Daily GK Updates - 22nd March, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt Forms high level committee of medical experts for prevention & control of COVID-19: The Government of India has constituted a high level technical committee of Public Health Experts to provide guidance about the prevention and control activities for COVID-19 in the country. The 21 member committee will be headed by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and Director General Indian Council of Medical Research are the Co-Chair.

2. J&K Government to start doorstep ration distribution: Due to the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic, Government of J&K is considering to start doorstep ration distribution and other essential commodities to the consumers. This is in order to swipe away large gatherings at ration depots. Number of quarantine rooms with requisite facilities with the availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff must be enhanced in addition.

3. Uttarakhand abolishes quota in promotion for govt employees: Uttarakhand government abolished reservation in promotion in the state government jobs. The state government also issued orders regarding Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC). The move came after over 1.5 lakh General/OBC employees went on an indefinite strike from March 2 demanding the removal of quotas.

Note: Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat; Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

4. Tamil Nadu’s sanitary workers to be called ‘cleanliness workers’: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced in the Assembly that 64,583 sanitary personnel employed by urban and rural civic bodies in the State will from now on be called ”cleanliness workers” to honour their work. As many as 64,583 sanitary workers are employed with 15 corporations, 121 municipalities, 528 town panchayats and 12,525 village panchayats.

5. A book entitled ‘Messiah Modi: A Great tale of expectations’ released: A book entitled ‘Messiah Modi: A Great Tale of Expectations’ penned by senior journalist & author Tavleen Singh has been released. The book has been published by HarperCollins India. The book talks about helpless dissatisfaction with Narendra Modi the Prime Minister (PM), his cabinet, the story of his first term as a journey from lynchings to demonetization up to Article 370, the foremost controversial law CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) & the guarantees he made in his first term.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nepal Commits NPR 100 million to SAARC emergency fund to fight COVID-19 outbreak: Nepal has committed NPR 100 million to the SAARC emergency fund proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help combat the coronavirus pandemic in the region. The announcement in this regard was made by Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during his first address to the nation after undergoing a kidney transplant.

2. COVID-19 outbreak: BRICS New Development Bank approves nearly USD 1 bn loan to China: China is set to receive a loan worth RMB 7 billion (USD 989 million) from the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in order to combat the epidemiological threat and economic disruption caused by the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The loan is the largest ever awarded in the NDB’s history and is also the first emergency assistance given to one of BRICS’ member

3. Online Tawajudi service introduced in UAE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, United Arab Emirates introduced a new service on its website: "Tawajudi for residents". This will facilitate the safe return of UAE residents residing outside to the UAE. Residents who are currently abroad can register for this service through MoFAIC's website, thus facilitating communication with them in case of emergency.

4. US FDA approved first COVID-19 diagnostic test: The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a corona virus diagnostic test that can be conducted entirely at the point-of-care and can deliver results in 45 minutes. It will be rolled out by March 30, 2020. It is developed by California based company ‘Cephid’. Point-of-care testing means results are delivered in the patient care settings like hospitals, urgent care centres and emergency rooms, instead of samples being sent to a laboratory.

5. ADB announces $6.5 billion initial response to COVID-19 pandemic: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a 6.5 billion dollar initial package to address the immediate needs of its developing member countries (DMCs) as they respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The initial package includes about 3.6 billion dollars in sovereign operations for a range of responses to the health and economic consequences of the pandemic, and 1.6 billion dollars in non-sovereign operations for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, domestic and regional trade, and firms directly impacted.

6. World Water Day: 22 March: World Water Day is observed globally on 22nd March every year. It focuses on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The theme of World Water Day 2020 is “Water and Climate Change”.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IRDAI Constitutes Panel Under Pravin Kutumbe to Review Guidelines on Corporate Governance Systems of Insurers: The insurance regulator, Insurance Regulation and Development Authority (IRDAI), has set up a 16-member committee to find ways to improve its current guidelines on corporate governance systems of insurers, in a bid to further strengthen the guidelines. The committee will be Chaired by Shri Pravin Kutumbe, member-finance and investment at IRDAI. It will also consists of six other members from the insurance regulator, members from the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India along with other industry participants. The committee will submit the report to IRDAI in three months.

2. SBI launches COVID 19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL) facility for existing borrowers: State Bank of India has launched an emergency loan facility for its existing loan customers whose business has been hit due to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID 19). The loan facility has been named COVID 19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL). It has been launched to meet the temporary liquidity mismatch arising out of covid-19. The interest rate under this facility will be 7.25% per annum. Which accounts are eligible: All standard accounts as on March 16, 2020 and till the date of sanction are eligible. With CECL, SBI will facilitate funds up to Rs 200 crore which will be available till June 30, 2020.

Note: Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded : 1 July 1955.

3. SBI Funds Management adopts stewardship code as mandated by SEBI: SBI Funds Management, a joint venture between India’s largest bank SBI and European asset manager Amundi, has become the first fund house to implement the stewardship code in India from April 1,2020 Stewardship code which requires the fund house to monitor its investor companies and establish voting policies.  This is aimed at complying with markets regulator SEBI’s directive, which mandated all mutual funds and alternative investment funds in the country to adopt a stewardship code, which is applicable for investments in listed equities.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Satyarup Siddhanta, First Indian to Complete Seven Volcanic Summits enters ‘Limca Book of Records’: An Indian mountaineer, Satyarup Siddhanta has entered the coveted Limca Book of World Records for his extra-ordinary achievement of being the first Indian to climb the highest volcanoes of each of the 7 continents. The Bengaluru-based 37-years-old techie mountaineer holds a world record for being the youngest in the world to summit the highest mountains (7 Summits) of each continent. He climbed the highest volcano of Antarctica – Mt Sidley to complete his 7 summits and Volcanic 7 summits. His Seven volcanic summits are: Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) – Chile – South America, Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) – Tanzania – Africa, Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) – Russia – Europe, Mount Pico de Orizaba (5,636 m) – Mexico – North America, Mt Damavand (5,610 m) – Iran – Asia, Mt Giluwe (4,368 m) – Papua New Guinea – Australia and Mt Sidley (4,285 m) – Antarctica.

He has many firsts attached to his name including being the first Indian in the world to play the National anthem with flute at Antarctica. He already has his name in some of the prestigious record books such as Guinness Book of World Records, Asia book of Records, India Book of Records, Champions Book of Records, British Book of records etc.

OBITUARIES

1. Legendary country music singer Kenny Rogers passes away: Country music icon, Kenny Rogers, who dominated the country charts and pop music era of the 1970s and 1980s, died. He was 81. Rogers was a three-time Grammy winner, six-time Country Music Awards winner and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was well known for hits like ‘Lady’, ‘The Gambler,’ ‘Islands in the Stream’, ‘Lucille’, ‘She Believes In Me’, and ‘Through the Years’.

Daily GK Updates - 16th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. CBIC launches programme to strengthen Make in India: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has launched a revamped and streamlined programme to attract investments into India and strengthen Make in India through manufacture and other operations under the bond scheme, of Customs Act, 1962. The Section enables conduct of manufacture and other operations in a customs bonded warehouse. The scheme has been modernized with clear and transparent procedures, simplified compliance requirements ICT-based documentation and account keeping, by the issue of Manufacture and Other Operations in Warehouse Regulations 2019.

2. Govt launches Food Safety Mitra Scheme: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan launched Food Safety Mitra Scheme, Eat Right Jacket and Eat Right Jhola. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has introduced the scheme of Food Safety Mitra (FSM) through which it plans to engage motivated individuals with the food safety ecosystem at ground level. A Food Safety Mitra Scheme is an individual professional certified by FSSAI who assists in compliances related to FSS Act, Rules & Regulations with three avatars- Digital Mitra, Trainer Mitra and Hygiene Mitra depending upon their respective roles and responsibilities. During the event, the Minister also launched Eat Right Jhola which is a reusable, washable and bio-degradable bag. Eat Right Smart Jacket has been introduced to giving an identity to FSSAI staff to ensure transparent inspection. It’s embedded with an RFID tag and QR code.

3. Indian Railways to become net zero carbon emitter by 2030: Indian Railways (IR) has announced that it will become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030. The move will be a part of India’s strategy to combat climate change. The announcement was made by railways and commerce minister Piyush Goyal at the India Energy Forum by CERAWEEK in New Delhi. India is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China, and is among countries most vulnerable to climate change.

4. 41st DRDO Directors Conference in New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 41st DRDO Directors Conference in New Delhi. Chiefs of the three forces & DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy were also present on the occasion. The discussion included efforts taken by DRDO to ensure technological advancement of the Indian forces to safeguard the country. It was suggested that DRDO can play a significant role in becoming a catalyst in the absorption of technology.

Note: DRDO was formed in 1958; It is headquartered in New Delhi.

5. Govt. to set up 14 World Skills India Training Centres across 9 cities: According to Mahendra Nath Pandey (Union Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister), Govt. is planning to set up 14 Authorized World Skills India Training Centres across 9 cities in the country for media and entertainment sector. The new institutes will be set up for advanced skill training of candidates in the media and entertainment sector and to further develop skilling eco-system for training candidates for the international market. Nine Cities are Chennai, Trivandrum, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Indore, Pune, Mumbai, Shillong and Hyderabad. The centres will offer (9 to 36 months duration) certification courses on 3D digital game, graphic design technology, and print media technology.

6. J&K govt to set up 50 PCOs in each district of Kashmir division: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government will set-up 50 Public Call Offices (PCOs) in each district of Kashmir Division soon in order to provide free of cost calling facilities to the general public. According to Baseer Ahmad Khan (Divisional Commissioner Kashmir), locations and other modalities have been finalized. General Public will avail calling facilities in these PCOs free of cost.

7. J.P.S. Chawla takes over as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA):  Government of India has appointed Shri J. P. S. Chawla (Indian Civil Accounts Service Officer-1985 batch) as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure. He will replace Girraj Prasad Gupta. Shri J. P. S. Chawla has been officiating as CGA with effect from 1st September 2019. Earlier, Mr. Chawla served as Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) where he was instrumental in the finalisation of the accounting procedure and operationalisation of GST Network (GSTN) before the national rollout of GST.

Note: CGA works under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India; Controller General of Accounts headquarters: New Delhi.

8. Anoop Kumar Mendiratta appointed as new Law Secretary: Anoop Kumar Mendiratta has been appointed as the new Law Secretary (Secretary, Legal Affairs) in the Union Law Ministry. He is presently the District and Sessions Judge, North-East District, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi. He will serve in the position till 30 March 2023, or until he attains the age of 60.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UP Culture Dept to organise training & performance programme of KHON Ramlila: The Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh government is going to organise the country’s first training and performance programme of world-famous KHON Ramlila, a masked form of Ramlila art of Thailand in collaboration with the Thai government. KHON Ramlila of Thailand is included in the list of UNESCO’s Intangible cultural heritage and it’s a form of masked dance depicting the scenes of Ramlila. It has no dialogues and background voices narrate the whole story of Ramayana. KHON Ramlila’s performance is also a visual delight famous for its beautiful attire and golden masks.

Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok; Currency: Baht.

2. India ranked 102 in Global Hunger Index 2019: The 2019 Global Hunger Index (GHI) indicates that the level of hunger and undernutrition worldwide falls into the serious category. India ranks 102nd out of 117 qualifying countries, with a score of 30.3, on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2019 report released by Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). India is ranked below many neighbouring countries, including China (25th spot), Nepal (73th), Myanmar (69th), Sri Lanka (66th), Bangladesh (88th) and Pakistan (94th). Seventeen countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, Cuba and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI scores less than 5. There were only four countries in the alarming hunger category are Madagascar, Chad, Yemen and the Central African Republic in the extremely alarming hunger category. The report warned that climate change was causing alarming levels of hunger and making it more difficult to feed people in the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Note: The Global Hunger Index is a peer-reviewed annual report, jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels. The aim of the GHI is to trigger action to reduce hunger around the world.

3. Kishan Dan Dewal concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to Georgia: Kishan Dan Dewal (IFS officer of 2003 batch), has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to Georgia. He will replace Yogeshwar Sangwan. Dewal is presently serving as Ambassador of India to the Republic of Armenia.

Note: President of Georgia: Salome Zurabishvili; Prime Minister: Giorgi Gakharia; Capital: Tbilisi; Currency: Georgian lari.

4. World Food Day: 16 October: World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. The theme of World Food Day 2019 is “Our Actions Are Our Future. Healthy Diets for A #ZeroHunger World". This day generates awareness globally for those who suffer from hunger and to ensure the need for food security and nutritious diets for all. The main focus of this day is that food is a basic and fundamental human right.

Note: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that works towards defeating hunger via international efforts. The objective of ‘FAO’ to achieve food security for all and to make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active healthy lives. It has 194 member states and it works in over 130 countries in the whole world. FAO headquarters: Rome, Italy.

5. Abhijit Banerjee & Esther Duflo’s new book to release in November: Nobel 2019 Laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo have penned a book together titled 'Good Economics for Hard Times – Better Answers to our Biggest Problems'. The book talks about the pressing issues of our times and tries to find solutions to these questions. The book is published by Juggernaut and set to release on November 2019.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sourav Ganguly set to be new BCCI President: Former Indian cricket Captain Saurabh Ganguly (47-years) unanimously nominated as the new President of the Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Jay Shah (son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah) has been unanimously selected as Secretary and Arun Dhumal (younger brother of MoS Finance Anurag Thakur) as Treasurer. All these candidates are expected to be elected unopposed at the Board's Annual General Meeting to be held on 23rd October 2019. Currently, CK Khanna is the acting president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Saurabh Ganguly (President, Cricket Association of Bengal) was the chairman of the BCCI technical committee and has been a media personality for many years.

Note: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Headquarter: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

2. Zimbabwe, Nepal readmitted as ICC members: The International Cricket Council has readmitted Zimbabwe (suspended from July 2019) and Nepal (from 2016) as ICC members in a meeting held in Dubai. Zimbabwe Cricket had been suspended from membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC) with immediate effect in July this year. In 2016, Nepal had been banned for “governmental interference”. Now, Zimbabwe will be able to take up their place in the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup in January and the ICC Super League later in 2020.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IMF cuts World and India growth rates: The World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings kicked off on a somber note, with the IMF downgrading global growth in 2019 to 3%, the slowest since the global financial crisis. India’s growth projections have also been downgraded to 6.1% and 7.0% in 2019 and 2020 respectively, down by 1.2 percentage points and 0.5 percentage points relative to April projections, owing to weaker than expected domestic demand. India’s growth rate in the April-June quarter had hit 5%, the lowest in six years, as per government data. Consumption, investment and exports were down. The IMF projected the U.S. would grow at 2.4% and 2.1% in 2019 and 2020 respectively. For China, growth was projected to grow at 6.1% and 5.8% in 2019 and 2020.

Note: MD of IMF: Kristalina Georgieva, Headquarters: Washington DC, USA.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. India wins four 2019 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2019 has been announced at a ceremony in Penang, Malaysia. Indian bagged four awards in three categories. Renewal of Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Arts in Hong Kong received the Award of Excellence, which is the highest award among all categories.

A complete list of winners:

Sr. No.	Award of Distinction	New Design in Heritage Contexts	Honourable Mention	Award of Merit
1	Vikram Sarabhai Library, IIM (Ahmedabad) India	Dry Pit Latrine in Jiaxian Ancient Jujube Garden (Shaanxi) China	Flora Fountain (Mumbai) India	Our Lady of Glory Church (Mumbai) India
2	Keyuan Garden (Suzhou) China	Joan Sutherland Theatre Passageway and Lift (Sydney Opera House) Australia	Westpac Long Gallery (Sydney) Australia	Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue (Mumbai) India
3	Nelson School of Music, (Nelson) New Zealand	The Mills (Hong Kong SAR) China	The 5s Classroom (Kew) Australia	Tseto Goenpa (Paro) Bhutan
4			Liddell Bros. Packing Plant (Wuhan) China	Guyue Bridge (Zhejiang) China
5				Lyttelton Timeball Station (Christchurch) New Zealand

Note: UNESCO President: Audrey Azoulay; Founded: 16 November 1945; Headquarters: Paris, France.

2. HCL’s Shiv Nadar tops EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019: Shiv Nadar (HCL founder and chairman) has achieved the top rank in the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019. Mr Nadar made the highest contribution of Rs 826 crore (between April 2018 and March 2019) towards philanthropic causes. Azim Premji (Wipro) has been ranked second with total donations worth Rs 453 crore during the qualifying period. Mukesh Ambani (Chairman, Reliance Industries) came third with a total contribution of Rs 402 crore.

Note: The list has been compiled by the EdelGive Foundation and Hurun Research Institute. It ranks individuals from India who donated Rs 5 crore and above between April 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019, towards philanthropic contributions.

Daily GK Updates - 12th May, 2019

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Nurses Day: 12 May: All around the world, 12 May is the day to celebrate the irreplaceable contribution nursing makes to the world’s health and wellbeing and to commemorate the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965. ICN is leading the celebrations with online International Nurses Day (IND) resources and information, which this year has, the theme ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead, Health for All.’

2. K S Radhakrishnan appointed as a member of the CSAT: K S Radhakrishnan, former Supreme Court Judge, has been appointed as a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, London. He will render his services as a member of the Tribunal for a period of four years from 1st of June, 2019 to 31st of May, 2023. Justice (Retd.) K S Radhakrishnan served as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir High Courts before his term in Supreme Court from 2009-2014.

3. UN to hold 2020 Ocean Conference in Lisbon: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to hold its 2020 high-level conference early June in Portugal's Lisbon to support the sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. The conference will Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in Lisbon, from June 2 to 6, 2020, according to a resolution adopted by the 80th plenary meeting of the UNGA 73rd session.

4. Mohammad Bande appointed as President of UNGA: Tijjani Mohammad Bande, a professor and former vice chancellor of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, has been appointed as the new President of the United Nations General Assembly. His appointment was announced by María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, outgoing president of UNGA at a press conference in Abuja. Bande becomes the second Nigerian to be appointed President of UNGA after Mr. Joseph Nanven Garba who held the position between 1989 and 1990.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Tushar Mane leads India’s medal sweep: Youth Olympics silver medalist Shahu Tushar Mane led a clean sweep of the junior men’s air rifle medals for India in the international shooting competition. After qualifying with a modest score of 623.2, Tushar won the gold with an impressive total of 251.4. Rudrankksh Patil who lost the gold by 2.8 points, pipped the World junior champion Hriday Hazarika by 0.6 point for the silver. In the 25-metre sports pistol, Annu Raj Singh won the women’s bronze, while Abhidnya Patil won the junior women’s silver, after having qualified on top with 576.

2. Two new women’s awards announced by FIFA: Two new awards would be added to FIFA’s Best Football Awards in the women’s category. The two new additions are women’s goalkeeper and a female team of the year. The announcement on Monday ensures men and women will be in line for accolades in the same categories at the FIFA Best ceremony in Milan on Sept. 23.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Airtel to merge broadband satellite business with Hughes India unit: Bharti Airtel has decided to merge its broadband satellite, or VSAT, business with that of market leader Hughes Communications India, to create a stronger no. 1 in the space. The merger will help in a bid to increase scale, improve operational efficiencies and target new customers in areas such as in-flight connectivity. Hughes Communications will own 67 percent share of the new entity while Bharti Airtel will own the rest.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. IPS officer who oversaw Nirbhaya rape case receives McCain Institute Award: IPS officer Chhaya Sharma, who led the investigation team of the infamous Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, has been awarded the 2019 McCain Institute Award for Courage and Leadership on Friday. “A resolute guardian of human rights, Chhaya has led teams in detection and investigation of sensitive criminal cases and protection of human rights during her career spanning over 19 years. Sharma’s policing has consistently reflected victim-centric approach through her numerous investigations of serious crimes, particularly against women and children,” said McCain Institute in a statement.

Daily GK Updates - 25th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rs 100 coin in memory of Vajpayee launched : A commemorative coin worth Rs 100 in honour of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was launched on 24 December 2018.The coin features the Emblem of India on the front side. The reverse side of the coin features a portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The years 1924 and 2018 are inscribed below Vajpayee’s portrait to mark the year of his birth and death respectively.

2.MSAMB appoints officers to facilitate trade : Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to appoint out-of-state trade representatives. The Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) appointed six trade representatives to  promote trade in semi-perishable commodities. They will also collect relevant market information. They have been posted in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

3. Book on Maharaja Jagatjit Singh launched :  Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh released a book on former ruler Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala on 24 December 2018. The title of the book is ‘Prince, Patron, and Patriarch – Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala’. It is co-authored by Brigadier (Retd) Sukhjit Singh and Cynthia Meera Frederick.

4. Good Governance Day-25 December : Good Governance Day is observed annually on 25th December, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Good Governance Day was established by the government of India in 2014.The aim of the day is to make people aware of the government’s commitment to providing a transparent and accountable administration in the country.

5. Longest rail-cum-road bridge inaugurated : India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge – Bogibeel Bridge was inaugurated in Assam on 25 December 2018. The Bridge is situated 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh city in Assam. It crosses the Brahmaputra river and will connect Assam’s Dibrugarh town with Dhemaji. The bridge will also facilitate faster movement of army troops and supplies to Arunachal Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Hamilton awarded Drivers’ Driver of the Year : On 22 December 2018, Lewis Hamilton won the ‘Drivers’ Driver of the Year’ award.For the first time, voting was done to determine the winner of the award. He won the award after he claimed the 5th World Drivers’ Championship. Lewis Hamilton is the third man in history to secure the 5th world title. Max Verstappen was placed in the 2nd position and Fernando Alonso got the 3rd place.

2. Belgium tops FIFA rankings : Belgium ended the year at the top of the FIFA rankings for December released on 20 December 2018.They are one point ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions France. Belgium has 1,727 points by FIFA’s calculations and France has 1,726 points. France was ranked second. France is followed by Brazil, Croatia, and England.

3. Turkmenistan launches first messaging app : Turkmenistan launched its first messaging app on 24 December 2018. The name of the messaging app is ‘BizBarde’.The app will allow the exchange of messages, files, photos, and videos. The application is available via the Google Android platform as well as Apple’s iOS and Microsoft Windows.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.Bharathi appointed as head of Corporation Bank : P V Bharathi has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation Bank on 24 December 2018.She is at present Executive Director of Canara Bank. She will take over the charge on or after 1 February 2019 and remain in the post till March 31, 2020 – the date of her superannuation.

2. PNB launches special card for Kumbh Mela : Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a special card for Kumbh Mela 2019.The bank has partnered with the Uttar Pradesh government to create a model for digitization at Kumbh Mela 2019.For convenient and hassle-free transactions at these shops, the bank has created the ‘PNB Rupay’ card which works even without the internet.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.SpaceX launches new GPS satellite : SpaceX successfully launched the US Air Force’s first Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite, nicknamed ‘Vespucci’, on 23 December 2018. The new GPS satellites, built by Lockheed Martin, will provide three-times better accuracy than the current system of GPS and will be eight times better at anti-jamming. The GPS is owned by the U.S. military and operated by the U.S. Air Force. 

2.‘Super-Earth’ in ‘Cassiopeia’ discovered : Researchers have discovered a new exotic planet outside the solar system in the constellation ‘Cassiopeia’. The planet has been named ‘HD219134 b’. It is located 21 light years away from earth. It has a mass of almost five times that of Earth, which is considered a so-called ‘super-Earth’.It is rich in calcium and aluminum alongside magnesium and silicon.

Daily GK Updates - 1st December. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  World AIDS day being observed today : World Aids Day is being celebrated every year on 1^st December (since 1988) to raise public awareness about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).The theme of 2018 Aids Day is ‘Know your status’.It is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).As per the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) till 2017, AIDS has killed between 28.9 million and 41.5 million people worldwide.

2. Nagaland celebrates 55th formation Day : Nagaland state is celebrating its 55th formation day.On 1st December 1963, Nagaland became the 16th state of India. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated 19th 'Hornbill Festival' in Nagaland.The key economic activity of the state is Agriculture and the main crops include – rice, corn, millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc.The state shares its borders with the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh to the North, Manipur to the South and Burma to the east.

3.  Border Security Force celebrating its 54th Raising Day : The Border Security Force is celebrating its 54th formation day on 1st December 2018.India's Border Security Force (First Line of Defence of Indian Territories) was formed in 1^st December 1965, after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars.With 186 battalions and over 2.57 lakhs military personnel, the BSF is the largest border security unit in the world.Senior IPS officers Rajni Kant Misra (1984-batch IPS officer-Uttar Pradesh cadre) is the present Director General of BSF.

4. Armed Forces Week being celebrated from 1 to 7 Dec : Defence Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the Armed Forces Week from 1st– 7th December 2018.The objective is to encourage citizens to make financial contributions to the families of war heroes and to pay respects to the brave sons and daughters of our nation.The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed annually in India on 7^thDecember since 1949.

5. Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates the 13th edition of CII Agro Tech India - 2018 : The President Shri Ram NathKovind has inaugurated the 13^th edition of CII Agro Tech India-2018 in Chandigarh.A total of 195 exhibitors (including 37 foreign exhibitors from 8 countries) will participate in the expo. The expo is one of the biggest confluences of stakeholders from agriculture and allied sectors. The UK is a partner country at the CII Agrotech this year

6. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates the second edition of Khasdar Mahotsav in Nagpur : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated the second edition of Khasdar Mahotsav at the Ishwar Deshmukh College of Physical Education in Nagpur.According to Mr Gadkari, It is an attempt to provide our next generation with better infrastructure like roads, homes, education, skill development and make them aware of our rich cultural heritage.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to Chair Kimberley Process from 1st January 2019 : The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) Plenary 2018 was held in Brussels, Belgium.EU handed over the Chairmanship of KPCS to India from1st January 2019. The 4-day Plenary also witnessed discussion on environmental challenges in diamond mining and industry responsibility. During the Plenary session, India held bilateral meetings with Botswana, USA, Russian Federation & World Diamond Council to discuss on various issues related to KPCS and its working group

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.India's economy grows at 7.1% for 2nd part of 2018-19 : According to data released by the Central Statistics Office, India's economy grew at 7.1% for the second quarter of 2018-19.The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant prices had grown at 6.35 in the July-September quarter of the last fiscal.The CSO estimates state that GDP at constant prices was 33.98 lakh crore rupees for the second quarter this fiscal, which is a marked increase from 31.72 lakh crore rupees for the same period in 2017-18

SPORTS:

1. Abhinav Bindra conferred with shooting’s highest honour by ISSF : India’s lone individual Olympic gold medallist, shooter Abhinav Bindra(36-year) has been conferred the sport’s highest honour for his outstanding services as the chairman of the International Shooting Sports Federation’s Athletes Committee.He was a member of the ISSF Athletes Committee (from 2010 to 2014) and chairman (2014 to 2018).He has been bestowed with the Blue Cross (the ISSF’s highest award).Bindra succeeded in the post by the Kimberly Rhode (legendary American shooter).

2. Wrestling Federation of India rolls out contracts system for wrestlers : According to WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rolled out its revolutionary contracts system for the grapplers.The wrestlers have been placed in four Grades. The contracts will be reviewed after one year.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sangai Festival 2018 : Sangai Festival 2018 aka Manipur Sangai Festival 2018 has begun in Manipur by Manipur Tourism.The festival has been named after the Brow-Antlered Sangai Deer which is known to be gentle.

2. 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak : PM Modi constituted National Implementation Committee (NIC) to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.Head of the committee :- Rajnath Singh, Home Minister.

3. Sashakt Mahila Yojna : Himachal Pradesh Govt. has accorded its approval to implement Sashakt Mahila Yojna in the state.The aim is to empower rural women by providing them an interface for organisation and socio-economic development.

4. Sayaji Ratna Award : Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured with Sayaji Ratna Award for contribution to social causes.Baroda Management Association has instituted a national level Sayaji Ratna Award in 2013 to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the erstwhile ruler of Baroda. BMA is an institution founded in 1957 in Vadodara and is an organization member of All India Management Association.

5. ‘Export Excellence’ Tag to Bhadohid : Carpet city Bhadohi will get ‘Export Excellence’ Tag Under the ‘Towns of Export Excellence’ by Directorate General of Foreign Trade.Bhadohi is a city in Bhadohi district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as the “Carpet City,” as it is home to the largest hand-knotted carpet weaving industry hub in South Asia. The city is 45 km west of Varanasi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  World Malaria Report : World Malaria Report has been published by World Health Organisation.India has recorded nearly 24% decline in Malaria Cases in between 2016 and 2017.India is committed to eliminate malaria by 2027, three years ahead of SDG.2. 12th World Congress on Mountain Medicine The 12th World Congress on Mountain Medicine has started in Kathmandu, Nepal. Theme :- ‘Mountain Medicine in the Heart of the Himalayas’.

3. William Goldman passes away : William Goldman has passed away at 87.William Goldman was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist, before turning to screenwriting. He won two Academy Awards for his screenplays, first for the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and again for All the President’s Men.

4. UN environment chief has resigned : UN environment chief Erik Solheim has resigned after an audit report found that he had spent excess travel.Joyce Msuya (Deputy ED of UNEP) will be appointed as acting Executive DirectorThe United Nations Environment Programme, an agency of the United Nations, coordinates the organization’s environmental activities and assists developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India Skills Report 2019 : India Skills Report is compiled by Wheebox (Global Talent Assessment Firm), PeopleStrong (HR Tech Company) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).Employability has increased from 37% to 47.38% in 5 years.

2. Neighbourly App by Google : Google has launched Neighbourly App for the Indian market. It will give hyper local information on neighbourhoods like from information on plumber availability to tuition teachers’ availability.

3. Paytm with LIC : Paytm has partnered with LIC to offer online insurance premium payments on its platform.Life Insurance Corporation of India is an Indian state-owned insurance group and investment company headquartered in Mumbai. It is the largest insurance company in India with an estimated asset value of ₹2,529,390 crore.

4. Expedia Vacation Deprivation Report 2018 : India is ranked 5th in the list of most vacation deprived nation in the world.Expedia Vacation Deprivation Report 2018 is compiled by Expedia(US based travel agency).Expedia.com is a travel booking website owned by Expedia Group. The website can be used to book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruises and vacation packages. Expedia is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

SPORTS:

1. Elite Adidas Athletes : Adidas has announced its association with India men’s hockey team skipper Manpreet Singh.The elite list of athletes that includes Hima Das, Swapna Burman, Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Dipika Pallikal, Zeel Desai, Nikhat Zareen, Siddhanth Banthia, and Manjot Kalra to name a few.

2. BWF World Junior Championship 2018 : Shuttler Lakshya Sen won the bronze medal in Men’s Single event.LI NING BWF World Junior Championship was organized at Markham, Canada

3. ICC with Google : ICC has partnered with Google to offer the user a viewing experience of the upcoming semi-finals and final of the ICC Women’s World T20.This will include the Casting the Video from ICC Mobile App.