Daily Current Affairs Updates: 25 May 2015

1) ICICI Bank launched voice password facility for users:

--> Country's largest private lender ICICI Bank has on 25 May 2015 launched a service through which customers can make transactions using just their voice, without using other means of authentication like a password.

--> The voice recognition service authenticates customers based on their speech patterns and allows them to execute banking transactions through the bank's call centre, the bank said in a statement.

--> Normally customer use authentication like entering card numbers, answering security questions and entering a personal identification number (PIN) to carry out a phone banking transaction.

--> Now their voice will act as the password for banking transactions through the call centre and it is secure.

2) Manoj Mishra appointed as CMD of National Fertilizers:

--> Government has appointed Manoj Mishra as Chairman and Managing Director of state-run National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL).

--> Mishra, currently posted as Director Finance at State Trading Corporation (STC), is likely to assume the charge of CMD of the fertiliser firm this week.

3) Government cleared 21 FDI proposals worth Rs. 281 crore:

--> The government has cleared 21 foreign direct investment (FDI) deals worth Rs. 281 crore but deferred Kotak Mahindra Bank’s proposal to hike foreign investment limit in the bank to 55 per cent.

--> FDI proposals under approval route are cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).

4) Sunil D'Souza, former PepsiCo executive, appointed as Whirlpool India MD:

--> Home appliances maker Whirlpool of India has appointed Sunil D'Souza as managing director.

--> He will come on board effective June 22, 2015.

--> He joins appliances manufacturer Whirlpool from PepsiCo where he was the Head of PepsiCo’s VIMAPS Business Unit in Malaysia.

5) Bank staff to get 15% wage hike:

--> Around one million employees of 43 banks, including state-owned ones, will get a 15% hike in salaries as the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) on 25 May 2015 signed a wage agreement with unions and officers' associations.

--> The revision, applicable with effect from November 1, 2012, will benefit employees and officers in public sector banks, old private sector banks and a few foreign banks.

--> The 15% hike would put an extra burden of Rs 4,725 crore on banks, IBA chairman T M Bhasin said. 

6) Ajinkya Rahane, Kumar Sangakkara conferred with CEAT awards:

--> Ajinkya Rahane won the CEAT Indian Cricketer of the Year award while former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara clinched the International Cricketer of the Year honour at a ceremony held in Mumbai on 25 May 2015.

--> Former India captain Kapil Dev, who led the country to the first of two World Cup titles in 1983, was conferred with the International Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th edition of the awards.

--> The award winners:

1) International Lifetime Achievement Award: Kapil Dev

2) International Cricketer of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara

3) Indian Cricketer of the Year: Ajinkya Rahane

4) International Batsman of the Year: Hashim Amla

5) International Bowler of the Year: Rangana Herath

6) T20 Player of the Year: Dwayne Bravo

7) Popular Choice Award: Kieron Pollard

8) Special Award: Rohit Sharma

9) Domestic Cricketer of the Year: R Vinay Kumar

10) Young Player of the Year: Deepak Hooda.

7) 200 rallies to mark 1 year of Modi government:

--> BJP will celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one year in office with a week-long campaign called “Jan Kalyan Parv” or “People’s Welfare Festival” .

--> The party will hold 200 rallies across the country with Mr. Modi scheduled to address the first meeting at Nagla Chandrabhan village in Mathura, the birthplace of Deendayal Upadhyaya, on May 25.