GK and Current Affairs Updates

Cooperation Bank has become the first bank to launch the MUDRA Card. Hasmukh Adhia, secretary, department of financial services, union ministry of finance launched the first MUDRA(Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) card under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) for small entrepreneurs. Mudra card based on the RuPay platform.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his six-nation tour to attend the Brics Summit in Russia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).Modi will visit five Central asian nations- Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgystan and Tajikistan to deepen strategic relations and energy cooperation. He is scheduled to travel from July 6 to 13 to five Central Asian countries and Russia where he will attend the summits of BRICS snd SCO. 

United States lifted the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 for the third time. In the finals played at Vancouver, Canada, USA scored 4 goals in the first 16 minutes to sethrone Japan, 5-2 and win their first World Cup sice 1999. Englnad defeated Germany, 1-0 to finish third.

State-run operator B.S.N.L launched a pre-paid card linked mobile wallet service which would allow its customers to transfer money, pay for services as well as withdraw cash of up to Rs 1 lakh. The wallet service, Speed Pay, allows a customer to load money even if he does not have a bank account. The money loaded in the mobile wallet can be transferred to a bank account and even withdrawn at bank branches or at B.S.N.L outlets.

Four Indian-Americans, including top US attorney Preet Bharara, are among 38 distinguished personalities who have been honoured with this year’s prestigious “ Great Immigrants: The pride of America” award. Among other Indians honoured with the top annual award by the prestigious New York-based Carnegie Corporation are Rakesh Khuaran a, Dean of Harvard College and Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership ad Development; Madhulika Sikka, Executive Editor, Mic and Abraham Verghese, Eminent Physician, Professor and Author.

The country’s largest public sector lender State Bank of India (S.B.I), launched “Project Tatkal”, an initiative to provide doorstep services and expedite. Home Loan Application (H.L.A) process. The project will help home loan applicants to get the loan within 10 days after the receipt of application form and relevant supporting documents.

Commodore C.D. Balaji (Retd.) took charge as the Director of the Aeronautical Development Agency (A.D.A.) and programme Director of the Light  Combat Aircraft (L.C.A.). He succeeded P.S. Subramanyam, a distinguished scientist who superannuated on 30^th June 2015. Prior to this appointment, Balaji, an outstanding scientist, was Project Director of the L.C.A’s naval version.

Dr. Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder of B.R.A.C, the largest non-governmental organisation on the planet, has been awarded the World Food Prize 2015 for his “unparalleled” work on reducing poverty in Bangladesh and 10 other countries. Abed established B.R.A.C- formerly known as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee in 1972.

Google India, Tata Trust and Intel have started a unique initiative to educate rural Women about internet and create awareness towards it. Theses companies joined hands to launch a programme ‘Internet Saathi’. Under the programme 1,000 specially-designed bicycles equipped with internet devices will be sent into remote villages. The aim of the initiative is to create awareness towards internet among 5 lakh Indian rural women in the next 18 months.

Former Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal passed away at the age of 73. Justice Sabharwal was appointed as chief justice in 2005 and retired after a 14 month term. During his tenure, he gave several important decisions.