Daily GK Update 01st Feb , 2017

Daily GK Update 01st Feb , 2017

Union Budget 2017

i.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union budget 2017-2018 in Lok Sabha today (01 February 2017). 

ii.This is the fourth budget by the Narendra Modi government. It was broadly focused on 10 issues farming sector, rural population, youth, poor and health care for the underprivileged, infrastructure, financial sector for stronger institutions, speedy accountability, public services, prudent fiscal management and tax administration for the honest.

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Basant Panchami is being celebrated today (01st February 2017)

i.Basant Panchami is being celebrated today (1 February 2017). The festival marks the beginning of the spring season. The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the month of 'Magha'. Basant means spring and Panchami means "the fifth day".

 ii.On this day, Hindus wearing yellow clothes visit temples and pray to Goddess Saraswati the goddess of knowledge, and celebrate the day as Saraswati Puja. Schools and educational institutes celebrate Saraswati Puja. Kite flying competitions will also be held. iii.The festival is mostly celebrated mostly in northern states of Punjab and Bihar.In Allahabad, Basant Panchami bathing is taking place at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna and other Ghats of holy rivers from this morning. Besides elaborate arrangements for the bathing, security has been tightened at the Sangam area. Police and paramilitary forces are keeping vigil and drones and CCTV cameras have been put into service in the area.

Fiscal deficit reaches 94% of the budget estimate

i.Fiscal deficit in the first nine months of 2016-17 touched 93(point)9 per cent of the Budget estimate. The fiscal deficit had stood at 87.9% in the corresponding nine months a year ago. The fiscal deficit is the gap between expenditure and revenue. 

ii.According to data released by the Controller General of Accounts, tax revenue was 71.4% of the full-year budget estimate. Total expenditure, Plan and Non-Plan, was 74.3% of the government's full-year estimate. The revenue deficit during April-December 2016 stood at 100.1% of the budget estimate.

Rajasthan, Telangana bag eGov awards

i.This year (2017), under the State category, Rajasthan and Telangana emerged Winners of Excellence while the Award of Recognition went to Odisha and Nagaland.

ii.Instituted by the Computer Society of India’s (CSI) Special Interest Group with sponsorship from Nihilent Technologies, these awards help recognise the efforts of eGovernance practitioners from across central and state departments, projects and in district administrative units as well.

 Railway Ministry Requests Separate Fund for Rashtriya Rail Safety Fund

i.The Ministry of Railway has proposed the Finance Ministry to create a non-lapsable safety fund named ‘Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh’ over five years with initial corpus of Rs. 20000 crore and contribute a portion to fund it in the Budget 2017 .

ii.The decision to set up the safety fund is based on the recommendation of a high-level safety review committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission.

SAARC programming committee meeting begins in Kathmandu

i.The programming committee meeting of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has began at Kathmandu.Senior officials of all eight member countries are participating in the meeting.

ii.Indian delegation is lead by Shri Prashant Agarwal, Joint Secretary (SAARC).During the two day meeting number of issues including budget of SAARC secretariat and its 5 regional centres and regular activities of the Associtation will be discussed.

iii.This is the first senior level meeting of Association since postponement of 19th SAARC Summit in November last year. Nepal, the current chair of SAARC had postpone the summit after Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India had decided to boycott SAARC summit scheduled in Islamabad last year.

Ministry of Defence to Set up Rs 1500 cr Defence Unit in Madhya Pradesh

i.The Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the Ministry of Defence is set to open its Defence Unit in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh.

ii.The unit would be set up in Kailaras and Sabalgarh tehsil areas and span over 969.735 hectare of land at a cost of Rs. 1500 crore.

E-Paathsala Launches Unique Technology-Backed Services for Educational Institutions in India

Bangalore based Start-up firm E-paathsala has launched an integrated accreditation and ERP technology solution for the colleges and universities to enable them better manage their multiple accreditation standards in an easy, efficient and fast manner and bridge the gap identified for specific accreditations.

Income Tax Department (ITD) launches Operation Clean Money 

 i.Income Tax Department (ITD) lead by Sushil Chandra has launched Operation Clean Money to verify the cash deposited in the banks during November 9th to December 30th 2016.

ii.An online Verification process will be carried out by comparing the demonetisation data CBDTwith information in ITD databases.This information will be available at the portal https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in.

iii.The PAN holder can view the information using the link ‘Cash Transactions 2016’ under ‘Compliance’ section of the portal.

Textile Ministry Inaugurates Meghalaya’s First Ever Apparel and Garment Centre at Ampati

i.Meghalaya’s  first ever Apparel and Garment Making Centre was inaugurated on January 30, 2017 jointly by Union Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani and Chief Minister of Meghalaya Dr. Mukul Sangma near Ampati in South West Garo Hills.

ii.The centre would enable to create job opportunity for both men and women of the region and make them economically empowered.The facility has been set up in an area of 45,000 sq feet at an approximate cost of Rs 14.26 crore. It has been set up under North East Region Textiles Promotion Scheme (NERTPS).

Lakshmi Vilas Bank Partners with Fisdom for Mission FINFIT

i.The private sector lender Lakshmi Vilas Bank in partnership with Bangalore based fin-tech startup firm Fisdom, has launched a mobile application Mission FINFIT to offer the customers of the bank financial planning and personal wealth management services based on Robo advisory.

ii.The mobile app would enable the customer of the bank to plan their finances in an effective manner using the online platform for wealth management thus encouraging them to invest smarter.

ICRA Estimates Banks Credit Growth to Remain Subdued at 5-6% in FY17

i.As per the report of the rating agency, ICRA, the bank credit growth rate is likely to float between 5-6% in the current fiscal year (2017).

ii.The reason cited includes weak loan demand as the rate of return offered by debt market is better in comparison to banks.Besides, the deposit rate was also projected to drop to 12% from the current 14.7% this fiscal ending March 2017 due to better cash flow in the system and cut in the deposit rate by the banks.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Presents 2016 National Entrepreneurship Awards

i.The First ever National Entrepreneurship Awards 2016 was presented by the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh at Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi on January 30, 2017.

ii.Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State (I/C) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was the guest of honour on the occasion.The National Entrepreneurship Awards was instituted by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) to recognize and honor the entrepreneurial spirit of India’s youth and encourage more and more young Indians to become entrepreneur.

iii.The awards were given in 11 different categories divided into two groups: Award Track and Recognition Track.

UNICEF launches 3.3 bln USD to aid millions of children

i.UN children's agency UNICEF has launched an appeal for 3.3 billion US Dollar to help 48 million children caught up in crises worldwide amid fears of a funding cut from top donor the United States. This year's appeal represents a 18% increase from the initial request for funding in 2016.

ii. Donors contribute to the appeals on a voluntary basis. The United States is by far the top donor to UNICEF, followed by Germany, Britain and the European Commission. According to UNICEF, Almost one in four of the world's children now lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster.

Alok Verma takes charge as new CBI Director

i.Former Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma today took charge as the new CBI Director. He will hold the charge of the premier investigating agency for a period of two years.

ii. A 1979-batch IPS officer, Mr Verma was selected by a three-member committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice J S?Khehar and Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. 

Moussa Faki Mahamat appointed as new African Union AU head 

Chadian foreign affairs minister Moussa Faki Mahamat has been elected as the head of  AU Headthe African Union Commission. He will replace Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

US House of Representatives Introduces H-1B Visa Reform Bill

i.The US House of Representatives has introduced a legislation on January 30, 2017 making it mandatory to raise the minimum salary of the H-1B visa holders to more than double at USD 1,30,000 from the previous USD 60,000.

ii.If the legislation is passed, it would highly impact American companies as they may face difficulty in replacing the American employees with foreign workers including IT professionals from India.

iii.The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 introduced by California Congressman Zoe Lofgren prioritises 

Ireland became the world’s first country to stop investing in fossil fuels

Ireland has become the first country in the world to divest coal, oil and gas investments from Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.The bill was passed in the Irish parliament by gaining 53 votes out of 90. It was introduced by Deputy Thomas Pringle.

Former Minister E Ahamed Dies After Suffering Cardiac Arrest

Former Union Minister E Ahamed, who collapsed in parliament, has died. He was 78. Mr Ahamed was admitted at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest while both houses of parliament were being jointly addressed by President Pranab Mukherjee

Daily GK Update 26th January, 2017

                     Daily GK Update 26th January, 2017

Nation celebrates its 68th Republic Day 

i. India celebrates its 68th Republic Day today (26th January 2017). On January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India came into force, and Republic Day is celebrated to honour that day. On this day in 1950, the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad took the oath. President Pranab Mukherjee has started the ceremony by hoisting the Indian flag, following which the Republic Day Parade from Rajpath. The parade starts from Rajpath and ends at Red Fort in Delhi. Every year on Republic Day, India invites a visiting head of state, who is the state guest of honour (chief guest) for the ceremony. This year's guest of honour is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 

ii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who personally received the Prince at the airport, stated that United Arab Emirates (UAE) is India's valued partner and close ties between the two countries are important for the entire region. Though Republic Day is celebrated on January 26 with the Parade on Rajpath, the celebrations are spread over three days and end with the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29.

Madhya Pradesh CM announces total ban on polythene bags

i. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a total ban on polythene carry bags from May 1, 2017 across the state. "Use of polythene carry bags and their littering was affecting environment and cleanliness. 

ii. Besides, cows were dying eating such bags," he stated. "Three months are being given to polythene manufacturers before the ban," Chouhan added.

DU becomes first public varsity with 'monumental' flag

i. Nearly one year after all Central University vice-chancellors decided to install the national flag on their campuses, Delhi University's Hansraj College on 25th January 2017 has hoisted its first monumental flag. 

ii. DU is the first public university in the country to get a monumental flagpole, according to the Flag Foundation of India. The 100-feet high flag was hoisted by former MP Naveen Jindal.

MakeMyTrip launches India's 1st social luxury travel magazine

i. India's largest online travel portal MakeMyTrip has launched the first ever social luxury travel magazine called 'Luxury Travel Times'. The mobile-only magazine is targeted at luxury travellers and is released through innovative ad platforms like Facebook Canvas & Instagram-Stories. 

ii. 'Spa-cation', 'Heaven on Earth' & 'Heritage' were first few themes of the magazine presenting exotic choices to explore fine living.

US President Trump orders 2,000-mile wall to be built on Mexico border

i. President Donald Trump has signed directives to build a wall along the US border with Mexico and crack down on US cities that shield illegal immigrants, proceeding quickly on sweeping and divisive plans to kerb immigration and boost national security. The Republican President is also expected to take steps in the coming days to limit legal immigration, including executive orders restricting refugees and blocking the issuing of visas to people from several Muslim-majority Middle Eastern and North African countries including Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Libya and Yemen.

ii. Trump signed two executive orders at the Department of Homeland Security, one ordering construction of a wall along the roughly 2,000-mile (3,200kilometre) US-Mexico border and the other moving to strip federal grant money from “sanctuary” states and cities, often governed by Democrats, that harbour illegal immigrants.

Burj Khalifa lights up in 'Tricolour' to mark 68th Indian Republic Day

i. Burj Khalifa tower, the world's tallest building located in Dubai, has lit up in the colours of the Indian National flag on 25th January 2017 and 26th January 2017 to celebrate India's 68th Republic Day.

ii. The LED shows were to be held on both days along with complimenting Dubai Fountain shows. In addition to the shows, the Indian Consulate in Dubai has a flag-hoisting ceremony at the consulate premises by Consul General Anurag Bhushan, followed by flag-hoisting at the Indian High School grounds in Oud Metha, Dubai.

Gujarat government pardons 439 prisoners on Republic Day eve

i. Gujarat government has ordered released of 439 prisoners on humanitarian grounds on the eve of 68th Republic Day. Over half of these prisoners were serving the life sentence in different jails in Gujarat. The decision to pardon the remaining sentences of these 439 prisoners was taken by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

ii. This is for the first time that such a large number of prisoners have been pardoned by the state. The prisoners convicted for rape, multiple murders, robbery and under tough laws like POTA, TADA or under National Security Act, were not given state pardon.

US Emmy award-winning actress Mary Tyler Moore has passed away

i. Emmy award-winning US actress Mary Tyler Moore has passed away at the age of 80. She was best known for her television roles in the 1960s sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show and the eponymous The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the 1970s. 

ii. She was also nominated for the best actress Oscar in 1980 for the film Ordinary People. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Moore moved to Los Angeles when she was eight years old and started her career in show business as a dancer aged 17.

Daily GK Update 25th January, 2017

National Voters’ Day being observed Today (25 January 2017)

i.The Election Commission of India will celebrate the 7th National Voters’ Day across the country today (25 January 2017) for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process. 

 ii.The National level function will be held in New Delhi. President Pranab Mukherjee will give away awards for best electoral practices to District Collectors, Superintendents of Police and other functionaries involved in election management.

iii.25th January is also the foundation day of the Election Commission, which came into being on this day in 1950. The Commission's objective through National Voters’ Day is to increase enrollment of voters, especially of the newly eligible ones. The Day is also utilized to spread awareness among voters regarding effective participation in the electoral process.

List of Padma awardees 2017

The list of the Padma awards is out,The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, preceded by Bharat Ratna and followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri (also Padmashree) is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Awarded by the Government of India, it is announced every year on India's Republic Day. This Year both Padma Vibhushan and Padma Shri awards given are as follows:

i.Padma Vibhushan awardees: Sharad Pawar, Murli Manohar Joshi, K.J.Yesudas, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, P.A. Sangma, Sunder Lal Patwah, VishwaMohan Bhat. 

ii.Padma Shri awardees: Basanti Visht, Chemanchari K. Nair, Sadhu Meher, T. K. Murthy, Emrat Khan, L. Birender Kumar Singh, Baoa Devi, Tilak Gitai, Kailash Kher, Mukund Naik, Sukri Bommagowda, Anuradha Podwal, Wareppa Naba Nil, T. K. Vishwanathanan, Kanwal Sibal, G. Venkata Subbaiah, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, Birkha Bahadur Limboo Muringla, Eli Ahmed, Bhavna Somaya, Kashinath Pandit,Harkishan Singh, Dr Mukut Minz, Sanjeev Kapoor, Ashok Kumar Bhattacharya, H. R. Shah,Anuradha Koirala, Dr Mapuskar, Karimul Haque, Virat Kohli, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar, Vikas Gowda, Srijesh, M. Thanghavelu.

Cabinet Approvals- January 24, 2017

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Bill, 2017 on January 24, 2017 that aims to declare IIMs as Institutions of National Importance.

ii. Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval on for interest waiver for the two months of November and December, 2016 for farmers accessing short term crop loans from Cooperative Banks.

iii. As a part of government’s commitment for financial inclusion and social security the Union Cabinet has given its post-facto approval to launch Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana 2017 (VPBY 2017) on January 24, 2017.

iv. Union Cabinet on January 24, 2017 approved a new scheme for promotion of Rural Housing in the country.

v. PM Modi gave approval for the ratification of the Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol on containing the emission of Green House Gases (GHGs) which was adopted in 2012. Till date, 65 countries have ratified the Second Commitment Period.

vi. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the proposal of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) on January 24, 2017 for redevelopment of Pragati Maidan by setting up of a world class Integrated Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

SC for daily drug dosage regimen for TB patients

i.The Supreme Court  gave the government nine months to replace the thrice-a-week dosage norm of tuberculosis drugs with a daily dosage regimen recently approved by the World Health Organisation to curb relapse and deaths during treatment.

ii.A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar directed the government to ensure that efforts are made so that the patients across the country are administered the new dosage regimen.

Assam launches ‘Chief Minister’s Award’ to reward districts adopting digital payments

i.In a bid to promote digital transaction in Assam, the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal on January 22, 2017 announced the launch of ‘Chief Minister’s Award’ while inaugurating the Digi Dhan Mela in the state.

ii.The Chief Minister’s Award would be given to the best performing district of the state that adopts digital payment methods and also educate larger section of the society about the cashless transaction.The winning district’s Deputy Commissioner would be presented a prize of Rs 50,000 at the end of financial year 2016-2017 after March 31, 2017.

India and UAE sign 14 agreements after delegation level talks between PM Modi & visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi

i.India and the UAE inked 14 agreements in various areas including in defence, maritime transport, comprehensive strategic partnership, shipping, agriculture and allied sector, trade, oil storage and management, energy efficiency, road transport and highways and prevention and combating human trafficking. 

ii.The agreements were signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. 

UN appoints Director of UNIC in New Delhi

i.Derk Segaar has been appointed Director of the New Delhi based United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) covering India and the Kingdom of Bhutan by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

ii.Earlier he was the Head of Communications of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York. 

Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS) launched by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry for Rubber Growers

i.The Minister of Commerce & Industry, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman launched Rubber Soil Information System (RubSIS) in New Delhi to provide the detail  RubSISabout the soil quality to the rubber growers to enhance productivity besides reducing the cost of production.

ii. RubSIS is an online platform developed to recommend application of appropriate mix of fertilizers to the specific plantations of rubber growers depending upon their soil nature.

PVR Launches Theater on Demand Service VKAAO

i.The Multiplex chain operator PVR has launched a theatre on demand service ‘VKAAO’ on January 20, 2017.

ii.Vkaao is an online platform that will enable consumers to watch any movie of their  PVRchoice at a theatre of their choice. It would empower the viewers to choose what they want to watch, when and where.

India UK Join Hands to Launch Project to Tackle Delhi Air Pollution Risks

India has partnered with the British experts over a project that aims to study the air pollution level in Delhi and health problems associated it.The project ‘ASAP-Delhi: An Integrated Study of Air Pollutant Sources in the Delhi National Capital Region’ would be led by University of Birmingham and would also involve experts from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, the Indian National Physical Laboratory and the University of Surrey.

Nikki Haley confirmed as new US envoy to UN

i.In United States, the Senate has confirmed Nikki Haley as the next Ambassador to the United Nations, making her the first Indian-American to serve on a Cabinet rank position in any presidential administration. 

ii.Forty-five-year old Haley was approved by the Senate on a 96-4 vote. Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier overwhelmingly approved the nomination of the South Carolina Governor as the next US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump signs executive orders to advance Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipelines

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to advance controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. His latest actions to overturn the policies of former President Barack Obama, the nation's chief executive he replaced recently.

BookMyShow acquires MastiTickets

i.BookMyShow has acquired MastiTickets, an online ticket booking firm, for an undisclosed amount.The two-year-old Hyderabad start-up has presence in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Hyderabad firm has eight employees, while BookMyShow has over 1,000 employees.

ii.The acquisition gives 120 cinemas in the two States. The acquisition of MastiTickets fit perfectly into its expansion strategy,” Ashish Hemrajani, Chief Executive Officer Officer and Co-Founder, BookMyShow, stated.

Venezuela awards peace prize to Russia Prez Vladimir Putin

i.Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has awarded the first ever Hugo Chavez Prize for Peace and Sovereignty to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

ii.The award, that honours Venezuela's former President Hugo Chavez, recognised "Putin as a great leader of peace". Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had earlier called Putin a fighter for peace.

Revv to launch services in Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur

i.Revv, the Delhi NCR-based shared mobility platform, is launching its car sharing services in three new cities Mumbai, Chennai and Jaipur taking its national footprint to seven cities.

ii.Revv is already available in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. It now plans to expand its footprint to 20-25 cities by the end of 2017.

China Develops World’s Biggest Solar Park

i. In an effort to become the super powerful occupier of green energy, China has built the world’s biggest solar park, Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, in the western province of Qinghai. 

ii.The park spans over 27 square km of area and can produce 850 MW of power which is enough to supply up to 200,000 households. The construction of the solar park began in 2013 and total costs around $875 million (around Rs. 6,000 crore).

Matthew Hayden inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

i.Former Australian cricketers Matthew Hayden and David Boon have been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. 

ii.Betty Wilson, an icon of women's cricket, who was known as the 'female Bradman' during her career in the 1940s and 1950s, was also added to the Hall of Fame. The trio will be formally inducted on the Allan Border Medal night.

Retired Watson bags Australia's T20I player of the Year award

i.Retired all-rounder Shane Watson has been adjudged Cricket Australia's T20 International Player of the Year.

ii.Watson was the 2nd highest run-getter during the voting period from January 8, 2016 to January 7, 2017. He had announced his retirement from international cricket in March last year.

Kremlin to host 2018 FIFA World Cup finals

i.The draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals hosted by Russia will take place in the Kremlin the country’s Football Union (RFU) chief Vitaly Mutko stated. 

ii.Mutko, Russia’s deputy prime minister, stated FIFA had approved the plan, which world football’s ruling body later confirmed.The World Cup finals draw ceremony will take place.

Virender Sehwag Named Kings XI Punjab Brand Ambassador

i.Kings XI Punjab have appointed Virender Sehwag as their head of cricket operations and strategy, and brand ambassador too for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

ii.Virender Sehwag is a former Indian cricketer, and a former captain of India. Often considered as one of the most destructive batsman of the game.

Daily GK Update 24th January, 2017

Daily GK Update 24th January, 2017

National Girl Child Day to be celebrated today (24 January 2017)
i.National Girl Child Day will be celebrated at a special function in New Delhi in view of exemplary achievements by nation's daughters during last year.
ii.They presented commendable performance at the Olympics and Paralympics besides historic induction of the first batch of female fighter pilots into the Indian Air Force (IAF).
iii.Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and Minister of State Krishna Raj will be addressing the audience.
iv.The occasion shall be marked by release of National Plan of Action for Children 2016.Ten districts under the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme for their exemplary performance will also be felicitated.

Rescheduled Education Loan will not be Considered for Computing NPAs:RBI
i.In a bid to encourage banks to provide loans for education, the Reserve Bank of India RBI has declared that rescheduling the period of payment of education loans due to the inability of the borrower because of unemployment will not be treated as restructured accounts for computing NPAs.
ii.Banks can allow three rounds of extension periods, each not more than 6 months, during the entire lifecycle of the education loan, to be applicable only on unemployment/underemployment borrowers.

T-Hub launches ‘GIS Innovation Hub’ powered by Esri India

i.T-Hub, the start-up engine catalysing innovation, today announced the launch of ‘GIS Innovation Hub’ (GIH) for start-ups. 

ii.The GIH is powered by Esri India, the Geographic Information System (GIS) software and solutions provider.The facility was inaugurated by Jack Dangermond, Co-founder, President and CEO of Esri Inc.

Jharkhand Annual Budget 2017-18

i.The Chief Minister of Jharkhand Raghubar Das presented the state’s annual budget for 2017-18 on January 23, 2017 under the theme of Garib Kalyan Varsh The main focus of the budget is on agriculture, education and skill development, rural development and eliminating poverty.

ii.The Minister has presented a budget worth Rs 75,673.42 crore out of which Rs 57,861.32 crore would be revenue expenditure and Rs 18,812.10 crore would be capital expenditure. The total allocated state budget for 2017-18 is 19.7 percent more than the current year.

Stamp Cover on Sindhu, Sakshi and Dipa Released by Postal Department

i.The Indian postal department released a special stamp cover titled Golden girls of India – Pride of Nation on January 21, 2017 during a district-level philatelic exhibition in Agartala to honor the sporting personalities in the country.

ii.The special covers feature the 2016 Olympic medalist gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shuttler PV Sindu and wrestler Sakshi Malik. They were also awarded the nation’s highest sports award Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2016.

iii. Besides the three, the cover also depicted the image of Dipa’s coach Bishweshwar Nandi who was awarded the 2016 Dronacharya award.

BCSBI to organise ‘know your rights’ programme

i.To educate awareness on banking codes at grass root level, The Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) will organise know your rights programme in all the states.For this, the organisation will adopt a three-fold approach in the awareness programme focussing Tier II cities, metros and other backward areas, Anand Aras, CEO, BCSBI said.

ii. With the opening up of innumerable Jan-Dhan accounts and increased usage of formal and transparent modes of financial transactions, it is now imperative for the lesser privileged section of the society to understand their rights.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Unanimously Passes Jallikattu Bill

i.Tamil Nadu assembly under the chairmanship of Chief Minister O Panneerselvam unanimously passed the Jallikattu Bill on January 23, 2017 to replace the ordinance issued on January 21, 2017 to allow the states traditional sport.

ii.The bill amends the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, making Jallikattu a permanent sport in rural Tamil Nadu.

Uber To Bring Food Delivery App ‘UberEATS’ In India

i.Transportation app Uber will soon launch its on-demand food delivery app ‘UberEATS’ in the Indian market.

ii.UberEATS is currently available in 58 cities globally, including Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Taipei.The new app will give consumers, restaurant partners, and delivery partners more options across India.

Guided Pinaka rocket successfully test fired

i.The guided Pinaka rocket was successfully test—fired for the second time from launch complex—III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) launch pad at Chandipur.Defence sources said the test was conducted at 12:45 pm and Pinaka rocket mark-II, equipped with navigation, guidance and control kit, was transformed into a “guided Pinaka".

ii.The conversion facilitated range enhancement and improvement in Pinaka’s accuracy.

Kyoto Protocol: Govt gives nod to ratify second commitment period

i.The Centre  gave its nod to ratify the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that commits countries to contain the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

ii.The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to ratify the second commitment period of the international treaty, which was adopted by nations in 2012. So far, 65 countries have ratified the second commitment period.

Vodafone to invest Rs 3,000 cr in West Bengal in next 3 years

i.Vodafone India signed an MoU with the West Bengal government to invest Rs 3,000 crore for capacity augmentation and new business initiatives over next three years.

ii.The MoU signed on the sidelines of Bengal Global Business Summit 2017 .To improve Vodafone’s leadership position in the state by offering customers a SuperNet experience through enhanced network.

New Universal Rail Mill Worth Rs. 1200 crore Inaugurated in Bhilai Steel Plant

i.Moving towards the Make in India initiative, the Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh inaugurated the new Universal Rail Mill at Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) on January 23, 2017 and flagged off the mills first and world’s longest single rail of 130 meters from the new Universal Rail Mill(URM).

ii.URM established at a cost of about Rs 1200 crore. It will take BSP’s total capacity to produce rails at 2.0 million tons per annum (MTPA). This will be the largest rail production capacity in any single location for a plant world over.

Delhi airport wins award for CSR

i.The Delhi International Airport (Private) Limited (DIAL) has won the ‘Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the transportation sector under the Aviation category for the year 2016

.ii.Delhi Airport has also been adjudged the world’s number one airport in ACI ASQ survey in 25- 40 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) category for two consecutive years - 2014 and 2015.

Birender Singh Yadav and Ashok Warrier accredited as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Burkina Faso & Republic of Congo

i.Shri Birender Singh Yadav, 1997 batch IFS officer, presently High Commissioner of lndia to Ghana, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of lndia to the Republic of Burkina Faso, with residence in Accra.

ii.Shri Ashok Warrier, presently Ambassador of lndia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of lndia to the Republic of Congo.

IRDAI okays Swiss Re move to open Mumbai branch

i.Wholesale reinsurance provider Swiss Re has received approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to open a branch in the city.

ii. With the composite branch license, Swiss Re will be able to operate in India and it can offer both non-life and life and health reinsurance solutions directly to clients and brokers in the country.Swiss Reinsurance Company, India Branch, will begin its operation from February 1, 2017.

Utkarsh Micro Finance Launches its Small Finance Bank

i.Varanasi-based Utkarsh Micro Finance started operating its banking business as Utkarsh Small Finance Bank on January 23, 2017 to cater to the needs of the poor mainly in the northern belt. UK’s Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) has infused Rs. 150 crore in the tier II capital in the company.

ii.This makes Utkarsh the third company to operate as small finance bank after Capital Small Finance Bank and Equitas Small Finance Bank all of which got final approval from RBI to operate banking business on November 28, 2016.

Nepal Launches 10-year-plan to Reduce Depending on India for Vegetable Imports 

i.In a move to decrease dependence on vegetable imports from India, the Nepal Government has launched a 10-year plan to boost domestic production.

ii.The 10-year scheme aims to adopt modern farm techniques to boost vegetable productivity in the country and make the country self-reliant in food.

Turkish Parliament Approves Presidential Rule Paving Way for Referendum

i.The parliament of Turkey approved a constitutional reform on January 21, 2017 to strengthen the powers of the presidency by introducing presidential rule in the country and has led the way for a referendum on the issue by the public.

ii.If the bill will be passed then the President Tayyip Erdogan would serve the office until 2029

Goa First State to Send Postal Ballots Electronically to Service Voters

i.The Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) of India, Syed Nasim Zaidi informed that the state government of Goa has opted for an initiative involving electronic transmission of postal ballot to service voters in the upcoming assembly polls.

 ii.This initiative will make Goa the first state in the country to do so.

Ola appoints former PepsiCo executive Vishal Kaul as COO

i.Transportation app Ola  has appointed former PepsiCo executive Vishal Kaul as its Chief Operating Officer. 

 ii.He succeeds Pranay Jivrajka, who has been appointed as Founding Partner. Kaul most recently served as the General Manager of PepsiCo Foods for Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.

Foreign Secretary Jaishankar gets one-year extension

i.Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, whose tenure was to end on January 28, today got a one-year extension.The nod for the extension of his tenure till January 28, 2018 was given by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

ii.A 1977-IFS batch officer, Jaishankar was appointed Foreign Secretary on January 29, 2015 just few days before his retirement replacing Sujata Singh, whose term was abruptly curtailed by the government.

Siddhartha Murarka is now ICSI Chairman

i.Siddhartha Murarka has been appointed as the Chairman of the Eastern India Regional Council of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). 

ii.His term began from January 19, 2017. Murarka, a fellow member of the ICSI, was the head of risk management and compliance at a member firm of the PwC before starting his own practice.

iii.Murarka is also a “regular faculty”at ICAI and other professional bodies and chambers of commerce like the Merchant Chamber of Commerce and the BCCI

Virat Becomes Fastest Batsman to Score 1000 Runs as ODI Captain

i.Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman in the world to score 1,000 runs as captain in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on January 22, 2017 in the third ODI against England at the Eden Gardens.

ii.The 28-year-old batsman took 17 innings to reach the landmark, breaking the earlier record set by South Africa’s AB deVilliers which was achieved in 18 innings.

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