Daily GK Update- 21st Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Home Minister Amit Shah flags off ‘Modi Van’: The Union Home Minister Amit Shah has flagged off “Five Mobile Medical Vans” dubbed as Modi Van on October 19, 2021, in the Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh. These vans have been launched under the ‘Seva Hi Sangathan’ programme of BJP to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 20 years as the Head of Government. The Five Mobile Medical Vans will operate in five Assembly Constituencies in Kaushambi. These vans will work under the aegis of Kaushambi Vikas Parishad run by BJP’s National Secretary Vinod Sonkar.

 

2. Rajasthan launched ‘Prashasan Gaon ke Sang’ Campaign: Rajasthan Government has launched a mega campaign named ‘Prashasan Gaon Ke Sang’ till December 17, 2021, to provide local access to government services in the remotest villages of the state. Officials from 22 Departments of the local administration will reach out to the rural parts of every gram panchayat to offer on-spot solutions to the applicants.

About the campaign:

(1) The campaign will be conducted on the observation of the respective district collector, for on spot disposal of applications.

(2) While the campaign is intended to bring departments closer to residents, large-scale awareness efforts are being held ahead of time to guarantee that citizens can take full use of the services provided at the camps.

(3) The campaign is likely to be extremely beneficial to those who are unfamiliar with digital procedures as well as those who have difficulty travelling to government offices for physical verification.

(4) Along with services such as land deed allotment, land deed transfers, and the issuance of various certificates, the campaign will also include public health initiatives such as seasonal illness control and public awareness.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra.

 

3. India signs Landmark MoU with Russia on Collaboration in Coking coal sector signed: India has opened up yet another door in cooperation with its strategic energy partner Russia. Union Minister of Steel, Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia’s minister of energy Nikolay Shulginov, for collaboration in the mining and steel sectors, with special focus on coking coal. The move is part of India’s National Steel Policy 2017 under which the country is aiming to reach 300 million tonne steel production by 2030 while simultaneously working on forward and backward integration.

The MoU between the two countries signed in Moscow envisages implementation of joint projects and commercial activities in coking coal, including long-term supplies of high-quality coking coal to India, development of coking coal deposits and logistics development, sharing of experience in coking coal production management, technologies of mining, beneficiation and processing as well as training.

 

4. National Police Commemoration Day: 21st October: In India, the Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year. The day is marked to remember and honour the brave policemen who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. Police Commemoration Day commemorates the day in 1959, when twenty Indian soldiers were attacked by Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area, in which, ten Indian policemen lost their lives and seven were imprisoned. Since that day, 21 October has been observed as Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs.

 

5. Gulzar pens book titled “Actually… I Met Them: A Memoir”: Legendary Indian poet-lyricist-director Gulzar has come out with his new book title “Actually… I Met Them: A Memoir”. In a memoir published by the publishing group Penguin Random House India. In this book, Gulzar has shared many interesting unknown facts about legends like Kishore Kumar, Bimal Roy, Ritwik Ghatak, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Mahasweta Devi, among others.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. China launched 1st Solar Exploration Satellite: China has successfully launched its 1st solar exploration satellite into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province aboard a Long March-2D rocket. The satellite was named as ‘Xihe’ (Xihe is the goddess of the sun who created the calendar in ancient Chinese mythology), also known as the Chinese Hα Solar Explorer (CHASE). The satellite has been developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

Note: China Capital: Beijing; China Currency: Renminbi; China President: Xi Jinping.

 

2. NASA launches Lucy Mission to study the Jupiter Trojan asteroids: The US space agency NASA has launched a first-of-its-kind mission called ‘Lucy Mission’ to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. The mission life of Lucy is 12-year, during which the spacecraft will fly by a total of eight ancient asteroids to study about solar system’s evolution. These will include one main-belt asteroid and seven Jupiter Trojan asteroids.

About the Lucy mission:

(1) The Lucy mission will mark NASA’s first single spacecraft mission in history to explore so many different asteroids.

(2) The Lucy probe was launched on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on October 16, 2021.

(3) Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids are two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of the primordial material that formed the solar system’s outer planets.

Note: NASA administrator: Bill Nelson; Headquarters of NASA: Washington D.C., United States; NASA Founded: 1 October 1958.

 

3. Hubble finds evidence of persistent water vapour in Jupiter’s moon ‘Europa’: The Hubble Space Telescope Observatory of NASA have revealed the presence of persistent water vapour in ‘Europa’, the icy moon of Jupiter. However, the presence of a water vapour atmosphere is found only in one hemisphere. The findings may further help to explore whether Europa’s atmosphere could support life. The result is based upon Hubble observations spanning from 1999 to 2015

 

4. Canadian Actor William Shatner becomes oldest person in history to fly to space: Legendary Canadian actor William Shatner has become the oldest person to go to space. The 90-year-old Shatner blasted into the space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket on October 13, 2021. The Canadian was joined by three other fellow passengers, Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey Powers and Glen de Vries on the 11-minute journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere and back again. The four of them reached an altitude of 66.5 miles (107 kilometers) over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule ‘New Shepard’.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Nagaland to host South Asian Cross Country Championship: Nagaland will host the South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) Cross Country Championship in the state capital Kohima on January 15 next year. Making the announcement during a press conference, Nagaland Athletic Association (NAA) President Abu Metha said the biggest international event ever hosted by the state will be held along with the 56th National Cross Country Race on January 15.

 

2. Indian Grandmaster Iniyan Panneerselvam wins La Nucia Open: Nineteen-year-old Indian Grandmaster Iniyan Panneerselvam has won the La Nucia Open held in Spain. The Grandmaster remained remained unbeaten with an Elo rating of 2529 at La Nucia, which is a 9-round Swiss tournament.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI authorised Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) to collect Direct taxes: The Reserve Bank of India has authorised Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) to collect direct taxes on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). After obtaining the approval, KVB has started the integration process with the CBDT to collect direct taxes. The integration would enable the bank to allow its customers to remit the direct taxes through any branch/net banking/ mobile banking services (DLite Mobile application).

Note: Karur Vysya Bank Establishment: 1916; Karur Vysya Bank Headquarters: Karur, Tamil Nadu; Karur Vysya Bank MD & CEO: B. Ramesh Babu; Karur Vysya Bank Tagline: Smart Way to Bank.

 

2. Amitabh Chaudhry reappointed Axis Bank CEO: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the re-appointment of Amitabh Chaudhry as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of private lender Axis Bank for a period of three years. Amitabh had taken charge as Axis Bank’s new MD and CEO in January 2019 after as outgoing MD and CEO Shikha Sharma retired, effective December 31, 2018. The extended three-year term will be effective from January 1, 2022.

Note: Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993, Ahmedabad.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Vodafone Idea teams up with L&T for trials of 5G-based smart city solutions: Telecom operator Vodafone Idea (VIL) and smart world and communication business of engineering and construction conglomerate Larsen and Toubro (L&T) have joined hands for a pilot project to test 5G-based smart city solutions. This is part of the ongoing 5G trials on government-allocated spectrum. The pilot project would be set up in Pune on government-allocated 5G spectrum to visualise and analyse smart city applications.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Colin Powell, first Black US secretary of state, passes away: Colin Powell, the trailblazing soldier and diplomat whose sterling reputation of service to Republican and Democratic presidents was stained by his faulty claims to justify the 2003 US war in Iraq, died of Covid-19 complications. He was 84. He instead joined President George W. Bush’s administration in 2001 as secretary of state. He was the first Black person to represent the US government on the world stage.