GK and Current Affairs Updates

Rajya Sabha on 3 August 2016 passed The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 to introduce the goods and services tax (GST). 
•    The Bill was introduced and passed in Lok Sabha in May 2015. 
•    The bill will now go back to the Lok Sabha to incorporate the amendments approved by the Rajya Sabha. 
•    For goods and services that pass through several states, or imports, the Centre will levy another tax, the Integrated GST (IGST).
•    Alcohol for human consumption has been kept out of the purview of GST.
•    Initially, GST will not apply to (a) petroleum crude, (b) high speed diesel, (c) motor spirit (petrol), (d) natural gas and (e) aviation turbine fuel. 
•    Tobacco and tobacco products will be subject to GST. The centre may also impose excise duty on tobacco.
•    Central Taxes replaced by GST Bill
•    Central Excise Duty
•    Additional Duties of Excise and Customs
•    Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD)
•    Service Tax
•    Cesses and Surcharges on Supply of goods and services
•    State Taxes Subsumed in the GST Bill
•    VAT
•    Central Sales Tax
•    Purchase Tax
•    Luxury Tax
•    Entry Tax
•    Entertainment Tax
•    Taxes on advertisements, lotteries, betting, gambling
•    State Cesses and Surcharges

BJP Parliamentary Board on 3 August 2016 accepted the resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. She will meet State Governor OP Kohli to submit her resignation.
•    Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP General Secretary Saroj Pandey have been appointed as the observers to oversee the election of new legislature party leader in the State.
•    Anandiben Patel offered to resign on 1 August 2016, ahead of the state assembly elections expected in 2017, citing her age. The term of the current assembly ends in January 2018.
•    Born on 21 November 1941, Patel was sworn-in as the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat on 22 May 2014.
•    She is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1987.
•    Being a strict administrator, she has served the state under the then Narendra Modi led government in portfolios like roads and buildings, revenue, urban development and urban housing, disaster management and capital projects from 2007 to 2014.
•    She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1994.
•    She represented India at the Fourth World women’s Conference at Beijing in 1994
•    She has served Gujarat as a school teacher of Mohniba Vidyalaya in Ahmedabad in 1970
•    In 1987, she was awarded with state government’s gallantry award.

 Union Minister of State (I/ C) for Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Vijay Goel here today inaugurated ‘Wall of Wishes’ at India Gate Lawns, Near Hyderabad House in the gracious presence of Renowned Boxer and Olympian Ms Mary C. Kom to celebrate the Olympic mood in the country. He also launched Digital Campaign for general public to wish Indian Olympic Contingent their best for the Rio Games. 
•    This comes after the RUN FOR RIO organized by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs to connect public at large, especially children and youth, with the Olympic spirit and power of sports. This year India is sending its largest ever contingent to participate in the Rio Games 
•    20 thousand school children and youth had participated in the 5 Km run on July 31 after the Prime Minister flagged it off at National Stadium to demonstrate to RIO bound Indian athletes that the whole country is proud of them and wishes them all the best in the forthcoming competitions. 
•    Shri Vijay Goel in his speech urged the people especially students and youth to visit India Gate in large numbers to sign their wishes at the ‘Wall of Wishes’ to cheer the Indian players competing at Rio. 
•    Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is holding an exhibition on 05th August, 2016 at the Central Park in Connaught Place, where the students, children and youth can know about the Olympics history and participating players. The youth and people can take selfies with the cut-outs of our Olympians and watch the same. The Ministry will put giant screens at India Gate and other places in Delhi, to enable the people to watch the Rio Olympics beginning from 5th August to 21st August 2016. The objective is to take sports to every doorstep and to make the sports a part of people’s life like cricket.

Ministry of Urban Development today approved an investment of Rs.4,404 cr in augmenting water supply, sewerage networks, drainage, urban transport and public and green spaces in urban areas in 8 States and UTs under  Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) for the current financial year. An inter-ministerial Apex Committee chaired by Shri Rajiv Gauba, Secretary(Urban Development) has approved the State Level Annual Action Plans (SAAP) of these 8 States/UTs.
•    Investments approved were; Karnataka – Rs.1,625 cr, Andhra Pradesh-Rs.877 cr, Bihar-Rs.775 cr, Telangana-Rs.555 cr, Haryana-Rs.525 cr, Nagaland-Rs.40 cr, Dadra, Nagar & Haveli-Rs.3.70 cr and Andaman & Nicobar Islands-Rs.3.18 cr.
•    Total central assistance to be provided to these 8 States and UTs is Rs.2,085 cr and the details are: Karnataka-Rs.772 cr, Bihar-Rs.388 cr, Andhra Pradesh-Rs.352 cr, Telangana-Rs.277 cr, Nagaland-Rs.36 cr besides the total project  to be borne by the central government for the two Union Territories.
•    Earlier during the current financial year i.e 2016-17, the Ministry of Urban Development approved total investments of Rs.19,213 cr under Atal Mission for 20 States/UTs taking the total investments approved to Rs.23,627 cr with a central assistance commitment of Rs.8,655 cr.
•    Under Atal Mission, States/UTs have proposed an investment of Rs.1,146 cr in improving drainage networks in urban areas. As against the investment approved of Rs.281 cr in this regard during 2015-16, the Ministry of Urban Development has so far approved and investment of Rs.759 cr so far during the current financial year.  

Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. has signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Shipping for the financial year 2016-17. The MoU was signed by Shri Rajive Kumar, IAS, Secretary (Shipping) and Capt. B.B. Sinha, Chairman and Managing Director, Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., at New Delhi. 
•    The MOU is based on the MOU guidelines 2016-17 issued by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). It consists of parameters drawn on the prescribed evaluation criteria and factors such as capacity and its expansion, business environment, projects under implementation have been considered. 
•    SCI has set ambitious, growth oriented and apparitional targets against these parameters keeping its growth plans and objectives in view. These are also in line with the vision of the Ministry of Shipping and the Government of India to escalate the growth for the Maritime sector in India. 
•    The MoU will be periodically reviewed by the Ministry and the performance of the PSU would be evaluated and ratings awarded at the end of the financial year. 
•    Despite unfavourable market conditions and down turn being faced by the shipping industry in general, the SCI has taken proactive measures for sustained growth in these challenging times including costs-saving and has reported a consolidated net profit of Rs.389.4 crores for the financial year 2015-16.

Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the financial year 2016-17. The MoU was signed by Shri Rajive Kumar, Secretary, Shipping and Shri Rajesh Tripathi, Chairman & Managing Director, Dredging Corporation of India Ltd, in New Delhi. 

•    The MoU broadly consists of the performance evaluation parameters and targets for Dredging Corporation of India Ltd. for the ensuing year. The MoU will be reviewed by the Ministry on a regular basis and the performance of the PSU would be evaluated and ratings awarded at the end of the financial year. The targets agreed in the MoU are in line with the aggressive growth plans of DCI for making foray’s internationally in line with the Ministry of Shipping’s ambitious plans. 
•    DCI has posted “Very Good” performance during the last financial year (2015-16) as against “Good” for the year \2014-15, despite very difficult market conditions. In the year ended 31st March 2016, DCI posted a turnover of Rs.676 crores. The Profit Before Tax (PBT) and Profit After Tax (PAT) figures are Rs.83 crores. and Rs.80 crores respectively, representing an increase of 28% and 29 % respectively over the previous year. 
•    As per the targets set in the MoU for 2016-17 that was signed today, DCI is to achieve a turnover of Rs.770 crores. The target for operating profit is Rs.65 crores for 2016-17 as against the actual of Rs.45 crores for 2015-16. Further in the current year 2016-17, finalization of a contract is in the final stages for deployment of a dredger outside India and this will enable the company to earn income in foreign exchange for the first time in many years.

The current Chairman Railway Board Shri A.K.Mital has been reappointed as the new Chairman, Railway Board for a period of 2 years i.e. till he attains the age of 62 years, w.e.f. 01.08.2016. 
•    Shri A.K. Mital was appointed as Chairman, Railway Board on 31st December 2014. Prior to this appointment, Shri A.K.Mital was Member Staff, Railway Board. 
•    Earlier, he served as General Manager of South Western Railway-SWR (Headquarters Hubli) and was also looking after the additional charge of General Manager, South Central Railway- SCR (Headquarters Secunderabad). 
•    Born on 7th July 1956, Shri Mital is a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.). An Officer of 1976 batch of Indian Railways Service of Stores (IRSS), Shri A.K. Mital has worked on various important posts on Indian Railways. 
•    He was Director/Stores, Executive Director/Vigilance and Executive Director/Stores in Railway Board, Ministry of Railways. He has worked as Chief Material Manager in Northern Railway. 
•    He was Divisional Railway Manager of Izzatnagar Division in North Eastern Railway and Controller of Stores in South Central Railway/Secunderabad and Diesel Locomotive Works/Varanasi. 
•    Before joining Railway Board as Member Staff, he was General Manager of South Western Railway/Hubli. 
•    He has also held additional charge of three major Railways viz., Southern Railway, South Central Railway and Central Railway as General Manager for more than 12 months. 
•    Shri Mital has undergone training in USA and France.

25.44 lakh LPG connections have been released to women of BPL families as on 3rd August 2016 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. 
•    The scheme which was launched by Honorable Prime Minister in Balia, Uttar Pradesh on 01st May, 2016 is currently under operation in 553 districts of 24 States. 
•    Under the scheme, 5 crores LPG connections will be provided to BPL families with a support of Rs. 1600 per connection in the next 3 years. Identification of the BPL families is being done through Socio-Economic Caste Census data. 
•    It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas that a number of fake and misleading websites have come up on the internet on the PMUY. 
•    General public and other stakeholders may consult only the official website for any information with regard to the scheme. 
•    In case of any doubt or clarification, contact can be made on the toll free number 18002666696

The Government has decided to import further 30,000 MT pulses, consisting of 20,000 MT tur and 10,000 MT Urad, for the buffer stock. 
•    The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of Price Stabilization Fund chaired by Union Consumer Affairs Secretary, Shri Hem Pande. 
•    The meeting reviewed the procurement and distribution of pulses from buffer stock.
•    So far, the Government agencies have procured about 1, 19, 572 MT pulses from the domestic market and farmers and 56,000 MT pulses have been contracted for import. 
•    Thus 1, 75, 572 MT pulses are available with the buffer stock.
•    The Department of Consumer Affairs has requested State Governments repeatedly to lift the pulses Tur and Urad from the buffer stock for distribution not more than Rs. 120/kg. 
•    These pulses are provided to the States– Tur at the rate of Rs. 67/kg and Urad at the rate of Rs. 82/kg. 
•    On the request of the State Governments, over 29,000 MT pulses have been allocated to the states as on 01.08.2016 but only 3 states have lifted some quantities against their allotments.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee received a copy of book ‘Grassroots Innovation’ authored by Prof. Anil K. Gupta of IIM Ahmedabad who is also the Vice Chairman, National Innovation Foundation at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (August 2, 2016). 
•    The President congratulated Prof. Anil K. Gupta and said that he was deeply appreciative of his efforts and painstaking work about the innate creativity and innovative potential of our people. 
•    Dr. Gupta’s book was about stories of extraordinary men and women who are silently contributing in the innovation movement for the economic development and advancement of society. 
•    Government should provide institutional support to the grass root innovators. 
•    Their efforts will not be appreciated if necessary linkages between the relevant stakeholders are not established. 
•    The Festival of Innovations which is organized by Rashtrapati Bhavan in collaboration with National Innovation Foundation has helped to bring together creative energy from different domains. 
•    The President conveyed his best wishes to Dr. Gupta and his dedicated team to continue their march in adding value to the ideas and innovations of communities at grassroots level. 
•    Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology and Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Chairperson, National Innovation Foundation.