Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 6 2019
1. David Malpass named World Bank President
David Malpass, a top US Treasury official in Trump administration, was unanimously selected as the new president of the World Bank .
The World Bank’s 25-member executive board unanimously approved 63-year-old Malpass, who is currently Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs, as the development lender’s 13th President for a five-year term beginning April 9, according to a statement.
Malpass, a loyalist of President Donald Trump, succeeds Jim Yong Kim, who stepped down on February 1 to join an investment firm. Kristalina Georgieva, chief executive officer of the bank, has been acting as the interim president
2. App launched to facilitate elderly voters in Rajouri
Sahulat’, a mobile app aimed to facilitate voting by elders was launched in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. District Election Officer Mohammad Aijaz Asad launched the Android-based application to reach out to the voters who are 90 years old or above, they said.
“The app is designed to aid the old-age voters’ only. It is free of cost and can be downloaded from the Google Play store. There are two versions of the app one for the citizen where they can fill in their requirements and other for the officer concerned who can access and provide data regarding necessary arrangements,” the district poll official said.
3. NPCI slashes UPI usage fees to boost adoption
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has dropped the usage fees for small transactions on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in a bid to expand the system’s adoption within banks and payment service providers (PSPs).
As per the rules, for UPI transactions up to Rs 1,000, the charge has been dropped to 10 paise from 25 paise, said NPCI in a notification to banks and PSPs. For transactions exceeding Rs 1,000, the charge has been retained at 50 paise.
Incentive payments levied by NPCI at the same rate as normal transactions have been placed under brought under a fixed price regime of 10 paise for encouraging such promotions by banks and PSPs.
4. Shahid Afridi’ autobiography ‘Game Changer’ set to hit stands on April 30
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has promised his fans a no-holds-barred account of his life in his upcoming biography “Game Changer”, which will hit the stands on April 30.
The biography written by well-known TV anchor and broadcaster, Wajahat S Khan tracks the career of Afridi and narrates all the scandals and controversies in the all-rounder’s career.
Afridi, 39, remains one of the most popular personalities of Pakistan and world cricket and retired from all cricket in April 2016 after a 20-year international career in which he appeared in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20 Internationals.
5. EC removes Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha
Election Commission has removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha and appointed LV Subrahmanyam in his place.
Election Commission has also removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. the commission has appointed Additional Director General of State Pollution Control Board Dr Rajesh Kumar as the new police commissioner of Kolkata.
6. All India Football Federation President Praful Patel becomes 1st Indian to be elected as member of FIFA Executive Council
All India Football Federation president Praful Patel has become the first Indian to be elected as a member of the FIFA Executive Council. He got 38 out of 46 votes.
Mr Patel was one of the eight candidates vying for the spot in the election which was held during the 29th Asian Football Confederations Congress in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The membership in the council will be for four years, from 2019 to 2023.
7. CCI approves L&T’s proposal to acquire up to 66.15% stake in Mindtree
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T’s) proposal to acquire up to 66.15 per cent stake in Mindtree.
With this nod, L&T has overcome the first major regulatory hurdle in its bid for ‘hostile’ takeover of the Bengaluru-headquartered IT services firm. “CCI approves acquisition of up to 66.15 per cent of the total equity shareholding of Mindtree, on a fully diluted basis, by Larsen and Toubro.
8. Vikram Kirloskar takes charge as new CII president
Vikram Kirloskar took charge as the new President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Mr. Kirloskar is the Chairman and Managing Director of Kirloskar Systems Ltd, and Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. He takes over from Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises.
Uday Kotak, the founder and MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, is the President-Designate and T.V. Narendran, the CEO & MD of Tata Steel, is the Vice President for 2019-20, CII said.
9. ‘Experimental Learning’ To Be Punch Line For CBSE In 2019-20 Academic Session
“Experimental learning” will be the punch line for the CBSE in the academic session of 2019-20, the board said . CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi said from now on every year, the board will have a punch line.
10. First Kerala tribal woman cracks Civil Services exam
Sreedhanya Suresh, 25, has become the first woman from Kerala’s tribal community to crack the Civil Services examination. In her third attempt, she secured the 410th rank to clear the exam.
11. Economist VG Patel passes away
Viharidas Gopaldas Patel, noted economist and ‘Father of Entrepreneurship Movement’ in India, passed away here after a brief illness. He was 79.
In 2017, the Government of India had decorated him with a Padma Shri for his contribution to the entrepreneurship movement.
12. Noted Tamil scholar Silamboli Su. Chellappan dies
Noted Tamil Scholar and orator Silamboli Su. Chellappan died today morning due to age-related illness at his residence in Kalashetra Colony, Thiruvanmiyur. He was 91.
Mr. Chellappan was born in Siviyampalayam, near Namakkal. He began his career as a mathematics teacher and later obtained a doctorate in Tamil. He held posts such as director of Tamil Development and founder-director of World Tamil Research Centre.
His discourses on the Tamil epic Silapathikaram were very popular. He began these discourses at the age of 24 years and on hearing his speech, veteran Tamil scholar R.P.Sethupillai gave him prefix Silamboli which would go on to stay with him.
