Daily GK Updates – 25th Feb, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dr Harsh Vardhan launches Mission Indradhanush 3.0: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0, (IMI 3.0), to expand immunization coverage across the country. The focus of IMI 3.0 will be on children and pregnant women who missed their vaccine doses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About Intensified Mission Indradhanush 3.0: The IMI 3.0 will have two rounds, of 15 days each.

The first round will begin on February 22, 2021, and the second round will begin on March 22, 2021. The vaccination drive will be conducted in pre-identified 250 districts and urban areas across 29 States and UTs in the country to reach out to every dropped out and left out the child and pregnant woman.

What is Mission Indradhanush: The scheme was launched in 2014 to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to all citizens of the country. It aims to immunise all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against eight vaccine-preventable diseases. These diseases are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B.

 

2. PM Modi inaugurates Oil & Gas projects in Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated to the nation INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil’s Bongaigaon Refinery, Oil India Limited’s Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh, and a Gas Compressor Station at Hebeda Village, Makum, Tinsukia remotely from Dhemaji in Assam. He also inaugurated the Dhemaji Engineering College and laid the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College in Assam. During the visit, PM dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of the following projects:

(1) INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil’s Bongaigaon Refinery

(2) Oil India Limited’s Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh – Rs 490 crore

(3) Gas Compressor Station at Hebeda Village, Makum, Tinsukia – Rs 132 Crore

(4) Dhemaji Engineering College – Rs 45 Crore

(5) Laid the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College – Rs 55 crore.

Note: Assam CM: SarbanandaSonowal.; Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi.

 

3. 47th Khajuraho Dance Festival 2021 begins: The 47th Khajuraho Dance Festival began in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh which is based on the Indian classical dance tradition. Khajuraho Temples come alive with splendour, beams, and the hustle-bustle of art lovers at the Festival. The first-day event is dedicated to Bharatanatyam performance by GeetaChandran and her troupe and Kathak performance by Deepak Maharaj.

About the festival: The festival is being organized by the Culture Department through UstadAlauddin Khan Music and Arts Academy Bhopal.  This year festival will give the audience a chance to watch the performance of the dancers amid the aura of the temple as the event is being held once again in the temple complex of the Western Temple Group of Khajuraho after a gap of 44 years. The festival was hosted each year at the magnificent city of Khajuraho located in the district of Chhatarpur, the artists perform in the backdrop of historical monuments.

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

4. Home Minister released a book ‘RashtraPratham – 82 varshonkiSwarnim Gatha’: Home Minister Amit Shah has released a book ‘RashtraPratham – 82 varshonkiSwarnim Gatha’ in New Delhi. The book chronicles the glorious history of CRPF since its raising in 1939 and it has detailed and thoroughly researched accounts of CRPF’s journey, challenges, successes, and sacrifices and said it will become a source of inspiration for personnel joining the force. CRPF jawans have always remained at the forefront be it in Left Wing Extremism affected areas, borders or providing security ring to the Indian Parliament.

 

5. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Resigns: The Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Puducherry, V Narayanasamy has submitted the letter of his resignation and his council of ministers on February 22, 2021, to Lieutenant Governor TamilisaiSoundararajan. The decision was taken as the Congress-led Government in the UT lost its majority in the House, which is 14. Following a series of resignations, the ruling government was reduced to a strength of 12. Two MLA resigned in January 2021 while 2 resigned in February 2021.

 

6. CEAT signs Rana Daggubati as brand ambassador: Tyre maker CEAT has roped in actor Rana Daggubati as its brand ambassador for promoting the ‘Puncture Safe’ range of bike tyres. As part of an integrated marketing campaign across all five southern states, Daggubati will feature in the new commercial for these tyres to be aired across TV and digital platforms.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India & Ethiopia Sign Agreements on Visa Facilitation and Leather Technology: India and Ethiopia signed two agreements related to visa facilitation and leather technology. The Ethiopia Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, DemekeMekonnenHassen is on a 4-day visit to India to hold useful and productive discussions on a range of bilateral and regional issues.During the course of meetings, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Ethiopian minister Hassen agreed to expand India and Ethiopia bilateral agenda especially defence, economic, S&T, digital and cultural cooperation.

Note: Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa; Ethiopia Currency: Ethiopian Birr; Ethiopia President: Sahle-Work Zewde; Ethiopia Prime minister: Abiy Ahmed.

 

2. India & Maldives sign 5 deals to boost infrastructure: External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar was on a two-day official visit to the archipelago nation the Maldives to review bilateral ties and development cooperation. During this visit, Mr S Jaishankar handed over 1 lakh additional doses of the made-in-India COVID-19 vaccine to the Maldives. With this, the total Covid vaccine doses gifted by India for the Maldives reaches two lakh. Jaishankar also offered a $40-million line of credit (LoC) to support the development of sports infrastructure in the Maldives. Apart from this, five pacts were signed between India and Maldives to boost infrastructure in the island nation. They included:

(1) Amendatory Agreement to repurpose an older EXIM Bank of India Line of Credit of USD 25 million for Road Devt.

(2) Letter of Intent between EXIM Bank and local authorities for financing a housing project of 2000 units in Hulhumale.

(3) MoU on grant funding USD 0.5 million for a fish processing plant in Kendhikulhudhoo in the northern Maldives.

(4) MoU on capacity building and exchange of content and expertise between PrasarBharati and Public State Media, Maldives.

(5) MoU on sustainable urban development between MoHUA and Ministry of national planning, housing and infrastructure, Maldives.

Note: President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih; Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa.

 

3. Indian Oil signs pact with Greenstat Norway for hydrogen fuel: Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has signed a Statement of Intent with Greenstat Hydrogen India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Greenstat Norway, to set up a Centre of Excellence on Hydrogen. Under this association, a Center of Excellence on Hydrogen (CoE-H) including CCUS and Fuel Cells, would be developed for clean energy by IndianOil and M/s Greenstat in cooperation with Indo-Norwegian Hydrogen Cluster companies/organizations.

Benefits: Facilitate transfer and sharing of technology, know-how and experience through the green Hydrogen value chain and other relevant technologies including hydrogen storage and fuel cells. CoE-H will be a vehicle for promoting R&D projects in Green and Blue Hydrogen between Norwegian and Indian R&D institutions/universities.

Note: Indian Oil Corporation Limited Headquarters: New Delhi, India; Indian Oil Corporation Limited Chairman: ShrikantMadhav Vaidya.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. World’s biggest cricket stadium set for first match: President Ram NathKovind has inaugurated the newly revamped Motera cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, which has been renamed the Narendra Modi Stadium. The biggest cricket stadium in the world will hold its first international match, with the newly renovated Sardar Patel Stadium to host the third Test between India and England. Both India and England had a forgettable outing in their last pink-ball outings.

About the stadium: The stadium was first opened in the early 1980s but has recently been rebuilt and now has a seating capacity of 110,000. Motera currently is the biggest cricket stadium in the world in terms of capacity. The last time when India played a cricket match at Motera was way back in 2014.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI brings State Bank of Sikkim under its regulatory purview: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has brought the State Bank of Sikkim under its regulation. Till now, RBI had the right and obligation to function as a banker to all the state government except for the state government of Sikkim. Now the bank will be regulated by the RBI on a par with other banks, however, the bank’s ownership structure will not change. About State Bank of Sikkim:

(1) The State Bank of Sikkim was established as an autonomous body wholly owned by the Government of Sikkim, in the year 1968, five years before Sikkim became part of India in 1973.

(2) It was established under the State Bank of Sikkim Proclamation, 1968.

(3) The bank provides treasury operations for the state government and operates only within the jurisdiction of Sikkim.

(4) The bank currently has 42 branch offices and operates three revenue counters for government works.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. S&P Global Ratings: India to be among fastest growing emerging economies in FY22: The S&P Global Ratings has projected that India will be one of the fastest-growing emerging market economies in the fiscal year 2021-22, with a GDP growth rate of 10 per cent. The continuous good performance by the agriculture sector, flattening of COVID-19 infection curve, pickup in government spending and the recently released budget are some of the factors for the positive growth prospect of the country.

Note: S&P Global Ratings Headquarters: New York, United States; President of S&P Global Ratings: John Berisford.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. L&T delivers 100th K9 Vajra howitzer to Indian Army: Army Chief Gen ManojNaravane has flagged off the 100th K9 Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzer built by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at its armoured system complex at Hazira in Gujarat. L&T had completed the delivery of all the howitzers under the contract awarded in May 2017 ahead of schedule.

About the K9 Vajra programme: The K9 Vajra programme involved the delivery of 100 howitzers with associated engineering support package covering spares, system documentation and training. It also involves the maintenance transfer of technology to an army base workshop to support the howitzers throughout their operational life cycle.

Note: L&T CEO: S. N. Subrahmanyan; L&T Founded: 7 February 1938; L&T Headquarters: Mumbai; L&T Chairman: Anil ManibhaiNaik.

 

2. Indian and Indonesian Navies Conduct PASSEX Exercise: The Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy conducted the Passage Exercise (PASSEX) on February 18, 2021, in the Arabian Sea. The military exercise between the navies of both countries aims to enhance operational interoperability and overall cooperation among them. Indian naval ship INS Talwar and the Indonesian Navy’s multirole corvette KRI Bung Tomo participated in the exercise.