Daily GK Updates - 1st July, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘One nation one ration card’ scheme from July 1, 2020: ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme will be available across the country from July 1, 2020. The scheme will allow portability of food security benefits according to which the poor migrant workers will be able to buy subsidised rice and wheat from any ration shop in the country as long as their ration cards are linked to Aadhaar.

Note: Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: Ram Vilas Paswan.

2. UGC approves a scheme "STRIDE" to boost research culture in India: University Grants Commission has approved a ‘Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy’ to boost research culture in India. It will provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and globally significant. An Advisory Committee has been set up by the UGC under the chairmanship of Prof Bhushan Patwardhan to oversee the entire scheme.

3. Nationwide Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched today: Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has launched ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’ across the country to accelerate water harvesting and conservation measures. The scheme is aimed at making water conservation and promotion of irrigation efficiency a mass movement through asset creation and communication campaigns. Over 250 officers, including Additional and Joint Secretaries, have been appointed as in-charge of water-stressed districts in the country to plan ways to conserve the natural resource. They have been appointed as Central Prabhari Officers of 255 water-stressed districts for coordinating the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. These teams will visit identified blocks & districts and coordinate theimplementation of various water harvesting and conservation measures.

4. Rajasthan CM inaugurates 5th & 6th Unit of Chabra Super Critical Thermal Power Station: Rajasthan Chief Minister ‘Ashok Gehlot’ has inaugurated 5th and 6th Unit of Chabra Super Critical Thermal Power Station in Baran district. In Chhabra, 4 Units are already producing power with a capacity of 250 MW each. These two new units are of capacity to produce 660 Megawatts power each and now the total capacity of this thermal power station has reached up to 2 thousand 320 MW. This is the state’s First project based on Super Critical Thermal Power Technology and the estimated cost of this project is 9 thousand 550 Crore Rupees. This Project will not only meet out the power demand of the state but also it will make the state independent in the power production sector.

5. Tamil yeoman declared Tamil Nadu's state butterfly: Tamil yeoman (Cirrochroa thais) butterfly has been declared the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu. These butterflies are also known as Tamil Maravan, which means warrior,  are found mainly in the hilly areas. Tamil Nadu is only the fifth state in the country to declare its state butterfly.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai, CM: Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

6. GST Day: 1 July: India will celebrate 1st July as the "Goods & Services Tax Day". This year, it is the second anniversary of the implementation of historic tax reform of Goods & Services Tax. The introduction of GST in the Indian economy has replaced a multi-layered, complex indirect tax structure with a simple, transparent and technology-driven tax regime.

Note: GST was launched on 1st July 2017 in New Delhi. Chairperson of GST Council: Union Finance Minister of India.

7. National Doctors' Day: 1 July: The National Doctors’ Day is celebrated every year on 1st July in India to honour the legendary physician and the 2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. This is a vital day for doctors as it provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their career and remind them about practising the art and science of Medicine and Surgery in an ethical manner. Dr Roy was honoured with the country's highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Money in Swiss banks: India ranked 74: According to the Swiss National Bank (SNB), India has moved down one place to 74th rank in terms of money parked by its citizens and enterprises with Swiss banks.  ii. U.K. has retained its top position. India was ranked 73rd last year, after jumping from its 88th rank a year ago.

2. India signs Rs 200 Crore deal with Russia for ‘Strum Ataka’ anti-tank missiles: India has signed a deal with Russia for acquiring the ‘Strum Ataka’anti-tank missiles. The deal has been signed under the emergency clause as a result of which the missile would be delivered within a time of 3 months of the signing of the contract.  The deal is worth around Rs 200 Crore. The deal would give an added capability to the Mi-35 attack choppers to take out enemy tanks and other armored elements.

3. Abu Dhabi to host first ISA's joint security exercise ‘ISALEX19’: Representatives of 50 law enforcement agencies of the International Security Alliance are taking part in the first joint security exercise ‘ISALEX19’ in Abu Dhabi. Joint Security Exercise will test the readiness of the different teams and to evaluate the tools, strategies and procedures developed jointly between member countries. The participants include representatives from tactical teams, rapid intervention units, communications, civil defence, and explosive ordnance disposal, teams.

Note: The International Security Alliance (launched in 2017) is an international working group to confront organised, transnational and extremist crimes in Abu Dhabi. Now, the alliance comprises nine countries, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, France, Italy, Spain, Senegal, Singapore, and the Slovak Republic.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Max Verstappen wins Austrian Grand Prix: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix for the second year in a row while champion Mercedes lost for the first time in this season.

2. Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2019 begins in London: The iconic tennis championships ‘Wimbledon 2019’ (133rd-edition) start in London. The grass court Major Wimbledon Tennis Championships is the third Grand Slam tournament of the year after the ‘Australian Open’ and the ‘French Open’. The Swiss great Roger Federer will be playing his 21st consecutiveWimbledon.

Note: The 2019 Wimbledon Championships is a Grand Slam tennis tournament which took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom.

Winners List: 2018 Wimbledon Championships

S. No.	Category	Winner-2018	Runner Up-
1.	Men's Singles	Novak Djokovic(Serbia)	Kevin Anderson (South Africa)
2.	Women's Singles	Angelique Kerber(Germany)	Serena Williams (USA)

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. No charges on NEFT, RTGS money transfers from 1 July: As per Second Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2019-20, the Reserve Bank of India will stop imposing additional charges on Fund transfer through RTGS and NEFTsystems from 1st July, 2019. This has been done to provide an impetus to digital funds movement.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das, Headquarters: Mumbai, Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata. The real time gross settlement (RTGS) system is meant for large value instantaneous fund transfers and the national electronic funds transfer (NEFT) system is used for fund transfers of up to Rs 2 lakh.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. ITBP DIG Aparna Kumar becomes the first civil servant to summit Mount Denali: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Aparna Kumar (IPS officer - 2002 batch-UP cadre) has become the first civil servant to scale Mount Denali (in the third attempt), the highest peak in North America. Currently, Ms Kumar posted as DIG, ITBP Northern Frontier at Dehradun. She also became the first woman IPS DIG and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer to successfully complete the South Pole expedition.

2. Achyutanand Sahu conferred with 'Narad Samman-2019’: Martyred Achyutanand Sahu (DD News cameraman) conferred with posthumously ‘Narad Samman-2019’. Late Sahu was martyred in Naxal attack in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh in October last year, in the line of duty. Even after having been shot, Achyutanand showed exemplary courage and set new standards in journalism. The 2019 Narad Samman was given in total nine categories.

Note: The award has been constituted in memory of the first-ever and the most eminent journalist-scholar of the universe, namely ‘Narad Maharishi’.

DEFENCE

1. K. Natarajan has sworn in as the 23rd chief of ICG: K. Natarajan took over as the Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He has become the 23rd chief of India’s coastal security force. He took over from Rajendra Singh.

2. Former Navy Chief Sushil Kumar authors Book ‘A Prime Minister to Remember’: A Book titled ‘A Prime Minister to Remember: Memories of a Military Chief’ has been released. The book has been written by Admiral Sushil Kumar. The book is about the huge impact that the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had on the Armed Forces of India. Former Navy Chief Sushil Kumar served with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (from 1998 to 2001) during challenging times of Kargil War, hijacking of IC 814 and Operation Parakram.