Daily GK Updates - 30th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The Union Environment Ministry releases Rs 47,436 cr for green activities: The Union Environment Ministry has transferred Rs 47,436 crore to 27 States for afforestation. The amount has been released from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund. The corpus will be utilised for compensatory afforestation, wildlife management, forest fire-prevention, work related to soil and moisture conservation in forests, voluntary relocation of villages from protected areas etc.

Note: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Prakash Javadekar.

2. Union HRD Minister launches Integrated Online junction ‘Shagun’: Union Human Resource Development Minister launched one of the world’s largest Integrated Online Junction for School Education ‘Shagun’ in New Delhi. Shagun is coined from two different words- ‘Shala’ meaning Schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning Quality. School Education Shagun is an over-arching initiative to improve the school education system by creating a junction for all online portals and websites relating to various activities of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Government of India and all States and Union Territories.
Note: Union HRD Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

3. Maharashtra cabinet clears the “vertical property rules”: The Maharashtra cabinet has cleared the “vertical property rules” to create a database of all flats, buildings and commercial complexes. The “vertical property rules” would prevent property-related frauds, where one flat or commercial unit is sold or mortgaged to multiple buyers or financial institutions. All flat owners in the state will soon get supplementary property cards, which will have details such as carpet area, amenity space and bank loan information, along with their 7/12 extracts.

Note: Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis; Governor: C Vidyasagar Rao.

4. Tamil Nadu's Dindigul locks and Kandangi sarees get GI tag: Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul locks and Kandangi sarees have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags. The famous Dindigul locks are known throughout the world for their superior quality and durability, that’s why the city is called Lock City. The lock-making industry in Dindigul is said to be over 150 years old and they makeover 50 varieties of locks. Similarly, the hand-woven Kandangi sarees also have a 150-year-old tradition, and its history is interwoven with the story of the influential business community of Chettiars. The Geographical Indication sign is used on products which correspond to a specific geographical location. The use of a geographical indication may act as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.

Note: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Governor: Banwarilal Purohit; Capital: Chennai.

5. IIT Guwahati signs MoU with RD Grow Green India for safer drinking water: IIT Guwahati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RD Grow Green India Pvt for Technology transfer for safer drinking water. Drinking water contamination is a major problem in most of the states including Assam. This "chemical-free" treatment technique might be useful to the citizens in rural and urban areas as well. iii. The technology is based on the 'Apparatus and Method for Removal of Fluoride, Iron, Arsenic and Microorganisms from Contaminated Drinking Water'.

Note: Assam Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal; Capital: Dispur; Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tokyo ranked top in the Safe Cities Index 2019: As per Economics Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities Index (SCI)-2019, Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka and Amsterdam occupied top spots in the Safe Cities Index 2019. Mumbai (45th rank) and New Delhi (52nd) are the only two Indian cities that made an appearance on the list. The report is based on the third iteration of the index, which ranks 60 cities across 57 indicators covering digital security, health security, infrastructure security and personal security.

Note: The Safe Cities Index 2019 is a report from The Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by NEC Corporation.

2. Book on former US President titled “Obama: The Call of History” released: A new book titled “Obama: The Call of History” has been released. The book has been written by Peter Baker, the Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times. This book will give an in-depth account of the former US President's Barack Obama years in office.

3. International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances: 30 August: United Nations observes 30 August every year as International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The day is observed to prevent enforced disappearances and bring to justice those responsible, as enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole. 2011 marked the inaugural commemoration of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Virgil van Dijk, Lucy Bronze win UEFA Award: Liverpool Football player Virgil van Dijk has won UEFA's Player of the Year award. He was beating Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while England footballer Lucy Bronze taking the Women's Player of the Year award. UEFA also handed out positional awards for male players, with Van Dijk for Champions League Defender of the Season.

2. Abhishek Verma won the gold medal in shooting World Cup: Indian shooters Abhishek Verma has won the gold medal and Saurabh Chaudhary the bronze in the men's 10m air pistol event of the World Cup at Rio de Janeiro. Abhishek Verma shot 244.2 in the eight-man finals, while Saurabh Chaudhary's 221.9 was good enough to get him the bronze. Sanjeev Rajput claimed a silver in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions final to secure India's Olympic quota. India was placed at the top of the medals tally with two gold, one silver and a bronze.

3. V K Vismaya wins gold in 400m at MJS in Brno, Czech Republic: Indian sprinter VK Vismaya clinch the gold medal in the 400m run at the International Athletic Meeting - Josef Seckar Memorial (MJS) in Brno, Czech Republic. She produced her personal best timing of 52.12s to clinch the gold medal.

Note: Capital of Czech Republic: Prague; Currency of Czech Republic: Czech koruna.

4. Rahul Dravid replaced as India A, U-19 head coaches: Former Saurashtra captain Sitanshu Kotak (46-years) and ex-India seamer Paras Mhambrey (47-years) have replaced Rahul Dravid as head coaches of India A and U-19 sides respectively. Recently, Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the National Cricket Academy (NCA)’s head of cricket operations. He will be preparing the roadmap for India A and U-19 teams along with up-gradation pan for the existing coaching module. The fielding coach of the A team will be T Dilip, who was also shortlisted for the senior team’s fielding coach’s job. Hrishikesh Kanitkar will be the batting coach of the U-19 side having worked with this set-up during the U-19 tri-series win in England.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Govt. announces major reforms in the banking sector: According to Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, The Union government unveiled major reforms in the banking sector to strengthen the foundation of the banks. The government announced the merger of Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank and United Bank of India. Once these three banks are merged it will create a bank with a business of Rs 17.95 lakh crore and have 11,437 branches. After the Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank are merged into the Punjab National Bank, it will become India's second-largest bank (SBI remains India's largest bank). Once the Syndicate bank is merged into the Canara Bank, the resultant bank will become India's fourth-largest public sector bank with Rs 15.20 lakh crore business. Union Bank, Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank to merge to become India's fifth largest public sector bank with Rs 14.59 lakh crore business.

The 12 public sector banks: State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Indian Bank, UCO Bank and Bank of Maharashtra.

2. Government-e-Marketplace signs MoU with SIDBI: Government e-Marketplace has signed an MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India. The MoU aims to benefit MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, Self Help Groups, Women Self Help Groups and various loan beneficiaries under MUDRA and Stand-up India scheme. GeM and SIDBI will take steps to ensure payments within a guaranteed timeframe to sellers, enhance working capital availability through bill discounting.

Note: CEO of GeM: Talleen Kumar; Chairman and MD of SIDBI: Mohammad Mustafa.

3. BSE and SUFI join hands to launch steel futures: The Steel Users Federation of India has signed an MoU with the Bombay Stock Exchange to launch trading in steel futures. BSE and SUFI will work towards enlisting steel futures in both long and flat segments, which will bring stability, risk-aversion besides creating a level-playing field for all players. BSE offers to trade in commodities like gold, silver, crude oil, guar, cotton and turmeric.

Note: Managing Director and CEO of BSE: Ashish Kumar Chauhan.

4. Rating Agency ICRA terminates CEO Naresh Takkar: ICRA Ltd ousted its Managing Director and group Chief Executive Officer Naresh Takkar. ICRA has terminated the employment of Takkar with immediate effect over allegations of misconduct at the credit rating agency under Takkar. This is the first time a top official of a rating agency has been fired by the company’s board.

5. Lakshmi Vilas Bank MD & CEO Parthasarathi Mukherjee resigns: Managing Director (MD) and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Lakshmi Vilas Bank Parthasarathi Mukherjee has announced his resignation citing personal reasons. Earlier, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering a proposal of merger of Indiabulls Housing Finance with Lakshmi Vilas Bank.

Note: Lakshmi Vilas Bank Limited was founded in 1926 by a group of seven businessmen of Karur under the leadership of Shri V.S.N. Ramalinga Chettiar. Lakshmi Vilas Bank is headquartered at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. DAY-NULM conferred the prestigious SKOCH Governance Gold Award: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), has been conferred the prestigious SKOCH Governance Gold Award. It has been conferred the award for its initiative "Portal for Affordable Credit and Interest Subvention Access (PAiSA)". DAY-NULM is a flagship mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. PAiSA is a centralized IT platform which simplifies and streamlines release of interest subvention under the Mission. It offers end to end online solution for processing, payment, monitoring and tracking of interest subvention claims from banks on a monthly basis.

2. Maitri mobile app win tech prize in US: Maitri Mobile app clinched the bronze medal at the Technovation Challenge. It is the world’s largest technology and entrepreneurship programme for girls, held in San Francisco, US. A team of 5 girls students nicknamed “Tech Witches” have developed a mobile app named Maitri. The aim of the app is to bring together individuals suffering from loneliness and depression and those lacking nurturing love of elderly role models.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran Bengali actor Nimu Bhowmik passes away: Veteran Bengali actor Nimu Bhowmik passed away. He acted characters of different shades in 'Ganadebata' (1979), 'Baghini' (1968), 'Dadar Kirti' (1980), 'Guru Dakshina' (1987). His last film, 'Dash Mash Das Diner Galpo'.