Daily GK Updates - 26th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.NITI Aayog mulls using PSUs’ CSR funds : The NITI Aayog is seeking to realign the deployment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in accordance with the pressing requirements in aspirational districts.The transformation of aspirational districts is a flagship initiative of the Centre in partnership with State governments, anchored at the NITI Aayog.

2. Government amends definition of hydrocarbon : The government has amended the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 1959 to include shale in the definition of petroleum.The change would allow private companies to explore and produce the resource in the blocks they already operate.It would help in enhancing domestic exploration and production of hydrocarbons and increasing India’s energy security and reducing dependency on imports.

3. Free WiFi services for villages : All villages adopted by the Member of Parliaments under ‘Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna’, will be provided free WiFi services across India by the Government.The government has proposed to set up 25000 WiFi hotspots at existing rural exchanges of BSNL.The government has targeted to link each of the 2.5 lakh gram panchayats of India through optical fibre network under Bharat Net Project.

4. Rajnath to inaugurate 2nd conference of SPs : Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the second conference of young Superintendents of Police in New Delhi.The theme of the conference is, ‘Predictive Policing and Contemporary Challenges for Indian Police Forces’.The objective is to generate awareness among young SPs and commandants in the areas of artificial intelligence, cyber crime and surveillance tracking.

5. Kovind to launch Sanchar Kranti Yojna : President Ram Nath Kovind will launch Chhattisgarh government’s Sanchar Kranti Yojna at Jagdalpur in the Naxal-affected Bastar region.Under the scheme, 50 lakh smartphones will be distributed free of cost to the people.President Ram Nath Kovind is on a two-day trip to Chhattisgarh’s Bastar range.

6. Parliament passes fugitive offenders bill : Parliament has given its nod to legislation that will help the government to bring back fugitives to stand trial in India.The bill empowers the government to attach properties of fugitives who run away from the country after committing tax and loan related offences.The Bill enables action against economic offenders committing offences worth Rs.100 crore and above.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Earth Overshoot Day 2018 is on August 1 : In 2018, the Earth Overshoot day is set to fall on August 1, which is two days earlier than last year’s date, as predicted by the Global Footprint Network (GFN).GFN is a think tank which observes the usage of natural resources every year.The day signifies the official date when the yearly ecological budget of natural resources is completely exhausted by human beings.

2. 10th BRICS Summit in South Africa : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 25 landed in South Africa to take part in the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg.This 2018 theme for BRICS summit in Africa is ‘cooperation for inclusive growth and sharing the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution’.Twin stamps of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela will also be released during the meeting of PM Modi and Cyril Ramaphosa.

3. Int. Children’s Film Festival inaugurated : 18th International Children’s Film Festival was inaugurated on 25th July in West Bengal.The festival is being organised by Cine Central, one of the oldest cine clubs of the country in collaboration with the UNICEF.Thirty-six films from 17 countries will be screened in the festival.The inaugural film of the festival is ‘Moana’ from the USA.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. SEBI proposes using UPI : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed allowing investors to use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) while bidding for shares in an initial public offer (IPO).This will reduce the public issue timeline from the current T+6 to T+3.T+3 refers to a system wherein the equity shares would be listed on the bourses on the third day from the day the IPO closes.

SPORTS:

1. Floyd Pinto is Indian Arrow head coach : All India Football Federation (AIFF) appointed Floyd Pinto as the head coach of the Delhi-based Indian Arrow football club.The decision was taken unanimously at AIFF’s technical committee meeting, headed by the chairman of the committee, Shyam Thapa.The committee confirmed that the deputy coach of the Indian Arrow will be appointed later.

2. Virat receives Int Player of the Year award : Virat Kohli received the International Player of the Year award for 2017-2018 from England’s Barmy Army.Barmy Army is a popular fan club of English cricket supporters.In 2018, Kohli has played a total of 19 matches across formats and has scored 1181 runs with an average of 65.61. He has scored four hundred and four half-centuries.