Daily GK Updates - 21st August, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Government selects four investment banks for share sale in HUDCO: Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), the nodal agency under the finance ministry that coordinates government disinvestment programme has selected four investment banks for the proposed share sale in HUDCO (Housing & Urban Development Corporation Limited). These four banks include Nomura, SBI Caps, ICICI Securities and IDBI Capital.

2. China’s high speed train maker launches operation in India: China largest high-speed train maker has announced the launch of its first joint venture (JV) plant in India with USD 63.4 million investments to manufacture and repair railway locomotives. The joint venture, named CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Pioneer (India) Electric Co Ltd, is housed in Bavo Industrial District of Haryana between New Delhi and Bombay. The Chinese side holds 51% of the share.

3. NLC Ltd to add 6820 MW of power at cost of Rs 27,740 crore: Navaratnacompany NLC Ltd, which comes under the Ministry of Coal, is planning to add over 6,821 megawatt (Mw) of power, with an investment of over Rs 27,740 crore in these projects.

4. India pledges Rs 39.97 million for upgrading school in Nepal: India has pledged financial assistance worth 39.97 million Nepali Rupees for the construction of a new building and a hostel facility at a Sanskrit school in eastern Nepal.

5. Andhra Pradesh announces Rs 3 crore cash award, Group 1 cadre job for Sindhu: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has decided to felicitate the Olympic badminton star PV Sindhu with Rs. 3 crore reward in cash, a 1,000 sq yard site in the new capital city of Amaravati and a Group I cadre job in the State. The Cabinet also approved a Rs. 50 lakh cash reward to PullelaGopichand, the former badminton star and coach of Sindhu.

6. Andhra Pradesh police launches pilot project on DNA profiling:Andhra Pradesh Police has launched DNA Index System (DIS), the first-of-its-kind initiative that allows generation of DNA profiles from live samples like saliva and blood stains. The system uses the latest DNA technology tool called RapidHIT developed by IntegenX of USA.

7. India ranks 39^th in Asia Pacific on fixed broadband: India ranks a low 39th in terms of fixed broadband adoption among Asia-Pacific countries, with just 1.3% of its citizens subscribing to such a service in 2015, according to a study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, Macao, Australia and Singapore topped the list of 53 countries.

8. Maneka Gandhi inaugurates Animal Birth Control Centre in Dehradun: Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the state’s first animal birth control centre (ABC) at Kedarpuram. The centre will take up birth control measures with stray dogs the population of which has been rising in the city and the state.

9. Sunil Mittal re-appointed as the Chairman of Bharti Airtel for 5 years: Sunil Bharti Mittal has been re-appointed as the Chairman of telecom giant BhartiAirtel for another 5 years, with effect from October 1, 2016.

10. Amul MD R S Sodhi appointed on board of India Post Payment Banks.

11. YogeshwarSangwan concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Georgia.

12. India world’s third biggest tech start-up hub: Assocham: India is home to the 3rd largest number of technology-driven start-ups in the world, with the US and the UK occupying the top two positions.

OTHER UPDATES:

OBITUARIES:

1. Former international test umpire Subrata Banarjee died at the age of 71.