1. Publishing company Garuda Prakashan launched its two books -
- Modi Again: Why Modi is right for India, An Ex-Communist Manifesto - Abhas Maldahiya
- Saffron Swords – Centuries of Indic Resistance to Invaders - ______________
2. India secured Test Cricket Championship Mace for 3rd successive year, along with million dollar prize. New Zealand were 2nd, followed by South Africa were and _______________.
- Inaugural World Test Championship will begin in August 2019, featuring 9 Test nations competing across 27 series and 71 Test matches to reach ICC World Test Championship Final in 2021, where first World Test champions will be crowned.
3. _______________ ranked at top In eLearning training, by reaching to 20,000 field staff during 2018-19, as 2nd year in succession that State got the distinction under Department of Personal and Training (DoPT).
4. __________ and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) signed MOU to set up integrated customer services and optimize value for customers, also covering common safeguard activities of underground assets (pipes and cables).
5. IT Firm ________________ acquired US-based Strong-Bridge Envision, to enhance its digital transformation consulting capabilities. Deal was worth 45 million dollars.
6. _______________ became First Bank to charge customers for UPI transactions starting May 2019. First 30 UPI fund transfers in a month will be free, after which charge 2.50 per transaction for an amount under 1,000 and 5 per transaction for amount above 1000.
7. Supreme Court dismissed Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed against a _____________ HC Judgment setting aside Employee's Pension (Amendment) Scheme 2014.
- ____________ HC had asked Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to give pension to all employees on basis of their full salary rather than capping figure on which contribution is calculated at a maximum of Rs 15,000 per month.
- The case -
- EPFO amended act on September 1, 2014 to increase contribution to 8.33% of a maximum of Rs 15,000. It reduced pension of many employees.
- HC set aside the amendment and reinstated old system of calculating the pensionable salary as average of the last one year's monthly salary.
- In October 2016, SC directed EPFO to accept requests of employees to contribute to pension scheme on basis of full salary.
- Despite SC judgement EPFO refused to accept contributions, stated EPFs are managed by trusts, while they were ready to contribute due amount.
- About Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995 -
- Government introduced EPS in 1995, under which an employer was supposed to contribute 8.33% of employee's salary in a pension scheme. But contribution was capped at 8.33% of Rs 6,500 (or Rs 541 per month).
- In March 1996, government amended the act and allowed contribution to be a percentage of the actual salary.
- Members of EPFO gets pension benefits when retires at age of 58. Minimum service period is 10 years.
- Form 10D gives facility to apply for a monthly pension after retirement.
- Form 10C is used to withdraw EPS amount.
8. ___________________ emerged global leader in online voting with 44% of votes in the recently concluded parliamentary elections in country.
9. USA will cut aid to countries of Northern Triangle (________________, Honduras, and El Salvador), blaming them for sending migrants to USA. These countries share a border tri-point at Trifinio biosphere reserve, and also aspects of classical cultures, history, society, and politics.
10.__________________ - World Autism Awareness Day. 2019 Thems is Assistive Technologies, Active Participation.
11. _____________ declared ‘Reiwa’ as the name of its new imperial era that will begin on May 1, 2019, after new Crown Prince Naruhito ascends Chrysanthemum Throne.
- Crown Prince Naruhito will succeed his father Emperor Akihito, putting an end to three decades long ‘Heisei’ era. Emperor Akihito’s abdication will be the first in 200 years.
- New era will be the 248th in the history of ___________.
- Era name ‘Reiwa’ is drawn from 7th century poetry collection “Manyoshu”. ‘Rei’ and ‘Wa’ stands for ‘order’ and ‘peace’, respectively.
- The Outgoing era ‘Heisei’ means achieving peace, which began on January 8, 1989. Heisei is first era without a war in Nation’s modern history.
12. Home Affairs Ministry extended "disturbed area" tag under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for three districts of _________________ for another six months - Tirap, Changlang and Longding.
13. Kandhamal Haldi (a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern ___________________) earned Geographical indication (GI) tag. Kandhamal Haldi has more oleoresin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties.
14. GST collections scaled to a record high of Rs _______________ Lakh Crores in March 2019., attributed to increased compliance and increase in number of returns filed.
15. RBI changed disclosure norms for banks on material divergences on provisioning, stating that banks will now have to disclose their provisions if divergence found is more than ____________ % of bank’s profit before provisioning and contingencies. Earlier, banks were required to disclose additional provisioning requirements if divergences were found to be exceeding 15 % of published net profits after tax.
16. India and US have set up the first ever secure communication link between the naval headquarters and the US Central as well as Pacific Naval Commands under landmark Indo-US COMCASA (__________________________________) pact signed in 2018.