Daily GK Updates - 30th October, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Patel on his 141^st birth anniversary: Prime Minister NarendraModi on Monday paid rich tribute to SardarVallabhbhai Patel on his 141st birth anniversary. The day is being celebrated as ‘RashtriyaEktaDiwas’ (National Unity Day). Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the founding fathers of the Indian Republic, played a key role in the country’s struggle for independence.

2. Ease of doing business: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana top in 2016 all-India ranking: Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has released the report on State-wise Ease of Doing Business rankings on 31st October 2016. The rankings are on the basis of 340-point business reform action plan and their implementation by the States. This covers the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. Andhra Pradesh and Telengana topped the all-India ranking with 98.78 per cent each, followed by Gujarat with 98.21 per cent; Chhattisgarh with 97.32 per cent and Madhya Pradesh with 97.01 per cent.

3. Vigilance Awareness Week commences on 31^st October: The Central Vigilance Commission, as part of its efforts to promote probity in public life and to achieve a corruption free society, observes Vigilance Awareness Week every year. The week in which 31st October, the birthday of late Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel falls is observed as Vigilance Awareness Week. The observance of the Vigilance Awareness Week has commenced from today (31st October 2016), with pledge taking by public servants in the Ministries/Departments/Central Public Sector Enterprises/Public Sector Banks and all other Organizations.

4. Maharashtra tops NITI Aayog’sagri marketing index: Maharashtra is the top State in the implementation of agricultural reforms and offers the best environment for doing agri-business, according to an assessment by the NitiAayog. Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are in the next three positions in the 'Agricultural Marketing and Farm Friendly Reforms Index' which is based on a number of criteria identified by NitiAayog.

5. November 1 to be observed as ‘No Tobacco Day’ in Punjab: Punjab government will observe November 1 as ‘No Tobacco Day’ in an effort to discourage tobacco use in the state. Chief MinisterParkash Singh Badal has issued directions to all the deputy commissioners in this regard.

6. Kerala CM PinarayiVijayan launches paddy cultivation in land set apart for airport: Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has launched paddy cultivation in AranmulaPuncha near Cochin. The programme, under the HaritaKeralam project, is part of the Government’s earnest efforts to revive paddy cultivation at AranmulaPuncha that has been lying fallow for the past several years.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

2. After seven years, Jhulan Goswami becomes World No. 1 bowler again: Affectionately known as the ‘Chakdaha Express’ back home in Bengal, Jhulan Goswami is only one of two women’s national team cricketers still remaining from the 2005 World Cup squad, that finished second in South Africa. Now, seven years after reaching the pinnacle of the sport, the 33 year old has pipped England pacer Katherine Brunt to become the world number 1 bowler.