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.