Daily GK Updates - 2nd July, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1.  Nitin Gadkari kick-starts national green highways mission: A plantation drive on 1,500 kilometers of National Highways has been launched by the Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari under the National Green Highways Mission in New Delhi. The launch has been announced at a workshop yesterday organized by the National Green Highways Mission on the theme “Green Highways Projects: Way Ahead”. The project has a huge potential to generate jobs and can prove to be a game-changer for agriculture and rural economy.

2. Kerala government bans e-cigarettes: Kerala becomes second state in India to ban e-cigarette.Punjab was the first state to ban e-cigarettes in November 2014under the provisions of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003. Kerala Government has banned e-cigarettes following study reports that the use of e-cigarettes could lead to cancer and heart diseases.Orders have been issued banning manufacture, sale, marketing and advertising of e-cigarettes in the State.

3. Textiles India 2017: India’s first-ever mega trade event: India’s first ever mega trade event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, at Helipad Ground, Gandhinagar. Textile India 2017 is the first summit of its kind. This maiden initiative is a collaborative effort of several Export Promotion Councils under the Ministry of Textiles, with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) being the industry partner.This mega exhibition showcases India’s strength in the entire gamut of textile and apparel value chain, from fibre to fashion.

International UPDATES:

1. Swedish Major General PerGustaf Lodin  appointed to head UN mission: Major General PerGustaf Lodin of Sweden is appointed as Chief Military Observer and Head of Mission for the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. Lodin succeeds Major General Delali Johnson Sakyi of Ghana, who completes his two-year assignment.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. SBI launches a Digital Village: By adopting them as SBI Digital Villages State Bank of India has embarked on transforming the villages into cash less eco-system.The Bank will formally launch this initiative in 21 villages on the occasion of State Bank Day, which have moved on to the digital platform.SBI plans to bring 100 villages under this initiative across the country by the end of FY 17.

SPORTS:

2. Ravi Shastri resigns from ICC post: Ravi Shastri, a former India captain and Team Director has resigned from his post as media representative in ICC's prestigious Cricket Committee. The chairman of ICC Cricket Committee is current Team India coach Anil Kumble. The official reason is his busy media commitments as commentator, TV expert and columnist.

3. Recognition granted to Paralympic Committee of India: The Union Sports Ministry has granted recognition to Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced temporary lifting of suspension on it.This recognition gives a huge confidence boost to the several para-athletes who have qualified for 2016 Rio Paralympics. Due to internal conflicts between different groups and persons the IPC had suspended PCI in April2015 , which were undermining the development of Paralympic Movement in India.Indian para-athletes were not allowed to participate in any IPC-sanctioned competition, including 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.