Daily GK Update - 1st April 2015 1. Mustafa Kamal resigned from the post of distribution platform RupeePower for an 5. RBI penalises 16 Central Co-operative Banks President of International Cricket Council undisclosed amount. (CCBs) i. Mustafa Kamal on 1 April 2015 stepped down as the President of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He sent out the resignation letter to the ICC. ii. The Bangladeshi cricket administrator had succeeded Alan Isaac as the 11th President of the ICC in June 2014 for a period of two years. ii. Snapdeal’s entry into online financial services is a first for an e-commerce company in India. i. The Reserve Bank of India penalised 16 central Following the deal, the SoftBank-backed cooperative banks with a fine of Rs 5 lakh each Snapdeal will offer consumer loans through the for non-adherence of the Know Your Customer RupeePower network. The online financial and Anti-Money Laundering guidelines. services market in India is estimated at Rs 4,500 ii. The lenders were issued show-cause notices iii. He has been associated with cricket for 30 crore. and the action was taken after going through years and served cricket in different capacities. iii. The latest development is part of Snapdeal’s the responses. In 2012, he was named as the Vice-President of $1-billion acquisition spree. Founded in 2011, iii. The penalties were imposed on these co- the ICC for the term 2012-2014. RupeePower has partnered 12 banks, including operative banks in exercise of powers vested in the State Bank of India, and non-banking RBI under the provisions of Section 47(A) read 2. Commerce Ministry releases Foreign Trade financial companies. with Section 46 of the Banking Regulation Act, Policy 1949 i. The commerce ministry announced its new 4. Kotak Mahindra-ING Vysya merger gets RBI Foreign Trade Policy for the period 2015-2020. approval 6. New Zealand cricketer Mills follows Vettori i. The merger deal between Kotak Mahindra into retirement Bank and ING Vysya Bank has received the i. New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Mills Reserve Bank's approval, which would create announced his retirement from all cricket the country's fourth largest private sector Wednesday, following Daniel Vettori in calling it lender. quits after the World Cup final. ii. The scheme of amalgamation (of Kotak ii. Mills was consistently ranked among the ii. To address the infrastructural bottlenecks, Mahindra Bank and ING Vysya Bank) shall come world's top 10 one-day bowlers throughout his complex procedures and manufacturing into effect from April 1, 2015. Following the illustrious 14-year career, and for a long time hurdles, the new trade policy announced two merger, all the tangible and intangible assets was ranked number one. new schemes -- Merchandise Exports From India have been transferred to Kotak Mahindra Bank. iii. Mills represented New Zealand in 170 ODIs Scheme (MEIS) and Services Exports From India and took 240 wickets to be the Black Caps' Scheme (SIES). second highest wicket-taker in the shortened iii. The new trade policy will boost exports, game behind Vettori, who took 297. create jobs while supporting 'Make In India' and 'Digital India'… Will focus on defence, pharma, environment-friendly products and value-added exports. iii. The Rs 15,000 crore merger deal between Kotak Mahindra and ING Vysya got the 3. Snapdeal acquires majority stake in RupeePower Competition Commission's approval in i. E-commerce marketplace Snapdeal has February. acquired a majority stake in digital financial Daily GK Update - 2nd April 2015 2. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved for 2014-15The total collection as on March 31 1. Odisha Government launches Aahar scheme Amaravathi as capital of the State is Rs 5,46,479 crore, based on the provisional i. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik i. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet chaired by Chief report as against revised estimates of Rs launched his government’s much-hyped Minister N Chandrababu Naidu approved that 5,42,325 crore for 2014-15. subsidised Aahar scheme on the occasion of the Amaravathi will be the new capital city of the State’s Foundation Day. state. The capital will come up at Tullur in 4. Muhammadu Buhari claims victory in ii. The scheme was launched in Bhubaneswar, Vijayawada-Guntur region of the state. Nigeria's presidential elections Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela in ii. The name of Amaravathi as state capital was i. Former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari the first phase. finalised in view of its historical, spiritual and has become Nigeria’s president elect after mythological significance. defeating Goodluck Jonathan in the first democratic change of power ever in Africa's 3. Indirect tax collection exceeds target by Rs most populous nation. 4,000 crore in FY15 ii. Mr Jonathan on Tuesday publicly conceded defeat, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the nation. iii. The Chief Minister launched the scheme in two towns — first at the Capital Hospital premises in Bhubaneswar followed by Government Hospital in Rourkela. iv. Four Aahar outlets each have been opened in i. The collection of indirect taxes has surpassed the revised estimates by Rs 4,000 crore to reach five towns where meal consisting of rice and iii. Mr Jonathan's defeat is the first time in Dalma is being provided at a subsidised rate Rs 5.46 lakh crore for the fiscal ended March 2015. Nigeria’s brief democracy that a sitting with financial assistance from three State run president has not won a second term or handed ii. The total collection as on March 31 is Rs corporations and Tata Steel. power to a nominated successor. 5,46,479 crore, based on the provisional report as against revised estimates of Rs 5,42,325 crore 5. Punjab Government launches Padho Punjab- ii. The scheme was launched as part of the iii. Rai's appointment comes at a time when Khedo Punjab Mission National Mission for Electric Mobility to boost cyber security assumes importance in the eco-friendly vehicles sales in the country. backdrop of growing network intrusions and iii. It's main objective is to support the hybrid or hacking attempts on not just businesses but also electric vehicles market development and its on the government. manufacturing eco-system in the country in order to achieve self-sustenance in stipulated 8. Isro IRNSS-1D Launch Puts India a Step period. Closer to Own GPS-Like System i. Punjab Government has launched ‘Padho iv. The overall scheme is proposed to be i. India is set to operationalise its own Punjab- Khedo Punjab Mission’ i.e. Learn implemented over a period next 6 years i.e. till navigational system with the succesful launch of Punjab- Play Punjab Mission. 2020. IRNSS-1D, the fourth in the series of seven ii. It is a special mission launched to provide navigational satellites, onboard PSLV-C27 from school students a separate period in the 7. Gulshan Rai takes charge as India’s first Sriharikota. curriculum for playing along with studies. cyber security chief ii. The expendable rocket had a single but iii. The purpose of the mission is to encourage i. Gulshan Rai, the Director General of Indian important luggage, the 1,425 kg IRNSS-1D. more youngsters towards sports to produce Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In), iii. The rocket blasted off from the second quality players for the country. This will also will take over as India's first Cyber Security launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, inculcate the sportsmanship spirit and chief. around 80 km from Chennai. competitiveness amongst them. ii. Rai, who also heads the eSecurity and Cyber Law division in the Ministry of Communications 6. Union Government launches FAME-India and Information Technology, has been involved scheme to boost electric, hybrid vehicle sales in various capacities regarding cyber security for over two decades. He is part of the Department of Electronics and IT. iv. The IRNSS will provide two types of services - standard positioning service and restricted service. The former is provided to all users and the latter is an encrypted service for authorised i. Union Government on 1 April 2015 launched users. Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India Scheme. Daily GK Update - 3rd April 2015 1. President gives nod to land ordinance i. Subadhra Devi Rai, a senior lecturer at the i. The land acquisition ordinance, re- School of Health Sciences (Nursing) at Nanyang promulgated, a day before it is to lapse. Polytechnic (NYP), has been named winner of ii. The government could not get converted into the 2015 International Achievement Award by a legislation in Rajya Sabha due to stiff the International Council of Nurses' Florence opposition from the other parties. Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF). ii. Kelkar was appointed on the Board of Tata iii. The fresh ordinance, which is the 11th by the ii. She was named for the award for her work in Group firm on May 30, 2012. He has also served Narendra Modi government, incorporates nine the healthcare sector of women and refugees as chairman of the National Stock Exchange and amendments that were part of the bill passed in and will receive the award on 21 June 2015 at a the 13th Finance Commission, besides being Lok Sabha. conference in Seoul. adviser to Finance Minister. iii. With this 51-year-old Rai became the first iii. He is an Indian economist and academician Singaporean to get the prestigious biennial prize who served as the Chairman of the Thirteenth since its introduction in 1999. Finance Commission constituted by the President of India. He also served as Advisor to 4. India ranks 119 on 2015 FM Global the Union Ministry of Finance (2002–2004), and Resilience Index is known for his role in economic reforms in iv.