Daily GK Updates - 5th February 2015

1. Poverty removal, child care should be on post-2015 agenda: India

i. India has told the UN that poverty eradication and special attention to children's needs should be the central goal for the post-2015 development agenda to ensure that youngsters get a protective and nurturing environment. 

ii. 568 million children globally are still living in extreme poverty and persisting challenge of inadequate investment for their well-being is often exacerbated by economic crises, natural disasters and armed conflict. 

iii. This has to be accompanied by focused cross-cutting strategies, including capacity development, partnerships, social inclusion and knowledge management aligned with national policies and priorities.

2. Goswami removed as home secretary 

i. Anil Goswami is removed from the post of home secretary. 

ii. Goswami was also summoned for an explanation on why he tried to intervene and prevent the arrest of Matang Sinh, former minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, in the Saradha scam.

iii. Rural Development Secretary L C Goyal, a 1979 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, has been appointed Goswami's successor.

3. HDFC Bank raises close to Rs 10,000 crore 

i. HDFC Bank raised Rs 9,880 crore in the largest share sale in the secondary market by a private entity to overseas and domestic investors through a mix of qualified institutional placement and American depository shares. 

ii. This is the largest share sale by a private sector entity and the second largest fund raising through by selling share in the secondary market after the bumper Rs 22,500 crore Coal India issue by the government.

iii. Parent HDFC holds 22.47 per cent in the bank, FIIs 33.75 per cent, ADRs/GDRs 16.84 per cent and the rest is held by others.

4. India at the bottom of GIPC index

i. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC), released its third annual International IP Index, ‘UP: Unlimited Potential’, which found that 20 of the 30 economies examined in the Index improved their scores from last year.

ii. Thailand, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Argentina, Nigeria, Brazil and Ukraine were described as low-tier performers. 

iii.. The index is based on 30 measurable criteria critical to innovation, including, patent, copyright and trademark protections, enforcement, and engagement in international treaties.

iii. India was ranked 11 with a score of 7.23 out of 30 against 6.95 per cent in the last edition.

iv. India’s patentability requirements remained outside established international best practices. Also, there is a lack of specific IP rights for the life sciences sector.

5. MahaMobile app launched by Bank for Maharashtra

i. With the perspective to make the bank more efficient and simpler for the customers, Bank of Maharashtra has rolled out a new mobile application Maha Mobile app for its customers. 

ii. The customers using debit card of the bank and having their mobile number registered with the bank can easily avail this facility without the need of visiting the bank branch.

6. 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 

i. Environmentalists and policy makers met at the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit to set agendas for the 2015 climate change summit in Paris as India plays an influential role in U.N climate talks. 

ii. The latest report from the IPCC stressed the risks of global warming and tried to make a stronger case for governments to adopt policy on adaptation and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

iii. India, along with other developing countries, committed to fulfill the eight Millennium Development Goals by the set deadline of 31 December 2015. 

7. Government to Decide on Roongta panel report on CPSEs

i. The government is expected to take a decision within a month on Roongta committee recommendations on bringing reforms in central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

ii. The committee had given as many as 40 suggestions which include better corporate governance, more autonomy to Boards of PSUs, better utilisation of resources and transparency. 

iii. It had also suggested fixing tenures of the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of state-owned companies. 

iv. The report had said that in the absence of adequate succession plan in many CPSEs, several competent executives don't get considered for these positions.