Daily GK Updates - 16th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tamil Nadu to ban e-cigarette : Tamil Nadu is planning to ban electronic cigarettes, battery-operated inhalers that emit doses of vaporised nicotine, state Health Minister Vijaya Baskar told the assembly.An electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device that simulates the feeling of tobacco smoking.

It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called a “vapor”, that the user inhales.

2. Bellandur largest septic tank of Bengaluru : A committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that the Bellandur lake in Bengaluru has become the “largest septic tank of the city”.The report states that the lake’s water-holding capacity has shrunk due to the dumping of garbage and construction waste, among other things.Agara and Varthur were the other waterbodies inspected by the panel.

3. Telangana banned plastic items in offices : The Telangana government directed all urban local bodies and civic municipal bodies to ban usage of single-use plastic in the offices.Use of plastic below 50 microns of thickness is already banned as per Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.The government plans to make Hyderabad a single-use plastic-free city by 2022.

4. NABARD releases book on Indian Crops : Shri Nitin Gadkari released a book ‘Water productivity mapping of major Indian crops’ published by NABARD.The book is based on a study of 10 important crops.The ten important crops include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and potato etc.The book suggests to realign cropping pattern keeping in view water scarcity of irrigation.

5. National Tribal Museum to be built : A National Tribal Museum along with a National Level Tribal Research Institute is proposed to be set up at Delhi by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.The Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram said that the Museum will showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage using state-of-the-art technologies.The proposal to set up the Museum and TRI has already been sent to the Niti Ayog.

6. New Incredible India website launched : Minister of State for Tourism Shri K.J. Alphons launched the new Incredible India website.The website showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as, spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.The website follows the trends and technologies of international standards with an aim to project India as a “must-visit” destination.

7. PM dedicated expanded Bhilai Plant to Nation : PM Modi inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur Smart City, Chhattisgarh.

​Prime Minister dedicated the modernized and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant, to the nation.He laid the foundation stone for IIT Bhilai.He also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of phase-2 of BharatNet.The Prime Minister inaugurated air services between Jagdalpur and Raipur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Omar Al-Razzaz sworn in as Jordan PM : Former World Bank Economist Omar al-Razzaz was sworn in as Jordan’s Prime Minister after King Abdullah issued a decree approving the new government.The 58-year-old, who studied at Harvard University, was tasked with reviewing the country’s disputed tax system.Omar succeeded Hani al-Mulki who resigned following mass protests over price hikes and other government economic policies.

2. Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili Resigns : Giorgi Kvirikashvili, prime minister of Georgia, has announced his resignation amid a disagreement with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling party.Kvirikashvili, 50, has been the country’s prime minister since 2015.The prime minister’s resignation comes amid growing popular discontent over his government’s handling of the economy and after mass protests in recent months.

3. India to host European Union Film Festival : The European Union Film Festival will premiere in New Delhi on 18th June, 2018.With a selection of 24 latest European films from 23 EU Member States, this years’ film festival will bring some unusual stories for the world cinema enthusiasts.The European Union Film Festival is organized by Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and EU.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Wholesale inflation hits 14-month high : India’s inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rose to a 14-month high of 4.43% in May as compared to 3.18% in April, government data revealed.Vegetable prices grew by 2.51% in May, while primary articles that account for over one-fifth of the entire WPI, grew by 3.16%.Fuel and power inflation grew at 11.22% in May.

2. WhatsApp opens UPI-based payments service : Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp has started the mass rollout of WhatsApp Payments feature via UPI platform in India, according to reports.The feature was rolled out to select users in February, but now, besides invite-based access, users can also access it after updating the app.WhatsApp will be able to send ₹5,000 in a single transaction, the reports added.

3. Inder Jit Singh became Secretary, Min of Coal : Dr. Inder Jit Singh, assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Coal at Shastri Bhawan office, New Delhi.Dr. Jit Singh took over the charge of Secretary which fell vacant after superannuation of Shri Susheel Kumar on April 30 this year.Dr. Jit Singh was posted as Secretary (Coordination) in Cabinet Secretariat, he is a Ph.D in Economics from Punjab University.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. HDFC, 5th Biggest Consumer FSC: Forbes : Housing finance major HDFC has been ranked as the 5th biggest public company globally in the ‘consumer financial services category’ on a list compiled by Forbes magazine.HDFC’s rank has moved up from 7th place last year.American Express has topped this category, while Indiabulls Housing Finance is the only other Indian company (at 13th place) on the list.

Daily GK Updates - 15th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New Telecom Policy by July : Communications minister Manoj Sinha has announced that new telecom policy is likely to be in place by July 2018.The government on May 1 had released the draft National Telecom Policy 2018 aiming to attract investment of $100 billion (roughly Rs. 6.7 lakh crores) in the Digital Communications sector.Govt. also aims to reform the licencing and regulatory regime to promote ease of business.

2.10th smart city centre in Naya Raipur : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the country’s 10th Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur.Naya Raipur is the upcoming capital city of Chhattisgarh and the country’s first smart greenfield city.Nine other cities under Integrated Command and Control Centre are in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Pune, Nagpur, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal and Kakinada.

3. States sign MoU with govt on NHIS : Twenty states have signed memorandums of understanding with the Centre to implement the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS).The NHPS will cost the exchequer Rs 120 billion.The Union government has said it will provide 60 per cent of the funds, and the state governments are expected to pool in the remaining 40 per cent.

4. Rajasthan Governor discontinues guard of honour : Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh has discontinued the ceremonial guard of honour and has become the first to do so.The practice was discontinued during his recent visit to Jodhpur between June 9 and 11 when he did not take the guard of honour.Kalyan Singh had expressed his desire to discontinue the ceremony for the Governor’s office in a letter to the Home Department on January 1.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Malabar 2018 to conclude on June 16 : The 22nd edition of the Malabar trilateral naval exercise of the US, Japan and India kicked off on June 7 at Guam in the Pacific Ocean and will continue till June 16.This is the first time that the prestigious Malabar exercise is being conducted off Guam, a major US Naval Base in the Western Pacific.The Malabar exercise started in 1992 between the Indian Navy and the US Navy.

2. India, US to hold trade talks : India and the US have agreed to hold official-level comprehensive talks to address trade and economic issues.This development comes as crucial after President Donald Trump  accused New Delhi of charging 100 per cent tariff on some of the US’ goods.The meeting was held in this regard between Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu had with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Fed Reserve raises rates : In raising its benchmark overnight lending rate a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 1.75% to 2%, the Fed Reserve of US marked a milestone in the U.S. central bank’s shift in monetary policy.After the rate-setting, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said that the US economy is doing very well.The rate hike marks a shift in US policies used to battle the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

2. Millionaires own half of global wealth : According to a report released by Boston Consulting Group, The growing ranks of millionaires and billionaires now hold almost half of global personal wealth.Personal wealth around the globe reached $201.9 trillion last year, a 12 per cent gain from 2016 and the strongest annual pace in the past five years.In North America, 42 percent of investable capital is held by the richest people.

3. PhonePe ties up with Ola : Flipkart-owned digital payments firm PhonePe has tied up with homegrown cab aggregator Ola.Now, users will be able to book a cab or an auto using a micro-app built on its payments platform.The company has gone live with three such micro-apps, including that of redBus and Metro services, and plans to go live with 5 to 10 more in the ongoing quarter.

4. Dhivya: 1st Female CFO at General Motors : Dhivya Suryadevara has been named the chief financial officer of the United States’ largest automaker, General Motors.Dhivya will report to chief executive officer (CEO) Mary Barra who is also the first woman in the auto industry.Suryadevara earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in commerce from the University of Madras in Chennai, India.

DEFENCE:

1. Pinaka rocket turned into guided missile : The indigenous Pinaka rocket system of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is being evolved into a precision-guided missile.Pinaka rocket system is known for firing a salvo of 12 rockets in just 44 seconds, with enhanced range and accuracy to hit its targets.The rocket has been developed by the Armament cluster of the DRDO.

SPORTS:

1. Chess player withdraws from competition : Indian Grandmaster Soumya Swaminathan has withdrawn from the Asian Team Chess Championship to be held in Hamadan, Iran due to its hijab policy.According to country’s hijab policy, women are required to cover their head in public places, including at a sporting event.Previously, Indian pistol shooter Heena Sidhu had boycotted sporting championships due to the hijab law.

Daily GK Updates - 14th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Virtual ID can be used for new SIM : Consumers can either give their Virtual IDs or Aadhaar card number to get new SIMs or verify existing ones, as per a notice by the telecom department.The Virtual ID system provides users with a 16-digit randomly generated number which can be used instead of the Aadhaar number.The service will be enabled on the UIDAI website from July 1.

2. New scheme by MP Chief Minister : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that the state will give ₹2 lakh to poor families whose heads die before the age of 60.He further said tat in case the head of the family dies in an accident, the state will give ₹4 lakh to the families.He also announced waiver on previous electricity bills.

3. KVIC Distributes 2330 Bee-Boxes In Kashmir : Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has created a world record of distributing the maximum number of bee-boxes in one day.This was achieved by the KVIC in the Zangalee Army area at Kupwara in Kashmir.It had beaten its previous best of 1000 bee boxes distributed in Kaziranga forest area among the Mishing tribe on the occasion of World Honey Bee Day (18 August). Solar Charkha Mission to be launchedThe Solar Charkha Mission of the Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), will be launched by the President, Ram Nath Kovind on June 27, 2018, in New Delhi.The Mission will cover 50 clusters and every cluster will employ 400 to 2000 artisans.The Mission has been approved by the Government of India and will disburse subsidy of Rs. 550 crore to the artisans.

4. 2 women battalions to be raised in J&K : To enhance the representation of women in the State Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs has approved raising two women Battalions for Jammu & Kashmir Police.One battalion each would be raised for Jammu region and Kashmir region.60% of posts would be kept reserved for women of 10 border districts namely, Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Kargil and Leh.

5. Cabinet approved ‘Three Year Action Plan’ : Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Three Year Action Plan (2017-2020) of the scheme for Agricultural Education Division and ICAR Institutes with an outlay of Rs.2225.46 crore.It comprises of: “Strengthening and Development of Higher Agricultural Education in India”The scheme is aimed to generate quality human resources from the institutions of higher agricultural education

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Blood Donor Day, 14 June 2018 : Every year, on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day.The event serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood and to raise awareness of the need for regular blood donations.This year’s slogan is “Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life”.

2. Bindeshwar honoured with Nikkei Asia Prize : Social reformer & founder of Sulabh Int. Bindeshwar Pathak was honoured with Japan’s prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize.The award was given under Culture and Community category for his significant work in tackling poor hygiene and discrimination.Launched in 1996, the award honours people in Asia who have made significant contributions in science, technology & innovation and culture & community.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. 1st BEL Representative Office In Vietnam : Raksha Mantri, Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the first Representative Office of Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited in Hanoi, Vietnam.Smt Sitharaman handed over the symbolic key of the Representative Office of BEL at Vietnam (VIRO) to Chairman of BEL.The Representative Office will aim to promote BEL’s exports in areas such as Weapon Systems, Radar Systems, Naval Systems etc.

2. Composite Water Management Index by NITI Aayog : NITI Aayog has come up with the Composite Water Management Index as a useful tool to assess and improve the performance in the efficient management of water resources.This index is an attempt to inspire States and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilization of water.

The index would provide useful information for the States and also for the concerned Central Departments.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Share capital of HDFC Bank to increase : Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for grant of permission to M/s. HDFC Bank Ltd. to raise additional share capital of up to a maximum of Rs. 24,000 crore.The composite foreign shareholding in the Bank shall not exceed 74% of the enhanced paid-up equity share capital of the bank.

The proposed investment is expected to strengthen the capital adequacy ratio of the bank.

DEFENCE:

1.US approves sale of Apache choppers to India : The US government has approved a deal to sell six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to India for $930 million.The US will also provide night vision sensors, control radars, Hellfire Longbow missiles and Stinger air-to-air missiles to India under the deal.“(The helicopters) will increase India’s capability to counter ground-armoured threats and modernise its armed forces,” the US said.

SPORTS:

1. 2018 FIFA World Cup : The 2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Russia on June 14.

Thirty-two teams from around the world will compete in the month-long tournament that concludes on July 15.Qatar will be the next host nation in 2022, a highly contested choice.This year’s World Cup mascot is a soccer-playing wolf named Zabivaka.

Daily GK Updates - 13th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt. to raise pension limit under APY : Government is considering a proposal to raise the pension limit under Atal Pension Yojana to up to ₹10,000 per month from the existing slab of up to ₹5,000.Pension is given by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority.Currently, the age of entering APY is from 18-40 years but an increase in the same by another 10 years from 18-50 years will help in expanding the subscriber base.

2. Odisha announced health care assistance : Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced that the state government would launch a new scheme which will provide health care assistance of Rs 5 lakh per family in government hospitals to around 3.5 crore people.CM announced that the “Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana” will be launched on August 15.It will provide health care benefits to around 3.5 crore people from over 70 lakh families in the state.

3. Haryana raised age limit for in govt service : The Haryana government has raised the upper age limit of entry into government service from 40 to 42 years.The spokesperson said a circular to this effect was addressed to all administrative secretaries, heads of departments, chief administrators and managing directors of all boards, among others.Manohar Lal Khatta is CM of Haryana.

4. 10 new Swachh Places under Swachh Bharat : Ten new iconic sites have been taken up under Phase III of the flagship project Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) of the Swachh Bharat Mission.Places are: RaghavendraSwamy Temple, Hazardwari Palace, Brahma Sarovar Temple, VidurKuti, Mana village, Pangong Lake, Nagvasuki Temple, ImaKeithal/market, Sabarimala Temple and Kanvashram.The project is under Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President Kovind to embark on 3-nation visit : President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a three-nation tour to Greece, Suriname and Cuba.On the first leg of the visit, the President will leave for Athens. President Kovind will leave for Suriname on the 2nd leg.A number of agreements and MoUs in the areas of health and medicine, elections, IT, Ayurveda are scheduled to be signed.

2. Trump & Kim Sign Agreement On Denuclearization : US has decided to provide security guarantees to North Korea, in exchange of Pyongyang’s firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.This is according to the joint document which was signed by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.Both nations commit to establishing new relations in accordance with the desire of the people.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Railways to cut 11,000 redundant posts in FY19 : The Railway Board has set a target of shedding 11,040 redundant posts in different railway zones in 2018-2019.

The posts have been identified to be included in the “pool of surrendered posts”, which have either been vacant for long or rendered redundant due to technological advancement.Last year, the number of such surrendered posts was around 10,000.

2. CPI inflation quickens to 4-month high : Retail inflation accelerated to a four-month high in May as quickening food and fuel costs lifted the Consumer Price Index (CPI) based reading to 4.87%.The acceleration in price gains in May, a second straight month when the headline reading has risen, followed April’s 4.58% pace.The food and beverages segment saw inflation accelerating to 3.37% in May, from 3% in April.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Low recoveries of NPAs : RBI data While public sector banks have claimed a ₹1,50,960 crore reduction in their non-performing asset levels over 2017-18, only 27% was actual recoveries, according to data provided by RBI Governor Urjit Patel.Public sector banks saw a ₹1,50,960 crore reduction in their NPA levels from the start of financial year 2017-18 till December 31, 2017.NPA refers to loans or advances that are in default

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Two frog species discovered : In a significant discovery, two species of frogs have been recorded in the Indian peninsular — Fejervarya kalinaga from the Eastern Ghats and Fejervarya krishnan from the Western Ghats.The Eastern Ghats species of Fejervarya kalinga attains significance since it is endemic to moist high altitude forest of the region.These new species are habitat specialists.

SPORTS:

1. India bagged 3 Medals At Boxing Tournament : Indian boxers bagged one Gold and two Silver medals at the Umakhanov Memorial Tournament in the Russian city of Kaspiysk.Saweety Boora won the coveted yellow metal in the Women’s 75 kg category after beating Anna Anfinogenova (Russia) in the Final.In the Men’s section, Brijesh Yadav in the 81 kg division and Virender Kumar in 91 kgs lost their Final bouts to settle for Silver medals.

2. Murali became 2nd fastest Indian in 10,000 m : Young long-distance runner Gavit Murali Kumar bagged a gold in men’s 10,000 m race at the Gouden Spike meeting in Leiden, Netherlands.He became the second fastest Indian in this event.The 21-year-old Kumar, a bright talent from Gujarat, clocked a personal best of 28 minutes 43.34 seconds, the best by an Indian in the ongoing season.

Daily GK Updates - 12th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Safer train rides for women with Vahini : Women can now look forward to safer journeys, with the Waltair division of ECoR deploying the Subhadra Vahini at the railway station.Vahini is a first-of-its-kind all-female group of 32 railway personnel comprising 16 from the RPF and an equal number from the commercial wing of the division.It has a Facebook page at https://subhadravahiniteamwaltair, while the WhatsApp number is 8978080777.

2. Ministry to study marine litter issue : The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences will begin work on gauging marine litter and their sources along the country’s coastline.The country had joined the United Nations’ ‘Clean Seas’ programme.India and the US had signed a MoU in 2008 to have scientific and technical cooperation in Earth observations and Earth sciences.

3. Punjab to install dust collectors : Punjab is set to counter dust pollution in grain markets across the state with the installation of dust collectors on nearly 50,000-grain cleaning machines.It will provide relief to 3,00,000 directly-affected workers.The pollution is the main cause of respiratory and lung diseases among labourers, farmers, and commission agents, as well as those living in the vicinity of the grain markets.

4. CM inaugurates Green Mizoram Day : Green Mizoram Day was observed on 11 June across the Mizoram state.CM Lal Thanhawla inaugurated the Green Mizoram Day, 2018 at a function attended by his cabinet colleagues, legislators and senior government officials where they undertook ceremonial planting of trees along the river Chite in Aizawl.It is being organised every year on June 11 since 1999.

5. Railways launch ‘Menu On Rails’ App : The Ministry of Railways launched a new app called ‘Menu On Rails’ through which passengers can see meals on offer onboard trains.The ‘Menu on Rails’ is developed by IRCTC for creating awareness about the food items served to passengers on their rail journey.At present, for mail and express trains, food items are covered in four categories namely beverages, breakfast, meals and a-la-carte.

6. National Awards on Best Performing SHGs : Shri Narendra Singh conferred the National Awards on Best Performing Self Help Groups under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM).It will provide public recognition to the outstanding performance of the community institutions.As part of the Award, each SHG received a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000 along with a commemoration and a certificate of appreciation.

7. PM’s maternity scheme benefits 23.6 lakh : Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), the government has provided cash incentives to nearly 23.6 lakh beneficiaries out of an estimated 51.6 lakh a year.The scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in May 2017.Under the scheme, pregnant women and lactating mothers are offered a cash incentive of Rs. 6,000 on the birth of their first child.

8. India to host first BIMSTEC war games : India will host the first military exercise of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group focussing on counter-terrorism in September.The aim of the exercise is to promote strategic alignment among the member-states and to share best practices in the area of counter-terrorism.The exercise is scheduled to be held in Pune.

9. Indian Railways launched ‘Rail MADAD’ App : In a bid to ease the travelling experience of the passengers Ministry of Railways launched Rail MADAD mobile app. Rail MADAD (Mobile Application for Desired Assistance During travel) registers a complaint with minimum inputs from passenger and issues unique ID instantly. Rail MADAD also displays various helpline numbers (eg. Security, Child helpline etc) and provides direct calling facility.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. U.S. extradites Panama ex-President Martinelli : Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli returned home to face political espionage and embezzlement charges after being extradited from the United States.He had been jailed in Miami since his arrest at his home in June 2017.The 66-year-old Martinelli, who was Panama’s president from 2009 to 2014, is accused of embezzlement and illegally monitoring phone calls and other communications.

2. India gives Rs 99 mn to Nepal : India extended a financial aid of Rs 99 mn to Nepal for the construction of 2,700 shallow tube well irrigation systems in 12 districts of the country.The assistance has been extended as part of the final payment for the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Irrigation Project, which was launched to boost growth to the Himalayan nation’s agricultural sector.Manjeev Singh Puri is India’s Ambassador to Nepal.

3. World Day against Child Labour 2018 : ILO launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.Each year on 12 June, the people from around the world come togather to highlight the plight of child labourers and what can be done to help them.The theme for World Day against Child Labour 2018 is Generation Safe & Healthy.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Petrol, diesel sales hit record high in May : India’s domestic sales for diesel and petrol rose to record highs in May, pushing the country’s overall fuel consumption for the month higher year-on-year, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the Oil Ministry showed.Fuel consumption, a proxy for oil demand, totalled 18.72 million tonnes last month.Diesel consumption in 2018 may more than double from 2017.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Guidelines to enhance loan for large borrowers : In a move to enhance credit discipline among larger borrowers, the RBI proposed a “minimum level of loan component” of 40 percent for borrowers having an aggregate fund-based working capital limit of Rs. 150 crores and above from the banking system.It will be proposed to be effective from October 1, 2018.The 40 percent loan component will be revised to 60 percent from April 1, 2019.

Daily GK Updates - 11th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India is 2nd highest sender of foreign student : With 1,86,000 Indian students currently studying in the United States, India is the second highest sender of foreign students to the US, next only to China.US consul general in Kolkata, Craig Hall, stated that the United States is the top destination for foreign students worldwide.The number of Indian students in the US has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

2. Saxena appointed acting UPSC chief : UPSC member Arvind Saxena has been appointed as the acting Chairman of the commission from June 20.Saxena, a 1978-batch Indian Postal Service officer, will take over the charge from incumbent Vinay Mittal who completes his term at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on June 19.Saxena joined the UPSC in May, 2015 after he completed his stint in the Aviation Research Centre (ARC).

3. Sharad Kumar appointed vigilance commissioner : Former NIA chief Sharad Kumar was on June 10 appointed vigilance commissioner in the probity watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).Mr. Kumar has been appointed vigilance commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission for a term of four years or till he attains the age of 65.The Commission comprises of a Central Vigilance Commissioner and two vigilance commissioners.

4. Maharashtra most vulnerable state : Maharashtra has been ranked the most vulnerable state in the draft National Disaster Risk Index, followed by West Bengal & Uttar Pradesh.States like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh that are prone to natural calamities have been ranked relatively lower.Few factors taken into consideration were exposure of population, agriculture and livestock, environmental risk & economic vulnerabilities.

5. India to get its 1st police museum in Delhi : India will get its first national police museum in Lutyens Delhi, a senior official said.The museum, which will depict the history of central and state police forces, will come up as an underground facility in the premises of the National Police Memorial.It will be inaugurated on Police Commemoration Day, which is held on October 21.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India mulls new group in WTO : India is considering bringing together a group of 8-10 member countries of the WTO.It would be an informal group within the World Trade Organisation (WTO).The group may include nations like Brazil, China, South Africa, China, Indonesia and Columb.

2. Mauritius to host global Hindi meet : The upcoming 11th World Hindi Conference in Mauritius is likely to produce directives to increase the popularity of Hindi globally.

The World Hindi Conference is a major event organised every three years by the External Affairs Ministry.The World Hindi Secretariat (WHS) supported by India is located in Mauritius.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI NPAs Surpass Rs 1 Lakh Crore In FY18 : State Bank of India, recorded its highest non-performing asset (NPAs) of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore in 2017-18, almost equal to what it had registered in the decade before.This is available through RTI and the bank’s annual report.The gross NPAs of the bank went up from Rs. 1.12 lakh crore in 2016-17 to Rs. 2.23 lakh crore in the last fiscal.

SPORTS:

1. Simran-Ritika win Mauritius Open : India’s young women’s doubles pair of Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker won the Mauritius International title.This was just the second international tournament that Singhi and Thaker had participated in this year.Singhi and Thaker had won the All India Junior Ranking Tournament in Tirupur, which secured them a spot in India’s squad for the Badminton Asia Junior Championships.

2. India win 2018 Intercontinental Cup : The Indian national team lifted the 2018 Intercontinental football Cup by defeating Kenya 2-0.Both the goals were scored by India skipper Sunil Chhetri.Organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the quadrangular tournament also featured New Zealand and Chinese Taipei.

3. Rise in India-ASEAN naval games : India is instituting a series of bilateral and multilateral naval exercises with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.The Navies of India and Indonesia will hold their first bilateral exercise in the Java Sea.The bilateral with Indonesia is in addition to the Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) that the two sides conduct.

Daily GK Updates - 10th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ISRO’s scientists discover an ‘EPIC’ planet : A team from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, has spotted for the first time a distant planet six times bigger than Earth and revolving around a Sun-like star about 600 light years away.Both the planet and the star have been named EPIC.EPIC 211945201b (or K2-236b) is the name given to the planet and the host star is named EPIC 211945201 or K2-236.

2. Supply chain of Jan Aushadhi stores : The government is strengthening back-end supply chain of over 3,600 Jan Aushadhi stores to ensure availability of low-cost generic medicines.It plans to set up warehouses to serve as regional hubs to these stores to boost supplies.Each store is being connected via a software system to track the real-time position of medicines so that there is no paucity of drugs at any location.

3. Govt to showcase mineral blocks : The mines ministry in July will showcase mineral blocks to be auctioned in the current financial year to attract potential investors.The minister of mines has decided to organise 4th National Conclave on Mines and Minerals for showcasing blocks which will be auctioned by the states.The Centre has asked the states to give representations for showcasing blocks that would be auctioned.

4. 8 States to implement ‘Ayushman Bharat’ : Eight States and four Union Territories have signed MoUs with the Union Health Ministry to implement the government’s ambitious national health protection mission — Ayushman Bharat.Ayushman Bharat aims to provide a cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family annually to 10 crore vulnerable families.The scheme will be available at the point of service in public and private empanelled hospitals.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UNSC elects 5 members for two-year term : The United Nations General Assembly voted to elect Germany, Belgium, South Africa, the Dominican Republic and Indonesia for a two-year term in the Security Council starting on Jan. 1, 2019.The council is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions and has the power to impose sanctions and authorize the use of force.The General Assembly elects five new members in a year.

2. India, Uzbekistan review bilateral ties : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 10 met Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.The two leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral ties, especially ways to boost economic and cultural links.India and Uzbekistan are set to route their trade through the Iranian port of Chabahar.

3. India, China to set up new mechanism : India and China have decided to set up a new “people to people mechanism” to build on the momentum in bilateral ties from the Wuhan Summit.The decision to step up people to people contacts was announced by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.It will be headed on the Indian side by the External Affairs Minister and on the Chinese side by the State Council and Foreign Minster.

4. India, China to jointly identify project : India and China agreed that they will jointly move forward in identifying a specific project in the area of capacity building in Afghanistan.Detailed discussions with China were held on bilateral and global issues on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.India and China have agreed that they will move forward in identifying a specific project initially.

5. Agreements between India and China : India & China have signed 2 bilateral agreements on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.Under the MoU, China would provide hydrological information to India  regarding Brahmaputra River during the flood season.2006 Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Exporting Rice from India to China was amended to include export of non-Basmati varieties of rice from India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. FinMin may transfer 5 sick CPSE shares : The Finance Ministry is planning to transfer shares of five sick Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) to the SNIF fund to meet Sebi’s minimum 25 per cent public shareholding.These companies have time till August 21 to meet the 25% public share holding norm.Shares would be transferred on a proportionate basis to the fund to bring down government stake in these CPSEs to 75 per cent.

SPORTS:

1. Anu Kumar wins men’s 800m at : Middle distance runner Anu Kumar claimed a gold in the men’s 800m and Arpandeep Kaur Bajwa grabbed a bronze in the women’s discus throw at  the Junior Asian Athletics Championships.Indian athletes have already won three gold medals, one silver and nine bronze medals at the event.India won their third gold of the competition through Uttarakhand based runner Anu.

2. New Zealand women make record ODI score : New Zealand women’s cricket team posted the highest ever total in One-day cricket by scoring an incredible 490 for four against Ireland in the first match in Dublin.The total posted by the women’s team is the highest ever in ODIs including men’s matches.In men’s cricket, the highest total in ODI is 444 for three, made by England against Pakistan in August 2016 at Nottingham.