Daily updates 14 may 2018

National News

1.UNDP to Set Up Skill Development Centre in Hyderabad

i. Aimed at empowering vulnerable and marginalised women by imparting skills training, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced to set up a skill development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated support centre for distressed women and children in Hyderabad.
ii. 'Bharosa,' an initiative of Hyderabad City Police, is a state-of-the-art centre to support women and children who are victims of violence.

2. Army Finalises Rs 15,000 crore Ammunition Production Project

i. Indian Army has finalised a mega 15,000 crore rupees project under which a range of ammunition for its critical weapons and tanks will be produced indigenously. 11 private firms would be involved in the ambitious project.
ii. The immediate aim of the project is to create an inventory for all major weapons to enable the forces to fight a 30-day war while the long-term objective is to cut dependence on imports.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

General Bipin Rawat is the present Chief of Army Staff.

Field Marshal KM Cariappa was the First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.



3. Par Panel to Look into Black Money Recovery, Performance of PSBs

i. A parliamentary panel headed by veteran BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi decided to study the recovery of black money and performance of public sector banks (PSBs) among a host of subjects. The 30-member Estimates Committee, in a meeting, decided to study a host of subjects related to various ministries in the year 2018-19.
ii. As per the memorandum of the committee, the panel will look into the import of uranium for nuclear plants, mining activities and environment, upgrading of India Post offices and the drought situation in the country among other matters.

4. High-Level Committee Approves Central Assistance of Rs1,161 crores To 4 States and a UT

i. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of the High Level Committee (HLC) in New Delhi for Central Assistance to the States/ UT of Assam (affected by floods during 2017-18), Himachal Pradesh (affected by floods/ landslides during 2017-18), Sikkim (affected by floods/ landslides during 2017-18), Lakshadweep (affected by cyclone Ockhi during 2017) and Rajasthan (affected by Kharif drought during 2017).
ii. The HLC approved assistance of Rs 480.87 crore in respect of state of Assam. The HLC also approved assistance from NDRF amounting to Rs 84.60 crore for the state of Himachal Pradesh, Rs 67.40 crore for the state of Sikkim, Rs 2.16 crore for the UT of Lakshadweep and Rs 526.14 crore for the state of Rajasthan. The total assistance approved was Rs 1,161.17 crores.

5. Dharmendra Pradhan, UAE Minister Flag Off 1st Consignment of ADNOC Crude For India

i. Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and UAE Minister of State & Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Group CEO Dr. Sultan Al Jaber flagged off the first consignment of 2 million barrels of ADNOC crude for Mangalore Cavern.
ii. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister also had an interactive session with over 250 Indian professionals, business leaders and community representatives working in the UAE. The event was organised by the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

The UAE Capital- Abu Dhabi, Currency- UAE dirham.

International News

6. Venkaiah Naidu 3-Nation Visit: Complete Highlights

i. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was on a five-day visit to South America's Guatemala, Peru and Panama. Bilateral trade and investments were discussed during the visit.
ii. This was the Vice President's first overseas visit after assuming office. He was be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Jasvantsinh Sumanbahi Bhabhor.
Find Complete Highlights Here

7. Army Chief Begins 4-day Visit to Sri Lanka

i. General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff is on an official visit to Sri Lanka for four days. During the visit, he will hold talks with top political and military leadership of Sri Lanka and explore new areas of military-to-military cooperation between the ground forces of the two countries.
ii. The visit assumes significance in light of India’s persistent efforts to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and military cooperation based on mutual interests and understanding.

8. India, Nepal agree to expand their partnership for socio-economic development

i. India and Nepal have agreed to expand their partnership for socio-economic development on the basis of principles of equality, trust, respect and mutual benefit.
ii. In a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Nepal. Mr. Modi and his Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli emphasized the need for the regular convening of bilateral mechanisms to review the overall state of bilateral relations.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Dena Bank PO Exam 2018-

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari is present President of Nepal.

Ranks and Reports

9. Fitch predicts 7.3% growth rate of India in 2018-19

i. Credit rating agency Fitch has stated that India's economic growth will accelerate to 7.3% in the current financial year (2018-19) and 7.5% in the next fiscal (2019-20).
ii. In its second-quarter Sovereign Credit Overview for Asia Pacific region, Fitch stated the growth rate will accelerate as money supply has recovered to its pre-demonetisation level and disruptions related to the rollout of GST have diminished.

10. India, Largest Remittance-Receiving Country in World

i. India has become the largest remittance-receiving country in the world, with migrant workers from the country sending home 69 billion US dollars in 2017. According to the report ‘RemitSCOPE – Remittance markets and opportunities – Asia and the Pacific’, remittances to the Asia-Pacific region amounted to 256 billion dollars in 2017.
ii. India with 69 billion Dollars, China with 64 billion Dollars and the Philippines with 33 billion Dollars are the three largest remittance-receiving countries in the world in 2017. Worldwide, an estimated 40% of the total value of remittances goes to rural areas.

Awards

11 Lata Mangeshkar Conferred With Swara Mauli Award

i. Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar was honoured with the Swara Mauli title by spiritual guru Vidya Narsimha Bharati Swami. Mangeshkar, 88, was conferred with the award at her residence in Mumbai.
ii. Her sisters Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar and brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar were also present.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Mangeshkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, in 2001 - the second vocalist, after MS Subbulakshmi to receive the honour.

Banking News

12. ICBC Launches China's 1st India-Dedicated Investment Fund

i. A state-run Chinese bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has launched the country's first India-dedicated publicly offered investment fund, saying the Indian market offers the best opportunity for Chinese investors due to the prospects of double-digit growth.
ii. The fund, named the ICBC Credit Suisse India Market Fund, will invest in exchange-traded funds listed on more than 20 exchanges in Europe and the US that are based on the Indian market. It is China's first publicly offered fund for investing in India.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) was established on 1 January 1984.

Gu Shu is the President of ICBC.





It Headquarters in Beijing, China.



13. Fino Payments Bank Launched Digital Suite

i. Fino Payments Bank launched a suite of digital products that can be accessed online and through mobile phones with the focus to build the transaction platform. Fino had launched its mobile banking app BPay in 2017.
ii. The latest initiatives include Unified Payments Interface (UPI), BHIM app - using which customers can access UPI and make P2P payments, net banking, digi savings account which can be opened with only Aadhaar number and PAN card and FasTag for making digital payments at toll plazas on national highways.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Prof Mahendra Kumar Chouhan is the Chairman, Independent Director of FINO Payments Bank.

Rishi Gupta is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FINO Payments Bank.





FINO Payments Bank Limited headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 



14. Paytm Introduces Automatic Recurring Payments

i. Paytm introduced automatic recurring payments, a new feature that lets users configure the payments app to pay for periodic recurring expenses automatically.
ii. Similar to standing instructions for bank accounts, the ‘My Payments’ feature can be used for high-value payments for a variety of cases.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Paytm Payments Bank is owned 51 percent by Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and 49 percent by One97 Communications Limited.

Obituaries

15. Noted Lyricist, Poet, Politician Balkavi Bairagi Passes Away

i. Noted Hindi film lyricist, Nandram Das Bairagi, popularly known as Balkavi Bairagi, passed away.
ii. Bairagi, a Lok Sabha member between 1984 and 1989 and also a former Rajya Sabha MP. He was 87. He wrote several Hindi poems, among which, "Jhar gaye paat, bisar gayi tehni" is considered a gem by many Hindi poets.

Daily news 5 May 2018

National News

1. HRD Ministry Launches Initiatives for Online Professional Development Using SWAYAM

i. Human Resource Development Ministry has launched a major and unique initiative of online professional development of 1.5 million higher education faculty using the Massive Open Online Courses platform SWAYAM.
ii.  In the first phase, 75 discipline-specific National Resource Centres (NRCs) have been identified. National Resource Centres (NRCs) are tasked to prepare online training material with focus on new and emerging trends, pedagogical improvements and methodologies for transacting revised curriculum.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Prakash Javadekar is the present Human Resource Development Minister of India.

2. 'Go to Village' Mission Launched in Manipur

i. Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh launched 'Go to Village' mission throughout the state from Konuma ground. The mission was launched in 60 villages of all the 60 Assembly constituencies.
ii. The mission is aimed at identifying the eligible and deserving beneficiaries in every corner of the state and delivering government services at their doorstep.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Manipur CM- Nongthombam Biren Singh, Governor- Dr. Najma A. Heptulla.

3. 4th Regional Conference on ‘Futuristic, Resilient and Digital Infrastructure’ Concludes in Bengaluru

i. The 4th Regional Conference on ‘Futuristic, Resilient and Digital Infrastructure’ organized by the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) concluded in Bengaluru.
ii. The 2-day Conference was a lead-up event to the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which is going to be hosted by the Government of India in June 2018 in Mumbai.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank President- Liqun Jin.

AIIB Headquarters in Beijing, China.



4. NITI Aayog to Collaborate With IBM to Develop Precision Agriculture Using AI

i. NITI Aayog and IBM have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to develop a crop yield prediction model using Artificial Intelligence to provide real-time advisory to farmers in Aspirational Districts. The Intent was signed in presence of NITI Aayog, CEO Amitabh Kant and IBM India, MD Karan Bajwa.
ii. The first phase of the project will focus on developing the model for 10 Aspirational Districts across the States of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

NITI- National Institution for Transforming India.

NITI Aayog Chairman- Narendra Modi, Vice-Chairman- Rajiv Kumar, CEO- Amitabh Kant.



5. Government Announces Project to Strengthen Namami Gange Programme

i. The 11th Executive Committee meeting of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) recently approved the project encompassing the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology for Namami Gange programme with a total budget of Rs 86.84 crore.
ii. In order to facilitate the Ganga rejuvenation task through the GIS technology, the National Mission for Clean Ganga has tied-up with the Survey of India.
iii. The National Mission for Clean Ganga also approved the project to strengthen the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) of five main stem Ganga basin states, namely, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. The project was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 85.97 for 5 years.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Nitin Jairam Gadkari is the Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

 Survey of India is the oldest scientific department in the country set up in 1767.

International News

6. 12th Informal Meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers Held in Manila

i. The 12th informal meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Manila, Philippines, on the sidelines of the 51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB).
ii. The meeting was attended by the Finance Ministers/Heads of Delegations from the SAARC member states. Finance Minister of Nepal Yuba Raj Khatiwada chaired the meeting.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Its member states include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.





President of ADB- Takehiko Nakao, ADB Headquarters- Manila, Philippines, Opened on- 19th December 1966. 



7. Venkaiah Naidu On 5-Day Visit to South America

i. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu emplaned for a five-day visit to South America's Guatemala, Peru and Panama. Bilateral trade and investments are expected to be mainly discussed during the visit.
ii. This will be the Vice President's first overseas visit after assuming office. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Jasvantsinh Sumanbahi Bhabhor.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Guatemala Capital- Guatemala City, Currency- Guatemalan quetzal.

Peru Capital- Lima, Currency- Sol.





Panama Capital- Panama City, Currencies- United States Dollar, Panamanian balboa.



8. California Surpasses UK to Become World's 5th Largest Economy

i. US state California's economy has surpassed that of the UK to become the world’s fifth largest, according to new federal data released. With a GDP of $2.7 trillion, California is now only behind the US, China, Japan and Germany.
ii. The UK and India are next on the list, followed by France, Brazil and Italy respectively. Despite having a population of only 40 million compared with the UK’s 65 million people, California’s gross domestic product of $2.7tn has overtaken the UK’s $2.6tn.

9. No Nobel Prize In Literature This Year

i. The Swedish Academy has decided to postpone the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature, with the intention of awarding it in 2019.
ii.  The decision has been taken in the wake of a sexual and financial scandal that has engulfed the Swedish Academy, the cultural institution responsible for awarding the prestigious prize. For the first time since 1949, the secretive jury will not unveil a winner this autumn.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Kazuo Ishiguro was the winner of Nobel Prize 2017.

Top 10 trending phones of week 18

06 May 2018

It's been a while since we saw a change in the lead of our weekly popularity chart, but week 18 finally delivered it. The Xiaomi Mi 6X, which should hit international markets as A2 has overtaken the Redmi Note 5 Pro and Huawei P20 Pro to grab the gold.


Oppo F7 was another to lose a position to the Mi A2 rise taking fourth this time around. Behind it is another handset on an upwards trajectory - the Huawei P20 Lite. The most affordable member of the new P20 trio entered the chart in ninth last week, but it's already fifth now.


The Asus Zenfone Max Pro has slid a couple of spots to sixth, while the Redmi Note 5 has regained some of the ground it lost in the last edition of the chart to get seventh place.


The vivo V9 and Galaxy J7 Pro went down to 8th and ninth, losing two spots compared to last week, but staying together.


The final position on the chart goes to the leader's predecessor - the Xiaomi Mi A1, meaning the Nokia X6 was unable to extend its streak.