1. Mulayam Singh Yadav Sacks Akhilesh, Ramgopal for 6 Years
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav expelled his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from the party for six years on Friday.
The SP Chief said that he took strong exception to the “gross indiscipline” shown by party leaders Ramgopal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav by releasing separate list of candidates for the upcoming UP elections.
To save the party, we have expelled both Ramgopal and Akhilesh Yadav for six years from the party. For us party is the most important and our priority is to save the party.Mulayam Singh Yadav
Criticising Akhilesh for his support to Ramgopal Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the “Chief Minister is not able to understand that his future is being finished by him (Ramgopal Yadav)”.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. PM Modi Launches Digital Payments App BHIM
On the fiftieth day since the implementation of demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the digital payments app BHIM, at the DigiDhan Mela in Delhi, which will facilitate e-transactions with just a thumb impression.
In two weeks, payment through use of biometric fingerprint will begin in India. With the BHIM app, you’ll only require your thumb to pay. In the past, illiterate people were called ‘angutha-chaap’ but now your thumb is your bank. It has become your identity now.PM Modi
BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) is a mobile payment application and a re-branded version of UPI (Unified Payment Interface) and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) modes of e-payment.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. RBI Increases Cash Withdrawal Limit From ATMs to Rs 4,500 From 1 Jan
RBI issued a statement on Friday saying that from 1 January 2017, the daily withdrawal limit of ATMs would be increased from the current Rs 2, 500 rupees to Rs 4, 500. The bank also said that there would be no change in weekly withdrawal limits.
The statement read:
On a review of the position, the daily limit of withdrawal from ATMs has been increased (within the overall weekly limits specified) with effect from January 01, 2017, from the existing ₹ 2500/- to ₹ 4500/- per day per card. There is no change in weekly withdrawal limits. Such disbursals should predominantly be in the denomination of ₹ 500.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Income Tax Officer Arrested With New Notes of Rs 24 Lakh
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an income tax officer, Vinay Kumar Mangla, at Jhalwar in Rajasthan on Friday. He was arrested while he was allegedly taking bribe of Rs 1 lakh from an assessee for not imposing penalty on his income tax return.
The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red handed while he was demanding and accepting bribe of Rs1 lakh from the complainant. “During the search conducted at the residential premises of the accused, new currency of Rs 24 lakh (approximately) was found,” CBI spokesperson said.
(Source: Live Mint)
5. MBBS Pass Outs May Have to Clear NEXT to Practice: Draft Bill
Soon MBBS pass outs from government as well as private medical colleges will have to clear the National Exit Test (NEXT) to be able to practice as registered medical practitioners.
The provision is part of a bill drafted by the Ministry of Health on the basis of reforms suggested by a high-powered committee led by Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya to address concerns over quality of education in medical colleges and of doctors, said a senior health ministry official.
The health ministry has published the draft bill – named the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 – on its website and has sought feedback from public till 6 January.
The bill also proposes conducting common counselling for entry to Post-Graduate courses in all medical colleges.
(Source: NDTV)
6. ISIS Men Pose 'Lone Wolf' Threat Upon India Return
As ISIS’ hold over swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria weakens due to international military efforts and the likelihood of its battle-hardened foreign fighters returning to their respective homeland increases, agencies in New Delhi have warned of a "grave" terror threat from the Indian returnees.
Sources in the intelligence agencies estimate that number of Indians battling it out as foreign fighters in ISIS territory is between 40 and 50. "As the ISIS territory shrinks due to pressure from the coalition forces, there is a possibility that these Indian youth may be forced to head back home. Given that these cadres are battletrained, highly-radicalised and willing to go to any lengths to realise the ISIS goal of a 'borderless Caliphate', they will pose a direct terror threat," said an intelligence officer.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. CBI Arrests Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal, Mamata Promises Political Fight
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested actor-turned-Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal for his alleged involvement in the Rose Valley chit fund scam – after two years of no major breakthrough in the case. Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee, however, played down the arrest.
We will deal with it politically. I am not as foolish as they are. I am a seasoned politician and I know how to deal with this.Mamata Banerjee
“I have a list of people against whom they (read BJP) will try to take action. There are at least seven more names. I have asked my colleagues to face the CBI bravely because they (Trinamool leaders) are innocent.”
(Source: The Economic Times)
8. China at It yet Again, Shields Masood Azhar at UN
India reacted sharply on Friday to China's action of formally blocking sanctions in the UN Security Council against Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief and Pathankot attack mastermind Maulana Masood Azhar. The action was confirmation of the "double standards" prevalent in the world community's fight against terrorism, India said.
India also said it would continue to push forward with resolute determination "through the use of all options available with us to bring perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice". As a consequence of this decision, the UN Security Council has again been prevented from acting against the leader of a listed terrorist organisation.
(Source: The Times of India)
9. 11 Dead, Over 50 Trapped as Jharkhand Coal Mine Caves In
Eleven persons were killed and more than 50 trapped when an open cast mine caved in on Thursday evening at Rajmahal in Jharkhand’s Godda district.
The cave-in occurred when layers of earth and other unwanted material, referred to as ‘overburden dump’, were being removed.
Five bodies have been identified so far and the dead are mainly contract workers from adjoining Bihar.
Officials of the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) described the subsidence as unprecedented. Several payloaders and dumpers including mining machinery also lie buried.
(Source: The Hindu)
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