DAILY GK 18 MAY 2019
1. 11th
India Iran Joint Consular Committee Meeting
✔The
11th India Iran Joint Consular Committee Meeting held in New Delhi
✔The
purpose of this meeting is to review the status of ongoing cooperation in
consular and visa related issues and also to discuss the strategy to further
expand people to people contacts and to promote friendly exchanges between
India and Iran.
✔Both
countries have discussed some important issues between India and Iran:
- Early
conclusion of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on civil and commercial
matters.
- To
extend longer duration of e-Visa for each other nationals on reciprocity.
- Visa
facilitation for greater people to people contacts etc.
2. The
highest graphite reserves of India are found in Arunachal Pradesh: GSI
✔According
to Geological Survey of India, the highest graphite reserves of India, that is,
around 35% of India’s total Graphite reserves are found in Arunachal Pradesh.
✔The
data was presented during GSI’s annual interactive meeting with the Department
of Geology and Mining & Industries, Government of Arunachal Pradesh in
Itanagar.
✔Arunachal
Pradesh could now be developed as the leading producer of graphite in India to
meet the nations’ future needs, since currently, India imports the majority of
Graphite from other nations.
3. Taiwan
becomes the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage
✔Taiwan’s
parliament legalised same-sex marriage, as lawmakers passed a bill permitting
same-sex couples to form ‘exclusive permanent unions‘ which would let them
apply for a ‘marriage registration’ with government agencies.
✔The
vote took place on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and
Biphobia, observed on 17th May.
✔The
only places in the broader Asia-Pacific region to have passed gay marriage laws
are Australia and New Zealand.
4. CTBTO
has offered India an ‘Observer’ status and an access to IMS data
✔The
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation has offered India an
‘Observer‘ status and an access to International Monitoring System data.
✔CTBT
is a global treaty that runs IMS which constantly monitors the Earth for
nuclear explosions and shares evaluative findings with its member states.
CTBTO’s headquarters is in Vienna, Austria.
✔India
wants CTBT to have a clause on complete nuclear disarmament and didn’t yet sign
the treaty as CTBT favours 5 nuclear weapon states, namely, China, US, Russia,
France and UK.
5. The
26th edition of Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise were held in
Singapore
✔INS
Kolkata and INS Shakti, the 2 warships of the Indian Navy participated in a
3-day Asia Pacific naval and maritime event titled the International Maritime
Defence Exhibition Asia (IMDEX Asia-2019) held in Changi Exhibition Centre,
Singapore.
✔After
IMDEX, Indian Naval ships together with an Indian Navy surveillance aircraft
P8I have participated in the 26th edition of Singapore India Maritime Bilateral
Exercise (SIMBEX).
6. Global
Drug Survey 2019
✔Indians
are seeking help more than any other countries to reduce their alcohol intake.
✔Indians
are reported drunk on an average of 41 times in the last 1 year which is well
behind countries like UK, US, Canada, Australia and Denmark which have an
average of 33 times in the last 1 year.
✔Portugal
leading the country while India ranked in 16th place.
7. The
Government of Saudi Arabia approves permanent residency to certain expatriates
to attract long-term investments
✔For
the first time, the Cabinet of Saudi Arabia approved to give permanent
residency to certain expatriates by allowing them to own real estates. They are
eligible to reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor (Kafeel). This
new system is named as the “Privileged Iqama”.
✔This
is aimed to attract the long term investments in order to boost domestic
spending.
✔The
newly adopted scheme will boost the growth in private sector and increase the
employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
8. SIDBI’s
pilot scheme for fintech NBFCs to give financial assistance up to Rs. 10 crore
to boost digital lending
✔Small
Industries Development Bank of India has launched a pilot scheme for fintech Non-Banking
Financing Companies to give financial assistance up to Rs. 10 crore in order to
boost digital lending.
✔SIDBI
has set the credit exposure limit to a new fintech NBFC to 30% of the Net-Owned
Fund(NOF) of the new fintech NBFC, with the maximum capital of Rs. 10 crores.
✔These
are digital loan companies. RBI has prescribed certain parameters for Fintech
NBFCs in order to be eligible for funding assistance. This includes 15% Capital
Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio, Non-Performing Assets should be less than or equal
to 4%, Minimum Net Owned Fund of Rs. 20 crore and Minimum asset size should be
of Rs. 50 crore and the company must hold at least 2 audited annual reports,
positive net worth and leverage ratio must be within 5:1.
9. Ujjivan
Small Finance Bank appointed Nitin Chugh as MD and CEO
✔Ujjivan
Small Finance Bank has appointed Nitin Chugh as its Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer for a period of 3 years from December 1, 2019. The current MD
and CEO Samit Ghosh.
10. Indian
Coast Guard Ship ‘Vigraha’ decommissioned at Vishakhapatnam
✔Indian
Coast Guard Ship ‘Vigraha’ decommissioned at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It
is a frontline offshore patrol served for 29 years from 1990 to 2019. It was
the seventh offshore patrol vessel built by the Mazagaon Dock Limited, Mumbai.
✔It
has participated in major coast guard operations which involves search and
rescue, anti-poaching, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,
repatriation and joint exercises etc.
11. Former
Indian cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Sanjay Manjrekar inducted in ICC
commentary panel for World Cup 2019
✔Former
Indian cricketers Sourav Ganguly and Sanjay Manjrekar are inducted into the
International Cricket Council’s commentary panel for World Cup 2019 to be held in
England and Wales.
12. Asian
Football Confederation to have first-ever female referee team to take charge of
men’s AFC cup
✔For
the first time in history, Asian Football Confederation announced its
first-ever female referee team to officiate Men’s Continental Club Cup match.
✔The
team consists of 3 Japanese referees namely, Yoshimi Yamashita and assistants
Makoto Bozono and Naomi Teshirogi.
