Daily GK Update- 2nd Oct, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurated Rs 29,000-cr projects during PM’s Gujarat tour: During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated a number of infrastructure and development projects totaling more than Rs 29,000 crore. The first CNG (compressed natural gas) terminal in the world, together with phase 1 of the Ahmedabad Metro and phase 1 of the Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City in Surat are inaugurated, according to a statement released by the Gujarati government. 

PM Modi Scheduled Inaugurations on Gujarat Tour

a)      The PM opend the 36th National Games, which are being staged for the first time in Gujarat, and flag off the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express train while on the journey.

b)      Following the unveiling of projects totaling Rs 3,400 crore, including the first phase of DREAM City, Modi addressed a crowd in Surat’s Limbayat neighbourhood on September 29.

c)       After Surat, the PM traveld to Bhavnagar to officially kick off projects totaling about Rs 6,000 crore, which includes laying the cornerstone for the first CNG terminal in the world and a brownfield port.

d)      In addition, at a grand event in the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad’s Motera neighbourhood, PM Modi formally declared the 36th National Games open.

Note: Gujarat Chief Minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel; Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat

 

2. Uttar Pradesh govt gives nod to Bundelkhand’s first tiger reserve: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has gave a green signal for the development of the first tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region. The tiger reserve will span across 52,989.863 hectares of land including 29,958.863 hectares of buffer area and 23,031.00 hectares of the core area which was already notified as Ranipur wildlife sanctuary in the Chitrakoot district of the state.

The Ranipur Tiger Reserve area covered by northern tropical dry deciduous forests is home to tiger, leopard, bear, spotted deer, sambhar, chinkara, reptiles and other mammals. The establishment of Ranipur Tiger Reserve will prove to be a turning point for the conservation of wildlife in Bundelkhand along with the opening of the eco-tourism potential of the area creating immense employment opportunities benefiting the local population.

Note: Uttar Pradesh Capital: Lucknow; Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath; Uttar Pradesh Governor: Anandiben Patel.

 

3. MoHUA launched Swachh Toycathon: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched Swachh Toycathon under the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav. The competition aims to explore solutions for use of waste in the creation or manufacturing of toys. Secretary, MoHUA, Manoj Joshi, launched the event on MyGov portal and released the toolkit.

About Swachh Toycathon: The Swachh Toycathon is a national competition for individuals and groups. It is based on three broad themes: (i) fun and learn that seeks ideas for design and early prototype of toys from waste at home, workplace and surroundings, (ii) use and enjoy that seeks ideas for design and models of games and play in the park/open spaces made from waste and (iii) new and old that seeks ideas/solutions/working models for circularity in toy industry.

 

4. Uttar Pradesh wins Ayushmann Utkrishta award 2022: Ayushmann Utkrishta Award 2022 has been given to Uttar Pradesh for adding several healthcare facilities to the health facility register. With 28728 new healthcare facilities added to the National Health Facility Register, Uttar Pradesh is the best performing state in the nation. With over 2 crore ABHA Accounts, the state is also the second best State for creating Ayushmann Bharat health accounts (ABHA). These are the state’s initial few landmarks. Other States Ranking:

a)      Karnataka was ranked second with 23,838 healthcare facilities.

b)      Andhra Pradesh has 13,335 healthcare facilities, Maharashtra has 12,902 healthcare facilities, Bihar (12,453 healthcare facilities), Madhya Pradesh (12,268 healthcare facilities), West Bengal (11,607 healthcare facilities), Chhattisgarh (9,349 healthcare facilities), Telangana (7,988 healthcare facilities), and Gujarat (7,791 healthcare facilities).

Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath; Capital of Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow

 

5. Senior Advocate R Venkataramani named as new Attorney General of India: Senior advocate R Venkataramani has been appointed as the new Attorney General of India. The President has appointed Mr Venkataramani as the new Attorney General for a period of three years from the 1st of October. The notification regarding Mr Venkataramani’s appointment as the Attorney General was issued today by the Department of Legal Affairs, Union Ministry of Law and Justice. Mr Venkataramani will replace current Attorney General KK Venugopal whose term ends on September 30, 2022. Mr Venugopal is currently on his third extension.

 

6. India celebrates 118th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri: India celebrates the 118th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the nation’s second Prime Minister. Shastri, who succeeded Jawaharlal Nehru, was respected for his forthrightness and honesty, and after his passing, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, making him the first posthumous laureate of this prestigious award. Shastri has the same birthday (2 October) as Mahatma Gandhi even though he was born in 1904, 35 years later. He is also remembered for composing the slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appointed as prime minister: Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed as the prime minister by a royal decree. The crown prince, who is heir to the throne held by King Salman, already wields wide powers and is seen as the kingdom’s day-to-day leader. The royal decree appointing him as prime minister was carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

The reshuffle kept another son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as energy minister, the king said in the royal decree. The crown prince, known as MbS, is promoted from defence minister and has been the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter and a major U.S. ally in the Middle East. Key Points:

a)      The kingdom has increased its self-sufficiency in military industries to 15% from 2% and plans to reach 50% under the newly appointed defence minister, SPA reported.

b)      The 37-year-old crown prince, widely known by the acronym MBS, has taken the lead on Vision 2030, the kingdom’s wide-ranging plan to transform its economy and end its dependency on oil.

c)       Crown Prince Mohammed has changed Saudi Arabia radically since rising to power in 2017, leading efforts to diversify the economy from its dependence on oil.

d)      He is associated with the October 2018 killing of Saudi journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence found that the crown prince likely approved the killing.

Note: Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh; Saudi Arabia Currency: Saudi Riyal.

 

2. Vladimir Putin grants Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden: President Vladimir Putin has granted Russian citizenship to former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, nine years after he exposed the scale of secret surveillance operations by the National Security Agency (NSA). U.S. authorities have for years wanted him returned to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges. Key Points:

a)      Snowden, a former employee of the U.S. National Security Agency, has been living in Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the US after leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance programs.

b)      He was granted permanent Russian residency in 2020 and said at the time that he planned to apply for Russian citizenship without renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

c)       Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti that the former contractor’s wife Lindsay Mills, an American who has been living with him in Russia, will also be applying for a Russian passport. The couple had a child in December 2020.

Note: Russia Capital: Moscow; Russia Currency: Rubel; Russia President: Vladimir Putin.

 

3. International Day of Non-Violence: 2nd October: The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2nd October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. The day is observed to spread the message of non-violence through public awareness and education. It is commemorated with the hope of building a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence. “Say No to Violence” is the essence of this day. This year, Gandhi Jayanti will mark the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

International Day of Non-Violence History: In January 2004, Iranian Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi proposed the idea for the special day. Her idea was amenable to many Indian National Congress leaders, who later called upon the United Nations to adopt the plan in 2007. Congress leader and then Minister of State for External Affairs, Anand Sharma, went ahead and introduced the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors. The leader of the Indian Independence Movement, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, served as an inspiration for social change and civil rights across the world. On June 15th, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to designate October 2 as International Day of Non-Violence.

 

4. World Day for Farmed Animals: 2nd October: Since 1983, the annual observance of World Day for Farmed Animals (WDFA) on October 2nd (Gandhi’s birthday) has been offering people of conscience an opportunity to memorialize and mourn these innocent lives. The day is organised by the International animal welfare organization, World Animal Protection along with Asia for Animals coalition to show the importance and urgency of farm animal welfare. The day is dedicated to exposing the needless suffering and death of farmed animals who are raised and slaughtered for food.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. UCO & Yes Bank tie up with Russian banks for payments: UCO Bank and Yes Bank have put in place arrangements with two Russian banks as India seeks to step up trade with the sanctioned nation. Nearly a month after it was reported that more than 15 Russian banks were in advanced talks with Indian lenders to facilitate bilateral business in their respective local currencies, two of India’s banks have taken a step towards the same.

UCO & Yes Bank Tie Up With Russian Banks To Boost Trade:

a)      UCO Bank has partnered with Gazprom Bank, while Yes Bank has also formed an arrangement with Russia’s Petersburg Social Commercial Bank (PSCB).

b)      Its sources have told more things, in which information has been given about the country’s largest state-owned bank State Bank of India, i.e SBI, also finding payment options with Russian banks.

c)       The deal between UCO Bank and Gazprom Bank comes as the Reserve Bank of India implements a system to facilitate international payments through special Vostro accounts. In the absence of such standard procedures, overseas payments were made in Euros or other foreign currencies. These primarily occur through Gulf nations, whose exports from India have been harmed.

Note: Yes Bank CEO: Prashant Kumar (6 Mar 2020–); Yes Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Yes Bank Founded: 2004.

Headquarters of UCO Bank: Kolkata, West Bengal; MD & CEO of UCO Bank: Atul Kumar Goel.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ADB to devote $14 billion to Help Ease Food Crisis in Asia-Pacific: The Asian Development Bank said, it will devote at least $14 billion through 2025 to help ease a worsening food crisis in Asia-Pacific. The development lender said it plans a comprehensive program of support to help the 1.1 billion people in the region who lack healthy diets due to poverty and soaring food prices. The Manila, Philippines-based ADB made the announcement during its annual meeting. The ADB said the funds will go to both existing and new projects spanning farming, food production and distribution, water resources management and social supports. In short-term, support will be targeted at and designed to help the most vulnerable, particularly women.

In opening the ADB meeting, Asakawa noted that the economic outlook has worsened with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, soaring prices for many commodities and a harsher economic environment thanks to rising interest rates and weakening currencies for many developing economies. In a recent update, the bank downgraded its forecast for growth in the region to 4.3% from an earlier estimate of 5.2%. Next year’s outlook is for 4.9% annual growth.

 

2. World Bank and SIDBI to launch fund against loan default to lenders financing purchase of electric 2 & 3 Wheelers: A $1 billion fund may soon be launched by the government in collaboration with the World Bank, and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The fund will be used to provide guarantees against defaults on loans taken to buy electric two or three-wheelers. The NITI Aayog will be the facilitating agency of the project. It will aim to facilitate faster and easier financing of EVs.

Initially a $300 million fund will be put in place as a “first loss risk sharing instrument.” The funds will be available to all financial institutions. “The instrument would act as a hedging mechanism, for banks to access in case of defaults of loans on purchase of electric vehicles. This is expected to bring down the cost of financing EVs by 10-12 per cent”.

Banks have continued to stay cautious on financing EVs after losing money on e-rickshaws and other EVs powered by lead-acid batteries. Even as banks have maintained their distance from financing such vehicles, several NBFCs have come forward to take the role. In the fiscal year of FY23, EV sales in India are expected to cross a million units, an 84 per cent rise year-on-year.

 

3. Hitachi Astemo planted its first solar power plant in India: Hitachi Astemo installed its India’s first ground-mounted solar power plant of 3 megawatts (MW) at its Jalgaon manufacturing plant. The 3 megawatts (MW) solar power plant will be built in an area of 43301 sqm. The ground-mounted solar power plant will consist of 7128 ground-mounted solar panels and 10 inverters. This solar power plant will embark on its new journey in the field of sustainable energy in India. Key Points:

a)      Hitachi is working to reduce its carbon emissions and become carbon neutral by 2050. With this plant, the company would be able to eliminate close to 4000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This will be equal to planting around 1,50,000 trees.

b)      The installation of the 3-megawatt solar power plant is just the beginning of the company’s plan in which it will commission an additional 1.5-megawatt solar power plant by March 2023.

c)       At its Jalgaon plant, the company produces brake systems for 3-wheeler and 4-wheelers. They include manufacturing disc brakes and drum brakes. Along with this, the plant is also indulged in foundry operations.

d)      One of the subsidiaries of the Japanese firm Hitachi, Hitachi Astemo was established in 2021. The company is constantly working to provide efficient modifications in the automobile industry.

e)      Recently, Hitachi Astemo along with Hitachi had developed thin-type inverter technology for EVs. The technology makes the machine more compact as well as energy efficient.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Kumar Sanu, Shailendra Singh, Anand-Milind gets Lata Mangeshkar Award (2019-2021): Noted playback singers Kumar Sanu and Shailendra Singh and music-composer duo Anand-Milind were conferred with the National Lata Mangeshkar Award for different years. They are presented with the prestigious award (on September 28), the birth anniversary of the late legendary singer, at her birthplace Indore. State Culture Minister Usha Thakur conferred Shailendra Singh, Anand-Milind, and Kumar Sanu with the award for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Singh, who carved a special place in the hearts of music lovers with his distinctive voice in the 1970-1980 decades, will be awarded the Lata Mangeshkar Award for 2019, while Anand-Milind, who composed music for over 200 films, will be honoured with the award Honors for 2020. The award for 2021 will be given to Sanu, who gave his velvety voice to several popular songs in the 1990s.

About the National Lata Mangeshkar Award: The award is given for promoting excellence in the area of light music annually by the Madhya Pradesh government’s culture department. It carries a cash prize of Rs two lakh and a citation. Earlier recipients included Naushad, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle.