Daily GK Updates - 9th Sept, 2020

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Organic Food Processing Unit inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, inaugurated Organic Food Processing Unit in Uttar Pradesh. With the inauguration of this food processing unit, 5000 farmers will be benefitted and it is expected to leverage an investment of Rs 50.33 crores. The unit namely M/s Organic India Pvt. Ltd is likely to generate direct employment of 100 and indirect employment of 250 persons. M/s Organic India Pvt. Ltd is set up with total cost of Rs. 55.13 crores. A processing capacity of 3 MT per day has been created and the unit will process agro produce worth Rs 350 crores.

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

 

2. Haryana CM launches “Apka Mitra” chatbot for UG courses: Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar has launched Educational WhatsApp Chatbot “Apka Mitra” & Online Admission Platform for UnderGraduate (UG) courses in government-aided and self-financed colleges for the new academic session 2020-21. About ‘Apka Mitra’:

(1) ‘Apka Mitra’ is the first-of-its-kind educational WhatsApp Chatbot to resolve admission related queries of the students.

(2) Students can send a message on Whatsapp chatbot number 7419444449 to get information regarding admission & scholarship.

Online Admission Platform: Using the new platform, the students will be able to complete the entire admission process in the convenience of home. Chief Minister also launched online international journals, namely the Journal of Humanities and Social Science, prepared by the Higher Education Department to promote research. The online system is expected to strengthen the admission process and also make it transparent.

Note: Governor of Haryana: Satyadeo Narayan Arya; Chief Minister of Haryana: Manohar Lal Khattar.

 

3. Karnataka CM inaugurates flyover named after Veer Savarkar: Karnataka Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa inaugurated the ‘Veer Savarkar’ flyover in Bengaluru. The inauguration of the 400-metre long flyover built on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road in the city. The Bengaluru’s civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) built the flyover at the cost of Rs 34 crore. The project of constructing the flyover began in September 2017.

Note: Chief Minister of Karnataka: B.S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

 

4. National Jal Jeevan Mission conducts webinar: National Jal Jeevan Mission, Ministry of Jal Shakti conducted a webinar on the planning, implementation, and monitoring of outputs & outcomes of the flagship programme, Jal Jevan Mission. The webinar was attended by about 2,500 State, district and block officials of Public Health Engineering Departments/ Rural Water Supply Departments of various States/ UTs. Jal Jeevan Mission is under implementation in partnership with States. It aims to ensure every rural household of the country gets assured drinking water supply in adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis at affordable service delivery charges leading to improvement in their living standard. The major objectives of the mission are: to ensure water supply to every home; focus on functionality of water supply systems on long-term basis; decentralized operation & management arrangements; water quality surveillance by the local community.

 

5. PM Modi inaugurates Patrika Gate in Jaipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Patrika Gate in Jaipur, Rajasthan through video conference. The Patrika Gate was built by the Patrika group of Newspapers on the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg in Jaipur. PM Modi also launched 2 books Samvad Upanishad and Akshar Yatra, authored by Gulab Kothari, Editor in Chief of Rajasthan Patrika Group and Chairman of Patrika Group of Newspaper.

About Patrika Gate: The Patrika Gate is a memorial that reflects the cultural heritage and architectural style of Rajasthan. This memorial is an attempt to integrate the art, craft and cultural heritage of Rajasthan in one structure. The design of the Patrika gate incorporates the culture lifestyle and architecture of all the parts of Rajasthan from Sriganganagar to Banswara and from Jaisalmer to Bharatpur. It is the southern gate of Jaipur.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

UNESCO sites of Rajasthan: The Jantar Mantar, Hill Forts of Rajasthan.

 

6. ADB inks $500 Million Loan agreement with India for Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India has signed a $500 million loan pact on 8th September 2020 to build a modern, high-speed 82-kilometer Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor. This loan amount is the first tranche of a total $1 billion loan approved by ADB for the venture in August 2020. The RRTS corridor will connect Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. It will have a total of 24 stations of which 21 will be in Uttar Pradesh and the rest in Delhi.  The project will improve regional connectivity and mobility in India’s national capital region (NCR).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. First World Solar Technology Summit of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) held: The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the first edition of the World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), on 8th September 2020, with focus on new Technologies and Innovations in the field of Solar. The World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) was organised by ISA and FICCI. More than 26000 participants from 149 countries joined the virtual Summit. The Summit aimed at accelerating affordable and sustainable clean green energy by showcasing and deliberating on innovative state of the art next generation technologies in solar power.

The Summit included signing of four agreements between:

(1) ISA and International Institute of Refrigeration,

(2) ISA and Global Green Growth Institute.

(3) ISA and National Thermal Power Corporation,

(4) A tripartite agreement between India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the World Bank and the International Solar Alliance.

ISA also launched a Journal on Solar Energy (I JOSE) that would help authors from across the globe to publish their articles on solar energy.

Note: International Solar Alliance Headquarters location: Gurugram; International Solar Alliance Leader: Upendra Tripathy; International Solar Alliance Founded: 30 November 2015.

 

2. International Day to Protect Education from Attack: 9th September: The UN recognized International Day to Protect Education from Attack is observed on 9 September to raise awareness regarding the importance of safeguarding schools as places of protection and safety for students and educators and the need to keep education at the top of the public agenda. The Day is being celebrated for the first time in 2020. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 9 September as International Day to Protect Education from Attack on 29 May 2020. UN calls for action to prevent attacks on education and to do more to mobilize resources for humanitarian funding and education programs. UNESCO and UNICEF will facilitate the annual observance of the Day in close collaboration with partners within and outside the UN system.

Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945; UNICEF Executive Director: Henrietta H. Fore; UNICEF Founded: 11 December 1946; UNICEF Headquarters: New York, United States.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

 

1. Anil Jain becomes new President of All India Tennis Association: The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has elected Anil Jain as its new president, while Anil Dhupar was chosen as its secretary-general. India’s Davis Cup captain Rohit Rajpal was elected as the treasurer for a four-year term till 2024. All the office-bearers, as well as the new executive committee members, were elected unopposed. Anil Jain will replace Praveen Mahajan as AITA president. Dhupar will replace Hironmoy Chatterjee.

Note: All India Tennis Association Founded: March 1920; All India Tennis Association Headquarters: R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium, Delhi.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI ceased Banking operations of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank: Reserve Bank of India has ceased the Banking operations by the Aditya Birla Idea Payments (ABIP) Bank under Banking Regulations Act 1949 with effect from July 28, 2020. Now the bank company could not able to work successfully and applied for voluntary winding up by the Vodafone Idea Limited which holds 51% in ABIP bank and the remaining 49% by Grasim Industries Limited.

About Aditya Birla Idea Payments (ABIP) Bank: In February 2018, Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank became the fourth entity to begin payments banking operations since the issuance of licences to 11 firms by the RBI in August 2015. The Bank had received the banking licence to operate as a payments bank in April 2017. It had also got authorisation to work on Prepaid Payments Instrument business.

Note: Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Founded: 2016; Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Parent organization: Aditya Birla Nuvo.

 

2. BoI launched “Signature Visa Debit Card” on his 115th Foundation Day: On the occasion of Bank of India (BoI)’s 115th Foundation Day, BoI has launched an international contactless debit card, “Signature Visa Debit Card” for high net worth individuals who are maintaining an average quarterly balance of Rs 10 lakhs and above. Features of Signature Visa Debit Card:

(1) This card will have a spending limit of up to ₹5 lakhs on POS & e-commerce and ₹1 lakh on ATM.

(2) Other features include complimentary lounge access (2 per quarter) and offer on travel, retail, dining, lifestyle, entertainment, luxury hotels, reward points for online usage etc.

(3) It will also provide Insurance against fraudulent transactions.

Note: Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Bank of India MD & CEO: Atanu Kumar Das; Bank of India Founded: 7 September 1906.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Fitch Ratings Projects Indian economy to contract 10.5% in FY21: In its September update of Global Economic Outlook (GEO), the US-based Fitch Ratings has sharply lowered the forecast for the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of India for the current fiscal 2020-21 (FY21) and now expects the GDP to contract 10.5 percent. Earlier in June Global Economic Outlook, the rating agency has estimated 5 percent contraction for FY21. The downward revision comes after India’s GDP shrank by 23.9% year-on-year in the April-June quarter, the worst performance in nearly four decades. The rating agency has also revised its forecast for global GDP and expects it to fall by 4.4 percent in 2020, which is a modest upward revision from the 4.6 percent contraction expected earlier.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Father of Indian Radio Astronomy Govind Swarup passes away: Father of India’s Radio Astronomy, Prof Govind Swarup passed away. He was born on March 23rd, 1929 in Thakurdwara, United Provinces, British India( Now in Uttar Pradesh). He was the founding director of National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Govind Swarup was the key person behind the concept, design and installation of the Ooty Radio Telescope (India) and the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), which established India as one of the leading countries for radio astronomy research. He is well known for his many important research contributions in several areas of astronomy and astrophysics.

Achievements of Govind Swarup: He was the recipient of Padma Shri (1973). He served as president of the Astronomical Society of India during 1975-77. A strong group in radio astrophysics was formed under his leadership at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, which is comparable to the best in the world. He has received Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology (SSB)(1972); TWAS Prize in Physics (1988); H. K. Firodia Award (2001)and the Grote Reber Medal (2007) among others. He was the fellow of many institutions including as a Fellow of The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge(Royal Society).

 

2. Telugu actor Jaya Prakash Reddy passes away: Telugu actor Jaya Prakash Reddy passed away. He was working as a sub-inspector of police when he got an opportunity to act in Venkatesh’s 1988 film Brahma Puthrudu.  He was last seen in Mahesh Babu starrer Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020). Reddy was popular for his role in films like Samarasimha Reddy, Preminchukundam Raa, Narasimha Naidu, Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, Julayi, Ready, Kick, Jayam Manadera, Jamba Lakidi Pamba, Avunu Valliddaru Istapaddaru, Kabaddi Kabbadi, Evadi Gola Vadidi and Kithakithalu.