Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |

Dear Aspirants,

The General Awareness Section of Banking Exams covers numerous sections in it like Banking Awareness, Static GK, and Current Affairs. But the most important thing that you might have noticed is that both the Banking Awareness and Static Awareness questions asked in the General Awareness Section are based on Current Affairs only. The questions on Static and Banking Awareness are related to the countries, events or anything that has been in news for a while. Here is the Daily GK Update to get you acquainted with the top events that made the headlines today!!

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update

National News

1. Indian Army Releases Book on Paramveer Chakra Awardees

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_3.1

i. General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff released a book on Paramveer Chakra Awardees – ‘Paramveer Parwane’.

ii. The book illustrates the bravery of Paramveer Chakra Awardees from 1947 to 1965. The book is written by Dr Prabhakiran Jain and is published by Medha Books.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Somnath Sharma (from 4 Kumaon Unit) was the first recipient of Paramveer Chakra.

2. 106th Indian Science Congress to be Held in Bhopal

i. General President-elect of Indian Science Congress Manoj Kumar Chakrabarti announced that the 106th edition of the Indian Science Congress will be held in January 2019 at Barkatullah University Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

ii. The theme for 2019 ISC will be “Future India: Science & Technology”.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

PM Modi inaugurated the 105th Indian Science Congress in Imphal, Manipur. T
The theme for ISC 2018 was ‘Reaching the unreached through science and technology’.

3. India Signs Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty With Hong Kong

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_5.1

i. India and Hong Kong signed a double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) that seeks to improve transparency in tax matters and help curb tax evasion and avoidance.
ii. The agreement between India and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China was signed by Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale and Hong Kong Finance Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po in Hong Kong.

4. 3rd Edition of National Conclave on Mines and Minerals

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_6.1

i. The Ministry of Mines has organized the 3rd National Conclave on Mines & Minerals in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by the Minister of Mines, Narendra Singh Tomar.

ii. Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) has agreed to partner in the event. A portal on Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojna (PMKKKY) scheme was also launched on the occasion.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

The Ministry of Mines organized the 1st National Conclave on Mines & Minerals in July 2016 at Raipur.

International

5. USA Bans Use of Venezuelan Cryptocurrency- Petro

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_7.1

i. The Donald Trump administration banned all use by Americans of Venezuelan cryptocurrency (Petro), saying that its introduction is intended to skirt U.S. sanctions.

ii. The prohibition applies to all people and companies subject to U.S. jurisdiction. In February 2018, cash-strapped Venezuela became the first country to launch its own version of bitcoin, the petro.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

Venezuela Capital- Caracas, Currency- Venezuelan bolívar, Venezuelan President- Nicolas Maduro.
The petro is backed by Venezuela’s crude oil reserves which is the largest in the world.

6. 1st G20 Ministerial Meeting Held in Argentina

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_8.1

i. The first G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors began in Buenos Aires, Argentina with the presence of 57 delegations from countries and institutions.

ii. The summit, held at the capital’s Center of Exhibitions and Conventions (CEC), gathered 22 finance ministers, 17 central bank governors and 10 heads of international organisations, including IMF Director-General Christine Lagarde.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

The second meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors will be held in Washington, the USA.
Argentina Capital- Buenos Aires, Currency- Argentine peso.

7. World’s Most Liveable City Report- Vienna Tops, Baghdad Worst

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_9.1

i. Austria’s capital city Vienna has been rated the world’s most liveable city for the ninth consecutive year by Mercer in its annual Quality of Living survey.
ii. It was followed by Switzerland’s Zurich, while New Zealand’s Auckland and Germany’s Munich tied for third place.

iii. Hyderabad and Pune have been rated India’s most liveable cities as they have tied for the 142nd place in Mercer’s global Quality of Living survey. Iraq’s capital city Baghdad has been rated the least liveable city for the tenth consecutive year.

8. GIC Re to Operate from Lloyd’s in London

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_10.1

i. General Insurance Corporation is going to start operations at the Lloyd’s London office in April 2018 thereby increasing its share of international business.

ii. This will help GIC Re increase its share of international reinsurance business. The company had received approval to set up a syndicate at Lloyd’s of London in December 2017. GIC Syndicate 1947 will be the first Lloyd’s syndicate to be backed solely by capital from an Indian reinsurance group.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-

It was incorporated in November 1972 under the Companies Act, 1956 as a private company limited by shares.
Alice G Vaidyan is the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of GIC.
Its headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Appointments/Resignations

9. Bihar Governor Satya Pal Mallik Gets Additional Charge of Odisha

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_11.1

i. Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik will discharge the functions of Odisha Governor in addition to his own duties till regular arrangements are made. Odisha Governor SC Jamir completed his tenure.

ii. Mr Jamir has earlier served as chief minister of Nagaland for five times, was an union deputy minister in the cabinet Jawaharlal Nehru and governors of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.

10. Nanda Bahadur Pun Elected Nepal’s Vice President

Current Affairs 21st March 2018: Daily GK Update |_12.1

i. Nanda Bahadur Pun has been re-elected as the Vice-President of Nepal for the second term unopposed.

ii. Pun has filed candidacy for the post of the Vice President and his candidacy remained unopposed as no candidate came forward to contest with him for the post.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for NABARD Grade-A Exam 2018-