Daily GK Updates - 31st August, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Anganwadi workers to provide pre-school education to kids: Anganwadi workers across India will be trained to provide pre-school education to children between three and six years of age, reports said. The idea is to make Integrated Child Development Services more meaningful and effective.

2. Andhra government to ensure Rs. 10000 monthly income for poor by 2019: The Andhra Pradesh government is trying to make sure that every poor family in the state gets a monthly income of at least ₹10,000 by January 2019, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh said on Thursday. Adding that an action plan will be decided next week, he said the state will use various technologies to become a poverty-less state.

3. ISRO launched IRNSS-1H satellite from PSLV C39: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its navigation satellite IRNSS-1H from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, on board the rocket PSLV C39. The PSLV-C39 however has failed in its mission, as its heat shield failed to separate, preventing the satellite IRNSS-1H to reach its designated orbit. The satellite IRNSS-1H is a part of the indigenous navigation system called ‘NavIC’ (Navigation with Indian Constellation).

4. Govt. approves increase in income criteria for Creamy Layer: The union Govt. has approved an increase in income criteria for the creamy layer for excluding socially advanced persons from the purview of reservation of other backward classes (OBC) from six to eight lakh rupees per annum.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. CDC of Nepal submits its report with 165 electoral constituencies: The Constituency Delimitation Commission (CDC) of Nepal chairman Kamal Narayan Das has submitted its report to Nepal’s Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at Kathmandu. The Commission has recommended 165 constituencies for the of House of Representatives and 330 for Provincial Assemblies.

2. Two-day Indian Ocean Conference being held in Colombo: Two-day Indian Ocean Conference 2017 being organized by India Foundation in Temple Trees (official residence of the Lankan prime minister) in Colombo. The theme of this year’s conference is Peace, Progress and Prosperity and will involve participants from more than 35 countries.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Indian Hotels Company appoints Puneet Chhatwal as MD and CEO: Indian Hotels Company Limited (runs the Taj chain of hotels) has appointed India-born Puneet Chhatwal as its Managing Director (MD) chief executive officer(CEO). He will replace Rakesh Sarna who is stepping down from 30thSeptember 2017.

2. NTPC signs Rs. 3,000 crore term loan agreement with ICICI Bank: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has signed a term loan agreement for Rs. 3,000 crores with ICICI Bank Ltd for partially funding its capital expenditure.

The loan which has a door-to-door tenure of 15 years will be utilized to part finance the capital expenditure of NTPC.

3. New features in BHIM app, allows users to split bills and collect payments: The National Payments Corporation of India-backed BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) app has been updated with features like splitting bills and collecting payments. The app allows users to send or receive money from other users through a mobile number or payment address and is available on Android app store.

SPORTS:

4. India post their biggest ODI win in SL, take 4-0 series lead: India defeated Sri Lanka by 168 runs in Colombo on Thursday to register their biggest ODI win in terms of runs in Sri Lanka, taking a 4-0 series lead. India's previous biggest win in Sri Lanka had come in 2009 when they defeated the hosts by 147 runs.