Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Mar 28, 2017

ANSWER: Online film certification system

Explanation:
Online Film Certification System of CBFC would facilitate the PM's vision of Ease of Doing Business and Digital India.

The complete automation of the Film Certification Process would enable Good Governance making the entire process transparent and efficient.

The objective is to eliminate the need for human interface to the extent possible.

The new online certification system would be an important step in making the CBFC Office paper less and would enable effective monitoring & real time progress tracking for both CBFC Officials and the applicant (Producers).

More online initiatives would be introduced in the Ministry as part of the roadmap for transparent Governance.

The Film Facilitation Office (FFO) established by the Ministry in Nov 2015 provided Single window clearance to facilitate film shootings by foreign film makers in India.

A total of 41 shooting Permissions were given for foreign films/projects in 2016 which was approximately 33% increase over 2015.

Ministry of I&B has also simplified the Annual Renewal process for existing TV channels wherein permitted broadcasters can continue their operations by paying annual fee up to 60 days before the due date for continuation of the channel for a further period of 1 year.

The payment can now be made online through Bharat Kosh Portal since 1st January, 2017.

The online system has integrated the payments made by the producers towards certification fees with Bharatkosh portal, a Govt. of India system for all Non-tax revenue receipts.

It would be the First Software to fully integrate with the Bharatkosh.

Online Film Certification System: Know More (Source: PIB)

The salient features of the online film certification system are as follows:

• In the e-cinepramaan, the status of each application would be visible online in the dashboard of the producer/concerned CBFC official.
• In case of short films/promos/trailers less than 10 minutes, even for Examination purposes also, the producer need not visit the Office/Theatre. They can merely submit their creations online.
• For films longer than 10 minutes, the applicant will only have to show the film at the Examining theatre and will not have to visit the CBFC Offices at all except to collect their certificates.
• The producer/applicant would be informed by SMS/e-mail of the status of their application and any action needed, beginning from the receipt of application to the certificate collection.
• The transparency in the system and elimination of middle men would mitigate chances of any corruption and would also avoid allegations of jumping the queue or rigging up of Examination committees.
• The implementation of QR code on the certificates would eliminate chances of fraudulent certificates.
• The system envisages a robust MIS system for performance tracking and efficient reporting.
• The system has inbuilt alerts depending on the pendency of the application to ensure that time limits prescribed by the Rules are not violated.
• Simultaneously, a new CBFC Website has also been developed bringing in new user friendly features and important information at the click of a button.

ANSWER: Digidhan

Explanation:
Promotion of Digidhan and cashless transactions are part of the mission to bring digital transactions to the fore.

Keeping this in mind, a Digidhan Fair was held in Motihari, Bihar.

The fair involved banks, Common Service Centres (CSC), private digital payment service providers etc. informing the consumers as well as traders about the new technology.

Government has taken several initiatives to promote cashless transactions. Keeping cashless transaction and increasing population of educated youth under consideration, the government has launched Bheem App, which is quite popular.

So far 1.25 crore people have been linked to the App and a transaction of Rs. 361 crore has been made.

More than 100 crore phones are there in India and out of them 30-40 crore is smartphones.

There are about 50 crore internet users.

If used properly, credit cards won’t be required.

Banks have devised UPI cards under which if the mobile app is downloaded, people can do the transaction through any bank on the basis of their phone numbers.

2.15 crore railway tickets are booked out of which 1.30 crore tickets are booked online. He informed that there is 144 crore bank accounts by and large, out of them 117 are the savings account.

A total number of Jandhan account is 28.02 crore.

So far 40 crore bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar Cards.

Total number of Aadhaar cards is 113 crore and there is 20.13 crore POS machines in the country and by the end of this month 10 lakh new machines will be added.

Apart from this, there is 5.7 crore e-wallet users and 110.6 crore credit/debit cards.

So far 21.9 crore consumers have got Rupay cards and its usage has increased up to 40% in the recent time.

Steps to Curb Black Money: Know More

• Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted.
• A law was made to tackle undeclared foreign assets and deposits.
• India revised the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius and Cyprus
• A treaty was signed with Switzerland to obtain information about the bank accounts of Indians in HSBC bank.
• Cashless and digital payments have to be promoted
• Benami Transaction act will be modified.
• Income declaration scheme 2016

ANSWER: GIFT city, Gujarat

Explanation:
Axis Bank is set to open its first international finance branch at the International Financial Services Center (IFSC) in Gujarat International Finance Tech (GIFT) City.

Leading PSU and private banks have set up their international banking units in the GIFT SEZ, doing business transactions of over USD 1 billion.

Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, State Bank of India and Kotak Mahindra Bank are some of these.

Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India.

Axis Bank offers the entire spectrum of services to customer segments covering Large and Mid-Corporates, SME, Agriculture and Retail Businesses.

Axis Bank: Know More

• Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India.
• Axis Bank offers the entire spectrum of services to customer segments covering Large and Mid-Corporates, SME, Agriculture and Retail Businesses.
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• CEO: Shikha Sharma
• Chairperson: Dr. Sanjiv Misra (Part Time)

ANSWER: 1961

Explanation:
World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), France.

It is celebrated annually on the 27th March by ITI Centres and the international theater community.

The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962.

WTD is organized by International Theatre Institute (ITI). ITI is headquartered in Paris, France.

ITI: Know More

• Formation: 1948, Prague
• Type: Specialized agency
• Legal status: Active
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Head: Tobias Biancone, Director-General of ITI
• Website: www.iti-worldwide.org

ANSWER: Kala Ratan Award

Explanation:
Veteran actor Anupam Kher will be honoured with the Kala Ratan Award by Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Anupam Kher was honoured him the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 for his contribution in the field of cinema and arts.

The actor who has worked mainly in Hindi films has also appeared in acclaimed international films like

• Bend It Like Beckham,
• Bride and Prejudice,
• The Mistress Of Spices,
• Ang Lee’s Lust,
• Caution, and David O. Russell’s 2013 Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook.

He also joined Harry Potter actor Jason Isaac and Dev Patel for another film Hotel Mumbai.

His new movie in Bollywood is the Taapsee Pannu starrer Naam Shabana where actor Akshay Kumar will have a cameo.

Anupam Kher: Know More

• Anupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in over 400 films and many plays.
• Mainly working in Hindi films, he has also appeared in acclaimed international films.
• Born: 7 March 1955, Shimla
• Spouse: Kirron Kher

ANSWER: Dr. Randeep Guleria

Explanation:
Renowned pulmonologist Dr Randeep Guleria has been appointed as the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

He is the first Indian to get a Doctorate of Medicine in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

Dr Guleria has been appointed as Director, AIIMS, for five years.

Dr Guleria, who has been working with AIIMS for the last 23 years, will take over as the director and will succeed Dr M C Mishra, who retired in January after serving for over three years.

Dr Guleria, who joined AIIMS in 1992 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, is credited with establishment of India’s first centre for pulmonary medicine and sleep disorder at AIIMS in 2011.

The others shortlisted for the post were Professor V K Paul, Head, Department of Paediatrics and Dr Balram Bhargava, Professor, cardiology.

Dr Guleria was the personal physician to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 1998 to 2004 apart from international dignitaries, including Sushil Koirala, the then Prime Minister of Nepal.

Jagdev Singh Guleria, his father is former dean at AIIMS and was on duty at AIIMS when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was brought to AIIMS after being shot at by Sikh militants.

Dr Guleria - conferred with the Padma Shri in 2015 by the President of India - is know for his work on respiratory muscle functions, lung cancer, asthma and COPD and has more than 400 publications in International and National journals and 49 chapters in various National and International books.

Under Dr Guleria, AIIMS is studying the link between respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and air quality in the national capital.

Internationally, he was an advisor to WHO, Scientific Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), Geneva, on “Influenza Vaccination and Immunization” from 2010-13.

He has been a consultant to International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, on Radiation Protection in Medicine since 2007.

At present, he is a member of May Key Committee in the Government of India. including the Joint Monitoring Committee, to monitor outbreaks of new diseases.

He is set to formulate National policy to control antibiotic resistance in India.

ANSWER: Mental Healthcare Bill 2016

Explanation:
Suicide attempt survivors will no longer have to undergo prosecution, with the LS on Mach 27, 2017 passing the Mental HealthCare Bill 2016.

The bill decriminalises suicide and makes provisions for better healthcare for people suffering from mental illness.

Bill passed by RS with 134 official amendments in Aug 2016 was passed in the Lower House by voice vote as all parties assented to the bill.

Mental depression was discussed by the PM in his radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat on 26th March as well.

The bill gives legal rights to individuals to seek treatment for mental illness. Moreover, it decriminalises suicide attempts and identifies the caretakers.

It also curtails and punishes inhuman treatment or imprisonment to a person with persistent mental illness.”

As per this law, we cannot separate a child for three years.

Also, one cannot chain a mentally-ill person."

He clarified that the aim of the legislation is to see that the patient is protected and no coercive method is adopted.

BJP MP Ashwani Kumar Choubey suggested inclusion of music therapy as one of the remedies for mental treatment.

One of the features of the bill is that it allows adults to make an advance directive on how they wish to be treated in case they suffer from mental illness in future.

A person can also nominate a caregiver in such a case.

The bill clearly defines mental illness and mental healthcare as the earlier definition was vague.

There are also provisions preventing a person from being sterilised just because he or she is a mental patient.

The bill focuses on community-based treatment.

Special provisions for women and health have been provided for.

Among the various objectives, it provides for ensuring healthcare, treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental illness in a manner that doesn't intrude on their rights and dignity.

ANSWER: M-insurance

Explanation:
TATA AIA Life has joined hands with TTSL to launch M-Insurance which brings economically weaker sections under the insurance cover.

This provides life insurance cover of up to INR 100000 for telecom firm's prepaid subscriber base in AP and Telangana as a pilot offer on select recharges.

About 80 per cent of India's population that is buying pre-paid services is form low income groups.

The m-Insurance product brought about by the TATA Group is in alignment with the IRDAI and the government objective of reaching out to that very section of society.

This cover incorporates three things - offering protection at an affordable price, reaching out to maximum number of people, and offering simple claim settlement.

A plan like m-Insurance uses technology to cut distribution and service costs, thereby bringing protection to those who would otherwise find it unaffordable.

Tata AIA Life Insurance is a joint venture between Tata Sons and AIA Group (AIA), independent listed pan-Asian life insurance group spanning 18 markets in the Asia Pacific region.

TATA Sons: Know More

• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founder: Jamsetji Tata
• Founded: 1917
• Type of business: Private

ANSWER: Availing benefits under government welfare schemes

Explanation:
In a petition filed against GoI's move to make Aadhaar card compulsory for wide number of schemes, the SC on 27th March held that it cannot be made mandatory for availing benefits under the government welfare scheme.

The Apex Court in an earlier plea in 2015 had taken a similar stance.

The SC observation, however, did not rule out the possibility of Aadhaar being made mandatory for non-benefit schemes.

Aadhaar can't be mandatory for social welfare schemes but can be used for non-benefit schemes. Our earlier order is very clear.

You can't stop government from using Aadhaar for non-benefit schemes like Income Tax.

In October 2015 the SC had allowed voluntary use of Aadhar cards in welfare schemes including MGNREGA, pension and provident fund schemes.

A five-judge constitutional bench had back then put a caveat in its interim order for the government saying Aadhar card scheme will be voluntary till such time as it is finally declared to be otherwise by the court.

The government’s ambitious Aadhaar project has gained significant ground with nearly 112 crore people already on board.

Close to 50 percent digitally able people having their Aadhaar linked to bank accounts.

The project, believed to be somewhat like social security number in some developed countries, albeit not legally mandatory, now covers nearly 50 government schemes.

Recently, the government linked the mid-day meal scheme with Aadhaar even as it said those without the card would continue to benefit from the scheme.

Among non-welfare schemes, obtaining a driver's licence, getting a mobile phone connection, availing the employee provident fund and tax filing have all been brought under the Aadhaar ambit.

However, multiple petitions have been filed with the Apex Court concerning privacy of citizens considering data collection for issue of Aadhaar is done by private agencies.

SC: Know More

• Established: January 28, 1950
• Authorized by: Constitution of India
• Chief justice: Jagdish Singh Khehar

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Finance minister Arun Jaitley on 27th March 2017 introduced four bills on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the lower house of parliament.

This is paving the way for the government to launch the landmark tax reform.

The bills introduced are the Central GST Bill, the Integrated GST Bill, the Union Territory GST Bill, and the GST (Compensation to States) Bill.

The state assemblies will also have to pass the State GST bill before the new tax system can be rolled out later this year.

The new tax, which the government expects to implement from July 1, is the biggest tax reform since India got independence in 1947 from the British colonial rule.

The tax is expected to boost the rate of economic growth by about 0.5 percentage points, broaden the revenue base and cut compliance cost for firms.