DAILY GK 16 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 16 AUG 2019

1. CORAS OF INDIAN RAILWAYS LAUNCHED BY RAILWAY MINISTER PIYUSH GOYAL

✔Commandos For Railway Security, a special railway unit for the Indian railways and a new establishment manual for the Railway Protection Force was launched by union Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal at a function in New Delhi railway station.

✔A state of the art commando training centre is to be established in Jagadhri, Haryana.

2. FIRST EVER SPACE MUSEUM OF INDIA INAUGURATED AT HYDERABAD

✔The first space museum of India opening new attraction to space enthusiasts, was set up at Hyderabad in association with Indian Space Research Organisation. The museum is housed in the Birla Science Museum.

✔It was inaugurated on the celebration on golden jubilee year of the Birla Archaeological and Cultural Research Institute.

3. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SKILLS WILL BE SET UP IN MUMBAI IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TATA TRUST

✔Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship stated that world-class Indian Institute of Skills will be set up in Mumbai, Maharashtra in association with Tata Educational and Development Trust aimed at scaling up of skill training enabling the young generation to acquire skills at par with global standards.

✔The government also plans to set up 2 more institutes in Ahmedabad and Kanpur by 2022.

4. CENTRE ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR GRANTING RS 1 TRILLION CREDIT GUARANTEE FOR NBFCS

✔The Central government has rolled out scheme for liquidity support to NBFCs. The partial guarantee scheme will allow state-run banks to purchase assets of non-banking and housing finance companies.

✔The partial guarantee scheme aims at providing liquidity support to avoid distress sale of assets in a sector facing a shortage of cash due to asset-liability mismatch. NBFCs will be able to sell 20% of standard assets, worth up to Rs 5,000 crore, as on March 31.

✔The Department of Economic Affairs will provide government guarantee of up to 10% of the fair value of assets purchased by a bank from a stressed NBFC or HFC. The scheme is capped at Rs 1,00,000 crore and will be open for up to 6 months. The government will settle claims by banks within 5 working days. The one-time guarantee on the pooled assets will be valid for 24 months from the date of purchase and can invoked in specified circumstances.

5. RESERVE BANK ASKS BANKS NOT TO COUNT FAILED TRANSACTIONS, BALANCE ENQUIRY AS” FREE ATM TRANSACTIONS”

✔The Reserve Bank of India has clarified rules on ‘free ATM transactions’ provided by banks to its customers. Banks provide certain number of free transactions at ATMs to their customers and beyond that impose charges.

✔According to the Reserve Bank of India, the following transactions should not be counted as valid ATM transactions for the customer as the ‘free ATM transactions’:

• Transactions failed at ATMs due to technical reasons like hardware and software issues.
• Transactions failed due to non-availability of currency in ATMs.
• Use of ATMs for non-cash withdrawal transactions such as balance enquiry, cheque book request, payment of taxes, funds transfer.

6. DENMARK’S JYSKE BANK UNVEILED WORLD’S FIRST NEGATIVE INTEREST RATE HOME LOAN

✔Denmark’s third-largest bank, Jyske Bank has launched the world’s first negative interest rate mortgage – handing out loans to homeowners where the charge is minus 0.5% a year. It has begun offering borrowers a 10-year deal at -0.5%.

✔Negative interest rates effectively mean that a bank pays a borrower to take money off their hands, so they pay back less than they have been loaned.

✔Another Danish bank, Nordea will begin offering 20-year fixed-rate deals at 0% and a 30-year mortgage at 0.5%.

7. RAJASTHAN WINS BEST INNOVATION AWARDS AT 14TH WORLD EDUCATION SUMMIT-2019

✔Rajasthan wins the “best innovation and initiative leadership award” for its achievements in higher education in the World Education Summit-2019 held in New Delhi.

8. ISRO CHAIRMAN K.SIVAN CONFERRED WITH A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM AWARD

✔Tamil Nadu government has awarded K. Sivan with its Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award.

✔K. Sivan is currently serving as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation.

9. INDIA WINS PHYSICAL DISABILITY T20 WORLD CRICKET SERIES 2019 BY DEFEATING ENGLAND

✔India won the T20 Physical Disability World Cricket Series 2019 after defeating England by 36 runs in the final held at the New Road Stadium in Worcester, England.

✔The tournament was organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board. 6 teams- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, England, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe had participated in the tournament.

10. WRESTLER DEEPAK PUNIA WINS GOLD AT THE JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019 IN ESTONIA

✔Deepak Punia won the gold medal at the Junior World Championships held in Talinn, Estonia. He defeated Russia’s Alik Shebzukov to win the 86 kg junior freestyle title. With the victory, he has become the 1st Indian in 18 years to win a Junior World Championship title.

✔Another Indian wrestler Vicky Chahar also won the bronze medal in the 92 kg category after beating Mongolia’s Batmagnai Enkhtuvshin.

11. INDIA CELEBRATES 73RD INDEPENDENCE DAY ON AUGUST 15, 2019

✔India celebrated its 73rd Independence Day on 15 august. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort, New Delhi.

• Government to invest Rs 100 lakh cr in infrastructure building.
• Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure safe drinking water to all households was announced. Government will spend Rs 3.5 lakh crore for it.

✔The creation of the Chief of Defence Staff to integrate the efforts, training, operations and planning of the three defence services was announced by the prime minister.

✔Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was conferred with Vir Chakra, India’s third-highest war time gallantry medal.

12. ODISHA CM NAVEEN PATNAIK INAUGURATES NEW HOCKEY ACADEMY IN BHUBANESWAR

✔Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Naval Tata Hockey Academy at the Kalinga stadium, in the state capital Bhubaneswar, as a move to bring more sports talents and young Olympians from the state.