Current Affairs 14th August 2015

Current Affairs 14th August 2015 - Important Points

• Who is appointed as Election Commissioner of India - OP Rawat

• Which sport of Maharashtra has been granted with the Adventure Sport status - Dahi Handi

• Witch Hunting Bill, 2015 was passed by - Assam

• Name the scheme recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as largest cash transfer program - Pahal Scheme

• Interest Subvention Scheme 2015-16 of Union Government for banks was notified by - RBI

• European series was won by - Indian Men's Hockey team

• MoU for technical cooperation in Railway Sector was signed between - India & Slovak Republic

• 2015 United States-India Cyber Dialogue held in - Washington, DC

Current Affairs 14th August 2015 - Details

Who is appointed as Election Commissioner of India - OP Rawat

Among the important appointments, On 13th August 2015, a 1977 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Om Prakash Rawat was appointed as the Election Commissioner of India.

In December 2018, his tenure will come to an end. In December 2014, he had retired from government service. Prior to this, he had served with two chief ministers as their principal secretary and also served as Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises in the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The tenure for an EC or a CEC is of six years in office or till he or she attains the age of 65 years. Achal Kumar Joti is the other Election Commissioner and Naseem Zaidi is the Chief Election Commissioner.

Which sport of Maharashtra has been granted with the Adventure Sport status - Dahi Handi

Among the important National Current Affairs, On 11th August 2015, the status of Adventure Sport through a Government Resolution (GR) 201508131458581621 was granted to Maharashtra's famous Dahi Handi (Govinda).

From nowonwards, State-level association will frame the set of rules for Dahihandi and will be played according to that only and will not be limited to Janmashtami only.

A registration and training process will be carried out for the groups playing this sport.

Do You Know :

In Dahi Handi a human pyramid is formed to break an earthen pot filled with curd hanging mid-air to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna

Witch Hunting Bill, 2015 was passed by - Assam

On 13th August 2015, Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2015 was passed by the State Assembly of Assam. The bill will look forward to avoid rising cases of superstition leading to murder of so-called "witches".

Key features of the Bill

• All cases of witch-hunting will be considered as non-bailable, cognizable and non-compoundable within the meaning of the Code.
• The Bill has clause to interdict any person from identifying, calling or disparage any other person as witch.
• An imprisionment of seven years of jail and fine up to 5 lakh rupees will be imposed if anybody violates this rule.
• An imprisionment of 3 years will be given if anybody blames a person for natural disasters.
• Special courts will be set up in consultation with the high court for trial of offences.

Name the scheme recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as largest cash transfer program - Pahal Scheme

Among the important National Current Affairs, On 13th August 2015, the world’s largest cash transfer program (households) of Union Government named Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Under the aegis of Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas the scheme was formally launched as Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG subsidy in 291 districts in 2013.

About Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme

• The scheme seeks to reduce eliminating duplication or bogus LPG connections and its diversion. It also seeks to meet substantive savings in LPG subsidy.
• Under the scheme, subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders are sold at market rates and consumers are entitled to receive LPG subsidy directly into their bank accounts.
• Currently the scheme covers more than 9.75 crore LPG consumers.

Interest Subvention Scheme 2015-16 of Union Government for banks was notified by - RBI

On 13th August 2015, Union Budget-2015-16 Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) was notiffied by Reserve Bank of India. RBI has asked all banks to provide interest concession of 2% on short term crop loans of up to 3 lakh rupees.

The central bank in its notification said that interest subvention of 2% per annum will be made available to public and private sector banks provided they lend short term credit at the ground level at 7% per annum to farmers.

The bank said that additional interest subvention of 3 percent will be available to farmers for repaying the loan promptly from the date of disbursement of the crop loan. This indicates that farmers paying promptly would get short term crop loans at 4% during the year 2015-16.

To provide relief to farmers affected by natural calamities, the Reserve Bank has said that interest subvention of 2 percent will continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount. However, such restructured loans may attract normal rate of interest from the second year onwards.

European series was won by - Indian Men's Hockey team

Among the important Sports Current Affairs, On 13th August 2015, European Series was won by Indian Men's Hockey Team against Spain by 4-2 at Teresa in Spain.

Rupinder Pal fro India scored the first goal in 24th minute followed by Akashdeep Singh in 45th minute and the third and fourth goals by Ramandeep Singh.

MoU for technical cooperation in Railway Sector was signed between - India & Slovak Republic

On 13th August 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation in railway sector was signed by India and Slovak Republic. Zigmund Bertok, Ambassador of Slovak Republic to India and Ganga Ram Agarwal, Secretary of Railway Board of India signed the MoU in New Delhi.

Details of MoU are :

• Any other area mutually agreed between the Parties, falling within the scope of this MoU
• Modernisation of rolling stock
• Modernisation of Signaling & Telecom
• Infrastructure building and management– station development and workshop modernisation
• Information & communication technologies especially for passenger amenities

2015 United States-India Cyber Dialogue held in - Washington, DC

On 11th and 12th August 2015, US - India Cyber Dialogue 2015 was held at the US Department of State in Washington, DC to promote the digital economy and increase global cyber security.

India's Deputy National Security Advisor Arvind Gupta and US Cyber security Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President Michael Daniel led the whole-of-government Cyber Dialogue which is fourth in the series.

Consequences of the dialogue

• India and the United States have steadfast to robust cooperation on cyber issues
• In the context of 'Make in India', efforts to combat cyber crime, Internet governance issues, and norms of state behavior in cyberspace the delegations from both the countries had discussed a range of cyber issues including cyber threats, enhanced cyber security information sharing, cyber incident management and cyber security cooperation.
• The two delegations identified a variety of opportunities for increased collaboration on cyber security capacity-building, cyber security research and development, combatting cyber crime, international security, and Internet governance, and intend to pursue an array of follow-on activities to bolster their cyber security partnership and achieve concrete outcomes.