1) Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu relaunches ‘Adarana Scheme'
•Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu announced the re-launch of 'Adarana scheme' for improving traditional occupations.
•It is for the uplift and all-round development of people belonging to the Backward Classes stated by CM Naidu. Addressing the 191st birth anniversary of social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, being celebrated for the first time as a State function. He also trolled that the modern tools, technology, marketing, and financial support would be extended to artisans and provide employment in the rural areas. ‘Adarana’ had been launched with this objective during the TDP rule earlier.
2) Petrol, diesel prices to change every day from May 1
•As per the announcement of government from May 1, 2017, petrol and diesel prices will change every day in sync with international rates.
•State-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), which own over 95% of nearly 58,000 petrol pumps in the country, will launch a pilot for daily price revision in five select cities from May 1, 2017 and gradually extend it to all over the country stated by Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
•A pilot for daily revision of petrol and diesel price will be first implemented in Puducherry, Vizag in Andhra Pradesh, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Chandigarh.
3) Government sets up a panel to examine framework for Virtual Currencies
•The Government has set up an Inter-Disciplinary Committee to examine the existing framework with regard to Virtual Currencies.
•The Committee will take stock of the present status of Virtual Currencies both in India and globally. It will also examine the existing global regulatory and legal structures governing these Currencies.
•The Finance Ministry stated that the committee will suggest measures for dealing with such currencies including issues relating to consumer protection and money laundering. The Committee will be chaired by Special Secretary of Economic Affairs, Shri Shaktikanta Das.
4) Malala Yousafzai, the youngest noble prize winner to address Canadian Parliament
•Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize laureate, becomes the youngest noble prize winner to address Canadian parliament.
•She has also officially received the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed upon her in 2014 by Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. Yousafzai was 15 when she shot in the head by Taliban militants while returning from school.
•She is one of just six people to receive honorary Canadian citizenship. The other five are Raoul Wallenberg, Nelson Mandela, the 14th Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Karim Aga Khan.
5) Bank accounts to be blocked if not self-certified by April 30, 2017
•As part of Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) compliance, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has asked the banks/financial institutions to link their accounts with Aadhaar number and self-certification from customers by April 30, 2017, to avoid closure of accounts.
•It is clearly directed the banks to obtain a self-certification for the accounts opened between July 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015.
6) India, Australia sign sports partnership
•India and Australia have started a partnership aimed at increasing cooperation in sports, in the presence of visiting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
•The partnership will advance India-Australia cooperation in four areas athlete and coach training and development, sports science, sports governance and integrity, and grassroots participation. Sports Minister Vijay Goel has launched a major grassroots programme named 'Khelo India' for developing a sporting culture at grass-roots level.
