Daily GK Updates - 22nd April, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India elected to 3 bodies of U.N. Economic and Social Council: India has been elected by acclamation, to three bodies of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2022. These UN Bodies are:

1. Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice:

(a) India was elected by acclamation to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2022.

(b) Established in 1992, it is the principal policy-making body of the UN in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

(c) Chair (at the 30th session) – Alessandro Cortese of Italy | Headquarters – Vienna, Austria.

2. Executive Board of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women):

(a) India was elected by acclamation to the Executive Board of the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (U.N. Women) for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2022.

(b) It became operational in 2011, it is a United Nations entity working for the empowerment of women.

(c) Executive Director – PhumzileMlambo-Ngcuka | Headquarters – New York, USA.

3. Executive Board of the World Food Programme:

(a) India was elected to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme, along with France, Ghana, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Sweden by acclamation for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2022.

(b) Established in 1961, WFP is the food assistance branch of the United Nations.

(c) Executive Director – David Beasley | Headquarters – Rome, Italy.

Note: UN Economic and Social Council President: MunirAkram; UN Economic and Social Council Headquarters: New York, USA.

 

2. Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval for Govt amendments to Finance Bill, 2021: The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval for the Government amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 enacted on 28th March this year as the Finance Act, 2021. The amendments were essential to clarify and rationalise the proposals further and address stakeholders concerns arising out of amendments proposed in the Finance Bill. The Government amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 shall provide equity and inclusiveness to all the taxpayers by addressing stakeholders concerns arising out of amendments proposed in the Bill. The Government amendments to the Finance Bill, 2021 are tax proposals which shall generate timely revenue for the Government and streamline existing provisions by addressing grievances of the taxpayers.

 

3. NGT forms National Task Force to combat air pollution: Noting that about 1.5 million people in India die annually due to air pollution, the National Green Tribunal has formed an eight-member National Task Force (NTF) to monitor remedial steps to improve the status of air quality. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel observed that a holistic and coordinated effort at all levels in the government was required. The NTF will comprise senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs, Petroleum, Transport, Power, Agriculture, Health and the Central Pollution Control Board.

 

4. West Bengal govt forms 4-member Task Force on augmentation of covid beds in private hospitals: The West Bengal government forms a 4-member Task Force on augmentation of COVID beds in private hospitals and nursing homes to mitigate the surging impact of covid19 cases in the state. Sanjay Bansal, Secretary in Health & Family Welfare Dept to chair the task force & act as State Nodal Officer. Besides that, RT-PCR test is made mandatory for the people coming from other states.

Note: Governor of West Bengal: JagdipDhankhar; CM of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India-Germany enter into agreement to prevent plastic waste entering oceans: The Government of India and Germany have signed an agreement for Technical Cooperation in enhancing practices to prevent plastic from entering the marine environment at a virtual ceremony in New Delhi. The project titled ‘Cities Combating Plastic Entering the Marine Environment’ will be implemented for a period of three and a half years. The outcome of the project is completely in line with the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban focusing on sustainable solid waste management and Prime Minister Modi’s vision to phase out single-use plastic by 2022.

The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India and Deutsche GesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH India on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. It will be undertaken at the national level (at MoHUA), select states (Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and in the cities of Kanpur, Kochi and Port Blair.

Note: Germany Capital: Berlin, Currency: Euro, Chancellor: Angela Merkel.

 

2. India holds National Dialogue on UN Food Systems Summit 2021: The United Nations Secretary General has called for the first ever UN Food Systems Summit to be held in September 2021 to strategize the actions for positive change in Agri-food systems in the World to realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Summit will focus on levers and pathways to shape food systems nationally and globally to accelerate progress in the SDGs. The first National Dialogue on Agri-Food System was held. The National Dialogue was facilitated by the Inter departmental Group constituted by Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare and the representatives from UN Agencies in Delhi.

 

3. International Mother Earth Day: 22 April: Earth Day or International Mother Earth Day is observed globally on 22 April every year. The Day will be celebrated all over the world to spread awareness for Earth’s wellbeing and to encourage people to support environmental protection. World Earth Day 2021 will mark the 51st Anniversary of the day since it started being observed in 1970. Earth Day was renamed officially by the UN in 2009 as International Mother Earth Day. The theme of 2021 International Mother Earth Day is Restore Our Earth.

History of Earth Day: It was in the year 1970 when about 20 million Americans realized that protecting Mother Earth is an absolutely crucial need. Hence, it was this year when Earth Day was observed for the very first time. Every year billions of people across the world participate in different activities such as planting trees, cleaning campaigns, and others to offer their bit to Mother Nature.

Note: UNEP Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya; UNEP Head: Inger Andersen; UNEP Founder: Maurice Strong; UNEP Founded: 5 June 1972, Nairobi, Kenya.

 

4. International Girls in ICT Day: 22 April: International Girls in ICT Day marked annually on the fourth Thursday in April. This year International Girls in ICT Day is observed on 22nd April 2021. International Girls in ICT Day aims to inspire a global movement to increase the representation of girls and women in technology. Today, let’s recommit to the goal of equal access for young women and girls to opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math. The United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is highlighting the need to promote technology career opportunities for girls and women in the world’s fastest-growing sector.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Tamil Nadu’s Arjun Kalyan becomes 68th Indian Grandmaster: Tamil Nadu’s, Arjun Kalyan became India’s 68th Chess Grandmaster when he crossed the 2500 ELO mark after beating Dragan Kosic in the fifth round of GM Round Robin “Rujna Zore-3” in Serbia. Arjun is coached by IM Saravanan and Ukrainian GM AleksandrGoloshchapov and began playing chess at the age of nine and got his FIDE rating a year later. Viswanathan Anand became the country’s first Grandmaster, in 1988.

Note: The World Chess Federation, known as FIDE headquarters: Lausanne (Switzerland).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Indiabulls partners with HDFC Ltd to offer home loans: Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd (IBH) said it has entered into a strategic co-lending partnership with housing finance major HDFC Ltd to offer housing loans to homebuyers at competitive rates. IBH will originate retail home loans as per jointly drawn up credit policy and retain 20% of the loan in it’s books and 80% will be on HDFC books. IBH will service the loan account throughout the life cycle of the loan. A Co-lending partnership with HDFC Ltd will act as a cornerstone to IBH’s new balance-sheet light growth business model.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Care Ratings Projects India’s GDP growth forecast at 10.2% for FY22: Care Ratings has revised downwards the GDP growth forecast of India to 10.2 per cent in 2021-22 (FY22). Earlier this was estimated between 10.7-10.9 per cent. This cut in the GDP is based on the fact that economic activities are getting affected across the country due to curbs imposed by states amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

 

2. Tech Mahindra acquires DigitalOnUS for $120 million: IT major Tech Mahindra has acquired the entire stake in US-headquartered hybrid cloud and DevOps services provider DigitalOnUS for $120 million, including retention bonus and earnout payments. The acquisition will strengthen Tech Mahindra’s cloud-native development, hybrid cloud infrastructure and site reliability engineering automation. The transaction is expected to close by May 15.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former RBI Governor MaidavoluNarasimham passes away: The former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor MaidavoluNarasimham, has passed away. He was famously known as the “Father of Indian Banking Reforms”. He was the 13th Governor of RBI and served from May 2, 1977, to November 30, 1977.  He was known for being the chair of two high-powered committees on banking and financial sector reforms.

 

2. Former US Vice President Walter Mondale Passes Away: Former American politician, diplomat, and lawyer Walter Mondale, who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States, has passed away. He served as Vice President from 1977 to 1981 under President Jimmy Carter. He also served as U.S. ambassador to Japan from 1993 to 1996 under Bill Clinton.

 

3. Eminent Bengali poet Shankha Ghosh passes away: Noted Bengali poet, Shankha Ghosh has passed away following COVID-19 complications. He was known by his pen name Kuntak. He was honoured with numerous awards for his contribution to Bengali literature, some of which includes: Padma Bhushan in 2011, the Jnanpith Award in 2016, and the SahityaAkademi Award in 1977 for his book ‘BabarerPrarthana‘, as well as SaraswatiSamman and RabindraPuraskar among other awards.