DAILY GK FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER TO 10TH SEPTEMBER 2016 -- BANKERS ADDA

1st september, 2016

Union Cabinet Approvals

i. Cabinet approves the dissolution of Central Inland Water Transport Corporation Limited.

ii. Union Cabinet approved MoU between CERT-In and CERT-UK in the field of cyber Security.

iii. Union Cabinet approves Project Development Fund for CLMV countries.

iv. Union Cabinet approved the scheme for the grant of Permanent Residency Status (PRS) to foreign investors.

Union Cabinet approves simplification of FDI Policy 2016 in various sectors

i. Private Security: The earlier policy permitted 49% FDI under government approval route in Private Security Agencies.

ii. FDI in Defence Sector up to 100%, Earlier FDI regime permitted 49%.

iii. Pharmaceutical: 100% FDI under automatic route in Greenfield pharma, FDI up to 100% under government approval in Brownfield pharma and 74% FDI under automatic route in Brownfield pharmaceuticals.

Odisha CM to share his thoughts through Radio every month

i. Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik, would share his thoughts on different issues through the radio for 10 minutes every month. 

ii. The State government has decided to launch ‘Biju Goan Radio’ through which the Chief Minister would address the people soon.

Michel Temer sworn in as new Brazil president 

i. Michel Temer, Brazil's former vice president, has been sworn in as the country's new president

ii. A few hours after the country's Senate voted to remove Dilma Rousseff from office. 

Madhukar Gupta committee submits its report to Centre

i. Madhukar Gupta committee was formed to review security at India-Pakistan border, the report running close to thousand pages submitted its report to Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

ii. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had constituted a Committee under the Chairmanship of Madhukar Gupta, former home secretary in April 2016, for strengthening border protection and addressing the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing along Indo-Pakistan Border.

Ashok Chawla is new Chancellor at Teri university

i. The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) has officially appointed former Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla as the new Chancellor of Teri university. 

ii. With this, Teri ended its last association with former Chancellor and Head R.K. Pachauri, who was accused of sexually harassing a female colleague in 2015.

BRICS Convention on Tourism to begin today

i. The two-day long "BRICS Convention on Tourism" will begin today at world heritage site Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.

ii. Union Culture Mahesh Sharma will inaugurate the convention. Delegations from the BRICS countries India, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa will participate in it.

MoUD, Amar Chitra Katha sign MoU to publish comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission

i. Storyteller to generations of Indians, Amar Chitra Katha will now publish and distribute a special edition of a comic book focusing on Swachh Bharat Mission. 

ii. The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) has signed an MoU with Amar Chitra Katha to publish and distribute a 32-page comic.

Sudarsan Pattnaik wins prize in Moscow sand art show

i. India's Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has won the people's choice prize for his sand sculpture titled "Mahatma Gandhi - World Peace" at the ninth Moscow Sand Sculpture Championship 2016.

ii. Sudarsan has already won a gold medal for the 15-foot-high sculpture. 

President of Egypt to arrive on three-day visit to India today

i. President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, is arriving on a three-day visit to India today. 

ii. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Ministers, officials and business leaders.

Anuradha Rao appointed as MD, CEO of SBI Mutual Fund

i. Sbi Mutual Fund has appointed Anuradha Rao as its Managing Director and chief executive. Prior to this, Rao was Deputy Managing Director at Sbihandling New Business Portfolio.

ii. She has also worked as the Chief General Manager of personal Bankingat the bank.

Kerala to form JV with Railways for infrastructure projects

i. Kerala has decided to enter into joint venture agreement with Railways for rail projects in the state under the 51:49 equity partnership arrangement.

ii. The state government has prepared a priority list of rail projects for consideration under the joint venture.

2nd september, 2016

Bezwada Wilson, TM Krishna Win Ramon Magsaysay Award

i. Karnataka-born Bezwada Wilson, a prolific campaigner for eradication of manual scavenging in India, and Carnatic singer T M Krishna from Chennai, were chosen for the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2016.

ii. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.

Kiran M Shaw appointed 'Knight of Legion of Honour' by France

i. Biocon chairperson and managing director (M) Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has been appointed 'Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur' (Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour) for her outstanding contribution and dedication to Biosciences and Research field globally.

ii. The award will be conferred on behalf of the President of the French Republic at a special ceremony later this year.

Deep Kumar Upadhyay re-appointed as Nepal's envoy to India

i. Deep Kumar Upadhyay was re-appointed as Nepal's ambassador to India. 

ii. Upadhyay, who was serving as Nepal's ambassador to India since April 2015, was suddenly recalled by the erstwhile K.P. Sharma Oli-led government in May.

Puducherry, Odisha and Rajasthan ratifies GST Bill

i. The Puducherry Odisha and Rajasthan Legislative Assembly have unanimously ratified the Constitution Amendment Bill for Goods and Services Tax (GST). 

ii. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc.

First BRICS film festival to begin in New Delhi from today

i. The first BRICS film festival will begin in New Delhi from today. 

ii. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore will inaugurate the festival.

iii. The film festival is the run up to the BRICS summit which is to be held in Goa next month from 15th to 16th.

Country's economic growth recorded 7.1% in first quarter of current fiscal

i. The country's economy grew at 7.1 % in the April to June quarter of the current fiscal.

ii. According to data released by the Central Statistics Office.

Gujarat signs MoU with aviation ministry

i. The Gujarat government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ministry of civil aviation to develop 11 airports and airstrips to boost regional connectivity.

ii. The central government’s new civil aviation policy emphasises regional connectivity to serve unconnected or under-served towns and boost infrastructure.

Indian Railways launches travel insurance for 92 paise

i. Indian Railway has launched an insurance scheme for passengers travelling on e- ticket. 

ii. The insurance cover will be upto Rs. 10 lakh.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, satellite destroyed in explosion

i. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on its Cape Canaveral launch pad during a test, destroying a commercial satellite that Facebook had planned to use to extend Internet access in Africa. 

ii. It was the second time in just over a year that SpaceX has lost a Falcon 9 rocket.

Union Bank rolls out mobile app

i. Union Bank of India has launched USSD (unstructured supplementary service data) based ‘*99#’ mobile application on Play Store on Android platform. 

ii. This ‘*99#’ mobile app does not require internet connectivity to perform banking and other value-added services.

DCB launches ‘mVisa’, a mobile-based payment solution 

i. DCB Bank has launched ‘mVisa’, a mobile-based payment solution that will make payments at retail outlets much easier. 

ii. DCB Bank Ltd. is a private sector scheduled commercial bank in India. 

LG Electronic ties up with Amazon on smart-home services 

i. LG Electronics Inc. has tied-up with Amazon.com Inc on smart-home services. 

ii. This tie-up will help to enable the services of Amazon such as the Alexa virtual assistant on some of the electronics maker's devices.

ii. Alexa will work with its SmartThinkQ Hub, an LG device used to connect with home appliances over the internet.

Justice Dhingra hints at irregularities in Haryana land deals case

i. Justice S.N. Dhingra has submitted an 182-page report to the Haryana government on granting of Change of Land Use (CLU) licences in 4 villages of Gurgaon during the rule of the previous Congress government, hinting at irregularities.

Australia's Oldest Surviving Test Player Dies

i. Australia's oldest surviving Test cricketer, Len Maddocks, has passed away aged 90. 

ii. Maddocks, a batsman and wicket-keeper, played seven Tests for Australia between 1954 and 1956, and managed the Australian cricket team on its 1977 tour of England.

Jackie Chan to receive lifetime achievement Oscar

i. Martial arts expert and actor Jackie Chan will receive a lifetime achievement Oscar. 

ii. The announcement was made by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Chan made his movie debut at the age of 8.

Noted Assamese poet Nalini Dhar Bhattacharyya dies at 95

i. Noted Assamese poet, literary critic and author and winner of the Sahitya Akademi award Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya passed away in Guwahati early Friday morning. 

ii. Bhattacharyya, aged 95, was suffering from age-old ailments.

3rd september, 2016

India, Vietnam Sign 12 Agreements to Boost Bilateral ties

i. India and Vietnam have signed 12 agreements for cooperation in areas, including defence and IT, to boost bilateral ties. 

ii. PM Modi said New Delhi will provide $500 million credit line for Vietnam for defence cooperation. India also offered a grant of $5 million to set up a software park in Vietnam. 

iii. This is the first bilateral prime ministerial visit from India to Vietnam in 15 years.
Maharashtra Governor sworn in as Tamil Nadu's acting Governor

i. Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, was sworn in as the acting Governor of Tamil Nadu.

ii. Rao was administered the oath of office by the Madras High Court's Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul at the Raj Bhavan, Chennai.

China ratifies Paris global climate agreement

i. China has ratified the Paris global climate agreement. 

ii. China and the US are expected to announce ratification jointly before or at the weekend's G20 Hangzhou Summit.

iii. China is the world's largest emitter of harmful carbon emissions causing climate change. 

G-20 Summit 2016 start in Chinese city of Hangzhou tomorrow

i. Two-day G-20 Summit of the world's major economies will start in the Chinese city of Hangzhou tomorrow to discuss efforts to reform global economic governance. 

ii. The theme of the summit is toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy.

India, Egypt sign agreement in area of Maritime Transport

i. India and Egypt has signed an agreement on Maritime Transport. 

ii. The agreemnt would help the two nations to step-up co-operation on the seas not only in terms of maritime commerce but also in transit of naval vessels. 

Bangladesh hire former Sri Lankan cricketer Thilan Samaraweera as batting guru

i. Bangladesh has named former Sri Lankan cricketer Thilan Samaraweera as their batting consultant for next month’s home series against England.
ii. Samaraweera’s appointment came a day after former West Indies great Courtney Walsh agreed to a three-year term to become the specialist pace bowling coach of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

K K Aggarwal elected National President of IMA

i. Cardiologist K K Aggarwal has been unanimously elected as the National President of the Indian Medical Association for the year 2016-17. 

ii. Aggarwal is currently the Secretary General of the doctors association.

BHEL commissions Unit-4 of Teesta Low Dam hydropower project

i. State-run BHEL has commissioned the 4th and last unit of the 4x40 MW Teesta Low Dam Hydro Electric Project (HEP) Stage-IV in West Bengal.

ii. A stretch of the river greenfield project located in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, Teesta HEP has been set up by NHPC Ltd, on the River Teesta.

CCI slaps Rs 6700 crore fine on 10 cement companies

i. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed the penalty of over Rs 6,700 crore on 10 cement companies including ACC, Lafarge, Ultratech, Jayprakash Associates, Binani and their trade association the Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA) on charges of cartelisation in the sector.

Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov dies

i. Uzbek President Islam Karimov has died after suffering a stroke at the age of 78. 

ii. Karimov was the first President of Uzbekistan, in office from 1990 to 2016.

PM announces Rs 200 cr for sports in J&K

i. With a view to engaging youth of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in constructive sporting activities, a special package of Rs. 200 crore has been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

ii. The package provides for construction of indoor sporting halls in all districts of the State with a view to provide playing facilities to youth during long winter in the state.

Zaheer Khan gets MCC's Honorary Life Membership

i. Zaheer Khan, former India pacer has been inducted as an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). 

ii. He is the third Indian player to receive the distinction this year after Virender Sehwag and Anjum Chopra.

World's first made-in-India leprosy vaccine out on pilot basis

i. The Indian Institute of Immunology in New Delhi has developed mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP), an exclusive and completely domestic vaccine for leprosy.

ii. MIP, World's maiden leprosy vaccine, will be launched on trial basis within a few weeks.

iii. Leprosy affects around 1.25 lakhs people in India annually.

Majuli named world's largest river island

i. Majuli Island on the Brahmaputra in Assam was declared the largest river island in the world, toppling Marajo in Brazil, by Guinness World Records. The river island covers an area of around 880 sqkm.

ii. According to Guinness World Records, the island lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40 years due to frequent flooding of the river.

Actor Jon Polito passes away

i. Jon Polito, best known for his frequent presence in Coen Brothers films, died of cancer in Duarte, California.

ii. He was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2010.iii .The actor had been in more than 100 films, TV shows and Broadway plays.

04th septmber, 2016

Mother Teresa is being declared saint by Pope Francis in Vatican City

I. Mother Teresa is being declared a saint by Pope Francis today at a canonisation ceremony in Vatican City.
II.The canonization comes on the eve of her 19th death anniversary. Once declared Saint, she will be known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. 

III. A 12-member central delegation led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and two state government-level  delegations from Delhi and West Bengal, led by Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee are in Vatican City to attend the ceremony.

Gumthala Garhu becomes first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana

I. In Haryana, village Gumthala Garhu near Pehowa in Kurukshetra district has became the first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana circle under bulk plan of BSNL.

II. Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal inaugurated this service from Chandigarh yesterday. The Chief Minister said that BSNL has created history by taking initiative of providing Wifi service in the villages, which earlier were available in cities only.

DCB Bank rolls out mVisa card-less solution at retail outlets

I. DCB Bank, a new-generation private sector bank, has announced the launch of mVisa, a mobile based payment solution that will make payments at retail outlets much easier. Customers can pay now through their smartphones by scanning the unique Quick Response (QR) code at the retail outlet.

II. mVisa is a card-less solution that offers customers the convenience of making digital payments at retail outlets. Customers of any mVisa issuing bank can make digital payments at mVisa enabled retail outlets. DCB Bank has partnered with Chennai-based digital payment companies, M2P Solutions and GI Technology, to implement mVisa. 

Bangladesh hangs Islamist tycoon Mir Quasem Ali

I.In Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami leader and media tycoon, Mir Quasem Ali was executed last night for war crimes committed during the country's 1971 Liberation War.

II. Ali, widely considered as the top financier of the Jamaat, was hanged at the high-security Kashimpur Central Jail in the outskirts of Dhaka. The execution came after he refused to seek presidential clemency.

Serena Williams sets women's record of 307 victories in grand slams

I. In Tennis, world number one Serena Williams has created history by setting a record of most number of Grand Slam matches wins by a woman in the Open era. In the US Open last night, the American defeated Johanna Larsson of Sweden, 6-2, 6-1 to progress to the pre-quarterfinals and surpass Martina Navratilova's record of 306 wins.

II. Serena is eying to clinch a 23rd Grand Slam Singles title. If she wins, she will become the most successful woman in the Open Era. The American is currently equal with Steffi Graf with 22 major Singles titles. 

5th september, 2016

Urjit Patel takes over as RBI governor

i. Urjit Patel today assumed charge as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

ii. He succeeds Raghuram Rajan, whose 3-year term came to end on September 4.

India Post releases commemorative postage stamp on Saint Teresa

i. The Postal Department has released a commemorative stamp to honour the Mother Teresa’s canonization in Mumbai. 

ii. Teresa, who worked for the destitute in Kolkata and became a global icon of Christian charity, was declared a saint by Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Ankasamudra to become a conservation reserve

i. The Karnataka State Wildlife Board, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has decided to declare Ankasamudra tank in Hagari Bommanahalli taluk as a bird conservation reserve.

ii. This is the first bird conservation reserve declared in the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

Goa to host three-day bird festival from Nov 11

i. Goa will host a three-day bird festival from November 11 to 13, targeting audiences from both within the country as also internationally.

ii. Goa's state bird “Bulbul” has been chosen as the logo for the festival.

Canada’s British Columbia becomes first foreign government to issue masala bonds

i. Canada’s British Columbia province has become the first foreign government to issue of masala bonds, a rupee-denominated bond.

ii. It had issued Rs 500 crore rupee denominated overseas bonds (masala bond) on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and successfully raised $75 million (about Rs 500 crore). 

Infosys sets up JV for Saudi Arabian market

i. Software major, Infosys has entered into a joint venture (JV) with the Saudi Prerogative Company to offer IT services in the middle eastern country.

ii. The Bengaluru-based IT services firm will own 70% of the JV.

Ecologist Bibhuti Lahkar bags Heritage Heroes Award of IUCN

i. Assam-based ecologist and conservation activist Bibhuti Lahkar has become the first Asian to be awarded the prestigious 'Heritage Heroes Award' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

ii. Lahkar received the award at the IUCN's ongoing World Conservation Congress in Honolulu

World’s largest LEGO ship sets Guinness record

i. The World’s largest LEGO ship named Jubilee Seaways has created Guinness world record for set in Denmark, where employees of a shipping company successfully constructed the incredible 2,860 kg boat using over one million interlocking plastic bricks.

Ricky Ponting appointed brand ambassador for Tasmania

i. Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed brand ambassador of his home state Tasmania and will join a government-led trade mission to the subcontinent that will explore export opportunities.

Lewis Hamilton battles to second as Nico Rosberg wins Italian Grand Prix

i. Nico Rosberg wins an incident-packed Australian Grand Prixi. 

ii. German Formula One racing driver Nico Rosberg won the Italian Grand Prix after close battle with his teammate Lawis Hamilton who also drive for the Mercedes AMG.

Sriram Balaji and Sasi Kumar win titles in ITF events

i. Tamilnadu based tennis player Sriram Balaji who ranked 546 restrained top seed Seong Chan Hong of Korea by 6-4, 7-6(3) for the title in the $10,000 ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament held in Hua Hin Thailand.

Kerala appoints Sachin as brand ambassador for anti-liquor campaign

i. Legendary Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been appointed as brand ambassador for anti- liquor and drug campaign by the Kerala government.

ii. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is a former Indian cricketer and captain, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Abhinav Bindra announces retirement from shooting

i. Abhinav Bindra, India's lone individual Olympic gold medallist, has officially announced his retirement from shooting.

ii. In May 2016, the Indian Olympics Association (IOA) appointed Abhinav Bindra as the Goodwill Ambassador for Rio 2016 Olympic Games Indian Contingent

Odisha government launches Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana

i. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana’ (BKRY) and inaugurated 1,000 Anganwadi buildings as part of the celebration marking the birth centenary of legendary Biju Patnaik. 

ii. The objective of the scheme is to improve Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and Child Sex Ratio (CSR) in the three districts.

Rajasthan launches e-stamping facility

i. The Rajasthan High Court launched the e-stamp facility in its Jodhpur and Jaipur benches simultaneously.

ii. The facility is already available in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh. 

Pondy Lt Guv launches Shramdaan movement in remote village

i. Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi has launched 'Shramdaan movement' as part of Swachh Bharat and Swachh Puducherryinitiative at a remote village. 

ii. The initiative is a  habit and a movement, and everyone irrespective of status should be involved in the drive against garbage the Lt Governor urged.

JSS Malappuram wins Unesco literacy award

i. The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), Malappuram, has won the Unesco Confucius Prize for Literacy.

ii. The award has been conferred on the JSS in recognition of its literacy-linked skill development activities among the underprivileged in rural areas.

Dr Hrushikesh Mallick to get prestigious Sarala Award-2016

i. Noted Odia poet Dr. Hrushikesh Mallick will be honoured with the 37th edition of prestigious Sarala Award for his outstanding poetry.

ii. The annual award carrying a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation would be conferred on Mallick for his poetry work "Jeje Dekhi Nathiba Bharat".

Sakshi Malik appointed Wrestling Director of Rohtak University

i. The Haryana Government has announced the appointment of Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik as Wrestling Director at Maharshi Dayanand University in her native town Rohtak. 

Mukund Choudhari assumes charge as MOIL CMD

i. Mukund Chaudhari has taken over as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of MOI , a city-based miniratna company. 

ii. The MOIL, which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, is the largest producer of Manganese Ore in the country.

Infosys sets up JV for Saudi Arabian market 

i. Software major, Infosys has entered into a joint venture (JV) with the Saudi Prerogative Company to offer IT services in the middle eastern country.

ii. The Bengaluru-based IT services firm will own 70 per cent of the JV.

6th september, 2016

11th G20 Summit Concludes in Hangzhou, China
i. The 11th Summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) concluded in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
ii. The theme of 2016 G20 Summit was Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy.
iii. The chair of the summit was Xi Jinping, President of China.
iv. 12th G20 summit 2017 to be held in Hamburg, Germany.

UK appoints ambassador to Iran for first time since 2011

i. The United Kingdom (UK) has appointed an ambassador to Iran for the first time since 2011.

ii. Nicholas Hopton, a former British ambassador to Qatar and Yemen, will take up the role.

22-year-old Indo-Japanese crowned Miss Japan

i. A beauty queen with an Indian father and a Japanese mother was crowned Miss Japan. 

ii. Priyanka Yoshikawa's tearful victory comes a year after Ariana Miyamoto faced an ugly backlash for becoming the first black woman to represent Japan.

ICC ODI Rankings: Virat Kohli remains at 2nd spot

i. India's batting maestro Virat Kohli held on to the number two position in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batsmen. 

ii. Rohit Sharma dropped a place to seventh. 

iii. AB de Villiers of South Africa is the number-one ranked ODI batsman.

CM inaugurates Asia's biggest digital library in Silchar

i. On the occasion of the 55th Teachers’ Day Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated Asia’s biggest digital library dedicated to the memory of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, in NIT Silchar.

LIFFI: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee win Best Actors award

i. Nawazuddin Siddiqui won the Best Actor award for his role in 'Manjhi-The Mountain Man'.

ii. Tannishtha Chatterjee won the award for her role in 'Rough Book'.

iii. Anant Mahadevan won the Best Director honour at the debut edition of the Lonavla International Film Festival India (LIFFI).

John Abraham roped in as brand ambassador of Arunachal Pradesh 

i. The government of Arunachal Pradesh has roped in Bollywood bighead John Abraham as a brand ambassador for state tourism to boost tourism with the help of actor.

WHO certifies Sri Lanka malaria free

i. In a remarkable public health achievement, Sri Lanka was certified by WHO on having eliminated malaria.

ii. The Country recorded less than 1 000 cases of malaria per year by 2006, while for the past three-and-a-half years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded.

Sikki and Pranaav win Brazil Open Grand Prix

i. Indian mixed doubles pair of Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Jerry Chopra clinched their maiden Grand Prix title, bagging the Brazil Open with a straight game victory over Canadian combo of Toby Ng and Rachel Honderich in the finals, in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Haryana govt to develop 340 villages as Horticulture Villages

i. Haryana Government has decided to develop 340 villages as Horticulture Villages at a cost of 93 crore rupees during the Golden Jubilee year of the State. 

GRSE hands over fast attack craft 'Tihayu' to Indian Navy

i. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) handed over the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC), “TIHAYU” to Indian Navy.

ii. “TIHAYU” is the second ship of the ‘Follow-on’ Series of WJFACs while INS Tarmugli is the first ship of the same series.

MobiKwik launches one step offline payments with ‘Bubble Pin’

i. MobiKwik, the fin-tech player has launched one-step offline payments with ‘Bubble Pin’. 

ii. The pin is a combination of numbers and alphabets. Bubble pin also makes the transaction more secure as no phone number is required to be shared.

Rajasthan partners with Cisco for connected learning solution

i. Rajasthan’s education department has partnered with US-based technology firm Cisco to promote digital learning across the state using virtual digital room solutions. 

ii. It aims to enhance the quality of education.

Intel acquires Google’s Project Tango partner Movidius

i. Intel has acquired computer vision firm Movidius, which partnered with Google to develop 3D space mapping technology for Project Tango devices. 

ii. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Serena Williams makes Grand Slam history with win

i. Serena Williams now owns more victories in Grand Slam matches than anyone else in tennis' Open era.
ii. The 35-year-old tennis ace surpassed Roger Federer with her 308th win.

World’s oldest cricketer Lindsay Tuckett passes away

i. World's oldest cricketer, Lindsay Tuckett, passed away in Bloemfontein at the age of 97. 

ii. Tuckett represented South Africa in nine Test matches against England between 1947 and 1949.

7th september, 2016

Govt approves Rs. 450 cr Swadesh Darshan projects

i. The government has approved projects worth over Rs. 450 crore under ‘Swadesh Darshan’ scheme for five states.

ii. The scheme was launched with an objective to develop 13 theme-based tourist circuits in the country and the approval for five was given in a meeting of the central sanctioning and monitoring committee. 

UN Charter translated into Sanskrit

i. The UN Charter, the seminal treaty of the United Nations, has now been translated into Sanskrit.

ii. The Charter is available in all six official languages of the UN.

Dharmendra Pradhan launches 'Gas4India' campaign to boost natural gas use 

i. The Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has  launched Gas4India campaign for the aimed at promoting the use of gas in the country. 

ii. Dharmendra Pradhan also launched the website, Twitter handle, facebook page and Theme song of the campaign.

Helpline no. 14401 for info on power cuts launched

i. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has created ‘Urja Mitra Helpline’ through which customers can get information on power outages from distribution companies by dialling 14401.

India's light utility helicopter maiden flight successful
i. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully completed test flight of indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Bengaluru.
ii. The LUH will replace the military’s obsolescent fleet of Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that have flown for over three decades.

Filmmaker K G George to be Honoured With J C Daniel Award

i. National award winner and veteran director K G George has been selected for the JC Daniel award 2015.
ii. Kerala Government's highest honor for outstanding contribution to Malayalam cinema.

1st phase of ESIC's pilot project of telemedicine services inaugurated

i. Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya inaugurated the first phase of telemedicine services of Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) for providing specialist medical services at a distance to insured workers. 

ii. With this facility, ESIC Model Hospital at Basaidarapur has been connected with three ESIS dispensaries at Katihar (Bihar), Unnao (UP) and Rudarpur (Uttrachal).

Govt approves 6 start-up centres

i. The Central government has approved six proposals to set up centres of excellence to promote and fund start-ups under the National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovation (NIDHI), a programme steered by the Department of Science and Technology. 

ii. The proposals for six centres of excellence that were approved by the National Expert Advisory Committee include SINE-IIT Bombay, Venture Center-NCL Pune, CIIE-IIM Ahmedabad and a research park at IIT-Gandhinagar.

Religare Enterprises appoints Sunil Godhwani as CEO

i. Religare Enterprises Ltd. has appointed Sunil Godhwani chief executive for the remaining period of his tenure. 

ii. The decision was taken at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), which was presided over by Malvinder Mohan Singh, non-executive chairman, Religare Enterprises.

Thithi wins Best Film honour at 1st BRICS Film Festival

i. Raam Reddy’s Kannada film Thithi was conferred the Best Film award by Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu at the closing ceremony of the 1st BRICS Film Festival.

ii. Thithi, which earlier won various honours at 68th Locarno International Film Festival, Marrakech International Film Festival, 19th Shanghai International Film Festival and 63rd National Film Awards.

India and Chile expand preferential trading pact to boost economic ties

i. India and Chile have expanded their Preferential Trade Agreement with both offering to lower or eliminate tariffs on a number of items traded with each other. 

ii. Chile has offered concessions to India on 1798 tariff lines with margin of preference (extent to which duties are lower than those offered to other countries) ranging from 30% to100%.

8th september, 2016

OP Kohli sworn in as MP Governor
i. Senior BJP leader Om Prakash Kohli today sworn in as the 26th governor of Madhya Pradesh.
ii. Kohli, who is also the Gujarat Governor, has been given the additional charge of Madhya Pradesh after Ram Naresh Yadav's tenure in office got over on Wednesday.

World's biggest river island Majuli gets district status

i. Majuli, the 400 sq km island on the Brahmaputra river has become the first river island district of India.
ii. with this Majuli become the 35th district of Assam.
iii. It regained the status of world's largest riverine island in the Guinness Book of World Records on September 1.

AP passes resolution supporting GST Bill
i. The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution supporting the Constitution Amendment and the Goods and Services Tax Bill.ii. GST is a comprehensive tax on the manufacture, sale and consumption of goods and services at a national level.

Paralympic Games Begin in Brazil

i. The 2016 Summer Paralympic Games began on 7 September 2016 at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
ii. The 15th Summer Paralympic Games will conclude on 18 September 2016.
iii. The 4,300 athletes come from more than 160 countries.

Himachal cabinet decides to amend hydro policy 2006

i. Himachal Pradesh cabinet decided to amend the Hydropower Policy 2006 in respect to transfer of shares by Himachalis to non-Himachalis.
ii. So that now Himachalis can sell or transfer 49% equity shares to non-Himachalis at any stage after allotment of projects upto 2 MW capacity and full disinvestment after two years of commissioning of the projects.

India Kazakhstan Joint Exercise “Prabal Dostyk -16”

i. India, Kazakhstan joint bilateral military exercise “Prabal Dostyk -16” began in Karaganda region of Kazakhstan.
ii. The 14-day exercise will be a significant step towards fostering military as well as diplomatic ties between both countries. ‘Prabal Dostyk’ means ‘Robust Friendship’.

India, Greece sign MoU for air services agreement

i. India has signed a preliminary pact with Greece for bilateral Air Services Agreement that proposes to allow unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in the European nation.

ii. Seeking to improve international air connectivity for Indian carriers, the government has been entering into air services pacts with many countries besides making efforts to re­negotiate existing

Satbir Singh appointed as next Ambassador of India to Algeria

i. Satbir Singh, presently Additional Secretary in the Ministry has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. 

ii. Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a sovereign state in North Africa on the Mediterranean coast.

CK Asnani assumes charge as CMD of Uranium Corporation of India Limited

i. CK Asnani has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), an undertaking of the Department of Atomic Energy.ii. UCIL is a Public Sector Enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy with a special standing at the forefront of Nuclear Power cycle. 

Henkel elevates Shilip Kumar as president of its India business

i. German consumer giant Henkel has elevated Shilip Kumar as president of its India business.
ii. He will succeed Jeremy Hunter, who led the Indian market for over five years, and has now moved to Shanghai as president - Henkel China. 

Stuart Blackburn's book based on Arunachal wins MM Bennetts Award

i. Author Stuart Blackburn's "Into the Hidden Valley", a book based on Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, won the MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction 2016 in the UK.

9th september, 2016

President approves GST Bill

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has signed the GST Constitution Amendment Bill thereby making it a law.

ii. GST Bill has been ratified by the Parliament, as well as 16 states.

iii. The GST bill met the requisite percentage of 50% for its ratification and government plans to roll out the new indirect tax regime from 1 April, 2017.

Isro's launches INSAT-3DR from Sriharikota
i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched GSLV rocket, which will carry the weather satellite INSAT-3DR from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
ii. The 2211-kg INSAT 3DR will be placed in an orbit 36,000 km above Earth.
Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh ratifies GST bill

i. Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh Assembly has ratified Goods and Service Tax (GST), Bill, to simplify the taxation by implementing single tax rates across the country.

ii.  GST is a comprehensive tax on the manufacture, sale and consumption of goods and services at a national level.

Sikkim cleanest state in India: Survey

i. Sikkim has been adjudged the cleanest state while Jharkhand comes last in the list of 26 states.

ii. Gujarat is ranked 14th in the survey conducted by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

iii. Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Meghalaya are among the top 10 states.

PepsiCo's Indra Nooyi only Indian-origin woman in Fortune list

i. PepsiCo CEO and Chairman Indra Nooyi was ranked 2nd on the list of Fortune's 51 Most Powerful Women list. 

ii. The list is topped by Mary Barra, CEO and Chairman of General Motors.

ICICI Bank introduces 'Software Robotics' to improve banks productivity

i. ICICI Bank, has announced the deployment of 'Software Robotics' in over 200 business processes across various functions of the bank.

ii. The software robots will reduce the response time to customers by up to 60%.

Ex-IAS officer J Satyanarayana appointed part-time UIDAI chief
i. Former IAS officer J Satyanarayana has appointed as part-time chairperson of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
ii. The post has been lying vacant following resignation of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani’s resignation in 2014.

Syndicate Bank appoints Director

i. Jayant Purushottam Gokhale has been appointed as director of Syndicate Bank. 

ii. Syndicate Bank is one of the oldest and major commercial banks of India.

Mexico sets up consulate in South India

i. Mexico has set up its consulate in south India in Chennai that will cater to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

ii. This is the Latin American country’s 3rd consulate in India, with the other 2 being in Mumbai and Kolkata.

NASA launches first mission to collect samples from asteroid

i. The US space agency, NASA has launched its first mission to collect samples from an asteroid and return them to Earth in hopes of learning more about the origins of life. 

ii. The unmanned spacecraft, known as OSIRIS-REx, blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station today.
iii. The 800 million dollar mission will travel for two years on a journey to Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid about the size of a small mountain.

10th september, 2016

Rajnath Singh commissions offshore patrolling vessel Sarathi in Goa

i. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has commissioned the offshore patrolling (OPV) vessel, Sarathi, at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), the defense shipyard in south Goa.

Indian high jumpers win gold, bronze at Paralympics

i. India’s Mariyappan Thangavelu created history by winning a gold medal in the men’s high jump T-42 event at the Rio Paralympics. 

ii. His compatriot Varun Singh Bhati clinched the bronze medal in the same event.

Odisha Govt. launches construction workers pension scheme

i. The Odisha government has launched the construction workers pension scheme. It ensures financial assistance of 300 rupees per month to all registered.

ii. All registered construction workers above 60 years of age will get the pension of Rs 300 per month while workers above 80 years of age will get the pension of Rs 500 per month. 

MEA launches online module for Indian students studying abroad

i. For maintaining the records and database of Indian students studying abroad, Government of India has launched a Student Registration module in MADAD portal ( madad.gov.in). 

ii. This initiative came into existence due to unavailability of the data on Indian students studying abroad.

T R Zeliang receives Pangkor Dialogue Award in Malaysia

i. Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has received 'Pangkor Dialogue Award 2016' in Malaysia for the efforts made by the people of the state for environmental preservation and promotion. 

Odisha bags 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016

i. Odisha bags 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016 at the National Level gathering of important stake-holders in agriculture development at the Agriculture Leadership Summit at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi.

ii. Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) have awarded Odisha in the category of Best Agriculture State-2016 in recognition of the efforts towards development of agriculture and bringing rural prosperity.

First LIGO lab outside U.S. may come up in Maharashtra’s Hingoli

i. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) project that was given the in-principle approval by the Union Cabinet may come up in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district. 

ii. It would be third such laboratory in the world, first outside the United States. 

Chris Gayle launches his autobiography 'Six Machine' in India

i. Explosive West Indies opener Chris Gayle launched his autobiography ‘Six Machine', which contains extensive details about his life and career. 

ii. Published by Viking-Penguin UK, the book was unveiled by Anurag Singh Thakur, President of the BCCI.

IDBI AMC appoints Dilip Mandal MD & CEO

i. Dilip Kumar Mandal has been appointed managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of IDBI Asset Management Company (AMC). 

ii. Prior to joining IDBI AMC, Mandal was the chief general manager & zonal head of retail banking group.

HDFC Ergo completes acquisition of L&T Insurance

i. HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company (HDFC ERGO) has completed the acquisition of 100 percent shares of L&T General Insurance Company (L&T Insurance) for Rs. 551 crore.

ii. The company has recently received approvals from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) and Competition Commission of India.

NHPC, BHEL ink pact for renovation of Baira Siul power plant

i. State-owned NHPC has entered a pact with BHEL for renovation and modernisation of 180 MW Baira Siul power station in Himachal Pradesh.

ii. NHPC Limited is an Indian Hydropower generation company that was incorporated in the year 1975.

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