Daily GK Updates - 11th February, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Coal Ministry launches Web Portal for Star Rating of Mines in India: Ministry of Coal (MoC) has launched a web portal for star rating of coal mines to promote the green, safe and sustainable mining practices with the help of technology. The web portal for star rating of coal mines enables all operational coal mines across India for self-rating, their subsequent validation by Coal Controller’s Organization (CCO), further evaluation and finally award of star rating. Coal Controller’s Organization will also issue an official certificate to all the mines mentioning their star rating. The Star Rating Policy for Coal Mines in India is:

The mines that score from 91 to 100% will get 5 star; The mines that score from 81 to 90% will get 4 star; The mines that score from 71 to 80% will get 3 star; The mines that score from 61 to 70% will get 2 star; The mines that score from 41 to 60% will get 1 star; The mines that score from 0 to 40% will get no star

2. ‘Engiexpo 2020’ to be held in Vadodara, Gujarat: The 6th edition of the mega industrial exhibition ‘Engiexpo 2020’ is being organised in Vadodara, Gujarat from February 15 to 17, 2020. The three-day mega exhibition will be organised by the Federation of Small Scale Industries (FSSI), to promote ‘Made in India’ products. Over 10,000 industrial products will be showcased in more than 300 stalls. Several companies from Uzbekistan are also participating in the exhibition.

Note: Federation of Small Scale Industries President: Dhankesh Patel; Federation of Small Scale Industries Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat.

3. NIFM, Faridabad to be renamed as Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management: The Government of India has decided to rename National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Faridabad as Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management (AJNIFM). The decision has been taken to pay tribute to former Union Finance Minister and Padma Vibhushan awardee late Shri Arun Jaitley. The Union Finance Minister is the President of the NIFM Society.

NIFM, Faridabad, was set up in 1993 as a registered society under Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The institute aims to train officers of various Finance and Accounts Services recruited by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) through the Civil Services Examination as also officers of Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS).

4. National Water Conference started in Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath is the Chief Guest of the National Water Right Convention at Minto hall in Bhopal. The purpose of the conference is to finalize the guidelines for the Water Rights Act in Madhya Pradesh. The importance and revival of traditional water sources, right to water, river rejuvenation campaign in Madhya Pradesh and many other related topics are being discussed during the four sessions of the conference. The experts discussed that water conservation technological development should be included with traditional means to solve the growing water crisis.

5. Vice President releases the book ‘A Child of Destiny’: The Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled ‘A Child of Destiny’ an autobiography penned by Prof. K. Ramakrishna Rao. K. Ramakrishna Rao was an Eminent Scholar, Author, Researcher, Scientist and Gandhian, He was born in the coastal region in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The Government of India awarded him “The Civilian Honour of Padma Shri in 2011”.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 33rd African Union (AU) summit held in Ethiopia: The 33rd African Union (AU) Summit was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 9 February. The theme of the 2020 Summit was “Silencing the Guns: Creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development”. The two-day leaders’ summit was attended by more than 35 heads of state and government, as well as representatives of regional and international organizations. President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, is the newly elected Chairperson of the African Union for one year.

Note: The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.

2. International Day of Women and Girls in Science: 11th February: International Day of Women and Girls in Science is being celebrated on 11th February to highlight the work of female scientists throughout its divisions and agencies. According to data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women. The day's purpose is to promote full and equal access to participation in science for women and girls.

Note: In December 2015, the United Nations adopted a resolution to celebrate February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

3. World Unani Day: 11th February: The World Unani Day is celebrated globally on 11th February every year. The World Unani Day is celebrated globally to spread awareness about health care delivery with the help of Unani system of medicine through its preventive and curative philosophy. The World Unani Day also marks the birth anniversary of great Unani scholar Hakim Ajmal Khan. The Unani system of medicine was introduced in India by the Arabs and Persians sometime around the eleventh century.

4. China's CPI rose at their highest rate in more than 8 years: China's consumer price index (CPI) rose at their highest rate in more than eight years with inflation more than expected on the back of Lunar New Year demand and a deadly virus outbreak. The rise in January was the highest since October 2011 when CPI inflation was 5.5%. The consumer price index, a key gauge of retail inflation, came in at 5.4% last month with food prices spiked 20.6%.

5. Bangladesh to disinvest in 4 govt owned Banks: The government of Bangladesh has decided to start the process of disinvestment in four State-Owned Commercial Banks (SOCB) by October this year. The Bangladesh Development Bank Limited (BDBL), Agrani Bank Ltd, Janata Bank Ltd and Sonali Bank Ltd would be listed on the stock market while the share of Rupali Bank limited offered to the public would be raised from current 9.91% to 25%. Sonali Bank serves as the treasury of the government.

6. Kaamya Karthikeyan becomes youngest girl to climb Mt Aconcagua: India's Kaamya Karthikeyan (Mumbai-based) became the youngest girl in the world to summit Mount Aconcagua (6962-meter) the highest peak in South America. Kaamya had summited Ladakh's 6,260 metres Mt. Mentok Kangri II, under extreme cold weather conditions on August 24, 2019. Kaamya is studying in 7th standard at Navy Children School in Mumbai.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Australia presented with ICC Women’s Championship trophy: Australia was awarded the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Championship trophy 2020. The ICC Women’s Championship has given hosts New Zealand and four top teams a direct place in the World Cup 2021. The remaining teams will play qualifiers through the Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2020 scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka from (3 - 19 July, 2020). Australia’s team was led by Meghann Moira Lanning, which also won this trophy last time (ie 1st edition 2014–16).

Note: Chairman of ICC: Shashank Manohar; Chief Executive: Manu Sahney; Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2. India's Lalremsiami named as 2019 FIH Women's Rising Star of Year: India forward Lalremsiami (19-years) has been named as the 2019 FIH Women's Rising Star of the Year by the International Hockey Federation. Lalremsiami took the prize ahead of Argentina's Julieta Jankunas and Frederique Matla of the Netherlands. Lalremsiami first came into the wider hockey consciousness at the Hockey Women's World Cup in 2018 when she was one of the stand-out players of the tournament.

3. Aditya Mehta & Vidya Pillai wins National Snooker Championship: Aditya Mehta &Vidya Pillai has won the National Snooker Championship held in pune, Maharashtra. Aditya Mehta defeated the world champion Pankaj Advani to win the men’s title of the National Snooker Championship. While representing the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB), he defeated Pankaj Advani with a score line of 6-2.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Lending from CRR buffer to get 5-year exemption: RBI: According to Reserve Bank of India, the special lending window with Cash Reserve Ratio exemption will be open from 14th of February this year. The incremental loans disbursed under this facility will have CRR exemption for the next five years. The window will open for six months ending 31st of July this year, but the Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) will be calculated as of 31st of January.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Pullela Gopichand honoured with lifetime achievement award by IOC: India Chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has received an honourable mention in the male category of the 2019 International Olympic Committee's Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the 1st Indian coach to be honoured with this Lifetime award by the Olympics Committee. Gopichand founded the Gopichand Badminton Academy in 2008.Mr. Gopichand had received Government of India’s Arjuna award (1999), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2001), Padma Shri (2005), Dronacharya award (2009) and Padma Bhushan (2014).

Note: International Olympic Committee Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; President: Thomas Bach; Director General(DG): Christophe De Kepper.

DEFENCE

1. India and UK to hold joint military drill ‘Ajeya Warrior’: India and the United Kingdom will conduct their 5th edition of joint military exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior-2020’ at Salisbury Plains, the United Kingdom from February 13-26. The exercise comprises of 120 soldiers each from Indian and United Kingdom Army. The aim of this exercise is to conduct company level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorists operation in Urban and Semi Urban areas. The exercise is conducted alternatively in the United Kingdom and India. The exercise is being held from 2005.

Note: 28th Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj MukundNaravane.

OBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passes away: Hindi novelist and Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passed away. He was best known for his novel ‘Pehla Girmitiya’ that was based on Mahatma Gandhi’s stay in South Africa. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India and was the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi award. He was also conferred the Vyas Samman in 2000, and an honorary PhD by Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University in 2002.

2. Veteran cricket journalist Raju Bharatan passes away: Noted cricket journalist and film historian Raju Bharatan (86-years) passed away following a prolonged illness. Bharatan, who wrote on Indian cricket and Bollywood music, worked for a weekly features magazine, The Illustrated Weekly of India, and an Indian films weekly newspaper, Screen.