Daily GK Updates – 2nd Jan, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi lays foundation stone of Light House projects (LHPs): Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Light House projects (LHPs) at six sites across six States through video conference on 1st January 2021. The LHPs will be implemented at Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).

About LightHouse projects: The project is being constructed under the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC)-India. It has been conceptualised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. GHTC-India envisages providing an ecosystem for the adoption of innovative technologies in the housing construction sector in a holistic manner. Under the programme, over 1,000 houses would be built in each of the six cities in 12 months along with allied infrastructure facilities. The houses are called lighthouse projects in technical language. Houses being built under the Light House Projects (LHPs) will take less time to build and will be resilient, affordable and comfortable as they use the best of new-age alternative global technologies, materials and processes in the construction sector.

 

2. GoI extends Deadline to file Income Tax Returns to January 10, 2021: The Central government has further extended the deadline to file an income tax return (ITR) for FY 2019-20 by 10 days, up to January 10, 2021. Earlier this deadline was December 31, 2020. This extension of the deadline is for those individuals whose accounts are not required to be audited and who usually file their income tax return using ITR-1 or ITR-4 forms, as applicable. This is the third extension of the deadline to file a tax return. The first extension was given from the normal deadline of July 31 to November 30, 2020, and then to December 31, 2020.

Note: Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs: Anurag Singh Thakur.

 

3. Umesh Sinha named deputy election commissioner: Umesh Sinha has been named as the deputy election commissioner in the Election Commission of India. Sinha, a 1986-batch IAS officer (retired) is at present serving as secretary-general in the commission. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared the extension in the term of reemployment of Sinha as deputy election commissioner on contract basis for a period of six months beyond December 31, 2020. His term will end on June 30, 2021. At present Sinha is also part of a committee set up by the Election Commission to look into the issue of revising the election expenditure of candidates during campaigning.

Note: Chief Election Commissioner of India: Sunil Arora; Chief Election Commissioner Formed: 25 January 1950; Chief Election Commissioner Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

4. Indian Railways’ new Vistadome coach successfully completes 180 kmph speed trial: Indian Railways successfully completed the 180 km per hour speed trial of its new design Vistadome tourist coaches. These Vistadome coaches will make train journeys memorable for the passengers, as well as give a further boost to tourism.

About Vistadome tourist coaches: The luxurious tourist’s coaches have been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The European-style coaches are made with see-through glass rooftops and wide windows for the indulgent sightseeing experience. Currently, 13 Vistadome coaches are being operated on select routes including the Nilgiri Mountain Railway line, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka-Shimla Railway, Kangra Valley Railway, Matheran Hill Railway, between Dadar in Mumbai and Madgoan in Araku Valley as well as in the Kashmir Valley.

Note: Indian Railway Founded: 16 April 1853; Indian Railway Headquarters: New Delhi; Union Minister of Indian Railways: Piyush Goyal.

 

5. ISRO Chairman K Sivan gets one year extension up to 2022: The Central Government has approved the extension of the term of ISRO Chairman K Sivan, for a period of one year. He was due to retire on January 14, 2021. Sivan will now continue as ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space up to January 14, 2022. He joined ISRO in 1982, has been the chairman of the space agency since January 2018.

ISRO chief has imminent knowledge in Aerospace engineering, Space Transportation Systems Engineering, Launch vehicles, mission simulation software design and many other operations related to Space programs. He is also the main architect of 6D trajectory simulation software, SITARA which is the foundation of both the real-time and non-real-time trajectory simulations of all vehicles developed in the space agency.

Note: ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. WHO clears Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use: The World Health Organization says it has cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. This means poorer countries may soon get access to the shot already available in Europe and North America. Every country that has a drug regulatory body will have to issue its own approval for any COVID-19 vaccine, but countries with weak systems usually rely on WHO to vet the shots. The global body said that the decision to issue its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine opens the door for countries to expedite their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine. The UN health agency said its review found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has already received clearance in the United States, Britain, the European Union and a dozen other countries, met the must-have criteria for safety and efficacy set out by WHO.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Cashaa, United Multistate Cooperative Society launch crypto bank ‘Unicas’: Fintech firm Cashaa and United Multistate Credit Cooperative Society launched a crypto bank that allows users to transact in cryptocurrency and fiat from one account. The partnership will enable Cashaa to access United’s regulatory licenses, its physical branches, and overall banking infrastructure. The bank named as Unicas is initially opening its services online and through 14 branches across NCR, Rajasthan, and Gujarat by January 2021, and plans to expand to 100 branches by the end of 2022.

 

2. Suryoday Small Finance Bank Gets SEBI Nod to Float IPO: Markets regulator Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) has granted the go-ahead to small lender Suryoday Small Finance Bank to float its Initial Public Offering (IPO). This IPO comprises fresh issuance of 1,15,95,000 equity shares and an offer for sale of up to 84,66,796 equity scrips by existing shareholders, according to the draft papers filed with the regulator. Those offering shares through the Offer for sale (OFS) route include International Financial Corporation (IFC), Gaja Capital, HDFC Holdings, IDFC First Bank, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company, DWM (International) Mauritius Ltd and Americorp Ventures.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Businesses with monthly turnover of over Rs 50 lakh to pay at least 1% GST liability in cash: Businesses with monthly turnover of over Rs 50 lakh wil have to mandatorily pay at least 1% of their Goods and Services Tax liability in cash, the Finance Ministry said as it moved to curb evasion by fake invoicing. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has introduced Rule 86B in Goods and Services Tax rules which restricts use of input tax credit for discharging GST liability to 99%. While calculating the turnover threshold, sales from GST exempt goods and zero rates supply would not be included. However, this restriction will not apply where the managing director or any partner have paid more than Rs 1 lakh as income tax or the registered person has received a refund amount of more than Rs 1 lakh in the preceding financial year on account of unutilised input tax credit.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice 2020: Harmony Foundation hosted the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice. The Awards in its 16th year is the only award endorsed by Sister Prema, the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, the organization started by Mother Teresa. The theme for this year’s awards was, ‘Celebrating Compassion In Times Of Covid ‘. Awardees this year included:

(1) Dr Anthony Fauci (USA) is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA. He and his task force were among the first ones to realize the seriousness of this pandemic.

(2) Father Fabio Stevenazzi (Milan, Italy), decided to return to medical practice in order to help those infected with COVID 19 has thrust him to be the modern-day example of St Charles Borromeo who in 1576 during the Great Plague that hit the city of Milan and cut the population by half, stayed behind to nurse the sick and renovate hospitals.

(3) Dr Pradeep Kumar (Chennai) took it upon himself to give a befitting burial to his colleague with the help of two ward boys, at a cemetery in the city in the middle of the night.

(4) IPS Sanjay Pandey (DG Home Guards, Maharashtra) went beyond the call of duty as a police officer to open the first relief camp in the Mumbai city suburbs for migrant workers whose livelihood were disrupted by the lockdown to contain the pandemic.

(5) Vikas Khanna (Manhattan, USA) heart still moves to serve the lonely and underprivileged here in India.

(6) KK Shailaja (Minister of Health, Kerala), her extraordinary efforts and pro-activeness in dealing with the pandemic by following experts and scientific advice helped countless Keralites survive the terrors of this pandemic, serving as an example for governments of other states countries to follow.

About Harmony Foundation: Harmony Foundation is an international NGO that works in the realm of Social Justice. It was founded in October of 2005, with its raison d’etre, being the establishment, and strengthening, of social cohesion among various communities, and to work towards the benefit of all, without discriminating against any religion, creed, sex, or their origins. Instituted in 2005, these Awards, celebrate and commemorate the memory and legacy of Mother Teresa, canonized a Saint by Pope Francis in the Vatican.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Cabinet approves export of indigenously-developed Akash Missile System: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal to export indigenously-developed Akash Missile System. The Cabinet has also approved to set up of a committee for faster approvals of exports. The export version of Akash will be different from System currently deployed with Indian Armed Forces.

About the Akash Missile: Akash is a short-range Surface to Air Missile with a range of 25 Kms to protect vulnerable areas and vulnerable points from air attacks. It was inducted in IAF in 2014 and in the Indian Army in 2015.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Legendary Music Director Shantanu Mohapatra passes away: Legendary Odia musician, Shantanu Mohapatra passed away. He was the first Odia music composer to work with legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Md Rafi and also the first to work in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and Telugu film industries. Mohapatra has composed music for hundreds of Odia film songs and Jatra (opera) shows in a career that spanned over three decades. Mohapatra, who retired as the Director of Odisha Mining Corporation, received several awards including the Odisha Film Critic Award for his contribution to Odia music.

 

2. Former Union Minister and MP Kadambur Janarthanan passes away: Former Union Minister and senior AIADMK leader Kadambur M. R. Janardhanan has passed away following age-related ailments. He was 91. Janardhanan was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tirunelveli constituency for four terms 1984, 1989, 1991 and 1998. He had also served as Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension with additional charge of Minister of State for Finance in the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee between 1998 and 1999.