Daily GK Updates - 31st January, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. HPC facility named ‘Mihir’ launched in Noida: Union Minister for Earth Science, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan dedicated the High-Performance Computer (HPC) System named ‘Mihir’. Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that with this facility, India’s capacity in weather forecasting will improve. The Minister said that the HPC facility will be India’s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance.

2. India Ranks 6th in the list of Wealthiest Countries: India has been ranked sixth in the list of wealthiest countries with the total wealth of 8,230 billion US dollars. The list was topped by the United States of America. It is according to New World Wealth report. India was the best-performing wealth market globally in 2017 as it registered a 25% growth.

3. Bill to hike judges salary gets approval: President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval to a Bill that will more than double the salaries of Supreme Court and High Court judges.

In the Winter Session of Parliament, the Bill to increase salaries of judges was passed. Now after the President’s approval, the Chief Justice of India will draw a monthly salary of ₹2.80 lakh, up from the current ₹1 lakh.

4. Scheme for Power supply: Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur launched integrated power development scheme at Nagrota Bagwan to provide 24×7 power supply in 54 towns of the state. This will include strengthening of power distribution system, setting up new transformers. The scheme envisages to strengthen the basic infrastructure and upgradation of a power supply and substations.

5. Rajasthan gave 1% quota to MBC: Rajasthan has issued orders for granting 1% reservation to the Most Backward Classes, within the 50% ceiling mandated by the Supreme Court. The overall reservation in the State stood at 49% before the decision. Along with Gujjars, nomadic communities Banjara, Gadia-Lohar, Raika and Gadariya were included among the Other Backward Classes for quota in the govt jobs AND educational institutions.

6. Guru Ravidas Jayanti being celebrated across the country today: The birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas (the founder of Bhakti movement) was celebrated across the country. As per Hindu calendar, it is celebrated on full moon day of the Magh month (Magh Purnima). Ravidas was born in the village of Seer Govardhanpur, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. International Bird Festival to be held in UP: A three-day international bird festival will be held at the Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh in February 2018. Nearly 200 leading ornithologists expected to attend. The purpose of the international bird festival is to promote eco-tourism in Dudhwa and to give it a distinct international identity besides highlighting its traditional Tharu arts, culture and heritage.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING/ FINANCE:

1. SBI to launch credit card for farmers: The State Bank of India, through its subsidiary SBI Cards & Payments Services Pvt Ltd, will offer credit cards to farmers. The project has been initiated on a pilot basis in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and depending on the success of the pilot run, it will be launched nationally. The new credit cards for the farmers will have a credit limit with a credit period of 45 days

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. EPFO goes paperless: Taking another step towards going paperless, retirement fund body EPFO said it has launched facilities for employers to pay dues and update ownership details online. Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has provided the facility of online submission of Form 5A (Return of Ownership), it said in a statement. EPFO added it has discontinued the physical submission of the form.

2. Shantanu Narayen to head USISPF Board: Indian-American Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum. It is a new organisation set up to enhance business relations between India and the US. The new representative body USISPF was set up to promote bilateral trade and work on creating meaningful opportunities that have the power to change the lives of citizens.

SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY:

1. Fossils of dinosaurs unearthed in Egypt: Scientists have unearthed in a Sahara Desert oasis in Egypt fossils of a long-necked, four-legged, school bus-sized dinosaur that lived roughly 80 million years ago. Researchers said the plant-eating Cretaceous Period dinosaur, named Mansourasaurus shahinae, was nearly 33 feet (10 metres) long. It was a member of a group called titanosaurs that included Earth’s largest-ever land animals.

DEFENCE:

1. Indian, Vietnamese to hold – VINBAX: Armies of India and Vietnam have begun a six-day-long military exercise in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. The exercise named ‘VINBAX’ is the first military exercise between the two countries. Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was in New Delhi to participate in the India-ASEAN Commemorative summit and attend the Republic Day celebrations.

2. Indian Navy launches 3rd Scorpene class submarine Karanj: Indian Navy has launched the third Scorpene class submarine Karanj, constructed by shipbuilder Mazgaon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. Now, the submarine will undergo rigorous tests for the next one year before it is commissioned.

SPORTS:

1. Sharath Kamal won TT Championship: Sharath Kamal beat top-seeded Anthony Amalraj to win the men singles title in the 79th edition of the 11Even Sports Senior Nationals in Ranchi, Jharkhand. He won the championship for the eighth time, equalling the feat of Kamlesh Mehta. Suthirta Mukherjee from West Bengal emerged the new women champion, beating Hyderabad Nationals winner Manika Batra.

2. First Khelo India School Games launched: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first Khelo India School Games at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level. Talented Under-17 players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels. The Games are being held from 31st January to 8th February 2018.

3. Melbourne to host Final of 2020 WT20: Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the final of both the men’s and women’s World Twenty20 when the tournaments come to Australia in 2020. It will mark the first time the tournaments are held as stand-alone events in the same year in the same country. The women’s final will coincide with International Women’s Day (8th March).

BOOKS & AUTHORS:

1. “Speaking Truth to Power” book launched: Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and P Chidambaram released a book titled “Speaking Truth to Power” authored by P Chidambaram in New Delhi on Jan 30, 2018. Former finance minister P Chidambaram urged the citizens of India to speak truth so that the nation can uphold the legacy of its founding fathers.

2. International Kolkata Book Fair 2018 held: The 42nd edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair 2018 is being held in Kolkata. The fair, touted to be world’s largest attended book fair, will be open for public from January 31 and will continue till February 11. The focal theme of International Kolkata Book Fair will be France. This will be France’s third appearance as partner country at the International Kolkata Book Fair.