Daily GK Updates - 7th September, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Government approves Rs 450 crore SwadeshDarshan projects: he scheme was launched with an objective to develop 13 theme-based tourist circuits in the country and the approval for five was given in a meeting of the central sanctioning and monitoring committee.

2. UN Charter translated into Sanskrit: The UN Charter, the seminal treaty of the United Nations, has now been translated into Sanskrit. The Charter is available in all six official languages of the UN.

3. DharmendraPradhan launches ‘Gas4India’ campaign to boost natural gas use: The Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas DharmendraPradhanhas launched Gas4India campaign for the aimed at promoting the use of gas in the country.

4. Helpline no. 14401 for info on power cuts launched: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has created ‘UrjaMitra Helpline’ through which customers can get information on power outages from distribution companies by dialling 14401.

5. India’s light utility helicopter maiden flight successful: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully completed test flight of indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Bengaluru.The LUH will replace the military’s obsolescent fleet of Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that have flown for over three decades.

6. Filmmaker K G George to be honoured with J C Daniel Award:National award winner and veteran director K G George has been selected for the JC Daniel award 2015, Kerala Government's highest honour for outstanding contribution to Malayalam cinema.

7. 1^st phase of ESIC’s pilot project of telemedicine services inaugurated: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment BandaruDattatreya inaugurated the first phase of telemedicine services of Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for providing specialist medical services at a distance to insured workers.

8. Government approves 6 start-up centres: The Central government has approved six proposals to set up centres of excellence to promote and fund start-ups under the National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovation (NIDHI), a programme steered by the Department of Science and Technology. The proposals for six centres of excellence that were approved by the National Expert Advisory Committee include SINE-IIT Bombay, Venture Centre-NCL Pune, CIIE-IIM Ahmedabad and a research park at IIT-Gandhinagar.

9. Religare Enterprise appoints Sunil Godhwani as CEO.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India and Chile expand preferential trading pact to boost economic ties: India and Chile have expanded their Preferential Trade Agreement with both offering to lower or eliminate tariffs on a number of items traded with each other. Chile has offered concessions to India on 1798 tariff lines with margin of preference (extent to which duties are lower than those offered to other countries) ranging from 30% to100%.

OTHER UPDATES:

AWARDS:

1. ‘Thithi’ wins Best Film honour at 1^st BRICS Film Festival in New Delhi.