Current Affairs 1/9/13 to 6/9/13

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1.Google, on its 15th birthday, revealed that the next version of Android will be called “KitKat” continuing its predilection for naming its software after famous delicacies. Over the years, Google launched several versions of Android naming each of them after a dessert.
Mobile Os and its owner Company
Android: Google Inc.
Symbian OS: Nokia and Accenture.
Bada: Samsung Electronics.
BlackBerry Tablet OS: QNX Software System/BlackBerry
Windows Phone: Microsoft
GridOS: Fusion Garage
S40 (Series40): Nokia
webOS: LG
Asha: Nokia
Maemo: Nokia

2.The 23-member governing council of European Central Bank has left its benchmark interest rate unaltered at a record low of 0.5%. The council said that the slowly recuperating eurozone economy didn’t need a further stimulus.Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany.
Current President: Mario Draghi

3.In a bid to attract capital flows, the RBI relaxed the External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) norms by permitting companies to use funds raised from their foreign equity holder company with minimum average maturity of 7 years for general corporate purposes. Till now borrowings in the form of ECB were not allowed to be used for general corporate purpose.

4.The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill (PFRDA), 2011 which aims to regulate the New Pension System (NPS) has been passed in the Lok Sabha with official amendments. The bill was introduced in the lower house in March 2011 to provide for a statutory regulatory body. Currently the PFRDA has a non-statutory status. The legislation seeks to empower PFRDA to regulate the New Pension System (NPS).
Some highlights of PFRDA Bill 2011:
It provides subscribers a wide choice to invest their funds for assured returns by opting for government bonds as well as in other funds depending on their capacity for risk.
It allows for withdrawals from the individual pension account subject to the conditions, such as, purpose, frequency and limits, as may be specified by the regulations.
It makes the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority a statutory authority. Presently, it has non-statutory status.

5.MoE slaps Rs 200 crore penalty on Adani groupSeptember 5th, 2013
A committee, established by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, under the chairmanship of Sunita Narain, director general of Centre for Science and Environment, has slapped a penalty of Rs 200 crore on the Adani Group’s Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone for inflicting harm to mangroves, creeks and the local environment at the project site. In addition to the fine, a part of the project could face suspension after a more detailed probe into the alleged violation of environmental clearance norms. The money from the fine will go into an environment restoration fund for the area.

6.Footballer Gareth Bale signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid on a humongous fee of 100 million euros ($132 million) which is a new world record making it a biggest transfer of a football player in the world. Previously, the record was with Cristiano Ronaldo when Madrid paid 93 million euros to Manchester United for his transfer in 2009.

7.The National Food Security Bill 2013 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha.
What are the key features of the National Food Security Bill 2013?
Entitles 5 kg of rice, wheat and coarse cereals per month per person at 3, 2 and 1 Rupees respectively to around 67% of nation’s population.
With this Bill, India will join the select club of nations which guarantee food-grains to majority of its population.
It will be the largest programme of its kind in the world which will cost government Rs. 130,000 crore.
To implement the bill a total of 62 million tonnes of food-grains will be required.
It is being viewed as the first step towards universalization of Public Distribution System.
The Bill proposes to provide free meals to all the pregnant women as well as lactating mothers during the pregnancy till six months post delivery.
Maternity benefit of Rs. 6000 will also be given to pregnant women.
Children till the age of 14 years will also be given free meals.
The state will pay the food security allowance to the beneficiaries in the event of non-supply of the foodgrains.
The scheme will be linked to the Aadhar number that’s linked to a database that includes the biometric information of all card-holders.

8.The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up of an autonomous “National Institute of Solar Energy” (NISE) to function as apex national body for research and technology development and related activities in the area of solar energy technologies in the country. The institute is to be set up by converting the Solar Energy Centre (SEC), Gurgaon with a long term vision to develop it as a world class institute.

9.The Indian Air Force inducted three Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, heavy-lift transport aircraft into the newly-formed 81 ‘Skylord’ Squadron at the Hindan Air Base, Delhi.

10.The Lok Sabha passed the long-awaited Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill which seeks to replace the archaic land acquisition law dating back to 1894. The government cleared the air on the reservations from some States against some provisions in the bill by informing that the Bill only ideates for fair compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement in the case of land acquisition and State Governments were free to improve upon it and enforce it as per their specific needs.

11.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave nod for the implementation and continuation of Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) during the 12th Plan period with a focus on powerlooms with a total outlay of Rs.11,900 crore.