Daily GK update - 31st October 2014
1. PM Modi flags off Run for Unity on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Unity Day.
ii. Flagging off run for unity on the 139th birth anniversary of the first Home Minister of the country celebrated as "Rashtriya Ekta Divas", Modi said Patel devoted his life for the unity of the Nation .
iii. It was unfortunate that "our very own people" were killed on his birth anniversary 30 years ago. Mr.Modi said with reference to anti-Sikh riots that followed then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination this day 30 years ago.
iv. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 31 October 2014 laid foundation stone of the Statue of Unity - the world's tallest statue of Iron man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
2. Fadnavis takes over as first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra
i. Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Friday.
ii. Seven Cabinet Ministers and two Ministers of State were sworn in along with Mr. Fadnavis at a ceremony held at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium.
iii. Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Munguntiwar, Vinod Tawde, Chandrakant Patil, Vishnu Sawra, Prakash Mehta and Pankaja Munde were the Cabinet Ministers. Dilip Kamble and Vidya Thakur took over as Ministers of State.
3. 350 national highways to have electronic toll plazas by December
i. As many as 350 toll plazas on national highways across the country will adopt the electronic tax collection method from December 31, resulting in savings worth Rs 34,000 crore.
ii. A pilot project for interoperable ETC system of 10 toll plazas between Mumbai (Charoti) and Ahmedabad has already been tested and seamless ETC on this section is in operation.
iii. For implementing ETC across the country, a new company under Company's Act, 1956, with equity participation from NHAI (25 per cent), concessionaires (50 per cent) and financial institutions (25 per cent) has already been constituted.
iv. The name of the new company is "Indian Highways Management Company Limited".
4. Infants to get free treatment till age one in Rajasthan
i. Extending the scope of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana (JSSY) with an aim to bring down the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the State, the Rajasthan government has decided to provide free treatment to newborns till they complete one year.
ii. The scheme is applicable to all children born in public health facilities. The decision comes amidst reports of suspected diphtheria deaths in Alwar district over the past few days.
iii. The JSSY, launched by the United Progressive Alliance government in 2011, provides free treatment for a mother and her newborn for up to one month in a public healthcare facility.
5. Sweden became the first European Union country to recognize the State of Palestine
i. Sweden became the first European Union (EU) country to officially recognise the State of Palestine.
ii. Israel protested against the Sweden decision and the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador shortly after the announcement.
iii. 130 other nations that already recognise the Palestinian State include Hungary, Slovakia and Poland although these three countries took this step before joining the EU.
6. Facebook sets up India Client Council
i. World’s largest social networking site Facebook has set up the India Client Council to offer a forum to brands to share ideas about the future of marketing.
ii. The Council includes companies like Tata Motors, Flipkart, Airtel, P&G, Madison World, ICICI Bank, HUL, Micromax and Future Group among others.
iii. India is the largest market for Facebook outside the US, with over 100 million users. Globally, it had 1.35 billion monthly active users as of September 30, 2014.
7. Warren Anderson, wanted in Bhopal gas tragedy, dies
i. Former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, wanted in India in connection with the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy has died aged 92.
ii. The Indian government made multiple requests to extradite him, and officially labelled him a fugitive. A judge also called him an “absconder”.
iii. The Bhopal horror began around midnight on December 2-3, 1984, when a chemical reaction in a plant that made insecticides caused a leak of toxic gases.
8. Pankaj Advani won IBSF World Billiards Championship
i. Pankaj Advani on 30 October 2014 won IBSF World Billiards Championship (Point Format) in Bangalore.
ii. He won by defeating Robert Hall of the UK with a score of 1928 – 893 in the finals.
iii. This is his 12th title in the Timed Format and third Grand double.
1. PM Modi flags off Run for Unity on Sardar Patel's birth anniversary
i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Unity Day.
ii. Flagging off run for unity on the 139th birth anniversary of the first Home Minister of the country celebrated as "Rashtriya Ekta Divas", Modi said Patel devoted his life for the unity of the Nation .
iii. It was unfortunate that "our very own people" were killed on his birth anniversary 30 years ago. Mr.Modi said with reference to anti-Sikh riots that followed then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination this day 30 years ago.
iv. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 31 October 2014 laid foundation stone of the Statue of Unity - the world's tallest statue of Iron man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
2. Fadnavis takes over as first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra
i. Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Friday.
ii. Seven Cabinet Ministers and two Ministers of State were sworn in along with Mr. Fadnavis at a ceremony held at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium.
iii. Eknath Khadse, Sudhir Munguntiwar, Vinod Tawde, Chandrakant Patil, Vishnu Sawra, Prakash Mehta and Pankaja Munde were the Cabinet Ministers. Dilip Kamble and Vidya Thakur took over as Ministers of State.
3. 350 national highways to have electronic toll plazas by December
i. As many as 350 toll plazas on national highways across the country will adopt the electronic tax collection method from December 31, resulting in savings worth Rs 34,000 crore.
ii. A pilot project for interoperable ETC system of 10 toll plazas between Mumbai (Charoti) and Ahmedabad has already been tested and seamless ETC on this section is in operation.
iii. For implementing ETC across the country, a new company under Company's Act, 1956, with equity participation from NHAI (25 per cent), concessionaires (50 per cent) and financial institutions (25 per cent) has already been constituted.
iv. The name of the new company is "Indian Highways Management Company Limited".
4. Infants to get free treatment till age one in Rajasthan
i. Extending the scope of the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana (JSSY) with an aim to bring down the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the State, the Rajasthan government has decided to provide free treatment to newborns till they complete one year.
ii. The scheme is applicable to all children born in public health facilities. The decision comes amidst reports of suspected diphtheria deaths in Alwar district over the past few days.
iii. The JSSY, launched by the United Progressive Alliance government in 2011, provides free treatment for a mother and her newborn for up to one month in a public healthcare facility.
5. Sweden became the first European Union country to recognize the State of Palestine
i. Sweden became the first European Union (EU) country to officially recognise the State of Palestine.
ii. Israel protested against the Sweden decision and the Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador shortly after the announcement.
iii. 130 other nations that already recognise the Palestinian State include Hungary, Slovakia and Poland although these three countries took this step before joining the EU.
6. Facebook sets up India Client Council
i. World’s largest social networking site Facebook has set up the India Client Council to offer a forum to brands to share ideas about the future of marketing.
ii. The Council includes companies like Tata Motors, Flipkart, Airtel, P&G, Madison World, ICICI Bank, HUL, Micromax and Future Group among others.
iii. India is the largest market for Facebook outside the US, with over 100 million users. Globally, it had 1.35 billion monthly active users as of September 30, 2014.
7. Warren Anderson, wanted in Bhopal gas tragedy, dies
i. Former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, wanted in India in connection with the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy has died aged 92.
ii. The Indian government made multiple requests to extradite him, and officially labelled him a fugitive. A judge also called him an “absconder”.
iii. The Bhopal horror began around midnight on December 2-3, 1984, when a chemical reaction in a plant that made insecticides caused a leak of toxic gases.
8. Pankaj Advani won IBSF World Billiards Championship
i. Pankaj Advani on 30 October 2014 won IBSF World Billiards Championship (Point Format) in Bangalore.
ii. He won by defeating Robert Hall of the UK with a score of 1928 – 893 in the finals.
iii. This is his 12th title in the Timed Format and third Grand double.
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