Daily GK Updates - 29th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Modi launches 81 investment projects : PM Modi launched 81 investment projects worth over ₹60,000 crore for Uttar Pradesh at a ground-breaking event.The projects are expected to give a big boost to industrialisation in the state and have the potentials of creating over 2 lakh jobs.Around 80 leading industrialists, including Gautam Adani participated in the event, which comes close on the heels of ‘Investors Summit’.

2. India’s agricultural land is shrinking : According to the government data, in 2017, nearly 40 lakh hectares of agricultural land was impacted because of water woes.It has resulted in a drop in the area under cultivation for crops like rice, pulses & oilseeds.With 1/3^rd of agriculture activities in India still depending on groundwater for irrigation, the country’s cultivated land is shrinking due to depleting ground water levels.

3. Venkaiah Naidu to be Chancellor : Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu has been appointed as the Chancellor of the Pondicherry Central University.The appointment was notified by the President, Ram Nath Kovind, in his capacity as Visitor of the university.The tenure of the Chancellor will be five years.

4. Fee drugs, diagnostics for hepatitis B & C : Considering the disease burden of viral hepatitis, government will now offer free drugs and diagnosis for Hepatitis B and C.The arrangement has been made under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program launched.The aim of the initiative is to reduce morbidity and mortality due to viral hepatitis.The government aims to eliminate viral Hepatitis by 2030.

5. States agree to supply milk under Mid-Day Meal : Most states, including Rajasthan, have agreed to supply milk for 2 days a week through Mid-Day Meal & Anganwadi schemes.This has been done in order to absorb surplus stock & ensure better prices to farmers, Animal Husbandry & Dairy.Farmers are in distress in key milk-producing states because of fall in procurement rate amid surplus milk production & piling up of skimmed milk powder.

6. Rajasthan signs MoU for first cow sanctuary : Rajasthan will soon have its first ‘cow sanctuary’, a shelter for 10,000 bovines spread over an area of more than 220 hectares in Bikaner district.The state government has signed a memorandum of understanding with a private trust in this regard.The state already has a ministry dedicated to welfare of cows and last year it had announced a 10% surcharge on stamp duty towards cow protection.

7. Assam to implement Pranam Scheme : Assam government has decided to implement PRANAM (Parent Responsibility & Norms for Accountability and Monitoring) Scheme that aims to ensure that government staff take care of their parents & physically challenged siblings.It mandates deduction of 10-15% of the gross salary of employees who do not take care of their parents & disabled siblings.

It will come into force from October 2, 2018.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Blockchain Congress : Hyderabad will host a 3 day International Blockchain Congress beginning August 3.Jointly hosted by NITI Aayog, Telangana & Goa governments, IBC will bring together 3,000+ blockchain enthusiasts, innovators, businesses & regulators.Global Blockchain Protocol Consortium, a body of various countries to further progress the evolution of blockchain technology, will be launched at the congress.

2. 4-lane highway along Indo-Bhutan border : Centre has agreed in principle to construct a four-lane highway of 264 KM along Indo-Bhutan border encompassing four districts of the state.The new connectivity would bring in revolutionary changes not only in connectivity but also in trade and commerce of the areas.The Bhutan–India border is 699 km long, and adjoins the Indian states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Sikkim.

3. First non-Muslim to win National Assembly seat : Mahesh Malani of Pakistan Peoples Party’s has become the first Hindu candidate to win a National Assembly seat.Malani contested & won the National Assembly (NA-222) Tharparkar-II seat in southern Sindh province, after defeating 14 candidates.Non-Muslims got the right to vote & contest on general seats in 2002 after the then president Gen Pervez Musharraf made amendments in the Constitution.

4. International Tiger Day : International Tiger Day is is celebrated every year on 29 July to raise awareness about tiger conservation.It was started in 2010 at the Saint Petersberg Tiger Summit in Russia in view of the alarming fall in the number of wild tigers.Many factors have caused their numbers to fall, including habitat loss, climate change, hunting and poaching.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. OYO inks pact with SBI, Bank of Baroda : OYO has inked an MoU with SBI and Bank of Baroda for extending support to budget hotels and create jobs across levels.The MoU will enable financial support for OYO’s existing & potential hotel partners for fuelling transformation and standardisation at their properties.These loans will help individuals hailing from Tier II and III cities to be self-employed and run their own budget assets.

SPORTS:

1. Baker breaks 100m backstroke world record : Kathleen Baker has set a world record in winning the 100-metres backstroke at the US national swimming championships.Baker, silver medalist in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics, improved on the world record of 58.10 set by Canadian Kylie Masse.Baker’s performance was more remarkable because she has long had to deal with Crohn’s disease.

2. Sourabh lifts Russian Open Badminton trophy : Ace Indian shuttler Sourabh Verma lifted the Russian Open Badminton trophy at Vladivostok.In the title clash, Sourabh came back from a game behind to beat Japan’s Koki Watanabe, 18-21, 21-12, 21-17, and win his first title of the season.He had clinched the Chinese Taipei Grand Pri Gold and finished runners-up at the Bitburger Open in 2016.