Daily GK Update 23rd January 2017, Important Current Affairs

Nation pays homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 120th birth anniversary

i.Nation pays homage to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his 120th birth anniversary today (23 january 2017). 

ii.It was on this day in 1897, Netaji was born in Cuttack, Odisha. A number of functions have been organised in different parts of the country to mark the occasion. 

iii.In Delhi, floral Tributes will be paid to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in the Central Hall of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tribute to Netaji. In a series of tweets, Mr Modi stated that Netaji's valour played a major role in freeing India from colonialism. 

iv.The Prime Minister said, Netaji was a great intellectual who always thought about the interests and well being of the marginalised sections of society. 

Three-Day Arogya Mitra Conference Begins in Silchar, Assam

i.Assam State Governor Banwarilal Purohit inaugurated the Arogya Mitra conference on 21 January 2017 till 23 January 2017 at Silchar.

ii.The three day conference has been organised by the south Assam zone of the NGO, Keshab Smarak Sanskriti Surabhi at the campus of Veterinary College, Ghungoor.Aim of the Conferenc Make available minimum free medical services to the people of isolated and backward places

iii.Make people conscious of their health.Provide special training to the workers, extend social services.

iv.Arrange health check up camps.Aarogya Mitra Seva Kendra have been set up in 701 places to achieve the objective. The conference would see participation by over 1000 people from Barak Valley and adjoining areas.

No More Visa-Free Facility for Indians in Hong Kong

i.Hong Kong has withdrawn the visa-on arrival facility for Indians travelling to Hong Kong effective from January 23, 2017.

ii.From now, the Indian nationals must apply for and successfully complete pre-arrival registration online before they can visit or transit the HKSAR visa-free.

Kerala CM inaugurates ‘Jyothirmaya’

i.Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan  inaugurated the 4 lakh square feet latest IT building, ii.‘Jyothirmaya’ at the Infopark .Dedicating the 9-storeyed building, constructed over six acres of land  80,000 job opportunities will be created when the buildings constructed during second phase of development at Infopark become fully operational.

iii.‘Jyothirmaya’, constructed as part of the second phase of development at Infopark, will generate 4,000 job opportunities in the field of IT sector.

AP govt announces compensation of Rs 5 lakh for families of those who lost lives in Hirakhand Express accident 

i.Andhra Pradesh government have announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees for the families of those who lost lives in the Hirakhand Express accident and belonging to the state.

ii. Odisha government has also declared a compensation of similar amount for those belonging to Odisha.

iii.State government has also announced free treatment for the injured, who are undergoing treatment at various hospital.Railways has already announced a compensation of 2 lakh rupees to each family of the deceased.

Kwality Ltd Signs MoU with Bank of Baroda for Rs 4000 Cr Loan to Farmers

i.Mumbai based dairy firm Kwality Ltd has signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda on January 20, 2017 to provide Rs. 4000 crore loans to one lakh farmers out of the established networks from whom the company procures milk.

ii.The MoU aims to provide financial assistance to improve socio-economic lives of farmers and encourage them towards digitisation.

100% FDI under consideration in food processing sector

Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti stated 100% Foreign Direct Investment in food processing sector is being actively considered by the Union Government. Addressing a conclave organized by the ASSOCHAM in Chennai on the sunrise sector.

Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur to head Himachal Olympic Association

Ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur unanimously elected head of the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Association (HPOA) for a four-year term.Anurag Thakur, who had to step down as BCCI President owing to the Supreme Court ruling on Lodha Committee reforms.

CCI Approves Merging MakeMyTrip with ibibo Group

i.The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the proposed merger of online travel firm MakeMyTrip’s Indian travel business with rival Ibibo Group. 

ii.The closing of the transaction is expected to be around January 31, 2017.

TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500

i.A Bengaluru start-up TeamIndus proposes nameplate on the Moon for Rs.500.Indians are being offered the opportunity to leave their name on the moon, for a price

ii.Space start-up TeamIndus will get the names of public ‘donors’ micro-engraved on a small-sized aluminium object, which will be placed on the lunar surface when its lander descends on the moon.

China Commissions its 31st Stealth Warship

i.In a move to rapidly expand its naval fleet, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy commissioned its 31st stealth warship with the commissioning of the 31st Type—056 class corvette warship, CNS Ezhou, China 

ii.China Commissions its 31st Stealth Warshiphas become the world’s largest fleet of modern corvettes.

2017 World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting Held in Davos, Switzerland

i.The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 was held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

ii.The theme of 47th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 is Responsive and Responsible Leadership.The inaugural had musical concert by violinist Anne- Sophie Mutter.

Ecotourism project set up at Purulia

i.Priya Entertainments Pvt Ltd has set up an ecotourism project at Khairabera, foothills of Baghmundi, in Purulia district of West Bengal.

ii.The adventure camp is located 300 km from the city.Bookings for luxury tents, individual cottages and camping tents can be made through the website, www.ecoadventureresorts.net.

Urdu poet, lyricist Naqsh Lyallpuri dies at 88

i.Renowned Urdu poet Naqsh Lyallpuri died at his residence on the morning according to his family. 

ii.He was aged 88.Born in Llallpur in the part of Punjab now in Pakistan, Lyallpuri came to Mumbai in the late 1940s to make a career in Hindi cinema.

Sunish wins ITF Juniors title

i.Dhruv Sunish finally got the taste of ITF Juniors title when he won the boys singles crown downing Kazakhstan's Dostanbek Tashbulatov at the Dakshin Kalikata Sansad clay courts

ii.The under-18 India number two, who had lost in the finals of the Chandigarh Grade 3 ITF Juniors in the first week of 2017 and 2 ITF Juniors in 2016, played flawless to drub the Kazakh 6-2  6-3