DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 4 | S.W.A.G

PNB launches host of digital banking solutions

• State-owned Punjab National Bank on 02 Jan 2016 has launched host of digital banking solutions including green PIN and enhancement of its mobile app. 

• The bank launched mobile apps enabling the customer to locate PNB ATM with PNB ATM Assist. The Android app facilitates the customer to use GPS and reach the nearest PNB ATM, it also assists customer to instantly lodge operational issues, reducing the resolution time considerably, PNB MD Usha Ananthasubramanian said. 

• Green PIN facility was also launched under which customer can obtain duplicate PIN for debit card instantly through SMS request. 

• The bank has installed cash acceptor cum ATM at their Sansad Marg branch where customers can deposit cash up to Rs. 2 lakh per transaction and can avail the ATM feature.

Lodha Panel recommends legalisation of betting 

Former Chief Justice of India, R.M. Lodha, submitted his report on the various aspects of reforms in the BCCI to the Supreme Court on 04 Jan 2016.

•  Recommendations of Lodha Committee: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. 

• Separate governing bodies for the IPL and BCCI.

• No BCCI office-bearer can be Minister or government servant. 

• No BCCI office-bearer can have more than two consecutive terms. 

• No BCCI office-bearer can hold two posts at the same time. 

• Legalisation of betting (Legalising betting in cricket but ban cricket officials, administrators, players from indulging in it). 

• Limited autonomy for IPL Governing Council. 

• One Association of each State will be full-member and have the right to vote. Relegation of Railways, Services and Universities as Associate members. They also lose voting rights. Proposes the constitution and establishment of a players association.

Wipro names Abid Ali Neemuchwala as CEO 

• India’s third largest IT exporter Wipro Limited on 04 Jan 2016 announced the appointment of Abid Ali Z. Neemuchwala as the Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of the company. The company also appointed the current CEO T.K. Kurien as the Executive Vice Chairman. Both the appointments will be effective from February 1, 2016, the company said in a release.

Sebi puts in place new form for ASBA 

• With a checklist regime kicking in for initial public offerings (IPOs), capital markets regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has put in place a new form for ASBA (Application Supported by Blocked Amount) facility. 
• ASBA facility has become mandatory for all categories of investors applying for a public issue for making payment from 01 Jan 2016. 
• The facility allows the bid amount to remain in the applicants account till the time the shares are finally allotted. 
• The application form for ASBA would be printed in a booklet form of A4 size paper. 
• SEBI has prescribed white colour form for Resident Indian, NRIs applying on a non repatriation basis and blue colour form for NRIs, Foreign Venture Capital Investor, Foreign Institutional Investors, their Sub-Accounts (other than sub-accounts which are foreign corporates or foreign individuals bidding under the QIB Portion), on a repatriation basis.

PM Modi inaugurates Indian Science Congress in Mysuru 

• The  103rd edition of the Indian Science Congress got underway in Mysuru on 03 Jan 2016 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling on Indian scientists to keep the economy, environment, energy, empathy and equity at the heart of their endeavors in the interest of impactful science. 
• The impact of science will be the most when scientists and technologists keep the principles of what I call Five Es at the centre of their enquiry and engineering

 Alstom delivers ‘Made in India’ coaches to Kochi Metro 

• Alstom, the French transportation equipment maker, rolled out the first set of railway coaches for the Kochi Metro project from its facility at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh. 
• The three indigenously-designed and manufactured coaches were flagged off by Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, M. Venkaiah Naidu, on 02 Jan 2016.
•  The Kochi coach order is the second rolling stock contract for Alstom in the country, with Chennai metro the first. 
• The Metropolis coaches, which were handed over to Kerala Minister for Power and Railways Aryadan Mohammed, will take at least 10 days to reach Kochi where they will be received by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

NABARD, NRSC signs MoU for monitoring Watershed Projects

 The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on 1 January 2016 signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) for web-based monitoring of Indo-German Watershed Development projects.

LPG-Like DBT Scheme For Kerosene From April 1 

• The Central Government will rollout a LPG-like direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for kerosene from April 1. 
• The scheme will be implemented in selected 26 districts of eight states, including Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan. 
• Under the scheme, people will buy kerosene at market rate, but will get subsidy directly in their bank accounts. 
• The cash subsidy to be paid to users will be equivalent to the difference between current Public Distribution System (PDS) price and market rate of kerosene. 
• The subsidy outgo for kerosene for the financial year 2014-15 was about Rs. 24,799 crore.

Veteran CPI leader AB Bardhan passes away

•  Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan passed away on 2 January 2016. He was the former general secretary of the CPI, which is one of the oldest political parties in India.