Daily GK Updates - 15th March, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Manohar Parrikar sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa: Manohar Parrikar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Goa for the 4^th BJP had secured 13 seats in the Goa elections, second to Congress with 17 seats, but was successful in forming a ruling alliance. Out of the 9 council of ministers, BJP has only 2 more ministers apart from Parrikar, Francis D’Souza and Padurang Madkaikar.

2. Enemy property bill passed by Lok Sabha: Lok Sabha passed the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2006 after incorporating the changes made by Rajya Sabha. The act provides for the prevention of claims to any properties in India by the successors of people who migrated to Pakistan and China during partition.

3. Madhukar Gupta Committee on border protection submits report: The Madhukar Gupta Committee on border protection has submitted its report to the Union Government to strengthen border protection and address vulnerabilities in fencing along the Indo-Pakistan border. The Committee was constituted under chairmanship of former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta in April 2016.

4. Govt introduces bill on inter-state river water row in Lok Sabha: The Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2017 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha which proposes to streamline the adjudication of river water disputes and make the present legal and institutional architecture robust. Minister of Water Resources and River Development Uma Bharti introduced the Bill in the house. 

5. Government Establishes Banana Research Centre in Bihar: The Union Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the Banana Research Centre at Vaishali, Bihar Centre to fulfill the aspirations of the local banana growers. 

6. Gujarat to provide e-marketplace for businesses: The Gujarat government has entered into an agreement with a global cloud-based solutions provider cloudBuy.com to develop aB2B marketplace for small and large business units in the state.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Consumer Rights Day observed on 15 March: 15 March is observed as the World Consumer Rights Day to mark the date in 1962 when John F. Kennedy, US President, first gave the definition of Consumer Rights, with four basic consumer rights – Right to Safety, Right to Choose, Right to Information and Right to be Heard.

Theme for this year is ‘Building a digital world consumers can trust’.

2. Scientists discover world’s first fluorescent frog in Argentina: Scientists have discovered polka dot tree frog (Hypsiboas punctatus), the world’s first fluorescent frog in Argentina. 

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. IndusInd Bank to acquire IL & FS Securities Services: IndusInd Bank has entered into an agreement with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL& FS) to acquire 100% stake in IL& FS Securities Services Ltd (ISSL).

2. Hyundai Signs 3 Bn Euro Deal For Iran Oil Project: Korea’s Hyundai Engineering Co has signed a deal worth 3 billion euros (USD 3.2 billion) with an Iranian investment fund to invest in a major Iranian oil project. 

3. Reliance Communications gets SEBI approval for merger with Aircel: Reliance Communications has received approvals from markets regulator SEBI and the stock exchanges for proposed demerger of its wireless business into Aircel Ltd.

SPORTS:

4. Google marks the 140 years of Test Cricket with a Doodle: The first ever, officially recognised test cricket match was played between the England and Australian Team from 15th – 19th March at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The match was won by Australian Team by 45 runs in 1877. Charles Bannerman scored 165 runs to become the first centurion.

5. Joanna Rowsell Shand, Double Olympic Gold Medalist retires: Joanna also won 5 world titles in her 10 year long international cycling career. She fetched gold in cycling in Olympics of London 2012 and Rio 2016. She belongs to UK.