Daily GK Updates - 22nd July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ministry of Rural Development to launch Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana: Ministry of Rural Development will launch a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana which will be called Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana. It will provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) by facilitating them to operate public transport in backward areas. It will provide safe & affordable rural transport services like e-rickshaws to connect remote villages.

2. Union Government launches quality mark logo for milk and milk products: The Union Agriculture Minister ‘Radha Mohan Singh’ has launched National Dairy Development Board's (NDDB) quality logo for milk and milk products to signify safe and quality milk and milk products from dairy cooperatives. This move will reinforce the consumers' recognition that the quality mark is synonymous with good quality.

3. Less than 1 doctor per 1000 people in India - Report: This ratio is less than the WHO(World Health Organisation) Standard. 8.18 lakh doctors are available for active service, which brings the ratio to 0.62:1000. WHO prescribes a ratio of 1:1000. Arguably, the ratio in the urban areas is much better as compared to the rural area.

4. Schools on the lines of Military Schools/ Sainik Schools desires PMO: The Human Resource Development Ministry was asked by the Prime Minister’s Office to incorporate aspects of military schools in regular schools. The military schools are known for physical training regime and developing a sense of patriotism in students along with disciplining them.

5. Suresh Prabhu inaugurates round table conference- ensuring cyber security on Indian Railways: The union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has inaugurated round table conference- ensuring cyber security on Indian Railways in New Delhi. Railways keeps conducting audits to ensure safety checks and cyber security is one of the top priorities.

6. Assistance to abused Indian women settled abroad: External Affairs Ministry is implementing a scheme to provide financial assistance to Indian women abused /abandoned by their Overseas Indian spouses. It will help them in getting access to counselling & legal services with Indian Missions abroad.

7. DRDO develops nutritious and protein-rich food for armed forces deployed at high altitude: Major food products developed by DRDO include chicken biscuits, protein-rich mutton bar, tulsi bar among others. The organization may transfer the know-how to different companies to produce the food on a larger scale.

8. Kerala to host literary festival with ‘Tolerance’ as theme: Kerala state will host the fifth edition of South India Writers Ensemble (SIWE) at Chengannur, a town in Kerala’s coastal Alappuzha district from 24th July this year. The core theme of this year festival is ‘tolerance’.

9. India contributes 33% to child-brides - Report: According to ActionAid India report, India contributes 33% of the total number of child brides in the world with nearly 103 million Indians married before they were 18. Of every 28 girl child marriages occurring per minute in the world, more than two takes place in India.

International UPDATES:

1. UN selects Dubai as the data hub for the region: UN has selected Dubai as data hub for Middle East, North Africa & South Asia region for its initiatives to mine & manage its data.

2. UK Supreme Court’s first female President: UK government has appointed Brenda Marjorie Hale as the first female president of the Supreme Court, the senior-most judge of the country.

3. New giant ocean sunfish species discovered by Australian University:  The new species of giant ocean sunfish hoodwinker (mola tecta) has been discovered by an international team of researchers led by Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. The heaviest type of bony fish that can weigh over two tonnes and grow to three metres long.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Seven Indian companies amongst Fortune 500 companies: 7 Indian companies have made it to the latest Fortune 500 list, which ranked companies by their revenues in 2016. Indian Oil tops the list of Indian companies. RIL tops the list of private sector companies in India. Walmart is at the first position in the overall list. It has topped the list with a revenue of $486 billion.

SPORTS:

2. Kamal Haasan to be brand ambassador of  Pro Kabaddi League franchise 'Tamil Thalaivas': Tamil film actor ‘Kamal Haasan’ has now been appointed as the brand ambassador of Tamil Thalaivas team in the season five of Pro Kabaddi league.

3. Karamjyoti Dalal wins bronze: Karamjyoti Dalal extended India’s medal tally to 3 at the World Para Athletics Championships 2017 by winning a bronze medal. In women’s F55 category of discus throw event, she managed 19.02m, just better than Alomari Roba (19.01m).