Daily Current Affairs 21st October, 2017

Daily Current Affairs 21 October 2017 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Indian companies top global list on reporting CSR

According to a KPMG (a professional service company) survey, India has emerged as the top country for reporting corporate responsibility information in the annual financial report of companies, but the quality of disclosures has to improve.

• Steps taken by the Securities and Exchange Board of India has helped the country score high on this parameter.

5-member committee formed to select candidate for post of editor-in-chief of RSTV

A five-member committee, headed by Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash, has been formed to select the candidate for the post of editor-in-chief of Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV).

• The post of editor fell vacant in August this year after Gurdeep Singh Sappal resigned following the end of the tenure of Vice-President Hamid Ansari as Chairman of the Upper House.
• According to officials, this is the first time that Rajya Sabha Secretariat has set up a search-cum-selection committee for the post of Editor-In-Chief in Rajya Sabha TV.

Dasna Jail to rename its dental clinic after Aarushi Talwar

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to rename the dental clinic at Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad after Aarushi Talwar, who was murdered at the age of 14 at her residence in 2008. Aarushi Talwar’s parents – Rajesh and Nupur Talwar – who are also dentists spent four years in the jail since 2013 as the accused in the murder case.

BANKING

Linking bank accounts to Aadhaar mandatory, confirms RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has confirmed that it is mandatory to link bank accounts to Aadhaar. 

• Further, the Reserve Bank clarified that, in applicable cases, linkage of Aadhaar number to bank account is mandatory under the Prevention of Money-laundering (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules, 2017 published in the Official Gazette on June 1, 2017
• The government has made it mandatory to link bank accounts with Aadhaar and some banks have been pushing for it. The deadline to do so is December 31.

ECONOMY

Government permits banks to sell more small savings schemes

In order to encourage savings, the government has allowed banks, including top three private sector lenders, to accept deposits under various small savings schemes like National Savings Certificate (NSC), recurring deposits and monthly income plan. Until now, most of the small savings schemes were sold through post offices.

• According to a recent government notification, banks can also sell National Savings Time Deposit Scheme 1981, National Savings (Monthly Income Account) Scheme 1987, National Savings Recurring Deposit Scheme 1981 and NSC VIII issue.

Present annual rate of interests are as:

• Investments in the public provident fund (PPF) – 7.8 per cent
• Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) investments – 7.5 per cent and mature in 115 months.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme – 8.3 per cent
• 5-year Senior Citizens Savings Scheme – 8.3 per cent. The interest rate on the senior citizens scheme is paid quarterly.

SPORTS

Cristiano Ronaldo retains top spot in Forbes’ wealthiest athletes list

Forbes released the top 20 richest sportsmen in the world for 2017 with Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo leading the chart. Ronaldo earned £70m in the last year, making him the highest paid European sports personality.

• Meanwhile, Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is the only cricketer to feature in the Top 100 list.

APPOINTMENTS

Robert Mugabe named goodwill ambassador by WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador to help tackle non-communicable diseases.

AWARDS

Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan to get Lata Mangeshkar Award

Noted music composers Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik and playback singers Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan have been selected for the Madhya Pradesh government’s prestigious National Lata Mangeshkar Award.

• The artistes will be honoured for their contribution in the field of music composition and singing. The award is given every year alternatively to music directors and playback singers.

OBITUARY

Chess grandmaster Lombardy passes away

American William J. Lombardy, who was one of the most talented and promising chess players of his generation, winning titles and accolades while he was still a teenager, but who all but gave up the game at the height of his career to become a priest has passed away.

Click here to read Current Affairs in English

Click here to read Current Affairs in Hindi