BackNews in Numbers: Jet Airways to add 144 flights per week from March-end
In other news, the World Bank expects India's GDP growth to be 6.7% in 2017-18
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Rs1.78 crore
What is it? The alleged loss to the exchequer in the illegal telephone exchange case in which former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran, CMD of the Sun Group, were involved, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Why is it important? On Wednesday, a special CBI court discharged the Maran brothers from the 10-year-old case. The court let off all the seven accused, saying there was no prima facie evidence to prove charges against them. In February, the CBI had claimed it had material evidence against the Maran brothers, who had countered its claims, saying the agency had failed to understand the latest technology.
Tell me more: The CBI had alleged that Dayanidhi had misused his position as Union minister for communication and information technology between June 2004 and December 2006, and installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai, which was also used for business transactions of Kalanithi’s Sun Network.
8%
What is it? The rate (at the lower end) at which the Indian economy needs to grow per year for the next 30 years to join the list of middle-income group countries, according to the World Bank.
Why is it important? If India were to achieve this difficult ask, it would raise the income of at least half of the country’s population to sustain consumption expenditure of $10 a day based on the purchasing power parity of the global middle class. The World Bank highlights three major reforms that are required: efficient use of resources, focus on inclusive, productivity-led growth that generate salaried jobs and addressing challenges to public sector effectiveness.
Tell me more: The World Bank expects India’s GDP (gross domestic product) growth to be 6.7% in 2017-18, and accelerate to 7.3% and 7.5% in the next two financial years, respectively.
4
What is it? The number of bypolls (out of five) the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the results of which were announced on Wednesday.
Why is it important? These bypoll results are being seen as a marker for the possibility of a bigger alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2019 general elections. In UP, the SP-BSP combine defeated BJP in Gorakhpur, the erstwhile Lok Sabha seat of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, retained earlier by him and his predecessor for a total of eight straight terms. BJP also lost Phulpur, which had elected deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Tell me more: In Bihar, RJD won the Lok Sabha bypoll in Araria and the assembly by-elections in Jehanabad, while BJP won the Bhabua assembly bypoll.
144
What is it? The number of flights per week that Jet Airways will add beginning March-end, as part of its summer schedule.
Why is it important? Jet’s announcement comes in the wake of market leader IndiGo and GoAir cancelling several flights in the last two days following the grounding by the aviation regulator of 11 Airbus A320Neo of theirs due to engine issues. The temporary cutback in fleet size for IndiGo gives rival airlines a chance to win back some of its 39.1% market share, some of which IndiGo wrested from them with its quality offering.
Tell me more: In general, airlines tend to add flights in the summer schedule, which runs from late March to late October. At present, airlines are servicing their winter schedule, which started from 29 October 2017, and will run till 24 March 2018.
100
What is it? The number of goals scored by Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi in the Champions League, Europe’s premier club competition.
Why is it important? On Wednesday night, Messi scored two goals and made one assist to help Barcelona trounce Chelsea 3-0 (4-1) on aggregate to enter the quarter-finals. These were goals number 99 and 100 for Messi, making him only the second player, after Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, to notch up a century a goals in this competition.
Tell me more: Among active players in the list of top goal scorers, the next best is Karim Benzema of Real Madrid at number six, with 53 goals.
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