Current Affairs for 1st to 7th April 2017

Current Affairs for 1^st to 7^th April 2017

1. Tamil Nadu has won the Vijay Hazare Trophy of cricket for record fifth time defeated Bengal. In the final match played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi they defeated Bengal by 37 runs. It was Tamil Nadu’s third victory over Bengal in the final of this competition.
    
2. Trivendram Singh Rawat was sworn in as ninth Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
    
3. India was ranked 131 in the j2016 Human Development Index (HDI) among the 188 countries. India scored 0.624 and was placed in medium human development category. Sri Lanka (73) and Maldives (105) were placed in “high human development” category, followed by India (131), Bangladesh (139), Nepal (144), Pakistan (147) and Afghanistan (169). Norway, Australia and Switzerland are the top three countries in the ranking.
    
4. Union Cabinet has approved setting up of National Commission for Socially and educationally Backward Classes as a constitutional body. In this regard, constitutional amendment bill for amending Constitution mainly by insertion of Article 338B will be soon introduced in the Parliament.
    
5. Parliament passed the Employees Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The Bill amends the Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923. It ensures compensation up to Rs. 1 lakh to employee if an injured in an industrial accident and imposes hefty penalty in case of any violation by the employers.
    
6. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, NCST has approved the proposal for five additional seats for tribals in the Sikkim Assembly. In its full meeting held in New Delhi, the Commission gave its approval to the proposal of increasing reserve seats for Scheduled Tribes from 12 to 17 in Sikkim Assembly. At present, there are 32 members in the Sikkim assembly and now it would be increased to 40. The Tribal Affairs Minister in a release said, out of the proposed additional eight seats, five seats would be reserved for Limby and Tamang tribes.
    
7. Five-time parliamentarian Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the 21^st Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma were sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister.
    
8. Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel has said that Injectable contraceptive Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (MPA) will be rolled out in the country in a phased manner. In the Lok Sabha, she said that the government has approved Injectable contraceptive for introduction recently under the National Family Programme.
    
9. President Pranab Mukherjee has called upon all stakeholders to redouble their efforts for an early achievement of the goal of TB elimination. World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24^th March to commemorate the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch discovered the TB bacillus.
    
10. Rajya Sabha has passed HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014. The Bill seeks to safeguard the rights of people living with HIV and affected by HIV. It aims to prevent social stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
     
11. World Meteorological Day was observed on 23^rd March. It marks the establishment of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on this day in 1950. The theme for this year was “Understanding Clouds”. It seeks to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water.
     
12. World Water Day was observed on 22^nd March to spread message of preservation and rational consumption of water.
     
13. India has been ranked 87^th among the surveyed 127 countries on a Global Energy Architecture Performance Index released as part of report of Geneva-based World Economic Forum.
     
14. Amendments to the Customs and Excise Acts related to abolition of cesses and surcharges on various goods and services have been approved by the Union Cabinet to facilitate implementation of GST Regime.
     
15. The Centre has approved North East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase I for development of 403 kms of National Highways in Meghalaya and Mizoram. Out of total 403 km, approximately 351 km will be in developed in Mizoram and 52 km in Meghalaya. The project will be executed in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPS) Mode.
     
16. Telecommunications major Idea Cellular has agreed to merge with the Vodafone India, India unit of the UK headquartered Vodafone Plc. The block-buster merge will create world’s second largest and India’s largest telecom company by overtaking Bharti Airtel Ltd.
     
17. The third test between India and Australia ended in a draw. Australia became the first team since 2010-11 to save a Test match in India after trailing in the first innings against India. Patel Handscomb played 200 balls for his unbeaten 72 and Shaun Marsh played 197 for his half-century to help draw the match. The series remained tied at 1-1.