Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 02 APRIL 2019
::NATIONAL::
SC quizzes Assam govt.over illegal immigrants issue
- The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Assam government’s
efforts to trace over 70,000 illegal immigrants, who have already mixed
with the local population in the State.
- A Ministry of Home Affairs affidavit shows that 91,609 persons were
declared ‘illegal foreigners’ by the Foreigners Tribunals in Assam till
March 2018. Of these, 72,486 are absconding. “This is quite a large
number,” a worried Home Ministry told the court.
- The Home Ministry explained that persons declared ‘illegal
foreigners’ by the tribunals either abscond immediately or are already
untraceable. Now, 829 persons declared ‘foreigners’ by the tribunals and
115 foreigners, who have completed their jail term, are lodged in the
six jail-cum-detention centres in the State.
- “They provide wrong information. Details of the country of origin
depend completely upon information provided by the persons,” the
affidavit said. Though as a sovereign nation, India has the absolute
right to deport illegal immigrants, it cannot do so randomly, the
affidavit said, agreeing with the court’s point of view.
- The Ministry’s affidavit said the Assistant High Commissioner of
Bangladesh visits detention centres to talk to detainees. If their
information is proved correct, they are expeditiously issued travel
documents.
IMD warns of warmer months ahead
- Citizens heading out to vote during the LokSabha election will have
to brace for hotter weather. The India Meteorological Department (IMD)
has said that the average maximum temperatures from April to June are
likely to be warmer by half a degree in several places in central and
northwest India.
- “The season averaged maximum temperatures are likely to be warmer
than normal by 0.5C-1C over Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, west & east
Uttar Pradesh, west & east Rajasthan, west & east Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha,
Marathawada, coastal Karnataka, north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema
and Telangana.
- Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim,
Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram &
Tripura are likely to be warmer than normal by more than 1C,” the IMD
said in a statement on Tuesday.
::ECONOMY::
GST collections reach record mark in March
- Goods and Services Tax collections in March 2019 hit Rs. 1.06 lakh
crore, the highest in the history of the tax in India, and the fourth
time monthly collections have crossed Rs. 1 lakh crore this year,
according to an official data release on Monday.
- Average collections in the year stand at Rs. 98,114 crore, up 9.2%
from the average in 2017-18. GST collections had previously crossed the
Rs. 1 lakh croremark in April, October, and January this fiscal.
- “The steep increase in GST collections is quite welcome for the
economy,” Abhishek Jain, tax partner, EY India, said. “Major reasons for
the growth could be reconciliations by businesses of outward and inward
supplies, intelligent data analytics-related tax leakage detections and
consequent GST payment by businesses.”
- The government said the March 2019 revenue was 15.6% higher than a
year earlier. “The revenue for the last quarter in 2018-19 is 14.3%
higher than a year earlier,” it added.
- “The monthly average of GST revenue during 2018-19 is Rs. 98,114
crore which is 9.2% higher than [the average for] FY 2017-18. These
figures indicate that the revenue growth has been picking up in recent
months, despite various rate rationalisation measures.”
Self regulatory organisations mooted for advertisers
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed a
self regulatory organisation (SRO) for the growing number of investment
advisers to address issues related to the quality of advice given to
investors by such entities.
- The capital markets regulator released a consultation paper on
Monday, which, among other things, proposed the strengthening of the
existing regulatory framework for SROs by introducing features such as a
governing board with public interest directors and a clear policy for
arbitration and dispute resolution.
- “SEBI is in receipt of a large number of complaints alleging
charging of exorbitant fees, assurance of returns, misconduct etc. by
investment advisers... Given the growth in this segment of the market,
it is felt that the time is appropriate to initiate the formation of an
SRO [for the sector],” stated the SEBI statement.
- The regulator has proposed a governing board with at least 50%
public interest directors along with 25% representation each of
shareholder directors and elected representatives.
::INTERNATIONAL::
Algerian President to resign before mandate ends
- Algerian President AbdelazizBouteflika, the target of intense and
prolonged protests, will step down before April 28, state media report,
citing a message sent from the president's office.
- The 82-year-old leader had said he planned to run for a fifth term —
angering thousands of people who churned in Algeria's streets — before
reversing that decision. But when he announced he had changed his mind,
Bouteflika also delayed an election that had been set for this month,
stoking fears that he indeed would cling to power.
- Now, Bouteflika's office says, the government will enter a new
"transition" phase, the Algeria Press Service reports. News of
Bouteflika's plan to leave office comes a day after he appointed a new
government of 27 ministers, headed by Prime Minister NoureddineBedoui.
- "The appointment of the new government on March 31st 2019 by his
Excellency AbdelazizBouteflika, President of the Republic will be
followed by important decisions he would take in accordance with the
Constitutional Provisions, in order to ensure the continuity of the
functioning of the State institutions during the transition period which
will start on the date of the announcement of the resignation.
- Last month, as the elderly leader laid his plans to exit the
presidency, he also announced a national conference that would review
possible reforms for Algeria's political system. That conference will
produce a draft constitution subject to a popular referendum, he said,
adding that the body should "strive" to complete its work by the end of
the year.
::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::
Indian space debris could cause damage to ISS : NASA
- The head of NASA has branded India’s destruction of one of its
satellites a “terrible thing” that had created 400 pieces of orbital
debris and led to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International
Space Station (ISS).
- Jim Bridenstine was addressing employees five days after India shot
down a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test to prove it was among
the world’s advanced space powers.
- Not all of the pieces were big enough to track, Bridenstine
explained. “What we are tracking right now, objects big enough to track
– we’re talking about 10 centimetres (six inches) or bigger – about 60
pieces have been tracked.”
- The US military tracks objects in space to predict the collision
risk for the ISS and for satellites. They are currently tracking 23,000
objects larger than 10cm.
- As a result of the Indian test, the risk of collision with the ISS
has increased by 44% over 10 days, Bridenstine said. But the risk will
dissipate over time as much of the debris will burn up as it enters the
atmosphere.
::SPORTS::
India finishes with 16 Gold in Asian Airgun championships
- Indian shooters continued their dominance claiming five gold medals
on the final day of the Asian Airgun Championships to sign off with a
total of 25 medals in Taoyuan, Taipei.
- India finished with 16 gold, five silver and four bronze medals.
- The next assignment for Indian shooters is scheduled at Al Ain, the
United Arab Emirates where the International Shooting Sport Federation
Shotgun World Cup stage two commences on Friday
