Current Affairs 4th August 2016

National News:

• Goods and Service Tax was passed by the Rajya Sabha Yesterday. GST is referred to as the biggest finanical reform in the country since 1991.
• In an attempt to resolve the complexities arising out of the Supreme Court verdict, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed a four-member panel, comprising eminent lawyers, which will interact with the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R.M. Lodha committee
• West Bengal may be renamed Bengal
• The Rajya Sabha passed by voice vote the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that provide for putting the NEET in place for admission to medical and dental courses across the country from next year.
• Indian art and culture to be on full display during first ever Festival of India in Australia
• Over 25 lakh LPG connections have been released to women of BPL families under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
• In Haryana, the monthly honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activists, ASHAs has been doubled from 500 rupees to 1,000 rupees
• Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY), the central government will open 3,000 Jan Aushadhi Stores (JAS) pan India by the end of this fiscal to make quality drugs available at affordable prices

International News :

• In China, typhoon Nida, which made landfall at Dapeng Peninsula in the city of Shenzhen, has caused direct economic losses estimated at 288 million yuan
• Japan approves new economic stimulus package
• The seventh meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Immigration Authorities was held in Islamabad, Pakistan.

New Appointments :

• In Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has been elected as Prime Minister
• Nimesh Kampani steps down as MD of JM Financial

Banking :

• PSBs need Rs 2.5 lakh crore capital infusion over next 3 years, says S&P Global Ratings
• Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance has launched a new linked insurance product ‘iNVESTSHIELD’ that aims to protect and meet an individual’s present and future financial needs
• Indian Bank will raise up to Rs 1,000 crore by issuing Basel III-compliant bonds

Business & Economy:

• Country’s infrastructure sector grows 5.2% in June
• State-run BHEL has commissioned the second 500 MW thermal unit at Marwa Thermal Power Station in Chhattisgarh
• The last date of filing Income Tax returns has been extended till the 5th of next month
• Carnival Cinemas partners with Zicom to provide electronic security to moviegoers

Awards & Honours :

• Translator and artist Anita Gopalan has been awarded the 2016 PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grant for her English translation of Hindi novel “Simsim” by Geet Chaturvedi

Science & Technology :

• ISRO all set to launch IIT-B’s satellite ‘Pratham’ from Sriharikota space centre in September

Sports:

• ‘Wall of Wishes’ inaugurated to celebrate Olympic mood
• United World Wrestling clears Narsingh Yadav’s name to participate in Rio Olympic
• Swiss tennis star Wawrinka drops out of Rio Olympics

Obituary :

• The Egyptian-born Nobel-winning scientist Ahmed Zewail has died in the United States