SH- Current Affairs Update 9th, Jan 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,
Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Central Government notifies the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017
On January 3, 2018, Central Government notified the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017. Certain provisions of this amendment act will ease the implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016.
Key Provisions of Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017:
i. As per Section 53 of the Companies Act, 2013 companies were prohibited to issue shares at a discount. Amendment Act has now allowed companies to issue shares at a discount to its creditors in instances wherein its debt is converted into shares as part of any statutory resolution plan/debt restructuring under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. 
ii. For defaulting companies, payment of managerial remuneration in excess of 11 percent of the net profits will now require approval of all stakeholders involved viz. banks, public financial institutions and other creditors.
iii. The amendment has also modified provision relating to registered valuer from undertaking valuation of any assets in which he has a direct or indirect interest.

Territorial Army battalion of ex-Armymen to clean Ganga
Central Government has sanctioned the raising of a Territorial Army (TA) battalion for cleaning River Ganga. This battalion will comprise only of ex-servicemen of the army.
Details about Territorial Army battalion to clean Ganga:
i. This battalion will be raised in February 2018 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, as a Composite Ecological Task Force (CETF) battalion of Territorial Army (TA).
ii. Central Government has allocated Rs 167 crore for this battalion.
iii. The CETF TA battalion will be headed by a Colonel-rank officer. It will have eight officers, 20 Junior Commissioned Officer (JCOs) and around 500 other ranks on its roll.
iv. It is to be noted that Territorial Army is considered as India’s second line of defence after the regular Army. Territorial Army functions under Union Defence Ministry.

Bihar Government bans electronic cigarettes
Bihar State Government has imposed a ban on manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, display and advertisement of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) across the state.

i. E-cigarettes are handheld battery-run devices which are smoked just like a conventional cigarette. However the ingredient (in liquid form) may differ.
ii. The ban also applies to online sale and purchase of e-cigarettes.
iii. It is to be noted Bihar has already imposed ban on manufacture, distribution, trade, sale, purchase, display and advertisement of all tobacco products and items containing nicotine and not approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI).
Quick Facts about Bihar:
♦ Capital – Patna
♦ Current Governor – Satya Pal Malik
♦ Current Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar
♦ Important National Park – Valmiki National Park

SH- Current Affairs Update 8th, Jan 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,
Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Govt proposes rolling out e-Sansad, e-Vidhan in Parliament & State Legislatures
18th All India Whips’ Conference began in Udaipur, Rajasthan on January 8, 2018. The two-day conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Ananth kumar.
About e-Sansad and e-Vidhan projects:
i. Among other things, rolling out of e-Sansad and e-Vidhan in Parliament and State Legislatures will also be considered during the course of the conference.
ii. e-Sansad and e-Vidhan are Government of India’s projects under Digital India, aimed at making the functioning of Parliament and State Legislatures paperless.
iii .Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is the Nodal Ministry for implementation of e-Sansad and e-Vidhan projects.
iv. These projects would not only make the functioning of Parliament and State Legislatures participative, transparent, responsive, productive and more accountable but will also promote Government of India’s  ‘Go Green’ initiative.

BSES launches rooftop solar single-point for apartment complexes
On January 7, 2018, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (one of Delhi’s two electricity distribution companies) launched “Solar City Initiative”, aimed to maximise rooftop solar power use in south and west Delhi.

BSES Rajdhani’s ‘Solar City Initiative’:
i. Under this initiative, rooftop solar installations will be provided at a single point for the entire apartment complex unlike conventional method of having individual installations.
ii. This initiative has been launched in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) PACE-D and Indo-German Collaboration (GIZ).
iii. Around 150 residential societies will be targeted in the first phase. Depending on the response, the programme will be expanded to other residential segments across Delhi.
iv .From cosumers’ perspective, these installation may lead to monthly saving on bills of about Rs 750 for a period of 25 years

Delhi govt launches common card for bus, metro rides
On January 8, 2018, Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal launched a common card for rides on public buses and the metro.
Delhi Govt’s common card for bus, metro rides:
i. Delhi is thus the first city in India to have such common mobility card.
ii. This card can be used at on 200 Delhi transport Corporation (DTC) and 50 cluster buses running on different routes as well as on metro trains.
iii. The common card can also function like a debit card. It will be operational in all DTC and cluster buses from April 1, 2018.

PM Narendra Modi attends Annual DGP Conference at BSF Academy in Tekanpur
On 7^th and 8^th January 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the Annual Conference of DGPs and IGPs at the BSF (Border Security Force) Academy in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh.

Annual Conference of DGPs and IGPs:
i. The DGPs Conference is conducted annually. It has participation from top police officials from all over India. They discuss issues related to security matters.
ii. This Annual DGP Conference is held outside the national capital in line with Prime Minister’s vision to conduct such conferences all over India, not restricted only to Delhi.
About BSF Academy Tekanpur:
♦ Dircetor – Sunil Kumar Verma
♦ Motto of BSF – Duty Unto Death

Uttar Pradesh govt restricts use of loudspeakers at religious, public places
Uttar Pradesh State Government has directed all District Collectors and Superintendents of Police to take action against unauthorised loudspeakers and public address systems installed at religious and public places.
i. The officials have been directed to conduct a survey for the same and submit a detailed report to State Government on January 10, 2018.
ii. Those using loudspeakers without approval should obtain permission by January 15, 2018, failing which, action will be taken against them under the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000.
iii. All unauthorised equipments would be removed by January 20, 2018 in accordance with direction of the Allahabad High Court.
Quick Facts about Uttar Pradesh:
♦ Capital – Lucknow
♦ Current Governor – Ram Naik
♦ Current Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
♦ Important National Park – Dudhwa National Park

Computer Awareness for IT OFFICER

What’s the Difference between a Hub, a Switch, and a Router?

Hubs, switches, and routers are all devices that let you connect one or more computers to other computers, networked devices, or even other networks. Each has two or more connectors called ports into which you plug in the cables to make the connection. Varying degrees of magic happen inside the device and therein lies the difference. I often see the terms misused, so let’s clarify what each one really means.

That’s it.

If a message comes in for computer “A”, that message is sent out all the other ports, regardless of which one computer “A” is on:

And when computer “A” responds, its response also goes out to every other port on the hub:

ECGC PO Recruitment 2018: Notification Out

ECGC

https://www.ecgc.in/

Dear Aspirants,

ECGC, a premier Export Credit Insurance Organisation, had released the notification for recruitment of Probationary Officer. 

According to the notification, the registration process is expected to take place from 1st January 2018 to 15th January 2018. This is a bright opportunity for all graduates, freshers, and banking or insurance sector job aspirants. Now with Syndicate Bank PO and ECGC PO Recruitment Opportunities in your bag, with proper practice, you can certainly start your career in 2018.

The tentative schedule of important activities of the recruitment process is as follows: 

• On-line registration including edit/modification of applications by candidates --01/01/2018 to 15/01/2018 
• Payment of application fee / intimation charges (Online) --  01/01/2018 to 15/01/2018 
• Download of call letters for Online examination -- 7 to 10 days before exam 
• Online examination -- February 2018 
• Declaration of result -- Within a week of conduct of exam

For full notification in details, Click here

Apply Online for ECGC PO

Daily Current Affairs: 7th January 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,
Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

1. Bengaluru most well read city in India: Survey

Bengaluru has emerged as the most well read city in India, while Mumbai and Delhi stands at second and third position, respectively, according to a survey conducted by Amazon India’s Annual Reading Trends Reports for 2017.

• Among books, ‘Indian Polity (5th Edition)’ ranked as the top selling book on Amazon India across the country while ‘Sita – Warrior of Mithila’ emerged as the highest selling fiction book of 2017.     

2. Govt to set up FTII in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh would get its first Film and Television Institute, being set up by the union government as part of tapping the potential of the North Eastern region, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said.

• This would be the second such one in the country.

Points to Remember

• The first Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) was set up in Pune, an autonomous institute operating under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
• It was established in 1960. Anupam Kher is its present Chairman.

3. 18th All India Whips Conference to start from Jan 8

Deliberations on paperless parliament and state legislatures by rolling out e-Sansad and e-Vidhan are on the agenda of 18th All India Whips Conference to be held in Udaipur.

• Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Ananth Kumar is slated to inaugurate the conference to be held on January 8 and 9.
• It will be attended by whips of various political parties from different states.

Daily Current Affairs: 6th January 2018

Dear SH Aspirants,
Study Daily Current Affairs and stay updated as well as prepare for General Awareness section of bank exams. It's time to gear up your preparations for IBPS/RBI/SBI/SSC and with the daily dose of current affairs, you can easily prepare G.A and score well.

1. US puts Pakistan on Special Watch List

The US has placed Pakistan on a ‘Special Watch List’ for “severe violations” of religious freedom.

• It is the only country to be put under the newly-formed list.
• The Special Watch List is for countries that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom but may not rise to the level of the CPC.

2. Tamil Nadu leads the nation in higher education enrolment

Tamil Nadu has emerged as the leader in the country in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.

• The All India Survey on Higher Education report (2106-2017), released by Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar , saw the State lead with a GER of 46.9%.
• Among Union Territories, Chandigarh recorded 56.1%.
• GER for higher education is calculated with reference to the age group 18-23.

3. Mamata Banerjee launches West Bengal govt’s official emblem  

The West Bengal government has launched its official emblem in a programme at Nabanna, two days after getting the approval from the central government.

• The official emblem is conceptualised and designed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
• Terming the occasion as historic, she said the state emblem – the “Biswa Bangla” logo with Ashoka Pillar of the national emblem – would be used in all the official works and documents of the Bengal government from now on.

English Language For IBPS Clerk Mains: Quiz

Developing a solid foundation in English will not only help you to increase your knowledge but will also help you to score better in the exam. English is a major section in exams which candidate fears a lot. To boost your preparation, Study Hour's is providing English Quiz:

Q.1-10. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some questions:

The new direct tax code is a bold attempt at penetration the entire corpus of law relating to direct taxes — income tax, dividend distribution tax, fringe benefits tax, and wealth tax. Now open for public discussion, the code will be incorporated in a bill the government hopes to introduce in the winter session of Parliament. It represents a strategic shift in the government’s fiscal agenda relating to direct taxes. Its three main objectives are to minimize the number of tax exemptions even while maintaining moderate rates; remove ambiguities, and curb evasion. 

The Finance Minister hopes that the code — expected to become law by 2011 — will provide stability to the tax regime as it is based on widely accepted principles of taxation and best international practices. The proposal to reduce the tax liabilities of individuals and corporate has attracted a great deal of attention but more important is the principle that low tax rates combined with simpler tax laws and minimal exemptions will benefit both the taxpayer and the exchequer. In that sense, the code’s proposal for lower marginal rates across all income slabs — for instance, total income between Rs.1.60 lakh and Rs.10 lakh will be taxed at 10 percent — ought to be evaluated along with other rationalization measures proposed.

The move to streamline the tax treatment on savings by applying the EET method (exempt savings, exempt interest on savings, and tax withdrawals) removes the existing anomalies, besides taxing expenditure. However, with the penetration of social security schemes being at low levels, the case for exempting retirement benefits from tax still remains strong. The trebling of the deductible savings to Rs.3 lakh is long overdue. The changes proposed in the taxation of capital gains and wealth tax ought to be welcomed although in the first instance they appear to cause hardships to some categories of assessees. The distinction between short-term and long-term capital gains is to be eliminated, and this might affect punters in the exchanges. On the other side, the abolition of the turnover tax on share transactions will increase trading volumes in the exchanges. 

Corporate tax rates are proposed to be brought down to 25 per cent. The move to introduce a minimum alternate tax on assets requires clarification as even loss-making companies might be dragged into it. One major area of is the extraordinary powers proposed to be given to the tax authorities who can, in extreme situations, bypass even tax treaties. In its entirety, the tax code is a major step forward and ought to be welcomed.


Q-1 Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

01. In its entirety, the tax code is a major step forward and ought to be welcomed.

02. One major area of concern is the extraordinary powers proposed to be given to the tax authorities who can, in extreme situations, bypass even tax treaties.

03. Total income between Rs.1.60 lakh and Rs.10 lakh will be taxed at 10 per cent — ought to be evaluated along with other rationalization measures proposed.

04. In that sense, the code’s proposal for lower marginal rates across all income slabs. 

05. The new direct tax code is a bold attempt at consolidating the entire corpus of law 

relating to direct taxes — income tax, dividend distribution tax, fringe benefit tax, and health tax.