Daily GK Updates – 26th Oct, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NITI Aayog panel for reforms in urban planning education: NITI Aayog has constituted a 14-member advisory committee to look into introducing reforms in the urban planning education system. The panel will be headed by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar. The members of the committee include Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog and secretaries of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs(MoHUA), Ministry of Education(MoE) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Role of the Committee: The committee will examine the current system in terms of multidisciplinarity, curriculum and other related issues at the level of graduates and postgraduates against the challenges of rapid urbanization. The committee will examine the urban planning education system in India and examine the availability, demand and supply of the qualified urban planners in India.

 

2. ITBP launches cycling expedition from its Pegong base in Sikkim: The Eleventh Battalion Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has launched a cycling expedition from its Pegong base in Sikkim to border villages of the state. The Minister of Culture, Road and Bridges Department of Sikkim, Samdup Lepcha flagged off the expedition. Total 218 Kilometers will be covered by the ITBP team in the course of 20 days in difficult terrains. The team will generate more awareness among masses of the border villages on Covid 19 related issues, will organize medical and veterinary camps, distribute hygiene and sanitation items. They will also spread awareness about various government missions for the welfare of society at large. The 18 member team of ITBP will cover difficult terrain in the expedition. Most of the members are highly trained mountaineers and rescuers. The expedition will reach Gurudongmar lake at extremely high altitude as its destination before starting the return journey.

About Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): Raised in 1962, the ITBP is primarily a mountain force known for being deployed in harsh Himalayan borders of China since its inception. With more than 215 successful mountaineering expeditions undertaken till now, the force will complete 58 years of its raising on 24 October.

 

3. AAI Plans To Develop 100 Airports, Waterdromes, Heliports Under UDAN By 2024: Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to develop at least 100 airports, waterdromes and heliports by 2024 under the regional air connectivity scheme. The scheme is aimed at providing affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes. “50 unserved and underserved airports (including five heliports) with 285 routes have been added under UDAN across the length and breadth of India.

 

4. MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari launches India’s first-ever high quality Khadi Fabric Footwear: Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises- MSME, Nitin Gadkari launched India’s first-ever high quality Khadi Fabric Footwear, designed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) through Video Conference. These footwear are made of Khadi fabric like Silk, Cotton and Wool.The footwear have been launched in 15 designs for ladies and 10 designs for men and their prices are in the range of Rs. 1100 to Rs. 3300 per pair. On the occasion, Mr Gadkari also launched the online sale of Khadi footwear through KVIC’s e-portal www.khadiindia.gov.in.

 

5. Vega ropes in Rohit Sharma as brand ambassador: Ace Indian cricketer and Captain of Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma has been signed up by India’s leading beauty accessories brand, Vega, for its men’s personal grooming electronics range under the ‘Vega Men’ brand. Rohit Sharma will feature as the brand ambassador for ‘Vega Men’ range in the upcoming digital campaign.

 

6. Mizoram to observe ‘COVID-19 – No Tolerance Fortnight’ from Oct 26: In Mizoram, the state government has decided to observe ‘COVID-19 – No Tolerance Fortnight’ beginning from 26th October as a containment measure to flatten the curve of Covid-19 in the state. The state government has accorded zero tolerance policy to flouting any COVID-19 containment measures being implemented and enforced. All Unlock Guidelines, all SOPs and all sections of the Mizoram Containment and Prevention of COVID-19 Ordinance, 2020 will be enforced very strictly.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Andorra Joins IMF as its 190th Member: Andorra has joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to become its 190th member. Andorra is a microstate situated between France and Spain. However, it is the largest microstate in Europe. IMF’s Membership allows the Andorran government to benefit from IMF policy advice, especially as the country tackles the crisis caused by COVID-19 and can now receive an annual review or “health check” of its economy by the IMF, tap technical assistance, and access IMF lending if needed.

Note: Capital of Andorra: Andorra la Vella; Currency of Andorra: Euro.

 

2. Saad al-Hariri reappointed as Lebanon Prime Minister: Former Lebanese Prime Minister, Saad al-Hariri has been re-appointed to the post, after winning a slim majority of votes in parliament election. Hariri received 65 parliamentary votes out of 118, giving him the mandate to form his new government. In October 2019, Hariri announced his resignation amid 2019-20 mass-protests. Previously he had served as Prime Minister of Lebanon from 9 November 2009 to 13 June 2011 and then from 18 December 2016 to 21 January 2020. Hariri is the third person to be tasked with forming a government this year, after academic Hassan Diab, who succeeded in forming a government but resigned and then diplomat Mustafa Adib.

Note: Capital of Lebanon: Beirut; Currency of Lebanon: Lebanese pound.

 

3. Dhaka-Siliguri passenger train planned to start in March 2021: Bangladesh Railway Minister: Passenger train services from Dhaka to Siliguri are planned to be started from 26 March next year. The Railway Minister of Bangladesh Md. Nurul Islam Sujan said that the Chilahati-Haldibari line is also expected to be inaugurated on the occasion of the Victory Day celebration in December this year. In the beginning freight trains would run on this route. The Minister said that the work on the Bangabandhu railway bridge would start next month. The bridge would improve rail connectivity between the two countries immensely.

 

4. India recorded highest air pollution exposure globally in 2019: Report: India recorded the highest annual average PM 2.5 concentration exposure in the world last year, according to the State of Global Air 2020 (SOGA 2020) report which was released by US-based Health Effects Institute and Global Burden of Disease (GBD). India was followed by Nepal, Niger, Qatar and Nigeria in high PM 2.5 exposures. This means people in India are exposed to the highest PM 2.5 concentrations globally. Out of the 20 most populous countries, 14 have recorded a gradual improvement in air quality but India, Bangladesh, Niger, Pakistan and Japan are among those that have recorded a modest increase in air pollution levels

India is also among the top ten countries with highest ozone (O3) exposure in 2019. Qatar recorded the highest O3 exposure followed by Nepal and India. Among the 20 most populous countries, India recorded the highest increase (17%) in O3 concentrations in the past ten years.On average, global exposure to ozone increased from about 47.3 parts per billion (ppb) in 2010 to 49.5 ppb in 2019.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Kokrak claims first-ever PGA Tour win at CJ Cup: American Jason Kokrak fired off eight birdies in a flawless final round for his first-ever PGA Tour victory at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada, clinching his maiden title on the 233rd try. The 35-year-old outclassed a crowded field of elite performers, carding an eight-under-par 64 at the Shadow Creek Golf Course, draining a 20-foot putt on 10, one of 11 putts he made from further than 10 feet away through 72 holes.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Bank of Baroda ties up with Toyota Kirloskar Motor: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has entered into a tie-up with Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), whereby the bank will be one of the preferred financiers for the entire range of vehicles sold by the latter. India’s third-largest public sector bank, in a statement, stated that under the tie-up, customers can avail customised solutions such as high on-road funding of 90 per cent, long repayment period of 84 months, no prepayment or foreclosure charges. On the other hand, TKM dealers will benefit from ‘digitised supply chain finance’ with competitive interest rates.

Note: Bank Of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat, India; Bank Of Baroda Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia; Bank Of Baroda MD & CEO: Sanjiv Chadha.

 

2. RBI pegs minimum NOF for housing finance companies at Rs 25 cr: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) fixed the minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) size for housing finance companies at Rs 25 crore. The housing finance companies (HFCs) holding a Certificate of Registration (CoR) and having an NOF of less than Rs 25 crore will be required to achieve NOF of Rs 15 crore by March 31, 2022 and Rs 25 crore by March 31, 2023.  The RBI further said that it would be incumbent upon such HFCs whose NOF currently stands below Rs 20 crore to submit a statutory auditor’s certificate to the central bank within a month evidencing compliance with the prescribed levels.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Tata Communications Names Former Microsoft Executive Kabir Ahmed Shakir as CFO: Tata Communications was announced appointment of Kabir Ahmed Shakir as Chief Financial Officer with effect from October 21. Shakir will take charge from Pratibha K Advani who has resigned from the company after a stint of over 5 years. Until recently, Shakir was CFO at Microsoft India.

 

2. NHPC designates Rajendra Prasad Goyal as CFO: Rajendra Prasad Goyal, Director (Finance), NHPC Limited has been designated as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from October 1, 2020 in place of Mahesh Kumar Mittal, Ex-Director (Finance) & CFO. Prior to taking over charge as Director (Finance), he was working as Chief General Manager (Finance).

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Eighth grader Anika Chebrolu wins 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her work on COVID-19: A 14-year-old Indian-American girl has won a USD 25,000 young scientist challenge for a discovery that could provide a potential treatment for COVID-19. Anika Chebrolu, an eighth grader from Frisco in Texas, won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, regarded as the US’ premier middle school science competition, for her work using in-silico methodology for drug discovery to find a molecule that can selectively bind to the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus in an attempt to find a cure for the coronavirus pandemic.

 

2. Rakayet Ul Karim Rakim of Bangladesh wins the Greenstorm International Nature Photography Contest: Rakayet Ul Karim Nakim, a native of Chittagong, Bangladesh, has won the 12th edition of the Greenstorm International Nature Photography Contest conducted in association with UNEP in connection with the World Environment Day. Rakayet Ul Karim Rakim won the first prize for his capture of a butterfly poised on a cactus, ready for flight. Mohamed Noufal from Sharjah, UAE, and Kartikeya Grover from Ghaziabad, India, bagged the second and third prizes, respectively. The photographs of Vladlena Lapshina from Russia, Abdul Momin from Bangladesh and Sreedharan Wadakkanchery from Kerala have bagged the consolation prizes.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. ISKCON President Jasomatinandan Das Ji passes away: Shri Jashomatinandan Das Ji, president of The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple, Ahmedabad and Zonal Secretary of ISKCON Gujarat passed away. He was 72 and undergoing treatment following the Covid-19 infection. Shri Jashomatinandan Dasji is known for building ISKCON temples in Ahmedabad, Kathwada and several other places in Gujarat. He had initiated and completed construction of 40 temples and centers of ISCKON. One of major contributions of Jashomatinandan Das Maharaj was his translation of ISKCON Bhagavad Geeta and other religious books in Gujarati language.