16.12.17 Karnataka (KPSC) Current Affairs

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KARNATAKA

 

  • HC rules in favour of smaller warning on cigarette packs

 

  • In a ruling that will have ramifications across the country, the Karnataka high court on Friday struck down a rule mandating that 85% of the principal display area on packets of tobacco products be covered by specified health warnings.

 

  • The amendment to the rule stipulated that specified health warnings – 60% pictorial and 25% text – should be positioned on the top-edge of the packet. The court struck that down, but provided scope for the Centre to reconsider the matter afresh.

 

  • Delhi-based Tobacco Institute of India and several manufacturers of tobacco products had challenged the new rules. According to them, the rules interfered with their right to speech and expression, vis-a-vis the customers, and also the right to do business by way of restrictions. 

     

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • Youthquake’ named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries

     

    • Oxford Dictionaries has crowned “youthquake” as its word of 2017 in a nod to the unexpected level of youth engagement in this summer’s election in the United Kingdom.

     

    • An amalgamation of “youth” and “earthquake”, the noun is defined as “a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people.”

     

    ·        Official Emblems for Beijing 2022 Winter Games Unveiled

     

    • The emblems of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Gameshave been named “Winter Dream” and “Flight,”
    • The emblem launching ceremony was held at the National Aquatic Center, which staged the swimming events during the Beijing 2008 Games.
    • In 2022, this venue will be transformed into an ice rink for curling games.

     

    NATIONAL 

     

    ·        Nation Celebrates Vijay Diwas on 16 December

     

    • TheVijay Diwas daymarks the glorious victory over Pakistan in 1971 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, in alliance with Bangladesh Mukti Bahini.
    • On 16th December in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to the allied forces consists of Indian Army.
    • The anniversary of Vijay Divas is observed across India by paying tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

     

     

     

    • No MDR charges on debit card payments up to Rs 2000
    • The merchant discount rate (MDR) charges on transactions up to Rs 2,000 made through debit cards, BHIM UPI or Aadhaar-enabled payment systems will be borne by the government to promote digital transactions.

     

    • The merchant discount rate (MDR) will be borne by the government for two years with effect from January 1, 2018 by reimbursing the same to the banks.

     

    • The move will have an impact of Rs 2,512 crore on the exchequer.

    Gk bit – MDR (merchant discount rate)

    • It is a charge to a merchant by a bank for accepting payment from their customers in credit and debit cards every time a card is used for payments (like swiping) in their stores. The merchant discount rate is expressed in percentage of the transaction amount.

     

    • For the time being, the objective of the RBI is to encourage maximum cashless transaction. Aiming this objective, the RBI has brought a policy of setting upper limit for MDR by banks. Here, the Reserve Bank had rationalized the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for debit cards with effect from September 2012.

     

    • Since then, the MDR for debit card transaction has been capped at 0.75% for transaction values upto Rs.2000 (Which, now has been changed) and at 1% for transaction values above Rs.2000.

     

    ·        Third World Telugu Conference Begins in Hyderabad

     

    • The third World Telugu Conferencebegan in Hyderabad amidst much fanfare.
    • The main aim of the Conference is to promote Telugu and its literature besides helping the present generation learn more about Telugu language and its rich culture and heritage.
    • Telangana Government has put in place elaborate arrangements for the 5-day event for which about eight thousand Telugu speaking delegates from 40 countries all over the globe will be taking part.
    • Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu had formally inaugurated the Conference.

     

    ·        Meghalaya launches Indias first social audit law

     

    • Meghalaya became the first state in the country to operationalize The Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act, 2017, a law that makes a social audit of government programmes and schemes a part of government practice.
    • It was launched by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma at a national convention in Shillong.
    • The law makes social audits part of the system as earlier it was civil society initiative rather than government-mandated.
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