Daily Current Affairs Updates: 04
October 2013
National
1) Assembly
elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh to be
held from Nov 25 to Dec 4: Assembly elections will be held in Delhi, Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh from November 11, the Election
Commission announced today. There will be single-phase elections to four State
Assemblies – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Mizoram. Madhya Pradesh will
be the first to go to polls on November 25, followed by Rajasthan on December
1, while voting in and Delhi and Mizoram will be held on December 4. In
Naxal-hit Chhattisgarh, however, elections will be held in two phases, on - November
11 and 19. Model code of conduct comes into immediate effect, EC added.
Counting of votes will be done on December 8 in all 630 constituencies across
five States, with a total electorate of about 11 crore.
2) Election
Commission to give voters the NOTA (none of the above) option in upcoming
Assembly Elections in the five States: In keeping with the Supreme Court order
on September 27, the Election Commission will also give voters the NOTA (none
of the above) option in the five States and was taking steps to educate polling
officers as well as voters, the Chief Election Commissioner, V S Sampath, said
at a press conference.
3) HRD
Minister Pallam Raju to submit resignation on Telangana issue: Brushing
aside the Prime Minister’s advice, HRD Minister Pallam Raju today decided to resign
from the Cabinet opposing the decision to split Andhra Pradesh. Last Day,
Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi and Textiles Minister K.S Rao had also offered
their resignation.
4) Jagan
to go on indefinite fast against AP bifurcation issue: YSR Congress President
Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy today said that he would undertake an indefinite fast
here from tomorrow against the Centre’s decision to divide Andhra Pradesh.
5) Centre
moves apex court for modification of order on Aadhaar card: Centre today moved the Supreme Court seeking
modification of an earlier order which said the Aadhaar card is not mandatory
and no person should be deprived of any Government schemes for want it.
6) Chiranjeevi
resigned from Union Cabinet: Union Minister of State with Independent
charge of Tourism, K. Chiranjeevi today resigned from the Manmohan Singh Cabinet.
7) Telangana
GoM to have 10 members; Bill likely in winter session: Ministers of Home, Finance, Law and Water
Resources will be part of the 10-member GoM set up to go into the issues
arising out of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, like determination of
boundary, sharing of assets and river water, among others.
8) Railways
to increase passenger fare, freight tariff by 2 per cent: Railways has
decided to increase passenger fare and freight tariff by about 2 per cent from
next week to offset the financial burden arising out of increased input cost.
International
1) US
President cancels Asia trip due to shutdown: US President Barack Obama has
cancelled a trip to Asia this week-end because of the ongoing Government shutdown,
it was announced today.
2) Twitter
files for $1-billion IPO: Twitter has unveiled plans to pump up the
globally popular one-to-many messaging service with a $1-billion stock market
debut.
Economy/Banking
1) Neerja
Mathur likely to be first woman chairperson of CEA: Neerja Mathur is likely
to be appointed as the first woman Chairperson of Central Electricity
Authority. According to sources, Mathur is likely to be the next Chairperson of
CEA as the Appointments Committee of Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, is believed to have approved her name for the post.
2) India
to start power supply to Bangladesh from today: On Saturday history will be
made in Bherama, a remote Bangladeshi village bordering Murshidabad district of
West Bengal. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate
electricity trade between the two countries.
3)
ICICI Bank opens skill training academy in Jaipur: As part of its Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, ICICI Bank today opened skill training
academy to provide vocational training to youth from economically weaker
section of the society.
4) RBI
expects 5 - 5.5% growth in current fiscal: Reserve Bank on Friday said the
economy would grow by 5 to 5.5% in the current fiscal, pinning its hopes on good
farm output and improved exports.
5) RBI
nominates three members to bank licence panel: Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
today nominated three members to the high level advisory committee formed to recommend
granting new licenses to the private banks. The committee is headed by the
former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan. The RBI today finalised the names of the other
members in the external committee that would seal the fate of 26 applicants
willing to start private banks. Other
members are Usha Thorat (former RBI Deputy
Governor), C B Bhave (former SEBI chairman) and Nachiket Mor (financial sector
expert).
6) Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
approves National AIDS Control Programme Phase-IV.
Technology
1) India
gets first radio station dedicated to gay community: Country's lesbian,
gay, transgender and bisexual (LGTB) community can now celebrate freedom of
airwaves with a round-the-clock radio
station dedicated specifically to them. 'Q Radio' which started operating from
Bangalore this September claims to be the first radio station in India that is
tailored for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender audience.
Sports
1) Afghanistan
Qualified for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Afghanistan Cricket team on 4
October 2013 qualified for its maiden ICC World Cup after defeating Kenya by seven
wickets.
2) Pallikal
beats Brown to enter quarters in New York squash: Indian squash star Dipika
Pallikal played one of the best games of her life in the opening round of the Carol
Weymuller Open where she recovered from two games down and saved a match-ball
in the third to upset Australia's No.8 seed Kasey Brown and reach the quarterfinals
of the Women's Squash Association ( WSA) Gold 50 event celebrating its 40th
anniversary at The Heights Casino in Brooklyn.
3)
Sania-Cara upset top seeds to reach China Open final: India's Sania Mirza
and Cara Black of Zimbabwe swung their way to a 6-4, 6-4 win over the world No.
1 pairing of Italians Roberta Vinci and Sara Errani to move into the title
round of the China Open.
