Current Affairs 24 to 30 December, 2016

CURRENT AFFAIRS 24 Dec to 30 Dec, 2016

The Supreme Court has said that Indian Air Force personnel cannot sport a beard on religious grounds. The apex court said that policies on personal appearances are not intended to discriminate against religious beliefs but to ensure uniformity and discipline which are indispensable to every armed force. The court observed that for the effective functioning of a large combat force, members must bond together by a sense of espirit-de-corps, without distinctions of caste, creed, colour or religion and while on duty, every member of the Indian Air Force is required to wear uniform and not display any sign distinguishing one from another.
India remains one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, with real GDP expanding at 7.3%, the White House said. Economic Report of the US President for the year 2017, which was sent to the Congress, said that economic growth in India continues at a solid pace of a projected 7.4% over the four quarters of 2016. The 600-page report said private consumption has been a major driver in economic growth, contributing 4.3% to 7.3% real GDP growth rate. It further said that lower inflation and fiscal consolidation over the past year has created additional policy space for India to stimulate growth.
Parliament has passed the ‘Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016’ with Lok Sabha approving it on the last day of the session after a brief debate. The Rajya Sabha has already passed it. The Bill replaces the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995. The number of categories of differently-abled has been increased from 7 to 21 so that the Divyangs could have the benefits of various schemes at the Centre and State level. The new categories include, speech and language disability, specific learning disability, acid attack victim, dwarfism, muscular dystrophy and three blood disorder5, Thalassemia, Hemophilia and Sickle Cell disease. The Bill also seeks to enhance reservation for Divyabgs in government jobs from 3% to 4%. Designated special Courts have been proposed to handle cases concerning violation of rights of such persons.
The Government has announces Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana to promote digital payments. Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant said, Lucky Grahak Yojana is to encourage consumers while Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana is to encourage merchants for transition ot digital payments. Mr. Kant said, National Payment Council of India will announce 15, 000 winners of 1000 rupees each for the next 100 days, starting this Chrismas.
The Supreme Court has ordered a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across the country. The Apex court made it clear that licenses of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31 next year. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur today also directed that such shops must be at least 500 metres away from highways. The bench also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao directed that all ads indicating presence of liquor vends will be prohibited on national and state highways.
Incoming UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Nigeria’s Environmental Minister Amina Mohammed to be the UN’s deputy secretary-general. Senior Brazilian foreign ministry official, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, will serve as Guterres’ chief of staff’ while Kyung-wha Kang of South Korea was appointed to the new position of special advisor on policy. Guterres has made gender parity a priority of his tenure which begins from first of January.
Former Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora has been appointed as the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, a think tank that comes under the Corporate Affairs Ministry. IICA focuses on matters impacting functioning of corporate and work towards capacity building with various stakeholders including regulators and professional, among other activities.
Bangladesh celebrated 45 years of its emergence as a new country on the map of the world on December 16 in 1971 after nine-month long 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan the country is recalling the sacrifices of more than 3 million martyrs. On this day. The Chief of Pakistani Army General AAK Niazi along with 93000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the allied forces of Mukti Fouz and Indian Army at Ramna Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka following a defeat. India entered the war on 3^rd Dec, 1971 after being attacked by Pakistan on the western front. The 13 day war culminated in the birth of the new Bangla nation.