Daily GK Updates - 5th July, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 19 new ministers inducted and 1 elevated to the cabinet rank into PM Modi’s cabinet: Minister of State with independent charge PrakashJavdekar was elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister. The Ministers of State are Faggan Singh Kulste, S.S. Ahluwalia, Ramesh Jigjinagi, Vijay Goel, RamdasAthawale, RajenGohain, Anil Madhav Dave, ParshottamRupala, M.J. Akbar, Arjun Ram Meghwal, JaswantSinhBhabhor, Dr.MahendraNathPandey, Ajay Tamta, Smt. Krishna Raj, MansukhMandaviya, Smt. Anupriya Patel, C.R. Chaudhary, P.P. Chaudhary, and Dr.SubhashBhamre.

2. Centre to allot Rs 400 crore for developing airports in UP: The Centre government has released an official statement that it will provide an assistance of 400 crore rupees for developing airports at Agra, Allahabad, Kanpur and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

3. National mineral exploration policy unveiled: The National mineral exploration policy has been unveiled to adopt comprehensive exploration of non-fuel and non-coal mineral resources. The new policy aims to bring together best of knowledge and experience, modern technology, trained manpower and financial resources on a collaborative platform. Space technology would be used to check illegal mining by developing a mining surveillance system.

4. Jawaharlal Nehru port becomes India’s first port to implement Logistics Data Tagging of Containers: The logistics data bank tagging of containers is a first of its kind facility which will help importers and exporters track their goods in transit. An RFID  (Radio Frequency Identification Tag) tag would be attached to each container which would be tracked through RIFD readers installed at different locations.

5. Mission Indradhanush to next cover 13 MP districts: Thirteen districts in Madhya Pradesh will be covered under the upcoming phase of the Centre's "Mission Indradhanush" initiative aimed at full immunisation of all children in the country. It (the third phase of 'Mission Indradhanush') will cover Alirajpur, Jhabua, Ashok Nagar, Raisen, Vidisha, Sagar, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Chhattarpur, Panna, Umaria, Satna and Rewa districts," said V Kiran Gopal Rao, Mission Director, National Health Mission for Madhya Pradesh.

6. Centre nod for renaming Mhow railway station after B R Ambedkar:The central government has given its nod for renaming Mhow railway station in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh after BR Ambedkar as the Dalit icon was born there.

7. The Online Pharmacy 1mg acquires lab aggregator Medd: Gurgaon-based online pharmacy 1mg has acquired diagnostic labs aggregator Medd (HolaMed Healthcare Technologies Pvt. Ltd) for an undisclosed amount. However, as a part of the deal, all the three founders of Medd - Arpit Kothari, Anurag Mundhada, and Era Dwivedi, have joined the 1mg team.

8. K B Koliwad elected as Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly: Mr. K B Koliwad has unanimously elected as the Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Mr. K B Koliwad is 72 years old and represents Ranebennur constituency in HaveriTaluk.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA’s Juno successfully enters Jupiter’s orbit:It was launched five years ago, and will study Jupiter's composition, gravity, magnetic field and search clues about the planet's formation.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:                                 

1. SudarshanSen appointed Executive Director of RBI: SudarshanSen has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He will replace NS Vishwanathan who was elevated as Deputy Governor of RBI.

2. MFIN elects R BhaskarBabu as new president: Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN),an industry association and Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for the microfinance industry in India, has announced R BaskarBabu, CEO of Suryoday Micro Finance as its new President of the Board in the wake of the previous President retiring.

SPORTS:

3.  First association of Indian Olympians launched: The Olympians Association of India (OAI), the first-ever association for Indian Olympians, by the Olympians, was launched. The Olympians Association of India's official Twitter account, @IndianOlympians, will serve as the platform for real-time updates of the Indian contingent at the upcoming Rio Olympics.

4. Saudi Arbia becomes associate member of ICC: Saudi Arabia was unanimously elected as the 39th Associate Member of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) during its full council meeting in Edinburgh.

5. Niranjan wins eight medals in IWAS World Games:Bengaluru para-swimmer NiranjanMukundan has won eight medals, including three golds, at the recently-concluded IWAS (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports) U-23 World Games in Prague, Czech Republic

OBITUARIES:

6. Veteran Communist leader Romesh Chandra passed away at the age of 94.