Daily GK Update- 5th Dec, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt appoints Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar as chairperson of NSCI:Prof Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar (Prof emeritus at Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI)) has been appointed as part-time chairperson of National Statistical Commission of India (NSCI) for three years. He has joined CMI as a visiting professor in 2010. He served as director CMI from Jan 2011 to April 2021. It is an autonomous body, was formed in June 2005 after the recommendation by Dr C Rangarajan Commission. The chairperson of the Commission enjoys the status of a MoS. Prof Karandikar, who joined CMI as a visiting professor in 2010 and was its director from January 2011 to April 2021, told TNIE that he would try to modernise the statistics system of the union government. He said delays in decoding data collected from national surveys impacted decision making.

2. Millets-Smart Nutritive Food Conclave starts in New Delhi:The govt of India has organised the 'Millets-Smart Nutritive Food' Conclave in New Delhi on December 5, 2022. This conclave is a pre-launch event of the International Year of Millets - 2023. This event was organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The government has also released e-catalogue on 30 potential importing countries and 21 millet producing states of India.  The conclave is a pre-launch event of the International Year of Millets - 2023 organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its apex agricultural export promotion body, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). 

3. Ladakh will have India's first Dark Night Sky Reserve: Ladakh is all set to have India's first Dark Night Sky Reserve at Hanle in Changthang region. In about eighteen locations in Hanley, powerful telescopes will be installed for stargazing. Hanle is home for the 2nd highest optical telescope in the world, was established in 2001 by Indian Institute of Astrophysics. After an MoU between UT Administration, Leh Hill council and Indian Institute of Astrophysics, necessary approvals were received from Department of S&T. Ladakh is all set to have India's first Dark Night Sky Reserve at Hanle village in Changthang region. In about eighteen locations in Hanley, powerful telescopes will be installed for stargazing. AIR correspondent reports, Country's prestigious Dark Nighty Sky Reserve in Changthang's Hanley shall start soon.  Union Territory Ladakh administration has distributed eighteen telescopes to the trained youths of Hanley village.

4. Piyush Goyal addressed Millets-Smart Nutritive Food summit in New Delhi:Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has attended the Millets-Smart Nutritive Food Conclave as chief guest in New Delhi. The conclave is a pre-launch event of the International Year of Millets – 2023 organized with the objective to promote the export of millets. At the first-of-its-kind Millets Conclave, the government released e-catalogue on 30 potential importing countries and 21 millet-producing states of India. The conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s apex agricultural export promotion body, APEDA with the objective of promoting the export of millets.

5. 5 December 2022 – 65th Foundation Day of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with the Union MoS for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary has inaugurated the two-day-long 65th Foundation Day celebrations of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in New Delhi. DRI is the premier intelligence and enforcement agency on anti-smuggling matters. DRI has also been at the forefront in international Customs collaboration under Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements signed with various countries, where thrust is on information exchange and learning from the best practices of other Customs administrations.  It came into existence on 4th December 1957.

DRI Headquarters – New Delhi

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

1. Paris Club proposes 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt:Paris Club creditor nations (group of 22 countries) has proposed 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt and another 15 years of debt restructuring as a formula to resolve the Sri Lankan debt crisis. The Paris club aims to find sustainable solutions for challenges faced by debtor countries Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had defaulted on its 51 billion dollar external debt in the midst of spiralling political and economic crisis India has provided emergency aid to Sri Lanka Paris Club creditor nations are proposing a 10-year moratorium on Sri Lankan debt and another 15 years of debt restructuring as a formula to resolve the Sri Lankan debt crisis. The Paris club is a group of officials from 22 countries who find sustainable solutions for challenges faced by debtor countries.

2. World Soil Day 2022: 5th December: World Soil Day is observed annually on December 5 to highlight the value of healthy soil and to promote the sustainable management of soil resources. 2022 theme: Soils: Where food begins In 2002, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) has proposed to celebrate Soil Day. In June 2013, the FAO Conference endorsed the day and requested UN to adopt the day. This day was officially adopted by UNGA and December 5, 2014 celebrated as the first World Soil Day.  Soil supports life on our planet by providing essential nutrients to plants. It is also home to a large, diversified community of creatures that enhance the soil's structure, recycle vital nutrients, and aid in the management of weeds, plant pests, and diseases. Another crucial factor is that good soil reduces climate change by preserving or even increasing soil organic carbon. All plants used in food production grow on soil, which also serves as the foundation of food systems.

3. 3. 5 December – International Volunteer Day: International Volunteer Day (IVD) is celebrated on 5 December every year. Objective – To promote volunteerism at local, national, and international levels. The United Nations General Assembly notified in its resolution of 20 November 1997 that 2001 will be observed as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV).

Theme 2022 – solidarity through volunteering

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

1. Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh lift mixed team pistol title at 65th NSCC:Team of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the 10m air pistol mixed team title at the 65th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC), held at the MP Shooting Academy range, Bhopal. Duo of Manu and Sarabjot defeated Karnataka pair, Divya T.S. and Imroz by 16-4 in the gold medal encounter. While, in the junior mixed team pistol, Uttar Pradesh’s Anjali and Sagar defeated Uttarakhand’s Yashsavi and Abhinav to win the final. New Delhi [India], December 5 (ANI): Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the 10m air pistol mixed team title at the 65th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) here at the MP Shooting Academy range in Bhopal, venue of the Pistol shooting events.

2. Indian Shooter Rudrankksh Patil won ISSF President’s Cup in Egypt:Indian shooter Rudrankksh Patil has clinched the ISSF President’s Cup held in Cairo, Egypt.He defeated Italy’s Danilo Sollazzo in the 10-metre rifle play-off by 16-8.18-year-old Rudrankksh Patil also bagged India’s first quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics, when he clinched a gold in the men’s 10-metre air rifle in the ISSF Rifle-Pistol World Championships 2022 also held in Cairo in October this year.Olympian, Anjum Moudgil (world No. 4) had secured silver after losing to Anna Janssen (Germany) in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions final.

3. Rohit Sharma becomes sixth-highest run scorer for India in ODIs: Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma has surpassed former batter M. Azharuddin to become the sixth-highest run-getter for India in ODI cricket.The batter accomplished this record during India’s first ODI against Bangladesh at Dhaka.With this, his ODI statistics stand at 234 matches, and 9,403 runs in 227 innings at an average of 48.46. He has scored 29 tons and 45 fifties in his ODI career, with the best individual score of 264, which is also the highest score ever in ODIs.Other leading run-scorers in ODI cricket for India are Sachin Tendulkar (18,426), Virat Kohli (12,353), Saurav Ganguly (11,221), Rahul Dravid (10,768), and MS Dhoni (10,599).

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IDFC AMC to be renamed as Bandhan Mutual Fund:SEBI has cleared Bandhan-led consortium's proposed acquisition of IDFC AMC. Earlier, a consortium of Bandhan Financial Holdings, GIC, and ChrysCapital have signed an agreement to buy IDFC AMC and IDFC AMC Trustee Company from parent IDFC (Deal: Rs 4,500 crore). After the transaction, BFHL will own about 60% and GIC and ChrysCapital will hold 20% each in IDFC AMC. Consequently, each scheme of IDFC MF will be renamed to replace the word ‘IDFC’ with the word ‘Bandhan’. IDFC Asset Management Company Limited (AMC), one of the top 10 AMCs in the country, has received regulatory clearances from regulators for its proposed change in ownership. Securities market regulator SEBI granted the necessary no objection for IDFC AMC’s acquisition by a consortium comprising Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited (BFHL), GIC (GIC), and ChrysCapital (CC). 

2. IIFL launches India’s first passive tax-saving fund:IIFL Mutual Fund has launched the new fund offering of IIFL ELSS (Equity-Linked Savings Scheme) Nifty 50 Tax Saver Index Fund (IN50). A passive scheme allows investors to simply think of their investment as a split between FDs, PPFs, insurance, and ‘equity’ – without having to worry about deep analysis. Being an index fund, the scheme will try to mirror the Nifty 50 and generate returns in line with the movement in the index.  Being a tax saver fund, all investments in this scheme up to Rs 1.5 lakh, along with other eligible contributions, will fetch you deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Like all contributions to ELSS, the units of this scheme too will be locked in for three years from the date of allotment.

3. GST collection for November stands at Rs 1,45,867 crore:Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for the month of November 2022 stood at ₹1,45,867 crore, according to the data shared by the finance ministry The revenue for the month of November is 11% higher than the GST revenue in the same month last year, which itself was ₹1,31,526 crore This is the ninth straight month when collections from GST has remained above ₹1.40 lakh crore. The gross GST revenue collected in November 2022 came in at ₹1,45,867 crore of which CGST is ₹25,681 crore, SGST is ₹32,651 crore, IGST is ₹77,103 crore (including ₹38,635 crore collected on import of goods) and Cess is ₹10,433 crore (including ₹817 crore collected on import of goods).

                                    

OBITUARIES

1. City of Joy author, Dominique Lapierre passes away: Dominique Lapierre (French writer), the author of best-selling books on India like "Freedom at Midnight" and "City of Joy", has been passed away at the age of 91. His notable work: Is Paris Burning?, O Jerusalem!, Five Past Midnight in Bhopal, Freedom at Midnight In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan (India's third highest civilian award). He had donated the bulk of his royalties from "City of Joy" to support humanitarian projects in India.

2. Yakshagana artist Kumble Sundar Rao passes away: Well-known Yakshagana and Talamaddale artist and former MLA, Kumble Sundar Rao has been passed away at the age of 88. He was an exponent of Thenkuthittu style of Yakshagana. He had performed as a member of Surathkal, Dharmasthala and Ira Yakshagana Melas. He served as an MLA of Surathkal (present Mangalore City North) constituency from 1994 to 1999. Sundar Rao had served as president of Karnataka State Yakshagana Academy.