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  • Current Affairs 25th March 2014

    Updated : 25-Mar-2014

    Current Affairs 25th March 2014 - Important Points

    Current Affairs 25th March 2014 - Details

    Hindi writer Mr. Govind Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2013

    The renowned Hindi author Govind Mishra will receive Sarawasti Samman for the year 2013. He will receive this Samman for his book Dhool Paudho Par which was published in 2008. 

    First novel of Govind Mishra was Wo Apna Chehra published in 1969.

    Important to note : 

    • Harivansh Rai Bachchan is the only Hindi author who have received this title in 1991.
    • Saraswati Samman is an annual award which was established in 1991 by K. K. Birla Foundation and carries a prize amount of 10 lakh rupees along with a certificate and is given in recognition of outstanding prose or poetry literary works in Indian languages.
    • Saraswati Samman is given for the literary works of last 10 years.

    Veteran film actress Nanda died in Mumbai at 75

    Veteran film actress Nanda died in Mumbai at the age of 75 on 25th March 2014. She had done acting in Hindi and Marathi Films. She was daughter of Master Vinayak Damodar Karnataki who was a Marathi actor and director. 

    She acted in many super hit films like Ittefaq, The Train and Joru Ka Ghulam. Her last film was Prem Rog which was released in 1983. 

    Senior women hockey National Title clinched by RSPB

    Senior women hockey National Title clinched by RSPB (Railway Sports Promotion Board) on 23rd March 2014, which is among important current affairs of national sports.

    It was 4th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship (Division A)  and was held in Bhopal. RSPB defeated Haryana in a clean sweep manner by 4-0.

    Best Player of the Tournament goes to Monika from Haryana Team.

    TCPSL roll out first white label ATMs

    TCPSL (Tata Communications Payment Solutions Ltd.) roll out first white label ATMs on 20th March 2014 under the brand name of Indicash. Very first White Label ATM was inaugurated at Chandrapada in district Thane. For this project TCPSL has tied up with Federal Bank. Federal Bank is sponsor bank of care of cash operations, dispute resolutions and regulatory reporting.

    TCPSL has a target to deploy 15000 Indicash ATMs by 2016. 

    Important to note : 

    What are White Label ATMs :  White Label ATM's are also like normal ATM's but they are owned and operated by Non Bank entities. From such White Label ATM customer from any bank will be able to withdraw money by giving service fee for that.

    Aadhaar card is not mandatory for citizens, Supreme Court directed Centre

    Honourable Supreme Court of India has directed centre to withdraw instructions to make Adhaar Card mandatory for citizens. "If there are any instructions that Aadhaar is mandatory, it should be withdrawn immediately" a bench of justices BS Chauhan and J Chelameswar said. The judgement was given in light of Supreme Court receiving lot of letters which say that Aadhaar card is mandatory in spite of court orders. 

    Important to note : In September 2013 earlier Supreme Court in its interim order said that Aadhaar card is not made mandatory for the people for availing government services.

    Instant Money Transfer Scheme launched by Bank of India

    Bank of India (BOI) launched a new scheme on 24th March 2014 in Mumbai. Name of the scheme is Instant Money Transfer (IMT) scheme.

    Unique feature of this scheme is that It will enable customers to withdraw cash without using credit or debit card at Bank of India's IMT enabled ATM's. It is first of its kind innovation by any public sector bank. 

    Features of IMT Scheme: 

    • IMT Scheme allows the customer to send money to a receiver only by using the receiver's mobile number using Bank ATM and Retail banking facility.
    • One can withdraw money from a Bank of India ATM without using any card.
    • The monthly withdrawal limit is 25000 rupees for receiver, and per transaction limit of 10000 rupees.
    • IMT will be valid for 14 days from the date of issuing.

    You may remember that RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan announced earlier in February 2014 that RBI is currently working on a new system that will allow users to withdraw cash from ATMs even if the recipient doesn't have a bank account. 

    Stamp on Noor Inayat Khan released by Britain's Royal Mail

    Among the International Current Affairs, Stamp on Noor Inayat Khan released by Britain's Royal Mail on 25th March 2014. She was World War II heroine, who fought fascism and died in the Dachau concentration camp. This stamp honours Noor Inayat Khan on her centenary year. 

    About Noor Inayat Khan :

    Noor Inayat Khan was born in Moscow to an Indian Father, Hazrat Inayat Khan and an American mother, Ora Ray Baker in January 1914. Noor was brought up in Paris and family immigrated to London when Paris was occupied by Germany during the World War II in 1940. She joined Women's Auxiliary Air Force and was later recruited for the Special Operations Executive which was a secret agency. At the age of 30 she was betrayed, arrested and finally executed in the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. 

    Britain awarded George Cross to Noor Inayat Khan , which is highest honour of Britain.