Daily GK Update- 4th Dec, 2021

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Varanasi became 1st Indian city to start Ropeway Service: Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the first Indian city to start ropeway service as a mode of public transport in order to ease the traffic congestion. The proposed ropeway will be constructed between Cantt Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church Square (Godauliya) covering an aerial distance of 3.45 km. Its outlay is over Rs 400 crore which is divided between Central Government and State Government at 80:20. India will be the third country in the world after Bolivia and Mexico to use a ropeway for public transport.

Note: UP Capital: Lucknow; UP Governor: Anandiben Patel; UP Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath.

 

2. Kerala Tourism launched STREET project for experiential tourism: Kerala Tourism launched the ‘STREET’ project to promote and take tourism deep into the interiors and rural hinterland of Kerala. The project would help visitors experience the diversity of offerings in these locales. The STREET is an acronym for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism hubs.

Aim of the project:

(1) The STREET project aims to present the unique identity of the state of Kerala before to travellers. It also offers a huge potential for growth in the tourism sector and would bring in significant changes.

(2) The project will foster mutually beneficial organic relationships between tourism development and the ordinary lives of people in the state of Kerala.

(3) The project, conceived by the Responsible Tourism Mission, is inspired by the ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’ slogan of The United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Note: Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram; Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan; Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

 

3. Addl Rs 10k crore allocated for MNREGA as interim measure: The Finance Ministry has allocated additional funds of ₹10,000 crore as an interim measure for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme after it ran out of funds allocated in the budget, according to the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). Further, allocation may be made upon assessment of demand during the Revised Estimate stage, said the rural development ministry — the nodal ministry for the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. In the Union Budget presented earlier this year, the government allocated Rs 73,000 crore to the scheme for the financial year 2021-22.

 

4. State-level scheme sanctioning committee approves drinking water supply schemes worth Rs 225.24 Crore for Uttarakhand: State-level scheme sanctioning committee (SLSSC) approved drinking water supply schemes worth Rs 225.24 Crore for Uttarakhand. These schemes will provide tap water connections in 293 villages spread over 7 districts of the State. Of the 12 water supply schemes sanctioned, 11 are multi-village and one is a single village scheme. This year, Jal Shakti Ministry has allocated Rs. 1,443.80 Crore to Uttarakhand, for ensuring clean tap water in every household and freeing women and girls from drudgery of fetching water from a distance.

 

5. Indian Navy Day: 4th December: In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country. The theme of Indian Navy Day 2021 is ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ signifying 50 years of India’s victory in the Indo-Pakistan war that took place in 1971.

Indian Navy Day History: Indian Navy is a naval branch of Indian armed forces Led by the President of India (commander-in-chief). Back in 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan war, December 4 was chosen to launch Operation Trident against Pakistan. On December 4, the Indian Navy formally entered the war and attacks on Karachi were constantly showering. As we all know because of the Indian Navy the whole country rejoiced with success. The victory over Pakistan made our country proud and respect the Indian Navy even more.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral R Hari Kumar; Indian Navy Founded: 26 January 1950.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Barbados becomes the World’s newest republic: Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony. Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society by the British. It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966.  Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state. Dame Sandra Prunella Mason took over as the President of Barbados. He was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021. He was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados. His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.

Note: Barbados Capital: Bridgetown; Barbados Currency: Barbados Dollar.

 

2. Sweden elects 1st Female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson: The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden. On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Swedan’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.

Note: Sweden Capital: Stockholm; Sweden Currency: Swedish krona.

 

3. International Day of Banks: 4th December: International Day of Banks is celebrated on December 4 to recognise the importance of multilateral and international development banks in financing sustainable developments. United Nations also observes the day in recognition of the vital role of banking systems in Member State in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.

History of the day: In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly designated December 4 as the International Day of Banks. It is celebrated for the first time in 2020. The day is celebrated to the recognition of the significant potential of multilateral development banks and other international development banks in financing sustainable development and providing know-how, and also in recognition of the vital role of the banking systems in the Member States in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Government collected Rs 1.31 lakh crores as GST for November: The gross GST revenue collected in the month of November 2021 is Rs 1,31,526 crores. The CGST was Rs 23,978 crore, SGST is Rs 31,127 crore. The IGST was Rs 66,815 crores (of this Rs 32,165 crores was collected from the goods imported). The cess collected was Rs 9,606 crores (This includes Rs 653 crores from the imported goods). The GST revenue collected for the month of November is 25% higher than the GST revenue of November 2020. And is 27% higher than GST revenue collected in November 2019. Previous months GST Collection:

October 2021: Rs 1.30 lakh crores

September 2021: Rs. 1,17,010 crores

August 2021: Rs. 1.12 lakh crores

July 2021: Rs. 1,16,393 crores

June 2021: Rs. 92,849 crores

May 2021: Rs. 1,02,709 crores

April 2021: Rs. 1.41 lakh crores (All time Highest)

March 2021: Rs. 1.24 lakh crores

February 2021: Rs 1,13,143 crores

January 2021: Rs. 1,19,847 crores

 

2. EXIM Bank commits $100 million loan for Covid vaccines in FY22: Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) has committed loans worth $100 million for domestic manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines or related products. These loans are being extended to about half a dozen drug makers in the country during the present financial year. The loans for vaccines are also being extended to other countries. This will be an advantage for Indian firms as the financing mandates Africa to source vaccines and related products only from India.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s GDP: Ind-Ra projected India’s GDP 9.4% in FY22: The rating agency, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Second Quarter of Financial Year-2022 (Q2 FY22) at 3 per cent and in FY22 at 9.4 per cent. Workplace mobility in Q1 FY22 was 26 per cent lower than the baseline and 16 per cent lower year-on-year than the baseline at The government’s capital expenditure (capex) grew 51.9 per cent in Q2 FY22 as against 26.3 per cent in Q2 FY21.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Lionel Messi Wins A Seventh Ballon d’Or: Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time after being named as the best player in 2021 by France Football. Messi scored 41 goals and registered 17 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions for club and country and led Argentina to a long-awaited Copa America win in the summer. Messi also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2015. The 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 games last season for Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey before captaining Argentina to Copa America glory in July.

Ballon d’Or 2021 Winners:

Ballon d’Or (Men): Lionel Messi (PSG/Argentina)

Club of the year: Chelsea Football Club

Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Ballon d’Or (Women): Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/Spain)

Striker of the year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland)

Kopa Trophy for best young male player: Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. National Award-winning Choreographer Shiva Shankar Master passes away: The renowned National Award-winning choreographer and actor, Shiva Shankar Master passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 7 December 1948 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian dance choreographer, worked in South Indian movies. He received the National Award for ‘Best Choreographer’ for the movie ‘Magadheera’.