Daily GK Update: 6th and 7th September, 2015

1. PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Badarpur-Faridabad Metro

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Badarpur-Faridabad Metro in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). The metro corridor will connect the national capital with the satellite town and give impetus to economic growth in the region by fast transportation of people.

ii. It is also first environment-friendly metro in Indian as all the stations and depot have been equipped with solar power plants.

iii. It is the 14 kilometre long corridor and has nine stations from Sarai (Delhi) to Escorts Mujesar. It is an extension of the presently operational ITO-Badarpur section of the Delhi Metro.

iv. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is nodal agency in implementing this corridor and has been built at an estimated cost of 2500 crore rupees.

2. China, Pakistan launch joint ‘Shaheen (Eagle) – 4’ Air Drill

i. China and its strategic partner Pakistan have launched a joint air exercise called Shaheen (Eagle)-4 in China. It is fourth edition of air exercise between the air forces of both countries which was launched as part of a series of military exchange programmes between two countries.

ii. In this edition of exercise, Chinese contingent was represented by fighter jets, fighter bombers and early warning planes. Pakistani counterpart included fighter jets and early warning planes.

iii. Chinese air force by this joint air exercise is willing to expand the scope of cooperation with various countries in the region.

iv. The first edition of such joint air drill between both countries took place in Pakistan in March 2011. Late in September 2013 the second drill took place in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur region and third drill again took in Pakistan’s Punjab province in May 2014.

3. ‘e-Pragati’ to pave way for Digital AP

i. With Andhra Pradesh already topping the country in e-transactions, the State government is now rechristening the AP State Enterprise Architecture (APSEA) as ‘e-Pragati’. APSEA is a comprehensive architecture to leverage the latest advances in e-governance tools.

ii. Developed in association with technology giant Wipro in a span of eight months, ‘e-Pragati’ is a comprehensive framework for implementing e-governance and provides e-services to citizens of Andhra Pradesh, according to an official release.

iii. With e-Pragati, Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state in India to conceive and execute state-wide enterprise architecture, the release claimed.

iv. e-Pragati extends to 33 secretariat departments and over 300 government agencies in AP. It seeks to provide a bouquet of 745 services in the government to customer (G2C), government to business (G2B), government to enterprise (G2E) and government to government (G2G) areas, the release said.

4. Union Government gives nod to One Rank One Pension scheme

i. Union Government has given its nod to implement One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for ex-servicemen.

ii. OROP will provide ex-servicemen of same rank and same length of service uniform pension regardless of date of retirement. The benefit will be given with effect from 1st of July 2014 and it will benefit all three services- Army, Navy and Air Force.

iii. Pension will be re-fixed every five years and future enhancements in rates of pension would be automatically passed to the past pensioners. Armed forces personnel who retire voluntarily would be not covered under OROP scheme. However, it will be applicable to personnel who have already retired prematurely.

iv. All arrears will be paid in four half-yearly installments and all widows will be paid arrears in one installment. Estimated cost to implement OROP scheme would be around 8000 crore rupees to 10,000 crore rupees at present and it will increase further in future.

v. Union Government also has decided to constitute one member Judicial Committee for examination of interests of retirees of different periods and different ranks. The Committee will also cover inter-service issues of the three forces and submit its report in six months.

5. G-20 launches W-20 grouping for gender inclusive economic growth

i. Group of Twenty (G-20), a forum of world’s 20 largest economies, including India launched W20, an engagement grouping of women leaders in order to push for gender inclusive global economic growth.

ii. It was launched in the on-going G-20 Summit of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in Ankara under the Turkish Presidency.

iii. The W20 group would 20 women leaders from G20 nations.  It will work as an outreach group to promote gender inclusiveness in economic growth process by empowering women.

iv. It would host its first summit in October 2015 in Istanbul after all member countries appoint their respective nominees. Gulden Turktan from Turkey has been appointed as the first President W20 forum.

6. Australian Cricketer Shane Watson announces retirement from Test cricket

i. Veteran all-rounder cricketer Shane Watson from Australia has announced his retirement from International Test cricket. ii. His decade long Test career came to an end at the Ashes opener at Cardiff, which England won by 169 runs. In this match Watson had made 30 runs and failed to take a wicket.

iii. He also has represented Australia in One Day International (ODI) and T20 cricket formats. He had played as a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler.

iv. He debuted in international cricket in 2002, playing his first ODI against South Africa. In 2010 he was awarded Allan Border Medal and again in 2011. He is only the second player (after Ricky Ponting) to win back-to back Allan Border Medals.

7. Indian boxer Vikas Krishan wins silver medal in 75 kg category in Asia Championships

i. Indian boxer Vikas Krishan has won the silver medal in the Asian Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand.

ii. In the final match of 75kg weight category, he was defeated by Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev by 0-2 score.

iii. In this edition of Asian Championships, Vikas only has won silver medal for India. Shiva Thapa (56kg), Devendro Singh (49kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg) won bronze medal each in their respective category.

iv. Besides, six Indians also qualified for World Championships which is to be held in October 2015 and will be the first qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.

8. Lewis Hamilton wins 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One

i. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain won 2015 Italian Grand Prix of Formula One. This was his seventh victory of the season.

ii. His win for the season 2015 of Formula One began with Australian Grand Prix and later won Chinese Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix, Canadian Grand Prix, British Grand Prix and Belgian Grand Prix.

1st position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) of Mercedes

2nd position: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Ferrari

3rd position: Felipe Massa (Brazil) of Williams.

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