Daily GK Updates - 30th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to held in Varanasi : The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in the holy city of Varanasi from January 21 to 23, 2019.The theme of the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is “Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India”.The Ministry of External Affairs will also organize four Know India Programmes and online “Bharat Ko Jaaniye Quiz”.

2. Ayushman Bharat Diwas on 30th April : As part of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Ayushman Bharat Diwas is being celebrated across the country on 30th April.During the event, information regarding Ayushman Bharat Scheme is being provided to people during health camps organised in rural areas.The Ayushman Bharat programme seeks to provide easily available and affordable medical facilities in the remote parts of the country.

3.  Dadasaheb Phalke’s birthday : Google dedicated a Doodle to ‘Father of Indian Cinema’ Dadasaheb Phalke on his 148th birth anniversary.Phalke made his directorial debut in 1913 with “Raja Harishchandra”, India’s first full-length feature.In 1969, the Government paid homage to this visionary filmmaker by dedicating an award in his name, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which recognises lifetime contributions to Indian cinema.

4. Kavinder Gupta is new deputy CM of J&K : Former Jammu and Kashmir speaker Kavinder Gupta took oath as a minister in the Mehbooba Mufti government.Gupta took oath as the deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, replacing BJP’s Nirmal Singh, who will now become the assembly speaker.Kavinder Gupta is a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Gandhinagar constituency in Jammu district.

5. Odisha launched Odisha Skills : Odisha government has inaugurated ‘Odisha Skills 2018’, the state-level chapter of India Skill competition organised by National Skill Development Corporation.The competition would give a platform to the students of Odisha to show their talents.A skill-cum-common facility centre for filigree craftsman of the city was also inaugurated.

6. Gujarat to launch water conservation project : The Gujarat Government will start a month-long initiative from May 1 to increase its water conservation capacity.Tasks like deepening ponds, desilting water reservoirs and check dams & repairing Narmada canal networks will be undertaken during the 31-day statewide “Sujalam Sufalam Water Conservation Initiative”.The government aims to increase rain water conservation capacity in the state.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Pakistan to take part in war games : In a first, India and Pakistan will be part of a multi-nation counter-terror exercise in Russia in September.The military exercise will take place under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.The military drill would be held in the Ural mountains of Russia, and almost all SCO member countries will be part of it.

2. World’s oldest spider discovered in Australia : Scientists have discovered what may be the world’s oldest recorded spider – a 43-year-old arachnid in Australia.The Giaus Villosus trapdoor matriarch, had outlived the previous world record holder, a 28-year old tarantula found in Mexico.The spider has recently died during a long-term population study.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. HDFC Bank launched humanoid IRA 2.0 : HDFC Bank has announced the launch of IRA 2.0, its interactive humanoid in Bengaluru.IRA will interact with customers, answer bank-related queries, frequently asked questions, and guide them inside the branch with voice-based navigation.HDFC Bank also launched its virtual assistant ‘EVA’ on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.The first version of IRA is currently stationed in Kochi.

2. PHDCCI, Indian Yoga Association sign MoU : The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the Indian Yoga Association (IYA) signed a MoUThe MoU will facilitate interaction and cooperation between the two organisations to promote wellness, spiritual and cultural tourism in the Krishna Circuit.Places associated with Lord Krishna constitute the Krishna Circuit in Uttar Pradesh.

SPORTS:

1. Pankaj Roy, Gaekwad to get Lifetime Award : Former India batsman and two-time national coach Anshuman Gaekwad and former opener, late Pankaj Roy, have been recommended for the prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).The cash prize for the award is ₹25 lakh each.The BCCI Annual Awards will be held before the historic Test between India and Afghanistan in Bengaluru.

2. Prajnesh won maiden singles title : Prajnesh Gunneswaran has clinched his first ever singles tennis title on the ATP Challenger circuit.The 28-year-old from Chennai, ranked 260, pocketed $21,600 and earned 125 points.It was second final at the Challenger level for left-handed Prajnesh, who had lost the Pune summit clash to Sadio Doumbia in October 2016.

3. N Sikki Reddy recommended for Arjuna Award : Women’s doubles shuttler N Sikki Reddy has been recommended for Arjuna Award by the Badminton Association of India.G Sudhakar Reddy, who coached Kidambi Srikanth in his early days, has been recommended for Dronacharya Award.The 24-year-old Sikki had won the mixed team gold medal and the women’s doubles bronze at the recent Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast.

Daily GK Updates - 19th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Petrol pumps to be closed on Sundays: Beginning 14 May, petrol pumps in eight states will be closed on Sundays.Nearly 20,000 outlets in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Haryana would be shut for 24 hours on Sundays, starting 14 May.The decision was made in view of the Prime Minister’s call during his recent “mann ki baat” programme to conserve oil to save the environment

2. Sri Lanka to offer India port development: Sri Lanka is now set to allow India to jointly develop the Trincomalee port in northeastern part of the country.Sri Lanka has readied an MoU for joint development of the project and that it’s likely to be signed during PM Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Colombo.Sri Lanka, however, has backed China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative about which India has serious reservations.

3. WB Govt brings Social Security Yojana:West Bengal Government has introduced the Social Security Yojana by converging five separate beneficiary schemes for workers in the unorganised sectors and for self-employed people.Around 5 crore people will benefit from the Yojana, with around 1 crore getting direct benefits.The State Government has started another scheme – State Nutrition Mission.

4.New Film Institute in Itanagar: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu announced that a Film Institute will be set up in Itanagar.Mr Naidu said that the institute will start functioning from a temporary campus with an introduction of 10 week short term course from 15th of May this year.An investment of 200 crore rupees will be made for the institute for the students of North East region.

5. UP airport to be named after Gorakhnath: UP state cabinet has decided to name an upcoming airport terminal at Gorakhpur Air Force station after Mahayogi Gorakhnath.Mahayogi Gorakhnath is known as the founder of the Nath monastic movement.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math.He is also a five-time MP from Gorakhpur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.China Names places in Arunachal Pradesh: China has announced its own names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh.China claims the state as ‘South Tibet’, while India says Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and is inseparable from the country.The names announced by China are Wo’gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoid ngarbo Ri, Mainquka, B mo La and Namkapub Ri.

2. UK parliament votes on snap election: Britain’s parliament is to vote on holding a snap election in June.Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking to make strong gains against the opposition ahead of gruelling Brexit negotiations.An early election would therefore be the fourth big vote in four years after the general election of 2015.

3.UN to issue stamps for Yoga Day: United Nations will issue special stamps commemorating the International Yoga Day on June 21 this year.UN Postal Administration will issue the new special event sheet to commemorate Yoga Day that has been marked annually since 2015.The special sheet consists of stamps with images of the sacred Indian sound “Om” and various yogic postures.

4. India, Russia to hold combat exercise: In the first such tri-Service wargames, India will hold a major combat exercise with Russia this year.The Indra exercise, to be held in Russia, will include assets and manpower from the Army, Navy and IAF.

This is the first time India will deploy the three services together for an exercise with a country.Moscow Conference on International Security will be held on April 25-26.

5.World Liver Day being observed today:The World Liver day is observed on the 19th April every year to spread awareness about the second largest organ ‘liver’ in the body.This year, the theme of World Liver Day 2018 is 'Riding New Waves in Liver Diagnosis, Staging & Treatment'.Liver diseases can be caused by hepatitis A, B, C, alcohol, and drugs.According to WHO (World Health Organization), liver diseases are the 10th most common cause of death in India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Goldman Sachs for Flipkart merger talks: Bengaluru-based ecommerce marketplace Flipkart has appointed Goldman Sachs as an advisor for the “proposed acquisition” of rival Snapdeal.Last week, Flipkart had announced its acquisition of eBay.in as part of a $1.4 billion fundraising round.Snapdeal has raised about $1.65 billion from about two dozen investors, including SoftBank and SoftBank-backed Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.

Daily GK Updates - 26th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Shashi Shanker appointed CMD of ONGC: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed Shashi Shanker as Chairman and Managing Director of ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), till 31st March 2021.

2. The Ship 'TARASA' commissioned into Indian Navy: The Ship 'TARASA' has been commissioned into the Indian Navy at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. INS Tarasa (T94) is a patrol vessel of the Car Nicobar-class of Indian Navy and the last ship in the series of four Water Jet Fast Attack Craft.

3.  Rajnath Singh launches PENCIL Portal: The Union Home Minister Mr Rajnath Singh has launched a web portal called 'PENCIL' (Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour) for effective implementation of National Child Labour Project (NCLP). PENCIL portal has five components (Child Tracking System, Complaint Corner, State Government, National Child Labour Project, and Convergence) and developed by the Labour Ministry.It was felt that an online portal which connects the Centre to the state government, district and to all project societies would provide a mechanism for implementation.

4. Odisha Govt. launches ‘Sampurna Yojana’: Odisha state Govt. has launched ‘Sampurna Yojna’ scheme for pregnant women, in Odisha. Under this Sishu Abond Matru Mrityuhara Purna Nirakaran Abhijan(Sampurna) scheme, Rs 1,000 will be provided as transportation cost particularly to expectant mothers to facilitate institutional delivery in remote and inaccessible areas in the state.

5. ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission completes 3 Years in orbit: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) stated that its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) which has completed three years in its Martian orbit is in good health and continues to work as expected. On the occasion of completion of three years in its Martian orbit released MOM second-year science data from September 24, 2014, to September 23, 2016.

6. Banaj Devi to receive Sarala award: Noted Odia poet and short story writer Banaj Devi will be honoured with the 38th edition of the prestigious Sarala award. She will be honoured for her short story compilation ‘Kathapua’. The annual Sarala Puraskar, recognised as one of the foremost literary awards of the State, comprises a cash award of ₹5 lakh along with a citation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India raises market access, barriers issue with Indonesia: India has raised the issue of market access and regulatory barriers that its companies are facing in Indonesia in sectors like pharma, dairy, and bovine meat. The issues were discussed during a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and his Indonesian counterpart Enggartiasto Lukita in New Delhi.

2. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis arrives in New Delhi on a two-day visit: Today, the US Defence Secretary ‘Jim Mattis’ arrived in New Delhi on a two-day visit to India.He will discuss the joint efforts to advance common goals through a broader strategic exchange of views.Mattis is the first Cabinet Minister of the Trump Administration to visit India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI launches chatbot to help customers in banking activities: lives on multiple customer interaction platforms in partnership with Payjo. Artificial intelligence banking platform ‘Payjo’ has launched an AI-powered chat assistant for State Bank of India (SBI) to addresses customer enquiries. The chat assistant, ‘SBI Intelligent Assistant (SIA)’ will help customers with everyday banking tasks just like a bank representative.

2. SBI lowers min balance: SBI has lowered the minimum average monthly balance, requirement in a savings account to Rs. 3,000 from Rs. 5,000 and also revised downwards penalties for non-adherence.

Bank has decided to treat metro & urban centres in the same category.

Bank has also decided to exempt pensioners, beneficiaries of social benefits from govt & minors from the requirement of minimum balance in savings account

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

3. Two Indians on list of most powerful women in International Business: Two Indian women have featured on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women in business outside the US.Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Bank Chanda Kocchar was ranked 5th and MD and CEO of Axis Bank Shikha Sharma was ranked at 21.

4. Niranjan Hiranandani elected as the President of NAREDCO: National Real Estate Development Council, a leading industry body of real estate sector, is under the aegis of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Niranjan Hiranandani has been elected as the new president of realtors body NAREDCO.

SPORTS:

5. Lakshmanan wins 5,000m gold in Athletics Nationals: Reigning Asian champion Govindan Lakshmanan of Services cruised to victory in the men’s 5000-metre race on the opening day of the 57th National Open Athletics Championships at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai.Lakshmanan has recently won gold in the 3,000m event at the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Daily GK Updates - 25th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Narendra Modi launches 'Saubhagya' scheme for electrification: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the ‘Saubhagya’ scheme in New Delhi, to mark the birth anniversary of ‘Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’. The scheme ‘Saubhagya’ will provide subsidy on equipment like transformers, meters, and wires and expected to cover all rural families after expected electrification of all villages by the end of 2017. Prime Minister also inaugurated ONGC’s new corporate office that was renamed Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Urja Bhawan, from Rajiv Gandhi Urja Bhawan.

2. Bibek Debroy to head Modi’s Advisory Council: NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy will head the Economic Advisory Council constituted by PM Modi. The council will analyse any issue  economic or otherwise referred to it by the Prime Minister and will advise him on it. The council has 3 part-time members – Surjit Bhalla, Rathin Roy, Ashima Goyal.

3. Bharat Dynamics Limited  to supply MRSA Missiles to the Indian Army: Bharat Dynamics Limited, a defence PSU has a signed contract with Research Centre Imarat for supply of Medium Range Surface-to- Air Missiles to Indian Army. The contract has been signed for production, deliveries and product support of MRSAM system for the Indian Army.

4. West Bengal gets USD 300 Million ADB loan: The board of Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned a USD 300 million loan facility for carrying forward fiscal reforms in West Bengal. The full effect of reforms would take at least 5 years to materialize and a follow-on program would be needed to carry these forward.

5. Chief Economic Adviser to get one-year extension: According to the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian will get one-year extension (till October 2018).He has been quite vocal in his stand on RBI's monetary policy and has openly supported the need for a rate cut. Subramanian had assumed the office of India's CEA in October 2014 after the government picked him up out of many aspirants for the coveted job.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Shinzo Abe to dissolve lower house of Japan: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has said he would dissolve Parliament’s lower house for a snap election, as he seeks a fresh mandate to overcome “a national crisis.” Abe said he needed a fresh mandate to proceed with plans to use tax hikes to increase social spending & take a tough stance towards North Korea.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Masala bonds to be treated as ECBs from 3rd Oct.: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed norms for issuance of rupee-denominated overseas bonds (masala bonds).They will be treated as external commercial borrowings from October 3, thereby freeing up more investments by FPIs. From 3rd October, masala bonds will no longer form part of the limit for FPI investments in corporate bonds.

2. Apple tops the list of “Most valuable brands”: Apple and Google have once again take the two top spots in a list of the world’s 100 most valuable brands, according to rankings by consultancy group Interbrand.

3. RIL becomes world’s 3rd largest energy company in the world: Reliance Industries has jumped 5 places to rank as world’s 3rd-biggest energy company behind Russian gas firm Gazrpom & German utility E.ON, according to Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings.

SPORTS:

4. Wrestler Bajrang wins gold in Asian Indoor Games: Wrestler Bajrang (India) beat Daichi Takatani (Japan) in the men's freestyle 65kg final to win the gold in Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.Now, Indians added four medals including a gold on the ninth day of the games at Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. Two women wrestlers Sheetal Tomar and Navjot Kaur also grabbed a bronze each. Krishnan Sasikiran won the third bronze in men's standard individual chess.India now stands at 12th place in the medals tally with 6 Gold, 7 Silver, and 11 Bronze.

5. P.V. Sindhu for Padma Bhushan: Olympic silver medallist shuttler P.V. Sindhu has been recommended for the prestigious Padma Bhushan by the Sports Ministry. World No. 2 Sindhu has been in stellar form since winning a silver medal at Rio Olympics and is the second athlete after MS Dhoni to have been nominated for the honour this year.

6. Vaishnavi clinches Belgian Junior title: Indian shuttler Vaishnavi Reddy has clinched the women’s singles Under-19 title at the Belgian Junior Open badminton tournament. She defeated top seed Vivien Sandorhazi in a three-game final at Herstal.

Daily GK Updates - 24th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Andhra CM Naidu declares 2017 as e-Pragati Year: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu declared the year of 2017 as e-Pragati year. The flagship program will help the government to make real-time governance. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Andhra Pradesh Sports Policy 2017.

2. “Make in India” push for body armours: NITI Aayog has been asked to set up an inter-ministerial empowered committee to prepare a roadmap to ‘encourage domestic manufacturing’ of lightweight body armours for army & para-military forces. Committee will be headed by Niti Aayog member V K Saraswat and will have representatives from DRDO, DIPP, Ministry of Defence & Home Affairs.

3. President Ram Nath Kovind’s first foreign trip will be to Africa: President Ram Nath Kovind will make his first foreign trip as head of state to the strategically-significant African continent in the first week of October. The President will visit to Ethiopia and Djiboui. Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia is the seat of African Union, had hosted the first India-Africa summit outside India in 2012.

4. Govt unveils new PPP policy: Govt. has announced new public-private partnerships to promote private investments in affordable housing in line with its Housing for All target by 2022. 8 PPP options for the private sector to invest in affordable housing segment were announced by the minister of housing & urban affairs Hardeep Singh. The assistance of up to Rs.2.50 lakh per house will be available for building houses on private lands.

5. Rajiv Mehrishi takes oath as the new CAG: Former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi took over as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Mehrishi succeeded Shashi Kant Sharma.President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mehrishi (62) at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Mehrishi will have a tenure of about three years.

6. “The Shershah of Kargil” - The biography of Captain Vikram Batra Unveiled: Kargil war hero Captain Vikram Batra was martyred at the tender age of 24. The biography of Captain Vikram Batra "The Shershah of Kargil" has been written by 21-year-old Deepak Surana.

7. Books on Indian values, morals a must as per the New Multi-Purpose Stall policy of Indian Railways: Books on Indian culture & morals are now to be displayed for sale at all platform kiosks, a new stall policy to all zonal railways has mandated. Railway Board has instructed all general managers to ensure that such books are found in stalls, under its new Multi-Purpose Stall policy.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Angela Merkel Wins 4th Term as Chancellor of Germany: Angela Merkel won a fourth term as chancellor in Germany elections that lifted the far-right party Alternative for Germany into parliament for the first time since the immediate aftermath World War II.

2. India, US, Afghanistan Join Hands for 1st Trade Show in Delhi: For the first time, India, US and Afghanistan will hold a joint trade and investment show in Delhi, as New Delhi steps up to its role of being a bigger development partner to Afghanistan. The trade event, sponsored by the US and hosted by India, will be inaugurated by Afghan CEO Dr Abdullah.

3. DRUZBA 2017, Pak-Russia joint military drill started: The joint exercise DRUZBA 2017 between special forces of Pakistan and Russian armies started in Minralney Vody, Russia. Pakistan and Russia are holding two-week long joint military drill focusing on counter-terrorism operations to enhance military ties between the two countries.

4. Mobile phone ban on Rohingya refugees: Bangladesh has banned telecom companies from selling mobile phone connections to Rohingya refugees, citing security concerns for the latest restrictions. Ban could be lifted once biometric identity cards were issued to these refugees

5. Saudi Arabia allows women into stadium: Saudi Arabia has allowed women into a national stadium for the first time as it launched celebrations to mark the 87th anniversary of its founding. This marks a shift from previous celebrations in the kingdom where women are effectively barred from sports arenas. This measure represents another step into relaxing some norms as part of its “Vision 2030” plan for economic and social reforms.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Sports Ministry Recommends P.V. Sindhu for Padma Bhushan: Olympic silver medallist shuttler P.V. Sindhu has been recommended for the prestigious Padma Bhushan, country’s third highest civilian award, by the Sports Ministry.She is two-time bronze medallist at World Championship. In March 2015, Sindhu was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri.

2. India bags 4 more Medals at 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan: In the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games at Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, India bagged four medals. Sajan Prakash of India finished second with the silver medal in the Men's 100-metre butterfly event. Divya Gurling Shilwant and Pratiksha Chandrakant Parhar bagged a bronze each in women's Alysh classic in 70 kg and 75 kg categories in the Belt Wrestling Discipline.Wrestler Keduovilie Zumu from Nagaland won the bronze medal in the 90 kg category of Kazakh Kuresh style belt wrestling. India is at 11th spot in the medals tally with 5 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze.

3. ICC to probe into Sri Lanka cricket: The International Cricket Council has launched an anti-corruption investigation in Sri Lanka. ICC, however, did not specify if any particular series involving the country is under the scanner.

4. India Becomes World No. 1 in Both ODIs and Tests: India beat Australia by 5 wickets in the third ODI played between the two sides at Indore. The victory helped them to pip South Africa to claim the no. 1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings. This now means that India is now at the top of both the Test and ODI rankings.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

5. Amazon buys 5% equity in Shoppers Stop: Shoppers Stop has approved a proposal to sell 5% equity in the company for Rs179.25 cr to Amazon NV Holdings LLC. Shoppers Stop will use the funds to continue its investments in expanding physical and online retail businesses. The two retailers will conduct “joint marketing” initiatives while Shoppers Stop will open Amazon Experience Centres where Amazon can showcase its brands.

6. ‘Fly Now Pay Later’ Scheme launched by Etihad Airways now: UAE’s carrier Etihad Airways has launched a ‘fly now and pay later’ scheme which provides people with an option of paying ticket fare in monthly instalments. The initiative is designed to allow families to book flights with convenience. Etihad Airways is the first in Gulf region to offer fully automated online instalment plans

7. Acko gets final IRDA license: Indian insurance sector regulator IRDAI has given the final nod to online non-life insurer Acko General Insurance. The company is looking to start operations by Dec selling mostly auto, travel & health insurance products to retail customers through an online channel.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt to launch LPG Panchayat as backup to Ujjwala Yojana to distribute LPG connections: The union govt. has launched a country-wide LPG Panchayat as a backup to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to distribute LPG connections among the rural areas. The panchayat was formally launched at Mota Ishnapur village in Gandhinagar district of Gujarat. One lakh LPG Panchayats will be activated across the country under the scheme during the next one and a half year.

2. Harshvardhan launches Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana: Dr. Harshvardhan has launched 'Pt Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram Sankul Pariyojana' which will experiment and endeavour to formulate and implement appropriate S&T Interventions for Sustainable Development through cluster approach in Uttarakhand. This project has been inspired by teachings and ideals of ‘Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay’ whose birth centenary is being celebrated this year.

3. Subramanian to get extension as CEA to govt.: The government has decided to extend the term of Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian by one year until October 2018. Subramanian was appointed India’s Chief Economic Adviser in October 2014. His term was for three years, which was to end on October 16.

4. Stage set for the setup of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) in India: NITI Aayog has signed an agreement with Geneva-based International Road Federation for cooperation in the field of Intelligent Transportation Systems & to design a policy framework for the same. ITS policy will cover various sectors including traffic management, electronic enforcement of traffic rules & regulations. It would also cover fleet management & monitoring & education in the field of ITS.

                                                       INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Professor C.N.R Rao, becomes the first Asian to be chosen for the prestigious Von Hippel Award: Eminent scientist, Professor C.N.R Rao, has become the first Asian to be chosen for the prestigious Von Hippel Award for his immense contribution in materials research. The award citation noted Rao’s immense work on novel functional materials, including nanomaterials and 2D materials and superconductivity. The award is the US-based Materials Research Society’s highest honour.

2. Hui Ka Yan Becomes Asia’s Richest Man: Hui Ka Yan, the chairman of big China real estate developer China Evergrande Group, has become Asia’s richest man. Hui’s estimated fortune of $42.2 billion puts him ahead of Tencent Holdings Chairman Ma Huateng ($39.1 billion) and Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma ($38.9 billion).

3. NATO wraps up exercise Dynamic Monarch: 9 NATO Allies wrapped up a submarine search and rescue exercise, Dynamic Monarch 2017, off the coast of Marmaris in southwestern Turkey. The exercise demonstrated the importance of cooperation for NATO-led naval missions & involved a wide array of equipment & up to 1,000 military and civilian personnel.

4. China imposes limit on oil supply to North Korea: China will limit oil exports to North Korea under UN sanctions over its nuclear and missile development and it will be limited to 2 million barrels per year and sales of liquefied natural gas hasbeen banned outright (from 1st January).

5. Iran tests new ballistic missile: Iran has tested a new ballistic missile ‘Khorramshahr’ that can carry multiple warheads and has a range of 2,000km. The Khorramshahr missile has become smaller in size and more tactical. Iran unveiled the ballistic missile as its president stepped up pressure on the United States by defending its right to strengthen military defenses.

                                         OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.SBI launches India’s bond index series at London Stock Exchange: The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched India’s first bond index series for overseas investors at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).With the launch of this index alongside FTSE Russell, SBI intention is to give people a benchmark based on which they can make investment calls. The FTSE SBI Bond Index Series “demonstrates SBI’s commitment to play befitting leadership role” in development of India’s bond market.

2. Samsung’s Bixby Voice now works in India: Bixby is meant to do additional and on-phone tasks which Samsung hopes will make getting things done faster and easier. Bixby Voice can be triggered by saying “Hi Bixby” to a sleeping device also.

3. SpiceJet, Cleartrip team up with Google Flights: SpiceJet & Cleartrip have teamed up with Google Flights to help air travellers explore possible destinations & view live ticket prices. Launched in India in 2015, Google Flights offers travellers the facility to explore destinations & find best flights at affordable prices.

SPORTS:

4. Deborah Herold wins two Silver medals on day 7 of Asian Indoor Games: Indian cyclist Deborah Herold bagged two more Silver medals in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games at Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. She bagged a silver medal in the six-lap Keirin event in track cycling, and also finished second in the Team sprint event with Alena Reji. Earlier, India also won a Silver medal through Malaprabha Yallappa Jadhav in Women's Kurash, a Martial Arts event.Current, India won ninth medals (5 Gold, 6 Silver and 5 Bronze medals).

Daily GK Updates - 22nd September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. B Sambamurthy appointed as NPCI Board’s interim-Chairman: The Board of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has appointed B Sambamurthy as the interim Chairman of the Board. He will replace M Balachandran.

2.  Ministry of Environment to hold quiz on environment ‘Prakriti Khoj’: The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change will hold a quiz on environment ‘Prakriti Khoj’ throughout the country. The quiz is aimed at increasing environmental awareness in the mind of people.

3. Himachal Pradesh becomes first Indian state to launch electric bus service: The Himachal Pradesh Govt. has launched the first electric bus service on 51km ecologically fragile between Manali and Rohtang Pass.Now, the HP state has become the first in the world to ply electric buses at an altitude of 13 thousand feet.The move was made amidst concern over increasing environmental degradation in the Rohtang Pass area due to plying of diesel taxis.each electric bus has a capacity to carry 30 passengers and can cover 200 km with the fully charged batteries.

4. Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurates VASTRA 2017: The Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the 6th edition of the four-day international textile and apparel fair, 'VASTRA 2017' in Jaipur, Rajasthan. More than 50 countries and 13 Indian States are participating in VASTRA 2017.VASTRA 2017 is an all-encompassing trade fair and conference on Textiles and Apparel presenting a fusion of the finest and the latest in textiles products.

5. First Scorpene Submarine INS Kalvari delivered to Navy: The first of the Scorpene class submarines, INS Kalvari, was delivered to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). The submarine will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy.The delivery of a submarine means that its trials are over and the Navy has accepted the boat. Commissioning is a ceremony that officially makes it part of the Navy's fleet.

6. ‘Newton’ India’s Official Entry For Oscars 2018: ‘Newton’ will be India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars 2018, according to the Film Federation of India.The movie directed by Amit Masurkar, starring Rajkummar Rao, tells the story of a polling officer Newton Kumar who is bent on conducting free and fair elections in the conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh. 

7. Campaign to sensitise women about cancer: Union minister Anupriya Patel has launched a nationwide health campaign to sensitise women about the early screening and preventive care for cancer. Themed ‘Nurturing the Nurturer’, campaign was launched by FICCI Ladies Organisation in partnership with the Apollo Hospitals group. With cancer cases on the rise in the country, government plans to set up 27 cancer centres in the coming days.

                                               INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s first ‘molecular robot’ may help build new drugs: Scientists have created the world's first 'molecular robot' that can be used to build molecules and may help discover novel drugs. The tiny robots developed by researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK can be programmed to move and build molecular cargo using a tiny robotic arm. Each individual robot is capable of manipulating a single molecule and is made up of just 150 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms.

2. Britain and Saudi Arabia Sign Military Cooperation Deal: Saudi Arabia and Britain signed a framework deal for military cooperation. The agreement came after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed security ties with visiting British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.The agreement comes as Britain seeks to explore lucrative trade deals outside Europe, including energy-rich Gulf monarchies, after voting to leave the European Union.

                                      OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Birla Group to wind up e-commerce venture ABOF: Aditya Birla Group will shut down its online shopping portal Abof.com by the end of this year, failing to sustain intense competition from the sector giants. Launched in 2015, Abof.com has portfolio across clothing, footwear besides a collection of group’s own brands like Allen Solly and Peter England, among others.

2. Dabur India joins hand with Amazon to market ayurvedic products online: Dabur India has tied up with e-commerce major Amazon for an online ayurveda marketplace which will house all ayurvedic brands and products of the country. The exclusive ayurveda e-marketplace has been hosted by Amazon India and the content is developed by Dabur India.

3. Balraj Joshi appointed CMD of NHPC: Balraj Joshi has been appointed as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NHPC, the country’s premier hydro power utility. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment to the post till December 31, 2019.

BANKING/FINANCE:

4. SBI launches bond index series: State Bank of India in partnership with FTSE Russell has brought out a new index series at the London Stock Exchange. This index will act as a key benchmark for Indian debt for foreign investors looking to invest in Indian debt market. This index is also an important enabler of India-focused funds and is expected to facilitate investment flows.

SPORTS:

5. Sindhu jumps to World No. 2 in BWF women's singles rankings: Indian shuttler PV Sindhu jumped two places to World No 2 (second time in her career) in the latest Badminton World Federation women's singles rankings. In the men's singles rankings, K Srikanth remained unchanged at eighth while B Sai Praneeth and H S Prannoy dropped one place each to be at 17th and 19th positions.

OBITUARIES:

6. Legendary Boxer, Jake LaMotta Passes Away: Jake LaMotta, former boxing champion whose life of violence in and out of the ring was portrayed in the movie "Raging Bull," passed away. He was in his 90s and died of complications of pneumonia. Fighting mostly as a middleweight and known as the "Raging Bull" and "Bronx Bull".