Current Affairs: Daily GK Update 12th April, 2017

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National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards announced

i. Central Hindi Institute Director N.K. Pandey announced the names of writers from different categories for the prestigious Hindi Sevi Samman Awards.
ii. The awardees will receive Rs 5 lakh each, a citation and a shawl from President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in May 2017.
iii. The Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Award for Hindi journalism will be awarded to Rahul Dev and Baldev Bhai Sharma
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Govt sets up inter-ministerial panel to monitor UDAN

i. The government has set up an 'Inter-Ministerial Committee' to monitor the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) which seeks to make flying affordable by connecting unserved and under-served airports.
ii. Chaired by Civil Aviation Secretary Shri Rajiv Nayan Choubey, the ‘Inter-Ministerial Monitoring-cum-Coordination Committee’ would have representations from the ministries of finance, defence, home as well as petroleum and natural gas.

Government reduces number of centrally sponsored schemes to 28
i. The government has reduced the number of centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) to 28 umbrella schemes from 66.
ii. Based on the recommendation of the sub-group of Chief Ministers on rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes, the government of India has rationalised centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) effective from the financial year 2016-17.

India's first-ever micro-drama festival held in Delhi

i. India's first ever micro-drama festival, named Thespis, was held recently in New Delhi. The longest play of the festival ran for not more than 10 minutes and the shortest one lasted for only 42 seconds.
ii.The festival was organized by theater group 'Vriksh'. The inaugural play of the festival was titled 'Chamaeleonidae'.

ESAF Small Finance Bank launches social deposit scheme

i. ESAF Small Finance Bank has launched a social deposit scheme called 'Hrudaya Deposit scheme' in Thrissur, Kerala.
ii. The deposit scheme stands for a social cause through which ESAF Bank provides the customers an opportunity to be a part in social welfare projects. and CEO of ESAF Small Finance Bank.
iii. An individual or a legal entity can join the Hrudaya Deposit Scheme with a minimum deposit amount of Rs 15 lakh and for a minimum period of two years.

Nokia partner with Airtel & BSNL to set up 5G internet speed in India

i. Nokia and Airtel along with state-owned network BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) have announced that they have partnered to set up 5G internet speed in India to introduce a fast internet ecosystem in the country.
ii. An MOU has been signed between the companies. The aim of the partnerships is to upgrade the existing 4G network in India to make way for better 5G services in the country.

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest noble prize winner to address Canadian Parliament

i. Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize laureate, becomes the youngest noble prize winner to address Canadian parliament.

ii. She has also officially received the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed upon her in 2014 by Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.

Colson Whitehead wins Pulitzer prize for 'The Underground Railroad'

i. The literary blockbuster novel 'The Underground Railroad' authored by Colson Whitehead, which depicts the journey of a young woman escaping from slavery via a fantastical train system has won the Pulitzer prize for fiction.
ii. The Pulitzer prizesare considered as the most prestigious journalism and arts awards in the U.S.A.

PM releases book authored by LS Speaker Sumitra Mahajan

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book 'Matoshree', authored by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan in New Delhi.
ii. The book 'Matoshree' covers the life and times of legendary Devi Ahilyabai Holker who ruled the Holkar Empire spread over the Malwa region from 1767 to 1795.

First rail freight service to China departs UK

i. The first rail freight service British goods from the UK to China has departed on its 17-day, 7,500-mile journey.
ii. After going through the Channel Tunnel, the train will pass through seven other countries before arriving on 27 April, 2017. They are France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Important Takeaways from above GK Update are as follows-

National Hindi Sevi Samman Awards announced by Central Hindi Institute Director N.K. Pandey
The Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Award awarded to Rahul Dev and Baldev Bhai Sharma
The awardees will receive Rs 5 lakh each from President Pranab Mukherjee at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in May 2017.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a book 'Matoshree'
The book is Authored by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan
The book 'Matoshree' covers the life and times of legendary Devi Ahilyabai Holker
Government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to monitor the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN
UDAN full form is Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik
Inter-Ministerial Monitoring-cum-Coordination Committee is chaired by Civil Aviation Secretary Shri Rajiv Nayan Choubey.
Colson Whitehead has won the Pulitzer prize for fiction
The Pulitzer prizes, considered the most prestigious journalism and arts awards in the U.S.A.
ESAF's has launched new social deposit scheme named as 'Hrudaya Deposit' scheme
Managing Director and CEO of ESAF Small Finance Bank is K. Paul Thomas
Headquarter of ESAF Small Finance Bank is Thrissur, Kerala.
Nokia partnered with Airtel & BSNL to set up 5G internet speed in India
Gopal Vittal is the CEO of Bharti Airtel
Shri Anupam Shrivastava is the CEO of BSNL.
Malala Yousafzai becomes the first noble prize winner to address Canadian Parliament
She has also officially received the honorary Canadian citizenship
Justin Trudeau is the Prime Minister of Canada and its capital is Ottawa
India's first-ever micro-drama festival held in New Delhi
The micro-drama festival was named Thespis
The festival was organised by theater group 'Vriksh'
First rail freight service British goods from the UK to China has departed
The train will pass through seven other countries which are France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.