Daily GK Update : 10th February, 2016

1. Union Government Releases Hydrocarbon Vision 2030

i. Union Ministry of  state for Petroleum and Natural gas (MoPNG) has released the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for north-east India. 

ii. The Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 outlines steps to leverage the hydrocarbon sector for social and economic development of the north-east region. 

iii. The states covered under it are Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Tripura.

iv. The objectives of the plan are to leverage the region’s hydrocarbon potential, enhance access to clean fuels, improve availability of petroleum products, facilitate economic development and to link common people to the economic activities in this sector.

2. Indian Government Sanctions Rs. 580 Crore For Railway Link With Bangladesh

i. The Indian government has sanctioned Rs.580 crore for the vital rail link. 

ii. As it expected to complete the work on the 15-km-long rail line to connect Agartala with Akhaura in that country by 2017. Of the 15 km railway track, 10 km falls in the Bangladesh side and the rest in India. 

iii. The entire project cost would be borne by the Center and over Rs 1,000 crore was sanctioned for completion of the track in Bangladesh side.

iv. The 1,700 km distance between Agartala and Kolkata through Chicken Neck near Siliguri would be reduced to 350 km.

v. Currently, India and Bangladesh have four rail links with West Bengal.

3. UAE Crown Prince Is On 3 Day India Visit

i. United Arab Emirates leader and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is on 3 day India visit along with seven ministers.

ii. The visit is expected to witness signing of a landmark civil nuclear cooperation pact among agreements across sectors, including a deal on security and information sharing to combat terrorists.

iii. The two countries are expected to sign about 16 agreements, including one on civil nuclear agreement.

4. Governor's Conference Hosted By President Held In New Delhi

i. President Pranab Mukherjee hosted a two-day Conference of Governors at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. 

ii. It is the fourth Conference to be presided over by President Mukherjee and 47th such Conference to be held in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

iii. 23 Governors and 2 Lieutenant Governors will attend the Conference. 

iv. The conference will deliberate on terrorism and insurgency activities, creating jobs for youths with special focus on skill development for school dropouts.

5. India, China Hold First Joint Tactical Drill On Border In Jammu & Kashmir

i. The border troops of India and China have held their first joint tactical exercise codenamed Sino-India Cooperation 2016 in Chushul-Moldo area along with the northern border in Jammu and Kashmir.

ii. It is the part of ongoing initiatives taken by India and China to ensure greater interaction between troops stationed along the Line of Actual Control, and thereby ensure peace and tranquility along the border. 

iii. As previously agreed by both countries, the exercise focused on actions to be coordinated to tackle jointly aspects of humanitarian aid and disaster relief. 

6. Maharashtra Has Topped In Internet Readiness Index

i. As per the report compiled and published by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indicus Analytics Maharashtra has topped in terms of the overall Internet readiness index. 

ii. Maharashtra ranks at the top in terms of Internet readiness with a strong position in areas like e-infrastructure, eGovernance, IT services and consumer participation.

iii. Karnataka, Gujarat, Telengana and Tamil Nadu followed in the tally. 

iv. The report, titled 'Index of Internet Readiness of Indian States', said Delhi has emerged as the leader among the smaller states, followed by Puducherry and Goa. v. North East states, They have not even figured among the smaller states indicating that much more needs to be done in the form of investment and infrastructure development in the region.

7. INS Viraat To Be Converted Into luxury Hotel

i. The world’s oldest aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, is all set to be converted into a luxury hotel to attract tourists once it is decommissioned from service in June this year.

ii. The Defence Ministry has given its nod to a proposal from Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) to convert the Centaur-class aircraft carrier into a hotel-cum-museum.

iii. The state government has drawn up plans to convert Viraat into a 500-room hotel.The warship would be docked at the shores of Visakhapatnam to serve as a tourist attraction.

iv. The project to be taken up under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

8. 3rd Edition Of Taj Literature Festival In Agra

i. The 3rd edition of the Taj Literature Festival scheduled to begin in Agra (UP). 

ii. The 3-day long festival beginning on February 26, will not have any particular theme. 

iii. This edition will accommodate 16 different categories ranging from music, theater, politics, women cooking and comedy among others etc. 

9. Renowned Musician Dan Hicks Passes Away

i. Renowned American singer-songwriter Dan Hicks passed away after a two-year long battle with throat and liver cancer in California.

ii. He was 74. 

iii. He was known for his traditional mix of folk, jazz and country music. 

10. Lord's To Host Women's World Cup Final In 2017

i. The hallowed Lord's will host the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup in 2017. 

ii. The ICC has announced, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Somerset and Lord's in London will host the matches from June 26 to July 23.

iii. The 28-day tournament will feature 31 games. 

iv. It will be the first time the tournament will be held in England since 1993 when the home side beat New Zealand in the final at Lord's.

Daily GK Update : 8th & 9th February, 2016

1. Brijbhushan Sharan Singh Appointed As The President Of SAWFi. Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been appointed as the president of the South Asian Wrestling Federation (SAWF).ii. Tabiur Rehman from Bangladesh was also unanimously elected Secretary General.
iii. Ajgar of Pakistan, U.H. Neville Pdmashri from Sri Lanka and Raj Mohammed Ansari of Nepal were elected vice presidents.
iv. In April 2012, Brijbhushan was elected unopposed as the president of the WFI as no other candidate filed nomination for the post.
2. Noted Poet Nida Fazli Is No Morei. Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli has taken his last breath on 8th Feb.
ii. He was an Indian Hindi and Urdu poet. He was 78.
iii. He has got many awards for his work in his entire career, some of them are as follows In 1998 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for Khoya Hua Sa Kuchh, In 2003 Star Screen Award for Best Lyricist for Sur, In 2003 Bollywood Movie Award - Best Lyricist for Aa Bhi Ja from Sur and In 2013 Padma Shri; the Government of India
3. Chinappa Wins Gold In South Asian Games
i. India’s ace squash player Joshna Chinappa has won the gold medal in women’s individual category at the 12th South Asian Games (SAG).
ii. In the final match played at R G Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati.
iii. she defeated Pakistan’s Maria Wazir by 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 score.
iv. With this she became first Indian squash player to win individual gold medal in 2016 SAG.
4. Coast Guard To Induct 38 Aircraft And Helicopter By 2020
i. The Indian Coast Guard has proposed to induct 38 more aircraft and helicopters into its fleet by 2020. The CG at present has a fleet strength of 62 airplanes and helicopters.
ii. To boost its surveillance and search, and rescue capabilities. In this regard, the maritime security will sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 16 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs) in the next three - four months.
iii. It is also exploring options to buy 14 twin-engine heavy helicopters and 6 more Maritime Multi-mission Surveillance Aircraft.
5. Indian Wrestlers Win 14 out of 16 Gold In South Asian Gamesi. Indian wrestlers simply grabbed, scooping 14 gold medals out of a total 16 on offer as the wrestling competition in the 12th South Asian Games.
ii. Indian wrestlers ended their campaign with a whopping 14 gold and two silver.
iii. India won gold in all the eight women's categories, while their men counterparts won 6 gold and 2 silver. Pakistan won 2 gold.
6. Indo-Nepal Joint Military Exercise Surya Kiran IX begins in Uttarakhandi. The 9th edition of India-Nepal Combined Military Exercise Surya Kiran IX has commenced at Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.
ii. It is a 14 day military exercise focused on Jungle warfare and counter terrorism.
iii. This exercise is based on to practice counter insurgency, jungle warfare and disaster management under the aegis of the Indian Army's GARUD division.
7. New Zealand cricket team won Chappell-Hadlee Trophyi. New Zealand on 8 February 2016 won the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Trophy of cricket against Australia, 2-1.
ii. In the third and final match played at Seddon Park, Hamilton, the Black Caps defeated Australia by 55 runs.
iii. This win of the Black Caps can be termed as the best farewell gift for Brendon McCullum who retired from One-Day International (ODI) cricket after the match. They also retained the Chappell-Hadlee trophy by putting tremendous bowling and fielding display.
8. R.K. Pachauri Appointed As Executive Vice Chairman And Mathur As New DG Of TERIi. Pachauri headed TERI, which works in the field of sustainable development, energy and climate change, for the past 35 years.ii. Mathur is a former Director General of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, an institution under the Power Ministry.
iii. Not-with-standing allegations of sexual harassment by a former colleague, TERI Chief RK Pachauri was on Monday appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the green body after new Director General Ajay Mathur took over the charge from him. "Dr. Ajay Mathur has joined as Director General of TERI. The Governing Council of TERI has appointed Dr. R K Pachauri as the Executive Vice Chairman with immediate effect," a TERI official said.
iv. In February last year, a junior colleague had accused him of sexual harassment following which he had to proceed on leave but joined work in July with a court quashing the internal committee report that found him guilty of misconduct.
v. He was removed as chairman of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change and also from the international body of scientists that makes periodic assessment of climate change science.
9. Former Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala Passes Away
i. Nepal's former prime minister Sushil Koirala passed away at his resident.
ii. He was 78.
iii. Koirala was suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and  has also been receiving treatment for “tongue cancer”.
iv. Koirala was appointed President of the party ( Congress ) in 2008 by President Girija Prasad Koirala.

10. RBI Cancelled 4 NBFCs registration
i. The Reserve Bank of India on Monday said that it has cancelled the certificate of registration of four non-banking financial companies.No details were given by the apex bank for cancellation of the certificates of these firms.
ii. Those NBFC are Goyal Commercial Pvt Ltd and Debt Management Co. of India Ltd belongs to Kolkata, while Nostalgia Finvest Private Limited and Narad Realtors Private Limited belongs to Mumbai.
iii. No details were given by the apex bank for cancellation of the certificates of these firms.
11. Rs. 1 L Crore Disbursed Under MUDRA YOJANAi. Loans worth about Rs1 lakh crore have been sanctioned to small entrepreneurs under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana.
ii. Emphasizing that the government wants youth to be job creators and not job seekers.
iii. On the disbursement of the amount Modi said “We are not looking for youth of the nation to turn out to be job seekers, we would like that they grow to be job creators in order that they provide employment to at least one, two or 5 individuals.
12. India will host its firsr global maritime summiti. According to PM Modi, India will host the first-ever global maritime summit in April 2016.ii. He made the announcement at a function to thank the personnel of the Indian Navy for making the International Fleet Review (IFR) a “success”.
iii. He also quoted that “Oceans are lifelines of global prosperity. They present us with enormous economic opportunities to build our nations”.
13. New Zealand cricketer Brendon Barrie McCullum retired from One-Day Internationalsi. Brendon Barrie McCullum (New Zealand) on 8 February 2016 retired from One-Day Internationals (ODIs). However, He announced his retirement on 22 December 2015.
ii. He made his debut in ODIs as a 20-year-old batsman in 2001 against Australia at Sydney and he played his against the same side in 2016.
iii. He made his test debut against South Africa in 2003 and has played 99 tests so far and would retire from tests after playing two tests against Australia in February 2016.
iv. He played 260 ODIs and scored 6083 runs matches. They include 5 centuries and 31 half-centuries.

Daily GK Update - 7th February, 2016

1.In a first, NDRF trains 160 dogs for disaster response

i. In a maiden initiative, a squad of 162 dogs is being raised by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to aid its personnel in rescuing people trapped under debris in the aftermath of natural calamities like earthquake.

ii. The NDRF, which was involved in disaster rescue operations like the deluge in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Chennai and the earthquake that struck Nepal last year, has undertaken the exercise on a ‘mission mode’

iii. The force is training a batch of 162 dogs for their specialised Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) tasks under which the NDRF teams have to sift through mounds of rubble to look for life trapped beneath.

iv. A number of them have finished their regime and are being subjected to drills and field exercises where they are made to sniff out life in a collapsed concrete structure.

2.Geographical Indication tag for Basmati rice of 7 states approved

i. The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has ordered Chennai based Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) to issue ‘Geographical Indication’ tag for basmati rice. 

ii. This GI tag will be issued to basmati rice variety grown in 7 states in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) on the foothills of the Himalayas. 

iii. These states are Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. This tag will help to preserve the unique identity of India’s aromatic basmati rice in the international markets. 

About Geographical Indication

• (GI) Geographical Indication is an insignia on products having a unique geographical origin and evolution over centuries with regards to its special quality or reputation attributes. 
• It is a mark of authenticity and ensures that registered authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. 
• GI registration confers: (i) Legal protection to the products (ii) Prevents unauthorised use of a GI tags by others (iii) Helps consumers to get quality products of desired traits (iv) Promotes economic prosperity of producers of GI tag goods by enhancing their demand in national and international markets. 
• Legal Authorities: At international level, GI is governed by World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). 
• In India, GI registration is governed by the Geographical Indications of goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Darjeeling tea was the first product in India accorded with GI tag. 
• Presently, there are total 218 GI tag products from India. Some of them are Mysore Silk, Mysore Pak, Thanjavaur Veena etc. 

3.Noted Political Catooninst Sudhir Tailang passes away

i. Famous political cartoonist Sudhir Tailang, passed away in Gurgaon, Haryana after battling with brain cancer for a long time. He was 56. 

ii. He was known for his political cartoons that chronicled contemporary Indian politics with wit and humour. 

4.Project Sunrise launched for prevention of AIDS in NE states

i. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda has launched Project Sunrise on for prevention of AIDS specially among people injecting drugs in the 8 North-Eastern states. 

ii. The AIDS prevention special project aims to diagnose 90 per cent of such drug addicts with HIV and put them under treatment by 2020. 

Key facts 

• Project Sunrise aims at bringing the people living with HIV/AIDS into the national mainstream and create more awareness about the disease in these N-E states. 
• It will be implemented in the North East in addition to the existing projects of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). 
• The project has been sponsored by US based Centre for Disease Control and would be implemented by Family Health International 360. 
• It will cover one lakh people living with HIV/AIDS by giving them treatment and care facilities free of cost. 
• Other initiatives to be covered it include enhancing capacity of state-level institutions in high burden areas, community mobilization, intervention among females injecting drugs.

5.Union Govt to set up Natioanl Organic Farming Reearch Institute in Sikkim

i. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has decided to set up the National Organic Farming Research Institute (NOFRI) in Sikkim. 

ii. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Agriculture Minister Radhamohan Singh after he met Sikkim Agriculture Minister Som Nath Paudyal in New Delhi. 

iii. The NOFRI will be established by upgrading the existing Gangtok based Regional Centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). iv. Apart from this, Union Government also has assured State Government to help in sustaining the organic farming and also in marketing of the State’s organic products. 

6.International Fleet Review 2016 kick starts in Vizag

i. The International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016, an international military exercise hosted and conducted by Indian Navy was inaugurated in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 

ii. Theme of this edition on IFR is “United through Oceans” and its objective is to enhance mutual trust and confidence with neighbouring navies by inviting their ships to participate in the event. 

iii. The last IFR conducted by the Indian Navy in 2001 in Mumbai, Maharashtra in which navies of 29 countries from across the globe had participated. 

Key facts 

• Total 11,000 guests are expected to attend the mega naval exercise including members of foreign delegations. 
• It is perceived to be the biggest exercise conducted in India so far. 
• Naval ships from 50 countries and various dignitaries will also participate in the event and close to 4000 sailors have participated in the fleet review. 
• The 4 day review (from 4 to 8 February) aims at assuring the country of the Indian Navy’s preparedness, high morale and discipline. 
• For the first time Chinese navy called as People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) is also participating in the event. 
• In this edition of IFR special emphasis is given to Make In India on three dimensions — indigenisation, innovation and ingenuity. 
• Indian Navy’s ships participating in this event includes, INS Vikramaditya- India’s biggest aircraft carrier, INS Viraat, destroyers INS Mysore, Kolkata, frigates-Satpura, Shivalik, Teg amongst others. 

7.Sushma Swaraj inaugurated Rise of Digital India Exhibition in Colombo

i. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on 6 February 2016 inaugurated the Rise of Digital India Exhibition in Colombo. The exhibition was a part of Sangam -The Festival of India in Sri Lanka 2015-16.

ii. Swaraj was on a two day visit to Sri Lanka to co-chair the 9th session of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting along with her Sri Lankan counterpart, Mangala Samaraweera.

iii. The Rise of Digital India exhibition showcases the initiative of Indian government to take the benefits of Information Technology to the common man. The exhibition is a part of six month long Festival of India celebrations in Sri Lanka.

8.Zimbabwe's President declared a state of disaster in rural parts of the country

i. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe on 5 February 2016 declared a state of disaster in rural parts of the country hit by a drought.

ii. The announcement comes days after the European Union urged Mugabe to declare a state of disaster. This declaration of disaster will allow international donors to raise money quickly to provide food aid to the nation. 

iii. An estimated 2.4 million people are now in need of food aid, more than a quarter of the population. The government also urged Zimbabweans not to panic, as it is importing maize from neighbouring Zambia.

iv. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in January 2016 said some 14 million people face hunger in southern Africa because of a drought that has been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon. South Africa, Namibia and Botswana have also been badly hit.

v. It seems that the worst drought in a quarter of the century is expected to increase the problems of the southern African nation, which is struggling to overcome a steep 1999-2008 recession that saw its economy contract by nearly 50 percent.

Daily GK Update - 6th February 2016

1. Corporation Bank inks pact with Universal Sompo for accident death coverage

i. Corporation Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Universal Sompo General Insurance Co Ltd for providing accident death coverage to its savings bank account holders under Corp Signature, Corp Super and Corp Saral category.

ii. According to this pact the bank provides free personal accident death cover of ₹10 lakh to its Corp Signature and ₹5 lakh to its Corp Super account holders.

iii. The MoU was signed in the presence of Jai Kumar Garg, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Corporation Bank, and VV Vendhen, Head (Bancassurance), Universal Sompo General Insurance Co Ltd.

2. Indian Origin Singaporean Is Diamond Trade Body’s New President

i. Vishal Mehta, A 34-year-old Indian-origin man based in Singapore was today appointed President of the newly- formed International Grown Diamond Association (IGDA). 

ii.Vishal Mehta, CEO of a Singapore-based company which makes lab diamond, was named President of the IGDA, a platform of more than 10 leading grown diamond producers, distributors and retailers.

iii. Mehta is the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore-based IIa Technologies which grows diamond from its state-of-the-art facility in the city state.

3. Kohli Replaces Finch As No 1 Batsman In T20 Internationals

i. Virat Kohli was rewarded for his stupendous performance in India's clean sweep against Australia in the T20 internationals as he replaced Aaron Finch as the top-ranked batsman in the ICC list for the shortest format. 

ii. According to the press released by the ICC, Kohli who had scores of 90 not out, 59 not out and 50 in the three-match series, gained 47 ratings points to move ahead of Finch with 892 ranking points to his credit.

iii. Finch gained 14 points himself thanks to scores of 44 and 74 in Adelaide and Melbourne. 

iv. India's Suresh Raina moved up three places to 13th after his impressive series, while opener Rohit Sharma also moved up four places to be placed 16th.

v. The latest rankings also confirmed India's ascension to No.1 in the world, while Australia have plummeted to eighth spot following the 3-0 series defeat.

4. Centre Approves Heritage Development Projects In Andhra & Telangana

i. The Union Ministry of Urban Development approved projects worth more than Rs.12 crore for improving tourist infrastructure in heritage locations in Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh and Warangal in Telangana.

ii. An official press release said an Inter-Ministerial National Empowered Committee for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) approved the projects, which include a heritage park in Amaravati and developmental works at the 1000 Pillar Temple and Kazipet Durgah and rejuvenation of pondat Padmakshi Temple in Warangal city.

iii. Amaravati and Warangal are among the 12 cities included in the HRIDAY scheme for improving the social, cultural and economic ecosystems by augmenting necessary infrastructure with the objective of conserving the rich cultural heritage and enabling better facilities for tourists and pilgrims. More projects will be approved for Amaravati and Warangal in the near future. 

5. PM Modi Inaugurates Petrochemical Project In Dibrugarh

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a petrochemical project in Lepetkata in Dibrugarh, which is the first such project of North-East. 

ii. The project has been named as Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Ltd (BCPL). 

iii. It has been built at cost of 10000-crore rupees and shall be producing raw material for manufacturing plastic.

iv. Prime Minister also dedicated wax producing unit in Numaligarh Refinery Limited to the nation. It is India’s highest wax producing unit and shall be using indigenous technology.

6. MoU on Health and School Renovation between India and Sri Lanka

i. India and Sri Lanka signed two memorandum of understanding (MoUs) in the health sector and renovation of schools.

ii. Under the MoU on health, India will construct a surgical unit at the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital in the island nation's Eastern province and supply medical equipment. In the second MoU, India will aid in the renovation of 27 schools in the Northern Province.

iii. The MoUs were signed in the ninth session of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission that was co-chaired by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mangala Samaraweera.

7. ICICI Academy aims to impart skills training to one lakh youth by 2017

i.The academy and the RSETIs will train close to 45,000 candidates in the 2017 fiscal and take the total number of trained youth to over a lakh. 

ii. The academy has in the last two years (since inception in 2013) trained 25,200 youths (of which 32 per cent were women) belonging to the economically weaker sections. 

iii. It has set up 22 centres across the country (including 10 centres exclusively for training of women).

 iv. The centre has trained 2,880 individuals so far and secured 100 per cent placement. It currently offers residential courses to 638 students in six disciplines such as electrical and home appliances repair, refrigeration and AC repair, pumps and motor repair, central air-conditioning repair, two and three-wheeler service technician and selling skills.

v. It has tied up with industry partners such as Schneider Electric India Foundation, Blue Star, Crompton Greaves, Voltas, Godrej, Perfect Engineers, Best Engineers, Ramdev Motors, Aquasyb, Geethanjali Electricals, Energy Control Corporation, TVS Training and Services, Global Innova, Axis Bank, Muthoot Fincorp and Reliance Communication. It has also set up practical training laboratories to facilitate practical orientation.

8. NASA Astronaut Edgar Mitchell died

i. NASA Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who was the sixth man to walk on the Moon, died in West Palm Beach, Florida.

ii. The lunar module pilot on Apollo 14 died at the age of 85. 

iii. His death occurred on the eve of the 45th anniversary of his lunar landing, which took place on 5 February 1971.