Daily GK Updates - 31st Aug, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India’s 1st International Women’s Trade Centre to be set up in Kerala: Kerala will establish the first international women’s trade centre (IWTC) of India at Angamaly. The IWTC would be set by Kerala in consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The IWTC seeks to accelerate the women entrepreneurship and secure gender parity. It will also offer a safe place away from home to women to start new businesses, set up or expand, and get their products marketed globally. IWTC will also enable women entrepreneurs to participate in international trade, and enhance their competitiveness to tap market opportunities. Hence, it will enable women to enjoy greater economic benefits.

Note: Chief Minister of Kerala: Pinarayi Vijayan; Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

 

2. UP Government launches “Major Dhyan Chand Vijaypath Yojana”: “Major Dhyan Chand Vijaypath Yojana” has been launched by the Uttar Pradesh government. Under this scheme, 19 international players from the state of Uttar Pradesh will get road connectivity to their houses. The 19 international players who will be benefited from the scheme includes Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, former pacer Praveen Kumar, Piyush Chawla and Mohammad Kaif. The initial list of the beneficiaries includes 19 players, and more players will be added to the scheme in the coming future.

Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Aditya Nath; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

3. Gujarat to commence Seaplane service from 31 October 2020: The first-ever “seaplane services in Gujarat” will be commenced from 31 October 2020. The seaplane service will offer seamless and affordable air connectivity from Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to Statue of Unity in Kevadia in Gujarat. Spicejet Airline will operate the seaplane service to be commenced on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. To start Seaplane services in the state, the Gujarat government has signed a tripartite agreement with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), and Airports Authority of India.

Note: Chief Minister of Gujarat: Vijaybhai R. Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat.

Minister of State (I/C) for Civil Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri.

 

4. Assam Government to set up Skill University worth Rs 900 Crore at Darrang district: The Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Skill Development University Bill which allows for setting up a state-of-the-art skill University at Mangaldoi in Darrang district of Assam. The University at Mangaldoi will be the Centre of Excellence and first ever Skill University in north eastern states of the country. The total cost of setting up the University is estimated at Rs 900 crore with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. It will be spread over 100-bigha plot. Assam government has also inked a memorandum of understanding recently with the ITE Education Service, Singapore, for training resource persons of the university.

 

5. CISF launches mobile app ‘Pension Corner’ for its retired personnels’: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has launched a mobile application ‘Pension Corner’ to cater to the needs of all its retired personnels. The in-house built app has been developed as part of an e-office initiative introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some important features of the app are: The app is available on both web and Android platforms. It includes an SMS invitation system to keep pensioners connected to the CISF for any important events happening at their nearest CISF unit across the country. It has inbuilt grievance redressal mechanism. All important circulars like job opportunities and benefits relating to pensioners will be available on the app.

 

6. IIT Hyderabad launches ‘world’s most affordable’ respirator mask: In a bid to help people protect themselves against COVID-19, the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, has launched a novel respirator mask in the country. The protective gear is said to be far better than standard N95 respirators in terms of protection and, the best part is, it will cost you just Rs. 13 per day. Officially dubbed US9, the new silicon-based respirator mask has been developed and commercialized by USafe Healthcare, the latest entrepreneurial entity from the Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship at IIT-H.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Piyush Goyal Attends 8th East Asia Summit (Economic Ministers’ Meeting): The 8th East Asia Summit (Economic Ministers’ Meeting) was held virtually on 28 August 2020, to strengthen the regional supply chains, become resilient during this challenging time of Covid-19 pandemic, and to spur economic growth. The meeting was attended by the Economic ministers from the 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members and eight other nations, including India, the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. The East Asia Summit 2020 was chaired by Vietnam’s Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh. The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal represented India in the Summit. The meeting concluded with a joint statement in which the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to promote trade and investment, minimise disruptions to trade and global supply chains and facilitate supply chain connectivity, including for essential goods such as medical supplies, medicines, including vaccines, food, commodities and other essential supplies and services in the region.

 

2. Maldives launches India backed infrastructure projects: A ground-breaking ceremony for development of the Hulhumalé Central Park and renovation of the Arrival Jetty in Maldives financed by India was held marking yet another milestone in Delhi’s growing partnership with Male. The project is being executed by the HDC through an approximate 10 million Maldivian Rupee grant assistance from India. It is included under the 18 grant projects being funded by India in the Maldives under a total grant assistance of USD 6.9 million (MVR 106 million) extended in 2019.

Note: Maldives Capital: Malé; Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa

 

3. Amul becomes 1st Indian Dairy Company to Enter Rabobank’s Global Top 20, 2020 List: Amul, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) became the first Indian Dairy Company to enter Rabobank’s Annual listing of Global Dairy Top 20, 2020 Companies. Amul was ranked 16th with an annual turnover of USD 5.5 billion (approximately Rs 40,240 Crores). Switzerland’s Nestle topped the list with a turnover of USD 22.1 Billion, followed by France’s Lactalis with USD 21 Billion turnovers and US’ Dairy Farmers of America.

Note: AMUL: Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is India’s largest food product marketing organization. It is an apex organization of Dairy Cooperatives of Gujarat, it aims to provide remunerative returns to the farmers and also serve the interest of consumers by providing quality products. It is based out of Anand, Gujarat, India. Its tagline is “The Taste of India”.

AMUL Managing Director: RS Sodhi.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Japan’s Olympic badminton gold medalist Ayaka Takahashi announces retirement: Japanese badminton player, Ayaka Takahashi, who is a doubles specialist has announced her retirement with effect from 31 August 2020. The 30-year-old player is known as the partner of Misaki Matsutomo. The pair, commonly known as “Taka-Matsu,” claimed Japan’s first ever Olympic badminton gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the women’s doubles event. Takahashi also captained Japan to its first women’s World Team Championships, (Uber Cup), in 2018.

 

2. Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties to win 2020 FA Community Shield: Arsenal beat Premier League champions Liverpool by 5–4 on penalties to claim the 2020 FA Community Shield after a 1–1 draw. The annual football match was played between the winners of the previous season’s Premier League, Liverpool, and the previous season’s FA Cup, Arsenal, on 29 August at the Wembley Stadium in London. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the goal for Arsenal while Takumi Minamino scored for Liverpool. This is the 16th time that Arsenal is winning the Community Shield title.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Dinesh Kumar Khara recommended as Chairman of SBI: A state-run banks appointment panel recommended Dinesh Kumar Khara, one of State Bank of India's (SBI) four managing directors, as the next chairman of the country's top lender. Unlike his predecessor, SBI's current chairman Rajnish Kumar did not get an extension to his term, which ends on October 7 after three years. The central government will need to approve the Banks Board Bureau's recommendation before Mr Khara can take the job. Mr Khara took up his current role, in which he oversees global markets and subsidiaries of SBI, in August 2016 for a three-year period, which was extended for another two years last year. The Banks Board Bureau also named another SBI managing director, Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, as the candidate on the Reserve List for the chairman's job, to take the post if Mr Khara does not.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Mahindra inks pacts with Israeli firm to develop electric commercial vehicles: Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has inked a pact with Tel Aviv-based REE Automotive to explore production of electric commercial vehicles for global markets. The strategic collaboration will leverage REE’s revolutionary electric vehicle corner module and platform technology of integrating powertrain, suspension and steering components in the arch of a vehicle wheel.

 

2. RIL appoints former Indian Oil chairman Sanjiv Singh as group president: Sanjiv Singh, former chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), has joined Reliance Industries as group president and member of the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business leadership team. Singh, who superannuated from India’s largest oil firm on June 30, will be a member of the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business leadership team.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Juliette Binoche to be honoured with Golden Icon Award: French star Juliette Binoche will be honoured with the Golden Icon Award at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival. The 16th edition of annual film gala will be held from September 24 to October 4 this year. The 56-year-old Academy Award winner will be the first French artiste to receive the award. She will be presented the honour on September 30 at a presentation ahead of a screening of her most recent film, the French-language comedy "How to Be a Good Wife". In her 35 years of career, she has been featured in movies like ‘Hail Mary’, ‘Family Life’, ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’, ‘Three Colors: Blue’, ‘The English Patient’, ‘Chocolat’ and ‘Certified Copy’.

 

DEFENSE

 

1. India withdraws from multilateral military exercise, Kavkaz 2020, in Russia: India has withdrawn its participation from the multilateral Military Exercise Kavkaz 2020 to be held in Russia between 15th to 26th September 2020. The reason for this has been cited as the COVID-19 Pandemic and consequent difficulties in exercise, including arrangements of logistics. Kavkaz 2020 would be held in Astrakhan province of Southern Russia where member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and Central Asian countries would be participating.

Other countries that would participate in this exercise are- China, Pakistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Belarus, Turkey, Armenia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Congress MP Harikrishnan Vasanthakumar passes away: Congress MP Harikrishnan Vasantha Kumar from Tamil Nadu has passed away due to COVID-19. He was 70. He was elected as the Member of Parliament to the 17th Lok Sabha from Kanyakumari constituency in the 2019. Vasantha Kumar was the founder and chairman of Vasanth & Co, one of the largest retail home appliance chains in Tamil Nadu. He was also the founder and MD of the Tamil satellite TV channel Vasanth TV.

 

2. ‘Scooby Doo’ Co-Creator Joe Ruby Passes Away: Joe Ruby, the co-creator of the cartoon series Scooby-Doo, has passed away due to natural cause. He was 87. Ruby, an American animator, television editor, writer, and producer, created the much-loved characters of beloved kids show Scooby-Doo, along with his creative partner Ken Spears. Together, the pair started their own production company Hanna-Barbera Productions and created other memorable cartoons as well.