Daily GK Update- 16th July, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UP population draft bill proposes two-child policy: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has launched a population policy that aims to incentivise couples who do not have more than two babies. Stating that population control is related to awareness among masses and poverty, Adityanath said every community has been taken care of in Population Policy 2021-2030. The health minister Jai Pratap Singh said Uttar Pradesh is aiming for stability by 2050 and the government is trying to reduce the population growth rate to 2.1 per cent.

Two-child policy: The UP law commission that has formulated a population control bill said the policy would be voluntary and nobody would be forced to follow any rule. However, if any person decides to on his or her own to not have more than two babies, they will be eligible for government schemes, while those who do not follow the policy will face restrictions in government jobs, availing ration, and other benefits.

Note: UP Capital: Lucknow; UP Governor: Anandiben Patel; UP Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

2. Assam to create new department for indigenous faith and culture: The Assam Cabinet has announced the creation of an independent department to protect and preserve the “faith, culture and traditions of tribes and indigenous communities” of the state. The new department would ensure that the state’s indigenous population gets to preserve their faith and traditions, while also providing requisite support to them.

Indigenous tribes such as the Bodos, Rabhas, Mishings, along with others have their own religious beliefs and unique traditions, which so far have not received the support necessary for their preservation. The cabinet, during the meeting, agreed that financial and administrative reforms were necessary to ensure speedy implementation of various schemes floated by the government. It decided that departmental committees, headed by commissioners, will be entitled to give its nod for projects worth ₹ 2 crores and below.

Note: Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi; Assam Chief Minister: HimantaBiswaSarma.

 

3. Himalayan yaks to be insured: National Research Centre on Yak (NRCY) in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh has tied up with the National Insurance Company Ltd. for insuring Himalayan Yak. The insurance policy would shield the yak owners against the risks posed by weather calamities, diseases, in-transit mishaps, surgical operations and strikes or riots. The owners of the Yaks would have to get their yaks ear-tagged and provide a proper description in order to get their animals insured.

About the Himalayan Yak: Himalayan Yak is a long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, Tibetan Plateau, Myanmar and as far north as Mongolia and Siberia. They are accustomed to very cold temperatures and can survive up to -40 degrees but find it difficult when the temperature crosses 13 degrees. The total yak population in India is about 58,000. The Highest Yak Population is in the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. It is followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal and Uttarakhand.

 

4. ICCR will set up the ‘Bangabandhu Chair’ at the Delhi University: Delhi University will have a ‘Bangabandhu Chair’ to foster a better understanding of developments in Bangladesh. An MoU was signed between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Delhi University in Dhaka to set up this Chair at Delhi University. The initiative is the outcome of one of the understandings reached during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March this year.

About the chair: The Chair will focus on the common heritage of the two countries and subjects like Anthropology, Buddhist Studies, Geography, History, Modern Indian languages including Bangla, Music, Fine Arts, Political Science, International relations and Sociology. The chair will set up to honour Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the country’s Liberation War as well as India’s diplomatic ties with Dhaka.

Note: Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.

 

5. The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency authored by Ashok Chakravarti: A book titled “The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency” authored by Ashok Chakravarti. He is an economist who has been providing policy advice to countries, mainly in the African region, for the past forty years. He is currently Senior Economic Advisor to the Government of Zimbabwe, based in Harare. The Book is Published ByHarpercollins India. The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency book deals with one of independent India’s darkest hours during the emergency period. The Emergency (1975-1977) was one of independent India’s darkest hours. In that period, Over 150,000 people were imprisoned without trial; as many as eleven million forcibly sterilized, and countless killed in police firings or otherwise eliminated.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Sher Bahadur Deuba becomes Nepal’s Prime Minister for 5th time: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on 13th July became the country’s Prime Minister for the fifth time. His appointment is in line with the ruling issued by the Supreme Court on 12th July to make way for his claim to the premiership, replacing incumbent K P Sharma Oli. Previously, Deuba served as Nepal’s Prime Minister four times from June 2017 to February 2018, June 2004 to February 2005, July 2001 to October 2002 and September 1995 to March 1997.

Note: Nepal Capital: Kathmandu; Nepal Currency: Nepalese rupee; Nepal President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

 

2. EAM Jaishankar unveils statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Georgia: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Georgia at a prominent Tbilisi park. During his two-day visit to Georgia, a strategically important country situated at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Jaishankar held talks with the country’s top leadership & also handed over the relics of 17th century St. Queen Keteva. St. Queen Ketevan was a 17th century Georgian Queen who attained martyrdom. Her relics were found in 2005 at the St. Augustine Convent in Old Goa, India, on the basis of medieval Portuguese records.

Note: Prime Minister of Georgia: IrakliGaribashvili; Georgia Capital: Tbilisi; Georgia Currency: Georgian lari.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. 2022 Khelo India Youth Games to be held in Haryana: The state government of Haryana will organise the Khelo India Youth Games 2021 in February 2022. Earlier the sports show was scheduled to be held from November 21 to December 5, 2021, but has been shifted due to the possible third wave of Covid-19 pandemic and keeping in mind that Khelo India Youth Games 2021 are to be held in the Under-18 category. Around 8,500 players will participate in the event of which 5,072 will be athletes, including 2,400 females and 2,672 males.

 

2. Deepak Kabra becomes first Indian gymnastics judge at Olympics: Deepak Kabra has become the first Indian to be selected for judging the gymnastics competition of the Olympic Games, a life goal achieved for the man who knew he wouldn’t have made it there as an active gymnast because of his not-so-strong fundamentals. He will be seen officiating the men’s artistic gymnasts at the Tokyo Games, which gets underway on July 23.

 

3. Sophie Ecclestone, Devon Conway win ICC Player of the Month Award: England Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone has been named as ICC Women Player of the Month for June. She is the second English female to win the title after Tammy Beaumont, who was awarded the title in February 2021. In Men’s category, New Zealand opener Devon Conway has bagged ICC Player of the Month for June. He became the first New Zealand player to win the award after an astounding first month in Test cricket.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI Launches ‘Retail Direct Scheme’: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched ‘the RBI Retail Direct’ scheme for retail investors, through which they can directly buy and sell government securities (G-Secs), both primary and secondary.  The bond-buying window was opened to increase retail participation in G-Secs and democratize ownership of G-Secs beyond the managers of pooled resources such as banks and mutual funds. The date of commencement of the scheme will be announced later.

Highlights of the ‘RBI Retail Direct’ scheme:

(1) The RBI Retail Direct scheme is a one-stop solution to facilitate investment in Government Securities (G-Secs) by individual investors.

(2) This dedicated bond-buying window is a part of RBI’s effort to increase retail participation in government securities.

(3) The scheme also provides the facility to Retail investors (individuals) to open and maintain the ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ (RDG Account) with RBI.

(4) Under this scheme, retail investors are able to open and maintain their gilt securities account named ‘Retail Direct Gilt Account’ (RDG Account) through a ‘With RBI’online portal‘.

Note: RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. WPI inflation eases to 12.07 per cent in June: The wholesale price-based inflation eased marginally to 12.07 per cent in June as crude oil and food items witnessed some softening in prices. However, WPI inflation remained double-digit for the third consecutive month in June, mainly due to a low base of last year. WPI inflation was (-) 1.81 per cent, in June 2020. Retail inflation remained above the RBI’s comfort level of 6 per cent for the second straight month at 6.26 per cent in June. Highlights:

(1) Inflation in fuel and power basket eased to 32.83 per cent during June, against 37.61 per cent in May.

(2) Inflation in food articles too eased to 3.09 per cent in June, from 4.31 per cent in May, even as onion prices spiked.

(3) In manufactured products, inflation stood at 10.88 per cent in June, against 10.83 per cent in the previous month.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Syed Osman AzharMaqsusi won Commonwealth Points of Light award: Hyderabad’s hunger activist Syed Osman AzharMaqsusi, who has been feeding thousands of people every day as part of his food drive ‘Hunger Has No Religion’ was awarded a top UK award recently. In order to honourMaqsusi’s efforts, he was conferred with the Commonwealth Points of Light award for his drive that helps to feed 1,500 people on a daily basis. The award is for those ‘outstanding individuals who are making a change in their community.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former WWE Wrestler ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff passes away: The renowned American professional wrestler, Paul Orndorff, who is best known with his nickname Mr. Wonderful, has passed away. He was one of professional wrestling’s biggest stars of the 1980s and was famous for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He retired in 2000. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.