Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 14 November 2018

::NATIONAL::

Supreme court refuses to stay ruling on sabarimala issue

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear in open court review petitions against its majority judgment which lifted a ban on women aged between 10 and 50 years from undertaking the pilgrimage to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
The Review Bench of five judges, led by Chief Justice of India RanjanGogoi, however, refused to stay the majority judgment by a Constitution Bench on September 28. The majority judgment had declared the exclusion, solely based on the menstrual status of women, to be a smear on individual dignity. It said the bar amounted to “treating women as the children of a lesser God”.
The refusal to stay the judgment would mean that worshippers, both men and women of all ages, can still undertake the pilgrimage when the temple re-opens on November 16 evening for Mandala Pooja.
Advocate G. Prakash, who represents the Kerala government in the issue, said the Bench has only taken a prima facie decision to hear the review petitions in open court. “It has not issued notice. On January 22, the same Review Bench will hear the petitioners and decide whether their pleas should be admitted or not,” he said.
The September judgment had triggered widespread protests in Kerala. The State Police has arrested thousands of protestors even as Kerala Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan staunchly stood by the judgment.
Justice InduMalhotra held that imposing the court’s morality on a religion would negating the freedom to practise religion according to one’s faith and beliefs. Justice Malhotra's judgment has become a rallying point for petitioners.

::ECONOMY::

Centre to roll out new Ease of Doing Agri-Business Index

States may soon start receiving extra funding for the Agriculture Ministry’s flagship schemes on the basis of their performance in encouraging agri-business, especially with regard to marketing, land and governance reforms.
The Centre expects to roll out a new Ease of Doing Agri-Business Index early next year, which will rank the States on the basis of such reforms, as well as their investment in agriculture, increased productivity, reduction of input costs, and risk mitigation measures.
“In future, the Ministry may consider rewarding the higher performing States [both in absolute and incremental terms] by linking the performance with allocation from flexi funds made available in various flagship schemes of this Ministry,” says a recent concept note for the Index.
The proposed index has a wider ambit, but the focus is still on reforms, with marketing reforms (25%) and governance and land reforms (20%) carrying almost half of the weight of the parameters in its scoring system.
As agriculture is a State subject, the success of policies and reform initiatives proposed at the Centre is dependent on implementation by the States. “To ensure that reform agenda of the government is implemented at a desired pace by all State governments, there is a need to develop a competitive spirit between the States,” says the note.

RBI unlikely to support NBFC’s to increase liquidity

Amid growing demand for liquidity support for non-banking finance companies, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is unlikely to provide any special support to the sector, though it will continue to provide funds to the banking system as liquidity deficit in the system is a concern.
According to sources, the RBI is of the view that bigger NBFCs that have high ratings from rating agencies are not facing any liquidity issues.
It is the mid-sized and smaller NBFCs, mostly housing finance firms, that will face some issues. According to market estimates, about ₹1.5 lakh crore of commercial paper face redemption this month, a bulk of which are issued by NBFCs.
NBFCs can avail refinance facility from SIDBI or National Housing Bank and can also sell loans to banks. NHB has recently increased its refinancing limit by ₹6,000 crore to ₹30,000 crore to eligible institutions, including housing finance companies, for the July 2018-June 2019 period.
The liquidity issue for NBFCs, along with other issues like capital requirement for banks and more dividend from RBI to the government, has been a bone of contention between the central bank and the Finance Ministry.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

PM arrives in Singapore to attend East Asia Summit & ASEAN

Prime Minister NarendraModi arrived in Singapore this morning on a two-day visit to attend the East Asia Summit, ASEAN-India informal meet and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, RCEP Summit.
Mr.Modi will address the Fintech Festival this morning. About Thirty thousand people will attend the keynote address of Mr.NarendraModi who will be the first head of government to deliver an address at this Festival. This is one of the largest events on financial technology. Later, he will visit the India Pavilion.
Prime Minister Modi will also attend the RCEP Summit to review the progress made on the negotiations to finalise the proposed free trade agreement.
It is being negotiated amongst sixteen countries including ten ASEAN Member States and India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea.
Mr.Modi will also hold several bilateral meetings today. He will hold talks with US Vice President Mike Pence and Prime Ministers of Singapore, Australia and Thailand.

UN urges Bangladesh to stop Rohingya repatriation plan

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has urged Bangladesh to halt plans for the repatriation of more than 2,200 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
In a statement, the UN Human Rights Office has said that forcibly returning them to their home country would be in violation of international law and put their lives and freedom at serious risk.
Bachelet said, the refugees in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar are the victims of human rights violations committed in the midst of the violence that erupted in August 2017 and are unwilling to return under current conditions.
Bachelet also called on the Government of Myanmar to show its seriousness in creating the conditions for return by addressing the root causes of the crisis in Rakhine state, in particular, the systematic discrimination against and persecution of Rohingyas.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

ISRO to launch communication satellite GSAT-29 today

Indian Space Research Organization will launch the communication satellite GSAT-29 this evening from the SatishDhawan Space Centre in Sriharikotta.
The ISRO's heaviest ever launch vehicle GSLV Mark-III is set to inject the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit after its lift off at 5:08 PM. The countdown for the launch started at 2:50 PM yesterday and is progressing smoothly.
The satellite GSAT-29 has high throughput communication transponders in the Ka and Ku bands. It can augment high speed data transfer in India’s far flung and remote areas. It weighs 3,423 kg during lift off and has an operational life of over ten years.
The mission assumes significance, as its success would qualify the national space agency’s fifth generation launch vehicle GSLV-Mark Three, for regular launches of four-tonne class payloads. It is also set to provide a further fillip, to the prestigious Chandrayaan-II mission, that is being planned early next year.

::SPORTS::

Virat Kohli and JaspritBumra maintains top spots in ICC ODI rankings

Kohli remained in pole position with 899 poins while limited overs vice-captainRohit Sharma remained second in the list.
Rohit's opening partner ShikharDhawan is the third Indian in the top-10 list at eighth position improving from his ninth place in the previous list.
Similarly in the bowlers' list, there are three Indians with Bumrah on top with 841 points. KuldeepYadav maintained his third place in the list. Kuldeep's wrist spin twin YuzvendraChahal is placed fifth on the list.