1) World
Autism Awareness Day observed: The World Autism Awareness Day was observed
on 2 April. The day was unanimously declared as World Autism Awareness Day by
the United Nations General Assembly in 2008 to highlight the need to improve
the lives of children and adults who suffer from autism. Autism is a lifelong
developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of
life and results from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of
the brain. The disorder mostly affects children and is prevalent across
countries, genders, races and socio-economic backgrounds.
2) New
bank licence: RBI grants 'in-principle' approval to IDFC, Bandhan: Reserve Bank of India( RBI) on Wednesday
granted "in-principle" approvals to Mumbai-based infrastructure
lender IDFC and Kolkata- based micro-finance Bandhan Financial Services for new
bank licences. The RBI will also consider the application of India Post, but
the central bank said it would done separately in consultation with the
government. This would be the first time in a decade that new banking licences
are handed out, since the formation of Yes Bank in 2004. There were 25
companies in the running.
3) Dipika
Pallikal inks deal with adidas: India’s number one female squash player
Dipika Pallikal has entered into an association with adidas as the sports
apparel major signed the world number 11 for its latest women’s campaign ‘all
in for #mygirls’
4) Axis
launched home loan scheme for below Rs 10K earners: Axis Bank, on the
occasion of its 20th anniversary on Wednesday, announced the launch of ‘Asha
Home Loan’, a 30-year home loan product for first time home buyers in the lower
income segment, seeking affordable EMIs. The home loans are for customers with
family incomes of Rs.8,000-10,000 a month and above. Customers can pool their
family income instead of depending on their individual income only.
5) Fin
Services Secretary Gurdial Singh Sandhu on RBI board: Financial Services
Secretary Gurdial Singh Sandhu has been nominated as a director on the Reserve
Bank’s central board on Wednesday. “The Central Government has nominated
Gurdial Singh Sandhu, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of
Finance, as a director on the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of
India ...,” the RBI said in a notification.
6) Vodafone,
Airtel applied for Unified Licence to renew licences: Telecom major
Vodafone and Airtel have applied for new telecom permits - Unified Licence - to
continue their businesses in some service areas, including Delhi and
Mumbai. "As required under the
conditions of auction, laid down in the Notice Inviting Application, Vodafone
has applied for Unified Licence in Delhi, Mumbai & Kolkata service areas on
19 February 2014," Vodafone said in a statement. Bharti Airtel has also applied for new
licences in Delhi and Kolkata circles, sources said. The Unified Licences norms
bar a telecom operator from holding any kind of stake in competitor.
7) RBI
adopts new CPI as key measure of inflation: he Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Governor, Raghuram Rajan, on Tuesday, said that the central bank had adopted
the new Consumer Price Index (CPI) (combined) as the key measure of inflation.
8) Karim
Massimov named as the Kazakhstan’s new PM after Serik Akhmetov resigned:
Karim Massimov, the Chief of Staff of Kazakhstan on 2 April 2014 was named as
the new Prime Minister of the country by the President, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
His appointment came following the resignation of Serik Akhmetov from the post,
which was accepted by the President as per the Constitutional provision. This
announcement of acceptance of resignation of Akhmetov was made by the President
through a twitter message. Akhmetov was appointed as the Prime Minister of
Kazakhstan in September 2012. Earlier, Massimov served as the Kazakh Prime
Minister from January 2007 to September 2012 before Akhmetov.
