20 Oct-14 Current Affairs

• Pritam Munde (BJP) clinches Beed Lok Sabha seat by whopping 7 lakh votes; the new national record.  
  • She won the seat, vacated due to the death of her father Gopinath Munde, in the by-election held alongside state assembly election. 
  • The previous record was held by Anil Basu of CPM, who had a victory margin of 5,92,502 votes, from Arambagh (West Bengal) in 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
  Current Affairs

  
  
 
• Aadhar card not mandatory to avail LPG direct transfer subsidy.  
  
  
  Centre gives a go-ahead to the Modified 'Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme in LPG'.
  The scheme will be re-launched in 54 districts from mid-November, 2014 and in rest of country from January 1, 2015.
  The subsidy will be directly transferred into consumers 'bank account'; Aadhaar linked or otherwise.
  The salient features:
   
  • All LPG consumers who had already joined the scheme solely based on Aadhaar number will start getting subsidy in their Aadhaar linked bank accounts after scheme is launched.
  • LPG consumers will get a Grace Period of 3 months during which consumers who have joined the scheme will get subsidy in bank account and others will continue to get cylinders at subsidized price.
  • LPG consumers who do not join the scheme after the 3 month grace period, will be eligible for an additional subsidy Parking Period of 3 months.  
  • During this period, LPG cylinders to all such consumers will be supplied at market price, but the subsidy due on all LPG supplies will be credited to the bank account as soon as consumer joins the scheme in this period.
  • A grievance addressal mechanism will also be put in place for consumers.
  National

  
  
 
• Joko Widodo is elected as the new President of Indonesia.
  World News

  
  
 
• India look for new route to Afghanistan through Iran; without Pakistan.  
  • Indian government is going to float a company to set up Chabahar port in Iran.
  • The port would provide a sea-land access route to Afghanistan through Iran’s eastern borders.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Kandla Port Trust (KPT) will be a part of this strategic investment plan worth $86 million.
  International Relations

  
  
 
• India (Under -21) clinches 'Sultan of Johor Cup' hockey tournament by beating GreatBritain 2-1 in the final.  
  • India was playing as the defending champion having won the previous (3rd) edition in 2013.
  • Malaysia is the inaugural champion (2011), while Germany grabbed the title in 2012.
  Sports

  
  
 
• 2nd 'Asian Para Games 2014' gets underway in Incheon, South Korea.  
  • About 4,500 disabled athletes from 41 countries are competing across 23 sports.
  • It will take place from October 18 to October 24, 2014.
  • The Games are held after the Asian Games at the same venue.
  • The first Games was held in 2010 in Guangzhou.
  • India has grabbed 6 medals (0 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze) by the end of the day 2. 
  Sports

  
  
 
• Karur Vysya Bank bags the sixth consecutive 'Best Bank Award for Business Intelligence Initiatives' among small banks for the year 2013-14.  
  • The prize is awarded by IDRBT (Institute for Development and Research in Banking).
  Awards