Daily GK Updates – 24th Feb, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Union Cabinet approves production-linked incentive scheme for telecom sector: The Union Cabinet approved a production-linked incentive scheme for the telecom sector. The Electronic and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, the production-linked incentive worth Rs 12,195 Crore has been cleared for the telecom sector. He said, this will create 40 thousand direct and indirect employment. Production Linked Incentive Scheme intends to promote manufacture of Telecom and Networking Products in India and proposes a financial incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investments in the target segments of telecom and networking products in order to encourage make in India. The scheme will also encourage exports of telecom and networking products ‘Made in India’.

 

2. Govt approves proposals worth over Rs 363 cr to increase level of processing & value addition of horticultural & agricultural produce: Food Processing Industries Ministry has approved proposals worth over 363 crore rupees to increase the level of processing and value addition of horticultural and agricultural produce. This will result in increase in income of the farmers and create employment at the local level. The approval was given in the two Inter-Ministerial Approval Committee meetings, which were chaired by Minister of Food Processing industries Narendra Singh Tomar. The proposals were received under the Scheme for Creation for Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Cluster and the scheme for Creation and Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation.

 

3. 3 crore 53 lakh rural household provided tap water connections under Jal Jeevan Mission: The Jal Jeevan Mission has reached a new milestone by providing three crore 53 lakh rural household tap water connections. The mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 with the aim to provide tap water connection to every rural household by 2024. Jal Shakti Ministry said, as on 15th August 2019, out of 18.93 crore rural households, only 17 per cent had tap water connections. The Ministry said, the untiring efforts of States and Union Territories have helped Jal Jeevan Mission to reach this milestone.

 

4. Actor Darshan roped in as Agriculture Ambassador by Karnataka Govt: Actor DarshanToogudeepa has been appointed as the ambassador of Agriculture Department to populariseprogrammes meant for farmers’ welfare. His work would involve creating awareness among farmers about the programmes taken up by the department and also to inspire farmers. Incidentally, Mr. Darshan is also the ambassador for the Forest Department.

 

5. Vice President releases ‘Maverick Messiah’, a political biography on NTR: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has released “Maveric Messiah”, a political biography on former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao authored by senior journalist Ramesh Kandula. NTR was ranked among the top pioneers of ‘alternative politics’. His entry into politics and ‘dramatic’ success within about nine months of floating a regional party gave a new direction to national politics.

 

6. Central Excise Day: 24th February: Central Excise Day is celebrated every year on February 24 across India. The day is being celebrated to honour the service of the Central Board of Excise and Custom (CBEC) to the country. The day is celebrated to commemorate the legislation of the Central Excise and Salt act on 24 February 1944.

About Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs is formerly known as the Central Board of Excise and Customs. The Customs and Central Excise/ Central GST department was established to administer customs laws. Now the department is under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance which deals with the policy formulation concerning levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise duties, Central Goods & Services Tax and IGST, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Central Goods & Services Tax, IGST and Narcotics to the extent under CBIC’s purview.

Note: Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Custom: M. Ajit Kumar; Headquarters of Central Board of Excise and Custom: New Delhi; Central Board of Excise and Custom Founded: 1 January 1964.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Jean-Michel Sama appointed new PM of Congo: Congo’s president has appointed a new prime minister, further strengthening his control of the government over which his predecessor used to hold considerable influence. President Felix Tshisekedi appointed the 43-year-old Jean-Michel SamaLukondeKyenge to be the new prime minister ay. Lukonde had been head of the state mining company. Lukonde succeeds SylvestreIlungaIlunkamba, who resigned on Jan. 28 after a no-confidence vote in the parliament. Ilunkamba was a close ally of former president Joseph Kabila, the strongman who governed the impoverished Central African nation for 18 years.

 

2. Gallantry Award Recipient Siddharth Chatterjee Takes Over as Top UN Diplomat in China: Senior UN official Siddharth Chatterjee of India has formally taken over as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, a key posting of overseeing the work of 27 agencies, funds and programmes of the global organisation in the world’s most populous country. He will be UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s senior-most UN Representative in China as the UN Resident Coordinator. Chatterjee, whose early career was in the Indian Army, was decorated for gallantry by the President of India in 1995.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka wins Australian Open 2021: In tennis, Japan’s Naomi Osaka won her fourth Grand Slam title, after she beat American Jennifer Brady in the women’s singles game of the Australian Open final 2021. The four Grand Slam title for Osaka comes two Australian Open titles (2021 and 2019) and two US Open title (2018 and 2020). In Men’s singles final, Novak Djokovic claimed his ninth Australian Open crown and the 18th Major Grand Slam overall, as he defeated Daniil Medvedev.

Winners of Australian Open 2021:

Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) defeated Daniil Medvedev (Russia)

Women’s Singles: Naomi Osaka (Japan) defeated Jennifer Brady (US)

Men’s Doubles: Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Filip Polášek (Slovakia) defeated Rajeev Ram (US) and Joe Salisbury (UK)

Women’s Doubles: Elise Mertens (Belgium) and ArynaSabalenka (Belarus) defeated BarboraKrejčíková (Czech Republic) and KateřinaSiniaková (Czech Republic)

Mixed Doubles: BarboraKrejcikova (Czech Republic) and Rajeev Ram of the US defeated the Australian pair of Samantha Stosur and Matthew Ebden.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Mastercard and Razorpay partner to make digital payments more accessible for MSMEs and startups: Mastercard and Razorpay have launched a strategic partnership to drive digital payments acceptance by small businesses and startups in India. This combines Razorpay’s payment processing capabilities with Mastercard’s digital banking solutions and card services. The partnership will enable Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in digitising their operations, maintaining business continuity in the challenging environment and preparing for the future beyond cash.

 

2. ADB, Medanta sign debt financing to support Covid-19 response: Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed aRs 100 crore debt financing agreement with Global Health Private Ltd (Medanta) to provide essential health care services and medical equipment to help combat the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The project will support the purchase of personal protective equipment, basic hygiene products and patient care equipment like ventilators and beds. It will also support staff training programmes on infection prevention and control.

 

3. Bank credit growth at 90% of FY20 level: RBI: Bank credit growth in FY21 so far (up to January 29) has reached about 90 per cent of the year-ago level, going by the Reserve Bank of India’s data on Scheduled Banks’ Statement of Position in India. This is probably an indication that credit demand is limping back to normalcy after the economy was ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic in the first six months of FY21. Year-to-date (YTD) credit growth of all scheduled banks at ₹3,39,147 crore was about 90 per cent of the year-ago YTD credit growth of ₹3,74,938 crore.On a year-on-year basis, credit growth has slowed to 5.92 per cent as of January-end 2021 against 7.41 per cent as of January-end 2020.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s GDP to grow 13.5% in FY22: Nomura: Japanese brokerage Nomura said that economic activity is on the ‘verge of normality’ after being severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said that India GDP will grow at 13.5 per cent in FY22. Nomura’s estimates are higher than the growth rate pegged by the Reserve Bank of India. The apex bank expects GDP to jump by 10.5 per cent in FY22, after contracting by 7.7 per cent in FY21. The brokerage said that it expects real GDP to contract by 6.7 per cent in FY21 and grow by 13.5 per cent in FY22.

 

2. Tata Communications announces partnership with Google Cloud to ‘Transform’ Indian Businesses: Tata Communications announced partnership with Google Cloud to drive cloud adoption and transform Indian businesses. The partnership will enable organisations to deploy and access Google Cloud services through Tata Communications’ IZO managed cloud. As a Google Cloud India Partner, Tata Communications will support organisations with services across infrastructure modernisation, data centre transformation, application modernisation, smart analytics, multi-cloud deployments and more.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. ‘Meesha’ Wins Best Novel at Kerala SahityaAkademi Awards: The Kerala SahityaAkademi awards for the year 2019 were announced, and author S. Hareesh’sMeesha (Moustache) has won the best novel prize. The awards carry prize money of Rs 25,000, a citation and a certificate.Other awards:

(1) RathriPandrandaraykoruTharattu (A Lullaby at 12:30 in the Night), written by P. Raman, won the award for the best poetry.

(2) Ramachi by Vinoy Thomas has bagged the award for the best short story.

(3) Noted actress SajithaMadathil bagged the Akademi award for her contribution in the drama ArangileMatsyagandhikal.

(4) The Akademi announced that fellowships have been awarded to writers P. Valsala and N.V.P. Unnithiri. The fellowships carry a cash award of Rs 50,000, a two sovereign gold locket, a citation and a certificate.

 

2. Ministry of Tribal Affairs bags Award of Appreciation in the 18th CSI SIG E-Governance Awards 2020: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs bags the prestigious Award of Appreciation in the Project Category-Central Government Entity – in the 18th CSI SIG eGov Awards 2020 for their ‘Performance Dashboard Empowering Tribals Transforming India through various ICT initiatives.

The award was received by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Dr. Navaljit Kapoor from the honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Shri Yogi Adityanath Ji in Lucknow. These awards have been conducted by CSI-SIGegov. The awards are given for recognizing the efforts made in the e-Governance area at the State, Department, District and Project level.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy gets third Scorpene submarine, to be commissioned as INS Karanj: The Indian Navy has got its third Scorpene-class submarine, which will be commissioned as INS Karanj. The submarine, which is docked in Mumbai’s Mazagaon, was launched in 2018 for sea trials. The fourth such submarine – Vela – is currently undergoing sea trials, while Vagir – the fifth – has just started harbour sea trial. The sixth one is still being worked upon. All  six submarines are being constructed under Project P-75. With these, India will be further strengthening its position as a submarine-building nation.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Music Director Issac Thomas Kottukapally passes away: Music director Issac Thomas Kottukapally passed away in Chennai. He was 72. Kottukapally had received the National Award for Best Background Music for Malayalam film ‘AdaminteMakan Abu’ in 2010.He had also received the State Film Awards for Best Background Music for four films — ‘Bhavam’ (2002), ‘Margam’ (2003), ‘Sancharam’ and ‘Oridam’ (2004). He composed music for many films including ‘Sancharam’, ‘KuttySrank’, ‘Swaham’, ‘Bhavam’ and ‘KunjananthanteKada’, among others.