Daily GK Updates - 5th July, 2015

DAILY GK UPDATES - 5th July, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

I.  Adani Group inks pact with Tamil Nadu Government for 648 MW Solar power plants:The Solar plant at Kamudhi in Ramanathpuram will be set up at an investment of Rs. 4,536 and the state will purchase the power generated at Rs.7.01 per unit.

II.  Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd launched pre-paid card linked mobile wallet service: It allows customers to transfer cash, pay for services as well as withdraw cash of up to 1 Lakh.

III.  Madhya Pradesh recognised by Guinness Book of World records for making a world record in washing hands: Madhya Pradesh is the only state which surpassed the joint record of Argentina, Peru and Mexico on the ‘World Hand washing day’

IV.  Cabinet Okays 21 infrastructure projects: The government has given approval for 21 major infrastructure projects under the District Flagship Infrastructure Project (DFIP).

V.   Bihar wins National Award for commendable work in health sector: Bihar has won appreciation in the country for works in the health sector under National Health Mission by winning 1^st prize in the categories of Infant survival, child survival, safe delivery, indoor and surgical services and 2^nd prize in OPD (Outdoor Patient Department). The award was given by Union Health Minister J P Nadda.

VI. Government launches learning portal for MGNREGA: Union Rural Development Minister ChaudharyBirender Singh today launched the Online Learning Portal (OLP) and expressed confidence that it will help both the government officials and beneficiaries of the rural job flagship scheme.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

I.    Solar Impulse completes epic flight to Hawaii: The solar powered plane has landed in Hawaii after making a historic 7,200 km flight across the Pacific from Japan.

II.   India abstains from vote against Israel in UN: India’s abstention in the UNHRC vote against Israel, comes on the back of a number of decisions by the Modi Government that have indicated a growing closeness with Israel and a shift away from past policy.

III.  India and Mauritius have reviewed the existing MoU on Hydrographic cooperation for the next 5 years

  

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

 I. HDFC Bank launches Watch Banking: It has become the 1^st bank in India to launch Watch Banking for Apple Watch. It aims to provide banking services through all wearable devices across platforms like IOS and Android.

II. Tata Trusts, Google team up to get more rural women on net: Taking PM Modi’s Digital India campaign a step ahead, the Ratan Tata Trusts and Google tied up to educate rural women about the internet.

III.  FDI in Manufacturing of Tobacco products prohibited: RBI

IV.  Now verify online payments with your selfies: Mastercard is experimenting with a smartphone app which allows people to confirm their identities and authenticate online transactions via a facial scan.

V.   Corporation bank launches first MUDRA Card: The Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency card under the PradhanMantri MUDRA Yojana was launched by Corporation Bank.

VI.  Micro- Finance institution, Bandhan Financial Services which got the final licence from RBI to start operations as a banker from August.

SPORTS:

VII.  Star batsman Brendon McCullum hits record 158 of 64 balls in T20 blast

VIII. Chile beat Argentina to win first ever Copa America titlein a penalty decider: It was the 1^st time in 99 year history of the tournament that Chile has won this title. A. Vidal of Chile was adjudged Man of the Match while C. Bravo got the Golden Gloves.

IX.  India Men’s Hockey team lost 5-1 to Great Britain for third place in World Hockey League.

X.  India Women’s Hockey team moved a step closer to book a place for the Olympics by defeating Japan 1-0 in World Hockey league after 36 years.

Daily GK Updates - 4th July, 2015

DAILY GK UPDATES - 4TH JULY, 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

I. 58% of school children in Maharashtra are suffering from orthopaedic ailments due to heavy bags: Report

II.   Software giant Microsoft agreed to set up Digital Village in Maharashtra: This was in connection with the Digital India week being celebrated in the country. It will develop smart MIDC (industrial colony).

 III. Rajasthan to replicate Maharashtra’s JalyuktaShivirAbhiyan: Maharashtra government’s programme JalyuktaShivirAbhiyan was launched with an aim to make Maharashtra a drought – Free State by 2019.

 IV.  Army launched operation Shiva to secure AmarnathYatra: This was done for the smooth conduct of the AmarnathYatra in Jammu & Kashmir. The operation was launched on the basis of intelligence report suggesting terror strike.

 V.    C D Balaji took over as Director of the Aeronautical Development Agency.

 VI.   ZSI (Zoological Survey of India) monitoring climate change impact on Sundarban animals: It set up monitoring bases to measure effect of climate change on flora and fauna.

 VII.  The U P Government agreed to give in principle approval to give ownership rights to lease holder farmers of agricultural lands.

VIII. The National Green Tribunal banned use of Plastic in Haridwar and Rishikesh: It also fixed a penalty of Rs 5000 on anyone found violating the order. The penalty will be charged as compensation for degradation of environment.

IX. Defence Minister ManoharParikkar launched new automation software named ARPAN 3.0 for the Indian Army: This would provide 12 lakh soldiers easy access to their service records including pay and leave details and transfer and postings among others. The release of Army Record Office Process Automation 3.0 developed by Army Software Development Centre and Tech Mahindra coincides with the National Digital India Week

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

I. Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2015 Update and MDG Assessment released

UNICEF and WHO released the report titled Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water. The report presents the update and assessment of the Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals since 1990.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

 I. RBI introduced new security features to make Indian Currency less prone to counterfeiting: It has started printing the Rs 100 note on which the last six numerals of the nine digit currency note number will be in ascending print size from left to right.

SPORTS:

I. Wimbledon: Rafael Nadal lost to World 102, Dustin Brown in the second round itself. This is the 4^th time that the Spaniard was out the Wimbledon before the finals.

AWARDS:

I.  Sir FazleHasan Abed of Bangladesh to be conferred World Food Prize 2015: He was selected for his contribution towards alleviation of hunger.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

I. President Pranab Mukherjee received first copy of book titled ‘Uniki’ by CH VidyasagarRao: The book was published in Telugu. The president received the book from K ChandrashekharRao, chief minister of Telangana.

OBITUARIES:

I.  Former Chief Justice of India Y K Sabharwal passed away due to prolonged illness.

Daily GK Update - 3rd July 2015

DAILY GK UPDATE - 3rd JULY 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

I.            Union Government released caste and socio-economic census for better policy making: This is the 1^st paperless census conducted on hand held electronic devices by the government that said that 23.52% rural families have no literate adult above 25 years pointing towards a poor state of education among the rural masses.

II.            Union Government launched web portal for issuing green clearance category B projects

III.            Nationwide mobile number portability became reality today: This means mobile subscribers can now keep their mobile numbers even while shifting between states.

IV.            Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal launches Punjab e-PMS portal (Electronic Project Management System): It is an initiative to fast track infrastructural development. The portal was launched during the Digital India week.

V.            India launched eMigrate system for Foreign Employers: This online registration system named eMigrate system (www.emigrate.gov.in) for foreign employers who wants to recruit Indian workers, including nurses.

VI.            Union Cabinet approved institutional framework for National Skill Development Mission 2015: This mission will provide a strong institutional framework at the centre and states for implementation of skilling activities in the country.

VII.            Now the contribution of Rag Pickers will get recognition: The government decided to give National Awards for their contribution to keep India clean. The best three rag pickers and three associations involved in innovation of best practices will get a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakhs

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

I.            US space agency NASA successfully flight tested ‘Prandtl-d’, prototype of the first Mars airplane: Prandtl-d stands for The Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design to land on Mars.

II.            UNESCO classified Sanna as endangered heritage site: UN Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation has inducted the old city of Sanna in Yemen to the list of World Heritage sites in danger due to the serious damage done by the Houthi rebels.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

I.                 Country’s largest lender State Bank of India today launched an initiative to provide doorstep services and expedite home loans application process known as ‘Project Tatkal’

II.                 India has become a $2-trillion economy: India’s GDP crossed the $2 trillion mark in 2014 according to the data released by the World Bank in Washington.

III.                 Kotak Mahindra Bank gets FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) nod to raise investment limit to 55%

SPORTS:

I.            HrishikeshKanitkar and Ajay Ratra retired from all forms of cricket

AWARDS:

I.            Indo American professor R P Singh named for 2015 Agriculture Prize: He is known for research areas of agricultural sector such as freezing preservation, energy conservation, post-technology and mass transfer in food processing.

II.            Four Indo- Americans honoured with Great Immigrants Award: US attorney PreetBharara along with RakeshKhurana, MadhulikaSikka and Abraham Verghese got the prestigious ‘Great Immigrants: The Pride of America’

OBITUARIES:

I.            Nicolas Winton ‘Britain’s Schindler’ dies at 106

II.            Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keltron) founding chairman K P PNambiar passed away

III.            Adelaide Crows football coach Phil Wash died as he was found stabbed at his Adelaide home

MISCELLANEOUS:

I.            Aircraft maker Airbus to build military choppers in India with Mahindra.

II.            MobiKwik ties up with stationary retailer WHSmith India to enable online shopping at all its retail stores.

III.            Research article on the role of IL-21 against HIV-1 virus published in Nature Communication Journal: The discovery was published by Stanley Adoro of Cornell Medical College, New York that the Interleukin-21 protein plays an important role in limiting replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in infected humans.