IRCTC to launch baggage insurance for train passengers
1. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) plans to offer ‘baggage insurance’ for train passengers as part of its efforts to provide them more facilities for booking tickets online.
2. A passenger can claim the insurance money in case of lost or theft of baggage. Goods like laptop and mobile phone will also be covered as part of the package.
3. The IRCTC has tied-up with New India Assurance for the plan.
4. The insurance premium will depend on the length of the journey and also the class of travel.
LIC buys Rs 300 crore Infosys shares in Q4
1. State-owned life insurer LIC has shored up its stake in Infosys to 4.81 per cent, purchasing shares worth over Rs 300 crore in the January-March quarter.
2. This is the fourth consecutive quarter of share purchase by LIC in the software services firm.
3. LIC held 4.69 per cent stake in Infosys during the October-December quarter and increased that to 4.81 per cent as of March 31, 2015, as per latest data available with the stock exchanges.
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Transgenders entitled to head of
household status: HC
1. Significant
decision for transgenders, the Allahabad High Court has ruled that they are
entitled to the status of head of a household which will allow them to
avail food security benefit through ration card.
2. In
a landmark decision in April last year, the Supreme Court had recognised
transgenders as the third gender.
3. It
had also directed the Centre and the state governments to treat them as
socially and educationally backward classes and provide them reservation in
admissions in educational institutions and government jobs.
Centre to give every household Rs
4,000 to build toilet
1. As
per the scheme, every household will be given Rs 4,000 to construct a toilet by
the Centre with an additional incentive share from the state government.
2. Targeting
an end to open defecation, the Ministry of Urban Development in its manual
under the Swachh Bharat Mission has directed local body departments to get
door-to-door surveys conducted and identify households that don’t have toilets.
3. The
scheme also specifies that the first installment of Rs 2,000 will be released
after verification of beneficiary by ULB (urban local body) and
4. Second
installment of Rs 2,000 will be released only after photographs of under
construction toilets are sent as proof by local body officials after personal
verification.
5. Sources
confirmed that the state has decided to give Rs 1,300 as state additional
incentive per household in this scheme.
Dr. Nasim zaidi appoints as new CEC
1. Dr.
Nasim Zaidi has assumed charge as 20th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)
succeeding Sh. H.S. Bramha here today.
2. Dr.
Zaidi will be the sole member of the three-member Election Commission till the
government fills up the two vacant posts of election commissioners.
3. He
will be the CEC till July, 2017, when he turns 65.
4. An
election commissioner can remain in office for six years or till he attains the
age of 65 years.
India 5th Biggest generator of e-waste in
2014 – Report
1.India
is the fifth biggest producer of e-waste in the world; discarding 1.7 million tonnes
(Mt) of electronic and electrical equipment in 2014, a UN report have said
2.UNU
warns that the volume of global e-waste is likely to rise sharply by 21 per
cent in next three years.
3. The
US and China produced the most e-waste overall in 2014.
4. The
lowest amount of e-waste per inhabitant was generated in Africa (1.7
kg/inhabitant).
Sitaram Yechury elected new CPI (M)
general secretary
1. Rajya
Sabha member Sitaram Yechury was elected as the next general secretary of
Communist Party of India (Marxist).
2. Mr.
Yechury is the fifth general secretary of the 50-year-old party.
3. The
party’s new Central Committee has 91 members besides five special invitees and
five permanent invitees.
Alto is best-selling car for tenth year in
a row
Maruti
Suzuki India continued its hold on the country’s car market in
2014-15 with its models Alto, Swift, Dzire and WagonR retaining the top four
positions, According
to a data by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers(SIAM)
SC appoints CBI SP Vivek Priyadarshi as
head of team probing IPL scandal
1. Supreme
Court has appointed Vivek Priyadarshi to head an investigating team to further
probe the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 6 spot-fixing and betting scandals.
2. Decision
in this regard was taken by a SC bench comprising Justices T S Thakur and F M I
Kalifulla.
3. The
bench took this decision on the recommendation of a three member panel headed
by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RM Lodha which was appointed in January
2015.