1) National Pension Scheme Upper Age Limit Raised to 65
•The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced that the upper age limit for joining the National Pension Scheme (NPS) had been raised to 65 years, from the current 60.
•NPS is currently open for people between 18 and 60, and the Board has approved raising the age limit for joining to 65.
2) Mother Dairy, Maharashtra Government Tie up For Processing Plant
•The Maharashtra Government and Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) have signed a lease agreement to set up a state-of-the-art milk and milk products processing plant.
•As per the MoU, a dairy development initiative will begin in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions to provide access to milk producers to markets in Nagpur and Mumbai.
3) Belarus President on Two-Day Visit in India
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Belarus President Aleksandr Grigoryevich Lukashenko in New Delhi to discuss various issues of mutual interest of both countries. A number of agreements are expected to be signed in several areas after the talks.
•Mr. Lukashenko’s visit is significant as it taking place in a year when Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
4) British Parliament Passed EU Withdrawal Bill
•The Government’s bid to extract the UK from EU law in time for Brexit has passed its first Parliamentary test. The EU Withdrawal Bill was backed by MPs by 326 to 290. The bill, which will end the supremacy of EU law in the UK, now moves onto its next Parliamentary stage.
•Previously referred to as the Great Repeal Bill, the EU Withdrawal Bill overturns the 1972 European Communities Act which took the UK into the then European Economic Community. It will also convert all existing EU laws into UK law, to ensure there are no gaps in legislation on Brexit day.
5) HDFC Bank Becomes 2nd Most Valuable Company on BSE
•HDFC Bank surpassed Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to become the country’s second most valued firm in terms of market valuation.
•Shares of HDFC Bank gained 0.93 per cent to Rs. 1,840 (its 52-week high) on the BSE. Reliance Industries Ltd is the country’s most valued firm with a market cap of Rs. 5,33,818.72 crore followed by HDFC Bank and TCS in top three list.
6) First Lifetime Achievement Award to Prakash Padukone
•The renowned Indian Badminton legend Prakash Padukone has been selected for the first life time award by Badminton Association of India (BAI). He has been selected for the award for his contributions to Badminton.
•The award carries a cash prize of 10 lakh rupees with a citation which will be presented to him in New Delhi. Padukone had won the 1980 All England, besides bagging a bronze at the 1983 World Championship in Copenhagen.
