Daily GK Update 19th February, 2017

Daily GK Update 19th February, 2017

Jharkhand signs MoU with Microsoft in ‘Momentum Jharkhand’

i. Jharkhand government and Microsoft India has inked an MoU for the state government to explore cloud, machine learning and mobile based solutions to improve citizen services and provide better facilities in the fields of education and agriculture.

ii. The MoU was signed at the ‘Momentum Jharkhand: Global Investors’ Summit & Trade Exhibition’.

India win silver at Asian Women's Rugby Sevens Trophy

i. The Indian Women's team won a silver after getting defeated by South Kores, at the Asian Rugby Sevens Trophy tournament at Vientiane, Laos.

ii. The team participated under the aegis of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the governing body for the sport of Rugby in India and supported by Societe Generale, the financial partner of Rugby India.

Haryana's Sandeep Kumar breaks his own national record in 50km race walk

i. Sandeep Kumar of Haryana won the gruelling men's 50-kilometre event of the National Race Walking Championships held in New Delhi. 

ii. Sandeep smashed his own national record in a brilliant performance to win the race and qualify for the London World Championships in August. 

Indian Navy inducts first all-women global circumnavigation vessel 'Tarini'

i. The Indian Navy's second sailboat 'Tarini' was inducted into service at a ceremony in Goa. 

ii. The vessel is slated to be the platform for the first Indian all-women global circumnavigation by the Indian Navy to begin in August.

iii. The Indian Navy is operating four sailing vessels capable of open ocean deployments - Tarangini, Sudarshini, Mhadei and Tarini, all four of which have been built in shipyards at Goa.

BCCI General Manager RP Shah resigns from his post

i. RP Shah, one of the three General Managers of BCCI, resigned from his post citing his age as a “reason”. 

ii. Shah was the General Manager (Commercial) and was considered to be one of the big decision makers in board’s commercial interest.

Daily GK Update 18th February, 2017

Daily GK Update 18th February, 2017

Aadhaar card to be mandatory for College & University students availing benefits under Central Scholarships scheme

i. Union Human Resource Development Ministry has stated that to avail benefit under the Central Sector Scholarship Scheme for College and University students, applicants will now have to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar card or undergo Aadhaar authentication. 

ii. HRD ministry notification issued in New Delhi stated that those who are receiving these scholarships but don't have an Aadhar card will have to apply for enrolment by June 30th,2017. It is, however, not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir

Banks Board Bureau Appoints Eight Executive Directors in Various Banks

Eight Executive Directors (EDs) have been appointed in various public sector banks on the recommendations of Banks Board Bureau Initially, they have been appointments for a three-year period.

List of Appointed Executive Directors

i.Neelam Damodharan and Atanu Kumar Das have been appointed as EDs in Bank of India. Presently, Damodharan serves as the General Manager in Bank of Baroda and Das is General Manager in Vijaya Bank.

ii. K Swaminathan, the General Manager in Indian Overseas Bank, has been appointed as ED in Indian Overseas Bank.

iii. Ashok Kumar Pradhan has been appointed as the ED in United Bank of India. Presently he serves as the Chief General Manager with State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur.

iv .P Ramana Murthy will be Executive Director of Central Bank of India. He is GM of Allahabad Bank.

v. Fareed Ahmed Khan, General Manager of Corporation Bank, has been appointed as the ED in Punjab and Sind Bank.

vi. M K Bhattacharya, Chief General Managers of State Bank of Mysore has been appointed as the EDs of Indian Bank

vii. S Harishankar who serves as Chief General Managers of State Bank of Travancore has been appointed EDs of Allahabad Bank.

UDAN scheme to increase number of airports by 50

i. The implementation of the regional air-connectivity scheme, UDAN, will see the number of operational airports in the country shoot up by over 50, while the cost of travelling will come down to as low as ₹2,500 for up to an hour of air journey.

ii. According to Sinha, there are 75 small operational airports in the country, and this number will increase to over 125 with the successful implementation of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) — the new scheme through which the government hopes to make flying viable to Tier II and III cities.

Sumitra Mahajan to inaugurate 2-day South Asian Speaker’s summit at Indore in Madhya Pradesh

i. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will inaugurate the two-day South Asian Speaker’s summit at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.Speakers of six countries will deliberate on ways to achieve sustainable development goals. 

ii. Summit is organized by the Indian Parlianment and Inter-Parliamentary Union which is focused on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in member countries. Representive from Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri lanka are attending the summit. Representatives from Pakistan and Myanmar are not attending the sumit due to their personal reasons. 

Aero India 2017 begins at Yelahanka in Bengaluru

i. 11th biennial edition of the International Aerospace and Defence exhibition Aero India begans at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru. The five-day event was inaugurated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

ii. On the first three days number of MOUs was signed under manufacturing sector. HAL, the premier Aeronautics giant received several crore rupees worth contracts for manufacturing sub-parts of aircrafts. 

iii. Boeing and Rolls Royce have signed MOUs to set up manufacturing base in India and Airbus will set up Centre of Excellence for Aerospace skills development in Hyderabad.

Madhya Pradesh launches 'Mil Banche' programme in all govt schools

i. In Madhya Pradesh 'Mil Banche’ programme was held in all the primary and middle government schools. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his minister colleagues, public representatives and other dignitaries took classes in these schools to motivate children.

ii. After taking class, they urged students to adopt good virtues and set a big target for the life. He also shared his memories and experiences with students.

Government Increases the Cash Credit Limit For MSMEs To 30 %

i. The Union government has increased the Cash Credit (CC) limit for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to 30% of turnover from the existing 20% to encourage them to conduct businesses digitally.

ii. Through digital means of conducting the business, the balance sheet of companies would be clean and this would help MSMEs to get loans from banks and promote Ease of Doing Business.Presently the taxes for MSMes are calculated at 8% for revenue of up to Rs 2 crore. With digital transaction, tax liability will be reduced from 8% to 6%.

Karnataka Bank Launches National Pension System in Mangaluru

i. Mangaluru based private sector lender Karnataka Bank Ltd launched National Pension System (NPS) at its corporate office in Mangaluru. To provide financial security at old age by giving regular income in the form of pension.

ii. Under the scheme, one can contribute to NPS while earning and eventually start receiving pension on his/her attaining the age of 60 years to meet their financial needs.

iii. To avail the benefit, any individual between the ages 18-60 years can register their name with the bank branch to contribute and to get pension benefit.

Canara Bank Inks MoU with HRD Ministry to Start Higher Education Financing Agency

i. Bangalore based Public sector Canara Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry to operationalize the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). 

ii. The establishment of the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) was approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2016.Through this MoU, HRD Ministry and Canara Bank will jointly promote the HEFA with an authorised capital of Rs. 2,000 crore.

Mastercard to Provide Payments Processing Solution for Airtel Payment Bank

i. Leading global payments and technology firm, Mastercard is set to provide payments processing solution to Airtel Payments Bank.

ii. The payment processing platform will enable the Airtel Payment Bank in providing various payment services like switching, card management along with support for reconciliation and dispute management processes

AirAsia signs MoU with Odisha Government for two-ways Direct Flights

i. Malaysia-based low-cost airline AirAsia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Odisha government to start two-way direct international flights from Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur.

ii. The agreement was signed between Nitin Bhanudas Jawale, Director of Tourism  AirAsia signs MoU with Odisha Government for two-ways Direct FlightsDepartment in Odisha and AirAsia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aireen Omar.The airline will begin its flight service from the Biju Patnaik International Airport by end of March 2017.

South Indian Bank bags award for tech security practices

i. South Indian Bank has been awarded with ISO 27001: 2013 certification for its Information Security Management System (ISMS). 

ii. V.G. Mathew, MD and CEO of the bank received the certificate from Venkataram Arabolu, Managing Director, BSI Group India at an official ceremony.

Corporation Bank Bags 2017 National MSME Excellence Award

i. Mangalore based public sector lender Corporation Bank was awarded the 2017 National MSME Excellence Award at a function in New Delhi. 

ii. D V Subramanya Varma, General Manager of Corporation Bank received the award from Union Minister of State for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Haribhai P Choudhary. The award is instituted by the Federation of Industry, Trade and Services (FITS).

ISRO successfully tests its indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage engine for GSLV Mark III rocket

i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully ground tested its indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage engine for GSLV Mark III at its Liquid Propulsion Complex at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

ii. The C25 stage is the most powerful upper stage developed by ISRO and uses Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen propellant combination. The development of C25 cryogenic stage will provide ISRO capability to launch four ton class satellites in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar honoured with 'Legendary Award ' 2017

i. Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar has been honoured with the 'Legendary Award ' 2017 by Brand Laureate. The Brand Laureate Awards recognise world-class achievement in branding amongst individuals and companies. 

ii. Lata expressed her heartfelt thanks to the Brand Laureate on twitter for honouring her. In 2012, actor Shah Rukh Khan was honoured with the Brand Laureate Legendary Award for his unmatched contribution to Indian Cinema.

President Mukherjee greets on eve of Independence Day of Gambia

i. President Dr. Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia on the occasion of their Independence Day (18 February 2017). 

ii. On the 18th February of each year which marks the day when Gambia gained full independence from colonial Britain in 1965. It is normally celebrated in Banjul at McCarthy Square with a march pass by school children, civil servants, the army, teachers and others in front of the President and other dignitaries.

Veteran Hindi Scholar and Novelist Surendra Verma Selected for 2016 Vyas Samman

i. Renowned Hindi litterateur and playwright Surendra Verma has been selected for 2016 Vyas Samman for his novel Kaatna Shami Ka Vriksha Padma Pankhuri Ki Dhar Se. 

ii. This novel was published in the year 2010. Mr Verma would be presented a cash prize of Rs. 3.50 lakh a citation and a logo for the prestigious award instituted by K K Birla Foundation.

NRAI gets highest WHO ratings for vaccine regulations

i. National Regulatory Authority of India (NRAI) has been given the maximum ratings by the World Health Organisation for vaccine regulations.

ii.  An official statement stated that in New Delhi  WHO completed the assessment of the status of the Indian vaccine regulatory system against WHO NRA Global Benchmarking Tool and measured the maturity of the system in India. India is one of the main players in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide. 

iii. India, as a large vaccine producing country, is currently supplying several vaccines to the UN agencies (UNICEF, WHO and PAHO)

Aero India copy 5HAL signs MoU with CPWD to build helicopter facility at Tumakuru,Karnataka

i. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for execution of infrastructure development works at HAL’s new Greenfield helicopter facility at Tumakuru. 

ii. The MoU was signed at Aero India 2017 

Muthoot Exim, Divine Solitaires tie up

i. Muthoot Exim has tied with Divine Solitaires Pratham to retail Swarnavarsham diamond jewellery. To start with, the company will offer 18-karat gold rings studded with 0.14 cents diamond of EF colour and VVS clarity.

 ii. The ring is being offered in three sizes of 12mm, 14mm and 16mm with weight of gold as 2gm, 2.2gm and 2.4gm. One year free insurance is also offered on diamonds.

Raytheon signs MoU with TASL for co-production of Stinger missile components

i. Raytheon Company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) to engage in the co-production of Stinger air defence missile components.

ii. Agreement with Tata Advanced Systems deepens  industrial partnership in India with a global technology leader and will expand the range of options and capabilities for US and coalition forces to achieve their missions

Maini Precision ties up with Marshall Aerospace for aircraft machined parts

i. Maini Precision Products (MPP) and Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, Cambridge, UK, have entered into a multimillion dollar contract for structural machined parts and sub-assemblies for a major aircraft programme.

ii. With this contract, MPP is now positioned as the single source from India to support Marshall for their manufacturing requirements for the duration of this program.

NALCO signs MoU with TERI for sustainable rehabilitation

i. Odisha based National Aluminium Company Limited(NALCO) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi.

ii. Objective of the agreement is to Scientific, technological and educational activities in the area of mining rehabilitation.The agreement will further strengthen initiatives being undertaken under Sustainable Development Framework (SDF).

JLL Named to FORTUNE’s 2017 World’s Most Admired Companies List

i. Leading professional services firm JLL has once again been named to FORTUNE magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list of 2017 based on their reputation for innovation, top talent and global competitiveness.

ii. JLL is an American professional services and investment management company specializing in real estate and investment management and helps real estate owners, occupiers and investors achieve their business ambitions.

Havells India to buy Lloyd Electric’s consumer business for Rs 1500 crore

i. An electrical equipment company, Havells India has announced to acquire Lloyd Electric & Engineering for its consumer durables business for around Rs 1200 -1500 crore.

ii. Lloyd’s other business divisions includes heat exchangers, original equipment manufacturing and packaged AC business.

Former MP Jambuvantrao Dhote passes away

i. Former MP Jambuvantrao Dhote died this morning in Yavatmal of Maharashtra due to heart attack. The 83 year old leader was known for his demands of a separate state for Vidarbha. 

ii. Mr Dhote won his first election to Lok Sabha in 1971 from Nagpur as a Forward Bloc nominee. Later in 1980, he joined Congress and won the Nagpur seat on the Congress ticket. 

PV Sindhu Attains Career-Best Rank at No. 5 in BWF Rankings, Saina Placed at No. 9

i. Indian ace shuttler PV Sindhu achieved her career best Badminton World Federation (BWF) women’s single ranking by being placed at 5th spot Previously the top seeded player was placed at sixth position. 

ii. The only second Indian to be placed among the top 10 spots is Saina Nehwal who has  PV Sindhubeen placed at No. 9. 

iii. The BWF women’s single ranking has been topped by Tai Tzu Ying of the Chinese Taipei.

Daily GK Update 17th February, 2017

Daily GK Update 17th February, 2017

Cabinet Approvals on 17 February 2017

i. The Union Government chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved setting up of Food Legumes Research Platform (FLRP) at Amlaha, Sehore in Madhya Pradesh for meeting the emerging food security challenges.

ii. The Cabinet approved the signing of Air Services Agreement between India and Rwanda which will enable the airlines of the two countries to operate services in each others’ territory.

iii. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval to award contract in 31 contract areas under Discovered Small Fields Policy 2016 undertaken last year

iv. The Union Cabinet approved the merger of the State Bank of India with its 5 subsidiary banks namely State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur; State Bank of Hyderabad; State Bank of Mysore; State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore.

India Ranked 143 in the 2017 Index of Economic Freedom Index

 i. India has been ranked 143 out of 186 economies in the annual Index of Economic Freedom 2017 released by top US based Think Tank, The Heritage Foundation.The Index measures the degree of economic freedom in the countries of the world.

ii. Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand are the top three nations in the Index respectively.

iii. India has been placed in the category of “Mostly Unfree” Economies in which the points ranges from 50.0-59.9.

Science Express Climate Action Special to be flagged off 

i. Science Express Climate Action Special (SECAS II) will be flagged off today (17 February, 2017) from Safdarjung Railway station in Delhi. The train will be open for public viewing at Delhi Cantonment Railway Station tomorrow (18 February 2017) and the day after (19 February 2017). The train will later embark upon its journey across the country.

ii. The SECAS II will run till 8th September and culminate its journey at Gandhinagar.During its journey, the Science Express will cover over 19,000 kilometres, and will be exhibited at 68 stations across 20 states. 

iii. SECAS will roll into Tripura for the first time. Science Express, redesigned as SECAS, intends to contribute towards increasing understanding of the science of climate change, the observed and anticipated impacts, and different possible responses. 

iv. The exhibition will convey a message about Climate Change and will also be a good opportunity to generate a dialogue and discussion. It aims to create awareness among various sections of society, as to how climate change can be combated through mitigation and adaptation.

Axiscades partners Slovakian firm

i. Axiscades, a aerospace and defence technologies company and Virtual Reality Media a Slovakian firm have signed an industrial cooperation agreement (ICA) at the Aero India 2017. 

ii. Sudhakar Gande, Vice-Chairman of Axiscades, stated in a statement that Under the ICA, both companies will evaluate opportunities for full flight simulator for the aerospace and defence sector and to address therequirements for Russian platforms such as the Dornier 228 aircraft and other platforms.

Vetiver Network launched

i. India Vetiver Network (INVN) has been launched at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. INVN is a not-for-profit scientific network to promote vetiver in India. 

ii. Vetiver has worldwide application to tackle many environmental issues like soil erosion, mitigation of soil and water pollution.

 iii. The mission of INVN is environmental protection using vetiver. Promotion of research in vetiver identification of varieties, improved production technologies and distillation techniques.

BEL launches communication radio

i. PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has unveiled a new communication radio for the Indian armed forces, called STARS-V Mk III, at the Aero India 2017 show. 

ii. MV Gowtama, CMD of BEL stated that The radio is completely designed, developed and made in BEL. It is a multi brand, high data rate, software intensive IP radio with mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) functions supporting up to 64 notes, stated the firm in a statement.

Shah Rukh Khan to host Hindi version of Ted Talks

i. Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan will soon host the Hindi version of popular international show TED Talks. Star India will air the Indian version TED Talks India Nayi Soch, a global first Hindi TV talk show created in partnership with TED, the non-profit devoted to ideas worth spreading .

ii. This is the first time TED is collaborating with a network and mega-star to produce a TV series featuring original TED Talks in a language other than English.Uday Shankar, Chairman & CEO, Star India, stated that, In an age of high volatility, the role of ideas to fuel positive change cannot be overstated. We are delighted to have Shah Rukh Khan share our vision and lend his charisma to this exciting endeavour.

Vikas Swarup appointed High Commisioner to Canada

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup has been appointed the new High Commissioner to Canada.Mr. Swarup, a well-known author became the MEA spokesperson in April 2015. He is expected to join his new post in Ottawa by mid-March, 2017.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Inaugurates Campaign against Drug Addiction

i. The Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat inaugurated a Campaign against Drug Addiction organized by Shimla Press Club in Shimla.

ii. The campaign aims to make the state drug free.The Governor has announced to grant Rs 1 lakh to the Press Club Shimla for organising the campaign against drugs.Through the campaign, the state will make effort to eradicate drugs that not only affect the physical and mental health of the addict but also lead them towards increase in crime.

Kerala cabinet Gives In-Principle Approval for Greenfield Airport at Sabarimala

i. The Kerala cabinet gave its in-principle approval for setting up a Greenfield Airport at pilgrim centre Sabarimala located at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Kerala.

ii. The state government has also directed Kerala State Industrial Development Corp (KSIDC) to conduct a study on the proposed airport. 

Five new Supreme Court judges take oath, apex court now has 28 justices

i. Five Supreme Court judges took oath of office with the swearing in of Justice Sanjay K Kaul, Justice Mohan Shantanagoudar, Justice S A Nazeer, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice Deepak Gupta, the total strength of the Supreme Court now stands at 28, three short of its sanctioned strength of 31.

ii. Justice Kaul was the Chief Justice of Madras High Court, Justice Sinha was the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, Justice Shantanagouder was the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court, Justice Gupta was the Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court and Justice Nazeer was a judge in the Karnataka High Court.

Shri Radha Mohan Singh Inaugurated 2017 Indian Seed Congress in Kolkata

i. The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh inaugurated the Indian Seed Congress 2017 in Kolkata.The theme of Seed Congress is “Seed of Joy”.2017 Indian Seed Congress in Kolkataiii. 

ii. The theme is in line with vision of PM Modi government to bring happiness and prosperity in the lives of farmers by doubling their farm income by 2022.

Sunil Mehta appointed non-executive Chairman of PNB

i. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has a new non-executive Chairman in Sunil Mehta.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) for the appointment of Mehta as non-executive Chairman of PNB.

ii. He has been appointed for a period of three years. The only condition is that he would be required to resign from the board of State Bank of India before joining the board of Punjab National Bank.

Neelam Damodaran is Bank of India new ED

i. The Government has appointed Neelam Damodaran as Executive Director of Bank of India. His tenor is up to November 30, 2019.Prior to his elevation as ED, Damodaran was General Manager with Bank of Baroda. 

ii. He took charge on February 16,2017 .With this appointment, Bank of India now has two EDs. R A Sankara Narayanan has been ED of the bank since May 15, 2015.

UNICEF Makes $110 Million Appeal for Sudan Children 

i. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a $110 million appeal to help two million acutely malnourished children across Sudan including hundreds of thousands living in conflict areas. 

ii. Sudan is home to around 13 percent of all children suffering from acute malnutrition across Africa. Two million children under five in Sudan are acutely malnourished.

RBI will Reimburse Banks MDR Charges Effective January 1, 2017

i. The Reserve Bank will start reimbursing MDR charges to banks for payments made since January 1 through debit cards by citizens, in line with the government's move to further digital solutions.

ii. In December 2016, the government had decided to absorb the merchant discount rate (MDR) charges in respect of debit card transactions for making payments to it. The move was aimed to encourage people to use digital payments post demonetisation.

Citi Bank launches instant chat service for customers

i. Mumbai based Citi Bank has launched instant chat services for customers named Citibank Online (CBOL) on February 16, 2017. With this India become the first country in Asia Pacific within the Citi network to have this kind of service.

ii. CBOL will focuses on resolving queries instantly regarding cards,loans, domestic and non-resident accounts, and online transactions Citi Bank.It will features a regular chat facility for generic query resolutions. It  does not require additional verification for the customer once logged in and authenticated.

RBI Doubles Gold Loan Limit for Regional Rural Banks to Rs. 2 lakhs 

i. The Reserve Bank of India increased the gold loan limit for RRBs (Regional Rural Banks) to Rs 2 lakh from the current Rs 1 lakh to help the farmers and artisans have access to credit who are willing to pledge gold as collateral.The limit has been doubled for the loans not exceeding 12 months from the date of sanction.

ii. Besides, the facility will be available with bullet repayment scheme. Under the scheme, while interest will be charged on a monthly basis on the total outstanding, it will become due for payment along with principal only at the end of 12 months from the date of sanction.However, RBI has also directed that the gold loans should not exceed 75% of the value of the gold pledged for taking the loan.

Tata Motors Signs Strategic Technological Agreement with Microsoft

i. Tata Motors Ltd and Microsoft India entered into strategic agreement to collaborate on the technology front for making driving a more personalized experiences for the customers. As per the agreement, Microsoft will make use of its IoT (internet of things), AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning technologies to develop a highly personalized, smart vehicle for the customers.

 ii. The first vehicle showcasing such technological advancements will be unveiled at the Geneva International Motor show on March 7, 2017. The tie-up will act as a new revenue opportunity for the company as car buyers increasingly look for value-added services.

NASA Scientists Record January 2017 as Third Warmest January in 137 years

i. According to the Monthly Analysis of Global Temperatures report published by the NASA scientists at Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), New York, January 2017 has been recorded as the third warmest January in 137 years of modern record-keeping.

ii. As per the report, January 2016 was the hottest month with a temperature of 1.12 degree Celsius warmer than the mean January temperature from 1951-1980.This was followed by January 2007 at 0.96 degree Celsius and finally January 2017 with a temperature of 0.92 degree Celsius warmer than mean January temperature.

Indian-origin Shand Panesar Wins UK’s Bravery Award

An Indian-origin Scotland Yard officer Shand Panesar along with his colleague Craig Nicholson was honored with the 2017 Outstanding Bravery of the Year Award in central London during a special award ceremony of the Total Excellence in Policing Awards.

AIIMS, New Delhi Wins First Prize for Sanitation & Hygiene under Kayakalp Awards

i. India’s premier health institute the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi was awarded the first prize of the Government’s Kayakalp Award under the Central Government Hospitals category in New Delhi for maintaining high standards of sanitation and hygiene.

ii. The award was presented by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda and the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi received a cash prize of Rs. 5 crore.

FIBA Appoints Norman Isaac as its First Indian Technical Delegate

i. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has promoted Norman Isaac as the Technical Delegate (TD) of the sport’s worldwide governing body. He has become the first Indian to be ever appointed to the post. 

ii. In 2006, FIBA appointed him as the FIBA Commissioner at Muscat, Oman.

Daily GK Update 16th February , 2017

Daily GK Update 16th February , 2017

Cabinet approves merger of five subsidiary banks with SBI

i. Cabinet has approved merger of five subsidiary banks with State Bank of India. Briefing reporters in New Delhi , Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has stated that, the merger is likely to result in recurring saving, which is estimated at more than one thousand crore rupees in first year. 

ii. He said, SBI will acquire State bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore. Mr Jaitley also said, existing customers of these subsidiary banks will benefit from access to SBI's global network. He said, the move is excepted to strengthen banking sector and improve its efficiency and profitability.

Tamil Nadu Governor appoints Edappadi K Palaniswami as chief minister

i. Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao appointed Edappadi K Palaniswami as chief minister after replacing of o panneerselvam .

ii. The governor requested the chief minister designate to seek the vote confidence of the assembly within 15 days.His appointment is in acceptance of the letter of submitted by Palaniswami that he was elected as the leader of the AIADMK  legislature party at a meeting of the party MLAs held.

2-day Global Investor Summit 'Momentum Jharkhand' begins in Ranchi

i. A two-day mega event of Global Investor Summit, branded as "Momentum Jharkhand" is kicked off at Khelgaon of Ranchi. 

ii. More than one thousands delegates, including many leading industrialists, both Indian and from other countries, will take part in this. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Submit through viedo-conferencing. A number of Central Ministers will also be present at the occasion.

India, Croatia signs agreement to boost bilateral trade & enhance economic cooperation

i. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Martina Dalic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy,Republic of Croatia have signed an agreement to boost bilateral trade and enhance economic cooperation in Zagreb, Croati. 

ii. To promote and develop bilateral trade and economic relations. This Agreement would be a step in continuity of the previous agreemebt which expired in November, 2009. India’s bilateral trade with Croatia during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 stood at USD 148.86 million, USD 205.04 million and USD 148.44 million respectively.

Kerala: A group launches helpline number for waste management

i. In Kerala, Thanal, a city-based group in Thiruvananthapuram has launched a helpline for providing technical support in treating organic waste and managing non-biodegradable solid wastes.

ii. The helpline 94001 47150 will provide information and guidance for composting kitchen waste, terrace farming, organic farming, and pest/fungi control by organic means.Free demonstration and technical guidance on treating organic waste will be provided. In the case of organic farming, technical demonstration will be organised for groups.

5-day Indian Panaroma Film Festival organised in Port Blair

i. The five-day ‘Indian Panorama Film Festival’ being organised by the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, in association with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Directorate of Film Festivals/IFFI, New Delhi, Govt. of India got underway in Port Blair.

 ii. The Directorate of Film Festivals in India is an organisation that initiates and presents the International Film Festival of India, the National Film Awards and the Indian Panorama.

AP signs MoUs for 12 textile units

i. During the recent CII partnership summit in AP 12 MoUs were signed by the State Government with different companies for setting up 12 apparel units in the State entailing investment of Rs. 963 crores in all and generating 46,000 jobs. These 12 projects will come up in the next one to one-and-a-half years.

ii.  Four of the units will come up in the Brandix apparel park , including two by Chinese companies, five units in Anantapur district and the remaining in Chittoor district.  The Andhra Pradesh Government is encouraging the textile sector in a big way and entrepreneurs should make use of the benefits being offered by the State as well as the special package given by the Union Government in the Budget to set up more units, according to K. Srikanth Prabhakar, the Joint Director in the office of the Commissioner of Handlooms and Textiles, AP Government.

J&K govt launches e-Prison project

i. The Jammu and Kashmir government launched the e-Prison project to enumerate jail inmates in the State, where numbers of detainees keep swelling during unrest.State Minister for Information Technology Molvi Imran Raza Ansari, who inaugurated the project in Jammu stated that The information about jail inmates is currently being maintained manually. 

ii. To avoid delays in processing the information and manage all the jails efficiently, the automation of prison department has been started.The government has already digitised records of 500 inmates. The project will digitise 25 district jails, two Central jails and one sub-jail in the State. The second phase of the project will focus on videoconferencing between jails and prison headquarters, e-court, tele-medication in jails.

Mamata Banerjee declares Kalimpong as separate district

i. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee declared Kalimpong as 21st district of West Bengal  Kalimpong as separate district of West Bengal .

ii. The new district is from Darjeeling. On the same day Banerjee announced two projects for the development of newly created Kalimpong Rs 220 crore road link project to connect Kalimpong with Sikkim via the old Silk Route.Rs 50 crore water supply project to address Kalimpong’s water scarcity problem.

Madhya Pradesh government to set up Tourism Board

i. The state government of MP decided to set up a tourism board. The decision was reached at a meeting of the tourism cabinet in Pachmarhi.The chief minister Shivraj singh chauhan will be the chairman of the board. 

ii. According to the state government, the decision to constitute the Tourism Board has been taken to encourage and promote Madhya Pradesh tourism nationally and internationally. 

iii. The main work of the board would be implementation of the state's tourism policy, attract private sector participation, facilitate investors and extend benefits to them as is permissible under the tourism policy. The Board would also have to formulate new policies, monitor new tourism projects, select and increase land banks and organise fairs, food festivals, cultural programmes, cottage industry carnivals.

India Joins UN Network to Prevent Maternal, Newborn and Child Deaths by 2030.

i. India has become one of the nine members of the new ‘Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ that aims to improve the quality of care for new mothers and babies.

ii. The global health network is supported by World Health Organisation (WHO), UN International Children’s Fund (Unicef) and other partners.Besides India the other member nations of the network includes, Bangladesh, A Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. 

iii.The main aim of the network is to strengthen national efforts to improve the quality of care for new mothers and babies so that countries can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals targets to end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths by 2030.

2017 Cobra Gold Exercise Begins in Thailand

i. The 2017 Cobra Gold Military Exercise kicked off at the Sattahip Royal Thai Marine Corps Base in Chonburi Province, Thailand .Cobra Gold 2017 is the 36th edition of the multinational drill and is co-organized by  Cobra GoldUnited States and Thailand. It will expand regional cooperation and collaboration for disaster relief.

ii. The ten day exercise would continue till February 24, 2017 and the closing ceremony of the event will take place in Phu Lamyai Training area in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. As many as 30 nations are participating in the drill including China, India, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia, who are either involved in or are observing the exercises.

Suguna Foods, Tata DoCoMo tie up

i. Suguna Foods has, with deployment of Tata DoCoMo data connectivity solutions managed to achieve operational efficiency across its offices in rural areas. The company, according to a release faced typical connectivity challenge as its offices are located in remote areas. 

ii. Tata DoCoMo provided domestic Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) to Suguna Foods in Coimbatore and 42 sites with traditional MPLS and 7 sites of Xpress Virtual Private Network (VPN).

SoftBank to buy Fortress Investment for $3.3 billion

i. Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp has agreed to buy Fortress Investment Group LLC for about $3.3 billion, looking to add investment expertise as it prepares to launch the world’s largest private equity fund.

ii. The all-cash deal is SoftBank’s first major investment in an asset manager and represents yet another unpredictable gambit for a group that has to date focussed on telecoms and technology.

IMF Launches South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Center in New Delhi

i. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) launched its first fully integrated capacity development centre, South Asia Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) in New Delhi.The SARTTAC was inaugurated by Shaktikanta Das, Secretary of India’s Ministry of  IMF's SARTTAC Finance.

ii. SARTTAC will help to assist the local member countries of South Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.It has been financed jointly by the IMF, the member countries, and development partners (Australia, South Korea the EU and the UK).The main objective of SARTTAC is to help its member countries strengthen their institutional and human capacity to design and implement macroeconomic and financial policies that promote growth and reduce poverty.

HDFC Life Launches ‘Pragati’ Plan For Low Income Group

i. Life insurance firm, HDFC life launched a traditional life insurance plan 'Pragati' for low income group people.The plan has been designed especially to empower low income families by making the plan available at affordable rate to every person who has the desire to secure his family.

ii. Pragati will offer dual benefit. Firstly a systematic savings with guaranteed premium returns and secondly a wholesome life protection making it an ideal financial product for every Indian household.

Airbus signs MoU for setting up centre of excellence in Hyderabad

i. The multinational Airbus Group division Airbus joined hand with Telangana government, National Skill Development Corporation  Airbus signs MoU for setting up centre of excellence in Hyderabad. 

ii. India and AEROCAMPUS France for establishing a Centre of Excellence at at Begumpet Airport for aerospace skill development in Hyderabad.To enhance the employability of young aspirants by imparting the required skills to them.

First Ever Indian Genomics Beacon Launched in UK

i. The Global Gene Corp and Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) launched an Indian Beacon for Indian genomics data to enable the scientists in developing more effective drug delivery systems.

ii. It was launched by the Indian deputy high commissioner to the UK, Dinesh Patnaik at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire. A beacon is an online web service that allows researchers to determine whether an institution has particular genomic data in its data set. Genomics is the science that will define healthcare in our lifetime.

Usain Bolt honored with ‘Sportsman of the Year’

i. Usain Bolt honored with ‘Sportsman of the Year ’Jamaica’s sprinter Usain Bolt won the ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award at the Laureus World Awards or the ‘Oscar of Sports’ held in Monaco .  

ii. Usain Bolt received his award from legendary Michael Johnson. This is the fourth time that the world’s greatest sprinter has won the honor. Earlier in 2009, 2010 and 2013 too he won the award.

Sandeep Singh Indian International Hockey Player Receives Honorary Doctorate

i. Indian professional hockey player Sandeep Singh has been honored with an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Desh Bhagat University, a private educational institution in Amloh, Fatehgarh Sahib District of Punjab.

ii. He is the second Indian hockey player to receive this award. The only first player was Dileep Tirkey, former captain and sitting Member of Parliament, to receive an honorary degree for sporting excellence from Sambalpur University in 2010.

Pakistani Batsman Jamshed Suspended from all forms of Cricket

i. The Left-handed opening batsman of Pakistan Nasir Jamshed on February 13 has been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for violating its anti-corruption code.

ii. PCB is investigating into the corruption scandal that hit the Pakistan Super League.