Daily G.K. Buzz - 19th June 2015

Nation

PM Modi holds talk with Tanzanian President

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold bilateral talks with Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, who is on a six-day visit to India. Both the countries inked many key agreements to further augment bilateral ties. 

ii. The Tanzanian President will also call also meet President Pranab Mukherjee and vice presient Hamid Ansari during the day.

Rashtrapati Bhavan to commemorate International Yoga Day on June 21

i. The Rashtrapati Bhavan will commemorate the International Yoga Day on June 21 with officialsand family members participating in a mass Yoga event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Club House early in the morning.
ii. The event is being organized in collaboration with Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India).

Union Government launched weather alert service NOWCAST

i. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on 18 June 2015 launched a weather alert service named NOWCAST. 

ii. NOWCAST will be used to send SMS alerts on extreme weather data like hailstorm, thunderstorm and squall originated by India Meteorological Department (IMD) to over one crore farmers whose mobile numbers are registered on government’s mKisan portal.

Committees

Union Ministry of Finance formed two committees for facilitating implementation of GST

i. Finance Ministry has formed two committees for facilitating implementation of Goods and Services Tax from 1st April 2016 which is set to integrate state and central taxes.

ii. A Steering Committee been formed under the Co-Chairmanship of Additional Secretary, Department of Revenue and Member Secretary, Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers.

iii. The second Committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of the Chief Economic Advisor, Ministry of Finance to recommend possible tax rates under GST that would be consistent with the present level of revenue collection of Centre and States, while making recommendations, this Committee would take into account expected levels of growth of economy, different levels of compliance and broadening of tax base under GST.  

International

NSA, FS in Myanmar; meet Prez Sein and top def officials

i. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Wednesday held comprehensive talks with Myanmarese President U Thein Sein and top defence brass on security cooperation in Myanmar, days after Indian Army carried out a counter- insurgency offensive along the Indo-Myanmar border. 

ii. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar visited Nay Pee Taw and met President Thien Sen.  They also called on the Myanmarese army's Commander-in-Chief and its Foreign Minister. 

Appointments

Aakar Patel appointed as Executive Director of Amnesty International India

i. Journalist and writer Aakar Patel appointed as Executive Director of Amnesty International (AI) India on 18 June 2015. He will head AI India’s operations and its efforts to end human rights abuses in India and worldwide. 

ii. Patel as the organization’s chief political advisor, strategist and spokesperson will give direction to its goal of being an independent, effective, and deep-rooted organization in India.