Daily GK Updates - 2nd January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kerala becomes the first state to pass anti-CAA resolution:  On 31st December 2019, the Kerala Government has passed a resolution to roll back the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was passed during this winter session of Parliament. According to the Kerala Government, the CAA act contradicts the basic principles of the Constitution. According to the Government of Kerala, the act was against secularism and has triggered widespread protests in the country. The act also dented India’s image among the international community The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed in December 2019. The act amended the Citizenship act passed in 1955. It allows Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, and Parsi religious minorities to gain Indian citizenship.

2. Andhra Pradesh Government plans to deliver sand at doorsteps: The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to introduce door-delivery of sand from January 2, 2020. As a pilot project, it is to be started from in Krishna district on an experimental basis and then extend it. Under this initiative, the AP government will deliver sand at doorsteps and collect transportation charges from the customers. In order to make the initiative successful, the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation will stock 15 lakh tons of sand per month for the next four months. At present, the demand for sand in the state is 80,000 tonnes a day. The step will help address issues of sand scarcity and sand mafia.

3. 10,000 cameras to be used for 2020 lion census in Gujarat: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will conduct the Asiatic Lion Census in May 2020. The Institute will use 10,000 cameras to conduct the census. Around 8,000-10,000 cameras will be used to carry out the 2020 lion census in Gujarat, the last abode of the Asiatic lion. The 2015 lion census had counted 523 lions in the state. The number is expected to have risen phenomenally the population may have crossed the 1,000-mark. The government will adopt the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA)’s technology for the lion census. The entire census area is to be divided into a 3-km grid. Officers will collect hair, nails, teeth, etc. The collection process is to be carried out using scientific methods laid out by NTCA. Around 1,000 to 2,000 officers are to be employed. In the second phase, 10,000 cameras are to be used to capture the lions.

Note: The Asiatic Lions in Gujarat are restricted to Gir National Park in the state. The lions are listed as “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List.

4. VK Yadav re-appointed as Railway Board Chairman:  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-employment of V K Yadav as the Chairman of Railway Board. The appointment has been done for a period of one year. He took over as Railway Board Chairman from Ashwani Lohani on January 1, 2019. He has also held the post of General Manager of South Central Railway (SCR). He is an electrical engineer and belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers.

5. ISRO will set up launch port for small satellite launch vehicles: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief K Sivan announced that India's second spaceport for launching small satellites will be established in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district. The country's first spaceport is at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 90 km northeast of Chennai. Thoothukudi is about 600 km southeast of Chennai. The new location is ideal for launching smaller satellites of less than 500 kg in the sun-synchronous orbit. He also announced that the process of Astronaut selection is over for India’s 1st manned mission to outer space i.e. “Gaganyaan” to be launched by 2022 and that the Government has approved the Chandrayaan–3 mission to the moon, comprising of a lander and a rover.

6. Flipkart signed an agreement with MoHUA to support DAY-NULM: Indian e-commerce company Flipkart has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry to support the ministry’s ‘Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)’. Under the MoU Flipkart will sell the products made by women self-help groups under Deendaya lAntyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) on the e-commerce platform. The e-commerce company will collaborate with state missions to establish the 'Flipkart Samarth programme' in 22 states in India. DAY-NULM consists of 44 lakh women across the country which aims to make women financially independent. The government is likely to sign MoU with Amazon on January 7, 2020, for the same purpose.

7. Haryana CM Inaugurates Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens in Karnal: The Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has inaugurated the first Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens in Karnal where the farmers and labourers will get food for Rs 10.The canteen will provide Veg-thali comprising four chapatis, rice, dal and seasonal vegetable, all for Rs 10, with the capacity to serve 300 persons daily. The canteen has been named after former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It has been set up by the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) in collaboration with the state rural livelihood mission.

8. Odisha Government Launches Mobile App Pauti& E-Certificate Project to provide Caste, Residence Certificates Online: The Odisha government has launched ‘e-Certificate portal’, a unique project to provide official documents such as caste certificate, permanent residence certificates, income or similar other certificates online without the need to visit Tehsil offices or Common Service Centres. The initiative has been launched by the Revenue and Disaster Management department of the state as part of its 5T model of governance. The applicants will not be required to pay any fees as well for the service. Patnaik also launched a mobile App “Pauti”, to facilitate online payment of land revenue so that citizens need not visit government offices for the same. They can download the application and make payment.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins Guinea-Bissau presidential election: Umaro Cissoko Embalo has won the Guinea-Bissau‘s presidential election. According to the National Electoral Commission of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro won the presidential election with 53.55% of votes. He will replace the incumbent President Jose Mario Vaz. His rival Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the country's ruling PAIGC party, took 46.45 percent in Sunday's runoff.

Note: Capital of Guinea-Bissau: Bissau; Currency: Eco.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. ICC plans to scrap five-day Tests from 2023; set to be limited to four: The Cricket’s apex body, the International Cricket Council has planned to reduce all Test matches, including the Ashes, from five days to four from 2023, to ease workload on players in the crowded calendar. Test matches have been set at five days since 1979.England are backing the plans as it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads.

2. India women's hockey team defender Sunita Lakra announces retirement: Indian women's hockey team defender Sunita Lakra, who was part of the 2018 Asian Games silver-winning side, announced her international retirement, citing a knee injury that would require another surgery. The 28-year-old said the nagging injury has come in the way of her dream to be a part of India's Tokyo Olympics campaign this year.

In the team since 2008, Lakra captained India during the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, leading the side to a second-place finish in the event. In all, she played 139 matches for India and her achievements also included being part of the side that claimed the 2014 Asian Games bronze medal.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Interest Rates for Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for the Fourth Quarter 2019-20 (Jan-Mar): The government has kept the interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for the fourth quarter of FY 2019-20 (January-March).The interest rates on small savings schemes are reviewed every quarter by the government. The formula to arrive at the interest rates of the small savings scheme was given by the Shyamala Gopinath Committee. Accordingly, the Rates of Interest on various Small Savings Schemes for the Fourth Quarter of the Current Financial Year 2019-20 is as given below:

Sr. No	Instrument	Interest Rate (January 2020-March 2020)	Compounding frequency*
1	Savings Deposit	4	Annually
2	1 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
3	2 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
4	3 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
5	5 Year Time Deposit	7.7	Quarterly
6	5 Year Recurring Deposit	7.2	Quarterly
7	5 Year Senior Citizen Savings Scheme	8.6	Quarterly and paid
8	5 Year Monthly Income Account	7.6	Monthly and paid
9	5 Year National Savings Certificate	7.9	Annually
10	Public Provident Fund Scheme	7.9	Annually
11	Kisan Vikas Patra	7.8 (will mature in 113 months)	Annually
12	Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme	8.4	Annually