Daily GK Update- 6th, May 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha announces Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana: Odisha government has announced Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana for journalists. Odisha has declared the journalists as frontline Covid warriors. It will benefit more than 6500 journalists of the state. Under the Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana, a health insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to each Journalist. Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs 15 lakh will be provided to the families of journalists who died from COVID-19 while performing duty.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik and Governor is Ganeshi Lal.

 

2. Nation’s first ‘Drive in Vaccination Center’ unveiled in Mumbai: The Nation’s first ‘Drive in Vaccination Center’ was inaugurated by MP Rahul Shewale in Mumbai. This center has been set up in the parking lot of Kohinoor Square Tower at Dadar. This first of its kind ‘Drive-in Vaccination Center’ facility has been made available to the citizens at a time when people with disabilities are facing difficulties in getting to the vaccination center. The center also provides transportation facilities to the citizens who do not have their own vehicles. The vaccination has been started and the facility is available for all sections of society. MP Rahul Shewale informed that this facility will be provided in other multi-parking lots in the city, after assessing the success of this first project.

Note: Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai; Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.

 

3. Kerala CM PinarayiVijayan submits resignation to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan: PinarayiVijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, has submitted his resignation letter to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on May 03, 2021. Vijayan will continue to serve as chief minister till the new government is sworn in. He was serving as the 12th CM of Kerala since 25 May 2016. He was the leader of the ruling CPI (M)-headed Left Democratic Front (LDF).

 

4. French firm Alstom delivers 100th electric locomotive to Indian Railways: Alstom has successfully manufactured and delivered the 100th electric locomotive to the Indian Railways, the French multinational rolling stock manufacturer said. Built in one of the country’s largest integrated Greenfield manufacturing facilities, these are the most powerful made-in-India electric locomotives. As part of the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) project of the railways, the Ministry of Railways and Alstom signed a contract worth 350 crore euros (Rs 25,000 crore) in 2015 and created a joint venture. The contract allowed for the manufacture of 800 double-section, 12,000-horsepower electric locomotives for freight service and associated maintenance for a period of 11 years.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India-UK Unveil 10-year Road Map for Stronger Bilateral Trade Partnership: The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson held a virtual Summit meeting on May 04, 2021. During the Summit meeting, both the leaders unveiled an ambitious 10-year road map to elevate the India-UK bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new India-UK trade investment worth £1 billion.

Apart from this, India and the UK inked nine pacts. These pacts were in areas such as migration and mobility, digital and technology, telecommunications, energy and medicines, counter-terrorism, besides agreeing to boost collaboration in dealing with climate change through a new partnership on renewables and power. They also launched Enhanced Trade Partnership, which included negotiation for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA), including consideration of an interim trade agreement to deliver early gains. The two nations set an ambitious target of more than doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

 

2. World Athletics Day 2021: 5th May: The World Athletics Day 2021 was observed on 05 May 2021. The day aims to boost participation in athletics among youngsters and make people aware of the various health issues and create awareness about the importance of fitness. World Athletics Day was introduced in 1996 by then-president of International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) Primo Nebiolo. The date to celebrate this day is different every year and is decided by IAAF, but the month remains the same which is May.

 

3. International No Diet Day: 6th May: International No Diet Day is observed on May 6, and its symbol is a light blue ribbon. It is an annual celebration of body acceptance, including fat acceptance and body shape diversity. It means recognising that your body is beautiful exactly as it is and worry less about your weight, body shape and more about being healthy and active. The day is dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle with a focus on health at any size and in raising awareness of the potential dangers of dieting and the unlikelihood of success.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. NuwanZoysa banned for 6 years for breaching ICC’s anti-corruption code: Former Sri Lanka player and coach, NuwanZoysa has been banned from all cricket for six years after an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code. The ban for Zoysa is backdated to 31 October 2018, when he was provisionally suspended. Zoysa guilty of “being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or another aspect (s) of an International Match.” The other charge is about “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.”

Note: Chairman of ICC: Greg Barclay; CEO of ICC: Manu Sawhney; Headquarters of ICC: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Yono by SBI Joins Hands with Shivrai Technologies:Shivrai Technologies partnered with leading digital banking platform, Yono SBI to help smallholder, marginal, and large-holder farmers by way of a free application. This will allow them to focus on their costs incurred, as well as the bookkeeping of total profits that are in line. The aim to help farmers across the country to manage their accounts efficiently, thus cutting down on losses. Shivrai also owns their own B2B brand, FarmERP.

Through this new venture with Yono by SBI, they aim to make their application increasingly accessible. This free-of-cost application will not only efficiently manage their accounts but will also give them a platform to analyse and calculate their profits, losses, and expenses, thus enabling them to make a wiser purchase, harvest, and production decisions. It is curated in the simplest possible way for smallholder farmers to benefit from it.

Note: SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara; SBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

 

2. Axis Bank board reclassifies NIACL as ''public investor'' from ''promoter'': The New India Assurance Co Ltd (NIACL) has been reclassified as a ''public shareholder'' of Axis Bank from being a ''promoter''. Last week, the country''s third-largest private sector lender had received a request from NIACL to reclassify it to public category from promoter category investor. The nod for the reclassification is subject to approval of the stock exchanges, statutory/regulatory authorities and shareholders of the bank. NIACL held 0.67 per cent of the total issued and paid-up equity share capital of the bank as on April 22, 2021, said the lender.

Note: Axis Bank Commenced operations: 1994; MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Tagline: BadhtikaNaamZindagi

New India Assurance Co Ltd (NIACO):  Establishment: 1919; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Chairman & MD: AtulSahai

 

3. Government infuses Rs 200 crore capital in IFCI: In line with Budget announcement, the government has infused Rs 200 crore capital in state-owned IFCI to improve its financial health. Following the capital infusion, the government holding in the financial institution has increased to 63.8 per cent from earlier 61.02 per cent. The infusion was done through preferential issue of equity shares. The government had committed Rs 200 crore to IFCI in the Budget 2020-21.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Amazon acquires Perpule to aid kirana-tech: Amazon Technologies Inc., part of Amazon.com Inc., has acquired retail tech startup Perpule in an all cash-deal of ₹107.6 crore to bolster its play in the kirana-tech space. Amazon is expected to pay additional remuneration to Bengaluru-based Perpule’s employees, which may bump up the overall deal value to about ₹150 crore. With this, the firm plans to up its game in the kirana-tech space as it would now leverage Perpule’s cloud-based point-of-sale (PoS) offering ‘UltraPoS’ and offer a new suite of technology products to kirana partners, while digitizing neighbourhood stores.

 

2. Tata Digital gets CCI nod to acquire 64.3% stake in Big Basket: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Tata Digital’s acquisition of 64.3 per cent of Big Basket’s B2B arm Supermarket Grocery Supplies. The commission said Supermarket Grocery Supplies may acquire sole control of Innovative Retail Concepts that operates Big Basket’s online retail unit.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Singer Pink bags Icon Award at Billboard Music Awards: Singer Pink will be honoured with the Icon Award at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs). The award aims to recognize artists who have achieved success on the Billboard charts and left an indelible impact on music. Pink joins previous honourees that include Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Cher, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Garth Brooks.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. V Kalyanam, Mahatma Gandhi’s Former Personal Secretary, passes Away: Mahatma Gandhi’s former personal secretary V Kalyanam passed away. He was Gandhi’s personal secretary from 1943 to 1948, when the Mahatma was assassinated. Kalyanam was preserving letters written by Gandhiji, a cheque bearing his sign and other literature associated with him. He was proficient in Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil and English. A staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi, he was also associated with Rajaji in the 1960s.

 

2. Former J&K Governor Jagmohan Passes Away: Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Jagmohan Malhotra has passed away. Jagmohan served two terms as Jammu and Kashmir Governor, once from 1984 to 1989, and then from January 1990 to May 1990. He had also served as Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Goa and Daman & Diu. Jagmohan was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1996 and served as the Union Minister for Urban Development and Tourism in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1998. Apart from this, he was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1971, Padma Bhushan in 1977 and Padma Vibhushan in 2016.