Daily GK Updates - 9th October, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi unveiled a statue of Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram in Rohtak, Haryana : Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 64-Feet tall statue of Deenbandhu Sir Chhotu Ram (messiah of farmers) at Sampla in Rohtak district, Haryana.PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Rail Coach Repair Factory at Badhi in Sonepat district.Prime Minister also visited the museum set up in memory of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram which depicts and gives glimpses of his life.

2. EC establishing 500 pink booths in Madhya Pradesh for the assembly election : According to an official of election commission, the Madhya Pradesh election commission will establish 500 pink booths in the state for the assembly election.These polling booths will run by only women officers and workers.Elections will be held on 28th November and counting will be held on 11th December 2018.Similarly, only disabled employees will ensure election process at 20 to 25 polling stations of the state.

3. Jharkhand to become partner state at Goa International Film Festival : Jharkhand state has become the partner state at 2018 Goa International Film Festival to showcase its culture and favourable filmmaking incentives.This year Goa International Film Festival from 20th to 28th of November.It was also decided to organize Jharkhand Film Festival, under Indian Panorama, in two towns of Jharkhand in the first month of 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.William Nordhaus & Paul Romer win 2018 Nobel prize for economics : The 2018 Nobel prize for economics has been awarded to William Nordhaus and Paul Romer of the United States for their work on sustainable growth.The research of the two US economists focuses on how climate change and technology have affected the economy.Prof Nordhaus (from Yale University) was the first person to create a model that described the interplay between the economy and the climate

2. World Post Day is being observed today : World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9th October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.Since then, countries around the world participate annually in the celebrations.

3. Srinivasan Swamy becomes the new chairman of International Advertising Association : Indian advertising veteran and RK Swamy Hansa Group chairman Srinivasan Swamy took over as the new chairman of the International Advertising Association (IAA).He is the first Indian to hold the prestigious seat at the 80-year old institution, which is considered the world's most influential network of marketing and communication leaders.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  IMF predicts 7.3% growth rate for India in the current fiscal year : International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts a growth rate of 7.3% for India in 2018 and 7.4% in 2019. In China, growth is projected to 6.6% in 2018 and 6.2 % in 2019.In 2017, India had recorded a 6.7 per cent growth rate.According to IMF study, Gender diversity is likely to boost productivity growth including in countries like India, because women bring new skills to the workplace.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.  The Union Govt. decides to start issuing Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19 from this month : The union govt. in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to issue Sovereign Gold Bonds 2018-19.The Sovereign Gold Bonds will be issued every month from October 2018 to February 2019.The 2018-19 Series II tranche will be issued on 23rd of this month and the period of Subscription is 15th to 19th of this month.

SPORTS:

1.Asian Para Games: Ekta Bhyan wins club throw gold for India : Ekta Bhyan won India's fourth gold at the Asian Para Games by topping the women's club throw event in Jakarta.Bhyan produced her best throw of 16.02m in her fourth attempt to win the F32/51 event.Bhyan had come into the competition on the back of a gold in the Indian Open Para Athletics Championship earlier this year.India also secured three bronze medals courtesy Jayanti Behera, Anandan Gunasekaran and Monu Ghangas.