Daily GK Updates - 15th July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Over 30 lakh persons enrolled under "PM Shram Yogi Maandhan Scheme": Under "Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Scheme", total 30,85,205 persons have been enrolled. This voluntary and contributory pension scheme is  benefited for unorganized workers. Under this scheme assures the minimum monthly pension of 3000 rupees to the beneficiaries after attaining the age of 60 years.

Note: Union Labour and Employment Minister: Santosh Kumar Gangwar.

2. Kalraj Mishra appointed Himachal Pradesh Governor: President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Kalraj Mishra as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Acharya Devvrat has been transferred from Himachal Pradesh and appointed as the governor of Gujarat. 

Note: CM of Gujarat : Vijay Rupani; CM of Himachal Pradesh: Jai Ram Thakur.

3. Chandrakant Kavlekar to be the new Deputy CM of Goa: Chandrakant Kavlekar to be the new Deputy Chief Minister of Goa. He will replace Vijai Sardesai as the deputy chief minister of Goa.

Note: Chief Minister of Goa: Pramod Sawant; Governor: Mridula Sinha.

4. Navjot Singh Sidhu resigns as Punjab Cabinet Minister: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu (56-years) has resigned from Punjab Cabinet. According to Navjot Singh Sidhu, he sent his resignation to Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi on 10th June and would send it to Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh also. Mr Sidhu had been sulking after being stripped of key portfolios in the Punjab cabinet reshuffle in June.

On 6th June 2019, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had divested Sidhu of the Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Departments and allotted him the power and new and renewable energy portfolio.

5. Goa cabinet reshuffled; four BJP ministers inducted: The Goa cabinet was reshuffled with the induction of four BJP ministers Michael Lobo, Chandrakant Kavlekar, Jennifer Monserratte and Philip Nery Rodrigues. Governor Mridula Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula near Panaji. Earlier today, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant dropped ministers Vijai Sardesai, Vinod Palyenkar, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Rohan Khaunte before inducting four new BJP ministers. Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative assembly Michael Lobo resigned before taking oath as a minister. On Wednesday, 10 of the total 15 Congress MLAs in the Goa legislative assembly had split to merge with the BJP.

Note: The 40-member Goa assembly currently has 27 BJP legislators, five Congress MLAs, three each from Goa Forward Party and independents, and one each from Nationalist Congress Party and Maharasthrawadi Gomantak Party.

6. Chandrayaan-2 launch called off due to technical snag: ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has called off the launch of India's second mission to Moon ‘Chandrayaan-2’ onboard GSLV MkIII-M1 due to a technical snag. The countdown for the launch scheduled for 2.51 AM was stopped 56 minutes and 24 seconds before lift-off following the announcement from the Mission Control Centre. ISRO Associate Director (Public Relations), BR Guruprasad, revised launch date will be announced later. The lift-off of the three-component spacecraft comprising an orbiter, the lander and the rover was scheduled from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Note: The Chandrayaan-2 was supposed to explore the uncharted lunar south pole, 11 years after ISRO's successful first lunar mission - Chandrayaan-1. Chandrayaan-2 onboard the heavy-lift rocket Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle GSLV-MkIII-M1 (nicknamed Baahubali) would have taken 54 days to accomplish the task of landing on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 would make India the fourth country to soft-land a rover on the lunar surface after Russia, the US and China.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2nd formal discussion on holy Gurdwara of Kartarpur Sahib: 2nd formal discussion on holy Gurdwara of Kartarpur Sahib between India and Pakistan was held in Wagah. Agreements made in the discussion were: Pakistan agreed to allow visa-free travel for the Indian passport holders and Overseas Citizenship of India card holders seven days a week. 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara per day throughout the year. The pilgrims will be allowed to travel as individuals or in groups and also on foot.

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

2. France celebrates 14th july as its "National day": The French government marked the national day on July 14th. The day is also known as Bastille Day. This is the 230th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison which took place in Paris on 14 July 1789. Armed forces from France and allied countries will march, drive, ride and fly over the central Champs Elysee.

Note: President of France: Emmanuel Macron; Capital of France: Paris; Currency of France: Euro, CFP Franc.

3. World Youth Skills Day: 15th July: The United Nations observes 15 July every year as World Youth Skills Day. This year the UN’s observance of the World Youth Skills Day will shed light on the mechanisms needed to operationalize lifelong learning and raise awareness about the importance of youth skills development.

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

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Kiran More appointed USA cricket team's interim coach: Former India wicket keeper-batsman Kiran More will take charge as the interim coach of the senior USA cricket team. He will replace the head coach Pubudu Dassanayake. Kiran More was also appointed as the USA's director of cricket in June 2019.

2. Sreeshankar wins gold at Tatyana Kolpakova International Athletics: M. Sreeshankar has won the long jump gold at the Tatyana Kolpakova International athletics. The tournament was held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

Note: Capital of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek; Currency of Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstani Som.

3. India wins three gold medals in Yasar Dogu Ranking series: India has secured three Gold Medals in the Yasar Dogu Ranking series wrestling tournament being held in Turkey. Rahul Awaare (in 61 Kg), Seema Bisla( in 50 Kg) and Manju Kumari (in 59 Kg) categories clinched the yellow metal. Utkarsh Kale secured a Bronze in 61 Kg category. Commonwealth and Asian Gold medal winner Vinesh Fogat in 53 kg category and Dipak in 86 kg competition have stormed into the finals. Sumit, Vicky and Sonba Tanaji will compete for the bronze medal.

4. Pardeep Singh creates new Commonwealth record in the clean & jerk category: Pardeep Singh has created a new Commonwealth record in the clean and jerk category on the way to a gold medal as Indian weightlifters continued their impressive run on the Commonwealth Championships in Apia (Samoa). Pardeep smashed the record in the clean and jerk event by lifting 202 kg.  His earlier successful attempt of 148 kg took his total to 350 kg. Two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Vikas Thakur clinched the silver medal in the men's 96 kg event, lifted a total of 338 kg (153kg&185kg). India ended their campaign with a rich tally of 35 medals in the youth, junior and senior categories, breaking numerous national, Commonwealth, world and Asian records.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Retail inflation increases marginally to 3.18 pc in June: As per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation data, Retail inflation increased marginally to 3.18% in June this year over the previous month, mainly due to the rise in food prices. The retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 3.05 per cent (in May) and 4.92 per cent (in June) last year. As per the CPI data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the food inflation was 2.17% in June this year, up from 1.83 per cent in the preceding month.

Note: Inflation is a quantitative measure of the rate at which the average price level of a basket of selected goods and services in an economy increases over a period of time. It is the constant rise in the general level of prices where a unit of currency buys less than it did in prior periods.

OBITUARIES

1. Bangladesh ex-dictator H.M. Ershad passes away: Bangladesh’s former military dictator H.M. Ershad passed away. He became the president of Bangladesh in December 1983 and ruled the country till 1990. Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka, Currency: Taka, Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina.