Daily GK Update - 30th March, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dr Harsh Vardhan launches ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ in pursuit of TB Mukt Bharat: Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ in pursuit of TB Mukt Bharat. The government accords top priority to ensuring Universal Access to free treatment and care for TB across the country. A Guidance Note on Joint Action Plan for Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination, a Special Edition of Tribal Ministry’s Publication ‘ALEKH’ on TB, and a document on Tribal Tuberculosis (TB) Initiative was also released at the event. He said the government has already increased the Budget allocation for TB in India four-fold in the last five years. Dr Harsh Vardhan said the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and the district of Badgam in Jammu and Kashmir have been declared TB Free on World TB Day this year.

2. 7th annual summit of NATHEALTH: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan, addressed the 7th annual summit of NATHEALTH. The summit focused on ‘Indian Health system expansion in post-COVID era’. While addressing the summit the minister reiterated the commitments of the government for fulfilling the goal of Health for all.

The primary vision of the policy-framework is to attain highest possible level of health and well-being for all irrespective of all age groups. To attain this vision, the policy emphasizes on preventive & promotive aspects of health and providing universal access to good quality healthcare services. Government also launched Ayushman Bharat program with the objective of providing Universal Free Access to primary health care, promoting health and wellbeing.

3. BCAS signs agreement with Yamuna International Airport for civil aviation security: A Letter of Agreement (LoA) was signed between the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) in New Delhi. The LoA defines provisions for civil aviation security responsibilities and functions at the upcoming international airport at Jewar, Noida. The Letter of Agreement stipulates the civil aviation security responsibilities and functions and implement the tasks relating to civil aviation security, defined, and allocated for implementation of various aspects of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP) at Noida International Airport. The contract of construction of the airport has been awarded to YIAPL, which is a joint venture of the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the Government of Uttar Pradesh, and Zurich international airport.

4. Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre inaugurated at Khajuraho under Swadesh Darshan Scheme: The Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan jointly inaugurated the ‘Maharaja Chhatrasal Convention Centre at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The Convention Centre has been developed under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, adding another feather to the UNESCO world Heritage site at Khajuraho. This new venue will cater to the business needs, by hosting meetings and conferences. The convention Centre is equipped with all modern amenities and infrastructure to offer a secure space to host corporate banquets for teams both large and small amidst a soothing decor and ambience.

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

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New Zealand passes miscarriages bereavement leave law: New Zealand’s parliament has passed legislation giving mothers and their partners the right to paid leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth, becoming only the second country in the world to do so. India is the only other country with similar legislation. The leave provisions apply to mothers, their partners as well as parents planning to have a child through adoption or surrogacy. One in four New Zealand women has had a miscarriage. The bill will give women and their partners time to come to terms with their loss without having to tap into sick leave. Because their grief is not a sickness, it is a loss. New Zealand was the first country in the world to give voting rights to women and has been a pioneer on issues around woman’s rights.

Note: Prime minister of New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern; Capital of New Zealand: Wellington; The currency of New Zealand: New Zealand dollar.

2. India, Bangladesh sign five MoUs in various fields: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina and discussed the progress achieved in areas like connectivity, energy, trade, health and developmental cooperation following which the two countries signed five MoUs covering a number of areas of bilateral cooperation. Mr. Modi, who is visiting Bangladesh on his first trip to a foreign country since the outbreak of the coronavirus, held one-on-one talks with Ms. Hasina which was followed by delegation-level meeting which continued for over an hour. The two sides signed five Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) covering areas such as connectivity, commerce, information technology and sports.

In a humanitarian gesture, Mr. Modi handed over a representational key of 109 ambulances to his counterpart Hasina. He also handed over a representational box to her as a symbol of India's gift of 1.2 million COVID vaccine doses to Bangladesh. Ms. Hasina presented a gold and a silver coin released on the occasion of the birth centenary of her father and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Modi. She also handed over a silver coin released on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's Independence.

3. Pakistan successfully test fires nuclear-capable ballistic missile Shaheen 1-A: Pakistan successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 900 kilometres. The test of Shaheen-1A surface to surface ballistic missile, was aimed at re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system including advanced navigation system, the media wing of the Pakistani army - the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.

 OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India tops the medals tally with 15 gold at Delhi ISSF Shooting World Cup: India finished at the top of the medals table at the 2021 ISSF World Cup New Delhi, held from 18 to 29 March 2021 at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. India secured 30 medals which included 15 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze. The USA came second with eight medals including four gold, three silver and one bronze.

Gold Medal Winners:

Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar: Men’s 50-metre rifle three positions

Saurabh Chaudhary, Shahzar Rizvi and Abhishek Verma: Men’s 10-metre air pistol team event

Swapnil Kusale, Chain Singh and Neeraj Kumar: Men’s 50-metre rifle three positions team event

Gurjoat Khangura, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa and Mairaj Ahmad Khan: Men’s Skeet team event

Kynan Chenai, Prithviraj Toidaiman, Lakshay: Men’s Trap team event

Chinki Yadav: Women’s 25-metre pistol

Yashaswini Singh Deswal: Women’s 10-metre air pistol

Yashaswini Singh Deswal, Manu Bhaker, Shri Nivetha Paramanantham: Women’s 10-metre air pistol team

Rahi Sarnobat, Manu Bhaker, Chinki Yadav: Women’s 25-metre pistol event

Rajeshwari Kumar, Shreyasi Singh, Manisha Keer: Women’s Trap event

Saurabh Chaudhary/Manu Bhaker: 10-metre air pistol Mixed Team event

Divyansh Singh Panwar/Elavenil Valarivan: 10-metre air rifle Mixed Team

Tejaswini/Vijayveer Sidhu: 25-metre rapid-fire Pistol Mixed Team

Sanjeev Rajput/Tejaswini Sawant: 50-metre rifle three positions Mixed Team

Angad Vir Singh Bajwa/Ganemat Sekhon: Trap Mixed Team

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI Extends Restrictions on PMC Bank until June 30, 2021: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that the restrictions on withdrawals and deposits in the scam-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank have been extended till June 30, 2021. The restrictions on the bank’s activity were first placed in September 2019, after the central bank took cognisance of a major financial irregularity. The restrictions were consecutively extended, and were set to expire on March 31, 2021. The RBI, however, has decided to maintain the status quo for at least three more months. In this period, it would continue to engage with prospective investors for the bank’s reconstruction. PMC Bank had received binding offers from certain investors for its reconstruction, in response to the expression of interest (EOI) floated by the bank on November 3 last year.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. S&P raises India’s FY22 GDP growth forecast to 11% from 10%: S&P Global Ratings raised India’s growth forecast for the financial year 2021-22 to 11% from 10% earlier, led by an expansionary fiscal policy aimed at boosting domestic private spending. It has also raised the 2021 growth forecast for China to 8% from 7% on stronger-than-expected exports and lingering momentum in the property market.

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

2. Adani Ports to buy 58% stake in Gangavaram Port: Adani Ports announced that it will acquire a 58% stake in Gangavaram Port Limited (GPL) held by D.V.S Raju and family for Rs 3,604 crore. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will take the stake of the private multi-port operator to 89.6% in GPL. Earlier this month, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) announced the acquisition of Warburg Pincus's 31.5% stake in GPL.

Located in proximity to the Vizag Port, Gangavaram Port is the second largest non-major port in Andhra Pradesh and is in the business of handling several types of dry and bulk commodities comprising iron ore, limestone, sugar, coal, fertiliser, bauxite, alumina, and steel. Currently, GPL operates 9 berths and has free-hold land of 1,800 acres. With a master plan capacity of 250 MTPA with 31 berths, the port has sufficient headroom to support future growth.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘Hamnet’ wins book critics award for fiction: Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, an imagined take on the death of Shakespeare’s son from the bubonic plague, has won the National Book Critics Circle prize for fiction. Hamnet, an unfortunately well-timed story for the current pandemic, explores the impact of the boy’s illness and death on his family. He was Shakespeare’s only son, and scholars have long speculated about his influence if any on “Hamlet,” which Shakespeare worked on in the years following Hamnet’s death.

Another winner in a different category: Tom Zoellner’s Island on Fire: The Revolt That Ended Slavery in the British Empire won for nonfiction, and Amy Stanley’s Stranger in the Shogun’s City: A Japanese Woman and Her World was the winner in biography. The autobiography award went to Cathy Park Hong for Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning.

OBITUARIES

1. Former RBI Deputy Governor KC Chakrabarty passes away: Former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor, KC Chakrabarty passed away. He was the deputy governor of the central bank between 15 June 2009 and 25 April 2014 when he demitted office three months before his term was to end. Prior to the stint, he had served as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Punjab National Bank (2007-2009), and CMD of Indian Bank (2005-2007). Chakrabarty started his career as a banker with the Bank of Baroda where his last assignment was to head the UK operations of the bank between 2001 and 2004.