Daily GK Update- 6th Oct, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. AIIB approves $356 mn loan for Phase II of Chennai Metro Rail: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a loan worth US $356.67 million to support the expansion of Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL). The fund will be used for the construction of a new metro corridor as part of CMRL’s Phase-II development project. With this investment, the Beijing-based financial institution’s total financing in India for various projects has reached to $6.7 billion, making India its largest beneficiary, in terms of getting approvals for many projects. AIIB has approved funding for 28 projects in India, with the energy and transport sectors receiving the highest amount of AIIB’s financing.

 

2. Centre declares Chacha Chaudhary as official Mascot of ‘Namami Gange’ Mission: The iconic Indian comic book cartoon character, Chacha Chaudhary, whose brain works faster than a computer, has been declared as the official mascot for the centrally-sponsored NamamiGangeProgramme. An outlay of Rs. 2.26 crore has been dedicated to the project. The comics will initially be launched in Hindi, English and Bengali languages. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has tied up with Diamond Toons, the publisher of the Chacha Chaudhary comics, to conceptualize, develop and distribute the new comics, e-comics and animated videos featuring the cartoon character. Chacha Chaudhary has been chosen to especially connect children with the campaign of river cleanliness.

About the mission: Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as a ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. It is being operated under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

 

3. Himachal Pradesh becomes 1st state to begin organised cultivation of dalchini: The CSIR’s Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) has introduced cinnamon cultivation in Himachal Pradesh on a pilot basis. True cinnamon or Cinnamomumverum is grown mainly in Sri Lanka, while minor producing countries include Seychelles, Madagascar, and India. India imports 45,318 tonnes of cinnamon annually from China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal. With the cultivation of Cinnamomum Verum, HP has become the first state of India to have organized cultivation of cinnamon.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar; Himachal Pradesh CM: Jai Ram Thakur.

 

4. Cabinet nod to ‘PM Poshan’ scheme for providing cooked meals to school kids: The Union Cabinet approved the roll-out of the ‘PM POSHAN in Schools’ scheme for the five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26, with a financial outlay of Rs 54061.73 crores from the central government and Rs 31,733.17 crore from the state governments and union territory administrations. The scheme will provide hot cooked meal to students of elementary classes in government and government-aided schools across the country. The existing mid-day meal scheme will be subsumed into the PM Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme with the addition of several new components in it.

 

5. Alok Sahay appointed as Secretary-General of Indian Steel Association: The Indian Steel Association (ISA) has announced that Alok Sahay has assumed office as its new secretary-general and executive head, taking over from Bhaskar Chatterjee. Sahay who is the former executive director of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has experience of almost four decades in the steel industry. Sahay has worked closely with the steel industry and the Government as one of the core industry representatives to advocate on trade-related matters at national and international forums. His experience also includes training at British Steel and tenure as visiting fellow at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University.

Note: Indian Steel Association Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Steel Association Established: 2014.

 

6. Sanjay Bhargava to head Starlink satellite broadband venture in India: Sanjay Bhargava, who had worked with Elon Musk as part of a team that had founded electronic payment firm, PayPal, will now head the tech billionaire entrepreneur’s Starlink satellite broadband venture in India. Bhargava joins SpaceX as Starlink’s country director (India), as the Musk-led US aerospace company gears up to compete with Bharti group-backed OneWeb.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed takes oath for second term: The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed has been sworn in for a second five-year term. He was administered the oath of office by Supreme Court Chief Justice Meaza Ashenafi. Abiy’s Prosperity Party was declared the winner of June’s parliamentary elections, which were criticised by opposition parties but described by external observers as improved from past elections. He is serving as prime minister of Ethiopia since 2018. Mr Abiy won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for restoring ties with neighbouring Eritrea and for pursuing sweeping political reforms. He is dealing with a war that is spreading from the Tigray region and ethnic violence.

Note: Ethiopia Capital: Addis Ababa; Currency: Ethiopian birr.

 

2. India slips two spots to 59th on Digital Quality of Life index: India has ranked 59 among 110 countries in the Digital Quality of Life Index, according to a global study by the British Virgin Islands-based cybersecurity company Surfshark. While India has witnessed a drop compared to last year — falling from 57th spot to 59th — it now ranks 17th in Asia and first in the South Asia region. Its its e-security has also improved and it now ranks 36th (was 57th in 2020), higher than China which ranks 72nd. According to the index, India ranks 67th on internet quality indicator.

Denmark topped the index for the second year in a row, followed by South Korea and Finland, while the bottom five countries include Ethiopia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Guatemala, and Angola. The countries where the internet is least affordable are Nigeria, Côte D’Ivoire and Mali, where people are required to do approximately a week’s worth of work to afford the internet.

 

3. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2021: October 01 to 31: Every year the Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is observed in the month of October, from 01 to 31. The annual international health campaign aims to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Smriti Mandhana becomes first Indian women to score a Test hundred on Australian: In a historic moment in women’s cricket, Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman to score a Test hundred on Australian soil. She completed her century to shape up India’s first innings on the second day of the first pink ball day and night. The match was played at the Carrara Oval in Queensland, Australia today. She scored 127 runs with 22 fours and a six.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI launches NAV-eCash card in collaboration with Indian navy: State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the launch of SBI’s NAV-eCash card on INS Vikramaditya, the largest naval aircraft carrier of India. The new journey envisioned for the card is set to change the payment ecosystem, while the ship is sailing with no dependency on utilisation of any form of cash to avail any of the services on board. The new NAV-eCash card will facilitate both online and offline transactions. The card will obviate the difficulties faced by personnel onboard in handling physical cash during deployment of the ship at high seas. The new journey envisioned in the form of a NAV-eCash Card will change the payment ecosystem while the ship is sailing with no dependency on cash for utilization of any of the services on board.

Note: SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara; SBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.

 

2. B C Patnaik takes charge as MD of LIC: BC Patnaik has taken charge as Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India. He was appointed as Managing Director by the Government of India notification dated July 5, 2021. Prior to taking charge as Managing Director of LIC, Patnaik was Secretary-General, Council for Insurance Ombudsmen, (CIO) Mumbai. He joined LIC of India in March 1986 as a Direct Recruit Officer.

Note: LIC Headquarters: Mumbai; LIC Founded: 1 September 1956; LIC Chairman: M R Kumar.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Britannia ties up with Accenture to accelerate its digital transformation: Packaged-food major Britannia Industries has collaborated with the global IT and professional services company Accenture to accelerate its digital transformation across multiple retail channels. Accenture, through a digital transformation program, has helped Britannia Industries to accelerate innovation, capture value and improve the customer and supplier experience. For Britannia’s large network of suppliers, this project will help streamline procurement and supply chain management, using SAP Ariba solutions to expedite digital onboarding, contract management and procurement processes.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. M. Venkaiah Naidu presented Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award: Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has presented Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration and National Contribution. This award has been conferred to eminent writer Nirode Kumar Barooah, Assam Branch of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust and Shillong Chamber Choir at a special function in Guwahati. The award carries a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, and a shawl. It is one of the biggest civilian awards of Assam.

About the awardees: This award was instituted by the Assam government in memory of the state’s first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi. The Assam branch of the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust was founded by Mahatma Gandhi on 9 January 1946. Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) is a renowned musical group founded in 2001. It has performed on various national and international platforms.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. AUSINDEX’: India, Australia participate in 4th edition: India and Australia have participated in the fourth edition of the biennial maritime series ‘AUSINDEX’. The exercise will allow the Australian Navy and Indian Navy to strengthen “inter-operability, gain from best practices”. The maritime exercise is conducted in Australia and India, with the recent one being held in the Northern Australia Exercise Area.

About the exercise: HMAS Rankin, Royal Australian Air Force P-8A and F-18 aircraft, helicopters of Australian and Indian Navy participated in this maritime exercise. The exercise has provided an opportunity for both navies to enhance inter-operability and develop a common understanding of procedures for maritime security operations.