Alok Verma delines the new position and resigns from IPS

  • Verma was removed from the position of CBI chief and made the director-general of fire service, civil defence, and home guards.
  • He has declined the new position and has also resigned from the IPS.
  • Meanwhile, the Interim CBI Director M Nagesawara Rao has reversed all the transfer orders issued by Verma during his two-day role as the CBI chief.

Currency Swap Agreement with Japan approved by the Cabinet

  • The deal is to exchange $75 billion bilateral currency swap between the two countries.
  • India will benefit as it will make easier for it to pay for import.
  • The agreement was reached up by PM Mod and PM Abe during a summit-level meeting at Yamanashi, Japan.

West Bengal exits PMJAY sceheme

  • The West Bengal government alleged that the centre was politicising the scheme by adding PM’s picture and lotus symbol on the top. The statement said that he state government contributes 40% of the funding and plays a major role in its implementation.
  • Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana aims to reduce financial burden out of sudden hospital bills on vulnerable population.
  • West Bengal has become the fifth state after Telangana, Kerala, Odisha, and Delhi to opt out of the scheme.

SC sets up panel for competitive exams

  • The three member panel comprises of Infosys co-founded Nandan Nilekani and computer scientist Vijay Bhatkar. The court asked advocate Prashant Bhushan to suggest the third member. 
  • SC was hearing a case from the petitioner, Shantanu Kumar, about the alleged paper leak of SSC CGL 2017 examination. 
  • CBI had investigated the leak and had reported that the people involved in the leak have been identified but said that the was no need to cancel the exam.
  • However, SC was not convinced by the argument and said it was not possible to identify all the candidates who might have benefited from the leak.