Daily GK Update 10th March, 2017

Daily GK Update 10th March, 2017

RBI to issue new Rs 10 notes soon with high-security features

i. The Reserve Bank of India notified that it is soon going to issue Rs 10 denomination notes with enhanced security features for circulation.

ii. Besides, RBI also notified that all the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 10 issued in the past will also continue to be legal tender. The note will be in the Mahatma Gandhi series-2005 and carry inset letter ‘L’ on both number panels.  

iii. The year of printing (2017) will be on the reverse of the note.  Numerals on both the panels will be in ascending size from left to right. The first three alpha-numeric characters (prefix) will remain constant in size.

India-Belgium signs Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement

i. India and Belgium have signed an agreement to amending the existing Agreement and Protocol between the two countries for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income in New Delhi.

ii. The agreement was signed in the presence of Sushil Chandra, Chairman CBDT and Jan Luykx, Ambassador of Belgium to India.  

10th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) 

i. The 10th edition of the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2017) was held in New Delhi from March 7-9, 2017. The theme is 'Building Knowledge Societies-From Digital Government to Digital Empowerment'. 

ii. The Objective of ICEGOV 2017 is focused on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses & civil society. It was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Electronics & IT and Law & Justice Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad. 

Odisha govt launched 181 helpline for distressed women

i. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched 24*7  helpline number 181 to assist women in distress on the occasion of International Women’s Day (8th March 2017). 

ii. A woman from any part of the Odisha can dial 181 to get immediate assistance. The helpline will extend prompt response to women affected by violence, provide information about women-related government schemes and programs and a range of other services

Tamil Nadu launches Rs 1,580 crore housing scheme

i. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami launched a housing scheme estimated at Rs 1,580 crore.The scheme was implemented by the state government with Central assistance for the economically poor. 

ii. In the year 2016-17, concrete houses will be constructed for 50,170 beneficiaries in town panchayat limits.

Minimum balance penalty needed to offset Jan Dhan account costs: SBI

i. SBI recently announced that penalty for non-maintenance of Minimum Average Balance (MAB) from April 1, 2017 as the government asked SBI to reconsider charges.

ii. Arundhati Bhattacharya, SBI chief clarify that the condition of maintaining minimum balance will not be applicable to the Jan Dhan accounts.

Parliament passes bill to raise maternity leave to 26 weeks

i. Parliament approved a bill granting women working in the organized sector paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, up from 12 weeks now, a decision which will benefit around 1.8 million women.

ii. The law will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more people and the entitlement will be for the first two children. For the third child, the entitlement will be 12 weeks.

iii. With this, India becomes the country with the third highest maternity leave. Canada and Norway grant 50 weeks and 44 weeks respectively as paid maternity leave.

INS Tillanchang commissioned to Indian Navy

i. The Vice Admiral Girish Luthra has commissioned INS Tillanchang to the Indian Navy in Karwar, Karnataka. INS Tillanchang is a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) and will add to the firepower of the Indian Navy. 

ii. This announcement has come just one day after INS Viraat was decommissioned which the Indian Navy called an end to a glorious era of over 30 years. It was decommissioned in a grand ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

NTPC commissions 45 MW of Bhadla solar plant 

i. Indian Public Sector Undertaking company National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has commissioned 45 MW solar capacity at Bhadla in Rajasthan. Now the total installed capacity of the project is increased to 160 MW. 

ii. NTPC intends to become a 130-GW company up to 2032 with a with diversified fuel mix and a 600 billion units company in terms of generation. Last month, NTPC had commissioned 115 MW capacity out of the 260 MW Bhadla solar power project.

Iran successfully tests ballistic missile

i. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has successfully tested a ballistic missile named Hormuz 2.

ii. Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's aerospace division stated that the missile destroyed a target from a distance of 250 kilometers (155 miles).

iii. The Hormuz 2 is capable of hitting floating targets with high accuracy within a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles). It provided no additional details.

Mohan Bhagwat conferred honorary degree of Doctor of Science

i. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) by the Nagpur-based Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University. 

ii. He was conferred the degree for his contribution in the field of veterinary sciences and social work.

Konkani writer gets Saraswati Samman

i. Eminent Konkani writer Mahabaleshwar Sail has been honored with the Saraswati Samman 2016 for his novel 'Hawthan'.

ii. The 74-year-old’s novel was shortlisted out of 22 books written in as many languages. iii. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh and a citation. Mr. Sail is a bilingual writer who has four Marathi dramas and seven Konkani novels to his credit. He has also written five short stories and a novel in Marathi.

Viola Davis Conferred with Harvard’s Artist of the Year Award 2017

i. The popular actress Viola Davis was awarded the 2017 Artist of the Year Award by Harvard Foundation during its 32nd annual Cultural Rhythms Festival in Memorial Hall’s Sanders Theatre at Harvard University in Cambridge. 

ii. She also won her second Tony Award for the 2010 Broadway revival of the play.