Daily GK Updates - 23rd July, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Punjab Govt signs MoU with IIT Ropar for skill development: The Punjab government has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, in the area of skill development. The agreement provides IIT’s technical education department to become an academic mentor for the state’s engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Chamkaur Sahib, five government polytechnics and 10 government ITIs. It will also help in developing ITI and polytechnic model for institutes empowering skill development in youths.

Note: IIT Ropar Director: SK Das.

Punjab Capital: Chandigarh; Chief Minister of Punjab: Amarinder Singh; Governor of Punjab: VP Singh Bandnore.

 

2. Rare yellow turtle discovered in India: In Odisha’s Balasore district, a farmer Basudev Mahapatra has spotted a turtle which is yellow in colour and according to the experts, it is the product of albinism. The turtle is known as the “Indian flap shell turtle”. The turtle is commonly found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is omnivorous and its diet consists of frogs, snails and even some aquatic vegetation.

Note: What is Albinism: Albinism is a type of genetic disorder where it is little or no production of pigment in the skin, eyes, and hair or in other species in the fur, feathers, or scales.

 

3. Home Minister to launches Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2020: ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan 2020' will be launched by the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi. Ministry of Coal will organize the abhiyan along with all Coal/Lignite PSUs. Under the “Vriksharopan Abhiyan”, large scale plantation would be carried out in mines, colonies, offices and other suitable areas of Coal/Lignite PSUs in order to promote “plantation by the society”. They will also lay the Foundation stone of 6 Ecoparks/ Tourism sites providing avenues for recreation, adventure, bird watching etc for revenue and employment generation. The event will be launched across 130 locations of 10 coal/lignite bearing States.

Note: Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs: Pralhad Joshi.

 

4. Sumit Deb appointed as CMD of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC): Sumit Deb has been appointed as the next Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), an Indian state-controlled mineral producer. Deb will have tenure till February 28, 2023, i.e. the date of his superannuation. He will succeed N Baijendra Kumar as the CMD of NMDC who will retire as CMD on 31st July 2020. Presently, Deb is serving as the Director (Personnel) in the NMDC.

Note: National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is an iron ore mining major of India under the administrative control of Ministry of Steel

NDMC HQs: Hyderabad

 

5. National Broadcasting Day: 23rd July: In India, the “National Broadcasting Day” is observed on July 23 every year, to celebrate the radio, which has been an important part in people’s life in India, both as an easy medium of entertainment along with news. It is celebrated because it was on this day in the year 1927, that the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launches its first independent Mars mission ‘Tianwen-1’: On 23 July 2020, China launched an unmanned probe named as ‘Tianwen-1’ to Mars in its first independent mission to another planet. The Tianwen-1 (or Quest for Heavenly Truth 1) was launched on a Long March-5 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan. If the launch is successful, it will make China the first country to orbit, land and deploy a rover in its inaugural mission. The probe is expected to reach Mars in February 2021. It will then attempt to deploy a rover to explore the planet for 90 days. After that Tianwen-1, will look for underground water as well as evidence of possible ancient life. China had launched an orbiter destined for Mars on a Russian rocket in 2011, but the mission failed because the rocket malfunctioned.

Note: China Capital: Beijing; Currency of China: Renminbi; President of China: Xi Jinping.

 

2. Arun Kumar nominated as Vice-Chairman of UIC:  The Director General of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar has been nominated as the Vice-Chairman of UIC (Union Internationale Des Chemins/International Union of Railways), Security Platform from July 2020 to July 2022. He will take over as Chairman of the Security Platform from July 2022 to July 2024. The decision to nominate Arun Kumar was taken during the 96th UIC General Assembly. UIC develops and formulates analysis and policy positions of rail sector.

Note: Headquarter of International Union of Railways: Paris, France; Director General of International Union of Railways: Francois Davenne.

 

3. India among 10 Worst Countries for Working People: ITUC Global Rights Index: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has released its Global Rights Index for the year 2020, which ranks countries on the degree of respect for workers’ rights. This is the seventh edition of the annual report and ranks 144 countries. The ITUC Global Rights Index ranks countries on a scale from 1 (best) to 5+ (worst). Each country is analysed against a list of 97 indicators derived from ILO conventions. The index provides an opportunity to increase the visibility and transparency of each country’s record on workers’ rights. Key Points of the ITUC Global Rights Index:

India has been ranked among the 10 worst countries for working people. It is rated with 5 on the scale. The ten worst countries for workers in 2020 are Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe. The Middle East and North Africa is the worst region in the world for working people. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, Uruguay are the best countries with rating of 1. The most violated rights in the world includes: (1) RIGHT TO STRIKE; (2) RIGHT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING; (3) RIGHT TO ESTABLISH OR JOIN UNIONS; (4) RIGHT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES; (5) RIGHT TO TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES; (6) RIGHT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES

Note: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) headquarter: Brussels, Belgium

 

4. Oxford Covid-19 vaccine’s human trial shows positive result: The human trial of COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford and backed by AstraZeneca Plc has shown a positive result. The researchers found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55. Oxford’s vaccine is designed to reduce disease and transmission. Director at the Jenner Institute of Oxford University, Dr Adrian Hill, explains the mechanism of this vaccine “this vaccine triggers both arms of the immune system”. The vaccine was officially known as AZD1222, prompted a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot and did not prompt any serious side effects.

 

5. Comet NEOWISE approaches closest to the Earth: Comet NEOWISE (C/2020F3) is the brightest comet that can be seen with naked eye in Earth’s night sky across the globe as it has approached closest to the earth. It is visible only after 6800 years gap. Nehru Science Centre in its Lecture series organised ‘Comet NEOWISE – A Primer’ to discuss this comets. It was first spotted by NASA's Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NPCI rolls out UPI AutoPay facility for recurring payment: National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched UPI AutoPay facility for recurring payment. The new facility will enable recurring e-mandate with the help of any Unified Payments Interface (UPI) application for recurring payments like mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI payments etc upto Rs. 2000. For the amount exceeding Rs. 2000, the customer has to execute every mandate with UPI PIN. UPI users will be able to create e-mandate through UPI ID, QR scan or Intent.

Note: MD & CEO of National Payment Corporation of India: Dilip Asbe.

 

2. LIC signs agreement with UBI to distribute latter’s policies:  Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Union Bank of India, after its amalgamation with Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank, have announced a corporate agency agreement to distribute LIC policies. The bank will market LIC products of term insurance, pension, plan, children plan, ULIPs, and endowment schemes. Union Bank of India can act as a financial supermarket by offering a basket of products to its account holders, whereby they can select products according to their choice. Note: LIC Chairman: MR Kumar; LIC Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Union Bank of India MD & CEO: Rajkiran Rai G; Union Bank of India Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

3. Prakash Chandra Kandpal Takes Charge as new MD & CEO of SBI General Insurance: Prakash Chandra Kandpal has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBI General Insurance. His appointment is effective from 20 July 2020. He will succeed Pushan Mahapatra, who will took charges as the director (strategic investments, digital initiatives) and will continue to be the full-time director. PC Kandpal has more than 33 years of banking experience in retail and international banking, HR, tech, development fields with SBI. Kandpal has been with SBI General Insurance as the deputy CEO since June 2019.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Rahul Bajaj steps down as Chairman of Bajaj Finance, son Sanjiv to take over: Renowned business tycoon Rahul Bajaj, the current Chairman of Bajaj Finance Ltd, has decided to step down from his position and hand over the reins to his son Sanjiv Bajaj, as part of succession planning at the non-banking financial company. Mr Bajaj will be demitting the office as chairman with effect from close of business hours on 31 July  2020. His son Sanjiv Bajaj will be new non-executive chairman of Bajaj Finance from 01 August 2020. Presently he is the vice chairman of the company. Rahul Bajaj has been at the helm of the company since its inception in 1987 and the group for over five decades. However, Rahul Bajaj will continue to serve as a non-executive non-independent director.

Note: Bajaj Finserv Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra; Bajaj Finserv established: 2007.

 

2. Nomura estimates India’s GDP to contract by 6.1% in FY21: The Indian economy is expected to contract by 6.1 percent in the current fiscal (2020-21), as per the Japanese financial services firm Nomura. The contraction in the GDP is due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has impacted both supply and demand forces in the economy since March 2020.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Greta Thunberg awarded Inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity worth $1.15M: Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg has won the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, given by the Portugal-based Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Thunberg was selected from 136 nominees from 46 different countries for this award for the way she has been able to mobilise younger generations for the cause of climate change. The 17 year old is pledging to donate $1.15 million award money to different organizations and projects globally who are working to help people on the front line, affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis. The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity aims to recognise people, groups of people and/or organisations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation and impact.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Indian Air Force (IAF) commanders’ conference in New Delhi: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) New Delhi. The Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) will be held with the theme “Indian Air Force in the Next Decade”. AFCC is a three days conference which will be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The plan of action for operational capability enhancement of the IAF in the next decade would be deliberated during the conference.

2. DRDO successfully test-fires HELINA ‘Dhruvastra’ from ITR Chandipur: India has successfully conducted three flight tests of its indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile ”Dhruvastra” from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha, in direct and top attack mode. The sophisticated missile was test-fired twice on July 15 and once on July 16, 2020. This was done without a helicopter. The missile would soon be tested from the ALH after a couple of more trials from the ground-based launcher.

Dhruvastra: The helicopter-launched Nag Missile (HELINA), an air-launched version of the Nag missile (with extended range), has been named as ‘Dhruvastra’ anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). It is a third-generation fire and forgets class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The ‘Dhruvastra’ anti-tank guided missile will be fired from the indigenous `Dhruv’ Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapons in the world. The system has all-weather day and night capability and can defeat battle tanks both in direct hit mode as well as top attack mode. The missile will further help strengthen the defence capabilities of the country. It has a range of 7 Km and is equipped with four foldable wings and weight of 43kg.

Note: Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation: G Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters of Defence Research and Development Organisation: New Delhi.