Daily GK Updates - 31st March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India’s first female doctor’s birthday celebrated with a Google Doodle: Google celebrated the 153rd birth anniversary of Anandi Gopal Joshi, India’s first female doctor on 31st March with a doodle dedicated to her. Anandi Joshi was born on this day in Maharashtra in 1865. There is a crater on Venus named after her.

2. NMR to run to meet the demand: The unique Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) in Tamil Nadu, which has been conferred Heritage status by UNESCO, will run special train services from today till 24th June this year to cater to popular demand during summer holidays. The Southern Railway has informed that the special services will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays during the period.

3. Long term capital gains tax and other taxes to begin from April 1: Several budget proposals, including the reintroduction of the tax on long-term capital gains (LTCG) exceeding Rs. 1 lakh from the sale of shares, will come into effect from April 1. The 2018-19 Budget had reintroduced 10% tax on long-term capital gains. Tax proposals like the reduced corporate tax of 25% on businesses on turnover of up to Rs. 250 crore will come into effect.

4. Chandra Bhushan appointed as the Deputy Election Commissioner: Chandra Bhushan Kumar has been appointed as Deputy Election Commissioner. Bhushan is a 1995 batch IAS officer of union territories cadre. He has been appointed to the post for five years, an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

5. Vineet Joshi appointed as DG of National Testing Agency: Vineet Joshi was appointed the first Director-General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) on 30th March. NTA is an independent body dedicated to conducting entrance tests for higher education in India. NTA, which was approved by the Union cabinet last October, will conduct entrance tests entrusted to it by any department or ministry.

6. ‘Pucca House’ for all in MP by 2022: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan a state-wide campaign will be launched from April 1-14 for registration of unorganized labourers. Also, Pucca houses will be constructed for all laborers registered under Chief Minister’s Unorganized Labourer Welfare Scheme by the year 2022. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. 9th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the 9th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo. Japanese FDI in India during 2016-17 was USD 4.7 billion, an increase of 80% over the last year. India’s import from Japan for 2016-17 was USD 9.76 billion. India and Japan concluded a Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan in 2014.

2. China launches a pair of Beidou satellites: China successfully sent pair of twin Beidou-3MEO satellites – Beidou-30 and Beidou-31 –into space as part of its third and final stage of launching its domestic Beidou (Compass) satellite navigation system. They were launched on board Long March-3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in south-west China's Sichuan Province. It was a 269th mission for the Long March rocket family.  

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. SpaceX confirms the successful launch of 10 satellites: SpaceX has confirmed successful deployment of all 10 communications satellites to low-Earth orbit. The Iridium-NEXT satellites were launched for satellite operator Iridium Communications. The Iridium-5 NEXT Mission marked the fifth set of 10 satellites that SpaceX has launched for its customer’s Iridium NEXT global satellite constellation.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. International Yachting Festival begins in Vishakhapatnam: International Yachting Festival was inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh on 29th March. The festival is being conducted by Andhra Pradesh Government and is being held from March 29 to April 1. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) is facilitating necessary support for conducting the festival.

2. Logistics startup, Rivigo, to tie up with IDFC & YES Bank: Rivigo is tying up with YES Bank, IDFC and 10 other financial institutions to make cheaper funds available to truck owners and operators on its platform. The funds will be available at an interest rate of 1-2% per month, lower than the usual industry standard of 2-3%. Rivigo is a homegrown logistics start-up that owns as well as acts as an aggregator of trucks.

Daily GK Updates - 30th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Toll free helpline for women in Assam: The Assam government launched “181-Sakhi toll-free women’s helpline” to tackle the recent spurt in crime in the state. This is a scheme of universalization of women helpline and is launched under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. This service intends to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence.

2. Three districts of Rajasthan to get the water of Yamuna soon: Yamuna river water will be supplied to Churu, Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts in Rajasthan from Tajewala headworks in Haryana. As per an interstate Yamuna ​water-sharing agreement in 1994, 1917 cusec water was allotted to Rajasthan from Tajewala headworks. The water will be supplied through a pipeline and the Centre will provide financial assistance for the same.

3. J.C. Daniel Award for Sreekumaran Thampi: Sreekumaran Thampi has been selected for the J.C. Daniel Award, the Kerala government’s highest honour for lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema. Thampi is a lyricist, director and scriptwriter who has written over 1,000 melodies since 1966. Thampi had won the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi award for lifetime contribution to light music and drama songs in 2015.

4. Permanent Indus Commission’s 114th meeting held in Delhi: India & Pakistan held the meeting on Indus Water Treaty on 29th March. This will be the 114th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) that looks into the sharing of the waters of the Indus since the treaty was signed by the two countries in 1960. The Indus water treaty covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers—Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Abdel Sisi re-elected as the Egyptian President: Incumbent Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has been re-elected to the post for the second time. Sisi won the elections with a brute majority, amassing a massive 92 percent vote share. Sisi took over as Egypt’s president for the first time in 2012, replacing the democratically elected Mohamed Morsi.

2. DiCarlo becomes first female UN Political Chief: American diplomat Rosemary DiCarlo become the first woman to head UN political affairs. DiCarlo will replace Jeffrey Feltman, who held the post of Under-Secretary-General for political affairs since 2012. DiCarlo also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and director for United Nations.

3. Agreement for protecting the carbon store: An agreement has been signed to protect the largest tropical peatland in the world, which is an important carbon store.

The “Brazzaville Declaration”, signed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and Indonesia to protect the peatland ecosystems of Congo basin. The equivalent of three years of global greenhouse gas emissions is stored in the Congo peatlands.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA’s mission to study ‘heart’ of Mars: NASA is all set to send the first-ever mission dedicated to explore the deep interior of Mars. A stationary lander known as “InSight” will place a seismometer, a device that measures quakes, on the soil of Mars. It will be launched on 5th May. InSight or the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport mission, carries sensitive instruments to gather data.

2. New organ “Interstitium” found in human body: Scientists have identified a new organ “interstitium” in the human body, which could help in understanding the spread of cancer within the body. “Interstitium” is a series of fluid-filled compartments, found beneath the skin, as well as lining of gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles. These compartments join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Govt. invites bids to sell 76% in Air India: The government invited bids to transfer management control along with 76% equity in Air India. The government will retain 24% stake in Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. It also proposed divesting 50% of its stake in Air India Sats Airport Services. Air India is the country’s flag air carrier with a significant market position in international and domestic operations.

2. Twitter introduces ‘Timestamps’: Timestamps in Twitter: Twitter has introduced “Timestamps” – a new feature that will make it easier for its users to share a key moment from long, live videos. This will help to draw attention to the specific moment in a live video. The “Timestamps” update has started rolling out on Twitter for Android and iOS devices.

Daily GK Updates - 29th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. NITI Aayog launches baseline ranking: The NITI Aayog launched the baseline ranking for 115 aspirational districts based on 49 indicators across five sectors that include health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion and skill development, and basic infrastructure.  This would be followed by delta ranking of these districts from May 2018 based on their incremental progress. 

2. MoU between India and SACEP approved: The Cabinet has approved the MoU between India and South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) for cooperation on Oil and Chemical Pollution in the South Asian Seas Region. It will promote cooperation between India and other maritime nation for protection of the marine environment. Indian coast guard will be the competent authority for implementation of “Oil spill contingency plan”.

3. N-AIM formation recommended for AI work in India: A central task force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has suggested creating a National Artificial Intelligence Mission (N-AIM) will serve as a nodal agency for coordinating AI related activities in the country. The task force was set up by the Union Commerce Ministry in August 2017. The task force members include those from government and the private sector.

4. EPFO launches portal for pensioners: EPFO has launched the pensioner’s portal through which all EPFO pensioners may get the details of pension-related information. The pensioner’s portal is a service where details like pension payment order number, payment order details, passbook information and other related information are available. It provides help to pensioners to know the status of their life certificate.

5. MP govt launches ‘Kadaknath’ app: The Madhya Pradesh government has come up with a mobile application to market rare chicken breed — the “Kadaknath”. The “MP Kadaknath” mobile app aims to connect poultries that sale the breed with people from other parts of the country. Kadaknath breed is known for its taste and nutritional value, especially high percentage of protein.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Win Myint is the new President of Myanmar: Myanmar's Parliament elected Win Myint as the country's new President. This comes after Myanmar's first democratically elected President Htin Kyaw resigned from the position due to health issues. Myint is considered a close aide of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and has been a speaker in the lower house since 2012.

2. India-China ELM resumes data sharing on Brahmaputra and Sutlej: China pledged to continue data sharing of Brahmaputra and Sutlej waters. The decision was taken during the 11th meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on Trans-border Rivers. The two-day meeting began on March 26 in Hangzhou. The data on water flows in both rivers is shared during the monsoons, to predict flooding, mainly in the northeast.

3. New Jersey declares April as Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month: The US state of New Jersey has declared April as ‘Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month’ as part of its effort to promote awareness of the faith. The resolution was adopted unanimously by both the New Jersey House of Representative and the Senate.

4. Malala to visit Pakistan first time after the attack on her: Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai returned to Pakistan for the first time since being shot by Taliban militants. She was shot in the head by a gunman for campaigning for female education in 2012.  She is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Local media reported details of the trip have been kept secret in view of the sensitivity. The trip is expected to last four days and she arrived with officials from her Malala Foundation group.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Hot, metallic Earth-sized planet, K2-22b, discovered: Scientists have discovered a hot, metallic, Earth-sized planet-“K2-229b”- orbiting a dwarf star located 260 million light-years away. The planet is almost 20% larger than Earth but has a mass which is over two-and-a-half times greater. Further research on the same is going on.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Shekhar Kapur to head National Film Awards jury: Veteran director Shekhar Kapur has been appointed the chairman of the central panel of the 65th National Film Awards.

The central panel comprises a chairperson and 10 other members, including five regional chairpersons who head the respective regional panels. The 11-member committee reportedly includes lyricist Mehboob, actress Gautami Tadimalla and director Rahul Rawail.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI imposes a ₹58.9 cr fine on ICICI Bank: RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 58.9 crore on ICICI Bank for failure to adhere to held-to-maturity (HTM) guidelines. This is the highest penalty imposed by RBI on a bank for a single incident. Under RBI guidelines banks have to split their holding of government securities into `held-to-maturity’ (HTM) and available for `available-for-sale’ category.

Daily GK Updates - 28th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. IM-PDS scheme approved for implementation: A new central sector scheme namely “Integrated Management of Public Distribution System” has been approved for implementation during 2018-19 and 2019-20. The key objectives of the scheme are to integrate PDS systems of States/UTs with Central System, the introduction of National Portability etc. The new scheme will bring more transparency and efficiency in distribution of foodgrains.

2. Department of Posts launches “Cool EMS Service”: Department of Posts has launched the “Cool EMS Service” which will come into force from 29th March. Cool EMS service is one-way service from Japan to India which allows customers in India to import Japanese food items for personal use which is allowed under Indian regulations Initially, Cool EMS Service will be available in Delhi only.

3. Govt approves guarantee for IRFC Bonds: Ministry of Finance has approved Government guarantee of Rs. 5,000 crore in the current financial year for Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) bonds to be subscribed by Life Insurance Corporation, LIC. The guarantee fee for the aforesaid amount has also been waived by Ministry of Finance. The decision will ease the flow of borrowed funds for Ministry of Railways to undertake projects.

4. India’s first insect museum opened in TN: An insect museum which is fully dedicated to insects and is claimed to be the first of its kind in the country was opened in Tamil Nadu. It would display insects preserved as specimens as also live ones depicting their different developmental stages, images, videos and models of their unique behaviour, habits and habitats. The theme of the museum is “Bugs are kings”.

5. President confers the Gallantry Awards: President Ram Nath Kovind presented Gallantry Awards and distinguished service decorations at the Defence Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President presented three Kirti Chakra, India’s second highest military decoration and 17 Shaurya Chakra in the grand ceremony. President Kovind honoured Kirti Chakra to Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Commandant Chetan Cheetah.

6. Rs 350 coin to be released: The government will come out with a Rs 350 commemorative coin to mark the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, which was celebrated in 2016. The reverse side will bear the picture of “Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib” in the centre. He was born on 2 December 1666 in Patna. The years ‘1666’ and ‘2016’ in international numerals will be on the left and right periphery of the coin.

7. Indu Bhushan is the CEO of Ayushman Bharat: Indu Bhushan was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Centres ambitious Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission (ABNHPM). He is the Director General of East Asia Department, Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, Philippines. The ABNHPM has the benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

8. India and ADB sign loan agreement for the development of Himachal Pradesh: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and India signed $80 million loan to help modernize technical and vocational education and training institutions ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh. The Project will establish a polytechnic for women, 6 city Livelihood Centers, and 7 Rural Livelihood Centers. The project will support the skill initiatives of Government of Himachal Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Theatre Day observed on 27th March: World Theatre Day is celebrated annually on the 27th March by ‘International Theatre Institute’ Centres and the International Theatre Community. World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute. One of the most important of these is the circulation of the World Theatre Day Message. The first World Theatre Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962.

2. UAE becomes the first Arab Country to have Nuclear Power: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrated the completion of the first-ever Nuclear Power Plant not only in the country but the whole Arab Gulf Region. The $20 billion Barakah Plant west of Abu Dhabi has been constructed by a consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corp in nine years. It’s one of the four nuclear reactors being constructed with South Korea’s cooperation.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Microsoft opens Garage innovation site in India: Microsoft inaugurated Garage facility, a maker space for employees, its first in Hyderabad and the 2nd largest in the world after its Redmond Garage facility. Microsoft Garage provides a platform to employees who want to explore ideas, build prototypes or experiment with existing products. India is Microsoft’s 2nd largest work location after Redmond, which employees close to 45,000 people.

Daily GK Updates - 27th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Mission Sambhav launched in Assam: Assam Chief Minister launched the ‘Mission Sambhav’ campaign, which aims at spreading the message of toilet construction in 33 districts of the state. The central theme of the campaign is to reach out to more than one lakh families without a toilet, on a single day. The scheme aims to promote mass mobilisation through public representatives, local units of security forces, NGOs, and colleges

2. “E-Tribes India” launched: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India’s (TRIFED) websites-www.tribesindia.com, www.trifed.in and Retail Inventory Software and M-commerce app. TRIFED has developed its own website i.e., tribesindia.com for sale of all its products and to tap m-commerce. ‘Tribes India’ Banners at Amazon, Snapdeal, Paytm & GeM will be launched.

3. India becomes the 3rd largest electricity producer: India’s electricity production grew 34% from 2010 to 2017, and the country now produces more energy than Japan and Russia. India produced 1,160.10 billion units (BU) of electricity in the financial year (FY) 2017. With a production of 1,423 BU in FY 2016, India was the 3rd largest producer and the third largest consumer of electricity in the world, behind China and the United States.

4. Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar opens to public: Kashmir’s Tulip Garden in Srinagar was opend on March 25. The garden is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan range in Srinagar. The garden was conceived, conceptualized and created by then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad, in 2006-07. In 2014, it was declared as the 2nd best tulip garden in the world by World Tulip Summit Society.

5. India ranks 109th globally in data speed: India, the largest consumer of mobile data in the world, ranks 109th when it comes to mobile Internet download speeds according to Ookla’s Speedtest index. Norway is positioned at the top with an average download speed of 62.07 Mbps. Singapore leads in the fixed broadband front, with a download speed of 161.53 Mbps.

6. India is the 4th largest automobile market: India’s automobile sales, including passenger and commercial vehicles, grew 9.5 percent and more than 4 million units in 2017 were sold, making the country world’s fourth-largest automobile market. India beat Germany to take the 4th position. Maruti Suzuki India, which makes up 80 percent of the market, continues with its lead in passenger vehicles.

7. ‘National Conference on Down Syndrome’ held: A ‘National Conference on Down Syndrome’ was organised by the National Trust under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 26th March. Down Syndrome is a chromosomal condition associated with intellectual and learning disabilities. On 19th December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared to observe 21st March as World Down Syndrome Day.

8. Vijay Raghavan as Scientific Adviser: Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan was appointed Principle Scientific Adviser to the government of India on 26th March. Vijay Raghavan was serving as secretary of the Department of Biotechnology since January 2013. Vijay Raghavan will succeed physicist Rajagopala Chidambaram.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. ISA and India sign host country agreement: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), signed the Host Country Agreement. The Agreement will give ISA a juridical personality and gives it power to contract, to acquire and dispose off movable and immovable properties, to institute and defend legal proceedings. Under this agreement, ISA shall enjoy such privileges, applicable tax concessions and immunities as are necessary for ISA’s Headquarter to independently discharge its function and programmes.

OTHER UPDATES

SPORTS:

1. Manu Bhaker-Anmol wins air pistol mixed gold at ISSF: Manu Bhaker and Anmol secured the gold medal in the ISSF Junior World Cup by winning the mixed 10m air pistol event. The silver and bronze medals were both awarded to China. Genemat Sekhon bagged an individual bronze medal in the junior women’s shooting. Overall, India occupied the second placed with 17 medals, including seven gold.

2. Anish Bhanwala won gold in Shooting: Anish Bhanwala secured an individual gold medal at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Sydney. The bronze medal was awarded to another Indian team comprising Sandhu, Japtyesh Singh Jaspal and Mandeep Singh. India is now placed second in the overall standings with 15 medals, comprising 6 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze.

Daily GK Updates - 26th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. High Courts to have ‘Justice Clocks’: The Centre will soon install ‘Justice Clocks’ — LED message display boards — in all 24 High Courts. The clocks will display the daily rate of disposal of cases, the number of pending cases and the individual rank of each of these courts. A model of this ‘clock’ was first installed in the Delhi office of the justice department. The aim is also to create a competition among the courts.

2. Foundation stones for 5 projects of NHAI laid: President Ram Nath Kovind visited Varanasi on a one-day visit to Uttar Pradesh. During his temple city visit, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone of five projects of the National Highway Authority of India. It includes the second phase of the outer ring of the city and four-lane roads between Varanasi and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. He was welcomed by State Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the Varanasi Airport (Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport).

3. West Bengal with highest number of beggars: The Government of India came out with a report stating that there are 4,00,000 beggars in India. West Bengal has the highest number of beggars in India followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at number two and three respectively. Lakshadweep has only two beggars, while Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and the Andaman and Nicobar islands have 19, 22 and 56 vagrants respectively.

4. Google celebrates 45th Anniversary of the Chipko movement: Google commemorated the 45th anniversary of the Chipko movement with a doodle on 25th March. In 1973, villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Chamoli district (now Uttarakhand) took to hugging trees to prevent their felling at the hands of contractors. The whole movement was taken forward by women participants, who became a driving force in educating people on the deleterious effects of deforestation.

5. J S Rajput appointed as India’s representative to the Executive Board of UNESCO: Professor J S Rajput, a former Director NCERT is selected as India’s representative to the Executive Board (EXB) of UNESCO. Notably, Professor J S Rajput is an eminent educationist with rich experience in various fields including UNESCO. The EXB has a four-year term of office and 58 seats. The executive board is one of the constitutional organs of UNESCO and is elected by the General Conference.

6. First International Exhibition Of Graphic Prints Print Biennale India 2018 inaugurated: The country’s National Academy of Art, the Lalit Kala Akademi hosted the first-ever International Print Biennale in the country with a record number of 17 countries taking part in it. The first-ever International Exhibition of Graphic Prints ‘Print Biennale India 2018’ opened, at the Rabindra Bhavan Galleries of the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World’s largest cruise ship ‘Symphony of the Seas’ sailed: The world’s biggest cruise-liner, “Symphony of the Seas”, has left the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire in France to embark on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean. The ship weighs 228,000 tonnes and is 362 metres long. The Symphony can hold up to 8,000 people including 2,200 staff.

2. International Day of Remembrance observed: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a United Nations international observance designated in 2007 to be marked on 25 March every year. The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade. The 2018 theme was ‘Remember Slavery: Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality’.

OTHER UPDATES

SPORTS:

1. Punjab crowned National hockey champion: Punjab won its first National title in five years, after winning against Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) in the final of the “8th men’s National hockey championships” on 25th March. In the Bronze medal match, Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) defeated Air India Sports Promotion Board. Hockey Punjab defeated Petroleum Sports Promotion Board by 2-1.

Daily GK Updates - 25th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. NCERT launches dedicated portal for supply of textbooks: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) decided to supply the required number of textbooks to all Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools for the academic session 2018-19. Discussing the issue of publishing and providing textbooks with the CBSE, NCERT has launched a dedicated web portal (www.ncertbooks.ncert.gov.in) for the supply of textbooks to schools and individuals. It has also enlarged its distribution network of vendors across the country. The details of such (895) vendors have been uploaded on the NCERT website for the convenience of the schools and parents. 

2. The 5th India Maize Summit held: Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh had addressed the 5th India Maize Summit in New Delhi. The aim of the summit was to harness the potential of maize, technological innovations, promoting producer aggregation and linkages that are required.

3. Chattisgarh wins the “Water Digest Award”: Chhattisgarh bagged the National 'Water Digest Award' for Water Conservation-Diversion and for increasing the irrigation capacity in the State. This is the first time that Chhattisgarh Water Resources Department had been given national Award during the past 17 years. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Venezuela to eliminate 3 zeros from currency: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has decided to eliminate three zeros off the country’s inflation-ridden currency, the bolivar. This new monetary denomination, which replaces the one he established in January 2017, will help the government fight the “economic war of financial persecution”. 500 bolivars, the new maximum denomination of the country’s bills will amount to only $0.01.

2. US launches WTO challenge against China: US has launched a challenge at World Trade Organization against China over intellectual property breaches. US is taking action at WTO to address China’s unfair technology practices that run counter to WTO rules. This comes just as the US prepares to impose tariffs of 25% on imported steel & 10% on aluminum – sanctions that are meant to hit China for flooding world with cheap steel & aluminum

3. Pakistan gets first woman opposition leader: Pakistani lawmaker Sherry Rehman made history by becoming the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Rehman of Pakistan Peoples Party was declared as the Leader of the Opposition after she secured support of majority 34 opposition senators in the house of 104. She has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US from 2011 to 2013 and was elected to the Senate in 2015.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Warship INS Ganga decommissioned: INS Ganga, an indigenously built frigate of the Indian Navy, was decommissioned in Mumbai after over three decades of service. It was Commissioned in December 1985, the ship represented a big step forward in the nation's warship building capability. The special guest of honor for the ceremony was Vice Admiral (Retd) K K Kohli, the first Commanding Officer of INS Ganga.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. UCO Bank to merge branches in Hong Kong: Following RBI’s ban on letters of undertaking, UCO Bank is planning to merge its two branches in Hong Kong. The ban on LoUs has affected the business of foreign branches & the bank says one branch is enough to cater for customers’ needs.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Ahmedabad airports is the ‘Most Improved Airport’ in Asia Pacific region: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad has received the award for the Most Improved Airport in the Asia Pacific region. It is the 1st international award for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport that has over 200 flight movements per day. In 2016-17, it handled over 7.4 million passengers making it the 8th busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic in India.

SPORTS:

1. Smriti creates record for scoring the fastest fifty by Indian woman in T20 Internationals: Smriti Mandhana created history after smashing the fastest fifty by an Indian player in women’s T20I cricket. Mandhana, who was opening the innings for India, achieved the feat in just 25 balls bettering her previous best in 30 balls. The overall record for the fastest fifty in women’s T20Is belongs to Sophie Devine (18 balls) of New Zealand.

2. Pankaj Advani wins Asian Billiards Championship title: Pankaj Advani defended his Asian Billiards Championships title in by demolishing his partner B Bhaskar 6-1. With this win, Advani remains the reigning Indian, Asian & world champion in billiards for 2017-18. This is Advani’s 11th gold medal at Asian level of cue sports. His continental billiards title tally has gone up to 7, in addition to back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in 2006 & 2010

3. Vettel wins Australian Grand Prix: Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel pipped the defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. It was the 100th podium of Vettel’s career and it came in his 200th Formula One race. He becomes the fourth driver to claim 100 podium finishes, joining Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost.

4. Yuki Bhambri advances in Miami Open: Ace Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri moved to the second round of Miami Open after beating Bosnia's Mirza Basic 7-5, 6-3.  The Indian Davis Cupper will now face world number 11 and eighth seed American Jack Sock in the next round.  This will be the first meeting between the two after 2013 when Bhambri had beaten Sock in a Challenger event.  Yuki, ranked 107 had qualified for the ATP 1000 series main draw with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Sweden's Elias Ymer in the second and final qualifying round.  Yuki, of late, has created excellent results against top players as he registered the biggest win of his career, shocked world number 12 Lucas Pouille in the second round of Indian Wells Masters.

5. Ball tampering scandal of Australian cricket team: Australian skipper Steve Smith & batsman Cameron Bancroft have admitted to charges of ball-tampering during the 3rd day of the third Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Bancroft was caught on television cameras appearing to rub a yellow object on the ball during the match. Australia captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner have decided to relinquish their leadership duties.

Daily GK Updates - 24th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. 2025 – The end of TB in India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a campaign to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from India by 2025, five years ahead of the globally-set deadline. After inaugurating the Delhi End-TB Summit Modi launched the TB-free India Campaign to take the activities under the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination forward in a mission mode for ending the epidemic by 2025. A target has been set to end TB globally by 2030. Mr. Modi stated that India has targeted to eliminate Tuberculosis by 2025.

2. Rakesh Bhatnagar appointed BHU Vice Chancellor: JNU professor Rakesh Bhatnagar has been appointed as the vice-chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University. He will take charge from BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi, who had been holding the additional charge of the top post since October last year. He is a JC Bose National Fellow and has won the ICMR award for developing a recombinant vaccine against anthrax.

3. m-Kerala app launched: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launched M-Kerala, a unified app for all government services at #FUTURE 2018. It is a first-of-its-kind digital tech summit in the state. Kerala also becomes the state with the largest public Wi-Fi deployment in the country. The internet penetration in the state is at 52%. #FUTURE is Kerala's first-ever Global Digital Summit and was inaugurated by P Vijayan in Kochi.

4. Lingayats community gets minority status: The Karnataka Government declared minority status to the Lingayats community. This comes days after the CM Siddaramaiah-led government accepted the suggestions of Nagamohan Das committee to grant a separate religion status to the Lingayats community. The decision was critised by the Veerashaiva Lingayat Samanvaya Samiti and termed as politically motivated move.

5. India-Egypt Joint Commission Meeting held: The 7th India-Egypt Joint Commission Meeting led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry was held in New Delhi.  Both the sides reviewed the progress in the areas of political, trade & investment, S&T, cybersecurity, capacity building, security, space, and culture. India and Egypt are two of the world's oldest civilizations that have enjoyed cordial relations based on commonality of views on regional and international issues.

6. Andhra Government launches Naipunya Ratham: Andhra Pradesh Govt has launched, NAIPUNYA RATHAM or World on Wheels, a multi-utility vehicle that aims to bring technology to remote corners. It will facilitate & look to improve digital literacy, digital skills & create an awareness on various govt schemes that are underway in Andhra Pradesh. Govt has allotted Rs 300 crore for the project & will be setting up 1000 skill development centres.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Tuberculosis Day observed: Each year we commemorate World Tuberculosis Day on March 24 to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB. The theme of World TB Day 2018 - “Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world”.

2. John Bolton selected as the US National Security Adviser: The 45th President of USA Donald Trump announced that the former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will be the New US National Security Adviser. He would replace present National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.

3. Vizcarra sworn in as Peru’s new president: Martin Vizcarra was sworn in as Peru’s new president after his predecessor Pedro Pablo Kuczynski abruptly resigned over a corruption scandal. He had earlier served as Peru’s first vice president and his country’s ambassador to Canada. Vizcarra, while taking oath, has vowed to eliminate economic corruption from the country.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. Allahabad Bank gets the nod for ABFL merger: According to the officials of Allahabad Bank, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has allowed the amalgamation of its wholly own subsidiary - All Bank Finance Ltd (ABFL)-with the lender.  The bank's board had approved the proposed merger in December 2016. The ABFL offers a basket of fee-based financial services such as trusteeship services, investment advisory and portfolio management services, distribution of Mutual Funds schemes and other corporate services including valuation of security and so on.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. ISRO ties-up with BHEL to manufacture Li-ion cells: ISRO has entered into a Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), to transfer the technology for the manufacture of space grade Li-Ion cells. The TTA was signed at ISRO Headquarters, Bengaluru. ISRO uses Li-Ion batteries as power sources for satellite and launches vehicle applications due to their high energy density, reliability and long cycle life. This Li-ion cell Technology Transfer will enable BHEL to produce space grade Li-Ion cells which can meet the country’s space programme requirements.

2. Balesh Sharma is the new CEO of Vodafone Idea India: Vodafone Group Plc’s Indian unit and Idea Cellular, which are in the process of merging their operations to create the country’s biggest telecoms carrier, named Vodafone veteran Balesh Sharma as the new chief executive for the combined venture. Sharma is currently the chief operating officer at Vodafone India. Akshaya Moondra, the current chief financial officer at Idea, will become the finance chief at the combined firm. Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Idea’s parent Aditya Birla conglomerate, will be the non-executive chairman of the merged telecoms company.

3. Jio, Saavn to create digital music platform: Reliance Jio Director Akash Ambani, has signed an agreement for merging the digital music service Saavn with JioMusic to create a digital media platform with global reach. The total value of the deal will be over $1 billion. As part of the deal, additionally, Reliance will be acquiring a partial stake from the existing shareholders of Saavn for $104 million.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. 2018-The year of millets: The union government has decided to declare 2018 as 'National Year of Millets’ to boost the cultivation of millets like ragi and jowar on a mission mode to achieve nutritional security.  This was stated by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh while addressing MPs in a consultative committee meeting in New Delhi . The Minister said millet cultivation has declined due to change in dietary habits and unavailability of millets. As a result of this, level of nutrients like proteins, Vitamin-A, iron, and iodine fell in women and children.  This led to a special focus on millets, which are being promoted under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM). The push will promote cultivation of jowar, bajra, ragi. Under NFSM, maize and jau are also promoted separately.

2. ‘Indian Sign Language Dictionary’ launched: First Indian Sign Language Dictionary of 3000 words was launched by Government of India on 23rd March. The dictionary has been developed by Indian Sign Language Research & Training Centre under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The basic aim of developing the Indian Sign Language Dictionary is to remove communications barriers between the deaf and hearing communities.

3. Google doodle in the honour of Ustaad Bismillah Khan: Google celebrated the 102nd birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna awardee and Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan on 21st March. He was awarded with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi. The doodle has been illustrated by a Chennai-based illustrator, Vijay Krish, according to the Google.

4. Delhi govt presents its first ‘Green Budget’: The AAP government presented its Rs 53,000 crore budget for 2018-19 in the Assembly, which laid emphasis on environment, health, education and water. This is the first “Green budget” of the government for effective containment of pollution in the city. They also proposed to set aside Rs 1000 crore for repair and maintenance of smaller roads owned by the municipal corporations of the city.

5. First Conference on Drug Law Enforcement: The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir inaugurated the two-day first National Conference on Drug Law Enforcement in Delhi. The conference is being organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will be the Chief Guest at the closing session. More than 50 State and Central law enforcement agencies involved in combating drug trafficking have confirmed their participation in this Conference.

6. North India’s first city to have Automatic Speed Gun Cameras: Chandigarh becomes the first city in North India to install Automatic Speed Gun Cameras with digital displays for traffic management. The high-tech speed cameras are equipped with night vision technology and will record the speed of oncoming traffic, helping the Chandigarh Police to issue challans to anyone driving above the city speed limits. Chandigarh also happens to be among a few cities to accept driving on high-beam inside the city limits as a punishable offence.

7. G.K. Reddy award for journalist Karan Thapar: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented the G.K. Reddy Memorial National Award for journalism to senior journalist and television presenter Karan Thapar. He was associated with CNN-IBN and hosted ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ and ‘The Last Word’. In December 2013, Karan Thapar received the International Press Institute-India Award for excellence in the field of journalism.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Robert Langlands wins Abel Prize: Canadian mathematician Robert Langlands won the prestigious Abel Prize for developing a programme connecting representation theory to number theory. The programme has enlisted hundreds of the world’s best mathematicians over the last 50 years.  Langlands will be awarded the 6 million Krone as the prize money of the Abel Prize by Norway’s King Harald in Oslo on May 22. The Abel Prize was instituted in 2001 and is named after famous mathematician Niels Henrik Abel.

2. Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day: The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. The aim is to eliminate all the forms of racial discrimination. The theme for 2018 was “Promoting tolerance, inclusion, unity and respect for diversity in the context of combating racial discrimination”.

3. Singapore airport declared as the Best Airport in the world: The Singapore Changi Airport named the world's best airport for the sixth consecutive year by consultancy firm Skytrax. The Incheon International Airport in South Korea and Haneda Airport in Japan were placed second and third respectively. While the Mumbai airport (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai) ranked 63rd, the airports in Bangalore (Kempegowda International Airport) and Delhi (Indira Gandhi International Airport) are at 64th and 66th place respectively.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. INS Ganga decommissioned in Mumbai: INS Ganga, an indigenously built frigate of the Indian Navy, was decommissioned on 22nd March in Mumbai, after over three decades of service. The ship was retired from active service on May 28, 2017. INS Ganga was a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy. The Godavari class was the first significant indigenous warship design and development initiative of the Indian Navy.

2. DRDO gets ‘Most Informative Pavilion’ award: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has received the “Most Informative Pavilion” award in the ‘Pride of India Expo’. The event was organized as part of the 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Manipur. The DRDO participated in the expo showcasing cutting-edge indigenous defence technologies with over 150 exhibits and models from 18 of its laboratories.

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. ‘Fluorimeter’ a device for measuring uranium traces in water developed: An instrument to measure traces of uranium in water has been developed by a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The instrument, “Fluorimeter”, has been developed by the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), an Indore-based unit of the DAE. It will be helpful in areas like Punjab where uranium traces in water sources have been found to be at dangerous levels.

SPORTS:

1. Elavenil wins women’s air rifle event at Junior ISSF World Cup: Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan shattered the qualification world record in 10-meter women’s air rifle event of the season’s first junior ISSF World Cup in Sydney, Australia. Besides her individual podium finish, Elavenil also combined with Shreya Agrawal and Zeena Khitta to claim the team gold medal. Arjun Babuta bagged his second junior world cup medal, claiming a bronze in men’s 10-meter air rifle event. The 18-year-old Elavenil, competing in her second World Cup and first final. Her 631.4 in the qualification was a new world record.

2. Vivaan Kapoor bags two bronze medals: Vivaan Kapoor got his first Bronze medal in the men’s trap event at International Shooting Sport Federation Junior World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Sydney, Australia. He got his 2nd Bronze after winning the Team Bronze medal in the event along with Lakshay Sheoran and Ali Aman Elahi. India has two gold and three bronze medals in the competition and is placed second behind China.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The Rajya Sabha passed the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) bill:  The bill would enhance the ceiling of tax-free gratuity to Rs 20 lakh from existing Rs 10 lakh for employers under the Payment of Gratuity Act. It is applicable to employees, who have completed at least five years of continuous service in an establishment that has 10 or more persons. The amendment to the payment of gratuity law comes in the backdrop of Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 enhancing the maximum maternity leave period to 26 weeks. The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 allows for the payment of gratuity to employees in any establishment, factory, mine, oil field, plantation, port, railways, company, or shop employing 10 or more workers.

Need to know: How To Calculate Gratuity?

Amount of gratuity is directly proportional to the tenure of service, and also to the last drawn salary. The gratuity is given at the rate of 15 days of last drawn salary for each year of service. And the salary that is considered for the calculation of gratuity is the last drawn salary that includes basic pay and dearness allowance. It is typically calculated according to this formula: Last drawn salary (basic salary plus dearness allowance) X number of completed years of service X 15/26. According to this formula, the time period of over six months or more is considered as one year. This means if you have completed five years and seven months of service, the number of years would be considered as six years for calculation of gratuity benefit

2.  The government has launched free wi-fi service for Sansad Adarsh Gram, Udwada in Valsad district of Gujarat: The village has been adopted by Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Smriti Irani under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. The free wi-fi service will be provided by BSNL in partnership with QuadGen. The wi-fi service will cover nearly 90% of the village.

3. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in New Delhi on 22nd March for a five-day visit to India: This is his first visit to India as the President of Germany. Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and the sixth largest trading partner in the world. India was ranked 24th in Germany’s global trade. Germany is the 7th largest foreign direct investor in India.

4.  The NHAI pavilion at 105th ‘Indian Science Congress- Pride of India Expo’ held at Imphal from 16-20 March 2018 has been adjudged as “Best Design Pavilion”: The NHAI had put up an exhibition stall to showcase its Projects and other initiatives like Electronic Toll Collection, Wayside Amenities, Road Safety etc. The award was conferred by Dr Najma Heptulla, Governor of Manipur.

5.   Smart India Hackathon 2018 announced: Ministry of Communications announced that the Smart India Hackathon 2018 – Software edition Grand Finale is scheduled to be held on March 30-31, 2018 in Panipat. Smart India Hackathon 2018 was launched on Oct 16, 2017, in Pune to harnesses creativity and expertise of students. Smart India Hackathon 2018 would be the 2nd hackathon initiative in India following Smart India Hackathon 2017.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Myanmar’s President Htin Kyaw resigned due to ill health: Htin Kyaw, 71, was sworn in as Myanmar’s official president in 2016 after Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won landmark elections. He acted as a proxy for Suu Kyi, who is constitutionally barred from holding the presidency because her children are foreign nationals.

2. International Day of Forests – 21^st March: The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012. The theme of the International Day of Forests in 2018 is “Forests and Sustainable Cities”.The event marks the importance of sustaining and protecting woodlands and trees, which are vital to economies, livelihoods and environment.

3.  India to open 18 Missions in Africa:  The Union Cabinet on 21st March has approved the opening of 18 new Indian Missions in 18 African countries. This will enhance India’s diplomatic outreach in the African continent and allow India to engage with Indian diaspora in African countries. The 18 missions will be opened over a four-year period between 2018 to 2021.

4.  22^nd March - World Water Day: The World Water Day is observed every year on 22nd March to mark the importance of fresh water. The first World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was observed in the year 1993. The theme of World Water Day, 2018 is “Nature for Water”. The UN World Water Development Report is released each year around World Water Day.

5. China building world’s fastest wind tunnel: China is building the world’s fastest hypersonic wind tunnel to develop a new generation of super-fast aeroplanes that could fly from Beijing to New York within two hours. A wind tunnel is a tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects. Engineers use wind tunnels to test models of aircraft, automobiles and other machines.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1.   MoU signed between SBI and IMGC: SBI and India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) signed a pact to offer mortgage guarantee scheme for prospective non-salaried and self-employed home loan customers. The offering will help increase home loan eligibility up to 15% within the regulatory norms. The applicant can avail higher finance based on risk grade of the borrower, by opting for IMGC default guarantee cover.

AWARDS/ HONOURS:

1. Google Doodle honors Japanese geochemist “Katsuko Saruhashi”: Google on 21st March honored Japanese geochemist “Katsuko Saruhashi” on her birth anniversary with a doodle. She was one of the 1st to study and measure the levels of carbon dioxide in seawater. She also measured the spread and fallout from nuclear testing. She established the Saruhashi Prize, given each year to a Japanese woman who has made contributions to the field of natural sciences. Katsuko Saruhashi, a Japanese Geochemist, Fought For Women's Rights, Equality. Katsuko Saruhashi was born on 22 March, 1920 in Tokyo. Her given name, Katsuko, literally translates to being strong-minded or victorious. She went on to graduate from the Imperial Women's College of Science in 1943 and joined the Meteorological Research Institute and worked in its Geochemical Laboratory. On her 98th birthday (22nd March, 2018), Google commemorated her with a Doodle. Katsuko Saruhashi made some of the first measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in seawater. A pioneer in her field, Dr Saruhashi was also the first to measure radioactive material in seawater. This was one of the scientific reasons for not conducting nuclear bomb experiments in the Pacific Ocean.