10 PM Current Affairs Quiz : January 12, 2019

The Renuka dam project has been conceived as a storage project on the Giri River (a tributary of the Yamuna) in the Upper Yamuna basin, Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

The Gold Monetisation Scheme was introduced by the Central Government in the Union Budget 2015-16. The objective was to simultaneously safeguard the gold held in Indian households as well as put it to productive use. The larger objective was to cut down the country’s gold imports by decreasing domestic demand.

Short-term deposit rates are decided by the concerned bank, while the medium and long-term deposit interest rates are decided by the Central Government.

The capital gains from the scheme are exempted from capital gains tax, wealth tax and income tax.

The Union Cabinet approved the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018 for regulation and standardisation of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals. The Bill provides for setting up of an Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding State Allied and Healthcare Councils which will play the role of a standard-setter and facilitator for professions of Allied and Healthcare.

Key features:

• • Establishment of a Central and corresponding State Allied and Healthcare Councils; 15 major professional categories including 53 professions in Allied and Healthcare streams.
  • The Bill provides for Structure, Constitution, Composition and Functions of the Central Council and State Councils, e.g. Framing policies and standards, Regulation of professional conduct, Creation and maintenance of live Registers, provisions for common entry and exit examinations, etc.
  • The Central Council will comprise 47 members, of which 14 members shall be ex-officio representing diverse and related roles and functions and remaining 33 shall be non-ex-officio members who mainly represent the 15 professional categories.
  • The State Councils are also envisioned to mirror the Central Council, comprising 7 ex-officio and 21 non-ex officio members and Chairperson to be elected from amongst the non-ex officio members.
  • Professional Advisory Bodies under Central and State Councils will examine issues independently and provide recommendations relating to specific recognised categories.
  • The Bill will also have an overriding effect on any other existing law for any of the covered professions.
  • The State Council will undertake recognition of allied and healthcare institutions.
  • Offences and Penalties clause have been included in the Bill to check mal­practices.
  • The Bill also empowers the Central and State Governments to make rules.
  • Central Govt. also has the power to issue directions to the Council, to make regulations and to add or amend the schedule.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country, based on a detailed study and deliberations on innovation and entrepreneurial needs of India in the years ahead. AIM is envisaged as an umbrella innovation organization that would play an instrumental role in alignment of innovation policies between central, state and sectoral innovation schemes.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is preparing to land the robotic spacecraft in the South Pole-Aitken basin, the largest, oldest and deepest crater on the moon’s surface

The Chang’e-4 mission is part of a larger Chinese program of lunar exploration, with two return missions planned to deliver lunar rock and soil to Earth for research

The probe, the Chang’e-4, entered a planned orbit on Sunday “to prepare for the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon“

1.  Basic threshold limit for suppliers of goods (for mandatory GST registration) has been increased to 40L from the current 20L. Also, some of the north-eastern and hilly states will have a new limit of 20L from 10L earlier.
2. Services sector will now be eligible for benefits under the composition scheme, which was only applicable to manufacturers and traders earlier
3. GST Composition Scheme, under which small traders and businesses pay a 1 per cent tax based on turnover, can be availed by businesses with a turnover of Rs 1.5cr, against the earlier Rs 1cr, with effect from April 1, 2019