Daily Current Affairs Updates: 25 December 2014

1) Union Government observed Good Governance Day: Union Government observed 25 December 2014 as Good Governance Day. The day was observed to celebrate the 90th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Most of the Union Ministries marked the day with e-governance initiatives, launch of new programmes and websites. Some dedicated existing initiatives to the nation, while others released year-end reviews of their programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited his Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, launching development activities and participating in the “Clean India” campaign.

2) Japan parliament re-elected Abe as prime minister: Japan's parliament re-elected Shinzo Abe on 24 December 2014 to serve another term as prime minister after his party won a snap election earlier this month. Abe won 328 votes out of the 470 cast by lawmakers in a special session of the lower house. Since the ruling Liberal Democrats hold only two lower house seats, two other lawmakers also cast votes for Abe. Following a similar vote by the upper house, Abe will name his cabinet, replacing only his defense minister.

3) India clinched gold in Under-16 Chess Olympiad: Top seeds India bagged the gold medal in the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad at Gyor in Hungary in a tight contest recently. India beat Turkey 3.0-1.0 in the 10th and final round to clinch the title ahead of Russia and Iran at the FIDE tournament held at the University of West Hungary.

4) Govt to introduce alfa-numeric code for jewellery soon: The central government is “actively considering” introduction of a nine-digit alphanumeric identity code for every jewellery item manufactured in India, to fix purity and traceability. The code is proposed to be encrypted on every ornament. The major aim is to protect consumers from being duped, through tracing of the origin, certifying and assaying of ornaments. At present, some organised retailers sell ornaments with the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) hallmark, at a premium to local jewellers.

5) Commemorative postage stamp on Kuka Movement released: Government has released a commemorative postal stamp to highlight heroic deeds of those engaged in 1857 Kuka movement of the Namdhari Sikhs against the British rule. It was released by Union minister for Communication and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi. This movement marked the first major anti British reaction and its new political order initiated in 1849 among the people in the Punjab in 1857. 

6) After 20 years government decided to print 1 rupee paper notes: Government is keen to start printing Rs. 1 notes after a gap of almost two decades. The Government has notified ‘Printing of One Rupee Currency Notes Rules, 2015’, which will come into effect from January 1, 2015. Due to higher cost and for freeing capacity to print higher denomination notes, printing Rs.1 note was discontinued in November 1994, followed by Rs. 2 in February 1995, and Rs.5 in November 1995. Since then, only coins have been issued for these denominations. However, old notes are still in circulation and remain legal tender. As before, the new one rupee note will have the signature of the Finance Secretary.

7) Government launched 'Mission Indradhanush' for children vaccination: The government has launched 'Mission Indradhanush' that aims to cover all un-vaccinated or partially vaccinated children by the year 2020, against seven vaccine preventable diseases. The diseases that come under the mission launched by the Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on 'Good Governance Day' are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.

8) Reliance Capital to open a new bank in India in association with Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui: Reliance Capital, the Anil Ambani-led financial company, has sold a 2.8 per cent stake to Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank for Rs 371 crore to bolster its ambition of owning a bank as and when RBI kicks off on-tap licensing. Getting Japan's fourth-largest bank as a partner would add heft to such a bid, whenever it's made.

9) Amitabh Bachchan honoured with Yash Chopra Memorial Award: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been conferred with the second Yash Chopra Memorial Award. Bachchan, 72, delivered his career's blockbusters with the ace filmmaker right from his first collaboration in 'Deewar', 'Kabhi Kabhie', 'Trishul', 'Kaala Patthar'. 'Silsila', 'Mohabatein' to 'Veera Zaara' and 'Bunty Aur Babli'.