DAILY GK BANKERS ADDA 11TH TO 20TH OCTOBER 2016--for ibps po/clerks/ssc/nic/gic/licaao

11th October, 2016

Virat Kohli presented with ICC Test Championship mace

Indian captain Virat Kohli was presented with the ICC Test Championship mace for leading his team to the top of the Test Team Rankings.

The mace was presented by former India captain and ICC Cricket Hall of Famer Sunil Gavaskar at a ceremony following the conclusion of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Indore after the home team completed a 3-0 whitewash.

GST lends more weight to India’s 8% growth projection: S&P

Calling GST as the most important structural reform till date by the Modi government, S&P Global Ratings said on 11th October 2016 the passage of the indirect tax law gives it additional conviction of India clocking 8 per cent growth in the next few years.

“India’s GST passage gives us additional conviction around our 8%-ish GDP growth forecast over the next few years,” it said in a report titled ‘Asia-Pacific steadies while China goes silent’.

International Day of the Girl Child :11 October

International Day of the Girl is observed annually on 11 October; it is also called the Day of the Girl. The theme for this year's International Day of the Girl (11 October) is "Girls' Progress = Goals' Progress: What Counts for Girls". On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

Russia & Turkey agree to intensify military, intelligence contacts

The Russian and Turkish leaders have agreed to intensify military and intelligence contacts after a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey. After his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, they have agreed on the need for aid to get to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

The two countries have also signed a deal to construct two pipelines to send Russian gas under the Black Sea to Turkey. Ties were strained after Turkish forces downed a Russian war plane in November 2015. Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Putin, Mr Erdogan said he was confident that the normalisation of relations would take place rapidly.

Standard Chartered Bank forms tie-up with Uber

Foreign lender Standard Chartered Bank has announced a tie-up with Uber under which its credit cardholders, across six countries, will get a cash-back of up to 25 per cent for hailing cabs from the app.

In India, the cardholders will get a 20 per cent cash-back on all Uber rides, subject to a cash—back cap of Rs. 600 per month. Additionally, first-time Uber users will get a discount of Rs.50 for the first three rides. Apart from India, the partnership has been activated in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and UAE.

12th October, 2016

First World Tsunami Awareness Day to be observed on Nov 5
i. The government of India will be observing the First World Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5.
ii. It will be observed during the upcoming Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016.
iii. The conference is slated to take place in Delhi between November 2-5.

Global hunger index: 2016

i. India ranked 97th out of 118 countries on the International Food Policy Research Institute’s (IFPRI) Global Hunger Index (GHI) in 2016, behind Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, among others, but ahead of Pakistan and three other Asian countries.

ii. It was positioned at 80 out of 104 countries the previous year.

Telangana gets 21 new districts

i. Nearly two-and-half years after it came into existence as India's 29th state, Telangana's map was redrawn on 11 October 2016 with the creation of 21 new districts.
ii. With these, the total number of districts of the youngest state of India went up to 31.

R Ashwin regains No. 1 spot in Test rankings

i. Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin today reclaimed the number one spot in Test rankings for bowlers following a career-best match haul of 13 for 140 in the third Test against New Zealand in Indore.

Morocco king reappoints Abdelilah Benkirane as PM

i. Abdelilah Benkirane, the leader of Morocco's Islamic Justice and Development Party, has been appointed for another term as the country's prime minister.

ii. This will be his second term as Prime Minister of Morocco. 

Sir Ian McKellen honoured at UK Theatre Awards

i. Veteran actor Ian McKellen was honoured at the UK Theatre Awards that took place on October 9 in London for his individual contributions to British theatre.
ii. McKellen was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre prize.

First BRICS Trade Fair and Exhibition begins in Delhi today

i. The first BRICS Trade Fair and Exhibition began in the national capital today, ahead of the BRICS political summit in Goa.

ii. The fair is a platform for respective BRICS countries, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to exhibit state-of-the-art technologies and advances made in industrial development.

India now the 12th largest holder of US govt bonds

i. India’s holdings of the US government bonds touched a high of $123.7 billion in July, making it the 12th largest holder, US Treasury Department's latest data showed.

Kabaddi WC venue is India's 1st convertible stadium

i. The Arena by TransStadia in Ahmedabad, venue of the ongoing Kabaddi World Cup, is India's first convertible stadium.

ii. The Rs. 550 crore project converts an outdoor stadium into an indoor arena in 6 minutes at a touch of a button. 

Style icon Parmeshwar Godrej passes away at 70

i. Parmeshwar Godrej, philanthropist and wife of Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej passed away in Mumbai on October 11, 2016. 

ii. She was 70.

Oscar-winning Polish film director Wajda dies aged 90

i. Oscar-winning Film director Andrzej Wajda, best known for chronicling Poland's struggle for democracy during half a century of communist rule, has died at the age of 90. 

 13th October, 2016

International Day for Disaster Reduction: October 13

i. International Day for Disaster Reduction is observed annually on 13 October. 

ii. This year theme is Live to Tell: Raising Awareness, Reducing Mortality.



Bob Dylan wins 2016 Nobel prize in literature
i. American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition".
ii. Dylan, 75, has won numerous awards, including twelve Grammys and one Academy Award.

Bank of Baroda signs brand endorsement with Sindhu, Srikanth

i. Public lender Bank of Baroda today sealed a principal sponsorship contract with badminton Olympians P V Sindhu and K Srikanth.

ii. The three-year deal with the two players was agreed in-principle before they represented and made India proud on the international stage at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Bank of Maharashtra renews tie-up with United India Insurance

i. State-run Bank of Maharashtra has renewed its corporate agency tie-up with United India Insurance Company. 

ii. Customers can buy the entire gamut of UIIC products at any of the 1,896 branches of the bank across the country.

Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank awarded by Ugandan govt for his literary work

i. Former Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has been conferred with a prestigious award by the Ugandan government for promoting human values through his literature.

India donates Rs. 9.3 million to Mandela Foundation

i. India donated Rs. 9.3 million to the Nelson Mandela Foundation to help it in its welfare work for the people of South Africa. 

ii. The Nelson Mandela Foundation was established in 1999 after the then President Nelson Mandela stepped down as the President of South Africa.

Govt appoints G Mahalingam as Sebi whole-time member

i. The government has appointed Reserve Bank's Executive Director G Mahalingam as a Whole-Time Member of markets regulator Sebi.

ii. Apart from the Chairman, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) can have three Whole-Time Members (WTMs).

ICICI Bank first Indian lender to execute Blockchain transaction

i. ICICI Bank has become the first Indian lender to complete a banking transaction using Blockchain technology.

ii. This remittance transaction has been completed in partnership with Emirates NBD, a lender from the West Asia

Coordinated Patrol and India-Indonesia Bilateral Maritime Exercise commence in Indonesia

i. The 28th India and Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) and Second Bilateral Maritime Exercise have commenced at Belawan, Indonesia in the Andaman Sea.

Cabinet approves setting up of IIM Jammu

i. The Cabinet today approved the setting up of an Indian Institute of Management in Jammu as part of PM Narendra Modi's development package for Jammu and Kashmir. 

ii. The government recently set up an Indian Institute of Technology in Jammu. 

Punjab Agricultural University signs MoU with FieldFresh to promote crop research

i. Punjab Agricultural University and FieldFresh Foods, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises & Del Monte Pacific Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to carry out a corn productivity research programme.

ii. The MoU follows the agreement signed recently between Cambridge University and Bharti Foundation to fund the research Programme.

Cabinet approves pact between EXIM Bank, NDB

i. Union Cabinet today approved a pact between Export-Import Bank of India and BRICS-promoted New Development Bank, along with other development financial institutions of member nations, with an aim to strengthen trade and economic ties.

ii. The New Development Bank (NDB) aims to mobilize resources for development projects in BRICS, emerging economies and developing countries.

 14th October, 2016

World Standards Day: 14 October

i. World Standards Day is observed annually on 14 October. 

ii. The theme for World Standards Day 2016 is “Standards Build Trust". 

Dharmendra Pradhan launches National Seismic Programme in Mahanadi Basin

i. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (with Independent charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, on 13 October 2016 launched the National Seismic Programme (NSP) on Mahanadi basin (onshore) in Odisha.

Amrit Lugun concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the State of Eritrea 

i. Shri Amrit Lugun, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of the Sudan, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to the State of Eritrea, with residence in Khartoum(Sudan).

Antonio Guterres appointed UN Secretary-General

i. The 193 member states of the General Assembly adopted the resolution by acclamation, appointing 67-year-old Mr. Guterres as the 9th U.N. Secretary-General to take over from Ban Ki-moon, whose tenure will end on December 31, 2016.

R.A. Mashelkar conferred award by Centre for Organisation Development

i. R. A. Mashelkar, former Director-General of CSIR, has been conferred the V Krishnamurthy Award for excellence by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Organisation Development.

King of Thailand dies

i. Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej - the world's longest-serving monarch - has died aged 88.

ii. King Bhumibol, the ninth king of the 234-year-old Chakri dynasty. After the demise of the Thai King, 63-year old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to become the new king.

CCEA approves revision of ethanol prices for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies

i. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 13 October 2016 approved the mechanism for revision of ethanol price for supply to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to carry out the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme.

ii. The administered price of ethanol for the Programme will be 39 rupees per litre for the next sugar season from 1 December 2016 to 30 November 2017.

British Olympics icon Jessica Ennis-Hill announces retirement from athletics

i. Jessica Ennis-Hill has announced her retirement from athletics. 

ii. Ennis-Hill, 30, who won a gold medal for heptathlon at London 2012, hinted after winning silver at Rio 2016 that she could leave the sport.

Renowned writer and litterateur Dayanand Anant passed away at 88

i. Renowned writer and litterateur from Uttarakhand, Dayanand Anant, passed away today at his residence in Bhowali near Nainital.

ii. He was 88.

Dario Fo, Nobel-winning playwright, dies aged 90

i. The Nobel prizewinning playwright and actor Dario Fo, famous for his cutting political satire in plays such as The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, has died aged 90.

 15th October, 2016

World Student Day: October 15

i. October 15th, Dr. Abdul Kalam's birthday is observed as World Student Day by United Nations Organization annually. 

ii. In India, he is highly respected as a scientist and as a great personality. 

iii. He was the 11th President of India.

International Day of Rural Women: October 15 

i. The International Day of Rural Women is observed across the world on 15 October. 

ii. The theme for the day for the year 2016 is Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too.

Valvoline ropes in Virat Kohli as brand ambassador

i. Valvoline Cummins India has signed up India Test captain Virat Kohli as its ambassador. 

ii. As part of the association, Kohli will be the face of Valvoline engine oils and lubricants range. 

iii.Valvoline is the world’s first and most enduring lubricant brand. 

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Shaurya Smarak in Bhopal

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 October 2016 inaugurated 'Shaurya Smarak', the war memorial in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 

China, Bangladesh ink 26 agreements

i. Bangladesh and China on 14 October 2016 signed 26 agreements in the key areas of power, road and railway connectivity.

ii. The two countries have also agreed to jointly advance China’s ‘belt and road initiative’ and establish “institutional cooperation” in areas of maritime issues and counter-terrorism.

Indian-origin scientist bags young scientist award in US

Kirtiraj Kundlik Gaikwad, an Indian scientist with the Department of Packaging, has been awarded the prestigious IAFP Young scientist scholarship award for his research work on "development of novel oxygen absorbing package in the field of active packaging for oxygen sensitive food products". 

Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed new DGFT

i. Senior IAS officer Ajay Kumar Bhalla was on 14 October 2016 appointed as the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

ii. He has been appointed to the post in place of Anup Wadhawan, who has been appointed as additional secretary in the commerce ministry.

Mizoram's Pachuau declared India's oldest working journalist

i. The Mizoram government and the Mizoram Journalists' Association declared Lalbiakthanga Pachuau as the "oldest working journalist in the country".

ii. The 90-year-old former soldier is the editor of 'Zoram Tlangau', a Mizo daily, started by him in 1970.

India decided to eliminate potent greenhouse gas HFC-23 by 2030

i. India on 14 October 2016 announced its decision to eliminate the HCF-23 gas. 

ii. The announcement was made by Minister of State Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Anil Dave at Kigali, Rwanda, at a meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol, where final negotiations are taking place to substantially reduce the use of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) by 2030.

Safe Motherhood Week starts in Uttar Pradesh

i. In Uttar Pradesh, the Safe Motherhood Week is being observed from 14 October to 21 October 2016. 

ii. The main aim of the 'Safe Motherhood Week' is to decrease the 'Mother Mortality Rate' (MMR) and 'Infant Mortality Rate' (IMR).

 16th October, 2016

Brazil lifted Inaugural BRICS U–17 Football Tournament Championship

(i) Brazil has lifted the 1st BRICS U-17 Football Tournament 2016 held at Goa after defeating the South Africa in the title clash with 5-1.

(ii) For the 3rd place between Russia and China, Russia defeated China 2-1.

Market capitalization : Infosys loses fifth spot to ONGC

(i) Data from BSE showed that Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC) beat India’s second largest software exporter Infosys Ltd to become the fifth most valuable company in India by market capitalization. 

(ii) ONGC had a market capitalization of Rs2.37 trillion whereas Infosys market capitalization stood at about Rs2.36 trillion.

Finland is the safest country in the world: WEF

(i) A recent report carried out by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ‘Safety and Security,’ has revealed that the Finland is the safest place in the world with Qatar and UAE ranked second and third respectively.

(ii) Further down the list was the UK, which was ranked at 63, while the US was in 73 place.

India-Russia sign agreement to produce Ka-226T helicopters jointly

(i) On the birthday of India's Misssile men A. P. J. Abdul Kalam , India and Russia formally inked the agreement for five S-400 Triumf air defence systems and four stealth frigates and a joint venture to manufacture Kamov-226T helicopters in India.

(ii) The S-400 is considered one of the most advanced long range missile system in the world and can tackle all incoming airborne targets at ranges of up to 400 km.

India becomes first team to play 900 ODIs

(i) India's ODI againts New Zealand at Dharamshala on 16th oct 2016 is the team's 900th making it the world first side to achieve a milestone. 

(ii) 900th One Day International (ODI) match between India and  New Zealand will be held at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala. Out of the 899 ODI's, India has won 454, lost 399 tied seven, while 39 have abandoned.

In the First, Bank deposits cross Rs 100 lakh crore

(i) According to the data released by the RBI ,India’ banking system reported total deposits of Rs 100 lakh crore for the first time ever in September month of this year. 

(ii) With demand deposits crossing Rs10 lakh crore and time deposits crossing the Rs 90 lakh crore mark, the month saw the highest-ever monthly rise of Rs 5.32 lakh crore.

Union Government has launched Mining Surveillance System

(i) The mines ministry on 15th oct came out with mining surveillance system (MSS), a pan-India surveillance network using latest satellite technology, to check illegal mining. 

(ii) MSS is a satellite-based monitoring system, which aims to check illegal mining activity through automatic remote-sensing detection technology

Usain Bolt to retire after the 2017 World Championships

(i) Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt has confirmed that he is going to retire after the 2017 World Championships in London, and also informed that the Racers Grand Prix later this year will be his last race on Jamaican soil. 

Rajnath Singh inaugurates 10 days long ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav - 2016’

(i) ‘Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM) -2016’ is being organized by M/o Culture in IGNCA premises, Janpath, New Delhi  from 15th to 24th October, 2016. 

(ii) The festival was inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Home Affairs in the presence of Dr Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism and Shri Padamanabha Acharya, Governor of Nagaland.

 17th October, 2016

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: October 17

i. The United Nations' International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed on October 17 each year since 1993.

ii. This year's theme is moving from humiliation and exclusion to participation: Ending poverty in all its forms. 

China launches its longest manned space mission

i. China today launched the two-man Shenzhou 11 space mission, which is its longest-ever manned space mission.

ii. The two astronauts will spend about a month in China's recently-launched experimental space lab, Tiangong 2. While China claims its space programme is for peaceful purposes.

Ashok Leyland launches first India-made electric bus

i. Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland today launched - Circuit - the first “Made in India” electric bus. 

ii. The bus with a minimum seating capacity of 35 to a maximum of 65 can run up to 120 kilometres on a single recharge under standard test conditions.

Cipla signs deals to set up first biosimilars units in South Africa

i. Indian pharmaceutical major Cipla has signed a memorandum of agreement for South Africa’s first biosimilars manufacturing facility to be set up at a cost of nearly USD 91 million. 

ii. The agreement with KwaZulu-Natal Dube Trade Port Special Economic Zone for Cipla BIOTEC’s new facility was concluded on the margins of BRICS Summit in Goa.

ICC announces first-ever women's World T20 in 2020

i. The International Cricket Council has decided to organise the first ever ICC Women's World T20 event in 2020. 

ii. A decision to this effect was taken at the ICC Board meetings which concluded in Cape Town.
iii. Cricket Australia, hosts for the men's and women's ICC World Twenty20 in 2020.

US Navy commissions most advanced stealth destroyer Zumwalt

i. US Navy has commissioned its largest, most expensive and technologically advanced destroyer, Zumwalt. 

ii. The 610-foot-long ship, commissioned in Baltimore also has an advanced power plant and weapon systems.
iii. The Zumwalt, costing nearly USD 4.4 billion.

Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat retains WBC Asia welterweight title

i. Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat outpunched Australia’s Ben Kite to retain the WBC welterweight Asia title. 

ii. The 24-year-old prevailed 120-110, 119-109, 115-113 in an unanimous decision for the gruelling 12-round contest against his 26-year-old rival.

Amandeep Singh appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the UN Conference on Disarmament, Geneva

i. Indian foreign service, 1992 batch officer,  Shri Amandeep Singh Gill  has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the UN Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, announced by the Ministry of external affairs on 16 October 2016.

C Radhakrishnan selected for Mathrubhumi Literary award

i. Eminent writer C Radhakrishnan has been selected for the Mathrubhumi Literary Award in recognition of his contribution to the field of literature. 

ii. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh, a citation and a statuette.

 18th October, 2016

BCCI president Anurag Thakur part of powerful ICC sub-committee

i. BCCI president Anurag Thakur has taken charge as the member of the ICC’s powerful Finance and Commercial Affairs committee.

ii. Anurag Singh Thakur is a member of Lok Sabha from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh.

Kashmiri Red Stag to be declared as 'Critically Endangered'

i. As the Kashmir Stag popularly known as Hangul is on the verge of extinction, the International Union for Conservation of Nature is all set to declare it a ‘critically endangered’ species to protect this beautiful animal from disappearing from the earth.

Navdeep Suri to be India’s new envoy to UAE

i. Senior diplomat Navdeep Singh Suri has been appointed Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. 

ii. He is currently serving as Indian High Commissioner in Canberra. 

iii. Suri had served in India’s diplomatic missions in Cairo, Damascus, Washington, Dar es Salaam and London and as India’s Consul General in Johannesburg.

Sanjay Singh appointed Member-Secretary, Law Commission

i. Former legislative secretary Sanjay Singh has been appointed as Member Secretary, Law Commission of India. 

ii. President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Singh to the post for a period up to August 31, 2018.

Anupriya Patel Inaugurates National Summit On Fortification Of Food

i. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare has inaugurated National Summit on Fortification of Food in New Delhi.

BRICS agrees to set up credit rating agency

i. The five-nation group of emerging economies BRICS has agreed to set up an independent BRICS Rating Agency in its efforts to challenge the western hegemony in the world of finance.

ii. BRICS is the acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies.

Novak Djokovic retains top spot in ATP rankings

i. Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic retained the top spot in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings.  

ii. He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Sonam Kapoor awarded ET Panache's 'Trendsetter Awards 2016'

i. Bollywood Actress Sonam Kapoor has been bestowed upon with the 2016 ET Panache Trendsetter Award in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

ii. The award recognizes the efforts of entrepreneurs, innovators, newsmakers and athletes whose stories inspire millions and whose services transform lives.

Brazil opens Latin America's first elephant sanctuary

i. The first elephant sanctuary in Latin America has opened in Brazil to provide a home for an estimated 50 circus animals from across the region. 

ii. Guida and Maia, both over 40 years old, are the first residents.

Government grants BP PlC licence to set up petrol pumps in India

i. The Government has formally granted a license to British Petroleum ‘Petroleum industry company’, Europe's third-biggest oil company, to set up 3,500 petrol pumps in India.

ii. India currently has about 56,190 petrol pumps, with public sector firms operating a majority of them. 

Robert De Niro to Receive Film Society of Lincoln Center's Chaplin Award

i. The Film Society of Lincoln Center has announced Robert De Niro as the recipient of the 44th Chaplin Award.

ii. De Niro will be presented with the award at an award gala on 8 May 2017.

Rwanda's last king, Kigeli V, dies aged 80

i. Kigeli V Ndahindurwa (80), the last king of Rwanda, has recently passed away in the United States.

ii. He ruled the east African nation for less than a year in 1959 before being forced into exile after clashing with the Belgian colonial power.

 19th October, 2016

PM Modi inaugurates 3 hydro projects in Himachal Pradesh

I. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated three hydro-electric projects with a generating capacity of 1,732 MW in Himachal Pradesh.

II. Inauguration of new hydropower projects will change economic horizon of Himachal Pradesh.

Saina Nehwal appointed member of IOC's Athletes' Commission

I. Indian star shuttler Saina Nehwal has been appointed as a member of the International Olympic
Committee’s Athletes’ Commission. 

II. Saina received a letter from the IOC President Thomas Bach.       III. The IOC Athletes' Commission is a body maintained by the International Olympic Committee for the purpose of representing athletes.

PM Modi launches national hub for SC/ST entrepreneurs in Ludhiana

I. Prime Minister Narendra Modi  has launched national Schedule Castes/Schedule Tribes hub in Ludhiana. 

II. The SC/ST hub aims to facilitate technology knowhow to reserved categories and increasing procurement by public and government units from SC/ST industrial units from existing 0.4% to 4%.

S.P Yadav elected new President of Urology Society of India

I. S P Yadav has been elected as the new President of the North Zone of Urology Society of India. 

II. His tenure would begin from October 2017 for a period of one year. 

III. The announcement was made at the conclusion of a 3-day annual conference held under the auspices of the Agra Urology Association from 16 October to 18 October 2016.

Visa CEO Charles Scharf to resign

I.The San Francisco-based payments network Visa’s CEO Charles Scharf had resigned from his post October 18, 2016.
II.The company named Alfred Kelly Jr, a former president of American Express Co and a current Visa board member, as CEO.

Russia to lease another nuclear-powered submarine to India

I. Russia has quietly signed an agreement with India to lease out a second Russian Akula-2 class nuclear-powered submarine to the Indian Navy. 

II. The attack submarine will arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. 

III. The lease agreement was signed between PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the BRICS Summit in Goa.

Nissan to name Carlos Ghosn as chairman of Mitsubishi Motors

I. Nissan Motor Co Ltd will appoint its chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, as chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Corp as Japan's second-biggest automaker.

III. Since 1999, Nissan has been part of the Renault–Nissan Alliance, a partnership between Nissan and French automaker Renault. 

India completes nuclear triad by commissioning INS Arihant

I. India has completed its nuclear triad by inducting the first endogenously built strategic nuclear
submarine INS Arihant into service. 

II. With this, India becomes fourth country to have a nuclear triad i.e. capable of delivering nuclear weapons by aircraft, ballistic missiles and submarine launched missiles. 

III. Other countries having nuclear triad are Russia, United States and China.

Indian wrestlers win four medals at 2016 TAFISA World Games

I. Four Indian wrestlers have won four medals individually including a gold medal, at the sixth 

edition of the TAFISA World Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

II. Wrestler Dalmiya - He won gold medal in 60kg category by defeating Azerbaijan’s Muhammad Sahan.

III. Luv Singh - He won the silver medal in the 80 kg category after he was defeated by Muhammad Alim of Azerbaijan by 1-5 points in the final match. Naveen iv. Kumar - He won the bronze medal in 90 Kg category after he defeated Lithuania’s Oleg by 5-2 points. 

IV. Josil - He won the bronze medal in the super heavyweight category by defeating Mustafa Sultani of Afghanistan by 3-1 points.

INS Tihayu Joins the Indian Navy

I. Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) INS Tihayu was commissioned into the Indian Navy by the
Flag-Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral H.C.S. Bisht.

II. The 315-tonne INS Tahiyu is the sixth WJFAC Car Nicobar Class vessel to be commissioned and allotted to the Eastern Fleet of the Navy.

Geeta Phogat appointed DSP in Haryana Police

I. Haryana Government has appointed international woman wrestler Geeta Phogat as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Haryana Police.
II. A proposal of the Home Department was approved at a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

 20th October, 2016

Maharashtra govt launches 'Kaushalya Setu' skill-development programme

I. Maharashtra government launched 'Kaushalya Setu', its skill development programme for students on 19th October 2016 in Mumbai. 

II. Under the Kaushalya Setu initiative, students of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education, who fail to clear Class X or SSC exam, would be accommodated in the skill development courses, so that they do not lose a year. 

After Kochi, FIFA gives nod to Navi Mumbai for U-17 World Cup

I. football's world governing body FIFA has ratified Navi Mumbai as a venue for the Under-17 World

Cup to be held in India next year.

II. Kochi became the first Indian city to be officially declared as one of the venues for hosting the U-17 World Cup after it received a green signal from a high-level delegation of football's world body. 

Two ships commissioned for Navy and Coast Guard

I. Two ships were commissioned on 19th October 2016, one for the Eastern Naval Command of the Navy and the other for the Indian Coast Guard in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

II. Fast patrol vessel ICGS Gaidinliu, named after Naga freedom fighter and leader Rani Gaidinliu, was commissioned by Director-General Rajendra Singh of the Coast Guard. 

Railways, Urban Development Ministries sign MoU to redevelop stations under smart city plans

I. With the idea that there can’t be a smart city without a smart railway station, the Ministry of Urban Development and the Ministry of Railways on signed an MoU under which railway stations and adjoining areas will be redeveloped on smart city lines for enhancing passenger amenities, easy access to stations, enabling optimal utilisation of land at railway stations.

II. convergence based city development will result in qualitative improvement in city life.

Gandhian activist Mewa Ramgobin dies at 83

I. South African struggle icon and Gandhian activist Mewa Ramgobin has died at the age of 83 after a prolonged illness.

II. Ramgobin, the former president of the Natal Indian Congress which fought discrimination against Indians in South Africa