DAILY GK UPDATE 3RD July 1. Telecom Comm approves 100% FDI in telecom sector i. Inter-ministerial body Telecom Commission on Tuesday gave its nod for raising foreign direct investment limit in the sector from 74 percent to 100 per cent subject to Cabinet approval. ii. "TC has approved raising of FDI limit to 100 per cent from 74 per cent at present where 49 per cent of investment in an entity can be done through automatic route and FIPB approval will be required for raising further stake. The decision will come in force only after cabinet approves it," a senior government official said. iii. The official said that Department of Telecom will send a detailed note to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion which would take it forward for inter-ministerial consultations before moving it to the Cabinet. iv. At present, FDI limit in the sector is at 74 per cent where 49 per cent is done through automatic route and rest requiring nod from Foreign Investment Promotion Board. v. The idea behind the proposal to increase FDI limit in telecom sector is to help the industry get fresh funds to lower financial burden. vi. Indian telecom firm Reliance Communications said "100 per cent FDI in telecom will enhance value for all stakeholders." 2. Sunil Soni appointed Director General of Bureau of Indian Standards i. Sunil Soni, on 2 July 2013 has been appointed as Director General of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). ii. Sunil Soni is a 1981 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre who at present is on compulsory wait in the Department of Financial Services under Ministry of Finance. iii. The appointment of Sunil Soni as Director General came with the superannuation of Sharad Gupta who himself is a 1977 batch IAS officer of Assam cadre. Bureau of Indian Standards i. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is a body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution which basically looks after the formulation of standards for all segments of industry and business. ii. It also certifies products, which is popularly known by ISI mark. It is also into certification of imported products and hallmarking of jewellery. 3. India and Nepal agreed on Cooperation in Tourism i. Ministry of Tourism of India on 2 July 2013 agreed to a proposal from the visiting Tourism and Travel delegation from Nepal for joint publicity of India and Nepal as Tourist destinations in other countries. ii. The Ministry also agreed to a suggestion for joint offering of Tour packages in third countries by tour operators of India and Nepal. iii. The Nepalese delegation sought India’s cooperation in the development of Hotel Infrastructure in Nepal. iv. They also suggested joint promotion and development of Buddhist Tourism sites in both the countries. The Indian side suggested joint venture with Nepal in Himalayan and Adventure Tourism. v. The above agreement will help in improving the tourism infrastructure both in India and Nepal. 4. Negi wins Continental Chess Open title i. Top seeded Indian Grand Master Parimarjan Negi won the Continental Chess Association Open title, his third of the season, after pipping his nearest rival Bindi Cheng by 1.5 points, in Washington. ii. The young Indian Negi ended the tournament, featuring six GMs, unbeaten with 7.5 points after nine rounds. iii. Negi won six rounds and drew the remaining three to finish 1.5 points ahead of Canadian International Master Cheng, who won six rounds, lost one and drew two. iv. Before this, Negi had won the Spring open in Dallas, Texas, in March and was Joint winner at the Cappelle de Grande in France in February. v. American Grand Master Konrad Holt from Kansas was third with 6.5 points, winning six rounds, drawing two and losing the other one. vi. Negi will next play the World Open 2013, starting Wednesday at the same venue. He was the joint winner of the tournament in 2008 when it was played in Philadelphia, US. 5. India seek to establish Asian power status i. India will seek to re-establish itself as a continental power in athletics when the 20th Asian Athletics Championships begins in Pune on from Wednesday. ii. With a record participation of 577 athletes from 43 countries out of 45 members in the Asian Athletics Association -- the highest ever in the history of the championships -- India is looking to regain some of the lost ground in the five-day flagship event of the AAA, to be held at the Shiv Chhatrapati Stadium at Balewadi in Pune. iii. The event also assumes significance as the winners will get direct entry for the World Championships to be held in Moscow in August. iv. India is being represented by a record 107 athletes as it has the luxury of naming three participants in each of the 42 events (21 each for men and women). v. The country is expecting around five gold and 15 medals in total. vi. After an impressive show in 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, the country has nothing to show at the international level. vii. Meanwhile, as many as 14 defending champions will take part in the Championships with star high jumper Barshim of Qatar one of them. viii. China, who has ruled Asian athletics for the last 15 editions, has sent the third largest team but not without the likes of up and coming triple jumper Li Jinzhe and high jumper Wang Yu. ix. Japan, who has sent the second biggest team, has come without the likes of world champion hammer thrower Koji Murofush and sensational teenage 100m sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu, who ran 10.01s to set new world junior record recently x. The Championships was being held in Pune after four Indian cities rejected it. 6. Tri series: Sri Lanka beat India by 161 runs i. Sri Lanka thrashed India by 161 runs in their Celkon Mobile Cup one-day international on Tuesday, as Upul Tharanga smashed an unbeaten 174 off 159 balls and shared a huge opening stand with Mahela Jayawardene. ii. Tharanga blasted 19 fours and three sixes and scored at better than a run-a-ball in a career-best performance that spurred Sri Lanka to a formidable 348-1 off their 50 overs at Sabina Park. iii. The openers put on 213 runs for the first wicket, with veteran Jayawardene making 107, striking nine fours and two sixes off 112 balls. iv. India faltered badly in pursuit to be bowled out for 187 off 44.5 overs. v. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja top-scored for India with 49 not out but Sri Lanka spinners Rangana Herath (3-37) and Sachithra Senanayake (2-46) kept a tight grip on the India, the recent ICC Champions Trophy winners. Fast bowler Lasith Malinga also grabbed 2-40. vi. Tharanga became the ninth Sri Lankan to pass 5,000 runs in one-dayers when he reached 21.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 12:25:47 +0000
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