Daily GK Updates - 27th March, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Kerala transport minister resigns: Kerala transport minister A. K. Saseendran has announced his resignation after allegations of misconduct were raised against him. The minister made the decision following an audio clip hinting at alleged misconduct with a woman was aired by a TV channel.

2. Bengaluru gets India’s first vertical garden:  The first vertical garden of India has been set up at the Hosur Road Electronics City Flyover in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The garden will help to control the pollution level of the city and also act as a sound proofing barrier. The vertical garden is an automatic drip irrigation system allowing the plants to get water on a daily basis.

3. BHEL commissions 250-MW eco-friendly unit in Gujarat: State-owned power equipment maker BHEL has commissioned a 250-MW eco-friendly unit using low-grade coal (lignite) as a primary fuel.  The lignite-based thermal unit, based on circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) technology, is the second such facility to be commissioned at Bhavnagar Energy Company’s (BECL) 2x250-MW thermal power project at Padva in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.

4. Environment Ministry official to chair animal welfare board: The government has notified that Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory advisory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF) will now be permanently chaired by a senior MoEF official. This step came into effect due to the recently held Jallikattu Protest in Karnataka.

5.  Conference on 'Make in India' held in Houston: A first-ever Houston India conference on 'Make in India' was held in Houston, the USA, for bringing together various constituencies that have an interest in doing business in India and discussing the latest developments. The theme of the Conference is 'Make in India -The Inside Story'.

6.  GIC to be first PSU general insurer to launch IPO: General Insurance Corporation (GIC Re) is likely to be the first PSU insurer to tap the capital market as the Finance Ministry has started scouting for merchant bankers to manage its Initial Public Offering (IPO), yet not officially released.

7.  Kolkata to host India's first ever FIFA U-17 World Cup final: Kolkata's iconic Salt Lake Stadium has been selected by FIFA to host the final of the Under-17 World Cup on October 28. 

8. World's largest capstone discovered by archaeologists in Telangana: The archaeology department of Telangana has discovered the world's largest capstone after excavating an ancient human burial site in Siddipet district, Telangana.  The capstone of the menhir burial reportedly weighs about 40 tonnes.

9. Uttarakhand Assembly introduces Lokayaukta Act: The crucial 2011 Lokayukta Bill has been introduced in Uttarakhand Assembly. Governor of State, KK Paul, said he has kept the issue of Lokayukhta on top priority. The new government will also revive the Transfer Act brought in 2011 by the erstwhile Khanduri government to curb corruption.

10. CCEA approved closing of CHBL and ICBL: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approvedclosure/winding up of CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd (CHBL) and IndianOil - Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) Biofuels Limited (ICBL).  Joint Ventures between CREDA HPCL Biofuel Ltd (CHBL) and IndianOil-CREDA Biofuels Limited (ICBL) were formed for carrying out energy crop (Jatropha) plantation and production of bio-diesel in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

11.  Pawan Hans ties-up with HAL to train helicopter pilots: State-run Pawan Hans has joined hands with public sector chopper maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to train helicopter pilots. Pawan Hans is a joint venture where state-owned ONGC holds 49 per cent.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Theatre Day: 27th March: The World Theatre Day (WTD) is celebrated globally on 27th March. World Theatre Day was created in 1961 by an international non-governmental organization International Theatre Institute (ITI), France. ITI was founded in 1948 by UNESCO and the international theater community.

                       OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India wins 73 medals in 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games: India’s special athletes have won 73 medals (37 golds, 10 silver, and 26 bronze) in the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games held in Austria. This year’s edition witnessed 2,600 athletes from over 105 countries competing with each -other.

2. West Bengal win Santosh Trophy for the 32nd time: West Bengal has won the 71st edition of premier domestic football tournament ‘Santosh Trophy’ by defeating Goa 1-0 in the final at Bambolim, Goa.

3. Shaun Tait retires from all forms of cricket: Australian fast bowler 'Shaun Tait' retires from all forms of cricket. Tait represented his country in 3 Tests, 35 One-Day Internationals (ODI) and 21 Twenty20 Internationals during which he picked up 95 wickets. He made his Test debut against England at Trent Bridge in the 2005 Ashes and last played for Australia in January 2016.

BANKING & FINANCE

4. Karnataka Bank’s launched platinum card: Karnataka Bank has launched the ‘MoneyPlant RuPay International Platinum Debit Card’ to provide more privileges to its premium and HNI (high net worth individual) customers. The card can be used for domestic and international cash withdrawals and purchases.

HONOURS & AWARDS

5. Ravish Kumar awarded first Kuldip Nayar journalism award: Eminent TV journalist Ravish Kumar (Senior executive editor of NDTV India) has been awarded inaugural ‘Kuldip Nayar journalism award’ for his contribution to the field of journalism at the India International Centre, New Delhi. He conferred with an award plaque along with a cash amount of Rs. 1 lakh. The award was set up to honor those working in vernacular media.

Daily GK Updates - 26th March, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Aadhaar to be mandatory for driving licence: The Central government has asked all the states to make Aadhaar card a mandatory requirement in order to procure a driving licence in India.  The rule will come into effect from October, 2017.

The move will ensure that there are no multiple driving licenses under one name.

2. Anupam Kher receives Kala Ratan Award from Vice President: Actor Anupam Kher was honoured with the Kala Ratan Award from Panjab University with the Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari giving away the award.

3. Indian Railways to install Wi-Fi kiosks at 500 remote stations for e-services: Railways will set up Wi-Fi hotspot kiosks at about 500 stations and help people access an array of online services, including various government schemes.  Christened as Railwire Saathi, the Wi-Fi kiosks will function like a PCO for Digital India and enable people to use services like e-commerce, online banking and much 

4. India becomes 3rd largest aviation market in domestic traffic: India has become the 3rd largest aviation market in terms of domestic passenger traffic, beating Japan.

According to aviation think-tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, India's domestic air passenger traffic stood at 100 million in 2016. It was behind only the US (719 million) and China (436 million).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Harvard to launch world's biggest solar geo-engineering study: Harvard University scientists are set to launch the biggest solar geo-engineering study by sending aerosol injections 20 kilometres into the earth's stratosphere to act as a solar shield. The study will explore the possibility of solar shielding as a future solution to global warming.  The $20 million project aims to simulate the atmospheric cooling effects of a volcanic eruption.

2. Bangladesh celebrates 46th Independence Day: On March 26th Bangladesh celebrates its Independence day. Bangladesh's President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at National Memorial in Savar paying respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom.

3. Bali named the best global travel destination for 2017: TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking website, has named Bali as the global winner of its 2017 Travelers' Choice Awards for destinations. London and Paris have bagged the second and the third spots respectively on TripAdvisor’s list of 10 best travel destinations around the world for this year.

                       OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1.  Cheteshwar Pujara sets a record by scoring the most runs in a Test season (by an Indian): Pujara achieved the landmark for scoring the most runs in a Test season, surpassing the mark of 1269 by Gautam Gambhir which he achieved in the 2008/09 season. He has scored 1316 runs at an average of 65.8 in the season, the most ever by an Indian batsman in Tests. He needs 168 runs to break Ricky Ponting’s mark, who holds the record for the most runs ever by a batsman in a season, with 1483 runs at an average of 78.05.

2. India wins archery team gold at Asia Cup: India's (men's) archery team won a gold medal in the men's compound event at the 2017 Asia Cup Stage 2 in Bangkok on Saturday.

3. Ferrari's Vettel wins season opener at Australian Grand Prix: Ferrari's Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel began the Formula One season with a win at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished the race in the second and third places respectively.

BANKING

4. HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri named in world's 30 Best CEOs list: HDFC Bank's Managing Director Aditya Puri has featured on the list of world's 30 best CEOs, published by American financial magazine Barron's.

Daily GK Updates - 25th March, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 'Earth Hour' being observed today: 25 March: The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) is observing the 10th anniversary of 'Earth Hour' today i.e. 25 March,2017. The worldwide event is held annually encouraging individuals to turn off non-essential lights for one hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 PM local time as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. It was started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007.

2. Indian Navy fires surface-to-air missile from INS Vikramaditya: The country’s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya successfully carried out the maiden test of the newly installed Barak short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM). The 44,500-tonne carrier was commissioned into the Navy in November 2013 at Severodvinsk in Russia.

3. Tanushree Pareek becomes BSF's first woman field officer: Tanushree Pareek, a resident of Rajasthan became BSF's first woman field officer. She led the passing-out parade at the BSF Academy as the first woman field officer. 

4. Aadhaar to be mandatory for getting Telecom connection: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has sent a notice to all telecom operators that all mobile phone subscribers (prepaid and post-paid) will have to be verified using e-KYC.

5. Pawan Hans set to launch its "Delhi Darshan" rides from 1st April: Through this ride the visitors can experience the beauty through aerial view of Pritampura Tower, Majnu Ka Tila, Red Fort, Rajghat, Akshardham Temple and surrounding areas by paying about Rs. 5,000 rupees for a 20-minute ride and about Rs. 2,500 for a ten-minute ride.

6. Nellore in AP to get Post Office Passport Seva Kendra: The External Affairs Ministry and the department of posts announced the opening of a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. It would be the 86th POPSK in the country.

7. Assam Forest department starts elephant census starts: Today, the Forest department has started the five-day long elephant census in Assam. As per last census (in 2011), there was 5,620 elephants in Assam.

8. Osmania University to host 105th Indian Science Congress: The 105th session of Indian Science Congress (ISC) will be hosted by Osmania University, Hyderabad during January 3-7, 2018. The theme of the 105th session of Indian Science Congress is 'Science and Technology - Reaching the Unreached’.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 116 million African children to get polio vaccines: According to World Health Organization(WHO),116 million children in 13 countries in west and central Africa are to receive polio vaccines as part of its efforts to eradicate the disease from the continent.

The synchronized vaccination campaign programme will see all children under the age of 5 in these countries immunized from today in a coordinated effort to raise childhood immunity to polio.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Ashwin breaks record for most wickets in a Test season: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has broken the record for most wickets in a single Test season, taking his 79th this season during the Dharamsala Test against Australia. 

BANKING & FINANCE:

2. SEBI bans Reliance Industries from equity derivatives trading for one year: Securities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) has banned Reliance Industries and 12 other entities from equity derivatives trading for one year. The case relates to alleged fraudulent trading in the futures and options space in the securities of RIL's erstwhile listed subsidiary Reliance Petroleum Ltd.

2. SBI's Arundhati Bhattacharya among world's greatest leaders: State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya has been ranked 26th among the world's 50 greatest leaders, according to Fortune Magazine.

HONOURS & AWARDS:

3. French Mathematician Yves Meyer wins Abel Prize 2017: The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has announced that the 2017 Abel prize has been awarded to mathematician ‘Yves Meyer’ for his pivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets”.The prize ceremony will be at Oslo in May.

Daily GK Updates - 24th March, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Suresh Prabhu announced scaling up of ‘VIKALP Scheme’ for Railway Passengers: The Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu has announced the scaling up of ‘VIKALP Scheme’ for waitlisted passengers at a progrmme held in New Delhi. The scheme will become effective on 1st April 2017. Prabhu has also released the Water Management Policy of Indian Railways to improve water use efficiency by setting up water recycling plants, rainwater harvesting plants, sewage treatment plants and effluent treatment plants on railway land.

2. CCEA approved North East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase- I: The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Phase - I of the North-East Road Network Connectivity Project in New Delhi. The National Highways (NHs) of 403 kilometers will be developed in Meghalaya (52km) and Mizoram (351km). The civil works are expected to be completed by 2021 and the maintenance works are expected to be completed by 2025.

3. NCST approves proposal for 5 additional seat for tribal in Sikkim Assembly: The National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST) has approved the proposal for five additional seats for tribal in the Sikkim Assembly. The proposal of increasing reserve seats for Schedule Tribes from 12 to 17 in 32 members in Sikkim Assembly and now it would be increased to 40. The five seats would be reserved for Limbu and Tamang tribes.

4. Five Indian cities included in World Heritage List: According to Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Dr. Mahesh Sharma, five Indian cities were included in the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The five Indian cities included in the list are Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar and Mumbai.

4. Bharti Airtel acquires 4G business of Tikona Networks: Indian global telecommunications services company Bharti Airtel has acquired 4G business of Tikona Networks including the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) business for Rs 1,600 crore.

5. Radha Mohan Singh launched Book titled '50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution': The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has launched a Coffee Table Book titled “50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution” commemorating National Dairy Development Board’s (NDDB) Golden Jubilee year.

6. India ranks 87th on Energy Architecture Performance Index: WEF: India ranked 87th among the surveyed 127 countries on a Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) released as part of report of Geneva- based World Economic Forum (WEF). EAPI focuses on tracking specific indicators to measure the energy system performance of the countries.

7. Government notifies third Protocol amending India-Singapore DTAA: The Union Finance Ministry has notified third Protocol amending India-Singapore Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA). The agreement came into force in February 2017 and was signed in December 2016. The Third Protocol amends the DTAA between both countries to provide for source-based taxation of capital gains arising on sale of shares in a company

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. March 24: World TB Day: The World Tuberculosis Day (WTD) is observed every year on March 24 to raise public awareness about the global epidemic of Tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. WTD is observed to commemorate discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, bacillus (bacteria) causing TB on 24th March, 1882 by German microbiologist Dr Robert Koch. This discovery had opened the way towards diagnosing and curing TB. 2017 Theme (Campaign): “Unite to End TB”.

2. Sea ice hits record winter low at both poles: Scientists: According to US and European scientists, the extent of sea ice at both poles has hit new record lows for this time of the year. The disappearing sea ice comes as the Earth marks three consecutive years of record-breaking heat and temperature rise, raising fresh concerns about the accelerating pace of global warming. 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Indian Navy to scale Everest as part of 'Seabed to Summit': An Indian Navy team is set to scale Mount Everest as a part of its 'Sagar Tal se Sagar Matha (Seabed to Summit)' expedition. The 24-member team, with personnel from INS Chakra and INS Chennai, will plant an ice-axe on the 8,848-metre high peak.

2. India finish with 13 medals at para Athletics meet in Dubai: India's para athletes won 13 medals in the season opening 9th Fazza International IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai. Out of the 13 medals, India won five gold, three of which were won by Sundar Singh Gurjar. The 21-year-old Gurjar, who missed Rio Paralympic Games last year, won a gold each in shot put, javelin throw and discus throw competitions.

BANKING & FINANCE:

3. World Bank signs US$ 100 million credit agreement with Uttarakhand, Centre: The World Bank has signed a 100 million US dollar credit agreement with the Centre and Uttarakhand in New Delhi to improve the quality of health care services in all 13 districts of the state. The project aims to reduce the financial risk for its citizens and make affordable, quality health care available to all. 

HONOURS & AWARDS:

4. Raghu Rai honored with Lifetime Achievement at National Photography Awards: Renowned photojournalist Raghu Rai has conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th National Photography Awards organized by the photo division of the I&B ministry in New Delhi. He is known for his books, Raghu Rai's India: Reflections in Colour and Reflections in Black and White.

OBITUARIES:

5. Noted Writer Ashokamitran passes away: Noted Tamil writer Ashokamitran (86-year) passed away in Chennai after a brief illness.He was given the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1996 for his work 'Appavin Snegidhar' (collection of short stories). Earlier, he was given the Tiru Vi Ka Award in 2014 for his contribution to Tamil literature.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd March, 2017

­­­­                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Cabinet approves setting up of National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes: The Union Cabinet approved setting up of National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NSEBC) as a constitutional body. In this regard, constitutional amendment bill for amending Constitution mainly by insertion of Article 338B will be soon introduced in the Parliament.

2. Cabinet approves of proposal to establish a Fund of Fund for Start-ups:  The Union Cabinet has approved proposals to tweak Fund of Funds of Start-ups (FFS) rules to enable greater flow of resources. FFS was established in June 2016 with a corpus of Rs. 1,000 crores.

3. Union Cabinet approves amendments to Customs and Excise Act to facilitate GST Regime: The Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Customs and Excise Acts related to abolition of cesses and surcharges on various goods and services to facilitate implementation of GST Regime Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. It has approved the following proposals: Amendment to Customs Act, 1962; Amendment to Central Excise Act, 1944. Amendments to Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Repeal of Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985 and Amendment/repeal of the provisions relating to Acts under which cesses are levied.

4. Cabinet approves amendments to NABARD Act, 1981: Union Cabinet has approved proposal for amending National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981. Decision in this regard was taken in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

5. Cabinet approves MoU between India and US in field of Cyber Security: The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-ln) and the US Homeland Security Department on cooperation in the field of Cyber Security. The MoU was signed in January 2017 in New Delhi. It intends to promote closer co-operation and exchange of information pertaining to the Cyber Security between both strategic partners in accordance with the relevant laws, rules and regulations and on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity.

6. Union Cabinet approves amendment to RTE Act, 2009: The Union Cabinet has approved the amendment to Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The amendment seeks to ensure all teachers, in position as on March 2015, acquire minimum qualifications prescribed by academic authority to extend period for such training for 4 years up to March 2019. 

7. CCEA approves North East Road Network Connectivity Project Phase I: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved North East Road Network Connectivity Project (NERNCP) Phase I for development of 403 kms of National Highways in Meghalaya and Mizoram. Out of total 403 km, approximately 351 km will be in developed in Mizoram and 52 km in Meghalaya. The project will be executed in EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) Mode.

8. Rajya Sabha passes HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014: The Rajya Sabha has passed HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014. The Bill seeks to safeguard the rights of people living with HIV and affected by HIV. It aims to prevent social stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV). It also seeks to strengthen legal accountability and establish formal mechanisms for inquiring into complaints and redressing grievances to probe discrimination complaints against those who discriminate against PLHIV.

9. Assam Government launches SaCReD initiative to make Majuli carbon neutral island: Assam Government launched Sustainable Action for Climate Resilient Development (SaCReD) Initiative to develop Majuli, the world’s largest river island, as the country’s first carbon neutral district. It was launched by state Chief Minister Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on the occasion of International Day of Forests (observed on March 21).

10. Gujarat Assembly passes bill for the establishment of 4 private & 2 govt. Universities: The Gujarat state Assembly has passed bills for the establishment of four private and two government-run universities in the state.

Four new private universities are Swarnim Startup and Innovation University (Gandhinagar), P P Savani University (Surat), Indrashil University (Ahmedabad) and Karnavati University (Gandhinagar). Two new private universities are Birsa Munda Tribal University at Rajpipla in Narmada district and the Gujarat Organic Agricultural University.

11. Shaheed Diwas (86^th Martyrdom Day) observed: The nation paid tributes to freedom fighters (Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev) on their 86th martyrdom day. On this day in 1931, British rulers had executed them in Lahore for their revolutionary activities against the British rule.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Meteorological Day 2017 observed globally: The United Nations' (UN) World Meteorological Day is annually held on or around 23^rd March to remember the World Meteorological Organization's establishment on that date in 1950. The theme of WMD 2017 is 'Understanding Clouds' to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water.Nation paying tributes to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev on their 86th martyrdom day.

2. India ranks 131 on Human Development Index (HDI): India has ranked 131 out of 188 countries in the 2016 Human Development Report (HDR) in the latest released report of the United Nations Development Progamme (UNDP).

                       OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. ISSF World Cup: Ankur Mittal wins double trap gold in double trap event: Indian shooter Ankur Mittal (24-year) clinched his first men's double trap event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico.

He defeated his Australian rival, James Willet.

2. Austria: India bags 18 medals in Olympics World Winter Games: India’s special athletes have won 18 medals so far in the ongoing 2017 Olympics World Winter Games in Austria. The medal tally includes six gold, four silver, and eight bronze. The team of 89 differently-abled sports person of the Special Olympics Bharat (SOB) is participating in the competition. Over 2,600 athletes from 105 nations are taking part in the event.

3. Indian para-athletes win 8 medals in IPC Athletics Grand Prix: Indian Para-athletes bagged eight medals (3 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze) in the 9th Fazaa International IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai. India is currently at the seventh spot out of 48 participating countries. Sundar Singh Gurjar (21-year) won a gold each in men's Javelin Throw F-46 and Discus Throw F-46 competitions. The third Indian gold was bagged by Narender Ranbir in men's Javelin Throw F-44 with an effort of 47.75m.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd March, 2017

­­­­                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  CBSE unveils new exam format for class VI to IX: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has unveiled new exam format for Class VI to IX.

The move will be implemented from the upcoming academic session.

2. Majuli: India’s first carbon neutral district, as a biodiversity heritage: The chief minister of Assam ‘Sarbananda Sonowal’ has launched initiatives to develop Majuli as India’s first carbon neutral district and as a biodiversity heritage. He also launched the “Forests are Lives” campaign to celebrate the importance of Assam’s rich forest and biodiversity.

3. Maharashtra Govt. makes Aadhaar mandatory for crop insurance schemes: The Maharashtra government has made Aadhaar mandatory to farmers for availing crop insurance schemes from the next Kharif season. Now, the farmers of the state will have to link it with the Aadhaar number before June this year to avail crop insurance schemes. The scheme is applicable to food grain and horticulture sectors.

4.  India ranks 131 in 2016 Human Development Index: India was ranked 131 in the 2016 Human Development Index (HDI) among the 188 countries.   The index was published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Top three countries are: Norway (0.949 score), Australia (0.939) and Switzerland (0.939). The HDI is a measure for assessing countries progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life (life expectancy), access to knowledge and access to a decent standard of living.

5. World Water Day observed: World water day is observed annually on 22nd March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The theme of 2017 for World Water Day is 'Why Waste Water?'. The first International World Water Day, designated by the United Nations, was commemorated in 1993.

6. Bihar Diwas celebrated: Bihar Diwas (105th) is observed every year on 22nd March, marking the formation of the state of Bihar. Three-day celebrations of foundation day of the state have been inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar. It was on this day when the British carved out the state from Bengal Presidency in 1912.

7. 4 Indian cities among cheapest globally: EIU: Four Indian cities are among the cheapest to live in globally, while Singapore (last in the list) has been ranked as the most expensive for the fourth consecutive year, according to a 'Worldwide Cost of Living 2017' report by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Almaty has been ranked as the cheapest city in the world followed by Lagos. 

8. ISRO commissions world’s third-largest hypersonic wind tunnel:  The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) created history by commissioning the world’s third-largest hypersonic wind tunnel at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.  In this regard, ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar commissioned two facilities – a 1-m Hypersonic Wind Tunnel and a 1-m Shock Tunnel.

                      INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Canadian teacher wins global teacher prize: A Canadian teacher 'Maggie MacDonnell' has been named the winner of the annual Global Teacher Prize at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. She teaches at the Ikusik School in Salluit, an Inuit village deep in the Canadian Arctic. She was awarded for her achievements within the local community that survives amidst harsh conditions and her effort in helping to reduce teenage suicide rates.

                       OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.  ICC names Ankur Khanna as new Chief Financial Officer: Ankur Khanna has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He will join the ICC by the end of March 2017.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

2. Upendra Tripathy appointed as Interim Director General of ISA: Upendra Tripathy (IAS- Karnataka Cadre) has been appointed as the full-time interim Director General (IDG) of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched on 30th November, 2015 as a coalition of the solar resource rich countries on the first day of the Paris Climate Conference (CoP21).

3. Samsung Pay launched in India: Samsung Electronics on Wednesday announced the launch of its flagship mobile payments service, Samsung Pay, in India. 

Samsung Pay can be used to make purchases using debit or credit card to make payments. The cashless payment solution also supports mobile wallets like RuPay cards and UPI apps.

4. Madhabi Puri Buch appointed as SEBI whole time member: The government has announced Madhabi Puri Buch as new whole time member of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). She will be in the office for period of three years. She is currently serving in the New Development Bank, Shanghai. This is the first time that a women and a person from private sector has been chosen for a key post with the market regulator.

HONOURS & AWARDS

5. President of India presents Gallantry Awards: The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has presented the Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations at a Defence Investiture Ceremony at ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan’ in New Delhi.

He conferred Kirti Chakra (one) and Shaurya Chakras(twelve) to Armed Forces Personnel for displaying exemplary leadership, an extreme presence of mind, conspicuous gallantry and courage beyond the call of duty. Kirti Chakra given to Major Rohit Suri (The Parachute Regiment).

Daily GK Updates - 21st March, 2017

­­­­                     NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India ranks 122 in 2017 World Happiness Report:  India ranked at 122 out of 155 countries in the World Happiness Report 2017 published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network on the eve of International Day of Happiness (20 March). The rankings are based factors such as  inequality, life expectancy, GDP per capita, public trust (i.e. a lack of corruption in government and business), and social support. Together they are used to generate a happiness score of country on a scale from 1 to 10.

2. Uttarakhand HC recognise Ganga and Yamuna Rivers as living entity:  The Uttarakhand High Court has recognized the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers as so-called living entities. It is for the first time any court in India has recognized a non-human as a living entity. The two rivers are sacred for the Hindus, sustain millions of people in the country but have seen years of damage at the hands of humans.

3. India’s first sign language dictionary to come up soon: Government:   The Union Government will soon launch country’s first-of-its-kind Indian Sign Language (ISL) dictionary which aims to bring uniformity in sign languages used by hearing and speech impaired people. It is being developed in both print and video format by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC).  It will give uniform language to 50 lakh hearing-impaired and 20 lakh speech-impaired people in the country.

4. IIT-Madras inks pact with Tanstia-FNF Service: IIT-Madras and small scale industry body Tanstia-FNF Service Centre have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) fortechnology transfer of water treatment analysis kits designed to treat drinking water mainly in rural areas. The research at IIT-Madras for developing the filter and the kit was funded by International Development Research Centre, Canada.

5. NBCC to execute social housing project in Mauritius: National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a Navratna construction major under the Ministry of Urban Development will execute a US $ 20 million (Rs.130 crore) social housing project in Mauritius. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard was signed between NBCC and Mauritius.

6. “FICCI Frames-2017” starts in Mumbai: The 18th edition of Asia’s largest convention on the business of media and entertainment “FICCI Frames-2017” has started in Mumbai, Maharashtra from March 21.  The 3-day international convention will covers the entire spectrum of Media & Entertainment.  The theme of this year’s convention is “Digital-Divide or Dividend”. Canada is partnering the event.

7.  India home to 101 billionaires, Mukesh Ambani tops the list: Forbes India is home to world’s fourth highest number of billionaires with Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani (33rd position globally) leading the club of more than 100 super rich Indians. The list has been topped by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for the fourth year in a row. 

8. Five Indians in WEF’s 100 Young Global Leaders list: Five Indians have made it to the World Economic Forum's list of 100 Young Global Leaders under 40 years of age. These include Paytm Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Blippar app's Founder Ambarish Mitra, journalist in Fortune India Hindol Sengupta, Swaniti Initiative's Rwitwika Bhattacharya and The Tamara Coorg hospitality's Shruti Shibulal. All the people in the list are entitled to a five-year leadership journey.

Every batch of medicines would undergo testing before it is distributed.

                      INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  International Day of Forests: 21st March: The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Forests 2017 is observed on 21st march, which promotes the importance of forests and trees in our lives. The theme for this year is 'Forests and energy'.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Roger Federer wins ATP Indian Wells Masters title: Swiss star Roger Federer (35-years) has won the ATP Indian wells Masters title in California, USA.

He defeated Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-4, 7-5. Federer joined Novak Djokovic as the only man to win five Indian Wells titles. Earlier, he has won his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. He had earlier won this title consecutively three times between 2004 and 2006 and in 2012.

2. Cheteshwar Pujara becomes first Indian to face 500 balls in Test innings: Cheteshwar Pujara has become the first Indian to face 500-plus balls in an innings, going past the mark against Australia. He broke past Rahul Dravid's record of 495 balls, which were the most faced by an Indian in one Test innings.

BANKING & FINANCE:

3. Bharatiya Mahila Bank to be merged with SBI: The Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) will be merged with the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) from 1^st April, 2017. The merger would mean 103 branches and business of Rs. 2,000 crores added to SBI. The bank employees, who had joined on deputation, would be transferred back to their previous banks.

4. Branches of SBBJ, SBH, SBM, SBP and SBT to operate as branches of SBI from April 1, 2017: All branches of State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT) will function as branches of State Bank of India from April 1, 2017. The Customers, including depositors of all the five Banks will be treated as customers of State Bank of India with effect from April 1, 2017.

5. Govt proposes to lower cash transaction limit to Rs 2 lakh: The government on Tuesday proposed to cap cash transactions at Rs 2 lakh instead of the proposed Rs 3 lakh.  The proposal was made in the finance bill. The bill proposes to levy a service charge on all cash transaction above Rs 2 lakh.

6. ICICI bank launched mobile banking app “Mera iMobile”: The ICICI bank has recently launched a mobile banking app “Mera iMobile” for rural customers that allow them to access banking services as well as information on agri services.