24 JANUARY 2014

Ø  Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan on Thursday sought to quell fears over the decision to withdraw all pre-2005 currency notes from April 1, 2014, saying the RBI notification was not aimed at demonetisation. Assuring the people that such currency notes would continue to be legal tender, Dr. Rajan said there was no cause for panic. The public would be required to approach banks for exchanging their pre-2005 notes. The RBI on Wednesday said that after March 31 it would withdraw from circulation all currency notes issued prior to 2005.

Ø  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be able to squeeze in a visit to India to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.  He will be the first Prime Minister of Japan to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade.

Ø  Pakistan is very keen that trade across the Line of Control (LoC) take place smoothly and summoned an Indian High Commission official on Tuesday essentially in an effort to break the deadlock, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said.

Ø  Asia’s biggest botanical garden will come up in Naya Raipur with the Chhattisgarh government initiating work on the ecotourism project.