IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF SEP 1, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF SEP 1, 2016

• Goa Assembly ratifies GST Bill
• The Goa Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution ratifying the amendments to the Constitution to pave way for the presidential assent to the Goods and Services (GST) Bill, 2016.
• Goa is the 15th State Assembly to ratify the Bill. With this, 50% of States have passed the Bill paving way for the presidential assent. 
• NPCI launches Bharat Bill Payment System pilot project
• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched a pilot project for Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) with 26 Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOUs). 
• In the first phase, BBPS will cover repetitive payments for everyday utility services such as electricity, water, gas, telephone and Direct-to-Home (DTH). 
• India jumps 19 places in Logistics Performance Index: World Bank 
• India jumped 19 places in the Logistics Performance Index to rank 35th in this year’s list.
• The World Bank has recently released a Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2016 report titled ‘Connecting to Complete 2016’.
• The logistics' list was topped by Germany.
• Ten Sports sold to Sony Pictures for Rs 2,600 crore 
• Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and ZEE have entered into definitive agreements to acquire TEN Sports Network and its subsidiaries for $385 million.
• The acquisition will add five sports channels, TEN 1, TEN 1 HD, TEN 2, TEN 3, TEN Golf HD to SPN's existing portfolio of channels.
• Bhutan set to host Asian Tennis Tour event next month
• Land of the thunder dragon’s Nation Bhutan is set to become the fourth Asian country to host a tournament on the Asian Tennis Tour. 
• India, Thailand and Iran have already hosted a series of tournaments, both men and women, on ATT and Bhutan is scheduled to host its maiden event from September 16 to 18.
• First military heritage website launched
• India's first military heritage website, coloursofglory.org was launched by Glory Foundation at Chennai.
• A veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, city based Captain D.P.Ramachandran who is also the executive trustee of the foundation declared the war heroes of South India held great significance to the history of India. 
• Govt panel clears 16 highway projects across 11 states
• The Government has approved 16 highway projects in 11 states to be executed at a cost of 7,457 crore rupees. 
• The projects are in Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Sikkim. 
• PTC fin arm ties up with banks for clean energy project loans
• Ptc India Financial Services (PFS) has tied up with banks that will provide loans to companies engaged in renewable energy (RE) production.
• Upon this collaboration these banks set to letter of credit (LC) based on the issue letter of comfort (LOC) issued by PFS, to project companies in the renewable space with diligence on certain parameters.
• Mobikwik joins hand with 12 state electricity boards
• India's largest digital payment company in India, MobiKwik has announced coalition with 12 state electricity boards. 
• The MobiKwik took this initiative ahead of its expansion plan to set up a national base for utility payments.
• Union Minister JP Nadda unveiled Mera Aspatal – My Hospital initiative
• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda launched the ‘Mera Aspataal’ (my hospital) initiative. 
• This move seeks to empower the patients by seeking their views on the quality of experience in a public healthcare facility.
• Gujarat becomes first state to distribute 2 Cr. LED bulbs
• Under the Government’s initiative of affordable LEDs for all (UJALA) scheme, Gujarat has become the 1st state to distribute 2 crore LED bulbs. 
• Gujarat has reached this milestone in just 96 days and over 42 lakh households have already benefitted from the scheme.
• Goa govt signs MoU with Google India
• The Goa government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Google India to promote digital literacy and drive the digital transformation in the state. 
• Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Vice President, Google South East Asia and India Rajan Anandan signed the MoU.
• 100-year-old athlete from India, wins Gold Medal at Masters Games
• India’s 100-year-old athlete, Man Kaur has won Gold medal at the American Masters Games in the 100-meter dash. She took a minute-and-a-half to cross the finish line in Vancouver.
• Kaur from Chandigarh was the only female competitor in her age category at the competition for older athletes.
• Anuradha Rao is MD, CEO of SBI Mutual Fund
• SBI Mutual Fund has appointed Anuradha Rao as its Managing Director and Chief Executive.
• Prior to this, Rao was Deputy Managing Director at SBI handling New Business Portfolio. 
• Jharkhand becomes first state to implement PFMS
• Jharkhand is the first state in the country to have implemented Public Fund Management System (PFMS).
• Development Commissioner Amit Khare said Union Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa appreciated the implementation of Jharkhand's public fund management system.