daily news 6-2-2019

National 

1. Maharashtra Sets Up Panel To Review Welfare Schemes For Tribals
i. The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to review various schemes being implemented for the welfare of tribals in the state. 
ii. The 17-member committee, headed by former MLA and Shramjeevi Sanghatna president Vivek Pandit, will undertake the study of various works done for providing employment opportunities, minimum wages and proper livelihood to tribals.
2. Transport Minister Launches Highway Projects In Odisha
i. The Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone of three major highway projects with an investment worth Rs 2,345 crores in Odisha. The projects are aimed at ensuring speedy development in the state.
ii. The three highway projects are expected to considerably improve connectivity of mineral-rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts with the rest of Odisha. The three national highway projects will have a total length of 132 km.
3. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App Launched
i. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) App has been launched on Google play store. Ayushman Bharat Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is a centrally sponsored scheme; which was launched in the year 2018, under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of MoHFW in the country.
ii. This scheme aims at making interventions in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both preventive and promotive health, to address healthcare holistically. Moving ahead to digitalisation this app is now available on Google Play store.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Indu Bhushan is the CEO of PM-JAY.

4. Punjab Government Constitutes 5 Member Committee To Promote Dairy Farming
i. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announced a high-powered 5-member committee to prepare a comprehensive action plan to boost the dairy sector with the aim of supplementing the income of farmers in a result-oriented manner.
ii. The committee would consist of Chairman State Farmers Commission, Director Animal Husbandry,  Director of Dairy Development, a representative of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

V.P. Singh Badnore is the present Governor of Punjab.

Awards

5. President Presents Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards to 42 for the year 2017
i. President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the year 2017 to 42 noted artists in five categories. 
ii. The awards were presented at a special function held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi.
Find The Complete  award List here 
6. NFDC Declared Winner For Promotion of SC/ST Entrepreneurs
i. National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) of India has been selected as Winner under the Miniratna Category (Category II) by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
ii. This has been done as part of an endeavour by Ministry of MSME to felicitate select CPSEs to recognize their exemplary work towards promotion of SC/ST entrepreneurs.

Banking News

7. RBI Slaps Penalty on Syndicate Bank and Axis Bank
i. The Reserve Bank of India has slapped an Rs1-crore penalty on Syndicate Bank and Rs20 lakh on Axis Bank for violating norms. The penalty on Syndicate Bank is due to non-compliance with the directions regarding frauds and risk management systems. 
ii. Axis Bank was fined for contravention of the directions on detection and impounding of counterfeit notes and installation of note sorting machines.

Appointments

8. Dinesh Bhatia Appointed As The Ambassador of India To The Republic Of Argentina
i. The government has appointed Dinesh Bhatia, the present Consul General, Consulate General of India at Toronto as the next Ambassador of India to Argentina. 
ii The MEA stated that present India's envoy to Argentina Sanjiv Ranjan has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Colombia.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NIACL AO Mains Exam-

Capital: Buenos Aires, Currency: Argentine peso.

Sports News

9. Ramit Tandon Wins Seattle Open
i. Indian squash player Ramit Tandon defeated Egyptian Mohamed El Sherbini in the finals to win the Seattle Open, a PSA challenger squash Tour event. 
ii. The top-seeded Indian, who rose to his career high ranking of 58 in the latest February list, won his first PSA title in the new year and fourth title overall in his career.

Science and Technology News

10. ISRO Launches GSAT 31 From French Guiana
i. India’s 40th communication satellite GSAT-31 has been launched successfully from French Guiana. The Ariane-5 rocket lifted off with it from Kourou Launch Base, and in 42-minutes, placed it in the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
ii. It was immediately taken control by Indian Space Research Organization ISRO scientists from its Hassan facility in Karnataka. GSAT-31 will provide transponder capacity for DTH television and connectivity to services like VSATs for ATMs, stock-exchanges, Digital Satellite News Gathering DSNG and e-governance applications.
Find More about GSAT-31
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

ISRO Director: K. Sivan, Headquarters: Bengaluru, Established in: 1969.

Obituaries 

11. Veteran Marathi Actor Ramesh Bhatkar Passes Away
i. Veteran Marathi actor Ramesh Bhatkar passed away aged 70 after battling cancer for over one and a half years. 
ii. During his career, spanning over 30 years, the actor starred in several Marathi films and television series including 'Aai Pahije' and 'Commander'. The actor also featured in Hindi films like 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and 'Bhavesh Joshi Superhero

daily news 4-1-2019

National News

1. PM Laid Foundation Stone For Various Development Projects in Leh
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects, worth nearly 12,000 crore rupees, at Leh. He laid the foundation stone for a 480 crore rupee Terminal Building at Leh Airport. Mr Modi inaugurated the 9-megawatt Dah hydroelectric project.
ii. The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation the 220 KiloVolt Srinagar-Alusteng-Drass-Kargil-Leh transmission system. Mr Modi also launched the University of Ladakh, the first-ever in the state's region. 
iii. He also visited Jammu and Srinagar. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various projects, including two new All India Institute of Medical Sciences and 624 MW Kiru Hydroelectric project in Kishtwar.
2. 'ICT Academy Bridge 2019' Conference Inaugurated in Tamil Nadu
i. Dr M. Manikandan, Minister for Information Technology of Tamil Nadu inaugurated 'ICT Academy Bridge 2019' conference in the city that witnessed more than 1,000 participants from government, industry and academia.
ii. Organized by ICT Academy, the 37th edition of the conference is the largest Industry-Institute Interaction Event of Asia. The conference was organized under the theme "Fostering India for Industry 4.0". 
3. India-Monaco Business Forum Held in New Delhi
i. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu has inaugurated the Indo-Monaco Business Forum in New Delhi.
ii. Bilateral trade between India and Monaco in 2017-18 was USD 3.01 million, and there is immense potential to scale up the bilateral trade between the two nations. Monaco is ranked 106th among foreign direct investor in India (since April 2000 to June 2018) with USD 2.51 million FDI equity inflow.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam: 

Monaco Capital: Monte Carlo, Currency: Euro.

Ranks and Reports

4. India’s Tourism Sector Registers 19% Growth In 2018
i. Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons has announced that the country’s tourism sector fetched revenue of 234 billion US Dollar in 2018, registering a growth of over 19%. This revenue was contributed by 87% domestic and 13% foreign tourists.
ii. He made the announcement at the 2nd ASEAN-India Youth Summit in Guwahati. The country is ranked third in the tourism sector, according to the 2018 report of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
5. Railways Minister Launched IEA’s 'The Future of Rail' Report
i. Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal launched the “The Future of Rail” report of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Future of Rail is the first-of-a-kind report that analyses the current and future importance of rail around the world through the perspective of its energy and environmental implications.
ii. The report reviews the impact of existing plans and regulations on the future of rail and explores the policies that could help to realise an enhanced future of the railways.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

John Mathai was the first Railways Minister of Independent India.

Economy News

6. New e-Commerce Policy Comes Into Effect: All You Need To Know
i. India’s new e-commerce policy came into effect From February 1, 2019. A new set of policy rules had been formed for the e-commerce companies.
ii.  Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (previously DIPP) gave them a 60-day window period for aligning themselves to the government’s modified foreign direct investment (FDI) rules.
Find The Complete Highlights Here

Appointments

7. Rishi Kumar Shukla Appointed As New CBI Director 
i. Rishi Kumar Shukla, 1983 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as the new chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He will be serving for a fixed term of two years.
ii. Shukla's appointment to the post was approved by a high-level committee chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
8. Former Law Minister of Nepal Nilambar Acharya Appointed Country's Ambassador to India
i. Former Law Minister of Nepal Nilambar Acharya has been appointed as country's ambassador to India. President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Acharya in Kathmandu. He has been appointed on the recommendation of the cabinet.
ii. The position of Nepalese ambassador to India was lying vacant after Deep Kumar Upadhyay resigned in October 2017 to join politics.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Nepal’s central bank is called as Nepal Rashtra Bank.

It was established in 1956 under the Nepal Rashtra Bank Act 1955.





Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal is the Governor of Nepal Rashtra Bank.

Important Days

9. World Cancer Day: 4th February
i. World Cancer Day is being observed observed globally on 4th February. 
ii. This year, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), which organizes World Cancer Day, is launching a new 3-year (2019-2021) campaign with the theme: “I Am and I Will.” 
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Union for International Cancer Control Headquarters in: Geneva, Switzerland, Founded: 1933.

Sports

10. Sana Mir Becomes 1st Asian Woman To Play 100 T20Is
i. Former captain of the Pakistan women team Sana Mir has become the first Asian woman to play hundred T20Is. Mir, 33, is one of Pakistan’s most senior women cricketers and has been representing the country since 2005.
ii. She achieved the feat when she took the field against West Indies in the third and final T20I in Karachi. 
11. Haryana Beat Defending Champions Punjab Royals To Lift PWL 4 Title
i. Haryana Hammers won the fourth edition of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) as they outclassed Punjab Royals 6-3 in the summit clash at the Gautam Buddha University indoor stadium, Greater Noida. 
12. Smriti Mandhana Becomes World No.1 Women's ODI Batter
i. Indian women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana has become the top-ranked batter in women's ODI cricket, as per the latest rankings released by the ICC.
ii. The 22-year-old moved up three spots in the batters' rankings to reach the top spot. In the 15 ODIs Smriti has played since the beginning of 2018, she has scored two centuries and eight half-centuries.

daily news 5-2-2019

National News

1. National Road Safety Week Begins
i. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off Suraksha Yatra – a motor car rally from Rajghat in New Delhi to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 
ii. The rally will travel through places historically associated with Gandhiji, both in India, as well as in Bangladesh and Myanmar. The flag off was also part of an event to launch the 30th National Road Safety Week.
2. Ministry of Coal Signs an MoU With Ministry of Energy, Poland
i. Ministry of Coal of India entered into an MoU with the Ministry of Energy, Republic of Poland. The MoU has been signed between Sh. Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, Minister of State for Coal and Mines and Mr Grzegorz Tobiszowski, Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy, Republic of Poland.
ii. The objective of this MoU is to foster relations in the field of coal mining and clean coal technologies through the already established Joint Coal Working Group as well as research institutes and academia between the two countries
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Poland Capital: Warsaw, Currency: Polish zloty.

3. Kala Ghoda Festival 2019 Begins In Mumbai
i. The Kala Ghoda festival, India’s largest multi-cultural street festival begins in Mumbai to celebrate its 20 years of art and culture through cinema, theatre, dance, literature, and sculpture. Maneck Davar is Chairman of Kala Ghoda Association.
ii. The festival hosted the exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and some rich history of Mumbai. To underscore KGAF’s two-decade run, the theme for this year is A Measure of Time.
4. ‘Sopan 2019’ Held At New Delhi
i. The 6-day long music and dance festival 'Sopan 2019', to encourage young artists to take up traditional art took place in New Delhi.  
ii. It was Organised by Sahitya Kala Parishad and the New Delhi government, in partnership with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
5. Kerala Becomes 1st State To Set Up Price Monitoring And Research Unit
i. Kerala has become the first State to set up a Price Monitoring and Research Unit (PMRU) to track violation of prices of essential drugs and medical devices under the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO).
ii. The move comes more than five years after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) proposed such a system for the States and the Union Territories.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor: Palaniswamy Sathasivam.

6. Shehri Samridhi Utsav Launched Across The Country
i. Shehri Samridhi Utsav, an initiative of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), aims to extend the outreach of Deendayal Antyodaya Mission – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), to the most vulnerable, showcase its initiatives and facilitate access of Self-Help Group (SHG) members to the other government schemes.
ii. A major highlight of Shehri Samridhi Utsav is theNational Exhibition cum sale of SHG products and National Street Food Festival being organized in New Delhi.
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Hardeep Singh Puri is the Minister of State (I/C) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

7. ISRO Sets Up Human Space Flight Centre for Gaganyaan Mission in Bengaluru
i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) unveiled its Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at ISRO Headquarter campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka for its maiden manned space mission 'Gaganyaan'. The space flight centre was inaugurated by K Kasturirangan, former ISRO Chairman.
ii. ISRO is gearing up for its maiden manned mission Gaganyaan, which is planned for 2021-end. The plan is to have the first unmanned mission in December 2020 and the second one in July 2021. 
Static/Current Takeaways Important For NIACL AO Mains Exam:

ISRO Director: K. Sivan, Headquarters: Bengaluru, Established in: 1969.

Banking/Business/Economy News

8. Two RRBs To Be Merged To Form Tamil Nadu Grama Bank
i. Two regional rural banks (RRBs) - Pallavan Grama Bank and Pandyan Grama Bank - will be merged to form the Tamil Nadu Grama Bank as per the Finance Ministry notification. The integration will be effective from April 1.
ii. The new Tamil Nadu Grama Bank will be under the sponsorship of Indian Bank with head office in Salem. Originally the Pallavan Grama Bank was sponsored by Indian Bank and the Pandyan Grama Bank by Indian Overseas Bank.
9. NBHC Releases Kharif Crop Estimates For The Year 2018-19
i. National Bulk Handling Corporation (NBHC) has released Kharif Crop estimation for the year 2018-2019. According to the report, the basmati rice production is expected to decline by 9.24% to 5.18 million metric tonnes.
ii. The total oilseeds production is estimated to be 19.87 million metric tonne which is 5.36 % lower as compared to the year 2018. The pulses production is projected to be dropped to 9.10 million tonnes.
10. Swiggy Acquihires Bengaluru-Based AI Startup Kint
i. Food delivery startup Swiggy has acquihired Bengaluru-based AI startup Kint.io for an undisclosed amount. As part of the deal, Kint.io's founding members Pavithra Solai Jawahar and Jagannathan Veeraraghavan will join the Swiggy team. 
ii. Acqui-hiring refers to buying out a company or an entity primarily for the skills and expertise of its staff, rather than for its products or services. 
11. ADB Buys 14% Stake In Annapurna Finance
i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has bought a 14% stake in micro-financier Annapurna Finance for Rs 137 crore, reinforcing the belief that India’s microfinance sector is on course to attract long-term funds from global lenders and investors.
ii. ADB has backed MFIs to help achieve its broader objective of reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific. The investment by ADB will expand Annapurna’s net worth to Rs 580 crore.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for NIACL AO Mains Exam:

Asian Development Bank Headquarters: Manila, Philippines, President: Takehiko Nakao.

Ranks and Reports

12. Assam Tops In Budgetary Practices Followed By States: Transparency International
i. Assam occupied the top slot in the ranking of best practices followed by states in the Budget formulation, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, as per a survey by Transparency International.
ii. The survey is based on 4 parameters which include public disclosure, budgetary process, post-budget fiscal management and efforts to make the budget more transparent and citizen-friendly. The states which figured lower in the ranking were Meghalaya, Manipur and Punjab.
13. Fitch Group Arm Projects Fiscal Deficit To Slip To 3.6% In 2019-20
i. Fitch Solutions, the research arm of Fitch Group, projected the government's fiscal deficit to overshoot the budgeted target by 0.2% to 3.6% of GDP in 2019-20 fiscal. It stated that 2019-20 Budget appears to show a strong populist bent in the run-up to the General election due by May 2019.
ii. Accordingly, Fitch Solutions revised its forecast for the central government fiscal deficit to come in at 3.6% of GDP in FY 2019-20, from 3% previously, which reflects our expectation for a wider fiscal deficit in FY 2019-20 versus FY2018-19.

Appointments

14. P V Bharathi Appointed As CEO Of Corporation Bank
i. The former executive director of Canara Bank, P V Bharathi assumed charge as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporation Bank. P V Bharati became the first woman CEO of the bank. Bharathi has been executive director of Canara Bank since September 2016 and served as the firm's general manager in the risk management wing.
ii. She has more than 37 years of experience in the banking industry. Despite the post of executive director of Canara Bank, she also held the post of non-executive director of Can Fin Homes Limited and also a director board member of Canbank Venture Capital Limited.