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All India Radio News Summary: 13 MARCH 2018

All India Radio News Summary: 13 MARCH 2018

  1. Supreme Court extends March 31 deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar for availing various schemes and services.

The Supreme Court extended the March 31 deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail various services and welfare schemes run by the government.

  • This relaxation will be effective till the constitution bench delivers a final verdict on the validity of Aadhaar number and its enabling law.
  • The extension of deadline will also apply on the mandatory linking with the bank accounts and mobile phone numbers.
  • A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice extended the deadline after the Centre agreed to extend the March 31 deadline for linking Aadhaar with all services and welfare schemes.
  • Earlier, the top court had observed that the alleged defect of citizens’ biometric details under the Aadhaar scheme being collected without any law could be cured by subsequently bringing in a statute.

 

  1. RBI discontinues Letters of Undertaking and Letters of Comfort for Trade Credits with immediate effect in the wake of alleged PNB fraud case.

The Reserve Bank of India discontinued Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) and Letters of Comfort (LoCs) for Trade Credits.

  • The RBI has been decided to discontinue the practice of issuance of LoUs/ LoCs for Trade Credits for imports into India with immediate effect.
  • The Letters of Credit will be continued to be issued subject to compliance with the provisions contained in Department of Banking Regulation Master Circular on ‘Guarantees and Co-acceptances’ dated July 1, 2015.
  • Recently, Punjab National Bank reported fraudulent issuance of LoUs/ Foreign Letters of Credit for payment of import bills and fraudulent transactions in accounts, amounting to 12,967.86 crore rupees, to the RBI through its fraud monitoring reporting system.

 

  1. UIDAI says requirement of Aadhaar for opening new bank account or applying for Tatkal passport will continue
  • The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said that the requirement of Aadhaar for opening new bank accounts or applying for Tatkal passports will continue, while the deadline for linking it to existing bank accounts and PAN has been extended by the Supreme Court.
  • This extension applies only to the existing Bank accounts, existing PAN cards, Mutual fund accounts and Mutual Insurance account.
  • So far as opening a new account or new bank accounts, new SIM card, new PAN card, new Insurance accounts are concerned, Aadhaar number will be required.

 

  1. Government asks banks to name  and shame wilful defaulters by publishing their photos and details in newspapers.

Tightening the noose around wilful defaulters, the government has asked banks to ‘name and shame’ such borrowers by publishing their photographs and other details in newspapers.

  • The Finance Ministry has written a letter to all state-run banks directing them to take board approvals for publication of photographs of such defaulters.
  • The number of wilful defaulters, who did not repay loans to public sector banks (PSBs) despite the capacity to do so, rose to 9,063 at the end of December 2017.
  • The government had directed banks to seek passport details of borrowers taking loans of 50 crore rupees and more.
  • It also tabled the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill in the Lok Sabha, aiming to impound and sell assets of such fugitive defaulters.
  • The Finance Ministry has also directed public sector banks to probe all NPA accounts of over 50 crore rupees for possible fraud and accordingly report the cases to CBI.
  • Besides, the ministry had asked banks to monitor loans above 250 crore rupees and red flag whenever the original covenants of the loans are violated.
  • This was spelt out as part of 6-point-reform measures

 

  1. POSHAN Abhiyaan – National Nutrition Mission

The Executive Committee of POSHAN, the apex body for all nutrition related activities under the POSHAN Abhiyaan held its first meeting to decide on the roadmap for the mission.

Prime Minister had launched the POSHAN Abhiyaan at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan on 8th of this month.

 

  1. Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police

The two-day Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, IACP is held in New Delhi.

  • The theme of the conference is “Challenges to Policing in 2020 – How is Cyber Space shaping our approach to Cybercrime and Terrorism, how do we perform within it and take advantage of it“.
  • The Conference is mainly focused on holding discussions about the growing interest of various terrorist or organized groups and radical elements in exploiting Cyberspace and its advanced technologies for their heinous crimes and nefarious designs.
  • The Conference will provide a platform for top-level Police executives, both national and international, to discuss and understand how Cyber Space is shaping the approach towards Cyber-crime and Terrorism and also how to take advantage of it for better policing.
  • The IACP is the world’s largest organization of Police and law enforcement executives that is highly regarded for its role in identifying and responding to changing needs of the law enforcement community.

 

  1. Major depression in Arabian Sea further intensifies; Heavy rain likely in South Kerala and Lakshadweep.
  • The depression over southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean has further intensified and lay centred southwest of Thiruvananthapuram.
  • Kerala is on high alert after the Met office predicted heavy rain in the southern part of the state and Lakshadweep for the next 48 hours.