Important Current Affairs 25th October 2017

Important Current Affairs 25th October 2017

Current Affairs 25th October 2017: NATIONAL NEWS

President of India addresses members of Karnataka Legislature on 60th anniversary of Vidhana Soudha 

The President of India, Shri Ram NathKovind, graced the ‘Vajramahothsava’ – Diamond Jubilee Celebrations on completion of 60 years of VidhanaSoudha, and addressed the members of both Houses of the Karnataka Legislature at Bengaluru, today (October 25, 2017). 
●    Speaking on the occasion, the President said that it is not just the 60th birthday of this building (VidhanaSoudha) that we are marking. 
●    This is also the diamond jubilee of the debates and discussions in the two Houses, of legislations that have been passed and policies that have been shaped for the betterment of the lives of the people of Karnataka. 
●    Both Houses of the Legislature jointly and collectively represent the will and aspirations of the people of Karnataka. 
●    Not just that, the two Houses also represent the ideals and optimism and the energy and dynamism of the Kannadiga people. 
●    This building is a monument to the history of public service in Karnataka. 
●    A galaxy of political stalwarts has participated in the proceedings of the two Houses that meet here. 

CVC to develop Integrity Index of 25 Organizations 

In line with the broader strategy and emphasis on preventive vigilance, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) believes that the next level of systemic change can be through the tool of Integrity Index. 
●    The CVC has therefore decided to go in for development of the Integrity Index-based on benchmarking of internal processes and controls within an organisation as well as management of relationships and expectations of outside stakeholders.
●    The Integrity Index will bring out annual scores/rankings of Public Sector Undertakings/Public Sector Banks and Financial Institutions/Departments/Ministries of Government of India by linking the essential drivers of vigilance with long term efficiency, profitability and sustainability of public organizations and create an internal and external ecosystem that promotes working with Integrity in public organizations.
●    CVC has adopted a research-based approach for creating an integrity index that various organizations can use to measure themselves and which will evolve with changing needs and with this view IIM-Ahmedabad has been engaged to develop the Integrity Index. 
●    Being a new initiative, initially 25 organizations have been selected for development of the Integrity Index (as per list attached). 
●    Subsequently, it is proposed to extend the Integrity Index concept to all other CPSUs and organizations of Government of India. 
●    The management of all 25 organizations have been involved in the development of Integrity Index.

Bills on MLA disqualification, power distribution passed in Rajasthan assembly

The House passed 'Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Members (Prevention of Disqualification) Bill-2017’ and 'The Rajasthan State Electricity Distribution Management Responsibility (Amendment) Bill-2017’.
●    The Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services Under the State) Bill-2017’ was tabled in the House by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi, whereas the 'CrPC (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill-2017’ was referred to the select committee of the House.
●    The CrPC (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill-2017 Bill, which was introduced in the house on Monday, was proposed to be taken up for discussion tomorrow.
●    This bill was introduced on Monday along with the controversial Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2017, which seeks to protect judges and bureaucrats from probe without the state government's prior sanction.

Reliance Communications To Shut Down 2G Mobile Business In A Month

Debt-ridden Reliance Communications plans to shut down its 2G mobile business in about a month and continue to operate 3G and 4G services till the time they remain profitable, industry sources said. 
●    RCom Executive Director Gurdeep Singh is learnt to have informed employees that the company has reached a "situation where we need to call it a day on our wireless business" and this would lead to closure of "wireless business 30 days from now".
●    The company will "continue to operate ILD voice, consumer's voice and 4G dongle postpaid services" and mobile tower business till the time they remain profitable and all the other business will be shut down, he has said. 
●    A email query sent to RCom remained unanswered. 
●    The move comes after the company, reeling under debt of around Rs 46,000 crore, failed to close to its wireless business merger deal with Aircel in the beginning of this month.
●    RCom and Aircel in September last year had signed a binding agreement to merge their mobile businesses. 

Interstate migration in India doubled between 2001-2011: WEF

Interstate migration in India doubled between 2001 and 2011 compared to the previous decade, with Pune and Surat emerging as the most affected cities in the Asian region, says a WEF report. 
●    According to the World Economic Forum’s report on ‘Migration and Cities’, India is home to one-fourth of the 100 fastest-growing cities in the world while Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are among the 10 most populous urban areas worldwide.
●    The report further said in the Asian region, Pune and Surat have been named among the most affected cities, besides Guangzhou and Davao City.
●    According to the United Nations, there are three times more internal migrants than international migrants in the world.
●    In India, interstate migration doubled between 2001 and 2011 compared to the previous decade, growing 4.5 per cent annually, WEF said, adding annual interstate migration in the country averaged about 5-6 million migrants a year. 
●    “Migrants are drawn to cities in search of economic, social and creative opportunities,” said Alice Charles, Lead, Cities, World Economic Forum.

Over 400 industries reduced CO₂ emission by 2% in 2012-15

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) today said over 400 industries monitored by it have reduced their CO2 emissions by 31 million tonnes (MT) - about 2 per cent of annual CO2 emissions - between 2012-15.
●    "Over 400 industries reduced their emissions by 31 million tonnes of CO2, approximately 2 per cent of annual CO2 emissions, during the first implementation cycle of Perform, Achieve & Trade Scheme (PAT) by BEE between 2012 and 2015," a BEE statement said.
●    According to the statement, the first cycle of PAT (2012 -15) covered 478 Designated industries (DCs) from 8 energy- intensive sectors - aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, fertiliser, iron and steel, pulp and paper, textiles and thermal power plant.
●    Together, these sectors account for about 33 per cent of India's primary energy consumption.
●    BEE said the scheme resulted in saving of energy equivalent to 8.67 MT of oil, exceeding the target of 6.86 MT by about 30 per cent.
●    This also resulted in avoided generation of about 5,635 MW, resulting in monetary savings of Rs 37,685 crore. 
●    At the same time Rs 9,500 crore have been saved due to reduction in energy consumption.

Hindustan Unilever gross profit increased by 16 percentage

The country’s largest consumer goods maker by volume and profits Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has posted a better than expected earnings of 16 per cent profit growth at ₹1,276 crore in the quarter ending September 30, 2017, on the back of price cuts, new launches and higher consumer demand.
●    The company's total sales grew by 10 per cent at ₹8,199 crore during the quarter, which also witnessed the country's biggest tax reforms in form of Goods and Services Tax (GST). 
●    However, earnings for this quarter is not comparable with the same quarter in the previous year due to change in the excise duty accounting structure as required by the SEBI, wherein the total sales is inclusive of the excise duty, that is replaced by GST during the quarter.
●    Taking the new accounting structure into consideration, the net sales at ₹8,199 crore during the quarter will be 2 per cent lower than ₹8,335 crore in the year-ago period, the company said. 
●    Volume growth for the quarter came in at 4 per cent, which was more or less in line with estimates.
●    HUL, which claims that about nine out of 10 households in the country consumes its products daily, said that despite the challenges that GST had on trade pipeline, the company was able to manage the transition and maintain demand by passing on the net benefits of the GST to the consumers in terms of price cuts and discounts. 
●    The company had taken about 3-4 per cent price cuts in the July-September quarter. The board has announced an interim dividend of ₹8 per share.