Gk update 10 August 2016

1. PM Narendra Modi launches Yaad Karo Kurbani celebrations

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Yaad Karo Kurbani (remember the sacrifices) celebrations at the birthplace of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad at Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh.
ii. The Yaad Karo Kurbani is a 15-day programme aimed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement (QIM) and 70 years of Independence.
iii. Later he also flagged off the Tiranga Yatra to mark the launch of the 70th Freedom Year celebrations with a theme song  '70 Saal Azadi Yaad Karo Kurbani' which has been composed by Dr. Ghazal Srinivas.

2. PM Modi, Russian Prez Vladimir Putin jointly dedicated Kudankulam Nuclear Plant Unit-I to the nation

i. The first unit of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant has jointly dedicated to the nation by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin through video conferencing.
ii. It has been built with Russian expertise following a pact between the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Soviet leader Mikahil Gorbachev in November 1988.
iii. Now the first unit of Kudankulam power plant is generating its full capacity of 1000 megawatts of electricity.

3. Niti Aayog ties up with US EIA to set up a portal on energy data

i. Niti Aayog has inked a pact with US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
ii. The think tank is working to develop India's energy data agency which would take 3-4 years to develop. The web portal will host all the data related to energy sector including oil & gas, coal, solar & thermal energy etc.
iii. Niti Aayog also inked an SOP with US Agency for International Development (USAID) and UK's Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) for collaboration in the area of energy research.

4. Government to set up committee to review e-commerce rules

i. The government has decided to set up a committee to look into all issues including foreign direct investment norms pertaining to the fast-growing e-commerce industry in the country.
ii. The committee will be headed by the NITI Aayog CEO Mr. Amitabh Kant. The other members of the panel include officials from commerce and industry ministry and department of electronics and IT among others. Representatives from four states including Maharashtra and Karnataka are also members of the panel.
iii. The committee will look at all the issues including FDI pertaining to the e-commerce sector. The committee would also suggest ways to further promote the growth of the sector.

5. First Solar commissions 130 MW of solar power plants in AP, Telangana

i. The local subsidiary of the Nasdaq-listed First Solar, First Solar Power India, has announced the commercial operation of 80 MW and 50 MW solar power plants in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
ii. The projects are part of the 260 MW project portfolio owned by First Solar in India. These two plants will collectively produce enough energy to power approximately 2,27,500 average homes in India and will displace 204 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
iii. The electricity generated by the two projects will be purchased by the Southern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company under 25-year power purchase agreements.

6. Maneka Gandhi kicks off a campaign to mark 11 August as Daughters' Day

i. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched a social media campaign to mark the Daughters Day to be celebrated on 11th August 2016 by tweeting a picture with her daughter-in-law and grand-daughter.
ii. The entire coming week will be celebrated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development as Daughters Week, as part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme to check female foeticide, improve sex ratio and educate girls across the country.
iii. Through social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter etc, users from across the country will post photographs online with their Daughters,Daughters-in-law and Granddaughters using the hashtag #BBBPDaughtersWeek. This opportunity is being used by the Ministry to engage citizens to celebrate the young women and girls in their lives and spread the message of valuing the girl child.

7. NHAI Signs MOU with IIT- Kharagpur for Research Project

i. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IIT-Kharagpur for the research project on Laboratory and Field investigations on Paneled Cement Concrete Pavements for Highways.
ii. The duration of the research project is 3 years and NHAI have paid Rs. 1.25 crore for the project, excluding the cost of construction of trial pavement section on NH.

8. China launches a satellite to get accurate images of earth

i. China has launched a new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite Gaofen-3 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province.
ii. The Satellite will provide accurate pictures of earth with an ability to photograph detailed scenarios of its specific areas. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket.
iii. The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under the guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

9. Dinesh Kumar Khara appointed as MD of State Bank of India

i. The Department of Personnel and Training of State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the appointment of Mr. Dinesh Kumar Khara as its Managing Director (MD).
ii. His appointment has been done by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) for a period of three years, extendable by two years after the review of his performance.
iii. Presently he is working as MD and Chief Executive Officer of SBI Funds Management Pvt Ltd.

10. Rajeev Krishnan appointed as Managing Director of Max Hypermarkets India

i. Rajeev Krishnan has been appointed as the Managing Director of Max Hypermarkets in India with effect from 1 August 2016.
ii. Krishnan succeeds Viney Singh, outgoing Managing Director. However, Singh will continue to be on the Board of the company as a Non-Executive Director.
iii. As managing director, Krishnan will guide and direct the strategy and execution of the Hypermarket & Supermarket business of the SPAR brand in India, and will report to the board of Max Hypermarket, a franchisee of SPAR India.

11. Anderson dethrones Ashwin from the top spot in ICC bowler rankings

i. In the latest MRF player Rankings for Test Bowlers, England Speedster James Anderson has topped the list.
ii. The English cricketer replaces India off Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
iii. The James Anderson has reached his career best by claiming the top position month back on May 31. The race was among Ashwin, Pakistani bowler Yasir Shah and Anderson.

12. Takehiko Nakao Re-elected For Second Term as ADB President

i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors has unanimously re-elected Takehiko Nakao as President of ADB for a further 5 years beginning on 24 November 2016.
ii. Mr. Nakao was first elected as President by the Board of Governors on 28 April 2013 to serve the 3 and a half years remaining on the term of his predecessor, Haruhiko Kuroda.
ii. He is the 9th President of ADB and was the sole nominee after ADB’s Governors were invited to make nominations for the organization’s presidency.

13. ACC has approved appointments of four GMs as Executive Directors in various banks

i. The Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved appointments of four GMs as Executive Directors in various banks.
ii. The appointment includes- Mr. Ashok Kumar Garg, Mr. Raj Kamal Verma, Gopal Murli Bhagat, and Himanshu Joshi as the ED of Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, Corporation Bank, and Oriental Bank of Commerce respectively.

14. Yesteryear Tamil actress Jyothilakshmi has passed away

i.  Popular southern actress Jyothi Lakshmi has passed away at age 63. She was suffering from blood cancer for a while and had been undergoing a treatment.
ii. She made her film debut in TR Ramanna's Tamil film Periya Idathu Penn that had actors Saroja Devi and MG Ramachandran in the lead in 1963 at the age of 10.
iii. Jyothi starred in over 300 southern films, Telugu and Tamil films such as "Pilla Pidagu", "Bangara Babu" and "Gandharva Kanya". she went on to star mostly in dance numbers and negative roles. Her last on-screen appearance was in last year's Tamil adult comedy "Trisha Illana Nayanthara".

15. Veteran Tamil writer-producer Panchu Arunachalam has passed away

i. Veteran film producer, script, lyricist and screenplay writer of Tamil cinema Mr. Panchu Arunachalam has passed away following a brief illness.
ii. Mr. Panchu Arunachalam was born on 18th June 1941 at Sirukoodalpatti, Karaikudi, in Tamil Nadu.
iii. He is popular for writing over 100 Tamil films, including hits like Murattu Kaalai, Sakalakala Vallavan, and Apoorva Sagodhargal. He worked with Rajinikanth in 23 films, including Kazhugu, Pokkiri Raja, and Paayum Puli among others.