Daily GK Updates - 2nd October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Urban Maharashtra declared open defecation free: President Kovind on his maiden visit to Maharashtra declared urban areas of the state as Open Defecation Free. Almost half of Maharashtra has become open Defecation free, since 49% population in lives in urban areas.

2. Free Eye Check-up Campaign for truck drivers and their helpers: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will launch countrywide Free Eye Check-up Campaign & distribution of spectacles for truck drivers, cleaners & helpers in Maharashtra. The objective of this initiative is to ensure clearer vision and safe travel for truck drivers who are the most frequent users of national highways.

3. Meenakshi temple the cleanest: Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai has been adjudged the cleanest iconic place in India under Swachhta Hi Seva programme. Temple earned the top slot from among 10 iconic places selected under Swachh Bharath Mission.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of Non-Violence observed:  International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 Oct, birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, pioneer of philosophy & strategy of non-violence. International Day of Non-violence was established by UNGA by passing the resolution in 2007 in an effort to spread the message of non-violence.

2. 2017 Nobel Prize for medicine announced: The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young. The trio have been given the prize “for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm”. Their discoveries explain how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions.

3. International Day of Older Persons: The International Day of Older Persons is observed on Oct 1 each year. It aims to raise awareness of how vital older people are as a part of community & break down age discrimination. This year’s theme is – Stepping into Future: Tapping Talents, Contributions & Participation of Older Persons in Society.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI waives off account closure charges: SBI has waived off account closing charges for all savings bank customers under the condition that their account has existed for over a year. Earlier, the bank used to deduct a sum of Rs 500, along with the applicable GST, in the form of account closing charges.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

2. RCom-Aircel merger collapses: Reliance Communications has called off the merger of its wireless services business with Aircel,citing regulatory delays  and opposition from some creditors.

SPORTS:

3. Government to dilute 10% stake in HAL: Govt. has approved sale of a 10% stake in military planemaker Hindustan Aeronautics through an IPO. This comes at a time when it is witnessing competition from private players bidding to bag fighter plane contracts for Indian armed forces.

4. Vishwanathan Anand finishes joint-second at Isle of Man Chess Championship: 5 time world champion Viswanathan Anand defeated Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan in the 9th and final round to sign off joint 2nd at the Isle Of Man Chess Championship. He shared the second spot with America’s Hikaru Nakamura. World Champion Magnus Carlsen won the title with 7.5 points after a short draw against Nakamura.

5. Verstappen wins Malaysian GP: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen sealed victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton finished second to extend his lead in the championship standings.

Daily GK Updates - 1st October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands gets new Lt. Guv.: Admiral D K Joshi (retired), who quit the Indian Navy in a huff in 2014, has been appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar islands.

2. India’s holdings of American securities increases to $135.7b: India has sharply increased its exposure to US government securities with holdings worth $135.7 billion at the end of July. China continued to top the charts withholding to the tune of $1.166 trillion, followed by Japan with exposure worth $1.113 trillion.

3. IDS celebrates its 17th Raising Day: Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters celebrated its 17th Raising Day. IDS Headquarters was created in October 2001 in the aftermath of ‘Operation Vijay’ in Kargil war. The main objective was to promote synergy among the three Services and to integrate them with the Ministry of Defence.

4. India opens two border crossing points along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh: India has opened 2 immigration check posts along the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh. Zorinpui check post of Mizoram has been authorised as immigration check post for entry into or exit from India for all passengers to or from Myanmar. Kawrpuichhuah post of Mizoram has been authorised as immigration check post for entry into or exit from India for all passengers to or from Bangladesh.

5. Govt. to exempt small exporters from bank guarantee: The government has decided to exempt small exporters from furnishing bank guarantee for shipping goods and services. Under the Goods and Services Tax, an exporter can get an exemption from payment of IGST if he submits bonds or Letter of Undertaking.

6. Rajni Mishra takes charge as new DG SSB: Rajni Kant Mishra has taken over as the Director General, Sashastra Seema Bal succeeding Smt. Archana Ramasundaram. A 1984 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, Mishra was serving as Additional Director General of Border Security Force.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Vegetarian Day: World Vegetarian Day is observed annually on the planet on October 1. The day brings global attention to the health and environmental benefits of vegetarianism and focuses on the ethics of following a vegetarian lifestyle. World Vegetarian Day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends with November 1, World Vegan Day, as the end of that month of celebration

2. Catalonia to hold referendum: Catalonia is holding a referendum on independence from Spain despite the govt calling it a mockery of democracy. The govt. has called the referendum as unconstitutional & country’s Constitutional Court has suspended the vote so that it could consider the matter.

3. China holds world’s first Intercontinental quantum video call: China has held the world’s first quantum intercontinental video conference between laboratories in Beijing and Vienna. The call was held using a new world first space-ground quantum communication network that experts say could revolutionize how humans connect. The encrypted communication system was being trialed for potential ‘real-world applications by govt, banks & insurance companies.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Official Ball for FIFA U-17 World Cup, Krasava, launched: FIFA has launched the official ball for U-17 football World Cup & it will be called Krasava, a word generally used by Russian sports fans to describe a striking performance. The ball is manufactured by ‘Adidas’ and the pattern on it features a striking red design with jagged lines running through it.

Daily GK Updates - 30th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ministry of environment notifies new Wetland rules: The environment ministry has notified the new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 which prohibit a range of activities in wetlands. The rules prohibit activities like the conversion of wetland for non-wetland uses including encroachment of any kind, setting up of any industry and expansion of existing industries.

2. EC makes paper trail machines mandatory in all future polls: Election Commission has issued a formal direction to use VVPAT or paper trail machines in all future Lok Sabha & assembly elections. VVPAT is a machine which dispenses a slip with a symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip drops in a box but the voter cannot take it home. Several parties have been pressing for the use of these machines to dispel doubts about EVM tampering.

3. President appoints new Governors: President Kovind has appointed 5 new Governors for the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Assam & Meghalaya. BD Mishra was appointed as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh while Satya Malik & Jagdish Mukhi were appointed as the governors of Bihar & Assam respectively. Banwarilal Purohit was appointed as the Governor of Tamil Nadu while Ganga Prasad was made the governor of Meghalaya.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Indian woman to scale Mt Manaslu: An Indian Police Service Officer of UP Cadre, Aparna Kumar became the first Indian woman to scale Mount Manaslu, which is the 8th highest mountain peak in the world. Exactly at 10.00 am on September 25, Kumar took up a mission to climb Mount Manaslu in the west-central part of Nepal.

2. International Translation Day being observed today: International Translation Day is celebrated every year on 30thSeptember on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. This year, the United Nations celebrates for the first time International Translation Day.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. HDFC to partner with top educational institutes: HDFC Bank will be partnering with 50 technology & business schools to tap into emerging fintech ideas. The objective is to identify potential fintech ideas at incubation & entrepreneurship cells in the institutes at a nascent stage & help them evolve into a consumer-ready product.

2. Green Masala Bond launched in the UK: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency has launched a new Green Masala Bond on London Stock Exchange’s new International Securities Market to raise funds to finance renewable energy projects across India. The 5 year dated bond raised approximately $300 million, with a coupon of 7.125%.

3. Tata Motors bags order for 10,000 e-cars: Tata Motors has won the first contract to supply electric vehicles to replace petrol & diesel cars used by govt & its departments as part of a plan to cut demand for fossil fuels. First 500 electric vehicles will be supplied to EESL in Nov & the remainder will be delivered in the 2nd phase. Tata Motors will supply the electric version of its Tigor sedan, for which batteries will be imported.

BANKING/FINANCE:

4. RBI to sell sovereign bonds worth Rs. 10000 crore through Open Market Operations: Reserve Bank of India would sell govt bonds worth Rs 10,000 crore through Open Market Operations to mop up liquidity from the system. As part of the OMO, the RBI will sell government securities maturing in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, & 2030.

5. RBI increases foreign investor limits in G-secs: The Reserve Bank has increased foreign portfolio investors' investment limits in central and state government securities by an aggregate Rs 14,200 crore for the October-December period. Limits for investment by FPIs for the December quarter have been increased by Rs 8,000 crore in Central government securities and by Rs 6,200 crore in state development loans.

OBITUARIES:

6. Veteran actor Tom Alter dies of skin cancer: Veteran theatre and film personality Tom Alter died after losing his battle against stage four skin cancer. In 2008, he was bestowed with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of India, for his service to the field of arts and cinema.

Daily GK Updates - 29th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declines: India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate, the IMR declined by 3 points (8% decline), from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016. India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time come down to below 25 mn. Gender difference b/w female and male IMR has reduced to <10%, giving a boost to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme

2. Chattisgarh plans to give Free mobile phones: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh has planned to give free mobile phones to 55 lakh 60 thousand people within two-and-a-half-years in the state. A plan of Rs. 230 crore has been prepared in order to provide free mobile phones to 55 lakh 60 thousand people within two-and-a-half-years in the state. Free phones will be provided to the youth of every rural household, urban poor families and college-going youth.

3. Bengaluru comes out as the World’s most affordable technology city: Bengaluru is the world’s most affordable technology hub, according to a study conducted by Knight Frank LLP. Among the top 29 global technology hubs covered by the study, Bengaluru emerged the cheapest in office rentals. Gurugram, another Indian city, comes second.

4. Gujarat to use EVMs with VVPAT: Gujarat will be the first big state where Assembly elections will be conducted with Electronic Voting Machine equipped with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). Gujarat will be the 2nd state after Goa to use VVPAT system for assembly elections. VVPAT machines during the poll will allow voters to experience transparency and will allow them to see if their vote has been registered correctly.

5. India signs an agreement to train Afghanistan police: After training Afghan Army officers and soldiers for 4 years, India will now train Afghan police officers. India and Afghanistan have exchanged a memorandum of understanding, which will see Afghan police forces trained in India for the first time.

6. Deadline for obtaining Aadhaar extended by three months: The union govt. has extended the deadline for obtaining Aadhaar to avail benefits of government schemes and subsidies by three months this year (Earlier 30th September 2017). This extension will only apply to those beneficiaries who are not assigned Aadhaar number or those who have not yet enrolled for Aadhaar.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA delays launch of James Webb: NASA has pushed the planned launch of its $8.8 billion James Webb Space Telescope from October 2018 to spring of 2019, citing spacecraft-integration issues.bIt will be the world’s most powerful space telescope ever built, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide.

2. Interpol votes to admit Palestine: Interpol has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, dealing a blow to Israel, which has strenuously lobbied against Palestinian admission. Interpol is designed to help countries share police intelligence and cooperate against crime that crosses international borders.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Indian Internet firms create lobby group-Indiatech.org: India’s top Internet companies led by Flipkart have created a lobby group called Indiatech.org that will represent the interests of Indian Internet start-ups to fight their international rivals. Co-founder and executive chairman Sachin Bansal will lead the lobby group. Apart from Flipkart, Ola, Hike and some other Indian Internet companies will be part of the lobby group.

2. Rajiv Sabharwal to take charge as the CEO of Tata Capital: Tata Capital has announced the appointment of Rajiv Sabharwal as Managing Director and CEO designate of the company. Sabharwal would be taking over from the company’s current Managing Director and CEO Praveen P Kadle, who will be assuming other responsibilities in the Tata Group.

BANKING/FINANCE:

3. IDBI Bank launches ‘Project Nishchay’ for turnaround: IDBI Bank has launched ‘Project Nishchay’ in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to accelerate its turnaround program and improve financial performance.

BCG will assist us to identify areas for cost containment and revenue maximization leading to sustainable growth and profitability of the Bank.

Daily GK Updates - 28th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 190th Raising Day of the Regiment of Artillery: The Regiment of Artillery, which has proved its mettle in various operations during war times, today celebrated its 190th Raising Day. The second largest arm of the Indian Army was raised on this day in 1827.

2. ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project launched: President Kovind launched ‘Adopt a Heritage’ initiative, under which heritage sites will be entrusted to public & private enterprises & individuals for maintenance. The initiative is an attempt to boost Indian tourism with “greater focus on digital presence & social media”. Under it, those entrusted with development of tourist amenities at the adopted sites would be known as Monument Mitras.

3. Tourism Awards:  Madhya Pradesh has won the ‘Best Tourism State’ national award for the third consecutive year. While Chanderi was adjudged as the Best Heritage City, the Best Tourist-Friendly Railway Station award was given to Ujjain Railway Station.

4. Anti-superstition Bill cleared in Karnataka: The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared the Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Bill, 2017, known as anti-superstition Bill. Bill has provisions to deal strongly with cruel practices, such as human sacrifice, witchcraft, & sexual exploitation by invoking supernatural powers. The bill explicitly exempts vaastu & astrology from being considered superstition

5. Govt. doctors to retire at 65: Union cabinet has increased the retirement age of central govt. doctors to 65 years with an aim to meet the shortage of medical staff in the country. Government’s decision will be applicable to all AYUSH & central govt. doctors and dentists except those in the Central Health Service.

6. First woman chief proctor of BHU: Under the scanner for an unsafe atmosphere for women on the campus, the Banaras Hindu University has appointed a woman as its chief proctor. Professor Royana Singh, who will hold the post, is a professor in the Anatomy Department of the Institute of Medical Sciences,

7. NeSL gets registered by IBBI: Insolvency & Bankruptcy Board of India has registered National E-Governance Services Limited as an Information Utility under the IBBI Regulations, 2017. With this NeSL has become the first IU registered by the IBBI and the registration is valid for 5 years from the date of registration.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Rabies Day being observed today: The World Rabies Day is observed on 28th September (since-2007) across the world to raise awareness about the rabies disease and its preventable measures. The day also marks the anniversary of French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur's death, who developed the first rabies vaccine. The theme for World Rabies Day-2016 is “Rabies: Zero by 30”.

2. World Maritime Day observed today: The World Maritime Day is being observed across the world on 28th September (last Thursday of September) to highlight the importance of shipping safety and maritime security. Theme of the currenty WMD was: Connecting Ships, Ports and People.

3. Eman Al-Ghamdi first Saudi woman on the top position of Govt.: Eman Al-Ghamdi was appointed as the assistant mayor of Al Khubar governorate. Al-Ghamdi was given the post “as part of plan to boost the number of females in leadership positions in line with Vision 2030.

OTHER UPDATES:

1. MoU signed between BSNL and ZTE: BSNL has signed a MoU with Chinese gear maker ZTE at Indian Mobile Congress 2017. Both the parties will work together & prove key technologies like Pre5G & 5G wireless systems to make a virtual network architecture of a 5G eco system for research & commercialization in India.

2. “The Chinar Leaves” author, Makhan Lal Fotedar, passes away: A close associate of former PM Indira Gandhi, Fotedar was her political secretary from 1980 to 1984. He also served as Rajiv Gandhi’s political secretary for 3 years. He also authored a book called ‘The Chinar Leaves’.

3. Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, dies at 91: Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine, has died aged 91. Hefner founded Playboy in 1953 with $600 of his own money and built the magazine into a multimillion-dollar entertainment empire.

Daily GK Updates - 27th September, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Country’s food services industry is expected to touch USD 77 billion (about Rs 4,98,130 crore) by 2021: Growing at an annual rate of 10 percent, in 2016 the food services market is expected to be at Rs 3,09,110 crore. The unorganized sector will account for 67 percent share with an estimated size of Rs 2,07,635 crore, National Restaurant Association of India said in a report.

2. The Madhya Pradesh government has started smart virtual classrooms, for students of classes 6, 7, and 8; in 224 government schools: The initiative is aimed at creating classrooms with interactive audio-video and electronic whiteboards to create opportunities for better learning. The schools were chosen after the state education department conducted a survey.  

3. UP, Bihar – India’s youngest population: Uttar Pradesh and Bihar’s populations have the lowest median ages or youngest populations in India. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have the highest median ages, according to Census 2011 data, compiled by Bengaluru-based think tank Takshashila Institution. The median age is the age which divides the population into two equal halves.

4. Sushma Swaraj urges UN to Isolate Pakistan: India took its campaign to diplomatically isolate Pakistan to the United Nations on Monday. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asked the world community to hold countries that “nurture, peddle and export” terrorism to account. Referring to the ethnic minority in Pakistan, she said “The brutality against the Baloch people represents the worst form of State oppression”.

5. An Indian as anti-hunger activist, UN – Ankit Kawatra: Troubled to see the amount of food being wasted in the big fat Indian weddings, Ankit Kawatra came up with the solution to redistribute it among the hungry. Mr. Kawatra started ‘Feeding India’. He is among the 17 people selected for the inaugural class of U.N. Young Leaders for Sustainable Development Goals for his initiative. They were selected from more than 18,000 nominations from 186 countries.

6. Newly appointed as Director-General (DG) of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) - O P Singh: He is an alumnus of the National Defence College in the national capital,holds a Masters Degree in Political Science and an MBA in Disaster Management. CISF secures a host of VVIPs along with providing armed security to the Delhi Metro network, seaports, power plants, sensitive government buildings and airports.

7. Newly appointed President of Indian Statistical Institute(ISI) -   Dr Vijay Kelkar : Former petroleum secretary Vijay Kelkar has been elected president of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).He succeeded former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor C Rangarajan. ISI is an academic institute of national importance as recognised by a 1959 act of the Indian parliament.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Home-grown missile of Iran “Zolfaqar”: Iran’s Defence Ministry launched the production line of home-grown ballistic missile of “Zolfaqar”. The tactical missile, which is capable of evading jamming signals in electronic warfare will come into service by March 2017. “Zolfaqar” runs on solid fuel and can hit the targets with a pin-point accuracy in a range of 750 km.

2. World Tourism Day: The World Tourism Day (WTD) is being observed annually on 27th September (since-1980) to raise awareness about the importance of tourism. The theme of this year is 'Tourism for all - promoting universal accessibility'. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.

3. China capable of deploying domestically-designed drones in the South China Sea and East China Sea: China plans to deploy its indigenously built drones for surveying and mapping in the disputed South China Sea and along the contentious islands with Japan. Li Yingcheng, General Manager of China TopRS Technology Co Ltd said, “drones can fully cover waters 80 nautical miles from the coastline.”

4. China slowdown – economy’s biggest threat:  The global think tank for central banks said that China’s credit to GDP “gap” stood at 30.1%, increasing fears that China’s economic boom was based on an unstable credit bubble.  Gap, analysis amount of debt in an economy relative to annual growth.

5. Afghanistan – India  joint air corridor:  Afghanistan is working with India to create a joint air corridor to enhance bilateral trade. This came after Pakistan’s intransigence in denying transit rights through its territory amid deteriorating ties with both the countries. Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has said he discussed the creation of a joint air trade route with India during his recent visit to the country.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Arvind Mani Mark a record Glenmark National aquatics championship : Arvind Mani mark a record in 200m backstroke on the third day of the 70th Glenmark National aquatics championship at the V.B.B. Stadium. The 20-year-old Karnataka swimmer clocked 2:05.46s to break Rohit Havaldar’s three-year-old record of 2:06.23s.

2. To be hosts of  Asian Games : Japan will host the Asian Games in 2026 after Aichi prefecture and its capital Nagoya were confirmed as the venue for the multi-sport event by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The Japanese bid was the only one put forward to host the continental gathering, which will be staged in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia in 2018 and the Chinese city of Hangzhou in2022. Japan will host  2017 Asian Winter Games, 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Summer Olympics.

3. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran – The winner of the Belgium Opens: Indian table tennis player from Chennai Sathiyan Gnanasekaran (24-year) has become only the second to win an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) event in Belgium. Gnanasekaran clinched the men's singles title of the Belgium Open by defeating local player Nuytinck Cedric 4-0 in the final.

4. India wins medal in Asian Beach Games: India opened their medal account in the 5th Asian Beach Games as Pinky Balhara bagged a bronze in kurash. Balhara won the bronze in women’s 52kg category after she lost to Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy of Vietnam in the semifinals. Kurash is a form of wrestling that originated in Uzbekistan. India had sent a contingent of 208 members to participate in the Asian Beach Games.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

5. Sun Pharma signs deal for dengue vaccine with ICGEB: India’s largest pharmaceutical company, Sun Pharma has signed a deal with International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology to develop a dengue vaccine. This would be the first time a vaccine developed entirely in India for a vector-borne disease has been advanced for clinical development in India. This year it was integrated into India’s Universal Immunisation Programme.

6. Instant mobile app ‘Allo’ launched by Google: Google has launched its latest mobile chat application "Allo" along with Google Assistant. Allo can be used in online conversations with friends. The messaging app is similar features to most other messaging applications available for Android and the iPhone. Allo is an instant messaging mobile app developed by Google that includes a virtual assistant and provides a "smart reply" function that allows users to reply without typing.

7. Google’s Birthday: Google celebrates its 18th birthday with an animated, festive-balloon Doodle today (27th Sept). The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998. The corporate headquarters complex of Google and its parent company ‘Alphabet Inc.’ is at Mountain View, Santa Clara county, California.

8. Qatar Airways participated in the Incredible India Tourism Investors’ Summit 2016 to reaffirm its commitment towards India’s tourism market: They discussed ways to create and enable an environment for investment in the tourism sector and to overcome any obstacles to growth. H.E. Mr. Al Baker said, “India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, having tremendous business opportunities.”

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.