1) Which entity on 3 December, 2013 announced plans to set up a MFIs Credit Information Bureau to enable Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to secure credit on faster and better terms? - Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd. – CIBIL (Under this initiative CIBIL is planning to rope in MFIs as members. Currently, CIBIL is operating four bureaus – consumer, retail, mortgage and fraud. Prior to approving individual loans, public sector banks and financial institutions seek CIBIL credit information reports and credit score of an applicant. An individual is given points by the CIBIL TransUnion ranging from 300 to 900 (highest), based on his loan repayment pattern for the last few months. The credit score is updated every month. Individuals with 800 points are the most sought after by banks)
2) The Supreme Court on 3 December, 2013 gave another four months time to the States and Union Territories to frame rules for regulating the sale of acid. This ruling was given by the apex court after counsel Aparna Bhat said that except three among country’s States and Union Territories, no other took any steps to frame rules to regulate the sale of acid on the lines of the model rules framed by the Central government. Which three are these? - Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry (The apex court had on 16 July, 2013 issued detailed directions to all State governments and Union Territories to frame rules within three months for regulating the sale of acid)
3) What is the name of China’s lunar mission launched on 2 December, 2013 that carried with it country’s first moon rover to mark a major milestone for China’s space programme? – ‘Chang’e-3’ (‘Chang’e-3’ is also the first mission that would attempt to carry out China’s first ever ‘soft landing’ on Moon. Soft landing is landing at a sufficiently low velocity for the equipment or occupants in the spacecraft to remain unharmed. This mission is expected to land on the lunar surface in mid-December and is aimed at exploring the Moon’s surface and looking for natural resources such as rare metals)