Daily GK Update- 25th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi to roll out National Digital Health Mission: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the nationwide roll-out of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), which has been renamed as Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission (PM-DHM), on September 27. Under this, a unique digital health ID will be provided to the people, which will contain all the health records of the person. The id will be created using details such as Aadhaar and the user’s mobile number. About the initiative:

(1) The initiative will be rolled out on the final day of Arogya Manthan, which was kicked off to mark the third anniversary of the government’s flagship health insurance scheme — Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

(2) The project is currently in its pilot phase in the Union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

(3) The mission essentially consists of four main building blocks — unique digital health id, health care professionals registry, health facility registry and electronic health records.

(4) To begin with, three components, unique health id, doctor’s registry and the health facility registry, have been made operational, the officials cited above said.

(5) The initiative supports Universal Health Coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable and safe manner through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services.

 

2. PFRDA to observe NPS Diwas on October 01, 2021: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will observe October 01, 2021 as the National Pension System Diwas (NPS Diwas). This campaign has been started by PFRDA under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to promote pension and retirement planning for a carefree ‘azad’ retirement. PFRDA is promoting this campaign on its social media platforms with #npsdiwas. The pension regulator aims to encourage every citizen (working professionals and self-employed professionals) to plan towards creating a financial cushion to ensure for onself a financially sound future after retirement. NPS subscribers will enjoy the benefits, power of compounding now and reap many of the benefits after retirement.

 

3. Govt accepts RN Ravi’s resignation as interlocutor for Naga peace talks: The government of India accepts RN Ravi’s resignation as interlocutor for Naga peace talks. Ravi has negotiated for several years with key insurgent groups for the signing of the Naga Peace Accord. Recently, R N Ravi has been appointed as governor of Tamil Nadu. Akshay Mishra is likely to be appointed as the new peace talks interlocutor. He is serving in the Intelligence Bureau.

Agreement with NSCN-IM:

(1) In recent years, the Naga peace process has derailed due to the deteriorating relationship between the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-(Isak Muivah) with the Centre, and Ravi.

(2) The Nagaland Peace Accord framework was signed on 3 August 2015 by the Government of India, and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

(3) Greater Nagaland covering the area of its neighbouring states and Myanmar is the main demand of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

 

4. Air India chief Rajiv Bansal appointed Civil Aviation Secretary: Rajiv Bansal appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Bansal is currently Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. He is a 1988-batch IAS Nagaland cadre, Bansal was serving as additional secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas before Air India. He will replace the current Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, who retires on 30 September. Last year in February, Bansal was appointed as the chairman and managing director of Air India for a second time. His appointment came just days after the government announced 100% stake sale of the debt-ridden Air India.

 

5. Antyodaya Divas: 25th September: In India, the Antyodaya Diwas is observed every year on September 25, to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Antyodaya means “uplifting the poorest of the poor” or “rise of the last person”. The day was declared by the Modi Government on September 25, 2014, and officially celebrated since 2015.

About Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya:

(1) Deendayal Upadhyaya was a humanist, economist, journalist, philosopher and abled statesman.

(2) Deendayal Upadhyaya cleared the civil services examination. He, however, didn’t join the service and became a volunteer of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

(3) In the 1940s, Deendayal Upadhyaya launched ‘Rashtra Dharma’, a monthly journal, from Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow for spreading the ideology of Hindutva nationalism. Later, he started ‘Panchjanya’, a weekly magazine, and a daily, ‘Swadesh’.

(4) Deendayal Upadhyaya’s philosophical idea of ‘Integral Humanism’ was adopted in 1965 as the official doctrine of the Jan Sangh and later the Bharatiya Janata Party.

(5) Deendayal Upadhyaya advocated ‘Samyanit Upabhog’ (sustainable consumption). He did not favour the exploitation of Mother Nature practised by the capitalist societies of the West.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UN chief appoints Kailash Satyarthi as SDG Advocate: Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has been appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocate in the 76th UN General Assembly. Guterres appointed Satyarthi, STEM activist Valentina Munoz Rabanal, Microsoft President Brad Smith and K-pop superstars BLACKPINK as new SDG Advocates. With this, the UN now has total of 16 SDG Advocates.

About the SDG Advocates: (1) The SDG Advocates use their considerable spheres of influence to reach new constituencies to act now and keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals for people and for the planet.

(2) The UN said climate action, bridging the digital divide, gender equality and the promotion of the rights of children are key issues to be championed by the new SDG Advocates.

(3) The SDG Advocates are prominent leaders in the world who work to mobilise action to deliver the 17 SDGs by 2030, using their considerable spheres of influence.

 

2. GoI hosted first India-UK Consular Dialogue: The government of India has hosted the first India-United Kingdom Consular Dialogue in the virtual medium. Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Devesh Uttam led the Indian delegation while the UK delegation was led by Jennifer Anderson. Both sides discussed the ways to strengthen people-to-people contacts as part of the India-UK 2030 roadmap. Significance of the Dialogue:

(1) At this inaugural Consular Dialogue, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen people-to-people contacts between the two countries as part of the India-UK 2030 roadmap.

(2) They also discussed ways to facilitate consular access and early resolution of consular grievances including through systematic information sharing, and cooperation on visas, extradition cases and mutual legal assistance.

(3) Both sides agreed to hold the next round of this Dialogue in 2022, in London, at a mutually convenient date.

(4) Earlier, India and the UK held the first meeting of the India-UK Financial Markets Dialogue on 8th July.

 

3. World Pharmacist Day: 25th September: World Pharmacist Day is observed globally on 25th September every year. This day is celebrated to create awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health. The day was an initiative of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) along with the council of this organization. This year’s theme is “Pharmacy: Always trusted for your health“.

History of World Pharmacist Day: The day was designated in 2009 by the FIP Council (International Pharmaceutical Federation or Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique) at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to pharmacies and the positive benefits they offer when it comes to health and FIP encourages all its members to participate to make the event a success.

Note: International Pharmaceutical Federation Headquarters location: The Hague, Netherlands; International Pharmaceutical Federation Founded: 25 September 1912; International Pharmaceutical Federation President: Dominique Jordan.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Odisha to host Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup: Odisha will host the Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here from November 24 to December 5. Hockey India had recently approached the Odisha government to support them for the Men’s Junior World Cup to be held in two months time. Patnaik also unveiled the logo and the trophy for the event. Lucknow had hosted the tournament’s last edition in 2016 where India claimed the honours. At the upcoming event, 16 nations will vie for the title. The participating teams are India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, USA, Canada, Chile and Argentina.

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

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Government sets up India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL): The government has set up an asset management company (AMC) named India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL) with a paid-up capital of Rs. 80.5 lakh on an authorized capital of Rs 50 crore. IDRCL will work in tandem with the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL) to clean up bad loans. Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of India (BoI), Bank of Maharashtra, SBI, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, Indian Bank and IDBI Bank are the shareholders of IDRCL.

About the IDRCL: IDRCL is a service company/operational entity which will manage the asset and engage market professionals and turnaround experts. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Public FIs will hold a maximum of 49% stake while the remaining stake will be with private sector lenders. It must be noted that last week, the government had cleared a guarantee of Rs. 30,600 crore for security receipts issued by NARCL.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. BPCL, SBI Card launch co-branded RuPay contactless credit card: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and SBI Card have joined hands to launch the ‘BPCL SBI Card co-branded RuPay Contactless Credit Card, offering fuel and other benefits. The card will provide rewarding fuel savings and other benefits to the customers. Cardholders will also get accelerated savings on other categories of spends, which include groceries, departmental stores, dining, and movies.

The facility of the card: As per the details revealed, users of BPCL SBI Card RuPay will get 13X reward points on every ₹100 spent on fuel purchases at BPCL petrol pumps and 1% fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction up to ₹4,000. This will translate to a 4.25% value back. Customers using this card will earn 2,000 activation bonus reward points worth ₹500 on payment of the joining fee.

Note: CMD Of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd: Arun Kumar Singh; Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai; Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd Founded: 1952.

SBI Card MD and CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara; SBI Card Founded: October 1998; SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka bags Global Goalkeeper Award 2021: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced its annual Goalkeepers ‘Global Goals Awards’ 2021, as part of its annual Goalkeepers campaign. Goalkeepers is the foundation’s campaign to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals). By sharing stories and data behind the Global Goals through an annual report, we hope to inspire a new generation of leaders—Goalkeepers who raise awareness of progress, hold their leaders accountable, and drive action to achieve the Global Goals. The award were given in following categories:

(1)  The 2021 Global Goalkeeper Award: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former United Nations under-secretary-general and executive director of UN Women. She has been honoured for fighting for gender equality and her continued advocacy to address the Covid-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women and girls. This award recognises a leader who has driven progress on a global scale toward achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).

(2) The 2021 Progress Award: Jenifer Colpas from Colombia, for her work which centres around improving access to clean water and sanitation. Colpas is the co-founder and executive director of Tierra Grata, a social enterprise that develops low-cost, easy-to-install solutions providing access to clean energy, safe water, and sanitation services to rural communities in Colombia. This award celebrates an individual who supports progress using science, technology, or business.

(3) The 2021 Campaign Award: Satta Sheriff of Liberia, for her work promoting gender equality. Sheriff is the founder and executive director of Action for Justice and Human Rights (AJHR), a youth-led NGO which ensure access to justice and respect for human rights in Liberia, with a focus on women and girls. This award celebrates a campaign that has raised awareness or built a community by inspiring action and creating change.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Arunachal Governor YS Dadwal passes away: Former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and Commissioner of Delhi Police, Yudhvir Singh Dadwal, has passed away. Dadwal, a 1974-batch IPS officer, was the 16th police commissioner of Delhi from July 2007 to November 2010. After retirement, he was appointed as the Director-General of the Central Paramilitary Force, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in November 2010. In 2016, Dadwal was appointed as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.