Daily GK Updates – 14th Dec, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 5th India Water Impact Summit begins: The 5th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) kicked off on 10th December 2020 virtually. The event was inaugurated by Ratan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti. The objective of IWIS 2020 is Comprehensive Analysis and Holistic Management of Rivers and Water Bodies.

About IWIS 2020: IWIS 2020 has been organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) to discuss water-related issues and steps taken to save the planet’s most precious resource. The theme of IWIS 2020 is Arth Ganga: River Conservation Synchronised Development. The conference will have a comprehensive analysis and review of river rejuvenation and local river. It will also have deliberation about Arth Ganga, i.e. how river conservation synchronised development can take place.

 

2. BSNL launches World’s 1st Satellite-based Narrowband-IoT Network: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has partnered with Skylotech India (Skylo), a global machine connectivity solutions company, to launch satellite-based narrow band-Internet of things (NB-IoT). This initiative is the world’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network.

The new indigenous IoT solution has been developed by Skylo and will connect with BSNLs satellite- ground infrastructure to provide PAN-India coverage, including Indian seas. To begin with, the solution will be extended to fishermen, farmers, construction, mining and logistics enterprises. The solution is in line with BSNL’s vision to leverage technology to provide affordable and innovative telecom services and products across India’s core sectors.

Note: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Chairman & MD: Pravin Kumar Purwar; Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

3. Lakshadweep becomes India’s 1st UT to be declared 100% Organic: The Ministry of Agriculture has declared Lakshadweep as India’s first Union Territory to become 100 per cent organic. All farming activity in the UT is carried out without the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, which provides access to safer food choices and making agriculture a more environment-friendly activity. Lakshadweep is second only to Sikkim, which was India’s first state to be declared completely organic. This comes after the UT received proper certifications and declarations under the Centre’s Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (organic farming improvement programme).

Note: Lakshadweep Island is the smallest Union Territory in India 36 Islands. Includes: 12 atolls, 3 reefs, 5 submerged banks, 10 inhabited islands.

Lakshadweep Capital: Kavaratti; Lakshadweep Administrator: Praful Khoda Patel.

 

4. National Energy Conservation Day: 14th December: The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on 14 December by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power. The day is celebrated to raise awareness among the general public about the importance of energy conversation and energy efficiency, as well as holistic development for overall effort towards climate change mitigation.

About the Bureau of Energy Efficiency: Bureau of Energy Efficiency is a constitutional body that comes under the Government of India and helps in the development of policies and strategies in order to reduce energy use. The Energy Conservation Act in India was executed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in the year 2001.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power: Raj Kumar Singh.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ADB launches $9 bn “APVAX” for Developing Countries: The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched an initiative called, the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX), for its developing member countries. The bank has allocated USD 9 billion for APVAX.

About Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility: APVAX will play a critical role in helping our developing members meet these challenges, overcome the pandemic, and focus on economic recovery. Through APVAX, the ADB will offer rapid and equitable support to its developing members, who need financing to procure vaccines as well as offer appropriate plans and knowledge to be able to safely, equitably and efficiently manage and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

2. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris jointly named Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ 2020: US President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been jointly named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Year”. The TIME magazine releases the annual list since 1927, to recognise a person or organisation who affected the news or impacted the country and world the most, for better or worse, during the calendar year.

Apart from this, Time magazine has named the Korean pop group BTS as its Entertainer of the Year, and basketball star LeBron James as Athlete of the Year.  Zoom founder Eric Yuan was aptly named Businessperson of the Year, as the video communications company has come to define the way millions have connected with each other during the pandemic.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBL Bank, ICICI Prudential join hands for Bancassurance partnership: RBL Bank and ICICI Prudential have joined hands under a bancassurance partnership. 398 RBL Bank branches across 28 states will distribute ICICI Prudential Life’s protection and savings products. The protection products of ICICI Prudential Life will help the bank’s customers to develop a strong financial plan and its long-term savings products will help the customers of the bank to achieve their financial goals. About the Partnership:

(1) This partnership will allow more than 8.7 million customers of RBL Bank to access and purchase ICICI Prudential Life’s customer-centric protection and long-term savings products.

(2) It provides financial security to the customers and their families through life insurance cover.

(3) It will deepen and strengthen the multi-channel distribution network of ICICI Prudential Life.

(4) It will also accelerate the value creation for the bank and ICICI Prudential Life.

What is Bancassurance: Bancassurance means selling insurance products through banks. It is an arrangement between a bank and an insurance company, wherein the bank sells the tied insurance company’s insurance products to its clients.

Note: RBL Bank Ltd Incorporated: 1943, under the Indian Companies Act, 1913; RBL Bank Ltd MD and CEO: Vishwavir Ahuja; RBL Bank Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; RBL Bank Ltd Tagline: Apno Ka Bank.

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd Commenced Operations: 2001; ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd HeadOffice: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd MD & CEO: N S Kannan.

 

2. Ujjivan SFB launches neighbourhood banking channel – Money Mitra: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank said it has introduced a new channel to make banking services accessible to customers in their neighbourhood. The channel- Money Mitra – will facilitate entrepreneurs running local businesses like Kirana, medical stores and insurance agencies to offer retail banking solutions to the bank”s customers exclusively. In these outlets, the lender”s customers can make a deposit, withdraw money, pay loan EMI and perform fund transfer without having to travel to branches.

 

3. ICICI Lombard and PLUM partner to provide technologically powered group health insurance products: ICICI Lombard General Insurance announced that it has tied up with Plum, an employee health insurance startup, to co-create technologically backed group health insurance products. The penetration of health insurance across India is abysmally low, with 0.29 per cent of GDP being spent on the health sector. There is an enormous unmet demand for healthcare, with only 2% of the total healthcare expenditure being currently covered by insurance providers.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Mastercard, CII come together to help over 3 lakh MSMEs digitise their businesses: Mastercard, the National Institute for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (ni-msme) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have partnered to launch Digital Saksham, a capacity building initiative to drive awareness around digitization for MSMEs in the country. Digital Saksham is an expansive program designed to strengthen the competitiveness of MSMEs through building their digital know-how and acceptance. The program will involve three key stages over three years from the launch, including outreach, capacity building and adoption of digital tools that will help small businesses.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. UNESCO launches Bangabandhu award on creative economy: UNESCO has launched an international award named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman following Bangladesh’s proposal. The UN agency’s executive board unanimously adopted the proposal on UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the “Creative Economy” in its 210th session. This is the first time a UN agency launched an award named after Bangabandhu.

About the Prize: The award will create the opportunity to spread Bangabandhu’s ideals across the world and inspire the global cultural activists to contribute to the field of the creative economy. It will also play a “special” role in branding and image-building of Bangladesh. The award will be given every two years with $50,000 prize money – three times in six years. The renewal of the award will be discussed later. The first UNESCO-Bangabandhu award is set to be given in the 41st session of the UNESCO’s general conference in November 2021. Bangladesh proposed the award in August 2019.

About the UNESCO awards: The UNESCO launches awards in recognition of the contribution of leaders in several fields, such as education, culture, science and technology, with the financial help of the member states.  It had launched 22 awards named after noted individuals or organisations.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Uruguay president Tabare Vazquez passes away: Former Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez died in Montevideo at the age of 80 after suffering from lung cancer. The center-left politician and oncologist was president of Uruguay twice in 2005-2010 and 2015-2020. Vazquez, who interchanged terms with Jose Mujica since Uruguay’s constitution bans presidents from serving consecutive terms, presided over the legalization of the state-controlled production, distribution and sale of cannabis.

 

2. Veteran Hindi writer Madhukar Gangadhar passes away: Veteran Hindi writer Madhukar Gangadhar passed away in a hospital in the National Capital. He was 88 years old.  Mr. Gangadhar had worked at Patna Akashwani and later also served as the director, AIR Allahabad.He also worked in the capacity of Deputy Director General (DDG), AIR at New Delhi. After serving for 39 years in All India Radio (AIR) he became an independent writer based in Delhi. ‘Motiyo Wale Hath’, ‘Hirna Ki Aankhen’ are some of his most well known works.

 

3. Popular TV actress Divya Bhatnagar passes away: Popular face in Indian TV Divya Bhatnagar passed away following Covid 19 complications. She was 36. Bhatnagar had acted in shows including “Udaan”, “Silsila Pyaar Ka”, “Sasural Genda Phool”, “Sawaare Sabke Sapne Preeto”, “Vish”, “Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai”among others.