Daily GK Update 16th March, 2017

Captain Amarinder Singh to be sworn-in as CM of Punjab 

i. Captain Amarinder Singh, who led the Congress to victory in Punjab after a decade, will be sworn-in as the Chief Minister for the second time.

ii. Congress had won 77 of the 117 state Assembly seats in the recently held polls. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the largest opposition party with 20 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance finished third with 18 seats.

Govt approves National Health Policy 

i. The government has approved the National Health Policy which proposes to provide assured health services to all in the country. 

ii. The policy was approved at the meeting of Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.  The policy increases the gambit of sectors covered in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level and envisages a comprehensive approach.

Cabinet approves setting up of 50 Kendriya Vidyalayas

i. Fifty new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) will be established across the country to provide quality education to around 50,000 students with the Cabinet giving a go ahead to the project.

ii. The schools, which will be set up under the civil sector for classes 1 to 5.

iii. By providing a common syllabus and system of education, the KVs are intended to ensure that the children of government employees do not face education disadvantages while their parents are transferred from one location to another.

Namami Gange: 20 projects approved for swift implementation

i. 20 projects worth Rs 1,900 Crore have been approved for swift implementation of Namami Gange Programme in Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Delhi. The Executive Committee (EC) of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved these projects. 

ii. Out of 20 projects which were given EC approval, 13 are in Uttarakhand that includes creating new sewage treatment plants, upgrading existing STPs and laying of sewage networks in Haridwar at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 415 crore. 

iii. This plan is aimed at treating sewage water generated by not only city's 1.5 lakh local dwellers, but also by people who visit the holy place for various purposes. 

Cabinet clears special assistance for EAPs in Andhra Pradesh

i. The Cabinet has approved financial assistance for bifurcated Andhra Pradesh by way of special dispensation in funding of Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) and also the irrigation component of Polavaram project.

ii. The special assistance will be provided to the state towards repayment of loan and interest for EAPs signed and disbursed from 2015-16 to 2019-20.The Centre will also fund 100% of the irrigation component of the Polavaram project starting from 1st of April, 2014.

Govt launches new scheme for developing export linked infrastructure

i. The government has launched a new scheme Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) for developing export linked infrastructure in states with a view to promote outbound shipments. 

ii. Launched by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, TIES seeks to bridge the infrastructure gap and provide forward and backward linkages to units engaged in trade activities.

 iii. The TIES would focus on projects like customs checkpoints, last mile connectivity, border haats and integrated check posts.

iv. The scheme, to be implemented from April 1, would have a budgetary allocation of Rs 600 crore for three years with an annual outlay of Rs 200 crore. It will be implemented from 2017-18 till 2019-20.

UCO Bank, Future Generali tie up

i. Private insurer Future Generali India Insurance Company (FGII) has entered into a corporate agency tie-up for its products with public lender UCO Bank.

ii. The PSU lender will provide a window at its bank branches for marketing FGII’s offerings. Apart from UCO, the company has tie-ups with over 100 banks across the country. 

HDFC Bank to offer online loans against securities

i. HDFC Bank launched an instant digital Loan Against Securities (LAS) facility in collaboration with the National Securities Depository Ltd.(NSDL).

ii. The bank stated that customers can avail themselves of overdraft facility against shares in three steps:
(a) Select the shares to be pledged on net banking
(b) Accept agreement through one-time password (OTP)
(c) Pledge the shares with NSDL online through OTP.

iii. Demat customers can calculate their eligibility for overdraft limit against shares, and open a current account instantly.

State Bank of India signs MoU with CREDAI

i. State Bank of India and real estate developers’ body Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly conduct various initiatives towards development of the realty sector.

ii. The MoU will be in force for a period of 3 years.

iii. CREDAI is the largest real estate association in the country with over 11,500 members.

McNally Bharat bags Rs. 415-cr solar power project in AP

i. McNally Bharat Engineering Company Ltd has bagged a Rs. 415.29-crore order from Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Ltd.

ii. The project entails design, engineering, manufacturing, supply, commissioning and operation and maintenance of 500-MW grid connected solar photovoltaic power project including civil works in Andhra Pradesh.

BHEL's first 800-MW supercritical plant becomes operational

i. Power equipment maker BHEL has commenced commercial operations of its first 800-MW unit, a supercritical thermal plant in Karnataka.

ii. Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) and BHEL are the main equity partners of RPCL, the owner and operator of this power plant. The milestone was achieved for the first unit of the 2x800-MW Yeramarus thermal power station of Raichur Power Corporation Ltd (RPCL), in Raichur district of Karnataka. 

International Vision Zero Conference Begins In New Delhi

i. The International Conference on the Vision Zero and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) began at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

ii. The aim is to focus on the Occupational Safety and Health issues and challenges in the Manufacturing, Construction and Mining sector and provide a forum for promoting safety and health at work by exchanging knowledge, practices, and experience. 

iii. The conference was inaugurated by the Minister of State (Independent) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya.

Chennai Port Trust signs MoU with the Government of Puducherry

i. Chennai Port Trust and the Government of Puducherry has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for handling EXIM cargo originating from Puducherry Port hinterland in New Delhi. 

ii. The aim is to promote industrial growth in the region, generate substantial employment and attract investment by major industries. Around 5 Lakh to 10 Lakh tonnes of cargo is expected to be handled between this two ports.

India's contribution to UN increases to Rs 244 crore

i. India's contribution to the United Nations rose 55% to Rs 244 crore in 2015-16 compared with the previous fiscal. 

ii. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed the Lok Sabha that the government had also made voluntary contributions to the tune of Rs 22 crore to international organizations, including UN agencies, in the last financial year.

iii. The country contributed Rs 244 crore to the UN last fiscal compared with Rs 157 crore in 2014-15.

 Annual Krishi Unnati Mela Begins in New Delhi

i. The three-day annual Krishi Unnati Mela was inaugurated by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute in Pusa, New Delhi. 

ii. To provide information on new farm schemes and technologies and another welfare scheme that will help to double the farmer’s incomes by 2022. 

iii. As a part of the event, the Minister also gave away Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Rashtriya Krishi Vigyan Protsahan Puraskar 2016 to recognize the contribution of Krishi Vigyan.

Justice Sharma sworn in as Upalokayukta of Assam

i. Justice Chittaranjan Sharma sworn in as Assam's Upalokayukta by Governor Banwarilal Purohit. 

ii. He was administered the oath of office by the governor at a simple ceremony in the Raj Bhawan. Justice Sharma was a former Judge of the Gauhati High Court.

Tata Steel, Wipro in world's most ethical companies' list 

i. Two Indian companies namely Tata Steel Limited and Wipro Limited have been named in the list of World’s Most Ethical Companies 2017 by American think tank Ethisphere Institute. 

ii. Wipro is one among the two Information technology category firm named in the list. The other firm in that category is US based Xerox Corporation. 

iii. Besides, Tata Steel is also one of the two companies named in the metals, minerals and mining category. US-based Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc is the other company in this segment.  

iv. World’s Most Ethical Companies 2017 list consists of 124 firms. US based Ford Motor Company has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the 8th straight year.

Babul Supriyo named vice-president of FIFA U-17 World Cup

i. Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo has been named as Vice President of the 2017 U-17 FIFA World Cup organizing committee stated by Praful Patel, president of All India Football Federation (AIFF).

ii. For the first time, India to host FIFA U-17 World from October 6 to 28, 2017. Host cities are Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Margao and Guwahati.

Joanna Rowsell Shand Announces Retirement

i. Two times Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell Shand announced her retirement from international cycling. 

ii. The 28-year-old track cyclist won gold in the women’s team pursuit at London Olympics 2012 and Rio Olympics 2016.