Daily GK Updates - 28th June, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India is the first country in the world to control Locust through Drones: India has become the first country in the world to control locust by using drones, as the Centre deployed drones, tractor mounted sprayers and fire tender vehicles to undertake locust control in the country. Under Make in India initiative, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW), Agriculture Ministry has indigenously developed a vehicle mounted Ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer for locust control. In total 60 ground control teams of Locust Circle Offices and 12 drones are being used for locust control operations in the affected areas. The need of aerial spray for locust control was felt as the ground control vehicles sprayers can spray up to a height of 25-30 feet only. The tractor mounted sprayers also have a limitation in reaching inaccessible areas and tall trees. Locust is a crop-threatening migratory pest that has entered the country through the India-Pakistan border.

2. Chhattisgarh announces Godhan Nyay Yojana: The Chhattisgarh government, led by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has launched ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ in the state to make animal husbandry commercially profitable, prevent open grazing by cattle, solve the problem of stray animals on roads and for environment conservation. Under the scheme, the state government will procure cow dung from Livestock owners on fixed rate.  The cow dung will be used for the production of vermi-compost, which would then be sold through cooperative societies, to meet the fertilizer requirement of farmers. It is an effective initiative for cow dung management as well as to make animal husbandry more profitable. The scheme will be implemented in the state from Hareli Festival. It is an important festival of Chhattisgarh’s ‘Gond’ Tribe and is celebrated in The new moon day of Srawan (Sawan Amavsya) month of the Hindu calendar between July and August in rainy season.

3. Ministry of Culture to celebrate Sankalp Parva from 28th June to 12 July 2020: Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel has announced that the ministry has decided to celebrate ‘Sankalp Parva’ from 28th June to 12 July 2020. This initiative is line with the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi’s call for planting at least five trees either in Office campus or wherever it is possible, to ensure clean and healthy environment of the country. The Ministry of Culture has asked all its Subordinate Offices, Academies, Attached Institutions, Affiliated Institutions to plant the five trees as identified by PM Modi, in its campus or at the surroundings wherever it is possible. These trees are “Bargad”, “Awla”, “Pepal”, “Ashok” and “Bel” and represent the herbal heritage of our country. However, people may do plantation of any other sapling of their choice, incase of non availability of the saplings of these trees.

4. Battery Swapping Facility Quick Interchange Service launched in Chandigarh: V P Singh Badnore, Governor of Punjab-cum-Administrator, UT, Chandigarh, along with the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated Battery Swapping Facility Quick Interchange Service (QIS) at Chandigarh.  Battery swapping technology offers the best alternative to slow charging and helps the drivers to make optimum use of the operational hours. The battery swapping model is initially targeted at the commercial segment, i.e., electric autos, rickshaws and electric 2W also and the electric vehicle which is either factory fitted or retrofitted.

Note: Chairman of Indian Oil: Sanjiv Singh.

5. Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan releases annual TB Report 2020: Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan released the annual TB Report 2020 through a virtual event. According to the report, over 24 lakh TB patients have been notified in 2019. This amounts to a 14 percent increase in TB notification as compared to 2018. There has been a reduction in the number of missing cases to 2.9 lakh cases as against more than 10 lakhs in 2017. Private sector notifications increased by 35 percent with 6.78 lakh TB patients notified. The Minister also released a Joint Monitoring Mission report, a manual on Direct Benefit Transfer to TB patients under NIKSHAY system

6. Govt Approves Additional Rs 1,691 Crore for Highway Works in J&K, Uttarakhand for 2020-21: The government has approved an additional Rs 1,691 crore for highway works by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand for 2020-21. Of this, Rs 1,351.10 crore has been sanctioned to BRO for road works in Jammu & Kashmir and  Rs 340 crore ceiling has been approved for Uttarakhand for national highways. In addition, it has also given nod for additional sanction of Rs 71 crore for highway works by the state’s Public Works Department in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu. Besides, it has also enhanced the total ceiling to Rs 1,955 crore for highways work for under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) from the existing Rs 1,081 crore.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Micheal Martin takes over as the Prime Minister of Ireland: Micheal Martin has been appointed as the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland on 27 June 2020. The 59-year-old will lead a three-party coalition government consisting of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party. Martin is serving as the 15th Taoiseach of the country. He succeeds Leo Varadkar. He has been the leader of the Fianna Fáil party since 2011. Irish Lower House has 160 seats including the seat of the speaker who is generally not involved in the voting. Micheal Martin won the election by receiving 93 votes in favour, 63 votes against and 3 votes in abstention.

Note: Ireland's capital: Dublin; Currency: Euro; President of Ireland: Michael D Higgins

2. Gudni Johannesson Re-elected as President of Iceland for second 4-year term: The current President of Iceland, Gudni Johannesson has been re-elected as the head of the state. The former history professor won his second four-year term with 92.2 percent of the 168,821 votes cast. It is the second-highest margin of victory in the history of Iceland’s presidential elections. Vigdis Finnbogadottir, the first woman in the world to be democratically elected as head of state, holds the record, winning re-election in 1988 with 94.6 percent of the vote.

Note: Iceland Capital: Reykjavík; Currency: Icelandic króna

3. IIT-Ropar Emerges as best Indian University in ‘THE Young University Ranking 2020’: The Times Higher Education (THE) has released the ‘THE Young University Rankings 2020’ which list the world’s best universities that are 50 years old or younger. The 2020 ranking includes 414 universities from across the globe, up from 351 in 2019. Overall, 26 Indian universities appear in the ranking of 2020, while only two Indian universities made it into the top 100, and none could enter the ’50 under 50′ category. The best Indian university among the youngest institutes in the country is IIT-Ropar, in Punjab. It is ranked at 62nd spot. The other Indian university in top 100 is IIT Indore at 64th rank. The overall ranking has been topped by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The universities are judged across all their core missions – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook – to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available.

List of top 10 Universities

Rank 1: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Rank 2: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Rank 3: Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University, Paris

Rank 4: Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Pisa

Rank 5: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Rank 6: Maastricht University

Rank 7: City University of Hong Kong

Rank 8: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)

Rank 9: Sorbonne University, France

Rank 10: Pompeu Fabra University, Spain

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI extends enhanced borrowing limit under MSF till 30 September: In March 2020, the Reserve Bank of India, had increased the borrowing limit of scheduled banks under the marginal standing facility (MSF) scheme from 2 percent to 3 percent of their Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) as a temporary measure to deal with cash crunch caused by coronavirus pandemic. This relaxation was effective from March 27, 2020 and was granted till June 30, 2020. Now, RBI has decided to extend this enhanced borrowing facility provided to the banks to meet their liquidity shortages till September 30, 2020. Apart from this, the Central Bank has also extended the relaxation on the minimum daily maintenance of the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 80 percent for a further period of three months till September 25, 2020. On March 27, the minimum daily maintenance of the CRR was reduced from 90 percent of the prescribed CRR to 80 percent till June 26, 2020 due to the hardships faced by banks in terms of social distancing of staff and consequent strains on reporting requirements.

2. IRDAI sets up panel on insurance for use drones: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a working group to suggest insurance products covering the various risks involved in the use of drones. The nine-member panel headed by Anjan Dev, General Manager of The New India Assurance Co, has been asked to study and understand the insurance needs of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) owners and operators. Irdai has tasked the group to make recommendations relating to design and development of product/s meeting the needs of RPAS owners and operators, including third party liability.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. United Nations honours Kerala’s Health Minister KK Shailaja for efforts to fight pandemic: The state Health Minister of Kerala, KK Shailaja, has been honoured by the United Nations, during a virtual conference organised as a part of the occasion of the United Nations Public Service Day on 24 June 2020. The 63-year-old minister was honored for her efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in the state by adopting the three strategies of “Trace, Quarantine, Test, Isolate and Treat”, “Break the Chain” and “Reverse Quarantine.” Shailaja was among 10 other world leaders invited to speak on the occasion. She was the only speaker from the country to speak at the event on the strategies adopted by Kerala to curb COVID-19 transmission.