Daily GK Updates - 19th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Petrol pumps to be closed on Sundays: Beginning 14 May, petrol pumps in eight states will be closed on Sundays.Nearly 20,000 outlets in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Haryana would be shut for 24 hours on Sundays, starting 14 May.The decision was made in view of the Prime Minister’s call during his recent “mann ki baat” programme to conserve oil to save the environment

2. Sri Lanka to offer India port development: Sri Lanka is now set to allow India to jointly develop the Trincomalee port in northeastern part of the country.Sri Lanka has readied an MoU for joint development of the project and that it’s likely to be signed during PM Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Colombo.Sri Lanka, however, has backed China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative about which India has serious reservations.

3. WB Govt brings Social Security Yojana:West Bengal Government has introduced the Social Security Yojana by converging five separate beneficiary schemes for workers in the unorganised sectors and for self-employed people.Around 5 crore people will benefit from the Yojana, with around 1 crore getting direct benefits.The State Government has started another scheme – State Nutrition Mission.

4.New Film Institute in Itanagar: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu announced that a Film Institute will be set up in Itanagar.Mr Naidu said that the institute will start functioning from a temporary campus with an introduction of 10 week short term course from 15th of May this year.An investment of 200 crore rupees will be made for the institute for the students of North East region.

5. UP airport to be named after Gorakhnath: UP state cabinet has decided to name an upcoming airport terminal at Gorakhpur Air Force station after Mahayogi Gorakhnath.Mahayogi Gorakhnath is known as the founder of the Nath monastic movement.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math.He is also a five-time MP from Gorakhpur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.China Names places in Arunachal Pradesh: China has announced its own names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh.China claims the state as ‘South Tibet’, while India says Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and is inseparable from the country.The names announced by China are Wo’gyainling, Mila Ri, Qoid ngarbo Ri, Mainquka, B mo La and Namkapub Ri.

2. UK parliament votes on snap election: Britain’s parliament is to vote on holding a snap election in June.Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking to make strong gains against the opposition ahead of gruelling Brexit negotiations.An early election would therefore be the fourth big vote in four years after the general election of 2015.

3.UN to issue stamps for Yoga Day: United Nations will issue special stamps commemorating the International Yoga Day on June 21 this year.UN Postal Administration will issue the new special event sheet to commemorate Yoga Day that has been marked annually since 2015.The special sheet consists of stamps with images of the sacred Indian sound “Om” and various yogic postures.

4. India, Russia to hold combat exercise: In the first such tri-Service wargames, India will hold a major combat exercise with Russia this year.The Indra exercise, to be held in Russia, will include assets and manpower from the Army, Navy and IAF.

This is the first time India will deploy the three services together for an exercise with a country.Moscow Conference on International Security will be held on April 25-26.

5.World Liver Day being observed today:The World Liver day is observed on the 19th April every year to spread awareness about the second largest organ ‘liver’ in the body.This year, the theme of World Liver Day 2018 is 'Riding New Waves in Liver Diagnosis, Staging & Treatment'.Liver diseases can be caused by hepatitis A, B, C, alcohol, and drugs.According to WHO (World Health Organization), liver diseases are the 10th most common cause of death in India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Goldman Sachs for Flipkart merger talks: Bengaluru-based ecommerce marketplace Flipkart has appointed Goldman Sachs as an advisor for the “proposed acquisition” of rival Snapdeal.Last week, Flipkart had announced its acquisition of eBay.in as part of a $1.4 billion fundraising round.Snapdeal has raised about $1.65 billion from about two dozen investors, including SoftBank and SoftBank-backed Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.

Daily GK Updates - 18th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. District plan to acelerate growth by 3%: Govt has decided to set up a district plan to accelerate growth of districts by 3%.An addition of 3% growth at the district level will ensure that 5 trillion dollars target for the Indian economy becomes achievable.The initiative will begin with 6 districts, including Sindhudurg & Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, VaLt Gen PP Malhotra takes over as DG NCC

2. Lieutenant General PP Malhotra has assumed the charge as Director General of National Cadet Corps (NCC):, the largest uniformed youth organization in the world.Prior to assuming his present appointment, he was the Chief Engineer of the Army’s premier Northern Command.Lt Gen Malhotra’s distinguished professional career includes various regimental, staff and command appointments.ranasi in UP, Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh & Solan in HP.

3. Digital platform for MSME exporters launched:Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu launched FIEO GlobalLinker- A digital platform for MSME exporters to digitise their businesses & join a global community of growing businesses.It will help in expanding India’s multi-focused export strategy & also aid in connecting art & artisans to market.

4. HRD Ministry to launch Study In India portal:HRD Ministry will launch ‘Study in India’ portal that aims to target foreign students to be admitted in Indian institutes

It will enable students from 30 countries to apply for different courses from 150 Indian institutions.study in India programme’s objective is to target foreign students by branding India as an attractive education destination.

5. DARPAN-PLI App launched by Manoj Sinha: MoS for Communication, Manoj Sinha launched DARPAN-Postal Life Insurance App in New Delhi.The App will help in collection of premium for Postal & Rural postal life insurance policies at Branch Post offices anywhere in India, with online updation of policies.It will help Department of Posts in providing better after-sales service to customers, particularly those living in rural areas.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Heritage Day celebrated: World Heritage Day is an annual event celebrated on 18 April of each year.The day aims to spread awareness of the importance of protecting & preserving various sites around that have achieved world heritage status.This year’s theme is Heritage for Generations emphasizing on inter-generational transfer of knowledge.There are 36 sites in India that have been declared as World Heritage.

2. India, Sweden to cooperate in Smart Cities: India & Sweden have agreed to deepen their cooperation in Smart Cities initiative, transport & energy sectors.The 2 countries will exchange knowledge & explore cooperation on smart cities, including transit-oriented urban development, air pollution control & waste management.Both sides will also exchange know-how & explore cooperation in areas of electro-mobility as well as renewable fuels

3. US to restrict movement of Pakistani diplomats:US has notified Pak that the diplomats at their embassy in Washington & consulates in other cities would not be able to travel beyond 40 kms of their offices without permission from May 1.Diplomats would need to apply for permission at least 5 days ahead of an intended travel outside the imposed 40 kms radii.

4. India ranked 10th in Innovation Index: India was ranked 10^th on a new Commonwealth Innovation Index which was topped by UK, Singapore & Canada.The index has been created in partnership with United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation & its annual Global Innovation Index. It is aimed at providing a tool that allows member states, organisations & citizens to benchmark themselves against 53 countries of Commonwealth.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Facebook introduces new privacy choices:Facebook would begin rolling out changes to how it handles private data this week to comply with forthcoming EU rules.Under the new policy, FB users will be asked to review & make choices about ads they receive, including whether they want Facebook to use data from third parties.FB has recently been rocked by disclosures about hijacking of personal data on tens of millions of its users.

2. India to grow at 7.4% in 2018:IMF in the latest World Economic Outlook has projected India to grow at 7.4% in 2018 & 7.8% in 2019.India in 2018 & 2019 would re-emerge as one of the fastest growing major economies.IMF said the implementation of GST will help reduce internal barriers to trade, increase efficiency & improve tax compliance.

SPORTS:

1. Bihar, NE states recommended for Ranji Trophy: Sourav Ganguly-led technical committee of BCCI has unanimously recommended reinstatement of Bihar & inclusion of northeastern states in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy.The northeastern states played BCCI U-19 tournaments last season as the Board wanted to gradually integrate them into the system.Ranji Trophy 2018-19 season is proposed to have 4 Groups with the introduction of pre-quarterfinals.

Daily GK Updates - 17th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

 1. Bengaluru is highest paying city for talent: With an average annual CTC for talent across all levels and functions standing at about Rs 11 lakh, Bengaluru topped the list of salary trends this year.Pune stands second at around Rs 10 lakh, followed by NCR and Mumbai with an average annual CTC of a little under Rs 10 lakh and around Rs 9 lakh, respectively.The report has been published by Randstad India

2. Kochi to host India Skills Kerala 2018: Kerala will host the India Skills Kerala 2018 – in Kochi from April 28 to 30, as part of the World Skills India 2018. The event is aimed at identifying and training talents to get medals at the World Skills Competition Kazan 2019.The proposed India Skills Kerala 2018 is an avenue provided to the youngsters in the State to showcase their vocational skills.

3. Pilgrimage train flagged off from Sambalpur: A special pilgrimage train for senior citizens, under the ‘Baristha Nagarika Tirtha Yatra Yojana’, has been flagged off from Sambalpur station by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.The train will take senior citizens to Shirdi, Nasik and Trimbakeshwar during the seven-day tour.The Odisha government has signed an MoU with the IRCTC for the pilgrimage plan.

4.Target revised for PMGSY from 2022 to 2019: The Government has said that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is well on its way to achieve the target by March 2019.The scheme, since its inception in 2000, has been able to provide connectivity to more than one lakh fifty thousand habitations. This centrally sponsored programme is implemented in partnership with the respective state governments.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Haemophilia Day Observed On April 17: World Haemophilia Day is recognized worldwide on 17th April every year to increase awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.It was started by the World Federation of Haemophilia.It also helps to raise funds for patients who cannot afford haemophilia treatment.The theme for World Haemophilia Day 2018 is “sharing knowledge”.

2. UK joins International Solar Alliance: The United Kingdom joined the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s four-day visit to Britain.The UK’s partnership will involve providing expertise and advice to the alliance, but no monetary contributions.The UK became 62nd country to join ISA, which includes countries like France, Australia, Bangladesh, Tuvalu, Benin, UAE, Brazil

3. New York Times, New Yorker won Pulitzer: The New York Times and The New Yorker won the Pulitzer Prize for public service on April 16.The Washington Post won the Pulitzer in the investigative category for relentless reporting that influenced the outcome of the 2017 Senate race in Alabama. The New York Times and The Washington Post shared the Pulitzer in national reporting for coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Yes Bank launches overdraft facility for MSMEs: Yes Bank recently announced the launch of ‘YES GST’, an OD (over draft) facility for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).Through this first-of-its-kind, industry first initiative, an MSME can avail OD up to Rs. 1 crore, based on their annual turnover, backed by GST returns.This OD facility can be availed by a MSME against mortgage of residential or commercial property.

2. M&M joins Rs 1-trillion m-cap club: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd entered the coveted Rs 1 trillion market capitalisation club, after its share price hit a fresh 52-week high on the BSE. Following the jump in its m-cap, M&M has joined the ranks of Ultra Tech Cement, PowerGrid Corporation, and IndusInd Bank. The company’s market capitalisation (m-cap) jumped to Rs 1,01,829.91 crore.

SPORTS:

1. Yuki Bhambri back in top-100: Tennis star Yuki Bhambri today broke back into the top-100 for the first time since February 2016.As per the latest rankings, he jumped 22 places to a career-best rank of 83.This follows his title-winning performance at the Taipei Challenger. This is the best rank an Indian has achieved in ATP singles chart since Somdev Devvarman touched a career-high 62 in July 2011.

Daily GK Updates - 16th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1.Odisha CM inaugurates bridge connecting Jharsaguda district with Sambalpur: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has inaugurated a ‘2.5 km long bridge’ constructed over river Ib (a tributary of Mahanadi) that will connect Jharsaguda district with Sambalpur. It will help connect the coal region of Brajarjnagar & Belpahar in Jharsuguda district with Sambalpur & boost economic activities in the area.The bridge has been constructed at a cost of over 117 crore rupees.It will reduce the distance between Lakhanpur and Sambalpur by 50 kilometers.

2. Himachal Pradesh Celebrates its 71st Foundation Day: Himachal Pradesh celebrated its 71st foundation day with much fanfare and gaiety. Several cultural events were organized across the state. It may be recalled that the hill state came into existence after the merger of 30 odd princely states in 1948. The main event was held at Ridge Maidan in Shimla, where Chief Minister Jairam Thakur reviewed the ceremonial Parade presented by police, home guards and NCC cadets.

3. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Launched in Telangana: Launching the ‘Gram Swaraj Abhiyan’ in Telangana, the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan stated the number of LPG distribution points in the State will be increased to 1,000 from the existing 707 for quicker and efficient delivery of gas cylinders.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1.  NASA to launch washing machine-sized spacecraft: NASA is to launch a washing machine-sized spacecraft that aims to vastly expand mankind's search for planets beyond the solar system.The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is scheduled to launch today from Cape Canaveral, Florida.Its main goal over the next two years is to scan more than 200,000 of the brightest stars for signs of planets circling them and causing a dip in brightness known as a transit.

2. PM Modi leaves on 5-day visit to Sweden & UK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting two European countries Sweden, Germany and the UK for bilateral meetings and for the India-Nordic Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).In the first leg, Prime Minister will attend the first-ever India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm which is being co-hosted by India and Sweden.In the second leg (Wed-Fri) of his visit. Mr. Modi will address a unique event ‘Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath’ in London on Wednesday.The Prime Minister will also participate in the CHOGM being hosted by the United Kingdom.

3. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Begins in London: The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2018) has begun in London, the UK. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the event on 19th and 20th of April. The theme of the summit is 'Towards a Common Future'. The biennial event has brought together delegates from 53 Commonwealth nations.

4. UN launches Road Safety Fund: United Nations’ Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed announced the launch of the ‘UN Road Safety Trust Fund’ to stimulate action that can save lives and prevent injuries and sufferings associated with road accidents. The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the development arm of the UN in Europe, is designated as the Secretariat for the Trust Fund. A contribution ofUSD 1500 to the fund could help save one life and prevent 10 serious injuries.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Kotak Mahindra Bank Pips SBI to Become India’s 2nd Most Valuable Bank: Shares of private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd beat India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) for the first time to become the second most valued bank in the country. Data from BSE showed that Kotak Mahindra Bank has a market capitalization of Rs2,22,560.69 crore after its shares rose 1.7%. SBI market capitalization stood at Rs2,22,043.74 crore. Its shares were trading at Rs248.80 on BSE, down 1% from its previous close.

SPORTS:

1. India ends the campaign in third spot with 26 Gold Medals at CWG 2018 : India has eventually finished their 21st Commonwealth Games campaignon the third spot at Gold Coast, Australia.Legendary Boxer MC Mery Kom leading Indian delegation carrying tricolor in a colorful ceremony.Indian competitors ended their campaign in the third place, with 66 medals including 26 Gold, 20 Silver and 20 Bronze medals.Australia stood first in the medal tally with 198 medals (80 Gold, 59 Silver and 59 Bronze) followed by England 136 medals.

2. Indian Swimmer Double Crosses Bangla Channel, Sets World Record: Pune-based 17-year-old swimmer Sampanna Ramesh Shelar has set a world record to double cross the Bangla Channel. Shelar, is the first person to swim to and fro from Saint Martin's Island Jetty to Teknaf in Bangladesh also known as the Bangla Channel. He has completed the journey of 32.2 kilometres in 9 hours and 10 minutes.

Daily GK Updates - 15th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Dharmendra to receive Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement award: According to the Maharashtra culture minister, Veteran Bollywood actor ‘Dharmendra’ will be conferred with the prestigious ‘Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement’ and filmmaker ‘Rajkumar Hirani’ with Raj Kapoor Special Contribution awards

2. Smriti Irani inaugurates Home Expo India 2018 : The union minister of Textiles and Information and Broadcasting ‘Smriti Irani’ has inaugurated the three days Home Expo India 2018 (seventh edition) at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida.The expo is three segmented categories show comprising Housewares, Textiles, and Furniture.Around 650 Indian exporters of all the three categories will be displaying exquisite products of Houseware, decorative, furnishing, flooring, textiles and furniture accessories.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Nepal: Bisket Jatra to be celebrated in Bhaktapur: The famous nine days annual festival ‘Bisket Jatra’ (Nepali new year) is being celebrated in Bhaktapur and the other parts of Kathmandu valley in Nepal.The Jatra begins four days before the start of new year.The main attraction of Bisket Jatra is chariot procession of Lord Bhairavanath.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. ISRO carries out fourth and final orbit raising operation of IRNSS-1I: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out its fourth and final orbit raising operation of IRNSS-1I navigation satellite.The targeted perigee height is 35,381 km and apogee height at 35,793 km.Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, IRNSS-1I is the eighth and the last navigation satellite in the constellation.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. L&T, BEL Ink MoU for Defence Products : In line with the efforts to indigenize the defence sector under the 'Make in India' initiative, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) signed an MoU to cater to the needs of evolving domestic and export markets for defence products and systems.The MoU seeks to leverage the capabilities of both the firms for meeting the growing requirements of the Indian Armed Forces

2. PNB Launches Products to Mark Foundation Day :  State-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched new products such as pre-approved credit card and UPI solution to mark its 124th foundation day.esides, the bank announced its UPI partnership with the expense management app WALNUT that comes embedded with features such as bill reminders, bill-split and instant paperless loans.

SPORTS:

1.  Saina first Indian shuttler to win two singles gold in Commonwealth Games: Ace Indian shuttler ‘Saina Nehwal’ defeated PV Sindhu 21-18, 23-21 in women's singles final to clinch a gold medal in women’s badminton singles at the 21st Commonwealth Games.Now, she became the first Indian shuttler to have won two singles gold medals in badminton in Commonwealth Games.Earlier, Saina had won a gold medal in 2010 Commonwealth Games which were hosted by India.

2.  Kidambi Srikanth wins his first CWG Silver : World number one Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth won his career's first Commonwealth Games singles Silver medal.In the final, the 25-year-old Indian lost to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, who won his career's third Commonwealth Games singles gold medal. Notably, only three Indian shuttlers have won CWG men's singles title– Prakash Padukone (1978), Syed Modi (1982) and Parupalli Kashyap (2014).

Daily GK Updates - 14th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. 65th National Film Awards list: The 65th National Film Awards were announced in Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi. Here is a list of the important awards and its winners:

Best Hindi Film – Newton

Best Actor – Riddhi Sen for ‘Nagar Kirtan’.

Best Actress – Sridevi for ‘Mom’.

Best Director – Jayaraj for ‘Bhayanakam’.

Best Film – Village Rockstars (Assamese).

Best Action Direction – ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’.

2. Vinod Khanna awarded Dadasaheb Phalke award: Veteran Hindi film actor Shri Vinod Khanna was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.This was announced during the 65th National Film Awards.The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema.

3. NGT panel to inspect lakes in Bengaluru: Following orders from the National Green Tribunal, a committee constituted by the tribunal is set to carry out an inspection, of the Bellandur, Agara & Varthur lakes in Bengaluru.The bench is headed by NGT Acting Chairperson Jawad Rahim. Committee shall inform the tribunal of the extent of hydrophytes in the lakes, along with the incidents of fire that have taken place till April 10, 2018.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. India, U.K. in talks over education: India and the United Kingdom are holding talks to seal an agreement on mutual recognition of educational qualifications.It is likely to feature in official discussions during the upcoming London visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India last month signed an agreement on mutual recognition of educational degrees with France, during the visit of President Emmanuel Macron to Delhi.

2. US, UK, France launch air strikes in Syria: The US has launched air strikes in Syria along with the UK and France, in response to the chemical attack that killed dozens of people last week. Explosions were reported in Syria’s capital Damascus, moments after US President Donald Trump announced the military action. The US intends to “sustain [the strikes] until Syrian regime stops its use of chemical weapons”.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1.  Indian economy to grow 7.3%: ADB India’s economic growth will rise to 7.3% this fiscal and further to 7.6% in the next financial year, retaining the fastest-growing Asian economy tag, on back of GST and banking reforms.

SPORTS:

1. First ever all-Indian badminton CWG final: PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal won their respective semi-finals on Saturday to set up the first-ever all-Indian women’s badminton singles’ final at the Commonwealth Games.CWG 2010 gold medalist Saina defeated Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour 21-14, 18-21, 21-17 while CWG 2014 bronze medalist Sindhu beat Canada’s Michelle Li in straight sets.The women’s singles final will take place on Sunday

2. Neeraj Chopra won javelin throw gold at CWG: Neeraj Chopra became the first-ever Indian to win gold in javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games.The 20-year-old junior world record holder hurled the javelin to a distance of 86.47m to bag India’s 21st gold at the Commonwealth Games 2018.The medal was India’s first gold and overall third in athletics at CWG 2018.

3. Naman won India’s 1st boxing medal at CWG: Nineteen-year-old Naman Tanwar won India its first boxing medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze in the men’s 91 kg category.Naman lost out to Australia’s Jason Whateley in the semifinal of the event to secure the bronze.

4. Mary Kom won boxing gold at CWG: Five-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom has become the first Indian woman boxer to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.Mary Kom achieved the feat after defeating Northern Ireland’s Kristina O’Hara in the 45-48kg category final at Gold Coast.

Daily GK Updates - 13th April, 2018

                 NATIONAL UPDATES

1. 5,000MW solar park to come up in Dholera: Gujarat Government approved setting up a 5000 MW capacity solar park at the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), which would be the largest such entity in the world after its completion. The solar power generation project would be set up in 11,000 hectares of land. The project will contribute significantly in achieving the target of producing 175 gigawatts of electricity by 2022.

2. Jayant Sinha to head task force for UAV tech :The Government has formed a task force under the Chairmanship of MoS Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha for fast-tracking the roll-out of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology. The Task Force will focus on R&D, acquisition and commercialisation, regulatory framework and preference for Make in India. The task force will submit its report within 6 months of its constitution.

3. NBCC ties up with Skill Development Institute NBCC (India) Ltd: under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs signed MoU with the Skill Development Institute Bhubaneswar, for the construction of the institute. This will facilitate empowering the youth in Odisha with relevant skill sets and train them in various disciplines. NBCC has pledged to impart training to 40,000 workers (including both onsite and offsite) in the next five years.

4. Bhanu Sharma appointed Banks Board Bureau’s Chairman: The government appointed Bhanu Pratap Sharma as the new Chairman of Banks Board Bureau, which primarily recommends senior executive appointments in state-run banks. Sharma will replace former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, whose term ended on March 31. Notably, Sharma is the former Secretary of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World’s first long-distance electric bus line : The world’s first long-distance electric bus line was inaugurated in Paris on 12th April.The bus will cover the 160 kilometres between Paris and Amiens in northern France in just over 2 hours.The bus can travel as far as 250 kilometres on one 5-hour battery charge. It emits no pollutants at all and creates less noise than conventional buses

2. AIIB decides to invest in India: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a $140 million loan for enhancing rural connectivity in Madhya Pradesh. The project, co-financed with the World Bank, aims to improve the rural road connectivity and management for residents of about 5,640 villages.The project will benefit around 1.5 million rural residents through improved livelihood, education and mobility.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. 2nd magnetic field created by Earth found: The European Space Agency has created the most detailed map ever of the elusive oceanic magnetism generated by Earth’s lithosphere. While Earth’s magnetic field is majorly generated within the outer core, a small fraction comes from magnetised rocks in the crust and the upper mantle. This lithospheric magnetic field is 20,000 times weaker than global magnetic field at satellite altitude.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Startups with up to ₹10 cr to get concession: The government has allowed startups to avail tax concession if total investment including funding from angel investors does not exceed ₹10 crore. Several startups and investors had raised concerns over the ‘angel tax’ saying it could discourage investments. The tax was levied on capital raised by startups in excess of the fair market value of their shares.

SPORTS:

1. Discus thrower Seema Punia won silver medal: India’s Seema Punia bagged her fourth successive medal at the Commonwealth Games by winning silver in women’s discus throw final with a throw of 60.41m in Gold Coast.The 34-year-old has now won three silver medals (2006, 2014 and 2018) and one bronze (2010) at the Games.Another Indian athlete Navjeet Dhillon won bronze in the same event.

2. Sushil Kumar won his 3rd straight CWG gold: Indian wrestler and Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar bagged his third straight Commonwealth Games gold medal after winning the men’s Freestyle 74 kg event.The 34-year-old wrestler won the final 10-0, having dominated all previous opponents with scorelines of 11-0, 10-0, and 4-0.Sushil has a silver and a bronze in Olympics and was crowned world champion in 2010.

3. Rahul wins India’s first wrestling gold at CWG: Rahul Aware bagged India’s first wrestling gold medal at the Commonwealth Games 2018.He beat Canada’s Steven Takahashi in the final of men’s Freestyle 57 kg event.Before the final, the 26-year-old had claimed two dominating victories with the scorelines 11-0 and 10-0, while he defeated Pakistan’s Muhammad Bilal 12-8 in the semi-final.