Daily GK Update- 24th Oct, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. MP Govt announced Implementation of “Mukhyamantri Ration Aapke Dwar Yojana”: The government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) has announced the implementation of the scheme ‘‘Mukhyamantri Ration Apke Dwar Yojana”, which will start from November 2021. Under this scheme, the ration will be provided at the doorstep of the villagers where there are no Fair Price Shops (FPS). To provide ration material to the vulnerable sections such as Divyanga (Specially-Abled) and senior citizens near their homes. To ensure proper ration supply for poor tribal families in each village bin 74 tribal dominated blocks of 16 districts.

Note: Madhya Pradesh Capital: Bhopal; Madhya Pradesh Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel; Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

2. Chhattisgarh launched “Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store” Scheme: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has virtually launched a new scheme named ‘Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store scheme’ to provide low-cost generic medicines and enable seamless healthcare services to the vulnerable people of the state. The scheme will be implemented by the Urban Administration and Development Department (UADD). Under the scheme, around 188 medical shops are planned to be opened in 169 cities. Currently, 84 generic medical shops are opened in the inaugural session to distribute medicine. Under this scheme, people will get a discount between 09 per cent and 71 per cent on the MRP (Market Rate Price) of generic medicines.

Note: Chhattisgarh Capital: Raipur; Chhattisgarh Governor: Anusuiya Uikey; Chhattisgarh Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel.

 

3. Alok Mishra becomes new MD of India Ports Global Limited: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Captain Alok Mishra as the Managing Director of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL). He is currently serving as the Head of operation and transformation lead at the Gateway Terminals India Pvt Ltd (GTI), Mumbai Maharashtra. Alok Mishra has been appointed for the full-time role for a term of 5 years. Alok Mishra succeeds Harjeet Kaur Joshi, CMD of Delivery Company of India Ltd (SCI), who held the additional charge as the MD of IPGL.

 

4. Defence Minister launched the book on Veer Savarkar: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the book titled “Veer Savarkar: The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition” authored by Uday Mahurkar and Chirayu Pandit at Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. Minister Rajnath Singh described Savarkar as an “icon of Indian history” and also described his contributions to a nation that was not yet considered and highlighted the prolonged controversies from time to time on the great leader Savarkar.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India, Israel, UAE, U.S. decide to launch quadrilateral economic forum: India, Israel, United Arab Emirates and the United States have decided to launch a new quadrilateral economic forum. Quadrilateral builds on ongoing cooperation between U.S., Israel and UAE after the Abraham Accords last year. This QUAD grouping had decided to establish an international forum for economic cooperation and discussed possibilities for joint infrastructure projects expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia.

India, the United States, Israel and the UAE have decided to form a forum for future economic cooperation and to explore possibilities of joint infrastructure projects in the fields of Transportation, Technology, Maritime security, Economics, Trade as well as for additional joint projects.

 

2. India ranks 71st on 2021 Global Food Security Index: India has achieved the 71st position in the Global Food Security (GFS) Index 2021 from among a list of 113 countries. The GFS Index is designed and constructed by London-based Economist Impact and is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience. The overall score of India is 57.2 points on the GFS Index 2021.

According to the report, India held 71st position with an overall score of 57.2 points on the GFS Index 2021 of 113 countries, fared better than Pakistan (75th position), Sri Lanka (77th Position), Nepal (79th position) and Bangladesh (84th position). But the country was way behind China (34th position). However, over the past 10 years, India’s incremental gains in overall food security score were lagging behind that of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Globally: Ireland, Australia, the UK, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, France and the US shared the top rank. Their overall GFS score were in the range of 77.8 and 80 points on the index.

 

3. World Polio Day: 24th October: World Polio Day is celebrated annually on October 24, to raise awareness for polio vaccination and eradication of polio. The Day was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. 2021 theme for World Polio Day is “Delivering on a Promise.”

 

4. World Development Information Day: 24th October: The United Nations’ World Development Information Day is held on October 24 every year. The day aims to draw the attention of world public opinion to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them for overall growth and development. The World Development Information Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972, to coincide with the United Nations Day.

History of World Development Information Day: The General Assembly in 1972 established World Development Information Day to draw the attention of the world to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them. The Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

 

5. International Day of Diplomats: 24th October: The International Day of Diplomats is celebrated on 24 October every year. The day aims to commemorate the contributions made by diplomats in shaping the world since ancient times and in making our planet a better place. It also aims to bridge the gap in perception and reality of diplomats’ lives among the general public. The first International Day of Diplomats was celebrated in Brasília on 24 October 2017. The day was proposed by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K and saw participation from the diplomats of Bangladesh, France, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey.

 

6. United Nations Day: 24th October: Every year 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It was on this day in 1945 that the Charter of the United Nations came into force. With the ratification of the UN Charter by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. It was declared to be an international observance in 1971 by UNGA and that it should be observed as a public holiday by United Nations member states.

History of the United Nations: The year 2021 marks the 76th anniversary of the United Nations and its founding Charter. The Charter was signed on 26 June 1945 by the representatives of the 50 countries. Poland, which was not represented at the Conference, signed it later and became one of the original 51 Member States. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories. The name “United Nations” was coined by the United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt and first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, during Second World War.

Note: United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA; Mr Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. SAI appoints Commodore PK Garg as new CEO of TOPS: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) appointed Commodore PK Garg as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) at the Mission Olympic Cell meeting. He joined the Indian Navy in 1984 and was in charge of many important and prestigious assignments over 34 years of service. Commodore Garg, who was the High-Performance Director with Sports Authority of India till June 2021, is also an Arjuna Awardee recipient (1990) in Sailing and has also won the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee in 1993-94.

Note: Sports Authority of India Founded: 1984.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI impose Rs 1 cr penalty on Paytm Payments Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 crore on Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) over certain specified violations, as referred in Section 26 (2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. RBI observed that the information submitted during Paytm Payments Bank’s application for the issue of the final Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) did not reflect the factual position. It has also penalised Western Union Financial Services by imposing a penalty of Rs 27.8 lakh for violating the prescribed limit of remittances per year.

Note: Chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; MD and CEO of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd: Satish Kumar Gupta; Paytm Payments Bank Ltd Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Centre approves hike in DA/DR for central government employees and pensioners: The Union Cabinet has approved a further hike of 3 per cent in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for the central government employees and pensioners. The increase of 3% is over the existing rate of 28 per cent of the basic pay/pension and will be effective from July 1, 2021. Now after this hike, the DA/DR will increase to 31%.

It must be remembered that earlier in July 2021, the government had announced an 11% hike in DA/DR from 17% to 28% of the basic pay/pension. It will cost the exchequer Rs 9,488.70 crore per annum. As a result, the DA and DR instalments are due for four periods including January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020, January 1, 2021, and July 1, 2021. However, the rate of DA/DR for the period between January 2020 to June 2021 shall remain at 17%.

 

2. Reliance Brands acquires 40% stake in designer Manish Malhotra’s MM Styles: Reliance Industries Ltd’s Reliance Brands Ltd (RBL) and famous designer Manish Malhotra have announced a strategic partnership to acquire a 40 per cent stake in Malhotra’s MM Styles Pvt Ltd. According to a Reliance Brands statement, this “strategic partnership” is the first “external investment” for MM Styles Pvt Ltd. Launched in 2005, the Manish Malhotra luxury retail is spanned across four flagship stores in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Hyderabad. Manish Malhotra, the main architect behind the 16-year-old couture house, will continue to be at the helm of affairs of MM Styles Pvt Ltd as managing and creative director.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Alexei Navalny Wins European Union’s Sakharov Prize: The European Parliament has awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for 2021, to the imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The 45-year-old activist has been awarded for his immense personal bravery to fight tirelessly against the corruption of Vladimir Putin’s regime.

About the award: Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, commonly known as Sakharov Prize, is European Parliament’s top human rights prize. The prize honours individuals and groups of people who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former hockey international Saranjeet Singh passes away: Former hockey international Saranjeet Singh has passed away. The former State Bank of India hockey player, who played for Coronation Club in the local league, represented Hyderabad juniors and seniors for many years in the late 70s and 80s and also played for India, which toured Germany in 1983.