Daily GK Potion – 11th February 2015

    1. ICICI Bank launched India’s first digital bank, Pockets
      • ICICI Bank today launched ‘Pockets’, a digital banking service, enabling users to instantly send money to any e-mail id, mobile number, friends on Facebook and bank account.
      • Anyone, including those who are not customers of ICICI Bank, can easily download the e-wallet from Google Playstore, fund it from any bank account in the country and start transacting immediately.
      • Users can choose to add a zero-balance savings account to the wallet, which will allow them to earn interest on their idle money.
      • The universal wallet and the savings account are the first two products to be launched as part of the ‘Pockets’ digital bank.
        icici_pocket
  1. Facebook, Reliance Communication tie up to provide free access to Internet
    • Facebook has tied up with Reliance Communications to offer free access to subscribers of Anil Ambani-led firm to the social networking site as well as about three-dozen general information websites.
    • India will become the first country in Asia to get the new Internet.org app. The app targets mobile phone users.
    • Besides accessing Facebook, RCom subscribers can also access 33 websites offering news and information on weather, jobs, government services, and health without incurring data charges.
    • The service has been initially launched for Reliance customers in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  2. Scheme for grant of government pension to journalists
    • Puducherry government has initiated steps to bring into effect a scheme evolved in 2003 to pay monthly pension to media persons.
    • The scheme envisages payment of monthly pension of Rs 6000 to a media person who had completed 20 years of continued service in a newspaper, periodical, news agency or in electronic media.
    • The beneficiary should be aged 58 years and above at the time of presenting the application.
  3. Israel offers expertise to clean up Ganga
    • Israel has offered its expertise and technological capabilities to India in its ambitious drive to clean up the Ganga.
    • Israel has made significant technological advancement in desalination and drip irrigation with the world’s largest desalination plants and recycles 90 per cent of water for agricultural needs
  4. National Games mascot in Limca Book of Records
    • National Games mascot Ammu, the Great Hornbill, has immortalised itself by finding a mention in the Limca Book of Records.
    • The mascot found a place in the record books owing to a play, Kalikkunna Kuttikalkkayi Bharatham Kathirikkunnu (India Awaits Children Who Play) in which Ammu is featured.
    • According to the Limca Book’s 2015 Special Literature Edition, it is a play about a mascot which had been staged in most number of schools.
    • By April 9, 2014 the drama starring Ammu, the Great Indian Hornbill, had been staged in 147 schools across seven districts of Kerala.

Read next : Daily GK Potion – 12th February 2015 ››

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