Important Day
Goa Statehood Day: 30 May
- On May 30 we celebrate the Goa Statehood Day. On this day, in 1987, Goa ceased to be a Union Territory and became the 25th State of the Union of India.
- Goa was liberated from the colonial rule in December 1961.
- After liberation, a major controversy arose as to whether Goa should remain a separate territory or should merge into a neighbouring State, Maharashtra or Mysore.
- In 1967, an opinion poll was held, the only such referendum in independent India. It decided that Goa, Daman and Diu should remain a separate entity with the status of a Union Territory.
- Thereafter all the three major political parties, the United Goans, Congress, and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party sought Statehood for Goa.
National Events
Prakash Javadekar launches UGC App to fight ragging
- HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday launched an Anti-Ragging Mobile App introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
- this app will work on android system and students can log in and register their complaints instantaneously.
- Accordingly, all concerned will be informed and action will be initiated immediately.
- Javadekar said it is a good step for protection and will give a feeling of security to students.
EPFO gives nod to hike in stock investment to 15 per cent
- The Employees Provident Fund Organisation has approved hike in investment limit in exchange traded funds (ETFs) to 15 percent, from the existing 10 per cent
- The government in 2015 had taken a decision to invest in ETFs and 5 per cent was invested then.
- In 2016, the investment was raised to 10 per cent.
- The money which is being invested is in the Sensex, the Nifty and central public sector ETFs. These are the three ETF where we are allowed to invest
‘Pradhan Mantri’ replaces ‘Indira Gandhi’ in govt maternity benefit scheme
- The government has renamed the Matritva Sahyog Yojana-- a scheme to give Rs 6,000 to pregnant and lactating mothers for the first live birth-- as Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), yet another instance of the PM’s name prefixed to a government programme.
- This is the second time that the scheme’s name has been changed. When it was launched way back in 2010 it was called the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana.
- After coming to power in 2014, the NDA government dropped “Indira Gandhi” from the scheme.
International Events
India Second Most Complex Tax Jurisdiction
- Indian tax laws are perceived to be second most complex in the Asia-Pacific region, becoming even less predictable over the last three years, a Deloitte survey has said.
- India ranks only after China in having most complex jurisdiction for taxation and most complicated requirements of tax, the Asia Pacific Tax Complexity Survey conducted by Deloitte said.
- Japan, Australia, Indonesia and South Korea trail India in the complexity index.
- By ‘complexity’, it meant the perceived level of difficulty in interpreting the tax law and rules in the relevant jurisdictions.
- Many respondents felt reforms were needed in India around the administration of tax, like training for tax officers to improve understanding of taxpayers.
- It said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will reduce complexity in tax environment by eliminating multiple taxes while improving trade and commerce.
- In addition to GST, introduction of GAAR from April 2017 and adoption of BEPS (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) actions will increase complexity over next 2—3 years in the field of M&A tax and indirect tax in particular,
Sports
Monaco Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel stretches title lead with win
- Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won a slow-burning Monaco Grand Prix to extend his championship lead over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to 25 points.
- Vettel led home team-mate Kimi Raikkonen after passing the Finn by running longer to their only pit stops.
- Hamilton finished seventh after a difficult race from 13th on the grid.
India's Vaishali wins gold in Asian Blitz Chess Championship
- India's R Vaishaliwon the women's title with eight points from nine rounds in the Asian Continental Blitz Chess Championship in Chengdu, China
- Vaishali drew her final round game against Uurtsaikh Uuriintuya of Mongolia to finish half-a-point ahead of Iran's Sarasdat Khademalsharieh and clinch the gold medal.
- Her compatriot Padmini Rout finished third with seven points after a last round win over Yuxin Song of China.
- The Chennai player with an ELO rating of 2203 had finished third in the Asian Championship event
Awards & Honours
Satyabrata Rout gets Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar
- Satyabrata Rout, a professor from the Department of Theatre Arts, S N School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016.
- Rout has developed "a unique method of teaching and practising direction and design, which has been achieved through a long and continuous work experience with eminent theatre practitioners and scholars''.
- He was one of the pioneers of ‘visual theatre’ in India, and has ‘Scenography: An Indian Perspective’. He has directed a number of plays, participated in national and international theatre festivals and conducted numerous theatre workshops across the globe.
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama.
- It is the highest Indian recognition given to practising artists.
Lonely Planet India Travel Awards 2017: World's best travel destinations
- The tourism fraternity came together to celebrate yet another bonanza, with the 6th Lonely Planet India Travel Awards 2017 recognising their respective contributions to global travel.
- After thorough research, Lonely Planet India awarded destinations across the world, in several categories, as per the experience they offer to tourists.
- Destinations in India won accolades for their immense contribution to tourism. Karnataka (Best Destination for Culture), Maharashtra (Best Destination for Adventure), Madhya Pradesh (Best Destination for Wildlife), Himachal Pradesh (Best Destination for Family), Goa (Best Destination for Relaxation), Tamil Nadu (Best Destination for Value), Lucknow - Uttar Pradesh (Best Destination for Food & Drink), New Delhi (Best Destination for Shopping), Munnar - Kerala (Best Destination for Romance), Rajasthan (Best Destination for Indulgence) and Meghalaya (Best Emerging Destination) were among the awarded tourist hubs at a national level.
- Among the international destinations awarded were Japan (Best Destination for Culture), New Zealand (Best Destination for Adventure), South Africa (Best Destination for Wildlife), Singapore (Best Destination for Family),Thailand (Best Destination for Relaxation), Malaysia (Best Destination for Value), Spain (Best Destination for Food & Drink), The USA (Best Destination for Shopping), Austria (Best Destination for Romance), France (Best Destination for Indulgence) and Iceland (Best Emerging Destination).
- Switzerland, on the other hand, was voted as the choicest holiday destination for Indian tourists,
Dr Sunil Kothari to be awarded the Akademi Ratna
- Dr Sunil Kothari, who was the first one to complete PhD from M S University's Department of Dance, has been selected for the coveted Akademi Ratnaaward by the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
- 83-year-old Kothari, who is a native of Matar town of Kheda district will receive the highest Indian recognition given to an artist in October by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- India's well-known dance historian and critic, Kothari, was instrumental in starting the School of Arts and Aesthetics at Jawaharlal Nehru University where he was appointed as the first professor.
Lake Pichola awarded as Best Natural Attraction in India
- HolidayIQ has awarded Lake Pichola as the best natural attraction in India. The award was received by Gunjeet Kaur, Additional Director, Rajasthan Tourism Reception Centre along with Assistant Director, R.K. Saini.Lake Pichola was awarded as “India’s favourite Natural Attraction HolidayIQ Award”.
- HolidayIQ.com is an information portal that is powered by user-generated content coming online from the travel community. This information comes in forms of reviews, interactive forums, photographs and videos.
- Lake Pichola was constructed in 1362 and named after its nearby Picholi village. This lake was created by building dams for meeting the drinking water and irrigation needs of the city. Pichola has four islands in it: Jag Niwas (that houses Lake Palace), Jag Mandir, Mohan Mandir (place from where king would watch Gangaur festival) and Arsi Vilas (small island that was an ammunition depot and also has a small palace).
Science & Technology
Indian researchers develop 3D bioprinted cartilage
- For the first time, Indian researchers have been able to achieve a measure of success in developing cartilages that are molecularly similar to the ones seen in human knees.
- While scientists attempting to tissue-engineer cartilage have focussed on growing cells on porous scaffolds, in a paradigm shift, a team led by Prof. Sourabh Ghosh from the Department of Textile Technology at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has been successful in 3D bioprinting of cartilage using a bioink.
- The bioink has high concentration of bone-marrow derived cartilage stem cells, silk proteins and a few factors.
- The chemical composition of the bioink supports cell growth and long-term survival of the cells. The cartilage developed in the lab has remained physically stable for up to six weeks.
‘Judy’ Malware hits 3.65 crore of Android users
- According to the source, A malware which is named as ‘Judy’ has been attacked more than 3.65 crores of Android users through the simple fashion and cooking game apps on the Google Play Store, as per the security company of Check Point.
- Once these apps are installed in the mobile phone, the malware uses the infected phone which is to click on the certain Google Ads is to increase the attacker’s revenue.
- Play Store has been taken down most of the concerned applications.
Banking & Finance
SBI, Canara Bank, Bank of Maharashtra again hit customers with hiked charges
- Nationalised banks such as State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Maharashtra and Canara Bank have hiked charges for several services or facilities provided to customers.
- These include increase in charges for chequebook issuance, signature verification, cash handling charges, withdrawals beyond stipulated numbers and card issuance charges.
- For issuance of local chequebook, reconstitution of account, addition or deletion in account, change in mobile number, photo attestation and for sign verification, Bank of Maharashtra charges Rs115 from customers.
- For signature or photo verification, Canara Bank will be charging Rs150 per case of attestation from 1st July, as against the existing Rs100.
- SBI, has revised its service charges for basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) accounts, whereby the customer would be charged Rs30 for issuance of a 10-leaf chequebook.
- The bank would issue only RuPay classic card free of cost, while for all other cards the customer has to pay stipulated charges.
- For BSBD customers, SBI allows four free withdrawals per month, beyond which the customer has to pay Rs50 per transaction at branch, Rs20 at other branch ATMs and Rs10 at SBI ATMs. These charges exclude service tax and would be applicable form 1 June 2017
