31st July 2015 Current Affair Updates | Daily GK Download

1. According to a report of United Nations, India is expected to surpass China to become the world's most populous nation by 2022. At present the population of India is 125 crore and that of China is 135 crore. According to UN report, 'World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision', China and India remain the two largest countries in the world, each with more than 1 billion people, representing 19 and 18 per cent of the world's population, respectively.

2. The proposed university being set up in Kerala for the promotion of technical education, will be named after late Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy made this announcement. The exact name and style will be decided later, according to the rules and regulations. The university is being set up for the promotion of technical education and all the colleges and academic institutions in the state offering technical education will be brought under it.

3. Rajasthan cabinet approved Rs. 1.56 lakh crore worth investments in solar energy sector in the state. The aim of Rajasthan government is to generate 26,000 MW of solar energy in Rajasthan. Solar parks aimed at generating 26,000 MW of solar energy under Rajasthan Solar Energy policy 2014, will be set up by four companies in the state.

4. India’s capital market regulator SEBI cancelled the registration of Sahara Mutual Fund saying it was no longer ‘fit and proper’ to carry out this business. SEBI directed cancellation of Sahara Mutual Fund’s certificate of registration on expiry of a six-month period from 29 July 2015. It also directed Sahara Mutual Fund and Sahara Asset Management Company to stop accepting subscription from its existing or new investors with immediate effect.

5. A temple trust in Nepal associated with the world’s biggest animal sacrifice event held every five years made a historic announcement to ban the practice of animal sacrifice in this festival. “Gadhimai Festival” is held every 5 years at Nepal’s Gadhimai Temple, which is dedicated to the local Goddess Gadhimai. The practice of animal sacrifice in this festival was going on for the last 300 years. This announcement has gone down well with animal lovers worldwide with lives of millions of animals expected to be saved.

6. Eminent vocalist Vasundhara Komkali died at her residence in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. She was 85. Popular classical singer, was the wife of eminent musician late Pandit Kumar Gandhrav. She was recognised with several awards, including prestigious Padma Shri award.

7. Actor Jaaved Jaaferi has been roped in as brand ambassador for India International Animation and Cartoon Film Festival (IIACFF), which will provide a platform for cartoonists and animators to showcase their talent. The five-day event will be held from October 1-5 and will take place in New Delhi. IACFF aims to change the scenario of the animation industry and the students associated with cartoon and animation in India.

8. To enable gainful employment, 38.32 lakh urban poor have so far been provided with skill development training with assistance from the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation. Madhya Pradesh led the list of performers having assisted 5.06 lakh urban poor followed by Maharashtra (4.86 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (4.51 lakh), Karnataka (4.08 lakh), Tamil Nadu (3.33 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (3.25 lakh), Gujarat (2.22), Bihar(2.11 lakh), West Bengal (1.98 lakh) and Rajasthan (1.07 lakh).

9. In a move that will further deepen India-Israel strategic cooperation, Rafael of Israel and India’s Kalyani Group signed an agreement for forming a manufacturing Joint Venture (JV) to produce Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) in India and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) will be the system integrator. Spike is a third generation, fire-and-forget, man-portable, anti-tank missile.