Current Affairs Daily Updates: 31 May 2014

1) Modi govt abolished all EGoMs, GoMs for expeditious decisions, greater accountability: Dismantling a legacy of UPA rule, the newly formed Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Saturday abolished all EGoMs (Empowered Group of Ministers) and GoMs (Group of Ministers) for expeditious decisions and greater accountability.

An official statement from the Prime Minister's Office said, "This decision would expedite the process of decision making and usher in greater accountability in the system." It said wherever the ministries face difficulties, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Office will facilitate the decision-making process. There were nine empowered groups of ministers (EGOMs) and 21 groups of ministers (GOMs) in operation. They were to take decisions on various matters -- and several of them on matters seen as tricky -- before coming up before the cabinet for consideration. In a way, this decision also poses greater accountability on PM Modi himself as he will now have to adjudicate matters where there are differences among cabinet colleagues, rather than let a panel of colleagues deliberate on them first.

2) K Chandrasekhar Rao to be sworn in as Chief Minister of Telangana on June 2: It is now official. TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao will sworn in as Chief Minister along with his team at Raj Bhavan on June 2 at 8.15 am. Mr Rao met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan. TRS, which won 2014 Assembly polls by bagging 63 seats, have staked claim to form the government and submitted a resolution electing Mr Rao as TRS Legislature party leader to the Governor.

3) World observed No Tobacco Day: World No Tobacco Day was observed every year on May 31 to raise awareness about the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. This year, WHO and partners call on countries to raise taxes on tobacco. The main goal of this day is to contribute to protect present and future generations not only from the devastating health consequences due to tobacco, but also from the social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987.

4) Prakash Javadekar Assumed Charge of Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs: Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting & Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate change also took charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in the Parliament House in New Delhi.

5) Lok Sabha TV CEO Rajiv Mishra's services terminated: Lok Sabha TV Chief Executive Rajiv Mishra has lost his job, with outgoing Speaker Meira Kumar terminating his services with effect from on Saturday. Mishra, who joined as the CEO of the LSTV on December 16, 2011, was given an extension with effect from December 15, 2013, until further orders. No reason has been cited in the order. Since the Speaker's tenure is itself coming to an end on June 4, the Speaker had "limited" the contract of Mishra till May 31, 2014.

6) French airforce contingent arrived in India for 'Garuda-5': Four French Rafale fighter aircraft and a contingent of about 70 French airforce personnel on Saturday landed at Jodhpur airbase to participate in the 10-day long joint air exercise "Garuda-5". The air exercise, expected to be attended by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, will kick start at the Jodhpur airbase on June 2.

7) Kamal Nath appointed Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha: Former Parliamentary Affairs Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has been appointed as the Protem Speaker in the new Lok Sabha. A notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed him to perform the duties of the Speaker. The Narendra Modi government had recently conveyed its recommendation to Mukherjee to appoint Nath, who is the senior most member of the Lower House, as Protem Speaker. The Protem Speaker performs the duties of the office of the Speaker from the commencement of the sitting of the Lok Sabha till the election of the Speaker.

8) Vice Admiral Lanba appointed new Naval Vice Chief: Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba, commandant of National Defence College and in line to be the next Navy chief, has been appointed as Vice Chief of Naval Staff as part of a major rejig at the top level in the maritime force. This is the first major announcement of appointments in the NDA regime but the recommendations for these postings had been made by former Defence Minister A K Antony.

9) RK Pattanaik takes over as Indian Navy's deputy chief: Vice Admiral RK Pattanaik Saturday took over as the deputy chief of the Indian Navy from Vice Admiral PK Chatterjee who has been appointed as commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, an official release said.

10) Belgium beat India 3-2 in hockey World Cup opener:  India's shaky defence conceded a goal 15 seconds from the hooter to go down 2-3 against Belgium in their opening game of hockey World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium, Netherlands on Saturday.