Daily GK Updates - 30th April, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nagaland’s capital Kohima declared ‘smoke-free city’.

2. SIDBI signs MoU with SAARC Development Fund: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and SAARC Development Fund (SDF) has signed a MoU for mutual cooperation and collaboration.

3. Government approves Rs 9005 crore investment for affordable housing for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) under the Prime Minister’s AwasYojana (PMAY) in three states viz. Maharashtra, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

4. S K Bhagat appointed Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF).

5. Blackberry launches BBM Money Transfer Service in India: The BlackBerry users can download the BBM Money app and transfer funds to one another through BlackBerry Messenger.

6. Former Bureaucrat andPolitician N K Singh selected for Japan’s highest civilian award for promoting economic, educational and cultural ties between India and Japan.

7. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches 100 piped water supply projects: He dedicated to the people 100 piped water supply projects for rural areas and promised to make piped water provision in all gram panchayats by 2017.

8. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal launched UJALA Scheme in Madhya Pradesh: UJALA stands for UnnatJyoti by Affordable LEDs for All.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Jazz Day observed across the world on 30^th April 2016: The Day is intended to raise awareness in the international community of the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people.

2. Endangered Asiatic wild dogs spotted in China nature reserve.

 OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. NABARD partners with Germany for food security initiative: It entered into collaboration with the German government for a special programme on ‘Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security’.

SPORTS:

2. AbhinavBindra joins Salman Khan as India’s Goodwill Brand Ambassador for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

3. Tobago batsman Iraq Thomas made fastest ever century in cricket history of just 21 balls.