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Current Affairs 8 Nov.2016 – Accent Institute Hisar

Government Bans Tender of Rs 500 & Rs 1000 Currency 08 November 2016 Midnight

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that 1000 and 500 rupees notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight 9-10 November 2016.
  • The announcement was made via a special nationwide televised address on 8 November 2016.
     
  • PM Modi in his announcement appealed that those who are in possession of these notes can deposit the notes in their accounts in banks and post offices from 10 November to 30 December 2016.
  • He also said that those who are unable to deposit the notes within the deadline for some reasons can change them till 31 March 2016 by furnishing ID proof (Aadhaar card and PAN card).
     
  • Besides, he also announced that new currency notes of 500 and 2000 rupees denomination will be introduced.
  • The major objective behind the Government’s decision to ban the existing currency denomination is to curb black money in the market and cease out face currencies.

    Important facts about Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes banned from 08 November 2016 from 12 PM

  • They will cease to be legal tender from tonight;
  • Existing currency can only be deposited in banks account, head and sub-post offices;
  • You can exchange them in banks & post offices between Nov 9 and Dec 30, 2016;
  • ATMs will dispense only Rs 2000 a day, later to be increased to Rs 4000 per day;
  • Those who miss the Dec 30 deadline, can exchange old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes through RBI on the basis of declaration;
  • Till Nov 11 midnight, Hospitals will accept Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes and on basis of prescription can buy medicines from drug stores on hospital shops;
  • Govt buses ticket booking counter, airlines will accept them for booking tickets till Nov 11 midnight;
  • Petrol & CNG outlets, crematoriums, international airports will also have leeway to accept Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes till Nov 11;
  • Non-cash transactions (cheques, demand draft, card payments) not to be affected;
  • ATMs to be closed on Nov 9 & 10;
  • All banks closed on Nov 9 for public transactions

Marie Curie is only woman to win Nobel Prize twice

                              
  • Poland-born scientist Marie Curie is the only woman in history to be awarded the Nobel Prize twice. 
  • Curie shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband for their research on the ‘spontaneous radioactivity’ 
  • The scientist was awarded the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discoveries of radium and polonium.

Ban on NDTV India on hold

                             
  • A day before the Supreme Court was to hear NDTV’s challenge to the government order imposing a one-day ban on its Hindi channel, NDTV India 
  • Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday put the order on hold. 
  • He gave NDTV Ltd. a chance to present its case once more before an inter-ministerial committee.

Vinod Rai to head Kerala’s advisory commission

                         
  • Kerala has roped in former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai as chairman of the Fund Trustee and Advisory Commission (FTAC) 
  • He is appointed to ensure that the funds of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) are properly utilized and the interest of investors is protected.

Blacklisting policy for tainted defence deals approved

                                
  • The government on Monday approved the long- pending policy for blacklisting firms involved in corruption in arms purchases 
  • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) also accorded approval to begin the procurement process for fighter jets, tanks and attack helicopters cumulatively worth over Rs. 82,000 crores, all produced domestically. 
  • The DAC headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also reviewed all capital acquisition proposals of the armed forces currently under way.

Mahatma’s grandson Kanu Gandhi passes away

                              
  • Kanu Ramdas Gandhi, the 87-year-old grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a former NASA scientist, passed away at a private hospital in Surat on Monday.

RBI appoints M Rajeshwar Rao as new Executive Director

                         
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as Executive Director (ED)
  • Mr. Rao will look after Department of Statistics and Information Management, Financial markets Operations Department and International Department of the RBI.

     Important current affairs of the day

  • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, book An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India and Lost ancient river Chandrabhaga among others.

    •    The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari, recently released a book authored by Sashi Tharoor. The title of the book is – An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India

    •    Ratnesh Kumar was recently appointed as the MD and CEO of – Bank of Baroda Capital Markets Limited

    •    The first female U.S. Attorney General who passed away recently is – Janet Reno

    •    Famous Tunisian leader who was conferred with the Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation Awards for promoting Gandhian values outside India is – Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi

    •    Mission of NASA that created Guinness World Record for highest altitude fix of GPS signal recently- Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission

    •    The Union Government recently launched the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan. The scheme had first found its mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat in – June 2016

    •    Person appointed as Chairman of Fund Trustee and Advisory Commission of Kerala- Vinod Rai

    •    Union Government recently issued guidelines for suspension or banning of business dealings in- Armament Sector

    •    Two newly identified biomarkers that will help in easy diagnosis of drug resistant Tuberculosis- miR-16 and miR-155

    •    Lost ancient river Chandrabhaga flowed near- Konark Sun Temple

    •    President Pranab Mukherjee presented the 2016 Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards to the winning children of IGNITE competition. The competition was organised by – National Innovation Foundation

    •    He was awarded with the Reporters without Borders (RSF)-TV5 Monde prize in the journalist category – Hadi Abdullah

    •    India and UK signed two agreements in the field of – Intellectual property rights and the Ease of doing business

    •    He was appointed as the Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India in November 2016 – M Rajeshwar Rao