Daily GK Update 27th April, 2017

India to host 18th World Road Meeting

i. India is set to host the 18th World Road Meeting (WRM 2017) on November 13, 2017 according to the International Road Federation (IRF).
ii. The WRM is the biggest global platform for road engineers, safety and transport experts and companies engaged in road safety products.
iii. The theme of this year's edition is 'Safe Roads and Smart Mobility: The Engines of Economic Growth'. The WRM is held every four years.

e-SOT and e-PRAN card launched for Atal Pension Yojana subscribers

i. With a view to digitally empower the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) subscribers and improve the quality of service, the facility of online viewing of the statement of the transaction (e-SOT) and also the e- Permanent Retirement Account Number (e-PRAN card) have been launched.
ii. More than 45 lacs APY subscribers will be benefitted with this initiative.

Centre Takes 10 New Swachh Iconic Places under Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II

i. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Swachh Bharat Mission, was held recently at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, in Jammu & Kashmir.
ii. On this occasion, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar announced 10 new Iconic places to be taken under the Phase II of Swachh Iconic Places initiative. These ten new iconic places which are to be brought to a higher standard of swachhta and visitors’ amenities are-

1. Gangotri

2. Yamunotri

3. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain

4. Char Minar, Hyderabad

5. Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assissi, Goa

6. Adi Shankaracharya’s abode Kaladi in Ernakulam

7. Gomateshwar in Shravanbelgola

8. Baijnath Dham, Devghar

9. Gaya Tirth in Bihar and
10. Somnath temple in Gujarat.

India successfully test-fires Agni-III ballistic missile

i. India successfully carried out a fresh user trial of 3,000-kilometer range Agni-III ballistic missile from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
ii. The Strategic Forces Command with logistics support from Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out the test from launch pad No. 4 of the Integrated Test Range.

Nita Ambani made member of IOC’s Olympic Channel Commission

i. India’s first woman International Olympic Committee member Nita Ambani has made it to two important commissions of the global sports governing body, including the prestigious Olympic channel.
ii. Besides the Olympic Channel, Ms. Ambani has also been made a member of Olympic education Commission as IOC announced the composition of 26 commissions for 2017.
iii. Ms. Ambani has replaced International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven. She will serve the position till she turns 70.

NASA launches super balloon from New Zealand

i. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully launched its football-stadium-sized, heavy-lift Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) from Wanaka, New Zealand.
ii. The mission is designed to run 100 or more days floating at 110,000 feet (33.5 km) about the globe in the southern hemisphere's mid-latitude band.The balloon is designed by NASA to detect ultra-high energy cosmic particles from beyond the galaxy as they penetrate the earth's atmosphere.

Srishti Kaur crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017

i. Srishti Kaur was crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017 after beating 25 contestants from around the world at the annual beauty pageant.
ii. The event was held in Managua, the capital of Central American country Nicaragua. She also won the prize for best national costume.
iii. Samantha Pierre from Canada and Ary Trava from Mexico were the runners-up in the event. The pageant is organized by the Miss Universe organization for teens aged 15 to 19. It takes place once in a year.

YES BANK awarded Golden Peacock Award 2017

i. India’s fifth largest private sector Bank, the YES BANK has won the prestigious ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Product/Service Award 2017’ (in Financial sector Banking).
ii. It received the prize for its innovative mobile technology product, SIMsePAY at the Dubai Global Convention 2017.

Veteran Actor Vinod Khanna passes away at 70

i. Veteran actor Vinod Khanna passed away in Mumbai. He was an active politician, and Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur, Punjab.
ii. The actor debuted in 1968 with 'Man Ka Meet'. He received the Filmfare award in the best supporting actor category for Haath Ki Safaai (1974), and in 1999 he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

Important Takeaways from above GK Update for Exams are as follows-

• India will host the 18th World Road Meeting on November 13, 2017
• K.K. Kapila is the chairman of International Road Federation
• The theme of 2017 edition is 'Safe Roads and Smart Mobility: The Engines of Economic Growth'
• The WRM is held every four years.
• e-SOT and e-PRAN card launched for Atal Pension Yojana subscribers
• Statement of the transaction is the full form of SOT
• Permanent Retirement Account Number is the full form of PRAN
• Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched by the PM Modi on 09th May 2015.
• The 2nd quarterly review meeting on the Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) was held recently at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir
• 10 new Iconic places to be taken under the Phase II of Swachh Iconic Places initiative announced.
• India successfully test-fires Agni-III ballistic missile from Abdul Kalam Island from Odisha Coast
• It was developed with the support of DRDO
• It was inducted into the armed forces in June 2011
• Nita Ambani made member of IOC’s Olympic Channel Commission
• She will serve the position till she turns 70.
• She has replaced International Paralympic Committee President Philip Craven
• NASA launched  heavy-lift Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) from Wanaka, New Zealand
• The balloon is designed by NASA to detect ultra-high energy cosmic particles
• Acting Administrator of NASA is Robert M. Lightfoot Jr.
• NASA was established in 1958 and is Headquartered in Washington D.C., USA.
• Srishti Kaur crowned Miss Teen Universe 2017
• She is from Noida
• Samantha Pierre from Canada and Ary Trava from Mexico were the runners-up
• This event takes place annually
• The event was held in Managua, the capital of Central American country Nicaragua.
• YES BANK has won the ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Product/Service Award 2017’
• Mr. Rana Kapoor is the Founder, Managing Director & CEO of Yes Bank
• Yes Bank is Headquartered in Mumbai
• It received the prize for its innovative mobile technology product, SIMsePAY.
• Veteran Actor Vinod Khanna passes away
• He was Member of Parliament from Gurdaspur, Punjab
• Awarded Filmfare award in the best supporting actor category for Haath Ki Safaai.