Important current affairs of December 9, 2015

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 9,2015

• Indian Parliament on 7 December 2015 passed Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015 an amendment bill that permits the filing of cases at the place where a cheque is presented for clearance and not the place of issue in cases pertaining to cheque bouncing.
• The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015 was passed by the Lok Sabha in the monsoon session. The bill was finally passed by the Parliament on 7 December as it was passed by the Rajya Sabha.
• Pune and Rajkot two new interim franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL) that will replace the suspended teams of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, as announced by the BCCI on 8 December 2015
• Pune and Rajkot franchises will this replace CSK and RR for a period of two years. The Pune franchise was bought by Kolkata-based business tycoon Sanjiv Goenka’s company New Rising, while the Rajkot bid was won by Intex Mobiles.
• In a blow to Congress party, a Delhi court on 8 December 2015 directed Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to appear in person on 19 December in the ‘National Herald’ case. This case, associated with the now-defunct ‘National Herald’ newspaper has been filed by leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy
• BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy, had knocked the court’s door raising questions over acquisition of a company that published the now-defunct ‘National Herald’ newspaper to which Congress gave a loan of over Rs 90 crore. Swami was then the President of the erstwhile Janata Party.
• It was alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had floated a Section 25 company called ‘Young Indian’, which acquired Associated Journals, founded by late Jawaharlal Nehru, that published the National Herald and Quami Awaz.
• In a major setback to President Nicolas Maduro, the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable won the National Assembly elections with a comfortable majority in Venezuela as announced by the National Electoral Council on 7 December 2015. This overturned the nearly two decades of dominance of the Socialists.
• Y. Bhaskar Rao the controversial Lokayukta of Karnataka who finally resigned from his post on 8 December 2015 for an alleged extortion racket in his office that involved his son.
• He had become the first-ever Lokayukta in the country to have an impeachment motion against him by the state Assembly after the opposition parties of the state petitioned the Karnataka Assembly Speaker K. Thimmappa to initiate the process for his removal on 17 November 2015.
• Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai has announced that State Govt will come out with a “full proof plan” for Odd-even number scheme before December 25. The measure has been suggested by the AAP dispensation with an aim to curb air pollution in Delhi. The scheme is to be implemented from January 1.
•  About odd-even number scheme
• It allows vehicles with number plates ending with an odd number to be driven on one day while those ending with an even number can be plied the alternate day.
• Odd-numbered cars will be allowed to ply on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while even-numbered vehicles will run on the other days – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
• Emergency services like ambulances and public transport will not be under the ambit of the restriction.
• Union Minister for MSME, Shri Kalraj Mishra inaugurated Global SME Summit 2015 at India Habitat Center in New Delhi.
• Theme – “Make in India through Global SME partnerships”
• This summit is organized by CII in partnership with Ministry of MSME
• The objective - To connect the Global SMEs with the Indian SMEs for mutual business development and explore the emerging Indian market. This summit will also work towards creating a strong platform for key decision makers, business leaders and multilateral, global funding agencies to address issues common to SMEs and identify cross-border partnership opportunities.
• Federal Bank has launched missed call service for account holders in Chennai to recharge their mobile.
• For availing the service, account holder shall do a one-time registration from his registered mobile number by sending the SMS  ACTMOB<space><BeneficiaryMobileNumber><space><recharge amount><space><last three digits of the account number> to 9895088888.

• Once registered, the beneficiary has to just make a missed call from his mobile number to 8431700700, and their phone will be recharged immediately and the amount debited to the account-holder’s bank account. The maximum amount of recharge that can be done using missed call service is limited to Rs. 500 per day per account. Customers may call the Toll Free number 1800 425 1199 for further details regarding the service.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation, has announced that IDFC Bank has selected TCS BaNCS for core banking, a move that will enable it to offer next generation banking services that are more personalised, convenient and faster.
• IDFC Bank started operations on October 1, 2015 with 23 branches, powered by TCS BaNCS.
• It has started operations in rural banking, corporate and wholesale banking and treasury in the first phase.
• Petroleum Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan presented the certificate in recognition of PAHAL as the largest cash transfer programme in the world, received from Guinness Book of World Records to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
• About PAHAL Scheme: Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh
• Launched in 54 districts of the country on 15.11.2014 and in remaining districts of the country on 1st January, 2015. LPG consumers who join the PAHAL scheme will get the LPG cylinders at market price and receive LPG subsidy directly into their bank accounts.
• As on 3rd  Dec, 2015, 14.62 crore LPG consumers have joined the PAHAL scheme and are receiving the subsidy directly into their Bank Accounts.