Current Affairs 4th March 2019

Current Affairs 4th March 2019 - Important Points

• India, Brunei signed pact on exchange of tax data on - 28th February 2018
• Bezbaruah reappointed as Chairman of Tea Board by - Ministry of Commerce & Industries 
• Centre for Disability Sports to come up at - Gwalior
• Govt & ADB sign loan MoU for -  Mumbai Metro Rail Project 
• UNAIDS observes Zero Discrimination Day on - 1st March  2019
• Macky Sall re-elected as  - Senegal’s President
• Bhagwan Lal Sahni appointed Chairman of the National Commission for - Backward Classes

Current Affairs 4th March 2019 - Details

India, Brunei signed pact on exchange of tax data on - 28th February 2018

The Union Government & Brunei inked an MoU for the Exchange of Information & Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes- TIEA in New Delhi on 28th February  2019. The MoU was inked by Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman Pramod Chandra Mody, & High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to India Dato Paduka Haji Sidek Ali.
Important Highlights

• The MoU enables exchange of data, including banking & ownership data between the both nations for tax purposes.
• It is based on international standards of tax transparency & exchange of data & enables sharing of data on demand as well as on automatically.
• The MoU also provides for mutual support in collection of tax revenue claims between both nations.
  The MoU will enhance mutual co-operation between both nations by providing an effective framework for exchange of data in tax matters, which will assist curb tax evasion & tax avoidance.

Bezbaruah reappointed as Chairman of Tea Board by - Ministry of Commerce & Industries 

The Ministry of Commerce & Industries has sanctioned the re-appointment of P.K.Bezbaruah as the
Chairman of Tea Board for a 2nd time. He was the 1st non-IAS chairman of the Tea Board.
Highlights of his First Tenure

• He has been advising the Indian Tea Industry to explore export options in the vast Chinese market.
• He was instrumental in initiating a revamp of the old electronic auctioning system in connotation with the IIM Bengaluru.
  Tea Board and its functions
• The origin of the Tea Board can be traced to 1903 when the Indian Tea Cess Bill was approved to provide for levying a cess on tea exports. The incomes of the cess were to be utilised for the promotion of Indian tea both within & outside India.
• The present Tea Board was formed on 1st April 1954 under section 4 of the Tea Act 1953.
• It provides financial & technical assistance for cultivation, manufacture & marketing of tea along with Export Promotion.
• It undertakes Research & Development activities for growth of tea production & improvement of tea quality.
• It provides financial help in a limited way to the plantation workers & their wards via labour welfare
  schemes.
• It encourages & contributes both financially & technically the unorganised small grower’s sector.

Centre for Disability Sports to come up at - Gwalior

The Union Cabinet has sanctioned the proposal for formation of a Centre for Disability Sports at Gwalior in MP at an estimated cost of Rupees 170.99 crore, spread over a period of Five years.
Centre for Disability Sports

• The Centre of Disability Sports would be enumerated under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• The centre of Disability Sports would form an improved sports infrastructure to make sure actual
  participation of individuals with disabilities in sports activities & also enable them to compete at national & international levels.
• The centre of Disability Sports would help in developing a sense of belonging in Divyangjan to ease their integration in society.
• A governing body containing of not more than 12 members would be formed for overall superintendence & supervision of the Centre of Disability Sports with representation for specialists from National Level Sports Federations apart from experts in para games.

Govt & ADB sign loan MoU for -  Mumbai Metro Rail Project 

The Government & the Asian Development Bank have inked a loan MoU of $926 Million to operationalise 2 lines for the Mumbai Metro Rail System. This is the single largest Infrastructure Project Loan in Asian Development Bank history sanctioned by the Asian Development Board.
More about the Project

• The loan MoU will fund the lines 2A (Dahisar to D.N. Nagar), 2B (D.N. Nagar-Bandra-Mandale), & 7
  (Dahisar [East] to Andheri [East]), totalling around 58 kms.
• The MoU also includes funding for 63 6-car trains, signalling & safety systems, & establishment of a new enthusiastic metro operations organization to accomplish the entire metro network.
• The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2022.
• Once accomplished, an estimated 2 million passengers/day will commute on these the 2 new lines resulting into reduction of emissions from vehicles, with CO2 emissions expected to fall by about 166000 tons/year.
  Asian Development Bank

Asian Development Bank recognized on 19th December 1966 was conceived a financial institution which was Asian in character to nurture economic growth & cooperation in one of the poorest regions in the world.

UNAIDS observes Zero Discrimination Day on - 1st March  2019

Zero Discrimination Day is yearly celebrated by the United Nations & other international organisations on March 1st. Zero Discrimination Day is observed to promote & celebrate everyone’s right, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, skin colour, etcetera.  Zero Discrimination Day goals to raise the voice for the right to live life with dignity, despite one’s choices, beliefs, profession, education, disability/even illness.
A butterfly is the symbol of the Zero Discrimination Day & it is widely utilised by people to share their
stories & photos to end discrimination & work towards positive transformation.
Zero Discrimination Day & UNAIDS

Zero Discrimination Day was 1st observed on March 1st, 2014 & was launched by UNAIDS Executive
Director at Beijing afterward UNAIDS launched its Zero Discrimination Campaign on World AIDS Day in December 2013.
Zero Discrimination Day is mainly noted by organisations including UNAIDS that fight against
discrimination against people living with HIV since HIV linked stigma & discrimination is unescapable &
exists in almost every part of the world.

Macky Sall re-elected as  - Senegal’s President

President of Senegal Macky Sall has secured the re-election with 58.27 per cent of votes cast. Above 50
percent votes to a candidate imply that there would be no 2nd round voting under the election system of Senegal.
More about Senegal

• Senegal lies on the west coast of Africa and is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali to the
  east, Guinea to the southeast, & Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal also borders the Gambia which inhabits a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River.
• Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. Dakar is Senegal’s economic & political capital.
• Senegal was the colony of Portuguese & later the French and Senegal gained independence from France in 1960. Senegal is the Muslim mainstream nation & it has efficaciously escaped the jihadist attacks which have destabilised neighbours for instance Mali.
• Senegal has witnessed 2 peaceful power transfers, in 2000 & 2012, & has never knowledge a coup even though election campaigns are characteristically stained by charges of corruption, disinformation & bouts of violence.
• Diplomatic ties between India & Senegal were established at the ambassadorial level with the
  establishment of a resident Indian mission in Dakar in 1962.

Bhagwan Lal Sahni appointed Chairman of the National Commission for - Backward Classes

Bhagwan Lal Sahni from Bihar has been designated as the Chairman of the National Commission for
Backward Classes. Further Kaushalendra Singh Patel & Acharya Talloju have been designated as the
members of the commission.
National Commission for Backward Classes

• National Commission for Backward Classes is a Constitutional body formed via the 123rd constitutional amendment bill 2018 & 102nd amendment act under the provisions of Article 338B of Indian Constitution.
• The commission contains 1 chairman & 5 Members with the term of 3 years.
• The National Commission for Backward Classes is vested with the accountability of considering
  inclusions in & exclusions from the lists of communities notified as backward for the motive of job
  reservations.
• The commission tenders the necessitating advice to the Central Government on the issues  related to the backward classes & the commission has the authorities of a civil court.
• The National Commission for Backward Classes is not yet authorized to look into the complaints of
  individuals of Other Backward Classes.
• This accountability continues to be vested with the National Commission for SCs.