Daily GK Updates - 16th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Citizen Services App launched by NCRB: The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) launched a mobile app called ‘Citizen Services’ on the occasion of its 33rd Inception Day. The application has been developed in-house by the NCRB. It will offer various essential police related services to the citizens. The application comprises a bouquet of 9 police related services for the citizen.

2. 105th Science Congress inaugurated in Manipur: PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Imphal, Manipur. Theme for 2018 is "Reaching the unreached through science and technology". He is also scheduled to lay down the foundation stones of different projects at Luwangpokpa Multi Sports Complex at Luwangshangbam and Mary Kom’s Boxing Academy in Imphal West district.

3. TDP pulls out of NDA: The Telugu Desam Party has decided to quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The BJP and its Andhra ally TDP have been sharing a sour relationship over the issue of granting ‘Special Category’ Status to Andhra Pradesh. As the TDP quits the NDA, it has become the first party to leave the coalition since it came to power at the Centre in 2014.

4. Krishi Unnati Mela kicked off in Delhi: The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela began in New Delhi with a focus on doubling farmers’ income. The objective of the event is to create awareness among farmers about the latest agriculture-related technological developments. During the mela, latest agriculture and allied sector technologies will be displayed at more than 800 stalls.

5. Odisha to collaborate with RIMES for DM: The Odisha government will collaborate with Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for strengthening its early warning services. The partnership will be forged between Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and RIMES in field of drought monitoring and early warning. Both entities will ink Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration and evolve institutional mechanism between them for better coordination. The RIMES is an intergovernmental body registered under United Nations. It is owned and managed by 45 collaborating countries in the Asia Pacific and Africa.

6. India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo ‘Sach-Gaurav’ born: The Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) claimed that India’s first cloned Assamese buffalo male calf named Sach-Gaurav was born in Hisar, Haryana. It was born to Murrah buffalo, at Hi-Tech Sach Dairy Farm, 100 km from cloning laboratory, making it first buffalo calf to be born.

7. NITI Aayog releases SATH-E: NITI Aayog released comprehensive roadmaps and detailed timelines for its initiative ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E)’ project. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog released the forward-looking blueprints. These roadmaps, which operate between 2018 to 2020, lay out detailed interventions which will be taken by the three participating States- Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha – aiming to become ‘Role Model States’ in school education.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Oklahoma, the first US state to use Nitrogen gas for execution: Oklahoma plans to start using nitrogen gas for executions, in what would be the first such method of capital punishment in the United States. The state is turning to nitrogen after it and other states became unable to acquire drugs required for lethal injections because of opposition from manufacturers to their products being used for capital punishment. Nitrogen is an odorless and tasteless gas that makes up about 78% of the air humans breathe but causes death when inhaled without any oxygen. Oklahoma has not carried out an execution since 2015.

2. Nepal Chief Justice, Gopal Parajuli, sacked: Nepal’s Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli has been sacked for faking his date of birth in order to remain in office longer. A judicial council concluded that Parajuli should have retired 7 months ago when he turned 65, the age of retirement for official positions in Nepal. Parajuli became Chief Justice last June after his predecessor Sushila Karki – the first woman to hold the position turned 65.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Exports grow by 4.5% in Feb 2018: India’s exports grew by 4.5% in February-2018 to 25.8 billion dollars. It was 24.7 billion dollar during the same period in February-2017. This announcement was made by the Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia. During April to February period of the current fiscal, exports recorded a growth of 11% to $273 billion. Imports also rose by 10.4% to $37.8 billion during the last month.

2. Tata group Chief Ethics Officer Rajan quits: Tata Son’s Chief Ethics Officer Mukund Rajan will leave the group to evaluate entrepreneurial pursuits in the coming months. Rajan, who was the former MD of Tata Teleservices, was appointed as the group spokesperson and brand custodian in Feb 2013. Rajan who is also the brother of ex-RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan was the youngest director to be appointed on the boards of major Tata companies.

3. Future Group signs up as an associate sponsor for Vivo IPL: Future Group has been signed as an associate sponsor with Star India for the upcoming Vivo-IPL 2018. Future Group will be an associate sponsor by joining brands like Asian Paints, Dream 11, MakeMyTrip among others taking the tally to 8 brands. Vivo IPL 2018 will be presented in 5 regional languages along with English to a never-before 700 million viewers through multiple screens & languages.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. ‘Digital Export Import’ payments by Yes Bank: Yes Bank has launched a robotics-based ‘Digital Export Import’ payments solution as a part of its Yes Transact Smart Trade product suite. It aims to bring over 1 lakh trade transactions going entirely digital, across major geographies including China, US. The product uses robotics process automation & helps in eliminating the requirement of documents submission for import & export payments.

SPORTS:

1. Baskaran Adhiban won Reykjavik Open: India’s Baskaran Adhiban clinched the title in the 33rd Reykjavik Open with an impressive performance that saw him win five of the nine games. Adhiban became only the second Indian after Abhijeet Gupta (in 2016) to win the prestigious Reykjavik Open. He was the 2008 World Under-16 Champion and the 2009 Indian champion.

2. Nepal gains ODI status in cricket: A six-wicket win over Papua New Guinea has rewarded Nepal with One-Day International (ODI) status for the first time ever. Nepal was awarded Affiliate status by the ICC in 1988, and was promoted to Associate rank in 1996. After Afghanistan, Nepal are taking quick strides in terms of developments.

Daily GK Updates - 15th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

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

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

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

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

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

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

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

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

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

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

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

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

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

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

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

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

Daily GK Updates - 14th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Finance Bill passed in Lok Sabha: With the passage of the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill, the budget exercise is complete in the lower house. A Finance Bill is presented in Parliament along with the Annual Financial Statement in lieu of fulfilling the requirement of Article 110 (1)(a) of the Constitution. The Finance Bill also contains other provisions related to the Budget can be classified as a Money Bill. It is noteworthy that a Money Bill can originate in Lok Sabha only.

2. Belagavi hoists India’s tallest flag: India’s tallest national flag was unfurled in Belagavi (also known as Belgaum) in Karnataka. The flag in Belgaum is much larger than the one at the India-Pakistan border at Attari in Punjab. The flag is reported to be 110 m high from the base plate to the top, with a size of 120×80 ft.

3. World Hindi Secretariat building opened in Mauritius: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the World Hindi Secretariat building in Mauritius on his visit to the country.

He also launched the World Hindi Secretariat’s logo, an Early Digital Learning Programme and laid foundation stones of a social housing project and a large ENT hospital being built with Indian assistance.

4. Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018 starts: Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will inaugurate the Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018, on March 14, organised by Ashden India Collective (AIC) in alliance with Climate Parliament. “Delhi Energy Dialogue” is an initiative to promote sustainable solutions for better lives. Established in 2010, AIC helps to increase access to energy for India’s rural poor.

5. India’s largest wind turbine generator S128 commissioned: Renewable solution provider Suzlon Group announced the installation and commissioning of its new product “S128” claiming it to be the largest wind turbine generator in India. The first prototype of S128 has been commissioned at the Sanganeri site in Tamil Nadu. This has the country’s largest single rotor blade measuring 63 metres and reduced levelised cost of energy.

6. Foreign law firms or foreign lawyers can’t practise in India: The Supreme Court ruled that foreign law firms or foreign lawyers cannot practise law in the country either on the litigation or non-litigation side. This means overseas lawyers or firms cannot open offices in the country, appear in courts or before any authority or render other legal services. But overseas lawyers can fly in, fly out for a temporary period to give advice.

7. IOC, Tata Motors flag off country’s first hydrogen-fuel bus: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Tata Motors have launched the trial demonstration of the country’s first hydrogen fuel cell bus. The project is being executed with financial support from the Department of Science and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy. The vehicle will be fuelled at the hydrogen dispensing facility at IndianOil.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Pi Day celebrated: Google has dedicated a doodle to mark 30 years of “Pi Day”, a day first recognised by physicist Larry Shaw in 1988 to honour the mathematical constant. Pi is used in every field of science as it’s used for calculations involving the volume and surface area of spheres. The first Pi Day was held at a San Francisco Science Museum in 1988.

2. Bidhya Devi Bhandari gets second term as Nepal President: Nepal’s incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has been elected for a second term, extending the tenure of the Himalayan country’s first female head of state for another five years. With this President Bhandari is the first President of federal Nepal. She is also the first Nepali woman to be elected as the country’s president twice.

3. Saudi Arabia approves Nuclear Power Program National Policy: Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved the national policy of its atomic energy programme as the kingdom prepares to award contracts for its first nuclear power plants. The policy insists on limiting nuclear activities to peaceful purposes and for enhanced safety measures and safe disposal of nuclear waste.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Newton-Bhabha Fund for arsenic research: An India-UK Joint Team has won the Newton-Bhabha Fund for a project on Groundwater Arsenic Research in Ganga River Basin. The Department of Science and Technology has undertaken the project with the Natural Environment Research Council, UK, to find solutions to the water challenges faced in the arsenic-affected Ganga River. The project will begin from Bijnor and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. BHEL secures order from NPCIL: Bharat Heavy Electricals has secured a significant order worth Rs.736 Crore for supply of Steam Generators from Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). The Steam Generators will be used for a 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor to be installed at Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna in Fatehabad district of Haryana. The Steam Generators will be manufactured at the Tiruchirappalli.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI discontinues LOUs/LOCs issuance: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has scrapped the issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and Letters of Comfort (LOCs) for trade credit for imports with immediate effect. Banks will continue to issue guarantees and letter of credit for trade purposes which are the international norm. A letter of credit is secure because it has the details of the expiry date and the material purchase.

OBITUARIES:

1. Black Hole scientist ‘Stephen Hawking’ passes away: Stephen Hawking, the British Physicist and the black hole theorist have died on 14th March. Hawking’s redefined cosmology by proposing that black holes emit radiation and later evaporate. He is also the author of the best-selling book, “A Brief History of Time”.

Daily GK Updates - 13th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal formed: The Centre constituted a three-member Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over sharing the river's water. Supreme Court Judge AM Khanwilkar will be the Chairman of the tribunal, with Justice Ravi Ranjan of the Patna High Court and Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar of the Delhi High Court being the other two members.  The apex court had sought to refer the dispute to a Tribunal for adjudication under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

2. Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation: The Government has approved to institute the “Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation” to promote high professional standards of Investigation of Crime in the State/UT Police and Central Investigating Agencies. A total of 162 medals will be awarded every year. The names of awardees will be declared on 15th August every year.

3. Sitanshu Kar becomes the new PIB Chief: All India Radio’s News Services Division (NSD) director general Sitanshu Kar will be the next head of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Kar, a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, will take charge as PIB head on May 1. Doordarshan News DG, Ira Joshi will hold additional charge of DG of AIR’s NSD with immediate effect.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. A USD 100 m Line of Credit to Mauritius: India announced a new Line of Credit of USD 100 million for defense procurement by Mauritius as the two sides signed many agreements on the second day of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit. The agreements were signed after President Kovind held delegation-level talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and members of his Cabinet. 

2. Anti-Defection Bill approved in Maldives: The Maldives Parliament has approved the anti-defection bill with retrospective effect amidst the boycott by opposition MPs. According to the bill, MPs elected on political party tickets will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties.  The bill would take effect from 13th July 2017, meaning that the 12 MPs that switched to the Opposition last year would lose their seats. The bill was passed with 35 votes as opposition MPs continued to boycott the settings.

3. Vietnam’s Nguyen crowned “Miss International Queen”: Vietnam’s Nguyen Huong Giang has been crowned this year’s “Miss International Queen” in Thailand at one of the world’s top beauty pageants for transgender women. The winner fended off 26 competitors, from different parts of the world, to clinch the coveted crown. The popular contest has been running since 2004.

4. World Ocean Summit 2018 concluded in Mexico: World Ocean Summit was held recently in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The summit is for business, government and environmental leaders to talk about the problems faced by the world’s seas and to come up with solutions to protect the planet’s vast ocean resources. World Ocean Summit’s vision is of an ocean with robust health and vital economy.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. New planets found near our solar system: A new planet near the habitable zone around a bright cool star has been found. The scientists have confirmed the existence of 15 new planets – including one ‘Super-Earth’ that could harbour liquid water – orbiting small, cool stars near our solar system. These stars, known as red dwarfs, are of enormous interest for studies of planetary formation and evolution, the study states.

DEFENCE:

1. India tops list of arms and ammunition buyers: Arms import by India increased by 24% between 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 period as per data on international arms transfers released by International Peace Research Institute. India is followed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, China, Austrailia, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan and Indonesia as the world top importers. The largest arms suppliers to India are Russia (62%), US (15%) and Israel (11%).

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. ICICI Bank launches online overdraft facility for MSMEs: ICICI Bank has launched instant overdraft ‘InstaOD’ facility for MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) customers in a completely online and paperless manner. Customers can get overdraft facility up to Rs 15 lakh for a year anytime, anywhere using the bank’s Internet and mobile banking app. The new facility will enable a few lakh of pre-qualified current account customers of the bank to instantly avail of the facility without visiting a branch and submitting physical documents. ICICI Bank will also offer the facility for instant online sanction of the overdraft facility to MSME customers of other banks shortly.

2. SBI reduces non-maintenance charges in Savings Accounts: The country’s largest lender, SBI State Bank of India slashed charges for non-maintenance of Average Monthly Balance (AMB) in savings accounts by nearly 75 percent. The revised charges will be effective from April 01, 2018 and will benefit over 25 crore customers. The charges for non-maintenance of AMB for customers in Metro and Urban centers have been reduced from a maximum of Rs 50 per month to Rs 15 per month. Similarly, for Semi-Urban and Rural centers, the charges have been reduced from Rs 40 every month to Rs 12 and Rs 10 GST charges will be applicable over and above the rates specified above.

Daily GK Updates - 12th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Loktak Lake floating laboratory launched: Manipur forest and environment minister, Thounaojam Singh launched a floating research laboratory of Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development at Sendra. Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating park in the world, is located in the lake.  A water quality machine has been installed inside the boat to collect necessary data to check deteriorating eco-system of Loktak Lake.

2. India’s first Coastal Policing Academy: National Academy of Coastal Policing will be launched from a campus of Gujarat’s Fisheries Research Centre located in coastal Okha in the newly created Devbhoomi Dwarka district. The Country’s first national academy to train police forces in effectively safeguarding the Indian shoreline will start functioning from the next month. It will be created and run by a team of paramilitary forces.

3. UP’s largest Solar Power Plant inaugurated: PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated Uttar Pradesh’s biggest solar power plant in Dadar Kalan village of Chhanvey block in Mirzapur. Approximately 1,18,600 solar panels have been set up in over 380 acres. The solar plant will generate 15.6 crore units of electricity annually, which is about 1.30 crore units per month.

4. Govt. pushes for e-vehicles: The Power Ministry has directed all central government departments and PSUs in the National Capital Region to switch to e-vehicles for local use. The move comes as the government plans to have 30% of the total vehicle fleet in the country running on batteries by 2030. Charging facilities for such vehicles are being installed at various locations, the ministry added.

5. Madhya Pradesh to map ‘happiness quotient’: Madhya Pradesh will carry out a study to find how happy people are. The ‘happiness quotient’ of people became a global talking point when Bhutan came out with a ‘happiness index’ and linked it to development, which is otherwise based on GDP numbers. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government had set up the ‘Anand Vibhag’, or the happiness department, in 2016.

6. The Delhi End TB Summit to be inaugurated tomorrow: The PM will inaugurate “The Delhi End TB Summit” on 13th March. The Summit will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO South East Asia Regional Office and “Stop TB Partnership”. The Prime Minister will launch TB Free India Campaign on this occasion. TB free India Campaign will take the activities of National Strategic Plan for TB elimination forward in Mission mode.

7. ‘Palace on Wheels’ gets “Tourist Train of the Year” award: The luxury train ‘Palace on Wheels’ of Rajasthan, popular among foreign tourists, has bagged the ‘Tourist Train of the Year’ award of the Pacific Area Travel Writers’ Association. It was launched by the Indian Railways in association with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in Rajasthan. The Palace on Wheels was started on 26 January 1982.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Bangladesh to observe “Genocide Day” on March 25: Bangladesh will observe a one-minute ‘blackout’ on March 25 to mark ‘Genocide Day’, in memory of the three million people killed by Pakistani forces during the country’s Liberation War in 1971. The government will not suspend power supply, he said, but people will be asked to switch their lights off. Bangladesh started observing March 25 as ‘Genocide Day’ in 2017.

2. ‘Incredible India’ wins “Best Exhibitor Award” at ITB Berlin: India has won the “Best Exhibitor Award ” at ITB – Berlin. ‘ITB- Berlin World Tourist Meet’ was convened at Berlin, Germany from 7th March to 10th March 2018. More than 100 countries participated in the ITB- Berlin meet with their respective Tourism Ministers. India’s Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism) presented a short film named “Yogi of the Racetrack” in the meet.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Russia test-fires ‘Kinzhal-hypersonic missile’: Russia test-launched a hypersonic missile from a MIG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield. The hypersonic missile has been described as “Kinzhal missile” – named after a type of dagger – as “an ideal weapon”. The Kinzhal is said to travel at 10 times the speed of sound and have a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles).

SPORTS:

1. Matt Wallace wins Indian Open Golf: Matt Wallace from Britain won his second European Tour title at the Indian Open. He beat compatriot Andrew Johnston in the first hole of their play-off. Wallace attacked the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, and birdied to win the tournament after Johnston took a more conservative approach to finish on par.

Daily GK Updates - 11th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Union Government makes passport mandatory for bank loans of Rs. 50 crore and above: The government has made providing passport details mandatory for taking loans of 50 crore rupees and above to ensure a swift action in case of fraud and prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country. The Passport details will help banks to take timely action and inform the relevant authorities to prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country.  Last week, the Cabinet has approved the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill to impound and sell assets of escapees with a view to quickly recover dues.  The proposed law will also apply to defaulters who have an outstanding of Rs 100 crore or more and have escaped from the country.  Several big defaulters like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya and Jatin Mehta have fled the country putting the recovery mechanism in quandary.

2. GST e-way bill must from April 1: Goods and Services Tax Council has mandated the use of electronic way (e-way) bills from April to track inter-state movement of goods. From April 1, transporters of goods worth over Rs 50,000 will have to generate e-way bills. For intra-State movement, the e-way bill will be rolled out in a phased manner beginning April 15, and will cover all the States by June 1.

3. Telangana launches India’s first state-led incubator for women:The government of Telangana launched Women Entrepreneurship Hub (WE-Hub), India's first state-led incubator for women entrepreneurs. The incubator will help women entrepreneurs establish their own enterprises by providing services including seed funding, mentoring, and business guidance. Deepthi Ravula is heading the incubator as its Chief Executive Officer.

4. Amol Palekar receives ‘Godavari Gaurav’ award: Noted actor Amol Palekar has been honoured with the ‘Godavari Gaurav’ award. Palekar known for his performance in films like Gol Maal, Choti Si Baat, Chitchor among others, was presented with the award, which has been instituted by ‘Kusumagraj Prathishthan’. The award was given by noted Marathi writer Madhu Mangesh Karnik, who is the chairperson of the Prathishthan.

5. Delhi and Mumbai Airport win top awards: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) have beaten 1,952 other airports from 176 countries to tie at number one for world’s best airports, as per Airports Council International (ACI) ASQ 2017 rankings. The Airport Service Quality Awards 2017 was announced by the Airports Council International (ACI), which conferred the ranking on the basis of a worldwide programme in which passengers were surveyed across airports for their feedback on 34 key performance indicators.

6. Wings India 2018 inaugurated: Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao inaugurated the biennial event on Civil Aviation and Aerospace titled 'Wings India 2018' at the Begumpet Airport. The four-day event was Jointly organized by the Civil Aviation Ministry, Airports Authority of India and the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

7. Karnataka becomes second state to unveil its own State flag: The Karnataka government unveiled the State flag (nada dhwaja ) for the state. If approved by the Centre, Karnataka will be the second State to have a flag after Jammu and Kashmir. The yellow-white-red flag has the State emblem at the center. The proposal will be now sent to the Union Home Ministry for approval since a State has no powers to announce its own flag. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Xi Jinping to become China’s leader-for-life: China’s President Xi Jinping is all set to become China’s leader-for-life as the country’s parliament prepares to amend Constitution to remove 2 term limit for the president. He is currently in his 2nd five-year term & due to retire in 2023 under the current 2 term system. Xi is regarded as the most powerful leader of China after Mao as he held the posts of head of CPC, military & Presidency.

2. ISA, AfDB, ADB, AIIB, NDB and GCF sign Joint Financial Partnership Declaration: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Green climate fund (GCF), and the New Development Bank (NDB) signed Joint Financial partnership Declarations in New Delhi. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed a Joint partnership Declaration with the ISA. The objective of the agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of Renewable Energy. ISA is working for deployment of over 1000 GW of solar energy and mobilizing more than US$ 1000 billion into solar energy by the year 2030.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Multi-nation naval exercise ‘MILES-18’ held: The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, MILES-18, has begun at the Andaman sea. The exercise aims to hone search and rescue procedures, maritime interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of maritime security scenarios. 11 naval ships of 8 countries and nine Indian ships will be participating in this three-day exercise.

2. Multilateral Air Force exercise ‘Samvedna’: A Multilateral Air Force exercise, ‘Samvedna’, will be held from March 12 to 17, 2018. The exercise is spearheaded by Indian Air Force and will be conducted by Southern Air Command. It is the first composite HADR Air exercise in the South Asian region. Air Forces of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE and Myanmar have already committed resources and personnel for the exercise.

3. CISF to offer consultancy to 5-star hotels: CISF has decided to offer security consultancy to 5-star hotels so that they can be prepared to deal with 26/11 type terror attacks. Central paramilitary force which is celebrating its 49th raising day has already prepared a blueprint in this regard. It soon plans to write to hotels proposing to render services of its special unit and experts and provide specific consultancy on security issues.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Fastest growing IT services brand in 2018: Tata Consultancy Services has been named as the fastest growing IT services brand in the world in an assessment done by leading brand valuation firm, Brand Finance. According to the report, TCS has a total brand value of USD 10.391 billion. Over past 2 years, TCS has strengthened its portfolio of global brand sponsorships by forging new partnerships in UK, Sweden, India, Japan & Australia.

2. PayTM money receives approval of SEBI: Financial services platform Paytm announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Paytm Money, received approval of market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to become a registered investment advisor. The nod from Sebi will allow the company to roll out investment and wealth management products to consumers across the country.

SPORTS:

1. Australia lifted Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: World champions Australia has lifted the coveted Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey title by outplaying England 2-1 in the finals. Australia has now won the prestigious tournament for the 10th time. England had to settle with the silver medal while Argentina claimed the bronze medal. India finished a disappointed fifth in the six-nation tournament.

2. Akhil Sheoran won gold in shooting: Akhil Sheoran clinched the gold medal in men’s 50m rifle 3-position after he shot 455.6 in the final to pip Austria’s Bernhard Pickl in second place with 452. Sheoran, thus, became the fourth young Indian shooter to win a medal on ISSF World Cup debut. This was India’s fourth gold medal at this World Cup and they sit at the top of the medals with a total of nine medals.

Daily GK Updates - 10th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. National Legislators’ Conference inaugurated: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated National Legislators Conference on the theme ‘We For Development’ in New Delhi. The motive of the conference is to bring MPs and MLAs on a single platform where ideas and plans for development can be exchanged. The conference will hold discussions on how women help in the development work being done for the country where ideas on projects and plans can be debated. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will give a presentation on the first day and the plenary will be presided over by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will address the concluding session.

2. French President arrives in India: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in India on 9th March for a four-day visit. An agreement on the Jaitapur nuclear power plant, which is being built with French assistance, is expected to be signed during the visit. The two sides will also sign an agreement on co-development of a full-fledged satellite constellation in the maritime domain.

3. First cyber police station of Haryana established: The first cyber police station of Haryana has been established in Gurugram where cyber offences related cases will be registered. The cyber police station was inaugurated by the chief executive officer of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA)

4. Raju and Chowdhary resign: Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ministers have resigned but will continue to be a part of NDA. PM Modi will control the Civil Aviation Ministry.

5. National e-Mobility Programme launched: The objective of the National e-Mobility Programme is to provide an impetus to the entire e-mobility ecosystem including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure companies, fleet operators etc. The Programme will be implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) which will procure electric cars. The electric cars will replace existing diesel and petrol vehicles.

6. Suresh Prabhu given the charge of Aviation Ministry: Commerce and Industries Minister Suresh Prabhu given additional charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry. The President, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Suresh Prabhu shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in addition to his existing portfolio.

Suresh Prabhu was the former Minister of Railways.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Sanjeev Gupta appointed as UK Skills Ambassador: Indian-origin steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta appointed by Britain's Prince Charles as an official ambassador for the Industrial Cadets programme designed to nurture manufacturing skills. Mr. Gupta was appointed to the flagship programme to give children and young people the direct structured experience of the industry while still at school or college. The Industrial Cadets annual awards ceremony was held in London. Mr. Gupta is an Executive Chairman of UK-based GFG Alliance.

2. ISA targets 1000 GW of solar energy: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is working for the deployment of over 1,000 GW of solar energy and aims to mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar energy project by 2030. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed a joint partnership declaration with the ISA. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will sign a joint partnership declaration on 11th March 2018.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. ‘Juniper Cobra’ Israel-US joint military drill held: US and Israeli had launched the so-called “Juniper Cobra 2018” military drill that simulates a missile attack on Israel. It is the largest combat exercise between Israel and the US. Since 2001, Israeli and US forces have conducted a total of eight Juniper Cobra joint combat exercises, including the most recent exercise in February 2016.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. Airtel Payments Bank fined Rs. 5 crore by RBI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a fine of Rs 5 crores on Airtel Payments Bank for flouting Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and operating guidelines.  Airtel Payments Bank had opened customer accounts without a clear/specific consent of the customers. Know your customer is the process of the banks identifying and verifying the identity of its account holders.

SPORTS:

1. Virat Kohli appointed as the Brand Ambassador for Uber India: Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli named cab-hailing startup Uber's first Brand Ambassador in India. Kohli will also be involved in a series of marketing and customer experience initiatives.

2. Anjum Moudgil wins silver:  Anjum Moudgil won her first International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup Silver medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the Guadalajara, Mexico. This was India’s eighth medal of the competition and the first silver after having won three Golds and four Bronze medals. India still leads the medals tally with eight medals while China is in second place.

3. Jharkhand teenager, Gora Ho, gets gold at Asia Cup: Gora Ho, a teenager from the tribal belt of Jharkhand, won gold partnering Akash and Gaurav Lambe in the team recurve event at the Asia Cup. The trio beat Mongolia’s Adiyasuren Baasankhuu, Otgonbold Baatarkhuyag and Gantugs Jantsan by 27-26 in a tiebreaker match. With this India finished with three gold and two bronze medals at the Asia Cup Archery Stage 1 meet in Bangkok.