Daily GK Update- 1st July, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha partners with UN WFP to empower, support women through self-help groups: The Odisha government and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) have joined hands to improve household food and nutritional security by strengthening livelihood initiatives and reaching out to thousands of state-supported Women’s Self-Help Groups (WSHGs). This is a significant partnership for achieving nutritional security in Odisha focused on empowerment, livelihood and incomes of women. The partnership, effective till December 2023, will also be focusing on improving the linkage of women’s groups with government procurement systems, increasing awareness on entitlements, building capacity of women’s groups, and developing monitoring tools and undertaking evaluations to improve functioning of the groups.

 

2. Maharashtra govt increases honorarium of ASHA workers by Rs 1000 and gives additional Rs 500 as COVID allowance: The Maharashtra government has decided to increase the honorarium of ASHA workers by Rs one thousand and give an additional Rs 500 as COVID allowance. The pay hike will be implemented from 1st July. Further, as an additional incentive, the state government will provide each of the over 68,000 ASHA workers with a smartphone. Following this announcement, ASHA workers have called off their week-long strike and will resume work tomorrow onwards.

 

3. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates and lays foundation stones of several road projects worth over Rs 6000 crore in Himachal Pradesh: GrabUnion Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari performed inaugurations and laid foundation stones of several road projects worth Rs 6155 crore through video conferencing from Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. On this occasion, MrGadkari said within the next two years the travelling distance between Delhi to Kullu would be reduced to seven hours. This would give a big boost to tourism. MrGadkari said, road projects worth Rs 15,000 crore would be awarded to Himachal Pradesh this year.

 

4. Cabinet Approves Extension of PMGKAY for 5 Months Till Nov: The Cabinet approved a proposal to extend the Pradhan MantriGaribKalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to provide free ration to over 80 crore people, mostly poor, by five more months till November-end. The PMGKAY was reintroduced for two months till June this year in order to minimise the economic hardships being faced by the poor PDS (public distribution system) beneficiaries during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

5. IFSCA constitutes committee to examine global best practices in ship financing & leasing: International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has constituted a committee to examine global best practices in ship financing and leasing. This Committee will also identify opportunities and devise a roadmap to enable such activities. The committee will be chaired by former Senior Economic Advisor, Vandana Aggarwal.

 

6. National Postal Worker Day: 1st July: The National Postal Worker Day is marked every year on July 1 globally in recognition of the contribution made by postal workers in our society. The day is a unique opportunity to say ‘thank you not only to postmen but also to all delivery personnel, as online shopping has become a lifeline for many of us. The day was initiated by a popular postal service provider from Seattle, the United States of America in 1997 to felicitate and honour the co-postal workers for their dedication.

 

7. National Chartered Accountants Day: 1st July: National Chartered Accountants Day or CA Day is celebrated on July 1 every year. This day is celebrated to commemorate the finding of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) by the parliament of India in 1949. Every year on the day of the establishment of the ICAI, CA Day is celebrated to honour the Chartered Accountant.

Note: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India Headquarters: New Delhi; President of ICAI: CA Nihar N Jambusaria.

 

8. National Doctors’ Day: 1st July: The National Doctors’ Day is organized on 01 July annually in India by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The day is celebrated to honour the great physicians and help us understand the importance of doctors in our lives and value them, to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives.

History of the day: The day commemorates the birth anniversary of the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, DrBidhan Chandra Roy who was born on July 1, 1882, and died on the same date in 1962.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. NSA AjitDoval attends SCO meeting in Dushanbe: National Security Advisor AjitDoval attended a meeting of the top security officials from the member nations of the Shanghai Corporation Organisation (SCO) in Tajikistan capital Dushanbe. Tajikistan, the current president of the SCO, is hosting the meeting of the top national security officials of the eight-nation grouping. The NSA level meeting was preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM). In addition to other security concerns to be discussed, the security officials will set the course for the annual “Regional Anti-Terror Structure” (RATS) mechanism joint exercises by SCO member troops, to be held in Pakistan this year, where Indian troops are due to attend.

 

2. FATF adds Malta, Haiti, the Philippines and South Sudan to gray list: A watchdog on the lookout for money laundering and terror financing said it has placed the tiny Mediterranean island nation of Malta on a list for increased monitoring. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, added the European Union member to its so-called gray list, along with Haiti, the Philippines and South Sudan.  It is exceptional for an EU country to be put on this list, which also includes Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Syria. The move raised concerns in Malta about the potentially damaging impact on the nation’s economy.

 

3. IFFCO to set up Nano Urea Fertiliser Plant in Argentina, Brazil: World’s biggest fertilizer cooperative Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) informed that it will set up a Nano Urea Liquid manufacturing plant in Argentina in partnership with the Cooperative Confederation of Argentina (Cooperar) and Instituto Nacional de Asociativismo y Economia Social (INAES). They will together analyze the feasibility of setting up a Nano Urea Fertiliser Manufacturing Plant in Argentina with mutual collaboration. They will also explore the possibility of cooperation in trade and investment in both the countries, in areas of mutual interest, including agrochemicals and agricultural inputs to achieve sustainable development.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. JSCA, SAIL-BSL inks MoU for International Cricket Stadium in Bokaro: The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SAIL Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), for the construction of an International Cricket Stadium in Bokaro city. Once the stadium is ready, Bokaro will become the third city in Jharkhand to have an International Cricket Stadium after Jamshedpur and Ranchi.

The MoU is a lease agreement under which Bokaro Steel Plant will transfer 20.17 acres of its land to JSCA for 33 years, for the construction of an international cricket stadium in the Balidih area of Bokaro. The proposed stadium will also be the first stadium to be constructed in SAIL Township.

Note: Chief Minister of Jharkhand: Hemant Soren; Governor: ShrimatiDroupadiMurmu.

 

2. Tokyo 2020: IOA ropes in MPL, Amul and JSW Group as sponsors: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) roped in mobile gaming platform MPL Sports Foundation as the principal sponsor of the country’s contingent for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and next year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The association is set to last till December 31, 2022. The IOA also said that diary giant Amul has agreed to be a sponsor for the Tokyo Games to be held from July 23 to August 8. The Indian Olympic Association also roped in the JSW Group as another sponsor for the country’s Tokyo Olympics contingent.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI launches FY21 round of survey on ITES exports: The Reserve Bank said it has launched the 2020-21 round of its annual survey on computer software and information technology enabled services (ITES) exports, results of which are used for compilation of balance of payments statistics. The RBI has been conducting this annual survey since 2002-03. It collects data on various aspects of computer services exports as well as exports of ITES and business process outsourcing (BPO). The RBI said it has also launched the 2020-21 round of the annual survey on ‘Foreign Liabilities and Assets of Mutual Funds and Asset Management Companies’.The survey collects information from mutual fund companies and asset management companies on their external financial liabilities and assets as at end-March of the latest financial year.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Jio and Google Cloud to collaborate on 5G Technology: Reliance JioInfocomm Limited and Google Cloud are embarking on a comprehensive, long-term strategic relationship with a goal of powering 5G in enterprise and consumer segments nationwide. In addition, Reliance will also take advantage of Google Cloud’s scalable infrastructure thereby enabling its retail business to achieve better operational efficiency, modernize and scale for growth, and deliver better performance and experiences to customers.

As part of the partnership, Reliance will also augment its compute workload for retail business taking advantage of Google’s AI/ML, e-commerce, and demand forecasting offerings. This will help Reliance to rapidly grow its new commerce business to leverage Google Cloud with increased reliability and performance, as well as scale up as needed to respond to customer demand. Jio will also adopt Google Cloud’s scalable, serverless data analytics platform to advance its data-led innovation strategy.

Note: Reliance Jio President Infocomm: Mathew Oommen; Reliance Jio Founder: MukeshAmbani; Reliance Jio Founded: 2007; Reliance Jio Headquarters: Mumbai.

Google CEO: SundarPichai; Google Founded: 4 September 1998, California, United States; Google Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin.

 

2. Adani Power to acquire 1,200 MW Essar Power’s Mahan project: Adani Power Limited is set to acquire the 1200 megawatt (MW) Essar Power’s Mahan Project situated at Singrauli district in Madhya Pradesh and is likely to spend around Rs 3000 crore for this project. The plant routes power through the Mahan-Sipat transmission line and is linked with a railway sliding situated 18 kilometers away for the purpose of coal supply and other raw materials.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. French non-fiction author Emmanuel Carrere wins top Spanish award: French author Emmanuel Carrere, popular for his non-fiction books in a high literary vein, has been granted this year’s Spanish Princess of Asturias Literature Award. The 50000-euro award is one of the 8 prestigious prizes by the foundation named after the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor. The 8 prizes cover different disciplines-arts, social sciences, sports etc.

 

2. RK Sabharwal gets highest civilian award of Mongolia: Engineers India Limited (EIL) Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), RK Sabharwal has been honoured with the highest civilian award of Mongolia ‘The Order of Polar Star by his excellency. The President of Mongolia recognises the outstanding contribution made by him towards the establishment of the first-ever oil refinery in Mongolia. On behalf of the government of Mongolia, this award was presented by His Excellency, the Ambassador of Mongolia to India, GonchingGanbold, at a ceremony organised at the Embassy of Mongolia.

About the award: The ‘Order of Polar Star’ is the most desirable and prestigious state award bestowed by the President of Mongolia which is highly valuable and distinguished and recognises individuals who have made an invaluable contribution with their outstanding hard work, intelligence and sincerity to the prosperity of Mongolia and its friendship with other nations, as well for outstanding contributions in the fields of arts, culture, science and humanity.

Note: Mongolia Capital: Ulaanbaatar; Mongolia Currency: Mongolian Togrog; Mongolia President: UkhnaaKhurelsukh.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO Successfully Test Fires Enhanced Pinaka Rocket off Odisha Coast: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired an extended-range version of the indigenously developed Pinaka rocket. The rockets were launched from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The enhanced range version of the Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45 km. 25 Enhanced Pinaka Rockets were launched in quick succession against different range targets. The Pinaka Rocket system has been developed jointly by Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) with manufacturing support from M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur. 

Daily GK Updates - 1st May, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. TRIFED inks MoU with ‘The LINK Fund’ for tribal development: Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The LINK Fund, for a collaborative project titled “Sustainable Livelihoods For Tribal Households in India”.  Under the project, both the organisations will work together towards:

(1) Tribal Development and Employment Generation, by providing support to tribals for increasing value addition in their produce and products;

(2) Sustainable livelihoods and value addition, for the increase in income and employment generation through technological intervention for efficiency in value addition for MFPs, produce and crafts diversification, skill training and enhancement of value additions in minor forest produce.

LINK Fund: The LINK Fund is a Geneva, Switzerland based philanthropic operational foundation and practitioner-led fund, working towards eradicating extreme poverty and mitigating the effects of climate change.

TRIFED: TRIFED is a nodal agency under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, working for the empowerment of the tribals community in India.

 

2. Punjab cabinet approves hike in Ashirwad Scheme aid from ₹21,000 to ₹51,000: The Punjab Cabinet approved a hike in financial assistance under the Ashirwad scheme from Rs 21,000 to Rs 51,000 per beneficiary, with directions to clear all payment backlog under the scheme. The hike will come into effect from July 1, a government statement said after a virtual meeting of the Council of Ministers. This is the second hike in the scheme amount by the present government, which had earlier enhanced the assistance from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000 soon after it took over in 2017, while renaming the Shagun scheme as Ashirward scheme.

 

3. Madhya Pradesh govt launches Corona Warriors Scheme: In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has launched the Corona Warriors Scheme. The government will take the responsibility of family members of health workers who have passed away while on Corona duty.  Their families will be given honorarium of Rs 50 lakhs by the government. So far 80 lakh 66 thousand 980 doses of Corona vaccines have been administered in the state, out of which 70 lakh 19 thousand 763 first and 10 lakh 47 thousand 217 second doses have been administered.

 

4. Govt releases over Rs 8,873 cr for State Disaster Response Fund to all States for COVID-19 containment measures: As a special dispensation, Centre has released in advance over 8873 crore rupees for State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to all the States. The States can use up to 50 percent of the released amount for COVID-19 containment measures, that include meeting the cost of oxygen generation and storage plants in hospitals, ventilators, strengthening ambulance services, COVID-19 hospitals, thermal scanners, personal protective equipment, testing laboratories and testing kits.

 

5. Finance Ministry decides to provide additional amount of uptoRs 15,000 cr to States: The Finance Ministry has decided to provide an additional amount of upto 15 thousand crore rupees to States as interest free 50 year loan for spending on capital projects. The Department of Expenditure has issued fresh guidelines in this regard on the Scheme of Financial Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure for the financial year 2021-22. This helped to sustain state level capital expenditure in the pandemic year. In view of the positive response to the scheme and considering the requests of the State Governments, the Government has decided to continue the scheme in the year 2021-22.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. UK become the first country to allow Driverless cars on roads: The United Kingdom has become the first country to announce regulation for the use of self-driving vehicles at low speeds. The UK wants to be at the forefront in rolling out autonomous driving technology. The Government of the UK forecasts that around 40% of UK cars will have self-driving capabilities by 2035. This will create 38,000 jobs in the country. The speed limit of the ALKS is to be set at 37 miles per hour. The ALKS shall drive itself in a single lane.

How do Self Driving Vehicles work: A self-driving vehicle is fully autonomous. No driver is required for the safe operation of the vehicle. Self-driving technologies have been developed by Uber, Google, Nissan, Tesla. Most of the self-driving systems maintain an internal map. They use lasers, sensors and radars to map their surroundings. Based on the map created, instructions are delivered to the actuators of the vehicle.

Note: Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson; Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

 

2. International Workers’ Day: 1st May: International Labour Day (also known as May Day or International Workers’ Day) is celebrated across the world on the 1st of May every year. The day celebrates the struggle, dedication and commitment of the working class and is an annual public holiday in several countries.

History of the day: On 1 May 1886, Chicago and a few other cities were the sites of a major union demonstration in support of the eight-hour workday demand. In 1889, the International Socialist Conference declared that in commemoration of the Haymarket affair, 1 May would be an international holiday for the labour force, now known as International Workers’ Day.

Note: Headquarters of International Labour Organization: Geneva, Switzerland; President of International Labour Organization: Guy Ryder; International Labour Organization Founded: 1919.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank launches Digital banking Platform ‘Merchant Stack’: The ICICI Bank has announced the launch of a digital and contactless banking platform, especially for retail merchants. The service, called ‘Merchant Stack’, is targeted at the over 2 crore retail merchants in the country, covering grocers, supermarkets, large retail store chains, online businesses and large e-commerce firms. Retail merchants can avail the ‘Merchant Stack’ services on InstaBIZ, the mobile banking application of ICICI Bank for businesses. The wide range of banking, as well as value-added services, will enable merchants to meet their banking requirements seamlessly so that they can continue to serve their customers in the challenging times during the pandemic. The banking services under Merchant Stack will include zero-balance current account, instant credit facilities, ‘digital store management’ facility, loyalty programme, and value-added services like alliances with e-commerce and digital marketing platforms.

 

2. HDFC Bank top arranger of corporate bond deals in FY21: HDFC Bank has emerged as the top arranger of corporate bond deals in 2020-21 (FY21). Axis Bank came in second, while ICICI Bank third. However, for the last quarter of FY21, i.e January- March 2021, Axis Bank was the top arranger of corporate bond deals while HDFC was second in the last quarter. Axis Bank managed 16 deals worth Rs. 106.6 billion while HDFC Bank had 19 deals worth around Rs 70.4 billion.

Note: Headquarters of HDFC Bank: Mumbai, Maharashtra; MD and CEO of HDFC Bank: SashidharJagdishan (Succeeds Aditya Puri); The tagline of HDFC Bank: We understand your world.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Niraj Bajaj named Bajaj Auto Chairman: Bajaj Auto has announced the appointment of Neeraj Bajaj as its new Chairman of the Board with effect from May 1, 2021. The automaker has also announced Rahul Bajaj as its Chairman Emeritus. This will be taken up at the ensuing annual general meeting for the approval of the shareholders. Rahul Bajaj, Non-executive Chairman of the Company, having been at the helm of the Company since 1972 and the Group for five decades, considering his age, has tendered his resignation as a non-executive director and Chairman of the Company with effect from close of business hours on 30 April 2021.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. NATO military exercises launched in Albania: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched joint military exercises “DEFENDER-Europe 21” in Albania with thousands of military forces from the United States and other countries in the first such large-scale drills since World War II in the Western Balkans. Albania is playing a critical part in the DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercise with Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore operations taking place.

About the exercises: DEFENDER-Europe is an annual large-scale U.S. Army-led, multinational exercise, defensive in nature and focused on deterring aggression, which this year focuses on building operational readiness and interoperability with NATO and a greater number of allies and partners over a wider area of operations than ever before. Around 28,000 U.S., allied and partner forces from 26 nations will conduct nearly simultaneous operations across more than 30 training areas in more than a dozen nations from the Baltics and Africa to the critical Black Sea and Balkan regions.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. American Astronaut-Pilot Michael Collins Passes Away: The American astronaut, Michael Collins, who was the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, has passed away, after losing his battle to cancer. During the three-man Apollo 11 crew mission in 1969, Collins kept the command module flying while the other two members, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. Collins spent seven years of his career as an astronaut with NASA.

 

2. Senior TV Journalist RohitSardana Passes Away: Renowned TV journalist and news anchor, RohitSardana, has passed away, due to a heart attack, following the deadly COVID-19 infection. The young journalist was just 41-year-old. Sardana was associated with Zee News since 2004, before moving to AajTak in 2017. With Zee News, he hosted TaalThokKe, a programme that discusses contemporary issues in India, while with AajTak, he was hosting the debate show ”Dangal.” Sardana was awarded the Ganesh Shankar VidyarthiPuraskar by the Indian government in 2018. 

Daily GK Updates - 30th April, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates India’s first 3D printed house at IIT-M: The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman virtually inaugurated the first 3D printed house in India at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M). The concept of this 3D printed house was conceived by former IIT-M alumni. The single-storey home has been built in just five days over an area of about 600 sq. ft using ‘Concrete 3D Printing” technology.The house is by IIT-Madras based start-up ‘TVASTA Manufacturing Solutions’, within the campus, in association with Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter. The 3D Printed House would help to meet the deadline of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the ‘housing for all’ scheme by 2022.

 

2. TV Somanathan named finance secretary by ACC: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of T V Somanathan as the new Finance Secretary. He will replace Ajay Bhushan Pandey who superannuated in February 2021. Somanathan, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was currently serving as the Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Earlier, he has served as a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. Somanathan was awarded the Gold Medal for the Best IAS trainee of his cohort. He holds a PhD in Economics from Calcutta University and is a chartered accountant, chartered management accountant and chartered secretary.

 

3. Cricketer RavindraJadeja becomes ASICS brand ambassador: Japanese Sportswear brand ASICS announced that it has appointed RavindraJadeja, the all-rounder of the Indian cricket team and Chennai Super Kings as its brand ambassador. The company, which focuses on sporting gear for the running category. ASICS has been working with young and fresh athletic talent across various genres of sports. In India, ASICS is promoted by actor Tiger Shroff. In Asia, ASICS currently has over 55 stores across India, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.

 

4. Ayushman Bharat Diwas: 30th April: Every year, the Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated on April 30 in India. The Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated to achieve twin missions. They are to promote health and wellness to the poor and also to provide insurance benefits to them. The day aims to promote affordable medical facilities in remote areas of the country based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census database. It will also promote health and wellness and provide insurance benefits to the poor.Ayushman Bharat Scheme:

(1) The Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2018.

(2) According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has so far operationalised 75,532 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre. It has fixed a target of 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centre by 2022.

(3) The beneficiaries are chosen from the Socio-Economic Census Database.

(4) It is the largest health cover in the world.

(5) It aims to provide five lakh rupees of health cover per family per year.

(6) The scheme also covers fifteen days of pre-hospitalisation and fifteen days of post-hospitalisation. This includes the expenses of medicines and tests.

(7) The scheme subsumed the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme and RashtriyaSwasthyaBimaYojana.

(8) The scheme has packages that include knee replacement, bypass and other treatments provided at 15% cheaper than the Central Government Health Schemes.

Note: Minister of State (IC) of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH): Shripad Yesso Naik.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. China Launches Robot Prototype ‘NEO-01’ Clear Space Debris: The Chinese government has launched a robot prototype named as ‘NEO-01’, in the Earth’s low orbit, on its Long March 6 rocket. The 30kg robot prototype has been developed by Shenzhen-based space mining start-up ‘Origin Space’.

Main Purpose: To observe small celestial bodies in deep space and to experiment with space debris removal techniques. NEO-01 will use a large net to capture debris left behind by other spacecraft and then burn it using its electric propulsion system.

 

2. India Ranks 49th in Chandler Good Government Index 2021: India has been placed at 49th position among 104 nations in the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) 2021. Finland has topped the CGGI Index 2021 and Venezuela is the last ranked country at 104.

Index: Rank 1: Finland

Rank 2: Switzerland

Rank 3: Singapore

Rank 4: Netherlands

Rank 5: Demark

About the Chandler Good Governance Index: The Chandler Good Governance Index is released by the Chandler Institute of Governance headquartered in Singapore. The index is prepared based on seven pillars namely leadership and foresight, strong institutions, robust laws and policies, attractive market place, financial stewardship, helping people rise, global influence and reputation.

 

3. International Jazz Day: 30th April: The International Jazz Day is celebrated on 30 April every year to highlight the importance of jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people in all corners of the globe. The 2021 celebration marks the 10th Anniversary of International Jazz Day. The day was created on the idea of jazz pianist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock.

History of International Jazz Day: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed 30 April as International Jazz Day on November 2011. The day was designated to bring together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts from across the world to celebrate and learn about the art of jazz and its impact.

Note: Director-General of UNESCO: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO formation: 4 November 1946; UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI joins network for greening financial system: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined the Central Banks and Supervisors Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) as a member. The central bank joined the NGFS on April 23, 2021. Green finance assumed significance in the context of climate change. The RBI expects to benefit from the membership of NGFS by learning from and contributing to global efforts on green finance, which has assumed significance in the context of climate change. Launched at the Paris One Planet Summit on December 12, 2017, the NGFS is a group of central banks and supervisors willing to share best practices and contribute to the development of environment and climate risk management in the financial sector, while mobilising mainstream finance to support the transition towards a sustainable economy.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. ADB Projects India’s GDP to grow 11% in FY22: The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected the growth rate of India’s economy, in its latest flagship Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2021, as follows:

FY22 (2021-22): 11%

FY23 (2022-23): 7%

ADB has based the rate on the “strong” vaccine drive being undertaken across the country, however, it has also cautioned that the recent surge in COVID cases may put the country’s economic recovery at “risk”.

Note: President of ADB: MasatsuguAsakawa; Headquarters: Manila, Philippines; ADB Established: 9 December 1966.

 

2. IHS Markit Estimates GDP Growth Rate of India at 9.6% for FY22: London-based financial services company IHS Markit has projected the GDP growth rate of the Indian economy to grow at 9.6 per cent in FY22 (2021-22). The revision is based on factors like ongoing lockdown and mobility curbs coupled with fears of an extension, time-wise and across more Indian cities.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. KrithiKaranth becomes 1st Indian woman to get ‘Wild Innovator Award’: Dr. Krithi K Karanth, Chief Conservation Scientist at Bengaluru-based Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS), has been chosen as the first Indian and Asian woman for the 2021 ‘WILD Innovator Award’. This award given by the ‘‘WILD ELEMENTS Foundation” brings together a coalition of innovators, advocates and partners to “disrupt the status quo and identify solutions to global sustainability and conservation,”. The Foundation’s distinctive approach to addressing climate change is the “Power of Three,” recognising the interconnectedness of animal-kind, humankind, and plantkind for the future planetary wellness of our shared home.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO Conducts Maiden Trial of Python-5 Air to Air Missile Using LCA Tejas: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully test-fired the 5th generation Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) from Tejas aircraft, at Goa. This adds the Python-5 Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) in the air-to-air weapons package of India’s indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas. The trials also aimed to validate the enhanced capability of the already integrated Derby Beyond Visual Range (BVR) AAM on Tejas. Python-5 air-to-air missile (AAM) has been manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel and is one of the most sophisticated guided missiles in the world.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Noted Odia and English Author Manoj Das Passes Away: Eminent Indian educationist, popular columnist and prolific author, who wrote in Odia and English, Manoj Das has passed away. The first book of Das was of poetry called ‘SatavdiraArtanada’, in Odia, which was published when he was in high school. He was honoured with Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2020 for his contributions in the field of literature and education. 

Daily GK Updates - 29th April, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Haryana to provide jobs to abandoned, surrendered children under HARIHAR scheme: The Haryana cabinet approved a policy to provide jobs on compassionate grounds and economically weaker section (EWS) status to children either abandoned or surrendered and turned 18-year-old while living in child-care institutions across state. The children abandoned when below 5 years of age and surrendered before turning one-year-old will be eligible for benefits of HARIHAR initiative of the Haryana government. Under the policy, eligible children will get benefits of education, employment, and financial support. The policy provides for free schooling, higher education, technical education, skill development and industrial training, apart from financial assistance up to the age of 25 years or marriage, whichever is earlier, and one-time interest-free loan for buying a house in Haryana.

 

2. Over 14,400 ha area in Andaman & Nicobar becomes first large territory to get organic certification: About 14,491 hectare (ha) area in Andaman and Nicobar has been certified as organic, the first large contiguous territory to be done under a government scheme, Agriculture Ministry said. After Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands, Lakshadweep and Ladakh are proactively taking steps for the transformation of their traditional organic areas to certified organic. There are traditional areas in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, north-eastern states and tribal belts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh and desert districts of Rajasthan which can be transformed to certified organic.

 

3. AP inks MoU with Microsoft to skill over 1.6L: In a major initiative, the state government has roped in Microsoft to take up skill development training for college students and unemployed youth in Andhra Pradesh. Microsoft has agreed to provide training to about 1.62 lakh students in the coming one year. This is considered to be the biggest and first-of-its-kind initiative by a state government to cover its entire cohort of young graduates. The move is aimed at accelerating digital skilling of youth to enable their employability in the industry

 

4. IIT Kharagpur and NCDC Sign MoU to promote Sustainable Developments in Cooperatives, Agriculture and Allied Sectors: IIT Kharagpur and the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) have signed an MoU towards greater collaboration in issues and areas related to the development of cooperatives, agriculture and allied sectors and to the holistic approach towards sustainable development. The scope of the MoU will involve the advancement of training, action research, studies, policy analysis, policy advice, consultancy, monitoring, evaluation, system development and technology development.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Missing Indonesian Navy Submarine ‘KRI Nanggala’ found split into three parts on seabed: The Indonesian navy submarine ‘KRI Nanggala (402)’, that went missing on 21 April 2021, in the waters off the coast of Bali Island, is reported to be found split into three pieces on the sea bed, at a depth of 850 meters. Indonesian military leaders declared that the KRI Nanggala is divided into three parts: the hull of the ship, the stern of the ship, and the main parts, which was found cracked. All the 53 crew aboard the submarine have been confirmed dead. KRI Nanggala (402) was launched 40 years ago in 1980, and commissioned in 1981. From India, the Indian Navy sent their deep-submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV) from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to the search area, to assist Indonesian Navy in search operation.

 

2. Russia plans its own space station in 2025: Russia’s space agency said it hoped to launch its own orbital station in 2025 as Moscow considers withdrawing from the International Space Station programme to go it alone and build and manage its own floating laboratory that will be launched into orbit by 2030. The project would mark a new chapter for Russian space exploration and an end to more than two decades of close cooperation with the United States aboard the ageing International Space Station (ISS).

 

3. International Dance Day: 29th April: The International Dance Day is observed globally on 29 April every year. The day celebrates the value and importance of the dance and encourages participation and education in this art form through events and festivals. The day 29 April has been chosen as it marks the birth anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727–1810), who is known as the creator of modern ballet. The theme of International Dance Day 2021: ‘Purpose of dance’. The day was created in 1982, by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO.

Note: International Theatre Institute Founded: 1948; Headquarters of International Theatre Institute: Paris, France.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. BOB Financial and Mastercard to launch world’s first QR on Card programme to simplify digital payments: Mastercard and BOB Financial Solutions Limited (BFSL) have come together to offer an easy, frictionless payment solution for cardholders with the launch of ConQR – a Mastercard QR on Card solution. This solution uses a Mastercard patented technology which enables cardholders/ SMEs to accept cashless payments using their cards. By doing so, QR on Card makes payments more flexible and empowers cardholders (mainly small merchants) to spend and earn on the same card. The solution does not require cardholders to give out personally identifiable information to receive payments, providing them with an important layer of security.

 

2. Govt Appoints Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth on RBI Board: The Reserve Bank said the government has appointed Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth on the central bank’s board. Seth replaces Tarun Bajaj, who was appointed as Revenue Secretary earlier this month. The nomination of Seth is effective from April 24, 2021, and until further orders, it said. In addition to the Economic Affairs Secretary, the other government nominee director on the central board is Financial Services Secretary Debasish Panda.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Paytm launches ‘Wealth Community’ for young investors: Home-grown digital financial services platform Paytm has launched a new video-based wealth community called the Paytm Wealth Community. Paytm Wealth Community is an investing community based on video, and will enable users to attend live sessions conducted by subject matter experts across an array of wealth topics like Stocks, F&O, IPO, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Gold, Fixed Income, and Personal Finance. The community is meant to tap young users and has been designed for the needs of the “new Indian investor.”

 

2. India-Singapore tie-up looking to promote tech startups: The Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and Start-up Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) of IIT-Kanpur have come together to provide a gateway of opportunities to tech-based start-ups to usher a circular economy and an entrepreneurial ecosystem. The purpose of the launchpad is to encourage start-ups to take advantage of the Singapore-India trade and technology corridor. The two institutions are collaborating to identify young, indigenous talent to provide them with an array of incubation services.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Argentina, Brazil, Uganda and Vanuatu crowned ICC Global Development award winners: Argentina, Brazil, Uganda and Vanuatu were announced as the global winners of the ICC development awards for 2020.The awards are given to members for working to grow cricket in emerging markets in partnership with the ICC.

(1) The global award for the ICC Development Initiative of the Year has been awarded to Cricket Argentina for producing 17 coaching, umpiring and scoring courses in Spanish to attract local audiences in South America to cricket.

(2) Cricket Brazil has been awarded the 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year after taking a huge step forward in the development of the women’s game in South America by awarding 14 professional central contracts to the women’s national team.

(3) The ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year has been awarded to the Vanuatu Cricket Association for providing cricket to fans during the pandemic when the Women’s T20 Grand Final was the only live sporting event available.

(4) The Uganda Cricket Association has won the Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year for supporting hundreds of their players, volunteers and their families through a COVID-19 relief programme.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Agneepath, Ram Lakhan Editor WamanBhonslepassee away: National-award winning editor WamanBhonsle passed away at his residence in Mumbai due to age-related issues. He was 87. In his four-decade-long career, he worked with several noted filmmakers including SubhashGhai, ShekarKapur, Mahesh Bhatt, Gulzaar, Raj Sippy, Anil Ganguly, Sunil Dutt, others. He was the man at the editing table for more than 230 films.

 

2. Ex-chief of SSB Arun Chaudhary passes away: Former Sahasthra Seema Bal chief Arun Chaudhary died of Covid. He was 66. A 1977-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Bihar cadre, Chaudhary served for nearly two decades in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) where he headed the Jammu and Kashmir desk. In his early service days, he served in various positions in his cadre state and also had a stint with the Central Industrial Security Force, where he headed its airport security unit. 

Daily GK Updates - 28th April, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Centre extends Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme for healthcare workers for one year: After an unprecedented spike in covid-19 positive cases, the Centre extended the Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme for about 22 lakh healthcare providers for another year with immediate effect.The scheme implemented by New India Assurance was slated to end on April 24. The insurance provides a comprehensive personal accident cover of Rs 50 lakh to a total of around 22.12 lakh public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of patients suffering from coronavirus infection and who may be at risk of being impacted by this. The scheme is funded through the National Disaster Response Fund, operated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

 

2. Haryana launches ‘Covid Emergency Loan Scheme’: To ensure uninterrupted flow of vital medical supplies to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in the State, Haryana Government announced “Haryana Covid Emergency Loan Scheme” for new and old entrepreneurs supplying medicines, oxygen and other medical facilities to Covid-19 patients. For this, the State Government has set up a fund of Rs 500 crore. Under the scheme, Haryana Government will help businessmen, presently working in the state, to increase their current production or to set up new units to meet various requirements to tackle Covid-19 pandemic.

 

3. Maharashtra to appoint oxygen nurses to curb wastage of oxygen at hospitals: Maharashtra Health Minister Dr. Rajesh Tope has said that the state needs to appoint oxygen Nurses to curb wastage of oxygen and to maintain data of oxygen storage at hospitals. He gave the example of Nandurbar district which adopted the good practice of appointing oxygen nurses in the year 2020. The primary job of an oxygen nurse is to monitor the requirement of oxygen every 2-4 hours round the clock, its use among patients and to ensure minimum wastage. Instruction has been issued to all government medical colleges and hospitals to set up a dedicated team of nurses.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. India third highest military spender in 2020: India has retained its position as the third biggest military spender in the world in 2020, according to new data titled ‘SIPRI Military Expenditure Database’ published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on April 26, 2021.

Top 5 nations: As per the new report, the top five biggest spenders in 2020 were the United States ($778 billion), China ($252 billion), India ($72.9 billion), Russia ($61.7 billion) and the United Kingdom ($59.2 billion) respectively. These five nations together accounted for 62 per cent of global military expenditure.

Global Expenditure: Globally, the military spending in 2020 rose to $1981 billion. This value is an increase of 2.6 per cent in real terms as compared to 2019.

 

2. WHO unveils global immunization strategy to save 50 million lives by 2030: A UN-led global immunization strategy was unveiled to reach more than 50 million children who have missed lifesaving jabs against measles and other diseases because of COVID-19 disruption. WHO, along with UNICEF and the vaccine alliance Gavi, said their new global strategy has the potential to save 50 million lives within less than a decade. A WHO survey showed more than one third of countries were still seeing disruptions to their routine immunisation services. The joint statement said, around 60 mass vaccination campaigns were currently postponed in 50 countries, putting 228 million people, mostly children, at risk of diseases such as measles and polio.

 

3. Workers’ Memorial Day: 28th April: The Workers’ Memorial Day, also known as International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers occurs every year on 28 April. The day has been organized worldwide by the International Trade Union Confederation since 1996. Theme 2021: ‘Health and Safety is a fundamental workers‘ right.’ Its purpose is to remember workers killed in incidents at work or by diseases caused by work and honour the victims of occupational accidents and diseases by organizing worldwide mobilizations and awareness campaigns on this date.

 

4. World Day for Safety and Health at Work: 28th April: World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed globally on 28 April every year. This day is observed to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally and raise awareness to ensure health and safety at the workplace. The theme for 2021 is “Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises – Invest Now in Resilient Occupational Safety and Health Systems”.

History of World Day for Safety and Health at Work: The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work. It is persisted 28 April and has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.

Note: Headquarters of International Labour Organization: Geneva, Switzerland; President of International Labour Organization: Guy Ryder; International Labour Organization Founded: 1919.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. DeepikaKumari-led Women’s Recurve Team Wins Gold at World Cup Archery Stage 1: Indian women’s recurve team held its nerve to pip Mexico 5-4 (27-26) in an intriguing final to grab a gold medal in the Archery World Cup Stage 1. Locked 4-4 in the shoot-off, the Indian team comprising seasoned DeepikaKumari, AnkitaBhakat and Komalika Bari shot 27 to edge out their Mexican rivals by one point and claim their first World Cup team gold after seven years. This was India’s fifth recurve women’s team gold in World Cup having won in Shanghai- 2011, Medellin-2013, Wroclaw-2013 and 2014 previously. In another match, the Indian mixed recurve team of Atanu Das and AnkitaBhakat won the bronze medal after a 6-2 victory over USA.

 

2. Haryana and Delhi to host Khelo India Youth Games in November 21st To December 5th, 2021: The fourth edition of ‘Khelo India Youth Games-2021’ will be held in Panchkula, Ambala, Shahabad, Delhi and Chandigarh from November 21 to December 5, in which various sports activities under-18 category would be organised. Besides this, some BRICS Games 2021 would also be organized during Khelo India.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Shivalik Small Finance Bank Limited Begins Operations: The UP-based Shivalik Small Finance Bank Limited commenced operations as a Small Finance Bank (SFB) with effect from April 26, 2021. It must be remembered that the Shivalik Mercantile Co-operative Bank (SMCB) is the first urban co-operative bank (UCB) in India to receive licence from RBI to operate as a Small Finance Bank (SFB). The bank has received the licence from RBI under Section 22 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to carry on the business of small finance bank in India. Shivalik SFB area of operation is Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Note: Shivalik Small Finance Bank Limited MD and CEO: Suveer Kumar Gupta.

 

2. ArunRaste named new MD & CEO of NCDEX: Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has given approval to the appointment of ArunRaste as MD and CEO of National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) for a period of 5 years. Raste is currently associated with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) as an Executive Director and prior to NDDB, he has worked with organisations like IDFC First Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, NABARD, ACC Cement, and a non-profit NGO IRFT.

Note: NCDEX Founded: 15 December 2003; NCDEX Headquarters: Mumbai; NCDEX Owner: Government of India (100%).

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Oxford Economics Projects India’s FY22 GDP Growth Forecast to 10.2%: The Global forecasting firm Oxford Economics has revised downwards the GDP growth forecast for India to 10.2 per cent for fiscal 2021-22. Earlier it predicted this at 11.8 per cent. The downward revision is based on the country’s serious health burden, weak vaccination rate and lack of a convincing government strategy to contain the pandemic.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Uttar Pradesh won e-panchayat award: The Uttar Pradesh government won the “E-Panchayat Puraskar 2021”, ranking first in Category I. It was followed by Assam and Chhattisgarh at the second position, while Odisha and Tamil Nadu stood third. Every year, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj awards those states, which ensure maximum use of information technology to keep a tab on the work done by gram panchayats.

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

 

DEFENCE

 

1. DRDO develops single crystal blades for helicopter engines: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed single-crystal blades technology for helicopters and has supplied 60 of these blades to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as part of their indigenous helicopter development programme for engine application. The DRDO will develop a total of five sets (300 blades) of single-crystal blades. This is part of a programme taken up by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) to develop five sets of single-crystal high-pressure turbine (HPT) blades using a nickel-based superalloy.

Note: Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy; DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi; DRDO Established: 1958.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Renowned Gujarati poet and folk singer DadudanGadhvi Passes Away: Veteran Gujarati poet and folk singer DadudanPratapdanGadhvi has passed away. He was 80 years old. He was also known as Kavi Dad. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 for his contribution in literature and education. Besides, he had written songs for 15 Gujarati films.