GK & Current Affairs: August 19, 2013

Kerala
The Kerala government has got a go ahead from the Reserve Bank of India to launch a financial institution following the principles of Islamic Finance. Cheraman Financial Services Limited (CFSL) will be floated by Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation to function as a non-banking finance company (NBFC).

Nagaland
For the first time, the Election Commission has decided to attach a device with electronic voting machines which will leave a verifiable paper trial of votes cast in election. Called Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT), system, it will be used in Nagaland’s Noksen (ST) assembly constituency where by poll is scheduled for September 4, 2013.

Airtel
Airtel has launched “Rs 1 entertainment store” which will allow users to download services such as music’s, games, videos and photos for one rupee. The store is compatible with over 5,500 mobile devices including feature phones.

Only 1, 2 & 4
Polio is mostly considered eliminated globally except mainly in three countries where it is considered endemic: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. India marked a major success in February 2012 by being removed from the World Health Organization’s list of countries plagued by this disease.

Harshwanti Bisht
Professor of economics, and conservationist, and mountaineer Dr. Harshwanti Bisht has been selected to receive the Sir Edmund Hillary Mountain Legacy Medal. The award is presented for remarkable services in the conservation of culture and nature in mountainous regions.

200
The Rashtriya Uchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has proposed to put a ceiling of maximum number of colleges to be affiliated to any university at two hundred.

Olinguito
The long-tailed, orange-furred, big-eyed Olinguito said to resemble a cross between a house cat and teddy bear is the newest mammal and the first carnivores discovered in the Americas in 35 years. Native to the high, misty cloud forests of Columbia and Ecuador, the olinguito is the smallest member of the raccoon family.

Bala Venkatesh Verma
Dr Bala Venkatesh Verma has been appointed as next ambassador and permanent representative of India to the UN Conference on Disarmament, Geneva. The 1988 batch IFS officer is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

Kapil Dev
Desh Prem Azad, the coach of India’s 1983 World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev, passed away recently. Azad, who remained Kapil’s coach in his formative years the 1970’s was 75. Azad shaped the careers of Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma and Harbhajan Singh among others.

Water
Biotic Index is a scale for showing the quality of an environment by indicating the types of organisms present in it. It is often used to assess the quality of water in rivers. It is measured from 1 to 10 and corresponds to the four basic water qualities (Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor).

Related Posts