Current Affairs 12th August 2016

Current Affairs 12th August 2016 - Important Points

• Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016 passed by - Rajya Sabha 
• Which state becomes first state to ratify The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 – Assam
• Microsoft appoints whom as MD of India Research Lab - Sriram Rajamani
• Union Government launches data bank portal of - MSMEs
• First swimmer to win four consecutive golds in same event - Michael Phelps
• Construction of over 37000 houses for urban poor approved by – HUPA

Current Affairs 12th August 2016 - Details

Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016 passed by - Rajya Sabha 

Among Important National Current Affairs, a good news for all the new working mumma’s, The Rajya Sabha has passed the Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to raise maternity leave for working women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for two surviving children. 

This bill is meant to amend the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. The law protects the employment of women during the time of her maternity and also entitles her of a ‘maternity benefit’.

Do You Know – 

• The main aim of this Bill is to increasing women’s participation in the workforce which is “decreasing day-by-day.” 

• Here, the provisions of bill apply to every establishment employing ten or more persons and include mines and factories.

Which state becomes first state to ratify The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 – Assam

On 12th August 2016, The Assam Assembly has passed a resolution to become the first state to ratify The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014.

Lok Sabha passed this bill on 8th August 2016 and by the Rajya Sabha on 3rd August 2016.

Do You Know - 

• The GST will have two components keeping in mind the federal structure of India, i.e. the Central GST (CGST) and the State GST (SGST).

• However, for goods and services that pass through several states, or imports, the Centre will levy another tax, the Integrated GST (IGST).

Microsoft appoints whom as MD of India Research Lab - Sriram Rajamani

Among Important National Current Affairs, on 11th August 2016, Microsoft declared the appointment of Sriram Rajamani as the new Managing Director (MD) of its India Research Lab.

This appointment is however effective from 1st August 2016.

Sriram Rajamani has replaced Chandu Thekkath, who was working as Managing Director of the lab for two years.

Know About Sriram Rajamani – 

• Sriram Rajamani is a well-known computer scientist.

• He holds a proven research and managerial track record spanning 17 years in Microsoft's research organisation.

Union Government launches data bank portal of - MSMEs

The Union Government has launched the two important initiatives of the Union Ministry of MSME, viz. MSME Databank Portal and Online Finance Facilitation Web Portal. 

Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley on the sidelines of 14th Meeting of the National Board of MSME in New Delhi, launched these two portal.

First swimmer to win four consecutive golds in same event - Michael Phelps

Among Important Sports Current Affairs, on 11th August 2016 Michael Phelps won his fourth consecutive 200m individual medley Olympic title. 

After this win, he became the first swimmer ever to win four consecutive golds in the same event.

Here, Phelps clocked one minute, 54.66 seconds to grab this 200m individual medley Olympic title.

Other than Michael Phelps, Japan’s Kosuke Hagino won the silver medal and China’s Wang Shun took the bronze.

Construction of over 37000 houses for urban poor approved by – HUPA

On 11th August 2016, The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) has approved construction of around 37013 houses for the urban poor in Karnataka and Haryana with an investment of 1491 crore rupees.

However, these houses will be developed with central assistance of 569 crore rupees.

Please Note: By the inter-ministerial Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee, chaired by HUPA Secretary Nandita Mukherjee, the project was approved.

Also, the total investment in construction of these houses would be to the tune of about 1491 crore rupees.