Daily GK Updates - 10th April, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. April 10: World Homoeopathy Day: The World Homoeopathy Day is observed every year on April 10 to pay tribute to Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, founder and father of Homeopathy system of medicine. Observance of the day seeks to spread more knowledge about this form of medicine in the mainstream public health. This year it is 262nd birth anniversary of the founder of Homoeopathy. On this occasion, AYUSH Ministry, had organised International Convention on World Homoeopathy Day with theme “Enhancing Quality Research in Homoeopathy through scientific evidence and rich clinical experiences”.

2. Parliament passes Constitution (SCs) order (Amendment) Bill, 2017: Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2017 after it was passed by Rajya Sabha. It was already passed by Lok Sabha in March 2017.  The Bill seeks to amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Pondicherry) Scheduled Castes Order, 1964.

3. Pakistan sentences alleged RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav to death: Pakistan’s Field General Court Martial has sentenced to death Indian national and alleged RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent Kulbhushan Jadhav (46) who was arrested last year on charges of spying.  The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa after the Field General Court Martial found him guilty of all the charges. 

4. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates exhibition marking 100 years of Champaran Satyagraha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an exhibition titled “Swachhagraha – Bapu Ko Karyanjali – Ek Abhiyan, Ek Pradarshani” in New Delhi mark the 100 years (centenary year) of Champaran Satyagraha. The exhibition will showcase Champaran Satyagraha and it will connect essential principles of Satyagraha with Swachhagraha. It will also showcase the ground covered by the Swachh Bharat Mission in creating a mass movement towards a clean India.

5. 12th Indo-Mongolian Joint Military Exercise “Nomadic Elephant” held in Vairengte:  The twelfth edition Indo-Mongolian Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2017 has begun at Vairengte in Mizoram. Vairengte houses Indian Army’s elite Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School. The first joint Nomadic Elephant was held in 2004 and since then it is annually held. It seeks to promote military associations between India and Mongolia. 

6. President Pranab Mukherjee picks winner of Lucky Grahak and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojanas: President Pranab Mukherjee has picked up lucky winners from the 100th draw of lots under the digital payments promotion schemes Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana. Total the six winners were selected — three consumers and three merchants of Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana. The winners will be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14 in Nagpur (Maharashtra) on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti.

7. Government launches “Bharat ke Veer” web portal and application: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has launched web portal and mobile application named “Bharat ke Veer” to enable people to contribute towards family of martyrs from central paramilitary forces. It was launched by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the occasion of Valour Day of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), observed on 9 April.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First UK rail freight service to China to depart: The first rail freight service from United Kingdom to China departed from Essex. Earlier the first freight train in the opposite direction, from China to UK had arrived in London in January 2017. The train service was launched as part of China’s ambitious One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative that aims to revive the ancient Silk Road trading routes with the West dating back more than 2,000 years.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Mohun Bagan beats East Bengal 2-1 in Kolkata derby: Mohun Bagan beat East Bengal 2-1 in I-League on Sunday to register their first win over the team outside Kolkata in 17 years. Mohun Bagan is now within one point of leaders Aizawl FC with a game in hand. Sony Norde and Azharuddin Mallick scored for Mohun Bagan, while East Bengal's Willis Plaza was sent off for hitting a player.

2. Dav Whatmore takes charge of Kerala state team: World Cup-winning coach Dav Whatmore took charge as the head coach of Kerala's state cricket team on Saturday. Whatmore, who led Sri Lanka to their 1996 World Cup title, has coached four international teams.

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Daily GK Updates - 9th April, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PMO discusses ways to involve private real estate developers in 'Housing-for-all by 2022' programme: Prime Minister's Office discussed ways to involve private real estate developers in the government's ambitious 'Housing-for-All by 2022' programme at a meeting in New Delhi.  The meeting called by the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra yesterday discussed how the benefits of the interest subsidy on affordable housing could reach the prospective home buyers at the earliest.

2. Modi, Hasina flag off trial run of India-Bangladesh train: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday flagged off the trial run of a passenger train service between Kolkata and Bangladesh's Khulna. Named Maitree Express-2, it is the second passenger train between India and Bangladesh. Regular service between the Kolkata station and Khulna will commence in July.

3.Mega draw of Lucky Grahak Yojana & Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana being held today at Rashtrapati Bhavan: President Pranab Mukherjee will today draw the lots for mega draw of the Lucky Grahak Yojana and the Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Three mega prizes for consumers worth 1 crore rupees, 50 lakh and 25 lakh rupees and three for merchants worth 50 lakh, 25 lakh and 12 lakh rupees would be announced, at the event through the 100th mega draw. These winners will be felicitated by the Prime Minister on 14th of April in Nagpur, on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti.

4. Australian PM to arrive in New Delhi on four-day visit: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will arrive in New Delhi today on a four-day visit. This will be the first visit of Mr Turnbull to India. However, Mr Turnbull and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have had substantive meetings on the margins of the G-20 in Antalya in 2015 and in Hangzhou in 2016.

5. Mahavir Jayanti celebrated across the country today: Mahavir Jayanti, the birth anniversary of 24th and last Jain Tirthankar Bhagwan Mahavir is being celebrated across the country today. Mahavir Jayanti is considered to be one of the most auspicious events for Jain people and holds a lot of importance in their religious life.

6. 26 projects worth Rs. 2100 cr approved for Namami Gange project: The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved 26 projects worth Rs.2,154.28 crore under the Centre's 'Namami Gange' programme, aiming to reduce the river's pollution load. As part of the projects, the NMCG will set up sewage treatment plants and develop sewage network in four Ganga basin states, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 15 civilians killed in suspected US-led coalition airstrike near IS group's Syrian bastion Raqqa: At least 15 civilians, including four children, were killed in a suspected US-led coalition airstrike today near the Islamic State group's Syrian bastion Raqqa. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 17 people were injured in the strike on Heneyda. The Britain-based group said, the death toll could rise further because several of the injured were in serious conditions.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India seal place in Davis Cup World Group Tennis Play-offs: India today sealed their place in the Davis Cup World Group Tennis Play-offs with Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji routing their rivals with clinical precision for an unassailable 3-0 lead against Uzbekistan. The World Group Play-offs will be held in September.

2. Rio Olympics marathon champion fails dope test: Kenya's Jemima Sumgong, who won the Rio Olympics women's marathon last year, has tested positive for a banned substance in an out-of-competition dope test conducted by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

BANKING & FINANCE:

3. UK bank to pay Rs. 795 crore as compensation to fraud victims: UK banking major Lloyds has announced that it is setting aside £100 million (Rs. 795 crore), to compensate customers who lost money in a fraud scandal. The lender said it will compensate for "economic losses, distress and inconvenience" to assist victims. This comes after some staff at HBOS, owned by Lloyds, were jailed for carrying out a loans scam.

4. RBI to allow banks to invest in REITs, InvITs: Banks will be allowed to invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs), attracting more institutional investors to such assets and expanding the investment scope of banks. REIT/InvIT is a structured business trust model facilitating entrepreneurs and corporates to monetise their capital locked in assets through issue of units to investors at large. Just like a mutual fund scheme, investors can own units in a REIT and the rental income is shared among the investors.

5. Deadline for bank savings account holders to give PAN extended to June 30, 2017: The finance ministry has extended the time limit for providing Permanent Account Number (PAN) or Form No. 60 by bank account holders who have not given it at the time of account opening or later to June 30, 2017. 

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Daily GK Updates - 8th April, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 64th National Film Awards announced in New Delhi: Akshay Kumar was awarded as the Best actor for his movie, ‘Rustom’. ‘Neeraja’ was awarded as the Best Hindi Movie of 2016. ‘Dangal’ fame, Zaira Wasim bagged the award for Best Supporting Actress. ' ‘Pink’ was named as the ‘Best Movie on Social Issues’. Director, Priyadarshan was the head of the jury for the 64th National Awards.

National Film Awards were constituted in 1954 and are awarded yearly by Directorate of Film Festivals.

2. ‘Deendayal Rasoi Yojana’ to be launched by CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan: CM will launch this scheme in 49 districts of Madhya Pradesh. Under this scheme, people would be provided wholesome meal through canteens that would offer subsidised prices (wholesome meal below Rs. 5/-). The arrangement is expected to serve almost 2000 people on a regular basis.

3. Rajya Sabha clears bills for roll out of GST Bill: Rajya Sabha cleared four supporting bills to clear way for GST. These are - 

(a) Central Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill 

(b) Integrated GST Bill

(c) Compensation GST Bill

(d) Union Territory GST Bill 2017

Lok Sabha has already passed these bills and they will be enacted after President’s approval. GST council will hold a meeting in May in Srinagar to decide how to fit various goods and services in different tax slabs.

4. North Koel Irrigation Project to be revived by Union Government: Union Government will revive 45 year old North Koel Irrigation Project in order to facilitate irrigation for almost 1 lakh hectare farmland in Palamu and Daltonganj regions of Jharkhand as well as some neighbouring districts of Bihar. The cost to revive the project is expected to be around Rs. 1622 crores. The announcement was made by Union Water Resources Minister, Uma Bharti.

5. India takes over operations of 1 unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant: Russian firm which is based in Moscow and also a subsidiary of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation, ASE group of Companies handed over the operations of first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant to Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). The warranty period and commercial operation of the power plant had started in December 2014. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is located in Tamil Nadu.

6. India, Bangladesh sign 22 agreements: India and Bangladesh have signed 22 agreements in various fields such as defence, nuclear cooperation, judicial sector, earth sciences, navigation, peaceful uses of outer space, to boost bilateral cooperation. These agreements were signed in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi after delegation level talks.

7. India ranks 40 in WEF’s 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index: India was ranked 40th among the 136 economies across the world in 2017 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) released by the World Economic Forum (WEF). In this edition of index, India has jumped 12 places from earlier 52nd position in 2015. But it lagged behind its other Asian peers like Japan (4th) and China (13th).

8. Agriculture Ministry, ISRO to team up to Geo-Tag Agricultural Assets: The Union Agriculture Ministry has joined hands with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a wing of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for geo-tagging agricultural assets.  In this regard, Agriculture Ministry under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY) and NRSC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 

9. WTTC names India as the 7th largest Tourism Economy: As per the report of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India stands at 7th place as a tourism economy in terms of GDP. Travel and tourism sector recorded growth of Rs. 14.1 trillion (USD 208.9 billion) in 2016, which is 7th largest in the world in terms of size.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Malala Yousafzai set to become youngest UN Messenger of Peace: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will appoint 19 years old Malala as the Messenger of Peace for UN. It is noteworthy that she is also the youngest recipient of Nobel Peace Prize.

2. New Constitution signed by Thailand King: Thailand King, Maha Vajiralongkorn signed a new constitution in Bangkok. This is Thailand’s 20th constitution since 1932. The new constitution is expected to pave way for Democracy while also giving the army a substantial role in politics.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. First NBA Basketball School opens in Mumbai: The National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched the first NBA Basketball School in Mumbai on Saturday. The school is part of NBA's initiative of a network of tuition-based basketball development programmes, open to international male and female players aged between 6 to 18. Additional NBA Basketball Schools will be launched in India and around the world in the coming months.

BANKING & FINANCE:

2. Asian Development Bank expects Indian Economy to grow to 7.4% in 2017-18: For financial year 2017-18, Asian Development Bank has projected India’s growth forecast at 7.4%. ADB expects the growth rate to improve to 7.6% in 2018.

India reflected a growth rate of 7.1% for 2016-17.

5. India ranks 9th in corruption in business: EMEIA Fraud Survey:  According to EY Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey 2017, India ranks 9th among 41 surveyed countries in bribery and corrupt practices in businesses. India’s ranking has improved marginally from the survey findings in 2015 when India was at the 6th position. It has improved due to better regulatory scrutiny and emphasis on transparency and governance.

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Daily GK Updates - 7th April, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated 3-day National Children’s Film Festival: The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated a three-day National Children’s Film Festival in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). The aim of the film festival is to expose children to quality cinema and to introduce novel elements beyond films.

2. Two-day national TB summit began in Dharamshala: The two-day national TB summit has begun with the slogan “TB Harga, Desh Jeetega” in Dharamshala, Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.

3. Jio complementary offer not in sync with regulations: TRAI: The telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has advised ‘Reliance Jio’ to stop complimentary three-month service offer as it was not in accordance with the regulatory framework.

4. India, Russia ink deal on Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant: India has signed a joint statement with Russia takeover full operational control of Unit 1 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP). It formally marks the full transition. The agreement was signed between representatives of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the ASE Group of Companies, a subsidiary of ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia.

5. Government launches Cyber Physical Systems programme: Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) programme dealing with self-driven cars, autonomous unmanned vehicles and aircraft navigation systems The programme is still at a nascent stage. Rs. 3,000-crore has been has been conceived for it and it will first take root in some of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. April 7: World Health Day: The World Health Day (WHD) is observed every year on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHD 2017 theme: “Depression: Let’s talk”. It seeks to encourage people to come forward for treatment.

2.  India & Israel sign defense deals worth over 2 billion USD: India and Israel have signed megdefensece deals worth over 2 billion USD for advanced surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems to destroy hostile aircraft, missiles, and drones at a range of 70-km. The major deal was for the joint project between the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Barak-8 medium-range SAM systems to initially include one regiment of 16 launchers and 560 missiles for the Indian Army.

3. India & UK to set up 240 mn pound fund for green energy: India and the United Kingdom (UK) have decided to set up a 240-million Pound fund to finance clean energy projects. India had in 2015 set up the Rs 40,000 crore National Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF) to finance greenfield as well as brownfield projects. The Green Growth Equity Fund will be a sub-fund of NIIF. The fund will focus initial investments in India’s rapidly growing energy and renewables market.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. PV Sindhu reaches career-best World No.2 ranking: P V Sindhu (21-year) has jumped three places to achieve world number two ranking (career-best) in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) ranking. She has become only the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal to break into the top-five of the world rankings. The women's singles chart is led by Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei) with 87911 points.

BANKING & FINANCE:

2.  NEFT transfers to be faster as RBI cuts clearance time: The NEFT settlement cycle will be reduced from hourly batches to half hourly batches. According to RBI, 11 additional settlement batches will be introduced at 8.30 am onwards.

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Daily GK Updates - 6th April, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Haryana government to provide Rs 21,000 to families for third girl child: The Haryana government will provide Rs 21,000 to all those families whose third girl child was born under the 'Aapki Beti, Hamari Beti' scheme (after August 24, 2015).

2. Jhargram becomes 22nd Bengal district: The Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee has declared 'Jhargram' as the 22nd district of the state. Jhargram has been formed by bifurcating West Midnapore district.

3. Union Cabinet approves setting up Rail Development Authority: The Union Cabinet has cleared approved setting up an independent rail regulator, named Rail Development Authority (RDA). It will be based in Delhi and will be set up through an executive order.  It will be responsible for recommending passenger fares, setting performance standards for rail operations and creating level playing policy for private sector participation.

4. CCEA approves extension of implementation of CCTNS Project by one year: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved t extension of the implementation phase of the Crime and Criminals Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) Project for another year beyond 31 March 2017. The proposal in this regard was forwarded by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The extension will help in achieving the remaining objectives of the project comprehensively.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 6th April: United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace: The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed across the world on 6th April every year to recognize the power of sport in promoting peace and erasing cultural barriers worldwide. The day has been celebrated each year since 2014. The date commemorates the inauguration of the first Olympic games of the modern era, in Athens (Greece) in 1896.

2. India-UAE cultural celebrations festival launched at Abu Dhabi: The India & UAE cultural celebrations festival has been launched in Abu Dhabi with a tribute video featuring the Mahatma Gandhi and late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Virat Kohli' named Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016: Indian captain Virat Kohli has been named Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016. Kohli becomes the third Indian to be bestowed with the honor, with Virender Sehwag (2008 and 2009) and Sachin Tendulkar (2010).

BANKING & FINANCE:

2. RBI first Bi-monthly Policy 2017-18: The Bi-monthly policy has been released based on the assessment of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) remains unchanged at 25 per cent. Reverse repo rate under the LAF has been increased to 6.00 per cent from earlier rate of 75%. Marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate have been reduced 50 per cent from earlier rate of 6.75%. Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)remains unchanged at 4%. RBI has forecasted Gross Value Added (GVA) growth at 7.4% in the financial year 2017-18 and 8.1% in FY19.

3. Aditya Birla Group gets RBI license to start payments bank: Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd has become the seventh entity to receive a final license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a payments bank. The group's outfit Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank is a 51:49 joint venture (JV) between Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd (ABNL) and telecom major Idea Cellular. 

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Daily GK Updates - 5th April, 2017

­­­­NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  National conference on Communicating India to be organized: A national conference on communicating India was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore in New Delhi. The conference has been organized by ‘the Vivekananda International Foundation’ in collaboration with the India Media Centre, University of Westminster, London, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication with the association of Prasar Bharati.

2. ‘Gunotsav’ program in Assam launched in 8 districts: The Gunotsav program has been launched in 8 districts of Assam to improve elementary education. The districts include Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Barpeta and Kamrup Metro. over 9 lakh students in 2,000 schools will be covered under the programme in the next 3 days in the first phase.

3. Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission to go paperless: The Union government has approved Rs 5.24 crore e-governance project for Himachal Pradesh (HP) under good governance and best practices in India. Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) is all set to launch e-Governance Project to start paperless functioning, making it the first PSC of the country to do so.

4.  5th April: National Maritime Day: 5th April is being observed as National Maritime Day of India every year. The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964. On this day in 1919, navigation history was created when the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd."SS Loyalty" journeyed to the United Kingdom.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Lenin Moreno wins Ecuador presidential election: Lenin Moreno has won the Presidential election after a tight contest with his right-wing opponent Guillermo Lasso.

2. Japan officially recognises Bitcoin as currency: Japan has officially recognized bitcoin and digital currencies as legal money along the lines of other fiat currencies with effect from April 1, 2017. The recognition comes after implementation of a new law amending Banking Act in Japan for legalizing these currencies.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India ranks 3rd in WADA doping charts: India was ranked third for the third year in a row in a doping violation report published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 2015.

2. Indian Premier League 10 to kick off today: Today, the Indian Premier League (10th) will begin with defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the season opener at the ‘Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium’ in Hyderabad.

BANKING & FINANCE:

3. RBI Board clears proposal to introduce Rs 200 notes: The board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cleared a proposal to introduce banknotes of Rs200 denomination. The decision was taken at the RBI board meeting held in Mumbai in March 2017. The process of printing the new Rs 200 notes is likely to begin after June 2017 once the government officially approves the new denomination.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

4. ‘Amazon India’ launches ‘Classroom’ for new sellers: Amazon India has launched an initiative a virtual training programme "Amazon Classroom" to help teach them the nuances of online selling. The program focusses on areas such as order processing, adding products and managing returns that are required to operate a successful online business. New sellers can now perform demos of their seller account dashboard through interactive courses at their own pace.

HONOURS & AWARDS:

5. Dawit Isaak awarded 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize: An imprisoned Eritrean-Swedish journalist ‘Dawit Isaakhas’ will receive the 2017 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. Isaak was chosen for the prestigious award in recognition of his courage, resistance, and commitment to freedom of expression. 

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Daily GK Updates : 4th April, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. No of beneficiaries under Ujjwala Yojana crosses 2 crore mark: Government: The number of beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana for providing free of cost LPG (cooking gas) connections to BPL households has crossed 2 crore mark since its launch in May 2016.  The success of the scheme shows that how it is serving as a novel means of women empowerment and achieving the goals of providing clean fuel and a better life to the people.

2. DAC approves proposals to buy Barak missiles for naval warships: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Union Defence Ministry has approved proposal to procure fresh batch of Barak surface-to-air missiles (SAM) for the Indian Navy’s warships from Israel. The procurement of the missiles will enhance India’s maritime capability in view of the changing security dynamics in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).

3. IISc ranked India’s top university in 2017 NIRF Survey: The Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bengaluru was adjudged as the best Indian university in the 2017 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) released by Union Human Resource Development Ministry. This year it is second edition NIRF survey and was released as part of the India Rankings 2017 for the Educational Institutions.

4. India, Malaysia inks 7 agreements: India and Malaysia have inked seven agreements to foster deeper relationship between the two countries. The agreements were exchanged in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Abdul Razak in New Delhi who was on six day state visit to India.

5. Government launches Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in Nellore:  The Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has launched Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. The Scheme aims at providing physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.

6. Government withdraws subsidy to mild hybrid vehicles under FAME scheme: The Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has withdrawn subsidy given to mild hybrid vehicles under FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India) scheme.  Earlier, mild hybrid, strong hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles were given incentives under the FAME India scheme. 

7. SASEC countries pledges to improve intra-regional connectivity to boost trade & tourism: India and six other South Asian countries of South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) have pledged to improve intra-regional connectivity to boost trade and tourism. Decision in this regard was taken at the Finance ministers of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar meeting held in New Delhi to reshape SASEC.  They also came out with the SASEC Vision for 2025 and adopted operational plan 2016-25.

8. Madhya Pradesh CM launches ‘MP e-nagarpalika’ app: The Madhya Pradesh chief minister ‘Shivraj Singh Chouhan’ has launched an app named “MP e-NagarPalika” to provide various municipal services online in the state. The primary goal of the project is to provide municipal services to citizens through multiple service delivery channels and ensure accessible, convenient, transparent, and timely delivery of services. The Citizens can file online complaints and subsequently track the status of their complaints online and apply online for Birth, marriage, and Death Registration.

9. J&K bans polythene manufactured below 50 microns: The Jammu & Kashmir state government has imposed ban on the use of polythene bags manufactured below fifty microns in the state. The new guidelines and regulations would facilitate proper recycling of plastic waste, reducing its impact on the ecology.

10. Union Textiles Minister launches PowerTex India Scheme: The union Textiles minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani has launched a comprehensive scheme for power loom sector development ‘PowerTex India’ in Bhiwandi, Thane district, Maharashtra. The scheme will especially benefit small power loom weavers. PowerTex India van was also flagged off for publicity of PowerTex scheme across the country.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Scientists identify fungus that eats plastic: Scientists from Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have identified a soil fungus Aspergillus tubingensis that uses enzymes to rapidly break down plastic materials. The plastic-eating fungus was found Islamabad, Pakistan. The new discovery in an advance can help to deal with plastic waste problem that threatens our environment in safer and more effective way

2. SASEC countries pledges to improve intra-regional connectivity to boost trade & tourism: India and six other South Asian countries of South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) have pledged to improve intra-regional connectivity to boost trade and tourism. Decision in this regard was taken at the Finance ministers of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar meeting held in New Delhi to reshape SASEC.  They also came out with the SASEC Vision for 2025 and adopted operational plan 2016-25.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. FIFA bans former Guatemala FA president Brayan Jimenez for life: FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) has banned Guatemala's former football chief ‘Brayan Jimenez’ for life from all football-related activities at national and international level. He was banned for accepting bribes worth several hundred thousand dollars in exchange for media and marketing rights for key matches.

BUSINESS & BANKING:

2. Income Tax communication between AO and taxpayer now online: Income Tax department-related proceedings between the taxpayer and the tax man from the new fiscal will be conducted online. This is a part of its initiative to minimise human interface between the assesse and the Assessing Officer (AO) thereby reducing complaints of harassment and corruption. A new link or window called 'e-proceeding' will soon be introduced on the e-filing website of the department, which is used by taxpayers to file their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) at present.

3. SBI cuts lending rates by 0.15%: The State Bank of India (SBI) has reduced its benchmark lending rate by 0.15 %.The minimum lending rate (Base rate) of the bank has been reduced from 9.25 percent to 9.1 %.  With this reduction, EMIs for the bank's new as well as existing borrowers who have taken housing or car loans at the base rate will come down by at least 0.15 per cent.

OBITUARIES:

4. Hindustani classical vocalist ‘Kishori Amonkar’ passes away: Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist ‘Kishori Amonkar’ (84-years) passed away in Mumbai after a brief illness. Amonka was considered one of the pre-eminent representatives of Hindustani tradition and as an innovative exponent of the ‘Jaipur Gharana’ (musical tradition of Jaipur). She was a performer of the classical genre khyal and the light classical genres ‘thumri’ and ‘bhajan’.

5. British black power activist ‘Darcus Howe’ passes away: Britain’s one of the most prominent black activists of his generation ‘Darcus Howe’ (74-year) passed away due to cancer. ‘Howe’ was a leader of the UK’s little-chronicled black power movement. He battled institutional racism and challenged the prevailing view that racism wasn't a problem in modern-day Britain.

Well done! Now check yourself by clicking on the link given below:
https://thedailygkupdate.wordpress.com/2017/04/15/daily-gk-quiz-4th-april-2017/