Daily GK Update- 30th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Egypt’s President invited as chief guest for Republic Day 2023: India has invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the chief guest for the Republic Day in 2023, reflecting New Delhi’s continuing focus on the Arab world as it prepares for a year of high-profile diplomatic engagements. The formal invitation was handed over when external affairs minister S Jaishankar met Sisi in Cairo on October 16 during an official visit to Egypt, the people said. Egypt is among the nine guest countries invited to the G20 Summit under India’s presidency in 2023.

An invitation as chief guest for the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 is a signal honour reserved for the country’s close allies and partners. There were no chief guests at the celebrations in 2021 and 2022, largely because of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was the last chief guest to participate in the 2020 celebrations.

 

2. India Forms Panel to Revamp Only Govt Job Guarantee Scheme: India’s Union rural development ministry has formed a panel to revamp its only job guarantee scheme in the hope of directing more work to the country’s poorer regions, a senior government official said. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, or MNREGA, was in high demand in the India’s rural areas as they emerged from the pandemic amid soaring inflation and limited non-farm job opportunities. “The panel will recommend institutional mechanisms, including governance and administrative structures, for more effective utilization of funds, especially to address poverty,” the official said. The panel, which is expected to submit its report by January, will examine expenditure trends across various states and identify reasons for variations, the official added.

About The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA): The MNREGA jobs programme, introduced more than 15 years ago, allows citizens to enrol for work such as building roads, digging wells or creating other rural infrastructure, and receive a minimum wage for 100 days each year.

 

3. ISRO Begins Countdown for PSLV-C54 Mission: Scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) commenced the countdown for the launch of Earth Observation Satellite – Oceansat – and eight other customer satellites on a PSLV-C54 rocket from the spaceport of Sriharikota. The countdown for the 56th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in its extended version (PSLV-XL), from the first launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, 115 km from here.  The primary payload of the rocket is an Oceansat which would be separated in orbit-1 while the eight other nanosatellites would be placed in different orbits based on the customer requirements (in the Sun-synchronous polar orbits). About This mission:

a)      The mission would be one of the longest ones undertaken by the ISRO scientists who would engage the rocket to change orbits using two-orbit change thrusters (OCTs) used in the PSLV-C54 launch vehicle.

b)      The separation of the Earth Observation Satellite is expected to take place in orbit-1 while the passenger payloads would be separated in Orbit-2.

c)       The Earth Observation Satellite is expected to be placed after reaching an altitude of about 742 km about 20 minutes after lift-off.

About The Satellite & Its Objective: The Earth Observation Satellite-6 is the third-generation satellite in the Oceansat series. This is to provide continuity services of Oceansat-2 spacecraft with enhanced payload specifications as well as application areas. The objective of the mission is to ensure data continuity of ocean colour and wind vector data to sustain the operational applications.

 

4. Dharmendra Pradhan Released ‘India: The Mother of Democracy’: Union Education & Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released the book ‘India: The Mother of Democracy’ prepared and published by Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) in New Delhi. The book is an attempt to showcase the democratic ethos ingrained in India since the dawn of civilisation. It is shown in this book that since the dawn of civilization, India has been imbued with democratic ethos. The Minister expressed his confidence that the book—India: The Mother of Democracy, will encourage healthy discussions on India’s democratic legacy and inspire next generations to cherish our timeless ethos, he added.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Expresses Commitment to Peace, Security and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region: The Vice President of India attended the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. India and ASEAN in a joint statement reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region, and commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. They called for establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership and enhancing cooperation against terrorism as Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the 19th Asean-India Summit in Phnom Penh.

Key-Highlights Of ASEAN-India Meeting: India hailed the deep cultural, economic and civilizational ties that have existed between India and South East Asia from time immemorial and stated that the India-ASEAN relationship forms the central pillar of India’s ACT-EAST policy. India reiterated its support to ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific. As part of maintaining “ASEAN-Centrality”, the two sides reaffirmed the importance of deepening dialogue and coordination through ASEAN-led mechanisms including the ASEAN-India Summit, the East Asia Summit, the Post-Ministerial Conference with India (PMC+1), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF).

About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): It is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation. It was established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.

It’s Members: ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – into one organisation.

 

2. India, UAE Central Banks Discuss Rupee-Dirham Trade Prospects: The central banks of India and UAE are discussing a concept paper on promoting bilateral trade in rupee and dirham with a view to reduce transaction cost, a top official said. India’s Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir said that the concept paper for trade in local currencies was shared by India. The central banks of both the countries will discuss the standard operating procedures and modalities.

The objective of the exercise is to reduce the cost of transactions. India and the UAE had already signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in February to give a fillip to bilateral trade and economic ties. The free trade agreement was aimed at providing significant benefits to Indian as well as UAE businesses, including enhanced market access and reduced tariffs. Following the free trade pact, bilateral trade is expected to increase from the current USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years.

 

3. International Jaguar Day: 29th November: International Jaguar Day was created to raise awareness about the increasing threats facing the jaguar and the critical conservation efforts ensuring its survival. Observed annually on November 29, International Jaguar Day celebrates the Americas’ largest wild cat as an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation and an icon for sustainable development and the centuries-old cultural heritage of Central and South America. This is the third largest Cat Predator of the World and an important species of Amazon Rainforest.

International Jaguar Day History: In March 2018 representatives from 14 range countries gathered in New York at United Nations’ Headquarters for the Jaguar 2030 Forum. This Forum resulted in the creation of the Jaguar 2030 Statement which outlined a wide range of internationally collaborative jaguar conservation initiatives, including the proposal to create an International Jaguar Day.

 

4. Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare: 30th November: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is commemorated on November 30 every year. This internationally marked day was adopted by the United Nations to remember the victims of chemical warfare. The day aims to encourage efforts for eliminating the use of chemical weapons and remember those who have suffered because of such warfare.

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare History:

a)      The first international agreement limiting the use of chemical weapons can be traced back to 1675. France and Germany had come to an agreement to prohibit the use of poison bullets. This agreement was signed in Strasbourg.

b)      In 1874, the Brussels Convention on the Law and Customs of War was signed. It prohibited the employment of poison or poisoned weapons. However, the use of arms, projectiles or material to cause unnecessary suffering, though agreed upon, did not come into force.

c)       The Hague Convention declared to ‘abstain from the use of projectiles, the sole object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gasses’ in 1899. A second Hague Convention was agreed upon in 1907. It was to reiterate the earlier bans on employing poison or poisoned weapons.

d)      The Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1993. It came into force on April 29, 1997. In 2005, the United Nations proclaimed November 30 as the Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes First Male Player to Score in 5 World Cups: Cristiano Ronaldo creates history as he became the first male player to score in five World Cups in Portugal’s opening game in Qatar against Ghana. Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 65th minute from the penalty spot to open the scoring at Doha’s stadium 974, which was also the 118th goal of his country. The 37-year-old striker converted a penalty in the 65th minute to give Portugal a 1-0 lead. He has now scored a goal in every World Cup since 2006 when he again converted a penalty against Iran in the group stage. Ronaldo scored at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and another at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, and four in 2018 Russia. He has now become the first male player to score in five FIFA World Cups.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. IDFC FIRST Bank Launched India’s First Sticker-Based Debit Card FIRSTAP: IDFC First Bank has introduced a sticker-based debit card, called FIRSTAP. The launch is in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The FIRSTAP is launched to facilitate transactions by simply tapping the sticker on a Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled point-of-sale terminal. Key Points:

a)      The launch of sticker-based debit cards is in line with the bank’s customer-centric philosophy. The number of transactions being carried out via contactless cards is growing fast.

b)      As a customer-first bank, IDFC claims to be committed to using contactless technology for frictionless digital transactions.

c)       With stickers as the form factor in the wearable category, the debit card is convenient to carry around and enables fast check-out.

d)      The sticker-based debit card is one-third the size of a regular debit card, thus, making the sticker applicable to a wide range of devices and objects.

e)      As per the company, customers can affix the sticker-based debit card on any surface of choice, such as cell phones, identity cards, wallets, AirPodsand airpod cases.

f)        The object can be used to tap and pay, thus doing away with the need to carry a debit card or adapting to wearable devices such as watches and rings, or entering a UPI PIN after scanning a QR code.

 

2. Canara Bank Issues Electronic Bank Guarantee in Partnership with NeSL: Canara Banks steps into digital banking on its 117th Founder’s Day with the issuance of an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) in partnership with National E-Governance Service Limited (NeSL). The Canara Bank will now offer an API-based digital workflow of Bank guarantees which will eliminate physical insurance, stamping, verification, and paper-based record maintenance.

Key Points:

a)      The platform will offer several advantages such as greater transparency, better monitoring systems, and secured transmission of Bank Guarantees to beneficiaries.

b)      Canara Bank General Manager Mahesh M Pai informed that achieving the milestone of being the first public sector to roll out an electronic bank guarantee is a proud moment.

c)       Canara Bank launched Canara ail, a Mobile banking super app with more than 250 features.

d)      The futuristic vision of “One Bank, One App” was the aim for creating the bank Mobile app.

e)      It was also ranked 1st under the Digital Payment performance on 31st March 2022 by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Senior consultant Romal Shetty is CEO-designate of Deloitte India: Senior consultant Romal Shetty has been nominated CEO-designate of Deloitte India after a months-long selection process, according to an email sent to the firm’s partners late. The nomination committee, after considering multiple candidates, zeroed in on Shetty, who leads Deloitte’s consulting practice in India. The next step is for its Indian equity partners to confirm his candidacy.

Romal Shetty has 20 years of experience in advisory services across large-scale transformation programs covering the business and technology domain and has worked in over 30+ countries across risk and consulting domain. Shetty’s key focus areas are financial and operational turnaround, customer experience, product innovation, revenue management, analytics, business continuity, risk management, cost reduction, managed services and process reengineering. He is a Fellow Member of the ICAI and a Certified Information Systems Auditor.

Note: Deloitte Founder: William Welch Deloitte; Deloitte Headquarters: London, England; Deloitte Founded: 1845, London, United Kingdom.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Rajendra Pawar honoured Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 by FICCI: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), felicitated Rajendra Singh Pawar, Chairman & Founder, NIIT with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award 2022’ at the 8th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards ceremony. The award recognises Pawar for his immense contribution and exemplary work in the field of education as well as creating the IT Training industry. The selection of Award was done by a high-level jury panel, Chaired by Dr R. A. Mashelkar, Indian National Research Professor and Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and former Director General of CSIR.

 

2. 39 Schools Awarded with Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar for 2021-22: Thirty-nine schools from across the country were awarded the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar for the 2021-2022 academic session by the Ministry of Education. The schools were selected from among a total of 8.23 lakh entries. Out of which 28 were government and aided schools and 11 were private schools.

Key Points:

a)      The awarded schools include two Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, one Navodaya Vidyalaya, and three Kendriya Vidyalayas.

b)      The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar honors the school that has taken exemplary work in the field of water, sanitation, and hygiene.

c)       It also provides a benchmark and roadmap for the schools to make further improvements.

d)      The schools are rated on six broad parameters of water, toilets, handwashing with soap, operation, and maintenance, behavioral change, and capacity building.

e)      Out of 39 schools 17 are elementary and 22 are secondary/higher secondary schools.

f)        34 schools have been awarded a cash prize of ₹60,000 and ₹20,000 were awarded in the sub-categories. 

Daily GK Update- 29th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Wins Vice Presidency of International Electrotechnical Commission: India wins the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Vice Presidency and Strategic Management Board (SMB) Chair for the 2023-25 term. Shri Vimal Mahendru will be the IEC Vice President representing India. By securing over 90% of the votes cast by full members of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) during its General Meeting held recently in San Francisco, USA, India’s representative, a member of the Indian National Committee of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and various technical committees of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS-India), was elected.

Significance Of this: Representation of BIS (India) in policy and governance bodies of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and IEC ensures that Indian viewpoints on the important strategic and policy matters are put forth and it also provides opportunities to align the national standardization priorities with International best practices.

About International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC): International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is an international standard setting body that publishes international Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.  Standardization Management Board (SMB) is an apex governance body of IEC responsible for technical policy matters.

 

2. Railways Plans to Export Vande Bharat Trains by 2025-26: The railways are looking at becoming a major exporter of Vande Bharat trains by 2025-26 to markets in Europe, South America and East Asia, a senior official said, adding that the latest version of the indigenous trains with sleeper coaches will be operational by the first quarter of 2024.

He also said the railways is planning to clock 10-12 lakh kilometers on 75 Vande Bharat trains over the next few years, for these to be export ready. “The ecosystem to export trains has to be created over the next two to three years. We are on track to manufacture 475 Vande Bharat trains in the next three years and once they run successfully, there will be confidence in global markets about our product.

The Union Budget for 2023-24 will likely announce 300 more Vande Bharat trains to provide further fillip to the indigenously built semi-high-speed trains. If budgetary support comes through, the country will produce 800 trainsets in the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Railways to produce at least 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023 to launch the services connecting 75 key cities as part of the central government’s plans to celebrate 75 years of Independence.

 

3. AYUSH Grows from US$ 3 Billion to US$ 18 Billion: Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal informed that AYUSH has grown by 17 percent in 2014-20 to reach US dollars 18.1 billion. The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of ‘AYUR-UDYAMAH’ at New Delhi, where he also released the RIS report titled ‘AYUSH Sector in India: Prospects and Challenges.

Key Points:

a)      On the occasion, the All-India Institute of Ayurveda – Incubation Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIIA ICAINE) the first-of-its-kind incubation center under the Ministry of Ayush to promote Start-ups was also launched.

b)      AIIA ICAINE was launched by the Union Minister of Food and Processing Industries Shri Pashupati Paras Ji.

c)       As per the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) report, despite a slump in economic activity in 2020 due to the pandemic, the industry is projected to reach US$ 20.6 billion in 2021 and US$ 23.3 billion in 2022.

d)      In terms of the global share, India has grown faster in the AYUSH market as compared to the world and accounts for about 2.8 percent of the market, which is likely to hold even though disruptions in production are not ruled out.

 

4. JNPA Launched Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) in association with the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, developed a Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station (CMWQMS). The monitoring station and vehicle were inaugurated by Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA, in the presence of Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Dy. Chairman, JNPA, along with all the HoDs of JNPA. Key Points:

a)      JNPA is committed to achieving leadership in sustainability and creating value for the trade – depicted across the economic, social, and environmental parameters.

b)      The Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station and launch of E- Vehicles is yet another step towards commitment to sustainable development.”

c)       The Continuous water quality system and electric monitoring vehicle will assist in managing the marine water and air quality in the port area, regulating the environmental quality within the port area.

d)      JNPA will be able to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of vehicles, in addition to checking compliance with Environmental Quality around the port estate through water quality stations data, such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, conductivity, nitrate, salinity, turbidity, and TDS of marine water a database on marine water quality is essential for maintaining hygienic standards in the marine environment.

e)      The E- Vehicle also substantiates the ongoing ambient air and noise monitoring activities at JNPA.

 

5. Lieutenant Governor Inaugurates ‘Sonzal-2022’ at Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Annual Youth Festival ‘Sonzal-2022’ at the University of Kashmir. The Lt Governor said that the annual festival is a great opportunity for young artists to showcase their talents and ‘Sonzal’ provides them a much-needed platform to achieve the dream of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. Key Points:

a)      Sonzal means rainbow, which is a symbol of hope, inspiration, and good fortune.

b)      The Lt Governor entrusted on the Educational Institutions to discharge their responsibility to ensure freedom, creativity, and engagement for them to become multi-achievers, and acquire knowledge & skills to thrive and shape their future.

c)       The University of Kashmir has been transformed into a center of excellence and promoting scientific research, new ideas & knowledge, and adapting to rapid change across the world in fundamental aspects of the educational landscape.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. UN Human Rights Body Launches Iran Human Rights Probe: The U.N. Human Rights Council voted to condemn the bloody crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran and create an independent fact-finding mission to investigate alleged abuses, particularly those committed against women and children.

The session in Geneva is the latest international effort to put pressure on Iran over its crackdown, which has already drawn international sanctions and other measures. A resolution put forward by Germany and Iceland was backed by 25 countries, including the United States and many European, Latin American, Asian and African nations. Six countries opposed the move — China, Pakistan, Cuba, Eritrea, Venezuela and Armenia — while 16 abstained.

The United Nations’ top human rights official had earlier appealed to Iran’s government to halt the crackdown against protesters, but Tehran’s envoy at a special Human Rights Council on the country’s “deteriorating” rights situation was defiant and unbowed, blasting the initiative as “politically motivated.” The protests were triggered by the death, more than two months ago, of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police for violating a strictly enforced Islamic dress code.

 

2. 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers’ Meeting: India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers’s meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held at Dhaka in Bangladesh. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

India’s Approach: During his remarks, Mr. Singh reaffirmed the country’s strong commitment to strengthening IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region as well as in the Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the country’s contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management and Science, Technology and Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat. On the challenges posed by climate change, the Minister highlighted the initiatives of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.

The COM adopted the ‘IORA’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ (IOIP) which would guide enhancement of IORA’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. India led the process of development of the IOIP. Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd COM Meeting.

About IORA: The idea for IORA first surfaced during the late South African President Nelson Mandela’s 1995 visit to India. IORA is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to fostering regional cooperation and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region through its 23 Member States bordering the Indian Ocean and 10 Dialogue Partners. It is a regional forum that is tripartite in nature and brings together representatives of Government, Business, and Academia, in order to foster cooperation and closer engagement among them.

It’s Members: Commonwealth of Australia, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Union of Comoros, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Madagascar, Malaysia, Republic of Maldives, Republic of Mauritius, Republic of Mozambique, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Singapore, Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of South Africa, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, United Republic of Tanzania, Kingdom of Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Republic of Yemen.

 

3. Europe announces name of world’s first disabled astronauts: The European Space Agency has named the first ever “parastronaut” in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space. The 22-nation agency said it had appointed British Paralympic sprinter John McFall to take part in a feasibility study during astronaut training to assess the conditions needed for people with disabilities to take part in future missions.

Notably: McFall, who lost his right leg due to a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, won a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

Note: European Space Agency Headquarters: Paris, France; European Space Agency Founded: 30 May 1975, Europe; European Space Agency CEO: Josef Aschbacher.

 

4. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People: 29th November: November 29 is marked as the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People every year. Since 1978, the United Nations has commemorated the day as a way to express solidarity with the people of Palestine while the peace and resolution process remains stalled. The day aims to spread more awareness about the issues faced by the Palestinian people along with promoting a peaceful Palestine-Israel resolution.

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People History: In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II)). On 1 December 2005, the Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Axis Bank, Flipkart to Launch ‘Flipkart Axis Bank Super Elite’ Credit Card: Axis Bank, India’s third largest private sector bank, and Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace have partnered to launch the ‘Super Elite Credit Card. To scale the Flipkart SuperCoins reward program and enhance the customer shopping experience, this card will serve extensive value to shoppers. Key Points:

a)      Following the three million milestones recently achieved for the existing Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, this partnership enables yet another avenue for customers on the platform to unlock and enjoy unique rewards.

b)      The Super Elite Credit Card will offer an activation benefit of 500 Flipkart SuperCoins with 4X SuperCoins earned for every transaction and rewards up to Rs 20,000 across Flipkart, Myntra, etc.

c)       SuperCoins are rewards that customers can earn on each purchase across Flipkart, Myntra, and Cleartrip.

d)      The loyalty program was created with a vision to nurture customer relationships, enhance the digital shopping experience and deliver increased value.

e)      The unique rewards portfolio will serve the nuanced needs of Flipkart’s registered and burgeoning customer base of over 450 million across the country.

 

2. Airtel Payment Bank launched face authentication-based savings account: Airtel Payments Bank has launched a face authentication-based savings bank account opening for customers. The facility will further ease the account opening process making it seamless & convenient for customers. Airtel Payments Bank is the first Payments Bank in the country to offer this facility. The new facility will help Business Correspondents (BCs) of the bank to open an account just by undertaking face authentication e-KYC The authentication is processed by using a newly developed mobile application by UIDAI.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s Unemployment Rate Eases to 7.2% in July-September 2022: Unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above in urban areas declined to 7.2 per cent during July-September 2022 from 9.8 per cent a year ago, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said.

Key Points:

a)      The unemployment rate in current weekly status terms for all ages in the September quarter (second quarter or Q2) of FY23 is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in more than four years, from the time the NSO launched India’s first computer-based survey in April 2017.

b)      The unemployment rate among men and women has been estimated at 6.6 and 9.4 per cent, respectively. It has been showing continuous decline since the April-June quarter (first quarter, or Q1) of 2020-21, when it was estimated at 12.6 per cent.

c)       Labour force participation rate in CWS (Current Weekly Status) in urban areas for persons aged 15 years and above increased to 47.9 per cent in the July-September quarter of 2022, from 46.9 per cent in the same period a year ago. It was 47.5 per cent in April-June 2022.

 

2. Tata to Acquire Packaged Water Giant Bisleri for About ₹7,000 Crore: Tata Consumer is set to acquire India’s largest packaged drinking water company, Bisleri, for an estimated Rs 6,000-7,000 crore. Chairman Ramesh Chauhan is aiming to disinvest Bisleri International to Tata Consumer Products three decades after selling soft drink brands Thums Up, Gold Spot and Limca to Coca-Cola. The current management will continue for two years as part of the deal. Chauhan’s ill health and daughter Jayanti’s lack of interest in the business is driving him to sell off the company. There have been other interested parties such as Reliance Retail, Nestle and Danone.

About Tata’ Consumer Group: The Tata Group houses its consumer business under Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) which also sells packaged mineral water under the brand Himalayan and with brands as Tata Copper Plus Water and Tata Gluco in the hydration segment. The deal would provide the Tata group FMCG arm a larger play into the fast-growing bottled water segment.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Garuda Shakti 2022: India-Indonesia joint exercise kicks off in Karawang: The Special Forces of India and Indonesia commenced the joint military exercise Garuda Shakti. The exercise is currently underway in Indonesia at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang. The eighth edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti focuses on enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies. The goal of the joint exercise is to advance the special forces’ skills. It also aims to share information on new weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as lessons learned from previous operations. Focus of the exercise:

a)      Focusing on a high level of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques, and procedures, both armies have planned a 13-day comprehensive training schedule for joint training. The bilateral exercise will culminate with a 48-hour validation exercise.

b)      The bilateral exercise also covers strikes on terrorist camps, training for special forces operations in jungle terrain, and a validation exercise that combines basic and advance special forces techniques.

c)       Additionally, this Special Exercise also provides an opportunity for soldiers of both armies to explore each other’s culture and lifestyle to strengthen the defence ties.

Note: Indonesia Capital: Jakarta; Indonesia Currency: Indonesian rupiah; Indonesia President: Joko Widodo.

 

2. Indian Air Force Commenced Joint HADR Exercise Samanvay 2022: Indian Air Force is conducting the Annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise ‘Samanvay 2022’ from 28 November 2022 to 30 November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra. To assess the efficacy of institutional Disaster Management structures and contingency measures, the exercise will comprise a seminar on Disaster Management, a ‘Multi Agency Exercise’ involving static and flying displays of various HADR assets, and a ‘Tabletop Exercise’.

Key Points:

a)      Along with the involvement of various stakeholders from the country, the exercise will see participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries as well.

b)      Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be Chief Guest for the Capability Demonstration events planned during the exercise on 29 November 2022.

c)       Samanvay 2022 will promote a synergistic approach towards HADR by various national and regional stakeholders involved in Disaster Management including the Civil Administration, the Armed Forces, NDMA, NIDM, NDRF, DRDO, BRO, IMD, NRS, and INCOIS.

d)      This multi-agency engagement is expected to contribute in the evolution of institutional frameworks for effective communication, interoperability, cooperation, and their application for the successful conduct of HADR.

e)      The exercise also aims to provide a unique platform for the exchange of domain knowledge, experience, and best practices with the participating ASEAN member countries.

 

3. INS Mormugao: Second Ship of Project 15B Delivered to Indian Navy: INS Mormugao is the second ship of Project 15B stealth destroyers being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL). INS Mormugao was delivered to the Indian Navy on 24th November 2022. Project 15B was signed on 28th January 2011, which is a contract of four ships. This project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers Commissioned in the last decade and the lead ship of the project-INS Visakhapatnam had been commissioned into the Indian Navy on 21st November 2021.

About the INS Mormugao: INS Mormugao was designed by the Warship Design Bureau, the Indian Navy’s in-house organization, and M/s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai. The four ships are named after four major cities in India, which are Imphal, Surat, Vishakhapatnam, and Mormugao.

Specifications of INS Mormugao: The INS Mormugao is 163 meters long and 17 meters wide. INS Mormugao displaces 7400 tonnes when fully loaded and has a maximum speed of 30 knots.

Daily GK Update- 28th Nov, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Govt Announces Strategy for Suicide Prevention: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare unveiled the National Suicide Prevention Strategy— the first-of-its-kind policy formulated by the government to prevent suicides as a public health priority. According to the ministry, the policy that will set the stage for promotion of mental health and prevention of suicides in the coming decade. The goal of the strategy is to reduce suicide mortality in the country by 10 per cent by 2023. The strategy provides a framework for multiple stakeholders to implement activities for prevention of suicides in the country. It’s Features:

a)      First, it seeks to establish effective surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next three years.

b)      Second, it seeks to establish psychiatric outpatient departments that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all districts within the next five years.

c)       Third, it aims to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next eight years.

d)      The fourth objective of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy is to strengthen surveillance of suicide and further generation of evidence through evaluation, that will ensure improvement in the programme quality.

Whom To Implement: The implementation framework of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy envisions five key stakeholders responsible for realising the objectives. These include national-level ministerial stakeholders, state-level governmental stakeholders, district-level governmental stakeholders, NIMHANS-Bangalore and other top mental health institutes, and strategic collaborators. How It Will Be Implemented:

a)      Reinforcing leadership, partnerships and institutional capacity in the country

b)      Enhancing the capacity of health services to provide suicide prevention services

c)       Developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention and reduce stigma associated with suicidal behaviours.

 

2. Uttarakhand: Nainital High Court bans beautification works of Sukhatal lake: The Uttarakhand high court has banned all construction activities in the dry area around the Sukhatal lake, a rain-fed water body that recharges the Naini lake. A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice R.C. Khulbe imposed the ban while hearing suo motu a PIL against the beautification and rejuvenation work going on around Sukhatal.

The State Environment Impact Authority and the State Wetland Management Authority have also been made parties and notices have been issued to them in this regard. During the hearing, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Kartikeya Hari Gupta told the court citing hydrological studies that the Sukhatal lake recharges the Naini lake up to 40% and 50%.

Note: Uttarakhand Governor: Gurmit Singh; Uttarakhand Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami; Uttarakhand Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer).

 

3. Mumbai Becomes the First City in South Asia to Top CDP’s Climate Action List: Mumbai has become the first Indian city to be added to the A-list in the 5th Annual Cities Report published by CDP, a non-profit organisation that runs the world’s environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, states, and regions – recognises the important role that cities play in taking bold actions to mitigate and adopt to climate change. 122 cities across the globe have been named as leaders in environmental action and transparency in 2022 by CDP. For the first time, this includes cities from several countries in the Global South, including Mumbai; cities that are often among those most affected by the impacts of climate change.

Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and, globally, the 7th largest in terms of population. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Mumbai is separated from the mainland by Thane Creek and Harbour Bay. The city is vulnerable to climate change-induced hazards, such as sea level rise, heavy rainfall, storm surges, increasing heat, and tropical cyclones. It is also susceptible to landslides, due to heavy rain that causes many fatalities and physical damage each monsoon season.

 

4. IIT Guwahati director T G Sitharam named as chairman of AICTE: Professor TG Sitharam, Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has been appointed as the new Chairman of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The Ministry of Education has approved the appointment of Professor Sitharam as the new AICTE Chairman for a period of three years. Professor Sitharam will take charge from UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been holding interim charge of the post of the Chairman of AICTE after Anil Sahasrabuddhe retired on attaining the age of 65 years.

Note: All India Council for Technical Education Founded: November 1945; All India Council for Technical Education Headquarters: New Delhi; All India Council for Technical Education Parent agency: Department of Higher Education.

 

5. IRSEE Vinit Kumar appointed as CEO of KVIC: Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE), Vinit Kumar takes over the charge of CEO, KVIC Central Office, KVIC Mumbai. He is appointed as CEO, Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVlC), Mumbai under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He was welcomed by Shri Manoj Kumar, Hon’ble Chairman, KVIC at Central Office, Mumbai. Vinit Kumar, an IRSEE officer of 1993 batch, has served as the Chairman of Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata (erstwhile Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port, Kolkata) before taking over as the Chief Executive Officer of Khadi and Village Industries Commission and also served as Chief Electrical Engineer in Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd. and looked after World Bank funded MUTP project before joining as CEO, KVIC.

Note: Khadi & Village Industries Commission Founded: 1956; Khadi & Village Industries Commission Headquarters: Mumbai; Khadi & Village Industries Commission Agency executive: Manoj Kumar (Chairperson)

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Qatar signed world’s ‘longest’ gas supply deal with China: QatarEnergy announced a 27-year natural gas supply deal with China, calling it the “longest” ever seen as it strengthened ties with Asia while Europe scrambles for alternative sources. The state energy company will send four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from its new North Field East project to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec).

Asian countries led by China, Japan and South Korea are the main market for Qatar’s gas, which is increasingly being sought by European countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Negotiations with European countries have struggled as Germany and others baulked at signing the type of long-term deals made with Asian nations. North Field is at the centre of Qatar’s expansion of its liquefied natural gas production by more than 60 percent to 126 million tonnes a year by 2027.

Note: Qatar Capital: Doha; Qatar Currency: Qatari Riyal; Prime Minister of Qatar: Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al Thani.

 

2. Nepal: Sher Bahadur Deuba elected for consecutive 7th time from Dadeldhura district: In Nepal, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has elected for the consecutive 7th time from the home district of Dadeldhura. The counting of votes continues for parliamentary and provincial elections in the country. Senior Nepali Congress leader, Mr. Deuba defeated an independent candidate Sagar Dhakal by a margin of over 12 thousand votes. The 77-year-old Nepali Congress president Deuba is currently holding the post of Prime Minister for the fifth term.

The parliamentary and provincial elections were held on 20th of November in Nepal. It was the second general election since the promulgation of the constitution in 2015. Deuba secured 25,534 votes against his nearest rival Sagar Dhakal, 31, an independent candidate who received 1,302 votes. Deuba has never lost any parliamentary election in the five decades of his political career.

Note: Nepal Capital: Kathmandu; Nepal Currency: Nepalese rupee; Nepal President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari.

 

3. Lt General Asim Munir Appointed as New Army Chief of Pakistan: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir as the new army chief of the country, replacing incumbent General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced the appointment on Twitter ending weeks of speculation over what some call the most powerful position in the South Asian nation. Key Points:

a)      Pakistan’s military has directly ruled the country of 220 million people for nearly half of its 75-year history.

b)      Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad will take charge as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

c)       Munir is currently posted at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He has served briefly as chief of the country’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan breaks world record for highest ever List A score: Tamil Nadu batter Narayan Jagadeesan broke the world record for the highest individual score in men’s List A cricket by hammering 277 off 141 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Chinnaswamy in Bangalore. Tamil Nadu became the first team to breach the 500- mark in List A cricket before winning the Group C match by 435 runs, making it the highest victory margin at this level. The previous record was Somerset’s 346-run win over Devon in 1990. This was after the 26-year-old Jagadeesan became the first-ever player to score five consecutive centuries in men’s List A cricket. He also went past Alistair Brown and Rohit Sharma to set a new record for the highest individual score.

 

2. Telangana’s Bhukya and Odisha’s Patri Held National U-13 Badminton Titles: Telangana’s Nishanth Bhukya and Odisha’s Tanvi Patri became the boys’ and girls’ singles’ champions at the 34th Under-13 National Badminton Championships, notching contrasting wins at the UP-Badminton Academy. Fourth-seeded Bhukya came from behind to beat Andhra Pradesh’s Akhil Reddy Boba 19-21, 21-12, 22-20 in 44 minutes whereas Patri took just 22 minutes to brush aside local challenger and 15th-seeded Divyanshi Gautam 21-7, 21-10.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC Bank, Flywire Collaborate to Offer Edu digital Payments: Payments software company Flywire has teamed up with India’s Largest private sector giant HDFC Bank to help students in India pay education fees at institutions around the world. By integrating with HDFC Bank’s banking platform, Flywire gives Indian students fully digital checkout options for uses ranging from application fees to tuition payments. Meanwhile, schools accepting these payments will get their payments on time and in their local currencies, “as well as full transparency into the transaction history, which eases their reconciliation processes and streamlines operational efficiencies”.  The company said that the integration streamlines payments for students and families while also making sure they comply with international translation guidelines.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s Current Account Deficit Pegged at 3-3.2% of GDP in FY23: Robust domestic economic activity and an uptick in oil import bills, India’s current account deficit is expected to be 3-3.2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) for FY23, according to Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran. India’s current account balance recorded a deficit of 1.2 per cent of GDP in 2021-22, against a surplus of 0.9 per cent in 2020-21. The Reserve Bank of India expects CAD to have widened modestly in the first half (April-September 2022) but shrink in the second half (October 2022-March 2023). Overall, CAD is expected to be under 3 per cent of GDP for FY23.

According to the RBI’s assessment (in the state of economy report), India’s foreign exchange reserves at $ 530.0 billion, as on November 4, covered 8.6 months of imports projected for 2022-23. The foreign exchange reserves’ cover of imports (on a balance of payments basis) declined to 10.4 months at end of June 2022, from 11.8 months at the end of March 2022.

 

2. Suryakumar Yadav named as brand ambassador of UrbanGabru: Men’s grooming brand UrbanGabru announced the star India cricketer Suryakumar Yadav as its new brand ambassador. He joins the brand to endorse UrbanGabru’s grooming range. Suryakumar Yadav, fondly known as SKY, is currently ranked second in men’s T20 International batting.

About the UrbanGabru: UrbanGabru, part of GlobalBees’ house of brands, offers high-quality, affordable men’s grooming and personal care products. The wide range includes facial, hair, beard, body, intimate area products, and more. UrbanGabru is a men’s grooming brand from the house of GlobalBees Brands Pvt. Ltd.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India’s Purnima Devi Barman is one of UNEP’s ‘Champions of the Earth’ for 2022: India’s Purnima Devi Barman, an Assam-based wildlife biologist, is one of the five ‘Champions of the Earth’ for this year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced. The annual awards are the highest environmental honour that the UNEP confers on individuals and organisations whose actions have a “transformative impact” on the environment. She has been honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category. The other honourees include Arcenciel (Lebanon); Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chutas (Peru); Sir Partha Dasgupta of the United Kingdom and Cecile Bibiane Ndjebet (Cameroon). About the Purnima Devi Barman:

a)      Barman has been working with local communities – women, specifically – in Assam for more than a decade now to conserve the greater adjutant stork, an endangered wetland bird whose numbers have been declining due to habitat destruction and cutting down of nesting trees.

b)      Barman won the award this year in the ‘Entrepreneurial Vision’ category, for her trail-blazing work in protecting the greater adjutant stork, called ‘hargila’ in Assamese. Hargilas are five-foot-tall birds that dwell in wetlands in some parts of southeast Asia including India and Cambodia.

 

2. Museum maker AP Shreethar awarded Economic Times Inspiring Leaders Award 2022: Museum maker AP. Shreethar was honored with Economic Times Inspiring Leaders Award 2022 in Delhi. The award was presented by Actress Mrunal Thakur in the capital city, Delhi. AP Shreethar is a self-taught artist and museum maker. He is known to have conducted over 72 shows and exhibitions around the globe. AP Shreethar is additionally credited as the creator of the world’s first Live Art Museum.

As a recipient of the famed Lenin Muzem Award, AP. Shreethar specializes in capturing the essence of his subjects with photo realistic renditions, gaining favour in the eyes of celebrities such as actor Amitabh Bachchan, Padmashree Dr. Kamal Hassan, Sachin Tendulkar, A.R. Rahman, Padmashree Dr. Bala Murali Krishna, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Former French President Mr. Francois Hollande, Former Prime Minster of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, and many more. Francois Hollande, Former President of the French Republic, is personally noted to have penned a letter of appreciation in recognition of Shreethar’s mastery.

 

3. Matrix Awarded Partner of the Year 2022 by Procter & Gamble: Chennai-based Matrix Business Services India Pvt. Ltd., a leading Business Assurance Services Company, part of the UDS Group, was recently recognised and awarded “Partner of the Year 2022” by one of the world’s most valuable companies, Procter & Gamble (P&G) at a recently held event in Cincinnati, USA, for their contribution in transforming their business processes.

Matrix was among the 11 external business partners (EBPs) chosen from a global network of over 50,000 for the year 2021 – 22. This is a wonderful acknowledgment of Matrix’s expertise in running an end-to-end business process in such a complex and niche area like Trade Fund Management, that too across several countries. It is the hard work and dedication of team Matrix that has paved the way to achieve this feat, which is the highest honour a P&G partner can get.

 

4. Prodapt won the Prestigious Salesforce Partner Innovation Award 2022: Prodapt, a leading global consulting, technology & managed services provider with a singular focus on the Connectedness industry, has been named a recipient of the Salesforce Partner Innovation Award in the “Communications” category. The prestigious award recognizes Prodapt’s contributions to Salesforce-driven digital transformation programs and the development of specific solution accelerators for the communications industry.

Each year, the Salesforce Partner Innovation Awards recognize the significant contributions Salesforce partners have made across clouds, industries, and the broader partner program – including consulting firms, digital agencies, resellers, and ISV partners. IDC, a global provider of market intelligence and advisory services for the IT, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets, facilitated and judged the nominations.