Daily GK Updates - 15th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Asia Pacific Regional Conference (IACP) inaugurated: Home Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) in New Delhi. The theme of the conference is "Challenges to Policing in 2020 - How is Cyber Space shaping our approach to Cybercrime and Terrorism, how do we perform within it and take advantage of it".

2. India offers Madagascar USD 80 million LoC: India has decided to offer Madagascar a USD 80 million Letter of Credit (LoC) for agriculture and mechanization. Madagascar is straddled in the Indian Ocean and alongside the strategic Mozambique channel. The island country is the fourth largest in Africa, in terms of size. Madagascar is also a member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

3. India ranks 78th on energy transition index: India has been ranked at 78th among 114 countries on the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) energy transition index. The index listed countries based on their ability to balance energy security, environmental sustainability and affordability. The overall list was topped by Sweden, followed by Norway at the 2nd position and Switzerland at the 3rd rank.

4. IATA partners with civil aviation ministry: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the National Aviation University to enhance human resource availability in India’s aviation industry. The 3 parties to the MoU formalised this partnership on sidelines of Wings India 2018. India is expected to be 3rd largest aviation market in the world.

5. AYUSH Drug QOL-2C for Cancer Patients: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has undertaken the development of a coded drug AYUSH QOL-2C for cancer patients. The clinical studies were conducted at St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru and AIIMS, New Delhi in breast cancer patients. The study was also conducted at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur in lung cancer patients.

6. Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Iran: The Union Cabinet has approved an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income between India and Iran. The Agreement will stimulate flow of investment, technology and personnel from India to Iran & vice versa. The agreement will improve transparency in tax matters and will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. First-ever female director of CIA: Gina Haspel, the newly nominated first-ever female director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is a career intelligence officer with more than 30 years' experience. Ms. Haspel, 61, has extensive overseas experience and has served as chief of the station on several postings. Her leadership positions in Washington include deputy director of the National Clandestine Service - the CIA agent that co-ordinates clandestine operations - and chief of staff for the director of the National Clandestine Service.

2. India and Madagascar ink deal: India and Madagascar have signed an agreement under which, both the countries will explore various ways of co-operation in the field of defence. An amended air service agreement was also signed to support efforts towards improving connectivity between the two countries. The Madagascar President decorated President Ramnath Kovind with second highest civilian honour Grand Cross.

3. Damascus the cheapest and Singapore the costliest city in the world: New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai are among the cheapest cities in the world, according to an Economist Intelligence Unit’s “The Worldwide Cost of Living” survey. Syria’s capital, Damascus is the cheapest city in the world. Singapore is the world’s most expensive city.

The Worldwide Cost of Living is a biannual survey that compares 400 individual prices across 160 products and services.

4. Finland is the happiest nation on earth-UN Report: Finland has overtaken Norway to become the happiest nation on earth, according to the UN’s 2018 World Happiness Report. Burundi in East Africa is the unhappiest place in the world. For the first time, the UN also examined the happiness levels of immigrants in each country. The World Happiness Report is an annual publication from the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. IAF lands its heaviest aircraft, C-17 Globemaster, in Arunanchal Pradesh: The Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time flawlessly landed its largest transport US-manufactured aircraft, C-17 Globemaster at strategic Tuting Advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh. The landing of this aircraft is seen as part of IAF’s move to strengthen its overall operations in the border state. The aircraft is used for airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Amazon’s debit card launched: Amazon.com Inc launched its first-ever debit card in Mexico, part of a push to encourage shoppers without bank accounts to buy online. Part of the challenge is attracting consumers who are wary of online fraud and do not have access to credit and debit cards. Less than a third of adults in Mexico have credit cards, according to a 2017 government report.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Modi Govt. 3rd most trusted in the world: Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ranked as the third most trusted government in the world as per Government at a Glance 2017. It was published by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. As per the report, nearly 74 percent of Indians have expressed confidence in their national government. The list is topped by Switzerland and followed by Indonesia.

2. RSS chief, Yogi Adityanath to attend ‘Dharma Sansad’: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend a three-day ‘Dharma Sansad’ beginning November 24 that will be organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to discuss the Ram Temple issue.It is being organised at the time when talks of resolving the Ram Temple dispute outside court has gathered momentum. Art of Living Foundation chief Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is trying to resolve the dispute by mediating between different parties.

3. Brahmos completes cruise missile triad: In a major boost to the strike capability of Indian Air Force, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile — “Brahmos” created history when it was successfully test-fired from a Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jet against a target in the Bay of Bengal.With this, Brahmos completes the cruise missile triad, it can be launched from land, sea and air. The supersonic cruise missile has already been successfully launched from sea and land.

4. Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be open to public for four days a week: The Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be open for public viewing for four days a week — Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday — from tomorrow, according to an official statement on Wednesday. Registration charge for the visit is Rs 50 per head, it said. Children below the age of eight years will be exempt from these charges. People can visit on these four days anytime between 9 am and 4 pm, except on gazetted holidays.

5. Parab Fest takes off in Koraput, Odisha: ‘Parab-2017’, the annual cultural festival of Odisha’s Koraput district, showcasing the tribal art and culture, started. Parab 2017 started from the shrine of goddess Sankulai Devi of B Singhpur under Borigumma block, with a tribal dance. The objective of this festival is to protect  & promote the region’s rich cultural heritage. A 5-day Pallishree Mela will be organised on 21 December 2017

6. Ira Joshi appointed as the new DG of Doordarshan News: Ira Joshi was appointed as the Director General of Doordarshan News following the retirement of Veena Jain.

Earlier, Ira Joshi was the Press Information Bureau (PIB) director general. PIB Director General Ghanshyam Goel has been made the new Director General of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), replacing Esther Kar.

7. Parliament Winter Session likely to be held from December 15 till January 5: The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be held from December 15 till January 5, sources told The Indian Express. A decision in this regard was reportedly taken during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Union Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters that dates of the session will not clash with the assembly elections in Gujarat.

8. FOGSI launches ‘Manyata’ movement: Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) launched ‘Manyata’, a nationwide movement emphasising the need for quality care for mothers during and immediately after childbirth. FOGSI has launched ‘Manyata’ in partnership with MSD for Mothers, MacArthur Foundation and Jhpiego. The movement was flagged off by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Robert Mugabe resigns as the President of Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe has resigned as President of Zimbabwe with immediate effect after 37 years in power, ushering a new era for a country as uncertain as it is hopeful. The man who ruled with an autocrat’s grip for so many years finally caved to popular and political pressure hours after parliament launched proceedings to impeach him.

2. Nepal-India border to be sealed for 72 hours ahead of polls: Nepal will shut its border crossings with India from Friday for 72 hours ahead of the first phase of parliamentary and provincial assembly elections on November 26 for security reasons. Nepal is holding provincial and parliamentary elections in two phases on November 26 and December 7. The elections are seen as the final step in Nepal's transition to a federal democracy following a decade-long civil war till 2006 that claimed more than 16,000 lives.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India becomes second largest fish producing country in the world: Combining the production of all types of fisheries, the total fish production has reached 11.41mn tones, with this India has become the second largest fish producing country in the world. China is the largest fish producer country in the world. The scheme ‘Blue Revolution’ has been launched for the integrated development of fisheries sector in the country.

2. Samsung partners with Uttar Pradesh government to set up 20 healthcare centres: Samsung India, a subsidiary of the South Korea-based electronics major, on Wednesday said it has partnered with the Uttar Pradesh government to set-up 20 new smart healthcare centres across the state to provide healthcare equipments, reports news agency PTI. The smart healthcare programme aims to offer affordable and quality healthcare to patients from the economically and socially weaker sections of society. Since 2015, Samsung has collaborated with 18 government hospitals across the country for the programme.

3. ”Infrastructure” status to Logistics sector: The government has given infrastructure status to logistics sector, covering cold chain and warehousing facilities. It is done in a move to attract more funding at competitive rates for these segments.

4. Mastercard, Mswipe tie-up: swipe, a domestic maker of Point of Sale (PoS) terminals, has partnered MasterCard to digitise merchant acquisition and can now enable a shopkeeper anywhere in India to acquire a card swipe machine. Mswipe will enable a merchant to complete the ‘know-your-customer’ (KYC) requirement using a mobile application that will scan documents.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Andhra Bank launches scheme to push Entrepreneurship: Andhra Bank has launched scheme for self help groups (SHG) to encourage entrepreneurship. The scheme ‘Pattabhi Sitaramayya’ has been introduced to commemorate the birth anniversary of its founder Bhograju Pattabhi Sitaramayya, and the silver jubilee of the SHG-Bank linkage programme in the country.

Daily GK Updates - 20th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Girish Karnad conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017: Actor-playwright Girish Karnad has been conferred with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 for his outstanding contribution in the field of theatre. Tata Trusts' ‘Big Little Book Award' for Author in Bengali Children's Literature went to Nabaneeta Dev Sen. Book of the year in non-fiction category went to 'Age of Anger: A History of the Present' by Pankaj Mishra.

2. 48th International Film Festival of India began at Panaji: The Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has inaugurated the 48th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2017 at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at Bambolim, Panaji (Goa). Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan will be honored with Personality of The Year award.

3. Centre hikes import duty on Edible Oils: The Centre has raised import duty on crude palm oil to 30% from 15% and on refined oil to 40% from 20%. It is done in a bid to curb cheaper shipments and boost local prices for supporting farmers and refiners, according to a notification.

4. Qaumi Ekta Week observed across country: The Qaumi Ekta Week is being observed across the country from 19th November to foster and reinforce the spirit of communal harmony and national Integration. As part of the week long programmes, 19 November was observed as National Integration Day. The last day of the Qaumi Ekta Week will be observed as Conservation Day and several meetings and functions will be organized.

5. International Congress of Military Medicine held at New Delhi: The 42nd World Congress of the International Committee of Military Medicine organised by the AFMS under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence began in New Delhi. The five-day event is being organised for the first time in India, and is the largest medical conference ever organised by the AFMS. The theme of this 42nd World Congress is “Military Medicine in Transition: Looking Ahead.”

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Qatar, the Richest Country: IMF Report: Based on the per capita income of its people, Qatar has been named the world’s richest country as per the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report. The per capita GDP (gross domestic product) of Qatar is over Rs. 81 lakh. With per capita GDP of over Rs. 38 lakh, the United States is at No. 13. India, with a GDP of over Rs. 4 lakh per person, is ranked 126th.

2. China offers help to resolve Rohingya crisis: China has offered to help Myanmar and Bangladesh resolve the Rohingya crisis.In his official statement Chinese Foreign Minister also called for the economic development of Myanmar’s violence hit Rakhine state.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. International Conference on Petroleum held in Jaipur: The 12th Biennial International Conference & Exposition of Society of Petroleum Geophysicists (SPG) India was inaugurated by Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship at Jaipur.The theme of conference was “Energy trough Synergy”.

SPORTS:

1. Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov wins ATP finals in London: Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov has won the ATP Finals, defeating David Goffin (Belgium) in London.Grigor Dimitrov overcame David Goffin 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to win the title.

2. Women's Youth World Boxing Championship begins in Guwahati: Chief Minister of Assam Sarbanand Sonowal inaugurated Women's Youth World Boxing Championship event in Guwahati, Assam. Around 200 players from over 30 countries are taking part in the event. Mary Kom is the brand ambassador of this event and the mascot of this event is called as “Guppy”.

3. Afghanistan wins U-19 Asia Cup (Cricket): Afghanistan won by a massive 185 runs to clinch their maiden Under-19 Asia Cup title, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ikram Ali Khil was the man of the match against Pakistan U19 in the ACC U19 Youth Asia Cup Final for his 107 not out. Mujeeb Zadran was the man of series for his 20 wickets in the tournament.

OBITUARIES:

1. Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, veteran Congress leader, passes away: Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the veteran Congress leader, passed away in New Delhi He was on life support system after he suffered a massive stroke which left him paralysed in 2008. Mr Dasmunshi served as Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.

Daily GK Updates - 17th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Press Day observed: National Press Day, celebrated on 16th of November is symbolic of a free and responsible press in India. This was the day on which the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog.

2. Establishment of the National Anti-profiteering Authority approved: Cabinet has given its approval for the creation of the posts of Chairman and Technical Members of the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) under GST. This paves the way for the immediate establishment of this apex body. The body will ensure that the benefits of the reduction in GST rates on goods or services are passed on to the ultimate consumers by way of a reduction in price.

3. Karnataka to install WiFi in panchayats to enable villages being tech-savvy: Karnataka unveiled an ambitious project to install Wi-Fi facility in all gram panchayats across the state. At Bengaluru Tech Summit 2017, Karnataka CM, Siddaramaiah stated that the objective of this project is to bridge the digital divide.

4. First WHO Conference on Ending TB held at Russia: India reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating TB by 2025 at 1st WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB in Sustainable Development Era’ at Moscow, Russia. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also organizing a side event on ‘Ending TB: Our Promise to Our People’. The National Strategic Plan for TB elimination in India has 4 pillars, namely- “Detect, Treat, Build and Prevent”.

5. SAMPRITI exercise ends: Joint Indo-Bangladesh Training Exercise SAMPRITI 2017, which was being conducted in Mizoram culminated. It is the seventh such exercise in the SAMPRITI series. The exercise has been aimed to strengthen and broaden the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between the Indian and Bangladesh Armies.

6. India Disease Burden Initiative Report released: As per ‘India State-level Disease Burden Initiative Report’, child and maternal malnutrition were responsible for 15 % of the total disease burden in 2016 across India. Analysis of disease burden for each Indian state from 1990 to 2016 has been presented. It is jointly prepared by the ICMR, the Public Health Foundation of India and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

7. ‘Saubhagya’ Web-Portal launched: Ministry of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, launched the PM Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – ‘Saubhagya’ Web Portal. The portal can be accessed at http://saubhagya.gov.in. The Saubhagya Dashboard is a platform for monitoring household electrification progress, which would disseminate information on Household Electrification Status.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kevin Lillian becomes Miss International 2017: Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana was crowned Miss International 2017 by the Philippines’ Kylie Verzosa at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Japan. This is the first Miss International title for Indonesia.

2. Climate Change Performance Index 2018 released, India ranks 14^th: India has ranked 14th out of 56 nations and European Union on Climate Change Performance Index 2018 released by environmental organisation Germanwatch. This marks an improvement from its 20th rank in CCPI 2017. CCPI keeps track of countries’ efforts in combating climate change.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Urjit Patel appointed to BIS Advisory Board: RBI Governor Urjit Patel was appointed to the Financial Stability Institute Advisory Board of the Bank of International Settlement. Bank of International Settlement is a global financial organisation owned by major central banks from across the world.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. BSE to set up the first in-house Block Chain Lab in Mumbai: BSE Institute Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of BSE Ltd. has signed an MoU with DLT Labs to set up India’s first state-of-the-art Block Chain Lab in Mumbai. The objective is to provide knowledge-driven, in-class education and training in the field of financial technology. Block Chain technology has multiple utility in various sectors including global supply chains and financial transactions.

2. Moody's upgrades India's credit rating to BAA 2: US-based Major credit rating agency Moody's has upgraded India's sovereign credit rating to 'BAA 2' from 'BAA 3'. The decision to upgrade the ratings is underpinned by Moody's expectation that continued progress on economic and institutional reforms will enhance India's high growth potential. In 2004, Moody's had upgraded India's rating to 'BAA 3', lowest investment grade just a notch above 'junk' status.

SPORTS:

1. Shagun Chowdhary crowned National Women's Trap champion: Shooter Shagun Chowdhary bagged a national champion crown at the 61st National Shooting Championship in New Delhi. She overcame the challenge Rajeshwari Kumari to prevail 41-38. Now, Shagun Chowdhary will be the first Indian woman trap shooterto win an Olympic berth. Madhya Pradesh won medals both in the senior and junior women's team events.

Daily GK Updates - 15th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India’s first Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit held: India’s first Tribal Entrepreneurship Summit began in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. The event has been organized by NITI Aayog in partnership with the government of US. The event is a part of 8th Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held in India. The summit has been organized mainly with the motive to inspire, nurture and promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in tribal youth.

2. NCERT conducts largest ever survey-NAS: National Achievement Survey (NAS), the largest ever assessment survey on a national level was conducted by NCERT. NAS was conducted for the Classes 3, 5 and 8 in government and government-aided schools. The survey is to ascertain learning level of students. The inferences drawn from the analytical reports will be used to design classroom interventions.

3. Jharkhand celebrates 17th statehood day: Jharkhand is a state in eastern India carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand state accounts for 40% of the mineral resources of India. The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, visited Jharkhand and paid tributes to freedom fighter Birsa Munda at his statue at Birsa Chowk, Ranchi.

4. International Lavi Fair begins in HP: Traditional International ‘Lavi fair’ was held from 11th -14th November 2017 in Rampur, Himachal Pradesh. Lavi Fair has been an important point of trade between India and Tibet for centuries. The fair is visited by tourist and traders from distant places. It provides a good opportunity for promotion and sale of woolens, dry fruits and other traditional crafts and products.

5. India’s first offshore desalination plant to be built: Scientists from NIOT will build India’s first offshore desalination plant about 40km from the Chennai coast. The capacity of the plant will be 10 million liters of water per day. The plant will operate on Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD), a low cost and environment-friendly technology to get potable water.

6. West Bengal gets GI Tag for ‘Rosogolla’: The Geographical Indications (GI) Registry announced that West Bengal has been awarded the GI status for ‘Rosogolla’. The Geographical Indications (GI) Registry has said that the ‘Rosogolla’ originated in West Bengal and not Odisha. West Bengal and Odisha have been fighting a legal battle over the origin of the sweet meat ‘Rosogolla’ since June 2015.

7. Vijay Dimri appointed as the President of 36th IGC: Scientist Vijay Prasad Dimri was appointed as the President of the 36th International Geological Congress (IGC). It is a global platform for the advancement of earth science, to be held in New Delhi in 2020.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Asgardia launched Asgardia-1 into space: The Space Kingdom of Asgardia (virtual nation) launched its first satellite ‘Asgardia-1’ into space from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Asgardia – so-called ‘virtual nation’ is the project of Russian scientist and billionaire Igor Ashurbeyli. The Asgardia-1 satellite, which is about the size of a loaf of bread, contains half a terabyte of data

2. Borut Pahor of Slovenia’s wins second term as Prez: Slovenia’s President Borut Pahor wins Second Term in Runoff Election. He received nearly 53 percent of votes.

3. Saudi Arabia recognizes Yoga as a Sport: The Saudi Arabian government has approved the practice of yoga as a sports activity. This news came from a social media post of Nouf Marwaai, founder of the Arab Yoga Foundation in Saudi Arabia.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. CRISIL, SIDBI tie up to launch CriSidEx: Rating firm Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have signed a MoU to launch CriSidEx, a sentiment Index for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). This index will provide insights into employment, business environment, and foreign trade trends in the MSME sector.

SPORTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel wins Brazilian GP: Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won the Brazilian Grand Prix, a Formula One championship race, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Valtteri Bottas started the race at the pole position. Vettel controlled the race after taking the lead from Valtteri Bottas. The Formula One world championship title had already been decided at the Mexican Grand Prix, two weeks earlier.

2. Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal retires from all forms of cricket: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal announced his retirement from all forms of cricket two years after a remodeled bowling action that was deemed illegal twice by the autorities. Ajmal was once celebrated as the world’s number one bowler in one-day internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 cricket, and was almost as successful in Tests.

Daily GK Updates - 14th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Children’s Day observed across India: Children’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of November in India as a tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru, who was born on November 14, 1889. Jawaharlal Nehru, who was fondly called Chacha Nehru or Chachaji, was known for his love for children. Prior to 1964, India celebrated Children’s Day on 20 November, which was observed as the Universal Children’s Day by the United Nations.

2. India to get its first ‘Air Dispensary’: Northeast is all set to get India’s first-ever “Air Dispensary” based in a helicopter. The Union Ministry of Development of Northeast has already contributed Rs. 25 crore funding for this initiative.

3. 37th India International Trade Fair begins in New Delhi: 37th India International Trade Fair (IITF) has begun at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The 14-day annual event has been organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). This year the theme of the fair is “Startup India Standup India”. Vietnam is the Partner Country, while Kyrgyzstan is the Focus Country.  Jharkhand is participating as a Partner State in the event.

4. Indian Railways to launch Project Saksham: Railways will launch the country’s largest time-bound “upskilling” exercise for government employees to upgrade the skill sets of its 13 lakh-strong workforce with a single drive spanning 9 months. Project Saksham will start in January 2018 and go on until September 2018.

5. Bharat Net, Phase 2 launched: Central Government launched the Phase 2 of Bharat Net project to connect 1.5 lakh gram panchayats with high-speed broadband by March 2019. Bharat Net Project, formerly known as National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) was launched by Central Government in October 2011 with an aim to deploy high-speed optical fiber cables across rural areas of India.

6. India Youth Development Index: Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore released the India Youth Development Index and Report. The objective of constructing YDI 2017 is to track the trends in Youth Development across the States. The Index enables recognizing the high and low performing states, identifies the weak domains and informs the priority areas of intervention for youth development.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Diabetes Day 2017: World Diabetes Day is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign. It is celebrated every year on 14th November. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2017 is Women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future.

2. Founding Ceremony of International Solar Alliance held in Bonn: A Curtain Raiser Event for the Founding Ceremony of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held in Bonn, Germany. The ISA is a treaty-based alliance of 121 prospective solar-rich Member Nations situated fully or partially between the Tropics & aims at the development of solar energy globally.

3. 10th South Asia Economic Summit begins in Kathmandu: The 10th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) has begun in Kathmandu, Nepal. The theme of the 3-day summit is “Deepening Economic Integration for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in South Asia”.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING & FINANCE:

1. Asian Bankers Association summit to be held in Mumbai: For the first time, Mumbai is to host the 34th annual conference of the Asian Bankers Association on 16th and 17th November 2017. Summit will be hosted by State Bank. The theme for this year’s summit is ‘Asia’s turn to transform’.

SPORTS:

1. Pankaj Advani wins his 17th title at ISBF World Billiards Championships: Indian cueist Pankaj Advani has won his 17th world title at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2017 in Doha, Qatar. Pankaj beat Mike Russell of England by 6-2 (0-155, 150-128, 92-151, 151-0, 151-6, 151-0, 150-58, 150-21) and won his 17th world title at the IBSF World Billiards Championship 2017.

2. Rafael Nadal receives ATP World No. 1 award: Tennis player Rafael Nadal was presented the ATP World Number 1 award on court, at the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena, in London. Rafael Nadal replaced Andy Murray of Britain at Number 1 position on 21 August 2017.

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.