Current Affairs - 17th Jan 2014
No shutdown in U.S.A.
Marking a truce after years of fiscal feuding in Washington, Congress passed a $1.1 trillion spending package Thursday that effectively ended the threat of an election-year government shutdown. The package now goes to President Barack Obama, who is expected to sign it. Lawmakers especially republicans failed to agree on a spending framework last year, plunging government into a 16-day shutdown while politicians haggled over how to fund federal operations and not increase the debt .
In addition to the discretionary $1.012 trillion, the measure includes $92 billion for overseas military operations, mainly the war in Afghanistan, and $6.5 billion for natural disaster relief.
Bangladesh PM
Sheikh hasina was sworn in as the new Bangladesh PM for the third time. She belongs to the Awami League Party. These elections were marred by violence in the whole country and this matter was also raised in India as the Indians in Bangladesh who are in minority were said to have been attacked by the opposition for casting their vote.
The country is also struggling to reinvent its $20 billion garment industry which has been hit by a factory collapse last year which killed more than 1000 labours.
India and south korea pact
South Korean President Park Guen Hye and her Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh signed nine pacts aimed at providing momentum to the bilateral ties during Ms.Hye’s visit to India.
Both the sides also explored the possibility of setting up of Korean Industrial Park in India. The Indian government also decided to entend “tourist visa on arrival facility” to south Korean nationals. In science and technology both countries will work on many practical projects financed through a $10 million Joint fund by signing a MOU on Joint Applied Research.
Negotiations were also made for the revision of the existing double taxation avoidance convention).
Karnataka become the first state to provide universal health coverage
Karnataka became the first State in India to provide Universal Health Coverage to its population. It achieved the distinction with the launch of Rajiv Arogya Yojana on 9 January 2014. The Scheme entails the beneficiary to pay only 10 percent of the cost of treatment or procedures. It aims at providing subsidized healthcare to virtually every citizen in the State with Above Poverty Line (APL) card.
The BPL families are already covered under health scheme through Vajpayee Arogya Sree programme. Under the scheme APL family members are entitled for health check-up upto 1.5 lakh rupee per annum. The cost of Universal Health Coverage is estimated to be 120 crore rupees annually.
Road safety week in India
Road Transport and Highways Ministry is observing the National Road Safety Week across the country to create awareness among the people. The theme of this year’s Road Safety week is “When on road, always say Pehle Aap”.
Road Transport and Highways Ministry is observing the National Road Safety Week across the country to create awareness among the people. The theme of this year’s Road Safety week is “When on road, always say Pehle Aap”.
