NATIONAL NEWS
Panel to conduct survey for sub-categorisation of OBC
A commission examining the sub-categorisation of the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has decided to get a countrywide survey conducted by an agency to have an estimate of the caste-wise population figures and has sought funds from the Centre for the same.
- Justice G Rohini (retd), who is heading the five-member panel, set up to suggest parameters for an equitable distribution of OBC reservation.
- The Union Cabinet on November 22 had approved the extension of the commission's term till May 31, 2019, the fourth one since its formation in October 2017.
- The Central list of OBCs comprises more than 2,600 castes, many of which are small in number and occupy distinct place geographically, which is why it is necessary to have a large sample covering every sub-district of all states and UTs.
ATMs declined by 1,000 to 2.07 lakh in FY18, says RBI report
The number of ATMs has declined marginally to 2.07 lakh in FY18 from 2.08 lakh in FY17, primarily due to branch rationalisation by a few public sector banks, the Reserve Bank said in its annual report. In FY18, the number of ATMs of state-run banks declined to 1.45 lakh from 1.48 lakh in FY17,” the RBI said in the ‘Trends & Progress of Banking in 2017-18’ report.
- Similarly, the number of operational on-site ATMs too came down to 1.06 lakh during the year from 1.09 lakh in FY17, while that of off-site ATMs increased to 1 lakh from 98,545.
- However, private sector banks installed more ATMs taking their total number to 60,145 in FY18, up from 58,833 in the previous fiscal year.
Chariot Festival Celebrated In Madurai Meenakshi Temple In Tamil Nadu
The unique Chapparam (Chariot) festival was celebrated with traditional rituals and festivities in the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple, in Tamil Nadu. The fest symbolizes the importance of preserving all kinds of food and fodder.
- Cooked rice, which is distributed among devotees, are taken home and preserved because it signifies prosperity for the whole year. Another specialty of the festival is that the chariot of Goddess Meenakshi is pulled by lady devotees alone.
Kerala Police Facebook page now subject of study for Microsoft
Microsoft has selected Kerala Police's Facebook page, which has over 10 lakh followers, to study the organisation's new age media interactions. Kerala Police is known for posting funny memes and witty responses to address social issues to the public through its page.
- Kerala Police's page is more popular than New York Police Department's page which has 7.9 lakh followers.
Arunachal Pradesh Was Given A Permanent Battalion Of The NDRF
Arunachal Pradesh was given a permanent battalion of the National Disaster Response Force and Chief Minister Pema Khandu laid the foundation stone for the 12th battalion headquarters at Hollongi, Itanagar.
- The headquarters were first proposed in 2014 but was delayed due to land availability issues.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
China’s Chang’e-4 probe Geared to Land on Dark Side of the Moon
A Chinese space probe is moving into position to land on the dark side of the moon for the first time. The probe, the Chang'e-4, entered a planned orbit "to prepare for the first ever soft landing on the far side of the moon".
- China launched the Chang'e-4 probe earlier this month, carried by a Long March-3B rocket. It includes a lander and a rover to explore the surface of the moon.
- The tasks of the Chang'e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying the moon's terrain, landform and mineral composition, and measuring the neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment on the far side of the moon.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Uzbekistan Promotes 2019 As Year Of Investment In Backdrop Of Wider Business With India
Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his annual address to the Parliament announced 2019 as the ‘Year of Active Investment and Social Development’ in the backdrop of proposed investments from India to boost economy of this Central Asian country.
- It would be a logical continuation of activities that begun in 2018 under the program of the ‘Year of support of active entrepreneurship, innovative ideas and technologies’.
- India has been invited to make large scale investments across sectors in Uzbekistan taking advantage of economic reforms and Special economic zones (SEZs).
- More than 2,600 business projects have been implemented at places within the framework of “Every family is an entrepreneur” and “Youth is our future” programs.
Banks' recovery improves after insolvency code, changes in Sarfaesi: Report
Recovery of Indian banks improved in 2017-18 after the implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and amendment of the Sarfaesi Act, according to the Trends and Progress Report. The central bank corrected data for the IBC recovery.
- For the 701 cases admitted under the National Company Law Tribunals (NCLT), and claims admitted on 21 accounts for an amount of Rs 99 billion, the recovery has been Rs 49 billion, indicating a haircut of about 50 per cent.
