Important Current Affairs 26th November 2019

NATIONAL NEWS

Etawah Lion Safari in Uttar Pradesh opened for public

• The Uttar Pradesh based Etawah Lion Safari, which was formerly known as Etawah  Safari Park and officially as Lion Breeding Center and Multiple Safari Park, Etawah has been opened for public without the lion segment, with effect from November 24, 2019.

• The Safari was inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Dara Singh Chauhan.

• It is one of the biggest safari parks in Asia, spread over an area of 350 hectares (860 acres).

• The Etawah lion safari is the first in India to have a lion breeding centre set up with an aim to develop a research facility on Asiatic lions.

70th Constitution Day for India

• The yearlong nationwide activities on Constitution Day are being launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly, beginning November 26, 2019.

• The day 26th November is celebrated every year as Constitution Day (also known as ‘Samvidhan Divas’).

• These activities aim to reiterate and reorient the citizens towards the values and principles expressed in the Indian Constitution and encouraging all Indians to play their rightful role in strengthening the Indian Democracy.

• The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Maharashtra CM Fadnavis resigns

• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned from their posts ahead of the floor test ordered by the Supreme Court. 

• The NCP, the Congress and the Shiv Sena meanwhile unanimously elected Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate. 

• The MVA has the support of 162 MLAs in the house of 288 and has approached the Governor to stake claim to form the government under Thackeray’s leadership. 

She Shuttles Bus Services in Hyderabad

• Government of Telangana and Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) Launched She Shuttles Bus Services in Hyderabad for women employees in the IT corridor in the Cyberabad area was launched on 29th June 2015.

• The She Shuttles bus services will run on all the main roads, connecting Hitech City, Madhapur, Gachibowli, Kondapur and other areas from 8 am to 11 pm.

• One bus covers 8 km in the Inorbit-Mind Space-Cyber Tower route and another covers 12 km in the Hitech City railway station-Shilparamam-Kondapur-Gachibowli-Wipro Junction route

• The She Shuttles Bus Mobile app was developed and deployed by Votary Tech, officials said.

• The SCSC officials said that with the smart phone app the passengers can see the location of the bus and track its movement.

• SHE-Shuttles is yet another step forward towards making Hyderabad Safer and Smarter.

Indian Railway Set up Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) in Hyderabad

• The Indian Railways has set up the Institute of Financial Management (IRIFM) at Moula-Ali, Secunderabad, in Hyderabad district of Telangana.

• The new entity, IRIFM, will impart professional training in management of railway finances.

• The institute was formally inaugurated by Vinod Kumar Yadav, Chairman, Railway Board.

• Rail Vikas Nigam Limited conceived and constructed the project , on a 14-acre campus at a cost of Rs 85 crore.

• IRIFM is a green building that can generate 90% of its own power needs with solar installations on the campus besides a water-recycling plant.

 “Finding a Gaps” authored by Simon Taufel released

• Former Australian cricket umpire Simon Taufel released his book titled “Finding a Gaps” in Kolkata on Nov 24, 2019.

• Simon Taufel is a five-time ICC Umpire of the Year and has been a part of ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires, till he retired in 2012.

DoT sets up committee to examine the impact of telecom tariff hikes

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has set up an internal committee to examine the impact of the increase in tariff hikes that Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Jio have announced and will come into effect on December 1.

• This committee of secretaries is headed by the Cabinet Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba and is looking at providing appropriate relief.

Remembering 26/11

• In remembrance of 26/11, the internet paid emotional tributes on the 11th year of the Mumbai attacks.

• Around 166 people died as a result of the attack and over 300 were injured. Several officials including Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Sub-Inspector Tukaram Omble, Mumbai Anti Terrorist Squad Chief Hemant Karkare, Havaldar Gajendra Singh and Inspector Vijay Salaskar, were killed.

BANKING AND ECONOMICS

RBI expands scope of SNRR account to popularise rupee in cross-border transactions

• The Reserve Bank of India has expanded the scope of SNRR Account by permitting person resident outside India to open such account.

• Before this, only a person resident outside India, having a business interest in India, was authorised to open a Special Non-Resident Rupee Account (SNRR account) with an authorised dealer for the purpose of putting through bona fide transactions in rupees.

• Now RBI has expanded the scope of SNRR Account by permitting person resident outside India to open such account for:

a.         External Commercial Borrowings in INR;

b.         Trade Credits in INR;

c.         Trade (Export/ Import) Invoicing in INR; and

d.         Business related transactions outside International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) by IFSC units at GIFT city like administrative expenses in INR outside IFSC, INR amount from sale of scrap, government incentives in INR, etc. The account will be maintained with bank in India (outside IFSC).

• Also, earlier there was a restriction that No operations are permissible in the account after seven years from the date of opening of the account. Now this restriction of 7 years has been removed.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Sangram Dahiya & Varsha Varman win double trap national titles at 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship

• Sangram Dahiya of Haryana has clinched double trap titles to win gold in men’s category at the 63rd National Shotgun Shooting Championship in New Delhi.

• In women’s category, Varsha Varman of Madhya Pradesh won the double trap gold.

• Besides this, both Sangram and Varsha also won the team gold for their respective States.