Daily GK Update - 7th April, 2021

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Bank, AIIB approve loan for USD 300 million projects to Punjab: The World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) have approved the loan for USD 300 million (about Rs 2,190 crore) canal-based drinking water projects in Punjab. The project is aimed at ensuring quality drinking water and minimise water losses for Amritsar and Ludhiana. The entire project will be co-financed by IBRD (World Bank) – USD 105 million, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank – USD 105 million and the Punjab government – USD 90 million. About the projects:

(1) The Infrastructure has been designed to meet the water demand for 30 years. It would benefit the residents of Amritsar with an estimated population of 14.51 lakh for 2025 and 22.11 lakh for 2055.

(2) At present, the Canal Based Water Supply Project for Amritsar has been awarded to M/s Larsen & Toubro Limited at a contract amount of Rs.784.33 Crore.

(3) The total estimated Design-Build Cost of the Ludhiana Project is Rs.1093.92 Crore and the period for completion of the same is 36 months.

(4) The estimated Operation & Maintenance cost is Rs.270.73 Crore for 10 years. The total amount for the project comes out to Rs.1364.65 Crore.

Note: Punjab CM: Captain Amarinder Singh; Punjab Governor: V.P.Singh Badnore

President of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Jin Liqun; Headquarters of AIIB: Beijing, China; AIIB established: 16 January 2016.

2. India’s biggest floating solar power plant to be set up in Telangana: The biggest floating solar power plant in India is to be set up at Ramagundam in Telangana. It is expected to be opened in May 2021. The cost of the project has been estimated as Rs 423 crores. The power plant will have 4.5 lakh photovoltaic panels.

About the Power Plant: The solar power plant is being set up at the Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant reservoir. The solar power plant is to be set up in 450 acres of the reservoir. The project is commissioned by NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation). NTPC aims to reduce its carbon footprints and increase its green energy production to 30% of its capacity through this solar power plant. The capacity of the solar power plant is 100 MW.

Note: Telangana Capital: Hyderabad; Telangana Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan; Telangana Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao.

3. IIT Kanpur develops touch-sensitive watch for the visually impaired: A professor and a research associate at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, (IIT-K) have developed a novel touch-sensitive watch for the use of visually impaired people to sense time accurately. The watch was developed by prof Siddhartha Panda and Vishwaraj Srivastava of IIT Kanpur.

About the watch: The watch we have developed is a haptic watch with a tactile interface that makes it easy for visually impaired people to read the time easily. The watch has tactile hour indicators of different shapes that make it easy for visually impaired people to recognise them. The user has to touch and scan the touch-sensitive watch’s hour indicators and with the help of different vibration patterns, the watch communicates back the time information that is easily perceived by the user. This way, the person is able to read the time.

4. Finance Ministry releases Rs 45,000 crore as additional devolution to States in FY 2020-21: Finance Ministry has released 45 thousand crore rupees as additional devolution to States in Financial Year 2020-21. This is an increase of 8.2 per cent over Revised Estimates 2020-21. As per the Revised Estimates 2020-21, 5 lakh 49 thousand 959 crore rupees being 41 per cent of the shareable pool of taxes and duties were estimated to be released to the States. However, Ministry of Finance has devolved an amount of 5 lakh 94 thousand 996 crore rupees, based on the initial estimates of shareable pool that would be collected in 2020-21.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Health Day: 7th April: The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated on 7 April every year. On April 7th every year, governmental as well as non-governmental health organizations organize events that focus on promoting healthier habits of living. From exciting activities to pledges and support plans, these events aim to create awareness about what can increase the life expectancy of people around the world. The Theme of World Health Day 2021: “Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone”.

History of World Health Day: In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO’s founding and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.

Note: President of the World Health Organisation: Tedros Adhanom; Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland; WHO founded: 7 April 1948.

2. International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide: 7th April: International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda observed globally on 7 April every year. The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was announced by the United General Assembly in 2003. On April 7th, the date where the genocide against members of the Tutsi began. For approximately 100 days, over 800,000 Tutsi were assassinated. UNESCO aims to educate the world population regarding genocides and the consequences of the crime. UNESCO is committed to promoting education about genocides as a means to sensitize learners for the causes, dynamics and consequences of such crimes and to strengthen their resilience against all forms of discrimination.

Note: UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946; UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; UNESCO Director-General: Audrey Azoulay.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 SPORTS

1. Shabir Khandwawala appointed new BCCI ACU chief: Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala, who has served as the Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) before, is the new BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit chief. The 70-year-old, a 1973 batch IPS officer, takes over from Ajit Singh whose tenure ended on March 31. After retiring as Gujarat DGP in late 2010, Khandwawala worked with the Essar Group as an advisor and was also part of the central government’s Lokpal Search Committee.

Note: Secretary of BCCI: Jay Shah; President of BCCI: Sourav Ganguly; Headquarters of BCCI: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Founded: December 1928.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI deputy governor BP Kanungo retires: BP Kanungo has stepped down from the post of the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India after his term ended on 2 April, cutting short all expectations of an extension of his tenure. He was appointed deputy governor in 2017 for three years. His term was extended by one more year in 2020. The other deputy governors of the RBI are Rajeshwar Rao, M.K. Jain and Michael Patra.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. NPCI transfers Bharat Bill Payments business to its new subsidiary NBBL: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has transferred all its Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) transaction business to NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NPCI. All licensed bill processors on the Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOU), i.e. the banks and payment aggregators, have been directed to start accounting their billing transactions under NBBL from April 1 2021.

The decision to set up a separate subsidiary for bill payment business aims to scale growth of the interoperable bill platform by giving it increased autonomy in operations and onboarding of new billers. BBPS is an interoperable bill payments platform set up in 2013, for use by banks, fintech companies and biller merchants to automate bill collection and request solutions.

Note: National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe; National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai; National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008.

2. Digit Insurance roped Virat Kohli as brand ambassador: Digit Insurance has roped in cricketer Virat Kohli as its brand ambassador. Kohli has also invested in Digit Insurance in the past. Digit Insurance, a general insurance company that became the first unicorn of 2021 with a valuation of $1.9B. With this association, the company aims to carry the message of ‘making insurance simple’ through the cricketer. Digit was able to get the Indian Men’s Cricket Team Captain to invest in the company before he planned to become the face for the brand.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Suman Chakraborty to get 30th GD Birla Award for Scientific Research: Professor Suman Chakraborty has been selected for the 30th GD Birla Award for Scientific Research for his outstanding contribution to engineering science and its applications in developing technologies for affordable healthcare. He is a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur’s department of mechanical engineering. He is credited with establishing the first microfluidics laboratory in the framework of an academic institution in India to facilitate the study of how tiny volumes of fluids flow through small channels. Apart from being a reputable academic, Chakraborty has invented technologies that have not only been patented but also licensed to industrial houses for commercialisation.

About the award: Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and outstanding contributions to any branch of science or technology. It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh. The recipient is chosen by a selection board, whose present head is professor Chandrima Shaha, the president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA).

 OBITUARIES

1. Malayalam screenwriter P. Balachandran passes away: Malayalam screenwriter, filmmaker, dramatist and actor, P. Balachandran has passed away. He is best known for the play Paavam Usman for which he won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Kerala Professional Nataka Award in the year 1989. Balachandran has scripted many films including Ulladakkam (1991), Pavithram (1994), Agnidevan (1995), Punaradhivasam (2000), and Kammatti Paadam (2016). His directorial debut is Ivan Megharoopan (2012). He has also acted in a few films, the most notable being Trivandrum Lodge (2012).