Daily GK Updates - 25th February, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. International Conference on sustainable biofuels begins in Delhi: An International Conference on Sustainable Biofuels has been organized by Department of Biotechnology & Govt. of India. It will take place in New Delhi. It will bring together experts from Biofuels sector to take stock of current knowledge, share info & best practices & build consensus on the actions most needed to move forward. Sustainable Biofuel is one of the seven Mission Innovation Challenges.

2. Nilekani to develop IT infra for ‘Modicare’: Nandan Nilekani will assist the government in developing IT infrastructure for the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS), which seeks to cover 10-crore families. The IT infrastructure for the healthcare scheme will be of a huge scale as was required for Aadhar.

3. Institutes identified to improve ease of doing business: Commerce & industry ministry has appointed four institutes to interact with stakeholders and suggest measures to push India’s ranking in ease of doing business index. NICMAR, IIFT, ICSI and ICAI are the four institutes that have been roped in for the exercise. As per the latest World bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, India’s position improved by 30 places to 100th.

4. NCERT syllabus to be reduced to half from 2019: Prakash Javadekar, Union Human Resources Development Minister, said NCERT syllabus will be reduced to half from the 2019 academic session. This move is aimed at ensuring that students get time to pursue other activities for their all-round development.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. TAPI gas pipeline work begins from Afghanistan: Turkmenistan announced the start of construction work on the Afghan section of an $8 billion natural gas pipeline that will link the energy-rich Central Asian nation to Pakistan and India. The ceremony was attended by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his Turkmenistan counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and India’s Minister of state for external affairs Shri M. J. Akbar. TAPI gas pipeline project is proposed trans-country natural gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan to India through Afghanistan and Pakistan. The pipe line connects central Asia with south Asia covering 1,840 km.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. DRDO successfully tests flight UAV Rustom-2: DRDO has successfully flown its Rustom 2 at its Aeronautical Test Range at Chalakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka. A medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, Rustom 2 or TAPAS-BH-201 has been developed by India on the lines of the American Predator drones. Rustom 2 can conduct sustained surveillance and can carry weapons along with surveillance equipment.

2. 8th Indo- Seychelles Army exercise starts: The eighth joint military exercise between the Indian Army and Seychelles People’s Defence Forces started at Mahe Island, Seychelles. The focus of the ongoing exercise is to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban environment under the United Nations Charter. The exercise is named “Lamitye” which in the local dialect ‘Creole’, means friendship.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. India Signs MoU with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC): An MoU between the Government of India and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) was signed in New Delhi. The agreement was signed to usher the “programme based research support” in addressing current and future global and local developmental challenges. IDRC has funded 551 research activities worth CA$159 million in India through institutions, researchers and NGOs.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI asks banks to link SWIFT to core banking: RBI has directed banks to link SWIFT (Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunication System platform) with core banking solutions of banks by April 30, 2018. Failure of SWIFT-CBS link has led to Rs 11,400 cr fraud at PNB. SWIFT system promoted in 1973 by banks globally is used to transmit messages relating to cross border financial transactions.

2. SBI UK to be restructured: SBI is set for a major restructuring of its business in UK from April. SBI’s UK operations will transform into a subsidiary named State Bank of India UK Limited from April 1. It means that all retail branches of SBI in UK will fall under a new UK-incorporated banking entity instead of their previous status as overseas branches of the Indian entity.

SPORTS:

1. Parupalli Kashyap wins Austrian Open: India’s Parupalli Kashyap overcame Malaysia’s June Wei Cheam in straight games in the men’s singles final to clinch the Austrian Open International Challenge. This is Kashyap’s first international title in over 3 years. Kashyap is the only male player from India to reach the Quarterfinals of men’s singles at 2012 London Olympics. He was also awarded the Arjuna Award by Govt of India in 2012.

2. Gymnast Aruna Reddy makes history: Aruna Budda Reddy created history by becoming the 1st Indian gymnast to win an individual medal at Gymnastics World Cup as she clinched a bronze in women’s vault event. She scored 13.649 average points to finish 3rd & claim the bronze medal. This was Aruna’s first international medal, though she has taken part at World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Commonwealth Games & Asian Games.

OBITUARIES:

1. Veteran actress Sridevi passes away: Veteran Bollywood actress Sridevi, who had an illustrious career spanning over four decades, passed away in Dubai. She was 55. A versatile actor, Sridevi made her Bollywood debut in 1978 with Solva Sawan. She was known for her performance is some of the iconic films like Mr India, Nagina, Chaalbaaz, Chandni among many others. In 2013, the Government of India awarded Sridevi the Padma Shri.