Daily GK Update 10th October 2017

1. World Mental Health Day: 10 October

i. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

ii. 'Mental health in the workplace' is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017.

2. Facts about the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Campaign ICAN

i. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons".

ii. Here are some Quick facts About the Campaign- The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a coalition of non-governmental organizations in one hundred countries promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty.

iii. This landmark global agreement was adopted in New York on 7 July 2017. ICAN began in Australia and was officially launched in Vienna, Austria in 2007. ICAN’s headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. Beatrice Fihn is the Executive Director of ICAN.

3. Vice President Inaugurated 3rd International Conference on Yoga

i. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the third International Conference on Yoga in New Delhi. The theme of this year’s conference will be ‘Yoga for Wellness.’

ii. The two-day conference has six technical sessions and experts will deliberate on the scope of yoga in integrated medicine, and control of cancer, depression and gynaecological disorders and pain management.

Static Takeaways for IBPS PO Exam-

• The Ministry of AYUSH was formed on 9th November 2014.
• Earlier it was known as the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) which was created in March 1995.
• Shripad Yasso Naik is the Minister of  Ministry of AYUSH.

4. Uttarakhand Government Launched 'Solar Briefcase' to Provide Electricity in Remote Areas

i. Uttarakhand State Government and a charitable funding agency named Swan Cultural Center and Foundation launched ‘Solar Briefcase’ in Kedarnath Dham.

ii. The initiative was taken to provide electricity to far-flung areas in the hill state.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Trivendra Singh Rawat is the present CM of Uttarakhand.
• Krishna Kant Paul is the present Governor of Uttarakhand.

5. Reliance Commercial Finance Inks Agreement with IREDA for Rs 300 cr Loan

i. Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd has signed an agreement with Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) for Rs.300 crore loan, in Mumbai.

ii. RCFL finances wind and solar energy projects besides providing assistance for developing infrastructure and projects in renewable energy space backed by the government.

Important Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Devang Mody is the Executive Director and CEO of Reliance Commercial Finance. 
• KS Popli is the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of IREDA.

6. Union Home Minister Inaugurated First BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise

i. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the four-day First ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017’ (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017) in New Delhi. The Exercise will be conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as the lead agency in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR).

ii. The BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 is being conducted in two phases in Delhi and NCR. The main exercise will comprise of Table Top Exercise (TTX), Field Training Exercise (FTX) and After Action Review (AAR). The main focus of the BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 will be on testing the region’s preparedness and resilience towards effective activation of inter-Governmental interaction for immediate deployment of regional resources for disaster response.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• BIMSTEC stands for ‘Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’, includes namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• At the 17th BIMSTEC Senior Officials Meeting held in Kathmandu, Nepal in February 2017, it was decided that India would organize the first annual Disaster Management Exercise for the region.

7. GCMMF Awarded Best FMCG in Food Sector by IAA

i. The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which manages brand AMUL, has been awarded as the best FMCG in the food sector at the 5th International Advertising Associations (IAA) Leadership Awards in Mumbai
ii. Amul is India's largest food brand with the annual brand turnover of Rs 38,000 crore. It is a cooperative milk federation of 3.6 million milk producers of Gujarat.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Headquarters of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is in Anand, Gujarat.
• Jethabhai P Patel is the chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).

8. India Slips to 8th Rank in Valuable Nation Brand List

i. India is ranked the eighth most valuable nation brand while the United States retained its top position and China took the second spot in the league of nations according to Brand Finance’s Nation Brands 2017.

ii. India went down one spot over the previous year because the economy grew at its slowest pace. India switched places with Canada and its brand value dropped by one percentage point while that of Canada’s rose 14 percent. China, the fastest growing nation brand in 2017, saw valuation grow 44 percent.

The Top 10 Valuable Nation brands are:

1. United States 
2. China 
3. Germany 
4. Japan 
5. United Kingdom 
6. France 
7. Canada 
8. India 
9. Italy 
10. South Korea.

9. World Bank Reduces India GDP Growth Forecast to 7% for 2017-18

i. In the June quarter of 2017-18, the Indian economy decelerated to 5.7%, lowest since the economy grew at 5.3% in the March quarter of 2013-14. In its South Asia Economic Focus (Fall 2017), the World Bank reduced India’s GDP growth forecast to 7% for 2017-18 from 7.2% estimated earlier.
ii. Both the Asian Development Bank as well as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have also cut their growth projections for India to 7% and 6.7%, respectively, for fiscal 2017-18.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Jim Yong Kim is the President of World Bank.
• The World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States.

10. IIT Kharagpur Signs MoU with Samsung for Digital Academy

i. IIT-Kharagpur has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Samsung India for the setting up of a digital academy on the institute’s campus.

ii. The Department of Computer Science and Engineering in the institute will host the Samsung Innovation Lab and train students on the Internet of Things (IoT) through Tizen-based operating systems, commonly used by the company for its mobile phones and home appliances.

Important Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Samsung is an electronics company based in South Korea.
• Dr Oh-Hyun Kwon is the Vice Chairman & CEO of Samsung Electronics.

11. Facebook India MD Umang Bedi Resigns

i. In just over a year of joining Facebook as India MD, Umang Bedi has resigned from his position at the social networking giant. Sandeep Bhushan has been appointed as the interim Managing Director.

ii. Facebook had roped in Umang Bedi as its Managing Director, India from Adobe. He had taken over from Kirthiga Reddy. Prior to joining Facebook, Umang served as Managing Director of the South Asia region at Adobe.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is the founder and Chairman of Facebook.

12. PepsiCo India Chairman and CEO D Shivakumar Resigns

i. PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd’s Chairman and Chief Executive officer D. Shivakumar has resigned. He will be joining Aditya Birla Group as president (corporate strategy and business development).
ii. Ahmed El Sheikh, currently senior vice-president and general manager for PepsiCo Egypt and Jordan, will succeed Shivakumar as PepsiCo India CEO.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• PepsiCo entered India in 1989.
• PepsiCo headquarters in New York, United States.

Daily GK Update 09th October 2017

1. Complete list of Nobel Prize Winners 2017

i. The 2017 Nobel Prize were announced recently in 6 different fields viz. Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Economic Sciences.

ii. Brief History of the Nobel Prize- On 27 November 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament, giving the largest share of his fortune to a series of prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace - the Nobel Prizes.

Find Complete List Here

2. 2017 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences Announced

i. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2017 was awarded to Richard H. Thaler "for his contributions to behavioural economics".

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden's central bank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize.
• Amartya Sen (India) and John F. Nash Jr. (America) are the most famous recipients of Nobel Prize in Economics.

3. India's First Portal Dedicated to Para-Sports Launched

i. In a bid to create awareness about para-sports and provide a platform to para sportspersons to narrate their stories of triumph and adversity, "thenationspride.com", the country's first portal dedicated to para-sports was launched.

ii. thenationspride.com is a non-profit initiative, helmed by 17-year-old Mumbai student and sports enthusiast, Saachi Munot.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is the present minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.

4. Prime Minister Launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush

i. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) at Vadnagar in Gujarat.

ii. Through this program, Government of India aims to reach each and every child under two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation program. IMI is supported by 11 other ministries and departments.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Shri J P Nadda is the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.

5. Rajesh Nath Gets Germany's Highest Civilian Honour

i. Rajesh Nath, Managing Director of VDMA India, has been conferred the ‘Cross of the Order of Merit’, the highest civilian honour awarded to individuals for their services to Germany.
ii. The award, also known as Bundesverdienstkreuz or Federal Cross of Merit was instituted in 1951 and is Germany’s only honour that is awarded to both Germans and foreigners for achievements in the economic, social, political or intellectual realms.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The President of Germany is Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
• Berlin is the capital of Germany.

6. PNB MetLife Appoints Ashish Srivastava as MD & CEO

i. PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd (PNB MetLife), a life insurer, has appointed Ashish Srivastava as a new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the company.

ii. Prior to this elevation, Srivastava was an interim CEO at PNB MetLife. Srivastava joined PNB MetLife in 2013 as the Head of HR for the India business.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Chris Townsend is the Chairman of the Board of PNB MetLife

7. Aadhaar Made Mandatory For Small Saving Schemes as Post Office Deposits, PPF, KVP

i. The government has made biometric identification Aadhaar mandatory for all post office deposits, PPF, the National Savings Certificate scheme and Kisan Vikas Patra. 

ii. According to the provision, which is already in effect, all depositors have been given time till December 31, 2017, to provide the 12-digit unique identification number and link it with their accounts.

Important Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Unique Identification Authority of India has its Headquarters (HQ) in New Delhi.
• The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UIDAI is Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey.

8. International Conference on Dialogue of Civilizations – IV

i. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ministry of Culture is hosting an international conference on “Dialogue of Civilizations – IV” from 8th to 15th October 2017 at Delhi, Gandhinagar and Dholavira.  This conference is fourth in this series of ‘dialogues’ initiated by National Geographic Society in 2013.

ii. The objective of the conference is to encourage scholarly and public discourse about the five ancient, literate civilizations of the world, i.e. Egypt, Mesopotamia, South Asia, China and Mesoamerica.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The first conference of this series was inaugurated in Guatemala in 2013 followed by Turkey in 2014 and China in 2015. 
• Prof. B.B. Lal is a Padma Bhushan awardee on ‘Harappan Civilization’, which introduced the earliest civilization of South Asia to the scholars working on other ancient civilizations.

9. GoM Set Up to Review Composition Scheme

i. A group of ministers (GoM) has been set up under Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to make the composition scheme more attractive and also revisit GST rates on restaurants. The GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had constituted the GoM.

ii. With only 15.50 lakh businesses out of the total 98 lakh registered under the goods and services tax (GST) regime opting for the composition scheme, the GST Council has decided to set up the GoM to examine measures to make it more attractive.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Jagdish Mukhi is the Present Governor of Assam.

10. Anupama Clinches World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship Title

i. India’s Anupama Ramachandran has clinched the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship title at St. Petersburg in Russia.

ii. In the girl's category, second seed Anupama Ramachandran of India knocked out her compatriot and top seed Keerthana Pandian 3-1 to become World Open Under-16 champion.

11. Rafael Nadal Wins China Open Title

i. World number one Rafael Nadal (Spain) won his sixth title of this year. He defeated Nick Kyrgios  (Australia) at the China Open 2017.

ii. Nadal, a 16-time Grand Slam winner, came to the Chinese capital Beijing on the back of winning his third US Open.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• In US Open 2017 Rafael Nadal defeated Kevin Anderson (South Africa) in Men's Singles.

Daily GK Update 08th October 2017

1. 08th October 2017: Indian Air Force Celebrates the 85th Anniversary

 

i. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is celebrating its 85th anniversary on 08th October 2017. The celebrations would be marked by a stellar show in the skies by various aircraft at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad. President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the Indian Air Force on its 85th Anniversary.

ii. Defence Ministry stated that the air display has commenced with flag bearing skydivers of famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies.

Must Do Takeaways from the Above News: 

• The Indian Air Force was officially established on 08th October 1932. Its first ac flight came into being on 01st April 1933. 
• Birender Singh Dhanoa is present Air Chief Marshal of Indian Air Force. He assumed the post after Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha retired.

2. India's Coffee Output Pegged at Record 3.5 lakh Tons in 2017-18

i. Coffee output in India is pegged to be a record 3.50 lakh tonnes in the 2017-18 marketing year started this month on higher acreage. According to the Coffee Board, the final output stood lower by 10.34 percent at 3.12 lakh tonnes in 2016-17 marketing year from 3.48 lakh tonnes in the previous year. 

ii. Coffee Board stated that the crop's forecast for 2017-18 is placed at 3.50 lakh tonnes, comprising 1.03 lakh tonnes of Arabica and 2.47 lakh tonnes of Robusta varieties. Higher output is mainly attributed to the additional bearing area of about 13,500 hectares in traditional growing areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. 

Must Do Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Karnataka is the largest producer of coffee in India.
• Coffee output in Karnataka is pegged at 2.51 lakh tonnes in 2017-18 as against 2.21 lakh tonnes last year. 
• The government of India established the ‘Coffee Board’ through a constitutional act “Coffee Act VII of 1942” under the administrative control of Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

3. PM Modi lays Foundation Stone for Bhadbhut Barrage over Narmada River

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone for Bhadbhut Barrage to be built over Narmada River in Bharuch Gujarat. Mr Modi also flagged off the Antyodaya Express between Udhna in Surat and Jaynagar in Bihar. 

ii. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister has inaugurated a new 500-crore rupees civil hospital and a medical college in Vadnagar, Gujarat. The Prime Minister, in his hometown (Vadnagar), also launched the intensified mission Indradhanush to accelerate progress towards the goal of full immunization coverage. 

Must Do Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Om Prakash Kohli is present Governor of Gujarat and a former member of Rajya Sabha.
• Vijay Ramniklal Rupani is the incumbent Chief Minister of Gujarat. 
• The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and wildlife sanctuary near Talala Gir in Gujarat.

4. President launches Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project Jeevamritham in Kerala

i. President Ram Nath Kovind has launched 100 crore rupees Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project "Jeevamritham "to provide the filtration system for cleaning drinking water to 5000 villages across India, in Kollam district in Kerala.

ii. The President also distributed the certificates to three villages out of 12 villages in the States of Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Kerala, which were adopted by the Math, verified as Open Defecation Free by Swatch Bharat Abhiyan.

5. RBI to soon Launch Financial Literacy Drive in 9 States

i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is to launch a financial literacy drive in 80 blocks in nine states on the pilot basis to educate people on e-transactions, formal sector borrowings and insurance purchases. The pilot project, according to RBI will be commissioned in the 9 states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh by the 6 NGOs in collaboration with the sponsor Banks.

ii. The aim of this drive is to inculcate the habit of making a household budget and recording financial transactions, encourage transactions in savings accounts, and active saving by depositing in banks through fixed deposits and recurring deposits.

6. Prasar Bharati launches Online Application System for AIR Auditions

i. Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash has launched an online application system for music auditions across all genres for the All India Radio. 

ii. The initiative was launched on the occasion of 64th Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan in New Delhi. It is believed that with the introduction of this facility, the aspirants who want to apply and get themselves graded will have a better experience in terms of accessibility and availability. 

7. India, Ethiopia Sign Agreements on Trade, Communication

i. India and Ethiopia has signed agreements on trade, communication and media to boost bilateral ties. The agreements were signed after wide-ranging talks between President Ram Nath Kovind and his Ethiopian counterpart Mulatu Teshome at Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. 

ii. The two leaders discussed economic relations between the two countries and also support to Ethiopia in the power healthcare, and education sectors. The President also thanked Ethiopia for its participation in the International Solar Alliance (ISA), established in 2015.

Must Do Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Addis Ababa is Capital city of Ethiopia.
• The Ethiopian Birr is the currency of Ethiopia.
• Ethiopia is an East African Country. 

8. Haj Committee Recommends Abolishing of Subsidy

i. The government was appointed Committee on Haj Policy has recommended phasing out of subsidy for Haj pilgrims and allowing women devotees above 45 years of age to travel in a group of at least four without a male. The Committee presented its report on New Haj policy 2018-22 to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Mumbai. 

ii. In view of the Supreme Court direction, the Ministry had set up the Panel under the Chairmanship of former Secretary Afzal Amanullah to review the existing Haj Policy and to suggest a framework for new Haj policy 2018-22.

Must Do Takeaways from the Above News: 

• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is a member of Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand (From 08th July 2016 onwards).
• Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is Union Minister of Minority Affairs. 

9. Hurricane Nate moves Toward the second Landfall on Gulf Coast in the USA

i. In the United States, hurricane Nate has made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. According to the US National Hurricane Center, the storm with maximum sustained winds of 137 kilometres per hour is moving north and a second landfall is expected on the Mississippi coast later.

ii. A state of emergency has been declared in four southern US states with Hurricane Nate gathering strength. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Florida have issued hurricane warnings and evacuation orders. The measures apply to parts of the city of New Orleans, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago.

Daily GK Update 07th October 2017

1. PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone for Bridge in Dwarka, Gujarat

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a four-lane cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka. The bridge is a link between old and new Dwarka. The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion, will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 962.43 crore.
ii. The four-lane 27.20-metre wide bridge will have 2.50 metre wide footpaths on each side. Solar panels installed on the roof of footpath will produce 1 MW power for street lights on the bridge.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Shri Vijaybhai R. Rupani is the present CM of Gujarat.
• Shri Om Prakash Kohli is the present Governor of Gujarat.

2. First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee Held

i. The First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee was held in New Delhi. Shri TVSN Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs led the Indian side.

ii. This meeting was a follow-up to the MoU on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime exchanged between the two sides during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Mr. Malcolm Turnbull to New Delhi in April 2016.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Capital of Australia is Canberra and its Currency is Australian dollar.
• Malcolm Turnbull is the present PM of Australia.

3. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and UP Sign MoU to Boost Culture and Tourism

i. An MoU was signed by Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ program, to boost cultural ties. Under the program, the states will connect with each other to know more about the culture, heritage and traditions of each other.

ii. The programme aims at actively enhancing interaction between people of diverse cultures living in different states and union territories, with the objective of promoting greater mutual understanding among them. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Brigadier BD Mishra (Retd) is the present Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Ganga Prasad is the present Governor of Meghalaya.
• Ram Naik is the present Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

4. India, EIB Ink Pact for Financing Bangalore Metro Rail Project

i. India and European Investment Bank (EIB) signed the finance contract for lending of 300 million euros (about Rs 2,293 crore) for Bangalore Metro Rail Project phase-II. Bangalore Metro Rail Project Phase II is to be jointly financed by the EIB (500 million euros) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (300 million euros).

ii. The project relates to extension of East-West and North-South lines for Bangalore Metro Rail which includes a total length of 72.095 km (13.79 km underground) and 61 stations with 12 underground stations.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Werner Hoyer is the President of European Investment Bank.
• It headquarters in Luxembourg.

5. Magicbricks Launches India's First Online Property Bidding Platform

i. Magicbricks announced the launch of India's first online bidding platform for residential and commercial properties and tied-up with developer M3M for the inaugural 'My Bid, My Home' under which consumers can bid for ready-to-move-in residential properties in Gurugram.

ii. Magicbricks has been recently awarded the Standardisation, Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, making it the country's only real estate portal eligible for a bidding platform for properties.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Sudhir Pai is the CEO of Magicbricks.
• Pankaj Bansal is the Director of M3M Group.

6. JSA Becomes First Law Firm in GIFT City

i. J Sagar Associates (JSA) is the first law firm to have opened an office at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT). Setting up this office would help JSA consolidate their Financial Services Practice. The office was inaugurated by Sudhir Mankad - Chairman of GIFT IFSC.

ii. Several banks, brokers and stock exchanges including the BSE and the National Stock Exchange have set-up their operations in GIFT, which will operate like a tax haven.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Mr. Ajay Pandey Managing Director & Group CEO of GIFT City.

7. Rajnish Kumar Takes Over as New SBI Chairman

i. Rajnish Kumar took over as the chairman of the largest public sector bank, the State Bank of India (SBI). He has replaced Arundhati Bhattacharya. She had completed her one-year extended term.

ii. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Mr. Kumar’s appointment for three years from the date of taking charge on or after October 7. Mr. Kumar, aged 59, joined the SBI board on May 26, 2015.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• SBI headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It was established on 1 July 1955.

8. GST Council Reduces Tax Rates on 27 Items, Approves Quarterly Return Filing

i. The GST Council has reduced tax rates on 27 items and allowed the filing of returns on the quarterly basis. The GST Council meeting held under the Chairmanship of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.
ii. The council has decided to reduce the GST rates on dried mangoes, Khakhra, plain chapatis, unbranded Namkeen, unbranded ayurvedic medicines and paper wastes to 5 percent from 12 percent. 

iii. Arun Jaitley stated that Food packets used in ICDS scheme, plastic and rubber wastes will now be taxed at 5 percent instead of 18 percent. The GST Council also approved the quarterly filing of returns for businesses with turnover up to 1.5 crore rupees besides raising the threshold for composition scheme from 75 lakh rupees to one crore rupees.

Must Do Takeaways from the above News:

• Launched on 2nd October 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is one of the flagship programs of the Government of India and represents one of the world’s largest and unique programmes for early childhood care and development.
• GST was launched on 01st July 2017 and is pegged as the country’s biggest tax reform in its 70-year history.
• The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has ordered to all television broadcasters (news and non-news) to run scrolls about GST awareness campaign Manthan.

9. ISRO to Set up Research Centre in Guwahati

i. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will set up a research centre in Guwahati, Assam for startups, academicians, environmentalists and entrepreneurs.

ii. ISRO would set up the exclusive research facility in Assam to explore the possibility of using geospatial technology, which include data generated through global positioning system (GPS), geographical information systems (GIS).

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Current chairman of ISRO is A. S. Kiran Kumar. 
• ISRO was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Jagdish Mukhi is the Present Governor of Assam.

10. Flipkart Launched Private Label MarQ for Large Appliances Category

i. Flipkart announced the launch of MarQ, an in-house brand in the large appliances category.

ii. MarQ is an in-house brand of Flipkart, that sells large appliances. This has been done in a move expands Flipkart’s self-branded offerings on its marketplace.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Flipkart Headquarters in Bengaluru.
• The Group CEO of Flipkart is Binny Bansal.
• The CEO of Flipkart is Kalyan Krishnamurthy.

11. John Hastings Retires From Test and ODI Cricket

i. Australian fast bowler John Hastings has called it quits from Test Match and ODIs, citing recurring injuries as the reason. The 31-year-old wants to solely focus on T20 cricket. He has represented Australia in one test, 29 ODIs and 9 T20Is.

ii. In 2016 Hastings was the world's leading ODI fast bowler after picking up 29 wickets in 15 matches, the equal second-most dismissals alongside South Africa's Imran Tahir.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• John Hastings last represented the national side in an ODI against New Zealand in June 2017.

12. Filmmaker Kundan Shah Passes Away

i. Veteran director Kundan Shah, best known for the dark comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, passed away at his home, family sources said. He was 69.

ii. Shah passed away after suffering a heart attack. He made his directorial debut on television in 1986 with the popular series Nukkad.

13. Former Union Minister Purushottam Lal Kaushik Passes Away

i. Former Union minister and socialist leader Purushottam Lal Kaushik died due to age-related ailments at his home in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district. He was 87.

ii. He had served as tourism and civil aviation minister in the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai's cabinet during 1977- 1979. 

Daily GK Update 06th October 2017

1. 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Announced

i. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons".

ii. The 2017 Peace Prize calls upon nuclear-armed states to initiate negotiations to the gradual elimination of the world’s 15,000 nuclear weapons adding that ICAN has in the past year given the efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons a new direction and new vigour.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Nobel Peace Prize 2016 was awarded to Juan Manuel Santos "for his resolute efforts to bring the country's more than 50-year-long civil war to an end".

2. Donald Trump is Most Followed World Leader on Twitter, PM Modi Third

i. Donald Trump is now the world’s most followed leader on Twitter, while Narendra Modi is the third, according to the latest report by Twiplomacy, a Burson Marsteller research project that tracks the use of Twitter by governments and international organisations.

ii. Trump overtook Pope Francis by a few thousand followers to occupy the first place in Twiplomacy’s October report. India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has kept his third place consistently since 2016.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• India’s Foreign Minister, @SushmaSwaraj, is the most followed female world leader in the world with a 9.6 million following on Twitter.

3. Gauri Lankesh, First Indian Journalist to win Anna Politkovskaya Award

i. Journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead by unknown assailants recently, has been posthumously accorded with the prestigious Anna Politkovskaya Award, instituted by Reach All Women (RAW) in War.

ii. It was honoured to award the annual Anna Politkovskaya Award for women human rights defenders from war and conflict zones jointly to Gauri Lankesh posthumously and to a brave Pakistani activist Gulalai Ismail, who similarly is fighting against Islamic extremism. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist was killed in 2006 in Moscow for her courage to speak out on behalf of the suffering of the civilians in the war in Chechnya.
• Gauri was awarded Periyar Award posthumously by the Thinkers Forum on September 17 in Bengaluru.

4. Banwarilal Purohit Sworn-in as Governor of Tamil Nadu

i. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit was sworn-in by Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai.

ii. He entered the Maharashtra Assembly for the first time in 1978 from the Nagpur east seat. Mr. Purohit was appointed as Governor of Assam State by the President of India on August 17, 2016.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Thiru Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

5. HDFC Life, Apollo Munich Team up for Dual Cover

i. HDFC Life Insurance and Apollo Munich Health have come together to launch ‘Click2Protect Health plan’, which provides both life and health cover under a single plan. This plan combines the benefits of HDFC Life’s ‘Click2Protect 3D Plus (term) protection plan’ and Apollo Munich’s ‘Optima Restore health indemnity plan’.

ii. The features of the product include the waiver of future premiums on account of accidental total permanent disability or on the diagnosis of critical illness; and special premium rates for women and non-tobacco users.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Aditya Puri is the CEO of HDFC Bank.
• It headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

6. Tata AIA Life Launches ‘Eazy Connect’

i. Private insurer Tata AIA Life announced the launch of ‘Eazy Connect’, that will extend online customer service to social media platforms.

ii. The chatbot will be available through social media platforms and is developed to respond to the most frequently asked queries.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Naveen Tahilyani is the CEO and MD of Tata AIA Life.

7. Rio Olympic Committee Chairman Arrested on Corruption Charges

i. Brazilian police arrested the chairman of the country’s Olympic Committee  Carlos Arthur Nuzman as part of a probe into alleged vote-buying to secure Rio’s hosting of the 2016 Games.

ii. Twenty federal police agents swept into Rio de Janeiro’s upscale Leblon neighbourhood to arrest 75-year-old Carlos Nuzman.

8. Vijaya Bank Inks MoU with HPCL for Digital Payments

i. Vijaya Bank has entered into an MoU with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for enabling all HPCL retail outlets with BHIM/UPI merchant solutions. This rollout will empower all petrol pump attendants and LPG delivery personnel to accept digital payments.

ii. Customers can make payments by scanning a payment QR code, using BHIM Vijaya or any BHIM app that supports payments via UPI. Both Vijaya Bank and HPCL have inked the pact in line with the GOI initiative to encourage digital payments, especially BHIM/UPI.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• R A Sankaranarayanan is the  MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank.

9. First ASEAN-India Music Festival Begins in New Delhi

i. The first ever ASEAN-India music festival began at Purana Quila in New Delhi. The 3-day festival is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with Culture Ministry to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.

ii. It will conclude on 8 October 2017. The theme for this commemorative year is ‘Shared Values, Common Destiny’.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organisation comprising ten Southeast Asian states.

10. FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 Started

i. The much-awaited FIFA U-17 World Cup started with four opening day matches to be played in Delhi and Mumbai. The opening matches would be played by teams in Group A and B.

ii. In Delhi, the inaugural match would be played between Group A teams Colombia and Ghana at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, followed by hosts India who would take on Team USA in the second match. In Mumbai, Group B team New Zealand would be taking on Turkey in the first game at DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Official Mascot of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 is a clouded leopard called Kheleo.
• This is the first FIFA tournament hosted by India.
• The final will be held at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on 28 October 2017.