Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 30 July 2015

:: National ::

Last adieu to Kalam

Thousands of people bid an an emotional farewell to former president APJ Abdul Kalam who was laid to rest on Thursday with full state honours in his home town Rameswaram.
The body of Kalam was buried in the middle of a 1.5 acre piece of land earmarked for the purpose at Peikarumbu after being brought from his family mosque where special prayers were offered.
The "People's President" was accorded full military honours, including gun salute and playing of the Last Post as the members of his family and local Jamath lowered his mortal remains into a trench as slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" rent the air.
The funeral of the "Missile Man" was attended by several leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi who placed a wreath, offered his final salute and stood in silence in front of Kalam's body that was draped in national flag. He also went around the casket with folded hands.
The Prime Minister later went up to Kalam's eldest brother 99-year-old Mohammed Muthu Meeran Lebbai Maraicker, who was seated nearby, and offered his condolences.
Around 30,000 jewellery shops would also remain closed, while petrol bunks would stop selling for an hour between 10-11 a.m. as a mark of respect for Kalam.
Movie theatre owners too have decided to shut down while fishermen have decided not to venture into the sea.
Political parties like the DMK and the AIADMK have cancelled their functions.
Kalam, 83, passed away on Monday in Shillong after suffering a massive cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture to students at the Indian Institute of Management.

Sanjeev Chaturvedi and human rights activist Anshu Gupta win Magsaysay Award

Whistleblower officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi and human rights activist Anshu Gupta are among the five winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award this year.
Sanjeev Chaturvedi is a 2002-batch Indian Forest Service officer who is fighting a protracted battle with the Centre over alleged harassment for his tough stance on corruption during his tenure as Chief Vigilance Officer of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.
He has been technically without an official assignment for a year.
The statement said Anshu Gupta, founder of the non-governmental organisation Goonj, was being recognised for “his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor, and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity.”
Mr. Gupta left his corporate job to start the non-profit organisation in 1999.

Other winners

Kommaly Chanthavong from Laos has been recognised for her efforts to develop the ancient Laotian art of silk weaving, Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa from the Philippines for “her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines”.
Kyaw Thu from Myanmar, the statement said, is being recognised for “his generous compassion in addressing the fundamental needs of both the living and the dead in Myanmar.”

:: Business ::

FinMin working for a reasonable GST rate:Revenue Sec

A day after Cabinet approved incorporation of changes in the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill as suggested aRajya Sabha Select panel, Finance Ministry today said it is working closely on a "reasonable" GST rate.
The Union Cabinet last night approved amendments to the GST bill to compensate states for revenue loss for five years on introduction of the uniform nationwide indirect tax regime, as has been suggested by Rajya Sabha Select Committee.
The GST Constitution Amendment Bill would now be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling NDAdoes not enjoy a majority, for passage in the ongoing session of Parliament.
The Government proposes to roll out the new indirect tax regime on April 1, 2016.
After the bill is passed, the Centre will prepare GST laws and a GST Council would be set up to decide on the rates as well as to decide on exemptions and thresholds.
The Rajya Sabha Select Committee has suggested that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate should not go beyond 20 per cent as higher rates could fuel inflation and erode the confidence of consumers.
Internationally, the GST rate ranges from 16-20 per cent. However, there are some exceptions like Japan, Australia and Germany, where the rates are 8 per cent, 10 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively.
A sub-committee of Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on GST had earlier suggested 27 per cent RNR.
But the rate is being reworked by the sub-committee in view of taxation of petroleum products as also the 1 per cent additional tax which states can levy as part of the GST roll out.
While liquor has been completely kept out of the GST, petroleum products like petrol and diesel will be part of the new regime from a date to be decided by the GST Council, which will have two-thirds of its members from states.

:: Sports ::

Dale Steyn joins 400 Test wicket club

Dale Steyn became the second South African bowler to take 400 Test wickets after he dismissed Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal on the opening day of the second Test in Dhaka on Thursday.
The 32-year-old fast bowler reached his landmark when South African skipper Hashim Amla took a chest-high catch at first slip in Steyn's third over of the match.
Shaun Pollock is the only other South African to pass the 400-mark, taking 421 wickets before retiring in 2008.
Steyn, who is playing his 80th Test, became the 13th cricketer to take 400 or more wickets in Test matches.
Steyn joined Richard Hadlee as the second fastest bowler ever to take 400 Test wickets.
He is one of only three currently active cricketers to achieve the feat, joining India spinner Harbhajan Singh and England pacer James Anderson.
Steyn is the 13th cricketer to take 400 or more wickets in Test matches.