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.

QUIZ-18

                          QUIZ-18

Q1. Former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has passed away recently. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was former president of which country?
Answer: Iran

Q2. EPFO has made Aadhaar Card mandatory for its about 50 lakh pensioners and around four crore subscribers. EPFO stands for?
Answer: Employees' Provident Fund Organisation

Q3. Reigning Olympic and world 800m champion and world record holder, David Rudisha is the International Event Ambassador for the 14th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon to be held on January 15 2017. David Rudisha is belongs to which country?
Answer: Kenya

Q4. The Bank of India (BOI) has reduced its interest rates on retail loans, including home and vehicle loan recently. The bank earlier reduced its minimum lending rates or marginal cost of funds based lending rates (MCLR) by up to 90 basis points. Where is the headquarter of BOI?
Answer: Mumbai

Q5. Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza won the 2017 Brisbane International women's doubles title recently with her partner
Answer: Bethanie Mattek-Sands

Q6. Who has been named as the Coach of the Year at the FIFA Football Awards 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. 
Answer: Claudio Ranieri

Q7. Who has been appointed as the new CEO of Flipkart after replacing co-founder Binny Bansal?
Answer: Kalyan Krishnamurthy

Q8. Which country has fired its first submarine-launched nuclear-capable missile, recently?
Answer: Pakistan

Q9. An eight-year-old boy from Jammu and Kashmir ________________ has won the gold medal in Thai Boxing Championship at the national level ,a class 2 student was felicitated by the district authorities and the civil administration as well as by the police. 
Answer: Abbu Ammaz

Q10. The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony was organized at Beverly Hills, California, United States (USA). Which movie has won the Best Motion Picture Drama Award?
Answer: Moonlight

Q11. The US fast-food giant McDonald announced to sell its businesses in which country recently for $2.08 bn to Citic and the Carlyle Group?
Answer: China

Q12. Former wrestler and coach Mahavir Singh Phogat made his way to the launch of his authorised biography _____________ in Chandigarh.
Answer: Akhada

Q13. The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has decided that the World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32. Where is the headquarter of FIFA?
Answer: Zurich, Switzerland

Q14. Which country has called for partnership between India, Pakistan and Afghanistan on counter-terrorism operations recently?
Answer: USA

Q15. To promote ease of ticketing through digital transactions, railway minister ____________________ has released the new passenger mobile application named ‘IRCTC Rail Connect app'. 
Answer: Suresh Prabhu

ఫేస్‌బుక్‌ వేదిక‌గా ఉద్యోగావ‌కాశాలు

                     

                                   చ‌దువుకుని ఉద్యోగం కోసం ఎదురు చూస్తున్న యువ‌తీ యువ‌కుల‌కు గుడ్ న్యూస్. ఇప్ప‌టి వ‌ర‌కు మీరంతా ప్ర‌ముఖ జాబ్ పోర్ట‌ల్స్‌లో మీ బ‌యోడేటాను అప్‌లోడ్ చేసి ఉండిఉండొచ్చు.  ఫ‌లానా సంస్థ‌లో ఉద్యోగాలున్నాయంటూ ఆయా పోర్ట‌ల్స్ నుంచి మీకు మెయిల్స్ వ‌స్తుంటాయి. ఒక‌వేళ మీకు మెయిల్స్ రాకుంటే మీరు ఆయా జాబ్‌పోర్ట‌ల్స్‌కు లాగిన్ అయి ఎక్కెడెక్క‌డ ఉద్యోగాలు ఖాళీ ఉన్నాయో తెలుసుకోవాల్సి ఉంటుంది. వీట‌న్నిటికీ ఇక గుడ్‌బై చెప్పే స‌మ‌యం ఆస‌న్న‌మైంది. ఎందుకంటే మీకు ఫేస్‌బుక్ అకౌంట్ ఉంటే చాలు. ఇదే వేదిక‌పై మీరు ఉద్యోగానికి ద‌ర‌ఖాస్తు చేసుకోవ‌చ్చు.

ఈ రోజుల్లో చ‌దువుకున్న ప్ర‌తి వ్య‌క్తికీ ఫేస్‌బుక్ గురించి అవ‌గాహ‌ను ఉంటుంది. ఇక యువ‌త‌కైతే చెప్ప‌క్క‌ర్లేదు. ఫేస్‌బుక్‌ల‌పై ఛాటింగ్‌లు, మెసేజ్ పోస్టింగ్‌ల‌తో హోరెత్తిస్తుంటారు. ఇక స్మార్ట్‌ఫోన్‌లు పెరిగిపోవ‌డంతో యువ‌త ఫేస్‌బుక్‌కు మ‌రింత చేరువైంది. ఉద్యోగావ‌కాశాల కోసం ఎదురుచూస్తున్న అదే యువ‌త‌కోసం ఫేస్‌బుక్ స‌రికొత్త ఆలోచ‌న‌తో ముందుకొచ్చింది.

ఫేస్‌బుక్ అకౌంట్‌లో ఇచ్చిన వివ‌రాలు,అర్హ‌త‌ ఆధారంగా  స‌రిపోయే ఉద్యోగ వివ‌రాలు పోస్ట్ చేయ‌నుంది. అంతేకాదు ఆ ఉద్యోగానికి నేరుగా ఫేస్‌బుక్ నుంచే అప్లై చేసుకునే అవ‌కాశం కూడా క‌ల్పించింది. అక్క‌డే అప్లై అనే బ‌ట‌న్ పై క్లిక్ చేస్తే చాలు మీరు ఉద్యోగానికి అప్లై చేసుకోవ‌చ్చు. ప్ర‌స్తుతం ఇది అమెరికా కెన‌డా దేశాల‌లో మాత్ర‌మే ప‌నిచేస్తోంది. త్వ‌ర‌లో ఇత‌ర దేశాల‌కు కూడా వ‌ర్తింప జేస్తామ‌ని ఫేస్‌బుక్ సంస్థ వెల్ల‌డించింది.

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.

Quiz-17

          Quiz-17

Q1. The fourth edition of BIMSTEC Summit-2017 will be held in-

(a) Sri Lanka

(b) Thailand

(c) Nepal

(d) Myanmar

(e) Bangladesh

Q2. Name the Indian woman, who has been shortlisted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for its 2018 space mission under the Citizen Science Astronaut (CSA) programme.

(a) Dr Shawna Pandya

(b) Kalpana Chawla

(c) Sunita Williams

(d) Rekha Singh Rajput

(e) None of the given options is true

Q3. India and Austria have signed a protocol to amend the existing treaty for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion. The currency of Austria is-?

(a) Krone

(b) Dong

(c) Rand

(d) Peso

(e) Euro

Q4. Name the Indian Batsman, who has surpassed the 52-year long-standing record of former Indian cricketer Chandu Borde of highest first-class runs in a single cricketing season?

(a) KL Rahul

(b) Murli Vijay

(c) Virat Kohli

(d) Cheteshwar Pujara

(e) None of the given options is true

Q5. Which among the following state has become the first state in the country for establishing the cashless system in its public distribution system (PDS) of food grains?

(a) Telangana

(b) Kerala

(c) Maharashtra

(d) Rajasthan

(e) Gujarat

Q6. Name the Indian cricket team captain, who has recorded his sixth Test 150, against Bangladesh at Hyderabad to set the record for most 150-plus scores by an Indian captain in Tests?

(a) Rohit Sharma

(b) Suresh Raina

(c) MS Dhoni

(d) Yuvaraj Singh

(e) Virat Kohli

Q7. The Parliament has passed the Payment of Wages Amendment Bill 2017 which will benefit workers by ensuring fair payment of wages through-

(a) intermediaries

(b) cash counters

(c) essential goods supply

(d) Either cheque or bank accounts

(e) None of the given options is true

Q8. Enthused by the success of two pilot projects on utilising the head post offices as Passport Seva Kendra, the government has now decided to scale up this programme by opening ____________ such facilities across the country. 

(a) 38

(b) 73

(c) 56

(d) 85

(e) 103

Q9. Who has appointed as Managing Director of state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India recently?

(a) Rajiv Kumar

(b) Hemant Bhargava

(c) Ashok Gulati

(d) Manish Sabharwal 

(e) Arun M Kumar

Q10. To give a leg up to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the diamond industry _______________ is planning to launch a supply chain financing product for the industry on a pilot basis in Surat. 

(a) Bank of Baroda

(b) State Bank of India

(c) Punjab National Bank

(d) Indian Overseas Bank

(e) Central Bank of India

Q11. Which team has won the inter-ministry Hockey tournament 2016 - 17 in New Delhi?

(a) Home Ministry

(b) Ministry of Finance

(c) I & B Ministry

(d) Ministry of Health  

(e) Ministry of External Affairs

Q12. Who has appointed as chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)? 

(a) Rajiv Kumar

(b) Manish Sabharwal 

(c) Hemant Bhargava

(d) UK Sinha

(e) Ajay Tyagi

Q13. In the latest move to curb tax evasion, the government has set up a task force to monitor actions of deviant shell companies. The setting up of the task force, under the co-chairmanship of revenue secretary and corporate affairs secretary Tapan Ray. Who is the present revenue secretary of Government of India?

(a) Hasmukh Adhia

(b) Shaktikanta Das

(c) Ratan P Watal

(d) Rajiv Mehrishi

(e) None of the given options is true

Q14. Glob-trotting sand artist __________________ has added yet another feature to his cap by storming into Guinness World Records for having created the world's tallest sand castle on Puri beach. 

(a) Jagmohan Sinha

(b) Rahul Arya 

(c) Manas kumar Sahoo

(d) Sudarsan Pattnaik

(e) None of the given options is true

Q15. Where is the headquartered of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)?

(a) Chennai

(b) Mumbai

(c) Kolkata

(d) Nagpur

(e) Hyderabad

Solutions

S1. Ans.(c)
Sol. The fourth edition of BIMSTEC Summit-2017 will be held in Nepal. It was announced in the 17th session of BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held in Kathmandu, Nepal.

S2. Ans.(a)
Sol. An Indian-origin neurosurgeon currently based in Canada has been shortlisted by NASA for its 2018 space mission under the Citizen Science Astronaut (CSA) programme. If everything goes as per plan, Dr Shawna Pandya (32) may join the league of Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams. Dr Pandya, who was born in Canada, is a general physician with the Alberta University Hospital. She has her roots in Mumbai, where her grandmother currently lives in Mahalaxmi area. Dr Pandya, who is in Mumbai holding talks with medical professionals, was shortlisted after securing top score in the CSA programme.

S3. Ans.(e)
Sol. India and Austria signed a protocol to amend the existing bilateral taxation treaty for Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion. The protocol was signed between Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Sushil Chandra on behalf of India and Embassy of Austria Charge d’ Affaires Georg Zehetner behalf of Austria. The currency of Austria is Euro. 

S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. India’s top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara added another feather to his cap on the first day of the Hyderabad Test at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium against Bangladesh. During his knock of 83 runs, Pujara surpassed the 52-year long-standing record of former Indian cricketer Chandu Borde of highest first-class runs in a single cricketing season. Borde had scored 1604 runs in the 1964-65 season that included runs in Tests as well as first-class matches. When Pujara scored his 83rd run, he eventually surpassed Borde’s record by a run and now has 1605 runs in the season with India still to play 4 more Test matches to play against Australia at home.

S5. Ans.(e)
Sol. Gujarat has become the first state in the country for establishing the cashless system in its public distribution system (PDS) of food grains. The beneficiaries who are eligible for subsidised food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will now need to carry only Aadhaar cards for getting their food grains in Gujarat. 

S6. Ans.(e)
Sol. Virat Kohli has recorded his sixth Test 150, against Bangladesh at Hyderabad on 10th February 2017, to set the record for most 150-plus scores by an Indian captain in Tests. Kohli went past Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin, who both have five 150-plus Test scores each as captain. Notably, all of Kohli's last five Test centuries have been of 150+ runs.

S7. Ans.(d)
Sol. Parliament has passed a bill seeking to enable the Centre and state governments to specify industrial units which will have to pay wages only either through cheques or by transferring into bank accounts. The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill 2017, which was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha, also enables the employers to pay wages to workers through cheque or by transferring into their bank account without their written authorisation. Lok Sabha had also passed the bill.

S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. Enthused by the success of two pilot projects on utilising the head post offices as Passport Seva Kendra, the government has now decided to scale up this programme by opening 56 such facilities across the country. The ministry of external affairs and the department of posts had earlier decided to join hands to deliver passport- related services to the citizens. MEA and department of posts are working closely for the early commencement of passport-related services at such Kendra's located in various states including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

S9. Ans.(b)
Sol. Hemant Bhargava has appointed as Managing Director of state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India. He is at present LIC's zonal manager, Delhi. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved Bhargava's appointment to the post till his superannuation, ie, July 31, 2019, an order issued by Personnel Ministry said. The top LIC management consists of the chairman and three managing directors.

S10. Ans.(a)
Sol. To give a leg up to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the diamond industry, Bank of Baroda is planning to launch a supply chain financing product for the industry on a pilot basis in Surat. Cutting and polishing units, which procure roughs from large companies and supply finished products back, will be provided finance at a competitive rate of interest. This move is expected to give a boost to MSMEs as well as the corporate segment within the diamond industry, said Rajneesh Sharma, General Manager, Bank of Baroda. The product will be launched in the next 10-20 days.

S11. Ans.(c)
Sol. The inter-ministry Hockey tournament 2016 - 17 was held at Central Secretariat Ground Vinay Marg, New Delhi. The final match played between I & B Ministry and Ministry of Health. I&B Team won the final match by three goals to Nil. All the Ministry teams participated in the race for the cup.

S12. Ans.(e)
Sol. Senior Finance Ministry official Ajay Tyagi has appointed as chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). He will succeed U K Sinha, whose extended tenure ends on 01st March 2017. 

S13. Ans.(a)
Sol. In the latest move to curb tax evasion, the government has set up a task force to monitor actions of deviant shell companies. The setting up of the task force, under the co-chairmanship of revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia and corporate affairs secretary Tapan Ray, followed a meeting held in Prime Minister’s Office on 10th February 2017 to review the functioning of shell companies to prevent their misuse for money laundering and tax-evasion, especially post-demonetisation.

S14. Ans.(d)
Sol. Glob-trotting sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has added yet another feature in his cap by storming into Guinness World Records for having created the world's tallest sand castle on Puri beach. The official announcement was made by Guinness authorities in the presence of state chief secretary Aditya Padhi and other senior officers.

S15. Ans.(b)
Sol. Mumbai, Maharashtra is headquartered of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).