Daily GK Updates - 15th July, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India becomes 1^st country to become YAWS-free: India achieves yet another public health milestone, becomes first country to be declared free of Yaws, an infection of the skin and bones, much ahead of WHO global target year of 2020.

2. President to inaugurate India Skills Competition today: President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the first edition of India Skills Competition today, on the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day in New Delhi. Skill India will be celebrating its first anniversary on the occasion.

3. Vice President Hamid Ansari reached UlaanBaatar to attend 11^th Asia-Europe Meeting-AESM-Summit: Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari has reached UlaanBaatar, the capital of Mongolia. He is leading the India delegation for two days 11th Asia-Europe Meeting- ASEM-Summit starting from today. The theme for the summit is "20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity".

4. Congress announces Sheila Dixit as Chief Ministerial candidate for UP Assembly elections: The Congress has announced the Senior Congress leader Sheila Dikshit name as the Chief Ministerial candidate by the party for upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

5. Government revises time schedule for making payments under Income Declaration Scheme 2016: The Government has revised the time schedule for making payments under Income Declaration Scheme 2016. As per the revised schedule, a minimum amount of 25 % of the tax, surcharge and penalty can be paid by 30th of November this year and the further amount of 25 % by 31st of March next year. The balance amount can be paid on or before 30th of September.

6. SIT on black money recommends ban on cash transactions above 3 lakh rupees:The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money has recommended ban on cash transactions of above 3 lakh rupees in a day and a separate law to declare such transactions as illegal and punishable. It has also suggested upper ceiling of cash holding at 15 lakh rupees to curb illegal wealth in the economy. The SIT felt that the cash transaction limit can only succeed if there is a limitation on cash holding. The panel said, in case any person or industry required holding more cash, it may obtain necessary permission from the Commissioner of Income Tax of the area. The SIT headed by retired Justice M B Shah, submitted its fifth report to the Supreme Court.

7. Centre approves projects involving investment of over 19 crores for Mewat and Sirsa districts of Haryana: The Central Government has approved the projects involving an investment of 19 crore 50 lakh rupees for Mewat and Sirsa districts of Haryana, under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP). These districts include Sirsa, Palwal, Mewat, Yamunanagar, Fatehabad and Kaithal.

8. West Bengal government sets target to construct toilets across all villages of the state by March 2019: The West Bengal government has set a target to construct toilets across all villages of the state by March 2019 to enable open defecation free (ODF) rural Bengal.

9. MaharshiDayanand University signs MoU for collaborative studies with GVF: MaharshiDayanand University (MDU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with non-profit public organization namely Global Village Foundation (GVF) for collaborative studies and research on social and economic public policies.

10. Rajesh KumarChaturvedi appointed as the CBSE Chairman.

11. BHEL commissions 250 MW power plant at Bhavnagar district in Gujarat.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

2. GM HarikaDronavalli wins Fide Women’s Grand Prix trophy in China: India's Grand Master HarikaDronavalli has won the Fide Women’s Grand Prix trophy in Chendu in China.

3. India jumps 11 places to 152^nd in football rankings: India made a big leap of 11 places to occupy 152nd spot in the latest world football rankings issued by FIFA. India beat Laos 6-1 and 1-0 in the home and away play-off matches to make it to the 2019 Asian Cup qualifying tournament.

OBITUARIES:

5. India’s Olympic Silver Medallist Joe Antic passed away: Hockey Olympian Joe Antic has passed away in Mumbai. He was 90 years old. He represented the country in the Rome Games where Pakistan won the final between the arch-foes 1-0. Mr. Antic was also a part of the hockey squad that finished runner-up, again to Pakistan, in the Asian Games which held at Jakarta.