Daily Current Affairs Updates: 1 September 2015

1) Rajiv Mehrishi replaced LC Goyal as Union Home Secretary:

--> Senior IAS officer Rajiv Mehrishi replaced L.C. Goyal as the new Home Secretary in the NDA government.

--> Mr. Goyal, who took charge in February this year, was ordered to seek voluntary retirement on 31 August 2015, barely hours before Mr. Mehrishi was to superannuate as  Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs.

--> Mr. Goyal would have retired as Rural Development Secretary in May 2015 but he replaced Home Secretary Anil Goswani in February after the latter was asked to put in his papers by the Centre.

--> A 1978 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, Mr. Mehrishi has also served as the Chief Secretary in Rajasthan under Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. 

2) RBI declared SBI, ICICI Bank systemically important banks:

--> The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 31 August 2015 declared State Bank of India and ICICI Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs).

--> The D-SIB framework requires the RBI to disclose the names of banks designated as D-SIBs every year in August starting from August 2015, said RBI in a press release.

--> The D-SIB framework specifies a two-step process of identification of D-SIBs.

3) Highest mountain of North America Mt McKinley renamed as Denali:

--> The highest mountain of North America was on 28 August 2015 renamed as Denali instead of its existing name Mt McKinley by US President Barack Obama.

--> This designation will now recognize the sacred status of Denali to generations of Alaska Natives.

4) Ratan Watal is new Finance Secretary:

--> Ratan P Watal on 31 August 2015 took charge as the Union Finance Secretary.

--> Prior to the present elevation, he was the secretary of the Department of Expenditure of the Finance Ministry since 2013.

--> Watal, 59, is a 1978-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer and holds masters degree in economics.

5) L C Goyal appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation:

--> Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 August 2015 approved the appointment of L C Goyal as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Indian Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO).

--> Prior to the present appointment, he retired as the secretary of the Union Home Ministry.

6) U Mumba won Pro Kabaddi League 2015:

--> U Mumba on 24 August 2015 won the Pro Kabaddi League 2015 title by defeating Bengaluru Bulls 36-30 in the final match held in Mumbai.

--> U Mumba was headed by Anup Kumar.

7) Palakkad to be declared first HIV/AIDS literate district:

--> Palakkad in Kerala would soon be declared as the first total HIV/AIDS literate district in the country.

--> This was announced by district panchayat president T.N. Kandamuthan on 31 August 2015.

--> To make the district total HIV/AIDS literate district, a special project titled  “Jyothirgamaya” was implemented with the cooperation of 91 gram panchayats and four municipalities in the district.