DAILY GK UPDATE 17-18TH MARCH

1.    UAE Inaugurated World’s Largest Solar Power Plant

i. United Arab Emirates (UAE) Inaugurated World’s Largest Solar Power Plant named “Shams 1

ii. United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 17 March 2013 officially opened the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant.

iii. The 600-milliondollar project which is aimed at providing electricity to 20000 homes.

iv. The solar power station which is named Shams 1 was inaugurated in Madinat Zayed by the President of UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

NOTE: The plant covers 2.5 sq. kilometers (0.96 sq. miles) and has 768 panels with the capacity to produce 100 MW of clean energy.

2.    SBI to Open 1200 Branches in India 

i. The State Bank of India (SBI) planned to start around 1200 new branches in India as well as 8 overseas branches in financial year 2013-2014.

ii. SBI planned to open 100 branches in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra under its domestic expansion plan.

iii. In the overseas expansion plan, it planned to open two branches in UK and Bangladesh each and one each in Sri Lanka, South Korea, China and Netherlands. 

iv. SBI aimed to open offshore branches for catering to the Non-Resident Indians as well as Indian businesses. 

NOTE: i. It is important to note that South Korea already has SBI branch and now there are plans to upgrade the existing representative office into full-fledged branch. 

ii. By starting these eight offshore branches, the network would increase to 59

iii. SBI is said to be the largest bank of India with 14677 branches spread across India.

iv. In the meanwhile, SBI is also in the process to recruit 1500 Probationary Officers for managing the increasing operations.

3.    South Asia Lead the World in Human Development

i. According to the report released by United National Development Programme (UNDP) 2013 South Asia leads the world in improvements in human development.

ii. The report clarified that the South Asian Countries achieved widespread gains in terms of human development across the developing world from 2000 to 2012. 

iii. The report titled The Rise of the South Human Progress in a Diverse World also identified investment in Education and taking care of the environment as the two key factors that can contribute in the making of the healthy development. 

iv. It also indicated that although Afghanistan experienced several rapid gains but it lagged far behind in the race of development. 

v. The progress in human development in context of India, Bangladesh and the other South Asian nation helped in driving a historic shift in global dynamics due to which millions of people have raised themselves out of poverty and billions are at the edge of joining the fast growing middle class. 

The growth in Human Development achieved by different Nations
i. Afghanistanand it was 3.9 percent (fastest)

ii. Pakistan achieved 1.7 percent
iii. Indian1.7 percent
iv. Sri Lanka0.7 percent (least growth achieved)

NOTE: i. The findings of the report are based on the analysis of more than 40 developing countries that achieved striking human development gains in recent past. 

ii. The term South and North in the report is used to denote developing countries and developed countries respectively.

4.    China became the World's Fifth-Largest Arms Exporter

i. According to the report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute China as the world's fifth largest arms exporter. 

ii. Chinese weapons exports rose by 162 percent in the five years 2008-2012, compared to the previous five-year period.

iii. The report also revealed that the largest buyer of Chinese weapons was Pakistan, which accounted for 55 percent of the country's exports, followed by Myanmar with 8 percent and Bangladesh with 7 percent.

iv. The US with 30 percent of global export volume remains the world's top armsexporter during the 2008-2012periods.

v. Russia stands in Second Position with 26 percentexport while at third and fourth is Germany and France with 7 and 6 percent export volume.

NOTE: i. Earlier the country was eighth in ranking and it climbed to fifth with an increase in international arms exports from 2 percent to 5 percent.

The top 5 arms importers in 2008-2012

i. India -12 %

ii. China - 6 %
iii. Pakistan - 5 %
iv. South Korea - 5 %
v. Singapore - 4 %

5.    B Ashok Reddy Elected As the Chairman of C.I.I

i. B Ashok Reddy, was elected as the new chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Andhra Pradesh, for 2013-14.

ii. Earlier, B Ashok Reddy served as the Vice-Chairman,CII Andhra Pradesh. 

iii. C Suresh Rayudu, was elected as the vice-chairman of CII, AP.

6.    Nepal & United States decided to Conduct Military Exercises

i. Nepal and United States decided to conduct the military exercises called Shanti Prayas-2 or Peace Initiatives.

ii. Joint Exercises will be  conducted in Panchkhal, 50 km east of Kathmandu from 25 March 2013 to 7 April 2013.

iii. The joint military exercises will also include other countries such as India.

7.    Australia Won Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament 2013

i. Australia, the World Champions defeated Malaysia by 3-2, won the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament title by for the seventh time.

ii. It is important to note that Malaysia came at the runner-ups position for the fourth time. 

iii. South Korea won bronze after defeating 2012 winner- New Zealand 2-1.

iv. At the fifth position was India which defeated Pakistan 4-2.

About Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament

i. The Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament is held in Malaysia every year. 

ii. The first tournament took place in 1983.

iii. The tournament is named after the ninth king of Malaysia- Sultan Azlan Shah.

iv. It is important to note that India won its first SultanAzlan Shah Hockey Tournament in 1985.

8.    India clinched series by defeating Australia in 3rd Test

i. Chasing 133, India won the third Test against Australia by six wickets on the fifth and final day of the match and took a 3-0 lead in four-match series in Mohali on Monday.

ii. Debutant Shikhar Dhawan who smashed 187 in India's first innings was declared Man of the Match.

iii. India will now push for a clean sweep when the fourth and final final Test starts in New Delhi on Friday

Brief Scores:

Australia: 408 and 223 in 89.2 overs. (Phil Hughes 69, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3/31)

India: 499 and 136/4 in 33.3 overs (Virat Kohli 34, Cheteshwar Pujara 28; Peter Siddle 1/34).