Current Affairs for 6th Jan to 14th Jan 2017

Current Affairs for 6th Jan to 14th Jan 2017

1. The Budget is scheduled to be held on February 1. The Opposition parties had approached the Election Commission yesterday and demanded that the Budget be postponed to a date beyond March 8, the last date on which voting for Assembly elections will be held.
    
2. A bill backing key changes in the H1-B programmed that allows skilled workers from counties like India to fill high-tech jobs in the US has been re-introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who claim that it will help crack down on the work visa abuse. The ‘Protect and Grow American Jobs Act’ makes important changes to the eligibility requirements for H1-B Visa exemptions was re-introduced by Republican Darrell Issa and Scott Peters - both California.
    
3. Election Commission has announced the schedule for polls in 5 states, voting in Uttar Pradesh will be held in 7 phases while the counting will take place on March 11. Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases between 11 February, Uttarakhand o 15 February and Manipur in two phases on 4 and 8 March.
    
4. India and Kazakhstan signed in the national capital a Protocol to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) between the two countries which was earlier signed on 9^th December 1996 for the avoidance of double taxation and for the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes o income. The Protocol provides internationally accepted standards for effective exchange of information tax matters. Further, the information received from Kazakhstan for tax purposes can be shared with other law enforcement agencies with authorization of the competent authority of Kazakhstan and vice versa.
    
5. Supreme Court has refused to give an urgent hearing to a plea seeking postponement of the Union Budget to March, after the Assembly polls in states were completed. A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar said, it will hear the matter in due course of time, but not now.
    
6. In United States, for the first time, the Marine Corps has put three enlisted female Marines in a ground combat unit once open only to men. 1^st Lt. John McCombs, spokesman for the 2^nd Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejuene said, they will serve as rifleman, machine gunner and mortal Marine. 
    
7. Veteran actor Om Puri, who gave countless memorable performances in movies of diverse genres, died at his residence in Mumbai after a massive heart attack. He was 66. From Bollywood to Hollywood mainstream commercial films. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, in 1990.
    
8. Gpvernment has realized around Rs. 23500 crore during the current financial year so far from disinvestment of its stake in Central Public Sector Enterprises, CPSEs. This includes Rs. 21,432 crore through minority stake sale in 14 CPSEs and around Rs. 2,096 crore through strategic disinvestment.
    
9. Commerce and Industry Ministry has said that the Department of Revenue has promised to refund tax claims of exporters within seven days under the new GST regime. Addressing a press conference after the 2^nd meeting of the Council for trade development and promotion in New Delhi.