Daily GK Update- 31st Oct, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NIA to establish offices in every state by 2024: Amit Shah: Amit Shah, the Union Minister of Housing and Cooperation, spoke at the start of a two-day “Chintan Shivir” in Surajkund, Haryana. The Chintan Shivir is being attended by Chief Ministers of the States, Home Ministers of States, Lieutenant Governors, and Administrators of Union Territories. Key Points:

a)      In his speech, Shri Amit Shah stated that this Chintan Shivir, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being held to give the nation a unified platform to fight threats like cybercrime, the proliferation of drugs, and cross-border terrorism jointly.

b)      Because crimes are evolving and growing more international in scope nowadays, all States will need to come up with a coordinated approach to combat them.

c)       The areas impacted by left-wing extremism, including Jammu and Kashmir and the North East, which were once hotspots of violence and disturbance, are now hotspots of development, according to the Union Home Minister.

d)      Over the past eight years, the security situation in the North East has greatly improved. Since 2014, for example, there has been a 74% decrease in insurgency incidents, a 60% decrease in security force casualties, and a 90% decrease in civilian casualties.

e)      Additionally, by signing deals with the NLFT, Bodo, Bru, and Karbi Anglong, under which more than 9,000 militants have surrendered, efforts have been made to achieve a sustainable peace in the area.

 

2. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches Safal common credit portal for farmers: Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik has launched a common credit portal SAFAL’ (Simplified Application for Agricultural Loans) for the welfare of farmers. SAFAL is an abridged application for agricultural loans that will enable farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to access over 300 term loan products from more than 40 partner banks. It has also been integrated with Krushak Odisha and will have access to 70-plus model project reports. The application can revolutionise credit provisions for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. About the SAFAL:

a)      The application is a one-stop solution for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to avail formal sector credit from public and private sector banks, Regional Rural Banks, State Cooperative Banks, and Small Finance Banks.

b)      The portal will ease the loan application process benefiting both the farmers and banks significantly, the chief minister said. It will also reduce information asymmetry by sending farmers real-time notifications at every stage of their loan application.

c)       SAFAL will also provide the government with complete visibility of demand and disbursal of formal credit across states and ensure schemes are designed in a data-backed manner. He hoped that SAFAL would be a facilitator of credit to spur the agriculture and allied sectors in Odisha and increase the economic prowess of farmers in the long run.

Note: Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar; Odisha Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik; Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

 

3. Gujarat achieves 100 percent household tap connections under Jal Jeevan Mission: Gujarat has been declared as a 100 percent ‘Har Ghar Jal’ state. In Gujarat, households in rural areas have access to safe drinking water through taps under the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ mission. About 91,73,378 houses in the state have water connections according to the government record. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the state and people of Gujarat who has shown their enthusiasm for the Jal Shakti mission. Key Points:

a)      The ‘Har Ghar Jal’ was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019. The ‘Har Ghar Jal’ aims to make available 55 liters of water per person every day to each rural household through household tap connections by 2024.

b)      Under the mission, 91.73 lakh households have been provided with water tap connections in Gujarat.

c)       The 100 percent coverage of rural households is possible by laying 63,287 kilometers of distribution pipelines, 3,498 underground pumps, setting up 2,396 high ranks, 339 wells, 3,985 tube wells, 324 mini schemes, and 302 solar-powered drinking water distribution systems.

d)      Gujarat has achieved 100 percent water tap connections two years ahead of the 2024 deadline.

 

4. Dehradun to host 3-day “Akash for Life” Space Conference in November: The “Akash for Life” a 3-day space conference will showcase the blending of traditional and modern knowledge through an extended integration of all schools of thought. The decision was taken by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, and Dr. Jitendra Singh. The event is scheduled to be held at Dehradun from 5th November to 7th November 2022. Dr. Jitendra Singh informed us that 35 eminent speakers will share their thoughts on various dimensions of Akash Tattva during Dehradun Conclave. The conclave aims to expose the youth of India to the wisdom of ancient sciences along with modern scientific advancements.

 

5. Blue Beaches: Two more Indian Beaches enter the coveted list: Two more Indian beaches have made it to the list of Blue Beaches. Minicoy, Thundi Beach and Kadmat Beach, in Lakshadweep are the proud entrants in the coveted list of Blue Beaches, an eco-label given to the cleanest beaches in the world. Now the tally of total blue flag-endorsed beaches in India stands at 12. Both beaches have designated staff for beach cleanliness, maintenance, safety and security of swimmers. Further, they comply with all the 33 criteria mandated by the Foundation for Environment Education (FEE). Thundi and Kadmat beaches

a)      Thundi Beach is one of the most scenic beaches in the Lakshadweep archipelago with hues of white sand mixed with turquoise & blue shade water by the lagoon, a paradise for swimmers and tourists.

b)      While the Kadmat Beach is popular with cruise tourists who visit the island for water sports. It is a paradise for nature lovers with its pearl white sand, blue lagoon waters, its moderate climate and friendly locals.

Note: Foundation for Environment Education President: Lesley Jones; Foundation for Environment Education Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark; Foundation for Environment Education Founded: 1981.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. United States Appoints Elizabeth Jones to Serve As Chargé d’Affaires At US Embassy in New Delhi: The Biden administration has now named a senior US diplomat, who had worked on NATO’s role in Europe vis-a-vis Russia as the US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, as the next Charge d’Affaires ad interim in New Delhi — until a full-time Ambassador is sent to India.

About Elizabeth Jones: Elizabeth Jones, 74, is the sixth interim US envoy in the last 21 months (since January 2021) asked to step in for the job, which is considered a placeholder until a full-time Ambassador is confirmed by the US Congress. During the Obama administration, Jones had served as Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. In October 2021, she was appointed as Coordinator for Afghan relocation efforts.

The Ongoing Situation: Currently, Patricia A Lacina is the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in New Delhi. She assumed charge on September 9, 2021. After US envoy Kenneth Juster, a political appointee of the Donald Trump administration, departed following the inauguration of the Biden administration on January 20, 2021, there have been a battery of interim envoys at the embassy in New Delhi — Donald Heflin, Edgard Kagan, Daniel Bennett Smith, Atul Keshap and Patricia Lacina.

 

2. International Internet Day: 29th October: International Internet Day is celebrated on October 29 every year across the world to celebrate the usage of the internet for the first time. The​ day marks the sending of the first electronic message which was transferred from one computer to another in 1969.

International Internet Day History: The first internet connection was made on October 29th, 1969. It was a momentous event in the history of telecommunications and technology when a student programmer named Charlie Kline sent the first electronic message “Lo”. To commemorate the event, International Internet Day was celebrated for the first time on October 29th, 2005. International Internet Day is promoted by the Association of Internet Users.

 

3. World Cities Day: 31st October: World Cities Day brings Urban October to an end on 31st October each year and was first celebrated in 2014. As with World Habitat Day, a global observance is held in a different city each year and the day focuses on a specific theme. A different city hosts the event each year. This year’s global observance is planned in Shanghai, China under the theme “Act Local to Go Global.”

World Cities Day History: On December 27, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established World Cities Day through a resolution. The first celebration took place on October 31, 2014. The second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in 1976 influenced the UNGA’s decision to establish World Cities Day. The UN-Habitat programme, established the following year, promotes the development of sustainable cities in line with SDG 11 goals. It conducts the annual Urban October programme for this purpose which begins on the first Monday of the month and ends on October 31, with World Cities Day.

 

4. World Thrift Day 31st October: World Thrift Day is celebrated every year on October 31, across the world. World Thrift Day also often called World Savings Day. However, India does this a day earlier, marking it on October 30 every year. The day is significant as it is an occasion to generate awareness about the concept of saving money in a bank instead of keeping it locked away at home. This year, the theme of World Thrift Day is “Saving prepares you for the future”, closely linked with last year’s theme that focused on the importance of savings.

World Thrift Day History: The history of World Thrift Day stretches back to the first International Thrift Congress, held in 1924 in Milan, Italy. Here, an Italian professor, Filippo Ravizza, declared October 31 as World Savings Day. The objective was to motivate people to save money and instill their confidence in banks, whose authority was largely forfeited after World War-I. However, the day only gained prominence following World War-II. It has been celebrated on October 31 every year since then.

In 1984 in India, the date of World Thrift Day came to coincide with the date that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Thus, it was moved and continues to be marked on October 30 now.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. BCCI Decides to End Discrimination; Offer Equal Pay to Men & Women Cricketers: In a historic decision, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a “pay equity policy”, saying that its centrally-contracted men and women players would get the same match fees. BCCI secretary Jay Shah took to Twitter to announce the significant development.

Key Points:

a)      This means the women players will now get Rs 15 lakh per Test match, Rs 6 lakh for a One-Day International (ODI), and Rs 3 lakh for a T20 International. Till now, they were paid Rs 1 lakh for a white-ball match, and Rs 4 lakh for a Test.

b)      The annual retainership for women cricketers remains the same — Rs 50 lakh for Grade A, Rs 30 lakh for Grade B and Rs 10 lakh for Grade C. The men, who play more games, are paid Rs 1-7 crore, depending on their grade.

c)       With this, India has become the second country in international cricket to implement equal pay. Earlier this year, New Zealand Cricket had announced equal match fees for its women players.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. BSE Launched Electronic Gold Receipts: BSE, or the Bombay Stock Exchange, launched Electronic Gold Receipt (EGR) on its platform. It introduced two new products of 995 and 999 purity during the Muhurat trading on Diwali. How The Trading Will Happen:

a)      Trading will be in multiples of 1 gram and deliveries in multiples of 10 gram and 100 gram.

b)      The EGR market will remain open from 9:00 am to 9.30 pm. It will have T+1 settlement.

c)       EGR allows efficient price discovery and standardization of gold, transparency in gold transactions, promotion of India Good Delivery Standard and settlement guarantee to the Investors.

BSE: BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) is India’s leading exchange group. BSE provides an efficient and transparent market for trading in equity, debt instruments, equity derivatives, currency derivatives, commodity derivatives, interest rate derivatives, mutual funds and stock lending and borrowing.

 

2. Elon Musk Fires Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, “Escorted Out” an Executive: Elon Musk finally completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter Inc., after six months of public and legal battle over the purchase. Placing the world’s richest man in charge of the faltering social network. One of Musk’s first actions was to replace the leadership. Key Points:

a)      Redundancies include Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, director of legal, policy, and trust Vijaya Gadde, chief financial officer Ned Segal, who joined Twitter in 2017, and general counsel Sean Edgett, who has served as Twitter’s general counsel since 2012. According to two of the people who requested anonymity because the details are private, Edgett was led out of the building.

b)      Twitter will now be a private corporation and shareholders will receive $54.20 per share.

c)       The conclusion brings to an end a complicated process that started in January with the Elon Musk quietly building up a sizable investment in the business, his mounting displeasure with the way it’s handled, and an eventual merger agreement that he later spent months trying to undo.

d)      On October 4, Musk decided to move forward with the terms he had first suggested, and a Delaware Chancery Court judge granted the two parties until October 28 to complete the transaction.

 

Defence

 

1. SIMBEX 2022 maritime exercise between Singapore and India: From October 26 to October 30, 2022, Visakhapatnam played home to the 29th Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX). The two phases of SIMBEX-2022 are the Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam and the Sea Phase in the Bay of Bengal. On October 25, 2022, RSS Stalwart (a Formidable Class Frigate) and RSS Vigilance (a Victory Class Corvette), two ships from the Republic of Singapore Navy, arrived at Visakhapatnam to take part in the exercise. During the Harbour Phase, there were numerous professional and recreational exchanges between the two fleets, including cross-deck visits, SMEEs, and planning sessions. About SIMBEX 2022:

a)      Exercise Lion King was the original name for the SIMBEX series of exercises, which debuted in 1994.

b)      Over the past two decades, the exercise’s complexity and scope have significantly increased to incorporate cutting-edge naval training that encompass a variety of maritime missions.

c)       The drill is a prime example of India and Singapore’s intense maritime cooperation. It also emphasises the two countries’ dedication and support for boosting marine security in the Indian Ocean region.

 

2. Garuda VII air exercise, jointly conducted by France and India: At Air Force Station Jodhpur, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) are taking part in the bilateral exercise “Garuda VII” from October 26 to November 12, 2022. FASF is taking part in this exercise with a troop of 220 people, one A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, and four Rafale fighter aircraft. Key Points:

a)      The IAF is taking part with fighter aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA Tejas, and Jaguar as well as helicopters like the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Mi-17.

b)      Combat enabling assets including AWACS, AEW & C, and flight refuelling aircraft will also be part of the IAF contingent.

c)       This collaborative exercise will give both nations a platform to improve operational capacity and interoperability while also exchanging best practises.

d)      The bilateral exercise is currently in its seventh edition. At the Air Force Stations at Gwalior, Kalaikunda, and Jodhpur, respectively, the first, third, and fifth editions were held in India in 2003, 2006, and 2014, respectively.

e)      In France, the second, fourth, and sixth editions took place in 2005, 2010, and 2019.

f)        The IAF and FASF’s participation in this exercise will foster professional engagement, experience sharing, and the improvement of operational knowledge in addition to fostering bilateral ties between the two nations.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Veteran Assamese actor Nipon Goswami passes away: Veteran Assamese actor, Nipon Goswami passed away recently. He was born in Assam’s Tezpur town. He was an alumnus of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India. He debuted in the Assamese cinema as a child artist in 1957. The octogenarian worked in a number of Assamese films and was a very popular face. Besides the silver screen, Goswami was also active in mobile theatres, advertisement commercials, and TV soaps.