Daily GK Potion – 26th December 2014

  1. Union Government launched health mission  ‘Mission Indradhanush’
    • Health & Family Welfare Minister, JP Nadda launched ‘Mission Indradhanush’. The ‘Mission Indradhanush’, depicting seven colours of the rainbow, aims to cover all those children by 2020 who are either unvaccinated, or are partially vaccinated against seven vaccine preventable diseases which include diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis B.
    • It was launched the Mission on Good Governance Day to mark the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Madan Mohan Malaviya and birthday of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
    • “The Ministry will be technically supported by WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and other donor partners. Mass media, interpersonal communication, and sturdy mechanisms of monitoring and evaluating the scheme are crucial components of Mission Indradhanush,” said Nadda.
  2. Govt launches SMS-based cyclone warning system
    • The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has launched a SMS-based alert system for general public for disseminating of weather and disaster-related information.
    • Under round-the-clock web-based operational system, the IMD would send SMS to individuals who register themselves at the weather forecaster’s official website – www.imd.gov.in.
    • The system was launched as an observance to the good governance day to mark the birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
  3. Sushaasan Express flagged off from Vajpayee’s birth place
    • The Sushaasan (good governance) Express would run between Gwalior and Gonda via Hazrat Nizamuddin and Lucknow
    • The train was flagged-off by the Union Minister for Steel and Mines, who is also the local MP, on the occasion of Vajpayee’s birthday.
  4. India clinch gold in World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad
    • India bagged the gold medal in the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad at Gyor in Hungary in a tight contest today.
    • India beat Turkey 3.0-1.0 in the 10th and final round to clinch the title ahead of Russia and Iran at the FIDE tournament held at the University of West Hungary.
  5. Raghubar Das to take oath as J’khand CM on Dec 28
    Raghubar-Das

    • Five-time MLA and BJP national vice-president Raghubar Das was elected Jharkhand’s first non-tribal chief minister.
    • “Our government will work for the upliftment of downtrodden and wholesome development of the state.” Das said
  6. Asia marks 10 years of Indian Ocean tsunami
    • Beach-side memorials and religious services were held across Asia today to mark the 10th anniversary
  7. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan honoured with Yash Chopra Memorial Award
    • Big B is the sceond recipient of the award, which was first conferred to melody queen Lata Mangeshkar last year.
    • The Yash Chopra Memorial Award has been instituted by the TSR Foundation of T Subbarami Reddy in the memory of the late producer-director, who died in 2012.
  8. PM Modi nominates Kapil Sharma, Saurav Ganguly, Kiran Bedi for ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’
    • Prime Minister Narendra Modinominated nine people including comedian Kapil Sharma, former captain of Indiam cricket team Sourav Ganguly, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi for taking forward his ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’.
    • Others nominated were Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Acharya, classical dancer Sonal Mansingh, Ramoji Rao of Eenadu group and Aroon Purie of India Today group.
    • He also nominated some organisations which included Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Eenadu and India Today groups besides ‘dabbewale’ of Mumbai, who deliver home-made food to lakhs of people in the city.