Daily GK Update 21st February, 2017
Bharat QR code launched to push less-cash economy
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ii. Payment networks such as MasterCard and Visa have joined hands with NPCI to launch Bharat QR, a common Quick Response(QR) code that would enable seamless digital payments without card swiping machines.
iii. Built under the direction of the Reserve Bank of India in September 2016 . This Bharat QR code is expected to be convenient for those who are into mobile banking and do not want to use debit or credit cards for small ticket payments. Bharat QR code is seen as a better alternative to physical Point-of-Sale (PoS) machines which involves capital costs.
International Mother Language Day
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ii. To foster sustainable development, learners must have access to education in their mother tongue and in other languages.
iii. It is through the mastery of the first language or mother tongue that the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy are acquired. Local languages, especially minority and indigenous, transmit cultures, values and traditional knowledge, thus playing an important role in promoting sustainable futures.
BHIM downloads at over 17 mn, a world record
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ii. The Centre will also soon roll out a cash-back scheme to give a further boost to the use of BHIM
Buying jewellery over Rs 2 lakh in cash will attract 1% tax from April 1, 2017
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ii. Once the Finance Bill 2017 is passed, jewellery will be treated on par with generalgoods which attract 1% TCS on cash purchase of above Rs 2 lakh. The Bill seeks to do away with the threshold of Rs 5 lakh on jewellery purchases for applicability of TCS because the Union Budget 2017-18 has proposed to ban cash dealings of over Rs 3 lakh andmake violations punishable with a penalty of an equivalent amount to be paid by person receiving the cash.
India as the World’s Largest Arms Importer in the Last Four Years
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ii. The total volume of international transfers of major weapons has grown continuously since 2004 and increased by 8.4 per cent between 2007–11 and 2012–16 According to the data in Asia,India increased its arms imports by 43 percent between 2007–11 and 2012–16 which is far greater than the imports by its rivals China and Pakistan.
iii. Between 2007 and 2011, India accounted for 9.7% of global imports which is still more than any other country.Major arm suppliers to India include Russia, USA, European states, Israel and South Korea.
State Bank of India website gets a new avatar
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ii. The adoption of gTLD enables an organisation to use its corporate name .sbi as their website’s top-level identifier instead of using a more traditional ".com" or ".co.in" domains
iii. The existing web address will remain active till customers become familiar with operating through the new address.With this, SBI has become the first banking organisation in India to use a gTLD for its internet presence. This is expected to provide enhanced security to its customers.
Apollo Hospitals Foundation signs agreement with WWF-India
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ii. The two organisations have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard.The medicare will be available to over 27,000 staff and people in about 17 states of WWF-India operations.
iii. They will be provided with medical treatment, including air ambulance services in critical and emergency conditions.
Shurhozelie Liezeitsu elected new Nagaland CM
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ii. As Nagaland Former Chief Minister T R Zeliang stepped down from the post on February 19, 2017 facing revolt from his party MLAs against the decision to reserve 33% seats for women in urban local bodies.
EDII wins International Mercury Award 2016-17
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Tata Steel's Katamati Mine wins Best Green Award
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ii. The award was presented at a function organised by World CSR Day on February 18, 2017 in Mumbai.
Britannia Industries signs non-binding MoU with Chipita
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ii. Chipita is already operating in India. The company has been operating outside Greece since 1995 by setting up manufacturing plants in Bulgaria, Portugal and Egypt, followed by Poland, Romania, Russia and Saudi Arabia and more recently India, and Turkey.
V Ramakrishnan appointed as TCS CFO, N Chandrasekaran named TCS Chairman too
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ii. The country's largest software services provider has also named V Ramakrishnan as its Chief Financial Officer to succeed Rajesh Gopinathan, who will take over as the CEO and MD of the Tata Group company.
Russia to begin military helicopters deliveries to India in 2018
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ii. Both countries have agreed to cooperate in energy and defence as India seeks to modernise its armed forces and build a nuclear industry and sanctions-hit Russia looks for investment and new markets.
US President appoints Lt. Gen. Herbert Raymond McMaster as new National Security Advisor
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ii. Making the announcement at his residence in Florida, Mr Trump described McMaster, currently Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, as a man of tremendous talent and experience.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Successfully Launches From NASA launch Pad
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Noted bureaucrat V. K. Srinivasan passes away
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ii. He was 76 and is survived by a son and a daughter.
Hindi novelist Ved Prakash Sharma passes away
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ii. He had also written scripts for about half-a-dozen Hindi movies.