BSE becomes India’s first stock exchange to launch commodity derivatives contracts

  • The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has become the first stock exchange in the country to launch commodity derivatives contracts in gold and silver.
  • Up to now, commodity derivatives contracts were available only on MCX and NCDEX.
  • This move is expected to help in efficient price discovery and make it cost-effective.
  • The BSE also plans to launch crude oil and copper contracts, and to launch more agri commodities in the future.

Petroleum minister launches SATAT initiative for green transport

  • Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, has launched an innovative initiative called SATAT.
  • SATAT is an initiative aimed at providing a Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation.
  • The aim is to set up Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants and make available CBG in the market for use in automotive fuels.
  • Production of bio-gas will benefit both vehicle-users as well as farmers and entrepreneurs.

President Ram Nath Kovind gives assent to India’s first good Samaritan protection bill of Karnataka

  • President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to a bill providing legal protection to the good Samaritans in Karnataka who help accident victims with emergency medical care within the golden hour.
  • The bill is called the Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency Situations) Bill, 2016.
  • Karnataka has become the first state in the country to give legal protection to good Samaritans.

BCCI brought under RTI Act by Central Information Commission

  • The Central Information Commission (CIC) has brought the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the RTI (Right to Information) Act.
  • The commission found that the nature and characteristics of the BCCI fulfil the required conditions of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, which defines ‘public authority’.
  • This makes the BCCI answerable to the people.
  • The BCCI will now have to put in place online and offline mechanisms to receive applications for information under the RTI Act.

Niwari becomes 52nd district of Madhya Pradesh

  • The Madhya Pradesh Government has announced the creation of a new district called Niwari, which has become the 52nd district of Madhya Pradesh.
  • The Niwari district has been carved out of the Tikamgarh district.
  • It will include three tehsils of present Tikamgarh district viz. Niwari, Orchha and Prithvipur.

India-origin professor Gita Gopinath named IMF Chief Economist

  • Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath, who was born in India, has been appointed the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  • She currently serves as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University.
  • Gopinath will succeed Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld.
  • She is also the economic adviser to the Kerala CM.

Rangachari Sridharan appointed Chairperson of NFRA

  • The government has appointed former IAS officer Rangachari Sridharan as chairperson of the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA).
  • The NFRA will function as an independent regulator for the auditing profession.

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