DAILY GK UPDATES 29TH FEBRUARY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 29TH FEBRUARY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Major highlights/announcement of the Union Budget 2016-17: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitleypresented his 3rd Union Budget today. Highlights of which are as follows: 

-Forex reserves are at highest level of $350 billion.

-2016: Current account deficit seen at 1.4% of GDP.

-GDP growth has accelerated to 7.6%. CPI inflation has come down to 5.4%.

-FY 2016-17 will have the additional burden of implementing the VII pay commission and the defence OROP.

-New schemes for BPL families for gas connections. 

-Statutory backing for Aadhaar platform to ensure delivery of benefits.

 

2. Dinesh Sharma appointed as Chairman of Governing Council of the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).

 

3. Punjab imposed ban on sale of Army Uniforms in the state: Any person who wants to buy the uniform would have to submit a self-attested copy of his identity card and phone number with the shopkeeper.

 

4. Ajay Shankar Committee recommendations on Prior Permission and Regulatory Mechanisms: The committee recommended that there is a need for a standing institutional mechanism within government for an independent Regulatory Impact Assessment on an on-going basis of the existing regulatory requirements and proposed new ones across the entire range of economic values.  

 

5. Alok Kumar Verma took charge as Delhi Police Commissioner.

 

6. London listed Vedanta Resources Inc. wins country’s first gold mine auction in Chhattisgarh.

 

7. Vice Admiral HCS Bisht assumes charge of Eastern Naval Command.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Oscar Awards 2016 conferred; film Mad Mux: Fury Road won maximum awards: Chris Rock hosted the 88th Academy Awards and Bollywood Actress Priyanka Chopra made her debut on the Oscars red carpet and presented the award. Best picture: Spotlight, Best Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritufor The Revenant, Best Actor: Leonardo di Caprio for The Revenant, Best Actress: Brie Larson for Room, etc.

 

2. Hashim Thaci elected as the President of Kosovo: The capital of Kosovo is Pristina.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Rozle Prezelj elected Chairman of IAAF Athletes’ Commission.

 

2. Cricbuzz signs Virender Sehwag as its expert for ICC World T20.

 

AWARDS:

3. Asif Kapadia wins best documentary Oscar for ‘Amy’.

DAILY GK UPDATES 28TH FEBRUARY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 28TH FEBRUARY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kerala Tourism’s Muziris Heritage Project inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee: He inaugurated the Kerala Tourism’s Muziris Heritage Project (MHP) at Trissur in Kerala. The project is India’s largest heritage conservation project and Kerala Government’s first green project.

 

2. Naveen Patnaik has been elected as BJD President for the 7th Consecutive term.

 

3. President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee to be the chief guest at the 40th anniversary celebrations of Indian Civil Accounts Service on March 1, 2016.

 

4. ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Programme to be launched: It will be launched to link states and districts in an annual programme that connects people through exchanges in areas of language, trade, culture, travel and tourism.

 

5. National Science Day observed on 28th February 2016 with theme ‘Scientific Issues for Development of the Nation’.

 

6. 100 crore each allocated for celebrating Birth Centenary of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay and 350thBirth Anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

 

7. President Pranab Mukherjee declared Kerala as first digital state on 27th February 2016.

 

8. Former CAG Vinod Rai appointed chairman of newly constituted Banks Board Bureau (BBB).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Italy approved Gay Civil Union’s Bill: The text maintains provisions including the right to a residence permit for foreign partners and to take a same-sex partner’s name. However, it removed the provision that would have allowed gay adoption and other clauses.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Stan Wawrinka beats Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus to win Dubai Tennis Championships title.

 

 

AWARDS:

2. Resul Pookutty became first Asian to win Golden Reel Award for Best Sound for documentary India’s Daughter at the 63rd Golden Reel Award.

 

OBITUARIES:

3. B K Garudachar, India’s oldest first-class cricketer died at the age of 99 in Bangalore.

 

4. Former Maharashtra Minister Nihal Ahmed Maulavi Mohammed Usman died at the age of 90.

 

5. Famous Tamil comedy actor Kumarimuthu died at the age of 77 in Chennai.

 

 

 

 

DAILY GK UPDATES 27TH FEBRUARY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 27TH FEBRUARY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ISRO to set up Satellite Centre for ASEAN countries in Vietnam: ISRO is working to establish a Satellite Tracking and Data Reception Station and Data Processing Facility for ASEAN member countries in Vietnam. ISRO will set up this satellite centre at the behest of Union Government as part of Space Cooperation between India and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

2. E-Tourist visa scheme extended to 37 more countries: The Union Government has extended its e-Tourist Visa Scheme to 37 more countries bringing the total to 150 countries which are getting this facility.

 

3. Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ranveer Singh to get Dinanath Mangeshkar Prize: The award is annually conferred on 24th April to commemorate PanditDinanath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar’s father’s death anniversary.

 

4. ‘Neerja’ declared tax free in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

 

5. Michael Pesch appointed CEO of Infosys Consulting Holding.

 

6. Yoichiro Ueno appointed President and CEO of Honda Cars India.

 

7. Goverdhan Mehta conferred Cross of the Order of Merit, Germany’s Prestigious Prize for his dedication to teaching.

 

8. Lok Sabha passed Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016: These acts regulate allocation of seats to the national and state legislatures, and delimitation (that is, fixing boundaries) of parliamentary and assembly constituencies.

 

9. Maharashtra Government finalised a Project Management Consultant (PMC) for the proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial in the Arabian Sea.

 

10. Union Government decided to allow birth companions during delivery in public health facilities.

 

11. Mumbai Police created 16 no-selfie zones including Bandra Bandstand, Marine Drive and Juhu Chowpatty.

 

 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jonathan Sinclair Neal appointed as the CEO of AAE Travel: Expedia, the online travel company has appointed Jonathan Sinclair Neal as the CEO of AAE Travel.

 

2. Italy approved Gay Civil Union’s Bill: The text maintains provisions including the right to a residence permit for foreign partners and to take a same-sex partner’s name. However, it removed the provision that would have allowed gay adoption and other clauses.

 

3. Forbes released inaugural 30 Under 30 Asia List: The list included 300 young innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders across Asia in 10 categories who are under 30 years of age. For the first time 56 Indians were included in the list namely Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Shraddha Kapoor, Virat Kohli, Arunima Sinha and Chaitanya Tamhane.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. YES Bank won Green Bond Pioneer Award for being the Pioneers in Emerging Markets-India.

 

SPORTS:

2. Gianni Infantino elected as FIFA President.

 

3. Mumbai won Ranji Trophy for the 41st time by defeating Saurashtra by an innings and 21 runs.

 

4. India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in the Asia Cup T20.

 

AWARDS:

5. Ex-DRDO Chairman Dr Avinash Chanderreceived Aryabhata Award 2013.

DAILY GK UPDATES 26TH FEBRUARY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 26TH FEBRUARY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Highlights of Economic Survey 2015-16: The Economic Survey reviews the developments of the Indian Economy over the previous 12 months, summarizes the performances on major development programs, and highlights the policy initiatives of the government and the prospects of the economy in the short to medium term.

 

2. India approves $150 million credit line for Iran’s Chabahar port: The port in southeast Iran is central to New Delhi’s efforts to circumvent arch-rival Pakistan and open up a route to landlocked Afghanistan where it has developed close security ties and economic interests.

 

3. India and UK sign MoU for research in crop science: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology and a consortium of top UK research institutions signed a MoU for establishment of a joint India-UK collaboration programme in crop science.

 

4. EPFO tightens norms for withdrawal of funds: Employees Provident Fund Organisation has tightened norms on withdrawal of provident fund as well investment of such amount in Varishtha Pension BimaYojana for its over five crore subscribers. As per the new norms the subscribers will not be able to claim withdrawal of their provident fund after attaining age of 54 years.

 

5. Indian Government appoints 3 news information commissioners: They are Amitava Bhattacharya, Bimal Julka and DP Sinha.

 

6. Justice Dinesh Maheshwari appointed as Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.

 

7. Ashwini Nangia becomes Director of CSIR-National Chemical Lab, Pune.

 

8. The Diageo-controlled United Spirit Ltd appoints MK Sharma as new Chairman as Vijay Mallyaresigned from the post.

 

9. IRCTC, OYO Rooms tie up for hotel bookings.

 

10. Reliance Capital to transfer commercial finance business into separate firm by applying to RBI for registering itself as a Core Investment Company.

 

11. Ratan Tata to head Indian Railways’ innovation committee.

 

12. Union Cabinet approves Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).

 

13. UP Government signs pact with OLA: Taxi aggregator OLA has entered into an agreement with the Uttar Pradesh Government to create over 50,000 entrepreneurship opportunities across the state.

 

14. Times Internet partners with Investopedia to deliver trusted financial content to India.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jonathan Sinclair Neal appointed as the CEO of AAE Travel: Expedia, the online travel company has appointed Jonathan Sinclair Neal as the CEO of AAE Travel.

 

2. Mastercard to launch payments by selfie: Mastercard is launching new mobile technologies that will allow customers to authenticate their online purchase using selfies or fingerprints. The technology will be rolled out by big banks in the US, Canada, UK and some European countries over the next few months.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. IDBI Bank gets SEBI nod to raise Rs 3771 crore through issue of shares to qualified institutional players.

 

SPORTS:

2. Rohit Sharma named Global Ambassador of Nissan.

 

3. India Sports Awards 2015: Long Distance Runner Lalita Babar named as the Sports Person of the Year.