Daily GK Updates 24-March-2017

1. March 24: World TB Day
2017 Theme (Campaign): “Unite to End TB”.


2.Researchers including Indian origin from University of Glasgow have developed new prototype prosthetic limbs having solar-powered skin.



3.India ranked 87th among the surveyed 127 countries on a Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) released as part of report of Geneva- based World Economic Forum (WEF).
Top 5 Countries: Switzerland (1), Norway (2), Sweden (3), Denmark (4) and France (5).



4.The Parliament has passed The Employees Compensation (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The Bill amends the Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923.

It ensures compensation up to Rs 1 lakh to employee if an injured in an industrial accident and imposes hefty penalty in case of any violation by the employers.

5. March 23: World Meteorological Day

2017 Theme: “Understanding Clouds”

World Meteorological Organisation-headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland

6.Veteran photojournalist Raghu Rai has been bestowed with the Life Time Achievement (LTA) award at the 6th National Photography Awards-2017.

7.Ravish Kumar, the senior executive editor of NDTV India, has been honoured with the first-ever Kuldip Nayar journalism award at India .

8.Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan has launched an integrated grievances redressal platform “MoP&NG e-Seva” across social media (SM) for all queries and grievances relating to Oil and Gas Sector.

9. The World Bank (WB) has signed a $100 million credit agreement with the Government of India (GoI) and Uttarakhand in New Delhi to improve quality of health care services in all 13 districts of the state. 

10.The well-known Tamil novelist and essayist Thiagarajan (85), popularly known as Asokamitran, has recently passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

11.The Assam government has recently signed MoU with State Bank of India (SBI) to provide Housing and Educational Loan at subsidised interest rates to the employees of the state government.

12. French mathematician Yves Meyer has won the prestigious 2017 Abel Prize for his pivotal role in the development of the mathematical theory of wavelets

13.Indian shooter Ankur Mittal has won Gold medal in the Men’s Double Trap event at the 2017 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico

14.The 2017 India Sourcing Fair (ISF) will be held at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is being organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)

15.The “3rd International Conference on Alternate Fuels and Raw Materials in Cement Industry -Towards Realising Swachh Bharat Dream” has started in New Delhi .

16.The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY), a scheme for providing physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to BPL category, will be launched by the Union Government at district Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on April 1, 2017.

17.The CCEA gave its approval to the execution of the Phase I of the North East Road Network Connectivity Project at an estimated cost of – Rs 6,721 crore

18.The Union Cabinet gave its approval for the creation of National Commission for Socially and Educationally backward classes by inserting this new Article in the Constitution – 338B

19.The National Helicopter operator Pawan Hans is going to launch this new service from 1 April 2017 - Delhi Darshan rides

20.The National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST) has approved the proposal for five additional seats for tribals in – Sikkim Assembly

21.The Bakshi stadium in this state is all set to be developed into a world-class facility as per the FIFA norms – Jammu & Kashmir

22.The United Nations Human Rights Council has granted this country a two-year extension to probe into the alleged war crimes committed during civil war – Sri Lanka

23.The naturalist on whose name a tiny shrimp-like fossil, which is thought to be around 430 million-years-old, is named - David Attenborough

24.The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched a Coffee Table Book titled “50 Years – The Great Indian Milk Revolution.”  The ministry is handled by - Radha Mohan Singh

25.The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in March 2017 announced that it has sent four teams to install stakes on ice for Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) to validate the glacier surface velocity.

26.Bharti Airtel on 23 March 2017 acquired 4G business of Tikona Networks including the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) business and 350 sites across 5 circles of Tikona Digital for Rs 1600 crore.

27.To promote cashless digital transactions, South Indian Bank (SIB) has introduced Aadhar-based payment in its Unified Payment Interface (UPI) mobile application- 'SIB M-Pay'. 

28.Indian capital markets Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) will introduce futures and options (F&O) contracts in 15 companies including InterGlobe Aviation and Indian Bank from 31 March 2017. 

29.The Reserve Bank of India has accorded its approval for the appointment of T S Anantharaman as part-time Chairman of the bank.

30.Chennai-headquartered Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) will receive a capital infusion of ₹1,100 crore from the Centre.

31. Emulating China and Italy's vertical forests, Bengaluru got its first vertical garden, which it hopes will help in curbing pollution and in beautifying the city.