#Daily #Current #affairs

Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2014

Veteran actor and film producer Shashi Kapoor has been conferred with prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2014. The award was bestowed upon him by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley at a special function held in Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He is the 46th film personality to receive this honour and third member of his illustrious family after father Prithviraj Kapoor (1972- Posthumously) and elder brother Raj Kapoor (1987).

WHO declares Liberia Ebola-free

WHO has hailed Liberia’s Ebola eradication efforts as an enormous development in the long crisis and monumental achievement as the virus has killed more than 4,716 people in the country alone.  Now, Liberia’s neighbous Guinea and Sierra Leone are only two countries fighting to stop Ebola outbreak since it began in December 2013.

 Criteria for declaring a nation Ebola-free 

·         WHO can declare a country Ebola free, if no new cases are reported over two incubation periods of virus i.e. 21 days. 

·         In case of Liberia, no new cases of Ebola were reported in past 42 days i.e. twice the number of days the virus requires to incubate. The last confirmed death in Liberia was reported on 27 March 2015. 

Book titled – Delhi to Islamabad written by Prof Bhim Singh released

Book titled Unbelievable – Delhi to Islamabad authored by senior Advocate Prof. Bhim Singh was released by Vice President M Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.  The book, a travelogue is an effort initiated by the lawyers of India and Pakistan to work jointly to ensure that Pakistani prisoners languishing in Indian jails are treated in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of India. Similarly, the same treatment should be mended for the Indian prisoners on Pakistan and they should be given fair trials.

Haryana Government includes Deaflympics in its sports policy

Haryana Government has decided to include Deaflympics in its Sports Policy in order to boost the morale of differently-abled sportspersons in the state. Decision in this regard was taken during a state cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. With this inclusion, Deaflympian medalists now will be able to get cash rewards, jobs and other benefits from the state government.

About Deaflympics

·         Deaflympics is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned event, at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level.

·         The first event of was held in Paris in 1924. It is the first international sporting event for athletes with a disability.

·         Previously, it was known as World Games for the Deaf and International Games for the Deaf.

·         Organised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf, (French- Committee International des Sports des Sourds) since first event.

·         Deaflympics are held every 4 years and often considered as the longest multi-sports event, excluding the Olympic.

·         To qualify for the Deaflympics, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibel (dB).

·         In order to maintain equality and same level in participation among athletes, hearing aids, cochlear implants are not allowed during the games.

PM Narendra Modi launches three social security schemes- 1 on pension, 2 on insurance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three mega social security schemes in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Three schemes intend to widen the process of financial inclusion in the country include

1.      Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY).

2.      Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY).

3.      Atal Pension Yojana (APY).

1. Atal Pension Yojana (APY): Under APY scheme, the pension subscribers will receive a fixed minimum monthly pension ranging from 1,000 rupees to 5,000 rupees at the age of 60 years. The fixed minimum monthly pension will be depending on the contributions subscribers.

Contribution: Union Government will co-contribute 50 percent of the total contribution of subscriber for a period of 5 years.

Eligibility: Subscribers must have bank account and should not be members of any statutory social security scheme and or Income Tax payers.

The minimum age of joining: 18 years and maximum age is 40 years.

Focus of APY: To target unorganised sector workers.

Coverage: The pension will also be available to the spouse on the death of the subscriber and thereafter, the pension corpus would be returned to the nominee.

Subscriber and Enrolment Payment: It will auto-debited from the accounts account holders depending upon selected monthly pension range.

Enrolment agencies: Subscribers will be enrolled through institutional architecture of National Pension System by all Points of Presence (Service Providers) and Aggregators under Swavalamban Scheme.

Operational Framework of APY: It will be administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

2. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJBY)

Under the PMJJBY, the insurance subscriber will get an annual life insurance in case of death.

Eligibility: Available any person in the age group of 18 to 50 years having a bank account.

Risk Coverage: 2 Lakh rupees in case of death due to any reason.

Payment Mode of premium: 330 rupees per annum will be directly auto-debited by the bank from the subscribers account.

Implementation of Scheme: Will be offered by Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and all other life insurers who are willing tie-up with banks for the purpose of joining the scheme.

3. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)

Under the PMSBY, the insurance subscriber will get annual life insurance in case of accidental death, partial disability or full disability.

Eligibility: Available to any person in the age group 18 to 70 years.

Any person having Aadhaar number linked bank account can join the scheme.

He/she must give a simple form to the bank every year before 1st of June. In the form name of nominee also must be given.

Risk Coverage: For accidental death and full disability– 2 Lakh rupees

For partial disability – 1 Lakh rupees.

Payment Mode of premium: 12 rupees per annum will be directly auto-debited by the bank from the subscribers account in case of long-term option.

Implementation of Scheme: Will be offered by all Public Sector General Insurance Companies and all other insurers who are willing tie-up with banks for the purpose of joining the scheme.

BrahMos land-attack cruise missile successfully test-fired from Car Nicobar Islands

Land-to-land configuration of BrahMos missile was successfully test-fired from the Car Nicobar Islands. BrahMos Block–III version i.e. land-to-land configuration of missile was launched from a Mobile Autonomous Launcher (MAL) for its full-range of 290-km test. The missile flight test met all flight parameters, including high-level manoeuvres. It also hit the designated land- based target with the desired accuracy. This launch was the 47th test-firing of the missile and follows an unsuccessful test which was conducted on April 9, 2015 when the missile had failed to hit the target.

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates Namaste Russia festival in Moscow

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated Namaste Russia, a festival of Indian culture in Moscow during the last leg of his tour in Russia. Namaste Russia will be six month long festival i.e. form May to November 2015. The festival seeks to enthrall the Russian audience with cultural events from India. The festival is being hosted under the patronage of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Russian State Concert Company SODRUZHESTVO and Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre at the Embassy of India in Moscow are the organisers of the festival. As part of the inauguration of this festival, Kathak dance performance was given by a team of dancers choreographed by Padma Bhushan Kumudini Lakhia. This festival seeks to enhance and boost cultural bonds that build solid bridges of friendship and understanding between peoples of both countries.

KV Thomas renominated as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has renominated Prof. Kuruppassery Varkey Thomas as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for a second term of one year. For the first term, Thomas was nominated in August 2014. He is the senior Congress Parliamentarian from Ernakulum Constituency, Kerala.