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Thursday, September 30, 2021

Daily GK Update- 30th Sept, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Lok Sabha Speaker Launches ‘NIDHI 2.0’ Scheme: The Speaker of Lok Sabha, Om Birla has inaugurated the NIDHI 2.0 (National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry) scheme, during an event organised by the Ministry of Tourism, on the occasion of 2021 World Tourism Day. The NIDHI 2.0 database will have more inclusivity, by not only including accommodation units, but also travel agents, tour operators, & others. About NIDHI scheme:

(1) The NIDHI scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism to facilitate the digitalization of the tourism sector and promote ease of doing business for the hospitality & tourism sector, by encouraging all accommodation units to register themselves on the platform to become part of the hospitality industry.

(2) As a part of the occasion, the Ministry of Tourism signed an MoU with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) to actively promote and support ‘sustainability initiatives’ in the tourism sector of each other.

 

2. GoI starts work to develop ‘Parshuram Kund’ in Arunachal Pradesh: The government of India has started work for the development of ‘Parshuram Kund’, a Hindu pilgrimage site on the Brahmputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit river in Arunachal Pradesh. The project costing Rs 37.88 crore was sanctioned under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.

About the scheme: The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2014-15 with complete financial assistance by the Government of India. It was targeted to develop tourism infrastructure to harness pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations for its direct and multiplier effect upon employment generation and economic development.

Note: Arunachal pradesh CM: Pema Khandu; runachal Pradesh Governor: B. D. Mishra.

 

3. Aveek Sarkar re-elected as Press Trust of India Chairman: Aveek Sarkar, the Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of the Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, was re-elected Chairman of Press Trust of India (PTI), the country’s largest premier news agency. Sarkar is a man of varied interests and counts books, food, wine and art among his principal loves. He was captain of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) for 10 years. Sarkar’s re-election for a two-year term was ratified by PTI’s Board of Directors at their meeting. K N Shanth Kumar, Director of The Printers (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd. which brings out Deccan Herald and Kannada language daily Prajavani, was elected as the Vice-Chairman.

Note: PTI Headquarters location: New Delhi; PTI Founded: 27 August 1947.

 

4. Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches “Amrit Grand Challenge Program-जनCARE”: As a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh (Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology) launched the “AmritGrand Challenge Program” titled “जनCARE”. The Grand Challenge aims to identify 75 Start-Up and entrepreneurs, who come out with Innovative Ideas and Solutions for India’s healthcare challenges, that can work in Low Resource Settings, for strengthening Healthcare Delivery in India. About the scheme:

(1) The Challenge has been launched jointly by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), NASSCOM and NASSCOM Foundation, as a nationwide “Discover – Design – Scale” program.

(2) The “जनCARE” Amrit Challenge will recognise start-ups in fields like Innovations in Telemedicine, Digital Health, mHealth with BIG Data, AI, BlockChain and other technologies.

The Challenge will end on December 31, 2021.

 

5. Indra Nooyi memoir “The secrets to balancing work and family life”: In her book, My Life in Full: Work, Family and our Future, Indra Nooyi focuses on the importance that organisational support plays in working women’s lives. For instance, she lists the offer of three months of paid leave by BCG to take care of her father in India when he was diagnosed with cancer. Indra Nooyi tells the story of that journey in her memoir, My Life in Full (published by Hachette India) in 313 pages that are packed with her experiences of settling in America, negotiating the boardroom, balancing work and family life and what the pandemic has meant for workplaces.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Fumio Kishida to become Japan’s next PM: Japan’s former Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida has won the ruling party’s leadership election, virtually ensuring that he will become the country’s next prime minister. Kishida won 257 votes in a runoff to defeat Taro Kono, a popular vaccines minister who previously held the positions of defence and foreign minister.

The 64-year-old replaces outgoing party leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down after serving only one year since taking office last September. Kishida previously served as LDP policy chief and was foreign minister between 2012-17, during which he negotiated accords with Russia and South Korea, with whom Japan’s relations are often frosty.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Japan Currency: Japanese Yen.

 

2. World Maritime Day 2021: 30th September: World Maritime Day 2021 is observed globally on 30th September. The exact date of celebrating World Maritime Day is left to the individual governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The theme of World Maritime Day 2021 is “Seafarers at the core of shipping’s future”. The theme for this year reflects a clear need to raise awareness of seafarersʹ crucial role in world trade and increase their visibility. The World Maritime theme for 2021 will provide the opportunity to focus on seafarers as the people at the heart of shipping, while also allowing for activities to delve into specific topics relevant to the role of the seafarer in safety, maritime security, environmental protection and seafarersʹ well-being; and the future of seafaring against a backdrop of increased digitalization and automation.

Note: International Maritime Organization Headquarters location: London, United Kingdom; International Maritime Organization Founded: 17 March 1948; International Maritime Organization Secretary-General: Kitack Lim.

 

3. International Translation Day: 30th September: Every year, International Translation Day is marked on 30 September. The International Federation of Translators (FIT) organise the day ever since it was set up in 1953. The day aims to celebrate the work of language translation professionals which facilitates dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to the development and strengthening of world peace and security. International Translation Day 2021 theme: “United in translation”.

History: The International Federation of Translators (FIT) organise the day ever since it was set up in 1953. The first official celebration of ITD was held in 1991. The day also marks the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators.

Note: International Federation of Translators President: Kevin Quirk; International Federation of Translators Secretary-General: Real Paquette.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. ICC launches T20 World Cup anthem: The International Cricket Council has launched the official anthem of the upcoming T20 World Cup along with a campaign film featuring ‘avatars’ of Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli and West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard. The song is composed by Bollywood music director Amit Trivedi, an animated film that features young fans from all over the world engaged in T20I cricket and includes some of the sport’s biggest superstars. The tournament will begin on October 17 in Oman and UAE, with the final to be played in Dubai on November 14.

About the song: India captain Kohli leads the group of players brought to life as ‘avatars’ in the animation, that interact with each other throughout. Kohli is joined by fellow captain Pollard of the reigning champions, West Indies as well as Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan. Launched in collaboration with ICC’s global broadcast partner Star Sports, the film premiers worldwide on Thursday across ICC, BCCI, and Star Sports’ social media handles.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI removes Indian Overseas Bank from Prompt Corrective Action framework: Reserve Bank of India has announced the removal of Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) restrictions on Indian Overseas Bank (IOB). This decision gives the bank more freedom for lending, especially to corporations and grow the network, subject to prescribed norms. IOB was placed under PCA in 2015. The bank has provided a written commitment that it would comply with the norms of Minimum Regulatory Capital, Net NPA and Leverage ratio on an ongoing basis and has apprised the RBI of the structural and systemic improvements that it has put in place which would help the bank in continuing to meet these commitments. IOB is being tipped as a privatisation candidate. In 2021, RBI has also removed PCA restrictions on IDBI Bank and UCO Bank.

Note: Indian Overseas Bank Headquarters: Chennai; Indian Overseas Bank CEO: Partha Pratim Sengupta; Indian Overseas Bank Founded: 10 February 1939.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Yemeni humanitarian organization wins Nansen Refugee Award 2021: A humanitarian organization from Yemen has been declared as the winner of the 2021 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. The organisation named “Jeel Albena Association for Humanitarian Development”, founded in 2017 by Ameen Jubran has won the prestigious honour to support and provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of Yemenis people displaced by the country’s conflict.

About the award: The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award honours individuals, groups or organizations for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, other displaced and stateless people.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Ministry of Defence inks deal with Airbus Defence & Space, Spain for 56 C-295MW transport aircraft for IAF: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a $2.5 billion contract with Airbus Defence and Space, Spain, for the acquisition of 56 Airbus C-295 medium transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The C-295 aircrafts  will replace the ageing Avro HS-748 aircraft fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF). Under the deal, Airbus Defence and Space will work with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) to jointly execute the project. The first 16 aircraft in the deal will be delivered in fly-away condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), as part of an industrial partnership between Airbus and TASL. The IAF will be the 35th operator of the C-295 worldwide. 

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