Daily GK Updates - 11th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Upendra Kushwaha resigns from Union Council of ministers : Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha (Minister of State for HRD in Government of India) resigned from the Union council of ministers.He has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he is quitting the BJP-led NDA alliance.He is a Member of Parliament from Karakat Loksabha in Rohtas district, Bihar.

2.  India’s Prathamesh Maulingkar wins Mister Supranational 2018 : Goa’s Prathamesh Maulingkar (27-years) has become the first Asian/Indian to win Mister Supranational title at Krynica-Zdroj, Poland.He defeated 37 contestants from all over the world in the final round to win the coveted title.Mister Supranational (Poland) was adjudged first runner-up, Mister Supranational (Brazil) was adjudged second runner-up.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.11^th December: International Mountain Day : The International Mountain Day is being observed every year on 11^thDecember.The theme for 2018 IMD is Mountains Matter’.International Mountain Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2003 to encourage sustainable development in mountains.

2. International Conference on ‘Sustainable Water Management’ held in Mohali : The 1^st International Conference on ‘Sustainable Water Management’ was held at Indian School of Business (ISB) in Mohali, Punjab.The conference was organized by Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) under the aegis of the National Hydrology Project of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Direct Tax Gross collections for 2018-19 up to November are at Rs 6.75 lakh Cr :
The provisional figures of Direct Tax collections for 2018-19 up to November 2018 show that Gross Collections are at 6.75 lakh crore rupees.This is 15.7% higher than the Gross Collections for the corresponding period of last year.The refunds mounting to 1.23 lakh crore rupees have been issued during April to November this year which is 20.8% higher than refunds issued during the same period in the preceding year.

The Net Collections after adjusting for refunds have increased by 14.7 per cent to 5.51 lakh crore rupees from April to November.

2. Govt contribution to NPS raised to 14 per cent : The Central Government contribution will be raised to 14 per cent in NPS (existing 10%).The tax exemption limit for lump sum withdrawal on exit has been enhanced to 60%.Now, the entire withdrawal will be exempted from income tax.Freedom of choice will be provided for selection of Pension Funds and pattern of investment to central government employees.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.Myntra’s CEO Ananth Narayanan resigns : Myntra’s chief executive officer (CEO) Ananth Narayanan has resigned from his According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, role with his position set to be abolished.Myntra is the unit of Walmart Inc-owned Flipkart.Flipkart’s executive Amar Nagaram has been given the responsibility to head Myntra.Mithun Sundar (Myntra's chief revenue officer) and Manpreet Ratia (human resources head) have also resigned.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.  India successfully test-fires Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-5 : The indigenously built Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-5 has been test-fired successfully from Abdul Kalam island under Chandipur Interim Test Range.Previously the test of Agni 4 was unsuccessful.The length of Agni-5 is 17 meters length and 2 meters diameter, the missile can hit the target from of 5 thousand kilometres distance.The first test was conducted in 2012 from ITR Chandipur in Balasore district.

SPORTS :

1. Ranji Trophy: Ajay Rohera creates a world record for highest first-class debut score Madhya Pradesh opener Ajay Rohera (21-year) etched his name in the record books by slamming the highest first-class score on debut. He remained unbeaten on 267 against Hyderabad in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-B Cricket in Indore. Earlier, the record was held by former Mumbai stalwart Amol Mazumdar, who had hit 260 versus Haryana at Faridabad in 1994.

Daily GK Updates - 10th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Khelo India Youth Games to start from 9th January 2019 : According to Sports Minister Col Rajyavardhan Rathore, Khelo India Youth Games-2019 (Play India School Games) will be held from 9th to 20th of January 2019 in Pune, Maharashtra.Mr. Rathore launched the jersey for the second edition of Khelo India.Nine thousand youth will participate in this edition of the game.In 2018, around 3500 school children had participated in the event.

2. Urjit Patel resigns as RBI governor  : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel has resigned (effective immediately) from the post due to personal reasons.Mr. Patel took charge as the RBI governor on 4th September 2016 after Raghuram Rajan resigned from the post on 19th June 2016.Patel’s term as RBI governor was to end in September 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.President Kovind to embark on a 4-day visit to Myanmar : President Ram Nath Kovind will be on a four-day visit to Myanmar and interact with his counterpart U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.During the visit, President will meet the surviving members of the Indian National Army and attend a community reception.Myanmar is a country where India’s "Act East” and "Neighbourhood First” policies intersect.

2. 10th December: World Human Rights Day : The World Human Rights Day is being observed to honour the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation.Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10th December every year.The theme this year is, ‘stand up for the human rights’.

3.  1st International Conference on ‘Sustainable Water Management’ Held in Mohali : The first International Conference on ‘Sustainable Water Management’ was held at Indian School of Business (ISB) in Mohali, Punjab. The conference was organized by Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) under the aegis of the National Hydrology Project of the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.The theme of the international conference is ‘Sustainable Water Management’. 

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.Myntra's CEO Ananth Narayanan Resigns : Flipkart-owned Myntra's CEO Ananth Narayanan has resigned from his role with his position set to be abolished. Flipkart's Amar Nagaram has been given the responsibility to head Myntra.  Key Myntra leaders such as Chief Revenue Officer Mithun Sundar and human resources head Manpreet Ratia have also resigned.

2.  Atul Sahai Appointed CMD Of New India Assurance : Atul Sahai has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the country’s largest general insurance company New India Assurance. The post had been lying vacant since July 2018 after former chairman and managing director G srinivasan retired.The appointments committee of the cabinet announced that Sahai who is the General Manager at Oriental Insurance will be appointed for a period of five years. 

SPORTS :

1.  India beat Australia by 31 runs in Adelaide test : India beat Australia by 31 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series at the Adelaide.Chasing a target 323, Australia was all out for 291 in 119.5 overs. Batting first, India were all out for 250 in their first innings and then bowled out the hosts for 235 to take a 15-run lead.India made 307 in their second innings to set Australia a challenging target.

Daily GK Updates - 9th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kannur International Airport in Kerala begins operations : Kannur International Airport (KIAL) has been Inaugurated by Pinarayi Vijayan (Chief Minister of Kerala) in the presence of Minister of Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu.Now, Kerala is the only state in the country with four international airports.The Kannur airport will give a major boost to trade, commerce, tourism, employment and export prospects in Kerala.The Integrated Passenger Terminal and Air Traffic Control building was designed by premier public sector consultancy agency KITCO India.

2.  All India Annual Conference of Heads of Science Centre’s & Museums begins at Itanagar : The three-day 18th All India Annual Conference of the Heads of Science Centre’s and Museums has begun at Itanagar.Arunachal Pradesh State Council Science and Technology is playing an important role to tie up and collaborate with other scientific institutions across the country to promote science and technology in the state.The conference will able to chalk out strategies to promote scientific temper and to play a catalyst role for students.

3. Vice President releases books on selected speeches of President Ram Nath Kovind : Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has released a compilation of selected speeches of President Ram Nath Kovind titled, "The Republican Ethic" in English and "Loktantra ke Swar" in Hindi at a function in New Delhi.The books are the collection of 95 of his selected speeches out of a total of 243 speeches made by the President in the first year of his office.They have been divided in eight sections.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Mexico’s Vanessa Poncede Leon crowned Miss World 2018 : Mexico’s Vanessa Poncede Leon (26-year) has won the coveted Miss World 2018 (68th edition) crown at a grand event in China.She is the first Mexican woman to win Miss World.She was presented the crown by the last year's Miss World winnerManushi Chhillar (India) at the event in Sanya City Arena in China.Nicolene Limsnukan of Thailand was named first runner-up.Almost 118 contestants from countries across the world participated in the beauty pageant.

2. International Anti-Corruption Day being observed today : International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) has been observed annually on 9th December to raise public awareness of corruption and what people can do to fight it.Every year USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated USD 2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SEBI to relax listing norms for start-ups, rename it Innovators Growth Platform : Capital markets regulator SEBI lined up a slew of relaxations for new-age ventures to kickstart listing of start-ups in India.The proposed changes include renaming the Institutional Trading Platform that the regulator had created for such listings as Innovators Growth Platform.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had set up an expert group in June this year to review the start-up platform.

OBITUARIES:

1. Noted historian Mushirul Hasan passes away : Historian Prof. Mushirul Hasan (69-years) passed away recently.Mr. Hasan was the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.He has also served as the Director-General of the National Archives of India, and the President of the Indian History Congress.His book ‘India Partition: The Other Face of Freedom’, documents how Partition displaced millions and left behind a legacy of hostility and bitterness between the governments as well as the people from India and Pakistan.

Daily GK Updates - 8th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Krishnamurthy Subramanian Appointed Chief Economic Adviser : The Union government has appointed Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian as the Chief Economic Adviser for three years.He is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.Mr Subramanian has a PhD from Chicago-Booth and IIT-IIM alumnus, is one of the world’s leading experts in banking, corporate governance and economic policy. In June 2018, Arvind Subramanian (Chief Economic Advisor of India) had resigned from the post.

2.Ministry of Shipping approves the development of freight village in Varanasi : Ministry of Shipping has approved the development of a freight village in Varanasi adjoining the Inland Waterways Terminal on River Ganga.It will be developed at a cost 156 crore rupees, serve as a cargo hub and a centre for aggregation.It will also provide support to stimulate the development of aprofessional logistics industry in Varanasi.

3. Kolkata-Patna becomes India’s 2nd container cargo sector on inland waterways : India’s new Inland Water Transport (IWT) Kolkata-Patna, an origin-destination pair for containerised cargo movement on the National Waterway-1.Patna will be witness to a new landmark in India’s IWT sector.The Ministry of Shipping is developing NW-1 (River Ganga) under Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) from Haldia to Varanasi (1390 Km) with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank at an estimated cost of Rs 5369 crore.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.FAO Council approves 2023 as International Year of Millets : According to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council have approved India’s proposal to observe an International Year of Millets in 2023.The 160th session of the FAO Council, currently underway in Rome approved the proposal.This will enhance global awareness to bring back these nutri-cereals to the plate.Millets consist of Jowar, Bajra, Ragi and minor millets together termed as nutri-cereals.

2. Japan govt enacts a new law to accept foreign workers : Japanese government passed a new law to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country to address chronic labour shortages (from April 2019).The government plans to start the new scheme from April next year.Under the law, Japan plans to bring in 3 lakh 45 thousand foreign workers in construction, food services, nursing and other sectors for five years.

3. China launches the 1st mission to land on the far side of the moon : A Long March 3B rocket launches China’s first-ever spacecraft Chang'e 4 lunar probe from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.The probe is expected to make the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon in early January 2019.The Chang’e-4 mission will see a static lander and rover touch down in Von Kármán crater, located on the side of the Moon which never faces Earth.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA's InSight lander 'hears' Martian winds : NASA's InSight lander has provided the first-ever ‘sounds’ of Martian wind on the Red Planet.According to NASA, InSight sensors captured a haunting low rumble caused by vibrations from the wind, estimated to be blowing between 10 to 15 miles per hour on 1^st December.Two very sensitive sensors on the spacecraft detected these wind vibrations. The seismometer recorded lander vibrations caused by the wind moving over the spacecraft's solar panels.

SPORTS :

1.  Italy wins Admiral’s cup Sailing Regatta 2018 : Italy won the Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2018 (ninth edition) at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala. Team Singapore was the Runners-Up and Team USA came third. The host country team (Indian Naval Academy) finished fourth in the overall position of Admiral’s Cup 2018.

Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.7th December: Armed Forces Flag Day : The Armed Forces Flag Day (Flag Day of India) is being observed annually in India on 7th December (since 1949).The objective of the day honours the martyrs as well as men and women in uniform, who valiantly fight on our borders to safeguard the country’s honour.Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of India.

2. Arvind Kejriwal launches free Pilgrimage scheme for Senior Citizens : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana’ for senior citizens from Delhi to five religious circuits.1,100 senior citizens from every constituency of Delhi (70-Constituency) will be able to avail free travel package.The expenditure of the attendant will also be borne by the Delhi government.

3. Ravi Shankar Prasad launches National Challenge ‘Ideate for India - creative solutions using technology ': The Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched National Challenge ‘Ideate for India - creative solutions using technology' for school students in New Delhi.It is a collaboration between National e-governance Division & Intel India, supported by the Department of School Education and Literacy of the Ministry of Human Resources Development.The challenge will help empower the youth to become the next generation of innovators and technology creators.

4. Cabinet approves Agriculture Export Policy to double farmer's income by 2022 :The Union Cabinet has approved the Agriculture Export Policy in line with the government's commitment to double farmer's income by 2022.Farmers will get the benefit of export opportunities through a stable trade policy regime.The policy will remove export curbs on most organic and processed food.The Union Cabinet has also approved the launch of National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Film Festival of Kerala begins today : Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2018 at Thiruvananthapuram(7-13th Dec).190 films from 65 countries will be shown in IFFK 2018.The objectives of the Academy include being a link between the Government and the film industry.

2. Luxembourg to become the first country to make all public transport free : Luxembourg will be the first country in the world to make all public transportation free (by summer 2019) as part of a new environmental initiative.All fares for trains, trams and buses will be scrapped as part of a new environmental initiative.The move is aimed at addressing environmental issues and the problem of traffic congestion.The plan will ease road network constraint as well as save money on fare collection and ticket inspection.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Exim Bank extends USD 500 mn loan to Tanzania for water supply projects : Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has extended a credit facility of USD 500 million to Tanzania for water supply projects in the country.Under this agreement, of the total credit by Exim Bank, goods and services of the value of at least 75% of the contract price shall be supplied by the seller from India.The remaining 25% of goods and services may be procured by the seller for the purpose of the eligible contract from outside India.

SPORTS :

1. Kiren Rijiju inaugurates All India Police Shooting Competition 2018 at Manesar :

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has inaugurated the 19th All India Police (AIPDM) Shooting Competition-2018 at Manesar, Gurugram (Haryana).The competition will continue till 11th of this month. More than 750 participants of 31 teams of State Police Forces and Central Armed Police Forces are participating in the event.There will be total 13 matches and 41 medals & 13 Trophies will be awarded to the winners.

Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Anees Salim, Ramesan Nair win Sahitya Akademi award 2018 : The ‘Sahitya Akademi’ has announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards-2018 in 24 languages(22 eighth Scheduled Languages + English & Rajasthani).Anees Salim has been awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award 2018 for English literature category for his novel ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’.Ramesan Nair won the award for his work ‘Gurupournami’, a poem on the life of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.An eminent short-story writer, Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq, bagged the Award for his collection of short stories “AAKH’’.Seven books of poetry, six novels, six short stories, three of literary criticism and two of essays have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards, 2018.

2. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani approves Rs 50 crore SIT fund : Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has approved 50-crore rupees to Science & Technology Innovation (SIT) Fund to provide assistance up to Rs. 50-lakh to UGC and AICTE recognized central and state universities and colleges.The assistance will be for a maximum period of three years to develop latent talents, encourage creativity research and development in strategic fields in the knowledge-based ecosystem.Earlier, Gujarat Government has announced similar assistance under the Biotechnology Policy and IT Policy.

3. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launches SMART initiative for Agribusiness, Rural Transformation: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched a unique initiative called "SMART" (State of Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation) to transform rural Maharashtra.The objective of the World Bank assisted to revamp agricultural value chains, with a special focus on marginal farmers across 1,000 villages.The project will entail an investment of 300 million US dollars of which the World Bank would contribute 210 million US dollars.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Jon Ridgeon appointed CEO of IAAF : The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has appointed Jon Ridgeon (British former hurdler) as its new CEO (chief executive officer).Ridgeon (51-years) will take up the new role in March 2019.Jon Ridgeon winning silver in the shorter event at the 1987 World Championships.

2.  OPEC set to meet in Vienna : Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) and other oil-producing countries are scheduled to meet in Vienna to discuss ways to manage the oil output, supply glut and demand slowdown.OPEC's third-biggest producer Iran has called to be excluded from any decision to cut production.Over the past two months oil prices have plunged and a barrel of Brent crude, the European benchmark.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  Rs 60000 crore to be spent on MGNREGA this year: Finance Minister : According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, about 60 thousand crore rupees would be spent on MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) this year to improve the infrastructure and the quality of life of people.If this level of investment with its annual increase is continued for at least the next two decades, India will be close to providing a quality of life and infrastructure which is more like urban areas.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI to implement an Ombudsman scheme for digital transactions : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will implement an Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions covering services provided by entities falling under Reserve Banks regulatory jurisdiction.The scheme will be notified by the end of January 2019.There is an emerging need for a dedicated, cost-free and expeditious grievance redressal mechanism for strengthening consumer confidence in this channel.For customer protection initiative, RBI has issued instructions on limiting customer liability in respect of unauthorised electronic transactions involving banks and credit card issuing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

Daily GK Updates - 5th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Admiral Sunil Lanba releases book titled ‘Blue Waters Ahoy’ : Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba has released a book 'Blue Waters Ahoy', chronicling the history of Indian Navy from 2001-2010.The unveiling was part of Navy Day reception at the Navy House in presence of President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi.The book has been authored by Vice Admiral Anup Singh.Vice Admiral Anup Singh is retired Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command in 2011.

2. Bihar govt sets Rs 100 fee for family property split : Bihar state’s cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has fixed Rs. 100 as the charge for people to get their property registered after the division of family’s immovable assets.Earlier, the charges for registration of property was 5% (3% stamp duty & 2% registration fee) of the value of property registration fee, as per the prevailing minimum value register (MVR) of the area.This is a decision related to public welfare and will reduce tension, disputes, violence and cases in society.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Soil Day being observed today : The World Soil Day is being observed annually on 5th December to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.The theme for 2018 World Soil Day is 'Be the Solution to Soil Pollution'.

2. International Volunteer Day observed today :  The International Volunteer Day (IVD) observed every year on 5th December.theme of IVD 2018 is: ‘Volunteers build Resilient Communities’.IVD 2018 celebrates volunteer efforts that strengthen local ownership and the resilience of the community in the face of natural disasters, economic stresses and political shocks.

3.  India, UAE sign two agreements, including one on currency swap : Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs Minister) and Abdullah bin Zayed (UAE minister) jointly co-chaired the 12th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting for Economic and Technical Cooperation in Abu Dhabi.India and the United Arab Emirates have signed two agreements, one on currency swap and the second agreement would enable both sides to undertake development projects in Africa.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI announces its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review of 2018-19 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review of the current financial year 2018-19.The six-member Monetary Policy Committee, headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel, began its three-day meeting on Monday.RBI had kept the key interest rates unchanged in the policy review in Dec  2018-19.RBI maintained 'calibrated tightening' stance and projected H1FY20 GDP growth at 7.5 per cent. 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.  ISRO's heaviest satellite GSAT-11 successfully launched from French Guiana :

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched India's heaviest satellite GSAT-11 (weighing 5,854 kg) by Ariane-5 VA246rocket from Kourou Launch Zone, French Guiana in South America.The GSAT-11 (also called -Big Bird) will deliver multi-spot beam coverageover the Indian mainland and nearby islands bringing significant advantages to the user community.The GSAT-11 is the next generation high throughput communication satellite that will play a vital role in providing broadband services across the country.

DEFENCE:

1.  EX SHINYUU Maitri-2018 With JASDF Commences : The Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is in India for five days bilateral air exercise SHINYUU Maitri-18 with Indian Air Force at A F Station Agra.The theme of the exercise is joint Mobility /Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) on Transport aircraft.  The focus of the exercise is set for the IAF and JASDF crews to undertake Joint Mobility/ HADR operations.

SPORTS:

1.  IPL: Delhi Daredevils renamed as Delhi Capitals : Delhi Daredevils was renamed as 'Delhi Capitals' after a poor track record over the past 11 IPL seasons. Co owners Parth Jindal (representing JSW Sport) and Kiran Kumar Grandhi (GMR) unveiled the new name of the team.Shreyas Iyer will continue to lead the team despite the presence of Shikhar Dhawan.Dhawan returns to Delhi for the 2019 season after being traded by Sunrisers Hyderabad.