit transfer model for achieving faster growth.

Indian manufacturing activity rose to a 13-month-high (Register and Login to read Full News..)

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Sources: Various News Papers & PIB