Daily GK Updates - 4th January, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Solar plants made mandatory in new buildings in Haryana: The Haryana government has mandated installation of Solar Photovoltaic Power plant in new buildings as per specified norms. This has been done in a move to conserve electricity and use it efficiently.

2. Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar Mela 2017-18 held in Assam: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched ‘Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar Mela 2017-18’ at a function held at Sarbananda Singha auditorium in Tinsukia, Assam. Under this scheme, people belonging to tea community who opened bank accounts during demonetisation will be credited Rs 2500 in their accounts.

3. Cabinet approves Zojila tunnel project: The government approved the Rs 6,809-crore strategic Zojila pass tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir. The Zojila pass tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir will provide all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh. Zojila pass is situated at an altitude of 11,578 feet on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh National Highway.

4. New AIIMS in Bilaspur to be set up: The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the establishment of new AIIMS in Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh). It will be set up at cost of Rs.1351 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), AIIMS on the pattern of AIIMS, New Delhi have been established in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Rishikesh, and Patna.

5. Assam launches free CT Scan service in Majuli: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a free CT Scan service under at Shri Shri Pitambar Dev Goswami Civil Hospital in Majuli island. It is launched under ‘Chief Minister Free Diagnostic Services’. It is noteworthy that Majuli is world’s largest river island.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. UN Security Council welcomes 6 New Members: The U.N. Security Council has welcomed six new non-permanent members - Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, and Poland. They voted on by the 193-member General assembly for two-year terms. Flags of the six new member countries were installed outside the council chambers in a ceremony arranged by Umarov.

2. World Braille Day observed: The World Braille Day is observed across the world every year on 4th January to mark the birth anniversary of Louis Braille. He was the inventor of Braille script or Braille code. Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY:

1. Nanowire device to detect cancer with a urine test: Researchers centered at Nagoya University develop a nanowire device able to detect microscopic levels of urinary markers potentially implicated in cancer. In a new study reported in Science Advances, researchers centered at Nagoya University have developed a novel medical device that can efficiently capture extracellular vesicles (EVs), and potentially use them to screen for cancer.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. RIL commissions world’s largest refinery off-gas cracker at Jamnagar: The Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has commissioned and achieved design throughput of the world’s largest refinery off the gas cracker at Jamnagar, Gujarat. This refinery will have a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum along with downstream plants and utilities. The facility uses off-gases from two refineries of RIL at Jamnagar as feedstock.

2. NABARD sanctioned 372.51 crore to Odisha: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has sanctioned Rs 372.51 crore loan assistance to Odisha for irrigation and rural bridge projects. This loan has been sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

BANKING/ FINANCE:

1. NABARD sanctioned 372.51 crore to Odisha: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has sanctioned Rs 372.51 crore loan assistance to Odisha for irrigation and rural bridge projects. This loan has been sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

2. New Rs 10 note to be issued by RBI: According to reports, the Reserve Bank of India is all set to issue new Rs 10 notes under the Mahatma Gandhi series with chocolate brown colour as the base. According to News18, around 1 billion pieces of the new 10 rupee note has already been printed by the apex bank.

3. ‘Electoral Bonds’ Scheme launched: The Centre unveiled the ‘Electoral Bonds’ scheme, which seeks to ensure the flow of clean money to political parties, without revealing the donors’ names. The electoral bonds will be a bearer instrument in the nature of a Promissory Note and an interest-free banking instrument. The bonds can be purchased for any value in multiples of Rs1,000; Rs10,000; Rs1 lakh; Rs10 lakh; and Rs 1 crore.