Daily GK Updates - 24th Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Aarogya Setu introduces ‘Open API Service’: An innovative feature ‘Open API Service’ has been introduced by Aarogya Setu to help the people, businesses and the economy in its efforts to return to normalcy. The newly launched service will help the organizations to get the health status of their employees as well as any other Aarogya Setu User without violating their data privacy. Aarogya Setu’s Open API Service addresses the fear/risk of Covid-19 infections and enables organizations to verify the status of Aarogya Setu and integrate it into its various Work from Home features. Hence it will help the businesses and economy to start functioning while being safe. The service would be available to organizations and business entities, who are registered in India with more than 50 employees. They can utilize the service to query the Aarogya Setu Application in real-time and will receive the health status of their employees or any other Aarogya Setu User, who have given their consent for sharing their health status with the organization.

 

2. Tourism Ministry partners with TAAI & FICCI’s FLO to promote tourism: Ministry of Tourism has signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) with primary objective of women empowerment. The signed MoU will enable FLO & TAAI to focus on personal and hospitality skills, a more flexible work balance and greater options for entrepreneurship with lower capital.

The partnership between the three aims to increase the participation of women in the tourism sector and enable them to become an integral part of the tourism workforce of India. This will be achieved by creating awareness among state tourism departments and state tourism corporations, to highlight the contribution tourism industry can make for sustainable livelihood for women and ensure their economic upliftment.

Note: Union Minister of State for Tourism (I/C): Prahlad Singh Patel.

 

3. Government Forms National Council for Transgenders to Formulate Policies Aimed at Equality & Participation: Central Government has constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons to formulate policies, programmes, legislation and projects for the benefits of the transgender community and help them in achieving equality and have full participation by them. Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will be the ex-officio Chairperson of the council. Presently, this post is held by Thaawar Chand Gehlot. The council was established by the Centre in exercise of the powers conferred by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

 

4. Govt activates Aadhaar authentication for new GST registration: Government has activated Aadhaar authentication for new goods and services tax (GST) registration to enhance ease of doing business. For those opting for Aadhaar authentication, new GST registration will be issued within three working days and will not need to wait for physical verification. However, those not opting for Aadhaar authentication will be granted it only after physical verification of the place of business or documentary verification which may take up to 21 working days or more. Government said Aadhaar authentication for new registration will substantially enhance ease of doing businesses for genuine businesses. It said, the move will facilitate genuine and honest taxpayers while at the same time keeping the fake and fraudulent entities away from GST. The facility of quick approval of GST registration through Aadhaar authentication can be availed by all Indian citizens.

 

5. A book titled ‘One Arranged Murder’ authored by Chetan Bhagat: A book titled ‘One Arranged Murder’ authored by Chetan Bhagat will be released globally on September 28, 2020. The fiction book portrays a murder mystery in the backdrop of an arranged marriage. The book will be published by Westland Publications Ltd. It is the author’s 9th novel and 11th book overall. His last release was The Girl in Room 105. The essence of the book: A murder mystery in the backdrop of an arranged marriage will be at the centre stage of bestselling author Chetan Bhagat’s upcoming fiction book. The book not only has intense suspense but also is filled with humour, love and relatable Indian characters.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launches 5th Gaofen-9 series Earth observation satellite: China has successfully launched 5th Earth observation satellite, Gaofen-9 (05), from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The satellite, sent into orbit by a Long March-2D carrier rocket, is an optical remote-sensing satellite with a resolution up to the sub-meter level.  This launch was the 343rd mission of the Long March rocket series and the 23rd for China in 2020.

About Gaofen-9 (05): Gaofen-9 (05) is an optical remote sensing satellite developed by Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite Co.Ltd, part of China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The satellite will be mainly used for land surveying, city planning, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as providing information for the construction of the Belt and Road. Other payloads carried on the rocket include a multi-functional experimental satellite and Tiantuo-5, a spacecraft developed by the National University of Defense Technology. The major upcoming Chinese mission in 2020, probably in November, is the Chang’e-5 lunar sample return.

About Gaofen satellites: In 2010, the Gaofen satellites series are nominally part of the civilian China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS) to provide all-weather, all-day coverage with optical and synthetic aperture radar satellites. Land surveying, urban planning, road network design, agriculture and disaster relief are the main uses of Gaofen satellites.

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

 

2. India ranked 57th in Digital Quality of Life Index 2020, Denmark tops: An online privacy solutions provider, SurfShark Ltd. has released a “Digital Quality of Life Index 2020“. It is a global research on the quality of a digital wellbeing in 85 countries hence covering 81% of the global population. The recently launched index ranks the countries by looking their scores in five fundamental pillars that describes the digital quality of life. India has been ranked 57th in Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 with overall score of 0.5. Denmark has topped the index and was followed by Sweden and Canada. The five pillars are as follows:

(1) Internet affordability: It indicates the amount of time people have to work to afford the internet connection.

(2) Internet quality: It indicates the speed as well as the stability of the internet connectivity in a country.

(3) Electronic infrastructure: It describes the level of development and inclusiveness in the existing electronic infrastructure.

(4) Electronic government: It indicates how much advanced and digitized are country’s governmental services.

(5) Electronic security: It indicates about how much safe and protected can people feel in a country.

India’s rank in the five core pillars is as follows:

Pillar 1: India has been ranked 09th in terms of Internet affordability.

Pillar 2: India has been ranked 78th in terms of Internet quality.

Pillar 3: India has been ranked 79th in terms of Electronic infrastructure.

Pillar 4: India has been ranked 15th in terms of Electronic government.

Pillar 5: India has been ranked 57th in terms of Electronic security.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

 

1. Australia all-rounder Cameron White announces retirement: Australian all-rounder Cameron White has announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket. He represented Australia in 4 Test matches, 91 ODIs and 47 T20Is. He also led the Australian limited-overs team in 7 international games. He amassed 146 runs in tests, 2072 runs in ODIs and 984 runs in T20Is. Cameron White has been a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket. He scored 10,537 first-class runs from 177 games at an average of 39.91.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. National Strategy for Financial Education: 2020-2025 released: The second edition of National Strategy for Financial Education (NSFE): 2020-2025 has been released. The first edition of NSFE was for the period 2013-2018. NSFE: 2020-2025 has been prepared by National Centre for Financial Education (NCFE) in consultation with the four Financial Sector Regulators- RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA and other relevant stakeholders. It has been prepared under the aegis of the Technical Group on Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy under the Chairmanship of Shri M. K. Jain, Deputy Governor, RBI. The NSFE document intends to support the Vision of the Government of India and Financial Sector Regulators by empowering various sections of the population to develop adequate knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour which are needed to manage their money better and plan for their future.  The Strategy has recommended a ‘5 C’ approach for dissemination of financial education in the country. The ‘5 C’ approach of the strategy includes:

Content: emphasis on the development of relevant Content in the curriculum in schools, colleges and training establishments,

Capacity: developing Capacity among intermediaries involved in providing financial services,

Community, Communication, and Collaboration: leveraging the positive effect of Community-led model for financial literacy through appropriate Communication strategy, and, enhancing Collaboration among various stakeholders.

 

2. Ashwani Bhatia becomes new Managing Director of SBI: Government of India has appointed Ashwani Bhatia as the managing director (MD) of the State Bank of India (SBI). He has been appointed as the managing director up to the date of his superannuation that is May 31, 2022. Bhatia is currently working as the managing director and chief executive officer at SBI Mutual Fund. He will be appointed in place of PK Gupta who superannuated on March 31.

Note: Chairman of State Bank of India: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 July 1955.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Anand Mahindra and Shantanu Narayen selected for 2020 Leadership Awards by USISP: Mahindra group Chairman’s Anand Mahindra and Adobe’s Chairman and CEO Shantanu Narayen have been selected for the 2020 Leadership Awards by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). The award will be conferred to them during the 3rd Annual Leadership Summit, which is titled as ‘US-India Week: Navigating New Challenges’ and will be held from August 31, 2020 to September 03, 2020. The summit will highlight areas of bilateral cooperation, collaboration in fintech, etc.