Daily GK Updates - 6th June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi Forms 2 Cabinet Panels For Growth & Jobs: In a bid to spur investment and create new employment opportunities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up two Cabinet committees to deal with the two crucial issues. Both the panels, respectively on Investment and Growth and on Employment and Skill Development, will be headed by the prime minister. The Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth will have Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sithataman, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Railways and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as its members. The Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development will include, besides Shah, Sithataman and Goyal, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Skill Development M N Pandey, Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardip Puri.

2. Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das inaugurates Rs 55 crore Haj House: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has inaugurated the 50 crore rupees Haj House in Ranchi. The five-storeyed air-conditioned Haj House can accommodate about 1,000 people for offering Namaaz.

A total of 150 men and 80 women can stay at a time. The Chief Minister had laid the foundation stone for the building two years ago.

3. Government Reconstitutes 8 Cabinet Committees: The Government has reconstituted eight Cabinet Committees. These are Appointments Committee, Committees on Accommodation, Economic Affairs, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Security, Investment and Growth and Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development. The Cabinet Committee on Security will have Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has Prime Minister Modi and Mr Shah. While Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth will have the Prime Minister and Ministers of Home, Road Transport and Highways, Finance and Corporate Affairs and Railways and Commerce and Industry.

4. 'Cyclone Man' Mrutyunjay Mohapatra Appointed IMD Chief: Renowned scientist and cyclone warning specialist Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was appointed as the chief of India Meteorological Department (IMD).  Mohapatra and his team at the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD have earned praise for their accurate forecasts on cyclones, its wind-speed and likely impact on life and property including during the recent cyclone 'Fani', when their timely warnings enabled the authorities to ensure early evacuation of millions of people. He will assume charge in August.

5. Maharana Pratap Jayanti observed: Maharana Pratap Jayanti (479th birth) is being observed every year on 6 June to celebrate the birth anniversary of a brave Rajput warrior. Maharana Pratap was the 13th Rajput king of Mewar, a province in modern-day Rajasthan. He became ruler of Mewar in 1572, after the death of Udai Singh. He was the eldest son of Maharana Udai Singh and Maharani Jaiwanta Bai. On 18 June 1576, the famous Battle of Haldighati was fought between Maharana Pratap and Akbar’s forces led by Man Singh I of Amer.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Russia Launches 1st Arctic Train Service: In Russia, the first tourist train traveling through Russia's Arctic region and on to Norway set off from St. Petersburg station with 91 passengers aboard for the inaugural trial journey.  The train, named, Zarengold, complete with two restaurant cars will travel from Saint Petersburg through, the whole trip will take 11 days and allow passengers to discover areas difficult to access by other means.

2. Thaawarchand Gehlot leaves for Buenos Aires to participate in 2nd Global Disability Summit: Mr Thaawarchand Gehlot (Social Justice and Empowerment minister) has left for Buenos Aires in Argentina to participate in 2nd Global Disability Summit. Union Minister Mr Gehlot also attended ‘1st Global Disability Summit’ held at London, UK. The objective of the three-day summit is to deliberate on issues across the world concerning empowerment and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and to work out a mechanism for enabling them to live an independent and dignified life.

Note: The 2nd Global Disability Summit is being held at Buenos Aires, Argentina from (6 June to 8 June 2019).

3. Donald Trump joins Queen Elizabeth II at World War II commemorative ceremony: President Donald Trump joined Queen Elizabeth II at a World War II commemorative ceremony in UK's port city of Portsmouth. Hundreds of war veterans were feted at the grand ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which marked the start of the Allied Forces campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-west Europe during World War II. British Prime Minister Theresa May is hosting 15 world leaders to honour the largest combined land, air and naval operation in history, with representatives from every country that fought alongside the UK in attendance. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as Prime Ministers from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland and Slovakia also attended the function.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sunil Chhetri becomes most capped India player: Sunil Chhetri has become the most capped India player by surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia's 107 international matches. In his milestone match of the King's Cup football tournament in Buriram, Thailand, he scored the lone goal for his side in the 31st minute from a spot kick for his 69th goal.

Note: Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger and captains both the Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC and the Indian national team.

2. International Federation of Hockey men's series finals begins: International Federation of Hockey (IFH) men's series finals has begun in Bhubaneswar, Odisha (6–16th June 2019). In the first match held in the morning, USA defeated South Africa by 2 goals. Poland, Russia, Uzbekistan South Africa, Japan, USA, Mexico including host country India will battle it out for two places in the FIH Olympic Qualifiers scheduled to be held in October-November later this year. The top two teams from each event qualify for the 2019 Men's FIH Olympic Qualifiers. The morning matches will be open for public whereas afternoon matches will have tickets and the profits will be donated to Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Note: The Men's FIH Series Finals 2019 is the final stage of the 2018–19 edition of the Hockey Series, held from April to June 2019. The Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) is the international governing body of field hockey and indoor field hockey, headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

3. Team India to sport orange jerseys in selected World Cup matches: Indian cricketers are likely to sport orange jerseys instead of the usual blue in selected games of the ongoing World Cup. This includes the match against hosts England on the 30th of this month.  The jersey will be predominantly orange with a tinge of blue. The concept of multiple jerseys has been inspired by club football in which players choose their colour on a home and away basis.

4. China will host the 2023 Asian Cup: According to Asian Football Confederation (AFC), China will stage the 2023 Asian Cup football after South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia dropped their bids. It will mark the second time for China to host the quadrennial continental tournament. In the 2004 edition, China had finished runners-up to Japan. This year's Asian Cup in the UAE was expanded to 24 nations for the first time with Qatar winning the final 3-1 against Japan.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. 2nd Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement Released: Repo Rate Reduced to 5.75%: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its second Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Rates for 2019-20 in Mumbai. The Bi-monthly policy has been released based on the assessment of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) led by RBI Governor also decided to change the stance of monetary policy from neutral to accommodative. The RBI reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 5.75 per cent from 6.0 per cent with immediate effect. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 5.50 per cent. The marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 6.0 per cent.

Current Policy Rates:

Policy Repo Rate	5.75%
Reverse Repo Rate	5.50 %
Marginal Standing Facility Rate	6.0%
Bank Rate	6.0%
CRR	4 %

DEFENCE

1. India Test Fires Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile From Chandipur in Odisha: India has successfully test fired Brahmos Supersonic Cruise Missile from Chandipur in Odisha. Described as the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile with high rate of precisionand accuracy, BrahMos can be fired from land, sea and air. 

OBITUARIES

1. Champions League football Architect Lennart Johansson Passes Away: Lennart Johansson, who oversaw the introduction of the Champions League during a 17-year reign as president of European soccer’s governing body, has died. He was 89. Johansson led UEFA from 1990-2007 and was eventually beaten in a presidential election by former France great Michel Platini.

2. Uttarakhand finance minister Prakash Pant passes away: The Finance Minister of Uttarakhand, Prakash Pant (59-years) passed away in the US. Prakash Pant was undergoing treatment for lung ailment in Texas, United States of America. The Uttarakhand government has declared three-day mourning, as a mark of respect to the departed leader. He was the first speaker of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly.

Note: Prakash Pant was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and member of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly in India. He was also a minister in Government of Uttarakhand with portfolios of Tourism, Culture, Pilgrimage Endowment, Parliamentary Affairs & Reorganization.

Daily GK Updates - 5th June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Health Minister Chairs Meeting to Review Status of RNTCP In New Delhi: The Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, chaired a high-level meeting to review the status of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) in New Delhi. During the meeting, Dr Vardhan directed the officials for taking up the elimination of TB on a Mission Mode, which would include all stakeholders to come together for an aggressive strategy for TB free India by 2025. 

2. L&T Financial Services Launches ‘Digital Sakhi’ in Tamil Nadu: L&T Financial Services’ (LTFS) ‘Digital Sakhi’, an educational programme aimed at digital financial inclusion of rural women, was launched in two villages of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. LTFS in association with Sri Aurobindo Society will train and develop a team of 100 rural women (Digital Sakhis) as digital enablers, who in turn, will train about 40,000 others in using digital modes of payments.

3. BJP's Rajesh Patnekar elected as Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly: Goa BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar has been elected as the speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Mr Patnekar garnered 22 votes over the 16 votes received by Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane during the assembly session. The 22 votes for Mr Patnekar include 16 from BJP MLAs, and three each from Goa Forward Party legislators and independents. Mr Patnekar represents the Bicholim assembly constituency of Goa.

4. Telangana enhances assistance under ‘Rythu Bandhu Scheme’ to Rs 5000: Telangana government has announced to increase the assistance under its flagship ‘Rythu Bandhu scheme’ for 2019-20 from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000. The scheme is an Initial Investment support programme of the state government to provide income support for agriculture and horticulture crops to farmer in each season to be used to purchase inputs like seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, labour and other filed operations. The amount Rs 5000 (per acre per farmer per season) would be paid through electronic transfer using the RBI payment platform, e-Kuber.

5. Rajasthan Government increases financial aid under ‘Aapki Beti’ scheme: The Rajasthan government has increased the annual financial assistance under the ‘Aapki Beti’ scheme.  ‘Aapki Beti’ scheme provides annual financial assistance to the schoolgirl (class 1 to 8) in the state living under Below Poverty Line (BPL) and whose mother or father or both have died. As per the revised scheme, girls will get an amount of Rs 2,100 instead of Rs 1,100. Similarly, for girls (in class 9 to 12), financial aid has been increased to Rs 2,500 from Rs 1,500. The State Government has also increased the ex-gratia payment (from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh) to the next of kin of polling personnel who got killed on election duty.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tamil Nadu Gets $287 million World Bank Loan For Healthcare Reform: The Centre, the Tamil Nadu Government and the World Bank have signed a $287-million loan agreement for the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Programme (TNHSRP). TNHSRP aims to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and fill equity gaps in reproductive and child health services in the State, according to an official statement. 

Note: Tamil Nadu CM: Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

2. 14th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Summit Held in Mecca: The 14th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia was hosted by Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. The official agenda of meeting was to address ‘current issues in Muslim world’ and ‘recent developments in a number of OIC member states.

Note: The organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 states. The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco on 25 September 1969. Secretary-General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation is Yousef Bin Ahmad Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Othaimeen.

3. ‘2nd Global Disability Summit’ to be Held in Buenos Aires: The '2nd Global Disability Summit' will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Indian delegation will be headed by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot. The objective of the summit is to deliberate on issues across the world concerning empowerment and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and to work out a mechanism for enabling them to live an independent and dignified life.

Note: The ‘1st Global Disability Summit’ was held in London in July 2018.

4. Nirmala Sitharaman to Attend G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Japan: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the two-day meeting of G-20 Finance Ministers and central bank governors in Japan. This will be the first overseas visit of Sitharaman as the Finance Minister. She took charge as the first full-time woman Finance Minister of the country, recently. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das is also likely to attend the meeting at Fukuoka in Japan.

Note: Saudi Arabia will host the G20 summit in November 2020. 

5. World Environment Day: 5th June: The World Environment Day (WED) observed every year across the world on 5th June to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment. The theme for World Environment Day 2019 is "Beat Air Pollution ". China is the global host nation for the 44th edition of this event.

Note: World Environment Day is a platform for encouraging awareness and propagating the need for protecting the environment. It has been a flagship campaign (first held in 1974) for raising awareness on emerging environmental issues from marine pollution, human overpopulation, and global warming, to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime.

6. International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported And Unregulated Fishing: 5 June: International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing is organized every year on 5th June. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities are responsible for the loss of 11–26 million tonnes of fish each year, which is estimated to have an economic value of US$10–23 billion.

Note: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.FAO Founded in: October 1945, Headquarters: Rome, Italy, Current Director-General: José Graziano da Silva.

7. Volcano erupts in the Indonesian island of Bali: A volcano on the Indonesian island of Bali, Mount Agung erupted. Mount Agung spewed a plume of ash and smoke more than 2,000 metres into the sky. The volcano is located about 70 kilometres from the tourist hub of Kuta. It has been erupting periodically since it came back to life in 2017. Indonesia is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the collision of tectonic plates causes frequent quakes and major volcanic activity.

8. Global Gender Equality Index Released: India Ranks 95, Denmark Tops: India ranked 95th out of 129 countries in a new index that measures global gender equality looking at aspects such as poverty, health, education, literacy, political representation and equality at the workplace. The list was topped by Denmark. Chad was placed at bottom most position (129th). The Sustainable Development Goals Gender Index has been developed by UK-based Equal Measures 2030, a joint effort of regional and global organizations. 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Indian Jr. Women's Hockey Team Clinch Cantor Fitzgerald U21: The Indian junior women's hockey team clinched the Cantor Fitzgerald U21 International 4-Nations title after beating Ireland 1-0 in the final at Dublin, Ireland. The win meant India ended the tournament with an unblemished record. With three goals in four games, Mumtaz Khan finished as the highest goal scorer of the tournament. 

2. Sidharth Rawat Wins ITF Men’s Futures Tennis Title: Third seed Sidharth Rawat defeated Rio Noguchi of Japan to clinch his maiden title in the$25,000 ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament. The tournament was held in Thailand.

3. Ashis Ray’s Book on World Cup “Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge” Launched: “Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge” – a book on the history of the tournament from an Indian perspective by veteran broadcaster and writer Ashis Ray – has been formally unveiled by the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Tom Harrison. 

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. MN Sarma elected as Secretary General of General Insurance Council: Mr. M N Sarma has been elected as the new Secretary General of the General Insurance Council (GIC). He will take over the charge in August 2019. Mr. Sarma is the former Chairman & Managing Director (MD) of United India Insurance.

2. RBI Releases Report On 'Benchmarking India's Payment Systems': The report on 'Benchmarking India's Payment Systems’ which was released mentions that the country is "strong" in areas like having necessary laws and cash in circulation per capita. The report provides a comparative position of the payment system ecosystem in India relative to comparable payment systems and usage trends in other major countries. 

3. RBI observe financial literacy week from June 3-9: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will observe ‘Financial Literacy Week’ across the country from 3rd to 9th of June. Financial Literacy Week is an initiative of RBI to promote awareness on key topics every year through a focused campaign. The theme this year is - 'Farmers and how they benefit by being a part of the formal banking system'. The RBI has advised banks to display the posters and content in their rural bank branches, Financial Literacy Centres, ATMs and websites. It is RBI’s endeavour to reach out to the farming community and all stakeholders are requested to coordinate and make this financial literacy campaign a success.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. World Bank Retains Growth Forecast for Indian Economy At 7.5%: The World Bank retained its forecast of India's growth rate at 7.5% for the current financial Year 2019/20. In its Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank also mentioned that growth rate is expected to remain the same for the next two fiscals.

Note: World Bank Headquarters in: Washington DC, USA, Established in: 1944, President:David Malpass.

2. JLR Inks Pact With BMW To Develop Next-Gen Electric Vehicles: Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has joined hands with BMW to develop next-generation electric drive systems. The two partners will invest jointly in research and development, engineering and procurement with an aim to provide the necessary economies of scale to support increased consumer adoption of electric vehicles.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Sunder Pichai, Nasdaq's Friedman To Receive 2019 Global Leadership Award: In the United States, Google's India-born CEO Sundar Pichai and Nasdaq president Adena Friedman have been chosen for the prestigious Global Leadership Awards 2019 by business advocacy group USIBC in recognition of the two companies' contribution as the leading technology-driven platforms. The award by Washington-based US-India Business Council (USIBC) would be conferred upon Indian-American Pichai, 46, and Friedman, 50, during 'India Ideas Summit'. 

2. Malayalam Actor Sheela J.C. Honoured with J.C. Daniel Award: Malayalam Actor Sheela J.C. has won the J.C. Daniel Award, the highest honour in Malayalam cinema.  She is only the second woman to get it, after Aranmula Ponnamma in 2005. She won the State and National Awards for the Second Best Female Actor for Akale.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran Comedian and Theatre Actor Dinyar Contractor Passes Away: Veteran comedian, film and theatre actor Dinyar Contractor passed away aged 79. He had been suffering from various age-related illnesses.  The actor had featured in several Bollywood films including 'Baadshah', and 'Khiladi' along with television shows like 'Khichdi' and 'Hum Sab Ek Hain', and was also awarded the Padma Shri in January 2019.​ 

2. Rajasthani folk dancer ‘Queen Harish’ passes away: World fame dancer Queen Harish passed away in a road accident near Kaparda village Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Harish gave a new identity to Jaisalmer with his different dance style. Harish Kumar was popularly known as Queen Harish and his shows comprising of various folk-dance forms like Ghoomar, Kalbelia, Chang, Bhawai, Chari among others were very popular.

Daily GK Updates - 4th June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tripura to host 10th National Science Film Festival of India in 2020: In an effort to raise awareness about science and environment through films, the 10th National Science Film Festival of India (NSFFI) will be organised in Tripura in January and February 2020. The NSFFI debuted in Chennai eight years ago in 2011. It has covered almost all regions of the country since then including Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Bangalore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Guwahati and Mohali. 

2. MP Cabinet passes resolution to increase reservation for OBCs to 27%: Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has passed a resolution to increase reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) from existing 14% to 27%. The move will lead to the reservation in the state breaching the Supreme Court-mandated 50 percent cap to reach 63 percent. If implemented, Madhya Pradesh will become the only state in the country to have a 27% quota for OBCs.

3. Draft National Education Policy revised: The Kasturirangan committee has revised the Draft New National Education Policy and effected some changes in the three-language formula. The committee informed the government that there had been an inadvertent error in the draft submitted for public feedback.

4. Ajit Doval reappointed National Security Advisor with Cabinet rank: PM Narendra Modi has reappointed IPS (Retd) Ajit Doval (74-years) as 5th National Security Advisor (NSA) for another five-year term. Ajit Doval (first NSA to serve two consecutive terms) has been also granted cabinet status. Earlier, Mr. Doval served as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 2004-05, after spending a decade as the head of its operation wing. Under his supervision 2016 Indian Line of Control strike (on 29th Sept 2016) and Balakot airstrike (on 26th Feb, 2019) were conducted.

Note: The National Security Adviser (NSA) is the senior official on the National Security Council (NSC) of India, and the chief adviser to the Prime Minister of India on national and international security policy. Brajesh Mishra (Indian Foreign Service office) was appointed the first National Security Adviser of India (in November 1998).

5. V P Sivakozhunthu elected speaker of Puducherry Assembly Speaker: Deputy Speaker of Puducherry Assembly Sivakozhunthu has been unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly. Mr. Sivakozhunthu was the only candidate who filed nomination paper on behalf of the Congress-DMK alliance. He was escorted to the speaker’s podium by chief minister V Narayanasamy when the legislative assembly reconvened. Congress member MNR Balan (Oulgret constituency) has been appointed as the Deputy Speaker. The Speaker's election was necessitated as speaker V Vaithilingam resigned and contested the April 18 Lok Sabha election and won it.

6. Assam govt to provide a subsidy of Rs 1.7 lakh for admission in North East Skill Centre: According to Mission Director of the Assam Skill Development Mission AP Tiwari, the Assam government will provide a subsidy of 1.7 lakh rupees for the admission in the North East Skill Centre. The total course fees of the first batch students (400) would be around 2.2 lakh rupees.

The Centre has got the support from Singapore's IITEES. Students would get the best of the skill development courses and exposures so that they could meet up the demand of the industry.

7. MP Cabinet passes a resolution to increase reservation for OBCs to 27%: Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has passed a resolution to increase reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) from existing 14% to 27%. The move will lead to a reservation in the state breaching the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent cap to reach 63 per cent. Now the resolution will be taken in the monsoon session of the state assembly. If implemented, Madhya Pradesh will become the only state in the country to have a 27% quota for OBCs.

8. IndianOil, BPCL And HPCL Ink JV for Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG Pipeline Project: IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) had signed a joint venture in New Delhi for Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG Pipeline Project. They will be laying the world’s longest LPG pipeline from Kandla (Gujarat) to Gorakhpur (UP). The Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG Pipeline is estimated to cost about Rs10,000 crore. It would be implemented by a Joint Venture Company of IndianOil with 50% shareholding. BPCL and HPCL will have 25% share each. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ICA issues first UAE Permanent Residency 'Golden Card' in Abu Dhabi: UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) has issued the first Golden Residence Permit in Abu Dhabi, as part of the Investors Permanent Residence System aimed to attract investors, entrepreneurs and qualified individuals who meet its criteria. Brigadier Saeed Salem Al Shamsi, Executive Director of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Abu Dhabi, awarded the first permit to investor Yousuf Ali, Board Member of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) and Chairman of the Lulu International Group.

2. Jay-Z Named World's 1st Billionaire Rapper by Forbes Magazine: Jay-Z has been named the world's first billionaire rapper by Forbes. Apart from a $100 million stake in subscription-based streaming service Tidal, the 49-year-old rapper's assets also include shares in Uber and an art collection worth $70 million each.

3. Indian retail tycoon becomes UAE's first permanent expat resident: Abu Dhabi-based Indian retail tycoon MA Yusuff Ali has become the first expat to get the UAE's first gold card permanent residency. The LuLu Group chairman, who was ranked the richest expat in UAE by the Forbes magazine, becomes the first of 6,800 investors with total investment exceeding USD 27 billion to receive the gold card under a scheme announced last month by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

4. International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression: 4th June: The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is a United Nations observance every year on 4th June. It was established on 19th August 1982. Originally focused on victims of the 1982 Lebanon War, its purpose expanded to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse.

5. CAG Rajiv Mehrishi chosen External Auditor for WHO: The election was held in the 72nd WHO Assembly in Geneva where the CAG  Rajiv Mehrishi was elected with a majority (90 out of 162 votes) in the first round of voting itself. Mehrishi will take over from the incumbent External Auditor of WHO, the Supreme Audit Institution of Philippines. This is the second major international audit assignment for the CAG this year following his selection to the post of External Auditor of Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome earlier this year in March 2019.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Nilekani panel suggests 24x7 RTGS, NEFT, elimination of all charges: To encourage digital payments, the Nandan Nilekani committee has suggested a host of measures, including elimination of charges, round-the-clock RTGS and NEFT facility, and duty-free import of point-of-sales machines. The committee, which was appointed by the RBI had submitted its suggestions on promoting digital payments to Governor Shaktikanta Das last month. 

2. RBI approves appointment of Rakesh Makhija as chairman of Axis Bank: Axis Bank stated that the Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of Rakesh Makhija as chairman of the bank. Mr. Makhija will be independent director as the non-executive (part-time) chairman of the bank, for a period of 3 years, with effect from July 18, 2019, up to July 17, 2022.

3. Flipkart co-founder joins Ujjivan Small Finance Bank as Director: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has appointed Flipkart founder Sachin Bansal as its independent director. This is the second big futuristic move by Ujjivan management after it roped in HDFC Bank’s digital banking head Nitin Chugh as its next chief executive.

Note: The Ujjivan Small Finance Bank commenced its banking operations from 01st February 2017. Ittira Davis is MD and CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.Head Office of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank is in Bengaluru.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Ex-President Pratibha Patil Awarded with Mexico's Highest Civilian Award: Former President Pratibha Patil was bestowed on the highest civilian award of Mexico for foreigners. She had served as the first woman president of India during 2007-12. The ambassador of Mexico to India, Melba Pria, presented ''Orden Mexicana del Aguila Azteca'' (Order of the Aztec Eagle) to Mrs Patil.

2. WHO award for Rajasthan Health Department: The World Health Organization has selected the Rajasthan government’s Medical & Health Department for its award this year in recognition of its achievements in the field of tobacco control. The department’s Additional Chief Secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh has received the award at a function to mark World No Tobacco Day in New Delhi. The Health Department of the State is the only government body in the country which will be awarded for its tobacco-free initiatives.

OBITUARIES

1. Actor-Singer Ruma Guha Thakurta Passes Away: Actor-singer Ruma Guha Thakurta, who featured in films such as Jwar Bhata, Ganga and 36 Chowringhee Lane while straddling an equally successful playback career, died aged 84. Ruma was the first wife of actor-singer Kishore Kumar. 

2. Veteran Industrialist & tea Tycoon BM Khaitan passes away: Veteran industrialist Brij Mohan Khaitan (92-years) passed away. He was globally known as the ‘evergreen tea man of India’. Williamson Magor Group deals in a dry-cell battery (Eveready Industries), tea (McLeod Russel), engineering services (McNally Bharat Engineering) and other unlisted firms.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AYUSH Ministry launches App to locate yoga centres, instructors :  AYUSH Ministry has launched a mobile application to enable people to locate yoga events and centres providing training and instructors. ‘Yoga locator’ is a map-based location app which will also enable yoga instructors to register themselves and reach out to a large number of people. The mobile app was launched ahead of International Yoga Day (21st June). Yoga locator app will help people to locate yoga centres as well as yoga instructors within the preferred radius of their vicinity. It will be a permanent app which will give information to people about yoga activities happening in their vicinity throughout the year.

2. Assam govt hikes parental income limit under the fee waiver scheme :  Assam government has hiked the parental income limit to waive admission fees for students taking admission up to Post Graduate level. Student’s whose parental income is less than 2 lakh rupees per year can avail the benefits. All provincialized government colleges and 5 universities are incorporated under the scheme.

3. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik resigns from Bijepur constituency :  Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has resigned from Bijepur assembly constituency. Odisha’s Assembly Speaker Surya Narayan Patra has accepted his resignation. Mr Patnaik had contested assembly elections from Hinjili and Bijepur constituencies and won both the seats.

4. PM-KISAN Scheme extension to include all eligible farmer families irrespective of the size of land holdings  : The Union Cabinet approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to all eligible farmer families, irrespective of the size of their landholding. The ‘PM-KISAN scheme’ for farmers was launched by PM Modi on 24th February 2019. Under the original scheme, households with agricultural landholdings smaller than two hectares were eligible to receive Rs 6,000 annually (as direct benefit transfers from the Centre). The extension of the scheme will increase its coverage to 14.5 crore farmers, an addition of 2.5 crores, the government claimed. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana will provide a minimum fixed pension of Rs 3,000 per month to farmers above the age of 60.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  3rd June: World Bicycle Day : The World Bicycle Day (WBD) is observed by United Nations (UN) on 3rd June every year to raise awareness about the multiple societal benefits of using the bicycle for transport and leisure. The WBD was approved on 12th April 2018 as an official United Nations day of awareness about the multiple societal benefits of using the bicycle for transport and leisure.

2. Pratibha Patil receives Mexico’s highest civilian honour :  Former President of India Pratibha Patil (85-year) was conferred with the “Orden Mexicana del Aguila Azteca” (Order of the Aztec Eagle), the highest civilian award of Mexico given to foreigners. The award was accoladed by Mexico’s Ambassador to India, Melba Pria, at a special ceremony held in the MCCIA Bhavan, Pune. She is the first Indian female and only the second Indian (first late President S Radhakrishna) to get the Mexico’s civilian award. Pratibha Patil is the first Indian women to have served as the President of India (2007-2012).

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Forex reserve rises by 1.99 billion to 419.99 billion :  As per RBI press release, India's foreign exchange reserves increased by 1.994 billion to 419.992 billion US Dollar in the week ended 24th May 2019. The reserves had declined by 2.05 billion to end at 417.99 billion US Dollar.  Gold reserves remained stable at 23.021 billion US Dollar. India's special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund went by 0.8 million to 1.445 billion US Dollar, while the country's reserve position also increased by 2 million to 3.336 billion US Dollar.

2. GST revenue collection crosses Rs One lakh cr in May :  The GST revenue collection has crossed one lakh crore rupees in May 2019, which is a growth of 6.67% over the revenue collected in the same month last year. The GST collected during last month was one lakh 289 crore rupees as compared to over 94 thousand crore rupees in the same period of last year. Total of 72.45 lakh GSTR-3B returns was filed in the month of May. An amount of 18,934 crore rupees has also been released to the states as GST compensation for the months of February-March 2019.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Elephanta festival of art and culture begins in Mumbai :  The two-day Elephanta Festival of art and culture kicked off at the iconic Gateway of India in Mumbai. The gala event is organised on the Elephanta Island and promoted by the Maharashtra government. They are a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to Lord Shiv.

2. Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa leaves for 4-day Sweden visit :  Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa has left for Sweden a four-day official visit. Mr. Dhanoa will visit various operational and training units as well as interact with senior functionaries of the Swedish Air Force amongst others. The visit would provide an impetus towards defence cooperation and pave the way for greater interaction and cooperation between the Air Forces. This would also strengthen relationships and enable engagement in productive exchanges between the two Air Forces.

3. Centre shortlists five cities for International Yoga Day :  The Union Government has shortlisted five cities (Delhi, Shimla, Mysore, Ahmedabad and Ranchi) to hold National Programme of the International Yoga Day this year. According to Official sources, names of these cities have been sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) which will finalize the venue of the main function to be held on June 21. If selected, the national capital would be hosting the event for the second time. About 10,000 people, including yoga teachers, professionals, enthusiasts and others are attending it. For the first time this year, Indian experts will be demonstrating yoga postures to the members of the British Parliament.

4.  2nd June: Telangana celebrates its fifth formation day' :  Telangana people celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Formation Day with enthusiasm and fervour. Telangana was formed on 2nd June in 2014 following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao hoisted the tricolour at a ceremonial programme held on the lawns of Jubilee Hall at Public Gardens in Hyderabad. A number of cultural, sports and social events have been lined up in the state capital Hyderabad & also in districts as part of the celebrations.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Nayib Bukele sworn in as president of El Salvador :  Nayib Bukele (37-years) has been sworn-in as the Central American country El Salvador's President. Mr. Bukele was sworn-in by the Speaker of the National Assembly in downtown San Salvador. Delegations from 83 countries attended the ceremony.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. GDP growth slows to a five-year low at 5.8% in the January-March quarter :  India's economic growth rate slowed to a five-year low of 5.8 % in January-March 2018-19, due to poor performance in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, GDP growth during 2018-19 fiscal stood at 6.8%, lower than 7.2% in the previous financial year. The growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) was slowest since 2014-15. The previous low was 6.4 per cent in 2013-14.

SPORTS:

1. Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur to win Champions League trophy :  Liverpool breezed past Tottenham at Madrid to win the Champions League Football for the sixth time. In the all-English showpiece, the Reds got the better of Spurs with a 2-nil win. Mohamed Salah put Liverpool in front after just two minutes when he converted a penalty following a handball by Moussa Sissoko.

Daily GK Updates - 1st June, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The first session of 17th Lok Sabha from June 17th: The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will commence on 17th of this month. The Rajya Sabha will have its sitting from 20th onwards. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar stated the session will continue till 26th of next month (July). The election for the Speaker of the Lower House will be held on 19th of June. The President will address the Joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament on the 20th. The Economic Survey will be tabled on the 4th of July and the Union Budget will be presented on the 5th of July.

2. Nirmala Sitharaman to Present First Union Budget On 05th July: The first session of the newly-elected Lok Sabha has been convened from 17th June to 26th July 2019 and the new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present its first Budget on 05th July 2019 by Nirmala Sitharaman, who is Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs. The 40-day session will have 30 sittings.

Note: Nirmala Sitharaman is the only woman to hold the portfolio (Minister of Finance) after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The Modi government had on 01st February 2019 presented the interim Budget in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

3. Union Cabinet approves the extension of PM-KISAN scheme: The newly-sworn in NDA government at the Centre has taken four major decisions related to farmers’ and traders welfare in the first meeting of the Union Cabinet. It has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to all the farmers in the country. Earlier the benefit of the scheme was applicable to farmers having two hectares of land. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that nearly 14 crores 50 lakh farmers will be now covered under the revised scheme. Total burden on the exchequer will be over 87,000 crore rupees for the year 2019-20. Over three crore farmers have been benefited so far. Six thousand rupees per year is being given in three installments to the farmers, under the scheme.

Note: Centre also approved the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana under which small and marginal farmers will get a minimum fixed pension of 3,000 rupees per month on attaining the age of 60 years. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana scheme aims to initially cover 5 crore farmers in the first 3 years. PM-KISAN scheme was launched in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur on 24th February 2019 by transferring the first installment of ₹2,000 each to over one crore farmers.

4. PM Modi hikes National Defence Fund scholarship assistance: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved changes to the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for wards of deceased defense personnel under the National Defence Fund. The quota of new scholarships for children of state police officials will be 500 in a year. The rates of scholarship have also been increased from Rs. 2000 per month to Rs. 2500 per month for boys and from Rs. 2250 per month to Rs. 3000 per month for girls. Under the scheme, every year new scholarships are given for 5500 wards of armed forces controlled by Ministry of Defence, for 2000 wards of paramilitary forces controlled by Ministry of Home Affairs and for 150 wards of forces controlled by Ministry of Railways.

5. India removes restriction on air space usage: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has removed all the temporary restrictions on all air routes in the Indian air space. The Indian Air Force had put temporary airspace restrictions on Indian air space on February 27. Incidentally, Pakistan had extended the restriction on Indian aircraft overflying its territory till June 15 earlier this week.

6. Kasturirangan committee submits new draft education policy to HRD Ministry: Former ISRO chief Dr. Kasturirangan led Committee submitted the draft National Educational Policy (NEP) to HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in New Delhi. The policy draft recommends incorporation of Indian knowledge systems in the curriculum, constituting a National Education Commission and curbing arbitrary fees hikes by private schools. The existing NEP was framed in 1986 and revised in 1992.

7. Assam govt hikes parental income limit under the fee waiver scheme: Assam government has waived admission fees for students taking admission up to Post Graduate level whose parental income is less than 2 lakh rupees per year. All provincialized government colleges and 5 universities are incorporated under the scheme.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Milk Day being: 1st June: World Milk Day is celebrated every year on 1st June to educate people about the importance of milk in our diet (science 2001). The theme for World Milk Day 2019 in India is "Drink Milk: Today & Everyday”. World Milk Day is a day established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to recognize the importance of milk as a global food.

2. Global Day of Parents: 1st June: The Global Day of Parents is observed on the 1st of June every year. The Global Day provides an opportunity to appreciate all parents in all parts of the world for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2012 with resolution A/RES/66/292 and honours parents throughout the world.

3. Indian-origin Anita Bhatia appointed UN Deputy Executive Director: Indian-origin Anita Bhatia, a veteran in strategic partnerships, resource mobilization, and management, has been appointed as the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships. She was appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the global body's agency focussed on women empowerment and gender equality. Anita Bhatia had a distinguished career at the World Bank Group, serving in various senior leadership and management positions, both at the headquarters and in the field. Veteran Indian diplomat and a gender equality champion Lakshmi Puri had previously served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS 

1. Rani Rampal to lead Indian Women Hockey squad for FIH Series Finals: Hockey India named an 18-member Indian team for the upcoming FIH Women's Series Finals starting in Hiroshima, Japan on the 15th of next month. Rani Rampal will captain the team and experienced goalkeeper Savita will share the responsibility of Vice-Captain. Indian women's team is grouped in Pool A along with Poland, Uruguay and Fiji. Pool B features 18th Asian Games Gold Medallist Japan, Chile, Russia and Mexico. India will begin their campaign on an opening dayagainst Uruguay.

2. Pakistan to host 2020 Asia Cup: Pakistan will host the 15th edition of the 2020 Asia Cup cricket tournament (in September 2020). The matches will be played as Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in the quadrennial event. In the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, it was also decided that the tournament will be shifted to another venue if diplomatic ties between India (defending champions) and Pakistan do not improve. India had defeated Bangladesh in the final of the previous edition held in the United Arab of Emirates (UAE). ACC also reaffirmed its stand to include cricket in the 2022 Asian Games scheduled in Hangzhou, China.

Note: The 2018 Asia Cup (14^th-edition) was a One-Day International (ODI) cricket tournament that was held in the United Arab Emirates in September 2018.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. 6 Indian-origin students among 8 win US National Spelling Bee: Six Indian-origin students are among the eight participants who won the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee after defeating over 550 other contestants in an unprecedented competition in the US. It is the first time in the 94-year history of the competition that more than two co-champions have been named. Rishik Gandhasri, Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Rohan Raja, Christopher Serrao and Erin Howard were named as co-champions. Each will receive the full winner's prize of 50,000 US Dollar in cash. The six boys and two girls combined to spell the final 47 words correctly over five consecutive perfect rounds. The 565 contestants ranged in age from 7 to 14 and came from across the US and several other countries, including Canada, Ghana and Jamaica. The National Bee is a high-profile, high-pressure endurance test as much as a nerd spelling match and spellers spend months preparing for it.