Important current affairs of 1st january 2015 are given below.
National Scene – 1st January 2015
1. Reserve price of 3G spectrum auction was set at Rs. 2720 crore.
Explanation –
i) Telecom Regulator Authority of India (TRAI) fixed base price of 3G spectrum at Rs. 2720 crore per MHz to be auctioned in February.
ii) In 2010 the spectrum price (3G) was Rs. 3350 crore. Which is about 22% more than the present determined price.
iii) According to budget estimate 2014-15 the spectrum auction of 2100 MHz will fetch atleast Rs. 5000 crore.
2. India will observe water week during 13th to 17th January.
Explanation –
i) As reported by Times Of India on 1st January 2015 water week will be observed across the country from 13th to 17th January.
ii) To create awareness for water conervation every district will launch Hamara-Jal-Hamara-Jeewan (Our water our life).
Business Diary – 1st January 2015
3. LIC joined hands with First Gulf Bank (FGB) to launch co-branded credit card in Gulf countries.
Explanation –
i) LIC international a part of LIC India entered into a partnership with UAE based First Gulf Bank. This is the first time FGB has tied business relation with an isurance company.
ii) Insurance premium payment through cards had been a matter of concern among the policy holders of UAE. This strategic alliance will help fix the problem.
iii) LIC International has over 350 milion policyholders all over the world.
Committees in news headlines 1st January 2015
4. Swadheen Khyatriya panel will review new policy on Maratha quota.
Explanation –
i) To study and recommend suggestions on Maratha quota BJP government has formed a high level committee. This committee is to be headed by Swadheen Khyatriya.
ii) This committee also constitutes advocate-general Sunil Manohar.
5. Government has set up a taskforce on 1st January 2015 to rekindle growth of country’s mobile handset and component manufacturing industry to be headed by RS Sharma.
Explanation –
i) Mr. Sharma is the chairman of Department of Electronics and Information tecnology.
ii) Last year (2014) the estimated domestic mobile handset market size was Rs.75,000 crore, of which handsets worth Rs.58,550 crore were imported.
Appointments
6. Shailesh Nayak was appointed interim chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation.
Explanation –
i) Mr. K. Radhakrishnan retired on 31st december 2014. After which Mr. Nayak was appointed interim chairman of ISRO.
ii) Mr. Nayak is a geologist and currently the secretary in the ministry of earth science.
7. AK Mittal became the new chairman of Railway Board.
Explanation –
i) He will succeed Arunendra Kumar.
ii) Earlier he had served as General Manager of South Western Railway and was in the additional charge of General Manager, South Central Railway.