Daily GK Update- 14th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Puducherry becomes ‘HarGhar Jal’ UT: Puducherry has achieved the target of 100% piped water connection in rural areas under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Earlier, Goa, Telangana and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have provided tap water supply to every rural home under Jal Jeevan Mission. So, Puducherry is the fourth State/UT to provide assured tap water supply to every rural home under Jal Jeevan Mission. Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented in partnership with States/ UTs to provide safe tap water to every rural home by 2024. The State of Punjab and the UTs of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu have covered over 75% of rural homes with assured tap water supply.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): It is a flagship programme of the Union Government. It was announced in August 2019. It aims to provide a tap water connection to every rural household of the country by 2024.

Note:  Chief Minister of Puducherry: N Rangasamy.

 

2. Padmakumar Nair Appointed As CEO of National Asset Reconstruction Company:Padmakumar M Nair has been appointed as the CEO of the proposed National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. Presently Padmakumar is the Chief General Manager of Stressed Assets Resolution Group at SBI.

About the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd:

(1) National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. is a proposed bad bank for taking over stressed assets of lenders and was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the budget for 2021-22 to consolidate and take over existing stressed assets of lenders and undertake their resolution.

(2) Bad bank refers to a financial institution that takes over the bad assets of lenders and undertakes resolution.

(3) National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) will pay up to 15 per cent of the agreed value for the loans in cash and the remaining 85 per cent would be government-guaranteed security receipts.

 

3. AstraZeneca Pledges $250,000 as Humanitarian Aid to Covid-Ravaged India: Drug major AstraZeneca said it has pledged $250,000 (over Rs 1.8 crore) in humanitarian aid to India to support relief activities amid the second wave of COVID-19 sweeping across the country. The aid to India is part of the USD 1 million which the British-Swedish multinational has earmarked for relief initiatives across communities which have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

 

4. Twitter Donates USD 15 Mn for Covid-19 Relief in India: Microblogging giant Twitter has donated USD 15 million to help address the Covid-19 crisis in India which is battling the unprecedented second wave of the deadly pandemic. The amount has been donated to three non-governmental organisations Care, Aid India and Sewa International USA. While CARE has been given USD 10 million, Aid India and Sewa International USA have received USD 2.5 million each. This grant will support the procurement of lifesaving equipment such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines as part of Sewa International’s Help India Defeat COVID-19′ campaign.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Hostilities between Israel and Hamas escalated after the air strikes: The Israeli military has bombarded rockets in different areas in Gaza. It is the most intense airstrikes in Gaza since 2014. Hamas had red hundreds of rockets towards Israel on Monday. After that, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Gaza. The Gaza-based Palestinian group, Hamas, had red rockets towards Israel in protest of the clash between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters in the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in Jerusalem. It is the third holiest place for Muslims.

About the Hamas: It was founded in 1987. It is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organization. It is active in the West Bank and Gaza Strip region of the Palestine. It opposes the secular approach of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Note: Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Currency: Israeli shekel; Prime Minister of Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu

 

2. India participates in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial: India participated in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) – the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region. The theme for this year is ‘Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic’. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Health and Family Welfare, and Earth Sciences, shared India’s vision and long-term plans for research, work, and cooperation in the Arctic region with the stakeholders.

The first two meetings—ASM1 and ASM2—were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively. ASM3, jointly organised by Iceland and Japan, is the first Ministerial meeting being held in Asia. The meeting is designed to provide opportunities to various stakeholders, including academia, indigenous communities, governments and policymakers, to enhance collective understanding of the Arctic region, emphasize and engage in constant monitoring, and strengthen observations.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling to retire after World Test Championship: New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling has announced he would be retiring from international cricket after the three Tests, including the World Test Championship final against India, on their upcoming England tour. Watling has played 73 Tests, 28 ODIs and 5 T20Is for the BlackCaps. Watling became just the 9th wicketkeeper to hit a double hundred and the first to hit a double against England when he did so in Bay Oval in 2019. Watling has been involved in two 350-plus stands, one with Brendon McCullum in 2014 against India and the other with Kane Williamson the following year.

Note: Prime minister of New Zealand: JacindaArdern; Capital of New Zealand: Wellington; Currency of New Zealand: New Zealand dollar.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Jana Small Finance Bank launches ‘I choose my number’ feature: Jana Small Finance Bank has announced the launch of the “I choose my number” feature for all its customers across India. This new feature gives the bank’s existing and new customers the option to select their favourite numbers as their savings or current account number.

About this new feature: The bank will allow its customers to choose their favourite numbers as the last 10 digits of their bank account, savings or current. The allocation of the account number chosen by the customer will be subject to the availability of the requested number. This added feature will help customers relate and connect to the bank more closely as they choose auspicious or lucky numbers.

Note: The tagline of Jana Small Finance Bank: ‘Paise Ki Kadar’; MD and CEO of Jana Small Finance Bank: Ajay Kanwal; Jana Small Finance Bank Founded: 24 July 2006; Jana Small Finance Bank Headquarters Location: Bengaluru.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Moody’s Projects India’s GDP Forecast for FY22 to 9.3%: The rating agency Moody’s has cut the gross domestic product (GDP) forecast of India for FY22 (01 April 2021-31 March 2022) to 9.3 per cent. Earlier this rate was projected at 13.7 per cent.  The downward revision in GDP estimates is due to the second wave of Covid infections across the country, which have triggered localised lockdowns and mobility curbs.

 

2. Nomura Revises GDP Growth Estimate of India in FY22 to 10.8%: Nomura has cut the GDP growth estimate of India for the current 2021-22 fiscal (FY22) to 10.8 per cent from the earlier projection of 12.6 per cent. The cut in the GDP rate is due to the impact of the second wave-induced lockdowns.

Note: Nomura is a Japanese brokerage having its headquarter in Tokyo.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. IREDA conferred with Green Urja Award: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) has been conferred with the “Green Urja Award” for being the Leading Public Institution in the Financing Institution for Renewable Energy this year by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). IREDA gets the award for the pivotal and developmental role it plays in Green Energy Financing. Despite the pandemic time, IREDA has ended the year 2020-21 ended on a strong note and disbursed the second-highest (from the date of inception) amount of loan amounting to Rs. 8827 crore, which indicates that IREDA has the ability to translate this problem into an opportunity.

About the award: The award recognises our immense contribution to the development of the Renewable Energy Sector in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

Note: IREDA Headquarters location: New Delhi; IREDA Founded: 11 March 1987.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian and Indonesian navies conduct exercise in Arabian Sea: The Indian and Indonesian Navies conducted Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the southern Arabian Sea with a focus on further improving their interoperability. The exercise was aimed at improving interoperability and understanding between both the friendly navies. From the Indian Navy, INS Sharda, an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) with a Chetak helicopter participated in the exercise. From the Indonesian Navy, KRI Sultan Hasanudin, a 90m Corvette took part in the exercise.

About the PASSEX:PASSEXes are regularly conducted by IN with units of Friendly Foreign Countries. The last PASSEX between IN and the Indonesian Navy was conducted on 13 Mar 21 between INS Kalpeni, IN Dornier and KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda.

Note: Indonesia President: Joko Widodo; Indonesia Capital: Jakarta; Indonesia Currency: Indonesian Rupiah;

Chief of Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh; Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy): New Delhi.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Freedom fighter Anup Bhattacharya passes away: Freedom fighter and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra musician, Anup Bhattacharya passed away. During the liberation war of Bangladesh, he worked as the composer and music director at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. He is also a founder member of the RabindraSangeetShilpiSangstha. His ever-present liberation songs including “Teer Hara EiDheu-erSagor,” “RoktoDiyeNaamLikhhechhi,” “PurboDigonteSurjoUtheche,” and “NongorToloTolo” inspired the liberation war fighters during 1971. Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was the medium for radio broadcasting in 1971.