Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 06 April 2016

Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 06 April 2016

:: NATIONAL ::

Bihar prohibited sale and consumption of liquor

• The Nitish Kumar government declared Bihar a dry State while imposing total prohibition on the sale and consumption of liquor, both country-made and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, with immediate effect.

• Earlier, following an excise amendment law, the ban on country-made liquor had become effective across the State. The government will stick to the 1991 guidelines on the sale and consumption of toddy.

• No new liquor licences will be issued to for sale and consumption of alcohol in places like hotels, bars and clubs, in towns and cities too. However,Army cantonment areas would be exempt as they regulate sale and consumption of alcohol in their own way.

Environment Ministry made it necessary to treat and recycle solid waste

• The Environment Ministry has notified rules making it incumbent on a wide range of groups — hotels, bulk producers of consumer goods, ports, railway stations etc. to ensure that the solid waste generated in their facilities are treated and recycled.

• Though the onus on garbage management would continue to be the responsibility of municipal bodies, they would be allowed to charge user fees and levy spot fines for littering and non-segregation.

• Though these rules would take effect from April 6, there would be a “transition period” of two to five years, beyond which fines would be imposed.

• Over the past month, the Central Environment Ministry has notified a bunch of rules spanning the recycling and treatment of a variety of refuse, including biomedical, plastic and electronic waste among others.

• The rules on solid waste management have been amended after 16 years and a key provision is to formalise the profession of rag-picking.

• Nearly 62 million tonnes of waste are generated annually in India, of which only 11.9 million are treated and nearly half — 31 million — is dumped in landfill sites.

• According to the Central Pollution Control Board, municipal authorities, as of 2013-14, have so far set up only 553 compost and vermin-compost plants, 56 bio-methanation plants, 22 refuse derived fuel plants and 12 waste-to-energy plants.

• By 2031, municipal solid waste is expected to increase to 165 million tonnes and, if untreated, would require 1240 hectares of land.

• According to the new rules, local bodies with a population of one lakh or more were required to set up solid waste processing facilities within two years, census towns below a lakh would be given three years and old and abandoned dump sites would have to be closed or bio-remedied within five years.

J-e-M chief has been on Indian security radar for 25 years now (Register and Login to read Full News..)   

:: International ::

US says it understands concerns of close parter like India

• The U.S. understood India’s security concerns, and would be “concerned about and attuned to the national security concerns that are expressed by close partners…like India”, the White House said.

• The White House statement came soon after India interpreted President Barack Obama’s call for reduction of nuclear stockpiles in South Asia as a possible “lack of understanding of India’s defence posture”.

• White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said “We continue to make the case to our partners both in India and Pakistan that de-escalating the tension between these two countries is a priority”.

• He expressed hope that the recent improvements in relations between the two countries “greatly enhance prospects for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region”.

• At the Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did raise the possibility of nuclear weapons reaching the hands of non-state actors who might collude with state actors, but did not name Pakistan.

• The U.S. said that it is committed to developing the U.S.-India relationship into one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.

PM of Iceland resigns due to panama papers

• Iceland’s Prime Minister resigned, becoming the first political victim of a mushrooming worldwide scandal over hidden offshore financial dealings exposed in the so-called Panama Papers.

• Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was the biggest casualty of a worldwide media probe into 11.5 million leaked documents that purportedly reveal the offshore financial activities of 140 political figures, including 12 current or former heads of state.

• Though the Prime Minister denied ever hiding money abroad, pressure on his government had mounted, with egg-throwing protesters gathering in the streets Monday and fresh demonstrations planned.

• President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who cut short a U.S. visit to return to Reykjavik earlier to deal with the crisis, told a televised press conference he wanted to consult the government’s junior coalition member.

Amnesty International Death Penalty Report shows increase in death penalty (Register and Login to read Full News..)  

Islamic State threatened to carry out terror attacks in London, Berlin and Rome (Register and Login to read Full News..)  

:: Business and Economy ::

Central Bank cuts repo rate by 25 bps

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.5 per cent, as widely expected, with Governor Raghuram Rajan assuring that the monetary stance will remain “accommodative.”

• Bankers said the comment signals that the central bank is leaving the door open for further reductions.

• The rate cut could help lower the cost of loans for consumers, including automobile and home buyers.

• The RBI said easing price pressures had been a key factor in determining the policy stance.

• RBI also cited “government’s effective supply side measures keeping a check on food prices, and the government’s commendable commitment to fiscal consolidation.”

• Retail inflation slowed to 5.18 per cent in February after accelerating for six consecutive months.

• The repo rate, which is at its lowest in five years, will help banks reduce borrowing costs, helping boost economic growth.

• The latest rate cut should be seen in the backdrop of banks reducing lending rates by 25 to 50 bps since adopting a new loan pricing mechanism — the marginal cost of funds based lending rate — in the first week of April, according to the RBI Governor.

• The RBI also announced measures to ease liquidity in the banking system.

• The daily requirement for maintaining cash reserve ratio has been reduced to 90 per cent from 95 per cent from April 16, the marginal standing facility rate (the penal rate at which banks borrow from the RBI) was cut by 75 basis points and the reverse repo rate (the rate banks earn when they park money with the RBI) raised by 25 bps.

Stand-up India campaign to provide entrepreneurship to SC,ST and women unveiled

• PM unveiled the ‘Stand-up India’ scheme to promote entrepreneurship among women, scheduled castes and tribes by enabling them secure easier loans and said this could be an engine of job creation for the youth.

• “Dalits and poor people, if given an opportunity, can bring in various reforms in the country. That’s my vision for Stand-up India…This scheme is going to transform the lives of Dalit and tribal communities,” Mr. Modi said

• Under the scheme, SC/ST and women entrepreneurs will be provided loans of between Rs.10 lakh and Rs.1 crore for setting up new enterprises.

• Mr. Modi said this will help in creating 2.5 lakh entrepreneurs throughout the country as every bank branch will be required to provide two such loans – to a Dalit or SC/ST person and a woman.

• The Prime Minister said the scheme, which was announced during his Independence Day speech last year, is being unveiled on April 5 to mark the birth anniversary of Congress Dalit Leader Babu Jagjivan Ram.

• Babu Jagjivan Ram did a lot to usher in the green revolution. During the 1971 war, which we won, he was the defence minister.

• The prime minister said the scheme aims to empower every Indian and enable them to stand on their feet. It seeks to convert “job-seekers into job-creators.”

• Mr. Modi also distributed 5,100 e-rickshaws under the scheme and 151 women were among those whoreceived the vehicles.

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:: SPORTS ::

SC raps BCCI for not implementing Lodha committee report

• Noting that the BCCI has done nothing to fulfil its mandate to develop cricket on an equal basis across the country, the Supreme Court said cricket bosses have transformed the Board into a “mutual benefit society,” which allocates “huge” amounts to members without bothering to ask how they spend it.

• A Special Bench of Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur and Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla asked whether the ‘no-questions-asked’ policy of the BCCI was a ploy to influence voting patterns.

• The Bench was hearing objections raised by the BCCI to several recommendations made by the Supreme Court-appointed committee, led by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, to overhaul and bring transparency into Indian cricket administration.

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Sources: Various News Papers & PIB

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