Daily GK Updates - 22nd January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GoI sets up “National Startup Advisory Council”: The Government of India has created “National Startup Advisory Council“. The council is being set up to advise the central government to create a strong ecosystem to nurture innovation and start-ups in India. The Commerce Minister will be the chairman of the National Startup Advisory Council. The council will also constitute the non-official members to be nominated by the Government of India.

Objectives of setting up the National Startup Advisory Council: (1) The Council aims to boost the culture of innovation among the students; (2) It will recommend measures to facilitate public organisations to embrace innovation, promote creation, protection and commercialization of intellectual property rights, making it easier to begin, operate, grow and exit businesses by narrowing the regulatory compliances and costs.

Note: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal.

2. Prime Minister Modi chairs the 32nd edition of PRAGATI platform meeting: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired the 32nd interaction through PRAGATI platform which was held in New Delhi. PRAGATI is defined as the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. In the previous thirty-one interactions of PRAGATI, projects worth over twelve lakh crores have been reviewed by the Prime Minister.

Note: Prime Minister had launched the multi-purpose and multi-modal governance platform PRAGATI on 25th March 2015. PRAGATI is an integrating and interactive platform aimed at addressing the common man’s grievances. PRAGATI also helps in simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Centre as well as projects flagged by various State governments.

3. Jharkhand’s Jharia most polluted city in India: Greenpeace India: According to the recent report released on 21st January 2020, by the environmental non-governmental organization, Greenpeace’s India branch, Jharia, a city in Jharkhand is the most polluted city in India, which is followed by Dhanbad of the same state. Delhi Delhi has been ranked as the 10th most polluted city making an improvement of 2 places from the previous year’s ranking. The report also revealed that six of the country’s ten most polluted cities are in the state of Uttar Pradesh (Noida, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Allahabad, Allahabad, Firozabad, and Moradabad). Lunglei city of Mizoram is the least polluted city.

Note: Greenpeace was founded in 1971 in Vancouver, Canada and is headquartered in the capital city of Netherlands, Amsterdam. In India, the organization’s headquarter is in Bengaluru.

4. UP Govt launches Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana: Uttar Pradesh Government has launched Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana which will provide financial assistance to family of farmers who die or become handicapped while working in fields. Government has also decided to implement Mukhyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana to boost tourism in state.

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana, if a farmer or any member of his family dies while working in a field then they will be given financial assistance of five lakh rupees. For the first time, the scheme will also include the Bataidars, who work in the field of other persons and share the crop after it is harvested and under Mukhyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana one tourist point will be developed with a fund of 50 lakh rupees in each and every assembly segment of the state.

Note: UP CM: Yogi Adityanath, Governor: Anandiben Patel.

5. Meghalaya celebrates 48th statehood day: Meghalaya celebrates their 48th anniversary of statehood day on 21 January. The Meghalaya Day celebration will continue till the Republic Day celebration. In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the Autonomous State of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own. Thus Meghalaya was formed by carving out the two districts of the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills.

Note: Meghalaya Capital: Shillong; Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma; Governor: Ravindra Narayana Ravi.

6. Hyderabad Metro partners redBus to start carpool services: Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited has partnered with online bus ticketing platform redBus to start carpool service for train passengers. The facility aims to provide end to end connectivity to daily commuters in an affordable manner. The service will be offered through “rPool”. rPool is an in-app ride sharing service provided by redBus. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited will also provide space inside the station premises to rPool for setting up of kiosks for customer service, apart from parking facilities for ride givers on rPool, for easy pick-up and drop of commuters.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of redBus: Prakash Sangam.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India's first Mahatma Gandhi convention centre in Niger: Union Minister S Jaishankar & Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou jointly inaugurated the first convention centre in Africa by India to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahatma Gandhi International Convention Centre is a landmark for India-Niger friendship and a symbol of India's firm commitment towards Africa. It witnesses high-level and wide-ranging participation from African Union member states and other high-level conventions.

Note: Niger Capital: Niamey; Currency: West African CFA franc

2. Brazil President J. M. Bolsonaro will be Chief Guest at 71st Republic Day of India: President of Brazil Jair Messias Bolsonaro will be on a four-day state visit to India from January 24 to 27, 2020. President Bolsonaro will also be the chief guest at the 2020 Republic Day celebrations to be held at Raj Path in New Delhi on January 26. 2020 marks India’s 71st Republic Day. He will be accompanied by a high level delegation comprising of seven Ministers, Chairman of Brazil-India Friendship Group in the Brazilian Parliament, senior officials and a large business delegation.

Note: Brazil Capital: Brasilia, Currency: Brazilian real.

3. France will train Indian flight surgeons for Gaganyaan mission: France will provide training to the Indian flight surgeons, selected for the ambitious human space mission Gaganyaan, to enable them monitor the health of astronauts. The shortlisted flight surgeons will undergo two weeks training in France. These flight surgeons will be Indian Air Force doctors specialising in aviation medicines and responsible for the health of astronauts before, during and after flight. Under the Gaganyaan project three Indian astronauts will be send to space by 2022. The four shortlisted astronauts (all test pilots from the Indian Air Force) are currently in Russia for an 11-month training programme.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Shooters Divyansh S Pawar & Apurvi Chandela Clinch Gold Meyton Cup: Indian shooters Divyansh Singh Pawar and Apurvi Chandela have clinched a gold medal each in 2020 Meyton Cup, a private tournament held in Innsbruck, Austria. Divyansh won the gold in the men’s 10m air rifle event, while Auprvi bagged the yellow metal in the 10m air rifle women’s category. Apart from them, Deepak Kumar and Anjum Moudgil also a bagged bronze medal each in men’s and women’s 10m air rifle events respectively.

Note: The Meyton Cup is a private tournament where shooters go on their own to participate to gain experience before international events. The four Indian shooters have already secured Olympic quotas for 2020 Tokyo Games.

2 Indian boxers claim six medals at Nation’s Cup in Serbia: The 9th Nation’s Cup boxing tournament for women was held in Sombor, Serbia from 13 to 21 January 2020. The tournament was organised by European Boxing Confederation (EUBC). India won 6 medals in the tournament including 4 silver and 2 bronze. M MeenaKumari (54kg), Monika (48kg), Ritu Grewal (51kg) and Bhagyabati Kachari (75kg) won silver medal for India. Indian pugilists Pavitra (60kg) and Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) settled for bronze.

3. Yogeshwar Dutt& Deepa Malik included in All India Council of Sports: Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and Paralympian Deepa Malik are among the new inductees in the government's All India Council of Sports (AICS). It is an advisory body to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which was formed in 2015 by the then Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Some other renowned new entrants in the Council are Anjali Bhagwat (former shooter), Renedy Singh(footballer), Bachendri Pal (mountaineer) and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Note: President of All India Council of Sports: V K Malhotra.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI cancels certificate of authorisation of Vodafone m-pesa: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of Vodafone m-pesa on account of voluntary surrender of authorisation. Now, the company cannot transact the business of issuance and operation of prepaid payment instruments. Last year, Vodafone Idea had decided to close m-pesa vertical following the closure of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd (ABIPBL), with which it was being merged.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Adani Capital acquires Essel Finance’s MSME lending business: Adani Capital Pvt. Ltd, the NBFC arm of the Adani Group, focused on lending to small & micro entrepreneurs, has acquired Essel Finance’s MSME loan business. The business has a secured loan book of approximately Rs 145 crore comprising 1100 customers, staff strength of 40 professionals and operates out of 10 cities in India.

Note: Adani Finserve Private Limited CEO: Gaurav Gupta

2. Govt approves raising FDI in Bharti Airtel to 100%: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has approved raising of foreign direct investment in Bharti Airtel to 100% from 49% (earlier). The approval will enable Bharti Airtel Company to raise more funds as per its requirement. The company also has the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that allowed foreign investors to hold up to 74% stake in the company.

Note: Foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in the form of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. President Kovind presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2020: President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2020 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The Bal Puraskar is given by the government every year to recognize the exceptional achievements of children in various fields. These fields are innovation, scholastic achievements, social service, arts and culture, sports and bravery. This year 22 children who were selected for National Bravery Awards also received the awards from the President.