Daily GK Updates - 31st August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launches Innovation Cell & ARIIA : Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has launched the Innovation Cell and Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements, ARIIA in New Delhi.The Innovation cell, an initiative of the Ministry, has been established at the premises of All India Council for Technical Education with a view to foster the culture of innovation in all Higher Education Institutions across the country.

2.“Mil -Banche” programme organized in govt schools of MP state : In Madhya Pradesh, in a first of its kind initiative, “Mil -Banche”, an interactive programme between schools and society was organized in all government schools of the state today.More than 80 thousand volunteers have expressed their desire to give gifts to the schools like books or any other gifts which will useful for students.This programme is being organized in the state for multi-dimensional development of children through language skill up-gradation, reading other books in addition to textbooks.

3. 'Krishna Kutir' largest home for widows inaugurated in UP' : A special home to the house around 1,000 widows was inaugurated at Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.'Krishna Kutir' -- said to be largest such facility constructed by a government -- was constructed on 1.4 hectares at a cost of 57.48 crores,".It was constructed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under its "Swadhar Greh scheme" through National Building Construction Corporation.

4. Kashmir gets its first Muslim woman pilot : Thirty-year-old Iram Habib has become the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to become a pilot.Habib will join a private airline next month.Iram succeeds Tanvi Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit, who joined Air India as the Valley’s first woman pilot in 2016.In April last year, 21-year-old Ayesha Aziz, also from Kashmir, became India’s youngest student pilot.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Germany to provide euro 120 mn soft loan for Clean Ganga Mission: Envoy : Germany will provide a soft loan of 120 million euros (approx. Rs 990 crore) to India as part of its contribution to the ongoing river Ganga cleaning programme.“The purpose of the project is to reduce the inflow of untreated wastewater in River Ganga and, thus, to improve the water quality of the river,”.This project also includes construction of 13 sewage pumping stations

2. Vostok-2018: Russia to hold the largest military exercise in September :

 Russia will conduct its biggest war games since at least the 1980s, with around 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft.The Vostok-2018 exercises will be carried out from September 11 to 15 in the country's east with the participation of China and Mongolia.Vostok-2018 will involve the participation of units from the Russian Army, Air Force, and Navy.China and Mongolia will also participate in Vostok 2018.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. PM to launch India Post Payments Bank tomorrow : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the India Post Payments Bank(IPPB) at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi tomorrow.India Post Payments Bank has been envisioned as an accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man to help speedily achieve the financial inclusion.The payments bank, where the Indian government holds 100 percent equity, will leverage the vast network of the Department of Posts (DoP) that has more than three lakh postmen and Grameen Dak Sewaks

2.  ADB, India Sign $346 Million Loan to Improve State Highways in Karnataka : Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved USD 346 million loans to finance road improvement across a dozen districts in Karnataka.ADB and the Government of India signed a USD 346 million loan agreement to finance improvement of over 400 kilometers of state highways that will enhance connectivity and access to economic centers across 12 districts in Karnataka.

SPORTS:

1. Swapna Barman becomes first Indian heptathlete to win Asian Games gold : Swapna Barman daughter of a rickshaw puller became the first Indian woman to achieve a top podium finish in the grueling heptathlon event at the Asian Games.She has six toes in both her feet and produced her career-best performance by logging 6026 aggregate points from the seven events.

2. Jinson Johnson won gold in men's 1500 m at the 2018 Asian Games : Jinson Johnson won gold in the men's 1500 metres at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.Earlier, Johnson had won silver in the 800m final.Johnson was pipped for gold by compatriot Manjit Singh in the 800m race but he did not give any chance to his rivals to win the race in 3 minutes 44.72 seconds.