Current Affairs January 2015

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015 launched a small deposit scheme Sukanya Samridhi Yojana for girl child under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign.

• The scheme will ensure equitable share to a girl child in resources and savings of a family in which she is generally discriminated against a male child.
• Sukanya Samridhi Yojana will enable parents to open bank accounts of girls who are under 10 years of age. 

About the Sukanya Samridhi Account

1. Sukanya Samridhi Account will fetch an interest rate of 9.1 percent and provide income tax rebate.
2. Sukanya Samridhi Account can be opened at any time from the birth of a girl child till she attains the age of 10 years with a minimum deposit of 1000 rupees. 
3. A maximum of 1.5 lakh rupees can be deposited during the financial year. The account can be opened in any post office or authorised branches of commercial banks.
4. The account will remain operative for 21 years from the date of opening of the account or marriage of the girl child after attaining 18 years of age.
5. To meet the requirement of higher education expenses, partial withdrawal of 50 percent of the balance amount will be allowed after the girl child has attended 18 years of age.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

R V Easwar appointed as Interim Chairman of DDCA

Former High Court judge Justice R V Easwar was on 22 January 2015 appointed as Interim Chairman of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA).

• Easwar was appointed by Delhi High Court following the plea of DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda who challenged the 16 January 2015 order of trial court that directed the cricket body to not to convene any meetings till Bansal's plea is heard. 
• Easwar will preside over the DDCA's executive committee meetings till a trial court decides on the controversy over suspension of its President Sneh Bansal. DDCA will also pay 110000 rupees as fees of per executive meeting to Easwar.
• The court also allowed the suspended President of DDCA Sneh Bansal and General Secretary of DDCA Anil Khanna to attend the meetings as members of the Executive Committee till the hearing of Bansal's plea challenging his removal before a trial court. 
• The High Court's order came after both Manchanda and Bansal agreed to the interim arrangement of appointing a retired judge to head meetings of DDCA. 

Background : 

• Earlier, Manchanda submitted a plea before the High Court that the entire working of DDCA has come to a standstill as no work can be done without convening meeting of the executive committee. Manchanda is also a defendant in the plaint filed by Bansal challenging his removal. 
• Meanwhile, Bansal's counsel Gautam Dutta maintained that his client was illegally suspended and was not being permitted to participate in the meetings.

      -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Union Government launched National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

The Union Ministry of Urban Development on 21 January 2015 launched the National Heritage Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) that seeks to preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Highlights of HRIDAY
• HRIDAY seeks to promote an integrated, inclusive and sustainable development of heritage sites, focusing on maintenance of monuments and on advancement of the entire ecosystem.
• In the initial phase of HRIDAY, 12 heritage cities have been identified which will be rejuvenated and developed. Union Government will provide 500 crore rupees to these 12 cities.
• The scheme will be completely funded by union Government to create infrastructure and provide facilities around the heritage sites to attract more tourists.