Daily GK Update : 31st January 2017

National & International Appointment 

1. A P Singh appointed interim head of India Post Payments Bank

• The Union Government has appointed A P Singh (Indian Postal Service officer- 1986 batch) as the interim Managing Director (MD)and Chief executive officer (CEO) of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB).
• Earlier, he was the joint secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
• Recently, IPPB has launched in Ranchi and Raipur with the objective of being present in all corners of India by the end of the year.
• The bank will offer an interest rate on deposits up to Rs. 25,000 (4.5%), Rs. 25,000-50,000 (5%) and Rs. 50,000-1,00,000 (5.5%).
• IPPB can accept deposits up to Rs.1 lakh per account from individuals.

Note:

• A Payments Bank is a “differentiated bank” set-up under the guidelines issued on Nov 27, 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
• These banks can accept a restricted deposit which is currently limited to Rs. 1 lakh per customer.
• The banks cannot issue loans and credit cards but banks can issue services like ATM cards, debit cards, online banking and mobile banking.
• India Post Payments Bank is the third entity to receive payments bank permit after Bharti Airtel and Paytm.

 2. Chad's Moussa Faki Mahamat named AU Commission chair

• The African Union has elected Chadi’s foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahamat as the new African Union (AU) commission chairman.
• He will replace South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who was elected to the post in 2012.
• Mahamat got 38 votes in the seventh round of voting, which gave him the necessary two-thirds majority to take up the position.
• Earlier, Moussa Faki was Prime Minister of Chad from June 24, 2003 to February 4, 2005.

 3. Ashok Amritraj UN in India goodwill ambassador for the SDGs

• Ashok Amritraj has been appointed the United Nations(UN) in India Goodwill Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Amritraj is the Chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group.
• He has been a pioneering force in bridging India and Hollywood through film and media.

National Affairs

4. Govt. constitutes task force to prepare action plan for next three Olympic

• The Prime Minister Modi has approved the constitution of 8 members task force committee for preparing action plan for next three Olympic Games 2020, 2024 and 2028.
• The task force committee will submit its report (short, medium, long-term) in 3 months.
• The members of Task force are Pulella Gopichand (Olympian and Coach), Abhinav Bindra (Olympic Gold Medallist), Rajesh Kalra (Chief Editor,Times Group Online), G.L. Khanna (Professor and Dean), Om Pathak (School Sports Promotion foundation) , Viren Rasquinha (CEO – Olympic Gold Quest), S. Baldev Singh (Coach) and Sandeep Pradhan (Director General, Sports Authority of Gujarat).

5. IMD to Set up Weather Stations in 660 Districts by 2019

• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided to set up weather stations in 660 districts of the country by 2019.
• Initially, 130 districts have shortlisted in the first phase and gradually increase it to 660 by 2019.
• IMD has tied up with the Union Ministry of Agriculture to use the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in these districts.

Note:

• IMD gives region-specific weather forecasts namely for the, northwest, central, northeast regions and southern peninsula during monsoons.  

Obituaries

 6. Hollywood Legend & Harry Porter actor John Hurt passes away

• Legendary British actor who starred in ‘The Elephant Man’ and ‘Harry Potter’ Sir John Hurt (77-year) passes away at his residence in Norfolk (London).
• Earlier, Sir John won four Bafta Awards, including a lifetime achievement recognition for his outstanding contribution to British cinema in 2012.

Banking & Finance

7. Economic Survey pegs GDP growth at 6.75 to 7.5% in next financial year

• Today, the Budget session of Parliament has begun and President Pranab Mukherjee addressed the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
• The Economic Survey has tabled in Parliament by Finance minister Arun Jaitley on the first day of Budget Session.
• The Union Government expects the real Gross Domestic Products (GDP) to be in 6.75% to 7.5% during fiscal year 2018.
• The survey pegs GDP growth rate at constant market prices for the current year 2016-17 is placed at 7.1%.
• Agriculture sector to grow at 4.1% in the current year which is up from 1.2% in 2015-16. 

8. Future Generali India Insurance ties up with Bank of Maharashtra

• Future Generali India Insurance Company Ltd (FGIL) has announced an agency tie-up for its products with Bank of Maharashtra (BOM).
• Now, customers of BOM's will be able to avail of motor, home, shopkeeper and rural insurance products at any of the 1,896 branches of the bank.

Sports

9. Dushyant Chautala is new TTFI president

•  Dushyant Chautala has been elected as president of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) at the annual general body meeting at Gurugram (Haryana).
• He is the youngest president of the apex body and his term is for four years.
• The Table Tennis Federation of India is the official sports body and currently ranked 30th in the world.

Note:

• TTFI was established in the year 1926.
• India is represented through TTFI in all the major international championships like Olympics, World, Commonwealth, Asian and all Pro tours.

 Thought of the Day

“Real glory springs from the silent conquest of us.”

“वास्तविक महानता की उत्पत्ति स्वयं पर खामोश विजय से होती है।”

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