Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 24 2019
1. RBI forms new NBFCs’ category by merging 3 to ease operational flexibility
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has merged three categories of NBFCs — asset finance, loan companies and investment companies — into one new category called NBFC-investment and credit company (NBFC-ICC) to ease operational flexibility of these institutions.
In its endeavor to replace entity-based regulations with activity-based ones, the RBI in its last bi-monthly monetary policy had decided to harmonise major categories of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) engaged in credit intermediation into a single category.
Also, the central bank has capped the investment limit of deposit-taking NBFC–ICC in any other company to 20 per cent of its owned fund.
2. IIFL Home Finance, Maharashtra govt sign MoU for building houses under PMAY
IIFL Home Finance signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government for capacity building for affordable housing through credit-linked subsidy scheme (CLSS) under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Through this MoU, housing department of Maharashtra will make provisions and facilitate permissions for IIFL Home Finance (IIFL HFL) to educate customers and enlighten them about the benefits of PMAY, a statement from the company said.
3. Srei Equipment Finance to co-lend with Syndicate Bank
Srei Equipment Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Srei Infrastructure Finance, has tied up with state-owned Syndicate Bank to jointly provide financing for construction and farm equipment.
Under the arrangement, Syndicate Bank would leverage on its low-cost funds and co-lend equipment loans with Srei at a mutually agreed rate .
4. Modi Launches PM-KISAN Scheme, Slams Opposition
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the ambitious PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi), a cash-transfer scheme, in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and used the event to accuse the opposition of shedding crocodile tears for farmers.
The Centre had announced the PM-KISAN scheme in the 2019-20 Interim Budget. Under this, Rs 6,000 will be paid to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land of up to two hectares per year in three instalments. the funds will be electronically transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries.
5. Assam: Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh to begin at Goalpara
The six-day 11th Ankiya Bhaona Samaroh organised by Guwahati-based Sattriya Kendra of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with the Goalpara district administration and Goalpara College, will get underway at Goalpara .
‘Ankiya Bhaona’ is a form of religious theatre, a one act play created by Mahapurush Sankardeva. It is Vaisnavite in content and character.
6. SM Ali Trophy T20 Cricket: Assam thrash Mizoram
The Assam cricket team thrashed Mizoram by 131 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 Cricket championship held at Cuttack. The Assam team restricted Mizoram to 70-6 in their 20 overs.
Pallav Kumar Das and Rishav Das – the openers for the Assam cricket team – earned 79 runs within 8 overs of the match. While batsman Pallav Kumar Das was able to score 43 runs from 24 balls with the help of five boundaries and one six, his opening partner Rishav Das followed him.
7. Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold with world record, secures Olympic quota
Teenager Saurabh Chaudhary smashed the world record to win gold in the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, securing India’s third Olympic quota. Appearing in his maiden senior World Cup, the 16-year-old claimed the top honours without much fuss in the men’s 10m air pistol event at the season-opening International Shooting Sport Federation event.
The Asian Games and Youth Olympics gold medallist ended the event with a total score of 245.Dami Mikec of Serbia was second in the podium with a score of 239.3, while the bronze medal was bagged by 2008 Olympic champion Wei Pang of China, who managed 215.2.
In the second series, the champion shooter continued his good form and finished at the top. Other Indians competing in the event, Abhishek Verma and Ravinder Singh, failed to qualify for the final. Both Abhishek are Ravinder finished with a total score of 576 in the qualification round.
8. Iran launches cruise missile from submarine during drill
Iran has launched a cruise missile from a submarine for the first time during an ongoing annual military drill in the Strait of Hormuz . anti-ship cruise missile” was launched from a Ghadir-class submarine.
Iran’s other submarines, the Tareq and the new domestically built Fateh (Conqueror) have the same anti-ship capability .
9. U.S.-born scholar of Japanese literature Donald Keene dies at 96
Donald Keene, a scholar of Japanese literature who became the first foreigner to receive the country’s highest cultural award, died of heart failure at a Tokyo hospital. Keene, 96, was known for introducing Japan’s culture in the United States and around the world through his scholarship and translations of classical and modern Japanese literature.
10. India rolls out National Viral Hepatitis Control Program
In line with the Government of India’s deep commitment towards elimination of viral hepatitis, the “National Action Plan – Viral Hepatitis” was launched by Union Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in Mumbai .
The Plan provides a strategic framework, based on which National Viral Hepatitis Control Program was framed and launched in July, 2018 under National Health Mission by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. This program is also in line with our global commitment towards achieving Sustainable development Goal (SDG) 3.3. India has affirmed this commitment at the 69th World Health Assembly.
The aim of the program is to combat hepatitis and achieve countrywide elimination of Hepatitis C by 2030, achieve significant reduction in the infected population, morbidity and mortality associated with Hepatitis B and C viz.
11. Saudi Arabia Names a Princess as Ambassador to Washington
Saudi Arabia appointed a princess as its new ambassador to the United States , the first time the kingdom has named a woman to such a post.
The appointment of Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan by royal decree came amid strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States over the killing of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul in October.
Princess Reema will replace Prince Khalid bin Salman, a son of King Salman and a younger brother of the crown prince, who took the post in 2017.
12. Brij Bhushan Sharan elected as WFI President for third time
Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been elected third time unopposed as the President of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Election of the Office Bearers and Executive Committee Members of WFI for the next years term (2019-2023) were held here at the Constitution Club of India on Sunday.
Along with Brij Bhushan, I.D. Nanavati has been elected as the Senior Vice President, V.N. Prasood as the Secretary General and Satyapal Singh Deshwal as the Treasurer. For the post of Vice President, Asit Kumar Saha, Hamza Bin Omer, N. Phoni, N. Khalo, R.K. Hooda, Bhola Nath Singh, Karan Bhushan Singh and B.S. Landge has been elected.
13. Harmanpreet Singh named 2018 Player of the Year by Asian Hockey Federation
India defender Harmanpreet Singh was awarded with the 2018 Player of the Year award by the Asian Hockey Federation while women’s team striker Lalremsiami bagged the Rising Player of The Year prize.
Harmanpreet contributed to the team’s silver medal win at the FIH Champions Trophy in Breda and was also part of the team which won the Asian Champions Trophy last year.
The 18-year-old Lalremsiami, meanwhile, has shown remarkable progress and impressed at the 2018 World Cup and the Asian Games, where India women team won a historic silver.
14. Central Excise Day: February 24
Central Excise Day is commemorated every year all across the India on 24th of February to encourage the employees of excise department to carry out the central excise duty all over the India in better way in order to prevent the corruption in goods manufacturing business as well as implement other rules to carry out best possible excise services.
15. New Sudan PM sworn in as protesters rally against emergency
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir swore in a new premier Sunday as hundreds of demonstrators called on the veteran leader to resign after he imposed a state of emergency across the country.
Bashir imposed a year-long emergency on February 22, 2019 after a deadly crackdown failed to suppress weeks of protests against his three-decade rule.
16. International Olympic Committee suspends discussions with India for hosting global events
The International Olympic Committee has decided to “suspend all discussions” with India regarding hosting of global sporting events after Pakistani shooters were not issued visas for the World Cup in New Delhi.
The Olympic committee also revoked the Olympic qualification status for the men’s 25m rapid fire event from the New Delhi World Cup due to denial of visas to the Pakistani shooters in the wake of the last week’s Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The IOC’s decision comes hours after International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President Vladimir Lisin announced that all the allotted 16 Olympic quotas for the 2020 Games would be scrapped. However, the apex body limited the withholding of quotas to only two while retaining 14.
17. Aero India 2019: Badminton star PV Sindhu goes ‘Supersonic’ in Tejas aircraft
India’s ace badminton player and Olympic silver-medallist PV Sindhu flew in homemade combat fighter jet Tejas aircraft at the ongoing Aero India air show in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Aero India 2019, the Asia’s largest air show, will be highlighting the achievements of Women in Aviation in its ongoing 12th edition of Plane Carnival in Bengaluru. “Sindhu will co-pilot the Tejas aircraft as part of the Women’s Day to be observed at the air show on Saturday.
