Daily GK Update : 22nd & 23rd May, 2016 For All The Upcoming Exams

1. India's first reusable space shuttle, RLV-TD launched from Sriharikota

i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. ii. The cost of this project is 95 crore rupees and built at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram by a team of 600 scientists over five years. iii. It was carried up on a solid rocket motor (SRM). The nine-ton SRM was designed to burn slowly to accommodate the vertical lifting of winged body. It is very similar to the US space shuttle. iv. After launch from the Sriharikota spaceport, it glided back onto a virtual runway in the Bay of Bengal. The vehicle re-entered the atmosphere after reaching a height of over 70 km. The mission, known as the hypersonic flight experiment, lasted about 10 minutes. v. The Re-Usable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) is considered as a first step towards realising a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully reusable vehicle. That is, it can put satellites into orbit around earth and then re-enter atmosphere.

2. India and Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas

i. India and Iran has signed 12 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and agreements in various areas including building and operating the Chabahar port by India. The bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations was signed between IPGPL (India Ports Global Private Limited) and Arya Banader of Iran. ii. It followed the delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. iii. The other agreements include - 1. cooperation in culture, 2. science and technology, 3. library sciences, 4. cooperation between the EXIM banks of both the countries. 5. Bilateral contract on Chabahar Port for port development and operations, 6. MoU between EXIM Bank and Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), 7. Confirmation Statement between EXIM Bank and Central Bank of Iran (CBI), 8. MoU between IRCON and CDTIC, 9. MoU on India-Iran Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP), 10. MoU on Policy Dialogue between Governments and Interaction between Think Tanks, 11. MoU between Foreign Service Institute, MEA and School of International Relations, Iran’s MoFA and 12. Implementation Protocol on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology.

3. SEBI tightens P-Note norms to check money laundering

i. The money market regulator SEBI has tightened its norms for Participatory note (P note) users to follow Indian anti-money laundering law and report any suspicious transactions immediately. ii. Based on the recommendations of the Supreme Court SEBI has appointed a Special Investigation Team on black money and also tightened the due-diligence requirements for issuance and transfer of these instruments and put the onus on the original issuer for compliance to Anti-Money Laundering Regulations. iii. Apart from it, issuers would have to conduct periodic review and report the complete transfer trail of P-Notes to SEBI on a monthly basis in addition to the present requirement of reporting details of their holders.

4. India and Oman signed 4 MoUs/Agreements on defence cooperation

i. India and Oman have signed 4 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in Muscat during the visit of Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to Oman. ii. He was on an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman from 20 to 22 May 2016 at the invitation of H.E. Bader Bin Saud Bin Harib Al Busaidi, Minister Responsible for Defense Affairs of Oman. iii. The MoUs which have signed between both the countries are- 1. MOU on Defence Cooperation between the Ministry of Defense of Sultanate of Oman and Ministry of Defence of India. 2. MOU between the Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard) and the Indian Coast Guard in the field of Marine Crime Prevention at Sea. 3. MOU between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and India on Maritime Issues. 4. Protocol between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman represented by Royal Air Force of Oman and the Government of India represented by the Indian Air Force on Flight Safety information Exchange.

5. Govt constitutes IEPF Authority

i. Government has constituted the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority, moving ahead with efforts to further strengthen the framework for safeguarding the interest of investors. ii. This is a step closer to setting up the IEPF, under the Companies Act, 2013, which would be utilized for multiple purposes, including to distribute disgorged amount to eligible depositors who have suffered losses due to wrongful acts by other entities. ii. The authority would have the responsibility of administering the fund as well as maintain separate accounts and other records as prescribed by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), among others.

iii.Recently, the government has constituted a six-member IEPF Authority under the chairmanship of Corporate Affairs Secretary Tapan Ray, according to a recent notification. Sebi Executive Director Gyan Bhushan and RBI Executive Director U S Paliwal are also members. All the three memberships are ex-officio or till they continue in their respective posts. Three others are independent members. iv. Besides, Amardeep Singh Bhatia has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer to the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority. This would be an additional charge for a period of six months from the date of his assumption of charge or till further orders, the Ministry said in a separate notification.

6. Jayalalithaa sworn in for 6th term as Tamil Nadu chief minister

i. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J Jayalalithaa has sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu. ii. Jayalalithaa holds the distinction of being the second person in the State to hold the CM office, she was first sworn-in as chief minister on June 24, 1991. iii. The Governor of Tamil nadu K Rosaiah has approved a list of 29 ministers who will be the part of Jayalalithaa's cabinet. iv. The list of some ministers includes : Jayalalithaa - chief minister; minister in charge for public, IAS, IPS, IFS, general administration, district revenue officers, police and home, O Panneerselvam - finance, personnel and administrative reforms, Edappadi K Palaniswami - highways, public works, and minor ports, Sellur K Raju - cooperation and labour, Thangamani - electricity, prohibition and excise, etc.

7. Himachal Pradesh launches artificial propagation programme of mahseer fish for conservation

i. Himachal Pradesh fisheries department has started an artificial propagation programme for rehabilitation and conservation of Golden Mahseer fish. ii. Under this programme, a hatchery has been set up in the state with an outlay of Rs 6 crore to rear mahseer fish and release its fingerlings into the wild. iii. The population of the golden mahseer has seen decline in recent times in rivers of Himachal Pradesh as they are hunted for sport and food. It also has declined due to various reasons such as construction of dams, barrages, indiscriminate fishing of juvenile and brood fish, pollution, introduction of exotic species and habitat deterioration.

8. Gujarat CM launches ‘Smart Village’ program

i. Gujarat government has launched Smart Village program, it was launched by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on her two year completion in office in Gandhinagar in Gujarat. ii. The state government will select 300 villages for Smart Village program that will get 80 lakh to 2 crore rupees cash assistance to improve public facilities in the villages.Gujarat CM launches 'Smart Village' program iii. She will felicitate villages that have 100 percent completion of toilet. The chief minister also attended Accessible India Campaign.

9. India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program gets innovation award

i. India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program has won innovation award. The students have been interacting with each other through handwritten letters, Audios and Visual recording that are reflective of a shared history of the two neighbors before Partition. ii. This has been done under the 'Student Exchange Program' which is a year-long dialogue comprising a sustained exchange of written, visual and oral histories connecting school children aged between 10-14 years across the cities of India and Pakistan was initiated by NGO 'Routes 2 Roots'. iii. The NGO has recently been awarded the "The Inter-cultural Innovation Award 2016' from United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in Baku, Azerbaijan for this programme.

10. Anurag Thakur elected as the new BCCI president, Ajay Shirke as secretary

i. Anurag Thakur has been elected as the new BCCI president by the Special General Meeting (SGM) chaired by Senior BCCI vice-president C K Khanna in Mumbai. With this he became the second youngest BCCI President. ii. Apart from him, Ajay Shirke has been appointed as the BCCI Secretary for a smooth transition of power at a time when the world’s richest Cricket Board is sailing through choppy waters.

iii. The position of BCCI Secretary was left vacant by Thakur's resignation and with his new appointment the 41-year-old Anurag Thakur has replaced Mr. Shashank Manohar who quit the position to take up the post of ICC chairman.

11. Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling conferred with Nepal’s literary award

i. Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has been conferred with the Yug Kavi Siddhicharan Award by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli for his commendable contributions in promoting Nepali literature in India. ii. The Yug Kavi Siddhicharan Award is one of the Nepal’s prestigious literary award. Mr. Chamling is the author and publisher of many Nepali books. His books in Nepali include- Prarambhik Kavita (1978), Antyaheen Sapana: Mero Bipana (1985), Ma Ko Hoon! (1992) and Sikkim ra Nariko Maryada. iii. The award ceremony was organised by Siddhicharan Shrestha Academy on the occasion of 105th birth anniversary of the late poet Shrestha. The award carries a certificate of appreciation and a sum of NRs 100,000. But to receive the award Mr. Chamling was not present.

12. Ken Loach's film I, Daniel Blake wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

i. Veteran British director Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake has won the his second Palme d’Or at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, France. ii. Ken Loach, the 79 year old, is one of only nine directors to have won the top prize at Cannes twice. Loach had won in 2006 with The Wind That Shakes the Barley. iii. The other includes, Kent-born director Andrea Arnold won the competition's Jury Prize for her road movie American Honey. The Iranian film Forushande (The Salesman) by Asghar Farhadi received two awards, for Best Screenplay and for Best Actor, won by Shahab Hosseini. Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress for her role in Ma’ Rosa, a brutal dive into the Manila underworld directed by Brillante Mendoza.

13. Kiran Bedi appointed new Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry

i. BJP leader and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi was appointed as Lt Governor of Puducherry , a post which was under the additional charge of Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island for nearly two years. ii. The appointment came three days after the Congress-DMK alliance won 17 seats in the 30-member state Assembly. AIADMK, which contested the elections on its own, won four seats while BJP could not get even a single seat. iii. The LG post in the Union territory had been lying vacant after the Narendra Modi Government had sacked UPA nominee Virendra Kataria on July 12 barely a year after he had been appointed. Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Island Lt Gen Ajay Singh had been given additional charge of Puducherry.

14. Ratan P Watal appointed as Principal Adviser for Social Sector in NITI Aayog

i. Former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal was appointed as Principal Adviser (Social Sector) in NITI Aayog for 3-years. ii. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. iii. Prior to this appointment, Watal was the Union Finance Secretary between September 2015 and April 2016.Watal, 60, is a 1978-batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer and holds masters degree in economics.

15. World's oldest Olympic champion, Sandor Tarics has passed away

i. The oldest living Olympic champion Sandor Tarics has passed away at home in San Francisco. He was 102 year old. ii. He was born in 1913 in Budapest, Hungary but later sifted to San Francisco where he worked as a university professor. He became famous for his work in earthquake research, and in particular his design of earthquake-proof building technologies. iii. Tarics was the member of Hungary's gold-medal winning waterpolo team at the 1936 Games. Earlier, Italian cyclist Attilio Pavesi, who won two Gold medals at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles was the world's oldest Olympic champion but now Mr. Tarics became the oldest living Olympic champion.

16. China wins Uber Cup Badminton tournament for 14th time

i. Chinese women badminton team showing its supremacyhas won the Uber Cup title. In the final played at the Kunshan Sports Centre Gymnasium in Beijing, the host country defeated South Korea 3-1. ii. It was the host country’s third triumph in a row since 2012 and overall it won the title for 14th time since it first started competing in the Uber Cup in 1984.However, South Korean team was unable to end their six-year drought at the Uber Cup. iii. India won the bronze of the Uber Cup tournament after they suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of defending champions China in the semifinals.

17. Mohun Bagan beats Aizawl FC 5-0 to lift 14th Fed Cup title

i. The Mohun Bagan has clinched the Federation Cup title for the 14th time. The team has floored Aizawl FC by a record 5-0 margin and regain the Federation Cup football title after eight years, at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guwahati. ii. The first half of the match was goalless. In second half, Mizo striker Jeje Lalpekhlua netted two goals while Haitian Sony Norde, Dhanachandra Singh and Bikramjit Singh scored one each. iii. The Kolkata giant, Mohun Bagan has produced one of its finest runs of success, scoring 17 goals and conceding just two in the five matches it played in the tournament and in the process extending the record of winning the title to 14. The last time Bagan had won the title in 2008, when it has deafeated Dempo by 1-0.

18. Denmark wins first Thomas Cup badminton tournament

i. For the first time ever, Denmark has won this year's Thomas Cup badminton tournament. ii. The Danish team upset the favored Indonesians 3-2 in the final in Kunshan to take this year's title. iii. Denmark had only ever finished runner-up at the men's international team tournament before yesterday, having twice lost to China in the final. Host China, which is home to some of the world's best men's badminton players, stumbled out of the tournament after a shocking 3-1 upset to South Korea in the quarter-finals.

19. Ashwin placed 2nd in ICC Test bowlers ranking

i. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin retained his second spot in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers.

ii. England fast bowler Stuart Broad currently leads the list and his compatriot James Anderson is placed third. iii. Meanwhile, Ashwin continues to top the Test all-rounders’ ranking. However, no Indian featured in the top 10 batsmen list, which is lead by Australian Captain Steven Smith.

20. Pankaj Advani creates history by winning Asian 6-Red Snooker title

i. India's ace cueist Pankaj Advani has created history in Abu Dhabi by clinching the Asian 6-Red Snooker title. ii. He has won the IBSF World 6 Red Championship previously as well making him the first player to hold both the world and continental championships in 6 Red snooker at the same time. iii. The double International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Six-Red Snooker Champion stamped his authority again in the short format of the game, defeating top seeded Malaysian Keen Hoh Moh by 7-5 . Advani will now spearhead the Indian challenge in the team event with Aditya Mehta, Manan Chandra and Kamal Chawla.

Daily GK Update : 24th May, 2016 For All The Upcoming Exams

1. India, Thailand, Myanmar to be connected by a 1400-km road

i. India, Thailand and Myanmar will soon be connected by a 1,400-kilometre highway, to boost the trade and cultural exchanges among the three countries. ii. This will be the first time when India reportedly connect to other South East Asian nations by road. The planned highway will start in the eastern region of India from Moreh to Myanmar's Tamu city. iii. Indian Ambassador to Thailand Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi has stated that there are over 73 bridges in Myanmar constructed almost 70 years ago (during World War II). The bridges are currently being restored with funding from India. Once the work on the bridges is complete ( 18 months), the highways will be opened to traffic from India as well as Thailand. The negotiations are currently underway to conclude a tri-nation motor vehicle agreement for the use of the 1,400-km road that will reach Thailand at Tak, Mae Sot district. 2. President signs ordinance keeping state boards out of NEET this year

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has signed the ordinance to keep state boards out of the common entrance test (NEET) for MBBS and dental courses for this year. ii. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi was at the President's Secretariat along with top Health Ministry officials to respond to clarifications sought by the President on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Union Health Minister J P Nadda had also met the President yesterday to explain the rationale behind taking the ordinance route. iii. The ordinance on NEET is aimed at partially overturning a Supreme Court order that had taken into account the multiple medical entrance tests by states and private colleges as well as allegations of corruption.

3. Indigenously built INS Tarmugli commissioned in Indian Navy

i. The Indian Navy has commissioned indigenously built highly maneuverable Fast Attack Craft INS Tarmugli at the commissioning ceremony held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. ii. INS Tarmugli will be based in Visakhapatnam under the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh). It would be deployed for coastal patrol and surveillance operations along the East Coast of India. iii. INS Tarmugli is indigenously conceived, designed and built by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE). It is the first Follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) and is an improved version of WJFAC, earlier constructed by GRSE. The ship is named after a picturesque Tarmugli island located in the Andaman group.

4. India imposes ban for travel to Libya in view of prevailing security situation

i. India has banned its nationals from travelling to Libya, irrespective of the purpose of the visit, in view of the prevailing security situation in that country. Announcing this in New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry said, the decision has been notified to all Immigration authorities. ii. The MEA travel advisory said in view of prevailing security situation, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose. iii. The MEA's announcement came a day after reports of a Libyan former minister being killed in clashes between unity government forces and fighters of the Islamic State jihadist group in Sirte. Libya is witnessing increased violence due to clashes between them.

5. NALCO signs MoU with Iran govt to set up smelter plant in Chabahar

i. The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) has signed an MoU with Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO) to explore the possibility of setting up a smelter on joint venture in Iran. ii. For this project NALCO will supply alumina from its refinery in India. iii. The MoU was signed between chairman-cum-managing director of NALCO and vice chairman of Iran's planning board in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Iran Hassan Rouhani in Tehran.

6. India Post payments bank will be functional by March 17

i. Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that the India Post's payments bank will start functioning from March 2017 and serve as a wider platform to implement financial inclusion programmes. ii. He also stated that postal department plays an important role in the country's economic and social development and enable modernization of postal services through IT. iii. Till now, around 50 companies including foreign banks have shown keen interest to be partners with the bank in a form of third party insurance services. However, the postal department has opened 85.28 lakh accounts with deposit money of rs. 4500 crore under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana during 2015-16 and

over 4 lakh policies of Atal Pension Yojana, Prime Minister Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana and PM Suraksha Beema Yojana.

7. Sumitra Mahajan to inaugurate 3-day NERCPA conference

i. The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will inaugurate the three day conference of the Northeast Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (NERCPA) in the Assembly house on 30th of May. ii. The conference will focus on two topics- 1. to strengthen the NERCPA for further development of Northeast region states and 2nd. Soil erosion in Northeast India and its impact on the local populace and how political intervention could help to resolve the issue. iii. CM of Tripura Mr. Manik Sarkar, Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Prof P J Kurien, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha Dr M Thambi Durai and Secretary General of Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra would be present at the inaugural function. Besides, the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of all the eight North-eastern states are expected to attend the conference.

8. BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal takes oath as Assam CM

i. In Assam, BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal has taken oath as the Chief Minister. With this, political history was charted in North Eastern part of the country when the maiden BJP government assumed power in the region. ii. The new chief minister and 10 of his ministerial colleagues were taken the oath of office and secrecy by Governor PB Acharyya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, several Chief Ministers and Union ministers along with spiritual leaders were present in the swearing in ceremony. iii. A former firebrand student leader, Sonowal had led an alliance of BJP and two regional partners Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front to end a 15 year long Congress rule in the state, thereby paving the way for formation of the first ever BJP led government in the state.

9. Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 promulgated

i. Odisha Governor Dr SC Jamir has promulgated Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016. The Ordinance empowers the state government to formulate laws to implement the Odisha Official Language Act 1954. This will facilitate use of Odia language in transaction of official businesses of the Government. ii. The Ordinance will amend the Language Act and use Odia in writing files, letters and all other official documents prepared by the government. Orissa is the first state to be evolved on the basis of language. So the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 was enacted in 1954. iii. Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the Odisha Official Language Act would be implemented by 15 August 2016. Some announcements made were- that a university to promote Odia language and literature will be set up for teaching and research at the postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels. He also said that Odia Virtual Academy, which was announced in the state budget, would be set up. The academy will digitize the literary corpus of Odia language and make it available through web-portal.

10. NGT bans over 10-year-old light, heavy diesel vehicles in six Kerala cities

i. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned use of light and heavy diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years old, in six major cities. The cities where these vehicles can’t ply on the roads include Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kollam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur. ii. In its first sitting, the NGT Circuit bench, comprising NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued the order while hearing a petition seeking action against highly polluting diesel vehicles such as trucks and buses. The other member of the bench was Bikram Singh Sajwan. iii. The petition was filed by Lawyers’ Environmental Awareness Forum (LEAF) and as per the directions of the NGT - the state government not to register any diesel vehicle in the capacity of 2000 CC and more, except public transport and local authority vehicles. if any vehicle is found to be violating this direction will have to pay 5000 rupees as environmental compensation and this will be collected by traffic police or pollution control board.

11.13 New Smart Cities Unveiled By Government

i. Thirteen cities have been selected in the first phase of the government’s smart cities mission, which includes Lucknow, Warangal, Bhagalpur, Raipur, New Town Kolkata , Chandigarh, Faridabad, Raipur, Ranchi, Warangal, Agartala, Imphal, Port Blair and Panaji. These cities have been chosen through a fast-track competition. ii. To increase the representation of states in the mission, these cities have been selected from the 23 cities which took part in a fast track competition. This takes the number of cities selected in the first phase of the Smart Cities Mission to 33. iii. Earlier in January, when the first 20 smart cities were announced the urban development ministry had come under fire for leaving out cities from non-NDA states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

12. E-municipal council' building to come up in Bundi, Rajasthan

i. Rajasthan's Bundi is stepping into the virtual world with an 'e-municipal council' to provide files at a click, and detailed digital mapping of the city with a database of its demographical and geographical information. ii. The city's municipal data files which are currently decaying in a pre-Independence era building, will soon be digitised and can be accessed from anywhere on phones and computers, said Pankaj Kumar Mangal, commissioner of Bundi municipal council. iii. An 'e-municipal council' office equipped with solar panels and biometric entry and exit will also be constructed soon, where anyone would be able to view data on screen with a click.

13. World Bank launches $500 mn insurance fund to fight pandemics

i. The World Bank Group has launched Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility and launched a $500 million fund to fight Pandemics in poor countries and creating the world's first insurance market for pandemic risk. It will accelerate both global and national responses to future outbreaks with pandemic potential. ii. It was built and designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the private sector, introducing a new level of rigor into both the financing and the response. The PEF is an innovative and fast-disbursing global financing mechanism. The major epidemics covered under the facility include new influenza pandemic virus A, B and C, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Marburg, Crimean Congo, Rift Valley, Lassa fever, etc.

iii. Under this facility, all the 77 countries are eligible to receive coverage for financing from the International Development Association, the World Bank Group’s for the poorest countries. It is expected to be operational in 2016 and Japan became the first country to commit 50 million US dollars in funding toward the new initiative.

14. UK grants asylum to Maldives' ex-president Mohamed Nasheed

i. Britain has granted political refugee status to ousted former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed. His lawyer Hasan Latheef claimed that Nasheed had been granted political refugee status but the British government is yet to comment. ii. Maldives' first democratically elected president, 49-year-old Nasheed had been allowed to go to Britain in January for spinal cord surgery following a deal brokered by Sri Lanka, India and the UK. iii. Nasheed became Maldives' first democratically elected leader in 2008 but was toppled in a coup backed by the military and police. He was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges after allegedly illegally ordering the arrest of a judge in a trial that put a spotlight on instability in the Maldives.

15. US lifts embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam

i. US President Barack Obama has announced an end to its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam. Its one time enemy. ii. During his visit to Vietnam and talks with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang , US President Obama said that the move removes a lingering vestige of the Cold War. iii. Mr. Obama is the third US President to visit Vietnam since the end of the decade-long Vietnam War in 1975. Other two Presidents were Bill Clinton and George W. Bush (went in 2000 and 2006). The White House officials had indicated the arms ban, in force since 1984, would be lifted only if human rights in Vietnam improved. Vietnam had been arguing for an end to the embargo, which was partially lifted in 2014 purchase naval-defense equipment.

16. FIFA's acting Secretary General Markus Kattner dismissed over bonus payments

i. FIFA acting Secretary General Markus Kattner was dismissed from his position with immediate effect.

ii. He was removed after FIFA’s internal investigation uncovered breaches of his fiduciary responsibilities in connection with his employment contract. iii. He was accused of paying himself bonuses worth millions of pounds. The 45-year old German took over as acting General Secretary after Jerome Valcke was sacked for irregularities. Kattner joined FIFA in 2003 as Director of Finance, becoming Deputy Secretary General in 2007. His salary and bonuses were part of a contract that was unseen by relevant FIFA committees. 17. S K Sharma appointed CMD of Nuclear Power Corporation of India

i. Renowned scientist S K Sharma was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). ii. In his new role, Mr Sharm will be responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors. He has been appointed to the new post for a period of five years. iii. At present,he is working as Distinguished Scientist and Director (Operations) in NPCIL. NPCIL is a government-owned corporation responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra and is administered by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

18. Lt General Saini new commandant of IMA

i. Lt General S K Saini has taken over as the new commandant of prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) . ii. Prior to this appointment, he was a senior directing staff in National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi. iii. Lt General Saini is an alumni of National Defence Academy (NDA) and IMA. In 1981, he was commissioned to seventh battalion of Jat regiment. In his career of 36 years, he has held many important posts.

19. Veteran CPI(M) leader K Anirudhan passes away

i. CPI(M) veteran and former MLA and MP K Anirudhan has passed away at his residence at Vazhuthacaud. He was 92 year old. He was suffering from age-related ailments for some time and died. Mr. Anirudhan was also an active trade union leader. ii. Mr. Anirudhan was known for his significant contribution to build the Communist party movement in southern parts of the Kerala state. iii. He was elected to the state assembly in 1963, 1965, 1979 and 1980. Mr. Anirudhan was also the member of the Lok Sabha once and was elected to the Kerala Assembly thrice.

20. Rio medal winners to be considered for Khel Ratna, Arjuna

i. The Sports Ministry has stated that the winners from the upcoming Rio Games will be considered for this year's Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards. ii. The step has been taken to ensure that Olympic medalists get immediate recognition. So that the athletes need not wait for one full year after their medal-winning performances at the Olympic Games. iii. The medal winners in individual events who have already not been conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in the past will be considered for the highest sporting honour. But as per the existing provisions of the schemes of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards, sports achievements of the sports persons for the last four years preceding the year of award, that means, sports achievements during the period 2011 to 2015 are to be considered.

Daily GK Update : 25th May, 2016 For All The Upcoming Exams

1. India signs US$100 mn loan agreement with World bank

i. The Government of India signs US$100 mn loan agreement with World bank (IBRD) for the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Modernization project. ii. The agreement has signed by Shri V. Ponnuraj, Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development & Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) on behalf of the Government of Karnataka and Mr. Michael Haney on behalf of the World Bank. iii. The government has initiated this step with an objective to avail city-wide piped water to the state of Karnataka and to strengthen the service delivery arrangements at the city level. KUIDFC is the implementing agency for the project and according to reports, the project will be implemented over a

period of 6 years in the cities of Hubballi and Dharwad. However, the project will later be expanded to other eligible cities too.

2. Govt renames disability dept- 'divyang' replaces 'viklang'

i. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities will now be known as 'Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag in Hindi and dropped the word 'viklangjan' from its previous nomenclature. ii. The decision has came after PM Narendra modi's address on Mann Ki Baat, when he said physically challenged people have a "divine ability" and the term "divyang" should be used in place of "viklang" for them. For this amendment President Pranab Mukherjee has given approval to the new nomenclature. iii. So the Centre had proposed the change in name of the department by amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961. Now according to an order issued by Cabinet Secretariat, the Department of Empowerment of Persons ('Viklangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag) with Disabilities will be 'Divyangjan' Sashaktikaran Vibhag in Hindi but in English it will remain same.

3. Govt revises norms of Performance in Credit Rating Scheme

i. The government of India has approved the revision in guidelines of the Performance in Credit Rating Scheme which aims to increase its credibility and effectiveness for both borrowers and banks. ii. Under the revised guidelines, the fee to be paid to the rating agencies shall be based on the turnover of the micro and small enterprises which has been categorized into three slabs. iii. For turnover up to 50 lakh rupees, the fee to be reimbursed by the MSME Ministry will constitute 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling rs.15,000. For turnover between 50 lakh and 2 cr. rs, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling of rs. 30,000 . Similarly, enterprises having turnover above 2 crore rs, the fee to be reimbursed will be 75 % of the fee charged by the rating agency subject to a ceiling of 40,000 rs. Besides, only rating agencies registered by SEBI and enrolled as External Credit Assessment Institution (ECAI) by RBI would be eligible to carry out rating of MSEs under the Scheme.

4. Pinarayi Vijayan sworn in as Kerala CM

i. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Pinarayi Vijayan has taken oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala with 19 ministers at the central stadium in capital Thiruvananthapuram. ii. Pinarayi Vijayan served for 17 years as the CPM's Kerala state secretary, the longest tenure ever. He has been elected to the state assembly five times and won this year's election from Dharmadam constituency by a margin of 36,000 votes. iii. In his cabinet, he will have 12 ministers from the CPM or Communist Party of India-Marxist, four from the Communist Party of India or CPI and one each from LDF constituents the Janata Dal-S, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress-S.

5. UGC approves new norms for deemed universities

i. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has brought out a new set of regulatory norms for deemed universities in order to reduce subjectivity and government interference and focus more on quality. ii. According to the UGC Regulations, 2016, an institution will be eligible to become a deemed university if it has undergraduate and 5 post-graduate programmes with research in existence for 3 years. iii. As per the new regulations, a deemed university should have a minimum 40 per cent open space of the total built up area. Additionally, to ensure quality, institutions vying for the ‘deemed university’ tag will have to either get the highest NAAC or NBA accreditation rating for three cycles consecutively or an ‘A’ grade at the time of application and a position among the top 20 institutions under the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF). Deemed universities will be able to open off-campus centres only after five years of their existence.

6. Rail Hamsafar Saptaah to be launched to celebrate achievements

i. Railway will launch Rail Humsafar Saptaah from 26th of this month to 1st June - a week long celebration to highlight Railway achievements during the last two years. ii. Each day of the week will focus on a particular theme and will be observed as Swachchta Diwas, Satkar Diwas, Sewa Diwas, Satarkata Diwas, Saamanjasya Diwas, Sanyojan Diwas and Sanchaar Diwas. iii. Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu has directed that all the General Managers should personally supervise various activities to be undertaken during the week. During the last two years a number of initiatives have been launched and significant achievements made by Indian Railways in all spheres, especially in its responsiveness, accessibility and improvement of passenger amenities.

7. Union HRD Ministry to launch ASMITA, student tracking system

i. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has decided to launch ASMITA, a student tracking system programme. ii. ASMITA is acronym for All School Monitoring Individual Tracing Analysis and shall be launched under Shala Asmita Yojana (SAY). iii. SAY aims to track the educational journey of school students from Class I to Class XII across the 15 lakhs private and government schools in the country. ASMITA will be an online database which will carry information of student attendance and enrolment, learning outcomes, mid-day meal service and infrastructural facilities among others. Students will be tracked through their Aadhaar numbers and incase those not having unique number will be provided with it.

8. Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated five new activities

i. Union Railway Minister, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated five new project namely - New AC Weekly Express train between H. Nizamuddin-Pune, - Expansion of VIKALP Scheme of Alternate Train Reservation to Delhi-Howrah, Delhi- Chennai, Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Secunderabad Circuits ,- Pilot Project of Sale of Unreserved Tickets through Hand Held Terminals, -Launching of Ergonomically Redesigned & Optimised Tools for Track Gangs, Keymen & Patrolmen, -Pilot Project for Improving Safety at Unmanned Level Crossing. ii. Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu inaugurated following activities through video conferencing from Mumbai. iii. Simultaneously, there was a parallel ceremony at H. Nizamuddin Railway Station where Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences and Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha were specially present to grace the occasion.

9. World First Humanitarian Summit held at Istanbul, Turkey

i. The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit was held in Istanbul from 23 to 24th May since World War II. ii. The summit was inaugurated by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and hosted by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and attended by world leaders of UN member states, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. iii. The purpose of summit were - World leaders to be committed to improving the humanitarian responses to crises. preventing and ending conflict, respecting the rules of war, addressing forced displacement, achieving gender equality, responding to climate change, ending the need for aid, and investing in humanity.

10. Mahindra incorporates Trringo as wholly-owned subsidiary

i. The Indian Multinational automobile giant, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has stated that it has incorporated its agricultural equipment rental services arm Trringo.com as a wholly-owned subsidiary. ii. The tractor and farm equipment rental business company, Trringo is incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of M&M with an initial subscription of 50,000 shares of Rs 10 each aggregating Rs 5 lakh. iii. The Trringo.com was incorporated on May 23 as a franchise-based model using new-age digital technology which will initially operate in India only. The Trringo platform will be use as a proprietary digital platform which enabler to process orders and pass them on to the nearest franchisee through location-based mapping.

11. BHEL commissions 800 mw thermal unit in Karnataka

i. State run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has successfully commissioned the first 800 MW super critical thermal unit in Karnataka. This is the highest rating unit in the state. ii. The unit has been commissioned at the 2x800 MW Yeramarus thermal power station (TPS) located in Raichur district of Karnataka. iii. Yeramarus TPS is being developed by Raichur Power Corporation Ltd (RPCL). RPCL is a joint venture of Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) and BHEL. The second unit of this project is also in an advanced stage of construction and is expected to be commissioned shortly.

12. Freecharge names Kunal Shah as chairman, and Govind Rajan as CEO

i. Snapdeal-controlled digital payments platform FreeCharge has named Kunal Shah as chairman, and Govind Rajan as Chief Executive Officer. ii. Presently, Rajan is currently the chief operating officer while Shah is the Co-founder and CEO. iii. FreeCharge was founded in 2010 by Kunal Shah and Sandeep Tandon and was acquired by Snapdeal in April 2015. While, Rajan joined the company in 2015 as COO.

13. US engineer Frances Arnold wins Millennium Technology Prize

i. US biochemical engineer, Frances Arnold has won the Millennium Technology Prize for her work 'directed evolution' in Finland. ii. Directed evolution is a method of rewriting DNA to improve medicines and develop green fuels. iii. With this Arnold has become the first female winner in its 12 year of history and awarded with the 1 million euro prize. The award was presented by the Technology Academy Finland.

14. Newly elected AIADMK MLA 'S.M. Seenivel' passes away

i. SM Seenivel, a newly elected MLA of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in the new Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed away in a private hospital in Bibikulam in Madurai. He was suffered a stroke a week ago. ii. He was 65 year old and elected as MLA from Thiruparankundram constituency in Madurai in the 16th May election. iii. He was the secretary of Panchayat Union in Thiruparankundram from 1980 to 2005. He was also the chairman of Thirupankundram Housing Board Association from 2001 to 2006. Mr. Seenivel had already served as an MLA of Thiruparankundram constituency when AIADMK was in power between 2001-06. This time in May election, he has defeated the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate M. Manimaran by a margin of 22,992 votes.

15. Pink Panther star, Burt Kwouk has passed away

i. Mr. Burt Kwouk, who was best known for playing Inspector Clouseau's manservant Cato in the Pink Panther films. He was 85 year old. ii. He appeared in seven Pink Panther films between 1964 and 1993, opposite Peter Sellers as Clouseau's servant who regularly attacked his employer to keep him alert. iii. He also starred in BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine from 2002 to 2010. The actor, who was born in Warrington, England but raised in Shanghai, was awarded an Order of Britsh Empire in the 2011 New Year Honours List.

Daily GK Update : 26th May, 2016 For All The Upcoming Exams

1. Govt approves Capital Goods Policy, aims 21 million new jobs by 2025

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the first ever policy for the country's capital goods sector envisaging creation of over 21 million new jobs by 2025. ii. The objectives of the National Capital Goods Policy are to create an ecosystem for a globally competitive capital goods sector to achieve total production in excess of Rs 7.5 lakh crore by 2025 from the current Rs 2.3 lakh crore, and also to raise direct to increase direct domestic employment from the current 1.4 million to at least 5 million and indirect employment from the current 7 million to 25 million by 2025, thus providing additional employment to over 21 million people. iii. The policy envisages increasing exports from the current 27 % to 40 % of production. It will also help increase the share of domestic production in India’s demand from 60 % to 80 % thus making India a net exporter of capital goods. iv. The policy envisions increasing the share of capital goods in total manufacturing activity from 12 % at present to 20 % by 2025. v. To create an ecosystem for globally, the Policy will help realizing the vision of Building India as the World class hub for Capital Goods. It will also play a pivotal role in overall manufacturing as the pillar of strength to the vision of Make in India.

2. EPFO doubles insurance for subscribers to Rs 6 lakh

i. The Government has enforced the decision of retirement fund body EPFO to almost double the maximum sum assured under its insurance scheme from 3.6 lakh to Rs 6 lakh for its 4 crore subscribers. ii. Earlier in September, the Employee Provident Fund Organisation’s apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees (CBT) had decided to increase benefits under the Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme from Rs 3.6 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. iii. However, the notification to amend the scheme could not be issued by Labour Ministry as it was stuck in the Law Ministry.

3. Govt waives over Rs 9,000-cr loans of HFCL

i. The Union Cabinet has waived off loans worth more than Rs 9,079 crore owed by Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Ltd (HFCL) as part of a financial restructuring package for the PSU. ii. Earlier in 2015, the Cabinet approved waiver of government of Rs 1,916.14 crore and the outstanding interest amount of Rs 7,163.35 crore have remained. iii. So now with the waiving off that outstanding amount, HFCL will facilitate de-registration from Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) by making its net worth positive. It will clear the way for faster revival of Barauni unit of HFCL. This unit will create 400 direct and 1,200 indirect employment opportunities.The Cabinet has also approved the transfer of 56 acres of ash dyke land of Barauni unit to Bihar State Power Generation Company Ltd (BSPGCL) to settle dues of HFCL for faster revival of the unit.

4. Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to the MOU between India and Maldives

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has granted ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Maldives for strengthening cooperation in the field of tourism.

ii. The Memorandum of Understanding with Maldives will be instrumental in increasing arrival from this important source market. In recent years, Maldives has emerged as an important tourism generating market for India. iii. The main objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding, are - To expand bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector, To exchange information and data related to tourism, To encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders, including hotels and tour operators, To establish exchange programme for cooperation in Human Resources Development, To invest in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors, To exchange visits of Tour Operators/Media/Opinion Makers for promotion of two-way tourism, To exchange experiences in the areas of promotion, marketing, destination development and management, To participate in travel fairs/exhibitions in each other’s country and to promote safe honorable and sustainable tourism.

5. Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to the MOU between India and Japan

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi has given ex-post facto approval to the MoU between Indian and Japan for promoting sustainable, stable and low-carbon thermal power development in India. ii. The MoU will help India to address issues and barriers in promoting sustainable stable and low-carbon thermal power development. iii. The agreement will also support Clean Coal Technology (CCT) for thermal power plants such as Ultra Super Critical (USC) and other environmental technologies. It will also explore possibilities for acquisition of carbon credits with bilateral or multilateral offset schemes that are anticipated to be materialized in the future as a result of low-carbon power development.

6. HRD Ministry launches portal

i. The Ministry of Human Resource Development has announced the launch of a multilingual knowledge portal www.bharatavani.in. ii. It aims to not only ensure universalisation of education but also creation of a knowledge society in the digital age. iii. The idea behind the initiative is protection, preservation and inclusion of all Indian languages through technological development without discrimination. The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, is implementing the project. The portal has been launched in 22 scheduled languages, which eventually will be extended to 100 more languages.

7. Union Cabinet gives approval to 6 new IITs

i. The Union Cabinet has given its approval to amend The Institutes of Technology (IIT) Act, 1961 for incorporation of 6 new IITs. ii. This amendment will declare these 6 IITs as the institutions of national importance Six new IITs will come up at: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwar (Karnataka), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Goa, Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir). iii. Besides, Union Cabinet also gave its approval to convert of Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad into an IIT under the ambit of the IIT Act, 1961.

8. Union Cabinet approves MoU between ISRO and United Arab Emirates Space Agency

i. The Union Cabinet has approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) for cooperation in the exploration and user of outer space for peaceful purposes. ii. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. iii. The MoU seek to set up a Joint Working Group with members from ISRO and UAESA. It will further work out the plan of action including the time-frame and the means of implementing the MoU.

9. Union Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to Amendments in Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950

i. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the ex-post facto approval to the amendments in the Constitution (Schedule Tribes) Order, 1950. ii. The approval was given to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of five States, namely, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Tripura. Besides, it also seeks to identify new communities in the Union Territory of Puducherry. iii. After the Bill becomes an Act, members of the communities included in the list of Scheduled Tribes will be able to derive benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes under the existing schemes.

10. Union Road Transport Minister Gadkari launches safety feature-rich Nirbhaya buses

i. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched 20 Nirbhaya buses of Rajasthan State Transport Corporation with multiple safety measures to better protect women passengers. ii. Nirbhaya bus security measures include Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), CCTV and panic buttons on every seat. Gadkari said that it will be given to other states in due course of time, adding that buses in the future should be manufactured with such safety features to contain anti-social elements. iii. After June 2, the ministry will issue a notification mandating public vehicles with a seating capacity of more than 23 seats to fix closed-circuit television, VTS and panic buttons while vehicles below 23 seats will be asked to install VTS and emergency buttons.

11. Draft rules of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 released

i. Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has released draft model rules to repeal the existing rules for effective implementation of Juvenile Justice Act. The rules take care of the development needs of children and child friendly procedures are incorporated in it. ii. According to the draft rules 2016, no child between 16 and 18 years of age in conflict with law will be handcuffed or sent to jail or lock-up. The rule said, proper medical and legal aid will be provided to juvenile criminals and their parents and guardians will be duly informed. iii. Every state government is required to set up at least one place of safety for the rehabilitation of such children. The rules prescribe for extensive services to be provided through regular monitoring. iv. Several new offences against children have also been included in the Act such as sale and procurement of children for any purpose, corporal punishment in child care institutions, use of child by militant or adult groups, giving children intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug or psychotropic substance or tobacco products. It also prescribes detailed procedures for determination of age.

12. Cabinet clears Railway projects worth Rs 11,000 crore

i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA has given its approval for Railway projects worth Rs 11,000 crore. ii. These include Bina-Katni 3rd line project at an estimated cost of nearly 2,500 crore in Madhya Pradesh. iii. The 279 km long railway line is expected to be completed in five years. Another project is Vizianagaram and Titlagarh 3rd line project, costing nearly 2,335 crore. The length will be 265 kilometre and will be completed in 5 years. It also included doubling of Surendranagar-Rajkot project, Pune-Miraj-Londa railway line and Roza -Sitapur Cantt.- Burhwal Broad Gauge single line.

13. Dial 139 for wait-listed ticket cancellation

i. Railway passengers can now cancel their wait-listed and RAC (reservation against cancellation) train tickets by just dialing 139. ii. The service was launched by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in New Delhi. Earlier only confirmed ticket holders could cancel their tickets through 139 service and IRCTC website. iii. Online cancellation through 139 will be permitted only 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train in case of confirmed tickets and upto half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train in case of RAC and wait-listed tickets. Besides, the option of cancellation of tickets at the counter is also available for passengers.

14. ISRO to test Air-breathing Propulsion System

i. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has decided to test an Air-breathing Propulsion System after successful test of Reusable launch Vehicle- Technology Demonstration (RLV-TD). ii. The testing of air-breathing propulsion system aims to capitalize on the oxygen in the atmosphere instead of liquefied oxygen while in flight. iii. ISRO is evolving and testing various technologies to bring down the cost of launch vehicles and the air-breathing propulsion system is part of its new space endeavor.

15. Gujarat CM launches Ujala scheme from Vadodara

i. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has launched Ujala scheme in Vadodara to distribute LED bulbs to the people . ii. Under this central scheme, the state government will distribute more than one crore LED bulbs at subsidized rates of Rs 80 to 85 per piece. The bulb will have 3-year replacement warranty. It will be of 7 to 8 watts capacity with luminosity of 900 lumens.

iii. Each household will get maximum ten bulbs in the first phase. The amount will be charged through electricity bill in ten equal installments. Bulbs will be available at the offices of power distribution companies, bill cash counters and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) kiosks. The state government will purchase the bulbs from EESL for distribution among the public.

16. Telangana govt signs MoU with Eclat Health Solutions

i. Telangana government has signed an MoU with US-based healthcare tech firm Eclat Health Solutions, which, according to the agreement, will invest USD 15 million in the state to provide 1,000 jobs. ii. A state government team led by IT Minister K T Rama Rao which is currently touring the US signed the MoU. iii. The team also signed another agreement with Genesis Pharmaceuticals Chairman Monif Matouk, and Safye Holdings CEO Afi Hasan.

17. Islamic banking to debut in Gujarat

i. Saudi Arabia based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has announced to open its first branch in India at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. ii. Its a part of MoU between India’s EXIM Bank and IDB during Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April 2016. The IDB is also keen at investing in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Gujarat. iii. IDB's main objective is to foster the economic development and social progress of member countries as well as the Muslim community in accordance with principles of Shariah (Islamic law). The bank has 56 Islamic countries as its members and as part of the MoU a 100 million dollar line-of-credit was to be given to facilitate exports to IDB's member countries. Besides, it also announced to provide 30 medical vans as part of IDB’s social sector initiatives.

18. World leaders kick off G7 talks with economy in focus

i. The World leaders begin two days of G7 talks in Japan with the deteriorating global economy, terrorism and refugees crisis, China's controversial maritime claims, and a possible Brexit headlining on top the agenda. ii. Heads of state and government from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and host Japan are meeting in Ise Shima, a mountainous, sparsely populated area about 300 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Tokyo. iii. The group, including US President Barack Obama, Britain's David Cameron, France's Francois Hollande and Germany's Angela Merkel. However, the meeting will also be joined by Italy's Matteo Renzi, Canada's Justin Trudeau and host Japan's Shinzo Abe.

19. Aditya Birla Fashion buys India rights of Forever 21

i. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL), a retail arm of Aditya Birla Group has acquired the rights for California, US, based fashion retailer Forever 21 to acquire its India business from its current franchisee, Diana Retail Private Ltd, for an unspecified amount. ii. With the help of this acquisition, ABFRL will further strength its leadership position in the branded fashion market. iii. The deal includes the online and offline rights of Forever 21 for the Indian market and its existing store network in the country. The partnership of Forever 21 and ABFRL will help establish Forever 21 as one of the largest women wear brand in the country.

20. Mirza, Bopanna and Paes win at French Open

i. The Indian contingent got off to a winning start at the French Open. ii. Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis defeated the Russian pair of Daria Kasatkina and Alexandra Panova, 7-6(4), 6-2. iii. Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea defeated Frenchmen Stephane Robert and Alexandre Sidorenko, 6-2, 6-2. Leander Paes and Marcin Matkowski overcame Aliaksandr Bury and Denis Istomin, 7-6(3), 7-6(6).

Daily GK Update : 27th May, 2016 For All The Upcoming Exams

1. Govt approves over Rs 5500 Cr investment to improve infrastructure in six states

i. The Centre has approved an investment of over 5500 crore rupees for basic urban infrastructure in six states under Atal Mission. ii. The States are Madhya Pradesh,Gujarat, Rajasthan,Odisha, Jharkhand and Meghalaya. The decision was taken by the Apex committee of Urban Development Ministry under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation, AMRUT in New Delhi. With this now the total investment approved so far under Atal Mission has gone up to over Rs 26,000 crore involving a central assistance of over 12 thousand crore rupees. iii. An official release said, the investment will be made for providing household water taps, improving water supply, sewerage networks, urban transport and provision of open and green spaces in one hundred eleven Atal Mission cities of these states. The Apex Committee also approved the release of central assistance of 520 crore rupees for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, JNNURM scheme. 2. 1st bullet train to run in India in 2023: Prabhu

i. According to the Union Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, the first bullet train will run in India in 2023, and its work is on track. ii. The train will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad and is expected to cover 508 km in about two hours, running at a maximum speed of 350 kmph. iii. The high-speed rail corridor will have a 21 kilometre-long under-sea tunnel.

3. I&B Min frames guidelines for online govt ads

i. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has framed policy guidelines for central government advertisements on websites. ii. All online ads from the Centre would now be routed via the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), which would empanel eligible websites. iii. Further, DAVP will fix the rates of advertisements and would also be responsible for their strategic placement.

4. India’s growth to rise to 8 percent in FY2019: Fitch

i. According to the US based global rating agency, Fitch, India's economic growth rate will leisurely accelerate to 8% by fiscal year ending March 2019, driven by the gradual implementation of structural reforms, higher disposable income and improvement in economic activity. ii. Fitch also expects India's GDP to grow 7.5% in fiscal year ending March 2016 and improve to 7.7% in the current fiscal year and further to 7.9% in the fiscal year ending March 2018. iii. As the global agency, the passage of the Bankruptcy Code earlier this month showed that implementation of big ticket reforms is possible in India, even though reforms related to land acquisition and a Goods and Services Tax have not passed thus far. It also expects higher disposable income to contribute to faster GDP growth. As per Fitch estimates, India remains the fastest growing country across the world with GDP in 2016 estimated to grow at 7.55% year on year compared to global GDP which is likely to grow at 2.5%.

5. Mamata Banerjee takes oath for second successive term as West Bengal CM

i. Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee (61) has taken oath as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the second consecutive five-year term. The oath taking ceremony, held at the iconic Red Road, was administered by Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi. ii. Winning 211 seats out of the total 294, TMC became the first single party to win the seats without alliance in West Bengal's history. Now the 42-member ministry, of them 18 are new faces, has seven ministers from the minority community. Ms Banerjee is among the four women representatives in the ministry. iii. In 2011, Banerjee had become the first ever female CM of the state.

6. Centre approves Rs 4241 cr NIMZ in Odisha

i. The Centre has approved establishment of a National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in Odisha. As per, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union ministry of commerce and industry has approved the Rs 4,241 crore project to come up at Kalinganagar industrial area in Jajpur district of Odisha. ii. Disclosing the information, Mr Pradhan said the first phase of the project with an estimated cost of Rs 3,816 crore will be completed by 2020.

iii. The project will create job opportunities for around 1.5 lakh people and will help Odisha grow as a manufacturing hub and help Paradip port's growth, the oil minister said. This is the third Investment and Manufacturing Zone of India involving a massive area of 163 square kilometers.

7. BrahMos supersonic cruise missile test-fired

i. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has successfully test-fired an advanced version of BrahMos land-attack supersonic cruise missile system. ii. As per officials, Test-fired held at the Pokhran field firing range in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, the missile hit and annihilated the designated target. iii. BrahMos, the first supersonic cruise missile known to be in service, is a joint venture between India and Russia. Both the countries have agreed in principle to export BrahMos, the world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile, to the UAE, Vietnam, South Africa and Chile.

8. Indian Coast Guard Ship ARUSH Commissioned

i. The Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Arush’, the 17th in the series of twenty Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), designed and built by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited, has commissioned at Kochi by the Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) Additional Director General SPS Basra. ii. The Indian Coast Guard will be a 150 ships/boats and 100 aircraft maritime force in next few years. In addition to these operational assets, a coastal surveillance network is being established with 46 stations to ensure real-time coastal surveillance. iii. The 50-meter indigenous FPV displaces 421 tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots with an endurance of 1500 nautical miles at economical speed of 13 knots, equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and advanced communication and navigational equipment.

9. Cabinet approves the takeover of HSCL by NBCC

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the takeover of Hindustan Steel Works Construction Limited (HSCL) by National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) for financial restructuring of HSCL. ii. The decision will benefit in economies of scale for NBCC and would assist in better manpower utilization. The main feature of HSCL financial restructuring includes,- the existing paid up equity capital of the HSCL is 117.1 crore rupees but under the proposal of Union government, the equity and paid up capital of HSCL will become 34.3 crore rupees. iii. However, the takeover of HSCL by NBCC will infuse fund of 35.7 crore rupees as equity into HSCL. Than, HSCL will become subsidiary of NBCC with NBCC holding 51 percent equity holding. The shareholding of Government of India in HSCL will be reduced to 49 %.

10. HDFC among world's top 10 consumer financial services company

i. The mortgage lender HDFC ltd has been ranked among the world's top ten biggest and most powerful companies in the consumer financial services sector on a Forbes list. ii. The list is topped by global major American Express while HDFC ranked 7th. It is the only Indian company in top ten under this category. iii. In the overall list of the world's 2,000 largest and most powerful public companies compiled by Forbes, HDFC is ranked 404th while it is at tenth position among Indian firms. There are total 56 Indian companies on the list, in which Reliance Industries ranked highest. It is at 121st place globally. Out of 56 companies, 22 public sector lenders have been named in the regional banks category led by State Bank of India which was ranked 149 on the list.

11. Google cleared of infringement in Oracle lawsuit over Java

i. Google has won a major US court battle with software firm Oracle after a jury ruled it did not unfairly appropriate parts of the Java programming language. ii. Oracle had argued that Google had infringed its copyright and had sought nearly 9 billion dollars in damages. iii. The outcome was eagerly awaited by software developers who feared that a victory for Oracle might encourage more such legal actions. The company says it will appeal against the decision. Google uses Java in its Android smartphone operating system which powers about 80 per cent of the world's mobile devices.

12. China signs deals with Sudan to build 600 mw atomic reactor

i. China has signed agreements with Sudan to build 600-megawatt atomic reactor. It was the first of its kind in the African country. ii. The agreements were signed during a three day visit to Sudan by a Chinese delegation led by Nur Bekri, head of the National Energy Administration (NEA) and deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). iii. The state-owned China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) has been signed two frame work deals with Sudan on nuclear power development, including building a 600-megawatt atomic reactor. As per Chinese media, the other agreements may involve a blueprint for nuclear power development in the next year for Sudan and building the first nuclear power station in the country.

13. Indian-American Rishi Nair wins 28th annual National Geographic Bee Competition

i. A 12 year old, Indian American student Rishi Nair has won the prestigious National Geographic Bee competition 2016. He is a sixth grader from Florida, took top honors at the 28th annual National Geographic Bee held at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington DC. ii. As National Geographic Bee champion, Nair received a $50,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. He also wins a trip to Alaska and Glacier Bay National Park. iii. In the competition, 7 of the 10 finalists were Indian-Americans. This is the fifth consecutive year that an Indian-American has won the prestigious national tournament. Last year Karan Menon had won the competition.

14. Guinea Bissau President names Baciro Dja as Prime Minister

i. Two weeks after sacking his entire government, Guinea Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz named Baciro Dja as the new Prime Minister of the west African country. ii. Mr. Baciro Dja succeeded Carlos Correia, who was sacked earlier this month in a move that threatened to deepen political turmoil in the tiny West African nation. iii. The appointment of Dja's announced by the President is condemned by the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). It said, it would not support Dja, who held the same post briefly last year but was forced to resign when the supreme court ruled that the appointment was made without consulting all political parties and was therefore unconstitutional.

15. Veteran Communist leader KC Mathew passes away

i. Veteran communist leader KC Mathew has passed away in Kochi. He was ailing and undergoing treatment for nearly a month. He was 92 year old. ii. He was the prime accused in the attack on the Edappally police station in February 1950, which resulted in a witch-hunt of the communists by the police. iii. He was born in North Paravur, Kerala in 1924 and graduated from UC College in Aluva and was drawn to the communist ideals right from the college days. He was known as a true Communist, who never compromised on the fundamental principles of Communism.

16. Noted Marathi literary critic R G Jadhav has passed away

i. R G Jadhav, a noted Marathi critic and litterateur has passed away at his residence in Mumbai following prolonged illness. He was 83 year old. ii. He was born on August 24, 1932, at Vadodara in Gujarat but served as a professor of Marathi literature in various colleges, including one in Amravati, Elphinstone College in Mumbai, and also at Milind College in Aurangabad. iii. He had also worked with Marathi Vishwakosha as a chief editor from 2000 to 2002. Besides, he was also associated with Sadhana Trust. He was the recipient of many awards, and penned more than 45 books.

17. Sunil Bharti Mittal receives this year's Harvard Alumni award

i. Founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal has received this year’s Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award.

ii. The Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award, presented annually since 1968. It is the highest honour to its alumni who have contributed significantly to their companies and communities while upholding the highest standards and values. iii. Sunil Mittal is a member of several premier international bodies, which includes- First Vice-Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and also serves in the Prime Minister of India’s Council on Trade & Industry. He is a recipient of many awards which includes, the Padma Bhushan.

18. Sonia settles for silver after losing World C'ship final

i. Indian boxer Sonia Lather has settled for a silver medal at the AIBA Women's World Championships in 57 kg category. ii. In a hard-fought summit clash at Astana, Kazakhstan, today, Sonia lost 1-2, to top seed Alessia Mesiano of Italy. iii. 24-year old Sonia's Silver ensured that India did not return empty-handed after what was a thoroughly disappointing campaign overall.

19. Para athlete Saroha wins gold in record breaking performance

i. Indian para athlete Amit Kumar Saroha from Haryana won the gold medal in men's club throw (F-51) at the recently concluded 2016 French Open Athletics Championship in Paris. ii. Arjuna Awardee Amit's effort of 26.58 meter broke the Asian record which he had himself set at last year's World Championships in Doha on way to winning a silver. Amit has already qualified for the 2016 Rio Paralympics scheduled to be held this September. iii. The French Open Athletics Championship was part of his preparation for Rio 2016, for which he is one of India's biggest medal prospects.

20. Bangar appointed India coach for Zimbabwe tour and Abhay Sharma to be fielding coach

i. Coach of IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab Sanjay Bangar has been appointed India's head coach for the team's tour to Zimbabwe.

ii. Bangar had previously worked as India's assistant coach till the World T20 under team director Ravi Shastri. India will play three T20s and three ODIs in Zimbabwe, starting on June 11. iii. While Abhay Sharma has been named fielding coach for Indian Cricket team for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe.