Daily GK Updates - 31st July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Atal Innovation Mission to launch a new programme for Community Innovation: Union Ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Dharmendra Pradhan have jointly inaugurated the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a new programme for Community Innovation in New Delhi. The new initiative aims to encourage the spirit of innovation in the country. The purpose of the programme is to make innovation eco-system socially inclusive as well as to ensure equitable distribution of infrastructure for innovation across the country. The new programme has been specifically designed for underserved, unserved regions of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, Smart Cities, Aspirational districts, North-East, Jammu and Kashmir as well as rural and tribal regions of the country.

Note: The Atal Innovation Mission is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country. It has been created as an umbrella innovation organization to play an instrumental role in the alignment of innovation policies between central, state and sectoral innovation schemes incentivizing the establishment.

2. Dr Harsh Vardhan celebrates the 110th Annual Day of NCDC: Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the 110th Annual Day celebrations of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), at this occasion Union Health Minister inaugurated the laboratory complex (Lab 3) at NCDC and the new building of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).

Note: Headquarter of NCDC: New Delhi; NCDC Established in: ‎1909.

3. 'Pink coaches' introduced by the Northest frontier railway: Indian Railways 'Northeast Frontier Railway zone' has started a unique initiative to earmark a special portion of the SLR coach with pink colour. This is done to specially help the women passengers with better safety and security. 8 trains in Rangiya division of the Northeast Frontier Railway have begun operations with some pink coaches. 

Note: Headquarter of Northeast Frontier Railway zone: Maligaon, Guwahati.

4. 22nd National Conference on e-Governance: The 22nd National Conference on e-Governance will be held in Shillong, Meghalaya. The theme of the conference is 'Digital India: Success to Excellence'. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), in association with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Meghalaya government will organise the 22nd National Conference.

5. Senior IAS officer Rajiv Kumar appointed as new Finance Secretary: Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rajiv Kumar (1984 batch-Jharkhand cadre) has been appointed as the new Finance Secretary. The approval was given by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He succeeded Subhash Chandra Garg (1983 batch IAS-officer), who is currently the power secretary. Currently, Mr Rajiv Kumar is serving as Secretary in the Department of Financial Services.

Note: Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

6. Birth anniversary of Premchand being celebrated: The birth anniversary of a great novelist and celebrated storyteller Munshi Premchand is celebrated on 31 July every year. He was born on 31st July 1880 in Lamhi Village near Varanasi. Premchand's stories confront the truth of this society underlining the importance of truth, justice and loyalty. His renowned stories includes 'Kafan', 'Namak Ka Daroga', 'Panch Parmeshwar', 'Poos Ki Raat' are timeless and ever relevant.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. South Asia Air Quality Tech Camp organised in Kathmandu: The U.S. Embassy in Nepal has organized a South Asia Air Quality Tech Camp in Kathmandu. The aim of camp is to address political, social, and scientific facets of the problem and improve the ability of civil society, media, and other influencers to engage governments, empower the public and take action to improve air quality in South Asia.

Note: Nepal Prime Minister: K P Sharma Oli; Capital: Kathmandu.

2. India signs deal to acquire R-27 Missiles from Russia: India has signed a deal worth around Rs 1,500 crore to acquire R-27 air-to-air missiles from Russia to be equipped on the Su-30MKI combat aircraft. The R-27 missile is a medium-to-long-range air-to-air missile for MiG and Sukhoi series of fighter jets.

3. India, Mozambique signs 2 MoUs: India, Mozambique sign 2 MoUs to strengthen defence cooperation. The two MoUs include an agreement on sharing white shipping information and another on co-operation in the field of Hydrography. The documents were signed following a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Mozambican counterpart Atanasio Salvador M'tumuke. Rajnath Singh is currently on his first official visit abroad as the Defence Minister to the African country. This is also the first time a Defence Minister has visited Mozambique.

Note: Prime Minister of Mozambique: Carlos Agostinho do Rosario; Capital: Maputo.

4. Infosys launches Cyber Defence Center in Romania: Infosys announced the launch of its state-of-the-art Cyber Defence Center in Bucharest, Romania. The Defence Center is an expansion of services delivered through the Infosys Digital Innovation Center. The Center will provide end-to-end, real-time, 24/7 cyber security monitoring and protection services to support European and global businesses on their digital transformation journey.

Note: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys: Salil Parekh.

5. Pakistan opens historic Hindu temple in Punjab: Pakistan has opened a 1,000 year old Hindu temple in eastern city Sialkot for worship for the first time since partition on the demand of the local Hindu community. The Shawala Teja Singh temple, located in city’s congested Dhaarowal locality, some 100 km from Lahore, is more than 1,000 years old, according to the book ‘History of Sialkot’ by the late Rashid Niaz.

Note: Pakistan Capital: Islamabad; PM of Pakistan: Imran Khan. President of Pakistan: Arif Alvi.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. BCCI suspends Prithvi Shaw for doping violation: Indian Test opener Prithvi Shaw (19-years) has been suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a doping violation till 15th November 2019. According to a BCCI release, Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups. Mr Shaw had provided a urine sample as part of the BCCI's anti-doping testing program during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on 22nd February 2019 in Indore. His sample was subsequently tested and found to contain Terbutaline. Terbutaline, a specified substance, is prohibited both In & Out of Competition in the WADA Prohibited List of Substances.

Note: Prithvi Shaw became the second-youngest Indian after Tendulkar to make a Test century and the youngest Indian to do so on Test debut.

2. ICC names two new umpires in elite panel for 2019-20: The International Cricket Council has named Michael Gough of England and Joel Wilson of the West Indies in the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires for 2019-20 season. They will replace retired umpire Ian Gould and Ravi Sundaram who were part of the previous panel.

Note: ICC Chairman: Shashank Manohar; Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 13th edition of ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in India from February 9 to March 26, 2023.

3. Venugopal Rao announces retirement from all forms of cricket: Former India player and Andhra Ranji captain, Y. Venugopal Rao has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He was the 2nd player to play for India from Andhra. He played for India in 16 ODIs and was also a member of the India under-19 World Cup-winning team in 2000.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI relaxes External Commercial Borrowing norms for corporates, non-banking lenders: The Reserve Bank has liberalised the end-use stipulations for the External Commercial Borrowings both for corporates as well as liquidity starved non-banking lenders. According to The central bank, liberalisation will be applicable to ECBs taken for working capital, general corporate purpose loans or repayment of rupee loans. Corporate borrowers will be able to avail of ECBs to repay rupee loans taken for Capital expenditures if they are into manufacturing or infrastructure building and classified as Special Mention Account, SMA-2 or Non-Performing Asset, under any one-time settlement arrangement with lenders. The RBI also issued a revised circular for bankers capturing the changes.

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

1. Microsoft acquires data privacy & governance startup BlueTalon: Microsoft has acquired data privacy, governance service firm BlueTalon. BlueTalon helps enterprises set policies for how their employees can access their data. BlueTalon works with leading Fortune 100 companies to eliminate data security blind spots and gain visibility and control of data.

Note: CEO of Microsoft : Satya Nadella.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 'Indian Woman of Influence Award' received by Priya Priyadarshini Jain: Eminent fashionista, social entrepreneur and philanthropist Priya Priyadarshini Jain has been felicitated with the prestigious 'Indian Woman of Influence' award at the House of Lords, the United Kingdom Parliament, London. Priyadarshini Jain for it also marked the grand launch of coffee table book on '50 most influential Indian women worldwide' featuring her as one of the most prominent personalities from India.

OBITUARIES

1. Former RBI Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn passes away: Noted economist and former RBI Deputy Governor Subir Vithal Gokarn (59-years) passed away. Gokarn served as the Deputy Governor of the RBI between 2009 and 2013, during the tenure of Governor D Subbarao. Gokarn was also Chief Economist of Standard & Poor’s Asia-Pacificand Chief Economist of CRISIL. In 2015, he was appointed as Executive Director on the board of the IMF (International Monetary Fund).

Daily GK Updates - 30th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Odisha Rasagola gets Geographical Indications Tag: The rasagola, a popular dessert of Odisha, has received the geographical indication tag from the Registrar of Geographical Indication. The GI number 612 has been registered in favour of the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited. Historical records submitted say the ‘Odisha Rasagola’ is associated with world famous Puri Jagannath Temple.

Note: CM of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal.

2. Odisha Secretariat renamed ‘Lok Seva Bhavan’: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in State Assembly that Sachivalaya or the State secretariat will now be called as ‘Lok Seva Bhawan’. The Odisha secretariat building was inaugurated on November 12, 1959, by the then Union Home Minister Govind Ballabh Pant.

3. J&K District Administration Udhampur launches helpline “Jeene Do”: Jammu and Kashmir, District Administration Udhampur has launched a helpline, “Jeene Do”. The objective is to improve sex ratio and deal with defaulters of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques or PCPNDT Act under the Centrally sponsored Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. A Mobile Number ‘9469793363’ has been dedicated to the public to register complaints regarding sex determination during prenatal checkups.

Note: Governor of Jammu & Kashmir: Satya Pal Malik.

4. Maharashtra Police launches AMBIS for crime detection: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched the Automated Multi-modal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) to identify and track down criminals. This technology will make it easy to track a criminal who is on police record, which will eventually increase the rates of crime detection and conviction. Under AMBIS, a digital database of criminals consisting of their fingerprints, irises, palms and facial features will be prepared, which will help to track a criminal having a single criminal record. The system is said to be first-of-its-kind in the country and Maharashtra.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India signs MoUs with Benin: India and Benin signed four MoUs on education, health and e-visa facilities. The signing of the agreement on mutual exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passports and agreement on the fresh line of credit of 100 million US dollars by India to finance development projects in Benin. Benin also extended its support for India's candidature for permanent membership of UN Security Council.

Note: Benin President: Patrice Talon; Capital: Porto-Novo; Currency: West African CFA franc.

2. India, Myanmar signs MoU on Defence Co-Operation: Minister of State for Defence and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services of Myanmar signed MoU to enhancing defence co-operation, review joint exercises and training provided to Myanmar Defence Services, strengthen maritime security by joint surveillance and capacity building, medical co-operation, pollution response and for developing new infrastructure.

Note: Myanmar Presiden: Win Myint; Capital: Naypyitaw.

3. India-Nepal Logistics Summit organised in Kathmandu: Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli has inaugurated ‘India-Nepal Logistics Summit’ in Kathmandu, Nepal. The theme of the summit was “Transforming Logistics Landscape”. He stressed upon smooth and quality logistics between India and Nepal. The aim of the bilateral cooperation is initiatives have been taken on crucial components of road, rail, inland waterways and air connectivity.

Note: President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari; Capital: Kathmandu; Currency: Nepalese rupee.

4. World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: 30 July: United Nations observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking. In 2013, the General Assembly designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights. On the 2019 World Day UNODC is focusing on highlighting the importance of Government action with a tagline: Human Trafficking: call your government to action

Note: Headquarters of the UN: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945; Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sniper Frontier Competition: 2019: A Nine member Indian Army team has left for Belarus to compete in the Sniper Frontier Competition as part of the International Army Games scheduled on 03 Aug to 17 Aug 2019. An intense sniper competition and encompassing flexibility of mind, physical fitness along with firing. The competition is likely to have over 23 participating countries including Russia & China.

Note: Chief of the Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat.

2.  Former France defender Patrice Evra announced retirement: Former France and Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has announced his retirement. He had played 81 times for France and also captained the side at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He went on to make almost 300 appearances for the Manchester United club, winning 5 League titles and the Champions League.

3.  Collin Morikawa wins the US PGA title: American Collin Morikawa has won the US PGA title at the Barracuda Championship. This was his 1st win in the US PGA title. It is the only US tour event that uses the Modified Stableford scoring system. US's Troy Merritt finished as the runner up of the event.

4. Tamil Nadu girl wins gold medal in World Deaf title: Tamil Nadu girl Jerlin Anika has won the gold medal in the World Deaf Youth Badminton Championships held in Taipei. 15-year-old Anika bagged four medals in the championship, including the gold, two silver and one bronze.

Note: President of Taiwan: Tsai Ing-wen; Currency of Taiwan: Taiwanese Dollar.

5. Dalilah Muhammad shatters 400m hurdles World record: Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad shattered one of the longest standing records in women’s athletics with a superb display to clinch victory in the 400m hurdles at US Championships. Dalilah Muhammad took more than a tenth of a second off a record that had stood for 16 years, clocking 52.20 seconds to beat Russian Yuliya Pechonkina's previous mark of 52.34 seconds.

6. ICC launches World Test Championship: The International Cricket Council (ICC) officially decided that the inaugural ICC World Test Championship will be played from 1st of August to 30th April 2021(to be played over two years). The World Test Championship will witness the top nine Test teams in the world compete in 71 Test matches across 27 series. Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies are the nine teams that will battle it out for the top honours in the World Test Championship.

Note: India will begin their campaign in the championship with the two-match Test series against the West Indies starting on 22nd of next month.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI fines Mobikwik & Hip Bar for violating norms: The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty on two online payment solutions providers. Mobikwik Systems and Hip Bar for non compliance of regulatory guidelines. Mobikwik Systems Private Limited has been slapped a fine of Rs 15 lakh while Hip Bar Pvt Ltd faced a fine of Rs 10.85 lakh.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vidisha Baliyan was crowned the Miss Deaf World 2019 title: Vidisha Baliyan, a 21 year old girl from Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar city, was crowned the Miss Deaf World 2019 title. The international beauty pageant was held in Mbombela, South Africa. She is a former international tennis player who represented India in the Deaflympics and also won a silver medal.

DEFENCE

1. IN LCU L56 ship commissioned into Indian Navy: The sixth ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK IV class, IN LCU L56, was commissioned into the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Eastern Naval Command commissioned the ship in a ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. According to Vice Admiral, the induction of LCU 56 will add to Maritime and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief capability. The ship will be deployed for multi-role activities such as beaching operations, search and rescue missions, disaster relief operations, coastal patrol and surveillance operations along the Andaman and Nicobar Group of Islands.

Note: LCU 56 is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Vehicles, Troops and Equipment from ship to shore.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Andhra Pradesh state Minister Mukesh Goud passes away: Senior Congress leader and former minister M. Mukesh Goud (60-years) passed away after a prolonged illness in Hyderabad. Mukesh Goud was suffering from cancer. He was also a popular backward caste leader and never hesitated to raise his voice for the cause of the BCs. He served as BC Welfare and Marketing Minister in Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and Kiran Kumar Reddy Cabinets.

Daily GK Updates - 29th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 7th Economic Census begins from Tripura: The Government of India begins the 7th Economic Census from Tripura. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct the census.  It will be launched in other states and union territories in August and September. It will be conducted after a gap of 5 years. The fieldwork is expected to be completed by December and the results at the national level is expected to be available by March 2020.

Note: As per the last Economic Census conducted in 2013, there were 58.5 million establishments employing around 131 million workers. The economic census gives insights on the economic activities being carried out across the country, their geographical distribution, the number and distribution of workers, types of ownership and sources of finance. The economic census is the only source of information on the significantly large unorganized sector in the country.

2. 5th Dharma-Dhamma conference was held in Rajgir: The 5th international Dharma-Dhamma conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of State Kiren Rijiju. The aim of the conference is to address people about the terror, violence and global warming prevalent in the world. The conference will also address the subjects of Sat-Chit-Ananda and Nirvana which are the pivotal topics of Buddhism.

Note: Chief Minister of Bihar: Nitish Kumar; Governor of Bihar: Phagu Chuhan.

3. Girish Bapat appointed as chairman of estimates committee: Girish Bapat has been appointed the chairman of the "Estimates Committee" of the parliament. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made the appointment. Estimates committee is one of the three financial standing committees of the parliament apart from the public accounts committee and committee on public undertakings.

4. K'taka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa wins confidence Motion: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has won Confidence Motion in the State Assembly by a voice vote. Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar declared that the Motion moved by Mr Yediyurappa has won the confidence of the House. Earlier, as the House assembled, BS Yediyurappa moved a one-line confidence motion seeking to prove the majority of his three-day-old government. KR Ramesh Kumar (Karnataka Assembly Speaker) has announced his resignation as Karnataka Assembly Speaker soon after BS Yediyurappa government won floor test in the house.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nepal invited as a partner country for Gita Jayanti Mahotsav 2019: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has invited Nepal to be the partner country for this year's 'Gita Jayanti Mahotsav 2019' scheduled to be held at Kurukshetra. He extended the invitation to Ambassador of Nepal to India Nilamber Acharya.

Note: Nepal Prime Minister: K P Sharma Oli; Capital: Kathmandu; Currency: Nepalese rupee; President of Nepal: Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

2. Rajnath Singh arrives in Maputo on a three-day visit to Mozambique: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Maputo on a three-day visit to southern African country, Mozambique. India is willing to forge a strong bilateral relationship with Mozambique by increasing regular engagement and cooperation in multiple spheres. Mr Singh will hold talks with President, Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and Interior Minister of Mozambique during his visit. India and Mozambique will sign bilateral agreements to boost military cooperation. During the defence minister's visit, India will also hand over two fast interceptor boats and 44 SUVs to Mozambique.

3. Global Tiger Day: 29 July: The ‘Global Tiger Day’ is being celebrated across the world to create awareness about tiger conservation and protection of the natural habitat of tigers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released the results of the fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018 in New Delhi. According to PM Narendra Modi, India is one of the safest habitats in the world with 2967 tigers. Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers at 526, closely followed by Karnataka at 524 with Uttarakhand at number 3 with 442 tigers. The Tiger Estimation exercise is believed to be the world’s largest wildlife survey effort in terms of coverage, the intensity of sampling and quantum of camera trapping.

Note: Project Tiger was launched in 1973 with the initiative of conserving India's national animal. Tigers are considered as an “umbrella species” as their conservation also conserves many other species in the same area. The 2014 country-level tiger assessment had shown a 30% increase of tigers from 1706 in 2010, the tiger population has increased to 2226 in 2014.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1.  Nikoloz Basilashvili wins the German Tennis Championships: Nikoloz Basilashvili wins the German Tennis Championships. He defeated Andrey Rublev to successfully defend his title at the German Tennis Championships. With the win, he has become first player to win the event in successive years since Roger Federer in 2004-2005.

2. Egan Bernal claims Colombia's 1st Tour de France title: Egan Bernal became the 1st Colombian to win the Tour de France which finished in Paris, France. He beat the defending champion Geraint Thomas of Britain by 1 minute 11 seconds. The 22 year old Bernal has also become the youngest rider to win the race in 110 years. The Tour de France is an annual men's multiple stage bicycle race.

3. Bajrang Punia booked a berth in India's World Championship squad in 65kg category: Bajrang Punia (25 years) booked a berth in India's World Championship squad in the 65kg category defeating Harphul Singh in the trials held in New Delhi. Ravi Kumar Dahiya (U-23 World Championship silver-medallist) earned his chance by winning the most competitive 57 kg category during the trials. It featured seven wrestlers, including Sandeep Tomar and Utkarsh Kale. The World Wrestling Championship is slated to be held in Kazakhstan from September 14th to 22nd.

4. Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju receives Special Olympics Torch came from Singapore: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has received the Special Olympics Torch “Flame of Hope” from the Chairman of the Special Olympics International Football Championship (SOIFC), Dr. Amar Prasad Reddy in New Delhi. The Flame of Hope after travelling from Singapore to Delhi, reached New Delhi. The championship will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai from 3rd to 6th August 2019. According to Mr. Rijiju, the Union government will fully support the Special Olympics and international football championships in Chennai.

Note: The ‘Flame of Hope’ symbolises courage and celebration of diversity uniting communities around the globe. The SOIFC 2019 is an initiative of Special Olympics, an international organization that serves athletes with intellectual disabilities.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1.  NITI Aayog partners with WhatsApp to promote women entrepreneurs: WhatsApp has partnered with NITI Aayog, under the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) to announce its plan to support and promote women entrepreneurs in India. WhatsApp will also partner with the Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards 2019,flagship initiative of NITI Aayog.

AWARD AND HONOURS

1. Meryl Streep to receive Tribute Actor Award at TIFF 2019: Veteran star Meryl Streep will be honoured Tribute Actor award at the 2019 in 44th Toronto International Film Festival.  The 70-year-old actor will be the first-ever recipient of the award in TIFF. Streep is a 3 times Oscar winner for the Iron Lady, Sophie's choice and Kramer vs Kramer.

DEFENCE

1. RAW officer appointed as new BSF Director General: IPS officer V.K. Johri has been appointed as the next Director General (DG) of the country’s largest border guarding force, Border Security Force(BSF). He will succeed Rajni Kant Misra who retires on 31st of July 2019. He is presently serving as the Special Secretary in the external intelligence agency RAW, under the Cabinet Secretariat. The order has been issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) that is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Note: BSF Established in: 1 December 1965; Headquarters of BSF: New Delhi.

Note: The BSF is the country's largest border guarding force (present strength of about 2.5 lakh personnel) and is tasked to secure two of India's most important and sensitive fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The two other border guarding forces are ITBP (China) and SSB (Nepal and Bhutan).

2. Lt Gen Paramjit Singh to be new DGMO of Army: Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, who has vast experience in counter-terror operations, will be the next Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army. Lt Gen Singh, currently serving as General Officer Commanding of the Army's Nagrota-based XVI Corps, will take over as the new DGMO on October, succeeding Lt Gen Anil Chauhan.

OBITUARIES

1. Senior Congress leader Jaipal Reddy passes away: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy (77-years) passed away in a hospital in Hyderabad. Recently, Jaipal Reddy was diagnosed with pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital. He was a four-term MLA, member of Lok Sabha for five terms and member of Rajya Sabha for two terms.

2. Meghalaya assembly speaker Donkupar Roy passes away: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Donkupar Roy (64-years) passed away at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon following a brief illness.

Mr. Donkupar Roy was elected as the assembly speaker in March 2018. Donkupar Roy served as Chief Minister of Meghalaya (from 19th March 2008 to 18th March 2009). He was the head of the United Democratic Party, a political party recognised in Meghalaya.

3. Former Gujarat MP Vitthal Radadiya passes away: Former Gujarat MP Vitthal Radadiya passed away. He was one of the Saurashtra’s most prominent politicians and was former Member of Parliament from Porbandar in Gujarat. Vitthal Radadiya also served as a director of IFFCO and was the chairman of the Rajkot District Co-operative Bank. 

4. Saudi King Salman's elder brother, Prince Bandar passes away: King Salman’s elder half-brother Prince Bandar (96-years) passed away. He was the eldest living son of the late King Abdulaziz Al Saud. Prince Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was not an active political royal within the ruling Al Saud family and had been passed over in the line of succession to the throne. He was the tenth son of the country’s founding monarch. Prince Bandar’s sons, however, hold important posts- Prince Faisal bin Bandar is governor of Riyadh; Prince Abdullah bin Bandar heads the National Guard.

Daily GK Updates - 28th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt inks MoU with industry body to streamline deliver of services under Ayushman Bharat: To streamline deliver of services under the Centre’s flagship healthcare scheme Ayushman Bharat, its implementing agency inked an MoU with industry body NATHEALTH. The partnership between National Health Authority (NHA) and the Healthcare Federation of India (NATHEALTH) aims to streamline all innovations ensuring that it increases the efficacy of service delivery of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The collaboration provides an industry interface for testing innovations, providing mentorship and creating channels for facilitating support required for scaling these innovations. This will bolster NHA’s effectiveness in implementing its innovation strategy, which is aligned with the its vision of ‘Health for All’, its CEO Indu Bhushan said.

2. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu releases book titled ‘New-Age Technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0’: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released titled ‘New-Age Technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0’ book written by Rajya Sabha Member, Narendra Jadhav. He congratulated him for giving the Book which is of great contemporary relevance. This book examines and elaborates on various dimensions of the so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0.

3. Dr Jitendra Singh reviews status of implementation of various projects under MDoNER: Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) reviewed the status of implementation of various projects under MDoNER. Key highlights of the meeting: During the meeting, it was informed that India’s first Bamboo Industrial Park will be set up in Manderdisa in Dima Hasao district of Assam in an area of 75 hectares at a cost of Rs 50 crore. The in-principle approval will be granted to this project in August this year. It was informed that the target is to complete the project by March 2021. The Minister was also informed that another project for Bamboo Park in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh would be taken up by NEC.

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Hepatitis Day 2019: 28 July:  World Hepatitis Day (WHD) was observed on July 28, 2019. It is observed to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis. The theme of the World Health Organization (WHO) for WHD 2019 is “Invest in Eliminating Hepatitis”. WHO will release new estimates for additional investments needed to achieve globally agreed hepatitis elimination goals by 2030, in the context of the universal health coverage. The host country for World Hepatitis Day 2019 is Pakistan. The global events will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 27-28 July 2019.

Note: The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. 

2. World Nature Conservation Day: 28 July: World Nature Conservation Day was observed on July 28, 2019. It is celebrated with an objective to increase awareness about natural resources and protecting them. The day recognizes that a healthy environment is a foundation for a stable and productive society and to ensure the well-being of present and future generations.
Note: World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Founded: April 29, 1961, Headquarters: Rue Mauverny, Gland, Switzerland

3. BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting 2019 Held In Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Foreign Ministers Meet was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 25-26, 2019. India was represented by Gen. (retd) VK Singh who is the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways. Key Points: The members condemned terrorism in all its forms & manifestations and recognized terrorist acts as criminal and unjustifiable. Views were exchanged on key issues on the international agenda. They called for an expedited adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2462 (2019). The Ministers looked forward to their next meeting on the margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) which will be held in September 2019.

Note: BRICS: BRICS as an idea was coined in Foreign Ministerial meeting of Brazil, Russia, China and India in Newyork in September, 2006. BRIC officially came into existence in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia. South Africa became its member in 2010.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. The third edition of Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Guwahati in 2020 January: Ministry of Sports has announced that the third edition of Khelo India Youth Games will be held in Guwahati from January 18-30, 2020. It will be conducted in partnership with IOA, SGFI, and Assam. Participants: It will be conducted in partnership with Indian Olympic Association, School Games Federation of India and Assam as host State. The inaugural edition was held in New Delhi, while Pune hosted the second one this year. It is expcted that more than 10,000 athletes and officials will be participating in the mega event.
Khelo India is national level multidisciplinary grassroots games in India. It is held for two categories, mainly U-17 years school students and U-21 college students.

2. Mary Kom wins gold in President’s Cup: Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom claimed the gold medal in the 23rd President’s Cup, asserting her supremacy in a lop-sided 51kg bout final in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. The Olympic bronze medallist pugilist decimated Australian April Franks 5-0. The 36-year-old Indian had also won a gold medal at the India Open boxing tournament in May. Mary Kom, who claimed her sixth world title last year in Delhi, will be looking to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the World Championships in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The 2019 World Boxing Championships for women will be held from September 7 to 21.

3. Max Verstappen wins German Grand Prix: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took his second win of the year in a chaotic and incident-strewn German Grand Prix held in intermittent rain. The Dutchman led a topsy-turvy result in which Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel took second from the back of the grid and Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat was third. Lewis Hamilton had a day to forget, finishing 11th after two mistakes. But the Briton did not lose any ground to team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the championship after the Finn crashed.

Note: Germany Capital: Berlin, Currency: Euro

AWARD AND HONOURS

1. Sudarsan Pattnaik wins People’s Choice Award in U.S: International sand artist, Padmashri Sudarsan Pattnaik won People’s Choice Prize at Boston International Sand Art championship in the US. Pattnaik was among the 15 top sand artists selected from across the world to participate in the 2019 Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival in Boston. Representing India at the festival, Patnaik bagged the award for his sand art on plastic pollution with the message ‘Stop Plastic Pollution, Save Our Ocean’.

DEFENCE

1. INS Tarkash arrives at St. Petersburg, will take part in Russian Navy Day parade: INS Tarkash was received warmly at St. Petersburg on Thursday where it will take part in the Russian Navy Day parade. According to Russian news agency TASS, more than 40 ships will take part in the naval parade with participation also from 40 planes and helicopters. A total of 4,000 servicemen will also be part of the celebrations.

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow, Currency: Russian ruble, President: Vladimir Putin

2. CRPF celebrates 81st raising day: 27th July:  Central Reserve Police Force, CRPF, paid tributes to those who laid down their lives for the nation, at the National Police Memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of its 81st Raising Day. Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai offered floral tributes at the Memorial. Speaking on the occasion, Rai said CRPF lives and dies for the country. He underlined the fact that CRPF leaves no stone unturned in winning the hearts of those who have turned against the nation to get them into mainstream before coming down heavily on anti-national elements.

Note: CRPF Founded: 27 July 1939, Motto: Service and Loyalty, Headquarters: New Delhi

Chief- Rajeev Rai bhatnagar Founded: 27 July 1939

Daily GK Updates - 27th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Railway’s first printing press heritage gallery opened: The Western Railway (WR) has thrown open to the public the first printing press heritage gallery of the Indian Railways at Mahalaxmi. With this, the WR Mahalaxmi General Stores Depot (GSD) has become the first in Indian Railways to portray a heritage gallery of the printing and allied machines used in the WR Printing Press since 1948, which are still in working condition. The press came into existence in 1912 under the Greater Indian Peninsular Railway (GIP) Bombay, as the railway needed stationery and tickets to run the operations.

Note: Union Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal; Headquarter of Western Railway: Churchgate (Mumbai).

2. Kaiga Atomic Energy station sets a World record: Kaiga Atomic Energy station (Karnataka) sets a World Record in continuous operation of 962 days by Unit-1 of Kaiga Generating Station (KGS-1) among nuclear power plants of all technologies. KGS-1 (220 MW) in an indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) fuelled by domestic fuel which started commercial operation on November 16, 2000.

3. Kargil veteran Lt Col Dr Samir Rawat invited to ICP: Kargil veteran Lt Col Dr Samir Rawat has been invited as an eminent keynote speaker at the 32nd International Congress of Psychology 2020 (ICP) in Prague which is the most prestigious and biggest international event in the psychological world with over 8000 delegates participating in ICP..

4. CM Naveen Patnaik launches revamped Odisha Tourism website: Chief Minister of odisha launched the revamped website of Odisha Tourism, odishatourism.gov.in. The website involves a pilot implementation of an e-commerce platform for Odisha handlooms and handicrafts by promoting state brands Boyanika and Utkalika.

Note: CM of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik, Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal.

5. Gujarat tops in rooftop solar installation across the country: Gujarat ranks on top in the installation of rooftop solar projects with an installed capacity of 261.97 megawatts. Total rooftop solar installation in India currently stands at 1,700.54 MW. Gujarat is followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with 198.52 MW and 151.62 MW.

Note: Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat. Capital: Gandhinagar.

6. Arunachal CM launches statewide tree plantation programme: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has launched the state-wide tree plantation programme ‘Clean-Green Arunachal Campaign 2019’ in Itanagar. The campaign under the State Forest department will plant 1-lakh tree saplings in the next 24 hours. The campaign is being held as part of Van Mahotsav celebration and has set the target of planting 1 Cr tree within the next five years. Arunachal is known globally for its huge forest cover and is considered one of the eighteen 'biodiversity hotspots' in the world.

Note: Governor of Arunachal Pradesh: B. D. Mishra.

7. UP becomes No. 1 in implementation of Pradhanamntri Suraksha Beema Yojna: Uttar Pradesh has become number one in implementation ofPradhanamntri Suraksha Beema Yojna in the country. As per the statement released by the state government, 1.95 crores people have been given insurance cover under the scheme till 31st March 2019. Implementation of this ambitious central government scheme started in the state from January 2018 under which people between age group of 18 to 70 get an accidental insurance cover of rupees 2 lakh by paying a nominal premium of 12 rupees annually. Uttar Pradesh stands second in the country in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana, another flagship scheme of the Union Government.

8. Students at IIT Madras Develops ‘Smart Agricopter’: A team of three students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed a drone name as “Smart Agricopter” to eliminate manual spraying of pesticides in agricultural fields as well as identify crop health by using imaging camera. The Project ‘Smart Agricopter’ is a hexacopter drone which has the capacity to carry 15 litres of pesticide and will allow spraying pesticides ten times faster and with 100 per cent precision at the same cost as manual spraying. The cost of the agricopter is estimated to be around Rs 5.1 lakh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President Kovind to visit 3 West African nations from 28th July: President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a week-long visit to three West African nations, Benin, The Gambia and Guinea. (from 28th July to 3rd August). India's diplomatic relations with Africa have undergone an unprecedented transformation in the last five years. This will be the first high-level visit for our Head of State from India to all the three countries in West Africa.

2. US Senate confirms General Mark Milley as next Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff: The US Senate has overwhelmingly confirmed four-star Army General Mark Milley (61-years) as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). He will replace General Joseph Dunford. The Chairman is nominated by the President for the appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. The United States Senate confirmed him by an overwhelming 89-1 votes.

Note: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is, the highest-ranking and senior-most military officer in the United States Armed Forces. He is the principal military advisor to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Defence.

3. The US & South Korean military exercises to be held in August: An annual military exercise between the US and South Korean military exercises ‘19-2 Dong Maeng (alliance)’ will be held in the month of August. The announcement was made by Choi Jong-kun, the secretary for peace planning to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Earlier, the United States and South Korea had suspended a large-scale exercise and it also cancelled a second exercise after the Singapore summit in June 2018. North Korea has threatened that the country will drop the nuclear talks with the US if it continues the military exercise with South Korea.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. BCCI announces Byju's as Team India's new sponsors: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially named Byju's as the new sponsors of Team India (from September 5 to March 31, 2022). BYJU'S (Bengaluru-based online tutorial company) will be taking over the sponsorship from OPPO. Now, BYJU’S will be seen on the Indian team jersey from September 2019 when the home series against South Africa. Oppo had won the Indian team sponsorship rights in March of 2017 by bidding Rs 1079 crores.

2. Kapil Dev led CAC to pick Team India's head coach: Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) led by World Cup-winning former captain Kapil Dev entrusted with the responsibility of selecting India's new coach. Apart from Kapil, former women's captain Shantha Rangaswamy and former men's coach Anshuman Gaekwad have also in the panel.

3. Dressel breaks the Phelps record in 100m butterfly stroke: American star Caeleb Dressel destroyed Michael Phelps’s World record in the 100 metres butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships 2019 in Gwangju (South Korea). Caeleb Dressel take 49.50 seconds in the semi-final event and breaking the old record of 49.82 seconds set by Michael Phelps.

4. Chandigarh gets BCCI affiliation: Chandigarh received affiliation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after nearly four decades. After getting BCCI affiliation, Chandigarh Cricket Association-Punjab had recently decided to merge with Union Territory Cricket Association, thus paving way for the Union Territory to be recognised as a separate entity.

Note: President of BCCI: C.K. Khanna; Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai.

5. Mohammad Amir announces retirement from Test cricket: According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Speedster Mohammed Amir (27-years) called time on his Test career. Amir made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle in July 2009 and he featured in 36 Tests, taking 119 wickets at an average of 30.47. In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Dublin Chiefs in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.