Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GoI launched National Clean Air Programme: The Central Government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) as a long-term, time-bound, national-level strategy to tackle the air pollution problem across the country in a comprehensive manner. The government is targeting to achieve 20 per cent to 30 per cent reduction in Particulate Matter PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations by 2024 keeping 2017 as the base year for the comparison of concentration. Under NCAP, 102 non-attainment cities have been identified based on ambient air quality data for the period 2011 – 2015 and WHO report 2014 – 2018.

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

2. Telangana CM releases book on Kaleswaram project: Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao has released a book in Telugu on ‘Kaleswaram Project — Telangana’s chariot of Progress’ authored by Officer on Special Duty, Irrigation to the Chief Minister, Sridhar Rao Deshpande. The author explained in detail the efforts of Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao right from the conception of project and research done by using Google earth software and data of water flow from Central Water Commission in his book.

Note: Telangana CM: K Chandrashekhar Rao; Capital: Hyderabad

3. Assam govt sets up Anti-Depredation squads: The Assam government has set up 15 Anti-Depredation Squads of the Forest department to deal with human-wildlife conflicts in the state. The anti-depredation squads will be stationed in 15 major human-wildlife conflict districts of the state to deal with the problem and ensure the safety of both humans and animals. The Forest Department has engaged specially trained 50 front line staff to handle conflict situations with 100 more staff to be trained in the coming days. The anti-depredation squads will be equipped with all logistics required for mitigating the conflict. The squads will have 12 bore pump action guns and rubber bullet ammunition.

Note: Assam Capital: Dispur, CM: Sarbananda Sonowal, Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.

4. Retired IPS K. Vijay Kumar appointed senior security advisor in MHA: Retired IPS officer K Vijay Kumar has been appointed as a senior security advisor in the Union Home Ministry. He was former Advisor to the governor erstwhile state of Jammu &Kashmir. The 1975 batch officer of Indian Police Service will "advise the ministry on security-related matters of Union Territory of J&K and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected States. Kumar has served as Director-General of CRPF, Director of National Police Academy in Hyderabad and his most talked-about stint was as the chief of the Tamil Nadu police special task force that killed forest brigand Veerappan in 2004. After his retirement from service and as DG, CRPF in 2012, Kumar was appointed as senior security advisor LWE in the Home Ministry then headed by Rajnath Singh.

5. Aberdeen in Andaman and Nicobar Islands adjudged best police station in Country: Union Home Ministry released the list of ten best-performing Police stations in the country. Aberdeen Police station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ranks first in the list while Balasinor police station in Gujarat secured the second rank while and Ajk Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh got the 3rd position. The ranking of police stations came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the DGPs conference in 2015 in Kutch of Gujarat, had directed that parameters should be laid down for grading police stations and assessing their performance based on feedback. The ranking of the top ten Police Stations out of over 15 thousand 500 Police Stations in the country was done through data analysis, direct observation, and public feedback.

6. Armed Forces Flag Day: 7 December: The Armed Forces Flag Day (Flag Day of India) is being observed annually in India on 7th December (since 1949). The objective of the day honours the martyrs as well as men and women in uniform, who valiantly fight on our borders to safeguard the country’s honour. Over the years, it has become a tradition to commemorate this day as an honour to the soldiers, sailors and airmen of India.

7. J&K govt approves Leave Travel Concession in favour of its employees: Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) in favour of its employees. The move is to benefit more than 3.5 lakh, regular government employees. The rules as per the notification shall be deemed to have come into force from the date of 31st of October 2019 and had been entitled as Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 2019.

Note: Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K): Girish Chandra Murmu.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Bangladesh ties transcend strategic partnership: The ties between India and Bangladesh for transcend strategic partnership. The multidimensional relationship between the two countries covers not only traditional areas like trade, commerce, security and border management but also new areas such as IT, space and nuclear science among others. India is a committed development partner of Bangladesh with a credit line worth 8 billion US dollars of which 80% is earmarked for infrastructure and connectivity sector.

Note: India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh: Riva Ganguly Das.

Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Bangladeshi taka; Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

2. International Civil Aviation Day: 7 December: The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day globally. The theme of this year Civil Aviation Day is “75 Years of Connecting the World”. The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.

Note: International Civil Aviation Day was established in 1994 as part of ICAO’s initiative and with the assistance of the Canadian Government.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. NEFT transactions to be made 24×7 from December 16: The Reserve Bank of India announced round-the-clock transactions will be allowed 24×7 facility under the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system on all days including weekends and holidays from December 16. These transactions after the usual banking hours are set to be automated initiated using ‘Straight Through Processing (STP)’ modes by the banks. The existing discipline for crediting the beneficiary’s account or returning the transaction within 2 hours of settlement to the originating bank will also continue. The RBI had in August announced that all NEFT transfer facility would be made available 24x7 for customers by December. The first settlement would take place after 00:30 hours on December 16, 2019.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das, Headquarters: Mumbai, Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

2. CPPIB to invest $600 mn via National Investment and Infrastructure Fund: The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) have agreed for CPPIB to invest up to $600 million through the NIIF Master Fund. The agreement includes a commitment of $150 million in the NIIF Master Fund and co-investment rights of up to $450 million in future opportunities to invest alongside the NIIF Master Fund. The fund also has co-investment rights of $3 billion from global and domestic investors, which will allow NIIF write larger cheques for single infrastructure deals Post the funding, CPPIB will become a shareholder in NIIF’s investment management company

Note: National Investment and Infrastructure Fund of India MD and CEO: Sujoy Bose.

The NIIF Master Fund invests equity capital in core infrastructure sectors in India, with a focus on transportation, energy and urban infrastructure. NIIF was set up in 2015 along the lines of a sovereign wealth fund with 49% equity held by the Union government and the rest by foreign and domestic investors.

3. IEPFA signs MOU with Bank of Baroda for Investor Awareness: Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bank of Baroda (BoB) to spread customer awareness and investor education and reaching out to investors and stakeholders. As per the agreement, 9,456 BoB branches will exhibit IEPFA posters on investor protection & 3,115 ATMs (Automated Teller Machine) and Cash Recyclers supported by self-service channels will feature digital banners on IEPFA.

Note: Bank of Baroda (BoB) Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat; Non-Executive Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia.

In 2016, the Government of India established the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the provisions of section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. National Florence Nightingale awards 2019: President of India conferred 36 awardees with the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2019 at an event in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The award was given to Late Lini Sajeesh from Kozhikode, Kerala, who died while on duty caring for a Nipah (NiV) virus-infected patient in Kerala. The award was received by her spouse Sajeesh. Other 35 awardees were Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), and nurses from different states and Union Territories (UT). The Nurses were awarded for their enthusiasm and compassion towards their work in community health centres and hospitals and also their involvement in national health programmes like eradication of polio, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Note: May 12 is observed as the International Day of Nurses.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the year 2020 as the Year of Nurse and Midwife. The year 2020 also marks the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, after whom the awards have been named. Florence Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing and has done exemplary work in the nursing field. The Florence Nightingale award was established in the year 1973 by the Government of India to commemorate the exemplary work done by nurses.

2. Ripu Daman Bevli will be the “Plogging Ambassador of India” on 50th Fit India Plogging Run: Ripu Daman Bevli was appointed as Plogging Ambassador of India by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) on the 50th Fit India Plogging Run held in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The minister also launched the Plogging Ambassador Mission to nominate Indians who have been running and cleaning their cities, towns or districts as Plogging Ambassadors of their region. Fit India Plogging Run was launched on October 2 which is a unique way of picking up garbage while jogging and was added to the Fit India Movement as a unique way of combining cleanliness and fitness. Bevli, who started plogging in 2017, started the Fit India Plogging Run with the aim to make India litter-free. Belvi and his team have cleaned up 50 cities and covered over 1000km in about 2 months, collecting 2.7 tonnes of garbage.