1. 67th death anniversary of the Mahatma observed today
i. Nation observes the death anniversary of the Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi as Martyrs’ Day on Friday.
ii. Mahatma
Gandhi, considered as the pillar of India’s freedom struggle movement, was
assassinated on the 30 of January 1948.
iii. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi along with Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari pay
tribute to the Mahatma on his death anniversary.
2. GDP adjust to 6.9 % with change in base year
i. A change in base year for computing national
accounts pushed up the economic growth rate for 2013-14 to 6.9 per cent.
ii. Earlier the
government estimate growth rate was 4.7 percent on the basis of old series.
iii. Releasing
the data Secretary of Statistics and programme implementation T.C.A. Anant said
that the economic growth rate for 2012-13 has been revised upwards to 5.1 per
cent, compared with 4.5 per cent estimated earlier. iv. These changes follow a revision in the base for calculating
national accounts to 2011-12 from 2004-05.
v. The new
measurement of gross domestic product, GDP includes under-represented and
informal economic sectors as well as items such as smart phones and LED
television sets.
3. RBI constitutes R. Gandhi Panel on urban cooperative banks
i. RBI has constituted a High Powered Committee
under the Chairmanship of Deputy Governor R Gandhi to re-examine and recommend
appropriate set of businesses, size, conversion and licensing terms for the
Urban Cooperative Banking Sector.
ii. The committee will examine the
line of businesses that UCBs may be permitted to undertake and their benchmark
in terms of size of business, capital requirement, regulatory regime etc.
iii. The eight
member Committee consisting of experienced bankers will submit its report
within three months from the date of its first meeting and will also suggest the
criteria for allowing voluntary conversion by a UCB.
4. India’s FDI improved by 26 per cent in 2014: UN
i. India’s FDI increased by 26 per cent in 2014
to an estimated 35 billion US dollar with maximum growth in the services
sector, despite the decline in global Foreign Direct Investment inflows.
ii. This was
revealed in the latest ‘Global Investment Trade Monitor’ report released by
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) yesterday.
iii. Maximum growth was noticed in
services sector especially in electricity, gas, water, waste management and
information and communication, the report said.
‘iv. This
figure is one of the highest in recent years, though in 2008 FDI peaked in India
with 47 billion dollars followed by 35.6 billion dollar in 2009.
Note: i.
China toppled the US in 2014 as the world’s largest recipient of the FDI — a
position that the US had been holding almost consistently since the 1980’s —
though with a modest increase of 3 per cent.
ii. The top
five FDI hosts in 2014 were China, Hong Kong,
United States, Singapore and Brazil.
5. Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress
i. Former Union
Environment Minister and Congress leader Jayanthi Natarajan announced to quit from
the congress party.
ii. Jayanthi natarajan hold a
press conference in Chennai and said that there is no internal democracy now in
the Congress party. She also resigen from the trusty member of Tamil Nadu
Congress Party.
iii. “I
have no plans to join any other political party after such bitter
experiences,” Natarajan says.
iv. A
letter said to have been written by her to Congress President Sonia Gandhi last
November, has been published on Friday by The Hindu newspaper.
v. Jayanti
Natarajan says she has become a victim of false and motivated media campaign by
some Congress leaders.
6. England
defeated India, enters into the final of ODI Tri-series
i. England defeated India by three wickets to reach the
final of the tri-series.
ii. After bowling out India for 200 runs, James Taylor (82)
and Jos Buttler (67) forged a 125-run stand as England reached 201 runs for the
loss of seven wickets with 19 balls to spare.
iii. India did not win a single match in the series.
iv. England
will face Australia in the final.
Brief scores: India 200 all out
in 48.1 overs (A Rahane 73, S Finn 3-36, M Ali 2-35)
England 201/7 in
46.5 overs (J Taylor 82, J Buttler 67, S Binny 3-33)
7. Ban on Pakistan’s
fast bowler Mohammad Amir imposed by ICC
i. International Cricket Council (ICC) lifted the
five-year ban imposed on Pakistan’s fast bowler Mohammad Amir.
ii. Now Amir can play in domestic cricket under the
Pakistan Cricket Board with immediate effect.
iii. This
decision to lift the five-year ban, which was due to end on 2 September 2015,
was taken during two-day board meeting of ICC in Dubai.
Background
i. Mohammad Amir was jailed and banned for a spot fixing
scam that he committed during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010.
ii. He was jailed and banned along with Mohammad Asif and
the then Captain of Pakistan Salman Butt.