Daily GK Updates - 11th October 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Uttarakhand Government launches 'solar briefcase' for remote areas: Uttarakhand Govt. and Swan Cultural Center & Foundation (a charitable funding agency) have launched ‘Solar Briefcase’ to provide electricity to far-flung areas in the hill state.101 families located in remote areas were provided solar briefcases & power packs by the Hans foundationThe Hans foundation in collaboration with the State Government has decided to provide off grid power to the deprived families by distributing 15,000 solar briefcases in Uttarakhand.Earlier in the day CM Rawat handedover the first Power pack to the temple committee of Kedarnath.

2.Bihar to provide reservation to persons with disabilities in government jobs: Bihar state cabinet has approved reservations for persons with disabilities in govt. jobs and educational institutions.The provision has been brought in accordance with the Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016.The cabinet also approved the establishment of a state advisory board for the empowerment of 'Divyangjan' as envisaged in the Act.Secretaries of various departments will serve as members of the board and it will also comprise representatives from districts.

3. President presents Lal Bahadur Shastri National award to Bindeshwar Pathak: President Ram Nath Kovind has presented 18th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award to ‘Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak’ for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics, and Management.Bindeshwar Pathak has contributed immensely in the direction of getting rid of the practice of manual scavenging.

4. Anupam Kher has been appointed as the new chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII): Film actor Anupam Kher has been appointed as the new chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He succeeded Gajendra Chauhan. Kher has worked in more than 500 films and over 100 plays in last three decades. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2004 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016 by the Indian government. Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara. He has also been a part of international projects such as Bend It Like Beckham, Lust, Caution, and David O Russell’s 2013 Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook.

               INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Nisha Desai Biswal appointed as President of USIBC: Former Indian-American assistant secretary of South and central Asia ‘Nisha Desai Biswal’ has been appointed as the President of US India Business Council (USIBC).In 1975, the U.S. India Business Council (USIBC) was formed as a business advocacy organization to enlighten and encourage the private sectors of both India and US to enhance investment flows.She previously served as the Assistant Administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

2. International Day of the Girl Child being observed today: The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is observed every year across the world on 11th October (6th- edition) to recognize girls’ rights and challenges girls face around the world.The theme of 2017 is “EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after crises".On the occasion, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Sanjay Gandhi addressed a panel discussion on the Role of Sports in the Empowerment of Girls in New Delhi.

                             OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Mastercard lab to help India on inclusive digital economy goal: Mastercard has launched its first technology lab in the country (in Pune) to help India move towards digital economy and financial inclusion.This lab will be Mastercard's ninth such establishment in the world and the second in Asia Pacific after Singapore.Earlier this year, Mastercard co-innovated with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and other payments brands to develop Bharat QR.The QR (quick response) code is the world's first interoperable data acceptance solution that streamlines local electronic payments infrastructure.

2.IMF trims India growth forecast for current financial year to 6.7 %:According to the latest World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has trimmed India’s growth forecast for 6.7% from its earlier estimate of 7.2% for the financial Year 2017-18.It cited the lingering impact of demonetization and transition cost to the Goods & Services Tax (GST) For the slowdown.India is expected to regain the fastest growing major economy tag next year when it is forecast to grow 7.4%, slower than earlier estimate of 7.7% but higher than China's 6.5%.Earlier this month, RBI lowered its growth forecast for 2017-18 to 6.7% from 7.3%.

3. The India’s GDP forecast 7% for FY18 :The World Bank (WB), in its biannual economic update “South Asia Economic Focus (Fall 2017)”, has reduced India’s GDP growth forecast to 7.0% for 2017-18 from 7.2% estimated earlier. As per report, the unexpected slowdown in India’s growth story is because of the delayed consequence of demonetization, sharp decline in the growth rate of public expenditures and uncertainty created by the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Apart from WB, Both the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as well as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have also cut their growth projections for India to 7% and 6.7%, respectively, for fiscal 2017-18.

SPORTS:

1.Iceland, Smallest Country to Qualify for Football World Cup 2018: Iceland created history by qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. This is the first time that Iceland qualified for the World Cup.Iceland became the smallest country to clinch a position at the 21st FIFA World Cup. The previous smallest country to have reached the World Cup was Trinidad & Tobago.