Daily GK Updates - 23rd October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Railways install Electronic Interlocking System on Grand Chord route: Indian Railways has installed the most advanced Electronic Interlocking System on the Grand Chord route. The measure is expected to help Indian Railways speed up trains and achieve the objective of reducing the travel time between Delhi and Howrah to about 12 hours from the existing 17 to 19 hours. Grand Chord is part of the Howrah-Gaya-Delhi line and Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai line. The new Electronic system has replaced outdated 65-year old mechanical signalling system at Tundla Junction in Uttar Pradesh on the route.

2. IIM Kozhikode & MRPL to support women entrepreneurs: IIM Kozhikode and Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd. have announced a special drive Labelled as “La Eve (meaning The Woman)” to support women entrepreneurs in the country. The initiative aims to identify innovative, promising women-founded start-ups to provide a comprehensive start-up support programme. The initiative would be steered by the institute’s entrepreneurship development centre, Laboratory for Innovation, Venturing and Entrepreneurship or IIMK LIVE. Under the drive “La Eve” IIMK LIVE would identify women-founded, innovation-led start ups and provide incubation that would provide access to the institutes intellectual, network and infrastructural resources. MRPL would provide seed fund assistance from the start funding initiative under start-up India Program.

3. No govt. jobs in Assam for people with more than two children: The State Cabinet of Assam has decided to make government jobs out of bounds for people with more than 2 children. The policy will come into effect from January 1, 2021. The decision comes two years after the State Assembly on September 2017 passed the ‘Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam’ to encourage small families. The Cabinet also adopted a new land policy that will make the landless indigenous people eligible for 3 bighas (43,200 sq. ft.) of land for farming and half a bigha for constructing a house. The beneficiary will be able to sell the given land only after 15 years of use.

4. AYUSH, Defence ministries ink MoU to provide traditional medicine services: The AYUSH ministry has signed an MoU with the Defence Ministry to provide traditional medicine services at the armed forces’ hospitals and dispensaries. Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik inaugurated an Ayurveda Palliative Care Unit at the Base Hospital in the Delhi Cantonment. Under the MoU, Ayurveda units will also be established at palliative care centres at the Army Research and Referral Hospital, Air Force Hospital, Hindon in Ghaziabad and five identified ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics in Delhi–NCR.

5. IIT Bombay tops QS India university rankings 2020: The latest 2 edition of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) India University Rankings 2020 released. The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) has topped the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) India University Rankings 2020 released. Six other IITs have also made it to the list of top 10 institutes. Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science has been ranked second followed by the IITs in Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur, Roorkee, and Guwahati. The University of Hyderabad (8) and the University of Delhi (7) are the only two central varsities among the top 10 institutes.

Note: Headquarters of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS): London, United Kingdom; Founded: 1990; Founded by Nunzio Quacquarelli, QS is a British company specialising in education.

6. Ashok Malik appointed as Policy Advisor in MEA: Ashok Malik has been appointed as the Policy Advisor in the External Affairs Ministry in the rank of Additional Secretary. The Distinguished Fellow of the prominent think tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF) will have a 2-year tenure. Ashok Malik has previously served as the Press Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind from August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2019.

7. Union Govt. appoints Pankaj Kumar as UIDAI chief: The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has approved the appointment of multiple ministries and departments. Pankaj Kumar (1987 batch IAS officer) has been appointed as CEO of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Currently, Pankaj Kumar is the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Braj Raj Sharma (1984 batch officer) has been appointed Chairman of Staff Selection Commission (SSC). Tuhin Kanta Pandey (Odisha cadre IAS officer) Secretary Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. Sanjeev Nandan Sahai (1986 batch officer) will be the new Power Secretary. Pramod Kumar Das (and Madhya Pradesh Cadre IAS) has been appointed Minority Affairs Secretary.

Note: Headquarters of UIDAI: New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Justin Trudeau wins 2nd term as Prime Minister of Canada: Justin Trudeau (47-years) has won the second term as the Prime Minister of Canada after his Liberal Party won 157 seats of the total 338 seats. The ‘Conservative Party’ led by Andrew Scheer has won 121 seats and remained the Official Opposition. The New Democratic Party led by ‘Jagmeet Singh’ has won 24 seats. However, Mr Trudeau’s party failed by 13 seats to form a majority government. This means Trudeau will have to work with other parties in order to govern the country.

Note: Canada Capital: Ottawa; Currency: Canadian dollar

2. President Kovind attend Japan's Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony: President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Tokyo after concluding his five-day state visit to the Philippines. Mr. Kovind also attended the enthronement ceremony of Japan's Emperor Naruhito. Naruhito is the 126th monarch according to Japan's traditional order of succession. The president visited a Buddhist temple in Tokyo where he planted a Bodhi sapling, which he carried from India. This is the first presidential visit to Japan from India after a gap of 29 years.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Japanese yen

3. Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas elected as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cabo Verde: The Ministry of External Affairs notified that Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas (IFS:1993), presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Senegal, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Cabo Verde. He will replace Rajeev Kumar.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Graeme Smith has been elected as MCC Honorary Life Member: Former South Africa skipper Graeme Smith has been elected an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Smith has an impressive record in One-Day International, scoring 6,989 runs including ten centuries and also became South Africa’s youngest ever captain at 22. Former Australian off-spinner Tim May was also awarded Honorary Life Membership in recognition of his outstanding achievements in cricket. The pair follows Paul Collingwood, AB de Villiers, Mitchell Johnson and Adrian Morgan in being awarded Honorary Life Membership of MCC in 2019.

2. Anandan wins 2 golds at the 7th CISM World Military Games: Para-athlete Anandan Gunasekaran has won 2 gold medals at the 7th CISM World Military Games held in Wuhan, China. He won the medal in the disabled men’s 100m and 400m IT1 events. Gunasekaran finished the 100m race in 12 seconds and won India’s 1st medal in the ongoing Games. He clinched his 2nd gold clocking 53.35s in the disabled men’s 400m IT1 event.

3. 2024 Olympic Games logo unveiled in Paris: The logo for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games unveiled at a ceremony in the French capital. The circular design with Paris 2024 in the art deco style which was in vogue in 1924 when Paris last hosted the Games also incorporates the lips and outline of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic since the revolution in 1789.

Note: President of France: Emmanuel Macron; Capital: Paris; Currency: Euro, CFP Franc.

4. Rajasthan Royals appoints Andrew McDonald as new head coach: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals have appointed Australian coach Andrew Barry McDonald (38-year) as new head coach for three years. The former Australian all-rounder has outstanding credentials and has coached Leicestershire, Victoria, and the Melbourne Renegades. Earlier, McDonald has played for Delhi Daredevils in 2009 IPL before being signed up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012-2013.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IRDAI imposes a penalty of Rs 1.01 crore on Cholamandalam MS GIC: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) have imposed penalties of Rs 1.01 crore on Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd. The insurer was penalised for violations observed during an inspection. The penalty of Rs 1 crore is for violation of Clause 15 of Schedule I of IRDA (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2013 which clearly specifies that no commission shall be payable to any intermediary on the acceptance of a ported policy. The other penalty of Rs 1 lakh is for motor insurance and was for violating the outsourcing guidelines by agreeing to payment terms not in the interests of the insurer.

Note: Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd is an Indian insurance firm and a joint venture between the Murugappa Group (Indian conglomerate) and the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group (Japanese insurance company).

IRDAI Chairman: Subhash Chandra Khuntia; Headquarters: Hyderabad.

2. Global Wealth Report: India contributes 7% to global wealth rise: As per CSRI’s (Credit Suisse Research Institute) Global Wealth Report (10th edition), the global wealth has risen by USD 9 trillion to USD 360 trillion in 2019. India has made a contribution of USD 625 billion (nearly 7% of total) to global wealth. The biggest contribution has come from the US at USD 4 trillion (45% of total) and China at USD 1.9 trillion (21% of total). Wealth per adult for India at USD 14,569 (globally USD 70,849) is nearly 80% below the global average. The US and Europe have the highest wealth per adult at USD 417,694 and USD 153,973, respectively. According to the Wealth Report, personal debt for India is estimated to be at USD 1,345, or 8% of gross assets.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO starts work on ‘next-gen’ hypersonic weapon: The Defence Research and Development (DRDO) have started work to produce hypersonic weapon missiles that travel at 5 times speed of sound, or a little over a mile every second. A wind tunnel to test and fine-tune the technology will be operational soon. Hypersonic weapons are specifically designed for increased survivability against modern ballistic missile defence systems. These missiles are capable of delivering conventional or nuclear payloads at speeds not imagined hiterto over long ranges.

2. IAF fires two BrahMos missiles at Trak Island in Andaman Nicobar: Two BrahMos surface to surface missiles were fired by Indian Air Force at Trak Island in the Andaman Nicobar group of islands. The twin firings have been carried out as a part of the routine operational training. The missile engaged the designated mock targets close to 300 Kilometres away. A direct hit on the target was achieved in both cases. The firing of the missiles has enhanced Air force capability to engage the grounds targets with pinpoint accuracy from a mobile platform.